Ron Dagdag brings over 25 years of experience as a software artisan to his role as Research Engineering Manager at Thomson Reuters, where he leads teams to develop transformative AI solutions. In addition to his professional responsibilities, Ron is an active member of the tech community, recognized as a Microsoft MVP in AI, Mixed Reality, and IoT. Ron is an international speaker, sharing his knowledge at industry events, and remains an active maker and tinkerer with a passion for Augmented Intelligence.
🚀 Code > Create > Coach > Repeat.

Ron Dagdag brings over 25 years of experience as a software artisan to his role as Research Engineering Manager at Thomson Reuters, where he leads teams to develop transformative AI solutions. In addition to his professional responsibilities, Ron is ... Show more

As the founder of both (Havens Consulting & Analytic Endeavors) and a Microsoft MVP, Reid is a seasoned professional with a wealth of experience in technology, organizational management, and business analytics. With a Master's Degree in Organizational Development and a background in consulting for Fortune 10, 50, and 500 companies, Reid has the knowledge and expertise to help your organization succeed.

In addition to his corporate experience, Reid is also a highly sought-after instructor, teaching Business Intelligence, reporting, and data visualization at the University of Washington and other universities. His passion for education extends beyond the classroom, as he has co-authored the DP-500 Enterprise Azure Analyst certification exam for Microsoft and developed numerous training curriculums delivered to companies around the world.

As the founder of both (Havens Consulting & Analytic Endeavors) and a Microsoft MVP, Reid is a seasoned professional with a wealth of experience in technology, organizational management, and business analytics. With a Master's Degree in Organizationa... Show more

I'm Taiob Ali, a Microsoft Data Platform MVP with over 19 years of experience designing and implementing data solutions across finance, e-commerce, and healthcare. My expertise includes the Microsoft Data Platform, MongoDB, Azure AI, and Python for data-driven innovation.

As a dedicated community advocate, I've presented at over 100 events worldwide, including SQL Saturdays, Data Saturdays, and international conferences. I founded the Database Professionals Virtual Meetup Group, serve on the New England SQL Server User Group and SQL Saturday boards, and contribute regularly to Microsoft Learn, where my work is featured in the Contributor Stories.

I'm Taiob Ali, a Microsoft Data Platform MVP with over 19 years of experience designing and implementing data solutions across finance, e-commerce, and healthcare. My expertise includes the Microsoft Data Platform, MongoDB, Azure AI, and Python for d... Show more

Peter Zaitsev is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Percona, Coroot and other tech companies. As one of the leading experts in Open Source strategy and database optimization, Peter has applied his technical knowledge and entrepreneurial drive to contribute as a board member and advisor to several open source startups. Additionally, Peter is the co-author of the book "High Performance MySQL: Optimization, Backup and Replication," one of the most popular books on MySQL performance.

Peter Zaitsev is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Percona, Coroot and other tech companies. As one of the leading experts in Open Source strategy and database optimization, Peter has applied his technical knowledge and entrepreneurial drive to contr... Show more

Gethyn is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and consultant helping organisations modernise their data platforms with SQL Server, Azure, Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, and AI. He leads a UK consultancy that supports clients across Europe and North America with migrations, high-availability design, performance engineering, analytics strategy, and data governance. A Microsoft Certified Trainer with over 200 courses delivered, he speaks widely on data transformation, analytics, and the future of AI-powered business.

Gethyn is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and consultant helping organisations modernise their data platforms with SQL Server, Azure, Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, and AI. He leads a UK consultancy that supports clients across Europe and North America wi... Show more

Uwe Ricken has been working with IT systems since the early 1990s, with a deep focus on Microsoft SQL Server starting from his work on Membership Software for the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany - later rolled out across five European countries. His passion for SQL Server took off in 2007 when he joined Deutsche Bank AG as a database administrator, gaining hands-on experience in high-performance, enterprise-scale environments.

With over three decades of experience in database development and operations, Uwe earned the prestigious "Microsoft Certified Master – SQL Server 2008", the highest technical certification at the time. In 2013, he was honored with his first "Microsoft MVP Award" for his contributions to the SQL Server community across Germany and Europe.

Since 2010, Uwe has been sharing his expertise through his blog https://sqlmaster.de, offering deep dives into SQL Server internals, performance tuning, and real-world troubleshooting.

A regular speaker at international conferences and user groups, Uwe’s sessions focus on Database Internals, Indexing Strategies and Advanced SQL Development - always with a practical, performance-driven mindset.

Uwe Ricken has been working with IT systems since the early 1990s, with a deep focus on Microsoft SQL Server starting from his work on Membership Software for the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany - later rolled out across five European countri... Show more

Ståle Hansen is the Founder, CEO and Digital Wellbeing coach at CloudWay. He is currently awarded as Copilot MVP and is a Microsoft Regional Director with over a decade working with Microsoft 365 and hybrid solutions. His passion is working smart in Microsoft 365 powered by Copilot. He is an international public speaker since 2012 and has spoken at conferences such as Microsoft Ignite, Experts Live and the Microsoft 365 Conference. In 2023, he won the Wellness Champion Award at ESPC for his GTD inspired productivity concept, Digital Wellbeing, which you can find on his YouTube channel with more than 4500 subscribers and 400 000 views.

Ståle Hansen is the Founder, CEO and Digital Wellbeing coach at CloudWay. He is currently awarded as Copilot MVP and is a Microsoft Regional Director with over a decade working with Microsoft 365 and hybrid solutions. His passion is working smart in ... Show more

Pragati Jain is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Microsoft Certified trainer (MCT) and a certified Microsoft Fabric Analytics Engineer (DP-600) based in London, UK.
As a Fabric Consultant, she specialises in end-to-end Microsoft Fabric implementations - designing Fabric architecture, migrating organisations from Power BI to Fabric and advising clients on Fabric strategy.
Her hands-on expertise spans Fabric Lakehouse, Fabric Data Engineering, Fabric Notebooks, Fabric Pipelines, Data Factory, Dataflow Gen2, Real-Time Analytics (KQL) and Semantic Models with Direct Lake - alongside Power BI, Tableau, PySpark and SQL.
A recognised Superuser in the Microsoft Fabric Community, she has delivered sessions at flagship events including the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference, PASS Data Summit, SQLBits, Power Platform Conference and Microsoft Reactor, earning the Sessionize Most Active Speaker badge four years running (2022–2025).
Beyond tech, she's a trained Indian classical singer, painter and hiking enthusiast.

Pragati Jain is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Microsoft Certified trainer (MCT) and a certified Microsoft Fabric Analytics Engineer (DP-600) based in London, UK. As a Fabric Consultant, she specialises in end-to-end Microsoft Fabric implementation... Show more

Richard Campbell wrote his first line of code in 1977. His career has spanned the computing industry, both on the hardware and software sides, development, and operations. He was a co-founder of Strangeloop Networks, acquired by Radware in 2013, and was on the board of directors of Telerik, which was acquired by Progress Software in 2014. Today, he is a consultant and advisor to several successful technology firms and hosts three podcasts: .NET Rocks! (www.dotnetrocks.com) for .NET developers, RunAs Radio (www.runasradio.com) for IT Professionals, and Windows Weekly (https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly).

Richard Campbell wrote his first line of code in 1977. His career has spanned the computing industry, both on the hardware and software sides, development, and operations. He was a co-founder of Strangeloop Networks, acquired by Radware in 2013, and ... Show more

Sandra is a Microsoft MVP, speaker, and entrepreneur driven by one question: how can digital work feel more intuitive, motivating, and human? As founder of a company rooted in gaming and interactive experiences, she brings game thinking into the Microsoft ecosystem—from Microsoft 365 and Copilot experiences to Business applications and Collaboration workflows. Sandra translates proven game UX patterns into adoption-friendly solutions that help people navigate complexity with confidence.

Beyond technology, Sandra is a passionate community builder. She actively creates spaces where people connect, learn, and grow and she is especially committed to helping new speakers find their voice. Because her own speaker journey started late, she knows how intimidating the stage can feel. As a woman in tech, she also understands what it takes to be seen and taken seriously, and she mentors others to step forward, build confidence, and shape their own path in the community.

Sandra is a Microsoft MVP, speaker, and entrepreneur driven by one question: how can digital work feel more intuitive, motivating, and human? As founder of a company rooted in gaming and interactive experiences, she brings game thinking into the Micr... Show more

Olivier Van Steenlandt is a Business Intelligence Professional who spent most of his early career assisting retail companies to get more value of their data using the Microsoft BI Stack (SSIS, SSAS, SSRS, Power BI).

As his first experience in the field (in Business Intelligence), Olivier worked as a Big Data Analyst using tools such as Hadoop and Spark.

In 2015 the focus changed to traditional data warehousing & reporting using SSIS, SSRS & MicroStrategy. A bit later, around June 2019, the opportunity arose to fill the position of BI Teamlead. In this function he was able to set up a hybrid BI Team (team members in Belgium and Belarus).

Early 2020, Olivier joined the dataMinds crew as a core member, assisting to organise several events.

Around April 2021, Olivier started a new position as BI Teamlead in another Retail Company to support business growth. Besides the challenge to help the BI Team grow and deliver projects on time, he started to use SSAS & Power BI.

In April 2025, Olivier stepped away from internal positions and became an independent consultant.

When Olivier is not working there is a high chance that you find him on a football field, studying (BI Related), playing music (Saxophone / Piano) or cooking.

Olivier Van Steenlandt is a Business Intelligence Professional who spent most of his early career assisting retail companies to get more value of their data using the Microsoft BI Stack (SSIS, SSAS, SSRS, Power BI). As his first experience in the ... Show more

A developer, business owner, consultant, cloud architect, Microsoft Azure MVP and an online instructor, Mike Benkovich is an alumni of Microsoft from 2004 to 2012 where he helped build developer communities across the US, thru work on Microsoft Across America, MSDN Events, MSDN Webcasts, DPE and Channel 9. He's helped to create and grow developer conferences and user groups in various cities across the US. While at Microsoft he helped create the Azure Boot Camp events that were run in cities across the US and at PDC and TechEd before it was transferred to the community. In 2009 he started a Toastmaster club for Geeks called TechMasters in Minneapolis where we still grow speakers for Conferences. He's a LinkedIn Learning Instructor for Azure, have developed many online courses. Mike actively works in Azure Cloud Governance, DevOps, Application Architecture and Software Delivery consulting.

A developer, business owner, consultant, cloud architect, Microsoft Azure MVP and an online instructor, Mike Benkovich is an alumni of Microsoft from 2004 to 2012 where he helped build developer communities across the US, thru work on Microsoft Acros... Show more

Marco Minerva has been using .NET since its first introduction. Today he proudly lives in Taggia, Italy, works as a freelance consultant and is involved in designing and developing solutions for the Microsoft ecosystem. His greatest expertise is backend development as a software architect. He holds training courses. He is a speaker at technical events, writes books and articles about developing and regularly makes live streaming about coding on Twitch. He is a Microsoft MVP since 2013.

Marco Minerva has been using .NET since its first introduction. Today he proudly lives in Taggia, Italy, works as a freelance consultant and is involved in designing and developing solutions for the Microsoft ecosystem. His greatest expertise is back... Show more

Wesley is a Customer Success Engineer at Duende Software, helping Duende's customers to be successful by assisting developers with issues, documenting common problems and teaching about security / identity.

He's also a Microsoft MVP, board member of the VISUG meetup in Belgium and speaker at meetups and conferences, such as NDC London and Sydney, Copenhagen Developer Festival, WeAreDevelopers Berlin, Update Conference, TechDays, DevConf, DeveloperDays and Techorama.

Wesley is a Customer Success Engineer at Duende Software, helping Duende's customers to be successful by assisting developers with issues, documenting common problems and teaching about security / identity. He's also a Microsoft MVP, board member ... Show more

Namrata is currently working as Power Platform Developer. She has previously worked in KPMG as a Full Stack Developer and was a Gold Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador.

Driving passion for Accessibility and Sustainability using AI and Technology around the World !
Beside work, enjoying being artistic and creative.

Namrata is currently working as Power Platform Developer. She has previously worked in KPMG as a Full Stack Developer and was a Gold Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador. Driving passion for Accessibility and Sustainability using AI and Technology a... Show more

Senior Agile Coach, Jean-Yves Klein has worn many hats: developer, project manager, program director, head of IT… This diverse background gives him a 360° view of agility — from hands-on delivery to executive strategy.

Certified in PMI, SAFe, and Disciplined Agile, he has coached teams across IT, mechanical engineering, electronics, marketing, and legal. His approach is always tailored to the team, the project, and the organization — no cookie-cutter solutions here.

A passionate educator, he has designed over 10 Serious Games, including several with LEGO, to bring Agile, SAFe, DevOps, and key roles like Product Owner and Scrum Master to life. With him, learning is hands-on, fun, and unforgettable.

Senior Agile Coach, Jean-Yves Klein has worn many hats: developer, project manager, program director, head of IT… This diverse background gives him a 360° view of agility — from hands-on delivery to executive strategy. Certified in PMI, SAFe, and ... Show more

Gabi Münster (she / her) started working with SQL Server technologies in 2005 during her time as Web Application developer. After 11 years as BI consultant / Data architect and being awarded Data Platform MVP since 2018, she joined Microsoft in March 2022 as part of the Azure Data Customer Advisory Team and works as a Principal Program Manager covering Fabric.
She speaks at regional chapter meetings, national and international conferences. Since 2016 she also supports a regional chapter as co-lead.
Apart from BI topics she also supports Diversity topics.

Gabi Münster (she / her) started working with SQL Server technologies in 2005 during her time as Web Application developer. After 11 years as BI consultant / Data architect and being awarded Data Platform MVP since 2018, she joined Microsoft in March... Show more

Michael Johnson is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and co-lead of the Johannesburg Data Platform User Group. Professionally, he is the owner and principal consultant at Cobalt Analytics, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Michael regularly presents at many local and international user groups and conferences on topics including data engineering and analytics.

Michael Johnson is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and co-lead of the Johannesburg Data Platform User Group. Professionally, he is the owner and principal consultant at Cobalt Analytics, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Michael regularly presents a... Show more

Laila Bougria is a Solutions Architect and Engineer with over 15 years of experience in the Microsoft .NET space. She's a keynote speaker, a Microsoft MVP in Azure and Developer Technologies, and frequently shares her knowledge and insights at conferences worldwide. Currently, Laila is busy building NServiceBus at Particular Software and solving distributed riddles. When she's not immersed in complex problems or code, Laila enjoys indulging in her favorite pastime - knitting! She finds that tangling the yarn into beautiful patterns helps untangle her thoughts.

Laila Bougria is a Solutions Architect and Engineer with over 15 years of experience in the Microsoft .NET space. She's a keynote speaker, a Microsoft MVP in Azure and Developer Technologies, and frequently shares her knowledge and insights at confer... Show more

Annie Talvasto is an award-winning international technology speaker and leader. She has spoken at over 100+ tech events worldwide, including KubeCon + CloudNativeCon and Microsoft Build & Ignite. She has been recognized with the CNCF Ambassador, Azure & AI Platform MVP awards. She has co-organized the Kubernetes & CNCF Finland meetup since 2017. In the past, she has also served as a track chair for KubeCon + CloudNativeCon, Program Chair for Secure AI Summit (powered by Cloud Native) and hosted Cloud Native Live, a weekly livestream by CNCF, for over 3 years.

Annie Talvasto is an award-winning international technology speaker and leader. She has spoken at over 100+ tech events worldwide, including KubeCon + CloudNativeCon and Microsoft Build & Ignite. She has been recognized with the CNCF Ambassador, Azur... Show more

Ed Pollack is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP with a passion for learning how Data Platforms work and sharing that knowledge with the community. His experiences in data architecture, database design, performance optimization, and security are motivation for public speaking, writing, coding, and other community activities.

Ed has spoken at SQL Saturday events, SQL Bits, PASS Summit, EightKB, and many other regional and international events. Ed is the organizer of the Capital Area SQL Server Group and Day of Data Albany, as well as a co-organizer of SQL Saturday New York City. He has published a number of books, including "Dynamic SQL: Applications, Performance, and Security in Microsoft SQL Server", "Expert Performance Indexing in Azure SQL and SQL Server 2022", and "Analytics Optimization with Columnstore Indexes in Microsoft SQL Server: Optimizing OLAP Workloads". Ed is also an active contributor of content to SimpleTalk.

In his free time, Ed enjoys video games, traveling, cooking exceptionally spicy foods, and hanging out with his amazing wife and sons.

Ed Pollack is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP with a passion for learning how Data Platforms work and sharing that knowledge with the community. His experiences in data architecture, database design, performance optimization, and security are motivati... Show more

Joseph is a leading voice in cybersecurity and AI, developing software and content that shape how developers build securely. His open source game gh.io/scg has helped 10K+ developers gain future-proof security skills. His videos, with 2.8M+ views, simplify complex security topics and deliver actionable tips to a global audience. As a speaker, Joseph has delivered 68 talks across 25 countries over the past four years, captivating audiences with his insights and energetic stage presence.

Joseph is a leading voice in cybersecurity and AI, developing software and content that shape how developers build securely. His open source game gh.io/scg has helped 10K+ developers gain future-proof security skills. His videos, with 2.8M+ views, si... Show more

Arthur (or Art, take your pick) has been a software engineer for 22 years and has worked on things as exciting as analysis software for casinos and things as boring as banking websites. He is an advocate for talking openly about mental health and psychology in the technical world, and he spends a lot of time thinking about how we program and why we program, and about the tools, structures, cultures, and mental processes that help and hinder us from our ultimate goal of writing amazing things. His hair is brown and his thorax is a shiny blue color.

Arthur (or Art, take your pick) has been a software engineer for 22 years and has worked on things as exciting as analysis software for casinos and things as boring as banking websites. He is an advocate for talking openly about mental health and psy... Show more

Microsoft Bizz Apps MVP and seasoned technology leader with over 18 years of global experience designing and delivering intelligent solutions across diverse industries. As an AI Solutions Specialist and Power Platform Architect, Alex has been at the forefront of integrating Cognitive Services, developing enterprise-grade chatbots and Copilot solutions, and driving automation through RPA and low-code platforms. His expertise spans cloud architecture on Azure and Microsoft 365, with a strong focus on empowering organizations through innovation, scalability, and user-centric design. A passionate advocate for digital transformation, Alex combines technical excellence with a deep understanding of business needs to create impactful solutions that bridge people and technology.

AI Solutions Specialist / Copilot Studio / Copilot / Power Platform Architect / RPA / Cloud Architect / Azure / M365 /Fabric

Microsoft Bizz Apps MVP and seasoned technology leader with over 18 years of global experience designing and delivering intelligent solutions across diverse industries. As an AI Solutions Specialist and Power Platform Architect, Alex has been at the ... Show more

I'm a software engineer who enjoys solving problems and building cool things.
When I'm not working, I love soaking in the beauty of mountains and staying connected with awesome tech communities =)

I'm a software engineer who enjoys solving problems and building cool things. When I'm not working, I love soaking in the beauty of mountains and staying connected with awesome tech communities =) Show more

Natalie Johnson is a renowned consultant, performance coach, author and business motivational speaker with over three decades of experience transforming cultures worldwide. As the Co-founder and Chief Visionary of Vidl Work, Natalie specializes in optimizing organizational performance by increasing energy, fostering team connections, and developing courageous leaders.

With a background in human performance, including psychology, physiology, and resilience, Natalie is a sought-after speaker and trainer, known for her engaging, high-energy presentations. Her impactful work has earned her numerous accolades, including the Enterprising Women of the Year Award, Champion of Healthcare, and Business Leader Woman Extraordinaire.

Natalie's dynamic speaking style and expertise in topics such as intentional culture, leadership development, and effective communication have made her a respected figure in the business world. Her ability to inspire and empower audiences to achieve their full potential has made her a valuable asset to organizations seeking to thrive in today's competitive landscape.

Natalie Johnson is a renowned consultant, performance coach, author and business motivational speaker with over three decades of experience transforming cultures worldwide. As the Co-founder and Chief Visionary of Vidl Work, Natalie specializes in op... Show more

David is the Director of Architecture for NewDay, and the founder of Electric Head Software. Focusing on iterative software delivery, developer mentoring and cultural change - mostly working with London-based organisations.

He speaks about software design, culture, and ethics in technology - rounded out by an assortment of talks about software that probably doesn't need to exist but makes the world a little more fun. David has previously served as the chief coding technical architect for JustGiving and helped market-leading organisations including JUST-EAT, Trainline and Vodafone improve their technical capabilities.

David is a Microsoft MVP, has been part of the OpenUK Honours list for open-source advocacy, and is a twice bestselling author of children's books about programming.

You can find his open-source projects on NuGet, npm and GitHub, follow him on Twitter @david_whitney, or check out his technical blog at http://www.davidwhitney.co.uk/Blog.

http://www.electricheadsoftware.com
http://www.davidwhitney.co.uk

David is the Director of Architecture for NewDay, and the founder of Electric Head Software. Focusing on iterative software delivery, developer mentoring and cultural change - mostly working with London-based organisations. He speaks about softwar... Show more

A seasoned Full Cycle Web Development Expert and R&D Manager, brings over two decades of experience, skillfully leading both local and international development teams from concept to delivery. As a recognized public speaker and blog writer, he also makes notable contributions to the open-source community.

In addition, Daniel leads the "NG-Heroes" meetup, creating networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities within the tech industry. Beyond his professional endeavors, he values family time above all else, proudly owning the title of "The Best Developer in the World," humorously awarded by his wife. Combining technical leadership, community involvement, and a strong family focus.

A seasoned Full Cycle Web Development Expert and R&D Manager, brings over two decades of experience, skillfully leading both local and international development teams from concept to delivery. As a recognized public speaker and blog writer, he also m... Show more

Geert van der Cruijsen is the CEO of Zure Netherlands, helping companies improve how they build software by combining strong engineering culture with modern technology. He focuses on DevOps, cloud-native development, architecture and AI, enabling teams to work more autonomously and deliver faster through smart platforms and better ways of working. Geert is a long-time Microsoft MVP and an active member of the tech community, frequently sharing knowledge through talks, content and mentorship.

Geert van der Cruijsen is the CEO of Zure Netherlands, helping companies improve how they build software by combining strong engineering culture with modern technology. He focuses on DevOps, cloud-native development, architecture and AI, enabling tea... Show more

Microsoft MVP -Azure AI Foundry || I'm working as a Developer. National Award Winner || Data Science ||AI&ML Enthusiast || Innovator || change the world || 10X Microsoft Certified|| New Technologies Enthusiastic|| Global Speaker || Azure Expert

Microsoft MVP -Azure AI Foundry || I'm working as a Developer. National Award Winner || Data Science ||AI&ML Enthusiast || Innovator || change the world || 10X Microsoft Certified|| New Technologies Enthusiastic|| Global Speaker || Azure Expert Show more