Next-Gen Network Heroes

What can decades of hands-on operational experience teach us about the future of AI-driven networking? In this episode of Next-Gen Network Heroes, host Bob Slevin sits down with Jeremy Bradberry, Senior Network Engineer at Delaware North, for a conversation that spans everything from legacy manufacturing systems and mainframes to modern AI-assisted network operations. Jeremy shares how his early c...

What does it take to succeed in networking when complexity is constantly increasing, and change never slows down? In this episode of Next-Gen Network Heroes, host Bob Slevin sits down with Troy (David) MacDonald, a network engineer at Blue Origin and former U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer, to explore a career that spans from infantry beginnings to designing and managing large-scale, mission-critic...

What happens when deep networking expertise meets low-level programming and a passion for invention? In this episode of Next-Gen Network Heroes, host Bob Slevin sits down with Liang Chen, Senior Network Architect at Texas Children's Hospital and a true innovator in network performance and visibility. With more than 25 years of experience in networking, plus advanced expertise in programming langua...

What does it take to lead innovation across one of the world’s largest telecommunications networks? In this episode of Next-Gen Network Heroes, host Bob Slevin sits down with Greg Freeman, Vice President of Network and Customer Transformation at Lumen Technologies, to explore how AI, automation, and curiosity are reshaping the future of network operations. Greg shares how his “superpower” lies at...

What happens when decades of critical infrastructure experience meet today’s rapidly evolving AI landscape? In this episode, host Bob Slevin sits down with Ernie Hayden, award-winning author, former Navy nuclear officer, ethical hacker, and founder of 443 Consulting, for a deep dive into what it truly takes to secure modern, interconnected systems. Drawing on a career spanning electric utility SCA...

Everyone’s rushing to AI, but few have the foundation to make it work. In this episode of Next Gen Network Heroes, Bob sits down with Steve Goudreau, Director of IT at Ice Industries, to explore what it really takes to lead in today’s evolving technology landscape. With over three decades of experience, spanning military service, financial services, and manufacturing, Steve brings a grounded, peop...

What does it really take to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving IT landscape? In this episode of Next-Gen Network Heroes, host Bob Slevin sits down with Bill Nielsen, a seasoned DevOps and cloud engineering expert, to unpack the mindset and skillset required to build resilient, scalable systems and a lasting career. Bill shares how his “superpower” isn’t technical at all, but the ability to interpr...

What happens when one of the most risk-averse industries in the world is forced to innovate at speed? In this episode of Next-Gen Network Heroes, Bob sits down with Allie Holland, a product and solutions marketing leader specializing in financial services at GitLab. Allie shares how her “superpower” of domain translation allows her to break down complex technical systems and connect them to real b...

Jason Gintert, Founder of Bits In Flight and Co-Founder & President of the US Networking User Association, brings nearly three decades of experience in networking to this conversation, offering a rare perspective that spans from the early ISP boom to today’s AI-driven infrastructure. At his core, Jason identifies as a “people connector,” someone who thrives on bringing individuals together to...

This is Next-Gen Network Heroes. Join host, Bob Slevin, as we explore how Network Leaders are the true superheroes- reinventing the network with AI, modernizing network operations, and leading the charge as networks move into the AI era. For show notes and episodes, go to nextgennetworkheroes.com . Next-Gen Network Heroes is sponsored by Selector, an AIOps platform built for network teams by netwo...