Michelle Mendoza: Turning Experience into New Opportunities

​Michelle Mendoza began her career in high-tech and medical device corporations, guiding employees and leaders while recruiting top talent and helping organizations grow. Throughout her career, she has served as a trusted advisor, a role that has always set her apart as an HR professional and coach. Her responsibilities expanded beyond recruiting into full HR business partner roles, supporting employees and leaders through every stage of their careers, from hiring to exit, always with a focus on creating a positive experience, even during challenging transitions.

Her path was not linear, and that is what made it meaningful. After years in corporate HR, Michelle took a role at a nonprofit, an experience that ultimately inspired her to launch her own business in 2010. She began offering HR advisory services to small and mid-sized businesses and nonprofits and has since expanded her work to include executive and career coaching. She has earned HR certifications (SPHR, SHRM-SCP) and a Senior Professional Career Coach (SPCC) credential through the International Association of Career Coaches, combining her HR expertise with her passion for guiding professionals in their career growth and development.

Michelle’s story shows that pivots can be both big and small. You do not have to discount what you already know. Instead, you can use your experience to build new skills and forge a new path.

Michelle’s advice for job seekers over 40:

• Be resilient, creative, and embrace agility

• Keep an open mind, consider new industries with growth potential or adjacent roles where your skills can shine in new ways

• Focus on your transferable skills, they may open doors you have not yet imagined

• Treat your job search as a strategic initiative by building your brand and networking with key contacts and recruiters

Michelle’s story is proof that a career can evolve in exciting ways, and it is possible to keep discovering new passions no matter what your stage in life.

Ann Greenhaw: A Career Journey That Defies Ageism

Ann’s career path was never a straight line — but that’s exactly what made it remarkable.
She began in San Francisco at a law firm, then worked for Bob Miller, of Dolwig & Miller, until he was appointed Superior Court Judge of San Mateo County. From there, while raising her family, she spent 14 years in management at the Pine Brook Inn in Belmont, handling employee relations and hiring.  It was steady, satisfying work — but at 46, Anne decided to take a leap.
She joined Franklin Templeton at the Human Resources front desk, the most junior role she’d had in years. Some might have seen it as a step backward, but Anne saw possibility. Within months, she moved, first into employee relations, then in recruiting — the place where she truly found her calling.  
Recruiting became her passion. She loved matching people to opportunities, guiding careers, and building the kind of teams that make companies thrive. She climbed the ladder at Franklin Templeton and at 84, Ann is still helping people find their place, still proving that age is no barrier to contribution or success.
Her proudest accomplishment? Raising her beautiful family while building a career she loved.
Ann’s advice for older workers is straightforward:
•    Yes, ageism exists — but don’t let it overshadow the value and experience you bring.
•    Keep a positive attitude; it’s essential in any job search.
•    Be willing to take a step back to move forward, just as she did when she started at the front desk.
•    Be open to contract and fractional work.
•    Keep your skills fresh and never stop learning.
Ann didn’t just defy ageism — she built a career that proves reinvention is possible at any age. And she’s still writing her story.

Kevin Hacker: Kevin’s AI-Powered Career Reset

After years as a Scientist and Principal Scientist at leading life sciences companies like Agilent, Thermo Fisher, and Complete Genomics, Kevin knew the realities of his industry all too well: restructuring and downsizing come with the territory in fields driven by rapid innovation. When it happened to him — first at Complete Genomics after acquisition, then at Agilent after decreasing sales and a pivot — he made a choice. He wouldn’t let change push him out. He’d use it to push himself forward.
Determined to stay on top of what was happening in his field, Kevin immersed himself in learning. He took online AI courses from MIT and Stanford, gaining new skills in AI-driven data analysis, and attended industry conferences to deepen his knowledge and expand his network. His curiosity and adaptability opened new doors — including becoming an advisor at UCSF and stepping into consulting for AI Nova Strategy, which connected him with a whole new professional circle.
Through it all, Kevin stayed laser-focused on his goals. He even turned to AI for help — using ChatGPT to map out a six-month career plan for landing consulting roles or a Head of Biology position. The result was a clear, step-by-step weekly roadmap he could follow, keeping him accountable and on track.
Kevin’s advice for older workers looking for a job or career change is simple but powerful:
•    Prioritize self-care during the job search process.  It can be exhausting so do things for yourself that help you be at your best.  
•    Have a plan and set measurable, realistic career goals.  Having a roadmap to reaching your goals is critical to success
•    Nurture your network — Kevin uses DEX, a personal CRM, that reminds him to keep in touch with his network and keeps his relationships strong.
•    Don’t just network — show up at conferences and put yourself out there.
•    Stay current in your field through training and skill-building.  AI is the future regardless of what industry you are in so learn the adoption and implications of it in your industry.  
For Kevin, embracing change — and the very technology reshaping his industry — hasn’t just kept him relevant. It’s helped him lead his own reinvention.