Career Conversations Panel Series:
Discovering Careers in Political Science, Public Policy & Administration
Thursday, October 20, 2011
4:30–6:30 pm
Founders Assembly Hall
In partnership with the Centre for Student Success, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies.
Sponsored by York University Alumni Relations.
(you must sign up for an account on the system before you will be able to register for any events).
About the Event
Interested in a career in Political Science, Public Policy & Administration? Want to meet York Alumni and other professionals working in the field?
Connect with professionals currently enjoying careers in Political Science, Public Policy & Administration and get the inside scoop on what it's really like to work in this field. During this panel professionals will share their personal stories about breaking into the field, how their career paths took them from graduation to where they are now, what knowledge, skills and experience helped them succeed in their jobs and what types of opportunities are available in the field. The panel will be moderated by one of the Career Centre's team members and followed by an open forum where students will have an opportunity to ask the panelists their own questions.
Participating Panelists
Frank Belluardo
Government of Ontario
Alumnus: MA Public Policy and Administration, York University, 2010
Frank's time at York as a superbly active student leader helped ignite a fire for assisting the broader community, eventually leading him into the realm of the public policy cycle. Over the years, Frank has worked in all sides of the public policy cycle - in politics (as an advisor to various MPs and an MPP), in government relations (in industry association), and presently with the civil service (with the Ontario government). Frank also sits on the York Alumni Association's Alumni Chapters Committee, is an active student mentor, and is a Fellow of Vanier College. He is always ready to help students and lend a helping hand in their lives.
Kathy Buckworth
Writer, media spokesperson, www.kathybuckworth.com
Alumna: BA Political Science, York University, 1984
Kathy Buckworth is the author of five books and a feature writer for Sympatico.ca, as well as Parenting Correspondent for CTVNewsChannel, and a professional public speaker. Kathy is the only two time winner of the Professional Writers Association of Canada Award for Excellence in Humour, and the 2010 recipient of the Mississauga Arts Award for Established Literary Arts. She is a corporate/media spokesperson/social media consultant for many large corporate clients.
Bruce Gardham
Senior Librarian, Toronto Public Health
Alumnus: BA Political Science, York University, 1982
My current position is as a Senior Librarian at the Toronto Public Health Library with the City Of Toronto. I've previously held roles as a Policy Resource Librarian and Policy Information Exchange Manager at the Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH) within the University of Missouri at Columbia School of Medicine, respectively. Previously, I have worked for Canadian Mental Health Association (ON) and as a Government Documents Librarian at Calgary Public Library. The most interesting aspect of my career has been the ability to use my Political Science background in a variety of settings that deal with health and social policy.
Dimitri Markoulakis
Counsel, Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General
Alumnus: BA Public Policy and Administration, York University, 2003
When I first started at York University, I wasn't sure what I wanted to accomplish. The faculty at York were very engaging and helped me realize where my interests lie, encouraged me to study further, and to pursue my goals, and today I have a very satisfying career as a lawyer working in the public sector.
Luisa Natarelli
Senior Planner, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
Alumna: BA Mass Communications & Political Science, York University
Luisa Natarelli is a graduate of York University with an Honours BA in Mass Communications with a minor in Political Science. She is also a Project Management Professional and certified in adult education. She has worked in government since graduation, initially with the Ontario Public Service, but has spent most of her career with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. She is currently a Senior Planner in the Strategic Planning Division, contributing timely information, analysis, recommendations and options in support of strategic business planning. Prior to this, she was a Senior Prevention Program Specialist, collaborating on or leading the development of initiatives and materials aimed at raising awareness and understanding of workplace health and safety, including a national and international award-winning e-learning course. Luisa also worked in the Operation Division at WSIB, initially as a claims eligibility adjudicator and later as a senior case manager, responsible primarily for determining entitlement to temporary and permanent wage loss benefits. She has two daughters, one a student here at York and the other in high school.
