Alan worked in the IT realm for large and small companies from 1971 until 2019 and still tries to keep current with changing trends. Worked at most companies in St Louis for 2 weeks or more and up to 8 years.

In Alan’s spare time, he volunteers with a local organization that sends him to the homes of the elderly (older than himself) to fix their computers.

Alan is currently a member of the Board of Governors of The Collectors Club (NY), along with being their webmaster and membership chair, Webster Groves (MO) Stamp Club, secretary-treasurer of the APS Writers Unit #30, and the secretary of the Gastronomy on Stamps Study Group.

Alan speaks to several clubs each year on a host of topics such as “Computers and Technology on Stamps”, “Bread!”, “Penguins on the Stamps of Falkland Islands”, “An Alphabet of Topicals – Ideas for Collectors”, and “Pachyderms”.

Alan worked in the IT realm for large and small companies from 1971 until 2019 and still tries to keep current with changing trends. Worked at most companies in St Louis for 2 weeks or more and up to 8 years. In Alan’s spare time, he volunteers wi... Show more

Akansha is a Senior Software Engineer and Google Women Techmakers Ambassador with experience in building and shipping production-ready mobile applications. She has spoken at international conferences and community events across Europe and Asia, sharing practical lessons on mobile development, architecture, and real-world software engineering.

Beyond her day-to-day engineering work, Akansha actively contributes to developer communities as an organizer and speaker, helping developers learn through shared experiences and hands-on discussions. Her work focuses on writing maintainable code, making thoughtful architectural decisions, and mentoring developers as they grow in their careers.

She is particularly interested in how modern development practices and AI-assisted workflows are changing the way developers learn, collaborate, and build software.

Akansha is a Senior Software Engineer and Google Women Techmakers Ambassador with experience in building and shipping production-ready mobile applications. She has spoken at international conferences and community events across Europe and Asia, shari... Show more

I'm a software coder since my first ZX81 at 11 yo (guess my age) and agile practitioner since 2006.
Kotlin and C# fanboy. Monads saved my life. Currently working for ITER organization.

I'm a software coder since my first ZX81 at 11 yo (guess my age) and agile practitioner since 2006. Kotlin and C# fanboy. Monads saved my life. Currently working for ITER organization. Show more

Daryl is a Seattle-based Developer Advocate with Google Open Source who believes tech education shouldn't be boring. Building software since 2005, his resume includes engineering and advocacy stints at Amazon (Kindle for Android, Game Studios) and multiple teams across Google. Drawing on his unique background in improv and four years as a professional wrestler, Daryl brings a highly creative, engaging energy to his work with developers. Want a great story? Ask him about his time in the squared circle!

Daryl is a Seattle-based Developer Advocate with Google Open Source who believes tech education shouldn't be boring. Building software since 2005, his resume includes engineering and advocacy stints at Amazon (Kindle for Android, Game Studios) and mu... Show more

Andy Cross has lead teams building the largest AI projects and deployments, hosted on Azure. He founded a consultancy in 2012 and grew it from 2 to 300 people. Along the way he has picked up quite a few interesting stories! He is co-founder of the UK London Azure User Group, formerly an Azure Most Valuable Professional and a Microsoft Regional Director.

Andy Cross has lead teams building the largest AI projects and deployments, hosted on Azure. He founded a consultancy in 2012 and grew it from 2 to 300 people. Along the way he has picked up quite a few interesting stories! He is co-founder of the UK... Show more

JuanJo Ciarlante is a Principal Engineer at GrafanaLabs and Assistant Professor at Mendoza Uni. His industry experience includes working for Google as SRE TL, as well as other SRE roles at Canonical Ltd, and Bitnami.
His OSS journey started in 1998 when he contributed IP Aliasing support to Linux, and since then to several other OSS projects. He's particularly passionate about Cloud-y OSS projects like Kubernetes, Prometheus, Grafana, etc which made cloud computing accessible for the rest of us.

JuanJo Ciarlante is a Principal Engineer at GrafanaLabs and Assistant Professor at Mendoza Uni. His industry experience includes working for Google as SRE TL, as well as other SRE roles at Canonical Ltd, and Bitnami. His OSS journey started in 1998 ... Show more

Frank Poncelet is Operations Architect at Xplore Group (Cronos Group) and co-founder of Hyperlabs, its blockchain brand. On-chain he is FrankNFT.eth: the developer behind the CryptoPunks V1 wrapper, which made the original 2017 CryptoPunks contract tradeable again, and ERC721F, a low-gas ERC-721 template now used across the industry. He has written more than 40 smart contracts.

Before Web3 he maintained Alpha Jets for the Belgian Air Force and led the mobile banking team at ING Belgium that shipped the first mobile banking app in the country. In 2026 most of his energy goes to agentic and physical AI: systems that run workflows, drive devices and coordinate with each other.

Frank speaks about crypto and AI, often in a duo keynote with IrishNFTgal, and has been on stage at NFT.NYC, NFC Summit Lisbon, Dappconn Berlin, ETHcc Brussels and Devoxx Belgium. He is based in Belgium and invests, mainly early stage, in builders. The long version is at frankponcelet.com.

Frank Poncelet is Operations Architect at Xplore Group (Cronos Group) and co-founder of Hyperlabs, its blockchain brand. On-chain he is FrankNFT.eth: the developer behind the CryptoPunks V1 wrapper, which made the original 2017 CryptoPunks contract t... Show more

Waskar Paulino is a software engineer who builds AI products, and a Technical.ly 2025 RealLIST Innovator. He is the founder of PhilaCon Valley, a Philadelphia tech community for people who build. Its PATCH series of hands-on labs puts designers, engineers, and artists in one room to make things, from NFC hardware to projection mapping.

He is a former startup CTO. Before that, he spent seven years at Apple as a Genius and trainer. He started his career teaching Spanish and music to young people in Philadelphia. He is a first-generation AfroLatinx technologist who explains technology the same way to a boardroom or a beginner.

He speaks on AI in production, AI-assisted building, creative coding, and community-led growth. At the AI Community Conference at Microsoft in New York, he presented "From Pixels to Meaning: Building an AI Content Pipeline That Actually Works." He has also spoken at Philly JS Club, OwlHacks at Temple University, FamCon, and The Moonlighters' Club Showcase. He has been a panelist at Technical.ly's Builders Conference during Philly Tech Week, at Per Scholas Philadelphia, and on AI infrastructure with Unisys in Allentown.

Coming up: he leads the PhilaCon Valley creative-tech activation at Founders Alley Philadelphia in October 2026. In December 2026 he co-hosts The AI Confessional at The AI Summit New York.

Waskar Paulino is a software engineer who builds AI products, and a Technical.ly 2025 RealLIST Innovator. He is the founder of PhilaCon Valley, a Philadelphia tech community for people who build. Its PATCH series of hands-on labs puts designers, engi... Show more

Focusing on web interfaces that are beautiful, functional, accessible, and usable, Martine approaches User Experience from both Art and Science, drawing from her degrees in Psychology and Visual Communications. She is a Web Technologies, Firebase, and Angular GDE as well as a Microsoft MVP in Developer Technologies. Martine stays active in the industry by writing articles, leading workshops, and speaking at conferences and meetups worldwide. An accomplished author, her latest book, Tiny CSS Projects was released in 2023.

Focusing on web interfaces that are beautiful, functional, accessible, and usable, Martine approaches User Experience from both Art and Science, drawing from her degrees in Psychology and Visual Communications. She is a Web Technologies, Firebase, an... Show more

As a Microsoft MVP, Micha enjoys talking about all Azure & Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) topics and has already spoken at Microsoft conferences, International (User Group) events, Microsoft hosted webinars & Workshops and more.
He has over 15 years of experience as a Azure & DevOps engineer and has in depth knowledge of private, hybrid and public clouds.
Today Micha mainly focuses on Azure, DevOps, Windows 365 & AVD environments and is particularly knowledgeable about migrating those environments to Azure.
Micha is freelance Azure Architect @ Ahold Delhaize and works with Microsoft on Azure, Windows 365 & AVD

As a Microsoft MVP, Micha enjoys talking about all Azure & Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) topics and has already spoken at Microsoft conferences, International (User Group) events, Microsoft hosted webinars & Workshops and more. He has over 15 years of... Show more

Architect and engineer with a passion for continuous learning and knowledge sharing. Focused on people, processes, and finding the right balance between quality and effectiveness. A firm believer in the transformative power of automation and AI.

Having worked across various industries, company sizes, and roles - from startups to large enterprises - he thrives on connecting a strategic perspective with practical execution. His main interests lie in Enterprise and Solution Architecture, where he applies a holistic view to make technology serve business goals effectively.

Outside of work, he’s passionate about music - singing, playing, and dancing - as well as sports ranging from martial arts to snowboarding.

Architect and engineer with a passion for continuous learning and knowledge sharing. Focused on people, processes, and finding the right balance between quality and effectiveness. A firm believer in the transformative power of automation and AI. ... Show more

A Senior Interior Designer specialising in educational and childhood environments, with over eight years of experience in interior design and the development of learning spaces. Her experience spans diverse aspects of interior design, from schematic design and concept development to spatial planning and furniture integration, with a focus on creating environments that respond to the needs of their users. At VS Furniture, she explores how spatial design and a wide range of furniture solutions can be implemented to support diverse educational settings, teaching approaches, and ways of learning.

She holds a Master’s degree in Architecture and a Master’s degree in Interior Design. She is also a former university lecturer, having taught interior design for four years at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University in Saudi Arabia.

Her research interests focus on bridging professional practice and academic inquiry, exploring how each can inform and enrich the other.

A Senior Interior Designer specialising in educational and childhood environments, with over eight years of experience in interior design and the development of learning spaces. Her experience spans diverse aspects of interior design, from schematic ... Show more

Jerry Black is a seasoned IT program manager, stand-up comedian, and the founder of IT Misfits, a movement that helps technical professionals build confidence, communication skills, and leadership presence through comedy. With more than 20 years leading infrastructure and software initiatives across enterprise environments, Jerry understands the real-world friction between business and IT firsthand.

As a performer who has taken the stage in cities across the U.S., Jerry turns the everyday chaos of IT into humor, insight, and connection. Through IT Misfits, he has built a platform where engineers, analysts, and architects write and perform their own comedy, and in doing so, become sharper communicators and stronger collaborators.

His workshops blend public speaking, leadership communication, and comedy frameworks to help technical professionals become more compelling in the rooms that matter. Audiences leave laughing, thinking, and seeing the people behind the technology differently.

Jerry Black is a seasoned IT program manager, stand-up comedian, and the founder of IT Misfits, a movement that helps technical professionals build confidence, communication skills, and leadership presence through comedy. With more than 20 years lead... Show more

A Docker Captain and Microsoft MVP, is a Cloud and DevOps engineer, consultant, and instructor with expertise in Microsoft Azure and DevOps practices. Passionate about teaching, she delivers both practical and theoretical courses on Azure, and DevOps. Cigdem helps organizations implement DevOps transformations across cloud and on-premises environments while contributing to the community through insightful technical articles and videos on cloud adoption and DevOps best practices.

A Docker Captain and Microsoft MVP, is a Cloud and DevOps engineer, consultant, and instructor with expertise in Microsoft Azure and DevOps practices. Passionate about teaching, she delivers both practical and theoretical courses on Azure, and DevOps... Show more

Catedrática de Derecho civil en la Universitat Politècnica de València
Licenciada y Doctora en Derecho por la Universitat de València
Investigadora principal de distintos proyectos competitivos
Premio UPV a la transferencia de conocimiento

Catedrática de Derecho civil en la Universitat Politècnica de València Licenciada y Doctora en Derecho por la Universitat de València Investigadora principal de distintos proyectos competitivos Premio UPV a la transferencia de conocimiento Show more

Richard Essangabasi is a Speaker, Entrepreneur and Business Developer from Nigeria. With years of experience in entrepreneurship, marketing, media & entertainment, business development & sales, he builds businesses that solve real problems and helps other entrepreneurs do the same.

He has worked with global brands like Google, Ethereum, Base, Cowrywise, and more. He is the Co-Founder/CEO of Shard Network, a satellite-powered campus ISP with notable products like Soko, a campus marketplace for students to buy, sell & connect globally without boundaries, he is also the Founder of Campus Pitch Africa, Africa's biggest campus pitch show, and Convener of International Christian Leaders & Entrepreneurs Conference (iCLEC). Beyond these, he is building a conglomerate of ventures across fashion, media, finance, real estate and hospitality.

Beyond building, he runs webinars, mentors founders 1-on-1, and consults for African SMEs. His work is driven by one purpose, to build the next generation of wealthmakers for the kingdom of God. Therefore ensuring that all men become Apostles in the Marketplace, building, growing and financing the kingdom.

Richard Essangabasi is a Speaker, Entrepreneur and Business Developer from Nigeria. With years of experience in entrepreneurship, marketing, media & entertainment, business development & sales, he builds businesses that solve real problems and helps ... Show more

Keith Sanders spent his early years attending Raleigh-Broughton High School, where he developed an interest in teamwork and community responsibility. During that time, he became aware of the importance of helping others during emergencies and difficult situations. After graduating from high school, he attended North Carolina State University. His experience there helped strengthen his understanding of leadership, communication, and cooperation while encouraging his interest in public safety and emergency response work.

Keith Sanders of Raleigh later pursued firefighter training through Western Wake Fire Rescue. He completed Firefighter Training I and II, gaining the technical knowledge and physical preparation required for emergency response duties. The training focused on organization, teamwork, and the ability to remain calm during stressful situations. This stage of his life became an important step toward entering active firefighting service and provided the experience needed for future responsibilities in public safety operations.

Keith served as a firefighter from 1999 through 2003, responding to emergencies that required focus, preparation, and reliable teamwork. During those years, he worked in demanding situations where quick decision-making and communication were essential. The experience shaped many of the values that continued guiding his life after his firefighting career ended. Although he stepped away from active service in 2003, he remained connected to emergency response efforts and continued supporting community-focused projects whenever possible.

Keith Sanders of North Carolina became more involved in nonprofit organizations and volunteer outreach after transitioning out of the fire service. He supported groups including Rise Against Hunger, A Place at the Table, Artspace, and Project Reach Out. In addition to nonprofit involvement, he participated in church outreach programs and cancer fundraising efforts throughout the state. Much of his volunteer work involved practical assistance and direct participation in projects that supported local communities and individuals facing challenges.

Keith participated in relief efforts during late 2024 after hurricanes caused significant damage in parts of the North Carolina mountains. During those operations, he helped transport water and support rescue-related activities connected to emergency recovery work. His firefighting background remained valuable in situations requiring physical effort and organized teamwork. The experience reflected his continued willingness to assist communities during emergencies and showed how his earlier training continued influencing his actions years later.

Sanders has also explored interests outside public service through appearances in films such as Shades of Grey, French Exit, and Tears of a Clown. Although acting was not the primary focus of his career, those opportunities enabled him to work in creative environments and broaden his experience. Alongside those interests, he remains active through running, biking, and soccer. He has completed several races in the Raleigh area and maintains a lifestyle centered on outdoor activity and physical fitness.

Keith Sanders continues to enjoy spending time along North Carolina’s coastal waters during the warmer months of the year. Boating and fishing remain important parts of his routine, providing balance alongside his volunteer work and community involvement. Fishing has become one of the activities he values most because it allows him to relax while remaining active outdoors. His steady dedication to volunteer service, emergency support, and local outreach continues to reflect the practical values and strong sense of responsibility that have guided his life over the years.

Keith Sanders spent his early years attending Raleigh-Broughton High School, where he developed an interest in teamwork and community responsibility. During that time, he became aware of the importance of helping others during emergencies and difficu... Show more

Philip Chidera is a Product Designer and entrepreneur building fintech, SaaS, and Web3 products for clients and companies across Nigeria and internationally. He is also the Co-founder of Termwise, a school management platform built for Nigerian schools. He serves as Design Lead (UI/UX) for Port Harcourt Talent Tribe under ATC Africa, where he mentors and supports emerging tech talent. He combines product design with AI and no-code tools to build and ship production-ready interfaces. His work and speaking focus on product design, AI, emerging tools, and the evolving ways modern digital products are designed and built.

Philip Chidera is a Product Designer and entrepreneur building fintech, SaaS, and Web3 products for clients and companies across Nigeria and internationally. He is also the Co-founder of Termwise, a school management platform built for Nigerian schoo... Show more

Kevin is a professional in cloud technologies, specialized in Microsoft Azure Data Solutions, mainly working for Brazil Region architecting complex Big Data, and Data Warehouse environments, he also has wide experience in other regions like US and LATAM.

Feel free to add him in Linkedin to share cloud thoughts. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-leal/

Outside of Microsoft Kevin is a landscape photography enthusiast that enjoys traveling to learn and capture more about his and other cultures.

Kevin is a professional in cloud technologies, specialized in Microsoft Azure Data Solutions, mainly working for Brazil Region architecting complex Big Data, and Data Warehouse environments, he also has wide experience in other regions like US and LA... Show more

Full time power platform enthusiast @Microsoft

Full time power platform enthusiast @Microsoft Show more

Heath Ledet is spending this chapter of his life on the work he started with: making music. A blues and Americana musician, singer, and songwriter, Heath Ledet is getting back into the music business in earnest after retiring from the oil and gas industry. He is returning to live performance with a focus on festivals and events, and he has a full album of unreleased music that he plans to release one song per month.

Alongside the music, Ledet runs a new business. Through Top Shelf Development, his home and property development company, he buys property, builds homes on it, and sells them. The work applies what he learned building a business in the energy industry to residential construction.

Ledet is originally from South Louisiana. For more than 16 years he has lived in The Woodlands, Texas, which is part of the greater Conroe and Montgomery County area.

The path to this point started with music, his first calling. As a musician, Ledet made the decision to focus on building a company that would give his family financial security. That choice took him into power generation for oil and gas infrastructure. There he grew Montco Oilfield Solutions, a power generation business that supported major oil companies with their infrastructure.
Building Montco is the accomplishment in his professional life that Ledet is most proud of. That chapter closed when he sold the company to a large company that will continue to grow the business and its employees. With the sale, the company he built and the people who helped build it moved forward under new ownership, and Ledet retired from the power generation and oil and gas infrastructure business.

Music did not leave his life during the business years. In October 2013, Heath Ledet released the album Chasing My Dreams, a 10-song collection with Pershing Wells featured throughout. Its tracks are "Chasing My Dreams," "Wrapped Around Your Finger," "Too Good for Me," "Dirty Money," "You're Not Alone," "Forever," "We Dance," "Time Under the Sun," "Got My Eyes On You," and "Nothing to Lose." Other musicians credited on individual tracks include Todd Sorenson, Todd Adams, Randy Ellis, Kathy Ledet, Troy Percle, Cory Duplechin, Lonnie Lapeyrouse, Terri Chiasson, and Charles "Chucky C" Elam. The album can be streamed on Apple Music, Spotify, Shazam, and SoundCloud.

Away from music and business, Ledet is a father, and his family is an important part of his life. His ranch in Arkansas is where he goes to hunt, fish, ride ATV trails, spend time on the lake, hike, and go rock hunting.

Ledet has also been involved in his community through charitable giving and volunteer work. His support has included the Midland Police Department, contributing to the work of local law enforcement. It has included United Way, the nonprofit that works to strengthen communities through local partnerships. It has included schools, where he has invested in the education of students. He has also been part of a wide range of other charitable and volunteer efforts.

For Heath Ledet, this chapter brings him back to where he started. His oil and gas career is complete, and his time is now divided among his music, Top Shelf Development, his family, and his ranch in Arkansas.

Heath Ledet is spending this chapter of his life on the work he started with: making music. A blues and Americana musician, singer, and songwriter, Heath Ledet is getting back into the music business in earnest after retiring from the oil and gas ind... Show more

Oleg Pustovit is a Senior Fullstack and UX Engineer at Exponential, Cox Enterprises' AI startup accelerator, where he works with early-stage Silicon Valley startups in AI and robotics. He has been a tech lead and a fractional CTO, building full-stack web products and the cloud infrastructure behind them, from frontend and APIs to AWS. He started as a 3D designer and technical artist, licensing work to companies including Adobe. In his own time he builds developer tools, graphics and UI experiments.

Oleg Pustovit is a Senior Fullstack and UX Engineer at Exponential, Cox Enterprises' AI startup accelerator, where he works with early-stage Silicon Valley startups in AI and robotics. He has been a tech lead and a fractional CTO, building full-stack... Show more

Rabbi Ranon Teller is a dedicated spiritual leader whose passion for Jewish music, education, and community engagement has shaped his approach to congregational leadership. With a background in television writing and music, he brings creativity and personal connection to worship services, educational programs, and synagogue activities. As senior rabbi of Congregation Brith Shalom in Houston, he has introduced engaging prayer experiences, strengthened congregational participation, and developed meaningful relationships within the broader Jewish community. His leadership combines traditional Jewish teachings with contemporary musical expression, encouraging members to connect with their faith through learning, worship, and shared experiences.

Raised in suburban Detroit, Ranon Teller was the second of three children in a household deeply connected to Orthodox Judaism. He began his education at Orthodox Day School before attending Skokie Yeshiva High School outside Chicago. Following high school, he moved to Israel to pursue advanced religious studies at an Orthodox yeshiva. There, he studied the Talmud, Jewish philosophy, theology, and sacred texts, developing a strong foundation in Jewish scholarship and religious practice. As his studies progressed, however, he began questioning aspects of the Orthodox environment. These experiences encouraged him to examine different perspectives on Judaism and reconsider the direction of his spiritual journey.

In 1996, Teller returned to Israel to explore alternative approaches to Jewish spirituality beyond the Orthodox traditions of his upbringing. He became particularly interested in contemporary Chasidic music and the teachings of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. During this period, he audited classes at a Conservative rabbinical school in Jerusalem and participated in an intensive experiential Jewish education program. Exposure to different forms of Jewish learning helped him recognize his calling to religious education and spiritual leadership. In 1998, he returned to the United States to pursue formal rabbinic studies and prepare to serve the Jewish community.

After returning to the United States, Rabbi Teller enrolled at the University of Judaism, now known as American Jewish University, in Los Angeles. He pursued Jewish education and rabbinic studies, strengthening his knowledge of religious texts, teaching, and spiritual leadership. In 2000, he earned a master's degree in education from the Fingerhut School of Education and received the Fingerhut School of Education Award for Outstanding Achievement. In 2002, he completed his rabbinic studies and was ordained as Rabbi Ranon Teller. The Chancellor's Award for Academic Excellence and the Ziegler School Award for Excellence in Talmudic Studies recognized his academic accomplishments. In May 2022, he received an Honorary Doctorate from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies.

Rabbi Ranon Teller began his rabbinic career at Congregation B'nai Amoona in St. Louis, where he served as associate rabbi from 2002 to 2005. During his tenure, the congregation experienced changes in senior leadership, creating a need for stability and direction. Rabbi Teller helped provide continuity while strengthening relationships among congregants. He focused on engaging young families and introducing contemporary, interactive prayer services that encouraged greater participation. His work in St. Louis helped develop his approach to congregational leadership, emphasizing Jewish education, creative worship, and meaningful personal connections.

In 2005, Ranon moved to Houston to become senior rabbi of Congregation Brith Shalom. His personable, soulful, and diplomatic leadership approach contributed to congregational growth and stronger community relationships. Over the next two decades, he introduced musical prayer services that welcomed congregants and community members from diverse backgrounds and interests. His work extended beyond worship and religious education to important synagogue development initiatives. Rabbi Teller played a key role in securing a $1.5 million endowment and a $5 million gift toward a building renovation campaign. These contributions supported the congregation's financial needs and ongoing development while helping maintain opportunities for Jewish learning and spiritual participation.

Rabbi Teller's commitment to community service extends beyond his responsibilities at Congregation Brith Shalom. He actively participates in initiatives throughout Houston, collaborating with organizations that help individuals and families in need. He works with the Houston Food Bank, SEARCH Homeless Services, and the Food and Faith Collaborative. He also supports community efforts through the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and Alexander Jewish Family Service. These activities reflect his dedication to tikkun olam, the Jewish principle of repairing the world, through compassion, service, and practical assistance. His continued involvement shows how important he is to connecting Jewish values with meaningful community support.

Outside his rabbinic responsibilities, Rabbi Ranon Teller enjoys a range of creative and recreational interests. He continues to play blues and folk guitar and remains passionate about song-leading. An enthusiastic reader, he particularly enjoys nonfiction, including biographies and books exploring human nature. His interests also include juggling, performing magic, hiking, and backpacking, activities that provide opportunities for creativity and spiritual reflection. He finds a meaningful connection to spirituality through spending time in nature. He has also contributed articles to Kolot magazine, the Jewish Herald-Voice, and the Jewish Journal. He co-authored the book Peaceful Bones, reflecting his continued interest in writing and sharing ideas with a wider audience.

Rabbi Ranon Teller is a dedicated spiritual leader whose passion for Jewish music, education, and community engagement has shaped his approach to congregational leadership. With a background in television writing and music, he brings creativity and p... Show more

Toby Wagstaff is a highly skilled writer, editor, and script consultant with extensive experience in the fields of entertainment and conversational AI. Originally from the United Kingdom, he earned first-class honors in Philosophy and Modern Languages (Italian) from the University of Oxford. Now residing in New York, he continues to push the boundaries of creative storytelling and technology.

During his academic journey, Toby spent a formative year in Rome, where he attended the Università degli Studi Roma Tre. While there, he immersed himself in cinema and art history, volunteered as a teaching assistant, and directed a production of The Importance of Being Earnest. His time in Rome also allowed him to develop a passion for photography and work as an English tutor, further broadening his skill set.

After completing his degree at Oxford, Toby launched his career in London's film industry. He started by working in script analysis and production coordination at Studio 8 Productions and Peace Arch Films. His practical experience was further enhanced by an internship in post-production on the BBC series Monarch of the Glen, where he gained hands-on experience in film editing, sound mixing, and color correction.

In 2004, Toby gained his first significant production experience on the feature film Shadows in the Sun, starring Harvey Keitel and Joshua Jackson. Filmed in Tuscany and London, he served as an assistant to the producers and a translator and even took on the role of an on-screen double for the lead actor.

Later that year, Toby moved to the US to join Fierce Entertainment as a Creative Executive. In this role, he was instrumental in developing the company's first in-house feature, War, starring Jet Li and Jason Statham. His contributions also led to the expansion of the company's buyers' rep operation. Recognizing his passion for writing, Toby transitioned to a role at Original Content, where he focused on discovering and mentoring new screenwriting talent.

Toby Wagstaff eventually shifted to full-time screenwriting, with his first spec script, Arena, being optioned by Summit Entertainment in 2008. Over the years, he has continued to write and sell screenplays in various genres, including thrillers like The Day I Die and YA dramas like Break My Bones. His assignments have also included projects such as the graphic novel adaptation Shrapnel and romantic comedy rewrites for television.

In recent years, Toby has applied his writing expertise to the field of conversational AI. He has been involved in training and refining AI models for a leading tech company, using his creative skills to explore new possibilities in this emerging field. Although he believes AI will never replace the human touch in creative writing, he is excited about its potential to enhance access to information and address global challenges.

Outside of his professional life, Toby Wagstaff is passionate about music, photography, fencing, and nature exploration. He has played guitar and bass in various bands since his teenage years and was a top-ranked youth fencer in the UK, representing Oxford University. In his free time, he enjoys capturing dramatic landscapes with his 35mm SLR camera.

Toby Wagstaff is a highly skilled writer, editor, and script consultant with extensive experience in the fields of entertainment and conversational AI. Originally from the United Kingdom, he earned first-class honors in Philosophy and Modern Language... Show more

Eugene Willis Jr. is an Application Analyst, Red Hat Systems Administrator, and Helpdesk professional who built his career in tech from the ground up. Starting without a formal background, he worked his way from support roles into managing Red Hat systems and higher education applications. With degrees in Business and Marketing, Eugene blends technical expertise with creative strategy to solve real-world problems. Outside of tech, he’s a touring emcee and author who enjoys mentoring others and helping them carve out their own path forward.

Eugene Willis Jr. is an Application Analyst, Red Hat Systems Administrator, and Helpdesk professional who built his career in tech from the ground up. Starting without a formal background, he worked his way from support roles into managing Red Hat sy... Show more

Driven by courage, curiosity, and compassion, Becca "Bex" Hiller knows valued people deliver value. She also knows ideas supply focus and fuel, while ACTION drives goals forward toward success.

Bex helps humans reach agility potential, and her own agility shines through sharpened improv skills, a mighty pen, a hungry brain, and a passion for teaching and coaching. She has spent over two decades in product, project, and people growth spaces helping folks articulate their mission, then take mission-critical action to DELIVER. She puts growth and connection at the helm and enables, engages, and expands forward momentum, stoking peak performance (without sacrificing values, vision, or voice).

Her mission: Uncover your purpose. Pivot when life happens. Dare to deliver.
Her top interests: connection, community building, purposeful creativity, and potatoes.

Bex is currently based in Rochester, NY.

Driven by courage, curiosity, and compassion, Becca "Bex" Hiller knows valued people deliver value. She also knows ideas supply focus and fuel, while ACTION drives goals forward toward success. Bex helps humans reach agility potential, and her own... Show more

With 30+ years in the IT trenches for both Fortune 500 and federal projects, Chris is no stranger to high-pressure environments, technical complexity, or change resistance. As a former nuclear engineer, a software solutions architect, and standup comedian, he’s pretty much been there, done that, got the t-shirts.

What sets him apart is his ability to bring that proven, strategic, problem-solving brain to human challenges; helping teams reframe what’s possible and rediscover what matters.

Whether your people are burned out, tuned out, or ready to level up, Chris gives them permission to get honest and get going. No hype. No fluff. Just stories, strategies, and smart laughs that land.

Audiences leave clearer, lighter, and ready to act with zero eye-rolls and 100% retention. Well, ok, maybe 93%.

With 30+ years in the IT trenches for both Fortune 500 and federal projects, Chris is no stranger to high-pressure environments, technical complexity, or change resistance. As a former nuclear engineer, a software solutions architect, and standup com... Show more

Habeeb Babasulaiman is a Cloud & DevOps Engineer, OpenStack (Ironic & Bifrost) contributor, and AWS Practitioner. Starting his journey coding entirely on a phone, he grew into an active opensource community voice, authoring tutorials, mentoring at She Code Africa, and speaking at events. Passionate about open source, he empowers developers to embrace CNCF projects and scale their skills through global community programs.

Habeeb Babasulaiman is a Cloud & DevOps Engineer, OpenStack (Ironic & Bifrost) contributor, and AWS Practitioner. Starting his journey coding entirely on a phone, he grew into an active opensource community voice, authoring tutorials, mentoring at Sh... Show more

Jeremiah Tillman is an IT professional, technical instructor, and full-stack software developer based in Chicago, Illinois. He manages instructor development and delivery for advanced technical and cybersecurity training. Jeremiah focuses on connecting deep infrastructure engineering with practical security solutions. His experience covers enterprise IT design, full-stack development, and systems engineering. In his free time, he researches hardware security, audits consumer electronics, strips firmware, and creates affordable ways for defensive teams, educators, and independent researchers to test hardware.

Jeremiah Tillman is an IT professional, technical instructor, and full-stack software developer based in Chicago, Illinois. He manages instructor development and delivery for advanced technical and cybersecurity training. Jeremiah focuses on connecti... Show more

Jean-Yves AHOUANVOEDO is a digital professional who combines web development, agile project management, and content creation. He progressed from freelance web developer to IT project manager over the course of more than three years. He has led Digitalize Bénin since 2022 and has been creating content for the media outlet Bénin Bouge since 2024. Since September 2026, he has been the head of information systems in charge of R&D at Agence PROCOM. As an enthusiast of artificial intelligence, he is well-positioned to bridge the gaps between technology, communication, and innovation in Benin, a country that is heavily investing in AI.

Jean-Yves AHOUANVOEDO is a digital professional who combines web development, agile project management, and content creation. He progressed from freelance web developer to IT project manager over the course of more than three years. He has led Digita... Show more