Send us a text In this episode, I meet with Vivianne Castillo, a multidisciplinary creative, organizational culture strategist, and founder of Choose Courage, Inc. for a powerful conversation about chaos, creativity, and what it means to make things that matter. Vivianne brings her background in psychology, UX, trauma-informed practice, and entrepreneurship to explore how uncertainty can become a catalyst for clarity, courage, and creative expression. We talk about navigating seasons of insta...
All content for In Her Words is the property of Roberta Dombrowski and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Send us a text In this episode, I meet with Vivianne Castillo, a multidisciplinary creative, organizational culture strategist, and founder of Choose Courage, Inc. for a powerful conversation about chaos, creativity, and what it means to make things that matter. Vivianne brings her background in psychology, UX, trauma-informed practice, and entrepreneurship to explore how uncertainty can become a catalyst for clarity, courage, and creative expression. We talk about navigating seasons of insta...
Send us a text In this episode, I meet with Vivianne Castillo, a multidisciplinary creative, organizational culture strategist, and founder of Choose Courage, Inc. for a powerful conversation about chaos, creativity, and what it means to make things that matter. Vivianne brings her background in psychology, UX, trauma-informed practice, and entrepreneurship to explore how uncertainty can become a catalyst for clarity, courage, and creative expression. We talk about navigating seasons of insta...
Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Amanda Henry—workshop facilitator, personal finance educator, pageant titleholder, and founder of Living in the Abundance—for a powerful conversation about money, identity, and navigating life as a first-generation college student. Amanda brings candor, humor, and deep reflection as we talk through the realities of debt, generational expectations, and building a life grounded in values rather than survival. We explore how being first-gen shaped ...
Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Madeline E. Smith, a UX researcher, creative mind, and new parent by adoption, for a grounded conversation about building a family intentionally while navigating the realities of career, caregiving, and the waiting game. We talk about ethical domestic adoption, centering the child in every decision, and what it looks like to return from parental leave into layoffs, a new team, and the quiet pressure to “prove yourself” as a working p...
Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Maigen Thomas, Founder of Level 11 Technology, accessibility consultant, and neurodivergent advocate for a wide-ranging conversation about entrepreneurship, digital inclusion, and designing spaces where everyone can thrive. Maigen draws from her experience in enterprise UX, accessibility audits, and coaching early-career talent to show how we can expand our definitions of success, ability, and leadership. We talk about navigating layoffs, unmask...
Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Anna Vecchi—a first-generation Chinese Italian American graphic designer—for a deeply honest conversation about identity, generational trauma, and learning to define yourself on your own terms. Anna shares how growing up in a predominantly white community shaped her relationship with culture, creativity, and performance, and how reconnecting with her Chinese heritage through her wedding ceremony helped her reclaim a part of herself she'd long tu...
Send us a text This week, I sit down with psychologist, certified coach, speaker, and creative, Dr. Kimberly Murray, to explore what it means to live and lead as a multi-passionate person. Kimberly shares her journey of integrating multiple roles: scientist, artist, strategist, and mom. We talk about what it looks like to honor your full self without burning out or compromising your values, and how creativity can be a quiet act of self-trust in a world that often demands certainty and conform...
Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Kenna Lindsay—interdisciplinary artist, producer, and creative technologist—for a vibrant conversation about creative evolution, clowning, and protecting what matters most. Kenna has moved through photography, circus performance, and now video game production, all while holding a deep commitment to community, play, and making the internet a safer place for kids. We talk about reclaiming joy after injury, the emotional range required in performan...
Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Liza Kindred—writer, spiritual teacher, and author of F This Meditation—for a spacious, honest conversation about ambition, healing, and reclaiming our stories. Liza shares how she walked away from hustle culture and leaned into a slower, more compassionate way of being. We talk about the systems that keep us moving too fast, the sacred rebellion of self-trust, and the power of doing less in a world that demands more. From deconstructing the wel...
Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Sahar Chung—Director of Product Strategy at Multiplayer—for a thoughtful conversation about evolving leadership, redefining research, and navigating growth in fast-paced environments. With a background in UX, visual design, and service design, Sahar brings a unique lens to how we lead teams, shift mental models, and stay grounded through change. We talk about the mindset shifts from IC to manager to director, how to avoid burnout in people-first...
Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Brandie Smith—senior UX researcher at 5Tran, mother, and young breast cancer survivor—for a deeply personal conversation about navigating identity through unexpected life transitions. Brandie brings vulnerability, strength, and candor as she shares her journey through cancer, layoff, motherhood, and divorce—all in the span of a few years. We talk about the emotional and physical toll of treatment, what it means to ask for help, and how her defin...
Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Lia Fetterhoff—Director of Product Design and Research at Pathstream, creativity coach, and founder of Swishy—for an expansive conversation about creativity, identity, and honoring personal growth across seasons of life. Lia brings nearly two decades of experience in UX and design leadership, paired with her work as an artist and coach, to reflect on how we stay connected to our creative selves through transitions, setbacks, and changing respons...
Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Amy Santee—career strategist, coach, and former UX researcher—for a rich conversation about values, work, and designing a career on your own terms. Amy brings her background in anthropology, coaching, and UX to the table as we explore the connections between self-research, career alignment, and systems-level change. We talk about the emotional undercurrents of career transitions, the realities of today’s job market, and how Amy’s personal ...
Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Alla Weinberg, CEO of Spoken Wheel and author of A Culture of Safety, to unpack how relational trauma shows up at work. We explore the difference between calling workplaces "toxic" and naming them for what they often are—abusive. Alla shares her perspective on the emotional toll of modern work environments, how power dynamics perpetuate harm, and why healing at work starts with connection. We also dive into what true safety looks and feels like ...
Send us a text In this episode of In Her Words, I sat down with Jen Bokoff—activator, connector, strategist, and currently Director of Development at the Disability Rights Fund. Jen brings a grounded and joyful perspective to her work in philanthropy, motherhood, and systemic change. We explored everything from values-aligned leadership to the wonder of becoming a parent, and how burnout and joy intersect in complex times. Jen shared her experience advocating for parental leave, the joyful su...
Send us a text This week, I sat down with Connie Liu, a two-time founder and executive coach who’s currently building Tandem, a coaching and mentorship platform for startup teams. Connie’s career has taken a winding path—from engineering at MIT, to teaching in classrooms, to leading her own ventures—and throughout it all, she’s stayed committed to the idea that change begins with the courage to imagine something better. We talked about how she transitioned from the traditional tech route into...
Send us a text In this conversation, I sit down with Stacey Messier, the dynamic General Manager of CIC New England and a true creative force. Together, we explore a deeply personal and often taboo topic: the decision to not have children. Stacey opens up about her family history, intergenerational trauma, and how societal pressures influenced her path. We talk honestly about setting boundaries, redefining motherhood, and how creativity can become a form of birthing and nurturing in its own r...
Send us a text In Her Words is a podcast for women navigating life’s turning points—with clarity, heart, and a little bit of mess. Hosted by Roberta Dombrowski, each episode features honest reflections and grounded conversations about career shifts, motherhood, identity, and ambition. Whether you're stepping into a new role at work, preparing for a baby, or just figuring out what’s next, this show offers a place to feel seen, supported, and inspired. You don’t need to have it all figured out ...
Send us a text In this episode, I meet with Vivianne Castillo, a multidisciplinary creative, organizational culture strategist, and founder of Choose Courage, Inc. for a powerful conversation about chaos, creativity, and what it means to make things that matter. Vivianne brings her background in psychology, UX, trauma-informed practice, and entrepreneurship to explore how uncertainty can become a catalyst for clarity, courage, and creative expression. We talk about navigating seasons of insta...
