Professional Development Week

Deborah Brooks ’81, co-founder and CEO of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, embraced the unexpected opportunities that came her way, building a career across finance, philanthropy and biomedical research. She didn’t wait for the “right time” to make a move — she stayed true to her values and made bold, strategic decisions when others may have hesitated. In this fireside chat moderated by Darpan Kapadia ’95, COO of LS Power and chair of the W&M Foundation Board, Brooks will share how she found courage and led with optimism and curiosity to build a career she loves. You'll leave with practical questions to assess your readiness for change and actions you can take to be courageous in the face of ambiguity.

Keynote Speaker: Deborah Brooks ’81 (The Michael J. Fox Foundation)
Moderator: Darpan Kapadia ’95 (LS Power, W&M Foundation Board Chair)

Feedback is key to career progression if you seek it, shape it and use it strategically. Hear how four leaders at different career stages, from student to executive, turn feedback into a competitive advantage. You’ll hear examples of three critical scenarios: redirecting a peer who’s off track, coaching a struggling direct report and delivering upward feedback that actually lands. Walk away with the confidence to initiate feedback conversations that most people avoid.

Panelists: Christian Chisolm ’18, M.B.A. ’24 (JPMorgan Chase & Co., W&M Alumni Association Board), Lindsay Wilson ’25 (W&M Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) and Ryan Wood (HRDP & Jefferson Lab, W&M Employer Advisory Board)
Moderator: Roxane Adler Hickey M.Ed. ’02, Ed.D. ’23 (William & Mary)
In Partnership With: W&M Washington Center; W&M Athletics; Raymond A. Mason School of Business

You don’t have to quit your job to test a business idea. You just need a plan. Join three alumni who launched successful side ventures while keeping full-time roles. They will break down the real math: hours required, startup costs, when to tell your employer and when not to, and the financial benchmarks for scaling. You will leave with a clear roadmap, an ethics checklist to protect your day job and candid advice on knowing if or when to go full time.

Panelists: Chelsea Mandello M.B.A. ’21 (Troopster), Maybelline Sak ’07, M.B.A. '14 (ADV)
Moderator: Graham Henshaw (William & Mary)
In Partnership With: Entrepreneurship Hub; Raymond A. Mason School of Business

Most entrepreneurs spend months building something nobody wants. This workshop will save you from that mistake. Dustin Dunbar ’09, a venture capital partner who evaluates hundreds of startups annually, will teach you how to validate market needs. You’ll learn how to run customer discovery interviews that reveal real pain points, build a minimum viable prototype in days (not months) and identify the 3-5 advisors who can accelerate your timeline. The session includes practical advice you can use immediately, whether you have a concrete idea or are just exploring possibilities.

Speaker: Dustin Dunbar ’09 (Virginia Venture Partners)

Career advice often skips the uncomfortable part: Big moves come with real tradeoffs. Time with family. Personal energy. Sense of identity. Sometimes all three. This panel doesn’t sugarcoat it. Three alumni who made significant career moves will share what they actually gave up, how they weighed their decisions, what they wish they’d known and how they navigated conversations with family members who had different risk tolerances. You’ll hear the practical realities of career pivots and leave with strategies for balancing ambition with life priorities.

Panelists: Col. Alicia Burrows M.B.A. ’12 (U.S. Army), Catherine Carr ’91 (Vitamin C Creative), Catherine Casalino ’03 (Casalino Design)
Moderator: Kathleen Jabs (W&M Military & Veteran Affairs)
In Partnership With: W&M Military & Veteran Affairs; Society of 1918; Raymond A. Mason School of Business

You sent the wrong file to a client. You missed a critical deadline. You said something in a meeting you can’t take back. Now what? Everyone makes mistakes, but do you know how to manage the recovery without over-apologizing or pretending nothing happened? Both approaches can damage credibility. This workshop teaches a third way: structured recovery that actually rebuilds trust. Rick Gressard, W&M ombuds, will walk you through a repair conversation model, root-cause analysis that prevents repeat mistakes and team recovery protocols when the mistake affects multiple people. You’ll walk through real scenarios and have the chance to ask questions about situations you’ve faced.

Speaker: Rick Gressard (W&M Ombuds)
In Partnership With: W&M Ombuds

Want to make a career shift but feel financially boxed in? Whether you’re considering a new industry, launching something on the side or taking a pay cut for mission-driven work, your confidence often comes down to one thing: cash-flow stability. Steve Heinzman M.B.A. ’88, founder of the financial coaching nonprofit RedSky Money, will walk you through a practical, coaching-style framework to create “career runway.” You’ll learn how to right-size an emergency fund, choose a debt-paydown approach that aligns with your money management style and build a savings system that funds real goals without guesswork. This isn’t about getting rich. It’s about building enough financial breathing room to say yes to the right opportunity.

Presented by: Steve Heinzman M.B.A. ’88 (Red Sky Money)
In Partnership With: Raymond A. Mason School of Business

You’re underpaid. You deserve a promotion. Or you froze during an offer negotiation. Avoiding these conversations can cost thousands every year. MacGregor Gould ’93, M.B.A. ’99, P ’27 and Cristie Lucas ’99 will teach the strategies that work: how to start a salary conversation, what data to bring, how to handle objections like “it’s not in the budget” and how to evaluate complex offers using a decision matrix that balances salary, title, flexibility and growth potential. You’ll ask questions, get feedback and leave confident to negotiate in the real world.

Speakers: MacGregor Gould ’93, M.B.A. ’99, P ’27 (Stratus Building Solutions), Cristie Lucas  ’99 (Former Chief People Officer)

As artificial intelligence reshapes industries and career paths, the skills developed through a liberal arts and sciences education have become more valuable than ever. Join us for a dynamic conversation on how AI is transforming the workplace and why the skills cultivated at William & Mary — critical thinking, ethical reasoning, communication and adaptability - remain essential for building a meaningful career. Our panelists explore how William & Mary graduates can leverage their strengths to thrive in an AI-driven economy and how the Alma Mater of the Nation is preparing students through thoughtful leadership and human-centered innovation.

Speakers: Alisa Yang  ’25 (Pikpop, Co-author of AI: The Magic Box), Dean Douglas Schmidt  ’84, M.A. ’86 (Dean, School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics), Elaine Turville  ’96 (Accenture Federal Services) 
Moderator: Kathleen Powell (W&M Chief Career Officer, Office of Career Development & Professional Engagement)
In Partnership With: W&M School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics