Silicon Heartland Sessions

Cloud Nirvana

Join us for Silicon Heartland Sessions, where we interview tech leaders, including CTOs, CIOs, CEOs, Founders and others, to highlight their stories and insights. We delve into personal and professional development, leadership, technology, and more. This podcast is all about authentic conversations that go beyond buzzwords, offering real insights from the people shaping the Silicon Heartland. Subscribe now to learn from the best and be part of these meaningful discussions!

  1. FEB 16

    🎙️ Episode 45: From Curiosity to CEO - Rehgan Bleile’s Journey Into AI

    🎙️ Episode 45: From Curiosity to CEO - Rehgan Bleile’s Journey Into AIIn this episode of Silicon Heartland Sessions, we sit down with Rehgan Bleile, CEO and visionary leader who turned early curiosity about technology into a career at the forefront of artificial intelligence. Rehgan pulls back the curtain on the leaps, pivots, and human insights that powered her rise - from her first encounters with tech to building teams, shaping culture, and leading innovation in an era where AI is rewriting what’s possible.This conversation goes beyond strategy and tools. Rehgan talks about the mindset that separates “doing tech” from leading with purpose, the importance of empathy in decision-making, and how staying curious doesn’t just spark ideas - it sustains leadership through change.Listeners will walk away with real, actionable takeaways - from how to build credibility as a young leader, to the art of synthesizing technical opportunity with business impact, to the role of human judgment in an AI-driven world.🔑 What You’ll Hear in This Episode • How Rehgan’s curiosity became a career compass • The human skills that fuel leadership in AI environments • Real talk on navigating ambiguity and rapid change • The importance of blending tech fluency with empathy and business insight • How teams and leaders can thrive as AI evolves workplaces⸻🙌 Special Thanks to Our SponsorsBig Kitty Labs – A Columbus-based software design and development partner helping bring ideas to life with mobile, web, and custom solutions. Glean – Work AI that works — bringing enterprise knowledge and AI-powered search together to make teams more productive. Expedient – A full-stack cloud and managed services provider empowering organizations with secure, scalable infrastructure and multi-cloud solutions. Sigma Computing – A cloud-native analytics and BI platform that empowers business users to explore and act on data without complexity. ⸻🎧 Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you listen.

    9 min
  2. JAN 29

    🎙️ Episode 44: Live from Cloud Nirvana Cleveland - Tech Meets Humanity

    🎙️ Episode 44: Live from Cloud Nirvana Cleveland - Tech Meets Humanity Recorded live at Cloud Nirvana Cleveland, this powerful panel dives deep into the intersection of emerging technology and the human experience. Moderated by Sean Erikson, this vibrant discussion features a dynamic lineup of leaders: John Paganini, CEO @ CrewTracker Software Aud Jucaitis, SVP, NextGen Enterprise Transformation @ KeyBank Nicole Stika, Director, Sustainability Advisory @ World Kinect Tracey Forde Weaver, Lead Director, Product Management & Innovation @ CVS Health Together, they explore how AI is reshaping workforces, guiding strategic build-vs-buy decisions, redefining the role of human ingenuity, and challenging organizations to think differently about sustainability, trust, transparency, and upskilling. Their insights are practical, grounded, and deeply human. Whether you’re an enterprise leader, startup innovator, or tech practitioner navigating AI’s rapid evolution, this conversation offers powerful takeaways for your journey. 🙌 Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: • Rackspace Technology – We advise, design, build, and manage solutions across multicloud, applications, data, and security. • Varonis – The leader in data security and insider threat detection. • Trace3 – AI to help your business run, grow, and transform. • Sigma Computing – Business intelligence built for the cloud. Live, collaborative analytics for data-driven teams.🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen.

    49 min
  3. JAN 9

    🎙️ Episode 43: Live from Cloud Nirvana Columbus - Tech Meets Humanity

    🎙️ Episode 43: Live from Cloud Nirvana Columbus - Tech Meets HumanityRecorded live at the Cloud Nirvana conference in Columbus on September 3, 2025, this special episode brings together an extraordinary panel of leaders to explore how AI can elevate - not replace - human potential.Our guests include: • Robin Barbacane, Global Chief Talent Development Officer, Rackspace Technology • Manisha Mahawar, VP TPM, AI Tooling at OpenTable • Kelly Wilson, VP Talent Management, Cardinal Health • Jen Dunlap, Director at Turnberry Solutions • Lacey Picazo, CEO & Founder of Zoco DesignTogether, they dive into the real-world challenges and opportunities at the intersection of AI, talent development, human behavior, and culture. From AI onboarding to internal Tinker Labs, from team empowerment to rethinking career paths, this episode is packed with honest insights, practical wisdom, and contagious optimism.Whether you’re an enterprise leader navigating change or a technologist redefining your role in the age of AI, this conversation will leave you inspired - and equipped.Tune in and share with your network - because the future of tech is human.🙌 Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: • Rackspace Technology – We advise, design, build, and manage solutions across multicloud, applications, data, and security. • Varonis – The leader in data security and insider threat detection. • Trace3 – AI to help your business run, grow, and transform. • Sigma Computing – Business intelligence built for the cloud. Live, collaborative analytics for data-driven teams.🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen.

    50 min
  4. 09/19/2025

    🎙️ Episode 38: Gotta Find a Way - The Entrepreneur’s Mindset

    🎙️ Episode 38: Gotta Find a Way - The Entrepreneur’s Mindset In this episode, Warner Moore, founder of Gamma Force and a longtime leader in the Midwest tech scene, shares how a rebellious spirit and a love of early internet culture sparked his unconventional path into entrepreneurship. From teaching himself distributed systems in the days of IRC to building values-driven companies, Warner opens up about what it means to challenge the status quo, lead with authenticity, and find your own way - even when the path doesn’t exist yet. 🎸 Inspired by Nirvana’s Territorial Pissings, this episode explores how music, mindset, and mission can collide to drive meaningful change. 🔑 Highlights: – Why Warner left the enterprise world to build his own companies – The mindset behind driving change from the outside – What Nirvana taught him about leadership – Building a tech career without asking permission 🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen.🙌 Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: • Rackspace Technology - We advise, design, build, and manage solutions across multicloud, applications, data, and security. • Varonis - The leader in data security and insider threat detection. • Trace3 - AI to help your business run, grow, and transform. • Sigma Computing - Business intelligence built for the cloud. Live, collaborative analytics for data-driven teams.

    7 min

About

Join us for Silicon Heartland Sessions, where we interview tech leaders, including CTOs, CIOs, CEOs, Founders and others, to highlight their stories and insights. We delve into personal and professional development, leadership, technology, and more. This podcast is all about authentic conversations that go beyond buzzwords, offering real insights from the people shaping the Silicon Heartland. Subscribe now to learn from the best and be part of these meaningful discussions!