Joseph Barber
Director, Graduate Career Initiatives

Dr. Joseph Barber is the Director of Graduate Career Initiatives serving graduate students and postdocs. He has a Ph.D. in animal behaviour from University of Oxford (UK), has previously worked as a Research Fellow at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and currently also teaches graduate students as an Adjunct Professor at Hunter College (CUNY). Joseph enjoys thinking creatively to help people find and explore different career paths, and is always interested in hearing students and postdocs talk enthusiastically about their research.
Specialties and Interests
Graduate StudentsPostdocsAnnenbergGraduate Arts & SciencesWharton PhDSchool of DesignPerelman School of MedicinePenn Carey LawDianne Hull
Senior Associate Director, Graduate Students & Postdocs

Since 2015, Dianne has been a part of the Career Services team which advises graduate students and postdocs. In addition to her advising responsibilities with students, Dianne coordinates the partnership between Career Services and Penn Carey Law’s Master in Law program. Prior to joining the Career Services team, she worked in a variety of student advising roles as a part of the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program at Bryn Mawr College, as well as in the Career Development Center at Saint Joseph’s University. Dianne holds a graduate degree from Penn’s Graduate School of Education and an undergraduate degree from Lehigh University. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her family and cooking.
Specialties and Interests
Graduate StudentsPostdocsAnnenbergGraduate Arts & SciencesWharton PhDSchool of DesignPerelman School of MedicinePenn Carey LawMarianne Lipa
Associate Director, Graduate Students & Postdocs

Marianne joined the Career Services team in fall 2015 providing career and internship guidance to undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences and now advises graduate students and postdocs. She has worked at Penn since 2004, starting at the Wharton School where she was an academic advisor to undergraduate students and more recently, in their alumni relations office. She graduated from Bowdoin College with a double major in Romance Languages and History, and earned her master’s degree in Higher Education Management from the Graduate School of Education at Penn. She is an avid skier and enjoys traveling.
Specialties and Interests
Graduate StudentsPostdocsAnnenbergGraduate Arts & SciencesWharton PhDSchool of DesignPerelman School of MedicinePenn Carey LawAlison Howard
Associate Director, Graduate Students & Postdocs

Dr. Alison Howard joined Career Services in February 2024 as an Associate Director on the Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Team. Prior to this role, she taught undergraduate writing courses in Penn’s Critical Writing Program and operated her own editing and career coaching business. Alison earned a B.A. in Comparative Literature and French from Indiana University and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Penn. She enjoys helping students identify career paths that are engaging and fulfilling, as well as empowering them in their professional development. Outside of work, she spends her time trying out new recipes, catching up on podcasts, and seeing old movies at the Philadelphia Film Center.
Specialties and Interests
Graduate StudentsPostdocsAnnenbergGraduate Arts & ScienceWharton PhDWeitzman School of DesignPenn Carey LawPerelman School of MedicineHannah Smith
Coordinator, Graduate Students

Hannah joined Career Services in January of 2025 as the Administrative Coordinator to the Graduate and Postdoctoral Advising teams. Prior to her time with Penn, Hannah worked in a variety of different fields, including banking and non-profits. She graduated from Columbus College of Art and Design in 2017 with a B.A. in Illustration, and when at home, she can often be found drawing, cuddling her two black cats, or teaching herself kpop dances.