Teona Zak is an LA-based singer-songwriter who graduated from Boston's Berklee College of music in 2023. Her story involves grace, grit, and a decision to be in the right place at the right time. In this episode, Nikki and Teona chat about life on the East and West coast, unpacking how there is a purpose for both. They also discuss what it's been like for Teona to experience the music industry from so many different angles—from a student, to an assistant, and more recently releasing her own music.

Both figuratively and literally, Teona is a role model for young people looking to find their voice. She believes in taking risks and honing one's craft, all while being joyfully authentic along the way.

Follow Teona on Instagram and check out her EP, To Be Loved.

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Neeraj is a Northeastern Alumni who now works at Bloomberg in New York City. With experience from financial services, to tech, to social innovation, Neeraj offers insightful and actionable job search tips, many of which led him to where he is today.

In this episode Nikki and Neeraj sit down to talk about post-grad life, takeaways from co-op experiences, the job search process, and how to make the most of it. With themes of staying open, taking risks, and connecting with others, it's a great conversation for students and job-seekers alike.

To stay in touch with Neeraj, connect with him on LinkedIn.

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Jessie Wang is a former student of Nikki's who graduated from Northeastern in 2024. During her last year at Northeastern she decided to bet on herself and apply to grad school. She ended up getting her Masters Degree and studying across the world through NYU.

In this episode Nikki and Jessie discuss the limits that we put on ourselves and the mindset it takes to overcome them. Jessie shares her story as well as so much wisdom she has gained along the way.

To connect with Jessie, check out her LinkedIn.

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Shauna Orandi is a recent Northeastern graduate, a former student of Nikki's, and an all around rockstar in academics, work, and as a advocate for sustainability. In the conversation today, Nikki and Shauna celebrate Earth Day by chatting outdoors and enjoying the LA sunshine. Shauna discusses her post-grad journey, aspirations for the future, and many insightful lessons she's learned along the way.

To connect with Shauna, check out her LinkedIn, or learn more about her work at the Larta Institute.

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

This week didn't quite go as planned — and honestly, that became the episode.

A last-minute situation meant that two weeks of carefully planned content was no longer going to air, and I found myself navigating the emotional rollercoaster that comes with getting the wind knocked out of you unexpectedly. In this solo episode, I share what that experience was actually like, what I learned from it, and why sometimes the best thing you can do is stop trying to force a solution.

If you're in a season where things aren't going the way you hoped — a job search that's taking longer than expected, a role that doesn't quite fit, or just the feeling that you're not as far along as you thought you'd be — I hope this episode gives you a little encouragement to be where you are, lean on the people around you, and stay open to what might be coming your way.

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Anjali Laddha is a student, founder, and inspiration to both peers and fellow entrepreneurs. She is a 4th year student of Nikki's at Northeastern University, but has taken a unique path to reach the point which she is at today, the founder of Degree2Destiny, an AI-powered startup focused on creating AI literacy for students across India.

In this episode, Nikki and Anjali discuss Anjali's unique college experience. In this candid conversation, Anjali shares the highs and lows of creating a startup, while still in college. Ultimately, she is grateful for her journey and has gained an immense amount of wisdom to share.

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Juan Miguel Campos Ulate is a former soccer athlete turned workplace leader at Accenture. He has lived, worked, and played soccer in both Costa Rica and the United States and has reached great success in each of his endeavors. In this episode Juan Miguel and Nikki sit down to discuss the though lines in his journey—hard work and action over luck and opportunity. While his story didn't go the way he planned, he says he couldn't imagine anything better than the life he has now. Listen for honest advice related to accepting pivots, entering the workforce, and even navigating the infiltration of AI as a student or employee.

To connect with Juan Miguel, check out his LinkedIn.

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Emily Snowberger is a marketer, friend, human-rights-advocate, and certified pickleballer. While she now leads marketing for the anti-human-trafficking non-profit A21, her path has led her across industries from fashion to higher education. She has also lived and worked across continents.

In this episode, Nikki and returning guest Nora Shepard chat with Emily about how she's gotten to where she is today. Notably, Emily discusses how staying focused and taking calculated risks has helped her most in times of doubt, when even she wasn't quite sure what the bigger picture would look like.

To learn more about Emily, connect with her on LinkedIn. Also, discover more about her nonprofit work and A21's mission of abolishing human trafficking by checking out their website at https://www.a21.org/.

To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram.

ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.