Deep Thoughts With Michelle Handy

Send a text In this episode , we explore how behavioral science, empathy, and relationship-centered leadership come together to shape modern insights work — with Rachel Ousley , behavioral scientist and B2B Marketing Research Lead at Canva. Rachel has worked with brands including Google, Chanel, Vans, and Adidas, and her path from communication strategy to behavioral science has given her a rare b...

Send a text In this episode, we explore career transitions, building something from scratch, and embracing ambiguity with Dr. Christine May — founder of Evolve Consulting and former Head of Behavioral Science at Noom . Christine’s story is a blueprint for moving beyond traditional paths — from a nearly tenured academic career to leading behavioral science in tech, and now to running her own consul...

Send a text In this episode, we explore career pivots, real-world behavior change, and navigating life’s curveballs with Val Silfee: exercise physiologist, behavioral scientist, and principal consultant helping digital health teams build interventions that actually work. Val shares how a single keynote at SBM cracked open her sense of what was possible beyond academia, the culture shock of moving...

Send a text In this episode, we dig into the gap between intentions and impact in workplace well-being with Jasper Buys, organizational psychologist, workplace well-being leader, and former director at Alberta Innovates. Jasper challenges the quick-fix playbook and makes the case for designing work itself (not just perks) if we want healthier people and more innovative companies. We unpack the Oxf...

Send a text In this episode of Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy , we sit down with Dr. Allison Grupski , a clinical health psychologist and former VP of Behavioral Science at WeightWatchers, to explore what it really takes to support healthy behavior change at scale. Allison shares her journey from providing direct care to over 3,000 clients to leading digital and coach-led interventions that hav...

Send a text In this episode, we dive into the intersection of behavioral science, business transformation, and AI adoption with Sharon McCarthy—Wharton MBA, award-winning marketing executive, and behavioral science practitioner trained by Dr. Robert Cialdini. Sharon brings decades of experience leading major brand turnarounds and integrating behavioral design into technology strategy. From revivin...

Send a text In this episode, I sit down with my lifelong best friend Julia Fisher to explore behavioral science and startup investing. Julia transitioned from Senior Investment Analyst at Village Capital to pursuing her MBA at INSEAD. We discuss founder psychology, gender bias in VC funding (connecting to regulatory focus theory), and practical fundraising advice based on her experience with hundr...

Send a text In this episode of Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy , we dive into the messy, fascinating world of human behavior in product design with behavioral product manager Yael Mark . From military intelligence to tech consulting, Yael brings a rare lens to how we build digital experiences that truly work for real people. Yael shares how her time building internal platforms in the Israeli mil...

Send a text In this episode of Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy , we explore the future of branding, identity, and influence with Kai D. Wright —brand strategist, Columbia lecturer, and author of Follow the Feeling . Kai shares insights from his research into 1,500 fast-growing brands and introduces the LAVEC framework (Lexicon, Audio, Visuals, Experience, Culture)—a systems-thinking approach to...

Send a text In this episode, we explore the intersection of behavioral science, habit formation, and AI with Samuel Salzer—behavioral strategist, founder of Habit Weekly , and co-host of The Behavioral Design Podcast . Sam shares how he went from studying finance in Australia to becoming a leader in digital behavior change, impacting over 350 million users worldwide. We talk about the science behi...

Send a text Teams are shrinking, AI tools are multiplying, and suddenly, it feels like anyone can call themselves a researcher. But what gets lost when businesses over-automate the human side of insight? And how do real researchers stay valuable in a world that’s moving this fast? In this episode of Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy , I sit down with Adam Paton Stanley-Smith , CEO and co-founder o...

Send a text In this episode, I’m joined by Thomas Stokes, UX research thought leader and co-founder of Drillbit Labs consultancy. Together, we explore the state of AI adoption in UX research today—from the hype in job postings to the real, uneven use on teams—and how practitioners and leaders can take a more principled, intentional approach. We also dig into quantifying UX impact (even when metric...

Send a text What happens when you've spent over two decades in UX research—witnessing everything from eye-tracking rigs strapped to foreheads to today’s AI-powered research tools? In this episode, I’m joined by Nick Cawthon , founder of Gauge and a true OG of the UX world. Nick has worked with some of the most innovative companies on earth, taught data narratives at the California College of...

Send a text What makes a space feel right ? Why do certain environments help us thrive while others drain our energy? And how does our intuition—not just logic—guide us in career transitions? In this episode, I sit down with Stephanie Beams, founder of Highstone & Co., to explore the psychology of home design, career decision-making, and the courage to take the leap into entrepreneurship. Step...

Send a text What does it mean to stay human in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence? In this episode, I’m joined by Nick Smallman, founder and CEO of Working Voices, whose decades of work with global organizations (JP Morgan, Sony, Barclays, Goldman Sachs) has focused on improving leadership, communication, and engagement in times of profound change. Now, he’s turning his attenti...

Send a text Gamification isn’t just about badges and points—it’s about designing systems that make difficult behaviors feel doable, even fun. In this episode of Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy , we’re joined by Dr. Jacqui Nortje, a behavioral scientist and gamification expert based in Johannesburg, South Africa. With over a decade of experience in South Africa’s wellness and financial services i...

Send a text In this episode of Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy , we explore what it means to build truly intergenerational workplaces with Dr. Daniel Jolles, a Workplace Behavioral Psychologist and Postdoctoral Researcher at The Inclusion Initiative at the London School of Economics. Daniel’s research focuses on workplace aging, generational collaboration, and how to rethink career longevity in...

Send a text Social health is just as essential as physical and mental health—so why do we often neglect it? In this episode, Dr. Iain Smith joins Michelle Handy to explore the science of social connection and its impact on well-being, longevity, and workplace culture. As the Head of Behavioral Science at Sunny, Dr. Smith has spent years studying how relationships shape our lives and how we can cre...

Send a text In this episode, we explore what it means to leave academia and build a fulfilling career outside the ivory tower. Ashley Ruba, PhD, shares her journey from developmental psychology to UX research at Meta and entrepreneurship, founding After Academia to help PhDs navigate their own transitions. From overcoming identity challenges to discovering exciting opportunities in industry, Ashle...

Send a text In this episode, we delve into the intersection of behavioral science, leadership, and workplace well-being with Dr. Mandy Varley, a behavioral scientist and executive coach. She shares her insights on building healthier, more effective workplaces and rethinking traditional metrics of success. Highlights How the rise of AI is forcing us to rethink what we expect from humans at work Why...

Send a text In this episode, we take a behind-the-scenes look at how women are shaping the future of behavior design—from scaling impact in organizations to building powerful professional communities. Stephanie Weldy shares her journey from the public sector to Chief of Staff to Dr. BJ Fogg, her role as co-founder of WEB (Womxn Engaged in Behavior), and how behavior design principles are transform...

Send a text In this episode, we explore what it takes to build truly human-centered organizations with Doug Roerden, who brings over 25 years of experience leading customer and user experience transformations. From Fidelity Investments to FM Global, Doug shares insights on organizational change, stakeholder management, and the evolution of experience design. Episode Highlights Transforming traditi...

Send a text In this episode, we explore how behavioral science and lifestyle medicine are transforming healthcare delivery. Dr. Leanne Mauriello shares insights from her work helping medical providers integrate lifestyle medicine into their practices, and discusses how community environments can support healthier living. Episode Highlights How medical providers can effectively incorporate lifestyl...

Send a text In this episode, we dive deep into the evolution of applied behavioral science with Matt Wallaert, a pioneer who has spent nearly two decades bringing behavioral science from academic theory to practical application. From leading behavioral science teams at Microsoft and Clover Health to founding BeSci.io, Matt shares insights on creating scalable impact and nurturing the next generati...

Send a text In this episode, we explore the complexities of personal growth and career development with Connor Joyce, a Senior User Researcher at Microsoft's Copilot team, the CEO of Desired Outcome Labs, the author of Bridging Intentions to Impact , and now a guest lecturer at UPenn's Master's of Behavioral and Decision Sciences program. From climbing Kilimanjaro to completing an I...