In this episode of Transcending Tech, we sit down with Erika to talk about the reality behind building a career in tech, the power of honest conversations, and how AI is reshaping the future of work.

From navigating career pivots to leading through uncertainty, this conversation explores what it really means to grow—personally and professionally—in a rapidly changing industry.

We also dive into:

• Why the best careers are rarely linear 
• The role of psychological safety and “conversations of the heart” in strong teams 
• AI’s biggest opportunity—and where it could go wrong 
• Why diversity of thought matters more than ever in building technology 
• What success actually feels like (and why it might surprise you) 

Whether you’re early in your career or deep in the tech world, this episode offers a grounded, human perspective on where we’re headed—and how to navigate it.

🎧 Listen now and follow Transcending Tech for more conversations at the intersection of technology and humanity.

About Transcending Tech
 

Transcending Tech explores the people behind the platforms — the leaders, builders, and pioneers shaping the future of technology. 

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit transcends.io to learn more. 

In this powerful episode of Transcending Tech, Ashley Vogstad sits down with Christine Bongard, founder of the WIT Network (now We Ignite Transformation), to talk about confidence, reinvention, leadership, and the courage to evolve.

This conversation explores:

✨ A defining workplace bias moment — and what real allyship looks like
 🔥 Why women must stop waiting to be recognized
 💡 The science behind “power poses” and building confidence
 🔁 Reinventing your career later in life
 💪 The role of self-care in executive longevity
 📈 How improving health span extends career span
 🏊 Learning to swim in your 50s — and why trying new things matters
 🌍 The evolution of the WIT Network into We Ignite Transformation
📊 75% of members reporting career progression through community
🎤 Why authenticity beats perfection — every time

Christine shares how she discovered her purpose later in life, how intentionality reshaped her leadership, and why inclusion must be reflected not just in mission — but in brand.

This episode is about courage, longevity, leadership presence, and igniting the next step in your career — at any stage.

About Transcending Tech
 

Transcending Tech explores the people behind the platforms — the leaders, builders, and pioneers shaping the future of technology. 

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit transcends.io to learn more. 

As enterprises rush toward AI adoption, many assume GPU-heavy architectures are the only path forward. Akanksha explains why CPUs continue to power most enterprise inference workloads, and how aligning AI infrastructure to business outcomes is critical for sustainable transformation. 

With over two decades at Intel and experience managing a multi-billion-dollar alliance with Amazon Web Services, she shares insight into: 

• Enterprise AI adoption frameworks 
• AI infrastructure planning 
• CPU vs GPU decision-making 
• Software optimization for AI performance 
• Scaling AI across global organizations 
• Executive leadership in times of disruption 

The conversation also explores resilience. Diagnosed with Stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma early in her career, Akanksha reflects on how adversity shaped her leadership philosophy and long-term perspective. 

This episode is designed for enterprise executives, AI strategists, CIOs, CTOs, and business leaders navigating artificial intelligence transformation. 

Because AI leadership is not just about compute power. 

It’s about clarity, courage, and customer obsession. 

About Transcending Tech
 

Transcending Tech explores the people behind the platforms — the leaders, builders, and pioneers shaping the future of technology. 

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit transcends.io to learn more. 

In this episode of Transcending Tech, Ashleigh Vogstad talks with Alyssa Fitzpatrick — former executive at Microsoft, Intel, McAfee, and Accenture, now leading global partnerships at Elastic — about the human decisions behind AI leadership, strategic risk-taking, and building high-trust relationships that drive enterprise innovation.

From writing a university thesis on AI decades before it went mainstream to managing teams in 49 countries, Alyssa shares lessons on leadership, open source strategy, global partnerships, and preparing the next generation of tech talent.

What You’ll Learn:

• How AI leadership works in large enterprises
• Strategies for leveraging open source innovation
• Building global partnerships that last
• Navigating bias and challenges in tech leadership
• Insights for women leading in STEM
• The intersection of AI, strategy, and human trust

Key Insight:
AI is a powerful tool, but people still drive transformation. Strategic thinking, trusted partnerships, and long-term vision remain the true differentiators in enterprise leadership.

“Don’t ever think there are partnerships between companies… it’s partnerships between people.” — Alyssa Fitzpatrick

If you’re leading AI initiatives, navigating enterprise transformation, or growing a career in technology leadership, this episode offers practical, real-world perspective from a seasoned executive.

Subscribe to Transcending Tech for new episodes on AI leadership, enterprise strategy, and the future of technology.

About Transcending Tech
 

Transcending Tech explores the people behind the platforms — the leaders, builders, and pioneers shaping the future of technology. 

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit transcends.io to learn more.