Bruin Success

Hosted by UCLA Alumni

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Oct 2025

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About the show

Do you ever wonder how Bruins like you have gone on to achieve success after college? Now you have the chance to find out as UCLA alumni discuss their careers, what has helped them most in their journeys and their tips for personal and professional success.

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60 recent

October 3, 2025Episode 944 min

Integrity Across Industries: Purpose-Driven Leadership from DOJ to Meta with Joseph Vardner '06

Joseph Vardner '06 is Director of Integrity Risk Management at Meta Platforms, Inc, where he leads a team focused on trust & safety product compliance. He is helping to set new standards for how trust & safety compliance is established and scaled across the globe. He is a current board member of the UCLA Alumni Board and the National LGBT Bar Association. Vardner graduated from UCLA with a degree in civil engineering and received his law degree from Harvard Law School. He has worked as an engineer, a DOJ attorney, at a law firm, and in-house at two companies. At the US DOJ Antitrust Division, he received the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service for his work enforcing competition laws in the credit card industry.Follow for more stories of Bruin Success:IG: @bruinsuccesspodcastalumni.ucla.edu/bruin-success-podcast/The Bruin Success Podcast is hosted and produced by Sara Mosgrove '18 and Lily Rosenberg '18, and brought to you by the UCLA Alumni Association. Thank you to our sustaining donors.

June 11, 2025Episode 81 hr 1 min

Beyond Buzzwords: Diversity and Anti-Racism Consulting with Daedra Staten , J.D. '13

In this episode, we interview Daedra Staten, J.D. '13, founder of SCG Diversity Consulting. Drawing from her background in law and international experiences, Daedra breaks down how organizations can move past performative gestures and commit to building anti-racist, equity-driven workplace cultures. Follow for more stories of Bruin Success:IG: @bruinsuccesspodcastalumni.ucla.edu/bruin-success-podcast/Follow Deadra Staten's work:https://www.statenconsulting.com/SCG Consulting IG: @scgdiversityconsultingPottery IG: unhinged_potteryThe Bruin Success Podcast is hosted and produced by Sara Mosgrove '18 and Lily Rosenberg '18, and brought to you by the UCLA Alumni Association. Thank you to our sustaining donors.

May 29, 2025Episode 749 min

The Puzzle of the Puck: NHL Media Distribution and International Strategy with Dan Kim, MBA '06

Dan Kim, MBA ’06 is Executive Vice President of Media Distribution and International Strategy at the National Hockey League. From his days at UCLA Anderson to leading the NHL’s global media initiatives, he shares insights on navigating the landscape of sports media and the pivotal role his Bruin experience played in shaping his career. Tune in to hear how he combines strategic vision with a passion for storytelling to bring the excitement of hockey to fans worldwide.Follow for more stories of Bruin Success:IG: @bruinsuccesspodcastalumni.ucla.edu/bruin-success-podcast/The Bruin Success Podcast is hosted and produced by Sara Mosgrove '18 and Lily Rosenberg '18, and brought to you by the UCLA Alumni Association. Thank you to our sustaining donors.

May 21, 2025Episode 61 hr 2 min

Student Leader to State Legislator: California Senator Dean Florez '87

Senator Dean Florez's journey from UCLA to the California State Senate reflects a lifelong commitment to public service and policy innovation. A proud Bruin and champion of accountability, Senator Florez shares how his UCLA experience shaped his leadership values, the lessons he learned navigating the political landscape, and why bold ideas still begin in Westwood. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about civic impact, community advocacy, and leading with purpose.Follow for more stories of Bruin Success:IG: @bruinsuccesspodcastalumni.ucla.edu/bruin-success-podcast/The Bruin Success Podcast is hosted and produced by Sara Mosgrove '18 and Lily Rosenberg '18, and brought to you by the UCLA Alumni Association. Thank you to our sustaining donors.

May 8, 2025Episode 541 min

Behind the Scenes of Building Better Media: Developmental Psychologist Yalda Uhls, M.B.A. '90, M.A. '10, Ph.D. '13

Dr. Yalda T. Uhls is the founder and CEO of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS) at UCLA, which is the only youth-centered organization to bridge the gap between social science research and media creation to help storytellers better reflect the lives of adolescents. She is an internationally recognized research scientist, educator, author, and expert on the science of media and adolescent development. Dr. Uhls’ career bridges the worlds of entertainment and psychological research. She was a movie executive at MGM and Sony who earned an MBA and Ph.D. from UCLA.Follow for more stories of Bruin Success:IG: @bruinsuccesspodcastalumni.ucla.edu/bruin-success-podcast/Learn more about Dr. Uhls' work:The Center for Storytellers and Scholars @ UCLA: www.scholarsandstorytellers.com/CSS latest research: ourAmerican Dream study.TeenSnapshot report highlights how important safety and kindness are forteens. Newsletter link: Sign up for the CSS newsletter tostay up to date on new research, releases, and events.CSS 2024Impact Report.Link to learn more about the YouthEngagement Network.Link to learn more about the Youth MediaRepresentation Program.The Bruin Success Podcast is hosted and produced by Sara Mosgrove '18 and Lily Rosenberg '18, and brought to you by the UCLA Alumni Association. Thank you to our sustaining donors.

May 1, 2025Episode 41 hr 4 min

Finding Your Voice: Untapped Leadership with Jenny Vazquez-Newsum Ed.D. '14

Jenny Vazquez-Newsum, Ed.D. '14 is redefining leadership. Inspired by her experiences in the nonprofit world, her organization, Untapped Leaders, is dedicated to empowering the voices of historically underrepresented professionals. Tune in to hear her insights on imposter syndrome, sustainable work practices and making an impact by embracing authenticity. Follow for more stories of Bruin Success:IG: @bruinsuccesspodcastalumni.ucla.edu/bruin-success-podcast/Learn about Untapped Leaders: https://www.untappedleaders.com/The Bruin Success Podcast is hosted and produced by Sara Mosgrove '18 and Lily Rosenberg '18, and brought to you by the UCLA Alumni Association. Thank you to our sustaining donors.

April 23, 2025Episode 31 hr 29 min

Nano Steps to National Impact: Former Director of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office Branden Brough '00, M.S. '03, Ph.D. '06

Branden Brough '00, M.S. '03, Ph.D. '06 was drawn to big ideas and bringing people together long before his career as the Director of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO). In this episode, he reflects on his UCLA legacy, the lifelong relationships built as one of the founding members of The Den and the power of collaborative leadership.Follow for more stories of Bruin Success:IG: @bruinsuccesspodcastalumni.ucla.edu/bruin-success-podcast/About the NNCO:nano.govThe Bruin Success Podcast is hosted and produced by Sara Mosgrove '18 and Lily Rosenberg '18, and brought to you by the UCLA Alumni Association. Thank you to our sustaining donors.

April 16, 2025Episode 249 min

Choreographing a Joyful Career: Professional Dancer Jessica Warshal '23

Jessica Warshal '23 reflects on how her lifelong love of dance transformed at UCLA, where she began exploring movement as an academic discipline and cultural practice. After training at the London School of Contemporary Dance and completing a residency in Cameroon, she speaks on navigating dance professionally and the bravery to choose joy. Follow for more stories of Bruin Success:IG: @bruinsuccesspodcastalumni.ucla.edu/bruin-success-podcast/Follow Jessica's journey:IG: @chiyeseedThe Bruin Success Podcast is hosted and produced by Sara Mosgrove '18 and Lily Rosenberg '18, and brought to you by the UCLA Alumni Association. Thank you to our sustaining donors.

April 9, 2025Episode 11 hr 1 min

From Neighborhoods to Newsfeeds: L.A. in a Minute Creator Evan Lovett '00

Evan Lovett '00 started his social media career with a newspaper and a TikTok – now he's LA famous. This self-described "relentlessly curious" Bruin created L.A. in a Minute, a platform that celebrates the dynamic and often lesser-known history of the city he's proud to call home. Tune in for a conversation about the evolution of storytelling journalism and fun facts about Los Angeles.Follow for more stories of Bruin Success:IG: @bruinsuccesspodcastalumni.ucla.edu/bruin-success-podcast/Follow Evan Lovett atIG: @lainaminuteYouTube: youtube.com/@lainaminuteFacebook: facebook.com/LAinaMinute/X: @LaInaMinuteThe Bruin Success Podcast is hosted and produced by Sara Mosgrove '18 and Lily Rosenberg '18, and brought to you by the UCLA Alumni Association. Thank you to our sustaining donors.

July 25, 2024Episode 1140 min

From Code to Campaigns: Technology and Public Service with Regina Wallace-Jones, M.P.P. '99

Regina Wallace-Jones is the CEO and President of ActBlue, an organization established in 2004 that builds a fundraising platform for Democratic candidates, progressive organizations and the small-dollar donors that support them. In her decades-long career in technology, Regina has held executive roles at Mindbody, Inc., Yahoo, eBay, Facebook, and LendStreet. She has built products and platforms that scale to meet the needs of small and large businesses and brings security and reliability expertise to deliver on the requirements of the largest companies — and campaigns — in the world. She began her career as an electrical engineer. In addition to her technology career, Wallace-Jones has led a career in public service. She ran for local office in 2018 and was elected to her city council before going on to serve as mayor. She has also helped organize for political campaigns across the country. Wallace-Jones holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Stanford University and a Master’s in Public Policy with an emphasis in technology policy from UCLA.