FinOps in Action

How do you build a FinOps practice that balances cloud cost optimization, sustainability, and deep cross-functional engagement?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I am joined by TJ Johnson, Lead Architect for Platform Economics at MGM Resorts International. With over 25 years in IT and 15 years focused on public cloud and optimization, TJ shares a refreshing look at what really drives impact in FinOps—from relatio...

How do you scale FinOps in a way that actually engages engineers, reduces waste, and drives cloud efficiency without sacrificing velocity?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sat down with Sridhar Ayala, Director of FinOps at Adobe, to explore how Adobe approaches FinOps at scale—shifting the focus from just cost savings to enabling engineering efficiency, reducing waste, and expanding margin.

Sridhar shares Adobe...

FinOps isn’t just about tools—it’s about culture, structure, and long-term trust.

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sat down with Matan Ben-Ishay, FP&A, Engineering at Credit Karma, to explore what it really takes to build a cost-aware engineering culture and scale FinOps sustainably across an organization.

Matan shares his approach to balancing developer velocity with cloud governance, managing GCP commitme...

FinOps isn’t just about saving money — it’s about managing financial risk.

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I’m joined by Victoria Levy, FinOps Engineering Lead at Alteryx, to explore how FinOps teams can learn from security, prioritize cost optimization alongside engineering, and get serious about forecasting cloud and SaaS spend.

Victoria shares her journey from physics to FinOps, lessons learned working with e...

How can strong tagging practices make or break your FinOps strategy?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sat down with Sherri Wooldridge, Manager of Cloud FinOps at Carnival Cruise Lines and former FinOps lead at 3M, to explore the foundational role of data classification and tagging in cloud cost management. Sherri shares early lessons from her FinOps career, explains why weak tagging can derail M&A activity, and st...

How can enterprise FinOps drive change across cloud, culture, and leadership?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sat down with Scott Linn, Cloud and Services Optimization Manager at Chevron, who shares how he helped launch the company’s first FinOps function after decades in cloud operations. Scott reflects on the mindset shifts, executive support, and automation strategies that helped Chevron turn FinOps into a company...

How is FinOps evolving to meet the rising challenge of data spend management?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sat down with Alex Landis, Senior Finance Manager, and Simar Aurora, Value Engineer at Snowflake, to explore how FinOps is being applied to the fast-growing world of data usage and cost optimization. Together, they share how Snowflake’s internal FinOps practices—like “Snowflake on Snowflake”—help improve visi...

How can FinOps culture shift cost from a finance problem to an engineering mindset?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sat down with Amy Ashby, FinOps and Software Asset Management Lead at Under Armour, who shares her journey from IT data centers to cloud infrastructure and FinOps leadership. Amy unpacks the realities of building a FinOps practice from scratch—and why presenting data alone isn’t enough to inspire change...

How can automation and engineering trust transform FinOps success?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I’m joined by Diana Lezcano, Former Head of FinOps Engineering at Digital.ai and a professional dog trainer, who shares her unique journey into cloud cost management and what it takes to scale FinOps in a dynamic, engineering-led environment.

Together, we dive into key topics, including:

• Why eliminating spreadsh...

How can FinOps leaders drive both cost efficiency and innovation?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sat down with Preston Tauscher, Senior Product Owner of FinOps at AvidXchange, who brings over three decades of experience in digital transformation. Preston shares how his leadership journey has shaped his approach to cloud financial operations, offering practical insights for FinOps practitioners navigating complex ent...

How can shifting FinOps left improve cost outcomes and cross-team collaboration?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sat down with Sonal Gupta, Senior Manager of FinOps and Cloud Hosting Services at Carlsberg, and a seasoned expert who’s spoken at events hosted by Sams Nordic, Gartner, and Microsoft. Sonal brings a global perspective to FinOps leadership and shares her approach to embedding cost awareness earlier in the ...

What does it take to lead and scale FinOps in one of the world’s largest global enterprises?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I’m joined by Andrée Lundberg, FinOps Lead at H&M and FinOps Foundation Ambassador, who shares his experience managing cloud spend for a company with over 140,000 employees. Andrée discusses what it means to lead with vision, transition from running FinOps to driving it, and build effective r...

How is the FinOps Foundation evolving cloud financial management?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I’m joined by J.R. Storment, Executive Director of the FinOps Foundation, who shares his journey from IT intern to startup founder to one of the most influential leaders in the FinOps community. J.R. discusses the origins and mission of the foundation, and how it continues to serve as a hub for practitioners, not vendors, ...

How can engineering-led FinOps drive smarter cloud cost strategies?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sat down with Caleb Hurd, Principal Consultant at CostOps.Cloud, who shares his unique journey from carpentry to cloud architecture and FinOps consulting. Caleb offers a fresh perspective on the evolving FinOps landscape, advocating for a more engineering-led approach to cloud financial operations.

Together, we ...

How can dashboards, automation & collaboration advance FinOps maturity in the enterprise?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sat down with Ron Stein, IT Manager of Cloud FinOps at ZS, to explore how data empowerment, automation, and strategic tooling can elevate FinOps practices across an organization.

Ron shares his unconventional path from radio DJ and commercial photographer to FinOps leader, and breaks down the p...

How can cultural shifts, executive alignment, and chargeback models elevate FinOps success?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, we welcome two industry leaders—Polly Fabry, Senior Director of Enterprise Architecture & Strategy, and Prasshant Sharrma, Global FinOps Lead at Sysco—as they share powerful strategies for transforming cloud financial operations at scale.

Together, Polly and Prasshant dive deep into the practic...

How can strategic FinOps leadership drive product-centric optimization in enterprise organizations?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I’m joined by Ashley Hromatko—one of the original trailblazers in the FinOps space. From building one of the first and largest FinOps teams at Pearson to her influential work at the FinOps Foundation, Ashley has been at the forefront of redefining cloud financial operations. Now serving as...

How Can Curiosity, Automation, and Team Culture Shape the Future of FinOps?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I’m joined by Mike Routier, Cloud FinOps Manager at Choice Hotels International, who brings over 20 years of experience and deep insights into building a sustainable and strategic FinOps practice within a large enterprise.

Mike shares the key priorities for modern FinOps leaders—from staying curious in a fast-evol...

How Can FinOps Leadership Drive Multi-Million Dollar Savings and Optimize Cloud Costs?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I’m joined by Larry Advey, Senior Manager of FinOps at Twilio, who shares his expertise on managing complex cloud financial operations and saving over $70 million in just three years. Larry discusses the critical role of communication and collaboration in FinOps, emphasizing the need for alignment betw...