The STEMINISTS Podcast

Ep. 45 – Still Having Cloud Sticker Shock? How to Stop Wasting Your Budget

Think your cloud budget is “bullet proof?” Spoiler alert: It’s not! If your so-called “optimized” spend still leads to a mild panic every month (what nobody tells you about your cloud budget!), you’re part of the 94% club. Relax—you’re in good (and smart) company. 
On this lively episode of The STEMINISTS, Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams bring a special guest to the mic for a candid conversation about your cloud budget realities. Enter Tanissa Feit, CDW’s Specialized Engineer—and the person you want in your corner when you’re fighting off runaway cloud costs and waste that multiplies faster than you can say “unused test environment.” 
Tanissa gets real about those sneaky costs hiding in your budget: forgotten instances, licenses you forgot you’re still paying for, surprise bills for workloads no one’s touched in months. Turns out, roughly 30% of your cloud spend is just flat-out wasted—and it’s not all your fault! Buckle up for sharp insights into true optimization, smarter data visibility, and the genius (yes, genius) of getting engineers and finance folks to actually talk to each other. 
Faulty reserved instances? Overzealous backups? About to get walloped by another “budget surprise”? We’ve got you. This episode is your crash course in saving money without blowing up your stack. 
Hit play and never let your cloud budget embarrass you again! 
 
Transform your Cloud AND stay on budget: https://www.netapp.com/cloud-services/ 
 
Connect with us! 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanissa-feit-5a73726/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 

Ep. 44 – From Chaos to Clarity: Recovering after the Ransomware Nightmare (Part 2)

How does a business bounce back after a crippling ransomware attack?  In Part 2 of this gripping conversation, discover how the Port of Seattle faced the ultimate challenge: Rebuilding its entire infrastructure from the ground up. Katherine Schwarzauer, Senior Windows Server Engineer, joins hosts Phoebe Goh and Mekka Williams to share the inside story of a recovery mission that rewrote the rules. 
You’ll hear how fear turned into fuel, old playbooks went up in flames, and split-second decisions sparked bold innovation. Katherine reveals the game-changing moves—revived backup systems, ironclad security, and years of upgrades compressed into mere months. But the impact didn’t stop at tech: team dynamics shifted, alliances strengthened, and resilience became the new norm. 
Ready for the ultimate survival guide? This is a story of grit and transformation—proof that even the worst cyber nightmare can become a launchpad for building stronger, smarter, and more secure than ever before. 
If you enjoyed this episode, follow and share to help others learn how to fight back and win. 
 
Get a head start on disaster recovery: 
https://www.netapp.com/data-services/disaster-recovery/ 
 
Connect with us!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherineschwarzauer/ 

Ep. 43 - INSIDE a Real Ransomware Nightmare: A true cyber-attack story you must hear. Are YOU ready? (Part 1)

Imagine getting that call you’ve ALWAYS DREADED – Your company is under attack. Ransomware has locked down your systems and cybercriminals are demanding a ransom.  In those first frantic moments, what do you do? All those conversations about resilience and data recovery are suddenly real. 
To kick off 2026, The STEMINISTS brings you an unfiltered, firsthand account of a ransomware attack from Katherine Schwarzauer, Senior Windows Server Engineer at the Port of Seattle. She lived through the chaos:- every second, every decision, every lesson learned. She takes us deep into the forensic reality of a major cyber-attack at a major international airport. 
If you’ve ever wondered what happens after the worst-case scenario hits, this is your chance to learn from someone who’s been there. But make sure you stick around for part two of this conversation when we hear what happens next. When Katherine and her team had to rebuild nearly everything, from storage to backups to security controls and all the lessons in-between that allowed them to build back stronger.
As always, make sure you tune in weekly and to hit follow for more STEMINIST conversations. 
 
Protect your workloads: 
https://www.netapp.com/cyber-resilience/
 
Connect with us! 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ 

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/  
 
Connect with Us! 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vidhyanagarajan/  
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mekkacodes/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebegoh/ 

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/