Samuel Adekunle is a passionate software engineer and product builder with a track record of creating practical solutions that solve real, everyday problems. He is the founder of MyVista, a simple and elegant personal finance tracker that helps users automatically understand their earnings, spending, and money management. He also serves as the lead engineer for ChopGrub, a fast-growing food and grocery delivery platform that makes access to meals and essentials easier in Nigerian cities, and has been a key engineer on 1app, a leading fintech platform powering global payments, bill payments, and financial services for Nigerians.

Breaking the typical software engineer stereotype by actively engaging beyond coding, diving into marketing, sales, and business strategy. My goal is to contribute more holistically to any company I'm part of or ventures I'm building, ensuring I understand and impact every aspect of the business, not just the technical side.

Explore my software engineering journey in my portfolio: portfolio.techwithsam.dev.

Samuel Adekunle is a passionate software engineer and product builder with a track record of creating practical solutions that solve real, everyday problems. He is the founder of MyVista, a simple and elegant personal finance tracker that helps users... Show more

Corey Weddington is a seasoned agency veteran with over a decade in the agency space, wearing many hats across design, development, and strategy. For the past five years, he's been focused on leading WordPress strategy and solutions for enterprise clients like Microsoft, Google, and Starbucks.

Corey Weddington is a seasoned agency veteran with over a decade in the agency space, wearing many hats across design, development, and strategy. For the past five years, he's been focused on leading WordPress strategy and solutions for enterprise cl... Show more

Stacie Bacon is a Leader in Technology at Rocket, the nation's largest mortgage lender, which is based in Detroit, Michigan. She spent the first part of her 20+ year career writing software for various industries, including telephony and internet communications. While facilitating courses at a local college, Stacie realized her love for mentoring and educating others outweighed the joy she received resolving git merges or converting legacy systems into microservices as a developer. Thus, she reinvented herself as a technology leader. Today, she speaks around the country sharing her personal journey from programmer to servant leader and inspiring others to reinvent themselves. In a past life, Stacie wrote, directed, and helped produce a TV show pilot and hopes one day to make it to the big screen. You can follow her on Twitter @StacieBacon.

Stacie Bacon is a Leader in Technology at Rocket, the nation's largest mortgage lender, which is based in Detroit, Michigan. She spent the first part of her 20+ year career writing software for various industries, including telephony and internet com... Show more

Chris Carter is a 17-time author and four-time best-selling writer with a remarkable entrepreneurial track record spanning seven successful companies. Known for his electrifying energy and deep expertise in emerging technologies, Chris helps entrepreneurs turn uncertainty about AI into confidence and opportunity. His current work integrates artificial intelligence into daily business operations, empowering teams to streamline workflows, expand creativity, and position themselves as industry thought leaders.
With decades of hands-on experience navigating innovation and disruption, Chris brings more than theory—he brings proven systems and a contagious drive to succeed. Whether you’re a solopreneur or leading a growing team, his message will inspire you to embrace the AI revolution with courage and clarity.

Chris Carter is a 17-time author and four-time best-selling writer with a remarkable entrepreneurial track record spanning seven successful companies. Known for his electrifying energy and deep expertise in emerging technologies, Chris helps entrepre... Show more

Experienced transformation leader with expertise in machine learning, data science, and AI technologies, specialising in cloud-based platforms to drive business growth and operational efficiency. Successfully managed and delivered multi-million-dollar data projects across Healthcare, Telecom, Insurance, Finance, and Education sectors. Skilled in project management from inception to completion, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with business goals. Proficient in digital leadership, process optimisation, agile methodology, and cloud-native app development, with hands-on experience in tools like Python, R, JIRA, Azure DevOps, and Terraform. Known for improving operational efficiency, leading cross-functional teams, and achieving significant business outcomes.

Experienced transformation leader with expertise in machine learning, data science, and AI technologies, specialising in cloud-based platforms to drive business growth and operational efficiency. Successfully managed and delivered multi-million-dolla... Show more

Sridhar Mamella is a technology leader specializing in enterprise data platforms, distributed systems, cloud architecture, and AI strategy. Over the past 15+ years, he has helped design and scale mission-critical platforms across the automotive, energy, and consulting sectors, working with organizations including Porsche AG, EnBW, OverTake, and Capgemini.

His expertise spans Apache Kafka, real-time data streaming, cloud-native platforms, enterprise architecture, platform engineering, and the intersection of AI, governance, and regulated industries. Sridhar has led enterprise-scale platform initiatives, advised executive stakeholders, and helped organizations modernize their data foundations for future AI-driven capabilities.

As an international conference speaker, he has presented at Kafka Summit, MongoDB World, Splunk .conf, and Porsche IT Starting Grid, sharing practical lessons from real-world enterprise implementations. His sessions focus on bridging strategy and execution, providing attendees with actionable insights drawn from large-scale production environments rather than theoretical concepts.

Sridhar Mamella is a technology leader specializing in enterprise data platforms, distributed systems, cloud architecture, and AI strategy. Over the past 15+ years, he has helped design and scale mission-critical platforms across the automotive, ener... Show more

MJ Peña is an engineer-turned-founder with 15+ years building data platforms, shipping products, and leading engineering teams across Fortune 500, ASX200, and government organisations.

He started writing C# and SQL Server as a developer, progressed through architect and CTO roles, and went on to found companies as his principal vehicle for delivering Microsoft Fabric, Azure, and AI engineering to enterprise and mid-market clients. He also holds board, non-executive, and investor positions across several technology startups and private ventures.

What hasn't changed across those 15+ years: he remains a hands-on problem-solver who can go from whiteboard architecture to writing production code — and who believes clean pipelines, observable systems, and teams that ship with confidence matter more than hype.

He is a dual Microsoft MVP (Azure & AI) for 11 consecutive years, a Microsoft Certified Trainer who has taught 1,000+ engineers globally across Fabric, Purview, and Azure OpenAI, and a published O'Reilly author currently completing DP-700: Microsoft Fabric Analytics Engineer Study Guide. He presents regularly at Microsoft Reactor and tech conferences across the region.

Not everything has gone to plan — bad crypto bets, toxic workplaces, wrong hires, lost accounts, failed products. He's learned more from those than from the wins, and he tries to pass those lessons on through mentorship, community, and writing.

He aspires to be better every day. And to make AI practical rather than theoretical.

MJ Peña is an engineer-turned-founder with 15+ years building data platforms, shipping products, and leading engineering teams across Fortune 500, ASX200, and government organisations. He started writing C# and SQL Server as a developer, progresse... Show more

Shenandoah Chefalo is a speaker, author, and trauma-informed workplace consultant who helps organizations build more human-centered systems of care, leadership, and accountability.

As the author of Garbage Bag Suitcase and creator of the Best Bunny children’s book series, Shenandoah brings both lived experience and professional expertise to conversations about foster care, trauma, resilience, organizational culture, workforce burnout, and meaningful systems change. Her work bridges personal story, neuroscience, leadership practice, and implementation strategy to help audiences move beyond awareness and into action.

Through Chefalo Consulting, Shenandoah works with public agencies, courts, schools, healthcare systems, nonprofits, CASA/GAL programs, child welfare organizations, treatment court professionals, and human-service agencies to move trauma-informed principles from concept to daily practice. She has provided speaking, training, and implementation support for state and county CASA organizations, child welfare and foster care audiences, healthcare and human-service systems, education leaders, public-sector teams, and organizations seeking to strengthen workplace culture and workforce wellbeing.

Her sessions are especially relevant for audiences focused on trauma-informed leadership, human-centered workplace culture, burnout prevention, secondary trauma, psychological safety, staff retention, foster care, child welfare, treatment courts, systems change, and implementation.

Learn more about Shenandoah’s speaking and training work through Chefalo Consulting at chefaloconsulting.com, or contact shen@chefaloconsulting.com.

Shenandoah Chefalo is a speaker, author, and trauma-informed workplace consultant who helps organizations build more human-centered systems of care, leadership, and accountability. As the author of Garbage Bag Suitcase and creator of the Best Bunn... Show more

Deepak Wadhwani is a New Delhi-based speaker and entrepreneur known as the Business Buddha — a philosophy built on a simple premise: ambition guided by awareness, and calm as a leadership strategy, not a compromise on it.

As a speaker, Deepak has taken the stage at TEDx with "The Art of Persuasion," a talk built around a counter-intuitive idea — that real influence comes not from being louder, but from being clearer. He regularly speaks at business forums, leadership events, and entrepreneur communities on persuasion, conscious leadership, and the discipline of staying still in fast-moving industries. His talks are conversations, not performances — reflective, direct, and built around the question rooms full of business owners are usually too busy to ask themselves.
He is also a frequent voice on podcasts, where his unscripted, in-conversation style has become one of his most recognized formats — long-form discussions on business, persuasion, and leadership where the value lies in honest thinking rather than rehearsed answers.

Alongside his speaking work, Deepak is the founder of Natraj Home Furnishings and serves as India Growth Director for The Alternative Board (TAB), where he advises CEOs and business owners directly. He also runs the Chirag Foundation, a nonprofit established in memory of his late brother.

His core message across stages, podcasts, and boardrooms remains the same: build without noise. The most important decisions are rarely made in urgency — they're made in stillness, after the noise settles.

Deepak Wadhwani is a New Delhi-based speaker and entrepreneur known as the Business Buddha — a philosophy built on a simple premise: ambition guided by awareness, and calm as a leadership strategy, not a compromise on it. As a speaker, Deepak has ... Show more

Elle is a software engineer with many years of consulting experience, leading projects and teams. She is a certified organisational coach. Elle completed a post-grad certificate in Psychology for Business and Management at Curtin University, and is currently completing her master’s in Leadership and Management (Organisation Dynamics) with NIODA. Elle ran two 6-month apprenticeship engineering academies. At Blackmill, she advises executives and technology leaders on effective engineering practices that scale.

Elle is a software engineer with many years of consulting experience, leading projects and teams. She is a certified organisational coach. Elle completed a post-grad certificate in Psychology for Business and Management at Curtin University, and is c... Show more

Working with Umbraco since Umbraco V.4.0 (2013 onwards..) 3 times Umbraco MVP and Part of Umbraco CMS Advisory Board.

Nikhil is the most trusted partner for developing and designing web applications/software with Microsoft Technologies, AI, .NET, Umbraco, Azure, and javascript frameworks.

He has strong experience in developing enterprise applications, Application migration, and custom application development using .NET for many verticals. He has developed and customized ERP, CRM, e-commerce, and many other solutions.

Personality: He likes challenges, dealing with complex problems, and finding smart solutions. Being sincere and working by heart is his identity. He believes in strong communication and commitment to quality and Always turning your Ideas into Success stories.

Working with Umbraco since Umbraco V.4.0 (2013 onwards..) 3 times Umbraco MVP and Part of Umbraco CMS Advisory Board. Nikhil is the most trusted partner for developing and designing web applications/software with Microsoft Technologies, AI, .NET, ... Show more

Jonathan Joel Mentor is the CEO & Principal Consultant of Successment and Founder of Digital Nomad Summit, where he designs revenue operating systems and financial-inclusion infrastructure for emerging and frontier markets.

He is the creator of RevOps Science®, ZariOS™, and ZARI Mobility™ — proprietary frameworks and platforms that turn operations, data, capital readiness, and mobility into scalable economic engines.

Jonathan is a contributor to Dominican Today and elDinero, where he publishes on mobility, innovation, venture readiness, and economic visibility across Latin America and the Caribbean.

He was nominated for the United Nations World Summit Award and received ADOEXPO’s National Export Excellence Award for advancing Dominican exports through technology, intellectual property, and professional services.

His work has been featured in Business Insider, Fast Company, Diario Libre, and El Nuevo Diario, with collaborations and ecosystem engagements involving Techstars, Parallel18, MICM, ProDominicana, INDOTEL, PUCMM, UNIBE, and other institutional actors.

Jonathan is building long-term platforms at the intersection of revenue systems, innovation architecture, talent mobility, and economic modernization.

NYC-born | DR-based | Operating globally

Jonathan Joel Mentor is the CEO & Principal Consultant of Successment and Founder of Digital Nomad Summit, where he designs revenue operating systems and financial-inclusion infrastructure for emerging and frontier markets. He is the creator of Re... Show more

¡Hola! Soy un entusiasta líder en desarrollo de software con una genuina pasión por aprender y compartir conocimientos. En este momento, estoy dedicando mi tiempo a enriquecer la comunidad JavaScript Chile como parte del staff, Apoyo a comunidades en la evaluación y además de mantener mis clases particulares dirigidas a programadores juniors, un espacio donde puedo transmitir lo aprendido en mi trayectoria en empresas como Poliglota, AVLA, Orand entre otras.

A lo largo de mi carrera, he tenido la gratificante experiencia de coordinar equipos de desarrollo multidisciplinarios en distintos países. He tenido la oportunidad de trabajar con una variedad de tecnologías, incluyendo JavaScript, SQL, AWS, Vue.js y Ruby on Rails. Mi enfoque siempre ha sido liderar con empatía y fomentar un ambiente de colaboración y crecimiento continuo. Con una formación que incluye un magister en ingeniería informática de la Universidad de Santiago de Chile, estoy muy emocionado por la posibilidad de ser speaker en esta conferencia, esperando poder conectar con otros profesionales y compartir experiencias y perspectivas enriquecedoras. ¡Estoy ansioso por la oportunidad de contribuir a esta comunidad con una charla que inspire y fomente la colaboración y el aprendizaje!

¡Hola! Soy un entusiasta líder en desarrollo de software con una genuina pasión por aprender y compartir conocimientos. En este momento, estoy dedicando mi tiempo a enriquecer la comunidad JavaScript Chile como parte del staff, Apoyo a comunidades en... Show more

I'm Jacqueline Stockwell, the CEO and founder of Leadership Through Data. I LOVE what I do! I help information leaders around the world make a real impact. If you're tired of boring information management training, I'm here to change that! I'll show you how to get amazing results and make your voice heard. Being dyslexic gives me a unique way of thinking that I bring to everything I do. Tired of dull results? My goal is to deliver an information management accelerate program called empower 📈

My company, Leadership Through Data (LTD), offers engaging training for information leaders. I believe your time is so important, so I make sure all our training courses, podcast and presentations are always worthwhile and useful.

My goal is to make learning fun, memorable, and most importantly, something you can immediately use to your advantage. I use stories and visuals to make information easy to understand and remember.

As an international public speaker, I promise to inspire, motivate, and teach you practical skills you can apply right away. I have a long history of delivering training and presentations that truly connect with people. My main strengths are public speaking, creating effective training, and leadership. I've helped many organisations improve how they handle information.

I'm also the author of a new international best-selling book "Blooming Good Information Management".

When I'm not working, I enjoy gardening, upcycling, swimming, and hitting the gym to lift weights.

Here are some of the awards and recognitions I've received:

Winner: Women in Business Awards Resilience & Empowerment Award (2025)

Winner: Innovation of the Year (IRMS, March 2025) for the 522 Droplets Platform at Leadership Through Data

Winner: Best Business Leader in Technology (UK Business Awards, February 2025)

Winner: Supplier of the Year 2025 IRMS for Leadership Through Data's Consultancy Services

Winner: Dyslexic Entrepreneur (Dyslexia Awards, June 2022)

Winner: Family Business of the Year (Family Business Awards, January 2022)

Shortlisted: CEO of the Year 2025 (CEO of the Year)

Finalist: Woman Who Achieves Awards 2025 (Woman Who, March 2025)

Shortlisted: CEO of the Year 2024 (GRC World Forum, July 2024)

If you want to learn how you manage information and get great results? Lets, talk, have fun and get S**t done. Connect with me! Or you can visit my website www.leadershipthroughdata.com or take the EMPOWER scorecard https://scorecard.leadershipthroughdata.com/empower to find out where your personal strengths and weaknesses are and where you should focus your information management efforts in your organisation.

I'm Jacqueline Stockwell, the CEO and founder of Leadership Through Data. I LOVE what I do! I help information leaders around the world make a real impact. If you're tired of boring information management training, I'm here to change that! I'll show ... Show more

Moeez, a first-generation learner, has built a dynamic and multidisciplinary journey through technology, education, and leadership. During college, Moeez completed 6 software engineering internships, collaborated with 9 international educational institutions to teach over 2200 underrepresented and privileged students, founded both a tech education and an e-commerce start-up, led 6 college student bodies, pursued 2 global sports semi-professionally, and developed over 85 technical projects before graduating in the class of 2024.

Currently, Moeez is building AWS Transform, the first-ever Agentic AI service focused on transforming .NET, mainframe, and VMware workloads. This work centers on accelerating enterprise modernization across full-stack Windows, mainframe, and VMware systems, alongside enabling custom transformations of APIs, codebases, frameworks, and more.

Aside from technical responsibilities, Moeez actively participates in Amazon hackathons and mentors junior engineers, finding fulfillment in guiding their career paths. Moeez also champions diversity and inclusion, advocating for greater equality within the tech industry. Through these efforts, Moeez positions himself not only as a technical contributor but also as a catalyst for meaningful and lasting change.

Moeez, a first-generation learner, has built a dynamic and multidisciplinary journey through technology, education, and leadership. During college, Moeez completed 6 software engineering internships, collaborated with 9 international educational inst... Show more

Varun Kulkarni is an AI Product Leader with 10+ years of experience building and scaling AI platforms, Business AI applications, and agentic AI ecosystems across Microsoft, Cisco, and Deloitte. He has launched 10+ 0–1 products reaching 1B+ users and driving $200M+ in revenue. At Microsoft, he leads multiple agentic AI ecosystem initiatives across Microsoft 365 Copilot and Teams, including partner incubation and forward-deployed engineering to help enterprises and AI Startups deploy and scale Modern Work agents with measurable adoption and business impact. Previously at Cisco, he built and launched AI agent platform capabilities for Webex across global markets, and earlier at Deloitte he led cross-functional teams and go-to-market execution for enterprise AI platforms and customer implementations.

Varun is a recognized industry expert speaker and is also officially an Executive Briefing Center Speaker at Microsoft.

Varun is a member of the Forbes Technology Council and serves on the AI Advisory Board at Northwestern University. He also advises AI initiatives and startups through advisory roles with the University of Toronto and the University of Washington.

He holds an M.S. and an MBA from Northwestern University, and is an invited keynote speaker at multiple conferences where he shares insights on AI Agents, Agentic AI Ecosystems, Enterprise AI Transformation, AI Trust and Evaluation, Scaling Developer and Partner Ecosystems, GTM and Business Development

Varun Kulkarni is an AI Product Leader with 10+ years of experience building and scaling AI platforms, Business AI applications, and agentic AI ecosystems across Microsoft, Cisco, and Deloitte. He has launched 10+ 0–1 products reaching 1B+ users and ... Show more

Marie Wiese is the CEO Marketing Copilot®, an AI-enabled sales and marketing firm. She is a best-selling author and host of the podcasts, Women Talk Tech and The Hot Seat for Microsoft Partners. Marie has worked in the technology sector for 30+ years and focuses on marketing automation/CRM and the digital transformation of the sales and marketing function. Marie helps Microsoft Partners, software developers and end customers build demand generation programs for their organizations with the right strategy and technology.

Marie Wiese is the CEO Marketing Copilot®, an AI-enabled sales and marketing firm. She is a best-selling author and host of the podcasts, Women Talk Tech and The Hot Seat for Microsoft Partners. Marie has worked in the technology sector for 30+ years... Show more

Preston Chandler is a transformation leader and systems strategist with more than 20 years of experience helping complex organizations improve how they operate, innovate, and deliver value.

He currently serves as the Global Lead of Strategic Operations at WPP, where he works across marketing and engineering organizations to improve decision velocity, operational design, and large-scale delivery performance. In parallel, he is a Managing Partner at Centered, advising executive leaders on building innovation-ready teams and sustainable operating models.

Preston’s work sits at the intersection of engineering, product, and marketing — designing systems that reduce friction, accelerate learning, and align technical execution with business strategy. Over his career, he has partnered with more than 100 teams across industries including pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, digital product development, supply chain, and enterprise technology. His client experience includes Pfizer, Merck, Johnson & Johnson, Ford, Sprint, Novartis, and VML.

He specializes in diagnosing systemic bottlenecks, improving alignment in complex environments, and helping senior teams scale without losing adaptability.

Preston brings a pragmatic, systems-level lens to innovation — focusing not just on frameworks, but on how organizations actually behave under pressure.

Preston Chandler is a transformation leader and systems strategist with more than 20 years of experience helping complex organizations improve how they operate, innovate, and deliver value. He currently serves as the Global Lead of Strategic Opera... Show more

Leslie Martinich is an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer, former computer scientist, leadership researcher, and trusted advisor to technical leaders worldwide. After helping pioneer networking software and foundational technologies such as remote procedure calls, she spent more than two decades studying a question that affects every organization: Why do some teams thrive while others struggle despite having equally talented people?

As founder of Competitive Focus, Leslie helps engineers, technical professionals, and executives develop the leadership capabilities needed to navigate increasing organizational complexity. Her work combines research, real-world leadership experience, and practical methods for building trust, improving communication, and creating high-performing teams.

Leslie has worked with organizations on six continents, including NASA, 3M, Samsung, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and the U.S. State Department. In 2012, she was selected as the IEEE-USA Science and Technology Policy Fellow, serving in the U.S. Congress. Through her Executive Simulation Leadership Lab and keynote presentations, she helps organizations strengthen leadership capability, improve retention, and accelerate performance.

Known for her engaging storytelling, humor, and practical insights, Leslie shows leaders how trustworthiness improves information flow, performance, and innovation in an increasingly complex world.

Leslie Martinich is an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer, former computer scientist, leadership researcher, and trusted advisor to technical leaders worldwide. After helping pioneer networking software and foundational technologies such as remote procedure... Show more

Dan has been building software since before the dot-com days, responsible for the modernization, site reliability and greenfield projects, as well as responsible for hiring software and devops engineers at various stages and skill levels, from junior to architect level. He has built a career at TRIRIGA, IBM, Wipro, and now as the Global Director of Software for Arcadis, a leading design, consultancy, engineering, project and management services across every phase of asset creation and management for projects all around the world.

Dan has been building software since before the dot-com days, responsible for the modernization, site reliability and greenfield projects, as well as responsible for hiring software and devops engineers at various stages and skill levels, from junior... Show more

Press: Featured in National Law Review and Atlanta Today, with syndication across the EIN Presswire network of 800+ outlets, and praised by industry analyst Jeff Kagan as "a clear example of how quickly the AI landscape is evolving and new opportunities are emerging" (March 2026).

Wilson Guenther is the Founder, CEO and CTO of Drivia — what Wilson calls "the personalization infrastructure of the AI era." Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, adopted at age 10 by an American family, Wilson arrived in the United States on New Year's Eve 2013. He taught himself to code in college and shipped 1,891+ commits across six live software products from his dorm room — no funding, no co-founders.

Drivia is the Canvas-class adaptive AI platform powering enterprise learning, higher ed, and public-sector workforce training. JAX, Drivia's adaptive AI tutor, runs Q-learning + Bayesian Knowledge Tracing on top of a UCB1 router across six AI models (Claude, Gemini, OpenAI, Grok, DeepSeek, Groq) with circuit breakers — co-architected with Frank Morales, a Boeing Fellow. Drivia is currently in active multi-million-dollar contract negotiation with TechServ Corporation as channel partner across healthcare, public safety, workforce, and city/county program markets. Accelerators: NVIDIA Inception, AMD Instinct, AWS Activate.

Wilson is also the author of the Drift Thesis — original IP on context decay and adaptive intelligence — and the System Architect newsletter on LinkedIn (16,100% growth in seven days). He has 2.2M+ combined social following (TikTok 1.1M, Instagram 633K, Facebook 471K) with one video at 44 million views, has appeared on Family Feud (Steve Harvey), Rich House Poor House (UK), and KVUE Austin News, and has consulted for Linktree and Beacons.

Wilson speaks on adaptive AI engineering, multi-model routing and inference cost engineering, the Drift Thesis (context decay, hallucination root cause), distribution as a moat for AI builders, and immigrant founder origin.

Press: Featured in National Law Review and Atlanta Today, with syndication across the EIN Presswire network of 800+ outlets, and praised by industry analyst Jeff Kagan as "a clear example of how quickly the AI landscape is evolving and new opportunit... Show more

John Halberstadt is a strategic technology, product, and enterprise transformation executive focused on helping organizations improve how they govern, fund, deliver, and scale complex technology initiatives.

His work sits at the intersection of PMI-aligned delivery leadership, PMO modernization, portfolio governance, enterprise risk management, product operating models, and technology transformation. He helps organizations move from fragmented project execution to integrated operating systems that connect strategy, investment, governance, delivery, and measurable business value.

As Head of Consulting Operations at En Dash, John advises organizations on enterprise transformation, governance design, AI-enabled operating models, product and platform strategy, and modern delivery practices. His consulting work focuses on helping leaders establish practical governance structures, improve portfolio visibility, strengthen decision-making, and align execution with organizational strategy.

John previously served as Chief Information and Technology Officer for a Property and Casualty insurer, where he led core platform modernization, cloud transformation, enterprise delivery evolution, and technology governance. His leadership experience includes modernizing delivery practices, improving cross-functional execution, managing risk across complex change initiatives, and connecting technology investments to business outcomes.

His background also includes senior leadership in product, user experience, and customer experience for AI and NLP platforms at Next IT, delivering enterprise conversational AI solutions across financial services, healthcare, and travel. Consulting and advisory roles with LitheSpeed and independent engagements have supported large-scale enterprise transformation initiatives, including enterprise agility, PMO evolution, portfolio management, governance alignment, and product-centric operating models.

John is a published author on consulting, artificial intelligence, and governance. His work emphasizes practical frameworks for responsible AI adoption, modern consulting, enterprise decision-making, and operating effectively in complex, technology-driven environments.

Regular speaking topics include PMO modernization, enterprise transformation, portfolio governance, risk management, product operating models, AI governance, enterprise agility, and the connection between strategy, execution, and value delivery.

Key Topics

* PMO Modernization and Enterprise Delivery Leadership
* PMI-Aligned Project, Program, and Portfolio Management
* Enterprise Transformation and Operating Model Design
* Governance, Risk Management, and Decision Rights
* Portfolio Governance and Value Delivery
* Product Operating Models and Product Leadership
* AI Governance and Responsible AI Adoption
* Enterprise Agility and Hybrid Delivery Models
* Technology, Cloud, and Platform Modernization
* Strategy Execution and Organizational Change

Experience Highlights

* Head of Consulting Operations, En Dash
* Vice President, Consulting, LitheSpeed
* Chief Information and Technology Officer, Capital Insurance Group
* SVP Customer Experience, AI and NLP, Next IT
* Enterprise Technology Leadership, FIS and First American

Author

Published author on consulting, artificial intelligence, and governance, with books focused on practical frameworks for modern consulting, responsible AI adoption, governance, and enterprise operating effectiveness.

Author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0GC3R4G83/allbooks

John Halberstadt is a strategic technology, product, and enterprise transformation executive focused on helping organizations improve how they govern, fund, deliver, and scale complex technology initiatives. His work sits at the intersection of PM... Show more

Dux Raymond Sy helps organizations worldwide turn AI ambition into meaningful impact — built on a trusted, secure, and well-governed data foundation. As Chief Transformation Officer at AvePoint (Nasdaq: AVPT), he works directly with business leaders and partners to navigate the most consequential technology shift of our time: not just adopting AI, but governing it, scaling it, and building organizations that can sustain it. His core belief: trust is not a feature of AI adoption. It is the prerequisite.

A Microsoft Regional Director and 16-year Most Valuable Professional (MVP), Dux brings rare cross-functional depth to every stage he stands on — having served as CTO, CMO, and CBO at a Nasdaq-listed company, with 20+ years operating globally across the cloud and AI ecosystem.

He has delivered keynotes and interactive sessions to more than 25,000 professionals at events including Microsoft Ignite, Gartner Digital Workplace Summit, and industry conferences across North America, EMEA, and APAC. His sessions consistently blend technical credibility with storytelling that makes complex ideas accessible and actionable for executives and practitioners alike.

Dux is the host of the popular #shifthappens podcast, author of SharePoint for Project Management (O'Reilly Media), and creator of the LinkedIn Learning course How to Build Your Personal Brand. He writes regularly for Fast Company and Reworked on AI leadership, digital transformation, and the future of work.

Born and raised in the Philippines, now a global executive based in Washington DC — Dux brings a distinctly human perspective to every conversation about technology, leadership, and what it means to transform with purpose.

Connect with Dux: http://linkedin.com/in/meetdux

Dux Raymond Sy helps organizations worldwide turn AI ambition into meaningful impact — built on a trusted, secure, and well-governed data foundation. As Chief Transformation Officer at AvePoint (Nasdaq: AVPT), he works directly with business leaders ... Show more

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

Shubhangi is a Product and DevRel leader building at the intersection of open source, AI, and inclusive tech communities.
She leads a 35,000+ member developer network and drives initiatives through Claude Code, Google Developer Groups Noida and Women Techmakers Delhi. A GitHub Campus Expert and speaker at multiple tech events like DevFest and MLH Hackcon, she champions open collaboration, equitable representation, and community-led innovation in AI and infrastructure.

Shubhangi is a Product and DevRel leader building at the intersection of open source, AI, and inclusive tech communities. She leads a 35,000+ member developer network and drives initiatives through Claude Code, Google Developer Groups Noida and Wom... Show more

I enjoy improving people satisfaction and business outcomes in omnichannel projects.
25+ yrs experience, 200+ projects.
Speaker @ UX events
Worked with: Porsche, Lamborghini, Loro Piana, Valentino, Decathlon, Tannico, Università di Padova, Bioversity International, Fiera di Roma, Gino Paoli, Ornella Vanoni, CNA, gruppo Alde parlamento europeo, TIM, Talent Garden

I enjoy improving people satisfaction and business outcomes in omnichannel projects. 25+ yrs experience, 200+ projects. Speaker @ UX events Worked with: Porsche, Lamborghini, Loro Piana, Valentino, Decathlon, Tannico, Università di Padova, Biover... Show more

LaShawnda Rodgers, MBA, PMP, CSM, is a global speaker, workplace transformation strategist, technology leader, entrepreneur mentor, and founder of Rodgers Global Leadership Consortium. With over 20 years of experience across technology, project management, operations, leadership development, organizational strategy, workforce development, and innovation, she helps organizations and professionals prepare for the future of work with clarity, confidence, and practical execution.

LaShawnda’s work sits at the intersection of technology, people, leadership, operations, and transformation. She equips organizations to navigate AI adoption, cybersecurity awareness, digital skills development, workplace culture, leadership effectiveness, and business growth. Her approach bridges the technical and human sides of change, helping leaders understand not only what technology can do, but how people, processes, and culture must evolve to use it responsibly and effectively. She is passionate about helping businesses understand the human side of technology including how AI, automation, cybersecurity, and digital transformation impact employees, leaders, customers, and long-term business success.

As the founder of Rodgers Global Leadership Consortium, LaShawnda provides consulting, workshops, leadership programs, technical training, and strategic advisory services that support organizational growth, employee development, customer experience, and workforce readiness. Her experience includes leading global initiatives, supporting technical teams, managing complex projects, improving business processes, and helping organizations align strategy with execution.

LaShawnda is also deeply committed to expanding access and opportunity in technology and entrepreneurship. She mentors women pursuing careers in tech, serves on IT and technology advisory boards for institutions such as Wake Tech Community College and Durham Tech Community College, and advises entrepreneurs and small business owners through platforms and ecosystems including Verizon Small Business Digital Ready. Her work helps professionals identify their value, build confidence, strengthen their career strategy, and position themselves for success in emerging industries.

A recognized speaker and thought leader, LaShawnda brings a unique blend of technical insight, leadership wisdom, operational strategy, creativity, and people-centered transformation. Whether speaking to executives, entrepreneurs, students, cyber professionals, workforce leaders, or emerging tech talent, she delivers practical, engaging, and empowering sessions that help audiences take action.

Her speaking topics include AI transformation, cybersecurity awareness, leadership in the digital age, workforce readiness, organizational growth, entrepreneurship, personal branding, career advancement, emotional intelligence, innovation, and future-ready workplace strategy.

LaShawnda Rodgers, MBA, PMP, CSM, is a global speaker, workplace transformation strategist, technology leader, entrepreneur mentor, and founder of Rodgers Global Leadership Consortium. With over 20 years of experience across technology, project manag... Show more

I believe the next competitive edge isn’t AI itself, it’s the organisation around it. Feedback loops, governance, and continuous adaptation across people, process, and technology.

My Story
With over two decades in the technology sector, I focus on AI-augmented delivery, platform engineering, and enterprise evolution. As Group Chief AI Officer (CAIO) at Zühlke, I shape the global strategy and service portfolio for AI-Augmented Delivery & Platform, AI integration, platform engineering, and cloud solutions. My work redefines how organizations innovate, adapt, and scale in industries such as finance, insurance, cybersecurity, energy, healthcare, and aerospace.

In a world reshaped by Artificial Intelligence (AI), I believe the key to resilience and competitiveness lies in becoming AI-augmented, AI-enabled, and ultimately AI-native: a new operating model driven by feedback loops, intelligent workflows, and self-learning systems that place customer success at the center. I empower companies to continuously create value by harmonizing people, processes, technology, and AI.

I began my journey at Zühlke more than two decades ago, evolving from software engineer and architect to trusted consultant, and now to my leadership role as Chief AI Officer. My passion for value creation through automation and quality led me from engineering into the DevOps movement and further into the forefront of enterprise transformation.

I organize the monthly DevOps Meetup in Zürich and serve as president of DevOpsDays Zürich, an annual conference within the global DevOps movement. I share my insights via my YouTube channel, with over 500 videos, and through well over 30 blog articles focused on DevOps, architecture, leadership, and transformation.

My commitment to thought leadership and education extends to my role as a lecturer in DevOps leadership, agile methodologies, digital transformation, and enterprise architecture at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. I champion a culture of innovation and agility, helping enterprises evolve into adaptive systems capable of thriving in complex, fast-changing environments.

My work has been recognized through several awards and honors, reflecting my contributions to technology leadership and digital transformation.

I believe the next competitive edge isn’t AI itself, it’s the organisation around it. Feedback loops, governance, and continuous adaptation across people, process, and technology. My Story With over two decades in the technology sector, I focus o... Show more

Thought leader at Schneider Electric on applying Lean and Agile principles in Catalyst Leadership, Organizational Design, and Methods. Paul is currently working in the PMO Organization of Global Supply Chain, where applying Agile, Waterfall, and Hybrid structures are contextually dependent.
Paul has worked in a variety of fields, including software, digital, cyber-physical hardware systems, systems integration, and now the most complicated system of all.... people and teams.
The story of Agility is about people and how we try to bring new thinking models into incremental changes rather than transformations today. Paul uses an invitational coaching approach that meets people where they are and adapts through context-sensitive frameworks, methods, and tools. This allows us to find more obstacles and work relentlessly with people who are improving while respecting people and culture, which is the foundation of a digitization journey. Let's work together to change the world.

Thought leader at Schneider Electric on applying Lean and Agile principles in Catalyst Leadership, Organizational Design, and Methods. Paul is currently working in the PMO Organization of Global Supply Chain, where applying Agile, Waterfall, and Hyb... Show more

Phil Ledgerwood’s resumé looks like seven other people’s resumés stitched together. He has baked bagels, guarded Clint Black’s town home, cooked for a gourmet food shop, freed stuck college students from elevators, managed printing plates for packaging, and served as a linguist in the Air Force. He taught himself HTML when the Netscape browser was still a thing, and the rest is history.

Phil is a twenty-year veteran of the software development industry in the Kansas City area. If you’re in the Kansas City area, he is two degrees of separation away from any programmer you know and has probably worked for, at, or with your company.

When the agile movement hit town, Phil knew a good thing when he saw it and became an early adopter of first wave agile practices. He has used these practices to ideate, build, and complete software projects ranging from loan forecasting to routing irrigation trucks to managing pharmacies to predictive lead generation to selling teddy bears. When people ask what vertical his company serves, he says, “Yours.”

Phil has incorporated Lean methodologies into software development just like his father used to do in manufacturing. When he partnered with Travis Dietz to start Integrity Inspired Solutions in 2012, they laid the foundation in Lean to make the custom software development enterprise more humane, predictable, and focused on the success of everyone involved.

A regular speaker at developer, Lean, and Agile conferences, Phil has a passion for taking his company’s ways to other companies whether they create software or not. He loves to see them transform from a collection of interactions riddled with disappointments and broken promises to team-oriented relational companies enjoying newfound trust, joy, efficiency, and success. Several companies from all over the world in all different industries contract Phil to help coach them through their own journeys. He also hosts the successful "Agile Bites" podcast.

When he’s not helping project managers learn predictive metrics or helping developers write customer-focused features, he’s enjoying a wide array of highly geeky hobbies including fantasy and sci-fi novels, gaming, and teaching Filipino stick fighting. His main hobby is making the world a better place for everyone who has to share the planet with him, and the engine for that is love.

Phil Ledgerwood’s resumé looks like seven other people’s resumés stitched together. He has baked bagels, guarded Clint Black’s town home, cooked for a gourmet food shop, freed stuck college students from elevators, managed printing plates for packagi... Show more