Filip is a founder and maintainer of several popular open source projects, author and a Microsoft Quantum MVP. He specializes in language tools, the Roslyn compiler and quantum computing. Filip is based in Zürich where he works in a medical industry. You can follow him on Twitter @filip_woj.

Filip is a founder and maintainer of several popular open source projects, author and a Microsoft Quantum MVP. He specializes in language tools, the Roslyn compiler and quantum computing. Filip is based in Zürich where he works in a medical industry.... Show more

I'm David Aniebo, a software development engineer interested in product quality, tooling, automation, and developer operations. I specialize in building scalable, high-performing, sustainable software solutions that consistently exceed business and user expectations.

I enjoy sharing insights with the developer community through speaking engagements and workshops.

I'm David Aniebo, a software development engineer interested in product quality, tooling, automation, and developer operations. I specialize in building scalable, high-performing, sustainable software solutions that consistently exceed business and u... Show more

Karishma Verma is an accomplished Engineering Leader with 12+ years of progressive experience delivering zero-to-one products, building high-performance engineering teams, and driving industry-defining innovations. Based in the United States, she brings a track record of scaling distributed systems and expanding products from concept to national and global launch across diverse sectors, including Automotive, Advertising, Healthcare Tech, eCommerce, Telecom, and Research.
Currently at Amazon as a Software Development Manager, Karishma leads engineering initiatives that reshape entire industries. She pioneered Amazon Autos, the company's first full digital vehicle purchasing platform, scaling it from a single OEM to multiple manufacturers while expanding coverage to new, used, and certified pre-owned vehicles. She also spearheaded the Sell My Car offering, enabling seamless online vehicle transactions. Additionally, Karishma drove the launch of Amazon's Physical Stores Advertising platform, deploying digital signage ads across 580+ stores with over 11,000 active screens, reaching millions of customers globally.
Before Amazon, Karishma spent five years at Chewy, where she directed the Order Management Services team and oversaw the delivery of critical offerings, including Autoship, Chewy Pharmacy, compounded prescriptions, and Connect-with-a-Vet features, supporting over 20 million customers and 15 million monthly orders.
Her expertise encompasses engineering leadership and organizational building, scalable distributed systems, product strategy and roadmapping, cloud architecture, and machine learning-driven experiences. Karishma is skilled at developing talent, shaping product vision, and executing complex roadmaps with global cross-functional stakeholders. She excels at fostering multi-organizational alignment and driving high-impact delivery in complex, fast-paced environments.
A Bachelor of Engineering graduate from Sardar Patel University, Karishma is fluent in English, Hindi, and Gujarati. Her combination of technical excellence, strategic vision, and proven ability to build world-class teams makes her a valuable leader in transforming ambitious ideas into scalable, customer-centric solutions.

Karishma Verma is an accomplished Engineering Leader with 12+ years of progressive experience delivering zero-to-one products, building high-performance engineering teams, and driving industry-defining innovations. Based in the United States, she bri... Show more

Deepti Mittal is a Principal Software Engineer at Mimecast with deep expertise in AI development, distributed systems, observability, scalability, and system architecture. Drawing on experience across healthcare, retail, and finance, she excels at building resilient, scalable solutions tailored to diverse business needs. Currently, they are exploring innovative ways to leverage Generative AI for enhancing everyday engineering and system resilience. A passionate technologist and blogger, Deepti Mittal is known for demystifying complex system internals and sharing practical insights. Their sessions blend technical depth with real-world lessons, empowering teams to build smarter, more scalable systems

Deepti Mittal is a Principal Software Engineer at Mimecast with deep expertise in AI development, distributed systems, observability, scalability, and system architecture. Drawing on experience across healthcare, retail, and finance, she excels at bu... Show more

John Feminella is an avid technologist, occasional public speaker, and curiosity advocate. He helps enterprises transform the way they write, operate, and deploy software so that their businesses and people can be more effective. Before that, he led technology organizations at Pivotal, VMware, and ThoughtWorks; helped build the world's largest database of pollutants and air emissions; and authored a distributed-sensor technology.

John lives in Charlottesville, VA and likes meta-jokes, milkshakes, and referring to himself in the third person in speaker bios.

John Feminella is an avid technologist, occasional public speaker, and curiosity advocate. He helps enterprises transform the way they write, operate, and deploy software so that their businesses and people can be more effective. Before that, he led ... Show more

Sai Turlapati is a Microsoft MVP, specializing in Microsoft AI/Copilot, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform. A certified PMP, TOGAF, and Dynamics 365 Sales & Customer Service professional, he actively contributes to the community and authors the weekly “Enterprise AI Digest.”

Sai Turlapati is a Microsoft MVP, specializing in Microsoft AI/Copilot, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform. A certified PMP, TOGAF, and Dynamics 365 Sales & Customer Service professional, he actively contributes to the community and authors the weekly “... Show more

Saravanan Raj is a Senior Product Manager specializing in AI-driven automation, cloud-scale platforms, and mission-critical enterprise systems. At Axon, he leads product vision and strategy for developing next-generation body-worn video solutions that enhance safety and real-time intelligence for retail and healthcare frontline teams.
Previously at Microsoft, Saravanan led major advancements in Azure’s Incident Automation Platform, automating millions of incidents annually and significantly reducing on-call engineering burden. He defined the platform’s AI-first vision and delivered GenAI-powered diagnostics that produced substantial operational savings. He also drove the evolution of Microsoft’s Incident Management and ChatOps experiences, authored the Azure Outage Handbook, and improved critical incident workflows through machine learning and process redesign.
Earlier in his career, Saravanan delivered high-impact retail and commerce innovations within Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Retail Stores, launching omni-channel experiences and supply chain improvements that drove revenue and operational efficiency.
He holds an MBA from Willamette University and a Bachelor’s in Information Technology from PSG College of Technology. Saravanan brings a strong track record of translating complex technical challenges into scalable, AI-enhanced solutions that improve reliability and business performance.

Saravanan Raj is a Senior Product Manager specializing in AI-driven automation, cloud-scale platforms, and mission-critical enterprise systems. At Axon, he leads product vision and strategy for developing next-generation body-worn video solutions tha... Show more

Sai Sravan Cherukuri is a visionary technology leader, DevSecOps Technical Advisor, PaaS Automation Lead, and Program Manager at a U.S. federal agency. With over 20 years of experience in federal IT transformation, he is a recognized expert in DevSecOps, FinOps, AI governance, CMMC readiness, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), open-source advocacy, and Policy as Code (PaC). He is the creator of the FIBER AI Maturity Model and contributes as a member to the national AI safety initiatives through NIST’s U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute Consortium.
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Sai Sravan, an IRS Commissioner’s 2024 Award recipient, has led enterprise-scale automation, modernization, and capacity planning initiatives that deliver measurable results. He serves on the Board of Directors at TMMi America and is a dedicated community mentor and volunteer.
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As a Platform Engineer and Open-source advocate, Sai is committed to advancing accessibility in engineering and inclusivity in the community. He is a strong proponent of the "Docs-as-Code" movement, maintaining that long-term project sustainability relies on clear documentation and automated CI/CD pipelines that lower barriers for contributors. Currently, he is bridging the gap between agentic workflows and cloud-native standards; as an active explorer of the Model Context Protocol (MCP), he utilizes OpenTelemetry to build open-source AI observability frameworks, enabling the scaling of reliable, self-service agents.

Sai Sravan currently serves as the program lead for the application team, spearheading the institutionalization of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) through Terraform practices.

Sai Sravan Cherukuri is a visionary technology leader, DevSecOps Technical Advisor, PaaS Automation Lead, and Program Manager at a U.S. federal agency. With over 20 years of experience in federal IT transformation, he is a recognized expert in DevSec... Show more

Yael is a distinguished AI leader with a specialization in cybersecurity, shaped by her 8-year tenure in the Israeli defense forces. Her foundational experience equipped her with invaluable skills that led to her spearheading various R&D AI initiatives. Her leadership left a significant mark in both the defense forces and the private sector, notably contributing to the growth and success of a company that was later acquired for $600 million.
An accomplished strategist, Yael brings a unique blend of hands-on experience, strategic insight, and a proven track record of steering organizations towards data-driven excellence. With a wealth of experience spanning various industries, Yael serves as a trusted advisor and leader, guiding businesses across sectors to establish and manage highly successful AI ventures.

Yael is a distinguished AI leader with a specialization in cybersecurity, shaped by her 8-year tenure in the Israeli defense forces. Her foundational experience equipped her with invaluable skills that led to her spearheading various R&D AI initiativ... Show more

Kerry Ehikioya is a senior software engineer with experience building digital infrastructure for healthcare in Africa. She drives engineering efforts at Helium Health, focused on AI-powered applications for healthcare. Previously, she's contributed to product engineering at Spoke.AI (acquired by Salesforce). Kerry is an active public speaker, regularly sharing insights on AI developer productivity tools, Web AI, and AI in Healthcare. She co-organizes CityJS Lagos and is a volunteer mentor at Nexus Tech Community Initiative.

Kerry Ehikioya is a senior software engineer with experience building digital infrastructure for healthcare in Africa. She drives engineering efforts at Helium Health, focused on AI-powered applications for healthcare. Previously, she's contributed t... Show more

With over 15 years of experience, I have led teams in creating advanced AI systems across various sectors. In the P&C industry, I developed vision-based systems and NLP models to automate property reviews and predict home outcomes. My work in the Automotive, Payroll & HR, Financial, Telecom, Music, and Retail industries includes building predictive models using machine learning, implementing advanced vision modeling, and developing automation solutions to enhance efficiency and accuracy.

With over 15 years of experience, I have led teams in creating advanced AI systems across various sectors. In the P&C industry, I developed vision-based systems and NLP models to automate property reviews and predict home outcomes. My work in the Aut... Show more

I am a software developer and data engineer specializing in large-scale ETL systems and healthcare data integration. With over a decade of experience in PHP, PostgreSQL, and enterprise data workflows, I bridge legacy architectures with modern, automated solutions that improve reliability and transparency. My talks focus on practical engineering—what really works when moving complex data at scale and finally delivering something impactful at the end.

I am a software developer and data engineer specializing in large-scale ETL systems and healthcare data integration. With over a decade of experience in PHP, PostgreSQL, and enterprise data workflows, I bridge legacy architectures with modern, automa... Show more

Michael Allison, is a U.S. Marine Purple Heart Veteran, award-winning entrepreneur, best-selling author, and international keynote speaker. A globally recognized expert in identity-driven leadership and organizational resilience, Michael transforms adversity into strategic advantage. Over two decades, he has led Marines in combat, managed multi-million-dollar government projects, directed higher-ed programs, and scaled an INC 5000 franchise to successful exit. Michael equips leaders and teams to break internal limitations, guard energy, and thrive under pressure. His signature frameworks—Break The Bottle and Protect The House—blend combat-tested leadership, trauma-informed coaching, and enterprise execution discipline. Michael has delivered transformational keynotes, workshops, and consulting for world-class organizations globally. He empowers professionals to align technical brilliance with human resilience and lead with clarity, creativity, and conviction.

Michael Allison, is a U.S. Marine Purple Heart Veteran, award-winning entrepreneur, best-selling author, and international keynote speaker. A globally recognized expert in identity-driven leadership and organizational resilience, Michael transforms a... Show more

Machine Learning Practitioner and Community Strategist dedicated to driving Nigeria’s tech ecosystem. Formerly sevred as a Campus Lead for Google Developers Group (GDG) and a Campus Strategist for Perplexity AI, she has championed "permissionless leadership," growing her local developer community with active members.

Praise combines technical expertise with grassroots impact. Trained with Nigeria's premier AI organization, she has worked on building AI tools for healthcare and education, focusing on bridging the gap between global technology and local application.

She is on a mission to prove that world-class innovation happens in Africa, not just is imported to it. Praise believes the next generation of African leaders won't just use AI—they will shape it.

Machine Learning Practitioner and Community Strategist dedicated to driving Nigeria’s tech ecosystem. Formerly sevred as a Campus Lead for Google Developers Group (GDG) and a Campus Strategist for Perplexity AI, she has championed "permissionless lea... Show more

With over 20 years of experience in data analytics and corporate performance management, I have consistently driven value through data-driven insights. My journey began in the dynamic field of data analytics, where I honed my skills in extracting meaningful patterns from complex datasets. Throughout my career, I’ve contributed to various industries, but my recent focus has been on the health insurance sector in Switzerland.

Key Highlights:

Data Analytics Expertise: Over the past two decades, I’ve navigated the ever-evolving landscape of data analytics. From statistical modeling to machine learning, I’ve leveraged cutting-edge techniques to uncover actionable insights.

Corporate Performance Management: As a seasoned professional, I’ve played a pivotal role in optimizing organizational performance. Whether it’s streamlining processes, enhancing efficiency, or aligning strategic goals, I’ve been at the forefront of driving positive change.

Health Insurance Industry: For the last four years, I’ve been part of a leading health insurance company in Switzerland. In this role, I’ve contributed to critical areas such as claims processing, risk evaluation, and customer experience. My expertise has helped improve accuracy, streamline operations, and enhance decision-making within the insurance domain.

Team Leadership: As the team leader of the data platform, I’ve fostered collaboration, innovation, and excellence. Guiding a talented group of professionals, I’ve overseen the development of robust data infrastructure, ensuring seamless data flow and accessibility.

Vision for the Future:

Looking ahead, I’m committed to staying at the forefront of data and analytics advancements. Whether it’s harnessing the power of AI, exploring predictive modeling, or driving digital transformation, I remain passionate about shaping the future of data-driven decision-making.

With over 20 years of experience in data analytics and corporate performance management, I have consistently driven value through data-driven insights. My journey began in the dynamic field of data analytics, where I honed my skills in extracting mea... Show more

As the Program Manager for Eclipse Adoptium, Carmen brings a wealth of experience in project, operations, and financial management across various industries to help Adoptium working group members achieve their goals and objectives. Her background includes successful terms in healthcare, pharma, fintech, and tech startups. Additionally, She actively contributes to Step4ward, a mentoring program in Spain, demonstrating her commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the tech world.

As the Program Manager for Eclipse Adoptium, Carmen brings a wealth of experience in project, operations, and financial management across various industries to help Adoptium working group members achieve their goals and objectives. Her background inc... Show more

Megan is a career fundraiser with 20+ years international experience. Delivering growth strategies, programs and leading teams. Extensive experience in capital and capacity campaigns, mega and major gifts, bequests, partnerships, community and events fundraising.

Megan is a career fundraiser with 20+ years international experience. Delivering growth strategies, programs and leading teams. Extensive experience in capital and capacity campaigns, mega and major gifts, bequests, partnerships, community and events... Show more

Neeraj Gaddam is an accomplished Senior Software Engineering Manager and Principal Architect specializing in enterprise-scale healthcare technology systems. With extensive experience in designing and delivering complex, high-volume platforms, Neeraj has established himself as a strategic technology leader who bridges deep technical expertise with a clear understanding of business and regulatory imperatives. His leadership has been instrumental in developing and modernizing healthcare systems that are scalable, secure, and compliant with stringent industry standards.
At Cigna, Neeraj serves as a key architect and engineering leader behind several enterprise-grade platforms, including the RxProcessing system a cloud-native, event-driven solution that transformed the company’s prescription management operations. By employing microservices architecture, Apache Kafka streaming, and advanced integration techniques, he successfully enabled real-time, low-latency processing of healthcare transactions. He also led the creation of Rx360, a unified prescription lifecycle visualization tool that improved workflow transparency, service reliability, and patient care coordination across multiple systems.
Neeraj’s innovative mindset extends to workflow automation and process optimization. He architected SLA-driven orchestration frameworks and automated outreach mechanisms that significantly enhanced operational efficiency and compliance performance. His work on large-scale platform integrations such as unifying RxHome delivery, CRM, and claims modules eliminated system silos, improved data accuracy, and streamlined patient service operations.
Throughout his career, Neeraj has maintained a strong commitment to security and compliance, implementing robust measures for encryption, auditability, and HIPAA adherence across all solutions. His architecture and governance leadership have consistently ensured audit success and full traceability of protected health information.
A certified Pega Lead System Architect (CLSA), Neeraj has deep expertise in BPM platforms, cloud-native development, and real-time event-driven architecture. He has led and mentored diverse global engineering teams, driving collaboration, innovation, and on-time delivery of mission-critical healthcare solutions.
Neeraj holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Houston Clear Lake and a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science from JNTU Hyderabad. His career reflects a sustained record of innovation, technical excellence, and leadership in advancing the digital transformation of healthcare technology.

Neeraj Gaddam is an accomplished Senior Software Engineering Manager and Principal Architect specializing in enterprise-scale healthcare technology systems. With extensive experience in designing and delivering complex, high-volume platforms, Neeraj ... Show more

Data Analytics Solution Engineer with Microsoft. Specializing in analytic workloads with Microsoft Fabric, Azure SQL, Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Databricks

Data Analytics Solution Engineer with Microsoft. Specializing in analytic workloads with Microsoft Fabric, Azure SQL, Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Databricks Show more

Xinjiang Shao is a Principal Software Engineer at The Aspen Group, where he works on large-scale healthcare digital platforms spanning patient scheduling, analytics, and compliance-sensitive web experiences. His work focuses on building production-ready systems that bridge modern AI capabilities with existing enterprise and healthcare infrastructure.

Xinjiang Shao is a Principal Software Engineer at The Aspen Group, where he works on large-scale healthcare digital platforms spanning patient scheduling, analytics, and compliance-sensitive web experiences. His work focuses on building production-re... Show more

Mena Cárdenas is an international Keynote speaker, Master Mindset & Results Coach, recognized by Yahoo Finance as one of the Top 10 Mentors to Follow in 2021.

At 17, Mena Cárdenas arrived in Canada as a refugee - without money, without speaking English, and with the emotional weight of fleeing terrorist attacks that devastated her family in Colombia. What could have been the end of her story became the beginning of an extraordinary transformation.

Fueled by resilience and relentless ambition, Mena rebuilt her life from the ground up. She became a manager at one of Canada’s largest banks, competed in a bodybuilding competition, and checked off every traditional marker of success. But behind the accolades, she felt empty - disconnected from herself and her deeper purpose.

That awakening led her on a new journey - not of chasing success, but of becoming the version of herself who could sustain it with fulfillment.

Mena Cárdenas is an international Keynote speaker, Master Mindset & Results Coach, recognized by Yahoo Finance as one of the Top 10 Mentors to Follow in 2021. At 17, Mena Cárdenas arrived in Canada as a refugee - without money, without speaking En... Show more

Lokesh Karanam is a Staff Software Engineer specializing in Machine Learning Systems for Regulated Cloud Data Platforms and Generative AI Operations, backed by over five years of industry experience. He currently works at RR Donnelley (Austin, TX) and previously held a role as a Software Development Engineer at Amazon Web Services.
His educational background includes an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Missouri.
Lokesh's career highlights feature significant original technical contributions, such as developing a large-scale, privacy-compliance deletion platform and implementing solutions that drove substantial cloud cost savings and platform efficiencies. He also led an AI marketing platform project with a pending patent. His scholarly contributions include multiple peer-reviewed publications in prestigious conferences like IEEE DeSE and AMIA, covering advanced topics from Intrusion Detection using deep learning to Continuous Anticipation of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in the ICU. Lokesh's contributions have earned him recognition, including the Diamond Award and service as a Session Chair at the IEOM conference.

Lokesh Karanam is a Staff Software Engineer specializing in Machine Learning Systems for Regulated Cloud Data Platforms and Generative AI Operations, backed by over five years of industry experience. He currently works at RR Donnelley (Austin, TX) an... Show more

Annie Phan is a data and AI leader transforming how modern enterprises scale impact through data analytics, AI/ML innovation, and digital operations.
At Diligent Corporation, she serves as Head AI Solution Architect, driving enterprise-wide AI transformation across Sales, Marketing, Legal, and Finance. Annie leads the design and deployment of secure, AI-powered solutions built to automate complex knowledge retrieval and workflows. Her work focuses on architecting scalable AI stacks, ensuring responsible deployment within a governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) context, and integrating AI into core enterprise systems to drive measurable business outcomes.
At Fanatics Collectibles, she led one of the company’s most ambitious digital transformation programs, owning product strategy and delivery for dozens of AI/ML applications supporting hundreds of users across design, production, and business operations. Her work spans cross-functional stakeholder management, agile delivery, generative AI onboarding tooling, and KPI design—driving widespread adoption and lasting operational change.
Previously, Annie served as a Data & AI expert at McKinsey & Company, helping clients in real estate, healthcare, and consumer sectors unlock substantial business value. She led McKinsey’s Advanced Industries AI & Analytics Squad, building capabilities across hundreds of client engagements, and drove global go-to-market execution for Rewired: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI, reaching thousands of executives across dozens of countries.
Annie is a Founding Member of the AI Think Tank, an international community advancing AI thought leadership and innovation, a member of the Forbes Business Council, recognized for her contributions to technology leadership, and a member of Hackathon Raptors—a prestigious community of seasoned experts and leaders in the field of technology and AI dedicated to advancing innovation and impactful solutions. She is a published thought leader with articles on data talent, analytics translation, governance, and AI-driven change management featured in Forbes, HackerNoon, and DZone. Annie serves as a judge for global tech awards, including Globee Awards and Business Intelligence Group, and speaks frequently on data and AI strategy at industry events and universities, including Brown University.
Annie holds a Master’s in Data Science and a Bachelor’s in Economics & Development Studies from Brown University, graduating magna cum laude. She is fluent in English, Vietnamese, and Spanish.

Annie Phan is a data and AI leader transforming how modern enterprises scale impact through data analytics, AI/ML innovation, and digital operations. At Diligent Corporation, she serves as Head AI Solution Architect, driving enterprise-wide AI trans... Show more

Software engineer focused on boosting developer productivity with generative AI. Actively engaged in tech communities and passionate about sharing knowledge.

Software engineer focused on boosting developer productivity with generative AI. Actively engaged in tech communities and passionate about sharing knowledge. Show more

Gaming, reading, going to the gym or working on solving stuff that annoy me are the things I usually do in my life. I love to listen to the heavy metals, and most importantly, I love to take everything not super serious. Life is short, have fun!

I have written several apps for myself. The one I’m most proud of is AltoThought because mental health has a special place in my heart.

Gaming, reading, going to the gym or working on solving stuff that annoy me are the things I usually do in my life. I love to listen to the heavy metals, and most importantly, I love to take everything not super serious. Life is short, have fun! I... Show more

I'm a curious and driven student working at the intersection of computational science and scientific research to share my ideas with the world. A recent high school graduate from Nusrat Senior Secondary School with some BIG tech wins under my belt.

Currently, I’m a Data Science Intern at the Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia (MRCG), part of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where I’m working on computer vision projects and sharpening my skills under the mentorship of experienced researchers and supervisors. Before this, I served as the Lead AI and Machine Learning Intern at Obentas Global Technology Company, where I worked on deepfake detection and ethical AI development.

My love for tech started early. I found myself asking big, sometimes existential questions about how computational methods can be used to solve everyday problems. This passion led me into the world of web development and machine learning, and I soon realized I could use these skills to build real-world solutions that matter.

While still in high school, I launched tech- and research-based initiatives to tackle local issues. One of my proudest moments was publishing a research paper titled Lowel AI: Using Machine Learning Algorithms and BLA Sensors to Detect Harmful Bacteria in Water—an AI-based solution to water safety challenges. I’m also the founder of StemBia, an initiative aimed at solving real challenges in The Gambia using AI, engineering, and computational science.

At Nusrat, I led the ICT Club as both President and lead instructor during the 2023/2024 academic year, mentoring peers and organizing tech events.

Outside of work and school, I run a YouTube channel called CBJtech, where I create content on programming, AI, and navigating tech as a student in Africa. It’s my small way of giving back and helping others grow in tech too.

When I’m not coding, working on a research project, or editing a tech video, I enjoy playing sports, spending time with family, or eating way too much chocolate. I currently reside in The Gambia.

I'm a curious and driven student working at the intersection of computational science and scientific research to share my ideas with the world. A recent high school graduate from Nusrat Senior Secondary School with some BIG tech wins under my belt. ... Show more

Jared Casner is the cofounder of Blacksmith InfoSec, where he helps MSPs and SMBs build audit-ready security programs without enterprise budgets. He has been building secure software for more than 25 years. For the past 15 years, he’s led software and cybersecurity at Silicon Valley startups, primarily in govtech, healthtech, and fintech. He earned a BS in Computer Science from the University of Denver and an MBA from the University of Colorado. Jared is the coauthor of Forging Trust, creator of multiple open-source compliance tools, and cohost of the “Get NIST-y” podcast.

Jared Casner is the cofounder of Blacksmith InfoSec, where he helps MSPs and SMBs build audit-ready security programs without enterprise budgets. He has been building secure software for more than 25 years. For the past 15 years, he’s led software an... Show more

Ilona Pietrzak, I’m a go-to agile enthusiast working as a Scrum Master! When I’m not diving into sprints, you’ll find me bringing some serious energy to training programs. With a background in medicine and a deep love for understanding how our brains work, I blend my knowledge into creating training programs that are not only educational but downright engaging. I’m a certified trainer „Training from the Back of the Room”, and fun fact – I’m currently geeking out on neurodidactics studies, adding more brainpower to my toolkit. Excited to share the agile wisdom and make learning a blast!

Ilona Pietrzak, I’m a go-to agile enthusiast working as a Scrum Master! When I’m not diving into sprints, you’ll find me bringing some serious energy to training programs. With a background in medicine and a deep love for understanding how our brains... Show more

Lakshmi Priya Gopalsamy is a senior engineering leader with deep expertise in full-stack systems, distributed platforms, and enterprise technology. She is known for translating complex technical challenges into scalable, reliable solutions while building inclusive, high-trust engineering cultures. Her leadership approach centers on clarity, collaboration, and resilience, particularly in environments marked by ambiguity and rapid change.
In her current role as a Senior Engineering Manager at Target, Lakshmi leads cross-functional teams responsible for mission-critical digital commerce, data, and production engineering platforms. Her work spans large-scale enterprise systems supporting business-to-business commerce, real-time payment authorization, data platforms, and developer experience tooling. She partners closely with product, architecture, security, and business stakeholders to align technical strategy with long-term organizational goals, while maintaining a strong focus on reliability, security, and operational excellence.
Lakshmi has extensive experience designing and governing distributed systems, event-driven architectures, and cloud native platforms. She has led modernization initiatives, platform migrations, and architectural re-designs that improve system resilience, observability, and developer productivity. Alongside technical strategy, she is deeply invested in mentoring engineers, developing leaders, and fostering environments where teams can thrive, take ownership, and continuously improve.
Before Target, Lakshmi held engineering leadership roles at Best Buy, where she built and scaled engineering organizations and led the development of enterprise product data platforms. Earlier in her career, she served as a technical lead across multiple industries, including financial services, telecommunications, healthcare analytics, and enterprise software, gaining a broad perspective on building reliable systems at scale.
Beyond her professional roles, Lakshmi is an active mentor, judge, and volunteer within the technology community. She supports STEM education, women in technology initiatives, small business technology programs, and leadership development efforts. Through her speaking engagements, Lakshmi shares practical insights on engineering leadership, platform reliability, inclusive team building, and navigating complexity in modern technology organizations.

Lakshmi Priya Gopalsamy is a senior engineering leader with deep expertise in full-stack systems, distributed platforms, and enterprise technology. She is known for translating complex technical challenges into scalable, reliable solutions while buil... Show more

With over a decade of experience spanning data engineering and cybersecurity, Niladri is a versatile and accomplished professional currently working at StoneX, 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 at StoneX, where he focuses on advancing cyber defence, observability, and secure data systems at sca... Show more