Career Coaches

Courtney is the Senior Director for Career Coaching and coaches the Flex MBA students.  Courtney works with all the Rady Career Coaches to best prepare our students for their own career management and development.  Prior to joining Rady, Courtney worked in law school career services for 17 years after spending 7 years in the practice of law in San Diego.  As a long-time career coach to law students and lawyers, she managed all aspects of the career services at California Western School of Law.  Along with career coaching, she led and oversaw the office and employer development, professional development, student and alumni programming, placement reporting and the solo practice incubator program.  As an attorney, Courtney practiced both civil litigation and transactional law, working in small and medium size private law firms in business, real estate, finance, construction and professional malpractice. Courtney holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honors from University of California, Santa Barbara and a Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law.  She also is a California licensed attorney.

Kathy is an Associate Director and Career Coach for the MPAc students at Rady. She has worked in higher education career services for more than 15 years. Kathy has advised business and tech students on their career management journey through workshop presentations, teaching career courses, and individual coaching. Through her work with the Career Services Center, and Rady’s Career Management Center at UC San Diego she has supported alumni, undergraduate, specialized masters, and MBA students. Prior to joining Rady’s career team, Kathy supported business students and employers at Fowler College of Business – San Diego State University, including managing accounting recruitment. Kathy holds a B.A. in Public Affairs from Well College – NY, a M.A. in Counseling from the University of San Diego, and is certified in Gallup Strengths and MBTI.

Bianca is an Associate Director and Career Coach for the MQF program. Through her experience working in middle and high school admissions and university counseling in Beijing, China, Bianca gained invaluable knowledge and skills that propelled her to pursue further education in higher education leadership and student development. She has provided personalized advising and programming to international undergraduate and graduate students on topics ranging from academic success, getting involved on campus, to job hunting in the U.S. In her current role, Bianca wholeheartedly and collaboratively supports students on their career management journey. Bianca holds a Bachelor of Social Science in Sociology from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Master or Arts in Higher Education Leadership from the University of San Diego.

Nelitza is the Associate Director, Career Coach for MSBA. Nelitza joined Rady in October 2022 and works with Full-time and Flex MSBA students throughout their career development pathway while at Rady. Before joining Rady, Nelitza worked with various clients on their career development while also supporting students in their education. Most recently, Nelitza worked with students who were upskilling their career goals in Software Engineering via an immersive tech boot camp with General Assembly. Nelitza taught Outcomes-a class focusing on preparing students on transitioning into the tech industry. Other experience includes serving as the Interim Director/Program Advisor for TRIO Achievers SSS at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Nelitza worked directly with first-generation, international, and veteran students to support their educational success by overseeing and developing educational pathways, professional development, graduate/professional school exploration, and personal health and well-being. Nelitza holds a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development from California State University, Long Beach, and a Master of Science in Higher Educational Counseling and Student Affairs.

Michelle is the Associate Director, Career Coach for the FT MBA program at Rady. She brings nearly two decades of impactful leadership in higher education and career development, including having served as the Director of Career and Professional Development at Texas A&M University-Central Texas and the Director of Graduate Student Services and Initiatives at the University of Missouri, College of Education. Her extensive experience includes working with diverse populations, such as undergraduate and graduate students, veterans, international students, and student-athletes. Her coaching focuses on guiding and empowering students to develop their skills and achieve their professional goals. Michelle’s transformative leadership style and unwavering commitment to excellence have significantly enhanced student engagement and advanced graduate student services. She holds a Master of Arts in Family and Community Services and a Master of Arts in Youth Development, both from the University of Missouri, and a Master of Public Administration in Community Wellness and Leisure Services from Southeast Missouri State University. Michelle is also a Certified Empowerment and Motivational Professional and a certified Gallup Strengths Coach, underscoring her dedication to personal and professional development.

Jane Trnka is a Career Coach working with MFin and MSBA students. She encourages success for students while they prepare for and conduct their internship and job searches. Jane provides job strategy coaching and resume reviews, conducts mock interviews, and facilitates workshops so students are well-prepared to connect and engage with employers. Prior to joining Rady, Jane was the Executive Director for Student Success at the Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College in Winter Park, FL. She was a Human Resources professional before Crummer and worked with diverse organizations as a leader, trainer, facilitator and human resources consultant. Jane’s experience covers the academic, private, public, for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. Industries include manufacturing and distribution, travel, telecommunications, insurance, and consulting. Jane earned her MBA from Crummer and her BS in Public Administration from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. She has a Certificate in Human Resources Management from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA as well as her SPHR designation from HRCI.