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 associated with reinvention.

We get real about aging in tech, why women need to talk about money more openly, and how communities, including Never Search Alone and Lift Up Connections are providing support in uncertain times.

Resources:

🎧 Learn more about Tamara’s work at Adlin Inc. and Corporate Underpants

💡 Never Search Alone — Phyl Terry's free job search support community 

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.

Christine and Alla discuss the trauma many of us carry without realizing it until something cracks open, such as becoming a parent, leaving a toxic workplace, or a relationship ending. Alla shares her own story of discovering her trauma after the birth of her son, and how that realization influenced her purpose, work, and understanding of what it means to show up authentically.

If you are experiencing burnout, feeling disconnected, or questioning the systems you are operating in, this conversation is a great reminder that you are not alone. Healing doesn’t have to happen in isolation. There is a way forward that starts with compassion for ourselves.

Connect with Alla on LinkedIn: Alla Weinberg

Sign up for Alla's trauma healing session

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."

Amy shares her perspective on building self worth, dealing with imposter syndrome, and what it really means to live and lead in alignment with your values.

Amy also shares insights into Dignified Futures, the conference she will be co-hosting in Atlanta this June, and her vision for change across health, finance, and government.

Dignified Futures Conference: https://designfordignity.com (June 3–4, Atlanta)

Connect with Amy on LinkedIn: Amy Heymans

Beneficent: https://beneficent.design