Dana is a National Career Development Certified Professional with over 20 years of experience. She has been a Co-operative Education Advisor at Conestoga College since November 2022 and with Conestoga College since 2002! She currently coaches Applied Computer Science and Information Technology (ASCIT) Co-op students on career development topics. For over twenty years, she has been providing career development services to thousands of people. Her expertise has included job search, career exploration, training applications, employer services as well as assessment and referral services.

Growing up in a traumatic environment where survival was the priority, I didn’t have the space or support to explore my interests or envision a career path. Despite earning high grades in math in Grade 12, I was not encouraged by my guidance counsellor to pursue a related career – largely, I now realize, because I was a female. At the time, I didn’t question it. I lacked the mentors or influences who might have shown me what was possible.

I applied to university in high school largely because my friends were doing so, and it felt like the natural next step. However, without adequate support, I struggled. I was eventually rusticated due to low grades. Looking back, I see how a lack of guidance and emotional stability during critical years had long-lasting effects on my academic and career development.

In what now feels like perfect timing, I was presented with the opportunity to travel to Central America. I made multiple trips to Mexico, as well as a 3-month trip to Mexico and Guatemala. I spent time at a grassroots Spanish school in Guatemala, where I stayed with a local family. This experience was transformative, opening my eyes to a new culture, values, and ways of thinking. It marked the beginning of a deeper journey toward self-awareness and resilience.

When I returned to Canada, I decided to visit my birthfather in Newfoundland. Unfortunately, during that trip, we were in a serious accident – we hit a moose. I sustained a head injury that significantly impacted my life. What followed was approximately five years of self-directed recovery. Without formal rehabilitation support, I relied on my own persistence and intuition to navigate the healing process. It was a challenging time, but I learned the power of self-advocacy, adaptability, and patience.

During that time, I seriously considered giving up on university altogether and attending college instead. But I am so glad I chose to build on the university credits I already had. I returned to university and pursued a double major in Sociology and Women’s Studies. Coming from a difficult background, this field of study opened my eyes even further – not just to the diversity of human experience and lifestyles, but also to the structural inequalities and prejudices embedded in our society. It was a powerful education that gave language and context for many of the challenges I had faced, helping me better understand the social forces that shape people’s lives.

It took me many additional years to complete my Honours degree. Along the way, I worked in a variety of roles in both the non-profit and corporate sectors, trying to find my place. Still feeling uncertain, I eventually sought guidance from a Career Counsellor. That process helped me reflect more deeply on my values, strengths, and long-term goals. I explored a mix of potential paths, including midwifery, policing, and massage therapy – each offering unique possibilities. I learned what I wanted in a career and, more importantly, what I needed to thrive.

Eventually, I chose to pursue career development as a profession – and I’m so happy I did. Helping others navigate their own career journeys, often through uncertainty and transition, feels deeply meaningful. It has allowed me to draw on both my education and lived experience to support others in building lives of purpose, confidence and possibility.

For nearly three years, I’ve had the privilege of working as a Co-op Advisor, and I feel incredibly lucky. With over 20 years of experience in the career development field, I now feel confident, grounded and genuinely excited to do this work every day. It’s more than just a job. It is a vocation. In fact, my personal life has also transformed alongside my professional growth, bringing me to a new level of joy and self-discovery. Every step in my path has brought me closer to the life I was meant to live.

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