IBM Z and LinuxONE Ecosystem Podcast

In this episode of New to Z: Road to SME, we’re joined by Richelle Anne Craw—Mainframe Software Engineer, IBM Champion, and community leader—for an honest and fun conversation about growth, curiosity, and confidence on the road to SME.
Richelle shares her journey from early‑career developer to trusted expert, why teaching is often the moment you realize you’re an SME, and how transferable skills, mentorship, and curiosity shape long‑term success. From COBOL and pseudocode to open source and modern tooling, this episode is all about learning one step ahead—and making space for everyone in the mainframe community.
Perfect for anyone new to IBM Z, navigating their career, or questioning whether they’re “expert enough” yet.

Even the most advanced systems can be undone by a single human misstep. In this episode of the z/Action Podcast, we explore how social engineering exploits human behavior and how awareness, culture, and continuous education can help protect mission-critical environments like IBM Z. Joining us is Niall Ashley, an IBM Champion and security professional passionate about raising awareness of the human side of cybersecurity. Together, we discuss real-world examples, the psychology behind social engineering, and practical ways enterprises can strengthen their “human firewall” to complement the technical resilience of the mainframe.

In this episode of the z/Action Podcast, our community manager Natalie Carrillo speaks with Mark Schettenhelm, Principal Product Manager, about his decades long journey with the mainframe and why IBM Z continues to evolve at the center of enterprise computing.  From solving mission critical problems to leveraging AI for deeper code understanding and log analysis, Mark shares how innovation, persistence and a problem solving mindset are shaping the future of the platform. The conversation highlights how AI is lowering barriers to entry, enabling stronger application insight, and opening new opportunities for the next generation of IBM Z professionals. 
 
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Be part of the conversation! Join the ISV Ecosystem User Group to explore the latest blogs, events, videos, and more from IBM Z partners and innovators.
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Each month, we spotlight some of the world’s most innovative companies and how they’re driving success with IBM Z.

We’re excited to kick off the 2026 Season 2 of the New to Z: Road to SME podcast with IBM Champions  Steven Perva and Emma Skovgård, exploring how community, curiosity, and modern tooling are shaping the next generation of mainframers.
In this episode, we talk about their unconventional paths into the mainframe world and their work building vibrant communities like the Systems Z Enthusiast Discord and Dinoframe. They share lessons on learning curves, modern tools like Python on Z, and the communication skills that help new and experienced mainframers thrive. A quick, inspiring look at two leaders shaping the future of the platform.

In this episode of the z/Action podcast, we sit down with Vytautas Murauskas, a former IBMer who now brings his expertise to Rocket Software as part of the OMEGAMON support team. Vytautas shares his unique career journey, from his early days in the IBM Z world to his current role supporting one of the industry’s most trusted performance and monitoring tools. Along the way, he reflects on career-defining moments, lessons learned, and the evolution of OMEGAMON in addressing modern mainframe challenges. Whether you’re curious about building a career in Mainframe or looking for insights into OMEGAMON’s impact, this conversation offers the perfect blend of personal storytelling and technical depth.

Stay Connected
Be part of the conversation! Join the ISV Ecosystem User Group to explore the latest blogs, events, videos, and more from IBM Z partners and innovators.
And don’t forget to subscribe to z/Action!
Each month, we spotlight some of the world’s most innovative companies and how they’re driving success with IBM Z.