Most Active Speakers 2023

Sessionize proudly presents the list of the most active speakers in the year 2023!

  • 754 speakers
  • Auto-generated
Bradley Ball

Bradley Ball

Bradley Ball is a Sr. Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft. He is a current Microsoft MVP Reconnect member and former MVP. Bradley spent 8 years working as a Defense contractor for clients such as the U.S. Army and The Executive Office of the President of the United States, was the Data Platform Practice Manager for Pragmatic Works Consulting, and a Sr. Consultant for Microsoft Premier Support for Developers. He has presented at many SQL Saturdays, for PASS SSUG’s across the US from California to Puerto Rico to New Hampshire, SQL Rally, DevConnections, SQLBits 2015, TechReady 24, SQL Live 360 2011-2019, SQL Intersections 2019 - 2021, & the PASS Summit 2011-2015. He wrote Chapter 14 Page & Row Compression for PRO SQL Server 2012 Best Practices, he hosts the Tales from the Field weekly Azure Data Community Round table and technical videos on https://www.youtube.com/@Tales-from-the-Field with his Azure FastTrack PG colleagues, and he can be found blogging on http://www.sqlballs.com about anything else that interests him.

Bradley Ball is a Sr. Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft. He is a current Microsoft MVP Reconnect member and former MVP. Bradley spent 8 years working as a Defense contractor for clients such as the U.S. Army and The Executive Office of the Pres... Show more

Filip Ekberg

Filip Ekberg

Filip is the author of C# Smorgasbord and over 20 Pluralsight courses, speaker at events and user groups around the globe, Microsoft MVP for 11 years in a row. He loves teaching fellow developers how to master all things C# and .NET.

Filip is the author of C# Smorgasbord and over 20 Pluralsight courses, speaker at events and user groups around the globe, Microsoft MVP for 11 years in a row. He loves teaching fellow developers how to master all things C# and .NET. Show more

Dennes Torres

Dennes Torres

Dennes is a DBA and Data Platform MVP (2020-2023) living in Malta who loves Data Platform, including Azure Data Platform, Microsoft Fabric, SQL Server and recently got involved by Generative AI. In the past, he was married with software development, resulting in a total of more than 20 years of experience between Data Platform, cloud and software development. He moved to Malta after more than 10 years leading devSQL PASS Chapter in Rio de Janeiro and now is a member of the leadership team of MMDPUG PASS Chapter in Malta organizing meetings, events, and webcasts about Microsoft Data Platform. He is an MCT, MCSE in Data Platforms and BI, with more titles in software development. He can be found working for DTower Software and speaking in SQL Saturdays around Europe

Dennes is a DBA and Data Platform MVP (2020-2023) living in Malta who loves Data Platform, including Azure Data Platform, Microsoft Fabric, SQL Server and recently got involved by Generative AI. In the past, he was married with software development, ... Show more

Buchi Michelle Okonicha

Buchi Michelle Okonicha

Buchi Michelle Okonicha is a software engineering Leader and founder of Aricah. A Google developer expert (GDE), a Women Techmakers ambassador, and a researcher. Her more than 34 articles can be found on dev. to, hashnode, medium, and tealfeed, as well as her research works on Google Scholar. She passionately supports girls from low-income backgrounds through her non-profit organization: Girls Like Me Dream Initiative (Girls Like Me Africa)

Buchi Michelle Okonicha is a software engineering Leader and founder of Aricah. A Google developer expert (GDE), a Women Techmakers ambassador, and a researcher. Her more than 34 articles can be found on dev. to, hashnode, medium, and tealfeed, as we... Show more

Sammy Deprez

Sammy Deprez

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

Alex Soto

Alex Soto

Alex Soto is a Developer Advocate at IBM. He is passionate about the Java world and software automation and believes in the open-source software model. Alex is the co-author of Manning and O'Reilly books Testing Java Microservice, Quarkus Cookbook, Kubernetes Secrets Management, GitOps Cookbook, RHCE Ansible Automation Study Guide, Applied AI for Enterprise Java Development, and AI Agents with Java.
A Java Champion since 2017, he is also an international speaker (Devoxx, KubeCon, DevNexus, JavaOne, JavaLand, ...) and teacher at Salle URL University. You can follow him on Twitter (@alexsotob) to stay tuned to what’s happening in Java.

Alex Soto is a Developer Advocate at IBM. He is passionate about the Java world and software automation and believes in the open-source software model. Alex is the co-author of Manning and O'Reilly books Testing Java Microservice, Quarkus Cookbook, K... Show more

Robert Mulsow

Robert Mulsow

Rob lives to challenge the status quo, a digital transformer, Microsoft MVP & MCT and Founder of an AI startup company. With this context he is focusing on driving business success with modern AI technologies. Based on this foundation he's currently driving overall AI Strategy as Head of AI EMEA at AvePoint.

With this skillset, Rob supports companies mapping their business processes to modern workplace solutions with an AI-First Approach and make them more successful in transforming the business, driving user adoption and protecting company data.

Ask him anything about AI, Microsoft Viva, Information Governance, Teams Adoption Strategies as well as security topics.

Rob lives to challenge the status quo, a digital transformer, Microsoft MVP & MCT and Founder of an AI startup company. With this context he is focusing on driving business success with modern AI technologies. Based on this foundation he's currently ... Show more

Patrycja Wegrzynowicz

Patrycja Wegrzynowicz

Patrycja is a principal consultant and founder of Yon Labs, a startup developing automated tools for detecting and refactoring security vulnerabilities, performance anti-patterns, and cloud misconfigurations. She brings deep expertise in Java, C++, SRE, DevOps, security, performance optimization, and cloud technologies.

She is a regular speaker at leading software conferences, including KubeCon, JavaOne, Devoxx, JFokus, and others. Patrycja has been recognized as a Java Champion and holds titles such as Oracle Groundbreaker Ambassador, Oracle ACE Associate, and Oracle ACE Pro. In 2016, she was named one of the Top 10 Women in Tech in Poland.

Her interests focus on automated software engineering, particularly static and dynamic analysis techniques to support software verification, optimization, and deployment.

Patrycja is a principal consultant and founder of Yon Labs, a startup developing automated tools for detecting and refactoring security vulnerabilities, performance anti-patterns, and cloud misconfigurations. She brings deep expertise in Java, C++, S... Show more

Danilo Dominici

Danilo Dominici

Danilo Dominici is a senior consultant, speaker, and author specializing in SQL Server since version 6.5, mostly in the design, implementation, monitoring, and performance tuning of SQL Server-based solutions, both on-premise and in the cloud (Azure/AWS). He is also specializing in PostgreSQL performance tuning, high availability and monitoring. Danilo is a Microsoft Certified Trainer since 2000, a 6-times Data Platform MVP (2014-2020) - now MVP Alumni, an active member of UGISS (the Italian SQL Server User Group), and has been the co-leader of the PASS Global Italian Virtual Chapter. He wrote some of the chapters of the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 and 2014 Upgrade Guides and co-authored the book "Azure Data Solutions: an Introduction" published by Microsoft Press.

Danilo Dominici is a senior consultant, speaker, and author specializing in SQL Server since version 6.5, mostly in the design, implementation, monitoring, and performance tuning of SQL Server-based solutions, both on-premise and in the cloud (Azure/... Show more

Chad Green

Chad Green

Chad Green is a visionary Senior Systems Architect at Jasper Engines & Transmissions with over 35 years of expertise in crafting innovative, customer-centric solutions. He is currently leading the migration of legacy systems to cloud-native technologies. His career spans diverse industries, including automotive, healthcare, education, and government. Recognized as a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) and a dynamic community leader, Chad champions knowledge-sharing by organizing conferences and meetups and delivering speaking engagements at national and international events.

Outside the tech world, Chad proudly embraces his roles as a dedicated father, loving husband, and United States Marine Corps veteran. When he's not leading innovation or empowering communities, you'll find him bringing creativity to life through intricate Lego builds and his ever-growing Lego city.

Chad Green is a visionary Senior Systems Architect at Jasper Engines & Transmissions with over 35 years of expertise in crafting innovative, customer-centric solutions. He is currently leading the migration of legacy systems to cloud-native technolog... Show more

Peter Zaitsev

Peter Zaitsev

Peter Zaitsev is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Percona, Coroot, FerretDB 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, FerretDB 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 driv... Show more

Brandon Minnick

Brandon Minnick

Brandon is an independent .NET Consultant at Code Traveler LLC where he gets to work closely with the developer community to help fellow C# developers make 5-star apps.

With over 15 years of C# experience working across Xamarin, Microsoft and Amazon, Brandon is an expert in high-performance asynchronous programming, mobile app development, Azure and AWS. He is the creator and lead developer on numerous open-source libraries that have earned millioned downloads, such as AsyncAwaitBestPractices and CommunityToolkit.Maui.

An avid developer, Brandon loves to code and has contribute to open-source libraries and mobile apps.

Brandon is an independent .NET Consultant at Code Traveler LLC where he gets to work closely with the developer community to help fellow C# developers make 5-star apps. With over 15 years of C# experience working across Xamarin, Microsoft and Amaz... Show more

Pau Sempere

Pau Sempere

Global AI & Data Science Lead at Avolta. Master's degree in Computer Science at Universidad of Alicante (2005-2011). Microsoft AI MVP

Global AI & Data Science Lead at Avolta. Master's degree in Computer Science at Universidad of Alicante (2005-2011). Microsoft AI MVP Show more

Eric Berg

Eric Berg

Eric is Microsoft MVP for Microsoft Azure and for Cloud and Datacenter Management. He is the owner of Mountain IT. His main areas are: Microsoft Azure, Cloud Governance, Automation, Hybrid Infrastructure, Windows Server and Management Solutions.

Eric is an active member of the Microsoft community. He is blogging on his website www.ericberg.de on a regular basis. He produces the GeekSprech Podcast and the GeekSchau Webcast. He runs the Azure Thüringen Meetup in Germany, with more than 400 members and monthly meetups. He is a well known and high rated speaker at conferences like Microsoft Ignite, MVP Summit, Microsoft Ignite The Tour, ExpertsLive, Azure Saturday, Cloud and Datacenter Conference, and many more.

Eric is also a trainer on LinkedIn Learning, providing video trainings around Microsoft Azure.

His motto:
"The community lives from the community and only those who participate keep it alive.!"

Eric is Microsoft MVP for Microsoft Azure and for Cloud and Datacenter Management. He is the owner of Mountain IT. His main areas are: Microsoft Azure, Cloud Governance, Automation, Hybrid Infrastructure, Windows Server and Management Solutions. E... Show more

Seyfallah Tagrerout

Seyfallah Tagrerout

Seyfallah Tagrerout, 12 years of Experience – CEO at STC Consulting SARL Switzerland | Team Lead | Cloud and Security Architect, Microsoft Regional Director | Microsoft MVP Security since 2015, Speaker and book Author.

He is extremely highly and well skilled on all news features from Microsoft Azure / M365 technologies and security (Zero Trust, Azure Data Center , Identity , SecOps and Modern Workplace). He loves using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Defender for Office 365, Microsoft 365 Defender, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Entra and many other solutions of the Microsoft Security stack.

Microsoft MVP since 9 years, I am a Book author, international speaker and Microsoft technologies trainer. As a speaker, I deliver over 30 technical sessions annually, in both online and in-person formats, in both French and English.

Seyfallah Tagrerout, 12 years of Experience – CEO at STC Consulting SARL Switzerland | Team Lead | Cloud and Security Architect, Microsoft Regional Director | Microsoft MVP Security since 2015, Speaker and book Author. He is extremely highly and... Show more

Diego Zapico

Diego Zapico

Solutions Architect at Carglass. Microsoft Azure MVP. ♿🏎️🛫

Solutions Architect at Carglass. Microsoft Azure MVP. ♿🏎️🛫 Show more

Anders Norås

Anders Norås

Anders Norås started out in arts and design, but for the last 25 years he has been creating magic with code instead of paint. Blending creativity with technical skill, he brings a perspective on technology that is as much about people as it is about software.

He has given more than 100 talks at conferences around the world. His presentations are not just lectures, they are experiences. With a sharp delivery and high energy, Anders turns even dry technical material into something lively, memorable and often funny.

Whether you are into computer science, design, media or anything else, Anders offers insights that will make you think and probably make you laugh. He does not just talk about technology. He brings it to life.

Anders Norås started out in arts and design, but for the last 25 years he has been creating magic with code instead of paint. Blending creativity with technical skill, he brings a perspective on technology that is as much about people as it is about ... Show more

Mike Hartington

Mike Hartington

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

Martina Grom

Martina Grom

I am a Principal at atwork currently living in Vienna, Austria. My interests range from technology to travel. I am also interested in science fiction, writing, and innovation. I am recognized as an expert in Microsoft Cloud solutions. Since 2015, I am a Regional Director for Microsoft. My expertise is related to online technologies, and my specialty is in Microsoft Cloud Services like Azure and Microsoft 365. I help with architecture planning companies with cloud solutions, and provide strategy, consulting, governance, security and compliance and architectural planning of cloud projects. In addition, I am one of the organizational heads of cloudusergroup for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. I have authored numerous books, articles and blogs. My passion is online and social media, cloud computing, cybersecurity. I have a Master’s of International Business Administration from the University of Vienna, Austria. Talk to me about: Cloud Computing, Cloud Architecture & Strategy, Change Management, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Enterprise Social, Governance, Security, Compliance and AI.

I am a Principal at atwork currently living in Vienna, Austria. My interests range from technology to travel. I am also interested in science fiction, writing, and innovation. I am recognized as an expert in Microsoft Cloud solutions. Since 2015, I a... Show more

Ashraf Ghonaim

Ashraf Ghonaim

Ashraf Ghonaim is a Strategic Management Consultant and his core areas of expertise are: Strategy Management, Performance Measurement, Process Improvement and Data Analytics.

Ashraf holds a Computer Engineering degree and an MBA degree in Strategic Management with special emphasis on IT-Business Strategic Alignment using Balanced Scorecard. He is also a certified Balanced Scorecard Professional, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Project Management Professional (PMP).

Ashraf is the leader of Toronto Fabric & Power BI User Group and he has been a Microsoft MVP in Data Platform (Fabric & Power BI) since 2018. He is also a Microsoft Certified Trainer MCT and he teaches Fabric and Power BI courses at the University of Calgary. Ashraf is a co-author of 2 books about Power BI and Microsoft AI and he is a frequent community events organizer and speakers around Fabric and Power BI.

Ashraf Ghonaim is a Strategic Management Consultant and his core areas of expertise are: Strategy Management, Performance Measurement, Process Improvement and Data Analytics. Ashraf holds a Computer Engineering degree and an MBA degree in Strategi... Show more

Nicola Guglielmi

Nicola Guglielmi

My journey in IT began when I was a child, turning on my first computer. It was a starting point that led me to explore many aspects of the computer and technology world. I was always fascinated by the possibilities that technology offered, and I was eager to learn more.
I began to focus on cloud computing. I was drawn to the scalability, flexibility, and affordability of cloud-based solutions. I started using Google Cloud Platform, and I quickly became a passionate advocate for the platform.
I began to share my knowledge of Google Cloud with others. I started writing blog posts and articles, and I gave presentations at conferences and meetups. I also became a Google Cloud Authorized Trainer, and I began teaching others how to use at best Google Cloud Platform.
My passion for technology, the dissemination of knowledge, and communities led me to lead a GDG community in my city. I am proud to be a part of this community, and I am committed to helping others learn about technology.

My journey in IT began when I was a child, turning on my first computer. It was a starting point that led me to explore many aspects of the computer and technology world. I was always fascinated by the possibilities that technology offered, and I was... Show more

Ahmed Tikiwa

Ahmed Tikiwa

Ahmed Tikiwa is a Senior Software Engineer at Disney and a Google Developer Expert for Android with over 12 years of software engineering experience and possesses a strong passion for developing world-class applications that can help make a difference. He has experience in frontend and backend systems, where he has built enterprise solutions for major telecommunication companies. He is currently a Senior Software Engineer based in Utrecht, The Netherlands, and an official contributor to Google Developers Dev Library.

Ahmed Tikiwa is a Senior Software Engineer at Disney and a Google Developer Expert for Android with over 12 years of software engineering experience and possesses a strong passion for developing world-class applications that can help make a differenc... Show more

Diana Pham

Diana Pham

With a high spirit and a low sense of mortality, Diana completed her master’s in CS regardless of never having coded prior to grad school. Through her passion for learning and teaching tech, she found her calling in advocacy, where she exercises her creativity through conference talks and content creation. Her hobbies include snowboarding, competing in beauty pageants, making lifestyle content on IG (@cachefeelings_), gardening, and eating oysters.

With a high spirit and a low sense of mortality, Diana completed her master’s in CS regardless of never having coded prior to grad school. Through her passion for learning and teaching tech, she found her calling in advocacy, where she exercises her ... Show more

Markus Kett

Markus Kett

Markus and his teams have been working on IDE tools for Java and database development, as well as various open-source projects for 20 years. Markus is CEO and co-founder of MicroStream, the company behind the Eclipse open-source projects EclipseStore, Eclipse Serializer, and RapidClipse IDE. He is also the editor-in-chief for the free JAVAPRO magazine in Germany and the founder and co-organizer of the Java community conference series JCON. He is an independent editor for several magazines, and a speaker at numerous international developer conferences, user groups, and meetups.

Markus and his teams have been working on IDE tools for Java and database development, as well as various open-source projects for 20 years. Markus is CEO and co-founder of MicroStream, the company behind the Eclipse open-source projects EclipseStore... Show more

Grant Fritchey

Grant Fritchey

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

Ian Cooper

Ian Cooper

Polyglot Coding Architect in London, founder of #ldnug, speaker, tabletop gamer, geek. Tattooed, pierced, and bearded. The 'guv' on @BrighterCommand

Polyglot Coding Architect in London, founder of #ldnug, speaker, tabletop gamer, geek. Tattooed, pierced, and bearded. The 'guv' on @BrighterCommand Show more

Manuela Sakura Rommel

Manuela Sakura Rommel

Manuela is a Senior Flutter Developer and Women Techmakers Ambassador. She is passionate about using technology to make a positive impact in people's lives, and is particularly focused on accessibility in her work. In addition to her professional experience, Manuela is also a co-organizer of the Berlin Flutter meetup group, where she actively shares her knowledge and learns from others in the community.

Manuela is a Senior Flutter Developer and Women Techmakers Ambassador. She is passionate about using technology to make a positive impact in people's lives, and is particularly focused on accessibility in her work. In addition to her professional exp... Show more

Patrick Guimonet

Patrick Guimonet

Patrick has 20+ years of experience as an Enterprise Solutions Architect. He has a successful track record of technical expertise for Office 365, SharePoint, SQL Server, and Oracle RDBMS. He is a former Microsoft employee in France. He worked 14 years to develop his own company Abalon, created in 2011. Abalon is dedicated to supporting customers on getting real business benefits with Microsoft collaborative platform.
After selling it, he created a new one called AURA specialized on Microsoft licensing optimization.

He has been speaker and organizer of 100+ Microsoft 365 and Power Platform events like SharePoint Saturdays Paris, Monaco, Dubai, Netherlands, Barcelona, Helsinki, ..., European SharePoint Conference, European Collaboration Summit, MS TechDays Paris, Modern Workplace Conference Paris and Power Platform French Summit...
He has spoken on the 5 continents, on more than 50 countries. More details here: http://bit.ly/eventsPGU2

He leads aMP Community. More details here: http://bit.ly/aMSPrez

Patrick has 20+ years of experience as an Enterprise Solutions Architect. He has a successful track record of technical expertise for Office 365, SharePoint, SQL Server, and Oracle RDBMS. He is a former Microsoft employee in France. He worked 14 year... Show more

Maia Grotepass

Maia Grotepass

Mobile dev since Cupcake. Android GDE. Kotlin enthusiast. Dogs make me happy.

Mobile dev since Cupcake. Android GDE. Kotlin enthusiast. Dogs make me happy. Show more

Paul Chesa

Paul Chesa

ICT professional with range of skills. Strong customer service commitment with IT technical skills, honed through my educational background and prior experience as an IT assistant systems developer, software engineer, IT Intern and web developer.

ICT professional with range of skills. Strong customer service commitment with IT technical skills, honed through my educational background and prior experience as an IT assistant systems developer, software engineer, IT Intern and web developer. Show more

Please note that Sessionize is not responsible for the accuracy or validity of the data provided by speakers.

Most Active Speakers 2023

Every year, we put together a list of the most active speakers. This list features the top 3% of speakers who have participated in events using Sessionize during the 2023.

The 3% is calculated from the pool of all speakers that have at least one accepted session in year 2023. We don't include inactive speakers or speakers that had no accepted sessions during the year. There are around 25 thousand unique accepted speakers this year, the 3% is 771. Not all of them have their speaker profiles set as public, and we respect that, so the list doesn't show all of them.

The calculation is based on the number of accepted events, that's the main criteria, but to get more refined results we also look at things like multiple sessions per event, sharing a session with a co-speaker and how big the event is. Number of submissions and declined sessions don't affect the list.

Please note that the count of events and sessions in this list does not represent the number of events and sessions from the year 2023. Instead, it shows the number of events and sessions featured on the speaker's public speaker profile; these numbers have nothing to do with the award itself.