Episodes

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 ...

In this episode, Nikki explores the world of AI with Senior Product Manager of IoT Strategy, Shanila Karim. Nikki & Shanila talk about the evolution of IoT, smart cities, the future, and projects they are passionate about. At a very young age, Nikki and Shanila both were inspired by their engineer fathers, so you will also hear a bit of back story from both and some mindset and wellness talk. Support the show Thank you to all our supporters, especially our main sponsors Clarify and F...

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. ...

In this episode Nikki and Ali G talk with Terry Kuzoff, Technical Assistant to the VP of LM Space Ignite. Terry and Ali G went to the same high school in Hawaii. They discuss growing up there and the lack of STEM-related fields in Hawaii. Terry also speaks on her past jobs with GOES and NOAA. The conversation touches on the importance of early exposure to STEM, the difference of aspirations between generations, the space industry, and the importance of female mentors. Thank you to all our s...

In this LinkedIn live panel discussion Nikki and Ali G speak with 3 Automotive Industry professionals. This includes Louis Khalayli (Sr. Mechatronics Consultant), Anja Wriedt (Senior Consultant at EPLAN), and Hannah Halcomb (Controls Engineer at GM). The panel covers various topics such as robotics, programming, education, safety, and gender diversity in the automotive field. They also discuss AI and its various applications in the world. Each guest opens up about their own experiences and how ...

In another LinkedIn Live episode, Nikki talks to Automation Controls Engineer Katelyn Desrochers. Katelyn, who recently got her Associates in Automation Engineering Technology on top of her Mechanical Engineering bachelor's talks about her experience breaking into automation, being a woman in the manufacturing industry, and her passion for promoting STEM and manufacturing careers to the next generation. You can check Katelyn out on her LinkedIn. Check out the Linkedin Live episode on Automati...

This week, Nikki and Ali talk with Christelle Keefer, who is a member of the A3 Robotics Technology Strategy Board as well as the Global Product Manager for Robotics Education at ABB. They discuss Ali's new non-priofit Kids PLC Kits, the importance of partnerships with OEMs and educators around the world, uplifting the next generation of engineers, and of course all the fun going-ons planned for Automate next week. Thank you to our special sponsor Siemens. We're excited for their booth this ye...

In this episode, Nikki and Ali G catch up with the President and Co-Founder of Infinity Robotics, Dave Neville. Dave is a space connoisseur and is looking towards the stars to integrate robots and automation. Dave and the Automation Ladies discuss their recent travels, the admiration of youth and newcomers into the automation and engineering sector, as well as, the emergence of AI and RaaS. You can check Infinity Robotics out on their website. Follow Dave on his LinkedIn page. Thank you to...

This week Ali G and Nikki talk to Sami Birch, the Marketing and Communications Manager at Mission Design & Automation. Sami speaks on her beginnings into automation as a tech writer (spoiler alert: like most of you she "fell" into it), the importance of building relationships, adaptation in a constantly changing market, and discuss how the pandemic changed the way we communicate with one another. You can check Sami out on her Linkedin page. Thank you to all our supporters, especially our ma...

While Nikki was at the 2023 Manufacturing in America conference in Detroit, she got to catch up with the U.S. Program Manager of Siemens Cooperates with Education, Amanda Beaton. Amanda and Nikki chat about how she got into the world of industrial automation, how the Siemens Cooperates with Education program reaches rural and low-income youth, helping students find careers in automation and mechatronics, and a little bit about what is going on at MiA! Thank you to all our supporters, especia...

In this LinkedIn Live, Nikki and Ali G spoke with Dave Griffith and Vladimir Romanov with Manufacturing Hub Network. You better be in this episode for the long haul. They cover a variety of topics like the pros and cons of in-person versus remote technical learning and networking, fixing pain points in operational technology, and cross-functional teams. Check out Dave and Vlad at Manufacturing Hub Network. Thank you to our special sponsors Siemens and iNSUPPLi for this episode. Thank you t...

This week our Automation Ladies, Nikki and Ali G, speak to Senior Software Engineer at Miso Robotics: Vinita Palaniveloo. The Automation Ladies and Vinita look at highlighting the need for ground-level skills and the importance of kids being exposed to real-world problems and industry hardware, filling the skill gap between school and industry, and the collective excitement about this new era of manufacturing approaching. Check out Vinita on her LinkedIn page. Thank you to all our supporter...

Join us for a thoughtful and engaging conversation between Nikki and Alex Marcy, the CEO of Corso Systems, an Ignition Premier Integrator specializing in the seamless connection of SCADA, MES, PLCs, HMIs, and more (without getting caught up in the Industry4.0 buzz). In this episode, Alex shares his experiences of starting his own business and the personal and professional growth that has shaped his understanding of the importance of diversity within his teams and the industry at large. Nik...

This week, while Ali was in the field, Nikki spoke with Jessica Morell. Jessica has held various positions in the automation industry, from distribution to consulting. Jessica shares her journey, starting with her electrical and computer engineering technology degree. After graduation, she joined an apprenticeship program at a regional distributor and kept learning and expanding her knowledge and her network to become a sought-after strategy consultant in the Industry 4.0 arena. Both Nikki a...

While attending Live Stream event at Rapid Robotics recently, Nikki did an impromptu interview with their CFO Lisa Hu. Lisa talks about how she came into the robotics world, the importance of culture in startups, and the financial implications of a manufacturing business having access to automation and robotics as a service. Here is a link to the whitepaper we mention in our chat: https://www.rapidrobotics.com/blog/white-paper-capex-vs-raas-true-cost-of-owning-robots We want to thank Rapid Ro...

This week, Nikki and guest host Courtney Fernandez speak with Ale Walker, Director of Business Development at Gray Solutions. Ale has lived an eventful life going from pro-golfer to doing business development in the industrial automation and robotics world. Ale speaks about her past, the importance of bringing tech to rural communities, and just having a good time and enjoying what you do. This is the first in-person episode where we are all together (aside from a virtual pop-in from Ali G) an...

This week, Nikki and Ali speak with Kara Branch, chemical engineer, and CEO and founder of Black Girls Do Engineer. Kara has had an amazing career spanning work in Oil & Gas, Space Exploration and is now in Tech working with Intel. Kara speaks about how she got interested in engineering, motherhood, and her non-profit Black Girls Do Engineer. Kara is based in Texas and hopes to bring awareness and pathways to STEM careers to underserved communities like the one she grew up in. Want to get invo...

This week, Nikki was joined by guest host and fellow Automation Lady Courtney Fernandez, while interviewing Don Kiolbassa. Don is the author of "The Tao of the Side Hustle" which brings buddhism, martial arts, and business all into one. We get into Don's experiences in his own side hustles, a great urban legend and its ties into business, and self-respect. Check out the full episode on our page. Thank you to all our supporters, especially our main sponsors Clarify and FactoryFix Co-Hosts are...

In this episode, we catch up with Blue Collar Automation founder Brennen Dugger. We discuss his beginnings, his experience working at a pharma end user, OEM, a plant, and eventually how he came to create his own company. This was recorded as a LinkedIn live with Brennen on the road so we recommend you catch the replay on LI for the full experience. See the full video on our LinkedIn page. Check out Blue Collar Automation for systems integration needs from the design and build of electrical pan...

This week, while Ali was busy in the field, Nikki interviewed Suzy Steele, Chief Strategy Officer at the ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute. Nikki & Suzy chat about the role robotics play in reviving our manufacturing industry, the challenges manufacturers face in implementing robotics, especially when it comes to skilled labor, the robot operating system (ROS), cobot safety, the 3 D's, what the ARM institute does, and how to get involved. Make sure to follow the ARM Institute ...

In this episode, we speak with recent graduate and member of the Technical Marketing Leadership Development Program at Siemens, Kristin Quasey. We talk about the Siemens rotation program, finding and building a network, as well as some talk about how this podcast came to be. The sponsor of this episode is Siemens, to learn more check out: https://sie.ag/3h4ZbaW Thank you to all our supporters, especially our main sponsors Clarify and FactoryFix Co-Hosts are Alicia Gilpin Director of Engineerin...