ResponseABLE with Professor Nikki James
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.
Episodes
40 episodes
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 stayin...
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 ...
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 founder...
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 identi...
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 ...
Unlocking autonomy while still accepting help along the way with Minh Mai
Minh Mai is a 2026 D'amore McKim grad, early careerist at Citizens Bank, and overall student of life. In this episode, you will hear about the various people, decisions, and perspectives that led Minh to where he is today. He reflects on his ba...
Does sustainability have a place in the business world? What about intuition? with Heatherjean MacNeil
Heatherjean MacNeil is a professor of Organizational Behavior at Northeastern University, founder, sustainability advocate, mother, researcher, and much more. In this episode, Heather and Nikki sit down in Maine to discuss everything from caree...
Slow and steady wins the race with Grace and Wayne Le Roux
In this episode, Nikki sits down with Grace and Wayne Leroux discuss to their lives in Cape Town, paths to each other, and the steady growth of their venture, Running Late Club. They unpack the real...
The cake is big enough with Donna and Brent James
The Cake Is Big Enough with Donna and Brent JamesResponseABLE with Professor Nikki JamesEpisode SummaryIn this episode, Nikki sits down with Donna and Brent James — married for over 24 years, parents of three, and...
Embracing guidance from our ancestors, mentors, and past selves with Earl-Djehuti
Earl-Djehuti is a leader at TSIBA Business School in Cape Town, South Africa and partners with Nikki to facilite the partnership between TSIBA and Northeastern University each year. In the episode you will hear that Earl's leadership skills spa...
Pouring out without running dry with Carmen Levendall
Episode SummaryIn this episode, recorded on the beach in Cape Town during the final days of Nikki's time in South Africa, she sits down with her friend Carmen Levendall — a motor mechanic turned laundromat owner turned communi...
Pursuing what you’re best at with Breanna Holmes
Brianna Holmes is an engineer turned entrepreneur in her 20s, on a mission to demystify the FE exam for engineering students. For engineers and non-engineers, Nikki's chat with Breanna is an empowering reminder of the power that mindset has on ...
Learning, teaching, and practicing entrepreneurship with Sinethemba Dangazel
Sinethemba Dangazele is an entrepreneur, leader, and lifelong learner based in Cape Town, South Africa. Both fortunate enough to work with TSIBA Business School, Sinethemba sits down with Nikki to discuss his path from not even using the word "...
Nikki’s mid-year checkpoint
This episode marks the six-month milestone of ResponsABLE. Nikki hops on the mic today to reflect on her podcasting journey. She shares the evolution of ResponABLE's mission and vision and as well as her key learnings so far. As men...
A story of small impact adding up with Ian and Natasha Miller
Natasha and Ian Miller are the founders of Siyazana, an organization which empowers young people in South Africa with education, mentorship, and resources. While Siyazna does a variety of work, their goal ...
How adding value fosters opportunities with Clayton Jardine
Clayton Jardine is young leader, community builder, and social impact worker based in Cape Town, South Africa. In this episode, Nikki and Clayton sit down to Clayton's journey from being a student to working in social impact. From the way he's ...
Meet Maurisa — The encourager of encouragers
Marisa Moloto's path led her path from speech therapy, to public health , to consulting to social entrepreneurship, and to eventually founding Lefika Foundation in 2018, a social innovation consultancy that specializes in transformative social ...
How use your passion as a guide with Yolisa Palesa Tsoaeli
Yolisa Palesa Tsoaeli is a photographer, storyteller, and UX designer, but she is also so much more. At her core, Yolisa has a passion for people which is revealed in all of the work that she does. In this episode, Yolisa and Nikki sit down in ...
How to choose a path of service with Barry Lewis
Barry Lewis is an architect from London turned social-entrepreneur based in Cape Town, South Africa. He is the founder of UBU Homes, an organization which creates fireproof, bullet-resistant, thermally efficient homes and spaces of belonging. I...
Practicing excellence in sales and beyond with Liana Christy
Liana Christy is a Massachusetts native and distinguished professional in the dental sales industry. In this episode, Nikki and Liana sit down to discuss how Liana knew this was the right path for her and the steps that led her to success. Ment...
What makes a job candidate great?
This week Nikki has on a former student (Aishu) as well as her employer (Robin), who is also a great friend of Nikki's. Robin and Aishu both work for the New England Employee Benefits Council (
Using your voice in the music industry and beyond with Teona Zak
Teona Zak is an LA-based singer-songwriter who graduated from Boston's Berklee College of music in 2023. Her story involves grace, grit, and a decision to be in the right place at the right time. In this episode, Nikki and Teona chat a...
Making the most of the job search with Neeraj Naik
Neeraj is a Northeastern Alumni who now works at Bloomberg in New York City. With experience from financial services, to tech, to social innovation, Neeraj offers insightful and actionable job search tips, many of which led him to where he is t...
Discussing grad school and a creative career path with Jessie Wang
Jessie Wang is a former student of Nikki's who graduated from Northeastern in 2024. During her last year at Northeastern she decided to bet on herself and apply to grad school. She ended up getting her Masters Degree and studying across the wor...
Celebrating Earth Day and the reality of post-grad with Shauna Orandi
Shauna Orandi is a recent Northeastern graduate, a former student of Nikki's, and an all around rockstar in academics, work, and as a advocate for sustainability. In the conversation today, Nikki and Shauna celebrate Earth Day by chatting outdo...
