About Us
LAUNCH YOUR CAREER! The Career Services Center helps connect students, faculty, and alumni with job and internship opportunities, as well as provides counseling for career success. We are located in Old Main 280 and are affiliated with Academic Advising and the Tutoring Center. Our services include career counseling, job search guidance, workshops to help prepare students and alumni, on-campus recruiting opportunities, and special events such as career, internship, and graduate school fairs. We can also help coordinate your reference letters and placement files. Our career counselors are experienced and effective in a wide range of topics such as resume checks, mock interviews, and one-on-one job search advice. Be sure to check our jobs and internship page for an up-to-date listing of opportunities or sign up to receive them in a weekly email. Come check out our career reference library or set up an appointment with a counselor TODAY!
Tina Loudon
Director
Tina started as a counselor in the Career Services Center in 1978 and moved up through a variety of professional roles before being named director in 1993. In August 2007, she was charged with merging the Career Services Center with Academic Advising and Tutorial Services in order to provide integrated academic advising and career planning services for WWU students. This new assignment provides an opportunity for Tina to build on her 30-year commitment to supporting WWU students to make the most of their educational experience to achieve their personal and professional goals. Tina holds a B.Ed - Secondary Social Studies from the University of Washington and an M.Ed - Student Personnel Work from Loyola University - Chicago.
When not at work, you'll find Tina on her farm in the country digging in the garden, playing with her small menagerie of animals (current count - 1 dog, 2 cats, 2 horses and 12 chickens) or playing in her "art room."
Aaron Ignac
Assistant Director of Operations
Aaron started at Western in 2007 and in the Career Services Center in 2009. He is motivated by the CSC's student-driven mission and goals, and is excited to continue his strong connection to the Western community. Aaron has an MBA as well as a master's degree in Psychology. He worked in business research, healthcare, and social research fields before coming to the Career Services Center. Aaron enjoys the rewards of raising and keeping up with his daughter. When not at work, Aaron enjoys sports, cooking, home improvement projects, and spending time with friends.
Kergie Garcia
Assistant Director, Career Services
Kergie began her journey as a first-time college student in midlife after staying at home raising her children and working the family cattle ranch. She came to Western with her transfer degree from Yakima Valley CC graduating from the Communication department two years later. During her undergraduate years, she became involved in the field of student affairs leading her to enter the Student Affairs Program at Western. She completed her internship in the Career Services Center where she developed her passion for helping others explore and create a vision for their future. She spent two years at Wenatchee Valley College-North in Omak before moving to Vancouver Island, BC where she taught and counseled at the local community college for several years. In 1999, the opportunity to return to Western as a career counselor became a reality. Currently, she enjoys working with the Career Center Peer Ambassador team, interns and career counselors.
At home, she enjoys spending time on the beach, working with her flower garden and spending time with her family.
Effie Eisses
Assistant Director of MBA Career Services
Effie joined the Career Services Center in April of 2004. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Effie has been a resident of Whatcom County since 1995. Effie earned her Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia with a concentration in Organizational Behavior and Industrial Relations Management. Prior to joining the Career Services Center, Effie spent 15 years working in Human Resources and especially enjoyed her work in the start-up of several Greenfield operations where she was very involved in organizational design and implementation, including recruitment. Outside of Western, Effie can usually be found at a neighborhood park or ball field playing with her 3 children. She loves family time, reading and traveling.
Susan Anderson
Career Counselor
Susan came to WWU with a broad range of experiences that match the interests and career needs of Western's students. She worked for eight years managing Peace Corps' nationally acclaimed college recruitment program that serves universities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. Susan also held several executive positions in nonprofits including a statewide environmental organization. Internationally, she worked with a variety of NGOs (non-governmental agencies similar to nonprofits) during her tenure as the Director of Peace Corps in St. Vincent and Grenada in the Eastern Caribbean and as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho, Africa.
Susan earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geology from Western Washington University and earned her Master of Education from the University of Washington. Susan enjoys traveling off the beaten path and, with her husband Jim, crossed three continents in Volkswagen vans. Closer to home, she can be found hiking, skiing or gardening almost every weekend.
Kristi Birkeland
Employer Outreach Manager
Kristi comes to the Career Services Center with a background that includes marketing, communications, business development and event consulting. As a WWU graduate and a former business owner, Kristi has a strong desire to create positive connections between our business and education communities. She looks forward to helping students explore career opportunities and companies find talented interns and employees.
In her spare time, Kristi nurtures her inner teacher by volunteering for Junior Achievement, her inner athlete by hitting the slopes, and her inner writer by working on that elusive first novel.
Kristi's relationship with Western can be traced back to 1987, when she came to visit her brother who, at the time, was a freshman living in Nash Hall. This friendly week-end adventure not only introduced her to WWU, but also to her brother's randomly selected roommate, who she now happily calls her own. Their two teenage daughters will likely roll their eyes when they read this.
Sandy Brown
Career Counselor
Sandy came to Western with a varied and interesting career path that enhances her experience and abilities as a career counselor. In her twenties she worked primarily with animals as a Veterinary Technician, Animal Control Officer, and 7 years working in Humane Societies. Turning to working in social services she worked for 14 years in reproductive health and family planning as a counselor and then working with the Displaced Homemaker's program through Skagit Valley College as an instructor. After her daughter Piper was in high school she went back to school and received her Bachelor's degree in Human Services, then her Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling, both programs here at Western (a double alum!).
Diane Flores
Program Coordinator
Promotions and Special Events
Diane Flores has worked in the Career Services Center in various support positions since 1986 (or "since dinosaurs roamed the earth", as one student put it). Her favorite part of the job is helping students and seeing them succeed with their career goals. When she is not scheduling appointments for the career counselors and working on special events, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
George Kriz
Pre-Healthcare Professions Advisor
George earned his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the University of California (Berkeley) and a PhD in organic chemistry from Indiana University. Since beginning his career as a professor at Western in 1967, George has actively participated in numerous societies devoted to the teaching of chemistry, co-authored a series of successful organic chemistry textbooks and was awarded the Peter J. Elich Excellence in Teaching Award in 2000. More recently, George has expanded his role at WWU to include academic/career advising for students interested in pre-healthcare programs. He considers himself especially fortunate to be able to devote his life to something that continues to be so rewarding.
For fun, George is an active member of the bass section of the Whatcom Chorale and a long-time season ticket holder at the Seattle Opera. His New Year's resolution is to play more golf. However, the greatest fun he has is in the classroom.
Lisa Megard
Coordinator of
Programs and Web Communication
Lisa has been working at Western since 1983. She is responsible for the design and content management of the websites for Academic and Career Development Services (which includes Career Services Center, Academic Advising, and the Tutoring Center) in addition to coordinating placement file services, and the annual employment survey of WWU graduates.
When not at work, Lisa crews on a sailboat that competes locally and throughout the Puget Sound region, enjoys downhill skiing, photography, art, and traveling.
Renee Murray
Graduate and Pre-Professional Programs Advisor
Renée earned both her BA in Art and M.Ed. in Student Affairs Administration degrees at Western. She blends her academic advising and career counseling backgrounds in working with students preparing to apply to
general graduate school or professional healthcare programs of study.
"It is a privilege to give back to my alma mater while sharing my knowledge and perspectives with students and family members."
When not at work, Renée pursues interests in design, researches and test-pilots allergy-free recipes, and strives to keep physically active and strong through varied activities and programs.
Karen Peila
Recruitment Services Coordinator
Karen comes to the Career Services Center upon reentering the workforce after staying home raising her two children and volunteering in the schools. She holds a BA in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and Business from Washington State University. Her college internship with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission led to a career in state and county public policy in the Seattle and Olympia areas. She recently began her career in higher education at Whatcom Community College where she discovered she enjoyed the enthusiasm and energy of working with college students. Karen is excited to bring her communication and public relations skills to the Career Services Center helping to connect students and employers. As the recruitment coordinator, she administers the Viking CareerLink online job database, helps students negotiate the application process, works with employers to post positions and coordinates on-campus interviews for employers.
In her spare time she enjoys many family outdoor activities in the beautiful Puget Sound region including skiing, boating, crabbing, hiking, camping, backpacking and watching her children in their many pursuits.
Karen Powell
Coordinator for Job Search Services
Karen came by her interest and passion about careers through personally experiencing many of the questions that she now helps others address. As a graduate of University of Puget Sound with a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy, Karen spent time in the U.S. Army living across the country and working in Army hospitals. Pursuing an interest in flying developed while in the Army, she became an Air Traffic Controller for 8 years in Texas. Following that elusive desire to try other career pathways, she has also worked as manager of a print shop, for Visiting Nurse Services and for Washington State. In 2005, she graduated with a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and began working at the Career Services Center as Coordinator of Job Search Services in early 2006. She brings both a professional and personal knowledge of career exploration and development that she applies to her work.
Kelley Walker
Information Technology Specialist
Kelley began working at WWU's Career Services Center in 1997. With previous experience at Canon Computer Systems in Orange County, California and the help desk of Mattel in Phoenix, Arizona, the shift from the corporate world to higher education has been a welcome change of scenery. Outside of work, he spends much of his time reading or writing.
Career Center Ambassadors
