June 23rd Panelists

June 23rd National Service Alums Career & Resource Fair

Panelists

Bobbie Zerfas - Returned Peace Corps Volunteer

Bobbie Rose Zerfas, LCSW, is currently the Program Director for Thresholds in Lake County. She is a RPCV from Jordan 2007-2009 where she served as an English teacher in a girls’ government school in a small village in the northern part of the country. She also worked on various youth projects focusing on leadership and English language skills for young woman. Following her service she received her MSW from New York University. She has worked for Thresholds for the past 5 years, starting as an ACT Vocational Specialist, then a Team Leader, and now as a Program Director. 

Jaron Newton, AmeriCorps*VISTA

Jaron graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Geography. After undergrad, he worked in logistics as a Department of Defense contractor. Hoping to change career paths, he moved to New Hamphire for an AmeriCorps VISTA position with FIRST Robotics. Since AmeriCorps, Jaron has spent the past 6 years working for Cradles to Crayons, starting in Boston and then moving to Chicago where he is now the Associate Director of Operations. He is also currently enrolled in an evening Master's program with the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago.

Phil Masters

Phil currently serves as a Program Manager for Spark in Chicago, a career exploration and self-discovery nonprofit for middle school students. Phil’s roots in Chicago’s education sector began as a math tutoring fellow at Kelvyn Park High School where he learned both how students experience and navigate the Chicago Public School system, and how organizations strategize to serve vulnerable populations. He sits on the professional board of The Bloc -an incredible non profit boxing club that partners with students on the West side- and is the Membership Operations Co-Chair of YNPN Chicago. Phil earned his B.A. in Sociology from SUNY Geneseo, and hails from frigid Buffalo, NY.

Melissa Frazin - AmeriCorps Alums NCCC

Melissa “Missy” Frazin is an Assistant Director of Career Development & Engagement at UIC’s Office of Career Services. She supports UIC students with all aspects of career development including exploring possible career options, creating and reviewing resumes/cover letters, preparing for interviews, searching for internships/jobs and applying to graduate/professional school. She is a dynamic and energetic higher education professional with 14+ years of experience mentoring and advising 1,000+ young adults, many of whom are from diverse ethnic, cultural, religious and racial backgrounds.  Prior to working at UIC, she managed Jumpstart, a team-based, work-study/AmeriCorps program, at DePaul University, overseeing 50+ college students providing support to 200+ preschoolers per year in Chicago.  She is a proud AmeriCorps alumna having served 2 terms of service with AmeriCorps NCCC where she was based at the Charleston, SC campus.  Missy holds a B.A. in Communication from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana and 2 graduate degrees, M.Ed. in Counseling & an M.A in Elementary Education, from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois.