Meet WGS Alumni

Brianne Johnson, Class of 2015

I work as brand strategy director at an ad agency now, and in every convo and interview I have, what surprises people most is when I say that my Women's Studies degree was key to making me such an effective strategist today. Because Women's Studies is less the study of women than the study of systems of power and influence. Being able to see the bones of society, and how big, cultural forces shape daily lived realities -- and vice versa -- means that, as a brand strategist, I can see the forest AND the trees. I can see how nothing we do or care about is in isolation of what's happening in the bigger picture of our lives, or outside the context of our identities. It's been such a thrilling surprise to draw on this Women's Studies knowledge and skillset every day, particularly for brands who are actively working to upend the status quo.

Ismat Mangla, Class of 2001

I spent 15 years as a journalist at national media outlets, and now I manage a large content team for a publicly-traded financial services company. I am also helping launch an upcoming news endeavor. 

Iris Brilliant, Class of 2010

Iris graduated with majors in Women's Studies and Creative Writing. In 2018, she started her own money coaching business to help individuals with wealth lead values-aligned lives and move money to social justice.

Kate Cao, Class of 2022

I’m working at CVS Health in a maternal focused marketing unit. We conduct educational campaigns about pregnancy, fertility testing, and much more to help give CVS Health members better understanding of their bodies and choices.

Rachel Robbins, Class of 2005

After many years in events and marketing in tech companies, I just started my own business. I now facilitate virtual social events for remote teams and help remote teams strategize around how to connect with one another in a remote and hybrid workplace. I live in Philadelphia, PA with my partner, three year old and our 2nd child on the way. My majors continue to influence my life and work and I'm very grateful for the foundation and perspective I developed - it's been especially useful when it comes to diversity and inclusion in tech and also in continuing to examine my own identities as a Black, multiracial, white-presenting, Jewish cis woman.

Savannah Dupin, Class of 2016

After graduating I pursued my dream to move closer to my family of origin in San Diego, CA and found myself making $16 an hour at a youth shelter in an entry level social work job. It was difficult for me to support myself even after picking up a second part time position babysitting for a family of 3. Many professionals I looked up to in my field encouraged me to pursue my Masters however, the thought of accruing more debt on top of my student loans from undergrad nearly paralyzed me. I became discouraged and entered the Corporate world for a couple of years to build up savings and pay down my loans. During that time I pursued a Life Coaching certification in Neuro-linguistic programming, Success Coaching, Breathwork, Reiki, EFT and other healing modalities. I now run my own coaching business where I support women in creating more self love & sovereignty in their lives using both science based and spiritual modalities. I share all of this to encourage you on your journey as a Women's Studies major that may not always seem like the most clear or easiest path to embark on but is certainly the most fulfilling if you stay committed to yourself, your values & the changes you desire to create! If I can do it, so can you!

Levin Kim, Class of 2017

Levin started working at the Berkman Klein Center during the summer of 2017 on the Youth and Media team, and is now working primarily on the Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence initiative. She mainly focus on projects examining the concept of inclusion in the context of automated technologies, and projects striving to understand how different stakeholders such as policymakers and industry folks are approaching ethics-related issues when it comes to automated technologies. Some of her caareer highlights include hosting the Global Symposium on AI and Inclusion in Rio, developing an interactive visualization to accompany a report on AI and human rights, and producing case studies about ethical issues related to the development and use of AI technologies.

Rachel Robbins, Class of 2005

After many years in events and marketing in tech companies, I just started my own business. I now facilitate virtual social events for remote teams and help remote teams strategize around how to connect with one another in a remote and hybrid workplace. I live in Philadelphia, PA with my partner, three year old and our 2nd child on the way. My majors continue to influence my life and work and I'm very grateful for the foundation and perspective I developed - it's been especially useful when it comes to diversity and inclusion in tech and also in continuing to examine my own identities as a Black, multiracial, white-presenting, Jewish cis woman.

Rose Beck, Class of 2022

I graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a minor in gender & health. My interests in women’s and public health greatly strengthened my applications to medical device companies, and this leverage allowed me to eventually land the graduate co-op at Johnson & Johnson MedTech that I am currently completing. I work on a remote bronchoscopy project for my job, and in my free time I am pursuing volunteer training with the YWCA. My goal next year is to complete my DONA certification as a member of Dial-A-Doula. I will be simultaneously earning a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Michigan with a concentration in bioelectrics & neural engineering. In the future, I hope to use my credentials for the benefit of my immediate and global communities. None of who I am today would be possible without the theory and perspective gifted to me by this stellar WGS department. I will forever be grateful.

Amy Harfeld, Class of 1994

Women's and Gender Studies alumna Amy Harfeld is an attorney at the Children's Advocacy Institute in Washington, DC. Working with progressives in the Senate and House, one of her recent wins was the passage of the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act, which, she says, "requires agencies to provide children leaving foster care with a copy of their birth certificate, a Social Security card, a copy of medical records and a driver's license or ID.”

Chloe Gurin-Sands, Class of 2011

After graduating from Michigan with a minor in Gender and Health,  Chloe went on to work at the UM Spectrum Center for 2 years, before heading to grad school in Chicago to pursue a Master of Public Health degree. Now, she works as a public health expert at an urban planning and policy nonprofit in Chicago. Hre work focuses on helping city and regional governments integrate environmental and health equity considerations into planning processes and policies, with a special focus on land use, development, and natural resources such as rivers and parks. 

Divya Nair, Class of 2019

I recently graduated with an MSW in Policy Practice from Columbia University. I am now working as a Policy Analyst with the Economic Progress Institute in Rhode Island.

Emma White, Class of 2021 (Fall Term)

I graduated from the University of Michigan in December 2021 in two and a half years. I now live in Lansing with my boyfriend and our two cats, working as the Director of Constituent Relations for the Office of State Senator Winnie Brinks. I assist constituents with social, financial, health, and other diverse difficulties by coordinating local and state resources. I also track and respond to constituent legislative inquiries; act as a liaison between constituents and state departments; staff organization and constituent meetings with the Senator; and write tributes for honorable constituents and organizations within Senate District 29. I am a volunteer with the Michigan Democratic Party and canvass neighbors across the state to help elect pro-choice, environmentally-friendly, pro-LGBTQIA+, progressive legislators. My Women’s and Gender Studies degree has helped me achieve many of my professional and personal goals.

Lita Brillman, Class of 2017

I'm currently getting my Master's in Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh, and am planning on running for city council here in Pittsburgh where I live with my partner and dog. My Women's Studies education from Michigan allows me to read and write everything in my field with a critical eye to race, gender, and inclusivity, and seeps into every portion of my work and is the best investment I ever made in myself!

Mel Neal, Class of 2018

I'm in law school now and pursuing a career at the intersection of racial equity in education and Native American and Tribal rights. I love my WS degree!

Rachael Andersen-Watts, Class of 2004

Women’s Studies at UM continues to be a rich part of the fiber of my life, personally and professionally. Currently, I direct and have designed an academic support program at a law school. A lawyer by training, I made the full transition from legal practice to academia about six years ago. The mindset I developed as a WS undergrad fueled my passion and curiosity for how to do better for more people within law school. It’s now the endeavor to which I directly contribute. 

Alyssa Gale, Class of 2010

I credit my U of M Women's Studies degree with totally shaping the trajectory of my educational, professional, and activist pursuits! It was in this program that I became passionate about social justice, and began my journey of unlearning white supremacy and other forms of oppression ( a journey that, as a white woman raised in America, I will forever be on). I learned so much, and stumbled so often, and I am immensely grateful to have grown in an environment that was so supportive, challenging, and motivating. I am now a passionate and outspoken advocate for abortion rights, and in my role as the Director of Health Education at the Mount Sinai Health System in NYC, I approach all of my work through the lenses of racial justice, reproductive justice, and health equity. 

Brittany Dowe, Class of 2016

I graduated from U of M in 2016 with my Bachelors of Science in Women Studies. Following my undergraduate studies, I earned my MPH in Health Behavior and Health Education from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. I now serve as the Director of the Office of Cancer Health Equity and Community Engagement at Karmanos Cancer Institute. In my role, I am responsible for helping manage an office that monitors the cancer burden through the Karmanos catchment area (46 counties in Michigan). My Women Studies degree was instrumental in me gaining language to talk about the social determinants of health, as well as think about the nuance and intersectionality that exists between one’s identities and access to cancer prevention and care. 

Chloe Gurin-Sands, Class of 2011

After graduating from Michigan with a minor in Gender and Health, Chloe went on to work at the UM Spectrum Center for 2 years, before heading to grad school in Chicago to pursue a Master of Public Health degree. Now, she works as a public health expert at an urban planning and policy nonprofit in Chicago. Her work focuses on helping city and regional governments integrate environmental and health equity considerations into planning processes and policies, with a special focus on land use, development, and natural resources such as rivers and parks. 

Geena Kerr, Class of 2016

After graduating with a Gender and Health major, Geena moved to Chicago and started her three-year Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She was very passionate about going into pelvic health physical therapy. Physical therapists, especially those who specialize in pelvic health, can help men, women, and transgender persons with issues like incontinence, pelvic pain, and pain with sex. Her degree in Women’s and Gender Studies has helped her to understand the social and systemic issues behind these health problems and consider her position in helping to treat them.

Michaila (McCloskey) Czarnik, Class of 2016

After Umich I went on to do a year long service corps and taught at a nonprofit in Maine for young adults with developmental disabilities. From there I went to Emory University and got my Master's of Public Heath in Health Education, with a focus on women and children's health. Since 2018 I've been at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) working in various Divisions (reproductive health, breastfeeding, COVID and schools, and developmental disabilities) as an evaluator and health scientist. My daughter was born last year and it's been a delight to watch her grow. 

Rose Beck, Class of 2022

I graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a minor in gender & health. My interests in women’s and public health greatly strengthened my applications to medical device companies, and this leverage allowed me to eventually land the graduate co-op at Johnson & Johnson MedTech that I am currently completing. I work on a remote bronchoscopy project for my job, and in my free time I am pursuing volunteer training with the YWCA. My goal next year is to complete my DONA certification as a member of Dial-A-Doula. I will be simultaneously earning a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Michigan with a concentration in bioelectrics & neural engineering. In the future, I hope to use my credentials for the benefit of my immediate and global communities. None of who I am today would be possible without the theory and perspective gifted to me by this stellar WGS department. I will forever be grateful.

Amy Navvab, Class of 2013

After graduation, Amy went on to the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work. She was in a cohort focused on youth development and community organization. She knew upon leaving grad school that she wanted to work directly with young people in a way that could contribute to their individual development and support community and systems change. After she got her MSW, she had the opportunity to work for a Chicago non-profit, Umoja, which partners with Chicago Public Schools to implement Restorative Justice practices. In her role, she facilitated restorative practices with students and worked with teachers, security, and administration to increase their capacity to do restorative practices and shape school-wide culture. After almost three years in Chicago she moved to Boulder, Colorado and is now implementing Restorative Justice within Boulder County’s District Attorney’s Office.

Clara Ceccanti, Class of 2016

I recently got a new job working as a Clinical Social Worker supporting survivors of trauma. I work with survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking survivors providing them with advocacy, psychoeducation, as well individual and group counseling. I am humbled to have the opportunity to support survivors, and strive to build resilience by creating an empathic and safe space to process their trauma and emotions. 

Ebere Oparaeke, Class of 2016

Women's and Gender Studies alumna Ebere Oparaeke works as a Youth Development Professional at the Neutral Zone in Ann Arbor, where she advises a diversity and social justice program and provides training to help other youth organizations incorporate youth-adult partnership in their work. Additionally, Ebere is a trained doula who works to improve birthing spaces for marginalized groups and advocate for their reproductive needs. 

Sommer Albert, Class of 2020

I recently graduated in June 2022 with my Master of Social Work from the University of Washington with a concentration in community centered integrated practice. I’m currently working at the only Freedom School site in Washington state as a Servant Lead Educator. I get to pursue my love for social work, community based education, and art all in one role! I hope to gain my clinical license in the next few years before pursing a PhD program!