Meet Amaya Roberson | Founder & Host of The Intentional Intern Podcast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amaya Roberson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amaya, what is the most important factor behind your success?
My success has always been rooted in impact over numbers, and that foundation shaped my definition of success.

From the start, my goal with The Intentional Intern has been to capture the potential of underrepresented students and the wisdom of professionals who have walked in their shoes. I knew that to truly empower people, the podcast had to be built on real, honest conversations—meeting people where they are and creating space for their stories to unfold.

With that intentional approach, my mission as a host is to uplift every guest through thoughtful questions and meaningful dialogue, helping them recognize the impact they already hold. The best compliment I receive during episodes is when a guest says, “That’s a good question.” Because at that moment, two things happen: first, their response comes from a place of deep authenticity, and second, they’re more likely to revisit the episode—to hear themselves, their growth, and their potential reflected back to them.

For me, success has never been just about numbers. My greatest metric has always been how the podcast serves as a springboard for my guests—a creative platform that makes recruiters and companies take notice. It showcases who they are in a way traditional resumes and applications can’t. While audience reach and analytics matter to me now, I knew early on that *The Intentional Intern* would be a game-changer—not because of the numbers, but because of the messages I’d receive from guests after filming, sharing how they felt seen, valued, and empowered in a way they hadn’t before.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
One thing about me—when I don’t see an opportunity that’s needed, I create it. That mindset is a core pillar of who I am, and it’s exactly how The Intentional Intern was born. I wanted to build a space that didn’t exist when I needed it most at the start of my early career—one that amplified the voices of emerging professionals and provided real, unfiltered conversations about navigating the workforce. It was something I had never seen done before, and of course, being the first is exciting!

The idea came to me when I was a resident assistant in college. At the time, COVID had shut down so many career and development opportunities, and I wanted to give my residents a space to talk about their passions. With no money and no idea how to start a podcast, I took a chance—I put in a project proposal for two mics and headsets, got it approved for $200, and designed flyers for sign-ups, all in the same week. While waiting for my first guest, I spent every day building my makeshift podcasting setup and learning everything I could. I knew I had something special from the moment I recorded that first episode, and now here I am 20+ episodes later still feeling the same way.

While it was exciting to not have a blueprint for what I was building, the biggest challenge was overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome. I was creating something that didn’t fit the mold of traditional career resources to help people, and in a space where early career voices are often underestimated and undervalued, there were moments I wondered if anyone would care. I questioned if my work mattered, or if I was “qualified” enough to take up space in this conversation because of that. What helped me overcome that was reframing my credibility. Who knew better about early career than people like me who ARE early career? After that, it changed the game.

I want people to know that The Intentional Intern is more than a podcast—it’s proof that emerging professionals deserve to be heard, that every experience holds value and that the journey matters just as much as the destination. The pod is a movement and a community that’s growing every day in so many amazing ways. For early career people like me–I want you to know that success doesn’t always come from having it all figured out in a plan. Showing up, embracing growth, and owning your story creates the success you’re looking for, and if The Intentional Intern can be a space that helps people do just that, then to me, I’ve already succeeded.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have a whole list of food recommendations, haha! For breakfast or brunch, 5Church Midtown and Atlanta Breakfast Club are absolute musts. When it comes to lunch, I always gravitate toward gyoza and ramen—Ton Ton Ramen & Yakitori at Ponce City Market is a favorite among my friends and me. For dinner, my top recommendation is Ruby Chow’s off North Ave. It’s an incredible Asian fusion spot that I would eat at every day if I could. And for dessert, you have to try the original Sugar Shane’s cookies on 14th Street by Atlantic Station—their cookies and cream cookie is unreal. If you’re looking for a food hall with something for everyone, Chattahoochee Food Works is hands down the best.

Beyond food, I highly recommend checking out Fever events in Atlanta! Their Dining in the Dark experience at The Commerce Club is amazing—who knew blindly guessing your food could be so fun and creative? If you’re into interactive activities, Atlanta has plenty of great workshops like candle-making, flower bouquet arranging, ceramics classes, and more that you can go to. My best tip for planning your Atlanta adventures? Follow local accounts that keep you updated on what’s happening in the city—some of my favorites are @accessatl, @atllovesmo, and @atlpeacheats.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to thank my family for always betting on me. To my mom, dad, and sister: Your trailblazing showed me that anything was possible no matter what I chose to do. Thank you for entertaining my what-ifs and seeing now what is. I love you guys!

Thank you to every recruiter and every person who bet on me because you knew I was meant for more.

And in the words of Niecy Nash, I want to thank me. There was a time when I couldn’t even dream of doing what I do now–and I’m extremely thankful to myself for believing in myself now as everyone else does. Keep betting on you!

Website: https://www.intentionalinternpodcast.com/

Instagram: The pod’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/intentionalinternpodcast/ My personal IG: https://www.instagram.com/amaya.melll/

Linkedin: The pod’s page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-intentional-intern-podcast/ My page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amaya-roberson/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb4o2Rs7pTy40_Rr_zj9FZw/about

Other: If students and/or experienced professionals would like to apply to be on the show, here’s the form for it!

Link: https://forms.gle/1Xr94ZYzgmjEESyV8

Image Credits
Blake Simmons | IG: blake.no.1_shot.it)