Daniela Petruzalek is a developer relations engineer at Google focused on Google Cloud Platform. Her specialisation is backend development and data engineering. She has previously worked at companies like JPMorgan, Oracle and ThoughtWorks. On her spare time she contributes to open source, plays video games and pets random cats on the streets.

Daniela Petruzalek is a developer relations engineer at Google focused on Google Cloud Platform. Her specialisation is backend development and data engineering. She has previously worked at companies like JPMorgan, Oracle and ThoughtWorks. On her spa... Show more

Elliott Mattice is the founder of Exprima Digital Consulting, where he advises organizations on scalable cybersecurity, GRC strategies, and geopolitical threat integration. With over 20 years of cross-sector experience in IT operations and cybersecurity, he has led enterprise programs across both civilian and defense contracting environments. Elliott brings a strategic, systems-level approach to helping organizations anticipate risk, align with regulatory expectations, and build resilient, threat-informed security practices.

Elliott Mattice is the founder of Exprima Digital Consulting, where he advises organizations on scalable cybersecurity, GRC strategies, and geopolitical threat integration. With over 20 years of cross-sector experience in IT operations and cybersecur... Show more

For Adam Adler, building a career has always been a gradual process, one shaped by steady learning, consistent effort, and a commitment to seeing projects through. Now based in Charleston as an entrepreneur and investor, he leads The Adler Fund, a private equity group investing in sustainable development, technology, real estate, and high-growth startups. His trajectory shows how experience across different fields can be combined into a thoughtful long-term vision.

Adam’s earliest foundation came from competitive tennis. As a young player, he trained at the Rick Macci Tennis Academy in South Florida, where structure and repetition were central to daily life. His dedication earned him a scholarship to the University of South Carolina, where he balanced the demands of NCAA athletics with a double major in Sports & Entertainment Management and Business. He graduated with honors in 2007. The expectations placed on him as a student-athlete helped shape his discipline, resilience, and ability to handle pressure, qualities he leaned on heavily in his later ventures.

Entrepreneurship first entered Adam’s life while he was still in college. At USC, he co-founded Ultimate Social Networking Inc. and Ultimate College Model, which became the first digitally native modeling network. These initial projects gave him an understanding of early-stage technology, online engagement, and the challenges of building communities in the digital space. They also sparked his interest in how emerging technologies could reshape traditional industries.

After completing college, Adam transitioned into the biotech space. He gathered a team of molecular scientists, including several who had previously served as biochemists at Merck and Amgen, to launch Fuse Science. The company built a 30k sq. ft. FDA- and cGMP-certified facility in Oxnard, California, which housed its headquarters and lab operations. As CEO, he oversaw the development of a nutrient delivery system that uses sublingual, buccal, and transdermal absorption to bypass digestion and enable faster nutrient uptake than capsules. During the company’s early phase, he self-funded operations, secured valuable intellectual property, and assembled a leadership group with Fortune 25 backgrounds. He then expanded the company’s visibility by partnering with distinguished athletes, including Tiger Woods, Andy Murray, David Ortiz, Jose Bautista, Tyson Chandler, Paul Pierce, Andre Ward, and Paul Rodriguez. With support from Daymond John, Fuse Science scaled rapidly, rising from an approximate valuation of $500k to more than $100M.

Alongside entrepreneurship, Adam built a presence in professional poker. Over the years, he reached several final tables at World Series of Poker events and achieved multiple deep runs in major World Poker Tour tournaments. His appearance at the televised final table of the 2022 WPT Championship demonstrated his ability to make disciplined, strategic decisions under high pressure. His experience in high-stakes cash games sharpened his risk assessment and patience, skills that closely reflect his investment philosophy.

The Adler Fund emerged from Adam’s desire to bring together his interests and experiences across multiple industries. Headquartered in Charleston, the firm invests in AI, real estate development, and emerging companies. As Managing Partner, he remains actively involved in evaluating opportunities, shaping strategies, and supporting founders.

In real estate, he focuses on sustainable development across the Lowcountry, emphasizing environmental responsibility, community value, and thoughtful design. In technology, he backs founders working on meaningful advancements in biotech, cyber, and child-focused education. One such investment is Wyzly, a learn-to-earn app where children earn screen time by completing educational challenges. The idea came from his 7-year-old daughter, Isla, and reflects Adam’s interest in healthier digital habits for families.

Adam’s leadership style is grounded in clarity, involvement, and purpose. Influenced early by observing his father’s success as a day trader, he learned the importance of resilience and disciplined decision-making.

As he looks ahead, Adam plans to continue expanding The Adler Fund’s work across real estate and technology, deepen partnerships with AI-driven companies, and support founders building ventures with long-term value. His focus remains on contributing to Charleston’s growth and helping shape projects that leave a lasting impact.

For Adam Adler, building a career has always been a gradual process, one shaped by steady learning, consistent effort, and a commitment to seeing projects through. Now based in Charleston as an entrepreneur and investor, he leads The Adler Fund, a pr... Show more

With over 19 years of experience in IT, I specialize in data engineering and database architecture for regulated industries. I design and manage secure, scalable, and compliant data platforms across on-premises, AWS, and Azure environments, leveraging technologies such as SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Aurora, Snowflake, Amazon Redshift, and Azure Synapse.

My work focuses on data integrity, security, and regulatory compliance, including advanced controls for GxP, HIPAA, and FDA 21 CFR Part 11. By combining strong governance with modern engineering practices, I help organizations transform complex data ecosystems into trusted, insight-driven platforms that support innovation, operational excellence, and digital transformation.

With over 19 years of experience in IT, I specialize in data engineering and database architecture for regulated industries. I design and manage secure, scalable, and compliant data platforms across on-premises, AWS, and Azure environments, leveragin... Show more

Over 20 years of experience in the Dynamics world. Currently leading implementation projects and delivery teams at Reach, where we focus on delivering and fixing Dynamics 365 implementations.

Over 20 years of experience in the Dynamics world. Currently leading implementation projects and delivery teams at Reach, where we focus on delivering and fixing Dynamics 365 implementations. Show more

Samson Okemakinde is an Engineering Manager with solid experience in IT consulting, systems architecture, and software development. He has led engineering teams, driven digital transformation initiatives, and delivered resilient, scalable solutions across fintech, health tech, and other technology-driven domains.

He is passionate about helping professionals and organizations harness technology for career growth and business success. Outside of work, Samson enjoys multimedia production, football, and reading.

Samson Okemakinde is an Engineering Manager with solid experience in IT consulting, systems architecture, and software development. He has led engineering teams, driven digital transformation initiatives, and delivered resilient, scalable solutions a... Show more

Alexandra Popa is the Founder of Clarity Layer, a boutique data strategy firm specializing in ethical AI, data governance, and organizational intelligence. With over 15 years of experience in analytics and data leadership, she helps companies—from fast-moving startups to established players—turn chaos into clarity.

Her speaking style blends thought-provoking insight with dry wit and practical advice. A passionate advocate for neuroinclusive leadership and ethical tech, Alexandra is known for making complex concepts accessible without watering them down.

She regularly speaks at conferences, mentors with Women in Tech, and consults for impact-driven organizations seeking smarter, more sustainable data practices.

Alexandra Popa is the Founder of Clarity Layer, a boutique data strategy firm specializing in ethical AI, data governance, and organizational intelligence. With over 15 years of experience in analytics and data leadership, she helps companies—from fa... Show more

Trish Ahjel Roberts is a transformational leadership coach, keynote speaker, and corporate well-being strategist who helps organizations reduce burnout, strengthen emotional intelligence, and build resilient, high-performing teams. She is the founder of the Mind-Blowing Happiness® professional development brand and is best known for her signature conference talk, "Unlocking the Secrets to Mind-Blowing Happiness®," which she customizes with audience-specific subtitles for leaders, women professionals, and high-stress organizations.

With over two decades of corporate experience in account management and leadership roles at organizations such as Verizon, JP Morgan, and Merrill Lynch, Trish understands the pressures leaders face from the inside out. Today, she translates insights from positive psychology, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness into practical tools leaders can apply immediately to navigate fast-paced, high-stress environments with greater clarity and confidence.

Trish is the author of four books, including the bestselling "12 Steps to Mind‑Blowing Happiness," endorsed by Jack Canfield, Marci Shimoff, and Iyanla Vanzant, and her critically acclaimed book "The Anger Myth: Understanding and Overcoming the Mental Habits That Steal Your Joy," which features a foreword by Jack Canfield and was praised by Library Journal and Booklist. Her work explores how unresolved stress, suppressed emotions, and fragmentation quietly undermine leadership effectiveness—and how integration restores clarity, confidence, and joy.

A sought-after speaker for conferences, leadership summits, and professional associations, Trish blends evidence-based insights with warmth, storytelling, and embodied practices that engage both the intellect and the nervous system. Audiences walk away feeling grounded, energized, and equipped with tools to lead more authentically in an increasingly complex world.

Trish holds an MBA, ACC, and RYT-200, with advanced credentials in executive coaching, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. Her work has been featured on CBS46-TV Atlanta, WBLS-FM New York, and V103-FM Atlanta.

Trish Ahjel Roberts is a transformational leadership coach, keynote speaker, and corporate well-being strategist who helps organizations reduce burnout, strengthen emotional intelligence, and build resilient, high-performing teams. She is the founder... Show more

"With over 8 years navigating the dynamic landscapes of Linux, DevOps, and Cloud, Gourav is a technologist who believes that great architecture is timeless. Currently a Customer Success Engineer at HashiCorp, and previously a Technical Account Manager at AWS, he possesses a rare dual-expertise in both the platform (AWS) and the tooling (Terraform/Sentinel) required to build enterprise-scale infrastructure.

Just as the architects of old solved impossible challenges with discipline and vision, Gourav is dedicated to guiding modern enterprises through their own complex cloud migrations. Passionate about transforming technical friction into success stories, he joins us to demonstrate how ancient wisdom and modern code can come together to achieve victory in the cloud."

"With over 8 years navigating the dynamic landscapes of Linux, DevOps, and Cloud, Gourav is a technologist who believes that great architecture is timeless. Currently a Customer Success Engineer at HashiCorp, and previously a Technical Account Manage... Show more

Martin Schlenker ist seit 2005 als freiberuflicher Berater mit den Schwerpunkten rund um Microsoft Infrastruktur und Server tätig. Er hat in dieser Zeit zahlreiche Projekte zur Einführung von Active Directory, automatisierte Betriebssystem und Softwarebereitstellung, SharePoint und Exchange erfolgreich umgesetzt.
Im Jahr 2010 hat er sehr früh die Möglichkeiten von Office 365 (später Microsoft 365) erkannt und schon nach kurzer Zeit die ersten Migrations- und Einführungsprojekte in diesem Bereich umgesetzt.
Neben seiner Tätigkeit als Projektmanager führt er individuelle Mitarbeiter- und Administratoren Trainings und Workshops durch. Seit 5 Jahren auch mit dem Fokus auf die Beratung von Organisation hinsichtlich notwendiger Betriebsvereinbarungen zum Betrieb Microsoft 365.

Martin Schlenker ist seit 2005 als freiberuflicher Berater mit den Schwerpunkten rund um Microsoft Infrastruktur und Server tätig. Er hat in dieser Zeit zahlreiche Projekte zur Einführung von Active Directory, automatisierte Betriebssystem und Softwa... Show more

Kosseila is a Founder and Principal Cloud Consultant at CloudThrill, with a strong focus on Multi Cloud solutions. His expertise extends to multiple industries, including telco, startup, healthcare, and banking. He has an Oracle ACE Pro recognition for his community contributions. His core expertise includes Cloud Automation (IaC), AI Infra, Inference deployments, DevOps, Kubernetes, CI/CD, DevSecOps, Identity/Secret Management, and LLMOps.
As a Curious, open-minded individual, Kosseila is always exploring emerging tech and is actively involved in the community through speaking at conferences (Hashitalks, Devox, OracleCloud World, DevOpsStage, CivoNavigate), Contributing to open source AI projects (vllm), blogging, leading a podcast (Tech Beats Unplugged) and AI community (TAICO).

Kosseila is a Founder and Principal Cloud Consultant at CloudThrill, with a strong focus on Multi Cloud solutions. His expertise extends to multiple industries, including telco, startup, healthcare, and banking. He has an Oracle ACE Pro recognition f... Show more

I am a mechanical engineer by education and software professional by passion. If I am not exploring technology, I am doing music, music is my other passion. I work for Cardinal Health currently and I have been developing software solutions within Banking & Financials, Engineering, and Health Care domains. Prior to Cardinal Health, I have held several technical leadership roles at companies such as General Electric, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase, and a few start-ups. I also contribute to various open-source projects, occasionally. I am also a speaker at conferences like SpringOne.

I am a mechanical engineer by education and software professional by passion. If I am not exploring technology, I am doing music, music is my other passion. I work for Cardinal Health currently and I have been developing software solutions within Ban... Show more

Fiona Walsh is a Microsoft PowerPoint MVP, Microsoft Certified Master Trainer, and founder of Empower Presentations. Drawing on over twenty years in corporate roles - including IT Manager and in‑house Trainer - she delivers compelling PowerPoint and Copilot training, PowerPoint templates, and presentation strategy for organisations across Ireland, Europe, and the USA. A Certified Presentation Expert (CPE™) and former Director of Education at The Presentation Guild, Fiona is a frequent speaker, podcast guest and writer for publications such as Executive Support Media. Her YouTube tutorials have 200,000+ views.

Fiona Walsh is a Microsoft PowerPoint MVP, Microsoft Certified Master Trainer, and founder of Empower Presentations. Drawing on over twenty years in corporate roles - including IT Manager and in‑house Trainer - she delivers compelling PowerPoint and ... Show more

Ed Watson is Lead Software Engineer for a healthcare analytics company based in Atlanta. Ed is also a former Microsoft Data Platform MVP. Although he started as a programmer with Delphi, Visual Basic, and Progress 4GL for UNIX and Windows, Ed became a DBA for years before finally making the return to development with the Business Intelligence platform. He currently lives in Atlanta and is active with the Atlanta MDF and BI user groups.

Ed Watson is Lead Software Engineer for a healthcare analytics company based in Atlanta. Ed is also a former Microsoft Data Platform MVP. Although he started as a programmer with Delphi, Visual Basic, and Progress 4GL for UNIX and Windows, Ed became... Show more

Today's complex environment demands leadership that not only understands change but thrives on it. I collaborate with #teams and #organizations to develop an #agile culture centred on adaptability and continuous learning, ensuring they are fully prepared to adapt and excel in ever-evolving circumstances.

Today's complex environment demands leadership that not only understands change but thrives on it. I collaborate with #teams and #organizations to develop an #agile culture centred on adaptability and continuous learning, ensuring they are fully prep... Show more

Annie Margarita Yang is the definitive voice in Millennial finance, specializing in strategies for beating today’s tough economic challenges. She is the author of an award-winning, best-selling new book, The 5-Day Job Search, which helps young professionals get out of student loan debt while finding the ideal job.

With more than 1 million views on YouTube, her witty approach to tough talk sets her apart from others.

Annie’s journey began with a powerful motivation: to prove her high school guidance counselor wrong. Her guidance counselor drilled into her that she would be a failure for the rest of her life if she didn’t go straight to college and borrow $40,000 to get the degree. Annie refused to believe it. She secured three accounting jobs in a row in only 5 days, without the formal accounting degree.

And now Annie shares her methods with others so that they can do the same. Her candid style cuts through the noise, delivering foolproof advice for real-world challenges. Far from generic tips, her tips focus on practical steps to quickly improve finances, especially for challenges unique to Millennials.

Based in Boston with her husband, Annie complements her professional life with a love for piano, adding another layer to her multifaceted persona.

Annie Margarita Yang is the definitive voice in Millennial finance, specializing in strategies for beating today’s tough economic challenges. She is the author of an award-winning, best-selling new book, The 5-Day Job Search, which helps young profes... Show more

Zain Hasan is a Senior AI/ML DevRel Engineer at Together AI a company that allows people to train, fine-tune, and run generative AI models faster, at lower cost, and at production scale. He is an engineer and data scientist by training, who pursued his undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Toronto building artificially intelligent assistive technologies. He then founded his company developing a digital health platform that leveraged machine learning to remotely monitor chronically ill patients. More recently he practiced as a consultant senior data scientist in Toronto. He is passionate about open-source software, education, community, and machine learning and has delivered workshops and talks at multiple events and conferences.

Zain Hasan is a Senior AI/ML DevRel Engineer at Together AI a company that allows people to train, fine-tune, and run generative AI models faster, at lower cost, and at production scale. He is an engineer and data scientist by training, who pursued h... Show more

Electrical Engineer, Registered Professional Engineer

Electrical Engineer, Registered Professional Engineer Show more

ML Platform Engineer | AstraZeneca

Building and scaling enterprise-grade machine learning platforms from the ground up is my passion. At AstraZeneca, I'm at the forefront of developing a robust, ML platform using a powerful suite of open-source technologies. This platform empowers our data scientists and machine learning engineers to accelerate the development and deployment of impactful AI solutions.

My work involves designing, implementing, and maintaining the core infrastructure of our ML platform. I leverage a range of cutting-edge tools, including:

LLM Serving: NVIDIA Dynamo, GPU Operator, KAI Scheduler
Orchestration & Workflow: Kubeflow, Ray, Volcano Scheduler
Experiment Tracking & Model Registry: Weights & Biases
Monitoring & Observability: Grafana, Prometheus, ELK stack
Containerization & Registry: Harbor
Storage: NetApp Ontap FSx
Security & Governance: Kyverno
CI/CD: GitHub Actions, ArgoCD, Argo Rollouts
Database: CloudNativePG

I am deeply involved in all stages of the platform lifecycle, from initial design and architecture to deployment, maintenance, and continuous improvement. This includes automating infrastructure provisioning, optimizing resource utilization, ensuring platform stability and security, and collaborating with various teams to understand their needs and provide effective solutions. I thrive in a collaborative environment and enjoy tackling complex challenges related to distributed systems, scalability, and performance. I'm passionate about building robust and reliable ML platforms that empower data-driven innovation in the pharmaceutical industry.

ML Platform Engineer | AstraZeneca Building and scaling enterprise-grade machine learning platforms from the ground up is my passion. At AstraZeneca, I'm at the forefront of developing a robust, ML platform using a powerful suite of open-source t... 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

JD Flynn has had mental illness most of his life, but didn't admit it until his early 30s when he decided it was time to do something about it. After a decade-long career in emergency services as a paramedic, JD made the jump from the ambulance to the text editor. Since then, JD has climbed to Principal Drupal Software Engineer in his current position.

His life was changed by OSMH (Open Sourcing Mental Health), a 501(c)(3) non-profit focused on opening the conversation on mental illness, which led him to telling his own story to as many people who would listen. As someone with mental illness who is not afraid to talk about it, JD has presented on the topic of Mental Illness in the Tech Community to local user groups, regional conferences, and national level events at locations such as MIT, UC Berkeley, Washington State Convention Center, Guaranteed Rate Field, and DePaul University.

More recently, JD has started streaming development on Twitch and has been learning new tools and languages on stream. He streams under the name JDDoesDev and is desperate for your approval and attention.

When not speaking or coding, JD plays baritone saxophone in Windiana, a professional level wind ensemble out of Valparaiso, IN, and Michigan City Municipal Band, the oldest municipal band in Indiana.

JD Flynn has had mental illness most of his life, but didn't admit it until his early 30s when he decided it was time to do something about it. After a decade-long career in emergency services as a paramedic, JD made the jump from the ambulance to th... Show more

Sai Teja Kotagiri is a cybersecurity professional with hands-on experience securing large-scale enterprise and public-sector environments, with a strong focus on vulnerability management, network security, web application security, and threat detection. He currently works as a Network Security Analyst, supporting critical health systems and protecting sensitive data including PHI and PII.

Sai’s expertise spans the full lifecycle of security operations — from identifying and prioritizing high-risk vulnerabilities to implementing defensive controls and validating remediation. He has led enterprise-wide vulnerability management programs using Tenable.io, Tenable.sc, Qualys, and Veracode, helping organizations reduce risk through data-driven remediation and measurable security outcomes.

In the area of application and network security, Sai has designed, deployed, and managed Web Application Firewalls (WAF) and Palo Alto firewalls, onboarding production applications, tuning OWASP Top 10 protections, and integrating security telemetry into SIEM platforms. His work includes WAF policy design, false-positive reduction, SSL/TLS hardening, secure cookie enforcement, and real-time attack monitoring.

Sai also brings strong experience in SIEM and threat detection, having built dashboards, alerts, and analytics using Microsoft Sentinel, NetWitness, Splunk, and QRadar. He actively monitors cyber threat intelligence (CTI) from sources such as CISA, US-CERT, and MS-ISAC, correlating indicators of compromise with internal telemetry to support rapid incident response.

Previously, Sai worked across financial and enterprise environments where he supported endpoint security (CrowdStrike Falcon), email and phishing analysis (KnowBe4, Phisher), DLP investigations, and patch management workflows integrated with ServiceNow and Archer GRC. His work consistently bridges technical depth with governance, risk, and compliance expectations, including NIST, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and healthcare security requirements.

Sai is passionate about sharing practical, real-world security knowledge with the community. His speaking interests focus on vulnerability risk reduction, WAF strategy, SIEM-driven detection, and securing legacy applications in modern threat landscapes. He brings an engineering-first perspective grounded in operational experience, making his sessions highly relevant for practitioners and security leaders alike.

Sai Teja Kotagiri is a cybersecurity professional with hands-on experience securing large-scale enterprise and public-sector environments, with a strong focus on vulnerability management, network security, web application security, and threat detecti... Show more

Lou Segers is an analytics manager at Belgium's Plainsight with a strong emphasis on the Microsoft BI stack.
He loves to interact with anyone breathing data.

Some say good health is true wealth. A sweaty run or a satisfying gym session are among Lou’s favorite energy drainers.
Come have a chat with me, visit my personal blog https://www.thedatatrain.be or simply connect @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lou-segers-451baa80/

All aboard the data train, CHOO CHOO 🚂 🚂

Lou Segers is an analytics manager at Belgium's Plainsight with a strong emphasis on the Microsoft BI stack. He loves to interact with anyone breathing data. Some say good health is true wealth. A sweaty run or a satisfying gym session are among ... Show more

I’m a Senior IT Internal Auditor at American Express Global Business Travel, specializing in cybersecurity governance, risk management, and compliance frameworks including ISO 27001, SOX, and PCI DSS. As a cybersecurity professional who began with hands-on skills in penetration testing, exploit development, and digital forensics before choosing a career in governance, risk, and compliance, I bring a hacker’s mindset into the world of audits.

I’m also the author of a top-ranked digital forensics blog on the Autopsy tool, with over 75,000 views and the #1 spot on Google. Today, I lead the integration of Generative AI into internal audit processes, architecting a multi-phase roadmap that transforms legacy governance systems into dynamic, AI-powered frameworks. Alongside strategy, I actively design techniques for generating highly targeted GenAI prompts, enabling audit teams to extract precise, actionable intelligence while reducing noise and false positives.

By combining hacker-style curiosity with AI-driven execution, I offer a unique perspective on the future of IT audits. My talks challenge the perception of audits as checklist exercises and present a vision for Audit 2.0, where passion-driven professionals and AI together redefine assurance as resilience-building rather than compliance alone.

I’m a Senior IT Internal Auditor at American Express Global Business Travel, specializing in cybersecurity governance, risk management, and compliance frameworks including ISO 27001, SOX, and PCI DSS. As a cybersecurity professional who began with ha... Show more

Jody Roberts is a technology entrepreneur who is passionate about solving social problems with the help of technology. He has over 20 years experience in the IT industry with deep specialization in data management across various platforms. He has received the Microsoft MVP award for data platforms for the last decade and continues to play a critical role in the building of technology communities across Africa and mentoring young professionals.

When he is not solving real world problems, he spends his free time doing CrossFit or mountain biking.

Jody Roberts is a technology entrepreneur who is passionate about solving social problems with the help of technology. He has over 20 years experience in the IT industry with deep specialization in data management across various platforms. He has rec... Show more

With over 25 years in the data trenches, Mike Burek brings a wealth of battle-tested knowledge to the stage. Starting with FoxPro and evolving with Microsoft to modern Fabric warehouse and pipeline architectures, he has tackled complex ETL challenges connecting a range of different sources and formats. Mike’s expertise lies in cleaning data and delivering it to decision-makers, while ensuring high performance, and ultimately trying to automate himself out of a job.

His background spans healthcare, retail, and political data, where he has managed everything from "Black Friday" traffic spikes to massive marketing campaigns. A relentless automator and seasoned problem-solver, Mike is passionate about stripping away complexity and teaching practical, real-world skills that help data professionals succeed in modern cloud environments.

With over 25 years in the data trenches, Mike Burek brings a wealth of battle-tested knowledge to the stage. Starting with FoxPro and evolving with Microsoft to modern Fabric warehouse and pipeline architectures, he has tackled complex ETL challenges... Show more

Blake is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in quality assurance and testing across diverse industries, including hospitality, credit, and healthcare. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Behavior and Development from Amberton University and a Master's in Human Environmental Sciences with a focus on Quality Management from the University of Alabama. Blake has furthered his expertise with certifications in Executive Leadership and Management from Notre Dame and Adaptive Strategic Execution from Duke University. A certified Scrum Master for 13 years, Blake excels in quality management, Agile methodologies, and team dynamics. He is dedicated to fostering employee engagement and organizational agility.

Blake is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in quality assurance and testing across diverse industries, including hospitality, credit, and healthcare. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Behavior and Development from Amberto... Show more

Shreya Gupta is a dynamic AI leader, founder, mentor, and published author with over 11 years of experience in entrepreneurship, AI research, and product development. With a background in founding startups and leading AI initiatives, Shreya brings real-world experience to address the challenges of trust and adoption in Artificial Intelligence.

As the Founder and CEO of AIVahan International, a Data and AI Research and Consulting Firm, and CTO and Co-Founder of Vishnu Systems, which provides cybersecurity solutions for AI-enabled Medtech and Healthtech applications, Shreya drives the development of AI-driven solutions across industries such as healthcare, finance, and public sector.

Shreya has collaborated with top-tier brands like WebMD, Latham & Watkins, Internet Brands, and Medscape, contributing to AI product development, machine learning, and AI governance. She is featured in The Science Blog, Virtual Beings, and University of Southern California news, and is dedicated to democratizing AI, making this transformative technology accessible to all, not just elite corporations.

As an AI mentor, Shreya has mentored thousands of industry professionals and students in Data Science and AI, empowering them to transition into the field. She is also a keynote speaker and judging panelist at AI events, advocating for ethical AI and human-centric technology.

She is also a published author, having co-authored the bestselling book Revitalize for the Soul: Stories of Love and Resilience. She also holds a patent and 5 research papers in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Security, MedTech, Machine Learning, Data Science, IoT, and Healthcare. She is committed to "Building Bots with a Heart", integrating empathy into AI to improve human experiences.

Shreya’s mission is to humanize AI, leveraging AI literacy and empathy to create intelligent systems that solve real-world problems, while fostering inclusive growth through her mentorship and public speaking.

Shreya Gupta is a dynamic AI leader, founder, mentor, and published author with over 11 years of experience in entrepreneurship, AI research, and product development. With a background in founding startups and leading AI initiatives, Shreya brings re... Show more

Shivji Kumar Jha is a Staff Engineer at Nutanix, where he leads the charter for analytics, time-series, and streaming platforms across cloud and on-prem environments. He focuses on building scalable ingestion systems and designing high-performance OLAP architectures, with deep hands-on experience extending ClickHouse for production-grade analytics. A contributor to Apache Pulsar, MySQL, and ClickHouse, Shiv approaches distributed systems as a builder—prototyping core components, shaping system design, and driving platform evolution from the ground up.

Beyond engineering, Shiv is an active community leader and speaker. He has delivered 30+ talks at conferences including ApacheCon, KubeCon + CloudNativeCon, and Postgres community events. He also curates deep-tech meetups in Bangalore, bringing together practitioners passionate about databases, streaming systems, and open-source infrastructure

Shivji Kumar Jha is a Staff Engineer at Nutanix, where he leads the charter for analytics, time-series, and streaming platforms across cloud and on-prem environments. He focuses on building scalable ingestion systems and designing high-performance OL... Show more

Tech leader? More like tech legend. Mike Conjoice isn’t just building software—he’s redefining what’s possible. As Engineering and Architecture Manager at Bupa Dental Care UK, he leads a powerhouse team of 40+ engineers, data specialists, and AI professionals, delivering enterprise-scale solutions that are as strategic as they are slick.

With a career rooted in cloud transformation, enterprise engineering, and data strategy, Mike has become a go-to subject matter expert in artificial intelligence—particularly where it matters most: responsible AI usage, ethics, and real-world integration. Whether he's guiding execs through the risks of AI hallucinations or architecting AI copilots that actually deliver value, Mike brings clarity, pragmatism, and innovation to every conversation.

Cloud migrations? Done. Legacy modernisation? Mastered. AI innovation at scale? That’s his wheelhouse. Mike turns complex systems and bleeding-edge technology into scalable, secure, and human-centred solutions.

Recognised as a VMware vExpert and Veeam Vanguard, Mike’s influence stretches beyond code. He’s delivered keynotes to global audiences of over 2,000 people, appeared on live TV, and been featured on The Cube, engaging both technical and non-technical audiences with insight, humour, and energy.

Looking for a speaker who combines deep technical authority with vision and real-world wisdom? Mike Conjoice delivers intelligence, ethics, and impact—with the fire to match. Book him, or get left behind. 🚀

Tech leader? More like tech legend. Mike Conjoice isn’t just building software—he’s redefining what’s possible. As Engineering and Architecture Manager at Bupa Dental Care UK, he leads a powerhouse team of 40+ engineers, data specialists, and AI prof... Show more