Career Advancement Center: Staff
The Career Services Office has professional staff to assist you. Please use the contact information below or visit our office in Buchanan Hall room 110.
Career Advancement Center Staff
Lisa Hinkley, director of career services in the Career Advancement Center, leads the career services team and supports students throughout their development. She earned her Master of Arts in Student Affairs Administration from Michigan State University and Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a minor in Speech Communication from Bradley University.She spent six years as the Field Career Consultant for the College of Communication Arts and Sciences at Michigan State University, managing career services delivery for 3600 students. As an instructor, she taught career decision- making, job search strategies, goal-setting and leadership development.
Lisa enjoys learning new things – from rock climbing to digital scrapbooking.
Genevra Gallo - Bayiates
Assistant Director of Career Services
gallobayiates @lakeforest.edu
847-735-5235
Genevra Gallo-Bayiates offers career exploration and major selection assistance, academic and personal advising, and assessments in her work as Assistant Director in the Career Advancement Center. She earned an M.S.Ed. in Educational Psychology with a specialization in School Counseling from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a B.F.A. in Theater Studies with a specialization in Choreography from Boston University.
Prior to joining the team at Lake Forest College, Genevra spent a year providing academic and career advising to students at Elgin Community College. She also worked for two years as a graduate assistant in the Career Services department at SIUC and spent a year in a specialized fellowship enabling her to intern in two separate public schools as a member of the professional counseling staff.
She is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and holds membership in the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the National Career Development Association (NCDA), Genevra enjoys traveling, cooking, writing, dancing, and spending time with her family.
Laura Matthews serves as the Internship & Alumni Programs Coordinator where she manages the year-long and short term mentoring opportunities for students as well as advising students pursuing internships. She also works to develop programming to help students develop as professionals and connect their liberal arts experience to the world of work.
Prior to her position at Lake Forest College, Laura worked as a business development associate for Kemper Sports Management, a management and marketing company in Northbrook. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management with minors in Business Administration and Communications from the University of Dayton.
Laura also serves as an assistant coach for the Lake Forest College softball team where she helps with all areas of coaching. She loves traveling, sports, working out and spending time with friends and family.
Azra Salihovic
Outreach & Employer Relations Coordinator
salihovic@lakeforest.edu
847-735-5235
Azra Salihovic graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Political Science and German and is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Her prior work experience includes working as a Recruiting Assistant at Michigan State University Career Services, where she built relations with employers and helped launch SpartanLinks, an online program using LinkedIn to connect students to alumni and recruiters in their interested career fields.
Azra also served as an AmeriCorps member at the American Red Cross, Mid-Michigan Chapter, where she developed outreach programs for the Measles Initiative and Disaster Services.
Azra is originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina and speaks three languages fluently.
Melinda Pudlo graduated from Benedictine University with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition. She obtained her MBA from Dominican University. After working in the corporate world for many years, in various positions of administration, account management, and marketing, Melinda joined Lake Forest College in the fall of 2005 as the Career Advancement Center’s Department Assistant.
Melinda’s role is to assist the Career Advancement Center’s staff, Lake Forest College students, and faculty with the events and activities sponsored by the Career Advancement Center.
She lives in Grayslake, IL with her family, which consists of her husband, two sons, and dog. Melinda enjoys working out, reading, traveling and mostly spending time with her family and friends.
Community Career Coaches
Kate Jackson
jackson@lakeforest.edu
847-735-5235
Kate Jackson spent her career working as a consultant with Accenture and Deloitte. Her projects included Fortune 500 media, insurance, finance, and manufacturing companies where she worked across marketing, communications, supply chain, and sales.
Kate received her BA & MA from The University of Chicago and her MBA from The UCLA Anderson School of Management. As a student, she interned for a variety of companies to determine her career path: The Chicago Public Schools, WTTW-11, The Jerry Springer Show, Black & Decker, and the JPMorgan Private Bank in New York. Kate is active in a number of local organizations. She serves on the Gala Committee and the Marketing Committee of the Board of Trustees for The John G. Shedd Aquarium.
Joe Chmura
chmura@lakeforest.edu
847-735-5235
Joe Chmura graduated from Niagara University with a degree in Business Administration and has broad experience as a Human Resource executive and business leader. His career ranges from medical and pharmaceuticals sales to a variety of roles in Human Resources including senior executive positions at Baxter Healthcare and Follett Library Resources.
Throughout his career he has worked with students at a variety of Universities creating unique intern and rotation opportunities, which resulted in rewarding careers. He has also worked to support the continuing mission and growth of Chicago schools including Hales Franciscan High School. Joe has also served on the Board of Directors of the Lake County Workforce Investment Board and the McHenry County Workforce Investment Board, where he served as the Vice Chair.
Mission Statement
The Career Advancement Center at Lake Forest College helps students and alumni define and realize their career goals through:
- Fostering an environment in which individuals make independent and ethical career-related decisions.
- Delivering comprehensive and individualized career counseling and resources for students and alumni.
- Developing long lasting collaborative relationships with employers, staff, faculty, and alumni volunteers.
- Preparing students with the skills to be successful throughout their changing careers.
- Educating students and alumni that career exploration is a lifelong process.
