Straus Welcomes Aparna Gupta as Associate Director of Career Development

We are delighted to welcome Aparna Gupta as Associate Director of Career Development at the Straus Institute, where she will spearhead student and alumni advising, professional development, and employer relations for the Institute. Aparna brings to Straus an expertise in cultivating students' careers and preparing them to reach their goals. She has previously been a part of the Pepperdine Law family--in 2016, she served J.D. students in a similar role for the Career Development Office. Prior to joining Pepperdine, Aparna worked as Assistant Director for UCLA School of Law's Public Interest Program, where she engaged the Program's diverse alumni network, advised students, and nurtured relationships with employers and nonprofit organizations. A lawyer by training, Aparna received her J.D. in 2009 from UCLA School of Law, where she specialized in Public Interest Law and Critical Race Studies. Upon graduating, she was awarded an Equal Justice Works Fellowship with the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund in New York City. There, she served as a workers' rights attorney and represented low-wage immigrant workers seeking enforcement of their labor rights. She has also worked at the American Constitution Society in Washington, D.C., where she connected students around the country with legal and policy-related opportunities. Aparna started on February 26, and looks forward to meeting with and serving as a resource for all Straus students and alumni.