2011 CISB Career Development Night

2011 CISB Career Development Night

Speaker Biographies

Social Networking and the Job Search

Nicolle Merrill,Assistant Director, MBA Global Programs, UW Global Business Center

Nicole received her BA in French from the University of Oregon and her MA in Culture, Communication and Globalization from Aalborg University, Denmark. She has studied, traveled, interned and worked abroad and been recruited directly from Twitter. She’s keen on helping study abroad alumni figure out the next steps in their international job path.

Professional Development: Your first job: Charting a course for success

Wendy Dang, Marketing Specialist, Bryant Christie, Inc.

Wendyjoined Bryant Christie Inc.'s Seattle office in 2007 as a member of the international marketing and research group. Wendy conducts research and prepares customized reports on international trade and production. She also assists BCI's marketing team with international program evaluations, Unified Export Strategy (UES), and other grant related activities.

Prior to joining BCI, Wendy worked abroad for Grupo PM, a Mexican marketing firm promoting U.S. agricultural associations. After returning from Mexico, Wendy supported international philanthropy groups at williamsworks, a strategic advocacy agency. During her undergraduate education she studied immigration and farming issues in Costa Rica. She has also spoken publicly on behalf of the University of Washington on the importance of overseas experiences including testifying before the Senate Economic Development, Trade & Management Committee.Wendy is a graduate of the University of Washington Business School where she studied Marketing and Entrepreneurship with a Certificate of International Studies in Business. She is fluent in Spanish and spoken Cantonese.

Anna Hon, Strategy Manager, Microsoft

Anna works for Microsoft Corporation as a business strategy and M&A manager in the Microsoft Business Division. Prior to this role, she managed retail pricing strategy for the Windows Business Group. She graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Finance, and a minor in Chinese Studies. Anna currently serves on the regional Board of Directors for the INROADS organization, a non-profit which aims to develop and place talented youth in business and industry and prepare them for corporate and community leadership. As an avid traveler, when Anna is not busy exploring the world, she enjoys cooking, and reading in her spare time.

Global Career Destinations: MBA or Not?

Dan Poston, Assistant Dean for Master’s Programs, Foster School of Business, UW

Dan has been Director of MBA Programs at the Foster School of Business since November 2000. Born in Los Angeles, CA, Dan earned his BA at Stanford University and his JD from Loyola Law School. Dan began law practice with a Los Angeles firm that represented several large Japanese corporations including Nissan, Mitsubishi Electric, and Asahi Glass. Initially, his practice focused on international licensing agreements and immigration law.

For twelve years Dan continued a law practice primarily focused on helping overseas nationals launch businesses in the U.S. and on international contracts related to technology licensing and distribution agreements. Twice during this time Dan left law practice to serve as a senior manager in new ventures launched by Japanese investors. These experiences sparked a continuing interest inbusiness operations and an interest in marketing analysis. Dan launched his own company in international trade in 1985 and sold his interest in the business in 1994.

In 1994, Dan began the MBA program at the University of Oregon. After completing the MBA and doing consulting work in the areas of ISO compliance and international trade agreements, Oregon’s Dean asked Dan to come back to work for the Lundquist College of Business initiating an unexpected career in business education. Dan joined the Lundquist staff as Director of Admissions, Marketing, and Alumni Relations. In 1997 he was promoted to Director of Masters Programs. Dan moved to the University of Washington in January 2000 as Director of MBA Admissions. Promoted to MBA Director and later Assistant Dean, Dan oversees admissions, program operations, employer relations, and career services for the full time and evening MBA programs.