Tech Connect is a video series by MKE Tech Hub Coalition that spotlights the real voices behind Milwaukee’s growing technology ecosystem. Each episode features candid conversations with local tech professionals on leadership, career, culture, and what makes Milwaukee a place worth building in.
In our seventh episode, we sat down with Dr. Victor Amaya, President & Executive Director of Data You Can Use, and Joe Poeschl, Executive Director of MKE Tech Hub Coalition, for a conversation where the two traded questions back and forth — leading to an unusually candid look at leadership, growth, and community from two people who’ve built their careers in Milwaukee.
On staying in growth mode as a leader: Both guests agreed that modeling growth is part of the job. Victor talked about telling his board that he needs to keep learning or he’ll lose interest. He recently completed a five-week course, less for new information than to sharpen skills he already had. Joe shared that one of his first moves after stepping into the Executive Director role was bringing on an executive coach, which has reshaped small habits like how he structures his week, changes he believes are creating a healthier, more growth-minded environment for his team.
On mentorship and “setting the example”: Joe recalled a high school teacher’s advice, “set the example, don’t be the example,”as a guiding idea for leadership. Victor connected this to his own path: a former teacher who introduced him to the concept of leadership through student council eventually became a lifelong mentor. Victor has carried that forward himself, including mentoring a former student.
On what’s next for Milwaukee’s tech ecosystem: Looking ahead, Victor emphasized the need to embrace new technology, including AI, to accelerate progress on long-standing gaps in education, life expectancy, and wealth. He was clear that technology should support human connection and critical thinking, not replace them. Joe added that he expects the next decade to bring a genuine step change for the region, not just incremental growth, driven by Milwaukee’s practical, problem-solving character and its unique mix of research, innovation, and manufacturing happening in one place.
On what makes it work: Both guests closed by pointing back to the people. Victor noted that Data You Can Use’s work of bringing data and tools to communities to support equitable decisions, is part of the same throughline as MKE Tech’s work connecting the ecosystem. Joe agreed, framing the region’s growth as something that happens through people supporting each other “from all angles,” not just through the most visible wins.