Kirk Kern

Kirk is chief technology officer for NetApp Americas and leads a team of deputy CTOs in the Office of Technology and Strategy. He is responsible for developing strategies, solution architectures, and partner initiatives for customers across the Americas. His activities result in secure and scalable data services for hybrid cloud or traditional IT environments. His current research explores applied use cases for machine learning and AI for data management systems. He has deep technical knowledge of public sector infrastructures, especially within the DoD and the Intelligence communities. Prior to his role as America’s CTO, Kirk was a technical director in NetApp’s Product Operations Division leading E-series solutions and then NetApp flash portfolio with primary focus on Flash Accel.

Kirk’s professional career began at the Penn State Applied Research Laboratory where he developed a DSP-based Neural Network acoustic signal processing system for predicting laser materials processing fabrication for the Navy. He then joined IBM Federal Systems Division as a radar test engineer in the early 90s and rejoined IBM in 2004 where he became an IBM Senior Certified Executive IT Architect as well as an Open Group Master Certified IT Architect. He has also held key engineering positions at the Naval Research Laboratory, SGI, and Lockheed Martin on major technology development programs. During that time his notable works included a multi-sensor radar tracker and simulator, supported the DARPA fast packet switching program which started the wide-area ATM network industry, and a transactional memory high performance super computer architecture for DARPA. He also brings deep historical and domain experience on many of the prototypes that were the catalyst for programs like the Intelligence Communities “IC Global Grid” and “GIG-BE”.

Kirk holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering and computer engineering from the Pennsylvania State University. He has instructed graduate level microprocessor design and HPC courses as an adjunct faculty member at the George Washington University Electrical and Computer Engineering department.