XR Industry Leaders

ArborXR
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The best enterprise XR advice from pioneers like Walmart, UPS, Amazon, and many more. Join ArborXR co-founders Brad Scoggin and Will Stackable on XR Industry Leaders, where they host conversations with cutting-edge VR app developers and Fortune 500 executives in business, health, and education to uncover the secrets of successfully scaling XR. In this podcast, VR & AR leaders help you make sense of the quickly changing XR landscape. You’ll gain insights on everything from starting a pilot project in your organization, working with app developers, unexpected challenges with XR and how to solve them, and eventually scaling a wildly successful XR program at your organization.

  1. Aug 7

    Madison College: How 1 XR Champion Grew a VR Program from 3 Departments to 30

    About the episode In this episode of the XR Industry Leaders Podcast, Brad Scoggin and Will Stackable sit down with Bill Ballo, EMS instructor and XR champion at Madison College in Madison, Wisconsin. Bill shares how a pig heart, a document camera, and a lot of spilled blood led him to VR in 2019 and how a single headset demo turned into one of the most expansive campus XR programs in the country. From a grand opening in May 2023 with just 3 programs, Bill has grown the Madison College XR Center to 30 departments across nursing, dental, HVAC, botany, Spanish, vet tech, and even the volleyball team. With 12 PC VR stations, 80 headsets, and roughly 1,000 students put through VR experiences, Bill's model is built on one core belief: you need a dedicated person, not just hardware. The episode covers how Bill approaches content curation across 30 disciplines, why "parallel play" is his framework for onboarding new instructors, how ArborXR helps branch programs run independently, and why every single headset they've ever purchased has had a student in it. Quotes: "I've put about a thousand students in VR now, and I've had three that have said, I have to stop. I can't do this. Most of them get through it because they love what they're doing." - Bill Ballo "Every single one of the headsets that we've spent money on has had a student in it. Every single one. There are none sitting in the boxes, there are none that aren't plugged in, there are none that aren't in some way, shape, or form being utilized." - Bill Ballo Timestamps: From 30 years in EMS to building one of the first campus VR labs in the country (00:56)The 2019 demo that convinced Bill to put VR in his classroom within a month (05:19)Grand opening with 3 programs in May 2023, now at 30 departments (07:23)The nursing student who caught a lethal cardiac rhythm by reading a patient's skin color (09:57)The biggest mistake new XR programs make: buying hardware before finding a champion (16:30)How branch programs at Madison College run their own headset fleets on ArborXR (20:07)The question Bill asks every instructor to find the right VR content for their class (21:06)1,000 students put through VR and only 3 had to stop (25:40)How to build a campus VR program from 2 headsets up without a single one gathering dust (28:28)About the Guest: Bill Ballo is an EMS instructor and XR champion at Madison College in Madison, Wisconsin. With 30 years in emergency medicine and a passion for active, hands-on education, Bill launched the Madison College XR Center in May 2023 and grew it from 3 departments to 30 in just three years. His program now runs 12 PC VR stations and 80 headsets, with approximately 1,000 students put through VR experiences across disciplines ranging from nursing and dental to botany, Spanish, HVAC, and vet tech. Bill's approach centers on the dedicated champion model: one person who knows the hardware, the content, and how to build trust with instructors across every corner of campus. About ArborXR: ArborXR helps organizations confidently manage VR & AR devices at scale, remotely install content, and control what users can see and do in the headset. Our mission is to help people live more meaningful lives through the power of XR. Learn more at arborxr.com. Links & Resources: Connect with Bill on LinkedInSubscribe to Ballomedic on YouTubeConnect with Brad on LinkedInConnect with Will on LinkedIn

  2. 12/03/2025

    Michelle Rebaleati: Powering Nevada’s Statewide VR Career Training with 1,000 Devices Across 80 Locations

    In this episode of the XR Industry Leaders Podcast, hosts Brad Scoggin and Will Stackable talk with Michelle Rebaleati, Multimedia Technologist and Career Navigator with the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED). Michelle shares how GOED turned the tourism slowdown of 2020 into a statewide innovation success story with the launch of Project SANDI, a VR-driven workforce initiative that helps residents move from unemployment or underemployment to sustainable careers. What started as a recovery grant has evolved into a network of 1,000 VR devices across 80+ locations, giving Nevadans immersive access to in-demand careers in healthcare, skilled trades, IT, and advanced manufacturing. From high school students in tiny desert towns to unhoused adults in workforce centers, GOED’s program uses VR to let people “test drive” real careers by putting them in the shoes of an employee in life-like scenarios. Michelle discusses what it takes to deploy VR across one of the largest and most rural states in the U.S. as only a team of three, and how ArborXR makes it possible to manage and update every device remotely. She also shares measurable impact: participants have achieved a 100% pass rate on the National Career Readiness Certificate exam, proving VR isn’t just inspiring, it’s driving real change for Nevadans. Timestamps: The economic crisis that sparked Nevada’s statewide VR workforce initiative (00:41)Project SANDI and the push to explore STEM and skilled-trade careers in VR (01:40)Reimagining “career day” with immersive field trips and simulations (03:56)Expanding VR career exploration from colleges to libraries across rural Nevada (05:21)Addressing low labor market literacy with the Individual Career Map (06:44)How Michelle’s three-person team deployed 1,000 headsets across a vast rural state (09:58)Making statewide VR possible with ArborXR’s remote device management (19:08)Achieving a 100% pass rate on the ACT WorkKeys career readiness exam (27:53)About Michelle Rebaleati: Michelle Rebaleati is a Multimedia Technologist and Career Navigator with the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED). She leads statewide initiatives using VR for workforce development, managing over 1,000 devices across 80+ locations to help Nevadans explore, train for, and launch new careers in high-demand industries. About ArborXR: ArborXR helps organizations confidently manage VR & AR devices at scale, remotely install content, and control what users can see and do in the headset. Our mission is to help people live more meaningful lives through the power of XR. Learn more at https://arborxr.com. Links & Resources: Connect with Michelle on LinkedInConnect with Brad on LinkedInConnect with Will on LinkedInWatch Michelle’s TED Talk

  3. 11/05/2025

    Axon: Scaling One of the World’s Largest VR Training Programs for Public Safety

    In this episode of the XR Industry Leaders Podcast, Brad Scoggin and Will Stackable sit down with Thi Luu, Vice President and General Manager of VR Training at Axon, to explore how immersive technology is transforming public safety training. Axon, known globally for the TASER energy weapon and body-worn cameras, has made VR a cornerstone of its mission to reduce gun-related deaths between police and the public by 50% over the next decade. Thi shares how Axon scaled from early pilots to one of the largest VR deployments in the world, helping officers train more often, more effectively, and more safely. From building muscle memory for high-stakes scenarios to using AI for verbal de-escalation, Thi offers a rare inside look at how Axon designs scalable, high-impact immersive training for thousands of agencies. She also explains how ArborXR helps Axon manage and scale headsets, enabling deployments across precincts, training academies, and field operations. Whether you’re leading training for a police department or an enterprise team, this episode offers a masterclass in building scalable, data-informed XR programs that drive measurable impact. Key Moments: Axon’s mission to reduce gun-related deaths through VR training (02:48)VR as an essential part of public safety programs (05:20)Evolution of Axon’s VR training with two-pronged curriculum (07:15)Overcoming resistance and building buy-in across generations (15:24)Real-world scenarios: How VR training prepared an officer to deescalate (20:57)Lessons learned from scaling Axon VR training nationwide (24:34)Measuring success beyond just metrics with ArborXR (27:50)The future of immersive skills training: AI-powered learning (35:14)About the Guest: Thi Luu is the Vice President and General Manager of VR Training at Axon, where she leads product, design, and engineering teams developing immersive training solutions for public safety. With over 20 years in technology, Thi has driven Axon’s VR expansion from pilot to global scale, training thousands of officers worldwide. Her team’s work has earned national recognition for innovation in de-escalation and less-lethal training. About ArborXR: ArborXR helps organizations confidently manage VR & AR devices at scale, remotely install content, and control what users can see and do in the headset. Our mission is to help people live more meaningful lives through the power of XR. Learn more at https://arborxr.com. Links & Resources: Connect with Thi on LinkedIn Connect with Brad on LinkedIn Connect with Will on LinkedIn

  4. 10/13/2025

    XREAL: 600,000 AR Glasses Shipped and Now Aiming at Enterprise

    In this episode of the XR Industry Leaders Podcast, hosts Brad Scoggin and Will Stackable sit down with XREAL’s Ralph Jodice, General Manager of North America, and Amir Khorram, Global Head of Enterprise, to unpack how AR is maturing from novelty to enterprise necessity. Ralph and Amir share how XREAL has become the global leader in AR glasses with over 600,000 units shipped, leveraging a split-compute architecture that keeps devices light and enables longer sessions. They discuss how AR is transforming everyday work, from remote assistance in the field to productivity gains for “desk jockeys” who need multi-screen setups anywhere they go. The conversation dives into the current AR hardware landscape, XREAL’s partnerships with Google and Qualcomm, and their upcoming Project Aura, built on Android XR. The team unpacks why AR adoption is taking off, how comfort and affordability are unlocking one-to-one device ratios for enterprise, and what the next generation of spatial displays means for the future of work. Whether you’re exploring AR for remote support, immersive training, or productivity, this episode offers a grounded look at what’s possible today—and a peek at what’s just around the corner. Key Moments: • XREAL’s journey to 600,000 AR glasses and the shift to enterprise (3:28) • How lightweight wearables enable new spaces for enterprise XR (7:10) • Everyday use cases and remote assistance (10:10) • Ralph’s real-world take on productivity in AR (11:40) • Adoption of XR within enterprise companies (13:50) • State of the AR market and room for growth (15:50) • Split-computing vs all-in-one devices (18:06) • What sets XREAL’s tech apart from other AR glasses (20:00) • The limitations and challenges of AR (23:35) • A look at the future of XREAL: Project Aura (24:55) • What’s missing in the field of AR (31:30) Quotes: “We’ve shipped over 600,000 AR glasses—more than anyone else in the space. That’s proof people want lightweight, plug-and-play devices that just work.” – Ralph Jodice, XREAL “What we’re really trying to do is enable people to wear these glasses for longer than 15, 30, or 45 minutes. If that means having a tether, that’s totally fine. There’s nothing lost, and a lot gained.” – Amir Khorram, XREAL About the Guests: Ralph Jodice Ralph Jodice is the General Manager of North America at XREAL, leading market expansion and partnerships. With a background in PR, Ralph spent over a decade at Xbox developing deep expertise in gaming and consumer tech. Now he drives XREAL’s mission to make AR glasses practical, lightweight, and scalable for enterprise and everyday use. Amir Khorram Amir Khorram is the Global Head of Enterprise at XREAL, guiding strategy and adoption of AR across industries. With 10 years in XR—including leadership roles at HTC Vive and PICO—he focuses on accelerating enterprise AR deployment through practical, scalable solutions that bridge consumer innovation and professional use. About ArborXR: ArborXR helps organizations confidently manage VR & AR devices at scale, remotely install content, and control what users can see and do in the headset. Our mission is to help people live more meaningful lives through the power of XR. Learn more at https://arborxr.com. Links & Resources: Ralph Jodice on LinkedIn Amir Khorram on LinkedIn Brad Scoggin on LinkedIn Will Stackable on LinkedIn

  5. 09/03/2025

    IE University & VirtualSpeech: Building Student Confidence with VR Public Speaking

    In this episode of the XR Industry Leaders Podcast, Brad Scoggin and Will Stackable sit down with Sophie Thompson, CEO and co-founder of VirtualSpeech, and Gema Molero, Project Manager of XR at IE University, to explore how VR is reshaping higher education. What started as Sophie’s personal struggle with social anxiety has grown into VirtualSpeech—a global VR platform for soft skills training. Partnering with IE University, they’ve scaled immersive public speaking and leadership training across campuses, impacting thousands of students. Gema shares how IE made VR compulsory for over 1,000 master’s students, scaled to 700+ devices, and proved measurable gains in student confidence and skills. The conversation covers the origins of VirtualSpeech, faculty adoption hurdles, the power of AI feedback, and how ArborXR helps IE University manage devices across multiple campuses. Whether you’re running a pilot or scaling XR globally, this episode is full of lessons on building programs that stick. Key Moments 01:02 – From Social Anxiety to VR Pioneer 05:03 – Why IE University Made VR Compulsory 11:07 – Faculty Adoption & Early Challenges 15:30 – What Students Actually Do in VR 20:39 – The Power of Immersion & Emotional Response 20:39 – AI Coaching for Personalized Learning 21:46 – Scaling to 700 Devices Across Campuses 27:31 – Proving ROI: Confidence Up 24% in Two Sessions 27:31 – Advice for Universities Considering VR Quotes “In less than 20 minutes, students using VirtualSpeech increased their public speaking confidence by 24%.” – Brad Scoggin, citing IE University data “At first, we had 300 headsets. Now we’re managing over 700 devices across multiple campuses—and ArborXR makes that possible.” – Gema Molero About the Guests Sophie Thompson is the CEO and co-founder of VirtualSpeech, the first VR app built to help people overcome fear of public speaking, now used globally for soft skills training. Gema Molero is the Project Manager of XR at IE University in Spain, where she leads the integration of VR into curriculum and manages the university’s 700+ headset deployment. Links and Resources Gema Molero on Linkedin Sophie Thompson on LinkedIn VirtualSpeech Website IE University Website Brad Scoggin on LinkedIn Will Stackable on LinkedIn

  6. 07/02/2025

    Somero & ForgeFX: How VR Is Solving the Labor Shortage in Construction

    Episode Summary: In this episode of the XR Industry Leaders Podcast, Brad Scoggin and Will Stackable sit down with Dave Raasakka of Somero Enterprises and Greg Meyers & Devin Weidinger from ForgeFX to explore how VR is transforming training for the concrete construction industry. What began as a solution to scaling training for niche heavy equipment has evolved into a full-fledged VR program that’s enhancing safety, saving costs, and boosting trainee confidence. The conversation dives deep into how Somero equips operators to handle machines that weigh up to 20,000 pounds—without ever touching real concrete. From loading a screed machine onto a trailer to precision pouring with laser-guided equipment, trainees now fail safely in virtual environments before they ever touch the real thing. Together, the teams unpack the technical side of building a high-fidelity VR experience, how multi-user sessions enable real-time feedback, and why starting small is key to launching a successful XR training program. Key Moments: The Hiring Bottleneck That Sparked Somero’s VR Program (02:26)How Somero Integrated VR into a Real-World Training Pipeline (05:00)Simulating High-Stakes Tasks Safely: The Trailer Loading Use Case (08:31)How ForgeFX Identifies High-Impact Use Cases (10:30)Why VR? Why not video or text? (15:24)Creating Physical and Spatial Memory (18:16)Building High-Fidelity, Accurate Digital Twins (20:16)Using ArborXR to Manage, Deploy, and Iterate at Scale (23:59)Advice for Launching Your XR Training Program (34:45)“VR gives us what I call ‘safety without penalty.’ You can make a mistake and learn from it without damage or danger—and that’s a huge win in our world.” – Dave Raasakka, Somero Enterprises "I’ve got a one-word answer to “Why VR?”—failure. Failure is phenomenal in training. You can't excel at something unless you try and fail and figure out how to overcome it. In the real world, you can’t let someone drive a trailer off the edge to learn spatial awareness. But in VR, you can fail safely, learn from it, and improve.” – Greg Meyers, ForgeFX About the Guests: Dave Raasakka Dave is the Senior Vice President of Global Customer Support at Somero Enterprises, where he oversees XR training strategy. With 25+ years in mechanical engineering and support, Dave has led the adoption of VR to help train operators on complex screed equipment across the U.S. Greg Meyers Greg is the CEO of ForgeFX Simulations. With a background in immersive learning and enterprise simulations, he leads ForgeFX’s strategy to help manufacturers reduce risk and cost by creating simulation-based training. Devin Weidinger Devin is the Technical Director at ForgeFX. He brings a decade of VR experience, including projects like Job Simulator and Rick and Morty VR. At ForgeFX, he ensures training simulations are realistic, intuitive, and immersive. Links & Resources: Connect with Dave on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devin-weidinger-3a451467/ Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-meyers-4402a514/ Connect with Devin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devin-weidinger/ Connect with Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-scoggin/ Connect with Will on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willstackable/ Somero Enterprises website: https://www.somero.com/ ForgeFX website: https://www.forgefx.com/

  7. 05/27/2025

    Nicklaus Children’s Hospital: Transforming Pediatric Care with VR

    Episode Summary: In this episode of the XR Industry Leaders Podcast, Brad Scoggin and Will Stackable sit down with Dr. Christina Potter from Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to unpack how VR is revolutionizing pediatric care and staff training. Christina shares how what began as a one-year pilot to reduce pre-surgery anxiety has scaled into a hospital-wide program supporting 8,000 patients in a year. From immersive patient distraction tools to cutting-edge staff training on behavioral emergencies, the hospital is seeing measurable reductions in pain, stress, and clinical incidents. The episode explores how Christina built a scalable, data-driven VR program from scratch, the importance of co-creating content with hospital staff, and how ArborXR helps them manage headsets across 12 units. Whether it’s reducing parental anxiety or helping neurodiverse patients learn to drive, this is a compelling look at VR for good in healthcare. Key Moments: Problem Solving with VR at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital (00:41)Early Challenges Launching a VR Program (04:01)Current Use Cases Across 12 Units (07:20)Day-to-Day VR at the Hospital (11:51)Improving Pediatric Patient Experiences (14:44)Why VR Works for Pain and Anxiety (17:37)Staff Training with VR for Psychiatric Emergencies (24:29)Co-Creating Content with Hospital Teams (29:22)The Future of XR in Pediatric Healthcare (34:43)“We supported 8,000 patients with VR last year alone, and ArborXR helps us manage it all. Being able to push content, track usage, and show real-time data makes all the difference when pitching for funding and proving impact.” – Dr. Christina Potter “We’ve seen up to a 60% drop in patient anxiety and pain perception—and a 70% reduction in parental anxiety—just by introducing VR into the pre-op experience.” – Dr. Christina Potter About Dr. Christina Potter: Dr. Christina Potter is the Director of Digital Innovation at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. With a background in research and a passion for emerging technology, Christina has led the hospital’s expansion into virtual reality, developing use cases for patients, staff, and caregivers. Under her leadership, Nicklaus has seen over 8,000 VR uses annually, with outcomes including a 60% reduction in preoperative anxiety and groundbreaking staff training programs. Links & Resources: Connect with Dr. Christina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinapotterphd/Connect with Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-scoggin/Connect with Will on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willstackable/Nicklaus Children's Hospital website: https://www.nicklauschildrens.org/home

  8. 04/22/2025

    Kellanova + Roundtable Learning: Replacing Physical Store Training with Virtual Reality

    In this episode of the XR Industry Leaders Podcast, Brad Scoggin and Will Stackable sit down with Tomissa Smittendorf from Kellanova and Scott Stachiw from Roundtable Learning to explore how VR revolutionized retail sales training at Kellanova. Tomissa shares how they replaced an expensive, in-person grocery store training center with an immersive VR experience that enhances onboarding, boosts display execution by 90%, and improves knowledge retention. Scott breaks down the design strategy behind creating a virtual store where new hires learn to upsell, identify safety issues, and build real-world confidence. The episode dives into how VR created scalable, data-driven training, and why strong partnerships are key to successful XR adoption. From overcoming deployment challenges to envisioning future applications across supply chain and retail partners, this is a masterclass in turning XR experimentation into a strategic advantage. Timestamps: Problem Solving with VR at Kellanova (01:19)Roundtable’s collaboration with Kellanova (05:02) What makes a successful VR deployment (06:48)Kellanova’s use-cases today (07:46) How did Kellanova decide to embrace VR training? (12:30)How does Roundtable Learning take on a project like this? (16:43) Scoping a VR project for Roundtable and Kellanova (22:43)How has ArborXR positively affected deployment? (26:35)What’s next for VR at Kellanova and beyond? (31:28)About Tomissa Smittendorf: Tomissa has over 30 years of CPG experience and is a visionary leader at Kellanova, driving growth through strategic learning initiatives. As Sr. Director, Commercial Capabilities, she led the launch of VR training at Kellanova, transforming onboarding and upskilling. Her work builds high-impact teams and a culture of continuous learning that solves real business challenges. About Scott Stachiw: Scott Stachiw is VP of XR Development and Design at Roundtable Learning, where he leads immersive learning strategy and content creation. With deep expertise in instructional design and XR technologies, Scott played a key role in launching Kellanova’s VR training—designing scalable, experiential solutions that drive measurable business impact. About ArborXR: ArborXR helps organizations confidently manage VR & AR devices at scale, remotely install content, and control what users can see and do in the headset. Our mission is to help people live more meaningful lives through the power of XR. Learn more at https://arborxr.com. Links & Resources: How Kellanova uses VR for Sales Training: https://youtu.be/8J88QdsqoL8?si=jfZExI_HJNnh2_lYConnect with Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stachiw/Connect with Tomissa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomissasmittendorf/Connect with Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-scoggin/Connect with Will on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willstackable/

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The best enterprise XR advice from pioneers like Walmart, UPS, Amazon, and many more. Join ArborXR co-founders Brad Scoggin and Will Stackable on XR Industry Leaders, where they host conversations with cutting-edge VR app developers and Fortune 500 executives in business, health, and education to uncover the secrets of successfully scaling XR. In this podcast, VR & AR leaders help you make sense of the quickly changing XR landscape. You’ll gain insights on everything from starting a pilot project in your organization, working with app developers, unexpected challenges with XR and how to solve them, and eventually scaling a wildly successful XR program at your organization.

Information

  • Creator
    ArborXR
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    43
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    XR Industry Leaders