Career Advising

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Meredith leads the career advising team, which serves undergraduate students, graduate students, postdocs, and recent alumni. She collaborates with campus and external partners, and additionally advises undergraduate through PhD students and recent alumni to help them explore career paths and work toward their short- or long-term goals. Meredith holds an MEd in Higher Education Administration from Suffolk University. Her experience includes over 10 years in Higher Education, with a primary emphasis on career advising.

What is your favorite MIT hack? The Tetris hack of 2012. It was incredible to walk by the Green building at night to see it lit up and people playing large-scale Tetris on the side. Epic!  

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Tianna works with first-year undergraduate through PhD students and recent alumni to help them explore and achieve their career goals. She supports the Social Impact, Policy, and Law Career Pathway, supervises the student Career Exploration Leaders, and collaborates with departments, programs, alumni, and employers to provide career exploration events and resources that allow students to learn about diverse career paths. Tianna received her BA from Boston College and her MSW from Columbia University. In 2021 Tianna won the Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) award and in 2022 she was selected for the DAAD German Academic Exchange Service tour for higher education leaders.

What was your first job? I was a Green Ambassador for Thompson Island Outward Bound for several summers in high school. I did trail maintenance and habitat preservation, learned arboriculture and got to climb really tall trees, and went on camping trips to the Boston Harbor Islands.

In addition to providing career advice to MIT undergraduates, graduate students and recent alumni, Tavi also manages IAP micro-internships and the Architecture, Planning, & Design Pathway. She is always searching for new ways to help MIT students prototype their career options through internships, micro-internships, research or other experiential learning opportunities.

Tavi received an MSW from Columbia University and a BSW from New York University. Tavi was a first-generation college student and is always excited to help students figure out their next career move.

Do you collect anything? I collect spices because I love food and cooking! I especially enjoy using the spices I’ve bought during my travels.

Pronouns: he/him/his

Erik supports all students and young alumni as they explore options, gain skills and experience, and pursue their career goals. Erik advises the Peer Career Advising program and also supports students interested in Arts, Communications, and Media and who identify as veterans or as first generation/low income. He holds an MS in Organizational Psychology from the University of Hartford and a BA in Psychology from Northeastern Illinois University. Erik is a certified Career Services Provider through the NCDA, a Global Career Development Facilitator, an MBTI Practitioner, EQi 2.0 certified administrator, and a Certified LEGO Serious Play facilitator. Experience includes over 12 years in higher education with 7 years in career development.

What song would you say best sums you up?  “You’re Never Fully Dressed with out a Smile,” from the Broadway musical Annie.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Simona provides career and professional development guidance for postdoctoral scholars across all disciplines and career interests (academia, industry and beyond). Simona has a PhD in Genetics from Stanford University, and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Institutes of Health. She has conducted research in molecular, cell, and developmental biology, and has been involved in teaching, mentoring, and outreach. In her previous role, she provided career and professional development services to graduate students and postdocs.

What was your first job? My first job was being an assistant for the summer reading program at my local library. I got to talk to kids about books they were reading, do crafts, and give out stickers and prizes. I enjoyed the different aspects of mentoring, teaching, and community-building – which are also reflected in my current work!

Pronouns: she/her/hers Ariel is dedicated to helping students explore, discern, and discover their career purpose. As Assistant Director for Early Career Engagement, she is the point person for first and second year undergrads at MIT. With experience in health professions advising, Ariel is the liaison to the Life Sciences, Biotech, and Pharma career communities. Ariel’s background includes extensive international administration in higher education and NGOs in the US, Europe, and the Middle East. She earned her Bachelor’s in Culture & Communication from Ithaca College and a Master’s degree in Intercultural Theology from Georg-August-Universität in Göttingen, Germany. She loves learning languages & gardening.

Do you collect anything? My favorite souvenir to pick up while traveling is a drinking glass from the country. I love seeing which glass guests choose for themselves when they come over for dinner. My favorite glass in the collection is a clay wine glass with an octopus design that I brought back from Cyprus. You can practically feel the Mediterranean sea breeze when drinking from it!

My background is in History and Philosophy, and I bring that critical eye to student advising. I’m an avid reader, lover of film, music, games, podcasts, and Capital A Art. Working with students on their fellowship applications allows me the privilege and opportunity to unite all of my interests and academic leanings into a unique approach to advising that I bring to each meeting with a student.

Whether you need assistance preparing for an interview or want to talk about the long-term process of preparing to apply for a scholarship, I am happy to work with you at any point of the process.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Alexis offers career guidance for graduate students and specializes in supporting PhDs. She manages the Manufacturing & Transportation career pathway and collaborates with departments, alumni, and employers to facilitate learning and networking opportunities. Alexis is always excited to work with graduate students as they pursue diverse career trajectories in industry and academe. She received her BA from Franklin & Marshall College, her MA from The Jewish Theological Seminary, and her PhD from Boston University.

What is your favorite MIT hack? I love it when the hackers put things on top of the Great Dome! It’s always amusing and the scale and logistics never cease to amaze me.

As a Career Advisor, Kendel (she/they) supports MIT’s undergraduate and graduate students and alumni as they navigate their career journeys. Kendel also serves as a liaison to MIT’s Business, Finance, and Fintech career community, and supports underrepresented student groups including first-generation, low-income, LGBTQ+, and racial and ethnic minority students. Kendel received her B.S. in Kinesiology from UMass Amherst, an M.Ed. in Student Affairs Counseling from Bridgewater State University, and has worked in career development roles since 2014.

What has been your most interesting job? As a teen I worked as a Wheelchair Attendant for Tanglewood, an outdoor classical music venue that hosts the Boston Symphony Orchestra during the summer season. The job was incredibly physical both before and after shows, but in between we were able to sit back and listen to the music. The job exposed me to a wide variety of classical music, and I brushed shoulders with some famous musicians and actors during my time there!

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Erica provides support for MIT students and alumni who are exploring career opportunities as well as for those specifically pursuing a career in medicine. Erica received her DVM from Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and her BA in History from Oberlin College. She has four years of experience working as a clinical veterinarian.

Do you have any pets? I have two cats, Fred and George. Naming them after two of the most mischievous Harry Potter characters has been a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy – they certainly live up to their names!