Rethinking work. Reimagining life.
Lift Up Connections is a podcast about what happens when the old definitions of work, success, and a well-lived life no longer quite fit.
Hosted by Christine Perfetti, social psychologist and founder of Lift Up Connections, the podcast features honest conversations with people navigating reinvention—rethinking their careers, identities, relationships, priorities, and what they want from the next chapter of their lives.
You’ll hear stories of career pivots, portfolio lives, new beginnings, changing definitions of success and abundance, and the messy middle that comes with creating something new.
At Lift Up Connections, we believe there isn’t one right way to build a career—or a life.
We get curious.
We experiment.
We question the paths we thought we were supposed to follow.
And we create lives that feel more fully our own
True Crime, Coffee and UX: How Rob Fitzgibbon Built a Career Around Curiosity
Rob Fitzgibbon spent decades building a successful career in UX and design. But over time, other parts of him began asking for more of his focus: his fascination with history, love of research and storytelling, curiosity about how people experience the world, and coffee.
Today, Rob’s work spans UX consulting, true-crime writing, local history, and a growing coffee-cupping business. His story is a fantastic example of what it can look like to build a more expansive career one experiment at a time.
In this conversation, we talk about the skills that travel with us from one chapter to another, what happens when the professional identity we’ve relied on begins to shift, why connection matters more than ever in an uncertain career landscape, and the very practical reality of turning an interest into something that can generate income.
And most importantly, we talk about learning to trust the moments when something inside you says: This is how I want to do it.
Episode Notes
Follow Rob on LinkedIn:
Rob's new book, Murder in Salem Massachusetts: The Death of Francis Cochran
18 Sept 2026
From Meta Research Leader to Death Doula: Finding the Thread in Your Next Act with Beth Lingard
Beth Lingard spent years leading research and product work, most recently at Meta. Now, she’s exploring a very different path: becoming a death doula.
This episode is about what happens when you start paying attention to the deeper threads in your life and begin building around the parts of yourself that feel most alive.
Beth and Christine talk about mortality, grief, community, AI, portfolio careers, and process of figuring out what comes next. Beth shares how she moved from feeling isolated in corporate life to recognizing community as a lifelong North Star, why she thinks of midlife as a “rebirth,” and how her years in research are shaping the work she wants to do now.
They also explore what it means to redefine wealth around time, connection, flexibility, family, and presence and how small experiments can help you discover a next chapter before you have the complete vision.
This is a conversation about building a life that feels expansive, connected, and fully your own.
26 Mar 2026
Making Sense of the Mess with Abby Covert: Information Architecture, Community, and Redefining Success
What happens when the career path you’ve built no longer aligns with the life you want?
In this episode, Christine sits down with Abby Covert, information architecture expert, author, and founder of the Sense Makers Club, to explore what it means to walk away from traditional definitions of success and build something new.
After years of working in tech and teaching information architecture around the world, Abby made the decision in 2020 to leave her corporate role and create space to figure out what was next. What emerged was the Sensemakers Club, an evolving, community-driven experiment in learning, curiosity, and connection.
Christine and Abby discuss:
Why “making sense” is an ongoing process, not a fixed outcome
How community creates confidence, not just connection
The reality of leaving (or staying in) tech in today’s market
The tension between values-driven work and financial sustainability
Why many mid-career professionals may need to build beyond a single job
What it means to redefine success on your own terms
This conversation is deeply relevant for anyone questioning their path, navigating uncertainty, or trying to design a more expansive and aligned life.
Who has been a guest on Lift Up Connections with Christine Perfetti
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Shanae Chapman
Catherine Norman
Marli Mesibov
Malaika Simmons
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 23 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
32
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
Contact Lift Up Connections with Christine Perfetti
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Lift Up Connections with Christine Perfetti
Who hosts Lift Up Connections with Christine Perfetti?
Christine Perfetti host the show. Published by Christine Perfetti.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes bi-weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Lift Up Connections with Christine Perfetti take guests?
The show does not typically feature guests, based on episode analyses.
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