Northwestern Intersections

Roy Lu's first career transition came shortly after his graduation from the McCormick School of Engineering, when he made the move from engineer to entrepreneur, with his first startup, Vitaminbubbles, a biotechnology company. Since then, Roy has worked and learned at two major tech companies, seeing first-hand how companies grow and flourish. Roy's latest venture, Timepop Technologies, focuses on how technology can create a more connected world. Roy co-founded his company with fellow Northwestern graduates and is continuing to expand his company in Asia.

Listen in as Roy dives into the changing technology industry, the world of international business, and the lifelong impact of the Northwestern network.

After receiving her Ph.D. in Political Science and Methodology at Northwestern University, Dr. Sally A. Nuamah worked at Princeton University and Harvard University as a research fellow, followed by her assistant professorship at Duke University. She then returned to Northwestern to become a tenure-track professor of Urban Politics in Human Development and Social Policy. Her work explores issues of race, gender, education policy, and political behavior. Forbes Magazine quotes that "..leaders like Nuamah are a testament to the strength of the entrepreneurial spirit in academia's young disruptors". Sally is a notable advocate and filmmaker, in which you can learn more about her initiatives through her book, How Girls Achieve, and her documentary, HerStory.

From dressing up as a clown for birthday party gigs to working at Hilary For America, Ryan Bernsten has done them all. But one of the most fascinating experiences he has embarked on was driving across America to listen to stories of Americans in all 50 states from 2018 to 2019. His thesis, now a podcast called 50 States of Mind, sheds light on his journey of interviewing elected officials, mayors, and voters on both sides. Ryan also highlights that he could not have done this alone without the support of fellow Wildcats, some who opened up their homes, provided meals, and connected him to other networks further his mission.

After running a marathon, Zeena Dhalla recognized her passion for fitness and decided to become a personal trainer, transitioning from the film and Internet industry. Finding great success in her training, she took on a new major role: being a mom.

Now she works as a Certified Postural Alignment Specialist improving posture, a small part of fitness that makes a world of a difference. Zeena coaches clients through this journey as the founder of her own company, VerticAlign Posture Coaching. She dives into what it means to find your own personal definition of success, finding balance in a world that focuses on "having it all" and even teaches us some exercises to do while listening to this podcast to start to improve our posture.

What's Next Live is back by popular demand! This time, we traveled to New York to host a live panel of recent alumni who shared stories about what it takes to make a major transition early in their careers. Our panelists, Sierra Boone '17, Charlie Oh '16, Tracey Haneman '13, and Henri Pierre-Jacques '13, are phenomenal alumni, living in New York and navigating their career transitions in their own unique ways. Discover What's Next in your career by listening to the recording of our second ever live podcast experience.

Becoming a successful comedian and performer in New York did not happen overnight for Ziwe Fumudoh. Her Twitter fame started when she worked as a hostess at a barbecue restaurant, tweeting as much as she could during her breaks. While juggling multiple jobs, Ziwe worked harder than anyone else by working at prestigious digital media companies like The Onion, Above Average, Comedy Central, and many more. As a creative professional, living in New York, Ziwe sheds light on being comfortable with the unknown, battling Imposter Syndrome, and challenging yourself to try as many different activities as you can to find what makes sense for you.

Listen in to this special episode as Ziwe also shares about her upcoming Fifth Reunion as one of the Committee Members for the Class of 2014. Homecoming and Reunion Weekend will take place on the week of October 21st, 2019 in Evanston, IL, where Wildcats will come back to celebrate and reunite with their fellow classmates.

As the principal of Acero Marquez Charter School in the Chicago area, Allison Hansen wears many hats to make sure that school is a place where both her teachers and students can grow together. Despite seeing the challenges of being a principal through her experience with the Teach for America Program, Allison still stuck to her passion for education reform. She sheds light on her definition of what great leadership is and what it looks like to be vulnerable as a leader. Owning her privilege takes a lot of courage but naming it and educating herself to be an ally has been instrumental in her relationship at her school.

Listen in to this special episode as Allison also shares about her upcoming Tenth Reunion as one of the Committee Members for the Class of 2009. Homecoming and Reunion Weekend will take place on the week of October 21st, 2019 in Evanston, IL, where Wildcats will come back to celebrate and reunite with their fellow classmates.

The NAA is happy to introduce our new host of Northwestern Intersections, Helen Kim. Helen is one of the founding team members of this podcast and has served as the editor and producer of Northwestern Intersections. She currently works as the Assistant Director of Career Advancement at the Northwestern Alumni Association, specializing in digital career programs for both alumni and students, and is an alumna of the Class of 2016. Listen in as former host Cassie Petoskey passes the baton and asks Helen about her experience transitioning from studying Percussion Performance at the Bienen School of Music to working in career programming for the University. We want to thank Cassie for all her efforts and wish her the best in her next role, where she will be working with Weinberg students to facilitate career exploration programs.

In this three-part series featuring outstanding coaches, you'll hear some of the most frequently asked questions that they receive from their clients in their industries. Tish Hicks '88, Kathryn Haydon '99, and Melissa McFarlane '86 are leading experts in their fields who have presented Northwestern Alumni Association's career webinars in the past on topics including on the power of one's voice, creativity at work, and goal-setting processes on designing one's business and personal endeavors.

In this episode, we are speaking with Melissa McFarlane '86, an internationally-recognized coach with over 28 years of experience in executive, business, and personal coaching. She is the Founder and CEO of Creative Successful Entrepreneurs | Coach for Creatives.

In this three-part series featuring outstanding coaches, you'll hear some of the most frequently asked questions that they receive from their clients in their industries. Tish Hicks '88, Kathryn Haydon '99, and Melissa McFarlane '86 are leading experts in their fields who have presented Northwestern Alumni Association's career webinars in the past on topics including on the power of one's voice, creativity at work, and goal-setting processes on designing one's business and personal endeavors.

In this episode, we are speaking with Kathryn Haydon '99, a creativity and innovation strategist at Sparkitivity with over 20 years of experience and the author of four books, including her upcoming book, The Non-Obvious Guide to Being More Creative.