Advertise on podcast: Catalyst

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Tony Glebe, executive advisor at IMA Financial Group. Tony has spent more than 25 years in consulting, operator roles, healthcare, and now commercial insurance, where he works with executives and investors building companies in highly regulated industries. Tony traces his business mindset back to several generations of Minnesota farmers, and explains how that perspective shapes the way he balances innovation with real-world risk today. He and Tammy talk about why handing every employee an AI tool and hoping for the best can create enterprise-level chaos, and why the strongest AI strategies start with customer and business problems rather than the technology itself. They also dig into the risks AI introduces, including inaccurate information, bias, and the unsettling possibility of AI acting on its own, and why Tony sees insurance as an innovation accelerant rather than just a cost of doing business. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links:  Tony Glebe  Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Deepesh Chandra, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital and Information Officer at Montefiore Einstein, one of New York’s most mission-driven health systems. Deepesh has spent more than 20 years in healthcare and technology, with stops at McKinsey, Mount Sinai, and Bon Secours Mercy Health. He started out believing technological change was an engineering problem, then began to see that the hardest part of the project was actually human. Deepesh and Tammy talk about starting with the human constraint rather than the technology’s capability and bringing patients and clinicians in from day one. They also make the case that resistance isn’t something to fear, it’s where collective problem-solving begins.  Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links:  Deepesh Chandra The Human-in-the-loop is Not a Control - Substack Article  Nexus 2026  Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, we're revisiting a conversation from the archives. Tammy is joined by Brian Solis, a digital anthropologist, futurist and Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow, who studies how disruptive technologies like AI change business and the customer experience. Brian and Tammy dig into the mindset shift leaders need in a world that keeps changing, and why purpose, curiosity and creativity are the tools that matter most. He also shares how you can help shape what comes next instead of simply reacting to it.  Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links:  Brian Solis  Brian Solis TV  Lifescale  Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Shulagna Dasgupta, a fellow podcast host who spent over two decades at Accenture on human capital, talent, and operating models, most recently as vice chair advising CEOs through major transformations. She left this past June to launch her podcast, AI-isms, and to found Ochin, an AI advisory firm helping organizations navigate transformation. Tammy and Shulagna tackle the question so many leaders are sitting with: if your organization went tech-first, automated hard, and treated people as an afterthought, can you actually recover? Shulagna's answer is yes. She argues that for the first time, value and human advantage aren't in opposition. Her prescription for making that pivot: get explicit about intention, replace fear with real psychological safety, and above all, get CXOs hands-on building with AI themselves rather than just prompting it, since that's what shifts how they design programs for everyone else. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links:  Shulagna Dasgupta  Ochin AI-isms Podcast  Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this special episode recorded in front of a live audience at Nexus 2025, Tammy is joined by Sean Jantzen, VP of Software Engineering at UPS. Sean brings over 24 years of experience at UPS, where he’s risen from intern to leader, helping transform one of the world’s largest logistics companies into a digital powerhouse. Tammy and Sean discuss his coaching mindset, AI adoption strategies and the challenges of innovating with legacy systems. Sean also talks about how his background in team sports informs his coaching mindset and explains why shipping early and small can lead to fewer bugs and faster delivery. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links:  Sean Jantzen Scaling responsible AI: With Noelle Russell Only the curious will thrive: Top takeaways from Nexus 2025 Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Rita Soni, a social entrepreneur and one of the leading voices on impact sourcing, an intentional, inclusive talent strategy she's helped shape since the term was coined during her time as CEO of Nasscom Foundation. She later brought that expertise to Everest Group as a principal analyst, and is now building Grand Resolve, a nonprofit that's co-creating standards to make digital services more responsible and inclusive. Tammy and Rita dig into what impact sourcing actually looks like on the ground, from Televerde's outbound call centers inside a women's prison to Vindhya Info Media in Bangalore, where a workforce built around people with disabilities has outpaced expectations on retention and quality. The throughline: "good for people" and "good for business" aren't competing goals.  Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links:  Rita Soni Nasscom Foundation  Everest Group's Impact Sourcing Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Tanarra Schneider, founder of Rebel 75, for a conversation about building healthier, more human workplace cultures in the age of AI. Tanarra's path here wasn't linear, she led design at Fjord and Accenture, helped shape culture at Activision Blizzard, built one of the first streaming cooking school platforms, and even detoured through culinary school. She traces her drive to push back on broken systems to her mother, who always stood up for other people, and to her own instincts as a risk-taker who has never fit neatly into one box. She and Tammy dig into the sharp difference between a "chaos monster," who knocks things over out of ego, and a true rebel, who acts from a broader sense of "we." That same distinction shapes her read on AI's arrival in the workplace, which she sees as having been inserted squarely in the middle of human relationships, quietly replacing the context and conversation that used to happen between people. She makes the case that organizations need to slow down for the right reasons, not just to cut costs, if they want to rebuild trust, and that service design has become the discipline this moment badly needs.  Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links:  Tanarra Schneider  Rebel75  Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by not just any executive coach — she's welcoming her very own executive coach onto the podcast. Anna Pool is an executive coach, author, and President of Executive Savvy, and has been working with Tammy for years. Anna shares her non-traditional background: 20 years living and working in an ashram, where she devoted her life to yoga, meditation, and enlightenment. She explains how this experience informs her practical approach to presence, nervous system regulation, and resilient leadership. She and Tammy also discuss why so many leaders are stuck in chronic stress today. Anna introduces the concept of the red, green, and blue zones, and teaches simple ways to return to the green zone before reactive decisions take over. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links:  Anna Pool  Daniel Goleman - Emotional Intelligence  A ten-minute meditation on reconnecting with the Green Zone led by Anna  Anna’s latest Linked In article on the Red Zone Let Go - Sanskrit/English chanting written and produced by Anna Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Tucker Burhans, Data Engineering Supervisor at Corning and a finalist for the Next Generation Leadership Award at the Manufacturing Leadership Council Awards Gala. Tucker traces his journey from competitive swimming and pre-med to data engineering, with a love of problem-solving serving as a common thread throughout. He shares his leadership philosophy in an era of rapid technological change and AI: success means championing others and helping them succeed. Having entered the workforce just as AI was beginning to take hold, Tucker offers a unique perspective on both the challenges and opportunities it presents. He discusses the importance of critical thinking and domain expertise when implementing AI, as well as the need to balance new technologies with human judgment. Tucker also shares his personal AI story and how he’s using it to support his newfound passion for gardening.  Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links:  Tucker Burhans  Corning  Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Adam Zaouague, Automation & Data Specialist at Reata Engineering & Machine Works and a finalist for the Next Generation Leadership Award at the Manufacturing Leadership Council Awards Gala. Adam traces his path from a high school CNC machining program to being recruited by Reata's owner (at the age of 17!) and eventually leading the company's engineering department. He reflects on why trust and emotional intelligence matter as much as technical skill when leading others, then turns to AI, arguing that as machines take on more of the workload, intention and focus become the real differentiators.  He shares Reata's philosophy of slowing down to speed up, the internal AI tool the company is building to let subject matter experts create their own solutions, and how integrity and teamwork remain the values that hold it all together.  Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links: Adam Zaouague   Great CEOs are Lazy  Tomo  Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by NTT Data’s Chief Strategy Officer Roli Agrawal for a conversation about implementing technology that works for everyone. Roli shares about her upbringing in India and how the privileges and discriminations she experienced made her passionate about fighting inequities. Roli shares her perspective on how bias creeps into AI systems, and what leaders can do to catch it early. They discuss what a responsible AI framework — trusted, ethical, secure, fair, and sustainable — looks like in practice, and why building datasets that reflect society is both a moral and a business imperative.  Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links:  Roli Agrawal  Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Craig Vaughan, Executive Managing Director and Global Head of AI Go-to-Market at NTT DATA, three months into the role. Craig traces his path from studying architecture at Cornell through an MBA at Wharton and a master's in business analytics from NYU Stern, then through go-to-market roles at SAP and a decade leading AI and gen AI practices at Accenture. He and Tammy dig into how leading diverse, cross-functional teams and moving at AI's breakneck pace aren't in tension but actually reinforce each other. They also discuss what drew Craig to NTT DATA's culture, the partnerships with OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and Mistral that are shaping how the company delivers for clients, and how to keep AI adoption human-centric so workers are repurposed rather than replaced. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links:  Craig Vaughan  Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Kevin Thimjon, President of the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team, who oversees the business side of one of the sport's most storied organizations, from finance and commercial strategy to administration. Kevin traces his path from public accounting through a series of private equity-backed CFO roles and into the CEO seat, describing each stop as a new tool added to his belt for better leadership. He and Tammy dig into what it takes to lead a team through a high-profile driver lineup change while staying focused on finishing the current season strong, the constant tension between running a profitable operation and chasing wins on the track, and the philosophy behind Arrow McLaren's partnership approach, where the goal isn't landing new sponsors but making every partner feel like the standard everyone else should be measured against. By the end of the conversation you’ll be searching for McLaren’s papaya orange merch! Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links: Kevin Thimjon  Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Beth Howen, President of State, Local Government and Education (SLED) at NTT DATA, who helps government agencies and school systems modernize the technology touching everyday life. Beth traces her path from becoming a state CIO in Indiana at 28 through leadership roles at Capgemini, TELUS International, Atos, and the City of Indianapolis. So how did she do so much at such a young age? Beth credits it to a willingness to work outside rigid processes when they don't serve the outcome. She and Tammy dig into how AI risks compounding government's legacy-system problems if agencies automate broken workflows instead of modernizing first, and the promise of AI-powered care reaching rural and underserved communities. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links:  Beth Howen  Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Emma Boyd, a recent Chapman University graduate stepping into her first job as a practice analyst at a San Francisco law firm just as her generation navigates entering the workforce in the age of AI. Emma and Tammy discuss how she's learning to use AI as a tool for condensing and outlining her work, without letting it take over the writing and critical thinking she loves. They also dig into her capstone project at Fabletics, where she researched the legal and ethical questions around AI-generated models in fashion marketing, uncovering a constant cycle of new technology outpacing legal standards almost as soon as they catch up. Emma also has some advice for senior leaders: don't underestimate Gen Z, who are more gritty and driven than older generations often assume. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA Links:  Emma Boyd - LinkedIn Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.