Alumnae share college and career experiences during Journey Day

Eight Santa Catalina School alumnae shared their college and career experiences with juniors and seniors as part of Journey Day on March 8.

The alumnae, who were celebrating their Reunion that weekend, participated in a panel Q&A before heading into breakout rooms for more targeted discussions with students. Speaking from their own experience, many of them advised students to be open to opportunities during college and in their careers, reassuring them that they don’t need to have everything figured out as they move into the next phase of their lives.

The alumnae panelists were:

• Gina Anderson ’99, vice president and head of public and media relations at Liberty Mutual Insurance. She has enjoyed a 20-year career in communications, including with PepsiCo brands and NBC Universal.
• Ariana Ebrahimian ’99, dentist and small business owner.
• Kela Felton Hapner ’14, military legislative assistant in the office of North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer, advising on issues regarding national defense, foreign policy, and space.
• Elizabeth Poett ’99, cattle rancher, cookbook author, and host of cooking show Ranch to Table on the Magnolia Network.
• Mackenzie Roth ’19, who recently received a dual bachelor’s degree in international studies and socio-legal studies from the University of Denver, and is completing a master’s in international studies. She plans to pursue a career in intelligence and national security.
• Kayla Ginette ’19, a recent graduate of James Madison University, where she studied international relations and affairs. She is currently a staffing consultant in Washington, D.C.
• Gabriella Sardina Rangrej ’14, director of learning communities and new student initiatives at the University of San Diego, where she oversees and manages all aspects of a student's transition to college life.
• Laura Stenovec ’99, leadership coach, mentor, and managing director of Beautycounter, a skincare and cosmetics company.

In the breakout rooms, the alumnae shared more about the ins and outs of their careers and their path after Catalina. Mackenzie and Kayla shared a breakout room to talk about how their friendship, forged at Catalina, has continued to shape them.

Elsewhere on Journey Day
Journey Days are a feature of Santa Catalina’s advisory program. They offer a break from classes for students to build relationships, focus on college and career opportunities, and more.

While juniors and seniors met with alumnae, freshmen and sophomores enjoyed their own class activities. Freshmen participated in a beach cleanup then collaborated on an engineering project to build and race cardboard boats. Sophomores took a tour of two colleges, Santa Clara University (where their tour guide was Sarah Sallee ’21) and UC Santa Cruz.