Conversations with Tech Experts

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Community Leaders Kasey Hart and David Draper. They hop on to discuss the value of community contribution and share stories of how different EE members are finding value by giving back to the wider community. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Rodney Barnhardt, Server Administrator at Charlotte Pipe and Foundry.  He joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Operations Thomas Bernal to discuss his role in the ReConnect pilot program, a new initiative from EE designed to help members connect in person. Rodney discusses his time at VMware Explore and gives his thoughts on what he would change about tech conferences (it might not be what you think!). 

Coming soon to the EE community: a better way to follow topics and a new way to find questions to participate in! Check out this episode to hear from Kasey Hart and David Draper as they discuss the details of the next updates coming to the platform. On October 10th we are releasing major updates to the Followed Topics functionality that will allow members to indicate what type of content you want to see and when you want to see it. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Christopher Hippensteel, Network and System Administrator at New Resources Companies  He joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Operations Thomas Bernal to discuss his experiences at Black Hat in Las Vegas as part of a new EE pilot program. He also breaks down why connecting face-to-face with people is incredibly important for the learning process. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Robert Derman, Application Manager at Paramount.  He joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Operations Thomas Bernal to discuss the benefit of surrounding yourself with like-minded professionals both virtually and in person. 

This week's episode of Conversations with Tech Experts is a little bit different from our usual releases - it features the audio recording of the launch party virtual event for phase 1 of the Experts Exchange navigation update! Director of Community Kasey Hart is joined by David Draper and Carter Young from the EE team, as well as members Mike Paradis, Alicia St. Rose, and William Peck.

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Mike Paradis, Network Engineer and Owner of OutagesIO. He joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Operations Thomas Bernal to discuss the benefit of supporting small tech business and the value of Experts Exchange in his daily IT life. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Community Leaders Kasey Hart and David Draper. They join Experts Exchange Director of Operations Thomas Bernal to discuss Phase 1 of our platform navigation update designed to make it easier to collaborate with other members and find their content. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Dagna Bieda, owner of The Mindful Dev. She joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Operations Thomas Bernal to discuss how IT pros and software engineers can level up and find fulfillment in their careers. Dagna gets into how she moved from mentoring other devs in her organization to starting her own small business mentoring devs around the world. They also discuss the best ways to advance in your career, and why marketing yourself is just as important as putting out good work. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Chad Savage, owner of East-West Digital. He joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Operations Thomas Bernal to discuss his passion for how relationships and culture are the most important aspect of any organization. Chad dives into examples of how soft skills, fear of authenticity, and corporate mindset are more important to an organization's longevity than hard skills and production. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Andrew Moran, Former Microsoft MVP and host of the Microsoft Spotlight Podcast. He joins Experts Exchange Director of Operations Thomas Bernal to discuss why he started his own podcast and how it has pushed him to grow in other areas of his career. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Bob Flisser, Technology Course Author and Excel Expert. He joins Experts Exchange Director of Community Kasey Hart and Brand Manager Mason Brown to discuss how he became one of the top Excel teachers in the world and to promote his new video podcast on the EE Podcast Network called "Between the Sheets."

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features EE Director of Community Kasey Hart and Director of Operations Thomas Bernal. They sit down together to discuss the great new things on the horizon for the Experts Exchange community, including an update regarding the 2023 Core Conference. The two also move into a discussion about the future of community meet-ups, starting with the community meet-up in Chicago on May 4th. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Bob Schneider, owner of Gopher State Events. He joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Operations Thomas Bernal to discuss how his passion for technology and long-distance running helped him start his own successful business. The conversation starts with an introduction to Bob and his career as a teacher and why he gravitated toward the technology space. Then, they move into how Bob is using EE to help him maintain his business that supports timing software for long-distance races.  

This episode of Conversations with Tech experts features Alicia St Rose, Wordpress Developer at WP with Heart. She joins the show to discuss how her commitment to community extends beyond EE. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Mason Brown, Brand Manager and Podcast Producer at Experts Exchange. He joins Director of Operations Thomas Bernal to discuss EE's new plan to help members produce their own podcasts on EE. Their conversation begins by addressing some of the hesitancies that people have with starting a podcast, and then they break down how members can now start their own podcast produced by EE. If you're interested in hosting your own podcast, reach out to us via EE message or in the comment section of this show!

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Gerwin Jansen, Sr. IT Engineer at NXP Semiconductors. He joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Operations Thomas Bernal to discuss his experience as a moderator on EE and leading an IT team for his organization in the Netherlands. They begin by discussing his history as a technology professional and then move into his feelings about why he feels it is important to be part of a tech community even when you lead a team. The conversation ends with a discussion around Gerwin's interesting home projects and his vision for the future of his industry. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Scott Fell, Web Developer and EE Fellow. He joins Experts Exchange  Director of Operations Thomas Bernal to discuss his perspective as a moderator on EE and the future of the technology world. The conversation begins with Scott telling the story of how he discovered EE & why it has been so beneficial to him as someone who works for himself. They go on to discuss the future of the platform and the technology industry as a whole. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features EE Experts Jim Dettman, Clemens Hoffmann, Rob Jurd, and Scott Fell. They join EE CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Community Kasey Hart for a roundtable discussion at the 2022 Rebirth Virtual Event about the future of the Experts Exchange community. They discuss things like the recommitment to the community, product updates coming in 2022, and updates to the referral and T-Shirt programs as well. 

This episode of the Conversations with Tech Experts Founder's Series features Brian Gardner, former Site Architect at Experts Exchange. Brian joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg for a special live interview to discuss the evolution of EE and his position as Site Architect during the ownership transition.  Brian reveals the things he learned from having to be the leader of a development team at the young age of 17.  They also dig into some of the darker days at Experts Exchange when it was unclear whether or not the organization would be able to stay afloat. 

This episode of the Conversations with Tech Experts Founder's Series features Jan Louwerens, the longest-tenured employee at Experts Exchange. Jan joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg for a special live interview to discuss his time at the organization and how he helped EE stay afloat during the ownership transition in the early 2000s. Randy and Jan dig into the early days of EE, when Jan worked for previous ownership and he tells stories of having to navigate numerous obstacles as part of a two-person development team.

This episode of the Conversations with Tech Experts Founder's Series features Dan Gardner, the founder of Experts Exchange. Dan joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg for a special live interview to discuss the driving forces behind the creation & success of EE in the 1990s.  The show starts with Dan discussing the initial idea for EE and how it came about - including the name and original architecture. Next, Dan dives into the initial success of EE and how an investment from J.P. Morgan derailed the direction of the company. Finally, he shares his feelings about how the community and company have evolved since his departure in 2001 - and why he still believes that EE is the future home for every IT professional.

The first episode of the Conversations with Tech Experts Founder's Series features Matt Wormley, the original architect of Experts Exchange and Sr. Software Engineer at Adobe.  Matt joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg for a special live interview to discuss the details of how EE was created way back in 1996. The conversation starts with Matt revealing how the initial idea for EE came about and how the founding members decided to build the site. He moves on to discuss the challenges they faced early on - including only having one single computer in Matt's closet that the entire site was running off of.  Matt reveals how he feels about EE 25 years after it was created - and why he still believes in the community. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features highlights from our previous community-focused podcasts. The show begins with Experts Exchange Director of Business Development sitting down with the EE Marketing team to introduce a new era of community promotion at EE.  The rest of the show features clips from a few former guests, including EE Community Manager Rob Jurd, EE Fellows Andrew Hancock and Jim Dettman, and EE member Bruce Gust. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features David Draper, Community Support Lead at EE. He joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss his new role and how a life of community work in South Africa and a newfound interest in IT lead him to EE. The conversation begins with David introducing his experiences in South Africa and how it gave him a unique perspective on both the world and communities. They move on to discuss his new foray into the technology industry and how he's using EE to help jumpstart his career. The group finishes with David's new insights on the EE community as a whole, and he shares some profound insight about how every man requires a community to succeed. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Jazz Kaur, Jr. IT Security Admin and EE Rookie of the Year. She joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss the ways technology professionals can achieve success by differentiating themselves. Jazz kicks off the conversation by revealing her inspirations for pursuing a career in technology, including the movie October Sky. They continue on to discuss her activities outside of work, which include being a poet and a cartoonist for "The Tiny Koala Doodle Company" which she started herself. Next, Randy and Jazz break down her poem about the Experts Exchange community called "The EEC Universe." The conversation finishes with Jazz's message to young women in tech and her big idea. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Scott Helmers, Microsoft MVP and LinkedIn Learning Instructor. He joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss how Microsoft surprised him with MVP status and how LinkedIn Learning courses are created. Scott begins with stories from early in his tech career, including being drawn to technology after using an old IBM computer and a Mod. 33 Teletype machine while in college in Vermont. They go on to discuss his career in technology, and how he didn't know what a Microsoft MVP was until he was notified that he had won the award. The conversation finishes with Scott describing why he enjoys being a LinkedIn learning instructor, and how it's different than other programs he's been involved with. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Andrew Porter, Network & Technology Manager. He joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss different ways that IT professionals can make a successful transition to management.  The conversation begins with an introduction to Andrew, his career background, and his life in northern Montana. They move on to discuss why he enjoys being on Experts Exchange and how he utilizes the opinion and research areas to augment his day-to-day work. Later, Andrew shares his personal experiences transitioning to a management role in IT and gives a few tips for making that transition as fruitful as possible. He ends the conversation with his Big Idea: persistence overcomes resistance.

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features returning guest Muneeb Imran Shaikh, Cybersecurity Strategy & Governance Consultant. He joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss the challenges facing the cybersecurity industry and what the technology community can do to overcome them. The show begins with Muneeb discussing the way societies evolve with the passage of time - and how learning history and anthropology is important no matter your career path. They move on to discuss how the primary purpose of technology is to add value to society - and that if tech experts don't understand that purpose, then the system is broken. The show finishes with Muneeb pushing industry professionals to get involved in communities and get out of their comfort zone. His big idea: security shouldn't create obstacles within society.

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Andrew Kowtolo, System Analyst at Diamond Game Enterprises. He joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss the value of leaning on a community to get out of your comfort zone. They start the conversation by discussing Andrew's career journey and life in Canada. The group moves on to discuss Andrew's interests outside of work, which include cigars, cognacs, and World of Warcraft. Thomas and Randy take turns asking Andrew about how Experts Exchange has helped him grow in each new season of his career. They finish with Andrew's Big Idea: Don't be afraid to expand your skillset and try new things. 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Bruce Gust - Software Developer at Alight Solutions. He joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss his unique career path and the perspective of being a member of Experts Exchange. Bruce begins the show by telling the story of his career - how he started as a drummer in a band with a top 40 hit and evolved into a PHP Developer. They go on to discuss the importance of community - and Bruce gives shout-outs to a few different EE members who have helped change his career. They finish the conversation with Bruce sharing  perspective on the future of his industry & he implores every tech professional to 'broaden their base.' 

This episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features David Spinks, VP of Community at Bevy and Cofounder of CMX. He joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss his book "The Business of Belonging" which breaks down the intersection of business and community.  Randy and Thomas start the conversation by telling David how impacted they were by his book - then the group goes on to discuss why it's so important for companies to be building communities around their product.  They also discuss the impact of community on the individual - and how it be critical for enriching and advancing careers. 

The premiere of  Conversations with Tech Experts - Season 2 features Kasey Hart, Senior Manager of Community at Experts Exchange. Kasey joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss how the Experts Exchange community is creating a shared identity and a space for technology professionals to share knowledge. They begin the show by talking about the evolution of Kasey's role at Experts Exchange - and how she found purpose by becoming the connecting point for the community & the company. They move on to discuss the relationships she's formed with community members - and how they've helped her learn the true value of Experts Exchange. The group finishes with a book recommendation & looks forward to the rest of season 2. 

For our final episode of season one - we've compiled a few of our favorite clips from the past year (wow it's been a year since we started this thing).  Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal are joined by show producer Mason Brown to discuss their favorite takeaways from Season 1 and how the podcast evolved over the year. 

This week's episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Jonathan Cutrell, Director of Technology at PBS and host of the DeveloperTea podcast. Jonathan joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss the pursuit of knowledge and the importance of learning within a community. They start the show with Randy and Thomas asking Jonathan his opinion on the best way to showcase the community aspects of Experts Exchange. Then, Jonathan gives a rundown of his career - which includes starting one of the top tech podcasts - "DeveloperTea," and working his way from web designer to the Director of Technology at PBS. They then dive into why having a strong community around you is vital to a prosperous technology career. Jonathan then tells us why a certain type of AI is the next big thing in tech - and finishes with his Big Idea: zooming out your perspective.

This week's episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Stuart Scott, AWS Content & Security Lead and Certified Expert. Stuart joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss how online learning is changing the way IT Professionals are advancing their careers. They begin by diving into how Stuart started his AWS Career - and how Stuart has developed over 100 different AWS courses in 4 years. Stuart breaks down his process for generating AWS content & talks about how the Experts Exchange community helps him gather ideas for future course creation. They also discuss why it's so important for IT pros to explore emerging technologies. The show finishes with Stuart's opinions on the future of online learning. 

This week's episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Philip Elder, Senior Technical Architect and Certified Expert. Philip joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss the best ways to lead a team of IT professionals. The conversation begins with an introduction to Philip's IT journey and his life in Canada. He discusses how his commitment to on-premises Microsoft solutions has ended up paying off - and how the hybrid cloud can serve small businesses. Philip expresses admiration for DuckDuckGo and how it's revolutionizing the way we search the internet. He shares the primary reason he enjoys leading IT teams - "Imparting Knowledge" - and then dives into best practices he's found for managing groups of highly intelligent employees. Philip's advice to IT leaders: invest in your people. 

This week's episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Anthony Marinos, Head of Business Development for charity: water. Anthony joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss charity: water's mission and how Experts Exchange is partnering with charity: water to help bring clean water to the developing world. Anthony begins the show by introducing charity: water and their mission to end the global water crisis. They move on to discuss how the contributions of the Experts Exchange community are funding an entire water project in Malawi. Anthony also dives into charity: water's first-of-its-kind sensor technology that's helping the organization monitor the status of water pumps in rural areas.  They finish the show with Anthony's big idea - he shares how we can completely end the global water crisis in the next 10-15 years. 

This week's episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Jim Dettman, Experts Exchange Fellow and President of Online Computer Services of WNY. Jim joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss how a tech expert can give back to their community. They start the show by revisiting Randy and Jim's trip to ride motorcycles in Pismo Dunes, California. Jim goes on to tell us how giving back to the tech community is something he learned at an early age, and how important it can be to pay it forward. He also dives into his "no one is an expert at everything" mentality toward giving back. Jim tells the crew what it takes to maintain Microsoft MVP status, and gives his advice to young professionals trying to grow their careers. He finishes with his big idea: always keep learning.

This week's episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Chris Stanyon, Web Developer and Experts Exchange Most Valuable Expert. Chris joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss the different ways he believes the tech community will change the way they share their knowledge. The episode starts with Chris introducing himself and his career journey. He tells Randy and Thomas about his life outside of technology, which includes being a mountain bike instructor. Chris moves on to talk about why he believes sharing knowledge is fundamental to the human race. He gives his prediction for the evolution of work and knowledge sharing, but admits that even though the future is bright there is no way to know what's coming.

This week's episode of Conversations with Tech Experts features Andrew Hancock, VMware vExpert and Experts Exchange Author of the Year. Andrew joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss the benefits of becoming an IT author and update the world on the status of his bees. They start by catching up with Andrew about life in England in 2021 and Andrew talks Randy & Thomas through the process of winter beekeeping. Next, Randy and Thomas pick Andrew's brain about why it's so beneficial for IT professionals to learn to write well. Andrew finishes with his thoughts on how the perception of data privacy affects the way we create and distribute content.

Check out this week's episode of Conversations with Tech Experts, which features Randy Redberg, CEO of Experts Exchange. Randy joins Experts Exchange Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss the history and driving forces behind the Expert Awards. Randy and Thomas take a more relaxed and conversational approach to this episode, reflecting on their reasons for starting the podcast, as well as looking to the future. Randy talks about the evolution of Expert Awards over the years and how he believes each year is better than the last. Later, they get into the mental makeup of award winners and Randy shares what he believes sets them apart from others in their field. They finish by discussing ways that young professionals can replicate the success of these award winners.

Check out this week's episode of Conversations with Tech Experts, which features Julian Hansen, Owner of Marcorp IT Professionals and 2020 Experts Exchange Fellow Award winner. Julian joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss his journey to IT expertise and how he grew on Experts Exchange. Julian begins by telling the story of his IT journey and how he has always treated difficult times as learning experiences. They then discuss Julian's commitment to Experts Exchange - and how it came to serve as the "office water cooler" for his work from home situation over the years. Julian talks about how he has enjoyed watching Experts Exchange members grow into highly skilled professionals over the years. The group finishes the conversation talking about trust, which Julian believes is the most valuable commodity in the ever-evolving online world we live in.

Check out this week's episode of Conversations with Tech Experts, which features Sam Jacobs, Director of Technology Development at IPM & Citrix Technology Professional. Sam joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss how IT professionals can prove their worth and showcase their skills. The group begins with Sam's journey through the IT industry, and how he began immersing himself in the world of Experts Exchange. They go on to discuss how there is no better way to showcase your knowledge than with a badge. Sam, a graduate of NYU, continues on to say that he believes certifications and experience are important than a college degree once someone has been out of school for a few years. He finishes by talking about why Experts Exchange is a great tool for continuing education and gaining experience.

Check out this week's episode of Conversations with Tech Experts, which features Pete Janzow, VP of Business Development at Credly. Pete joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss how the modern professional can tell the story of their career with digital credentials. They begin with Pete's own career story and his mission to help professionals prove their worth. The group dives into how difficult it can be to talk about yourself as an IT professional and why digital credentials can help bridge that gap in a data-driven world. Later, they discuss the future of work and how we're becoming a nation of freelancers. Pete talks about how hiring managers analyze the behavioral pattern of someone with a lot of badges. He says that it shows that an individual is continuing to learn and grow on their own.

Today's podcast features DJ Eshelman, President of Thrive IT. DJ is the author of "Just Do THIS: A Simpler Way to Succeed in IT" and "Be A Citrix Hero." DJ joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss his 20-year journey in IT and how it led him to create his simple methodology to help IT teams succeed. The group starts by discussing how DJ graduated with a degree in psychology and didn’t find his way back to tech until he joined a company in Iowa to help with their Y2K switch. DJ talks about his journey as a recording artist in college and how he channels his creativity. They go on to talk about DJ’s pledge to take risks in 2020, which resulted in him self-publishing two books and his own methodology. DJ breaks down how to implement a complex methodology - and even what IT professionals can learn from the Pittsburgh Steelers. They dive into how someone can choose a mentor or be a mentor -- and the difference between having a friend and a mentor. He finishes with his Big Idea by telling us that it’s essential to work with a purpose and that if your job is “just a job,” you should explore why you feel that way.

Today’s podcast features Matt Huxtable, Lead Site Reliability Engineer at Ziglu. Matt has been a Certified Expert on Experts Exchange for over a decade, and first became a moderator at the age of 15. Matt joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus. Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss how EE became the foundation for his technology expertise. They begin by talking about Matt’s lifelong journey as a technologist, beginning with how he signed up for EE more than half of his life ago. Matt talks about how the psychology of the intersection between humans and technology system is what fuels his interest in his work. The group moves on to discuss how Matt built his technology knowledge by solving his own problems and helping other people solve their problems on EE.They round out the discussion with a conversation about how learning will evolve post-pandemic. Matt, Cambridge graduate, shares why he thinks real-world experience can be just as vital as knowledge gained in a classroom.

Today’s podcast features Cara Snow, the Technology Association of Oregon’s (TAO) Chief Community Engagement Officer and Chief of Staff. Cara joins Experts Exchange CEO Randy Redberg and Director of Bus Dev. Thomas Bernal to discuss her mission to use technology to uplift local organizations." The conversation begins with a discussion about Cara’s time at the Technology Association of Georgia and how she worked to highlight the tech community’s diversity in Georgia. They continue to discuss her work at TAO, and how she’s connecting tech professionals to jobs where they can thrive. Cara tells the story of how database technologies are revolutionizing the way dairy farmers work. According to her, technology is shifting from an industry to a baseline requirement for all businesses. Cara wraps up the conversation with her big idea: Tech can save the world, but it can’t do it alone.

In this episode, Randy and Thomas are joined by Sean Stuber and Steve Light. Sean is Database Developer & Administrator, specializing in Oracle Database. Steve is an Information Technology Specialist, and his area of expertise is Query Syntax and Oracle Database. Sean and Steve both describe their career journeys and tell us why they believe Databases are so interesting. The group digs into Sean and Steve's lives outside of technology, including Sean's experience in the world of martial arts. They also discuss their experiences at the Experts Exchange Core Conference, and what it was like meeting each other in person after communicating online for years. Sean and Steve also go into depth about how Experts Exchange is such a great tool for continuing education, and how answering questions is one of the best ways to learn new things.

In today's episode, we feature Kesha Williams, AWS hero and training architect at A Cloud Guru. The crew begins the podcast by diving into Kesha's journey through tech, beginning with her introduction to coding as a child. They discuss her progression to java developer, and how her career eventually led her to working with machine learning and AWS. Kesha talks about her latest project in machine learning, a pre-crime prediction model that is inspired by the film 'Minority Report.' They continue on to discuss why it feels like there is a communication breakdown with young people and computer science, and how you don't need to be a math genius to be a good coder. The show finishes up with Kesha introducing Colors of STEM, an organization she founded to help give young girls role models in STEM careers.

Daniel Singletary is a plumber from the Metro Atlanta area who has recently jumped head first into the realm of Information Technology. In this episode, Randy and Thomas dive into what motivated Daniel to make a such a rare career jump. The trio also discusses why it isn't common for people to cross over to IT from any field, and how that could change in the future. Randy shares his story about how being a welder early in life pushed him to pursue other career options, and discusses with Daniel why working manual labor can be so helpful later on in life. Later, Daniel delves into why he chose to work with AWS and Python, how deals with imposter syndrome, and his goals for the future.