Cloud Currents

David Morales helped build Walmart's private cloud from the ground up—385,000 virtual cores, a custom PaaS layer, and AI-powered store robots before the world knew what to do with them. Now, as SVP of Technology and CIO at Western Governors University, he applies those same principles to keep a 100% digital learning environment running for 193,000 students at 99.7% uptime—while fending off nearly 10,000 cyber attacks per minute. In this episode, David and host Matt Pacheco cover why lift-and-shift migration fails, how to build governance into your architecture instead of bolting it on, and what AI readiness actually requires. His closing framework says it all: listen first, get the fundamentals right, and focus on outcomes—not outputs.

In this episode of Cloud Currents, host Matt Pacheco sits down with Yabing Wang, VP of Security & IT Services and dual CISO/CIO at JustWorks, for one of the most candid conversations yet on what it actually takes to lead security in the age of AI. Yabing opens up about her unlikely path from philosophy major to Netscape engineer to cybersecurity leader — and why that winding road gave her the mental frameworks she relies on today. Then the conversation gets into the real stuff: how AI is reshaping the threat landscape faster than most organizations can respond, why your attack surface grew from 5 integrations to 500 almost overnight, and what "AI tool sprawl" is actually costing your business in risk, money, and operational clarity.

In today's episode, Jeremy Uniake, VP of IT at Thrive, shares how he's modernizing 40 million lines of COBOL while implementing AI that analyzes 10+ million calls with 98% accuracy—all at a fraction of typical enterprise costs. From managing tech across 10+ acquisitions to challenging what "AI" really means (spoiler: it's pattern matching, not intelligence), Jeremy delivers no-BS insights on legacy modernization, practical AI implementation, and why simplification is harder than anyone thinks. Learn his three-tier AI strategy, how to avoid big bang deployments, and why the future of search might be in jeopardy

Join host Matt Pacheco as he sits down with Manish Khadiya, VP of IT Enterprise Architecture and Cybersecurity at DirecTV, for insights into one of the most complex enterprise transformations happening today—DirecTV's separation from AT&T. With nearly three decades of technology leadership across GE, NBCUniversal, Facebook, and Parker Hannifin, Manish shares how they're building enterprise architecture and cybersecurity functions from scratch while maintaining business continuity for millions of customers. The conversation covers DirecTV's AI implementation strategy that's delivering 15% productivity gains, the unique challenges of vendor relationship management during corporate separations, and emerging technologies like agentic AI and autonomous vehicle entertainment opportunities.

Matt Pacheco sits down with Danny Matzlavi, VP of Engineering at Blackhawk Networks, for a deep dive into the rapidly evolving world of platform engineering. With over 25 years of experience spanning VMware, Nutanix, and fintech, Danny shares how Blackhawk has built a comprehensive platform engineering organization that unifies infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, observability, and SRE under one umbrella. They discuss cutting-edge insights on AI integration in infrastructure operations, cloud cost optimization strategies that can save 20-30% immediately, and Danny's bold prediction that platform engineering will evolve into "platform engineering in a box" within the next 3-7 years.

In this episode, we talk to Microsoft MVP Christopher Turner, a seasoned Product Technology Architect at TierPoint. As organizations grapple with VMware's licensing changes under Broadcom, Christopher shares invaluable insights into Azure Local as a compelling alternative for hybrid infrastructure. We unpack the complexities of modern cloud migration strategies, from avoiding the common lift-and-shift trap to leveraging AI for infrastructure automation. Christopher reveals how he's transformed his workflow using GitHub Copilot and AI-driven code generation, comparing working with AI to "managing a toddler" - a metaphor that perfectly captures both the potential and pitfalls of these emerging technologies. The conversation spans critical topics including cloud cost optimization strategies, the realities of cloud repatriation, and practical approaches for migrating legacy applications. Christopher shares hard-won lessons about why many cloud migrations fail and offers actionable advice for organizations seeking to maximize their hybrid cloud investments.

Join us for a conversation with Jeff Barr, VP and Chief Evangelist at AWS, as he takes us on a 23-year journey from witnessing the birth of Amazon Web Services to predicting an AI-driven future where data outlasts applications and ancient languages like Quechua can generate Python code. Jeff shares insider stories about AWS's humble beginnings when EC2's first $10 day felt monumental, reveals his latest experiments with spec-driven development through AWS's Curo platform, and discusses the possibility of orbital data centers becoming reality.

Join host Matt Pacheco as he sits down with Matthew Toussain, Founder and CEO of Open Security and former US Air Force cyber warfare specialist from the military's first specialized cybersecurity class. In this episode, Matthew reveals the shocking reality of cloud security in the AI era—from unsecured S3 buckets that still plague enterprises to the terrifying new world of AI-generated vulnerabilities being created faster than defenders can handle. Discover why the most common cloud breaches still involve basic authentication failures, how Microsoft 365 Copilot is accidentally exposing corporate secrets, and why voice-based AI attacks are about to revolutionize social engineering. Matthew shares exclusive insights from real incident response cases, including a ransomware attack that went from vulnerability disclosure to complete compromise in just two weeks.

In this episode, host Matt Pacheco sits down with Mohit Kalra, CISO and VP of Security at Typeface, to explore the evolving landscape of AI security. Mohit shares how traditional SaaS security principles must evolve to address GenAI challenges, from data governance and model selection to building enterprise trust through transparency. The conversation covers the intersection of FinOps and security, balancing innovation speed with security rigor, and the essential skills security professionals need to thrive in an AI-first world.

Today Matt Pacheco sits down with Tamanna Sait, VP of Engineering for Cloud at Crusoe, who brings over 25 years of experience spanning IBM's public clouds, Facebook's massive private cloud architecture, and customer-side optimization at Netflix and Airbnb. In this episode, we discuss how Crusoe is pioneering the world's first vertically integrated AI infrastructure platform by harnessing large-scale clean energy sources, including their groundbreaking 1.2-gigawatt Abilene Data Center and fully geothermal-powered Iceland facility. Tamanna shares practical insights on cost optimization strategies that don't compromise reliability, the evolution from traditional cloud to AI-optimized platforms, and leadership principles for building resilient technical teams.

Join host Matt Pacheco as he sits down with Elliott Clark, CEO of Batteries Included and former Facebook infrastructure engineer, for a discussion about why giving developers Kubernetes is like handing them "a spinning ball of razor blades." Elliot shares hard-won insights from seven years at Facebook on cloud cost optimization, why security is fundamentally a human problem, and his revolutionary bring-your-own-compute approach that's democratizing enterprise-level infrastructure for startups and growing companies.

Today Matt sits down with Ryan Raub, VP of Cloud Infrastructure at SmartRent. From scaling infrastructure that supports millions of IoT devices to navigating the challenges of AWS IoT Core, Ryan shares invaluable insights from his journey from government work to startup leadership. Don't miss Ryan's practical advice on implementing Terraform at scale and his perspective on how AI might transform cloud infrastructure management in the coming years.

Today, Matt sits down with Diego Costa, Cloud and Senior Platform Manager at Nestle, as he unveils the complexities of managing one of the world's largest cloud environments. From orchestrating a team of nearly 100 across multiple time zones to navigating security challenges in the food and beverage industry, Diego shares insights and advice from his 25-year journey in tech. Learn how Nestle approaches multi-cloud strategy, vendor management, and AI adoption while maintaining stringent security measures across global operations.

In this episode, we discuss Etsy's transformative cloud journey with Danny Daya, Director of FinOps and Cloud Strategy. From orchestrating a massive cloud migration to pioneering innovative FinOps practices, Danny shares invaluable insights on balancing technological innovation with financial responsibility. Learn how Etsy is leveraging generative AI to revolutionize both their marketplace and internal operations, while maintaining a strong commitment to sustainability through their groundbreaking Cloud Jewels initiative. This episode is packed with practical strategies for cloud optimization, regulatory compliance, and the future of cloud technology in e-commerce.

Today Matt sits down with Peter Van Iperen, CISO at Own Company (recently acquired by Salesforce). From the challenges of multi-cloud environments to the transformative impact of AI on cloud security, Peter shares invaluable insights from his 25+ years of experience in tech leadership. Listen to why backup strategies are more critical than ever, why Infrastructure as Code isn't the silver bullet many think it is, and how AI is reshaping the future of cloud operations.

Join host Matt Pacheco as he sits down with Chris O'Brien, Director of Engineering at Tinder, for a discussion on scaling cloud infrastructure in one of the world's most popular social platforms. From managing billions of daily interactions to implementing cutting-edge AI solutions, Chris describes his journey of transforming Tinder's infrastructure. Discover how this dating app giant maintains 99.99% reliability while pushing the boundaries of innovation in cloud computing.

Cloud Currents host, Matt Pacheco, sits down with Dennis Walker, Senior Director of HPC Solutions Architecture at HPE, discusses the world of high-performance computing and cloud infrastructure. From managing massive-scale supercomputers to implementing cutting-edge AI solutions, Dennis shares his expertise on the challenges and innovations in modern computing infrastructure. Learn about the intersection of cloud-native architecture with supercomputing, the critical role of power efficiency in large-scale operations, and the evolution of DevOps in enterprise environments.

Cloud Currents host Matt Pacheco sits down with Sameer Airyil, Executive Director of Cloud and Cybersecurity at JPMorgan Chase, as he pulls back the curtain on building and managing cloud security at one of the world's largest financial institutions. From navigating complex regulations to embracing cutting-edge technologies, Sameer shares his journey of building a cloud assurance function from the ground up. Learn how his team balances innovation with security, handles the talent shortage in cybersecurity, and leverages automation and AI to streamline operations.