Frontline Innovators

Summary

In this episode of the Frontline Innovators Podcast, host Justin Lake speaks with change management consultant Leslie Downing about the critical role of human factors in technology adoption. They discuss the importance of engaging frontline workers, the challenges of communicating change, and the need for effective leadership in managing transitions. Leslie shares insights on measuring behavior change, the impact of AI on t...

In this episode of the Frontline Innovators Podcast, host Justin Lake welcomes Kelly Kluge, an expert in technology adoption and transformation. They discuss the critical role of frontline workers as problem solvers and thought leaders, emphasizing the need for organizations to embrace their insights and experiences. Kelly highlights the operational consequences of poor technology adoption, arguing that neglecting the in...

Host Justin Lake interviews Carlos Linares, founder and CEO of FoodOpsIQ and Third Wish Food Services, about using AI and technology to empower frontline food-service teams. Carlos explains his global experience, the idea of "virtual OPEX," and how voice-enabled generative AI can augment workers in kitchens and service roles.

They cover practical change management: designing with operations, running pilots, building trust, measurin...

In this episode of Frontline Innovators, host Justin Lake welcomes Anna Karousis, Senior Director of Change Management with more than 15 years of experience helping organizations navigate complex technology and process change. Together, they unpack why frontline technology initiatives so often fail to deliver on their promised ROI, and what leaders can do differently to drive real adoption, trust, and long-term value. 

Anna brings...

In this episode, host Justin Lake sits down with Heather Brizzi, IT Director of Generative AI Initiatives at a Wholesale Building Materials company.

Heather shares her insights on the transformative power of AI and its impact on both frontline and knowledge worker roles. With a career dedicated to integrating technology with process enablement, Heather's expertise provides valuable perspectives on the evolving landscape of work....

This week we have Justin Eubanks, Learning & Development Manager at Great Day Improvements on the Frontline Innovators podcast with host Justin Lake.

Justin is a developmental strategist with extensive experience using LEAN methodologies to engage, attract, and retain the frontline workforce in a variety of ways at Great Day Improvements. 

  Quote: "I asked them how, how do you measure culture and how do you measure learning? Y...

This week on the Frontline Innovators host Justin Lake speaks with Jerry Ryan, Senior Solution Principal at Dell Technologies.

Jerry has over thirty-five years of information technology, management, and overall business experience including IT Management, IT Project/Program/End User experience primarily around Microsoft Technologies. He is currently responsible for services pre-sales activities to DoD entities including the U.S. Ai...

This week on the Frontline Innovators we're speaking with Don Jacobson, IT Business Partner for Innovation @ City of Las Vegas

Don brings 23 years of experience in municipal government with enterprise-wide initiatives, and he supports the city's many initiatives to become a model Smart City as well as the visioning for its Innovation District and associated programs and projects.

  Quote: "A key factor in digital adoption is under...

This week on the Frontline Innovators we welcome Julie Whitten, Sr. Director Change Management Strategy @ Sodexo. Julie has more than 25 years of experience in change leadership, marketing, and communications.

Julie is an empathetic leader who serves as an advisor to senior leaders and is a resourceful and creative problem-solver who drives business results with her strategic planning, organizational change management, and commu...

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have Nea Christensen, Director IT @ ProAmpac | PMP, Process Improvement.

Nea has over 10 years of experience in providing executive-level information systems and te...

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have Bill Padula, Executive VP of Strategic Consulting @ Evora IT Solutions. 

Bill brings over two decades of experience and a wealth of knowledge varying from enterprise mobility, to consulting large-scale IT deployment initiatives. We're excited to dig into his knowledge!

Quote: "To me the biggest challenge facing the workforce is that the providers and the the implementers don't alw...

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have a special guest from Alaska.🥶  Ally Dykes, PMP, is the Senior Manager, IT Programs at the largest telecommunications provider in Alaska, GCI.

Ally's expertise lies in monitoring and executing business operations programs while enacting transformational change to support emerging requirements and sustainable technology development.

Quote: "Every time a new piece of technology or d...

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have two guests! ✌

Jennifer Martindale is the Director of Organizational Change Management at J.R. Simplot Company. She helps people move forward through transformation management strategies that create buy-in, transition mindsets, change cultures, challenge assumptions, improve processes, and implement solutions that stick.

Stacy Gibbons is a clinical licensed mental health counselor who ...

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have a special guest who happens to be a Skyllful customer, Gary Brown, EAM Manager at Denbury, Inc.

Gary has a wealth of experience being on the frontline and now is on the operations side. Listen to Part 1 of the conversation here.

  Quote: "What's the most important asset at Denbury? I just wait for somebody to talk about that one big plant we got, or that highest-producing well and I'm ...

This week on the Frontline Innovators we have a special guest who happens to be a Skyllful customer, Gary Brown, EAM Manager at Denbury, Inc.

Gary has a wealth of experience being on the frontline and now is on the operations side. Listen to Part 1 of the conversation and stay tuned for Part 2 next week.   Quote: "Any way you can reduce the frontline's risk of feeling like they're going to get a bad grade, bad performance review, ...

Today's guest is a retired military pilot of 20 years turned change management professional - Sean McCarthy, Director, Change Management Lead at Takeda. 

Sean has realized that there are so many parallels between the change that happens in the military world versus the civilian world and thinks there is much more we can do to help the deskless workforce adopt the changes. 

Quote: "You can have the best technology in the world. If...

Today's guest has a passion for leading people, change management, and driving and evangelizing programs. Welcome Kayla Thorpe, Senior Manager of Professional Services at Softchoice. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated excellence in program and project management, technology implementations, employee experience, and end-user productivity.

Quote: "What I find when you're meeting with people is humans are humans, people are...

This week's guest is Dave Rozelle, Senior Manager Learning Development at Take 5 Oil Change. 

Dave brings many years of management and supervisory experience supported by decades of computer and communications technology experience. Dave has developed new software products and is a strategic thinker and team builder. 

Quote: "It's a primary goal of what I'm doing with like our employee feedback surveys, is not to make the frontli...

This week's guest is Gail Norris, US Lead, SITRAIN Digital Industries Learning, Digital Industries Division at Siemens Industry

Gail is experienced in all aspects of customer and employee learning, performance management and optimizing organizational growth. She has extensive experience with tech support, consulting for contact centers, field service management, and meeting the needs of the frontline worker.

Quote: "I think if yo...