Most organizations overlook the superpower hidden in their teams—translating technical language into business value. Keran McGuire, SVP of AI and Technology Platforms at Canadian Tire, reveals how mastering the art of communication can accelerate your career and solve the toughest tech challenges.

Host: Kevin Evans

n this episode, Keran shares her unconventional journey from startup innovation to leading AI initiatives at a household name. She dives into how challenging industry silos and embracing empathy through simple gestures—like breaking bread—can create unexpected breakthroughs. You'll discover her proven approach to navigating complex, highly regulated environments like finance, and how to turn communication barriers into opportunities for collaboration and success.We break down the importance of understanding the full-stack tech landscape—not just specialists, but versatile "ninjas" who can adapt across infrastructure, cloud, security, and AI.

Keran explains why the future belongs to those who can see the big picture without losing sight of the details. She emphasizes the value of humility, curiosity, and a genuine desire to understand others’ perspectives—key traits that transform team dynamics and drive innovation.The stakes are clear: organizations that fail to bridge the communication gap risk stagnation, lost opportunities, and unresolved crises.

Meanwhile, those who master empathy and versatile skills stand to unlock new levels of efficiency, resilience, and growth—especially as AI and cloud technologies accelerate change.If you’re a tech leader, aspiring professional, or someone passionate about making complex ideas accessible and impactful, this episode is your blueprint.

Keran’s practical wisdom on leadership, adaptability, and culture will inspire you to reframe challenges as pathways to progress—and remind you that the simplest act of understanding can be transformative.

Connect with Keran McGuire on LinkedIn to learn more about her work and advocacy for women in tech. Prepare to rethink your approach to technology and communication—because in today’s fast-changing digital landscape, the best skill you can develop is your ability to relate and translate.

Discover how cloud enablement, AI, and automation are transforming modern businesses. Join Kevin Evans and Jim Spignardo as they explore practical use cases, governance, and future trends in AI adoption.Key Topics:

• The evolution of AI in enterprise cloud strategies over the past nine years
• How Microsoft’s AI and Agent 365 improve visibility, security, and control
• Practical use cases: from law firms to energy sector automation
• Building effective AI centers of excellence across organizations
• Common pitfalls, including misaligned use cases and over-engineering
• The role of governance, data hygiene, and low-resistance solutions
• Future outlook: autonomous workflows, agent maturity stages, and blending IoT with AI

Most organizations assume their backups, disaster recovery plans, and security controls will work during a cyberattack.

But what happens when those systems have never actually been tested?

In this episode of Code to Cloud — Firewall Fridays, Host Kevin Evans sits down with cybersecurity expert Dom Vogel breaks down a real-world incident where a mid-sized construction company lost nearly $500,000 after discovering their “state-of-the-art” backup system failed when it mattered most.

This wasn’t caused by advanced ransomware or elite hackers.

It was caused by a common organizational mistake: trusting technology without validating it.

If you lead IT, manage risk, oversee finance, or run a business dependent on digital systems, this conversation explores the practical realities of cybersecurity, backup testing, and organizational resilience.

• Why modern backup systems still fail during ransomware incidents

• The hidden risk behind untested disaster recovery plans

• How cybersecurity myths create operational blind spots

• Why continuous validation is replacing traditional security audits

• How everyday devices and jailbroken streaming boxes become enterprise attack vectors

• The shift from top-down cyber threats to bottom-up vulnerabilities

• Leadership, governance, and accountability in cybersecurity decision-making

• Practical ways organizations can strengthen cyber resilience today

This episode is designed for:

• Business owners and executives

• CFOs and risk leaders

• IT directors and managed service providers

• Cybersecurity professionals and CISOs

• Organizations operating cloud, on-premise, or hybrid environments

Anyone responsible for business continuity, data protection, or cyber risk management will recognize challenges discussed in this conversation.

Cyber incidents rarely happen because organizations lack technology.

They happen because systems are assumed to work instead of being proven to work.

Dom Vogel explains why cybersecurity must evolve from compliance checklists and tool purchases toward continuous testing, systemic thinking, and organizational accountability.

Cyber resilience is not built during an incident — it is validated long before one occurs.

Practical cybersecurity guidance for Canadian organizations:

Code To Cloud Guide

Code to Cloud explores real cybersecurity incidents, leadership decisions, risk management strategies, and lessons learned from the front lines of IT and security.

New episodes released regularly.

00:00 Introduction — Code to Cloud & Firewall Fridays

01:20 The Myth of “State-of-the-Art” Backups

02:00 The $500K Backup Failure Case Study

05:15 Why Testing and Validation Matter

09:30 Cloud vs On-Prem Backup Reality

12:45 Leadership, Accountability & Cyber Risk

16:40 Fixing Organizational Security Culture

20:00 The Jailbroken “Super Box” Story

24:30 Hidden Hardware Security Risks

28:30 Key Cybersecurity Lessons & Wrap-Up

Join Kevin Evans & Kent Weare as they explore how Microsoft's Logic Apps integrate with AI-powered agents to automate complex business processes, connect legacy systems, and accelerate digital transformation. Perfect for professionals seeking to understand modern cloud-native automation.

What You'll Learn

• What Logic Apps are and their core value in system integration
• The evolution from middleware to cloud-native orchestration
• How connectors enable seamless connection to diverse systems — SAP, mainframes, and SaaS solutions
• The role of agentic development and AI models in automating decision-making
• Practical use cases: Order-to-Cash, HR onboarding, and ServiceNow ticket audits
• Deploying MCP servers and configuring connectors dynamically
• Why scope narrowing leads to higher accuracy in AI-driven processes
• Leveraging knowledge bases to enhance agent capabilities
• The integration landscape: Using Foundry with Logic Apps for enterprise connectivity

What You'll Learn

• What Logic Apps are and their core value in system integration
• The evolution from middleware to cloud-native orchestration
• How connectors enable seamless connection to diverse systems — SAP, mainframes, and SaaS solutions
• The role of agentic development and AI models in automating decision-making
• Practical use cases: Order-to-Cash, HR onboarding, and ServiceNow ticket audits
• Deploying MCP servers and configuring connectors dynamically
• Why scope narrowing leads to higher accuracy in AI-driven processes
• Leveraging knowledge bases to enhance agent capabilities
• The integration landscape: Using Foundry with Logic Apps for enterprise connectivity

What You'll Learn

• What Logic Apps are and their core value in system integration
• The evolution from middleware to cloud-native orchestration
• How connectors enable seamless connection to diverse systems — SAP, mainframes, and SaaS solutions
• The role of agentic development and AI models in automating decision-making
• Practical use cases: Order-to-Cash, HR onboarding, and ServiceNow ticket audits
• Deploying MCP servers and configuring connectors dynamically
• Why scope narrowing leads to higher accuracy in AI-driven processes
• Leveraging knowledge bases to enhance agent capabilities
• The integration landscape: Using Foundry with Logic Apps for enterprise connectivity

Most tech careers aren’t linear—and yours doesn’t have to be either. Dr. Jason Bernard shares his unconventional journey from programming video games at age 11 to pioneering AI algorithms that could revolutionize biotech and urban planning.

In this eye-opening episode, Jason reveals how his diverse experiences—from military service to music composition—fuel groundbreaking research in process modeling and data science. You'll discover:

How early programming and limited hardware shaped his approach to elegant, resource-efficient algorithms

The real difference between machine learning, AI, and data analytics—and why understanding this distinction is key to future-proof skills

The fascinating world of modeling biological processes, like gene-expression for drought-resistant crops, using reverse engineering in data science

Why simplicity and human insight remain essential in an era dominated by neural networks and language models The future of data science careers in a rapidly evolving tech landscape and practical advice for new professionals

This episode is perfect for tech enthusiasts, data scientists, and students eager to learn how a curious mind can make an impact across industries—from agriculture to telecommunications—and why adaptability and a deep understanding of algorithms are the secret weapons for success. With over 18 years of research and real-world experience, Jason is an assistant professor at Athabasca University, known for pushing the boundaries of process modeling and optimization. His work on inferring computational models from real data has been called the “holy grail” by leading experts. If you're looking for inspiration on how to navigate a non-traditional tech path or want to understand the core principles behind cutting-edge AI research—this episode will change the way you see your career.

Hit play and unlock your potential today.

Host Kevin Evans

What happens when geopolitical tensions spill into your network?

Host: Kevin Evans

Guest: Dom Vogel

In this episode, we break down the real-world cyber threats facing organizations today — from Iranian threat groups targeting US healthcare to the hidden risks lurking in your contractor relationships and free SaaS tools.

Whether you're a solo operator or leading a large enterprise, this conversation delivers practical, no-nonsense strategies to protect what matters most.

🔐 In This Episode: Iranian cyber groups targeting US organizations & their destructive playbook Why geopolitical, cyber, and physical risks can no longer be managed in silos

The leadership drought in cybersecurity — and how to fix it Who should actually own your business technology (hint: not just IT)

Cybersecurity for small businesses: simple wins that scale

The real cost of free tools — what your data is funding Gen Z, remote work, and the future of the cyber workforce

Why procedural maturity matters more than your tech stack

Third-party and contractor risks hiding in plain sight Domain, cloud, and access governance — the unsexy stuff that saves companies

Resources: https://www.codetocloud.io/blog/who-owns-your-business-technology

In this episode, Kevin Evans sits down with AI systems engineer and energy sector expert Wish Bakshi to explore how AI and data analytics are transforming the oil, gas, and power industries. They discuss technical intricacies, industry challenges, and future opportunities in energy infrastructure.

• How AI models are used across the "molecules to electrons to bits" in energy
• The complexity of oil & gas logistics in North America vs. Europe
• Power grid nuances and the role of real-time data and AI
• The impact of open source AI models and frameworks like Hugging Face
• The evolution of AI’s influence on commodities trading and market prediction
• Power & power grid stability — the importance of maintaining the grid’s "heartbeat"
• Building and managing AI data centers: scale, infrastructure, and environmental considerations
• Frameworks for deploying AI: orchestrator methodology, multi-agent systems
• The rise of citizen developers using low-code/no-code AI tools
• Future outlook for AI adoption, standardization, and industry disruption

• Hugging Face – community-driven platform for open source AI models
• Wednesdays with Wish – Wish Bakshi’s LinkedIn blog & updates
• Industry reports and articles on AI in energy sectors (suggested based on discussion points)

In this episode, Kevin Evans and Steve Rogalsky discuss the evolving landscape of education technology (EdTech) and the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in learning.

They reflect on their experiences at the Prairie Dev Conference, emphasizing the importance of community and networking in professional growth. The conversation delves into the distinction between generative and transformative learning, the ethical implications of AI in education, and the need for personalized learning experiences.

They also explore the barriers to access in education and the potential of AI to democratize learning globally. The episode concludes with thoughts on the future of AI in education and the importance of generosity in fostering transformation. Takeaways Conferences can be a catalyst for career growth. EdTech focuses on solving educational problems with technology. Generative AI can create content but should aim for transformative learning.

AI can personalize education to meet individual learner needs. Ethics and guardrails are crucial in AI applications. Technology can democratize access to education. Javan's paradox suggests that efficiency can lead to higher demand. AI can enhance the role of teachers rather than replace them. The future of work will involve more AI integration.

Generosity in sharing knowledge can transform lives.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Conference Reflections

02:46 Transitioning in EdTech and AI Exploration

05:36 Understanding EdTech and Lifelong Learning

08:47 Generative vs. Transformative Learning with AI

11:35 AI in the Classroom: Personalized Learning Experiences

14:42 Use Cases in Psychology and Mathematics

17:22 Governance and Ethics in AI Education

20:13 Future of AI in Education and Job Impact

28:14 The Evolution of Technology and Job Creation

31:56 Access to Education and Lowering Barriers

35:08 The Impact of AI on Work and Creativity

39:13 Vibe Coding and Its Disruptive Potential

45:50 Generosity and Transformation in Technology