With this extended (45 min long) episode, Rebecka Isaksson and Dawn Brushammar bid you farewell for now. We have decided to take a little break with this podcast for the time being - but we are likely to come back again in a not too distant (sci-fi) future... You will be the first to know!
We sat down with Stan Garfield and James Tyer to unpack the power of communities of practice in knowledge management. Thus closing the loop, as the very first episode of the show was on that same topic - and also how Rebecka started her KM adventure and career.
From voluntary participation to the role of leadership and trust, the conversation dives deep into what makes communities thrive. The guests share insights on fostering engagement, creating safe spaces for dialogue, and how technology—like Microsoft’s Engage platform—can support but not replace human connection. Stan also offers a sneak peek into his upcoming book, while the group reflects on the future of collaboration and community health in the age of AI and Copilot.
Our favourite quotes from this show:
💡 “You want communities to be voluntary.”💬 “Trust is essential for community engagement.”
About Stan Garfield: Stan is a seasoned knowledge management practitioner, author, and speaker with decades of experience leading communities of practice across industries. Passionate about collaboration, innovation, and leadership, Stan has championed knowledge sharing through enterprise social networks, intranets, and platforms like SharePoint. He’s known for his engaging presentations, insightful writing, and mentoring others in the KM space. Stan’s work spans consulting, systems integration, and professional services, with a strong focus on gamification, incentives, and recognition. A prolific blogger and tweeter, he continues to shape the conversation around community health and social business. His upcoming book promises fresh perspectives on the evolving landscape of knowledge management.
About James Tyer: James is a Customer Experience Program Manager at Microsoft, helping leaders turn strategic decisions into real-world impact. With over 15 years of experience in consulting, organizational design, and customer success, James specializes in enterprise adoption, executive collaboration, and scalable change facilitation. His work bridges silos to ensure AI and collaboration tools like Copilot drive measurable outcomes. James supports complex sales, aligns technical value with business goals, and fosters feedback loops that inform product strategy. He’s also co-author of Social by Design, a playbook for building connected, collaborative organizations. Whether working with global brands or startups, James focuses on driving traction, usage, and lasting behavioural change.
In this episode of Knowledge Fika, hosts RebeckaIsaksson and Dawn Brushammar sit down with Daniel Cohen-Dumani, founder of Experio AI, to explore how artificialintelligence is transforming knowledge management in consulting. Daniel shares insights from his extensive career, highlighting the challenges of preserving organizational memory and the power of AI-driven curation. The conversation dives into skills discovery, workforce planning, and the role of technology in enhancing client relationships. Learn how Experio AI connects to diverse data sources to uncover hidden competencies and streamline proposal generation. Despite the rise of automation, Daniel emphasizes the irreplaceable value of human intuition and empathy. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on thefuture of consulting, and how AI can support—not replace—human expertise.
About Daniel Cohen-Dumani: Daniel Cohen-Dumani is a passionate technologist with over 30 years of experience driving digital transformation across industries. Formerly founder and CEO of Portal Solutions and Partner and Market Leader at Withum Digital, he has led groundbreaking initiatives in AI, machine learning, and cloud technologies.
Daniel specializes in knowledge management and custom AI solutions, including intelligent chatbots and predictive analytics. As a Board Member of the Maryland Tech Council, he actively supports tech innovation in the MD-DC-VA region. He’s currently building Experio AI, a venture aimed at redefining how businesses harness organizational knowledge in an AI-driven future.
In this episode of Knowledge Fika, hosts Rebecka Isaksson and Dawn Brushammar speak with AI experts Aki Antman and Hanna Radtke Bergström about the evolving role of generative AI in organizations. They explore leadership’s impact on AI adoption, the importance of democratizing AI knowledge, and how Copilot differ from other LLMs, like Chat GPT. The conversation also covers data privacy, natural language interfaces, and the future of AI in solving global challenges—ending with a warm reflection on Fika, and the real-life value of workplace connections, to build a greatcompany culture and trust.
About Aki Antman:
Aki is the founder and chairman of Sulava Oy and Sulava Gulf LLC, dedicated to empowering organizations through Microsoft Copilots and AI. Named Microsoft Influencer of the Year 2024, he is a Microsoft 365 Copilot MVP and author of the Amazon bestseller From Copilot to Commander.
Aki leads large-scale skilling initiatives for the AI era and advises governments and enterprises across the MEA region. With a legacy in internet technologies since the 1980s and a Microsoft Modern Work partnership since 1996, he has been a driving force in cloud and AI innovation since 2010—reshaping productivity and employee experience.
About Hanna Radtke Bergström:
Hanna helps leaders in regulated industries turn AI toolslike Microsoft 365 Copilot into real business value. With enterprise experience from Vattenfall and Stockholm Exergi, she specializes in guiding non-technical teams to use AI confidently—focusing on productivity, integration, and fastROI.
Hanna is the creator of the BRIDGE Model™, a practical framework for large and mid-sized organizations. Her structured training and inspiring keynotes are rooted in real-world workflows, making AI accessible, energizing, and profitable. Through clear, hands-on sessions, Hanna empowers teams to apply AI meaningfully and effectively in their daily work, through her new business venture AIBoost Academy Stockholm.
Join Rebecka Isaksson and Dawn Brushammar for a livelychat with Marko Wathen, founder of Aigui, a startup rethinking how we manage and visualize knowledge in the age of AI. From his roots in project management in banking to building tools that make AI conversations more human-friendly, Marko shares insights on how we learn—and why visuals often beat walls of text. We explore the evolution from mind maps to Kanban boards to AI-powered concept mapping. And of course, there’s Fika! Marko, a true Nordiccoffee enthusiast, is also crafting a high-end filter coffee machine—no plastic, just precision. It’s a conversation full of ideas, innovation, and a good dose of caffeine.
About Marko Wathen:
Marko is the founder of Aigui, a tool designed to make long AI conversations more intuitive, organized, and brain-like. With over a decade of experience as a freelance consultant in roles like project manager and product owner, he’s led tech and software projects across finance, media, and education.
Before freelancing, he spent 10 years in corporate and later ventured into entrepreneurship in IT and green tech. Marko is also building a luxury filter coffee machine on the side. When he’s not innovating, he’s running, sipping coffee, or enjoying time with his family, dog, and cats.
Join Rebecka Isaksson in this episode of KnowledgeFika as she chats with Simon Doy, Microsoft MVP and founder of iThink 365. They explore how Microsoft 365 Copilot is transforming productivity and Personal Knowledge Management (“PKM”), and dive into the evolving role of AI in health tech and business processes.
They also talk about SmartFlow, an agentic AI solution from iThink 365 and its impact on meetings and capturing Tacit Knowledge, plus the empathetic nature of modern AI agents. This conversation blends tech insights with personal touches—including coffee preferences and relationship-building in business. A must-listen for anyone curious about the future of AI in the workplace and beyond.
Please find the link to the AI in Healthcare podcast episode that was referenced in this chat, here.
About Simon Doy: Simon is the Chief Technology Officer at iThink 365 and a Microsoft MVP, recognized for his leadership and expertise in the Microsoft ecosystem. With over 16 years of experience, he specializes in building scalable solutions using Microsoft 365 and Azure technologies.
Simon is passionate about helping organizations boost productivity and solve business challenges through cloud innovation. He also leads the M365 North User Group, sharing insights and best practices with the Microsoft community.
In this episode of Knowledge Fika, we sit down with Cindy Hubert, Knowledge Management Fellow at APQC, to explore the evolving landscape of KM through the lens of someone who’s been shaping it for decades. Cindy shares her KM journey, unpacks the ever-blurring line between AI and knowledge work, and reflects on the enduring importance of people in KM systems.
We also dive into knowledge maturity models, the crucial role of conversations in tacit knowledge transfer, and the real-world work of a KM Fellow (spoiler: it’s not just theory and white papers).
Whether you're steeped in KM or just curious about how organizations really learn and adapt, Cindy brings both warmth and wisdom to the fika table.
About Cindy Hubert: Cindy Hubert is the first-ever Knowledge Management Fellow at APQC, bringing nearly 30 years of experience advancing the field of KM. She’s led the development of key frameworks like APQC’s KM Maturity Model and the Interactive KM Framework, and has guided hundreds of organizations in building and measuring effective KM strategies. A frequent speaker, co-author of The New Edge in Knowledge, and longtime advocate for people-centered KM, Cindy blends deep expertise with a passion for practical, human-driven knowledge sharing.
About APQC: APQC (American Productivity & Quality Center) is a member-based nonprofit that helps organizations improve productivity and performance through benchmarking, best practices, process improvement, and knowledge management. Known globally for its thought leadership in KM, APQC provides research, tools, and advisory services to support smarter, more effective ways of working. Learn more at https://www.apqc.org
Join show hosts Rebecka Isaksson and Dawn Brushammar for a fika with Andrew Herd and Kristina Mirchuk as they dive into the KM Landscape 2025 project. Discover how this global initiative is reshaping knowledge management through co-creation, community, and inclusion. From personal KM to organizational KM and global collaboration, this episode explores the power of diverse voices in shaping the future of knowledge.
If you are interested in joining the KM Landscape 2025 project, please visit this site, for more information and details on how to sign up and get involved!About Andrew Herd:
Andrew is a senior knowledge management expert with 25 years in the space sector, including over a decade at the European Space Agency (ESA). He has led 50+ learninginitiatives and 200+ “Legacy” events to address knowledge loss and strengthen ESA’s Lessons Learned program. Andrew developed innovative KM tools using AI and knowledge graphs, and has authored 30+ publications, including academic papers and case studies.
He also produced a podcast mini-series and chaired international panels on lessons learned. Currently, he leads the global KM Landscape@2025 project, uniting 100+ co-creators to explore and represent the diversity of knowledge management today.
About Kristina Mirchuk:
Kristina is the founder and CEO of GEIST Consultancy, specializing in competence-based knowledge and talent management. With over 15 years of experience in organizational development across Germany and Spain, she is a multilingual leader and advocate for people-centric KM practices. Kristina has served on the board of the German KM Society (GfWM) and currently contributes globally as aboard member of the Knowledge Management Global Network.
She co-authored the international BLUE BOOK – State on Actual Knowledge Manager Profile 2023. Through her work, Kristina empowers organizations to grow throughshared expertise, inclusive practices, and strategic knowledge development.
In this episode of Knowledge Fika, host Rebecka Isaksson sits down with Steve Pucelik, Senior Product Manager for SharePoint Embedded at Microsoft. With a career spanning every version of SharePoint, Steve brings deep insights into how SharePoint Embedded is transforming document management and customer service through scalable architecture and AI integration.
From seamless co-authoring to secure tenant-based storage, Steve unpacks how this developer-friendly platform is reshaping collaboration for enterprises and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) alike. The conversation also highlights the upcoming SharePoint Embedded roadshow—featuring hands-on labs, expert talks, and yes, free lunch!
Learn more about the roadshow, places, times & dates, and 🎟️ GET YUOR TICKETS HERE: https://aka.ms/SPE-Events
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About Steve Pucelik: Steve Pucelik is a Senior Product Manager at Microsoft,leading strategy and adoption for SharePoint Embedded—an API-first platform for building secure, scalable, and intelligent document-centric apps. With deep expertise in enterprise content management, Steve helps organizations modernize document workflows using AI, Microsoft Graph, and Power Platform. He works closely with developers and ISVs to integrate SharePoint Embedded into custom solutions that enhance collaboration, compliance, and governance.
In this episode of Knowledge Fika, we chat with Jonathan Gordon-Till, a knowledge management expert and Community of Practice Leader. We explore theshift from people-centric, tacit knowledge sharing to today's content and tool-centric approaches, questioning if we've lost the human connection from spontaneous conversations.
Jonathan's Totally Random program, a RandomCoffee Trial (“RCT”) program he has run for five years, showcases the power of communities. It highlights the importance of conversational knowledge sharing for collaboration, innovation, efficiency, and wellbeing in a globalorganization like Mondelez, with appr. 90,000 employees world-wide. Affirming our own, personal experiences that the value of Communities of Practice (CoPs) is exponential, driven by emotional connections in informal settings.
We also discuss AI's role in knowledge management of course, emphasizing the need to keep humans in the loop for effective AI ROI.
About Jonathan Gordon-Till:
Jonathan has been in the KM profession from the beginning. He started his career in 1987 as an information manager and researcher in the global financial services industry in London before spending 4 years in economic development in the public sector. He joined Cadbury as global KM lead in 2008 and has witnessed acquisitions, demergers, the emergence of new information technologies including AI, and many other changes that have impacted knowledgecreation, sharing and retention. He currently leads on global knowledge retention strategy, and the use of AI tools for identifying and exploiting tacit knowledge.
Join us as we chat with Sven Rinke about the evolution of SimCorp's Knowledge Management & Learning strategy. Discover how Sven's passion for internal knowledge sharing sparked a movement that transformed into a core part of thecompany's professional services. Learn about the common challenges faced by service organizations, especially in the software industry, where sales promises don't always align with product realities, and delivery teams must bridge the gap between customer needs and product design. Explore why Knowledge Flows are such a powerful conduit for encouraging re-use and bridging these gaps and understand the importance of quickly locating the right expertise whenstaffing projects.
About Sven Rinke, PhD: Based in Vienna, Austria, Sven isdedicated to cultivating learning cultures, driving digital transformation, and fostering collaborative environments. He holds a PhD in Theoretical Physics and is the Senior Director of Knowledge Management & Learning Strategy for Services at SimCorp, a global fintech company headquartered in Denmark, where he also serves as an employee-elected member of the Board of Directors.
Sven believes in the power of shared knowledge, social learning, and collaborative innovation to drive organisational success. He envisions a future where technology, strategy, and human insight create dynamic, resilient organisationscapable of navigating modern business complexities.
Additionally, Sven is a board member of the US-based nonprofit Pioneer Knowledge Services, known for the "Because You Need to Know" podcast, and hint.wien, anon-profit association in Vienna supporting the mental health, well-being, and empowerment of highly intersectional LGBTQIA+ communities through storytelling.
“The only way to really learn something is by teaching it”
Join us as we welcome Ninez Piezas-Jerbi, who leads a KM Peer Mentoring program by the SIKM Leaders and KM4Dev communities. We discuss the transformative power of teaching and sharing knowledge, the importance of giving back, and practicing what we preach as KM professionals.
Ninez shares insights on mentoring newcomers in KM, the matching process, and the crucial role of chemistry between mentors and mentees. She also highlights the value of learning from NGOs and public sector organizations.
About the KM Peer Mentoring program and how to apply to be a mentor, or a mentee. Applications are now open– closing on March 28, 2025!
About Ninez Piezas-Jerbi: With 33 years of experience at the World Trade Organization in various roles, including Chief of KM Section and Senior Manager, Ninez now leads the Knowledge Management Peer Mentoring Program for KM4Dev and SIKM Leaders. She is a Chartered Knowledge Manager (MCLIP) and a Professional Certified Coach (PCC)with the International Coaching Federation.
Ninez aims to help individuals, especially women and non-profit leaders, lead authentic and impactful lives. She supports their efforts to make a difference in their communities and the wider world. As a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher (500HR), she also promotes physical and mental vitality through free yoga classes in her local community. More info at nineznow.com.
In this episode we discuss the importance of contextualising knowledge, customising it to the role of everyone, and why content governance is more important than ever before, because of AI services and solutions. We also learn what inspired Katya to start ClearPeople and build her own KM solution, Atlas, targeting the legal-, and professional services, sectors. And we got some hints about the “AI Trends in KM 2025”, which are available in this e-Book, free of charge, available for you to download today!The Trends Shaping Knowledge in 2025 (Generic)
The Trends Shaping Knowledge in 2025 (Legal & PS)
About Katya Linossi: The co-founder and CEO of ClearPeople, who has a 25-year career in the IT sector. She leads the company's strategy and operations, positioning it at the forefront of intelligent knowledge solutions. Katya has been recognised for her entrepreneurial spirit as an "Entrepreneur to Watch" in 2021 and Innovator of the Year at the Women in IT Awards (2019).
About Stephen Bedford: As Product Director at ClearPeople since 2018, he leads the development and strategic growth of Atlas. He collaborates with customers to ensure the platform delivers value and evolves to meet their needs. With a career spanning IT, IT security, and software development since 1990, Stephen also has experience in start-ups.
About ClearPeople: Founded in 2003 and co-founded by Katya, ClearPeople is a global leader in enterprise solutions that connect people with knowledge, insights, and expertise. Their flagship product, Atlas, is an all-in-one platform for Microsoft 365 designed to enhance business productivity by providing quick, accurate access to critical information. Atlas integrates intranet, collaboration, and knowledge management with smart governance and AI, aiming to maximize Microsoft 365 investments while improving productivity and customer satisfaction. ClearPeople focuses on innovation, inclusivity, and diverse perspectives, specializing in highly regulated industries like the legal sector.
ClearPeople is a Microsoft Preferred Content Services Partner and a launch partner for Microsoft Syntex and Microsoft Viva Topics. In 2021, they received the Microsoft Employee Experience Partner of the Year award, and Atlas has been recognised as a “Major Player” in IDC MarketScape and KMWorld’s AI 100 in 2024.
In this episode of Knowledge Fika, we are joined by Andrew Pope who has spent his career working on digital productivity and collaboration. We discuss Knowledge Management, collaboration, AI readiness and the challenges and opportunities of hybrid work. We also talk a bit about digital detoxing and of course, our favorite fika.
Andrew describes how the goal of his work is to make work (and life) easier and more engaging through technology and shares some recent research and findings that were recently published in a white paper, which is linked below.
About Andrew Pope:
Andrew looks at workplace technology through the eyes of the workforce, as owner of Designing Collaboration and co-founder of Designing AI Heroes. He helps his clients to develop ways of work that ensure workplace tools work for them: solving their problems, bringing people together and adopting more effective and productive practices, such as improving meetings, leveraging AI and aligning distributed teams.
Andrew has advised and coached UK and Australian government departments as well as large multinationals on how to better leverage tools like Microsoft 365 and to develop today’s digital leaders, although he likes to balance his time with enjoying coffee, going trail running and doing silly stuff with the kids (though not at all the same time).
Link to the white on hybrid work paper mentioned in the episode: https://www.designingcollab.com/emp-experience
In this episode we talk about knowledge sharing, crowdsourcing knowledge, expertise location, and the role of Communities [of Practice] in businesses. And we’ll hear what inspired Emily's decision to leave her corporate job and jump into the exciting world of AI start-ups to build on her academic research, and experiences from Meta, Google and EF (Education First). We also touch upon some of the volunteering and mentoring work that she does, helping and supporting Women in Tech! And of course, why “Fika” breaks are important to building trust among employees – something Emily saw first-handedly when working for Swedish company, EF.
About Dr. Emily Harburg: Emily is the CEO and founder of PairUp, a platform that utilizes generative AI to accelerate workplace knowledge sharing and connection. Emily’s background spans industry, startups, and academia. She has worked in industry at Disney Imaginee ring, Facebook (Meta), and EF Education First. She also co-founded Brave Initiatives, an organization dedicated to helping women learn how to code and now supports training the incarcerated.
Emily graduated with a B.A. in Social Anthropology and Psychology from Harvard College, and with a Ph.D. in Technology and Social Behaviour from Northwestern University. Emily's research has been shared in global conferences, academic journals, case studies, and news publications – including the Harvard Business Review, TEDx, Computer Human Interaction (CHI), CNN, and more. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, skiing, volleyball, and learning how to DJ!
About PairUp: PairUp is an AI-powered platform that transforms how companies access and leverage their knowledge. By combining research-backed AI with human expertise, PairUp provides data-driven insights, optimizes workflows, and ensures critical information is fully utilized. With PairUp, organizations save time, eliminate redundant efforts, and enhance efficiencies by harnessing the collective intelligence of their teams. Seamlessly integrating into a company's existing workflow, PairUp can accelerate onboarding, break down silos, and preserve essential institutional knowledge – ensuring nothing is lost when employees leave.
Learn more, explore common use cases, or request a demo today at https://pairupapp.com/.
Sierra Woods is a dynamic innovator and entrepreneur passionate about impactful solutions. Initially aspiring to be a professional soccer player, her athletic background instilled perseverance and adaptability. Sierra launched Link X to enhance experiential learning at Carleton University and created Precision Cities to address food insecurity in Ottawa. Her pioneering work in knowledge mobilization (KMb), inspired by David Phipps and Royce Holladay, reimagines KMb as a complex form of change.
Sierra’s work is deeply personal, rooted in her experience with chronic back pain. By fostering relationships with healthcare providers, she witnessed transformative results, inspiring her to develop a new KMb paradigm focused on relationships and impact. Sierra is currently writing a book to share this approach, blending personal insights and research to empower others tackling today’s challenges.
In the second episode of our Knowledge Fika podcast 2025, Sierra and I share a coffee and talk about her work building out a Knowledge Mobilization Paradigm, and the five ingredients, or dials, she has identified: Curiosity, Access, Reciprocity, Power, and Ripples. Through her personal story, we delve into how and why she also concluded that knowledge sharing isn’t a linear thing, but something complex and highly dependent on context. Please find the resources on Knowledge Mobilization that Sierra mentioned, here: https://www.hsdinstitute.org/index.html
Susan Hanley, known as the “Queen of Intranets,” (by some of us!) is a renowned business analyst and information architect with a focus on intranets, knowledge management, and collaboration solutions. She has been recognized as a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for her significant contributions to the Microsoft community many years running, and for helping companies improve organizational communication and collaboration with Microsoft 365 and SharePoint.
A sought-after speaker and author, Susan shares her expertise at conferences and through her writings, offering practical advice and best practices for building effective intranet and knowledge management solutions.
In the latest Knowledge Fika episode, Susan discusses the importance of a great network, personal knowledge management, and multi-media approaches to knowledge management, along with a few personal stories that showcase her unique fire and experience.
This is us, coming live to you from KMWorld, where we literally hi-jacked our own session to record a special episode for you. Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, or whatever occasion you may (or may not) be celebrating this year!
Session: Fostering Knowledge Transfer: KM & AI (C203)
We put together a few quick poll questions to gauge the audience a bit, then a few questions honing on the topic of the day: "tacit knowledge transfer - with or without AI".
The specific topics that got the most votes was the one we started with. So, please consider this a short & sweet (15 min only) holiday bonus. From all of us, to all of you...
Happy New Year and see you in 2025!!!
Rebecka & Dawn
Stan Garfield is a globally renowned knowledge management expert, author, and speaker. With close to 30 years of experience, he has authored several influential books, including “Implementing a Successful KM Program” and “The Five Cs of KM.”
Stan started doing KM long before there was such a thing as “Knowledge Management” and in this fika episode, which we recently recorded in person at KMWorld, Stan tells us his “Life story in KM”. And it is a riveting story!
Stan is known for his engaging presentations and his role in fostering global knowledge-sharing communities, like the SIKM Leaders Community. He has been a key figure in promoting best practices in knowledge management, helping organizations innovate and collaborate effectively. At KMWorld 2024, he was awarded the KM Community Award, for his phenomenal engagement in keeping this Community alive, and thriving, for almost 20 years!
Here is the link to the article, How AI can support KM processes, that Stan mentioned in our chat.
Rooven Pakkiri is a seasoned Social Business Consultant and Digital Evangelist at KM Institute in the UK. With a rich background from the dot-com era, Rooven specializes in the intersection of society, technology, and business. He is a prominent instructor for the Certified Knowledge Manager (CKM) program, guiding professionals worldwide.
Rooven is also a sought-after speaker, having presented at various conferences, including the “KM, Information and Data; State of the Art Convergence” event in London. His insights into knowledge management and digital transformation make him a valuable asset to the KM community.
Tim Brady is the CEO of Colligo, a leading provider of intelligent Email Management software solutions. With a background in technology in the financial services and capital markets industry, Tim is passionate about bringing information governance and compliance to regulated organizations.
Colligo’s software differentiates itself by seamlesslyintegrating with Microsoft 365 apps like Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, and Office Apps, allowing users to capture, tag, and manage content directly within thesefamiliar environments. This unique approach ensures compliance, enhances collaboration, and boosts productivity for over 5,000 organizations globally.
When not building Colligo, Tim is an avid runner, cyclist, golfer and father.