Most companies are investing in employee experience.

But for a lot of employees, it still feels confusing, disconnected, and harder than it should be.

In this episode, Adriana Cisneros Basulto, Co-founder and CEO of Maxwell, breaks down why that gap exists and what it actually takes to fix it.

Adriana has seen this from both sides. As an employee, she experienced what it feels like when things work. In HR leadership, she saw how difficult it is to create that kind of experience when systems, tools, and programs are all operating separately.

That’s what led her to build Maxwell, a global award-winning platform designed as an “Experience Layer” that connects everything into one simple, intuitive place.

In this conversation, we get into:
• Why employee experience feels fragmented in so many organizations
• How that fragmentation impacts both employees and HR teams every day
• What it looks like to move from managing systems to creating something that actually works
• How behavioral science and AI can be used in practical ways to improve engagement

What stands out is how real and actionable this is. This is not about adding more tools. It is about making what already exists actually work together.

And the barrier to getting started is lower than most people think.

If you are building teams, leading HR, or thinking about retention and engagement, this conversation will give you something to take with you.

Most organizations have a strategic plan.

But actually tracking progress against it and knowing what’s working and what’s not is where things start to break down.

In this conversation, Taylor Korensky, CEO of VisionSync, shares how organizations are moving beyond scattered spreadsheets and disconnected updates to something much more clear, accountable, and actionable.

This episode is for leaders, employers, and anyone responsible for turning strategy into real outcomes.

We get into:

• Why strategy execution is harder than strategy itself
• Where things break down across teams and organizations
• How visibility and accountability change performance

Taylor also shares how Tech Omaha has grown into a 300+ person, community-driven event that brings together builders, developers, and tech leaders across the region.

Most people think internships are just about gaining experience.

But in this conversation, we get into what actually helps students move from school into real opportunities, especially in tech pathways.

Guest host Shohina Sultonova, intern at the Aksarben Foundation and senior at the University of Nebraska Omaha, sits down with Andre Tan, Career Experiences Coordinator at Metropolitan Community College, and Michael Lathan Jr., a tech student, mentor, and student ambassador.

Together, they talk through what students are learning in real time and where stronger alignment between students, educators, and employers is making a difference.

We cover:

• Why internships are meant to be learning environments, not perfect matches
• How many students miss opportunities simply because they don’t understand recruiting timelines
• The reality that some internships expect longer-term commitment (not just summer)
• Why hands-on experience, even outside formal internships, still builds valuable skills
• How coaching, mentoring, and career services help students prepare beyond the classroom
• The importance of being open to adjacent roles like cloud, IT, and business tech to build broader skill sets
• What students gain from simply getting “in the room” with employers and asking questions

Andre also shares how his role connects employers directly into curriculum, helping ensure students are learning what industry actually needs.

Michael brings a student perspective, highlighting how real-world experience through coaching, mentoring, and internships helps students understand both the work and themselves.

At the end of the conversation, Andre shares more about a recent AI and Industry Showcase that brought together students, employers, and educators to explore how AI is being used in real work today. While the event has already taken place, it reflects the kind of connection and exposure that makes a difference.

If you’re interested in getting involved in future opportunities like that, Andre is a great person to connect with. Reach out to him at atan@mccneb.edu.

Most people think AI is about replacing jobs.

But in this conversation, Christopher Frankland introduces a different perspective: the rise of the “bionic agent”—using technology to make people more capable, not obsolete.

This episode is for leaders, operators, and professionals trying to understand how AI is actually showing up in real work today.

We cover:

• Why AI is shifting from automation to human augmentation
• The move from humans serving machines → machines serving humans
• The real risk of becoming too dependent on AI tools
• Why the Midwest is emerging as a powerful innovation corridor across insurtech, agtech, and climate tech

Christopher is also working on building a new Midwest-focused initiative to bring together innovators, operators, and thought leaders across the region through curated meetups and future events.

If you’re interested in being part of that community, this is one to pay attention to.

In this episode of Tech. Entrepreneurs. Nebraska., Shohina Sultonova visits with Archana Raghu, Quality Lead at Quantum Workplace, where she leads both traditional and AI quality, partnering with data science teams on AI evaluation and testing.

Her work focuses on building the systems and frameworks that make software reliable, fair, and trustworthy in production.

Everyone is focused on speed. Fewer are focused on responsibility.

Archana breaks down what it actually means to test AI in the real world and why failures don’t always show up loudly. Sometimes they show up quietly through bias, flawed data, and unreliable outputs that impact real people and real decisions.

We also talk about her passion beyond the workplace.

She is deeply committed to developing the next generation of tech talent through her work at the University of Nebraska Omaha, Girls Who Code, CodeCrush iSTEM, and mentoring students in the NSF-funded PRIME Scholars program and UNO tech seminar course.

In this episode:
• The difference between traditional and AI testing
• Why AI failures are harder to detect
• The gap between building fast and building responsibly
• What it takes to build trust in AI
• How students and professionals can stay relevant

If you care about where AI is going, this conversation will challenge how you think about quality, speed, and accountability.

What happens when you stop waiting for change and start building it?

In this episode, special guest host and Aksarben Foundation intern, Shohina Sultonova visits with Maura Abad, COO at Reliability Leadership Institute and Founder of Women in Reliability & Asset Management (WIRAM).

She started with 5 women in a room.
Today, that community includes 1,800+ women across the globe.

Through WIRAM, Maura was also an early supporter of the inaugural Nebraska Women in Tech Summit, contributing to efforts that continue to expand access and opportunity across Nebraska’s tech ecosystem.

In this conversation:

• How one question turned into a global workforce movement

• Why reliability and asset management are critical to safety, sustainability, and business success

• What it takes to build inclusive talent pipelines in technical industries

• The importance of developing both strengths and gaps

• Turning personal experiences into purpose through creativity

This episode is a reminder that workforce development moves when people take action.

🎧 Listen now and ask yourself: What am I building?

After the loss of her grandmother, Kim Goins saw firsthand how disruptive major life events can be for families and how difficult it can be to navigate legacy planning in the midst of grief.

That experience inspired her to begin building KIMTO, a platform designed to help families organize their health, wealth, and values into a single legacy operating system and better prepare future generations.

In this episode of the Nebraska Tech Collaborative TEN Podcast, Shonna Dorsey talks with Kim about the personal experience that led her into the startup world and how she began building the platform using AI tools despite not having a technical background. Kim recently received the LaunchLNK grant to support the continued development of KIMTO.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• The personal experience that inspired KIMTO
• How AI is lowering the barriers for new founders
• Why legacy planning goes beyond wills and trusts
• The connection between family health history and financial stability
• How preserving family businesses can strengthen local economies

Learn more or share your story at:
kimto.ai

In this episode of the TEN Podcast (Tech. Entrepreneurs. Nebraska.), Nebraska Tech Collaborative Executive Director Shonna Dorsey sits down with innovation leader Brian Ardinger to discuss the evolution of Nebraska’s startup ecosystem and the upcoming Inside Outside Innovation Summit 2026 (IO2026) on April 13, 2026 at the Sheldon Museum of Art. Learn more: https://www.theiosummit.com. NTC listeners can use code NTC100 for $100 off summit tickets.

Brian has played a key role in supporting startup growth across Nebraska. As the founder of NMotion, the state’s first startup accelerator, he helped early stage technology companies connect with mentors, investors, and corporate partners to accelerate their progress.

Today Brian serves as Director of Innovation at Nelnet, works with venture investments, and hosts the Inside Outside Innovation Podcast.

In this conversation, Shonna and Brian explore:

• The early days of Nebraska’s startup ecosystem
• How accelerators helped launch companies like CompanyCam
• Why collaboration between corporations and startups matters
• The role innovation plays inside established organizations
• What to expect at IO2026 – the Inside Outside Innovation Summit

The summit will take place April 13, 2026 in Lincoln at the Sheldon Museum of Art, bringing together founders, corporate innovators, investors, and ecosystem leaders to explore the art and science of innovation.

The event will feature keynote speakers, networking opportunities, and a Gallery of Innovation highlighting startups and innovation projects from across the region.