Rie Merritt has been working with SQL Server since 1999, when she started as a data analyst for a non-profit. She has worked in many industries over the years including pharmaceutical, e-commerce, legal, financial, education and both federal & state government. She is currently Principal PM Manager with Microsoft Azure Data, serving as the Influencers, Community & Events lead. She is liaison between the product group and Influencers, User Groups, MVPs & Super Users, and her team owns the FabCon workstream for Engineering. She is based out of Redmond, but works remotely from her home near Atlanta.

Since 2010, Rie has done extensive work with the SQL Community. She was an MVP in the Data Platform for three years, speaking frequently at conferences across the US and moderating webinars, WIT panels and career panels. She has also served co-leader of the Women in Technology Virtual Group and Executive Director of SQL Saturday Atlanta. Currently, Rie helps run the Atlanta Azure Data User Group heading up Microsoft’s efforts for the Azure Data Community.

Rie Merritt has been working with SQL Server since 1999, when she started as a data analyst for a non-profit. She has worked in many industries over the years including pharmaceutical, e-commerce, legal, financial, education and both federal & state ... 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

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 help organizations design, build, and optimize secure, scalable Microsoft Azure platforms that deliver measurable business results.
For over 20 years, I’ve guided enterprise leaders and product teams through high-stakes cloud adoption, complex migrations, and performance optimization—combining deep technical expertise with a calm, collaborative style that keeps teams focused and projects on track.

My work includes:

- (Enterprise) cloud adoption & migration – ensuring smooth transitions with minimal risk
- Cost optimization & performance tuning – making Azure investments more efficient
- Security & compliance – protecting business-critical systems and data
- Platform engineering & landing zones – building robust foundations for innovation

I’ve been honored with nine consecutive Microsoft MVP awards for my contributions to the global Azure and .NET community. Outside client projects, I speak at international conferences and run workshops that turn complex cloud concepts into actionable insights.
Recent events include VS Live, NDC London, Oslo & Porto; SDD London; Copenhagen Developers Festival; Techorama Netherlands & Belgium; DevSum Sweden, Update Confs, and Developer Week Germany.

Now, as founder of LoekD Consultancy BV, I partner with organizations ready to accelerate their Azure journey—whether that means starting fresh in the cloud or unlocking more value from what you already have, accelerated with the power of AI.

Contact me for full projects, workshops or sparring sessions.

📬 Let’s connect:
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/loekd
- GitHub: github.com/loekd
- BlueSky: bsky.app/profile/loekd.com

I help organizations design, build, and optimize secure, scalable Microsoft Azure platforms that deliver measurable business results. For over 20 years, I’ve guided enterprise leaders and product teams through high-stakes cloud adoption, complex mig... Show more

Poornima is a .Net developer with over 10 years of experience in .Net. She is passionate about learning new technologies and keeping herself up-to-date with the latest developments in technology. Outside her work, Poornima enjoys music and is undergoing training in Indian Classical music. Based in Langley, UK she mothers a little girl and spends her spare time reading, cooking and watching movies.

Poornima is a .Net developer with over 10 years of experience in .Net. She is passionate about learning new technologies and keeping herself up-to-date with the latest developments in technology. Outside her work, Poornima enjoys music and is undergo... 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

Kevin Griffin has been running production .NET applications and teaching developers for over two decades. A 16-time Microsoft MVP specializing in ASP.NET Core and Azure, Kevin brings real-world experience from his own SaaS products alongside his consulting work at Swift Kick. He's hosted the Hampton Roads .NET User Group since 2009 and founded RevolutionVA, the nonprofit behind Hampton Roads DevFest. 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 16-time Microsoft MVP specializing in ASP.NET Core and Azure, Kevin brings real-world experience from his own SaaS products alongside his cons... Show more

I'm Alec Harrison, a Microsoft Azure MVP and software consultant specializing in cloud-native development, AI integration, and developer enablement. I lead several user groups, including the Iowa Microsoft Azure User Group, and I'm passionate about helping developers stay ahead of the curve with emerging tech.

I also host the Engineer in the Loop podcast and blog at EITL.ai, where I explore the intersection of AI, cloud, and real-world software engineering.

I'm Alec Harrison, a Microsoft Azure MVP and software consultant specializing in cloud-native development, AI integration, and developer enablement. I lead several user groups, including the Iowa Microsoft Azure User Group, and I'm passionate about h... 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

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

Philipp leads Developer Relations at Elastic — the company behind the Elasticsearch, Kibana, Beats, and Logstash. Based in San Francisco, he lives to demo interesting technology and solve challenging problems — all with a smile and a terminal window.

Philipp leads Developer Relations at Elastic — the company behind the Elasticsearch, Kibana, Beats, and Logstash. Based in San Francisco, he lives to demo interesting technology and solve challenging problems — all with a smile and a terminal window. Show more

Magnus Mårtensson is an entrepreneur, a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for Azure since the start of the cloud, and a Microsoft Regional Director (RD). He is a consultant, architect, product development lead, and he runs his own company Loftysoft. As an international speaker Magnus travels the world to teach, network, learn, and experience. His passions include connecting with audiences and organizing conferences such as CloudBurst and GlobalAzure. He is of course also into good food, wine, and great company. Topping it all is mind-sharing, so when you see him at a conference, come over and say hi!

Magnus Mårtensson is an entrepreneur, a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for Azure since the start of the cloud, and a Microsoft Regional Director (RD). He is a consultant, architect, product development lead, and he runs his own company Lo... Show more

Joe Griffin is CEO of proMX UK Limited, a Microsoft Inner Circle partner within the proMX group of companies. As a holder of over 40+ Microsoft technical certifications covering the entire Microsoft cloud stack, including Dynamics 365, Power Platform, Microsoft Azure, Artificial Intelligence and more, Joe is a seasoned professional, technical architect and trainer, with a passion for implementing effective technology solutions. Joe's experience covers a variety of industries, including energy, managed services, retail, print & direct mail and the UK utility sector. Joe has been a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) since 2020, and contributes regularly at conferences and user groups across the globe. When Joe is not working, he enjoys reading, learning about history, walking, video games and catching up with the latest film and TV shows.

Joe Griffin is CEO of proMX UK Limited, a Microsoft Inner Circle partner within the proMX group of companies. As a holder of over 40+ Microsoft technical certifications covering the entire Microsoft cloud stack, including Dynamics 365, Power Platform... 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

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

As a Senior Director at Inspari he works with building up clients' data capabilities, implementing data platform technologies and all-in-all maximize the impact of 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 Senior Director at Inspari he works with building up clients' data capabilities, implementing data platform technologies and a... Show more

As a M365 Architect, I leverage my 16+ years of experience and multiple certifications to design, implement, and maintain large-scale projects using SharePoint and Office 365. I am a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), a Microsoft MVP in two categories (M365 and AI Platform).

My mission is to help clients achieve their business goals and optimize their digital transformation journey using the latest technologies and best practices. I am passionate about sharing my knowledge and expertise with the community, and I frequently speak at various events, such as SPS, Global Microsoft 365 Developer Bootcamp, and Global Power Platform Bootcamp. I am also an author, speaker, and organizer of several books, blogs, podcasts, and webinars on M365 topics.

As a M365 Architect, I leverage my 16+ years of experience and multiple certifications to design, implement, and maintain large-scale projects using SharePoint and Office 365. I am a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), a Microsoft MVP in two categories (M36... 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

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

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

I'm a designer, UI engineer, and certified accessibility professional with over 30 years of experience. With a background in behavioral psychology and neurology, I focus on leading, promoting, and advancing accessibility at every stage in the product development lifecycle.

I'm a designer, UI engineer, and certified accessibility professional with over 30 years of experience. With a background in behavioral psychology and neurology, I focus on leading, promoting, and advancing accessibility at every stage in the product... Show more

Viktor Gamov is a Principal Developer Advocate at Confluent, founded by the original creators of Apache Kafka®. With a rich background in implementing and advocating for distributed systems and cloud-native architectures, Viktor excels in open-source technologies. He is passionate about assisting architects, developers, and operators in crafting systems that are not only low in latency and scalable but also highly available.
As a Java Champion and an esteemed speaker, Viktor is known for his insightful presentations at top industry events like JavaOne, Devoxx, Kafka Summit, and QCon. His expertise spans distributed systems, real-time data streaming, JVM, and DevOps.
Viktor has co-authored "Enterprise Web Development" from O'Reilly and "Apache Kafka® in Action" from Manning. 
Follow Viktor on X—@gamussa to stay updated with his latest thoughts on technology, his gym and food adventures, and insights into open-source and developer advocacy.

Viktor Gamov is a Principal Developer Advocate at Confluent, founded by the original creators of Apache Kafka®. With a rich background in implementing and advocating for distributed systems and cloud-native architectures, Viktor excels in open-source... Show more

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

Rachel is a 2x Microsoft MVP for .NET and Web Development; she is also a 6x Umbraco MVP. Rachel has been a developer for over 25 years, working in the Microsoft .Net stack. She is passionate about accessibility, supporting and encouraging future developers, and in her spare time, she enjoys scuba diving. She also drinks copious amounts of tea.

Rachel is a 2x Microsoft MVP for .NET and Web Development; she is also a 6x Umbraco MVP. Rachel has been a developer for over 25 years, working in the Microsoft .Net stack. She is passionate about accessibility, supporting and encouraging future dev... 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

Dean Schuster has been envisioning and creating human-centered digital products since the advent of the commercial web. He is founder and owner of the user experience strategy firm truematter, leading the team to help national and international organizations change the way they do business online. He travels all over the world to speak and teach, mentoring professionals and challenging teams to a higher standard for digital experiences.

Dean is also an avid ultra-marathoner and trail racer, often found in out-of-the-way places, including Antarctica.

Dean Schuster has been envisioning and creating human-centered digital products since the advent of the commercial web. He is founder and owner of the user experience strategy firm truematter, leading the team to help national and international organ... 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

Developer / DBA / Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) focusing on Microsoft's Data Platform, AI, Azure, IoT and Security.
Developing information and multimedia systems, DBA, project and IT management, for over 26 years.
Speaker with over 320+ sessions delivered since 2015 at international conferences and community events (mostly in-person before pandemic times) on multiple technologies, Internet Governance and Human Rights, as well as volunteer and moderator.
Organiser and founder at technical communities: IT Pro Portugal, PowerShell Portugal, Data Community Portugal, and multiple other online communities such as IPv6 Portugal, DNSSEC Portugal, etc.
Organiser of technical events: Global AI Bootcamp Lisboa, Global Power Platform Bootcamp Lisboa, Ctrl-Alt-Shell, Ctrl-Alt-Xmas, Global Diversity CFP Day Lisboa, Power BI Roadshow Lisboa, Programar Saturday, Community Evenings, etc.
Go to https://Andy.PT and you'll know the same as the NSA...

Developer / DBA / Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) focusing on Microsoft's Data Platform, AI, Azure, IoT and Security. Developing information and multimedia systems, DBA, project and IT management, for over 26 years. Speaker with over 320+ session... Show more

I'm Vadym Kazulkin 🇺🇦, husband and father of 3. I'm AWS Serverless Hero and Head of Development at ip.labs based in Bonn. I have been in the tech industry for over 25 years. My current focus and interests include the design and implementation of highly scalable and available applications in the AWS Cloud, with a special passion for Serverless, Generative, and Agentic AI, as well as the optimization of Java applications (also utilizing Spring Boot, Micronaut, and Quarkus frameworks) on AWS Lambda.

I'm also the co-organizer of the Java User Group Bonn meetup, a frequent speaker at various national and international events, and a regular author of articles in different published and online magazines and on my online blog.

I'm Vadym Kazulkin 🇺🇦, husband and father of 3. I'm AWS Serverless Hero and Head of Development at ip.labs based in Bonn. I have been in the tech industry for over 25 years. My current focus and interests include the design and implementation of hi... Show more

Benni is a Principal Program Manager in the Fabric Customer Advisory Team (Fabric CAT) at Microsoft. Aspiring to be top notch in his field, through continuous personal development, on both technical and soft skills. He strives for maximum results in his tasks using team play, communication, thinking outside of the box, and (endless) motivation. Benni is always ready to tackle the unknown, or pick up fresh ideas to broaden his range. Building on past experiences, he continuously tries to find new, more efficient ways of obtaining results, and improving the process along the way.

Loving (almost) every day of it, he’s fascinated by the value of data, sometimes flabbergasted by the lack of awareness, and intrigued by the endless possibilities whilst discovering new ways of looking at data. He thrives on unfolding new insights for customers whilst using an open and transparent communication.

On a daily basis he turns (large amounts of) coffee into insights for customers, and references witty British comedy, lame dad jokes, and obscure facts way too often. Overly enthusiastic about anything data related, he’s trying hard to keep up with all things new and shiny.

When not working, blogging or reading, you’ll likely find him out and about being his weird self. Rumour has it that he’s also involved with a ragtag band of data enthusiasts, enjoying themselves whilst organising cool community things.
They go by the name of .. dataMinds!

Benni is a Principal Program Manager in the Fabric Customer Advisory Team (Fabric CAT) at Microsoft. Aspiring to be top notch in his field, through continuous personal development, on both technical and soft skills. He strives for maximum results in ... Show more

Guy works for Redis as a Developer Advocate. Combining his decades of experience in writing software with a passion for learning—and for sharing what he has learned—Guy explores interesting topics and spreads the knowledge he has gained around developer communities worldwide.

Teaching and community have long been a focus for Guy. He ran a local JavaScript meetup in Ohio for more than a decade and has served on the selection committees of numerous conferences. He'll happily speak anywhere that will have him and has even has helped teach programming at a prison in Central Ohio.

In his personal life, Guy is a hard-boiled geek interested in role-playing games, science fiction, and technology. He also has a slightly less geeky interest in history and linguistics. He has an entire wall of role-playing games and science fiction books, speaks Spanish like a two-year old, and is a ham radio operator—callsign W8GUY.

Guy lives in Ohio with his wife. His three sons are adults now and are all moved out. He is immensely proud of the men they have become.

Guy works for Redis as a Developer Advocate. Combining his decades of experience in writing software with a passion for learning—and for sharing what he has learned—Guy explores interesting topics and spreads the knowledge he has gained around develo... Show more