About Ximena (say hee-men-ah)

Ximena Vengoechea is a user researcher, writer, and illustrator whose work on personal and professional development has been published in Inc., The Washington Post, Fast Company, Newsweek, Forbes, among others. She is the author of the new book, The Life Audit: A Step-By-Step Guide to Discovering Your Goals and Building the Life You Want (October 2024), based on her popular project The Life Audit; a companion journal, The Life Audit Journal is forthcoming (February 2025). Her previous book, Rest Easy: Discover Calm and Abundance through the Radical Power of Rest, received a starred review from Library Journal and was named one of Book Riot’s best books of 2023. Her first book, Listen Like You Mean it: Reclaiming the Lost Art of True Connection (Penguin Random House), was a Next Big Idea Club finalist in 2021. She also writes Letters from Ximena, a newsletter about staying curious, getting creative, and living well. Ximena is a keynote speaker on topics such as empathetic and inclusive listening, navigating difficult conversations, and preventing burnout. A user researcher by training, she previously worked at Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and is an expert in bringing design thinking outside of the lab and applying it to our everyday world. In addition to her writing and speaking, she advises organizations and individuals on user research, executive communication, and living and resting well.