Curiosity with Kristen

Andrea Hogan journey spans continents, careers, and one of the world's most transformative pilgrimages. From growing up in Ireland to building a remarkable leadership career with companies like IBM and Qualcomm, Andrea seemed to have everything on track. But when her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, life took an unexpected turn.

That chapter eventually led Andrea to walk the 500-mile Camino de Santiago—a journey that became far more than a hike. Along the way, she carried her mother's journal from the very same pilgrimage years earlier, creating an extraordinary conversation across time, love, and memory. That ex...

Parul Saini, a technology executive, entrepreneur, and founder of AI Ally Works, joins Curiosity with Kristen. Parul's journey began in India, where her curiosity about life and purpose eventually led her into the world of technology. Along the way, she navigated gender bias, built a successful career at companies including Adobe, Splunk, and Uber, and ultimately rose to become Uber's CIO.

But Parul's story is about much more than career success. In 2023, she faced one of the greatest challenges of her life that forced her to rethink priorities, resilience, and what success truly means.

Today...

Guisselle Nunez, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at San Jose State University, helps organizations and individuals communicate their value and achieve success through enduring marketing and personal branding strategies. Guisselle has led multi-million dollar branding and enrollment campaigns and brings a powerful perspective across marketing, communications, and public affairs.

She’s a speaker, coach, and author on personal branding and political leadership and has written 2 books: Take Charge of Your Brand and co-authored another one called Life in the Fishbowl.

But what makes this conversation so compelling is her personal journey - navigating life in th...

Today on Curiosity with Kristen, we’re diving into the world of global leadership, cultural intelligence, and the future of talent with someone who has lived it at every level with Lori Adams‑Brown.

Lori’s story spans continents and crises. She grew up in Costa Rica and Venezuela, later serving in Indonesia during the 2004 tsunami, where she became a bridge between international NGOs and local communities. Those experiences shaped her signature leadership philosophy: listen first, understand deeply, and never assume your way is the right way.

Now based in Silicon Valley, Lori brings that same c...

What if everything you thought you knew about building wealth was actually costing you — without you even realizing it?

Today's guest is Nader Yassa — financial educator, wealth strategist, and someone who has spent years cutting through the noise to teach people a simpler, smarter path to financial freedom.

In this episode, Nader breaks down why the system most of us are operating in is quietly working against us - from credit cards to consumer debt - and what it actually looks like to build real, lasting wealth through assets that produce income and appreciate over time...

What does it mean to belong… to leave a legacy… and to keep hope alive when the world feels uncertain?

In episode 73, I’m joined by Shirley Gee, founder and Managing Partner of Angel Plus LLC, which performs diligence for latter stage start-ups in preparation for capitalization, and CEO of the Regional Resource Center, (Vietnamese American Community Center of the East Bay) a non-profit helping seniors, refugees and immigrants in several counties in the Bay Area. 

Shirley leads with an enormously compassionate heart!

In this episode, we talk about legacy, regret, faith...

Today’s conversation is an important one—about aging, care, and how we support one another as our population shifts. By 2030, there will be more people over 65 than under 18, and that reality is already reshaping families, communities, and the way we think about long-term care.

I’m joined by Deka Dike (dee-K) , CEO and founder of Omatochi, a senior care technology company helping seniors age in place and built from personal experience. Deka worked 15 years at US Bank as VP in wealth management and mortgage loans previously before leaving to care for her parents. After seeing firsthand how fr...

Today we explore the questions that open our hearts, stretch our thinking, and invite us into what’s possible. 

I'm joined by Rosalyn Acosta, the founder of Live Heal Travel. She is a reiki master, shamanic energy medicine practitioner, mindfulness facilitator, and eco-travel visionary. Rosalyn weaves together healing, culture, and conservation in a way that’s both grounded and expansive. Her work spans collaborations with the World Wildlife Fund, Stanford University, the United Nations World Tourism Organization, and the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. She’s been featured in Marin Living, Marie Claire UK, Medium, and heard on podc...

In this special episode of Curiosity with Kristen, the tables turn as Kristen is interviewed by Jodi Kaelle, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of MontaRosa. Kristen shares her full career journey from her early days at a CPA firm to discovering staffing and recruitment, becoming a top performer, and ultimately launching multiple businesses of her own. Kristen reflects on her pivots from accounting to Robert Half, overcoming fears like cold calling, excelling in permanent placement, and navigating the emotional weight of life-changing career moves. She recounts being laid off during COVID and using that moment as a launchpad to build...

What does dissecting cow eyeballs teach about innovation?

How do you and your team approach work? Curiosity? Innovation?

This week's guest is Holly Uber, a catalyst for curiosity whose career spans classrooms, boardrooms, and cutting-edge tech labs. After college, Holly packed her bags for Cameroon as a Peace Corps volunteer, teaching English and sparking curiosity in students halfway around the world. She earned her master's in teaching and brought science to life through hands-on experiments, quite literally one cow eyeball at a time.

But Holly's curiosity didn't stop at the classroom. She's shaped...

Today’s guest, Zach Brooks, is anything but conventional. From his early days selling lemonade to fund his first big adventure, to building tech startups in the dot-com era, earning a PhD in Applied Linguistics, acting in Hollywood, and now launching his fifth company, Ugenome AI, Zach’s career is a tapestry of curiosity, creativity, and impact.

We explore his new book trilogy—including Discovering What Awakens You—and dive into his “Human Algorithm,” a powerful framework for living a meaningful life through academics, art, athletics, advocacy, adventure, and purpose.

We also unpack...

Today I interview Cecil Plummer, CEO of Fastr.ai, which is an AI platform that instantly transforms your existing ATS into a smarter talent engine. 

With nearly two decades of recruiting leadership at Robert Half before becoming CEO at Fastr.ai, Cecil brings a wealth of experience in scaling talent operations. From Fortune 50 firms to nimble, 200-person teams, Fastr.ai’s proprietary LLM is purpose-built to supercharge talent acquisition, offering AI Matching, Talent Sourcing, Rediscovery, Profile Enrichment, and DE&I insights—all embedded direc...

If you’ve ever felt isolated in your career, overwhelmed in a job search, or wondered why finding authentic community feels harder than it should, today’s episode is going to hit home. In this episode, Julia Holian and I dive into the real pressures women face today and how building meaningful connection can completely transform your sense of grounding and momentum.

We dig into the striking difference between how Americans and Europeans see work, and why so many job seekers here tie their identity and security to their careers in ways that create anxiety and burnout.

Today’s guest is Scott Alldredge, a former football player turned tech entrepreneur with over 30 years in IT and cybersecurity. He’s the CEO of IP Services and co-author of the acclaimed VisibleOps series, which has sold over 400,000 copies and read by leaders around the world.

Scott shares his journey, from running a raspberry business as a teenager to building one of the most trusted cybersecurity firms serving small and midsize businesses.

We dive into real-world ransomware stories, the rise of AI and quantum threats, and the importance of strong authentication, micro-segmentation, and executive engagement in k...

It was an honor to welcome Angie Simon to Curiosity with Kristen. After retiring in 2023, Angie continues to lead and inspire. She spent over 35 years at Western Allied, where she served as President and CEO, growing the company by more than 300%. She also made history as the first woman to serve as President of SMACNA, opening doors for more women in the trades.

In 2021, she launched the Heavy Metal Summer Experience—a camp introducing high school students to the trades. What started with 28 kids in 2 locations has grown to over 900 students in 51 locations across the U.S. an...

Welcome to Curiosity with Kristen, where we explore the stories and ideas that challenge us to grow. 

Episode 63 is Chen Lizra. Chen is a TED Speaker, professional dancer, and founder of The Power of Somatic Intelligence, a groundbreaking approach that helps high achievers and leaders reconnect with their bodies, regulate their nervous systems, and transform what’s been blocking them.

Chen’s work blends neuroscience, movement, and emotional mastery to unlock confidence, purpose, and what she calls “the feminine edge” in leadership. In our conversation, we explore how tuning into the body can...

Episode 62 is with my friend, Maryann Walters, who has been redefining how she works and travels the world with her husband and dog. We met at my previous company when she was my client at TriNet as Director of Procurement. She was responsible for procurement, strategic sourcing and data transformation. She also spent about a decade at Microsoft in supply chain operations. A master of scalable change management, Maryann helps growing organizations get out of their own way so they can attract customers and investors requiring mature, compliant processes. From Microsoft to startup, from Risk Management to Legal, Procurement...

Today I have Linda Tempelman, CEO of Persista Bio. With a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University and extensive experience in the biotech sector, Dr. Tempelman leads a team that’s breaking through barriers in cell therapy.

Persista Bio’s pioneering O2Line™ system is designed to overcome immune rejection and support the long-term viability of therapeutic cells. Focused on enabling advanced treatments for chronic conditions like Type 1 Diabetes, their work has the potential to replace traditional therapies and pave the way for a new era of patient care. This could also eradicate diabetes!

Join u...

Today, I’m joined by Nancy Sheppard, Founder and CEO of Women2Boards. Nancy is a powerhouse in the world of banking and board leadership. She is also SO approachable, friendly, supportive and warm!  The instant I met her, I felt like I had known her for years! From her early years on Capitol Hill to the C-suite, Nancy’s journey is anything but ordinary. We talk about her early years including her brave choices to move across the country, pick different careers, her pivot from politics to banking, her role as CEO of Western Independent Bankers, and h...

Today, I'm honored to have David Craig, CEO and founder of Sarcomatrix Therapeutics, joining me. With a steadfast commitment to advancing treatments for muscle-wasting diseases, David’s leadership has been the driving force behind Sarcomatrix’s groundbreaking work.

Under his guidance, Sarcomatrix is pioneering novel therapies to promote muscle regeneration, with a vision to transform the lives of those living with muscular dystrophies, sarcopenia, cachexia, and more. Motivated by personal connections to these challenges—his niece Chloe, who tragically passed away at just 30, and his brother-in-law—David’s mission is deeply personal.

Armed with a Lean Six S...

Today, I’m thrilled to have Robert Boyce, CEO of Plakous Therapeutics, joining me. From his early years as a Naval Flight Officer to leading marketing efforts at Johnson & Johnson, Robert’s journey is a testament to versatility and leadership. We'll explore his career path and what ultimately led him to become the CEO of Plakous Therapeutics.

Plakous Therapeutics is developing groundbreaking solutions for restorative and regenerative healing. By harnessing allografts derived from the human placenta, the company is delivering powerful cytokines and growth factors that promote healing and rege...

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Ludovica Labruna, CEO of Magnetic Tides.

Ludovica is a PhD and visionary neuroscientist with a passion for non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS). At UC Berkeley, her research focuses on understanding individual differences in sensitivity to NIBS, aiming to unlock new possibilities for brain interventions. With Magnetic Tides, she’s bringing a revolutionary NIBS device to life, designed to evaluate and enhance human brain function, with a focus on stroke patients. 

Magnetic Tides is pioneering a novel method of NIBS, a safe, n...

Today, we’re joined by Kenneth Barton, CEO of SafetySpect.

With over 20 years of experience in business development, Kenneth has helped grow companies from the ground up, securing partnerships with major organizations like Symantec, the U.S. Postal Service, and international government ministries. His expertise in forging strategic alliances has driven startups to over $40 million in enterprise value.

SafetySpect is revolutionizing sanitation with its advanced Contamination, Sanitation Inspection, and Disinfection (CSI-D) system. The company's proprietary technology uses a unique handheld camera system to identify and disinfect biological contaminants, including sa...

Today, we’re joined by Hannah Zhang, CEO of Zepto Life Technology.

Zepto Life Technology is transforming diagnostics powered by Giant Magneto-resistance (GMR) technology, which earned the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2007. Their product can perform a lab culture in just 90 minutes, a breakthrough compared to traditional methods that can take days or even weeks. This fast, lab-quality solution is revolutionizing disease detection and point-of-care diagnostics. Since 2020, Zepto Life has also been a key player in COVID-19 testing.

In today’s episode, we’ll dive into how this Nobel-winning techno...

Today I am excited to introduce Andreas Bayer. From humble beginnings in getting a green card in a lottery to building a career in Silicon Valley as an Engineer to risk leader to startup founder. Andreas has had an incredible path. We talk about what it means to grow, pivot and lead through acquisitions, reinvention and everything in between. Noteworthy is as Senior Director of Risk Engineering at Xoom which was acquired by PayPal in 2015. The other was as Co-Founder and CTO of Beam Solutions which was acquired by Jumio in 2020.  Thanks, Andreas, for sharing! 

www.linkedin.co...

Today I have Anthony Sterns, the founder and CEO of iRxReminder LLC.

For over a decade, Anthony has been at the forefront of transforming patient engagement and medication adherence through innovative technology. iRxReminder has developed a comprehensive platform that combines real-time reporting, data capture, and seamless patient-care integration to improve medication management and support healthcare professionals in their day-to-day work.

The system brings together a cloud-based control center, automated medication devices, and a mobile app, creating a new approach to managing patient regimens and enhancing patient education. By supporting remote monitoring...

Today I have Imanuel Lerman, the founder and CEO of InflammaSense.

Imanuel and his team are focused on advancing the way clinicians diagnose and treat complex conditions, particularly those linked to inflammation. Through cutting-edge technology and innovative approaches, InflammaSense is working to enhance diagnostic precision and treatment strategies in a variety of medical fields.

In addition to his role at InflammaSense, Imanuel is a professor at the University of California, San Diego, where he explores the mechanisms behind pain, inflammation, and mental health disorders. With a passion for inter-disciplinary collaboration, his...

Today’s guest is Adam Southam, CEO of Food For Health and the visionary behind the patented Efficacy Engine®, a tool revolutionizing how we treat and prevent disease through clinically proven functional foods and supplements. 

Adam’s own battle with hyperlipidemia inspired his mission to empower others with science-backed health solutions. With over 35 years of experience in innovation, strategy, and invention, he’s a leader in health and wellness transformation. Food For Health  allows you to scan food labels, enter medical conditions, wellness goals, allergies, and more to find out what...

Want to work abroad? I talk with Iya Afan who grew up here in the US and moved to Singapore right before Covid. Starting at LinkedIn in SF right before Covid, she took a "leap of faith" taking on a growth opportunity at LinkedIn that moved her all the way to Singapore. I have known Iya for over 25 years and reported to her mom at Robert Half, who is truly a legend. Iya has created her own path, and I've enjoyed watching her career, and travels!

Iya is currently the ANZ Business Head of Global Emerging Enterprises...

Today, we’re joined by Chris Springate, pharmacist-turned-pharma-innovator and CEO of ARC Medical, Inc. With over 25 years of experience, Chris has developed and commercialized medical devices and combination products, including the game-changing Taxus® Stent, with annual sales exceeding $1 billion.

Now at ARC Medical, Inc, Chris leads the charge with a groundbreaking liquid medical device designed to prevent surgical adhesions—promising improved patient recovery, reduced emergency surgeries, and better healthcare outcomes.

Beyond the lab, Chris is passionate about sharing insights on living healthier, more energized lives while striving to be the best husba...

Today, we’re thrilled to host Dr. Ray Rao, an oncologist turned entrepreneur and the visionary CEO of Ankr Health. Ankr is revolutionizing patient support for blockbuster oncology drugs by combining cutting-edge machine learning models trained on big pharma data with 24/7 human support.

Their innovative approach helps patients stay on life-saving chemotherapy longer, improving outcomes while boosting drug adoption. As the first in the industry to take this bold step, Ankr Health is transforming how pharma engages and supports patients with the goal of helping anyone and everyone in the US. 

Joi...

Today, we’re joined by Adam Koster, an accomplished serial entrepreneur and regenerative medicine executive. From his early career as a Sous Chef to his passion for all things biotech, life sciences and medical device, his curiosity has created a perfect blend to learn how to be your best. Adam is Chief Commerical Officer at QAIBio. 

At QAIBio, the focus is on revolutionizing women’s health and cancer therapies using quantum computing.

With a career built on launching disruptive technologies and forging powerful partnerships across biotech and pharma, Adam brings unparalleled exper...

Episode 46 is with Paul Barnhurst, better known as The FP&A Guy! 

Paul is a passionate teacher, creator, and Microsoft MVP with deep expertise in all things FP&A. He is the host of three podcasts: FP&A Tomorrow, Future Finance, and Financial Modeler’s Corner, where he shares expert insights, practical strategies, and the latest finance and AI tools transforming the industry with various expert guests.

Paul helps prepare finance professionals to be the strategic partners their businesses need through extensive training, educational content, and software reviews which can be found on his website, www...

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Rafael Rosengarten, CEO and co-founder of Genialis, the RNA biomarker company transforming how healthcare delivers outcomes for patients, families, and communities. A visionary leader who puts people first, Rafael’s career spans nearly two decades of groundbreaking biomedical research in genetics, immunology, and bioengineering.

Under his leadership, Genialis develops clinically actionable biomarkers informed by the most diverse cancer data sets, empowering targeted therapies and immuno-therapies to guide treatment decisions. Rafael is also a co-founder and board member of the Alliance for AI in Healthcare, advocating glob...

Today I have Imanuel Lerman, the founder and CEO of InflammaSense.

Imanuel and his team are focused on advancing the way clinicians diagnose and treat complex conditions, particularly those linked to inflammation. Through cutting-edge technology and innovative approaches, InflammaSense is working to enhance diagnostic precision and treatment strategies in a variety of medical fields.

In addition to his role at InflammaSense, Imanuel is a professor at the University of California, San Diego, where he explores the mechanisms behind pain, inflammation, and mental health disorders. With a passion for inter-disciplinary collaboration, his...

In this episode, we’re joined by Robert Lauritzen, CEO of Cerebriu, a company on a mission to expand MRI accessibility through cutting-edge AI. With over 20 years of leadership in tech, life sciences, and innovation, Robert and his team are driving solutions that streamline MR imaging, improve patient care, and empower radiologists with tools like Apollo: the MR technologist co-pilot. From his entrepreneurial roots, including a dental backpack, to leading teams at NNIT and Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Robert’s insights promise to inspire and inform.  

Let’s explore how Cerebriu is transforming radiology and revolut...

Happy new year! Want tips for approaching this year from a career perspective? Take a listen! Think you'll enjoy it and get some great tips!
Julia Holian and I do our annual assessment of the job market, "career audit" and some helpful tips. 
Julia Holian is founder and Principal of Career Transformation Partners. 
She spent 14 years as a recruiter before starting her own firm. She is a career strategist helping people make pivotal career moves that align with their skills, talents, interests, and values. She helps develop strategies to maximize your talents and strengths to be mo...

Episode 42 is a special one with my friend, Noni Allwood, as we discuss her most important career as an end of life doula. We met in 2018 while on a Cuba trip with 20 women entrepreneurs to help women in business throughout Cuba. Noni lives in the bay area near San Francisco and is originally from El Salvador. She is an experienced executive, speaker and research fellow focused on corporate culture transformation and equality in support of innovation and business success.

Noni is now retired but spent her career as an Engineer, over 13 years at Cisco as a Senior...

In this episode, I interview Nader Yassa. I've had the pleasure of knowing Nader for over 25 years and have watched him as CFO at corporate jobs, including CEO/CFO for one of the largest flight academies located in Arizona. Not to mention he lived on an airstrip with his plane at his house! He is a CPA from KPMG, one of the Big 4 CPA firms and spent time in real estate. Needless to say, he is a smart guy! But what really makes Nader stand out is his unwavering love for his family, for youth, for his church, for...

This week is with Andrea Hoban, who is an expert at getting the best out of you. She has facilitated, coached and trained thousands of people at companies of all sizes and directly with individuals. I also benefitted from her training while at Robert Half, where she worked for over 18 years. Andrea left and is co-founder of Oji Life Lab, which is an emotional intelligence company she founded with Mark Bracket who is the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Andrea thrives on growing businesses, influencing change, inspiring greatness, and helping others reach their highest potential.