Career Services Team

BJ serves as Senior Director for Career Services. He has worked at Illinois Tech since 2007 in both enrollment management/recruiting roles and Career Services. In his current role, BJ manages the day-to-day activities of Career Services and assists in determining the strategic direction for the office to most effectively engage students, employers, and alumni to ensure that our students are successful in the first step of their career journey.  This also includes the management and development of the Elevate program and Illinois Tech’s Cooperative Education and Internship program.  BJ is a proud alumnus of the Illinois Tech’s Stuart School of Business, receiving his Master of Science in Marketing Analytics and Communication in 2014.  

Nicholas Mancari is the Associate Director for Career Development and Engagement. Nick’s primary focus is to lead career development and related education efforts through a range of services and programs to meet the needs of Illinois Tech students. Collaborating and foraging relationships with students, faculty, staff, and hiring employers is essential in Nick’s role.

Nick has a Master of Business Administration from Saint Xavier University. His professional experience consists of higher education for 8 years along with some experience as a company recruiter and project manager.

Celestine McGee develops relationships with employers to generate employment opportunities for students. Celestine is passionate about helping others and bringing them together through collaboration and synergy! Outside of work, Celestine is passionate about running races, writing beauty blogs, and helping others find their inner calm through mindfulness. She is also a passionate entrepreneur for marketing, fashion, beauty, and holistic approaches to healthy living concepts.

Lisa L. Montgomery is the director for Elevate Experiential Partnerships. In this role, she strategically works to pair students with robust internships, externships, and research opportunities at companies and organizations that are university partners.  She also builds trusted relationships with companies that drive the universities diversity, business, and social goals, enhances brand reputation, and engage alumni.

Outside of work, Lisa has a nonprofit organization, Dreams & Beyond, that supports girls and women serving organizations through research, training, and coaching. She also advocates for literacy through her program, The Wild Formula Learning Network, by providing free books to youth and promoting sensory learning. Additionally, her Cultural Kitchen Club program has revealed the secrets of kitchens around the world!

Steven Szmurlo is the assistant director, career and professional development for international students, and he has worked at Illinois Tech since 2010 in various positions, all related to helping international students succeed. Along with an extensive background in communications, media, and teaching English as a second language, Steven brings personal experience as both an international student and an international faculty member to his position. Steven’s current role focuses on international student outreach and providing services and resources to meet the unique career needs of international students.