Isaac Sundsted took an unconventional path into tech and gaming. In this episode of Your Career, Unscripted, Isaac shares his journey from sign language interpreter in courtrooms and emergency rooms to strategy consulting at Accenture, business development at Xbox, and now leading gaming partnerships at Samsung. We talk about career pivots, learning to navigate corporate environments, building resilience in the face of rejection, clever job search strategies, and what it really means to do zero-to-one business development inside large organizations. Isaac also breaks down what business development actually looks like day to day, how to think about scale and impact, and why owning—and loving—your non-linear story is one of the most powerful career advantages you can have.

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Sarah Bond is the President of Xbox, and I am beyond honored to have her as this week’s guest on Your Career, Unscripted!

For some context: when I was brainstorming dream guests, Sarah immediately came to mind. I had seen many of her talks on gaming, leadership, and empathy, and found them deeply impactful. Reaching out felt like a stretch, but I’ve learned it’s always worth pushing yourself to try to make a connection anyway.

Huge thanks to Shawn Layden for the intro—and to Sarah for graciously joining me to share her story.

Sarah discusses:

• How the only person you can ever beat in life is your younger self
• The lightbulb moment she had after her daughter was born—and how it drove her to impact the world her daughter was walking out into
• The importance of recognizing that every single day, you re-earn credibility with your team
• Her experience getting the Activision Blizzard King deal confirmed—how she led the team through the process, wrote them a note before the decision came out, and ensured the sentiment of their work would persist no matter the outcome
• A moment with Satya Nadella that influenced her leadership style
• Career advice on taking up space

I learned so much from Sarah before I ever met her—and had a lot of self reflection and sharing to do after we spoke. I highly recommend listening to this episode if you’re looking for career inspiration, advice on self-confidence, stories on leadership and negotiation, and insight into the different chapters of her career—alongside so much unique and helpful advice.

Sarah - thank you for the kindness, time, inspiration, and advice. It was an honor. Listen below and follow me @Jane Bernhard for more career stories!

Hamilton hits theaters this Friday! On this week’s episode of Your Career, Unscripted, I spoke with Broadway Producer Jill Furman, who was there from the very early days of Hamilton. She shared what it was like recognizing Lin-Manuel Miranda’s genius early on in 2003 when she saw an early version of In the Heights for the first time, to the beginning days of Hamilton, to the unforgettable White House moment with Chris Jackson as George Washington singing to President Obama in his final term in office.

This interview was a bit surreal for me. Hearing the personal stories behind the creation of my favorite shows—and getting advice on career uncertainty, confidence, and pushing beyond your comfort zone—from Jill - a person whose career I could not admire more - meant so much.

🎧 Listen to hear her story, the journeys behind In the Heights and Hamilton, and career wisdom from a truly generous, authentic, and compelling voice - who was in the room where it happened.

Suba Vasudevan is COO of Mozilla.org and SVP at Mozilla Corp - and I am honored to have interviewed her for Episode 16 of Your Career, Unscripted and to share her story and career advice!

With 22+ years of global leadership across technology, AI, trust & safety, and advertising, Suba Vasudevan is responsible for leading Mozilla’s operational strategy to bring better, more relevant products to new audiences.

Suba spent well over two decades leading small and large teams in strategy, operations, analytics, customer support and trust & safety. She has nurtured and expanded critical global organizations within Meta (formerly Facebook), driving innovation and trust. Prior, she advised clients across industries at KPMG’s Advisory Services and began her career as a journalist in India, exploring the intersection of technology and business.

She has a Master’s degree in Information Systems from Texas A&M, and a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering from Mumbai University. For several years, Suba served as a Board Member for Mainspring Schools, a local non-profit in Austin, Texas for children from underprivileged families, leading their Strategic Planning Committee and demonstrating her commitment to community and inclusion-focused initiatives.

Listen to her talk about:

• why she used to think leadership meant having the answers, and how she now sees it as creating the conditions for others to ask better questions
• her work evolving Mozilla from a 25-year-old legacy organization into a future-ready company—while staying true to its open-source roots
• how to handle feedback you don’t like (or don’t agree with)
• what really gets people promoted
• the power of accountability, honesty, and proactively seeking feedback

Thank you Suba for the opportunity to learn from you and collaborate! Be sure to check out Suba’s Substack

If you'd like to support, please like, comment, and share this with your network! To set up a career consulting session with me, message me on LinkedIn @Jane Bernhard, MBA 

Chris Melissinos is the Principal Evangelist for Video Games and Immersive Technologies at AWS, where he helps influence the next generation of game technology and offerings from AWS while also acting as a developer advocate, ensuring that the needs of game developers are met. Prior to AWS, he was the Chief Gaming Officer at Sun Microsystems, Inc., creator of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s “The Art of Video Games” exhibition, Executive Director of Media and Entertainment for Verizon, and a founding board member of the Video Game History Foundation.

Honored to have interviewed Chris on this week’s episode of Your Career, Unscripted!

Listen to learn about…

• The different chapters of Chris’s career—from making copies for the sales team at Sun Microsystems, Inc., to leading games and immersive technology at AWS
• How he got his foot in the door being an assistant, and used his time to propel his career forward
• The bold moment early in his career when he brought an idea straight to the CEO, was told the company was going in another direction, and pushed back—explaining why they were making a mistake. A month later, he was called to corporate to be the games person at Sun Microsystems, Inc. He later exited the company after 16 years as the Chief Gaming Officer and Chief Evangelist
• How he’s learned to push to the limit—without overstepping it
• Why he believes video games are a reflection of society, artists, and ourselves
• A personal challenge in his career that has required real work to overcome
• His advice for breaking into the games industry today

What I appreciated most about this conversation was Chris’s commitment to learning, his drive to make the games industry better for artists, and the stories that shaped his path.

Thank you, Chris, for giving me the opportunity to share some of your story and wisdom!

Follow me @janebernhard for more career stories and advice! janebernhard.com

Very excited to share my interview with Yvoire S. Whittaker on this week’s episode of Your Career, Unscripted! Yvoire is a Brand Marketing Lead at Nike. I met Yvoire when we were classmates at Columbia Business School - and I have always been inspired by her authenticity, kindness, creativity, generosity, and drive to learn and connect.

Born in Plano, Texas, raised with the richness of her Ghanaian roots, and shaped by world-class institutions and elite boardrooms—our guest is a force. She’s a first-generation Ghanaian-American woman who carries both her heritage and ambition with equal grace.

She began her career solving complex problems as a human capital strategy consultant at Deloitte, then took a bold step—choosing to realign her path with her passions. That led her to Columbia Business School, where she pivoted into the world of brand marketing. And today, she’s not just in the room—she’s shaping the narrative. 

She's a Brand Marketing Manager at Nike—one of the most iconic brands in the world—where she gets to fuse creativity, culture, and strategy at the highest level. But beyond the titles, she is someone who inspires through intentionality, cultural insight, and an undeniable drive to build brands that move people.

Listen to learn about:

• How Yvoire let go of a path that didn’t feel true to her and reconnected with her passions
• Her journey pivoting to business school and brand marketing at Nike
• Her advice for finding your next steps when you’re unsure of where you want to go
• How and why she is building a career rooted in fashion, storytelling, and culture
• Her Ghanaian roots and her passion for creating opportunity and giving back
• What life looks like now at Nike — and what she’s excited for next
• How to take the moments that bring you joy and translate it to a career

Favorite quote from Yvoire

“My definition of success is listening to myself, trying new things unapologetically in the way that looks authentic to me, and chasing my own happiness - whatever that looks like.”

Thanks Yvoire for sharing your story, advice, and heart - I learned a lot - and I am sure others will too!

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“The most transformative moments were the moments of transition.” Andra London is a Managing Director at BCG BrightHouse, where she harnesses the power of purpose and strategic storytelling to help organizations grow their people, profits, and impact.

I am honored to have interviewed her on this week’s episode of Your Career, Unscripted! Her career advice has personally given me the perspective to zoom out and see the bigger picture - and I’m excited to share her advice and story in the hopes that the conversation helps you on your own career journey.

Since 2016, Andra has led a country to define its national values, a major Canadian bank to set unprecedented sustainable finance goals, and iconic global organizations to articulate and activate their purpose. She also shares her expertise as a guest lecturer at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.

Before BCG, Andra’s marketing and brand experience spanned corporate, agency, start-up, and nonprofit – including years at The Coca-Cola Company, where she developed campaigns for The Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. Andra’s work is driven by her belief that an organization’s success is rooted in its people.

Listen as Andra shares…

• Her experiences as a leader at BCG BrightHouse
• What it was like to be Global Creative Director of The Coca-Cola Company
• How moments of uncertainty can also be moments of possibility
• Her experiences doing advertising campaigns for billion dollar brands
• How she looked to make her mark and shape something herself
• How you reconcile purpose and authenticity with company goals to drive revenue

Favorite quote “You’re in the role. Put on the jacket”

Thank you Andra for your wisdom, generosity, and kindness!

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“If I don’t try then I’ll never know. ” Originally from Italy, Michele Catano is currently a Senior Product Manager at Electronic Arts, where he's working on a new game based on the famous The Sims IP. Michele came to the US in 2021, when he started his MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Previously, he has had a diverse set of experiences. Among many, he got his Engineering degree in Tokyo in 2016, worked in consulting between Asia and Europe for around 5 years and co-founded a MedTech startup in early 2020.

I am very excited to share episode 12 of Your Career, Unscripted. What stood out to me in this conversation is Michele’s deep level of self-reflection — I’m grateful to share how that has shaped his journey.

Listen to learn about…

• How his experiences living, working, and studying in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. shaped his perspective on his career and the way he approaches problems
• His experience navigating networking experiences and work as an introvert - and advice to those who are figuring out how to do the same
• What it means to work on a game thats not released yet
• How he didn’t know if being a PM would be the right fit, but also how he had to try to find out
• Advice on breaking into gaming and product management
• Finding balance between an interesting job and meaningful life

Follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram and subscribe to my Substack to support my work in sharing these stories
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Be Opportunistic and Be Open. Vicki Dobbs Beck is a veteran entertainment executive with more than 30 years of experience driving innovation and digital transformation in support of storytelling. In 2015, she co-founded Lucasfilm’s award-winning Immersive Storytelling Studio, ILMxLAB (now ILM Immersive), and has since been at the helm.

Under Vicki’s leadership, ILM Immersive has produced a robust portfolio of groundbreaking experiences including CARNE y ARENA, directed by Alejandro Iñárritu and awarded a special Oscar by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series, winner of the PGA Innovation Award in 2020; and most recently, the Emmy award-winning “What If…? An Immersive Story” with Marvel Studios, the first-ever interactive Disney+ Original story for Apple Vision Pro.

I am honored to have had Vicki on this week’s episode of Your Career, Unscripted (and to be able to interview Vicki for a second time). Thank you Vicki for your generous support and time throughout the years.

If you are someone pursuing a career in media and technology and want to learn from an incredibly talented, kind, humble, and creative leader - this episode is for you.

Learn about…

• Vicki’s journey cofounding Lucasfilm's immersive storytelling studio ILMxLAB (now ILM Immersive) and stories of hurdles along the way
• The benefit of “intrapreneuring” (setting up a new business inside of a large established company)
• Failing quickly and moving on
• The process of creating worlds and characters that “felt authentically Star Wars”

“Vader is probably the most iconic character in the Star Wars universe. So it was I think we were all humbled by the fact that Lucasfilm entrusted Vader with us in a unproven brand new space. And I think we were always very aware of that pressure”

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This content is made possible thanks to the Texas Immersive Supporters! Consider making a small donation so we can provide more thought leadership content to our community! 
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The only thing that actually matters is time. Alvin Wang Graylin (汪丛青) is a renowned executive, author, and tech pioneer with over 30 years of experience in AI, XR, and semiconductors. He is currently Global VP at HTC, having served as China President from 2016 to 2023. His book, Our Next Reality, explores the societal impact of AI and XR.

A serial entrepreneur, Graylin founded four venture-backed startups and has invested in over 100. His career spans senior roles at Intel, IBM, and Trend Micro, alongside his leadership in HTC’s ViveX accelerator.

I am very excited to share Alvin’s episode of Your Career, Unscripted - blending his insights on technology, history, psychology, and philosophy. If you want to learn about the future of AI and XR from someone who has not only led technological advances but deeply considers their ethical and societal implications, this is for you.

Alvin shares:

• His unique career journey, shaped by the influence of his artist parents.
• The entrepreneurial drive to create world-changing solutions instead of simply moving money.
• A thought-provoking perspective on Universal Basic Income (UBI) systems.
• Why deep knowledge of psychology, philosophy, history, and ethics is essential in a tech-driven world.
• Practical advice on building stability and staying relevant in an AI-powered future.

For all of his business and tech achievements, what stood out most was his emphasis on critical thinking, meaningful societal impact, and, above all, prioritizing the people and moments that matter.

It’s rare to hear a tech leader focus so deeply on the human side of success—and Alvin’s reflections on time, relationships, and values are refreshing and vital. After reading Our Next Reality, I knew I wanted to learn about his story. I’m honored to share his wisdom and insights with you.

🎧 Listen now and explore the balance of innovation, ethics, and humanity

Check out Alvin’s book - Our Next Reality https://ournextreality.com/

This show is in collab with Texas Immersive Institute at The University of Texas at Austin

If you'd like to support, please share this with your network!

Listen to Your Career, Unscripted in all major podcast platforms and support Jane Bernhard! https://www.instagram.com/janebernhard/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-bernhard-mba/
https://substack.com/@JANEBERNHARD

This content is made possible thanks to the Texas Immersive Supporters! Consider making a small donation so we can provide more thought leadership content to our community! 
https://give.utexas.edu/?menu=OGPTII 

Follow Texas Immersive!
@texasimmersive
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