Meet the Team
Annie Maxfield
Annie has been helping PhDs pursue their future for more than 16+ years. She established graduate-specific career services at Duke, UCLA and currently leads the Office of Career & Life Design at the University of Texas at Austin. An entrepreneurial educator, she co-led the creation of ImaginePhD, a career exploration and planning tool for humanities and social sciences and co-founded a national career expo. She is also the former president of the Graduate Career Consortium, an international nonprofit dedicated to the graduate student professional development. Annie has designed and taught hundreds of programs on the intersection between doctoral education and career development at professional organizations, research universities, scholarly societies, and through research grants. A certified strengths coach with a background in design thinking, Maxfield approaches training as a learner and loves facilitating discovery and growth among professionals. Annie holds bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and communication and her master’s degree in communication from the University of Utah.
Thi Nguyen, PhD
Thi is an entrepreneur, career coach, and trainer focused on helping people find fulfillment in their work. For 12+ years, Thi has supported PhD trainees and professionals across academia, industry, and nonprofit sectors to align their values, interests, and career decisions. She considers herself a profession-pollinator. By blending innovation, improv, and her background in psychology and neuroscience, she creates impactful learning experiences—including workshops, multimedia resources, and storytelling tools. Thi is the creator of InterSECT Job Sims, a TEDx storytelling coach, podcast creator, and former associate dean for PhD career development. Most recently launching WinWinScientific, Nguyen has trained researchers at over 20 international organizations, with programs funded by the NIH, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, USDA, and National Geographic. A devoted mom and wife, she models the courage to explore new paths. Thi holds bachelors degrees in psychology and biology from University of Texas at Austin, and a PhD in Neuroscience from UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Urmila Venkatesh
Urmila is currently a coach, facilitator, trainer, and Assistant Director of Alumni Career Education at Stanford University. Urmila’s 20-year career in higher education most recently involved being a Fellow of the Stanford Life Design Lab, teaching Designing Your Life to students and training educators to use life design curricula in their work. Prior to that role, Urmila was the assistant dean of career education for PhDs and postdocs at Stanford University, supporting doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars across disciplines to find meaningful careers in and beyond academia. Urmila is currently an inaugural fellow of an NIH-funded training grant to implement her model of storytelling in career development at 10+ universities. Venkatesh’s leadership positions in higher education have spanned Stanford University, The New School for Social Research, and the University of Michigan. Urmila holds a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of California Berkeley and a master’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Michigan.
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