Innovation Heroes

Hosted by SHI

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Mar 2026

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About the show

Innovation Heroes is a podcast exploring the people and businesses driving change in our drastically disrupted world. Host Ed McNamara explores some of the most inspiring stories of business innovation in the post-pandemic era.

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60 recent

May 6, 2021Episode 428 min

Democratizing the Cloud with Google’s Omar Dajani

The cloud has become fundamental in scaling business, and not getting left behind in our modern world. And while the democratization of cloud was well underway before the pandemic, that shift is being accelerated exponentially. On today's episode of Innovation Heroes, Peter is joined by Google public cloud expert, Omar Dajani. They reflect on what open source and increasing access to cloud means for business leaders. They discuss the emergence of new cloud strategies, the results they are driving (cloud tech played a key role in development of the COVID-19 vaccines), and what the future holds. They also dig into the news around open source and hybrid cloud, and share some inspiring stories of innovation heroes using cloud to drive change. This episode of Innovation Heroes is brought to you by Android Enterprise Essentials. Visit SHI.com/AndroidEnterprise to learn more.

January 12, 2024Episode 1133 min

How Design Thinking Drives Innovation

Design-led companies such as Apple, Starbucks, and Airbnb outperform the S&P 500 index by 219%. The question is why? Today’s guest Paul Stonick -- VP of SCADpro, the Savannah College of Art and Design’s in-house design studio -- says he has the answer. Paul says this human-centered approach to problem solving unleashes creativity in any organization. Design can solve everything, says Stonick. On the episode, he dives into how to create real change within an organization by developing a culture of test and learn. He outlines the five steps of design thinking and stresses the importance of mapping design back to investment strategies, this being the best way to break through corporate obstructionism. --- This episode is brought to you by We Got Your Mac, a new podcast from SHI, exploring the benefits and challenges of large-scale Mac adoption across the enterprise. Check out We Got Your Mac wherever you get podcasts or go to wegotyourmac.com for all the episodes, plus free bonus resources and content. Innovation Heroes is an SHI podcast. New episodes are now available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Visit https://blog.shi.com/podcasts/.

August 17, 2023Episode 441 min

The GenAI Security Dilemma: Friend or Foe?

With the proliferation of generative AI, new forms of threats have been unleashed, presenting novel challenges for cybersecurity experts. However, amidst this uncertainty, there is a glimmer of hope. Can AI itself be the key to fortifying our defences and shaping the future of cybersecurity strategies? On today's episode, host Ed McNamara meets with Michael Wilcox, Vice President of the Office of the CISO at Stratascale. Wilcox sheds light on the fascinating convergence of AI and cybersecurity, uncovering the potential challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in this rapidly evolving domain. Together, they explore how intelligent systems can be safeguarded, identify the menacing threats posed by generative AI, and investigate whether AI itself can be instrumental in shaping robust cybersecurity strategies. Innovation Heroes is a production of SHI. Find out how we can help your business Solve what’s next with our stress-free, scalable solutions that you – and your people – will love. Visit shi.com/s olvewhatsnext to learn more.

January 26, 2023Episode 824 min

How to Revolutionize The Film Industry with AI

You’ve heard about artificial intelligence in customer service, cars and even crime-fighting robots – but what about filmmaking? In this episode, Ed sits down with Ruslan Khamidullin, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Filmustage – the company revolutionizing the movie business by automating the time-intensive and costly phases of pre-production through AI. Visit www.filmustage.com and use code INNOVATIONHEROES30 for 30% off any plan. Featuring guest Ruslan Khamidullin, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Filmustage.

February 3, 2022Episode 831 min

AREA 15: The Portal to the Paradigm Shifting Hybrid Customer Experience Revolution

The future of creative innovation is changing – rapidly. In our new hybrid world, we need to be thinking about how to integrate digital and physical experiences effectively, as well as what customers actually want today, and in the future, too. These are some of the big questions that AREA 15 is trying to solve – and judging from the rave reviews they’ve been getting, it’s safe to say that they’re succeeding. Touted as “an immersive playground, all rolled into a vast and vibrant space,” AREA 15 is a tech wonderland just a stone’s throw from the infamous Las Vegas Strip. Host Ed McNamara sits down with Michael Beneville, the Chief Creative Officer at AREA15. They discuss the major paradigm shift unfolding in the guest experience space: one that’s striving to give consumers more agency. They’ll also shed a guiding light on what not just mere spectatorship, but true tech-driven participation can look like. Featuring guest Michael Beneville, Chief Creative Officer at AREA15 and Founder and CEO of Beneville Studios. This episode of Innovation Heroes is sponsored by the new SHI. Visit SHI.com/newlight to learn more.

June 3, 2021Episode 731 min

The ABCs of Teaching AI to Talk

In today’s episode, Peter is joined by Sonny Hudson, Collaboration Specialist of Partners at Cisco to discuss the ground-breaking work being done on the new Cisco Webex and how it’s changing the way we interact with each other and our work. Plus, Peter meets up with two linguistics professors from Rutgers University to find out how artificial intelligence is being used to help machines “talk” — and just how long it will be until AI can compete with human language acquisition. The implications for the future of tech, business and society are massive. This episode is brought to you by Cisco Webex. Visit SHI .com/Cisco to learn more.

April 8, 2021Episode 326 min

Vaccines were just the beginning: Intel’s Stacey Shulman talks AI healthcare revolution

The urgency brought on by COVID-19 sparked revolutionary changes in the healthcare industry -- and they’re going to change the way we fight diseases and elevate care, long after the pandemic. In this episode, Peter Bean is once again joined by Stacey Shulman, Intel’s Vice President of the Internet of Things Group and General Manager of Health, Life Science and Emerging Technologies. Together, they explore the impacts COVID-19 has had on driving progress, why collaboration was the secret ingredient, and what the future has in store for this new era of AI-driven healthcare. This episode of Innovation Heroes is brought to you by Intel vPro® Platform 11th Gen Client Devices, delivering the highest performance and most comprehensive hardware based security. Learn more at shi.com/intel

May 4, 2023Episode 1625 min

Best of Innovation Heroes: The Amazing Power of Experience

From spending hours a day on video calls, to curbside shopping for just about anything, we've gone through a seismic shift in the way we work, communicate and connect with each other. And while sometimes change is difficult, every one of these ground-breaking developments has a hero behind it. Which is exactly what we’re talking about on today’s bonus episode of Innovation Heroes. We’ve gone through the last four seasons, to collect the best conversations we’ve had about the user experience – and the people and businesses helping to innovate it. From AI-powered hotels, to augmented reality in the workplace, the way we interact with technology has changed for good. How businesses are taking advantage of these changes? Well, that remains an open question. This episode features our conversations with: Jaron Lanier, inventor of the Nintendo Powerglove and Microsoft Team’s Together Mode: Link to the full episode Stacey Shulman, Vice President IoT (Internet of Things) at Intel: Link to the full episode Michael Beneville, Chief Creative Officer at AREA15: Link to the full episode Grant Barth, Founder of ThenWhat: Link to the full episode SHI’s Innovation Heroes will return with new episodes for Season 5, in the summer of 2023.

November 13, 2025Episode 529 min

We'll Never Move This Slow Again: Why Intel's Stacey Shulman Says AI is Underhyped

While everyone debates whether AI is overhyped, Intel's Stacey Shulman argues we're dramatically underhyping it—and our linear thinking is making us dangerously unprepared. AI capabilities are doubling every six months, four times faster than Moore's Law, yet most organizations are still trying to build "AI infrastructure" instead of resilient infrastructure that can evolve with technology moving faster than human imagination. Shulman breaks down why the Intel-Nvidia partnership represents a seismic shift, why we need HR systems for AI agents, and why Star Trek optimism—not Black Mirror dystopia—should guide our path forward. --- Learn more about SHI's AI solutions and how our AI & Cyber Lab can help you prototype and test before you commit at SHI.com/AI Watch Innovation Heroes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SHICorporation --- Stacey Shulman is Vice President and General Manager of Health, Education, and Consumer Industries at Intel Corporation, where she leads the division responsible for transforming how AI impacts people-focused industries. With over three decades of technology and retail experience, Shulman has built a career on incubating emerging technologies and turning innovation into practical business value. Before joining Intel in 2017 as Chief Innovation Officer for retail solutions, Shulman held executive roles at Levi Strauss & Co. and American Apparel, where she was named Innovative Industry CIO of the Year for her groundbreaking work in store-focused technology. This is her sixth appearance on Innovation Heroes.

June 29, 2023Episode 138 min

The PR Firm That Disrupted Itself with AI

What if instead of being disrupted, you became the disruptor? In the first episode of Season 5, we hear from Greg Matusky, the President and Founder of GregoryFCA. Matusky discusses his journey of embracing Generative AI in his PR firm, transforming their operations and culture. He shares how the advent of ChatGPT has revolutionized his firm's processes, and his vision of progressing from an age of information to an age of wisdom and intelligence. Tune in to learn about Matusky's insights on AI's role in public relations and how he's fostering a culture of innovation within his team. Featuring: Greg Matusky, President and Founder of GregoryFCA Innovation Heroes is an SHI podcast. New episodes are now available on Youtube and all major podcast platforms. Visit https://blog.shi.com/podcasts/