TEN

In this episode of the TEN Podcast, Shonna Dorsey sits down with Emily Allen, Executive Director of Tech Nebraska, for a dynamic conversation about the policy and advocacy work that is shaping the future of Nebraska’s tech ecosystem. Emily brings a rare mix of experience to this role. She is a licensed attorney, a Nebraska native, and a global policy advocate who has spoken at the United Nations a...

In this episode of  Tech Entrepreneurs Nebraska , host  Shonna Dorsey  talks with  Gabe Romero  and  Vince Vigneri  from  Cordova  about their journey in entrepreneurship, lessons learned from years in the industry, and their shared commitment to community. They discuss how relationships drive meaningful work, the evolving role of technology in career development, and why local collaboration remai...

Dr. Martha Garcia-Murillo, Dean of the College of Information Science & Technology at UNO, joins Shonna Dorsey to talk about the intersection of education, innovation, and impact. In this conversation, Dr. Garcia-Murillo shares how her journey from political economist to tech-education leader fuels her mission to connect students, faculty, and employers across Nebraska’s growing tech ecosystem...

In this episode of  Tech Entrepreneurs Nebraska , host  Shonna Dorsey  talks with  Keyosha Atwater ,  PhD Candidate ,  Founder of ReflectED , and  Fellow with the Google Data Center Community AI Fellowship (Watson Institute) . Keyosha is redefining how literacy, learning, and workforce development intersect through the intentional use of AI. Through  ReflectED’s  initiatives ( Roots & Reads, M...

In this episode of TEN, host LaShonna Dorsey talks with Colleen Schinker and Sonja Figueroa from Women in Tech of the Heartland about leadership, community, and navigating change in today’s tech workforce. Colleen, co-founder and president of Women in Tech of the Heartland, shares how the group has grown over the past decade hosting nearly 170 events that connect and empower women across Nebraska’...

How do we build a more inclusive workforce? By investing in the next generation! In this episode, Tiffany Gamble and Gael Beauboeuf from the Emerging Ladies Academy (ELA) detail their work empowering Black girls in STEM. ELA runs focused STEM programs in six schools across Omaha and Council Bluffs, training future engineers and innovators. They share the reality: Black girls face a double barrier...

Nebraska has the ideas — now it has the engine to build them. Frontier Tech Lab is a student-powered prototyping hub at Nebraska Innovation Studio that helps founders, researchers, and companies bring physical products to life with advanced tools and real project teams. Director John Strope explains how the lab closes three gaps for innovators — tools, talent, and time — using more than $3M of equ...

How one tech leader — and a team of dedicated women — turned connection into a statewide movement This is the episode you don’t want to miss. Hosts Brian Poppe (Mutual of Omaha) and Shonna Dorsey (Aksarben Foundation) sit down with Colleen Visty Schinker , the founding president of Women in Tech of the Heartland . Colleen shares how she was invited by longtime community builder Julie Minton to joi...

In this episode of the TEN Podcast, hosts Shonna Dorsey and Brian Poppe sit down with Dala Alphonso , President & CEO of AIM Institute , a nonprofit in Omaha dedicated to building the region’s technology talent pipeline for more than three decades. Since taking the helm in December 2024, Dala has launched a bold five-year strategic plan to modernize AIM’s vision, programs, and brand. With over...

In this episode of Tech Entrepreneurs Nebraska , you’ll hear from Parul Aggarwal , Software Engineer at Mutual of Omaha, on navigating internships, finding confidence as a new grad, and building community as a remote worker. Her advice is practical, inspiring, and relevant for anyone early in their career or ready to reignite their path in tech.

David Pollock , Executive Director of Code Black Professional Tech Network , is back on the TEN Podcast for another inspiring conversation. As a multiple-time guest, David always brings fresh insight into how his nonprofit is equipping people with the skills, mentorship, and confidence to succeed in tech. In this episode, we explore: Why staying “perpetually curious” is the key to thriving in a sh...

In this episode of the TEN podcast, host Shonna Dorsey sits down with  Will Mosby , founder of Street Sense Corporation, to explore his journey from Omaha roots to tech leadership in Texas. Will shares how his early passion for programming, sparked by a Commodore VIC-20 at age eight, grew into a career with major corporations like IBM, Toyota, and Intel, before shifting into entrepreneurship and c...

On this episode of TEN, we’re joined by  Sonja Kirksey , STEM Director at CUES Catholic School System. Sonja oversees a project-based STEM program reaching nearly 200 students across three middle schools, bringing 3D printing, coding, neuroscience, and more directly into the classroom. She shares how hands-on exposure to technology is inspiring students and how business leaders can play a role thr...

Small business ownership can be exciting, but it can also feel like you’re doing it alone. In this episode, Shonna Dorsey , Executive Director of the Nebraska Tech Collaborative at the Aksarben Foundation, talks with Dr. Marla Ashe and Daphne Cook from Metropolitan Community College’s new Business Development Center about how they’re changing that. From QuickBooks crash courses to AI marketing wor...

Guest:  Erik Carlson, CEO & Co-Founder of Linear A and Knosis Solutions Most people don’t start one company. Erik Carlson started two. In this episode of  Tech Entrepreneurs Nebraska (TEN) , hosts Shonna Dorsey and Brian Poppe sit down with the multi-founder and data enthusiast to explore what it really means to turn mountains of data into meaningful insight. Erik shares his journey from dream...

"We need to shift from motivation to strategy—and from one-off wellness checkboxes to real, sustainable habits." — Coach Megs In this energizing episode of the TEN podcast, hosts Shonna Dorsey with the Aksarben Foundation and Brian Poppe with Mutual of Omaha sit down with Meghan Hayes—aka Coach Megs —founder of Live It FWD Coaching , to talk about how prioritizing wellness isn’t just goo...

In this episode of the Tech Entrepreneurs Nebraska (TEN) podcast, host Shonna Dorsey chats with Diana Tedrow, Learning & Development leader at Cox Business and one of the standout Lightning Talk presenters at the inaugural Nebraska Women in Tech Summit . Diana opens up about her career path, from aspiring teacher to sales leader to heading L&D for a $3.5B organization, and how saying “yes”...

From early beginnings as a network admin student to leading four engineering teams and running one of the Midwest’s most beloved developer conferences, Ken Versaw’s story is a masterclass in career evolution through continuous learning. In this episode, host Shonna Dorsey explores how Nebraska. Code(), now in its 13th year. is more than a conference. It’s a hands-on, in-person hub for tech pros, c...

Savannah High returns for her second appearance on TEN and in this powerful follow-up, she shares how Persevere is helping incarcerated women in Nebraska learn full-stack development, graduate, and land real jobs in tech. From startups to companies like Gusto and Indeed, employers are discovering the value of fair chance hiring. Savannah opens up about her personal connection to this work, the par...

In this episode of the Tech Entrepreneurs Nebraska (TEN) Podcast , host Shonna Dorsey and guest co-host Hunter Traynor from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce sit down with Eric Pace , Head of AI at Cox Communications , for a candid and insightful conversation on the current and future state of artificial intelligence. Eric shares his journey into leading AI efforts at Cox, including how his team bu...

In this energizing episode of TEN (Tech Entrepreneurs Nebraska), we sit down with Jessica Codr, Senior Systems Engineer at Union Pacific and a Distinguished Toastmaster, to explore how communication skills can supercharge tech careers. Jessica shares: Why effective communication is a must-have skill for tech professionals How Toastmasters helped her grow as a speaker and a leader The vision behind...

What happens when civic engagement meets real-time tech? In this episode of TEN (Tech. Entrepreneurs. Nebraska.) , we welcome back Heather Nelson—professor, founder, and civic innovator whose platform Poll the Vote , now part of CivicPlus Community Engagement , is helping thousands of Nebraskans shape policy before it becomes law. Heather shares the journey from late-night idea to statewide adopti...

In this episode of Tech. Entrepreneurs. Nebraska (TEN) brought you by the Nebraska Tech Collaborative, powered by Aksarben, hosts Shonna Dorsey and Brian Poppe visit with Michael Struthers of Tech Omaha about what it really takes to build community in tech. From its humble beginnings to becoming a cornerstone of Omaha's tech culture, Tech Omaha proves that authentic relationships—not booths or bin...

AI is evolving too fast to ignore—and Dr. Victor Winter , professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and co-creator of the region’s first AI bachelor’s degree , lays it all out. In this episode, we talk foundational skills vs. fast tracks, generative AI's explosive growth, and why “vibe coding” is the future. 💡 Highlights: GPT-4.5 passed the Turing test at scale 90% of software engineering...

In this episode of TEN: Tech. Entrepreneurs. Nebraska. , we sit down with Allie Hopkins , Head of Google Data Centers for Iowa and Nebraska, for a real and refreshing conversation about leadership, mental well-being in high-performance environments, and her journey from building PCs in Louisiana to leading some of the largest infrastructure operations in the world. This isn’t just tech talk—Allie...