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James Petty

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James Petty

245 articles published

• 2 min read

The PowerShell Podcast 200 Episodes of Community with Frank Lesniak

In this milestone 200th episode of The PowerShell Podcast, Frank Lesniak returns to chat with Andrew Pla about automation, community, and what it means to “bet on yourself.” Frank shares his experiences leading cybersecurity and enterprise architecture projects, using PowerShell for AWS security automation, and developing tools to simplify complex data exports. He also discusses the upcoming PowerShell Summit, his work with DuPage Animal Friends, and the value of giving back through mentorship, community involvement, and open source.

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• 2 min read

The PowerShell Podcast BurntToast v1.0 and 10 Years of PowerShell Notifications with Josh King

Andrew’s longtime friend, mentor, and PowerShell legend Josh King joins The PowerShell Podcast to celebrate the tenth anniversary and version 1.0 release of his popular open-source module BurntToast, which powers customizable Windows toast notifications. Josh shares the story behind the project’s evolution, the challenges of maintaining an open-source module with millions of downloads, and the balance between community expectations and personal well-being. In addition to diving into BurntToast’s new actionable notifications and real-world use cases, Josh and host Andrew Pla reflect on their shared history in the PowerShell community, the importance of mentorship, and how taking small steps (like creating a GitHub repo or sharing a script) can lead to huge career growth.

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• 2 min read

The PowerShell Podcast Always Hype About Automation with Hailey Phillips

Microsoft MVP Hailey Phillips joins The PowerShell Podcast to share her journey from systems engineer to automation innovator. She talks about IntuneStack, her new PowerShell-driven CI/CD project for Intune environments, and how it bridges the gap between systems engineering and DevOps. Hailey also reflects on her path to becoming an MVP, her experiences at MMS, and the importance of mentorship, collaboration, and authenticity in the tech community. Key Takeaways: Bridging systems and DevOps – Hailey’s IntuneStack helps IT pros apply DevOps principles like CI/CD and Infrastructure as Code to Intune environments.

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• 2 min read

The PowerShell Podcast Learning, Leading, and Logging with Constantin Hager

PowerShell community leader Constantin Hager joins The PowerShell Podcast to talk about his favorite tools and journey from discovering PowerShell to organizing user groups and speaking at major conferences. He talks about his early inspiration from PowerShell Conference Europe, his involvement with open-source projects like PSFramework and AutomatedLab, and how mentorship and community involvement shaped his career. Constantin also discusses building a portable VS Code setup for his company, leading a PowerShell team, and mentoring the next generation of IT professionals.

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• 2 min read

The PowerShell Podcast Authenticity, AI, and the Human Side of Tech with Adil Leghari

Cybersecurity, automation, and PowerShell advocate Adil Leghari returns to The PowerShell Podcast to kick off Cybersecurity Month. Adil shares insights from his career journey: from PowerShell and automation to identity and now cloud security at Palo Alto Networks. He discusses creating tools like Cyberdle and QR Check, how AI is reshaping cybersecurity, and the importance of empathy, authenticity, and mentorship in tech and community life. Key Takeaways: AI in cybersecurity – Adil explains how organizations can protect sensitive data and combat threats using AI Security Posture Management and why we must “fight AI with AI.

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• 2 min read

The PowerShell Podcast AutomatedLab, GUIs, and automation with Steviecoaster

Newly minted Microsoft MVP Stephen Valdinger, known as Steviecoaster, joins The PowerShell Podcast to share his journey from IT admin to community mentor and automation advocate. He talks about discovering PowerShell through Exchange, the career-changing power of automation, and his work with AutomatedLab, PowerShell Universal, and WinUI Shell. Stevie also highlights the importance of mentoring, building community, and making PowerShell approachable for everyone. Key Takeaways: PowerShell as a gateway: Learning PowerShell can unlock career growth, lead to better automation, and even spark new opportunities like blogging, mentoring, and conference speaking.

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• 2 min read

The PowerShell Podcast From Sysadmin to Security at Microsoft with Thomas Rayner

Thomas Rayner joins The PowerShell Podcast to share his journey from sysadmin and PowerShell MVP to securing Microsoft 365 as a security professional at Microsoft. He reflects on how PowerShell accelerated his career, the importance of blogging and community involvement, and why clear communication with managers is vital for growth. Thomas also offers advice for beginners, highlighting patience, persistence, and the value of mentorship in tech. Key Takeaways: PowerShell as a force multiplier: Automating repetitive tasks with PowerShell helped Thomas advance his career and opened the door to opportunities at Microsoft.

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• 2 min read

The PowerShell Podcast From Sysadmin to PowerShell Team: The Story of SeeminglyScience

Patrick Meinecke, known as SeeminglyScience, joins host Andrew Pla to share his journey from sysadmin to joining the PowerShell team at Microsoft. He discusses his early community contributions, the inner workings of the PowerShell engine, and powerful but underused features like ETS and type converters. Patrick also highlights helpful modules such as PowerShell Run, ctypes, and Useful Argument Completers, while reflecting on the importance of community engagement and open source collaboration.

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• 2 min read

The PowerShell Podcast Beginnings, Blue Bars, and the Valley of Despair with Steven Judd

In this episode, host Andrew Pla welcomes back Steven Judd, Microsoft MVP, teacher, and longtime community contributor. Together, they dive into the theme of _beginnings, _from starting careers in IT, to first encounters with PowerShell, and the importance of resilience while navigating the “valley of despair” in learning. Steven shares his journey from music and business studies into technology, where curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to read the manuals shaped his career.

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• 2 min read

The PowerShell Podcast PowerShell, OAuth, and Automation in the Cloud with Emanuel Palm

Microsoft MVP Emanuel Palm joins The PowerShell Podcast to share his journey from managing printers in Sweden to being a Microsoft MVP who is automating the cloud with PowerShell and Azure. He talks about building the AZAuth module for OAuth authentication, using GitHub Actions for CI/CD, and the importance of blogging and community involvement. Plus, Emanuel reveals his unique side hobby… roasting coffee! Key Takeaways From printers to the cloud: Emanuel’s career shows how PowerShell can open doors, from automating IT tasks to driving cloud automation and DevOps practices.

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