Angela Priest

Alma.Me

At Alma.Me, we help PhDs kick start their careers in industry through on-demand courses, online communities, networking, and resources to help them make the transition from academia to industry with confidence.

Co-Founder and COO

Groyu

At Groyu, we empower businesses to grow by acknowledging the fundamental importance of people across all aspects of business operations. We use a practical approach rooted in psychology, lean six sigma, agile, and project management best practices to help companies achieve scale, empowering their teams with streamlined processes and sound operational strategies to drive results.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Led a digital marketing company's organizational structure and customer onboarding overhaul, propelling an exceptional 63% improvement across critical metrics, accelerating the customer onboarding process by 78% (from 67 days to 15 days), doubling productivity, and cutting rework loops by 75%.

- Guided a CPG startup with a results-oriented approach and practical solutions to avert the decline of organizational values, advised the formation of a change management committee to drive the values' integration, articulation of corresponding behavioral guidelines, and narrative storytelling approach to promote buy-in.

Managing Director

wejo

Headed strategy, corporate development, and innovation functions, as an integral part of the senior leadership team, offering strategic guidance to foster growth in a big data, SaaS company while directly reporting to EVP, Strategy, and Innovation.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Championed and sponsored the successful pilot of an agile innovation approach, driving accelerated R&D with a 75% reduction in ideation and validation cycle time, from six months to just six weeks.

- Represented the organization in various industry events and company investor day as a company spokesperson, playing a key role in generating potential investment capital worth $50M.

Senior Vice President Strategy & Innovation 

GutCheck

Served as a pivotal member of the senior leadership team, overseeing the company's operations, continuous improvement efforts, and business analytics. Acted as a strategic advisor on operational synchronization for all business units while directly reporting to the CEO. Developed and executed a laptop refurbishment program during the pandemic, effectively managing the laptop shortage.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Orchestrated the timely procurement and integration of 80 new devices, inclusive of system installations, leading to the elimination of daily service incidents, previously averaging three per day.

- Led the centralization and integration of an enterprise-level supplier procurement with a competitive bidding process, and standard contract terms for performance to better manage risks and costs while controlling for redundant purchasing.

Vice President, Operations and Business Solutions 

Provided leadership and guidance to 34 team members and 12 offshores, overseeing supplier procurement, business process improvement, and business analytics. Offered expert advice and insights to the executive team while reporting to the Executive Vice President, Client Solutions and Insights. Engaged in close collaboration with the executive leadership team and internal stakeholders to create annual budgets and business strategies in alignment with organizational objectives.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Boosted customer satisfaction and retention by introducing an improved post-order customer engagement approach, leading to a substantial 33% expansion in average deal size, while sustaining a commendable 63% gross margin and achieving significant savings of over $500K.

- Architected the integration of customer success and customer delivery teams, leading the design of new roles and functional processes to support a streamlined customer service team.

Sr. Director of Operations, Client Solutions and Insights

Directed and mentored 22 team members and 12 offshores with key responsibilities in supplier procurement, business process improvement, and business analytics. Spearheaded process improvement initiatives for the customer success team following the integration of research operations.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Drove a substantial productivity boost, scaling monthly revenue 188% without incurring additional costs through streamlining processes, optimizing ways of working, and strategically rebalancing the tenure of talent on the team.

- Utilized customer feedback to bolster department effectiveness by establishing a three-year strategy and aligning manager and individual objectives (OKRs), resulting in an 84% client satisfaction rate and adaptation to aggressive growth objectives.

Senior Director of Research Operations

J.D. Power

Supervised and coordinated quality and process improvement initiatives for a large, globally distributed team of 100+ professionals handling project management, research execution, and field management. Served as a trusted advisor to the CEO, CFO, and Executive Vice President of Global Research Operations, contributing to informed decision-making and organizational success.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Established and enforced key performance indicators and reporting procedures to ensure timely identification and resolution of critical failures, resulting in enhancing operational visibility by 43%.

- Streamlined resolution process and ownership for reoccurring quality issues and operational failures by conducting impactful Kaizen events on B2C ratings and B2B flagship products, including U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study, U.S. Insurance Shopping Study, Automotive CX and IQS Studies, and others.

Senior Manager, Performance Improvement

Served as Chief of Staff, driving the development of a team consisting of 21 highly competent Project Managers and implementing performance improvement processes to improve quality and streamline B2B business processes.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Played a key advisory role, contributing to a $1.1B valuation exit for the prior parent company.

- Facilitated the professional development of project managers through hands-on leadership, contributing to a 50% promotion rate to PMO leadership roles within a two-year timeframe.

- Directed the standardization of corporate operational metrics, leading to improved accountability, enhanced objectivity, and validated information by Project Managers, which resulted in a substantial annual revenue recovery of $5M+.

Senior Project Manager, PMO Operations Lead / Chief of Staff

Oversaw the design and execution of research projects for diverse clients in retail, automotive, and public sectors, ensuring the alignment of research methodology with project objectives and deliverables.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Spearheaded the development of a robust standard operating framework and procedures for the research business unit to drive operational excellence, leading to significant improvements in efficiency and consistency.

- Identified new opportunities for research projects, propelling the growth and expansion of the research business unit.

Research Manager

Administered the design and planning of new syndicated research programs in the Government, Healthcare, Pharmacy, and Retail sectors. Managed a team comprising four interns and two direct reports, providing effective leadership and guidance.

Highlights of accomplishments:

- Drove a culture of continuous improvement by actively seeking opportunities to refine research methodologies, processes, and deliverables, leading to elevated quality standards in customer programs.

- Supervised the successful launch of new syndicated research programs, meticulously coordinating timelines, resources, and logistics for a seamless implementation.

Research Supervisor

Lieberman Research Worldwide

Designed and guided market research, providing advisory services to clients in the entertainment industry.

Vail Resorts

Gathered market research data, performed analysis, and issued weekly reports to guide strategic decision-making related to the guest experience and brand perceptions.

Market Research Interviewer

UCLA Anderson Executive Education

Drove the implementation and refresh of database systems to support executive education programs.

Database Administrator

I'm a data geek and process nerd who loves to build people up and help them grow. For 20 years, I've been turning chaos into order at companies across all stages of growth to ensure that their teams flourish. I'm now throwing my passion for helping people into helping PhDs, PostDocs, and Mid-Career Researchers get jobs in industry. My goal is simple: to help brilliant minds thrive outside the academic world and make real impact in their new careers.

Check out my website to learn more: www.alma.me

Dear Employers - A PhD isn't entry level.

They've already spent years solving complex problems independently.

Start them where their skills below (and please pay them accordingly).

PhD Career Guide | Hiring Manager | 20+ Yrs Building High Performing Teams | COO @ Alma.Me

Dear Employers - PhDs doing REAL work during their degree programs.

Designing and running experiments, innovating new methods and techniques, working equipment, managing data, mentoring, presenting, writing papers.

Oftentimes, they're partnering with companies and other organizations because that's how their work is funded.

And we all know how much of that research and "academic" work is actually used in commercial products.

Please don't disregard that experience in your hiring decisions, just because it was in another environment.

Dear Employers - Please don't confuse lack of industry titles with lack of experience.

PhDs have led teams, budgets, and projects.

But academia uses much more standard, generalized titles.

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Jobseekers are constantly hearing about everything bad going on in the job market. Here are a few things to know:


💡 Companies are still hiring.

4 people in our job search program have gotten jobs in the past month alone.

💡 But, they are being more cautious in their hires.

It's not enough to just have the skills. You have to also have the personality, temperament, and disposition to fit in with the team.

💡 There are always fewer open positions at the end of the year.

It's budget season. Many companies slow hiring while they get next year's budget's approved.

💡 But, hiring generally picks up at the start of every year.

Now is a great time to get your resume and job search strategy going, so that you can be ready to hit the gas in the new year.

If I could give PhDs one piece of advice to improve their job search, it would be this:

Work on your communication skills.

- In academia, complex language is a signal of rigor to your peers.
- In industry, complex language is viewed as a barrier to action for your stakeholders.

Your job is not to prove you're smart (they know you are or you wouldn't have a PhD).

Your job is to persuade people to hire you. Clarity is the tool of persuasion.

In industry, you will have a lot of non-technical stakeholders.

So, if you're not making it through the interview process or you keep getting passed over for other candidates, ask yourself:

Am I communicating what I've done in a language that everyone in the room understands?

Because clarity builds connection and connection is what gets you hired.

👉 If you want to learn how to communicate your value clearly and confidently in interviews, apply for our job search accelerator program:

www.alma.me

We can help you translate your academic experience into a story that hiring teams understand.

#phd #careers #jobsearch

One of the PhDs we helped get a job called me after he started his new position. 

"I feel like I can't get my work done because of how many discussions I have to have about everything."

That's one of the biggest mindset shifts PhDs face when they transition out of academia. 

The shift can be jarring.

Academia is an individual sport. 
Industry is a team sport.

Each requires different skills and a different mindset.

In academia, your success often depends on your individual output: your projects, your publications, your results.

In industry, success depends on collaboration: how you work across functions, share knowledge, and move things forward together.

You're no longer just the expert on your project. You're part of a larger team working toward a shared goal.

Once he learned about this difference, it was smooth sailing. He no longer felt like he was underperforming and could better integrate himself in the team.

👉 In our job search program, we help PhDs make this transition smoothly, learning how to communicate, collaborate, and show the impact they can bring as part of a team.

Apply here: www.alma.me

Why do some PhDs get hired and others don't, even when their skills are the same?

In 20 years of hiring, I see the same pattern over and over:

The candidates who connect with the humans in the process are the ones who get hired.

Here's what that looks like:

A tenured professor joined our job search program for help transitioning to industry. She was applying for a data scientist role at a startup in the digital learning space.

During our mock interview, I asked her:

💬 "Why do you want this job?"

Her first answer?

💬 "I have the skills. I check all the boxes."

Fair answer, but it wasn't enough.

So I asked:

💬 "Sure, but why do you WANT to do this work?"

She paused. Then said:

💬 "I'm a neuroscientist and a teacher. I've spent my career thinking and
studying how people learn. This role would keep me doing that, just in a
new way."

And that's the shift.

From blending in with every other candidate to being personally aligned with the company's mission.

Needless to say, the recruiter moved her to the next round.

Not just because of her skill set.
But because she made it human.

What most PhDs don't realize is:

- Most recruiters and hiring managers don't have a PhD
- Some have never hired a PhD before
- And many don't actually know what a PhD entails 

So when you lead with your degrees and publications, you may accidentally create distance instead of connection.

The best candidates don't just share what they can DO.
They share why it MATTERs to them.


#phd #careers #jobsearch

What a great end to the week! 3 of the PhDs we're working with got a job in the past week and 2 others are starting their new positions the first week of Dec. So, for all you jobseekers out there, don't lose hope. Companies are still hiring. Your offer might be just around the corner.

One of the PhDs we worked with was spending 3-4 hours tailoring her resume and cover letter.

This meant that she couldn't get into early applicant pools and she lowered her chances of getting her resume seen.

Here's how we got her down to a 30-minute application to improve her results:

1. Define 1 role she wanted to target. Helped her pick her lane and not try to fit every job description.
2. Identified the common skills and requirements across companies for that role to focus her core message.
3. Wrote her resume to center around those themes.
4. Showed her how to adjust her resume in two minor areas to tailor for each company.

That's it.

She now had a resume that could be used universally across companies but FELT specific to each one.

When people say "tailor your resume," this is what they mean.

Not random mass applications, but targeting your resume for your best fit role.

With this approach, you can apply for 3-5 high quality roles per day in less than 2 hours. And voila, now you can compete in your job search at scale.

👉 In our job search program, we help PhDs streamline their applications, build high impact resumes, and apply more strategically, so they can spend more time getting interviews. 

Check it out on our website: www.alma.me

#phd #jobsearch #careers

"I don't know how I would have gotten an offer without your advice."

One of the data science PhDs we worked with recently landed her dream job at nearly 2x the salary she thought was possible.

Before working with us, she hadn't gotten a single interview.

Here's what we advised:
1. Stop applying to entry-level roles and aim for more senior positions.
2. Reframe her resume to highlight applied skills instead of describing tasks
3. Apply consistently and strategically, not in occasional bursts
4. Focus on industries where she had relevant subject matter expertise

When you align your applications with your value, instead of downplaying your expertise, your results will shift.

👉 Are you a STEM PhD struggling to get job interviews?
Apply for our job search program: www.alma.me
We accept 2 new PhDs each week.

"I matched all the skills, applied, and never heard back. Now the role was reposted. What does this mean?"


It's one of the most frustrating things to see.

You apply for a job that's a perfect fit, get no interview, no response, then a few weeks later, the same job pops up again.

It can make you wonder, "Was I not good enough? Did they just not like me?"

Here are a few of the ACTUAL reasons companies repost roles:

* It's an evergreen posting to keep the pipeline warm for future openings
* They're keeping backups in case the first round of candidates falls through
* The ATS or job board automatically closed the post and it needs a refresh
* The role evolved and needs a new level, focus, or skill set
* No one fully met the requirements
* Too few strong candidates to run a full, competitive interview cycle
* They're widening the pool to validate the current finalists
* Compliance rules require the role to stay open for a set amount of time
* HR needs to repost for audit/equal opportunity reasons
* An offer fell through and the search restarted
* Hiring was paused (e.g., budget freeze). Reposting means it's reapproved.

So, try not to take the repost personally.

Keep applying. Odds are the repost is unrelated to your application.

👉 Our job search program helps PhDs understand how hiring really works and position yourself so the right people notice you.

You can apply here: www.alma.me

We accept 2 new PhDs each week.

#phd #jobsearch #careers

Over the past year, we've worked with PhDs, postdocs, and even tenured professors. And no matter how far along they are, they tend to find us at one of four stages:

1️⃣ "I have no idea how to land a job in industry."
They feel lost and overwhelmed.
We help them bring structure and strategy.
Helping them be confident in their search with a clear plan.

2️⃣ "I've been applying for months and not getting interviews."
We help translate their experience into the right language, target roles (and levels) that actually fit.

3️⃣ "I'm getting interviews, but they always go with someone else."
We train them to connect their academic experience to what hiring manager are really looking for and to communicate that confidently.

4️⃣ "I'm interviewing, but I don't feel confident."
We focus on mindset: owning your value, knowing what you bring to the table, and learning how to navigate conversations (and offers) with confidence.

But all of them have one thing in common:

They recognize they're struggling. And they don't want to do it alone anymore.

No matter the stage, we meet you where you're at.

👉 If any of these stages sound like you, or if you're just ready for structure, clarity, and support in your job transition, check out our job search program.

Apply here: www.alma.me

We can help you find your path after academia and help you build confidence in what comes next.

#phd #careers #jobsearch

Most PhDs who come to me for help want to upskill.

But skill is rarely the problem when PhDs transition into industry.

It's communication.

Communicating your value to a new audience, in a new language.
Both in you resume and during the interview.

Learn how to frame the experience you already have in an industry context if you want to get better results. 

This often means simplifying.

👉 Join our job search program (www.alma.me) and learn how to communicate your value clearly and confidently in a way that gets you hired.

#phd #jobsearch #careers.

Having hired and built high performing teams for 20 years, here's what companies usually look for (and how it's different from academia):

💡 Academia is driven by the pursuit of fundamental truth.

In academia, hiring is often focused on publications, awards, achievements, presentations, grants, etc. 

This demonstrates your ability to create knowledge that the university uses to build their reputation and institutional presence.

In other words, your work needs to be polished, precise, and defensible.

The CV is the record that creates that defensibility.

⏩ Industry is driven by the pursuit of creating value.

Hiring is focused on your ability to create impact (i.e., drive action and forward progress). This means creating recommendations, product features, or inform decisions that save time, money, or improve quality.

Speed and impact > precision.

The industry resume is that demonstrates (through examples) your ability to create value.



#phd #jobsearch #careers

Andy Churchill,  phd, mba

Hone Communications

I work with individuals and organizations to help researchers present better. I start with helping them find their story and then coach them to deliver it in the most effective way.  Since Covid, my work has focused around helping people navigate the shifts to presenting online: 
👉 your voice (tone, pace, volume, pausing) remains your most important tool, and embracing the attitudes and feeling you want to convey is your most critical skill.
👉 stories still rule: tech interaction tricks are useful, but don't get sucked too far down that rabbit hole because stories are still the most effective driver of deep engagement, learning and memory.
👉 understand the impact of body language: while it has become less impactful on the audience, it still influences your own confidence and energy.
👉 the movement of visuals in person competes with your ability to engage your audience, but online, that same movement helps capture and retain attention: adjust accordingly.

A short selection of past companies & organizations with whom I've worked:
MY01
Engineva
McGill DeSautels School of Business
Research Institute of McGill University Health Care
Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec
Pharmaceutical Sciences World Congress
MUHC Foundation
Bio-Sync
Integrated Program in Neuroscience

Co-Founder

Sounds of Science live

Co-Host

McGill University - Teaching and Learning Services

PROGRAMS INCLUDE:
3MT Training Developer & Director (100+ student competition)
Pitch Coach: McGill Hakim Family Prize (2x$50,000 winning grants)
Training Director, Lister Family Engaged Science Initiative (500 students/year)
Pitch Coach: Surgical Innovation Program (2-3 successful start-ups emerge each year)
Presentation Coach: TISED Changemakers (annual conference keynote speakers)
Pitch Coach: MI4 / McGill Advancement Collaboration (prepare professors for donor meetings)
Video Training (prepare professors for the recording studio)

Presentation Skills Training Manager

The McGill Writing Centre

COURSES INCLUDE: Fundamentals of Academic Presentations, Communication in Engineering, Cornerstones of Academic Writing, Communication in Management
👉These undergraduate, graduate and professional level courses all share communicating more effectively as their common thread.  Spanning from traditional academic writing (e.g., research papers and dissertations) to professional writing (e.g., cover letters & project proposals) to start-up needs (pitches & business plans) this work bridges the academic and professional spheres in ways that have come to define my career.

For this work, I have received the prestigious McGill Distinguished Teaching Award.

Sessional Instructor

Engineva

I work with clients to write the technical documentation needed for Science Research and Experimental Design (SR&ED) funding from federal and provincial governments. This work involves transforming technical texts to accessible, engaging narrative.

Technical Advisor

turn your audience into your champions: ignite curiosity 🔥 scaffold understanding ✔ maximize impact 🚀. The PresentBetter Program for lab research groups & academic institutes -now over 7,000 researchers served.

Every piece of research, when effectively communicated, can spark change. 

In academia. In careers. In society.

But too often, important findings remain hidden, their potential unrealized. 
The importance/impact of research gets:
●	Buried under layers of complexity
●	Communicated without connecting
●	Overwhelmed by scientific terms and processes

This is why I created PresentBetter: 
To transform how your researchers share their ideas with the world. 
Together we distill years of complex study into clear, compelling narratives that resonate with and inspire audiences.
By amplifying researcher’s voices, we elevate the ability to communicate research in ways that:
●	Moves people
●	Propels careers forward
●	Bridges the gap between academia and society

Through PresentBetter.org, I offer tailored solutions to meet diverse needs:
1.	Individual Coaching: One-on-one sessions crafted for your specific presentation challenges.
2.	Lab and Department Workshops: Small group training to elevate your entire team's communication skills.
3.	Institutional Programs: Comprehensive, scalable solutions for universities and research institutions.
4.	Conference and Event Preparation: Targeted coaching for high-stakes presentations that can define careers.
5.	Online Courses: Self-paced learning for researchers seeking flexibility.

We aim to create a future where every researcher's voice resonates with clarity and impact.



PS Wondering if too good to be true? Here's a link to the talk I coached that was voted the best 3 minute research presentation in North America last year. Scroll through the flipbook for the talk, key lessons, minute by minute breakdown, and a description of the program that I used to train the speaker: https://www.presentbetter.org/post/international-award-winning-talk

Andy Churchill, phd, mba

"You know you weren't sharing any slides?"
"No, I thought you could see them"
 An hour later the judges returned with their verdict.
The professor had won the McGill Clinical Innovation Pitch Competition.

Simple lesson: The presentation is better when it's not about your slides.

Don't get me wrong, I like slides, I work hard helping people improve their slides. I even have a slick "7 rules for better slides."

But before I do that I teach people to change their relationship with their slides. That's the root of most visuals problems, and fixing the root of problems is the way to help people actually improve.

And when you're no longer slide dependent, you make better slides and you give better presentations.


My newsletter this week shares 3 tips to fix the relationship problem most researchers have with your slides. If you're not signed up, join over 1,000 of your research colleagues here: https://lnkd.in/eb9kYBmx 

PS: you might have noticed: there's no visual here. Sometimes we're just better off without it.

Andrew Churchill, PhD

Amplifying the voice of researchers | Founder of PresentBetter | 10+ years & 10,000+ researchers trained | Currently booking with universities for winter/spring ’26

In my work with PhDs and postdocs, here's 1 thing I've noticed you often miss about your next presentation. 

It's not really like what you've mostly seen and often done before: in-class oral tests and classroom lectures. 

Neither of those are good models for the ones you now have to do:
 1. conference presentation
 2. dissertation defense
 3. job talk
 4. presentation beyond academia
And each of these is uniquely different from each other.  

That's the reason my digital course will start with the choice of 4 videos from the list above, each a deep dive into that particular genre.

Curious: if you could ask a question about just one, what would it be?  



video here is a cell phone recording of the intro to the 4 videos mentioned above.  Thought would be fun to share this behind the scenes look at the McGill University Telestudio when I've been recording the program.

Season 3 of my newsletter brings you stories of putting the research behind presenting better into practice.

Tomorrow's talks about my work with Dr. Jen Ronholm and her graduate students in the One Health Against Pathogens (OHAP) program supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). I explain how Jen and I integrated presentation training into lessons and assignments the students were already doing rather than as external workshops.

How'd we do it?
What was the result?
I’ll let you read for yourself tomorrow. 

Newsletter sign-up next to profile pic.

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