SATURDAY, JULY 29, 2023

REGISTER HERE

College, Career, and Personal Empowerment Conference

At Santa Clara University we believe that diversity and representation matter. That is why we're excited to offer this event to empower students of all backgrounds to pursue careers in healthcare fields and become advocates for communities that have been underserved. This in-person conference is specifically designed for high school students, community college students seeking to transfer to a 4-year institution and their parents. Connect with healthcare experts and professionals of Silicon Valley. Participants will have a chance to learn about the many pathways leading to successful careers and personal well-being.

Our Goals

Networking

Career Exploration

New Insights

Well-Being

Schedule of Events

Saturday, July 29

Time	Description	Speaker	Location
8:30 am	Check-in & Breakfast		Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation (SCDI) Quad
9:00 am	Welcome	Eva Blanco Masias, Vice President of Enrollment Management Shá Duncan Smith, Vice President of Inclusive Excellence	SCDI Quad
9:15 am	Provocation Speaker	Reymundo Espinoza, MPH, Chief Executive Officer, Gardner Family Health Network	SCDI Quad
9:45 am	College 101: Pathways and Tips Learn more about the pathways to college and tips on how to prepare for a career in healthcare.
	High School Students and Families For students who will be going directly from high school to a 4 year university.	Lorenzo Gamboa, Director of Admission for Diversity, Inclusion, & Outreach Patricia Lopez, Director of Financial Aid	SCDI Quad
	Transfer Students and Families For students who will be transferring from a community college to a 4 year university.	AJ Howell-Williams, Director of Transfer, Athletic, and International Admission Cindy Tirado, Director of Packaging in Financial Aid	SCDI Room 3115
10:30 am	Session I
	Nurturing Your Mind: Empowering your Mental Health and Wellness This session provides a safe and supportive environment to explore the importance of mental health and learn valuable techniques to maintain a healthy mind.	Melba Mathew, Therapist in Residence, Santa Clara University	SCDI Room 3116
	Healthcare Innovation Lightning Talks Hear from industry leaders as they deliver 15 minute lightning talks discussing their career path in biotechnology/healthcare innovation and share advice.	Prashanth Asuri, Associate Professor of Bioengineering, Santa Clara University Eva Bouzos, Oncology R&D Senior Scientist I, Cepheid Howard Chan, Education Program Manager, Biocom California Institute Chris Danek, CEO, Bessel.co Lisa Sellers, CEO, Vector Labs	SCDI Room 1302
	Professional Perspectives in Healthcare Interested in going into the medical side of healthcare? Hear from doctors, dentists and research associates as they share their professional journeys and tips for students.	Violeta Barroso, MD, Family Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Caroline Okorie, MD, MPH, Pediatric Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine Stanford Medicine Children’s Hospital & Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Juan Blanco, Biotech Scientist Preet Sahota, DDS, Smile Matters Shá Duncan Smith, Vice President of Inclusive Excellence	SCDI Room 1308
	Exploring Careers in Public Health Are you considering a career in public health? Learn about various paths and what you should be exploring as you pursue your education including conducting research, seeking out internships, how to prepare and land the best opportunities for your future.	Sarah Hays, MA, MPH, Professor of Public Health, Santa Clara University	SCDI Room 2302
	Stress-free Health with Simple Fitness and Nutrition Tips Get up and get the blood pumping in this interactive workshop where the speaker will share simple fitness and nutrition tips.	Alejandro Masias, Athletic Director, Boeger Middle School	SCDI Quad
	A Holistic Approach to Healthcare in Underserved Communities This session will cover one organization’s approach to holistic community care that includes health and other forms of support for farm working communities in Half Moon Bay. ALAS (Ayudando Latinos A Soñar) is dedicated to working for social wellness through multicultural practices, mental health care, individualized and collective support related to education, immigration processes, and work, and advocating for the well-being of the whole community.	Winsor Kinkade, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Ayudando Latinos a Soñar (ALAS)	SCDI Room 3115
11:30 am	Session II
	Nurturing Your Mind: Empowering Your Mental Health and Wellness This session provides a safe and supportive environment to explore the importance of mental health and learn valuable techniques to maintain a healthy mind.	Veronica Gamboa, LMFT, Chief Operating Officer, Alum Rock Counseling Center	SCDI Room 3116
	Imagine and Discover your Future as a Registered Nurse: Exploring Pathways into Nursing from Entry to Specialization Nursing continues to be a popular pathway for those interested in medical careers. Learn about the options you should be considering.	Margarita Blanco, RN, BSN	SCDI Room 1308
	Healthcare Innovation Panel Industry leaders will answer questions about their career path, biotechnology/healthcare innovation and share pearls of wisdom.	Prashanth Asuri, Associate Professor of Bioengineering, Santa Clara University Eva Bouzos, Oncology R&D Senior Scientist I, Cepheid Howard Chan, Education Program Manager, Biocom California Institute Chris Danek, CEO, Bessel.co Lisa Sellers, CEO, Vector Labs	SCDI Room 1302
	Preparing for Healthcare and Biotechnology Careers with Research Professors discuss chemistry and biochemistry research as foundations for careers in healthcare.	Amelia Fuller, Ph.D., Professor & Department Chair of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Santa Clara University Korin Wheeler, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Santa Clara University	SCDI Room 3302
	Exploring Careers in Public Health Are you considering a career in public health? Learn about various paths and what you should be exploring as you pursue your education including conducting research, seeking out internships, how to prepare and land the best opportunities for your future.	Sarah Hays, MA, MPH, Professor of Public Health, Santa Clara University	SCDI Room 2302
	Healthcare for Athletes: Sports Medicine Perspectives Join a panel discussion on the various aspects of caring for the whole athlete–from mental health to physical wellness. Panelists will shed light on different career paths in sports medicine	Tyler Webster, Associate Athletic Director, Counseling & Sport Psychology, Santa Clara University Jaclyn Lee, Associate Athletic Director, Sports Medicine, Santa Clara University J Aggabao, Associate Athletic Director, Sports Performance, Santa Clara University Shá Duncan Smith, Vice President of Inclusive Excellence	SCDI Room 1301
	A Holistic Approach to Healthcare in Underserved Communities This session will cover one organization’s approach to holistic community care that includes health and other forms of support for farm working communities in Half Moon Bay. ALAS (Ayudando Latinos A Soñar) is dedicated to working for social wellness through multicultural practices, mental health care, individualized and collective support related to education, immigration processes, and work, and advocating for the well-being of the whole community.	Winsor Kinkade, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Ayudando Latinos a Soñar (ALAS)	SCDI Room 3115
12:30 pm	Networking Power Hour & Lunch Chat with healthcare professionals over lunch. Ask them questions about their career paths and make long lasting connections!		SCDI Quad
1:45 pm	Session III
	Mental Health Career Paths: A Day in the life of Mental Health Professionals What does it look like to work in the community and what type of jobs are in the mental health sector? Hear from a panel of professionals working to make a difference in the world of mental health.	Veronica Gamboa, LMFT, Chief Operating Officer, Alum Rock Counseling Center Jose Arreola, Peer Support Specialist, Alum Rock Counseling Center Nic Meola, Peer Support Specialist, Alum Rock Counseling Center Kelsey Mittelman, Peer Support Specialist, Alum Rock Counseling Center	SCDI Room 3116
	Preparing for Healthcare and Biotechnology Careers with Research Professors discuss chemistry and biochemistry research as foundations for careers in healthcare.	Amelia Fuller, Ph.D., Professor & Department Chair of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Santa Clara University Korin Wheeler, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Santa Clara University	SCDI Room 2302
	UC Scout: Flexible Learning Opportunities & Access to Online A-G Learn more about how to supplement your education with flexible online learning opportunities that will count towards your A-G requirements.	Guadalupe Sanchez, Outreach Specialist, Scout from the University of California	SCDI Room 1308
	Community Academic Partnerships for Public Health Advocacy Dr. Villatoro will discuss mental illness stigma and Dr. Yuter will share the latest on virtual reality training for caregivers of dementia patients.	Sonja Mackenzie, DrPH, Associate Professor & Department Chair of Public Health, Santa Clara University Sheila Yuter, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor of Public Health, Santa Clara University Alice Villatoro, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Public Health, Santa Clara University	SCDI Room 1302
	A Holistic Approach to Healthcare in Underserved Communities This session will cover one organization’s approach to holistic community care that includes health and other forms of support for farm working communities in Half Moon Bay. ALAS (Ayudando Latinos A Soñar) is dedicated to working for social wellness through multicultural practices, mental health care, individualized and collective support related to education, immigration processes, and work, and advocating for the well-being of the whole community.	Winsor Kinkade, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Ayudando Latinos a Soñar (ALAS)	SCDI Room 3115
	Spanish is the Superpower in Healthcare Do you speak Spanish or are you taking AP Spanish in school? If so, you have a Superpower, as Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona likes to refer to bilingual/bicultural learners. Spanish speaking skills are an increasingly valuable skill in the health profession. Learn more about how you can leverage your skills to create greater professional opportunities and how you too can be certified as a medical interpreter in the state of California.	Jesus Rocha, Officer, The Coalition of Professional Translators and Interpreters of California	SCDI Room 3302
2:45 pm	Student Panel featuring Healthcare Ethics, Innovation, and Public Health Current college students will be prompted to reflect on their own academic and personal journeys into healthcare related areas of interest.	Shelby Jennet, Healthcare Ethics Intern, Santa Clara University Akshat Kalra, Healthcare Innovation Intern, Santa Clara University Sreeja Malladi, Healthcare Innovation Intern, Santa Clara University Marco Vazquez, Public Health Intern, Santa Clara University	SCDI Quad
3:45 pm	Closing & Raffle	Becky Konowicz, Dean of Undergraduate Admission, Santa Clara University	SCDI Quad
4:00 pm	Optional Campus Tour		Starts in front of Admission & Enrollment Building
	Optional Tour of the ALAS Equity Express Bus The Farmworker Equity Express Bus is a mobile resource center that brings wifi, telehealth services, tutoring, and mental health services to our farmworkers on the Coast beginning this fall. This program was developed in collaboration with Life Science Cares.		Behind SCDI near the Visitor Lot/Parking Structure

Speakers Biography

Provocation Speaker
Reymundo Espinoza, MPH, Chief Executive Officer, Gardner Family Health Network
Mr. Espinoza was raised in the small desert town of Coachella, California, where farming was the predominant industry. Upon graduation from Coachella Valley High School, he attended Stanford University and received a BA in Political Science, and received his Masters from the University of California at Berkeley, School of Public Health, specializing in Hospital Administration, in 1975. Throughout Mr. Espinoza’s career, he worked with various non-profit and for-profit institutions throughout California and a limited amount of time in Phoenix, Arizona. Mr. Espinoza’s experience includes working in hospitals, planning agencies, hospital associations, and providing administrative and oversight activities in hospital based clinics and freestanding outpatient clinics.

Mr. Espinoza has been administratively involved in community health centers for over 35 years and is currently the Chief Executive Officer for Gardner Family Health Network, Inc. d.b.a. Gardner Health Services (GHS). GHS provides a comprehensive array of services to include medical (Adult, Pediatric and OB/GYN), Dental, Optometry, Pharmacy, Behavioral Health services for both the low to moderate and chronically mentally ill population, health education, nutritional services through the Women, Infants and Children’s program, comprehensive services targeting patients with complex needs, and health care to the homeless services.

Mr. Espinoza is a Co-Founder of the California Primary Care Association, Board Member and Co-Founder of the Community Health Partnership of Santa Clara, and Member of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC).

Healthcare Innovation Lightning Talk & Panelist
Chris Danek, CEO, Bessel.co
Chris Danek, CEO of Bessel, is an entrepreneur and life sciences industry veteran. Chris believes in empowering technical teams. He helps them speed time-to-market with agile teamwork and human-centered design while using advanced technology like artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing, and digital engineering. Bessel clients and Powered by Bessel startups are located nationwide.

Chris is a visiting professor at the University of Texas at El Paso, a leading Hispanic-serving research university that has adopted the Bessel Origin program in its Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. Chris is also a visiting professor at the W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation at UTEP.

Chris was co-founder and CEO of AtheroMed (now Philips AtheroMed), and before that was V.P. R&D of Asthmatx (Boston Scientific). Chris is an advisor to the Santa Clara University Healthcare Innovation and Design Lab. He has a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, an M.B.A. with a concentration in finance from the Wharton School - University of Pennsylvania, and is an inventor of over 85 U.S. patents.

Public Health Careers Speaker
Sarah Hays, MPH & MA, Professor of Public Health, Santa Clara University
Sarah Hays is the Director of Internships for the College of Arts and Sciences and is a quarterly adjunct lecturer in the Public Health department. Joining the faculty in 2015 Sarah’s classes focus on supporting public health majors as they explore their current academic and professional interests. Through values assessments, research, and in person experiences, including volunteering and internships, students are able to discover the many possibilities of a career in public health.

Sarah is an alum of the Master of Arts in Counseling program in the School of Education & Counseling Psychology, holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Benedictine University and recently began her doctoral studies in the School of Education & Counseling Psychology in the summer of 2022, pursuing a Doctorate in Education (EdD) in social justice leadership, with a focus in higher education.

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