Arts

Talented creative individuals working in the field of visual, auditory and performance arts

Paul Chin Jr.

Paul Chin Jr.

Paul Chin Jr is a Hampton Roads native and a curious human. He is passionate about exploring technology, art, and business. He advocates for making technology accessible and growing communities to help one another. He has created new markets, guided start-up validations, and architected enterprise platforms. The future is amazing, and he can't wait to help you build it.

Paul Chin Jr is a Hampton Roads native and a curious human. He is passionate about exploring technology, art, and business. He advocates for making technology accessible and growing communities to help one another. He has created new markets, guided ... Show more

Mario Esposito

Mario Esposito

Artiste plasticien, Architecte, UX Designer et enfin Coach Agile.
Un parcours atypique, plusieurs pivotages dans ma vie m'ont porté à comprendre que c'est la valorisation de l'humain la plus grande des réalisations.

Artiste plasticien, Architecte, UX Designer et enfin Coach Agile. Un parcours atypique, plusieurs pivotages dans ma vie m'ont porté à comprendre que c'est la valorisation de l'humain la plus grande des réalisations. Show more

Anders Norås

Anders Norås

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

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

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

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

Richard Plantt

Richard Plantt

With a passion for innovative design and a keen eye for detail, I specialize in transforming complex ideas into beautifully simple visuals and seamless digital experiences. My work bridges the worlds of creative design and digital workplace strategy, helping brands not only tell compelling stories but also collaborate and communicate more effectively across platforms.

As a certified Registered Graphic Designer (RGD), I bring a dual focus to my professional services: visual storytelling and digital transformation. On the creative side, I lead content development, oversee brand management, and ensure cross-platform consistency across digital and print media. On the consulting side, I help organizations unlock the full potential of Microsoft 365, leveraging tools like SharePoint, Viva, Copilot and Teams to build connected, collaborative, and user-centered digital workplaces.

Whether I’m designing a brand identity or architecting a SharePoint intranet, my goal is the same: to create experiences that resonate, engage, and drive results. I thrive on collaboration with cross-functional teams, integrating diverse perspectives to deliver solutions that are as strategic as they are visually impactful.

What I love most is the opportunity to blend creativity with functionality. Crafting designs and digital environments that not only look great but also empower people to work smarter and communicate better.

With a passion for innovative design and a keen eye for detail, I specialize in transforming complex ideas into beautifully simple visuals and seamless digital experiences. My work bridges the worlds of creative design and digital workplace strategy,... Show more

Sahithya B A

Sahithya B A

Sahithya Balasubramaniam is a Senior Software Engineer, SelfPreneur, open-source contributor, and Founder of S South Hiring. She builds innovative AI-powered and microSaaS products, with launches on Product Hunt achieving global rankings of 21st and 25th on their respective launch days.

A dynamic public speaker and emcee, Sahithya has delivered 25+ talks across conferences, meetups, and industry events, including Google DevFest and SheBuilds Conference. Her areas of interest span AI, software engineering, open source, entrepreneurship, personal branding, and community building.

Beyond technology, she is an Amazon bestselling and award-winning author of five books, an international writer and poetess, and the Founder and Chief Editor of The Logic–Soul Lens Newsletter, where she explores the human side of business, leadership, communication, and technology. Through her work, she is committed to building products, communities, and conversations that create meaningful impact.

Sahithya Balasubramaniam is a Senior Software Engineer, SelfPreneur, open-source contributor, and Founder of S South Hiring. She builds innovative AI-powered and microSaaS products, with launches on Product Hunt achieving global rankings of 21st and ... Show more

Amanda Austin

Amanda Austin

Amanda thrives at the intersection of improvisation and organizational psychology to help transform organizations. She believes the vulnerability required to improvise and create something together on stage as a team can be translated to a professional group of any size. She uses the philosophy of improvisation and the power of "Yes, And" as a catalyst for positive change within an organization. Her active listening approach to coaching focuses on teaching individuals and teams the difference between listening to respond and listening to understand.

Amanda was the Founder/CEO of Dallas Comedy House (2009-2020), where she oversaw day to day operations of DCH. She was the founder and Executive Producer of the Dallas Comedy Festival (2009-2019). She's the Co-founder of ComedyHouse, a professional training and coaching service, and the co-author of the REALway® leadership training program. She's currently a Senior Managing Consultant-HR Strategic Business Partner at IBM Consulting.

Amanda received her Bachelor of Science in Journalism and a Minor in Business Administration from Texas A&M University. She completed her Masters in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Harvard University in May 2024. She earned her Graduate Certificate in Organizational Behavior from Harvard University and a Certificate in Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace from Cornell. Amanda is an Adjunct Professor at the SMU Cox School of Business MBA program where she teaches a Management course: Organizational Change and Innovation by Design. She's a graduate of the 2018 Leadership Dallas Cohort with the Dallas Regional Chamber, where she continued her commitment as the Leadership Consultant for 2019-2020 and a member of the 2025 Leadership Texas Cohort.

Amanda thrives at the intersection of improvisation and organizational psychology to help transform organizations. She believes the vulnerability required to improvise and create something together on stage as a team can be translated to a profession... Show more

Waskar Paulino

Waskar Paulino

Waskar Paulino is the CTO and co-founder of Ideate, an AI-enhanced creative workspace for design teams. He's a first-generation AfroLatinx technologist, DJ, multidisciplinary artist, and founder of Philacon Valley, a creative tech community in Philadelphia. He previously spoke at PhillyJS about building real-time audio visualizers with JavaScript and a Pioneer DDJ-REV1. He writes about the real learning curve of being a first-time technical founder on his Substack. When he's not writing Convex actions, he's DJing with aPioneer DDJ-REV1.

Waskar Paulino is the CTO and co-founder of Ideate, an AI-enhanced creative workspace for design teams. He's a first-generation AfroLatinx technologist, DJ, multidisciplinary artist, and founder of Philacon Valley, a creative tech community in Philad... Show more

Chad Gerber

Chad Gerber

Chad Gerber is a 10x platinum and gold-selling artist, founder, patented inventor, and communication systems builder focused on the future of AI, infrastructure, and human connection.

Before moving into advanced communications and AI systems, Gerber built his career in music, production, and creative development, working on projects that reached platinum and gold status. That background in sound, latency, signal flow, and human interaction eventually evolved into a deeper focus on how communication itself functions under pressure.

He is now the founder of ShadowGen, an AI-native communication platform designed for unreliable and bandwidth-constrained environments, and Meloscene, an immersive collaboration platform exploring the future of remote presence and digital interaction.

Gerber’s work sits between culture and infrastructure. His talks explore AI, communication breakdown, future systems, creativity, defense, immersive media, and how emerging infrastructure will reshape the way humans connect, collaborate, and operate.

He has spoken on AI and future communication systems in Washington D.C. and internationally, with appearances including the BBC. His perspective combines real-world creative experience, startup building, communication infrastructure, and future-focused thinking in a way that is both accessible and highly relevant to modern audiences.

Chad Gerber is a 10x platinum and gold-selling artist, founder, patented inventor, and communication systems builder focused on the future of AI, infrastructure, and human connection. Before moving into advanced communications and AI systems, Gerb... Show more

Roni Bandini

Roni Bandini

I’m the founder of the Maker Counterculture initiative, exploring the intersection of technology, subversion, and creative resistance. My work focuses on TinyML prototypes and LLM projects, pushing the boundaries of AI and embedded systems.

I’ve been a speaker at ORT, UCA, UTN, UADE, Hope New York, Nerdearla, Ekoparty, TedX and Maker Faire Rome. My work has been featured in Wired, Vice, and BBC.

As an author, I’ve published the novels El Sueño Colbert, La Gran Monterrey, and Macadam.

I’m the founder of the Maker Counterculture initiative, exploring the intersection of technology, subversion, and creative resistance. My work focuses on TinyML prototypes and LLM projects, pushing the boundaries of AI and embedded systems. I’ve b... Show more

Ashley René Casey

Ashley René Casey

Ashley René is the founder of Presence Over Pixels® and a keynote speaker who helps organizations solve their biggest workplace challenge: keeping humans engaged and productive in an AI-driven world. A former senior leader at Amazon and BNSF Railway, Ashley delivers actionable strategies for digital wellness, human-first leadership, and sustainable high performance.

With her signature "Future of Work Is Human" approach, Ashley transforms how teams think about technology, burnout, and authentic connection. Her talks blend corporate credibility with practical tools that audiences can implement immediately — from Fortune 500 executives to school administrators to conference attendees seeking work-life integration.

Ashley's presentations address today's most pressing workplace issues: Gen Z leadership dynamics, AI adoption without human displacement, cognitive overload management, and building resilient organizational cultures. Her engaging style combines business insights with neuroscience research, delivered without tech-shaming or unrealistic solutions.

Event planners consistently praise Ashley's ability to make complex topics accessible while driving real behavior change. Her content scales from intimate leadership retreats to 5,000-person conferences, always leaving audiences with concrete next steps rather than just inspiration.

When not on stage, Ashley performs as lead singer of rock band Bourbon Jury and champions St. Louis's vibrant arts community.

Ashley René is the founder of Presence Over Pixels® and a keynote speaker who helps organizations solve their biggest workplace challenge: keeping humans engaged and productive in an AI-driven world. A former senior leader at Amazon and BNSF Railway,... Show more

Ryan Moore

Ryan Moore

Ryan Moore and his crew at the Moore Creative Company enjoy helping others with their DNN solutions. Whether partnering with other agencies or working with end-clients, Ryan is found teaching, training and "diving in to the good stuff," like DNN upgrades, sidegrades, integrations and more.

Ryan is completing an MFA in Communication Arts: Graphic Design with a focus on "The Business of Graphic Design." Several Moore Creative employees are graduates from the similar programs and many are BSA Eagle Scouts.

Ryan speaks at DNN community events, helps support and put on the Day of Training at conventions such as Southern Fried DNN, Day of DNN, DNNCon Baltimore and the past 10 years of DNN Summits in Denver, Florida and Online.

Be sure to ask him about snorkeling with sharks, that George Lucas action figure, DNN Summit LightSabers, and that one tarantula in Belize.

Ryan Moore and his crew at the Moore Creative Company enjoy helping others with their DNN solutions. Whether partnering with other agencies or working with end-clients, Ryan is found teaching, training and "diving in to the good stuff," like DNN upgr... Show more

Vin Lim

Vin Lim

Vin is the founder of Arteesan.io, a creative platform for art professionals to manage, showcase & sell artwork. He is also a Google Developer Expert, having partnered with Google to advocate web technology for the past 10 years, speaking, mentoring and conductiong community workshops.

Vin is the founder of Arteesan.io, a creative platform for art professionals to manage, showcase & sell artwork. He is also a Google Developer Expert, having partnered with Google to advocate web technology for the past 10 years, speaking, mentoring ... Show more

Maurice Cherry

Maurice Cherry

Maurice Cherry is an award-winning creative visionary who works as a writer, designer, strategist, voice actor, and storyteller. As principal and creative director of Lunch, the award-winning multidisciplinary studio he founded in 2008, he empowers creative brands to craft resonant narratives and forge meaningful connections with diverse audiences, particularly underrepresented communities. Lunch has collaborated with industry leaders such as Facebook, Mailchimp, Vox Media, NIKE, and The City of Atlanta, among others.

Maurice is a pioneering digital creator, best known for Revision Path, the groundbreaking podcast that made history as the first podcast inducted into the permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). His innovative projects also include the Black Weblog Awards, 28 Days of the Web, The Year of Tea, and the design anthology RECOGNIZE, each reflecting his commitment to amplifying diverse voices and fostering creative communities.

His design work, advocacy, and projects have garnered acclaim from leading organizations and publications, including Apple, Adobe, NPR, Forbes, and Fast Company. Most recently, in 2025, he was honored as one of the Eames Institute's Curious 100, recognizing his innovative contributions to reframing perspectives, amplifying voices, and inspiring action. He served as the Maryland Institute College of Art's 2021 William O. Steinmetz designer-in-residence, and in 2018, he received the Steven Heller Prize for Cultural Commentary from AIGA, was named one of GDUSA’s “People to Watch,” and was included in The Root 100, their annual list of the most influential African-Americans ages 25 to 45. That same year, Creative Loafing Atlanta recognized him as one of their Influentials in the fields of business and technology. Earlier in his career, Maurice was named one of Atlanta’s “Power 30 Under 30″ in Science and Technology by the Apex Society and was selected as one of HP’s “50 Tech Tastemakers” in collaboration with Black Web 2.0. He is also a valued executive member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.

Maurice’s approach to design strategy, problem solving, and his foundation in analytical thinking stems from his studies at Morehouse College, where he earned a degree in Mathematics.

Maurice Cherry is an award-winning creative visionary who works as a writer, designer, strategist, voice actor, and storyteller. As principal and creative director of Lunch, the award-winning multidisciplinary studio he founded in 2008, he empowers c... Show more

Stacey Kemp

Stacey Kemp

I started beadwork when I was 12 years old and I've just never stopped.
Beadwork is quite a slow craft which is all part of it's charm.
Choose the project, the beads, the threading materials and how you'll finish it then take your time to achieve a piece that has your intent woven into it !

I started beadwork when I was 12 years old and I've just never stopped. Beadwork is quite a slow craft which is all part of it's charm. Choose the project, the beads, the threading materials and how you'll finish it then take your time to achieve ... Show more

Jenifer Pepen Aquino

Jenifer Pepen Aquino

Jenifer Pepen, also known as SirenAi and La Sirena, is a first-generation American of Dominican descent. As President and Co-Founder of One Love Art DAO and owner of One Love Digital Gallery in Miami, she is dedicated to supporting artists through exhibitions, education, and community building on a global scale.

Deeply involved in creating, curating, and fostering connections within the arts, Jenifer's own artistic practice explores themes of spirituality, mythology, history, relationships, and her Latina heritage. Her work is shaped by a multicultural perspective and a belief in the power of art to bridge cultures and experiences.

What began as a passion for collecting NFTs evolved into a career as a recognized artist, curator, and ecosystem builder within the digital art space. As a public speaker, writer, and advocate for artists, Jenifer is committed to expanding opportunities for creators and cultivating inclusive communities where art, technology, and human connection intersect.

Jenifer Pepen, also known as SirenAi and La Sirena, is a first-generation American of Dominican descent. As President and Co-Founder of One Love Art DAO and owner of One Love Digital Gallery in Miami, she is dedicated to supporting artists through ex... Show more

Chris Reina

Chris Reina

Chris Reina has been involved in education since 2002, technology since 1981 and Making since 1971. (You do the maths). He is CCO (Chief Cardboard Officer) of MakerMeet.ie - who deliver Maker-led, project-based S.T.E.A.M. workshops nationwide to primary, secondary, third-level and other institutions.

He feels passionately that education is the most important thing in the world and that teaching using Maker skills is the most rewarding job there is.

Chris loves cats, kayaking, kite-flying, steampunk, pedantic semantics and knowing the meanings of ligatures, aglets, gallibanders and lexiphanic.

Chris Reina has been involved in education since 2002, technology since 1981 and Making since 1971. (You do the maths). He is CCO (Chief Cardboard Officer) of MakerMeet.ie - who deliver Maker-led, project-based S.T.E.A.M. workshops nationwide to prim... Show more

Camille Roux

Camille Roux

Démarrant ma carrière en tant que développeur web, je me suis rapidement spécialisé dans l’univers Ruby on Rails. Entrepreneur dans l’âme, il y a dizaine d’années, j’ai créé Human Coders (https://www.humancoders.com/), un centre de formation pour développeuses et développeurs.
Enfin, récemment, j’ai exploré ma facette artistique en m’immergeant dans l’art génératif, mêlant technologie et esthétique. J’adore partager et échanger autour de mes expériences et découvertes.

Démarrant ma carrière en tant que développeur web, je me suis rapidement spécialisé dans l’univers Ruby on Rails. Entrepreneur dans l’âme, il y a dizaine d’années, j’ai créé Human Coders (https://www.humancoders.com/), un centre de formation pour dév... Show more

Frank Poncelet

Frank Poncelet

Frank is a seasoned programmer with more than three decades of experience. He has been involved in the NFT space since early 2021, during which time he has developed over 40 smart contracts for a variety of projects. Frank is recognized as a thought leader in the field of low gas contracts and has presented on this topic at several conferences. In addition, Frank has a passion for exploring the possibilities of soulbound tokens, which have the potential to revolutionise the way we think about digital identity. With his deep knowledge and innovative ideas, Frank is always striving to push the boundaries of what is possible with NFTs and soulbound tokens.

Frank is a seasoned programmer with more than three decades of experience. He has been involved in the NFT space since early 2021, during which time he has developed over 40 smart contracts for a variety of projects. Frank is recognized as a thought ... Show more

Kim B Miller

Kim B Miller

Kim B Miller is a TEDx speaker, Poet Laureate Emerita, and former corporate executive redefining leadership through bold storytelling, spoken word, and real-world experience.

She challenges audiences to rethink accountability, recognition, and workplace culture while drawing on her extensive experience in parenting and family facilitation to provide insights into communication, coaching, and guiding individuals through complex challenges.

Kim delivered keynotes at the Women’s Leadership Summit at Rochester Institute of Technology, the S.E.A.L. Awards at Northern Virginia Community College, and the YMS B.O.L.D. Moves™ Conference 2026. She has also performed internationally in Paris, France, and on stages such as The Atlas Performing Arts Center (DC) and La Peña Cultural Center (CA).

A dynamic facilitator, Kim leads interactive workshops on leadership, communication, storytelling, culture, and personal growth equipping audiences with practical strategies and unforgettable experiences that drive lasting impact.

Kim B Miller is a TEDx speaker, Poet Laureate Emerita, and former corporate executive redefining leadership through bold storytelling, spoken word, and real-world experience. She challenges audiences to rethink accountability, recognition, and wor... Show more

Rex Rainey

Rex Rainey

Rex Rainey is a creative director, designer, and illustrator based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He specializes in branding, UX design, and illustration. Since 2005, he's combined these skills to develop creative solutions that are engaging, exciting, and effective.

Rex Rainey is a creative director, designer, and illustrator based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He specializes in branding, UX design, and illustration. Since 2005, he's combined these skills to develop creative solutions that are engaging, exciting, a... Show more

Ashwin Tahiliani

Ashwin Tahiliani

Ashwin Tahiliani is an Architect-Urban Designer by qualification, storyteller by passion and a founder by the pandemic!
In his previous life, he helped plan walkable neighbourhoods, a Ladakhi university and revival of urban lakes. But then the pandemic hit… and his projects went kaput :( With work at a standstill, he started on a journey called 'ATLASkeeda' - with a mission to tell stories from India and the world everyday.
Today, ATLASkeeda has evolved into a design studio, and with his team, he helps brands and people tell stories visually.
Funny, he was once introduced as a "drawer!"

Ashwin Tahiliani is an Architect-Urban Designer by qualification, storyteller by passion and a founder by the pandemic! In his previous life, he helped plan walkable neighbourhoods, a Ladakhi university and revival of urban lakes. But then the pande... Show more

Stelvin Saji

Stelvin Saji

I’m a Full-Stack Developer with 2+ years of experience building high-performance, pixel-perfect web applications that combine engineering precision with creative expression. I specialize in developing responsive, scalable systems with a strong focus on UI, motion, and real-time interactivity, crafting experiences that are not only functional but intuitive and visually refined across devices. Currently working at Remote, I contribute to distributed systems that support global teams, building reliable, production-grade applications in a fully remote, async-first environment. This has strengthened my ability to design scalable solutions, collaborate across time zones, and deliver consistently in high-impact engineering workflows.

Alongside my professional work, I’m the founder of MorphAi, a creative AI initiative focused on real-time facial transformation systems, feature-level morphing, and expressive visual experiences powered by modern web technologies and computer vision. It explores the intersection of identity, security, and human-centered interaction. I actively contribute to the tech ecosystem as an author, researcher, and speaker. I’ve published multiple books and research papers centered around interactive UI systems, animation, and AI-driven experiences. My published works include Expressive Emojis: Adding Playful Expressions with HTML, CSS & JS, as well as titles from The Prompt Engineer’s Bible series, including The Complete Prompt Master Manual, Mastering AI Engineering: Prompt Frameworks for the Elite Developer, and The Claude Finance Playbook: Structured Prompts for Investment Banking, Valuation & Deal Strategy. These publications are available worldwide across major platforms, reaching a global audience of developers, engineers, and creators.

I spoke at Nerdearla in Santiago, Chile, where I presented The Hidden Potential of Face Morphing, focusing on its implications for security, identity, and modern digital systems. I’ve also been recognized as a Top 50 Global Thought Leader by Thinkers360 for my contributions to technology, AI, and developer education. In addition, I’m the creator of Smart Coding, a newsletter that breaks down advanced concepts in HTML Canvas, UI animation, and interactive systems into practical, real-world insights for developers. Beyond engineering, my work is influenced by photography, cinema, and storytelling, shaping how I approach motion, composition, and user experience. I view development as both a technical and creative process, focused on building systems that are intuitive, expressive, and impactful.

I’m a Full-Stack Developer with 2+ years of experience building high-performance, pixel-perfect web applications that combine engineering precision with creative expression. I specialize in developing responsive, scalable systems with a strong focus ... Show more

Celina Del Turco

Celina Del Turco

Celina is a software developer, educator, and artist based in Argentina. She teaches private programming classes and hands-on workshops where she helps beginners build confidence with technology from the very first step. Her work blends technical depth with a strong understanding of how people learn, especially those with little or no digital background.

She has experience in backend development, educational tools, and introductory programming training. Across all her projects, she focuses on clarity, accessibility, and meaningful learning experiences. Celina is passionate about bridging the gap between technical knowledge and human understanding — whether through teaching, building tools, or creating content for new learners.

Outside of engineering, she explores dance and visual arts, which influence her creative approach to problem-solving and communication. She believes that technical work benefits from intuition, empathy, and the courage to experiment.

Celina is a software developer, educator, and artist based in Argentina. She teaches private programming classes and hands-on workshops where she helps beginners build confidence with technology from the very first step. Her work blends technical dep... Show more

Trixi Fey

Trixi Fey

Cartographer at heart. Map designer by craft. Leader by experience.
With 23 years in the industry, I bridge design and development, turning complexity into clarity. I bring both hands-on expertise and leadership experience—guiding teams, shaping products, and staying endlessly curious along the way.

Cartographer at heart. Map designer by craft. Leader by experience. With 23 years in the industry, I bridge design and development, turning complexity into clarity. I bring both hands-on expertise and leadership experience—guiding teams, shaping pro... Show more

Abena Camara

Abena Camara

Safiyatou “Abena” Camara

Executive Director & President, WONTANARA Inc
Co-Founder • Cultural Arts Master • Business Consultant • Youth Development Specialist

Abena Camara is a business consultant, cultural arts leader, and third-generation cultural bearer with nearly a decade of experience helping creatives and community-driven organizations build sustainable, funded work. She serves as Executive Director and President of WONTANARA Inc, where she leads arts education, community programming, and organizational strategy rooted in West African cultural traditions.

Immersed in cultural arts since age three, Abena brings over 20 years of professional artistry, 15 years of intensive West African cultural training, and deep lineage-based knowledge passed down through master teachers, historians, griots, and elders. Her grandfather founded the first performing company in Guinea, West Africa, and helped introduce West African master artists to the United States—a legacy Abena continues through WONTANARA’s programs and global partnerships. Her multidisciplinary training spans West African dance, ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, and music composition and production, allowing her to bridge tradition and innovation with integrity.

Alongside her artistic leadership, Abena brings strong business and funding expertise. While pursuing a degree in Business Administration at Georgia State University, she served as an executive intern for a popular men’s grooming company, helping generate $1.1 million in revenue within its first year. That experience launched her career as a consultant, where she has spent nearly nine years advising organizations on operations, funding strategy, and growth.

Through WONTANARA Inc and her consulting work, Abena has secured over $200,000 in grants and sponsorships, including support for WONTANARA Percussions, the world’s first Black-owned instrument factory based in Africa. She has also led the development of WONTANARA Festival, securing city-wide sponsorship and building a thriving cultural platform. Her consulting practice maintains a 92% client retention rate, and she has helped more than 10 clients secure government funding within their first year of business.

Abena’s work sits at the intersection of creativity, community, and capital. She is passionate about demystifying funding systems and empowering creatives and community leaders to move from passion projects to sustainable, paid impact—without compromising their values.

Safiyatou “Abena” Camara Executive Director & President, WONTANARA Inc Co-Founder • Cultural Arts Master • Business Consultant • Youth Development Specialist Abena Camara is a business consultant, cultural arts leader, and third-generation cul... Show more

Valerija Strutinskaja

Valerija Strutinskaja

Valerija je inženjerka tekstilne tehnologije. Čita SF i fantasy oduvijek i jedan od hobija je obilazak konvencija po Hrvatskoj i svijetu.
Kreativne radionice održava s ciljem upoznavanje djece i odraslih sa novim materijalima i ostalim zanimljivostima iz područja hobija i likovnosti.

Valerija je inženjerka tekstilne tehnologije. Čita SF i fantasy oduvijek i jedan od hobija je obilazak konvencija po Hrvatskoj i svijetu. Kreativne radionice održava s ciljem upoznavanje djece i odraslih sa novim materijalima i ostalim zanimljivost... Show more

Joy Hopkins

Joy Hopkins

Joy Hopkins (she/they) has more than 15 years of experience in education. After an extensive career in the nonprofit sector, they transitioned to tech about 9 years ago. Joy has a deep background in the performing arts which is the foundation for both their communication and project management skills. Their data science expertise and passion lie primarily in data literacy, visualization, and storytelling. Joy has a Bachelor’s degree from James Madison University and a Master’s degree from American University.

Joy Hopkins (she/they) has more than 15 years of experience in education. After an extensive career in the nonprofit sector, they transitioned to tech about 9 years ago. Joy has a deep background in the performing arts which is the foundation for bot... Show more

Richard Essangabasi

Richard Essangabasi

Richard Essangabasi Israel, also known as The Content Chef, is a 23 year old Entrepreneur, Investor, Speaker, and Business developer from Nigeria. He works at the intersection of storytelling, technology, and business growth, and his work is driven by a simple belief: if it can be told, it can be sold. At 23, he has founded or co-founded nine ventures, each born from real problems he experienced himself like bad campus food, unreliable internet, lack of access and lack of funding for student founders. He is the Founder and CEO of The Shard Group LTD, a conglomerate that houses other subsidiary companies including Shard Network, a satellite powered campus ISP for African campuses, Shard Media Production, and Shard Builders Residency. His other ventures include Offar, a DeFi toolkit for African businesses and developers, The Messangs, a silent luxury menswear brand, Orex Prime, an Content/Media production company, and Campus Pitch Africa, a pan-African Shark Tank style pitch competition that funds student entrepreneurs. He serves as the lead investor for Campus Pitch Africa and is currently building MAI Fund, a venture capital firm focused on pre-seed and seed investments in African SMEs. He is also developing Stable Pesa, a fintech company that aims to help people across Africa achieve financial peace of mind, though it is still in development.

As a creative director and filmmaker, Richard has spent over five years mastering visual storytelling. He is the co-founder of Orex Prime, where he uses blockchain technology to help African filmmakers create and fund high quality movies. He has successfully raised over $10,000 for film projects from global partners including The Sandbox DAO, Uglycash and Base. His work has earned international awards and has been screened at major film festivals in the United Kingdom, New York, and Nigeria. He also hosts The Founders Archive, an ambitious project to film and document the stories of one million business owners around the world. He travels to different cities to record the struggles and wins of entrepreneurs, saving their lessons in a digital library for others to learn from.

As a public speaker, Richard does not deliver motivational fluff. He shares practical and honest insights drawn from five years of experience across media, Web3, entrepreneurship, and African innovation. He has spoken on global stages hosted by Google, Solana, Figma, SheFi and Ethereum at events including Figma Config, Eth Enugu, Web3 Lagos Conference, Solana Allstars Meetup, GDG EKET, ENB Onchain Summer Lagos, Devconnect Base Demo Day in Argentina, SheFi Nigeria,, Borderless 2.0/3.0 and NACOS Week 25. His speaking style is straightforward and focused on what actually works rather than what sounds good.

In business development, marketing, and sales, Richard brings over three years of hands on experience. He currently serves as the Marketing Lead and Growth Strategist at Bitsave Protocol, a decentralized savings platform focused on providing secure financial solutions and advancing DeFi adoption for global users. He helps small and medium sized businesses grow by building partnerships, revenue systems, and operational structures that actually scale. Before Bitsave, he led marketing for iLabs Nigeria, an AI Engineering Startup advancing AI chatbot adoption for SMEs founded by Alumni’s of the AI Class of 2023 at the European Business University of Luxembourg. He also served as Director of Socials for the Nigeria Association of Computing Students at Akwa Ibom State University, where he managed student engagement and organized high profile events including the NACOS Week 25 Conference. He was the campus lead for Cowrywise in 2024 and also served as a co-campus lead for Solana Allstars. He served as Regional Lead and Visual Creative Director for For The Love of DeFi, leading community growth, regional expansion, and Web3 adoption while helping organize the Innovate 25 Conference as Visual/Creative Director.

Richard studied filmmaking under a Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at the Kunle Afolayan Film and Television Academy. He has also worked as a festival curator for the Uyo International Theatre and Film Festival and as co-lead for GDGoc Aksu. His mission is simple and consistent: to support the people who take real risks to build meaningful businesses, and to help young Africans share their stories and succeed on a global stage.

Richard Essangabasi Israel, also known as The Content Chef, is a 23 year old Entrepreneur, Investor, Speaker, and Business developer from Nigeria. He works at the intersection of storytelling, technology, and business growth, and his work is driven b... Show more

Helen Millar

Helen Millar

Helen Millar is a speaker, emotional intelligence consultant and transformation coach helping leaders, founders and organisations build the inner capacity to thrive in the age of AI.

With nearly two decades of international coaching experience, an award-winning acting career and a profound personal healing journey, Helen brings rare depth to conversations about leadership, change, resilience and human potential. Her work sits at the intersection of emotional fitness, conscious leadership, communication, psychology, money, faith and strategy.

Helen is a regular speaker at Oxford, Cambridge and London Business Schools, has been featured on the Discovery Channel across three continents, and is the founder of Helen Millar, Hearty.Company and Heart Healer®. Through Hearty, her consultancy brand, she works with organisations and executive teams on emotional intelligence, leadership presence and the human skills AI cannot replace.

Her signature keynote, Emotional Fitness is the Leadership Edge in the Age of AI, explores why the future will not belong to the most intelligent machines alone, but to the most emotionally intelligent leaders. As technology accelerates, leaders need more than strategy, systems and skills. They need nervous system capacity, discernment, authenticity, relational intelligence and the ability to meet uncertainty without collapse or control.

Helen also speaks powerfully on healing your relationship with money, self-worth and change, particularly for female founders, creatives and high-achieving professionals whose external success has outpaced their internal stability. Having transformed her own life from self-sabotage, ill health and financial scarcity into a thriving portfolio of meaningful work, property, investment and global impact, Helen does not speak about transformation as theory. She has lived it.

Her approach combines emotional intelligence, psychological insight, spiritual wisdom and grounded business acumen through her Head to Heart Living and Head to Heart Leadership frameworks. The result is work that is intelligent, human, practical and deeply transformational.

Helen’s talks are ideal for organisations, leadership events, women’s leadership programmes, founder communities, wellbeing conferences and future-of-work conversations seeking a speaker who can bring emotional depth, commercial relevance and a powerful human perspective to the age of AI.

Helen Millar is a speaker, emotional intelligence consultant and transformation coach helping leaders, founders and organisations build the inner capacity to thrive in the age of AI. With nearly two decades of international coaching experience, an... Show more

Gabriel Boscan

Gabriel Boscan

I’m Gabriel Boscán, born in Maracaibo, Venezuela,
and based in Buenos Aires since 2009.

Over the years, I’ve developed a way of working that values clarity, intention, and balance. I’m passionate about shaping brands with consistency, where every detail has a purpose and every decision supports a bigger vision.

WHAM Studio is my personal platform—a space where I combine the best of two cultures to create work that is both structured and expressive.

I’m Gabriel Boscán, born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, and based in Buenos Aires since 2009. Over the years, I’ve developed a way of working that values clarity, intention, and balance. I’m passionate about shaping brands with consistency, where every... Show more

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