Lakshmi is a Microsoft MVP (Data Platform) and a Certified Power BI Data Analyst, currently working in the Institutional Effectiveness department at Missouri University of Science and Technology. She is passionate about creating creative and innovative Power BI reports that not only make data pop but also provide actionable insights. She was a Finalist in the Microsoft Power BI DataViz World Championships 2025 and 2026, showcasing her ability to combine technical expertise with storytelling. An engaging speaker, she frequently speaks about all things Power BI at user groups and conferences, and also shares tips and best practices on her Medium blog.

Lakshmi is a Microsoft MVP (Data Platform) and a Certified Power BI Data Analyst, currently working in the Institutional Effectiveness department at Missouri University of Science and Technology. She is passionate about creating creative and innovati... Show more

Security consultant with a focus on Microsoft Security either on-prem or in the cloud, and a blueteamer at heart. Viktor has worked within IT for the past 10 years always within Cyber Security. Working for public sector in Sweden for years but now as a specialist at Truesec AB focusing on proactive security measures, DFIR and advises on all things cyber.

Security consultant with a focus on Microsoft Security either on-prem or in the cloud, and a blueteamer at heart. Viktor has worked within IT for the past 10 years always within Cyber Security. Working for public sector in Sweden for years but now as... Show more

Brayan Kai is a Data Scientist passionate about Technical Writing and Open-source Advocacy, currently working as a Data Scientist. At work, he helps build Data Science solutions, facilitates technical mentorship sessions, and builds next-level data content to equip learners with hands-on, job-ready, in-demand skills for their next career move. He also volunteers at different developer communities, including Google Developer Group Nairobi, OSCA Nairobi, and the GitHub Community. Brayan is also a global tech speaker so far having spoken at over 30 conferences across Africa, Europe, North America, and Asia. It makes him happier and more balanced, and gives him a stronger sense of purpose to innovate, share, and teach in and with the community rather than just for it.

Brayan Kai is a Data Scientist passionate about Technical Writing and Open-source Advocacy, currently working as a Data Scientist. At work, he helps build Data Science solutions, facilitates technical mentorship sessions, and builds next-level data c... 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, Infrastructure as Code, 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

John's experience leading large technical teams in complex environments has made him a global expert in performance and scalability. John speaks at conferences around the world on database strategy and topics related to performance tuning, development, and cloud computing. He is a Microsoft Certified Trainer, and former Microsoft MVP. He is the principal consultant and founder at Procure SQL.

John's experience leading large technical teams in complex environments has made him a global expert in performance and scalability. John speaks at conferences around the world on database strategy and topics related to performance tuning, developmen... Show more

Wim is an Azure Technical Advisor and Trainer with over fifteen years of Microsoft technology expertise who specializes in helping companies transition to the Cloud.

Wim is also a Microsoft MVP in the Azure category, a founding board member of the MC2MC user group, and an active community contributor, sharing his experiences through blogs and speaking engagements.

Wim is an Azure Technical Advisor and Trainer with over fifteen years of Microsoft technology expertise who specializes in helping companies transition to the Cloud. Wim is also a Microsoft MVP in the Azure category, a founding board member of the... Show more

Ben has spent more than 20 years helping companies improve how they build software, more recently including the practical aspects of agentic engineering: getting tools like Claude Code to deliver production-quality work rather than demos, structuring repos, prompts and workflows so the output is effective, resilient, and secure. Underpinning this is his personal experience in building and shipping product, from decades of work in application security and identity, to being an early creator of autonomous development processes with agents that have shared memory and evals processes that provide guardrails. He's worked with companies like Virgin Australia, Hanes, Auth0, and Sonar, is a Microsoft MVP and has given 100+ talks on six continents, including DEF CON.

Ben has spent more than 20 years helping companies improve how they build software, more recently including the practical aspects of agentic engineering: getting tools like Claude Code to deliver production-quality work rather than demos, structuring... Show more

Hi there, I’m Chris!

I'm a seasoned tech leader, keynote speaker, and technology consultant with expertise across the full tech stack, from enterprise architecture and data platforms to advanced AI (including Agentic AI and Responsible AI / Trustworthy AI). I’ve led large-scale, high-value enterprise projects and initiatives across industries (with a strong focus on government), helping organizations harness emerging technology responsibly to solve real-world challenges - I try to remove the fluff and cut to solving the real problem.

My style is bold, straight-talking, and deeply authentic. I'm a natural connector who brings people together to spark collaboration and creativity. A lifelong tinkerer and excessively curious, I thrive on exploring new ideas and building communities around innovation. I encourage teams to think differently, color outside the lines, and always remember to stay human in a tech-driven world.

As an international keynote speaker, I've energized audiences with talks on AI, Ethics in Tech, data strategy, and true concepts around digital transformation, infusing humor and real-talk into every session. Whether I'm advising C-suite leaders on AI strategy or coaching teams on the latest tech, my goal is to inspire innovation, enable people to do awesome things and drive positive change. If you're on the verge of the next big breakthrough and need a dynamic speaker or consultant, let's connect. I'm all about helping to #BuildAwesomeThings and making sure we all #StayExtraHuman along the way.

Hi there, I’m Chris! I'm a seasoned tech leader, keynote speaker, and technology consultant with expertise across the full tech stack, from enterprise architecture and data platforms to advanced AI (including Agentic AI and Responsible AI / Trustw... Show more

Kay Sauter has been working with SQL Server since 2013. His expertise covers SQL Server, Azure, Data Visualization, and Power BI. He is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP.

Kay blogs on kayondata.com and is actively involved in various community projects like Data TGIF, databash.live, data-conference.ch, and Data Platform Data Platform DEI Virtual Group. Being deaf himself, he is an advocate for people with handicaps and accessibility for any conference.

He is based in Zurich, Switzerland and in his free time, together with his wife, he loves to travel to learn from other cultures and perspectives.

Kay Sauter has been working with SQL Server since 2013. His expertise covers SQL Server, Azure, Data Visualization, and Power BI. He is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP. Kay blogs on kayondata.com and is actively involved in various community project... Show more

Enterprise & solution architect, 14+ years in large enterprises. Microsoft Azure MVP.
I start from the business need, not the technology, and design for simplicity: cost-efficient, self-service where possible, easy to run.
I share what I learn through AzureTechInsider, the AzureWatcher newsletter, and speaking at events like Microsoft Build.

Enterprise & solution architect, 14+ years in large enterprises. Microsoft Azure MVP. I start from the business need, not the technology, and design for simplicity: cost-efficient, self-service where possible, easy to run. I share what I learn thr... Show more

Patty is a Venezuelan living in Scotland. She has +25 years of experience in the tech industry and a background education in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. She is a Technical Director and Head of AI (Architecture and Engineering Group) at Charles River Laboratories.

Patty is a member of the Google Developer Advisory Board, an organiser at Google Developers Group Glasgow, serves as an Ambassador for Google's Women Techmakers, and is recognised as a Google Developer Expert (GDE) in Artificial Intelligence.

Patty is a Venezuelan living in Scotland. She has +25 years of experience in the tech industry and a background education in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. She is a Technical Director and Head of AI (Architecture and Engineering Group)... Show more

Waste is a bug.

Matt “Kelly” Williams is the founder of Making Software Greener and CEO of the Sustainable IT Manifesto Foundation. He helps engineers see how architecture, DevOps, and AI shape performance, cost, and sustainability—and why they’re really the same problem.

With over three decades in IT, Kelly has worked across DevOps, cloud computing, and software architecture. He serves on the advisory board of the Green Computing Foundation and speaks internationally about sustainable software, developer agency, and the hidden inefficiencies that shape modern systems.

He has always wanted to be a Renaissance person; perhaps one day he will be. In the meantime, he explores sustainable computing, photography, tabletop game design, weaving, cooking, and wandering the mountains near Loveland, Colorado.

Systems remember every decision we make.

Waste is a bug. Matt “Kelly” Williams is the founder of Making Software Greener and CEO of the Sustainable IT Manifesto Foundation. He helps engineers see how architecture, DevOps, and AI shape performance, cost, and sustainability—and why they’re... Show more

I am Clément SERAFIN, Global Solution Architect AI.
Specialized in tenant 365 migrations during merge & acquisitions, I advised multiple companies on several areas of Microsoft 365:
– Entra ID (Security, IAM)
– Teams (Call center, Teams Premium, Mesh)
– Exchange Online / Hybrid (Migration, Security)
– Copilot 365
– Defender for Office 365
– PowerShell advanced automation (Graph, Xaml Gui)

Now as part of Microsoft, I help companies to get the best of last AI Solution like Agent 365 or Copilot Cowork.

I am Clément SERAFIN, Global Solution Architect AI. Specialized in tenant 365 migrations during merge & acquisitions, I advised multiple companies on several areas of Microsoft 365: – Entra ID (Security, IAM) – Teams (Call center, Teams Premium, M... Show more

Coach Agile et Coach Professionnel, Olivier accompagne des individus, des équipes et des organisations ayant l’envie d’aller vers plus d’adaptabilité, de résilience et de pérennité humaine dans ce monde en perpétuel mouvement. Dans ce sens, il les aide à mobiliser les énergies vers un objectif porteur de sens, à mieux coopérer ensemble et à changer avec plaisir. Son approche se veut simple et légère, sans injonction et teintée de développement personnel.

Coach Agile et Coach Professionnel, Olivier accompagne des individus, des équipes et des organisations ayant l’envie d’aller vers plus d’adaptabilité, de résilience et de pérennité humaine dans ce monde en perpétuel mouvement. Dans ce sens, il les ai... Show more

Shawn Dorward is the Chief Operating Office at Innovia Consulting and a seasoned business and technology leader with over 25 years of experience in ERP and CRM implementations. His expertise spans a wide range of industries and organizations—from small family-owned businesses to complex global deployments—driving digital transformation and delivering measurable business value.

Recognized as a 10-time Microsoft MVP for Business Applications, Shawn is deeply passionate about helping businesses maximize efficiency and ROI through strategic use of technology. His dedication to the Microsoft Dynamics community is evident in his frequent speaking engagements at user groups, conferences, and online events across the U.S.

Shawn shares practical insights and productivity tips through his popular blog www.LifeHacks365.com, covering Dynamics 365 (including Dynamics GP and Business Central) and Office 365 tools like Excel and Outlook.

Embracing the next wave of innovation, Shawn is currently exploring the power of AI and Microsoft Copilot. Through his platform www.TheWorldsOkayestShawn.com, he documents his journey with podcasts, blog posts, and life hacks—all designed to help others save time, increase efficiency, and navigate their own Copilot adventures.

Shawn Dorward is the Chief Operating Office at Innovia Consulting and a seasoned business and technology leader with over 25 years of experience in ERP and CRM implementations. His expertise spans a wide range of industries and organizations—from sm... Show more

Paul is a Solution Architect for P3 Adaptive, and a 16-year Microsoft Data Platform MVP. He consults, writes, speaks, teaches & blogs at SqlServerBI.blog about business intelligence and reporting solutions. He works with companies around the world to model data at enterprise scale, visualize and deliver critical information to make informed decisions using the Microsoft data platform. He is a user group leader in the Portland/Vancouver metro area. As a published author on Power BI, Fabric, TSQL, SSAS & SSRS, he holds several Data Platform credentials and all current Fabric & Power BI certifications.

Paul is a Solution Architect for P3 Adaptive, and a 16-year Microsoft Data Platform MVP. He consults, writes, speaks, teaches & blogs at SqlServerBI.blog about business intelligence and reporting solutions. He works with companies around the world to... Show more

David Kjerrumgaard is a Developer Advocate at StreamNative and a committer on the Apache Pulsar project, where he focuses on the intersection of real-time data streaming and agentic AI. With over a decade of experience building distributed systems at scale, he helps organizations connect AI agents to the live data and tools they need to operate in production.
David's current work sits at the foundation of an emerging discipline he calls context engineering — the practice of designing data infrastructure for AI agents. He explores how streaming platforms like Apache Pulsar and Apache Kafka serve as the event-driven backbone for multi-agent systems, how the Model Context Protocol (MCP) extends to streaming primitives, and how lakehouse-native architectures make real-time agent infrastructure both reliable and cost-efficient.
He is the author of Pulsar in Action (Manning) and co-author of Practical Hive (Apress), and an active committer on Apache Pulsar with contributions to Apache NiFi. As an internationally recognized speaker, David has presented at conferences worldwide — including NDC London, ApacheCon, Community Over Code, Devoxx, and Data Streaming Summit — and was named a Sessionize Most Active Speaker for 2024.

David's career spans hands-on engineering and technical leadership at companies that have shaped modern data infrastructure. He served as Principal Software Engineer on Splunk's messaging team, focused on real-time data analytics at scale. Prior to Splunk, he led solutions architecture at Streamlio and served as Global Practice Director at Hortonworks, where he architected enterprise-scale streaming and big data platforms for Fortune 500 organizations across financial services, telecommunications, and manufacturing.

His talks combine deep technical content with the practical lessons learned from years of production deployments. Whether explaining how to govern AI agents at the data layer, designing event-driven multi-agent orchestration patterns, or wiring live data streams into LLM context windows, David's sessions are grounded in working code and real-world architectural tradeoffs.
David is passionate about open source as the foundation for the agentic AI era. He believes the same open standards, durable infrastructure, and community-driven evolution that powered the rise of modern data streaming will define how the next generation of AI agents reaches production. Through his writing, speaking, and code contributions, he works to bridge the streaming data community and the emerging agent ecosystem.

David Kjerrumgaard is a Developer Advocate at StreamNative and a committer on the Apache Pulsar project, where he focuses on the intersection of real-time data streaming and agentic AI. With over a decade of experience building distributed systems at... Show more

Bas founded Kimura and is an experienced Data Solution Architect with over 12 years as a consultant in various technologies, currently focusing on Microsoft Fabric.

He speaks, creates YouTube videos, and blogs about these experiences to share his knowledge with the community.

He holds a Microsoft Dataplatform MVP award and is a Microsoft Certified Trainer.

In his spare time he likes to practice sports (Brazilian jiu-jitsu, running, weight lifting) and also to travel with his wife, son, and their dachshund Chester.

Bas founded Kimura and is an experienced Data Solution Architect with over 12 years as a consultant in various technologies, currently focusing on Microsoft Fabric. He speaks, creates YouTube videos, and blogs about these experiences to share his... Show more

Microsoft and AI consultant, trainer and speaker. MVP Alumni in Business Applications, 12 years of experience in Power BI / Fabric. Moved to the AI-augmented side.

Microsoft and AI consultant, trainer and speaker. MVP Alumni in Business Applications, 12 years of experience in Power BI / Fabric. Moved to the AI-augmented side. Show more

AI enthusiast with extensive software engineering background. Veronika has experience in full-stack development using C#, .NET, Java and Typescript, Azure and AWS clouds and loves using AI to support all her ideas. International public speaker, hackathon volunteer, co-organizer of Boston Azure AI user group, and mentor.
Veronika holds a master's degree in Information Technology. She likes dancing, traveling and practicing aerial fitness in her free time.

AI enthusiast with extensive software engineering background. Veronika has experience in full-stack development using C#, .NET, Java and Typescript, Azure and AWS clouds and loves using AI to support all her ideas. International public speaker, hacka... Show more

Infrastructure Engineer during the day, tinkerer during the night!
When I'm not pushing code or fixing servers, you can find me trying to automate anything that moves (or doesn't move - I'm not picky). I'm a firm believer in the power of memes, using duct tape to fix just about anything, and the occasional brainstorming session with my sidekick rubber duck (who is a great listener, by the way).

Infrastructure Engineer during the day, tinkerer during the night! When I'm not pushing code or fixing servers, you can find me trying to automate anything that moves (or doesn't move - I'm not picky). I'm a firm believer in the power of memes, usin... Show more

Rudy Ooms works as a Technical Product Marketing Manager at Patch My PC as of June 2024. He utilizes his extensive IT experience to create and manage content, particularly focusing on Microsoft Intune, Windows Autopilot, and Endpoint Privilege Management (EPM).

One of his hobbies (next to drinking some good beers) is debugging Intune issues. By doing so, he has learned much about all the moving pieces in Autopilot, Intune, and the associated intricacies. This knowledge is shared through the many blogs he writes on call4cloud.nl.

Rudy Ooms works as a Technical Product Marketing Manager at Patch My PC as of June 2024. He utilizes his extensive IT experience to create and manage content, particularly focusing on Microsoft Intune, Windows Autopilot, and Endpoint Privilege Manage... Show more

The last wave of Power Platform was about building apps. The next one is about building agents and that's where I now spend my time.

I'm a Power Platform Solution Architect and Microsoft MVP in Auckland, working AI-first: designing agentic solutions that actually do the work, not just chat about it. That means Copilot Studio agents wired into real business processes, Model Context Protocol (MCP) on Dataverse to give those agents grounded, governed access to enterprise data, and M365 Copilot extended so it works the way an organisation actually operates.

What I bring: • Agentic solution design Copilot Studio, autonomous and triggered agents, and the orchestration patterns that make them reliable in production • MCP + Dataverse connecting agents to trusted enterprise data with the right grounding and governance, not bolt-on prompts • M365 Copilot extensibility agents, plugins and connectors that extend Copilot into real workflows • The architecture underneath Dynamics 365 CE, Power Apps and Power Automate, so the AI layer sits on solutions that hold up • Recognised at the edge of this work

Microsoft MVP and part of the team behind the attempted Guinness World Record at the Microsoft Agent Hack

I think and build in the open sharing the experiments, the dead ends and the "hang on, what if I tried it this way?" moments, because this space is moving too fast to learn any other way.

📌 Open to select engagements in agentic AI on the Microsoft stack Copilot Studio, MCP/Dataverse, M365 Copilot. If you're trying to move from Copilot demos to agents that deliver, let's talk DM me.

The last wave of Power Platform was about building apps. The next one is about building agents and that's where I now spend my time. I'm a Power Platform Solution Architect and Microsoft MVP in Auckland, working AI-first: designing agentic solutio... Show more

Nicolas Fränkel is a technologist focusing on cloud-native technologies, DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, and system observability. His focus revolves around creating technical content, delivering talks, and engaging with developer communities to promote the adoption of modern software practices. With a strong background in software, he has worked extensively with the JVM, applying his expertise across various industries. In addition to his technical work, he is the author of several books and regularly shares insights through his blog and open-source contributions.

Nicolas Fränkel is a technologist focusing on cloud-native technologies, DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, and system observability. His focus revolves around creating technical content, delivering talks, and engaging with developer communities to promote the... Show more

Systems/devops/platform engineer turned cloud architect, with a soft spot for data platforms and security. Passionate about finding elegant solutions to complex problems, using the most suitable tech. GDE (Google Dev Expert) in Cloud.

Systems/devops/platform engineer turned cloud architect, with a soft spot for data platforms and security. Passionate about finding elegant solutions to complex problems, using the most suitable tech. GDE (Google Dev Expert) in Cloud. Show more

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

Kevin Feasel is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Proprietor of Catallaxy Services, LLC, where he specializes in data analytics with T-SQL and R, forcing Spark clusters to do his bidding, fighting with Kafka, and pulling rabbits out of hats on demand. He is the lead contributor to Curated SQL (https://curatedsql.com), president of the Triangle Area SQL Server Users Group (https://www.meetup.com/tripass), and author of PolyBase Revealed (https://www.apress.com/us/book/9781484254608) and Finding Ghosts in Your Data (https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4842-8870-2). When not traveling around for presentations, Kevin lives in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Kevin Feasel is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Proprietor of Catallaxy Services, LLC, where he specializes in data analytics with T-SQL and R, forcing Spark clusters to do his bidding, fighting with Kafka, and pulling rabbits out of hats on demand... Show more

With over 20 years of software development experience, Marit is passionate about building great software with great people, and making developers’ lives easier.
She regularly presents at international conferences and shares her expertise through webinars, podcasts, blog posts, videos, and tutorials. She's also contributed to the book “97 Things Every Java Programmer Should Know” (O’Reilly Media).

With over 20 years of software development experience, Marit is passionate about building great software with great people, and making developers’ lives easier. She regularly presents at international conferences and shares her expertise through web... Show more

Joseph Guadagno is a Senior Vice President of IT, Microsoft Developer Services MVP, and international speaker with more than 25 years of experience leading high‑performing engineering organizations. He specializes in modernizing software delivery, scaling engineering culture, and helping teams adopt AI‑assisted development practices that accelerate innovation.

Joseph has delivered hundreds of sessions across the United States and internationally on .NET, Azure, cloud architecture, engineering leadership, and developer productivity. He is a long‑time community builder—former President and Vice President of the .NET Foundation, founder of the Southeast Valley .NET User Group, and organizer of Desert Code Camp.

He also created MoreSpeakers.com, a mentorship platform that connects new speakers with experienced presenters to grow the next generation of technical storytellers.

Joseph brings a rare blend of executive leadership, hands‑on technical expertise, and community passion to every stage.

Joseph Guadagno is a Senior Vice President of IT, Microsoft Developer Services MVP, and international speaker with more than 25 years of experience leading high‑performing engineering organizations. He specializes in modernizing software delivery, sc... Show more

Matthijs is a Coding Architect at Xebia. With a strong focus on Azure and AI, he helps clients achieve more on Azure. Matthijs has a passion for creating good work environments, writing great code, and building amazing teams.

Matthijs trained and led teams in different countries. He strongly believes that remote and distributed teams can be just as (or more) effective than sitting in the same old office together. Matthijs received the Microsoft MVP Award for five consecutive years.

Matthijs is a Coding Architect at Xebia. With a strong focus on Azure and AI, he helps clients achieve more on Azure. Matthijs has a passion for creating good work environments, writing great code, and building amazing teams. Matthijs trained and ... Show more