The Catalyst by Softchoice
Softchoice
A podcast about unleashing the full potential in people and technology.
When people and technology come together, the potential is limitless. But while everyone is used to hearing about the revolutionary impact of tech, it can be easy to forget about the people behind it all. This podcast shines a light on the human side of innovation, as co-hosts Aaron Brooks and Heather Haskin explore and reframe our relationship to technology.
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Top 10 The Catalyst by Softchoice Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Catalyst by Softchoice episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Catalyst by Softchoice for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Catalyst by Softchoice episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Science fiction no more: Exploring AI in philosophy and in practice
The Catalyst by Softchoice
08/30/23 • 52 min
The best sci-fi stories explore the question, “What exactly does it mean to be human in the face of evolving technology?”
As we dive headfirst into the era of generative AI, this philosophical question has taken on a new, more practical dimension. As GenAI begins to upend the ways we work, live and do business, where do humans fit in? How will it change the ways we think about ourselves?
In this episode, host Aaron Brooks explores the influences of AI on the evolution of human society with Prof. Alexander Manu of OCAD University and Mario Bourgoin, AI Specialist at AWS. The discussion ranges from the intersection of AI with art, creativity and more with practical advice as to how we ordinary humans can get ready for the changes to come.
Featuring: Prof. Alexander Manu, acclaimed author and philosopher and Mario Bourgoin, AI Specialist from Amazon Web Services
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining light on the human side of technology.
Support our sponsor: This episode was sponsored by AWS and Softchoice’s Lift and Shift cloud migration solution. Take full advantage of the cloud– and leave no opportunity untapped – with our seamless, guided services. Visit softchoice.com/awsmigration to get started today.
Books referenced in the episode:
Mechanization Takes Command by Siegfried Giedion
Technics and Civilization by Lewis Mumford
The Philosophy of Disruption by Alexander Manu
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Paging Dr. Innovation: Healthcare’s 2020 evolution with Microsoft’s Katie Poolton
The Catalyst by Softchoice
07/07/21 • 28 min
The shift to digital collaboration in the workplace hasn’t just impacted regular office-goers – it changed the game for frontline healthcare workers, too. Katie Poolton, Product Marketing Manager at Microsoft is one of the people guiding the healthcare industry through this massive change, and joins Erika Van Noort to discuss how the pandemic helped radically evolve digital healthcare collaboration and the patient experience.
Featuring:
Katie Poolton, Product Marketing Manager at Microsoft
Special appearances by:
Noureddine Talmoudi, Solution Marketing Manager for Workplace at Softchoice
Alison Clarey, Senior Manager Integrated Go to Market at Softchoice
Brandon Ram, Director of Talent Acquistion and Candidate Experience at Softchoice
Braeden Banks, Content Production Lead at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Employee cybersecurity training: Your first and last line of defense.
The Catalyst by Softchoice
05/12/21 • 28 min
A few episodes ago, we talked to David Kennedy about the new obstacles that IT leaders are facing - as cybersecurity threats get more advanced and even more dangerous. But there was a lot more to this conversation that we had to unpack.
Why are employees and people still the weakest link? What part of security awareness training isn’t sticking?
Erika Van Noort meets up with Sharyl Givens, Chief Human Resources Officer at Proofpoint to unpack the tangible steps you can use to protect your people and your company. It’s time to turn your weakest links into your strongest assets.
Featuring:
Sharyl Givens, Chief Human resources Officer at Proofpoint
Special appearance by:
Molly Moreash, Commercial Account Sales Leader at Softchoice
Robbin Simpkins, Senior Manager of Services Improvement at Softchoice
Soraya Mohamed, Cloud Advisor for V.M Ware at Softchoice
Sabina Beckman, Territory Sales Account Executive at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
VMware Cloud: Helping IT teams manage change.
The Catalyst by Softchoice
11/03/21 • 31 min
The demands to move to the cloud faster are increasing as IT leaders face growing pressure to address mounting operational and business challenges. Now, they’re looking across the entirety of their infrastructure with a new lens and a push to challenge the status quo.
However, skills developed in the traditional data center or private cloud environment don’t translate easily to public cloud infrastructure - so what do IT leaders do now?
In this episode, Erika is joined by Claude Reeves, Vice President & Country Manager at VMware Canada and Christopher Woodin, Vice President, Cloud Business Unit at Softchoice, to explore the landscape of IT teams tackling public cloud, and to look at real-world examples of organizations facing various challenges and have ultimately benefited in their move to public cloud.
Featuring:
Claude Reeves, Vice President & Country Manager at VMware Canada
Christopher Woodin, Vice President, Cloud Business Unit at Softchoice
Special thanks to Jeff Reis, Lester Moniz and Doug Fisher for lending their honest thoughts!
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Digital Fitness Communities: A "spin" on hybrid life
The Catalyst by Softchoice
12/15/21 • 23 min
Over the last two years, we’ve adjusted to a digital life. But our daily life has also become a lot lonelier because of it, and people don’t want to do everything from home.
In this episode, Erika Van Noort is joined by Kyle Gibson, Co-founder and CEO of the Canadian spin studio, Wheelhouse Cycle Club, to expand the conversation around hybrid models to more than our professional lives. When the pandemic hit, Wheelhouse made a massive pivot and took their thriving, in-person spin community to a digital fitness model. Now, Kyle is building on that approach for a future that provides the same, interactive experience for fitness fanatics whether they’re at home or in studio.
Featuring:
Kyle Gibson, Co-founder and CEO at Wheelhouse Cycle Club
Special thanks to Softchoice voices, Marie Rodgers and Megan Northey, for lending their honest thoughts!
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Why organizations need to prioritize diversity & inclusion: Oguo Atuanya of Microsoft
The Catalyst by Softchoice
05/18/22 • 34 min
In this episode, Erika Van Noort welcomes Oguo Atuanya, General Manager of Global Scale and Global Partner Solutions at Microsoft. As a Senior Executive leading Microsoft’s global cloud scale services, Oguo weaves together a mixed cultural background from his education in three different continents and passion for democratization in technology. He talks about how the Microsoft workforce is more diverse than it’s ever been, and how the new generation of employees is making it a priority to work for a company that shares their values. Oguo also discusses the real concrete DEI efforts underway at Microsoft to move us from tokenism to transformation. His unique personal story and passion for mentorship and making a difference, will inspire you in your own journey.
Featuring:
Oguo Atuanya, General Manager of Global Scale and Global Partner Solutions at Microsoft
Special thanks to Softchoice voices Houman Aryan and Karly Pierce for lending their thoughts!
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
This episode is brought to you by Microsoft – a proud leader when it comes to diversity and inclusion. To start building your cloud and workplace strategy with an organization that’s committed to making the world a better place to live and work, visit Softchoice.com/Microsoft to learn more.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Bonus: The Catalyst gets clear on Microsoft Generative AI – The business case
The Catalyst by Softchoice
05/21/24 • 16 min
Businesses everywhere taking a good, hard look at Microsoft Generative AI are all wondering the same thing: is it really worth the hype? That's what we're here to find out.
On the inaugural episode of this brand-new miniseries courtesy of The Catalyst by Softchoice, host Braeden Banks and guest Jaime Waterfield, Director of Microsoft Category at Softchoice, explore the crucial beginnings of building a Copilot business case for Microsoft 365. Discover the best practices and potential pitfalls in planning your strategy and learn how to effectively generate buy-in and set the stage for success. Tune in to start your journey with a solid plan and get inspired to transform your business's digital landscape.
Featuring: Jaime Waterfield, Director of Microsoft Category at Softchoice
See how we can help you unleash the potential of your people and technology with Copilot: softchoice.com/microsoft-copilot
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
What’s next for IT? Looking beyond generative AI
The Catalyst by Softchoice
09/11/24 • 17 min
In this episode, co-hosts Aaron Brooks and Heather Haskin take a break from the constant buzz around generative AI and ChatGPT to explore what else is shaping the future of IT. From cybersecurity threats in the age of quantum computing to the rising expectation for businesses to become content creators, this mid-season check-in dives into the trends and insights flying under the AI radar. Don’t miss this candid conversation that uncovers some of the key issues transforming the tech world in 2024—beyond AI.
Featuring: Aaron Brooks, VP Customer Strategy and Solution Sales at Softchoice and Heather Haskin, Business Development Manager AWS at Softchoice
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
Tailored learning: AI is shaping the next generation
The Catalyst by Softchoice
09/22/21 • 35 min
Legacy education systems in the US have not changed in 100 years, and now we’re seeing a fresh perspective on education from one school district in Mesquite, Texas.
In this episode, Erika Van Noort is joined by Dr. David Vroonland and Softchoice’s Ron Espinosa, who are at the center of it all. They’re working with Google and SoftServe to create “AYO”: a program where a student’s aptitude and passion is mapped using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to create a “tailored learning” experience for each student.
Now, Mesquite Independent School District envisions this program being applied in other schools and districts across the US and even North America - and completely changing how our future leaders and change makers are being shaped.
Featuring:
Dr. David Vroonland, Superintendent at Mesquite Independent School District
Ron Espinosa, Specialty Sales Executive, Google Cloud, Softchoice
Special appearances by:
Jessica Schmidt, Associate Podcast Producer
Nicole Francis, Senior Manager, Content Operations
Kattie Laur, Podcast Producer
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
Are you a leader in the IT space? Read more on Softchoice’s Innovation Executive Forum, an exclusive, members-only community of over 400 senior IT leaders across North America.
AI vs. the standardized test: Exploring a new, more personal approach to learning
The Catalyst by Softchoice
08/02/23 • 36 min
Did you always want to do what you do? Or did your grades and test scores suggest you’d be good at it?
The 2020s are quickly being characterized by astonishing leaps in technology. Meanwhile, our education systems have remained anchored in 19th-century thinking. Rooted in standardized, one-size-fits-all models, the way we engage, develop and measure success for students is about to undergo a profound change thanks to, you guessed it, artificial intelligence.
In this episode of The Catalyst, our host Aaron meets with Dr. David Vroonland, the executive director of LEARN, the Learning Environments Action Resource Network, and a consultant to the education sector with Softchoice. They explore a new approach to education that uses AI models to create personalized, self-guided learning paths for students, tailored to their demonstrated passions and interests, rather than aptitude alone.
Dr. Vroonland believes it’s poised to reshape the way we teach and learn for good.
Featuring: Dr. David Vroonland, Executive Director of LEARN and a consultant with Softchoice.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast shining a light on the human side of IT leaders and reframing our relationship with technology.
The Catalyst by Softchoice is the podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of humans and technology.
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Catalyst by Softchoice have?
The Catalyst by Softchoice currently has 94 episodes available.
What topics does The Catalyst by Softchoice cover?
The podcast is about Information Technology, Tech, Management, Podcasts, Technology, Cio, Business and Innovation.
What is the most popular episode on The Catalyst by Softchoice?
The episode title 'Ransomware: Fueled by money' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Catalyst by Softchoice?
The average episode length on The Catalyst by Softchoice is 29 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Catalyst by Softchoice released?
Episodes of The Catalyst by Softchoice are typically released every 14 days.
When was the first episode of The Catalyst by Softchoice?
The first episode of The Catalyst by Softchoice was released on Sep 15, 2020.
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