Recap the highlights of Cisco Live 2025 San Diego in this episode of Meraki Unboxed. From exciting product announcements to the growing impact of AI on the Cisco portfolio, we explore how innovation and customer focus took center stage. 

Tune in for insights into the event’s dynamic culture, networking opportunities, and what’s next for Cisco and its partners.

Host

Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki

Guests

Rachel Greene, Inside Sales Director, Cisco Meraki

Mike Yin is the Global Solution Engineering Director of Secure Network at Cisco. He is an experienced and successful technical sales leader with a proven track record in both startups and established companies.

Having joined Meraki in 2012, Mike held sales engineering leadership positions in the biggest growth markets and propelled the business to over 60x revenue growth. Then, as the global SE leader, Mike helped establish Meraki as the primary platform for Cisco Networking and transformed the industry through cloud and simplicity. 

Mike is passionate about building a team culture that thrives on a sense of purpose in helping customers achieve their own mission. The team paved the way for many best practices such as demo mastery, API and ecosystem, and MEDDPICC adoption. This has not only resulted in astronomical revenue growth, but also a sustained world-class renewal rate. 

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Catch up from Cisco Live:: https://cisco.com/

Announced at Cisco Live: https://www.cisco.com/?socialshare=video-livestream  

Powering the future of secure AI infrastructure: https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/a/y2025/m06/cisco-powers-secure-infrastructure-for-the...  

Unveiling secure network architecture to accelerate workplace AI transformation: https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/a/y2025/m06/cisco-unveils-secure-network-architecture-...  

Transforming security for agentic AI era, further fusing security into the network: https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/a/y2025/m06/cisco-transforms-security-for-the-agentic-...  

Powering AI-ready data centers, from hyperscale to enterprise: https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/a/y2025/m06/cisco-powers-ai-ready-data-centers-from-hy...  

Cisco 8000 Secure Routers: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/products/networking/sdwan-routers/cisco-8000-secure-routers/index.h...  

Cisco C9350 Series Smart Switches: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/products/networking/switches/c9350-series-smart-switches/index.html  

Cisco C9610 Series Smart Switches: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/products/networking/switches/c9610-series-smart-switches/index.html  

Blogs:

Cisco New Family of Cisco Smart Switches 

From AgenticOps to Assurance 

Meet the Cisco Deep Network Model 

Redefining Branch Networking 

Wi-Fi for the AI Enterprise

Expanding the Edge of Possibility

In this Humans of Meraki episode, Helen Fream takes us on her dynamic Cisco journey—from designing the popular Meraki e-learning program to championing mentorship and leading Women of Meraki. With humor and heart, Helen shares how she’s created opportunities, mastered public speaking, and pursued her love of sustainable fashion. You won’t want to miss this uplifting conversation, full of insights on inclusion and growth and making bold moves in the workplace!

Embark on the Meraki FIT journey 

https://community.meraki.com/t5/Meraki-FIT/ct-p/merakifit

Host

Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki

Guest

Helen Fream, Instructional Designer – Join & Connect Enablement 

Hfream@cisco.com

Helen is a Learning & Development professional with a strong background in instructional design, program management, and digital learning solutions. Throughout her career at Cisco, she has built global onboarding initiatives and created impactful learning experiences for diverse audiences. Known for her creativity, organization, and cross-functional collaboration, she is also a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, having led the ERO Women of Meraki, as a sustainable fashion enthusiast, and as a dedicated Toastmaster!

We’re back with another Meraki Unboxed episode where we unpack Cisco Meraki MV solutions and their role in blending physical security with IT networks. We’ll chat about how cloud-managed security and AI are making workspaces safe and introduce you to the new MV53X bullet and MV84X multi-imager cameras. Plus, find out how our new Cross-Camera Tracking feature is revolutionizing surveillance without using facial recognition. And sprinkled throughout the discussion are deployment strategies, industry use cases, and the scoop on upcoming physical security events. Listen now!

Products 

MV53X PDP 

MV84X Datasheet (coming April 2025) 

Other Activations 

Build Physical Security Superpowers with Smart Bullet Cameras and Multi-Imagers Blog 

Meraki MV ISC West Invitation

Upcoming April 10 Webinar

Host

Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki

Guests

Shashank Nalla is Product Manager of the Cisco Meraki smart camera portfolio, where he drives the development of cloud-managed AI-enabled smart camera solutions. With expertise in product strategy, hardware development, and cross-functional collaboration, he delivers innovative products that streamline modern physical security solutions. Prior to Meraki, Shashank worked at Osram, where he contributed to the development of advanced lighting and sensor products. His experience spans multiple industries, equipping him with a deep understanding of technology and customer needs to deliver impactful solutions.

George Bentinck is Vice President of Product Management – IoT and Edge Intelligence at Cisco Meraki. He leads the strategic direction and growth of AI-enabled products, including MV smart cameras and MT smart sensors. Since joining Cisco through the 2012 Meraki acquisition, George has been instrumental in developing new product categories and expanding into new markets.   

With a background in sales engineering at Avaya and Nortel, George holds a Bachelor's degree in internet engineering from the University of Exeter. He lives in San Francisco and enjoys designing sensor systems for optimizing race car performance in his spare time.

In this episode of Humans of Meraki, Rishi Korada, a Senior Solutions Engineering Manager at Cisco, shares her career journey from the Cisco Sales Associate Program to becoming a Meraki Sales Engineer. She shares insights on overcoming gender bias in a male-dominated field, the critical role of emotional intelligence in sales engineering, and the transformative role feedback plays in personal development. Rishi also highlights how a strong team culture and mentorship have propelled her career, encouraging listeners to trust their instincts, pursue opportunities, and build connections to achieve their professional goals.

Learn about the Cisco Sales Associate Program (CSAP): https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/careers/communities/students-and-new-graduates/sales-associates....

Host

Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki

Guest

Rishi Korada is a seasoned professional with over 13 years of experience in the computer networking industry. She currently serves as a Senior Solutions Engineering Manager for specialist network engineers supporting the Commercial West area at Cisco, having held roles as a solutions engineer and SE manager. Throughout her career, Rishi has supported a diverse range of sectors, including global service provider, global enterprise, and commercial segments, while specializing in verticals such as sports/media, healthcare, retail/hospitality, and fintech. A passionate advocate for building high-performance teams, Rishi thrives on continuous learning and problem-solving. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, discovering new cuisines, playing basketball, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

Tune in to this Meraki Unboxed episode as we flip the script on cloud-managed switching. Discover the impact of the new Cisco Meraki MS150 access switch and its role in the Cisco portfolio—enabling exciting use cases with scalability and security. We’ll also discuss the latest developments in cloud-native IOS XE, the evolving capabilities of Catalyst 9000 Series Switches, and other trends and announcements on the horizon.

• Meraki MS150: https://meraki.cisco.com/product/switches/access-switches/ms150/  

• Cloud-Native IOS XE Documentation: https://documentation.meraki.com/MS/Cloud-Native_IOS_XE/Cloud-Native_IOS_XE_Overview  

• Switching Community: https://community.meraki.com/t5/Switching/bd-p/switching

Host

Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki

Guests

Nico Darrow, Senior Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki

Korey Rebello, Leader of Product Management, Cisco

In our first podcast of 2025, we welcome George Bentinck, Vice President of Product Management – IoT and Edge Intelligence at Cisco Meraki. Join us in exploring George’s journey from engineer to product management, his career challenges and triumphs, and his leadership of the MV/MT product lines. Gain insights into the evolution of these technologies and get a sneak peek into what’s to come at Cisco Live EMEA.

Host

Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki

Guest

George Bentinck is Vice President of Product Management – IoT and Edge Intelligence at Cisco Meraki. He leads the strategic direction and growth of AI-enabled products, including MV smart cameras and MT smart sensors. Since joining Cisco through the 2012 Meraki acquisition, George has been instrumental in developing new product categories and expanding into new markets.  

With a background in sales engineering at Avaya and Nortel, George holds a Bachelor's degree in Internet Engineering from the University of Exeter. He lives in San Francisco and enjoys designing sensor systems for optimizing race car performance in his spare time.

Meraki Physical Security Solutions page

Smart Cameras Product page

The holiday season offers a wonderful opportunity for reflection, gratitude, and community giving. In this episode, we discover how Merakians are embodying these values through initiatives like Meraki Gives and the annual Movember fundraising event.

Host

Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki

Guests

Racha Tfaili, Strategic Sales Manager, Service Provider, Cisco 

Lorenzo Garcia-Garth, Solutions Engineering Leader, Cisco

Donations through Racha's Movember Page:  

https://us.movember.com/donate/details?memberId=15342078#amount 

For Information about the Movember Foundation and its mission: https://us.movember.com/?home

In this special launch episode of the Meraki Unboxed podcast, we explore the new Cisco Wi-Fi 7 access points and how they redefine connectivity for modern workspaces. Discover how AI-enhanced technology boosts IoT connectivity and strengthens security and resilience. Tune in for insights into the future of network connectivity.

Host

Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki

Guest

Ameya Ahir, Product Manager, Cisco Meraki Wireless 

• Read the announcement: https://investor.cisco.com/news/news-details/2024/Cisco-Introduces-Intelligent-Secure-and-Assured-Wi...

• Watch Wi-Fi 7 LinkedIn Live with Jeetu Patel and Lawrence Huang: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7259283263284797442/comments/

• Read the blog from Lawrence Huang: https://blogs.cisco.com/news/introducing-zero-friction-wireless-for-smarter-workplaces?dtid=osolie00...

• Explore our new Wi-Fi 7 solutions and see how they can transform your workplace: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/products/networking/wireless/index.html

• Cisco Wireless 9176 Series Access Points Data Sheet: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/catalyst-9100ax-access-points/wireless-91...

• Cisco Wireless 9178 Series Access Points Data Sheet: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/catalyst-9100ax-access-points/wireless-91...

It’s almost October, which is Cybersecurity Awareness Month! In this special Cybersecurity Awareness Month🔒 episode of Meraki Unboxed, security experts discuss the evolution of cybersecurity, current trends, and key integration technologies. Tune in to learn about the importance of strong cybersecurity measures, the role of AI in threat mitigation, and best practices for lifecycle management.

Host

Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki

Guests

Chris Pacheco, Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki 

Chris Weber, Product Manager, Cisco Meraki

Check out the Meraki Security Hub to learn more about MX security and the power behind the platform: https://meraki.cisco.com/security-hub/

Want to hear more about cybersecurity? Tune into the Beers with Talos podcast, with new episodes every other Thursday. https://talosintelligence.com/podcasts/shows/beers_with_talos

In celebration of International Podcast Day on September 29, we’re excited to share a roundup of our top three recently published favorite episodes from the Meraki Unboxed Podcast. These episodes highlight some of the most engaging and insightful discussions we’ve had lately. We invite you to give them a listen and share your favorite Meraki Unboxed podcast episodes in the comments below! 

124: Simplify 5G Fixed Wireless Access and Scale Secure Connectivity to More Places - https://community.meraki.com/t5/Meraki-Unboxed-Podcast/Episode-124-Simplify-5G-Fixed-Wireless-Access...  

Tune in to this Meraki Unboxed podcast and explore the power of the new Meraki MG52 and MG52E cellular gateways.  

Learn how these devices, managed through the Cisco Networking Cloud, are revolutionizing branch connectivity for businesses. Deliver always-on, 5G-connected experiences, connecting more people and places without compromising scale and performance. 

120: The New World of Networking with Brink Sanders and Jen Kirkpatrick - https://community.meraki.com/t5/Meraki-Unboxed-Podcast/Episode-120-The-New-World-of-Networking-With-... 

In this episode, we sit down with Brink Sanders, Vice President of Global Networking Experience Sales at Cisco and Jen Kirkpatrick, Vice President of Global Sales at Cisco Meraki, to dive into the world of networking.  

Listen in as we learn all about Cisco Networking Experiences (NX). We discuss what NX is, how it merges the power of Cisco and Cisco Meraki, and our strategy to implement significant networking transformation. 

119: Revolutionizing the Retail Experience with Marketplace Partner Cloud4Wi - https://community.meraki.com/t5/Meraki-Unboxed-Podcast/Episode-119-Revolutionizing-the-Retail-Experi... 

In this episode, we’re joined by Ivan Muccini, Vice President of Product at Cloud4Wi, a Meraki Marketplace ecosystem partner.  

Tune in as we delve into Cloud4Wi’s impact on the retail industry, the transformative power of data, and exciting developments on the horizon. 

It’s back-to-school season. In this Meraki Unboxed podcast episode, we chat with Christopher Kozlov, Director of Information Technology at Lake Forest Academy. Tune in to hear how Cisco Meraki technology is transforming the technology on this college prep campus. 

Host

Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki 

Guest

Christopher Kozlov, Director of Information Technology, Lake Forest Academy 

Try the Meraki dashboard now: 

https://meraki.cisco.com/form/instant-demo/ 

In this episode of Meraki Unboxed, we explore the role of Cisco Enterprise Agreements in driving growth. We also delve into the evolution and expansion of Cisco Secure Connect and our guest shares valuable leadership strategies, customer feedback, and future plans for success. 

Host

Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki 

Guest

Cliff Petersen, Sales Director, Software Acceleration and Secure Connect, Cisco Meraki 

Learn more about Cisco Enterprise Agreement and Cisco Secure Connect: 

• https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/buy/enterprise-agreement/index.html 

• https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/plus-as-a-service/secure-connect.html 

Tune in to this Meraki Unboxed podcast and explore the power of the new Meraki MG52 and MG52E cellular gateways.

Learn how these devices, managed through the Cisco Networking Cloud, are revolutionizing branch connectivity for businesses. Experience always-on, 5G-connected experiences, connecting more people and places without compromising scale and performance. 

Host

Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki 

Guests

Pratik Desai, Product Marketing Manager, Cisco 

Unni Ambat Rajagopalan, Technical Marketing Engineering, Cisco Meraki 

See how businesses can scale faster and deliver richer customer experiences: https://meraki.cisco.com/products/wireless-wan/ 

Step into the fast-paced world of Esports with this Meraki Unboxed episode.

Hear from a Cisco Esports authority and a Meraki employee, alongside her Esports scholarship-winning son. Tune in to discover how the Meraki platform elevates gaming with revolutionary analytics and infrastructure—and see how the explosion of collegiate Esports is changing the industry.  

Host

Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki 

Guests

Neal Tilley, Sales Business Development Manager, Cisco 

Melisa Alvarez-Gaytan, Virtual Sales Specialist, Cisco Meraki 

Learn more, visit https://meraki.cisco.com/

In this episode, we welcome Aleta Howell, Global Director, DEI Business & Recruiting Strategy at Cisco. Join us as we delve into Cisco’s collaboration with OneTen, a company that is disrupting traditional hiring practices to unlock career opportunities for diverse talent across the U.S. 

Discover Cisco’s success with the program, strategies for inclusive hiring and integration, and ways to engage with the mission.  Learn more about the OneTen program: https://oneten.org/ 

Host

Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki 

Guest

Aleta Howell, Global Director, DEI Business & Recruiting Strategy, Cisco

In this episode, we’re discussing the new Cisco Catalyst 9300-M Series switches. We’re joined by Kevin Regan, Director of Product Management, Cloud Networking and Security, at Cisco Meraki.

Join us and discover how new Catalyst features are empowering secure, sustainable, and high-performance connectivity.  

Learn more about how Cisco Catalyst 9300-M switches deliver a flexible and secure end-to-end network at scale while managing it with ease and confidence:

• Read our latest blog about Cisco Catalyst 9300-M switches here 
• Get the Cisco Catalyst 9300-M datasheet here  

Host

Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Meraki Product Management, Cisco 

Guest

Kevin Regan, Director of Product Management, Cloud Networking and Security, Cisco Meraki

In this episode, we sit down with Brink Sanders, Vice President of Global Networking Experience Sales at Cisco and Jen Kirkpatrick, Vice President of Global Sales at Cisco Meraki, to dive into the world of networking.  

Listen in as we learn all about Cisco Networking Experiences (NX). We discuss what NX is, how it merges the power of Cisco and Cisco Meraki, and our strategy to implement significant networking transformation.

Host

Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki 

Guests

Jen Kirkpatrick, Vice President, Global Sales, Cisco Meraki 

Brink Sanders, Vice President, Global Networking Experience Sales, Cisco

Learn more about our Networking Experiences platform, product and services, capabilities:
Networking resources page
Cisco Networking Insider webinars

On this episode, we’re joined by Ivan Muccini, Vice President of Product at Cloud4Wi, a Meraki Marketplace ecosystem partner.

Tune in as we delve into Cloud4wi’s impact on the retail industry, the transformative power of data, and exciting developments on the horizon.

Request a demo today

Host

Tanner Yehlik, Technical Marketing Engineer, Meraki Product Management, Cisco 

Guest

Ivan Muccini, Vice President of Product, Cloud4Wi

Want to advance your IT career? Look no further than the Meraki Learning Hub, where you can access courses and certifications to help you get the most out of your Meraki products and services while boosting your IT cred. Take a listen and hear from Philip Coburn, Senior Technical Trainer at Cisco Meraki, as he takes us through recent exciting updates to the Meraki Learning Hub.

Host

Tanner Yehlik—Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki  

Guest

Philip Coburn—Senior Technical Trainer, Cisco Meraki

Learn More

cs.co/learn

learning.meraki.net

In this episode, we dive into the exciting world of automation with the new Ansible collection for the Meraki dashboard API. Developed in collaboration with open source leader Red Hat, this automation platform opens up a world of possibilities for network admins and those interested in automation.

We are joined by experts from Red Hat and Cisco Meraki to discuss the benefits of Ansible, the partnership between the two companies, and the use cases and future plans for this powerful tool. Tune in to learn more about this game-changing collaboration and the future of automation in the Meraki ecosystem.

Host

Tanner Yehlik—Technical Marketing Engineer, Cisco Meraki  

Guests

Dafné Mendoza—Principal Product Manager, Network Automation, Red Hat

Oren Brigg—Product Manager, Developer Platform and Ecosystem, Cisco Meraki

Learn more

DevNet Learning Lab - Using Ansible with Cisco Meraki

Meraki Marketplace - Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform

November is Veterans month. To celebrate, we’re talking with Anna Chow, Senior Technical Recruiter here at Cisco Meraki and leader of the Meraki Veterans employee resource organization (ERO). Anna spent 12 years in the Navy as a recruiter and human resources specialist before coming to Meraki. In addition to her day job, Anna loves to find opportunities to volunteer in her local community.

Listen in to learn more about Anna and hear about her career journey at Meraki.

Host: Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki 

Guest: Anna Chow, Senior Technical Recruiter, Cisco Meraki

Curious about the Meraki experience? Explore working at Meraki by visiting our careers page. Dive deeper into our employee stories on the Meraki Medium Blog.

In this episode, we talk with Bernie Mehl, CEO of Meraki Marketplace partner Kisi, a cloud-based access control company. An expert in managing space growth using innovative and scalable technologies, Bernie has helped hundreds of organizations understand the operational, financial, and cultural impact that security and technology can have within facilities and IT management departments. 
 

Request a demo today. 
 

Host    

Tanner Yehlik—Technical Marketing Engineer, Meraki Product Management, Cisco     
 

Guest 

Bernie Mehl – CEO and Co-Founder, Kisi 

Ricardo Duque is a technical solutions architect with over 18 years of experience in pre-sales with a focus on design, planning, implementation, configuration, technical support, and consulting for IT and networking devices.  
 
Listen in to learn more about his unique and inspirational journey into IT, hear about the ways he gives back, gain insights into his current role, and learn how he embodies Cisco Meraki values.  

Learn more about Ricardo 
 
Host  

Sammy Brenner, Virtual Sales Leader, Cisco Meraki 
 
Guest  
Ricardo Duque, Technical Solutions Architect, Cisco Meraki   

In this episode, we discuss networking in harsh environments with guest Brock Richards, Senior Solution Architect at Nutrien—the world’s largest provider of crop inputs, services, and solutions—and Meraki Technical Marketing Engineer Leader Brennan Martin.  

Listen as they share the unique networking solutions they built for temperature-challenged environments and their future plans for the new MS130 and MS130R switches.

Our API has evolved significantly since embracing Swagger, now OpenAPI v2. This integration has greatly streamlined our API development process, ensuring a smooth experience for developers. Now, we're advancing even further with OpenAPI v3, emphasizing our commitment to a high-quality API contract and empowering developers with the most up-to-date tools and technologies. 

Tune in to this episode to learn more about: 

• The OpenAPI v3 update  
• New use cases  
• Reporting features   

With the Meraki mobile app, you get everything you need for IT and network operations wherever you are. You can quickly access devices, identify problems, and easily navigate between networks and organizations.

Tune in to learn more about the mobile app and hear which features exist today, which ones are coming soon, and more.

Francisco “Panch” Ramirez is a Cisco Meraki leader with over 20 years of experience in sales engineering.

Tune in to this episode to gain insights into his unique career journey. Discover lessons that have shaped his distinctive leadership style, unlock strategies for building and managing an effective team, and learn ways to navigate through organizational changes.

Wireless access takes business networking by storm. Meraki cloud-managed 5G wireless WAN offers businesses numerous advantages in campus, data center, and branch networking.

In this episode, learn how businesses can take full advantage of 5G in their branch networks using the Cisco Meraki MG51 and MG51E. Listen in as we discuss how the Meraki platform can help businesses simplify the management of their branch networks with unparalleled scale, administration, and visibility from a single dashboard to configure, manage, and troubleshoot their networks.

In this episode, we sit down with Tim Ormrod, Founder of Splash Access, and Shannon Nagel, Cisco Meraki Sales Leader, to discuss the benefits of using Splash Access to authenticate secure internet access and explore their recent wins in higher education.

Splash Access allows you to automatically provision a custom splash page solution that instantly integrates into the Meraki cloud. Splash Access authorizes users onto the Meraki network, collects customer data, and integrates into APIs from major marketing tools.

With cybersecurity threats lurking in every part of the digital landscape, connecting users to what they need securely and seamlessly is vital to supporting an efficient, productive, and happy workforce. Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) offers IT a smart solution. Unified SASE takes simplicity to the next level by converging networking and security to deliver a streamlined experience for both IT and end users. 

Tune in to learn about Cisco+ Secure Connect, Cisco’s turnkey unified SASE solution.