Cloud Nirvana Cleveland: Foundations & Fluency

Cloud Nirvana

Join us for Cloud Nirvana Cleveland: Foundations & Fluency, at Corporate College East from 2-6pm on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

Corporate College East

Join us on March 3, 2026, at Corporate College East in Warrensville Heights, OH, for Cloud Nirvana Cleveland: Foundations &amp; Fluency — a conference designed to help teams build the clarity, confidence, and shared understanding needed to move faster the right way.In a world where cloud and AI adoption is accelerating at breakneck speed, organizations are feeling the pressure to scale quickly — but real transformation doesn’t start with tools. It starts with strong fundamentals, aligned mental models, and organizational readiness across roles.This event is about building the foundation before the fast-forward button gets pushed.Throughout the day, we’ll explore Cloud and AI fundamentals, practical frameworks, and the common language that helps teams work better together — from engineers and architects to security, governance, and leadership. Expect sessions focused on governance, security, operating models, and readiness, all aimed at helping organizations align before scale, automation, or transformation begins.Whether you're a cloud architect, platform engineer, security leader, IT executive, or early-career professional looking to level up, Cloud Nirvana Cleveland: Foundations &amp; Fluency will deliver actionable insights, real-world perspectives, and the connections you need to build fluency across your organization.Come learn, connect, and leave with a stronger foundation — so your next phase of cloud and AI growth is built to last.Let’s build the fundamentals — and move forward with confidence.Since we have limited seating, this conference is reserved for practitioners. Sales and Business Development Registrants will be rejected. Thanks for your understanding.A special thank you to our 2026 sponsors for making this event possible:RackSpace Technology, Big Kitty Labs, Glean, Sigma Computing, ATC, Aztra, CBTS, Presidio, Rubrik, RWX, VeevaSee you there!Cloud Nirvana TeamCode of Conduct for Cloud NirvanaPurposeAt Cloud Nirvana , we are committed to fostering an inclusive, safe, and collaborative environment where all participants feel welcome and respected. This Code of Conduct outlines our expectations for all attendees, speakers, sponsors, and staff to ensure a positive experience for everyone.Expected Behavior<ol><li>Respect Others: Treat all participants with kindness, respect, and consideration. Avoid inappropriate, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and language.</li><li>Collaboration and Openness: Engage constructively with others. Share knowledge, ideas, and feedback in a respectful and professional manner.</li><li>Adhere to Venue Policies: Follow all rules and regulations set by the event venue and organizers.</li><li>Protect Privacy: Obtain explicit consent before photographing, recording, or publicly sharing information about other attendees.</li></ol>Unacceptable Behavior<ol><li>Harassment: Harassment of any kind, including but not limited to verbal abuse, intimidation, or inappropriate physical contact.</li><li>Discrimination: Any form of discrimination based on race, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, or religion.</li><li>Disruption: Disruptive behavior that interferes with sessions, networking, or other event activities.</li><li>Unlawful Conduct: Engaging in illegal activities during the event.</li></ol>Sharing of Contact InformationAs part of our commitment to providing a valuable experience, Cloud Nirvana collaborates with sponsors to deliver relevant resources and opportunities to attendees. By registering for this event, you agree to share your contact information (e.g., name, company, email) with sponsors for follow-up communications unless you notify event organizers prior to the event. Additionally, by purchasing a ticket, you agree to receive marketing information from Cloud Nirvana.If you prefer not to have your contact information shared, please email <a href="" title="" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">info@cloudnirvana.org</a>.Attendance PolicyCloud Nirvana events are reserved exclusively for technology practitioners and leaders. We strive to create a space for industry professionals to exchange knowledge and collaborate. Cloud Nirvana reserves the right to refund ticket purchases for non-practitioners at its sole discretion.Reporting ViolationsIf you experience or witness any violations of this Code of Conduct, please report them immediately to the event organizers. You can:<ul><li>Approach any staff member wearing an official badge.</li><li>Email us at info@cloudnirvana.org.</li></ul>All reports will be handled confidentially and with sensitivity.Consequences of Unacceptable BehaviorParticipants who are found to violate this Code of Conduct may face consequences including but not limited to:<ul><li>Verbal or written warnings.</li><li>Expulsion from the event without refund.</li><li>Referral to appropriate authorities.</li></ul>The organizers reserve the right to take appropriate action to maintain a safe and welcoming environment.AcknowledgmentBy registering for and attending Cloud Nirvana, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to abide by this Code of Conduct.Thank you for helping us create an inclusive and respectful event experience for everyone!

Agenda

Welcome + Opening

Most AI conversations focus on internal use—automation, efficiency, and scale. But a bigger shift is already happening: customers and partners are using AI to research, evaluate, and make decisions before any human interaction. In this session, Andy Halko explores what it means when AI becomes the first decision system your products and platforms must satisfy. Drawing from real-world product experience, he reframes this shift as a systems and architecture challenge—not a marketing one. Attendees will learn how AI is reshaping buyer behavior, where ambiguity and inconsistency become failure modes, and what changes when AI becomes the first layer of trust.

AI Beyond the Enterprise

AI is moving from experimentation to production—and the real challenges are no longer tools, but operating models, governance, cost, trust, and readiness. In this fireside chat, Ben Blanquera joins Michael Fulton to unpack insights from Ben’s Forbes article, “The Era of Hidden Shifts: Non-Traditional Tech Trends to Prepare For.” Together, they explore the structural forces shaping the next phase of Cloud & AI: data discipline, engineering rigor, platform engineering, security, AIOps, and AI fluency across roles. This conversation cuts through the hype to focus on scaling responsibly and building foundations for lasting impact.

Fireside Chat: The Era of Hidden Shifts

Break + Networking

Not every task belongs to AI—and not every AI task needs the same level of oversight. This session introduces Harvard Business Review's decision framework for generative AI, which plots use cases against two critical dimensions: the cost of getting it wrong and whether the work requires explicit knowledge (easily documented) or tacit knowledge (intuition, judgment, context). Learn how CIA is applying this framework to evaluate use cases that differentiate between low-risk productivity gains and high-stakes decisions requiring human expertise. An interactive exercise will help you categorize your own organization's AI opportunities.

Right Task, Right Tool: Applying the HBR Framework for Gen AI Decisions

Foundations & Fluency, Tuesday, March 3: Hosted by Sean Erikson, this session focus on Cloud and AI fundamentals, common mental models, governance, security, and readiness across roles - helping teams align before scale, automation, or transformation begins.Join us for a live recording of Silicon Heartland Sessions featuring Andy Halko, Jennifer Owens, John Paganini, and Matthew McKenna. In this conversation, Sean will guide this panel as they explore how AI is reshaping how customers and partners discover, evaluate, and decide—often before any human interaction occurs. They’ll discuss the rise of the AI-augmented buyer, how trust and clarity change when machines evaluate first, and what leaders and practitioners must understand to avoid designing for yesterday’s buyer. Recorded live in front of the Cloud Nirvana community, this session blends real-world experience and systems thinking for a grounded look at competing in an AI-shaped market.

Silicon Heartland Sessions LIVE!

Closing + Happy Hour

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Cloud Nirvana Cleveland: Foundations & Fluency

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