The Career Conversations Podcast with Michael Piff

Jennifer Jendras didn’t know anything about environmental health and safety before studying it at Illinois State University, but she did know that there would be work available for her after she graduated.

On the latest episode of the Career Vision Podcast, host Michael Piff met up with Safety and Occupational Health Manager Jennifer Jendras at the Career Vision office in Glen Ellyn, IL to talk about her career journey, her children’s experience taking Career Vision’s aptitude tests and what they learned from the results. Listen below to find out where Jennifer’s career in the federal government has taken her, how important internships and training programs were to her development, how her priorities changed over the years, her advice for anyone interested in her profession and more!

Our sponsor, Career Vision and the Ball Foundation help students and professionals discover their strengths and navigate their career opportunities. Learn more at CareerVision.org.

And you can subscribe to the Career Vision Podcast with Michael Piff on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

The story behind Matt Lindner’s resume deserves multiple episodes, but he and host Michael Piff try to fit as much as they can in the latest edition of the Career Vision Podcast.

Today, Matt is the marketing manager at WTWH, but he had dreams of being a sports writer and broadcaster when he was graduating from Lake Zurich High School. There are plenty of lessons to be learned from Matt’s career, for both students and professionals. From his first job as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers‘ gameday staff (which includes the famous Sausage Races), to a broadcast journalist in the Quad Cities, to a salesperson for the Chicago Tribune, to a writer for RedEye Chicago, all while building his personal brand on social media and prioritizing a work/life balance for him and his family – listen for it all and more below:

Follow Matt on Twitter/X, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Our sponsor, Career Vision and the Ball Foundation help students and professionals discover their strengths and navigate their career opportunities. Learn more at CareerVision.org.

And you can subscribe to the Career Vision Podcast with Michael Piff on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

In 2018, Kacy Standohar took a chance and moved to Chicago with dreams of becoming a sports journalist. She didn’t know anyone in the market, but that didn’t stop her from networking, getting in reps on-camera, and putting herself out there for opportunities. Fast forward to 2025 and she is now a sports reporter and anchor for NBC Chicago, and a sideline reporter for FS1 and the Big East!

Kacy joined Michael Piff on the Career Vision Podcast to talk to about her career journey, how she began as a TV producer, when she decided to pursue sports broadcasting, balancing marketing jobs while covering high school sports, softball and minor league baseball, the opportunities that followed, helping launch a new Chicago sports outlet like CHGO, her day-to-day at NBC Chicago, what she’s learned over the years and so much more. Listen to the full conversation below:

Follow Kacy on Instagram and Twitter/X, and TUNE IN to watch her on NBC 5 Chicago (WMAQ).

Our sponsor, Career Vision and the Ball Foundation help students and professionals discover their strengths and navigate their career opportunities. Learn more at CareerVision.org.

And you can subscribe to the Career Vision Podcast with Michael Piff on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

When Ken Edwards (Executive Director of the National Coalition of Labor), Ed Maher (Associate Executive Director of the National Coalition of Labor), and Phil Davidson (Director of Communications of the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council) teamed up to host The Workers’ Mic on WGN Radio, their goal was to bring awareness and educate listeners on what workers and their unions are dealing with on a regular basis, and bring labor news and topics to the forefront with other credible voices.

On the latest episode of The Career Vision Podcast, Ken, Ed and Phil joined host Michael Piff to talk about who they were and their interests when they were younger, their journeys that have led to worker advocacy as a profession, how someone interested in the trades is introduced to a union, what their union can do for them (as long as they are putting in the work themselves), and much more. One was in a metal band. Another was a standup comedian. Listen to the full episode below to find out who:

TUNE IN for The Workers’ Mic on Sunday mornings at 8 AM on WGN Radio. Stream on wgnradio.com and catch up on past episodes on The Workers’ Mic page or wherever you get your podcasts.

Our sponsor, Career Vision and the Ball Foundation help students and professionals discover their strengths and navigate their career opportunities. Learn more at CareerVision.org.

And you can subscribe to the Career Vision Podcast with Michael Piff on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

When Scott Changnon was in high school, his plan was to continue playing football after. But after an injury ended his senior season early, he had to change gears and learn new skills.

On the Career Vision Podcast, host Michael Piff talks to his old NBC Sports Chicago teammate about his journey from being his high school team’s videographer to Digital Content Manager at Marquee Sports Network. You’ll hear about Scott’s time at Southern Illinois University, his internship at the NFL Network, how he got started at Comcast Sports Net (which rebranded to NBC Sports Chicago), how he covered the 2016 Cubs in the World Series, how he made the decision to join Marquee, how he evolved and added professional photographer to his skillset, and much more. Listen below for the full episode.

Follow Scott Changnon on social media to see the incredible photo and video content he captures while covering the Cubs, Bears and other teams on Instagram, X (Twitter) and ScottyCPhotography.com.

Our sponsor, Career Vision and the Ball Foundation help students and professionals discover their strengths and navigate their career opportunities. Learn more at CareerVision.org.

And you can subscribe to the Career Vision Podcast with Michael Piff on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Career Vision Podcast officially kicks off with host Michael Piff turning the tables on WGN Radio midday host John Williams and producer Pete Zimmerman. John and Pete have been teamed up for a few years, but their careers at WGN Radio span decades.

In the first episode of the Career Vision Podcast, we learn about what they were like in high school, when they realized radio was what wanted to do, how they got started at WGN Radio, lessons they have learned, skills they have developed, how they approach their weekday radio show in the country’s third biggest market, and how teaming up has reinvigorated them both at this point their careers. Listen for more below.

Our sponsor, Career Vision and the Ball Foundation help students and professionals discover their strengths and navigate their career opportunities. Learn more at CareerVision.org.

And you can subscribe to the Career Vision Podcast with Michael Piff on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

On the Career Vision Podcast, Michael Piff talks to his guests about where they started, where they are now, and everything in between. Speaking with professionals from a wide range of industries, we learn about what they wanted to do before their careers started, their talents and interests, lessons they’ve learned along the way, how they’ve grown and more.

Our sponsor, Career Vision and the Ball Foundation help students and professionals discover their strengths and navigate their career opportunities. Learn more at CareerVision.org.

Georgia Koch, Community Outreach Coordinator at Career Vision, joins Jon Hansen on Your Money Matters. Career Vision has an aptitude test for students and adults to learn how to use their natural strengths to guide them toward a career. Georgia explains how the assessment works, the resources they provide, and more!

For more information, visit careervision.org

Managing Director of Innovation DuPage, Dan Facchini, joins Jon Hansen on Your Money Matters to talk about how their programs are helping businesses and organizations grow. He’s joined by Farah Budd from Standing Oration and Heidy LaFleur of Heidy with a WHY. Farah talks about Standing Oration and how they are a unique virtual platform for hands-on speaking practice, bridging the gap between learning and doing to ensure lasting skill retention. Heidy discusses how she is helping people understand trauma and the critical importance of Social Emotional Learning.

If you’re interested in any of the programs Innovation DuPage offers, visit, www.innovationdupage.org/programs for more information.

Dr. Nancy Ryan, Consultant for Career Vision, joined Lisa Dent on Chicago’s Afternoon News to discuss job searching, how can parents be of help to teens and young adults as they begin to think about and plan for a career in the emerging economy, and what employers are looking for.