ResponseABLE with Professor Nikki James

Professor Nikki James
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Career stories and practical advice for purpose-driven students and early professionals navigating their path to impact. You want a career that actually matters. ResponseABLE with Professor Nikki James brings you honest conversations with people at every stage of their journey — from students figuring out their first steps to seasoned leaders who've spent decades creating change. Each episode delivers real stories and practical advice from people who chose purpose over a paycheck and figured out how to make it work. If you're navigating early career decisions and want your work to mean something, this show is for you.

  1. 1d ago

    Dear 20 Year Old Me!

    Almost every Response Able conversation ends with the same question: what would you tell your 20-year-old self? In this special episode, Nikki revisits eleven guests’ answers to that question, back to back. What emerges isn’t a list of regrets. Most guests wouldn’t change their story. Instead, they’d go back to be kinder to themselves, braver about following their own instincts, and a little less worried about the future. In this episode:  Tylea Herweynen on enjoying the moments between the hustle  Emily Snowberger on following your gut without justifying every decision  Giselle Le Aupepe Bruce on following your curiosities, because tomorrow always comes  Yolisa Palesa Tsoaeli on chasing what you’re passionate about, 100%  Neeraj Naik on going all in on the job search and staying open to anything  Dylan Zraket and Priya Merchia on the power of how you speak to yourself  Richard Gorvett on giving yourself grace and being honest about how you’re really doing  Ian and Natasha Miller on starting small, and why “oops” might be the best word there is  Loredana Padurean on being proud of who you were at 20 Each answer comes from a full-length episode. Find the links below if you want to hear the whole story. Tylea: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/18677339Emily: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/18889106Giselle: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/18737049Yolisa: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/19323336Neeraj: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/19132604Priya & Dylan: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/18865971Richard: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/18534739Ian & Natasha: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/19429213Loredana: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2569593/episodes/18812572What’s a nudge you’ve received lately? How are you being response-able with it? To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram. ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

  2. Oct 21

    How to be a change maker in your community with Misha Thomas

    Misha Thomas is a Northeastern graduate, artist, activist, and lifelong Bostonian. Nikki sits down with Misha to discuss the twists and turns in her story, and her work in community development, cooperative models, and Indigenous and BIPOC-led initiatives. They also highlight the importance of taking a first step, even when the outcome or end goal is unknown. To stay connected with Misha, connect with her on LinkedIn.  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram. ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

    How to be a change maker in your community with Misha Thomas

  3. Oct 14

    Unlocking the path to leadership with Peter McKay

    Peter McKay is a Northeastern grad turned 5x global CEO. Peter sits down with Nikki to discuss career path, the value of co-ops, lessons on company culture, and the long-term benefit of networking. Peter also shares his is "human in the loop" perspective on AI in the workplace. To stay up to date with Peter's work, connect with him on LinkedIn.  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram. ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

    Unlocking the path to leadership with Peter McKay

  4. Oct 7

    How to play past your strengths with Nikki

    The episode reflects on the podcast’s first 40 episodes, including its launch, setbacks, and early interviews from across the globe. Nikki also discusses motivation, understanding one's strengths and weaknesses through metacognition, and staying in the flow zone. To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram. ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

    How to play past your strengths with Nikki

  5. Sep 30

    Making the most of multitasking with Isabelle Grenier

    Isabelle Grenier is a Co-op Advisor at Northeastern University, Licensed Mental Health Practitioner, friend, and lifelong learner. In this episode, Isabelle sits down with Nikki and Nora to reflect on the path that has brought her to where she is today. They explore the guidance Isabelle shares with her co-op students, along with the skills and perspectives that help us find balance and stability amid the demands of everyday life and an ever-changing world. To inquire about co-op opportunities or anything else that was discussed in this episode, connect with Isabelle on LinkedIn.  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram. ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

    Making the most of multitasking with Isabelle Grenier

  6. Sep 23

    Ready to Tack: Navigating Entrepreneurial Decisions with Alan Freeman

    Sailing teaches you to live with your decisions — and so does entrepreneurship. This week, Professor Nikki James sits down with Alan Freeman, Northeastern University alum, lifelong sailboat racer, entrepreneur, and investor who supports founders through funding and ecosystem-building. Alan shares how a "safe" engineering degree gave way to a career in entrepreneurship, and how Northeastern University's co-op program was the reason he could act on it — landing him hands-on roles at Singer and Johnson & Johnson while he was still a student, and opening doors through Northeastern's employer relationships that a resume alone never could have. He closes with a simple piece of advice: know yourself, know your environment, and be ready to tack when the direction you chose isn't working out. What's a nudge you've received lately? How are you being response-able with it? To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram. ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

    Ready to Tack: Navigating Entrepreneurial Decisions with Alan Freeman

  7. Sep 16

    Leadership in the Army and the classroom with Laura Weimer

    Laura Weimer is a US Army Colonel and Harvard Business School Doctor of Philosophy. While inspiring, her path of service hasn't always been straightforward. In this episode, Laura sits down with Nikki to discuss her Army career, personal identity, and early life, from growing up as an Army brat to West Point ro deployments to academic endeavors. She shares wisdoms about choosing the best path for oneself and strategies for course correcting when plans unexpectedly change. To stay connected with Laura, connect with her on LinkedIn.  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram. ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

    Leadership in the Army and the classroom with Laura Weimer

  8. Sep 9

    Life as a young founder of a social impact non-profit with Samantha Asprelli

    Samantha Asprelli is the founder of Give n' Glow, a nonprofit that redirects excess beauty products to women who need them, and a 2026 Northeastern graduate. In the episode, Nikki and Samantha discuss balancing full-time work with leading Give n' Glow, starting an organization while still in college, building partnerships, and searching for a job post-grad.  To follow Samantha's work, connect with her on LinkedIn. To get involved with Give n' Glow, follow them on Instagram or explore their website to learn more.  To learn more about ResponseABLE, check out the website www.responseable.org or follow Professor Nikki James on LinkedIn or Instagram. ResponseABLE is produced and edited by Northeastern Alumni, Nora Shepard. For more from Nora, subscribe to Good Disaster on Substack or connect with her on LinkedIn.

    Life as a young founder of a social impact non-profit with Samantha Asprelli
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Ratings & Reviews

5
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About

Career stories and practical advice for purpose-driven students and early professionals navigating their path to impact. You want a career that actually matters. ResponseABLE with Professor Nikki James brings you honest conversations with people at every stage of their journey — from students figuring out their first steps to seasoned leaders who've spent decades creating change. Each episode delivers real stories and practical advice from people who chose purpose over a paycheck and figured out how to make it work. If you're navigating early career decisions and want your work to mean something, this show is for you.

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