gail.a.taylor@tuck.dartmouth.edu

Dr. Gail Ayala Taylor is the CEO of Ayala Halloran Taylor Group, LLC which administers the RISE Career Launch program. With over 25 years of experience as a marketing professor at top academic institutions in the US and abroad, Dr. Taylor has educated numerous undergraduates, MBAs, senior managers and CEOs. Having taught at a large public institution (University of Georgia), a private research university (Northwestern University), a floating global college campus (Semester at Sea), and in her current position at an Ivy league institution (Dartmouth College), she has witnessed firsthand the gap that students face as they transition from their undergraduate institutions to their first jobs. Though well-equipped academically, many students need help going from a structured academic learning environment to an experiential learning work environment.

Based upon insights gained from her experiences and those of numerous hiring managers, human resource specialists, and executives, Dr. Taylor has advised and counseled many recent graduates on successful career launch strategies. Putting her research in action, she designs and implements programs to improve the transition from college to career for women and individuals from underrepresented groups. Dr. Taylor created the RISE Career Launch Programs to give young women tools to accelerate earning their place on the career fast track. Similarly, she founded the Kemp Fellows Program at The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth to aid the college to career transition of African American, Native American, and Hispanic American college graduates.    

Dr. Taylor received her Ph.D. degree in Marketing from Florida State University where she was a McKnight Fellow. She holds a BA in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management and an MBA in Marketing, both from Michigan State University. She was inducted in the PhD Project Hall of Fame in 2022 in recognition of her contributions to advancing diversity in academia and in corporate America. Additionally, Dr. Taylor was selected as the 2023 recipient of the Williams, Qualls, Spratlen Multicultural Mentoring Award of Excellence which was awarded by the American Marketing Association.  

jillian.t.fishman@gmail.com

Jillian Fishman’s career has spanned consulting, consumer packaged goods, ecommerce, and retail. Jillian is currently Director of Adult Care and Home Healthcare at CVS Health. In this role, she drives the category strategies and retail execution for a $400 million+ business.

Prior to CVS Health, Jillian led merchandising and category teams at Wayfair. Before Wayfair, Jillian worked in brand management at General Mills, where she led 3 kid cereal businesses and innovation for Cheerios, including 10 new flavor and limited edition launches. Earlier in her career, Jillian held consulting roles focused on brand strategy and corporate reputation.

Jillian earned her B.A. in International Relations from Brown University and her M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She proudly serves as Chief Operations Officer for RISE Career Launch.

catherine.miller89@gmail.com

Catherine Miller is an integrative wellness professional in the DMV who strives to make wellness accessible and empowering for others. By day, Catherine works in corporate wellness supporting efforts to increase engagement and help employees make small but lasting changes to improve their health and wellbeing. 

Catherine’s real passions, however, are Reiki, Yoga, mindfulness, and trauma-informed practices. She first experienced the benefits of Reiki as a brain tumor survivor and witnessed the benefits in others when she served as a Reiki volunteer at a local hospital. Catherine is a Reiki Master Teacher and Practitioner, providing services to community members and teaching Reiki Level 1, 2, and Reiki Master classes through Four Directions Wellness, a studio based in Alexandria, VA. Catherine is a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher and is also trained in Divine Sleep® Yoga Nidra, focusing on creating spaces that help students relax, unwind, and be more present. Catherine completed her M.S. in Nutrition, is a mindfulness teacher, a Certified Crystal Practitioner, a Certified Health & Wellness Coach, a Certified Energy & Sound Healing Facilitator, and is also trained in Holy Fire® Reiki. For her work at Four Directions Wellness, she was named an honoree for the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce’s 40 Under 40 Awards for 2020. Overall, she loves how powerful each of these wellness practices are in building self-awareness and helping in one’s healing journey.

Prior to these trainings, Catherine received her B.A. in History from Dartmouth College, and a minor in Anthropology, and participated in the Bridge Program at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.

glad1908@gmail.com

Gladys Ayala is an attorney for the federal government advising on internal affairs matters. For more than two decades, Ms. Ayala has worked in the public and private sectors specializing in employment law. She serves as Agency Counsel in litigation before administrative and judicial forums, including arbitration, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), and the U.S. Federal Courts. Her clients rely on her advocacy, legal advice, and training to navigate adverse actions, disciplinary matters, EEO claims, and issues related to federal administrative law practice. She is instrumental in ensuring public trust in the integrity of federal law enforcement officers.

Prior to joining the federal government, Ms. Ayala was the Founder and Managing Partner of a boutique legal practice, operating in both Miami, Florida, and Detroit, Michigan. In addition to litigating, Ms. Ayala counseled employers, conducted harassment and discrimination trainings and investigations, and evaluated workplace policies for compliance with state and federal law. She began her legal career with Pfizer Inc. in employment law, corporate affairs, and human resources strategy.

A 1999 graduate of the Florida State University College of Law, Ms. Ayala studied Comparative Legal History as a visiting law student at The University of Oxford, St. Edmunds Hall, in Oxford, England. During law school, Ms. Ayala interned with the Florida Office of the Attorney General in employment litigation as well as for the Honorable Leander Shaw of the Supreme Court of Florida. She received her undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University, School of Business & Industry, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Ms. Ayala is a member of the Florida Bar and the State Bar of Michigan.

michelle.r.campbell@outlook.com

Michelle Campbell is a dynamic Senior Project Manager at Health Care and Rehabilitation Services (HCRS), where she leads cross-functional initiatives that enhance organizational impact and operational excellence. Her collaborative approach strengthens HR strategy, promotes holistic employee experiences, and champions inclusive engagement across the agency.

With deep roots in hospitality, Michelle brings nearly two decades of guest experience design and business operations leadership—from managing the storied Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm to stewarding Tozier’s Restaurant, a beloved Vermont family-owned institution. Her expertise in coordinating events, guiding teams, and marketing distinctive spaces continues to inform her intuitive understanding of people and place.

Michelle’s professional journey also includes coordinating executive education programs at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, where her partnership with Dr. Taylor led to her involvement with the RISE Career Launch program—an initiative close to her heart.

In her free time, Michelle finds joy in traveling, cooking and baking, birdwatching, and sharing life’s little moments with her family and their vibrant menagerie of animals.

She holds a B.A. in Business Management and Entrepreneurial Studies, with a minor in Hotel and Restaurant Management, from Paul Smith’s College.