Consumer Goods & Services

Professionals focused on products and services for personal use, working in sectors like retail, customer care, and product development

Fiorella Cisneros

Fiorella Cisneros

Soy Fiorella Cisneros, desarrolladora front-end y experta certificada en Webflow, enfocada en transformar ideas en productos digitales ágiles y escalables. Combino diseño y desarrollo para crear experiencias web sin código que impulsan negocios y aceleran procesos.

Además de trabajar con profesionales, startups y empresas en Latinoamérica, lidero iniciativas para fortalecer la comunidad hispanohablante de Webflow y el ecosistema no-code. He formado a decenas de personas y comparto contenido, talleres y metodologías para que más creadores puedan construir en Webflow, sin barreras y en su propio idioma.

Soy Fiorella Cisneros, desarrolladora front-end y experta certificada en Webflow, enfocada en transformar ideas en productos digitales ágiles y escalables. Combino diseño y desarrollo para crear experiencias web sin código que impulsan negocios y ace... Show more

Ayushman Bhattacharya

Ayushman Bhattacharya

I'm an open-source maintainer and a member of GitHub's Maintainer Advisory program. I help maintain Pollinations.ai, where I built its developer tooling incl. of CLI SDK and Model Context Protocol servers, used by both humans and AI agents in production. I'm also a GDG on Campus Organizer. My best days are spent creating impact in my communities through code, content, mentorship, and discussions.

I'm an open-source maintainer and a member of GitHub's Maintainer Advisory program. I help maintain Pollinations.ai, where I built its developer tooling incl. of CLI SDK and Model Context Protocol servers, used by both humans and AI agents in product... Show more

Ram Pedapatnam

Ram Pedapatnam

Ram is a Staff Software Engineer at Walmart Global Tech and has 18 years of experience. He is specialized in building large-scale streaming applications, scalable event-driven microservices, data platforms, multi-tenant integrations. His favorite area is “data at scale,” whether it be insights, analytics, batch processing, streaming, or machine learning. He believes that “frameworks and languages are temporary, whereas concepts and problems are permanent.”

Ram is a Staff Software Engineer at Walmart Global Tech and has 18 years of experience. He is specialized in building large-scale streaming applications, scalable event-driven microservices, data platforms, multi-tenant integrations. His favorite are... Show more

Chris Kelleher

Chris Kelleher

Chris Kelleher is a software developer and IT leader with over 30 years of Progress OpenEdge experience, dating back to 1991. He has held senior development and management roles at Lassonde Pappas and Lasko Products, and currently works as a consultant at Wyman Gordon, a division of Precision Castparts Corp. His expertise spans ERP architecture, middleware integration (Boomi, BizTalk), agile development, and cloud infrastructure. He holds certifications from Oracle, Scrum Alliance, and Progress Software Corporation.

Chris Kelleher is a software developer and IT leader with over 30 years of Progress OpenEdge experience, dating back to 1991. He has held senior development and management roles at Lassonde Pappas and Lasko Products, and currently works as a consulta... Show more

Paris Nakita Kejser

Paris Nakita Kejser

Cloud Native Architect focused on Kubernetes-based platform engineering in secure and enterprise environments.

I design and operate resilient platform ecosystems — often within air-gapped or high-security contexts — where reliability, lifecycle management, and infrastructure depth matter.

Active in the CNCF community and international KubeCon speaker, I combine architectural thinking with hands-on experimentation. I maintain a private multi-node lab environment to continuously test distributed systems, networking patterns, storage strategies, and GitOps workflows beyond production constraints.

My work sits at the intersection of cloud-native innovation and real-world infrastructure — bridging Kubernetes, security, storage, and networking into scalable, long-term platform strategies.

Driven by continuous learning, system thinking, and building platforms that enable engineering teams to move fast — responsibly.

Cloud Native Architect focused on Kubernetes-based platform engineering in secure and enterprise environments. I design and operate resilient platform ecosystems — often within air-gapped or high-security contexts — where reliability, lifecycle ma... Show more

Jimmy Song

Jimmy Song

Jimmy Song is a VP of Open Source Ecosystem at Dynamia.ai, CNCF Ambassador, and founder of the Cloud Native Community (China). He focuses on AI-native infrastructure, GPU scheduling and utilization, and agentic runtime at the intersection of cloud-native and AI systems. A longtime cloud-native practitioner and open-source community builder, he is also a book author and frequent speaker and writer.

Jimmy Song is a VP of Open Source Ecosystem at Dynamia.ai, CNCF Ambassador, and founder of the Cloud Native Community (China). He focuses on AI-native infrastructure, GPU scheduling and utilization, and agentic runtime at the intersection of cloud-na... Show more

Diana Carolina Torres Viasús

Diana Carolina Torres Viasús

Diana is a 11x Microsoft MVP, CEO of Innpowerment, and a passionate advocate for tech that empowers. She helps Microsoft partners grow smarter—driving profitability, embracing AI, and simplifying complexity. With a heart for innovation and a voice for inclusion, Diana inspires leaders across industries to turn strategy into impact.
Follow her journey @DCaroTV.

Diana is a 11x Microsoft MVP, CEO of Innpowerment, and a passionate advocate for tech that empowers. She helps Microsoft partners grow smarter—driving profitability, embracing AI, and simplifying complexity. With a heart for innovation and a voice fo... Show more

Sergio Mahía

Sergio Mahía

I'm Sergio Mahía, a Software Engineer specializing in cybersecurity, with a clear mindset: to truly protect systems, you first have to think like someone trying to break them.

My career began by founding my own web development and security startup, where I went from zero to building a portfolio of over 20 clients in less than a year. In that process, I not only developed solutions but also focused on something I consider critical: protecting users from real-world threats. I worked with advanced techniques such as Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) and continuous auditing, identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities like XSS and SQL Injection to understand and mitigate them at their root.

Currently, I work at KPMG as a Software Engineer and Ethical Hacker, where I tackle complex security challenges in real-world environments. I've designed and developed ambitious projects, from automated vulnerability analyzers to educational platforms for CTF training, always with a practical and results-oriented approach.

I consider myself an ambitious, resourceful person with a great capacity for learning. I enjoy tackling difficult problems, learning from my mistakes, and transforming those errors into robust solutions. I'm also an active communicator on social media and blogs, where I translate complex cybersecurity concepts into accessible ideas, aiming to raise awareness among both businesses and users.

I firmly believe that the best defense against an attacker is to anticipate them. That's why I don't just build secure systems; I constantly test them, pushing their boundaries before others do.

I'm Sergio Mahía, a Software Engineer specializing in cybersecurity, with a clear mindset: to truly protect systems, you first have to think like someone trying to break them. My career began by founding my own web development and security startup... Show more

Sheena Yap Chan

Sheena Yap Chan

Sheena Yap Chan is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, keynote speaker, strategist, and award-winning podcaster renowned for her expertise in elevating leadership and self-confidence through media. She is the founder and host of the acclaimed podcast, The Tao of Self-Confidence, where she interviews women about their journeys to self-confidence. With over one million downloads, her podcast ranks among the top 0.5% most popular shows globally and features over 800 interviews, including conversations with celebrities and eight-figure CEOs. Sheena's influence extends beyond podcasting. Her debut book, The Tao of Self-Confidence: A Guide to Moving Beyond Trauma and Awakening the Leader Within, published by Wiley, is a Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestseller. It is also recognized as one of the top 20 best self-confidence books of all time by Book Authority, the world's leading site for book recommendations. Her work has been featured on prominent platforms such as MindValley, FOX, NBC News, and the Manila Times. Sheena is dedicated to closing the gender confidence gap through her training and programs, aiming to elevate women into leadership roles across all industries. She has delivered impactful speeches for organizations like Live Nation, NASA, and UKG, sharing her insights on self-confidence and leadership.

Sheena Yap Chan is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, keynote speaker, strategist, and award-winning podcaster renowned for her expertise in elevating leadership and self-confidence through media. She is the founder and host of the acclaimed p... Show more

Mary Mbaoma

Mary Mbaoma

Mbaoma Mary is a Cloud/DevOps professional with over five years of experience across cloud infrastructure, site reliability engineering, platform engineering, and developer productivity.

Beyond her technical career, Oma is the brain behind Taru, an Ayurvedic hair care brand focused on helping individuals build confidence through intentional self-care and healthy hair routines. Through her work with Taru, she combines technology, storytelling, and community-building to create meaningful experiences for customers.
She is also a co-founder of Arete, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering underprivileged young people through access to technology and education. Through Arete, she has supported students with scholarships, internet access, online learning resources, mentorship, and financial assistance for educational pursuits, helping bridge the gap between potential and opportunity.

An impactful public speaker, mentor, and DevOps educator, Oma facilitates workshops and training sessions for technology communities across Lagos, sharing practical knowledge on cloud computing, DevOps practices, platform engineering, and career development. By combining technical expertise, entrepreneurship, and a passion for community impact, she continues to inspire others to build meaningful careers and create lasting change.

Mbaoma Mary is a Cloud/DevOps professional with over five years of experience across cloud infrastructure, site reliability engineering, platform engineering, and developer productivity. Beyond her technical career, Oma is the brain behind Taru, ... Show more

Christian Sega

Christian Sega

Directions for Partners Board Member since 2011
Chairman Diections for Partners 2015 to 2021
Managing Director Tecman Deutschland GmbH
Shareholder of various VAR's and ISV's
Expert for business development in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central ecosystem and ISV space
Member of the German Dynamics IMACP Chapter
Proven Business Coach and podcast creator
Christian lives in Hamburg/Germany, in his free time you can find him often on the golf course, sailing (sometimes) or rowing on his inhouse rowing erg or creating the latest edition of his newest podcast about emotions together with his friends. He is also an AI / Copilot enthusiast and like to play poker.

Directions for Partners Board Member since 2011 Chairman Diections for Partners 2015 to 2021 Managing Director Tecman Deutschland GmbH Shareholder of various VAR's and ISV's Expert for business development in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business C... Show more

Gustavo Ferreira Gitzel

Gustavo Ferreira Gitzel

Gustavo is a software engineer from São Paulo, Brazil, with 6 years of experience building products across web, iOS, Android, and backend systems. He currently works at iFood, Latin America's largest food delivery platform, focusing on backend payment infrastructure.

Outside of work, he can be found in the pool or on the beach tennis court,occasionally both on the same day.

Gustavo is a software engineer from São Paulo, Brazil, with 6 years of experience building products across web, iOS, Android, and backend systems. He currently works at iFood, Latin America's largest food delivery platform, focusing on backend paymen... Show more

Karla Fernandes

Karla Fernandes

I began designing digital experiences in the late 1990s, when building for the web meant learning by doing. Early in my career, I worked across graphic design, branding, websites, portals, and e-commerce, developing a broad foundation that connected visual communication with technology and user experience.

Over time, I specialized in UX/UI and digital product design, leading projects for government institutions, startups, established businesses, and global clients. I built design systems, created scalable interfaces, and became the bridge between design, development, and business teams. This period shaped my belief that the best products come from clear process, structured thinking, and close collaboration.

Running my own business allowed me to work internationally, live in 11 countries, and deliver over 300 client projects. As tools evolved, I adopted no-code and modern prototyping workflows to accelerate time to market. This led to publishing 20+ native apps on iOS and Android and refining a repeatable method to go from idea to shipped product efficiently.

As my experience grew, so did my focus on teaching. I became a mentor, guiding designers and product builders through weekly one-on-one sessions, structured feedback, and practical career development. Over the years, I have mentored 70+ designers and supported more than 4,500 learners worldwide. Today, my work sits at the intersection of design, product, and education. I design and ship digital products, build frameworks and processes, and teach others to do the same as a team of one.

My mission is to make product creation accessible, structured, and achievable for individuals and small teams by combining design expertise, strategic thinking, and AI where it matters most.

I began designing digital experiences in the late 1990s, when building for the web meant learning by doing. Early in my career, I worked across graphic design, branding, websites, portals, and e-commerce, developing a broad foundation that connected ... Show more

Youvna Salian

Youvna Salian

I began writing thought pieces on sustainable design, diversity, and inclusivity while I was still a design student who was trying to find my colours. I actively look for opportunities to advocate for gender-inclusive design practices.

As a non-binary person, motivated by my lived experiences as a consumer and driven by my spirit as an informed UX designer, I believe that Inclusivity shouldn’t be an afterthought. I can safely say that, having been on both sides of the coin, the designer and the user in this context, empathy goes a long way. Making one feel seen and heard can be so validating, and that validation shouldn’t be something that feels extraordinary to experience. It should be normal.

I'm here dropping my two cents in design, data, and tech, to be part of something that creates value.

I began writing thought pieces on sustainable design, diversity, and inclusivity while I was still a design student who was trying to find my colours. I actively look for opportunities to advocate for gender-inclusive design practices. As a non-bi... Show more

Mike de Jager

Mike de Jager

South African born, UK resident, Mike is a Mechanical Design Engineer & spent 20 years as a Draughtsman in the Dairy industry, a Project Technician & ran the drawing office for NCD/Clover Dairies. At Toyota, he worked as a mechanical designer in body in white. He moved to the UK in 2001, spent 7 years creating & designing 3D technical models.
He continued his studies in IT & enhanced his developer & web design skills at Halesowen College.
At age 50, in 2008 Mike jumped tracks & began a new career as IT Manager & NAV implementation project leader for SSI Schaefer in Andover, England. With the NAV project successfully implemented, he moved to Evosoft as support office manager, then to Sci-Net in Oxford as a consultant & then to KPMG for a three year corporate engagement.
As the Dynamics 365 Solution Architect for Experience/GCC for almost 3 years - now Global Solutions Architect for Dynavics, Mike has implemented multiple D365 solutions for a range of customers in a variety of industries in the UK.

South African born, UK resident, Mike is a Mechanical Design Engineer & spent 20 years as a Draughtsman in the Dairy industry, a Project Technician & ran the drawing office for NCD/Clover Dairies. At Toyota, he worked as a mechanical designer in body... Show more

Syed Khalid Ahmed

Syed Khalid Ahmed

Khalid is a Data Scientist and Product Manager at Adidas Headquarter from Erlangen, Germany. He is responsible for consumer data segmentation, consumer experience and analytics. He is involved in designing, implementing and scaling ML solutions by combining consumer dataset with product and financial data using AI and ML to create robust and rich visualizations which are used by stakeholders for marketing, planning and activations.

He is also responsible for managing different projects, including leading teams to design and deliver solutions

Khalid is a Data Scientist and Product Manager at Adidas Headquarter from Erlangen, Germany. He is responsible for consumer data segmentation, consumer experience and analytics. He is involved in designing, implementing and scaling ML solutions by co... Show more

Raul Gerardo Huertas Paiva

Raul Gerardo Huertas Paiva

Ing. Electrónico. He trabajado desarrollando software en diversos entornos, desde microcontroladores, FPGAs, videojuegos y aplicaciones web

Ing. Electrónico. He trabajado desarrollando software en diversos entornos, desde microcontroladores, FPGAs, videojuegos y aplicaciones web Show more

Pratik Thantharate

Pratik Thantharate

* Principal Software Engineer and Engineering Leader with 13+ years of experience driving Quality Engineering and Test Automation initiatives across startups, large-scale distributed systems, and SaaS platforms. Currently leading test automation for an AI-driven transformation of an intelligent HCM platform, partnering with ML engineers, data scientists, and AI Engineering leaders to validate MCP (Model Control Protocol) server APIs and tools across diverse channels.

* Expert in architecting scalable automation frameworks spanning UI, API, and integration layers for LLM-powered, GenAI conversational applications, with deep experience in cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure), microservices, and full-stack CI/CD automation.

* 3-time award recipient at Paycor (Hackathon, Drive Growth Award, Disrupt Innovation Award), and an active conference speaker, having presented at the Global Summit on Artificial Intelligence ("The Privacy Paradox of Large Language Models"), Conf42 Observability ("Forging a Secure and Observable DevOps Frontier with AI/ML"), and the South Carolina Code Conference ("Accelerating Secure Innovation: AI/ML Strategies for DevSecOps Excellence")

* Principal Software Engineer and Engineering Leader with 13+ years of experience driving Quality Engineering and Test Automation initiatives across startups, large-scale distributed systems, and SaaS platforms. Currently leading test automation for ... Show more

Jin Kim

Jin Kim

I hate sitting on customer service calls yelling "agent" at the IVR. So, I decided to change that. I've spent 20+ years in the Tech sector that spans roles in Product Engineering with a focus on Customer Service and Contact Center. As former Microsoft, I was a member of the OG team to build and ship Omnichannel for D365 Customer Service, now known as D365 Contact Center. I spent some time with Microsoft Teams Enterprise Voice and Chat, supporting 3rd party app integrators for Contact Center lite capabilities. I have built and scaled a Contact Center and Agentic CX practice from the ground up driving a $10M+ pipeline. I now serve as the Contact Center and Agentic CX Practice Director at Avanade.

I hate sitting on customer service calls yelling "agent" at the IVR. So, I decided to change that. I've spent 20+ years in the Tech sector that spans roles in Product Engineering with a focus on Customer Service and Contact Center. As former Microsof... Show more

Stephanie E. Clark

Stephanie E. Clark

Stephanie Clark started her career in cost accounting and manufacturing operations — and it was leading her company's first ERP implementation that hooked her for good. Twenty years and 500+ implementations later, she's the founder of Elliott Clark Consulting (ECC), a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central partner built around a simple belief: technology only works when the process behind it is right first.

Stephanie developed ECC's Process → Technology → Automation methodology after watching too many implementations fail for the same reason — teams jumping to technology (or now, AI) before the underlying process could support it. She holds PMP, CPIM, and CBAP certifications and has spent two decades helping manufacturers and distributors get ERP right: effective, sustainable, and built to actually hold up under automation and AI.

When she's not presenting or writing on ERP strategy, she's leading ECC's growing team of consultants, helping mid-market manufacturers and distributors move past spreadsheets and disconnected systems into ERP environments that are genuinely ready for what's next.

Stephanie Clark started her career in cost accounting and manufacturing operations — and it was leading her company's first ERP implementation that hooked her for good. Twenty years and 500+ implementations later, she's the founder of Elliott Clark C... Show more

Zita Varga

Zita Varga

Zita is an AI strategist by day and a tea master by night. She is excited by innovations, tea, and a healthy dose of Japanese fantasy.

Zita is an AI strategist by day and a tea master by night. She is excited by innovations, tea, and a healthy dose of Japanese fantasy. Show more

Janosch Bösche

Janosch Bösche

I unite good humans and great ideas to drive inspiration, innovation, and transformation | Plenty of experience across various industries | Mobilizing bodies & minds

I unite good humans and great ideas to drive inspiration, innovation, and transformation | Plenty of experience across various industries | Mobilizing bodies & minds Show more

Jessica Rohrer

Jessica Rohrer

From restaurant kitchens to enterprise analytics, Jessica Rohrer has built a career around solving operational problems with data.

While working as a chef and in culinary operations for 17 years, Jessica also spent 12 years teaching at UNLV before transitioning fully into enterprise analytics. Her work spans SQL Server, Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, and enterprise ERP systems, helping organizations turn complex operational data into practical business decisions. Today, through Rohrer Data Solutions, she focuses on governance, adoption, CoE buildouts, and reporting strategies that people actually use.

Jessica is passionate about practical analytics, user experience, and making enterprise reporting approachable for real people - not just data teams. She’s also known for building out of the box solutions that probably shouldn’t work, but do. English and Irish speaker.

From restaurant kitchens to enterprise analytics, Jessica Rohrer has built a career around solving operational problems with data. While working as a chef and in culinary operations for 17 years, Jessica also spent 12 years teaching at UNLV before... Show more

Alexander Klein

Alexander Klein

Alexander Klein is a senior Business Intelligence consultant with more than 20 years of experience. He focuses on Business Intelligence and Data Warehouse projects with Microsoft technologies like SQL Server, Power BI, Azure ML or Cognitive Services.

Since 2008, he has been a self-employed consultant in large and medium-sized projects in all sectors across Europe. He has been visiting SQL Saturdays all over Europe since 2013.Since 2017 Alexander speaks at national and international conferences / user groups about Data Warehouse, BI, Azure and AI.

Alexander Klein is a senior Business Intelligence consultant with more than 20 years of experience. He focuses on Business Intelligence and Data Warehouse projects with Microsoft technologies like SQL Server, Power BI, Azure ML or Cognitive Services.... Show more

Mamta Krishnia

Mamta Krishnia

Mamta Krishnia is a seasoned and growth-oriented product leader with a proven track record of scaling B2C products and multi-tenant platform solutions that have unlocked 10x business growth. With over a decade of experience across e-commerce, retail technology, and platform innovation, she has consistently delivered transformative, zero-to-one and first-to-market product solutions in complex, high-impact environments.
Mamta currently serves as the Group Director of Product Management at Walmart International, where she leads a 50-member product team across key markets including Canada, Mexico, and Chile. She owns a 9-figure e-commerce platform and oversees discovery, search, personalization, fraud prevention, payments, and promotions. Previously, as Senior Director of Product Management, she pioneered high-impact initiatives in automotive, subscriptions, and pet pharmacy verticals. Her innovative contributions include launching AI-powered capabilities like Part Terminology ID prediction models and frequency-based product recommendations, and leading the development of GenAI-driven service experiences.
She played a pivotal role in launching Walmart’s Pet Medication MVP platform, oversaw a $1M/week subscription MVP launch, and steered omni-service funnel strategies that enhanced cross-channel engagement and customer lifetime value. Mamta also founded and grew Walmart’s Women in Product ARG from 0 to 400 members, creating a space focused on belonging and leadership development for women in tech. Earlier in her career, Mamta was a Director of Product Management responsible for leading a multi-year, CEO-sponsored e-commerce replatforming program that generated a 22% lift in customer cross-pollination between grocery and general merchandise. Her contributions to homepage personalization, cross-functional strategy, and user-centric A/B testing brought notable acceleration to product delivery cycles and revenue impact.
Before Walmart, Mamta held product consultancy roles at Slalom Consulting, contributing to projects for Apple, GAP Inc., and Constellation Brands, where she drove user research, go-to-market execution, and platform expansion across global markets. Her earlier tenure includes strategic roles at Cognizant Business Consulting and Amdocs. Mamta holds an MBA in Marketing and Strategy from the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Mumbai. She is passionate about building inclusive product cultures and mentoring global teams with a focus on impact, customer obsession, and executional excellence.

Mamta Krishnia is a seasoned and growth-oriented product leader with a proven track record of scaling B2C products and multi-tenant platform solutions that have unlocked 10x business growth. With over a decade of experience across e-commerce, retail ... Show more

Michael Hidalgo

Michael Hidalgo

Michael Hidalgo has spent more than 25 years leading, building, and speaking. He has spoken to over 50,000 people, from intimate C-suite retreats to audiences of 2,500+.

He is a GiANT-certified 5 Voices Guide and award-winning author of two books. Michael has led fast-growing organizations and served as an advisor to the Denver Mayor's office and the Colorado Governor. His film school and screenwriting background means his keynotes aren't talks, they are experiences.

His past clients include Alvarez & Marsal, Canes Midstream, ATD, InTempo Software, along with corporate leadership teams across multiple industries.

Michael Hidalgo has spent more than 25 years leading, building, and speaking. He has spoken to over 50,000 people, from intimate C-suite retreats to audiences of 2,500+. He is a GiANT-certified 5 Voices Guide and award-winning author of two books... Show more

Laura Traverso

Laura Traverso

AI isn’t coming. It’s already reshaping industries and most enterprises are still figuring out where to start.

I’ve spent 15+ years at the forefront of that transformation. From building data science foundations when “AI” was still a buzzword, to architecting production-grade agentic systems that autonomously drive business outcomes today. I’ve consistently been a step ahead of where the market was going.

I don’t just implement AI. I help enterprises understand what’s possible before they know to ask for it, scoping the right initiatives, building the right solutions, and leading the teams that bring them to life. From first conversation to full adoption.

My edge: the combination of deep mathematical foundations, hands-on technical leadership, and the ability to translate complexity into boardroom-level clarity. I lead high-performing teams of AI engineers and data scientists while staying close enough to the architecture to know when something won’t work before it doesn’t.

The next frontier is agentic AI. I’m already there.

AI isn’t coming. It’s already reshaping industries and most enterprises are still figuring out where to start. I’ve spent 15+ years at the forefront of that transformation. From building data science foundations when “AI” was still a buzzword, to ... Show more

Jonathan Pasternak

Jonathan Pasternak

Jonathan Pasternak is a seasoned bankruptcy and restructuring attorney who has built one of the largest debtor bankruptcy practices in the nation by volume. With more than three decades of experience, he has guided clients through complex financial transactions in both legal and advisory roles. Throughout his career, he has developed strong working relationships with companies, lenders, investors, fiduciaries, and other professionals. He has focused his work on helping clients stabilize operations, restructure debt, and move forward during periods of financial distress.

For 36 years, Jonathan has represented parties across a wide range of industries. His primary focus has been the reorganization and restructuring of private and public companies. Over the course of his career, he has advised hundreds of individual and corporate clients on debtor and creditor representation, workouts, recapitalizations, asset sales, and complex Chapter 11 proceedings.

In addition to insolvency matters, Pasternak has handled commercial real estate and finance transactions tied to distressed assets. His work has included resolving property-related debt issues, restructuring business asset portfolios, and guiding transaction-driven reorganizations. In each case, he has applied careful financial analysis and practical legal strategy. He remains focused on achieving business objectives, whether through negotiated solutions or court-supervised proceedings.

For more than 20 years, Jonathan managed his own boutique bankruptcy law firm. Under his leadership, the firm became one of the leading Chapter 11 debtor practices in the country by case volume. He oversaw daily operations while maintaining an active caseload, working directly with clients and coordinating with courts and other stakeholders.

His work has earned recognition from peers and professional organizations. In 2017, Jonathan was named YJP Professional of the Year for his contributions to restructuring and insolvency efforts. He was also consistently ranked among the top 20 bankruptcy lawyers in the nation by volume and was recognized as a Super Lawyer for more than 15 consecutive years. He has lectured at insolvency conferences and has been interviewed on radio and television regarding large-scale bankruptcies.

Education has played an important role in his life. Pasternak graduated cum laude from The Pingry School in 1981 and later from Brown University in 1985, where he studied American History and Literature. He has served as a class representative and remains active in alumni initiatives. His family also maintains close ties to Brown University.

Jonathan has supported charitable and community initiatives, including food and clothing drives and educational organizations. For 11 years, he served on the Board of Trustees of Temple Sinai of Bergen County, where he helped oversee governance and fiduciary matters. He has also provided pro bono legal services to individuals, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations.

Outside of his legal career, Pasternak is an accomplished musician and performer. Music remains an active interest, and he is known for his dedication to preparation and technical skill. He is also a field recorder and archivist of live music. In his local community, he has coached youth sports and participated in community events.

Throughout his career, Jonathan Pasternak has focused on helping clients navigate financially distressed situations with steady judgment and practical solutions. His work in bankruptcy, commercial real estate, and corporate restructuring reflects a long-standing commitment to professional responsibility and service, hallmarks that continue to define him.

Jonathan Pasternak is a seasoned bankruptcy and restructuring attorney who has built one of the largest debtor bankruptcy practices in the nation by volume. With more than three decades of experience, he has guided clients through complex financial t... Show more

Shikhar Agarwal

Shikhar Agarwal

I am a senior technology and business leader with 25+ years helping partners and enterprises turn strategy into execution — specifically across Dynamics CRM and ERP, where I've built multiple practices, led dozens of enterprise transformations, and influenced hundreds of millions in pipeline by connecting technology investments to measurable business outcomes.
I'm now building AI-enabled businesses that combine decades of practical experience with what AI makes possible. My sessions are the honest account of what that looks like from the inside.

I am a senior technology and business leader with 25+ years helping partners and enterprises turn strategy into execution — specifically across Dynamics CRM and ERP, where I've built multiple practices, led dozens of enterprise transformations, and i... Show more

Alicia Kidd

Alicia Kidd

Alicia M. Kidd, MPA, is an AI strategist and the founder of CoCo Noir Labs, an Oakland-based consulting firm focused on AI strategy, governance, and security. Over nearly 20 years, she has led enterprise system implementations and organization-wide training programs across healthcare, biopharmaceutical, higher-education, and public-sector organizations — environments where data integrity, compliance, and user adoption were non-negotiable. She specializes in the change-management side of technical programs: turning policies and tools into habits that hold.

Alongside that work, Alicia spent a decade as an entrepreneur in the wine industry. In 2016 she founded The Wine Noire, a wine import, distribution, and consulting company, and parlayed it into CoCo Noir Wine Shop & Bar — an Oakland tasting room, event space, and bistro championing underrepresented, women-led, minority-led, and small producers. That decade of running a tasting room, an import book, and a consulting practice gives her a ground-level view of how the beverage business actually operates.

Through CoCo Noir Labs, she now advises organizations across hospitality, the public sector, and education on AI strategy, governance, change management, and project implementation — helping them decide where AI belongs, build the guardrails that keep it accountable, and carry it through to adoption rather than stopping at the pilot. That practice also produced Uncorked AI, an AI-powered platform that helps tasting rooms and wineries grow direct-to-consumer foot traffic and revenue. Her focus throughout is making AI practical, governed, and accessible — especially for the small and independent organizations most often left behind by it.

She received her AI Consultant Certification through AI InnoVision (CPD-accredited), and holds certificates of completion from Anthropic in Introduction to Model Context Protocol, Introduction to Agent Skills, Claude Code in Action, and Building with the Claude API. Alicia holds an M.P.A. with an option in Public Management and a B.S. in Business Administration with an option in Finance, both from California State University, East Bay.

Alicia M. Kidd, MPA, is an AI strategist and the founder of CoCo Noir Labs, an Oakland-based consulting firm focused on AI strategy, governance, and security. Over nearly 20 years, she has led enterprise system implementations and organization-wide t... Show more

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