The Wilmac Wire

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily McNulty and Steve McDonnell revisit their conversation with Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, highlighting the leadership, collaboration, and community investment that continue to shape Rochester and Monroe County. Adam reflects on his journey into public service, from an internship in Washington, D.C. during the events of September 11 to serving a...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily McNulty and Steve McDonnell revisit one of Season 3's most impactful conversations with Roxanne "Roxy" Van Gundy, Director of Lyon County Emergency Communications Center and newly inaugurated President of NENA, in celebration of her leadership and contributions to the 911 community. With more than 20 years in public safety, Roxy shares her journey fr...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily McNulty and Steve McDonnell take a break from guest interviews for a mid-year conversation reflecting on Wilmac’s momentum, the evolution of the podcast, and the technology trends shaping the second half of 2026. The discussion begins by looking back on Season 3, which has already surpassed last year’s total episode count halfway through the year. Em...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily McNulty and Steve McDonnell sit down with Mark "Fletch" Fletcher, Founder and Principal Consultant at Fletch 911 Consulting, for a wide-ranging conversation on emergency communications, Next Generation 911, technology modernization, and the legislation that continues to shape the industry. With more than 40 years of experience spanning public safety...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily McNulty and Steve McDonnell welcome back Wilmac’s VP of Engineering, Bob Pease, for another Behind the Build conversation focused on product innovation, agentic AI, and what’s happening across Wilmac in the second half of 2026. The discussion begins with an update on Wilmac Continuity WFM and the rapid evolution of Mac, Wilmac’s AI workforce manageme...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily McNulty and Steve McDonnell sit down with Melanie Jones, Executive Director of Guilford Metro 911 and Immediate Past President of NENA, for a conversation on leadership, emergency communications, and the future of 911. With nearly four decades in public safety, Melanie shares her journey from deputy sheriff to leading one of North Carolina’s largest...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily McNulty and Steve McDonnell welcome back Matt Hurlbutt, President and CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE), for a conversation on economic development, regional growth, and why Rochester’s story deserves more attention. Matt reflects on his nearly 20-year journey at GRE, from joining the organization in a business development role to leading reg...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily McNulty and Steve McDonnell sit down with Nick LaMontia, GIS Manager at Kerr Emergency 911 and Southeastern Director on the NENA Board of Directors, for a conversation on emergency communications, GIS, and the evolving future of Next Generation 911. With 30 years in public safety, Nick shares his unconventional path into 911, from working as a housek...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Peter Roberti, third-generation custom tailor and designer at Adrian Jules Custom Clothing, for a conversation on craftsmanship, confidence, entrepreneurship, and carrying a Rochester legacy forward. Peter shares the story behind Adrian Jules, the Rochester-based custom clothing company founded by his grandfat...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Roxanne “Roxy” Van Gundy, Director of the Lyon County Emergency Communications Center, First Vice President of NENA, and incoming NENA President, for a conversation on leadership, dispatcher wellness, and the future of 911. With more than 20 years in public safety, Roxy shares her journey from accidentally dis...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Joe Stefko, President and CEO of OneROC, for a conversation on economic development, regional collaboration, and what it takes to drive long-term growth across Greater Rochester. Joe shares his career journey from leading a $1 billion emergency fiscal control board in Buffalo to now helping shape economic stra...

In this episode, Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Vince Lecce, Rochester Market President at KeyBank, for a conversation on building a career in financial services while staying deeply connected to the local business community. Vince shares his journey from a pre-med track at Cornell to a 15-year career in investments and ultimately into leadership at KeyBank, where he now oversees b...

In this special episode of The Wilmac Wire, host Emily Miller takes a step back from the usual format to recognize National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week and spotlight the people behind the headset. Instead of a single guest, the episode brings together powerful moments from recent public safety leaders, including Jack Varnado, Ivan Whitaker, and a preview of Roxy Van Gundy, highlighting th...

In this Behind the Build episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell are joined by Wilmac’s VP of Engineering, Bob Pease, for a deep dive into the evolution of Continuity WFM and the growing role of agentic AI in public safety. Just a few months post-launch, the conversation highlights how quickly both the product and market approach have shifted. From advancements in foreca...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Ivan Whitaker, Executive Director and CEO of the Salt Lake Valley Emergency Communications Center, for a powerful conversation on leadership, public safety, and the future of 911. With more than 30 years in public safety, Ivan shares his journey from EMT and dispatcher to leading one of the most advanced emerg...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with James Senall, President of NextCorps and Co-founder of the Rochester Angel Network, for a deep dive into Rochester’s startup ecosystem and what it takes to build and fund early-stage companies. Jim shares his journey from engineering and manufacturing to becoming a central figure in Rochester’s innovation econ...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Captain Jack Varnado, 911 Director at the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office and President of APCO International, for a conversation on leadership, public safety, and the future of emergency communications. Jack shares his nearly 40-year journey in public safety, from volunteer firefighter and EMT to leading o...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Monroe County Executive Adam Bello for a conversation on public service, public safety, and the future of economic growth in Rochester. Adam reflects on his path into government, from an early interest in politics and public service to serving as Irondequoit Town Supervisor, Monroe County Clerk, and now County...

In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Casey Fitzgerald, Executive Director and Western New York Market Executive at JPMorgan Chase, to discuss building a long-term career at a global institution while staying closely connected to the local business community. Casey shares his path from growing up in Rochester and starting as a bank teller during c...

Send a text In this Behind the Build episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Wilmac’s VP of Engineering, Bob Pease, to unpack how Continuity WFM is evolving and how agentic AI is reshaping workforce management in public safety. Recorded just months after launch, they share how the product has matured, from advanced forecasting to Mac, Wilmac’s AI agent desi...

Send a text In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Tom Laird, CEO of Expedia Interaction Marketing Group and Auto QA, for a refreshingly honest conversation on the realities of running a modern contact center.  Tom is a rare voice in the CX space, someone who always knew this industry was his path. He shares how he grew up in the call center world,...

Send a text In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Lauren Dixon, founder and board chair of Dixon Schwabel, for a conversation centered on brand, culture, and leadership. Lauren shares the story of building one of Rochester’s most recognized marketing agencies, from taking the leap to start her business in the late 1980s to creating a workplace cul...

Send a text In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell sit down with Jason Zawodzinski, Senior Director of Communication and Command Center Operations at Rochester Regional Health, for a conversation at the intersection of healthcare, customer interaction technology, and AI. With more than 22 years at Rochester Regional, Jason shares his career journey from MIS grad...

Send a text In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, hosts Emily Miller and Steve McDonnell are joined by Dr. Jacquie Mozrall, Dean of the Saunders College of Business at Rochester Institute of Technology, for a conversation on how business education is evolving alongside technology and AI. Dr. Mozrall shares her path from industrial engineering professor to RIT’s longest-tenured dean, and how Saunders...

Send a text In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, host Emily Miller is joined by Evan Kirstel, one of the most influential voices in enterprise tech, B2B social media, and AI-driven innovation. With more than three decades of experience across enterprise IT, UCaaS, CPaaS, CX, and emerging technologies, Evan brings a sharp, insider perspective on where the industry is headed and how leaders should be...