Speaking
Talking up the most invisible job in tech
Kevin Nanns is a network architect and the hype man for network engineering. He speaks about network engineering careers, how networks really work, and explaining technology to people who don't work in it.
He's available for conference talks, keynotes, panels, user groups, webinars and podcasts.
Signature talk
The most invisible job in tech
Nobody notices the network until it breaks. Then everybody does. The people who keep it running are some of the hardest-working, least-thanked people in tech, and most people outside IT don't know the job exists.
This talk makes the case for network engineering: what the people who keep everything online actually do, why so few people know about the work, and what it takes to get in. It draws on Kevin's path from classroom teacher to NOC to network architect, and on what explaining networks to more than 750,000 people has shown him about how the public sees the network.
Good for keynotes, career days, user groups, and student or early-career audiences.
Topics
What Kevin talks about
Network engineering as a career
What the job is really like, why more people should do it, and the ways in: certifications, degrees, help desk and NOC.
How networks really work, for people outside IT
Wi-Fi, the internet and the data centers behind it, explained with real gear and checks anyone can run.
Explaining technology to people who don't work in it
What four years of teaching and 750,000 followers taught me about making technical ideas land.
Building an audience as a working engineer
Making videos, a podcast and a newsletter next to a full-time job in networking.
- Conference talks
- Keynotes
- Panels
- User groups
- Webinars
- Podcasts
Past appearances
Where Kevin has spoken
Every podcast, panel and article is on the press page.
For organizers
Bios and headshot
Short bio
Kevin Nanns is a network architect and the hype man for network engineering, the most invisible job in tech. As AdjacentNode, he explains how networks work to more than 750,000 followers, co-hosts Life in Uptime on the Packet Pushers network, and is a Cisco Insider Champion for 2026.
Long bio
Kevin Nanns is a network architect, a former teacher and the hype man for network engineering, the most invisible job in tech. He taught for four years before taking a NOC job in 2012, then worked in network engineering for a service provider, a university and local government. As AdjacentNode, he explains how networks, Wi-Fi and everyday devices really work to more than 750,000 followers across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and X, and helps people get ready for a job in networking. He co-hosts Life in Uptime on the Packet Pushers network, writes The Weekly Packet newsletter, and was a Networking Field Day 37 delegate. He holds the CCNA and is a Cisco Insider Champion for 2026, a Cisco Champion for 2024 and 2025, and a Juniper AI Innovator. He's based in Florida, USA.
Booking
Have an event, panel or show in mind?
Send the date, the audience and the format, and Kevin will get back to you.