Most Active Speakers 2023

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

  • 758 speakers
  • Auto-generated
Sara Fennah

Sara Fennah

Sara has over 25 years’ experience, has been a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) for over 15 years and is also a MCT Community Lead and Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) for Microsoft 365.

Sara has been working with Microsoft 365 since the preview in April 2011 and holds over 50 Microsoft Certifications. Sara’s company still use the same Microsoft 365 Tenant opened back in 2011.

As a trainer Sara’s professional aim is to help make technology more accessible by increasing knowledge and decreasing fear. In her own words “I love helping others advance their own skills and use of technology, whilst challenging myself to advance my own skills and expertise.”

Sara delivers training across Microsoft 365 from beginner to admin level, specialising in productivity, data security, and compliance. She is a recognised expert in Microsoft 365 Copilot, having authored multiple courses and supported organisations with adoption strategies and governance planning.

Sara has over 25 years’ experience, has been a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) for over 15 years and is also a MCT Community Lead and Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) for Microsoft 365. Sara has been working with Microsoft 365 since th... Show more

Jean Joseph

Jean Joseph

Jean Joseph is a seasoned consultant and senior technical trainer specializing in data engineering and artificial intelligence. With a strong background in database design, administration, and cutting-edge data technologies including machine learning and generative AI.

He helps organizations build secure, scalable solutions across both legacy systems and modern cloud platforms. Formerly recognized as a Microsoft MVP and senior technical trainer at Microsoft, Jean brings deep technical insight and a passion for teaching.

He’s also a dynamic speaker, mentor, and the founder of the Cloud Data Driven User Group and the Future Data Driven Summit, where he champions innovation and promotes responsible use of emerging tech within the data community.

Jean Joseph is a seasoned consultant and senior technical trainer specializing in data engineering and artificial intelligence. With a strong background in database design, administration, and cutting-edge data technologies including machine learning... 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

Michiel Hamers

Michiel Hamers

Hi, I’m Michiel Hamers, a Principal Cloud Expert, Implementation Manager, Trainer, and former Microsoft MVP with over 25 years of experience in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Since 2000, I’ve been helping organizations successfully adopt and optimize Microsoft technologies, with a focus on Azure, cloud architecture, performance, and cost management. As a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) and experienced consultant, I bridge strategy and execution, guiding both public and private sector teams through complex technical transformations.

I regularly speak at international conferences such as Developer Week, PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit, Global Azure, AzConf Chennai, Azure Fest, DevConf APG, FutureTech, and Dutch Cloud Meetup. I’m passionate about delivering hands-on workshops and tailored in-company trainings, helping teams sharpen their Azure, automation, and application lifecycle skills.

My mission is clear: help people and organizations get the most out of the cloud, with control, clarity, and confidence. Whether coaching colleagues, giving workshops, or advising on cloud-native modernization, I combine deep technical knowledge with a pragmatic, people-focused approach.

When I’m not working, I enjoy life with Sandra, cooking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. For me, technology is about empowering people, not just systems.

Let’s connect and build something great together.

Hi, I’m Michiel Hamers, a Principal Cloud Expert, Implementation Manager, Trainer, and former Microsoft MVP with over 25 years of experience in the Microsoft ecosystem. Since 2000, I’ve been helping organizations successfully adopt and optimize Mi... Show more

Chirag Patel

Chirag Patel

Chirag is an Independent Consultant & Trainer at Patel Consulting, based in London UK, focusing on enabling secure & compliant collaboration and productivity solutions in organisations using Generative AI, Microsoft 365 and Purview technologies.

With over 25 years of experience in technology professional services and training delivery, Chirag’s career spans from database development & administration, implementing collaboration & information management solutions to cloud deployments & migrations. Key roles include, Product Owner, Solution Architect & Engineer specialising hands-on delivery of technical solutions with demonstrated results in designing & implementing secure, reliable, scalable and fault tolerant mission critical enterprise solutions. Chirag’s contributions extends to various channels and partners on practical consultancy, classroom training, and personalised training with clients in many sectors, he establishes himself as leader and problem solver on projects for broad adoption of tech and is also a regular speaker at community events.

Chirag holds MSc in Business Systems Analysis & Design and is a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), TOGAF Certified Architect, BCS Chartered IT Professional and a recipient of Microsoft MVP award every year since 2020. He is also an Approved Chartered Membership Assessor at BCS (British Computer Society).

Chirag is an Independent Consultant & Trainer at Patel Consulting, based in London UK, focusing on enabling secure & compliant collaboration and productivity solutions in organisations using Generative AI, Microsoft 365 and Purview technologies. W... Show more

Samuel Shaw

Samuel Shaw

Sam has been in the technology space professionally for a decade after dabbling as a developer while working in academia. His spare time is spent trying new things or in the gym fighting. Most recently the focus being Krav Maga and Kung Fu.

Sam has been in the technology space professionally for a decade after dabbling as a developer while working in academia. His spare time is spent trying new things or in the gym fighting. Most recently the focus being Krav Maga and Kung Fu. Show more

David Whitney

David Whitney

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

Lemon 🍋

Lemon 🍋

With a lifelong passion for the weirdness of the internet and a day job as a development lead for whoever hired him, Lemon spends his professional time making websites for money and his free time making websites for no money.

He's created a number of stupid things for the internet, like all the games on kinda.fun, the wikiHow guessing game damn.dog, the Google Autocomplete game idiots.win, and a bunch of other things of questionable use. He also hosts a podcast that looks at some of the internet's weirder subcultures. It is not safe for your work, unless you work somewhere really cool.

With a lifelong passion for the weirdness of the internet and a day job as a development lead for whoever hired him, Lemon spends his professional time making websites for money and his free time making websites for no money. He's created a number... Show more

Jeferson Fernando

Jeferson Fernando

From humble beginnings in Brazil, Jeferson has reshaped his life via open-source, significantly impacting his family. With 20 years of OSS experience, he advocates for open-source, knowledge-sharing, and community growth. He runs a YouTube channel with 99k subscribers. His initiatives like "Chama as Mina" have trained 4000+ women in tech skills, and another program has empowered 1000+ black individuals with Docker, K8s, and Istio expertise. Jeferson holds CKA, CKAD, and RHCE certifications.

From humble beginnings in Brazil, Jeferson has reshaped his life via open-source, significantly impacting his family. With 20 years of OSS experience, he advocates for open-source, knowledge-sharing, and community growth. He runs a YouTube channel wi... Show more

Alex Rostan

Alex Rostan

Microsoft Biz Apps and Data Platform 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 Biz Apps and Data Platform 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... Show more

Brandon Leach

Brandon Leach

A Former Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Brandon is a senior member of the Database team for financial company x functioning as a SQL Server Infrastructure Architect/SME. Having worked in data estates of several petabytes across thousands of servers, he puts a high focus on performance tuning and automation at scale. He is a frequent speaker at events like conferences and user groups.

A Former Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Brandon is a senior member of the Database team for financial company x functioning as a SQL Server Infrastructure Architect/SME. Having worked in data estates of several petabytes across thousands of servers, he... Show more

Todd Gardner

Todd Gardner

Todd Gardner is the cofounder of CertKit, TrackJS, and Request Metrics, and a longtime builder of tools that keep things from breaking at 2am. He spends his time on certificate automation, Windows environments that still speak TLS 1.0, and convincing people that 47-day lifetimes are survivable. He takes the work seriously and himself much less so.

Todd Gardner is the cofounder of CertKit, TrackJS, and Request Metrics, and a longtime builder of tools that keep things from breaking at 2am. He spends his time on certificate automation, Windows environments that still speak TLS 1.0, and convincing... Show more

Marino Wijay

Marino Wijay

Marino Wijay is a Canadian, Traveller, International Speaker, and Open Source Advocate and Architect for AI, API Platforms, Service Mesh, Kubernetes, and Networking. He is a CNCF Ambassador, Organizer for KCD Toronto, and Founder of EmpathyOps. He is passionate about technology and modern distributed systems. He will always fall back to the patterns of Networking and the ways of the OSI. Community building is his driving force; A modern Jedi Academy.

Marino Wijay is a Canadian, Traveller, International Speaker, and Open Source Advocate and Architect for AI, API Platforms, Service Mesh, Kubernetes, and Networking. He is a CNCF Ambassador, Organizer for KCD Toronto, and Founder of EmpathyOps. He i... Show more

Manpreet Singh

Manpreet Singh

Manpreet leads the Modern Workplace AI Solutions Team at Cognizant, where he designs and scales transformative Microsoft-based solutions for global enterprises. Partnering with leadership across diverse verticals—from Media and Entertainment to Financial Services and Healthcare—Manpreet orchestrates Agentic AI strategies that move beyond simple automation to create truly autonomous, intelligent ecosystems. His mission is to redefine the "Agentic Experience," ensuring that AI doesn't just respond to prompts but proactively solves business friction for global customers. As a Microsoft MVP in M365 and AI, he bridges the gap between complex architectural innovation and real-world business impact.

Beyond his leadership at Cognizant, Manpreet is a titan in the technical community. A revered MVP, his insights have reached a staggering 10 million+ readers through his extensive library of articles and blogs. He is the driving force behind numerous annual boot camps, hackathons, and fundraisers, all aimed at nurturing the next generation of tech talent. Whether he is architecting a unified AI Command Center for a Fortune 500 firm or mentoring the next generation of developers, Manpreet is driven by a relentless "human-first" philosophy. Amidst the rapid evolution of the AI landscape, he remains easily recognizable by his warm smile—a reflection of his genuine passion for empowering organizations to achieve more through the power of Agentic AI.

Manpreet leads the Modern Workplace AI Solutions Team at Cognizant, where he designs and scales transformative Microsoft-based solutions for global enterprises. Partnering with leadership across diverse verticals—from Media and Entertainment to Finan... Show more

Dean Schuster

Dean Schuster

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

Jan Ketil Skanke

Jan Ketil Skanke

Jan Ketil is an Microsoft MVP since 2016 and are working as a COO and Principal Cloud Architect at CloudWay in Norway. He has been working in the industry for Microsoft Partners and Microsoft for more than 25 years. He loves to speak about anything around Endpoint Management, Identity, Security and Automation. He is also the lead for both community conferences Workplace Ninjas Norway and Nordic Virtual Summit. Jan Ketil has presented at large industry conferences like Microsoft Ignite, Microsoft Inspire, MMS, TechMentor HQ, Experts Live Europe, WPNinja and NIC Conference in Oslo. He is also a regular speaker at various User Group events across Europe.

Jan Ketil is an Microsoft MVP since 2016 and are working as a COO and Principal Cloud Architect at CloudWay in Norway. He has been working in the industry for Microsoft Partners and Microsoft for more than 25 years. He loves to speak about anything a... Show more

Godson Njoku

Godson Njoku

Godson Njoku is a product development specialist with a background in economics and experience across health tech, fintech, logistics and other digital domains.
He works as a QA Specialist at Komplete Care, combining hands-on testing with automation to deliver reliable software for pharmacies, labs, and hospitals. With a cross-functional background in product management and UX, Godson also mentors upcoming tech talent in the Learnable Program and co-organises the Google Developer Group Enugu.

Godson Njoku is a product development specialist with a background in economics and experience across health tech, fintech, logistics and other digital domains. He works as a QA Specialist at Komplete Care, combining hands-on testing with automatio... Show more

Adriana Villela

Adriana Villela

Adriana Villela is a blogger, host of the Geeking Out podcast, CNCF Ambassador, OpenTelemetry Community Manager, and maintainer of the OpenTelemetry End User SIG. By day, she focuses on Observability and OpenTelemetry, as a Principal Developer Advocate at Dynatrace. By night, she climbs walls. She also loves capybaras, because they make her happy.

In past lives, Adriana managed both a Platform Engineering team and Observability Practices team at Tucows. She has also worked at various large-scale enterprises as both an individual contributor and leader, including Bank of Montreal, Ceridian, and Accenture.

Adriana Villela is a blogger, host of the Geeking Out podcast, CNCF Ambassador, OpenTelemetry Community Manager, and maintainer of the OpenTelemetry End User SIG. By day, she focuses on Observability and OpenTelemetry, as a Principal Developer Advoca... Show more

Simon Painter

Simon Painter

I've been working as a .NET developer for over 16 years now in a variety of industries including government, retail and manufacturing. But I've been hacking around with computer code since I was old enough to read my Dad's copy of the ZX Spectrum BASIC coders manual.

I've been speaking about Functional C# at various user groups and conferences around the UK, USA, Europe and Australia and am particularly interested in seeing just how far we can push C# without breaking it.

In 2023 I released my first technical book: "Functional Programming with C#", published by O'Reilly Media.

When I'm not coding, or running after my two small children, I have been known to enjoy the classic series of Doctor Who, Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, Cryptic Crosswords, and rather more coffee than is probably good for me.

I've been working as a .NET developer for over 16 years now in a variety of industries including government, retail and manufacturing. But I've been hacking around with computer code since I was old enough to read my Dad's copy of the ZX Spectrum BAS... Show more

Hanna Engel

Hanna Engel

Indiana Jones of cloud technologies, Hanna Engel takes customers on exciting expeditions through the world of Azure, helping them navigate complex architectures, decode networking challenges, tame wild acronyms, and uncover the hidden treasures of modern cloud and AI solutions.

As a Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft, Hanna helps organizations realize their cloud and AI ambitions through strategic guidance, technical expertise, and hands-on implementation experience. She is a former Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP), Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), quantum computing evangelist, and representative of the Belgian Quantum Circle.

A frequent conference speaker and podcast guest, Hanna is passionate about making complex technology accessible to everyone. Through public speaking, community engagement, and social media, she focuses on democratizing access to IT knowledge and empowering professionals to embrace cloud and AI with confidence.
Combining experience from both the customer side and the Microsoft ecosystem, Hanna brings a pragmatic, real-world perspective to every challenge. Her approach is simple: focus on business outcomes, keep technology approachable, and ensure customer success remains at the heart of every journey.

Hanna is based in Brussels, Belgium. Personally, fan of Dungeons&Dragons, couchsurfing and foreign languages.

Indiana Jones of cloud technologies, Hanna Engel takes customers on exciting expeditions through the world of Azure, helping them navigate complex architectures, decode networking challenges, tame wild acronyms, and uncover the hidden treasures of mo... Show more

Erwin Staal

Erwin Staal

I am a Tech Lead and Azure Solution Architect from the Netherlands, with over a decade of experience spanning startups, enterprise organizations, and international teams. I thrive at the intersection of technology, strategy, and leadership, helping companies deliver software to customers using DevOps practices and Cloud-Native architectures.

Being on the line between IT and business is where I feel most at home—creating technical solutions that address real user needs while driving teams toward success. I enjoy coaching and leading teams to embrace new technologies and ways of working, fostering collaboration and continuous improvement.

Outside of my work for clients, I have a passion for sharing knowledge. I am a co-author of Azure Infrastructure as Code (https://www.manning.com/books/azure-infrastructure-as-code), occasionally write blogs, and regularly speak at international conferences.

I am a Tech Lead and Azure Solution Architect from the Netherlands, with over a decade of experience spanning startups, enterprise organizations, and international teams. I thrive at the intersection of technology, strategy, and leadership, helping c... Show more

Kanwal Khipple

Kanwal Khipple

Kanwal Khipple is the CEO and Founder of 2toLead, a trailblazing consulting firm dedicated to innovative digital workplace transformations. Over the past decade, he has established himself as a trusted authority in creating engaging, award-winning employee experiences that seamlessly blend design, technology, and human-centric thinking. Recognized by the Nielsen Norman Group for designing two Top 10 Intranets, Kanwal continues to influence how modern organizations enhance collaboration, learning, and performance.

As AI reshapes how employees interact with information and one another, Kanwal focuses on leveraging cutting-edge tools—like personalization engines, intelligent chatbots, and workplace analytics—to drive meaningful, future-ready workplaces. A long-standing Microsoft 365 community contributor and Microsoft and Business Applications MVP since 2009, he frequently speaks on the value of embracing emerging technologies to amplify rather than replace human connection. His mission is to ensure that as we evolve our workplaces with AI, we do so ethically, responsibly, and with enduring human value at the core.

Kanwal Khipple is the CEO and Founder of 2toLead, a trailblazing consulting firm dedicated to innovative digital workplace transformations. Over the past decade, he has established himself as a trusted authority in creating engaging, award-winning em... Show more

Elizabeth Fuentes Leone

Elizabeth Fuentes Leone

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

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

Gerald Versluis

Gerald Versluis

Meet Gerald Versluis, software engineer at Microsoft, who wields the power of .NET to conquer any project that comes his way. With a career spanning over a decade, he's tackled it all, from frontend to backend and everything in between, using .NET MAUI, Azure, ASP.NET, and all the other .NET goodies. And these days of course; AI and Copilot.

But it wasn't until he discovered the magic of Xamarin that he truly fell in love with mobile and cross-platform development, becoming an active community member and sharing his knowledge through writing, tweeting, and presentations. When he's not saving the world of software, you can find him on Twitter @jfversluis, blogging at https://blog.verslu.is, or making videos on his YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/GeraldVersluis.

Meet Gerald Versluis, software engineer at Microsoft, who wields the power of .NET to conquer any project that comes his way. With a career spanning over a decade, he's tackled it all, from frontend to backend and everything in between, using .NET MA... Show more

David Drever

David Drever

David is an Associate Director with Protiviti Canada and a 10-time Microsoft 365 & Security MVP with 25 years of experience working within information technology. For 20 years, David has assisted organizations to collaborate efficiently and effectively within SharePoint and Microsoft 365. David assists companies to understand their compliance needs and how to protect their data. He has helped organizations build data protection programs to safeguard their most sensitive information while ensuring the business can collaborate and work with their content. Over the past 25 years, David has built a great deal of experience in a wide variety of areas in IT, ranging from Desktop\Server support to development in C++ and .NET technologies. He has added value to many clients in several sectors, including utilities, government, banking, and agriculture.

David is a knowledgeable and sought-after international speaker within IT circles and is consulted regularly by companies formulating their digital workplace strategies and compliance platforms.

David blogs at http://daviddrever.com

David is an Associate Director with Protiviti Canada and a 10-time Microsoft 365 & Security MVP with 25 years of experience working within information technology. For 20 years, David has assisted organizations to collaborate efficiently and effective... Show more

Surbhi Pokharna

Surbhi Pokharna

Surbhi Pokharna is a seasoned data professional with over two decades of experience in data architecture, database administration, and large-scale enterprise data solutions in the financial domain. She specializes in operationalizing data platforms in client-facing roles, delivering robust relational and advanced analytics solutions for both transactional systems and data warehouses.
Currently, Surbhi leads enterprise-scale cloud data migrations across SQL Server, Snowflake, Azure SQL, and Managed Instance, while actively designing next-generation data analytics platforms leveraging Snowflake.
She is a board member of the New England SQL Server User Group, part of the Snowflake Data Superhero 2026 program, and an active member of PASS. Surbhi is also a frequent speaker at industry conferences and community events, including PASS Summit, Snowflake User Groups, Azure Data User Groups, Data Saturdays, and SQLBits.

Surbhi Pokharna is a seasoned data professional with over two decades of experience in data architecture, database administration, and large-scale enterprise data solutions in the financial domain. She specializes in operationalizing data platforms i... Show more

Stacy Cashmore

Stacy Cashmore

Three decades of shipping software across industries gives Stacy stories worth hearing.

She takes the stage to share what actually works — live code, hard-won lessons, and a genuine passion for helping teams build better.

Recognised with a Microsoft MVP Award for Developer Technologies since 2020, she is also the author of Beginning Azure Static Web Apps, helping developers build dynamic applications using C#, Azure Functions, and Azure Static Web Apps.

Three decades of shipping software across industries gives Stacy stories worth hearing. She takes the stage to share what actually works — live code, hard-won lessons, and a genuine passion for helping teams build better. Recognised with a Micr... Show more

Chris Woody Woodruff

Chris Woody Woodruff

Chris “Woody” Woodruff has spent more than 25 years making complex software simpler. A Microsoft MVP in .NET and Web Development (first awarded 2008, re-awarded 2025) and a director on the .NET Foundation board, he has architected distributed systems for companies from startups to Rocket Mortgage, served as a software forensics expert witness, and taught thousands of developers through 50+ conference talks across North America and Europe.

He is the author of ASP.NET Core Reimagined with htmx and is writing a second book on network programming with C# and .NET. He co-hosts The Breakpoint Show podcast and publishes The Simplicity-First Review, a newsletter on architecture judgment in the age of AI.

Today, Woody works as a fractional architect and leads the emerging practice of Agentic Relations™, helping companies make their APIs, documentation, and SDKs legible to AI coding agents like Claude, Copilot, and Cursor. His thesis is constant across all of it: as AI writes more of the world’s software, the scarce skill is knowing what not to build. He lives in West Michigan and takes his bourbon neat

Chris “Woody” Woodruff has spent more than 25 years making complex software simpler. A Microsoft MVP in .NET and Web Development (first awarded 2008, re-awarded 2025) and a director on the .NET Foundation board, he has architected distributed systems... Show more

Lian Li

Lian Li

Lian always wanted to save the world. After leaving law school, she decided to work with computers instead.
While in Web Dev, she started attending tech events, and soon fell in love with the community. In her roles as Consultant and DevRel, Lian combined technical knowledge with a focus on the human side.
Currently, Lian works as freelance Platform Engineer in Amsterdam and is the Chief Karaoke Officer for Kuberoke, the first and only Kubernetes Karaoke Community. She also enjoys performing in musical improvisation theatre and standup comedy shows.

Lian always wanted to save the world. After leaving law school, she decided to work with computers instead. While in Web Dev, she started attending tech events, and soon fell in love with the community. In her roles as Consultant and DevRel, Lian c... Show more

Chris Klug

Chris Klug

Chris Klug has been building software professionally since sometime around 2000, back when .NET was new, CSS was a suggestion, and Roy Fielding’s REST paper had just been published. Since then he has written code for everything from model agencies to online sports betting to professional sail racing, because staying in one industry sounded far too boring.

He has been a Microsoft MVP for something like 15 years (depending on when he last updated this abstract), which either means he knows a thing or two or that he just talks a lot. Possibly both, but we all know the latter is a given. These days he works at Active Solution in Stockholm, helping clients solve problems and build better systems.

When he is not writing code, Chris is usually geeking out on some form of extreme sport like skydiving, kitesurfing, snowboarding, mountain biking, or wing foiling. He loves learning new things and spends way too much time thinking about weird stuff most people never even notice.

Chris Klug has been building software professionally since sometime around 2000, back when .NET was new, CSS was a suggestion, and Roy Fielding’s REST paper had just been published. Since then he has written code for everything from model agencies to... 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.