Hi there, I’m Chris!

I'm a seasoned tech leader, keynote speaker, and technology consultant with expertise across the full tech stack, from enterprise architecture and data platforms to advanced AI (including Agentic AI and Responsible AI / Trustworthy AI). I’ve led large-scale, high-value enterprise projects and initiatives across industries (with a strong focus on government), helping organizations harness emerging technology responsibly to solve real-world challenges - I try to remove the fluff and cut to solving the real problem.

My style is bold, straight-talking, and deeply authentic. I'm a natural connector who brings people together to spark collaboration and creativity. A lifelong tinkerer and excessively curious, I thrive on exploring new ideas and building communities around innovation. I encourage teams to think differently, color outside the lines, and always remember to stay human in a tech-driven world.

As an international keynote speaker, I've energized audiences with talks on AI, Ethics in Tech, data strategy, and true concepts around digital transformation, infusing humor and real-talk into every session. Whether I'm advising C-suite leaders on AI strategy or coaching teams on the latest tech, my goal is to inspire innovation, enable people to do awesome things and drive positive change. If you're on the verge of the next big breakthrough and need a dynamic speaker or consultant, let's connect. I'm all about helping to #BuildAwesomeThings and making sure we all #StayExtraHuman along the way.

Hi there, I’m Chris! I'm a seasoned tech leader, keynote speaker, and technology consultant with expertise across the full tech stack, from enterprise architecture and data platforms to advanced AI (including Agentic AI and Responsible AI / Trustw... Show more

Thorsten Pickhan works at Microsoft and has been focused on Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Teams Phone, and Copilot for many years. As a speaker, blogger, YouTuber, and community advocate, he regularly shares his knowledge at conferences, user groups, and through his blog and YouTube channel.

From 2021 to 2025, he was honored as a Microsoft MVP in recognition of his contributions to the Microsoft community, particularly in the areas of Microsoft Teams and Copilot. After joining Microsoft, he retired the MVP title in accordance with the program requirements.

His areas of expertise include modern collaboration, communication solutions, and the productive use of AI within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

Thorsten Pickhan works at Microsoft and has been focused on Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Teams Phone, and Copilot for many years. As a speaker, blogger, YouTuber, and community advocate, he regularly shares his knowledge at conferences, user group... Show more

Sammy is a seasoned consultant with an extensive background in diverse industries and over a decade of experience. With a specialization in the Microsoft Stack, he has successfully undertaken and delivered numerous projects across sectors such as finance, healthcare, and beyond.

In 2015, Sammy made a significant shift in his career by redirecting his focus towards Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Recognizing the transformative potential of these emerging technologies, he dedicated himself to mastering their applications and staying at the forefront of the field. His deep understanding of AI and its practical implications has allowed him to contribute significantly to the advancement of organizations he has been involved with.

In 2017, Sammy played a pivotal role in the launch of a new company that specializes in leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Microsoft tools to maximize organizations' potential. His expertise and leadership were instrumental in establishing the company as a prominent player in the AI landscape. Through his strategic insights and hands-on involvement, Sammy has helped numerous businesses harness the power of AI to drive innovation, improve operational efficiency, and achieve sustainable growth.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Sammy is a passionate advocate for AI education and community building. He serves as a board member of the global AI community, where he actively contributes to fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and networking opportunities among professionals in the field. As an esteemed international speaker, Sammy frequently shares his expertise and insights at industry conferences, seminars, and workshops, inspiring and educating audiences about the transformative potential of AI.

Sammy's commitment to excellence and his contributions to the AI community have been recognized with the prestigious MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award in AI since 2021. This accolade further underscores his dedication, expertise, and impact in the field, cementing his position as a trusted advisor and thought leader in the intersection of AI and business.

With his vast experience, deep knowledge, and unwavering passion for AI, Sammy continues to shape the future of organizations by unlocking their potential through cutting-edge technologies, and inspiring others to embark on their own AI journeys.

Sammy is a seasoned consultant with an extensive background in diverse industries and over a decade of experience. With a specialization in the Microsoft Stack, he has successfully undertaken and delivered numerous projects across sectors such as fin... Show more

Microsoft and AI consultant, trainer and speaker. MVP Alumni in Business Applications, 12 years of experience in Power BI / Fabric. Moved to the AI-augmented side.

Microsoft and AI consultant, trainer and speaker. MVP Alumni in Business Applications, 12 years of experience in Power BI / Fabric. Moved to the AI-augmented side. Show more

Sam Nasr has been a software developer since 1995, focusing mostly on Microsoft AI Stack of technologies. He’s a Sr. Software Engineer with NIS Technologies where he consults and teaches clients about the latest .NET technologies. Sam has achieved multiple certifications from Microsoft (MCSA, MCAD, MCTS, MCT), and is the leader of the Cleveland C# since 2003. In addition, he’s the leader of the .NET Study Group, Azure Cleveland User Group, an author for Visual Studio Magazine, LinkedIn Learning, and a 8x Microsoft MVP. When not coding, Sam loves spending time with his family and friends or volunteering at his local church. You can learn more about Sam by visiting https://linktr.ee/SamNasr.

Sam Nasr has been a software developer since 1995, focusing mostly on Microsoft AI Stack of technologies. He’s a Sr. Software Engineer with NIS Technologies where he consults and teaches clients about the latest .NET technologies. Sam has achieved ... Show more

Joseph Guadagno is a Senior Vice President of IT, Microsoft Developer Services MVP, and international speaker with more than 25 years of experience leading high‑performing engineering organizations. He specializes in modernizing software delivery, scaling engineering culture, and helping teams adopt AI‑assisted development practices that accelerate innovation.

Joseph has delivered hundreds of sessions across the United States and internationally on .NET, Azure, cloud architecture, engineering leadership, and developer productivity. He is a long‑time community builder—former President and Vice President of the .NET Foundation, founder of the Southeast Valley .NET User Group, and organizer of Desert Code Camp.

He also created MoreSpeakers.com, a mentorship platform that connects new speakers with experienced presenters to grow the next generation of technical storytellers.

Joseph brings a rare blend of executive leadership, hands‑on technical expertise, and community passion to every stage.

Joseph Guadagno is a Senior Vice President of IT, Microsoft Developer Services MVP, and international speaker with more than 25 years of experience leading high‑performing engineering organizations. He specializes in modernizing software delivery, sc... Show more

With more than 2 decades of customer experience, a long history in Microsoft products, Michael is a Cloud Architect who enjoys sharing his experience with the community and help the community grow.
During the last years, Michael was working with customers in Microsoft Teams topics, Microsoft 365 implementations overall and since 2022 he's also working with his customers in different Microsoft Viva projects.
Since more than seven years Michael has its own company, working with the focus on Microsoft topics, Change-Management and Project-Management. He's also a Microsoft MVP for Microsoft 365 Apps and Services since 2021.

With more than 2 decades of customer experience, a long history in Microsoft products, Michael is a Cloud Architect who enjoys sharing his experience with the community and help the community grow. During the last years, Michael was working with cus... Show more

Elizabeth Fuentes is a Developer Advocate and AI engineer specializing in agent harness architecture. Her work spans context engineering, agent memory, security guardrails, and taking agents to production. Through hands-on demos she breaks complex concepts into simple, understandable pieces of code, helping developers build more efficient agents and democratizing the adoption of advanced AI for everyone. Master's in Data Science, bilingual English/Spanish.

Elizabeth Fuentes is a Developer Advocate and AI engineer specializing in agent harness architecture. Her work spans context engineering, agent memory, security guardrails, and taking agents to production. Through hands-on demos she breaks complex co... Show more

Obum is a Full-Stack AI, Blockchain, Cloud, Mobile, and Web developer. He has worked with different teams and has professional experiences in architecting and building software solutions. He is a Google Developer Expert (GDE) in the Cloud AI & Dart-Flutter category. He has written several articles on Flutter in various publications and he volunteers in tech communities.

Obum is a Full-Stack AI, Blockchain, Cloud, Mobile, and Web developer. He has worked with different teams and has professional experiences in architecting and building software solutions. He is a Google Developer Expert (GDE) in the Cloud AI & Dart-... Show more

Michael Roth has been working as a consultant since 2011 and found his way into the IT around 2015. He focuses on Power Platform Governance, Administration, Security as well as organizational implementation. Coming from an M365 background, he has a holistic view of the entire platform.

Michael Roth has been working as a consultant since 2011 and found his way into the IT around 2015. He focuses on Power Platform Governance, Administration, Security as well as organizational implementation. Coming from an M365 background, he has a h... Show more

Anna is a veteran software and data engineer, boasting over 19 years of experience. She has undertaken various projects, including real-time analytics with Scala and Kafka, constructing Data Lakes with Spark, and applying engineering to Data Science. Anna currently serves as a RSA (Resident Solution Architect) and consultant. With a genuine passion for data, she endeavors to bridge the gap between Software Development and Data Science. Anna's other areas of interest include DevOps (DataOps, MLOps, LLMOps), Agile methodologies, and organizing or participating in local Code Clubs.

Anna is a veteran software and data engineer, boasting over 19 years of experience. She has undertaken various projects, including real-time analytics with Scala and Kafka, constructing Data Lakes with Spark, and applying engineering to Data Science.... Show more

I'm Ivan Pesenti. A passionate gopher who has been working in the software industry since 2014.

I'm a software engineer focused on server-side programming. Throughout my career, I've always been accompanied by two obsessions: testing and writing secure code. I consider myself a detail-oriented person.

My career took a turning point in 2021 when the Go programming language crossed my path. Since then, I've fallen in love with it.

I believe in empathy, kindness, mutual help, growth, determination, and trust. These values have led me to give back to the community through speaking, coaching, writing, and more. Helping others is one of the most satisfying experiences I've ever had.

During my free time, I train my body, play football, watch anime, and hang out with family and friends.

One of my favorite quotes is: "Hard work beats talent."

I'm Ivan Pesenti. A passionate gopher who has been working in the software industry since 2014. I'm a software engineer focused on server-side programming. Throughout my career, I've always been accompanied by two obsessions: testing and writing s... Show more

Layla is a Microsoft MVP, Progress Champion, 3 times GitHub Star, and former director on the board at the .NET Foundation.
She is the co-founder of November North, a micro-game studio, developing and producing a first-person stealth game titled "The Third Tourist" - go and wishlist it on Steam!

Layla lives in the UK with her husband Jim and dogs, Cookie and Summer.

Layla is a Microsoft MVP, Progress Champion, 3 times GitHub Star, and former director on the board at the .NET Foundation. She is the co-founder of November North, a micro-game studio, developing and producing a first-person stealth game titled "The... Show more

My passion is to make technical information easy to understand and accessible to everyone.

As a speaker at various events, I share information on key points in the M365, Loop and AI area.
Within my social networks, I prepare the information in small articles, blog posts or videos

At the beginning of 2024, I received the Microsoft MVP award.
In 2026 i joined Microsoft as a Cloud Solution Architect

My passion is to make technical information easy to understand and accessible to everyone. As a speaker at various events, I share information on key points in the M365, Loop and AI area. Within my social networks, I prepare the information in sm... Show more

Microsoft Business Applications & M365 MVP and a loud 😜 advocate for Accessibility, Neurodiversity, Mental Health and Inclusion.

Passionate about technology and delivering amazing and innovative solutions, but also ensuring that all users can use and enjoy - no matter the disability, neurodiversity, or technical expertise.

Very open and vocal about my many years (too many!) of working in the industry, and not hiding my own challenges and battles with Mental Health, Neurodiversity, and Disability.

Outside of tech you will find a proud Nerd & Geek who loves Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Technology and more. A family man and a massive petrol head and sports fan (F1, MotoGP, WEC, Rugby, Cricket... to name just a few) - oh, and a massive collector of Funko Pops and Lego!

Microsoft Business Applications & M365 MVP and a loud 😜 advocate for Accessibility, Neurodiversity, Mental Health and Inclusion. Passionate about technology and delivering amazing and innovative solutions, but also ensuring that all users can use... Show more

Eliza is a Staff Android Engineer and GDE alumni with 15+ years of experience building and modernising large-scale Android ecosystems. She began her Android journey in 2013 and has been actively involved in the tech community as a volunteer, organiser, lead, and speaker ever since. In her spare time, she loves travelling, reading, solving puzzles, and taking long walks with her dog.

Eliza is a Staff Android Engineer and GDE alumni with 15+ years of experience building and modernising large-scale Android ecosystems. She began her Android journey in 2013 and has been actively involved in the tech community as a volunteer, organise... Show more

As Head of Developer —and Agent— Relations at QuestDB, I help developers make the most of their (fast) data. These days that increasingly means AI agents: I make QuestDB easy for an agent to use through skills, MCP servers, machine-legible docs, standard interfaces like SQL, REST, and Parquet, and a cookbook of ready-made recipes, so agents produce correct, fast results with as few tokens as possible. I also make sure the core team behind QuestDB listens to absolutely every piece of feedback I get, and I facilitate collaboration in our open source repository.

I love data, big and small, and I enjoy processing it with streaming engines, ML models, SQL, NoSQL, graph, in-memory, and time-series databases. I prefer distributed, scalable, always-on systems.

Before working at QuestDB I spent over 20 years developing software professionally and sharing what I learnt with the community, including three years as a Developer Advocate at AWS and five years as a Google Developer Expert in Cloud. I've spoken at events in over 25 countries, mentored dozens of start-ups, taught for 6 years at different universities, and trained hundreds of professionals on cloud and data engineering.

As Head of Developer —and Agent— Relations at QuestDB, I help developers make the most of their (fast) data. These days that increasingly means AI agents: I make QuestDB easy for an agent to use through skills, MCP servers, machine-legible docs, stan... Show more

Massimo Bonanni is a Senior Technical Trainer, international speaker, and community leader passionate about Azure and developer technologies. A six-time Microsoft MVP in Windows and Developer Tools, as well as an Intel Black Belt and Software Innovator, he has delivered more than 200 technical sessions over the last decade. He loves turning complex topics into clear, practical, and engaging learning experiences — ideally with demos, real-world examples, and at least one nerdy joke. When he is off stage, you will likely find him reading or building LEGO sets.

Massimo Bonanni is a Senior Technical Trainer, international speaker, and community leader passionate about Azure and developer technologies. A six-time Microsoft MVP in Windows and Developer Tools, as well as an Intel Black Belt and Software Innovat... Show more

Ben is a veteran cybersecurity and DevOps professional, as well as a computer science lecturer. Today, he is the co-founder and CTO at ARMO, with a vision of making end-to-end Kubernetes security simple for everyone, and a core maintainer of the open source Kubescape project, now a CNCF incubating project. He chairs the cybersecurity program at Hadassah Academic College, where he teaches advanced information security in both undergrad and graduate courses. In his previous capacities, he has been a security researcher and architect, pen-tester and lead developer at Cisco, NDS and Siemens.

Ben is a veteran cybersecurity and DevOps professional, as well as a computer science lecturer. Today, he is the co-founder and CTO at ARMO, with a vision of making end-to-end Kubernetes security simple for everyone, and a core maintainer of the open... Show more

Brandon Minnick is a Microsoft MVP, independent .NET consultant, and developer advocate based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He created and maintains CommunityToolkit.Maui (10 million+ NuGet downloads) and AsyncAwaitBestPractices (7.9 million+), teaches the workshop Become an Expert with Async/Await in C# (NDC London and NDC Oslo, 2026), and has spoken at more than 100 conferences, meetups, and livestreams since 2018. He offers .NET consulting, DevRel consulting, workshops, and video courses at codetraveler.io.

Brandon Minnick is a Microsoft MVP, independent .NET consultant, and developer advocate based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He created and maintains CommunityToolkit.Maui (10 million+ NuGet downloads) and AsyncAwaitBestPractices (7.9 million+), teac... Show more

Will is a Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft, working in the Industry Solutions Engineering team.

Will has extensive experience in software development, building solutions in the financial, health and agricultural industries. Will has also previously been a Microsoft MVP for Kubernetes and Open Source before joining Microsoft.

Will regularly speaks at conferences, user groups and developer events around the world, such as Microsoft Ignite, NDC Conferences, and Techorama. When he is away from his keyboard, you'll find him hiking around the countryside.

Will is a Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft, working in the Industry Solutions Engineering team. Will has extensive experience in software development, building solutions in the financial, health and agricultural industries. Will has also pre... Show more

Jernej Kavka (JK) is a Microsoft AI MVP, SSW Solution Architect, and organizer of several user groups like AI Hack Days and Global AI The Podcast. JK is a full-stack .NET developer, but his passion lies in Azure Cognitive Services, AI and machine learning. He is the main architect behind SSW's virtual receptionist - SophieAI: https://sswsophie.com

He is also very active in the developer community and enjoys speaking at conferences like NDC, DDD, as well as User Groups and Hack Days.

Jernej Kavka (JK) is a Microsoft AI MVP, SSW Solution Architect, and organizer of several user groups like AI Hack Days and Global AI The Podcast. JK is a full-stack .NET developer, but his passion lies in Azure Cognitive Services, AI and machine lea... Show more

Victor Dantas has over 25 years of experience in digital transformation. Recognized as a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP), he is part of a select group of over 3,000 global MVPs known for their deep expertise in Microsoft technologies. Victor is the founder of Eyedeas Inc., where he helps businesses enhance productivity and innovation through Power Platform services.

Victor is also an international speaker, sharing his knowledge on digital transformation with audiences around the world. His work has not only improved numerous organizations but has also inspired many in the tech community. Victor continues to guide businesses through digital transformation, solidifying his reputation as an expert in the field.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ZeroToHeroesAcademy

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thevictordantas

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thevictordantas

Victor Dantas has over 25 years of experience in digital transformation. Recognized as a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP), he is part of a select group of over 3,000 global MVPs known for their deep expertise in Microsoft technologies. Vict... Show more

Gerrit Grunwald is a software engineer that loves coding for around 40 years already. He is a true believer in open source and he is an active member of the Java community, where he founded and leads the Java User Group Münster (Germany), he is a JavaOne rockstar and a Java Champion. He is a speaker at conferences and user groups internationally and writes for several magazines.

Gerrit Grunwald is a software engineer that loves coding for around 40 years already. He is a true believer in open source and he is an active member of the Java community, where he founded and leads the Java User Group Münster (Germany), he is a Jav... Show more

Brian is a Microsoft Azure MVP, speaker, author, trainer, and .NET developer with deep expertise across cloud and application development. He holds MCSA: Web App Certification, MCSD: App Builder, and thirteen Azure and GitHub certifications, including Developer, Administrator, DevOps Engineer, Solutions Architect, Data Administrator, Security Engineer, AI Engineer, and Cosmos DB — along with multiple Fundamentals certifications. Since 2019, he has also been a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT).

Brian earned a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Along with 25 years of development experience, he brings over 15 years of experience teaching computer science, SQL databases, object-oriented programming (C#, VB.NET, Java), and Microsoft Office in online university settings and professional training environments.

As an educator and creator, Brian has developed numerous online training courses available across multiple platforms and has authored several books with APress, including Practical Entity Framework Core 10 (with two earlier editions) and Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure Certification Companion: Hands-on Preparation and Practice for Exam AZ-204.

Brian is a Microsoft Azure MVP, speaker, author, trainer, and .NET developer with deep expertise across cloud and application development. He holds MCSA: Web App Certification, MCSD: App Builder, and thirteen Azure and GitHub certifications, includin... Show more

I'm David Rodriguez, a Spanish Microsoft Regional Director and Azure Microsoft Most Valuable Professional, living in Tenerife, Canary Islands. On 2011, I co-founded Intelequia, a company focused on helping customers to adopt the cloud model, as well as the TenerifeDev user group.

Over the last years I worked at DNN Corp. (a.k.a. DotNetNuke) as the Cloud Team Lead engineer, building Evoq OnDemand and the new microservices architecture for DNN Platform based products and services. I have authored some open source modules for DNN and Azure available at GitHub, allowing to integrate Azure AD, Redis, Application Insights and many other services in the platform.

You can find me organizing the local user group once or twice per month, mainly talking about cloud related matters, and lately on building intelligent apps and bots with cognitive services, and of course, at the Global Azure Bootcamp in Madrid. I don't miss any Microsoft Inspire conference edition, so if you plan to go there we can meet and talk with a cup of coffee. BTW, if you come to the island, I will be happy to show you the best "guachinches" on Tenerife, only local people know the best ones.

I'm David Rodriguez, a Spanish Microsoft Regional Director and Azure Microsoft Most Valuable Professional, living in Tenerife, Canary Islands. On 2011, I co-founded Intelequia, a company focused on helping customers to adopt the cloud model, as well ... Show more

Arend-Jan Kauffmann is CTO at Lumos 365 Ltd., a UK-based partner with a Business Central solution for the energy sector.

With over 20 years of experience with Microsoft Dynamics NAV / Business Central and 30 years of experience in the IT industry, he has a solid track record in this business. With a strong focus on architecture, design and integration, he worked in different roles and with a broad range of technologies and platforms, including C/SIDE & VS Code development, C/AL and AL, Microsoft .Net, Microsoft Azure and Office 365.

He strongly believes that knowledge increases by sharing it, not by saving it. By delivering workshops and being a frequent speaker at conferences, he can put this into practice. Since 2013 Arend-Jan is awarded as Microsoft MVP Business Solutions.

Arend-Jan Kauffmann is CTO at Lumos 365 Ltd., a UK-based partner with a Business Central solution for the energy sector. With over 20 years of experience with Microsoft Dynamics NAV / Business Central and 30 years of experience in the IT industry,... Show more

Hi there. I am Valerie Junk.
I am passionate about creating insights from data and designing dashboards using Power BI. With my expertise in data analytics and visualization, I support companies in developing effective data-driven strategies that yield results and take the business to the next level.
Microsoft Data Platform MVP

Hi there. I am Valerie Junk. I am passionate about creating insights from data and designing dashboards using Power BI. With my expertise in data analytics and visualization, I support companies in developing effective data-driven strategies that y... Show more

Kevin Griffin has been running production .NET applications and teaching developers for over two decades. A Microsoft MVP specializing in .NET and Microsoft Azure, Kevin brings real-world experience from consulting and his own SaaS products. He's hosted the Hampton Roads .NET User Group since 2009 and founded RevolutionVA, a nonprofit supporting software development education in southeast Virginia. Kevin's talks blend hard-won lessons from production systems with practical advice you can use Monday morning.

Kevin Griffin has been running production .NET applications and teaching developers for over two decades. A Microsoft MVP specializing in .NET and Microsoft Azure, Kevin brings real-world experience from consulting and his own SaaS products. He's hos... Show more

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) in Data Platform for the last 9 years and MVP in AI.

Over 20 years of experience in business and technology working with organizations at various stages of digital transformations. Over the years, worked with several industry sectors including Retail, Banking, Minery, Oil & Gas, and Media/Entertainment. Also led several products and applications that have been in the cusp of data, strategy, technology, and business transformation. Passion for data , emerging technologies and new offerings enables clients to make fact-based decisions and drive actions in the market together.​

Provided recommendations and guidance on revamping Analytics and Reporting enterprise architecture for different companies in helping drive a Customer Data Exchange working closely with the C-Suite to help them design their New Data Services Organization with Data Products. Stood up new capabilities required to effectively operate and move toward Data Monetization using advanced Data consolidation and Data Sharing capabilities focusing on Privacy/Compliance and Data Governance

YouTube channel Power Mates: https://www.youtube.com/@PowerMatesMS

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) in Data Platform for the last 9 years and MVP in AI. Over 20 years of experience in business and technology working with organizations at various stages of digital transformations. Over the years, worked ... Show more