TUESDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2024
Schedule Homeroom 8:50 - 9:05 a.m. (15 min.) Students will receive Speaker Assignments ~ transition to 1st speaker ~ 5 minutes
1st Speaker 9:10 - 9:40 a.m. (30 min.) ~ transition to 2nd speaker ~ 5 minutes
2nd Speaker 9:45 - 10:15 a.m. (30 min.) ~ transition to 3rd speaker ~ 5 minutes
3rd Speaker 10:20 - 10:50 a.m. (30 min.) ~ proceed to 3rd block ~
A Preview of our Speakers Ally (Drake) Bernstein '07 Dr. Dominic Carreira Kelsey (Finegan) Darrow '13 Sean Farnam Kerry Flading Sean Flynn Dr. April Harkins Greg Heller Dr. Jack Howard '11 Claire Kudlata '13 John Leach '15 Maciej (Mac) Miechowicz Elizabeth Milano '13 Maggie (Valz) Petersen '07 Carrie Rittenhouse Chris Russell Rob Scruggs Kelly Simpson '07 Sean Thompson '07 Kenny Tracy Monica Hogan Thysell '08
Ally Bernstein ‘07
Co-Founder / Chief Operating Officer Archer Behavioral Health
After graduating from Blessed Trinity in 2007, Ally earned a degree in Communicative Disorders from Saint Mary's College in South Bend, Indiana, graduating in 2011. She went on to complete her Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, achieving Board Certification as a Behavior Analyst in 2014. While in Chicago, Ally served as the Supervisor and Director of Behavior Services at Misericordia Home, a residential facility catering to individuals with developmental disabilities. Her dedication and passion for applied behavior analysis led her back to Georgia in 2017, where she joined Integrated Behavioral Solutions (IBS), later becoming Kadiant in 2019. In her role at IBS/Kadiant, Ally supervised ABA therapy across various settings, including centers, homes, and schools. In 2021, she transitioned to the Regional Director for Georgia. Motivated by a commitment to innovate and approach things differently, Ally co-founded Archer Behavioral Health with her friends, Dr. Coby and Janet Lund. Archer is dedicated to serving children diagnosed with Autism in clinical settings and school systems throughout Atlanta. As an owner and the Chief Operations Officer at Archer, Ally divides her time between their Cobb County clinic and consulting in metro Atlanta school districts, ensuring that she remains actively involved in the advancement and implementation of behavioral health services. Ally resides in Roswell with her husband, James, and their two children, Eli (5) and Emma (2).
Dr. Dominic Carreira
Doctor Peachtree Orthopedics
Dr. Carreira graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1995, and earned his M.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2000. He completed his orthopedic residency training at Rush University Medical Center. He also completed three fellowships in sports medicine, hip preservation, and ankle. He has provided medical coverage for many college and professional sports teams, including the Miami Dolphins, Miami Marlins, Denver Broncos, U.S. Men’s and Women’s Ski Team, and the Chicago Blaze Pro Women’s Basketball team. Dr. Carreira also served as a consultant for Cirque du Soleil, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, the Atlanta Ballet, and the Atlanta United MLS soccer team. Dr. Carreira is a leader in orthopedics, with over 200 publications, lectures, and presentations, both nationally and internationally. Dr. Carreira has served as a surgical instructor in both hip arthroscopy and ankle on over 30 occasions, including as an instructor for the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Society of Hip Arthroscopy. He has been an instructor for orthopedic trainees since he started practice in 2007, including currently in the Wellstar Orthopedic Residency Program.
Television Producer / Photographer
Sean Farnam
Bally Sports / Fox Sports Mr. Farnam is a 13-time Emmy Award winning producer with a focus on sports broadcasting. For the last eight seasons, Sean has been assigned to travel with the Atlanta Braves as a field producer/photographer assigned to capture interviews and footage to support the Fox Sports/ Bally Sports coverage of the live baseball production. In the offseason, his focus shifts to editing and producing elements for the Atlanta Hawks, Carolina Hurricanes, and Nashville Predators. Prior to his current roll, Mr. Farnam also produced live and taped television studio and inarena shows for Bally Sports, Fox Sports South, WSB TV and Comcast Sports. In addition to his full-time job, Sean has also freelanced on occasion for ESPN, Turner Sports,
Showtime, The Golf Channel, and the Discovery Network. Sean received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Tennessee - College of Communications with a minor in Business.
Kelsey Darrow ‘13
Registered Nurse Northside Hospital Atlanta
Kelsey Darrow has been a registered nurse for seven years. After graduating from Blessed Trinity in 2013, she earned her nursing degree from the University of South Carolina. After graduating from college, she began her career in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the largest birthing hospital in the country, Northside Hospital Atlanta. She is a natural when it comes to caring for newborns. Kelsey loves attending high-risk deliveries of extremely premature infants and getting to build lifelong relationships with the families in her care. She is known for making sure her patients receive the highest level of care, and she has played a large part in helping the NICU run more efficiently. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and son.
Kerry Flading
Job Recruiter & Talent Consultant KWF Group LLC
Kerry Flading is native to the Atlanta area. She has built her career working with people combining her “the helper within me” with everyday business - something she is truly passionate about. Kerry started her recruiting career in the IT world and has had the opportunity to expand into multiple industries working for herself. As founder and owner of KWF Group LLC, Kerry works tirelessly as a job recruiter and talent consultant. She provides high-quality candidates for clients across various industries and levels of employment. She has over 20 years of experience in recruiting and sourcing excellent candidates. Kerry is passionate about building and maintaining positive relationships with both candidates and clients and ensuring a smooth and successful hiring process. Kerry also offers resume writing, interview coaching, and career counseling services to help candidates land their dream jobs.
Sean Flynn
Director of Security Technology and Strategy Akamai Technologies Mr. Flynn currently works with companies to ensure Akamai’s Security Vision aligns with industry and customer needs. He advises some of the largest customers in Finance, Commerce, and Healthcare on security strategies for implementing application, network, enterprise, and cyber-best practices. He also acts as a lead trainer for web and security teams. Sean has designed and deployed critical security capabilities for multiple industries. He has over 15 years of IT security experience, working for networking and application security providers. Sean has extensive hands-on experience, helping protect customers from active attacks by statesponsored actors, hacktivists, and cyber criminals.
Dr. April Harkins
Clinical Assistant Professor Kennesaw State University
Dr. Harkins is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Kennesaw State University. She currently teaches and is the course coordinator for all of the Microbiology lectures and labs for the Nursing program. Dr. Harkins has a B.S. in Health Sciences with a major in Clinical Laboratory Science from Marquette University and a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the Medical University of South Carolina. Previous to Kennesaw State, Dr. Harkins was a tenured professor at Marquette University for 16 years and the Chair of the Clinical Laboratory Science department for six years. Dr. Harkins also directed the biochemical and immunological analysis laboratory at Marquette University. She has 23 peer-reviewed publications, three microbiology textbook chapters, 41 conference presentations, and has been the principal investigator or coinvestigator on 10 major grants.
Greg Heller
Executive Vice President / Chief Legal Officer Atlanta Braves
This year marks Greg Heller’s 24th as legal counsel to the Atlanta Braves. As Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Mr. Heller’s responsibilities include providing guidance and counsel on all baseball operations matters, sales and marketing, broadcasting, stadium and business operations, intellectual property, corporate governance, legislative affairs, employment, and litigation. He also has ultimate oversight for all legal matters related to Truist Park, The Battery Atlanta and the Braves’ spring training facility, CoolToday Park, and had ultimate oversight for all legal matters related to the negotiation, planning, and development of all three projects for the Braves organization. Prior to serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of the Braves, Mr. Heller spent nearly seven years with the TBS sports legal group which included the Braves, the Atlanta Hawks, the Atlanta Thrashers, Philips Arena, the Goodwill Games, the Turner Sports television group (and its NBA, NASCAR, PGA, British Open and MLB properties), and the Turner Sports new media group (and its NASCAR, PGA and PGA TOUR and ACC Select properties). Mr. Heller was in private practice with national law firms in Atlanta and Chicago prior to his time with the Braves and Turner Sports. He is a Cum Laude graduate of Indiana University with a degree in sports marketing/management and holds a J.D. degree from Marquette University Law School. Mr. Heller serves on advisory boards at Marquette University Law School, Indiana University, Kennesaw State University, and Blessed Trinity Catholic High School. He and his wife Krista have four children and live in Roswell, Georgia.
Dr. Jack Howard ‘11
Licensed Counselor and Sports Psychologist Auburn University
Dr. Jack Howard is a licensed counseling and sports psychologist for Auburn University’s Athletic Department. Dr. Howard graduated from Blessed Trinity in 2011 and participated on the Varsity Football, Wrestling, and Baseball teams while in high school. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Spring Hill College in 2015, where he also competed as a member of the Varsity Baseball team. Dr. Howard then earned his Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2017, and his PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2021. He worked closely with student-athletes while working at North Carolina State University in 2021 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University’s Athletic department with a specialization in Sport and Performance Psychology in 2022. Dr. Howard works with student-athletes on the full spectrum of well-being from performance enhancement to clinical mental health concerns. He also provides coach, team, and staff consultation and develops psychoeducational and outreach programming to improve knowledge of mental health and performance in college athletics. He is currently a licensed psychologist (Alabama, California) and is working toward completing his Certified Mental Performance Consultant® certification.
Claire Kudlata ‘11
Director, Business Communications The Coca-Cola Company
Claire Kudlata is a strategic communications professional with proven and impactful results. Her experience spans across international companies within beverage, QSR, and hotels. Claire has a strong background in brand PR, internal and executive communications, change management, project management and crisis communications. She currently serves as the Director of Business Communications for the North America Operating Unit (NAOU) of The Coca-Cola Company. In this role, she is responsible for driving NAOU portfolio awareness and executive thought leadership. Claire also leads the communications strategy for Canada, alcohol, product discontinuation, and areas of business expansion. Prior, Claire served as a strategic executive communications partner for the North America Leadership Team, managing communications directly for the President of North America. She also managed all aspects of internal communications to 5,000+ North America associates. Before joining Coca-Cola, Claire held various roles at Atlanta-based Inspire Brands and IHG (InterContintental Hotels Group). She earned an undergraduate degree in Public Relations from the University of South Carolina. Claire serves as the cochair of Sponsorships for the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Georgia Chapter. She currently resides in Atlanta with her husband, Evan, and golden retriever, Finley.
John Leach ‘15
Research Engineer Georgia Tech Research Institute
John grew up locally in Alpharetta and graduated from Blessed Trinity in 2015. He attended Georgia Tech for his undergraduate studies, where he met his now fiancée Sarah Anne. He graduated from Tech with a degree in Computer Engineering in May of 2020. After graduation, he began working with the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). In addition to his Computer Engineering experience in Digital Signal Processing and Software Development, John is currently working towards earning his Master's Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering while continuing to work for GTRI.
Maciej (Mac) Miechowicz
Developer / Director of Engineering Wunder
Maciej “Mac” Miechowicz is a passionate leader with a strong hands-on focus on quality product and software development by using innovative technology solutions. Mac is currently employed as a Director of Engineering on a team responsible for Coca-Cola’s Freestyle dispensers. His previous roles involved driving technology innovation in the mortgage industry, key stakeholder roles in product development, as well as delivering highly engaging experiences for major brands such as Mattel, Coca-Cola, and TBS, among others. Mac thrives on solving complex problems by coordinating teams spread around the world. He is tri-lingual, fluent in English, Polish and Spanish. Mac dedicates his time to his wife, three wonderful kids, home improvement projects, sailing, and world travels.
Elizabeth Milano ‘13
Associate Video Producer Access Hollywood
Elizabeth Milano graduated from Blessed Trinity in 2013. She began her college career as a student-athlete playing NCAA Division 1 tennis for a small university in Maryland. She quickly realized that her passion for journalism and English would be better suited at the University of Georgia, where she transferred and was accepted into the prestigious Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communications - GO DAWGS! As a college senior, she was asked the same question over and over, "What kind of job do you want in journalism ?" With graduation day fast approaching, four amazing internships behind her, and spending her last semester working for Grady Newsource in all aspects of production both on and off camera, she finally decided digital producing, video editing, and content creating was where she wanted to be! Elizabeth found her home in a field where every day is full of infinite possibilities. Her true passion is creating eyecatching, fast-paced ways of sharing breaking news and stories with the public in an honest, unbiased way. Her first job out of college, Elizabeth landed a role as a Digital Content Producer for national news with Gray Television. This role led her to her next opportunity as an Associate Video Producer for Gannett and USA TODAY's online national digital news platform. Elizabeth’s two-plus years with them were fantastic. In January 2022, she hit the jackpot and finally got her big break in entertainment news…PLUS being able to work remotely from home was a huge bonus! Elizabeth was recruited by NBCUniversal’s entertainment brand Access Hollywood as a Digital Video Producer and so far, it’s been her favorite role!
Maggie (Valz) Petersen ‘07
Business Development Manager Travel for Teens
Maggie grew up in Atlanta. She graduated from Blessed Trinity in 2007 and enjoyed pole vaulting, cheerleading, and tennis throughout high school. Maggie spent her summers at Camp High Harbour and graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Elementary Education. She was lucky enough to do her internship in Geelong, Australia and decided to spend the year after graduation teaching English in Seoul, South Korea. After moving back to Atlanta, Maggie joined Vacation Express, one of the largest tour operators in North America, eventually becoming the National Sales Manager. After five years, she decided to pursue something different and took time off to backpack extensively throughout Europe. Maggie taught English for one year in Madrid, Spain, and during this time, started leading summer trips for Travel For Teens. She decided to move back to Atlanta and has been part of the Sales Team for Travel For Teens for the past six years.
Carrie Rittenhouse
Principal Program Lead, Change Management Chick-fil-A
Carrie serves as a Principal Program Lead for Organizational Change Management in the Learning and Development department at the Chick-fil-A Support Center. She has a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Management from Siena College and a Master’s in Business Administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Upstate New York. Carrie has experience working with several companies such as General Electric, The Home Depot, Accenture Consulting, and Cox Communications, in the areas of Learning and Development, Organizational Change Management, Business Process Improvement, and Project Management. She resides in Marietta with her husband John, and their children Emma, Daniel, and Matthew. They are parishioners at St. Joseph Catholic Church where she has served in several volunteer roles.
Chris Russell
Market Intelligence, Insights & Analytics Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health
Chris leads Market Intelligence and Omni-Channel Analytics for Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, makers of PetMeds like Frontline, Nexgard, and Heartgard. He uses data, research and trends to identify business-building opportunities for veterinarians and retail partners including Chewy.com, Amazon, Petco, and Costco. Chris has a BA in Communication from the University of New Hampshire and an MBA in Marketing and Strategic Management from Boston College. Chris and his teams strive to uncover the unmet needs of his shoppers and turn data insights into action - driving sales at Gillette, Coca-Cola, and Walmart stores. Chris always says, “If you are curious, resourceful, optimistic, results-driven, and a good communicator, you can be successful in the analytics and insights business world. Chris lives in Alpharetta with his wife Becky and sons Tighe (BT Class of ‘22) and Will (BT Class of ‘25).
Rob Scruggs
Commercial Sales Leader Adjunct Professor / Kennesaw State University
Rob has been in the healthcare solutions field for nearly 30 years. Beginning with the ground floor of a mobile imaging start-up in 1999, he was responsible for building customer relationships, developing sales channels, and building the entire business. He then moved on to Siemens Healthcare where he focused on selling the cardiovascular imaging portfolio for the next 14 years, later becoming the industry Strategic Account Executive covering the southeastern market with over $60 million in responsibility. Throughout his 30-year career, he has held several leadership roles in both Sales and Operations in an executive capacity. For the last two years, he began to share his experiences by giving back to the next generation by teaching undergraduate students as an Adjunct Professor at Kennesaw State University in the Professional Sales & Marketing Department. Rob graduated with a bachelor’s degree from The Citadel and holds an MBA in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Kennesaw State University. Additionally, Rob has received a Master’s level Post-Graduate degree from The University of Oxford in Strategy & Innovation. Rob resides in Roswell with his wife of 19 years, Mary, and their two children: Madison (16) and Tripp (13). Rob enjoys pursuing his love for international travel, where he has been to over 65 countries on four continents. Beyond travel, Rob’s passion includes learning about wine, where in 2014, Rob passed The Court of Master Sommelier’s (C.M.S.) Level II exam and became a “Certified Sommelier.” This was followed by an additional certification as a “French Wine Scholar” (F.W.S.) by the French Wine Society.
Kelly Simpson ‘07
Vice President of Program Development Life Teen, Inc.
Kelly is the Vice President of Program Development for Life Teen International. After graduating from Blessed Trinity in 2007, she attended the University of Alabama for two years and finished her undergraduate degree at Georgia State. Upon graduation, she joined a local Core team volunteering in youth ministry. There, she fell back in love with Christ and Youth Ministry. Kelly was the Youth Minister at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Marietta for 12 years. Her love language is sarcasm and in her free time, you can find her cheering on the Crimson Tide, drinking from her emotional support water bottle, and sipping coffee.
Sean Thompson ‘07
Detective Roswell Police Department
Sean Thompson is a seasoned Detective with a rich background of nearly 12 years in law enforcement. Currently serving with the Roswell Police Department, Sean has had the privilege of working alongside some of the most elite groups within policing across the globe. Specializing in cyber-crimes and digital forensics, Sean’s expertise has led him to become a key member of the United States Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force in Atlanta. In this role, he engages in the relentless pursuit of justice, combating both domestic and foreign criminals. His focus involves conducting forensic examinations of electronic devices, unraveling the complexities of cryptocurrency, and investigating network intrusions. A true leader in the workplace, Sean’s positive,can-do attitude serves as a catalyst for success among his peers. He consistently encourages others to strive for excellence, contributing to the overall effectiveness of his team. Beyond his professional pursuits, Sean finds joy in spending quality time with his two children. An advocate for a healthy lifestyle, he is committed to regular workouts and takes pleasure in exploring new destinations through travel. Sean’s love for nature is evident in his enthusiasm for getting outdoors and embracing the beauty of the natural world. Sean’s career journey is a testament to dedication, expertise, and a commitment to making a difference in the evolving landscape of cyber-crime enforcement.
Kenny Tracy
Senior Manager, Partnership Services Atlanta Braves
This is Kenny Tracy’s 11th season with the Atlanta Braves. He has been on the Partnership Services team the entire time rising from Trainee to Senior Manager, most recently, where he leads the Partnership Services team and manages accounts on his own. In this role, Tracy implements sponsorship assets and manages relationships for top partners such as Hyundai, Mastercard, T-Mobile, WellStar, and Bally Sports and has managed the Truist partnership with the Braves since 2015 through the opening of Truist Park and the SunTrust/BB&T merger. Tracy came to the Braves straight from college at the University of South Carolina where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport and Entertainment Management. While at South Carolina, Kenny served as student body president from March of 2012-2013 and worked closely with the university administration, Board of Trustees, faculty and staff members to represent the interests of students. He and his wife Katie are parishioners of the Catholic Church of St. Ann’s, have two children, Hazel (4) and Tripp (2), and live in Kennesaw.
Monica
Senior Director of Product Marketing, OnPay
Hogan Thysell ‘08
Executive Artistic Director, Monica Hogan Danceworks
Monica (Hogan) Thysell (Blessed Trinity ‘08) cultivated a blend of interests in her high school and undergraduate years – and has enthusiastically continued to do so in her professional work. Monica graduated from Duke University, where she double majored in Biology and Dance and received a certificate in Markets and Management. Today, she works both in the corporate tech space and as an artist/executive in the dance field. Monica is currently the Senior Director of Product Marketing at OnPay, a top-rated payroll software for small businesses. Her role involves team management, strategy, analysis, and creativity to help get OnPay’s products on the market and in front of the right potential customers. She also continues to work actively in the dance field as a professional choreographer, educator, and Executive Artistic Director of her own nonprofit company, Monica Hogan Danceworks. Her choreography has been presented on stages internationally, including at the Universiade Olympic Games in Shenzhen, China, and at many prominent theaters across New York City, Atlanta, and more. When she’s not working, you’ll find Monica enjoying hiking, reading, and spending time with her husband Mark, son Ollie, and dog Dexter.
to all of our amazing Career Day speakers!