Transcending Tech

What does it really take to build an extraordinary career?

In this episode of Transcending Tech, Ashleigh Vogstad sits down with former Microsoft Corporate Vice President Gavriella Schuster, whose 26-year career helped shape Microsoft's enterprise business, partner ecosystem, Azure growth, and AI strategy.

Gavriella shares why the biggest career breakthroughs often come from lateral moves rather than promotions, how she overcame the pressure of speaking to tens of thousands of people on Microsoft's biggest stages, and why curiosity, not climbing the corporate ladder, is the greatest career advantage.

Together they explore:

• Why breadth of experience creates stronger leaders
• Public speaking as the ultimate leadership skill
• Building confidence and authentic communication
• The evolution of Microsoft from software company to cloud and AI powerhouse
• Lessons from launching Enterprise Agreements and Azure
• Ethical AI and Microsoft's long-term strategy
• Marriage, boundaries, and leadership at home
• Allyship, inclusion, and creating opportunities for others

Whether you're an executive, entrepreneur, technology leader, or someone looking to grow your career, this conversation is packed with practical leadership lessons that extend far beyond technology.

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Transcending Tech explores the people behind the platforms and the stories that transcend technology. Join us for conversations with leaders, innovators, and change-makers shaping the future of technology and humanity.

Subscribe on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
Visit transcends.io to learn more. 

How is AI transforming healthcare, and what does it take to build technology that truly improves patient outcomes? 

In this episode of Transcending Tech, Ashleigh Vogstad speaks with Dr. Nwando Anyaoku, physician executive, strategic advisor, and one of healthcare's most respected voices on clinical innovation and inclusion.  

Together, they explore: 

• Growing up in Nigeria and finding purpose through adversity  
• Why authentic voices matter in leadership and AI development  
• The hidden ways healthcare systems create unequal outcomes  
• How AI is already transforming patient care and reducing clinician burnout  
• The importance of representation in data and large language models  
• Building technology with patients and clinicians—not just for them  
• The impact of AI on the next generation entering the workforce  
• Why reading, curiosity, and compassion remain essential human skills  

Throughout the conversation, Dr. Anyaoku offers a powerful reminder that technology should never lose sight of the people it serves. 

Her one-word outlook on the future of AI? 

Possible. 

About Dr. Nwando Anyaoku 

Dr. Nwando Anyaoku is a physician executive, pediatrician, healthcare strategist, and advisor who has held leadership roles across some of the largest healthcare organizations in the United States. Her work focuses on the intersection of healthcare, technology, innovation, and patient outcomes. 

Connect With Transcending Tech

Transcending Tech explores the people behind the platforms and the stories that transcend technology. Join us for conversations with leaders, innovators, and change-makers shaping the future of technology and humanity.

Subscribe on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
Visit transcends.io to learn more. 

What does success actually look like in tech—and what happens when your career doesn’t go according to plan?

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.

Connect With Transcending Tech

Transcending Tech explores the people behind the platforms and the stories that transcend technology. Join us for conversations with leaders, innovators, and change-makers shaping the future of technology and humanity.

Subscribe on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
Visit transcends.io to learn more. 

What if your purpose doesn’t arrive early — but unfolds over time?

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.

Connect With Transcending Tech

Transcending Tech explores the people behind the platforms and the stories that transcend technology. Join us for conversations with leaders, innovators, and change-makers shaping the future of technology and humanity.

Subscribe on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
Visit transcends.io to learn more. 

In this episode of Transcending Tech, Ashleigh Vogstad speaks with Akanksha Bilani, enterprise AI leader at Intel, about how organizations can scale artificial intelligence strategically — without falling into infrastructure myths. 

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. 

Connect With Transcending Tech

Transcending Tech explores the people behind the platforms and the stories that transcend technology. Join us for conversations with leaders, innovators, and change-makers shaping the future of technology and humanity.

Subscribe on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
Visit transcends.io to learn more. 

What does it take to lead in artificial intelligence across global enterprises?

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.

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.

Connect With Transcending Tech

Transcending Tech explores the people behind the platforms and the stories that transcend technology. Join us for conversations with leaders, innovators, and change-makers shaping the future of technology and humanity.

Subscribe on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
Visit transcends.io to learn more.