Career Queens Podcast

Staying Relevant in the Age of AI - Laura DeBenedetto (Meta) 29.04.2026 46min

In this episode, I sit down with Laura de Benedetto — product policy manager at Meta, Cambridge AI Ethics graduate, and the very first Career Queen to return for a second conversation — for an honest discussion about what it actually takes to build a career that holds when the ground shifts beneath you. Laura was laid off from Airbnb. She didn't see it coming. And like so many high achievers, she had done everything right — which made the shock of it that much harder to process. What she did ...

A Recruiter on The New Rules of Getting Hired in Big Tech - Sonya Lee (Netflix) 11.03.2026 50min

The job market has changed. Has your strategy? In this episode, Career Queens, I sit down with Sonya, a senior recruiter at Netflix, for an unfiltered conversation about what is actually happening in tech hiring right now — and what candidates need to do differently. With over 400,000 tech layoffs since 2022, companies getting leaner by design, and AI reshaping entire teams, the playbook that worked three years ago is no longer enough. Sonya breaks down exactly what recruiters see when they o...

Building Financial Security in a Layoff Era - LaKiesha Tomlin (Founder, Thriving Ambition) 18.02.2026 59min

In this episode of Career Queens Podcast, I sit down with LaKiesha Tomlin — engineer, MBA graduate, and investor — to talk about financial preparedness, emergency funds, and building income streams in an uncertain job market. This episode is for women in tech, corporate professionals, and ambitious career women who want to reduce financial anxiety and build optionality. Because your employer is not your safety net, and financial security is something you design. If you’re thinking about emerg...

Choosing Yourself: Health, Confidence & Self-Trust - Elle Caffrey (Ellevents, Ex-Meta) 28.01.2026 38min

This episode is about habit formation, self-trust, and choosing yourself when change feels hard. I’m joined by Elle Caffrey—an event consultant and founder of Ellevents—who reflects on her journey from obesity to losing over 100 pounds, and eventually running half marathons. We unpack how sustainable change is built through small, consistent actions, identity shifts, and systems that support you long after the initial transformation. If you’re trying to move away from all-or-nothing thinking ...

Vision Boarding for Career Clarity - Gracious Nyamupachitu (Pinterest & Visionary Me) 14.01.2026 42min

In this episode, we dive into how vision boarding can unlock real career clarity—not just big dreams, but practical direction you can actually act on. I’m joined by Gracious Nyamupachitu, Pinterest’s first Marketing Strategy & Operations Manager and the founder of VisionaryMe, who breaks down how to turn goals into a life strategy using vision boards. Drawing on her journey from corporate banking to global tech, she shares how clarity, intention, and action work together to shape career m...

Coming to America - Dr. Rosemary Kobue-Lekalake 07.10.2022 48min

On this episode, I speak to my mother, Dr. Rosemary Kobue-Lekalake, about her experiences moving to America back in the early '80s and again in the early '90s. We also delve into how she managed the guilt that often riddles mothers that work full-time.

Starting and Growing a Creative Side Hustle - Sonali Karmarkar (Youtube) 09.09.2022 49min

On this episode, I speak to Sonali Karmarkar about how she’s managed to start and grow a creative business while working full time as a Community Partner Manager at Youtube. Sonali is based in New York where she supports Youtube’s creator community by day, and grows her handpainted hair accessory brand, Soieli, by night.

How to Ace Your Job Interviews - Angela Guido (Career Protocol) 06.04.2022 48min

I chat with Angela Guido, founder of Career Protocol, author of two books: “Interview Hero” and “How to Network Without Feeling Like an A‑Hole”. The topic on the table on this episode is how to find your voice and ace your job Interviews.

Building an Authentic Personal Brand - Adanna Steinacker (Digital Entrepreneur) 16.03.2022 56min

We're back! And, on this first episode of the second season of Career Queens, I’m so excited to be chatting with digital entrepreneur, Adanna Steinacker, about personal branding and leading your career authentically.

Business Networking & Mentorship with McKenna Sweazey (Truthset) 30.06.2021 41min

My guest on this episode, McKenna Sweazey, is the VP of Marketing at a Silicon Valley based startup called Truthset. Prior to this role, she was based in London where she led a team regional Marketing managers at the Financial Times. Over the course of her career, she has formed important relationships with people willing to connect her with great opportunities and help her navigate challenging situations.

Pursuing an MBA with Sope Ogunrombi (London Business School) 16.06.2021 52min

On this episode, Sopé Ogunrombi, an MBA Candidate at London Business School, shares how she went about her business school applications — from school selection, to writing the GMAT and her essays. This is for anyone who is considering pursuing an MBA, and would like more information about the degree.

Navigating a Career Change with Ziyanda Khumalo (Investment Bank) 02.06.2021 44min

On this episode, I'm leaving the tech world for a bit! In it, I speak to Ziyanda Khumalo, an investment banker, about her career change, from marketing in fast moving consumer goods (fmcg) to finance and investment banking. Career Queens Podcast is a show that spotlights millennial women in tech, and women in business that are using technology to grow their businesses. Conversations range from navigating a career change or salary negotiation, to starting and running a side hustle.

From Passion Project to Purposeful Business with Julie Vandingnen (Google) 19.05.2021 52min

On this episode I speak to Julie Vandingenen, a Senior Sales Consultant at Google. Julie is also the founder of Lovingly Box, a passion project and business that sells care packages with an aim to support loved ones going through difficult situations. These include break ups, illness, depression and bereavement. Julie was inspired to start this business, in 2017, after she lost her fiancé to cancer. Julie composes Lovingly Box to contain some of the items that made her days a little easier, a...

Leading an International Career with Lauren Jutai (Facebook) 05.05.2021 52min

On this episode, I speak to my good friend, Lauren Jutai (a Partner Manager at Facebook) talks about her experience leading an international career. Lauren was born in Toronto, and raised in various other cities across Canada, namely Ottawa, Woodstock and Hamilton. Since her first move abroad, Lauren has lived and worked in 5 other countries across 4 continents! Career Queens Podcast is a business podcast that spotlights career conversations with millennial women making moves in tech.

Moving Abroad for Work with Halimatu Umar (Facebook) 05.05.2021 41min

In this episode, Halimatu (Hali) Umar, a Market Specialist at Facebook, talks about her experience moving abroad for work. When Hali moved to Dublin to work for Facebook, it was her first time living outside of Nigeria. The transition was challenging, particularly as Hali wasn’t moving alone — Hali moved to Ireland with her husband and three kids. Despite the obstacles she had to overcome (from homesickness, to prejudiced neighbors) Hali survived and eventually thrived in her new home. She wa...

Salary Negotiations Advice from a Woman in Tech with Laura DeBenedetto (Tiktok) 21.04.2021 46min

In need of salary negotiation tips? Laura DeBenedetto, a Policy Manager at Tiktok, started her career accepting the first salary offer she was made. However, with every new company she has joined (including Facebook, Google and Tiktok), she has gained the experience and confidence to counter and ask for more. Tune in to hear Laura’s advice on negotiating a salary offer, based from her multiple experiences with salary negotiation to date. Career Queens Podcast is a business podcast that spotli...

Boomerang Employee with Sade Omojowo (Instagram) 06.04.2021 43min

Sade Omojowo, a Strategic Partner Manager at Instagram, talks about her experience as boomerang employee, following her moving from Facebook to Tiktok, and then back again to Facebook. This is what some people call a “career boomerang”, and many consider it a strategic way to pivot their career. Being rehired by a former employer is becoming increasingly popular amongst millennials, and it’s particularly common in fast-moving industries like technology. Being a boomerang employee allows an in...

Transitioning into People Management with Tracy Jasper (Hubspot) 23.03.2021 47min

In this episode, Tracy Jasper, a manager at Hubspot, talks about her experience transitioning from an individual contributor to a people manager in the tech industry. Tune in to hear about the challenges Tracy faced, as well as the people management skills she’s had to develop. In many tech companies, becoming a people manger is neither a promotion, nor the only way to advance one’s career. In fact, there are often parallel tracks for people interested in individual contributor or manager wor...

Pivoting from Sales to Product Management with Marcelle Mbuyu (Google) 08.03.2021 36min

I speak to Marcelle Mbuyu, a Product Manager at Google, about her career change, from sales to her current role by studying part time, networking and finding stretch assignments at work. Career Queens Podcast is a show that spotlights millennial women in tech, and women in business that are using technology to grow their businesses. Conversations range from navigating a career change or salary negotiation, to starting and running a side hustle.