Kristen Eppel

My name is Kristen Eppel (she/her), and I’m one of the managers at the Centre for Career Development.

My journey into this field started with an interest in education. After completing a degree in Biology, I had originally planned to become a teacher, but during my teacher education program, I eventually realized that classroom teaching wasn’t a good path for me. I started working with a career counsellor and ended up falling in love with the field of career development. Since then, I’ve worked in several university career centres, including Queen’s University and the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. Most of my work has involved supporting students as they search for jobs, plan their careers, and participate in work-integrated learning programs.

In my work at the CCD, my main goals are to support others in their work and to design our processes and programming in a way that enables student agency and inclusivity. I am actively working to bring an anti-oppressive and trauma-informed approach to my practice.

In my spare time, you can often find me outside. I love to camp, hike, mountain bike, and just sit outside and enjoy nature. I also enjoy creating song playlists, watching home renovation shows, and learning about the latest research in biology and psychology.