Even the most advanced systems can be undone by a single human misstep. In this episode of the z/Action Podcast, we explore how social engineering exploits human behavior and how awareness, culture, and continuous education can help protect mission-critical environments like IBM Z. Joining us is Niall Ashley, an IBM Champion and security professional passionate about raising awareness of the human side of cybersecurity. Together, we discuss real-world examples, the psychology behind social engineering, and practical ways enterprises can strengthen their “human firewall” to complement the technical resilience of the mainframe.

In this episode of the z/Action Podcast, our community manager Natalie Carrillo speaks with Mark Schettenhelm, Principal Product Manager, about his decades long journey with the mainframe and why IBM Z continues to evolve at the center of enterprise computing. From solving mission critical problems to leveraging AI for deeper code understanding and log analysis, Mark shares how innovation, persistence and a problem solving mindset are shaping the future of the platform. The conversation highlights how AI is lowering barriers to entry, enabling stronger application insight, and opening new opportunities for the next generation of IBM Z professionals.

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Be part of the conversation! Join the ISV Ecosystem User Group to explore the latest blogs, events, videos, and more from IBM Z partners and innovators.

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Each month, we spotlight some of the world’s most innovative companies and how they’re driving success with IBM Z.

We’re excited to kick off the 2026 Season 2 of the New to Z: Road to SME podcast with IBM Champions Steven Perva and Emma Skovgård, exploring how community, curiosity, and modern tooling are shaping the next generation of mainframers.

In this episode, we talk about their unconventional paths into the mainframe world and their work building vibrant communities like the Systems Z Enthusiast Discord and Dinoframe. They share lessons on learning curves, modern tools like Python on Z, and the communication skills that help new and experienced mainframers thrive. A quick, inspiring look at two leaders shaping the future of the platform.

In this episode of the z/Action podcast, we sit down with Vytautas Murauskas, a former IBMer who now brings his expertise to Rocket Software as part of the OMEGAMON support team. Vytautas shares his unique career journey, from his early days in the IBM Z world to his current role supporting one of the industry’s most trusted performance and monitoring tools. Along the way, he reflects on career-defining moments, lessons learned, and the evolution of OMEGAMON in addressing modern mainframe challenges. Whether you’re curious about building a career in Mainframe or looking for insights into OMEGAMON’s impact, this conversation offers the perfect blend of personal storytelling and technical depth.

Stay Connected
Be part of the conversation! Join the ISV Ecosystem User Group to explore the latest blogs, events, videos, and more from IBM Z partners and innovators.

And don’t forget to subscribe to z/Action!
Each month, we spotlight some of the world’s most innovative companies and how they’re driving success with IBM Z.

In this episode of z/Action, we sit down with Donna Hudi, IBM Champion, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Business Development at Phoenix Software International, to explore how behind-the-scenes leadership can be one of the most powerful forms of advocacy. From being welcomed into the mainframe community with no prior Z experience, to mentoring the next generation of talent and supporting first-time presenters, Donna has become a force for inclusive growth and authentic leadership. Whether you're new to IBM Z or guiding others along their journey, this conversation will leave you motivated to engage, contribute, and lead in your own way.

Stay Connected
Be part of the conversation! Join the ISV Ecosystem User Group to explore the latest blogs, events, videos, and more from IBM Z partners and innovators.

And don’t forget to subscribe to z/Action!
Each month, we spotlight some of the world’s most innovative companies and how they’re driving success with IBM Z.

What better way to end the season than with our IBM Z Day special—featuring Tina Tarquinio, Chief Product Officer for IBM Z & LinuxONE, and Rebecca Levesque, Founder & CRO at 21CS. From AI + infrastructure to security, sustainability, and mentorship, Tina and Rebecca share smart, lively insights to help you go from New to Z to trusted SME—plus a few great stories along the way.

This episode features Karl-Erik Stenfors, a retired IBM systems engineer and since 2015 been teaching Linux, virtualization and z/Assembler at three private universities in France, as well as teaching System Z technologies for two professional education companies. Kark-Erik has been recognized as an IBM Z and Linux One Champion for 2025!!

Teaching has been a natural thread throughout his entire career, from installing and introducing new products, to coaching colleagues and customers, to authoring IBM Redbooks (comprehensive guides). In fact, he wrote every Redbook covering new processors during his final ten years at IBM.

He also co-authored Introduction to Enterprise Systems written in collaboration with Reg Harbeck, David Boyes and Cameron Seay.

Learn more about the book here.

His thoughts on the mainframe culture:

This is a platform that runs the world. So, that's a very particular culture around how do we run this system that cannot fail, how do you treat things when they go wrong? How to treat things to avoid that the same error doesn't come back. I think culture is a big word, but that's what I like about it. It's still developing every single day, there are new things coming on new languages, new processors, new products. So, it's a world that's very much alive and must keep learning almost every day in this environment.

Karl-Erik’s teaching Philosophy:

I have this philosophy that you should teach only things you know, only things you know how to do, and understand. So that's what I've been doing.

Advice to educators:

His advice is simple but powerful: don’t rush.
What matters most is that students truly understand the material. Even if a student asks the same question 20 or 30 times, he says, it’s far more important that they ultimately grasp the concepts than it is to push forward too quickly.

Listen to the rapid-fire questions to learn the fun things about him like Danish pancakes, herrings and going back to school to study political science!

Resources:

Visit the IBM Z Educator Hub User Group on the IBM Z and LinuxONE Community to find the latest communications, news and events, as well as collaborate and network. Check out technical lecture’s, blogs, events, videos, discussions, and more.

Join here .

Subscribe to “The z/Education!” Podcast to listen to talks from IBM Z Educators from around the world on their success stories, journeys and their best practices.

In this episode, you will learn how organizations are modernizing right on their mainframes, using a shared repository of decision logic to make smarter, faster, and more transparent decisions. By combining business rules with AI and machine learning, the mainframe is helping businesses unlock their full potential in today’s fast-paced digital world.

Watch the episode here: https://ibm.biz/Bdb3p6

Stay Connected
Be part of the conversation! Join the ISV Ecosystem User Group to explore the latest blogs, events, videos, and more from IBM Z partners and innovators.

And don’t forget to subscribe to z/Action!
Each month, we spotlight some of the world’s most innovative companies and how they’re driving success with IBM Z.