Government, Social Sector & Education

Valued individuals involved in shaping public policies, providing essential services, and promoting education, tirelessly looking to improve society and empower citizens

Sheryn (Chirine) Knaider

Sheryn (Chirine) Knaider


Sheryn Knaïder, known as "The Disruptive Creator," is a professional who believes in unlocking solutions within challenges by embracing the power of perspective.

With a focus on transforming adversity into achievement and the need for constant reinvention, Sheryn emphasizes the importance of creativity and Problem Solving in navigating today's complex business landscape.

She applies her expertise in various ways: as a Multilingual Keynote Speaker, Trainer, Coach, Consultant, and Author.

Fluent in French, Italian, English, and Arabic, she excels in creative problem-solving, offering solutions to individuals and organizations seeking to thrive in challenging environments.

In addition to her professional endeavors, Sheryn is the Founding President of the Professional Speakers Association of MENA & GCC - PSA Arabia, where her mission is to give a voice to women in these regions and empower them to speak up.

She is also a stand-up comedian in both English and Arabic language.

Sheryn Knaïder, known as "The Disruptive Creator," is a professional who believes in unlocking solutions within challenges by embracing the power of perspective. With a focus on transforming adversity into achievement and the need for constant r... Show more

Tariq Ali Cayne

Tariq Ali Cayne

Tariq Ali Cayne, also known as TAC, is a distinguished educator, speaker, and business professional dedicated to fostering growth and development across diverse audiences. As the Co-Founder and Coaching Director of Pitch Play Co., he integrates gamification into career coaching, making professional development both engaging and accessible.

With a robust background that includes teaching mathematics and serving in various capacities at Fortune 500 companies, Tariq has honed his expertise in business analysis, operations management, and program management. His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Georgia State University, complemented by Lean Six Sigma, Scrum Mastery, Data Analytics, and Digital Transformation certifications from esteemed institutions such as Cornell University and MIT.

Tariq's speaking engagements are characterized by his strategic mindset and competitive nature, which he attributes to his lifelong passions as a curious scholar, enthusiastic gamer, and basketball aficionado. He emphasizes the importance of personal investment and continuous learning, inspiring audiences to view business as a game that can be mastered with the right approach.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Tariq is an avid gamer, traveler, and culinary enthusiast, bringing a well-rounded perspective to his coaching and speaking engagements. He aims to empower individuals to achieve their career goals by making career development fun and approachable.

Tariq Ali Cayne, also known as TAC, is a distinguished educator, speaker, and business professional dedicated to fostering growth and development across diverse audiences. As the Co-Founder and Coaching Director of Pitch Play Co., he integrates gamif... Show more

Sean Glaze

Sean Glaze

Sean Glaze is a leadership and workplace culture speaker and author who delivers engaging experiences that ignite team performance.

Sean’s engaging conference keynotes and custom team building programs have helped clients like Cisco, John Deere, the CDC, and Emory University to increase collaboration, boost productivity, and build more positive and profitable workplace cultures.

As a successful basketball coach, Sean gained valuable insights on turning talent into teamwork – and now he travels around the country to share those lessons. Sean’s books, Rapid Teamwork, The 10 Commandments of Winning Teammates, and Staying Coachable are entertaining parables that help accelerate the growth of leaders and their teams!

Sean Glaze is a leadership and workplace culture speaker and author who delivers engaging experiences that ignite team performance. Sean’s engaging conference keynotes and custom team building programs have helped clients like Cisco, John Deere, ... Show more

Marko Rakar

Marko Rakar

Marko Rakar (1972) is a Chief executive manager of the consulting company MRAK services ltd headquartered in Zagreb, Croatia.

Rakar has a lifelong experience in working/writing for media as well as dealing with the media. He combines his media knowledge with new technologies and was one of the earliest internet adopters in Croatia. He is a recognized lecturer and consultant the subjects of organization, internet, new media as well as politics and statistics.

Rakar ran or participated as consultant on a number of successful campaigns and races for organizations, parties and independent candidates on presidential, parliament and municipal elections in Europe, Asia and US.

He had worked on projects for various international institutions such as Council of Europe, European Fund for the Balkans, United Nations Development Programme, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), World Bank, Transparency International, U.S. State Department, Olof Palme International Center, Open Government Partnership and the Croatian Government. He has been for several years member of the jury for the Pollies award of the American Association of Political Consultants and a member of the jury for the World eDemocracy awards.

In his work with governments, law enforcement and corporations he worked as a data scientist and architect of advanced statistical, BI and predictive analytics systems designed to predict customer/supplier behavior, increase process efficiencies, find and eliminate hidden costs and simplify decision making, as well as identify, prevent, and/or disrupt criminal, fraudulent and money laundering activities..

Rakar studied Philosophy and Information sciences, University of Zagreb, speaks English fluently and is regular columnist and author to several blogs, web sites, newspapers and magazines in Croatia and internationally.

He is also recognized by World eGovernment forum as one of the "Top 10 who are changing the world of politics on the internet". Marko Rakar is a past president of EAPC (European association of political consultants), current member of the board of IAPC (International association of political consultants), "School of politics" alumni (by Council of Europe), non-government expert on the subjects of open governance and data transparency, president of Croatian NGO Vjetrenjača (English: Windmill) which is dedicated to bringing transparency and promoting open governance to Croatian and international public. Marko is a member of international Association of Certified Fraud Examiners as well as secretary of Croatian chapter of Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Croatia.

Since 2012. he is also a junior fellow at the World academy of Arts and Science. In 2013. Marko Rakar received „Informatika“ medal awarded by Croatian Information Technology Association. This medal is given to the organizations and individuals for achieved results in expanding and promoting information technologies. Washington DC based COMPOL magazine selected Marko as one of top hundred most influential political professionals of the year 2017.

Marko Rakar (1972) is a Chief executive manager of the consulting company MRAK services ltd headquartered in Zagreb, Croatia. Rakar has a lifelong experience in working/writing for media as well as dealing with the media. He combines his media kno... Show more

Renata Frade

Renata Frade

IEEE and Gartner keynote speaker, Renata Loureiro Frade is a PhD Candidate in Information and Communication in Digital Platforms at the University of Aveiro and University of Porto, Portugal. Her research focuses on women in technology communities, digital storytelling, and technofeminism.
Frade has over 20 years of experience as a hybrid professional combining academic research, multiplatform content strategy and production, innovative projects, consulting, and digital ethnography. She is passionate about empowering women to work and become entrepreneurs in IT and STEAM fields, promoting diversity and inclusion.

Attendee in Futures of Entertainment transmedia conference with Dr. Henry Jenkins in MIT MediaLab (2012) and Future of Media conference in Stanford Graduate School of Business at the Stanford University (2016). Artificial Intelligence researcher at the Cátedra Oscar Sala at the University of São Paulo.

As an accomplished author and researcher, Renata Frade has published numerous academic papers and articles on topics related to women in technology, digital storytelling, and technological feminism. She co-edited the book "Technofeminism: Multi and Transdisciplinary Contemporary Views of Women in Technology" (2023) and has presented her research at international conferences.

Frade's work has been recognized with several awards and scholarships, including the Santander Coders 2023 award and a Research Scholarship from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for her doctoral studies.

In addition to her academic pursuits, Renata Frade is an active science communicator, frequently contributing articles to media outlets (Digitalks PT, Sapo, Público, Mídia Ninja etc) and speaking at industry events on topics related to women in technology, digital innovation, and transmedia storytelling. She has also led several impactful projects, such as Punch! for Writers, Menino da Terra book app and LitGrilsBr, including developing educational platforms and organizing academic conferences.

Her commitment to staying at the forefront of digital innovation is evident in her pursuit of UX Design Fundamentals specialization from the California Institute of Arts and UX/UI and Interface Design at the University of São Paulo. She's been invited to interviews to digital influencers and press-media such as Público Portuguese newspaper.

Frade holds a Master's degree in Literature from the State University of Rio de Janeiro and a Bachelor's degree in Social Communication (Journalism) from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. Her interdisciplinary background uniquely positions her at the intersection of technology, communication, and social impact.

IEEE and Gartner keynote speaker, Renata Loureiro Frade is a PhD Candidate in Information and Communication in Digital Platforms at the University of Aveiro and University of Porto, Portugal. Her research focuses on women in technology communities, d... Show more

Sabina Basariyeva

Sabina Basariyeva

Originally from Azerbaijan, Sabina currently lives and works in Amsterdam.

Has been immersed in tech startup environment for 7+ years, ex-founder and social entrepreneur. Global Head of Relations at the largest startup accelerator in Europe, Startupbootcamp. Was a co-founder of Metasouls, membership onboarding women to Web3, AI and other skills of the future, and SheNFT, its series of events. Mentors early-stage startups.

A big part of her Web3 journey is advocating and promoting the idea women in tech across conferences and communities all over the world. Other speaking topics of expertise include personal brand development, entering Web3 as a non-tech person and insights from the venture capital and startup industry.

Originally from Azerbaijan, Sabina currently lives and works in Amsterdam. Has been immersed in tech startup environment for 7+ years, ex-founder and social entrepreneur. Global Head of Relations at the largest startup accelerator in Europe, Start... Show more

Stefanie Adams

Stefanie Adams

Stefanie Adams is a facilitator, keynote speaker, university instructor, former elected official, wife, and mother; for those who know her best, she is "Cheerleader Stef", which personifies her personality and leadership style. She has over 20 years experience leading and training in corporate, non-profit, and educational settings. She earned an M.Ed. in Multicultural Education in 2008.

In early 2020, Stefanie launched WNY People Development. In her role as Chief Empowerment Officer, she provides leadership training, coaching, and keynote presentations to grow the next generation of leaders. Her main areas of expertise are building high impact teams, first time/front line manager development, and engaging multigenerational workforces with a focus on millennial and Gen Z employees. Her facilitation style is interactive, full of movement, laughter, learning, and occasionally includes pom poms.

Stefanie has worked as an organizational consultant for Johns Hopkins University School of Education (Baltimore, MD), and served as the Director of Customized Training for Cape Fear Community College (Wilmington, NC). Before starting her own company, she led the corporate training function at CastleBranch (Wilmington, NC).

Through WNY People Development, Stefanie has developed and facilitated leadership solutions for clients in varied industries including construction, healthcare, higher education, hospitality, human resources, manufacturing, municipalities, pharmaceuticals, real estate, and non-profit management. Her clients include Association Executives of NC, City of Wilmington (NC), Embassy Suites, HC Beauty, New Hanover County Schools, NC Realtors Association, NC SHRM, Port City Java, Resilience, UNCW, and Waffle House.

Her professional affiliations include SHRM, the Lower Cape Fear Human Resource Association, the Wilmington (NC) Chamber of Commerce, and Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern NC and she was nominated as a YWCA Woman of Achievement in 2022 for her service as School Board Chair during the covid pandemic.

In her personal life, Stefanie's days are fueled by coffee, chocolate, yoga, new challenges, and building relationships; her passions are developing others, serving the community, the beach, Philly sports, travel, managing the chaos that comes with life, and kitchen dancing.

Stefanie Adams is a facilitator, keynote speaker, university instructor, former elected official, wife, and mother; for those who know her best, she is "Cheerleader Stef", which personifies her personality and leadership style. She has over 20 year... Show more

Susi Bauer

Susi Bauer

Susi Bauer (She/her or They/them) is a freelance ADHD Coach, Facilitator, Training Designer, and consultant.

After a decade in the video games industry, she changed career paths following a late ADHD diagnosis. Her mission is to share kind conversations, knowledge, and tools with individuals and organisations to foster growth. Susi loves to collaborate to find better answers to old questions and create spaces where everyone's needs are recognised and met.

As a coach, she helps people embrace their authentic, curious selves. She's qualified in Knowledge-Based Coaching & ADHD Coaching and often works with adults with ADHD, entry- to mid-level managers, career changers, and leaders of volunteer organisations.
She also offers training, facilitation, and consulting to organisations and teams.

Susi Bauer (She/her or They/them) is a freelance ADHD Coach, Facilitator, Training Designer, and consultant. After a decade in the video games industry, she changed career paths following a late ADHD diagnosis. Her mission is to share kind convers... Show more

Jared Parr

Jared Parr

I'm passionate about building truly inclusive environments—workplaces, societies, and communities—where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their unique talents.

Through Cincinnati AI, I partner with organizations to develop and implement impactful Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategies.

This includes providing tailored consulting, interactive workshops, and accessibility audits, all designed to foster a culture of belonging and dismantle systemic barriers.

My work also extends into the community, where I focus on building bridges and fostering connections across diverse groups.

I believe that real change requires a multifaceted approach, and I'm committed to working at multiple levels to create a more equitable and just world for all.

I'm passionate about building truly inclusive environments—workplaces, societies, and communities—where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their unique talents. Through Cincinnati AI, I partner with organizations to develop and impl... Show more

Eshan Chattaraj

Eshan Chattaraj

Eshan Chattaraj has his 10+ years of experience in professional industry both in Govt and private leading MNCs comprising the area of Android Development and Python Data Analytics. Eshan is also a public Speaker in where he has been invited in many prestigious oganisations and institutions like AICTE, Niser, IISER, NIT and IITs, ISI and most of the Tier 1 Colleges. Eshan is also a Research Scholar in the field of Android, ML/AI. Institutions tagged with him are like IIT, Kharagpur and The Institution of Engineers (India). Some of the Prestigious Clients he made contributions are Google, Microsoft, Wipro Tech, Capgemini, Coca-Cola, United Health, Optum, Shaadi.com, MagicBricks, Fittr etc.
He done his graduation in Computer Science Engineering and Legal background at Corporate Laws. He has given talk in prestigious organisations like IIT/IIM, IISER, NISER, ATAL, AICTE divisional, Hackathon, ISI, Atomic Research, Law Societies and GDG etc
He has been awarded and recognized from Govt of India and CID, WB

Eshan Chattaraj has his 10+ years of experience in professional industry both in Govt and private leading MNCs comprising the area of Android Development and Python Data Analytics. Eshan is also a public Speaker in where he has been invited in many p... Show more

Eric Burden

Eric Burden

Eric Burden is an IT Sr Consultant with NTT DATA Services, currently serving as the Data Conversion and Reporting lead for the state of Arkansas' CCWIS project. In this role, Eric blends his Social Work experience and deep technical know-how to ensure timely delivery and development of an effective child welfare information system. Prior to this, Eric worked with the United Way of the Mid-South (Memphis) on their Driving the Dream Initiative, aimed at deploying a shared client referral and database platform to break down service silos in the Memphis social service sector. Prior to that, he served as the Director of Data Reporting for Mississippi’s Department of Child Protection Services. Eric combines his technical expertise with his education in social work (MSW from Jackson State University) to engage process improvement from people to systems. On a personal note, Eric and his wife have two children (a son and a daughter) and a very spoiled dog. They enjoy spending time in the great outdoors, hiking, kayaking, playing in creeks, finding bugs, and gardening.

Eric Burden is an IT Sr Consultant with NTT DATA Services, currently serving as the Data Conversion and Reporting lead for the state of Arkansas' CCWIS project. In this role, Eric blends his Social Work experience and deep technical know-how to ensur... Show more

Armagan Amcalar

Armagan Amcalar

Armagan is the founder of Coyotiv GmbH, and is currently on a mission to bring a scalable and nimble engineering culture to startups and enterprises.

A software architect well versed in both the backend and frontend systems, he focuses on building resilient cloud systems. He loves open source and is the author of cote, a library for building microservices with Node.js, among many others. In his free time, he loves to hack stuff with JavaScript, ranging from musical gadgets to brain signals processing.

Armagan is a public speaker, a mentor and a lecturer. He also leads Lonca, a software craftspersonship school for women engineers, and teaches JavaScript at Coyotiv School of Software Engineering.

Armagan is the founder of Coyotiv GmbH, and is currently on a mission to bring a scalable and nimble engineering culture to startups and enterprises. A software architect well versed in both the backend and frontend systems, he focuses on building... Show more

Jen Kramer

Jen Kramer

Jen Kramer has been teaching & practicing web design for over 20 years. Most recently, she is a Lecturer at Harvard University Extension School in the Master's of Liberal Arts in Digital Media Design program, where she teaches five courses per year on front-end web development. She's also a prolific video author, creating over 40 training courses for LinkedIn Learning/Lynda.com, Frontend Masters, O'Reilly Media, and others. She earned her MS in Internet Strategy Management from Marlboro College.

Jen Kramer has been teaching & practicing web design for over 20 years. Most recently, she is a Lecturer at Harvard University Extension School in the Master's of Liberal Arts in Digital Media Design program, where she teaches five courses per year o... Show more

Mike Biocchi

Mike Biocchi

Michael Biocchi has completed his PhD and has received his Masters of Science as well as his Bachelor of Computer Science. He is also a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). Michael has taught in the education sector for 15+ years, teaching a variety of computer science (Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, etc.) courses at a number of different institutions across Canada. He has an award-winning Udemy course with over 85,000 students teaching about Security Awareness Training.

Michael Biocchi has completed his PhD and has received his Masters of Science as well as his Bachelor of Computer Science. He is also a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). Michael has taught in the education sector for 15+ ye... Show more

Lee Coates

Lee Coates

I'm an Information Architect focused on Civic Technology and an advocate for open source and open data. While working in High Energy Physics, I gained a love for data principles that led me from Software Development to DB Administration and now System Architecture. I currently work in Public Sector IT and love participating in the PASS Community.

I'm an Information Architect focused on Civic Technology and an advocate for open source and open data. While working in High Energy Physics, I gained a love for data principles that led me from Software Development to DB Administration and now Syste... Show more

Bjorn Thomson

Bjorn Thomson

Bjorn has worked in web technology in both technical and leadership role. He has experience with various aspects of technology, including development, visual and interaction design, marketing, content strategy, and web analytics.

With a Master’s in Education from UBC and 7 years of experience teaching in post-secondary institutions, Bjorn has been teaching, researching, and applying technology within higher education for over 15 years.

Bjorn has worked in web technology in both technical and leadership role. He has experience with various aspects of technology, including development, visual and interaction design, marketing, content strategy, and web analytics. With a Master’s i... Show more

Jen Pratt

Jen Pratt

Jen is a distinguished Business Intelligence and Analytic Consultant with over 17 years of specialized experience in the Government Health and Human Services sector. She has amassed extensive expertise in devising and executing comprehensive analytic strategies that align seamlessly with her clients' strategic goals, all while meticulously adhering to regulatory standards and best practices.

Jen's career has been marked by significant achievements, notably her pivotal role in leading CMS Certification processes for multiple states. This has solidified her profound understanding of Medicaid analytics, data management, and program integrity. Her proficiency in integrating data analytics initiatives into operational frameworks has significantly improved efficiency and accountability within the organizations she has served.
In her current collaboration with IBM Consulting, a global leader in AI and digital transformation, Jen focuses on bridging the gap between governmental needs and technological advancements. She is deeply involved in guiding state entities towards harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to drive operational efficiency, alleviate workload burdens, and elevate service delivery.

Joining forces with the State of West Virginia, Jen has spearheaded the successful establishment of their AI Taskforce, providing an exemplary model for other states to follow. In this session, Jen shares the State's journey, offering a clear, actionable roadmap for replication. Participants will engage in dynamic roundtable discussions and exercises, guided by IBM's collaborative approach, allowing them to tailor an AI taskforce model that fits their unique context.

Jen is a distinguished Business Intelligence and Analytic Consultant with over 17 years of specialized experience in the Government Health and Human Services sector. She has amassed extensive expertise in devising and executing comprehensive analytic... Show more

Dálete Campos Mariano

Dálete Campos Mariano

Servidora efetiva do Ministério Público do Estado de Mato Grosso há quase 13 anos, 8 destes gerenciando equipe na área de Gestão de Pessoas. Entre 2021 e 2024, colaborou na equipe de desenvolvimento, com metodologia ágil, do sistema de Gestão de Pessoas Athenas.

Em 2025, decidiu vivenciar novos desafios profissionais e passou a atuar no Departamento de Planejamento e Gestão, com a equipe do Escritório de Gerenciamento de Projetos. Neste mesmo ano, participou de 3 eventos de inovação e foi premiada nos 3, além de assumir a gestão do Programa de Sustentabilidade da instituição, reestruturando-o e apoiando a obtenção do Selo Lixo Zero.

É graduada em Nutrição pela UFMT, com pós-graduação em Direito Administrativo e Gestão da Qualidade (FESMP). Atualmente, cursa pós-graduação em UX/UI (pela Ebac) e em Gestão Governança e Administração Pública (Escola Institucional MPMT).

Servidora efetiva do Ministério Público do Estado de Mato Grosso há quase 13 anos, 8 destes gerenciando equipe na área de Gestão de Pessoas. Entre 2021 e 2024, colaborou na equipe de desenvolvimento, com metodologia ágil, do sistema de Gestão de Pess... Show more

Maryblessing Okolie

Maryblessing Okolie

Community architect, Open Source, and DI&B advocate

Community architect, Open Source, and DI&B advocate Show more

Darrel Raines

Darrel Raines

Darrel is currently the Orion Flight Software System Manager at NASA, Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. He has over 40 years experience in Commercial, Department of Defense, and NASA aircraft/spacecraft software. He has worked on software for the F-16, OV-1, AHIP, Space Station, Space Shuttle, and the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (Orion). He has worked with embedded software control systems his whole career.

Darrel is currently the Orion Flight Software System Manager at NASA, Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. He has over 40 years experience in Commercial, Department of Defense, and NASA aircraft/spacecraft software. He has worked on software for t... Show more

Mary Hill

Mary Hill

Mary Hill brings deep experience working with nonprofit organizations to help them embrace technology in practical, human-centered ways. As a Customer Success Engineer at an MSP that serves nonprofits across the region, Mary helps teams untangle systems, analyze and adopt the best tools for their needs, and design workflows that support their missions—not get in the way of them. Her approach blends strategy, empathy, and clear communication to help organizations of all sizes thrive in the digital age.

Mary Hill brings deep experience working with nonprofit organizations to help them embrace technology in practical, human-centered ways. As a Customer Success Engineer at an MSP that serves nonprofits across the region, Mary helps teams untangle syst... Show more

Hejer Krichene

Hejer Krichene

Hejer is an Azure MVP and Cloud Solution Expert - Manager at Insomea Computer Solutions focusing on Cloud Computing, Office 365 and Azure DevOps. She helps companies and startups get the best experience possible when building their apps and moving them to the cloud. Other than consulting and writing code for a living, Hejer advocates for bringing more women and minorities into tech, thus her involvement with Women Who Code and different tech communities. Hejer participated in serval international competitions and programs where she had the chance to mentor people on how they can transform their ideas to real solutions and how they can start an IT Project. Hejer trained diverse communities from different age groups and using different languages in IT and Soft Skills

Hejer is an Azure MVP and Cloud Solution Expert - Manager at Insomea Computer Solutions focusing on Cloud Computing, Office 365 and Azure DevOps. She helps companies and startups get the best experience possible when building their apps and moving th... Show more

Diane Darling

Diane Darling

The good news is that my topic is ideal for any event.

I speak around the world helping smart people gain confidence when walking into rooms, networking, and building lasting and mutually beneficial relationships.

I'm published by McGraw-Hill in 9 languages. Been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe, appeared on MSNBC and NBC Nightly News.

My programs are informative, fun, and packed with information that can be immediately implemented.

In order to overcome my fear of public speaking, I took acting and standup comedy courses.

My love of travel has taken her to all seven continents and 60 countries.

How can I help your event succeed? Let's connect!

The good news is that my topic is ideal for any event. I speak around the world helping smart people gain confidence when walking into rooms, networking, and building lasting and mutually beneficial relationships. I'm published by McGraw-Hill... Show more

Postdoc Appreciation Week

Postdoc Appreciation Week

Inspired by the celebration of Postdoc Appreciation Week in the USA and the UK, the PAW Germany Coordination Team, consisting of coordinators from Hanover and Munich, played a key role in launching PAW Germany in 2022, a nationwide initiative to celebrate the incredible work of postdocs. By bringing together researchers, research institutions, postdoc coordinators and research administrators from across Germany, the PAW Coordination Team helps to create a special program of events and a social media campaign each year to celebrate the contribution of postdocs to research and academic life, and to provide a platform for sharing knowledge and experiences. Postdoc Appreciation Week Germany aims to recognise and empower postdocs to excel in their careers, drive scientific progress, make meaningful contributions to their fields, and ultimately shape a better future for science and society.

Inspired by the celebration of Postdoc Appreciation Week in the USA and the UK, the PAW Germany Coordination Team, consisting of coordinators from Hanover and Munich, played a key role in launching PAW Germany in 2022, a nationwide initiative to cele... Show more

Sheila Joy Vance

Sheila Joy Vance

With over a decade of dynamic experience across leadership development, diversity and inclusion, and human resources, Sheila Vance-Tisby is a recognized thought leader and speaker in the areas of leadership, women’s leadership, emotional intelligence, and organizational transformation. Sheila's career spans multiple industries, where she has spearheaded high-impact programs that cultivate resilience, foster effective leadership, and promote equity in the workplace.

As the Founder and Principal Consultant for Rebel Leader Lab, Sheila designs and delivers bespoke leadership development programs for organizations looking to accelerate talent growth and foster emotional intelligence within their teams. Having consulted for major companies such as Amazon Web Services, New Balance, and Georgia Tech Research Institute, she brings firsthand knowledge of how to lead teams through transformative change, manage conflict, and build emotionally intelligent leaders. Her leadership programs have been implemented by companies across the U.S., and her impact continues to resonate within the corporate world.

A frequent speaker at conferences and corporate events, Sheila captivates audiences with her powerful insights on emotional intelligence, leadership resilience, and mediation techniques. She is known for blending practical strategies with inspirational storytelling, leaving her audiences empowered to lead with empathy, resolve conflicts, and create inclusive work environments.

With a strong educational foundation including an MBA from Concordia University and over 10 years of progressive leadership experience, Sheila’s expertise positions her as a top speaker for organizations committed to developing future leaders and fostering workplace excellence.

With over a decade of dynamic experience across leadership development, diversity and inclusion, and human resources, Sheila Vance-Tisby is a recognized thought leader and speaker in the areas of leadership, women’s leadership, emotional intelligence... Show more

Kateryna Ogar

Kateryna Ogar

With over 7 years of experience as a Scrum Master and Product Manager, Kateryna has worked with global clients like NASDAQ, Ericsson, and Volvo, delivering impactful projects. Certified in PSM1 and SAFe 5.1 Agilist, she drives both business value and customer satisfaction through her leadership.

As a mentor in the Women in Tech global program, Kateryna helps empower the next generation of female tech leaders. She is also ranked in the Top 1% of Product Management mentors on ADPList, sharing expertise to support professional growth.

With over 7 years of experience as a Scrum Master and Product Manager, Kateryna has worked with global clients like NASDAQ, Ericsson, and Volvo, delivering impactful projects. Certified in PSM1 and SAFe 5.1 Agilist, she drives both business value and... Show more

Chris Lawrence

Chris Lawrence

Chris is an experienced nonprofit professional who has spent the last 15 years as a dedicated educator, network builder, and advocate for non-profit organizations. Chris is currently the Head of Programs at the Interledger Foundation. He oversees all aspects of the programatic activity of the foundation.

Chris is an experienced nonprofit professional who has spent the last 15 years as a dedicated educator, network builder, and advocate for non-profit organizations. Chris is currently the Head of Programs at the Interledger Foundation. He oversees all... Show more

David Cruz

David Cruz

Mr. Cruz is an associate who provides planning and strategic services to colleges and universities. Mr. Cruz brings a diverse range of experiences from across the entire education sector, with expertise in business operations and information technology management. A strong collaborator and relationship developer, Mr. Cruz is driven toward identifying solutions that create a bridge between institutional knowledge, strategic partnership, and operational success.

Mr. Cruz is an associate who provides planning and strategic services to colleges and universities. Mr. Cruz brings a diverse range of experiences from across the entire education sector, with expertise in business operations and information technolo... Show more

Noreen Rodriguez

Noreen Rodriguez

Noreen Naseem Rodríguez is an Associate Professor of Elementary Education and Educational Justice in the Department of Teacher Education and core faculty in the Asian Pacific American Studies and Muslim Studies Programs at Michigan State University. Her current research, funded by the Spencer Foundation, examines the implementation of Asian American Studies in K-12 classrooms across the U.S. She has published over fifty peer-reviewed book chapters and articles in scholarly and practitioner journals such as Harvard Educational Review, Curriculum Inquiry, and Journal of Children's Literature, and is co-author of Social Studies for a Better World: An Anti-Oppressive Approach for Elementary Educators with Katy Swalwell and Teaching Asian America in Elementary Classrooms with Sohyun An and Esther Kim. Before becoming an award-winning researcher and teacher educator, Noreen was a bilingual elementary teacher in Austin, Texas for nine years.

Noreen Naseem Rodríguez is an Associate Professor of Elementary Education and Educational Justice in the Department of Teacher Education and core faculty in the Asian Pacific American Studies and Muslim Studies Programs at Michigan State University. ... Show more

Neringa Young

Neringa Young

Neringa Young is the Founder of Build Stuff conferences, which she personally manages – recruiting and working with the team, looking for the partners, creating marketing strategies and implementation of the conference promotion. She is also helping with logistics and creating the content of the event. For each year she invites 80 leading speakers from the Tech industry from around the world to come to the Baltics for this 5-day event.
The success of her leadership is seen through the results of the event which every year attracts more than 1400 software developers, with the same participants returning every year as the event grows.
Outside of the workplace, Neringa is involved with initiatives like Women Go Tech where she mentors young women, providing them with advice and direction for their careers in the tech sector.
She is the founder and manager of FIX.Events which runs meetings, training, conferences, private and public events for private & corporate clients.
During her university studies, she was simultaneous working as a Telemarketing sales representative. In just 2 years (2009), she was promoted on the basis of good results to become the Sales team lead at Lintel. At the age of 22, she was responsible for over 100 telemarketing sales managers. Her responsibilities included – hiring staff, training staff, coaching, organizing work across the wider team and implementing company sales strategies.
At AB TEO (now Telia), she initiated, formed and managed a team that is composed of both technical- and sales-personnel to boost sales in line with the company’s sales strategy. Her responsibilities included human resource management – hiring staff, training, coaching, organizing teamwork and working with sales strategies.
During the time she was working at AB TEO, she also published her Master thesis on an HR Topic: "Coaching for the Development of Organizational Personnel (Case of an X Organization, Lithuania)"; 2012 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION REFORM AND MANAGEMENT, INNOVATION (ERMI 2012), VOL 1 Pages: 54-60 Published: 2013; Conference: International, Conference on Education Reform and Management Innovation (ERMI 2012) Location: Shenzhen, PEOPLES R CHINA Date: DEC 04-05, 2012.

Neringa Young is the Founder of Build Stuff conferences, which she personally manages – recruiting and working with the team, looking for the partners, creating marketing strategies and implementation of the conference promotion. She is also helping ... Show more

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