PODCAST · education
Stories from the Hackery
by Nashville Software School
Find out what it takes to start a career in software development, data analytics, data science, or UI/UX design from those who made the leap. Hear from musicians, veterans, single-moms, teachers, bartenders, postdocs, warehouse workers, and more - all graduates of Nashville Software School (NSS) - as they discuss their transition to tech and their capstone projects presented at Demo Day. Founded in 2012, NSS is a flourishing community of over one thousand alumni, active students, and a team of dedicated instructors all working together to grow and learn their craft. As a non-profit, NSS is committed to growing diversity in tech by creating opportunities for under-represented groups in these fields. Learn more at nashvillesoftwareschool.com.
Episodes
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Career Shift: Audio/Video Production to Software Developer | Stories From The Hackery
In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, recent NSS full-time, full-stack software development graduate, Kris Cagle, shares his transition from working in podcast AV production to vibe coding his own AI-driven app for musicians (RoadUno) and enrolling in Nashville Software School. He dives…
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Integrating AI into Developer Teams: Lessons from a Developer Advocate | Stories From The Hackery
What happens when you introduce artificial intelligence to a software development team? Does it fix structural flaws, or does it break things faster? In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, Nashville Software School (NSS) founder John Wark sits down with NSS alumna and former instructor…
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Career Shift: From Photographer & Marketer to Application Engineer
What happens when a side hustle photo business turns into a decade-long marketing career that no longer fits? In this episode, Michael Galo shares his non-linear journey to Nashville Software School (NSS). After feeling "stuck" in marketing and communications, Michael decided to follow the advice...
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Generative AI Levels the Playing Field for Neurodiverse Technologists | Stories From The Hackery
Generative AI is leveling the playing field for neurodiverse technologists. In this episode of Stories From The Hackery, we sit down with NSS alum, Shalane Proctor for an honest and insightful conversation about neurodiversity, learning to code, and generative AI as an assistive technology.…
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Career Shift: Hairdresser to Data Analyst | Stories From The Hackery
Career change is a roller coaster, but it's one you can navigate with the right support. Jenni Roselle, a graduate of Nashville Software School’s full-time Data Analytics cohort DDA16, shares her journey from a decade as a hairdresser to landing a data analyst role at Ascension. Jenni discusses…
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Career Shift: Vet Tech to Software Developer with Kasey Endsley | Stories From The Hackery
Kasey Endsley, a graduate of Nashville Software School’s full-time, full-stack Web Development Cohort 76, shares her journey from working as a vet technician and manager to becoming a software developer. She discusses finding a career that finally offers the intellectual challenge she was…
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Climbing the Agentic AI Learning Curve: Software Development | Stories From The Hackery
Does generative AI level the playing field between a junior and an experienced developer? Or does experience matter more than ever? To get a real-world perspective, we sat down with two Nashville Software School (NSS) graduates now working together at Purity Health: Ripal Patel, an alum of Web...
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Evolving our Teaching For The AI Age | Stories From The Hackery
Generative AI tools are changing software development, but how does that impact how we teach it? In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, NSS Founder John Wark sits down with Lead Instructor Steve Brownlee to discuss the intentional way generative AI has been integrated into NSS’s full-stack...
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Should Startups Hire Junior Developers in the Age of AI? | Stories From The Hackery
Should startups only hire senior developers? The conventional wisdom says yes, but what if hiring junior developers is actually a startup's secret weapon for building a strong, collaborative culture? In this episode, we talk to Purity Health's Chief Technology Officer, David Andrews, and Chief...
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The Engine Behind AI: Why Data Engineering is in Demand | Stories From The Hackery
In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, we talk with Nashville tech leader and hiring manager Jason Turan about one of tech's most in-demand fields: data engineering. Jason, a long-time friend of NSS, was one of the first people to tell us that Nashville needed more data engineers. He shares...
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NSS Alumni Forge A Path In Data Engineering | Stories From The Hackery
In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, we explore the emerging field of data engineering with NSS alumni Teresa Whitesell and Joshua Rio-Ross. They share their career journeys and how their education in data analytics and data science set a solid foundation for their data engineering roles....
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Code Campfire: Building Community, Building Skills | Stories From The Hackery
In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, we learn about Code Campfire, a new community initiative founded by NSS grad Preston Robbins. Joined by Lynn Samuelson, they discuss how Code Campfire supports Nashville Software School graduates and other juniors in tech with projects, mock…
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What Happens When AI Builds Your App? | Stories From The Hackery
In the latest episode of Stories from the Hackery, we catch up with Steve Brownlee, Nashville Software School’s lead full-stack software development instructor, for a behind-the-scenes look at how he rebuilt an application we used for pre-work that was discontinued several years ago using an...
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Scaling A Tech Career Through Life-long Learning | Stories From The Hackery
Life-long learning can open doors you never imagined. In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, we talk with Chris Miller, an NSS alumnus who pivoted into software development after studying jazz composition and bass performance in college and recently tackled a high-stakes project supporting...
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Generative AI Levels the Playing Field for Neurodiverse Technologists | Stories From The Hackery
Generative AI Levels the Playing Field for Neurodiverse Technologists | Stories From The Hackery by Nashville Software School
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Data-driven Future: AI, Engineering, and Continuous Learning | Stories From the Hackery
In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, John Wark, founder and CEO of Nashville Software School, talks with Charlie Apigian, a well-known figure in Nashville's tech community with a significant academic background. Charlie discusses his journey from academia to consulting, the importance of...
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Leveraging AI to Build a SaaS Application with Jordan Rosas | Stories From The Hackery
In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, we hear from Jordan Rosas, a graduate of Nashville Software School's Web Development Cohort 29. Jordan shares his journey from working at an Amazon warehouse to becoming a Software Engineer and building SocialWaive, a social media management…
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Prompt Engineering: Insights from a Software Developer | Stories From The Hackery
In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, we talk to Ryan Bishop, a Nashville Software School (NSS) graduate, about his journey into software development and his experiences with generative AI. Ryan shares how prompt engineering has become a critical part of his work, discussing its…
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NSS Alumni Unlock Generative AI's Coding Potential | Stories From The Hackery
In this episode of Stories From The Hackery, we chat with Spencer Sharpe and Jack Parsons, two NSS graduates and lead software developers. We catch up on their journeys of transitioning from music to tech and explore the impact and utilization of generative AI tools in their current roles. They...
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Using Generative AI on the Job For Learning | Stories From The Hackery
In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, John Work, founder and CEO of Nashville Software School, sits down with NSS graduates Pemberton Heath and Rob Schulteis to discuss their careers post-NSS. They share insights on how they have integrated generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude into...
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Generative AI's Impact On Software Development Careers
In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, we catch up with Brandon Valentine, a founding board member at NSS and a lifelong software developer. Brandon departed GitHub this spring after five years, where he spent most of his time leading a team that collaborated with some of the largest...
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User Experience Design: Lessons from Two Decades in UI & UX | Stories from the Hackery
Explore UI & UX design with Susan Culkin, a senior product designer and instructor at Nashville Software School. In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, Susan shares insights on the evolving field of user experience design, the importance of collaboration between designers and developers…
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NSS Alumni Spotlight - Dibran Rexhepi | Stories From The Hackery
In this episode of Stories from The Hackery we catch up with Data Science 3 alumni Dibran Rexhepi, a former biology graduate turned data engineer and now instructor for the Part-time Analytics program at Nashville Software School. From his humble beginnings in a chemistry lab to discovering the...
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Using LLMs Beyond the Chatbot | Stories From The Hackery
As we continue to discuss generative AI on Nashville Software School’s podcast, Stories from the Hackery, Founder and CEO John Wark and lead Data instructor Michael Holloway, dive into various techniques for leveraging large language models (LLMs) like generative AI. They explore the potential of...
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How is Generative AI Impacting Data Analytics and Data Science? | Stories from the Hackery
In this episode of Stories from the Hackery, Founder and CEO of Nashville Software School, John Wark, sits down with lead analytics instructor, Michael Holloway, to provide insights into the impact of generative AI tools like ChatGPT on data analytics and data science. They highlight the…
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NSS Alumni Spotlight - Kimmy Bird | Stories From The Hackery
In this Alumni Spotlight episode of Stories from the Hackery, we catch up with Full-time Web Development Cohort 22 alumna Kimmy Bird to discuss her NSS journey. From her time as a product owner at an international education company to now working as an Elixir backend developer in Germany, hear...
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Gabe Guio - Graduate Spotlight | Stories from the Hackery
Gabe Guio is a Nashville Software School graduate who contributed to the recent local data conference, DataTune Nashville, in a big way. He had the opportunity to not only build the website for the conference that serviced over 400 attendee registrations, but also built a conference scanner...
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Career Development Services at Nashville Software School
From mock interviews, to resume talks and Demo Day scheduling, there’s no shortage of opportunities for our students to gain the skills necessary to their job search after graduation.! In the latest episode of Stories from the Hackery, NSS’s Career Development Team Lead, Ashley Canino, and Career...
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The Developers Ally: GenAI's True Role In Software Creation - Stories From The Hackery Podcast
Nashville Software School Founder and CEO John Wark sits down with Full-time Web Development Lead Instructor, Steve Brownlee, to discuss Steve’s research in how generative AI can be a helpful tool the popularity of LLMs continue to grow in software development. Learn more about Nashville Software...
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Markus Matheny - FT Data Analytics Cohort 9
Markus Matheny graduated with full time Data Analytics Cohort 9. I've worked a hundred jobs and never had a career. However, I've always lived a data-driven approach to my life, trying to look at numbers and seeking truth that way. After spending years teaching myself, I realized this was a…
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Diarra Fall - FT Data Analytics Cohort 9
Diarra Fall graduated with full time Data Analytics Cohort 9. I'm a licensed civil engineer with 7 years of experience in traffic engineering and bridge design. I was drawn to data analytics because as our transportation systems get smarter, we continually add more sensors that are constantly...
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Zach McPherson - FT Data Analytics Cohort 9
Zach McPherson graduated with full time Data Analytics Cohort 9. I am a highly driven professional with a passion for solving complex problems. My diverse background, including hospitality and animatronics, allows me to solve problems through a creative lens. I am passionate about exploring...
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Richard Leonard - FT Data Analytics Cohort 9
Richard Leonard graduated with full time Data Analytics Cohort 9. Through my experiences in healthcare and biology, I was exposed to statistics and data analysis. Data analytics became appealing to me as a career path because of the innovation and creativity allowed when writing code.
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Chernae Saka - FT Data Analytics Cohort 9
Chernae Saka graduated with full time Data Analytics Cohort 9. Over a decade of experience in mortgage underwriting, analyzing, and risk mitigation. I have developed a passion for curiosity. My background in underwriting coupled with my interest to explore and make meaning of data has motivated…
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Marty Burns - FT Data Analytics Cohort 9
Marty Burns graduated with full time Data Analytics Cohort 9. Data and analytics have always been a big part of my life. I love exploring, analyzing, and leveraging data to problem solve and build a story that will make an impact on both a professional and personal level. I have used data…
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Alec Blade - FT Data Analytics Cohort 9
Alec Blade graduated with full time Data Analytics Cohort 9. I have recently switched paths from engineering to data analytics after noticing my niche and what I liked. I decided upon data analytics because I love being creative with technology and exercising logical thinking. During my free…
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Caroline Kim - FT Data Analytics Cohort 9
Caroline Kim graduated with full time Data Analytics Cohort 9. Internal auditor and finance specialist turned data analyst, my innate curiosity and love of learning make me fearless when it comes to tackling complex problems. I believe that data analytics is an immensely powerful tool to distill...
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Elizabeth Kinnard - FT Data Analytics Cohort 9
Elizabeth Kinnard graduated with full time Data Analytics Cohort 9. I've lived and traveled to many parts of the world mainly because my dad was in the military. And when it was my time to decide where to live, I decided on Tennessee. I went to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and…
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Maggie Quisenberry - FT Data Analytics Cohort 9
Maggie Quisenberry graduated with full time Data Analytics Cohort 9. I have been a Registered Nurse working primarily in the home care setting. I enjoy getting to meet people and helping them with their healthcare needs. I enjoy the outdoors and try to spend as much free time outside with my...
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Brian Wilhelm - FT Data Analytics Cohort 9
Brian Wilhelm graduated with full time Data Analytics Cohort 9. I was a middle school teacher and Athletic Director the past 10 years but have switched to data analytics. I am fascinated with the analytic side to problem solving and love diving into data to find a solution to problems. I am very...
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Allison Dial - Web Development Cohort 60
Allison Dial graduated with full time Web Development Cohort 60. I am an imaginative designer and developer who is excited to step into the field of software development. I am passionate about designing for accessibility and building products that have a positive impact on the lives of users. I…
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Amy Ulmer - Web Development Cohort 60
Amy Ulmer graduated with full time Web Development Cohort 60.
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Grace Boaz - Web Development Cohort 60
Grace Boaz graduated with full time Web Development Cohort 60.
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Emily Nelson - Web Development Cohort 60
Emily Nelson graduated with full time Web Development Cohort 60. As a member of a large cajun family, being a team player has never been optional, but truthfully a passion. Being drawn to technology comes naturally and I've always thought my innate problem solving skills would be a great fit. It...
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Matthew Hedges - Web Development Cohort 60
Matthew Hedges graduated with full time Web Development Cohort 60. I developed an interest in technology at an early age by playing video games with friends. This hobby is what sparked my career into technology sales where I found a passion in working with and training others. Thanks to my time…
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James Linkous - Web Development Cohort 60
James Linkous graduated with full time Web Development Cohort 60. I ultimately consider myself a craftsman. Whether it's web development, teaching Figure Drawing at Belmont University, or 16th Century English bookbinding, the craftsmanship will always be the most paramount.
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Jason Howes - Web Development Cohort 60
Jason Howes graduated with full time Web Development Cohort 60. As a seasoned Director of Sales Operations and Project Manager, I possess a strong understanding of driving business success and growth. My diverse background has equipped me with a broad range of business acumen and technical…
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Wil Hammond - Web Development Cohort 60
Wil Hammond graduated with full time Web Development Cohort 60. I developed a passion for technology at a young age computers and video games began a life long passion. In college however I chose a career path that led me into political campaign management and public service. After several...
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Richard Canepa - Web Development Cohort 60
Richard Canepa graduated with full time Web Development Cohort 60. I love programming, making music, and expanding my capabilities.
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Vanessa Spear - Web Development Cohort 60
Vanessa Spear graduated with full time Web Development Cohort 60. I grew up on the Space Coast of Florida watching rockets launch over the Atlantic Ocean. This sparked my interest in Aerospace which is where I started my professional career. Since then, my love for technology has grown, and I...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Find out what it takes to start a career in software development, data analytics, data science, or UI/UX design from those who made the leap. Hear from musicians, veterans, single-moms, teachers, bartenders, postdocs, warehouse workers, and more - all graduates of Nashville Software School (NSS) - as they discuss their transition to tech and their capstone projects presented at Demo Day. Founded in 2012, NSS is a flourishing community of over one thousand alumni, active students, and a team of dedicated instructors all working together to grow and learn their craft. As a non-profit, NSS is committed to growing diversity in tech by creating opportunities for under-represented groups in these fields. Learn more at nashvillesoftwareschool.com.
HOSTED BY
Nashville Software School
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Stories from the Hackery have?
Stories from the Hackery currently has 500 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Stories from the Hackery about?
Find out what it takes to start a career in software development, data analytics, data science, or UI/UX design from those who made the leap. Hear from musicians, veterans, single-moms, teachers, bartenders, postdocs, warehouse workers, and more - all graduates of Nashville Software School (NSS) -...
How often does Stories from the Hackery release new episodes?
Stories from the Hackery publishes regularly with 500 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Stories from the Hackery?
You can listen to Stories from the Hackery on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Stories from the Hackery?
Stories from the Hackery is created and hosted by Nashville Software School.
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