That Tech Pod

Today on That Tech Pod, Laura and Kevin chat with Michael Quartararo, the President of the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS) about the International eDiscovery Executive Certificate Program. ACEDS provides training and certification in e-discovery and professional development courses to corporate legal departments, law firms and the broader legal community. With 1400 CEDS-certified professionals and 2500 members active in 22 chapters throughout major US cities, Canada, the UK, Benelux, South Africa and Australia, ACEDS is the gold standard in e-discovery training. Mike is also the author of the 2016 book Project Management in Electronic Discovery and has been teaching, consulting and solving problems in information governance, e-discovery, project management and legal technology for over two decades. He is considered one of the foremost authorities on legal project management and built his career upon strategic and innovative thinking, leadership and operational skills honed at the best legal organizations in the world. Following 10-year stints at both Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP and Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, Mike launched his own successful company, eDPM Advisory Services, a consulting firm providing legal operations, e-discovery and project management advisory services to corporate legal departments and law firms. As a part-time graduate professor, Mike designed and taught a curriculum on e-discovery project management at Bryan University. A graduate of the State University of New York, he is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Certified E-Discovery Specialist (CEDS). He frequently writes and speaks on e-discovery, legal operations, project management and technology topics. Reach him via email at mquartararo@aceds.org or on Twitter @mikequartararo. 

Today Kevin and Laura speak with JB ‘Jor-El’ Benjamin, the Founder of Kryotech Ltd. We discuss secure messaging apps, crypto and the blockchain. We also chat ethical AI, the UK's AI framework and whether we should trust the Musk's and Altman's of the world. JB isn't your run-of-the-mill developer; he's a tech maverick reshaping the digital landscape from his UK base just outside London. JB is the mastermind behind numerous groundbreaking applications and platforms that have revolutionized the digital world. Boasting a prolific portfolio, JB has created the world's first post-quantum encrypted messenger Vox Messenger, and the unprecedented group transaction crypto wallet, Vox Crypto. He bridges the gap between possibility and reality with his solutions to pressing global challenges. Also, as mentioned at the top of this week’s pod, That Tech Pod is supporting Pizza4Moms, a charity feeding families impacted by the ongoing conflict in Israel. Pizza4moms is collecting funds and donating meals (a pizza and a salad) to those in need in the region. Please considering participating with us: https://pizza4moms.com/#welcome

Today Laura and Kevin chat with Oshri Cohen about what it means to be a fractional CTO versus a full-time CTO and whether or not you can or should consider vending out your C-suite. With Kevin’s past CTO roles, this one hits close to home and gets a little tense…Oshri Cohen is an expert technologist in more languages, frameworks, architectures and technologies than he cares to count. He is an ex-executive at multiple startups and ex-founder of his own custom development shop. He is disrupting the popular thought that startups need a full-time CTO and could save on average $400K per year in direct technical leadership costs through the use of a Fractional-CTO, which is his primary business.

Today Laura and Kevin speak with Pete Hunt. We chat about what it means to be an engineer, how to tell if an engineer is good and how you get from engineer to CEO, plus Pete weighs in on the Zuck vs Musk debate with his unique perspective having worked at both Instagram and Twitter.  Pete joined Elementl as head of engineering in early 2022, and took over the reins as CEO in November of that year. Pete was previously co-founder and CEO of Smyte, an anti-abuse provider that was acquired by Twitter. Prior to this Pete led Instagram’s web team, built Instagram’s business analytics products, and helped to open source Facebook’s React.js. Their platform is Dagster, a next-generation open source orchestration platform for the development, production, and observation of data assets.

Today Kevin and Laura chat with David Cohen of Reed Smith about their eDiscovery-focused app with the aim of creating a less cumbersome, and fast-updating repository of knowledge, documents and tips for attorneys and clients on the go. We talk about "intense AI," and the convergence of eDiscovery and data privacy. We discuss whether we still need the "e" in eDiscovery and if it is better to be a "master of all" or a legal specialist in 2023. We also cover access to justice issues and other terms that sound like classic Steven Seagal movies. You don't want to miss this pod!David is chair of Reed Smith’s Records & E-Discovery (RED) Practice Group and a member of the firm’s Global Leadership Team. A Harvard Law graduate with more than 35 years of commercial litigation experience, David serves as eDiscovery counsel and information governance counsel to some of the top companies in the world. David also represents clients in complex litigation matters, and counsels companies of all sizes on information governance and litigation readiness issues. He has been recognized individually by Chambers Global, Chambers USA, Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, and Who’s Who Legal as a top eDiscovery lawyer and litigator. The 70+ lawyer RED Practice Group that David leads has also been recognized by Chambers and Legal 500 as a leading eDiscovery practice. He currently chairs the EDRM Project Trustees and serves on the advisory board of the Georgetown Advanced eDiscovery Institute. He was involved in setting up the E-Discovery Special Masters (EDSM) program in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, has served as an EDSM in multiple cases, and has drafted and supported amendments to state and federal rules focusing on e-discovery. He has authored numerous legal publications and is a frequent presenter at continuing legal education seminars regarding eDiscovery and information governance. He is the principal architect of the E-Discovery App, launched in 2020, and leads ongoing App development and innovation initiatives.  David also received a Law 2.0 “Outstanding Leadership” award in 2022 and the Legal Intelligencer Pennsylvania “Innovator of the Year” award in 2023. You can download the Reed Smith’s eDiscovery app from the Apple Store or Google Play:https://apps.apple.com/us/app/e-discovery-app/id1494005095https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ncc809328710.www&hl=en_US&gl=US&pli=1The primary goal of the Reed Smith’s eDiscovery App is to be a useful resource for everyone in the e-discovery community! App development was led by Reed Smith Partner David Cohen, Practice Group Leader of Reed Smith’s Records & E-Discovery (RED) practice group, with important contributions by lawyers, e-discovery analysts, and support professionals at Reed Smith LLP and its technology subsidiary Gravity Stack. Where permitted and acknowledged, the App also includes, or links to, materials created or compiled by outside professionals. 

Laura, Kevin and Shelby talk about the The Lesbians Who Tech Summit that Laura and Shelby attended in San Francisco last week. The 10th Annual Lesbians Who Tech & Allies Summit takes place virtually and in front of the Castro Theatre and surrounding city blocks. The show attracts over 15K+ LGBTQ Women, Women of Color, Non-Binary, Trans techies & our Allies to attend from all over the world.Lesbians Who Tech & Allies is the largest LGBTQ professional community in the world — committed to visibility, intersectionality, and changing the face of technology and most importantly, the only organization that centers on LGBTQ Women, Women of color, and Non-binary leaders. This event supports the work helping our leaders learn how to code and get the crucial support they need as they face systemic barriers at work.

Today is our Halloween Special! Laura and Kevin swap scary cyber stories with Gianna Whitver, the Co-Founder and CEO of the Cybersecurity Marketing Society and a co-host of the Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing Podcast.  Gianna is also an advisor for cybersecurity and technology companies. Gianna has worked in marketing as an early employee at multiple companies in a broad array of industries, including past roles at cybersecurity companies, at a commercial real estate development and investment firm, and big tech, to name a few. She speaks publicly on marketing, cybersecurity, and entrepreneurial topics, having presented at RSA Conference 365, (ISC)2, and InfoSec World.

Today Kevin and Laura speak with David Adeoye Abodunrin about cyber threat intelligence, compliance versus cyber security and human firewalls. We get into a debate about Zuckerburg vs. Musk, being a prince and much more!With a remarkable track record spanning over two decades, David Adeoye Abodunrin PMP, CSM, CSPO, CSP-SM, MSC is a distinguished authority in Project/Program Management, Agile Transformations, Human Capital Management, Cybersecurity, and Coaching, offering a multifaceted approach to personal and professional and enterprise growth. Holding a plethora of certifications, including being a Certified Scrum Professional- Scrum Master(CSP-SM), Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and Project Management Professional (PMP), he stands as a versatile figure equipped to navigate complex landscapes.Armed with a master's degree in Cybersecurity and specialization in Cyber Forensics and Threat Intelligence, David illuminates strategies to combat cyber threats, safeguard digital ecosystems, and address the nuances of cyberwarfare. His insights resonate with individuals and organizations seeking to fortify their online security measures.David's Agile PM, HR and Corporate leadership acumen sets him apart. By harmonizing his psychology, coaching, project management, and agile expertise, he empowers organizations to embrace agility in their enterprise practices, fostering leadership excellence. His holistic approach extends beyond conventional methodologies, enabling businesses to navigate dynamic environments with adaptability and innovation.

Today Laura and guest host Shelby Busch speak with Alaina Percival about increasing opportunities for woman in tech fields, angel investing, living in Germany and travel in general. Alaina Percival is CEO and co-founder of Women Who Code. Under Alaina’sleadership, the organization has grown to serve 343,000 members in 147countries. Alaina has been published by Forbes, Huffington Post, and The WallStreet Journal. She is an accomplished tech speaker, appearing at WSJ.d Live,CodeMotion Milan, Grace Hopper, Columbia University’s Social Enterprise,Harvard WECode and more. Alaina has spoken on a range of topics fromdevelopment and retention models to intersectional diversity andequity-centered decision-making in data strategy for the United Nations toSocial Justice and Advocacy in STEM at Harvard University.Alaina is also an Angel Investor, a Venture Partner at Valor Ventures, a Scoutfor Picus Capital, and in 2022 she taught WomenLead in Technology at Georgia State University. Alaina has two young sons, loves chocolate, and has been to more than 75 countries

Today Kevin and Laura talk to William McKnight about big data in healthcare, the pros and cons of companies knowing this much about us, being a corporate influencer and much more! William McKnight is an information management thought-leader who has been recognized as the #1 global influencer in big data, cloud, and data center by Thinkers 360, and the #1 global influencer in master data management by Onalytica in 2022.He is the Founder and President of McKnight Consulting Group, which advises many of the Global 2000 companies, including Pfizer, Verizon, UnitedHealth Group, Dell, Oracle, and Scotiabank, on ways to faster grow their businesses with big data.With over 30 years of experience, William is also a highly sought-after speaker who has spoken on four continents for a diverse collection of organizations, including IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Bank of America, Orange South Africa, and SAP.  He also is a former award-winning IT Vice President of a Fortune 50 company, a former engineer of DB2 at IBM, and an author of the books, "Integrating Hadoop", "Information Management: Strategies for Gaining a Competitive Advantage with Data", and "90 Days to Success in Consulting".