LinkedinLive Episodes

Think ticks can’t find you at work? Think again! In this special episode hosts Nikki Gonzales and Courtney Fernandez sit down with tick expert Emily Merritt (aka the “Tick Chick”). Learn firsthand what Lyme disease can really mean, what to watch for after a bite, how to handle household exposure, and tips you won’t find on a repellant can. Ready to rethink what you know about ticks? You’ll want to hear this. ----- Connect with Nikki on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-g...

While reviewing one of our older episodes, we revisited a powerful conversation centered on innovation in industrial automation and the future of engineering efficiency. In this episode, the Automation Ladies host experts from Schneider Electric to explore EcoStruxure Automation Expert, an open, vendor-agnostic automation platform designed to decouple software from hardware. The discussion highlights how this approach can dramatically reduce engineering time, simplify system deployment, and improve scalability across industries such as water/wastewater, oil & gas, energy, and chemicals. Guest Celita Clemente shares her journey from Brazil to North America and her passion for innovation, while the panel reflects on major technological shifts — from natural gas processing to fiber internet — emphasizing the importance of challenging traditional methods. A live demo showcases how quickly engineers can deploy new pumping stations using drag-and-drop configuration, standardized li…

In a previous Linkedin Live, Nikki and Ali recap the AHTD Spring Meeting with founder of QuoteBeam, Roman Piszcz. They discuss the importance of the Association for High Technology Distribution (AHTD) and encourage others in the industry to join. They also touch on the need for dynamic websites that provide relevant content and build credibility, the challenges of recruitment and retention, and the role of AI in customer interactions. Support the Show. Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of...

In Automation Ladies fashion we had some technical difficulties during this episode, but the Ladies and Hassana Abubakar, a SCADA engineer at Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited, had a great time. Hassana presented an amazing slideshow to show all the projects her and her team have accomplished and will achieve. They discuss hydropower plants, work in Nigeria, and the resilience of people. Interested in seeing Hassan's slideshow? Check it out here. Support the Show. Co-Hosts are Alicia Gil...

In this Linkedin Live, Nikki along with a pop up from Ali, interview Preston Hadley, President and Founder of Envision Automation & Controls. Preston starts with his introduction to automation with working in a family business, and continues into the challenges and benefits of going to networking events and the authenticity of marketing. Support the Show. Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of Engineering at Process and Controls Engineering LLC, and Nikki Gonzales Head of Partnerships at Qu...

In this previous Linkedin Live episode, Nikki catches up with Andy Stump (Director of Business Development at Rockwell Automation), and Vitória Régia Oliveira (Lead in Maintenance, Facilities, and Project Engineering at Magna International). They discuss the current state of smart manufacturing, the challenges of integrating technology, and the importance of cybersecurity. Check out Vitória in a previous episode to learn her amazing journey. Support the Show. Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Dir...

Nikki and Ali had the chance to speak to Dale Parker, Design Engineering Manager at Keystone Gas Services. Dale talks about his interest in getting UL 508A certification, sharing knowledge and mentoring the next generation of automation, as well as, some new exciting updates about Keystone's future. Support the show Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of Engineering at Process and Controls Engineering LLC, and Nikki Gonzales Head of Partnerships at Quotebeam Follow us on Linkedin for live ...

In this previous , Nikki and Ali talk to Jason Bean, founder of M-Path Consulting and IIoT Market Specialist at Pepperl+Fuchs Group. Jason discusses working in various industries, his own experience with being neurodivergent, and the stigma behind individuals who fall under that. Learn more about Harnessing Neurodiversity for Organizational Excellence at https://www.manufacturingpath.com/ Support the show Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of Engineering at Process and Controls Engineering L...

In this pre-recorded episode, all the Automation Ladies chat with Vitória Régia Oliveira, Lead in Maintenance, Facilities, and Project Engineering at Magna International. The ladies get the chance to discuss creating women in automation groups, overcoming challenges as a black woman in the industry, and the process of moving abroad for career opportunities. Support the show Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of Engineering at Process and Controls Engineering LLC, and Nikki Gonzales Head of...

This week Nikki and Ali speak with Sarah Sonnier, Data Scientist and Jessica Williams, Controls Engineer at BBP. They discuss the challenges of integrating IT and OT, AI's usefulness in tasks like programming (with some human intervention), and the story of the dynamic duo's origins. Support the show Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of Engineering at Process and Controls Engineering LLC, and Nikki Gonzales Head of Partnerships at Quotebeam Follow us on Linkedin for live videos, demos, a...

Nikki and Ali G sat live with Linda Freeman, an Industry Manager and longtime employee at Rockwell Automation. They look at the importance of functional safety and cybersecurity skills in the industry, the need for continuous learning, and using traditional gender roles to one's advantage. Check out the original live episode here. Support the show Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of Engineering at Process and Controls Engineering LLC, and Nikki Gonzales Head of Partnerships at Quotebeam...

In this LinkedIn Live, Nikki and Ali G (and a little bit of Courtney) speak with student PCE employee Kortni Pendon. Kortni began her journey into automation thanks to her dad and time in the Navy. She discusses her military experience and the soft skills she developed, the importance of playing into your strengths and working on your weaknesses, as well as, how being a mom has helped her in the technical world. Support the show Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of Engineering at Process and...

This week, Ali G and Courtney get the chance to talk to Festo Product Manager, Daniella Gonzalez. They cover topics like gender imbalances in the field, problem-solving with customers, Daniella' work with training and workforce development at Festo, and which Harry Potter house they all are. Support the show Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of Engineering at Process and Controls Engineering LLC, and Nikki Gonzales Head of Partnerships at Quotebeam Follow us on Linkedin for live videos, ...

Nikki, Ali G, and guest host Courtney catch up live with Morgan Wilson, Partner Success Manager at SVT Robotics. Last time Ali G and Courtney spoke to Morgan live about her experiences at SVT Robotics and her outreach with customers. They talk SVT's work with diverse technologies and custom systems, potential application of certain automation, and the evolving landscape that is automation. Support the show Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of Engineering at Process and Controls Engineerin...

Starting the Linkedin Lives up for the 2024 season, Nikki, Ali G, and guest host Courtney talk with robotics and AI expert, Juan Aparicio Ojea. Juan is the co-founder of a start up and spent many years working with robotics. They discuss how AI can be brought more into robotics, the lack in current AI technology when it comes to automating certain jobs, and a look into the future of technology. Support the show Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of Engineering at Process and Controls Engin...

Continuing Season 3: Nikki and Ali G (along with a guest appearance from Courtney) take time to speak with Jasmine Quick, an Industrial Automation Engineer at GPS Electrical Services in Melbourne. Sometimes working long shifts, Jasmine is no stranger to the engineer lifestyle. She talks about going through school in Australia, VM's, converting whole sites to new programs, and software. Support the show Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of Engineering at Process and Controls Engineering LLC, ...

Nikki talks to Priyansha Bagaria, Founder & CEO of Loopr AI a computer vision company solving the complex challenges traditional vision inspection still can't solve. She started working in her family's manufacturing plant at a young age and saw what good employment opportunities in manufacturing can do for a community, but also the challenges that can come with trying to automate a process that may not be 100% automatable or just too expensive for a small to mid size manufacturer to undertake. ...

With October being Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the Automation Ladies decided to speak with some experts in the field Leah & Hayley. Leah is the Principal Cybersecurity Specialist at Nextlink labs, while Hayley is a Product Marketing Specialist for Network and Security at Phoenix Contact. Follow them on LinkedIn! These cybersecurity ladies discuss ways to protect yourself against cyberattacks, what to look out for as an individual and as a company to stay safe, and the importance of having st...

In this live episode, Nikki and Ali G spoke with David Garcia and Nathan Schaffer, creators of MarketMate AI, a software built for industrial companies to help them scale their marketing efforts. We wanted to know does this work for a company like Process and Controls Engineering LLC a systems integration firm run by an engineer, and if so, how? Want to see the demo? Check out the live episode on our page. Support the show Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of Engineering at Process and Cont...

To wrap up Season 2 of Automation Ladies, Nikki speaks with Adam Crandall, Chief Revenue Officer at Addtronics about getting a "piece of the pie". Nikki and Adam talk about multi-level relationships, getting people excited about Mondays, being a platform company, and most importantly investing in your employees. Interested in joining or learning more about Addtronics? Check them out here. Support the show Thank you to all our supporters, especially our main sponsors Clarify and FactoryFix ...

This time, Nikki talks to CEO and founder of Direktin and Algae Scope, Dr. Elvira Rakova. They talk all things pneumatics, energy efficiency, and reducing our carbon footprint with industrial uses of micro algae. You can check out Elvira's interview Youtube channel which has a conversation with Nikki from last year, as well as her No Boring Pneumatics channel. Keep up with her companies Dirketin and Algae Scope. Thank you to all our supporters, especially our main sponsors Clarify and Fact...

Courtney and Ali G takeover the podcast and speak with Sarah Coleman, a Product Manager with Liberty Reach. They talk about Liberty Reach, a company that produces robot guidance systems and software, how Sarah found her way into robotics, the importance of a buddy system at work, and all things robots. You can check out Liberty Reach here. Thank you to all our supporters, especially our main sponsors Clarify and FactoryFix Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of Engineering at Process and C...

This time, while Nikki is out on a much deserved vacation, Ali G and guest host Courtney speak with Amber Wilborne, business co-owner of TW Controls. Amber discusses her jump from marketing to automation, starting a business alongside her husband Tim Wilborne, and parenthood. TW Controls helps in automation, PLC programming, control panels, and more. Go check out TW Controls here. Go support the Queen and Andy channel here. Thank you to all our supporters, especially our main sponsors Clar...

In this episode Nikki and Ali G are joined by fellow Automation Lady Courtney in talking to John Piller: Owner, Engineer, and CEO at JPiller Design and Consulting. John discusses his journey in automation and his job hunt after being laid off earlier this year. From minimal responses to the mismatch between job supply and demand they discuss all that and more. Go check out John's websites Genau and JPiller Design and Consulting to learn more. You can also check out John on his LinkedIn page. ...