When the System Can't Go Down: Modernizing Healthcare IT Infrastructure

When the System Can't Go Down: Modernizing Healthcare IT Infrastructure

What if you had to design IT infrastructure that cannot, under any circumstances, fail? If that question hits close to home, chances are you work in a high-stakes environment, and this episode was made for you. Jonathan Gough sits down with Jim Forrester, Chief Technology Officer and Associate Vice President of Information Technology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, to explore how healthcare IT leaders modernize mission-critical data infrastructure without compromising care. Jim shares how his team approaches modernization decisions across imaging, system recovery, and data architecture, balancing cost, technical debt, and clinical need at every turn. From the concept of a "minimum viable hospital" to a storage overhaul that delivered 6x faster imaging performance, this is a story about what it means to modernize when the stakes aren't measured in just downtime. They're measured in lives. Whether you work in healthcare or another high-stakes industry, the principles Jim's team lives by are ones every IT leader should have front of mind.

Follow the Data: AI Tool Governance for Scaling Enterprises

AI tools are entering the enterprise from every direction, creating a massive challenge for compliance leaders. The real issue isn’t just selecting the right tools; it is understanding what data the tools touch, what risks they introduce, and whether they can scale responsibly. In this episode of Edge of IT, Jonathan Gough is joined by Michael Corrigan, CIO at World Insurance, and Sean Colicchio, Global CISO at Pellera, to explore a practical approach to AI governance, tool evaluation, and enterprise scale. Michael shares how his team manages technology and cybersecurity while integrating roughly 50 acquisitions a year, using repeatable playbooks, onboarding, and clear data processes to reduce friction. Sean adds a security-first perspective, unpacking why effective AI governance starts by following the data. Together, they explain how strong governance frameworks can help organizations move faster, scale smarter, and thrive in the rapidly evolving enterprise landscape.

The Power of Broke: Innovation Lessons from Daymond John

Innovation does not have to start with unlimited resources. For Daymond John of ABC’s Shark Tank, it starts with the power of broke. In this special episode of Edge of IT, recorded live from Pellera’s West Tech Summit, Jonathan sits down with entrepreneur, investor, and bestselling author Daymond John to explore risk, trust, and innovation under pressure. From building FUBU in his mother’s kitchen to evaluating hundreds of founders on ABC’s Shark Tank, Daymond shares why success is rarely about having the perfect idea. It’s about understanding the problem, surrounding yourself with the right people, managing your downside, and doing the work before asking others to believe. Together, Jonathan and Daymond connect those lessons to enterprise technology today, where AI is moving fast, pressure is high, and leaders are being asked to make smart bets without perfect certainty.

AI Agents in Practice: Building Systems People Trust

A chatbot is easy to launch. A chatbot that earns trust, improves experience, and proves ROI? That is where things get interesting. In this episode, host Jonathan Gough explores what it really takes to build AI agents that people actually want to use. Joining him are Matt Grayson, CIO and IT Division Manager at APWU Health Plan, and Theo Pajaczkowska, Advisory & Design Managing Principal for Data & AI at Pellera. Together, they unpack how Matt’s team, in collaboration with Pellera, built a successful virtual agent on IBM WatsonX Assistant and watsonx AI to improve the self-service experience for members navigating health insurance questions during open enrollment. Operating in the highly regulated healthcare space, Matt shares how his team balanced user experience with governance, while Theo adds her valuable perspective on Pellera's outcome-driven approach for designing vendor-agnostic AI solutions. So if you want to build AI that people use, trust, and come back to, start here.

Adaptive AI Strategy: Balancing Innovation and Experimentation

As AI accelerates, many organizations are realizing that the old rules of strategy no longer hold any weight. In this episode of Edge of IT, Jonathan Gough is joined by Kree Govender, SMB Canada Lead at Microsoft, and Jonathan Real, Solution Architect at Pellera Technologies, to explore what AI readiness looks like when change is constant. Together, they unpack why long-range roadmaps are breaking down, and why the organizations pulling ahead are the ones creating adaptable strategies, faster feedback loops, and better paths from idea to execution. The conversation also digs into how to encourage AI experimentation without losing control. From shadow AI and psychological safety to governance, guardrails, and data readiness, Kree and Jonathan offer a look at how leaders can move faster with AI while still staying secure.