Paula Ramos holds a PhD in Computer Vision and Machine Learning, with over 20 years of experience in the technological field. She has been developing novel integrated engineering technologies, mainly in Computer Vision, robotics, and Machine Learning applied to agriculture, since the early 2000s in Colombia. During her PhD and Postdoctoral research, she deployed multiple low-cost, smart edge, and IoT computing technologies, such as those used by farmers, that can be operated without expertise in computer vision systems. The central objective of Paula’s research has been to develop intelligent systems and machines that can understand and recreate the visual world around us to address real-world needs, such as those in the agricultural industry.

Paula Ramos holds a PhD in Computer Vision and Machine Learning, with over 20 years of experience in the technological field. She has been developing novel integrated engineering technologies, mainly in Computer Vision, robotics, and Machine Learning... Show more

I’ve worked in IT for over 25 years with jobs in helpdesk, systems, SQL dev, data architecture, and management. The one thing all of these roles have in common is people. I love the technical and puzzle elements of the job, but people are a part of everyone’s journey. It has become my mission to find ways to bring the personal touch to everything I do. I am part of the Microsoft Certified Trainer Alumni program, I love teaching, and because of this I have been honored to speak at industry events and corporate training venues such as WebMD Academy, PASS Summit, SQL Saturday, and Spiceworks conferences.

I’ve worked in IT for over 25 years with jobs in helpdesk, systems, SQL dev, data architecture, and management. The one thing all of these roles have in common is people. I love the technical and puzzle elements of the job, but people are a part of e... Show more

Senior Full-Stack Engineer with 5+ years building cloud-native platforms in Biotech/Pharma - from event-driven microservices to Kubernetes-based data pipelines.

Senior Full-Stack Engineer with 5+ years building cloud-native platforms in Biotech/Pharma - from event-driven microservices to Kubernetes-based data pipelines. Show more

Professional Experience
More than 20 years of experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365
25 years of experience within different ERPs (SAP, Oracle Applications, Sage X3 and Dynamics 365)
University Invited Teacher
Career started in Portugal and moved to London 7 years ago
Different Roles in Consulting (Business Consultant, Functional Consultant, Project Manager, Programme Manager, Engagement Leader, Team Leader, Site Manager, Product Manager and Solution Architect)

Vertical Experience
Fashion, Food and Pharmaceutical (Retail and Manufacturing)
Real Estate

Some Personal
Food, Wine and Gin Lover
Runner (finished 4 marathons), Trekker (finished 10 ways of Camiño to Santiago), Padel and Bodyboarding

Professional Experience More than 20 years of experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 25 years of experience within different ERPs (SAP, Oracle Applications, Sage X3 and Dynamics 365) University Invited Teacher Career started in Portugal and move... Show more

Thirty years in development and still obsessed with learning, building, and sharing. I fell into Dynamics in 2011 and never looked back. My mission now? Help others see that being generous with knowledge doesn’t make you weaker—it makes the whole community stronger. We can share, collaborate, and still compete like pros. Friendly doesn’t mean soft—it means confident enough to help others rise too.

Thirty years in development and still obsessed with learning, building, and sharing. I fell into Dynamics in 2011 and never looked back. My mission now? Help others see that being generous with knowledge doesn’t make you weaker—it makes the whole com... Show more

Alex Basa is a Dojo Coach at Edward Jones that is building the dojo capability from the ground up. He has almost 20 years of experience in product delivery through a variety of agile frameworks. Alex helps companies transform at the team, enterprise and executive level. He comes from a developer background and has a passion for innovation, DevOps, people development, product discovery and transformation.

Alex Basa is a Dojo Coach at Edward Jones that is building the dojo capability from the ground up. He has almost 20 years of experience in product delivery through a variety of agile frameworks. Alex helps companies transform at the team, enterpri... Show more

Kristi is a recognized leader and sought-after speaker in Information Governance and Technology, known for driving innovation, compliance, and AI readiness and adoption. She has deep expertise in digital transformation, business process efficiency, and risk reduction.

Kristi has founded 2 non-profit organizations and actively works to support Women in Tech. She has over 25 years' expertise in the Microsoft ecosystem and is a Microsoft Partner. Since launching Paintrock Consulting in 2012, she has advised across Energy, Healthcare, Engineering, FinTech, Big Pharma, Telecommunications, Web3, and Legal Services industries.

Kristi is a recognized leader and sought-after speaker in Information Governance and Technology, known for driving innovation, compliance, and AI readiness and adoption. She has deep expertise in digital transformation, business process efficiency, a... Show more

As a Global Brand Builder and Product Leader, I specialize in deploying innovative marketing strategies tailored to startups and expansion-stage companies. With a proven track record in technology-driven industries, I have influenced over 12 domestic and global product launches, seamlessly accelerating brand performance through data-driven growth strategies. My professional experience spans Technology, Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology, Aesthetics, Manufacturing, Solar and Nuclear Energy, Healthcare, Legal, Retail, CPG, Cannabis/CBD, Supply Chain, Telecommunications, and Hospitality industries.

I excel at positioning domestic and global market campaigns for success by leveraging advanced analytics and customized brand strategies designed to optimize sales funnels and drive revenue growth. My expertise in digital marketing, growth hacking, and international business enables me to deliver flexible, tech-enabled solutions that meet specific client needs.

Driven by success, my integrated marketing initiatives utilize cutting-edge technology to achieve measurable results. Through rigorous client research and a deep understanding of target audiences, I deliver solutions that thrive in their intended markets, with a strategic focus on expanding business footprints. This approach enhances visibility, market share, and insights, promoting scalable growth and ensuring sustainable competitive advantage.

As a Global Brand Builder and Product Leader, I specialize in deploying innovative marketing strategies tailored to startups and expansion-stage companies. With a proven track record in technology-driven industries, I have influenced over 12 domestic... Show more

Leon Adato is a Developer Relations Advocate and has held multiple industry certifications over his 36 years in IT including Cisco, Microsoft, A+, and more. His experience spans financial, healthcare, food and beverage, and other industries.

Leon has been speaking, blogging, and creating content in the monitoring and observability space for almost a decade. His expertise in IT began in 1989 and has led him through roles in classroom training, desktop support, server support, network engineering and systems automation before landing in monitoring and observability over 27 years ago.

Leon Adato is a Developer Relations Advocate and has held multiple industry certifications over his 36 years in IT including Cisco, Microsoft, A+, and more. His experience spans financial, healthcare, food and beverage, and other industries. Leon ... Show more

Mo Salha, known as Mr.Mo, is a business developer and strategist working at the intersection of Web3, AI, and digital culture. He is Head of Business Development and Shareholder at theMiracle.io, a wallet native perks and rewards infrastructure integrated into MetaMask, Solflare and other leading wallets. Mo leads partnerships that help brands and projects reach high intent users inside the wallet experience, using privacy first wallet intelligence and on chain behavior clustering to deliver relevant perks and measurable actions, not generic ads.

Mo is also the Founder of AXS Agency, advising global brands like DIESEL, Maison Margiela, Jil Sander and others on Web3 strategy, community design, and digital innovation, including work across fashion and consumer culture. He is known for bridging Web2 decision makers with Web3 execution, translating complex topics into clear narratives and practical go to market plans.

Before Web3, Mo built his career across corporate leadership roles including Mercedes Benz and Vodafone, where he developed his foundation in commercial growth, operations, and team leadership.

Mo Salha, known as Mr.Mo, is a business developer and strategist working at the intersection of Web3, AI, and digital culture. He is Head of Business Development and Shareholder at theMiracle.io, a wallet native perks and rewards infrastructure integ... Show more

Robert is a talented, energetic, and insightful product-focused speaker focused on helping teams and organizations build great products and align on their best ways of working to build trust and accountability. He has spent 15 years in the IT field with a primary focus on product development, agile framework, and software quality within both startups and enterprise organizations spanning diverse industries including Automotive, Insurance, Finance, Healthcare and the Department of Defense. He currently serves as a Sr Principal Product professional at Discover + Capital One helping build and evolve innovative products to ensure a brighter financial future for their customers. He is a relentlessly optimistic, culture-first leader who unlocks elite performance by developing people, fostering trust, and placing success over ego.

Robert is a talented, energetic, and insightful product-focused speaker focused on helping teams and organizations build great products and align on their best ways of working to build trust and accountability. He has spent 15 years in the IT field w... Show more

Christoph Menzel is Head of Security Excellence at inovex. With more than 15 years of experience in software development, he combines practical developer expertise with security know-how from technical, strategic, and business perspectives.
His clear goal is to help organizations understand security not as a burden, but as an integral part of software development.
As a speaker, trainer, coach, and author, Christoph regularly shares his practical, field-tested knowledge. His hands-on mentality and focus on sustainable solutions make him a valuable partner for companies looking to take their software security to the next level.

Christoph Menzel is Head of Security Excellence at inovex. With more than 15 years of experience in software development, he combines practical developer expertise with security know-how from technical, strategic, and business perspectives. His clea... Show more

Lital Shalev is a co-founder and technology leader with twenty years of experience developing and scaling complex software products across multiple industries, including on-premise medical systems and cloud-based platforms. Her work spans a wide range of architectures and close collaboration with cross-functional teams.

She is about to complete a PhD in Information Systems, focusing on the use of deep learning methods applied to facial expression data to predict process mining task outcome. Lital brings together industry and research perspectives, with a strong focus on building inclusive, high-impact technology. She is an active advocate for diversity in tech, mentoring newcomers and promoting inclusive practices within the technology community.

Lital Shalev is a co-founder and technology leader with twenty years of experience developing and scaling complex software products across multiple industries, including on-premise medical systems and cloud-based platforms. Her work spans a wide rang... Show more

Markus and his teams have been working on Java IDE and database tools, frameworks as well as on various open-source projects for 20+ years. Markus is the CEO and founder of Cyrock.AI, Inc. which is the company behind the Eclipse open-source projects EclipseStore, Eclipse Serializer, and Eclipse Data Grid powering Cyrock.AI as the first vector database based on a microservices architecture. He is also the editor-in-chief for the free JAVAPRO magazine and the founder and co-organizer of the Java community conference series JCON. He is an independent editor for several magazines, and loves speaking at developer conferences and user groups around the world.

Markus and his teams have been working on Java IDE and database tools, frameworks as well as on various open-source projects for 20+ years. Markus is the CEO and founder of Cyrock.AI, Inc. which is the company behind the Eclipse open-source projects ... Show more

Irene Anggreeni is a TEDx speaker, mental fitness coach and strategic consultant, known for her dedication in empowering leaders and their teams towards sustainable success.

A lifelong learner, she graduated PhD in Industrial Design Engineering and clinical Master in Dance Movement Therapy before becoming a coach.

She brings a unique blend of analytical and creative approaches to leadership development. Originally from Indonesia, Irene now calls Rotterdam home, where she lives with her husband and their cat.

In her free time, she enjoys Argentinian tango and swimming. She's also a passionate Toastmaster where she keeps honing her storytelling skills.

Irene Anggreeni is a TEDx speaker, mental fitness coach and strategic consultant, known for her dedication in empowering leaders and their teams towards sustainable success. A lifelong learner, she graduated PhD in Industrial Design Engineering a... Show more

Winner of CHANNEL ASIA WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY 2023 award. As an AI/IoT specialist at Avanade, I lead advanced analytics with a focus on AI and IoT solutions across Southeast Asia. I have over 10 years of experience in strategy consulting, presales, technical architecture, and innovation for data and AI projects. I am also a Microsoft AI MVP ( three times) and a certified Azure AI Engineer.

I have hands-on expertise in generative AI, large language models, prompt engineering, model fine-tuning, and vector embeddings. I have successfully led the first enterprise integration of Gen AI in SEA, working with Azure Open AI, Vector db, LangChain, and other open source tools. I am passionate about solving complex business problems with AI, such as knowledge mining, sustainability, ethical AI, predictive analytics, hyper personalization, and intelligent decision support systems. I have also delivered AI/IoT solutions for various industry verticals and sectors, such as government, retail, energy, and FSI, using Azure Cognitive Services, Azure Digital Twins, Azure IoT Edge, and other cloud and edge computing technologies.

As a public speaker and a blogger, I enjoy sharing my insights and learnings on AI/ML topics, such as Generative AI, conversational AI, Azure AI, and ML.NET. I have spoken at Microsoft conferences and other technical events globally, and mentored and trained teams for AI hackathons and trainings. I am also involved in AI research and development, creating AI/ML accelerators, MLOps frameworks, and data science tooling. My mission is to help businesses grow and optimize their processes with AI/IoT, and to empower and inspire others to embrace the power and potential of AI.

Winner of CHANNEL ASIA WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY 2023 award. As an AI/IoT specialist at Avanade, I lead advanced analytics with a focus on AI and IoT solutions across Southeast Asia. I have over 10 years of experience in strategy consulting, presales, tech... Show more

Shannon’s background in global public health has shaped her commitment to community and accessibility, guiding her work leading Fabric Community Engagement at Microsoft. She loves helping people find their place in the data world—a journey that began when she first discovered the magic of Power Query, sparking a lasting enchantment with Microsoft BI tools. Now, whether she’s conjuring up data insights with the Workout Wednesday team, gathering with fellow data witches in user groups, or brewing up connections, Shannon’s focus is on making data feel less intimidating. She’s dedicated to building a welcoming community where data pros and newcomers alike can learn, grow, and connect—casting spells of empathy and connection to bring people together.

Shannon’s background in global public health has shaped her commitment to community and accessibility, guiding her work leading Fabric Community Engagement at Microsoft. She loves helping people find their place in the data world—a journey that began... Show more

Antonio is a seasoned Agile Coach with a wealth of experience in delivery management across the UK. With a foundation as a Java Developer early in his career, he excels in bridging communication gaps between development teams and business stakeholders. Having worked in diverse environments spanning three countries, Antonio has honed his ability to appreciate varying perspectives and cultivate cultural awareness
He usually speaks about Agile, DevOps and Mental Health across Europe and US.

Antonio is a seasoned Agile Coach with a wealth of experience in delivery management across the UK. With a foundation as a Java Developer early in his career, he excels in bridging communication gaps between development teams and business stakeholder... Show more

Sahil is an AI researcher and innovator with over three years of experience pioneering solutions in optimisation, safety, and responsible AI. His research on making large language models more self-aware and trustworthy includes over ten presentations at leading NLP venues such as NAACL, ACL, IASEAI and IEEE, showcasing new methods that reduce hallucinations by up to 20% and improve AI self-awareness by nearly 37% for safer responses. He has received over $7500 in fellowships and grants over the years for his impactful research.

Beyond his industrial work, Sahil loves bridging cutting-edge research with real-world impact, from designing an AI-powered geodatabase of 700,000 healthcare facilities that helps 1.4 billion people access emergency care in India to a fairness-driven AI algorithm for electoral boundary mapping to ensure free and fair elections. His experience as a guest researcher at TU Eindhoven and UC Irvine has shaped a truly global perspective on trustworthy and efficient AI design.

Driven by a vision to make AI safe, and impactful, Sahil continues to develop scalable frameworks that combine technical innovation with social responsibility ensuring AI systems serve humanity truthfully and with utmost safety.

Sahil is an AI researcher and innovator with over three years of experience pioneering solutions in optimisation, safety, and responsible AI. His research on making large language models more self-aware and trustworthy includes over ten presentations... Show more

I am a Senior Product Manager and AI Forward Deployed Engineer at Microsoft engaging deeply with strategic customers. I help executives and account teams translate business priorities into production‑ready agent scenarios, then drive the end‑to‑end motion—discovery, design, initial build, testing, deployment, and handoff—so outcomes land quickly and safely. My background spans architecture, solution design, and program leadership, with a focus on scaling no‑code/low‑code innovation safely—through stakeholder alignment, clear OKRs, and hands‑on workshops. I bring a unique perspective from a prior career in healthcare, which sharpened my empathy for front‑line users and my bias for practical, outcome‑driven solutions. My north star is enabling business users and IT to co‑create value with AI agents—securely, responsibly, and at scale.

I am a Senior Product Manager and AI Forward Deployed Engineer at Microsoft engaging deeply with strategic customers. I help executives and account teams translate business priorities into production‑ready agent scenarios, then drive the end‑to‑end m... Show more

Senior Developer Advocate @Microsoft, Google Developer Expert in Flutter & Dart with 14 years of experience in Web Technologies, Android, Flutter, HarmonyOS and Microsoft M365. I have worked for multinational firms in India, the Netherlands, and the USA.
I am a Women Techmakers Ambassador!, Youtuber (whatsupcoders), Mentor @MentorCruise, and Open-Source Community Builder.

Senior Developer Advocate @Microsoft, Google Developer Expert in Flutter & Dart with 14 years of experience in Web Technologies, Android, Flutter, HarmonyOS and Microsoft M365. I have worked for multinational firms in India, the Netherlands, and the ... Show more

Scott has developed Java, Groovy, Kotlin, Go, and Javascript applications for industries as varied as Financial, Defense, Health Care, Energy, Agriculture, Education and Commercial. Scott is also spends time shaping the culture of the Omaha office and career path coaching. Scott's favorite aspects of being a developer are solving problems, learning new technologies, and mentoring newer developers.

Scott has developed Java, Groovy, Kotlin, Go, and Javascript applications for industries as varied as Financial, Defense, Health Care, Energy, Agriculture, Education and Commercial. Scott is also spends time shaping the culture of the Omaha office an... Show more

I’m a strategist and systems thinker who helps organizations rethink how they build and live with technology, bridging the gap between innovation and execution with clarity, purpose, and just enough rebellion. My work focuses less on tools and more on how people and organizations think, especially as AI reshapes how work gets done.

I’ve led digital transformation and AI initiatives across government, healthcare, education, and enterprise environments, often in moments of ambiguity, constraint, and rapid change. I specialize in untangling complexity, surfacing hidden assumptions, and helping organizations design systems that can adapt, rather than break, the moment priorities shift.

In my talks, I blend systems strategy, organizational insight, and storytelling to challenge how we define “future-ready” technology. Because the real challenge with AI isn’t capability, it’s whether the systems we build can move with change, and whether humans are still allowed room for judgment, context, and evolution inside them.

I’m a strategist and systems thinker who helps organizations rethink how they build and live with technology, bridging the gap between innovation and execution with clarity, purpose, and just enough rebellion. My work focuses less on tools and more o... Show more

With 12+ years of experience, Gaurav is responsible for implementing client software solutions with the highest degree of quality and consistency. He has substantial experience in solving client problems by developing high-performance, maintainable, and reliable solutions and has got the opportunity to develop solutions for the Telecom, Medical, and Insurance industries. Gaurav is passionate about learning new technologies and implementing solutions for business problems. Outside of work, Gaurav runs a meetup group to be able to share his knowledge with the technology professionals and to learn more from them. Gaurav is a poet (writes mostly in his native language) and a happy son, husband and father.

At present, his responsibilities include:
- Managing a team of 8-10 people
- Proposing and designing solutions for business problems. (Lucid Charts, Plant UML)
- Participating in Azure DevOps activities (CI\CD, authoring IAC scripts to provision infrastructure on Azure)
- Participating in Backlog Refinement
- Writing User Stories
- Full Stack Application Development (Backend with AspNet Core C#, Front End with Angular)
- Splitting Monolithic application into Microservices.
- Code Reviews
- Ensuring best practices in development including Unit Testing, Logging, Audit Logging, Caching, SonarQube, Performance Testing, Code Readability, Integration Tests

With 12+ years of experience, Gaurav is responsible for implementing client software solutions with the highest degree of quality and consistency. He has substantial experience in solving client problems by developing high-performance, maintainable, ... Show more

Travis Smith is the Director of Engineering at Shift Interactive, a lead engineer on teams that build applications across healthcare, agriculture, insurance, and other industries. Over his 17+ year career, he's worked with organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to startups.

Travis is a passionate advocate for Test-Driven Development and Extreme Programming practices. He speaks regularly at Des Moines-area meetups and conferences, covering topics including DORA metrics implementation, branching strategies, delivering software extremely quickly, DevOps, Claude Code, and automated testing for AI features.

Based in the Des Moines metro, Travis is dedicated to helping engineers grow throughout the Midwest.

Travis Smith is the Director of Engineering at Shift Interactive, a lead engineer on teams that build applications across healthcare, agriculture, insurance, and other industries. Over his 17+ year career, he's worked with organizations ranging from ... Show more

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Siddhant is a Customer Success Engineer at Solo.io, and a Kubernetes enthusiast. He loves exploring different technologies and understanding their various use cases within the industry. He loves working with Kubernetes, Linux, and various DevOps-related tools. Apart from the technical exploits, he also enjoys focusing on physical and mental fitness and creating content around the same.

Siddhant is a Customer Success Engineer at Solo.io, and a Kubernetes enthusiast. He loves exploring different technologies and understanding their various use cases within the industry. He loves working with Kubernetes, Linux, and various DevOps-rela... Show more

With over a decade of experience spanning data engineering and cybersecurity, Niladri is a versatile and accomplished professional currently working as Lead Engineer - Thread Detection and Automation at StoneX Group, where he focuses on advancing cyber defence, observability, and secure data systems at scale. His career has included pivotal roles at leading global firms such as Cognizant, Eli Lilly, Accenture, and KPMG, where he has driven initiatives in eDiscovery, digital forensics, GRC, security engineering, and cloud observability.

Combining hands-on technical expertise with strategic vision, he brings a unique lens to solving complex problems at the intersection of data, threat operations, and governance. His recent work explores synthetic media abuse, deepfake detection, and the evolution of adversarial AI in enterprise environments.

With over a decade of experience spanning data engineering and cybersecurity, Niladri is a versatile and accomplished professional currently working as Lead Engineer - Thread Detection and Automation at StoneX Group, where he focuses on advancing cyb... Show more

Varsha Das loves helping developers bridge the gap between AI experimentation and production-ready services. After seven years as a backend engineer in healthcare and fintech, she shifted from being just a consumer to becoming a creator—writing Medium articles, producing YouTube videos, mentoring developers, and publishing her first e-book on Spring Boot. As a Developer Advocate for Java + AI at AWS, she focuses on translating enterprise Java complexity into digestible narratives through storytelling that transforms confusing concepts into "aha!" moments. Varsha believes most technical concepts aren't inherently complex—they're just poorly told stories waiting for better narrators. Outside of work, you'll find her cafe-hopping with a good book, pizza, and hot chocolate, or writing personal essays exploring neuroscience and psychology.

Varsha Das loves helping developers bridge the gap between AI experimentation and production-ready services. After seven years as a backend engineer in healthcare and fintech, she shifted from being just a consumer to becoming a creator—writing Mediu... Show more

Dr. Kelli Hill is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). Her teaching and research spans over a decade with workshops taught in local communities and higher education. In addition, Dr. Hill has worked for private and non-profit organizations on projects focusing on building self-efficacy through socialization, substance abuse prevention, mental health education, and gender-based health disparities.

Dr. Hill’s current studies center around the social impacts on adolescent development, which includes a broad study of parent—child socialization, self-efficacy, learned helplessness, and learning outcomes. Her goal is to bring awareness to more positive youth development and to create more resources for youth to improve their social and academic well-being.

Dr. Kelli Hill is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). Her teaching and research spans over a decade with workshops taught in local communities and higher education. In addition, Dr. Hill has worke... Show more