Nagela Nukuna is a technology strategist and public-sector leader whose career spans Google, Netflix, the White House, and AI governance — all centered on using technology to solve real-world problems and expand opportunity.

Thank you for listening — for more information about ZETA, visit https://www.connectZETA.org

Today we’re joined by Nagela Nukuna — a technology and strategy leader whose career has taken her from some of the world’s largest technology companies to the highest levels of the federal government and, today, the evolving intersection of artificial intelligence and education.

The daughter of Cameroonian immigrants, Nagela grew up as the world was making its transition from analog to digital. That experience helped spark an early interest in technology and its ability to reshape how people live, work, and access opportunity. She went on to develop her engineering, business, and public policy expertise across Georgia Tech, MIT, and the Harvard Kennedy School.

Her career has been just as wide-ranging. After working in the private sector at companies including Google and Netflix, Nagela transitioned into public service, eventually joining the U.S. Digital Service and serving as Senior Advisor for Technology and Delivery on the White House Domestic Policy Council.

Today, Nagela is bringing those experiences into the education space at The College Board, where her work focuses on Generative AI business strategy and navigating the responsible adoption of emerging technology.

In this episode, Nagela shares how her upbringing shaped her perspective on technology and opportunity, what she learned moving between the private and public sectors, the realities of implementing technology at the federal level, and how AI could transform education for the next generation.

📲 Connect With Nagela:
👔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nagelanukuna/

Find ZETA:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectZETA
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@connectZETA
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/ZETA/61562518743584/
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@connectZETA
👔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connectzeta

🕓 Timestamps
0:00 🚀 Sneak Peek
0:29 🎧 Music Intro
0:36 👋 Meet Nagela Nukuna
3:00 🌍 Cameroonian Roots & Growing Up First-Generation
7:11 💻 Growing Up Through the Analog-to-Digital Revolution
13:31 🎓 Georgia Tech, Student Leadership & Public Policy
20:43 🏢 Google, Netflix & Lessons Across Public and Private Sectors
26:57 🏛️ Breaking Into Public Policy & the Delaware Governor’s Office
30:41 🇺🇸 Inside the White House & Federal Tech Policy
42:21 🤖 College Board, AI & the Future of Education
46:29 ⚡ Responsible AI: Risks, Infrastructure & What Comes Next
52:06 ⚖️ Tackling Bias in Artificial Intelligence
59:12 💬 Final Thoughts & Advice

Adrian Tovalin is a startup strategist, community builder, and growth operator whose career spans consulting, global development, venture-backed startups, and the fast-evolving world of AI — all driven by a belief that opportunity comes from showing up, taking risks, and building meaningful connections.

Thank you for listening — for more information about ZETA, visit https://www.connectZETA.org

Today we’re joined by Adrian Tovalin — strategist at Luma AI and founder of DC Tech Parties, a startup community that grew from small gatherings of founders and builders into one of D.C.’s most recognizable tech networking communities.
From growing up in California’s Santa Ynez Valley helping run his family’s Mexican restaurant, to working at Accenture, the World Bank, and startups across India, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and Washington D.C., Adrian’s journey is one of curiosity, adaptability, and learning by jumping into unfamiliar environments.

After years working across consulting, startups, and venture-backed companies, Adrian realized something was missing: community. What started as informal founder meetups eventually became DC Tech Parties — bringing together hundreds of entrepreneurs, builders, and creatives around the D.C. tech ecosystem.

Today, Adrian works at Luma AI, helping shape strategy and operations at the frontier of video AI and creative technology.

In this episode, Adrian shares how his upbringing shaped his work ethic, why he transitioned from consulting into global startup ecosystems, what traveling and living abroad taught him, and how building community became just as important as building a career.
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📲 Connect With Adrian
🌐 Luma AI: https://lumalabs.ai/
👔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriantovalin/
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Find ZETA:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectzeta
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@connectzeta
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/ZETA/61562518743584/
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@connectZETA
👔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ConnectZETA/
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🕓 Timestamps
0:00 🚀 Sneak Peek
0:23 🎧 Intro
0:29 👋 Meet Adrian Tovalin
3:56 🌮 Family Restaurant Roots & Growing Up in Santa Ynez Valley
12:22 🎓 UC Berkeley, Work Ethic & Academic Success
18:46 💼 Breaking Into Consulting & Corporate Life
23:46 🌎 First-Generation Success, Burnout & Finding Purpose
32:20 ✈️ Living in India, Global Travel & Culture Shock
45:53 🤝 DC Tech Parties & Building Startup Communities
54:29 🤖 Working in AI at Luma AI & The Future of Video AI
1:04:14 🔚 Final Advice & Outro

Joe Hollier is an artist, designer, and entrepreneur whose work sits at the intersection of technology, creativity, and digital wellness — all driven by a belief that the best technology should help people live more intentionally, not consume more of their attention.

Thank you for listening — for more information about ZETA, visit https://www.connectZETA.org

Today we’re joined by Joe Hollier — co-founder of Light, the company behind the Light Phone, a device designed to offer an alternative to today’s always-connected smartphone culture.

From growing up between suburban New Jersey and the rural South to immersing himself in skateboarding, art, and design culture, Joe’s journey has always been shaped by curiosity, creativity, and questioning the status quo.

After studying design at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, Joe worked across film, animation, fine art, and freelance creative work before joining Google’s experimental incubator program, 30 Weeks. There, he gained firsthand insight into how modern apps and platforms are designed to maximize attention and retention — an experience that ultimately became the foundation for the Light Phone.

What started as an artistic and philosophical challenge to smartphone culture has since grown into a movement within the digital wellness space, with over 100,000 Light Phones helping people rethink their relationship with technology.

In this episode, Joe shares how skateboarding shaped his creative mindset, how art school expanded his worldview, why he became skeptical of “attention economy” tech, and what it means to design products that give people their time back.

📲 Connect With Joe / Light:
🌐 Light: https://www.thelightphone.com/
👔 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joehollier/

Find ZETA:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connectzeta
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@connectzeta
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/ZETA/61562518743584/
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@connectZETA
👔 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ConnectZETA/

🕓 Timestamps
0:00 🚀 Sneak Peek
0:28 🎧 Music Intro
0:35 👋 Meet Joe Hollier
4:50 🌎 Growing Up Between NYC & The Rural South
14:17 🛹 Skateboarding, Creativity & Early Entrepreneurship
23:13 🎨 Art School in NYC & Expanding His Worldview
33:24 🎥 Early Creative Work & Freelancing
37:25 📱 Google’s Incubator & Rethinking Tech Culture
43:14 💡 The Origins of the Light Phone
59:47 ⏭️ The Future of The Light Phone
1:05:30 🌱 Digital Wellness & Healthy Relationships with Technology
1:17:36 🔚 Outro