Bucket List Careers

By Bleav, Christa LauriBusiness Education Self-Improvement Careers

Bucket List Careers episodes

October 22Melina Maresca: Taking the Fight Out of Divorce, From Litigator to Mediator | EP 196
Melina Maresca built her career in corporate law and divorce litigation, then stepped away to raise her three kids. When she came back to full-time work, she came back differently: founding Maresca Mediation around work that fits her values and her life. Christa Lauri talks with Melina about trading adversarial litigation for solutions that work for families: why mediation can be a better option than divorce court, more focused on children, and often far less expensive. It's a conversation about choosing work that matters to you, even when it means rethinking the exact career you trained for.
Key topics
Melina explains why her early divorce litigation career felt exciting at first, especially in Manhattan with high-profile clients, but became less appealing after returning as a mother.

Melina describes the biggest frustrations with divorce litigation, including children being used as leverage, constant emergencies, and the lack of control over outcomes.

She tells the story of a client who settled through mediation before a scheduled meeting, which became the turning point that pushed her toward mediation.

She breaks down the key difference between advocacy and mediation, noting that mediators must unlearn the instinct to represent one side and instead help both people reach their own agreement.

She emphasizes that a strong divorce mediator often benefits from litigation experience because knowing what could happen in court helps guide clients realistically.

Melina explains why mediation is usually better for children, since it can keep them out of court and reduce the emotional fallout of custody disputes.

She notes that mediation can help former partners rebuild communication, which is especially important when they will remain co-parents long after the divorce is finalized.

She shares that mediation is typically far less expensive than full litigation, or even resolving a case through attorneys outside of court.

She reflects on her own pivot advice: take small steps, do not expect perfection, and ask for help from people in the field.
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction to Melina Maresca and her pivot from divorce litigator to mediator
01:04 - The subway novel that made divorce law feel more meaningful
02:25 - Leaving practice to raise children after roughly five and a half years in litigation
03:26 - Returning to law after 16 years away and realizing litigation no longer fit
06:21 - The client mediation story that changed her direction
08:02 - Why mediation requires unlearning the advocate mindset
10:59 - How litigation affects children and why mediation is different
12:03 - Co-parenting, communication, and why divorce does not end the relationship when kids are involved
15:19 - Keeping children out of court and bringing in parenting experts when needed
16:37 - Why self-crafted solutions can be more workable for families
17:41 - Seeing former spouses begin communicating again outside mediation sessions
19:25 - Why Melina believes mediation is the better fit for most cases
20:13 - Mediation as a lower-cost alternative to litigation
21:30 - Advice for career pivoting: small steps over reinvention
22:44 - Progress over perfection and why asking for help matters
23:52 - Where to find Mareska Mediation and the services Melina offers
24:20 - Melina on building her own social media presence one step at a time
Where to find Melina
Website: https://marescamediation.com/about

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17 min
October 08Jen Dorf: From Hospitality to Coaching—and Becoming CEO Of Your Own Health | EP 195
What if exhaustion, brain fog, and persistent health symptoms were a reason to pause and listen—not just push through? This conversation follows national board-certified health and wellness coach Jen Dorf’s "pivot path" from a high-pressure career and entrepreneurship to coaching, sparked by her own health struggles. Christa and Jen also unpack how limiting beliefs, self-talk, and old patterns can block change—even when someone knows what to do! Jen shares practical insights into health coaching, radical self-compassion, and the RAIN framework for working through difficulties. This episode is for anyone feeling stuck in health or career patterns and looking for a more grounded next step!
In this episode
The thread connecting Jen’s career in hospitality, entrepreneurship, and coaching

How motherhood, business, and health challenges contributed to overwhelm

Why Jen began exploring anti-inflammatory foods and mindfulness

How coaching helped her identify limiting beliefs and build consistency

What health coaching looks like—and how it supports client agency

The role of neuroplasticity and small, repeated steps in changing habits

How radical acceptance and self-compassion can help when you feel stuck

Jen’s RAIN practice for responding to difficult emotions
Timestamps
00:00 — Jen’s health challenges and the pivot into coaching
01:09 — The thread connecting hotels, restaurants, and service
02:35 — Motherhood, overwhelm, and life before the pivot
04:12 — Searching for answers to persistent symptoms
05:07 — Exploring food as anti-inflammatory support
06:21 — Why new habits still needed support
07:33 — Presence, care, and deeper healing
08:43 — Fear, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome
10:31 — Neuroplasticity and building new patterns
11:28 — What health coaching looks like
12:26 — Clarity, values, and getting off autopilot
13:30 — Radical acceptance and self-compassion
14:39 — The RAIN framework
16:56 — Sitting with discomfort and letting emotions pass
17:28 — Jen’s community work and where to find her
RAIN practice
Recognize what is happening.

Allow the feeling to be there without immediately trying to fix it.

Investigate what you notice in your body.

Nurture yourself with care and compassion
Website: jendorfwellness.com
Social: @jendorfwellnesscoaching

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17 min
September 17 Nancy Leighton: From Brooks Brothers to Building a Coaching Practice | EP 194
Before Nancy Leighton became a career counselor, she spent six years in retail — including a stint as the hat, glove, and muffler buyer at Brooks Brothers. One class, audited on a whim at the Teachers College of Columbia University, changed everything. Nancy shares what it took to walk away from something stable (against her family's wishes), finish a two-year master's over four years while working full-time, and eventually build a practice she now runs with two counselors under her. Thirty years in, she breaks down what actually helps people find the right career fit — and what to do if you're stuck in your own version of the hat and glove department right now!

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16 min
August 20 Adriana Brangi, She Lost Her Career to MS - Then Found Freedom Underwater | EP 193
What do you do when the career you love is suddenly taken from you? For Adriana Brangi, the answer was: you find a new way to swim.
In 2020, Adriana was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis — a diagnosis that ended her career as a preschool teacher and forced her to completely rethink what her life and work would look like going forward.
Rather than letting MS dictate her limits, Adriana found something unexpected: freedom in the water. She became a certified scuba diver and discovered that diving gave her a sense of physical control she couldn’t find on land. As she puts it, “When I go into the water, I have full range of motion… everything works better. I’m me again.”
That experience led her to found Diving Beyond MS, a nonprofit dedicated to spreading MS awareness and helping people with chronic illnesses experience the healing and freedom of diving firsthand.
In this episode, Adriana shares her full career journey — from the life she built as a preschool teacher, through the disruption of her diagnosis, to the moment she found a new sense of purpose underwater. It’s a conversation about resilience, reinvention, and what it means to find a new way forward when the life you planned is no longer available to you.
Topics discussed:
• Adriana’s career as a preschool teacher and how her MS diagnosis upended it
• Adapting to life with primary progressive MS
• Discovering scuba diving and the physical/emotional relief it provided
• Founding Diving Beyond MS and its mission
• Advocacy for chronic illness and disability awareness
• Redefining identity and purpose after a life-altering diagnosis
Learn more about Adriana Brangi's Diving Beyond MS: https://www.instagram.com/diving_beyond_ms/

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14 min
August 06Stephanie Clapp, How a Teacher Became a Psychic Medium & Mentor | EP 192
What if the path you thought you were supposed to take was only the beginning? Stephanie Clapp shares how she went from a 20-year career in education to embracing her intuitive gifts as a psychic medium and mentor, and how that leap helped her—and the women she works with—trust themselves more deeply. This episode explores spiritual awakening, career reinvention, and the power of messy action, with practical tools for overcoming self-doubt and stepping into a more authentic life!
To learn more about Stephanie: https://www.instagram.com/thestephanieclapp/
Key topics:
Stephanie’s journey from educator in Westchester County to psychic medium and intuitive mentor

How the pandemic accelerated her willingness to share her gifts publicly

Understanding the differences between psychic and mediumship, and the importance of certification in the UK versus the US

The role of Clairsentience—including hearing and gut feelings—in intuitive readings

Practical tools like EFT tapping, meditation, and somatic practices to build confidence and trust in intuition

Overcoming societal skepticism and stereotypes about being spiritual or intuitive

Lessons on messy action and failing forward in career transitions

Upcoming book that combines memoir and self-help to activate and heal your intuition
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction and Stephanie Clapp's career background
00:33 - Stephanie's early career in education and the career pivot
01:42 - The influence of family and innate gifts on her journey
03:16 - Skepticism and societal perceptions of psychic work
04:07 - Growing up in a spiritual environment and her family’s influence
05:02 - The impact of the pandemic in embracing her intuitive mentoring
06:07 - Personal story of losing a neighbor to COVID and using mediumship gifts
07:03 - How clair senses work and Stephanie’s intuitive methods
08:04 - Remote versus in-person readings and client experience
09:10 - Difference between psychic and mediumship work, including UK practices
10:08 - Communicating with passed loved ones and spiritual guides
11:08 - Feeling energy remotely and the integrity of intuitive practice
12:03 - How Stephanie helps women lead themselves and trust their intuition
13:15 - Overcoming societal programming and deprogramming fears
14:02 - Using somatic practices, EFT tapping, and mindset work for self-trust
15:02 - The importance of messy action and embracing failure
16:25 - Debunking stereotypes around spiritual practitioners
17:20 - How to connect with Stephanie and her social media presence
18:11 - Announcing her upcoming book on healing, intuition, and purpose
20:01 - Closing thoughts on living authentically and embracing your true self

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19 min
July 23 Vera Gjelaj, From Immigrant Single Mom to Owner of Arome Caffe & Patisserie | EP 191
Cleaning houses. Overnight hospital shifts. After cosmetology school, a salon owner. And at 36 years old, a leap into pastry school that changed everything. Vera Gjelaj’s path to owning Arome Caffè & Patisserie in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY wasn’t a straight line — it was a series of reinventions, each one built on the one before it.
In this episode of Bucket List Careers, Vera shares how she went from arriving in America at 19 with two young children, to Executive Pastry Chef and partner at one of NYC’s most iconic restaurants, to opening her own bakery at 51. She talks candidly about the obstacles along the way, and offers advice for anyone considering a late-in-life career change: don’t put a limit on your dreams, and it’s never too late to build the life you want.
Key Takeaways:
• Career pivots don’t follow a straight line — and that’s okay
• Believing in yourself matters more than having it all figured out
• It’s never too late to start over or chase a new dream
• Hard work and perseverance compound over time
About Vera:
Vera Gjelaj is the owner and founder of Arome Caffè & Patisserie in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. An Albanian immigrant, Vera came to the United States at 19 with two young children. She later attended the French Culinary Institute and became Executive Pastry Chef and partner at One if by Land, Two if by Sea. Today, she brings that experience to Arome Caffè & Patisserie, serving French-inspired pastries and desserts to her community. Vera is proud to be a business owner, wife, mother, and grandmother.
Connect with Vera:
aromecaffepatisserie.com
IG: @aromepatisserie

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15 min
July 09Dane Johnson, From Actor to Healing Pioneer: How Overcoming Illness Transformed a Dream into Purpose | EP 190
Discover how Dane Johnson transitioned from a Hollywood actor to a leading health coach specializing in autoimmune disease reversal. His story exemplifies resilience, purpose, and innovative health solutions. In this episode:
Dane shares his unexpected career pivot after being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis

The emotional and physical toll of nearly dying from Crohn's disease and how it became a catalyst for change

The concept of building a "Shield" for holistic health and autoimmune recovery

Insights into Dane’s groundbreaking program delivering over 750 success stories of IBD reversal

Practical strategies: customized supplements, lab work, and biohacking techniques

Vision for a health-focused restaurant chain aligned with natural, anti-inflammatory foods

Advice on creating a purpose-driven career and building trust with clients
00:01 - Introduction to Dane Johnson and his diverse background in acting and health
00:39 - Dane's beginning in acting and early successes
01:09 - Diagnosis with ulcerative colitis amid a Hollywood career
01:42 - The emotional impact of health struggles and lost roles
02:29 - Inner conflict: pursuing vanity versus meaningful purpose
03:39 - Turning point: severe health crisis and hospitalization
04:27 - Near-death experience and realization of life's deeper purpose
05:26 - How health crises shaped Dane’s new career path
06:22 - The journey of healing and coming off medications
06:51 - The importance of experiential learning as patient zero
07:18 - Building a support community and the "Shield" framework
09:25 - The success and scope of the Shield program for IBD reversal
10:07 - The multifaceted approach: supplements, lab work, and biohacking
11:25 - The philosophy behind the Shield: empowering health and stress resilience
12:01 - Applying the Shield model in daily life for thriving not just surviving
13:16 - Key advice: creating purpose and authenticity in your career
14:34 - Pricing, trust, and building a compelling personal brand
15:23 - Future vision: health-focused restaurant chain and creating art through business
17:06 - Values-driven entrepreneurship and innovations in food for autoimmune health
18:14 - Special offers: free IBD strategy session and healing journal
19:29 - Closing thoughts and gratitude
Resources & Links:
Dane Johnson's Crohn's Colitis Lifestyle

Shield Program Details
Connect with Dane Johnson:
LinkedIn

Twitter

Instagram

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20 min
June 18 Lexi Brine, Cosmetics, Courtrooms and Closings: A Winding Path to Purpose | EP 189
Lexi Brine didn’t follow a straight line to where she is now — and that’s the point. After five years in luxury cosmetics marketing at Estée Lauder, she found herself drawn elsewhere, eventually landing at NYU Law after a stint volunteering on a 2008 presidential campaign. From there: litigation at a corporate law firm, a hard exit after becoming a mother, a wandering search through legal recruiting and LSAT tutoring, and finally a real estate career at Compass that finally clicked. Along the way, she co-founded Inc., a networking community supporting women through their own career transitions. In this conversation, Lexi talks candidly about ignoring well-meaning advice, treating “failures” as data rather than dead ends, and building a personal brand rooted in authenticity instead of perfection!

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19 min
June 04 Dr. Trish Leigh, Preschool to Brain Science: Reinvention and Rewiring Your Mind | EP 188
Dr. Trish believes life unfolds in seven-year chapters — and hers has been no exception. Her path to becoming a globally recognized cognitive neuroscientist wasn’t linear: she started as a preschool teacher, became a speech-language pathologist, worked in schools, and eventually went back to school herself to teach at the college level.
A lifelong curiosity about brain performance and the human condition — combined with raising five children — led Dr. Trish to a deeper calling. She grew passionate about bringing neuro-therapies to the next generation and realized she could create greater clinical impact through brain mapping and rewiring how people think. Her guiding philosophy says it all: “If you don’t control your brain, it will control you.”
Today, Dr. Trish is the founder of Dr. Trish Leigh & Co. and specializes in brain health, neurofeedback, and addiction recovery. Using qEEG brain mapping and neuroscience-based methods, she helps people heal overstimulated brains, break free from compulsive behaviors, and optimize focus, energy, relationships, and performance — and has helped thousands worldwide rewire their brains and reclaim their lives.
Download this episode now and get ready to think differently — about your brain, your career, and what’s still possible!
Find out more about Dr. Trish: https://drtrishleigh.com/

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18 min
May 07Angelique Morelli, Trusting the Pivot: A Journey to Authorship and Impact | EP 187
Angelique Morelli’s career has been anything but a straight line. With over 15 years of experience—ranging from nonprofit fundraising to serving as the Communications Manager at Montefiore Nyack Hospital—she has mastered the art of the pivot. But her most significant transformation wasn’t a job title; it was finding the courage to step into her own light as a children's book author!
In this episode, we dive into:
The "Advocacy" Turning Point: Why waiting for a raise or recognition often leads to being overlooked, and how Angelique learned that being your own best career advocate is the only way to move the needle.

Discovering the Leader Within: The exact moment as an interim director when Angelique realized she had the "it" factor to lead, mentor, and drive impact without fear of being "too pushy."

The Pivot to Authorship: How a global pandemic and a rescue pup named Ellie inspired her to fulfill a lifelong creative goal, leading to the 2025 release of her debut book, Ellie Morelli and The Pack Unleash Their Super Powers.

Fuels & Foundations: How her roles on the board of New York Women in Communications (NYWICI) and the Business Council of Westchester keep her fueled by community and purpose.
Whether you’re feeling stuck in a career that doesn’t feel like yours or you have a "bucket list" creative project waiting to be unleashed, Angelique’s story is a powerful reminder that it is never too late to reinvent yourself and trust your intuition.
Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

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15 min

About Bucket List Careers

From the publisher's feed

Join host Christa Lauri for Bucket List Careers, a podcast that delves into cool jobs with the people who do them, the HOW behind their pivots, and secrets to successfully monetizing doing what you love.