Vantage Data Centers Leaders Reflect On Ohio Campus Plans, North American Industry Surge

Recorded last December, for this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show Podcast, DCF Editor in Chief Matt Vincent spoke with Vantage Data Centers' North American President Dana Adams, and Katilin Monaghan, Vantage Data Centers' North American Public Policy Director.

As president of Vantage Data Centers’ North America business, Dana Adams oversees market development, sales, construction and operations across the United States and Canada. With nearly 18 years of experience in the data center sector, Adams has a track record of successfully leading high-growth companies and diverse teams at scale.

Prior to joining Vantage, Adams was the Chief Operating Officer for AirTrunk, the hyperscale data center giant serving the Asia-Pacific region. She was responsible for scaling operations, service delivery and customer success from one to five countries and established other critical business capabilities, including award-winning people, culture and sustainability programs, as the company grew from $3 to $10 billion.

Earlier in her career, Adams served as vice president and general manager at Iron Mountain where she helped drive nearly $2 billion in growth through global acquisitions and development projects. In addition, she held several leadership positions at Digital Realty, including vice president of portfolio management, where she oversaw $3 billion in data center assets.

Considered to be one of the most influential female executives in the industry, Adams was recognized by Data Economy on its power women list in 2019. She was a finalist in the 2020 and 2022 PTC awards as an outstanding female executive, an Infrastructure Masons (IM) 2022 award recipient and was recently featured by InterGlobix Magazine as an Inspiring Woman in Leadership. Adams earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and a Master of Business Administration from Simmons University.

Kaitlin Monaghan serves as the Director of Public Policy, North America, for Vantage Data Centers. In this role, she is responsible for leading a public policy program to support the company’s North American business. Monaghan partners with site selection, sustainability, tax, legal, energy and construction stakeholders to develop and advocate for Vantage’s position on a multitude of issues in current and future markets. 

Prior to joining Vantage, Monaghan held public policy roles at Rivian Automotive and the American Clean Power Association where she managed legislative, regulatory and economic development matters at all levels of government. She also serves as Energy and Environment Co-Chair for the Data Center Coalition (DCC). A Florida native, she is a graduate of the University of Florida with a B.S. in Environmental Science and has a law degree from Florida State University College of Law with a concentration in Energy Law.

Podcast

Talk on the podcast kicks off with a framing of Vantage Data Centers' recently announced $2 billion investment in a new data center campus in New Albany, Ohio in the environs of Tier 2 industry hotspot Columbus, focusing on sustainability and efficiency. The discussion touches on how the Ohio market is becoming increasingly relevant for data centers due to strong connectivity and power availability, with most major hyperscalers already investing in the region. 

Along the way, we learn how Vantage's new campus in New Albany will utilize a sustainable design aimed at achieving LEED Silver certification, emphasizing low power usage effectiveness (PUE) and waterless cooling systems. The discussion also examines how partnerships with local organizations, such as the New Albany Community Foundation and Columbus State Community College Foundation, will support workforce development and community engagement. 

Vantage's Adams and Monaghan also speak on how continued collaboration with utilities and policymakers is essential to address power generation challenges while supporting future data center industry growth in North America.

Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments:

• Dana Adams shares insights on how her experience as COO of Air Trunk in Sydney informs her current role, focusing on scaling hyperscale data centers in North America. 1:36
• Kaitlin Monaghan discusses her background in energy law and highlights her focus on renewable energy policy. 3:57
• Investment trends in Ohio's data center market are discussed. Connectivity and power availability are identified as key factors. 7:11
• The forthcoming OH1 data center campus is discussed. It will cover 70 acres and focus on sustainability. 9:57
• The 200 megawatt campus will be built in phases. The first phase is set to open in late 2025. 10:37
• Sustainable design principles are emphasized in the project. The design aims for low power usage effectiveness and minimal water usage. 11:31
• Innovations in Ohio are discussed. The focus is on signal innovations for deployment. 13:00
• Sustainable fuels integration is highlighted. Collaboration across the industry is emphasized to increase demand. 13:30
• Challenges with new chip designs are addressed. Maximizing efficiency with GPUs in data centers is a key concern. 14:01
• Partnerships with local organizations are discussed. Workforce development is emphasized as a key focus. 14:48
• The importance of community engagement is highlighted. Vantage's long-term commitment to local hiring is noted. 15:19
• Trends in workforce development within the data center industry are analyzed. The significance of workforce as a pillar of sustainability is mentioned. 16:43
• Insights into Vantage Data Centers' growth are shared. Anticipation for 2025 includes a focus on infrastructure and workforce needs. 17:49
• Challenges in power generation and transmission are addressed. Engagement with utilities and policymakers is emphasized for future growth. 19:54