Mainframe Connect

In this special December episode of Mainframe Voices, leaders and contributors from across the Open Mainframe Project community share what they are most thankful for this year. From new career opportunities and open source collaboration to supportive teams and personal milestones, our guests reflect on the moments that made 2025 memorable in the mainframe world.Featuring: •Steven Dickens – CEO and Principal Analyst, Top 3 Global Technology Industry Analyst, Advisor to Tech Vendor Executives •Billie Jean Simmons – Software Developer for zDevOps, IBM Wazi, and Cloud IDE; Zowe Explorer Squad Lead •Len Santalucia – CTO Mainframe, AI, Cloud, Analytics, Mobile, Security; IBM Champion and Chairperson of the Linux Foundation Open Mainframe Project •Elliot Jalley – Senior Principal Product Manager, Open Mainframe Project Ambassador •Germanas Šamrickis – Senior Software Engineer at Rocket SoftwareThe Mainframe Connect podcast includes the I Am a Mainframer series, Mainframe Voices, and other conversations with mainframe professionals, sponsored by the Open Mainframe Project, a Linux Foundation initiative.#MainframeVoices #MainframeConnect #OpenMainframeProject #LinuxFoundation #Mainframe #Gratitude #Community

In this episode of Mainframe Coven, Jessielaine Punongbayan (Product Manager, Dynatrace) and Richelle Anne Craw (Software Engineer, Beta Systems Software) chat with Lezlie Browder, A Technologist Devoted to Lifelong Learning. She shares her decades-long career as a mainframe mentor, instructor, and technologist. She reflects on inclusive tech culture, teaching across generations, volunteering, and offering grounded advice for women balancing caregiving, career growth, and lifelong learning.Links and Resources Mentioned in the Episode:- Open Mainframe Project Mentorship Program: https://openmainframeproject.org/projects/mentorship/- IBM TechXchange Community: https://community.ibm.com/community/user/my-community- Black Girls Code: https://www.wearebgc.org/- Blind Service Chicago: https://www.blindservicechicago.org/- Source: Isha Jain, “Care responsibilities impact career choices for 40% of women in tech,” Data Centre & Network News, Tech Talent Charter survey, retrieved from dcnnmagazine.com: https://dcnnmagazine.com/news/care-responsibilities-impact-career-choices-for-40-of-women-in-tech/

In this episode of Mainframe Coven, Jessielaine Punongbayan (Product Manager, Dynatrace) and Richelle Anne Craw (Software Engineer, Beta Systems Software) chat with Sudharsana Srinivasan, a champion for mentorship and mainframe advocacy. She opens up about her journey from studying computer science in India to leading firmware development at IBM, sharing the lessons she’s learned along the way. Sudharsana talks about her passion for helping the next generation, the value of connecting what you learn to real-world opportunities, and how mentorship can create a ripple effect of growth and empowerment.Links and Resources Mentioned in the Episode:Open Mainframe Project Mentorship Program: https://openmainframeproject.org/projects/mentorship/Open Mainframe Project COBOL Programming Course: https://openmainframeproject.org/projects/cobol-programming-course/ibm.biz/mentor-today: http://ibm.biz/mentor-todayibm.biz/newtoibmz: http://ibm.biz/newtoibmz

Join host Steven Dickens as he chats with Ricki West, a systems programmer at the UK Land Registry, about his journey into the mainframe world, his evolving roles across subsystems, and his commitment to growing the mainframe community through initiatives like Waves.Ricki and Steven shares insights on navigating mainframe careers, the changing demographics of the industry with millennials and Gen Z joining, and his views on the ongoing evolution of mainframe technology including quantum-safe encryption and blockchain potential.Whether a newcomer or seasoned professional, Ricki’s perspectives offer inspiration and practical advice for engaging with and advancing in the mainframe ecosystem.🔹 Learn more about Ricki’s work with the Wavez community and student scholarships.🔹 Subscribe for more conversations on mainframe careers and innovation from the Open Mainframe Project.🔹 Visit openmainframeproject.org for additional resources.#Mainframe #IAmAMainframer #OpenMainframeProject #SystemsProgramming #MainframeCommunity #TechCareers #wavez

Join host Steven Dickens in this episode of I Am A Mainframer as he talks with Emma Skovgard, an IT security engineer at Danske Bank. Emma shares her inspiring and unconventional career path into the mainframe ecosystem, her deep involvement in open source projects, and her insights on the current challenges and future of mainframe security.Discover Emma's perspective on automation, infrastructure as code, and how diverse skills are shaping the future of mainframe technology. Whether you're a student, professional, or enthusiast, Emma’s story offers valuable lessons and motivation to get involved and innovate in the mainframe community.🔹 Follow Emma on LinkedIn for more thought leadership on mainframe and security.🔹 Subscribe for more episodes from the Open Mainframe Project’s I Am A Mainframer podcast.🔹 Learn more about the mainframe ecosystem: openmainframeproject.org#Mainframe #ITSecurity #OpenSource #MainframeCommunity #IAmAMainframer