He calls data centers the “unseen backbone of daily life,” comparing our use of the internet to flipping a light switch without thinking about the power grid behind it. From video calls and online shopping to texting about golf, Joe points out:

“Almost everything we do in our daily lives today happens through and because of data center infrastructure… People really misunderstand how much data centers are part of our lives.”

Joe explains how controlling the entire technology stack — servers, cooling, networks, storage, and software — unlocked unprecedented efficiency at Google. Equally important was a culture that embraces mistakes, uses them to teach thousands of engineers, and drives innovation rather than hiding failure:

“When you optimize every step of the vertical stack as one integrated system, the efficiency and cost savings are incredible.”

He also encourages young people to see digital infrastructure as a long-term, 40-year career with stability, challenge, and the chance to shape an AI-driven future. Thoughtfully built data centers, he adds, can revitalize local communities, fund schools, and open doors for students who might otherwise never encounter technology:

“You can build a career, support your family, and be part of something that actually changes the world.”

Joe’s story reminds us that data centers are more than machines; they’re engines of opportunity, innovation, and community transformation. From powering our everyday lives to shaping long-term careers and uplifting local neighborhoods, the work behind the walls of these facilities touches millions in ways we rarely see.

To learn more about Joe Kava and the power of data centers, connect with him on LinkedIn.

Abhishek describes his role at AWS as his “dream job”, combining engineering, finance, and real estate to deliver the physical foundations of AI. His non-linear career — from engineering in India to real estate strategy at Ernst & Young — taught him to value power, kilowatts, and infrastructure in addition to traditional square footage:

"The coding you are doing, the software development you are creating, that’s going to be stored somewhere, and that’s the physical infrastructure I’m there to provide."

Curiosity shaped Abhishek’s path from an early age. Watching his father develop properties, he became fascinated by turning empty land into buildings. Although he first pursued engineering, he later returned to real estate, earning a master’s degree at Arizona State University for hands-on development experience.

Throughout the episode, he stresses that the cloud is physical: concrete, steel, and power. Building AI campuses is a complex, multi-year process requiring vast land, utilities, and coordination. Many underestimate the scale behind tech infrastructure:

"I believe a lot of people think cloud is abstract, but it actually requires millions of square feet of land and building. I help build cloud and provide it a home.”

Recognizing the human capital gap in digital infrastructure, Abhishek encourages valuing the transferable skills of electricians, engineers, and construction professionals. He advocates for short, intensive programs to expose students and mid-career professionals to the industry and its high-paying opportunities:

"No matter what degree or background you have, if you are curious and willing to learn, you can definitely get into it. There’s no stopping you."

He stresses the importance of educating communities about the critical role of data centers and AI in daily life and uses platforms like Nomad Futurist to bridge knowledge gaps. While optimistic about AI’s potential, he reinforces that human intelligence remains essential:

"AI is the groundwork for everything. Help build it and get excited about it… This is just the beginning."

Abhishek’s journey shows that building the future of technology requires vision, persistence, and a willingness to embrace unconventional paths. His story reminds us that the most powerful innovations are grounded in curiosity, human skill, and the infrastructure that makes it all possible.

Connect with Abhishek Garg on LinkedIn and carry forward his final piece of advice:

"Curiosity will lead you everywhere. Your career is not linear. Stick to your path and stay interested in the world."

From the U.S. Navy’s nuclear power program to senior leadership at QTS Data Centers, Eldringhoff’s journey is defined by technical excellence, courage, and an unwavering commitment to people. But it was not one that began with encouragement, but rather with a challenge.

At the start of her career, she was told she didn’t belong in the Navy’s nuclear program simply because she was a woman. For many, that kind of doubt might have closed a door. For her, it lit a fire. Instead of backing down, she chose to prove that determination outpaces bias every time:

“They told me I couldn’t do it ’cause I was a girl, which meant I’m gonna do it.”

She went on to become one of the first women to reenter the program, setting a new standard for what leadership looks like in high-stakes environments. That defining chapter forged her belief that real leadership demands both excellence and bravery.

What sets her apart today is her rare fusion of technical mastery and deep emotional intelligence. While advancing her engineering career, she also pursued studies in psychology and ministry, strengthening her ability to lead not just systems, but people:

“I just always try to use my superpower for good and not evil.”

That combination of engineering rigor and emotional intelligence now informs how she leads high-performing teams in high-pressure data center environments, where operational excellence must coexist with empathy, trust, and clarity.

A central theme of the episode is retention and mentorship for women in STEM and data centers. Drawing on her doctoral research into women’s mentorship and retention, Casey challenges organizations to move beyond recruitment metrics:

“We can recruit and recruit and recruit, and we can have really great talent acquisition numbers. But if we’re not doing the right things to keep them, did it really matter that we recruited them?”

She offers actionable insight into building mentorship ecosystems, fostering belonging, and creating workplace cultures where women — and all professionals — can stay, grow, and lead.

This conversation also dives into the realities of operational “frenzy,” leadership during crisis, foster parenting during COVID, and Casey’s vision for a more inclusive, resilient future for the digital infrastructure industry.

If you’re passionate about data centers, resilient leadership, or cultivating workplaces where people genuinely thrive, this episode is one you won’t want to miss. Listen in for an honest, energizing conversation with Dr. Casey Eldringhoff and be sure to connect with her on LinkedIn to keep the dialogue going.

From the earliest days of digital infrastructure, a divide existed between technology and facilities teams. Bob shares how 7x24 Exchange was founded to close that gap, bringing both sides together around a shared focus on resilience, reliability, and uptime:

“The whole purpose was to bring both groups together so they would understand each other’s challenges. Because in the end, it’s all about business objectives.”

As the industry evolved from mainframes to today’s high-density environments, expectations around uptime, power, and complexity skyrocketed. While the tools and scale have changed dramatically, Bob notes that many of the core challenges remain; only intensified by the pace of growth:

“The challenges that existed in 1990 are still here; they’ve just grown faster and become more complex.”

AI now sits at the center of this transformation. Bob discusses how it’s driving unprecedented power densities and forcing a reexamination of energy sourcing, cooling strategies, and site selection, while also raising broader concerns about speed, responsibility, and oversight:

“If you build this so quickly without guardrails, you’re not just going to accelerate good things, you’re going to accelerate bad things.”

Workforce development naturally becomes a central thread in the conversation, as Bob reflects on how early outreach efforts focused on universities ultimately revealed a more fundamental challenge: many people simply weren’t aware that data center careers even exist. That insight reshaped 7x24 Exchange’s approach, prompting a strategic shift further upstream to engage students and families before career paths begin to take shape:

“We were hitting universities, but we really had to get to elementary students and their parents because they didn’t know these careers were even an option.”

Bob brings clarity and context to the challenges shaping digital infrastructure today. Connect with him on LinkedIn to follow his ongoing insights and industry leadership.

Adam’s journey begins in his early teens, as a 13-year-old immersed in video games, building LANs with friends and running grassroots events that unknowingly set the foundation for his first data center role:

“I came straight from high school into the space and haven’t looked back… I’m still technically uneducated. However, data centers make you run fast and learn quick.”

Throughout the episode, Adam underscores a core truth of the industry: today’s AI platforms, hyperscale campuses, and cloud services are built on the same foundational principles he first encountered in early server farms and the dial-up gaming era. He argues that the Internet has become a true utility, selected alongside power, water, and gas when moving into a home, yet its physical foundations are often taken for granted:

“We still need the fundamentals… people’s crazy cat videos, AI videos, e-mails and everything else need to be stored somewhere, cooled somewhere, powered somewhere and connected somewhere.”

That perspective carries into Adam’s work as a Nomad Futurist Foundation Ambassador, where he is focused on attracting new talent as data center and subsea investment accelerates across APAC. He highlights Australia’s role in global subsea connectivity and New Zealand’s renewable energy strength as forces turning the region into a critical digital crossroads in need of skilled people.

His message to newcomers is clear and encouraging. Opportunities span mechanical systems, networking, AI, and operations, and success comes from respecting the fundamentals and staying curious:

“Don’t just jump in as a VP going ‘I’ve got this’… work yourself into it; there’s a spot for you.”

The episode also shows the human side of a global career: Adam relies on music, movement, and simple meals to stay grounded while traveling for industry events and work, logging more than 100 flights and navigating relentless time zones. He highlights major event hosts, all partners and supporters of the Foundation, showcasing the community-driven side of the industry. While he plans to slow down, his commitment to the field remains unwavering:

“I’ll never miss a PTC, I’ll never miss an ITW, I’ll never miss a Capacity or a DataCloud… but at some point it’s about lifestyle and support.”

Connect with Adam Gibson on LinkedIn to continue the conversation and learn more about his work across APAC, digital infrastructure, and talent development.

Liliya is open about not coming from a tech background and how curiosity, not credentials, pulled her into data and infrastructure. Her mindset sets the tone for anyone wondering if they “belong” in technology:

“I think it’s not about what you are inclined towards. It’s about your willingness to learn something new every day, be curious and just, you know, be open to anything new.”

Liliya explains how witnessing both the potential of Ukrainian orphans and the effects of conflict inspired her and her husband to create a tangible solution. That solution became Hebron Academy, a comprehensive environment for disadvantaged youth:

“We bought a big facility, we call it Stanford for Orphans…providing not only education, future and hope to disadvantaged youth orphans in Ukraine, but also room and board, life skills, physical support, mental health care.”

She also speaks candidly about the human cost of war and the work needed to rebuild a nation beyond its infrastructure. For Liliya, trauma can become a source of resilience and strength:

“The biggest need…is not just rebuilding and investing into structures… but in people, helping them with the trauma…that trauma is not their weakness, but it’s their strengths…redirecting the pain into power.”

Liliya closes by highlighting that lasting change comes from service, community, and long-term relationships; not just technology or capital. Her story embodies the values at the heart of the Nomad Futurist Foundation: curiosity, courage, and compassion can turn even the darkest challenges into opportunities for innovation, growth, and meaningful impact.

To learn more about Liliya Valihun, connect with her on LinkedIn.

“This doesn’t feel like just another year. It feels like a turning point, and what’s different now is that the conversations are turning into commitments.”

From AI’s breakneck acceleration to heightened scrutiny around power, sustainability, and talent, Nabeel and Phil reflect on how digital infrastructure has shifted from a background utility to a front-page story, and how the Nomad Futurist Foundation has stepped into that spotlight to demystify the space for students, career-changers, and communities worldwide. Nabeel underscores this shift, noting:

“At some point, watching becomes a choice. This industry doesn’t need more spectators; it needs participants.”

The episode also explores what it truly means to build an organization that leads with action, not optics. As Nabeel reflects on the Foundation’s decision to take action and help bridge the digital gap:

“What I’m most proud of is that we didn’t wait for permission.”

The two speak candidly about the challenges of turning a podcast into a nonprofit, the reality of building a “volunteer army,” and the deliberate choice to keep the Foundation grounded in service rather than self-promotion. Nabeel highlights the Foundation’s approach, with Phil contributing his perspective on the importance of staying mission-driven:

“Nomad Futurist isn’t about branding; it’s about building pathways, and we’ve shown that a global foundation can move fast and still stay grounded.”

Looking ahead, the conversation shifts from growth to intentionality:

“The next phase is about depth, not just reach.”

Nabeel and Phil share plans to strengthen regional ecosystems, expand global efforts from North America and Europe to ANZ, and create frameworks and programs that outlast any individual, while keeping authenticity and measurable impact at the center. They highlight Mana Hui, a new “powerful gathering” launching at PTC in Hawaii, as an example of how curated, values-driven convenings can unite communities and leaders while honoring culture, responsibility, and true collaboration.

“The curation of Mana Hui reminds me that collaboration isn’t transactional; it’s relational, and the gathering isn’t about visibility, it’s about alignment.”

They close with both an invitation and a challenge to anyone who feels a stake in the future of technology, talent, and infrastructure:

“The future isn’t something we wait for; it’s something we build together. And I’m optimistic, not because it’s easy, but because people are finally stepping up.”

This episode is both a heartfelt reflection on all that the Nomad Futurist Foundation has accomplished this year and a rallying call for those ready to help shape what comes next, with gratitude for the progress made and excitement for what 2026 holds.

To learn more and get involved, visit the Foundation’s website here.

Lovisa opens up about the importance of following your passions while embracing unexpected career pivots. She reflects on how her early experiences — studying textiles, interning at APC, and later moving to China — shaped her approach to business and leadership: 

"Very rarely in life do we get a chance to press the stop button or pause button and rediscover what we want to do in life." 

Her story highlights the value of cross-industry learning. Lovisa explains how the skills she developed running her own small fashion business translated seamlessly into managing large-scale accounts in the tech sector: 

"The way I approached the job was the same way I approached growing a small fashion company. It's all about scaling, it's all about resources, it's about understanding the customer, understanding the business." 

Lovisa also emphasizes the need for purpose and continuous learning. After years in corporate leadership, she recently returned to school to deepen her technical knowledge in data center systems, enhancing her ability to authentically connect with customers: 

"If I could deepen my knowledge of everything I talk about every day with customers, that would give me purpose, that would kind of give me a sense of achievement." 

Finally, Lovisa offers practical advice for young people entering the workforce, urging them to consider trades and technical fields as viable and lucrative career paths. She stresses the combination of skill, opportunity, and entrepreneurship in shaping meaningful, high-impact careers. 

This episode is a fascinating exploration of adaptability, lifelong learning, and bridging diverse experiences to create professional success. 

To stay connected with Lovisa Tedestedt and learn more about her work, follow her on LinkedIn. 

Rebecca traces her path from taking apart transparent phones and building her first server at age 12 to overseeing power, cooling, connectivity, data centers, and cloud operations across GEICO’s 349 sites and expansive multi-cloud footprint. She distills her responsibilities with clarity: 

“Everything that we own, every site that we own, I own power, cooling, connectivity. I own all of the logical assets and physical assets at those locations.” 

Raised in a non-engineering family in Sacramento, Rebecca found a sense of belonging in the computer lab, where tech-minded counterculture kids and musicians helped root her in engineering. She reflects on that formative moment: 

“I found my people in the nerds. It had nothing to do with family... The tech came in from the nerds hanging out in the school.” 

Throughout the conversation, Rebecca underscores the importance of adaptability, long-term thinking, and focusing on the “so what” behind technology — capabilities she developed across roles in banking, fabs, semiconductors, EDA, and product management before moving into large-scale infrastructure leadership. 

Her advice for her younger self, and for today’s emerging technologists, is both simple and profound: 

“Stay curious. Hang out with the nerds… It is absolutely who you surround yourself with and where you focus your energy that defines your outcomes, especially in the world of AI.” 

Rebecca also speaks candidly about navigating male-dominated environments in finance, fabrication, and high-tech engineering, explaining how being an outsider ultimately became a leadership asset. She urges listeners not to let the experience of being “the only one” diminish their voice: 

“Being an outlier early, the hardest part is your own mental load. Worry less about what [people] think of you or that you think differently. Worry more about just asking the question.”  

In the end, Rebecca’s story is a testament to curiosity, resilience, and the power of community. Her journey demonstrates how embracing difference, seeking out passionate peers, and staying focused on meaningful impact can shape not just a career, but the future of technology itself. 

To learn more about Rebecca Weekly, connect with her on LinkedIn.  

Once a behind-the-scenes part of the tech ecosystem, data centers are now in the spotlight, sparking conversations in local communities and capturing public interest like never before. As Chris puts it: 

"Our worlds have officially collided with the rest of the outside world, more acutely, I think, in the last 12 months than in the previous 29 years.” 

Chris’s story begins in Tennessee, marked by early manual labor, a detour in college, and a pivotal turn through the U.S. Navy. Instead of letting early setbacks define him, he turned them into stepping stones, propelled by strong mentorship and relentless drive. His advice to anyone finding their way in tech rings clear: 

“Look for a mentor. If you find something you’re passionate about, a mentor can help guide you."  

And it's not just talk. Chris’s career proves that failure isn’t final, but rather often the foundation of future success: 

“Just because you failed doesn’t mean you can’t make it.” 

For newcomers curious about the industry, Chris offers one of the simplest — and most powerful — pieces of advice: ask questions. 

"If you want to ask [an industry veteran] something, they're more than happy to tell you all you want to know... That’s the thing kids, you got to start asking. Start probing.”   

Whether you’re a student, a career changer, or a technologist looking to deepen your impact, Chris Pruitt’s story is a blueprint for building a meaningful career in digital infrastructure. His message is timeless: resilience, mentorship, curiosity, and openness are the keys to thriving in an industry that’s evolving faster, and mattering more, than ever. 

Stay connected with Chris Pruit on LinkedIn to learn more.   

From his beginnings as a U.S. Marine to building and selling multiple data center companies, Doug’s career is a masterclass in grit, intuition, and purpose-driven innovation. Over more than three decades, he’s helped shape — and reshape — some of the most successful edge computing models in the industry. 

At the heart of Doug’s mission lies a deep belief in opportunity and education, especially for those too often overlooked. Inspired by a high school teacher who recognized his natural gift for connecting with people, Doug has built his career around opening doors for others. That teacher once told him: 

“You interact with people. You know how to treat people. And if you have a product, you can tell you’re passionate about it.” 

Today, through Duos Edge AI, Doug and his team are deploying modular “pods” across Texas school districts, bringing compute and connectivity closer to rural communities while helping schools cut costs and strengthen their networks. 

“We’re showing them about a 30% savings — while giving them redundancy, better connectivity, and even new ways to generate revenue.” 

But his vision goes far beyond infrastructure. Doug is working to install training pods directly on school campuses, giving students hands-on experience in data center operations, from racking and stacking to integration and design. It’s not just about building pipelines into the industry; it’s about creating pathways to lasting opportunity. 

Doug’s story is also one of humility and integrity. He’s experienced the highs of major exits and the lows of failed launches, yet his principles have never wavered: 

“When you owe somebody, you’ve got to pay them back — and you’ve got to give it 110%.” 

That mindset has earned him not only success, but deep trust from investors, partners, and peers alike. As Doug puts it: 

“I’m not the smartest guy in the room, but I surround myself with people who are smart in their own ways. Cancel all the outside noise. Do what you’re going to do — and do it until you hit the finish line.” 

Doug Recker continues to empower the next generation through education and opportunity, a mission that closely aligns with the Nomad Futurist Foundation’s vision of inspiring future leaders in digital infrastructure. 

To stay connected with Doug, follow him on LinkedIn.  

Emil shares how growing up amid Lebanon’s civil war shaped his perspective, leadership, and passion for innovation. From escaping a war zone by boat to leading transformative cloud and cybersecurity companies, his journey is a testament to courage, adaptability, and relentless optimism. 

Reflecting on his childhood during the conflict, Emil draws a profound connection between surviving chaos and thriving in high-stakes business environments: 

“When things are kind of dark, there’s always a sliver of hope… you’ve got to figure out what that light is and then chase it hard.” 

That spirit of resilience permeates both his life and leadership. Even in moments of crisis, Emil stresses perspective: 

“As long as nobody’s dying, you’re going to live another day — and you’re going to be stronger because of the experience.” 

His outlook on hardship offers timeless guidance for entrepreneurs navigating uncertainty and change. 

As Emil recounts his evolution from engineer to CEO of leading technology firms, he distills what separates truly impactful leaders: “Always behave like an owner, not an employee.” 

This mindset, he explains, transforms how people approach decision-making, accountability, and innovation. 

At the heart of Emil’s philosophy is a belief that leadership is ultimately about service and impact. In his forthcoming book, Make a Difference, he distills decades of experience into actionable insights for the next generation: 

“The way that you bring value to this short life that we live is by adding value to others.” 

From mentoring emerging professionals to championing ethical innovation, Emil’s message is both simple and profound: technology must elevate humanity. His story reminds us that greatness isn’t measured by titles or valuations, but by the people and communities we uplift along the way. 

To stay connected with Emil Sayegh, follow him on LinkedIn.  

Drawing on her own experience, Stephanie highlights the importance of guiding potential candidates into the sector and nurturing their growth from the very beginning: 

“I have a lot of passion around employee experience. For a lot of years, data center engineers and other roles based in a data center were often times overlooked or forgotten because people didn’t know about them or didn’t understand them.”   

A recurring theme was the value of curiosity, relationship-building, and proactive learning. Bryon and Stephanie stress that attributes such as asking questions, researching solutions, and building relationships are more important than any one technical credential. Stephanie observes: 

“Nobody expects you to know the answer to every single question, but they do expect you to know how to find the answer to that question.”  

This mindset is crucial in a rapidly evolving industry, where documented processes and ongoing upskilling are essential to success. 

The JLL leaders applauded efforts to demystify and democratize access to data center careers. They discuss the company's partnership with the Nomad Futurist Academy, which delivers foundational, free training to entrants of all backgrounds, helping, as Bryon puts it, to:  

“Give someone exactly what we need when we’re looking for a data center person... a minimum set of knowledge that you would expect from somebody who's got some experience in data centers.”  

The conversation covers the need for industry-wide collaboration, continual education, and the integration of emerging technologies like AR, VR, and AI in workforce development. Both guests emphasize the importance of community, mentorship, and a culture that makes employees feel at home and invested in their growth. 

This episode offers valuable insights for anyone interested in a career in digital infrastructure, no matter their background. Hear the full stories from Bryon Price and Stephanie Zimmerman on the latest Nomad Futurist Podcast and connect with them on LinkedIn. 

Co-hosts Nabeel Mahmood and Phillip Koblence sit down with Snehar to trace his remarkable journey: from his small-town beginnings in Eldoret, Kenya, to the fast-paced finance and telecom hubs of the UK, and ultimately back home to Kenya, where he’s shaping Africa’s digital future. 

Snehar’s path is one of intentional pivots and multidisciplinary mastery. Armed with an electrical engineering degree from Imperial College London and sharpened by years in global finance, he has cultivated a unique hybrid perspective:  

“I always considered it a superpower to have that ability to understand both worlds.”  

A central theme of this episode is Africa’s extraordinary leapfrogging potential: building world-class digital infrastructure without being constrained by legacy systems. Snehar underscores this through a striking example: 

“Kenya is the birthplace of mobile money... even today, M-Pesa does more transactions than Western Union does globally. More than 80% of Kenya’s GDP runs on the mobile phone.” 

Snehar’s vision extends well beyond infrastructure. Through Moringa School, an edtech platform training thousands of software engineers and data scientists, he is fostering local talent and driving growth by building strong networks and strategic partnerships:  

“In order to succeed, I believe in building the right ecosystem. Without it, if you’re doing it on your own, you’ll struggle." 

His ultimate vision for the future is ambitious yet clear: to help drive sustainable growth in African tech infrastructure and talent and export those successes globally.   

Want to follow along on Snehar’s journey? Connect with him on LinkedIn and witness how he’s driving the next wave of global digital transformation. 

“Nothing is off the table.”  

With that bold opener, Brian set the tone for an honest and wide-ranging discussion — the kind needed in an industry we strive to demystify. 

Brian’s path didn’t start in labs or government halls but rather began on golf courses. Once immersed in the world of elite tournaments with the USGA, he seemed destined for a future in sports. But after the tragic events of 9/11, and drawn by a family legacy of service, Brian answered the call and joined the Navy, where he rose quickly through the ranks:  

“I thought golf was my future… but I’ve always felt a call to serve. That call to service was pretty widespread for folks like me.”  

That sense of purpose carried him into the Navy’s nuclear propulsion program, where he discovered a passion for technology and translating complex ideas into action, especially for policy and government decision-makers. 

Now, Brian sits at the intersection of advanced nuclear development and the surging energy demands of AI and hyperscale infrastructure. With a deep background in defense nuclear policy and a sharp understanding of both systems and people, he offers a rare perspective on what's next: 

“The data center industry is starting to view nuclear power the same way the Navy views nuclear submarines.”  

Yet despite the scale and complexity of his work, Brian grounds his success, and the industry’s future, in something deeply human: 

“This is a human-driven business.... And the beauty is [we] are representative of our industry... [And] the networks in this industry are what make it [thrive].”  

Brian’s story is a masterclass in adaptability, service, and communication. It’s a reminder that curiosity, commitment, and community are what truly power progress. 

Connect with Brian Smith on LinkedIn to follow his insights on powering the next generation of infrastructure.  

Lynette’s commitment to real-world learning bridges the gap between schools, communities, and industries. Through work-based learning, she empowers students to shape meaningful futures, connecting education to opportunity and revealing possibilities they have yet to discover:  

“I believe in education-business-community partnerships. Bringing all three together is how we build stronger communities.” 

Every day, Lynette connects CEOs with classrooms, organizes data center tours, and sparks introductions that can launch careers. The outdated divide between “college track” and “trade track” is gone. Similar to the Nomad Futurist Foundation, she champions inclusive CTE programs where all students explore their interests together, no matter the career path. 

Lynette’s approach embraces diverse backgrounds and learning styles, proving that both hands-on and academic learners thrive in dynamic environments. For Lynette, college and career aren’t separate paths but opportunities every student should access. Learning becomes truly impactful when it shifts from abstract ideas to real-world experience. She shares stories of students touring data centers, touching servers, and discovering careers they never imagined:  

“Hands-on exposure creates excitement because it’s real and relevant. This relevance turns the tired question, ‘What do you want to be?’ into a journey full of possibility.”  

Reflecting on her own path shaped by curiosity and chance, Lynette now helps students explore, experiment, and even fail safely. By connecting them with digital careers and industry partners, she’s making school a launchpad for success. 

Her message to educators and community leaders is hopeful: students thrive when we reveal what’s possible and support their steps into new worlds: 

“I’m giving people the chance to explore and get a taste before investing time and money in college, certifications, or the workforce.” 

Connect with Lynette Gillson on LinkedIn to follow her work breaking barriers and turning education into a gateway for every student to explore and pursue their future. 

At the core of this conversation is Atif’s powerful thesis: the biggest challenges in large-scale development aren’t technical; they’re human. 

“A lot of my work with colleagues is based around human biases — both psychological and political biases — that go into estimation and execution of these projects.”  

Moving beyond spreadsheets and blueprints, Atif highlights how hidden forces like optimism bias, cultural dynamics, and political agendas often shape billion-dollar decisions more than facts on paper. 

Listeners follow Atif’s journey from academia to entrepreneurship, sparked by a candid conversation over coffee that led to the founding of Foresight:  

“In 2018, one of my executive education students... said ‘Look, I think there’s a business idea here.’ We [grabbed] coffee, then drinks... and Foresight was born.”  

Drawing on global comparisons, including China and his teams’ work in Israel, Atif argues that national motivation and collective purpose often trump money or even technology when it comes to getting projects done:  

“What people in China have is deep purpose around building their own nation, and that belief propels tremendous action... My team is in Israel [and has a] tremendous desire to propel faster delivery because people are motivated, intentional, and purposeful to get things done.”  

This episode challenges conventional thinking, positioning infrastructure not as a technical problem to solve, but as a test of collective intent, societal values, and human behavior. 

With wisdom, humility, and clarity, Atif reminds us why curiosity, continued learning, and a willingness to face hard truths are essential traits for anyone shaping our physical and digital world: “Stretch your mind.”  

Listen now and connect with Dr. Atif Ansar on LinkedIn.  

With decades of experience spanning data centers, fiber, submarine cables, towers, and beyond, Kemal guides listeners through the transformation of the communications ecosystem, from the early days of telecom to the rise of data centers as a critical, standalone industry. Along the way, he highlights how legal practice has evolved from broad generalism to deep specialization:  

“You need to have a fundamental understanding of the technology, the competitive landscape, and the client's business — including the risks and challenges they face.” 

The conversation dives into pressing industry challenges, from navigating GDPR and data sovereignty to the increasing demand for localized infrastructure driven by privacy and power constraints. Kemal also weighs in on the delicate balance between IT outsourcing and maintaining control, underscoring the friction between fast-moving innovation and slow-moving regulation: 

“Technology moves much, much faster than any legislative or regulatory process… Stick with broad principles and objectives rather than trying to regulate specific practices.” 

The discussion expands to AI’s explosive impact on infrastructure and energy demand, with Kemal addressing the legal and operational hurdles that lie ahead. Despite the complexity, his outlook is optimistic: 

"In the next 50 years, there is almost zero chance that there'll be any material decline. There could be periods of stagnation... but the need for our devices, our content, is not going anywhere. In fact, it’s just going to continue to proliferate.”  

Kemal closes with a powerful call to action for the next generation, encouraging young professionals to explore careers in digital infrastructure. A great place to start? The Nomad Futurist Academy — a free online learning platform designed to educate and inspire the next wave of industry leaders. 

Tap into more of Kemal Hawa’s thought leadership on LinkedIn.  

Chris opens the conversation with a clear mission, one shared by co-hosts Nabeel Mahmood and Phillip Koblence: to inspire the next generation by demystifying the path into digital infrastructure. Chris’ story stands out as a compelling blueprint for those whose careers may not follow a linear path. He reflects on his current role and the distinct market position of DigitalBridge: 

“We are the only infrastructure debt fund focused only on digital infrastructure. And we do this with a team of eight of us.... go[ing] out and provid[ing] capital to these businesses that need it to get to the next level.” 

Chris explains that DigitalBridge’s investment strategy is centered on the middle market — companies that are too large for venture capital but not yet ready for public markets or securitization. These businesses, often operating in data centers, fiber networks, and cell towers, require highly specialized and flexible capital to support key phases of growth. As he puts it: 

“In the middle market, you've got a lot of businesses that have the risk profile of mission-critical infrastructure, yet you can still get the yield that is typically associated with corporate loans. So, that’s the risk-return mismatch we’re looking for.” 

The conversation also explores Chris’ unconventional career path. Initially aiming for a completely different profession, he shares how a pivot early on led him toward finance and infrastructure — underscoring the value of remaining open to unexpected opportunities: 

“I initially was an education major when I went to college. I thought I was going to be a History Teacher. That was what I really wanted to do. And then, you know, very candidly, I found out within the first year what a History Teacher makes and realized that just wasn’t for me.”  

Throughout the episode, Chris offers valuable insight into both the technical and human aspects of the digital infrastructure world. His journey — from aspiring Educator to Managing Director of a specialized infrastructure debt fund — highlights the importance of adaptability, subject matter expertise, and seizing opportunities in a rapidly evolving industry. 

To learn more about Chris Moon’s work and insights, connect with him on LinkedIn.  

Though each brother carved a distinct path, both attribute their success to a combination of curiosity, opportunity, and foundational values instilled early in life. Their careers — spanning cloud computing, cybersecurity, infrastructure engineering, and executive leadership — evolved not through rigid planning but through openness to emerging industries and the willingness to take strategic risks. Will embraces:  

W: “I was very fortunate to have fallen into [the] industry... There was no playbook, there were no courses, there was nobody. They weren't teaching these types of things. And so, I just kind of fell in there, found something that I was good at and that I actually enjoyed doing." 

The brothers reflect on a mindset that shaped their respective careers: a blend of independence, initiative, and resilience. Sean recalls a family mantra that still drives him today: 

S: "Go be something, go make yourself something."   

What some might interpret as pressure, the Charnocks saw as empowerment — a call to action that sparked their entrepreneurial drive. They also speak to the complementary roles their parents played in shaping their outlooks on risk and stability. As Sean shares: 

S: “I think Will and I were pretty lucky... [Our mother] made sure we had insurance and [our father] would chase the entrepreneurial stuff.” 

Whether you're a tech veteran, an aspiring entrepreneur, or someone navigating a career pivot, this episode offers meaningful insight into the personal and professional dynamics that shape long-term success in the digital infrastructure space. 

To stay connected with the Charnocks, follow Sean and Will on LinkedIn.  

Umaima describes her entry into the field as “purely by accident,” highlighting how careers in digital infrastructure often go unnoticed by those outside the sector: 

“I fell into the data center industry... Before that, I wasn't — to be honest — very clear about how this industry works in a physical way.”  

A central theme of the conversation is Umaima’s deep commitment to student engagement. She previously led a cloud computing course for more than 700 students, aiming to equip the next generation with the skills the industry urgently needs: 

“I want to give the industry lots of talent that is coming up now. It’s about how the industry can come forward and pick this talent.” 

Through her dual roles as educator and ambassador, Umaima serves as a vital bridge between academia and industry — empowering students while facilitating the transfer of knowledge and opportunities. 

She also shares highlights from her outreach work, including a guest lecture at Kingsford Community School during British Science Week. The session drew over 300 Year 8 students, and she deliberately targeted this age group: 

“These students, typically between 12 and 14 years old, are at a stage where they’re choosing subjects that could shape their future careers... I felt this was the perfect time to introduce them to the data center industry.” 

The overwhelmingly positive response — particularly from female students — challenged stereotypes and affirmed the importance of early exposure to tech careers. 

Umaima concludes the conversation with a powerful call to action: a “holistic responsibility model” that unites academia, industry, and individuals to expand awareness and create entry points into the sector. She encourages data center operators to offer tours and hands-on experiences: 

“We need to make sure the next generation knows what’s out there and sees a place for themselves in this industry... It doesn’t take much time—but it can plant the seed.” 

To follow Umaima’s continued work at the intersection of education and digital infrastructure, connect with her on LinkedIn. 

A third-generation attorney and proud Bronx native, Jeff charted his own path by venturing into real estate law — only to find himself at the forefront of a rapidly emerging telecom landscape.

“Hope for the best. Plan for the worst. You have to have a plan B for everything,”

he shares — a mantra that’s guided him through industry shifts, tech booms, bankruptcies, and the rise of AI. 

Jeff recalls how his early experience writing roof rights and riser agreements evolved into building legal frameworks for everything from fiber and DAS to today’s AI compute needs. He reflects on the surge of powered land deals and the legal challenges around alternative energy sources:

“I think nuclear is the future of the data center industry — but it’s not today’s resource. It’s the next generation.” 

Despite the complexity and constant change, Jeff remains optimisitc for digital infrastructure.

“The industry isn’t going away — AI is just the next expansion point in the evolution of data infrastructure.” 

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the legal foundations that keep the digital world running. 

 To stay connected with Jeff Moerdler, follow him on LinkedIn. 

Arnav's interest in digital infrastructure began unexpectedly during a Barclays internship, where he was tasked with researching NVIDIA. As he reviewed the company's financials, he discovered the data center industry’s massive profitability, which piqued his curiosity. 

“I saw that they were making a lot of money from this industry called data centers... their revenue increased by 200% from 2022 to 2023 and 250% from 2023 to 2024. And I’m like, okay, what is this?” 

Encouraged by his family and guided by the practical wisdom of his uncle, Arnav chose to study in the U.S., focusing on finance and technology — an intersection that has opened up new doors and perspectives. 

"My uncle is also in the financial industry [and joked that I was] being stupid applying to colleges in the UK. [He said,] ‘Apply for colleges in the U.S.; exposure is better, college education is better... markets are more mature."  

Later in the conversation, Arnav shares insights on the cultural transformation taking place in India, where younger generations are increasingly drawn to finance and entrepreneurship. He notes a shift in mindset—one that supports exploration beyond traditional career paths. 

"My parents have been very flexible in terms of, ‘what do you want to do?’... I was never forced to do anything in terms of choosing a career path." 

Arnav’s story is a testament to the power of curiosity and global support in shaping the future of young professionals in digital infrastructure. As he steps into the digital infrastructure space, his perspective brings a refreshing lens to the future of the industry — and the next generation shaping it. 

Want to follow Arnav’s journey after graduation? Connect with him on LinkedIn.     

Charter begins by recounting his unconventional entry into technology, driven by necessity while living out of his 1971 Volkswagen bus and attending law school: 

 “I got a job working in technology for no other reason than they needed someone that spoke Spanish... Because of that, I was able to get into an apartment, get out of my VW bus, finish up law school, and stay in tech.” 

From there, Charter went on to found WBS Connect, building the business from the ground up. Despite its success, he offers a candid look behind the scenes of entrepreneurship: 

“Entrepreneurship is not as cool as it looks from the outside. There's a lot of work on the inside, [for instance], on Christmas morning - when all of my staff around the world were opening presents with their family, I was taking Tier 1, Tier 2 support.”  

His appetite for adventure and risk-taking is clear from stories like impulsively moving to Amsterdam and launching a travel business in Costa Rica. Today, at Oracle, Charter’s focus has shifted to the rapidly evolving world of AI and cloud strategy, where continuous learning is a must: 

“I get to go around and talk about what's going on in AI and... spend more time than I even did in law school reading. I just can't believe how much time it takes to keep up with the AI trends that are going on.”  

From living in a VW bus to shaping the future of AI strategy, Charter’s journey is a powerful testament to adaptability, risk-taking, and a relentless drive for innovation.  

To follow Scott Charter on his next adventure, connect with him on LinkedIn.  

Nguyen’s career took an unexpected turn when he discovered his passion for medicine was actually driven by a desire to run a business, not practice medicine. This realization led him to explore telecom sales during the dot-com boom, ultimately paving the way for his entrepreneurial ventures:  

"The appeal of being a doctor, when I really broke it down, was becoming a businessperson. It wasn’t actually the medicine aspects of it." 

At Inflect, Nguyen built a platform that simplifies global access to digital infrastructure, enabling organizations to easily connect with the resources they need. With a clear vision and a user-first approach, he and his team are redefining how businesses access critical digital tools:  

"Our simple mission is to make it easy for anybody in the world to find the infrastructure they need to build great apps and connect to their employees, their customers, themselves."  

The conversation takes a personal turn as Nguyen reflects on his Vietnamese-American immigrant experience, sharing how his family’s escape from post-war Vietnam shaped his resilience and entrepreneurial spirit:  

"For us, it wasn’t really a dream — it was escaping a nightmare… It was about getting to a point where you can be somewhat stable and start rebuilding a community."  

Nguyen encountered significant setbacks throughout his career, including positions at companies that collapsed during the telecom bust. However, he turned these challenges into opportunities by launching his own ventures:  

"Every company I touched ended up collapsing… Then I started a business, and they keep trying to kill me, but they can’t."  

His determination exemplifies the resilience needed to succeed in volatile industries, showcasing how personal history, adaptability, and entrepreneurial vision can come together to drive success. 

To stay connected with Mike Nguyen, follow him on LinkedIn.  

Thiele reflects on his decision to step away from the corporate grind, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing personal passions and meaningful connections. He candidly shares the sacrifices he made throughout his career and the realization that true fulfillment comes from dedicating time to the people and experiences that matter most: 

"I'm going to find the time to do the things that I've always wanted to do and spend the time with the people that I've always wanted to spend time with. There was a big portion of my career where I was gone 50-70% of the time year after year."  

Sharing his unconventional entry into the tech world, Thiele highlights the industry’s vast opportunities for growth, reinforcing the idea that determination and hard work can pave the way to success:  

"I came into the industry without a college degree. I started at the bottom — which is, you know, like it or not, kind of how we're trying to bring in new people. Start at the bottom. The opportunities to move up are almost endless." 

Thiele also stresses the importance of seeing the bigger picture, urging professionals to go beyond technical skills and understand how their work fits into the broader ecosystem: 

"Don't let yourself get caught up in just being the best C++ programmer...or best HVAC or airflow planner... Understand what those things are a part of. Understand what influences the reasons for people to use the things that you work on or that you build or that you deploy."  

Thiele’s insights provide valuable guidance for professionals at all stages, emphasizing continuous learning, a broad perspective, and work-life balance in an ever-evolving industry. 

Stay connected with Mark Thiele on LinkedIn.

Moon's background diverges from the typical telecom executive path. With over 20 years of experience in consumer technology at CES in Las Vegas, he brings a fresh perspective to the digital infrastructure sector. He acknowledges his ongoing learning process: 

"Although I've been in the tech industry for many years, I still consider myself as much of a newbie as possible to digital infrastructure in our industry now, because now I'm learning a lot more so on what happens on the backend." 

Highlighting the essential role of digital infrastructure, Moon underscores the vital impact of PTC’s work in sustaining modern society’s technological advancements: 

"None of our cool kids' stuff – television, technology, healthcare - none of it works without what our industry does.” 

Moon's relocation to Honolulu to lead PTC represents a significant personal and professional milestone. Born in Guam and later moving to the US mainland, he views this opportunity as a "full circle moment:”  

"I can't believe I'm here now, and I'm working, it's unbelievable." 

Despite PTC's 47-year history and significant presence, Moon acknowledges that the organization remains relatively unknown within Hawaii. He expresses his commitment to changing this, explaining:  

"[PTC is the] best kept secret in the Pacific and we're slowly unwrapping that, and we're going to get bigger and better." 

To stay updated on Brian Moon's insights and PTC's initiatives, connect with him on LinkedIn.  

Early on in his career, Sullivan started a business with his father providing mechanical and design solutions for existing industrial infrastructure. He credits his entrepreneurial spirit to early experiences and his parents' unwavering support, stressing the need to question established practices:

"The one sentence, which I really hate is, we've always done it this way. Just because we've done something one way for a hundred years doesn't mean there's not an alternative."

Showcasing his proactive approach to identifying and implementing sustainable technologies, Sullivan was inspired to build his own legacy, going on to found Air2O, a leading provider of innovative and energy-efficient HVAC solutions. He explains:

“What I wanted to do was really start a company, which from the ground up allowed us to effectively provide engineered solutions in a competitive manner. So the idea of Air2O was permeating for quite a few years.”

Emphasizing the enduring impact of family values and the continuation of an entrepreneurial tradition, Sullivan proudly shares how his family's legacy is being furthered in the HVAC sector through his son’s involvement with Air2O. He notes:

"Tom, my eldest son, left the military when we started Air2O. And was essentially a co-founder within Air2O. He joined us here in Arizona and he's certainly carrying that torch."

Mike Sullivan's story exemplifies how a willingness to think outside the box and embrace one’s roots can lead to impactful innovation within a dynamic industry.

Stay connected with Sullivan on LinkedIn to learn more.

 ECL was founded with the goal of transforming traditional data centers — making them more accessible, efficient, and high-performing. Bachar explains:

"We started to create and deliver an alternative data center solution in the market, and it was pre-AI. We had a vision to actually be able to create an alternative to the core locations that are accessible to everybody.”

 At the core of this vision is ECL’s off-grid, hydrogen-powered data center, eliminating the need for UPS systems and diesel generators. Bachar highlights the safety and reliability of hydrogen as an energy source, emphasizing ECL's direct pipeline connections and stringent safety protocols to mitigate risks:

 "So the refineries in the area of Houston are heavy, heavy users of hydrogen, and they use it in their process for refining oil into gasoline... Imagine that they're operating this as part of a petrochemical process, right? So if it was dangerous and not manageable, they would not use it."

 Bachar unveils ECL’s expansion plans with a one-gigawatt Texas site, designed to support both large AI models and smaller applications. Its modular, off-grid architecture enables rapid deployment and ensures it stays ahead of AI advancements: 

 "We are looking for a solution right now, and it's coexisting [with] what's called, ‘over the fence,’ with those sites and actually taking from them the energy directly... transitioning it into a data center quality power with on-site storage."

Stay connected with Yuval Bachar on LinkedIn for updates on how ECL is redefining data center infrastructure for a more sustainable and AI-driven future.

Lukaj’s story begins in an Italian refugee camp, where his parents sought a better future. He reflects on the circumstances that led them to leave their homeland:

"The thing that caused my parents to leave their homeland was seeking employment. They lived in an environment where employment wasn't possible for them due to discrimination and apartheid regime at the time in former Yugoslavia.”

Despite growing up in a challenging environment, Lukaj saw education as his gateway to new opportunities. He shares how continuous learning broadened his perspective:

"I found my academic pursuits in large measure – kept opening up new horizons, new perspectives, new opportunities – over time … I knew of nothing else that could open up those kinds of pathways.”

While he was initially drawn to engineering, Lukaj’s career took an unexpected turn after he attended a lecture that reshaped his ambitions. This pivotal moment led him to explore the intersection of finance and technology:

"I happened to hear a speaker talk about the coalescence of finance and engineering as being something that my generation is going to see a lot more of. And I felt like I had been investing pretty heavily on more of my technical education, but hadn't really thought about finance or economics.”

Through every challenge, Lukaj credits family support and optimism for helping him persevere. He reflects on the tenacity that adversity instilled in him:

"We had trials and tribulations, but I think in many cases it built a family of great resilience and in some respects an optimism that had to overcome all of the drudgery that was around us on an average day.”

This engaging conversation with Richard Lukaj offers listeners a compelling narrative of perseverance, the value of education, and the power of seizing opportunities in unexpected places.

Stay connected with Lukaj on LinkedIn to learn more.

Phil, a seasoned expert in the data center sector, introduced Rob to the industry at an early age, fostering his natural curiosity and entrepreneurial spirit:

"He's always been curious and interested, and I always encourage that. So from early, early on he had a real interest in videography – so we fostered that.”

This nurturing approach extended beyond simple exposure to technology. Phil involved Rob in practical, hands-on projects that combined technical expertise with entrepreneurship. These early experiences profoundly shaped Rob’s career, fueling his commitment to sustainability and circularity in the tech industry. Rob’s work with Molg today exemplifies this passion:

"We work on creating circularity in the world of electronics. We do that in two ways. We build robotic systems — what we call 'micro factories' — that disassemble end-of-life servers, laptops, and industrial electronics, redeploying critical assets into second, third, fourth, and fifth life applications."

Together, Phil and Rob stress the importance of understanding the tangible aspects of digital infrastructure, a perspective they attribute to firsthand experience. Rob’s dedication to sustainability has sparked innovative approaches to addressing the environmental challenges facing the tech industry. He encapsulates this forward-thinking vision:

"If we're only thinking in this linear 'take, make, waste' kind of process, we cannot build the infrastructure that we need to sustain the next level of compute without reusing more of what we have — and doing that without compromise. So, how do we bring the latest and greatest technology to be able to do that?”

This episode of Nomad Futurist highlights the incredible impact of experiential learning and intergenerational collaboration. By fostering curiosity and offering hands-on opportunities to the next generation, it demonstrates how innovation can be applied to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the technology industry today.

Connect with Phill and Rob Lawson-Shanks on LinkedIn to learn more.

Miller got his journalism start in high school, where he started writing about sports for the school newspaper. This early experience led him to pursue journalism at Rutgers University, where he honed his skills at the student newspaper, The Daily Targum:

"Covering sports on deadline ... was one of the best training exercises you could have for a career in journalism. You really learned everything that you need to know to succeed."

After years of covering sports, Miller decided to pursue a change of pace, making a strategic shift to business journalism. In a surprising turn of events, his first day coincided with a significant event in financial history:

"My first day on the business desk was October 19th, 1987, which was the day that the DOW fell 22%. So I got to jump right into a major story happening in my first day on business."

Feeling pulled to a new direction after spending some time in the business world, Miller found himself drawn to technology reporting as the internet began to emerge as a transformative force. His years in the journalism industry allowed him to see the internet's potential as a publishing medium early on:

"The first time I logged onto America Online, it was a revelation. It was like, oh, this isn't just about reading stuff. This is a publishing medium that immediately took all of the cost out of the equation."

His fascination with technology already budding, Miller's entry into the world of data centers came through a chance encounter when he was told to walk through a data center. After being introduced to the concept of carrier hotels and data centers, he had a pivotal experience:

"You walk into the data center and this entire world reveals itself ... I'm just looking everywhere at this world and it made that connection, the light bulb went off over my head."

This experience led Miller to recognize the growing importance of data center infrastructure in the digital age, igniting a new passion and setting the stage for his future career focus. His journey from sports writing to technology journalism is a testament to how being versatile and eager to explore new areas of interest can create opportunity.

To learn more about Rich Miller, connect with him on LinkedIn.

The Nomad Futurist Foundation continues to break new ground as a global advocate for the data infrastructure sector. Established with a mission to bridge the growing gap between the rapidly evolving technology sector and untapped talent, the Foundation has achieved monumental milestones in its quest to inspire and educate the next generation of leaders.

One of its standout successes has been the launch of innovative internship programs, designed to provide life-changing opportunities for young talent to engage with the world of digital infrastructure. These programs enable students to gain critical hands-on experience, preparing them to tackle the challenges and demands of this dynamic industry.

“From just this year, we’ve had roughly a dozen students participate in internships on a national scale,” shared Nabeel Mahmood, co-founder of Nomad Futurist.

His sentiment was echoed by fellow co-founder Phillip Koblence, who added, “Two years into this foundation, we’ve successfully placed individuals who otherwise would never have known about our industry into opportunities that have the potential to shape their career journeys. This progress is truly monumental.”

Beyond the internship programs, the Foundation continues to solidify its presence with influential conferences and events, acting as a critical nexus for key industry stakeholders while inspiring meaningful discussions and collaborations. These forums foster innovation, address pressing challenges, and create actionable strategies that drive the industry forward. By engaging leaders, educators, and innovators from diverse backgrounds, the Foundation promotes a culture of inclusivity and forward-thinking.

The platform has quickly become an essential resource for industry professionals, students, and educators, as the Foundation reinforces its reputation as an industry pioneer spearheading transformative initiatives. Through its extensive efforts, the organization is not just enabling career readiness but is shaping the industry narrative with a focus on sustainability, technological advancement, and societal impact. Its initiatives, which extend from mentorship programs to advocacy for digital infrastructure's role in global development, reflect a commitment to long-term growth and transformation.

Stay connected with the latest updates from the Nomad Futurist Foundation by following Nabeel Mahmood and Phillip Koblence. Their contributions underscore the mission's broader objective to create opportunities that empower individuals and inspire collective progress. By joining their efforts, you become part of a movement striving to create sustainable digital ecosystems, build resilient infrastructure, and foster fresh, innovative perspectives within the industry.

For inquiries and partnership opportunities, visit www.nomadfuturist.org.

At the age of twelve, Bako immigrated to the United States from a small Nigerian town. His father, a pastor, was sponsored by missionaries to study at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio. The family's immigration process was fraught with difficult decisions, as Bako recounts:

"My mom was given a visa when I was ten years old ... she had thirty minutes to decide which of the two of the four kids she was going to give the visa to because the embassy only approved two of the four visas for the kids."

This decision marked a significant turning point in Bako's life, highlighting the sacrifices and difficult choices faced by migrating families.

Upon his arrival in America, Bako encountered the challenge of adapting to a new culture and language. His multilingual background proved advantageous in navigating this transition. Bako emphasizes how these early experiences shaped his worldview:

"Perspective in so many regards is the definition of my experience in life ... I've had so many instances where I was able to reflect on the fact that I didn't grow up here ... it grounded my ability to have composure in circumstances where I naturally otherwise would not."

Bako's upbringing instilled a strong work ethic and a focus on education. He notes that his parents prioritized academic success over material possessions, further fueling his ambitions:

“We didn't grow up watching TV ... Our parents valued education so much ... [My parents] made it very clear that you are a function of how hard you can work in spite of the circumstances."

Bako's story illustrates his resilience and unique perspective as well as the transformative power of education, particularly within immigrant communities. His success demonstrates the power of dedication and groundedness in achieving one’s dreams.

To learn more about Ojonimi Bako, connect with him on LinkedIn.

Lombardi's career trajectory exemplifies the power of embracing change and following one's passion. His unique background, combining majors in philosophy and economics with an early fascination for technology, set the stage for a diverse career path. This journey began with web editing during the internet boom and culminated in his current leadership role in the data center industry:

"My beginning in technology was named Atari and then Commodore. So, it was gaming. And I think I am proud of it … I recognize that since we all started with that, we are in a generation that maybe understands a little bit more what's happening."

This early engagement with technology proved instrumental in shaping Lombardi's future career choices and his ability to navigate the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

A pivotal moment in Lombardi's career came with his move to Brazil. What began as a short-term assignment with PwC transformed into a permanent relocation after meeting his future wife. This decision marked a significant turning point in both his personal and professional life. Lombardi emphasizes the importance of following one's instincts when making such life-altering decisions:

"I understand because it's not easy to do [these] kind[s] of steps. You really need to follow your instinct – like your true passion – because she now is the mother of my three kids and I'm so happy."

Throughout the podcast, Lombardi provides insightful comparisons between the work cultures in Italy and Brazil. His observations shed light on the contrasting approaches to innovation he encountered in the two countries:

"Northern Europe or Northern Italy, it's a tough place to live in. Like people, they work a lot... If you want to do something new, they say, ‘Alessandro, if it was good, somebody already would have done it. Forget about doing something new. Just stay where you are.’ That's kind of typical. And on the contrary, Brazil is an emerging market. So people, when you come with something new, they are happy. They embrace it."

Lombardi’s journey serves as a powerful reminder of the value in trusting your instincts and embracing new experiences. His story illustrates how a diverse background can lead to unique opportunities and innovative paths in the ever-changing tech landscape.

Stay connected with Alessandro Lombardi on LinkedIn.

DeMartino’s journey into recruitment began with his father's decision to start a recruiting firm after leaving MCI. He joined the family business in 2009 bringing a unique blend of professional backgrounds, including experience in politics and military service, to the table. DeMartino described the dynamic of working in a family business:

"The beautiful part about working for family is you scream, you yell, you fight, you have lunch, and you kind of rinse and repeat. And then you go home and it starts the normal family type of dynamic after that. To do it for this many years – it's actually a treat."

DeMartino discussed how the company has grown and expanded its focus over the years:

"We've grown the business pretty significantly from working on voice-related positions in the early 2000s to high level data center operations roles, Chief Revenue Officers, Chief Financial Officer positions – I mean, we've pretty much gone up the stack."

One of the key points DeMartino emphasized was the importance of the human aspect in recruitment, especially in an age of AI and automated hiring processes. He further highlighted the significance of building relationships and truly understanding clients' needs to be successful in recruitment:

"For years I never realized how important [it] was to go to conferences… In the last couple of years, [these conferences have been] focusing on understanding the client's needs and understanding the client in general. That's what ultimately leads to a long-term relationship and partnership."

DeMartino offered essential insights into the recruitment industry, highlighting the significance of personal connections, company culture and the human touch in aligning candidates with the right roles.

Stay connected with Matt DeMartino on LinkedIn.

Richardson's career took an unexpected turn when she transitioned from aspiring congressional lobbyist to talent acquisition leader at STACK North America:

“I was supposed to be a congressional lobbyist ... and then [Congressman Dick Durbin] came out one day and he said, ‘Hey, I just bought this new system and nobody knows how to use it. Who wants to help’ and, of course, I'm a computer geek, so I raised my hand.”

Discussing her current role in hiring critical operations technicians, Richardson highlights the intersection of technology and human resources, and further reveals how vital skilled professionals are to the infrastructure sector:

“What Ido on a daily basis is that I hire what we call critical operations technicians… I find and hire these people every single day. They are the foundation of the industry.”

Richardson expresses a desire to “marry politics and tech,” indicating her commitment to bridging gaps in these fields and creating pathways for women to succeed. Her experiences serve as an inspiration for those looking to navigate similar challenges.

She highlights the essential nature of confidence for women in the workplace, asserting that her self-assurance stems from a focus on her own path rather than comparing herself to others:

“I never paid attention to what other people were doing around me. When I created my first women’s network in 2009, apparently there were several others just like mine. But I didn’t know because I didn’t look on Google.”

Richardson's journey from Capitol Hill to tech leadership exemplifies the power of adaptability, confidence, and a willingness to embrace new opportunities. Her insights offer valuable lessons for professionals navigating career transitions and underscore the importance of empowering women in technology and politics.

Stay connected with Vee Richardson on LinkedIn.

Lawrence's career path exemplifies the diverse opportunities within the data center sector. He transitioned from manufacturing to end-user roles, gaining a comprehensive understanding of data center operations:

“I was going from just a very small niche part of mechanical engineering, economizing and things to understanding the whole scope of a data center in terms of power and distribution … So that was probably the real sort of rocket, if you want to call it, of me going from manufacturing, to sort of, being involved in the data center, and then talking to clients.”

He further emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of careers in the data center industry, highlighting the importance of understanding how various systems within a data center work together to function:

"As the data centers have grown, and the scale of the problem has become so much bigger, the interrelationship has become much more focused."

Lawrence's career trajectory focuses on the importance of adaptability and continuous learning within the industry. The interconnectivity of data center systems creates opportunities for professionals to expand their expertise beyond their initial specializations:

"I could never have dreamed that I would've been doing those types of things, but it's amazing how you can leverage different skill sets to build on and help support different, other parts of the business."

This adaptability has allowed Lawrence to take on diverse responsibilities, from designing sustainability programs to working on ESG initiatives and energy procurement. He also touches on the importance of curiosity in professional growth:

"Stay inquisitive. Be curious. Continue to try and learn a little bit about [the] subject matter, and in this industry, the likelihood is – you're going to get that exposure."

Stuart Lawrence's insights offer valuable perspectives for professionals in or considering a career in the data center industry. His journey illustrates the dynamic nature of the field and the opportunities for growth and innovation that exist within it.

Stay connected with Stuart on LinkedIn.

“One of the things I do [that’s] so rewarding is gather[ing] technology from startups, from universities, from other businesses, from even the most sophisticated customers and clients. [I] package it up and allow our internal technology teams to leverage that for new products and designs. It's probably the coolest job in the world, and it's definitely the coolest job I've ever had."

This unique position enables Ratcliff to act as a conduit between emerging technologies and their practical applications within Vertiv, fostering innovation across the company.

Ratcliff attributes his early interest in technology to his "odd uncle," who introduced him to electronics and ham radio. This personal experience shaped Ratcliff's approach to innovation and his commitment to nurturing new talent in the field.

Ratcliff’s journey into engineering wasn't without obstacles. He recounts a pivotal moment from his time at Ohio State University:

"The Assistant Dean sat down with me and said ‘Greg, we don't feel you're cut out for engineering. Maybe you should move to mathematics.’ And I did, and about 6 months later, that same dean… decided to go out on his own and start a company to do microprocessor development."

This experience led Ratcliff to join a startup that eventually found success, demonstrating his resilience and passion for technology despite initial discouragement. He further discusses the development of data center monitoring and management systems, highlighting the critical nature of real-time data:

"From a data perspective, I think the big thing to keep in mind is that time matters. So as the power systems became more and more critical to the operation, you needed to have an immediate alert.”

This insight underscores the vital role of real-time monitoring in modern data centers, where even brief power interruptions can have significant consequences.

Ratcliff continues to drive Vertiv's technological advancements, bridging the gap between emerging technologies and practical applications in the data center industry. Stay connected with Greg Ratcliff and follow his journey on LinkedIn.

Rossabi grew up on the Upper West Side of New York City, where his professor parents instilled in him a love for learning. This academic background inspired Rossabi to pursue a law degree and briefly work as a district attorney in the U.S. Attorney's office in New York City. In 1998, Rossabi shifted his career path and joined a telecom startup, Justice Telecom. He recalls:

"My best friend from growing up’s college roommate started this company and they're like, 'Hey, you seem like an aggressive guy, come out here and let's have you run network services and procurement.'"

This move marked the beginning of Rossabi's long career in the telecom and data center industry.

Reflecting on the early days of the industry, Rossabi paints a vivid picture of the bustling conference scene and the excitement that surrounded this rapidly evolving field:

“That’s kind of how you meet people, and the conferences were much more abundant back then, and they were insane… This is when the heyday of telecom money was out of control.”

Now leading OCOLO, an online marketplace for data centers, Rossabi remains deeply involved in the industry and further highlights the importance of community support within tech:

"I think we talk a lot about making money, but not about helping others grow within the space, and I think that’s critically important.”

Rossabi's passion for the industry and appreciation for his learning experiences throughout the journey are evident. His path from law to telecom to data centers illustrates the dynamic nature of the tech industry and the opportunities it presents for career growth and evolution.

Stay connected with Rossabi on LinkedIn to be part of his story as he navigates and shapes the ever-evolving landscape of the dynamic industry.

Suinaga’s early fascination with technology, influenced by his father's passion, set the stage for his future career. Growing up in Mexico City, he was among the first kids to have a computer at home, an experience that laid the groundwork for his future in the field.

His entry into the data center industry was an unexpected turn during his business studies. He landed an internship at KIO Networks, Mexico's leading data center operator, initially in marketing and sales:

"I started as an intern, basically on the marketing and sales side of things… I was like the interim role supervising operations and nonetheless, my background wasn't technical.”

This blend of business acumen and technical curiosity set Suinaga apart, leading to increased responsibilities. He shares his commitment to learning, and pursuing certifications in data center design and management. Suinaga further emphasizes the importance of putting technical concepts into applicable terms for stakeholders:

"You need to translate to their financial language, to their business strategy language."

The conversation turns to Suinaga’s involvement with Infrastructure Masons in 2018, inspired by Dean Nelson's founding of the association. Particularly motivated by the Climate Accord initiative, which aims to unify industry efforts toward achieving net-zero goals, Suinaga reflects:

“I was one of the lucky ones that were present when the Climate Accord was born. And I remember that was a game-changing moment in my mindset because I remember I thought it was going to be another AC meeting.”

Suinaga's current leadership position at iMasons stems from a profound realization about his role in the industry. Reflecting on his two decades of experience, he shares a pivotal moment of self-awareness:

"For almost twenty years, [I’ve been| sitting here waiting for somebody else to figure it out and solve some of the challenges we have in our industry. Let somebody else figure it out… But I said, well no, let’s play a more active role and… give back to the industry.” 

Suinaga's journey emphasizes the value of lifelong learning and adaptability. The collaboration between iMasons and Nomad Futurist enhances this mission in developing the next-generation workforce in the field.

Connect with Santiago on LinkedIn and stay updated on his journey with iMasons.

Nomad Futurist and Infrastructure Masons (IMasons) are aligning for something truly transformative. We can’t reveal all the details just yet, but let’s just say… the future of our industry is about to get even more exciting! Stay tuned for what’s next.

Claiborne's interest in technology was sparked by early experiences with video games and computer hardware. Her academic path took a surprising turn when she pursued a bachelor's degree in genetics with a minor in computer science. This distinctive combination was inspired by an article about sequencing the human genome, which she read in sixth grade. She recalls thinking even then,

"If you could build humans from code, essentially, or anything, any life, all life we have on this planet is built from DNA, which is essentially a language, like a computer language. If you could master that, you could build life."

Claiborne's career has spanned both startup and corporate environments, with a focus on software and infrastructure. She worked for a bank in the IT department as well as being part of the team that built Tower Records. Notably, she mentions,

"At the time, towerrecords.com was bigger than Amazon for selling music."

This experience provided valuable insights into how technology can disrupt established industries. Claiborne reflects on the challenges faced by traditional businesses in adapting to digital changes, particularly in the music industry.

Claiborne specifically emphasizes her love for problem-solving, highlighting this interest as a core aspect of her personal and professional identity:

"I really am a problem solver. And I think you'll hear a lot of engineers say that. It's a very common theme with engineers. But when I was really forced to think about it, I enjoy problems and I enjoy, like taking them apart, looking at them from different angles and then figuring out not just a solution, but all possible solutions.”

This fundamental aspect of her personality has not only influenced her professional choices but has also been a guiding force in her approach to technology and innovation. Throughout her journey, Claiborne has consistently sought out opportunities that allow her to engage with challenging issues and develop creative solutions, particularly in startups:

"I've done a lot of startups as part of that – because startups are the best space that we have in this capitalistic society to explore problems and be able to pick them apart, and do all these things and still make a good living and support yourself and your family.”

Anna Claiborne's journey showcases the evolving nature of technology and the importance of adaptability in the face of industry disruptions. Her unique blend of genetics and computer science knowledge, coupled with her problem-solving approach, has positioned her at the forefront of technological innovation.

Stay connected with Claiborne on LinkedIn.

Pinto’s initial passion for mechanical engineering, inspired by a childhood fascination with cars, led her to internships at Chrysler and Harley Davidson. Despite these experiences pointing towards a career in automotive engineering, Pinto found herself drawn to the data center industry after a recruiter recognized her skills and potential. This shift allowed her to explore new challenges and contribute to a field she now finds exhilarating.

“I honestly thought that I wasn't smart enough to be in data centers. I always thought it was just a big white building with no windows, and who knows what goes on in there? It's like the World of Oz.”

At BVPI, Pinto embraces the role of an “Emerger,” focusing on cultivating emerging projects and clients. Her role is pivotal in providing the necessary support to project managers and laying a solid foundation for projects that show potential. Her innovative approach reflects her commitment to nurturing growth and helping shape future industry leaders.

“And that is what my job is, to help give [my clients] the legs [to stand on] and give the support to our project managers as needed.”

Pinto is passionate about the continuous learning opportunities within the data center sector. She finds the industry’s rapid evolution both challenging and rewarding, offering new insights and personal growth. Pinto’s enthusiasm for sharing her knowledge with the next generation underscores her belief in the sector’s transformative potential and her dedication to fostering innovation.

“Every day I have learned something new. Either it is about the industry itself, about me and my career, how to develop myself as a leader, how to effectively communicate – every day I've learned something new. So that kind of excites me and I can share that excitement, hopefully, with the next generation.”

Towards the end of the podcast, Pinto addresses professional assumptions and stereotypes, highlighting her “I am Mr. Pinto” campaign emphasizing her commitment to earning respect and promoting a positive professional environment.

“People assume that I'm a male when in certain roles that I hold. So, I developed the hashtag of #IAmMrPinto. I am that person that you think I am, so this is the respect that is due to me. Because you respected me in my emails, now respect me in person.”

Pinto's journey from mechanical engineering to the dynamic world of data centers illustrates the power of embracing new opportunities and continually seeking personal and professional growth. Her experiences serve as an inspiring reminder of how passion and adaptability can open doors to exciting and rewarding career paths.

Stay connected with Pinto on LinkedIn.

Olson shares concerning accounts, such as instances where job offers were rescinded due to pregnancy, highlighting the urgent need for the industry to foster a more accommodating and supportive environment.

“Women [need to] know that there is a path for them if they want to be a mother, as well to be a mother and be in the data center space.”

Mentorship and company culture were identified as critical factors in retaining women in the industry. Despite holding high positions, Olson describes many women feeling a lack of clear advancement opportunities, often due to the absence of visible mentors. She underscores the necessity for companies to beyond rhetoric and actively support women through flexible work arrangements and empathetic leadership, enabling them to balance personal and professional responsibilities.

“Our focus is really helping women in the data center space, helping them grow, helping them find mentorship, helping them find the path for them to not only stay in the data center space but thrive in the data center space.”

The episode concludes with a call for cultural change and early engagement with younger generations to introduce them to the industry. Olson emphasizes the importance of moving towards a more performance-based evaluation system, where employees are judged by their output rather than physical presence, and the need to inspire future talent to pursue careers in this vital sector.

“The older generation I used to say that they used to measure their success by the number of cars in the parking lot or the number of…. seats in the offices. That's certainly started to change quite a bit and particularly in our sector… At the end of the day, the most important thing… It's culture. And it's respect and being empathetic, right? And trusting people, that's the most important thing.”

Olson calls for a paradigm shift in how the data center industry supports and advances women. She highlights the critical need for a culture that values empathy, trust, and flexibility, ensuring that women, particularly those balancing motherhood, can thrive in their careers.

Connect with Olson and stay updated on her ongoing efforts to drive positive change in the industry.

After a three-and-a-half-year retirement hiatus, Novak reentered the field with a focus on challenging the status quo, attending influential conferences – like Wall Street Journal's Women in the Economy and FORTUNE Most Powerful Women events – providing her with fresh insights and strategies for cultivating diversity and driving meaningful change across multiple industries:

“I struggled with the whole lack of diversity and I was really trying to learn ‘what is it?’ Because I just blamed our industry… [but] I started seeing these common threads… outside of my industry… And I started to empower myself with some more firsthand knowledge.”

From these global interactions at conferences and various experiences, Novak learned that the challenges related to diversity in her industry were not unique but part of a broader systemic issue. She further explains that simply attributing the lack of diversity to the industry's inherent difficulties was insufficient and instead, she suggests actively seeking ways to attract more diverse talent and implementing strategies to disrupt the existing norms:

“If we just have a more diverse perspective – because we’re not all thinking the same and experiencing life in the same way – can we be more innovative and can we solve more problems? And I think now it’s more acceptable, that’s absolutely the case.”

Later in the episode, Novak critiques the Olympic, “Thank You Mom” commercials for failing to represent working mothers, suggesting to viewers that mothers must choose between having a career or raising an Olympic athlete:

“I’ve armed myself with some knowledge and I said… [the commercial] is kind of restrictive on one individual. I mean, the Olympic athletes are great… but you should represent more of the real society.”

Novak's continues to underscore the critical role of diversity and inclusion in transforming the tech and construction sectors. Novak calls for a collective effort to challenge existing norms and embrace diverse perspectives, ultimately driving innovation and encouraging a more inclusive industry landscape.

Stay connected with Nancy Novak on LinkedIn, and discover more insights on her “Extending the Ladder” podcast, bringing female leaders together to offer advice and inspiration to other professionals.

Sidler discusses his early beginnings in web hosting from a small office in Brooklyn to scaling up to a significant data center facility. He highlights challenges, including power issues and growth pains, as well as humorous anecdotes about their former company name, ColoGuard, which led to unexpected challenges with a similarly named medical product.

“We changed our name, and I guess our marketing got better, our image got better. This was also the same time when Jamestown and Belvedere Capital came into our complex and completely revamped our six million square foot of space.”

Sidler recounts pivotal moments in his career, notably the challenges faced during power outages and infrastructure failures. These critical incidents forced Sidler and his team to innovate and adapt to further evolve their company, which later included rebranding and strategic partnerships that fueled growth amidst industry challenges.

“There hasn't been any outages in quite some time, and the complex has just flourished, and there are thousands of people here, and the ecosystem grew.”

Throughout the episode, Sidler puts a strong emphasis on building long-term client relationships based on trust and reliability. His personal commitment to customer service and responsiveness set a high standard in the industry.

“People can call me at two o’clock in the morning and they know that I will pick up the phone. And the same thing with Ruben (Ruben Magurdumov, COO and Co-Founder of DataVerge). And they’ll email me and I’ll respond to their emails right away. And that's the trust that we've built with the customers and the long-lasting relationships that we have.”

Sidler’s journey serves as a testament to the transformative power of resilience, strategic decision-making, and unwavering commitment to client satisfaction in the data center industry. As the digital infrastructure landscape continues to evolve, these insights are invaluable for professionals and businesses navigating the complexities of the sector. Stay connected with Ray Sidler on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

Reflecting on his early days in the dot-com era, Shih highlighted the pivotal moments that shaped his career trajectory:

“Tech journalism, or stories and articles about this burgeoning, emerging, new, exciting technology platform called the internet that is the next industrial revolution. And I thought, wow, okay, that resonates. That makes sense in terms of opportunity and career path.”

Shih elaborates on the evolution of the data center landscape, emphasizing the impact of major events and technological advancements:

“The first phase – the dot com, kind of, empty data centers – gave rise to a lot of smart people and fortunate people to get into the sector… Get assets with pennies on the dollars, build those assets over time, monetize them, and continue to help drive sectors, growth, [etc.].”

Later addressing the sector’s response to the global pandemic, Shih underscores the acceleration of digital transformation and its implications for future trends:

“The global pandemic gave rise very quickly to the accelerated adoption of computing… That’s why our branding is all about – our event is called – infra/STRUCTURE. It’s called Structure Research because the physical infrastructure is always going to need to be there.”

Phil Shih’s journey from entrepreneurial beginnings to industry leadership offers a compelling narrative of resilience, adaptation, and innovation within the data center industry. His reflections on past experiences, current challenges, and future trends provide invaluable insights for industry professionals navigating an increasingly complex and dynamic landscape. As the sector continues to evolve, Shih’s vision for the future underscores the critical role of technology, infrastructure, and human connections in shaping the digital economy of tomorrow.

Connect with Phil Shih on LinkedIn to stay up to date on Structure Research and infra/STRUCTURE Summit 2024, taking place at the Wynn Las Vegas.

Reflecting on his early career, Bonczek recounts how he leveraged his sales expertise from the telecom industry to carve a niche in data centers. His ability to create opportunities and build lasting relationships was a significant factor in his success:

"I’ve developed friendships in places like that – dinners, lunches, socials – or just getting out and meeting them at their office and just in person shaking hands. There is absolutely no substitute.”

Bonczek also shares his observations on the critical role of partnerships and ecosystems in driving growth and innovation in the data center industry. Moreover, he elaborates on improving the dynamics between internal teams throughout this digital era, via team-building exercises and bonding activities:

“I worked with one of my best friends who was in operations at Telx for a number of years, I was in sales, and we always had healthy tension in the office. We could always laugh it off and have a drink after work.”

Bonczek later discusses the pivotal trend of increasing importance of edge computing and its implications for data center operations:

“It’s going to be tremendously important for the type of tenants that we have there – it’s more of an edge data center. There’s trading applications, financial applications happening in that building.”

This episode highlights Bonczek's deep understanding of the data center industry's dynamics and his forward-thinking approach. His experiences serve as a testament to the importance of adaptability and collaboration in the fast-paced world of technology. Connect with John Bonczek on LinkedIn to stay updated on his latest insights and endeavors.

Yeh is passionate about leadership development, women empowerment, and cutting-edge technology related to platform development in the data center and IoT space. As a founding member and co-chair of the minority women initiative USPAACC-WISE, Yeh channels her passion for empowerment by helping match corporations with minority businesses and helping women own their space and their voice.

“When I talk to women from all different races, even today, they're saying that the job of a woman is actually being a mom. I do think that is our job, but it should be shared equally with the father. Today, we don't think that is what is happening and that representation matters.”

Before becoming the powerhouse saleswoman, business owner, and leader, she had a long journey to get to where she is today. As someone who has been in sales for many years in their career, Yeh understands the importance of building positive relationships, having motivation, and how that can impact a customer's perception of the organization.

“I think when you care about the result of your customer, it's not really about the sale. You do get a high from selling, but really, you understand the problem that your customer has and you have pride when you actually solve the problem. I always tell people that if you do that, the money will come because your customer will know that you care and they will keep on coming back.”

Growing up in various different countries, with different cultures and ways of viewing one another, Yeh has developed a deep appreciation for being comfortable with your environment, the people in it, and what that can do for success. As a result, she is a strong believer in finding “your tribe” to thrive.

“Find your tribe, because if you really know what you want and you tell the world what you want, the world is going to help you find your tribe and then you'll be in a safe place where you can continue to grow and flourish. It's where you can do your art, be yourself, contribute, and learn.”

Through many different experiences, obstacles, and big decisions, Yeh is a thriving example of what can come from having a goal, setting expectations, and following through. For more information on Yeh’s amazing journey to get to where she is today, follow her on LinkedIn and listen to this engaging conversation. The story of how Yeh went from Brazil, to America, to creating the successful business she has today is one you won’t want to miss.

After seeing what technology was capable of for communication and learning in the early 1990’s, Kirkwood decided to join the industry himself. He shared that, though he came from a family of scholars, his learning came from real-life experiences and immersing himself in the booming industry of digital infrastructure.

“Everything I've learned has been from running companies, working for companies, learning from people, no formal education at all.”

Kirkwood continuously emphasizes the importance of prioritizing and appreciating the people in a business because at the end of the day, the people matter most. He believes that while technology is an important piece of the puzzle, having an amazing team is what allows a company to do amazing things.

“Ultimately, it's people that matter. Yes, you have to solve technical challenges, but I spend most of my time thinking about how to enable a really high performing team to do great things.”

Learning from within from the beginning of his career, Kirkwood discovered the value of listening to the smartest people in the room as opposed to trying to be the smartest person in the room. As a result, he acquired mentors, one of which taught him the importance of communication.

“The biggest thing that I learned from him is to just communicate to people. These are the facts and you don't need to sugar coat things. You don't need to hide the hard things so that people don't worry.”

Kirkwood gained experience with data centers and the technology space early on in life, learning from within the industry, and breaking things to understand how they work, allowing him to develop a unique perspective that he brings to the table today. While the digital infrastructure looks very different now than it did when Kirkwood started his first business in 1996, he is always thinking about people, the team, and how he can create the best culture possible in his business before technology.

Dee joined Nabeel and Phillip from Northern Virginia to discuss her journey from South Africa to America, her entry into the data center industry many years ago, and her current initiatives. Initially a business analyst in financial services, she quickly transitioned to the technology sector, leading to roles in data centers and beyond.

“Coming from Africa, the challenges are a little more complicated because of the power situation. It is difficult and so that was even more interesting for me because the challenges there are not the same necessarily as the challenges one would experience here or in Asia or even in Europe. And having worked on multiple continents, the approaches have some cultural differences.”

Beginning her career in South Africa, Dee was in a constant state of inconsistent power and experienced power challenges such as outages lasting anywhere from 4 to 16 hours. This prevalent issue sparked inspiration that led to the creation of the organization, DS&A, an organization that provided strategic advisory to many companies around the world and in particular, data center education to the African continent. An entire industry was spawned through this training. It also was her inspiration for joining Powering Potential, a non-profit that provides education through technology, using solar power to run computers, in developing countries.

“Powering Potential is an organization that provides laptops, computers, solar power, and we train teachers on how to teach the kids technology skills so that we create digital advocates for our industry going forward, but we also bring more people into the industry. And education is obviously key to building the future.”

Through her work with Powering Potential and transforming companies by training them on diversity, inclusion, and more, Dee has helped shape the industry going forward for the next generation to come. Her introduction into the data industry was influenced by global projects that involved data centers as well as her curiosity for the knowledge people in the industry had to offer.

“I think it's important just to listen to understand because you get so much input and so much information from people. And it was always just interesting to me. You just never run out of stuff to talk about. And it's a constantly changing environment with constant challenges.”

In this episode, Dee Smith shared an abundance of inspirational, eye-opening, and thought-provoking information. Her influence in the industry has provided awareness and resources that are constantly creating change for the better. To learn more about the work she is doing currently, connect with Dee on LinkedIn and listen to the full episode.

Joining from Las Vegas, Nevada, Scotto shared more details about JSA, which will be celebrating 20 years of business in January 2025. The JSA staff is dedicated to supporting the digital infrastructure space as well as their clients who are doing big things within the space such as building out networks and connecting them to data centers.

“We're all sort of guided by a core mission and core values to really build this network for global communications, empowering economies, governments, and communities to be better and perform better, but in a sustainable manner. We are committed to our industry, our JSA family, our clients, but also to the planet.”

Scotto’s journey in the data infrastructure space began when she was interviewed by Telx, an interconnection company, early in her career and eventually became the head of marketing and PR for the company. With the option to join a wide variety of industries before striking out on her own and starting JSA, Scotto decided to enter the data infrastructure industry due to the inspiration she felt with the Telx story and people that work there.

“I believe that our industry is about relationships. It's about growing together. I think you have to have a passion for it. You have to understand what it means, locally and globally… I'm glad that we can do this physically through connections of networks and data centers and businesses, but I'm also glad that we can do it spiritually and emotionally in our homes.”

Fast forward to the COVID-19 pandemic, after giving birth to her daughter, Scotto realized that she wanted to do her part to give her daughter a sustainable earth. With her daughter in mind, Scotto created a sustainability project, Greener Data, that has led to a bestseller book, website, news platform, and more. Due to a growing need and the support from fellow digital infrastructures, Greener Data has grown into a reliable, informative resource on data centers for industry members from various perspectives.

“At the time, there was a really crazy prediction that I read that currently, the draw of data centers and data networks was 3 to 4 percent global energy consumption and that was a lot, a lot of emissions, and I felt very responsible. This was our industry. AI wasn't a thing when this prediction was made, and so I'm looking down at this baby and these numbers are going through my brain and I'm like, ‘I don't know how to solve it, but one thing I do know is [that] I know I have a network of very smart people, these technologists, who can really solve for this together if we can all work together.’”

It is not uncommon for people to be hesitant about the idea of data centers being built which is why Scotto believes it is important for those in the data infrastructure community to support one another. With everyone having similar goals such as a positive public image, educating communities, or reducing energy consumption, collaborating and sharing ideas or lessons is a unique as well as integral part of the industry. It’s up to the next generation to continue with this communication in the community.

“This is apparently the first year in our industry where the gens and millennials outnumber the boomers. So now, we're at that tipping point. Now we really need to understand key educational communication strategies like, what's motivating them, how do we talk to them, where are they to even approach them and touch them and get them excited about our infrastructure industry? So this is the time when podcasts like this are so much more relevant too. They're not out there, getting an email about us, right? But they're certainly out there listening to podcasts.”

From her early career to being CEO of her own business, Scotto has acknowledged and appreciated all the people along the way who helped her get to where she is today in the industry. Without the support of other leading data infrastructure members, breakthroughs and milestones are not made, which Scotto clearly lays out in this can't-miss episode.To learn more about Jaymie and JSA, you can visit her website or find her on X, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

📖 The Amazon Best Seller “Greener Data – Volume Two” is the definitive and timely guide, of, for and by our digital infrastructure industry, on how to get our data centers and bandwidth-intensive networks greener, now and in the near future. The book focuses on four key sustainability topics facing the digital infrastructure industry:

• Aligning Measurements
• Renewable & Clean Energy Solutions
• Power & Cooling Innovations
• The Financial & Social Benefits of Going Green

Buy "Greener Data - Volume Two" on Amazon here.

To learn more about "Greener Data - Volume Two" and the industry-led movement, visit GreenerData.net.

Barber joined from Roseville, California, home to the ​100-megawatt Bloom Tower. Bloom has been around for a little over a decade and went public in 2018. Bloom has always dabbled in data centers, but a year ago, they decided to shift their focus to prioritize this industry solely. To this end, they hired Barber to build out a team of data center experts. Barber reflects:

“It was a very interesting role because I was feeling the power crunch myself. We were not able to secure power in many, many places across the nation. [That] was about 18 months ago now, and it's only gotten worse.”

Through the episode, Barber provides insights from his background across all data center industry verticals, including operations to sales to strategy and go-to-market and marketing, and everything in between. Barber says that his IT experience has by far been the most valuable for his current position:

“If you understand what the workload is, [you understand what is needed]. Is your tenant a social media company, or are they relational databases using an Oracle back end, maybe with an SAP? You can understand where they need to go. Where should they build? Where should they lease? You can also understand where data centers are going [with AI workloads.] Will they be much more modular? Will they just go to where the power is cheap and available? It's going to make up a significant portion of the market.”

When looking to the future, Barber thinks on-site power generation will become paramount. With companies like AWS investing in nuclear power, he believes there will be a trend toward this driven by developers not wishing to be tied to utility providers, where companies are seeing pushback to committed power. He expands:

“I think we've reached the tipping point, or I know we have, where the developers are no longer relying on the utility. They're planning on them to not show up. And so that's good for on-site generation. It's the paradigm shift.”

He says this does come with its own complications, mainly being that utilities are a Government-regulated industry in most cases. This can be a problem when trying to develop on-site power in certain areas like California and Virginia in particular. He also said there is the potential for the federal government to establish regulations down the line. But, he says there is hope:

“It's something that Bloom has been navigating for over a decade, and there's a positive side. If you look at the Inflation Reduction Act and ITC tax credits in the case of Bloom, that's a 40 percent increase rebate to the developer because we're manufactured in the U.S. So, it's 30 percent plus 10 percent domestic content in some areas in the U.S. It's up to 50%. These [energy zones] are areas that have been impacted by the reduction in coal or other generation sources. So that's where the federal government is absolutely helping us tremendously.”

Barber dives into the future of energy requirements for data center developers and operators, using his expansive background to explain the past of the industry and look forward. To learn more about Bloom Energy and stay up to date with their initiatives, follow Bloom on YouTube, X and LinkedIn. Follow Jeff Barber on LinkedIn.

As Pope starts to share his journey, he explains that Submer, the company he helped found, is revolutionizing the way the industry approaches cooling systems for high-density chips. Headquartered in Barcelona, it stands at the forefront of the industry and has attained global reach.

“Our products and our technology are mostly focused on large-scale crypto mining operations and the data center industry, including anything from enterprise customers to hyperscale companies. So Google, Amazon, AWS, etc.”

Pope goes on to describe his innate curiosity and penchant for experimenting that began in childhood. He describes himself as a “tinkerer,” and recounts a story of taking apart an expensive PC computer his parents had bought for him. Years later, at 16, he embarked on his first data center venture, which started with a humble server in his bedroom.

“In a decade, we went from one server in my bedroom to 18,000 servers in a big data center.”

From there, he transitioned into roles as a solution architect and later overseeing professional services teams. Through all this, Pope remained deeply connected to the data center industry. Finally, in 2015, he ventured into immersion cooling.

“People [started] uncovering the amount of water that was being used in the data center industry, which has been this deep, dark little secret of the industry for a long time.”

As he concluded the podcast, Pope left listeners with a resounding message: “Embrace the slime.”

Daniel Pope’s episode unfolds as a journey through opportunities made from obstacles. Embracing a connection to the data center industry, he now stands as the Chief Technology Officer of Submer, where immersion cooling represents not just a technological breakthrough but a paradigm shift—an opportunity to embrace innovation and sustainability in equal measure. To continue this journey, connect with Pope on Linkedin and follow Submer on Linkedin for updated news and insights.

During the episode, Imboden talks about the future markets of the data center industry, how to get communities on board with data center construction and expansion, and his personal feelings about tech being a positive force or a negative force on the world:

“How do we create a level of understanding for an average person that [data centers] are not bad for society, for the community, and for the planet? We need to be more involved in communities, so we’re not this strange thing that shows up one day and builds an ugly building. 

It might sound like the most basic thing in the world — going up and talking to people at community meetings. But we don’t do it as an industry. Are we afraid to talk to people? Are we afraid to educate people? We shouldn’t be.”

When asked if he was pessimistic or optimistic about the future of humanity, Imboden shared:

“I’m trying to be optimistic, because I think technology is a force for good. For someone to use it for malign purposes is going to be extremely difficult, because there are so many positive forces through corporate business, government, and any number of community organizations who use this technology for positive ends. I think, ultimately, the positive outweighs the negative.” 

Imboden drew on his research background to illustrate how he keeps up with the constantly evolving world of tech:

“When I used to hire researchers, one thing that made someone good is not technical skills. It’s not even knowledge. It’s honestly just being curious. More than anything, you have to want to know things. You have to want to get answers, be curious, and genuinely believe that.”

During the episode, as Imoboden discusses his circuitous route to working in the data center industry and the need to educate young people through programs like Nomad Futurist about the importance of the industry, his desire to share the “humanization” of data centers is impossible to ignore.

During the episode, Hammer discusses the ground-up approach to changing tech events to reach through the generational gap and draw in younger tech enthusiasts:

“If you have an event, which runs the same way for 10, 15, 20 years, you're not going to change it. You might change the packaging and the colors of it, but the inside is still the same, and this is something that can't be changed. You need to find somebody who gives you the backing and the support. I think this is worth a shot. Why don't we try to do something completely different?”.

Hammer shares how he was inspired to innovate the setup of tech events:

“I was always passionate about communities and bringing people together. There's nothing that brings you more than bringing people together and seeing people smile. For me, it's a reward when people make connections and take knowledge away from it.”

Hammer’s passion lies in making space for the younger generations in tech and allowing them to innovate and lead the industry in new directions:

“Let's put these young people on stage and let them express how they actually feel. I think this will be a jaw-dropping moment for a lot of executives in the tech industry. Let's empower them and put them on the stage and let them talk, and everybody should listen to them because they're the leaders of the future.”



Hammer highlights throughout this episode how his background, surrounded by different cultures, ages, and classes of people, inspired him to center these differences in his event planning. By opening up the tech industry beyond the same people who have been involved in it for the past decades, everyone can benefit from the diversity of experiences that the tech industry can promote through centering different ages, backgrounds, and groups of people.

McConville stumbled into the data center industry by chance, yet her enthusiasm to engage young minds in this field is palpable. Honored with the 2022 Emerging Talent Award by Infrastructure Masons, Lindsay's dedication to the industry is evident. Beyond her professional endeavors, Lindsay actively engages in community-driven initiatives, including empowering girls in STEM education in The Gambia and supporting local youth programs like the Boys & Girls Club of America.

For the past three years, McConville has returned to her high school engineering class to share her experiences in the data center industry, witnessing the evolving reactions of students firsthand:

“I most recently did that a couple of weeks ago for the class, and it was a really great conversation with them. I was quite surprised by how much they knew about the data center industry before I even presented. So that was quite impressive to me.”

McConville highlights the main topic that has been getting her excited to continue work in the data center space:

“Looking at the differences I'm seeing between the U.S. and Europe is sort of one thing I've been thinking about a lot recently. And when I was working in the U.S., the data center industry was really driven by the hyperscalers. It's really driven by the larger companies, what they're doing. Whereas over in Europe, I'm seeing so much revolving around compliance and regulation."

When asked what advice for her younger self, McConville emphasizes:

“Stay motivated. Stay curious. Continue to ask really good questions. I think we don't do that enough. I think questions are really valuable.”

This episode showcases Lindsay McConville’s journey into the data center industry and displays her passion for getting other young professionals into the space. Her story serves as an inspiration for those navigating their career paths in telecommunications. Connect with Lindsay McConville on LinkedIn to stay updated about her ongoing journey.

During the episode, Hulbert shares insightful reflections on her early industry experiences, particularly noting the absence of utility companies at data center conferences and the rampant energy consumption:

“Coming from an energy efficiency company as a Native American who has grown up with sustainability at the core of who [I am], to coming into the data center industry, at some of those early conferences, it was like, where are the utility companies? Like we're burning through energy here and there's so much opportunity for efficiency.”

Hulbert explains how conversations and her drive help her keep up with the constantly evolving technology sector:

“I'm just really passionate about innovation. So nothing else in the history of mankind is happening as quickly as what we're building right now in data centers and the cloud, the introduction of AI is here and that's huge."

One notable trend Hulbert highlights seeing in her career was the migration towards sustainable, efficient power solutions, which has consequently shifted focus towards IT:

“Now, nothing happens at the business level unless IT is involved and so it becomes very important to make sure that we have sustainable IT. Because for companies that have corporate social responsibility initiatives, this becomes one of the only ways that they're now able to show that they're doing their best where there's no longer brick and mortar.”

This episode not only showcases Hulbert's unique insights as a representative of the Native American community but also serves as an inspiration for those navigating their career paths in telecommunications. Connect with Shannon Hulbert on LinkedIn to stay updated about her ongoing journey.

BONUS: As promised during the Podcast interview, you can listen to Shannon Hulbert's electronic music here.

Beyond her professional life, Petersburg actively contributes to the data center industry as the president of the local 7x24 DC Chapter, with board and committee positions for the Data Center Coalition and the Nomad Futurist Foundation. Furthermore, Petersburg is dedicated to exploring the philosophical and socio-economic dimensions of data, contemplating how it impacts our daily lives and shapes our globalized society's future.

Petersburg discusses her strategic thought process behind initiating the Nomad Futurist Academy committee structure, emphasizing the necessary steps to integrate essential modules into the curriculum:

“How can we get to the end result? Which is to get a module into the course. What are the steps that we need to take in order to do that? And so we came up with a program on what we thought made sense, and we're trying to streamline some of the activities for the folks who are trying to put the content together because one of the biggest hurdles to anything is, the amount of work that has to go in in order to make it reality.”

Touching on the critical importance of data center education for younger generations, Petersburg states:

“And having young children, it's so important at this young age to get them understanding that there is more out there… There's just so much misperception out there that we can fix by hitting the younger generation because then they'll learn it's, hey, it's not actually what you're thinking by just looking at the big box, right?”

Petersburg further speaks about the issues the Nomad Futurist Academy is working to solve:

“The Nomad Futurist solves a lot of great problems, right? Because it not only grabs the education and the experience from some of these more senior people and passes it along to the younger generations, we capture those lessons learned, but it also provides a way to educate the public."

Karen Petersburg’s episode explores how the Nomad Futurist Academy is tackling industry challenges head-on, bridging the gap between generations and revolutionizing public education on digital infrastructure. Whether you're a seasoned professional or an aspiring trailblazer, this episode is your gateway to shaping the digital landscape of tomorrow. Tune in now and stay ahead of the curve with the Nomad Futurist Foundation on LinkedIn.

Melissa articulates  how her passion for marketing, economics, and psychology harmoniously intersect:

“[Marketing] has to always have its finger on the pulse of what the latest trend is and be tied in and be able to talk about it and make sure that their customers are getting the products represented that they need to learn about. It makes the entire industry better if we get the right product to the right people.”

She then shares insightful perspectives on how the industry can purposefully structure diversity, emphasizing the need for more intentional efforts:

“We don't do as much to talk about why women specifically fit into the framework and the unique skills that they bring. We kind of just say, ‘Hey, you pick your path and figure out where you can carve out your niche’. And that's great for those who are driven to do that, but if we need to attract more people into our space, we really need to do a lot more of that pairing and coaching and matching to align strengths with the job set."

As the episode wraps up, Melissa shares where her personal and professional goals align into one overarching purpose:

“My mission specifically and what I like to say what I want to do here is to build a world that is connected, sustainable, and equal… Diversity of skill set and diversity of approach are all going to matter. And just taking everything that we are learning and sharing it. I think that is the unique area here where I'm trying to fill.”

Beyond a career overview, Melissa Reali-Elliott's episode highlights diversity and inclusion while fostering curiosity. This episode is a must-listen for those on their own personal growth and career journey in the real

When reflecting on her motivation while working with fellow committee heads, Myers expresses she is driven by collaborating with remarkable people:

“It's inspiring to be around passionate people because that stirs up that passionate side in you.”

Discussing the experience of building an academy from the ground up, Myers enthusiastically proclaims:

“The freedom that's come with this blank slate has been the most surprising or thrilling part of it for me because when the information does come in or content is submitted, we get to decide how it's reviewed.”

Myers remarks on what has made her passionate about propelling the industry forward and dedicating her time to the Academy: 

“The amount of conversations I have had with strangers around my age at coffee shops about the data center industry, who have no idea what it is… And then I just think wait until the Academy is launched. And there's one link that I'll get to provide them. It's comprehensive, there are no learning gaps, and it's all centralized in one free online platform to be."

Emma Grace Myers’ episode expands upon how the Nomad Futurist Foundation is bringing its mission to fruition through the creation of the Academy. This insightful episode is a must-listen for anyone aspiring to make their mark in the world of digital infrastructure. Stay updated by connecting with the Nomad Futurist Foundation on LinkedIn.

During his time in the Navy Submarine fleet, Sean embraced a motto that has become ingrained in his philosophy:

“Be useful. This theme is tattooed on my heart now, always be useful.”

Reflecting on his training at a cable company, Sean drew parallels between datacenters and submarines: 

“Whatever system is in place, there’s a backup. That is a key mission-critical tenet in submarines and data centers it turns out. I love the mission: you have to keep things up at all times. In the submarines, it’s about national security, but in a data center it's about things that are potentially even more critical, there are life safety systems that are leaning on data centers." 

When prompted to discuss his core drivers of focus, Sean shifts the conversation to his people and the importance of learning from failure:

“My focus is to have a team that is healthy from a production standpoint… The tech I work on is fascinating but my main focus is to build a very healthy team. Part of that, talking about a growth mindset, is learning how to deal with failure."

Sean James has an inspiring narrative beyond just a career overview; his episode is a lesson in fearless courage and curiosity. This episode is a must-listen for those on their own personal growth and career journey in the realm of telecommunications. Connect with Sean James on LinkedIn to stay updated about his ongoing journey.

In addition to his role at Uptime Institute, Gusakov serves as a Board Member and Advisor for the Nomad Futurists. He is recognized for his expertise in building and promoting the curriculum of the Nomad Futurist Academy, a resource designed for up-and-coming data center professionals. Reflecting on a survey conducted by Uptime Institute last year, Gusakov highlights a crucial challenge that the Academy is working to overcome:

“75% of this industry has 11 plus years of experience in this industry… At some point, those people are going to retire. And the other odd demographic is that the people who have one to five years experience in the industry make up 8% of the total demographic.”

Drawing from his diverse background, Gusakov exemplifies how individuals from various fields can contribute to the data center industry:

“We need to grab all the people in this industry who are smart, who have skill sets, and take the skills that they have and put them out there for everyone to experience as an example.”

Once the content modules for the Academy come together, Gusakov remarks on one of the desired outcomes:

“We start training people and teaching them and educating them about the industry, we will then be the centralized repository for people to come to us."

 Mark Gusakov’s episode lays the foundation for the Nomad Futurist Foundation’s mission to bridge the education and age gap in the data center industry. He outlines how the Academy is bringing ideas to fruition. This insightful episode is a must-listen for anyone aspiring to make their mark in the world of digital infrastructure. Stay updated by connecting with the Nomad Futurist Foundation on LinkedIn.

As one of the few people in the data infrastructure space who went to college for computer science, Crosby has observed trends for a while, leading with the perspective of inevitable continued growth for the data center industry: 

“I've seen the pendulum swing from centralized computing to distributed computing, and it will swing again, at various points in time. The one thing we can be certain of in technology is it's never this or that, it's this and this. So we just keep growing on that front.”

Regarding Crosby’s learning experience from networks to transitioning into data center real estate, Crosby reflects:

“Every door that closes creates a new door that opens if you're willing to walk through it."

Toward the end of the interview, Crosby highlights Compass’s focus on a diverse workforce motivated by a desire for diversity of thought:

“It is really key to us that we are bringing women into the space, bringing vets into the space, bringing diversity, and bringing people that just want to express an interest to come into it."

Beyond a career overview, Chris Crosby's episode is a lesson in entrepreneurship and encourages curiosity. This episode is a must-listen for those on their own personal growth and career journey in the realm of telecommunications. Connect with Chris Crosby on LinkedIn to stay updated on inspiring insights.

Looking forward, the nomads are thrilled about launching an academy, enhancing scholarship funds, developing internship programs, and creating industry job opportunities. Nabeel encapsulates one of the Foundation's primary objectives:

“We are set forth to pass the legacy on to the next generation and bring younger people and smarter people into the space.”

The nomads also reflect on the origin of their non-profit journey:

“This is about trying to lay the groundwork for something that lives beyond us and that takes on a life of its own. And I feel like this year, more than any other, we've really seen that crystallized and coming into focus with the ambassadors that we've been able to bring in and really the passion that they have brought out.”

This episode comes to a close with an appeal to not merely sit on the sidelines:

“We need your help. If you're in our industry, if you're interested in our industry, if you want to help, and if you believe in digital infrastructure in general, the growth of AI, and all of the elements that support it and surround it. The more help, the more involvement, and we've started launching different ways for people to get involved. Anyone can be involved.”

For those inspired to learn more about getting involved or contributing, you can contact the NFF here.

Phil and Nabeel eagerly anticipate the developments of 2024, aiming to further enhance the initiatives that the NFF team has set forth and launch the program to a broader audience.

.

• To get involved as a sponsor, please visit: https://nomadfuturist.org/sponsorship/

• To donate to the Nomad Futurist Foundation, please visit: http://nomadfuturist.org/foundation/

• To support the efforts of the Nomad Futurist Foundation, donations can be made here.

As Frank Rey reflects on the trajectory of his career, the conversation unfolds around the profound importance of embracing mistakes and learning from them. His quote encapsulates this sentiment:

“A lot of learning, not being afraid to make mistakes or take positions on things, and when they don't work, own up to them, apply those learnings going forward, and do it better the next time."

Moving deeper into the discussion, Rey shares his philosophy on career choices and passion, emphasizing the critical need to align one’s work with personal interests:

“It's true that if you do something you love, you won't work a day in your life. If you just do things for the sake of doing them and your heart and your head are not in them, you're never really going to be the best at whatever it is you're trying to do."

Toward the end of the interview, Rey offers candid insights gleaned from his journey, highlighting the value of adhering to one’s principles:

“If you truly believe in something and you truly believe that's the right thing to do for you, your business, whatever it is, stick to your principles... I try to operate with a lot of respect and integrity, and I think that's helped me."

Frank Rey's episode is a compelling narrative that highlights the impact of resilience, passion, and integrity in shaping a successful career in the dynamic field of network technology. His insights serve as a powerful guide for professionals navigating the complexities of the tech industry and personal development. 

Follow Frank Rey on LinkedIn to stay updated with more inspiring stories and insights.

As the conversation with Craig unfolds, Nabeel and Phil are intrigued to know how Craig got involved in the tech sector:

“Every business is in the tech business if they're of scale. Right? Even the government.”

Further into the discussion, Craig opens up about the significance of mentorship in his life and career, after Nabeel expresses curiosity about Dr. Ann Watts:

“Dr. Watts. She was an important woman in my life. She was my public speaking teacher during my senior year at Morehouse College. She saw things in me that I didn’t see in myself.”

As the interview nears its conclusion, reflecting on Craig's extensive life experiences, including various challenges and witnessing considerable global changes, Nabeel and Phil are curious to know: with the wealth of knowledge he has now, what would Craig do differently if he had the chance:

“I would go back and talk to a 20-something-year-old Craig who was in a hurry to get somewhere, didn't know where, and just say, enjoy the ride, man…this is a one-way trip…each day, we are taking a step closer to the end.”

Craig Huffman's episode is a journey into the world of real estate private equity, emphasized by a strong focus on technology, mentorship, and personal growth. His story is a powerful narrative of how embracing change, pursuing continuous learning, and valuing personal relationships can shape a successful career. To stay updated on his journey and latest projects, connect with Craig Huffman on LinkedIn, follow him on X at @ckh9138, and see the latest from Metro Edge on their LinkedIn page, on X at @metroedgedev, and on Instagram at @metroedgedevelopment.

In a candid reflection on the principles that define OpenColo's approach to customer service and operational transparency, Scott shares a powerful commitment to accountability:

"If we make a mistake, we'll fall on our swords. We will tell you we made a mistake, and we will work to resolve it."

Reflecting on the importance of simplicity in design and the value of asking fundamental questions, Scott shares an insightful approach to problem-solving and innovation:

"The best way to learn something is to just ask why, like the little kid, why daddy, why, why, why?"

As Scott shares his journey and the driving forces of his work, Nabeel is curious to know what is something Scott really enjoys doing in his role as CTO. Scott expresses his enthusiasm for the diverse aspects of technology and the strategic vision required in his position:

"It’s being able to touch a lot of different technologies and look at the visions of where we are now, and where we want to be.”

As the conversation draws to a close, Nabeel and Phil are eager to hear what wisdom Scott would impart to the listeners, particularly the younger generation entering the sector:

"Don't give up, learn from the old guys, be patient with the old guys. Some of us are stuck in our ways. And if you want to learn something, ask great questions."

This episode with Scott Brookshire is a testament to the power of curiosity, the pursuit of simplicity, and the strength of accountability in the tech industry. His insights serve as a guide for both seasoned professionals and newcomers alike, reminding us that at the heart of innovation lies the willingness to question, learn, and adapt. Scott's journey is a reminder that the future of technology is shaped by those who dare to ask "Why?”.

Connect with Scott on LinkedIn to see where his questions lead him next.

Nabeel and Phil begin their journey with Rob by going back in time to learn more about his start. As Rob shares that he comes from a family of carpenters Phil is interested to learn if Rob thought he would become a carpenter as well:

“I think I always had the inkling that I was going to build something. I'm not a skilled carpenter. I would say, maybe it’s good I didn’t.”

Phil digs a little deeper to find out how aviation came into the picture and Rob shares a story about his family’s first computer:

“So, I had some old work machine that was a Commodore 64… and they said give it to the kid, let him figure it out. And I had the knack and from there, I've been playing with computers ever since. So then being in the aviation industry, eventually, these kinds of systems and passion for technology and this, I guess, born with the desire to build something pulled me into the data center industry.”

Nabeel points out that Rob has had a very interesting career, and he is just starting out. He wants to know what is next for Rob:

“It’s about learning more and being more resourceful to help people within our industry and take the advantages that I've been given over the last 10 years and this opportunity to participate and find an industry that I truly passionately love is what it's all about for me.”

Rob Coyle's episode provides a unique perspective on transitioning from the aviation sector to the dynamic world of data centers. His journey, marked by adaptability and a genuine passion for technology, offers listeners a glimpse into the challenges and rewards of embracing change. For those navigating their own career paths or seeking inspiration in the tech industry, Rob's reflections serve as a testament to the power of perseverance and continuous learning.

Stay connected with Rob Coyle on LinkedIn and Instagram for more insights from his vast experiences in the tech landscape.

As Nabeel and Phil dive into John’s story, John reflects on a moment that ultimately would place him on the road to where he is today:

“I was reading a newspaper and I saw a little ad in the back and it said, you can learn the fascinating field of computers…”

Diving into John’s career transition from the corporate world to academia, Phil and Nabeel are interested to hear more about this journey:

"If you look today at the profile of new workers coming in…you have to really learn what's motivating people today, and that's how you're going to build great teams. So I became a teacher so I can understand what students think."

In a moment of reflection on leadership and managing teams, John shares a pivotal principle that has guided his interactions and decision-making:

"I would always tell the engineers, hey listen, if something doesn't feel right, don't do it. I don't mean to ignore it. Stop for a second. Slow down. Ask a question. Get clarification before you do it.”

John Lee's episode is not merely a recounting of career milestones; it's a journey through time, technology, and personal development, offering listeners a wealth of insights and stories that span across various facets of life and career. His reflections and advice make this episode a must-listen for anyone navigating through their career, aspiring to lead with empathy, and aiming to strategically set and achieve their goals.

Follow John Lee on LinkedIn to stay updated with more inspiring stories and insights.

As Randolf and Michael shared pieces of their backstories, Nabeel and Phil were curious to discover if Michael was exposed to data centers and technology while growing up and figuring out his career path: 

“A little bit. I know he told me a bit about it in high school, but I didn't really listen. At the time, you don't think it's important until he's talking about digital infrastructure, and at the time I was just thinking about, how does this relate to how quick my X-Box is?”

When asked about their perspectives on the evolving landscape and the future trajectory of the IT sector, Randolph and Michael express their optimism and share insightful observations:

“There's a lot of positive signals that we're seeing out there that they're going to show continued growth. We're seeing a lot of changes happen, but they are driving more growth and more applications into the data center, like AI, sort of the latest flavor of what's really driving things…the scale is getting rapidly much bigger.”

 Towards the end of the conversation, Nabeel inquires about the practicality of nuclear energy, asking whether it is feasible or just a pipe dream. Both Randolph and Michael provide their insights:

Michael shares his thoughts, “I see nuclear as a must for, not just the data centers, but I think just our economies to continue to meet the power demands that we have.”

Randolph adds on, “I'd love it to be a big scalable solution for us. It's clean. It's proven. It's a sustainable solution. And the amount of generation that is going to be required is just going to be absolutely off the charts.”

This episode with the father-son duo, Randolph and Michael Borron, goes beyond their professional narratives; it’s a rich exploration into the nuanced world of data center real estate. Their familial and professional synergy brings a unique perspective, making this a must-listen for anyone looking to understand the evolving landscape of the data center industry. 

Learn more about Cushman & Wakefield on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube to learn more.

Phil and Nabeel kick off the episode eager to explore what it is that Isabelle does:

“I run a company called Hot Telecom. It's been in business for 20 years, and we do telecom, strategic consulting, and market research, focusing more and more on marketing and content.  We are creating fun, memorable content and events for telecom operators in the international space. So, we are really focused, we are niche, in the wholesale and international space.”

When questioned about her drive and initiatives in working with the younger generation and creating excitement around the industry, Isabelle shares a valuable insight:

"I just tell them, do what you love. If they want to be an entrepreneur, as long as you go in with your eyes wide open, which I think is the key, then do it. If you know what you're getting yourself into and you're happy with that, please go ahead."

Isabelle wraps up the interview by sharing some of her key takeaways:

"I think the energy you bring, especially positive energy, plays a big part in getting you to a better place.  Giving back has an important role because when you give back you receive so much more in return.  For example, when I work with my customers, I'm a consultant. If at the end of the day, I made them smile and I made a difference in their business or in their life, then I've succeeded on that day."

Isabelle Paradis's episode is more than just a career overview; it's a lesson in leadership and a deep dive into the complexities of the telecom industry. Her insights make this episode a must-listen for anyone aspiring to make a significant impact in the world of telecommunications.

Connect with Isabelle on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to learn more.

Nabeel starts the conversation by asking Jeremy about his first steps into the data center industry:

"I started more as a consumer in the data center space for quite a while. It was an interesting transition to go from being a customer to actually working on the data center side of things. It gave me a unique perspective on what customers really need."

Phil and Nabeel are keen to understand the life lessons that have molded Jeremy into the multifaceted leader he is today:

"I've enjoyed the journey because it allowed me to learn so many different parts of the business. From cloud hosting to security and compliance, understanding these diverse areas has given me a holistic view of what my teams do and what our customers expect."

When asked about the advice he would impart to the younger generation, Jeremy offers a gem:

"Transparency is key. I've always believed in being transparent with the organization. In my experience, employees often feel they're kept in the dark when leadership doesn't share information. Being open fosters a culture of trust and collaboration."

Jeremy Pease's episode is not just a career retrospective; it's a masterclass in leadership and a deep dive into the intricacies of the data center industry. His insights make this episode a must-listen for anyone aspiring to make their mark in the world of digital infrastructure.

Follow Colohouse on Linkedin to learn more.

Nabeel kicks off the episode by asking Michael how he got exposed to science and technology and landed in this industry:

“Like a lot of people out there, I just like to learn. I still love to learn. I'll watch anything. And so, science was the coolest thing to learn in school. It was the most difficult thing, and so I always tended towards whatever was the hardest, the most difficult. I saw it as the most challenging.”

Phil and Nabeel are interested to know what lessons Michael learned that made him who he is today:

“I would say some of the best lessons are listening. A lot of the top people in the industry are former salespeople and you know that the best salespeople are the ones that listen. So, listen to the people around you. Listen to your employees, to your investors, to your customers, to your friends, to your family, and try to make a difference.”

Michael shared a lot of great insight in this episode, but Nabeel wants to know what advice he would give to the younger generation:

“Nowadays, I think that if you spend more time trying to figure out proactively where you should go and what can make things happen for you, you are going to find the right place more often. You are going to be happier in those places and you're going to move up because moving sideways doesn't really help you much.”

In this position, Paul is a major piece in the puzzle to ensure that customers have uptime, availability and connectivity with their data set and data set requirements. Nabeel digs deeper asking, “What's your day-to-day job? Are you just keeping the data center active in life?”

 “We'reboots-on-the-ground engineers at the facilities, keeping everything going. We deal with the maintenance plans, budget forecasts, everything that operationally needs to happen at that data center from the critical side all the way to the carpets and the paint on the walls - It runs through our team.”

Paul never really had an interest in school growing up. He shares some insight with our co-hosts on how that played a role in his journey:

“I remember what it was like coming out of high school as not a great academic, not really knowing where I was going. I had to learn the hard way. I had to kind of figure things out and it was concerning…this is why I'm doing what I'm doing with you guys and I'm talking to trade schools, visiting students, and having these conversations.”

Nabeel asks Paul, "What's next for you? What are you thinking?"

“I'm very, very happy where I'm at. I think things again kind of fell into place for a reason and timelines worked, and I think that the success of the [CyrusOne] account is that we're heading in the right direction.”

Paul leaves us with advice for the younger generation beginning their own career journeys in the industry:

“The best thing I can say for the students is to follow their passions. Find your aptitudes, do things, and you have to enjoy what you're doing. I had to learn a lot of hard mistakes before I figured out how to get from A to B. But I think this is a great industry. Everybody I've met in this industry always has a positive trajectory about them and we're booming, it's getting bigger, faster every day. If we can get these students in the right mindset, give 'em the skills they need, I think there's gonna be some really tremendous players.”

Lee’s educational background is in strategic marketing and economics, which from an outside perspective may not appear to have much to do with the data center space. So, Nabeel asks Lee how he found himself in this industry:

“I was going to be appointed as a process controller at a large petrochemical organization in South Africa… and I wasn't too excited about it. So, I just asked the HR guy ‘Is there anything maybe in computers that you could show me?’ I walked into the computer room and there were two guys running around loading printer paper and tape reels and all of that, and I just knew. I looked at the guy and I said, ‘I gotta do this job. I have to do this.’”

Lee's passion for education and unwavering commitment to standards never cease to inspire. Nabeel and Phil witness his desire to pay it forward, as he constantly engages in efforts to provide tools, resources, and educational materials to African communities which often lack access to them. Intrigued, Nabeel ponders why this transformative transition took place:

“I guess in that case, it's where I come from. The African continent is not an easy place… it’s not always easy for people to be exposed to opportunities for education. Offering that opportunity to people to learn something new, to be able to grasp a concept through whatever means you can… for me that's first prize.”

Learn more about Lee and the other Nomad Futurist Ambassadors: https://nomadfuturist.org/nomad-futurist-team/

 Walter serves as a perfect example that success can be achieved without a college degree. Nabeel and Phil kick off the conversation by asking Walter how his journey began:

“So basically at 12 years old, my father comes home with a typewriter and a modem attached to it, and he's basically saying, ‘listen, you're going to learn how to program.’”

Nabeel marvels at the tremendous accomplishments of Walter, who grew up in an underserved community, and asks what the driving force was that kept him going:

“Part of it was hunger, I'm just going to be blunt. Having seen people that had nice things I was just like, ‘I’ve got to figure out what this hustle is and how I get there.’”

Phil and Nabeel are left wondering: Knowing what he knows today, what would Walter tell his younger self or younger generation to do?

“Listen, get your butt in those books. Understand processes, understand the value, the consequences, ‘cause it'll kill you. And then understand some form of technology because technology is good.”

Learn more about Boldyn Networks: https://www.boldyn.com/

Nomad Futurist team has had a lot of great people on the podcast over the last

three and a half years, and a few personal experiences along the way as well.

In this episode, Nabeel and Phillip take the opportunity to recap the

first half of 2023, discuss future goals for the Foundation, and share some

insights on the industry.

The

duo takes a look back at their journey thus far and discusses a question they

get asked a lot: Why did they start this podcast?

Nabeel

shares:

“At the bottom of our hearts, it's

really a lot of passion to create awareness and leave this world a better place

than we've found it for the next generation.”

Phil

shares:

“I think it's also a vehicle for our

guests to share the kind of unspoken things that they've come across in their

journeys. It has provided a platform for people to take this kind of 30,000-foot

view of their own careers, of their own lives and find ways to articulate

things that they would not otherwise have been able to articulate - and what

we've learned in many of these cases has been profound.”

Educating

the younger generation is a main goal of the Foundation and an important topic

in this episode. Phil shares his view on what adults can do to aid in the next

generations success:

“We as a society, as a community, as

an industry and as parents can interject elements of our careers, elements of

what we do for a living into our kids' schooling, which would benefit not just

those kids, but the other kids in their class and the kids that come behind

them.”

According

to Nabeel, the real purpose of this podcast is to reach out to listeners who

will join the Foundation’s journey and be a change agent.

“We need everyone's help in spreading

the word, creating awareness and giving the next generation an opportunity to

be better than we are. Give them a career path, give them a reason to do good

things, I think that's really the core of the Foundation and what we are

striving for.”

Learn

more about the Nomad Futurist Foundation: https://www.nomadfuturist.com/about-nomad-futurist/

“And so for the last 16/17 months, I've been CEO of Africa Data Centers, and our primary focus is to be the largest Pan-African data center provider. We currently operate in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa and have a marketing agreement in Togo. We've just announced expansions into Ghana and Rwanda, and soon you'll hear us make some announcements in North Africa and another one in the Southern African region.”

Tesh touches on some important lessons he learned while navigating the industry:

“The large corporate experience just entices you, and they keep you in a stair-step approach with blocking and tackling and moving up every two years - that was good. But, the other thing that I learned there is that you have to have a mentor or a champion.”

Nabeel asks Tesh how he was able to identify these people and how he approached them to be mentors:

“First and foremost, you gotta perform. If you go asking for help and you haven't exhausted all possibilities and or performed pretty well on your own, people just aren't gonna waste their time. It's a harsh reality of life.”

Learn more about Africa Data Centers here.

Growing up in India, Shweta had the American Dream of traveling to the US and advancing her degree. Her dreams eventually came true and she became the first person in her family to move the US, which wasn’t an easy decision to make:

“[Moving away from India] is more common right now, but back then, there were all kinds of barriers or notions which tell you not to do that or stay back.”

Nabeel wonders in today’s day and age if India is experiencing the same problem as the US - are there not enough girls in the tech sector?

“I think there’s equal opportunity, assuming that you have certain means and financial resources, right? There's still a large section of the country which will not have that and there's still a sort of lack of opportunities there. But on the flip side, I also think India is such an advanced country when it comes to technology now that there are many opportunities within the country as well.”

Shweta expands on her journey of moving and describes why she wanted to come to America:

“I think the first thing was self-awareness, right? Like knowing I have something, I can change the world. And for me it was like, I need to acquire these skill sets to go do that. Which to me translated to an advanced degree because I had such a strong conviction in myself.

At the end of the episode, Shweta ponders what she would tell her younger self knowing what she knows today:

“I would say to her, well done you made us proud. But also don't be afraid to fail. Just live your life to the fullest - Don't let failure hold you back.”

Connect with Shweta on LinkedIn to learn more about her career journey: Shweta Saraf | LinkedIn

His son, Conall Farney, is currently a senior at Purdue University and has an Engineering Project Manager internship at Dragos, Inc, an industrial cybersecurity company on mission to safeguard civilization.

Before getting to know Sean a little more, Nabeel wanted to know how life was for Conall growing up with a dad so involved in the industry:

“Whether it was Legos or it was in the workshop, I was always someone that was a physical builder, I loved to build things and take things apart. I always had that kind of stem engineering mind. So to have a dad that was aligned with me in that aspect, really helped carve me and shape me to be the person I am today in the technology industry.”

So far in his career, Conall has already gone through some phenomenal experiences. He shares some of his aspirations for the future:

“I want to be working with people in technology. One thing that I could definitely see myself doing, you know, outside of the typical, is to start my own company and run my own company.”

Sean discusses Conall’s time at Purdue, and how tech has changed so much over the years

“Back in the olden days, the computer stuff was all just purely nerdy and geeky, right? And that's all it was and it wasn't cool. Now it is cool and it's at the forefront of everyone's value.”

Connect with Sean and Conall on Linkedin to learn more: Sean Farney | LinkedIn, Conall Farney | LinkedIn

Luke started working at the young age of 17, fresh out of high school, creating the foundation for a successful career.

“If there’s one thing my dad drilled into me, it was worth ethic. When I didn’t have school I was up on job sites. Sitting around the house wasn’t an option, so I was going to work.”

Luke eventually made the transition into the digital infrastructure space. Phil wonders what has either surprised him the most or is most unique about applying construction, project management and mechanical engineering to data center or mission critical infrastructure.

“The aspect that I focus on is really the criticality of it. I think in a lot of other industries, failures of equipment, failures of processes, failures of design are - I don't wanna say tolerated - but they're more accepted within the industry, where within the data center industry it's not.”

Educating a broader audience is very important, and especially local folks that have zero idea what a data center is. Nabeel asks Luke what we need to do to help.

“I think that it needs to be an approach from several different levels - We need to have local community government support to be able to help educate the people in their area. As operators of data centers, we need to be involved in community relations and local trade organizations.”

Nabeel ends with one of his favorite questions: Knowing what you know today and based on your journey, what would you do differently, if anything?

“The only thing I would do differently is I would reach out for help sooner. One of the things that I really like about this industry is once I became more established and had relationships, I’d go and ask for help. I believe that I would've accelerated my career growth if I just asked for help and mentorship more often.”

You may be familiar with the Datacenter Investment Conference & Expo (DICE) Series, which is Bisnow’s regional series covering all of the major markets in the industry, aiming to bridge the gap between data center real estate and the technology infrastructure that supports it.

Nabeel asks Adam what may be next for the event series,

“I'm taking a step back from international to do more in the US and focus on that for this year. But I would love to expand to other markets, both in the US and elsewhere around the world.”

Adam and his team had to learn very quickly how to pivot when the pandemic hit. Phil asks how they made it through those times when no one was able to meet in person for events,

“We had to try whatever we could do to still support our clients and partners and help them connect, inform, and connect with the industry about what they're doing, and still help the industry grow.”

To wrap up this episode, Nabeel asks Adam to think about what he would tell his younger self if he could,

“There are so many ways to get into this industry - and number one, people in this industry are phenomenal and interesting. What they're doing is required for society to grow, and even to sustain itself as we like it.”

Get involved with Bisnow’s mission critical industry events here: https://www.bisnow.com/events/data-center

Prior to Start Campus, Afonso spent 15 years in investment banking in London, New York, and Madrid, covering the renewable energy, energy and infrastructure sectors. The Nomad Futurist team asks Afonso what led him to this industry in the first place.

“When I went to college I studied industrial engineering and then I specialized in power - and I was excited. I was excited how networks develop, how you need to think holistically about entire countries and systems to make it work. And then how the small pieces turn into the big pieces and make it work.”

Afonso began in the corporate world and eventually ended up as an entrepreneur. Nabeel asks how that transition has felt.

“I'm loving it to be very blunt. But, it's naive to think that it’s a single person journey. If you think that you're about to conquer the world, and only you have the vision to do it alone, forget it.”

Nabeel asks, “Where do you think the industry needs to go and what should we and our listeners be looking out for?

“You need more disruptive people. You need more people challenging the status quo and how things are done. If you keep on just following the trends, you only get marginal improvements.”

As the Nomad team always says, this is the youngest industry with the most sub-verticals, and being a lawyer is one of them. You can, for example, start as a finance guy, get into real estate, then end up here - and Jim is a perfect example of it.

Jim outlines how his career path unfolded and what skills allowed him to end up where he is today,

“Learning how to talk to people and engage with people, whether it be your clients or people that you’d like to pursue as a client, that's the skillset that's probably allowed my career to flourish like it has.”

Nabeel asks Jim how he got involved in the data center space and technology specifically,

“It's all about the opportunity because sometimes that's what life does for you. And if you've got a window where you can pay attention to an opportunity, you can truly appreciate what it is. I had opportunities and have incrementally continued to migrate our practice exclusively to this space.”

Jim talks about what the future may look like from a real estate data infrastructure play and some issues he has been exposed to recently,

“We’ve already been dealing with power constraints in Europe, but the thing that's starting to hit now is power constraints in the United States, and that seems to be one of the hot-button issues right now.”

Nabeel asks, “knowing what you know today, what you have accomplished and where you're at in your life, what would you say to the young Jim?”

“I'll answer that question with what I'm trying to do now - I'm trying to encourage young people to understand that this is an industry that's worth thinking about. Play a role in this ecosystem, whether it be as a finance person or an engineer or some other discipline. We have a need for all of that.”

After exploring her passions in the art industry, Mary found herself in the digital infrastructure world. Phillip inquires how Mary ended up in her current position,

“I was always very curious about technology and helping people figure out how to use technology. And so I am always passionate about my customers.”

Mary has a lot of experience in the product development cycle, so Phillip asks what companies do wrong and how they can improve,

“A lot of times the biggest thing is doing what you think someone wants, versus asking someone what they want or need. There’s a lot of listening and a lot of asking that needs to go on.”

The Nomad Futurist team wants to know how Mary went about navigating a typically male-dominated industry as a female,

“I never paused, I always leaned in. And there comes a certain point when you realize, ‘hey, I’m going to be me.’ ”

Nabeel asks Mary what’s the next big thing she is looking to do or is inspired by,

“I've been spending a lot of time recently on the operating side really thinking about how to help customers use and consume, and not just fix a problem, but change what they're doing. So, I guess what's next for me is asking a lot of questions and beginning to solve that problem.”

Nabeel leaves Mary with one last question: what would you tell your younger self?

“Lean in more, and lean in faster. Sometimes being the only woman in a room I would sit back, watch, listen and wait. I would tell young Mary don't wait as long. Jump into the conversation - Nothing bad is going to happen and it's all going to be okay.”

Ilissa comes from a family in the music industry and originally went to school to train as an opera singer until she decided to take control of her own life and follow a different path. She describes one of the most important things a young person can do when forging a career path,

“Just be curious. The more curious you are, the more you realize how curious you can be - it becomes that cycle and it's never ending. You should never be stumped with questions to ask if you have a curious mind.”

A  core principle for Ilissa is to be the best at whatever she decides to do, and that mindset has helped  make her one of the most well-known PR names in the industry. She offers some insight, 

“If you don't know the industry you're working on, because you haven't worked in it, you can't really work the magic of it. So I purposely designed my career so that I could be a better consultant by understanding how the industry works.”

As a leader of the space, Ilissa has touched every element and component of this industry in some capacity, whether it be marketing, product development, or sales. Nabeel asks what challenges we have to address moving forward:

“You have to be honest, you have to be direct, you have to be crystal clear. Nothing is perfect because these companies are run by humans, and so because of that, the expectation is that they will make mistakes - it's how they work through those mistakes that matters.”

Learn more about iMiller Public Relations here: International Marketing & Media Relations Solutions (imillerpr.com)

Phillip asks if Chris’s personality is what drove his ability to navigate his previous position as a CFO, or a particular skill that he learned with a degree,

“It was the desire to learn in different circumstances, versus being trained in one specific thing. I think it was just recognizing that there's a whole range of perspectives in any given situation that need to be considered and having an open mind to learn those perspectives and adapt them to given situations.”

With Chris now in his role as CEO, Nabeel asks what traits or strengths he thinks led him to where he is today:

“I’ve had some really tough experiences and some really good experiences, and it’s about appreciating that neither were really guaranteed. Timing is a major consideration that can lead to success or failure, so making sure that I appreciated those learnings along the way, and making sure I use the takeaways from each one of my adventures over the course of my career in my current position.”

Nabeel also inquired where Chris thinks we are headed in tech,

“Things are very different now than when I came into the industry. On the sustainability front and ESG in general, it's great to have seen that become a priority of the industry, and us as executives are in a position to do something about it.”

We are living in a unique time right now with so much innovation and breakthroughs in products like autonomous vehicles and AI.. Nabeel asks Chris his thoughts,

“I think innovation in our industry is about innovative and creative ways to enable. It's not about creating new technologies - it's more about new ways of doing things.”

Phillip poses the question to Chris, have we as an industry done enough to try to foster the next generation of leaders?

“When I talk to anybody outside the industry, you get a bit of a blank stare as to what a data center is. I think there's a lot more education that can be done for people to recognize that they can participate in what we do in our industry, because they’re probably not thinking about it.”

Chris shares a suggestion for the younger generation to look into based on his experiences,

“I’d encourage people to ask questions and recognize that there's a lot to learn. Check your ego at the door and understand that you're never going to know everything, so there's something to learn from everyone.”

As a young girl from Hong Kong, living at boarding school in London, Susanna became intrigued by computers and programming. Nabeel inquires what the turning point was that made  her realize she wanted to learn more about this subject,

“What clicked for me was the fact that I could communicate what I had in my mind and express what I was thinking without actually talking to another human - I could systematically write it out with program language and begin to actually start defining and building things.”

This education path led Susanna to where she is today, currently acting as a data center advisor for the United Nations Sustainable Development Program and advocating for clean energy.

The Nomad Futurist team asks for Susanna’s thoughts on the ESG discussion and whether it is going to be a checkbox for major players in the space in 2023, or if we are going to be taking serious corrective actions,

“I think greenwashing will seriously reduce in 2023. There will always be noise, but there are many folks who are genuine and definitely have ambition to do the right thing.”

Susanna believes fundamentally that the focus for 2023 is to address the damage the planet has suffered as a result of humans thoughtless and careless actions,

“Now we have to go back and rethink approaching the environment differently while we are living a purposeful, impactful life on this planet - and leave it a much better place for our children and grandchildren.” 

As leaders in the space, Susanna believes it is pioneers like her and the Nomad Futurist team who can be ambassadors and supporters for the next generation,

“I think one key thing that we need to do is enable the younger generation to be able to genuinely teach us, and we need to listen to them in terms of how they want to live life.”

The Nomad Futurist Foundation and Susanna are working together to bring the younger generation into the forefront of the industry. In 2023, Susanna will be looking for new people who are emerging in the space to join data center events and share some new perspectives on the mission for sustainability. 

2022 brought along incredible partnerships, sponsorships and podcast guests, all of which helped Nomad Futurist drive their message forward:

“This was very much a year of building the underlying principles that we stand for as a foundation for what we’re trying to accomplish and getting the message out there.”

Nabeel shares his thoughts on the new year:

“I think 2023 is going to be about trying to create a framework that allows all of our initiatives to work together and leverage what we’re all doing to try and broaden our reach, and that’s our main goal.”

Another important goal of the Foundation is to spread the importance of diversity and inclusion in the industry:

“Don’t just hire someone that looks the part for the Board so you can check that box, but empower the people in your organization with the recognition that the perspective they have from their life experiences are gonna be inherently beneficial.”

Phil and Nabeel close by inviting the Nomad Futurist audience to meet them on the road as well as to keep tuning in for the next series of podcasts.

“Your help is imperative. We can’t do this without you!”

Phillip Koblence and Nabeel Mahmood are the co-founders of the Nomad Futurist Podcast and the Nomad Futurist Foundation. They share a common passion for examining the evolution of technology and society, and for developing technology leadership. 

Nomad Futurist had the pleasure of meeting Myers in Texas at a conference, and when we learned her story, we felt it fit in perfectly with what we've been trying to share with the world. In her own words: "I like to say this industry found me rather than the other way around."

"I had the opportunity to intern with Honeywell in the summer of 2021, and I showed up on my first day to find out my assignment and what group I would be in, and they told me I'd be in the data center group. So my first question was great, what's a data center??"

And so from that point on, Myers spent time learning about data centers and the ins and outs of Honeywell, including the players in the space, as well as the administrative side of things that come with any new job. When she first signed up for the internship, her goals were to gain experience with an organization with a broad reach.

"If I got to Honeywell, I figured I would have the opportunity to move around and find what my interests really were. And lo and behold, I find the data center industry very interesting. So I'm still here!"

Myers is the youngest guest to join the Nomad Futurist podcast, so Phil and Nabeel asked her where she felt the significant gap is between younger audiences and this industry.

"There is a gap because it's not talked about. I had not heard the word data center before that first day at my internship, and if the word were out and people talked about it, I think that would gain interest in itself."

Myers also opens up about what it's like being a minority in this industry.

"Being a young female in this industry, I found that really most every conversation that I have, I have to prove that I know what I'm talking about and work harder to gain someone's confidence in me."

Myers says she's keeping an open mind for the future and is excited about the many industry opportunities ahead for her. The timing of this podcast also couldn't be any better, with Carrie Goetz launching her book- Jumpstart Your Career in Data Centers, which Myers has been using on her journey.

"Her book really explains things in a very simple way and gives definitions simple enough for me to start to connect all of the pieces."

Emma Grace Myers is a sales representative for Honeywell Building Technologies in the Data Center Vertical and holds a B.S. in Industrial Distribution and a Business minor from Texas A&M University. Before joining Honeywell in January 2022, Emma Grace spent time in the roofing distribution industry, where she realized her passion lies in solution-based selling.

Goetz’ impetus for writing the book maps closely to the reason Nomad Futurist was founded — to address a data center talent shortage by raising awareness of the industry and helping break down barriers that are contributing to the problem. 

“A third of this industry is supposed to gray out by 2025. If we're going to solve our talent shortage problem…if we're going to solve the on ramps and gender parity and diversity issues and address the million other initiatives that are needed in the industry, first off, we need people to know what the industry is.”

And that is exactly what this ambitious book sets out to do by providing an overview of the datacenter ecosystem, along with foundational information, tips and insights Goetz has gained from decades in the industry. In her own words: “It was really a labor of love to put over 40 years of experience on a piece of paper.” 

“Instead of highlighting each individual job, I tried to talk about how each individual part fits into the ecosystem…I wanted something that ties it all together…not just from a colo perspective but all the way through where we look at coding and project management, all of the other skills that make this industry work.”

Goetz is also in agreement with Phil and Nabeel about the high value of tradespeople.

“I’m a firm believer in tradespeople…The people that work with their hands deserve all the respect. If it were not for the trades, nothing would get built and none of us would have a job.”

Goetz highlights the fact that most of the jobs in the data center industry do not require a degree and that much learning happens on the job. She offers some smart advice, suggesting that people should try working in the industry to make sure they enjoy it, before pursuing a degree.

“If you're a veteran or you're starting out in the industry, you could start one of those jobs and these multi-billion-dollar companies have tuition reimbursement. If you want to go on and get your degree, go on and get it without student debt.”

Goetz is generously contributing 25% of the proceeds from the sale of her book to the Nomad Futurist Foundation. Please visit the Jump Start page on our Foundation website to learn more and/or purchase the book. 

Carrie Goetz, Principal/CTO, StrategITcom, personifies over 40 years of global experience designing, running, and auditing, data centers and IT departments. She is an international keynote speaker and is globally published in 69 countries in over 250 publications. Amongst her recent accolades:

·       Top 25 Women in Mission Critical 2022, Mission Critical Magazine

·       30 Top Most Influential Women in Tech 2021 by CIO Outlook

Goetz holds an honorary doctorate in Mission Critical Operations, RCDD/NTS, PSP, CNID, CDCP, CSM-Agile, AWS CCP and is a Master Infrastructure Mason with 40+ certifications throughout her career. She served on the WIMCO national education committee and is a long-time participant in 7x24Exchange, AFCOM and Data Center Institute board of advisors, Mission Critical Advisory Board, Women in Data Centers, CNet Technical Curriculum Advisory Board, NEDAS Advisory Board, a member of BICSI, Women in BICSI, and an education committee member, and a member of Women Leading Technology Sorority. She champions STEM education through outreach projects and her podcast series. She holds two patents.

Perez grew up in a Cuban household in Miami with a father who was a mathematician and chemist, and a mother who was a psychologist. After beginning studies in mechanical engineering, Perez shifted gears.

“I was fascinated by the social aspects of business, so I gravitated towards the business and marketing side.”

He opted for a degree in Hospitality Management which attracted him as it encompassed engineering, marketing and law and had a strong social component.

“In construction it's about people management the same way that the hospitality industry is. The hotel degree in comparison to a business degree is more holistic. It teaches you how to pivot and keep moving forward. It's really an entrepreneurial degree.”  

Perez, a master builder, discusses the challenges of creating environments for different industries. He singles out the data center and microelectronics industries as two of the most challenging because of the pace of what is required. 

“You have to make a lot of decisions within a very short period, and you have to make accurate decisions that are meaningful and impactful.”

After decades of experience across different verticals, Perez has gained a broad perspective and ability to cut through complexity.

“There's similarities and there's differences, you pull the similarities together and then you understand the nuances and the differences of each building. The characteristics of a life science building, a data center, and a semiconductor building at the core are very similar. They are powered buildings that can never go down.”

In terms of education, Perez aligns with Nomad Futurist on the need for alternative approaches to the standard four-year college degree such as trade schools and laddered programs that allow students to get into the workforce while they are learning. He also believes in the importance of reaching out to underserved demographics who are easily overlooked in the current system.

“There are some really talented people that, if given the opportunity, could step into a trade school, learn a trade, and then figure out how to build those skills to move into management or other things.”

Perez shares some nuanced observations about the challenges involved in building a more diverse workplace including the unrecognized impacts of well-intentioned initiatives that focus on helping one group while excluding others. 

In parting, Perez encourages young people to be bold:

“Be a little bit bolder and have the courage to speak up and have your ideas heard. Don't assume that because it hasn't been said that people have thought about it and dismissed it.”

Dave Perez is an established business leader in the technology sectors with over 30 years of experience in advanced manufacturing. He has spent a great deal of his career assisting the world’s largest technology companies expand their footprint and optimize their manufacturing processes. His industry related experience spans from microelectronics, life sciences, data centers, automotive, thin film PV, and renewable energy. Perez’s broad knowledge provides an exceptional end-to-end client experience across a global footprint. 

In his current role as Senior Vice President, Client Experience at Nexii, Perez is committed to the company’s mission in creating a greener built environment for people and the planet. His role assists Nexii’s clients in achieving their long-term sustainability goals through an enhanced building process. “We have to look at the way we build things and provide better solutions for our environment and planet. We have less than 10 years to reverse the cycle and we must act not talk.”   

The daughter of engineers, McCleave was encouraged by her parents to pursue her goals. Initially obtaining a degree in civil engineering, she shifted her focus to other aspects of contemporary tech, emigrated to Canada and secured a position as a first line engineer, moving up through the ranks as she became focused on customer success — something she is passionate about.

“I'm not your typical technical leader, technical founder. I'm more focused on customer relationships, the operations, the customer success, the sales elements.”

McCleave talks about the challenge of achieving an authentic communication style, of finding her voice as a woman in business. Some mentors suggested that she not share personal details of her life with her staff, others suggested that she was too direct.

“Now I realize the only way forward is just to be yourself…especially with your staff…letting them get to know who you really are makes things much more fun and much more enjoyable in the workplace.”

McCleave talks about the emotional rollercoaster she has experienced as a founder, negotiating the ups and downs of her own business. Her biggest challenge is the loneliness she faces after having worked in companies with large teams, alongside VPs, directors, and managers.

“All of a sudden I'm a solo founder in my little office, with my laptop doing my thing. Trying to build a product and rally the people around me.”

McCleave talks about the importance of having friends and family to counterbalance the loneliness that can come with entrepreneurship. 

But she clearly thrives on taking chances and is extremely upbeat about the necessity of living with risk.

“You need to rely on the universe, know that it has your back, and everything will work out in the end.”

Her advice to people starting out, especially immigrants who are pursuing a corporate career:

“Companies do not nurture authenticity. There's the notion of your being a great soldier and producing great results. But producing great results can also mean having your own personality, having your own great style…so don't be afraid to be yourself and let your colleagues and your boss get to know you.”

Elya McCleave has two decades of global leadership experience in IT Service Management and Customer Success. She is a vibrant, veteran leader of the Cloud industry, responsible for pioneering and reshaping the customer experiences of many successful organizations. 

Since leaving the corporate world, McCleave founded a SaaS company, Innovorg, to help more businesses focus on employee and customer growth. Innovorg is an ambitious, ground-breaking analytics and skills building solution that has been refined from years of listening to customers, the employees that serve them, product managers and executives who build their business around achieving complete customer satisfaction. 

Snowhorn grew up as a scion of the successful Neiman Marcus family and the happy child of highly educated parents who lived a hippie lifestyle. 

Nevertheless, Snowhorn was the black sheep of the family, eschewing Harvard for his passions for surfing and snowboarding which he subsidized by photographing tourists. Through a surfing contact he got involved in doing retrofits for telecom hotels which in turn gave him enough experience to land a job at Terremark, a Miami based real estate company that was involved in constructing data centers during the early dotcom era.

“I recognized very quickly that Terremark was going to be something magical. I had this amazing opportunity to really make something of myself and I knew that I had it in my DNA to achieve things.”

Snowhorn, who considers himself to be a proud nerd, soon became an expert in interconnection and peering and was responsible for extraordinary growth at the company. He also founded the Global Peering Forum.

“I was responsible for peering and interconnection and cross connects and the Global Peering Forum and all that at the same time, driving massive transactional business to the company. I approached it from a sense of friendship and camaraderie in the industry. The people I sold to were really my friends and they trusted me.”

After eleven years at Terremark, Snowhorn went on to work for CyrusOne where he grew revenue 23% year-on-year. 

Snowhorn’s latest enterprise, Quantum Loophole, is focused on addressing the scalability, connectivity, and cost-efficiency challenges of today’s large-scale deployments.

“I looked at the elements that we needed in our industry; land, energy, water, and fiber. Those are essentials… that ecosystem just needs to be supported with mass scale facilities. That's what we're hoping to do…find the phase one perfect location, and then scale that out around the country and become a wholesaler to the wholesalers.”

Quantum Loophole is currently developing a first-of-its kind 2,100-acre data center campus in Frederick, Maryland that supports Northern Virginia’s data center alley.

Snowhorn is a committed futurist. He has an aversion to thinking inside the box and is constantly encouraging his team:

“I want you to forget about what you did in the past. That doesn't mean a thing. I want you to think about the future.…if we shape our business that way, we're going to be ahead of everybody.”

Snowhorn’s enthusiasm and generosity of spirit have been key to his success in sales and business development, and with regards to the next generation, he is clearly committed to paying it forward.

“When I meet the kids coming into our industry who don't go to college, a lot of them dropped out of high school, and I watch how they're trying to succeed in the networking industry, I can't wait to give them an opportunity.”

Josh Snowhorn is Founder & CEO of Quantum Loophole, Inc. which offers a rapid platform delivery for land, power, connectivity, and scale to support the needs of hyperscalers, enterprises and colocation providers. Snowhorn values approachability, accessibility, collaboration, innovation, and growth. These qualities guided Snowhorn’s leadership in the interconnection industry over the last 20 years and building over $10B of value along the way. He has pretty much seen and done it all through key founding and executive positions at Terremark, Verizon (NYSE: VZ), Cincinnati Bell, and CyrusOne (Nasdaq: CONE). Josh founded the Global Peering Forum, the annual meeting for the Internet interconnection and peering community where he serves on the board of directors. Josh serves on the advisory board of Telescent, the finest automated interconnection machine on the planet. He is an avid speaker at conferences globally including networking, data centers, real estate, edge networking, and quantum computing. He has been a surfer for 39 years and a snowboarder for 25 years, traveling the globe in pursuit of experiences. Josh loves cars and racing. He founded TrackRats, LLC, the premier car club for track enthusiasts. 

Scott served as an officer in the Royal Navy where he worked in communications and pursued multiple engineering degrees. After retiring from the Navy, he moved into the software sector, internationalizing products, and traveling around the world before transitioning into IT. 

“When I first stepped into software and engineering, I was sure that IT was going to be the space I'd work in. I liked the idea that it knew no boundaries. It was truly international.”

In the late 90s, Scott was involved in cutting-edge connectivity projects such as the London Grid for Learning that linked 2700 schools and the enablement of Ethernet phone calls for Earls Court, London’s former premier international exhibition center. 

Scott joined the data center industry in 2000, as Sales Director for Global Switch and ran their managed services operation for several years. He also became involved with private equity and filled senior management roles in numerous enterprises over the years.

Scott discusses the challenges posed by the prospect of a looming economic recession:

“We've got to work out more efficient ways of deploying data center technology around Europe, more efficient ways of building offsite construction, modular construction, all of the things that we know that we can do to drive down the cost of delivery.”

Because of his extensive background across several decades working in private equity and his leadership roles related to critical infrastructure, Scott sees a future that will entail regulation as the industry evolves.

“I think this industry will become regulated. We've seen these infrastructure funds grow up over the last five years. They need to have a regulated asset class which they can invest in. It's not the Wild West we were in 10 years ago…It’s now fully grown up.”

Scott understands that young people have a different set of expectations relative to the workforce of the past and expect to have multiple careers after graduating. For this reason, he encourages them to consider the critical infrastructure industry because of the number of verticals it contains.

“…within Internet infrastructure and our world of data centers and communications… there are multiple layers of career possible…with rewards in many different areas, in pure technology, app development, and in everything to do with delivering a service…it can be incredibly exciting!” 

His parting words to the young:

“It's a very cool space with lots of choice and lots of different skills needed. It's a very cool place to be!”

Stephen Scott is currently CEO of Datalec, a UK based data center construction company whose reach extends to Europe with over seventeen subsidiary locations. Prior to Datalec, Stephen spent 12 years as COO at Bridgehouse Capital (UK family office) and a further 2 years as CEO at a boutique London based Investment Bank. During this time, he gained significant private equity experience and participated in multiple sector M&A activities. Stephen has achieved considerable experience in the data center space and has held senior positions in several related companies including Deep Blue Cable (CEO), Global Marine Systems (Commercial Director), PSiNet Europe (CEO), Sentrum Data Centers (COO) and Global Switch (Sales Director). Stephen is a retired Naval Officer with an honors degree in engineering. 

Shanahan grew up in Minnesota where he got his first drum kit at age 10 and his first camera at age 13.After obtaining a degree in accounting and finance, he decided to go for broke and loaded up a van with his drums and photography equipment and headed for LA in the late 80s.

He hit the ground running doing headshots for musicians, actors, and real estate agents. Many become friends who opened doors. This included an introduction to Paiste Cymbals, where he was invited to photograph a huge roster of drummers. He considered this “a golden ticket,” allowing him to shoot A-List drummers like Alex Van Halen, Stewart Copeland, and Sheila E. One thing led to another.

Sheila E. had been on the road with Ringo Starr and introduced Shanahan who was invited to join the tour as a photographer.

“…. his publicist called and said, Ringo wants to know if you want to jump on tour and start doing photos. Of course, you don't check your schedule. You say yes!”

.

Shanahan ultimately became Ringo’s personal photographer. Ringo wrote the foreword for Shanahan’s first book of photography, VOLUME 1 which highlights many rock legends. In addition to his technical prowess, Shanahan, who is a humble fan and great listener, has the rare ability to make his subjects feel comfortable and capture the essence of a personality. 

“I’m very open. I love people. I love photographing people. I love connecting with people.”

Some of Shanahan’s music connections led him to the technology world. He was introduced to a VP at CenturyLink who was so captivated by his story that he was asked to deliver a keynote presentation for the company.

“…It was a life changing moment…. telling the story on stage, sharing the rock and roll photos and bringing people along on the ride was extremely rewarding!”

The talk was such a success that Shanahan has become a sought-after speaker in the tech space. Audiences are inspired by his extraordinary stories and passion, coupled with his positivity and humility. 

Nurturing his own positivity has been a lifelong practice.

“30 years ago, I took it upon myself to make health and fitness one of the top priorities of my life…I cut all the negative stuff out.”

His advice to the young:

“Be yourself. Stay true to your heart. Find your passion.”

His parting words for those who are further along in their journeys:

“Never look back. The past has happened. You can't change it. You can't alter it. Everything is forward…moving forward.”

Rob Shanahan’s photographs have appeared in numerous international ad campaigns, galleries, records, books, and magazines around the globe. He is also embracing his new gig as a keynote speaker, getting rave reviews, and looking forward to many more events.  

VOLUME 1 is his first published collection of music photographs, with foreword by Ringo Starr. This acclaimed collection is a who's who of music icons and is sure to please both photography and music fans alike, with 100% 5-Star reviews across all platforms. 

Shanahan has also appeared nationwide on many TV and radio shows and has been a guest on dozens of podcasts. He also produced and hosted a podcast series for Guitar Center Foundation, and for 8x8 in the IP tech industry. 

​ 

Since 1993, Shanahan has been drumming with the Hollywood Stones, the premier Rolling Stones tribute band. His sensitivities as a musician have made him the first call photographer for many of the world’s top artists. 

He lives in Venice, California, with his wife, daughter, and two cool Bengal cats. 

Brennan has been intrigued by technology ever since he was a child growing up on Long Island. His early exposure to computers dates to his grandfather bringing home two Televideo TS-802H machines which he disassembled and reassembled. He began to play some of the first interactive video games and ended up working in a local computer store selling and installing Amigas, Commodores and used IBMs.

Early on, Brennan got involved in bulletin boards as a means of engaging with a wider world and joining the hacker community.

“It was a cultural underground…We’d go to Manhattan every so often and we'd catch up at the local 2600 meeting. That's where we met a lot of folks, some of whom I stay in contact with today.”

In addition to working in the digital field, Brennan served in the Marine Corps where he learned about ethics and serving a higher purpose. After a serious injury during a live fire exercise, Brennan left the army and initiated his cybersecurity career working for a private investigator which led to writing software to help with forensics investigations. He went on to gain skills working for a range of companies including the first company that developed online transactional trading as well as numerous dot com startups.

 “My security background always crept in because we were building something and had to defend it, and then we were hacked, and we'd have to figure out why it happened.”

Brennan learned much of his craft on the job and his unfailing passion gave him the impetus to solve difficult challenges.

“I was and am still comfortable with looking at a really complex problem, trying to break it down to simple nuggets and then attacking those nuggets.”

As an advisor for several universities, Brennan discusses the criticality of establishing a basic syllabus for cybersecurity that addresses some prerequisite technical abilities.

“It really comes down to proof of competency. Can you demonstrate the appropriate ability to do incident response or security services or penetration testing?”

Brennan shares insights on a range of topics from cryptocurrency to the nuances between compliance and security.

“Security is not compliance. Compliance is compliance; security helps. But if you’re secure, you’re most likely going to be compliant because all the standards out there are the best practices.”

Given that the cybersecurity space is constantly evolving, Brennan emphasizes the importance of community participation where everyone can share their experiences.  

“Our job is to watch out for the folks that can't watch out for themselves and in cyber that's pretty much everybody, right?”

His advice to the young:

“Go deep, enjoy what you do and try to go wide at the same time, meaning, understand what else is going on out there…and don’t be afraid to ask for help!”

Tom Brennan leads the U.S. arm of CREST International, a cybersecurity and infrastructure security agency. Brennan collaborates with government and commercial organizations on cybersecurity accreditation and advocates for industry standards. His focus is on the agency’s 16 critical infrastructure sectors, which are essential to US security, the national economy, and public health and safety. He spearheads strategic plans for CREST USA’s organizational growth and serves as an industry evangelist and educator on the importance of using accredited cybersecurity products and professionals to improve consumer privacy, security, and protections globally.

In addition, Brennan is the CIO of the national law firm Mandelbaum Barrett where he oversees critical infrastructure, privacy, and security operations. He is also a member of the Gerson Lehrman Group’s Advisory Board, a member of the County College of Morris’ Information Technology Advisory Committee, a Senior Advisor and Industry Advisory Board Member of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and a member of the NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s Cyber Fellows Advisory Council. Brennan also has extensive experience working with OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project).

Boen, the OG of Data Center, did not begin her career in the tech sector. Instead, she chose Business Administration as her major because everyone in the 1980s did. Boen started her career in mobility selling cell phones, which resulted in being the gateway to her exploring the technology market segment. 

"I loved technology, and I love talking to people. So I decided I couldn't be hiding in an office."

In 1995 she and her husband, an electrical engineer, started Alcatex. Boen discusses the difficulties and challenges of an unfamiliar industry with seven children to feed. Nevertheless, she shares her pride in being one of the forebearers of Women in Tech. She emphasizes the importance of more women in tech and the need to change the educational system. 

"I always felt we were in this cool club."

Boen started her pursuit of energy efficiency in data centers in 2016. She discusses the technical aspects of immersion cooling and how it has been overlooked for over a decade. In the podcast, Boen explains the need for energy-efficient solutions and the importance of Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria and standards. 

Increased computing power and performance demands, combined with technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and machine learning (ML), have resulted in rising temperatures within data center infrastructure and IT equipment. More compute means more power, more power means more heat, more heat needs more cooling, which consumes yet more power, and the cycle continues.

Given the inefficiency of traditional cooling solutions — and the combination of sustainability-minded design goals, governmental regulation, rising power costs, and the technological demands to cool cutting-edge CPUs and GPUs — the need for more efficient and less power-hungry cooling systems is clear. Boen discussed her recent experiences with immersion cooling usage in Blockchain.

"We go back to our education and realize… there are certain things you learn, but real-world learning… happens in the real world."

Boen encourages young people to get out of their comfort zone and explore the technology infrastructure in their youth, as it will significantly impact their future. She describes how, in the past, people predicted that the internet would be a fad, but it is now one of the world's fastest-growing industries.

"Don't be afraid to learn something new. Don't be intimidated to learn.… I set my mind to learn, and I… did it."

Allison Boen, President of Alcatex Data Center Services, has worked in the Data Center Design and Construction space for 27 years. As a certified DCEP, she has had the unique opportunity to watch the industry evolve into where we are today and see a vision of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Data Center Infrastructures have evolved over the years, with larger Data Centers, more power, and more data generated, but little emphasis on Energy Efficiency and Sustainability. We must do better, and Allison's vision as an Ambassadress and Evangelist of Immersion Cooling is that these days will be remembered as a watershed moment propelling us into a Greener, More Sustainable Data Center Infrastructure that uses less energy, less water, and less space.

After a brief stint doing temp work out of high school, Nelson got an associate’s degree in electronics from DeVry. 

He was recruited to work for Sun Microsystems where he learned technology, business, strategy and people management. Nelson references his exposure to all the varied areas of technology as “attending the University of Sun,” a fundamental on-the-job training that launched his career.

He stresses the need for this kind of exposure.

“I think that one thing we lack in our industry right now, actually across the world, is apprenticeships. If we offered apprenticeships today to people to truly learn a trade like this, it would accelerate everything.”

Nelson is deeply committed to communicating the value and opportunities offered by the data center industry to those who may not understand how core IT is to our everyday world.

“There is every discipline inside of digital infrastructure; planning, accounting, supply chain orchestration, fault management…even HR planning, everything can be tied together.”

Nelson discusses the importance of communicating the real-world applicability of the digital infrastructure space in a way that is simple and relevant to people who may not be aware of it.

“The problem is we don't have our education systems lined up to be able to say that this industry, digital infrastructure specifically, is an incredibly rewarding career.”

Nelson shares his excitement about some of the newest advances in the tech space. He asserts the inevitability of self-driving and even flying cars.

He does express concern about the possible abuses that may arise from audio and video deep fakes made possible by virtual reality technology.

But Nelson is ultimately optimistic about the Digital Infrastructure industry leading the way in terms of environmental and sustainability issues because of the involvement of some of the biggest players in the space. He is hopeful that self-regulation can be the answer as it was for PUE standards.

His message to the young:

“This industry has an incredibly important purpose. We connect the world…We enable opportunity everywhere. Wouldn't you like to be in the fastest growing industry in the world?”

Dean Nelson is a seasoned technology executive with 32 years of experience deploying $10B of digital infrastructure projects across 3 continents. Nelson is currently the CEO of Cato Digital, Inc, a software platform that unlocks stranded power in datacenters, the Founder and Chairman of Infrastructure Masons, a professional association of industry executives and technology professionals uniting the builders of the digital age, and the Founder and CEO of Dean Nelson Inc, a strategic advisory and consulting company serving startups, fortune 500 companies and investment firms. 

Previously, Nelson led Uber’s Metal as a Service function supporting Uber’s ridesharing business delivering over 100 million trips a week globally, as well as UberEats, UberFreight, UberHealth, UberForBusiness, and Autonomous vehicle and UberAir development. Prior to Uber, Nelson worked at eBay Inc for 7 years as the VP of Global Foundation Services, which served over 300 million users, enabling over $250B of commerce volume annually. Prior to eBay, he worked at Sun Microsystems for 17 years in various technical, management and executive leadership roles. Nelson’s final Sun project was the consolidation of their multi-billion-dollar global technical infrastructure portfolio of over 1,000 facilities. Dean holds four US patents.

Mares is a dynamic data center leader who has headed major development projects and data center builds for an impressive roster of companies including Google, Equinix and Yahoo. Recently he led design teams and achieved massive deployments of cutting-edge technology for Tesla. 

Energy efficiency was an early calling. As a 12-year-old, Mares was already exploring renewable energy, having created an energy efficient building design for a national science fair.

“Even then I could see that there were a lot of things we could do to improve the efficiency of transportation, of our buildings, and really, of our whole built environment.”

His interests led him to pursue a double major in college: Oceanography (which encompassed studies in physics, chemistry, earth sciences) and business /accounting.

After college, Mares jumped right into the world of business.

“I wanted to change the world. I felt like we had to do something about making businesses more energy efficient.” 

He immediately started considering which industries needed to address energy efficiency as it impacted their bottom line.

Mares became a data center industry champion.

“A fascinating thing about our industry is that it encompasses all kinds of different disciplines, from finance to sales to engineering and real estate.”

Mares shares insights he’s gained over the years including thoughts about serving communities in a holistic way. 

“We really have to rethink how we’re part of the community. A data center is not just an insular box totally isolated from the surrounding community. There's no point in a data center staying operational…if the entire community is down.”

Mares advises data center HR teams to look for people with different backgrounds.

“The more diversity we have in terms of professional and educational experiences, the better we become as an industry.”

Mares is also always thinking about the future as it pertains to the end user. 

“We need to be constantly iterating, changing, evolving, because we know that technology is evolving faster than our data centers are. So, let's adapt to that forward change and not keep doing things the same way. One of the things I've done throughout my career is making these paradigm shifts.”  

His two pieces of advice for the young:

“Keep an open mind to both the industry and the job that you're doing and try to focus on affecting the change that is important to you as a person. Find the place where you can make the biggest impact.”

“Work with really smart, good people and collaborate with them and everybody owns their piece and grows together!” 

KC Mares, currently Director, Industry Strategy for Data Centers at C-Power Energy Management, has focused on energy efficiency in data centers for over 20 years, with leadership over design, building and operating the lowest cost and most efficient data centers in over twenty countries. Mares has developed solutions for hyperscalers, tech companies and the largest providers, enterprises, and government data center operators. He has led the design of over $10 billion in data centers, driving industry leading energy and cost efficiencies. He also recently led factory engineering and battery cell production projects for Tesla. 

Mares has chaired the SVLG Data Center Energy Efficiency demonstration program and summits, and prior to that the SVLG Energy Committee, helping create long-term clean energy solutions for California. When Yahoo was still the largest Internet property, Mares led its worldwide data center strategy, leading the construction of energy efficient data centers. His work has earned industry recognition, including two EnergyStar Partner of the Year awards. 

For our very first father/son interview, Nomad Futurist welcomes Tony Grayson, a critical infrastructure leader and former Submarine Commander and his son Aiden Grayson, an IT entrepreneur and consultant. Together they offer some unique perspectives on a range of subjects including the Navy, technology, and entrepreneurship.

The Graysons comes from a military family. Tony Grayson’s grandfather was a WWII pilot who was shot down, spent a month on a raft in the Pacific and washed up on an island!

“That really instilled in me ‘the country before self’ kind of thing.”

Tony had hoped to join the Air Force but due to poor vision, ended up in the Navy where he ultimately became a submarine commander.

He talks about the special experience of working with a crew: 

“…. that team, you are all running together and you really all have each other's backs. It's like nothing, no culture I’ve ever experienced before…alone and unafraid and out there and doing missions…”

After twenty years, Tony Grayson’s naval career culminated with the prestigious VADM James Bond Stockdale Award. He decided to leave the Navy in order to spend more time with his family.

Facebook reached out to him and offered him the opportunity to grow into his role there as he acclimated to civilian life.

He found that there were significant similarities between understanding and running the various systems in a submarine and being involved in critical infrastructure.

“A submarine actually has 12 to 13 megawatts of IT load.  We have a substrate; we have an overlay… That's very similar to what a platform operates at. I understood how the cloud works, the software stack and the physical infrastructure.”

After Facebook, Grayson moved on to AWS and Oracle, picking up on networking, data center infrastructure and cloud strategy. He then moved over to Compass-Quantum to focus on the future of edge and edge physical infrastructure.

Aiden Grayson talks about the experience of being a Navy brat.

“My dad was away for sometimes eight months at a time and that left me as the designated tech guy…every family has one! I ended up fixing the modem…or calling Comcast or making sure that everything was set up correctly.”

From there it was natural for him to pursue computer science in high school and college. While still in college, Aiden also launched his first startup, Short Cubby, a beached-based locker system.

Aiden talks about loving the creative aspect of business and entrepreneurship, particularly the ability to approach things in a new or unique way.

He also talks about how his business ventures have helped him develop confidence:

“You have to pitch a lot with startups. You have to do that to get funding. I found that confidence within myself and that made me a whole lot more excited to enter the real world.”

Tony remains consistently supportive of his son’s efforts, including his failures.

“There's something to be said about working in a small company and trying to build a business that you can look back on.”

Aiden speaks about working with a mentor to try to develop his next venture opportunity even as he begins his work consulting in cybersecurity for Ernst & Young.

‘The world’s an ever-changing place. I thank my family and especially my dad for exposing me to that change early so I can be open to trying something new.”

In terms of advice, father and son agree that:

“You’ve got to have grit!”

Tony Grayson, General Manager of Quantum Compass, is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of technology and leadership experience and a deep understanding of the cloud, edge, networking, commercial power, sustainability, and the data center industry. His experience includes global strategy, capacity, financial management, program/project/product management, engineering, software, telecommunications, and operations. Grayson has held senior critical infrastructure leadership positions at Facebook, AWS, and Oracle. Grayson is a retired naval officer who successfully commanded a multi-billion-dollar nuclear submarine in environmental extremes ranging from the Arctic Ocean to the Arabian Gulf. Recipient of the distinguished VADM James Bond Stockdale Award for excellence in leadership, presented annually to two Commanding Officers who exhibit high morals and thoughtfulness in leadership. 

Aiden Grayson has a background in entrepreneurship, IT/networking, and consulting. He is a 2022 graduate of the Fowler School of Business at San Diego State University where he focused on Computer Science and Entrepreneurship. He has accepted a position as a cybersecurity consultant for Ernst & Young. 

Arpin always had a natural proclivity for sales. While in his teens he started selling golf equipment in a sporting goods store. He then worked at Enterprise Rent-A-Car as a sales manager and went on to do sales and business development for several firms. A former manager from Enterprise invited Arpin to join him at Service Express as a senior account manager. 

He soon realized how attractive the IT industry was:

“IT sales now is like pharmaceutical sales in the eighties and nineties…there’s a lot of success to be had, a lot of growth in the industry…a lot of IT spend, with lots of companies looking for salespeople.” 

Arpin became conversant with the technical aspects of the industry through a combination of online research, on-the-job training, and developing relationships with clients and vendors.

Arpin speaks with pride about his work helping to support his company and their customers. He shares his commitment to sales as a profession — how he is in it not just for financial rewards, but also to solve problems, find value, and build relationships. 

He references the book “Selling with Noble Purpose: How to Drive Revenue and Do Work That Makes You Proud” by Lisa Earle McCleod which emphasizes the importance of finding your reason, the “why” behind your selling, and believing that what you’re selling is providing value and having impact.

“The consultative process of sales is an art form…the need to become a high-level consultative seller has forced me to become a better salesperson — a better listener, a better relationship builder, a better problem solver.”

In terms of advice, Arpin highlights the importance of staying current and actively pursuing knowledge. He also recommends attending industry events where one can make or deepen relationships with vendors, colleagues, and end users.

“AFCOM has by far been the most beneficial for me…I get to walk through the latest data and learn…there's always guest speakers and different companies talking about their products…that stuff's invaluable.”

He shares the following insight:

“The biggest thing that helped me honestly, was just conversations with end users when I didn't know something. Being open to admitting that and asking them to explain it to me, because I wanted to learn.”

Tim Arpin is the Regional Sales Manager for the New York/New Jersey Market for Service Express, a third-party Data Center Maintenance Provider. Arpin has been with Service Express for over four years and has fifteen years of sales experience starting with a job selling golf equipment at a local Sports Authority store while he was in high school. Arpin manages a team of eight sellers and lives in North Jersey. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Marketing from Eastern Connecticut State University.

Skinner had a natural proclivity for tech from an early age. His first computer was a Tandy 500 which he tinkered with, broke, reassembled and improved. In high school he excelled at computers, studying programming languages and software development as well as electronics.

“My dad said, ‘you're going into computers.’”

After graduating college with an IT degree and despite the dot-com crash, he managed to get hired by Sun Microsystems supporting Bloomberg financial. He hit the ground running. At Sun he received intensive training in data center engineering, learning about hardware, and working on what at the time were supercomputers.

“Where I really learned was on the job. I've always been able to jump in and learn new things.” 

Skinner talks about his career evolution, how he gradually became aware of the myriad elements that make up the data center environment:  the servers, the racks, the power, the batteries, the cooling.

He moved into middle management in Bloomberg’s New York City data center and was tasked with transforming the siloed work culture. He asked workers to expand their remit and found that those that met the challenge excelled.

“My passion is leadership at this point…really growing people and helping them succeed, growing the department.”

Skinner talks about the importance of having ongoing conversations with technology vendors to stay ahead of the curve, ensuring that the right questions are being considered and the right issues addressed.

“You go out there and ask what’s coming? What should we be learning? What should we be addressing? Never hire for what you need today, hire for what you need tomorrow.”

He also highlights the importance of continuous training and how that has been incorporated as an ongoing process at his company where they have instituted weekly internal seminars to challenge their employees and help teams grow.

Skinner also talks about his leadership involvement with AFCOM where he was instrumental in revitalizing the NYC/NJ metro chapter after superstorm Sandy flooded and disrupted much of lower Manhattan. As a strong believer in the power of collaboration and community, Skinner’s focus for the organization stressed and continues to encourage education, networking, and the pooling of information.

“Let's see how you're doing it. Are we doing it differently? Are you doing it better? Let's compare notes so this will help everyone!”

Bill Skinner has twenty years of experience in the Data Center and Technology Infrastructure environment and is currently Operations Services Manager for Bloomberg LP, managing a range of teams responsible for automating infrastructure services for the company’s extensive engineering/developer community. During his 17-year tenure at Bloomberg, Skinner has managed data center facilities, developed new standards, processes, and technologies, and built and enabled highly successful IT teams. 

Bill Skinner is a frequent speaker at industry events and is the President of the NY/NJ Chapter of AFCOM. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from Plymouth State University. 

Parpart, a theater major, began his career working on the road doing lights and sound and then opted for a different lifestyle. His wife-to-be suggested he apply for an available mailroom position at Aon. As Parpart already had programming experience, he was hired instead as a programmer to work on Y2K compliance.

Programming led to networking which led to data centers.

“From a technology perspective, I've always managed to latch onto whatever the next thing was...I'm a hungry learner… I want to know!”

Parpart then went into consulting. He subsequently joined General Motors where he managed infrastructure and networking. 

Parpart’s work at the University of Chicago involves managing many types of systems ranging from administrative databases to facilities that are responsible for computing for high-end research projects. This requires that he be able to manage different types of facilities depending on the need. 

“If you want to see the world of cooling or racks or power…we’re doing all kinds of crazy things with them. Come see me. I’ve got all kinds of crazy stuff!”

Parpart talks about the pros and cons of working in the world of education versus the corporate environment.

“In education the politics are particularly challenging and require patience! I also need to be a partner or a support person and make sure that I’m not seen as an impediment.”

He talks about how he applies lessons learned in the world of business.

 “You never give anybody one option. You give them two because they'll pick one. And hopefully you can sell it so they pick the right one!”

Parpart does enjoy the camaraderie of being able to share insights with peers at other big research universities which would be difficult to achieve in the competitive business environment where trade secrets cannot be shared.

For newcomers to the space, Papert highlights the importance of being willing to learn, willing to listen, and being transparent about what you know and don’t know.

For those who are further along in their careers, he particularly stresses the importance of being a good listener. 

“Are you really listening? Don’t be the smartest person in the room, even if you think you are. If you are, take the time to mentor those around you and to draw them into the conversation, to draw them into the solution. Help them think, but let them think!” 

Raymond Parpart serves as Director of Data Center Operations and Strategy at the University of Chicago where he is responsible for mission critical data center facilities, delivering expertise from system/facility design to operational support, to government compliance for areas such as HIPPA, FISMA, and PCI. Parpart works closely with stakeholders to ensure 7x24 reliability and the constant improvement of system hosting, colocation services, and energy efficiency in complex computing environments. His purview extends to outsourcing and cloud integration strategy.  

Parpart has over 20 years of global experience with technology. Prior to joining the University in 2007, Parpart was a Global Architect responsible for global infrastructure, data center operations, desktop, and server standards for General Motors where he developed cost saving innovations in the areas of voice, video, and data networking. Earlier in his career, he served in both technical and management roles for a major, regional bank and global consulting company delivering infrastructure design and operations solutions to resolve business issues.  

After an initial interest in opera, Keller became a business major as she felt this would be helpful in whatever career she pursued. She fell in love with technology during her first job in online banking. Initial roles morphed into project management in the standards space, and then into the data center world.

“I got really excited working on data center standards. I learned the data centers more from the software stack, how to deal with configuration management, security, networking standards…before there were any kinds of standards.”

Keller went on to hold leadership roles at Google, Facebook, and Workday prior to joining Uber. As she transitioned from job to job, Keller followed her interests, and was not afraid to take chances.

“I was open to following a flow — an interest string rather than a career path. That made a huge difference, not only in my actual career success, but also in my happiness level.”

Keller expresses concern over the current state of the supply chain ecosystem where a focus on “just in time” has led to dangerous degrees of instability. Given the reality of disruptions caused by Covid as well as the current geo-political scene, the West’s access to essential technologies on which our lives our predicated could be undermined.

“…not just servers…our phones, our smart TV, our smart refrigerators and our smart cars…and all those promises of how IOT works … it's all built on this house of cards. Right now, things are a little bit dicey!” 

She also talks about the growing awareness of how the supply chain affects the bottom line.

“This is a great time to be a supply chain person because everybody's interested in supply. It is a terrible time to be a supply chain person because everybody thinks that they could do it better.”

Keller believes the situation opens an opportunity to bring back manufacturing to the US.

In response to the challenge of lack of resources in the tech and data center space, Keller believes we need to change our narrative:

“If every one of us started making slight shifts in our hiring practice, in our community engagement, we would see a massive change in the number of people who knew what we did, who understand that this is a really viable career path. And you'd start seeing more diversity and more incoming talent.”

For those getting started, Keller emphasizes the importance of adaptability:

“The skill is looking, adapting, being curious, being open, being open to being wrong and adapting quickly. Because if you fail quickly, you're always going to succeed.”

Sarah Keller is the Head of Global Technology Sourcing and Supply Chain at Uber and is responsible for strategic sourcing and supply chain activities for all Infrastructure, IT, and custom Uber ODM products.  In this capacity, Sarah develops strategies that support Uber's technology platform which is at the intersection of lifestyle and logistics that is revolutionizing the way people connect with their cities around the world.  An industry veteran with more than 15 years spent providing best in class leadership, Sarah has held numerous positions managing global hyperscale infrastructure, supply chain and supplier strategy. 

Prior to Uber, Sarah has been in leadership roles in Operations and Engineering teams for companies including Facebook, Workday and Google.  Sarah participates in several industry initiatives related to Women in Technology, STEM Mentorship and Innovation Forums. Sarah is also on the Board of Directors for Kids At Hope, a 501(c) foundation focused on developing educational outreach and successful outcomes for children. 

Kleyman himself is a refugee whose family left Ukraine around the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Listen to his first podcast for details of that extraordinary journey.

Kleyman shares his heartfelt perspective and concern for family members, friends and colleagues who are dealing with the challenging situation in Ukraine. (Note, this podcast was recorded on March 30th and reflects the conditions on the ground at that time.)

Kleyman talks about checking in with friends in Kyiv and Odessa and having phone conversations punctuated by the sounds of air raid sirens and bombs in the distance. He applauds the courage of the Ukrainians collectively as well as that of his own friends, many of whom decided to remain in their homeland. 

“…literally their words to me were, we made a decision after the first week this started that we're going to stay to the end.”

In addition, Kleyman highlights some unique aspects of the current conflict.

“This is a war of data. This is a war of digital information. This is a war fought on TikTok and Twitter and videos on Telegram.”

He also talks about aspects of propaganda and how deeply this has impacted Russian perspectives about the war, particularly for an older generation that is hesitant to venture outside their comfort zone. Kleyman quotes what an older person shared with him – “I listen to what I feel I need to listen to.”

Phil and Bill talk about the robust technology sector in Ukraine, referencing successful companies like GitLab and Grammarly that were launched there.

Kleyman concludes by expressing his hope that the audience will continue to pay attention to the plight of the Ukrainians.

“To everybody listening, just please keep these conversations going. Don’t let these voices be forgotten!”

Below are links mentioned by Kleyman in this podcast:

·      Ukraine Humanitarian Aid website: https://help.gov.ua/en

·      Article in the Atlantic about the Ukraine-Russia war: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/03/american-volunteer-foreign-fighters-ukraine-russia-war/627604/

·      Bill Kleyman’s Facebook Page:

Kleyman also invites listeners to follow him on Facebook if they are interested in the latest Ukraine news and updates including information on how to contribute to specific charity efforts —e.g., military, humanitarian, and supporting local animal support groups and shelters. Note, you do not need to send a friend request to access this information, simply follow his Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/bkleyman 

Bill Kleyman brings more than 15 years of experience to his role as Executive Vice President of Digital Solutions at Switch. Using the latest innovations, such as AI, machine learning, data center design, DevOps, cloud, and advanced technologies, Mr. Kleyman delivers solutions to customers that help them achieve their business goals and remain competitive in their market. An active member in the technology industry, he was ranked #16 globally in the Onalytica study that reviewed the top 100 most influential individuals in the cloud landscape and #4 in another Onalytica study, which reviewed the industry’s top Data Security Experts.

Prior to joining Switch, Kleyman was the CTO at MTM Technologies where he worked with new designs around virtualization, data center architecture, and cloud design. He was also a leader in the cloud and DevOps practice at EPAM Systems. Kleyman is currently an Advisory Board Member at MTM Technologies and an Advisory Board Council Member at Infrastructure Masons (iMasons) where he chairs the IM Millennials/GenZ Member Resource Group; focused on inspiring and bringing young people into the technology industry.

Kleyman enjoys writing, blogging, and educating colleagues about everything related to technology. His work can be seen within thousands of articles, blogs, chapters in various books, white papers, journals, and more. Kleyman is a regularly featured keynote presenter and speaker at major industry events

After an initial attempt at engineering studies and a stint as a laborer on a construction crew, Vokoun obtained a degree in construction management at the University of Nebraska. After graduation he worked in Oklahoma and Texas on water treatment plants. His next opportunities took him to LA where he worked on local fiber loops, and then to Denver to work for SP Telecom, a builder of telecom networks that morphed into Quest Communications.

Vokoun was tasked with putting together a staffing plan for Quest. Lacking extensive resources, he reached out to department heads he knew from university and to friends and friends of friends to build a team of forty-seven people. Vokoun speaks with pride about the team, many of whose members became lifelong friends.

“It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences…the energy of that group was amazing. It was just so much fun to see people figuring things out and building at warp speed…It's guided so much of what I've done ever since in terms of how to look for the right mindset and the right culture.”

Vokoun stresses the importance of diversity in terms of fostering an inclusive approach to problem solving that leads to better outcomes and a stronger design.

“We had such a diverse group in terms of age…back in the late nineties, 30% of our group was female…. 35% would be defined as minority. We were diverse before it was really a thing.”

Diversity includes bringing in people from other industries to get unique points of view.

“I love when we bring someone in that's never worked in a data center and they'll start by saying, ‘this is probably a dumb question’ and I would say at least half of those dumb questions lead to Aha moments!”

Vokoun is a strong believer that curiosity and a learning mindset are important personal attributes and that if you give people a chance, they will find a way to succeed.

He discusses the serious challenge facing the critical infrastructure industry in terms of securing adequate human resources as the older generation retires.

“The issues we have now are going to be compounded because we’re going to need to build more data centers…the labor issue, and not just in management, but in terms of craft and construction workers.”

Vokoun points out that the trades are more respected in some other parts of the world and stresses the importance of emphasizing the incredible opportunities for skilled tradespeople in the data center space.

“If you have data center experience, you have probably five job offers in the next month if you want them.”

Ron Vokoun is a 34-year veteran of the construction industry with a primary focus on Digital Infrastructure. As Director of Critical Facilities for OAC Services, Vokoun leads a team of construction professionals representing multiple clients in the build out of their data centers. He focuses on scalable, energy efficient, water conscious, and sustainable data center solutions with the lowest Total Cost of Ownership. He is also an author and blogger writing about the intersection of data centers and sustainability.

Vokoun has successfully managed large projects and programs globally and has lived and worked in Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, California, Colorado, Japan, Washington, Arizona, Minnesota, and South Carolina. He has a B.S. in Construction Management from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Vokoun was awarded the certification of Designated Design-Build Professional by the Design-Build Institute of America and is a LEED Accredited Professional with a specialty in Building Design and Construction.