2024 NOW Conference Presenters

Derek Coates (he/him)

Manager, Program Access Compliance

Derek Coates is the campus Manager of Disability Program Access and lead on the campuswide program access Self-Assessment. He has Master’s Degrees in Sociology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and the California State University, at Fullerton. In 2003, Dr. Coates received his Ph. D in Sociology from Wayne State University and was hired as an Ed Roberts Postdoctoral Fellow in Disability Studies at U.C. Berkeley as part of a National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research grant. Dr. Coates began his career at U.C. Berkeley in...

Diego Holguin

Diego A. Holguin (he/they) is an alumni of UC Berkeley and a College Advisor for the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS). Diego's journey from student employee to professional staff embodies the transformative power of education and community engagement. Currently, Diego Co-Leads an informal gathering of colleagues that provides a network of support, a toolkit of resources, and an opportunity to build community among supervisors of student employees.

Originally from Compton, Diego has embraced the Bay Area for over 8 years....

Dr. Darla Shaw (she/her)

Darla Shaw, CEO of Talent Masters, has a distinguished 25-year HR career spanning small startups to Fortune 500 companies. With a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology, an MBA, and a Masters in Employment Law, she holds advanced certifications in HR, Executive Coaching & Project Management. At Talent Masters, she excels in pairing hiring managers with ideal candidates through innovative staffing, executive placement, and HR consulting services. Darla's unique blend of humor, strategy, psychology, and legal knowledge has made her a pivotal figure in creating inclusive,...

Dr. Lorneka Joseph

A native of The Bahamas, Dr. Lorneka is a pharmacist, speaker, and coach helping professionals merge wellness with work. She’s been hired by Citi Bank, The Florida Bar Association, Orange County Government, and Arkansas State University, delivering workshops on resilience, productivity, and mental health.

Founder of Brightly Awake, Dr. Lorneka empowers individuals to embrace holistic success. She believes success isn’t about doing more—it’s about working well. No stranger to media, she’s been featured in Forbes magazine and Comcast. She enjoys time...

Dr. Maryam Ghadiri (she/her)

Maryam is a leadership coach, organizational development consultant, and storyteller. During her career, she gained experience as a director, manager, and consultant working in academic, non-profit, and start-up sectors. She partners with leaders, teams, and organizations to meet the needs of the organization by helping them optimize their leadership, and work culture and even increase employee engagement using coaching, conducting assessments, and Using evidence-based approaches. Maryam's experience in various countries enhances her comprehension...

Dr. Rebecca Andersen (she/her)

Rebecca Andersen is a career development leader, dedicated to furthering equity & inclusion in the career landscape. A career changer herself (engineer to career coach), Rebecca is a popular workshop facilitator who leverages design thinking in career change and leadership development. Rebecca is currently the Sr. Director for Career Development at the UC Berkeley graduate School of Information. Rebecca recently completed her doctorate in education from UC Davis, focusing her research on gender equity in STEM careers. In her spare time, Rebecca chases after...

Dr. Rowena Winkler (she/her)

Dr. Rowena Winkler uses her Ph.D. in Communication, along with her 15+ years of experience in marketing and communication, to help individuals gain clarity in their jobs, businesses, and lives through more authentic communication practices. As an award-winning teacher and scholar, Rowena presented at international conferences and mentored hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students. She then made a career pivot from academia to industry, leading communication teams and managing marketing projects. Now as a career and empowerment coach, Rowena’s methods enable clients...

Gabriela Urias (she/her)

Gabriela Urias is dedicated to empowering students and fostering connections between students and employment opportunities. With a focus on part-time employment opportunities, she supports students and employers campus-wide through the Work-Study Program. Her commitment extends beyond the Work-Study Program, as she helped launch the new state-funded work-study program called the Learning Aligned Employment Program (LAEP). This innovative program enables undergraduate students to engage in paid research opportunities,...

Hanna Bankier (she/her)

Hanna Bankier, MA, ACC, helps organizations and individuals realize sustainable results by aligning employee performance and organizational excellence. Her domain is to guide organizations and individuals in adapting to change and achieving more positive cultures. She works with organizations to elevate the performance of people while creating energized and productive teams. In addition to setting standards and inspiring people to move strategies and plans into action, she adds her insights, knowledge, and capabilities to shape policies, make decisions, and rally enthusiasm for...

Jacqueline Wales (she/her)

As a trusted advisor for over 18 years, Jacqueline Wales has worked with many highly accomplished people including academics, entrepreneurs, scientists, and corporate executives, She has helped them increase their self-awareness, confidence, and capabilities so they can take greater ownership and authority in their chosen roles and lead more fulfilling and joyful lives.

She has written extensively on self-awareness, published three books including The Fearless Factor, The Fearless Factor @ Work, and a novel, When The Crow Sings, and founder of...