ABOUT US





Jill_Bowers Jill Bowers

Jill is a certified family life educator (CFLE), certified family and consumer scientist (CFCS-HDFS), and a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Human and Community Development at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She developed the idea for this project when she was working on a research project where she interviewed emerging adults (18-20 year olds). Work and career related content was something about which the emerging adults were most interested in learning more, and many of the issues that were at the center of their daily concerns were those surrounding their career plans and navigating the job market. Although some of the emerging adults in the study were aware of the fact that they could find information on the Internet to answer their questions or that there were resources available through their college or University, most of them could not recall being required to participate in any professional development courses that helped them with career-related skills and most of them suffered from “information overload” related to their Internet searches for information that would help them with their career paths. For example, some of them had been told about the importance of networking (e.g., at Career Fairs), but they did not really understand what this was or how to do it. Therefore, as a result of her experiences working with emerging adults, Jill initiated this project to help FCS students by providing them with information that will help ensure their success as they navigate the job market.


About Mikki Sherwood

Mikki has taught in the School of Family & Consumer Sciences at Eastern Illinois University since 1997. She also coordinates the Infant and Child development Laboratories for the university and assists in directing the ABC Program. She has a Masters degree in FCS and a PhD in Early Childhood Education/Child Psychology. Mikki’s primary areas of research are multiculturalism and diversity and human sexuality. She has studied brain development across the lifespan (but with a particular focus on children and adolescents) for many years and has presented and published on a variety of topics related to sexuality, gender issues, multicultural education in primarily white geographical regions, male involvement in the lives of young children, and LGBT issues. Her expertise in brain development during adolescence and emerging adulthood inspire the articles she writes or content she posts on the Career Skillet website.

Other Contributing Authors:

About Lisa Brooks

Lisa Brooks, PhD, RD is an Assistant Professor in the School of Family Consumer and Sciences and the FCS Internship Coordinator at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL. Her training as a Corporate Etiquette and International Protocol Consultant from the Protocol School of Washington has helped her to empower hundreds of college students to dine well, dress well, and make an outstanding first impression. She is also the Faculty Director for Study Abroad Italy accompanying students to Florence, the heart of Tuscany, for specialized FCS programs like “Fashion, Food, and Wine,” “Mediterranean Cuisine,” and “Food and Wine Pairing.” Another passion of Dr. Brooks’ is the Disney College Program. Having supervised students in the Disney College Program for more than a decade, she has observed that it is a model for professional excellence. Her mission in life is to help others to reach their maximum potential through education, a positive attitude, and polite behavior.

About Melanie Burns

Dr. Melanie Burns is a registered dietician and professor in The School of Family and Consumer Sciences at Eastern Illinois University.

About Natasha Chong Cole, MPH, RD

Natasha Chong Cole is a Registered Dietitian and currently a doctoral student in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance from Southern Methodist University and her Master of Public Health degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Loma Linda University.  Prior to returning to graduate school, she worked as a clinical dietitian and nutrition consultant, specializing in health and wellness, intuitive eating, and weight management. Her research interests include interventions in childhood obesity prevention, and the influence of parental feeding practices on the development of food intake behavior in infants and toddlers. 

About Kathleen Clark

Kathleen Clark is an adjunct professor in the School of Family and Consumer Sciences at Eastern Illinois University.  She previously taught 34 years at the high school and middle school levels.


About Kimi Crossman

Kimberly Crossman has a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Florida State University, a Master’s in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and currently is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Human and Community Development at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Although her research focuses primarily on experiences of intimate partner abuse, gender relations, and the divorce/separation process, she has also developed a strong interest in mentoring young adults in their career aspirations. Kimberly has led discussions and activities with young adults who are pursuing a graduate-level education or careers in the social sciences through her work as a graduate teaching assistant and board member for local, state, and national organizations. These discussions have inspired Kimberly to take on a more active role in helping young adults identify and meet their goals within and outside the university setting by contributing to Career Skillet.

About Tami Duzan

Tami is employed with Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) at Eastern Illinois University and is also an adjunct instructor in the School of Family and Consumer Sciences at Eastern.  She has a Masters degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from EIU with a concentration in Family Studies.  At CCR&R Tami has had the responsibility of hiring and supervising student employees including work study students, interns and graduate assistants.


About Dina Izenstark

Dina Izenstark is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) and a Doctoral student in the Department of Human and Community Development at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at UIUC.  Prior to returning to graduate school, she worked as a Leisure Services Supervisor at a park district in the Chicago suburbs.  In this position, she gained valuable experience hiring, supervising and leading a team of adolescents and young adult staff.  Today, Dina’s primary research interests are exploring how adolescents develop in leisure activity contexts as well as examining how families’ utilization of natural environments impacts their health and well-being.

About Elissa Mitchell

Elissa Thomann Mitchell has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Evansville, two Masters degrees (in Human and Community Development & Social Work) and a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Springfield in the Department of Human Services. Dr. Mitchell’s research focuses on the resilience of at-risk youth, and she is particularly interested in social support and its contributions to wellbeing.  In addition, she is interested in the personal and professional development of students, particularly in relation to internship and practicum experiences. She served as the TA/Instructor for the internship course at UIUC for three years, helping nearly sixty students secure and successfully complete their internships.

About David Rosch, PhD

Dave Rosch serves as an Assistant Professor in the Agricultural Education program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His particular areas of research interest include college student leadership development and the effects of leadership programs and courses on development. Dave has spent much of his professional career helping to educate future leaders on the skills required for effectiveness in contemporary society. He has worked at the University of Illinois since 2006, beginning at the Illinois Leadership Center and became faculty in the Agricultural Education program in 2011. There, he currently teaches leadership theory and methods courses and conducts research in emerging adult leadership development. He has published research on the process of leadership education within the Journal of College Student Development, Journal of Leadership Education, Journal of Leadership Studies, and Studies in Higher Education, among several other peer-reviewed journals.
He has also served in a variety of capacities in the International Leadership Association, Association of Leadership Educators, as a Co-lead Facilitator for LeaderShape Inc., and the co-chair of the National Leadership Symposium. Originally from New York, Dave graduated from Binghamton University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Sociology, where he was involved as a Resident Advisor, Orientation Leader, and was the captain of the Men’s Ultimate Frisbee Team. Dave received a Master’s Degree from Colorado State University in Student Affairs in Higher Education and a PhD in Higher Postsecondary Education from Syracuse University, where he worked in university housing and advising student governance organizations.

Current Student Contributors:


About Jinwen Ye

My name is Jinwen Ye. I am a junior at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). My major is Human Development and Family Studies with focus on Child and Adolescent Development. I have had a variety of experiences and mentors that led to my interest in providing professional development strategies to other students. I have worked as a research assistant, conducting site observations, analyzing data, and transcribing interviews for UIUC faculty whom aim to identify factors linked to effective practices in positive youth development programs. Additionally, I have been involved in The Illini Mentor Program as a programming committee member and have served as a volunteer in the International Student Career Certificate (ICC) Program. I hope to learn more about professional development through my work with Career Skillet, and I want to inspire other students, particularly other international students who struggle in unique ways. I have had some fabulous mentors along the way, and I hope to “Pay It Forward” through my work with this project.


About Shaun Hurdelbrink

I am a first year student at the University of Illinois in UC, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering. I grew up in Elmhurst, IL (a suburb of Chicago), with one older brother who is now graduated from UIUC and with both of my parents being born profoundly deaf. Currently, I live in the Evans Scholarship House on campus, which houses Evans Scholars who have earned a full tuition and housing scholarship to UIUC based on excellence in academics, leadership, caddying, and character. Moreover, I feel that my unusual upbringing and academic focus on math and science provides me with a unique perspective on social issues. In general, my passions lie in health, philanthropy, fitness, and engineering. I also enjoy perpetually challenging the norm and finding new and improved ways to seeing, understanding, or doing just about anything.

Meg Borah
Eric Finney

Students who contributed to initial design of this site:
Jori Brownfield
Jordan Falk
Jeremy Kanter
Anjali Raichura
Weijia (Gary) Luo

Video production:
Weijia (Gary) Luo
Jill Bowers

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