Podcasts about Chief technology officer

Updates to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act regulations require public colleges to increase their efforts to ensure that digital content meets accessibility standards. In this episode, Sean Moriarty joins us to discuss strategies to foster a culture of access across an institution. Sean is the Chief Technology Officer at SUNY Oswego. Sean and Rebecca have worked collaboratively on digital accessibility initiatives at SUNY Oswego since 2017 A transcript of this episode and show notes may be found at http://teaforteaching.com.

William (Bill) Welser IV is the CEO, Chief Technology Officer, and Cofounder of Lotic.ai. This innovative startup is creating a privacy-first well-being ecosystem using spoken word narratives to unlock the power of personal stories, empowering individuals and organizations to make well-informed decisions. As a passionate, curious, and creative technologist, Welser is dedicated to generating visions for the future that are big, bold, and fearless. Before founding Lotic, Welser served in various leadership roles at the RAND Corporation during a 10-year tenure, where he led the Engineering and Applied Sciences Research Department, composed of 300+ Ph.D.-level engineers and applied scientists. At RAND, Welser also conceptualized, built, and led multidisciplinary research teams focused on emergent topics and complex global problems, including bias in AI, data lifecycle privacy, commercial use of drones, democratization movements (space, technology, data, and manufacturing), and more. Before RAND, Welser served as an officer in the United States Air Force, where he helped design, test, and field advanced systems for space and air. After earning a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Virginia, he completed a master's in finance and an MBA from Boston College.

Chicago is emerging as a key hub for artificial intelligence, joining cities like New York and Boston - thanks to its talent, top research universities, and strong corporate presence. Chris Stegh, Chief Technology Officer at E-Group here in Chicago, joins Andy Dahn on the WBBM Noon Business Hour to explain…

Technology advancements have driven transformative evolution for industrial automation, but the benefits of modernization must be weighed against the cost of interruption to plant operations. In this bonus episode, host Fran Scott is joined by Christopher Leinen, Chief Technology Officer at PLT Networks, to explore how industrial facilities can strike the balance between innovation and continuity. Follow The Process Automation Podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts, so you never miss an episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tessa Burg and Aaron Grando break down one of the most talked-about topics in AI right now: context engineering. If you've been using AI tools and wondering why your outputs sometimes sound generic or miss the mark, this episode is for you.    Aaron explains how context engineering helps AI better understand what you want by feeding it the right information—from your brand voice to real-time data—before you even type your prompt. Aaron and Tessa also explore how context engineering plays a key role in reducing hallucinations, maintaining brand integrity, and building automated agents that can actually take meaningful action.  Listeners will take away clear, practical tips on how to make generative AI more accurate, creative, and tailored to specific goals so you can get more value out of your tools—without needing to be a tech expert Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. About Aaron Grando: Aaron Grando, VP, Creative Innovation on Mod Op's Innovation team, is a seasoned technologist with over 15 years of experience at creative agencies. With a background in strategy, design, engineering, and marketing, Aaron has worked extensively in industries like media, entertainment, gaming, food & beverage, fashion, and technology. At Mod Op, Aaron leads efforts to integrate AI into creative processes, creating tools that connect creatives and clients with insights, spark ideas, and enable new brand experiences. Projects include collaborations with companies like NBCUniversal, Bethesda Softworks, Under Armour, Planet Fitness, Dietz & Watson, and more, focusing on infusing creative strategies with innovative technology to create cutting-edge brand experiences. Aaron can be reached on LinkedIn or at Aaron.Grando@modop.com.  About Tessa Burg: Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at Tessa.Burg@ModOp.com.  

AGNTCY - Unlock agents at scale with an open Internet of Agents. Visit https://agntcy.org/ and add your support.   In this episode of Eye on AI, Craig Smith sits down with Jason Hardy, Chief Technology Officer for AI at Hitachi Vantara, to explore what it really takes to deploy AI at scale in the enterprise, beyond the hype.   Jason shares how Hitachi is building a pragmatic, outcomes-driven AI platform through Hitachi iQ. From working with NVIDIA to integrating agentic AI into operations, this conversation unpacks the infrastructure, mindset, and strategies needed to move AI projects from experimentation to production.   Whether you're navigating AI adoption, battling with data readiness, or looking to build your own LLM-powered applications, this episode offers invaluable insights from a company that's actually doing it globally, sustainably, and at scale.   Stay Updated: Craig Smith on X: https://x.com/craigss Eye on A.I. on X: https://x.com/EyeOn_AI     (00:00) Preview (02:10) The Role of CTO for AI at Hitachi Vantara (05:38) Applying AI Across Manufacturing, Energy & Transport (09:54) What Is Pragmatic AI? (13:21) Infrastructure Demands of Generative AI (14:47) Why Most AI Projects Fail (20:25) Inside the Hitachi iQ Platform & NVIDIA Partnership (25:42) Building a Model-Agnostic, Hybrid AI Stack (32:08) Beyond Selling GPUs: Delivering Real AI Outcomes (38:09) Supporting Hybrid Deployments Across Cloud and On-Prem (42:02) Rethinking ROI: Failure as a Strategic Advantage (47:44) Agentic AI and the Future of Autonomous IT Workflows (49:37) Five Core Domains of Agentic AI at Hitachi (53:02) Making AI Infrastructure Sustainable (56:48) Hitachi's Vision for the Future of Enterprise AI

In this episode of the ThinkData Podcast, brought to you in partnership with Dataworks, we sit down with Kinshuk Mishra, Chief Technology Officer at Cedar, a Series D healthtech company working to transform the complex and frustrating world of healthcare payments in the U.S.With an impressive background spanning leadership roles at YouTube, Houseparty, Spotify, Amazon, Expedia, and EA, Kinshuk shares what drew him away from big tech and into the mission-driven world of healthtech. He breaks down Cedar's vision, the challenges of healthcare billing, and how the company is leveraging AI to make the patient financial experience clearer, faster, and more empathetic.We dive into:What Cedar is and the real-world problem it's solvingHow AI is helping demystify the billing process for patientsThe launch of "Kora", Cedar's AI assistant, and how it simplifies bill understanding and managementBuilding trust in AI for sensitive use cases like healthcare and financial dataHow Cedar keeps pace with the ever-changing healthcare landscapeWhat's next on the roadmap as Cedar continues to innovate with AIA must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of AI, healthtech, and real-world impact.

In this powerful episode of Learning Through Technology, hosts Alex Inman and Bob Cireddu sit down with David Wildy, Chief Technology Officer at Dublin Unified School District in California, for a candid conversation about the front-line realities of managing technology in K–12 education.David pulls no punches as he discusses the operational grind balancing infrastructure demands, refresh cycles, and phishing attacks with the strategic vision required to align IT with instructional priorities. He shares how being part of the Ed Services team, rather than the business office, has given his department a more direct path to classroom impact, and how his small but mighty 14-person team supports over 12,000 students across a rapidly growing district.Whether you're an edtech leader or an administrator trying to bridge instructional goals with technology systems, this episode is packed with both ground-level insights and big-picture strategy.Key Moments:03:00 – The Real Threat: Phishing, not firewalls05:05 – Teacher Training vs. Email Fatigue: A Catch-2207:18 – From Keenan to ESET: Building smarter cyber training08:30 – Why IT Belongs in Ed Services: Curriculum alignment in action10:50 – Coaching Connections: Using EdTech coaches to scale support13:00 – Supporting Everyone: Not just teachers, but staff and admin15:20 – The Thought Leadership Trap: No time at 30,000 feet17:23 – The Budget Cliff: Post-ESSER tech maintenance19:06 – Cybersecurity at Night: Risk, insurance, and reality22:27 – Staff or Service? The outsourcing debate24:01 – Tech Impact on Learning: Making the case through data26:14 – Flexibility Over One-Size-Fits-All28:00 – A Music Teacher's Legacy: How Mr. Tristan shaped a tech leaderWhy You'll Love This Episode:Real Talk from a District CTODavid doesn't gloss over the hard parts—he walks us through the daily demands and long-term vision of school tech leadership.Instructional Alignment, Not SilosHear how his team works side-by-side with curriculum and EdTech coaches to ensure technology supports teaching, not just operations.Security Without Fear-Mongering From phishing to ransomware to insurance, David offers a clear-eyed view of the threats schools face and how to prepare.Connect with Guest – David WildyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-wildy-mpa-ba41b95Connect with Hosts – Alex Inman & Bob CiredduLinkedIn – Alex Inman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexinman/LinkedIn – Bob Cireddu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-cireddu

Craig Patterson and Ravi Rangan, Chief Technology Officer at Centric Software, discuss how the company's end-to-end product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions are revolutionizing fast-moving consumer goods, fashion, and adjacent industries. Rangan details how Centric evolved from its roots in apparel PLM to now supporting footwear, consumer electronics, and even formulated products like food and cosmetics. By unifying planning, development, sourcing, and in-season optimization, Centric enables brands to streamline processes, improve cohesion, and close feedback loops that have traditionally been siloed. The conversation explores Centric Software's innovative use of artificial intelligence, from early expert systems managing complex material compatibilities to predictive analytics forecasting assortment demands and the latest generative AI applications. Rangan shares how Centric's generative AI tools assist designers with rapid ideation and virtual sampling, dramatically reducing time-to-market by integrating creative inspiration with companies' own qualified materials and business rules. Grounding AI outputs in enterprise data ensures that suggestions are practical, compliant, and tailored to each customer's established processes. Patterson and Rangan highlight shifting industry attitudes toward AI, especially among Canadian retailers, and discuss the critical role of keeping humans in the loop for validation as adoption grows. Looking ahead, Ravi reveals Centric's excitement about expanding into new categories like consumer electronics and harnessing AI-driven insights to empower retailers with comprehensive, real-time product intelligence. Together, they emphasize the transformative potential of connected PLM solutions to improve agility, design accuracy, and competitiveness in a rapidly evolving retail landscape. Interviewed this episode:Ravi Rangan, Chief Technology Officer at Centric SoftwareCentric Software. This podcast is the audio version of the The Interview Series video podcasts by Retail Insider Canada are available through our Retail Insider YouTube Channel where you can subscribe and be notified when new video episodes are available. Subscribe, Rate, and Review our Retail Insider Podcast! Follow Craig:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/CraigPattersonTorontoInstagram: @craig_patterson_torontoTwitter: @RI_EIC Follow Retail Insider:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/Retail-InsiderFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RetailInsider/Twitter: @RetailInsider_Instagram: @Retail_Insider_Canada Share your thoughts!Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode of "Ask the Expert," Dr. Matthew Bellman joined Dr. GG deFiebre of SRNA to explain the basics of functional electrical stimulation (FES) and its applications. Dr. Bellman outlined how FES differs from other electrical stimulation techniques and its role in improving mobility for those with neuroimmune disorders [00:03:35]. He discussed the specific benefits of FES, including muscle strengthening and managing spasticity, and shared success stories demonstrating its impact [00:09:53]. Dr. Bellman also highlighted new developments in FES technology, particularly the integration of AI [00:33:28].Matthew Bellman, PhD is a Founder and the Chief Technology Officer for MYOLYN, Inc. Dr. Bellman is a Triple-Gator with bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Florida (UF). In 2013, Dr. Bellman co-founded MYOLYN to commercialize his doctoral research on mobility assistance for people with paralysis and muscle weakness using functional electrical stimulation (FES) and robotics. In his time at MYOLYN, Dr. Bellman has been responsible for building a certified medical device quality management system, managing a team of engineers in the design and development of two Class II medical devices, obtaining grant funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and growing a small business. Dr. Bellman has been awarded the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award by UF's Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the O. Hugo Schuck Best Paper Award by the American Automation Control Council, and the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award by the UF Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. In 2019, Dr. Bellman secured MYOLYN's place as a finalist in the Toyota Mobility Unlimited Challenge. In addition to his role at MYOLYN, Dr. Bellman has also served as a member of the Board of Directors for NextStep Orlando's Paralysis Recovery Center and as a member of the Advisory Council for the American Bionics Project. Dr. Bellman's work has been published in high-impact scientific journals including Muscle & Nerve, IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology, and The Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, and he has been an invited guest speaker at universities around the world including UF, École Normale Supérieure (ENS) de Lyon, and the Tokyo Institute of Technology. When not at work, Dr. Bellman can be found trail running or relaxing at home with his wife and family.00:00 Introduction00:31 Meet Dr. Matthew Bellman00:52 Understanding Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES)01:30 Historical Context and Early Applications of FES03:35 How FES Works in the Body07:05 FES for Spinal Cord Damage and Neuromuscular Disorders09:53 Benefits of FES for Various Symptoms13:44 Evidence and Secondary Benefits of FES17:47 Typical FES Session and Accessibility24:06 Success Stories and Patient Feedback29:25 Barriers to FES Adoption33:28 Future Developments in FES Technology36:46 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

In this episode of Leader Generation, Creative Director Leu Solomon shares a real-world example of how AI helped her and the Mod Op team deliver a complex creative project under tight budget constraints—without sacrificing quality.  Leu walks us through the challenge: Creating a single hero image featuring up to nine custom building illustrations for a commercial real estate client. Traditional design would've required more time and money, but by incorporating Adobe Firefly into the process, the team created something visually stunning, on budget, and faster than ever before. This isn't just a story about using AI to speed things up—it's about how curiosity, critical thinking and good design thinking elevate the work. Leu explains how she pitched AI as one of three creative directions, handled client hesitations with transparency and used her design skills to enhance, not replace, creative vision.  Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op.  Guest: Leu Solomon, Creative Director at Mod Op About Tessa Burg: Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at Tessa.Burg@ModOp.com.

In this episode, we sit down with Michael Finnegan, Chief Technology Officer at Cognosos, to rethink what's possible with RTLS (Real-Time Location Services) in the AI era. Michael shares how he's achieving more with less data, offering a fresh perspective on crafting smarter, scalable tech solutions. From reimagining product development to embracing real-time insights, this episode is packed with practical takeaways for tech leaders. Tune in now and discover how to flip the script on traditional tech thinking.

Where do industry experts see the world of technology heading? This week, Technology Now is looking back to a conversation from HPE Discover Las Vegas with HPE's Chief Technology Officer, Fidelma Russo, about any updates since last year's Diary of a CTO episode, and where she sees the industry heading in the future.This is Technology Now, a weekly show from Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Every week, hosts Michael Bird and Aubrey Lovell look at a story that's been making headlines, take a look at the technology behind it, and explain why it matters to organizations.About Fidelma Russo: https://www.hpe.com/uk/en/leadership-bios/fidelma-russo.htmlToday I Learned:https://www.ed.ac.uk/news/microbes-transform-plastic-waste-into-paracetamolJohnson, N.W., Valenzuela-Ortega, M., Thorpe, T.W. et al. A biocompatible Lossen rearrangement in Escherichia coli. Nat. Chem. (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-01845-5https://www.statista.com/statistics/242764/global-polyethylene-terephthalate-production-capacity/This Week in History: https://www.edn.com/bell-labs-announces-junction-transistor-july-5-1951/https://uk.rs-online.com/web/content/discovery/ideas-and-advice/bipolar-transistor-guidehttps://newatlas.com/computers/ibm-2-nm-chips-transistors/https://www.nano.gov/nanotech-101/what/nano-size

Episode 164: Grab the Ultimate Ad Script right HERE - https://join.digitaltrailblazer.com/ultimate-ad-scriptBusiness owners today face constant uncertainty—from AI disruption and economic volatility to changing marketing platforms and tariffs. Many entrepreneurs get caught in reactive mode, either panicking during downturns or overextending during boom periods, leaving their businesses vulnerable to external shocks.In this episode, Nathan Miller teaches us how to build resilient businesses that thrive regardless of external circumstances. He shares his proven strategies for focusing only on what you can control, leveraging automation to compete with much larger competitors, and creating evergreen content that generates leads for years.Nathan also reveals how to adapt to new technologies like AI while maintaining the human connections that customers crave, proving that smart systems and genuine relationships are the keys to long-term business stability.About Nathan Miller: Nathan is the founder and president of Rentec Direct, a leading property management software company headquartered in Oregon. Prior to founding the company, he climbed the corporate ladder from computer repair technician to Chief Technology Officer at a wireless billing software firm—all before the age of 30. During this time, Nathan became a real estate investor and landlord, using self-taught programming skills to simplify, streamline and automate his own property management needs. Nathan launched Rentec Direct in 2007 to help other landlords and property managers operate their rental businesses more effectively and efficiently. Over two decades in business, Nathan has bootstrapped Rentec Direct into the third-largest platform in its sector, serving nearly 20,000 landlords and property managers nationwide who oversee more than $226 billion in real estate assets. He achieved this growth without any outside funding or debt, relying solely on strategic, organic business development—landing Rentec Direct a spot on Inc.'s list of America's fastest-growing private companies for eight consecutive years.Nathan was recognized as Best Entrepreneur in the 2025 American Business Awards and under his leadership, Rentec Direct was named one of the top 100 small businesses by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Nathan is passionate about embracing technology to drive innovation in the rental industry, empowering managers, investors and renters save time and money. Connect with Nathan: https://rentecdirect.com/ https://facebook.com/rentecdirectWant to SCALE your online business bigger and faster without the endless hustle of networking, referrals, and pumping out content that nobody sees?Grab our Ultimate Ad Script for Coaches, Agencies, and Course Creators.Learn the exact 5-step script we teach our clients that allows them to generate targeted, high-quality leads at ultra-low cost, so you can land paying customers and clients without breaking the bank on ad spend. Grab the Ultimate Ad Script right HERE - https://join.digitaltrailblazer.com/ultimate-ad-script✅ Connect With Us:Website - https://DigitalTrailblazer.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/digitaltrailblazerTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@digitaltrailblazerTwitter: https://twitter.com/DgtlTrailblazerInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/DigitalTrailblazer

Host Paul Spain is joined by Kieran Byrne, the Chief Technology Officer at One NZ. Listen in as they explore the rise of autonomous vehicles, AI-powered telco networks, and the game-changing impact of Starlink's satellite connectivity for Kiwis. Kieran reveals how AI is transforming One NZ's customer service, infrastructure, and the exciting rollout of Starlink's direct-to-satellite mobile services – a game-changer for rural and remote connectivity – and what to expect as 3G is phased out and 5G coverage continues to grow. Kieran offers a candid look at the challenges and opportunities in modernising legacy infrastructure, plus thoughts on how AI could transform government and the wider tech ecosystem in New Zealand.Special thanks to our show partners 2degrees, One New Zealand, Spark New Zealand, HP, Workday and Gorilla Technology.

Kate Long, VP of Marketing at Crunchbase, shares how her team is leading a bold transformation—from a product-led growth model to a sales-led, AI-powered strategy.  In this conversation, Kate breaks down how Crunchbase is leveraging predictive signals to deliver meaningful value earlier in the buyer journey, before prospects even know they're in-market. Kate also opens up about leading teams through change, upskilling marketers to become “horizontal AI orchestrators,” and why aligning with sales isn't just smart—it's essential.  You'll take away practical insights on how to adapt, stay human in a tech-heavy world and build sustainable "Big G Growth" in a rapidly evolving marketing landscape. Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op.  About Kate Long: Kate Long is the Vice President of Marketing at Crunchbase. She is passionate about driving sustainable, long-term growth by deeply understanding the customer and optimizing the full marketing ecosystem. Her expertise spans performance marketing, partner expansion, brand transformation and product-led growth, all aimed at creating lasting impact. As a marketing innovator, strategist and operator, Kate has built brands, defined new categories and sparked product enthusiasm across high-growth B2B and B2C SaaS companies, as well as within the Fortune 500. She believes true success is rooted in people and is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of marketing talent. About Tessa Burg: Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council, and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at Tessa.Burg@ModOp.com.

eir today announced a significant milestone in its nationwide 5G rollout, its next-generation mobile network now reaches 99% of the population, delivering high-speed, low-latency connectivity to nearly every corner of Ireland. At the same time, eir has seen a 60% year-on-year surge in 5G traffic and a 20% rise in overall data usage, highlighting the accelerating demand for fast, reliable mobile connectivity and reinforcing the success of its long-term digital transformation strategy. eir can also confirm that on Monday, 30 June, Lana Del Rey fans broke the record for the most eir mobile data used at an event in the Aviva stadium, with 55% more data used than the previous record-breaking American College Football game in August of 2024. With more than 2,660 mobile sites in operation, eir's network is not only Ireland's largest, but it is also verified as having Ireland's No.1 5G network availability. This position has been reaffirmed for the fifth consecutive year by Ookla, the global leader in network intelligence and speed testing. "This is a defining moment in Ireland's digital journey," said Fergal McCann, Chief Technology Officer at eir. "We've built the country's best available 5G network, and now we're seeing how vital that investment has become. With 5G traffic growing by 60% in just 12 months, the appetite for fast, dependable mobile data is undeniable - and our network is built to meet that demand." "5G is enabling more than just faster smartphones," McCann added. "It's powering remote healthcare, connected homes, live-streamed learning, real-time logistics, and the digital services that make modern life work. Our job is to make sure the network always stays one step ahead - and that every customer, no matter where they live, gets the experience they deserve." "Reaching 99% 5G population coverage is a powerful step forward for our customers," said Kealan Donoghue, Director of Consumer and Small Business at eir. "It strengthens the experience we already deliver - fast, reliable mobile connectivity that people can depend on every day. More and more customers are choosing eir because they know they'll get consistent 5G performance, wherever life takes them. At eir, our purpose is to connect for a better Ireland, and this achievement brings that promise to life in communities across the country." eir's network expansion is part of an almost €2 billion strategic investment programme launched in 2019 to reshape Ireland's digital infrastructure. In that time, eir has: Built over 850 new mobile sites, expanding reach into rural and previously underserved areas Deployed fibre backhaul to 1,300 sites, greatly improving network speed and capacity Achieved 99% population coverage with 5G, a landmark in nationwide connectivity The result is a future-ready mobile platform capable of supporting Ireland's growing digital economy and the daily lives of millions of customers. Looking ahead, eir plans to invest an additional €100 million over the next three years to expand its mobile network and boost capacity in high-demand areas. This includes continued upgrades in urban centres and expanded reach in rural communities, supporting eir's broader purpose: to connect for a better Ireland. "Connectivity should never be an eircode lottery," said McCann. "Whether it's a student in Galway, a farmer in Tipperary, or a start-up in Dublin, every person and business in Ireland deserves equal access to the digital world. That's the commitment we've made - and we're delivering on it." eir's vision is simple but ambitious: to create an inclusive, resilient, and future-proof digital infrastructure that connects communities, empowers growth, and supports innovation, north to south, urban to rural, today and into the future.

In this episode of Medsider Radio, we sat down with Anthony Fernando, President and CEO of Asensus Surgical.Asensus is expanding the role of robotics in the OR with its performance-guided surgery platform — a digital-first, AI-enabled system designed to enhance precision and real-time decision-making. A mechanical engineer by training, Anthony has more than two decades of experience spanning medtech, robotics, and global operations. He joined Asensus in 2015 and previously served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer. Earlier in his career, Anthony held leadership roles at Stryker, Becton Dickinson, PerkinElmer, and Varian, where he focused on advancing automation and medical device innovation across international markets.In this interview, Anthony shares how the Durham, NC–based Asensus navigated uncharted regulatory territory for a first-of-its-kind technology and proactively made the case for acquisition — well before KARL STORZ came to the table.Before we dive into the discussion, I wanted to mention a few things:First, if you're into learning from medical device and health technology founders and CEOs, and want to know when new interviews are live, head over to Medsider.com and sign up for our free newsletter.Second, if you want to peek behind the curtain of the world's most successful startups, you should consider a Medsider premium membership. You'll learn the strategies and tactics that founders and CEOs use to build and grow companies like Silk Road Medical, AliveCor, Shockwave Medical, and hundreds more!We recently introduced some fantastic additions exclusively for Medsider premium members, including playbooks, which are curated collections of our top Medsider interviews on key topics like capital fundraising and risk mitigation, and 3 packages that will help you make use of our database of 750+ life science investors more efficiently for your fundraise and help you discover your next medical device or health technology investor!In addition to the entire back catalog of Medsider interviews over the past decade, premium members also get a copy of every volume of Medsider Mentors at no additional cost, including the latest Medsider Mentors Volume VII. If you're interested, go to medsider.com/subscribe to learn more.Lastly, if you'd rather read than listen, here's a link to the full interview with Anthony Fernando.

Today Ashley Rudolph is an executive coach working with high-achieving and executives who are at a “crossroad” as they look GREAT on paper, but tend to exhibit fears and have other problems that effect their confidence and performance. Ashley was not always a coach and, in fact, did not view herself as a coach during most of her career. She grew up in the Bronx in New York City. She attributes her high confidence level to the high bar her parents set for her as well as to the environment where she grew up.   After high school Ashley enrolled in Babson College where she quickly had to learn much about business and working as a team. She will tell us that story. After graduation she secured a job, but was layed off and then went back to Babson to secure her Master's degree.   Ashley began working and quickly rose through the corporate ranks of tech companies. She tells us how, while not really tech savy at first, she pushed herself to learn what she needed to know to work as part of a team and then eventually to lead high tech teams.   In 2023 her high tech employment world took a change which she will describe. Bottom line is that she was laid off from her vice presidential position and after pondering what to do she realized that she had actually been coaching her employees for some time and so she began hirering herself out as an executive coach. We will get the benefit of receiving a number of her insights on leadership, confidence building and how to become better mentally with anything life throughs at us. What Ashley says during our episode time makes a great deal of sense and I believe you will gain a lot from what she has to say. You can reach out to Ashley through the contact information in the show notes for this Unstoppable Mindset episode.     About the Guest:   Ashley Rudolph is an executive coach for high-achieving leaders and executives at a crossroads—those who have built success on paper but are ready to step into something greater. Her work is grounded in a bold belief: true transformation isn't about doing more—it's about leading differently.   A former tech executive, she scaled from IC to VP in just five years, leading $75M+ deals and teams of 250+ at high-growth companies. She knows what it takes to succeed in high-stakes environments—not just in execution, but in the deeper, often invisible work of leadership: making bold decisions, navigating uncertainty, and owning your impact.   Her signature methodology, The Three Dimensions of Transformation, helps leaders unlock their full potential by focusing on: mindset, strategy, and elite execution.   Whether guiding clients through reinvention, leadership evolution, or high-stakes career moves, Ashley helps them break free from outdated success metrics and create momentum that lasts. Her insights have been featured in Inc., U.S. News & World Report, The New York Post, Success Magazine, Apartment Therapy, and more. She also writes The Operator's Edge, a newsletter on the unseen shifts that drive real momentum in leadership and career growth. Because true leadership isn't about following a path. It's about defining your own. Ways to connect with Ashley:   My website which has details about me, my programs, and insights about high achievers in the workplace: www.workwithashleyr.com    My newsletter which gets published every single Monday morning with my expert advice for high achievers on how to succeed in the workplace. newsletter.workwithashleyr.com    My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyrudolph/   About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Well, hello, everyone, wherever you happen to be today, I am Michael Hingson, and you are listening to or watching or both, unstoppable mindset today, our guest is Ashley Rudolph, who is a coach, and I like something Ashley put in her bio that I thought was really interesting, and that is that Ashley's work is grounded in the belief that true transportation is not really about doing more, but rather it's doing things differently. And I want, I'm going to want to learn about that. I think that's fascinating, and I also think it is correct, but we will, we will definitely get to that and talk about that. Ashley approached me a little while ago and said, I'd like to explore coming on your content, your podcast. And I said, Well, sure, except I told her the same thing that I tell everyone who comes on the podcast, there is one hard and fast rule you got to follow, and that is, you got to have fun, or you can't come on the podcast, so you got to have fun. Ashley, just   Ashley Rudolph ** 02:26 reminding you, I'm ready. I am ready. I'm coming into the podcast today with all of my best jokes, all of my best tricks. Oh, good.   Speaker 1 ** 02:35 Well, we want to hear them all. Well, thank you for being here, and it's a pleasure to have you on unstoppable mindset.   Ashley Rudolph ** 02:42 Yes, thank you so much for having me. I was just really taken by your entire background story, and I took a risk and sent you a message. So thank you so much for having me on the podcast.   Speaker 1 ** 02:55 Well, I have always been of the opinion that everyone has stories to tell, and a lot of people just don't believe they do, but that's because they don't think about it. And so what I tell people who say that to me when we talk about them coming on the podcast, my job is to help bring out the stories. Now, you didn't say that, and I'm not surprised, but still, a lot of people say that. And the reality is, I believe everyone is more unstoppable than they think they are, and that they undersell themselves, they underrate what they are and what they can do,   Ashley Rudolph ** 03:28 yeah, and honestly, I 100% agree with you, and that's why, and maybe I'm jumping ahead a little bit, but you triggered a thought. That's why I spend every single one of my first coaching meetings with a client, having them talk me through either their professional history or their wins from the past year. And in those conversations, my feedback is also is always Hey, you're not giving yourself enough credit for the things that you're doing. Like, these are amazing stories, or like, repeating things back to them a little bit differently than they would have phrased it, but that's 100% accurate. We don't sell ourselves enough,   Speaker 1 ** 04:08 even to ourselves. We don't sell ourselves enough, especially to ourselves. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, tell me a little about kind of the early Ashley growing up and all that, and you know where you came from, and all that sort of stuff,   Ashley Rudolph ** 04:23 yeah. So I grew up in New York. I'm from the Bronx. Oh and yeah, yeah. So, so is my   Michael Hingson ** 04:30 mom   Ashley Rudolph ** 04:31 Aqua? Oh my gosh, I had no idea. So I grew up in the Bronx and grew up with my mom. My dad was around too, and, oh, it's interesting, and I'm sure this will make sense, but I grew up going to Catholic schools from first grade to senior year of high school, and something about me, it was like I was always a very self assured. Determined person, and that carried through all the way through my adulthood. And maybe that comes from me being a New Yorker. Maybe that comes from my mom being a an immigrant. She's from the Caribbean. She's from the Bahamas, and she had a very high bar for what success looked like I don't know where it comes from, but yeah, yeah. So that's a little bit about me growing up and kind of who I was   Speaker 1 ** 05:28 as a kid. So now, where are you living? Now?   Ashley Rudolph ** 05:32 I am in New York again, so I moved back to New York in 2020,   Speaker 1 ** 05:38 okay, wow, just in time for the pandemic. Lucky you?   Ashley Rudolph ** 05:43 Yeah, I actually moved back to New York on election day in 2020 so I missed the early pandemic. But yeah, yeah, yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 05:53 I was in New York speaking on March 5, and that night, I got back to the hotel, and my flight was supposed to go out at like, 415 in the afternoon, yeah. And I said, when I started hearing that they were talking about closing down the city, I think I better leave earlier. So I was on a 730 flight out the next day. Oh my gosh,   Ashley Rudolph ** 06:18 wow. So you just made it out and that yeah, and at the time, I was living in Boston, and I actually was went on a vacation with a friend, and we flew back the day before they shut down the airports in Boston. So   Speaker 1 ** 06:36 that was lucky. Yeah, did you live in Boston itself or a suburb?   Ashley Rudolph ** 06:42 Yeah, I lived in Boston for two years, I think, yeah, I lived in the city, yeah. I   Speaker 1 ** 06:50 lived in Winthrop for three years, and commuted across Boston to Cambridge every day,   Ashley Rudolph ** 06:55 yeah, oh, my god, yeah. So I worked in Cambridge and I lived in the West End, right above TD Garden.   Speaker 1 ** 07:03 Oh, okay, yeah, I hear that Durgan Park closed in, in near Faneuil Hall.   Ashley Rudolph ** 07:13 Oh, yeah, well, I have to admit, I didn't go there that much. Was living in Boston.   Speaker 1 ** 07:19 It was a fun place. It was a family style thing, and they had tables for four around the outer edges inside the restaurant. But you couldn't sit at one of those unless you had four people. And the serving staff was trained to be a little bit on the snotty side. And I went in fun. Oh, wait. Oh, absolutely. They made it fun. But I went in and the hostess, there were three of us, and my guide dog at the time, Holland, who was a wonderful, cute golden retriever, and she said, Oh, we're going to put you at one of the tables for four. And I said, Well, okay, we appreciate that. And Holland was under the table. This waitress comes up and she says, you're not supposed to be sitting here. This is a table for four, and there are only three of you. And I said, but they told us we could. No Nobody told you you could sit here. You got to go back over to the big tables. And I said, Look, we have a guide dog under the table, and he's really happy. And they told us we could be here because of the dog. And she's, I don't believe that at all. I'm, I'm gonna go check. I don't believe you. She goes away and she comes back a little bit later. No, you're not supposed to sit here. And I said, Look, lift up the tablecloth and look under the table. I'm not going to fall for that. Just do it. She finally did. And there's Holland staring out with these big brown eyes. And she just melted. She goes away and comes back. And one of the things about Durgan Park is they have big plates of prime rib. And she brought this plate of prime ribs somebody hadn't eaten at all, and she said, can I give this to the dog? And so, you know, normally, I would say no, but we were trying to make peace in our time, so I said, Oh, sure. And she and Holland had a great time. So it was fun.   Ashley Rudolph ** 08:59 Oh, and Holland got prime rib. Holland   Speaker 1 ** 09:03 got prime rib. What a treat. And so did and so did the rest of us, but, but we had to pay for ours. But I missed Durgin Park. It was a fun place to go, but I understand that it is closed, and I don't know whether it's oh, well, oh, that's unfortunate, but Quincy market's a wonderful place to go. It's not a lot of interesting things. So you, so you went through high school. So you went through high school in New York, went in in the Bronx tough neighborhood, and then what did you do? So   Ashley Rudolph ** 09:34 I then went to college. So I went to Babson College, which is, well, it's in Massachusetts, it's in Wellesley, and it's actually right next door to Wellesley College. Yeah, yeah. So I went there and I studied business, and that was basically where I learned how to be successful in the workplace, which is kind. Funny, because I found that over the years, a lot of people will say, you know, I went to college, but by the end of it, maybe I didn't know what my transferable skills were, or I studied something that isn't related to what I was doing or what I did as a professional, and I always felt the opposite, like in freshman year at Babson, they gave us $3,000 to, like, start a company as a as a students. So all of us just had to start this company. We had our business ideas. There was a CEO, a CMO, a CFO. We had like rules assigned. And that was my first experience of what a workplace could be like, although it was with 18 year olds, so maybe not totally reflective, but we had performance reviews, we had a head of HR, we had like, company meetings, so we were doing things within a framework, and they all kind of translated into the workplace, different players. So Babson basically kind of turned me into the business person that I am   Speaker 1 ** 11:09 today. Now, did each person get $3,000 and they started their own company?   Ashley Rudolph ** 11:14 Oh, no. So there were, there were maybe 30 of us, and we started a company with that with $3,000 Okay? Exactly with that investment, it was managed quite tightly. There's not a lot that you can do with $3,000 right? So you can probably guess that a lot of the businesses turned out to be the same. So there was always a T Shirt Company or a company the when the LIVESTRONG wristbands were popular, then we were like, oh, let's customize these wristbands. So yeah, yeah. The the company ideas basically ended up being the same, because there's not that much that you could do with that, yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 11:56 yeah, yeah. So much you can do unless you start making a bunch of money,   Ashley Rudolph ** 12:00 yeah, yeah, yeah. And in today's landscape, I guess there's more that you can do with digital products and stuff like that. But yeah, yeah, we, we had to do physical so we were pretty limited, yeah, well, that's   Speaker 1 ** 12:13 okay, but still, if the company is successful, and was it successful? Yeah,   Ashley Rudolph ** 12:19 we, did turn a profit, and then for all of the businesses that did turn a profit, you had to donate the profits to a local charity. So we did. We donated ours to a local organization. We threw an event in partnership with the organization. It was just, it was nice. So, yeah, oh,   Speaker 1 ** 12:43 cool. So, how, how long did the company last? Essentially, was it all four years?   Ashley Rudolph ** 12:50 It was the first   Speaker 2 ** 12:52 year, just the first year, okay, yeah, okay, yeah, that's still, that's pretty cool.   Ashley Rudolph ** 12:58 Yeah, it is. I have to say that I learned a lot,   Speaker 1 ** 13:02 yeah, well, you're you're kind of forced to or you don't succeed. So I was going to ask you why you felt that you learned how to be successful. But now it's pretty clear, yeah, yeah, yeah.   Ashley Rudolph ** 13:13 So we started there in freshman year, and then sophomore, junior and senior year was kind of more of a deep dive on specific skills. So that you take our accounting classes, finance marketing, if you were into retail, there was like a retail management class at the core classes. So we had, you know, liberal arts courses, so art history, yeah, philosophy, things like that. But yeah, everything was mostly centered around business and cool, yeah, yeah. Well, that's   Speaker 1 ** 13:47 pretty exciting. Did you did you go do any graduate work anywhere?   Ashley Rudolph ** 13:52 It's funny, yes, I did. So I graduated from Babson, and my first job was in a creative agency, and I was doing media buying, and at the time it was 2008 and we were buying ads in school newspapers, which was dying like it was pretty much On on its last leg, and I just had this thought when I was doing it, and that I wasn't inspired by the work, because it wasn't growing, it was going away. And it was clear, yeah, and that. And actually my first job, I got laid off because it was a dying industry, and the team needed to be smaller, and at that point, it's my first job. So it was very devastating to me. I had never gone through anything like that before. So then I decided to go back to school. So I did my masters. I actually. Went back to Babson, but in an international program. So I spent my first semester in France, my second semester in China, and then my final semester at Babson. Ah,   Speaker 1 ** 15:13 so why was the newspaper industry going away? Just because everything was going online?   Ashley Rudolph ** 15:18 Exactly, yeah, things were shifting more digital. Yeah, it's exactly   Speaker 1 ** 15:23 that, so they didn't need as many people selling and doing other things as they did before. Yeah,   Ashley Rudolph ** 15:28 yeah, exactly. Or companies were figuring out different ways to reach college students that wasn't dependent on getting in the school newspaper.   15:39 Yeah? Yeah, yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 15:42 yeah. So you got your master's degree from Babson, and then what did you   Ashley Rudolph ** 15:47 do? I got my master's degree from Babson, and I'll fast forward a little bit, because what's funny is that after I graduated, I still didn't quite know what I wanted to do, but I figured it out. I ended up going back into marketing. But if you remember, what I described was, in that first job, I wasn't connected to the mission. I wasn't inspired by where the industry was going. So I ended up pivoting into nonprofits. And my first job after graduating from my masters was running digital media, so not physical media, so I shifted into social media and online marketing. Had a nonprofit, right? So I was connected to the mission. I felt like the work that I was doing was for a good cause, and it was an industry that was new and that was growing, and that was ever changing and exciting. So I did that for about three years, so first at a nonprofit, and then at an a charter school network that was in New York and New Jersey at the time, but has since expanded far beyond that. So, yeah, I went into mission driven work, and I went into digital marketing and digital media. And I think what I took away from that chapter of my career was that I want to be in an industry that is ever evolving. So, yeah, so after my experience in the nonprofit and education space, that's when I jumped into tech. So I jumped into tech after that, and spent a decade in the tech industry. And obviously, tech is ever changing. I had access to so many different opportunities. I grew really fast. I started at the first company, the first tech company that I worked for. I was a program manager, and five years later I was a vice president, right? So, like, I was able to seize opportunities and work really hard and get to the level that I wanted to get to I was very ambitious, so I think tech just kind of gave me everything I wanted. Career wise, how   Speaker 1 ** 18:09 did you progress so fast to go from being a program manager to the level of Vice President in what generally would be defined as a pretty short time? Yeah,   Ashley Rudolph ** 18:20 yeah, yeah. So some of it was hard work, and I think the other factor was luck, and the other factor was going after whatever it was that was in front of me. So taking risks. So I would say, with the hard work part, I worked a lot. See when I first, when I started that job, I was actually a Program Manager for Back End Web Development, which was Ruby on Rails, coding a coding language. And then I was also a program manager for data science. I had no experience in either I was not technical. I did not have the technical skills or technical aptitude to do this, but I did have the desire to learn. So my first month at that job, I worked seven days a week. I went to workshops on the weekend. I did coding workshops, I read through all of the documentation. I sat in all of the programs that I was managing. I just dug deep. And I think that first year of immersing myself in everything kind of set the foundation for me.   Speaker 1 ** 19:38 So you made yourself pretty technical by the time it was all said and done,   Ashley Rudolph ** 19:42 yeah, yes, yes, and not on the level of any of my instructors or the students that actually took the programs. But I cared about learning, and I cared about having a certain level of fluency in order to I had to hire instructors for the program so I couldn't fumble my. Words, right? So, yeah, yeah. So I taught myself, yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 20:05 you learned. You learned enough. You You weren't trying to be the most technical person, but you learned enough to be able to interact with people and hold your own. Yeah, which, which is the important thing, I think. And for me, I know at one point, I had a job that was phased out when Xerox bought the company and I couldn't find another job. And it wasn't because of a lack of trying, and it wasn't because I didn't have the skills, but rather, as societal norms typically go, the belief is blind people can't work, as opposed to what we really can and can't do. So I eventually started my own company selling computer aided design systems, and for me, as a blind person, of course, I'm not going to sit in front of a CAD computer or even a PC based CAD system, which is what we sold. So I had to learn, however, all about how to operate the system. Learn about PCs. So I learned how to how to build PCs. I learned about CAD so I could actually walk someone through the process of drawing without actually having to do it, so I understand what, exactly what you're saying. Yeah, and it was important to do that. Yeah. Yeah,   Ashley Rudolph ** 21:21 it was important, and no one told me to do that, right? And I'm sure that no one told you to do that too, but there was just something in me that knew that I was excited about this work, or I wanted opportunities, and this was the best way that I knew how to go after it. Yeah, yeah.   Speaker 1 ** 21:43 Well, and, and it is the way you still have you do have to learn enough to be able to hold your own, but I Yeah, but I think it's also important in learning that that you're also not trying to threaten anyone else. You're just trying to be able to communicate with them   Ashley Rudolph ** 22:00 exactly, exactly, yes,   Speaker 1 ** 22:05 yeah. All too often, people view others as threats when they really shouldn't. But you know,   Speaker 2 ** 22:12 that's Yeah, another story gonna do Yeah, right, right.   Speaker 1 ** 22:16 Well, so for within five years, you became a vice president. What was the tech that y'all were really developing?   Ashley Rudolph ** 22:22 Yeah, great question. So what's interesting about this is that it wasn't so the first company I worked for wasn't a tech company, and that they were building tech it's actually a coding boot camp. So they were teaching people either how to code or how to become a UX designer, or how to become a product manager. So that was the product after a while. And I think long after I left the company, they did develop their own tech. So they developed an online an LMS learning management system, and there was digital content. But when I started, it was really about the boot camp era and teaching people how to code, because there were all these engineering jobs and web development jobs that were available and not enough, not enough talent, not   Speaker 2 ** 23:13 enough talent to go around. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.   Ashley Rudolph ** 23:17 Which is when you think about today's market and where we're, where we are, that was only 10 years ago, and it's a completely different story. Now, the market is flooded with too many web developers. Yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 23:29 it is, but I would say, from my standpoint of seeing what they produce in terms of making web content accessible, not nearly enough of them know how to do that, which is another story,   Ashley Rudolph ** 23:41 yeah, yeah, yeah, which is so interesting. And yeah, unacceptable, unfortunate, because there were always teams that were in charge of accessibility at the companies that I worked for, but then having someone be in charge of it, and then properly resourcing the accessibility team is a whole other story. And I think so many companies view it as just oh yeah, I checked the box. My website is accessible. But did you really build with your end users in mind, and the answer is probably no,   Speaker 1 ** 24:23 probably not, yeah, and all too often that ended up being the case. Well, so what did you do after you became vice president?   Ashley Rudolph ** 24:32 Yeah, so that was tough. You said it, and you said, I climbed really fast. And that's true, I did, and because I climbed fast, there were a lot of lessons to learn. So after I became vice president, I really had to own that leadership seat, or that executive leadership seat, and recognize that what had got me there. Here is was not what was going to keep me there. So the thing that I did after I became a vice president was really understanding how to be an effective executive. So that means really understanding the business side, which I already knew I had been doing that I've been thinking about that since college, so that wasn't something that I was concerned about, but the biggest thing was forming executive level relationships and really understanding how to form allies, and understanding that at that level, it's less of I have the right answer, and listen to me, because I'm a vice president and more of a okay. How am I influencing the people around me to listen to my idea, accept my idea, champion and support my idea. And it's not enough to just have something that's right on paper.   Speaker 1 ** 26:06 The others the other side of that, of course, could be that maybe you have an idea that may or may not be the right idea, which also means you need to learn to listen,   Ashley Rudolph ** 26:13 yes, exactly, exactly, and that was absolutely the other side of it. So me coming into things and being like, I understand what needs to happen, and not having all the context either way, right? So, yeah, yeah, yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 26:31 but you must have done pretty well at doing all that.   Ashley Rudolph ** 26:34 I figured it out eventually. Yes, I did figure it out eventually, and it wasn't easy, but I was able to grow a team and scale a team, and I was able to move from maybe the business side of running operations to the product and technology side of it, so being able to see two different sides of the coin. And yeah, it did. It did work. Well, I was able to create my own department, which was a product project management office that oversaw all of the work of the entire product and design and technology teams, 250 people. I I'm not sure that I would have thought I was capable of doing something like that, and building something from the ground up, and hiring a team of, I think, 15 people, and leading that department. And, yeah, yeah, and it was great. I did learn a lot. And then 2023 happened. And that was the major turning point in Tech where I think the dominant story shifted from, or at least in education technology, which I think you know something a lot about, but the dominant story shifted from this is great. This is growing. Distance Learning is fueling growth. There's so much opportunity here to it's too big. We need to, you know, do layoffs. We need to find a way to right size the business. There's actually not a lot of growth happening. So 2023 happened, and I ended up getting laid off with my entire department that I built. And that was such a huge lesson, a huge leadership lesson for me, for sure. So I'll pause so that I'm not not talking at you, but hanger, yeah, yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 28:46 well, so you got laid off. I've been there. I've had that happen. And, yeah, it isn't fun, but it's like anything else. You may not have been able to control it happening, but no, you are the one who has to deal with it. So you may not have control over it happening, but you always have control over how you deal with what happened.   Ashley Rudolph ** 29:09 Yes, yes,   29:11 yes. And what did you do?   Ashley Rudolph ** 29:14 And that's exactly what was so different about this time. So I will say I had two months notice. I had an amazing leader, such a technology officer. When the decision was made, he said, Okay, we can make this decision, but I have to tell Ashley immediately. So he told me, and it wasn't surprising, right? Because I saw how the business what direction the business was going in. So I can't say I was shocked, but the big question that I had was, Oh, my God, what am I going to do about my team? And I felt such immense responsibility because I had hired many of them I came to. Care about them and their careers and their livelihoods, and, yeah, I just felt responsible for it. So you said it, you said it beautifully, and that it was about what I decided to do. So from that moment, I shifted my focus, maybe, maybe to my own detriment, but whatever, I came out on the upside, but I shifted my focus to my team, and I thought the best thing that I could do in that moment was preparing them for their next chapters without going directly to the team and damaging the trust of the Chief Technology Officer and saying, in two months, we're all going to get laid off. That's also not reflective of the type of leader I wanted to be. So I figured out that, because we were a project management office and because there wasn't a lot of new work at the company, we had downtime. So I implemented a meeting on the calendar, which was a project review, and every single week, someone on my team had the opportunity to present their projects and talk about what they learned, what was challenging for them, and what their successes were, right, some combination of those things, and they all did it, and that was my way of helping to start prepare them for the interview process, because now you know your work, you know what your impact was, and you've gotten my feedback as someone who's a leader, who knows what hiring managers are looking for, you got my feedback on the best ways to present yourself, and they were able to ask questions. There were some people who approached me or the director on my team privately and asked us to review their resumes, because they kind of saw the writings on the wall without me ever having to say it, and I did. And what ended up happening is, at that two month mark, or whenever, when the layoffs did happen, no one on my team was shocked, and there were people who actually within a month after the layoff happened, they had found new jobs because they had that time to prepare and felt confident in their job search and the stories that they were telling about themselves. So I all that to say that I did exactly that. I chose the type of leader that I wanted to be, and the thing that felt important to me was preparing my team for their next chapter,   Michael Hingson ** 32:32 which I would say is the right thing to do,   Ashley Rudolph ** 32:34 yeah, yes, exactly, because it   Speaker 1 ** 32:37 isn't, no matter what a lot of people might think, it isn't about you, it's about the team. It's about you and the rest of the team, because you're all a team,   Ashley Rudolph ** 32:45 yeah? Except Yes, yes. And I very much viewed my team as an extension of myself, an extension of them. I you know, it wasn't just about them doing a job for me, quote, unquote, like that's not the type of leader that I am. We are a team,   Speaker 1 ** 33:04 right? So meanwhile, while you were doing that and helping the team, what were you also doing for you? And   Ashley Rudolph ** 33:12 that's why I said to my detriment, I didn't do a lot of thought. I put no thought into what I wanted to do. Okay? At all. I just And you know what? It's not to my detriment. I think what I needed at that time was a distraction, and this was a really good distraction for me, from sorting through what I wanted to do next, but also in navigating that with my team and supporting them through that, I think the answer became very clear once I was ready to ask my question, I just coached my team. So yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.   Speaker 1 ** 33:51 And so you sort of, as you would say, pivoted to being a coach,   Ashley Rudolph ** 33:57 yes, yes. And I want to be clear that this wasn't a decision that was like, you know, that I just fell into coaching, you know, I I made the decision to so I took some time to think about what were the pieces of my work that I really loved when I was a VP at multi, you know, at multiple companies, and the answer was clear, and that I really loved coaching and helping people become better at their work, and I really loved mentorship. And those were the parts of the work that if I could just do that all day, that's what I would want to do. And I was like, Well, I have the I can make a decision to do that all day, every day now, because I'm not doing anything, I just got laid off. So I can choose to do this work. So that's exactly how I ended up being a coach.   Speaker 1 ** 34:58 Well, so you. Ever originally planned on being a coach. So was it that work with your team that really was the sort of pivotal decision for you, that although you never thought you were going to be a coach, that led you to coaching, or was there something else that really helped move you there? There was something else. Okay, yeah, more to the story.   Ashley Rudolph ** 35:21 There is always you're peeling all the layers so, so initially, what I thought I would do, because I was an operations person, I was like, I'll just be an operations consultant. I'll go out on my own, and people will hire me to be their ops person. So let me, you know, run with that as an idea. And I started having conversations with former colleagues. And what was funny in that so many of their conversations were kind of like, oh yeah, I want to support you. And that sounds nice. I understand why you would want to be an operations consultant. But there's something more interesting about you being a coach. Or I want to hire you to be a coach for my team. Or, Hey, you did really amazing things in your career. You should help other people do those things. And that was the theme that people kept telling me, so I finally decided, decided to listen. That's how I landed on coaching. And instead of it being like, oh my god, I'm trying to sell the value of myself as an operations consultant, once I just owned the coach title, people just started saying, okay, yep, Sign me up. Or I'll refer you to someone who needs a coach right now. Or, hey, you coach just one person on my team, and they're great. Here's more. So it just became easy, and it became less of a I'm trying to sell people, and I'm trying to, like, convince them that they need me in this role, it was just easy.   Speaker 1 ** 37:04 So do you think you talked about being ambitious when you were in college and starting that business at Babson and so on? Do you think you've always continued to try to be, if you will, ambitious, or did you sort of shift in terms of mindsets over time?   Ashley Rudolph ** 37:22 Yeah, that's a really good question. I do think I have always been ambitious, and when I visited my mom last year or the year before last for Thanksgiving, I found a fake report card that I wrote myself, that I wrote for myself in fourth grade. And there was a prompt that said, what would you want your teacher to write on your report card at the end of this year? And I wrote, Ashley is excelling at excellence. Well, there you go, fourth grade. So I think it's always been there.   Speaker 1 ** 38:02 So is it, but is it ambition? Is it ambition, or is it being industrious and being being confident? You know?   Ashley Rudolph ** 38:10 Yeah, yeah. Oh, that is such a good question, right? So there was a version of me when I was in the corporate world where I would have just said, yeah, it's ambition, right? Because I'm always motivated to, you know, go after the next level, and that's what's driving me. And now, now that you put that question out there, it is, it is that confidence, because I'm not chasing a thing or the next level right now, in this phase, I'm chasing quote, unquote impact like the thing that drives me is helping people, helping people probably achieve things for themselves that They also didn't think that they could in their careers, and I'm just helping them get there, yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 39:06 and that's why I asked the question, because ambition, the way you normally would think of it, yeah, can be construed as being negative, but clearly what you're doing is is different than that. Yeah, you know, at this at the same time for you, now that you're coaching and so on, and you shifted to doing something different, yeah, did you have to let something go to allow you to be open to deciding to be a coach? Yeah,   Ashley Rudolph ** 39:38 and the thing that I had to let go was exactly what you just pointed out. So you are very intuitive. The thing I had to let go was that the traditional construct of what success looks like. So it looks like, okay, I'm a VP, so I next need to be an SVP. And then after that I need to be at the sea level. And no, and I guess there could have always been questions about, was that what I really wanted, or was it just the next level that I was after? Yeah, yeah. And there was that, I think it was just the next level for quite some time, but now, like I said, the thing that I let go of was that and wanting to grasp for what the next level is. And now for me, it looks like, okay, well, I only have so many hours in the day, so I can't coach unlimited people, but I still want to impact many people. So what does that mean? Okay, well, I'm writing a newsletter, and I put out a newsletter every week with my thoughts, and that can reach many more people than I can one to one or podcast. I'm talking to you on this podcast, and maybe me sharing more of my story will inspire someone else, or I'll learn from you and your community, Michael, but yeah, I think the thing, the thing that determines what success looks like for me is my ability to impact   Speaker 1 ** 41:14 and and the result of that is what happens with the people that you're working with, and so you, you do get feedback because of that,   Ashley Rudolph ** 41:25 yes, yes, I do get, I get lots of feedback, and it is, it's transformational feedback. And I think one of the things that I love, and I do this for every client that I work with, is on day one, we established a baseline, which I don't necessarily have to always say that to them like we're establishing the baseline, it's understood. And then in our last session, I put a presentation together, and I talked to them about where they were when we started, and what they wanted for themselves, and over the course of us coaching together, what they were able to accomplish, so what their wins were, and then where they land, and just me taking them on that journey every single or when they work with me, is eye opening, because they don't even see the change as it's happening. And I'm like, Hey, you did this. You're not that person that you walked into this room as on day one, and maybe by the end, you have a new job, or you got promoted, or you feel more confident and assured in your role. But whatever it is, you've changed, and you should be proud of yourself for that.   Speaker 1 ** 42:43 Yeah, yeah. And it's, I am sure, pretty cool when you get to point that out to people and they realize it, they realize how far they've come.   Ashley Rudolph ** 42:55 Yeah, yeah, it is. It's, it's really awesome to be able to share that with people and to also be on the journey with them, and when they think that maybe they're not ready to do something just gently reminding them that they are. And sometimes I think about what, you know, what managers have done for me, because I've, I had the privilege of working with really great managers some in my career, and yeah, they did that to me, and that that's how I was able to accomplish the things that I did. So yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 43:34 well, it's great that you're able to carry those lessons forward and help other people. That's pretty cool.   Ashley Rudolph ** 43:38 Yeah, yeah. And honestly, I hope that my clients can do the same. So if there are things that they learn in coaching, any frameworks or things like that, if they're able to help people, then that's great. And the cycle continues, you know? So, yeah, yeah.   Speaker 1 ** 43:57 You know, a question that comes to mind is that when we talk about leadership, there are certainly times that leaders face uncertainty, especially when there are transitions going on and you've experienced a lot of transitions. What would you say is the unconventional truth about leadership in times of change and transition?   Ashley Rudolph ** 44:20 Yeah, yeah. So I think the thing that I see the most is that in times of transition, especially if it's a transition that maybe you have no control over, right? You're not choosing to leave your job, for example, the the inclination is to over control, right, and try to assert control over the situation in any way that you can, and in more cases than not, that backfires to some degree. So the thing that I try to focus on with my clients is getting to a point where you accept the fact that what is happening is happening. I'm kind of like my layoff, right? I didn't fight the decision or try to change the decision. I just had to accept it for what it was. And then the thing that we focus on is now that we know the thing is happening, whatever the transition or change is, it doesn't have to be as extreme as a layoff, but now that we know that it's happening, what can you control and what can you focus on? And that's what we need to spend our time on. And it can be anything, you know, sometimes people are put on performance improvement plan, and you kind of just if, if this is a situation where you're like, Oh yeah, I could see where this came from, and I wish that I was not in this situation. Okay, well, you kind of have to accept that you are, and what can you do about it now, it's really, yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 45:58 what's the hardest lesson you've learned about leadership and being a leader, not just being an executive, but coaching people.   Ashley Rudolph ** 46:10 Yeah, and I get this all the time as a coach too. It's it's in me, but the lesson that I've learned is I don't have to know everything. That's   Michael Hingson ** 46:21 a hard lesson. To learn, isn't   Ashley Rudolph ** 46:25 it? It is, especially when you feel like as a leader, like people are relying on you, or you think they are, they're relying on you to know the answers or to know what to do next, or as a coach, they're relying on you to ask the right questions or to guide them in the right direction, right? And sometimes you just don't know, and that's okay, and it's also okay to say that. And I was just going to say that, yeah, yeah, exactly, exactly. It took me a long time to get comfortable with that, but now, now I am more comfortable with it, for sure. Do you feel like you struggled with that too? Or Yeah?   Speaker 1 ** 47:06 Well, I have, but I was blessed early on, when I was a student teacher in getting my secondary teaching credential, I was a student teacher in an algebra one class in high school, and one of the students came in one day, and he asked a question in the course of the day, and it should have been a question I knew the answer to, but I didn't. But when I when I realized I didn't, I also, and I guess this is my makeup, thought to myself, but I can't blow smoke about it, so I just said, you know, I don't know the answer, but I'm going to look it up and I will bring you the answer tomorrow. Is that okay? And he said, Yeah. And my master teacher after class cornered me, and he said, That was absolutely the best thing you could do, because if you try to psych out these kids and fake them out, they're going to see through you, and you're never going to get their trust. Yeah, and of course, he was absolutely right. So I did the right thing, but I also learned the value of doing the right thing. And Mr. Redman, my master teacher, certainly put it in perspective. And I think that's so important. We don't have to necessarily have all the right answers. And even if we do have the right answer, the question is, Is it our job to just say the right answer or try to guide people to get to the right answer?   Ashley Rudolph ** 48:41 Yeah, yeah, exactly. That's another leadership lesson, right? It's and it's so much more powerful when people do get to the answers themselves, yeah. And I think that kind of helps with them being less dependent on coming to you for the answers moving forward, right? If they're able to go on that path of discovery   Speaker 1 ** 49:04 well, and if they are able to do that and you encouraged it, they're going to sense it, and when they get the right answer, they're going to be as high as a kite, and they're going to come and tell you that they did it. So, yeah,   Ashley Rudolph ** 49:15 exactly. Yeah, yeah. What a good feeling.   Speaker 1 ** 49:19 Yeah, it is, what do you do? Or what are your thoughts about somebody who just comes to you and says, I'm stuck?   Ashley Rudolph ** 49:27 Ooh, that happens all the time. Michael, it happens all the time. And I'll tell you, there's two things. So if someone says I'm stuck, they either don't have the confidence to pursue the thing that they know they want to do, but they're just saying they're stuck, which is it is being stuck, right? If you can't take action, then you're stuck. But sometimes they frame that as I don't know where what I want to do or where I want to go, and then I ask. Couple of questions, and it's like, oh, well, you actually do know what you want to do and where you want to go. You just don't have the confidence yet to pursue that path. So part of the time, it's a confidence issue, or the other time, the thing that they're grappling with, or the other cases, what they're grappling with is, I haven't connected with like my values or the things that motivate me or my strengths even right? So maybe they're the ambitious person who was compelled to just chase the next level and the next level and the next level, but now they're asking, Is this really important to me, or do I really want this? As I spoke to another coach, and she ended up leaving what she thought was a dream job at Google, because every day she was kind of like, I still want to be here, and it wasn't her dream job, and she left to become a coach. So it's either one of those two things, most times, for the clients that I work with, and I ask a lot of questions, so I get to the answers, or I help them get to the answers by asking them the right questions. Yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 51:14 and that's the issue. And sometimes you may not know the right question right off the bat, but by the same token, you can search for it by asking other questions.   Ashley Rudolph ** 51:23 Exactly, exactly, exactly, yeah, yeah, that's it.   Speaker 1 ** 51:27 So what is, what is a transformation of a client that you experienced and kind of what really shifted, that changed everything to them, something that just really gave you chills, and was an AHA kind of thing. Yeah,   Ashley Rudolph ** 51:44 there are. There's so many one, okay, so one that I want to share is and basically the client went from, this isn't the job for me. I don't like the role I'm in. I don't think I can be successful, and I don't think my work is valued here. And I would say, over the course of eight months, she went from that to getting one of few perfect performance reviews in the company like it's a company that doesn't give a perfect performance review, right? So, right, going from that and being like, I need to find a new job. I've got to get out to I am excelling at this job, and it wasn't just anyone that gave her the perfect performance review. It was one of the co founders of the company. So like, top person is saying, Yeah, this is great. You're doing amazing work. There is value, and I think you're incredible. So in that transformation, the thing that she had to connect to, or reconnect to, was her values and understanding what are the things that she enjoys about her work and what are the things that she really didn't enjoy, and understanding the why behind that, and then the other two things for her, or developing her confidence, which sounds very fluffy, because it's like, How do you help someone do that? And I help people do that by helping them feel really good about their work product. So with her, with her, what we ended up doing was focusing on helping her prepare for some presentations. Me giving her feedback on her decks, or her talking to me about how she wanted to prepare for a meeting and the points that she wanted to make, and me helping her, you know, craft really compelling talking points, and having that feedback loop with me of being like, Okay, here's how the meeting went, and this was the feedback I got, and also being like, Oh, wow, the meeting went really well. And like feeling her confidence build over time by helping her get better at her work, and gradually over time, it just built to that amazing end point for her. But that's that's a transformation for me that will always stick out, because I just remember that first meeting and me just being like, okay, you know this, this might end up being a journey where we help her find a role that is better suited for her. And, you know, just kind of thinking about that, and it just didn't end up being that at all.   Speaker 1 ** 54:35 Well, the other thing that, in one way or another, probably plays into some of that is the people her bosses, the people who she worked for, probably sensed that something was going on, yeah, and she had to be honest enough to to deal with that. But as she progressed, they had to sense the improvement, and that. Had to help a lot.   Ashley Rudolph ** 55:01 Yes, for sure. And I think maybe there is confusion from her boss and in him thinking that she was ready to take on the work that he knew that she could take on, but she didn't quite feel ready yet. Yeah, so there was something she had to sort through, and she finally, not finally, that wasn't a lot of time at all, but she got there, and yeah, yeah.   Speaker 1 ** 55:26 And I'll bet they were better. I'll bet they were better communicators with each other by the time it was all said and done, too   Ashley Rudolph ** 55:31 Exactly, yes, yeah, yeah. They developed a shorthand, you know? And, yeah, yep.   Speaker 1 ** 55:39 So there are a lot of leaders who look great on paper, but when it really comes down to it, they just aren't really doing all that they ought to be doing. They feel restless or whatever. What's the real reason that they need to deal with to find momentum and move forward?   Ashley Rudolph ** 55:58 Yeah, so I'm going to take a I'm going to take a different approach to answering this question. And because of the people that I work with, again, they're high achievers. Yeah, right. And sometimes I see that what happens is maybe people have described them as restless, or people have said, Why aren't you happy? You have this amazing career, you should be happy. And I think, like that projection, they end up taking that on and feeling guilty about the fact that they want more. But at the core of it, when I talk to them or get to the level of, you know, Hey, what is happening here? What's causing this sense of restlessness? Surprisingly, the answer is, yeah, I have this great job or this great title, but I feel like I could be doing so much more. So it's an impact. It's an impact thing that is driving the people that I work with. So what we end up doing is trying to figure out, to some degree, like I have no control over what happens at work, so I don't want to pretend that I do, but if it is an impact question, then what we get to the core of is, okay, well, how do you increase your impact? And that's what I work with them on?   Speaker 1 ** 57:24 Well, here's a question. So I have been in sales for a long time, and of course, as far as I'm concerned, I still am being a public speaker. I sell more life and philosophy than anything else. But one thing a lot of people face is rejection. A lot that was redundant, but a lot of people face rejection. How do you get people to understand that rejection isn't a bad thing, and that it actually is a sign of success more often than not? And I agree with it. And you had given me this question, I think it's a great question and relevant to answer.   Ashley Rudolph ** 57:58 Yeah, so I just try to flip the thinking. So I make it less about the person rejecting you, or you receiving a rejection. And to me, if you get rejected, it's a signal that you try, and that's what we focus on, right? So if you're not getting rejected and you're in the same place that you were, it's probably an indication that you're not trying, or you're not taking big enough swings, or you're not pushing yourself. So, yeah, I just try to help my clients. You know, think about the fact that, hey, you got rejected because you tried and you put yourself out there, and that's great. And then the other thing I like to think about with rejection is really just like rejection is someone placing a bet, and if you know about bets, you know that they're not 100% right, and sometimes the person just decided they weren't going to place their bet on you. And it's not that you're not capable, or it's not that it wasn't a great idea, maybe it wasn't the right time, maybe whatever, you don't know what the why is, but it's just a bet, and someone could take a different bet, and it can be on you, or you can bet on yourself even, right? So once you start to think about rejection as just the choice that someone made on a day, and that person isn't all people, and they're certainly not representative of, you know, the person who could decide to take a chance on you and your idea or your initiative, then I think the rejection stings a lot less.   Speaker 1 ** 59:31 Yeah, one of the expressions I've heard regularly is the selling really begins. And I and I think whether it's selling a product or whatever you're doing, but the selling really begins when the objections begin or the rejection. Yeah, and I think there's, there's so much truth to that one of the things, one of the things that I used to do when I was selling products, is I would play a game with myself. Is this person. Going to give me a new objection or a new reason for rejection that I haven't heard before, and I always loved it when somebody came up with something that truly I hadn't heard before, and that was absolutely relevant to bring up, because then it's my job to go off and deal with that, but it was fun to put my own mindset in that sort of framework, because it's all about it's it's not me, unless I really am screwing up, it's other things. And no matter whether it's me screwing up or not, it's my job to figure out how to deal with whatever the other person has on their mind. Yeah, and when the new things come up, those are so much fun to deal with. And I even praised people, you know, I've never heard that one before. That's really good. Let's talk about it.   Ashley Rudolph ** 1:00:50 So great, yeah, yeah. They were probably like, oh, okay, wow. Well, yeah, let's talk about it, yeah.   Speaker 1 ** 1:01:00 But I didn't show fear, and didn't need to, because I I went into a learning mode. I want to learn what's on their mind and what's going on,   Ashley Rudolph ** 1:01:09 yeah, and that's what it's about. It's about understanding what's important to the other person, or understanding their concerns. And I think if you come at it like you did, from a place of really wanting to understand them and find common ground, then sometimes you can even shift the rejection right often.   Speaker 1 ** 1:01:27 If you do it right often you can. Yeah, you can. You can reverse it, because most rejections and objections are really based on perception and not necessarily reality   Ashley Rudolph ** 1:01:41 at all? Yes, exactly yes, yes, which is   Speaker 1 ** 1:01:45 important? Well, if you could go back and talk to a younger version of yourself, what moment would you choose and who? What would you say that they should learn? Oh,   Ashley Rudolph ** 1:01:54 this is so this is such a   Speaker 1 ** 1:01:57 great fun question. Yeah,   Ashley Rudolph ** 1:02:03 if I could go back, I would probably tell myself that you you don't necessarily have to run away to find the things that you're looking for in your career, right? And I think in life too. Sometimes you think, Oh, I just have to move to a different city, or I just have to buy a new outfit, or I just have to, I have to, I have to, I have to change this thing. And sometimes you just don't have to. Sometimes you can have a conversation about thing that you want or the thing that you're not getting. So if this is a boss right, talking about the thing that you want or that you're not getting, and coming up with a solution together, and I think for quite some time, I was too afraid to do that, and if I wasn't getting what I needed or what I wanted, I just thought the best thing to do was to find it elsewhere, and I would just go back and tell myself to ask for what I wanted first, and then get the information and then leave if I had to. But leaving doesn't have to be the default.   Speaker 1 ** 1:03:21 Yeah. Cool. Well, Ashley, this has been a lot of fun. We've been doing this an hour. Can you believe   Ashley Rudolph ** 1:03:29 it? We have, we have the time flew by. Fun. Yeah, I could have kept going.   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:36 Well, then we'll just have to do another one. Yeah,   Ashley Rudolph ** 1:03:39 we do. It, I will always come back. You are amazing. Michael,   Speaker 1 ** 1:03:43 well, this has been fun, and maybe one of the things that you could do to help spread the word about what you do and so on is do your own podcast.   Ashley Rudolph ** 1:03:50 Yes, something else to think about, yeah, yeah, that's a great idea. And then if I do then I will invite you on there. I'd   Speaker 1 ** 1:04:00 love it, I'll come absolutely well. I want to thank you again, and I want to thank all of you for listening and watching today. This has been very enjoyable and a lot of fun, and I appreciate you taking the time to be with us. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Please feel free to email me at Michael H i@accessibe.com so accessibi is spelled A, C, C, E, S, S i, B, E, so Michael M, I C H, A, E, L, H i@accessibe.com or go to our podcast page, www, dot Michael hingson.com/podcast and Michael hingson is m, I C H, A, E, L, H, I N, G, s o n.com/podcast, love to hear from you, and certainly I hope that whenever you're listening or watching, give us a five star rating. We value your reviews, and we really want to know that we're doing good by you, so please give us good reviews, and if you have thoughts or things that you want us to know about, don't hesitate to reach out. It. And for all of you, and Ashley, including you, if you know of other people who ought to be guests on our podcast, it's so much fun to meet more people from those who have been on before. But for anyone, if you know someone who ought to be a guest, please let me know. Reach out, and we will honor your interest and we will bring them on, because I think everyone has, as I told Ashley earlier, stories to tell. So hope that you will do that and that we'll get to see you on our next episode. And again, Ashley, I just want to thank you for being here. This has been so much fun. All   Ashley Rudolph ** 1:05:37 right, thank you, Michael.   **Michael Hingson ** 1:05:42 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

Charismatic and respected eyecare industry legend, Jim McGrann, joins OWA Talks to share his passion for the industry and shed a light on the benefits of ‘spreading your wings' in optical. About the guest:Jim McGrann is an engaging, decisive and adaptable leader with a demonstrated history of delivering results in the healthcare, insurance, technology, supply chain and consulting industries. Mr. McGrann is an experienced CEO with a passion for helping businesses win in the marketplace while growing profitably and achieving change amid order, and order amid change.  Mr. McGrann possesses the ideal mix of business skills, technology expertise and creativity to lead in today's rapidly evolving marketplace.  He has been a C-Level executive for 25+ years and serves on both business and not-for-profit boards of directors.Mr. McGrann is the CEO of Advancing Eyecare, a leader in the eyecare instrumentation marketplace established to offer the best products and service solutions in the ophthalmic equipment industry. Prior to joining Advancing Eyecare, Mr. McGrann was the Chairman & CEO of PECAA | Healthy Eyes Advantage a solutions company that empowers independent eye care professionals to succeed in the rapidly evolving optical industry. This business was sold to VSP Vision in September 2022.Prior to joining Healthy Eyes Advantage, Mr. McGrann was the President & CEO of VSP Global (now VSP Vision), a $5.3B vertically integrated healthcare organization with the mission of helping people see.  He successfully navigated the needs of a complex set of stakeholders, including 83M customers, 60K clients, 37K doctors, 6K global employees & numerous business partners including fashion houses, lens & lab, software and eyewear companies. From December 2008 to November 2011, before becoming CEO of VSP Global, Mr. McGrann served as VSP Global's President of Eyefinity, the largest practice management and electronic health record company in the Optical industry serving 25K doctors, VSP Global's Chief Technology Officer and President of VSP Vision Care, the largest healthcare company in the world (by membership) providing vision benefits to 83M consumers (including 1 in 4 Americans).  From December 2011 to September 2015, while President of VSP Vision Care, Mr. McGrann focused on winning in the marketplace and the business grew by $1.02B (34%) and 23.7M members (42%) while delivering record EBITDA and NIBT. He also led the creation and strategic development of VSP Global's innovation lab, The Shop. Mr. McGrann leveraged techniques such as design thinking, user-centered design and nexus management to successfully launch The Shop in a three-month period.While President of VSP Vision Care, Mr. McGrann was Chairman of the Board for the National Association of Vision Care Plans (NAVCP). The NAVCP is the national association established to act as the unified voice representing the managed vision care industry. Mr. McGrann was elected as Chairman by his peers at competing organizations.Like this episode? Please subscribe and share!iTunes | Spotify | Overcast | iHeartRadio | AmazonConnect with the OWA:Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

How is Sabey Data Centers adapting to the AI-driven surge in computational power while maintaining energy efficiency? In this exclusive #JSATV interview from DCD Connect New York, John Sasser, Chief Technology Officer, discusses how the company is implementing liquid cooling technologies, reducing its carbon footprint, and adapting to the rise of edge computing. Plus, he shares insights into the future of data center design and the key trends shaping the next generation of digital infrastructure. Don't miss this expert take on sustainability, AI, and the evolving data center landscape.

In this episode of Builders Wanted, we're joined by Eric Helmer, Chief Technology Officer at Rimini Street. Eric shares his insights on how to modernize mission-critical systems without compromising performance. Learn about the misconceptions about tech modernization, the importance of agility and flexibility in tech stacks, and the shift from reactive to proactive IT roles.-------------------Key Takeaways:The importance of modernizing critical systems without diving headfirst into vendor-driven migrations to the cloud.Transparency in operations and involving end-users early in the process can build trust and ensure smoother transitions.By optimizing existing configurations and processes before implementing new technologies, organizations can achieve significant cost savings and efficiency gains.------------------- “ When you show organizations that you genuinely want to help them by showing them all the different options that they have in an agnostic way, it's a really best way to build fantastic relationships and keep that engagement simple and strategic. You have to figure out where you're going to spend your budgets. You have to take the emotion out of it. You gotta take tradition out of it and boil it down to data points that create obvious best choices.” – Eric Helmer-------------------Episode Timestamps:‍*(02:08) - How Eric defines his mission as a builder‍*(06:12) - One major shift in how IT leaders approach long-term transformation‍*(13:49) - How Eric keeps customer engagement simple and strategic ‍*(22:05) - A recent transformation Eric is proud of ‍*(28:19) - A low-profile change that made a surprising difference‍*(36:27) - One thing every CIO should start or stop doing‍-------------------‍Links:Connect with Eric on LinkedInConnect with Kailey on LinkedInLearn more about Caspian Studios‍-------------------SponsorBuilders Wanted is brought to you by Twilio – the Customer Engagement Platform that helps builders turn real-time data into meaningful customer experiences. More than 320,000 businesses trust Twilio to transform signals into connections—and connections into revenue. Ready to build what's next? Learn more at twilio.com.

In this episode, David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Dino Pietropaolo, the dynamic Chief Technology Officer at Optii. From global tech ventures to co-founding a cybersecurity firm, Dino's journey into hospitality tech is anything but ordinary.We dive into how AI can truly revolutionize hotel operations—not just through automation but by enhancing the human connection. With practical insights and a few laughs (and even a surprise gift!), this is an episode you won't want to miss.In this episode, you'll learn:How Dino's background in cybersecurity and big data led him to hospitalityWhy hospitality is slow to adopt AI, and how that's changing fastThe difference between buzzword AI and AI that actually drives business outcomesHow Optii's new tools let hotels automate job requests with voice, pictures, and natural languageWhat “job automation through AI” really means and why resolution time mattersWhy personalization is the overlooked secret to guest experienceWatch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Bx65jDNyedcThis episode is sponsored by Optii: https://www.optiisolutions.com/Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn pageThe Modern Hotelier is produced, edited, and published by Make More MediaLinks:Dino on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dinopietropaolo/Optii: https://www.optiisolutions.com/For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/168Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-...Connect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.

On the 53rd episode of Enterprise AI Innovators, hosts Evan Reiser (Abnormal AI) and Saam Motamedi (Greylock Partners) talk with Sineesh Keshav, Chief Technology Officer at Prologis. With over 1.3 billion square feet under management and over 8 billion in revenue, Prologis is the world's largest logistics real estate company. In this conversation, Sineesh shares his perspective on how Prologis drove 95% company-wide adoption of generative AI through personal productivity use cases. He also discusses the future of SaaS as enterprises begin to take greater ownership of their data and AI models, and how AI is enabling a shift from static infrastructure to dynamic, self-optimizing supply chains.Quick hits from Sineesh:On understanding build vs. buy with AI: "If everyone has access to the latest, greatest models, which should be our assumption, then the only thing that differentiates your company is your data, and how you use it. And anything that touches proprietary data should be built internally.”On the importance of enterprise AI strategy: "This isn't something you can afford to sit out. There's a minimum investment every company needs to make—don't skimp on licenses; don't wait to see how it shakes out. Make it accessible, find champions, and start now.”On how AI empowers employees: "At the most basic level, it's a productivity driver. Some people use it to proofread emails, others use it to summarize a 40-page memo, or draft that memo entirely. Every employee can use it in completely different ways—and that's exactly the point.”Recent Book Recommendation: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi--Like what you hear? Leave us a review and subscribe to the show on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.Enterprise AI Innovators is a show where top technology executives share how AI is transforming the enterprise. Each episode covers the real-world applications of AI, from improving products and optimizing operations to redefining the customer experience. Find more great insights from technology leaders and enterprise software experts at https://www.enterprisesoftware.blog/ Enterprise AI Innovators is produced by Josh Meer.

In this episode, Justin Anderson, Mawer's Chief Technology Officer, sits down to discuss the evolving “build-in vs. build-out” technology framework. Justin explains how Mawer approaches technology decisions—balancing vendor solutions with in-house customization—and shares practical examples from the firm, including proprietary solutions such as trade&MAWER and M42. The conversation explores how advances in AI and large language models are accelerating the shift toward more tailored, efficient solutions. He also offers insights for investors on what to look for in management teams as organizations adapt to rapid technological change.   Key Takeaways: The “build-in vs. build-out” framework focuses on how companies customize technology for their unique needs, beyond simply buying or building from scratch. Advances in AI and large language models are making it easier and more cost-effective to develop in-house solutions. Mawer's internal platforms, such as trade&MAWER and M42, demonstrate the benefits of a build-out approach. Leadership and culture are critical—successful organizations encourage experimentation, embrace new technology, and balance innovation with risk management. Investors should look for companies whose management teams understand technology, address technical debt, and foster a culture of curiosity and adaptability. Host: Andrew Johnson, CFA, Mawer Institutional Portfolio Manager Guest: Justin Anderson, CFA, MSc, Chief Technology Officer   This episode is available for download anywhere you get your podcasts.  Founded in 1974, Mawer Investment Management Ltd. (pronounced "more") is a privately owned independent investment firm managing assets for institutional and individual investors. Mawer employs over 250 people in Canada, U.S., and Singapore.  Visit Mawer at https://www.mawer.com. Follow us on social: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/mawer-investment-management/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mawerinvestmentmanagement/ 

Retail media is evolving fast, but not always in the right direction. In this episode of Leader Generation, Drew Cashmore, Chief Strategy Officer at Vantage, joins Tessa Burg fresh from the Cannes Lions Festival to break down the biggest conversations shaping the future of retail and commerce media. Drew shares what he's seeing across the industry—the opportunities, the challenges and where marketers should focus their energy. If you're working with retail media in any capacity, you'll benefit from Drew's candid insights into what's working, what's not and how to create real value through presence, simplicity and strategic alignment. From the power of in-store media to the fragmentation of first-party data systems, this episode brings clarity to a complex landscape. Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op.  About Drew Cashmore: Drew Cashmore is the Chief Strategy Officer at Vantage and a seasoned retail and retail media strategist. He has a background in building, commercializing and scaling intrapreneurial ventures within some of the world's largest retailers. Drew was an original architect and former executive at Walmart Connect in both the U.S. and Canada, where he played a key role in scaling the business to over $2 billion. His contributions included insourcing the business, establishing brand and sales enablement practices, leading internal change management, and developing the in-store advertising strategy. He was also a founding member of Walmart's eCommerce and digital marketing platforms, and previously served as the CMO of Firework, and is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Adaptive Retail Group. About Tessa Burg: Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at Tessa.Burg@ModOp.com.

Intuit's transformation from a DIY financial software company to an AI-driven expert platform forms the backbone of this compelling conversation between the company's Chief Technology Officer, Alex Balazs, and Magellan Portfolio Manager and Sector Head, Ryan Joyce. Together, they explore how Intuit uses generative AI to deliver done-for-you solutions for its 100 million customers by blending huge amounts of data, deep domain expertise, and broad platform capabilities. Alex shares his long-term vision for how AI will reshape the user experience, including video avatars, instant and secure money movement, and new forms of digital trust. With only a fraction of its total addressable market currently served, Intuit sees massive growth potential both in the US and globally — and believes it's uniquely positioned to deliver the next wave of “killer apps” that truly empower small business prosperity.

Send us a textAI promises to revolutionize clinical trials and reshape regulatory oversight. But is the pharma industry ready? And can the FDA keep pace with the technology? In this episode of the HealthBiz Podcast, host David Williams is joined by Tom Doyle, Chief Technology Officer of Medidata, to discuss the promises and potential pitfalls of AI in clinical trials.

In this conversation, Laura welcomes Nakisha Muhammad to discuss the leadership competencies of diplomacy and political savvy, through her point of reference as an executive leader.   Nakisha shares her unique journey from entrepreneurship to her current role as Chief Technology Officer at 1nHealth, chronicling how she learned to honor her own boundaries while navigating the demands of leadership and emphasizing the importance of understanding oneself and others in fostering effective communication and diplomacy.  Laura and Nakisha share the intricate dynamics of leadership, focusing on integrity, boundaries, and the importance of self-care, while navigating work spaces as Black women. They also discuss the challenges of maintaining personal values in professional settings, the necessity of setting and respecting boundaries, and the strategies for dealing with resistance in leadership roles.   Overall, the dialogue emphasizes the need for political savvy as a crucial skill for career advancement, and strategies for engaging in difficult conversations while maintaining professionalism. About Nakisha Nakisha serves as the Chief Technology Officer at 1nHealth, bringing her cross-industry technology background into healthcare. A serial entrepreneur, Nakisha has founded, operated, and scaled SaaS businesses as well as eCommerce brands. A self-taught developer and technologist, Nakisha has built multiple data-management and data visualization companies, managing developer teams and IT infrastructure. Nakisha's philosophy in software engineering is rooted in a methodology that centers on the user experience first and then building the functionality around the user's needs. Connect with Nakisha on LinkedIn   Resources: Now enrolling for both the August 2025 sessions of the Early Career and Mid-Career programs.  Learn more at https://blackwomanleading.com/programs-overview/ Full podcast episodes are now on Youtube.  Subscribe to the BWL channel today! Credits: Learn about all Black Woman Leading® programs, resources, and events at www.blackwomanleading.com Learn more about our consulting work with organizations at https://knightsconsultinggroup.com/ Email Laura: info@knightsconsultinggroup.com Connect with Laura on LinkedIn Follow BWL on LinkedIn Instagram: @blackwomanleading Facebook: @blackwomanleading Youtube: @blackwomanleading  Podcast Music & Production: Marshall Knights  Graphics: Téa Campbell Listen and follow the podcast on all major platforms: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher iHeartRadio Audible Podbay  

Questions? Feedback? Send us a text!In this episode, Joe Gottlieb speaks with Sean Moriarty, Chief Technology Officer at State University of New York, Oswego, about how a coach-style leadership model grounded in trust, consistency, and human connection has shaped his approach to technology in higher ed. Sean shares how his dual reporting relationship to both the Provost and CFO enables broad, strategic alignment across campus priorities, and how his team's investment in management training and innovation grants continues to pay dividends—especially through the pandemic and into the AI era.Listeners will gain insight into the power of building a “coalition of the willing,” fostering early adopters, and grounding digital strategy in user-centric design. Sean's story illustrates how personal leadership philosophies, institutional mission, and regional transformation can converge to create resilient and adaptive digital ecosystems.Our host, Joe Gottlieb, President and CTO of Higher Digital, brings decades of experience in higher ed technology leadership to each episode. References: Sean MoriartyState University of New York, OswegoSubscribe or follow TRANSFORMED wherever you listen, to get the latest episode when it drops and hear directly from leaders and innovators in higher ed tech and digital transformation best practices.Find and follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/higher-digital-inc

What if AI could think like a legal professional—breaking down complex tasks, making decisions, and even taking action autonomously? In this sneak peek of ILTA's Just-In-Time Roundtable Encore to Evolve: Agentic AI and the Possibilities for Legal, industry expertsndive into the game-changing potential of Agentic AI—where AI evolves from a chatbot to a proactive teammate.  Spoiler: The billable hour might never be the same. Moderator:   Josh Lazar, Founder and CEO, TechThinkTank LLC  Speakers:  Reanna Martinez, Director of Innovation, Systems, and Data, Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP  Sara Miro, Director of Knowledge Solutions, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Rob Saccone, Chief Technology Officer, Lega Inc.

This week on Careers in Discovery, we're joined by Remi-Martin Laberge, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Arda Therapeutics. Remi shares his journey from academic research to building companies, the lessons he learned at Unity Biotechnology, and how Arda is using single-cell sequencing and targeted antibodies to eliminate disease-driving cells in chronic conditions. We talked about the leap from scientist to founder, applying oncology tools beyond cancer, and why curiosity and risk-taking go hand in hand in Biotech.  

AI, fraud, compliance, and the future of fintech take centre stage in this special crossover episode of the c-suite podcast and Sumsub's 'What The Fraud?' recorded live at Money20/20 Europe in Amsterdam. We hand over hosting duties to 'What the Fraud?' presenter, Thomas Taraniuk, who was joined by the following guests: 1/ Mitch Trehan, Chief Compliance Officer, Allica Bank 2/ Daniele Tonella, Chief Technology Officer, ING 3/ Katherine Yeung, Chief Risk & Compliance Officer, 10x Banking 4/ David McHenry, Managing Director, Head of Global Treasury & Payments Advisory - UK, HSBC Innovation Banking 5/ Lee McNabb, Head of Group Payment Strategy, NatWest

Today our own Chris Nichols sits down with Raphael Reznek, Chief Technology Officer of Mascoma Bank. They discuss bank architecture and focus on leveraging technology to your bank's benefit in the current, evolving world around AI.   Learn more about and register for Elevate here! The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. – Member FDIC

The Big Unlock Podcast · When Technology Meets Care Management, Outcomes Improve. – Podcast with Rob Posner In this episode, Rob Posner, Chief Technology Officer, AbsoluteCare discusses how the organization is transforming care delivery through a member-centric, value-based model that emphasizes advanced care management and the social determinants of health. Rob explains AbsoluteCare's proactive, longitudinal care management approach – enabled by technology that empowers mobile care teams to engage with members wherever they are, whether at home, in the community, or within hospital settings. He underscores the importance of real-time data access, EMR availability at the point of care, and the role of transitional care managers in ensuring continuity post-discharge. Rob also emphasizes how governance, change management, and attention to operational details such as connectivity, mobility, and privacy are critical to success. Rob also explores AbsoluteCare's innovation strategy, including the use of ambient clinical documentation, AI-driven diabetic retinopathy screening, and organization-wide adoption of Microsoft Copilot. Rob shares his vision for the future of AI agents and robotic process automation to streamline workflows, reduce provider burden, and ultimately improve care outcomes. Take a listen.

In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg chats with Matt Bretz and Gary Goodman, two seasoned veterans in the games and entertainment space.  With decades of experience, Matt and Gary share their journeys from working in Hollywood and gaming to leading creative teams at Mod Op. They discuss the evolution of the industry, the importance of data and AI, and how both play a role in crafting emotionally resonant marketing strategies.  If you're interested in understanding the power of combining creativity with technology to connect with audiences, this conversation offers valuable insights into how AI and data are reshaping marketing in gaming and entertainment.  Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op.  Contributors: Matt Bretz, EVP of Creative Innovation at Mod Op Gary Goodman, EVP of Creative Innovation at Mod Op About Tessa Burg: Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at Tessa.Burg@ModOp.com.  

Dr. Luiz E. Bertassoni is the founding director of the Knight Cancer Precision Biofabrication Hub and Professor in the Division of Oncological Sciences at the Knight Cancer Institute, where he is also co-section head for Discovery and Translational Oncology. He is also faculty in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research (CEDAR) Center, and the Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) School of Dentistry. Luiz is co-founder of 2 biotech spin-off companies which resulted from his work on cancer research and regenerative medicine: he is Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of HuMarrow and Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of RegendoDent. Outside of science, Luiz is a big fan of surfing, and he enjoyed frequent trips to the beach while completing his PhD in Sydney, Australia, and a postdoctoral fellowship in San Francisco, California. In addition to spending time in the water, Luiz loves music. He is a singer-songwriter who plays various instruments, including guitar, drums, bass, and piano. In his research, Luiz applies engineering tools to biology to build human tissues in the lab. The goal of Luiz's lab is to create new models to better understand cancers and develop methods to regenerate lost or damaged tissues. Luiz was awarded his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Parana in Brazil. Afterwards, he conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Francisco. He then enrolled in a graduate program and received his PhD in Biomaterials from the University of Sydney. Next he accepted a postdoctoral fellowship in Harvard Medical School and MIT's joint program in Health Sciences and Technology. He served on the faculty at the University of Sydney before joining the faculty at OHSU in 2015. His work on vascular bioprinting was listed in the top 100 research discoveries by Discover Magazine, and he has received over 30 national and international research awards, including the Medical Research Foundation New Investigator award, the Silver Family Faculty Innovation award, and many others. In this interview, Luiz shares more about his life and science.

985: How does a $48B tech distributor reinvent itself as a platform company? In this episode, Peter High speaks with Dham Pathervellai, Chief Technology Officer of Ingram Micro, a global distributor and technology platform connecting 2500+ vendors with 160,000 customers in 200+ countries. Dham unpacks the company's evolution from a traditional distributor to a platform-first enterprise. Dham shares his perspective on building Ingram's digital backbone, leading enterprise architecture, and scaling a global technology team. He also outlines how Ingram's data mesh, intelligent data assistant, and “come as you are” integration strategy are helping to drive customer value, fuel innovation, and power AI transformation.

Today's guest is Sukhi Gill, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Calitii. Founded in 2023, Calitii is a specialist ServiceNow partner, experienced in delivering major programs in complex, highly regulated environments. Their team's design centered approach ensures implementations are accelerated across the organization, future proofing for tomorrow's competitive environment. Calitii can guide you in avoiding potential pitfalls and develop best practices to achieve success in your organization.With over 35 years of industry experience, Sukhi has an outstanding record of achievement in sales and delivery of very large scale IT services in multi-billion dollar application development and infrastructure modernization programs. He has a strong track record of establishing successful partnerships with key business sponsors, influencing strategic and architectural direction, ensuring that the organization gains significant business advantage through the strategic deployment of technology and process innovation.In the episode, Sukhi talks about:0:00 His journey from civil service to founding a ServiceNow startup3:29 Taking a sabbatical to explore mountains and startups, seeking change5:35 Why hiring smart people and collaboration is crucial for success7:11 Letting others contribute often improves ideas and outcomes10:12 How both technology and business process knowledge are needed for successful outcomes13:04 Helping regulated industries, particularly banks, meet regulatory compliance14:55 Focus on outcomes, involve people and prioritize continuous improvement17:48 Address technology, people, process and governance for transformation outcomes

AI is coming to finance with some major Shifts to the  investment landscape Sumo Politics in full force. We got a  China deal, or did we? Seeking out innovation with our guest, Steven Sanders - EVP, Interactive Brokers.  NEW! DOWNLOAD THIS EPISODE'S AI GENERATED SHOW NOTES (Guest Segment) Steve Sanders is Executive Vice President of Marketing & Product Development at Interactive Brokers. In this capacity, he oversees all marketing and product development efforts at the company and introduces Interactive Brokers' low commissions, advanced trading technology and breadth of product worldwide to advanced individual and institutional investors globally. Steve joined Interactive Brokers in 2001 to establish the company's platform for financial advisors. Since that time, he has been responsible for many key initiatives including building a direct / digital marketing program, developing a new account structure and registration process for institutional investor clients and contributing to the deployment of the company's Integrated Investment Account.  During his over twenty-year tenure with the company, Steve has remained focused on providing IBKR clients with the products, tools and resources necessary to meet a wide variety of trading and investing objectives, which he believes has contributed to the company's extraordinary growth over the years. Prior to joining Interactive Brokers, Steve spent fifteen years at Citibank in a variety of positions including Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer of Cybic, a “Request for Quote” exchange to facilitate the distribution of OTC derivative products to retail investors, which he developed. Before that, he held diverse roles throughout the organization in credit & risk management, marketing, financial planning, and product structuring functions. Steve holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago and an undergraduate degree from SUNY at Albany in Accounting and Computer Science. Check this out and find out more at: http://www.interactivebrokers.com/ Follow @andrewhorowitz Looking for style diversification? More information on the TDI Managed Growth Strategy - HERE Stocks mentioned in this episode: (PLTR), (SPY), GLD), (TOST), (IWM)

In 2011, HP killed a $1.2 billion innovation in just 49 days. I was the Chief Technology Officer who recommended buying it. What happened next reveals why smart people consistently destroy breakthrough technology—and the systematic framework you need to avoid making the same mistake. HP had just spent $1.2 billion acquiring Palm to get WebOS—one […]

If you've ever wondered how to go beyond ChatGPT and actually connect AI to real-world systems and workflows, this conversation is for you.    Tessa Burg gathers with three Mod Op experts—Fabio Fiss, Aaron Grando and Javier López—to break down key technologies like MCP (Model Context Protocol) and A2A (Agent-to-Agent). The team explains how they work, and shares examples of how they're already being used in creative and powerful ways.   More than just a technical discussion, this episode tackles the bigger picture—how AI will (and won't) replace human jobs, how it can serve as a teammate and how it's enabling people at all levels to do more, faster.    Whether you're building websites, leading creative teams or optimizing business operations, you'll walk away with practical insights, relatable analogies and renewed clarity on where to start integrating AI meaningfully into your workflow.   Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op.    Contributors: Fabio Fiss, VP of Technology at Mod Op Aaron Grando, VP of Creative Innovation at Mod Op Javier López, Senior Software Engineer at Mod Op   About Tessa Burg: Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at Tessa.Burg@ModOp.com.  

Most of the noise around AI focuses on developers, creatives, and knowledge workers. But what about everyone else? The nurses, store associates, logistics teams, and warehouse staff make up nearly 80 percent of the global workforce. In today's conversation, I sat down with Tom Bianculli, Chief Technology Officer at Zebra Technologies, to talk about AI that meets people where they work. Not in a document editor or code repository but on the shop floor, in hospital corridors, and inside fulfillment centers. Tom shared how Zebra's strategy, built on research, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships, is helping to bring practical, purpose-built AI to frontline industries. From generative assistants to machine vision systems, Zebra is developing tools that support real-world tasks without replacing the people doing them. Whether it's improving shelf visibility in retail, enabling rapid quality control in manufacturing, or automating picking assistance through wearable cameras, the focus is on helping workers complete their tasks more efficiently, accurately, and with greater satisfaction. One of the standout topics was Zebra Companion, the company's AI-powered assistant for frontline teams. With four dedicated agents covering knowledge, sales, merchandising, and device support, it is a tool designed for immediacy, speed, and seamless integration with the daily workflow.  Tom explained how Zebra is utilizing feedback from pilot programs to enhance the experience and why a human-centered approach to automation is crucial for reducing attrition and boosting morale. We also examined how AI and machine vision are driving measurable improvements in logistics and manufacturing. Recent acquisitions have strengthened Zebra's capabilities in 3D vision and high-speed industrial scanning. Looking ahead, we discussed omniscient store concepts, collaborative robotics, and the increasing value of real-time operational data. While much of the AI conversation stays focused on the office, Zebra is showing what happens when intelligence meets physical work. This episode is a reminder that AI is not just about prompts and pixels. It is also about boxes, shelves, scanners, and real people doing real jobs. How is your business planning to bring AI to the teams that keep everything moving?

This week, we are joined by Michael Gorelik, Chief Technology Officer from Morphisec, discussing their work on "New Noodlophile Stealer Distributes Via Fake AI Video Generation Platforms." A new threat dubbed Noodlophile Stealer is exploiting the popularity of AI-powered content tools by posing as fake AI video generation platforms, luring users into uploading media in exchange for malware-laced downloads. Distributed through convincing Facebook groups and viral campaigns, the malware steals browser credentials, cryptocurrency wallets, and can deploy a remote access trojan like XWorm. The campaign uses a layered, obfuscated delivery chain disguised as legitimate video editing software, making it both deceptive and difficult to detect. The research can be found here: ⁠⁠New Noodlophile Stealer Distributes Via Fake AI Video Generation Platforms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The rollercoaster origin and growth story of 1080 Motion, as told by the engineer who created it all, Christoffer Bergkvist. Tune in as he shares the biggest stories from the original Quantum, to almost going bankrupt, to the secret development of the Sprint 2, and everything in between.2:15 Origin story of Christoffer and 1080 Motion, starting with the 1080 Quantum right out of college14:15 First launch of the 1080 Quantum, 100 invited and only 5 showed up17:14 Origin story of the 1080 Syncro, attempting to replicate the 1,100lb "Brake Man" machine23:20 2 lawsuits involving fraud and the government, almost causing the end (bankruptcy) of 1080 Motion27:09 Origin story of the 1080 Sprint 1, Manni/Anna-Carin/Ola/Peter join the team33:33 The secret development of the 1080 Sprint 239:59 Launching the 1080 Sprint 2 in 2023Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eserb1XQMXEA thank you to this show's sponsors: ⁠1080 Motion⁠ | ⁠Samson Equipment

In this episode of Innovation and the Digital Enterprise, Patrick and Shelli talk to Jeff Miller, Vice President of Engineering at LinenMaster. Jeff discusses his journey in the tech industry and his role at LinenMaster, a leading laundry management solutions provider. He delves into his previous roles at various prominent Chicago technology companies focusing on his work to modernize platforms and streamline operations. We talk about his earlier interest in tech; he built a computer when he was a kid. Then Jeff shares insights into this hands-on approach, the challenges of transforming legacy systems, and the importance of iterative development. He discusses his leadership philosophy of roadmapping transformation with the customer in mind, and building trust through execution.(00:00) Introducing Jeff Miller, VP of Engineering at LinenMaster(01:14) Jeff Miller's Career Journey(04:38) Roadmapping Strategy at LinenMaster(06:24) Technological Transitions and Innovations(09:36) Leadership and Decision-Making(09:37) Jeff's Early Interest in Technology(12:58) Rebuilding Trust and Modernizing Software(25:02) Advice for Tech Professionals and Founders(28:47) Conclusion and FarewellJeff Miller is Vice President of Engineering at LinenMaster. Previously he moved up through a variety of roles at Yello.co culminating in a position as Chief Technology Officer. Before that he was Vice President Of Engineering at Fooda and he launched his career at Enova International. He earned a Bachelors degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was also President of the Madcity Skydiving Club.If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Innovation and the Digital Enterprise in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.Podcast episode production by Dante32.

In this episode of Gov Tech Today, we dive deep into the innovative approaches CAL FIRE is taking to manage wildfires. Jennifer Saha sits down with Ben Rogers, Chief Technology Officer at CAL FIRE, as he shares his unique journey from the UK private sector to his pivotal role in California's firefighting efforts. They discuss the department's strategic focus on technology, data management, and public safety, highlighting initiatives like the RFI Squared process, 3D mapping, and AI-driven solutions. Ben explains the challenges of balancing rapid technological change with the necessity for accurate, real-time information and the importance of cross-departmental and vendor collaborations to drive transformative change in wildfire management. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:38 Ben Rogers' Background and Career Journey02:33 Transition to CAL FIRE and Initial Challenges05:58 Innovation and Technology at CAL FIRE14:12 Future Plans and Technological Advancements21:33 The Importance of Data in AI22:24 Overwhelmed by Technological Advancements22:51 The Role of Business Analysts23:32 Data Governance and Stewardship24:02 Breaking Down Departmental Silos25:22 Generative AI and Full-Stack Professionals28:05 Challenges in Recruitment and Retention29:23 Balancing Speed and Accuracy in Information33:00 Engaging with Vendor Community39:15 Concluding Remarks and Safety Message  

Franciscan Health's Journey to the Cloud: Pioneering Epic on Microsoft Azure On this episode Chuck Christian, Chief Technology Officer at Franciscan Health talks to host Ben Hilmes about the health system's migration of Epic to Microsoft Azure. Chuck talks about the complexities of cloud cost management and how it's able to save them millions of dollars, and he also shares the leadership lessons that have shaped his career, especially around staying curious, practicing humility, and truly working together as a team. Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen/

Aneesh Chopra, America's first-ever Chief Technology Officer under Obama, joins The Gist to assess Elon Musk's rebranded takeover of government tech via “Doge.” He outlines how the US Digital Service began under Obama, evolved during Trump's first term, and now—chainsaw and hat aside—retains surprising policy continuity across administrations. Plus, even as a Colorado hate crime occurs under the banner of "Free Palestine", it's important to remember that violent people perpetuate violent acts, not impassioned, or even wrong sentiments. And in the spiel - can we please put an end to the term "Stochastic Terrorism"? Produced by Corey WaraProduction Coordinator Ashley KhanEmail us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠ad-sales@libsyn.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Gist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Gist Youtube Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Gist Instagram Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠GIST INSTAGRAM⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow The Gist List at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pesca⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Profundities | Mike Pesca | Substack Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guest today is Gustav Söderström. Gustav is the Co-President, Chief Product Officer & Chief Technology Officer at Spotify. Gustav lets us behind the scenes on how Spotify thinks about the future of audio and video, and what leadership lessons he's learned from making mistakes and taking risks in a rapidly changing technological landscape. He shares fascinating insights on their synchronized team structure and how they have positioned themselves as "the R&D department" for the entire music industry. We discuss their integration of AI, their unique "bets board" process for allocating resources, and how they've evolved from a music service into a multimedia platform with over 650 million users. Please enjoy my conversation with Gustav Söderström. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page⁠ here.⁠ ----- This episode is brought to you by⁠ Ramp⁠. Ramp's mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Go to⁠ Ramp.com/invest⁠ to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus. –  This episode is brought to you by⁠ AlphaSense⁠. AlphaSense has completely transformed the research process with cutting-edge AI technology and a vast collection of top-tier, reliable business content. Invest Like the Best listeners can get a free trial now at⁠ Alpha-Sense.com/Invest⁠ and experience firsthand how AlphaSense and Tegus help you make smarter decisions faster. – This episode is brought to you by⁠ Ridgeline⁠. Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. Head to⁠ ridgelineapps.com⁠ to learn more about the platform. ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠). Show Notes: (00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best (00:05:27) Spotify's Journey Through Technological Shifts (00:06:28) The Impact of Generative AI on Consumer Products (00:09:36) AI in Coding and Productivity (00:11:11) Consumer Engagement and AI Playlisting (00:14:43) Strategic Frameworks and Decision-Making at Spotify (00:19:39) The Bets Process: Structured Innovation (00:31:11) The Future of AI and Business Models (00:44:31) The Future of AI and Inference Costs (00:46:21) The Concept of Computronium and Infinite Computing (00:47:02) David Deutsch and the Beginning of Infinity (00:48:55) The Power of Explanations and Human Understanding (00:54:03) Spotify's Free Tier and Consumer Needs (00:56:45) Spotify's Relationship with the Music Industry (01:03:03) The Rise of Podcasting and Audiobooks (01:15:45) Personal Interests and Continuous Learning (01:20:32) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done For Gustav