The TechEd Podcast

Hosted by Matt Kirchner

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Episodes

282

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

The TechEd Podcast sits at the intersection of technology, industry, innovation and the people who make progress possible. Hosted by Matt Kirchner, each episode features builders, executives, educators, and policymakers shaping what’s next—AI, automation, advanced manufacturing, energy, and the systems behind them. If you care about the future of work, the future of tech, and how talent actually gets built, you’re in the right place.

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60 recent

August 18, 2026Episode 28156 min

How to Fund a Million-Dollar Idea: Inspiring Philanthropic Investment in Education - Michael Frohna, Founder & VP of Humaner

In 2025, Americans gave $617 billion to charitable causes. If your school has a bold vision for students, the money may be out there. The bigger question is whether you have an idea people want to invest in. Too many organizations approach philanthropy by leading with what they need, chasing the biggest perceived “deep pockets,” or treating the conversation like a transaction. That can make fundraising feel uncomfortable for the person asking and uninspiring for the person being asked. Michael Frohna has spent three decades helping organizations raise millions of dollars, and his approach challenges many of those assumptions. He shares what actually drives people to give, what separates a routine request from a transformational opportunity, and how education leaders can build the kind of vision and relationships that attract serious philanthropic support. In this episode: Why one donor was upset Michael didn’t ask for enough What $617 billion in annual giving means for education Why philanthropists fund a vision, not an equipment list What makes some education initiatives inspire major investment while others fall flat How to move philanthropy from a transaction to a long-term partnership 3 Big Takeaways from this Episode: 1. You raise a million dollars by having a million-dollar idea. Philanthropists aren’t looking to fund a need. They’re looking for a vision that shows what their investment can make possible. Before asking for a transformational gift, make sure the idea itself is transformational and that your organization is prepared to deliver on it. 2. The great paradox of fundraising: People dread asking for money, but people love to give. Michael has had million-dollar donors apologize that they couldn’t do more, and the only donor he ever upset was upset because Michael didn’t ask for enough. Stop viewing the ask as taking something from someone and recognize that you may be giving them an opportunity to make an impact they deeply value. 3. The goal isn’t to make someone your donor. It’s to become one of their organizations. Major philanthropy isn’t transactional. Listen for what matters to the giver, bring them close enough to experience the impact for themselves, and continue engaging them long after the gift so they see your mission as part of their own. Get access to more resources! Check out the official episode page for additional resources, links, videos and more. We want to hear from you! Send us a text. Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

August 4, 2026Episode 2801 hr 1 min

How FAME is Rebuilding America’s Manufacturing Talent Pipeline – Tony Davis, National Director of FAME USA (Manufacturing Institute)

Every manufacturer says they need people. So why, after decades of talking about the skills gap, do so few workforce development models consistently deliver the talent employers actually need? Tony Davis believes the answer is surprisingly simple: employers have to stop sitting on the sidelines. As Assistant Vice President of Program Scaling and National Director for FAME USA, Tony is helping manufacturers across the country build talent pipelines by putting industry in the driver’s seat alongside education. The result is a model that blends paid work experience, technical education and professional behaviors into one employer-led system. In this episode, Matt and Tony explore how the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) grew from Toyota’s workforce strategy in Kentucky into a national initiative of the Manufacturing Institute, why professional behaviors deserve the same emphasis as technical skills, what visitors experience inside the flagship Kentucky FAME facility, and how employer collaboration is helping scale one of the country’s most successful advanced manufacturing workforce models. In this episode: Why Toyota was the perfect place to launch an efficient, lean, and optimized workforce development model The "soft skills vs. hard skills" debate The unbelievable impact of treating a classroom or lab like a workplace Inside the flagship FAME chapter in Kentucky Why every manufacturer - not just large enterprises - should get involved in these programs 3 Big Takeaways from this Episode: 1. Manufacturers should lead workforce development, not simply participate in it. The most effective workforce programs begin with employers defining the skills they actually need, rather than reacting to a curriculum after it’s already been built. FAME flips the traditional model by making manufacturers true partners in recruiting, curriculum and continuous improvement. 2. Professional behaviors are developed through culture, not coursework. Communication, accountability, leadership and critical thinking aren’t mastered in a single class. They’re reinforced every day through immersion, expectations and real workplace experiences alongside technical training. 3. Building a workforce model is one challenge. Scaling it is another. Expanding from a successful local program to a national network requires more than enthusiasm. Systems, quality assurance and continuous improvement ensure students in every chapter receive the same high standard of preparation. Resources in this Episode: FAME USA The Manufacturing Institute National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Inside Jefferson County Community & Technical College FAME AMT Program Connect with our guest online: FAME USA on LinkedIn | Connect with Tony on LinkedIn Find more notes & resources on the episode page! We want to hear from you! Send us a text. Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

July 28, 2026Episode 2791 hr 2 min

The Skills-Based Organization: A New Architecture for Talent & Career Growth - Liz Eversoll, CEO of Career Highways

Static career maps, spreadsheets and disconnected HR systems can't keep pace with how quickly jobs are changing. Today’s leading employers are rebuilding their workforce architecture around skills. As companies rethink talent, career growth and workforce strategy, becoming a skills-based organization is emerging as a fundamental shift in how enterprises structure roles, create career pathways and develop their people. In this episode, Matt sits down with Liz Eversoll, CEO of Career Highways, to explore how a skills-based approach can help large enterprises solve one of their biggest workforce challenges: understanding the talent they already have and responding to change faster. They discuss how organizations can map and continuously improve role architecture in a fraction of the time, deliver personalized learning aligned to each employee’s career goals, and give people greater visibility into lateral moves, upward mobility and entirely new career pathways across the enterprise. At the same time, leaders gain real-time intelligence into workforce capabilities, emerging skills gaps and where learning investments will have the greatest business impact. The conversation also explores the technology making this possible. Liz explains why deterministic AI, grounded in business context rather than public data alone, is essential for trusted workforce intelligence. She argues that as AI automates more routine work, people with deep business context become even more valuable. The future isn’t about replacing employees. It’s about giving them better information, accelerating career growth and freeing them to focus on the work where human judgment creates the greatest value. In this episode: Why 3,500 roles and 230 career pathways can’t live in spreadsheets anymore The career lattice: Finding your next role with an 80% skills match SIGN, Canon and Liquid Insights: The technology behind deterministic AI Why business context becomes more valuable as AI automates routine work “Talk to your data”: The future of decision-level workforce intelligence 3 Big Takeaways from this Episode: 1. Becoming a skills-based organization changes how enterprises compete. Managing talent through job titles and static career paths is no longer enough. Skills-based job architecture gives organizations a living view of their workforce, helping leaders adapt faster, make better workforce decisions and align learning, hiring and internal mobility with changing business needs. It’s a fundamental shift in how large enterprises understand and develop talent. 2. Career health is a competitive advantage. When employees can clearly see where they can go, understand the skills they need and access personalized learning, they’re more likely to build their careers within the organization. That improves retention, preserves valuable business context and helps employers fill critical roles with people who already understand the business instead of constantly competing for outside talent. 3. AI works best when it’s grounded in business context. AI isn’t replacing workforce strategy. It’s making it smarter. Deterministic AI and enterprise knowledge give leaders trusted workforce intelligence while automating repetitive work that slows people down. As AI handles more routine tasks, employees with deep business context become even more valuable because they’re the ones who can interpret insights, improve processes and create lasting business value. Resources in this Episode: Career Highways - Learn more about their technology, solution, AI services and more Find more on the show notes page! https://techedpodcast.com/eversoll/ Connect with our guest online: Career Pathways LinkedIn | Connect with Liz on LinkedIn We want to hear from you! Send us a text. Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

July 21, 2026Episode 27846 min

Digital Twins & Engineering Technology in Women's Health - Dr. Kristin Myers, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Columbia University

Imagine a future where healthcare consists of engineers working alongside medical researchers and clinicians to build better ways to measure the body, model disease, predict risk and design more effective diagnostics and treatments. That's what Dr. Kristin Myers is doing in the field of women's health. Digital twins have transformed manufacturing by allowing engineers to simulate systems, predict failures and optimize performance before making changes in the real world. Dr. Kristin Myers believes those same engineering principles could fundamentally reshape healthcare. As a mechanical engineering professor at Columbia University, Myers is applying computational modeling, AI and biomechanics to one of medicine’s most complex frontiers. In this episode, Myers explains why women’s health has historically been difficult to study, how engineering disciplines are beginning to fill decades-long research gaps, and why technologies like digital twins, wearable sensors, machine learning and computational models may dramatically improve diagnosis, treatment and long-term patient outcomes. She also explores what this emerging field means for engineers, educators and the next generation of healthcare innovation. In this episode: Why digital twins could become as important in healthcare as they already are in manufacturing. The engineering challenges that have slowed progress in women’s health research for decades. How AI, wearable devices and longitudinal patient data could transform diagnosis and personalized medicine. Why mechanical, electrical and software engineers all have a role to play in the future of healthcare. What engineering educators should teach today to prepare students for tomorrow’s biomedical breakthroughs. 3 Big Takeaways from this Episode: 1. Engineering is becoming a core driver of healthcare innovation. The future of medicine won’t be built by clinicians alone. Myers explains how mechanical engineers, computational modelers, AI researchers and device designers are bringing new tools and ways of thinking to problems that traditional medical research has struggled to solve. 2. Digital twins are moving from factories to patients. The same technologies manufacturers use to simulate equipment and optimize production are beginning to model organs, pregnancies and disease progression. While clinical implementation remains years away in many applications, digital twins are already accelerating biomedical research and medical device development. 3. Tomorrow’s engineers will need both technical fundamentals and AI fluency. As AI reshapes engineering education, Myers argues that foundational engineering principles remain essential. Students must still learn how systems work from first principles while using AI to accelerate analysis, design and innovation rather than replace critical thinking. Resources in this Episode: ERVA (Engineering Research Visioning Alliance - NSF) Report: Transforming Women's Health Outcomes through Engineering Connect with our guest online: ERVA Facebook | ERVA LinkedIn | Connect with Kristin on LinkedIn More notes & resources on the episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/columbia/ We want to hear from you! Send us a text. Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

July 14, 2026Episode 2771 hr 0 min

A Boxing Champion-Turned-CEO's 5 Virtues for Leadership - Héctor Colón, President & CEO of Lutheran Social Services

How do you redefine success when the dream you fought for is no longer your highest calling? Rising from poverty and racism, Héctor Colón became a seven-time national boxing champion who competed around the world with Team USA, shared the international stage with some of the sport’s biggest names and defeated fighters who would later become professional world champions. Boxing taught him how to prepare under pressure, absorb setbacks, change strategy in real time and keep pursuing excellence when the outcome was uncertain. But at the point when a professional career was within reach, Colon began to reconsider what success, purpose and impact should look like over the course of a life. That decision launched an entirely new chapter. Education became the bridge between two very different arenas, beginning at Milwaukee Area Technical College and ultimately leading to advanced degrees, public service and executive leadership. Today, Colon leads an $85 million organization serving approximately 30,000 people each year, translating the mindset of an elite athlete into the demands of leading people, managing complexity and delivering measurable impact at scale. In this episode, Colon shares the five virtues that have guided him from the boxing ring to the boardroom and explains why courage is built through preparation, why composure matters when the original strategy fails and why perseverance requires a willingness to risk failure. He also reflects on the role of faith in redirecting ambition, the power of education to open an entirely new future and the responsibility leaders have to turn personal success into service. 3 Big Takeaways from this Episode: 1. The strongest leaders know when to redefine success. Héctor Colón had the talent and résumé to pursue a professional boxing career, but faith changed what he wanted his life to accomplish. His story shows that leadership is not only about staying committed to a goal; it is also about recognizing when a higher purpose demands a different one. 2. Composure is what turns discipline into leadership. In the ring, getting hit cannot become an excuse to abandon the strategy or retaliate emotionally. Colón carries that same principle into leadership: stay calm, assess what changed and make the next move with intention. 3. Education can be the bridge between potential and impact. Milwaukee Area Technical College gave Colón a starting point for a completely new chapter after boxing. That foundation ultimately led to advanced degrees, public service and the leadership of an $85 million organization serving 30,000 people each year. Resources in this Episode: My Journey from Boxing Ring to Boardroom: Five Essential Virtues for Life and Leadership by Héctor Colón Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan LSS Love Big Campaign Follow Hector on LinkedIn More notes & resources on the episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/hector We want to hear from you! Send us a text. Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

July 8, 2026Episode 2761 hr 6 min

Talking Business, Social Media & Movies with Marcus Theaters CEO - Greg Marcus, President & CEO of The Marcus Corporation

Movie theaters have taken hit after hit, from streaming to COVID to fewer studio releases. But this is a case study for any business leader: organizations can survive disruption by knowing what business you're really in, adapting the model around changing consumers, and holding onto the fundamentals that still create value. Greg Marcus leads one of America’s largest theater circuits at a time when the entertainment business is being constantly disrupted. Streaming has changed consumer habits. The pandemic halted moviegoing altogether. Studios are releasing fewer films. Younger audiences are discovering movies differently. And theaters are being pushed to rethink everything from pricing and premium formats to loyalty programs, social media, concessions, customer data and the overall experience of going out. In this episode, Greg joins Matt for a wide-ranging conversation on what it takes to lead a legacy business through major market disruption. He explains why movie theaters are still differentiated from at-home entertainment, why attendance still matters even as spending per patron rises, how proprietary data and AI could reshape the business, and why Marcus Theaters has leaned into everything from premium screens to TikTok to keep audiences engaged. The conversation also gets into jazz, family business and the leadership principles that have guided The Marcus Corporation for nearly 90 years. Greg even shares lessons from his grandfather Ben Marcus. Get ready for a wild ride full of laughter, dad jokes, and valuable business lessons! Resources in this Episode: Visit Marcus Theaters "The $50 Movie Ticket Has Arrived" - WSJ Milwaukee Jazz Institute Connect with Greg & Marcus Theaters on Social Media! Instagram | Facebook | TikTok Find more notes & resources on the episode page. We want to hear from you! Send us a text. Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

June 30, 2026Episode 27544 min

America 250: Reagan, Kennedy and the Values That Built a Nation

On the eve of America 250, The TechEd Podcast steps away from its usual format to reflect on the American Dream, the values that built the nation, and the ideals that continue to bind us together. In this special episode, Matt Kirchner revisits two of the greatest presidential speeches ever delivered: Ronald Reagan’s 1984 address at Pointe du Hoc, honoring the courage and sacrifice of the U.S. Army Rangers on D-Day, and John F. Kennedy’s 1962 Rice University speech, challenging America to go to the moon not because it was easy, but because it was hard. One speech looks back on the blood and sacrifice that defended freedom. The other looks forward to the science, ambition and conviction required to advance it. Together, they reveal a shared American creed rooted in courage, righteousness, sacrifice, honor and belief in a future worth building. This episode is a reflection on the values that have carried America for 250 years, and the responsibility of this generation to remember them, renew them and carry them forward. _____ The Reagan and Kennedy speeches featured in this episode are public domain recordings sourced directly from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum. We want to hear from you! Send us a text. Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

June 23, 2026Episode 2741 hr 4 min

12 Leadership Lessons from a Fortune 500 CEO - Bill Foote, former Chairman and CEO of USG Corporation

As chairman and CEO of USG Corporation, Bill Foote led one of the most remarkable Chapter 11 restructurings in American business — an achievement Warren Buffett called “the most successful managerial performance in bankruptcy that I’ve ever seen.” Bill’s career spans some of the most respected institutions in American business and finance. He spent 27 years at USG Corporation, including 15 years as chief executive, where he helped more than double the company from roughly $2 billion to $5.6 billion at its peak. He also served as chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago during the financial crisis, held board roles with major companies including Kohler and Walgreens, and served on the board of his alma mater, Williams College. In this episode, Bill joins Matt to unpack the leadership mindset behind a business strategy so effective it became a Harvard Business School case study. Learn about how leaders make decisions when the stakes are high, how they balance competing obligations, and how they keep an organization focused when the path forward is anything but simple. Drawing on 50 years in business, Bill shares the leadership principles that guided his career, organized around three major themes: the fundamentals of leadership, leadership style and timing. From staying grounded while rising above problems, to understanding when collaboration matters more than consensus, to knowing when it is actually time to make a decision, this conversation offers a rare look at how great leaders think, lead and endure. Get all 12 leadership lessons and more on the official show notes page! 🔗 https://techedpodcast.com/foote/ We want to hear from you! Send us a text. Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

June 16, 2026Episode 27345 min

UC Faculty Say Dropping the SAT Created a STEM Readiness Crisis. Now They Want It Back - Svetlana Jitomirskaya, UC Berkeley Professor of Mathematics

A Wall Street Journal op-ed about the University of California’s SAT ban sparked a national conversation about college admissions, academic standards and whether students are arriving on campus ready for rigorous STEM coursework. In this episode, Matt speaks with Svetlana Jitomirskaya, professor of mathematics at UC Berkeley and one of the faculty members behind an open letter calling on the University of California system to reinstate standardized testing. More than 1,500 faculty members have signed on, warning that test-blind admissions have masked severe preparation gaps among incoming students. But this conversation is not really about one test. It’s about what happens when high school grades no longer signal readiness, when universities lose an objective baseline for admissions, and when students are placed into STEM programs without the math foundation they need to succeed. Svetlana argues that removing the SAT was supposed to expand access, but in practice may be hurting the very students it was meant to help. Without a clear measure of readiness, students from underprepared K-12 systems can arrive at elite universities only to face remedial math, repeated calculus failures, major changes or the collapse of a STEM dream they were told they were ready to pursue. For educators, employers and policymakers, the stakes are bigger than the SAT. This is a conversation about standards, equity, accountability and the future STEM talent pipeline. Resources in this Episode: Read the op ed in the Wall Street Journal : "The University of California Needs the SAT Back" Read the official open letter to the UC Board of Regents See more on the episode page: https://techedpodcast.com/svetlana/ We want to hear from you! Send us a text. Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn

June 9, 2026Episode 27259 min

Rockwell Automation’s $2 Billion Bet on the Future of Smart Manufacturing - Blake Moret, Chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation

Smart manufacturing has moved past the pilot phase, and manufacturers that still treat AI and automation like side projects are running out of time. Rockwell Automation Chairman and CEO Blake Moret joins us to talk about the next era of smart manufacturing: AI-enabled operations, digital twins, autonomous mobile robots, cybersecurity, factory modernization and the workforce needed to enable it. Blake breaks down what Rockwell means by the “factory of the future,” including the company’s planned million-square-foot facility and the modernization of its existing manufacturing footprint. He explains why the future of automation starts with identifying manufacturing problems, not technology for technology’s sake, and why domain expertise still matters in an AI-driven world. We also dig into Rockwell’s 11th Annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report, where AI and machine learning have moved to the top of manufacturers’ investment priorities. Blake shares what manufacturers are getting right, where they’re still vulnerable, and why U.S. companies need to adopt advanced technology “like they mean it” if they want to stay competitive globally. From digital twins of production lines to the possibility of digitally modeling entire enterprises, this conversation offers a clear look at where manufacturing is headed, and what industry, education and workforce leaders need to do now to keep up. 3 Big Takeaways from this Episode: 1. Smart manufacturing has moved from experimentation to execution. Rockwell’s $2 billion investment in plants, talent and digital infrastructure shows how seriously the company is modernizing its own operations. Blake explains how the planned New Berlin facility and upgrades to existing plants will use digital twins, mobile robots, MES software and edge data to improve customer service, efficiency and scalability. 2. AI is changing the way factories are designed, operated and improved. Blake explains that AI and machine learning are simplifying automation by helping engineers design, commission, operate and maintain systems more efficiently. He also describes how digital twins and emulation can de-bottleneck production before physical equipment is running, and how those models could eventually extend beyond the plant floor into supply chain and financial forecasting. 3. U.S. manufacturers need to adopt technology like they mean it. In discussing Rockwell’s State of Smart Manufacturing Report, Blake points to a sharp contrast between U.S. and Chinese approaches to external risk. His message to manufacturers is clear: advanced technology adoption cannot be a hobby, a pilot or a box to check. It has to become a real source of competitive advantage. Resources in this Episode: Read the 11th Annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report Academy of Advanced Manufacturing (AAM) Program for Veterans Rockwell Automation's planned 1-million-square-foot "factory of the future" Find more resources on the episode page! https://techedpodcast.com/moret2/ We want to hear from you! Send us a text. Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn