We do that! Careers that make a difference

What can storytelling—and a love of plants—teach us about building a meaningful career? In this episode of Careers That Make a Difference,we talk with Andrea Sok, founder and CEO of Sok Influencer PR, about helping nonprofits tell their stories and grow their impact.

Andrea shares how her background in journalism, nonprofit leadership, and global health communications led her to launch her own business. She explains how she provides organizations with marketing and communications leadership on a part-time basis, pairing strategy with the support needed to put it into action.

Along the way, Andrea offers practical advice on becoming a better storyteller, gaining experience, and staying open to unexpected career opportunities. Plus, her passion for plants sparks a conversation about patience, learning from setbacks, and finding your next step.

In this mini episode of We Do That: Careers That Make a Difference, Eric Legg interviews Jenny Driessen, who just completed ASU’s recreational therapy certificate and passed the NCTRC exam to earn her CTRS. After being laid off and previously leaving a stressful real estate career following a cancer diagnosis, she pursued work that fit her interests in fitness, art, and wellness, building on experience as a yoga instructor and personal trainer. Jenny says recreation and creative activities support mental and physical health, especially during adversity, and encourages career changers that it’s never too late to start over. Her advice for students is to say yes to tours, networking, and exploring different populations, and to stand out in job searches by showing your work in person.

Jordyn Hoff, newly returned from two and a half years in the Peace Corps, reflects on her path from growing up in Seattle and Portland to ASU and international service. A quiet kid who became a vocal soccer goalkeeper, she explains how sports built leadership, communication, and teamwork skills she later used in college and abroad. In college, she switched majors from anthropology to criminal justice to public policy before settling on nonprofit leadership and management, joined Rise Tutoring with refugees, did undergraduate research, and ran a Blaze Radio show about horror movies. After a study abroad internship in Cape Town, she served in Botswana as an HIV/AIDS life skills educator in a primary school, describing culture shock, language learning, isolation, and community life. Her advice: try everything, plan early, seek scholarships, listen first, and focus on helping individuals rather than “saving the world.” 

Recreation therapist Jess Amato shares a childhood of boating, card games, journaling, and outdoor activity that shaped her minimalist, active adulthood. At ASU she discovered her dream job had a name—recreational therapy—after advisors told her it “didn’t exist,” and she became an advocate for the field. Her career moved from pediatric and hospital settings to community-based work, Ability360, schools, and leading a school-based rec therapy program in New Hampshire while earning a master’s in community development and running a two-year project in Zimbabwe. She founded Platform to Play to expand access to play through school culture work, inclusion training, and global projects across Africa and beyond, emphasizing adaptability, cultural humility, and “practice what you preach.”

In this episode, we mark two years of the We Do That:Careers That Make a Difference podcast with a compilation of seven recurring career themes from guests, including you don’t have to have it all figured out, clarity comes from action, and you say yes to opportunities. The final advice is to keep going—stay resilient, learn from setbacks, take leaps of faith, and trust that everything will be okay.

Katie Kenyon-Appelt shares how sports—especially waterpolo—shaped her life and led her from Washington’s dual-enrollment “RunningStart” program to ASU at 17. She entered college aiming for nursing, switchedto community sports management, found community through club sports, and gainedleadership experience on the Sport Club executive board. During COVID, acanceled Seattle Mariners internship pushed her to cold-email athleticdirectors until she landed an unpaid internship at Arcadia High School,learning athletic operations and administration. She earned a master’s inphysical education and student taught, but left K–12 due to the politics andconstant advocacy. Mentored through campus recreation and sport clubs, shemoved into Student Affairs as a coordinator for Student Connection and Communityat ASU. Her key advice: say yes to opportunities, be a self-starter, and acceptthat career paths change.

ASU alum Dana Rowitz shares how a planned career in special education turned into a passion for hospitality. Now a sales manager at Omni Tempe at ASU, she reflects on mentors, student involvement, joining Omni’s pre-opening team, and growing into sports and ASU group sales. Dana offers practical advice on building relationships, mastering your current role, using LinkedIn well, and staying present

Taylor Wilson, the current Para and Adaptive Program Manager for the Boston Athletic Association, shares her journey from Delaware and Arizona to managing adaptive sports programs for the Boston Marathon. Originally a chemical engineering major, Taylor discovered recreational therapy through a part-time job at a recreation center. She changed her major, interned, and eventually took a full-time job at Arizona Disabled Sports. Now overseeing adaptive d athletes for the Boston Athletic Association, which produces the Boston Marathon, Taylor highlights the importance of making connections in the field and provides insights into her career transition, day-to-day responsibilities, and the rewarding aspects of her job. She also emphasizes the life-changing impact of adaptive sports for athletes with disabilities.

Nate Shrake went from an awkward emo kid to a Marine, firefighter, and now a recreation therapist helping veterans. He talks about failure, career pivots, and the joy of working with the elderly. Along the way, he shares his passion for music, writing, and the power of one-on-one human connection.

In this podcast episode, Audrey Gowey, the Senior Manager of Animal Care and Experience Behavior and Pet Training at Arizona Humane Society, discusses her unique career path. Starting in nursing, Audrey transitioned intoanimal welfare, spurred by her passion for animals and advice from a friend. She pursued a degree in nonprofit management to enhance her career. Audreyhighlights the importance of reliability, teamwork, and continuous improvement. She shares career advice, her love for both dogs and cats, and the rewardingyet challenging aspects of her job. Audrey's story underscores the impact of education and real-life experience in shaping a fulfilling career.