I combine creative passion with analytical precision. After 15 years in the international plant engineering industry, where I established standards, led projects, and developed data-driven tools, I found my professional home in AI & BI. Today, I work at the intersection of business and technology: I not only design AI & BI solutions but also support management in shaping and implementing strategies that turn data into a driver of business success, while ensuring people are taken into account in the journey. My deep interest in Data Governance and Data Management enables me to design frameworks that make data reliable, accessible, and truly valuable. What drives me is creating AI & BI solutions that deliver insights, support decision-making, and make data understandable and actionable across the organization.

I combine creative passion with analytical precision. After 15 years in the international plant engineering industry, where I established standards, led projects, and developed data-driven tools, I found my professional home in AI & BI. Today, I work... Show more

Talks on culture, learning & what high-performing organizations do differently. Dwayne has recently taken the main stage at GoTech World and Offbeat Fest (among others), and spent 15+ years facilitating for teams at Apple, Adidas, Zalando, On, Lululemon, and more. His talks explore what happens at the moments that shape culture most. Available for keynotes, talks, panels & podcasts.
➤ Speaker Reel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B72nUtA1oQY

Talks on culture, learning & what high-performing organizations do differently. Dwayne has recently taken the main stage at GoTech World and Offbeat Fest (among others), and spent 15+ years facilitating for teams at Apple, Adidas, Zalando, On, Lulule... Show more

Megha Hooli is a seasoned Senior Program Manager at Amazon, where she leads the Global Concessions Excellence Program across 12 international marketplaces. With over 9 years of experience in product and program management, she has established herself as a strategic leader in AI-driven solutions, enterprise automation, and customer-centric platform development.
Currently based in Seattle, Megha spearheads Amazon's Worldwide CS Concessions program, where she has achieved remarkable results including a reduction in concession, proactive defect resolution through predictive analytics, and working toward reduction in manual intervention time. Her leadership extends to managing strategic partnerships across worldwide Retail, Seller Services, Finance, and BI teams while facilitating bi-weekly steering meetings with over 100 global stakeholders.
Prior to Amazon, Megha served as Technical Product Manager at Cognizant's TriZetto Healthcare division, where she drove a 10% revenue increase through strategic product roadmap optimization and led 10-12 weekly product experiments that improved feature adoption by 15%. Her expertise in balancing technical constraints with business priorities while ensuring HIPAA compliance made her instrumental in delivering a 38% uplift in promotional performance across digital channels.
Megha's entrepreneurial spirit shone during her tenure as Product Manager at ACCELQ Texas, where she developed and executed a successful AI go-to-market strategy that resulted in a 50% increase in website traffic and 30% increase in trial sign-ups. She led the end-to-end AI strategy for ACCELQ's flagship test automation suite, achieving a 70% reduction in false positives and 40% improvement in test execution speed through ML-driven self-healing capabilities.
Her technical foundation was built during her earlier roles at OSII-Emerson Digital and Accenture, where she honed her skills in Agile methodologies, cross-functional team leadership, and healthcare technology solutions. At Accenture, she served as Product Owner for the My Health Record Client, leading 14+ cross-functional teams and achieving 98% of product goals while enhancing patient safety through data-driven clinical workflow optimization.
Academically, Megha holds a Master of Science in Business Analytics from The University of Texas at Dallas, where she graduated as a Double Dean's Scholar, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Telecommunication from PES Institute of Technology, Bangalore. Her educational achievements are complemented by multiple certifications including Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), and ITILv4.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Megha is a recognized leader in the tech community. She served as President of the Graduate Student Assembly at UT Dallas, representing over 9,000 graduate students, and is a founding member of the Women in Product Dallas Chapter. Her commitment to social impact is evident through her role as CSR Lead at Accenture Bangalore and her active involvement in Rotaract Clubs.
Megha's expertise spans the full spectrum of modern technology and business management, including cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), machine learning, data analytics (SQL, Python, R, Tableau), and product management tools (JIRA, Confluence, Figma). Her unique combination of technical depth, strategic vision, and leadership acumen positions her as a driving force in the evolution of AI-powered enterprise solutions and customer experience optimization.
Her numerous awards and recognitions, including Student Leader of the Year 2023 at UT Dallas, Dean's Excellence Scholar, AccelQ Hackathon winner, and Accenture ACE award winner, reflect her consistent excellence and innovative approach to solving complex business challenges.

Megha Hooli is a seasoned Senior Program Manager at Amazon, where she leads the Global Concessions Excellence Program across 12 international marketplaces. With over 9 years of experience in product and program management, she has established herself... Show more

Gaurav Saxena is an engineering leader in the field of platform and cloud engineering with over 20 years of experience in the software industry. His technical expertise includes Stream-based architectures, Kubernetes, Service Mesh, Software Supply Chain Security, and Observability.

Gaurav Saxena is an engineering leader in the field of platform and cloud engineering with over 20 years of experience in the software industry. His technical expertise includes Stream-based architectures, Kubernetes, Service Mesh, Software Supply Ch... Show more

Sarah Kundla is a facilitator, speaker, and Gallup Certified Coach focused on leadership development, emotional intelligence, and helping teams work better together.

Her approach is shaped by research, experience, and a genuine curiosity about how communication styles, cultural norms, and human dynamics influence the way people lead, relate, and grow in today’s modern landscape. Having lived and worked across different cultures around the world, Sarah brings a global perspective to every room she walks into.

Sarah has delivered training for 1,800+ professionals across the U.S. and internationally, and spoken at conferences including Worthington Steel's LEARN & LEAD Conferences (2020, 2023, 2025), WitCon (2025), and CodeMash (2026). Her sessions blend research-backed frameworks with real-world scenarios, so participants leave with tools and skills they can apply right away.

To view her recent speaking activity, visit Sarah’s LinkedIn page at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-kundla/.
Learn more about what Sarah offers through her company at www.questinginsight.com.

Sarah Kundla is a facilitator, speaker, and Gallup Certified Coach focused on leadership development, emotional intelligence, and helping teams work better together. Her approach is shaped by research, experience, and a genuine curiosity about how... Show more

With over two decades in IT and business, Estelle’s expertise spans cloud, AI, IoT, and cybersecurity, coupled with design thinking and agile methodologies. She uses these skills to create innovative digital solutions that are inspired by people’s needs and aspirations.
As a Microsoft Regional Director and MCT, she maintains a robust connection with Microsoft, leveraging their technologies to empower organizations and individuals across various sectors and regions. Additionally, she serves as a Microsoft Learning Partner, providing tailored trainings on the latest topics and trends in the tech industry.
In addition, she is passionate about sharing her knowledge and vision with diverse audiences, as a speaker, writer, and trainer, and she is a co-founder of several communities that promote parity, diversity, and collaboration in the tech industry.

With over two decades in IT and business, Estelle’s expertise spans cloud, AI, IoT, and cybersecurity, coupled with design thinking and agile methodologies. She uses these skills to create innovative digital solutions that are inspired by people’s ne... Show more

Vitthal is a Staff Data Engineer and Software Architect with over 12 years of experience in designing scalable data pipelines, building AI-driven systems, and translating complex business needs into robust technical architecture. He holds deep expertise in data engineering, distributed systems, and backend frameworks. Outside of work, Vitthal is an avid cook, watch aficionado, and enjoys long drives, exploring cultures, and writing about tech & life.

Vitthal is a Staff Data Engineer and Software Architect with over 12 years of experience in designing scalable data pipelines, building AI-driven systems, and translating complex business needs into robust technical architecture. He holds deep expert... Show more

Chronically data-enthusiast, engineer and consultant on the Microsoft-stack (Azure, Fabric & Power Platform) and all things SQL or Spark, with some expertise on other data-solutions as well like TimeXtender, and Qlikview. I like sharing my stories on adoption strategies, and ideas for implementation on Fabric-Adoption on the road to data maturity.

With the aim of improving organisations, processes and people I am data-experienced in the Benelux-geography since 2004 with Amsterdam Airport Schiphol/Royal Schiphol Group, Royal Heijmans (building contractor), Nabuurs Supply Chain Solutions, Micromedia Benelux (wholesale), Provelu (data-consulting), Danone Nutrition-products and Heart for Arts (agency and ICT-consultancy for NGO's). I am the proud holder of degrees in Logistics, and Business Economics, and Microsoft-certificates.

My motto's are: Be yourself, try the best you can, take some time to become aware of the situation, make contact with others, help others, imagine, create, learn, and last, but not least, adapt. I live for tech, the tech- and performing arts- community and helping people. I am an event organizer, speaker, and volunteer as well in data-usergroups, and performing arts.

Demolished my first IBM AT-model with 80286 Intel in 1988. Created my first database with gameplays of Civilization in 1991. Build my first hardware components and drivers for model railways in 1993. Hooked on Excel and VBA since 1995 in secundary education. From Access, Excel and Filemaker dba’s via Qlikview and since 2015 on Azure, Power BI and Fabric..I love music and theatre production, hence I find NGO’s are great at helping others so I help them as well!

Chronically data-enthusiast, engineer and consultant on the Microsoft-stack (Azure, Fabric & Power Platform) and all things SQL or Spark, with some expertise on other data-solutions as well like TimeXtender, and Qlikview. I like sharing my stories on... Show more

Brenton House helps business and technology leaders make practical decisions about AI. At IBM, he works as an advisor on automation and emerging technology, bringing 30+ years of experience across enterprise architecture, APIs, integration, and modernization, with a focus on how emerging AI capabilities connect to the systems organizations already run. His perspective is grounded in execution, governance, and business value rather than hype. A former VP at Software AG and an international keynote speaker, Brenton is known for making complex technology clear, useful, and actionable.

Brenton House helps business and technology leaders make practical decisions about AI. At IBM, he works as an advisor on automation and emerging technology, bringing 30+ years of experience across enterprise architecture, APIs, integration, and moder... Show more

Sven Leiß is a Senior Manager at MHP with a focus on secure platform architecture, cloud transformation and modern delivery operating models. He works with organizations that need to balance engineering speed with governance, security and long-term architectural resilience. His work covers platform engineering, sovereign AI patterns and future-ready delivery design.

Sven Leiß is a Senior Manager at MHP with a focus on secure platform architecture, cloud transformation and modern delivery operating models. He works with organizations that need to balance engineering speed with governance, security and long-term a... Show more

With over 25 years of experience, Sean Farmar specializes in providing simple solutions for complex business requirements applying SOA and distributed computing principles inspired by Udi Dahan.

Sean runs Bosca Software Solutions Ltd. a boutique consulting company providing management and technical consulting related to product software engineering, custom project delivery, and training.

With over 25 years of experience, Sean Farmar specializes in providing simple solutions for complex business requirements applying SOA and distributed computing principles inspired by Udi Dahan. Sean runs Bosca Software Solutions Ltd. a boutique c... Show more

Apurva Misra is a machine learning engineer, speaker, and founder of Sentick, where she helps growing companies unlock practical, ROI-driven AI solutions across automations, predictive analytics, and copilots.
She holds a Master’s from the University of Waterloo, where her research focused on detecting driver cognitive distraction; her work has been published in IEEE Access.
Apurva has spoken at industry events and advises startups on shipping AI safely and measurably, drawing on hands-on experience building production systems and a strong cloud/engineering background. In her free time, she is learning Spanish, and enjoys exploring hidden gem eateries, always eager to hear about new favourite spots!

Apurva Misra is a machine learning engineer, speaker, and founder of Sentick, where she helps growing companies unlock practical, ROI-driven AI solutions across automations, predictive analytics, and copilots. She holds a Master’s from the Universit... Show more

is the Managing Director of 15C, a consulting and training company that specializes in designing, implementing and supporting SQL Server infrastructures. He is a 12-year former Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Microsoft Certified Master from Ottawa, Canada (but he’s originally from the Philippines) specializing in high availability, disaster recovery and system infrastructures running on the Microsoft server technology stack. His background in Unix has taken him to the world of DevOps and Docker to containerize SQL Server. He is very passionate about technology but has interests in music, neuroscience, social psychology, professional and organizational development, leadership and management matters when not working with databases.

Edwin lives up to his primary mission statement: "To help people and organizations grow and develop their full potential."

is the Managing Director of 15C, a consulting and training company that specializes in designing, implementing and supporting SQL Server infrastructures. He is a 12-year former Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Microsoft Certified Master from Ottawa, C... Show more

Computer Engineer. Independent professional. I have more than 20 years dedicated to the world of data as a BI Trainer and Consultant. Currently immersed in the world of Power Platform - Power BI.

Computer Engineer. Independent professional. I have more than 20 years dedicated to the world of data as a BI Trainer and Consultant. Currently immersed in the world of Power Platform - Power BI. Show more

Hi, I’m SK - CTO of InzpireU, Technology Innovator, and a lifelong believer in the power of mentorship to humanize learning.

With over two decades of experience at the intersection of engineering, AI, and digital transformation, my journey has always been guided by one core principle: Technology should amplify human potential, not replace it.

Why InzpireU?

InzpireU was born out of a bold vision - to make learning deeply personal, purposeful, and human again. In a world overwhelmed with content and chaos, we’re building a new kind of learning platform: AI-powered, but mentor-driven. One that champions accountability, guided growth, and impact.

Our mission?
To help people, especially those from underrepresented communities, not just learn more, but learn meaningfully - through mentorship, community, and personalized accountability.

My Tech Origin Story

Back in 2003, when AI was still a distant buzzword, I developed a neural network model for early cancer detection. It was personal. It was ahead of its time. And it gave me my first taste of how AI could change lives - not just systems. That experience became my blueprint for building tech with a soul.

From Engineer to Ecosystem Builder

Today, as a fractional technology leader, I help startups and purpose-driven organizations craft AI and data strategies that are scalable, ethical, and aligned with business impact. My sweet spot? Turning bold ideas into executables, and vision into value - all while staying rooted in the human experience.

Recognitions & Milestones:

🏛 Recognized by the DC Capitol for pioneering a mentorship-based learning model
🧠 Patent pending for our AI-powered goal accountability framework
📰 Featured as an AI Champion by Daily News Network
🎙 Interviewed on multiple tech and innovation podcasts for my work on AI with purpose

Beyond the Title

At heart, I’m an engineer. But my true calling is impact. Whether it’s mentoring non-tech women entrepreneurs through LaunchWise, or building community-based learning models with InzpireU, I believe in building technology that cares - and shares.

Let’s build a world where growth is human-first, learning is goal-driven, and mentorship is a way of life.
#HelpingBeyondTech

Hi, I’m SK - CTO of InzpireU, Technology Innovator, and a lifelong believer in the power of mentorship to humanize learning. With over two decades of experience at the intersection of engineering, AI, and digital transformation, my journey has alw... Show more

Leslie Martinich, a computer scientist who began her career writing operating systems, APIs, and advanced communication software, led her team to deliver the first commercial version of Remote Procedure Calls (RPC), ground-breaking technology allowing developers to create parallel and distributed programs. Her early work in Artificial Intelligence laid the groundwork for today's breakthroughs.

In the middle of her career, she made a pivotal realization: project failures weren't due to technical hurdles, but rather rooted in managerial and leadership challenges. Determined to rectify this deficiency, she built leadership programs which she presented across 6 continents (sorry, Antarctica!), focused on innovation and preparing effective leaders.

Leslie peppers her talks with stories from her career, real stories, hilarious stories, that developers relate to. She engages the audience with activities that they'll remember long after the talk. She cares deeply about the careers of her colleagues and friends; that’s why she helps leaders learn how to improve their skills in engagement, communication, and trust. Engaged, trusted leaders inspire teams, reduce turnover, deliver, and drive towards excellence in quality. And that’s a win!

Leslie Martinich, a computer scientist who began her career writing operating systems, APIs, and advanced communication software, led her team to deliver the first commercial version of Remote Procedure Calls (RPC), ground-breaking technology allowin... Show more

Edyta’s story with Microsoft technology has started in 2013. She helps organizations with digital transformation by developing change management strategies, guiding companies through the entire process, and training end-users on the practical use of Microsoft 365. She believes technology should be helpful to all users, regardless of their role in the organization or their technical abilities. Only then we can talk about the success of digitization. In addition to that Edyta is an active Microsoft Community Enthusiast. Since 2015 she organizes SharePoint Saturday Warsaw, now CollabDays Poland, co-hosts ACM Teams Europe, and speaks at Microsoft Community conferences.
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional M365 Apps & Services since 2019.

In her spare time, you can meet her reading a book, running, caring for friends, or with a suitcase at the airport. An empathetic extrovert by nature. 😉

Edyta’s story with Microsoft technology has started in 2013. She helps organizations with digital transformation by developing change management strategies, guiding companies through the entire process, and training end-users on the practical use of ... Show more

At OutSystems, Maria operates at the intersection of Platform Engineering, Developer Experience, and Product Operations. She leads initiatives spanning AI-native developer frameworks, company-wide DevEx measurement, and engineering storytelling.
With 10+ years in tech, Maria is known for turning complexity into clarity and strategy into execution.

At OutSystems, Maria operates at the intersection of Platform Engineering, Developer Experience, and Product Operations. She leads initiatives spanning AI-native developer frameworks, company-wide DevEx measurement, and engineering storytelling. Wit... Show more

I’m a strategic consultant, learning designer, and gamification expert with over 20 years of experience helping organisations drive social and environmental impact through experiential learning. I've had the privilege to work with over 40 organisations and train more than 2,000 individuals across three continents, creating transformative learning experiences that build 21st-century skills.

My work bridges gamification with sustainability, equipping purpose-driven organisations to achieve measurable impact through playful and experiential approaches. I’m passionate about fostering a world of equal rights and opportunities where diverse, active citizens work towards an inclusive, innovative, and sustainable future.

If you’re a purpose-driven organisation, an educator, or a changemaker seeking to amplify your impact and cultivate future-ready skills, let’s explore how we can make a difference together. I’m ready to collaborate and bring lasting change. Let’s change the world together!

I’m a strategic consultant, learning designer, and gamification expert with over 20 years of experience helping organisations drive social and environmental impact through experiential learning. I've had the privilege to work with over 40 organisatio... Show more

Josh Hankins is a seasoned IT professional and leader with 30 years of experience. He started as a network engineer in 1996 and transitioned to the cybersecurity field 10 years later. Beginning 2006, he worked in various cybersecurity roles, such as: a security architect, analyst, engineer and incident handler. These roles spanned businesses ranging from a Fortune 500 financial institution, a credit card processor and a global consulting company. Next, he served 9 years as the Director of Security & Incident Response for a data analytics subsidiary for the 5th largest retailer in the world. During this time, Josh successfully built and matured several cyber security programs, such as: Vulnerability Management, DevSecOps, Cyber Risk Metrics, and Incident Response for both on-prem & the cloud, respectively. Before returning to his consulting roots, as a Consulting CISO at CBTS, Josh served as the Americas Chief Technical Security Officer for a global SaaS security & compliance vendor. Here, he assisted customers in achieving their strategic business goals in a secure manner. He holds many industry certifications (a CISSP and 3 different GIAC designations.) Josh frequently presents at conferences across North America, the UK, and Europe. Lastly, he volunteers his time by mentoring others and serving on the board for a local startup.

Josh Hankins is a seasoned IT professional and leader with 30 years of experience. He started as a network engineer in 1996 and transitioned to the cybersecurity field 10 years later. Beginning 2006, he worked in various cybersecurity roles, such as:... Show more

Margarita Neumüllers journey began in BI Consulting, where she spent several years mastering the Microsoft technology stack and solving complex data puzzles for diverse clients. In 2021, she joined ALDI SÜD, where she rapidly advanced through various pivotal roles.
Today, she serves as a Manager for Data & Analytics, acting as a Product Owner who bridges the gap between data engineering and global business goals.

Beyond her corporate responsibilities, she is a prominent voice in the tech community. As a frequent podcast guest and keynote speaker at international conferences, she shares her insights on data strategy and digital transformation.
Driven by a commitment to diversity and empowerment in the industry, she recently expanded her influence by joining the board of Women in Tech e.V. as its second member within the DACH area. In this role, she leverages her experience to foster an inclusive environment for the next generation of female leaders in technology.

Margarita Neumüllers journey began in BI Consulting, where she spent several years mastering the Microsoft technology stack and solving complex data puzzles for diverse clients. In 2021, she joined ALDI SÜD, where she rapidly advanced through various... Show more

Creative Leader | Advanced SAFe® Practice Consultant (ASPC) | Agile Trainer | Supporting leaders to iterate deliveries at scale.

Creative Leader | Advanced SAFe® Practice Consultant (ASPC) | Agile Trainer | Supporting leaders to iterate deliveries at scale. Show more

Jeffrey A. "jam" McGuire, Partner at Open Strategy Partners GmbH, helps organizations grow at the intersection of open source software, business, and culture. He connects the value of technology to the people who need to know about them through inspiring conversations, keynotes, podcasts, and more.

His approach to technology marketing—sharing the human context of complex technology solutions, and celebrating the expertise and success of their creators—has left its mark in business and FOSS communities over the last 15+ years.

Jeffrey A. "jam" McGuire, Partner at Open Strategy Partners GmbH, helps organizations grow at the intersection of open source software, business, and culture. He connects the value of technology to the people who need to know about them through inspi... Show more

I'm Mithun A. Sridharan, an entrepreneur, author and keynote speaker on Strategy, Management Consulting and Digital Transformation. I'm a Forbes Technology Council Thought Leader and a Member of Harvard Business Review Advisory Council. As a strategy and technology executive, I advise senior leaders and corporations derive value from their strategic technology investment portfolios. I am a TEDx speaker and regularly share insights at industry conferences and corporate events. I have also contributed thought leadership to high-impact journals and magazines, such as the World Economic Forum, the American Banker, Wired, Bloomberg, etc. I hold an MBA from ESMT Berlin, a Master of Science from Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, both in Germany and a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Madras, India.

I'm Mithun A. Sridharan, an entrepreneur, author and keynote speaker on Strategy, Management Consulting and Digital Transformation. I'm a Forbes Technology Council Thought Leader and a Member of Harvard Business Review Advisory Council. As a strategy... Show more

Valerie Gurka brings a wealth of experience as the Director of Engineering at Tech Figures. With two decades of experience in the software development industry, Valerie's expertise encompasses a wide range of topics from technical innovation to project management, making her an esteemed voice technology and business. She has spoken at CodeMash 2026, South by Southwest, Northside Festival, CMJ Conference, Flint Conf, JCONF.dev and various meetups.

Valerie Gurka brings a wealth of experience as the Director of Engineering at Tech Figures. With two decades of experience in the software development industry, Valerie's expertise encompasses a wide range of topics from technical innovation to proje... Show more

Mabuhay! I'm Doher Drizzle Pablo, or simply Drizzle. As a speaker with a heart and a genuine ability to empathize, I stand out in connecting with audiences. My unique name mirrors a distinct personality that permeates everything I undertake. With nearly 15 years of experience in the IT domain, I stand as a young achiever with a deep specialization in cloud technology and business transformation.

My versatility extends across various facets of an organization, encompassing marketing, pre-sales, sales, customer service, operations, and beyond. I thrive in project management, holding notable certifications including PMP, Scrum Master, LEAN Six Sigma, and expertise in Microsoft solutions like Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Dynamics 365, Azure, Data and AI.

Proudly carrying the banner of an Atenean, Isabelina, and a Bicolana, I hold my heritage in high esteem. My passion lies in Microsoft Business Applications, Data & AI, where I strive to lead successful digital & AI transformations. Beyond expertise, I bring a speaker's heart, always empathizing and stepping into the audience's shoes. Let's collaborate for the success of your organization and individuals, leveraging the power of Microsoft's solutions and my heartfelt approach!

Mabuhay! I'm Doher Drizzle Pablo, or simply Drizzle. As a speaker with a heart and a genuine ability to empathize, I stand out in connecting with audiences. My unique name mirrors a distinct personality that permeates everything I undertake. With nea... Show more

Aura Buison was a CPA back in the Philippines. Her early career was spent working as an auditor at PwC. She later transitioned and became a Consultant/Solutions Architect for Axapta 3.0 until the latest version D365 F&O. She has over 20 years of experience in F&O Finance, and Project Management and Accounting modules.

Currently a Solutions Architect at Kroll.

Aura Buison was a CPA back in the Philippines. Her early career was spent working as an auditor at PwC. She later transitioned and became a Consultant/Solutions Architect for Axapta 3.0 until the latest version D365 F&O. She has over 20 years of expe... Show more

Joel Benge is a recovering cybersecurity analyst, speaker, author, and messaging consultant who helps highly technical people communicate with clarity, confidence, and impact. He works with cybersecurity startups, engineers, and technical founders who are tired of being misunderstood, ignored, or oversimplified.

Joel is the author of Be a Nerd That Talks Good and the host of the “Nerds That Talk Good” podcast, where he interviews hackers, technologists, and builders about turning expertise into messages that actually land. His work focuses on practical frameworks—diagnostics, narrative structures, and game-based tools—that help smart people stay smart while becoming more effective communicators.

He has spoken at cybersecurity and tech events including DEF CON and CyberMarketingCon, and regularly runs hands-on workshops for technical teams who want to sharpen how they explain risk, systems, and ideas—without resorting to buzzwords or hype.

Joel Benge is a recovering cybersecurity analyst, speaker, author, and messaging consultant who helps highly technical people communicate with clarity, confidence, and impact. He works with cybersecurity startups, engineers, and technical founders wh... Show more

David Gregory is a founder, builder, and storyteller working at the intersection of hospitality, tourism, food, business, and experience design.

He is the creator of IC Pasta, a dessert concept built around playful, memorable guest experiences, and the mind behind immersive projects that blend storytelling, hospitality, and real-world interaction. His perspective comes from building businesses, designing experiences, and paying attention to the details most people move past too quickly.

David speaks about what makes experiences feel real, why hospitality loses something when it becomes too polished or too rehearsed, how businesses can build something with a pulse instead of just a pitch, and why context matters more than most people realize. His work is rooted in real operations, guest psychology, storytelling, and the belief that people remember what feels human.

Whether he is talking about food, tourism, service, branding, or experience design, the thread is the same: what makes something worth caring about?

David Gregory is a founder, builder, and storyteller working at the intersection of hospitality, tourism, food, business, and experience design. He is the creator of IC Pasta, a dessert concept built around playful, memorable guest experiences, an... Show more

Vanessa Omeokachie is the founder and CEO of TravBudd. TravBudd is an Event (and experiences) Discovery + People Matching platform reimagining how people meet, connect, and engage with each other. Inspired by her own experiences with loneliness and social isolation, she started TravBudd to help foster genuine human connections through mutual interests and shared experiences. Ms. Omeokachie is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics and International Business.

Vanessa Omeokachie is the founder and CEO of TravBudd. TravBudd is an Event (and experiences) Discovery + People Matching platform reimagining how people meet, connect, and engage with each other. Inspired by her own experiences with loneliness and s... Show more