Shows
MBA: Mature By AccidentDivya Baxi on Genetic CounselingSend us a textGina and Shashwat are once again joined by Divya Baxi, Shashwat's wife, to talk about the field of genetic counseling. Divya recounts her educational experience, what genetic counseling is like, why it's important, and what her current experiences are in the field and with her patients.
2023-06-0552 min
My Life Be Like...Kimberly Baker - Director of Strategic MarketingKimberly Baker grew up in New Jersey with a lot of opportunities in front of her, until one lifechanging day when she got to shadow a neonatologist. At only 11 years old, Kim basically knew she wanted to be in the healthcare space in some capacity. She graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology with her BS in Engineering, after doing a 5 year program that also incorporated co-op programs and graduate level certificates. The co-op portion of her collegiate career played a pivotal role as Kim knew before even finishing her degree that she would be shifting in...
2023-04-0158 minMy Life Be Like...Chirayu Baxi, M.D. - Internal Medicine HospitalistChirayu Baxi grew up with a physician as a father and dentist as a mother, so he knew from an early age that helping people in the healthcare space was something he wanted to do long-term. He graduated from the Loyola University Chicago with her Bachelors of Science in Biology in 2009 and completed his MD from St. Georges University School of Medicine in 2015. Chirayu initially went to college thinking she was going to pursue pharmacy as a career path, but then he decided to switch his focus to medicine after his sophomore year. Making the d...
2023-03-251h 05My Life Be Like...Elizabeth Ewen, PhD - Medical Science LiaisonLiz Ewen was just a middle school student when she first came across genetics in her journey, reading a book on Cystic Fibrosis that would basically change her life. That book and her classroom learnings on Punnett squares basically set her on a course for her entire career. She graduated from the University of Connecticut with her Bachelors of Science in Genetics in 2000 and completed her PhD in Molecular Biology from Boston University in 2010. Liz initially went to college thinking she was going to pursue physical therapy as a career path, but then genetics pulled h...
2022-06-041h 14My Life Be Like...Nav Iyengar - Product Lifecycle ConsultantNav Iyengar came to the United States, from India, before he was 5 years old. Starting his life growing up in Michigan and Wisconsin, Nav initially thought he would grow up to be a doctor. After enjoying Debate in high school, he then thought that lawyer was the right profession. Neither ended up being the path he'd take... but his journey has worked out incredibly anyway! He graduated from Loyola University Chicago with his BA in Finance in 2015. Starting his story in the currency trading space, Nav traversed numerous industries and positions as he took a wi...
2022-05-2857 min
MBA: Mature By AccidentKalyani Baxi on Her Arranged MarriageSend us a textGina and Shashwat are joined by Shashwat's mother, Kalyani, to talk about her experience in having an arranged marriage. She provides great detail on how she and her husband got connected, what the timeline was, and how she went about agreeing to marry her groom! This is an incredible story and a can't miss episode!
2022-05-0948 minMy Life Be Like...Allison Edwards, DVM - VeterinarianAllison Edwards grew up and wanted to be a veterinarian. She knew at a young age that she loved animals and thought that being a veterinarian was the right job for her. Now, 25 years later... she's doing just that! She graduated from the University of Rhode Island with her BS in Animal Science and then went on to complete her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Tennessee. Unlike many other people that have had journeys with numerous twists, turns, and stops... Allison has a pretty straightforward story. She wanted to be a v...
2021-05-0159 minMy Life Be Like...Stephanie Scearce - Staff Accountant & ConsultantStephanie Scearce grew up in Massachusetts thinking she was going to be a dancer. She thought that dancing or teaching dance was her path in life. Then, an ankle injury showed her how quickly that could all be taken away from you. Since then, her life has taken a number of turns but all towards happiness! She graduated from Roger Williams University with her BA in Anthropology and Sociology, after having a professor that opened her eyes up to what that field was all about. After having a couple different interests and positions throughout her car...
2021-04-2454 minMy Life Be Like...Jonathan Esmail - Paraeducator & Director of AthleticsJon Esmail really had no idea what he was going to do with his life when he was growing up. He knew he loved sports, but that was about it. He had assumed that sports would take him beyond high school and would be his opportunity to get to college and beyond. What he didn't know was exactly how sports would the foundation for his career. Jon began his post-high school career at Worcester State College, but didn't return to campus after suffering an on-field injury during his freshman year. Having left his college program...
2021-02-271h 22My Life Be Like...Daniel Tompkins - Agricultural Scientist & FounderDan Tompkins knew he loved science, and so he grew up thinking about going into medicine. What he didn't know then was what type of medicine he would be doing. Years of working at a local garden & nursery shop inevitably led him down his career path of agricultural science. He graduated from Delaware Valley College with his BS in environmental design and ornamental horticulture and then went on to the University of Florida for his Doctorate in Plant Medicine. Currently, Dan has pivoted a way from his passion of agricultural science to start a new c...
2021-02-131h 02
MBA: Mature By AccidentNikky Silva & Divya Baxi on The Infertility JourneySend us a textGina and Shashwat are joined by repeat guests, Nikky Silva and Divya Baxi as they discuss their experience with the infertility journey. Nikky provides her perspective as someone diagnosed with infertility and what her journey was like from diagnosis to pregnancy. Divya adds her professional views as a genetic counselor focusing primarily in Assisted Reproductive Technologies.
2021-01-1858 minMy Life Be Like...Phil Maddalena, Esq - Criminal Defense AttorneyPhil Maddalena grew up thinking about being a singer or a rapper, but quickly realized that he probably wasn't going to be able to make a living off of that. Then, he thought teaching would be a good career path to take. That didn't get very far. Inevitably, Phil saw that Law was his calling and he became a criminal defense attorney. He graduated from Quinnipiac University with his BS in psychology and then went back to Quinnipiac University for his J.D. Currently, Phil works for a private firm in Connecticut as an associate c...
2021-01-021h 12
MBA: Mature By AccidentDivya Baxi & Paul Sasso on PregnancySend us a textOur spouses return to the show to discuss what it's like to try getting pregnant, what being pregnant is like during the Covid-19 pandemic, and what preparing for parenthood can be like. From the perspective of veteran parents and parents-to-be... this episode covers a whole host of topics around pregnancy in 2020!
2020-12-2145 minMy Life Be Like...Kristen Anderson - Owner of KNDRSNTune in as Kristen tells us how she went from making her own skirts as she thought about going to medical school... to owning her own design studio. She graduated from Framingham State University with his BS in Design with a Minor in Art. Kristen went from making clothes for her Barbie Dolls and sewing her own clothes in high school to then actually becoming a designer for big name intimate and swim wear lines like Lane Bryant, Avon, and Victoria's Secret.After numerous jobs in Boston and New York City allowed her...
2020-12-051h 05My Life Be Like...A.J. Pelletier - CNC Operator/Graphic Designer/VocalistAlan "AJ" Pelletier didn't go the "normal" route of high school to college to job. He listened to advice that his dad gave him and decided to go to Trade School and bypass the college degree. Today... he regrets that decision. A.J. started his path towards a trade school by electing to attend a technical high school instead of general one. He was focusing on manufacturing as the path he wanted with the expectation that he would progress in it. After completing high school, A.J. instead went on to complete his plumbing certification at the I...
2020-11-071h 02My Life Be Like...Janan Dave - Head of Patient OperationsJanan Dave grew up in New Jersey watching various baking and cooking shows on the Food Network, thinking that she'd grow up to be a pastry chef. As you can imagine, that hasn't happened yet. Instead... Janan has built her career on focusing on helping people dealing with the behemoth that is the U.S. healthcare system. She went into the College of Arts and Sciences at University of Pennsylvania as undeclared, but left with her BA in Health and Societies. After having worked for numerous agencies and start-ups (both in the United States and i...
2020-10-311h 02My Life Be Like...Ryan Marut - Operations Manager at Ford FieldRyan Marut grew up with dreams of being the replacement to Tom Brady as the QB1 for the New England Patriots. With those dreams not really working out, he knew he still wanted to work in and around sports. He initially went to St. Johns University to study Sports Management, but ended up transferring to Florida International University to be a part of a D-1 football program in addition to his studies. After completing his Bachelors Degree in Sports Management, Ryan also went on to get his M.S. in Sports Management from West Virginia University.
2020-10-2458 minMy Life Be Like...Andrea Baggetta - Director of Graduate AdmissionsAndrea Baggetta really liked her AP psychology class in high school. She would never have thought that one class would have then set her off on to the journey that her career has taken. She graduated from Sacred Heart University with her BA in Psychology and then went on to get her MA in Psychology with a Concentration in Child Development from Boston University. After finishing her MA, Andrea realized psychology wasn't going to get into a direct job and took whatever position was available to her that time. It didn't take too long to r...
2020-10-171h 05My Life Be Like...Anuja Martinez - Lead, Adult ER Social WorkerAnuja Martinez went into college thinking she was going to do something in business or computer science. She left college with a completely different perspective on where her life was going to go. She graduated from Indiana University with her BA in Religion and then went on to get her MA in Clinical Social Work with a Concentration in Sex Therapy from the University of Chicago.While getting her degree from IU, Anuja was volunteering and putting in hours at different shelters for victims of domestic and sexual violence. That would basically be the starting p...
2020-10-1052 minMy Life Be Like...J. Salome Martinez - Screen, Theater, & Voice ActorJ. Salome Martinez went to see The Wiz as a child and the rest, as they say, is history. He knew that he wanted to be a performer, but there is no way that he thought that would lead him to a career a bona fide screen, theater, and voice actor. He graduated from Barat College with his BA in Acting and immediately went on to get his MFA in Acting & Directing from the University of Florida.Since finishing up in Florida, Salome has acted in 20+ tv shows and feature movies along with countless theater p...
2020-10-031h 06My Life Be Like...Kate Orefice - Itinerant Teacher for the Deaf & Hard of HearingKate Orefice was pretty much driven towards studying speech pathology from her early childhood years. That interest was further strengthened after she and her family dealt with a tragedy when Kate was in high school. By the time she was off to college, Kate pretty much knew what she was going to be. She graduated early from Southern Connecticut State University with her BS in Communication Sciences & Disorders and went on to get her MS in Special Education with a Teaching Certification at St. Joseph's University (PA).Currently, Kate lives in Virginia and focuses her...
2020-09-261h 01My Life Be Like...Sheila Kelly - Senior Research Project ManagerSheila Kelly was unsure of what she wanted to be when she grew up. What she did know was that she didn't really want to have the same jobs her parents did. Well, she definitely accomplished that. She graduated early from Brandeis University with her BA in English and Economics and immediately went on to get her Masters in Public Health from Boston University. As you'll hear, a tragic event occurred in her undergraduate experience which set her off on the path that Sheila is on today. Currently, Sheila manages numerous research projects b...
2020-09-1959 minMy Life Be Like...Season One Wrap-UpAs My Life Be Like wraps up Season 1, I just want to thank everyone who took the time to participate this season. Also, a huge shout out to everyone who took the time to listen and support My Life Be Like!
2020-08-0805 minMy Life Be Like...Matthew Smedal - Associate Music Director on BroadwayHave you ever been to a show on Broadway or watched live musicals in the theater? Curious to know about what the life is like of someone who lives that life!? Matthew Smedal grew up wanting to be an astronaut, but that quickly changed as he veered his life away from space and into the music scene! He graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College with her BA in Music, got her MA in and all but his PhD Dissertation in Piano Performance/Music from West Virginia University. He stepped away from school to w...
2020-08-011h 12My Life Be Like...Vikas Chokshi - Owner, Sports Marketing ConsultancyVikas Chokshi always knew he wanted to work in sports, it just took him a little longer to get there than he thought he would. Starting in the IT industry, Vikas has an incredible journey finding him finally opening up his own sports marketing consultancy, publishing articles as a sportswriter, and hosting his own sports based podcast! He received her BS in Information Technology from Marquette University and is currently working on getting his MBA from the University of Illinois! Vikas spent 8 years out of college doing IT work and then started his own painting w...
2020-07-2558 minMy Life Be Like...Marisa Debboli-Cop - Business Systems AnalystMarisa Debboli-Cop started out her life wanting to be a "baby doctor" aka pediatrician or someone who worked in the medical field. She was always interested in science, medicine, and healthcare. She started her college career focusing on Exercise Science, but ended up getting her her BA in History from the University of New Hampshire after changing her path along the way! After getting her degree from UNH, Marisa thought PA school was next in her journey. She took classes at a local community college to set-up her application for that process. When she didn't g...
2020-07-1854 minMy Life Be Like...Ragini Baxi - Director of Strategic OperationsRagini Baxi initially wanted to be an astronaut. Then, because she didn't like Math... Medicine/Healthcare was it for her. She started out thinking about being a doctor and has instead changed her path to focus on some other aspects of the healthcare world! She received her BS in Biology from UCLA and then went on to get her Masters in Health Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill! If there is anything you can take away from Ragini's story, it's that people and networking are major parts of all industries. You can't do anything if you can't d...
2020-07-111h 00My Life Be Like...BJ Klock - Founder & Chief Executive Officer (Explicit Language)Brian "BJ" Klock had one goal in mind when he was growing up and that was to help people and make a lot of money doing it. It wasn't about one specific path, but the end goal had been established. He left high school and attended High Point University in North Carolina, planning to complete his psychology degree and then take on the world. Before completing his Junior year of college, BJ returned home to Connecticut and started looking for jobs and opportunities to earn some money to fund his education. His life would never b...
2020-07-0556 minMy Life Be Like...Divya Baxi - Genetic CounselorBorn and raised in Belgium, Divya's journey is quite interesting on how she got from Antwerpen to Chicago with stops in London and Philadelphia! Divya was initially thinking about doing something with animals... like being a veterinarian or a zoologist. She ended up taking numerous biology classes in her Brussels high school and went on to fall in love with genetics! She graduated from University College London with her B.S. in Human Genetics and got her M.S. in Genetic Counseling from Arcadia University. By the stroke of luck, a lecture in h...
2020-06-271h 06My Life Be Like...Mark Zanghi - Entrepreneur & Founder of GatherbandTune in as Mark takes us on his journey from wanting to be an illustrator to having an idea for a product and creating his own company! He graduated from Sacred Heart University with his BA in Graphic Design and also spent a year at the School of Visual Arts focusing on spec design and portfolio work. In his current role, Mark is the Founder of Gatherband & Gatherband.comHis journey was headed in a very specific direction for a while, but then took numerous turns through the Concrete Jungle of New York C...
2020-06-201h 05My Life Be Like...Matt Galka - Television ReporterTune in as Matt and I talk about his road from a small town to being a TV reporter in the #11 market in the country! He graduated from Syracuse University with his BA in English and then got his MS from Quinnipiac University in Journalism. In his current role, Matt is a TV reporter for the Fox affiliate in Phoenix, AZ! His journey is pretty incredible when you think about where he started and where he has ended up, especially considering the amazing pieces that had to fall perfectly into place for him to...
2020-06-131h 17My Life Be Like...Rishwa Baxi - Senior Product DesignerRishwa grew up wanting to be a teacher, but then a summertime college program before her Junior year of high school changed all of that. She heard about Industrial Design on a college visit and the rest is history! She graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology with her B.S. in Industrial Design and has been in product design ever since! The road wasn't as smooth and direct as you may think as there was a point where she needed to find her passion and commitment to her craft. Rishwa candidly talks about overcoming adversity a...
2020-06-061h 09
2020-06-0201 minMy Life Be Like...David Janson - Software Engineer (App Dev) Senior ManagerFrom wanting to be a video game programmer to now running his own application development team at Cigna Healthcare, David Janson has a pretty interesting story. Hear about how his father plays a huge role in his life and what really set Dave off on the journey that his career has taken. He graduated from the University of Hartford with his BS in Computer Science and hasn't looked back! Dave started out as IT consultant over a decade ago and now runs an international team of people helping improve internal production workflows and experiences!
2020-05-3057 minMy Life Be Like...Nikky Silva - Reading SpecialistEveryone knows about teaching as a profession and a career, but did you know how much it actually takes? Tune in as Nikky and I discuss her journey through the world of elementary education! She graduated from Central Connecticut State University with her BS in Elementary Education (with a concentration in English), got her MA in Remedial Reading and her "6th Year" in Educational Leadership from Southern Connecticut State University. As a Reading Specialist, Nikky focuses on helping her KG-2nd Grade students focus on improving their reading skills. What could be more...
2020-05-231h 04My Life Be Like...Kapil Kella, DDS - General Dentist & Small Business OwnerCome along as Dr. Kapil Kella and I talk about his journey to becoming a dentist and owning his own practice! He graduated from the University of Michigan with her BS in Biopsychology (brain behavior and cognitive science), got his M.S. in General Science from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and then got his Doctorate of Dental Surgery from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry. He went to the Ann Arbor thinking about getting a degree in business. Hear about how he decided on dentistry and is now g...
2020-05-1659 minMy Life Be Like...Christina Curri, Esq - Family Court AttorneyCheck it out as Chrissy and I talk about her career in law! She graduated from Uttica College (NY) with her BA in Criminal Justice and then got her JD from Thomas Cooley Law School in Michigan. As a family court attorney, Chrissy represents families dealing with a myriad of issues related to family court like custody, abuse, and partnerships. She took a criminology class in high school and look at where that budding interest has taken her! Chrissy has dealt with some of the absolutely most horrific cases that anyone sho...
2020-05-091h 02My Life Be Like...Anish Mitra - Entertainer/Content CreatorStrap in as I chat with Anish about his incredible story from Queens to Los Angeles and a few places in between! Anish got his BA in Economics from Brown University. After almost a decade in investment banking, Anish now creates and produces his own content. Hes currently working on a project called "IPO and Chill" to help bring his comedy and professional experiences to the world in a fun, but educational way. His journey starts out like you'd expect, but then takes him to a present day destination that nobody could have pr...
2020-05-021h 10My Life Be Like...Shivani Vyas - Interior DecoratorCheck it out as I talk to Shivani about her journey to Interior Decorator and small business ownership!She graduated from East Carolina University with her BS in Neuroscience and then got her graduate degree from Johns Hopkins University in Communications. Today, she runs her own interior decorating business (StudioVyas) in Macon, GA. Her journey has numerous twists and turns, even for someone who hasn't been doing this all that long. Shivani is unabashed in her telling of her story, as her advice is useful for people of all ages and in...
2020-04-2559 minMy Life Be Like...Dhaivat Buch - Strategy PartnerTune in as Dhaivat and I talk about his incredible journey! He graduated from Northwestern University with his BS in Industrial Engineering and then got his MS from HEC Paris in Strategic Management. In his current role, Dhaivat helps to formulate organizational strategy for Highmark Health as they look at the payor and provider side of the Western PA healthcare industry. His journey is exciting and unique, especially if you think you're interested in working oversees or getting involved in corporate strategy and management. Dhaivat is an incredibly smart, accomplished, and wel...
2020-04-181h 09My Life Be Like...Casey Stark - Assistant Athletic Director for Academic ServicesCheck it out as Casey and I talk about her journey from wanting to be a teacher or a pastor to becoming the AAD for Academic Support at Quinnipiac University! She graduated from Bradley University with her BS in Special & Mainstream Education and then got her MA from Bowling Green State University in College Student Personnel. In her current role, she oversees 3 different athletic teams at Quinnipiac amongst a host of additional responsibilities as part of the Athletics Department. In her personal life, she has a steady boyfriend. She's been involved in college at...
2020-04-111h 02My Life Be Like...Gina Sasso - Shared Services Operations ManagerListen in as Gina and I talk about her journey from wanting to be a teacher or a nurse to becoming the Shared Services Operations Manager for Stanley Black & Decker. She graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a BA in sociology and then from Southern New Hampshire University with her MBA. In her current role, she manages various teams under the SB&D Customer Service umbrella, overseeing almost 150 people on multiple continents. In her personal life, she's married and has two young daughters. She's been there for almost a decade now and gi...
2020-04-0455 minMy Life Be Like...Welcome to My Life Be Like...Too many young people are only familiar with the basic job titles that everyone knows, but there are thousands fulfilling, exciting professions that most of us have never even heard of. I initially thought I would be a doctor, based on what my parents wanted me to be. Then, I thought about going into politics and government. After college, things changed for me and I ended up in sales and business development. My road to success and where I am today was fraught with different twists and turns, eventually leading me to a great position with a wonderful organization...
2020-04-0302 min