Every spring, Menlo College’s Career Connect Day brings together students, alumni, and industry professionals for a day of networking and career exploration. With no classes held that day, students can focus entirely on their career development. Students will hear from industry experts on topics like navigating the job search and leveraging AI, followed by a Career Fair connecting them with employers offering internships, part-time, and full-time opportunities.
Career Connect Day is the perfect chance to gain new skills, make connections, and advance your career journey.
SAVE THE DATE for March 11th!
In this interactive workshop, students will learn how to use AI to support every stage of their job search- from identifying roles that align with their skills and values to strengthening resumes, cover letters, and interview preparation. Participants will practice using AI prompts in real time and leave with a curated prompt guide to continue refining their job search strategy.
Kaela Quinto is an HR professional with a passion for developing people and fostering organizational growth. She currently serves as a Talent Development Coordinator at Stanford University, where she designs and delivers training programs that enhance leadership effectiveness, employee engagement, and professional development across her department. Beyond her HR work at Stanford, Kaela is the founder of Nova Career Coaching, a coaching practice dedicated to empowering first-generation, early-career professionals to navigate their career journeys with confidence. Through personalized coaching and strategic guidance, she helps clients strengthen their professional branding, job search strategies, and leadership skills to achieve meaningful career growth. Kaela received her B.S. in Business Management at Santa Clara University and holds multiple certifications, including SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), Senior Professional Career Coach (SPCC), and Certified HR Generalist.
AI can handle data, automate tasks, and even make predictions—but it can’t replace real human connection. This workshop focuses on the skills that truly matter: de-escalating tough situations, building trust, and creating authentic relationships with clients. In a world of AI, these human skills are what set us apart.
Timmy Duong is an experienced Account Manager with a diverse background spanning SaaS, hardware, and consumer packaged goods (CPG). He takes a relationship-first approach to sales and account management, focused on building long-term, results-driven partnerships with both national and local clients. Timmy has a strong track record of driving revenue growth by owning the full sales lifecycle—from prospecting and onboarding to cost negotiation, renewals, and account expansion. He specializes in growing and retaining accounts through strategic up-selling and cross-selling initiatives, while leveraging data and insights to identify opportunities, anticipate customer needs, and deliver solutions aligned with business objectives. Known for his collaborative, consultative sales style, Timmy works closely with customers and internal teams to navigate pricing, supply chain logistics, and operational challenges. His cross-industry experience enables him to connect technology, operations, and CPG insights to close deals, expand relationships, and deliver sustainable, long-term value.
Level up your professional game with practical, career-ready skills tailored to the nonprofit and tech worlds. In this final session, you’ll learn strategies for communication, collaboration, and standing out in fast-moving, mission-driven environments. Walk away with tools you can apply immediately to your next role or internship.
Steph Valenzuela is a people-first professional with a career spanning mental health, recruiting, nonprofits, and high-growth tech. She began her career as a mental health counselor, where she developed a deep understanding of human behavior, motivation, and resilience skills that continue to shape her work today. Stephanie has since spent 6 years in the tech industry as a recruiter and talent partner, helping organizations build strong, mission-driven teams while guiding candidates through pivotal career transitions. With a background in psychology and hands-on experience across startups and nonprofits, Steph is passionate about helping students navigate nonlinear career paths, advocate for themselves, and build careers aligned with their values. Outside of work, she loves traveling, yoga, hiking, and spending time with her pup, Santo. She brings a grounded, relatable perspective to career conversations one rooted in curiosity, growth, and real-world experience.
By bringing together founders and VCs in one conversation, students will gain practical insights into both sides of the investment process, including how to pitch ideas, recognize high-potential opportunities, and understand what makes a startup compelling to investors.
Chinara Askerzade is an early-stage investor and founder. A former investment banker who has raised millions for high-growth startups, she currently runs PocketVC, a Palo Alto-based venture studio focused on seed-stage investing. At PocketVC, she acts as a co-builder, actively co-founding and co-launching companies alongside talented entrepreneurs. In parallel, Chinara leads the Future Makers Foundation, an organization dedicated to bridging the gap between the classroom and real-world projects. Through the foundation, she organizes hackathons and project-based learning initiatives, providing students with the hands-on experience necessary to succeed in the digital world.
In an AI-driven world, the most resilient careers aren’t built on a single industry or technical skill, but on human judgment, adaptability, and purpose. In this session, Holly Roland, founder of Rebel GTM and AI instructor at Stanford, shares how she built a cross-industry career by pairing emerging technology with distinctly human strengths. Students will leave inspired to design future-ready careers that use AI to expand impact, not limit possibility.
Holly Roland is the founder of Rebel GTM, a go-to-market advisory focused on helping organizations grow with AI-powered strategy. She is an instructor at Stanford University, where she teaches applied AI for business leaders, and has built a career spanning marketing, technology, and entrepreneurship across multiple industries. Holly is known for helping non-technical leaders harness AI to drive impact, adaptability, and purpose-driven innovation.
Blending genuine human connection with thoughtful technology, this approach uses technology that supports stigma free mental wellness care.
Irem Choksy is the Executive Director of Think Hopeful Inc., an organization that provides 24/7/365 mental wellness support through an innovative, technology-enabled platform. Think Hopeful offers one-on-one support, support groups, and anonymous community spaces designed to reduce stigma and improve access to mental wellness care. Irem is a licensed mental health therapist and a UC Berkeley alumna with over 15 years of experience in the mental health field. She has previously served as both a Clinical Director and Program Director in residential treatment settings. In addition to leading Think Hopeful, Irem is a frequent speaker and facilitator who has led mental health trainings and workshops for colleges, nonprofits, and community organizations across California.
I’m excited about the chance to share my perspective after building alongside over 100+ AI companies since the February 2025 of, who are redefining the future. The way companies are being built, operated, and scaled is shifting rapidly, and these lean vertical AI teams are rewriting the rules in real-time. I’ll break down our perspective on what this new model means for founders, enterprises, and investors, and why capital efficiency, combined with a deep vertical focus, is becoming the winning formula for 2026 and beyond.
Hans Sandhu is the Chief Business Officer at TheAgentic, where he leads the go-to-market and business strategy. He oversees the company’s Launchpad program and collaborates directly with organizations to help AI companies transition from idea to revenue, utilizing a global team of over 100 AI engineers in customer delivery and research and development. A native of Silicon Valley, Hans has spent more than a decade in foundational go-to-market roles at venture capital-backed startups and high-growth SaaS companies. He has a proven track record of building repeatable sales engines, entering new markets, and driving millions in annual recurring revenue (ARR) from the Series A stage through to acquisition. His career is defined by a core belief: it is not technology that wins, but execution. Hans possesses a unique operator’s perspective on AI, blending a deep understanding of large language models (LLMs), agentic architectures, and vertical AI with practical experience in capital efficiency, enterprise adoption, and commercialization. He is also an active angel investor and limited partner in the venture capital ecosystem. As a keynote speaker, Hans provides candid insights into what truly works in AI, how to avoid overbuilt organizations, validate real demand, and construct vertical AI companies that scale from demonstrations into sustainable, revenue-generating businesses.
To prepare for the age of AI, this session offers practical tools to leverage your background and cultivate an “operator mindset” essential for career success. You will learn how to bridge the gap between academic theory and corporate execution by mastering universal professional skills, including process optimization, cross-functional communication, and strategic project management.
Anjanei Dhayalan is a Life Sciences professional with eight years of experience bridging technical innovation and operational strategy. His expertise spans DNA/RNA oligonucleotide synthesis, LNP gene delivery, and GMP process engineering, alongside regulatory, compliance, market analysis, and due diligence. A strong proponent of the scientific method, Anjanei is passionate about the cell and gene, health tech, and technology sectors. He specializes in high-impact cross-functional roles, and is known for his ability to shorten learning curves and translate complex challenges into viable solutions. Anjanei is dedicated to driving efficiency and bringing fresh, innovative perspectives to the ever-changing biotechnology landscape.
What is fine dining etiquette? Dining etiquette is more than just table manners; it’s also the proper use of tools.
Anita Roshannahad holds a degree in Business Economics from Shiraz University and has served as the Community & Business Development Professional at Star One Credit Union since 2018. In her role, she elevates the organization’s profile, advances financial empowerment initiatives, and cultivates influential partnerships throughout the corporate and community sectors. She currently serves as a member of the Financial Review Committee for the Star One Community Involvement Committee, is a board member of the Lockheed Martin Leadership Association, and is a 2025 Leadership Palo Alto graduate. Anita is also a Certified Business Development Professional (CBDP). Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and exploring new cuisines.
Foundation of Financial Wellness: Financial wellness is built through everyday habits that support stability, confidence, and resilience.
Rashad Wiley is a Community and Business Development professional at Star One Credit Union, where he has contributed since 2018. He focuses on strengthening brand visibility, expanding financial wellness initiatives, and cultivating partnerships across the corporate and community landscape. Rashad earned his B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from San José State University. During his time at SJSU, he was actively involved with the Center for Banking and Financial Services, the Banking and Investment Association, and the Financial Management Association. He currently serves as President of the SJSU Alumni Association Board of Directors, Treasurer of the SJSU Black Alumni Network, and Vice President of Community Services for the Lockheed Martin Leadership Association. Beyond his professional and leadership roles, Rashad is a committed health equity advocate and an active CERT volunteer. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling and exploring the natural beauty of California.
