Automation Ladies

Automation Ladies

The podcast where girls talk industrial automation! We interview people from all walks of life in the Industrial Automation industry. Through a personal narrative/conversational framework we talk about PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, IIoT, Machine Vision, Industrial Robots, Pneumatics, Control Systems, Process Automation, Factory Automation, Systems Integration, Entrepreneurship, Career Stories, Personal Journeys, Company Culture, and any other interesting and timely topic we want to discuss. Co-Hosted by Nikki Gonzales, Ali G & Courtney Fernandez - find them on LinkedIn! 

  1. 8H AGO

    AI, OT SCADA Con, and Big Updates: an Automation Ladies Catch-Up

    Something shifted for us this year: the more we commit to doing less, the more we’re actually building. Nikki, Courtney, and Allie get together for a real catch-up on work, life, and what’s next for Automation Ladies, with stories that range from bigger robotics and better work-life balance to a brand-new view outside a bayou window in Louisiana. We also dig into OT SCADA CON and why it keeps feeling more like a community than a conference. OT SCADA CON runs July 22-24 at the Endress+Hauser Houston Campus in Pearland (south of Houston), and we share what’s new this year: fresh speakers, updated sections, the same 30-minute talk format, and the kind of fun that makes people stay late (taco trucks and karaoke included). If you care about operational technology, industrial automation, controls engineering, and modern data skills, you’ll especially want the part about databases and process historians and why that knowledge still runs so much of industry. Then we get practical about AI in manufacturing. No hype, no magic: we talk about where tools like Claude and OpenAI Whisper are finally saving real time, from generating documentation and polishing write-ups to building a custom raffle app that runs the way we want. We also lay out the guardrails we take seriously: review everything, don’t leak sensitive information, and follow your company AI policy. We wrap with where you can find us at Automate and other events, how we’re expanding the show with more correspondents, and our push for more live demo episodes (including a PID loop tuning software demo). Subscribe, share this with an automation friend, and leave a review so more people can find women-led conversations in industrial automation. Support the show __________________________________________________________________ 🎙 About Automation Ladies Automation Ladies is an industrial automation podcast spotlighting the engineers, integrators, innovators, and leaders shaping the future of manufacturing. __________________________________________________________________ 🎤 Want to be a guest on the show? https://www.automationladies.io/guests/intake/ __________________________________________________________________ 👩‍🏭 Connect with the Hosts Nikki Gonzales: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-gonzales Courtney Fernandez: https://linkedin.com/in/courtneydfernandez Ali G: https://linkedin.com/in/alicia-gilpin-ali-g-process-controls-engineering __________________________________________________________________ 🎟 The Automation Ladies Community Conference: https://otscada.com Learn more about the hosts’ industrial automation conference OT SCADA CON attended by 100+ automation professionals, engineers, integrators, and technology leaders for hands-on learning, real-world case studies, and meaningful industry connections. 🎬 Credits Produced by: Veronica Espinoza Music by: Sam Janes P.S. - Help our podcast grow with a 5-star podcast review if you love us!

    36 min
  2. How A Nonprofit Brings Humanoid Robotics To Underserved Students with Dr. Elliot Heflin. Jr

    MAR 26

    How A Nonprofit Brings Humanoid Robotics To Underserved Students with Dr. Elliot Heflin. Jr

    Humanoid robots are getting real, and the biggest question isn’t “Can they dance?” It’s “Who’s going to understand them well enough to build, program, and fix them?” We sit down with Dr. Elliot Hefling Jr., founder of Reality Tech Academy, to talk about why he brings full-scale humanoid robots into education and why waiting until college is too late for most students, especially in underserved communities.  We get into what it looks like to teach robotics with Pepper and NAO using Python programming, live demos, and simulation tools like Choregraphe. Dr. Hefling explains his “plant the seed” approach: show students how the code works behind the scenes, let them test wild ideas safely, and help them see technology as something they can create. We also explore what social robots can realistically do today, from multilingual interaction to machine vision, obstacle avoidance, indoor navigation, and even early ideas for elder care support like reminders, guidance, and simple object retrieval within payload limits.  Along the way, we zoom out to the workforce problem: if humanoid robots become as common as computers, we’ll need an entire pipeline of people who can troubleshoot and maintain them. That’s where the episode lands, on becoming producers not just users, and building local skills so robotics doesn’t become a black box. Subscribe, share this with a friend in STEM education or industrial automation, and leave a review with one thing you’d want a humanoid robot to help with. Support the show __________________________________________________________________ 🎙 About Automation Ladies Automation Ladies is an industrial automation podcast spotlighting the engineers, integrators, innovators, and leaders shaping the future of manufacturing. __________________________________________________________________ 🎤 Want to be a guest on the show? https://www.automationladies.io/guests/intake/ __________________________________________________________________ 👩‍🏭 Connect with the Hosts Nikki Gonzales: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-gonzales Courtney Fernandez: https://linkedin.com/in/courtneydfernandez Ali G: https://linkedin.com/in/alicia-gilpin-ali-g-process-controls-engineering __________________________________________________________________ 🎟 The Automation Ladies Community Conference: https://otscada.com Learn more about the hosts’ industrial automation conference OT SCADA CON attended by 100+ automation professionals, engineers, integrators, and technology leaders for hands-on learning, real-world case studies, and meaningful industry connections. 🎬 Credits Produced by: Veronica Espinoza Music by: Sam Janes P.S. - Help our podcast grow with a 5-star podcast review if you love us!

    55 min
  3. How A Hospitality Manager Became A Manufacturing Leader with Megan Weber

    MAR 12

    How A Hospitality Manager Became A Manufacturing Leader with Megan Weber

    You don’t need a perfectly planned career to become a manufacturing leader. Megan, Director of Manufacturing at Sentry Equipment, started in hospitality and landed in manufacturing because she wanted a more predictable schedule for family life. What happened next is the part most people miss: she fell in love with the shop floor, learned continuous improvement tools like QRM, Lean, and Six Sigma, and kept choosing roles that expanded her skills until she was leading manufacturing operations. We also get specific about what strong manufacturers do differently when hiring and developing people. Sentry runs a culture interview before a skills interview, betting on coachability, attitude, and learning speed. We talk about recruiting challenges, why marketing matters for hiring, and what companies can change right now to attract more women in manufacturing and a more diverse workforce without treating it like a checkbox. Then we go deeper into the hard parts of scaling a shop: building teams with complementary strengths, using personality assessments to improve training, and capturing tribal knowledge before it walks out the door. Megan shares how they’re moving toward clearer work instructions and easier access to process knowledge, plus where AI can save time in everyday work when used responsibly. If you want real-world manufacturing leadership insights and a clearer picture of how modern industrial companies grow talent, you’ll get a lot from this conversation. Subscribe to Automation Ladies, share the episode with a friend in manufacturing, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Support the show __________________________________________________________________ 🎙 About Automation Ladies Automation Ladies is an industrial automation podcast spotlighting the engineers, integrators, innovators, and leaders shaping the future of manufacturing. __________________________________________________________________ 🎤 Want to be a guest on the show? https://www.automationladies.io/guests/intake/ __________________________________________________________________ 👩‍🏭 Connect with the Hosts Nikki Gonzales: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-gonzales Courtney Fernandez: https://linkedin.com/in/courtneydfernandez Ali G: https://linkedin.com/in/alicia-gilpin-ali-g-process-controls-engineering __________________________________________________________________ 🎟 The Automation Ladies Community Conference: https://otscada.com Learn more about the hosts’ industrial automation conference OT SCADA CON attended by 100+ automation professionals, engineers, integrators, and technology leaders for hands-on learning, real-world case studies, and meaningful industry connections. 🎬 Credits Produced by: Veronica Espinoza Music by: Sam Janes P.S. - Help our podcast grow with a 5-star podcast review if you love us!

    1h 8m
  4. From Newsroom To Packaging: Sarah Wynn On Building Digital Community

    MAR 5

    From Newsroom To Packaging: Sarah Wynn On Building Digital Community

    Automation media, trade shows, and digital content are reshaping how the industrial automation industry connects. In this episode, Sarah shares insights from covering manufacturing and packaging events, building relationships across OEMs and integrators, and how social media and content creation are influencing the future of automation, engineering, and industrial technology. Support the show __________________________________________________________________ 🎙 About Automation Ladies Automation Ladies is an industrial automation podcast spotlighting the engineers, integrators, innovators, and leaders shaping the future of manufacturing. __________________________________________________________________ 🎤 Want to be a guest on the show? https://www.automationladies.io/guests/intake/ __________________________________________________________________ 👩‍🏭 Connect with the Hosts Nikki Gonzales: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-gonzales Courtney Fernandez: https://linkedin.com/in/courtneydfernandez Ali G: https://linkedin.com/in/alicia-gilpin-ali-g-process-controls-engineering __________________________________________________________________ 🎟 The Automation Ladies Community Conference: https://otscada.com Learn more about the hosts’ industrial automation conference OT SCADA CON attended by 100+ automation professionals, engineers, integrators, and technology leaders for hands-on learning, real-world case studies, and meaningful industry connections. 🎬 Credits Produced by: Veronica Espinoza Music by: Sam Janes P.S. - Help our podcast grow with a 5-star podcast review if you love us!

    1h 7m
  5. Conveyor Cougar: Automate or Get Left Behind with Cathy Rinne

    FEB 26

    Conveyor Cougar: Automate or Get Left Behind with Cathy Rinne

    Season 7 kicks off with Cathy “Conveyor Cougar” Rinne, President of FlexLine Automation, a 15-person, woman-owned integrator known for moving fast, shipping when it counts, and adapting the playbook—from conveyors and robotics to a TikTok presence that actually reaches engineers. We talk about what leadership really means in a family business, how FlexLine is using AI to automate drawings and quoting, and why an automation company that won’t automate itself will eventually get noticed. Cathy also shares how her agricultural roots shape how she approaches factory problems: use what you have, fix what breaks, and design for reality. From autosteer tractors to rural manufacturing, we explore why some of the most important automation work happens outside major tech hubs. We also challenge a common myth: going direct isn’t always faster or cheaper. Custom automation often requires an integrator’s experience, inventory, and responsiveness. If you care about practical automation—AI that saves engineers time, robotics that fit the job, and service that actually shows up—this episode is for you. 🔗 Connect with Cathy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%90%86-cathy-rinne-a1764a11/ Website: https://flex-lineautomation.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theconveyorcougar Support the show __________________________________________________________________ 🎙 About Automation Ladies Automation Ladies is an industrial automation podcast spotlighting the engineers, integrators, innovators, and leaders shaping the future of manufacturing. __________________________________________________________________ 🎤 Want to be a guest on the show? https://www.automationladies.io/guests/intake/ __________________________________________________________________ 👩‍🏭 Connect with the Hosts Nikki Gonzales: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-gonzales Courtney Fernandez: https://linkedin.com/in/courtneydfernandez Ali G: https://linkedin.com/in/alicia-gilpin-ali-g-process-controls-engineering __________________________________________________________________ 🎟 The Automation Ladies Community Conference: https://otscada.com Learn more about the hosts’ industrial automation conference OT SCADA CON attended by 100+ automation professionals, engineers, integrators, and technology leaders for hands-on learning, real-world case studies, and meaningful industry connections. 🎬 Credits Produced by: Veronica Espinoza Music by: Sam Janes P.S. - Help our podcast grow with a 5-star podcast review if you love us!

    1h 3m
  6. From Beer Bar to Buildathon: Margarita Rosenkrans’ Journey with Ignition

    08/14/2025

    From Beer Bar to Buildathon: Margarita Rosenkrans’ Journey with Ignition

    When a chance conversation at a beer bar introduced her to the word “SCADA,” Margarita Rosenkrans had no idea it would spark a career in industrial automation. In this episode, Courtney and Alicia chat with Margarita—Sales Engineer at Inductive Automation—about her path from graduating in the middle of a hiring freeze to thriving in both support and sales engineering roles. We cover her behind-the-scenes insights from OT SCADA CON, the culture and community at Inductive, favorite Ignition features, troubleshooting war stories, and even how she used Ignition’s Maker Edition to build her wedding website. Whether you’re an Ignition pro or just automation-curious, you’ll enjoy this mix of career lessons, tech talk, and personal stories. Thank you to Inductive Automation for sponsoring this Episode and the recent support of OT SCADA CON - where we were lucky enough to meet Maggie in person! Find out more about the Ignition Community Conference happening Sept 16 - 18 in Sacramento CA and get your tickets to Level Up! your SCADA game.  Support the show __________________________________________________________________ 🎙 About Automation Ladies Automation Ladies is an industrial automation podcast spotlighting the engineers, integrators, innovators, and leaders shaping the future of manufacturing. __________________________________________________________________ 🎤 Want to be a guest on the show? https://www.automationladies.io/guests/intake/ __________________________________________________________________ 👩‍🏭 Connect with the Hosts Nikki Gonzales: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-gonzales Courtney Fernandez: https://linkedin.com/in/courtneydfernandez Ali G: https://linkedin.com/in/alicia-gilpin-ali-g-process-controls-engineering __________________________________________________________________ 🎟 The Automation Ladies Community Conference: https://otscada.com Learn more about the hosts’ industrial automation conference OT SCADA CON attended by 100+ automation professionals, engineers, integrators, and technology leaders for hands-on learning, real-world case studies, and meaningful industry connections. 🎬 Credits Produced by: Veronica Espinoza Music by: Sam Janes P.S. - Help our podcast grow with a 5-star podcast review if you love us!

    48 min
  7. From Tesla Batteries to Underground Tunnels with Riddhi Padariya

    07/17/2025

    From Tesla Batteries to Underground Tunnels with Riddhi Padariya

    Ever wondered what it takes to lead automation projects at trailblazing companies like Tesla and The Boring Company? Nikki chats with Riddhi Padariya about her journey from nerdy high schooler inspired by "How It's Made" to becoming a controls engineering leader in industries ranging from tissue manufacturing to carbon capture and underground tunneling. They dive into hands-on lessons, breakthrough technologies like virtual commissioning, the power of industry communities, and Riddhi’s passion for making automation more accessible, especially for the next generation of engineers. -------------------- This episode is brought to you by SPS Atlanta.  Smart Production Solutions is the world's premiere industrial automation trade show is coming to the US! Register today:  https://www.xpressreg.net/register/SPSA0925/landing.asp?sc&aban&hkey&iq&vip&tm --------------------- Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-gonzales/ Connect with Ali on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia-gilpin-ali-g-process-controls-engineering/ Connect with Courtney on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneydfernandez/ Connect with Riddhi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riddhipadariya/ Support the show __________________________________________________________________ 🎙 About Automation Ladies Automation Ladies is an industrial automation podcast spotlighting the engineers, integrators, innovators, and leaders shaping the future of manufacturing. __________________________________________________________________ 🎤 Want to be a guest on the show? https://www.automationladies.io/guests/intake/ __________________________________________________________________ 👩‍🏭 Connect with the Hosts Nikki Gonzales: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-gonzales Courtney Fernandez: https://linkedin.com/in/courtneydfernandez Ali G: https://linkedin.com/in/alicia-gilpin-ali-g-process-controls-engineering __________________________________________________________________ 🎟 The Automation Ladies Community Conference: https://otscada.com Learn more about the hosts’ industrial automation conference OT SCADA CON attended by 100+ automation professionals, engineers, integrators, and technology leaders for hands-on learning, real-world case studies, and meaningful industry connections. 🎬 Credits Produced by: Veronica Espinoza Music by: Sam Janes P.S. - Help our podcast grow with a 5-star podcast review if you love us!

    1h 2m
  8. Machine Vision, Project Nightmares, and Automation Chaos with Kerry Pierce

    07/10/2025

    Machine Vision, Project Nightmares, and Automation Chaos with Kerry Pierce

    Curious how someone ends up building a career around machine vision and industrial automation?  Nikki sits down with Kerry Pierce, discussing the winding path that led her from computer engineering to becoming a machine vision integrator, the invaluable lessons learned along the way, and how she’s helping demystify the field for newcomers.  ------- This episode is brought to you by SPS Atlanta.  Smart Production Solutions is the world's premiere industrial automation trade show is coming to the US! Register today:  https://www.xpressreg.net/register/SPSA0925/landing.asp?sc&aban&hkey&iq&vip&tm ---------- Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-gonzales/  Connect with Ali on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia-gilpin-ali-g-process-controls-engineering/  Connect with Courtney on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneydfernandez/  Connect with Kerry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kspierce/ Support the show __________________________________________________________________ 🎙 About Automation Ladies Automation Ladies is an industrial automation podcast spotlighting the engineers, integrators, innovators, and leaders shaping the future of manufacturing. __________________________________________________________________ 🎤 Want to be a guest on the show? https://www.automationladies.io/guests/intake/ __________________________________________________________________ 👩‍🏭 Connect with the Hosts Nikki Gonzales: https://linkedin.com/in/nikki-gonzales Courtney Fernandez: https://linkedin.com/in/courtneydfernandez Ali G: https://linkedin.com/in/alicia-gilpin-ali-g-process-controls-engineering __________________________________________________________________ 🎟 The Automation Ladies Community Conference: https://otscada.com Learn more about the hosts’ industrial automation conference OT SCADA CON attended by 100+ automation professionals, engineers, integrators, and technology leaders for hands-on learning, real-world case studies, and meaningful industry connections. 🎬 Credits Produced by: Veronica Espinoza Music by: Sam Janes P.S. - Help our podcast grow with a 5-star podcast review if you love us!

    1h 9m
See All (113)

4.2
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

The podcast where girls talk industrial automation! We interview people from all walks of life in the Industrial Automation industry. Through a personal narrative/conversational framework we talk about PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, IIoT, Machine Vision, Industrial Robots, Pneumatics, Control Systems, Process Automation, Factory Automation, Systems Integration, Entrepreneurship, Career Stories, Personal Journeys, Company Culture, and any other interesting and timely topic we want to discuss. Co-Hosted by Nikki Gonzales, Ali G & Courtney Fernandez - find them on LinkedIn! 

Information

  • Creator
    Automation Ladies
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    113
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Automation Ladies
  • Show Website
    Automation Ladies

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