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In this episode, we explore how behavioral science, empathy, and relationship-centered leadership come together to shape modern insights work — with Rachel Ousley, behavioral scientist and B2B Marketing Research Lead at Canva.

Rachel has worked with brands including Google, Chanel, Vans, and Adidas, and her path from communication strategy to behavioral science has given her a rare blend of academic rigor and practical storytelling skill.

We talk about how relationships can be a superpower for researchers, how to bridge the gap between stakeholders and data, and why empathy and authenticity are key to lasting influence. Rachel also shares how behavioral science can decode human experience — from understanding aging and identity to designing better conversations between brands and consumers.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn →

• How Rachel’s path from PR and brand strategy to behavioral science shaped her research style
• Why empathy and relationships are the foundation of effective insights work
• Practical ways to build trust with stakeholders (and prevent “order-taker” research)
• How behavioral science and cultural intelligence reveal what women really think about aging
• How to prioritize and scale research when timelines and budgets are tight
• The underrated power of virtual qualitative research and neuroscience-based methods
• How AI is changing stakeholder communication — and how researchers can use it as a creative partner
• The future of insights leadership: simplifying without oversimplifying

Featured Guest: Rachel Ousley
Rachel Ousley is a behavioral scientist and consumer insights leader who blends psychology, research design, and brand storytelling. She earned her MSc in Social Cognition from University College London, where she studied empathy toward refugees, and has since led research for global brands at Canvas 8, Google, and Canva. Her mission: to decode the “human in the data.”

Resources & Mentions

• Women Engaged in Behavior (WEB) Network
• Follow Rachel on LinkedIn

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Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.

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In this episode, we explore career transitions, building something from scratch, and embracing ambiguity with Dr. Christine May — founder of Evolve Consulting and former Head of Behavioral Science at Noom. Christine’s story is a blueprint for moving beyond traditional paths — from a nearly tenured academic career to leading behavioral science in tech, and now to running her own consulting business. We unpack how she’s built teams and companies without a roadmap, what she’s learned about navigating uncertainty, and why strong opinions (loosely held) are essential for entrepreneurs and scientists alike.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• Why Christine left a near-tenure academic career in 2020 to pursue the unknown
• How she built Noom’s behavioral science division from the ground up
• Why “ambiguity tolerance” might be the strongest predictor of entrepreneurial success
• Practical advice for academics transitioning into industry
• How to network authentically — and why warm introductions matter more than résumés
• What it really means to run your own consulting business (hint: accounting, sales, and all)

Featured Guest: Dr. Christine May

Christine May, PhD, is a behavioral scientist, entrepreneur, and founder of Evolve Consulting, where she partners with digital health companies and academic teams to bring evidence-based behavioral interventions to life. Before launching her own business, she spent several years at Noom, where she built and led their behavioral science division. Christine now co-leads the IGNITE Bootcamp alongside Val Silfee, helping academics and clinicians navigate industry transitions. She’s passionate about women’s health, evidence-based design, and empowering scientists to step into leadership.

Highlights & Takeaways

• Know when “stability” becomes risky: When the rinse-and-repeat cycle outweighs growth, it’s time to move.
• Plan loosely, act decisively: Have a plan — but hold it lightly. The ability to pivot fast is your edge.
• Ask, don’t dictate: Great leaders and scientists gather data through questions, not assumptions.
• Ambiguity is the job: Whether in startups or entrepreneurship, there’s no roadmap — you’re building it as you go.
• Reverse vs. irreversible decisions: Christine’s framework for deciding when to analyze deeply vs. act fast.
• Build your network like a scientist: Collect data, connect authentically, and offer value first.
• Entrepreneurship ≠ freedom only: It’s accounting, operations, and constant context-switching — but also creative autonomy and deep fulfillment.

Resources & Mentions

• Evolve Consulting with Val Silfee
• Workshops for Academics

Support the show

Get in Touch

Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.

Send us a text

In this episode, we explore career pivots, real-world behavior change, and navigating life’s curveballs with Val Silfee: exercise physiologist, behavioral scientist, and principal consultant helping digital health teams build interventions that actually work. Val shares how a single keynote at SBM cracked open her sense of what was possible beyond academia, the culture shock of moving to industry, and the six-month ramp it took to feel fluent. We also go deep on resilience: buying a house, getting laid off days later, a toddler ER visit, and a year-long mystery illness, plus how therapy, medication, and mantras helped her rebuild. Finally, we talk about Evolve Consulting, co-leading the IGNITE Bootcamp with Dr. Christine May, and why behavior change happens outside the app.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• The “lightbulb” moment that sparked Val’s academia→industry jump
• Why six months of imposter feelings is normal (and what speeds up the ramp)
• How to survive (and grow from) layoffs, health uncertainty, and caregiving overload
• Practical scripts for asking “basic” questions in corporate settings
• Why behavior change doesn’t live in your product—and how to design for real life
• A simple mantra for decision-making under uncertainty
• Consulting mindsets: scoping to constraints, selling value, staying flexible
• What academics consistently undervalue (and how to translate it for industry)

Featured Guest: Valerie Silfee

Val is a behavioral scientist and exercise physiologist with experience across health systems (UPMC), consumer weight management (WW), and digital therapeutics. Today she consults with digital health orgs on evidence-based interventions and co-leads IGNITE Bootcamp to help academics/clinicians navigate industry transitions.

Highlights & Takeaways

• Normalize the ramp: Expect ~6 months to feel fluent in a new org’s language and priorities—ask “What does that acronym mean?” early and often.
• Design beyond the app: The decisive moments (what to eat, when to move, how to cope) happen in kitchens, commutes, and grocery aisles—build supports that meet people there.
• Translate your edge: Your superpower is synthesizing complex evidence into clear, actionable narratives for design, product, and leadership. Own it.
• Work the uncertainty: “I can only work with the information I have today.” Pair therapy/skills practice with tools (meds, movement, meditation) to lower cognitive noise.
• Consulting muscle: Start with constraints (time/budget), propose right-sized options, and stay flexible as priorities shift.

Resources & Mentions

• Evolve Consulting with Christine May
• Workshops for Academics

Connect with Val on LinkedIn

Support the show

Get in Touch

Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.