Pathways & Perspectives
Curious about what comes after Middlebury? Connect one-on-one with alumni in Midd2Midd who’ve been in your shoes and are now thriving in a wide range of careers.
Pathways & Perspectives is a six-part series offering casual, 20-minute virtual conversations with alumni volunteers from industries including tech, social impact, the sciences, healthcare, government/law/policy, and arts/media/communications.
These chats are a chance to ask questions and get advice about career paths, grad school, work culture, and how your Middlebury experience can translate into meaningful opportunities.
Whether you’re exploring possibilities or ready to take your next step, these one-on-one conversations are designed to help you:
- Hear firsthand how alumni navigated their own career journeys
- Get insight into specific fields, roles, and industries
- Build confidence talking with professionals who get the Middlebury experience
How it works
- Review the alumni bios below.
- Pick an alumni volunteer (or two or three) that interests you.
- Click the link to sign up for a time slot on Handshake
- Show up ready to talk, listen, and learn. No résumé required.
The Sciences
Friday, October 31 | Virtual 1:1 Chats
Curious about research, environmental science, renewable energy, or how to turn a passion for discovery into a career? Meet Middlebury alumni in Midd2Midd who are advancing scientific knowledge, shaping sustainability policy, and mentoring the next generation of researchers. These one-on-one conversations are a chance to explore a wide range of paths within the sciences — from academia to applied research — and hear how fellow Middlebury graduates built meaningful, curiosity-driven careers.
Kaitlin ‘Kae’ Fink ’16
Staff Research Scientist, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Sign up for a slot between 2-4 PM
Kae works as a staff research scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), where she leads and contributes to a variety of scientific R&D efforts focused on next-generation lithium-ion battery development and advanced battery recycling. Kae’s research ranges from fundamental to applied and is conducted with a range of sponsors and partners from government, academia, and industry. At Middlebury, Kae double-majored in chemistry and environmental economics; she was also a member of the women’s Nordic ski team, the Paradiddles, Residential Life staff, and the Brooker House community. Kae currently lives in the Denver area where she spends as much time outdoors (biking, trail running, rock climbing, skiing, gardening) as she can, and also loves to chat with Midd students and alums about science and opportunities for internship and work in the national lab system!
Dr. Cinda Scott ’99
Co-Director, Ocean Nexus Program, University of Rhode Island
Sign up for a slot between 2-4 PM
Dr. Scott is a marine biologist, educator, and ocean equity advocate. She completed her Ph.D. in 2009 at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Science. Upon graduating, she joined the national movement to improve STEM education for students from marginalized groups at New York City College of Technology. There, she evaluated STEM programs ranging from engineering to physics and taught in the biology department to inform her practice. She interviewed students and worked alongside faculty to improve STEM education across the College and to retain underrepresented groups in the sciences.
In 2025, Dr. Scott joined the Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus Program at the University of Rhode Island as Co-Director. She will oversee and lead a consortium of international researchers dedicated to the study of inequity in ocean governance. In her new role, she will work with research fellows and lead scientists, produce grants, communicate Ocean Nexus findings, and continue her research. Dr. Scott’s current research examines the cultural valuation of mangroves and inequities in natural resource management throughout the Bocas del Toro archipelago.
Dr. Scott is dedicated to the advancement of ocean equity and the promotion of equitable sharing of ecosystem services to support the well-being of coastal communities and seascapes that sustain all life. She maintains interest in marine protected areas, coral reef ecology, and ocean equity. For more information, please visit her personal website at www.cindaseas.world.
Connect with Cinda in Midd2Midd
David Skelly ’87
Professor of Ecology and Director, Peabody Museum, Yale University
Sign up for a slot between 1-2 or 4-5 PM
David Skelly, Ph.D., is the Frank R. Oastler Professor of Ecology at the Yale School of the Environment and the Director of the Yale Peabody Museum. His research focuses on rapid evolution and other means by which amphibian species are responding to human changes to landscapes and climate. He has taught courses including landscape ecology, freshwater ecology, conservation science and, currently, a first-year seminar that supports beginning undergraduates as they carry out research projects using the Peabody collections. Formerly, he was the Associate Dean for Research at the School of the Environment where he oversaw the School’s doctoral program as well as its research operations and infrastructure. Over the last decade, he has led the Peabody through a strategic reorientation culminating in a renovation and expansion of the Museum which re-opened in March 2024 with new galleries and facilities for its undergraduate and K-12 programs. David has been awarded the School of the Environment teaching award on four occasions. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Connect with David in Midd2Midd
Healthcare
Friday, November 7 | Virtual 1:1 Chats
Jordan Gutweiler ’00
General Surgeon-Atrius Health
Sign up for a slot between 3-4 PM
I am a general surgeon who graduated from Middlebury in 2000. My undergraduate major was in American Literature and my honors thesis was written about the physician poet William Carlos Williams. I have practiced surgery in a variety of settings (community and academic) and remain active in medical education.
Connect with Jordan in Midd2Midd
Adam Hersh ’94
Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Utah
Sign up for a slot between 12-2 PM
My name is Adam Hersh and I graduated from Middlebury in 1994 majoring in Biology and Mathematics. I completed an MD/PhD program and then trained in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases. I am a Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Utah. My work involves clinical care in Infectious Diseases and research in epidemiology with a focus on antibiotic stewardship and respiratory infections. I look forward to meeting with anyone with interests in medicine, clinically oriented research and public health.
Connect with Adam in Midd2Midd
Erin Kunkel ’03
Physician, Director Doctors, Brown University
Sign up for a slot between 1-3 PM
Erin Kunkel, MD is a general gynecologist and menopause and obesity medicine specialist practicing in Rhode Island. She grew up in the DC metro area in Maryland. She received a BA in Theater from Middlebury College. After a year-long stint on a national theater tour, she moved to New York City where she promptly identified a love of health and medicine that dwarfed her love of the stage. She completed her premedical postbaccalaureate training at Columbia University, received her medical degree from Brown University, and completed a residency in OBGYN at Pennsylvania Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She returned to RI after residency and spent 7.5 years practicing as a board-certified general OBGYN. Throughout her time in that practice, she fell in love with working with women in midlife, supporting them through the unique challenges posed by the late reproductive years, perimenopause, and through to postmenopause. To better support these women, she completed a professional training certification in Women’s Integrative and Functional Medicine, became a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP), and attained board certification in Obesity Medicine (DABOM). Her areas of expertise include general gynecology, PCOS, abnormal uterine bleeding, perimenopause and menopause, and weight management. When not working, she can be found exploring new parks and hikes with her husband and daughter, browsing plant nurseries with aspirational garden visions in mind, cooking, or just drinking coffee with a good book or a good friend.
Connect with Erin in Midd2Midd
Past Pathways & Perspectives Events
Technology
Friday, October 17 | Virtual 1:1 Chats - 20 minutes each
Interested in technology, cybersecurity, software engineering, or how to build a tech career with a liberal arts degree? Meet one-on-one with Middlebury alumni who’ve charted their own paths in the fast-moving world of tech. Whether you’re curious about breaking into the industry, working in big tech, or exploring emerging areas like AI and security, this is your chance to get candid advice from professionals who’ve been there.
Featured Alumni
David Bell ’12
Principal Engineer, Uber
Sign up for a slot between 2–4 PM
David graduated from Middlebury College in 2012 with a degree in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics. He is currently a Principal Engineer at Uber, where he is a technical lead for the 400-person Core Platform organization. There he focuses on foundational networking, working from the physical network all the way up to the global systems that route customer requests to enable Uber to be as performant, reliable, and as secure as possible. Prior to Uber, David worked at Amazon Web Services where he built systems for container orchestration and service-to-service communication. In his spare time, David enjoys cooking for his family, rock climbing, and holding out hope for Detroit to win the Super Bowl in his lifetime.
Connect with David in Midd2Midd
Dom Jimenez ’18
Contracts Manager, Google
Sign up for a slot between 1–2 PM or 3–4 PM
Dom works as a Contracts Manager at Google, where he reviews and negotiates commercial inbound agreements for Google’s Brand Marketing, Events, Grow with Google, and Government Affairs and Public Policy teams. Dom is a legal lead of Google’s Career Certificate program, a Grow with Google initiative that offers AI training and tools for job seekers, students, teachers, and business owners. At Middlebury, Dom studied Political Science and was an active part of the Residential Life team. In his spare time, Dom coaches a high school basketball team in NYC where he now resides.
Daniel Trauner ’12
SVP, Information Security, Jefferies
Sign up for a slot between 1–3 PM
Daniel is an SVP at global investment banking and capital markets firm Jefferies, where he leads the firm’s cloud and application security initiatives, DevOps/DevEx, and advises on AI-related projects and strategy. With a proven track record of building security programs from the ground up, Daniel has been instrumental in shaping security practices at hypergrowth startups and established firms alike. Known for his hands-on technical expertise and strategic leadership, Daniel specializes in implementing security-by-design principles across technology and infrastructure practices.
Prior to joining Jefferies, Daniel held senior security roles at both Axonius and Bugcrowd, where he honed his skills in managing distributed teams and collaborating with global networks of security researchers.
A respected voice in the cybersecurity community, Daniel has spoken at major industry conferences. He also contributes to the tech ecosystem as an angel investor, supporting promising startups in the security and technology sectors.
Daniel holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Economics from Middlebury College, Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Security Leadership (GSLC) certifications from ISC2 and GIAC, and is a Birthright Excel Fellow. When not immersed in the world of cybersecurity, Daniel enjoys building, breaking, and fixing things, and trying to solve problems that others consider to be Kobayashi Maru scenarios.
Connect with Daniel in Midd2Midd
Social Impact
Friday, October 24 | Virtual 1:1 Chats - 20 minutes each
Interested in making a difference, whether through policy, sustainability, housing, or humanitarian action? Meet one-on-one with Middlebury alumni in MIdd2Midd who’ve built meaningful careers tackling complex global and community challenges. These conversations are your chance to explore paths in nonprofits, consulting, advocacy, and international development, and hear how other Middlebury graduates turned interest into impact.
Featured Alumni
Grace Levin ’18.5
Senior Associate, A Community of Friends
Sign up for a slot between 1-3 PM
Grace is a Senior Associate at A Community of Friends, a nonprofit affordable housing developer based in Los Angeles, CA. She works on housing projects through all stages of the development pipeline from land use approvals to construction and lease-up. Grace has a master’s degree in urban planning from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a bachelor’s degree with a major in sociology and anthropology from Middlebury College (Class of 2018.5). Her interests include community development, housing policy, and urban design.
Connect with Grace in Midd2Midd
Jenny Moffett ’16
Senior Associate, CEA Consulting
Sign up for a slot between 1-4 PM
Jenny is a Senior Associate at CEA Consulting, a boutique consulting firm based in San Francisco that advises foundations and nonprofits on environmental and climate-oriented topics, providing strategy, research, and program implementation support. Jenny’s areas of expertise include freshwater issues, climate adaptation and resilience, nature-based solutions, and conservation. Her clients have included the Coca-Cola Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Environmental Defense Fund, and the ClimateWorks Foundation. Over her six years at CEA, Jenny has supported numerous strategy design, refinement, and implementation engagements, advised on grantmaking and partnership development, and led research engagements to explore new areas for impact for her clients.
Before joining CEA, Jenny worked for The Nature Conservancy in Vermont in land stewardship and, later, fundraising. She has also worked for the National Park Service in Yellowstone National Park, been a wilderness expedition leader and environmental educator, and spent two years serving as an AmeriCorps member. Jenny studied Conservation Biology at Middlebury.
Connect with Jenny in Midd2Midd
Rachel Sider ’14
Policy Advisor, Danish Refugee Council
Sign up for a slot between 12-3 PM
Rachel has worked with governments, local communities and international organizations to shape policy and relief programs to effectively reduce risks to civilians and promote conflict resolution. Most recently, Rachel led organizational strategy and oversaw an executive leadership transition and onboarding with the international peacebuilding organization, Interpeace, in Geneva. Prior to this she worked on Myanmar and on Syria where she led research on humanitarian access, shaped UN Security Council debates, and advised governments to address the needs of displaced populations. Rachel has lived and worked in Jordan, Iraq and Jerusalem. She holds a Bachelor in Arts in International Studies from Middlebury College and a Master in Public Policy from the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government.
Connect with Rachel in Midd2Midd
Rachel Veneziano ’20
Associate, Engagement Strategies, Food & Forests Team, Ceres, Inc.
Sign up for a slot between 2-5 PM
Rachel graduated from Middlebury in 2020, majoring in Environmental Policy and minoring in Sociology. After graduating, Rachel began working at Ceres, a nonprofit advocacy organization working to make the business case for action on key sustainability challenges facing our economy. Rachel is currently an Associate on the Food and Forests team, providing institutional investors with educational materials and company engagement support on nature and biodiversity-loss, agricultural GHG emissions, and commodity-driven deforestation. Outside of work, Rachel is also halfway through pursing a Master’s in Sustainability at the Harvard Extension School.