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

Dian van Heijningen

Dian van Heijningen

I'm a Product Owner of a Cloud Engineering & Enablement team at a Governmental Software company called Wigo4it, which builds Social Security software. I was part of the digital transformation Wigo4it made from a old-fashioned traditional company to a fully focused Cloud and DevOps organization.

With my enthusiasm and creativity, I like to help organizations gain new insights to become more Cloud and DevOps-oriented. I'm fascinated by the fact that people have a fixed mindset and I always try to inspire others in a unique way to be more successful.

I'm a frequent speaker at various conferences. Last year I delivered sessions at events like Techorama, Microsoft Belgium Government Day, International Product owner Day, Azure Meet-ups, and many more. Microsoft often asks me to give customer case presentations about our transformation.

Lately the greening of IT has gained more of my interest. A topic that seems to not be considered while we're all building new software and services. It's time for the World to add the greening of IT to our digital transformations as well.

You can always contact me to talk about subjects like: DevOps, Cloud Computing, Sustainable IT, and Growth Mindset.

I'm a Product Owner of a Cloud Engineering & Enablement team at a Governmental Software company called Wigo4it, which builds Social Security software. I was part of the digital transformation Wigo4it made from a old-fashioned traditional company to a... Show more

Sebastian Brandt

Sebastian Brandt

Sebastian Brandt is a Senior Cloud Engineer and Lead Online Platform at Tchibo, responsible for the technical backbone of the company's e-commerce platform. Passionate about operational excellence, he leads his team in operating a scalable and secure cloud infrastructure that enables product teams to deliver software quickly and safely. Outside of work, Sebastian serves his community as a volunteer lifeguard and instructor for the DLRG. Speaker sample (2nd): https://youtu.be/hiATPZ067Pc

Sebastian Brandt is a Senior Cloud Engineer and Lead Online Platform at Tchibo, responsible for the technical backbone of the company's e-commerce platform. Passionate about operational excellence, he leads his team in operating a scalable and secure... Show more

Leonce Pidy

Leonce Pidy

Léonce Pidy est chercheuse en informatique à l’Université de Douala, spécialisée dans les réseaux ad hoc véhiculaires (VANETs) et l’application de l’intelligence artificielle à la mobilité urbaine durable dans les pays en développement. Ses recherches portent sur la conception de protocoles de routage intelligents, l’optimisation du contrôle des feux de circulation et l’intégration de l’IA pour améliorer la fluidité, la sécurité et la durabilité des systèmes de transport.

Engagée dans la transmission du savoir, Léonce est également enseignante d'informatique. Elle s’investit activement dans la formation et l’accompagnement des étudiants au sein de l'université de douala et de JFN(hightech university institute), tout en menant ses travaux de recherche au sein du laboratoire ISDM.

En dehors du milieu académique, Léonce est présidente fondatrice de Dare to be Women Tech, une association qui œuvre pour l’autonomisation des femmes et des jeunes à travers les STEM, en lien avec les Objectifs de Développement Durable (ODD). Elle est aussi ambassadrice Zindi, Co-organisatrice indabax-Cameroun et directrice des communautés de Kmer-AI, où elle contribue à promouvoir l’IA responsable et inclusive au Cameroun.

Animée par la conviction que l’IA peut transformer la mobilité et l’inclusion sociale en Afrique, Léonce aspire à bâtir des solutions technologiques adaptées aux réalités locales, en conciliant rigueur scientifique, innovation et impact social.

Léonce Pidy est chercheuse en informatique à l’Université de Douala, spécialisée dans les réseaux ad hoc véhiculaires (VANETs) et l’application de l’intelligence artificielle à la mobilité urbaine durable dans les pays en développement. Ses recherche... Show more

Tamara Lechner

Tamara Lechner

Tamara Lechner is a distinguished expert in flourishing science and peak performance, specializing in individual and cultural change. As Chair of the AI for Human Flourishing think tank within the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard, Tamara leads initiatives that explore how AI can be harnessed to enhance humans’ ability to thrive in today's rapidly evolving technological landscape Committed to placing humans at the heart of AI, she partners with organizations to help them a create work environments where technology and people work in harmony, driving exceptional results.

Tamara Lechner is a distinguished expert in flourishing science and peak performance, specializing in individual and cultural change. As Chair of the AI for Human Flourishing think tank within the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard, Tamara leads in... Show more

Michelle Elliott

Michelle Elliott

Michelle Elliott is a passionate advocate for authentic leadership, with over 28 years of experience in education. Known for her empowering presence, and deep belief in the power of vulnerability, she helps women embrace leadership without compromising their values or voice.

Currently serving as the hiring manager at San José Unified School District, her work focuses on creating welcoming spaces where women and other staff can show up fully—and lead with both strength and humanity.

Michelle brings a refreshing perspective on what it means to lead as a woman today: not by hiding vulnerability, but by using it to connect, inspire, and drive meaningful change.

Michelle Elliott is a passionate advocate for authentic leadership, with over 28 years of experience in education. Known for her empowering presence, and deep belief in the power of vulnerability, she helps women embrace leadership without compromis... Show more

David Suson

David Suson

David studies the root causes or keystones for success and achievement in the areas of Leadership, Personal Performance, Sales and Communication. He studied over 3,000 top performers to find what the best performing employees do, what the best leaders do, what the best communicators do, and what the best salespeople do. And more importantly, he discovered the roadblocks that hold people back. His analytical skills come from his degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering and his work at IBM, other tech companies, and working with clients in technology, banking, communications, healthcare, manufacturing and distribution and others. He is an expert in leadership, sales and personal development and brings his insights to you to create breakthrough solutions.

David presents over 140 times/year, has spoken to over 200,000 people in 49 states and internationally. He delivers engaging, inspiring and energetic presentations.

David studies the root causes or keystones for success and achievement in the areas of Leadership, Personal Performance, Sales and Communication. He studied over 3,000 top performers to find what the best performing employees do, what the best leade... Show more

Jorge O. Ramirez

Jorge O. Ramirez

Jorge O. Ramirez has over 25 years of experience in early childhood education, working across a wide range of programs including Pacific Oaks Children’s School, Head Start, state preschool, Preschool Collaborative Classrooms (special education), district center programs, faith-based programs, laboratory schools, and private schools. His work with diverse populations and families has shaped his commitment to equity, advocacy, and community-centered practices in early childhood education.
Jorge began his academic journey at East Los Angeles College, earning an A.A. in Liberal Studies, followed by a B.A. in Child Development and a Multiple Subject Preliminary Credential from California State University, Los Angeles. He later earned an M.A. in Education from the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education, where his work emphasized advocacy and research-based practice in Early Childhood Education. Jorge is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Early Childhood Education at Pacific Oaks College, with research focused on developing tools and strategies that promote social-emotional development and emotional competence in young children.
He currently serves as Professor at Pacific Oaks College, where he prepares students for leadership roles in child development and education. In addition, he teaches Child Development courses at California State University, Los Angeles and at East Los Angeles College, where he supports students pursuing the Early Childhood Education field.
As a mentor with the California Early Childhood Mentor Program, Jorge guides students from ELAC, CSULA, USC, Rio Hondo College, and CSU Fullerton, offering professional mentorship and strategies for success in the field. His teaching and research are centered on advocacy, equity, and supporting the holistic development of all children.
Jorge believes that by equipping educators with knowledge, compassion, and practical strategies for social change and empower communities for all children.

Jorge O. Ramirez has over 25 years of experience in early childhood education, working across a wide range of programs including Pacific Oaks Children’s School, Head Start, state preschool, Preschool Collaborative Classrooms (special education), dist... Show more

Viviane Morelle

Viviane Morelle

Being a Team Coach and a Facilitator gives me the opportunity to help teams discover new ways of working, introducing well-being, happiness, visual management, leadership at all levels, team self-organization, collaborative management, remote work and empowerment.

Being a Team Coach and a Facilitator gives me the opportunity to help teams discover new ways of working, introducing well-being, happiness, visual management, leadership at all levels, team self-organization, collaborative management, remote work an... Show more

Stefano Le Pera

Stefano Le Pera

As an Engineering Manager at The Times, I oversee and manage all engineering teams in Times Media, across three different domains: web, mobile, and platform. With over 18 years of experience in the tech industry, I have developed and implemented career development plans, revamped the interview process, and provided regular feedback and coaching to engineers, helping them grow their skills and careers.
I am also passionate about the community aspect in tech and actively involved in several initiatives that aim to empower and inspire diverse and inclusive audiences. I am the Lead Organizer of GDG Cloud London, where we host events, workshops, and talks on cloud technologies and best practices. I am also the Founder and Mentor of GDG Academy, a mentorship program that pairs university students from prestigious institutions with experienced mentors in the tech industry, and offers them internship opportunities. Additionally, I am the Founder of ChatGDG, a weekly podcast where we talk about tech and community along with doing full coverage of tech events and conferences.

As an Engineering Manager at The Times, I oversee and manage all engineering teams in Times Media, across three different domains: web, mobile, and platform. With over 18 years of experience in the tech industry, I have developed and implemented care... Show more

Matteo Carella

Matteo Carella

My work is spreading agile and lean culture, helping people with theory and practice, mentoring, facilitating and supporting them. I also coach teams, managers and executives (CTOs, CEOs) in order to help them grow strong in applying Agile methodologies to their work.

My work is spreading agile and lean culture, helping people with theory and practice, mentoring, facilitating and supporting them. I also coach teams, managers and executives (CTOs, CEOs) in order to help them grow strong in applying Agile methodolog... Show more

Gotham Sharma

Gotham Sharma

Gotham Sharma is the Executive Director at AccessCyber, a cybersecurity education and workforce think tank. Previously he served as the Chief Information Security Officer at Exeltek. His various roles across security engineering, recruiting, and cyber journalism, have provided him a unique, holistic view of the industry.

Gotham Sharma is the Executive Director at AccessCyber, a cybersecurity education and workforce think tank. Previously he served as the Chief Information Security Officer at Exeltek. His various roles across security engineering, recruiting, and cybe... Show more

Tim Klapdor

Tim Klapdor

I'm a Manager of Education Design at the University of Adelaide and, for the past 5 years, have been overseeing the design and development of fully online MOOCs, undergraduate and postgraduate programs. I have worked extensively on developing strategic initiatives and innovations in the online education, focusing on improving the student experience through learning design, effective teaching practices and the development and deployment of new technology. I have managed the roll-out, piloting and innovation development in educational technology at both the small-scale and institutional levels. My current focus is on developing sustainable and effective learning design practices and exploring the idea of creating a Learning Design System within our team.

I'm a Manager of Education Design at the University of Adelaide and, for the past 5 years, have been overseeing the design and development of fully online MOOCs, undergraduate and postgraduate programs. I have worked extensively on developing strateg... Show more

Garth Gilmour

Garth Gilmour

Garth Gilmour was a full time developer for 5 years and then an educator / mentor / advocate for 20. Currently he's a Learning Consultant at Liberty IT. He's taught well over 1000 courses and workshops - using everything from CORBA to Kotlin. Garth is a prolific speaker, writer and co-organiser of several conferences and meetups. When not at the whiteboard he coaches Krav Maga, lifts heavy weights and fights nerf wars with his kids.

Garth Gilmour was a full time developer for 5 years and then an educator / mentor / advocate for 20. Currently he's a Learning Consultant at Liberty IT. He's taught well over 1000 courses and workshops - using everything from CORBA to Kotlin. Garth i... Show more

Thierry Secqueville

Thierry Secqueville

Trainer / Teacher (Agile, project management, edutainment), edutainment researcher, designer of specialist serious learning games (analogue, digital, hybrid).
Has been practising Agile since the 90s.

Trainer / Teacher (Agile, project management, edutainment), edutainment researcher, designer of specialist serious learning games (analogue, digital, hybrid). Has been practising Agile since the 90s. Show more

Alessandro Frizzera Baumgarten

Alessandro Frizzera Baumgarten

Analista de TI do Prodest desde 2011 e atualmente atuo como Gerente de Sistemas, liderando quatro supervisões técnicas e dez times de desenvolvimento, totalizando cerca de 70 profissionais. Tenho ampla experiência em desenvolvimento de soluções Web com .Net e C#, gestão de produtos, liderança de projetos estratégicos e coordenação de equipes de sustentação e desenvolvimento de software voltados à gestão pública.

Ao longo de mais de 20 anos na área de TI, atuei tanto no setor público quanto na iniciativa privada, adquirindo experiência em diversas tecnologias, áreas de negócio e perfis de clientes. Também contribui para a formação de novos profissionais como professor presencial e tutor em cursos de Educação a Distância.

Sou graduado em Sistemas de Informação e especialista em Desenvolvimento Web, com pós-graduação na área.

Analista de TI do Prodest desde 2011 e atualmente atuo como Gerente de Sistemas, liderando quatro supervisões técnicas e dez times de desenvolvimento, totalizando cerca de 70 profissionais. Tenho ampla experiência em desenvolvimento de soluções Web c... Show more

Miłosz Gaczkowski

Miłosz Gaczkowski

Miłosz is a mobile security specialist at WithSecure, having previously spent entirely too much time working in academia. Outside of technical work, his primary interests are in education and the culture of education.

Miłosz is a mobile security specialist at WithSecure, having previously spent entirely too much time working in academia. Outside of technical work, his primary interests are in education and the culture of education. Show more

Erin Mikail Staples

Erin Mikail Staples

Erin Mikail Staples is a very online individual passionate about facilitating better connections online and off. She’s forever thinking about how we can communicate, educate and elevate others through collaborative experiences.

Currently, Erin is a Senior Developer Community Advocate at Label Studio. At Label Studio — she empowers the open source community through education and advocacy efforts. Outside of her day job, Erin is a comedian, graduate technical advisor, content creator, triathlete, avid reader, and dog parent.

Most importantly, she believes in the power of being unabashedly "into things" and works to help friends, strangers, colleagues, community builders, students, and whoever else might cross her path find their thing.

Erin Mikail Staples is a very online individual passionate about facilitating better connections online and off. She’s forever thinking about how we can communicate, educate and elevate others through collaborative experiences. Currently, Erin is ... Show more

Richard Lewington

Richard Lewington

Richard Lewington is an award-winning communications consultant, University of Cambridge English Examiner, and international keynote speaker with over 20 years’ experience spanning education, disruptive technologies (AI, AR/MR), international relations, and political affairs.

Currently a Senior Consultant at Globizant and AI Language Consultant for Preply, Richard has advised governments, corporations, and NGOs on digital strategy, public affairs, and cross-cultural engagement. His career includes roles as Global Corporatel Communications & PR Manager at Ria Money Transfer, Political Advisor to the Comunidad de Madrid, and Global Strategic Communications Manager at Blockchain International Training.

A Certified Microsoft Innovative Educator and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Richard is a recognised advocate for educational technology, specialising in augmented/mixed reality, AI adoption, and blockchain/fintech innovation.

Richard has been featured in The Times, BBC, El País, El Correo, El Debate, ABS-CBN, Espejo Público and has bylines in El País, National Geographic, NASDAQ, The Sun.

He has delivered keynote sessions at high-profile events including:

Codemotion – Rome, Italy
VRX Europe – Amsterdam, Netherlands
DevConf Poland – Krakow, Poland
Google GDG DevFest LA – Los Angeles, USA
Stretch Leadership Conference – Budapest, Hungary
B.I.T. Blockchain – Berlin, Germany
IRCEELT – Tbilisi, Georgia
The Holography Conference – Minsk, Belarus
Global AI/MR Bootcamp – Madrid, Spain
Secure ID – Riga, Latvia

…plus engagements in Greece, Japan, Portugal, and Ukraine.

Richard’s work blends strategic communication expertise with a deep understanding of how emerging technologies can transform learning, governance, and international collaboration.

Richard Lewington is an award-winning communications consultant, University of Cambridge English Examiner, and international keynote speaker with over 20 years’ experience spanning education, disruptive technologies (AI, AR/MR), international relatio... Show more

Oluwabusola Adeleke

Oluwabusola Adeleke

A Full-Stack engineering leader and a Certified Associate Cloud Architect with 9 years of experience in software engineering, leading cross-functional teams across finance, e-commerce, logistics, digital marketing, and healthcare. Delivered enterprise-grade web applications for clients in Nigeria, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and the United Kingdom. Expertise in React, Node.js, Python Flask, and cloud platforms. Proven ability to analyze customer needs, build high-quality software, and empower businesses. Active community advocate, passionate about tech education.

A Full-Stack engineering leader and a Certified Associate Cloud Architect with 9 years of experience in software engineering, leading cross-functional teams across finance, e-commerce, logistics, digital marketing, and healthcare. Delivered enterpris... Show more

Todd Fletcher

Todd Fletcher

Todd Fletcher is a cybersecurity consultant and PhD student with over 25 years of experience in IT leadership, network, application, public government IT leadership, and security engineering. He currently works as a Professional Services Principal Consultant at CrowdStrike, a leading provider of cloud-native endpoint and workload protection solutions.

As a consultant, he assists information security teams from various sectors to assess their security posture, and develop plans to close security gaps while achieving technical and executive success. He is skilled in agile project management, systems automation, SIEM, SOAR, penetration tools, and security program development based on the NIST framework. He also conducts cloud security and automation with Azure DevSecOps.

In addition to his consulting role, he is pursuing a PhD in cyberpsychology, where he explores the psychological aspects of cybersecurity, such as user behavior, motivation, trust, and risk perception. He is passionate about pushing the boundaries of how to drive successful security initiatives from both a technical and psychological perspective with organizations across many industries.

Todd Fletcher is a cybersecurity consultant and PhD student with over 25 years of experience in IT leadership, network, application, public government IT leadership, and security engineering. He currently works as a Professional Services Principal Co... Show more

Luanna Melo

Luanna Melo

Doutora em Ciência da Informação pela Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Mestra em Ciência da Informação pela Universidade Federal da Paraíba. Especialista em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente pelo Centro Universitário de João Pessoa. Graduada em Licenciatura Plena em Pedagogia pela Universidade Estadual da Paraíba. Professora do Curso de Biblioteconomia da Universidade Federal de Alagoas. Atua nos campos da Ciência da Informação, com ênfase em Gestão, Tecnologia da Informação, Inteligência Artificial e Gênero.

Doutora em Ciência da Informação pela Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Mestra em Ciência da Informação pela Universidade Federal da Paraíba. Especialista em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente pelo Centro Universitário de João Pessoa. Graduada em Licenci... Show more

Vivian Otabor

Vivian Otabor

Vivian Otabor, a visionary leader and immigrant advocate, is the founder of Resilient Immigrant and CEO of Agile Career Consulting. With over 15 years of international experience, including work with global titans like Coca-Cola, JPMorgan, and McKinsey, Vivian excels in leadership, career development, and community engagement. Her dedication to empowering Africans is evident through her work, a beacon of hope offering educational workshops, mentorship, career coaching, and impactful initiatives. Vivian's achievements exemplify and represents the potential of Africans with the right resources and support.

Vivian Otabor, a visionary leader and immigrant advocate, is the founder of Resilient Immigrant and CEO of Agile Career Consulting. With over 15 years of international experience, including work with global titans like Coca-Cola, JPMorgan, and McKins... Show more

Marion Jones

Marion Jones

Marion Jones is a global voice for resilience, reinvention, and radical truth. Once an Olympic champion, her story took a sharp turn after public failure and personal loss. Rather than disappear, she chose to rise — not for applause, but for alignment.

Today, she shares her journey to help others reclaim their truth, rebuild self-worth, and lead with authenticity. She’s been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, GMA, The Today Show, and Fox’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test. Marion speaks at leadership summits, colleges, DEI events, and healing spaces with powerful presence and practical tools.

Marion Jones is a global voice for resilience, reinvention, and radical truth. Once an Olympic champion, her story took a sharp turn after public failure and personal loss. Rather than disappear, she chose to rise — not for applause, but for alignmen... Show more

Christian Taylor

Christian Taylor

Head of the Open Source Office and Incubation at Intersect
"The Open Source Guy"

Head of the Open Source Office and Incubation at Intersect "The Open Source Guy" Show more

Breno Heleno Ferreira

Breno Heleno Ferreira

I’m passionate about remixing education and technology to create digital solutions that transform learning and expand the reach of educational institutions. I have experience in product strategy, user-centered design, and data analysis, with a focus on developing experiences that engage students and educators while fostering educational innovation.

My work is driven by a forward-looking vision, aiming to anticipate trends and explore the use of artificial intelligence and design to enhance the educational experience. I believe in the transformative power of education and am dedicated to creating products that connect people to new learning opportunities.

I’m passionate about remixing education and technology to create digital solutions that transform learning and expand the reach of educational institutions. I have experience in product strategy, user-centered design, and data analysis, with a focus ... Show more

Priti Yadav

Priti Yadav

I am a developer and AI/ML specialist and educator with expertise in machine learning applications and a strong interest in image processing and analysis. Leading AI-focused initiatives like ML paper reading and writing clubs, I emphasize collaborative learning and open-source practices. Passionate about interdisciplinary AI applications, my work explores accessibility, productivity, and sustainability. I actively contribute to community-driven AI/ML events.

I am a developer and AI/ML specialist and educator with expertise in machine learning applications and a strong interest in image processing and analysis. Leading AI-focused initiatives like ML paper reading and writing clubs, I emphasize collaborati... Show more

Dr. Anika Davis

Dr. Anika Davis

Dr. Anika Davis is CEO of Winning Results, an organizational development firm. In addition, she is the COO/CoFounder of QoreInsights, an education technology company that uses AI to improve teacher effectiveness. Dr. Davis has a proven track record of growing organizations and developing individuals to achieve record breaking, award-winning results.
As an organizational psychologist, Dr. Davis has held executive leadership roles in financial services, operations, sales/marketing, and human resources. She is an expert at leveraging corporate culture to create and improve employee engagement, productivity, and team collaboration. She holds an EdD (Vanderbilt University) and is a certified KAI practitioner.

Dr. Anika Davis is CEO of Winning Results, an organizational development firm. In addition, she is the COO/CoFounder of QoreInsights, an education technology company that uses AI to improve teacher effectiveness. Dr. Davis has a proven track record o... Show more

Jack Ridge

Jack Ridge

I'm Jack - I'm currently a Team Topologies Advocate and an Associate Principal at Conflux.. I also have my own venture as a delivery management consultant via Refactor, my own business. I've been working in delivery management for the 10 years having had a career in the armed forces before that. I love being involved in team dynamics, interactions and helping people deliver better and be happier for it.

I'm a big fan of Team Topologies and draw in many parallels through my experience in the past - some of which are a bit obscure but something nonetheless quite interesting.

I'm Jack - I'm currently a Team Topologies Advocate and an Associate Principal at Conflux.. I also have my own venture as a delivery management consultant via Refactor, my own business. I've been working in delivery management for the 10 years having... Show more

Emily Selim

Emily Selim

I am passionate about creating a sense of belonging and social-emotional wellbeing in schools for both children and adults. I've served in public education for over 25 years as a primary classroom teacher, site administrator, independent study program designer and leader, charter school administrator. I’ve worked in district office administration, and most recently as a county office specialist serving Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. I also serve as a coach for 21CSLA and have coached teachers and leaders in many capacities for 15 years. I am trained as a Resilience Coach with Dovetail Learning, and as a trainer for Mental Health First Aid. I am a professional photographer and laser maker, and in my spare time, I enjoy practicing yoga, cooking nutritious food, and traveling to new places.

I am passionate about creating a sense of belonging and social-emotional wellbeing in schools for both children and adults. I've served in public education for over 25 years as a primary classroom teacher, site administrator, independent study progra... Show more

Tabah Baridule

Tabah Baridule

The past 5 years of my career in the Information Technology Industry, following my background as a graduate of Computer Science and experience working as a Technical writer in some amazing Companies. Sync with teams to gather information needed to create documents that guide users on how to use the products, technical blogs, open source documentation, developer documentation, and portal.

The past 5 years of my career in the Information Technology Industry, following my background as a graduate of Computer Science and experience working as a Technical writer in some amazing Companies. Sync with teams to gather information needed to cr... Show more

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