Communication Career Resources Page | Department of Communication

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UCSB Comm Alumni Virtual Career Series

Also see: UCSB Comm Alumni Council Mentoring Program

UCSB Comm Alumni Council Virtual Career Series

We continue the UCSB Communication Alumni Council Virtual Career Series via Zoom, featuring UCSB Communication Alumni. Sessions continue the 2nd Wednesday (unless otherwise listed) of most months during the academic year.

We wanted to create an additional way for students to connect with alumni and learn about the many job opportunities available for comm majors. Our alumni work in a variety of industries -- from media and PR to legal, real estate, entertainment, hospitality, sports, and more. We have programmed these free Zoom sessions to be informal and interactive. The speaker will spend about 10-15 minutes sharing their career journey and discuss job opportunities in their industry. We will then open it up to a Q&A where you can ask your questions about career, networking, job opportunities, etc. Also, we welcome feedback on future sessions you'd like to see as part of this series so bring your questions and ideas to the session!

2024-2025 Virtual Career Series

Save these dates, scheduled for Wednesdays 6-7 pm via Zoom. Presenters, topics, and links to free registration for the Zoom presentations will appear as they become available.

2024

December 4, 6-7 pm: David Bellinger: "Using your communication degree in sales and marketing"

David brings with him over 27 years of sales, marketing, and business management experience across a broad range of industries including retail, manufacturing, and financial services. With over 17 years in the financial services industry, he has witnessed first-hand how severe economic cycles and fiscal policies affect the financial decisions of individuals. David works as Private Mortgage Banker at Wells Fargo and provides residential financing and mortgage strategy for his clients across the country. David graduated from UCSB with his BA in Communication and earned an MBA from Chapman University. While at UCSB, David was an active member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and served as the Inter-Fraternity Council Recruitment Chair. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbellinger/

2025

January 15, 6-7 pm: Mike Mahoney: “From UCSB to boardrooms: Charting a career path in product and partner marketing”

Mike Mahoney is a seasoned marketing leader with over two decades of experience in the high-tech industry, specializing in product marketing and partner marketing. Throughout his career, Mike has held key roles at major companies like Tanium, ServiceNow, Workday, and Oracle, where he has driven go-to-market strategies, launched joint integration solutions, and built strong partner ecosystems. His expertise spans technology alliances, portfolio marketing, and strategic partner enablement, with a proven track record of successfully managing large-scale marketing initiatives and mentoring teams. Mike's ability to align marketing efforts with business outcomes has been instrumental in his success across the various organizations he's worked with. In Mike’s free time, he enjoys spending time on the water with his wife, daughter, and son. Mike is a lifelong sailor and ocean racer. While at UCSB, Mike was also co-captain of the Sailing team. Mike recently celebrated his daughter’s graduation from UCSB and completed the Pacific Cup race to Hawaii with his son. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemahoneymarketingpro/

February 12, 6-7 pm: Amy Ruegg: “Careers in mergers and acquisitions and digital client experiences”

Amy is the Managing Director of Retail Client Experience and Integration Management for Charles Schwab. She has spent to majority of her career in financial services managing large-scale, complex, disruptive innovative programs. She works to create a culture of inclusion and collaboration while empowering people to embrace divergent thinking through the lens of the customer experience. She is proud to be an approachable mentor and champion of team members, providing opportunities for growth and professional development that empower people at their highest levels. She received her BA in Communication Studies and in Political Science from UCSB in 1990. While at UCSB, she was an active member of Delta Gamma and served as the President of the Panhellenic Council. LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/amyruegg/

March 5, 6-7 pm: Omar Kudsi (Sami)

April 9, 6-7 pm: Steph Harris: "Communication in sustainability careers"

Steph Harris currently works on the Microsoft Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) team, where her primary focus is identifying large-scale carbon removal opportunities through the restoration of degraded landscapes around the world. Before joining Microsoft in 2023, Steph spent over 8 years at 3Degrees as a Director on the Carbon Markets team, where she was responsible for managing the company’s voluntary carbon credit portfolio. Steph completed a dual Bachelor's Degree in Communication and Environmental Science in 2013, and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science and Management at the Bren School in 2015, both at UCSB. During her time at UCSB, Steph was on the Cheerleading team, worked in Marketing for the UCSB Athletic Department, was a Peer Advisor for the Communication Department, and was a Tour Guide through the Gaucho Tour Association. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steph-harris-01b40251/

Click on the links below to view videos of past sessions as well as topic-specific short videos. For the full UCSB Comm Alumni Council Virtual Career Series playlist on YouTube, click here.

Sessions

2020

Oct 14: Careers in Media/Journalism with Justine Miller
Nov 11: Careers in Law with Karen Thorland, SVP and Deputy General Counsel MPAA, & Jake Edson, Associate at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
Dec 9: Careers in Marketing with Justin Hannah, Team Lead, Marketing Technology & Ad Operations

2021

Jan 13: Careers in HR/Recruiting with Jamie Morgan, Head of Technical Recruiting, Cruise
Feb 10: Careers in Tech with John Bollen, Chief Information Officer, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and Alex Platt, Business Relationship Manager, Procore Technologies
Mar 10: Careers in Advertising, Digital Marketing, and Product with Alexei Pizarev, Director of Operations and Product Strategy, Publicis Media
Apr 14: Careers in Event Management with Cynthia Tucker, Assistant Director, Trojan Event Services, University of Southern California
May 26: Careers in PR with Debbie Fitzgerald, Co-owner/Principal, Fitzgerald Petersen Communications
June 23: How to Build a Brand with Noelle White, Senior Brand Manager, Heyday
Oct 13: Careers in Deception Detection (Research & Financial) with Norah Dunbar, Professor, Dept of Communication, and Chuck Taylor, Executive VP, Head of Financial Crimes Advisory (FCA) at AML RightSource
Nov 10: Careers in Marketing & Tech with Claire Knowles, Marketing Communications Manager, Infineon Technologies

2022

Jan 12: Corporate Communications with Erin Bergamo-Tacy, Chief Communications Officer for Blend Labs
Feb 9: From Communication to Consulting - My Unexpected Career Journey with Matt Schermerhorn, Professional Services Consultant
Mar 9: People + Culture Careers: HR, DEI, Learning, Coaching, and Beyond with Nick Duggan
Apr 13: Careers in the Videogame Industry with Cody Corona
May 11: Careers in Media and Marketing with Tom Bracken
Oct 12: Advertising, Journalism & Career Searching with Kyle Garcia
Nov 9: Finance and Sales with Jonathan Gruber
Dec 12: Careers in Branding with Shamara Charney

2023

Jan 17: Careers in Event Marketing with Allison Citelli
Feb 8: Building a Career in Corporate Communication with Jennifer Leavitt Cruz
Mar 8: Careers in Philanthropy & Entertainment with Desiree Flores
Apr 12: Careers in Marketing & Product Management with Dylan Casey
May 10: Careers in Design with Aladrian Goods
Oct 24: Careers in Development with Stacy Rackusin
Nov 8: Marketing & Strategy with Genelle Heim
Dec 6: Investment Sales with Jordan Gomez

2024

Jan 17: Careers in Entertainment with Laura Roenick
Feb 15: Marketing with Kelly Sterk
Mar 13: Media Marketing with Erika Quiel
Apr 10: Brand Marketing with Kendra Miller
May 22: Careers in Influencer Marketing and Entrepreneurship with Skylar Sorkin
Nov 6: Careers in Entertainment Publicity with Nikki Calderon

Topics

These videos gather related topics from the full-length videos in the UCSB Comm Alumni Council Virtual Career Series. Thanks to Amber Li, Alumni Council Intern, for editing these from the full videos!

Past Virtual Career Series Sessions

Justine Miller, Journalism and Reporting, Oct 14, 2020

Karen Thorland and Jake Edson, Careers in Law, Nov 11, 2020

Justin Hannah, Careers in Advertising, Dec 6, 2020

Jamie Morgan, Careers in Human Resources/Recruiting, Jan 13, 2021

Click here to download the .ppts used in Jamie Morgan's presentation.

John Bollen and Alex Platt, Careers in Tech, Feb 10, 2021

Click here to download the .ppts used in John Bollen's and Alex Platt's presentations.

Alexei Pizarev, Careers in Advertising, Digital Marketing, and Product, Mar 10, 2021

Click here to download a .pdf "takeaway" of Alexei Pizarev's main points.

Cynthia Tucker, Careers in Event Management, Apr 14, 2021

Debbie Fitzgerald, Careers in Public Relations, May 26, 2021

Click here to download the .ppts accompanying Fitzgerald's presentation.

Noelle White, Brand Mgt. & Marketing, June 23, 2021

Norah Dunbar and Chuck Taylor, Careers in Deception Detection (Research, Financial), Oct 13, 2021

Click here to download four .ppt slides accompanying the Dunbar and Taylor presentation.

Claire Knowles, Careers in Marketing & Tech, Nov 10, 2021

Click here to download the .ppt slides accompanying the Knowles presentation.

Erin Bergamo-Tacy, Corporate Communications, Jan 12, 2022

Click here to download the .ppt slides accompanying the Bergamo-Tacy presentation.

Matt Schermerhorn,From Communication to Consulting - My Unexpected Career Journey, Feb 9, 2022

Click here to download the .ppt slides accompanying the Schermerhorn presentation.

Nick Duggan, People + Culture Careers: HR, DEI, Learning, Coaching, and Beyond, Mar 9, 2022

Cody Corona, Careers in the Videogame Industry, Apr 13, 2022

Tom Bracken, Careers in Media and Marketing, May 11, 2022

Click here to download the .ppt slides accompanying the Bracken presentation.

Kyle Garcia, Advertising, Journalism & Career Searching, Oct 12, 2022

Click here to download the .ppt slides accompanying the Garcia presentation.

Jonathan Gruber, Careers in Finance & Sales, Nov 9, 2022

Click here to download the .ppt slides accompanying the Gruber presentation.

Shamara Carney, Careers in Branding, Dec 14, 2022

Click here to download the presentation slides in .pdf format accompanying the Carney presentation.

Allison Citelli, Careers in Event Marketing, Jan 18, 2023

Click here to download the presentation slides in .pdf format accompanying the Citelli presentation

Jennifer Leavitt Cruz, Building a Career in Corporate Communication, Feb 8, 2023

Click here to download the presentation slides in .pdf format accompanying the Cruz presentation

Dylan Casey, Careers in Marketing & Product Management, Apr 12, 2023

Aladrian Goods, Careers in Design, May 10, 2023

Stacy Rackusin, Careers in Development, Oct 24, 2023

Click below to download the .ppt slides accompanying the Rackusin presentation

ACCareerSeriesRackusinOct246pm.pptx113 KB

Genelle Heim, Marketing & Strategy, Nov 8, 2023

Click below to download the .ppt slides accompanying the Heim presentation

UCSB Comms Alumni Council Presentation - Heim 11.8.23.pptx3.65 MB

Jordan Gomez, Investment Sales, Dec 6, 2023

Click below to download the .ppt slides accompanying the Gomez presentation

Jordan Gomez Virtual Career Series.pptx309.48 KB

Laura Roenick, Careers in Entertainment, Jan 17 2024

Kelly Sterk, Marketing, Feb 15 2024

Erika Quiel, Media Marketing, Mar 13 2024

Kendra Miller, Brand Marketing, April 10 2024

Skylar Sorkin, Careers in Influencer Marketing and Entrepreneurship, May 22 2024

Nikki Calderon, Careers in Entertainment Publicity, Nov 6, 2024

Topic Videos

These videos gather related topics from the full-length videos in the UCSB Comm Alumni Council Virtual Career Series. Thanks to Amber Li, Alumni Council Intern, for selecting the material and editing these from the full videos!

Topic: Career Advice