The Imposter Roster: The Secret Lives of Capable Women

By Christine ChubenkoBusiness Health & Fitness Mental Health Education Self-Improvement Careers

The Imposter Roster: The Secret Lives of Capable Women episodes

September 1577 Times, One Threat, and a US Supreme Court Petition: Zara Northover Refuses to Be Silenced
Zara Northover didn't want to be a pro se litigant before the US Supreme Court. Nobody wants that. But when her career was stripped away after she spoke up about workplace inequities — and when a gorilla birthday card arrived from company leadership two weeks after she was threatened — she made a choice: stand up, or live forever knowing she didn't.
Five years later, she's still standing.
What We Get Into
- [01:44] What pro se means — and why nobody chooses this path voluntarily
- [03:05] Daughter of immigrants — writing her mother's resume in sixth grade and learning what racism looks like before you have a word for it
- [04:29] Imposter syndrome is earned, not innate — why she believes self-doubt is something that gets installed, not built in
- [05:22] The Olympic mindset — what it takes to be delusional enough to compete for Jamaica in shot put and why that same energy carried her through the legal fight
- [08:10] 77 applications — walking downtown to find the founder, and getting in on audacity alone
- [11:11] From office pet to office threat — the moment helping others navigate workplace inequity made her the problem
- [13:04] The email that started it all — flagging racial disparities in lending rates and the meeting that followed
- [16:47] The gorilla card — a birthday card from company leadership that said everything without saying anything
- [19:55] Choosing to fight — what it looks like when you weigh the cost of staying silent against the cost of speaking up
- [21:31] The attorney problem — why having the wrong attorney is almost as bad as having none, and the moment she went pro se
- [24:14] Resistance is elevation — why she runs toward friction instead of away from it
- [28:27] AI as a legal tool — how ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity helped her navigate a system designed to keep non-lawyers out
- [29:48] Preseason for a lawsuit — sitting in public hearings, watching law influencers, binging Suits and Erin Brockovich
- [34:16] The human moments — breaking down in the law library, and what brought her back
- [35:00] Mirror work — the coaching practice that keeps her anchored when the fight gets heavy
About Zara Northover
Zara Northover is a 2008 Jamaican Olympian (shot put), TEDx speaker, entrepreneur, and pro se litigant before the United States Supreme Court. She is the founder of Legal Aviators, an AI-powered platform helping everyday people navigate the legal system, and she relaunched Moving in Faith, a purpose-driven brand rooted in courage and resilience. Her forthcoming book, The Cost of Justice in the Midst of the Storm, was written from inside the storm itself. She is a daughter of Jamaican immigrants, a former President's Club banker, and one of the most quietly defiant people you will ever hear.
Resources & Organizations Mentioned
Legal Aviators — AI-powered legal navigation platform (https://www.eeoc.gov/)
Moving in Faith — purpose-driven brand and platform (https://www.movinginfaith.com)
"The Cost of Justice in the Midst of the Storm" — Zara's forthcoming book
University of Detroit Mercy Law Library — pro se litigant resource center with Westlaw access
EEOC — Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (https://www.eeoc.gov/)
TEDx Talk — "We Are Worth the Cost of Justice" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKu3kvXQnVA)
Organizations Zara is seeking amicus brief support from:
NAACP: https://naacpldf.org/ https://www.detroitnaacp.org
ACLU: https://www.aclu.org/
NELA: https://www.nela.org/
https://zaranorthover.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/zaranorthover
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaranorthover
Connect with The Imposter Roster
Website: https:\\theimposterroster.com
YouTube: @TheImposterRosterPodcast
The Imposter Roster is produced by Imposter Roster Media. Hosted on Simplecast via JAG Podcast Productions: www.jagpodcastproductions.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
42 min
August 18The 200-Page Hail Mary: Michelle Collins on Trusting Your Instincts When It Matters Most
Michelle Collins didn't take the obvious path to becoming COO of an AI company. She took the interesting one — through journalism, database reporting, HTML, marketing technology, and eventually to the front seat of the conversational AI revolution. Today she leads CodeBaby's work in emotionally responsive digital avatars, writes about ethical AI, and still considers herself a "highly technical non-techie." Which, honestly, is exactly the kind of person you want running the intersection of technology and human connection.
What We Get Into
[02:44] Origin story — Broadcasting in high school, falling into print journalism, and being present when the Mosaic browser launched

[04:16] Right place, right time — How journalism skills translated directly into AI prompting, and why asking the right questions is everything

[09:10] Two ways to approach AI — The storyteller's method vs. the technologist's method, and why both matter

[14:22] The imposter constant — Why every single new challenge has come with "I don't belong here" in one hand and "I can figure this out" in the other

[16:00] The Volkswagen story — A 200-page spec document, a skeptical consultant, and the Hail Mary that saved a client relationship

[21:39] When there's nothing left to lose — How to recognize that moment and take the shot anyway

[23:25] Socially awkward by admission — Why reading people carefully became a professional superpower

[25:19] Women in tech and the invisible imposter — When you say it three weeks ago and nobody listens, then a man says it and he's a genius

[28:10] Two camps on AI — The developers who feel threatened and the ones who are liberated, and why the distinction matters

[33:15] Feeling like an imposter defending AI — The unexpected twist of being called the bad guy in the room

[35:56] The advice — Fail more. Fail on purpose. Be introspective about what went wrong. Then keep going.
About Michelle Collins
Michelle Collins is the Chief Operating Officer at CodeBaby, leading the company's work in conversational AI and emotionally responsive digital avatars across healthcare, education, customer service, and hospitality. She began her career in journalism — editing the Daily Illini, interning at New York Times Digital, and contributing to the Pulitzer Prize-winning Gateway to Gridlock series at the Chicago Tribune. After a decade-plus in marketing technology, she found her way to the intersection of AI and human connection, where she now writes about ethical AI and what it actually takes to make automation feel like someone's listening.
Resources & Organizations Mentioned
CodeBaby — emotionally responsive AI avatars for healthcare, education, and more

Gateway to Gridlock — Pulitzer Prize-winning series, Chicago Tribune

Daily Illini — University of Illinois student newspaper

Mosaic browser — the first widely used web browser, beta tested at U of I

DialogFlow CX — Google conversational AI platform

Claude Code, Claude Opus, Claude Fable — Anthropic AI tools referenced
Connect with The Imposter Roster
Website: theimposterroster.com
YouTube: @TheImposterRosterPodcast
The Imposter Roster is produced by Imposter Roster Media. Hosted on Simplecast via JAG Podcast Productions: www.jagpodcastproductions.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
43 min
July 21Fill Out the Form. Spiral Later. Amanda Sweet on Doing It Anyway.
Amanda Sweet didn't build the Revamp Ecosystem because she had a clean origin story. She built it because she needed one. From probation at 13 to beauty queen to Creative Fairy Godmother, Amanda's path runs straight through the messy, the hard, and the wildly creative — and she wouldn't have it any other way. Today, the Revamp Clothing Swap Festival draws 700+ attendees, diverts an average of 16,000 pounds of clothing from landfills every 90 days, supports 85–90 brand ambassadors and a 10–15 person media team, and just launched a print magazine. Oh, and she Googled 'biggest clothing swap festival in the world' and her own name came up.

[03:17] Origin story — A lifetime of being redirected toward normal, and the moment she stopped
[04:42] The linchpin — Being called selfish for leaving, and deciding: yeah, actually
[07:54] The backstory — Probation and AA at 13, and what those rooms taught her about community
[11:39] Why the Revamp started — The balikbayan box, 45 bagels, and one girl who said "do this again"
[14:11] Miss Voluptuous America — Googling "plus size opportunities" and winning a national crown
[18:31] The magazine — Building print credits for creatives who can't get experience without experience
[24:06] On imposter syndrome — Feel it. Fill out the form. Spiral later.
[27:25] The Google search — How she found out the Revamp might be the biggest clothing swap festival in the world
[31:04] The tip — Trusting yourself is practice, not a personality trait

About Amanda Sweet
Amanda Sweet is the founder of the Revamp Ecosystem, a culture-shifting platform where fashion meets sustainability meets full-blown community magic. Through immersive events, storytelling, and creative collaboration, she and her volunteer crew have diverted more than 76,000 pounds of clothing from landfills while creating a platform for Detroit's creatives, entrepreneurs, and emerging leaders. She is the force behind the Revamp Clothing Swap Festival, Swap magazine, and her role as Director of Ecosystem Development at Bamboo Co-Work. She is also a speaker, Miss Voluptuous America, and Detroit's Creative Fairy Godmother. In 2026, the Revamp earned three major recognitions including acceptance into the Next Cycle Michigan Accelerator. Her mission: help people get fly, make friends, and save the world — in that order.

Resources & Organizations Mentioned
Revamp Ecosystem — revampdetroit.com (clothing swap festival, magazine, brand ambassador program)

Bamboo Co-Work — co-working and ecosystem development

Next Cycle Michigan — national recycling accelerator

Black Tech Saturdays / Michigan Central Station leadership cohort

Boss Blue — internship cohort program

Waste Warrior Program — City of Detroit

The balikbayan box — Filipino cultural tradition of sending goods to family abroad, the unlikely origin of the swap concept
Connect with The Imposter Roster
Website: theimposterroster.com

YouTube: @TheImposterRosterPodcast
The Imposter Roster is produced by Imposter Roster Media. Hosted on Simplecast via JAG Podcast Productions: www.jagpodcastproductions.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
36 min
June 16Hold My Scalpel: Dr. Stephanie Muh on Being the 7% in Surgery's Mostly Male Specialty
Dr. Stephanie Muh didn't just choose orthopedic surgery — she wrote it down in the third grade and never looked back. Her elementary school teacher kept that letter and returned it to her after medical school graduation. Now a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder and elbow pathology, Dr. Muh has more than 90 peer-reviewed publications, serves on multiple national committees, lectures internationally, and is joining the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Orthopedic Surgery. She's also one of only 7% of orthopedic surgeons in the country who is female.

What We Get Into
[00:38] Introduction — The bone doctor who called it in third grade

[02:15] Origin story — How a rambunctious kid with a lot of orthopedic injuries found her path

[04:25] First self-doubt — Grades, test scores, and wondering if she was "good enough" for medical school

[05:44] The grades debate — Why test scores reflect test-taking ability, not aptitude or potential

[07:23] Passion as fuel — Why orthopedics isn't a job for Dr. Muh, it's her life

[08:35] Behind the scenes — Designing surgical implants, working with engineers, and the 1–2 year road from concept to commercialization

[12:19] The 7% — Why orthopedics ranks last among all surgical specialties for female representation

[14:26] The mold — What people picture when they think "orthopedic surgeon" and why that perception is both wrong and stubborn

[18:41] The carpentry myth — Why strength is a misread of what orthopedic surgery actually requires

[20:43] Still questioning — How external bias and peer resistance still surface, even now

[21:13] The review score problem — Research showing female physicians receive lower patient ratings and more complaints, across all of medicine

[23:10] Finding support — Professional coaching, mentorship networks, and why Dr. Muh isn't ashamed to say she used both

[27:17] Paying it forward — The Perry Initiative, the Nth Dimension program, and why representation isn't just about gender

[31:48] Words for the road — What resilience really looks like when the path keeps pushing back

[34:20] The "I'll show you" gene — Why defiance got her there, and wisdom taught her to turn it into a smolder
The Imposter Roster is produced by Imposter Roster Media. Hosted on Simplecast via JAG Podcast Productions: www.jagpodcastproductions.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
38 min
May 19She Started With IKEA Furniture and a $5,000 Loan - Amanda Lewan
She Started With IKEA Furniture and a $5,000 Loan
In this episode, Amanda Lewan, co-founder and CEO of Bamboo, shares her journey of transforming a small co-working space into a statewide innovation network in Michigan. She discusses the challenges, mindset shifts, and community-driven approach that fueled her success, offering valuable insights for entrepreneurs and community builders.
Key Topics:
The origins of Bamboo and Amanda's accidental entrepreneurial start

Overcoming imposter syndrome as a leader and woman entrepreneur

The importance of passion and purpose in building a sustainable business

Navigating growth and expansion during uncertain times like the pandemic

The role of community, diversity, and third spaces in fostering innovation

Balancing motherhood, leadership, and personal well-being

Practical advice: The power of just starting and taking action
Timestamps:
02:26 - “I felt like I was making up my job” — Amanda on feeling unqualified as a CEO
08:07 - IKEA furniture, a $5,000 loan, and a dream: how Bamboo actually started
09:14 - Opening a second location six months before the world shut down
13:11 - Why having a purpose beyond profit is what kept her going
23:47 - On being a mom of two, CEO of five, and still feeling like a fraud some days
29:47 - Her one piece of advice: you just have to get started

Resources & Links:
Amanda Lewan on LinkedIn

Bamboo Co-working Spaces
Connect with Amanda:
Instagram

Twitter
The Imposter Roster is produced by Imposter Roster Media. Hosted on Simplecast via JAG Podcast Productions: www.jagpodcastproductions.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
34 min
April 21Michelle Rafalski: She Took Over Mom's Business — Two Months Before the World Shut Down
What happens when the family business you swore you'd never join becomes the thing you can't imagine living without?
In this episode of The Imposter Roster, Christine Chubenko sits down with Michelle Gleba Rafalski — Managing Partner of Gleba & Associates — who quit her job at 30, called her mom, and accidentally discovered her calling in the business she grew up in.
Michelle stepped into leadership just months before COVID shut everything down, and suddenly found herself making decisions for a team that had more experience than she did — with zero playbook. Her imposter syndrome didn't hit once and disappear. It evolved, leveling up every time she did.
Christine and Michelle explore what imposter syndrome looks like when you're not starting from scratch — you're stepping into a legacy — and how powering through doesn't mean pretending the doubt isn't there.
They also discuss:
Why being afraid to ask questions is the most dangerous form of imposter syndrome

Her mom's glass-and-plastic ball analogy for juggling work and motherhood

How Michelle and her mother drew up a contract to protect both their business and personal relationship

The difference between battling each other and battling the problem together

What it feels like to supervise people with more experience — and what to do when they push back

Why hiring people smarter than you is a sign of confidence, not weakness

How Artemis 2 reminded her that even the smartest people in the room never stop asking questions
Michelle's leadership style is equal parts grit, humility, and common sense. Her approach: power through, ask the questions nobody else wants to ask, and let the plastic balls drop.
If you've ever been the one everyone looked to for answers while you were still figuring it out yourself, this episode is your permission slip to keep going anyway. Michelle has stepped boldly off the imposter roster and into her spotlight.
The Imposter Roster is produced by Imposter Roster Media. Hosted on Simplecast via JAG Podcast Productions: www.jagpodcastproductions.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
35 min
March 17 Robbie Hunt on Going Rogue on Self-Doubt
What happens when the voice inside you says something different from everything you’ve been taught?
In this episode of The Imposter Roster, Christine Chubenko sits down with Rogue Astrology founder Robbie Hunt to explore the moment she realized she had to trust her own perspective—even when it challenged religion, tradition, and the expectations placed on her as a woman.
Raised in the Southern Baptist church, Robbie struggled with questions about faith, authority, and identity. Her turning point came unexpectedly when someone addressed her as “Reverend Robbie”—a moment that forced her to confront both her calling and the self-doubt that came with it.
Christine and Robbie dive into how imposter syndrome shows up when you're challenging powerful cultural narratives—and why stepping into your truth can feel like rebellion.
They also discuss:
Why imposter syndrome often appears when you're thinking independently
The courage required to question systems that say “don’t get above your raising”
Robbie’s path to becoming both an ordained minister and a professional astrologer
The myth of Mercury retrograde and how collective belief shapes our experiences
Why questioning authority can be a powerful form of spiritual authenticity
Robbie’s approach to astrology blends history, psychology, religion, and plain common sense. Her mission: challenge “junk astrology” and encourage people to think for themselves.
If you've ever felt the internal voice asking, “Who do you think you are?”, this episode will remind you that sometimes that question is the very doorway to your true calling.
At 63, Robbie says she has finally stepped fully into her voice—and in this conversation she shows us what it looks like to step off the imposter roster and into the spotlight.
The Imposter Roster is produced by Imposter Roster Media. Hosted on Simplecast via JAG Podcast Productions: www.jagpodcastproductions.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
30 min
February 17The Day I Said It Out Loud
Why does imposter syndrome show up so loudly in capable women—and why do so many of us believe we’re the only ones feeling it?
In the very first episode of The Imposter Roster: The Secret Lives of Capable Women, host Christine Chubenko shares the origin story of the show: the moment she finally said out loud what so many brilliant women quietly carry—the fear of being found out, exposed, or labeled a fraud despite years of experience and success.
Joined by Emily Wrobel, who was there when the idea for The Imposter Roster was born, Christine unpacks why this conversation matters, why it’s long overdue, and why naming imposter syndrome is the first step toward loosening its grip.
In this episode, we talk about -
What imposter syndrome really feels like for capable, high-achieving women
Why self-doubt persists even with credentials, experience, and success
How silence and comparison keep women stuck in imposter thinking
The moment this podcast idea took shape—and why it wouldn’t let go
Why storytelling is a powerful way to normalize these experiences and move forward
This episode sets the tone for the entire series: honest conversations, shared stories, and real voices from women who have questioned their place—and risen anyway.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you truly belong in the room, this show is for you.
You’re not alone. You’re just on The Imposter Roster.
The Imposter Roster is produced by Imposter Roster Media. Hosted on Simplecast via JAG Podcast Productions: www.jagpodcastproductions.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
20 min
January 20 The Imposter Roster Trailer
You're listening to the Imposter Roster- The Secret lives of Capable Women: Where brilliant, badass women admit they've felt like complete frauds and then tell us how they rose anyway,
I'm your host, Christine Chubenko, and I'm not here to fix you. I'm here to get real, laugh a little, and remind you you're not alone. You're just on the imposter roster.
If you're feeling this, please follow or subscribe to our show for free on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you're listening right now.
The Imposter Roster is produced by Imposter Roster Media. Hosted on Simplecast via JAG Podcast Productions: www.jagpodcastproductions.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
1 min

About The Imposter Roster: The Secret Lives of Capable Women

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Imposter syndrome - you've either had it, or you're afraid to admit it. Welcome to The Imposter Roster: The Secret lives of Capable Women. On this show, host Christine Chubenko will interview…

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The Imposter Roster: The Secret Lives of Capable Women episodes

About The Imposter Roster: The Secret Lives of Capable Women