Dylan Houle
Executive Director - Career & Professional Development
View LinkedIn Profile »Dylan brings to Santa Clara University more than a decade of experience in teaching and education, career services and alumni engagement. As someone whose own career path has not been linear, he appreciates and emphasizes the importance of developing transferable skills, building relationships, and being open-minded and adaptive. Dylan holds a BA in English from San Francisco State University and a MS in Teaching from Fordham University. Dylan is excited to serve and work with the students, staff, faculty and alumni of Santa Clara University.
Colleen Withers
Director - Career Development & Campus Integration
Colleen Withers joins us from the Graduate Business Career Management team at Santa Clara University where she helped the team achieve a #1 ranking for Career in the Poets & Quants rankings for Online MBA Programs. Previously she worked as an Executive Recruiter at KPMG and Human Resources Director for software startups, nonprofits and solar companies. She received her Bachelors in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame. She is passionate about teaching students career readiness skills and lifelong career self reliance. She looks forward to leveraging her background and network to expand career programming while deepening relationships and partnerships across Santa Clara University.
Noël Kreidler
Assistant Director, Career Development - Business & Entrepreneurship
Noël Kreidler is the Assistant Director of Career Development for Business + Entrepreneurship. She enjoys supporting students in discovering career paths where they can fully express their interests and talents in the workplace, and collaborating with campus partners to develop initiatives that connect students with their passion. Her background includes 25+ years of experience as a Human Resources professional in a variety of geographic and business environments, including tech, retail, non-profit and consulting as well as 8+ years of experience as a Career Services professional at Santa Clara University and The University of Arizona. As a person with a physical disability, she is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and sits on the Board of Directors for two non-profits that champion inclusion for people with disabilities in the workplace and the housing community. She has a MEd with a Counseling and Human Relations emphasis from Northern Arizona University and a BA in Economics with a minor in Human Resources from The University of Arizona. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming, art, reading, writing, interior design and spending time with family and friends.
Chris Harris
Assistant Director, Career Development - Creative, Human & Public Sectors + Identity
Born and raised in Grand Rapids, MI, Chris Harris is a proud alumni of University of Michigan. He has extensive experience in nonprofit project management and youth advocacy, including time with the Tennessee Department of Education and later as a District Coordinator of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Chris has spent over eight years as a kindergarten teacher in Michigan, Tennessee and Texas. He is excited to collaborate with campus departments and student groups to ensure all students are prepared for life outside of SCU.
Vania Tong
Assistant Director, Career Development - STEM & Innovation
Vania joins the Career Center with over seven years of experience supporting folks in educational and career-oriented spaces. In her tenure as a non-profit professional, she has pivoted nimbly and effectively between being an empathetic direct service provider and creative, strategic program designer. Her personal experiences and interest in diverse communities have led her to roles supporting refugees & asylees, new immigrant youth, and first-gen students across Los Angeles, New York City, Peru, and most recently, San Francisco. Vania ultimately wants to see students flourish and hopes to support them by committing to holistic, equity-focused, strength-based, community-centered, and culturally-responsive approaches and design. In her role as Career Development Specialist (STEM + Innovation), she is most excited to partner with students in their professional development and pursuits, as well as contribute to a more robust and interconnected campus ecosystem that will ultimately support student success. Vania holds a BA in Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts, with a minor in Cognitive Science (Human Computer Interaction/User-Centered Design) from the University of California, San Diego, and a MS in Social Work, focusing on program design & evaluation and international social welfare from Columbia University.
Myriam Bartz, MBA
Assistant Director, Career Development - Graduate Students and Alumni
Myriam joins the Career Center with extensive career transition and coaching experience with the largest providers of Global Career Placement Solutions and the Technology Industry. She is passionate about inspiring students and alumni to realize their best selves by leveraging their strengths, unique value, and purpose so they can create internship and job search strategies to pursue meaningful work and meet the needs of the community and the industry. Her background includes 15+ years of experience for a leading technology company in Customer Service, and the Executive Briefing Center as a Program Manager putting together technology briefing events with cross-functional teams for customers from Latin America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Myriam holds a coaching certification from the International Coaching Federation with an emphasis in Positive Psychology and an MBA from Golden Gate University.
Melissa Thiriez
Director - Employer Relations & Partnerships
Melissa comes to the Career Center from working in non-profits and secondary education for nearly 5 years. Her most recent experience was teaching a College Readiness class to high school juniors which focused on discerning values, strengths, and passions and turning them into blueprints for their future education and careers. She is most excited about connecting students with employers to advance their educational and professional development. Melissa will focus on bringing innovative events and creative methods of engagement to campus to make the most of employer connections. Melissa holds a BA in Psychology and minor in Hispanic Studies from Scripps College and a MA in Education from Claremont Graduate University.
Shellie Barber
Assistant Director, Events & Operations
Shellie has over twenty years of experience working and volunteering in the Santa Clara community, including bootstrapping and running a successful small business for 20 years. As the Operations Associate and part of the Employer Connections team for the Career Center, Shellie works closely with students, staff, and employers at the Career Center to coordinate large scale recruitment events and help students navigate their way through the Career Center at SCU. She’s excited to be working on the SCU campus and helping to guide students to meeting their career goals in whatever way that she can. She brings a unique and supportive perspective to the Center and is inspired by seeing students reach their full potential. Shellie has her BA degree in Art from San Jose State University.
Amanuel Bizuneh
Assistant Director, Employer Relations - Business, Entrepreneurship, Public & Social Sectors
Born and raised in San Jose, CA, Amanuel is an alumni of Santa Clara University and is excited to join the Career Center. His background includes serving injured workers at a local Law Firm as well as facilitating 7th and 8th grade English courses. Amanuel is very excited to be connecting students with employers so that they can achieve their professional goals. He also enjoys leveraging knowledge of our student populations and relationships with faculty and staff to build relationships; thus, employers can maximize their resources when engaging with our campus ecosystem.
Andrew Gupton
Assistant Director, Employer Relations - STEM & Innovation
Andrew comes to Santa Clara University with experience in corporate talent acquisition, EdTech, and traditional higher education. While the majority of his experience has been student facing, he is excited to leverage his 7 years of industry experience to work directly with the employer community and help facilitate connections between students and the working world. Originally from Denver, CO, Andrew's professional and personal experiences have taken him to New Jersey, San Diego, Vail, and finally the Bay Area. Andrew holds a B.A. in Film Studies and a certificate in Technology, Arts, and Media from the University of Colorado.
Contact & Directions
Map
The Career Center is in the west wing on the first floor of Benson Memorial Center.
Office Hours
Monday - Thursday
9am-5pm
Friday (Virtual)
9am-4:30pm
Need assistance outside of our office hours? Utilize the variety of digital tools and resources available through Handshake and our website 24/7!
SCU Mask Guidelines
It is highly recommended that all individuals wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth in public indoor spaces, including when visiting the Career Center.