Grishma Jena is a Data Scientist with the Product Excellence Office at IBM in San Francisco. As the only Data Scientist in the org, she supports 100+ user researchers and designers and uses data to understand user struggles and opportunities to enhance product experiences. She has received the Outstanding Technical Achievement Award (Major), one of the most prestigious company-wide awards, as recognition of her work.

She earned her Masters in Computer Science at University of Pennsylvania. Her research interests are in Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing. She has delivered 50+ talks and workshops across 10 countries including at PyCon US (largest Python conference in the world), QCon and LeadDev. She has also taught Python at the San Francisco Public Library and frequently guides school and university students.

Grishma is extremely passionate about encouraging, mentoring, and empowering people, especially women and students, in the world of technology. She has been recognized by the Python Software Foundation as a Fellow for her extraordinary efforts and impact upon Python, the community, and the broader Python ecosystem. She won the Silver Stevie Award for Changemaker of the Year (Gender) and was selected as one of Women Impact Tech honorees. She serves on the AI/ML Advisory Board for DevNetwork. She is also an ambassador for the Women in Data Science initiative, as well as a part of the leadership team for Society of Women Engineers - Golden Gate Section. In 2023, she was recognized by Women Who Code as one of 100 Technologists To Watch for her excellence, innovation, and leadership, and was also a finalist for Venture Beat's Women in AI mentorship award.

In her free time, she likes to write, cook, and explore new places.

Grishma Jena is a Data Scientist with the Product Excellence Office at IBM in San Francisco. As the only Data Scientist in the org, she supports 100+ user researchers and designers and uses data to understand user struggles and opportunities to enhan... Show more

Haniel Croitoru is an accomplished Enterprise Architect at Protiviti and Microsoft MVP with over 20 years of experience in Microsoft 365. Since 2003, Haniel has been dedicated to delivering solutions that meet both short-term and long-term business goals using Microsoft 365 workloads, such as Power Platform, SharePoint, Teams, and more. As a leader in the global Protiviti Power Platform practice, Haniel created a Center of Excellence that nurtures an internal team of architects and developers, serving a global clientele across various sectors.

Haniel's commitment to knowledge sharing and community contribution is evident through his active participation in conferences and networking events, where he shares his expertise in modern workplace transformation and optimizing business processes using the Power Platform, coupled with insights into artificial intelligence applications. He has recently made a significant contribution with the publication of "Agile Office 365," a book that explores the application of agile project management methodologies to Office 365 implementations.

In the early stages of his career, Haniel was instrumental in the medical imaging field, notably as a core team member in the orthopedic software division at Merge Healthcare (now part of IBM). During this time, he published four patents and numerous scholarly articles, showcasing a strong foundation in innovation and industry expertise. Haniel holds a Master of Science in Computer Science with a specialty in Computer-Assisted Orthopedic Surgery from Queen’s University and a Master’s Certificate in Project Management from the York Schulich School of Business.

Haniel Croitoru is an accomplished Enterprise Architect at Protiviti and Microsoft MVP with over 20 years of experience in Microsoft 365. Since 2003, Haniel has been dedicated to delivering solutions that meet both short-term and long-term business g... Show more

Magno is an information security specialist with a focus on application security, cloud security, container security, and DevSecOps, currently working at Jane as a Staff Security Engineer. He was a speaker at worldwide security conferences, including DEFCON, OWASP AppSec, SecTor, NorthSec, and BSides, among others. He holds certifications from multiple organizations, including SANS, CompTIA, EC-Council, AWS, and Microsoft.

Magno is an information security specialist with a focus on application security, cloud security, container security, and DevSecOps, currently working at Jane as a Staff Security Engineer. He was a speaker at worldwide security conferences, including... Show more

Grant Fritchey is a Data Platform MVP and AWS Community Builder with over 30 years’ experience in IT, including time spent in support and development. Grant works with multiple data platforms including SQL Server and PostgreSQL as well as multiple cloud platforms. He has also developed in VB, VB.NET, C#, and Java. Grant writes books for Apress and Simple-Talk. Grant presents at conferences and user groups, large and small, all over the world. He joined Redgate Software as a product advocate in January 2011.

Grant Fritchey is a Data Platform MVP and AWS Community Builder with over 30 years’ experience in IT, including time spent in support and development. Grant works with multiple data platforms including SQL Server and PostgreSQL as well as multiple cl... Show more

Dennie is Microsoft MVP Developer Technologies and has experience in accessibility with Microsoft technologies. In daily life Dennie is president and developer at DDSoft, a nonprofit that connects IT to People who are less tech-savvy. Dennie invented technical solutions and systems to help people with disabilities to participate in their daily life. Thanks to his autism he's the right man at the right spot to contribute as a volunteer in function of people with disabilities.

Dennie is Microsoft MVP Developer Technologies and has experience in accessibility with Microsoft technologies. In daily life Dennie is president and developer at DDSoft, a nonprofit that connects IT to People who are less tech-savvy. Dennie invented... Show more

Rik helps organisations use Cloud better as CEO and co-founder of Zure UK. Whether that is a new adoption where governance and management are key, or an application modernisation project where technology choice and team knowledge are important factors in success.
Through his public speaking and community involvement, Rik is a recipient of the Microsoft MVP Programme award for his work with Azure. He is also proud to be a member of the Microsoft Regional Director Programme. As an event organiser, speaker and lapsed blogger, Rik is keen to share his knowledge with the community, and encourage and support others as they do the same.
His grey hair is an indication of how long he has worked in IT, and in that time he's done most things you'd expect of an IT Pro: From crawling under floors pulling cables, to managing large scale automated OS rollouts, to architecting solutions for on-premises and cloud. Now he spends more time working with his customers' management, sharing that breadth of experience and learning.

Rik helps organisations use Cloud better as CEO and co-founder of Zure UK. Whether that is a new adoption where governance and management are key, or an application modernisation project where technology choice and team knowledge are important factor... Show more

Phil is a developer relations engineer for IBM and Google Developer Expert living in Melbourne, Australia. He loves working with JavaScript, TypeScript or Ruby to build web applications and tools to help developers. He once helped build a website that captured the world's favourite sandwich fillings. He has too many GitHub repositories.

Away from the keyboard, Phil listens to ska punk, hangs out with his miniature dachshund (also called Ruby), and is on a mission to discover the world's best beers.

Phil tweets at @philnash and you can find him elsewhere online at https://philna.sh.

Phil is a developer relations engineer for IBM and Google Developer Expert living in Melbourne, Australia. He loves working with JavaScript, TypeScript or Ruby to build web applications and tools to help developers. He once helped build a website tha... Show more

Kevin Griffin is an author, teacher, mentor, and consultant focusing in software development. He is also a 15-time Microsoft MVP, specializing in ASP.NET and web development. As the owner of Swift Kick, a software training and services company, Kevin specializes in helping businesses push their technology stacks into the 21st century. You can often find Kevin speaking at conferences and user groups nationwide or blogging at https://consultwithgriff.com.

Kevin Griffin is an author, teacher, mentor, and consultant focusing in software development. He is also a 15-time Microsoft MVP, specializing in ASP.NET and web development. As the owner of Swift Kick, a software training and services company, Kev... Show more

Seasoned software engineer with experience that spans nearly a decade, with technical expertise in micro-frontend architecture and web performance. Enthusiastic public speaker with a passion for crafting exceptional web experiences. Business domain expertise in areas like EdTech, HealthTech and Digital Identity.

For the last couple of years in leadership roles, inspiring a culture of technical excellence, continuous learning, collaboration and psychological safety within the organization. Leading with empathy, honesty and passion, empowering team with trust and autonomy.

Seasoned software engineer with experience that spans nearly a decade, with technical expertise in micro-frontend architecture and web performance. Enthusiastic public speaker with a passion for crafting exceptional web experiences. Business domain e... Show more

Jessica Randall is a Master's graduate in Mathematics, an Android developer Co-lead at Mentorlst, and a Zindi Ambassador. Deeply immersed in the world of Android development, she is passionate about Kotlin and Jetpack Compose, thriving in the collaborative environment of Android Studio.

She applies her background in data science and Topological Data Analysis to address complex societal issues. As a Zindi Ambassador, she advocates for data science and machine learning, empowering others to solve real-world problems through technology.

As an organizer for GDG Cape Town, she fosters local developer communities and shapes impactful tech events in South Africa. Her journey as a Google Crowdsource Influencer sparked her interest in AI and Machine Learning, fueling her continuous learning. A forward-thinker, she is an inspiring figure in the ever-evolving tech landscape.

Jessica Randall is a Master's graduate in Mathematics, an Android developer Co-lead at Mentorlst, and a Zindi Ambassador. Deeply immersed in the world of Android development, she is passionate about Kotlin and Jetpack Compose, thriving in the collabo... 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

Mike is a developer, Angular GDE, and Developer Advocate at Prisma. Big fan of the web, helping people, and building cool stuff.

Mike is a developer, Angular GDE, and Developer Advocate at Prisma. Big fan of the web, helping people, and building cool stuff. Show more

Hi, I’m Josh! I’m an independent full time open source developer. I work on projects in the TypeScript ecosystem, most notably typescript-eslint: the tooling that enables ESLint and Prettier to run on TypeScript code. I’m also the author of Learning TypeScript (O’Reilly), a Microsoft MVP for developer technologies, and an active conference speaker. My personal projects range from static analysis to meta-languages to recreating retro games in the browser. Also cats.

Hi, I’m Josh! I’m an independent full time open source developer. I work on projects in the TypeScript ecosystem, most notably typescript-eslint: the tooling that enables ESLint and Prettier to run on TypeScript code. I’m also the author of Learning ... Show more

Mathias is a data enthusiast with a great passion for the synergy between data analytics and cloud data platforms.

As a Principal Architect at Fellowmind he works with building up clients' data capabilities, implementing data platform technologies and all-in-all maximize the impact of their their data.

Being a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, he is very passionate about sharing anything with community, especially something around turning data into impact!

With a background in Product Development and Innovation, Mathias brings a unique 'Data Product' perspective to the realm of data architecture, and is obsessed with the bigger picture. With his slightly rebellious attitude, he's not afraid to challenge the status quo and break industry norms to find new and better solutions.

Mathias is a data enthusiast with a great passion for the synergy between data analytics and cloud data platforms. As a Principal Architect at Fellowmind he works with building up clients' data capabilities, implementing data platform technologie... Show more

Dan Mallott is a Senior Principal at West Monroe based in Chicago, IL, USA. His passion is for distributed architecture, designing and building high performing service layers from the API down to the database.

Prior to returning to West Monroe, Dan spent two years at e-conomic in Copenhagen, Denmark, with the final 15 months as Head of Platform and Infrastructure. Dan was responsible for leading the Platform, SRE, and API teams in building a solid foundation for the e-conomic product. Previously, Dan was focused on leading the Platform Team in improving the cross-cutting concerns in the e-conomic application, including improving security, improving messaging performance, and managing the migration to .NET 6.0.

Before joining e-conomic, Dan was a Senior Principal for West Monroe, based in Chicago, IL, USA. While at West Monroe, Dan's projects included designing high performing architectures for a variety of clients, as well as developing APIs and UIs for healthcare, insurance, and financial services clients. Along the way, Dan worked with .NET Framework, .NET Core, Java/Spring Boot, React, and Angular. He also gained experience with a number of database technologies, including DataStax, Cassandra, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, and PostgreSQL. Prior to joining West Monroe, Dan worked for a number of companies, focusing on .NET and Microsoft SQL Server development, including experience as a DBA.

Past speaking engagements have included PASS Summit, NDC London, NDC Melbourne, NDC Sydney, KCDC, Code PaLOUsa, and numerous SQL Saturdays throughout the US. Dan enjoys speaking at both large and small conferences, and values the interactions he gets with attendees and other speakers.

In his spare time, he can be found writing his own software instead of using package solutions or on the ice as an ice hockey player and referee.

Dan Mallott is a Senior Principal at West Monroe based in Chicago, IL, USA. His passion is for distributed architecture, designing and building high performing service layers from the API down to the database. Prior to returning to West Monroe, Da... Show more

Paresh Motiwala ​PMP; a Fabric enthusiast and a Data Platform Manager has led several large SQL implementations, migrations and upgrades.
He was selected as a "Speaker Idol" finalist for the PASS Summit 2018. He also runs DBA VUG, Houston Area SQL Server User Group and Boston BI User Groups.
He has managed multi terabyte OLTP databases. He has also been a Senior SQL DBA and a Solutions Architect in Fortune 100 companies. He also helps organize and speaks at many PASS Summits, SQL Saturdays, Azure Bootcamp and User Groups. He is certified in Big Data Analytics and FinTech(MIT) Project manager, Public Speaker, an avid singer, cook, open networker, and stand-up comedian. He teaches public speaking, debating, interviewing and group discussion skills. He also mentors DBAs and children around the globe via www.circlesofgrowth.com

Paresh Motiwala ​PMP; a Fabric enthusiast and a Data Platform Manager has led several large SQL implementations, migrations and upgrades. He was selected as a "Speaker Idol" finalist for the PASS Summit 2018. He also runs DBA VUG, Houston Area SQL ... Show more

Liz loves a challenge, so everything from a business problem to troubleshooting an error in a system is just another learning opportunity. As a trainer and international speaker, she hopes to inspire others to learn something they can apply to their own work immediately. When she is not working in SharePoint or traveling, you may find her in a variety of activities as diverse as she is: playing music, riding motorcycles, training her dog and even a craft or two.

Liz loves a challenge, so everything from a business problem to troubleshooting an error in a system is just another learning opportunity. As a trainer and international speaker, she hopes to inspire others to learn something they can apply to their ... Show more

Tiffany is senior developer advocate at Grafana Labs and a CNCF Ambassador. She also formerly worked as a software developer and developer advocate at VMware, Amazon, Docker, and Intel. Prior to that, she graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in electrical engineering. In her free time, she likes to travel and dabble in photography. You can find her at tiffanyfay.dev (and for Bluesky) and elsewhere on linktr.ee/tiffanyfay.

Tiffany is senior developer advocate at Grafana Labs and a CNCF Ambassador. She also formerly worked as a software developer and developer advocate at VMware, Amazon, Docker, and Intel. Prior to that, she graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in ... Show more

John Miner is a Senior Data Architect at Insight Digital Innovation helping corporations solve their business needs with various data platform solutions.

He has over thirty years of data processing experience, and his architecture expertise encompasses all phases of the software project life cycle, including design, development, implementation, and maintenance of systems.

His credentials include undergraduate and graduate degrees in Computer Science from the University of Rhode Island. Also, he has earned certificates from Microsoft for Database Administration (MCDBA), System Administration (MCSA), Data Management & Analytics (MCSE) and Data Science (MPP).

John has been recognized with the Microsoft MVP award ten times for his outstanding contributions to the Data Platform community.

When he is not busy talking to local user groups or writing blog entries on new technology, he spends time with his wife and daughter enjoying outdoor activities. Some of John’s hobbies include wood working projects, crafting a good beer and playing a game of chess.

John Miner is a Senior Data Architect at Insight Digital Innovation helping corporations solve their business needs with various data platform solutions. He has over thirty years of data processing experience, and his architecture expertise encomp... Show more

Warwick Rudd is a Data Platform MVP, Microsoft Certified Master – SQL Server 2008, Founder and Principal Consultant at SQL Masters Consulting. With 20+ years of experience beginning with the release of SQL Server 6.5, he has worked in both Australia and England from small start-ups to Multi-National Corporations. He is a frequent speaker at local SQL Server User Groups / Meetups & SQL Saturday events in Australia and New Zealand as well as many international in-person and remote presentations. When not playing with the SQL stack, Warwick likes to get away to the cold and spend time snowboarding.

Warwick Rudd is a Data Platform MVP, Microsoft Certified Master – SQL Server 2008, Founder and Principal Consultant at SQL Masters Consulting. With 20+ years of experience beginning with the release of SQL Server 6.5, he has worked in both Australia ... Show more

Wolfgang Strasser, an experienced data consultant at ACP CUBIDO in Austria, specializes in leveraging the Microsoft Data Platform to drive analytics and data strategy transformations. With extensive experience in SQL Server, Azure Data Services, Power BI, and Microsoft Fabric, Wolfgang has established himself as a key resource for businesses aiming to optimize their data processes.

As a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Wolfgang has a proven track record of excellence in data architecture, analytics, and data governance. He first was awarded in 2015 and since then rewarded every year.

Wolfgang's commitment to the data community is evident through his active participation in national and international conferences, workshops, and online platforms, where he shares insights, best practices, and technical knowledge. He is one of the organizers of Data Community Austria Day (Data Saturday Vienna).

Wolfgang Strasser, an experienced data consultant at ACP CUBIDO in Austria, specializes in leveraging the Microsoft Data Platform to drive analytics and data strategy transformations. With extensive experience in SQL Server, Azure Data Services, Powe... Show more

Feline Parein is a business consultant with a big focus on all things Microsoft. She’s a certified Power Platform consultant and has hands-on experience with setting up enterprise-level applications and processes within the Power Platform.

Feline Parein is a business consultant with a big focus on all things Microsoft. She’s a certified Power Platform consultant and has hands-on experience with setting up enterprise-level applications and processes within the Power Platform. Show more

Wayne Gakuo is a Frontend Engineer who is constantly learning the best practices of architecting software using Angular, while having scalability, maintainability, and user needs in mind. Aside from work, Wayne leads Angular Kenya which trains budding developers to become proficient Angular developers. In his free time, Wayne loves watching documentaries and playing video games, trying to get better at FIFA.

Wayne Gakuo is a Frontend Engineer who is constantly learning the best practices of architecting software using Angular, while having scalability, maintainability, and user needs in mind. Aside from work, Wayne leads Angular Kenya which trains buddin... Show more

Pamela is a Developer Advocate for Kotlin Multiplatform at JetBrains and has more than 20 years of experience writing desktop, web and mobile apps.

Pamela is a Developer Advocate for Kotlin Multiplatform at JetBrains and has more than 20 years of experience writing desktop, web and mobile apps. Show more

Erwin de Kreuk is a passionate and highly experienced Technology Leader in the Data & AI domain. He currently serves as a Principal Consultant and Lead Data and AI at InSpark, winner of the Global Partner of the Year (POTY) Award for Identity and the Dutch Partner of the Year (POTY) Award for Data & AI.

Erwin is a frequent speaker at various national and international data community events and has been recognized as a Data Platform MVP.

With 16 years of experience in the world of data on the Microsoft Platform, Erwin has spent the last 8 years focusing on the Azure Platform. His day-to-day work involves addressing complex customer cases and technical issues. Additionally, he is a member of the Technology Board at InSpark, where he leads a team of highly experienced Data Experts specializing in the Microsoft Data Platform.

Erwin is dedicated to helping customers maximize the value of their complex analytics environments, with a strong emphasis on solutions in the Azure Cloud (Platform as a Service) and Microsoft Fabric. As a Technology Board member, he continuously explores the latest opportunities and shares his enthusiasm with colleagues, the community, and customers. He is also a key stakeholder for the InSpark Solution (Managed) Oxygen, a Modern Data Platform Estate as-a-service and the Nitrogen Control Center a native solution build on top of Microsoft Fabric for easy data integration and data Processing.

Erwin de Kreuk is a passionate and highly experienced Technology Leader in the Data & AI domain. He currently serves as a Principal Consultant and Lead Data and AI at InSpark, winner of the Global Partner of the Year (POTY) Award for Identity and the... Show more

Data Platform MVP, Power BI and Fabric enthusiastic, public speaker and passionate for everything which transforms data into action! Working at Macaw in the Netherlands as Solution Architect and Technical Evangelist in the Data Solutions & Insights team.

What I like the most? Sharing my thoughts, experience, best-practices and enthusiasm about Microsoft data platform with others. I mostly do this in public speaking at usergroups, conferences, customer presentations and end-user training. Besides that I also have my own blog which you can find at https://data-marc.com/

Data Platform MVP, Power BI and Fabric enthusiastic, public speaker and passionate for everything which transforms data into action! Working at Macaw in the Netherlands as Solution Architect and Technical Evangelist in the Data Solutions & Insights t... Show more

Hi, I’m Lesley Crook a Viva Visionary and MVP Office Apps & Services of 8 years. With a focus on employee engagement, hybrid work, adoption & change management, champions programmes on Yammer, Teams and now Microsoft Viva.

Hi, I’m Lesley Crook a Viva Visionary and MVP Office Apps & Services of 8 years. With a focus on employee engagement, hybrid work, adoption & change management, champions programmes on Yammer, Teams and now Microsoft Viva. Show more

Martin Catherall is a Data Architect working on Microsoft Data Platform technologies. He is currently based in Brisbane, Australia.

Martin’s career has expanded from the world of SQL Server Administration and T-SQL development to encompass data engineering and architecture on the Microsoft Azure Platform.

He has over 15 years’ experience in the data industry and has been a recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Award since 2014

When he is not engaged in data related activities, he can be found exploring the Queensland landscape (he’s recently escaped Melbourne), learning about Minecraft or Super Mario from his kids and learning the guitar – despite being tone deaf!

Martin is the co-host of DataPlatform downunder
https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/data-platform-downunder-meetup-group/

Martin Catherall is a Data Architect working on Microsoft Data Platform technologies. He is currently based in Brisbane, Australia. Martin’s career has expanded from the world of SQL Server Administration and T-SQL development to encompass data en... Show more

Ásgeir brings nearly two decades of experience in designing and implementing scalable data platforms using Microsoft technologies. With deep expertise in data architecture, data engineering, and analytics, he helps organizations turn complex data landscapes into streamlined, high-performing solutions. In addition to hands-on delivery, Ásgeir advises clients on governance, security, and platform strategy.

As a recognized Microsoft Data Platform MVP and active speaker at global data events, he stays ahead of industry trends and brings cutting-edge insights to every project. In addition to speaking at events Ásgeir is a co-organizer of Data Platform Next Step, Power BI Next Step and Power BI Cruise in Denmark.

Ásgeir focuses primarily on the data technologies in the Azure cloud.

Ásgeir is the co-author of Pro Power BI Administration from APRESS and the Power BI MVP book

Ásgeir is passionate about data and loves solving problem with BI.

Ásgeir brings nearly two decades of experience in designing and implementing scalable data platforms using Microsoft technologies. With deep expertise in data architecture, data engineering, and analytics, he helps organizations turn complex data lan... Show more

Marco is a Senior Security Engineer at HeroDevs.
Active contributor, releaser, and member of the Node.js Technical Steering Committee, he is a renowned international speaker and a former Microsoft MVP. Marco is actively involved in many projects within the Node.js ecosystem and also serves as a delegate in TC39.

Marco is a Senior Security Engineer at HeroDevs. Active contributor, releaser, and member of the Node.js Technical Steering Committee, he is a renowned international speaker and a former Microsoft MVP. Marco is actively involved in many projects wit... Show more