Staff

Ryan Wheeler, MA
Senior Director of Professional Development and Academic Services

Ryan Wheeler oversees training initiatives, international student and scholar services, library services, and career advising for hundreds of postdoctoral researchers and graduate students at Scripps Research. Prior to his role as founding administrator of the Career and Postdoctoral Services Office at Scripps Research, he worked in the Office of Admissions at the University of Washington and in the Career Services Center at the University of California, San Diego. He has spent his 20-year career building, presenting, and sustaining a broad array of training programs to support the career and professional development of biomedical research trainees, and has presented such workshops at institutions and professional meetings around the U.S. He received his bachelor’s from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in postsecondary education administration from San Diego State University.

Natalie D'Silva, PhD
Senior Manager of Career and Professional Development

Natalie manages career and professional development programs for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars at Scripps Research. Prior to Scripps Research, Natalie led initiatives at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Brown University, and McMaster University, where she designed professional development programs, mentored early-career scientists, and fostered an inclusive environment for domestic and international scholars. She has worked with groups like the American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the Graduate Career Consortium (GCC) to shape career readiness tools and strategies that prepare graduate students and postdocs for diverse career paths. Natalie has a PhD in Biology-Electrophysiology from McMaster University and postdoctoral research experience in cardiovascular biology and neuroscience at Brown University and Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Lee Tacliad, MEd
Employer and Alumni Engagement Manager

Lee Tacliad received her bachelor’s degree from The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia and then obtained her master’s degree in Postsecondary Administration & Student Affairs from the University of Southern California. She has spent more than a decade in career services at institutions such as UC Berkeley, Middlebury, and UC San Diego and specializes in engaging with employers and alumni in the scientific community.

Areas of specialization: Employer outreach, alumni outreach, non-academic job search, CliftonStrengths, informational interviewing, interviewing practice, negotiation