Curiosity with Kristen

Andrea Hogan journey spans continents, careers, and one of the world's most transformative pilgrimages. From growing up in Ireland to building a remarkable leadership career with companies like IBM and Qualcomm, Andrea seemed to have everything on track. But when her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, life took an unexpected turn. That chapter eventually led Andrea to walk the 500-mi...

Parul Saini, a technology executive, entrepreneur, and founder of AI Ally Works, joins Curiosity with Kristen. Parul's journey began in India, where her curiosity about life and purpose eventually led her into the world of technology. Along the way, she navigated gender bias, built a successful career at companies including Adobe, Splunk, and Uber, and ultimately rose to become Uber's CI...

Guisselle Nunez, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at San Jose State University, helps organizations and individuals communicate their value and achieve success through enduring marketing and personal branding strategies. Guisselle has led multi-million dollar branding and enrollment campaigns and brings a powerful perspective across marketing, communications, and public affairs. She’s a...

Today on Curiosity with Kristen , we’re diving into the world of global leadership, cultural intelligence, and the future of talent with someone who has lived it at every level with Lori Adams‑Brown. Lori’s story spans continents and crises. She grew up in Costa Rica and Venezuela, later serving in Indonesia during the 2004 tsunami, where she became a bridge between international NGOs and local co...

What if everything you thought you knew about building wealth was actually costing you — without you even realizing it? Today's guest is Nader Yassa — financial educator, wealth strategist, and someone who has spent years cutting through the noise to teach people a simpler, smarter path to financial freedom. In this episode, Nader breaks down why the system most of us are operating in is quie...

What does it mean to belong… to leave a legacy… and to keep hope alive when the world feels uncertain? In episode 73, I’m joined by Shirley Gee , founder and Managing Partner of Angel Plus LLC, which performs diligence for latter stage start-ups in preparation for capitalization, and CEO of the Regional Resource Center, (Vietnamese American Community Center of the East Bay) a non-profit helping se...

Today’s conversation is an important one—about aging, care, and how we support one another as our population shifts. By 2030, there will be more people over 65 than under 18, and that reality is already reshaping families, communities, and the way we think about long-term care. I’m joined by Deka Dike (dee-K) , CEO and founder of Omatochi, a senior care technology company helping seniors age in pl...

Today we explore the questions that open our hearts, stretch our thinking, and invite us into what’s possible.  I'm joined by Rosalyn Acosta, the founder of Live Heal Travel . She is a reiki master, shamanic energy medicine practitioner, mindfulness facilitator, and eco-travel visionary. Rosalyn weaves together healing, culture, and conservation in a way that’s both grounded and expansive. He...

In this special episode of Curiosity with Kristen , the tables turn as Kristen is interviewed by Jodi Kaelle, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of MontaRosa. Kristen shares her full career journey from her early days at a CPA firm to discovering staffing and recruitment, becoming a top performer, and ultimately launching multiple businesses of her own. Kristen reflects on her pivots from accounting...

What does dissecting cow eyeballs teach about innovation? How do you and your team approach work? Curiosity? Innovation? This week's guest is Holly Uber, a catalyst for curiosity whose career spans classrooms, boardrooms, and cutting-edge tech labs. After college, Holly packed her bags for Cameroon as a Peace Corps volunteer, teaching English and sparking curiosity in students halfway around...

Today’s guest, Zach Brooks , is anything but conventional. From his early days selling lemonade to fund his first big adventure, to building tech startups in the dot-com era, earning a PhD in Applied Linguistics, acting in Hollywood, and now launching his fifth company, Ugenome AI , Zach’s career is a tapestry of curiosity, creativity, and impact. We explore his new book trilogy—including Discover...

Today I interview Cecil Plummer , CEO of Fastr.ai, which is an AI platform that instantly transforms your existing ATS into a smarter talent engine.  With nearly two decades of recruiting leadership at Robert Half before becoming CEO at Fastr.ai, Cecil brings a wealth of experience in scaling talent operations. From Fortune 50 firms to nimble, 200-person teams, Fastr.ai’s proprietary LLM is purpos...

If you’ve ever felt isolated in your career, overwhelmed in a job search, or wondered why finding authentic community feels harder than it should, today’s episode is going to hit home. In this episode, Julia Holian and I dive into the real pressures women face today and how building meaningful connection can completely transform your sense of grounding and momentum. We dig into the striking differ...

Today’s guest is Scott Alldredge, a former football player turned tech entrepreneur with over 30 years in IT and cybersecurity. He’s the CEO of IP Services and co-author of the acclaimed VisibleOps series, which has sold over 400,000 copies and read by leaders around the world. Scott shares his journey, from running a raspberry business as a teenager to building one of the most trusted cybersecuri...

It was an honor to welcome Angie Simon to Curiosity with Kristen . After retiring in 2023, Angie continues to lead and inspire. She spent over 35 years at Western Allied, where she served as President and CEO, growing the company by more than 300%. She also made history as the first woman to serve as President of SMACNA, opening doors for more women in the trades. In 2021, she launched the Heavy M...

Welcome to Curiosity with Kristen, where we explore the stories and ideas that challenge us to grow.  Episode 63 is Chen Lizra . Chen is a TED Speaker, professional dancer, and founder of The Power of Somatic Intelligence , a groundbreaking approach that helps high achievers and leaders reconnect with their bodies, regulate their nervous systems, and transform what’s been blocking them. Chen’s wor...

Episode 62 is with my friend, Maryann Walters, who has been redefining how she works and travels the world with her husband and dog. We met at my previous company when she was my client at TriNet as Director of Procurement. She was responsible for procurement, strategic sourcing and data transformation. She also spent about a decade at Microsoft in supply chain operations. A master of scalable cha...

Today I have Linda Tempelman, CEO of Persista Bio. With a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University and extensive experience in the biotech sector, Dr. Tempelman leads a team that’s breaking through barriers in cell therapy. Persista Bio’s pioneering O2Line™ system is designed to overcome immune rejection and support the long-term viability of therapeutic cells. Focused on enabling advan...

Today, I’m joined by Nancy Sheppard , Founder and CEO of Women2Boards. Nancy is a powerhouse in the world of banking and board leadership. She is also SO approachable, friendly, supportive and warm!  The instant I met her, I felt like I had known her for years! From her early years on Capitol Hill to the C-suite, Nancy’s journey is anything but ordinary. We talk about her early years including her...

Today, I'm honored to have David Craig, CEO and founder of Sarcomatrix Therapeutics, joining me. With a steadfast commitment to advancing treatments for muscle-wasting diseases, David’s leadership has been the driving force behind Sarcomatrix’s groundbreaking work. Under his guidance, Sarcomatrix is pioneering novel therapies to promote muscle regeneration, with a vision to transform the live...

Today, I’m thrilled to have Robert Boyce , CEO of Plakous Therapeutics , joining me. From his early years as a Naval Flight Officer to leading marketing efforts at Johnson & Johnson , Robert’s journey is a testament to versatility and leadership. We'll explore his career path and what ultimately led him to become the CEO of Plakous Therapeutics. Plakous Therapeutics is developing groundbr...

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Ludovica Labruna , CEO of Magnetic Tides . Ludovica is a PhD and visionary neuroscientist with a passion for non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS). At UC Berkeley , her research focuses on understanding individual differences in sensitivity to NIBS, aiming to unlock new possibilities for brain interventions. With Magnetic Tides , she’s bringing a revolutionary N...

Today, we’re joined by Kenneth Barton , CEO of SafetySpect . With over 20 years of experience in business development, Kenneth has helped grow companies from the ground up, securing partnerships with major organizations like Symantec, the U.S. Postal Service, and international government ministries. His expertise in forging strategic alliances has driven startups to over $40 million in enterprise...

Today, we’re joined by Hannah Zhang , CEO of Zepto Life Technology . Zepto Life Technology is transforming diagnostics powered by Giant Magneto-resistance (GMR) technology, which earned the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2007. Their product can perform a lab culture in just 90 minutes, a breakthrough compared to traditional methods that can take days or even weeks. This fast, lab-quality solution is re...

Today I am excited to introduce Andreas Bayer. From humble beginnings in getting a green card in a lottery to building a career in Silicon Valley as an Engineer to risk leader to startup founder. Andreas has had an incredible path. We talk about what it means to grow, pivot and lead through acquisitions, reinvention and everything in between. Noteworthy is as Senior Director of Risk Engineering at...