Meredith Pepin
Associate Director, Career Advising & Education
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!
Aidan Wright
Career Advisor
Aidan (he/him) supports students and recent alumni with exploring career options. He specifically focuses on supporting underserved student populations on campus and serves as a connection point between those groups and the wider CAPD team. Aidan earned his BA from Gettysburg College and holds an MA in Higher Education Student Affairs from Boston College.
What is your ideal weekend? My ideal weekend would feature playing Ultimate Frisbee, making a trip to the record store to pick up a new release, and watching the Philadelphia Eagles win the Superbowl this year!
Alexis Boyer
Alexis Boyer Assistant Director, Graduate Student Career Services
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.
Erik Pavesic
Assistant Director, Career Advising & Training
Pronouns: he/him/his
Erik is a generalist who supports all students and recent alumni as they explore options, gain skills and experience, and pursue their career goals. In addition to developing programs and meeting 1:1 with students and alumni, Erik also trains and supervises the Peer Career Advising program. He curates and manages resources that support students interested in Arts, Communications, and Media or 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 (CCSP) and Facilitating Career Development Instructor (FCD-I) through the National Career Development Association (NCDA), a Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF), a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, a certified MBTI Practitioner (Step I and II), EQi 2.0/360 certified administrator, and a Certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator. His experience spans over 15 years in higher education with 10 years specifically in career development.
Erik leads with Strategic Thinking, with his top-5 CliftonStrengths: Adaptability, Learner, Intellection, Input, and Ideation.
What song would you say best sums you up? “You’re Never Fully Dressed with out a Smile,” from Annie.
Kendel Jester
Assistant Director, Early Career Engagement
As Assistant Director for Early Career Engagement, Kendel (she/they) is the point person for MIT’s first and second year undergraduate students. Kendel also serves as a liaison to MIT’s Energy, Environment, and Sustainability career community. Kendel’s professional background has been focused at the intersection of career development and education, encompassing both secondary and post-secondary settings. Kendel received a B.S. in Kinesiology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and an M.Ed. in Student Affairs Counseling from Bridgewater State University.
Tianna Ransom
Assistant Director, Career Exploration
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 and is the Pre-Law Advisor for MIT students and alumni within two years of graduation. Tianna also 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.
Tavi Sookhoo
Assistant Director, Career Prototypes
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.
