A Geek Leader Podcast - inspiring technical and creative leaders around the world

About Matt As a technical systems-builder, Matt Van Itallie is passionate about problems that are hard and problems that matter. He co-founded Sema Technologies Inc., which he currently leads as CEO, to help organizations drive better outcomes through their software. Sema’s flagship solution, Comprehensive Codebase Scans, has earned a reputation as the leading codebase scanning tool for the technical due diligence process. Having evaluated more than $1T in value for leading private equity firms and enterprise M&A teams, Sema has built one of the most comprehensive datasets to provide actionable suggestions to engineering organizations. With this foundation, Matt is leading the development of the AI Code Monitor, which helps engineering organizations increase developer productivity and address the regulatory risks of generative AI code. Matt’s interest in technology began in his childhood. The son of a computer programmer and a computer programmer turned mathematician, code was a part of his upbringing. At a young age, he developed an interest in logic, data, and information systems. His experience as a Boy Scout and ultimately an Eagle Scout taught him invaluable lessons, in particular a commitment to the civic good and the importance of “leaving campgrounds better than you found them.” Matt graduated with High Honors from Swarthmore College and then with honors from Harvard Law School. He spent his early years consulting to public and private sector institutions including a stint as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey. He left management consulting to serve in urban school system reform, focused on operational improvements to deliver better outcomes for students. Matt served as Baltimore City Public Schools’ Chief Accountability Officer, where he built analytics systems to support educational reform initiatives for a $1.2B school district with 80,000 students. Following his work in school reform, Matt worked in edtech and human services software companies backed by a leading private equity firm. There he developed a passion for engineering metrics that were understandable to tech and non-tech audiences, and for improving non-functional requirements of codebases to help organizations deliver better outcomes. Matt believes that human-machine relationships are one of the most pressing issues of our time. In his work, he sees a clear connection between the advancement of Generative AI and the empowerment of engineers to improve outcomes. When he’s not building the AI Code Monitor or thinking about code as data and CTO dashboards, Matt enjoys hiking with his wife, cooking with his kids, and throwing dinner parties to bring diverse minds together. Today We Talked About Matt's background GenAI in software development Risks with GenAI Code Security Maintainability Risk Copyright protection Investors Inception - Vibe Coding Code inspection Deep Learning model AI for Product Roadmaps   Connect with Matt LinkedIn Website Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! #1 in Technical Leadership

About Anatoly Anatoly Kvitnitsky is the visionary CEO and Founder of AIorNot.com, a cutting-edge platform dedicated to combatting misinformation and advancing compliance solutions. Leveraging his extensive expertise in corporate development, strategy, and business growth, Anatoly has propelled AIorNot.com to the forefront of the battle against misinformation. With a proven track record in leadership roles at American Express and Trulioo, coupled with his mentorship at Plug and Play Tech Center, Anatoly excels in driving innovation and forging strategic partnerships. Today We Talked About Anatoly's background AI Image Detection Deep Fakes Same.dev Legality What we need to know What's next in GenAI? Connect with Anatoly Website LinkedIn Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! #1 in Technical Leadership

About Andy As CEO of Accelerance, Andy helps companies find the talent they need to scale high- performing, globally distributed software engineering and product development teams. Andy and Accelerance travel the world, assessing and certifying development partners with a proprietary matching system, so clients can connect with confidence to the top 1% of outsourcing partners worldwide. The Accelerance team also helps clients optimize their outsourcing partner relationships through mutual understanding, communication, and effective management. Today We Talked About Andy's background Near shore Development Peace Corp Culture Managing teams across the globe Why Costa Rica? Importance of team building Servant Leadership Software Without Borders Connect with Andy LinkedIn Website Book Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! #1 in Technical Leadership

About Rand Rand Selig has an MBA from Stanford and earned undergraduate degrees in mathematics and psychology. He has managed hundreds of complex projects in his career and has run his own financial services firm for over 35 years. He has lived and worked in Europe, Asia, Mexico, and the Caribbean. He was a Little League coach and Scoutmaster and has served on numerous boards for decades. He is a roll-up-your-sleeves conservationist committed to helping others and Mother Earth by making annual philanthropic contributions. This book is based on extensive research and a wide range of experiences he has had going through life. Having a high set point for happiness and being relentlessly positive has been invaluable to him in overcoming his challenges and setbacks. He is committed to personal growth and is willing to learn from his mistakes. Rand believes he can design his own life and believes others can too.  Rand takes time every week to rest and recharge. He loves reading, watching movies, hiking, and playing tennis. He lives with his wife of 42 years in Mill Valley, California. They have two children and two granddaughters. Today We Talked About Rand's background Rand's past episode Don't Balance work and life... integrate. Avoiding Burnouts take care of yourself rest exercise be involved in work you like and work you are good at get to know you co-workers Ask Questions Life long learning risk taking curiousity Defining Success Your way Good communication Ask some more questions The hardest part is the relationship, not the work Managing Transitions be resillant bounce back be mental tough Connect with Rand Website LinkedIn Book Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! #1 in Technical Leadership

About Heather Heather is an accomplished product management executive with over 30 years of experience helping companies innovate and scale to successful outcomes. As an active leader in the evolution of Product Management, she has led product teams at every stage, from startups to IPOs and acquisitions, specializing in building strong product cultures, developing leadership talent, and delivering exceptional results. Her expertise spans consumer and B2B products, with a track record of driving growth and innovation in fast-paced environments. ‍Heather’s proven track record includes leading product innovation as Chief Product Officer at The RealReal during its high growth phase leading to a $1.6B IPO, and serving as Head of Product at Hautelook where she built the product team and practice that supported the company’s rapid growth to 4M members and $270M acquisition by Nordstrom. Heather founded The Product Consult to build a best-in-class team of product managers that embed with clients under contract to drive strategic initiatives, streamline execution, and deliver impactful results. She happily sits at the intersection of humans and technology - with a curious mind about what technology is only now making possible and a compassionate heart that loves to see people soar. Heather brings a passion for coaching product leaders, managers, and teams, helping them cut through the noise, execute with clarity, and reach their full potential with confidence. Today We Talked About Heather's Background Product Development Brandmen Product Owner vs. Product Manager Getting Things Done vs. Getting the "Right" Things Done Motivation - Drive (Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose) How to get into Product Management? Traits of Product Managers Influence without Authority Inspirational, Motivational Strategic Curious Likable Marshall Goldsmith AI Coaching Feedback Connect With Heather LinkedIn Website Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again! #1 in Technical Leadership

About Toby Toby Mills is the founder and CEO of Entopy, a leading innovator in supply chain visibility based near Cambridge, UK. Under his leadership, Entopy transitioned from a hardware-focused business to a pure-play software company in 2020, driving an impressive 300% year-on-year growth. Before launching Entopy, Toby held several management roles in the retail sector, gaining valuable experience that now informs his approach to transforming supply chain technology. Today We Talked About Background Digital Twins Replicating the physical in digital terms Testing Components Predicting Critical Infrastructure Data inputs GenAI The future of AI in business leadership and decision-making Human Handoffs Find a clear purpose first Connect with Toby LinkedIn Website Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again!

About Ali Ali is an engineer-turned-entrepreneur who thrives at the intersection of technology and business. Early in his career, he built software for startups, scaleups, and enterprises, working on systems capable of handling over a billion customer requests an hour. These weren't just technical feats—they were lessons in solving real-world problems through engineering. It didn't take Ali long to realize his true passion was entrepreneurship. He had an instinct for breaking down businesses, understanding how they worked, and spotting opportunities to create value. By 2013, he identified problems he could confidently solve and started building ventures around them. Today We Talked About Ali's background Generative AI Data Engineering Application Development Go from MVP to PMF Sprint Zero Celebrate wins Go back to your Why? Playbook Connect with Ali LinkedIn Website Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again!

About Lisa Lisa Skinner is a behavioral specialist in the field of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. She is a Certified Dementia Care Trainer through the Alzheimer’s Association. In her 25-year career as a community counselor, private adviser and Regional Director of senior care facilities, she helped thousands of families and caregivers understand the daunting challenges of brain disease. Her #1 Best-seller book “Not All Who Wander Need Be Lost,” was written at their urging. Her latest book, “Truth, Lies & Alzheimer’s – Its Secret Faces” continues Skinner’s quest of working with dementia-related illnesses and teaching families how they can have a better-quality relationship with their loved ones through education and offering workshops on counter-intuitive solutions and tools to help people effectively manage the symptoms of brain disease. Lisa Skinner has appeared on many national and regional media broadcasts. For more information contact her at www.AuthorLisaSkinner.com Today We Talked About Lisa's background Alzheimer's Dementia Alzheimer's is trippling world wide Risk Factors - Genetics, Age, Gender APOE4 Heart Disease - increases inflamation Diabetes Sleep Apnia is coorliated to Alzheimer's disease lifestyle choices Mixed Dementia What to do? Inflamation from Ultra-Processed and Processed Foods Mediterranean Diet Stimulate Your Brain (start at a young age) Walking Support my friend Greg's Walk To End Alzhiemer's Connect with Lisa Book LinkedIn Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again!

About Michael Michael Reddington is an expert at moving people from resistance to commitment. He is an executive resource, Certified Forensic Interviewer, President of InQuasive, Inc., and author of The Disciplined Listening Method. Michael’s public speaking career began in his teenage years as he travelled around New England educating audiences on the benefits of including students with, and without, disabilities in the same classrooms. His speaking endeavors simmered for several years as he facilitated training courses for investigators at the organizations where he was employed. Michael’s ascent as an influential instructor was supercharged when he was recruited to join Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates (WZ). His time at WZ proved to be the capstone of Michael’s investigative career. In addition to running WZ’s investigations division and serving as a contract interrogator Michael travelled the world teaching federal investigators, law enforcement officers, private sector investigators and human resource professionals how to obtain the truth with non-confrontational interrogation techniques. While working for WZ Michael’s research and experience led him to two critical realizations. First, the best leaders and the best interrogators capitalize on the same two core skills – vision and influence. Second, the cognitive processes that lead interrogation suspects to truthfully state “I did it”, employees to say “I’ll do it” and customers to say “I’ll buy it” are essentially identical. These realizations motivated Michael to broaden his perspective and create The Disciplined Listening Method by integrating research and best practices from across the spectrum of business communication with non-confrontational interrogation techniques. With his methodology in place Michael transitioned away from WZ, founded InQuasive and dedicated himself to teaching executives how to activate the truth by applying strategic, ethical observation and persuasion techniques. Michael has facilitated over 1,500 sessions and educated over 15,000 participants from over 50 countries. He has been invited to lead his sessions across the United States, Canada, Ireland, The United Kingdom, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Michael consistently facilitates custom seminars and workshops for companies ranging from the Fortune 500, to mid-size businesses. He frequently serves as an educational resource for CEO peer networks including the Young Presidents Organization, Vistage and The Renaissance Executive Forum. Michael often speaks at conferences for groups including the National Retail Federation, The Society of Human Resource Management, The Association of Talent Development and beyond. He also leads programs for Universities including The Kellogg School of Management, The Harvard Extension School, Cornell and the DePaul Legal Clinic. On stage Michael leverages his interrogation expertise, business experience and vast content library to deliver customized, engaging and educational programs with the goals of solving real problems in real time. He understands that the more he resonates with an audience, they quicker they will be able to apply the techniques they learn. With Michael, it is never a workshop or keynote presentation, it is always an experience. Today We Talked About His background What are we doing in advance to make it easier for people to speak up? Trust vs. Faith Create opprotunities to demonstrate to people that they are safe Be vulnerable Refraine from judgement Blame never solves the problem Accountablility Focus on Outcomes - OKRs Use this as a way to help grow the person "Time is the enemy of Empathy" Time creates stress Prioritizing Speed, we sacrifice quality "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast." What is disciplined listening? Understand how every interaction potentially impacts both their short- and long-term goals

About Chuck Chuck Wisner is a thinker, a coach, and a teacher in organizational strategy, human dynamics, and leadership excellence. For the past twenty-five years, he has served as a business and personal consultant and an advisor to leaders in high-profile companies in several industries. His methods are anchored in years of leading-edge research, theoretical development, and the practical application of the foundations of conversations. Chuck earned an architectural degree from the Boston Architectural College, and for fifteen years he worked at HKT Architects in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he served as a partner for ten years. His first position after his career in architecture was as a senior affiliated mediator with the Harvard Law Mediation Program. He was among the first to be certified through the Mastering the Art of Professional Coaching program at the Newfield Institute. He then became a specialist in organizational learning and leadership as an affiliate with MIT’s Center for Organizational Learning. Chuck is currently working as an advisor with leaders and their teams at Google, Rivian, Apple, Tesla, DTE Energy, and PSEG, all Fortune 200 companies. His client list has included Harvard Business School, the Detroit Mayor’s Office, General Motors, Shell, and Chrysler Motor Company. Chuck lives in New England with his wife, Kata, an artist. They have two sons, who are living their creative dreams in New York City. Today We Talked About Chuck's Background Conversations Music Architecture Leading Conversations Awareness 4 Types of Conversations Storytelling Facts Emotions Opinions Collaborative Creative Commitment Desires are lovely, but they are a trap Concerns are powerful, but we forget to talk about them (Authority) Understand the power dynamics Standards based judgements, we forget to talk about them Trust Sincere Reliable Competent Connect with Chuck LinkedIn Website Book Leave me a tip $ Click here to Donate to the show I hope you enjoyed this show, please head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe and leave me a rating and review, even one sentence will help spread the word.  Thanks again!