THE LINUX FOUNDATION PROJECTS
Blog | Mentorship

Meet the Open Mainframe Project Summer 2026 Mentees and Mentors

By | June 9, 2026June 30th, 2026

The Open Mainframe Project’s Mentorship program continues to be one of its most popular initiatives. Since its launch, the program has connected more than 200 students with hands-on experience in Linux, open source, and mainframes. Mentees carry that experience into their academic work and careers, and some come back to mentor the next cohort.

This summer, we’re offering 6 mentorship opportunities. The term runs June 1 through August 31. This year’s programs focus on two of the most pressing conversations in the mainframe community right now: digital sovereignty and AI-driven modernization.

This year’s mentorships include:

  • Role of Mainframes in Digital Sovereignty and Resilience
  • Role of AI in Mainframe Application Modernization
  • Mainframe Modernization Whitepaper
  • AI-Powered Mainframe Data Modernization
  • Workflow APIs for Zowe Client Java SDK
  • Modernising Mainframe with Open Source

Please meet our Open Mainframe Project 2026 Summer Mentees and Mentors:

Role of mainframes in Digital sovereignty and resilience

Mentee:

Junior Tamekem Tadiffo

Fun Facts: 

  1. I am a college junior studying Computer Science and a Research Assistant at the University at Buffalo. I have experience in building software, data pipelines, and AI-powered systems including Neural Networks.
  2. I have developed a strong interest in AI, Databases, Mainframes and Enterprise computing.
  3. I bring strong initiative and collaboration skills through technical and leadership roles such as serving as a ML research assistant and a an IBM Z Ambassador (and President of the UB IBM Z Club).

Mentors: 

Bruno Azenha, Global FSI Tech Strategy and Modernization at Red Hat
Swathi Rao, Business System Analyst at KPMG

Mentorship Description:

The primary objective of this project is to analyze the role of mainframe platforms in achieving digital sovereignty and operational resilience within enterprise architectures. The mentee will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of on-premise mainframe infrastructure compared to public cloud environments, specifically focusing on data residency, regulatory compliance (such as DORA), and resilience models.

Role of AI in mainframe application modernization

Mentees:

Ramana Sree

Fun Facts: 

  1. I’m a second-year Computer Science undergraduate with a goal of becoming a mainframe systems engineer specializing in enterprise application modernization on the IBM Z platform.
  2. I’ve earned the All-Star and Champion badges through the IBM Z Student Ambassador Program, the highest recognitions in that community.
  3. I completed the IBM Z Xplore Advanced and Concepts badges and applied my skills in a real-world machine learning context at the IBM Z Datathon on LinuxONE
Linisha Bansal

  1. I’m a second-year Computer Science and Engineering student drawn to systems programming and building technology that serves the public good.
  2. I’m naturally curious, organized, and collaborative — and I believe a little humor makes for better teamwork.
  3. Outside of tech, I stay creative and balanced through dancing, reading, and gaming.

Mentors: 

Misty Decker, GTM Lead for Mainframe Modernization Strategic Partnerships at Kyndryl

Misty Decker

Mentorship Description:

The primary objective of this project is to analyze how artificial intelligence (AI) tools can assist in mainframe application modernization. The mentee will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of traditional versus AI-assisted modernization approaches. The research will explore how AI enables business rule extraction and addresses specific challenges where manual methods or traditional tooling fall short. Additionally, the project will assess the current technical limitations and discuss a cost-benefit of AI-driven modernization.

Mainframe Modernization Whitepaper

Mentees:

Brenda Aguinaga Torres

Fun Facts: 

  1. I’m an undergraduate at the University of North Texas studying Business Computer Information Systems while fast-tracking through a master’s program in Information Systems Management.
  2. I got my first look at legacy enterprise systems working as a customer service representative at State Farm, and it sparked my curiosity about how large organizations maintain and modernize the technology they depend on.
  3. I found my way to this mentorship after attending a New to Z event on campus where a guest speaker introduced the Open Mainframe Project, and I’ve been exploring the space ever since.
Rhian Barton

  1. I’m a Mainframe Infrastructure Engineer at Barclays Bank, completing a degree apprenticeship in Digital and Technology Solutions with a specialization in mainframe at Manchester Metropolitan University.
  2. My long-term goal is to become a technical leader who bridges the gap between mainframe and modern technologies, guiding teams through modernization initiatives.
  3. What makes my position unique is that I’m combining academic study with daily hands-on work on production mainframe systems, giving me both the curiosity to learn and the context to apply it immediately.

Mentors: 

Bruno Azenha, Global FSI Tech Strategy and Modernization at Red Hat

Mentorship Description:

Advance thought leadership around what it means to modernize the mainframe. Our mentorship program offers you the chance to research, analyse, and document strategies for modernization of mainframes and the applications workloads that run on top of it. You’ll work closely with a mentor and connect with top industry professionals.

Deliverables: A whitepaper to be published under the modernization working group banner.

AI powered mainframe data modernization

Mentee:

Vijaya lakshmi M

Fun Facts: 

  1. I’m a third-year Information Technology student with interests in machine learning, full stack development, and open source.
  2. I’m a quick learner who focuses on applying theory to practical projects — and I make sure those projects have a real social purpose.
  3. My goal right now is to gain as much hands-on experience as possible and build a thorough understanding of the work I take on.

Mentors: 

Vinu Viswasadhas, Adjunct Professor at University of Cumberlands

Mentorship Description:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents an opportunity to accelerate and de‑risk mainframe data modernization by automating the most complex and labor‑intensive aspects of understanding, extracting, and rebuilding legacy workloads.

This project will deliver a comprehensive framework that guides organizations through understanding legacy mainframe data structures, mapping those datasets to modern cloud‑based platforms, and applying effective methods for data transfer, quality checks, and validation. As part of this effort, the participant will also develop a demonstration application that showcases the practical implementation of key elements of the framework, illustrating how each component works together to support a successful modernization journey.

Workflow APIs for Zowe Client Java SDK

Mentees:

Muhammad Imran

Fun Facts: 

  1. I’m a Computer Science student at Farmingdale State College graduating in May 2026, with hands-on experience in backend development, APIs, and scalable systems through internships and real-world projects.
  2. I’ve mentored 30+ students in data structures and algorithms, which has sharpened my ability to break down complex concepts as much as it has my technical skills.
  3. The Zowe Java SDK work draws me in because it connects modern Java development with real-world system automation, exactly the kind of problem I want to be working on.
Adithe Das

Fun Facts: 

  1. I’m a senior Computer Science student finishing my final semester and moving into the professional phase of my career with a focus on systems, backend development, and open source.
  2. My long-term goal is to contribute consistently to open source communities and work on large-scale systems where performance and reliability matter.
  3. This mentorship appeals to me because it offers hands-on experience in a real open source environment, the kind of practical, production-level work I can’t get in a classroom.
Jorge Samaniego

Fun Facts: 

  1. I’m a Computer Science student at Farmingdale State College who builds projects outside of class and recently helped develop and present Mirror72, a full stack app that predicts energy and mood based on sleep and daily habits, at a hackathon.
  2. I’m drawn to this mentorship specifically to work on the Zowe Client Java SDK and z/OSMF workflow APIs, the kind of large-scale, production-level backend work I’m actively seeking out.
  3. What sets me apart is that I don’t wait for experience to come to me, I find it through hackathons, independent projects, and opportunities like this one.
Ashish Kumar Dash

Fun Facts: 

  1. I’m a second-year Computer Science student at IIT Bhilai, India, with interests in software engineering, open source, and building reliable systems.
  2. This mentorship is an opportunity for me to learn from experts and take on real-world challenges that push beyond what I can find in the classroom.
  3. What drives me is a commitment to learning something new every day, a habit that shows up in my collaborative projects and my constant curiosity about what’s next.
Eshaan Gupta

Fun Facts: 

  1. I’m a Bachelor of Information Technology student building my skills through academic projects, hands-on development, and open source contributions.
  2. My long-term goal is to work on scalable systems that create real value, and eventually mentor others who are just starting out in tech.
  3. What defines my approach is consistency: I actively seek feedback, dig into complex problems, and want to understand not just how things work but why.

Mentors: 

Francesco Giordano, R&D Software Engineer at Broadcom

Mentorship Description:

Enhance the Zowe Java SDK by adding support for the z/OSMF Workflow REST APIs documented here.

This continues the evolution of the SDK toward broader coverage of z/OSMF REST APIs and helps move it closer to full z/OSMF API support. It will also enable the Java community to build automation and tooling for z/OS using modern Java frameworks, libraries, and delivery pipelines.

Modernising Mainframe with Open Source

Mentee:

Harsh Sagar

Fun Facts

  • Second-year CS student at JIIT Noida with a focus on AI/ML and cybersecurity
  • Works in Python, C++, Java, and Docker; known for turning concepts into working prototypes quickly
  • Drawn to LFX Mentorship to write production-grade code alongside experienced maintainers and connect academic work to real open source impact
Rohini Sankari Byra

Fun Facts

  • Recent CS grad with hands-on experience in Java, MERN Stack, and machine learning, applied across full-stack and AI-based projects
  • Drawn to open source for the learning and real-world contribution it offers
  • Joining LFX Mentorship to deepen technical skills and build a long-term open source practice

Mentors: 

Harita D, Lead Software Engineer at IBM 

Igor Todorovski, z/OS Open Source Development Lead at IBM

Mentorship Description:

The zopen community is a collaborative initiative dedicated to modernizing the z/OS platform by porting widely used open-source tools and libraries. Our goal is to bridge the skill and technology gap between mainframes and other modern computing environments by making z/OS a first-class open-source platform. As a mentee, you will contribute to this mission by working alongside experienced developers to port and extend open-source software for z/OS.

Educational Content & Advocacy Mentorship 

Mentee:

Tushar Biswas

Fun Facts

  • Already holding ambassador roles at IBM Z and Google Gemini, Tushar is a rare bridge between mainframe and AI ecosystems.
  • Prior contributions to OMP’s Software Development Toolkit mean Tushar arrives with real mainframe open source experience, not just curiosity.
  • Tushar’s focus sits squarely at the intersection of AI and legacy enterprise infrastructure: the exact space where the mainframe’s next chapter is being written
Idris Zubair

Fun Facts

  • Idris is making the leap from software engineering into mainframe, bringing fresh eyes to a platform that powers much of the world’s critical infrastructure.
  • Idris’s stated superpower is the ability to learn, adapt, and settle quickly, exactly the agility open source mentorship rewards.
  • The goal is simple and ambitious: build software that impacts a lot of people. The mainframe, running roughly 70% of global transaction processing, is not a bad place to start.

Mentors: 

Kelsey Colberg, Partner Education Program Manager at Broadcom

Nanxi Meng, learning Experience Researcher at Broadcom

John  Lovett, Head of Education at Broadcom

Mentorship Description:

The Mainframe Open Education (MOE) Project seeks a creative and enthusiastic individual to serve as a Mainframe Education Advocate. The primary goal of this mentorship is to champion peer-to-peer education: taking foundational mainframe concepts and turning them into clear, engaging, and accessible content for the student community.

The 2026 program emphasizes Education-as-Communication. The mentee will act as a relatable voice for the student and early-career community, documenting their own learning journey and translating foundational technical workflows into engaging, introductory-level blog series and interactive modules.

Stay tuned:

Mentees will be blogging about their experiences. Stay tuned here and the Open Mainframe Project social channels for updates.

 

Share