The STEMINISTS Podcast

Ep. 64 - AI Builders on the Rise: Is your Infrastructure AI-ready?

As developers, citizen coders, and business brains all collide in today’s turbocharged builder ecosystem, the race is on: can your enterprise deliver infrastructure at the speed of innovation without letting governance slip through the cracks?  STEMINISTS hosts Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams team up with NetApp’s Nitya Gupta to dissect the infrastructure revolution powering the AI age.  Nitya breaks down how AI is reshaping developer workflows, why traditional ticket-based infrastructure provisioning creates costly friction, and where platform engineering helps and falls short. She also shares what modern builders need most: self-service access, built-in security and compliance, seamless integration with developer tools, secure access to data, and space for rapid experimentation.  This episode is for anyone thinking about developer experience, platform engineering, AI-enabled software creation, or how to build infrastructure with real developer empathy. Listen in for a sharp, practical conversation on how enterprises can better support today’s builders.    Here are some resources just for you: * Join the NetApp Community:  * https://community.netapp.com/t5/Community-Related-Discussions/Welcome-to-the-New-Community/m-p/89985#M54 [https://community.netapp.com/t5/Community-Related-Discussions/Welcome-to-the-New-Community/m-p/89985#M54]  * https://community.netapp.com/t5/Tech-ONTAP-Blogs/Revisiting-Developer-Communities-for-the-Next-Generation-of-Builders/ba-p/462784 [https://community.netapp.com/t5/Tech-ONTAP-Blogs/Revisiting-Developer-Communities-for-the-Next-Generation-of-Builders/ba-p/462784]   * Learn how to build your own data universe [https://www.netapp.com/developer/] * Also, check out how you can simplify, secure and scale your data environment [https://www.netapp.com/data-infrastructure-modernization/]   Connect with us!  https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitya-gupta-1252904/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitya-gupta-1252904/]   https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/]  https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/]

Ep. 63 - STEMINISTS Goes Biweekly: Chill Schedule, Hot Takes

Summer is here, and STEMINISTS is easing into a bi-weekly groove because even sharp minds know when to trade a sprint for a smart summer stride.  You’ll still get the data centric conversations, fresh perspective, and thoughtful updates, now dropping every other week through the end of August. Same smart energy. Just a slightly more sun-friendly schedule.  Follow along so you’re right on time for the next episode.

Ep. 62 - AI Compliance Strategy: How Product Counsel Drives Responsible Innovation

Think legal slows you down? It’s time to find out how your lawyer can be a secret weapon for harnessing the power of AI and navigating regulation.   In this episode, hosts Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams team up with Shannon Salerno, Senior Product Counsel at NetApp, to reveal how legal minds help tech innovation sprint ahead.  Shannon shares the secrets of treating the EU AI Act and GDPR as a playbook, and explains why legal teams are your MVPs for building AI products that win on transparency and data trust. From risk to opportunity, you’ll get quick hits and smart strategies to help your product stay ahead of the rules (and avoid those costly last-minute pivots).  Whether you’re leading enterprise tech, building AI, or dreaming up your next big thing, tune in for sharp insights, practical laughs, and a smarter way to play the innovation game.   Follow and learn how the right legal partner turns compliance into your competitive edge.    Don't forget to check out these resource: * NetApp Trust Center [https://www.netapp.com/responsibility/trust-center/?utm_campaign=fy27-q1-csai-digi-spp-na-ai-di-pod_stem_62-na--1779187117517&utm_source=podbean&utm_medium=ww-podcast&utm_content=ai-video&utm_segment=cexp-all]  * Ep. 57 - Data Without Borders: Navigating AI Sovereignty featuring Avril Cody [https://steminists.podbean.com/e/ep-57-data-without-borders-navigating-ai-sovereignty/]    * Data Classification: Use advanced AI to automatically discover and classify your data [https://www.netapp.com/data-services/classification/?utm_campaign=fy27-q1-csai-digi-spp-na-ai-di-pod_stem_62-na--1779187214890&utm_source=podbean&utm_medium=ww-podcast&utm_content=ai-video&utm_segment=cexp-all] * IAPP | global professional home for digital responsibility [https://iapp.org/]     Also, connect with us!  https://www.linkedin.com/in/koehlershannon/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/koehlershannon/]   https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/]  https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/]

Ep. 61 - From Audit-Ready To Mission-Ready Cyber Defense: Shifting to a Resilient Culture

Checking boxes won’t save you in a real cyber fight.   In this STEMINISTS episode, Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams join Lindsay Totten, NetApp’s Technical Program Manager and ex-U.S. Air Force pilot, to expose the truth: compliance is just the start. If you want to withstand real attacks, you need more than a checklist.  Lindsay leverages cockpit grit to expose what most orgs miss, resilience forms in the trenches, not in binders. It’s about shaping culture, breaking silos, pushing for transparency, and learning fast from failure. Dive into psychological safety, root cause analysis, and razor-sharp metrics to see how true risk-takers ditch checklists for real defense.   If you’re ready to move from audit chaser to cyber badass, share STEMINISTS with your crew.    https://www.netapp.com/cyber-resilience/ [https://www.netapp.com/cyber-resilience/]    Connect with us! https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaytotten/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaytotten/]   https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/]  https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/]

Ep. 60 - Extreme AI Makeover: Enterprise UX Edition

Enterprise software is no longer just built for people; it’s being engineered for digital brains that never sleep.  On this episode of The STEMINISTS Podcast, Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams invite Christina Storm, Chief Design Officer at NetApp, to spill the secrets of UX design in an AI-powered world. Get ready for a peak into designing slick experiences not just for humans, but also for their silicon-smart sidekicks. Christina touches on everything from clunky dashboards to chatty bots. Because in the age of AI, “user” covers a lot more than just you and me.  What you can expect to learn:  * The not-so-subtle art of building enterprise UX that actually gets work done (no, you can’t just “make it pretty”).  * Why AI agents don’t just want a seat at the table—they want the user manual, the keys, and your WiFi password.  * What went down behind the scenes of NetApp’s AI-powered doc bot.  * The surprising truth: Bad data means dumb robots.  * Why even the smartest users can freeze up when it’s prompt time. AI still hasn’t figured out how to read minds (yet).  * Christina’s latest obsession: letting an AI-powered water sensor psychoanalyze her plumbing habits with uncanny accuracy.  Whether you geek out over enterprise tech, obsess about UX, or just want to know if robots will ever get good taste, this episode is stacked with sharp insights and clever digs. If you’ve ever wondered how designers keep their cool and their jobs when their “users” might be carbon-based or code-based, this is the conversation you can’t afford to miss.  Hit play and join the clever crowd. Then share and drop us a review so even more brains (organic or algorithmic) can find The STEMINISTS Podcast.  #TheSteministsPodcast #EnterpriseUX #AI #UserExperience #NetApp #DataDesign #AIAgents #Automation    For  Learn how to accelerate enterprise AI [https://www.netapp.com/artificial-intelligence/?utm_campaign=fy27-q1-csai-digi-spp-na-ai-br-pod_stem_60-na--1777980290858&utm_source=podbean&utm_medium=ww-podcast&utm_content=ai-video&utm_segment=cexp-all] with confidence.   Connect with us!  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissto/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissto/]   https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/]  https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/]