This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by AI Empowerment Solutions Leader at NTT DATA Christen Bell. Christen’s work focuses on how intelligent systems affect humans in the workplace and, more recently, human’s fears of AI. Christen shares her fascinating findings with Tammy on how AI adoption differs between industries and regions and what makes people more or less trusting of AI. Christen and Tammy also talk about how leaders can quell the perceived threat of AI in their workplaces - no surprise, it's by being human first! 

Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA

Links: 

Christen Bell 

Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, guest host Jod Kaftan sits down with designer and expert in human-centered AI, Shelley Evenson. Shelley shares her insights on how designers and teams can achieve human-AI flow and how to spot the warning signs that a team is drifting into the realm of AI slop. Jod and Shelley also discuss the need for change management in AI transformations and talk about who in an organization should own an AI transformation? Is it HR? Is it IT? According to Shelley it’s a team endeavour that should start at the very top, with the CEO.

Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA

Links: 

Shelley Evenson 

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience 

Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy speaks with Nate Berent-Spillson, the SVP of Engineering at Launch by NTT DATA. Nate is the type of guy who is always using technology in new and inventive ways. This week Nate and Tammy discuss the evolution of AI tools and Nate introduces the power of command line interfaces. Nate shares how using AI in innovative new ways can reduce cognitive load and reimagine user interfaces to enhance productivity and efficiency in the workplace. 

Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA

Links: 

Nate Berent- Spillson 

Markdown Guide 

Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy speaks with Graeme Cuthbertson, Director of IT Operations and End-User Systems at Neurocrine Biosciences. They explore Graeme’s career across industries, including banking and biotech, and what those experiences have taught him about building empathy into technology. Graeme also highlights the importance of meeting customers where they are, the role of family support in personal and professional growth, and how human connection and thoughtful technology can elevate both employee and customer experiences.

Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA

Links: 

Graeme Cuthbertson 

Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy is joined by Mark Curtis, the co-founder of Fjord and a pioneer in the design, strategy and thought leadership space. Tammy and Mark discuss his extensive career and delve into the evolution of design over the past 3 decades. They also look to the future and explore how AI is transforming design and why it still can’t beat the human brain in some applications. Mark also talks about this new venture Full Moon, a project focused on the intersection of humans, technology, and business, and the resurgence of service design in response to the complexities of modern challenges.

Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA

Links: 

Mark Curtis 

Full Moon 

Moving Beyond “AI is just a Tool”: Shifts in AI Communication in 2026 - Medium 

Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy Soares speaks with Prashant Hinge, Chief Information and Transformation Officer at MSIG USA. Prashant has been working in the insurance industry for 20 years and is an expert at building teams to create solutions that improve the user experience. Prashant discusses the importance of unlearning siloed ways of working in order to unlock collaborative and cross-functional creativity, a skill that’s especially important in the insurance industry. He also explains why in the current world of AI, we all need to become triathletes - meaning we now need to understand the business, need to know basic AI tools and need to develop core skills. He also talks about the opportunities that AI is unlocking for the insurance industry and how change management and ensuring you have good processes, data and people is key in ensuring success at scale. 

Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA

 Links: 

Prashant Hinge 

State of AI in Business in 2025 

Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, guest host Jod Kaftan sits down with automotive industry expert Clemens Conrad to discuss the evolution of mobility and the future of automotive design. Jod and Clemens discuss how car interiors are becoming more personalized and how OEMs are adapting to hyper-personalize the automotive experience. They also explore how cultural differences in transportation inform automotive design and break down some recent stats about which companies are leading the way in automotive design and innovation - some of the results might surprise you! 

Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA

Links: 

Clemens Conrad 

Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst, Tammy chats with Jimit Arora, the CEO of Everest Group. Jimit is a leader who deeply understands the challenges that organizations face and how they can move forward with confidence. Jimit and Tammy discuss the importance of a growth mindset and how companies can meaningfully adopt AI. According to Jimit the key to meaningful adoption is for companies to be aware of PTSD - process debt, tech debt, skills debt and data debt. Jimit also shares what he thinks will be the biggest trends to affect global services in the next year.  

Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA

Links: 

Jimit Arora LinkedIn

Everest Group 

Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Vandana Ramani on how UPS is leveraging AI to help SMEs 

This week on Catalyst Tammy sits down with Vandana Ramani, the Vice President of Global Strategy at UPS. Vandana loves to solve difficult, complex problems. From making sure a live iguana gets delivered to where it needs to be, to thinking about how UPS can leverage AI to improve their customer experience, Vandana is always working at the intersection of business strategy and technology. Tammy and Vandana discuss the integration of AI in small and medium sized businesses and how it can be transformative for data connectivity and developing shared outcomes. Vandana also shares networking tips she’s developed from years spent rebuilding her networks from the ground up across the world. 

Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA

Links: 

Vandana Ramani LinkedIn

Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Catalyst Tammy chats with Parisa Zander, a seasoned professional in the tech industry who recently retired after a successful career spanning nearly three decades at companies like Meta, Samsung and Microsoft. Parisa discusses the challenges of being a woman in tech, the importance of finding one's voice, and the values that guide her leadership style, including honesty, empathy, and the need for fun in the workplace. She also emphasizes that to truly understand your customer you need to go to them and set time aside for real-world testing. How else will you see how people across the country are actually engaging with your product? 

Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA

Links: 

Parisa Zander - LinkedIn 

Learn more about Launch by NTT DATA

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.