Life Design Lab Staff

Matthew, a native Connecticuter (some would say “Nutmegger”), is a problem-solving creative who loves collaborative efforts, healthy competition and finding ways to support and serve others.  Having spent time as a professional musician while leading a team of marketing and communications professionals, as well as a multimedia producer while serving former NFL players in their transition to life after football, Matthew has lived and continues to love the principles of design thinking and exploring wildly varied opportunities. He has guided teams in higher education through organizational change and experienced success developing brand identities across industries.  If Matthew could tell his college-self anything, he would encourage him to pay less attention to which doors are open and which are closed down the hallway, and more to the quality and direction of the immediate next step.

Connect with Matthew on Twitter: @matthewagolden

Saige Arseneault (she/her) is the Assistant Director of Access and Opportunity at the Life Design Lab. In this role, she supports students in navigating both common challenges and opportunities that come with undergraduate and post-graduate life and career navigation.  

Saige grew up on the coast of Maine and attended Hobart and William Smith Colleges for undergrad. She studied History and Philosophy and was a member of the squash team. She then moved to Baltimore as a Teach For America corps member in 2022. Teaching middle school social studies, Saige worked to close equity gaps in her classroom every day. She got her M.S.Ed from Johns Hopkins University at this time.  

Since transitioning out of the classroom, Saige has worked to recruit top talent into under-served classrooms around the country. She was responsible for the full recruitment pipeline and talent development.  

The work that Saige does at the Life Design Lab sits at the intersection of her personal interests and professional experience- supporting people in expanding opportunities and navigating systems.  

When Saige is not the Life Design Lab, you can find her long-distance running, playing frisbee at Patterson Park, or enjoying a good meal with good people.  

Key Responsibilities: 

• Provides career coaching and life design education for undergraduate students that are historically under-represented in various career paths/industries

• Design, teach, and facilitate career education programming including workshops, courses, newsletters, and signature events that support exploration, networking, and career readiness.

• Coaches students through career exploration, networking, and job/internship searches through programming, 1:1 meetings, etc.

Professional Expertise 

Career Coaching, Life Design, Employer Engagement, Networking Strategies, Interview Strategies, Recruiting 

 Student Populations I Support 

• Underrepresented Student Populations 
• All Majors
• Sophomore-Seniors  

What Students Can Meet With Me About 

• Career exploration 

• Internship search 

• Resume and cover letter reviews 

• Networking 

• LinkedIn 

• Interview preparation 

• Job search strategy 

• Professional branding 

• Salary negotiation 

Favorite Life Design Question 
“What matters the most to you?”  

Contact Information 

Email: sarsene2@jh.edu 

LinkedIn URL: www.linkedin.com/in/saige-arseneault-1012a1173  

Office Hours (if applicable): Wednesdays 1-5pm  

Scheduling Link (if applicable): https://calendly.com/sarsene2-jh/30min

Antonio Boone has served as an Assistant Director in the Life Design Lab since March 2024. After previously supporting Johns Hopkins scholar-athletes, he now works with students pursuing careers in finance through the Blue Jay Finance Pathway, helping them explore opportunities, build professional skills, and navigate their career journeys. 

Antonio has worked in higher education since 2018, serving in a variety of roles across Campus Events, Admissions and Enrollment, Housing and Residence Life, and Track & Field coaching. His passion lies in helping college students—especially student-athletes—navigate their collegiate experience and position themselves for successful futures beyond competition. As a former college athlete, Antonio is grateful for the opportunity to be the mentor and resource he wishes he had during his own student-athlete experience. 

Outside of work, Antonio enjoys living an active lifestyle through strength training, running, walking, and playing competitive kickball. He is passionate about helping others find a healthy balance between achievement and enjoyment, encouraging students to pursue both personal and professional fulfillment. 

Key Responsibilities (3–6 bullets) 

• Provides career coaching and life design education for undergraduate students in… 

• Designs and facilitates workshops, courses, and career education programming. 

• Builds partnerships with faculty and campus partners. 

• Supports internship and experiential learning initiatives. 

• Develops career resources and learning materials. 

• Coaches students through career exploration, networking, and job/internship searches. 

Professional Expertise 

Career Coaching, Life Design, Employer Engagement, Job/Internship Stretegy, Networking Strategies, Experiential Learning, Leadership Development, Design Thinking, Student Success, Student-Athlete Development 

Student Populations I Support 

Economics Majors, Students interested in careers in finance industry 

What Students Can Meet With Me About 

• Career exploration 

• Internship search 

• Resume and cover letter reviews 

• Networking 

• LinkedIn 

• Interview preparation 

• Graduate school exploration 

• Job search strategy 

• Professional branding 

• Salary negotiation 

 Favorite Life Design Question:

“What’s your Why?” 

Fun Fact:

• Favorite book: Cry Like a Man: Fighting for Freedom from Emotional Incarceration and The Sports Tunnel: Every Athlete Dies Twice 

• Sports: Track and Field and Football 

• Hidden talent: Comedian 

Contact Information 

Email: aboone25@jh.edu 

LinkedIn URL: linkedin.com/in/antonio-boone 

Sarah is the Life Design Educator for undergraduate students majoring in a variety of engineering disciplines, and mathematics. Prior to joining JHU and the Life Design Lab team in September 2021, Sarah worked in residence life and student activities at other higher education institutions. As an undergraduate student, Sarah was a student athlete, a resident advisor, and she conducted her own empirical research study, all of which informed her decision to pursue a career in higher education. She enjoys helping students find opportunities to explore their own passions, interests, and curiosities to inform their next steps and long-term goals. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Coach students through all phases of the job/internship search process, from application to salary negotiation 

• Co-create programs with campus partners to support student learning and career exploration 

• Supervise Peer Educators, the Life Design Lab’s team of student ambassadors who support the work we do by meeting with students and facilitating workshops 

Professional Expertise:

visual communication, accessibility strategy, engineering pathways, relationship building, universal design 

Undergraduate Student Populations I Support:

• Applied Mathematics & Statistics (WSE) 
• Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering (WSE)
• Civil & Systems Engineering (WSE) 
• Electrical & Computer Engineering (WSE)
• Environmental Health & Engineering (WSE)
• Mathematics (KSAS) 
• Mechanical Engineering (WSE)
• Materials Science & Engineering (WSE)

What Students Can Meet With Me About:

• Job & internship search strategy 

• Resume and cover letter reviews 

• Networking strategies 

• LinkedIn profile optimization 

• Interview preparation 

• Graduate school exploration 

• Salary negotiation 

Favorite Life Design Question 

What type of work makes you feel most energized and engaged? 

Contact Information 

Email: sconne10@jh.edu 

LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-c-b879a8221/ 

Dr. Ashley A. Culbreath is a senior-level higher education administrator with a progressive record of more than 15 years of experience in providing vision, leadership, and direction in high-impact student engagement programs and services that support student retention and graduation. She most recently served as the senior director of student affairs at The Pennsylvania State University’s World Campus, where she designed, developed, and led a team of student affairs professionals across multiple functional areas including student engagement, student leadership programs, student clubs, and organizations, career services, mental health services, student conduct, and equity, inclusion, and advocacy. She is from E. St. Louis, IL, and earned her BA in Sociology from Truman State University, MA in Sociology from DePaul University, and Ph.D. from Saint Louis University.

If Ashley could tell her undergraduate self anything it would be, “Your sociology major will absolutely pay off!”

Fun Facts:

• I love watching medical & police procedural dramas.
• I’ve seen every show Dick Wolf has ever produced.
• I’m a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and through this work, I’m committed to the advancement of women in all endeavors.
• I’m a huge baseball fan. Go Cardinals!

Rickie Eatherly (she/her) is the Sr. Life Design Educator serving students in Psychology and Brain Sciences. Rickie grew up in the mountains of Asheville, NC, and attended the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill for her undergraduate degree in business administration and dramatic art. While attending UNC, Rickie was a Division 1 coxswain and a member of the gender-inclusive service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega. However, she spent most of her time producing theater through the undergraduate department of dramatic art and student theater organization, Company Carolina. 

In her professional journey, Rickie began as a recruiter for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). She quickly used Life Design principles to explore other roles in her organization – including marketing and talent development. As a result, she transitioned into qualitative market research. She spent the next four years conducting interviews, analyzing qualitative data, and facilitating focus groups as an analyst for the research firm Smarty Pants. Rickie relocatedto the DMV area in early 2021 and completed her master’s degree in Communication at Johns Hopkins in 2024. 

Rickie has utilized her knowledge of Life Design while working with undergraduate Psychology & Brain Science, Neuroscience, Behavioral Biology and Cognitive Science students to design their lives since Fall 2024. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide life design education and career coaching to undergraduate students in Psychology & Brain Sciences through drop-in advising, cohort support, and virtual appointments.

• Design, teach, and facilitate career education programming including workshops, courses, newsletters, and signature events that support exploration, networking, and career readiness.

• Develop scalable career resources and learning materials such as asynchronous content, curriculum updates, and student-facing guidance for internship, research, clinical experience, and job searches.

• Build partnerships with faculty, campus partners, alumni, and student organizations to create collaborative programming and expand student engagement.

• Support internship, research, and experiential learning initiatives by connecting students to opportunities, coordinating events, and designing experiential learning experiences.

• Coach students through career exploration and professional development by helping them identify pathways, strengthen communication skills, and prepare for next steps after Hopkins.

Professional Expertise:

• Career Coaching
• Life Design
• Recruiting
• Consulting
• Networking Strategies
• Market Research
• Design Thinking
• Graduate School Pathways  

 Student Populations I Support 

Psychology and Brain Sciences, Neuroscience, Behavioral Biology, Cognitive Science  

 What Students Can Meet With Me About 

• Career exploration 

• Internship search 

• Resume and cover letter reviews 

• Networking 

• Securing research and clinical experiences  

• Interview preparation 

• Graduate school exploration 

• Job search strategy 

• Professional branding and communication  

 Favorite Life Design Question
“What are you doing when time seems to fly by?” 

 Fun Fact:

Rickie loves all things crafty (crochet, sewing, cross-stitching) and dreams of one day running away to join the circus as a trapeze artist.  

Contact Information 

Email: reather1@jhu.edu  

LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickie-eatherly/  

Office Hours (if applicable): [NOT YET ANNOUNCED]  

Scheduling Link (if applicable): 

Alex Galiani is an entrepreneur, educator, and talent strategist dedicated to helping individuals and organizations unlock their potential through innovation, purpose-driven leadership, and meaningful career development. As a Life Design Educator at Johns Hopkins University, Alex empowers students to design lives and careers aligned with their values, with a particular focus on entrepreneurship and supporting first-generation and limited-income students as they navigate college, careers, and opportunity. 

Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in talent development, workforce innovation, entrepreneurship, and strategic partnerships, Alex bridges higher education, industry, and community to create pathways for student success. He works closely with aspiring entrepreneurs, emerging leaders, and mission-driven organizations to cultivate entrepreneurial mindsets, strengthen professional skills, and expand access to networks and resources. 

A trusted mentor, facilitator, and speaker, Alex regularly leads workshops on leadership, networking, storytelling, career development, and entrepreneurship. He is passionate about creating equitable pathways to economic mobility and believes that when people are equipped with the right mindset, relationships, and opportunities, they can create lasting impact in their communities and beyond. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Provides individualized life design coaching and support that empowers students to explore career opportunities and entrepreneurial pathways.  

• Designs and facilitates engaging workshops, courses, and experiential learning programs focused on life design, entrepreneurship, leadership, career readiness, networking, and professional skill development.  

• Cultivates partnerships with faculty, alumni, employers, entrepreneurs, and campus and community organizations to expand access to experiential learning, mentorship, and career opportunities.  

• Develops and implements innovative programs that foster entrepreneurial thinking, design thinking, and career exploration. 

• Creates and curates learning experiences that help students build professional networks and successfully pursue internships, entrepreneurial ventures, and post-graduate opportunities.  

• Coaches and mentors students through career exploration, internship and job searches, and venture development. 

Professional Expertise:

Career Coaching, Life Design, Authentic Introductions, Employer Engagement, Engineering Careers, Entrepreneurship, Networking Strategies, Experiential Learning, Leadership Development, Public Speaking, Design Thinking, Student Success 

 Student Populations You Support:

• Center for Student Success, including FLI Network and SCAA Advisors  

• All majors  

• FLI Students  

• Pava cohort students 

• Underrepresented Students  

• Undergraduate Students 

What Students Can Meet with You About:

• Career exploration 

• Entrepreneurship 

• Internship search 

• Resume and cover letter reviews 

• Networking 

• LinkedIn 

• Interview preparation 

• Graduate school exploration 

• Job search strategy 

• Professional branding 

• Networking 

• Local Connections 

• Storytelling 

 Favorite Life Design Question 

“Tell me more about your ‘Why’. Why are you passionate about…?” 

Fun Fact :

My two favorite books that I’ve read in the past year that I can’t stop recommending are Unreasonable Hospitality and Storyworthy 

 The only sport I follow is soccer. The only league I pay attention to is the Premier League and the only team I support is Arsenal. My favorite athlete is my daughter! 

Contact Information 

Email: dgalian1@jh.edu 

LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-galiani-410ba02b/ 

Office Hours (if applicable): Mondays: 3pm-5pm, Thursdays: 3-5pm 

Aiyana Hamilton serves as a Senior Assistant Director and Life Design Educator in the Life Design Lab, where she empowers undergraduate students to explore meaningful career pathways, build professional confidence, and connect with experiential learning opportunities. She works closely with students across a variety of majors, with a particular focus on first-generation, limited-income (FLI), and historically underrepresented student populations. 

Aiyana specializes in career education, talent pipeline development and strategic partnership building. She leads high-impact career readiness initiatives that connect students with employers, alumni, and experiential learning opportunities while equipping them with the skills, confidence, and professional networks needed to thrive in today’s workforce. Her work is grounded in data-informed decision-making, collaborative relationship building, and creating equitable access to career opportunities. 

What excites Aiyana most is helping students discover their strengths, connect their interests to meaningful careers, and recognize the value they bring to every opportunity. She believes every student deserves access to relationships, resources, and experiences that lead to long-term success. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Provides career coaching and Life Design education to undergraduate students, with a focus on first-generation, limited-income (FLI), and historically underrepresented student populations. 

• Designs and facilitates the FLI Internship Academy, career courses, workshops, and high-impact career education programs that prepare students for internships, research, and post-graduate opportunities. 

• Builds strategic partnerships with faculty, campus partners, alumni, and employers to expand experiential learning opportunities and strengthen students’ professional networks. 

• Supports internship and experiential learning initiatives by connecting students to meaningful opportunities that foster career readiness and professional growth. 

• Coach students through career exploration, networking, internship and job searches and professional storytelling, empowering them to confidently navigate their career journeys. 

 Professional Expertise:

Career Coaching, Career Readiness, Experiential Learning, Networking Strategies, Professional Development, Workforce Development, Student Success, Strategic Partnerships 

Student Populations I Support:

• Center for Student Success, including FLI Network and SCAA Advisors  

• All majors  

• FLI Students  

• Underrepresented Students  

• Undergraduate Students 

What Students Can Meet with Me About:

• Career exploration 

• Internship search 

• Resume and cover letter reviews 

• Networking 

• LinkedIn 

• Interview preparation 

• Job search strategy 

• Salary negotiation 

Favorite Life Design Question 

Share one question you frequently ask students that captures your coaching philosophy. 

What story do you want your experiences to tell about you? 

Contact Information 

Email: ahamil32@jhu.edu 

LinkedIn URL: linkedin.com/in/aiyana-r-hamilton 

Office Hours (if applicable): Tuesdays: 1pm-5pm  

Karen is obsessed with all things pop culture and, as a proud Buffalonian, is a big fan of sponge candy. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Theater and has earned a Master’s degree in Emerging Media, which she has cultivated an eclectic and diverse professional background.

Her journey into higher education revealed her true calling – a passion for energizing students by providing them with the essential networks, tools, and confidence needed to navigate their own life paths. If Karen had the chance to offer advice to her college-era self, she would encourage herself to absorb knowledge from every source, engage in a wide range of activities, converse with a variety of people, and embrace new experiences. She firmly believes that each aspect of this life journey contributes significantly to personal growth and development.

Dr. Eric Mason is an educator in the Life Design Lab at Johns Hopkins University, where he supports students in humanities and social sciences. He partners with students to explore the intersection of their academic passions and professional possibilities, helping them design careers that are intentional and uniquely their own. 

A working fine artist with many years of exhibition experience, Dr. Mason holds an MFA in Photography from SCAD and a Doctorate in Art Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. 

What excites him the most about working with humanities and social science students is the complexity they bring. Their hard questions about power, equity, culture, and meaning are foundational to career clarity.  

Key Responsibilities

• Provides career coaching and life design education for undergraduate students in… 

• Designs and facilitates workshops, courses, and career education programming. 

• Supports internship and experiential learning initiatives. 

• Develops career resources and learning materials. 

• Coaches students through career exploration, networking, and job/internship searches. 

Professional Expertise

Career Coaching, Life Design, Networking Strategies, Experiential Learning, Leadership Development, Design Thinking, Student Success 

 Student Populations I Support 

Humanities, International Studies, Political Science, Sociology, Moral & Political Economy, Anthropology 

 What Students Can Meet With Me About 

• Career exploration 

• Internship search 

• Resume and cover letter reviews 

• Networking 

• Interview preparation 

• Graduate school exploration 

• Job search strategy 

• Salary negotiation 

Email: emason16@jh.edu 

Office Hours: (Fall Semester) Monday 1PM to 5PM  

Valerie Maynor is an Assistant Director and Life Design Educator in the Johns Hopkins University Life Design Lab, where she partners with undergraduate students to explore meaningful careers and design lives aligned with their strengths, values, interests, and aspirations. Through one-on-one coaching, workshops, classroom instruction, and campus partnerships, she helps students build confidence, navigate transitions, and make intentional decisions about their futures.

Valerie primarily supports undergraduate students across the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences and Whiting School of Engineering, with a particular focus on career exploration, leadership development, and preparing students for life after Hopkins. Before joining Johns Hopkins, she worked in residence life and student activities, experiences that fueled her passion for student leadership, personal development, and creating environments where students can grow both personally and professionally. 

In addition to her work in higher education, Valerie has over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry as a server and bartender. Those experiences shaped her belief that some of the most valuable professional skills—communication, adaptability, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving—are often developed outside the classroom. She enjoys helping students recognize how leadership roles, campus involvement, and part-time employment translate into transferable skills that make them stronger candidates in today’s workforce. 

Valerie is also passionate about carceral education and expanding educational opportunities for justice-impacted individuals. She encourages students to reflect on how their identities, values, and sense of purpose shape the organizations and communities where they will thrive. As a first-generation college graduate, she is committed to helping students confidently design lives and careers that are authentic to who they are. 

Key Responsibilities

• Provides career coaching and life design education for undergraduate students in… 

• Designs and facilitates workshops, courses, and career education programming. 

• Builds partnerships with faculty and campus partners. 

• Supports internship and experiential learning initiatives. 

• Develops career resources and learning materials. 

• Coaches students through career exploration, networking, and job/internship searches. 

Professional Expertise 

Career Coaching, Life Design, Leadership Development, Career Exploration, Student Success, Experiential Learning, Transferrable Skills, Professional Identity Development, Networking Strategies  

Student Populations I Support 

• Undergraduate Seniors, KSAS & WSE 
• Student Leaders 

What Students Can Meet With Me About 

• Career exploration 

• Internship search 

• Resume and cover letter reviews 

• Networking 

• LinkedIn 

• Interview preparation 

• Job search strategy 

• Professional branding 

• Translating leadership and work experiences into transferrable skills 

• Navigating the transition from college to the workplace 

• Exploring careers that align with your values, identity, and goals 

 Favorite Life Design Question 

“What would you pursue if you knew you couldn’t make the wrong decision?” 

Baltimore born and raised, Kayla Cullum Michael joined our team in April 2024. Kayla spent her first ten years in higher education in the health professions advising world serving as an advisor at the University of Maryland Health Professions Advising Office and most recently as one of the Assistant Director of Health Professions Advising here at the Johns Hopkins University. While working in the Office of Pre-Professional Programs and Advising, Kayla discovered her love for communicating with students online, via social media and other platforms. Kayla joins our team after a huge career shift excited to continue growing Life Design Lab’s virtual presence and engaging our students online.

Ashley Schantz is the Senior Director for Life Design & Career Readiness at Johns Hopkins University, where she leads strategy and implementation for integrating career and life design into the undergraduate academic experience. In this role, she oversees a team of Life Design Educators (LDEs) who partner across the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering to embed career development, experiential learning, and professional skill-building directly into classrooms, curricula, and co-curricular spaces. 

Ashley’s work centers on strengthening students’ academic and career readiness through scalable, equity-driven approaches that connect education to meaningful post-graduate outcomes. She collaborates with faculty, campus partners, and external stakeholders to design innovative pathways that help students translate their academic experiences into compelling professional narratives and opportunities. 

As Chair of the Life Design Lab Curriculum Committee, Ashley leads the development and continuous improvement of Life Design curriculum and learning resources. She oversees the Life Design Summer Experience Practicum, a credit-bearing, university-wide course serving more than 300 students annually. The practicum supports students receiving funding for un(der)paid applied summer experiences through partnerships with the Life Design Lab, the Hopkins Office of Undergraduate Research, and the Vredenburg Scholars program. Through structured reflection, skill-building, and coaching, the course equips students to develop in-demand professional competencies and strategically leverage their experiences into future paid opportunities. In parallel with this work, she has led the sourcing and development of asynchronous learning resources, including the creation of the Life Design Lab Foundations Portal, ensuring students have flexible, on-demand access to core concepts and skill-building that complement and extend in-class and experiential learning. 

Ashley brings over a decade of experience supporting college students in life design and discernment processes. She began this work at Loyola University Maryland, where she led Class Year and Discernment Programs, and later served as a Life Design Educator at Johns Hopkins University, supporting students across the brain sciences. Her background also includes work in nonprofit and community-focused settings, grounding her approach in access, reflection, and purpose-driven development. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership for a multidisciplinary team of  Life Design Educators and student staff responsible for delivering comprehensive career readiness and life design programming to undergraduate students. 

• Partner with deans, faculty, and academic leadership across two schools to create sustainable models that integrate career development within the academic experience. 

• Champion the modernization of co-curricular learning assessment by leading the integration of career readiness outcomes into institutional learning technologies, including Canvas and Heliocampus. Established a scalable framework for documenting student learning, measuring competency development, and supporting future co-curricular credentialing and continuous program improvement 

• Chair the Life Design Curriculum Committee, leading the adaptation of the nationally recognized Life Design framework into Johns Hopkins University’s career education model by establishing a cohesive curriculum, defining educational standards, and advancing a scalable approach to career readiness across the undergraduate experience 

• Spearhead the development of the Life Design Summer Experience Practicum, the university’s signature career education course, standardizing instruction across 20 instructors, engaging more than 150 alumni annually, and preparing approximately 350 students each year through a high impact experiential learning curriculum 

Professional Expertise 

Career Coaching, Life Design, Discernment Education, Academic and Career Readiness Integration, Student Success & Transitions, Experiential Learning, Curriculum and Co-Curricular Design and Infrastructure, Asynchronous Learning, 

Favorite Life Design Question 

“Who can you talk to that is doing work you aspire to in new and innovative ways” 

 Contact Information 

Email: aschantz@jhu.edu

Eric Spiegel is the Life Design Educator leading the Blue Jay Tech & Analytics Pathway, supporting undergraduate students pursuing careers in software engineering, data science, product management, and quantitative finance and similar tech pathways. He works primarily with Computer Science but is available to assist any undergraduate curious about a technical career.

Eric brings 35 years in the technology sector to the role, including six years building and leading teams at Amazon Web Services (AWS) and four years running his own startup. Throughout his career he led professional services and business development organizations while mentoring engineers, consultants, and managers on career growth, networking, and adapting to rapid technological change.

Through the Tech & Analytics Pathway, Eric designs programming built on four pillars: Explore, Prepare, Launch, and Contribute. He supports pathway programs and events including Tech Internship Academy, Tech Treks to San Francisco and Baltimore, Tech Industry Week, and the Tech & Analytics Pathway Industry Playbook. What excites him most is helping students with their internship and job searches, especially expanding search to consider companies outside Big Tech (Meta, OpenAI, Google, etc) and showing the importance of building and leveraging a network to open new doors for opportunities they won’t find through hundreds of cold applications.

Originally from Pittsburgh and a diehard Steelers fan (sorry, Ravens fans), Eric has called Maryland home since 1990. He learned quickly that Maryland blue crabs are not eaten with a fork and knife. He stays current on the early career job market through his two daughters: one is a software engineer in DC, and the other is an undergraduate studying international affairs.

Eric holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s degree in Information Systems from Johns Hopkins University. He is very active on LinkedIn posting content for early-career tech professionals.

Key Responsibilities

• Leads the Blue Jay Tech & Analytics Pathway, a four-pillar strategy (Explore, Prepare, Launch, Contribute) to help undergraduates discover career possibilities, support internship and job searches, and to build foundation for long-term career success.
• Leads the Tech Internship Academy (TIA), a Spring Semester selective six-session program that prepares students for technical recruiting and connects them to internship placement support and exclusive employer opportunities.
• Led development of the Life Design Lab’s AI Developer Guide with support of undergraduate interns.
• Supports Tech sessions during Fall Semester FutureFest
• Teaches Intersession course which includes San Francisco Tech Treks and supports the DC Metro Area Spring Break Tech Trek.
• Co-leads Fall Semester Tech Industry Week programming.
• Lead author of the Tech & Analytics Pathway Industry Playbook and supporting resources covering recruiting timelines, technical interview preparation, compensation, and pathway planning.
• Builds partnerships with faculty, alumni, and employers across Big Tech, startups, government, and industry to expand student access to technical roles.

Professional Expertise

Technology Careers, Software Engineering Recruiting, Interview Preparation, AI and Emerging Technology Trends, Employer Engagement, Career Coaching, Life Design, Networking Strategies, Experiential Learning, Salary Negotiation

Student Populations You Support

• Computer Science (WSE)
• Any undergraduate interested in a technology or analytics career, regardless of major

What Students Can Meet With You About

• Career exploration in tech and analytics
• Internship and new grad job search strategy
• Technical interview preparation
• Resume and cover letter reviews
• Networking and LinkedIn
• Professional branding
• Building projects and a GitHub portfolio
• Using AI tools in the job search and on the job
• Salary negotiation

Favorite Life Design Question

Are you leveraging the Life Design Lab’s Curiosity Conversation Guide to build and explore your network? If not it’s not too late – start now!

Fun Fact

Eric has traveled to 15 countries, with Nice, London, and Tokyo at top of favorites list. If you are into animated series, ask him about Attack on Titan, Arcane, or Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Contact Information

Email: espiege1@jh.edu

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/espiegel

Office Hours: Wednesdays 1-5pm

Scheduling Link: Book Appointment

Keira is a full-time celebration enthusiast focusing on what makes us revel and how communities come together to thrive. She is the Sr. Assistant Director of Life Design at Johns Hopkins working with Public Health and Planetary Health students to leverage creative spaces through futurist and feminist lens.  She is a host for The Dinner Party, navigating conversations on grief, and performer in Philadelphia’s Vaudevillian New Year Brigade.  Keira is most excited to work with students who are seeking to have their research go beyond their major and to make impact with real world issues. 

Bringing more than 15 years of experience in non-profits and higher education as a facilitator, career coach, and civic boundary spanner, she believes we learn who we are through a tenacious pursuit of self-knowledge, and the letting go of fear to offer our unique form of generosity. In the past, she has worked for Grinnell College in service and social innovation, Princeton University’s civic engagement, and with Friends General Conference expanding welcoming communities. 

Key Responsibilities (3–6 bullets) 

• Career Coaching & Student Development
  Coach undergraduate students through career exploration, experiential learning, graduate school planning, internships, and post-graduate transitions using the Life Design framework.

• Program Design & Curriculum Development
  Design, facilitate, and assess workshops, courses, and signature initiatives that integrate career development, systems thinking, and human-centered design.

• Strategic Partnership Development
  Build and manage collaborative partnerships with faculty, academic departments, alumni, employers, and campus offices to expand student opportunities and interdisciplinary programming.

• Signature Program Leadership
  Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of university-wide initiatives, including Map the System, the Alumni Life Design Experience, and discipline-specific career programming.

• Assessment, Innovation & Organizational Strategy
  Evaluate program outcomes, identify emerging student and workforce needs, and develop innovative strategies that improve engagement, scale programming, and advance institutional priorities. 

Professional Expertise 

• Career Development & Life Design Coaching

• Systems Thinking & Organizational Change- Facilitating systems analysis, designing interventions, and helping individuals and organizations navigate complexity.

• Experiential Learning & Curriculum Design- learning experiences that integrate reflection with action.

• Public Health, Civic Engagement & Social Impact- Connecting academic learning with community partnerships, public service, and systems-level impact.

• Strategic Partnerships & Cross-Sector Collaboration.

• Program Strategy, Development & Assessment- Launching new initiatives, managing complex projects, and using assessment to improve learning and organizational outcomes.

• Community Building & Network Development- Creating inclusive communities of practice and fostering long-term collaboration.

• Purpose, Vocation & Reflective Practice- Navigating uncertainty with intention.

 Student Populations I Support 

Public Health Studies, Bloomberg Public Health Recruiting, Earth and Planetary  

 What Students Can Meet With Me About 

• Career Exploration 

• Job and Internship Search 

• Graduate School & Gap Year Planning  

• Résumés, Cover Letters & Interview Preparation  

• Systems Thinking & Complex Problem Solving  

• Social Innovation and Impact Careers 

• Finding Purpose, Values & Meaningful Work  

• Career Transitions & Navigating Uncertainty 

 Favorite Life Design Question
What is an idea or project you’ve always wanted to build, but haven’t yet found the right time or resources for? 

Fun Fact:

I participate in and support local community building activities, like women and non-binary arm wrestling!  

Contact Information 

Email: kwils118@jhu.edu 

LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keira-wilson/ 

Office Hours (if applicable): TBA 

Scheduling Link (if applicable): TBA 

Andrea Wiseman has worked at JHU since 2010, starting in Residential Life for 5 years and now works in the LDL with FLI juniors and seniors, including the JUMP and Scholars & Fellows cohorts. She was a Physical Therapy major at Northeastern University and graduated with her BS degree in (Interpersonal) Communication Studies. She traveled as a Leadership Consultant for a Greek organization before getting her MEd at Arizona State University. She workedin Res Life at ASU and LaSalle University, circumnavigated the globe working as a Living Learning Coordinator for Semester at Sea and taught English in China for a year before moving to MD. She is fascinated by the range and complexity of what students are studying and researching and loves hearing about their experiences and opportunities. Personally, Andrea has run 3 marathons and completed a half-Ironman. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Builds partnerships with campus departments focused on FLI students 

• Provides students with LDL, campus or community resources to help in planning their next steps 

• Facilitates workshops and programs to educate students on career exploration and job/internship search strategies.

Professional Expertise:

Career Coaching, Life Design, Employer Engagement, Engineering Careers, Pre-Health Advising, Networking Strategies, Experiential Learning, Leadership Development, Design Thinking, Student Success

Student Populations I Support:

• FLI juniors and seniors
• JUMP
• Scholars and Fellows 

What Can Students Meet with Me About:

• Career exploration
• internship search
• resume and cover letter reviews
• interview preparation
• job search strategy 

Favorite Life Design Question 

“What experience on your resume would you want to have again? Why?”  

Fun Fact (Optional) 

My family hosts international exchange high school students. Our 5th student moves in August ‘26.  

Contact Information 

Email: awiseman@jhu.edu  

LinkedIn URL: www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-wiseman-huskies  

Office Hours (if applicable): Mon. & Wed. 1-3pm 

Scheduling Link (if applicable): 

Shayesteh (pronounced Shaw-yes-teh), or Shay for short, is the Life Design Educator serving undergraduate Biomedical Engineering students, home to the #1 ranked BME program in the nation. No pressure, just excellence. In this role, Shay supports students through the Blue Jay Biotech Pathway, helping them explore careers in biotech and design a path that’s authentically theirs. 

Originally from Toronto, Canada, Shay brings a layered and non-traditional background to this work. With degrees in Psychology and Health Studies from York University, over seven years as a settlement and employment counsellor in the social services sector, and three years practicing as a Psychotherapist, Shay has spent a career sitting with people in the middle of transitions, helping them understand the patterns shaping their choices and find clarity on what comes next. That thread runs directly into Life Design. 

What excites Shay most about working with BME students is the intersection they live in; technically rigorous, endlessly curious, and often navigating more options than they know what to do with. Shay is here to help students slow down, reflect, and design a path that’s actually theirs. 

If there’s one thing Shay would tell every student who walks through the door: your path doesn’t have to be linear. Sometimes the detours are the whole point. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Provides life design coaching and career education to undergraduate BME students through the Blue Jay Biotech Pathway, supporting them in exploring biotech and medtech industry careers and navigating their path from student to professional. 

• Designs and facilitates workshops, courses, and career education programming with a focus on biotech and medtech industries, equipping students with the tools and industry knowledge to pursue meaningful opportunities. 

• Collaborates with Graduate Assistants to deliver consistent, high-quality support to students across the pathway. 

• Holds individualized 1:1 appointments with students seeking additional guidance on career exploration, professional development, and next steps. 

• Partners closely with the undergraduate BME department to ensure students fulfill the Career Exploration requirement embedded in their degree, connecting academic milestones to real-world career readiness. 

• Builds campus partnerships with faculty, alumni, and employer networks to expand experiential learning and industry access for BME students. 

 Professional Expertise:

Career Coaching, Life Design, Engineering Careers, Networking Strategies, Experiential Learning, Design Thinking, Student Success 

Student Populations I Support:

• Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering students (BME) in the Whiting School of Engineering
• all students interested in biotech regardless of major 

What Students Can Meet With You About 

• Career exploration 

• Navigating transitions and uncertainty 

• Biotech industry pathways 

• Internship and job search strategy 

• Resume and cover letter reviews 

• Networking 

• LinkedIn profile 

• Interview preparation 

• Professional branding

Favorite Life Design Question:

“What if this uncertainty isn’t a problem to solve, but a design space to explore?” 

Fun Fact:

When I’m not working, you’ll find me sewing, decorating, or deep in a DIY project; basically, anything that keeps my hands busy and my eyes off a screen. I cook to Middle Eastern music, host any chance I get, and at any party, I’mthe one who gets everyone on the dance floor and organizes a round of Charades. I’m also a devoted fan of reality TV, true crime, and stand-up comedy. My favorite book is The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller — light reading, obviously.

Contact Information 

Email: szarieh1@jh.edu 

LinkedIn URL: www.linkedin.com/in/shayesteh-zarieh