Lift Up Connections: Reimagining Life, Growth, and Reinvention Together

What happens when your body starts telling you the truth before your career does?

In this deeply honest and grounding conversation, Christine Perfetti sits down with Roberta Dombrowski, a coach, meditation teacher, and former VP of UX Research, to talk about reinvention, intuition, motherhood, and the courage it takes to leave behind a version of success that no longer fits.

Roberta shares her own journey from senior leadership in tech to coaching women through identity shifts, including the painful, nonlinear middle: layoffs, self-doubt, postpartum depression, and the temptation to return to what once felt safe.<...

Duration: 00:38:15

Six months ago, UX leader and educator Amanda Stockwell said yes to a cup of coffee, never imagining that one conversation would lead her into founding a nonprofit, joining a social enterprise accelerator, and reshaping her entire career path.

In this inspiring episode, Amanda returns to The Reimagining Lab to share what she’s learned in the messy middle of building The Seed List, a nonprofit designed to create equitable internship pathways for students entering the tech and startup world.

We explore:

What the messy middle really feels like Why her UX research career un...

Duration: 00:33:08

Artist and UX strategist Angela Craven joins Christine to explore how creativity can help us navigate grief, reinvention, and the unpredictable seasons of midlife.

From painting in New York to leading UX strategy to rediscovering her art after personal loss, Angela shares how she learned to live with harmony instead of chasing balance.

Christine and Angela discuss:

How art becomes a healing force in times of change Why “balance” is a myth and “harmony” is the real goal The power of making a talisman to anchor your next chapter How embracing the beautiful mess of life...

Duration: 00:41:53

After 20 years at Custom Ink, Kristin Florin never imagined she’d be laid off. The company wasn't just a workplace. It was the place where she grew up professionally and had helped define her identity and community.

In this powerful conversation, Kristin shares what it’s really like to lose the only professional home you have ever known and how she found her way back to confidence and purpose.

She opens up about the grief of the layoff, the uncomfortable quiet that followed, and the mindset shifts that helped her reimagine what’s possible and find h...

Duration: 00:41:47

In this episode, Christine Perfetti talks with Kyle Soucy, founder of Usable Interface and host of The UX Consultants Lounge.

Kyle has spent more than 20 years in UX research and is now writing a book on projective techniques, methods like collaging and sentence completion that surface insights traditional interviews often miss. She shares how these techniques open the door to deeper human understanding while also requiring careful attention to ethics and participant safety.

But this conversation goes beyond research methods. Kyle opens up about navigating the downturn in tech, the fear that came with slow...

Duration: 00:44:21

If you have ever wondered what HBS alumni learn about reinvention after graduation, Kristen Fitzpatrick has the inside view.

In this conversation, I sit down with Kristen, Senior Managing Director of Alumni Relations and Career & Professional Development at Harvard Business School, who has spent over two decades guiding students and alumni through pivotal career moments. Kristen brings brilliant wisdom on reinvention, resilience, and building lives that truly reflect our values.

In our conversation, we explore the reality of inflection points, those moments when we’re called to pause, reassess, and sometimes radically shift course. Kristen sha...

Duration: 00:50:44

What does it take to reinvent your career again and again without losing yourself in the process?

In this conversation, Stanford University lecturer, bestselling author, and product leader Christina Wodtke opens up about her nonlinear path from art school to Silicon Valley startups, to teaching at Stanford.

We talk about:

The challenges (and joys) of being a woman in tech past 50 and how to reclaim power, voice, and agency when faced with ageism and sexism How lean experiments are a powerful tool for navigating career and life pivots The realities of shifting identities from...

Duration: 00:51:54

In this episode, Christine sits down with Nicole Yankelovich, a technologist, startup founder, photographer, and teacher whose career has been shaped by a series of “happy accidents.”

Nicole shares her journey from cofounding a research institute at Brown, to leading research at Sun Microsystems, to creating her own startup, and ultimately finding a new calling in photography and instruction. Along the way, she reflects on the lessons of raising your hand, seizing opportunities, and the role mentors play in shaping our paths.

Nicole’s story will inspire you to take action, trust your instincts, and find j...

Duration: 00:33:40

In this episode, Christine explores the powerful framework of the “achieving brain” and the “awakened brain,” inspired by Dr. Lisa Miller’s groundbreaking research in her book, The Awakened Brain.

Christine shares a reflection exercise on “red doors” and “yellow doors” moments when we strive and push for something that just won’t open, and the surprising shifts that happen when we pause, look around, and notice the open doors waiting for us.

Through her own story of launching the Reimagine Your Career cohort, Christine highlights how resilience, openness, and “trail angels” can change the direction of our journey...

Duration: 00:09:26

This week, I sit down with Bosky Mukherjee, CEO and founder of SheTrailblazes to get real about what actually moves careers forward in this market.

Bosky shares why “saying yes to more work” and “just speaking up” are outdated scripts, and replaces them with narrative authority (communicating impact in C-suite language), commercial fluency (knowing how money moves in your company), and a practical path to achieving sponsorship, not just collecting mentors.

We also chat about how to think on your feet without over-explaining, ways to role play your way to confidence with stakeholders, and make smart ch...

Duration: 01:00:14

Christine Perfetti sits down with UX researcher turned holistic wellness coach Tonia Bartz to explore what it really takes to move beyond burnout and create a life that feels aligned.

After navigating a cancer diagnosis and a career pivot, Tonia developed her Perfectly Imperfect Wellness Method, a framework that helps people reclaim their days, embrace imperfection, and find joy in the messy middle.

In this episode, Christine and Tonia discuss:

How life’s wake-up calls can open the door to reinvention Why burnout is often just a “lack of joy” The power of Tonia's Reclai...

Duration: 00:53:34

In this episode, Christine Perfetti sits down with Meena Kothandaraman, co-founder of Twig + Fish Research Practice and a pioneer in UX research to explore why the most valuable thing researchers is connection, not just answers to study questions.

Meena shares her journey including human factors work, motherhood, and leading a micro-agency focused on the power, positioning, and practice of qualitative research.

She discusses how alignment unlocks better outcomes, why patience and confidence are essential for researchers, and how she is inspiring high school students through work with Boston Public Schools.

Meena’s message fo...

Duration: 00:51:56

In this live panel episode, host Christine Perfetti brings together four powerhouse leaders, Melissa Appel, Rob Fitzgibbon, Malini Rao, and Stephanie Gerber Wilson, for an honest conversation about career reinvention in today’s messy landscape.

You will hear their stories of both planned and unexpected pivots, from moving into higher education and launching coaching businesses to writing true crime books and starting a political podcast. These leaders share the messy middle, the grief, and the self reflection that come with letting go of an old identity to make room for the next chapter.

The panelists di...

Duration: 00:44:55

In this special episode, the mic gets flipped.

Christine Perfetti, founder of Lift Up and longtime UX leader, is interviewed by her son, Ben Perfetti. What follows is a deeply personal and heartfelt conversation about curiosity, career pivots, fear, growth and what it really means to build a meaningful life and career.

Ben asks thoughtful questions about Christine’s childhood goals, why she didn’t become a therapist, how she discovered the world of UX, and what led her to create Lift Up. Christine opens up about the scary moments, the sparks of inspiration, and the...

Duration: 00:16:58

In this episode, I sit down with Maigen Thomas, accessibility advocate, UX leader, and founder of Level 11 Technology.

Maigen shares her winding journey from flight attendant to tech founder and how some brave leaps led her to a career focused on equity and purpose.

We discuss:

The emotional side of career pivots and why tears can be a sign of growth and transformation How Maigen found her calling in accessibility and inclusive design Why so many tech orgs still get accessibility wrong Her vision for a more equitable future through apprenticeships and mentorship What...

Duration: 00:54:26

In this solo episode, I am sharing the most personal talk I have ever given.

Two years ago, my consulting work disappeared almost overnight. After years of leading product and design teams and advising organizations like GoFundMe, Penn Medicine, and Harvard Business Review, I suddenly found myself lost and unsure of what came next.

This was my messy middle.

It turned out it was also the beginning of everything, including my own reinvention and the start of Lift Up Connections.

In this talk, I present a teaser of the tools and...

Duration: 00:36:20

Dr. Jade Singleton is a former investment banker turned DEI strategist, researcher, and founder of the IKONI Collective, a wellness collective devoted to centering and sustaining Black women.

She’s also the creator of Ninety-Two, a new documentary funded through Kickstarter (ending July 22) that tells the story of Black women quietly leading a new blueprint for liberation through healing, rest, and collective resistance.

The title Ninety-Two refers to the 92% of Black women who voted for Kamala Harris in 2024 only to have been sidelined, silenced, or disappeared in the months that have followed.

In th...

Duration: 00:50:41

In this episode of Lift Up Connections, Christine sits down with Melissa Appel, product leader, author of Aligned: Stakeholder Management for Product Leaders, and a longtime supporter of women forging their own paths in tech and life. Christine and Melissa first connected as mothers navigating demanding careers, and their relationship has evolved through shared vulnerability, values, and vision.

They explore what it means to reimagine your career from the inside out, and how to navigate transitions with clarity and courage. Melissa opens up about her decision to step away from traditional product leadership roles, why writing Aligned...

Duration: 00:45:39

This week, I’m doing something a little different. I am the one in the interview seat.

I am excited to share my recent conversation with longtime friend and UX pioneer Kyle Soucy on her brilliant podcast, The UX Consultants’ Lounge.

In this personal episode, Kyle and I explore how my two-decade UX consulting career laid the groundwork for Lift Up Connections to support mid- and senior-level women at career and life inflection points.

We discuss the fears and freedom of reinventing your path, why community is essential in uncertain times, and what it m...

Duration: 01:18:43

In this episode, Christine Perfetti chats with Shanae Chapman, founder of Nerdy Diva, civic tech leader, AI innovator, and advocate for inclusive design and equity in tech.

Shanae shares her journey from growing up in North St. Louis to building an impressive career in public service, UX, and entrepreneurship.

Christine and Shanae discuss the power of role models and mentors, and how Shanae's navigating challenging industry shifts with resilience. Shanae shares why she built Mocha Mama, an AI tool designed to support maternal health for black women and how she’s pushing for equity through hu...

Duration: 00:49:49

Christine interviews Catherine Norman, a renowned counselor, about managing the inner critic, one of the most common challenges facing women in business and tech.

Catherine breaks down why our brains have a negativity bias and explores how inner critics develop at different ages throughout our lives: from the emotional 5-year-old who experiences all-or-nothing thinking to the logical but rigid teenager who sees only black and white outcomes.

The conversation includes the "facts versus assumptions" exercise, strategies for talking to the different inner voices, and the importance of recognizing that many successful paths exist rather than...

Duration: 00:29:52

In this episode, Christine chats with Marli Mesibov, the Content Strategy Director at Verily, an Alphabet company, to explore her journey from theater stage manager to content strategy leader in health tech.

Marli opens up about the twists and turns her career has taken, the creative roots of her UX strategy and content design work, and the intentional choices that helped her redefine success.

Marli shares how her background in theater sharpened her ability to organize ideas and tell stories, how she found her way into UX through curiosity and serendipity, and the lessons learned...

Duration: 00:40:34

"You will never have more of what you want until you want what you already have.” 

Christine Perfetti chats with Malaika Simmons, TEDx speaker, founder of Momentology Media, and creator of the Momentology™ Method to explore what it means to live with intention, purpose, and authenticity.

Malaika shares her story as a "facilitator of discovery" where she leveraged her psychology, history, and neuroscience background to create Momentology, a trauma-informed framework for self-awareness and resilience.

Christine and Malaika discuss the foundational pillars of Momentology: Awareness, Gratitude, and Expectancy. Malaika explains how these principles can empow...

Duration: 00:45:44

In this episode of Lift Up Connections, Christine sits down with Amanda Stockwell, a longtime UX consultant, Duke University professor, and co-founder of The List, a nonprofit connecting university students to startups.

We explore what it means to take big and brave career steps without knowing exactly where you will land. Amanda shares how she transitioned from corporate roles to consulting, then into teaching and nonprofit leadership. Each time, Amanda was driven by intuition, connection, and a desire to do meaningful work.

Christine and Amanda discuss:

Navigating burnout and seeking more purpose Embracing the “me...

Duration: 00:43:13

Tamara Adlin is a pioneer in the UX and product world who is widely known for her groundbreaking work on personas and her talent for speaking truthfully about the team and personal dynamics that shape and sometimes derail our work.

Tamara's the co-author of The Persona Lifecycle, a longtime independent consultant, and the host of the new podcast, Corporate Underpants.

In our conversation, Tamara and I talk about the messy middle of our careers, including the grief of letting go of who we once were professionally, the courage to try something new, and the feelings...

Duration: 00:47:00

In this personal and raw episode, Christine sits down with Alla Weinberg, a design leader and expert in psychological safety, to talk about trauma, something we don’t often talk about at work.

We often experience trauma in many different areas of our lives, including when we are managing workplace dynamics, parenting, or dealing with systemic barriers in our jobs. Alla shares her perspective on what trauma really is and how healing can start by building deep connections.

Christine and Alla discuss the trauma many of us carry without realizing it until something cracks open, su...

Duration: 00:50:58

Christine Perfetti is joined by Amy Heymans, founder of Beneficent and co-founder of the renowned design agency Mad*Pow.

A force for good in the healthcare and design communities, Amy shares her journey from young designer and mom to building and selling her multimillion-dollar agency. At Beneficent, she is creating dignified futures through participatory design and visionary leadership.

Christine and Amy discuss how to navigate career inflection points, the challenges of motherhood, how futures thinking can change the world for good, and why we must "stop being selfish and share our brilliance with the world."<...

Duration: 00:49:58