interface

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Jul 2024

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Interface is a podcast where we connect technology and culture through conversation. Interface is brought to you by EMPOWER at PROS. EMPOWER is dedicated to attracting, developing and retaining Black talent at PROS. PROS helps people and companies outperform by enabling smarter selling in the digital economy.

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29 recent

July 31, 2024Episode 2839 min

Curiosity Driven Engineering feat. Reginald Campbell

In this episode, the Interface hosts sit down with Reginald Campbell, Engineering Director at Etsy. They discuss Reginald's diverse career path in engineering and technology, his educational background, and experiences leading engineering teams at companies like CNN, SurveyMonkey, and Etsy. Reginald shares insights on his curiosity-driven approach to learning, the importance of mentorship, and the impact of diversity in technology roles. The episode also includes a heat check segment where the team discusses Apple's controversial iPad Pro ad and celebrates a historic milestone for Georgia Tech's first Black graduate. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 02:34 Reginald's Career Journey 03:42 Childhood and Early Tech Exposure 05:42 Developing a Career Plan 07:33 Roles and Responsibilities as a Director 15:06 Advice for Aspiring Tech Leaders 18:37 Diversity in Tech 27:32 Heat Check Segment 38:52 Closing Remarks and Contact Information Heat Check Topics · Engineering Executive Primer (Book) · Ronald Yancey Presents Diploma for Master’s Degree to Granddaughter in Electrical and Computer Engineering · Apple Apologizes For iPad Pro Ad That ‘Missed the Mark’ · Crush! iPad Pro Ad Contact Reginald LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginaldcampbell Reach out to The Interface Podcast Crew at · interfacepodcast@pros.com OR · Jenni Plummer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniplummer/ OR · Siara Barnes - https://www.linkedin.com/in/siara-barnes-b47a923a/ OR · Matthew Negron - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-negron94/

July 24, 2024Episode 2734 min

Navigating Cybersecurity feat. Dante Jackson

In this episode, the Interface co-hosts explore cybersecurity with Dante Jackson, the Head of Security Resilience at Truist Bank. Dante shares his career journey from the Department of Justice to his current role, highlighting his experience building cybersecurity programs and dealing with insider threats. He provides advice for those considering a career in cybersecurity, emphasizing the importance of experience over education, strategic certification, and strong networking skills. Dante also touches on the significance of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and shares details about his upcoming cybersecurity consulting firm, Serket Tech Security, which aims to help small to medium-sized businesses secure their digital assets. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview 02:35 Dante Jackson's Career Journey 04:41 Transitioning from Government to Corporate 06:00 Building Cybersecurity Programs 07:14 Day in the Life of a Security Resilience Head 11:28 Advice for Aspiring Cybersecurity Professionals 21:10 Diversity in Cybersecurity 22:42 Heat Check: Hot Topics in Tech 30:42 Dante's New Venture and Closing Remarks Links Jennifer Heat Check Siara Heat Check Contact Dante LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dante-jackson/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serket_tech_security/ Website: www.serkettech.com Reach out to The Interface Podcast Crew at · interfacepodcast@pros.com OR · Jennifer Plummer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniplummer/ OR · Siara Barnes - https://www.linkedin.com/in/siara-barnes-b47a923a/ OR · Matthew Negron - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-negron94/

March 13, 2024Episode 2658 min

Navigating the Tech World with Curiosity and Courage feat. Dana Morrow Branch

In this podcast episode, hosts Jennifer Plummer and Matthew Negron interview Dana Morrow Branch, Senior Vice President AI Platform Risk Management at Bank of America. Dana shares her journey into the tech world. With over two decades of experience in technology, from software development to AI project management, Dana discusses her career trajectory, including her rapid promotions and the leaps she made from software development to risk management in AI, guided by her curiosity and dedication to excellence. Moreover, Dana delves into her involvement in fostering diversity and inclusion within the tech industry, her passion for homeschooling, and the personal rewards of volunteering. The discussion also covers the significance of continuous learning, the future of AI and risk management, and the importance of innovative thinking in technology. Furthermore, Dana offers insightful advice for those looking to carve a path in technology today and emphasizes the value of understanding and participating in multidisciplinary projects and hackathons to foster innovation. Notable Quotes “If the job doesn't fit, you create the fit” “…know your job and know everybody else's job around you” “…be a jack of all trades and an expert at all of them” “…careers aren't built on chasing titles. Careers are built on demonstrating value and they, and a need for you in a room” Heat Check Links The Top 3 Resume Mistakes Costing You the Job Reddit’s planned IPO share price seems high, unless you look at its AI revenue Contact Dana Morrow Branch https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-morrow-branch Contact the Interface Crew interfacepodcast@pros.com Jenni Plummer Siara Barnes Matthew Negron (00:00) - Meet Dana Morrow Branch: A Trailblazer in Tech (02:33) - The Unconventional Path to Tech: From Lawyer Dreams to Tech Reality (04:53) - First Steps into the Professional World: Challenges and Triumphs (09:25) - Navigating Career Growth: From Software Engineer to Senior Vice President (14:47) - The Essence of AI Risk Management: A Deep Dive with Dana (21:00) - Career Advice for the Next Generation: Embracing Change and Continuous Learning (27:16) - Reflecting on the Journey: The Value of Being in the Room (29:13) - The Power of Curiosity and Practical Experience (29:42) - Maximizing Opportunities: From Observing to Leading (30:46) - Building a Diverse Tech Workforce: Strategies and Successes (35:40) - The Heat Check: Hot Topics in Tech and Culture (35:58) - Resume Mistakes to Avoid for Your Dream Tech Job (39:32) - Reddit's IPO and the Future of AI (44:19) - Innovation and Learning: The Impact of Hackathons (55:12) - Closing Thoughts and Future Endeavors

February 28, 2024Episode 2547 min

Technology Leadership Masterclass feat. Kelsey Ruger

In this episode, our hosts Jennifer, Matthew and Siara engage in insightful dialogue with Kelsey Ruger, the Chief Product and Technology Officer at Hello Alice. They dive into topics such as the synergy of being leading both product and technology teams, the value of investing in becoming a good leader, and the importance of learning how to operate in the business world while specializing in technology. The Heat Check segment introduces listeners to several conspiracy theories surrounding this year's Super Bowl game and a special Black History Month tribute to Doug Williams, the first black quarterback to play in and win a Super Bowl game. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 02:28 Kelsey's Journey into Technology 06:10 The Importance of Breaking Things and Learning 07:10 The Evolution of Technology and Its Accessibility 08:35 Transition to Chief Product and Technology Officer 10:18 The Role of a Manager and Leadership Skills 10:58 The Cognitive Load of Managing Multiple Teams 16:50 Advice for Aspiring Designers and Engineers 20:49 Building Diverse Teams and Hiring the Right People 23:14 Increasing Black Talent in Technology 27:14 Understanding Business Motivations 28:31 Personal Experiences in Corporate America 29:14 The Burden of Representation 30:29 The Heat Check Segment Begins 31:26 Super Bowl Conspiracy Theories 34:41 The College Admission Game 44:35 Black History Month Tribute 46:23 Wrapping Up and Guest Contact Info Notable Quotes “Yeah. I don't think people appreciate breaking things enough. Like when you break it and you have to fix it, you learn a lot. Even if your life is at risk at the moment, you learn a lot about how to get things working…” “…start with making sure the vision is clear. So, if, for example, I want to do a new feature around AI, I'm not going to just go and say, we need this feature. I need to plug it into what our vision is. Like, what is our vision as a company, how this fits with what we said are the particular OKRs we're working on in that particular timeframe, and then make sure that the expectations are clear. Sometimes I will sketch out things or I'll give them an idea, especially if it's something really new that we haven't talked about before. What I do try to avoid is giving them the solution because that's why you hire people, right? Like you don't hire people as an executive to dictate to them, go build this thing that I thought of. Links Matthew Heat Check Siara Heat Check Jennifer Heat Check Contact Kelsey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelseyruger/ Instagram: @kelseyruger Reach out to The Interface Podcast Crew at · interfacepodcast@pros.com OR · Jenni Plummer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniplummer/ OR · Siara Barnes - https://www.linkedin.com/in/siara-barnes-b47a923a/ OR · Matthew Negron - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-negron94/

February 14, 2024Episode 2445 min

Quality Engineering Insights: An In-depth Talk feat. Bobby Kyle

In this episode of Interface, the co-hosts converse with Bobby Kyle, IT advisor at the Central Louisiana Electric Company (and PROS alum!) about his expansive career in engineering and information technology leadership roles. They discuss his path into technology, the impact and implications of emerging technologies like AI, the importance of mentors, and strategies for increasing diversity in tech. He also shares his 'day in the life' of an IT Advisor as well as the distinction between Quality Engineering and Quality Assurance. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Profile 01:57 Bobby's Journey into Technology 03:59 Quality Engineering vs Quality Assurance 06:23 Day in the Life of a Quality Engineering Director 14:09 Career Advice for Aspiring Leaders in Tech 15:11 Impact of AI on Quality Engineering 22:52 Increasing Black Talent in Technology 25:32 Expanding Partnerships and Sourcing Strategies 27:05 Transitioning to AI and Tech Concerns 27:10 Heat Check Segment: AI and Image Manipulation 28:20 Reminiscing about Apple Macintosh 33:56 Discussion on AI Misuse and Legal Implications 37:37 The Business of Netflix and Outsourcing 45:21 Closing Remarks and Guest Contact Information Heat Check Links Taylor Swift Deep Fake Apple Mac turns 40! Netflix: What Happens When You Press Play? Contact Bobby LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobby-kyle/ Contact the Interface Crew interfacepodcast@pros.com Jenni Plummer Siara Barnes Matthew Negron

January 24, 2024Episode 2357 min

Human Centered Design in UX feat. Ayan Bihi

In this episode of Interface, the Crew speaks with PROS own UX Design Manager, Ayan Bihi. Ayan discusses her trajectory from studying sociology in France to becoming a UX Design Manager. She shares insights on her work, including the human-centered design strategy, the power of design, and the importance of user-centered solutions. Additionally, the conversation delves into strategies for retaining black talent in tech industries, the value of diversity, and the importance of mentorship. Notable Quotes “At Concordia University and I took sociology just because I've always been fascinated on how things work. And so, I can be in a public space and just observe people and wonder like, why are they doing that? Or just trying to understand everything. So, for me, sociology was kind of like getting to study the user manual of our societies and understanding why we do certain things and what's the structure and what's the kind of the reason behind it all.” “I'm able to open a pen easier because somebody thought about what would be the best experience for me to open this pen. So I said, you know what, that would be really interesting. Let me explore that. So I decided first before I decided to go full into it, I took a community college course where I was growing up to understand it a bit more, and I decided, okay, yeah, I get this. I like this.” Links Matthew Heat Check: https://techcrunch.com/2024/01/10/sec-approves-spot-bitcoin-etf/ Siara Heat Check: https://podcasts.apple.com/si/podcast/michelle-obama-how-to-stay-with-your-partner-when-they/id1450994021?i=1000640876432 Jennifer Heat Check: https://link.hbr.org/view/654aa89aa426663d33230514k6rf8.6ovs/3bd05a5c Contact Ayan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayanbihi/ Ascend UX Podcast: https://ascendux.simplecast.com/ Menstrual Care Website: https://www.arum.care/ Reach out to The Interface Podcast Crew at · interfacepodcast@pros.com OR · Jenni Plummer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniplummer/ OR · Siara Barnes - https://www.linkedin.com/in/siara-barnes-b47a923a/ OR · Matthew Negron - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-negron94/ Chapters 01:17 Introduction and Guest Presentation 02:28 Starting the Conversation 03:27 Guest's Origin Story 07:36 Transition into UX Design 09:45 Role as a Design Manager 12:40 Understanding User Experience Design 15:12 Advice for Aspiring UX Designers 21:30 Balancing Naivety and Planning in Career Progression 24:52 Increasing Black Talent in Technology 26:31 The Impact of Diversity in the Workplace 27:03 Personal Experiences and Challenges as a Black Woman in Tech 28:22 The Importance of Diversity in Thought and Innovation 29:08 Exposing Black Talent to Tech Careers through Externships 30:25 The Power of Networking and Mentorship 30:52 The Externship Experience at PROSE 34:06 The Importance of Human Connection in a Virtual World 36:06 Heat Check: Hot Topics in Tech and Black Culture 50:20 The Importance of Walking the Walk in Diversity and Inclusion

December 7, 2023Episode 2236 min

Welcome to Season 3!

Welcome to Season 3 of Interface! Join our incredible co-hosts as they kick off this new chapter with a lively chat filled with reflections on past seasons, invaluable lessons learned, and an exclusive sneak peek into the thrilling content awaiting you in Season 3. Catch up with the hosts and gear up for an exhilarating season of dynamic conversations with the tech world’s finest minds! (00:00) - Introduction and Welcome (01:43) - Catching Up with the Hosts (02:04) - Reflecting on the Podcast's Growth (04:40) - The Importance of Teamwork (05:29) - Celebrating Milestones (05:50) - Introducing New Team Members (07:41) - Engaging with Executives (07:58) - The Empower Executive Networking Challenge (09:52) - The Impact of the Podcast (11:15) - The Role of the Executive Sponsor (13:41) - Hot Jobs Segment Introduction (16:12) - Social Media Updates (18:35) - Reflecting on Past Seasons (22:00) - Looking Forward to Season Three (34:46) - Closing Remarks

August 24, 2023Episode 211 hr 16 min

Glass Ceilings and the Power of the Pivot feat. Dr. Cheryl Swanier

Join the Interface Crew as they sit down with Dr. Cheryl Swanier, Computer Science department chair for University of Massachusetts Amherst and Founder and CEO of Swanier Consulting LLC. to discuss her early tech career experiences facing corporate glass ceilings and how it led her to a career pivot into education where she flourished. Dr. Swanier illustrates how she navigated her own imposter syndrome after being presented with a career changing opportunity and how facing racism in the workplace has shaped her career and inspired her community outreach efforts encouraging Black women in tech and teaching kids from underrepresented groups how to code. Notable Quotes "… the reason I transitioned from corporate to K-12 is because I felt like I had reached this glass ceiling. It was always my aspiration to become a CEO of an organization, but I quickly realized that…organizations really weren't for Black people in the early eighties or the mid-nineties." "I went to my interview, and I was extremely nervous…they did offer me a position but not that of department chair because I really didn't show forth the confidence and enthusiasm to get that (department chair) position." "I tell my students to follow your dreams and pick and choose your battles. Make sure you don't put all your eggs in one basket." Links Jennifer Heat Check: https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/twitter-vs-instagram-threads-two?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=458709&post_id=133515172&isFreemail=true&utm_medium=email Siara Heat Check: https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/12/tech/fbi-public-charging-port-warning/index.html Contact Cheryl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylswanier/ Reach out to The Interface Podcast Crew at · interfacepodcast@pros.com OR · Jenni Plummer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniplummer/ OR · Siara Barnes - https://www.linkedin.com/in/siara-barnes-b47a923a/ OR · Matthew Negron - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-negron94/

August 2, 2023Episode 201 hr 17 min

Perspectives on Technology, Leadership and Driving Business Forward feat. Kim Martin

In this episode of the Interface podcast, the crew celebrates hitting a milestone of 1,000 downloads and chats with Kim Martin, Director of Engineering at Indeed. Kim Martin talks about the emotional aspects of tech and being a software developer, how being a good decision maker is half the battle of a good leader and why she's always hiring. Notable Quotes "…When you're invested, everything is emotional…it's demoralizing…feeling like you're just doing busy work and nobody's ever going to see it. " "Computer scientists are creatives and everybody wants to be expressive." "Figure out what you're good at and then double down on that because there's always going to be an opportunity for whatever it is that you're doing." Links Jennifer Heat Check: https://www.wired.com/story/stack-overflow-gender-problem/ Siara Heat Check: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-strikes-affirmative-action-programs-harvard-unc-rcna66770 Contact Kim LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlynicolemartin/ Instagram: @blackgirlgolfing Reach out to The Interface Podcast Crew at · interfacepodcast@pros.com OR · Jenni Plummer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniplummer/ OR · Siara Barnes - https://www.linkedin.com/in/siara-barnes-b47a923a/ OR Matthew Negron - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-negron94/

July 7, 2023Episode 1953 min

Harmonizing Code and Creativity: Unleashing Music with Generative AI feat. Aaron Walker

In this episode, the Interface Crew sits down with Aaron Walker, a Computer Science student at the University of Houston, to delve into his captivating undergraduate journey. Join us as we explore how Aaron discovered his passion for technology, the fascinating intersection of music theory and computer science, and his innovative approach to music creation using generative AI. Notable Quotes "I just like problem solving. Creative problem solving is fun. It's like puzzles, but you actually do stuff. You finish stuff, you build stuff by solving puzzles." Links Jennifer Heat Check: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/05/business/tech-internship-application-grind.html Matthew Heat Check: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/20/business/media/reddit-moderators-api-protest.html Siara Heat Check: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juneteenth Contact Aaron LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-walker-777a09227/ You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/@aarrowaudio Reach out to The Interface Podcast Crew at · interfacepodcast@pros.com OR · Jenni Plummer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniplummer/ OR · Siara Barnes - https://www.linkedin.com/in/siara-barnes-b47a923a/ OR · Matthew Negron - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-negron94/