The STEMINISTS Podcast

Ep. 42 - A Holiday Message to Brighten Your Season from The STEMINISTS

This week on The STEMINISTS Podcast, there’s no formal episode as Phoebe and Mekka take a holiday break. Instead, they’re here to wish everyone a joyful holiday season and share a sneak peek of their 2026 kickoff episode on surviving a ransomware attack.
Happy holidays and see you in the new year!

Ep. 41 – STEMINISTS 2025 Unfiltered: AI Insights, Data Realities, and What’s Next for 2026

Cut through the AI buzz and get to the real story of what’s shaping tech! In this special year-end episode of The STEMINISTS Podcast, hosts Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams take a reflective look back at the transformative year of 2025 and cast their expert predictions for what lies ahead in 2026. 
Join us as we share highlights you might have missed in a year defined by rapid innovation and critical learnings. Mekka shares her "eye-popping" realization about the massive scale of the partner ecosystem, and Phoebe breaks down why 2025 was when we finally understood the true purpose of AI—not just as technology, but as a tool to augment human creativity. 
We dive deep into the data-centric perspective that drives our conversations, exploring the urgent need for better data management and the rising importance of security in AI pipelines. And looking forward, we’ll be tracking the rise of Edge AI, ultra-specialized models, and spotlighting data sovereignty as the next big territory where the smartest players will stake their claims. 
And ICYMI, Phoebe and Mekka share their favorite episodes. But before we get into things, a huge thank you to all our listeners and followers. Your support, shares, and feedback have fueled every episode—this show simply wouldn’t be possible without you! 
 
Connect with us! 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 

Ep. 40 - "Re:Invent" Your S3 Access: The Smarter Way to Power your AI

Sick of shuffling data around just to get your AI going? Let’s learn how to crush those roadblocks with STEMINISTS hosts Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams, as they pull back the curtain with some exciting news straight from AWS re:Invent. It will upend how you handle cloud storage, making AI and analytics not just easier, but ruthless in efficiency. 
We sit down with Vidhya Nagarajan, Senior Product Manager for AWS FSx for NetApp ONTAP, and break down the new groundbreaking integration that allows FSx for NetApp ONTAP to serve as direct storage infrastructure for AWS S3-based services. Vidhya explains how this new feature solves the massive headache of copying data to S3 buckets, eliminating data duplication, reducing costs, and ensuring data consistency. 
Whether you’re in Electronic Design Automation (EDA), looking to speed up chip design or in Healthcare managing sensitive EMR data, this episode reveals how you can now leverage more than 50 AWS AI and analytics tools—like Bedrock, Glue, and Athena—without ever moving your data. 
Plus, stay tuned to the end to hear about Vidhya’s "Cool and Current" activity, where she shares how her home has turned into a Lego engineering lab for Formula 1 cars with her son. 
 
Read the official AWS News Blog for more on FSx for NetApp ONTAP: https://www.netapp.com/blog/data-access-s3-access-points-fsx-ontap/  
 
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/vidhyanagarajan/  
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Ep. 39 - Hollywood's Not Dying, It's Going Hybrid Cloud

How much Hollywood movie magic and great stories are we missing because the right technology is locked away? In this special episode of The STEMINISTS podcast, recorded live at NetApp Insight, hosts Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams shine our spotlight on Lisa Watts, CEO of Cree8 and CEO Monthly's “CEO of the Year.”   
Lisa tells us how Cree8 is shattering the "glass walls" of movie and video production by democratizing access to enterprise-grade tools. This shift is enabling a "disaggregated Hollywood," empowering a global workforce of creatives. Lisa also dives into the critical role of data infrastructure and integrated security, which unlocks opportunities for smaller studios to work with major players like Disney. 
She explains how their award-winning platform simplifies incredibly complex cloud workflows—turning a 244-page manual into a single click—so storytellers can focus on what they do best. Discover how clients like LATV accelerate their World Cup coverage and how emerging sports like Women's Elite Rugby can produce professional broadcasts affordably.  
If you're passionate about technology, innovation, and the future of storytelling, you don't want to miss this conversation. Tune in, follow, and share with your friends. 
 
Unify your data like no other: 
https://www.netapp.com/hybrid-cloud/ 
 
 
Connect with us!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 

Ep. 38 - Don't Dump Your Cloud: Repatriation and your Hybrid Future

Is moving everything back from the public cloud the right answer to rising costs and complexity? Or is "cloud repatriation" just as extreme as the "all-in" cloud strategy that came before it? Join us as we get real with Cecile Kellam, NetApp’s Senior Solutions Architect and one of our faves who really knows her way around a cloud stack. 
Cecile isn’t here for one-size-fits-all answers. She dishes on the “three C’s” that execs sweat over: cost, complexity, and compliance. Instead of a panicked retreat or a blind leap, she shows why living in the hybrid multi-cloud middle is actually where the magic—and the money—happens. 
We’ll draw on Cecile’s deep expertise in cloud architecture and data strategy and dive into why strong data governance isn’t optional, and how containerization can save your wallet when things get tricky. Want to stop tossing cash into the cloud just because it’s trendy? Cecile’s got practical, punchy insights for anyone who’s tired of buzzwords and ready for smarter strategy. 
Hit play and let The STEMINISTS Podcast light a fire under your next IT move. 
 
Instantly access and mobilize your data: 
https://www.netapp.com/hybrid-cloud/  
 
Connect with us! 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/%E2%98%81-cecile-kellam-%E2%98%81/  
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 

Ep. 37 - HPC and AI: The Infrastructure Showdown

What is high performance compute and what happens if you choose the wrong infrastructure for your HPC workloads? Join us in Las Vegas for a special edition at NetApp Insight, as The STEMINISTS welcomes our very first CEO, Rebecca Pinheiro. She’s also the  founder of Neuvys, and takes us for smart and practical dive into what the best infrastructure for HPC is, how it works, and what we can do better to be more efficient and protect our environment. 
You’ll also learn how this backbone infrastructure supports everything from complex simulations to today’s AI training and why getting the details right matters. We shine a spotlight on what sets HPC and AI apart: HPC demands precision and predictable results, while AI relies on rapid data processing and flexibility. Misunderstanding these needs can lead to wasted resources or underperforming systems. 
Rebecca also looks at ways to optimize and improve HPC environments, from smarter architecture choices to greater sustainability, and offers advice for organizations looking to bridge gaps between people, processes, and technology.  
Tune in for an episode that brings clarity to high-performance infrastructure—and actionable ideas for doing it better. Follow and share to stay informed! 
 
Looking to get more involved in the Women HPC (WHPC) organization: https://womeninhpc.org/ 
 
Neuvys and NetApp co-sponsor the San Diego Supercomputer Center’s WHPC Chapter: 
https://www.sdsc.edu/whpc-at-sdsc.html  
 
Some training and webinars at SDSC: 
https://www.sdsc.edu/education/training-programs/index.html 
 
MIT also offers a lot of free online courses on several of these topics related to AI and HPC: 
https://openlearning.mit.edu/courses-programs/open-learning-library 
 
Connect with us! 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccapinheiro/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 

Ep. 36 - Zero Trust in Transit: New Techniques for Securing Data on the Move

In this special Las Vegas edition, we come to you from NetApp INSIGHT 2025, where we sit down with some phenomenal women shaking up the industry. Gladys Kline, VP of Partners & Alliances at GDT, joins us first as a leader who rewrites the script on network security.  
Ready to think smarter about your security? Gladys doesn’t just talk theory—she gives you the real-world strategies for layering defenses, securing every digital pathway, and keeping your data exactly where it belongs 
Data is on the move, and so are the threats. From distributed architectures to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gladys shares how industry evolution has led experts to re-evaluate the right way to secure increasingly distributed network environments, especially as remote work, AI, cloud and modern networking stacks are changing the data game for good. 
We dig into how modern security frameworks like Zero Trust and Secure Service Edge are helping businesses deliver a layered approach to data security, and how integral alliances are to bringing together the right technology partners to deliver outstanding outcomes. Follow now and get more sharp conversations from The STEMINISTS Podcast. 
 
Trust experienced GDT consultants to help you cut through the noise:
https://gdt.com/services/consulting-assessments/ 
 
Confidently safeguard your data: 
https://www.netapp.com/cyber-resilience/  
 
Connect with us! 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gladys-kline-9533465/  
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 

Ep. 35 - Take Our Playbook: Make GenAI Work for You

Think building enterprise AI takes a massive team and a mountain of resources? Think again. In this episode NetApp’s Senior Director of IT Data & Analytics, Anju Mohan, returns to turn the “build vs. buy” debate on its head—proving that the right vision and a nimble, hungry team can deliver transformative results faster than you think. Also learn about NetApp’s remarkable journey with Net AI Chat—a secure, private AI platform that now engages nearly 10,000 users and has supported more than a million chats. 
You’ll hear Anju unpack her experience with how her small but determined team, many of whom had no previous AI background, learned new skills on the fly to deliver fast, scalable, and highly customized AI tools—all while rigorously addressing data governance and security. “What you put in is what you’re going to get out,” she shares, underscoring the importance of data quality and team commitment throughout the rapid upskilling process. From department-specific bots to real-time integration of new AI models, their story is a blueprint for your enterprise innovation. 
Tune in for fresh insights, practical frameworks, and another round of candid reflections on the realities of build versus buy—plus tips on how to launch your own successful, human-in-the-loop AI platform. 
 
Streamline hybrid enterprise AI workflows
https://www.netapp.com/artificial-intelligence/
 
Connect with us!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 

Ep. 34 - Stop Chasing AI Trends; Start Solving Actual Problems

By now you should know the GenAI hype train is littered with failed projects. In fact, according to MIT, a staggering 95% of generative AI rollouts don’t make it off the runway—caught in endless debates over building bespoke solutions or slapping on an off-the-shelf fix. 
This episode of The STEMINISTS Podcast gets right to the point. Hosts Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams put Anju Mohan—NetApp’s AI dynamo and chief of their Center of Excellence—directly in the hot seat for the gritty, real-world inside scoop. Anju spills exactly what it takes to turn AI from a shiny buzzword into a full-blown, company-shifting force. 
Discover why companies keep shoehorning AI where it doesn’t fit, how to outsmart the “build or buy” dilemma, and why agentic AI isn’t the monster under the bed—if you know how to tame it. Plus, you’ll leave with the only three AI success metrics that matter. Everything else? Noise. 
If steering your organization’s AI journey is on your radar, treat this episode as your guide to sidestepping disaster—and joining the elite 5%. 
 
Streamline hybrid enterprise AI workflows: 
https://www.netapp.com/artificial-intelligence/  
 
Designing for Agentic AI with Open-Source Tools: 
https://media.netapp.com/en/video-detail/2c1b8f34-862b-5e0d-8d4c-d65a40fd1b19/designing-for-agentic-ai-with-open-source-tools  
 
Connect with us!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjumohanc/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 
 

Ep. 33 - While You Were Sleeping: AI Demands an “Always On” Cyber Defense

Ransomware “bad actors” are getting smarter and faster. Are you? Hackers are upping their game with double extortion schemes, data theft, and AI-driven sneak attacks that bypass traditional defenses. 
Cheryl George, Senior Product Manager at NetApp, joins Tech Gurus Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams to break down how cybercriminals are weaponizing AI and why behavioral analytics is the ace up your sleeve to outsmart them. 
Here’s what’s on the agenda: 
How ransomware evolved from annoying to dangerous. 
Why behavioral analytics is your new best friend. 
Securing the trickiest environments (hello, “dark sites”). 
The battle over manual vs. automatic updates. 
To beat AI-powered threats, you need AI-driven defenses. Listen in and learn how to outwit today’s smartest cybercriminals. Follow now and make sure your data stays yours. 
 
 NetApp Sets New Standard for Cybersecurity at the Storage Layer 
Ransomware Protection: Protect, detect, recover; guarenteed.  
 
Connect with us! 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryl-george-49581724/  
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/