Trac Bannon: It's so crazy how I meet many of the Real Technologists. Sometimes it's through professional meetings, other times it's through LinkedIn.

No doubt you've heard of a game called 'Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.' It demonstrates the concept of six degrees of separation, which suggests that any two people on earth are six or fewer social connections apart.

Well, in the world of Real Technologists, it's more like 'Two Degrees of Jennifer Ives.' Jennifer, a previous guest and a powerhouse connector, introduced me to the brilliant Dr. Meghan Anzelc. Jennifer's network is a goldmine of tech brilliance; Megan is no exception.

Dr. Meghan Anzelc was introduced to Jennifer Ives through a session on AI conducted by CHIEF. CHIEF is a private network designed to connect and support women in executive leadership positions. Jennifer attended the session and found herself resonating with much of what Meghan was saying, and they connected from there.

Meghan Anzelc is one of those remarkable individuals whose journey started in a close knit family in Chicago. Growing up with a sister just 18 months younger, Meghan was part of an extended family that was not only supportive but deeply engaged in her upbringing. That sense of close knit extended Irish American family is something that has left such a wonderful mark on Dr. Anzelc.

Even before I found out that she's a firstborn, I could see the telltale signs: she is conscientious, reliable, responsible, and maybe a little bit of a perfectionist.

The Anzelc household was unique; Meghan was homeschooled for most of her grammar and high school years. This was quite unusual at the time, but it opened doors for her to dive into myriad extracurricular activities.

Meghan Anzelc: We were a homeschooling family, we were involved in lots of things, and this was at a time before very many people homeschooled. so we had a community of other homeschooling families in the Chicago area that we did stuff with, but a lot of extracurriculars. So I started dancing when I was three, so I've been getting up on stages since I was three years old.

I danced, all through college, including competitive Irish dancing. So I hold a world medal in Irish dancing. I played, music. So I played piano, for about 20 years .

I generally don't make cold calls, at least when it comes to inviting folks to be on Real Technologists. Jess Szmajda and I crossed paths through our online cybersecurity and cloud computing networks. She's a general manager at AWS leading Network Firewall and Firewall management business. Previously, she was the GM for the VPN practice.

With her online profile saying she's located in Washington, DC, I made the assumption that she works with the federal government. Oops! Never make assumptions!

I could tell there was technical depth and a driving passion to impact others.

It was time to set up a chat.

When we met, it was during late August. The air was still warmed by the summer sun, and the evening was just beginning to hint at the cooler days ahead. Perfect weather for an energizing discussion and forward thinking ideas.

Jess Szmajda's presence was an instant uplift. She has a delightful laugh that punctuates many of her sentences.

Jess Szmajda: Well... I was actually born in the district. I think I was one of the five people born in DC that year.

I'm a general manager. I own some of our network security services... network, firewall and firewall manager. A general manager at AWS is a bit like a CEO of business line. So I've got a couple products that I own and responsible for P and L and... all people sales, go to market, customer support, everything you name it. I lived in or near DC for most of my life, and I've never worked for the government. I don't know , the government thing, it's just never made sense. It's never been the place for me.

We are approaching the midway point for Season 2 of Real Technologists. Senior, Pokie, and I wanted to take a moment to thank you and reflect on the past year. During Season 1, we learned that our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, so to speak. We had decided on an aggressive schedule of weekly podcasts. And like our guests, we learned a big lesson and had to pivot.

This Season, Season 2, is focused on sustainability and growth. We love getting to know our guests, learning their stories, and crafting the podcast.

Real Technologists is about telling captivating stories and diverse journeys of those shaping our digital future. From the heart of innovation to the forefront of change, technology continues to redefine our world, and behind every breakthrough lies a human narrative waiting to be told. Our team is split. Pokie works from our New York office. Senior and I work together from our Camp Hill location. As radio personality Pete Womback used to say, "It's a beautiful day in Pennsylvania".

To keep the quality high and keep ourselves sane, we're delivering bi weekly. We embark on a journey of exploration, uncovering the unique experiences, perspectives, and challenges that have shaped the lives of our guests.