I came to experience design through film. Trained at the National Institute of Design, shaped by years of making documentaries where the only measure of success was whether a stranger felt something real. One of those films taught me that the most powerful moment is never the one you manufacture, it's the one you leave room for. That instinct is what I bring to product and experience design now.

I came to experience design through film. Trained at the National Institute of Design, shaped by years of making documentaries where the only measure of success was whether a stranger felt something real. One of those films taught me that the most po... Show more

Howard Podeswa is a thought leader in the intersection of agile and business analysis, and a widely requested speaker at international BA and agile events, including BA & Beyond (2025, 2023), BA Istanbul 2021 (Keynote), BA World Boston 2024, PMI Silicon Valley 2023, European BA World (Frankfurt) and Norway Developers Conference (NDC). For over twenty years, he has been helping large organizations optimize their BA and product ownership practices for agile software development. He is a widely-read author whose books have become staple references, most recently: The Agile Guide to Business Analysis and Planning From Strategic Plan to Continuous Value Delivery (Addison-Wesley, 2021). Other works include UML for the IT Business Analyst, and The Business Analyst’s Handbook.

Through his company, Noble Inc., he has served clients worldwide, including ISO, Moody’s, the Mayo Clinic, TELUS, REI, LabCorp and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). He has been an adviser to professional-association initiatives, including PMI’s Guide to Business Analysis, the BABOK and IIBA’s Nimble program, and has recently been collaborating with Ivar Jacobson International on The Story Mapping Gameboard - a new resource hosted on a free version of Essence Workbench.

Alongside his work in software development, Podeswa is also a practicing, professional artist whose work has been shown extensively in commercial and public galleries, and featured in leading art journals including Art Forum, MOMUS and International Architecture and Design. Podeswa’s work often begins with personal history as a catalyst for meditations on art historical legacy, physics, theories of perception and the state of the world. His paintings are held in numerous private and public collections including BMO Financial Group (Canada), Luciano Benetton Collection (Italy) and Ciba-Geigy AG (Basel).

Contacts/Links
• To contact Howard for speaking engagements, training and coaching services, please email howardpodeswa@nobleinc.ca or message him on LinkedIn @howardpodeswa
• Courses and Webinars: www.nobleinc.ca
• Art and BA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mvBLDeHnSw

Art links:

• Art home page: https://www.howardpodeswa.com
• Art Forum review: https://www.artforum.com/events/howard-podeswa-251083/
• Public exhibition - A Brief History: https://www.kofflerarts.org/whatson/exhibitions/exhibition/a-brief-history

Howard Podeswa is a thought leader in the intersection of agile and business analysis, and a widely requested speaker at international BA and agile events, including BA & Beyond (2025, 2023), BA Istanbul 2021 (Keynote), BA World Boston 2024, PMI Sili... Show more

Thao Tran is a visionary entrepreneur, digital wellness leader and marketing strategist with over 15 years of global experience shaping campaigns for some of the world’s most recognized brands. She is the Founder & CEO of Ditox, a pioneering digital wellness company that helps businesses, families and individuals reclaim control over their digital lives.

Thao holds a Bachelor of Business & Commerce from Monash University and has further studied Podiatry, Arts, Branding and Psychology at La Trobe University, Monash University and The University of Virginia. Her career spans senior roles in digital content and marketing strategy for global organizations including Qatar Airways, Pearson, L'Oréal Paris and Maybelline New York. Her campaigns have consistently delivered industry-leading results, including record-breaking engagement rates and market share growth.

As a keynote speaker and mental health advocate, Thao has presented on international stages including Google, Women Who Code, Insight Academy and the International Families & Fathers Conference in Los Angeles, where she champions digital wellbeing, mental resilience and inclusive leadership. She also coaches the next generation of leaders as an industry mentor at La Trobe University and is a guest judge for the international Daddying Film Festival & Forum.

Born in Melbourne to Vietnamese refugee parents, Thao brings a unique lens of resilience, inclusion, and creativity to everything she does. Her leadership has earned her recognition as a Finalist in the Australian Small Business Champion Awards and her work has been endorsed by global thought leaders.

Beyond business, Thao is a multidisciplinary creative who has trained in script analysis and presenting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), The Acting Career Center, The Actor's Station, The Hub Studio, performed internationally and has appeared in campaigns and productions including Every Bit Different, the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Sports Entertainment Network, White Fever, Gnomes, and All Her Fault. Her creative and marketing work has been featured in prominent media outlets including The Herald Sun, The Sydney Morning Herald, WHO Magazine, NBCUniversal, BBC, ABC, 3AW, National Library of Australia, United States Tennis Association, Digital Entrepreneur, Voyage LA, Fact Magazine and Business Times Journal, reflecting her influence across media, wellness and creative industries. Her experience in the creative industry inspired her to found Ditox, where she now focuses on digital wellbeing, mental health and fostering human connection across communities, including programs that address mental strength and artist wellbeing.

A visionary entrepreneur and creative leader, Thao inspires audiences to reimagine human connection in the digital age. She has lead Ditox and shaping global brands across Australia, London, New York, Los Angeles, and the Middle East and continues to bridge innovation, wellness and digital culture worldwide.

Currently based in Australia, her company Ditox will be expanding in the United States in 2026/2027.

Thao Tran is a visionary entrepreneur, digital wellness leader and marketing strategist with over 15 years of global experience shaping campaigns for some of the world’s most recognized brands. She is the Founder & CEO of Ditox, a pioneering digital ... Show more

Anna Kovalova is a fantasy writer and a content writer from Kyiv, Ukraine. She currently lives in Zadar due to the war. Her debut novel of the fantasy comedy book series “Smartcharms” was published in 2024. Her fantasy YA novel “Dark seas” is scheduled for publication next year. She writes articles on European speculative fiction for Star Fort, Ukraine's oldest science fiction community .

Anna Kovalova is a fantasy writer and a content writer from Kyiv, Ukraine. She currently lives in Zadar due to the war. Her debut novel of the fantasy comedy book series “Smartcharms” was published in 2024. Her fantasy YA novel “Dark seas” is schedul... Show more

Frank Malaba is a multidisciplinary artist, storyteller, photographer, and creative facilitator working between Oslo, Norway and Cape Town, South Africa. His work moves fluidly across theatre, performance, poetry, and natural light photography, guided by a central question: How does the body remember, and what stories does it insist on carrying?

Drawing from Southern African oral traditions, queer lived experience, and a deep commitment to dignity and presence, Frank creates narrative spaces where memory becomes a form of knowledge. His solo works, including Stories of My Bones and The Chaos of Belonging, have toured internationally, inviting audiences into intimate encounters with ancestry, identity, and the quiet rituals that shape us.

As a photographer, Frank documents everyday rituals and marginalised lives with tenderness and clarity. His 2025 exhibition Rituals opened in Cape Town to critical acclaim, and his ongoing project I Met a Mermaid explores African water spirituality, homelessness, and the ocean as a site of survival and myth.

He is also the founder and curator of Uncovered: Stories in Oslo (Avdekket: Fortellinger i Oslo), a live storytelling platform centred on true, lived narratives. His facilitation practice blends embodiment, listening, and community building, creating spaces where people can speak from the truth of their lived experience.

Across all mediums, Frank works from the belief that storytelling is not performance, it is presence, witness, and a return to the body as archive.

Frank Malaba is a multidisciplinary artist, storyteller, photographer, and creative facilitator working between Oslo, Norway and Cape Town, South Africa. His work moves fluidly across theatre, performance, poetry, and natural light photography, guide... Show more

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

Teresa Potts is a Quality/Engineering Leader, Agile Coach, certified Scrum Master, and Quality Engineer. She has been in the software industry for over 18 years.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in music, she got into tech because someone took a chance on her. She took that chance and ran with it. She has worked in the insurance, marketing & advertising, real estate, and financial industries.

Once in the field, she earned an Associate’s degree in Computer Programming and a Master of Business Administration in Engineering Management. Always learning, she also earned a Scrum Master certification and Google Project Management certificate.

In 2025, she created her own tech consulting company, Stir the Pott Consulting, LLC. She currently works as an Agile Coach for Youngsoft Inc.

She enjoys being a part of tech groups in her community and beyond. She plays the viola in the Mason Symphony Orchestra, is a member of the Michigan Motor Maids (women’s motorcycle riding club), and is a dog owner. She volunteers as a Lucid Legend, author/editor for Kprofiles.com (kpop website), and Wikipedia for topics she cares about.

Teresa Potts is a Quality/Engineering Leader, Agile Coach, certified Scrum Master, and Quality Engineer. She has been in the software industry for over 18 years. After earning a bachelor’s degree in music, she got into tech because someone took a... Show more

Rahul Bhattacharya is a design educator, writer and curator working across visual culture, pedagogy, and technology. His practice spans design, writing, and curation, with a sustained engagement in art history, semiotics, and the politics of form. He writes across academic research, editorial platforms, and long-form reflections on visual culture, performance, and emerging technologies, while his curatorial work extends into public space through exhibitions, workshops, and performance platforms. He is a co-founder of the Kolkata International Performance Art Festival and Nine Schools of Art, both grounded in collective learning and co-creation.

As Assistant Dean, Communication Design, at UID Gandhinagar, he leads curriculum design and academic strategy, building transdisciplinary frameworks that connect design, culture, and critical thinking. His work with AI through dotai develops systems that act as analytical and ethical companions, foregrounding interpretation, memory, and cultural specificity. Through teaching, tool-building, and collaborative labs, his practice focuses on how designers think, decide, and work within evolving technological conditions

Rahul Bhattacharya is a design educator, writer and curator working across visual culture, pedagogy, and technology. His practice spans design, writing, and curation, with a sustained engagement in art history, semiotics, and the politics of form. He... Show more

I am a low-code/no-code developer with strong expertise in designing and implementing intelligent agents built with Copilot Studio.
At Cloudia Research Spa, I work within the Innovation team, where I design AI solutions aimed at improving processes, automations, and decision‑making models.
I focus on:

-designing agents in Copilot Studio
-multi‑agent architectures and A2A patterns
-AI‑driven process orchestration
-integration between Copilot Studio, Power Platform, and Microsoft Fabric
-governance, security, and enterprise applications of generative AI

I have presented my projects at the Microsoft AI Conference at Microsoft House (Milan), where I showcased real‑world use cases and practical approaches for responsible and effective AI adoption in organizations.
As a speaker, I deliver highly practical content, including demos, architectures, and ready‑to‑use solutions, with the goal of helping companies embrace a conscious and productive use of Artificial Intelligence.

Besides my passion for technology, I am also a rock musician. Music is a fundamental part of my life and offers me a space to express my creativity.
I love being alone and believe that time spent in solitude is essential for recharging and cultivating new ideas. This allows me to approach each project with renewed enthusiasm and dedication.

I am a low-code/no-code developer with strong expertise in designing and implementing intelligent agents built with Copilot Studio. At Cloudia Research Spa, I work within the Innovation team, where I design AI solutions aimed at improving processes,... Show more

📌Professional Fashion and Prints Designer with Russian and Italian education
📌Member of Botanical Art Society
📌Curator of fashion events and exhibitions
📌Scientific researcher in fashion and Arts, Master of Fashion design
📌Ambassador of Fashion Education

📌Professional Fashion and Prints Designer with Russian and Italian education 📌Member of Botanical Art Society 📌Curator of fashion events and exhibitions 📌Scientific researcher in fashion and Arts, Master of Fashion design 📌Ambassador of Fas... Show more

William A. “Bill” Smith is a playwright, theatre maker, author, and founder of Upstart Raven, LLC. A retired attorney, Navy veteran, and alumnus of The University of Houston and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Bill brings more than four decades of experience in writing, acting, directing, producing, law, and building practical resources for theatre educators.

He is the creator of The Drama Desk and author of The Drama Teacher’s Desk, a practical method for helping drama teachers manage the full life of a school theatre program: productions, students, auditions, calendars, permissions, budgets, safety notes, parent communication, student leadership, archives, and program continuity.

Bill’s central message is simple: school theatre teachers are not “just directing a show.” They are running a living educational program, often with professional-level responsibilities but school-level time, budget, staffing, and support. His sessions help theatre educators move critical work out of one exhausted adult’s head and into shared, repeatable practices that protect the art, the students, and the teacher.

Bill’s play Lox and Loaded was named Overall Winner of the 2023 International Playwriting Competition in Carlow, Ireland. His work blends practical theatre experience, clear organizational thinking, and a deep respect for the strange, funny, human work that happens behind the curtain.

William A. “Bill” Smith is a playwright, theatre maker, author, and founder of Upstart Raven, LLC. A retired attorney, Navy veteran, and alumnus of The University of Houston and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Bill brings more than four decade... Show more

Alberto Lucas López is a Spanish-born journalist who, since 2016, has served as Senior Artist – New Narratives at National Geographic Magazine. In this role, he specializes in the development of innovative approaches to visual storytelling and graphic journalism. His individual work has been honored with more than 200 international awards from Webby, SPD, WAN-IFRA, IIBA, DJA Global Editors Network, SND and CaGIS, among other organizations. It is worth highlighting he has been awarded with the Best of Show Malofiej—that distinguishes the best infographic in the world published of the year—, two Human Rights Award Malofiej, the Best Map of the World Miguel Urabayen Award, and the Impressive Individual Award from Information Is Beautiful Awards. Occasionally, he serves as a jury in journalistic contests such as the Premio GABO, WAN-IFRA World Media Awards or the Society of Publishers in Asia Awards, and leads talks and workshops internationally on visual storytelling.

Prior to joining National Geographic, he was Graphics Director at Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Society for News Design and, in recent years, has devoted a significant portion of his time to doctoral research in Arts and Education. He also regularly delivers international lectures and leads workshops on visual storytelling.

Alberto Lucas López is a Spanish-born journalist who, since 2016, has served as Senior Artist – New Narratives at National Geographic Magazine. In this role, he specializes in the development of innovative approaches to visual storytelling and graphi... Show more

Angie is a multidisciplinary educator, director, and wellness innovator whose work brings together neuroscience, awareness, and the performing arts through Learning HOW to Age™. This curriculum-based program integrates research on brain health with experiential practices from acting, voice, and movement, offering engaging, skill-based approaches to lifelong vitality and presence.

She serves as administrator for the Expressive Avenues Wellness YouTube channel, where she shares lessons designed to support active, independent aging. Angie holds an MFA from the University of Louisville and brings decades of experience in education, performing, directing, and media production. Angie leads experiential breakout sessions at aging conferences like the National Council on Aging, sharing results from a two-year implementation of Learning HOW to Age™ with independent living adults averaging 81 years old. She will present “Learning HOW to Age™: An Experiential, Intergenerational Program—Skills for Every Generation” for the first time at the Mid-Atlantic Intergenerational Conference, expanding the curriculum into an actionable intergenerational model across the lifespan.

A survivor of a catastrophic car accident, Angie chronicles her journey through coma and back into consciousness in her memoir Emerging: From Coma to Presence. With honesty, humor, and candor, she reflects on what she encountered in that liminal space and later with a numinous bearded iris—offering a deeply human perspective on resilience, awareness, and what it means to truly be present.

Angie is a multidisciplinary educator, director, and wellness innovator whose work brings together neuroscience, awareness, and the performing arts through Learning HOW to Age™. This curriculum-based program integrates research on brain health with e... Show more

Design, for me, has always been a way to make complexity feel human.

I’m Gauri Thakur, a UI/UX and Product Designer with experience across India and the UK. I focus on creating experiences that are intuitive, accessible, and built with clarity helping people navigate products without friction and with intent. I enjoy seeing ideas move from concept to reality, especially when they meaningfully improve how someone interacts with a system or achieves their goal.

My journey into design started early, driven by curiosity more than structure. I learned by building, experimenting, and observing—before formally studying UX in the UK, where I completed my Master’s with distinction while navigating the realities of funding my own education. That experience shaped not just my design practice, but how I approach problem-solving with resilience, adaptability, and a strong sense of ownership.

Today, I bring together research, systems thinking, and creative problem-solving to design products that don’t just work, but make sense. I’m particularly interested in accessibility, user psychology, and how design decisions scale across real-world contexts. Outside of work, I find inspiration in philosophy, sketching, cooking, and long conversations and I spend time mentoring students, supporting them as they find their own path into design.

Design, for me, has always been a way to make complexity feel human. I’m Gauri Thakur, a UI/UX and Product Designer with experience across India and the UK. I focus on creating experiences that are intuitive, accessible, and built with clarity hel... Show more

Cecil Castellucci is the award winning and New York Times Bestselling author of books and graphic novels for young adults including Shade, The Changing Girl, Boy Proof, The Plain Janes, Soupy Leaves Home, The Year of the Beasts, Tin Star, Female Furies and Odd Duck. In 2015 they co-authored Star Wars Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure. She has also written Batgirl for DC Comics. Their newest graphic novel is Shifting Earth out on Dark Horse Comics. Her short stories and short comics have been published in Strange Horizons, Tor.com, and many other anthologies. In a former life, she was known as Cecil Seaskull in the ‘90s indie band Nerdy Girl. She has written three opera librettos Les Aventures de Madame Merveille (World Premiere in 2010) Hockey Noir: The Opera (World Premiere 2018) and Metternich! The Language of Flowers (World Premiere 2021). They are the former Children’s Correspondence Coordinator for The Rumpus, a two-time MacDowell Fellow, and the founding YA Editor at the LA Review of Books. They are currently doing an exquisite corpse endurance performance art project I Am The Comic Book. They live in Montreal.

Cecil Castellucci is the award winning and New York Times Bestselling author of books and graphic novels for young adults including Shade, The Changing Girl, Boy Proof, The Plain Janes, Soupy Leaves Home, The Year of the Beasts, Tin Star, Female Furi... Show more

Deborah Anderson has extensive experience in the animation industry as an Assistant Editor, Production Coordinator, and 3D modeler. She started her career at one of the premier animation studios in Seoul, South Korea at Digital eMation. While at Digital eMation, she modeled props, vehicles, and backgrounds on television shows such as Family Guy, The Cleveland Show, Batman: The Brave and The Bold, Scooby-Doo, and The LeBrons. She's recently finished an Assistant Editor trainee program at Skybound Entertainment on Amazon Prime's Invincible. She also has a YouTube channel, BlkWmnAnimator, where she interviews animation professionals.

Deborah Anderson has extensive experience in the animation industry as an Assistant Editor, Production Coordinator, and 3D modeler. She started her career at one of the premier animation studios in Seoul, South Korea at Digital eMation. While at Digi... Show more

I'm a comic artist from Toronto who draws a lot of gay positive comics, and self publish my work! I'm also the suiter of MarshmallowMaw!

I'm a comic artist from Toronto who draws a lot of gay positive comics, and self publish my work! I'm also the suiter of MarshmallowMaw! Show more

Iwo Plaza is a software engineer & artist, trying to incorporate art into every project he gets his hands on. He's passionate about graphics programming and softening the learning curve for future developers trying to get into it.

He is currently working at Software Mansion on an experimental graphics utility library called TypeGPU that promises advanced TypeScript and WebGPU interoperability.

Iwo Plaza is a software engineer & artist, trying to incorporate art into every project he gets his hands on. He's passionate about graphics programming and softening the learning curve for future developers trying to get into it. He is currently ... Show more

Arunkumar & Akilandeswari
Letterpress Artists, Printmakers, Architects & Designers, founded Printing with Types, a Bangalore-based studio dedicated to the art of letterpress.

Both graduates in design from reputed institutes of NID and NIT, we shared a passion for art and craftsmanship. Although we began our careers within the design industry, it was the love for tangible design and passion for this time-honored letterpress printing, ignited the idea & took a leap to self-learn the art from scratch, understanding the meticulous process, restoring old equipment and researching vintage techniques, facing challenges alongside. With keen focus on preserving and strengthening this art form, Today, we carry forward the legacy of letterpress printing — giving voice to its enduring beauty in an increasingly digital world.

Arunkumar & Akilandeswari Letterpress Artists, Printmakers, Architects & Designers, founded Printing with Types, a Bangalore-based studio dedicated to the art of letterpress. Both graduates in design from reputed institutes of NID and NIT, we sha... Show more

I’m a NYC-based professional actor, improv comedian, and adjunct instructor. I’ve appeared in theatres all over the country performing in everything from Shakespeare to Neil Simon to Shrek: The Musical. You may have even seen me dancing in my underwear on One Tree Hill or co-starring in commercials with NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon or the Roaming Gnome. Improv comedy is my passion and I can be seen making audiences, my scene partners, and myself laugh regularly at some of the best and worst improv shows in New York City.

As an educator, I have taught Acting, Improvisation, Public Speaking, Communication Studies at too many colleges to mention. I also teach and coach acting, improv, and applied improv for theatres, private groups, and individuals, and in the corporate space.

I’m known at Collegiate Empowerment for connecting with participants from the toughest mandatory audiences to passionate student leaders to coaching participants through my comedy, passion, high energy, and enthusiasm. Within CE, I’m known for focusing on what students want and need, being a kickass teammate and making weird faces during team meetings.

I’m a NYC-based professional actor, improv comedian, and adjunct instructor. I’ve appeared in theatres all over the country performing in everything from Shakespeare to Neil Simon to Shrek: The Musical. You may have even seen me dancing in my underwe... Show more

Lizzie Edwards is a multidisciplinary designer, illustrator, content creator, and owner of GiveLoveStudio from Raleigh, North Carolina. She is a Class of 2026 graduate of NC State, where she earned a BA in Graphic and Experience Design with a minor in Anthropology.

At NC State, she served as a senior advisor for Student AIGA, editorial designer for DesignLife, communications intern for Global Training Initiative, and staff designer for Agromeck. She was named a Graphic Design USA “Student to Watch” (2026) and received Best of Show for Agromeck Vol. 123 (ACP).

Her work has been featured by Adobe Live, Women of Type, and Goodtype, and she participated in the Adobe Creative Apprenticeship program. She currently works in Engineering Communications at John Deere and previously interned at Mohawk Industries.

Lizzie Edwards is a multidisciplinary designer, illustrator, content creator, and owner of GiveLoveStudio from Raleigh, North Carolina. She is a Class of 2026 graduate of NC State, where she earned a BA in Graphic and Experience Design with a minor i... Show more

Julie E. Gordon (Valentine) is a British educator, communication specialist, vocalist and founder of TheVocalPod™. Based in the UAE, she has spent over three years supporting students through voice, communication and creative development programmes across international school settings.

As creator of Voice Lab™, Julie works at the intersection of communication, confidence building, performing arts and youth development. Her work has supported students through LAMDA, RSL qualifications, GCSE performance pathways, school productions and artist development initiatives.

Julie is also the creator of THEGENSHIFT™, an intergenerational dialogue platform exploring communication, culture and youth identity, and the author of Beyond Being Heard.

Her work focuses on helping young people develop authentic self-expression, confidence and future-ready communication skills that extend beyond the classroom and into life, leadership and employment.

Julie E. Gordon (Valentine) is a British educator, communication specialist, vocalist and founder of TheVocalPod™. Based in the UAE, she has spent over three years supporting students through voice, communication and creative development programmes a... Show more

Sierra Renee is the artist behind JuuJuuMama.

The name JuuJuuMama is inspired by her brand Good Juu Juu, founded in 2018.

Born in the 1990s in a small city in the Hudson Valley just north of New York City, Sierra grew up within a multiracial family shaped by Black, Italian, and Puerto Rican heritage; an upbringing that continues to inform the layered cultural identity present throughout her work.

She has been creating physical art since childhood, developing a foundation in hand-cut collage, painting, and mixed media that continues to shape her visual language today. Much of her traditional work remains within her personal collection, displayed throughout her home and shared intimately with family and friends.

Since 2022, her practice has expanded into text-to-image AI and custom generative models trained on her own imagery. Rather than replacing traditional art-making, these tools have become an extension of her long-standing exploration of collage, symbolism, layering, and speculative world-building.

Working primarily through Midjourney and self-trained models on Titles.xyz, Sierra intentionally creates systems that center Blackness, pushing against the cultural biases often embedded within generative AI.

Rooted in Afrofuturism and surrealism, her work moves between visual art, fashion, and digital mythology. Gemstones, sculptural adornment, and immersive environments appear as recurring symbols exploring ancestry, transformation, self-defined value, and the preservation of cultural memory within emerging technologies.

Through both physical and generative mediums, Sierra’s work asks who gets represented in the future and who is too often left out of it.

Sierra Renee is the artist behind JuuJuuMama. The name JuuJuuMama is inspired by her brand Good Juu Juu, founded in 2018. Born in the 1990s in a small city in the Hudson Valley just north of New York City, Sierra grew up within a multiracial fa... Show more

Mariana Beldi es diseñadora y desarrolladora web, creadora de HolaSVG, herramientas open-source para crear y personalizar SVG. Especializada en animaciones web, performance y accesibilidad, combina desarrollo front-end con diseño, ilustración y branding. Sus artículos han sido publicados en CSS-Tricks, Smashing Magazine y UX Collective, donde explora la intersección entre código y diseño visual.

Mariana Beldi es diseñadora y desarrolladora web, creadora de HolaSVG, herramientas open-source para crear y personalizar SVG. Especializada en animaciones web, performance y accesibilidad, combina desarrollo front-end con diseño, ilustración y brand... Show more

I’m a Belgian author and digital artist creating moving images, micro–art games, and virtual experiences.

I’m a Belgian author and digital artist creating moving images, micro–art games, and virtual experiences. Show more

Senior UI Developer with over a decade of experience bridging the gap between design and development for large-scale digital products.
Currently at Softtek, I am responsible for the development of high-fidelity interfaces, scalable systems, and web animations for Real Madrid F.C.

I offer a hybrid profile backed by a background in Graphic Design and Multimedia, allowing me to act as a strategic bridge for detecting technical risks while prioritizing semantics, accessibility, and a robust CSS architecture.
Throughout my career in advertising agency and IT consulting, I have delivered solutions for global organizations including FIFA, Repsol, Telefónica, Caixabank, BBVA, BMW, El Español, and U.D. Las Palmas.

Senior UI Developer with over a decade of experience bridging the gap between design and development for large-scale digital products. Currently at Softtek, I am responsible for the development of high-fidelity interfaces, scalable systems, and web ... Show more

Faith Sycaoyao is an emerging entrepreneur, artist, and researcher with 10+ speaking engagements across academic and international spaces. She is the Boston Marathon Founding Muralist and founder of NCLS Holdings, where she has built a global audience of 70,000+ across 40 countries. Her work spans 15+ years in visual art and has been featured or presented through institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania, UC Berkeley, and the University of Texas at Austin, as well as outlets and platforms including UNESCO, NBC 10 WJAR, CBS Boston, and international art fairs. She has also received recognition from critic Anthony Fawcett (University of Oxford).

Her academic and research work includes collaborations and contributions with institutions such as Stanford University, the University of Texas at Austin, UCLA, and the University of Kentucky, with a focus on environmental studies, finance, and real estate. She has also contributed to youth-led and UN-affiliated initiatives, including UNICEF, UNESCO, and the WHO Youth Council, and has participated in global climate policy spaces such as COP and YOUNGO. She is a Vital Voices Visionaries Fellow with The Estée Lauder Companies and has worked with Climate Cardinals on climate education and communication projects.

Faith Sycaoyao is an emerging entrepreneur, artist, and researcher with 10+ speaking engagements across academic and international spaces. She is the Boston Marathon Founding Muralist and founder of NCLS Holdings, where she has built a global audienc... Show more

Luka Pejić (1996), an English Language and Literature graduate and a literary translator (English into Croatian)

Luka Pejić (1996), an English Language and Literature graduate and a literary translator (English into Croatian) Show more

Kerem Demirayak is an award-winning creative producer specializing in immersive technologies, spatial computing, and AI-driven media experiences. He leads next-generation interactive media production at FIELD.IO, merging artistic vision with technical expertise in XR, generative design, and real-time systems.

With a proven track record of scaling emerging tech solutions for Fortune 500 brands and cultural institutions, Kerem has brought innovative experiences to life for IBM, BMW, Nike, and more. His work bridges the gap between concept and delivery, transforming immersive and interactive ideas into engaging, real-world experiences. He is also exploring investment opportunities in creative AI and immersive tech infrastructure.

Kerem Demirayak is an award-winning creative producer specializing in immersive technologies, spatial computing, and AI-driven media experiences. He leads next-generation interactive media production at FIELD.IO, merging artistic vision with technica... Show more

Matthew Castilla is a professional musician turned Technology professional. Starting with music degrees, life took a turn and shifted his journey in a completely unexpected direction. Matt is currently a Staff Software QA Engineer working for Intuit Mailchimp. He has also served as a lead for the Atlanta portion of the black ERG called HUES. In addition to this work, he currently reports to the company’s senior leadership team as a co-founder and member of its DEI committee. He has authored articles on cultural change, taught courses on ethnographic material surrounding music, and spoken as a spiritual advisor to communities in need.

Matthew Castilla is a professional musician turned Technology professional. Starting with music degrees, life took a turn and shifted his journey in a completely unexpected direction. Matt is currently a Staff Software QA Engineer working for Intuit ... Show more