8 minute read
Career Corner
by Caroline Francis Career Corner Career Corner
YOUR OWN BOARD OF DIRECTORS CAN PROVIDE SUPPORT, HELP WITH CAREER DECISIONS
It is no coincidence that successful corporations, as well as non-profits, have a board of directors to provide insight and expertise to help guide their strategic direction and decision-making.
Similarly, choosing to engage a personal board of directors holds many benefits such as helping build connections, offering career guidance, serving as a sounding board and overall helping one gain perspective.
We are each responsible for proactively managing our careers. Intentionally selecting a diverse board of directors to fill strategic roles will help pave the way to future career success.
Taunya Phillips, ‘87 EN, ‘04 BE, director, UK Office of Technology Commercialization, says, “Over the course of my career, I have been in a few different groups that I have used as my ‘Personal Board of Directors.’ I have found them to be invaluable for helping me to solve workplace issues by drawing on their variety of perspectives and wealth of experience. A few times my group was instrumental in helping me make strategic career decisions.”
Like the idea? Here are some tips on how to make it happen:
Who to include
A mentor — This person will provide guidance, be a confidant and allow you to ask questions that are perhaps awkward to ask your boss. They offer crucial feedback and overall, they want to see you succeed. They should be someone whom you can trust and would enjoy spending more time around.
A target industry expert — They can share trends, know who the key players are, and will also be able to elevate your involvement with professional associations.
A supporter - Someone who is your cheerleader, whom you can go to for processing difficult days.
A sponsor — This board member can get you in the door for opportunities that would not come across your desk. They can offer influence and visibility. Early in my career while serving as a non-profit executive director, a donor served as an unofficial sponsor and gifted me with conference registrations and event tickets that would place me in networking situations with impactful individuals.
How to build your board
Reach out to people you admire — both inside and outside of your company and industry. Who are professionals in roles that you aspire to be in one day? Who has been in situations you are facing? Perhaps begin with an informational interview or coffee chat. Get to know them first and the relationship will naturally evolve.
Ask what they think about various challenges you are currently facing or ideas you wish to recommend. Choose people who are diverse, who will give you honest, unbiased feedback yet be your advocate. Always end sessions by asking if there is anything you can help them with in return.
Although people will roll on and off your board of directors, this is a lifelong career management tool that will continue to provide huge dividends.
Wildcat Network is UK’s new student alumni mentoring platform. We are currently seeking alumni to serve as mentors to students and other alumni. To learn more visit: https://wildcatnetwork.com. UK Alumni Association Active and Life Members are eligible for two complimentary appointments per year with a certified career counselor. Call 859-257-8905 or 800-269 ALUM (2586) to schedule an appointment. Visit http://www.ukalumni.net/career to learn more about resume critiques, networking events, Central Kentucky Job Club, encore careers and other Alumni Career Services. To post job opportunities, employers may visit http://www.ukalumni.net/employers and email job leads to ukalumnicareer@uky.edu. 48
Class Notes
Tim S. Gehring ’09 GS is a vice president for Bridge Public Affairs, a consulting firm headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was previously a senior congressional advisor and public affairs specialist with the U.S. Department of State.
Robinson C. Quast ’09
’10 BE is head of investor relations for The Kroger Co. in Cincinnati.
2010s
Laura Crawford Cleary ’10
AFE, ’14 MED is a dermatologist for Erlanger Health Dermatology in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Ashley Elkus Milar ’10
ED is a fifth-grade teacher at Fort Wright Elementary School in Fort Wright. She received the 2021 Earle C.Clements Innovation in Education Award, presented annually by the National Archives and the University of Kentucky Libraries Wendell H. Ford Public Policy Research Center.
Justin F. Thompson ’10
EN lives in Louisville and is CEO of Iron Senergy LLC, an independent energy company that bridges fossil and renewable energy technologies.
Brooke Bentle Wheatley
’10 CI is an account executive at WLEX-TV in Lexington. She also serves as an ambassador for Commerce Lexington Inc.
Laurel B. Christensen
’11 ’13 DES is a project manager and sustainable design leader for Dyer Brown Architects in the firm’s Boston office.
Elizabeth A. Combs ’12
BE, ’15 LAW is chief of staff and general counsel for Wrigley Media Group in Lexington. She has been an associate at Wilkes & McHugh PA.
Clint A. Hamilton ’12 ’13
BE is a certified public accountant and assurance partner for the Tidwell Group in the firm’s Atlanta office.
Hallie Hardy ’12 AFE lives in Frankfort and is a member of the Darley America Nominations Team, with a concentration on selling seasons for the Darley stallions. She had been client marketing coordinator for Darley America’s Jonabell Farm division in Lexington.
Samuel J. Palmer ’12
LAW is a certified public accountant and a senior accountant for Riney Hancock CPAs in the firm’s Tax Services Division in Owensboro.
Carlos Saeb Valenzuela
’12 ’17 FA lives in Buffalo, New York, teaches guitar at the Castellani Andriaccio Guitar Studio and is a board member of the Hispanic Heritage Council.
Class Notes
Ryan K. Cleary ’13 MED
is medical director of radiation oncology for the Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was inducted into the Corbin High School Redhound Varsity Club Hall of Fame.
Mohammad Rezaee ’13
’14 EN is an assistant professor of mining engineering in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering in the Pennsylvania State University College of Earth and Mineral Sciences in University Park. He received the college’s Centennial Career Development Professorship in Mining Engineering.
George W. Barnes ’14
AFE is president of KatieRich Farms in Midway. He had been vice president of the farm.
Eleanor Hasken-Wagner
’14 AS is the museum and historic sites supervisor at the Capital City Museum in Frankfort. She was previously an associate instructor and a current doctoral candidate in the Indiana University College of Arts and Sciences.
Austin M. Mullen ’16 BE is assistant athletics director for major gifts for Temple University in Philadelphia. He was previously assistant director of development for the University of California, Los Angeles.
Reneau Y. Waggoner ’16
ED is vice president for academic affairs for Jefferson Community and Technical College in Louisville. She was previously provost at Henderson Community College.
Michael C. Black ’18 FA is assistant professor of music and director of bands at Northwestern Oklahoma State University School of Arts and Sciences in Alva. He had been an assistant professor of music at Franklin College.
August D. Anderson ’17
’18 CI is vice president for Bizcom Associates, a public relations and marketing firm in Allen, Texas. She had been an account supervisor at the company.
Dexter K. Horne ’18 GS
lives in Lexington and is a research analyst at The Council of State Governments. He was elected co-director of the Kentucky chapter of the New Leader Council, which recruits, trains and promotes progressive leaders.
Rachel E. Kersey ’18 GS is a government reporter for the Beaumont Enterprise in Beaumont, Texas. She was previously a staff writer for the Joint Base San Antonio Legacy.
Kyungbo Kim ’18 PHA is a group leader for BioMed X in translocation of complex macromolecules across the intestinal epithelial barrier group in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. His work aims to discover transport mechanisms in the human intestinal tract for drug delivery.
Ian C. Splisgardt ’18 ED
lives in Midlothian, Virginia, and is assistant vice president and relationship manager for the Old Point National Bank Richmond Commercial Lending Team.
Cameron L. Weatherford
’18 FA is assistant professor of choral music in the Lee University School of Music in Cleveland, Tennessee.
2020s
Timothy J. Collett ’20 CI is a relationship development specialist for RJL Solutions, a government affairs and communications firm with office in Indianapolis and Terre Haute, Indiana. He had been an intern with the company.
Kathleen M. Fulkerson
’20 BE is a staff accountant for Riney Hancock CPAs PSC in the firm’s Audit and Assurance Services Division in Owensboro. She was previously a centralized audit staff member with Crowe LLP.
Michael A. Huelsman ’21
EN is an assistant professor in the Saint Anselm College Department of Computer Science in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Nathan Morelli ’21 HS is an assistant professor of physical therapy in the High Point University Congdon School of Health Sciences in High Point, North Carolina.
Information in Class Notes is compiled from previously published items in newspapers and other media outlets, as well as items submitted by individual alumni.
Send us your class note by emailing ukalumni@uky.edu or submitting your information in the online community at www.ukalumni.net/class. COLLEGE INDEX
Agriculture, Food & Environment — AFE Arts & Sciences — AS Business & Economics — BE Communication & Information — CI Dentistry — DE Design — DES Education — ED Engineering — EN Fine Arts — FA The Graduate School — GS Health Sciences — HS Law — LAW Medicine — MED Nursing — NUR Pharmacy — PHA Public Health — PH Social Work — SW
College of Pharmacy
TheUniversityofKentuckyCollege ofPharmacy turned151onAugust16,2021,wrappingupthe celebrationofitsses uicentennialyear. This milestoneisatestamenttothecontinuousworkof alumni,employees,andsupportersofthe college. Tocelebratethecloseofthismonumentalevent, theCollegeofPharmacylaunchedanewmicrosite toshowcasethemanydiversebackgrounds and accomplishmentsof150pharmacyinfluencers, alumni,andemployees connectedtothecollege.
Thesiteisintendedtoserveasacareerguideand networking reference for current pharmacy and graduate students as well as a recruitment tool for prospectivestudentsandahistoricalarchiveofalumni stories.Itaimstodemonstratethecontinued success of themanypharmacyinfluencersandthought leaders,as well as the College of Pharmacy’s appreciation for individualswhohavemadeadifference.Italsoshows bothcurrentandprospectivestudentsthe power ofthe Kentuckyconnectionandthehundredsofopportunities availabletothemwith a degree from the University.
JillTurner,aUniversityofKentuckyCollege ofPharmacyassistant professor was recentlyawarded the AmericanSocietyforPharmacologyand E perimentalTherapeutics ASPET Neuropharmacology Early CareerAwardfor2021.Thisaward recognizesearly careerstage investigators working inany areaof neuropharmacologyfromalltypes oforganizations,including academia, industry, private orgovernment institutes.
“Iappreciatethesociety'scontinued mission ofacceleratingtherapeuticsfor human disease,” said Turner.“Iamveryhonoredtobenamed asthe Neuropharmacology Divisions Early CareerAwardee this year,andespeciallyappreciativeofmymentors inneuropharmacology,including doctors Ken Kellarand LindaDwoskin,andtheircontinued support ofmycareer.”
Turnerhasa .S.in iologyfrom estVirginiaUniversityand a PhD inNeurosciencefromGeorgetown University.ShehasbeenamemberofASPET since her secondyearofgraduateschoolatGeorgetown University. Thedevelopment of themicrositewas a collaborativeeffortspearheadedbymembers of the college's philanthropy, alumni and communications teams. Throughout the pandemic, the team facilitated nearly 900 alumni interviews, using this project as a meanstovisitandconnectwithalumniand develop an archive of stories about their success.Viewthenewsiteat bit.ly/ukcop150.
