Founder of Firm&Fair, international negotiation agency

Ugne Fink-Jensen is an international business negotiator, tech counsel, and speaker with more than 15 years of experience. She has worked across both SMEs and multibillion-dollar conglomerates, consistently operating at the intersection of technology, business, and law, including as Lead Negotiator on complex tech and digital transformation initiatives.

Today, she supports businesses in navigating strategic deals and strengthening their governance capabilities, with a focus on negotiation excellence, responsible AI, and the advantage of human skills in a technology-driven world. In addition, Ugne works closely across the Microsoft Dynamics ecosystem, supporting partners and contributing to Microsoft-led initiatives such as BC Talent.

Founder of Firm&Fair, international negotiation agency Ugne Fink-Jensen is an international business negotiator, tech counsel, and speaker with more than 15 years of experience. She has worked across both SMEs and multibillion-dollar conglomerates... Show more

As enthusiastic Agilist, I spent a long time in the world of Agility applied to large industries and I gradually understood why this model was withering away year after year without us accepting the real causes. First as a project player, then as a trainer and finally as a coach, I'm working to ensure that modern Agile models are used less strictly and more respectfully of people.

You can find my work in my book: https://tinyurl.com/darroux

As enthusiastic Agilist, I spent a long time in the world of Agility applied to large industries and I gradually understood why this model was withering away year after year without us accepting the real causes. First as a project player, then as a t... Show more

Mathias Weber is a Managing Consultant in the Data & AI practice at a leading independent IT service provider. With two years of experience in Forensic Analytics and five years in Data Architecture Consulting, he helps clients navigate complex data & AI challenges and align technology solutions with strategic goals.

Beyond consulting, Mathias is an active technology scout in Berlin’s vibrant tech scene, having attended as well as documented more than 200+ tech events and having published insights in the book Other People’s Software Endeavours as well as on the website almatzo-techscouting.eu.

Mathias Weber is a Managing Consultant in the Data & AI practice at a leading independent IT service provider. With two years of experience in Forensic Analytics and five years in Data Architecture Consulting, he helps clients navigate complex data &... Show more

Computing specialist with years of experience in high-demand computing environments, virtualization, and HPC. Works as a consultant in architecture and optimization of high-performance systems. Developed significant projects with leading research institutions and renowned figures in both national and international computing, focusing on machine learning and neural networks. Notable projects include: Prediction of Cysteine Protease Inhibitors for Trypanocidal Agents and Cancer (USP); Simulation of spacecraft control and orbital guidance (LAC-INPE); Research on astrophysical plasmas and space turbulence (ITA); Research in astrophysics and molecular physics (UNIVAP), among others.

Computing specialist with years of experience in high-demand computing environments, virtualization, and HPC. Works as a consultant in architecture and optimization of high-performance systems. Developed significant projects with leading research ins... Show more

Burcu Taşpınar is a mechatronics engineer and data scientist working at the intersection of engineering, data and digitalization. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechatronics Engineering from Johannes Kepler University Linz and has experience in engineering simulation, industrial analytics and data-driven product management.

Having grown up internationally across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, she has developed a strong interest in how people experience places, technology and information differently across cultures. Her interests span machine learning, digital twins and human-centered AI. She is also exploring Local Perspectives, a concept investigating how data, AI and local knowledge can be combined to create more personalized ways of experiencing cities, and is active internationally as a technology and hackathon mentor.

Burcu Taşpınar is a mechatronics engineer and data scientist working at the intersection of engineering, data and digitalization. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechatronics Engineering from Johannes Kepler University Linz and has exper... Show more

Dan Gentry is a TEDx speaker, podcast host, and founder of Third Power Performance. His signature keynote, Humanity Amplified, challenges the dominant AI narrative — that we should use technology to work faster — and replaces it with a radical question: what if AI is here to make us more human? Dan teaches the distinction between Machine Work (what AI should handle) and Meaning Work (what humans must protect), giving leaders a clear framework to reclaim 10-40 hours per week and invest them in family, health, creativity, and purpose. He's not anti-AI. He's anti-drift.

Dan Gentry is a TEDx speaker, podcast host, and founder of Third Power Performance. His signature keynote, Humanity Amplified, challenges the dominant AI narrative — that we should use technology to work faster — and replaces it with a radical questi... Show more

Oyinkansola Onwuchekwa, also known as KKC, is an AI researcher and engineer completing a PhD in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Hull. Her research examines how language technologies handle multilingual and code-mixed text, with a focus on African languages and emotional expression in Afrobeats lyrics.

She is also a singer-songwriter who performs and releases music as KKC. Writing songs informs her research into how computers interpret emotion, language mixing, cultural references, and the ambiguity that gives lyrics their meaning.
Python runs through her work, from preparing datasets and training language models to building research tools and evaluating AI agents.

Her projects include the Low-Resource NLP Toolkit, a Python package for African language processing and code-switching analysis, and SAGE-AI, a prototype for reviewing research literature with traceable evidence and human review.

She has also built a gateway for controlling AI agents’ access to tools and benchmarks for testing whether coding-agent monitors recognise risky actions. Across her work, she asks whose language our software understands and how people can inspect and challenge its decisions.

Oyinkansola Onwuchekwa, also known as KKC, is an AI researcher and engineer completing a PhD in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Hull. Her research examines how language technologies handle multilingual and code-mixed tex... Show more

Pirita is an AI Platform Architect, change leader, speaker and coach at Eviny, one of Norway’s leading renewable energy and technology companies. She works where people, technology and organisational change meet, turning rapidly developing AI capabilities into responsible and practical ways of working.

Her work covers AI adoption, platform governance, security, organisational learning, AI agents and low-code solutions. She combines the technical perspective of a platform architect with more than 20 years of experience in transformation, digitalisation, process development, project management and leadership across several industries.

Pirita is a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner and holds several ICAgile, Scrum Master and Product Owner certifications. Her sessions explore what happens when AI changes not only our tools, but also expertise, decision-making, roles and organisational design.

She is particularly interested in questions such as:

- Why do people achieve different results with the same AI?
- What remains valuable when knowledge becomes widely available?
- How do we preserve human judgement, context and responsibility as work changes?

What can you expect from her sessions?

- Honest lessons from introducing and governing AI in a complex organisation
- Practical approaches to AI adoption and organisational learning
- Real-world stories about people, platforms, governance and transformation
- Challenging questions about expertise and the future of work
- Concrete ideas for examining and redesigning work in your own organisation

Pirita does not present AI or IT as a simple technology rollout. Her focus is on what people and organisations must change to turn new technology into lasting value.

Pirita is an AI Platform Architect, change leader, speaker and coach at Eviny, one of Norway’s leading renewable energy and technology companies. She works where people, technology and organisational change meet, turning rapidly developing AI capabil... Show more

Mya Tyler is a speaker, executive coach, and strategic advisor who helps leaders and organizations align work, vision, and values so they can achieve more, struggle less, and build impact that multiplies. With more than 25 years of experience leading large-scale transformation, she brings executive depth, practical insight, and a human-centered approach to leadership, growth, and change.

As the founder of Tapestry AG and Hustle to Wholeness™, Mya works with high-performing leaders and organizations who are delivering results but feel the strain of doing it unsustainably.

Known for her calm, direct, and deeply relatable style, Mya creates space for honest reflection while offering practical tools people can apply right away. She believes success and well-being do not have to compete, and that the strongest leadership is rooted in alignment, clarity, and integrity.

Mya Tyler is a speaker, executive coach, and strategic advisor who helps leaders and organizations align work, vision, and values so they can achieve more, struggle less, and build impact that multiplies. With more than 25 years of experience leading... Show more

Neha Lagoo Ratnakar is a tiny speaker with a big name and an even bigger message. Her talks are part wakeup call and part kick in the behind.

Neha’s bestselling book, Back on Your Feet (Goodreads 4.5, Amazon 4.7) has helped hundreds of women start their career comeback journey and she’s spent hours directly coaching them.

But throughout her career spanning 8 countries, and her work as the Head of Education at a non-profit in Europe, she was shocked to hear that it was difficult for leaders to bridge the gender numbers despite their best intentions.

So Neha made it her mission to help organisations bridge this gap and support women on their journey.

What she has to say may offend you, could provoke you, but will definitely make you think. If you’re looking for a keynote speaker who can talk from authentic global experiences infused with actionable insights, then Neha is your choice.

Neha Lagoo Ratnakar is a tiny speaker with a big name and an even bigger message. Her talks are part wakeup call and part kick in the behind. Neha’s bestselling book, Back on Your Feet (Goodreads 4.5, Amazon 4.7) has helped hundreds of women star... Show more

Rabbi Ranon Teller is a dedicated spiritual leader whose passion for Jewish music, education, and community engagement has shaped his approach to congregational leadership. With a background in television writing and music, he brings creativity and personal connection to worship services, educational programs, and synagogue activities. As senior rabbi of Congregation Brith Shalom in Houston, he has introduced engaging prayer experiences, strengthened congregational participation, and developed meaningful relationships within the broader Jewish community. His leadership combines traditional Jewish teachings with contemporary musical expression, encouraging members to connect with their faith through learning, worship, and shared experiences.

Raised in suburban Detroit, Ranon Teller was the second of three children in a household deeply connected to Orthodox Judaism. He began his education at Orthodox Day School before attending Skokie Yeshiva High School outside Chicago. Following high school, he moved to Israel to pursue advanced religious studies at an Orthodox yeshiva. There, he studied the Talmud, Jewish philosophy, theology, and sacred texts, developing a strong foundation in Jewish scholarship and religious practice. As his studies progressed, however, he began questioning aspects of the Orthodox environment. These experiences encouraged him to examine different perspectives on Judaism and reconsider the direction of his spiritual journey.

In 1996, Teller returned to Israel to explore alternative approaches to Jewish spirituality beyond the Orthodox traditions of his upbringing. He became particularly interested in contemporary Chasidic music and the teachings of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. During this period, he audited classes at a Conservative rabbinical school in Jerusalem and participated in an intensive experiential Jewish education program. Exposure to different forms of Jewish learning helped him recognize his calling to religious education and spiritual leadership. In 1998, he returned to the United States to pursue formal rabbinic studies and prepare to serve the Jewish community.

After returning to the United States, Rabbi Teller enrolled at the University of Judaism, now known as American Jewish University, in Los Angeles. He pursued Jewish education and rabbinic studies, strengthening his knowledge of religious texts, teaching, and spiritual leadership. In 2000, he earned a master's degree in education from the Fingerhut School of Education and received the Fingerhut School of Education Award for Outstanding Achievement. In 2002, he completed his rabbinic studies and was ordained as Rabbi Ranon Teller. The Chancellor's Award for Academic Excellence and the Ziegler School Award for Excellence in Talmudic Studies recognized his academic accomplishments. In May 2022, he received an Honorary Doctorate from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies.

Rabbi Ranon Teller began his rabbinic career at Congregation B'nai Amoona in St. Louis, where he served as associate rabbi from 2002 to 2005. During his tenure, the congregation experienced changes in senior leadership, creating a need for stability and direction. Rabbi Teller helped provide continuity while strengthening relationships among congregants. He focused on engaging young families and introducing contemporary, interactive prayer services that encouraged greater participation. His work in St. Louis helped develop his approach to congregational leadership, emphasizing Jewish education, creative worship, and meaningful personal connections.

In 2005, Ranon moved to Houston to become senior rabbi of Congregation Brith Shalom. His personable, soulful, and diplomatic leadership approach contributed to congregational growth and stronger community relationships. Over the next two decades, he introduced musical prayer services that welcomed congregants and community members from diverse backgrounds and interests. His work extended beyond worship and religious education to important synagogue development initiatives. Rabbi Teller played a key role in securing a $1.5 million endowment and a $5 million gift toward a building renovation campaign. These contributions supported the congregation's financial needs and ongoing development while helping maintain opportunities for Jewish learning and spiritual participation.

Rabbi Teller's commitment to community service extends beyond his responsibilities at Congregation Brith Shalom. He actively participates in initiatives throughout Houston, collaborating with organizations that help individuals and families in need. He works with the Houston Food Bank, SEARCH Homeless Services, and the Food and Faith Collaborative. He also supports community efforts through the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and Alexander Jewish Family Service. These activities reflect his dedication to tikkun olam, the Jewish principle of repairing the world, through compassion, service, and practical assistance. His continued involvement shows how important he is to connecting Jewish values with meaningful community support.

Outside his rabbinic responsibilities, Rabbi Ranon Teller enjoys a range of creative and recreational interests. He continues to play blues and folk guitar and remains passionate about song-leading. An enthusiastic reader, he particularly enjoys nonfiction, including biographies and books exploring human nature. His interests also include juggling, performing magic, hiking, and backpacking, activities that provide opportunities for creativity and spiritual reflection. He finds a meaningful connection to spirituality through spending time in nature. He has also contributed articles to Kolot magazine, the Jewish Herald-Voice, and the Jewish Journal. He co-authored the book Peaceful Bones, reflecting his continued interest in writing and sharing ideas with a wider audience.

Rabbi Ranon Teller is a dedicated spiritual leader whose passion for Jewish music, education, and community engagement has shaped his approach to congregational leadership. With a background in television writing and music, he brings creativity and p... Show more

Dr Alisha is a physician, executive leadership coach and keynote speaker who works at the intersection of medicine, neuroscience and self mastery.

For over a decade she has worked with CEOs, founders, physicians and C-suite leaders, helping these leaders close the gap between external success and internal coherence. Her methodology draws on clinical medicine, heart coherence as well as validated leadership models to help you understand not just how you perform, but the subtle ways that performance degrades under pressure - and what it takes to restore the internal conditions for sustained, clean leadership and execution.

Her work sits deliberately at the edge of what most leadership development brushes over: the body at a cellular level, nervous system engagement and energy, and the alignment between a leader's intelligence fields.

She has spoken globally and she brings the same precision and depth to a keynote stage that she brings to her clinical practice.

Dr Alisha is a physician, executive leadership coach and keynote speaker who works at the intersection of medicine, neuroscience and self mastery. For over a decade she has worked with CEOs, founders, physicians and C-suite leaders, helping these... Show more

Pierre E. Neis is a French‑German organizational transformation consultant, agile coach, and executive coach who has supported more than 200 organizations worldwide in their agile journeys across finance, industry, IT, the public sector, and hospitality. He is the creator of the AO (Agile Organizations) Method, a systems‑based approach that treats “Agile” as a dynamic of the organization rather than a team‑level process, and helps leaders answer the question: “What kind of Agile is your Agile?”

Author of The New Normal: AO Concepts and Patterns of 21st‑Century Agile Organizations and Swarming X4, Pierre designs adaptive, people‑centric operating models that increase coherence, cohesion, and responsiveness without burning people out. Over the last decade, he has created several practice‑oriented frameworks and serious‑game formats, including the AO transformation patterns, Swarming practices, and the Agile Animal Farm and PLöRK leadership‑through‑games workshops, which have been used by Swiss SMEs to global players.

Pierre speaks regularly at conferences such as Agile Tour, CAS (Conferencia Agile Spain), PMI Switzerland events, and other European communities, where he focuses on agile systems dynamics, AO transformation journeys, and practical patterns for moving from “doing Agile” to designing truly agile organizations. He works today as Agile Org Coach & Supervisor at Menschgeist GmbH in Switzerland, helping leadership teams, HR, and coaches design viable structures, clarify roles, and build transformations that are measurable through five experience‑based AO metrics.

Pierre E. Neis is a French‑German organizational transformation consultant, agile coach, and executive coach who has supported more than 200 organizations worldwide in their agile journeys across finance, industry, IT, the public sector, and hospital... Show more

Florin Bădiță is an independent builder and founder based in Arad, Romania. He is the creator of DomainScope, an AI-powered domain intelligence platform indexing 15M+ domains across 177 markets, and ServerClaw, an open-source infrastructure-as-code platform with 160+ Ansible roles. A Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe honoree and TEDx speaker, he served as Tech Director at the Davos House of Collaboration 2026 and is active in the MCP ecosystem via 0mcp.com. His engineering stack centers on Go, PostgreSQL/PostGIS, and AI-assisted development workflows — he shipped four production systems and logged over 1,000 Architecture Decision Records in a single month using AI-augmented engineering, and now teaches that methodology through his ADR-Driven Development masterclass. Beyond engineering, he founded Corupția Ucide, Romania's largest civic accountability movement, and has used 8,000+ FOIA requests as a data-journalism collaborator with RISE Project/OCCRP.

Florin Bădiță is an independent builder and founder based in Arad, Romania. He is the creator of DomainScope, an AI-powered domain intelligence platform indexing 15M+ domains across 177 markets, and ServerClaw, an open-source infrastructure-as-code p... Show more

I’m a Research Ireland funded PhD candidate at Trinity College Dublin researching AI accountability standards and semantic web technology. An SPDX core contributor, I co-lead its AI working group, review specification, and maintain the NTIA Conformance Checker, spdx-python-model, and SPDX online tools.

I also created Pitloom, an AI SBOM generator creating SPDX 3 SBOM from Python projects and various AI model formats. Alongside my regulatory technology research, I volunteer with the Thai Netizen Network, a Bangkok-based digital rights group.

I’m a Research Ireland funded PhD candidate at Trinity College Dublin researching AI accountability standards and semantic web technology. An SPDX core contributor, I co-lead its AI working group, review specification, and maintain the NTIA Conforman... Show more

I teach humans and organizations how to use AI. And I teach AIs how to teach humans.

As founder of Mindmakers, I build adaptive learning technology that adjusts to each learner in real time. Whether you're upskilling 10 employees or teaching 1,000 students, no more one size fits all.

My background combines Psychology and Computer Science, which means I think about how people actually learn, not just how to ship features. I've been teaching AI and data science for a decade with thousands of learners.

I teach humans and organizations how to use AI. And I teach AIs how to teach humans. As founder of Mindmakers, I build adaptive learning technology that adjusts to each learner in real time. Whether you're upskilling 10 employees or teaching 1,000... Show more

Mousaab Khaldi is an international speaker, leadership coach, author, and entrepreneur based in Germany. Delivering powerful keynotes across global stages, Mousaab helps high-achieving entrepreneurs and executives who have built success on the outside but feel stuck, empty, or burnt out on the inside—using the proven 4 Empires Model to rebuild alignment between business performance and personal fulfillment.

With over 10 years of entrepreneurial experience, Mousaab specializes in captivating international audiences and guiding senior leaders to break through burnout, reclaim their energy, and lead with clarity, confidence, and authentic authority.

Mousaab Khaldi is an international speaker, leadership coach, author, and entrepreneur based in Germany. Delivering powerful keynotes across global stages, Mousaab helps high-achieving entrepreneurs and executives who have built success on the outsid... Show more

Nina Malakhova helps organisations make new technology actually land with the people who use it. As founder of The Workshop Academy, she designs workshops, trainings and customer-education programmes at the intersection of technology and didactics. She is guided by the conviction that fun isn’t fluff: playful learning is what makes new knowledge stick.

Nina is a Salesforce solution architect with five years at Capgemini, where she led implementations in the automotive sector before moving into healthcare and purpose-driven organisations. She holds an MBA from WHU and teaches as a lecturer at BSP Business & Law School in Berlin. She also performs stand-up comedy at open mics around the city, which explains why her sessions are rarely boring.

Nina Malakhova helps organisations make new technology actually land with the people who use it. As founder of The Workshop Academy, she designs workshops, trainings and customer-education programmes at the intersection of technology and didactics. S... Show more

Driven by courage, curiosity, and compassion, Becca "Bex" Hiller knows valued people deliver value. She also knows ideas supply focus and fuel, while ACTION drives goals forward toward success.

Bex helps humans reach agility potential, and her own agility shines through sharpened improv skills, a mighty pen, a hungry brain, and a passion for teaching and coaching. She has spent over two decades in product, project, and people growth spaces helping folks articulate their mission, then take mission-critical action to DELIVER. She puts growth and connection at the helm and enables, engages, and expands forward momentum, stoking peak performance (without sacrificing values, vision, or voice).

Her mission: Uncover your purpose. Pivot when life happens. Dare to deliver.
Her top interests: connection, community building, purposeful creativity, and potatoes.

Bex is currently based in Rochester, NY.

Driven by courage, curiosity, and compassion, Becca "Bex" Hiller knows valued people deliver value. She also knows ideas supply focus and fuel, while ACTION drives goals forward toward success. Bex helps humans reach agility potential, and her own... Show more

John Kwarsick is a cybersecurity and AI governance researcher focused on the human governance layer of increasingly autonomous systems. His 14-paper research program examines AI adoption failure, agentic governance, decision infrastructure, supervisory capacity, human-AI collaboration, and preservation of professional judgment. He created THE WHEEL Framework™ and WHEEL OS™ to evaluate whether organizations can adopt, supervise, and govern AI under operational pressure. John previously served as Director of Digital Sales for Security at Microsoft and led IoT security sales for Check Point. He speaks nationally and internationally on AI governance, human oversight, and enterprise readiness.

John Kwarsick is a cybersecurity and AI governance researcher focused on the human governance layer of increasingly autonomous systems. His 14-paper research program examines AI adoption failure, agentic governance, decision infrastructure, superviso... Show more

Education: artificial intelligence computer engineering CMKL University (Carnegie Mellon Kingmongkut Ladkrabang)

Mission: help improve level of self awareness, resourcefulness and emotional Intelligence for humans and ai

Education: artificial intelligence computer engineering CMKL University (Carnegie Mellon Kingmongkut Ladkrabang) Mission: help improve level of self awareness, resourcefulness and emotional Intelligence for humans and ai Show more

Focus areas: Artificial Intelligence & Ethics, AI Safety & Governance, Voice AI & Synthetic Trust, Human-AI Interaction, AI Bias & Inclusion, Leadership under Pressure, High-Stakes Decision Making, Negotiation & Influence, Crisis Communication, Autonomic Resilience & Regulation

Member of Global Health HUB Berlin, Global Institute for Negotiation (Zurich) and Women in AI Germany. Has worked with parliamentary groups, politicians and internationally recognised entrepreneurs.

Mareike Kroschel explores the interaction between AI and human voices. Her concept of Subcortical Contact Bias describes why the body trusts AI voices before the mind decides, and what that means for leadership, communication and trust when we can no longer reliably tell voices apart. She also asks how AI voices change the way we listen and speak, and who decides how AI sounds.

Voice is identity. With this idea, Mareike Kroschel founded VoiceDoula Concept. It is not a training but an accompaniment: people listen, pause and let their voice emerge.

Her work rests on three principles. Cognitive: how voice, identity and leadership shape each other. Somatic: breath, body and nervous system as the ground of the voice. Artistic: sound, image and play as a space where the voice can appear. Her work is grounded in her training as a state-certified breath and voice therapist, many years of work in federal health care, and her career as a singer and composer in contemporary and avant-garde music.

She works with leaders (Grounded Voice), organisations (Living Cycles) and founder teams (Pitch Lab), and hosts “The Breath Room”, a space to breathe, listen and arrive.

Focus areas: Artificial Intelligence & Ethics, AI Safety & Governance, Voice AI & Synthetic Trust, Human-AI Interaction, AI Bias & Inclusion, Leadership under Pressure, High-Stakes Decision Making, Negotiation & Influence, Crisis Communication, Auton... Show more

Hi, I'm C. Sarath Babu. I work as a cybersecurity specialist , I’ve been diving deep into the world of quantum AI research as well. Over the years, I’ve authored four books, and I’ve also had the opportunity to contribute to national-level cybercrime investigations and work on AI-driven security innovations.

I enjoy speaking at tech forums and conferences, especially where I can explore how AI, cybersecurity, and even philosophy intersect it’s a space I’m really passionate about. I’m also a big supporter of open-source security projects and spend a lot of time building secure, AI-powered systems that help shape the future of digital ecosystems.

Hi, I'm C. Sarath Babu. I work as a cybersecurity specialist , I’ve been diving deep into the world of quantum AI research as well. Over the years, I’ve authored four books, and I’ve also had the opportunity to contribute to national-level cybercrime... Show more

With 30+ years in the IT trenches for both Fortune 500 and federal projects, Chris is no stranger to high-pressure environments, technical complexity, or change resistance. As a former nuclear engineer, a software solutions architect, and standup comedian, he’s pretty much been there, done that, got the t-shirts.

What sets him apart is his ability to bring that proven, strategic, problem-solving brain to human challenges; helping teams reframe what’s possible and rediscover what matters.

Whether your people are burned out, tuned out, or ready to level up, Chris gives them permission to get honest and get going. No hype. No fluff. Just stories, strategies, and smart laughs that land.

Audiences leave clearer, lighter, and ready to act with zero eye-rolls and 100% retention. Well, ok, maybe 93%.

With 30+ years in the IT trenches for both Fortune 500 and federal projects, Chris is no stranger to high-pressure environments, technical complexity, or change resistance. As a former nuclear engineer, a software solutions architect, and standup com... Show more

Nick Woodley is an ISO 42001 Lead Auditor with over 25 years of enterprise technology experience, uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between AI innovation and governance requirements. As a Microsoft Certified Trainer and Cybersecurity Architect Expert, Nick combines deep Microsoft platform knowledge with practical AI governance implementation experience.
Relevant Credentials:

ISO 42001 Lead Auditor (AI Management Systems)
Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect Expert
Azure Solutions Architect Expert
CISSP & CCSP (ISC2)
Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec) Associate Member

Current AI Governance Experience:
As Cyber Security and Power Platform Principal at Ascent, Nick has developed AI compliance offerings incorporating DORA and NIST frameworks for European financial institutions. His recent work includes conducting AI risk assessments for global engineering companies and implementing AI governance frameworks that strike a balance between innovation and regulatory compliance.
Practical Audit Insight:
Nick's experience as an active ISO 42001 Lead Auditor provides unique insights into what actually works during audits, as opposed to theoretical compliance. His background spanning regulated industries (banking, government, insurance) gives him a practical understanding of how AI governance requirements vary across different regulatory environments and organisational contexts.
As an ISC2 East Midlands Chapter Officer, Nick actively contributes to the cybersecurity community's understanding of emerging AI security and governance challenges, making him well-positioned to share practical, implementable strategies with conference attendees.

Nick Woodley is an ISO 42001 Lead Auditor with over 25 years of enterprise technology experience, uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between AI innovation and governance requirements. As a Microsoft Certified Trainer and Cybersecurity Architect Ex... Show more

Tim Rayburn is a Vice President of Consulting with Improving Enterprises, a software and project management consulting company in Dallas, TX. He is a passionate advocate of apprenticeship and mentorship in corporate environments. He has been awarded the Microsoft MVP in recognition of his expertise and community leadership 11 times. He is also a conference organizer, an author, and can be found speaking across the nation on agile processes, software design, and career management. He lives in the North Dallas area with his amazing wife Kate and their loyal dogs Dresden and Radagast.

Tim Rayburn is a Vice President of Consulting with Improving Enterprises, a software and project management consulting company in Dallas, TX. He is a passionate advocate of apprenticeship and mentorship in corporate environments. He has been awarded ... Show more

J’aide les équipes et les organisations, en France et particulièrement dans la région nantaise, à adopter l’agilité. Spécialisé dans l’accompagnement des dirigeants et des managers, je les aide à naviguer dans la complexité, à renforcer leur leadership et à structurer leur gouvernance en s’appuyant sur des outils agiles concrets et une prise de décision éclairée.
Je place l’humain au cœur des transformations, convaincu que l’amélioration continue est une opportunité pour chacun. J’encourage un apprentissage permanent et le développement de l’esprit critique, indispensables pour naviguer dans un monde en constante évolution. Mon rôle est d’ouvrir des perspectives, de challenger les certitudes et de créer des environnements propices à l’expérimentation et à l’adaptabilité.

J’aide les équipes et les organisations, en France et particulièrement dans la région nantaise, à adopter l’agilité. Spécialisé dans l’accompagnement des dirigeants et des managers, je les aide à naviguer dans la complexité, à renforcer leur leadersh... Show more

Jovan is a multidisciplinary researcher and management professional working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, business strategy, technology, and ethics. His research examines the organizational and socioeconomic implications of AI automation, with particular focus on algorithmic bias, privacy, governance, sustainable innovation, and the human consequences of technological transformation.

He collaborates with the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts and its Mathematical Institute, contributing to discussions that connect theoretical and quantitative approaches to AI with practical business applications. His academic background also includes research in green chemistry, microwave chemistry, analytical methods, and process optimization.

His work combines quantitative analysis, mathematical reasoning, management research, and technological perspectives to examine how organizations can adopt emerging technologies while addressing questions of fairness, accountability, sustainability, and strategic value.

As a speaker and researcher, he focuses on making complex technological and managerial issues accessible while encouraging critical discussion about how organizations should approach the next generation of AI-driven transformation.

Jovan is a multidisciplinary researcher and management professional working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, business strategy, technology, and ethics. His research examines the organizational and socioeconomic implications of AI autom... Show more

Leading the company's infrastructure, backend, frontend and data domains, designing and implementing complex architectures, bringing observability and performance to the top level. Driving the company's AI transformation, reshaping the structure and atmosphere of R&D to make AI a native part of how the team works. Certified AWS Solution Architect & AWS Community Builder with more than 15 years of experience in various software development positions, from team lead to Architect, and today as a CTO. International speaker, blogger, holds Philosophy B.A & M.A degrees, plays the piano and the guitar for relaxation, married and father of two.

Leading the company's infrastructure, backend, frontend and data domains, designing and implementing complex architectures, bringing observability and performance to the top level. Driving the company's AI transformation, reshaping the structure and ... Show more

Candice Van Dertholen is a Global Speaker, Retreat Facilitator, and Private Advisor to high-performing professionals, executives, and founders navigating growth, pressure, and visibility. She is the founder of The Warrior Within Healing, bringing over two decades of experience across leadership, business development, and wellness.

Her work focuses on identifying and shifting root-level patterns that directly impact decision-making, communication, and performance under pressure. She partners with leaders operating at a high level to strengthen internal clarity, stabilize momentum, and expand their capacity to lead with consistency and precision.

Candice’s approach integrates embodiment, nervous system regulation, and pattern recognition to address what traditional strategies often miss. The result is sustained performance, stronger presence, and the ability to navigate complexity without losing traction.

Candice has spoken for internal teams like McCormick & Company, Inc. and international conferences like Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading Conference in Birmingham, United Kingdom. She also volunteers as a speaker for NAMI Charlotte, bringing mental wellness support to the community.

In addition to her work, Candice is an event founder Warrior Defined, a men's mental health event in Charlotte, NC.

Candice Van Dertholen is a Global Speaker, Retreat Facilitator, and Private Advisor to high-performing professionals, executives, and founders navigating growth, pressure, and visibility. She is the founder of The Warrior Within Healing, bringing ove... Show more