Session Presenters and Panelists
Anupam Singh
Anupam Singh is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Art and Visual Culture Education program and the Project Manager for Design Lab in Student Engagement and Career Development Department at the University of Arizona.
Design Lab provides micro-internships through short-term, interdisciplinary opportunities, making them accessible to a diverse student population and adaptable to a wide range of industries. This conference session will provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of how the Design Lab model is implemented, its impact on student learning and employability, and how institutions can replicate and scale similar programs to meet their unique needs.
Kerry Sanderson
Kerry Sanderson is Sr. Project Manager of Well-Being & Engagement and adjunct faculty in Positive Psychology at GateWay Community College. Her educational path includes a BA in Art History from the University of California Berkeley, an MBA in Marketing from Rice University, and a Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied under Dr. Martin Seligman, founder of the field of Positive Psychology. She was personally selected by Dr. Seligman to serve as an assistant instructor for his legacy course, PSY3446: The Science of Well-Being.
Kerry’s published capstone thesis on applying positive psychology to career development has been downloaded in over 100 countries, and the curriculum she created is now used in universities worldwide. She led the charge to establish the world’s first well-being community college—an achievement recognized in the Global Happiness and Well-Being Policy Report published by the United Nations.
A graduate of the Teaching and Learning Design Studio at Stanford’s d.school, Kerry incorporates empathy-centered design thinking into her work, embedding well-being into the culture of GateWay through inclusive, human-centered practices that foster connection, belonging, and purpose.
With two decades of experience guiding students as they discover their path, Kerry’s mission is to infuse higher education with the energy of well-being—helping the GateWay community (and beyond) move through life with spark, purpose, and a joyful sense of meaning.
In this interactive, hands-on session, participants will step into the Purpose Lab—a space to explore how to align their work with what matters most. Whether you’re seeking more meaning in your current role or navigating a career transition, this session offers a practical and creative approach to designing a fulfilling path forward.
Using job crafting as the process and strengths, values, and aspirations as the key ingredients, participants will engage in guided reflection and imaginative exercises to reimagine their work through a human-centered lens. Grounded in positive psychology and design thinking, the experience invites personal insight, peer connection, and intentional next steps.
Ron Gaschler
Ron Gaschler is a Strengths Based Educator and Leader with 25 years of experience in higher education leadership and 7 plus years of experience in industry. Currently serving as the Director of Academic Advising and Career Services at GateWay Community College in the Maricopa County Community College District he previously held roles in leadership at DeVry University, University of Arizona, University of Arizona Global Campus, California State University San Marcos, Maricopa County Community Colleges, and Azusa Pacific University. Outside of higher education, he worked in real estate, as well as for America West Airlines, Bank of America and Strata Information Group – an enterprise resource planning consulting firm for higher education.
Recently, Ron co-led a NACE STEM Affinity Subgroup, currently serves on the Board for the Mountain Pacific Association of Colleges and Employers, and is a National Association of Colleges and Employers Mentor. He served in the past as the Treasurer for Consortium of Liberal Arts Schools and Independent Colleges in California, as a member of the National Advisory Board for Disney’s Internship Program, Chaired the Maricopa County Community College District’s Career Services Council, and on the Executive Board of Directors for the Escondido Education Compact, a not for profit providing workforce development services for “at-risk” youth in North San Diego County.
Over the past two decades in career services and student affairs leadership, Ron has accomplishments in corporate relationship building, program improvement, revenue generation, grant writing, collaborations with faculty in academic and occupational programs, building effective partnerships with industry, government and not for profit agencies, and extensive career coaching and implementation training around strengths based programs using the Clifton StrengthsFinder for Students. He has experience in innovative leadership, building productive teams, and creating scalable and equitable services for all users.
Ron Gaschler’s education includes a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in marketing and Masters of Education in College Student Affairs and is a Certified Gallup Coach.
In this interactive, hands-on session, participants will step into the Purpose Lab—a space to explore how to align their work with what matters most. Whether you’re seeking more meaning in your current role or navigating a career transition, this session offers a practical and creative approach to designing a fulfilling path forward.
Using job crafting as the process and strengths, values, and aspirations as the key ingredients, participants will engage in guided reflection and imaginative exercises to reimagine their work through a human-centered lens. Grounded in positive psychology and design thinking, the experience invites personal insight, peer connection, and intentional next steps.
Andrew Purrington, PhD
Dr. Andrew Purrington serves as the Career Development Coordinator for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Northern Arizona University, where he is establishing career services infrastructure to support the college’s 5,000+ students. His work focuses on developing innovative, strategic frameworks that lead to student-centered, accessible resources, such as Career Communities and a Canvas Career Toolkit, while fostering cross-campus collaborations that enhance student success through scalable approaches. Prior to his current role, Dr. Purrington was a faculty member at SUNY Cortland, where he taught courses in leadership and administration while contributing to curriculum development and assessment. This background enables him to bridge academic and career perspectives, applying pedagogical principles to career readiness initiatives. With a PhD in Recreation, Park and Tourism Management from Penn State University, he is actively expanding his knowledge of career development through professional organizations and conferences.
This presentation shares the ongoing development of the SBS (College of Social and Behavioral Sciences) Canvas Career Toolkit at Northern Arizona University, an evolving self-paced resource designed to scale career services to diverse student populations. The session will outline how the project evolved from a conventional topic-based structure to address varying levels of abstraction between conceptual frameworks and tactical skills, enabling both developmental learning and just-in-time support. Attendees will experience a live demonstration of current toolkit modules, learn about implementation challenges and solutions, and explore future directions including university-wide expansion, potential badging systems, and course integration possibilities. Career services professionals will gain practical insights for developing digital resources that can effectively serve students at scale while accommodating diverse learning needs and career development stages.
Annie Kurtin
Senior Associate Director, Integrated Learning Partnerships
Annie joined the University of Arizona’s Student Engagement & Career Development department in 2017 and leads their integrated learning efforts, including skills development, internships, and community engagement. In this capacity, Annie works across campus with academic and co-curricular partners to develop innovative opportunities for students to apply human-centered and creative solutions to authentic challenges and projects.
Prior to joining this department, Annie was a Lecturer in the School of Architecture at UA where she was responsible for coordinating First-Year Design Studios.
She holds a Master of Arts degree in Critical Theory and Visual Culture from the University of London’s Goldsmiths College, and a Master of Architecture degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.
This workshop will describe the Experiential Learning Design Accelerator (The Accelerator) at the University of Arizona and its impact on our campus and local communities. Together we will examine how members of the University of Arizona campus including faculty, staff, and local community members from Tucson and greater Southern Arizona came together to conceive a new model for community engaged teaching and learning, faculty development and curriculum design, using the design thinking process. Specifically, this workshop will address the key programmatic components of the Accelerator including incentivized faculty training within a community of practice to explore themes of reciprocity and mutual benefit within partnerships, iterative development embedded in student-facing assignments, the co-design and execution of effective learning tools, and meaningful assessments of learning and collaboration through IRB-approved pre and posttests. The Accelerator model provides faculty fellows and their community partners opportunities to authentically practice empathy to cultivate sustainable relationships, and the training emphasizes the power and efficacy of prototyping ideas and concepts to surface actionable insights that guide the iterative process of curriculum development. In this highly facilitated workshop, participants will reflect upon, explore, and prototype concepts of reciprocity and mutual benefit in university-community partnerships and walk away with actionable insights and next steps to meaningfully advance the work at their home institutions.
Sophie Owen
Sophie Owen is the Career Coordinator for Partnerships and Programs at ASU Downtown Phoenix, where she works closely with faculty and staff to develop career readiness programming that supports student success. As a first-generation college graduate, she is committed to creating accessible and inclusive opportunities for all students.
As higher education faces increasing equity gaps in career readiness, scalable solutions are vital to ensure all students especially first-generation, rural, and low-income have access to the resources necessary for post-college success. Scalable Equity in Higher Ed: Advancing Career Readiness for All through ASU’s Course to Career Model examines how Arizona State University has integrated career development into the learning experience through a human-centered, tech-enabled approach. The session will focus on how ASU’s model incorporates career readiness across disciplines with design thinking, faculty partnerships, and AI tools to meet students’ diverse needs. Presenter will discuss how embedding career content into curricula improves retention, persistence, and outcomes, offering a scalable, replicable solution for institutions. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for promoting career equity, along with actionable steps to implement at their own institutions.
Jeff Winkelman
Jeff Winkelman is the Assistant Director of Career Development and Community Engagement with the School of Government and Public Policy (SGPP) at the University of Arizona. Jeff earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the U of A and a master’s in history from ASU. He has over 20 years of teaching and coaching experience. Before joining SGPP, Jeff worked as a Career Coach at the Eller College of Management supporting MBA and specialty master’s students with professional growth. Jeff has four years of experience developing and coordinating alumni mentor programs that help to foster student career opportunities and alumni engagement. Through trial and error, Jeff has found processes that work but admits there are still ways to improve. [email protected]
Alumni Mentor Programs are a great way for students to connect with professionals and learn about career development directly from people working in their fields of interest. This workshop aims to outline the steps and processes needed to develop successful in-house mentoring programs. We will discuss recruiting students and alumni, how to match mentors and mentees, programming topics, and ways to facilitate meaningful connections. Beyond the logistics of establishing a mentor program, we will discuss the biggest challenges and creative alternatives to tailoring the mentoring needs of your organization. Mentoring programs may not be easy to facilitate but they are often low-cost ways to improve employment outcomes and foster greater alumni engagement.
Marquis Scott
Marquis has called Arizona home since 1993 and has been a dedicated leader at Grand Canyon University since 2013. He holds a Master of Education in Higher Learning and Leadership and a Bachelor of Science in Business and Public Administration. At GCU, in addition to working in Student Development, Marquis has had a role in revitalizing the elective internship program for campus students and later served as Director of Employer Engagement, where he expanded partnerships to create more career opportunities for GCU graduates. A committed community leader, Marquis has served as Chairman of the Sphinx Educational Fund, a nonprofit focused on empowering minority youth. He has also coordinated the City of Phoenix’ Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. March for over two decades. Marquis is a proud father of three and grandfather of eight.
TBD
Lionel Williams
Lionel Williams, a Cincinnati, Ohio, native, has dedicated over eight years to advancing student success at Grand Canyon University, where he currently serves as the Employer Relations Director. In this role, he spearheads initiatives to develop strategic employer partnerships, expanding job and internship opportunities for students. His professional experience includes leadership in scholarship program administration, academic support services, career advising, and employer engagement. Prior to his time in higher education, Lionel worked in the property and casualty insurance industry and also taught English and Career and Technical Education to secondary-level students. He holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Wright State University, a master’s degree in human relations from Northern Arizona University, and a graduate certificate in human resources management from Keller Graduate School of Management. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys family time with his wife of 22 years, Felicia, their college-athlete son, Lionel IV, and their daughter, Laina, an enthusiastic cheerleader.
TBD
Brittany Black
Brittany Black holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of
Wisconsin–Milwaukee. She has a strong background in workforce development and community
engagement, including work with the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, where
she supported workforce initiatives and coordinated career exploration opportunities for more
than 3,000 seventh-grade students annually in partnership with local businesses. Her
experience also includes helping individuals build employability skills through a community
development lens. Currently, she serves as the Assistant Director of Career Readiness at
Arizona State University’s West Valley Campus, where she is dedicated to empowering students with the knowledge, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive in their future careers.
Engaging families in students’ career readiness and professional development is essential for fostering a supportive environment that enhances students’ success. During this session, we’ll cover strategies to involve families in career-related activities and how to leverage career services to facilitate this engagement. The session aims to increase family awareness, enhance involvement, and support student success. Research indicates that parents are the most significant influencers in their children’s career decisions, often surpassing educators and peers. A survey of 1,250 students from 58 institutions revealed that parents play a crucial role in shaping career choices and preparing students for job interviews. Approximately 70% of students reported involving their parents in career preparation activities, including resume building and interview practice. Additionally, 60% of students indicated that their parents’ guidance significantly impacted their career readiness. By actively engaging families, this session aims to create a supportive network that empowers students to achieve their career aspirations. Career services play a pivotal role in facilitating this engagement and providing the necessary resources and support.
Jennifer Burton
Jennifer Burton holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Northern Arizona
University (NAU) and a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the W. P. Carey School of Business
at Arizona State University (ASU). She has diverse professional experience across various
industries. Jennifer has served as a project manager at Fender Musical Instruments, an
interventionist in the Kyrene School District—where she monitored student progress and
compiled data to support student success. Prior to joining ASU Career Services, she worked
with first-year students at the W. P. Carey School of Business. In her current role as Program
Manager for Employer Operations at ASU Career Services, Jennifer manages career fairs and
other employer relations activities and represents Career Services for New Student
Experiences, Alumni, and Families.
Engaging families in students’ career readiness and professional development is essential for fostering a supportive environment that enhances students’ success. During this session, we’ll cover strategies to involve families in career-related activities and how to leverage career services to facilitate this engagement. The session aims to increase family awareness, enhance involvement, and support student success. Research indicates that parents are the most significant influencers in their children’s career decisions, often surpassing educators and peers. A survey of 1,250 students from 58 institutions revealed that parents play a crucial role in shaping career choices and preparing students for job interviews. Approximately 70% of students reported involving their parents in career preparation activities, including resume building and interview practice. Additionally, 60% of students indicated that their parents’ guidance significantly impacted their career readiness. By actively engaging families, this session aims to create a supportive network that empowers students to achieve their career aspirations. Career services play a pivotal role in facilitating this engagement and providing the necessary resources and support.
Panelists & Moderators
Laura Rosensweet
Senior Community Impact Manager, Northern Arizona, Education Forward
Laura provides outreach to all of northeastern Arizona, sharing the value and importance of education for communities around Arizona, especially rural Arizona. This includes the critical role of access to early childhood education, through K-12 and continuing into post-secondary education and training. Much of her work helps to message the strong connection between education, workforce and the economy to business leaders, chambers and economic development professionals. Prior to her role at Education Forward Arizona, Laura worked as a Director for the community college and spent many years teaching high school mathematics.
Panel Session – Emerging Industry: Economic Development in Our State
Kristin Gubser
Associate VP, Workforce Strategies & External Affairs, GateWay Community College
Mrs. Gubser has been at GateWay Community College since July, 2005, currently serving as Assoc. Vice President of Workforce Strategies & External Affairs. In this role, Mrs. Gubser leads multiple departments, develops public-private partnership strategies and revenue-generating opportunities, and oversees the non-credit training division of the college. She also leads GateWay’s entrepreneurial business units, launching new initiatives that support economic development priorities. Mrs. Gubser is a member of the college’s Executive Leadership Team, and she has been on numerous boards and commissions including the City of Phoenix Innovation District Steering Team; the Mountain Park Health Center Board of Directors; the Greater Phoenix Economic Council’s strategic planning council, GPEC Next; and she currently serves as Vice Chair of the Workforce & Education Committee for Phoenix Community Alliance.
Kristin’s successes include securing more than $8 million in new resources for the college that resulted in the creation of the college’s business incubator, the Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation; and Phoenix Forge, the largest makerspace in the Southwest.
Prior to her tenure at GateWay, Kristin served as the Public Relations Assistant, Director of Special Events, Director of Community Relations, and Director of Special Projects for The Salvation Army Southwest Divisional Headquarters in Phoenix, AZ.
Kristin is a recipient of a John and Suanne Roueche Excellence Award, and a City of Phoenix Friends of District 8 award. She holds a BA in Communication from the University of New Mexico, and an MPA from Arizona State University.
Panel Session – Emerging Industry: Economic Development in Our State (Moderator)
LaSetta Hogans, MSW, GCDF
Deputy Economic Development Director, City of Phoenix
LaSetta Hogans serves as the Deputy Economic Development Director for the City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development (CED) Department and concurrently holds the position of Executive Director of the Phoenix Business and Workforce Development Board. In these roles, she oversees the day-to-day operations of the Business and Workforce Development Division, focusing on improving the city’s competitive position by developing the future workforce and repositioning the current workforce.
Under her leadership, the team engages with the business community, workforce focused organizations, universities, and community college partners to leverage resources, services, and information, thereby developing talent pipelines that meet the workforce needs of businesses and industries. This work is supported by a substantial annual operating budget comprising local, federal, and philanthropic funds.
CED encompasses a full spectrum of economic development activities, including business attraction, retention and expansion, community development, international relations, Phoenix Sister Cities, workforce development, and managing the city-owned Footprint Center arena.
LaSetta’s career spans over a decade of experience in management, workforce development, social work, and administration in both the public and private sectors. She has led many of the city’s major workforce and economic development efforts, significantly impacting economic growth and poverty reduction by advancing workers’ skills to meet business needs in both western Pennsylvania and the Phoenix Metro Area.
Since joining the City of Phoenix in 2010, LaSetta has worked in various capacities, including in the Human Services Department’s Education Division. Before her tenure in Phoenix, she gained valuable experience working in Erie and New Castle, Pennsylvania. LaSetta holds a Master of Social Work from Walden University and a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She is also a certified Global Career Development Facilitator.
LaSetta has significantly contributed to her community through her past service on the Board of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, Central Arizona Chapter, and the Neurodiversity Education Research Center Board. Her involvement in these roles has left a lasting impact. She continues to be an active member of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators and the National Association of Social Workers.
In her personal time, LaSetta enjoys singing and actively participating in her church. She is an avid Steelers fan and engages in various hobbies, including home projects, cooking new dishes, community service, crafting, and traveling. LaSetta cherishes time with her husband, three children, and their dog, Coco.
Panel Session – Emerging Industry: Economic Development in Our State
Haley Fagerlie
Assistant Vice President, Industry Relations & Strategic Partnerships, Grand Canyon University
With more than 17 years of experience in higher education, Haley Fagerlie is known as a connector with an entrepreneurial mindset cultivating mutually beneficial programs and partnerships. In her time at GCU, she has served in various roles such as a faculty member, mentor and student advisor, founder of the GCU AZ HOSA chapter, K12 STEM director, director of dual enrollment compliance, associate director for the Center of Integrated Science, Engineering and Technology, and subsequently played a role in the formation of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology, which later grew into two colleges: the College of Engineering and Technology and the College of Natural Sciences. Fagerile has helped to build the various advisory boards focused on engaging industry in the development and alignment of talent pipelines. Focused on relationships and workforce development, Fagerile is responsible for creating the university’s Employer Network for relationship engagement, connecting job opportunities to students.
Fagerile holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry, a Master of Science in Leadership and a Master of Science in Addiction Counseling from GCU. Fagerile is passionate about lifelong learning, servant leadership and community engagement. Over the past decade, she’s served on boards and committees for education, workforce development and healthcare. She currently serves on the board of directors for WESTMARC (the Western Maricopa Coalition) as the co-chair of the Education and Workforce Committee and on the board of trustees for Abrazo Hospital Central, Scottsdale and Cave Creek campuses.
Panel Session – Emerging Industry: Economic Development in Our State
Brian Wright
Economic Development Business Manager, City of Buckeye
Brian A. Wright currently works as Economic Development Business Manager for the City of Buckeye. Brian brings over 20 plus years in Career Services, Performance & Workforce Management, Customer Service, Auditing, Training, Employment Recruitment & Retention, Strategic Planning and Communication, Debt Management and Education experience.
Brian’s experience spans working with fortune 500 companies such as American Express, Arrow Financial, Midland Credit and various public sector organizations. In addition, Brian has worked in both public & for-profit education entities such as West-MEC and Arizona Automotive Institute. Throughout his career Brian has created and championed several cutting edge projects. He is an author and served as speaker/ lecture for ACTAZ Summer Conference, Arizona Commerce Authority and other organizations across the country. He currently serves on WESTMARC’s Education & Workforce Development Committees and Board Member of the Buckeye Elementary School District Foundation. Brian serves on the newly formed West Valley Workforce Steering & AAED Committee’s. He recently achieved his Six Sigma Lean Yellow Belt and in 2023 became a AZED PRO. Brian is a proud member of Class 29 for LeadershipWest…Best class ever! Most recently the 2023 Golden Prospector Award recipient for his Economic Development “Reduce the Commute” Job Fair initiative.
Brian has attended Baltimore City College, Morgan State University and graduated from Southwestern Bible College in Phoenix, AZ with a B.A. in Biblical Studies.
Husband, Father & yes Pastor of a multi-location church. An energetic and dynamic personality that can always be relied on to exercise prudent judgment and initiative in getting task and assignments accomplished. He is a true servant/ leader and has excellent communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.
Panel Session – Emerging Industry: Economic Development in Our State
Susan Dumon
Chief Economic Development Officer, Chamber of Southern Arizona
Panel Session – Emerging Industry: Economic Development in Our State
