Links to section on this page, below:
UCSB Comm Alumni Virtual Career Series
Lighting Up Your LinkedIn Profile
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 spends about 15 minutes sharing their career journey and discuss job opportunities in their industry. We will then open it up to a Q&A where viewers can ask 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.
2025
March 5, 6-7 pm: Sami Kudsi:
Sami Kudsi has been teaching Communication Studies at City College of San Francisco since 1994 and at San Francisco State University since 2012. He is a full-time tenured professor at CCSF, where he also serves as the Honors Coordinator and previously was the Director of Forensics for the Speech and Debate Team. His specialty is group communication, but he also enjoys teaching public speaking, debate, and interpersonal communication. He is known on both campuses as the go to guy if you are feeling anxious about public speaking or experience communication apprehension in general, because he will calm you down by listening to your concerns and validating your feelings while providing a positive and encouraging perspective. Sami graduated with a bachelor's degree with high honors from UCSB in Communication Studies in 1991. He earned his Master's degree in Communication Studies from UCSB in 1993. His favorite part of UCSB was living in the residence halls and serving as a resident assistant.
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 here to register (free) and get your Zoom link for Steph Harris.
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.
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
- Dec 4: Careers in Marketing, Entertainment, & Law with Meghan Killian
2025
- Jan 15: Careers in Product and Partner Marketing with Mike Mahoney
- Feb 12: Careers in Digital Client Experiences with Amy Reugg
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
Genelle Heim, Marketing & Strategy, Nov 8, 2023
Click below to download the .ppt slides accompanying the Heim presentation
Jordan Gomez, Investment Sales, Dec 6, 2023
Click below to download the .ppt slides accompanying the Gomez presentation
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
Meghan Killian, Careers in Marketing, Entertainment, & Law, Dec 4, 2024
Meghan Killian, Marketing, Entertainment, & Law, Dec 4, 2024
Mike Mahoney, Careers in Product and Partner Marketing, Jan 15, 2025
Amy Ruegg, Careers in Digital Client Experiences, Feb 12, 2025
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: Gaining Experience and Pursuing a Job Unrelated to Your Degree
Topic: How Did My Communication Degree Help My Career?
Topic: Importance of Business School
Topic: Looking for Internships Related to the Communication Major
Topic: Nature of Different Communication Careers
Lighting Up Your LinkedIn Profile
Click here to download .pdf of 8 .ppt slides
Click here to download .pdf of 15 .ppt slides
