Ahmadi, Johnson and Lee share career paths with students

Alums Mojan Ahmadi, Gretchen Johnson and Daniel Lee recently met with IAS seniors share how they’ve utilized their degrees, navigated job searches, and found success. IAS is grateful for their service of our alumni mentors, who provide an important perspective on the value of interdisciplinary education in the workforce.

As Advisor of Career and Alumni Development at DigiPen Institute of Technology, Mojan Ahmadi (’13, Law, Economics & Public Policy; ’15, MA in Policy Studies) advises students and facilitates professional development opportunities in the video game, entertainment, and technology industry. DigiPen is a private university that offers bachelor and master degree programs, as well K-12 programs. Prior to DigiPen, Ahmadi worked at UW Bothell Career Services where she focused on career preparation for graduate students. Her masters’ thesis, "Emerging Practices of University Career Centers" examined which mechanisms are most effective in preparing students for the job world and avoiding underemployment.

Gretchen Johnson (’11, Global Studies) is the Volunteer Coordinator at 21 Acres Center for Local Food & Sustainable Living where she recruits, trains, and coordinates volunteers in sustainable agriculture practices. She first connected with 21 Acres as a student through a community-based learning and research course and has been hooked ever since. Johnson is passionate about farming, growing food, and anything involving nutrition.

Daniel Lee (’17, Community Psychology) is Senior User Experience Researcher at Expedia Group where he works with a mobile app team testing new prototypes. This fall, he begins a master’s program in Human-Centered Design and Engineering at UW Seattle. Lee began his career in computer systems while in the U.S. Air Force, and at one time, managed over 500 network servers across his base. After serving, Lee spent nine years managing a usability lab at Microsoft, which cemented his passion for user research and design.