Welcome to PLATO Panel Talks! Every month, we bring together a team of experts from our PLATO team and community to talk about their experiences, debate, and discuss issues in the vast world of software testing and quality assurance.
From Tester to Leader: Mentoring, Coaching & Management in Tech
What happens when you move from being an individual contributor to managing and developing others?
In this episode of PLATO Panel Talks, host Mike Hrycyk is joined by Heather Stapleton (PLATO, Delivery Leader, Atlantic Region) and Ellery Furlong (PLATO, Manager) for a practical conversation about mentoring, coaching, and management in tech with lessons from their own experiences, including how to build trust, support quieter team members, adapt your mentoring style, and avoid becoming a crutch for the people you lead.
Moving into management isn't just about taking on more responsibility. It's about learning how to help others, and yourself, grow confidently in technology careers.
Episode Transcript here
Find us at: http://platotech.com/ (https://platotech.com/)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plato-testing/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/plato-testing/)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PLATOTechGroup/ (https://www.instagram.com/platotesting/)
11 Aug 2026
Tools of the Trade: Automation Edition
What's in your automation toolbox?
In this special summer episode, host Mike Hrycyk is joined by automation and QA leaders who share the tools they're using to improve software quality, accelerate testing, andnavigate the growing influence of AI.
From Postman for API testing and collaboration,to Ruff, Black, and SonarQube for code quality, to Jira Rovo and custom-built AI solutions, the conversation explores practical tools that are helping teams work smarter, streamline their workflows, and deliver better software.
Whether you're a tester, developer, automation engineer, or QA leader, you'll come away with new ideas, new tools to explore, and a fresh perspective on what’s in the automation toolbox.
Episode Transcript here
Find us at: http://platotech.com/ (https://platotech.com/)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plato-testing/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/plato-testing/)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PLATOTechGroup/ (https://www.instagram.com/platotesting/)
1 Jun 2026
AI Testing, Trust & Indigenous Perspectives: Inside TELUS x PLATO Purple Teaming
In this episode of PLATO Panel Talks, host Mike Hrycyk is joined by Jesslyn Dymond (TELUS) and Jason Kicknosway (PLATO) to explore what it really takes to build trustworthy, responsible AI systems.
From first-time AI testing to real-world implementation, Jason shares how PLATO testers learned to work with AI and how quickly they discovered the importance of nuance, prompting, and diverse perspectives when evaluating performance.
With trust in AI still low, Jesslyn brings a governance lens to the conversation, highlighting the need for transparency, explainability, and inclusive design, especially the integration of Indigenous perspectives, which are often missing from mainstream AI models.
Whether you’re just starting your AI journey or already building with it, this episode offers a practical, human-centred look at AI testing, trust, and responsible innovation—and why better outcomes start with more voices at the table.
Episode Transcript here (https://platotech.com/2026/05/05/the-intersection-of-devops-automation-and-ai-building-smarter-pipelines/)
Find us at: http://platotech.com/ (https://platotech.com/)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plato-testing/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/plato-testing/)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PLATOTechGroup/ (https://www.instagram.com/platotesting/)
Who has been a guest on PLATO Panel Talks
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Abhishek Gupta
Juan Olarte
Nicole LeBlanc
Shawnee Polchis
Brennan Nadeau
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
243
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Spotify
5.0 / 5
14 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 41 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
28
Social presence
0
YouTube
72
Engagement
60
Contact PLATO Panel Talks
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about PLATO Panel Talks
Who hosts PLATO Panel Talks?
Mike Hrycyk host the show. Published by PLATO.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes monthly, based on its RSS feed.
Does PLATO Panel Talks take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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