This Spring, Meet Your Mentor
An alumni mentor can boost your career trajectory—and the Brandeis network is here to help! Join Hiatt’s spring Mentor Meetup events on the Rise Together Mentor Network on BConnect to make new professional contacts who want to help you succeed. With careers spanning a range of industries and company sizes, these alumni will give you the insights, connections and tips to help accelerate your job and internship search!
March 4: Susan Kusel ‘98, Author and Librarian. Explore dynamic careers in the field of Library & Information Science! Susan Kusel has 20 years of professional experience as a librarian, children’s book expert, author and professional researcher. She won the Sydney Taylor Book Award for her debut picture book, The Passover Guest, and is a recipient of the American Library Association Equality Award. She will discuss the variety of career paths in the library world, and the education and training required.
March 6: Kara Hume ‘08, Literary Manager at Echo Lake Entertainment. Discover what it takes to break into the TV/film Entertainment Industry! Kara Hume’s client list is a mix of episodic directors, TV writers, and emerging and international filmmakers. She will share how TV shows and films are developed, packaged, and sold; how the industry has shifted since the pandemic and the WGA strike; and what a non-traditional career path in entertainment can look like.
March 10: John Farr 08’, Business Value Advisor at SNP Group. Considering a career Tech & Innovation, or Business, Consulting, and Finance? John Farr has done it all! He began his career in economic and management consulting, spending nearly seven years working in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia and the UAE). Then, he made the transition to tech! He’ll share his experiences working in both worlds, insights from working overseas, and his journey switching career paths.
March 13: Dr. Wendy Ungar, MSC, PhD ‘81, Scientist & Professor. Dr. Wendy Ungar is a Senior Scientist in Child Health Evaluative Sciences at the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, and a Professor in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. She will draw on her considerable expertise to discuss her work and career paths in Health Economics, Health Services, and Health Policy Research, as well as the challenges she has faced conducting research.
March 20: Karrah Krakovyak ‘15, ESG Consultant at Conservice. Make your passion for the environment part of your professional journey! Karrah Krakovyak specializes in green architecture, property management, construction, and facilities. She will lead a career conversation on Sustainability, and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) in Architecture and Real Estate. She’ll discuss how to navigate and plan for a career in ESG, and how to obtain LEED certification and professional real estate credentials.
April 1: Shanna Hollich ‘07, Learning and Training Manager at Creative Commons. A career in Education and Nonprofits can be local OR global! Shanna Hollich spent 15 years as a librarian across multiple institutions, with expertise in copyright reform, cultural heritage, open access, and social justice. This work led her to Creative Commons, a nonprofit that facilitates free access to copyrighted materials worldwide. Shanna will offer insights into working in academia/higher education, nonprofits, libraries, and organizations with a global audience.
Find more Brandes alumni networking events from Hiatt Career Center and the Rise Together Mentor Network on Handshake!