About Us


The Career Center is a division of Student Affairs at the University of Texas at Dallas. As a member of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), our office complies with the Principles for Professional Conduct for Career Services Professionals. In addition, the Career Center and staff maintains memberships in multiple professional organizations.

Career Center Staff

Michael Doty

Director

The field of career services first intrigued Michael as he was going through his own job preparation process during his senior year at Ohio University. He returned to this interest after being sidetracked for several years. Through a networking connection, while completing his Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology, he obtained a position as a Career Counselor with the Vanderbilt Law School Career Center. He then relocated to the Dallas area and pursued an Associate Director position with the UT Dallas Career Center. After serving as the Interim Director, he was appointed to the Director's position in 2005.

Linda Jersin

Associate Director, Employer Relations

Linda Burson-Jersin builds and maintains relationships with professional organizations that provide networking and marketing opportunities with potential employers. She is responsible for employer education and resource; program development; job development across all schools for UT Dallas students. In addition, she is responsible for the counseling and resource development for students and alumni with disabilities. She has extensive experience in counseling, career planning and exploration, program and employment development, advocacy and follow-up. Linda thrives on working with individuals to assist them in discovery of their callings and productive, meaningful work.

Mickey Choate

Associate Director, Career Development

Mickey Choate is the Associate Director of Career Development in the UT Dallas Career Center. He has extensive experience assisting students in identifying their career options. His responsibilities include directing the credit career development classes and career development programs available to students through the Career Center. He also ensures that students get excellent coaching, advice and guidance from the team of career counselors and career program coordinators in the center. Mickey is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a Master of Science degree in Counseling and a Bachelor’s of Science in Counseling from TAMU-Commerce. Prior to coming to UT Dallas in 1988, he served as the Associate Director of Career Services at Texas Christian University and as a Career Counselor with UT Arlington and TAMU-Texarkana.

Heather Johnson Huntley

Associate Director, Internal Operations

Heather is the Associate Director for Internal Operations, managing a variety of programs within the Career Center. She came to UT Dallas in the summer of 2004 as an Internship Coordinator, working primarily with School of Management students. Heather earned an M.S. in Higher Education and an undergraduate degree from Iowa State University. Prior to her position with the UT Dallas Career Center, she worked in various areas of higher education and career services. In addition, Heather has directed a highly successful international internship program in the U.S. and England. She is committed to working effectively with students, faculty and staff, as well as the employers who wish to utilize the Career Center.

Lisa Garza

Assistant Director, Internship Program

Lisa has worked in higher education for over 10 years and joined the UT Dallas Career Center staff in May 2005. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from SUNY Geneseo with minors in Organizational Behavior and Business. She also has a Master of Science in Social Work Degree from UT Arlington. She has been involved here on campus in numerous capacities, with examples including participation in the Richardson Corporate Challenge, membership on Staff Council, Rhetoric 1101 instructor, and volunteering as an Alternative Spring Break Advisor. Lisa enjoys working with college students and helping them to be successful at UT Dallas and beyond.

Maricella Barrera

Internship Coordinator

Maricella is the Internship Coordinator for students in the schools of Arts and Humanities, Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, Interdisciplinary Studies and Natural Science and Mathematics. She has a BA in English Communication Arts and an MA in Communication Studies, both from St. Mary's University in San Antonio. Maricella enjoys helping students with their own internship searches as she knows firsthand how internships can be a valuable learning experience that can shape future career plans.

Karen Baynham

Career Programs Coordinator

As the Career Programs Coordinator, Karen enjoys bringing career development opportunities to UT Dallas students and alumni by facilitating on-campus events with corporate, public, and private sectors. She has experience planning, marketing, and facilitating events in both academic and business environments.  In addition to coordinating career events, she also has experience editing resumes for a variety of majors and a diverse student population.  As an alumna herself, Karen has a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing and a master’s degree in public administration, both from UT Dallas.

Jody Everson

Internship Coordinator

Jody is the Internship Coordinator for UTD School of Management students. A Georgia native, Jody attended The University of Georgia and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree, with a major in public relations. She then moved to Texas to receive a Master of Education degree from the sport management program at The University of Texas at Austin. While at UT Austin, Jody was a career counselor for College of Education undergraduates and helped these students with the internship and job search process. As a graduate student she interned at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, with the Office of Academic Services and Athletics. Jody understands and appreciates the value of an educational internship and enjoys guiding students as they navigate through the process. She joined the UT Dallas Career Center in June 2007.

Elaine White

Student Employment Coordinator

With more than 20 years in corporate training and sales, Elaine joined the Career Center staff in 2002. She utilizes excellent communication and customer service skills to meet the needs of the Career Center's diverse student population. As the Student Employment Coordinator, Elaine manages various programs to ensure the success of the Student Employment Program. She enjoys assisting work-study and non-work-study part-time students to find employment on and off campus.


Kathy Meyer

Career Counselor

Career Counselor with over 5 years of service in the Career Center at UT Dallas. Kathy is an alumni of UT Dallas who graduated in Dec 1982 when our college was still only a graduate school. She had a 10 year career at Texas Instruments as a Business Programmer Analyst and Human Resources Administrator. Kathy went on to earn her Masters of Arts at Amberton University in Counseling in 1994. She completed her practicum and LPC internship hours at Collin County Community College, Eastfield College and Richland in their respective counseling centers and job placement offices. Kathy has been very active at UT Dallas since returning in November 2000. She has served two years on the Alumni Executive Board and many committees related to promoting the Corporate Special Olympics. She currently services on the Staff Council and Gallerstein Women’s Boards and is the Faculty Advisor for the sorority, Alpha Lambda Chi. Kathy brings to her counseling role a dynamic energy that helps motivate students to search for their choice of degree and unique future career opportunities!

Nakoya Moss

Recruiting Coordinator

Nakoya attended the University of Missouri at Columbia and received a BS in Business Administration and a BA in International Studies.  While in undergrad, she was employed with the Business Career services office for two years and she completed a Human Resources Internship with a regional insurance company.  Also, she had the opportunity to intern abroad with a global insurance company and attend the Universidad de Alicante in Alicante, Spain. As Recruiting Coordinator, Nakoya will coordinate on-campus interview scheduling and employer campus visits.  She joined the Career Center at UT Dallas in May 2007. 

Janie Shipman

Career Counselor

Janie is a Licensed Professional Counselor who joined the UT Dallas Career Center staff as a Career Counselor in 2002. She is an experienced career counselor with a passion for empowering students to build and manage their own careers. Janie enjoys the “aha!” moments that come as she assists students and alumni with understanding their career assessments. Her areas of specialty include one-on-one career counseling, resume writing, interviewing, job search strategies and coaching, presenting career-related seminars, and working with student groups to encourage career exploration.

Donna Srader

Career Coach

Donna Srader has experience coaching students and recent graduates through a structured job search process. She is a credentialed Associate Certified Coach by the International Coach Federation and a member of Career Masters Institute.  Donna earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Texas Tech University. As a member of the first cohort to complete the University of Texas at Dallas Executive and Professional Coaching certification program, Donna has worked with other professional and career coaches and gained in-depth knowledge of the coaching process.   She enjoys collaborating with university students and alumni and loves the opportunity to demonstrate just how their experiences, skills, abilities, and knowledge can translate into an exceptional position to achieve their personal career goals.

Regina James-Dorsey

Resume Editor

Regina James-Dorsey joined the UT Dallas Career Center Staff in October 2008. She developed a passion for working with college students while interning for the Career Services Office at Southern Methodist University (SMU). After obtaining her Bachelor of Business Administration from SMU in 2002, she continued to work in Career Services, and later in Undergraduate and MBA Admissions. Regina believes that the way students can give themselves the competitive advantage in the job search or during the graduate school search process is by preparing and researching early. She strongly encourages all students to utilize the UT Dallas Career Center programs and services.

Esther Watkins

Technology Coordinator

Esther Watkins joined the Career Center staff at UT Dallas in 2006 after previously working as a Quality Assurance Engineer for 8 years. As Technology Coordinator she manages the technical activities of the Career Center, which include website management and technical support. She currently serves as one of the Technology Liaisons on campus. Esther holds a Bachelor's Degree in Arts and Science from Indiana University.

Darlene Coppage

Administrative Assistant II

Darlene Coppage joined the Career Center staff in November of 2001. Having worked for a major international trade association for 21 years as their manager/coordinator of five international awards programs, she decided to switch to a calmer environment that would allow her more time with her family. Darlene began as the Career Center’s Front Desk Receptionist; she then moved into the position of Administrative Assistant in September, 2002. Her responsibilities include assisting the department Director with the maintenance of budget and financial records; processing payroll and human resources documents; new employee orientation; equipment and supply maintenance; department travel arrangements; as well as many other related projects. Darlene has two daughters, one of whom is a UT Dallas alumnus who also works on campus as an Academic Advisor to graduate students in the School of Management.

Linda Johnson

Secretary III

Linda Johnson joined the Career Center staff in 2000. Her duties include posting employment opportunities, assisting students and employers with services, and management of the front desk operations.

Fannae Shields

Secretary

Fannae Shields has been on the Career Center staff since 2001 as a Secretary II with the Internship Program. Her primary duties include data input and maintaining seminar handout material. Once listed in Who’s Who’s Native American Women In The United States, she has previously worked with the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, the State of Oklahoma Governor’s Office, the Indian Affairs Commission Oklahoma, and American Airlines. In addition to computer skills, Fannae is also skilled in American Sign Language and Speech Reading.

Emily Schmehl

Administrative Assistant I

Emily joined the UT Dallas Career Center staff as an Administrative Assistant in June of 2008. She was born and raised in the Dallas area, and is an alumna of the University of North Texas, where she earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Oboe Performance. Emily has previously worked as an Administrative Assistant at a non-profit organization, and she has also taught music at all levels, from kindergarten to high school students. She is currently pursuing a dual Master's degree program in Counseling and Development and Music Therapy at Texas Woman's University. Emily's duties in the Career Center include supervising the Career Center Student Employees, overseeing the hiring process for students in Community Service Work-Study positions, managing the event calendars, and assisting with various other administrative projects, reports, and special events. Emily is excited to be a part of the UT Dallas community and to be able to serve students and alumni throughout the career development process. 

Career Center Student Employees

Anya Orlova
Hector Ruiz
Jeremy Wright
Laura Gonzalez
Erica Muhammad
 

Other Campus Career Partners

School of Management - Career Management Center

Judy Guyer, Director

Kenneth Sharp, Assistant Director

Lucretia Ensminger, Program Coordinator

Gaby Perkowski, Administrative Assistant

Erik Jonsson School of Engineering & Computer Science - IPP

Jerry Alexander, Assistant Dean

John Roberts, Program Coordinator

Mary Ann Stewart, Program Coordinator

Becky Ramirez, Secretary III

Page last updated on December 15, 2008.