Who Moved My Career?!?

Traci DiMartini has seen it all. As a senior HR executive across multiple federal agencies, including a tenure leading human resources at the IRS. She spent decades making sure employees were treated with dignity during the hardest moments of their careers. She was the person in the room. The one who knew how it was supposed to go.

Then the rules changed. And she found herself on the other side of the table.

Here's the thing about Traci: she also survived a literal explosion in her apartment. And somewhere in the wreckage, she found something a lot of executives spend years chasing: perspective on what actually matters when everything gets stripped away.

In this episode, Traci and Nicole get into what federal service really looks like from the inside, what job loss does to identity, and why the people dedicated to serving 330 million Americans deserve a hell of a lot more credit than they get. Traci is funny, direct, and completely unbothered by saying the quiet part out loud.

She went through the fire. Her light's still on.

Bill Fitzgerald, CEO of FitzDrake Search, returns for round two.

In this episode, Nicole and Bill get into the realities of the 2026 job market — still brutal for the long-term unemployed — and why most executives are misreading how recruiters actually work. They cover AI's real (and limited) role in job searching, what your resume is failing to communicate, the mechanics of meaningful networking versus transactional networking, and why career pivots are harder than anyone admits.

Bill also shares one deceptively simple tip that most senior candidates overlook entirely. If you're in transition — or plan to be — this is the intel you need before you make your next move.

Jim Chilton didn’t start his career in technology.

He started at Mr. Donut.

In this episode of Who Moved My Career?, Jim shares how discipline, grit, and a healthy chip on your shoulder can shape a career far beyond where you begin.

From early lessons in work ethic to executive leadership in technology and education at Cengage, Jim walks through the pivots that defined his professional growth — and the mentors who helped him along the way.

We discuss:

• Career development and mentorship
• Navigating imposter syndrome
• Why understanding both technology and business matters
• Using Ikigai to align career ambition with personal purpose
• Why “your career is your responsibility”

This conversation is for anyone navigating a career pivot, feeling stuck in their current role, or trying to design a career plan that prepares them for opportunities anywhere — not just inside one company.

Because sometimes a little paranoia keeps you sharp.
And sometimes a chip on your shoulder becomes your edge.

🎙️ Topics: career growth, mentorship, cybersecurity training, leadership development, professional pivots, imposter syndrome, Ikigai, education technology, Cengage

What does it really take to build a great services company—and keep its soul as it scales?

In this episode of Who Moved My Career?!, Nicole sits down with Eric Berridge, longtime tech operator, former Oracle exec, founder of IBM Bluewolf, and CEO of Coastal—heading up some of the most meaningful consulting companies in the cloud.

Eric traces his journey from Oracle to founding Bluewolf, becoming Salesforce’s first consulting partner, and ultimately leading Coastal through growth, change, and its recent acquisition by Tata Consulting Services.

Along the way, Nicole and Eric unpack what most leaders don’t talk about:

• Why the real IP in a services company is how your people show up every day

• What it’s like to be a CEO without founder credibility—and how to build belief anyway

• Why “growth and comfort cannot coexist”

• Why the truth is always with the customer (even when it’s uncomfortable)

• And why human creativity—and the humanities—still matter deeply in a tech-driven world

This is a conversation about leadership without polish, building belief systems instead of org charts, and why so much magic still happens when people are in the room together.

“Leave when they want you to stay.”
That’s a lesson most leaders learn quietly—if at all.

In this episode of Who Moved My Career?!, Nicole McNamara sits down with Brian Gallagher, former CEO of United Way Worldwide, for a rare, deeply personal conversation about a career he doesn’t often unpack publicly.

Over more than three decades at United Way, Brian helped reshape the organization’s mission, brand, and global impact. Here, he shares the inside story—what it’s like to stay in one role for a long time, how leadership slowly changes you, and the moment he knew it was time to leave, even when others wanted him to stay.

Brian opens up about imposter syndrome, early life experiences that shaped his leadership, and why building a portfolio career after United Way—now at Leargas Group—brought clarity, purpose, and renewed fulfillment.

This episode is for leaders, nonprofit professionals, and high performers navigating career pivots, wrestling with identity beyond a title, or wondering what legacy really means when the work evolves.
🎧 Listen for an honest look behind a remarkable career—and the courage it takes to turn the page.

Scott Barghaan walked away from a big job at a big company — not because something went wrong, but because he wanted something more intentionally designed.

In this episode, Scott shares how he’s built a portfolio career around his curiosities: advising, mentoring and teaching.

Scott mentions no fewer than 15 people who shaped his path along the way. Managers. Mentors. Sponsors. Friends. People who opened doors and people he showed up for.

He’s also clear about what grounds all of it: family and health come first, and career decisions only make sense when they support both.

This conversation isn’t about hustle or chasing titles.

It’s about designing a career that reflects what actually energizes you — and recognizing that none of us do this alone.

In this powerful conversation, we sit down with Mallory Byers, who went from crushing it at Salesforce to experiencing an unexpected layoff that changed everything. But this isn't just another career pivot story—it's about what happens when you're forced to confront the question: Who am I without my job title?

Mallory opens up about her journey from high-performing executive to career coach, revealing the inner work that transformed not just her career, but her entire life. We dive deep into:

✨ Why self-trust is the foundation of any meaningful career change✨ How to recognize (and disrupt) the patterns keeping you stuck✨ What it really means to embrace uncertainty as a superpower✨ The ripple effect of doing inner work on your relationships and well-being✨ Practical strategies for owning your value in job searches and negotiations

If you're a high performer who's ever felt lost, stuck in a pattern, or afraid to make a change—this episode is for you. Mallory's insights on becoming the CEO of your own career will challenge you to ask: What would I do if I wasn't afraid?

High performers aren’t supposed to feel lost — until they do.

In this episode, host Nicole McNamara sits down with Adunola Adeshola, career strategist and Forbes Contributor, to talk about what happens when success stops feeling satisfying.

They unpack the idea of being “uncomfortably happy” — that uneasy space between achievement and purpose — and explore how asking for help, redefining your identity, and owning your story can change everything.

Adunola shares hard truths about the current job market, why top performers struggle in career transitions, and how to build a life that feels as good as it looks on paper.

When Emmy Award–winning ABC anchor Larry Miller sits down, you expect headlines.
What you don’t expect are French horns, male danseurs, and a conversation that stretches from childhood obsessions to purpose, pivots, and what it means to be one of the few Black journalists on TV in Oregon.

Larry’s interviewed me plenty, but this time, he’s on the other side of the mic.

We talk about his mom, his music, his mistakes, and the moments that told him he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

It’s funny, reflective, and full of heart — a reminder that our paths make sense only when we look back.

🎧 Who Moved My Career with Larry Miller — listen now.

A layoff isn’t just a career setback, it’s an emotional reset. In this episode, Nicole McNamara talks with Steve Jaffe, author of The Layoff Journey, about what really happens after the email hits: the grief, the loss of identity, and the surprising moments of humor that help you heal. They unpack how to process the emotions first, rebuild your confidence, and move from victim to architect of your next chapter.