Automation Ladies

Cloud-first AI sounds great until you remember what a factory actually is: proprietary recipes, fragile uptime, legacy controls that still run fine, and a small team expected to keep everything profitable. We sit down with Brian Thykin, Head of Revenue at Sorba AI, to talk about what industrial AI and machine learning should look like when it’s built for OT instead of for slide decks. The through-line is simple: the people cl...

Everyone’s talking about AI, humanoids, and the “factory of the future” but plenty of plants are still held together with undocumented panels, obsolete PLCs, and the same hard production constraints they’ve had for decades. Nikki sits down with Rylan Paishack from Cleveland Automation Systems to sort out what actually works when you’re responsible for keeping equipment running and delivering automation...

“Digital transformation” sounds exciting until you’re standing in front of a 30-year-old panel with missing drawings and a line that cannot go down. Nikki sits down with Carrie Brown and Krista Beyhaut from Wesco to get real about what modernization actually looks like across manufacturing, especially for plants that are stuck spending their entire budget on downtime instead of upgrades. 

We talk caree...

Getting laid off can either shrink your world or force it open. When we sit down with Yogashri Pradhan, she walks us through how she’s navigated the reality of a cyclical oil and gas industry and why she chose entrepreneurship anyway, building Iron Lady Energy Advisors and taking on fractional leadership roles that keep her close to real operational problems and real outcomes. 

We talk about what it actually means...

In this episode of Automation Ladies, we step away from the technology and talk about something just as important: the people behind it.

From nonlinear career paths to the pressure of “doing everything right,” this conversation dives into what work really looks like in today’s world, especially in industrial automation and manufacturing.

Our guest shares her journey from engineering to technical writing and media, p...

Something shifted for us this year: the more we commit to doing less, the more we’re actually building. Nikki, Courtney, and Allie get together for a real catch-up on work, life, and what’s next for Automation Ladies, with stories that range from bigger robotics and better work-life balance to a brand-new view outside a bayou window in Louisiana.

We also dig into OT SCADA CON and why it keeps feeling more like a ...

Humanoid robots are getting real, and the biggest question isn’t “Can they dance?” It’s “Who’s going to understand them well enough to build, program, and fix them?” We sit down with Dr. Elliot Hefling Jr., founder of Reality Tech Academy, to talk about why he brings full-scale humanoid robots into education and why waiting until college is too late for most students, especially in underser...

You don’t need a perfectly planned career to become a manufacturing leader. Megan, Director of Manufacturing at Sentry Equipment, started in hospitality and landed in manufacturing because she wanted a more predictable schedule for family life. What happened next is the part most people miss: she fell in love with the shop floor, learned continuous improvement tools like QRM, Lean, and Six Sigma, and kept choosing roles that ...

Automation media, trade shows, and digital content are reshaping how the industrial automation industry connects. In this episode, Sarah shares insights from covering manufacturing and packaging events, building relationships across OEMs and integrators, and how social media and content creation are influencing the future of automation, engineering, and industrial technology.

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Season 7 kicks off with Cathy “Conveyor Cougar” Rinne, President of FlexLine Automation, a 15-person, woman-owned integrator known for moving fast, shipping when it counts, and adapting the playbook—from conveyors and robotics to a TikTok presence that actually reaches engineers.

We talk about what leadership really means in a family business, how FlexLine is using AI to automate drawings and quoting, and why an au...

When a chance conversation at a beer bar introduced her to the word “SCADA,” Margarita Rosenkrans had no idea it would spark a career in industrial automation. In this episode, Courtney and Alicia chat with Margarita—Sales Engineer at Inductive Automation—about her path from graduating in the middle of a hiring freeze to thriving in both support and sales engineering roles. We cover her behind-the-scenes ins...

Ever wondered what it takes to lead automation projects at trailblazing companies like Tesla and The Boring Company?

Nikki chats with Riddhi Padariya about her journey from nerdy high schooler inspired by "How It's Made" to becoming a controls engineering leader in industries ranging from tissue manufacturing to carbon capture and underground tunneling. They dive into hands-on lessons, breakthrough technologies like virtual commissi...

Curious how someone ends up building a career around machine vision and industrial automation? 

Nikki sits down with Kerry Pierce, discussing the winding path that led her from computer engineering to becoming a machine vision integrator, the invaluable lessons learned along the way, and how she’s helping demystify the field for newcomers. 

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This episode is brought to you by SPS Atlanta.  Smart Production S...

How do you build business skills as a chemical engineer?

In this episode of the Automation Ladies podcast, Ali G chats with Brielle Reisman, who shares her experiences at Applied Control Engineering, and the importance of combining technical skills with business acumen.  Brielle shares how she embraced the value of personal branding and content creation in the engineering industry, particularly for women. 

Connect with Nikk...

How will AI change Industrial automation?  

Ashlesha Anil Chaudhari  and Alex Kaderi from Masked Owl Technologies join us this week to  discuss how their team is building practical solutions to support engineers and rethink the use of AI and new technologies on the factory floor.

Hear firsthand insights into what manufacturers are actually adopting, where they're finding real value, and why some initiatives stall out.

C...

How is automation and robotics changing the future of farming?

Katie Bradford, Founder and CEO of Rotate8, joins Nikki to share her story of building practical automation that empowers small farms to thrive without sacrificing repairability or local expertise. 

Tune in to hear the challenges and opportunities in ag-tech, the design of accessible robotic platforms for small farms, and why an open-source, repairable approach matte...

Think ticks can’t find you at work? Think again!

In this special episode hosts Nikki Gonzales and Courtney Fernandez sit down with tick expert Emily Merritt (aka the “Tick Chick”). 

Learn firsthand what Lyme disease can really mean, what to watch for after a bite, how to handle household exposure, and tips you won’t find on a repellant can. 

Ready to rethink what you know about ticks? You’ll wan...

This week Nikki sits down with Brit Bartolini, Enterprise Account Director at MaintainX, for a conversation on digital transformation in manufacturing, the future of maintenance, and attracting new generations to STEM careers.

Hear how real-world manufacturing pain points, a love of gadgets, and a dash of maker-spirit are turning maintenance work into a high-tech, high-satisfaction career while solving problems most execs don’...

Frustrated by the skills gap in automation? There’s a new approach in town.

Join Nikki Gonzales as she sits down with Paul Godines from Logix Trainers to talk real solutions for bridging the entry-level technician divide.

On this episode of Automation Ladies, you’ll get the inside story on why simulation training matters, what makes tenacity essential in controls, and how industry standard models like ISA-95 can map a bet...