Leverage Your Potential

Dr. Jodie Austin is one of Menlo’s assistant professors in the English Department, where she is one of several colleagues spearheading the use of E-portfolios to encourage holistic writing and storytelling. In this episode, Dr. Austin discusses the power of writing, her interest in video gaming, and draws some comparisons between her research on the impact of the plague on 17th century literature and COVID-19’s impact on creative expression today.

Dr. Sean Pradhan is Menlo’s Assistant Director of Sports Management and Data Analytics where he gets to teach about what he loves: the intersection of sports and data. Dr. Pradhan’s career journey didn’t start off in either of the areas - it started in psychology. Those interested in how psychology plays a role in research around sports and how data offers its support will enjoy listening to this episode.

Denia joins the Leverage Your Potential Podcast to share her career journey from being an undergrad at Utica College to working in New York City at one of the world’s most well-known companies, Bloomberg, L.P. Along the way, she shares great advice for college students and recent grads seeking to break in at the internship or entry level.

Professor Jessic Mean has been teaching math at Menlo since August, 2019, after obtaining her bachelor and master degrees in Mathematics. Professor Mean shared her journey to majoring in math (It was not straightforward or easy!) with us this episode, and spoke to some of her research passions: topological graphs and peer mentorship.

➺ Modern Comfort Food by Ina Garten

➺ Wikipedia article on K-graphs

As General Counsel to Looker, Tricia Timm guided them through a business and organizational transformation that resulted in a $2.6B acquisition by Google. At the same time, she was the executive sponsor of the company's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) program. Most recently, Tricia won the Latino Business Leadership Award from the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Join Tricia Timm for an engaging and thoughtful discussion on the role of gender in the workplace.

Listen in as Sam McLeod ‘16, a Technical Recruiter for LinkedIn, shares tips and tricks for job seekers, including how to catch a recruiter’s attention, the importance of leveraging your alumni network, and how long you should plan to stay at a job before moving on. Along the way, you’ll learn the origin story of the Menlo College Dance Team, which Sam co-founded in 2015-2016 and still coaches to this day!

In 2020, Cynthia Guerrero won the SVBJ Latino Business Leadership Award for building a Latina-Leadership pipeline and being an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. Cynthia is a partner at California Strategies, a well-known public affairs consulting firm, where she is focused on public policy in the area of technology. Hear from Cynthia about her perspective on being one of the only Latina tech lobbyists in California and why having a mentor is important at all stages of your career.

➺ How To Think Like A Monk by Jay Shetty

What is “imposter syndrome” and how does it impact people in the workplace, particularly those of marginalized identities? For many, it’s a feeling that they do not “belong” somewhere. Others feel self-doubt or a constant fear of failure. In this episode, Felix Navarro takes us on a personal journey that explores the many definitions of imposter syndrome and how imposter syndrome has impacted his own personal and professional growth. Tune in to hear how Felix learned to manage imposter syndrome in his life and to hear his tips on how to make imposter syndrome work for you, not against you.

➺ Get in touch with Felix at fnspeaks.com

Alan Fernandez recently moved to Brooklyn, New York as part of a self-exploration and artistic journey after a career in the stem cell research industry. In this conversation, you’ll learn about his unique journey to Menlo College, why it’s important to live “friction free”, and the reasons he volunteers on the Menlo Alumni Council.

➺ Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind by Dr. Joe Dispenza

➺ The Way of Zen by Alan Watts

➺ Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

Alan Alvarez transferred to Menlo from De Anza College to complete his degree abroad in the United States. As an international student, he worked on campus in the Admissions Office, where he continues to work today. Now a couple years removed from being a student, Alan reflects on his experiences working on campus, applying for Optional Practical Training (OPT) to continue working after graduation, and the transition from being a student to an employee.

➺ The Life Coach School  Podcast

➺ Women and Money Podcast by Suze Orman