Melissa Murray is an NYU Law professor, New York Times bestselling author, and cohost of @strictscrutinypodcast, where she breaks down the biggest legal battles and political messes in our country. She’s also the author of The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader, set to release on May 5.

Today, she sits down with Sali to share how she established herself as a prominent voice in law, to remind us of the power of “we the people,” and to explain why she refuses to discuss the law from a place of neutrality. Listen or watch the full episode at the link in bio.

0:00 - Introduction

2:45 - Biggest "Oh No" Moment

4:35 - Child of Jamaican Immigrants

11:18 - “Maybe I could be a lawyer.”

13:45 - Navigating Grief Before College 

15:25 - A Full Scholarship to UVA 

18:03 - Deferring Yale Law

21:08 - Clerking for Justice Sonia Sotomayor

23:45 - A Mentorship Misconception

27:09 - Working in Education

43:18- Being a Professor in 2026

39:30- Coaching Middle School Debate Club

41:30 - "Strict Scrutiny" & Ditching Neutrality

44:20 - Why Write a Book On The U.S. Constitution?

53:55 - Dress Code for Lawyers

58:51 - “You have to know what your season is.”

1:00:49 - Would You Rather? 

Clarifications:

At 47:​35, the Constitution was ratified in state legislatures, not in Philadelphia.

At 4​9:​00, Dred Scott was decided in 1857 not 1858.

On Sali: Argent Double-Breasted Crewneck Blazer and Single Pleat Trouser

On Melissa: Argent Double-Breasted Blazer and Wide Leg Trouser

Hosted by Sali Christeson @salichristeson

Produced by Gina Marinelli @ginaalilbit

Edited by Ryan Woldoff @c__biz

Theme Song by Karina DePiano @sheplaysdepiano & Melanie Nyema @melanienyema

Recorded at Podstream Studio @podstreamstudio

Today, Sali sits down with Kerry Docherty. With a background in law and as a mindfulness coach, Kerry is a cofounder of Faherty Brand, where she works alongside her husband and her brother-in-law, pushing for progress in the fashion industry. Kerry is also the author of the upcoming memoir, Selfish, debuting April 21. In it, she shares an intimate look at her relationship to her career, her marriage, and herself—an account that’s honest, vulnerable, messy at times, and reclaims what it means to be called “selfish.”

Selfish: Unlearning, Reclaiming, and Telling the Truth, by Kerry Docherty, releases April 21 and is available for preorder now!

0:00 - Introduction

3:35 - Biggest "Oh No" Moment

4:50 - Growing Up in Buffalo, NY

7:50 - Obsession with Morbidity to Becoming a Lawyer

10:22 - Building a Mindfulness Practice

13:30 - Leaving Law, Becoming a Mindfulness Coach

14:26 - Being a Faherty Co-Founder

16:09 - Psychic Advice

21:06 - Working With a Spouse

26:35 - Changing Fashion Through Faherty

30:50 - Being selfish

39:50 - Sugarcoated Founder Stories

44:50 - Advice for Mindfulness at Work

46:50 - Would You Rather?

On Sali: Argent Copain Blazer and Pleated Trouser

On Kerry: Argent Single Button Blazer and Straight Leg Trouser

Hosted by Sali Christeson @salichristeson

Produced by Gina Marinelli @ginaalilbit

Edited by Ryan Woldoff @c__biz

Theme Song by Karina DePiano @sheplaysdepiano & Melanie Nyema @melanienyema

Recorded at Podstream Studio @podstreamstudio

Starting in her late teens, Chelsea Leyland built a global DJ career, collaborating with some of the world's biggest fashion brands. However, it was her personal health struggles that led to her work now in advocacy and as the cofounder of Looni, a menstrual health and wellness company. 

Chelsea was diagnosed with epilepsy in childhood and, after suffering with painful periods for years, she was also diagnosed with endometriosis in her 20s. Today, she sits down with Sali to share her incredible journey, from searching for treatments and becoming a vocal advocate for plant-based medicine, to finding the right cofounder and understanding the essential role community plays in the healing journey.

0:53 - Introduction 

2:56 - Biggest "Oh No" Moment 

3:58 - Growing Up In London vs. N.Y.C. 

13:06 - Epilepsy Diagnosis

16:02 - DJing Career 

18:55 - Epilepsy Stigma

21:30 - Endometriosis & Medical Cannabis

24:40 - Women Left Behind in Medical Research

30:25 - "Sisters Interrupted" Documentary 

34:14 - Is Chelsea Still DJing? 

34:48 - Founding Looni

44:18 - Choosing a Cofounder

52:40 - Prescribing Community

55:48 - Advice for Advocacy 

56:57 - Would You Rather?

On Sali: Argent Belted Double Breasted Blazer and Prince Trouser

On Chelsea: Argent Lenox Blazer and Pleated Taper Trouser

Hosted by Sali Christeson @salichristeson

Produced by Gina Marinelli @ginaalilbit

Edited by Ryan Woldoff @c__biz

Theme Song by Karina DePiano @sheplaysdepiano & Melanie Nyema @melanienyema

Recorded at Podstream Studio @podstreamstudio

Emily Tisch Sussman, host of She Pivots and co-owner of Gotham FC and the New York Giants, doesn't just talk about making career changes—she’s lived it. BIG time. This week, she sits down with Sali to get candid about struggling to make a name for herself, placing her value in her work, and what happened when it all fell apart. Spoiler alert: Right around the time she became a mother.

A lawyer by trade, Emily has previously worked as a lobbyist, strategist, and TV political commentator. After giving birth to her third child, however, she recognized the need for change. Today, we’ll talk about:

• navigating a career path when you’re not sure what you’re good at.
• what it means to step away from the roles you’ve committed your life to when they no longer fit.
• working on the Obama campaign and being a political commentator for Fox News,
• the honest experience of early parenthood and not feeling an instant connection to your children.
• launching the She Pivots podcast and why it’s drawing huge guests, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Vanessa Hudgens, and Bobbi Brown.

Want to hear more from Emily? She Pivots Season 5 premieres March 25.

0:40  Introduction 

2:24  Biggest "Oh No" Moment 

4:13  Growing Up In N.Y.C. 

6:55  Struggling to Find A Career Path 

15:46  Law School

22:11  Working on the Obama Campaign 

30:06  Appearing on Fox News 

33:28  She Pivots 

51:32 Co-Owner of Gotham FC 

1:04:57 Career Changes: Plan or Leap?

1:06:05 Would You Rather?

On Sali: Argent Chelsea Blazer, Ribbed Collar Sweater, and Wide Leg Trouser

On Emily: Argent Double-Breasted Crewneck Blazer and Single Pleat Trouser

Hosted by Sali Christeson @salichristeson

Produced by Gina Marinelli @ginaalilbit

Edited by Ryan Woldoff @c__biz

Theme Song by Karina DePiano @sheplaysdepiano & Melanie Nyema @melanienyema

Recorded at Podstream Studio @podstreamstudio

Trailblazer and self-professed rulebreaker Reshma Saujani joins us on Work Friends this week. Reshma is the founder and former CEO of Girls Who Code, a New York Times bestselling author, and the host of the podcast “My So-Called Midlife.” Today, she’s also the founder and CEO of Moms First, where she continues to be an awe-inspiring culture-shifter and staunch advocate for women—from girlhood to motherhood and beyond. 

Her latest venture at Moms First is Reshma’s debut documentary project this June, spotlighting the lies dividing American moms and chronicling a nationwide movement to bring them back together and win historic support.

There’s so much amazing ground to cover in this discussion, as we walk through:

• Reshma’s background as a first-generation American who set her sights on law school.
• her decision to run for U.S. Congress—the first Indian American woman to do so—and how she dealt with feelings of failure after her loss.
• why she pivoted to launching a coding organization for young girls, eventually turning it into the largest pipeline for women and nonbinary individuals to careers in STEM.
• the historic struggle of mothers in America, and a real solution to the affordability issue (hint: it’s not eggs.)
• and, why Moms First debut documentary is lifting the voices of all mothers…and how you can get involved, too.

For more information about Moms First: The History of American Motherhood, or to submit your own story to the film, become an associate producer, or sign up to host a screening in your hometown, check out momsfirst.us/doc.

On Sali: Argent Double-Breasted Crewneck Blazer and Tailored Cargo Pant
On Reshma: Argent Colorblocked Sculpted Blazer

Hosted by Sali Christeson @salichristeson
Produced by Gina Marinelli @ginaalilbit
Edited by Ryan Woldoff @c__biz
Theme Song by Karina DePiano @sheplaysdepiano & Melanie Nyema @melanienyema
Recorded at Podstream Studio @podstreamstudio

Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.

For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.

To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to [email protected] for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.

We are thrilled to welcome Retta to Work Friends today. The actor, HGTV host, and one-half of the team who brought us “treat yo self ” joins Sali to share how a prospective medical student and a somewhat reluctant stand-up comedian found herself cast on one of the most beloved sitcoms in history.

Retta is best known for her portrayal of Donna Meagle in all seven seasons of Parks and Recreation, and since the hit show wrapped, she continues to captivate with roles in Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, Good Girls, and in seven seasons of HGTV’s Ugliest House in America and its spinoff Scariest House in America. 

We start all the way at the beginning, and get into some of Retta’s best stories along the way, including:

• the very first time she ever did stand up (she crushed it!), and the second (she bombed!).
• how she planned her path to med school and then abandoned it....yet why she refuses to throw away her MCAT books.
• the real reason she thinks she was cast as Donna on Parks and Rec.
• how she learned to be her authentic, unfiltered self as the host of Ugliest House in America.
• and, what she really thinks when someone quotes “treat yo self” to her.

For more Retta, be sure to check out the newest season of Ugliest House in America, now streaming on HBO Max and discovery+ .

On Sali: Argent Chelsea Blazer, Fine Polo, and Straight Leg Trouser

Hosted by Sali Christeson @salichristeson

Produced by Gina Marinelli @ginaalilbit

Edited by Ryan Woldoff @c__biz

Theme Song by Karina DePiano @sheplaysdepiano & Melanie Nyema @melanienyema

Recorded at Podstream Studio @podstreamstudio

Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.

For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.

To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to [email protected] for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.

Today, Beth Hutchens sits down with Sali. Beth has spent her career in fashion, first cofounding the Rebecca Taylor brand in her 20s, alongside designer Rebecca Taylor. As CEO, Beth saw the company reach massive success. But after nearly two decades, she stepped away and launched Foundrae.

The celebrity-loved jewelry brand is known for its stunning, statement-making adornments that feature 18 karat gold, precious stones, and symbols—both overt and subtle—that make each piece a personal treasure for whoever wears it.

Naturally, when it comes to making a big career change, Beth is a supporter. After all, it’s no small feat to become a successful two-time founder. She joins us to share more about how she navigated:

• launching a fashion brand without a business plan.
• the absolute “lawless” fashion industry of the ‘90s.
• how she decided to step down from a company she thought she would spend her entire life at.
• the “stupid” mistakes she made when she launched Foundrae.
• and the questions anyone should ask themselves before making a major career pivot.

On Sali: Argent Belted Peak Lapel Blazer and Tailored Cargo Pants and Foundrae Sister Hook Necklace, Pause Small Mixed Clip Extension Necklace, and Strong Heart Bangle

On Beth: Argent Oversized V-Neck Sweater

Hosted by Sali Christeson @salichristeson

Produced by Gina Marinelli @ginaalilbit

Edited by Ryan Woldoff @c__biz

Theme Song by Karina DePiano @sheplaysdepiano & Melanie Nyema @melanienyema

Recorded at Podstream Studio @podstreamstudio

Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.

For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.

To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to [email protected] for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.

Nikki Ogunnaike joins Sali to tell the story of her career, one that’s landed her at the top of the masthead as the Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire. Prior to taking the helm over two years ago, Nikki stacked her resume with roles at some of the most prestigious fashion publications in the world: InStyle, Glamour, Elle, GQ, and Harper’s Bazaar among them. 

Over the course of her career, she’s covered the major moves in the capital-F Fashion industry, dived deep into celebrity style, and is a certifiable shopping expert. Since stepping into her role at Marie Claire—and launching her own podcast, Nice Talk—Nikki has also become a leader on power: what it means and the women who wield it for good. She is certainly one, as well. 

Today, she gives us a look at her over-decade-long career, including:

• having an expectation of excellence from a young age, as a first-generation Nigerian American.
• building a portfolio of work from one fashion publication to another…with some tough transitions along the way.
• learning about the New York elite and how the fashion industry is really just “a game at the end of the day.”
• why she actually didn't want to be an Editor-in-Chief.
• and, now that she is one, how she’s approaching her leadership role at a historic publication.

Plus, be sure to check out the January Marie Claire issue, featuring cover star Keke Palmer!

On Sali: Argent Double-Breasted Blazer, Soho Trouser, and Fine Polo

On Nikki: Argent Double-Breasted Crewneck Blazer

Hosted by Sali Christeson @salichristeson

Produced by Gina Marinelli @ginaalilbit

Edited by Ryan Woldoff

Theme Song by Karina DePiano @sheplaysdepiano & Melanie Nyema @melanienyema

Recorded at Podstream Studio @podstreamstudio

Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.

For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.

To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to [email protected] for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.

Today’s guest on Work Friends, we have a guest who—for many—needs no introduction: Ricki Lake. 

As a teen, Ricki landed her breakout role as Tracy Turnblad in John Waters’ Hairspray and, just a few years later, became the youngest talk show host in history with her self-titled show, Ricki Lake. Today on Work Friends, the ‘90s icon sits down with Sali to get into the reality (and major missteps) of her success, including:

• landing her first roles in Hollywood, without a plan B.
• navigating the chapter when her work dried up.
• how playing Tracy Turnblad helped her become a good talk show host.
• the famously scandalous storylines that played out over 11 seasons of her show.
• the project she considers to be her legacy (that’s not her talk show).
• how shes holding up after losing her home in LA wildfires last year.
• and what’s defining this chapter of life and work for the one-and-only Ricki Lake.

On Sali: Argent Double Breasted Crewneck Blazer

On Ricki: Argent Unlined Chelsea Blazer

Hosted by Sali Christeson @salichristeson

Produced by Gina Marinelli @ginaalilbit

Edited by Ryan Woldoff

Theme Song by Karina DePiano @sheplaysdepiano & Melanie Nyema @melanienyema

Recorded at Podstream Studio @podstreamstudio

Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.

For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.

To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to [email protected] for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.

This week, Sali sits down with Lisa Joseph Metelus, the Head of Athlete Brand Strategy and Board Member at Creative Artists Agency, and Co-founder of PlayMakeHer. 

Over Lisa’s three-decade career, she’s been a force behind the biggest, most-celebrated athletes of our time. This includes Hall of Famers Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade, with whom Lisa has worked for over 20 years. 

Lisa has not only found incredible success in a male-dominated field, she’s also committed to uplifting fellow women in the business of sports. In that spirit, she gets totally candid about the mistakes she’s made along the way. This episode is not to be missed, as Lisa shares:

• the origins of her love of basketball.
• the near career-ending mistake she made as an intern (it involved an NBA party and learning why you shouldn’t mix liquors).
• how she landed a job in sports, despite no one wanting to hire her—and what she did to prove herself.
• what a manager actually does. (And yes, it’s different than an agent.)
• and, how Lisa is helping women succeed through building a community of mentors.

On Sali: Argent Double Breasted Crewneck Blazer and Single Pleat Trouser

On Lisa: Argent Peak Lapel Blazer and Crewneck Dress

Hosted by Sali Christeson @salichristeson

Produced by Gina Marinelli @ginaalilbit

Edited by Ryan Woldoff

Theme Song by Karina DePiano @sheplaysdepiano & Melanie Nyema @melanienyema

Recorded at Podhead Studios @podheadstudios

Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.

For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.

To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to [email protected] for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.