Meena Chand, MBCS, is a Mainframe Performance & Capacity Graduate Analyst at SMT Data, IBM Champion 2026, and TechChannel Rising Star 2025. Her journey into mainframe began through the GS UK WAVEZ Student Scholarship, which gave her her first introduction to the world of enterprise computing and set her on the path she walks today.

Growing up in Nepal, she earned full scholarships from school through to her undergraduate degree, won the National Debate Championship, and eventually made her way to the UK to build a career at the heart of enterprise technology.

She holds a Postgraduate degree in Computer Science from the University of Wolverhampton and completed the Open Mainframe Project LFX Mentorship Programme (2025) with the Linux Foundation, contributing to the COBOL Crisis initiative and working to bridge the skills gap in legacy systems vital to global enterprises.

At the IBM GS UK Conference 2024, Meena and her team won the prestigious Capture the Flag (CTF) competition, solving real z/OS security and performance challenges. She also holds the IBM Z Xplore All-Star badge, demonstrating advanced proficiency in mainframe technologies.

Prior to joining SMT Data, Meena gained over a year of hands-on experience working across IBM i and Power Systems environments, software development, and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions. She worked on a range of real-world projects including Smart Hydroponics Control Systems built using Node-RED and MicroPython, AI-powered plant health detection systems, and scalable modules across data analytics and education technology. This breadth of enterprise and emerging technology experience gave her a strong foundation in how critical systems are designed, integrated, and optimised across different platforms.

Now specialising in mainframe performance and capacity management at SMT Data, a global leader in this field, her focus is on analysing enterprise-level performance data, supporting capacity planning, and optimising resource utilisation to help organisations make smarter, data-driven decisions.

Beyond her technical work, Meena serves as Education Co-Lead at Women in AI UK and is a regular tech speaker, having presented at BCS Hertfordshire, the University of Wolverhampton, Ravensbourne University, Kathmandu University, and Broadway Infosys. She was awarded a fully funded scholarship by Black Talent & Leadership in STEM to complete the DEI Leadership Programme at Homerton College, University of Cambridge, and received the Oxford GEE Award for Technology Leadership and Community Building.

She founded the Kisori Scholarship Programme, providing free education and mentorship to underprivileged girls in Nepal, the work closest to her heart.

Her motto: Lead with strength. Serve with heart.

Meena Chand, MBCS, is a Mainframe Performance & Capacity Graduate Analyst at SMT Data, IBM Champion 2026, and TechChannel Rising Star 2025. Her journey into mainframe began through the GS UK WAVEZ Student Scholarship, which gave her her first introdu... Show more

I’m Isaac Zimba, a passionate software developer and GDG Kitwe Organizer. I enjoy building intelligent and cross-platform apps using .NET MAUI, ASP.NET Core, and Azure AI Foundry. As a Microsoft Beta Student Ambassador, I love exploring how AI and cloud technologies can simplify everyday tasks and enhance productivity. Beyond development, I’m focused on empowering students and developers through workshops, hackathons, and collaborative projects that bring ideas to life. I believe in connecting ecosystems — showing how Microsoft and Google technologies can work together to create meaningful innovation.

I’m Isaac Zimba, a passionate software developer and GDG Kitwe Organizer. I enjoy building intelligent and cross-platform apps using .NET MAUI, ASP.NET Core, and Azure AI Foundry. As a Microsoft Beta Student Ambassador, I love exploring how AI and cl... Show more

Christian has over 20 years of international UX experience and currently leads the UX Center of Competence at Optimizer.pt in Porto, Portugal. He drives the development of award-winning, user-centered product solutions through UX research and Behavior informed design. He contributes to Harvard University DCE, Singularity University, Nomura Research Institute Japan, and many more. He is a published author on UX Design, AI Product Design and Behavior Design topics. He is teaching UX Leadership, Behavior Design and Human-Centered AI Experiences (HAX) at TheStarter.io. PortoAX/UX Activist. Jury Member of the UX Nordic Award 2026

Christian has over 20 years of international UX experience and currently leads the UX Center of Competence at Optimizer.pt in Porto, Portugal. He drives the development of award-winning, user-centered product solutions through UX research and Behavio... Show more

Afsha is a DevOps Engineer at Capgemini, working at the intersection of reliable platforms and responsible AI. She explores and speaks about responsible AI, cloud and software technology and the human skills that support effective engineering.

A former maths teacher, Afsha makes complex ideas accessible to beginners. She co-leads Capgemini's Essential Skills Mentorship Programme and hosts its podcast, bringing together engineering, education and community building.

Afsha is a DevOps Engineer at Capgemini, working at the intersection of reliable platforms and responsible AI. She explores and speaks about responsible AI, cloud and software technology and the human skills that support effective engineering. A f... Show more

Tinuade is the GM Technical at Information Connectivity Solutions Limited (ICSL), Nigeria's
a premium ISP and technology company, and is also responsible for championing the future of
work strategies in ICSL. Her work includes, among other things, machine-to-machine
communications (M2M, IoT), GSM backhauling via satellite in rural communities, and hard-to-get
settlements, internal revenue solutions, and secured federal and state-wide WAN connectivity.
She partners with several global ODMs and OEMs to deliver bespoke terrestrial and non-terrestrial network solutions, leveraging security and AI platforms.
She has successfully designed and implemented over thirty major network infrastructure projects
projects in more than 12 sectors, including government, education, financial institutions, etc.
utilizing renewable energy solutions in rural communities.
Tinuade is a Co-Chair of the Infrastructure, Access, and Connectivity working group of the
Internet Society (Nigeria Chapter), a Nigerian School on Internet Governance Fellow, and a
passionate STEM inclusion driver who imparts her knowledge through mentorship programs,
support groups, local and global industry speaking engagements, and other social impact
activities and encourages women and girls interested in STEM fields.
Through her experience, she understands how critical security is to any digital infrastructure, especially when working with diverse domains and clients. She is a pioneer member of the Meta Safe online and digital literacy community of practice.

Tinuade is the GM Technical at Information Connectivity Solutions Limited (ICSL), Nigeria's a premium ISP and technology company, and is also responsible for championing the future of work strategies in ICSL. Her work includes, among other things... Show more

Marouaa Yakhlef is an AI and STEM Leader with over 17 years of experience in education, specializing in STEM education, robotics, educational technology, and innovative learning design. As a STEM Robotics Trainer of Trainers (TOT), she leads initiatives that integrate AI, emerging technologies, and project-based learning to create engaging and authentic learning experiences.

Throughout her career, Marouaa has supported educators and students in developing critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills through technology-rich learning environments. She has led educational technology initiatives, innovation projects, and a podcast exploring emerging trends and best practices in education.

Her work also includes mentoring students and supporting participation in STEM, robotics, and innovation competitions, helping learners develop confidence, resilience, and a mindset of inquiry and innovation.

Marouaa is passionate about empowering students to move beyond knowledge acquisition and become creators, innovators, and solution designers. Her current focus is exploring how AI-supported inquiry and project-based learning can help students address authentic challenges and create meaningful impact within their communities.

Marouaa Yakhlef is an AI and STEM Leader with over 17 years of experience in education, specializing in STEM education, robotics, educational technology, and innovative learning design. As a STEM Robotics Trainer of Trainers (TOT), she leads initiati... Show more

Health information systems and digital health specialist with practical experience in data management and the development of digital solutions adapted to low-connectivity environments.

I work at the intersection of technology, data, and public health, with hands-on experience in DHIS2, digital data collection systems, APIs, data visualization, and digital solution development.

I contribute to the DHIS2 Community of Practice and am developing an integrated disease surveillance project using DHIS2 in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The project was accepted as a Digital Poster for the DHIS2 Annual Conference 2026.

I am also a DHIS2 Beta Tester and contribute to technical discussions within the community around Tracker, Analytics, Program Indicators, Web API, PostgreSQL, and DHIS2 environments.

Health information systems and digital health specialist with practical experience in data management and the development of digital solutions adapted to low-connectivity environments. I work at the intersection of technology, data, and public hea... Show more

Raj is the Founder & CEO of Cloud Colosseum, a former Principal Solutions Architect at AWS (L7), and former Distinguished Cloud Architect at Verizon. He has architected high-profile applications serving millions of customers and has taught cloud and Kubernetes to over 350,000 students across Udemy and his YouTube channel "Cloud With Raj" (120K+ subscribers). Raj publishes technical blogs and has spoken at AWS re:Invent, KubeCon, AWS Summits, and other major industry events. He is focused on helping mid-career IT professionals break into cloud and AI roles at top-tier companies.

Raj is the Founder & CEO of Cloud Colosseum, a former Principal Solutions Architect at AWS (L7), and former Distinguished Cloud Architect at Verizon. He has architected high-profile applications serving millions of customers and has taught cloud and ... Show more

With over 20 years of experience in education, including the last 10 years in international education, I am passionate about developing learners who are equipped with the skills and mindset to thrive in an ever-changing world. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a Master's degree in Education, and my professional journey has included roles as an ICT and MYP Design teacher, ATL Coordinator, Personal Project Coordinator, Deputy Principal, and currently MYP Coordinator.

My passion lies in the International Baccalaureate, particularly the Middle Years Programme, where I enjoy supporting schools in developing authentic, student-centred learning experiences that foster agency, reflection, and future-ready skills. As an IBEN Workshop Leader, I have the privilege of collaborating with educators to strengthen MYP implementation and inspire best practice.

With over 20 years of experience in education, including the last 10 years in international education, I am passionate about developing learners who are equipped with the skills and mindset to thrive in an ever-changing world. I hold a Bachelor's deg... Show more

Technology has changed my life, and I'm passionate about helping others unlock the same opportunities.

I have experience as a Security & Compliance Associate Consultant at ThreatScape and previously at Advania UK, where I worked with organisations to strengthen their cybersecurity, protect data, and navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape.

Over the past few years, I've combined hands-on consulting experience with a passion for public speaking, delivering sessions at TEDx, NDC conferences, and Manchester Metropolitan University's Business School Entrepreneur Society.

My talks explore cybersecurity, AI, security architecture, technology careers, and the societal impact of emerging technologies. I enjoy turning complex topics into engaging conversations that resonate with both technical and non-technical audiences.

I'm particularly passionate about increasing representation in technology and inspiring more women to pursue careers in the industry.

Technology has changed my life, and I'm passionate about helping others unlock the same opportunities. I have experience as a Security & Compliance Associate Consultant at ThreatScape and previously at Advania UK, where I worked with organisations... Show more

David is a Senior Data Scientist working in UK Government, where he applies AI and machine learning to real-world public sector challenges. He holds an MSc in AI & Data Science (Distinction) and BSc in Software Engineering.

His research on deploying deep learning for automated radiology reports was published in the Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering (JIWE) and earned Best Presenter Award at NexSymp 2025 in Malaysia. Beyond government work, he founded SheerFit, an AI-powered wellness platform serving users across communities.

David's work focuses on building production AI systems that actually work in resource-constrained environments, not just in labs. He's passionate about honest conversations about what it really takes to deploy AI in the real world: the failures, the compromises, and the unglamorous solutions that actually ship.

David is a Senior Data Scientist working in UK Government, where he applies AI and machine learning to real-world public sector challenges. He holds an MSc in AI & Data Science (Distinction) and BSc in Software Engineering. His research on deployi... Show more

Com mais de 32 anos de experiência profissional, atuando como developer, analista de negócio e gerente de produtos no início do e-commerce no Brasil, gerente de projetos, membro e gestor de PMO, PO, SM e AC.
Um dos principais responsáveis pelo desenvolvimento e evolução da primeira solução de e-gov para Compras Públicas do Brasil em 1999.
Atualmente é Sócio, Head de Projetos, Produto e Transformação na Hiflex Group, tendo atuado como agente de mudança implementando agilidade, PMO e VMOs, além de apoiar transformações organizacionais com o uso de abordagens híbridas, ágeis e enxutas de gestão.
Palestrante com mais de 200 palestras nos últimos anos em eventos nacionais e internacionais, autor de 9 livros com mais de 10k exemplares vendidos, incluindo 3 Best-Seller, dentre eles: Scrum e PMBOK unidos no gerenciamento de projetos, Scrum e Agile em Projetos – Guia Completo, PMO Ágil – Escritório Ágil de Gerenciamento de Projetos, Jornada OKR na prática, e Business Agility Inception, e o mais recente Do PMO ao VMO 2.0 - Para de começar projetos e comece a entregar valor.

Com mais de 32 anos de experiência profissional, atuando como developer, analista de negócio e gerente de produtos no início do e-commerce no Brasil, gerente de projetos, membro e gestor de PMO, PO, SM e AC. Um dos principais responsáveis pelo dese... Show more

Dahvid is the COO at Suzu Labs with over 15 years of experience in cyberattacks and defense. A former Special Operations communicator and offensive cyber operator, he transitioned from the military to leading international Red Teams for a Big 4 firm. In his subsequent leadership and executive roles, he specialized in enhancing security resilience and maturity across more than 100 clients globally. A DEFCON Black Badge holder and inaugural trainer, Dahvid is a recognized expert in logical, social, and physical infiltration and exploitation, as well as custom malware development. Teaching his clients how to "train how they fight". Grounded in the philosophy that "Leaders Eat Last", he focuses on bridging the gap between high-level business strategy and bespoke, high-value services to build truly resilient organizations.

Dahvid is the COO at Suzu Labs with over 15 years of experience in cyberattacks and defense. A former Special Operations communicator and offensive cyber operator, he transitioned from the military to leading international Red Teams for a Big 4 firm.... Show more

Dr. Marie Alcazar is a Transformation Maven, Ecosystem Coach, author, and Founder of Built4Agility. With nearly four decades of industry experience—including 20 years in Change and Transformation and 14 years in Agile—she brings a practitioner’s perspective to how people, organizations, and systems navigate change.

Her work explores a central idea: who you are shapes how you lead. Through her Leadership iS a Lifestyle™ philosophy and Human Infrastructure Development™ framework, Dr. Marie focuses on the human capabilities that shape how people think, adapt, and create lasting impact.
Through Built4Agility, she is applying that thinking to expand access and opportunity for NXT-Gen Leaders from historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged communities, helping people develop capability, demonstrate what they can do, and create meaningful career and economic mobility.

Dr. Marie is also the author of Truth-Telling iS Data™: The Art & Architecture of Alignment and a speaker who challenges people to think differently about leadership, transformation, human development, and the future of work.

Dr. Marie Alcazar is a Transformation Maven, Ecosystem Coach, author, and Founder of Built4Agility. With nearly four decades of industry experience—including 20 years in Change and Transformation and 14 years in Agile—she brings a practitioner’s pers... Show more

Andrea Civile is an L2 Italian researcher and language instructor whose work focuses on the development of pragmatic competence in adult learners, with attention to pragmalinguistic–sociopragmatic alignment, cultural shock, and intercultural adaptation in academic settings. His research—rooted in his doctoral project at the University for Foreigners of Perugia—adopts interlinguistic, intercultural, and cross-cultural perspectives and draws on data from Brazil, Japan, and Italy through a mixed-methods design. He is a member of the Pragmática (inter)linguística, cross-cultural e intercultural group at the University of São Paulo and contributes to research on online language teaching. Alongside his research, he has extensive teaching experience in Italy and abroad.

Andrea Civile is an L2 Italian researcher and language instructor whose work focuses on the development of pragmatic competence in adult learners, with attention to pragmalinguistic–sociopragmatic alignment, cultural shock, and intercultural adaptati... Show more

Yulia Kosarenko is the author of the books "Business Analyst: A Profession and a Mindset" and "Foundations of Business Analytics", speaker, consultant, and corporate trainer.
As the owner of Why Change Consulting Inc., she helps her clients grow mature enterprise architecture and business analysis practices, and plan and execute digital transformation programs.
As the Professor of Business Analytics at Humber College, she encourages her students to look for ways to solve business problems using analytics.
As a business analysis mentor, she leads the BA Mindset Mentorship Circle and encourages business analysts to learn, adapt, and thrive.
Yulia is active in the business analysis, architecture, and analytics communities, publishing articles and videos, joining podcasts, and advocating for applying common sense and critical thinking in all business endeavours.

Yulia Kosarenko is the author of the books "Business Analyst: A Profession and a Mindset" and "Foundations of Business Analytics", speaker, consultant, and corporate trainer. As the owner of Why Change Consulting Inc., she helps her clients grow ma... Show more

Nominated designer of the week by one of Nigeria's leading Tech startups, HerTechTrail Academy, Divine Chinyere Ezendiokwere is a passionate and admirable product designer and content creator. With a background in content writing and storytelling, her career expands over several industries including volunteering, teen advocacy, public speaking, and lifestyle.

Divine is a graduate of Plant Science and Biotechnology from a Nigerian university. She is a leadership builder who delivers high-energy keynote presentations that challenge audiences to leverage their focus and pay attention to what matters most at work and in life.

Oh, did we mention that she is from Anambra and a lastborn? Why does it matter? Well, it means that she's a bit mischievous, pretty witty, and a little cheeky. She is also an unofficial food lover... and an enthusiastic adventurer.

Nominated designer of the week by one of Nigeria's leading Tech startups, HerTechTrail Academy, Divine Chinyere Ezendiokwere is a passionate and admirable product designer and content creator. With a background in content writing and storytelling, he... Show more

Licensed Strategy Advisor | Regulation Governance, Systems Architecture & Organisational Flow

Advising enterprise, government, and public sector leadership globally on regulatory policy, non-invasive systems integration, and human-in-the-loop operational resilience. I architect deterministic boundary frameworks that integrate across any industry - unifying legacy infrastructure without full system overhauls, eliminating multi-national entropy silos, and preventing blackbox system collapse.

What I Offer: Universal Industry Advisory & System Integration

My practice delivers end-to-end, sector-agnostic advisory and implementation capabilities developed to scale across critical infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics, finance, defence, healthcare, and enterprise technology.

1. Strategic Governance & Advisory

* Cross-Sector Regulatory Compliance: Designing, validating, and testing policy enforcement models tailored for complex multi-jurisdiction and cross-border regulatory adherence.

* Organisational Systems Analysis: Auditing, developing, and training internal corporate departments across all tiers for non-invasive, low-friction integration.

* Entropy Reduction & Silo Unification: Managing variable complexity to maintain congruent operational order and eliminate drag without introducing system latency.

* Risk Management & Failure-Mode SOPs: Authoring automated troubleshooting frameworks and fail-safe procedures to ensure continuity under extreme operating conditions.


2. Systems Architecture & Non-Invasive Integration

* Non-Invasive Socio-Technical Orchestration (SSO-ADGF): Bridging physical human workflows with existing digital infrastructure (ERP, WMS, MES), physical hardware, and air-gapped networks without requiring costly rip-and-replace overhauls.

* Deterministic Boundary Control (ISOIG): Enforcing operational precision through an adaptable, zero-latency custom intelligence standard.

* Algorithmic APIs & Unified Dashboards: Deploying plug-and-play dashboards for real-time compliance tracking, auditable telemetry, and verifiable system security.

* High-Assurance Technology Enablement: Safely layering cloud, patented AI, and legacy assets into verified, explainable, and fully auditable states.


3. Operational Execution & Human-AI Symbiosis

* Autonomous Dual-Mode Execution: Engineering resilient systems that maintain full operational autonomy whether AI capabilities are deployed, degraded, or completely offline.

* Adversarial & External Threat Immunisation: Enforcing strict data validation boundaries that shield core infrastructure from external computational threats and adversarial AI vectors.

* Cognitive Ergonomics & Anti-Panic Protocols: Translating complex technical requirements into ambiguity-free procedural manuals that mitigate operator fatigue and eliminate panic during high-stress anomaly overrides.

* Sustainable Capital & Milestone Integrity: Maximising time optimisation, preserving workforce stability, and securing milestone delivery through job-preserving, symbiotic human-AI collaboration across every department.

Through this advisory, organisations gain an end-to-end operational standard.

Licensed Strategy Advisor | Regulation Governance, Systems Architecture & Organisational Flow Advising enterprise, government, and public sector leadership globally on regulatory policy, non-invasive systems integration, and human-in-the-loop op... Show more

Matt Venaas (he/him) has spent more than a decade helping student affairs professionals make sense of assessment results and communicate what matters. He is Marketing Manager for Benchworks by Elentra, where he draws on experience in national survey development, research, assessment, and marketing to create practical educational resources. He joined Benchworks in 2014 and moved into marketing in late 2024 after a decade in analytics and research.

Matt has delivered more than 150 presentations at conferences including ACPA, NASPA, ACUHO-I, AIR, ACUI, SACSA, and SEAHO. His sessions address assessment strategy, survey design, benchmarking, interpreting results, data visualization, storytelling, focus groups, and student success. He previously served on the directorate board of ACPA’s Commission for Assessment and Evaluation and as a planning team and faculty member for the ACPA Student Affairs Assessment Institute. Matt holds an M.S.Ed. in Adult and Higher Education and a B.A. in Political Science from Northern Illinois University.

Matt Venaas (he/him) has spent more than a decade helping student affairs professionals make sense of assessment results and communicate what matters. He is Marketing Manager for Benchworks by Elentra, where he draws on experience in national survey ... Show more

Haris Khurshid is a Senior Cloud Consultant at Systems Limited, Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), Cloud Architect, and international conference speaker with over 18 years of IT experience, including more than five years specializing in Microsoft Azure. He helps organizations design, migrate, secure, and optimize enterprise cloud environments, enabling successful digital transformation through Microsoft technologies.

Haris has led 15+ Azure migration engagements and delivered 10+ end-to-end cloud transformation projects for enterprise customers. He has also contributed to major enterprise cloud initiatives that supported his organization’s achievement of Microsoft Advanced Specialization, providing technical leadership, solution architecture, and hands-on expertise across complex customer implementations.

His technical expertise spans Azure Infrastructure, Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), Azure Migrate, Azure Site Recovery (ASR), Azure Networking, Identity and Access Management, Cloud Security, Governance, Cost Optimization, Infrastructure as Code (Terraform and Bicep), and Azure Well-Architected Framework best practices.

As a passionate educator and Microsoft Certified Trainer, Haris has delivered 100+ technical sessions, workshops, and bootcamps for IT professionals, enterprise customers, universities, and technology communities worldwide. He has represented Pakistan on international platforms, including speaking at the MCT Summit at Microsoft Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, and the North America MCT Summit 2026.

Haris is known for delivering practical, engaging, and demo-driven sessions that connect Microsoft cloud concepts with real-world enterprise implementation. Drawing on his consulting experience, he shares proven architectures, implementation strategies, troubleshooting approaches, security best practices, and lessons learned from real customer engagements-giving attendees' practical insights they can apply immediately.

Whether speaking to cloud architects, IT professionals, developers, or technology leaders, Haris focuses on simplifying complex technologies and delivering actionable, high-impact learning experiences that empower organizations to build secure, scalable, resilient, and cost-effective solutions on Microsoft Azure.

Haris Khurshid is a Senior Cloud Consultant at Systems Limited, Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), Cloud Architect, and international conference speaker with over 18 years of IT experience, including more than five years specializing in Microsoft Azu... Show more

Thomas builds data platforms and the strategies that keep them standing. A background in full-stack BI and data engineering on Azure now feeds his work in the public sector, where he is moving a large organization toward data mesh: data products, a self-service platform, a catalog people actually use, and real interoperability across Microsoft Fabric and Databricks. Hands still on the keyboard.

Thomas builds data platforms and the strategies that keep them standing. A background in full-stack BI and data engineering on Azure now feeds his work in the public sector, where he is moving a large organization toward data mesh: data products, a s... Show more

Përparim Mjeku is Head of Curriculum and Learning Programs at Cyber Academy in Kosovo, where he leads the design and delivery of cybersecurity training programs spanning offensive security, defensive operations, and threat intelligence. His work focuses on building high fidelity lab environments that translate real world attack techniques, from web and enterprise exploitation to mobile and cloud threats into structured, reproducible learning experiences.

Over the past four years, Përparim has developed 15+ cybersecurity courses and trained 50+ students through intensive long term programs, alongside hundreds of participants across bootcamps and workshops delivered to governmental organizations and U.S. and EU based companies.

In addition to teaching, he develops hands on labs and demonstrations built around newly disclosed vulnerabilities, modern attack chains, and software supply chain risks helping practitioners understand not just how real world compromises happen, but how to detect and stop them.

Përparim Mjeku is Head of Curriculum and Learning Programs at Cyber Academy in Kosovo, where he leads the design and delivery of cybersecurity training programs spanning offensive security, defensive operations, and threat intelligence. His work focu... Show more

Vincent Bertin is Managing Consultant and founder of vbch, the Swiss consultancy he established in Valais in 2019. In 28 years of practice he has worked for clients in 15 countries across industry, luxury, software publishing, and the public sector, managing budgets up to CHF 1 million.

A strategic business analyst and product manager, he works at the intersection of business and generative AI. Two products are live in production, built with retrieval-augmented generation on frontier and open-weight models (Claude, Gemini, Mistral, Kimi) and orchestrated with Dify and n8n. In parallel, he manages the enterprise architecture repository of a Swiss cantonal administration as a product, driving its adoption by more than 600 registered users across 2,400 applications and 500 technologies.

A trainer as much as a consultant, he has trained 3,000 professionals over 20 years, notably at Digicomp, HES-SO, and SAWI, and he is preparing the Swiss federal AI Business Specialist diploma. His background is backed by an MSc from Université Paris Diderot (Paris 7), an Executive MBA from HEC Lausanne, and the CBAP, FSEA M1, PMP, Prosci CCP, and PSPO II certifications.

His long-term consulting mandates are on hold while he serves as Enterprise Architecture Repository Manager. He remains available for conference talks, workshops, training sessions, and visiting lectures.

On stage he starts where transformations actually fail: with the problem, framed in its context, before the solution is built. Or, in his own words: "I love the problem more than the solution."

vincent.bertin@vbch.ch | https://www.vbch.ch with two GenAI products live from Internet

Vincent Bertin is Managing Consultant and founder of vbch, the Swiss consultancy he established in Valais in 2019. In 28 years of practice he has worked for clients in 15 countries across industry, luxury, software publishing, and the public sector, ... Show more

Michael W. Allison works at the intersection of artificial intelligence, leadership, education, and organizational performance. He is the Founder and CEO of the Adversity Leadership Institute, an AI product builder, leadership strategist, educator, bestselling author, TEDx speaker, award-winning entrepreneur, and U.S. Marine Corps Purple Heart recipient.

His technology work includes creating AI-enabled SaaS platforms, intelligent agents, and conversational bots, with a focus on how people actually use, trust, and make decisions with emerging technology. He helps leaders move beyond the excitement surrounding AI and confront the harder questions: What problem are we solving? Who owns the decision? Where must human judgment remain? How will people adopt the technology, and how will results be measured?

Michael brings more than two decades of experience across combat leadership, government, higher education, entrepreneurship, business, and organizational development. He has led Marines in Iraq, managed multimillion-dollar government initiatives, directed higher education programs, and scaled an INC 5000 franchise through a successful exit. He holds a BA and MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Through Adversity Leadership® and his Decision, Direction, and Destination framework, Michael brings technology strategy and human leadership together. His work helps organizations adopt innovation without losing clarity, accountability, sound judgment, or the people responsible for making it work.

Michael W. Allison works at the intersection of artificial intelligence, leadership, education, and organizational performance. He is the Founder and CEO of the Adversity Leadership Institute, an AI product builder, leadership strategist, educator, b... Show more

Lucas Paulo Garcia Rodovalho é gestor público, atualmente ocupando o cargo de Secretário Municipal de Inovação Tecnológica (SITEC) na Prefeitura de Senador Canedo, no estado de Goiás.

📌 Trajetória Profissional e Atuação
Gestão Pública em Senador Canedo: Além da liderança na Secretaria de Inovação Tecnológica (SITEC), atuou em outras pastas do município, como Secretário Municipal de Inovação Tecnológica e Apoio Institucional, Secretário Interino de Saúde, Secretário Interino de Governança, Gestão e Planejamento, e Assessor Especial do Prefeito.

Conselhos e Representações: Preside o Conselho Municipal de Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (COMCITI) de Senador Canedo, atua no Conselho Municipal de Direitos Humanos e integra o Conselho de Administração da Companhia Metropolitana de Transportes Coletivos (CMTC) da Região Metropolitana de Goiânia.

Outras Experiências: Já atuou como Auxiliar Parlamentar Sênior no Senado Federal e como instrutor do Pronatec no curso de Assistente Administrativo.

🎓 Formação Acadêmica
Possui especializações do tipo Lato Sensu em Gestão em Saúde pela Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) e em Public Health pela Universidade de São Paulo (USP).

Lucas Paulo Garcia Rodovalho é gestor público, atualmente ocupando o cargo de Secretário Municipal de Inovação Tecnológica (SITEC) na Prefeitura de Senador Canedo, no estado de Goiás. 📌 Trajetória Profissional e Atuação Gestão Pública em Senador... Show more

Ashley is an IT consultant, system and software architect, business analyst, as well as a disruptive startup and AI specialist and coach. He helps organisations with enterprise software systems, applications, innovation, and AI use by staff and systems.

His software consulting company is Running Code Productions: https://www.runningcode.com.au

His startup and innovation consulting company is Innovately: https://www.innovately.com.au

He has a PhD in Computer Science & Software Engineering from UNSW and expertise in CQRS/ES, backend and frontend development, cloud deployment, and Artificial Intelligence. His PhD was on how the understanding how the brain works may help us to build more intelligent software systems.

He is an evangelist for the Lean Startup (Eric Ries) with Customer Development (Steve Blank) approaches to startup and corporate innovation and runs the Lean Startup Perth meetup. He has completed the Founder Institute, Curtin Accelerate, Edutech startup accelerators.

Ashley has co-founded three tech startups (sadly unsuccessful so far) and two consulting and professional training businesses (see above or on the web) His latest startup is the Lean Explorers Club, which you can check out at https://leanexplorers.club

Ashley is an IT consultant, system and software architect, business analyst, as well as a disruptive startup and AI specialist and coach. He helps organisations with enterprise software systems, applications, innovation, and AI use by staff and syst... Show more

Investigador especializado en CTI con experiencia en análisis de amenazas cibernéticas. Ha trabajado para el sector público y privado en proyectos de ciberseguridad, integración de CTI y adopción de IA. Posee experiencia en buenas prácticas, guías, normas y estándares internacionales de ciberseguridad y CTI, incluyendo, pero no limitándose a, MITRE ATT&CK y D3FEND. También desarrolló actividades como docente e instructor en FFSS, docente en universidades (UNLP, Siglo 21, UGR y USI), y ha participado como speaker en eventos como COIPREF 2025 y Córdoba Cybersecurity Conference 2026.

Investigador especializado en CTI con experiencia en análisis de amenazas cibernéticas. Ha trabajado para el sector público y privado en proyectos de ciberseguridad, integración de CTI y adopción de IA. Posee experiencia en buenas prácticas, guías, n... Show more

I combine execution, people-first leadership, and structured thinking to build scalable educational and community-driven projects. My background spans IT and entrepreneurship, giving me a unique perspective on building sustainable ventures.
QA Tester, Community Builder in Iasi and Bucharest, Entrepreneur or Mentor- many hats, same person.

I’m particularly interested in projects at the intersection of education, technology, and human connection.

I combine execution, people-first leadership, and structured thinking to build scalable educational and community-driven projects. My background spans IT and entrepreneurship, giving me a unique perspective on building sustainable ventures. QA Test... Show more

Catherine Okonkwo is a Nigerian writer, researcher, speaker and media creator, and the founder of Still Becoming™. Her work explores youth development, identity, personal growth, education and social impact. She is an active committee member of the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Research (ICAIR) since 2024, where she has contributed to academic research review and served as a Keynote Chair/Track Chair.

Catherine is also the author of five books: Still Becoming, Unrushed: The Art of Growing at Your Own Pace, Seven Days Emotional Guide to Step into Your Becoming, The Anatomy of a Changemaker, and Paradox. She has published 15+ articles and has experience in public speaking, research, writing, podcasting and youth-focused media. Through her work, she creates conversations that encourage young people to develop self-awareness, think critically, discover purpose and participate meaningfully in society.

Catherine Okonkwo is a Nigerian writer, researcher, speaker and media creator, and the founder of Still Becoming™. Her work explores youth development, identity, personal growth, education and social impact. She is an active committee member of the I... Show more

Heather McDaniel is a speaker, writer, and organizational consultant based in Spain. She writes and speaks about how people work, lead, decide, learn, and create together.

Her perspective draws on a 28-year career spanning communication, operations, consulting, learning, and facilitation, including work with international and distributed teams across Europe and North America.

She works with leadership teams on organizational readiness, leadership alignment, decision-making, and how people work together through change. Her current work also includes using training and communication expertise to improve AI models for a leading AI lab, and she is Microsoft Certified as an AI Transformation Leader.

Heather also works in adult learning and Erasmus+ partnerships across Europe, designing and facilitating learning experiences for international and cross-cultural groups.

She writes Letters From the Joyful Rebellion, a personal column about the things she notices, the questions she keeps coming back to, and what they show us about the way we live.

Her speaking brings together practical organizational experience, systems thinking, curiosity, and a longstanding interest in power, language, culture, technology, and how people make sense of change.

She is based in Cullera, Valencia, Spain, and is available for talks, workshops, panels, and facilitated learning across Europe and North America, in person or virtually.

Heather McDaniel is a speaker, writer, and organizational consultant based in Spain. She writes and speaks about how people work, lead, decide, learn, and create together. Her perspective draws on a 28-year career spanning communication, operation... Show more