Chief Change Officer #373 Nicole F. Roberts: How a Neuroscience Dropout Built a Life Around Purpose—Part One
What happens when your five-year plan falls apart—and you start to like it that way?
In Part One, Nicole F. Roberts—Doctor of Public Health, human rights founder, and co-author of Generosity WINS—shares the real story behind her very unpolished path. From flunking chemistry and walking away from med school dreams to launching a human rights firm mid-dissertation, Nicole proves that success isn’t always strategic—it’s responsive, human, and messy in the best way.
We explore how her neuroscience roots shaped her curiosity, why she walked away from Washington policy to chase impact, and what changed when she started listening more to real people than political agendas. This episode is for anyone who’s ever hit pause—and realized the reroute was actually the destination.
Key Highlights of Our Interview:
When the Neurosurgeon Dream Crashed—and Something Better Emerged
“I realized I was terrible at chemistry… and didn’t want to spend life writing prescriptions.”
How Policy Lost Her—and Public Health Found Her
“Policy’s great—until politics gets involved. I needed to see real change, not just write about it.”
A Six-Month Pause That Turned Into Six Years (and a Human Rights Firm)
“My dissertation chair died. I got divorced. So I started a human rights firm. As one does.”
The Problem with Think Tanks (and the Need to Do, Not Just Think)
“I could write papers forever—but what if no one ever acts on them?”
When Real Life Rewrote the Dissertation
“Those six years gave me a new lens. I rewrote everything—from the topic to the way I thought.”
Her Final Research Topic: Why Neuroscience Can’t Scale Without Generosity
“It turns out collaboration doesn’t come easy in science. Ownership often trumps impact.”
Why Her Dissertation Still Sits on a Shelf
“It was supposed to be my first book. I haven’t opened it in years. I just burned out.”
Co-Authoring Generosity WINS: When a Business Book Becomes a Neuroscience Playbook
“Monty had this premise: success follows giving. I knew the science could back it up—we just had to find the story.”
A Business Fable, a Fictional Heroine, and Real-Life Interviews
“Every chapter has a QR code that takes you to a real leader’s profile. Fictional story, real lessons.”
Why Kindness Is Strategic, Not Soft
“You can’t show the ROI of karma—but the people who give are the ones who last.”
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Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Dr. Nicole F. Roberts
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