Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW, CADC
President & Chief Executive Officer, Fathers & Families Coalition of America
Author | Founder, Borinqueño Within Press | Certified Executive Coach | Clinical Social Worker | Veteran | Researcher | Policy Architect | Curriculum Developer | International Trainer

"I am a Boricua. A dad. A soldier. A professional social worker. An advocate. A teacher. A professor. A counselor. And a friend. And with every role, I lead with love and serve with purpose."

Biography
Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW, CADC, is a globally celebrated architect of fatherhood engagement, social policy reform, and transformative leadership development. For over four decades, he has shaped public health, child welfare, mental health, and professional education—building bridges across disciplines, communities, and continents. His career is defined by multidimensional leadership and a relentless pursuit of equity, healing, and opportunity for all. A proud father, soldier, social worker, and visionary educator, he has devoted his life to helping people rediscover hope, dignity, and purpose. His reach spans early childhood education, public health, leadership development, and fatherhood advocacy—fields that, in his hands, become pathways toward healing and intergenerational equity.

"Insights give way to dreams—developing vision—creating purpose that ends in your why."

Foundations: Service, Resilience, and Cultural Identity
Born into a low-income household and shaped by the adversity of the child welfare system, James began his journey at age 17 as a U.S. Army Combat Medic. By 22, he became one of the youngest Substance Abuse Counselors in the Department of Defense, retiring with honors and meritorious distinction in the reserves. Over more than two decades of military service, he developed expertise in trauma response, behavioral health, and law enforcement. This experience forged his devotion to discipline, compassion, and advocacy for the vulnerable.

James's service has been recognized at the highest levels: he is the recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Call to Service Award (President Barack Obama), Points of Light Award (President George H. W. Bush), Meritorious Service Medal (U.S. Department of Defense), and Congressional Certificates from Maxine Waters, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Barbara Lee, and Diane E. Watson. He is deeply honored by the Ceremonial Elder Proclamation from the Qutekcak Native Tribe of Alaska, the National Social Worker Leadership Resolution (FFCA), and hundreds of additional accolades from national, state, tribal, and community organizations.

Architect of Systems Change: Building Movements, Securing Hope
As founder and CEO of the Fathers & Families Coalition of America (FFCA), Dr. Rodríguez transformed a grassroots Arizona network into an international force with offices in California and Puerto Rico, and active partnerships across North America, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and Australia. He was instrumental in creating one of the nation's first TANF-funded fatherhood programs, a model that generated over $75 million in resources and has been replicated nationwide. Under his leadership, FFCA's International Families & Fathers Conference—now in its 27th year—has become a global destination for educators, policymakers, and innovators, advancing justice and family well-being.

A founding steering committee member of the Fatherhood Research & Practice Network (FRPN) at Temple University, James has shaped federal research and policy, serving as principal investigator and senior research consultant on projects for the Office of Refugee Resettlement, CDC, NIMH, and the Oregon Center for Applied Science. His work has driven advances in public health, trauma-informed care, and family resilience.

Signature Curriculum Development and Thought Leadership
James is a master architect of transformational curricula and professional development, including the Advanced Practitioner Credential™ Course (NASW Arizona-approved), OAR Leadership Institute™ (Ownership • Accountability • Responsibility), FFCA DiSC Model™, Ikigai & The Power of Kintsugi™, and SAMHSA-approved Fatherhood and Mental Health Curriculum. He also developed the Strengthening Families Through Nurturing Leadership model. His trainings are lauded for blending cognitive science, neuroplasticity, emotional intelligence, trauma-informed care, and actionable leadership strategies, and have reached over 30,000 professionals—social workers, educators, clinicians, nonprofit leaders, and public officials—across the U.S. and four continents. Over 85% of program graduates report improved outcomes, including higher client engagement and service completion.

Certified as an Executive Coach, Master Trainer for The John R. Wooden Course™, Certified DiSC® Trainer, Life Coach, Ikigai Coach, and Schema Therapy Practitioner, Dr. Rodríguez's leadership development institutes have set new standards for excellence in behavioral health and family services.

Academic Impact, Mentorship, and Global Teaching
Dr. Rodríguez's educational reach is extraordinary. He has served as faculty, lecturer, or keynote at:

University of Southern California
Arizona State University
Morehouse College
Howard University
Columbia University
Yale University
University of Houston
Clark Atlanta University
Mesa Community College
Central Arizona College
Cornell University
Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico
University of the West Indies (Jamaica)
University of Guelph (Canada)
Malcolm X College
Sobo Tribal Nation
Navajo Nation
Qutekcak Native Tribe (Alaska)
Numerous First Nations and international partners
He developed and directed over 30 undergraduate and graduate courses, established statewide programs, and has keynoted and taught from Ivy League classrooms to tribal communities. He serves on the editorial board of PHYLON: The Clark Atlanta University Review of Race and Culture, which he joined upon the appointment of Dr. Obie Clayton, Jr., and supports scholarship on race, family, and social change.

Policy Leadership, Board Service, and Community Engagement
Dr. Rodríguez's policy influence extends to every level of government. He has developed legislation for Connecticut's Fatherhood Initiative, served on Arizona and California TANF/family-strengthening task forces, and advised the New York City Mayor's Fatherhood Advisory Council, DYCD, and ACS. He has shaped policy in partnership with SAMHSA, Region II Head Start, the State of Maryland, and the National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health. He has provided expert testimony before the U.S. House Ways & Means Committee. He collaborates with Congressman Danny K. Davis and hosts national Fireside Policy Roundtables on equity, child support, and education reform.

His board service is cross-sectoral and visionary, including:

100 Black Men – Arizona Chapter
AGAPE Adoption Agency
Maricopa County Human Services
Fatherhood Corrections Network
Black Family Preservation Institute
And numerous national, state, and tribal boards
Public Health, Equity, and Systems Innovation
James has led multiple national initiatives addressing mental health equity, early childhood wellness, and culturally responsive care—serving Latino, African American, Somali, First Nations, and other underserved communities. His work with the Somali Association of Arizona, the Hispanic/Latino and African American Parent Depression Research Project, and tribal partners has been recognized for its transformative impact on systems and inclusion.

Author, Storyteller, and Purpose-Driven Advocate
As founder of Borinqueño Within Press and author of the forthcoming The Purpose Within—Rise Out of the Ashes Like the Phoenix, Dr. Rodríguez's story is a testament to resilience, hope, and the enduring power of purpose. He weaves together memoir, leadership philosophy, and spiritual reflection, inspiring audiences to discover their own capacity to lead and transform.

Personal Values, Humanity, and Enduring Legacy
Above all, Dr. Rodríguez is a father, grandfather, and mentor. He draws daily inspiration from his children—Antonio (Cassandra), Amber Rodríguez-Young, LMSW (Daric), and Jazmín Rodríguez—and his grandchildren, Ariston and Adalena. His life and work are an expression of core values: love, empathy, humility, and a drive to uplift others. Whether leading a boardroom, inspiring a conference, or building coalitions for social change, James delivers wisdom, practical strategies, and hope—leaving every audience moved to action.

"Leadership is not about titles. It is about being water—shaping, flowing, and giving life wherever you go." — Bruce Lee.

If your organization seeks a keynote speaker, leadership institute facilitator, or strategic advisor who brings unparalleled experience, intellectual rigor, cultural fluency, and a proven record of impact, Dr. James C. Rodríguez is the transformative presence your audience deserves.

Contact:
james.rodriguez@fathersandfamiliescoalition.org
www.fathersandfamiliescoalition.org

"Never The End, Never Goodbye, Just I love You." – Your Friend, James

Dr. James C. Rodríguez, MSW, CADC President & Chief Executive Officer, Fathers & Families Coalition of America Author | Founder, Borinqueño Within Press | Certified Executive Coach | Clinical Social Worker | Veteran | Researcher | Policy Architect ... Show more

Sankalp Gilda is a Staff ML Engineer and independent researcher focused on epistemic accountability and structured reasoning for AI-assisted workflows in regulated and high-stakes domains. He holds a PhD in Astronomy and has six-plus years of production data science experience spanning time-series analysis, uncertainty quantification, and MLOps -- most recently driving AI for electric-vehicle systems in greentech as well as in oil and gas.

He created tsbootstrap, an open-source Python library for bootstrapped time-series resampling (87+ stars, sktime-integrated), and gave its tutorial at SciPy 2024. His other public OSS spans the security and developer-safety ecosystem -- idna-ip-literal-smuggle-rules, a CodeQL/Semgrep ruleset and gopatch auto-fix codemod for a Go IDNA-canonicalization bug class (UTS-46 digit-fold IP-literal smuggling) he privately disclosed to the Go team in April 2026, and mcp-keyring-injector for session-scoped credential safety in MCP environments. Recent research includes workshop papers at ICLR 2026 -- Logical Reasoning of LLMs (algebraic invariants for LLM reasoning chains and weakest-link reliability propagation) and AI in Finance (epistemic accountability and generator-ratifier disjointness for agentic financial AI). He builds Verity, a reasoning-layer system for AI coding assistants in regulated environments, currently in private development.

Outside work he's drawn to high-commitment activities -- skydiving, scuba diving, kitesurfing -- that reward the same combination of careful preparation and decisive action that good engineering does. He consults across industries through DeepThought Solutions on AI governance, structured reasoning, and ML-for-regulated-domains problems.

Sankalp Gilda is a Staff ML Engineer and independent researcher focused on epistemic accountability and structured reasoning for AI-assisted workflows in regulated and high-stakes domains. He holds a PhD in Astronomy and has six-plus years of product... Show more

I’m a technology leader who thrives at the intersection of architecture, strategy, and organizational design. For over a decade, I’ve led platform transformations, built distributed systems at scale, and helped companies rethink how they build, deliver, and operate software.
I work hands-on with engineering teams, coach leadership, and speak at conferences to challenge outdated assumptions and share lessons from the field.
🗺️ International experience. Polyglot. Opinionated, but always curious.
🎤 Speaker on topics like digital platforms, team dynamics, and sustainable software.
🌻 Occasionally philosophical

I’m a technology leader who thrives at the intersection of architecture, strategy, and organizational design. For over a decade, I’ve led platform transformations, built distributed systems at scale, and helped companies rethink how they build, deliv... Show more

Thibaud is an SRE working at Giant Swarm and has been part of both the Observability and Networking teams.

He is passionate about everything Kubernetes and open source related and tries to contribute as much as possible in such projects. He also strives to make IT infrastructures environmentally sustainable by driving a SIG dedicated to this topic in his company.

Outside of work, he trains like an athlete: combining trail running, backcountry skiing and street lifting which take most of his free time.

Thibaud is an SRE working at Giant Swarm and has been part of both the Observability and Networking teams. He is passionate about everything Kubernetes and open source related and tries to contribute as much as possible in such projects. He also ... Show more

Kimberley Bezuidenhout is a software engineering student, researcher, and emerging speaker focused on AI systems architecture, AI governance, infrastructure efficiency, and responsible technology deployment in emerging markets.

Drawing on a background in law and software engineering, she explores the intersection of artificial intelligence, verification, data sovereignty, compliance, and sustainable infrastructure. Her work examines how organizations can build AI systems that are not only capable and scalable, but also transparent, accountable, and aligned with real-world operational constraints.

Kimberley is particularly interested in AI verification, agent reliability, energy-efficient computing, and the challenges of deploying intelligent systems in environments where infrastructure, regulation, and resource availability differ significantly from those assumed by many global technology solutions.

Through speaking, writing, and research, she advocates for practical approaches to AI adoption that balance innovation with trust, governance, and long-term sustainability.

Kimberley Bezuidenhout is a software engineering student, researcher, and emerging speaker focused on AI systems architecture, AI governance, infrastructure efficiency, and responsible technology deployment in emerging markets. Drawing on a backgr... Show more

Chad Crawford is a third-generation Floridian and a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV host and outdoor adventurer with a unique perspective on Florida unlike anyone else in the world. Over his 25-year career, he has dedicated himself to telling the story of the state he loves. Chad has collaborated with major government agencies, conservation groups, and tourism organizations, giving him a rare perspective into the tourism industry. In his current role as Director of Strategic Partnerships with Conservation Florida, he continues to build valuable relationships to help protect the state's natural resources. Chad is a father of four and resides in Lake Mary. He enjoys fishing, camping, open water swimming, and taking on whatever adventures Florida can serve up.

Chad Crawford is a third-generation Floridian and a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV host and outdoor adventurer with a unique perspective on Florida unlike anyone else in the world. Over his 25-year career, he has dedicated himself to telling the st... Show more

Technical Co-Founder and Head of Product Development for 3 International Startups, building and managing teams bringing digital transformation to domains such as Energy Management, Building Automation, Asset Tracking, and Consumer Electronics.

15+ years of experience as an AI and IoT Engineer, working in design and development of products across industries such as IoT, Autonomous Driving, Automotive Engineering, Aeronautics, Industry 4.0, and Robotics.

Technical Co-Founder and Head of Product Development for 3 International Startups, building and managing teams bringing digital transformation to domains such as Energy Management, Building Automation, Asset Tracking, and Consumer Electronics. 15+... Show more

Jarred Smith has spent 20 years in marketing across industries including environmental services, healthcare, public media, and retail. He currently serves as Director of Marketing at Alliance Technical Group, a large environmental services company with over 2,200 employees and 60+ offices across the United States and Canada.

Previously, he served as VP of Marketing and Communications at OETA (Oklahoma's PBS affiliate), as CMO for a healthcare provider, and led digital marketing for Love's Travel Stops, where he built a digital experience department from scratch and rolled out omni-channel marketing programs across more than 1,800 retail locations.

He didn't set out to write a book about AI and search. He set out to solve a problem. In early 2024, he noticed that AI assistants were answering questions about his industry but never mentioning the company he worked for. The research that followed became Explainable.

Jarred lives in Oklahoma City with his wife Erin and their three kids.

Jarred Smith has spent 20 years in marketing across industries including environmental services, healthcare, public media, and retail. He currently serves as Director of Marketing at Alliance Technical Group, a large environmental services company wi... Show more

Living Entrepreneunarial values in UX and experience optimisation. I'm the happy co-founder of Ferpection, now Unguess France, a part of the Unguess European team. We're helping companies to evaluate and improve their digital products and multichannel journeys: market research and innovation, UX, QA, accessibility, sustainability, cybersecurity. We deliver these all over the world through our unique crowdtesting solutions: proprietary panel, AI platform and expert consultants pool.Living

Living Entrepreneunarial values in UX and experience optimisation. I'm the happy co-founder of Ferpection, now Unguess France, a part of the Unguess European team. We're helping companies to evaluate and improve their digital products and multichanne... Show more

I am working professional in Unisys, part of the AI Practice team, office of CTO. I explore and experiment with latest AI tech. I am also a sustainability enthusiast. I have participated and won in some national and International Hackathons, also enjoy tinkering and playing with IoT projects. Big time Foodie - Love to travel and taste different foods.

I am working professional in Unisys, part of the AI Practice team, office of CTO. I explore and experiment with latest AI tech. I am also a sustainability enthusiast. I have participated and won in some national and International Hackathons, also enj... Show more

Melissa Puerto Aguayo es ingeniera de software y Erasmus Mundus Scholar en Software Engineering for the Green Deal, con experiencia como Application Developer en IBM y colaboraciones con organismos de las naciones unidas como UNFCCC (Convención Marco de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Cambio Climático) y UNEP (Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Medio Ambiente) en iniciativas relacionadas con tecnología, sostenibilidad e impacto social.
Su trabajo se sitúa en la intersección entre tecnología, sostenibilidad y comunidades, con un enfoque crítico sobre cómo se diseñan, implementan y utilizan las tecnologías digitales. Ha participado en proyectos y espacios internacionales utilizando tecnologías del ecosistema Google, contribuyendo al diseño de soluciones digitales en distintos contextos, desde comunidades en México hasta entornos europeos.
Melissa es parte activa de comunidades tecnológicas y de innovación, incluyendo Women Techmakers, y ha participado en foros, hackathons y espacios internacionales enfocados en tecnología y sostenibilidad. En sus charlas busca compartir experiencias reales, fomentar el pensamiento crítico y abrir conversaciones honestas sobre cómo usar la tecnología de forma más consciente, responsable y alineada con el impacto que buscamos generar.

Melissa Puerto Aguayo es ingeniera de software y Erasmus Mundus Scholar en Software Engineering for the Green Deal, con experiencia como Application Developer en IBM y colaboraciones con organismos de las naciones unidas como UNFCCC (Convención Marco... Show more

Helen Millar is a speaker, emotional intelligence consultant and transformation coach helping leaders, founders and organisations build the inner capacity to thrive in the age of AI.

With nearly two decades of international coaching experience, an award-winning acting career and a profound personal healing journey, Helen brings rare depth to conversations about leadership, change, resilience and human potential. Her work sits at the intersection of emotional fitness, conscious leadership, communication, psychology, money, faith and strategy.

Helen is a regular speaker at Oxford, Cambridge and London Business Schools, has been featured on the Discovery Channel across three continents, and is the founder of Helen Millar, Hearty.Company and Heart Healer®. Through Hearty, her consultancy brand, she works with organisations and executive teams on emotional intelligence, leadership presence and the human skills AI cannot replace.

Her signature keynote, Emotional Fitness is the Leadership Edge in the Age of AI, explores why the future will not belong to the most intelligent machines alone, but to the most emotionally intelligent leaders. As technology accelerates, leaders need more than strategy, systems and skills. They need nervous system capacity, discernment, authenticity, relational intelligence and the ability to meet uncertainty without collapse or control.

Helen also speaks powerfully on healing your relationship with money, self-worth and change, particularly for female founders, creatives and high-achieving professionals whose external success has outpaced their internal stability. Having transformed her own life from self-sabotage, ill health and financial scarcity into a thriving portfolio of meaningful work, property, investment and global impact, Helen does not speak about transformation as theory. She has lived it.

Her approach combines emotional intelligence, psychological insight, spiritual wisdom and grounded business acumen through her Head to Heart Living and Head to Heart Leadership frameworks. The result is work that is intelligent, human, practical and deeply transformational.

Helen’s talks are ideal for organisations, leadership events, women’s leadership programmes, founder communities, wellbeing conferences and future-of-work conversations seeking a speaker who can bring emotional depth, commercial relevance and a powerful human perspective to the age of AI.

Helen Millar is a speaker, emotional intelligence consultant and transformation coach helping leaders, founders and organisations build the inner capacity to thrive in the age of AI. With nearly two decades of international coaching experience, an... Show more

Industrial engineer with experience in the logistics sector using machine learning technologies, specializing in project management and AI. Committed to best practices in industries utilizing new technologies and the implementation of the SDGs.

Industrial engineer with experience in the logistics sector using machine learning technologies, specializing in project management and AI. Committed to best practices in industries utilizing new technologies and the implementation of the SDGs. Show more

Head of DevRel LATAM at AWS. Environmental engineer that ended up in the cloud. I’m passionate about building communities, and the power of tech to change lives. Worked in the non-profit and social entrepreneurial space for 10+ years where I became a multi-awarded professional by the government of Mexico, UN Women, and others. Transitioned into tech 4+ years ago, and I now lead an (amazing) tech team to build exciting things in the cloud.

Head of DevRel LATAM at AWS. Environmental engineer that ended up in the cloud. I’m passionate about building communities, and the power of tech to change lives. Worked in the non-profit and social entrepreneurial space for 10+ years where I became a... Show more

Adriana Eileen Paz Rivas es Ingeniera Electromecánica, educadora STEAM y violinista certificada en el método Suzuki, con experiencia pedagógica desde 2018. Es fundadora y CEO de una escuela que fusiona arte, ciencia y tecnología, promoviendo el aprendizaje creativo y sostenible desde la infancia.

Se especializa en programación creativa con herramientas como Sonic Pi, acercando a niños y niñas al mundo de la tecnología a través de la música. Es creadora de contenido educativo, enfocada en inspirar a personas multipotenciales a desarrollar su marca personal y a emprendedores a crear contenido con impacto usando herramientas de IA y estrategias accesibles. Participa activamente como en eventos tecnológicos y hackatones, incluyendo el NASA Space Apps Challenge, Build with AI de Google y Women Game Jam Bolivia, compartiendo su experiencia en creación de contenido, educación y tecnología. Además, colabora generando contenido para comunidades como GDG La Paz y Women Techmakers, enfocándose en el impulso de la participación femenina en tecnología.

Actualmente, continúa su formación profesional en Buenos Aires, profundizando en áreas como energías renovables, automatización y diseño UX/UI, manteniendo siempre una visión creativa, inclusiva y sostenible en cada uno de sus proyectos.

Adriana Eileen Paz Rivas es Ingeniera Electromecánica, educadora STEAM y violinista certificada en el método Suzuki, con experiencia pedagógica desde 2018. Es fundadora y CEO de una escuela que fusiona arte, ciencia y tecnología, promoviendo el apren... Show more

Oyinloluwa Adedoyin is a Product & Motion Designer. He has six years of design experience, four of them in product, and his work is in identity infrastructure, fintech, and edtech.

In 2025 he was appointed an Innovation Stage Judge for the Conrad Challenge 2025–2026, presented by Space Center Houston, a Smithsonian Affiliate and the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center. In that role he evaluates technology submissions from teams across more than 70 countries.

He is a Product Designer at VerifyMe, where he designs QoreID, an identity verification platform integrated by approximately 60% of Nigeria's commercial banks. QoreID processes over 1 million verifications a month for more than 400 API clients. He also designs Gova, a last-mile verification platform now past 670,000 completed verifications. Before VerifyMe, he led the redesign of the core learning experience at uLesson while the platform scaled from under 100,000 to over 2 million downloads, contributing to a $15M Series B funding round. His earlier work spans Maxim Credit Card, UBA Group, Crowdyvest, and Omnibiz Africa.

His independent work travels internationally. Flatten Master, the Figma plugin he built and released in July 2025, picked up 750+ active users in its first four months. His 37 animation assets on LottieFiles have been downloaded more than 5,000 times and were featured on the LottieFiles homepage for four consecutive months in 2025, placing them in the top 0.1% of over 100,000 submissions. The assets are integrated into Chipper Cash (5M users), Maxim, Curaboard, and Gova. His free Figma Community packs are in use by designers across Nigeria, Kenya, India, Brazil, Pakistan, and Southeast Asia.

He has spoken at IndabaX 2025, Africa's largest AI and machine learning research community; at TekForce Connect 2025, a global virtual summit with 900+ live attendees across four continents; and at DevFest Lokoja 2024, where he delivered a 40-minute keynote to 400+ engineers and developers.

He writes for TechEconomy, Technext24, TechCity, and NaijaNews, and has been featured by Vanguard, Independent Nigeria, The Sun, and Daily Times. He has appeared as a digital technology expert on Channels Television, TVC News, and Trust TV.

Oyinloluwa Adedoyin is a Product & Motion Designer. He has six years of design experience, four of them in product, and his work is in identity infrastructure, fintech, and edtech. In 2025 he was appointed an Innovation Stage Judge for the Conrad ... Show more

Emanuel Toledo is a Data Scientist and holds a degree in Public Management, specializing in the implementation of artificial intelligence and the strategic use of data in organizations.

With over 15 years of experience in the public sector, he works on designing practical frameworks for AI adoption, addressing its limitations, risks, and challenges in real-world decision-making contexts.

He is the founder of Thinking Out!, a consulting firm focused on data analytics, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation, where he supports institutions and professionals in the effective integration of these technologies.

He is currently researching how the public sector can reduce its structural gaps and improve its capabilities through the strategic adoption of technology. As part of this work, he developed a digital transition approach adaptable to different types of organizations, aimed at effectively integrating data and artificial intelligence in real-world management contexts.

Emanuel Toledo is a Data Scientist and holds a degree in Public Management, specializing in the implementation of artificial intelligence and the strategic use of data in organizations. With over 15 years of experience in the public sector, he wor... Show more

Kent Inge has been working with Software Engineering since 2005. In that time, he has contributed to numerous projects and systems. He has also published several academic and a couple of opinion pieces on various topics in Software Engineering. He is currently interested in, and working on, how to make the developer community emphasize the "greenness" in software products more.

Kent Inge has been working with Software Engineering since 2005. In that time, he has contributed to numerous projects and systems. He has also published several academic and a couple of opinion pieces on various topics in Software Engineering. He is... Show more

Celestina is a Cloud Engineer passionate about sharing knowledge and empowering teams to implement scalable and compliant infrastructure.

Celestina is a Cloud Engineer passionate about sharing knowledge and empowering teams to implement scalable and compliant infrastructure. Show more

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

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

I'm Pillippa Pérez Pons, a Frontend Software Engineer, I am passionate about developing innovative web applications that enhance user experiences and improve efficiency. Originally from Chile, I have been living in the Bay Area for the past five years, embracing the vibrant tech community here.

Volunteering and community involvement are core to who I am. In 2019 and 2020, I mentored young girls through Niñas Pro, helping them develop their technical skills and inspiring their interest in technology. I also contributed to Django Girls in 2020, creating a welcoming environment for women to learn coding. In 2023, I had the opportunity to be an organizer for JSConf Chile, fostering a collaborative and inclusive tech community. Additionally, I played a significant role in JavaScript Chile 2023, promoting education and growth within the local JavaScript community. My commitment is to empower underrepresented groups and encourage them to pursue careers in technology, believing in their potential to make a significant impact.

I'm Pillippa Pérez Pons, a Frontend Software Engineer, I am passionate about developing innovative web applications that enhance user experiences and improve efficiency. Originally from Chile, I have been living in the Bay Area for the past five year... Show more

Luis Zuñiga is a Cloud Architect specialized in the convergence of Autonomous Automation, Applied Intelligence, and Proactive Defense. With an expert focus on AWS and GCP production environments (PRD), Luis designs high-level resilient architectures that prioritize security and scalability at their core.

His expertise lies in automating complex security strategies through Infrastructure as Code (IaC), utilizing Terraform and YAML to build governed, self-healing cloud ecosystems. Currently, Luis is pioneering the implementation of Generative AI within production workflows, transforming how organizations detect threats and optimize operations through intelligent systems.

An active member of the global Dev community, Luis is an AWS Community Builder and a prolific technical writer. He is dedicated to bridging the gap between sophisticated security paradigms and automated execution, delivering strategic roadmaps that help teams transition to a state of continuous, AI-driven resilience.

Luis Zuñiga is a Cloud Architect specialized in the convergence of Autonomous Automation, Applied Intelligence, and Proactive Defense. With an expert focus on AWS and GCP production environments (PRD), Luis designs high-level resilient architectures ... Show more

Tabbi Kinion transforms overwhelmed, newly minted managers into confident leaders through interactive leadership development training and coaching. Drawing from over two decades of hands-on leadership experience, she delivers practical experiences that unlock potential through powerful conversations and exercises rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.

Tabbi serves as faculty for the Arkansas Public Administration Consortium's Certified Public Manager program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and is a National Faculty Member for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Management Assistance Team, helping leaders across sectors create cohesive, high-impact teams without burning out.

Before launching her training and coaching practice in 2024, Tabbi served as Education Division Chief for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission from 2018-2023, leading 80+ staff across multiple facilities and programs, following 13 years as Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Statewide Education Coordinator. Her approach combines real-world leadership expertise with academic excellence, including her Certified Public Manager certification, a Master's of Arts in Biology from Miami University, and a Bachelor's in Natural Resources Management from Colorado State University.

Tabbi Kinion transforms overwhelmed, newly minted managers into confident leaders through interactive leadership development training and coaching. Drawing from over two decades of hands-on leadership experience, she delivers practical experiences th... Show more

Jacqueline “Jaki” Stockwell is the CEO & Founder of Leadership Through Data, a global company who provide information management training and consultancy to both public and private sectors.

Alongside running the business, Jaki is also a professional speaker and is invited to attend international conferences and events. Jaki’s sessions are all about teaching information managers how to deliver fun, engaging and informative presentations to their colleagues in their respective businesses. As information managers know, it’s important that everyone in a business understands what information management is, however getting them to listen and comply is undeniably difficult. Jaki’s teaching methods empower information managers to think differently and use psychology along with a combination of styles to get their message across; after all, one size doesn’t fit all.

As well as being an international speaker, Jaki’s creative and inspirational leadership style and proactive approach to information management has led her to mentor others. She is quoted by clients and industry peers who say that “her positive attitude is infectious” and “she is totally human in her approach”.

Jacqueline’s aim in her career is to simplify information management what is unfortunately viewed as a complex and uninteresting topic, into relevant practical and enjoyable solutions which can be understood and implemented by all. The safety and security of information is both key to successful businesses but also a threat to their success if not managed effectively.

Whether in business or in her personal life, Jaki is always mindful of her sustainability efforts. At home she loves to upcycle and breathe new life into preloved furniture and décor. She loves to craft and sew and enjoys gardening and growing fruit and vegetables - no matter how successful the harvest may be .

Jacqueline “Jaki” Stockwell is the CEO & Founder of Leadership Through Data, a global company who provide information management training and consultancy to both public and private sectors. Alongside running the business, Jaki is also a profession... Show more

Data Science Leader with extensive experience in AI and MLOps, currently serving as the CTO at Infinitii AI. He has a strong background in team leadership, product innovation, and building scalable data-driven solutions. Piotr is passionate about using AI to solve real-world problems, particularly in time-series analysis. He is an advocate for Agile methodologies and MLOps practices, and has spoken at conferences about these topics.

Data Science Leader with extensive experience in AI and MLOps, currently serving as the CTO at Infinitii AI. He has a strong background in team leadership, product innovation, and building scalable data-driven solutions. Piotr is passionate about usi... Show more

Armagan Karatosun (He/him), holds an MSc in High-Performance Computing from Istanbul Technical University with 8+ years of industry experience. As a Cloud Data Services Expert at EUMETSAT, he specializes in crafting cloud-based solutions. His focus is on creating resilient and event-driven infrastructure tailored for advanced applications like AI/ML and high-performance workloads. He is an expert in cloud technologies, particularly Kubernetes and OpenStack.

Armagan Karatosun (He/him), holds an MSc in High-Performance Computing from Istanbul Technical University with 8+ years of industry experience. As a Cloud Data Services Expert at EUMETSAT, he specializes in crafting cloud-based solutions. His focus i... Show more

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Lirone Glikman is an international speaker, bestselling author, and consultant on business networking and personal branding using AI, and business development for startups and high-tech companies. She has consulted and spoken to developers, founders, and women leaders in 28 countries, sharing her methodology for achieving business results through authentic connections.

She is the author of the amazon bestseller "The Super Connector's Playbook". With over 20 years of global experience across Europe, Australia, and the U.S., she brings both corporate and startup perspectives to the tech world. Lirone contributes to leading global magazines and serves as an executive director at a UN-affiliated NGO supporting the Sustainable Development Goals.

Lirone Glikman is an international speaker, bestselling author, and consultant on business networking and personal branding using AI, and business development for startups and high-tech companies. She has consulted and spoken to developers, founders,... Show more

John Feminella is an avid technologist, occasional public speaker, and curiosity advocate. He helps enterprises transform the way they write, operate, and deploy software so that their businesses and people can be more effective. Before that, he led technology organizations at Pivotal, VMware, ThoughtWorks, EY, and Two Sigma; helped build the world's largest database of pollutants and air emissions; and authored a distributed-sensor technology.

John lives in Charlottesville, VA and likes meta-jokes, milkshakes, and referring to himself in the third person in speaker bios.

John Feminella is an avid technologist, occasional public speaker, and curiosity advocate. He helps enterprises transform the way they write, operate, and deploy software so that their businesses and people can be more effective. Before that, he led ... Show more

Deepak John Reji is an experienced NLP practitioner and researcher who specializes in developing and designing solutions for data science products. He is passionate about domain-centric data science development and advocates for responsible and ethical AI development. Deepak enjoys working with social science and environmental data and creates videos showcasing various prototypes and AI tutorials. Additionally, he hosts the D4 Data Channel podcast, where he interviews industry experts and academicians in the fields of Data Science and Sustainability.

Deepak strongly believes in the power of open source and the democratization of AI. He actively contributes to open-source projects and shares his models and packages in Huggingface and PyPI repositories. His recent research focuses on Immigration and Integration Research, as well as studying human and community interactions in third places using AI and data.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepak-john-reji/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@deepakjohnreji
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=4azuuXAAAAAJ&hl=en

Deepak John Reji is an experienced NLP practitioner and researcher who specializes in developing and designing solutions for data science products. He is passionate about domain-centric data science development and advocates for responsible and ethic... Show more