The PowerShell Podcast The PowerShell Summit Hallway Track with Gilbert Sanchez and Joshua Dearing
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This episode captures the energy of PowerShell Summit through two conversations, one with Gilbert Sanchez and one with Joshua Dearing. The discussion moves from open source maintenance and the future of PowerShell in AI workflows to the human side of technical communities, including burnout, neurodiversity, mentorship, and the value of showing up in person. It also highlights how PowerShell can change careers over time, not just by teaching syntax, but by opening doors to better communication, stronger community ties, and bigger technical thinking.
Key Takeaways:
· Community is often the unlock, not just the tooling. Both conversations reinforce that Summit’s real value is the people, the hallway conversations, and the sense that learning gets easier when you have others around you who are willing to help.
· Sustainable technical growth matters more than short bursts of output. Gilbert talks about burnout, open source maintenance, and creating healthier ways to contribute, while Andrew connects that to ADHD, mental health, and building a career that can last.
· PowerShell is a starting point for much bigger opportunities. Joshua’s story, from community member to module author, reflects a broader theme in the episode that small steps, taken consistently, can completely reshape what kind of work you can do and who you can become in the field.
Guest Bio:
Gilbert Sanchez is a Staff Software Development Engineer at Tesla, specifically working on PowerShell. Formerly known as “Señor Systems Engineer” at Meta. A loud advocate for DEI, DevEx, DevOps, and TDD.
Resource Links:
· PSake: https://psake.dev
· Gilbert Sanchez links: https://links.gilbertsanchez.com
· Gilbert Sanchez blog: https://gilbertsanchez.com
Josh is a systems administrator with a philosophy degree and a helpdesk origin story. He’s a speaker, open source contributor, creator of ModuleExplorer, and a PDQ Sysadmin Hall of Fame winner. He’s a firm believer that the best script is the one you don’t keep to yourself.
· Joshua Dearing’s website: https://dearing.dev
About the Authors
Andrew Pla
PowerShell MVP, podcast host, and Community Director of PowerShell Summit
I’m a technical educator and community builder. I’m a Microsoft PowerShell MVP, podcast host, speaker, and Community Director of PowerShell Summit. I also work at PDQ alongside sysadmins and IT pros every day.
Community isn’t just what I do. It’s where I get my energy. I genuinely light up when I see someone land a new job, level up a skill, or show up to their first conference. I love sharing that passion with others.
Every week I host a live podcast and stream on YouTube covering PowerShell, automation, and the humans behind the keyboards.
If you’re on your IT journey and need someone in your corner, you’re in the right place. Find more at andrewpla.tech/links.
Gilbert Sanchez
PowerShell nerd, open source contributor, and accidental homelab architect
I maintain projects like psake, lead a team of engineers by day, and automate everything in sight by night — the house runs on Home Assistant and I have no regrets. I also care a lot about making tech more accessible and welcoming, especially for neurodiverse folks. If it can be scripted or made more human, it probably already has been. Find me at gilbertsanchez.com.