Career Speakers 

Every Friday at lunch (all students have the same lunch period), McCallum welcomes professionals and successful business people from the community to tell us about their jobs. During the year, we bring in speakers from a wide range of careers, giving students the opportunity to learn what attributes are needed for specific occupations. These speakers share their on-the-job experiences and the things that most helped them achieve their current position, which may help students identify suitable careers for their futures.

This program is sponsored by AVID and the College/Career Center and is open to all students on campus.

Share your Career Story

If you are interested in being a presenter, please contact Nancy Nitardy. Someone will contact you to confirm the date of your presentation. The presentation will take place on Fridays during lunch in the AVID classroom, Rm. 126. We would like a variety of careers/occupations represented.

Past Speakers
Melinda Taylor, Environmental Law/UT Law Professor

Elise Krentzel, Creative Strategist Marketing and Branding

Jim Whitefield, Psychologist

Paul Salo, Homicide Detective, Travis County Sheriff’s Office

Heather Ramsay, Art Teacher, Museums, Art Administrator, Fine Arts Academy

Eric Peralez, Training Director, Independent Electrician Contractor

Shayne Bennett, Engineer, Manager, Applied Materials

Brian Johnson, Lawyer, Prosecutor

Laura Rea, Internal Auditor     (Accounting/Business)

Lindsey Mosby, VP for Strategy at Frog Design, Global Strategy/Product and Service Design (Creative Strategy Industry)

Jim Walker, Director of Sustainability, University of Texas at Austin

Stuart Kelban, Screenwriting, Dept. of Radioo-TV-Film at UT Austin

David McGriffy, Computer Programmer

Mindy McCarty, American Sign Language (ASL) Teacher and Interpreter

Katherine Lewis, Programmer

David Savage , Wind and Solar Energy, Lawyer at Open Road Renewables

Neil Blumofe, Rabbi Congregation Aguda Achim

Brigid Shea, Travis County Commissioner, Public Servant and Environmentalist

Roy Taylor, Mechanical Engineer

John Logan, Electrical Engineer

Paul Salo, Homicide Detective

Marion Forbes, Pediatrician

Gretchen Crook, Family Physician

Jax Fernandez, Make-Up Artist

Leela Fireside, Lawyer-Government

Jennifer Smith, Realtor

Brandon Faught, Realtor

Denise Davis, Lawyer – Lobbyist

Mary Ann Bonet, Art Educator, Metropolitan Art Museum

Eric Timco, Lawyer/Mortgage Finance

Robert Hernandez, Banker/Financial Consultant

Hope Green, Entrepreneur, Food Truck Austin Grilled Cheese

Gillian Redfearn, Sales/Marketing

Della Mollay Daugherty, Music Therapist, Dell Medical Center

Brooke Anderson, Social Worker, McCallum High School

Meredith Efken (Rose), Writer, Novelist

Rachel Feit, Archeologist, AmaTerra Environmental, Inc.

Anissa Ryland, Director of the non-profit Johnson Center for Child Health and Development

Edmond Sackett, Photojournalism/Visual Communications

Anita Crase, Film/Art Director 7 Interior Design