CoLA Career Week with Alumni will take place October 19th-23rd. This year, we have 10 alumni from across our majors who will give talks about their careers, and how their College of Liberal Arts degree helped to provide the foundation for their current positions. Talks are paired with certain CoLA classes, and they are also open to ALL SIU students, faculty, and staff. Some talks are in-person, and others are virtual. Meeting links for virtual talks, and locations for in-person talks, are listed below. Students can also register for talks that they plan to attend (doing so will create reminder emails about the talks, and will include meeting locations through email). *Registration Links only work for SIU students.
Career Info/Bio: Leads HR and people strategy across Kraft Heinz’s multi-site Away From Home manufacturing network. Partners with operations leaders to shape organizational strategy, strengthen culture, develop talent, and drive performance. Leverages the power of communication and storytelling to influence, connect people to purpose, and turn people strategy into business results.
Career Info/Bio: As a Senior Account Manager, Carole-Ann works with C-suite leaders at Fortune 500 companies, helping them connect with business analysts and research to make smarter, informed decisions for their business. Responsible for account strategy across technology provider clients, she holds sales quota and is responsible for renewing and expanding existing client relationships as a trusted partner.
Executive Director of Community Relations and University Events
Monday, October 19
Degree(s):
Career Info/Bio: Sarah Vanvooren is Executive Director of Community Relations and University Events at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. An SIU alumna with more than 15 years of higher education experience, she leads major university events and initiatives connecting SIU with the broader community. Her work has included commencement, conferences and nationally recognized events such as SIU’s 2024 Total Solar Eclipse celebration.
Deputy Executive Director of the Glenview Park District
Monday, October 19
Degree(s):
Career Info/Bio: Johnathan Kiwala is Deputy Executive Director of the Glenview Park District, bringing a strong background in information technology, public finance, and organizational leadership. An expert in applying artificial intelligence in local government, he leads initiatives that improve financial reporting, automate workflows, and strengthen decision-making through responsible AI implementation. At age 26, he became the first Executive Director of the Kenilworth Park District, helping build the agency from the ground up and leading its growth for more than a decade. His career combines public service, financial stewardship, and practical innovation to better serve communities.
Career Info/Bio: Consultant specializing in executive communications, public affairs campaigns, and corporate strategic initiatives. Scopes project needs, allocates and monitors resources, and delivers desired outcomes. Serves as a liaison with key project stakeholders. Clients typically include business executives, public officials, and community advocates.
Career Info/Bio: As a dispatcher with Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Ian fields emergency calls for services, dispatches officers, and handles sensitive CJIS (Criminal Justice Information Systems) data on a daily basis. In October 2025 Ian authored and published issue 1 of the Wanderers comic series through his self-owned imprint Cthulhuville Publications.
Employer: Jackson County, MO Sheriff's Office | Cthulhuville Publications
Career Info/Bio: Savannah is a brand and content strategist at CVS Health, where she works across digital, product, and brand marketing. A proud SIUC alumna (2020), she began her communication career in the banking and fintech industries before earning her M.S. in Communication Information from the University of Tennessee. Her work focuses on connecting data, creativity, and strategy to tell stories that deliver measurable results and feels genuinely human.
