Meet the Staff at Otis College Career Services
At Otis College of Art and Design, our dedicated Career Services team is here to support you every step of the way as you navigate your professional journey. Our experienced staff brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to help you explore career opportunities, develop essential skills, and connect with industry leaders.
Whether you’re seeking guidance on internships, preparing for your first job, or looking to advance your career, our team is committed to providing personalized support tailored to your unique goals. Get to know the professionals who will be your partners in success and discover how they can assist you in achieving your career aspirations.
Julia Bingham
Julia M. Bingham, M.Ed., Executive Director
jbingham@otis.edu | 310.665.6966
Julia oversees the Career Services department strategy for:
- Career Education
- Employer Relations
- On-Campus Student Employment
- Available for career counseling with students and alumni
About Julia
Julia leads a team of Career Services staff to support and inspire students and alumni to take important next steps in their professional development. Her personal tenets for career success focus on a persistent and organized approach to communicating transferable skills and networking.
Previously Julia held career services positions at Berklee College of Music in Boston, and University of California, Irvine. At Berklee she managed employer relations, advising, and developed customized student resources. At UC Irvine she created the ProSeminar course and implemented Alternative Digital Credential (ADC) badges for professional programs.
A native of New England, Julia grew up in Peterborough, NH, where her parents owned an art supply store. She studied performing arts at University of New Hampshire, dabbled in entrepreneurial pursuits, and earned a Master of Education from Northeastern University.
Having been to over 50 countries across 5 continents, Julia enjoys getting to know people from different backgrounds through cultural immersion and travel. In her free time she likes cycling, beach sunsets, and tabletop games.
Valerie Diaz
Valerie Diaz - Assistant Director of Career Education
vdiaz@otis.edu | 310.665.6962
Connect with Valerie if you are an:
- Otis student or alumni who would like career advice including: resume or cover letter review, mock interview, job search, selecting a major, networking, portfolio review, and more!
- Otis faculty or staff who would like to collaborate on a class visit or career workshop by Career Services
About Valerie
Valerie can be found in and out of the classroom presenting on career development topics and engaging with students to offer career advice. Getting to work with young artists is both invigorating and inspiring for Valerie. The future is bright because of you!
Valerie earned a BFA in Fine Arts from School of Visual Arts where she focused on printmaking and installation art. With over 10 years of experience in higher education at multiple art and design institutions, Valerie was an Admissions Counselor at Otis College for 4 seasons before transitioning to Career Services.
Outside of Otis Valerie makes illustrations and has exhibited her work in multiple shows around LA.
Sylvia Bier
Sylvia Bier, M.Ed. - Employer Relations and Internship Specialist
sbier@otis.edu | 424.207.3760
Connect with Sylvia if you are an:
- Employer who would like to hire Otis students or alumni for internship or job opportunities
- Otis student or alumni who would like advice on applying for internship or job opportunities
About Sylvia
As an Employer and Internship Specialist, Sylvia focuses on employer engagement and promotion of internship and job opportunities to the Otis community. She manages employer events such as info sessions and career fairs and supports students and alums through job preparation workshops and career counseling.
Sylvia was formerly a Job Developer with the Covina-Valley Unified School District, helping over 100 students annually to gain unsubsidized employment. Creating job opportunities for historically marginalized students with disabilities inspired her to pursue her M.Ed. in Educational Counseling.
As a Career Advisor at USC Viterbi Career Connections, Sylvia advised engineering students while engaging with a global population. She increased supportive equity as a Veterans/International Student Services Assistant at LA Mission College.
Sylvia grew up in a family of professional musicians and has worked with dancers, musicians, and performance artists at her parent's music and dance studio, holding roles ranging from musical instrument sales to music and dance teacher/choreographer. Working at Otis allows her to combine her passion for the arts and career education.
In her free time she enjoys family road trips, camping, hiking, and brunch with friends.
Edward Kang
Edward Kang - Assistant Director of Student Employment and Operations
ekang@otis.edu | 310.846.2583
Connect with Edward if you are an:
- Otis student seeking a job on campus (with or without Federal Work Study), with questions about their on-campus job, for example where/how to submit tax paperwork or using TCP, or an international student seeking instructions to receive their social security card
- Otis employee who would like to hire a student to work in your department (please note: academic departments should first contact Elyse Izumi for the Academic Department's streamlined hiring process)
About Edward
Edward's focus is on creating a seamless and rewarding student employment experience for both supervisors and student employees at Otis. He also serves as a key point of contact for faculty, staff, and students on student employment topics related to Federal Work Study, overall budgeting/strategy related to student employees, and the review of annual student employment data.
Edward's professional experience is primarily grounded in Higher Education and Student Services, with previous roles in Career Services, Financial Aid, and Residence Life at California Lutheran University (CLU) and UCLA. Most recently at CLU, Edward coordinated the university's Student Employment Program and facilitated the university's first efforts at collecting university-wide student employment data on Student Learning Outcomes and career readiness. While there, he also helped expand off-campus Federal Work Study opportunities via community partnerships with local nonprofits.
Originally from a small town in Alabama, Edward grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, IL. Desperate to escape the chilly winters of the Midwest, Edward moved to Los Angeles for college, where he double-majored in Economics & International Development Studies at UCLA.
Outside of work, you can find Edward at a local climbing gym, playing the cello, or embarking on an epic adventure in Dungeons & Dragons.