Roberth is a self-proclaimed "cloud automator" and "platform creator". He primarily works on building cloud native platforms while being an advocate for platform engineering and DevOps. He has been awarded the titles Microsoft Azure MVP and CNCF Ambassador and previously HashiCorp Ambassador. As an active speaker for several years, he has been on stage everywhere from small local meetups to KubeCon.

Furthermore, he initiated Cloud Native Norway, which hosts events and supports the cloud native community in Norway. Additionally, he is active in the Cloud Native Computing Foundation as a maintainer of the OpenGitOps project, was previously a co-chair of TAG App Delivery, and founded and lead the Platforms Working Group for several years.

Roberth is a self-proclaimed "cloud automator" and "platform creator". He primarily works on building cloud native platforms while being an advocate for platform engineering and DevOps. He has been awarded the titles Microsoft Azure MVP and CNCF Amba... Show more

🛠️ Code > Create > Coach > Repeat.
Ron Dagdag has spent 25 years figuring out which tool fits the problem—and when "good enough" is the right engineering choice. He leads research engineering at Thomson Reuters, building AI systems that hold up in production, not just in demos. A multi-category Microsoft MVP since 2017, he works across web, mixed reality, IoT, edge devices, and AI. He speaks internationally through one lens: augmented intelligence—technology that makes people better at what they do. He builds things, stress-tests what breaks, and teaches what works.

🛠️ Code > Create > Coach > Repeat. Ron Dagdag has spent 25 years figuring out which tool fits the problem—and when "good enough" is the right engineering choice. He leads research engineering at Thomson Reuters, building AI systems that hold up in... Show more

Baruch Sadogursky (@jbaruch) did Java before it had generics, DevOps before there was Docker, and DevRel before it had a name. He built DevRel at JFrog from a ten-person company through an IPO, co-authored "Liquid Software" and "DevOps Tools for Java Developers," and is a Java Champion, a Microsoft MVP for AI, and a CNCF Ambassador alum.

Today he's head of DevRel at Port, working on the agentic SDLC, and a self-certified Level 3 AI Context Sommelier. In addition to sharing knowledge with AI agents, Baruch also shares knowledge with developers through blog posts, meetups, and conferences such as DevNexus, QCon, Kubecon, and Devoxx, mostly on how to use Agentic SDLC platforms to turn off the lights in your software factory once and for all.

Baruch Sadogursky (@jbaruch) did Java before it had generics, DevOps before there was Docker, and DevRel before it had a name. He built DevRel at JFrog from a ten-person company through an IPO, co-authored "Liquid Software" and "DevOps Tools for Java... Show more

Chris Klug has been building software professionally since sometime around 2000, back when .NET was new, CSS was a suggestion, and Roy Fielding’s REST paper had just been published. Since then he has written code for everything from model agencies to online sports betting to professional sail racing, because staying in one industry sounded far too boring.

He has been a Microsoft MVP for something like 15 years (depending on when he last updated this abstract), which either means he knows a thing or two or that he just talks a lot. Possibly both, but we all know the latter is a given. These days he works at Active Solution in Stockholm, helping clients solve problems and build better systems.

When he is not writing code, Chris is usually geeking out on some form of extreme sport like skydiving, kitesurfing, snowboarding, mountain biking, or wing foiling. He loves learning new things and spends way too much time thinking about weird stuff most people never even notice.

Chris Klug has been building software professionally since sometime around 2000, back when .NET was new, CSS was a suggestion, and Roy Fielding’s REST paper had just been published. Since then he has written code for everything from model agencies to... Show more

Jan Vidar Elven is a Senior Cloud Platform & Security Architect working at Microsoft Partner Evidi AS in Norway. He is a Microsoft MVP in Security, an active speaker and blogger, and has more than 25 years’ experience inside IT infrastructure management and architecting solutions, working with Cloud & Datacenter, specializing in Azure, Microsoft Entra, Active Directory, Enterprise Mobility, Identity & Access Management, Identity Governance, Service Management, Operations Management and Automation cross On-Premise and Azure environments.

Jan Vidar Elven is a Senior Cloud Platform & Security Architect working at Microsoft Partner Evidi AS in Norway. He is a Microsoft MVP in Security, an active speaker and blogger, and has more than 25 years’ experience inside IT infrastructure managem... Show more

Yves Habersaat is an AI Tech Lead and 6-time Microsoft MVP in the Microsoft 365 category, based in Lausanne, Switzerland. A regular speaker at Microsoft Frontier Tour (formerly AI Tour) and a Microsoft Certified Trainer, he helps organizations design and scale intelligent business solutions using Microsoft Cloud, AI, and automation technologies.

With over 10 years of experience across Microsoft 365, Azure, Power Platform, and Dynamics 365, he specializes in transforming business challenges into secure, scalable, and user-centric solutions.

Yves is passionate about agentic AI, modern application development, and empowering organizations to accelerate their AI ambitions and initiatives through practical, real-world adoption of Microsoft technologies.

Yves Habersaat is an AI Tech Lead and 6-time Microsoft MVP in the Microsoft 365 category, based in Lausanne, Switzerland. A regular speaker at Microsoft Frontier Tour (formerly AI Tour) and a Microsoft Certified Trainer, he helps organizations design... Show more

Hasan is a recognized Microsoft Data Platform MVP and an expert in Azure data products, bringing over 20 years of experience in software development, architecture, and management. As the owner of SavranWeb Consulting and the Senior Business Intelligence Manager at Progressive Insurance, he specializes in designing innovative business solutions leveraging the latest web and database technologies. A passionate global conference speaker, Hasan enjoys sharing his insights through blogging about Azure Data services, C#, and front-end development.

Hasan is a recognized Microsoft Data Platform MVP and an expert in Azure data products, bringing over 20 years of experience in software development, architecture, and management. As the owner of SavranWeb Consulting and the Senior Business Intellige... Show more

Michelle Sandford is a Developer Engagement Leader who writes code, builds with GitHub and Azure AI, and learns out loud. She likes sharing what’s useful (and what isn’t), and believes shipping is better than talking about it:

- A community builder, connecting MVPs, user groups, universities, and developer communities into thriving ecosystems that learn together and lift each other higher.
- A technical storyteller, Michelle shapes how the world talks about AI‑powered engineering and Azure innovation bringing clarity, curiosity, and creativity to every conversation.
- A program strategist, designing scalable, repeatable motions that help developers grow their capability and confidence at pace with a rapidly evolving industry.
- A bridge between engineering and the field making sure developers feel heard, supported, and empowered, from the first line of code to the final production push.

Michelle Sandford is a Developer Engagement Leader who writes code, builds with GitHub and Azure AI, and learns out loud. She likes sharing what’s useful (and what isn’t), and believes shipping is better than talking about it: - A community builde... Show more

Sadukie is a tech polyglot who brings code to life and helps others unlock their potential through teaching and mentorship. As a seasoned software architect with deep expertise in user experience and human-centered design, she translates UX principles directly for developers - making it easy for engineering teams to build intuitive, user-first software and hit the ground running. When technical or design roadblocks pop up, she’s the one who clears the path - breaking down complex ideas and helping teams communicate more effectively. A natural connector and strong community advocate, Sadukie loves bringing people together across the tech world. Whether she’s mentoring, speaking, coding, or juggling life's adventures, her mission stays the same: to make tech and UX more approachable and spark confidence in every developer’s journey.

Sadukie is a tech polyglot who brings code to life and helps others unlock their potential through teaching and mentorship. As a seasoned software architect with deep expertise in user experience and human-centered design, she translates UX principle... Show more

Sara has over 25 years’ experience, has been a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) for over 15 years and is also a MCT Community Lead and Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) for Microsoft 365.

Sara has been working with Microsoft 365 since the preview in April 2011 and holds over 50 Microsoft Certifications. Sara’s company still use the same Microsoft 365 Tenant opened back in 2011.

As a trainer Sara’s professional aim is to help make technology more accessible by increasing knowledge and decreasing fear. In her own words “I love helping others advance their own skills and use of technology, whilst challenging myself to advance my own skills and expertise.”

Sara delivers training across Microsoft 365 from beginner to admin level, specialising in productivity, data security, and compliance. She is a recognised expert in Microsoft 365 Copilot, having authored multiple courses and supported organisations with adoption strategies and governance planning.

Sara has over 25 years’ experience, has been a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) for over 15 years and is also a MCT Community Lead and Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) for Microsoft 365. Sara has been working with Microsoft 365 since th... Show more

Principal AI Advisor at Fellowmind | Microsoft MVP in AI & Microsoft 365 | Speaker | Blogger

Vesa “Vesku” Nopanen is Principal AI Advisor at Fellowmind, helping organizations transform work with AI, Copilot, and intelligent agents while creating AI-Native ways of working. A Microsoft MVP since 2019, he advises leaders and organizations on turning AI potential into measurable business value.

With more than 30 years of experience in enterprise IT, Vesku specializes in Microsoft AI and modern work technologies, including Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Studio, Microsoft Foundry, and agentic AI solutions. His focus is helping organizations move from AI experimentation to measurable business value through Copilot, agents, and AI-Native ways of working.

A recognized international speaker, blogger, community leader, and workshop facilitator, Vesku shares practical insights, real-world experiences, and emerging trends in AI transformation, productivity, and the future of work. He writes at futurework.blog, speaks at conferences worldwide, and helps organizations navigate their AI journey with technology and people at the center.

🔗 linktr.ee/vesanopanen

Principal AI Advisor at Fellowmind | Microsoft MVP in AI & Microsoft 365 | Speaker | Blogger Vesa “Vesku” Nopanen is Principal AI Advisor at Fellowmind, helping organizations transform work with AI, Copilot, and intelligent agents while creating A... Show more

Hugo is the world's laziest developer. He will always look for the easiest way to solve a problem.

He is also a member of the Microsoft 365 Patterns and Practices (PnP) team.

As a Microsoft MVP and former McKinsey & Company consultant, Hugo combines his love of technology and his management consulting experience to help organizations solve business problems quickly using enabling Microsoft technologies.

Hugo worked in Canada, the United States, Germany, Finland, Singapore, Hungary, France, and the United Kingdom, where he consumed vast amounts of coffee.

Hugo is the world's laziest developer. He will always look for the easiest way to solve a problem. He is also a member of the Microsoft 365 Patterns and Practices (PnP) team. As a Microsoft MVP and former McKinsey & Company consultant, Hugo c... Show more

Johnny Hooyberghs is an Azure architect for Zure since 2026 focusing on software and cloud architecture, backend development and a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional for Azure and Developer Technologies since 2020. Prior to joining Zure, he has had experience as a consultant since 2014 and developing software for the health-care sector since 2008. Johnny has been passionate about software development using the .NET stack, cloud native development using the Microsoft Azure cloud stack and quantum computing. Johnny has spent 10 years of his free time teaching software development courses for the adult education institute CVO Antwerpen and has been enjoying public speaking these past 6 years. When Johnny is not working, he likes to spend his time on self-education, quantum computing, some casual video gaming, travelling the world and visiting as many theme parks as possible.

Johnny Hooyberghs is an Azure architect for Zure since 2026 focusing on software and cloud architecture, backend development and a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional for Azure and Developer Technologies since 2020. Prior to joining Zure, he has had... Show more

Scott is the Director of Engineering at Lean TECHniques Inc. Besides advising clients and delivering solutions for them, he enjoys helping teams realize their potential through technical practices (such as Agentic Coding, CI/CD, TDD, IAC, etc.) and working more effectively (such as limiting WIP, visualizing work, etc).

He’s a Microsoft MVP, Redgate Community Ambassador, international speaker, Dometrain author, and co-organizes both the Iowa .NET User Group and Iowa Code Camp. You can find Scott on Twitter @scottsauber, on Bluesky @scottsauber.com, or on his blog at scottsauber.com.

Scott is the Director of Engineering at Lean TECHniques Inc. Besides advising clients and delivering solutions for them, he enjoys helping teams realize their potential through technical practices (such as Agentic Coding, CI/CD, TDD, IAC, etc.) and w... Show more

Barry (he/him) is a Software Engineer who has built business solutions for enterprise customers for more than 40 years. He is also a Microsoft MVP and an internationally recognized technical speaker, having presented across North America, Europe, and Australia. Barry is an Election Integrity Activist, a baseball and hockey fan, husband of one genius and father of another, and a 40+ year resident of Phoenix, Arizona, USA. He works as Principal Engineer for AZNerds and co-founded the non-profit AZGiveCamp, which organizes an annual event that brings volunteer developers together to build websites and apps for regional non-profits.

You can follow Barry in the Fediverse at https://fosstodon.org/@Bsstahl or read his blog Cognitive Inheritance at http://www.cognitiveinheritance.com.

Barry (he/him) is a Software Engineer who has built business solutions for enterprise customers for more than 40 years. He is also a Microsoft MVP and an internationally recognized technical speaker, having presented across North America, Europe, and... Show more

Jonah Andersson is a tech entrepreneur, Principal Cloud Engineer Architect and published book author.
She works as a IT Consultant with different tech hats. With a background in Computer Science and System Development, Jonah specializes in .NET technologies and excels in cloud development, particularly within Microsoft Azure. Passionate about solving complex problems and crafting modern applications, Jonah works with cloud platforms like Azure, and her expertise in cloud computing and development has earned her international recognition. She is recognized as a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional and Microsoft Certified Trainer for her contributions to the tech industry.

Her book, 'Learning Microsoft Azure: Cloud Computing and Development Fundamentals' (O'Reilly), further highlights her expertise and the depth of her technical knowledge.

She actively engages in tech communities and international events such as Microsoft Ignite. She values genuine inspiration and connections, and shares insights with fellow developers. Jonah's leadership extends beyond her technical expertise. As the founder and leader of the Azure User Group Sweden, she guides, inspires, and leads others in tech. She is also an MCT Community Lead from Sweden, helping and supporting fellow Microsoft Certified Trainers in the community.

Her advocacy for gender equality and inclusion in tech, recognized by her Developer of the Year awards in 2023 at the Nordic Women in Tech Awards and in 2024 at Developers Day, is a testament to her commitment to making the tech industry a more inclusive space. She actively mentors aspiring women in tech careers and co-hosts the Extend Women In Tech Podcast, to inspire inclusive tech for all.

Jonah Andersson is a tech entrepreneur, Principal Cloud Engineer Architect and published book author. She works as a IT Consultant with different tech hats. With a background in Computer Science and System Development, Jonah specializes in .NET te... Show more

I've been working as a .NET developer for over 20 years now in a variety of industries including government, retail and manufacturing. But I've been hacking around with computer code since I was old enough to read my Dad's copy of the ZX Spectrum BASIC coders manual.

I've been speaking about Functional C# at various user groups and conferences around the UK, USA, Europe and Australia and am particularly interested in seeing just how far we can push C# without breaking it.

In 2023 I released my first technical book: "Functional Programming with C#", published by O'Reilly Media.

When I'm not coding, or running after my two small children, I have been known to enjoy the classic series of Doctor Who, Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, Cryptic Crosswords, and rather more coffee than is probably good for me.

I've been working as a .NET developer for over 20 years now in a variety of industries including government, retail and manufacturing. But I've been hacking around with computer code since I was old enough to read my Dad's copy of the ZX Spectrum BAS... Show more

Ed is a Microsoft MVP and an international speaker, writer, online influencer, a Developer Advocate for Deepgram, and expert on all things web development. Ed enjoys geeking out to cool new tech, brainstorming about future technology, and admiring great design.

Ed has shared his insights, experiences, and advice around collaboration, knowledge management, social computing, and training at many industry events around the United States. Highly ethical and engaging with an uncanny business acumen, he is a creative community builder and outside the box thinker. Long term business relationships throughout the world within internal communications, employee engagement and marketing as well as IT. Focusing on Financial, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Agency and Professional Services. He has defined, architected, implemented line of business solutions with a touch of style and UX best practices.

Ed is a Microsoft MVP and an international speaker, writer, online influencer, a Developer Advocate for Deepgram, and expert on all things web development. Ed enjoys geeking out to cool new tech, brainstorming about future technology, and admiring gr... Show more

Yannick (a Microsoft 365 & Business Applications MVP) was born and raised in SharePoint, starting his career in 2011 when SharePoint 2010 was still new and shiny. The changing reality of the cloud made him expand his knowledge to the whole of Microsoft 365, Azure, and Power Platform. He is a Managing Partner and Cloud Solution Architect at Qubix, a Belgium-based consultancy firm, responsible for the technical underpinnings of products and solutions. Problem-solving and development are his passions, and he is still working day-to-day with code. He always asks the important questions: How does it work? What do you want to achieve? Does it have an API? Do we really need development for this? Where's the coffee?

Yannick (a Microsoft 365 & Business Applications MVP) was born and raised in SharePoint, starting his career in 2011 when SharePoint 2010 was still new and shiny. The changing reality of the cloud made him expand his knowledge to the whole of Microso... Show more

I am a polyglot coding architect with over 20 years of experience delivering solutions in government, healthcare, and finance and ecommerce. During that time I have worked for the DTI, Reuters, Sungard, Misys, Beazley, Huddle and Just Eat Takeaway delivering everything from bespoke enterprise solutions, 'shrink-wrapped' products for thousands of customers, to SaaS applications for hundreds of thousands of customers.

I am an experienced systems architect with a strong knowledge of OO, TDD/BDD, DDD, EDA, CQRS/ES, REST, Messaging, Design Patterns, Architectural Styles, ATAM, and Agile Engineering Practices. I switched to fully-AI coding in January 2026.

I am frequent contributor to OSS, and I am the owner of: https://github.com/BrighterCommand. I speak regularly at user groups and conferences around the world on architecture and software craftsmanship. I run public workshops teaching messaging, event-driven and reactive architectures.

I am a polyglot coding architect with over 20 years of experience delivering solutions in government, healthcare, and finance and ecommerce. During that time I have worked for the DTI, Reuters, Sungard, Misys, Beazley, Huddle and Just Eat Takeaway d... Show more

Håkan Silfvernagel is a Principal AI Architect with more than 25 years of experience in software development, spanning roles including developer, architect, project manager, practice manager, and team lead. He holds an MSc in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Leadership and Organizational Behavior, complemented by university studies in psychology, interaction design, and human-computer interaction.

Håkan is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) in AI, Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), and MCT Community Lead. He is Chairman of the Norwegian .NET User Group Oslo (NNUG), an Ambassador for Oslo AI, and co-founder of AI42 and an organizer for the Azure User Group Sweden.

An active international speaker and community contributor, Håkan is passionate about making AI technologies practical and accessible to developers and organizations.

Håkan Silfvernagel is a Principal AI Architect with more than 25 years of experience in software development, spanning roles including developer, architect, project manager, practice manager, and team lead. He holds an MSc in Electrical Engineering a... Show more

Nikki Chapple is a Principal Cloud Architect at CloudWay and a dual Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) in Microsoft 365 and Security. She specialises in AI and agent governance, Microsoft Purview, and helping organisations build trusted data foundations for AI across Microsoft 365, Copilot and AI agents.

With more than 35 years of experience spanning IT and business, Nikki helps organisations understand where sensitive information is overshared or exposed, strengthen data security and governance, and implement Microsoft Purview to protect critical information. Her work enables organisations to adopt AI and deploy AI agents with confidence by ensuring data remains trusted, secure and well-governed.

Nikki believes successful AI adoption starts with trusted, governed data, not the AI itself. As organisations embrace AI agents and autonomous workflows, she helps them establish the governance, security and compliance foundations needed to manage this new risk surface responsibly.

Nikki co-authored the Governance, Risk & Compliance competency of the Microsoft 365 Maturity Model and was recognised in Microsoft's People of Purview (2025) and with the UK Community Award for Security & Compliance Evangelist (2023). She is an international conference speaker, blogs at nikkichapple.com, and co-hosts the AI Governance & Data Security Show.

Nikki Chapple is a Principal Cloud Architect at CloudWay and a dual Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) in Microsoft 365 and Security. She specialises in AI and agent governance, Microsoft Purview, and helping organisations build trusted data ... Show more

I am an Azure Data Platform professional working predominantly with Azure Synapse Analytics (SQL Pools), Data Factory, SQL Server and Power BI. I hold an MSc in Business Intelligence and Data Mining. I am a former Microsoft Data Platform MVP.

I am an Azure Data Platform professional working predominantly with Azure Synapse Analytics (SQL Pools), Data Factory, SQL Server and Power BI. I hold an MSc in Business Intelligence and Data Mining. I am a former Microsoft Data Platform MVP. Show more

Maxim Salnikov is a tech community enthusiast based in Oslo. With more than two decades of experience as a developer, he shares his expertise in the web platform, cloud computing, and AI by speaking at and delivering training for developer audiences worldwide.

By day, Maxim supports developer teams across Europe as a Senior Solution Engineer at Microsoft, focusing on AI-native developer tools and platforms. He is also an active builder of developer tooling, creating and maintaining AI agent assets that help engineers adopt AI-assisted development more effectively.

In the evenings, Maxim runs events for some of Norway’s largest web, AI, and cloud developer communities. He is passionate about exploring the possibilities of Generative AI, with a strong focus on developer productivity. To share insights and connect with practitioners globally, he founded and organized the Prompt Engineering Conference, the key global event dedicated entirely to prompting from the engineering discipline perspective.

Maxim Salnikov is a tech community enthusiast based in Oslo. With more than two decades of experience as a developer, he shares his expertise in the web platform, cloud computing, and AI by speaking at and delivering training for developer audiences ... Show more

Chris Ayers is a Principal Software Engineer at Microsoft, where he builds AI-driven tooling to analyze outages and incidents across Azure. His work focuses on improving the way engineers understand failures, uncover risks, and strengthen reliability at cloud scale.

With a background spanning DevOps, cloud architecture, and modern application design, Chris brings both engineering depth and practical experience to the challenge of making large systems more resilient. He’s also a frequent international speaker who loves sharing real-world lessons about developer productivity, reliability, containers, and automation.

Outside of work, Chris is a proud dad, lifelong gamer, avid reader, and unapologetic nerd.

Chris Ayers is a Principal Software Engineer at Microsoft, where he builds AI-driven tooling to analyze outages and incidents across Azure. His work focuses on improving the way engineers understand failures, uncover risks, and strengthen reliability... Show more

Peter is a Cloud & Security Architect based in Denmark with extensive experience in the IT industry, specializing in Messaging, Collaboration, and Cloud security. Since 1996, he has been a consultant, focusing on technologies such as Microsoft 365, Exchange Server, Microsoft Teams, OneDrive for Business, Office 365, Purview Information Protection, and Microsoft Defender Security products.

Peter holds the prestigious Microsoft Certified Solutions Master (MCSM) certification in Exchange and has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP in Microsoft 365. He is a seasoned speaker, having presented at numerous high-profile events, including the European SharePoint Conference, European Collab Summit, Nordic Infrastructure Conference, Workplace Ninja Summit, Microsoft Campus Days, and various local User Group events.

In addition to his professional work, Peter leads the Danish WorkPlace Ninja User Group, which focuses on advancing knowledge in Microsoft Modern Workplace, Productivity, and Security.

Peter is a Cloud & Security Architect based in Denmark with extensive experience in the IT industry, specializing in Messaging, Collaboration, and Cloud security. Since 1996, he has been a consultant, focusing on technologies such as Microsoft 365, E... Show more

Chris DeMars is a Senior Developer Advocate with over 20 years of technical experience. He speaks all over the world on web accessibility, feature flags, A/B testing, and CSS. For his community contributions, he holds awards as a Progress Champion and former Microsoft MVP, Google Developer Expert, Cloudinary Media Developer Expert, and Auth0 Ambassador. When he is not working on making the web great and accessible you can find him fishing, on the paintball field, rating Detroit Style pizza, and looking for UFO's.

Chris DeMars is a Senior Developer Advocate with over 20 years of technical experience. He speaks all over the world on web accessibility, feature flags, A/B testing, and CSS. For his community contributions, he holds awards as a Progress Champion an... Show more

Mary is a Technical Solutions Architect and Advocate in the Emerging Technology area. She started as an engineer in Unix/C, then transitioned to Java around 2000 and has never looked back since then. After 20+ years of being a software engineer and technical architect, she discovered her true passion in developer and customer advocacy. Most recently she has serviced companies of various sizes such as IBM, US Cellular, Bank of America, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, in topic areas that included Java, GenAI, Streaming systems, Open source, Cloud and Distributed messaging systems. She is also a very active tech community leader outside of her day job. She is the President of the Chicago Java Users Group (CJUG), and the Chicago Organizer of the AI Collective Chicago Chapter.

Mary is a Technical Solutions Architect and Advocate in the Emerging Technology area. She started as an engineer in Unix/C, then transitioned to Java around 2000 and has never looked back since then. After 20+ years of being a software engineer and... Show more

I'm a passionate and customer-focused solutions architect with deep expertise in IoT, Cloud, .NET, and industrial applications. Microsoft has recognized my contributions with the MVP award since 2014 for Azure, and since 2024 specifically for Azure IoT.

With a background as an independent architect and developer, I’ve built a career around designing scalable, real-world solutions that bridge the gap between modern cloud technologies and industrial needs. I’m a frequent speaker at major tech community events across Italy, sharing knowledge on Azure, IoT, and .NET development.
As the community lead of 1NN0VA, a Microsoft-recognized tech community in Pordenone, Italy, I’m passionate about fostering innovation, mentoring developers, and supporting local tech growth. In 2016, I authored a book on Microsoft Azure to help others embrace the platform's potential.
At heart, I’m a missed researcher and a retro computing lover. I enjoy developing retrogames and playing with his Commodore 64, diving into sci-fi and comic books, and relaxing with a good streaming serie.

I'm a passionate and customer-focused solutions architect with deep expertise in IoT, Cloud, .NET, and industrial applications. Microsoft has recognized my contributions with the MVP award since 2014 for Azure, and since 2024 specifically for Azure I... Show more

Dr. Joe Perez is a game-changing professional who has made an impressive impact on the world of IT, health & human services, and higher education. With advanced degrees in education, Joe started his career as an educator and continued to further his education by earning a doctorate in education with a double minor in computers and theology. His career focus changed to IT in the early 1990’s when he started working as a Computer Consultant at NC State University. Three promotions later, Dr. Perez ended his successful 25-year career at NC State as Business Intelligence Specialist when he took another promotion to become Senior Business Analyst at the NC Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) in the fall of 2017.

Notably, Dr. Perez has been featured on multiple billboards in the iconic Times Square, a testament to his remarkable achievements and influence worldwide. This recognition, along with his Top 10 Global Thought Leader Rankings in IT Strategy & Big Data on Thinkers360 for four consecutive years (2023 through 2026) and Gartner Peer Community Ambassador of the Year (2023-2024), reflect his dedication and impact in the industry.

Having achieved significant success throughout his career, Dr. Perez's accomplishments include being promoted to Senior Systems Specialist and Team Leader, a position he has excelled in while showcasing his expertise and leadership skills. In addition to his full-time analytics/BI leadership role at DHHS, Joe was named fractional Chief Technology Officer at a North Carolina firm in October 2020 and Strategy Director at InnovoraMind in March 2026. A prolific, Amazon bestselling author with multiple #1 new releases, more than 22,000 followers on LinkedIn, and several professional certifications, he has consistently proven to be a much sought-after resource, highly-recommended international keynote speaker, data analytics & visualization expert, and specialist in efficiency and process improvement.

Perez, a recipient of the IOT Industry Insights 2021 Thought Leader of the Year award, speaks at numerous conferences each year, and continues to be in high demand to this day, expanding his reach into dozens of countries around the globe, impacting thousands. Thanks to these outstanding accomplishments and influential presence as a leading expert in the industry, Dr. Perez has been welcomed into several prestigious Thought Leader communities. He was recently inducted into both the IIBA Bluegrass Hall of Fame and the United Nations Global Network of Data Officers and Statisticians and was selected to be a Distinguished Fellow in the Public Sector Network's Future Government Institute.

Dr. Perez's passion for teaching has never waned, whether as a speaker, workshop facilitator, podcast guest, conference emcee, or team leader; inspiring countless individuals to strive for excellence. He cherishes spending time with his wife and children, who he considers to be the "best things that ever happened to me." Besides being a gifted musician, singer, pianist, and composer, Joe serves in his church's Hispanic ministry. He even manages to publish a monthly military newsletter, The Patriot News, which has gained widespread recognition. His unwavering commitment to his community is an inspiration to all. To stay in shape, Perez hits the gym, and he loves watching Star Trek reruns to relax. "I'm a firm believer that if I'm not innovating, then I'm stagnating," says Joe. His devotion to innovation, his boundless energy, and his constant drive for excellence are the hallmarks of a truly exceptional individual, thus making Dr. Joe a perfect fit to inspire and engage your audience, leaving a lasting impact on your event.

Dr. Joe Perez is a game-changing professional who has made an impressive impact on the world of IT, health & human services, and higher education. With advanced degrees in education, Joe started his career as an educator and continued to further his ... Show more