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PODCAST · technology

Talent First

by Michelle Edmondson

Conversations about cybersecurity & tech, leadership and the human side of innovation.Because whatever is happening in technology, it's always Talent First.

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Episodes

  1. ‘Staying Human: Why Community, Connection and Trust Matter More Than Ever in the Age of AI’ - With Mariana Padilla

    SEASON SIX: In this week's episode I chat to Mariana Padilla, Community Evangelist at Harmonic Security, former cybersecurity startup CEO and someone who is passionate about bringing people together across the industry. We explore how AI is changing the way cybersecurity companies engage with…

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  2. 'Breaking the Firewalls: Building a Career, a Voice and a Future in Cybersecurity.' - With Roberta Anderson

    SEASON SIX: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Roberta Anderson, CISO at Onterris and author of 'Breaking the Firewall: How Women in Cybersecurity Rise from Entry-Level to the C-Suite'. We talk about getting in and up in cybersecurity, the barriers that stop people getting the CISO...

  3. ‘The Future of Women in Cybersecurity Community, Mentoring and the WiCyS Mission’ - with Lynn Dohm

    SEASON SIX: In this weeks' episode of Talent First, I chat to the Executive Director of Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS), Lynn Dohm - and what a brilliant way to get started after our summer holiday. We talk recruiting and retaining women in cyber, how to build a diverse workforce, the potential...

  4. The Power of the Multi-Channel Job Search (and how to do it) - with Michelle Edmondson

    TALENT FIRST TOOLKIT: In this week's episode of the Talent First Toolkit, I'm talking about one of the biggest misconceptions I see among senior technology and cybersecurity leaders: that finding your next executive role starts when you quickly update your LinkedIn profile or send your resume to…

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  5. ‘Speaking from Experience: Risk, Resilience & The Modern CISO’ with Karen O’Reilly Smith

    SEASON SIX: In this week's episode of Talent First, 'Strictly Security', I chat to Karen O'Reilly Smith, Global CISO and advisory board member. We talk security and the business, building teams and what really happens when companies suffer a breach. We also talk about the rapidly evolving role of...

  6. Three LinkedIn Mistakes Tech Leaders Make (and why it leads to overwhelm) with Michelle Edmondson

    TALENT FIRST TOOLKIT: A new mini series that co-exists with our regular programming! This week, should senior technology leaders even bother with LinkedIn anymore? I explore why LinkedIn still matters, the three biggest mistakes I see technology and cybersecurity leaders making, and how those...

  7. Part Two - ‘The Art and Science of Cybersecurity: Leadership, Risk Translation and Protecting Critical Infrastructure’ - with India James

    Season Six: Episode 1, Part #2 - This week's episode of the award-winning Talent First is a continuation of my conversation with India James, security leader and expert in the expansion and resilience of energy and critical infrastructure. We talk about OT security and its growing importance, OTS...

  8. ‘The Art and Science of Cybersecurity: Leadership, Risk Translation and Protecting Critical Infrastructure’ - with India James

    SEASON SIX - ‘Strictly Security’: Part #1 - In this week’s episode of Talent First, and our first for Season Six, I chat to India James about why cybersecurity is both an art and a science. We explore the role creativity, intuition and judgement play in modern security leadership, and why the...

  9. ‘From Research to Reality: How AI Becomes Products, Platforms and Business Value’ - with Andrea Rosales

    SEASON FIVE: In this week’s episode of Talent First, I chat to Andrea Rosales, data scientist and AI researcher and innovator, about what it really takes to adopt AI inside organisations beyond the hype. We talk about how companies are evaluating large language models and AI tools for enterprise...

  10. ‘Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable: Execution, Leadership and the Fractional COO’ - with Wendi Pannell

    BONUS EPISODE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to the wonderful Wendi Pannell, Founder of Pannell Consulting, about what really happens inside tech companies as they grow — and why execution so often becomes the problem. We talk about the point where companies should be flying,...

  11. ‘Transformation or Theatre? Leadership in the Age of AI’ - with Jean Olive

    SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Jean Olive, CIO and AI innovator, about leadership, real AI transformation beyond optics and what it really takes to build high-performing technology teams. We talk about her leadership philosophy and how to create environments that...

  12. "Storytelling, Safety and AI: Building the Next Generation of Learning" - with Sandra Falque

    SEASON FIVE: In this episode of Talent First, I chat to Sandra Falque about her new innovative learning tool for kids, Jules Stories. Sandra shares the inspiration behind Jules, how she designed the product, and the learning goals at its core — creating an experience that supports children’s...

  13. ‘AI Adoption Without The Chaos: Security, Change and Responsibility’ - with Darrell Wilkerson

    SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I talk to Darrell WIlkerson, Founder of TRiSM Now, about the realities of adopting AI inside modern organisations. As companies race to experiment with new tools and platforms, much of the conversation around AI focuses on productivity and...

  14. "Human-Centred AI: Confidence, Capability, and Change"- with Barbara Wittmann

    SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Barbara Wittmann, CIO and Founder of Digital Wisdom Collective, an organisation that helps companies to build Human Infrastructure that enables technology adoption, sustain growth, and lets them navigate complexity with wisdom. We…

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  15. ‘The New Safety Stack: The AI Shift in Workplace Protection’ - with Jody Warren

    SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Jody Warren, Co Founder of Gentia AI. And what a great product AND story this is. For too long, identifying where work actually hurts people has meant reactive processes, manual admin, and guesswork. Gentia doesn’t just record risk…

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  16. "Governing the AI Future: Boards, Talent, and Transformation" - with Karen Higgins-Carter

    SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I am joined by Karen Higgins-Carter, Chief Information and Digital Officer and independent director and board member. We discuss AI adoption and adaptive change in organizations, exploring a framework for boards, focusing on the top of the...

  17. Words Win: The Power of Language in Hiring and Applying in Tech

    BONUS EPISODE - In this week's episode of Talent First, it's just me! My first ever solo episode in 3 years of hosting this show. And this week, I am talking all things language - from resumes, to executive LinkedIn branding, and from job ads to feedback, there's advice and examples for everyone...

  18. "The New Leadership Stack: AI, Transformation, and Product Thinking" - with Amy Patel

    SEASON FIVE: In this week’s episode I chat to Amy Patel, VP of Product Innovation at McKesson about AI transformation, tools, and leading effectively amidst change. We delve into her career experiences, and her involvement with the Girls Empowerment Network. Amy shares her insights on leadership…

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  19. ‘Parenting at the Edge of Artificial Intelligence: Guiding the Next Generation Through Apps and Online Risks.’ - with Kevin Shields

    SEASON FIVE: This week, I chat to Kevin Shields, Co Founder of Crafting Tomorrow about a topic that has been the main focus of this season of Talent First and that is parenting in the AI age. We discuss the different eras of AI - ANI, AGI and ASI (and whether the latter will happen) as well as…

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  20. "AI Companions, Education, and Ethics: Protecting Children in the Digital World." with Tara Steele

    SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Tara Steele, Founder of The Safe AI for Children Alliance. We talk about a range of sensitive topics - from AI companions and grief bots, to the state of education around AI and the hidden impacts this iteration of technology will…

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  21. ‘Positive Cyber Solutions: Navigating Compliance, Security, and AI’ - with Rachael Medhurst and Emma Derbi

    SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode, I chat to Emma Derbi and Rachael Medhurst, the Founders of Positive Cyber Solutions. We chat compliance, security (and how they are not one and the same) and what businesses of all sizes need to do to be secure. We also talk about where companies are getting...

  22. ‘From TikTok to chatbots - Raising our kids to be Screen-Safe.’ with Anna Sarjantson

    SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Anna Sarjantson, Founder of Screen-Safe about the impact that social media and AI is having on our young people, and how we as parents, teachers and adults need to 'normalize the awkward' and have those conversations about online...

  23. 'Stories That Protect: Cybersecurity, Safety, and the Digital Future' - with Wendy Goucher

    SEASON FIVE: This week, I welcome back the wonderful Wendy Goucher, Cyber Consultant at Arcanum and author of the Nettie in Cyberland series for children, and the Canon Doyle stories for our older relatives. We chat about just how much the tech landscape has changed in the past three years since...

  24. ‘The Future of First Impressions: AI in Candidate Screening.’ - with Rob Griesmeyer and Kevin Johnson

    SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I speak to Rob Griesmeyer and Kevin Johnson about their company Screenz.ai and the huge benefits to AI screening and assessments when it comes to interview - for both the candidate and the hiring team. We talk nervous interviewees, open…

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  25. ‘Upskill, Reskill, Adapt: Thriving Amid AI Change’ with Ben Tasker

    SEASON FIVE - In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Ben Tasker, Senior AI Learning Strategist for National Grid. After all the news about AI generated layoffs, I wanted to learn more about how tech professionals can prepare and not panic when it comes to this iteration of tech. We…

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  26. "Parenting in a Digital World: Building Boundaries and Emotional Firewalls" with Nadja El Fertasi

    SEASON FIVE: *Sensitive subject matter*. In this week's episode of Talent First, I welcome back one of my favourite guests to the show, Nadja El Fertasi, Founder of Thrive with EQ who talks to me about her most recent offshoot of this venture, Shield with EQ. Nadja's mission is to empower...

  27. "Cybersecurity Gaps in AI: What Companies Need to Know Now” with Lisa Ventura

    SEASON FIVE: This week sees the return of the wonderful Lisa Ventura who talks to me about her new venture the AI and Cyber Security Association whose mission is to secure the future of AI and defend the future of security by supporting companies with training, policy and governance and risk...

  28. "From Legacy to Leadership: SAP Migration, Predictive Analytics, and Organizational Readiness" with Chris Carter

    SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode, I chat to Christopher Carter, Chairman and CEO at Approyo and four time best-selling author. We talk all things SAP migration, the security risks and how Approyo helps mitigate them through their range of services, and what really makes for successful change...

  29. ‘Pro-Tech or Protect? Parenting, Teaching, and Thriving in a Connected World’ with Sue Atkins

    SEASON FIVE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to parenting expert Sue Atkins about something that is becoming of increasing concern to parents globally - children and technology. When is the right time to give your child a smartphone? What should schools be doing and what support do...

  30. ‘Who’s Really Logging In? AI Agents, Access, and the CISO’s New Frontier’ with Diana Kelley

    SEASON FIVE: In this weeks episode, I chat to Diana Kelley, CISO at Noma about a range of issues around AI integration, policy and governance and about what she is seeing when it comes to the impact of generative AI on recruitment and hiring. We also talk about the CISO role - is it becoming...

  31. ‘AI Literacy in Higher Education:Are We Preparing Students for the Future?’ with Professor Sarah Jones

    SEASON FIVE: This episode was first aired in September 2024 - and it's incredible how much more complex things have become in that time. I speak to Professor Sarah Jones, Pro Vice Chancellor for Education at Solent University. We talk about passions that we share - how to enhance learning and...

  32. ‘Raising Resilient Digital Citizens:Rethinking Cyber Safety for the Next Generation’ with Joe Wells

    SEASON FIVE - In this episode I’m joined by Joe Wells, a passionate and driven voice in cybersecurity who is determined to make the online world safer for children. Together, we explore Cyberherd, his inspiring initiative designed to guide parents, educators, and communities in protecting young...

  33. ‘Building MAXI: Navigating AI Innovation, Child Safety, and the Future of Learning’ with Aska Kuwabara

    SEASON FIVE: This episode, I chat to Aska Kuwabara, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Axartoys.ai and Founder of Getitdonewith.AI. We chat about her amazing new AI powered soft toy, MAXI, that aims to educate children not just around the use of AI but in traditional academic subjects too…

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  34. ‘Prebunking, Post-Truth, and Preparing the Next Generation – What Every Adult Needs to Know Today’ - with Elesa Zehndorfer

    SEASON FIVE: In this episode of Talent First, I chat to Dr Elena Zehndorfer, academic, researcher and editor-in-chief at Blackheath Publishing. We cover a range of topics that will be of particular interest to parents of teenagers who are navigating the digital world. We discuss the issues of...

  35. ‘The Superhero Within: Recognising Our Cybersecurity ‘Kryptonite’ and How to Defend Against It’ - with Stuart Walton

    SEASON FIVE - In this week's episode, I speak to Stuart Walton about all things security awareness and training for businesses and for the family. We talk about his superhero analogy when it comes to online safety, the different forms of social engineering we encounter every day and how to…

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  36. 'Demystifying AI: Ethics, Inclusion, and the Human Responsibility.' with Brenda Darden Wilkerson

    SEASON FIVE: In this episode, the first episode of season 5 of our award-winning podcast, I speak to Brenda Darden Wilkerson, President and CEO of AnitaB.org. We discuss a range of topics on our responsibility for understanding AI, not just in organisation but as individuals, so that we have a...

  37. ‘How to SOAR: Creating Confident Careers in Technology.’ with Dora Boussias

    BONUS EPISODE: In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Dora Boussias, Founder of DoraB Global and a woman with a fascinating and inspiring personal story. We talk about her unique approach to leadership coaching, the frameworks she provides her cohorts so that they can SOAR and what…

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  38. "The Future of Cyber Leadership: Learning, Inclusion, and Remote Growth" with Oluwadamilola Obamehinti

    In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to Oluwadamilola Obamehinti, Founder of Cyber Culture about the future of this industry. We cover topics ranging from the issues in diversity, how Gen Z will learn leadership skills if working remotely and what tech leaders should really be concerned...

  39. ’More Than a CV: Building a Multi-Channel Career Brand.’ with Suzie Henriques

    BONUS EPISODE: In this week's episode, I speak to the wonderful Suzie Henriques, Founder of The CV Bee who shares her wisdom and expertise in writing great resumes, and in career coaching. We talk about the services her company offers, the importance of a multi-channel approach to job search as...

  40. 'Romance Scams and Modern Exploitation: The crime, the victims, and the need for change' - with Bronwyn Boyle

    BONUS EPISODE (Some listeners may find this content sensitive): This week, I chat to Bronwyn Boyle, CISO at PPRO, about the crucial (and often misunderstood) issue of romance scams. We look at the increasing volume and complexity of these crimes from both the victim's and perpetrator's side, and...

  41. ‘From Awareness to Action: How the NCA is Building a More Secure Digital World.’ - with Lisa Plaggemier

    SEASON FOUR: In this episode, I chat to Lisa Plaggemeir, Executive Director of the National Cybersecurity Alliance about her career to date (from marketing to cybersecurity!), and about the incredible work of the NCA. When it comes to security awareness training, their free resources are second…

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  42. ‘Breaking the Silence: Navigating Neurodiversity, Menopause, and Imposter Syndrome in Cybersecurity’ with Lisa Ventura

    Disclaimer - This episode covers topics that some listeners might find sensitive. BONUS EPISODE: This week we are celebrating a key milestone - 50 guests have joined me to discuss all things tech, security and leadership and we could be prouder in the Talent First office! And who better to chat…

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  43. Leading with Empathy: Navigating Change and Building Trust’ - With Farrah Mitra

    SEASON FOUR - In this week's episode I return to the theme of the season, The Women Securing Texas, discussing all things empathy and leadership with Founder of Green Reed, Farrah Mitra. We talk about her new framework for change management, her work as a radical candor coach and about her own...

  44. 'From Influence to Opportunity: Building a Thriving Cyber Career' with Candace Williams

    BONUS EPISODE: This week's episode of Talent First is with an incredible woman in cyberscurity who I have been wanting to chat to for some time! She is Candace Williams, Founder of Cyb(H)er Ally Solutions and staunch advocate for all those entering the profession and for women who are looking to...

  45. ‘Scaling Success: Sales Strategies, Leadership, and Growth in Cybersecurity SaaS’ - with Jessica Bookman

    SEASON FOUR: In this episode of Talent Fist, I'm talking everything cybersecurity SaaS sales with Jessica Bookman, AVP of Commercial at Sublime Security. From how to scale excellent teams to how to interview for human skills, Jessica gives you a range of advice for how to be a successful leader…

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  46. ’Hacker in Heels: Championing Change for the Next Generation of Women in Cybersecurity.’ - with Stacey Champagne

    BONUS EPISODE - This week, I welcome back a guest from Season One of Talent First, Stacey Champagne, Founder of Hacker in Heels and advocate for women in cybersecurity everywhere. We talk about her career journey so far, the important work Hacker in Heels in doing in this space (and how YOU can...

  47. ’Know Your Worth: Navigating Salary, Promotions, and Career Pivots’ - with Keri-Lynne Shaw

    BONUS EPISODE - In this week's episode of Talent First, I chat to one of my favourite women who I am yet to meet in the flesh, Keri-Lynne Shaw, Founder of The Salary Bump and its sister companies, The Career Bump and The Exit Bump - and does she have a special deal for our loyal listeners!. We…

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  48. ’Leading in Niche Markets - Building Teams, Trust, and Innovative Solutions.’ - with Kathy Staudt

    SEASON FOUR - In this fantastic episode, just in time for International Women's Day, I speak to Kathy Staudt, President and Co Founder of The Vibration Guys about her incredible career, about her experiences as a woman in STEM and about how to thrive, not just survive, in a niche industry. Her...

  49. ’Shaping the Future: Digital Transformation In All Its Forms’ - with Jeanie Anirudhan

    SEASON FOUR - In this episode of Talent First, I sit down with Jeanie Anirudhan, PMO at PepsiCo, to break down the realities of digital transformation—why the term itself is often a misnomer and how true transformation is about delivering real business value. We explore the critical role of...

  50. ’Lessons in Leadership - How Three Women in Tech are Shaping the Future.' with Kelly Pracht, Jessica Nemmers and Mandy Andress

    SEASON FOUR - This week, we're doing something a little different. It's a retrospective of three of our favourite episodes with women who are working for or in Texas. I talk sports betting, leadership, the future of cybersecurity and the efficacy of teams three incredible people who are paving…

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Conversations about cybersecurity & tech, leadership and the human side of innovation.Because whatever is happening in technology, it's always Talent First.

HOSTED BY

Michelle Edmondson

CATEGORIES

technology

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Talent First have?

Talent First currently has 99 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Talent First about?

Conversations about cybersecurity & tech, leadership and the human side of innovation.Because whatever is happening in technology, it's always Talent First.

How often does Talent First release new episodes?

Talent First has 99 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

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You can listen to Talent First 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 Talent First?

Talent First is created and hosted by Michelle Edmondson.
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