Pr. Julieta Gabiola grew up in a poor rural village in the Philippines, with no financial security, no network, and almost no pathways toward higher education. Today, she’s a professor at Stanford.

The distance between these two worlds is filled with turning points she rarely shares — moments of doubt, courage, discrimination, reinvention, and a quiet, relentless determination that changed everything.

In this episode, Julieta opens up about:

• the unexpected event that first pushed her into nursing

• what made her start over again — this time in medicine

• the structural barriers she faced as a first-generation student and immigrant

• the discrimination she encountered in academia, and how she chose to respond

• the mindset that sustained her through years of uncertainty

• why globalizing education is her life’s work

*• the deeper meaning of resilience when starting with nothing

This is not just an inspiring journey. It is a blueprint for purpose, courage, and long-term leadership.

Explore Julieta Gabiola’s work

ABC’s for Global Health (website): https://abcsforglobalhealth.org/

"I wondered if I'd made a huge mistake." That's what Florent Breton thought while driving for Uber in San Francisco, watching his student visa expire, and getting rejected by companies who wouldn't hire immigrants on temporary visas. Ten years later, Florent has led teams at Tesla, launched two venture-backed startups, raised millions, and became a US citizen. This is his real story — the visa struggles, the National Interest Waiver green card process, building a family in America, and what it actually takes to succeed as an immigrant entrepreneur.

KEY TOPICS COVERED:

✓ Student visa to green card pathway

✓ National Interest Waiver (EB-2 NIW) process

✓ Job searching on temporary visas

✓ O-1 visa vs NIW green card

✓ Immigrant founder visa strategies

✓ Fundraising in Silicon Valley as an international founder

✓ Tesla career experience

✓ Venture-backed startup journey

✓ US citizenship process for entrepreneurs

✓ Immigration policy and reform

In this episode, Orestis Trasanidis shares his journey from Greece to Silicon Valley, exploring how purpose and cultural understanding drive innovation across continents. Drawing from his experience leading the EIT Hub in the U.S., he reflects on the contrasts between European and American startup mindsets—and how collaboration bridges those worlds. Together, we unpack what it truly means to “lead with the why” in a global innovation ecosystem shaped by communication, adaptability, and shared vision.

Daniel Zimmermann is an accomplished lawyer with extensive experience in complex corporate transactions and venture technology issues. For more than 20 years, he has advised entrepreneurs, emerging companies and technology startups, and draws on his global experiences counseling companies in the United States and Europe. His technology clients span the industry, including telecom, infrastructure, digital media, software, energy, clean tech, ecommerce, FinTech, edtech, digital health and healthcare IT, robotics and big data. Daniel is originally from Germany and has been in the US for over two decades. He has been consistently recognized by Super Lawyers and Chambers USA as one of the top venture capital and corporate lawyers in California.

Nathalie Bonin is an internationally acclaimed violinist, Grammy-winning composer, and inspirational speaker who blends the power of live music and storytelling to ignite transformation. Her career spans performances on the largest stages to Netflix, Bridgerton, and collaborations with Stevie Wonder. Known for her soul-stirring performances and emotional storytelling, Nathalie empowers audiences to reconnect with their authentic selves, embrace resilience, and unlock their creative wings.

From reporting on wars in Congo and Rwanda to exploring the human impact of technology in Coded World, Anjan’s work uncovers humanity at the crossroads of conflict and culture. His voice blends frontline courage with literary precision, making hidden stories resonate across continents.

A Yale graduate whose reporting has appeared in the New York Times, Anjan brings both intellectual rigor and lived experience to his storytelling. Born in India and raised in Dubai, his journey reflects migration, identity, and the search for belonging — themes that permeate his essays and books. His reflections on family, sacrifice, and the immigrant dream remind us what it truly means to call a place home.

George has helped shape the transatlantic startup ecosystem. At the University of California, Berkeley, he leads global expansion strategy and operations, connecting high-potential founders from Europe and Asia with U.S. investors and markets. Now at UC Berkeley, he’s designing international innovation programs that empower entrepreneurs to thrive across borders. His episode is a masterclass in startup culture, global fundraising, and the subtle art of building trust across systems.

Omri is one of the most respected voices in biotech innovation. After earning a PhD in biochemistry and completing postdoctoral research at Stanford, he founded a cutting-edge biotech startup that was acquired. Today, as General Partner at NFX Bio, he backs breakthrough science companies that reimagine what’s possible in health, AI, and biology. His story is one of continuous evolution—from molecule to market, from researcher to risk-taker.