Career Discovery Week

Monday, October 6, 6:00-7:00 p.m. | Register

Jocelyn Borchardt ‘13 (History), President, Front Door Development, LLC
Jocelyn is an experienced developer of housing and renewable energy projects, with a focus on projects that benefit affordable housing residents. Her skill set includes project feasibility assessment and financial structuring, navigating public and private funding programs, and managing all aspects of the development process. With a background as a Public Housing Authority development consultant and technical assistance provider on behalf of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), she is experienced in working with Housing Authorities and developing projects within the framework of HUD repositioning programs. Before founding Front Door Development, LLC, Ms. Borchardt worked as an affordable housing developer for private LIHTC development companies in Madison, WI. Ms. Borchardt holds a B.A. in History from Carleton College and an MBA in Real Estate and Urban Land Economics from the James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Ross Chavez ‘01 (Latin American Studies), Clinical Supervisor, Paramedic, Emergency Physicians Professional Association – Urgency Room
For over 20 years, Ross has held various roles in healthcare with a focus on emergency medical services. Ross trained in Chicago with the Chicago Fire Department and spent most of his career with Hennepin Healthcare, starting in 2007 as a paramedic and then Battalion Chief. He spent several years working in Trauma Services as a business development officer and outreach liaison before returning to EMS as the Assistant Chief. In 2019, he transitioned back to frontline EMS work as a paramedic/firefighter for the City of Woodbury, MN, where he supported the city’s emergency operations center during COVID-19 as the Health and Safety Officer. Ross recently left EMS/fire and now supervises the clinical staff at the Urgency Room, focusing on day-to-day logistics, process improvement, training, and staff development.

Son Ha Dinh ‘04 (Chinese Language), Previously Movement Operations Manager, UN Migration Agency (IOM)
Son Ha is a humanitarian who has worked with the UN Migration Agency (IOM) for 18 years in 5 different countries: Vietnam, Nepal, Tanzania, Indonesia, and Kenya. He specializes in setting up offices in challenging environments and camp-like settings, managing the logistics of transporting asylum seekers and refugees via land-water-air, and promoting greater inclusion of refugee adults and children with the host government. He has a BA in Chinese Language from Carleton College. Outside of work, he enjoys freediving, playing ultimate, and running.     

Erika Ohles ‘13 (Arts), Executive Assistant, Agate Housing & Services
Erika has worked in human services for seven years, providing direct service to participants on the Street Outreach team (2018-2021) and supporting several leadership and administrative areas as Executive Assistant (2021-present). Erika’s goal in any job is to combine talent, interest, and positive impact.

Madeline Robbins ’19 (Religion), Osteopathic Family Medicine Resident Physician, Mayo
Madeline Robbins is an Osteopathic Family Medicine Resident Physician at Mayo Mankato Health System and serves her patients by walking with them as a partner in their health journey. She received her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2024 and graduated from Carleton College in 2019 with her BA in Religious Studies with a focus on death and dying from a Tibetan Buddhist perspective.

Sami Saltzman Savin ’16 (English & Education Studies), Director of Education, Sacred Spaces
Sami (she/her) is Director of Education at Sacred Spaces. Driven by a commitment to fostering human well-being and nurturing connections, Sami has dedicated her career to cultivating environments where individuals feel safe and valued, paving the path to a sense of collective well-being that unlocks our collective limitless potential. Sami is proud to be an educator at heart. Her contributions in various roles have spanned from teaching reading and dance to elementary, middle, and high school students; to leading relationship-based bias-reduction partnerships with schools and nonprofits; to creating and scaling a national community movement centered on transforming the impact of educator-student relationships; to now leading adult education initiatives for effective and ethical abuse prevention and response in faith communities across the country. Sami holds an M.Ed. in Education Policy and Leadership from American University and a BA in English and Education from Carleton College.

Monday, October 6, 6:00-7:00 p.m. | Register

Jenn Borchardt ‘13 (Biology/Biochemistry), Senior Medical Writer, Illumina
Jenn combines her experience as a scientist with her Carleton writing education to author the clinical trial protocols and study reports needed to validate the performance of diagnostic devices that identify patients for targeted drug therapies. She describes these diagnostic devices to regulatory bodies like the FDA, as well as physicians and clinical scientists. Jenn has previously worked as an assay scientist at the medical device company, Zepto Life Technology. She has a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a BA in Biology from Carleton College.

Roger Faust ‘19 (Biology), Postdoctoral Fellow in Environmental Studies, Carleton College
Roger bridges Indigenous knowledge and natural resource management by fostering collaboration among Tribal communities, conservation agencies, and academic institutions. He focuses on amplifying Tribal perspectives in management decisions and developing culturally grounded strategies that promote community well-being. He has previously worked on partnerships that build enduring collaborations, inspire innovative approaches to conservation, and uphold Indigenous sovereignty and stewardship. As an educator, Faust is dedicated to engaging students in meaningful discussions about Indigenous environmental stewardship, sovereignty, and the intersection of science and community. Faust holds a PhD and MS in Conservation Sciences from the University of Minnesota and a BA in Biology from Carleton College.

Mailee Moua ‘10 (Biology), Supervising Environmentalist, Hennepin County
Mailee Moua brings in 15 years of experience in public health and engagement work. She currently focuses on Environmental Health and how the environment impacts people and communities. She holds an MPH in Environmental Health with a concentration in Environmental Health Policies from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a BA in Biology from Carleton College. Mailee has

Caroline Saksena ‘23 (Biology), Head Medical Assistant, Tareen Dermatology
Caroline directs a surgical team at a dermatology clinic in Minnesota. She leads a small team in an out-patient setting to treat skin cancers and provide excellent, patient-focused care. Caroline previously facilitated and scribed medical visits for 10 general dermatology patients each day, working in close collaboration with over a dozen physicians and physician assistants to treat conditions such as acne or psoriasis and to conduct skin cancer screenings. She now works exclusively with a highly-specialized Mohs surgeon. During college, Caroline gravitated towards projects tangential to health, working with three research groups and two patient-facing non-profit organizations. Since graduating, she has volunteered with non-profit organizations in the Twin-Cities metro to increase access to education and health. Carleton connections introduced Caroline to the majority of these opportunities, for which she is eternally grateful. Caroline’s aspirations to become a public health physician began during her time at Carleton as a Student Career Assistant and Resident Assistant. She holds a BA in Biology from Carleton College.

Matthew Watowich ‘21 (Biology), MD/PhD Student, University of Minnesota
Matthew is currently an MD/PhD student in the graduate phase, researching T cell residency and function in the context of cancer within the Masopust lab at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He previously worked at the National Cancer Institute as a Cancer Research Training Award (CRTA) fellow within the Neuro-Oncology Branch during his gap years between undergraduate and graduate education. He has a major in Biology from Carleton College, and is on track to earn a PhD in 2029 and a MD in 2031.

Monday, October 6, 6:00-7:00 p.m. | Register

Anthony Baquero ‘05 (Political Science/International Relations), Lawyer, Baquero Law Office
Anthony is an immigration attorney with Baquero Law Office. He has been with the firm for 16 years, specializing in family immigration, citizenship, U visa cases, and removal defense. He works primarily with Spanish speakers. He graduated from Carleton in 2005 with a degree in International Relations and graduated from William Mitchell College (now Mitchell Hamline) in 2009.

Courtney Kimmel ‘20 (Biology and Sociology/Anthropology), Resident Doctor, Pediatrics (PGY1), University of Minnesota
Courtney provides medical care for pediatric patients in the Twin Cities as a first-year medical resident with the University of Minnesota. In medical school, she was selected to participate in the Education in Pediatrics Across the Continuum Program (EPAC), which allowed her to early match and start as a resident with the Pediatric Residency program at the University of Minnesota. Before medical school, she worked as a medical scribe in local emergency rooms during the COVID-19 pandemic and taught swimming lessons at Foss Swim School, the latter of which she continued throughout medical school. She has an MD from the University of Minnesota Medical School and a BA in Biology & Sociology/Anthropology from Carleton College.

Michael Massad ‘14 (Political Science), Director of Admissions, University of Minnesota
For over a decade, Michael has worked in the college admissions, advising, and recruiting world, with a focus on access, inclusivity, and equity serving as a throughline of his career. Before his current role, he worked in admissions at Vanderbilt University, Carleton College, and Southwestern University (TX) after starting his career with a year of AmeriCorps service at College Forward (now College Possible Texas). He holds an MEd from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development and a BA from Carleton College.

Colleen Tjosvold ‘11 (Political Science/International Relations), Elite Rugby Athlete, Hong Kong Sports Institute
Colleen was a professional rugby player representing Hong Kong for over a decade at international competitions, including the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup. She has a Master of Counseling from Monash University in Australia and an MA in Integrative Health and Wellbeing Coaching from the University of Minnesota. Colleen completed her BA in International Relations/Political Science at Carleton College.

Kaizen Yang ‘08 (Economics), Director of Product Implementations, Annex Cloud
A Proud Northfield Native, Kaizen majored in Economics and played on the Knights football team while at Carleton. Since receiving an MBA, his career focus has largely been with start-up tech companies.

Tuesday, October 7, 6:00-7:00 p.m. | Register

Shervon Cassim ‘00 (History & Political Science/International Relations), Attorney, Self-employed
Shervon is a Dubai-born attorney and writer. He has a JD from the University of Minnesota, and he has practiced corporate and commercial law in the United States and in the UAE. He received an MFA in Creative Writing at North Carolina State University, where he later taught fiction writing in the Department of English. He has a BA in History and International Relations from Carleton College.

Seth Goodspeed ‘07 (German/Medieval and Renaissance Studies), Director of Development & Communications, OutFront Minnesota
Seth has been working in nonprofit fundraising for the past fifteen years. This work has been in support of advancing the work and missions of some of Minnesota’s leading arts, cultural, and educational institutions, including the Guthrie Theater, Carleton College, Hennepin History Museum, and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. He is now director of development and communications for OutFront Minnesota, the state’s largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organization. Seth graduated from Carleton College with a BA in German.

Sinda Nichols ‘05 (English), Director of the Center for Community and Civic Engagement, Carleton College
Sinda has directed the Center for Community and Civic Engagement at Carleton College since 2020. She identifies as a higher education boundary spanner focused on fostering civic agency across institutions and communities. She has a bachelor’s from Carleton and a master’s in social work from The University of Texas at Austin.

Maya Rogers ‘22 (Psychology), PhD Student in Social Psychology, University of Minnesota
Maya is in her fourth year of her PhD program at the University of Minnesota, studying Social Psychology. She was awarded a prestigious fellowship, the NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), and dedicates her time to researching persuasive messaging and health behavior, along with some teaching and mentorship of students. Maya started in her graduate program in 2022, one month after graduating from Carleton with a BA in Psychology. At Carleton, she was highly involved, including working as a Peer Leader with the Career Center, OHP, and OAR, serving on the student government, Spanish, and helping create the college’s IDE 10-Year Plan.

Kelly Thomas ‘11 (Sociology/Anthropology), Senior Academic Advisor, University of Minnesota
Kelly builds relationships with students, staff, and faculty to provide thoughtful, proactive, individualized support. She helps students in building their confidence, resiliency, and problem-solving skills while they navigate challenges. Kelly has previously worked as a retail associate, server, and bartender. Kelly has previously volunteered with the English Learning Center and currently works with the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, Community Aid Network MN, North Star Health Collective, and Justice Frontline Aid. Kelly has an M.Ed. in Adult Education from the University of Minnesota and a BA in Sociology and Anthropology from Carleton College.

Taryn Trujillo Risom ‘13 (Political Science), Assistant Supervising Attorney, Mid Minnesota Legal Aid
Taryn is an attorney at Mid Minnesota Legal Aid, a non-profit law firm that advocates for the legal rights of disadvantaged people to have safe, healthy, and independent lives in strong communities. Her work has primarily focused on community lawyering and achieving health justice by addressing the legal barriers people face in their everyday lives that can lead to negative health outcomes, such as substandard housing or family safety concerns. Taryn received a Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin and a BA in Political Science from Carleton College.

Tuesday, October 7, 6:00-7:00 p.m. | Register

David Chin ‘07 (Biology), Real World Data Analyst, Boston Scientific
David assesses medical device safety and performance using patient data obtained from various healthcare databases. He has previously worked in various data analytics positions for healthcare companies, as well as a lab technician conducting upstream immunology research for biotech startups. He has an MS in Health Informatics from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a BA in Biology from Carleton College.

Daisuke Kawachi ‘13 (Cinema and Media Studies), Program Officer, Holistic Grantmaking, Greater Twin Cities United Way
Daisuke works in partnership with Twin Cities area nonprofits to disrupt inequities related to race, place, and income. He has previously worked in health-tech supporting state-level responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, community engagement at the Guthrie Theater, and is a generative theater maker. He has a BA in Cinema and Media Studies from Carleton College.

Dan Lew ‘07 (Computer Science)
Dan has been developing software since graduating from Carleton almost two decades ago. After a long stint on mobile apps (such as Expedia or Trello), he’s shifted into working on sustainable tech. Dan also regularly blogs about tech, gives talks on programming, and contributes to open source projects. He has a BA in Computer Science from Carleton.

Erin Lopez ‘13 (Biology), Director, Trupanion
Erin works for Trupanion, a mission-driven pet insurance company that helps families afford the best medical care for their cats and dogs. As a Director, Erin oversees a global team focused on delivering an exceptional member experience and uses data to inform key strategic business decisions. She has also cultivated talent, developed leaders, and fostered growth and fulfillment within her teams. Erin has a BA in Biology from Carleton College.

Alyssa Lubet ‘07 (English), Senior Data Analyst, Syndio
Alyssa uses statistical analysis to help companies resolve gender- and race-related pay gaps at Syndio, a Software as a Service (SaaS) startup that makes and licenses workplace equity and compliance tools. Previously, she has worked in education and public health research at Harvard University and has also worked as an English teacher in the Czech Republic and Bangladesh. She has a Master of Public Policy from Duke University and a BA in English from Carleton.

Wednesday, October 8, 6:00-7:00 | Register

Erica Helgerud ‘20 (English and German), News and Social Media Manager, Carleton College
Erica handles every piece of content on the Carleton News website, copy edits a variety of projects for the Division of Communications, and maintains the @carletoncollege social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, Bluesky, Threads, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok (plus whichever new social platforms pop up). She writes most of the articles and stories that appear on Carleton News and manages a team of 5–7 student contributors to the site during the academic year. Previously, Erica worked as a Weitz Fellow at Opera Omaha as part of Carleton’s Weitz Fellowship program. She also held internship positions at 11:11 Press in Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota Press, the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles, Minnesota Business Magazine, and Houston Modern Luxury Magazine. Erica has a BA in English with a German minor from Carleton.

Eden Kaiser ‘03 (Japanese), Online Course Developer/Editor, Berklee College of Music
Eden lives in Northfield and works 100% remotely, helping subject matter experts develop online courses for Berklee College of Music. She also leads a team of five, conducting thorough quality assurance (QA) checks of the online course lessons before they are published live each week. Eden has also founded her own freelance academic editing business and has taught English and academic writing in schools and colleges for many years. Eden majored in Japanese at Carleton and went on to earn a PhD in linguistics at the University of Minnesota. The common thread in all of Eden’s post-college careers has been a deep curiosity and need to understand the ways that language works (or doesn’t work) in different contexts.

Jacque Oman Clinton ‘11 (Studio Art), Professional Artist
Jacque Oman Clinton creates art to promote environmental stewardship, community well-being, and appreciation for the intertwining narratives of humans and plants. Her current botanical work is focused on the prairie and her local Minnesota community/environment in an effort to celebrate this unique ecosystem and fuel conservation efforts there. She has previously worked as a book illustrator, theater set painter, muralist, freelance illustrator, and print designer. Her work has been shown in galleries across the country and hangs in private collections throughout the world. She has a BA in Studio Art from Carleton College.

Sarah Ravely ‘04 (History), Oral History Transcriptionist [Independent Contractor], Audio Transcription Center
Sarah transcribes a wide variety of oral histories for museums, universities, and other institutions and researchers across the United States.  Sarah previously worked as a medical transcriptionist and began her career in a different field as a construction laser technician. She has a B.A. in History from Carleton College.

Ash Soldier ‘15 (Cinema & Media Studies), Marketing & Communication Specialist II, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota
Ash is a strategist and creative systems thinker with a background in media, education, and program development. They are completing an MBA while working as a Marketing and Communication Specialist II at the University of Minnesota, where they create strategies and content that drive clarity and impact. Ash has also worked at the intersection of content, operations, and learning. He earned his undergraduate degree in Cinema & Media Studies from Carleton College.

See Yang ‘08 (American Studies), Hmong Language Teacher, Saint Paul Public Schools
See is a highly experienced high school Hmong Language Teacher with Saint Paul Public Schools, where he is an integral part of the Hmong Dual Language immersion pathway. With over 15 years of experience in education, he is licensed in both 5-12 Social Studies and K-12 Hmong. He was also one of the first in Minnesota to obtain a Hmong license with the first-ever Concordia College, Moorhead Hmong License cohort. He is an accomplished curriculum writer, having developed courses in Hmong language, Asian American Studies, and Hmong American Studies, and is co-piloting the first-ever CIS Hmong course, a concurrent enrollment partnership with the University of Minnesota. See Yee holds a BA in American Studies from Carleton College and a M. Ed. in World Language Instruction from Concordia College, Moorhead. He is also a published author of several Hmong children’s books through HER Publisher: Mindy and the Bear, Hide and Seek, and The Frog and the Fly.

Wednesday, October 8, 6:00-7:00 | Register

Victoria Dan ‘15 (Sociology/Anthropology), Senior Planner, Metro Transit
Victoria plans bus service in Minneapolis and Twin Cities suburbs to ensure that the regional transit network adapts to changing travel demand, operating resources, and community needs. Victoria has a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor’s in Sociology and Anthropology from Carleton College.

Tenzin Nordon ‘11 (Biology), Communication Supervisor, Minnesota Housing Financing Agency
Tenzin Nordon is a Tibetan-American leader with a passion and mission to bring sustainable change to communities. She immigrated to the United States with her family in 1998 and has been an active member of the Tibetan community in Minnesota since then. In 2019, Nordon was recognized by the Central Tibetan Administration as a 5 Under 35 Youth Ambassador. After graduating from Carleton as a Biology major, Nordon made an intentional decision to pursue her passion: college access/education. She worked in direct service, program development, communications, and project management roles within the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. During the pandemic, she worked as a project manager for the COVID-19 response workgroup that Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan established to ensure BIPOC Minnesotans were considered in the local response efforts. Through this work, she found her current passions for project management and community impact. She worked in philanthropy for the next three years as she continued exploring community impact. In Dec 2024, she started her communications supervisor role at the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency.

Will Sheffer ‘15 (Art History), Interagency Coordinator, City of Minneapolis-Public Works
Will works in the Minneapolis Department of Public Works to facilitate the department’s legislative business, act as liaison with elected officials, and coordinate with external partners. Will has previously been a policy aide, a bookseller, and an admissions interviewer. He has a BA in Art History from Carleton College.

Mara Sybesma Gustafson ‘19 (Political Science and Computer Science), Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Minnesota Attorney General
Mara is an attorney at the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General and works as a civil litigator in the Office’s Human Services Division. Mara works on a variety of cases with topics ranging from Medicaid fraud, day care licensing, civil commitment, and LGBTQ+ rights. Mara also volunteers on the board of the Minnesota Lavender Bar Association, the leading professional organization for LGBTQ+ legal professionals in the State of Minnesota. She has a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School and earned a B.A. in Political Science and Computer Science from Carleton College.

Adosh Unni ‘04 (Political Science/International Relations), Director of Government Relations, Minnesota Department of Education
Adosh represents the Minnesota Department of Education at the Minnesota Capitol each legislative session and advises the department on strategy and implementation of legislation. Adosh has previously worked at the Minnesota House of Representatives, Education Minnesota, and in the Minnesota courts. He has a JD from the University of Minnesota and a BA in International Relations from Carleton College.

Zhiming Zhao ‘05 (Economics), Chief Information Security Officer, Minnesota Judicial Branch
Zhiming is the Chief Information Security Officer for the Minnesota state court system, where he leads the program to secure its operations and data to ensure equitable access to justice for all. He leverages a diverse background in cybersecurity and IT, with prior experience in the finance, software, and manufacturing industries. Zhiming holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and a BA in Economics from Carleton College.

Thursday, October 9, 6:00-7:00 p.m. | Register

Lynn Abe ‘10 (Religion), Kindergarten Teacher, Minneapolis Public Schools
Lynn is in her eleventh year of teaching kindergarten in Minneapolis Public Schools. Lynn began working in MPS as a Reading Corps tutor through Americorps and then became an Associate Educator (paraeducator) before completing the K-6 elementary licensure program at Hamline University in St. Paul. She currently serves on her school’s equity team and as the union steward for her building. At Carleton, she majored in Religion and received a concentration in Educational Studies.

Lucy Baquero Oja, LMFT ‘09 (Psychology), Therapist/Multicultural Specialist, Carleton College
Lucy is a licensed marriage and family therapist who has worked in the field for over ten years. Currently, she works in the Student Health and Counseling office at Carleton College, working with students as they endure the challenges of college life. She also runs a mental health program called the BIPOC Mental Health Collective, which supports BIPOC students to learn about various mental health and well-being topics around campus. Lucy has previously worked as an individual and family therapist in an elementary school in Northfield, as well as worked in Minneapolis as an individual and couples therapist at Kente Circle and as an individual and family therapist at CLUES (Latino Communities United in Service). She has an MA in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of St. Thomas and a BA in Psychology with a concentration in Education from Carleton College.

Sophie Kerman ‘08 (Sociology/Anthropology), Upper School French Teacher, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Sophie is an educator who designs and teaches a French curriculum for high school students at all levels. Her pedagogy is driven by a decolonial and social justice approach, focusing on empowering students to engage critically with their own cultures and those of the Francophone world. Beyond the classroom, she has led student travel in both international exchange programs and wilderness settings. Sophie holds an MA in French from the University of Minnesota and a BA in Sociology/Anthropology from Carleton College.

Rich Majerus ‘07 (Sociology/Anthropology), Vice President of Expeditions, National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)
Rich works with NOLS’ 13 campuses in 5 countries to run outdoor skill and leadership courses that range in length from 5 to 128 days. NOLS is a nonprofit school that strives to elevate the leader in everyone. NOLS teaches wilderness medicine, outdoor skills, leadership, environmental stewardship, and the power of teamwork. Expedition Behavior, which encompasses actions that serve the health and function of a group working toward common goals, is the school’s guiding principle. Collectively, NOLS participants learn to address real challenges with real consequences, and graduates emerge more self-aware, resilient, and ready to lead. Rich has previously worked in higher education at Queens University of Charlotte, Colby College, Carleton College, and Reed College. He has an MA in Sociology from the University of Notre Dame and a BA in Sociology and Anthropology from Carleton College.

Meagan Nishi ‘11 (Studio Art), Work-Based Learning Coordinator, The Next Step Transition Program (Independent School District 622)
Meagan works at The Next Step Transition Program, which serves students with disabilities, aged 18-22. As a Work Coordinator, she helps to prepare students for employment through classroom instruction, as well as collaborating with various parties (i.e., students, employers, caregivers, state agencies, etc.) to help maintain successful work experiences for students who have been hired.  Meagan has previously worked as a Work Coordinator at Roseville Area High School and an Educational Assistant in Art at Carleton College. She has a M.Ed. from the University of Minnesota and a BA in Studio Art from Carleton College.

Thursday, October 9, 6:00-7:00 p.m. | Register

Loren Avalos ’14 (Psychology), Sensory Scientist [Product Insights Researcher], Target
Loren conducts product research for brand food and beverage items at Target to aid in product development and decision-making. In her role, she explores the intersection of consumer choice, flavor preferences, and meeting business needs through quantitative research practices.

Emma Dempsey ’19 (Environmental Studies), Director of Sales and Marketing, American Hazelnut Company
Emma has spent the last three years with a farmer-owned startup building the Midwest hazelnut industry. Her interest in sustainable agriculture led her to a career developing markets for an innovative, local crop. Before that, she raised funds for non-profits and political candidates through a mission-driven digital marketing agency. Emma graduated from Carleton in 2019 with a BA in Environmental Studies. 

Alex Dixon ’01 (Computer Science), Principal Scientist, Lead, Adobe
Alex started working at Adobe as an intern in 2000 and now works as the lead developer on lightroom.adobe.com. Alex often leads cross-team initiatives on the Lightroom product and coordinates with the Photoshop Web team for Adobe’s partnership with web browsers like Chrome, Safari, and Firefox on HDR image and other standards. He likes to think he works on the best team at Adobe, and has enjoyed participating in the evolution of the web and the changing landscape AI is creating. He’s also seen how Adobe has changed and continues to change as it grows.

Derek LeRoux Smith ’04 (Psychology), Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Children’s Minnesota
Dr. Leroux Smith is a child and adolescent psychiatrist dedicated to supporting the mental health and well-being of young people and their families. He previously worked at Prairiecare and is now working at Children’s Minnesota. He graduated from Carleton College before earning his medical degree from the University of Minnesota. Dr. LeRoux Smith completed his adult psychiatry residency at the University of Minnesota, where he also served as Chief Resident, and went on to complete his child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at the University of Minnesota, where he served as Chief Fellow.

Carolyn Ocampo-Milton ‘02 (Chemistry), Lab Manager, University of St. Thomas
Carolyn supports the chemistry curriculum and research at the University of St. Thomas by managing laboratories and materials. Carolyn previously taught chemistry and other sciences in various high school and college settings (public, private, and religious). She earned an MAEd with a concentration in Gifted and Talented Education from Hamline University and a BA in Chemistry from Carleton College.

Ryan Skinner ‘13 (Physics), Sr. Manager, Data Science, Proofpoint 
Ryan is a people leader specializing in applied AI and machine learning. After graduating from Carleton, he spent five years gradually pivoting from an Aerospace Engineering Ph.D. program into the tech industry as a data scientist. Ryan currently leads a team of AI engineers at Proofpoint, a cybersecurity company trusted by the vast majority of the Fortune 100 to defend against people-centric attacks, including credential theft, data exfiltration, and other threats.