Team

My name is Raissa Ames and I am the Student Employment Program Assistant! I work closely with Elise Goss-Alexander and Stacey Stevens as they engage with student employees, present and future, through the lens of social justice. I am currently in my concentration year at the Graduate School of Social Work with a concentration in Organizational Leadership and Public Policy. When I am not in the office or in class, I am interning at the Denver Public Library where I assist in evaluation of their new culturally focused wellness model that they have implemented across all of their branches. I enjoy research, community outreach, organizing.

In my free time I enjoy reading, writing, cooking, and laying in the park. Right now, I am currently jumping between The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and Work Won’t Love You Back by Sarah Jaffe and just recently finished Tin Man by Sarah Winman. I have a two-year-old black cat named Samantha (Samuel, Samwitch, Samson, or anything else that starts with the letter S). She enjoys all things that dangle and shimmer and loves attention.

I am an Associate Director and Career Coach with Career Services in the Daniels College of Business.   I coach graduate students and alumni in all areas of career readiness and development to include a new job search, developing branding materials, job search strategies, adapting to various work cultures, thriving amidst organizational change and more.

I bring over 35 years of experience working for Fortune 500 organizations in financial services, healthcare and in the private, non-profit and government sectors.  I successfully led high performing individuals and teams at JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, CU Health and The Colorado Lottery.  I am passionate about helping professionals, and bring a pragmatic approach to the process along with a results-driven style.  I’ve personally demonstrated success by navigating across multiple and diverse career lanes, both unusual and challenging for a career path today.

For fun I enjoy my two dogs (Stella, a Soft-Coated Wheaten, and Luigi, a Lagotto Romagnolo) with daily walks around Wash Park, great fiction and cooking up amazing food at home!

Rae Ann Bories-Easley joined the Office of Career and Professional Development in July, 2010 as the Director. She most recently served as the Director of Outreach and Marketing at the American University Career Center in Washington, D.C. from 2000-2008 after managing the International Internships Program from 1997-2000. There, she worked closely with the faculty, students, staff and alumni from the School of International Service to develop relationships with employers in Washington, New York and abroad and to advise students on career planning.

Susan Goodwin has 14 years of experience in career services and coaches Daniels graduate students in career development including job search strategies, networking, negotiation, resume and cover letter writing and interview preparation. She also creates and facilitates career related workshops and works with companies to promote graduate employment.

Originally from Streator, IL, she also called Florida and Tennessee home before moving to Colorado in 1996. She loves to travel and has been to all 50 states and 32 countries. She has two grown daughters who both reside in the Denver metro area.

Elise Goss-Alexander supports student employees and their supervisors at the University of Denver in creating meaningful employment opportunities to prepare students for post-graduation career outcomes. In her role, Elise builds partnerships across campus and provides training to student employees on professional development and diversity, equity, and inclusion topics.

Before joining DU in October 2020, Elise worked as a graduate career advisor with American University’s School of International Service, where she supported service-oriented students in exploring and pursuing impactful, sustainable careers. In this position, she served on the Technology and Diversity & Inclusion committees of the Eastern Association of Colleges and Employers (EACE). Previously, she worked in human rights and foreign policy. Elise holds a BA in international studies and religious studies from American University and an MTS in religion, ethics, and politics from Harvard Divinity School.

For over 20 years, I have been a part of Career & Professional Development assisting students and alumni find the courage to discover their strengths, interests and directions in their career path. Each person has a unique story to tell and it is my goal to help guide them in discovering what that story is trying to tell them about themselves. Ultimately,  we are here to help them take their education to the next step or steps in their career path. I am compassionate and want students to know that I am listening to their story and their hopes. Excellence drives me and I focus on what I can do to make a difference in a person’s life. Career & Professional Development gives students the support and guidance to translate their education into a career. It is my privilege to help and support students in taking these sometimes difficult, but always exciting next steps.

“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.”— John Bingham 

“What do you do for students at your job?”

I engage with graduate students to explore career direction, network and seek connections. I also work with students to develop skills such as writing resumes/CV’s and interviewing that will lead to success in the internship and job processes. Listening is one of my core values and I attend to each person in a different and personalized manner.

“Who are you? What do you want everyone to know about you? What do you enjoy?”

During my spare time, I enjoy being with my family and friends, cooking and meeting with my book club. In everything I do, I try to be positive and keep life in perspective.

“Why are the Career Center services meaningful?”

Work is a key component of life and Career & Professional Development has a lot to offer to help you navigate it. There is much that you can gain by interacting with the staff at Career & Professional Development.

“In a quote, what do you say to yourself and students?”

Connect + Communicate + Care

I’ve worked at the University of Denver for 14+ years in the Sturm College of Law, Daniels College of Business, Alumni Relations and now Alumni Career & Professional Development. The favorite part of my week is the opportunity to talk with alumni, hear their stories and find ways to help them achieve their professional goals.

I’m a connector and enjoy teaching people how to tap into their networks to form mutually beneficial relationships. DU alumni are an incredibly accomplished group and the DU network is an invaluable asset.

In my spare time, I enjoy gardening, golf, travel and spending time with my husband, two sons and daughter-in-law, three of whom are proud DU alumni.

“What do you do for students in your job?”

I get to spend every day helping students answer the question, “What comes next after DU?” Whether it’s the first position in your chosen field, volunteering, graduate school, or taking some time to figure it all out, I love that I get to share strategies, tools, and ideas to navigate your career journey. I work with undergraduates in the Josef Korbel School of International Studies (majors: International Studies and Public Policy), as well as Pre-Law.

“Why are Career & Professional Development’s services meaningful?”

I believe that what we do in Career & Professional Development is so meaningful because we create the space to think about what’s next, to ask questions like, “What do I want my life to be?” Then we help you with strategizing how to get there. What we do doesn’t just help in the short-term either; you can use these skills throughout your life to get wherever you want to go, even if you change direction later down the road.

“What is a quote you find inspirational?”

“When you get these jobs that you have been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.” —Toni Morrison

Education

M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy: Student Affairs – University of Utah
B.A. in Linguistics; B.F.A. in Film Studies; Certificate in LGBT Studies – University of Colorado Boulder

Catherine serves as a career coach for undergraduate students at the Daniels College of Business. Catherine has a passion for connecting with others and aiding in their professional journeys and personal growth. She provides 1:1 coaching to students and facilitated workshops on professional development related topics such as; networking, resume and cover letter revisions, negotiation, LinkedIn, interviewing skills and more! One of her favorite parts of her job is teaching the Daniels Professional Development Program for Daniels undergraduate students.

After growing up a military family and living in Nebraska, Massachusetts, Wyoming, England and Colorado, Catherine has a love for traveling, cooking and experiencing new places. It was this same experience that ignited her curiosity and appreciation for other cultures. Catherine believes that everyone has unique perspectives and experiences that they bring to the table and she enjoys helping students uncover their story and aligning it with their professional goals.

Angie Jimenez works with undergraduate business students at Daniels as a career coach and advisor. She is an experienced academic professional, specializing in coaching, instruction and networking. Her focus is optimizing each student’s individual and professional growth by skillfully developing relationships of trust, and she excels at strategic problem solving. Angie facilitates multiple sections of the Daniels Professional Development Program and enjoys connecting students with talented industry professionals.

Originally from Canada, Angie, her husband and three children love calling Colorado home. She enjoys weight lifting, skiing, hiking, golfing and all that beautiful Colorado has to offer.

Michael Johnson is the Assistant Director of 4D Mentoring in Career and Professional Development. He is responsible for creating and supporting mentoring resources for the University of Denver community. He has over 24 years of higher education experience.

He launched his career in Residence Life. That experienced helped prepare him for venturing out in to other areas within student affairs. He has experience in Multicultural Affairs, Student Activities, Transfer and Commuter Students, First and Second Year Experience and, most recently, Student Outreach & Support. His career path and personality have allowed him to develop in to a collaborative partner, an empathetic listener, a strong problem solver, a manager of crises, and a developer of people.

Michael has two kids and a dog (Mr. Bailey). He enjoys spending time getting to know the city of Denver and spinning jazz tunes from his vast vinyl record collection.

Jane Kolb has been at the University of Denver since 2012.  In her current role as Director of Campus Engagement, she develops engagement strategies for faculty outreach and student organizations as well as develops  new programming to help students reach their Career Milestone through a variety of career development opportunities.  She also manages the successful student nominated Faculty Career Champion initiative and oversees the 4D mentoring initiatives.  Prior to this role, Jane led a team of employer relations staff at DU whose primary focus is to assist employers with their hiring of the incredibly talented DU students and alumni.  Prior to joining DU, she spent 11 years as the Director of Corporate Relations and Director of the Experiential Learning Center at Northern Illinois University in the College of Business. Jane also has several years of corporate sales experience in the software industry and has owned and operated two small businesses.  Jane received a B.A. in Finance from Aurora University and a M.S. Ed from Northern Illinois University (NIU) in Adult and Higher Education with an emphasis on Human Resource Development. 

In my role I work with the Employer Connections team to coordinate engagement events around recruitment, such as the annual DU All Majors Career & Internship Fair. Connecting students with employers to form lasting relationships is what motivates my work in career services.

I have a background in human resources with many years of hospitality leadership experience. During my time in the hospitality industry, I accomplished facilitating the openings of new café and restaurant locations across the country. I’m passionate about training and development of my team as a leader and believe that there is always an opportunity to learn and grow.  I value connecting with my community and peers through encouragement and support and thrive on seeing positive impacts because of my work.

I’m a self-proclaimed coffee addict and aspire to be a small business owner with my own coffee shop in the future. Something people may not know about me is that I’m a Colorado native and have never once been skiing or snowboarding. I instead prefer to enjoy warmer weather during Colorado summers by fishing at Evergreen Lake and backpacking in the mountains.

A piece of career advise I would give my 20 year-old self: “Slow down, it’s okay not to know the direction you will take. Trust yourself and your instincts because doing so will create your path.”

Linda is part of the employer relations team that builds and cultivates relationships with local, national and international employers to connect Daniels College of Business students and alumni with jobs or internships.  In her role, Linda works closely with employers to create customized on-campus recruiting opportunities including Employer Meet & Greets, Information Sessions, Lunch & Learns, and Interview Days.  She is also one of the administrators for our online job portal known as Pioneer Careers, which currently runs on the 12twenty platform.

Alison is an Associate Director and Career Coach, supporting graduate students at the Daniels College of Business. With 8+ years of experience in career services and higher education, she has extensive knowledge in personal branding, job search strategies, and interview preparation.  Alison works to ensure students have the right tools to achieve their career goals while further developing their professional story.

After growing up near Portland, Oregon, Alison has traveled throughout the United States, living in Georgia, California, Alaska, Maryland, Washington, and Colorado. She enjoys hiking, golfing, road trips, and college football. Alison holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communications and a Master of Education in Professional Counseling & College Student Affairs.

Mira Morton Luna is the Associate Director of Employer and Career Development at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver where she focuses on training and coaching students and alumni for careers in International Affairs and developing connections and partnerships with employers around the world. Ms. Morton Luna has nearly 20 years of training and outreach experience and has worked with nonprofit organizations, foundations and private sector businesses as well as consulted for state and federal governments. She has been an adjunct professor focused on communications and diversity. She is currently the chair of the Diversity & Inclusion committee for the Korbel School of International Studies as well as a member of the Staff of Color Association for the University of Denver and spearheaded outreach and trainings about Title IX and harassment for student going on experiential learning programs. Ms. Morton Luna has worked in career development since 2006 and she has lived and worked in Argentina and Chile. She is SHRM-CP certified and has given presentations and workshops at national and regional conferences for NACE, CCSA, NAFSA, APSIA, ADA and Girls Count. Ms. Morton Luna has a MA in International Intercultural Communications from the University of Denver and a BA degree in Communications from Lewis & Clark College. Ms. Morton Luna is a Colorado native and she loves to read, travel and partake in various fitness activities, (although most of  her free time for the past few years has involved going to track and swim meets for her kids).

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, which makes me a huge bagel and pizza snob. But, being a New Yorker also taught me how to appreciate and work with people from all walks of life, which is why I love working with DU students!

I serve undergraduate STEM students as a liaison to the Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science and Natural Sciences & Mathematics. I support student development and help students translate their experiences to the professional world. I have a particular interest and passion for supporting student athletes and first generation students.

I have been a higher education professional for over 10 years. I’ve worked for other higher education institutions such as Ohio University, George Mason University, and George Washington University in disciplines such as Admissions, Advising, Marketing, and Recruiting. As a STEM student myself, I earned my BS in Hearing, Speech & Language Sciences from Ohio University and my MPS in Strategic Public Relations from the George Washington University. I am also currently a doctoral student in the Higher Education Administration program at DU! Outside of work, I enjoy skiing, cooking, and working with my photography business. Fun fact: In undergrad I was in an underground break dancing group! I am also ambidextrous and allergic to bananas.

“We are all just trying to turn hard work into chicken nuggets.” – Matt Bellasai

Education:

• Current Doctoral Student (EdD), Higher Education, University of Denver
• Master of Professional Studies, Strategic Public Relations – The George Washington University
• Bachelor of Science in Hearing, Speech & Language Science – Ohio University

My name is Rita O’Connell (she/her/hers) and I serve undergraduate Social Science and Liberal Arts students in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS). In partnership with the rest of the CAHSS team,  I help DU students leverage their classroom knowledge, gain real-world experience, and translate their passions and interests into careers.

I earned my BA in Psychology and Certificate in Criminal Justice from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Additionally, I recently graduated in 2021 with my Master’s degree in Higher Education from the University of Denver. I utilize my background in peer advising and psychology to support students in their career discovery and growth. With each connection that I form, I hope to make students feel helped, heard, and empowered.

Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, skiing, walking around Washington Park, binge-watching the latest Netflix show, and visiting restaurants around Denver. I am also a HUGE dog lover and will ask to see a picture of your dog without shame.

Education:
Master of Arts (MA), Higher Education, University of Denver
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology & Certificate in Criminal Justice, The University of Wisconsin – Madison

After living in Santa Cruz, California for three years, Jamie is excited to be returning to the University of Denver. She has spent the last 12 years of her career developing and managing academic units in higher education. Most recently, she served as Assistant Director for the Program in Jewish Studies at CU Boulder, where she was responsible for developing the departments internship program. She is passionate about helping students integrate their academic experience with their personal and professional aspirations and inspiring a passion for life-long learning. The internship program placed students domestically and internationally in Israel and the West Bank. Prior to working at CU Boulder, Jamie was the Assistant Director for the Center for Judaic Studies at DU. In addition to higher education, Jamie has worked in international corporate settings and has extensive experience in non-profit management. An avid traveler, she has experience building cultural education programs and working in cross-cultural settings. Jamie has lived and worked in Hong Kong and Japan with extensive travel experience throughout Western Europe, South East Asia, Central and South America, Israel and the West Bank. She holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from the University of Colorado Boulder.  

Hello! I’m Marissa, and I’m a career advisor for undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM) and the Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science (RSECS). I work one-on-one with students to prepare for all aspects of the job and internship search and facilitate workshops on relevant career and professional development topics.

I love getting to learn about each person’s path that has led them to where they are now. I believe wholeheartedly that personal values are an important part of planning for the future and enjoy getting to work through the questions that come up when figuring out what is important to each of us. I draw on my experiences as a STEM student and STEM professional to support students in finding and believing in their unique voice to reach their professional goals.

I earned my B.S. in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Educational Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. After graduation, I worked as a Maintenance and Engineering Supervisor, supporting a team of technicians with day-to-day equipment operations and capital expense projects. I also got to be a part of all aspects of intern and full-time recruitment as a campus recruiter and intern manager.

Outside of work, I enjoy running, cooking, and watching way too much Netflix and HBO. I love learning about new spots where my dog, Oatmeal, and I can go enjoy nature, so any suggestions are always welcome!

In my role, I create and execute the strategy surrounding how we connect our employer community to our student population for the best, and most relevant, internship and career opportunities. My team has built our strategy around leveraging our unique, Global Networks, model and expanding on the ideas and principles of a oneDU community. This model and school of thought have enabled me to include voices into our outreach plan that help to better serve our students. By making space for our students, alumni and faculty/staff to provide input into our work we provide something different and more valuable to our students than simple industry trends.

I have a Bachelors degree from Washington State University in Business Administration with a minor in Human Resources and an MBA from the University of San Diego with dual emphases in Corporate Social Responsibility and Finance.

In my free time I like to create art of all types as well as hike, camp and be outdoors.

My favorite quote is: “Be A Rainbow In Somebody Else’s Cloud” – Dr. Maya Angelou

I am originally from Southern California, but am now thrilled to call Colorado home. I have lived in every time zone in the contiguous United States, and am a proud Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Georgia 2009-2011). I also hold an MA from the University of Denver in International and Intercultural Communication. I am currently a Career Advisor, having previously served as the Internship Program Manager in the Office of Career and Professional Development serving graduate students at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies.

Students’ success has always been focus of my work.  With over a decade of professional work in student affairs and higher education, I’ve had the opportunity to serve in roles within career services, student affairs, student organizations and advising, and housing and residence life.

As a Career Development Advisor of the Graduate School of Social Work, I assist current MSW students and recent graduates in exploring the career field of social work, showcasing their best professional self in job search documents and social media platforms, and achieving their first professional position.

I’m a driven and engaged professional motivated to help students connect and graduates succeed!

I am fortunate to be part of the Employer Relations team at the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver. My team is responsible for building and cultivating relationships with local, national and international employers. I help companies bring their recruiting strategies to life on the University of Denver campus and generate employer engagement with the students of Daniels College of Business as companies recruit them for full-time, part-time, and internship positions. I grew up in Denver and have raised my two daughters here. We enjoy all things outdoors and revel in the beauty of Colorado’s hiking trails, ski slopes and golf courses.

I hold space for students to tell their stories and answer the questions: “Who am I,” “what am I here to do” and “how do I get there”. My end objective is to empower individuals through self-awareness and resource-awareness to move towards their goals. Personally, I am driven to play a part in helping people achieve a meaningful life. I love being in nature and I am especially motivated by activities devoted to personal development including yoga, meditation, and hiking. Our careers define only one part of our identity; and, considering we spend an average of 2,000 hours yearly in our jobs, it is critical to help students and alumni in their pursuit of purposeful lives by teaching them how to plan their careers and leverage their talents and interests.

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which, kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no person could have dreamed would have come their way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.” — Goethe

Stacey leads our Student Employment program to offer enhanced service to both students and their supervisors. She develops and implements strategy for Student Employment at DU, while managing its functions, including training supervisors to provide excellent employment experiences. Our goal is to provide equitable, meaningful learning opportunities for all student employees and to prepare them for successful employment after DU. With this in mind, all training topics and processes emphasize the intersection of diversity, equity & inclusion and career development.

Prior to this position, Stacey worked as a career coach & advisor to students and managed departmental student employee programs. She has worked in both corporate recruiting, training and development, and higher education. She earned her BA in Sociology from the University of California San Diego and her MA in Higher Education from the University of Denver. Outside of work, she enjoys bike touring with her partner, rock climbing, comedy, and spending time with her dogs, Walle and Tiny.

“I was born to color.” – her 6-year-old niece.

BIOGRAPHY AT A GLANCE
Stephanie Van Cleve-DeHerrera is the Associate Director of Hospitality Career Services in the Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management at the Daniels College of Business. Stephanie serves as the career advisor to the students, oversees all employer relations activities for the School, and manages the LEAD Mentorship Program. As a native to Colorado, Stephanie brings with her nearly 15+ years experience in the hospitality industry—recently as a meeting architect at Kinsley Meetings, and as former deputy director for the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association.

EDUCATION
Graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and a minor in Journalism.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Stephanie currently serves as immediate past chair of the City & County of Denver’s Workforce Development Board; a position appointed by the Mayor, which works to help align economic development, education, and workforce partners towards an effective job-driven workforce development system within Denver.

Stephanie also serves as treasurer of the board for the Hospitality Human Resource Association.

HOBBIES/INTERESTS
Stephanie enjoys spending time with her family and friends, being outdoors, and fixing up her home.

• Hometown: none, but if you ask me, I am proudly from the Desert Southwest. I have lived in some of the world’s hottest places!
• Undergraduate degree: Urban Planning, from Arizona State University. I love “nerding out” on anything city design and planning related!
• I feel energized when I am riding my bike, on an awesome trail: sun out, wind in my hair, and breaking a sweat.
• A piece of career advice I would give my 20-year-old self: Listen to your heart, there is no “one correct way” to reach your goals. Also, what you do matters more than how much you make.
• Something surprising about me is that English is my second language.
• If you want to see me on the dance floor, play anything Latin – I love merengue, salsa, bachata, plena, and even Duranguense music too!
• One of my favorite books that I would recommend is “Orphan Train” by Christina Baker Klein. It is a fictional story based on historically accurate events, and touches on topics of identity, prejudice, social issues, and foster care, all wrapped up in a beautiful story of a very unlikely friendship.

Jeff Woods is an Associate Director and Career Coach with Career Services in the Daniels College of Business. As a coach, he focuses on the development of graduate students and alumni whose careers target finance, accounting, business analytics, consulting and all positions in the financial services industry.  His overall focus in working with individuals is to ensure that they have both the resources and the opportunity to show up as their Authentic, Ever Evolving selves within their work and careers.  His favorite recommendation – “Be You.”

Prior to moving to Colorado, Jeff lived in the New York Metro area for 30 years. His work in Human Resources with Merrill Lynch/Bank of America included roles in Employee Relations, Diversity & Inclusion, Recruiting, Organizational and Leadership Development, Total Rewards, and Workforce Technology, Analytics and Business Intelligence. He was involved in several of the firms Mergers and Acquisitions as well as the divestiture of Merrill Lynch Investment Management to Blackrock and the acquisition of the firm by Bank of America. Prior to his move into HR, he held roles in sales and marketing in both B2B and Consumer Package Goods.

Jeff received his MBA in Marketing and Management from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at NYU. While there he delivered and managed consulting with the Urban Business Assistance Corporation (UBAC), a student run consulting firm focused on Minority/Women-Owned businesses and Non-Profit organizations. He has a BA in Music from Harding University.