Shannon Lindsay
Data Witch @Microsoft
Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States
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Shannon’s background in global public health has shaped her commitment to community and accessibility, guiding her work leading Fabric Community Engagement at Microsoft. She loves helping people find their place in the data world—a journey that began when she first discovered the “magic” of Power Query, sparking a lasting enchantment with Microsoft BI tools. Now, whether she’s conjuring up data insights with the Workout Wednesday team, gathering with fellow data witches in user groups, or brewing up connections, Shannon’s focus is on making data feel less intimidating. She’s dedicated to building a welcoming community where data pros and newcomers alike can learn, grow, and connect—casting spells of empathy and connection to bring people together.
Area of Expertise
Topics
Copilot Chronicles – Navigating an End-to-End Data Use Case in Fabric
🦄The Fabric unicorn is rare! Mastering all of Fabric is a tall order, but with Copilot, you don't have to!
We'll show you how to fast-track your skills and development using Copilot, covering data engineering, data science, data orchestration, and reporting.
By session's end, you'll know how to leverage Copilot in Fabric for an end-to-end solution!
Semantic Link - A Magic Cauldron to Unlock Power BI with Python
Semantic Link may just be one of the greatest Power BI-related features released in Fabric so far. Semantic Link is a feature that allows teams to access Power BI Semantic Models with Python in Fabric notebooks. Until now, the only way to query a model was with DAX/MDX or by using Power BI or Excel, but with Semantic Link the model and its data are now unlocked!
In this session, we'll discuss the basics of how to get started with Semantic Link and go over several scenarios in which we can use this magic cauldron, including data science scenarios, data exploration using SQL, admin and governance to provide model documentation, and more! You'll leave this session with reusable spells to start casting on your models immediately.
Copilot in Microsoft Fabric
Join us for an exciting session on Copilot in Microsoft Fabric, where we'll showcase how AI-enhanced features transform data and analytics. Whether you’re a Power BI analyst, data scientist, or data engineer, learn practical tips to improve your data-driven journey.
What You’ll Learn:
Enabling Copilot: How to get started with Copilot in Power BI, Dataflow Gen2, and more.
Best Practices and Starter Prompts: How to maximize Copilot’s impact with common inputs and suggestions.
Accelerating Solution Delivery: How to accelerate report creation and discovering insights for data consumers with Copilot.
Don't miss this opportunity to unlock the full potential of Copilot in Microsoft Fabric. See you at the session!
Cloud Carnival: Weaving Microsoft Fabric with Snowflake and Databricks for a Data Extravaganza
Step right up to the Cloud Carnival, where we bring together the best of the multi-cloud world! In this exciting session, we’ll explore how companies that have already heavily invested in Databricks and Snowflake can seamlessly integrate these powerful platforms with Microsoft Fabric to create a unified, efficient, and dynamic data ecosystem.
Join us as we dive into:
- The Integration Magic: Discover the step-by-step process of connecting Microsoft Fabric with your existing Databricks and Snowflake environments, ensuring smooth data flow and interoperability.
- Feature Fusion: Learn how to leverage the unique features of Microsoft Fabric to enhance your current analytics capabilities.
- Integration Options: Explore the various integration options available, tailored to meet the specific needs and architectures of your organization.
- Future Innovations: Get a sneak peek into what’s coming to Microsoft Fabric, including upcoming features and enhancements designed to further streamline integration with Databricks, Snowflake, and other platforms.
Whether you’re a data engineer, analyst, or IT decision-maker, this session will equip you with the tools and insights needed to maximize your multi-cloud investments and drive your data strategy forward. Join the Cloud Carnival and transform your data landscape!
Copilot in Microsoft Fabric
Join us for an exciting session on Copilot in Microsoft Fabric, where we'll showcase how AI-enhanced features transform data and analytics. Whether you’re a Power BI analyst, data scientist, or data engineer, learn practical tips to improve your data-driven journey.
What You’ll Learn:
• Enabling Copilot: How to get started with Copilot in Power BI, Dataflow Gen2, and more.
• Best Practices and Starter Prompts: How to maximize Copilot’s impact with common inputs and suggestions.
• Accelerating Solution Delivery: How to accelerate report creation and discovering insights for data consumers with Copilot.
Driving Productivity and a Data-Driven culture with Power BI in Microsoft 365
Learn how to make your organization more productive and foster a data-driven culture by seamlessly and securely flowing insights into Microsoft 365.
You’ll learn how everyone in your organization can collaborate faster, analyze better, and present more clearly by using Power BI. We’ll cover all the new Power BI capabilities in Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, PowerPoint, and more.
If you’re trying to make an impact to improve productivity across entire workforce, this session is for you.
Unlocking insights with Power BI Copilot
Join us for an immersive session on getting started with Power BI Copilot, your trusted companion for data exploration and insights generation.
In this session, we'll delve into the innovative features and functionalities of Power BI Copilot, empowering you to streamline your data analysis workflow and uncover actionable insights with ease.
Learn how to leverage Copilot's advanced AI capabilities to uncover answers to your data questions, generate meaningful report pages, and drive informed decision-making within your organization.
This session will equip you with the knowledge and skills to harness the power of Copilot and elevate your analytics game to new heights.
Unlock the potential of your Business Central data: create your first Power BI report
In this session, we’ll explore how to unlock the potential of your Business Central data to create your first Power BI reports. We’ll start by showing you how to bring your Business Central tables into Power BI. From there, we’ll guide you through the process of transforming your data into a useful and insightful report. By the end of the session, you’ll have the knowledge and skills to create your own Power BI reports and make the most of your Business Central data. Join us to learn how to take your data analysis to the next level and unlock the power of Business Central using Power BI.
Simplify your Data Models and your Life with Calculation Groups
When you start noticing that you're duplicating the same DAX in lots of measures, calculation groups can come to the rescue. They may sound scary and complicated, but in this session we'll show you that they are really very approachable and incredibly useful. You'll learn what they are and how to create them and we'll explore key features and usage scenarios. Once you see how much they can simplify your life, you'll start looking for excuses to use calculation groups in all your models!
A Painkiller for Power BI dataset CI/CD
We all know that version control for Power BI datasets leaves something to be desired. Currently the product allows for lifecycle management with Power BI deployment pipelines, but what if you're living in a multi-developer world, or if you want to cherry pick which changes get deployed? Neither of those are possible out of the box. This is where Tabular Editor saves the day. In this session, you will learn from our mistakes on our journey to CI/CD success and we will help you avoid those same mistakes. We will also provide easy to use templates for you to integrate into your own environment. It's possible to merge the utility of CI/CD with the joy of Power BI datasets and we will show you how!
Always Learning: An overview of Microsoft Power Platform Certifications and MS Learn Modules
This session provides a comprehensive survey of the Microsoft Power Platform certification landscape and the corresponding educational resources offered through MS Learn modules. This overview highlights the synergy between certification paths and learning modules, emphasizing their collective role in fostering continuous skill development and expertise in utilizing the Power Platform for diverse business applications.
Get Microsoft Certified!
Have you ever considered getting a Microsoft certification? Do you need to know what's out there and where to begin? If so - start here! We'll review the options and point you in the right direction to start preparing!
Demystifying Fabric and Power BI Licensing
Between Premium, PPU, Pro, and Free options, Power BI licensing was already complicated enough. With the introduction of new Fabric capacities and even more considerations to think through, it can quickly get overwhelming.
In this session we'll break it down and simplify it for you by explaining the details and providing a calculator. We'll also provide some of the considerations and scenarios to help you quickly figure out what will work best for your organization.
Unlocking the Magic: Direct Lake Mode in Power BI
In today's fast-paced business landscape, making quick, informed decisions is non-negotiable. That's why we're excited to introduce you to a true game-changer: Direct Lake mode in Power BI. This breakthrough comes hand in hand with the recently launched analytics platform, Microsoft Fabric.
Get ready to expand your data connectivity toolkit within Power BI. It's not about loading all your data at once; it's about on-demand loading. Translation? Only the data you need for a query gets loaded, making everything crazy fast. It's like data magic that flies when you need it.
Join us for an eye-opening session where we'll walk you through the ins and outs of Direct Lake mode. We're talking about the nitty-gritty architecture stuff, comparing it to other ways of data connecting, and showcasing real-world scenarios where Direct Lake mode works its charm.
Sparking Joy through Power BI Data Model Optimization
It's easy to get started with Power BI, but it's also easy to end up with an out-of-control data model that grinds your report visuals and refreshes to a halt. How can you find and fix the problems slowing down your Power BI performance? In this session we'll use the Marie Kondo decluttering method to spark your joy. We'll demonstrate common pitfalls to avoid, along with handy tools to help you maintain and optimize your models, whether you created them yourself or inherited them from others. You'll leave armed with the tools and knowledge you need to immediately improve the performance, organization, and readability of your models, as well as monitor for the future.
Rules and Tools for Power BI Accessibility
How much of your Power BI report design is focused on accessibility? If the answer is none, you're not alone. Report accessibility is often an afterthought at best. Fortunately, there are simple rules and tools to make it easy for you and you'll find that once you integrate these into your design process, you will undoubtedly end up with beautiful and effective reports for a much broader audience. We'll go over tools such as the Report Accessibility Checklist, the *new* Accessibility Checker, and the color contrast checker. You won't look at accessibility as optional again!
Navigating the Microsoft Certification Landscape
Experience is great, but how do you demonstrate your knowledge and skills to employers and colleagues? Certification.
But what kind? Microsoft Certification is based on industry-defined roles and on the skills needed to perform those roles. All the educational resources for certification at Microsoft Learn are aligned to these roles. That’s what makes Microsoft Certification so valuable. It demonstrates that you’re proficient in the specific, real-world skills associated with recognized industry roles. It verifies that you know how to apply technical knowledge to solve today’s business challenges. And it helps you keep up with industry changes, because the training is always being updated and new certifications are being added all the time.
Join me to walk through the Data & AI certification landscape. There are lots of options out there, and we'll talk through how to pick the right one for you!
Level up with Workout Wednesday!
Workout Wednesday* is a weekly challenge to re-create a data-driven visualization. The challenges are designed to kick-start personal development in Power BI.
Join the Workout Wednesday team to work through a special SQL Bits-themed challenge. All you need to participate is your machine**, an hour of battery power, and your enthusiasm for building visuals in Power BI.
You'll get a chance to work through the challenge with other participants and will get coaching from the Workout Wednesday team! This will be an opportunity to both learn and share with other participants.
*https://www.workout-wednesday.com/power-bi-challenges/
**note, this session is hands-on, using Power BI desktop. Please ensure that you have Power BI desktop installed prior to the session.
The Witch’s Guide to Model Management and Data Visualization
Join us for a bewitching workshop on model management and data visualization with Power BI reporting. You'll learn how to use both inbuilt and third party tools to create efficient data models. You'll also discover how to enhance your visuals and reports with accessibility, design, and storytelling. As a part of this workshop, you'll practice your skills in interactive labs and get live feedback. At the end of the day, you'll be able to cast your own spells with data and create stunning reports!
2024 Power Platform Community Conference Sessionize Event
Power BI Days DC User group Sessionize Event
Microsoft TechCon365 & PWRCON Seattle 2024 Sessionize Event
DynamicsCon LIVE Sessionize Event
#DataWeekender 6.5 Sessionize Event
SQLBits 2023 - General Sessions Sessionize Event
Data Insight Summit Sessionize Event
Power BI Fest Sessionize Event
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