Michelle Randall-Berry graduated from Anna Maria College’s Social Work program in 1991. Today, Randall-Berry serves as the Head of Global Talent for Teradyne, a manufacturing automation company headquartered in Boston.
Why did you decide to attend Anna Maria College as a student?
I was taking classes at Boston College and had an academic advisor. I told him I was excited about sociology and was looking for programs where I could focus more specifically on social work. He recommended Anna Maria College!
What are your favorite Anna Maria memories?
For me, two things really stood out during my time at Anna Maria College. One was Dr. Paul Russell who was my history teacher. He was just extraordinary. One of the best opportunities I had as an Anna Maria student was traveling to Berlin right after the Wall came down. We went there on a school trip since we were studying German history. The class and the trip were all woven together and it was just an incredible learning experience.
The other meaningful opportunity that I had is more tied directly to my social work major. Paul Hand, who was the head of the social work program at the time, connected with the Sisters of Notre Dame since they had a nursing home. I was offered an internship opportunity which was a big deal at the time because you had to interview and go through a rigorous selection process. That experience was significant. I worked for an entire summer with the Sisters of Notre Dame and gained so much real-world experience. I worked with dementia patients at all levels as a social worker running a reality orientation group and creating activities for the patients.
You started in social work and now you’re in an HR field. How did you get from A to B?
My career is like a squiggly line. My first job out of college was at a residential treatment program for emotionally disturbed adolescent girls. I worked there as a childcare worker which was an incredible opportunity. It was a 24/7, on call role with overnights. I still draw from that experience in my professional career, because it taught me about perseverance, grit, compassion, and empathy.
From there, I completed my master’s degree in management. My thinking at the time was to become a supervisor at one of these residential programs. However, I was doing a side gig where I was demonstrating cameras. While I was there, someone from a corporate company saw me and asked if I had ever thought about doing that full-time. I ended up getting a full-time job at Toshiba where I learned about sales. It was from sales that I ended up getting recruited by my first staffing firm.
That was really my first taste of the recruiting world, and I was hooked. This industry is super exciting to me. Talent acquisition is my passion.
Can you describe your current work at Teradyne?
I am the Global Head of Talent for Teradyne. Global talent consists of talent acquisition, talent development, talent management, and diversity, equity & inclusion.
How did an Anna Maria education help your career journey?
I think my Anna Maria education set me on the path to find my passion in human resources, specifically in the talent space. I have always cared deeply for people and helping connect great people to great opportunities is rewarding both professionally and personally.
What makes you proud to be an Anna Maria alum?
I love seeing the progress Anna Maria has made since I was a student there. It’s exciting to see new facilities, football, and faculty added through the years to make Anna Maria standout.
What have been some of your biggest career achievements thus far?
For sure, becoming the Global Head of Talent Acquisition for IGT was a big accomplishment. I learned so much in the role and the team made a huge impact and continues to do so.
The role at Teradyne has been and will continue to be in my top achievements. I was hired to lead talent acquisition and shortly after was asked to take on the end-to-end talent space. It’s a challenging and rewarding role focused on Teradyne’s greatest asset- our employees. I am honored.
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