LGBTQ+ Career Conference 2017:
Strategies for Thriving During and Beyond Berkeley
Saturday, February 25th, 2017
10:30am-4pm
Space is limited and RSVP is required, please register here.
Tips, tricks and tailor-made advice for LGBTQ+ students at UC Berkeley interested in internships, job search strategies and career advice from LGBTQ+ professionals!
Topics covered: coming out in the workplace, gender presentation, resumes and networking, with added considerations for being transgender and/or QTPOC professionals. The event culminates with your ability to connect with LGBTQ+ professionals across various industries such as education, business, tech, non-profit and entrepreneurship. Guest speakers and employers will be announced in the new year!
We have a growing list of presenters and participating employers, which include: Google, Bank of the West, LinkedIn, Teach for America, Peace Corps, OSI Soft, SAP, CALSTRS, Goldman Sachs, IBM, PwC, Proviti, Huron Consulting, Department of State and Yelp.
Hosted by the Gender Equity Resource Center and the Career Center at UC Berkeley. Sponsored by Bank of the West. In partnership with LinkedIn.
Questions? Contact Marisa at mboyce@berkeley.edu.
For disability-related accommodations see access.berkeley.edu.
Conference Schedule
10:30am
CHECK-IN AND SIGN-UP FOR WORKSHOPS • 1st Floor
LUNCH • Sponsored by Bank of the West • 3rd Floor
11:00am
WELCOME • 3rd Floor
Marisa Boyce, Program Coordinator, Gender Equity Resource Center
Brian Guerrero, Senior Associate Director, Career Center
11:15am
PANEL AND LUNCH • 3rd Floor
Moderated by Billy Curtis, Director, Gender Equity Resource Center
• Dawn Ackerman
Business Owner, Entrepreneur and Advocate for LGBT Business Inclusion
• Joel A. Brown Esq., CLC
Consultant and Change Agent
• Luis Gutierrez-Mock, MPH, MA
Public Health Advocate and Community Activist
1:00pm
CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS, SESSION #1
Gender Identity & Expression in the Work World • Gold Room, 3rd Floor
Panelists: Fresh! White, Riya Christie
Transgender and gender non-conforming individuals often have to navigate additional challenges while looking for work or advancing in their career. Hear from our panelists about their experiences and advice - and ask your questions!
How to Present Yourself on Paper or Virtually • Blue Room, 3rd Floor
Tyler Mahana Barbadillo, Solutions Consultant, LinkedIn
Ben Gregori, Marketing Solutions, LinkedIn
Learn how to manage your own professional brand online, especially on LinkedIn - straight from a member of the LinkedIn team and active out@in member! Get the do's and don'ts for what to put on your LinkedIn profile and gain insider tips on how to customize your online presence to ensure recruiters can find you and connect you with career opportunities.
#GoDo Success in 2017: Goal Setting Strategies to Help You Get Whatever The Hell You Want • 2nd Floor
Talonya Geary, Consultant and Entrepreneur, SPiiRE
Learn how to break down the potentially overwhelming roadblocks to creating the business, career or lifestyle you really want. This creative workshop is a journey from goal setting to goal getting that will inspire action and support your immediate results.
2:00pm
COFFEE BREAK • Sponsored by LinkedIn • 2nd Floor
2:15pm
CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS, SESSION #2
Maximizing Stereotypes as a QTPOC • 2nd Floor
Gregory Desierto, WestCoast Children's Clinic, Psychotherapy Clinician
This workshop will address barriers QTPOC individuals face in the workplace and how to overcome them. Additionally, attendees will create a personalized strategy for success.
Maintaining Your Grit • Gold Room, 3rd Floor
Dr. Jeanette Bergfeld and Kate Messinger, CPS, Tang Center
During the job search process, learning that you didn’t get the job you wanted or never hearing back after submitting an application can wear down your self-confidence. Learn strategies, mindsets and inspirations to keep confidence going during the job search process!
Finding Your Swagger: Effective Approaches for Presenting Yourself in Person • Blue Room, 3rd Floor
Tina Taylor, Program Officer, Diversity Recruitment Strategy, Assistant Vice President for Bank of the West
Ever wonder how to navigate conversations related to your LGBTQ+ identity in the workplace? This session will address what to consider when showing up at work, including gender identity and expression, the coming out process and how to integrate your uniqueness in conversations while networking, if at all.
3:20pm
ROUNDTABLE NETWORKING • 3rd Floor
An open "mix-and-mingle" networking* hour with representatives from the following companies:
- Bank of the West
- CALSTRS
- Capgemini
- Goldman Sachs
- Huron Consulting
- IBM
- OSI Soft
- Peace Corps
- PwC
- Protiviti
- SAP
- State Department
- Teach for America
- Yelp
*Not a recruiting event, but feel free to bring your resume and/or ask for business cards!
Panelists, Workshop Presenters and Roundtable Networking Hosts
Opening Panelists
Dawn Ackerman
Dawn Ackerman is the President and Co-Founder of OutSmart Office Solutions a national office design, furniture and supply solutions company. With offices in San Francisco, Portland & Seattle, OutSmart Office is the first and only LGBT Vendor to Office Depot and was named the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) LGBT Supplier of the Year in 2012.
Ms. Ackerman has been a California business owner, entrepreneur and advocate for LGBT business inclusion for 20 years. After being named PlanetOut’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006 she served as the President and a Board Member of the Los Angles Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (LAGLCC) for six years, and is currently serving as Board President of the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA) in San Francisco. Additionally, she has served two terms on the NGLCC Procurement Council and is the current Chair of the Western Region of the NGLCC LGBT Affiliate Chamber Council.
Ackerman has a B.S. in Biology and Psychology from Ohio Northern University where she co-founded the first LGBTQ Student organization in 1996. She is currently married to her wife Myriam Chaumeil, PhD - Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy and Radiology, UCSF.
Joel A. Brown Esq., CLC
Joel A. Brown is the Chief Visionary Officer of Pneumos, a management consulting company based in San Francisco, USA, specializing in cultural intelligence and leadership. As a change agent, Joel works strategically with organizational leaders and professionals to cultivate innovative, creative, and adaptive environments where the cultural genius of everyone can be harnessed and leveraged successfully. Best known for his critical analysis, creativity, humor, and his ability to build consensus, Joel has partnered with Fortune 500 Companies, non-profit organizations, and government agencies to help them achieve sustained growth and organizational breakthroughs.
He is a member of several international think tanks, including D2K, the Diversity Collegium, SIETAR, and the Global Community Dialogue. He is also an Expert Panelist with the Global Diversity & Inclusion Benchmarks.
Luis Gutierrez-Mock, MPH, MA
Luis Gutierrez-Mock is the Project Director for the TRIUMPH Project, a community-led PrEP demonstration project at the Center of Excellence for Transgender Health at UCSF. Prior to his role on TRIUMPH, Luis worked as the Project Coordinator for the Transgender Evaluation and Technical Assistance Center (TETAC), part of the HRSA Special Projects of National Significance initiativeEnhancing Engagement and Retention in Quality HIV Care for Transgender Women of Color.
Luis holds an MA in Sexuality Studies, a second MA in Ethnic Studies, and an MPH with an emphasis in community health education. He is currently a fourth year student in the medical sociology doctoral program at UCSF.
Workshop Presenters
Ben Gregori
Marketing Solutions, LinkedIn
Ben Gregori joined LinkedIn directly after graduating from UC Berkeley in 2012 (Go Bears!) He began as a recruiting associate and moved into sales development, focusing on LinkedIn's digital marketing offerings. Currently he works with universities to develop student recruitment strategies as an account executive. If you have questions about a career at a hyper-growth company, or where to go for your next music festival, come say hi!
Fresh! White
Trans Employment Specialist, SF LGBT Center
Fresh! White is a Certified Life and Mindfulness Coach, trainer, writer, and speaker. He is a member of the SF LGBT Center’s Trans Employment Program, supporting over 250 trans* and LGBQ individuals with gaining employment since 2012. He is a contributing author to, Trans Bodies Trans Selves, a health, legal and cultural resource guide for service providers and members of the trans* community, he is also a contributor to “Real World Mindfulness for Beginners, (2016). Fresh! founded the Bay Area’s first Mindfulness and Meditation Group for Trans and Genderqueer individuals.
On his 2016 Pride Grand Marshal page, Fresh! is quoted as saying, “Encouraging self-love and self-compassion practices, through social media, and through his one-on-one coaching services, Fresh! lives to reflect love and self-acceptance on his diverse global community.”
Gregory Desierto
Psychotherapist, WestCoast Children’s Clinic
Adjunct Professor at Golden Gate University
He loves helping children, teenagers, and adults who are struggling with feeling different or not fitting in or who have faced violent and aggressive traumas. He is also passionate about teaching future generations of therapists about psychoanalysis, social justice issues, immigration, gender, masculinity, and childhood sexual abuse.
Jeanette Bergfeld
Postdoctoral Fellow, Counseling and Psychological Services, UCB
As a part of the CPS LGBT Apprenticeship, she is training to specialize in counseling with LGBTQ+ students. She received her Bachelor's in Psychology from American University in Washington, DC and her Psy.D. from the California School of Professional Psychology in San Francisco.
Kate Messinger
Career Counseling Intern, Counseling and Psychological Services, UCB
While completing her internship, Kate is also finishing her Master’s in College Student Personnel Counseling from San Francisco State University (SFSU). Within her work in higher education Kate has focused primarily on the mental health, advising needs, and career concerns of college students. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development from SFSU in 2010.
Talonya Geary
Consultant and Entrepreneur, SPiiRE
Talonya Geary is a successful multi-platform entrepreneur and business professional with over 20 years of experience in professional development. Over the last decade, Talonya has worked with some of the world’s top professional speakers and thought leaders including Anthony Robbins, and currently serves as the co-founder of Spiire, an organization dedicated to the wellness and advancement of the LGBTQ+ community through education. She is currently writing her debut book, #goDo Success & How To Get Whatever The Hell You Want".
Tina Taylor
Program Officer, Diversity Recruitment Strategy, Assistant Vice President for Bank of the West
Tina Taylor is Program Officer, Diversity Recruitment Strategy, Assistant Vice President for Bank of the West. For more than 15 years, Tina Taylor has worked as a Recruiter and Trusted Advisor in the Financial Services Industry. Her passion for Diversity and Inclusion led to the opportunity to develop a Diversity Recruitment Strategy for Bank of the West. She enjoys being an adventurous “foodie,” traveling to warm beaches, amateur wine tasting, and connecting people to meaningful opportunities.
Tyler Mahana Barbadillo
Solutions Consultant, LinkedIn
Tyler Mahana Barbadillo: Currently working as Solutions Consultant at LinkedIn, Mahana is very excited to be returning to my his old stomping grounds. Since graduating from Cal in 2014, Mahana has been working in enterprise software sales with tech giants Oracle, LinkedIn, and now Microsoft. During his undergrad years, Mahana was actively involved in campus life as the founding Vice-President of Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM) as well as the LGBT-community endorsed senate candidate for the ASUC. Outside of work, Mahana enjoys singing with the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus and parenting a toy poodle named Brodie. GO BEARS!
Riya Christie
Trans Employment Services Assistant, SF LGBT Center
Riya was born and raised in Jamaica, she moved to San Francisco for a better and more fulfilling life. She loves the city because rich LGBT-friendly history and its wide acceptance of a variety of different identities, orientations, cultures, and backgrounds. She loves to sing and has a great appreciation for all genres of music. She is looking forward to growing and giving back to her community – and to quote a phrase from a song of one of her biggest possibility models, “I was here”, Beyoncé.
Roundtable Networking Hosts
Aaron Faulkner
Customer Support Engineer, OSIsoft
Aaron Faulkner grew up in Colorado and stayed for school, studying Mechanical Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. After graduating in 2014, he applied for a job at OSIsoft in San Leandro, CA. Ever since, he has been working there (and loving it!) as a Customer Support Engineer. When not working, he enjoys cooking, reading, and watching movies.
Alejandro Tinajero
Manager, PwC's Health Industries Advisory Practice
Alejandro Tinajero is a Manager in PwC's Health Industries Advisory practice within the Strategic Transformation group. Prior to joining the firm, Alejandro worked in the public sector for eight years. His strengths are grounded in helping to design and deliver highly integrated solutions that enable his healthcare clients achieve sustained growth and performance excellence. \Alejandro graduated with a BA from San Diego State University, and he earned an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Andrew Roth
Benefits and Services Executive Officer, CalSTRS
As Benefits and Services Executive Officer, Andrew Roth is responsible for the vision, strategic direction, policy development and management, and oversight of the largest branch at CalSTRS. Mr. Roth began his tenure with CalSTRS in 2012, and also has a dedicated work history in other California state agencies. He holds a B.A. in History and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington.
Billie Lynn Ross
IT Production Operations, SAP
Billie Lynn Ross, a transwoman at SAP with 10+ years working in IT Production Operations, handling PCI auditing compliance, process flows, engineering design, and more. Transitioned on the job in October 2014, Billie is an active parent of three children. They are also a trans rights and equality advocate participating in the "Pride@SAP" ERG, Out & Equal, and Lesbians Who Tech.
Brandon Styles
Enterprise Relationship Manager, LinkedIn
My name is Brandon Styles, and I'm an Enterprise Relationship Manager at LinkedIn Talent Soltutions. I get to work with Recruiters and Staffing agencies every day to help people find their dream jobs! I've lived in SF since 2008 and grew up in San Luis Obispo. I have a Basset Hound named George and I love playing volleyball and ping pong.
Chris Saul
Portfolio Manager, IBM Spectrum Storage
Chris Saul is the Portfolio Manager for the IBM Spectrum Storage family. Chris leads the team responsible for all aspects of marketing the IBM Spectrum Storage family of software-defined storage offerings. Previously, Chris was Marketing Manager for the IBM Storwize family of midrange storage systems and also IBM SAN Volume Controller (SVC), the industry's leading network-based storage virtualization system. Chris has worked for IBM since 1981 and holds an MA in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge.
Chris Sukumpantanasarn
Customer Support Engineer, OSIsoft
Chris Sukumpantanasarn started as a Customer Support Engineer at OSIsoft in January 2016. He grew up in Dallas, Texas and graduated from Texas A&M University with a Chemical Engineering degree in December of 2015. He’s been in the Bay Area for the past year and is loving every moment and things that it has to offer from nature to food to culture. In his free time, he likes to explore new parts of the city, try new cuisines, ski, do yoga, and play violin or piano.
Daniel Mehring
Foreign Service Officer, State Department
Daniel Mehring is a career Foreign Service Officer. He has served in Nigeria, the Vatican, Iraq and has had short assignments to South Africa, Egypt, and Jordan. Currently he is a D.C. based Recruitment Officer and his onward assignments are to Iraq and Casablanca (Morocco). He earned a dual Ed. D. in Organizational Leadership and Interpretive Anthropology from the University of San Francisco.
Diana Yang
Managing Consultant, Capgemini Consulting
Diana Yang is a Managing Consultant with Capgemini Consulting. She has been with the firm for 4.5 years as a member of the Business and Technology Innovation practice and worked in both of our New York and San Francisco offices. She has advised clients across industries on various strategic, innovation, digital transformation and operational challenges. Diana completed her undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley Haas (go Bears) and received an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business.
Drew Jack
Senior Consultant, Risk and Compliance, Protiviti
Drew is a Senior Consultant in Protiviti’s Risk and Compliance practice based in San Francisco. Prior to joining Protiviti, he was a Financial Institution Specialist in the Division of Risk Management Supervision at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). He also worked in the Division of Depositor and Consumer Protection and the Division of Resolutions and Receiverships for the same corporation.
Eddie Rosenbaum
Regional Representative, Peace Corps
Eddie Rosenbaum is a Regional Representative for the Peace Corps and a proud UC Berkeley alum (’11). He served as a Community Health volunteer in Cameroon from 2011-2014 where worked to support the LGBTQ Health Clinics in the country. Eddie now works to support LGBTQ PLWHA in San Francisco, is part of the Human Rights Commission Equity Advisory Committee and is an Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor.
Eric Lee
Legal Specialist, Google
Eric Lee is a Legal Specialist on the Legal Investigations Team at Google and has been on the team for three years. Prior to joining Google, he worked at a law firm for two years while simultaneously teaching Chinese to elementary school kids. He currently sits on the board of the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance Foundation and is a proud alumnus of the University of California. 
Eric McCafferty
Consultant, Risk & Compliance, Protiviti
Eric McCafferty joined Protiviti in 2016 and is a Consultant with Protiviti’s Risk & Compliance practice. Previously interning at a financial planning firm, he has experience with financial advisory for small businesses and personal financial planning. Eric’s main focus has been in the financial services industry on a range of engagements
Erica Webber
Global Director for Industry and Services, IBM Research
Erica Webber is the Global Director for Industry and Services at IBM Research. In this role, she works across the many business units within the IBM Corporation to maximize the business impact of the innovation and creativity of IBM Research. Erica leverages over 20 years of learning and experience as a president, chief operating officer, financial officer or management consultant for a Fortune 100 corporation, a leading consultancy, and several multinational, NGO / nonprofit, government and higher education organizations. 
James Chang
Account Executive, Yelp
James Chang is an Account Executive at Yelp and also serves on the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board. James is the VP of East Bay Stonewall Democrat Club. He received a duel bachelor degree in Chinese and Political Economy from UC Berkeley. At Cal, James Chang served as the 2013-14 VP of External Affairs for the Berkeley Student Cooperative. 
James Lachman
Digital Marketing Partner/AVP, Bank of the West
James Lachman is a digital marketing partner/AVP at Bank of the West. He has 10 years of experience in executing targeted campaigns, building strong internal relationships and managing marketing projects from initiation to reporting. He is based in San Francisco and enjoys adventure travel and photography.
James W. Sims Jr.
Consultant, Huron Consulting Group
James W. Sims Jr., graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science in Business and serves as a consultant for Huron Consulting Group. He has served in this role for over 6 years in the Healthcare Practice. James’s experience includes middle revenue cycle (charge capture, strategic pricing, and managed care), charge entry, utilization review (UR), health information management (HIM), and patient financial services (PFS).
Julian Chacon
Planning and Administrative Analyst, Bank of the West
Julian is a Planning and Administrative Analyst, Officer for Bank of the West. Previously worked for a Member of Congress and Digital Business Operations for Pac-12 Networks. Currently employed at Bank of the West handling Compliance Strategy & Administration. He graduated from UC Berkeley in 2007 with a BA in Political Science and is a MBA Candidate at St. Mary’s College of California.
Justin Knepper
SME Division Administration Mgr., Bank of the West
Justin is VP & National Chair & Founder of OUTWest LGBTA Resource Group. Banking professional with over 20 years of management, program development, thought leadership and communications expertise, Justin explores opportunities to engage colleagues in unique and cultural development activities, including the founding of two LGBTQA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Allies) Employee Resource Groups. As a writer, Justin is writing a leadership book based on his LGBTQA leadership experience.
Karter Klumpyan
Senior Manager, Risk and Compliance, Protiviti
Karter Klumpyan is a Senior Manager on the Risk and Compliance team in Protiviti San Francisco. Karter’s experience includes Internal Audit, Technology and Risk and Compliance consulting engagements in various industries including the financial services, education, real estate, governmental, and airline industry. Karter has worked in the Phoenix, Arizona (USA), Melbourne, VIC (Australia), London, England (UK), and San Francisco, California (USA) offices, providing him a unique international experience with regards to consulting.
Laura Nguyen
Strategic Partnerships, Mobile Apps, Google
Laura Nguyen has spent the last two years consulting top app developers on business strategy and facilitating partnerships with Google Play. Previous to her work at Google, she worked at a high-growth, Y-Combinator startup before their acquisition. Before joining the tech industry, Laura started in a more traditional background, pursuing bioE and neuropsychology research. In her free time, she volunteers throughout the Bay Area and provides continued support to Gamma Rho Lambda, UC Berkeley's queer and ally sorority.
Lori Hale
Sr. Compliance Manager, VP, Bank of the West
Lori Hale is Vice President, Senior Compliance Manager for Corporate Communications, Human Resources and Social Media at Bank of the West. During her 14 year tenure she served as primary Risk Consultant on enterprise social media strategies and initiatives, evaluating changes to laws, regulations and policies, including social trends and processes for vetting social properties, initiatives and functionality. She is married and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, with her wife and their well-behaved dog.
Mark Lalonde
Assurance Senior Manager, PwC San Francisco
Mark Lalonde is an Assurance Senior Manager at PwC San Francisco, specializing in banking and asset management. Mark started his career in PwC Canada prior to joining the US firm. He is a member of OPEN, which is PwC's affinity network for LGBTQ+ Partners and staff. Mark graduated from the University of Windsor. In his spare time, Mark plays competitive indoor and beach volleyball.
Mary Susman
HR Business Partner, Google
Born and raised in the midwest, Mary Susman went to UC Berkeley to study Sociology and Gender & Women's Studies as a Point Foundation scholar. She worked the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and the Legal Aid Association of California. Mary moved into an HR Business Partner role supporting HR for HR and our global sales organization. She advises managers and Googlers on inclusion, performance, compensation, and talent conversations.. She’s also a proud member of the Gayglers and Cal Googlers.
Matt Hill
West Coast University Recruiter, OSIsoft
Matt Hill was born and raised in the Bay Area before attending the University of the Pacific to pursue a degree in Psychology. Upon graduating in 2014, he worked in Stockton for a little over a year before moving back to the Bay and starting as a temp with OSIsoft. Now he is their full time West coast University Recruiter and loves meeting passionate and smart students looking for new opportunities. When he is not working Matt enjoys traveling to new places, reading, and catching up on his never ending Netflix queue.
Miriam Cruz
Financial Analyst, Goldman Sachs
Miriam Cruz grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and graduated from Claremont McKenna College with a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics in 2015. She interned at an online fashion store in Hamburg, Germany and at a private equity real estate firm in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia before her summer at Goldman Sachs. She is now a Financial Analyst on the Management Team in the San Francisco Private Wealth Management office.
Richard Ha
Campus Representative, Teach For America
Richard Ha is a 2012 Rhode Island Corps Member and is currently the Campus Representative for Teach For America at U.C. Berkeley. Richard started his career as a middle school mathematics teacher and taught for 4 years. His students made two years of progress each year and he felt compelled to share his story to Cal Bears to scale his impact.
Rodrigo Junqueira De Moraes
Sales Development Specialist, LinkedIn
Rodrigo Junqueira De Moraes: Rodrigo de Moraes is currently a Sales Development Specialist at LinkedIn. Prior to LinkedIn, he started his sales career at Oracle as part of the Class of 2015. He is a Golden Bear Alumnus, who was actively present in the campus' co-op houses, Spanish/Portuguese department, and teaching fitness classes in the RSF. Following his time at Cal, he continues his fitness passion and enjoys life in San Francisco
Sean Drimmel
Senior Consultant, Capgemini Consulting
Sean Drimmel is a Senior Consultant with Capgemini Consulting, where he has worked for 3.5+ years aligned to the Digital Strategy practice. He’s worked with clients in Financial Services, Life Science, Ecommerce, Telecommunications, and on a variety of engagements (Technology Transformations, Change Management, Process Optimization, Proof-of-Concept launch, among others). Before Cap, Sean graduated from UC Berkeley – Haas School of Business in 2013. During his time on campus, he co-founded Out for Business at Berkeley (O4B)
Steven Stachowicz
Managing Director, Risk & Compliance, Protiviti
Steven Stachowicz joined Protiviti in 2005 and is a Managing Director in Protiviti's Risk & Compliance consulting practice. His client experiences include working primarily with banks, consumer and mortgage lenders, and other specialty financial services providers. He has over 16 years of experience related to regulatory compliance management, audit and consulting. Prior to joining Protiviti, Steven was a compliance manager at a top-10 U.S. bank holding company.
Tejdeep (TJ) Kochhar
Diversity Coordinator, CALSTRS
As the organization’s Diversity Coordinator, Tejdeep (TJ) Kochhar works to increase awareness of Diversity and Inclusion, and assists with outreach to diverse populations. He is a dedicated California public servant, beginning his state career with the EDD in 2009 as an Outstation Trainer. There, he coached and developed unemployed Californians to prepare them to return to work. TJ holds a B.S. in Biology from UC Irvine.
Uli Bilke
Chief of Staff - New Markets, Yelp
Uli Bilke joined Yelp in 2010 to work on new market expansion; today he serves as the company's internal community manager and is focused on engagement and culture. He also heads up OUTBurst, the LGBT+ group at Yelp. At Cal, he studied psychology. Outside the office, Uli loves long hikes with his two Dalmatians and is passionate about baking bread.
Waing Ho
Staff Technical TPM, Content Experience, LinkedIn
Waing Ho is the SF Office Lead for out@in, LGBT employee resource group at LinkedIn. In his current role as an engineering TPM, Waing gets to work on exciting Content Experience products while collaborating closely with engineering and product management counterparts. Waing is a transplant to the Bay Area from LA and in his spare time, loves to explore the area with his husband and their beloved pug.
Wilson Yeung
Senior Associate, Silicon Valley, M&A Advisory, PwC
Wilson Yeung is a Senior Associate in PwC’s M&A Advisory practice in the Silicon Valley. He has transaction consulting experience spanning across merger integration, divestiture management, financial carve-out, operational due diligence, and synergy tracking on both the buy- and sell-side. Wilson has experience working across a range of industries with a focus on technology and private equity. Wilson holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the Haas School of Business.
LGBTQ+ Career Conference 2016:
Strategies for Thriving During and Beyond Berkeley
Saturday, February 20th, 2016
11am-4pm
Career Center, 2440 Bancroft Ave
DOWNLOAD THE CONFERENCE BROCHURE HERE!
Registration is full!
Sponsored by the Career Center and the Gender Equity Resource Center, and in partnership with the SF LGBT Center, Golden Gate Business Association, Northrup Grumman and LinkedIn. Questions? Email mboyce@berkeley.edu. For accommodations see access.berkeley.edu.
Conference Schedule
11:00am Check-In and Sign-Up for Workshops • 1st Floor & Pick-Up Lunch • 3rd Floor
Lunch sponsored by Northrop Grumman Corporation
11:30am Welcome • 3rd Floor
Marisa Boyce, Program Coordinator, Gender Equity Resource Center
Brian Guerrero, Senior Associate Director, Career Center
11:45am Panel and Lunch • 3rd Floor
Moderated by Billy Curtis, Director, Gender Equity Resource Center
• Dr. Vivienne L'Ecuyer Ming, Ph.D. Theoretical Neuroscientist, Technologist and Entrepreneur
• Dr. Dwain Skinner, M.D. Anesthesiologist
• Tim'm West, M.A. Education Advocate, Diversity Practitioner, Poet, and Scholar
1:15pm Concurrent Workshops, Session #1
Trans & Thriving in the Workplace! • Blue Room, 3rd Floor
Clair Farley and Breanna Sinclair SF LGBT Center, Transgender Economic Empowerment Initiative (TEEI)
Transgender and gender non-conforming job seekers often have to navigate additional challenges while looking for work or advancing in their career. This workshop will address the barriers trans people face in employment as well as strategies for success.
How to Present Yourself on Paper or Virtually • Gold Room, 3rd Floor
Zach Fox, Head of Lifecycle Marketing, LinkedIn
Learn how to manage your own professional brand online, especially on LinkedIn! Get the do's and don'ts for what to put on your LinkedIn profile and gain some knowledge on how to customize your profile to ensure recruiters can find you and connect you with career opportunities.
Emotional Wellness • 2nd Floor
Ryan Espinosa, Co-Founder and CEO, SPiiRE
Learn to focus on those that help us, not hurt us, while also learning how to manage other people's emotions. Attendees will leave the workshop with simple tools and techniques to create a personal foundation for your own success.
2:00pm Coffee Break • 2nd Floor
Sponsored by LinkedIn
2:15pm Concurrent Workshops, Session #2
Maximizing Stereotypes as a QTPOC • Blue Room, Third Floor
Ben Chulaluxsiriboon, University Relations Specialist, Northrup Grumman
This workshop will address barriers QTPOC individuals face in the workplace and how to overcome them. Additionally, attendees will create a personalized strategy for success.
Coming Out in the Workplace • Gold Room, Third Floor
Jacob Byrne and Andrew Mlsna, Huron Consulting
This session will discuss when and how to be out in the workplace, if at all, and explore a few real life 'what if' examples. We will also give advice on sizing up a company's culture and a brief overview of legal protections in the workplace.
#GoDo Success in 2016: Goal Setting Strategies to Help You Get Whatever The Hell You Want • 2nd Floor
Talonya Geary, Consultant and Entrepreneur, SPiiRE
Learn how to break down the potentially overwhelming roadblocks to creating the business, career or lifestyle you really want. This creative workshop is a journey from goal setting to goal getting that will inspire action and support your immediate results.
3:00pm Roundtable Networking • 3rd Floor
Marisa Boyce, Moderator Get a crash course in networking skills and practice them while learning about different topics (see below) related to being LGBTQ+ in the workplace.
Table One: Working in Corporate America/Tech Industry Hosted by: LinkedIn
Table Two: Working in the Nonprofit Arena Hosted by: Peace Corps
Table Three: Gender Presentation in the Workplace Hosted by: LinkedIn
Table Four: Coming Out in the Workplace Hosted by: Huron
Table Five: Internships Hosted by: The Career Center
Panelists, Workshop Presenters and Roundtable Networking Hosts
Check out our line-up of panelists, workshop presenters and roundtable networking hosts!
Panelists
Dr. Vivienne Ming, Ph.D.
Theoretical Neuroscientist, Technologist, and Entrepreneur
Named one of 10 Women to Watch in Tech in 2013 by Inc. Magazine, Vivienne Ming cofounded Socos, where machine learning and cognitive neuroscience combine to maximize students' life outcomes. Vivienne is a visiting scholar at Cal's Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, where she pursues research in neuroprosthetics. She sits on the boards of StartOut, The Palm Center, Emozia, and others.
Dr. Dwain Skinner, M.D.
Anesthesiologist
Dr. Skinner’s childhood was spent in the Caribbean - Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago - and he immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager. He received his M.D. from the University of Miami and underwent residency training in Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. Since 2003, he has worked in a variety of practices, and currently works for Kaiser in Oakland. He and his husband are the proud parents of five children.
Tim’m T. West, M.A.
Director of LGBTQ Initiatives, Teach for America
Tim'm T. West is an educator, poet, youth advocate, and hip-hop artist. Tim’m started the Front Porch in 2004, a spoken word, soul, and hip-hop series that has mobilized hundreds of poets and artists. Named one of 2015’s LGBT History Month Icons, Tim’m leads Teach For America’s national LGBTQ Community Initiative, advancing safer and braver classrooms for LGBTQ students and their educators.
Workshop Session #1 Presenters
Clair Farley
Director of Economic Development, San Francisco LGBT Center
Clair Farley is a community leader, writer, and trans advocate. In addition to her work with the San Francisco LGBT Community Center’s Economic Development Department, Clair works across the country and internationally to advocate for increased visibility of LGBT communities. She was invited to the White House to participate in the inaugural LGBT Innovation Summit.
Breanna Sinclaire
Opera Singer and Employment Services Associate,
San Francisco LGBT Center
Breanna Sinclaire is a graduate from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a member of the SF LGBT Center's Trans Employment Program. She has performed in Mozart's The Magic Flute, Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges, Rameau's Platée, Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, and Bernstein's West Side Story. She was honored in 2015 as one of Out 100.
Zachary Fox
Head of Lifecycle Marketing, LinkedIn
Zachary Fox is currently in his second year as a marketing leader at LinkedIn. Prior to LinkedIn, he spent around five years as a management consultant at Bain & Company. He is a Golden Bear alumnus, attending Cal in his undergraduate years. Following his time at Cal, Zachary earned an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business.
Ryan Espinosa
Co-Founder and CEO, SPiiRE
A driven entrepreneur since the age of 20, Ryan Espinosa has engaged in diverse industries with businesses ranging from Fortune 500 companies to fledgling startups. His vision and leadership have created new businesses and revitalized others by cultivating people and himself to be the best versions of themselves. His most recent startup, SPiiRE, was created to bring tools instrumental in his life to others in hopes that it makes a positive impact in theirs.
Workshop Session #2 Presenters and Roundtable Networking Hosts
Ben Chulaluxsiriboon
University Relations Specialist, Northrop Grumman Corporation
Ben Chulaluxsiriboon, in his work with Northrop Grumman Corporation as the Northwest University Relations Specialist, is responsible for identifying and hiring top university new graduate and intern talent in the Northwest region through partnerships with professors, student organizations, and a variety of on-campus projects.
Jacob Byrne
Manager, Huron Consulting Group
Jacob Byrne is a San Francisco-based consultant who focuses on technology optimization and financial improvement for hospitals. He’s recently worked with some of the largest companies in the U.S., including UCLA and Partners Healthcare in Boston. Huron Consulting Group is a Chicago-based company with 2,000 consultants nationwide and worldwide.
Andrew Mlsna
Healthcare Process Consultant, Huron Consulting Group
Andrew Mlsna grew up in Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin as a business management and marketing double major. He currently lives in Chicago and has worked in the Healthcare Division of Huron Consulting Group for almost two years.
Talonya Geary
Consultant and Entrepreneur, SPiiRE
Talonya Geary is a successful multi-platform entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in business and professional development. Over the last decade, Talonya has worked with some of the world’s top professional speakers and currently serves on the Executive Team of SPiiRE, an organization dedicated to the wellness and advancement of the LGBTQ+ community through education.
Christina Chao
Media Operations Tech Support Manager, LinkedIn
Christina Chao came to LinkedIn almost two years ago through the Bizo acquisition, and has been in the online media space for almost six years. Her last three companies were all acquired during her tenure, so feel free to ask her about the differences between a startup and a large company and what an acquisition transition is like. Or just go up to her and chat about motorcycles.
Sharat Agadi
Associate, Sales Strategy and Operations, LinkedIn
As a Sales Strategy and Operations Associate at LinkedIn, Sharat Agadi partners with our sales leaders to advise them on how to effectively scale and grow LinkedIn. Prior to joining LinkedIn, he had five years of industry experience in Management Consulting and growing Big Data for a healthcare start-up in San Francisco. He studied engineering in college and loves the innovation that the tech sector has to offer!