All in a Day's Work

In this episode, Haley Garofalo speaks with NYU alumnus, Hector Pardo-Hernandez, about balancing work with family and personal responsibilities, searching for jobs abroad, thinking outside the box during a career search, and what being an international student meant for his career trajectory.

Hector Pardo-Hernandez is a guideline methodologist and consultant for the World Health Organization’s Cross-cutting Global Initiatives/Nutrition and Food Safety department. He holds a PhD in Public Health from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, a Master’s degree in Public Health from New York University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry and Biology from Rhode Island College. Previously, he worked as a consultant at the WHO European Centre for Primary Health Care, as a methodological editor at the Cochrane Common Mental Disorders Group, a lecturer at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and a researcher at the Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre and the CIBER in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP) network.

In this episode, Miriam Miller talks with PwC Deals Director and NYU alumna, Claudia Perez Pellicer about creating a more diverse workspace, the challenges of being a working parent, connecting with colleagues in the virtual workspace, and the importance of protecting your personal time.

Claudia Perez Pellicer is a Director in PwC’s Financial Services Advisory Deals practice. She has run numerous global integration and separation programs for Financial Services clients across: Banking, Insurance, Payments, PE and Real Estate sectors. In addition to English, Claudia is fluent in Spanish, German, and Italian, with intermediate proficiency in French and Portuguese. Claudia holds an Honors B.A. in International Relations from New York University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude, was inducted to the Phi Beta Kappa society, and received the President’s Service Award. Claudia also holds a Master of Public Administration from NYU, focusing on Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy, with coursework spanning NYU Wagner and the Stern School of Business.

In this episode, Joe Mercadante speaks with Weijin (Gina) Leow about how to foster an inclusive workspace, finding purpose and direction in one’s career, readjusting to life in the U.S. after the Peace Corps, and how Gina’s multicultural background wound up inspiring her to pursue a career in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion.

Weijin “Gina” Leow’s love of service led her to teach English to hundreds of college students in Sichuan, China from 2014-2016 with the United States Peace Corps. Upon returning to the U.S., she created New York University's first MA program in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She joined the Fire Department of New York City (“FDNY”) in 2017 as an intern and now is the Diversity and Inclusion Manager. Gina was  honored as one of Lawline’s Top Women Faculty of 2020 for the Eliminating Bias: Inclusive Leadership in the Legal Profession program. She was the New York City Bar Association’s Mindfulness and Well-Being in Law Committee’s Substitute Secretary and Chair of the Toolkit Subcommittee, creating its first Mindfulness and Well-Being Toolkit. Gina currently serves as the Vice President of the New York City Peace Corps Association. She has certifications in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University and Yale University and in Restorative Circle Keeping from Planning Change. In addition to receiving her MA in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at NYU, she received a BA in International Relations with a minor in Asian Studies from the City College of New York and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

In this episode, Miriam Miller talks with Joshua Krug about finishing a PhD program during the pandemic, using social media to broaden your platform, and learning to create not only a career but a vocation.

Joshua Krug earned a B.A. with Honors and Distinction from Yale, an MDiv from Harvard, and a PhD from NYU. He sits at the intersection of vision and implementation in education, with experience facilitating high school, gap-year, college, young adult, and adult Jewish learning and meaning-making. He lives to empower diverse young people to experience Jewish texts and contexts as powerful resources as they transform the world. You can follow his initiative, Opening Doors, on Clubhouse @ Opening Doors, on Insta at @lehrhaus, and on FB @lehrhausopeningdoors.

In this episode, Miriam Miller speaks with Sarah Edelman about developing a good relationship with your supervisor, knowing when it’s time to change roles, the benefits and challenges of remote work, and creating a schedule that is conducive to mental and emotional wellbeing.

Sarah Edelman is a 2012 graduate of NYU's Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness Master’s program. She has worked at New York Foundling since her graduation and is currently an Assistant Vice President for the FFT Manhattan Program. Outside of her full-time work, Sarah teaches as an adjunct instructor in the Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness online Master’s program and runs a successful private practice. Sarah loves the career path NYU put her on and is happy to share her experiences!

In this episode, Joe Mercadante speaks with NYU alum and freelance writer Candice Lola about knowing what you’re worth on the freelance market, cultivating an authentic presence on social media, building a team of people who support you, and the changes Candice has noticed since the resurgence of Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020.

Candice Lola is a freelance politics and culture writer, her specialty being deep research dives into sociopolitical phenomena. She is currently based in New York City, where she also writes horror stories, annoys her dog, and cooks way more food than she can eat. Find her on social media @candice_lola across all platforms and check out her blog at candicelola.com.

In this episode, Carrie Pennoni speaks with Monefa Anderson — an alumna of the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and the Rory Meyers College of Nursing — about returning to school, leaning on your professional network, the importance of mission-driven work, and finding focus and clarity after a job loss.

Monefa Anderson is a graduate of the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and the Rory Meyers College of Nursing and has over 20 years of health care experience. Monefa is board certified as a gerontological nurse specialist and nurse executive, advanced standing. Her current position is Director of Operations at NY Market at Cityblock Health, where she oversees the clinical care teams and ambulatory care sites for Cityblock members in NYC.

In this episode, Miriam Miller speaks with Ruzmyn Vilcassim about being an international student at NYU, the differences between industry jobs and faculty positions at universities, tips for landing your first role on a research team, and how to improve your chances of receiving grant funding.

Ruzmyn Vilcassim (PhD, MS) is an assistant professor at the Department of Environmental Health Sciences. He earned his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees from New York University in Environmental Health Sciences (Exposure Assessment and Health Effects) focusing on air pollution exposure and its associated health impacts. He has previous work experience in environmental pollution prevention, climate change impacts on vulnerable populations, and sustainable agriculture at environmental non-profit organizations, both in Sri Lanka and internationally.

In this episode, Lily Smith speaks with NYU alum, Allison Emanuel, about teaching high school during the coronavirus pandemic, the process of building confidence as a teacher, and the inspiring perseverance she witnesses every day from her colleagues and her students.

Allison Emanuel is a New York City based high school Social Studies teacher. She currently teaches at Herbert H Lehman High School, a large urban high school in the Bronx. Ms. Emanuel earned a B.A. in History from New York University, and an M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University. When she's not teaching, she enjoys walking her Great Dane, listening to podcasts, and spending time with her family. 

In this episode, Sarah Rosenthal speaks with NYU Journalism School alum, Lisa Setyon, about her experience as an international student, the challenges of full-time freelancing, using social media as a professional tool, and the importance of bringing more diversity into the newsroom. 

Lisa Setyon is a journalist who works as a producer for FRANCE TELEVISIONS in Washington D.C. She has previously worked as a freelance multimedia journalist in Paris, France and as an Associate Producer at ABC News. She completed her Master’s in Journalism at New York University and is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).