Catalyst

Hosted by Launch by NTT DATA

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560

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Catalyst, Launch by NTT DATA’s podcast hosted by Tammy Soares, puts humans at the heart of transformation. Each week, visionary leaders and changemakers share how creativity, technology and human insight are reshaping business, culture and the future of work. From platform innovation to AI and design leadership, Catalyst isn’t just about what’s next in tech — it’s about shaping business, technology, and culture through a human lens and spotlighting the visionaries paving the way forward. Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA. ]]>

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60 recent

October 13, 202642 min

Resistance is the start of the conversation: Deepesh Chandra on leading tech change in healthcare

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Deepesh Chandra, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital and Information Officer at Montefiore Einstein, one of New York’s most mission-driven health systems. Deepesh has spent more than 20 years in healthcare and technology, with stops at McKinsey, Mount Sinai, and Bon Secours Mercy Health. He started out believing technological change was an engineering problem, then began to see that the hardest part of the project was actually human. Deepesh and Tammy talk about starting with the human constraint rather than the technology’s capability and bringing patients and clinicians in from day one. They also make the case that resistance isn’t something to fear, it’s where collective problem-solving begins. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links: Deepesh Chandra The Human-in-the-loop is Not a Control - Substack Article Nexus 2026 Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

October 6, 202644 min

From the archives: Brian Solis on shaping the future, not reacting to it

This week on Catalyst, we're revisiting a conversation from the archives. Tammy is joined by Brian Solis, a digital anthropologist, futurist and Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow, who studies how disruptive technologies like AI change business and the customer experience. Brian and Tammy dig into the mindset shift leaders need in a world that keeps changing, and why purpose, curiosity and creativity are the tools that matter most. He also shares how you can help shape what comes next instead of simply reacting to it. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links: Brian Solis Brian Solis TV Lifescale Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

September 29, 202641 min

Metabolizing AI: Shulagna Dasgupta on on unlocking human potential

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Shulagna Dasgupta, a fellow podcast host who spent over two decades at Accenture on human capital, talent, and operating models, most recently as vice chair advising CEOs through major transformations. She left this past June to launch her podcast, AI-isms, and to found Ochin, an AI advisory firm helping organizations navigate transformation. Tammy and Shulagna tackle the question so many leaders are sitting with: if your organization went tech-first, automated hard, and treated people as an afterthought, can you actually recover? Shulagna's answer is yes. She argues that for the first time, value and human advantage aren't in opposition. Her prescription for making that pivot: get explicit about intention, replace fear with real psychological safety, and above all, get CXOs hands-on building with AI themselves rather than just prompting it, since that's what shifts how they design programs for everyone else. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links: Shulagna Dasgupta Ochin AI-isms Podcast Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

September 22, 202632 min

From the archives: UPS’ Sean Jantzen on the importance of shipping early and small

In this special episode recorded in front of a live audience at Nexus 2025 , Tammy is joined by Sean Jantzen, VP of Software Engineering at UPS. Sean brings over 24 years of experience at UPS, where he’s risen from intern to leader, helping transform one of the world’s largest logistics companies into a digital powerhouse. Tammy and Sean discuss his coaching mindset, AI adoption strategies and the challenges of innovating with legacy systems. Sean also talks about how his background in team sports informs his coaching mindset and explains why shipping early and small can lead to fewer bugs and faster delivery. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links: Sean Jantzen Scaling responsible AI: With Noelle Russell Only the curious will thrive: Top takeaways from Nexus 2025 Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

September 15, 202644 min

Double bottom line: Rita Soni on impact sourcing and inclusive talent design

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Rita Soni, a social entrepreneur and one of the leading voices on impact sourcing, an intentional, inclusive talent strategy she's helped shape since the term was coined during her time as CEO of Nasscom Foundation. She later brought that expertise to Everest Group as a principal analyst, and is now building Grand Resolve, a nonprofit that's co-creating standards to make digital services more responsible and inclusive. Tammy and Rita dig into what impact sourcing actually looks like on the ground, from Televerde's outbound call centers inside a women's prison to Vindhya Info Media in Bangalore, where a workforce built around people with disabilities has outpaced expectations on retention and quality. The throughline: "good for people" and "good for business" aren't competing goals. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links: Rita Soni Nasscom Foundation Everest Group's Impact Sourcing Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

September 8, 202640 min

Rebel, not chaos monster: Tanarra Schneider on slowing down to get AI right

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Tanarra Schneider, founder of Rebel 75, for a conversation about building healthier, more human workplace cultures in the age of AI. Tanarra's path here wasn't linear, she led design at Fjord and Accenture, helped shape culture at Activision Blizzard, built one of the first streaming cooking school platforms, and even detoured through culinary school. She traces her drive to push back on broken systems to her mother, who always stood up for other people, and to her own instincts as a risk-taker who has never fit neatly into one box. She and Tammy dig into the sharp difference between a "chaos monster," who knocks things over out of ego, and a true rebel, who acts from a broader sense of "we." That same distinction shapes her read on AI's arrival in the workplace, which she sees as having been inserted squarely in the middle of human relationships, quietly replacing the context and conversation that used to happen between people. She makes the case that organizations need to slow down for the right reasons, not just to cut costs, if they want to rebuild trust, and that service design has become the discipline this moment badly needs. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links: Tanarra Schneider Rebel75 Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

September 1, 202643 min

The epidemic of the red zone: Anna Pool on helping leaders reduce chronic stress

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by not just any executive coach — she's welcoming her very own executive coach onto the podcast. Anna Pool is an executive coach, author, and President of Executive Savvy, and has been working with Tammy for years. Anna shares her non-traditional background: 20 years living and working in an ashram, where she devoted her life to yoga, meditation, and enlightenment. She explains how this experience informs her practical approach to presence, nervous system regulation, and resilient leadership. She and Tammy also discuss why so many leaders are stuck in chronic stress today. Anna introduces the concept of the red, green, and blue zones, and teaches simple ways to return to the green zone before reactive decisions take over. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links: Anna Pool Daniel Goleman - Emotional Intelligence A ten-minute meditation on reconnecting with the Green Zone led by Anna Anna’s latest Linked In article on the Red Zone Let Go - Sanskrit/English chanting written and produced by Anna Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

August 25, 202633 min

Enabling through serving: Corning’s Tucker Burhans on leadership and collaboration

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Tucker Burhans, Data Engineering Supervisor at Corning and a finalist for the Next Generation Leadership Award at the Manufacturing Leadership Council Awards Gala. Tucker traces his journey from competitive swimming and pre-med to data engineering, with a love of problem-solving serving as a common thread throughout. He shares his leadership philosophy in an era of rapid technological change and AI: success means championing others and helping them succeed. Having entered the workforce just as AI was beginning to take hold, Tucker offers a unique perspective on both the challenges and opportunities it presents. He discusses the importance of critical thinking and domain expertise when implementing AI, as well as the need to balance new technologies with human judgment. Tucker also shares his personal AI story and how he’s using it to support his newfound passion for gardening. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links: Tucker Burhans Corning Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

August 18, 202641 min

Autonomy and EQ: Adam Zaouague on trust and teamwork in manufacturing

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Adam Zaouague, Automation & Data Specialist at Reata Engineering & Machine Works and a finalist for the Next Generation Leadership Award at the Manufacturing Leadership Council Awards Gala. Adam traces his path from a high school CNC machining program to being recruited by Reata's owner (at the age of 17!) and eventually leading the company's engineering department. He reflects on why trust and emotional intelligence matter as much as technical skill when leading others, then turns to AI, arguing that as machines take on more of the workload, intention and focus become the real differentiators. He shares Reata's philosophy of slowing down to speed up, the internal AI tool the company is building to let subject matter experts create their own solutions, and how integrity and teamwork remain the values that hold it all together. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links: Adam Zaouague Great CEOs are Lazy Tomo Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

August 11, 202631 min

Inclusive technology for an inclusive future: Roli Agrawal on how to build ethical and responsible AI

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by NTT Data’s Chief Strategy Officer Roli Agrawal for a conversation about implementing technology that works for everyone. Roli shares about her upbringing in India and how the privileges and discriminations she experienced made her passionate about fighting inequities. Roli shares her perspective on how bias creeps into AI systems, and what leaders can do to catch it early. They discuss what a responsible AI framework — trusted, ethical, secure, fair, and sustainable — looks like in practice, and why building datasets that reflect society is both a moral and a business imperative. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links: Roli Agrawal Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .