From Failure to Launch

In this episode of From Failure to Launch, host Keira Johnson sits down with Veda Rabishankar, a Code2College high school summer intern who worked in IT Digital Communications at Texas Mutual, and her summer manager, Mike Vuong, Senior Engineering Manager at Texas Mutual. Together, they explore Veda’s journey from classroom programming to contributing to real-world projects, what it’s like applying new skills in a professional sett...

In this episode of From Failure to Launch, host Keira Johnson sits down with Olivia Cruz, a Code2College high school summer intern at YETI, and Chris Chafin, Web Developer II at YETI and Olivia’s summer manager. Together, they share what it’s like navigating new environments, building confidence, and learning through real-world projects. They dive into what makes great mentorship, how to grow beyond your comfort zone, and the lesso...

Season 3 of From Failure to Launch kicks off with a special spotlight on our summer interns!

In this episode, host Keira sits down with high school intern Zephan Ofori, who just completed his Code2College internship at Indeed, along with his summer manager Laurie. Together, they reflect on the projects they tackled, the lessons learned along the way, and how programs like Code2College open doors for young talent. Zephan also shares...

When Allegra Armas graduated from college, she didn’t have a clear path forward—and she felt like she was already falling behind. But over the past decade, she’s carved out a career rooted in community impact, from connecting fans through sports at the Oakland A’s to driving social impact initiatives at Roku.

In this episode, Keira and Allegra talk about the messy reality of navigating those first jobs, why it’s okay not to have it...

In this episode of From Failure to Launch, host Keira sits down with Kerry Rupp, General Partner at True Wealth Ventures and one of only two women GPs in a venture capital fund in Texas. Kerry’s career path has been anything but linear — from consulting at Accenture and McKinsey, to joining (and leading) multiple startups, to serving as CEO of DreamIt, a Top Ten US accelerator and VC fund. Along the way, she’s held almost every lea...

In this powerful “From Failure to Launch” episode, host Keira sits down with Monica Grant Cohen, whose journey from a low-income, single-parent household to becoming a leader in philanthropy is nothing short of inspiring. As the eldest daughter who lost her father at age six, Monica shares how her mother’s unwavering strength shaped her—and why she honored her mom by adding her mother’s middle name to her college diploma.

A first-g...

In this episode of From Failure to Launch, host Keira sits down with Cameryn Burnette — a PhD candidate at MIT in Material Science for Sustainable Development, Howard University alumna, Schwarzman Scholar, and Special Projects Manager at Energicity.

Cameryn opens up about the moments that shaped her: from growing up amidst environmental disasters that ignited her passion for sustainability, to feeling like a failure after college w...

In this episode of From Failure to Launch, host Keira sits down with Keelee Moseley, MBA — a software engineer, educator, and mission-driven problem solver whose career has taken her from Pitts, Pennsylvania, all the way to NASA and beyond.

Keelee opens up about starting off at Penn State with dreams of becoming a computer engineer, only to realize that her superpower wasn’t coding—it was curiosity. From teaching programming at ITT...

In this episode of From Failure to Launch, Keira sits down with Gabriela Rocha, cofounder of Laboratoria, to explore her winding journey across continents, languages, and industries — and how she’s helping reshape the future of tech for women across Latin America.

From growing up in Brazil and Los Angeles to co-founding a movement that empowers women from underserved communities to launch tech careers, Gabriela opens up about:

...

In this inspiring episode of From Failure to Launch, host Keira sits down with her own manager, Staci Brookover, a Project Manager at YETI, whose unconventional journey is anything but ordinary.

Staci shares how she went from barista to daycare worker to spending a decade in printing — climbing from receptionist to production manager — before launching herself into the tech world. Now a seasoned Program Manager at YETI, Staci opens...

What happens when a decorated Army intelligence officer, Truman Scholar, and PhD becomes a venture capitalist? You get Craig Cummings — a man whose entire journey has been shaped by leadership, heart, and a deep commitment to service.

In this episode, Craig sits down with Keira to share stories from his time at West Point and 17 years in the military, including how he helped bring the first cellular network to the battlefield. He o...

In this immensely anticipated episode of From Failure to Launch, Keira sits down with Jeff Livingston, CEO of EdSolutions and Co-Founder of the Center for Education Market Dynamics (CEMD). Jeff shares his journey from revolutionizing textbooks at McGraw Hill to helping nonprofits and positive-impact organizations reshape education today.

Renowned for his ability to spot talent and his belief in lifelong learning, Jeff dives into wh...

This week on From Failure to Launch, Keira sits down with Kali Peracchia—AI Instructional Specialist for Denver Public Schools, middle school educator, and PhD candidate at the University of Denver—to explore the intersection of technology, equity, and education. From tackling teacher turnover to building a thriving professional learning community, Kali challenges the scarcity mindset in schools and shares how culturally relevant p...

In this episode, Keira sits down with RC Johnson—Founder of Simple and Done, former Engineering Director and CTO, and one of the most prolific interviewers during his time at Indeed. With over 2,000 interviews under his belt, RC shares what he looks for in great engineers (hint: it’s all about ownership), why technical interviews should be more quantitative, and how he’s constantly evolving to stay current in tech.

But the conversa...

In this episode, Keira sits down with Sarah Dooley, the mom behind AI-Empowered Moms. Sarah shares her fascinating journey—from her roots in marketing research to earning her MBA at the University of Texas, and then diving into customer strategy at EY, where she discovered her passion for technology consulting.

After leading digital transformation efforts at Waste Management, Sarah joined a generative AI team at VISA, where she foc...

What does it take to go from a college grad with no internships to a Senior Data Scientist at one of the coolest brands out there? In this episode, Kiera chats with Claire Matthews of YETI—who’s also Code2College’s Vision 2024 Mentor of the Year—about her unexpected journey into data science, her biggest career lessons, and what drives her to mentor the next generation of women in STEM. Claire shares why advocating for yourself mat...

Keira sits down with Trey Briggs, Director of Engineering at Udemy, to explore his 4-year journey at the company and his philosophy of continuous growth. Trey shares insights on transitioning from startups to larger corporations, troubleshooting workplace challenges across departments, and embracing the thrill of trying new things—even when it makes your palms sweat.

He discusses the platforms he’s worked on, the importance of bein...

In this lighthearted episode, we sit down with Jade Morgan, a Junior at UT Austin studying Electrical and Computer Engineering and currently interning at NASA. Jade shares her love for math, her journey navigating the challenges of transitioning from high school to college, and the importance of building a supportive community.

Jade talks about her appreciation for her female STEM mentor, the value of self-belief, and why you shoul...

Radney Wood — lawyer, entrepreneur, and seasoned world traveler — joins us to reflect on two decades in the legal field and a lifetime of lessons. One of six kids raised with little but surrounded by love, Radney shares how grit, curiosity, and humility shaped his path to success.

In this episode, we talk about learning through mistakes, gaining perspective with time, and the value of being open to new e...