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

Yackson Eustaquio Chaverra Mena is a Colombian prosecutor, legal scholar and researcher working at the intersection of criminal justice, artificial intelligence, digital evidence, cybercrime and institutional governance. He currently serves as a sectional prosecutor in Colombia, with professional experience in complex criminal investigations, public-sector crime and cases involving significant institutional and evidentiary challenges.
He holds two Doctorates in Law, including a doctorate from Universidad Católica de Colombia and a PhD from Universidad de Baja California, Mexico, awarded Magna Cum Laude. He has also conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Bologna, Italy, and has advanced academic training in public law, criminal law and criminal justice.

His research focuses on the responsible application of emerging technologies to criminal justice, including artificial intelligence, Big Data, blockchain, digital evidence and technology-assisted risk assessment. His work explores how prosecutors and justice institutions can use technology to strengthen investigative capacity and decision-making while preserving due process, human rights, accountability and meaningful human oversight.

His current research includes the development of innovative approaches to digital and relational risk in criminal proceedings, particularly in complex corruption and financial crime investigations. He has also worked on the challenges of institutional preparedness, technological resilience and AI governance in justice systems operating under resource constraints and complex social conditions.

As a practitioner-researcher, he brings together frontline prosecutorial experience and interdisciplinary research to address a central question for modern criminal justice: how can artificial intelligence strengthen justice institutions without replacing human judgment, judicial guarantees or institutional responsibility?

He speaks on Artificial Intelligence and Criminal Justice, AI Governance, Digital Evidence, Cybercrime and Criminal Investigation, Prosecutorial Decision-Making, Digital Risk, Legal Technology, and the future of justice institutions.

Yackson Eustaquio Chaverra Mena is a Colombian prosecutor, legal scholar and researcher working at the intersection of criminal justice, artificial intelligence, digital evidence, cybercrime and institutional governance. He currently serves as a sect... Show more

Matías Ignacio Allende Contreras es Director de Tecnología y Ciberseguridad en la Municipalidad de Peñalolén, donde lidera iniciativas de transformación digital, arquitectura tecnológica y fortalecimiento de capacidades de ciberseguridad en el sector público. Cuenta con más de diez años de experiencia en gestión municipal, modernización de servicios, seguridad de la información e integración de plataformas. Su trabajo se enfoca en diseñar soluciones aplicadas, sostenibles y seguras para entornos públicos, combinando gobierno técnico, automatización y resiliencia operativa. Además, participa como speaker e instructor en instancias de formación tecnológica y ciberseguridad en América Latina.

Matías Ignacio Allende Contreras es Director de Tecnología y Ciberseguridad en la Municipalidad de Peñalolén, donde lidera iniciativas de transformación digital, arquitectura tecnológica y fortalecimiento de capacidades de ciberseguridad en el sector... Show more

Johnnie L. Brown is a dynamic educator and thought leader with over 30 years of experience transforming educational spaces from the classroom to the district level. As the former Program Coordinator for PVU Teach, adjunct faculty in Educational Leadership at Prairie View A&M University and now Interim Chair for Simmons College of Kentucky Teacher Education Program, Professor Brown brings a unique blend of academic insight and hands-on leadership. Her career spans roles as a school principal, senior program specialist, master teacher, and adjunct faculty member, with expertise in curriculum development, family engagement, and teacher training. She has developed family literacy models nationwide and led initiatives that have significantly improved student outcomes and community involvement.
Professor Brown is a passionate advocate for equity in education and has been honored with numerous awards, including the WRGCOE Staff and Administration Excellence Award and recognition from New Orleans Public Schools for Leadership in Family Literacy. Whether she’s leading workshops, delivering keynotes, or mentoring future educators, she inspires audiences with her commitment to student success, student responsive teaching, and transformative leadership.

Johnnie L. Brown is a dynamic educator and thought leader with over 30 years of experience transforming educational spaces from the classroom to the district level. As the former Program Coordinator for PVU Teach, adjunct faculty in Educational Leade... Show more

Blake Haygood started teaching high school math in 2007 and later moved into gifted education. As GT Coordinator for Austin ISD, he focuses on: advocacy for gifted learners, curriculum, family/community outreach, and program development and accountability. Blake volunteers extensively with both the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented and the Profoundly Gifted Retreat—presenting at conferences, supporting committees, and serving on their respective boards. Blake was a 2018 ELP and Advocate for the Gifted in 2022.

Blake Haygood started teaching high school math in 2007 and later moved into gifted education. As GT Coordinator for Austin ISD, he focuses on: advocacy for gifted learners, curriculum, family/community outreach, and program development and accountab... Show more

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

Merav Mofaz is part of the fast-track PhD program for excellent students in Tel Aviv University, conducting a study that deals with continuous monitoring and early detection of health and wellbeing related events using smartphones and smartwatches. Merav is an excellence award-winning lecturer in the Faculty of Engineering. In addition, she works as data scientist in Microsoft Education group where she develops advanced models for personalized learning and diagnosing at-risk students.

Merav Mofaz is part of the fast-track PhD program for excellent students in Tel Aviv University, conducting a study that deals with continuous monitoring and early detection of health and wellbeing related events using smartphones and smartwatches. M... Show more

I design 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 and 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 that help organizations anticipate change at and act with confidence. Rather than solely serving senior executives, I strengthen the intelligence processes involving people across the entire organization – from research and innovation teams to the C-suite.

For more than 25 years, I’ve worked at the intersection of 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗹𝗮𝘄, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆. As founder and CEO of Mind-Alliance Systems and editor of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘤𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘸-𝘏𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, I’ve helped governmental organizations, Fortune 500 companies, and leading law firms turn weak signals and scenarios into practical and adaptive strategic choices.

Today, I focus on building intelligence operating systems that connect horizon scanning, scenario planning, indicators, and decision support into one coherent workflow. I combine human expertise with advanced AI – including 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼-𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰, 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹 – to leverage complex knowledge networks, not just retrieve documents. The result is faster sensemaking, shared mental models, and better decisions under uncertainty.

I design 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 and 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 that help organizations anticipate change at and act with confidence. Rather than solely serving senior executives, I strengthen the intelligence processes inv... Show more

Robin is a seasoned Agile Team Lead and Senior Consultant with extensive experience in driving strategic transformation, optimisation, and agile product management across the education, data, and public sectors. With a proven track record in leading high-performing teams, Robin has played a key role in guiding Agile and Product Ownership functions, overseeing diverse teams of Agile Coaches, Product Owners, and Scrum Masters to deliver impactful digital transformations.

Throughout their career, Robin has worked on large, medium and small projects, process optimisations, and digital innovations, consistently aligning complex projects with organisational goals to maximise value. Their leadership has enabled seamless change management and agile delivery in both public and private sector environments, including high-stakes governmental projects and data-intensive initiatives. Known for a collaborative, results-focused approach, Robin excels in cross-functional stakeholder management, fostering team alignment, and driving efficiency at every stage of the product lifecycle.

With a unique ability to navigate complex business needs and build agile capabilities within organisations, Robin is dedicated to empowering teams and stakeholders to achieve sustainable transformation and continuous improvement.

Robin is a seasoned Agile Team Lead and Senior Consultant with extensive experience in driving strategic transformation, optimisation, and agile product management across the education, data, and public sectors. With a proven track record in leading ... Show more

Katia Reed is an AI Literacy Lead, EAL Coordinator, and Mandarin Teacher at North American International School in Dubai, where she designs and delivers the school's AI Literacy curriculum for secondary students across Grades 6 to 12. She is a member of the UAE AI Think Tank and a recognised UAE AI Changemaker.
Katia has facilitated sold-out workshops on custom AI tools and PBL with AI at the Common Core Virtual Boot Camp, drawing over 80 attendees per session, and delivered a fully booked session at the Dubai Teaching Conference.
She builds and deploys classroom-facing and school-wide platforms using vibe coding tools, including a digital escape room series on AI ethics, a streamlined whole-school lesson planning workflow powered by AI, a whole-school EAL assessment platform, a distance learning platform for teachers, and a suite of leadership and administration tools built entirely without traditional coding. Her work sits at the intersection of AI literacy, inclusive pedagogy, and practical school leadership.
She is the developer of the AI Ethics Escape Trails platform and shares open-access tools and classroom AI practice with a growing educator audience on LinkedIn.

Katia Reed is an AI Literacy Lead, EAL Coordinator, and Mandarin Teacher at North American International School in Dubai, where she designs and delivers the school's AI Literacy curriculum for secondary students across Grades 6 to 12. She is a member... Show more

Mosongo Danfold is a Tech Policy Advocate & Cybersecurity and Forensics Engineer. He is the founder of TECH.PATHS, an initiative that equips African youth with digital literacy, mentorship, and pathways into technology careers. Often referred to as a tech diplomat and statesman, he works at the intersection of cybersecurity, digital governance, and youth empowerment. His work bridges technical cybersecurity expertise with practical policy design, always advocating for ethical, sovereign, and inclusive digital futures. The role of young Africans in shaping the continent's technology agenda.

Mosongo Danfold is a Tech Policy Advocate & Cybersecurity and Forensics Engineer. He is the founder of TECH.PATHS, an initiative that equips African youth with digital literacy, mentorship, and pathways into technology careers. Often referred to as a... Show more

I'm a Project Manager with a track record of delivering large-scale, complex programs in high-stakes environments — currently driving technology modernization at New York State's Integrated Eligibility System, one of the most operationally complex programs in state government.
I thrive at the intersection of people, process, and technology. Whether I'm aligning a room of executives, untangling a dependency across 13 vendors, or building the data infrastructure that gives leadership real-time visibility — I bring the clarity and structure that keeps programs on track.
My work spans program strategy, stakeholder alignment, cross-functional team leadership, and delivery governance. I believe the best project managers don't just manage schedules — they build the systems, culture, and communication that let great teams do their best work.

I'm a Project Manager with a track record of delivering large-scale, complex programs in high-stakes environments — currently driving technology modernization at New York State's Integrated Eligibility System, one of the most operationally complex pr... Show more

Emerald Akhaumere, a 22-year-old Nigerian trailblazer, is rewriting the narrative in the world of technology. Her journey began at the age of 15, fueled by an unquenchable passion for tech and a fierce determination to make a difference.

Emerald's tech odyssey has been nothing short of remarkable. Her early involvement in SWENext kindled her love for the field, setting the stage for an incredible transformation. From these roots, she ascended to become a Collegiate Member and a Collegiate Club Lead, championing inclusivity in STEM.

Emerald's accomplishments in the SWE Recruitment Challenge, where she clinched top positions multiple times, speak volumes about her zeal for SWE's mission and the advancement of women in tech. She believes that innovation thrives in diversity, and she's a living testament to this ideology.

But her journey didn't stop there. Emerald's commitment transcends borders; she proudly serves as a SWE Global Ambassador, amplifying the organization's impact and values globally. She's passionate about fostering a global community that empowers women to thrive in the tech universe.

As the newly appointed GDSC Lead at BAZE University, Emerald is poised to make an indelible mark. Her leadership and dedication are set to empower a new generation of tech enthusiasts.

Emerald's story is a testament to the incredible potential that emerges when passion meets dedication. She's breaking barriers, paving the way for underrepresented voices in tech, and proving that age is no limit when it comes to making waves in the world of technology.

Emerald Akhaumere, a 22-year-old Nigerian trailblazer, is rewriting the narrative in the world of technology. Her journey began at the age of 15, fueled by an unquenchable passion for tech and a fierce determination to make a difference. Emerald's... Show more

My journey has been largely around technology, digital skills, education and using technology to solve practical problems.

Through Soteria Technologies, I have had the opportunity to work on initiatives around digital literacy, education technology, ICT infrastructure, Internet governance and community digital access.

But one thing I have learned is that having a good technology solution is only one part of the journey.

You also have to understand the people you are serving, build relationships, manage resources, find sustainable ways to operate, build partnerships and create systems that allow the work to continue.

That is why I chose this topic.

I want us to look beyond the excitement of building the product and talk about what it really takes to turn that product into a functioning and sustainable organization.

My journey has been largely around technology, digital skills, education and using technology to solve practical problems. Through Soteria Technologies, I have had the opportunity to work on initiatives around digital literacy, education technolog... Show more

Laura has over 12 years of experience in civil engineering with a focus on water. She holds dual credentials as a licensed Professional Engineer and Certified Learning & Development Specialist, and currently serves as Organizational Development Lead at Grayling Engineers. She founded Oxsen Learning to address the skill gaps she observed firsthand in engineering firms, particularly around CAD proficiency and project communication.

Laura has over 12 years of experience in civil engineering with a focus on water. She holds dual credentials as a licensed Professional Engineer and Certified Learning & Development Specialist, and currently serves as Organizational Development Lead ... Show more

I'm a Principal Architect at Microsoft specializing in the Microsoft Power Platform, Dynamics 365, Microsoft Copilot, and agentic AI solutions for U.S. State and Local Government.

Throughout my career, I've been driven by a simple belief: the people who understand a business problem best should have a meaningful voice in building the solution. That's why I'm so passionate about Microsoft's low-code and no-code platform. I love helping organizations empower business users to work alongside professional developers to create applications, automations, and AI experiences that solve real problems and deliver measurable value.

For more than two decades, I've worked with government organizations to modernize business processes, improve citizen services, and accelerate digital transformation. I've partnered with agencies of every size to design solutions that combine enterprise architecture, modern application development, automation, data, and artificial intelligence into practical outcomes that users can embrace.

My favorite conversations are the ones where technology becomes accessible. Whether I'm presenting on Power Platform, Dynamics 365, Copilot Studio, or the latest advancements in agentic AI, my goal is always the same: to make complex technology approachable, demonstrate what's possible, and give people the confidence to build solutions they didn't think they could create themselves.

I believe the future of software development isn't about replacing professional developers—it's about expanding who gets to participate in creating great software. When analysts, subject matter experts, makers, architects, and developers collaborate using the Microsoft Power Platform, organizations build better solutions, faster. That's the future I'm excited to help shape.

I'm a Principal Architect at Microsoft specializing in the Microsoft Power Platform, Dynamics 365, Microsoft Copilot, and agentic AI solutions for U.S. State and Local Government. Throughout my career, I've been driven by a simple belief: the peop... Show more

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

Viktor Viljac founded Udruga Neutroni in 2021 with four schoolmates, all
of them between 14 and 18 at the time. He builds digital products for
organizations that work with young people, and free tools for students.
The most recent is Bodomat, a calculator that works out eligibility
scores for student housing in Croatia across more than 280 parameters.

Viktor Viljac founded Udruga Neutroni in 2021 with four schoolmates, all of them between 14 and 18 at the time. He builds digital products for organizations that work with young people, and free tools for students. The most recent is Bodomat, a ca... Show more

Quinn Fitzgerald is a founder coach and mission-driven entrepreneur who helps early-stage founders lead with clarity, resilience, and intention. She founded and sold Flare, a VC-backed women’s safety tech company recognized by Time as a Best Invention and by Fast Company as one of the Most Innovative Companies. Previously, Quinn served in the Obama White House and earned her MBA from Harvard Business School, where she won the New Venture Competition.

She coaches a referral-only roster of founders - backed by firms like YC, Khosla, Collaborative Fund, Techstars, and Lowercarbon - and runs a collaborative Fundraising Sprint for early-stage founders. Her approach blends tactical business support and startup expertise with deep inner work. Quinn has spoken at SXSW, Harvard, Forbes, Bain Capital Ventures, Chief, CBS’ Innovation Nation, and more.

Quinn Fitzgerald is a founder coach and mission-driven entrepreneur who helps early-stage founders lead with clarity, resilience, and intention. She founded and sold Flare, a VC-backed women’s safety tech company recognized by Time as a Best Inventio... Show more

Amanda Brock is CEO of OpenUK and has built one of the most recognised and impactful organisations in open source. She is also the Executive Producer of State of Open Con 25 taking place 4 - 5 February 2025 in London having founded and produced the ‘23 and ‘24 events building to over 800 attendees, and over 200 speakers.

A lawyer with 25 years’ experience, 5 as GC of Canonical, she’s been instrumental in shaping open source’s legal frameworks, as she was in shaping internet law during the early 2000’s.
Regularly contributing to tech press, she edited “Open Source: Law, Policy and Practice”, (2022).

Amanda is a sought-after and contagious international keynote speaker, speaking at tech events and international events like COP29 on topics from open source software to AI. A regular contributor to the tech press across a wider range of areas, Amanda is the editor of Open Source Law, Policy and Practice (2nd edition) published by Oxford University Press in October ‘22, with open access thanks to the Vietsch Foundation https://amandabrock.com/books

Current Advisory: UK Cabinet Office Open Standards Board; UKRI Digital Research Infrastructure; UKRI Exascale; KDE; commercial boards – Mimoto, Scarf, FerretDB and Space Aye; and is Fellow Open Forum Academy; Distinguished Fellow Rust Foundation; European Representative, OIN.

Past Advisory includes: Chair, UN Technology and Innovation Labs Open Source and IP Advisory Group’; OASIS Open Projects Initiative; British Computer Society Inaugural Influence Board; UK Government Energy Sector Digitalisation Task Force; elected Board Member Open Source Initiative; and Commercial Advisory Boards at Beamery and Everseen.

Recognition: Computer Weekly’s 50 Most Influential Women in UK TechC(2023, 2024) listed as #20 in 2024; Computing IT Leaders 100 (2023, 2024); ‘ INvolve HERoes list “(2023, 2024); “Women Who Will”, Changemaker (2023); INvolve Heroes (2022, 2023); and Novi Awards Advocate for Change in Gender Equality Honouree (2024); Ambassador Open Charge Alliance. Amanda was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Women, Influence & Power in Law UK 2022.

Judging: IDG Foundry CIO 100 2023, 2024); and Senior Judge, First Enable Role Model List by Dow (2024) having been a Judge in the We are Tech Women Rising Star Awards in (2021, 2022).

linkedin.com/in/amandabrocktech
@amandabrockUK
@openuk_uk
https://openuk.uk
https://amandabrock.com/

Amanda Brock is CEO of OpenUK and has built one of the most recognised and impactful organisations in open source. She is also the Executive Producer of State of Open Con 25 taking place 4 - 5 February 2025 in London having founded and produced the ‘... Show more

Victoria is a Junior Software Engineer at 4TU.ResearchData and a Master's student in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at TU Delft. With a strong passion for open science and research, she brings a unique, interdisciplinary perspective to tech, currently also completing a second Bachelor's in Philosophy. Alongside her work and studies, Victoria is engaged in AI research, recently authoring a deep learning paper accepted for the 2026 BCI Conference in Graz.

Victoria is a Junior Software Engineer at 4TU.ResearchData and a Master's student in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at TU Delft. With a strong passion for open science and research, she brings a unique, interdisciplinary perspective to tech... Show more

Senior Microsoft cloud security engineer with over 25 years of experience in enterprise IT, cybersecurity, and U.S. government environments. A U.S. Air Force veteran and retired member of the Illinois Air National Guard, with a strong focus on mentoring career transitions into cybersecurity. Experienced instructor and writer focused on practical, real-world security guidance. This will be his fifth year attending DEF CON.

Senior Microsoft cloud security engineer with over 25 years of experience in enterprise IT, cybersecurity, and U.S. government environments. A U.S. Air Force veteran and retired member of the Illinois Air National Guard, with a strong focus on mentor... Show more

Gursimar, a Consultant and Google Developer Educator, is dedicated to empowering individuals through Education, Mentorship, and Open-Source. As an author for freeCodeCamp and Top Contributor, he shares his expertise globally. He's a sought-after speaker at international conferences and universities, fostering a culture of learning. His passion lies in mentoring others, evident in his roles as a Section Leader for Code in Place and Google Cloud Facilitator.

Gursimar, a Consultant and Google Developer Educator, is dedicated to empowering individuals through Education, Mentorship, and Open-Source. As an author for freeCodeCamp and Top Contributor, he shares his expertise globally. He's a sought-after spea... Show more

Dr. Seema Sidhu is a transformative district leader and the 2026 AUHSD ACSA Central Office Administrator of the Year. Currently serving as the Director of Learning and Development for the Anaheim Union High School District, Dr. Sidhu oversees the strategic "braiding" of millions in state and federal programs to move the needle on equity and justice. A former English teacher, Assistant Principal, and Principal, her career is defined by a refusal to accept the status quo of top-down governance. Dr. Sidhu is recognized for bringing innovation to compliance, dismantling administrative silos to institutionalize authentic democratic school governance. Her leadership in operationalizing the "Voice to Action" Equity Transformation Cycle has resulted in historic academic gains for English Learners and at-promise youth. A recipient of the Woman of Distinction Award from the California State Senate, Dr. Sidhu is a sought-after speaker on AI implementation, strategic planning, and the power of shared leadership. She holds an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership from the University of La Verne and is dedicated to equipping leaders with the tools to transform school systems and level up through student voice and agency.

Dr. Seema Sidhu is a transformative district leader and the 2026 AUHSD ACSA Central Office Administrator of the Year. Currently serving as the Director of Learning and Development for the Anaheim Union High School District, Dr. Sidhu oversees the str... Show more

Lister Potter is a CTO, consultant, and elected Mayor focused on designing systems that scale — in software and in governance.

He leads the architecture of a next-generation multi-tenant platform built around a repository-centric workflow where documentation, architecture decisions, backlog, and code live together. His work explores what it means to build AI-native development environments where clarity and structure are designed in from the start.

Across technology leadership and civic governance, Lister applies the same principle: tools don’t solve systemic problems — well-forged systems do.

Lister Potter is a CTO, consultant, and elected Mayor focused on designing systems that scale — in software and in governance. He leads the architecture of a next-generation multi-tenant platform built around a repository-centric workflow where do... Show more

Named the 2025 ACSA Special Education Administrator of the Year, Dr. Julie Hong is an award-winning educational leader, author, and systems designer with over 21 years of experience across general, special, and alternative education. She currently serves as Director of Instructional Support, Innovation, and Competitive Advantage at the Riverside County Office of Education, where she leads systems that unify Alternative Education, Special Education, and career pathways through student-centered, future-ready design. She is the author of Toward Pedagogy-First AI Integration: A Conceptual Framework Grounded in Relevance to Rigor Flow and Pedagogy in the Loop. Her work advances a human-centered approach to AI integration that aligns with UNESCO’s emphasis on ethical, inclusive, and human-centered AI in education. She has led transformative change across three school districts and two county offices, building instructional coherence in diverse settings. Her work centers on AI Integrated Learning, Project-Based Learning, Universal Design for Learning, and Design Thinking. Dr. Hong also serves as Vice President of Membership for ACSA Region XIX, Past President-Elect of the SWAA Charter, board member for Mosaic Legacy, and CAAPLE mentor to aspiring administrators. She is known for Sparking Joy in Education and reimagining schools through purpose, people, and possibility.

Named the 2025 ACSA Special Education Administrator of the Year, Dr. Julie Hong is an award-winning educational leader, author, and systems designer with over 21 years of experience across general, special, and alternative education. She currently se... Show more

Sreedhar Ailu is a software quality practitioner specializing in User Acceptance Testing (UAT) governance, release readiness oversight, and quality risk management for large-scale regulated enterprise systems. With more than 13 years of experience, he has led and supported acceptance testing, deployment governance, and release decision-making across complex multi-vendor healthcare and public-sector technology programs.

His work focuses on the often-overlooked gap between successful testing and true production readiness. Drawing from real-world experience in highly regulated environments, he explores challenges related to regulatory interpretation alignment, testability coverage, release governance, and operational risk. His interests center on helping organizations make more informed release decisions when dependencies, integrations, and compliance requirements introduce hidden risk.

Sreedhar is an accepted speaker at CAST 2026 and an accepted author at PNSQC 2026. He actively contributes to the software quality community through practitioner research, conference participation, peer review, and knowledge sharing. His current areas of exploration include release readiness metrics, regulatory interpretation alignment, testability coverage, quality risk management, and governance approaches that improve confidence in enterprise software delivery.

When not working on quality and governance challenges, he enjoys mentoring practitioners, studying software delivery patterns, and contributing to discussions that advance the practice of software quality engineering.

Sreedhar Ailu is a software quality practitioner specializing in User Acceptance Testing (UAT) governance, release readiness oversight, and quality risk management for large-scale regulated enterprise systems. With more than 13 years of experience, h... Show more

Passionate and experienced educator with over 15 years of experience within the education industry, specializing in faculty administration, organizational leadership, and curriculum development. Adept in overseeing the overall management of educational programs while remaining committed to the organization’s mission and vision. Dynamic communicator with a proven ability to build lasting relationships with teachers, students, and parents. A motivational leader who enjoys actively engaging with all educational partners. Strategic planner and program designer; developed strategic plans, implemented and monitored change initiatives. Sought out collaborator by top leadership within the organization to lead positive outcomes for the betterment of students and faculty.

Passionate and experienced educator with over 15 years of experience within the education industry, specializing in faculty administration, organizational leadership, and curriculum development. Adept in overseeing the overall management of education... Show more

I am a Alabama Native. Military Army Veteran. I am Natural Hair and Microlocs Specialist, licensed instructor and Salon Owner with over 15yrs in the Natural Hair Industry.
I have a huge 30,000+ social Media following with clients all over the US.

I am a Alabama Native. Military Army Veteran. I am Natural Hair and Microlocs Specialist, licensed instructor and Salon Owner with over 15yrs in the Natural Hair Industry. I have a huge 30,000+ social Media following with clients all over the US. Show more

Audrey Long is a Gaming Cloud Security Architect at Microsoft apart of the Microsoft Gaming Security team. With a keen eye for creating secure coding solutions and performing comprehensive security risk assessments, Audrey excels in threat modeling and evaluating security in architecture. Her expertise extends to implementing robust security practices that safeguard digital landscapes.
Passionate about making security accessible, Audrey is dedicated to empowering software engineers and inspiring girls to pursue careers in STEM. She holds a DoD secret clearance and a Master of Science degree in Cyber Security from Johns Hopkins. Additionally, Audrey is a proud ambassador for Google's Women Techmakers program, championing diversity and inclusion in tech.
As an international speaker, Audrey has shared her insights and expertise at conferences and events around the world, inspiring audiences with her knowledge and passion for cybersecurity.

Audrey Long is a Gaming Cloud Security Architect at Microsoft apart of the Microsoft Gaming Security team. With a keen eye for creating secure coding solutions and performing comprehensive security risk assessments, Audrey excels in threat modeling a... Show more