Joshua Higginbotham is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Senior Data & AI Architect at QSIC, known for bridging the gap between deep technical execution and executive-level strategy. He has built and led data platforms across software engineering, database administration, business intelligence, and AI, with hands-on experience taking ideas from whiteboard to production.

Joshua has worked both as an individual contributor shipping real systems and as a leader guiding teams, roadmaps, and platform modernization efforts. A frequent speaker and Co-Chapter Leader of the Louisville Data Technology Group on Meetup, he’s passionate about helping data professionals build practical, scalable solutions that actually move the business forward.

Joshua Higginbotham is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Senior Data & AI Architect at QSIC, known for bridging the gap between deep technical execution and executive-level strategy. He has built and led data platforms across software engineering, da... Show more

Daniel is a Microsoft .NET MVP and software consultant at Lean TECHniques. He helps teams deliver high-quality software while adopting modern practices such as effective CI/CD, automated testing, AI usage, and product management. With experience spanning multiple industries, including finance, retail, and agriculture, he has served as a technical coach, agile coach, and tech lead, with a primary background as a software developer. Outside of work, he enjoys playing piano and guitar, swing dancing, and game development.

Daniel is a Microsoft .NET MVP and software consultant at Lean TECHniques. He helps teams deliver high-quality software while adopting modern practices such as effective CI/CD, automated testing, AI usage, and product management. With experience span... Show more

Eldert is always enthusiastic about embarking on new journeys with the Cloud, and Azure in particular. He is very passionate about growing his dreams and teams, and goes above and beyond to help those with the same spark. Eldert comes from a background as a cloud solution architect and Technology Lead, was an Azure MVP for 5 consecutive years, and is now working as a Principal Product Manager at Microsoft for Azure Service Bus.

Always having a smile on his face, Eldert can be found delivering noteworthy sessions at in-person conferences, meetups, and online platforms. He values sharing and spreading knowledge while building genuine connections regardless of background and expertise. His goal is to bring people closer and work together to influence the outcome and optimize the future of Cloud technologies.

Eldert is always enthusiastic about embarking on new journeys with the Cloud, and Azure in particular. He is very passionate about growing his dreams and teams, and goes above and beyond to help those with the same spark. Eldert comes from a backgrou... Show more

My aim is to guide self-service Power BI developers for more enterprise manageable concepts in a consumable and practical way - because I have been on that journey for years, and still is..

Microsoft Data Platform MVP, MCT, Certified Tabular Editor 3 Trainer, DP-600, DP-700, PL-300, CPUX-F, PL-900, Databricks Data Analyst

My aim is to guide self-service Power BI developers for more enterprise manageable concepts in a consumable and practical way - because I have been on that journey for years, and still is.. Microsoft Data Platform MVP, MCT, Certified Tabular Edit... Show more

Kevin Griffin has been running production .NET applications and teaching developers for over two decades. A Microsoft MVP specializing in .NET and Microsoft Azure, Kevin brings real-world experience from consulting and his own SaaS products. He's hosted the Hampton Roads .NET User Group since 2009 and founded RevolutionVA, a nonprofit supporting software development education in southeast Virginia. Kevin's talks blend hard-won lessons from production systems with practical advice you can use Monday morning.

Kevin Griffin has been running production .NET applications and teaching developers for over two decades. A Microsoft MVP specializing in .NET and Microsoft Azure, Kevin brings real-world experience from consulting and his own SaaS products. He's hos... Show more

Co-Author of 'Signals & Levers (ITRevolution, September 2026)', 'Coaching for Learning; the Art and Practice' and 'Create Your Dojo; Upskilling Your Organization for Digital Evolution,' Joel helps organizations evolve through learning. This combines a blend of systems thinking, XP, agile, lean, devops and product thinking practices all to embrace learning in the context of work.
With deep experience in architecture modernization, blending product discovery with delivery and architecture, and systems thinking, Joel helps organizations make it easier for their teams to do great work.

Co-Author of 'Signals & Levers (ITRevolution, September 2026)', 'Coaching for Learning; the Art and Practice' and 'Create Your Dojo; Upskilling Your Organization for Digital Evolution,' Joel helps organizations evolve through learning. This combines... Show more

Scott Helmers' conference presentations and LinkedIn Learning training courses have reached more than 400,000 people worldwide since 2000. He specializes in translating tech speak -- whether about data visualization, software, or neuroscience -- into plain language and actionable ideas. He's a partner at the Harvard Computing Group, a software and consulting firm that assists clients with understanding and implementing business process solutions, and is a co-inventor of TaskMap, a Visio add-in that allows anyone to document, analyze, and improve their business processes (https://www.taskmap.com). Scott has been named a Microsoft Valuable Professional (MVP) for Visio every year since 2008 and is the all-time best-selling author of books about Visio. His LinkedIn Learning courses are available at https://bit.ly/LILAuthor.

Scott Helmers' conference presentations and LinkedIn Learning training courses have reached more than 400,000 people worldwide since 2000. He specializes in translating tech speak -- whether about data visualization, software, or neuroscience -- into... Show more

Passionate software developer and architect. Proud father. #CloudNativeNerd. Leander is the CTO at QAware. He’s continuously looking for innovations in software engineering and ways to combine and apply state-of-the-art technology in real-world projects. As a speaker at national and international conferences he shares his tech experiences and he teaches cloud computing and software quality assurance as a part-time lecturer.

Passionate software developer and architect. Proud father. #CloudNativeNerd. Leander is the CTO at QAware. He’s continuously looking for innovations in software engineering and ways to combine and apply state-of-the-art technology in real-world proje... Show more

Julie Yack is a seasoned technology expert, dynamic speaker, and passionate advocate for empowering individuals and organizations through innovation. With over two decades of experience in the technology industry, Julie brings a wealth of knowledge and practical insights to her speaking engagements.

As a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for Business Applications, Julie is recognized for her exceptional expertise in Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform. Her deep technical understanding, coupled with her ability to communicate complex concepts in a clear and engaging manner, makes her a sought-after speaker at conferences, user groups, and industry events worldwide.

Julie is known for her engaging and interactive presentations, where she shares practical tips, real-world examples, and best practices to help attendees unlock the full potential of their technology investments. Whether discussing the latest trends in cloud computing, demonstrating innovative solutions using low-code/no-code platforms, or sharing insights on digital transformation strategies, Julie's sessions are always informative, inspiring, and thought-provoking.

In addition to her speaking engagements, Julie is also a prolific writer, blogger, and community leader. She shares her expertise and experiences through her blog, social media channels, and contributions to industry publications. Her dedication to empowering others and fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous learning has earned her the respect and admiration of colleagues and peers alike.

When she's not immersed in the world of technology, Julie enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and exploring new culinary adventures. She is a firm believer in the power of technology to drive positive change and is committed to helping individuals and organizations harness its full potential.

Julie Yack is a seasoned technology expert, dynamic speaker, and passionate advocate for empowering individuals and organizations through innovation. With over two decades of experience in the technology industry, Julie brings a wealth of knowledge a... Show more

Radu Vunvulea is a technology enthusiast working as VP of Cloud for Endava. He has a vast experience in different technologies and industries. Most of his time is spent working with the cloud, helping companies to innovate and finding solutions to their business problems. He enjoys building bridges between people and helping others to grow. He shares his knowledge on his personal blog and at different events where he is invited as a speaker. In his spare time, he drives an IT community and he is also a Microsoft Regional Director and Microsoft Azure MVP.

Radu Vunvulea is a technology enthusiast working as VP of Cloud for Endava. He has a vast experience in different technologies and industries. Most of his time is spent working with the cloud, helping companies to innovate and finding solutions to th... Show more

Peter Zaitsev is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Percona, Coroot and other tech companies. As one of the leading experts in Open Source strategy and database optimization, Peter has applied his technical knowledge and entrepreneurial drive to contribute as a board member and advisor to several open source startups. Additionally, Peter is the co-author of the book "High Performance MySQL: Optimization, Backup and Replication," one of the most popular books on MySQL performance.

Peter Zaitsev is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Percona, Coroot and other tech companies. As one of the leading experts in Open Source strategy and database optimization, Peter has applied his technical knowledge and entrepreneurial drive to contr... Show more

Nicole Enders lives and breathes Modern Work.

As a Microsoft MVP and Evangelist for Microsoft based Solutions, she turns cloud tech into real‑world impact - think Microsoft Teams makeovers and Power Platform magic.

For 15 + years she’s crafted collaboration experiences that stick, blending out‑of‑the‑box features with tailor‑made code until every social intranet or digital workplace feels like it was built just for you.

Catch Nicole on conference stages, in her books, or on her blog, where she shares hands‑on tips and a healthy dose of geeky enthusiasm.

Nicole Enders lives and breathes Modern Work. As a Microsoft MVP and Evangelist for Microsoft based Solutions, she turns cloud tech into real‑world impact - think Microsoft Teams makeovers and Power Platform magic. For 15 + years she’s crafted ... Show more

Jacob Duijzer is an Engineering Manager at BIMcollab with 25+ years of experience in software engineering and technology leadership. He works at the intersection of engineering excellence, reliability, and team effectiveness, with a strong focus on DevOps transformation, platform leadership, and practical adoption of SRE and chaos engineering practices.

Over the years, Jacob has helped organizations improve how teams deliver and learn, including large scale transformations across multiple teams. He regularly shares practical lessons through talks and workshops on topics such as Team Topologies, Domain-Driven Design, fast flow, and resilient cloud-native systems.

Known for his grounded and hands-on style, Jacob translates complex ideas into clear steps teams can apply right away, helping technical audiences move from theory to measurable improvement.

Jacob Duijzer is an Engineering Manager at BIMcollab with 25+ years of experience in software engineering and technology leadership. He works at the intersection of engineering excellence, reliability, and team effectiveness, with a strong focus on D... Show more

Miguel Llorca is a seasoned technologist and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in the IT industry.

Since 2014, he has been honored with the Microsoft MVP award, for his contributions to technical communities. He is also a member of the Microsoft Regional Director program, recognized for his extensive technical and business acumen and leadership within the community.

Additionally, Miguel is a Microsoft Certified Trainer, an instructor and author for LinkedIn Learning, and a regular speaker at industry events and conferences, earning the distinction of LinkedIn Top Voice in 2024 and 2025.

Miguel Llorca is a seasoned technologist and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in the IT industry. Since 2014, he has been honored with the Microsoft MVP award, for his contributions to technical communities. He is also a member of th... Show more

Dr. Neda Maria Kaizumi is a distinguished technology expert at the intersection of AI development, global compliance, and international regulations. With a doctorate in Organizational Behaviour. She combines a rich academic foundation with practical insights. She has further honed her expertise through the Business Analytics and Data Science executive program at Harvard Business School.

Dr. Kaizumi is ISO standards committee member, and she shapes AI governance and compliance frameworks, advocating ethical AI aligned with global standards like the EU AI Act and beyond.

An accomplished author, public speaker, and advocate for ethical AI development, Dr. Kaizumi integrates her technical acumen and business expertise to empower organizations navigating the complex global landscape of AI governance. With a deep understanding of regulatory frameworks and their impact on technology, Dr. Kaizumi is a leading voice in fostering innovation that aligns with compliance and sustainability.

Dr. Neda Maria Kaizumi is a distinguished technology expert at the intersection of AI development, global compliance, and international regulations. With a doctorate in Organizational Behaviour. She combines a rich academic foundation with practical ... Show more

Ryan Mangan is an accomplished technologist specialising in End-User Computing (EUC), AI, cloud solutions, and subscription cost management. He excels in navigating complex infrastructure challenges and driving innovative technological advancements.

Expertise & Current Focus
- End-User Computing (EUC) and Cloud Technology
- Developing and building startups
- AI and its impact
- Cloud cost optimization strategies
- Technological advancements in IT infrastructure

Career Highlights
- CEO of EfficientEther Ltd, a startup building AI-driven IT solutions and cloud cost optimization tools
- Built and led the successful managed services company Systech IT Solutions for over a decade
- Author of "Mastering Azure Virtual Desktop," with the 1st Edition being a bestseller with over 63,000+ copies sold, and the 2nd Edition & other published

Awards / Accreditations
- Microsoft Most Valuable Professional
- Chartered Fellow of the British Computer Society (FBCS CITP)
- Parallels VIPP
- Editorial Advisory Board member for TechTarget
- Recognized by Feedspot in their Top 50 IT Blogs and Top 50 Azure Blogs in 2020

Notable Published Articles
- "Legacy Applications Causing the IT Industry Headaches" in the British Computer Society's IT Now Magazine, Winter Edition 2022
- "Green Coding: The Role of Energy Efficiency in Development," Computer Weekly (2024)
- "Advancing LLM Precision & Reliability," Computer Weekly (2024)

Speaking and Thought Leadership
- Public speaker and presenter on cloud technology, EUC, and AI
- Author of influential articles and books on Azure Virtual Desktop and IT solutions
- Engaging presenter known for making complex tech concepts relatable
- Blogger at democratising-clouds.com

Ryan's unique combination of deep technical knowledge, forward-thinking strategies, and compelling presentation skills positions him as a leading voice at conferences focused on cloud technology, EUC, and AI.

For speaking engagements or to explore partnership opportunities, reach out to Ryan on LinkedIn or visit his website.

Ryan Mangan is an accomplished technologist specialising in End-User Computing (EUC), AI, cloud solutions, and subscription cost management. He excels in navigating complex infrastructure challenges and driving innovative technological advancements. ... Show more

Kimasia Ayers is a sociologist, systems thinker, consultant, and strategist whose work lives at the intersection of business analysis, human behavior, design, and organizational change. She is widely recognized for helping organizations navigate complexity with clarity, guiding insight from discovery through decision and into action in ways that hold under real-world conditions.

Rooted in social innovation, Kimasia brings a rare blend of creative human-centered insight and rigorous structure to change enablement. Her work centers on preserving meaning under pressure, designing for adoption, and strengthening how understanding moves across strategy, technology, governance, and execution. She is known for developing original frameworks that help teams communicate complexity, align across disciplines, and sustain transformation within the complexity of society.

Through her consulting practice, Kimasia partners with organizations, institutions, and leaders to support thoughtful, resilient change. She also leads a social enterprise dedicated to translating complex social and organizational dynamics into accessible, actionable understanding that empowers individuals, teams, and communities. Grounded in empathy, systems awareness, and deep analytical discipline, Kimasia’s work reflects a core belief that meaningful change emerges when human insight and structured analysis work together.

Kimasia Ayers is a sociologist, systems thinker, consultant, and strategist whose work lives at the intersection of business analysis, human behavior, design, and organizational change. She is widely recognized for helping organizations navigate comp... Show more

Agile Coach and Kanban expert (certified Kanban trainer and coach, AKT, KCP), Sébastien has a solid experience in supporting organizations in their Agile and Lean transformation.

He helps teams of all sizes, from the smallest to projects of +150 people, and works daily in collaboration with geographically distributed teams both in France and internationally. Sébastien also has expertise in complex project management, problem solving, and continuous improvement.

After 20 years of experience in a large company, in 2023 he launched his training & consulting company - Kudja.fr - to share his expertise on Kanban.

Agile Coach and Kanban expert (certified Kanban trainer and coach, AKT, KCP), Sébastien has a solid experience in supporting organizations in their Agile and Lean transformation. He helps teams of all sizes, from the smallest to projects of +150 p... Show more

A computer engineer with over 25 years of experience, my profession has fascinated me since I was a child, providing me with wonderful professional and personal experiences 👩‍💻

I enjoy building teams, sharing with them, growing together, and executing projects with the greatest possible success 👌

Enjoying my full return to the world of technology, security, AI, etc., constantly learning and exploring because knowledge is power, in addition to working as an event moderator, speaker, and writer 🚀

Author of my first book based on personal events with a stowaway named Alzheimer's, in homage to the woman who helped me become who I am today 🧠

Passionate about my life, my profession, and technology 💛

A computer engineer with over 25 years of experience, my profession has fascinated me since I was a child, providing me with wonderful professional and personal experiences 👩‍💻 I enjoy building teams, sharing with them, growing together, and exe... Show more

Yosef Arbiv is married to Adi and a father of four, currently an Engineering Team Leader at Elementary and a CNCF Ambassador.

Yosef is passionate about people, software, and combining the two.

Yosef Arbiv is married to Adi and a father of four, currently an Engineering Team Leader at Elementary and a CNCF Ambassador. Yosef is passionate about people, software, and combining the two. Show more

Kristen holds an M.Ed, a mini-MBA in Lean Six Sigma, is a Prosci certified Change Management Specialist, and certified Scrum Master. As a change and adoption specialist she uses change management and learning best practices to help organizations achieve successful adoption of their software deployment. As a thought leader, she also has several years' experience in leadership development and providing professional development workshops. Her book, The Impossible Box, will help you change your own behaviors to develop the habits you need to achieve your biggest goals.

Kristen holds an M.Ed, a mini-MBA in Lean Six Sigma, is a Prosci certified Change Management Specialist, and certified Scrum Master. As a change and adoption specialist she uses change management and learning best practices to help organizations achi... Show more

Dave has been developing database applications for over 30 years. A Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) since 2001, he has taught many classes from Intro to Programming to Advanced SharePoint Development. Dave is a seven time Microsoft MVP and runs three user groups, MAD SharePoint, www.madsharepoint.com, the Mid Atlantic Cybersecurity Experts MeetUp, www.meetup.com/MACEME, and the Baltimore Cloud Meetup, www.meetup.com/Baltimore-Cloud.

Dave does SharePoint training and application development for DSA, Inc., a DoD contractor that does great work for the U.S. Army over at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Dave has a bunch of certifications, including MCSD App Builder, MSCE for SharePoint, and MCSA SQL Server certification.

In his spare time, Dave teaches as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland College Park's iSchool, Towson University and Stevenson University.

Check out www.PatrickPerspective.com to hear about Dave and his daughter Sarah's different views on tech!

Dave has been developing database applications for over 30 years. A Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) since 2001, he has taught many classes from Intro to Programming to Advanced SharePoint Development. Dave is a seven time Microsoft MVP and runs thr... Show more

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

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

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

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

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

Emanuele is an engineer, researcher, and entrepreneur passionate about AI.

After earning his PhD in time series forecasting and working as a guest researcher at EPFL in Lausanne, he is now co-founder and Head of AI at xtream, a company that applies AI to solve complex business challenges. xtream was acquired by TeamSystem in September 2025.

Emanuele is also a professor of AI at the Catholic University of Milan and has been a guest lecturer at Italian, Swiss, and Polish universities.

He has published 8 papers in international journals and contributed to over 30 international conferences, including AMLD Lausanne, ODSC London, WeAreDevelopers Berlin, PyData Berlin, PyData Paris, PyCon Italy, the Swiss Python Summit in Zurich, and Codemotion Milan.

Emanuele is an engineer, researcher, and entrepreneur passionate about AI. After earning his PhD in time series forecasting and working as a guest researcher at EPFL in Lausanne, he is now co-founder and Head of AI at xtream, a company that appli... Show more

I'm a Data Engineering Team Lead at isolutions Barcelona. I lead the design, delivery, and operation of end-to-end data platforms across Azure, Microsoft Fabric, and Databricks, with a strong focus on scalability, governance, and production reliability.

I manage and mentor the data engineering team, define platform architecture standards, and work closely with stakeholders to translate complex business requirements into robust data solutions. In addition to hands-on technical leadership, I am an active speaker and educator, focused on sharing practical, experience-driven insights from real data platform implementations.

I'm a Data Engineering Team Lead at isolutions Barcelona. I lead the design, delivery, and operation of end-to-end data platforms across Azure, Microsoft Fabric, and Databricks, with a strong focus on scalability, governance, and production reliabili... Show more

Nadia Jiang is an entrepreneur, open-source enthusiastic, and DevRel expert. She currently serves as the Head of Open Source Growth at Ant Group, where she leads initiatives to drive innovation and collaboration within the open-source ecosystem. Previously, she was the COO of SegmentFault, China's largest developer Q&A community, and co-founder of Apache Answer.

Beyond her professional roles, Nadia is a passionate contributor to the global open-source community. She actively participates in organizations such as the China Open-Source Alliance (KAIYUANSHE), the Apache Software Foundation, OpenInfra Foundation, Linux Foundation, FOSSAsia, OpenUK, Chance Open-Source Foundation, China Computer Federation (CCF), and the China Institute of Communications (CIC). Her influence extends across borders, having spoken at major global open-source conferences, including CommunityOverCode Asia/EU/NA, Open Source Summit, State of Open Con, and FOSSAsia Summit.

Her dedication extends to organizing and volunteering for prominent open-source events. She serves as a core organizer and conference chair for events such as CommunityOverCode Asia, Dev.Together Summit China, and OSPO Summit China, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange within the developer community.

Nadia Jiang is an entrepreneur, open-source enthusiastic, and DevRel expert. She currently serves as the Head of Open Source Growth at Ant Group, where she leads initiatives to drive innovation and collaboration within the open-source ecosystem. Prev... Show more

Blaize is a Microsoft MVP and has been interested in software development since childhood and wrote his first software while still in high school. Since that time, Blaize has had broad experience in all things IT ranging from a network administrator to a software architect and everything in between.

Blaize is a Microsoft MVP and has been interested in software development since childhood and wrote his first software while still in high school. Since that time, Blaize has had broad experience in all things IT ranging from a network administrator ... Show more

I work as consultant and I am specialized in designing solutions for Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure and Azure AI Services. I'm a conference speaker, blogger, and Microsoft MVP.

I work as consultant and I am specialized in designing solutions for Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure and Azure AI Services. I'm a conference speaker, blogger, and Microsoft MVP. Show more

Shannon Ryan is a technical strategist and solution architect who operates at the intersection of complex systems, regulated environments, and enterprise growth. She is known for translating fragmented technology, data, and operational landscapes into cohesive, executable modernization strategies that organizations can confidently implement.

A dedicated advocate for women in technology and emerging leaders, Shannon invests in building resilient leadership pipelines alongside the systems she architects.

Shannon Ryan is a technical strategist and solution architect who operates at the intersection of complex systems, regulated environments, and enterprise growth. She is known for translating fragmented technology, data, and operational landscapes int... Show more