Most Active Speakers 2025

Sessionize proudly presents the list of the most active speakers in the year 2025!

  • 1119 speakers
  • Auto-generated
Nick Doelman

Nick Doelman

Nick Doelman is an independent Power Platform specialist, trainer and coach. Nick delivers presentations, workshops and collaborates on Power Platform and Dynamics 365 projects worldwide. From 2021 to 2023, Nick worked as a Senior Content Developer at Microsoft where he worked on skilling content for Power Pages, Power Automate, and other parts of the Power Platform.
Nick is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) and is also a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT).
Nick is a cohost on the Power Platform BOOST podcast and creates Power Platform blog and video content. Nick is also a competitive Powerlifter and is a member of Team Canada competing at various international events.

Nick Doelman is an independent Power Platform specialist, trainer and coach. Nick delivers presentations, workshops and collaborates on Power Platform and Dynamics 365 projects worldwide. From 2021 to 2023, Nick worked as a Senior Content Developer a... Show more

Paulina Jędrzejewska

Paulina Jędrzejewska

Paulina specializes in data modeling and automation in Power BI. She also has experience with data warehousing, SQL, and ETL.

"I got to know Power BI during my studies and it was love at first sight. I'm amazed how powerfull this tool is and that it is becoming better every month. As a consultant and trainer, I have the opportunity to inspire my clients and show them that Power BI is more than just colorful reports."

Paulina specializes in data modeling and automation in Power BI. She also has experience with data warehousing, SQL, and ETL. "I got to know Power BI during my studies and it was love at first sight. I'm amazed how powerfull this tool is and that ... Show more

Angel Ramirez

Angel Ramirez

Angel Ramirez is a technology leader and entrepreneur with expertise in software product development, cloud-native technologies, and Kubernetes (Kubestronaut). As CEO of Cuemby, he develops innovative solutions that align technical concepts with business goals. A CNCF and TODO OSPO Ambassador, Angel is recognized for his public speaking abilities, making complex ideas easy to understand. His approach integrates technology and business strategy, helping organizations achieve scalable solutions while fostering ongoing learning and community engagement.

Angel Ramirez is a technology leader and entrepreneur with expertise in software product development, cloud-native technologies, and Kubernetes (Kubestronaut). As CEO of Cuemby, he develops innovative solutions that align technical concepts with busi... Show more

Lars Klint

Lars Klint

Lars is a Principal Developer Advocate at Atlassian, an author, trainer, Microsoft Azure MVP, community leader, aspiring YouTube host and part time classic car collector. He is heavily involved in the space of cloud computing services, especially Azure, and is a published author, solution architect and writer for numerous publications. He has been a part of the software development community for the past 20 years and co-organises the DDD Melbourne community conference, organises developer events with Microsoft, and also runs a part time car restoration business. He has spoken at numerous technical events around the world and is an expert in Australian Outback Internet.

Lars is a Principal Developer Advocate at Atlassian, an author, trainer, Microsoft Azure MVP, community leader, aspiring YouTube host and part time classic car collector. He is heavily involved in the space of cloud computing services, especially Azu... Show more

Paul Swider

Paul Swider

30 years building tools that add hours back to a clinician's day
Chief AI Officer at RealActivity | openEHR Pioneer | BOSHUG Founder | Microsoft Keynoter

Signature Technical Achievements:
1998 – Y2K Bedside-System Safeguards: Prevented Y2K rollover failures in mission-critical hospital devices
2001 – Symbolic AI Triage Engine (Same-Day Surgery): Eliminated pre-op anesthesia visits, accelerating care pathways. Established decision tree based on real age research and patent by Dr. Roizen, Chicago. AI: Classification and Regression Trees
2001-2007 – .NET Instructor & Mentor: Trained 3,000+ GE, IDX, and Microsoft engineers in enterprise-grade software patterns
2003 – HL7 Interoperability Clinical Trials: Delivered the first Winsock stack integrated with HL7
2007 – Enterprise EHR Architect (Ivy-League AMC): Supported annual encounters on the Microsoft stack
2008 – Medication-Safety Program (AHFS-Driven): Cut prescription overuse with classification algorithms
2008 – CMS Activity Reporting Platform: Built compliance platform for regulatory reporting
2009 – Spine-Center Pain-Management Platform: Improved patient SF-x scores and satisfaction
2010-2020 – Azure and M365 Migration Lead: Moved 50+ HIPAA workloads to the cloud
2011 – Shared-Decision Support (End-of-Life): Enhanced clinician–family engagement at critical moments
2012-Present – Global Community Builder: Founded BOSHUG; lead OSS/FHIR & "AI for the Rest of Us" forums across 50+ countries
2019/2020 – Microsoft MVP & Azure Most Influential: Recognized for outstanding impact on the Microsoft ecosystem
2022 – Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare Curriculum Consultant: Architect-level training with Microsoft Healthcare & HLS corp teams
2023/2025 – Provider Support Copilot and Agent Suite (RAPS): Trained on PeopleSoft operations data and prompts from healthcare executives
2023 – Copilot Prompt Engineering Suite for Healthcare Execs: Hardened GenAI prompts for AI safety
2024 – Wheelhouse AI Center of Excellence (Co-Founder): Established radical AI governance model for hospitals
2024 – Graduated from Microsoft Startups, Level 4: Currently in growth phase
2024 – AI Safety & Governance Brief: Influenced hospital AI frameworks nationwide
2025 – Wheelhouse Frontier: World's first frontier model fine-tuned on PeopleSoft data and executive prompt data
Ongoing – Global Speaker: Microsoft Ignite, Cloud Wars, and more (top 3% speaker globally)

Global citizen based in Boston. I love Sicilian bakeries, lemon cakes, sailing, snowboarding, diving, adventure travel, and spending time with family and friends.

30 years building tools that add hours back to a clinician's day Chief AI Officer at RealActivity | openEHR Pioneer | BOSHUG Founder | Microsoft Keynoter Signature Technical Achievements: 1998 – Y2K Bedside-System Safeguards: Prevented Y2K rollo... Show more

Brennan Lodge

Brennan Lodge

He has held cyber security, data scientist, and leadership roles at JP Morgan Chase, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Bloomberg, and Goldman Sachs. Brennan holds a masters' degree in Business Analytics from New York University and participates in the data science community with his non-profit pro-bono work at DataKind.

He has held cyber security, data scientist, and leadership roles at JP Morgan Chase, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Bloomberg, and Goldman Sachs. Brennan holds a masters' degree in Business Analytics from New York University and participates i... Show more

Laura Rogers

Laura Rogers

Laura is a speaker, author, educator, and expert on SharePoint and Power Platform technologies. She is well-versed in helping organizations make the most of their SharePoint and Teams implementations, using out-of-box functionalities such as Power Apps and Power Automate with SharePoint. She is currently the owner of IW Mentor, a SharePoint, Teams, Power Apps & Power Automate training company. Laura's technical expertise also includes over 18 years of experience working with Microsoft's messaging and collaboration systems. She has been named a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for the past fourteen years.

Laura is a speaker, author, educator, and expert on SharePoint and Power Platform technologies. She is well-versed in helping organizations make the most of their SharePoint and Teams implementations, using out-of-box functionalities such as Power A... Show more

Vadym Kazulkin

Vadym Kazulkin

Vadym Kazulkin is AWS Serverless Hero and Head of Development at ip.labs based in Bonn. Vadym has been involved with the Java ecosystem for over 25 years. His focus and interests currently include the design and implementation of highly scalable and available applications in AWS Cloud with the special passion for Serverless, Generative AI and optimization of Java applications (also using SpringBoot, Micronaut and Quarkus frameworks) on AWS Lambda. Vadym is also the co-organizer of the Java User Group Bonn meetup, a frequent speaker at various meetups and conferences and a regular author of the articles in the different published magazines and on his online blog.

Vadym Kazulkin is AWS Serverless Hero and Head of Development at ip.labs based in Bonn. Vadym has been involved with the Java ecosystem for over 25 years. His focus and interests currently include the design and implementation of highly scalable and ... Show more

Juan Carlos González Martín

Juan Carlos González Martín

Juan Carlos is a Telecommunications Engineer with more than 23 years of experience in diverse Microsoft products and technologies with a strong background in the SharePoint platform; although he currently works as Microsoft 365 SME & Delivery Manager skilled in Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Microsoft Teams, the Power Platform and SharePoint platforms. Juan Carlos is a Microsoft 365 & Microsoft 365 Copilot MVP that received his first MVP award in 2008. He is also co-editor and co-director of the free Spanish digital magazine about Microsoft Products and Technologies: CompartiMOSS (www.compartimoss.com). To date, Juan Carlos has co-authored 21 books and several articles about Microsoft 365 &SharePoint platforms in Spanish and English.

Juan Carlos is a Telecommunications Engineer with more than 23 years of experience in diverse Microsoft products and technologies with a strong background in the SharePoint platform; although he currently works as Microsoft 365 SME & Delivery Manage... Show more

Sander Molenkamp

Sander Molenkamp

Sander Molenkamp is a principal cloud architect and Microsoft Azure MVP with over 25 years of professional experience. He works for Info Support (http://www.infosupport.com) designing and developing customer solutions using cloud native architectures.
Sander is also an accomplished speaker, having shared his insights and expertise at numerous international conferences. He is passionate about technology and freely shares his knowledge through the dotnetFlix YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/dotnetflix).
Furthermore, Sander actively contributes to the organization of multiple free community events, including the Dutch Azure Meetup, Azure Fest, and Bitbash.
In his free time, Sander enjoys traveling, is (still) learning to play the ukelele, and tinkers with technology and LEGO. He has also defeated the sword master of Mêlée Island™️.

Sander Molenkamp is a principal cloud architect and Microsoft Azure MVP with over 25 years of professional experience. He works for Info Support (http://www.infosupport.com) designing and developing customer solutions using cloud native architectures... Show more

Luis Mañez

Luis Mañez

Microsoft AI + M365 Development MVP. Around 25 years of experience working with Microsoft Technologies. MS Certified Teams Application Developer, specialist in Developing Azure and SharePoint MCPD. Passionate about technology, blogger, technical writer and MS community active member.

Microsoft AI + M365 Development MVP. Around 25 years of experience working with Microsoft Technologies. MS Certified Teams Application Developer, specialist in Developing Azure and SharePoint MCPD. Passionate about technology, blogger, technical writ... Show more

Nerando Johnson

Nerando Johnson

Current Atlanta freeCodeCamp Organizer | Software Developer

Current Atlanta freeCodeCamp Organizer | Software Developer Show more

Akshata Revankar

Akshata Revankar

20+ Years of experience in data engineering and data reporting space. Have worked with Oracle database, SQL Server, SSIS, Informatica Power Center, Hadoop systems, Qlik and Power BI. Enjoy being in the data space and learning new things.

20+ Years of experience in data engineering and data reporting space. Have worked with Oracle database, SQL Server, SSIS, Informatica Power Center, Hadoop systems, Qlik and Power BI. Enjoy being in the data space and learning new things. Show more

Aditya Soni

Aditya Soni

Aditya Soni is a DevOps/SRE tech professional He worked with Product and Service based companies including Red Hat, Forrester Research, Searce, and is currently positioned at SailPoint as a Senior DevOps Engineer. He holds AWS, GCP, Azure, RedHat, and Kubernetes Certifications.He is a CNCF Ambassador, and AWS Community Builder for 4 years He leads AWS, CNCF, and HashiCorp user groups for Rajasthan State in India. He has spoken at many conferences, both in-person and virtually.

Aditya Soni is a DevOps/SRE tech professional He worked with Product and Service based companies including Red Hat, Forrester Research, Searce, and is currently positioned at SailPoint as a Senior DevOps Engineer. He holds AWS, GCP, Azure, RedHat, an... Show more

Hugo Guerrero

Hugo Guerrero

Hugo Guerrero specializes in building the backbone of the AI era. As a technology leader, he focuses on AI-ready infrastructure, modern API strategy, and scalable event-driven systems. A frequent speaker and advocate for developer ecosystems, Hugo is passionate about turning complex architectural concepts into real-world results. He works at the intersection of connectivity and intelligence, ensuring that today’s infrastructure is ready for tomorrow’s agentic workflows.

Hugo Guerrero specializes in building the backbone of the AI era. As a technology leader, he focuses on AI-ready infrastructure, modern API strategy, and scalable event-driven systems. A frequent speaker and advocate for developer ecosystems, Hugo is... Show more

Rajaniesh Kaushikk

Rajaniesh Kaushikk

Meet Rajaniesh Kaushikk – a Microsoft MVP and TOGAF Certified Enterprise Architect with over 22 years of experience in delivering complex software architectures for Fortune 500 companies. Rajaniesh specializes in data integration, governance, and analysis, with a proven track record in defining technical architectures, designing analytic solutions, and developing agile frameworks. His expertise spans Hybrid Cloud, Azure Cloud, Power BI, Kubernetes, Databricks Lakehouse, Snowflake, and more, making him a trusted partner in solving intricate business challenges and driving market growth.

As a hands-on technical architect, Microsoft Certified Solution Architect, and Databricks Champion, Rajaniesh excels in translating complex concepts into actionable strategies, whether through pre-sales technical presentations or public speaking at Microsoft events. A Microsoft Certified Trainer, he is committed to sharing his knowledge and staying at the forefront of technological advancements, ensuring scalable and innovative solutions for modern software architecture needs.

Meet Rajaniesh Kaushikk – a Microsoft MVP and TOGAF Certified Enterprise Architect with over 22 years of experience in delivering complex software architectures for Fortune 500 companies. Rajaniesh specializes in data integration, governance, and ana... Show more

Gabi Münster

Gabi Münster

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

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

Claire Edgson

Claire Edgson

Microsoft Fast Track Recognized Architect. I have 30+ years experience in Data Analytics, Infrastructure and Integration Architecture. 20+ years of Microsoft Business Applications and Azure, including SharePoint, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365CE, FO & HR. Business experience as IT Manager and IT Director allows Claire to work closely with customer IT teams and understand their pain through transformation programs.
9 years experience with Power platform architecture and design, with Dataverse , SharePoint, SQL , Azure cognitive services, Azure Blob and Azure datalakes. I am passionate about Learning new things and sharing that knowledge with others as well as being incredibly passionate about the outcomes we give our customers.
My prime focus is on Security, Governance and Integrations with the PowerPlatform.

Microsoft Fast Track Recognized Architect. I have 30+ years experience in Data Analytics, Infrastructure and Integration Architecture. 20+ years of Microsoft Business Applications and Azure, including SharePoint, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365CE, FO ... Show more

Martin Rövekamp

Martin Rövekamp

Martin Rövekamp embarked on his career as a Communication Consultant, specializing in solutions such as Learning Terminals and Intranets. In 2012, he transitioned to SharePoint Consulting, focusing on Collaboration and Intranets.

Since April 2024, he has been recognized as an MVP for SharePoint and since July 2025 additionally for M365 Copilot. His current area of expertise lies in the Modern Workplace, encompassing internal communication, collaboration, and enhancing the Employee Experience. Martin actively guides his clients through the process of migrating to or implementing new intranets, as well as optimizing collaboration using Microsoft 365. He showcases, how to integrate AI in the daily work of editors.

Martin’s community involvement includes: Co-Founder of Hamburg SharePint, Organizer of CollabDays Hamburg & Oslo, Member of Global AI Community Hamburg & Oslo, Co-Host of the “Martin’s Modern Work” Webtalkshow. He frequently shares insights on topics such as Modern Work, AI, and Digital Transformation. Beyond his professional endeavors, Martin also graces the stage as a trumpet player.

Martin Rövekamp embarked on his career as a Communication Consultant, specializing in solutions such as Learning Terminals and Intranets. In 2012, he transitioned to SharePoint Consulting, focusing on Collaboration and Intranets. Since April 2024... Show more

Ambesh Singh

Ambesh Singh

I am a father, software engineer, and architect at Visionet Deutschland GmbH, currently living in Germany. My interests range from technology to travel. I am also interested in entrepreneurship, reading, vlogging and programming.

I am a father, software engineer, and architect at Visionet Deutschland GmbH, currently living in Germany. My interests range from technology to travel. I am also interested in entrepreneurship, reading, vlogging and programming. Show more

Rodrigue Yengo

Rodrigue Yengo

I'm a passionate cloud architect specializing in Azure (DevOps, Identity, Integration, Storage, Serverless, Microservices), Office 365 (Exchange, SharePoint, Teams), Dynamics 365 CE and ERP, and Data Management. With over 15 years of experience, I design complex architectures, drive major projects, and support transformation initiatives. Enthusiastic about architecture, governance, Zero Trust security, and business processes, I love sharing knowledge and contributing to innovative solutions across international environments.

I'm a passionate cloud architect specializing in Azure (DevOps, Identity, Integration, Storage, Serverless, Microservices), Office 365 (Exchange, SharePoint, Teams), Dynamics 365 CE and ERP, and Data Management. With over 15 years of experience, I de... Show more

Ramona Domen

Ramona Domen

Ramona is a software engineer, Microsoft MVP and public speaker with a passion for creating inclusive and accessible applications. She likes to spread awareness about this topic and hopes to inspire people both in her daily work and by taking the stage whenever she gets the chance.

Ramona is a software engineer, Microsoft MVP and public speaker with a passion for creating inclusive and accessible applications. She likes to spread awareness about this topic and hopes to inspire people both in her daily work and by taking the sta... Show more

Clarissa Rodrigues

Clarissa Rodrigues

Clarissa Rodrigues is graduated by University of Vale dos Sinos (UNISINOS), specialist in Software Engineering by Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and master student in Applied Computing by UNISINOS. With more than 10 years of IT experience, she has been working in different roles and companies, such as a Business Analyst at SISPRO, ADP, SAP and most current Technical Quality & Program Manager at Uber. On her journey, she has been advocated for quality inside QAs work to make sure goods and services are designed, developed, and made to meet or exceed customers’ expectations and requirements.

Clarissa Rodrigues is graduated by University of Vale dos Sinos (UNISINOS), specialist in Software Engineering by Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and master student in Applied Computing by UNISINOS. With more than 10 years of IT exper... Show more

James Reeves

James Reeves

Data enthusiast on a mission to make cost effective data platforms accessible to all while navigating the whims of an ADHD-powered mind – it's a bit like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle, but he makes it work!

Data enthusiast on a mission to make cost effective data platforms accessible to all while navigating the whims of an ADHD-powered mind – it's a bit like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle, but he makes it work! Show more

Rob Richardson

Rob Richardson

Rob Richardson is a software craftsman building web properties in ASP.NET and Node, React and Vue. He’s a Microsoft MVP, published author, frequent speaker at conferences, user groups, and community events, and a diligent teacher and student of high quality software development. You can find this and other talks on https://robrich.org/presentations and follow him on Mastodon at @robrich@hachyderm.io.

Rob Richardson is a software craftsman building web properties in ASP.NET and Node, React and Vue. He’s a Microsoft MVP, published author, frequent speaker at conferences, user groups, and community events, and a diligent teacher and student of high ... Show more

Patrice Lindo

Patrice Lindo

Patrice Williams-Lindo is not your average consultant. With a career that spans the giants of the consulting world and the innovative edges of startup culture, Patrice brings a unique blend of strategic insight and disruptive thinking to the table. Her background in Organizational Psychology and Instructional Technology is just the beginning – it's her fearless approach to leadership and transformation that sets her apart. If you're ready to rethink everything you know about leading in the digital age, Patrice is here to light the fuse.

Patrice Williams-Lindo is not your average consultant. With a career that spans the giants of the consulting world and the innovative edges of startup culture, Patrice brings a unique blend of strategic insight and disruptive thinking to the table. H... Show more

Dominick Raimato

Dominick Raimato

Self-identified as a data nerd, Dominick Raimato has had a huge passion for identifying insights and building solutions. You never know what kind of data projects he might be working on such as tracking temperature and humidity trends in his house to building a database of property assessments to make sure his house is in line with other properties to avoid overpaying taxes. Passionate about people, Dominick strives to create solutions that not just help achieve business objectives, but also make people’s lives better. If he can help someone get home earlier to eat dinner with their family or eliminate time consuming tasks so they can focus on more important things, he is in his element.

Dominick currently lives in Bergen County, NJ where he can be found around the house working on projects or cooking in the kitchen. His specialty dishes include his homemade meat sauce in the winter and pulled pork bar-b-que on his smoker during the summer. He also ventures into New York City frequently to see his wife perform as a flutist with small ensembles, orchestras, and theaters.

Self-identified as a data nerd, Dominick Raimato has had a huge passion for identifying insights and building solutions. You never know what kind of data projects he might be working on such as tracking temperature and humidity trends in his house t... Show more

Régis Schneider

Régis Schneider

Je suis marié, avec 2 enfants (14 & 15 ans). J'apprécie particulièrement les voyages éloignés, mais aussi ceux au bout de la rue. Tant d'opportunités de rencontrer et d'apprendre !
Le mot que j'apprécie le moins : "Normal".
Un mot que je n'apprécie pas trop : "Bienveillance". Un principe que j'apprécie beaucoup : "Bienveillance".
Sinon, tombé dans Agile en 2009, je ne veux maintenant plus m'en sortir, que ce soit à la maison ou au boulot. Je tente de développer depuis un positionnement de facilitateur, de produit et d’équipe.

Je suis marié, avec 2 enfants (14 & 15 ans). J'apprécie particulièrement les voyages éloignés, mais aussi ceux au bout de la rue. Tant d'opportunités de rencontrer et d'apprendre ! Le mot que j'apprécie le moins : "Normal". Un mot que je n'apprécie... Show more

Ricardo Rincon

Ricardo Rincon

I have a degree in computer science, a passion for modeling and data analysis with Power BI, 13 years of experience in BI and 9 years with Power BI, and my entire career working with data and business metrics.

I have a degree in computer science, a passion for modeling and data analysis with Power BI, 13 years of experience in BI and 9 years with Power BI, and my entire career working with data and business metrics. Show more

Bethany Jepchumba

Bethany Jepchumba

Bethany loves crafting user stories and enhancing user experiences! She strives to make a positive impact on people's lives through her skills in design, code, and leadership.

As a Cloud Advocate at Microsoft, she engages with students, aspiring developers, and entrepreneurs to help them learn and grow in Artificial Intelligence (AI). She does this through writing articles, hosting workshops, and speaking at events about AI and cloud computing. She has a strong background in community and skilling others, thanks to her previous roles as a Program Coordinator at Andela and Gold Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador which built her passion for community and skilling others.

She comes from a community of marathon runners but decided to run code instead. Outside tech she defines herself as creative. You will find her testing out new hobbies, sketching or deeply engrossed in a book.

Bethany loves crafting user stories and enhancing user experiences! She strives to make a positive impact on people's lives through her skills in design, code, and leadership. As a Cloud Advocate at Microsoft, she engages with students, aspiring d... Show more

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

Most Active Speakers 2025

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 2025.

The 3% is calculated from the pool of all speakers that have at least one accepted session in year 2025. We don't include inactive speakers or speakers that had no accepted sessions during the year. There are around 39,000 unique accepted speakers this year, the 3% is 1163. 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 2025. 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.