Humanities & Social Sciences

Esteemed speakers contributing their insights into human culture, behavior, and societal development

Jon Jarvis

Jon Jarvis

Jon Jarvis is a Microsoft MVP and Endpoint Management Specialist at Advania UK, specialising in Microsoft Intune and Windows 365. His work centres on the security side of modern endpoint management, with a particular focus on Microsoft Defender and Intune integration, Intune Premium features, and the design and operation of Cloud PCs.

An active member of the global Microsoft community, Jon is a regular speaker at events across the UK, Europe, and the US, including Workplace Ninjas, Experts Live, MEM Summit, and M365Conf. He shares practical, real-world guidance through his community presence at CloudEndpoint.ai, where he writes about getting the most out of Intune, Windows 365, and Defender in production environments.

Jon is passionate about cutting through the noise and giving IT professionals content they can actually use. When he's not working with endpoints, he coaches youth football, runs a Brazilian jiu-jitsu club in Kent, and follows Arsenal.

Jon Jarvis is a Microsoft MVP and Endpoint Management Specialist at Advania UK, specialising in Microsoft Intune and Windows 365. His work centres on the security side of modern endpoint management, with a particular focus on Microsoft Defender and I... Show more

Vittorio Polizzi

Vittorio Polizzi

I help people, teams, and organizations take a step forward.
My work involves creating the conditions for actionable directions, intentional choices, and small, concrete steps to emerge. I believe change becomes possible when attention is focused on what can be done, here and now, leveraging existing resources and skills.
I help leaders, professionals, and teams clarify objectives, recognize often underutilized capabilities, and build tangible signals of progress. I use essential and targeted questions that help them think more clearly and act consistently, even in complex contexts.
My coaching work is guided by the ICF and EMCC codes of ethics: respect for the individual, responsibility, confidentiality, and attention to the impact of decisions are integral to every journey.
My experience as an Enterprise Agile Coach and in the IT world allows me to move naturally in real organizational contexts, where decisions matter and time is precious.

I help people, teams, and organizations take a step forward. My work involves creating the conditions for actionable directions, intentional choices, and small, concrete steps to emerge. I believe change becomes possible when attention is focused on... Show more

Jigyasa Grover

Jigyasa Grover

12-time award-winning AI visionary and 'Sculpting Data For ML' author Jigyasa Grover drives rider personalization innovation at Uber after transforming Twitter/X, Facebook/Meta, Faire, and Bordo AI with large-scale ML systems. Handpicked by Google for their I/O keynote, she serves on Google's Developer Advisory Board while advising social search engine Diem and other Silicon Valley startups.

As a sought-after LinkedIn Learning instructor, Jigyasa educates thousands of professionals worldwide on cutting-edge AI-powered applications and agentic AI systems, solidifying her status as a thought leader in artificial intelligence education. As a Google Developer Expert, Women Techmaker Ambassador, and World Economic Forum Global Shaper, Jigyasa has also been featured in Business Insider, VentureBeat, and International Business Times, and has elevated panels with Harvard University, Preston-Werner Ventures, Norwegian Business School, Humanitarian Frontier in AI, Women in Data, and more to her name.

The UC San Diego alumna has secured funding from the Canadian and Norwegian governments, the Linux Foundation, and multiple tech giants, enabling work that transcends geographical boundaries. With 200+ media features and contributions to open source recognized by Apache and Python Software Foundations, she mentors next-generation talent while shaping AI's future through advisory roles at Bezoku AI, Las Positas College, and various AI forums.

12-time award-winning AI visionary and 'Sculpting Data For ML' author Jigyasa Grover drives rider personalization innovation at Uber after transforming Twitter/X, Facebook/Meta, Faire, and Bordo AI with large-scale ML systems. Handpicked by Google fo... Show more

Alexia Georghiou

Alexia Georghiou

Alexia Georghiou is the founder of the Knoxville Happiness Coalition and the World Happiness Fellowship, a global platform advancing human centered leadership, workplace wellbeing, and the future of work. She is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, leadership educator, author of The Future of Work Is Human, and editor of Happiness Driven Leadership. She also teaches leadership at the University of Tennessee.

Alexia has delivered keynotes and executive education for leading professional and leadership audiences, including SHRM, SHRM Talent, the University for Peace Executive Education in Costa Rica, SIOPSA in South Africa, and the University of Tennessee System. Her work has been featured by SHRM, HR Dive, ASHHRA, and the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Alexia brings executives into the conversation. Her sessions are designed to be experienced, not simply heard, combining evidence based insights, executive reflection, audience interaction, and practical takeaways participants can apply immediately. She challenges leaders to think differently about wellbeing, not as a perk or program, but as a leadership practice and a critical part of designing the future of work.

Her work explores the intersection of happiness, leadership, human connection, organizational culture, and AI, helping leaders understand how the human experience of work directly influences engagement, performance, and sustainable organizational success.

Alexia Georghiou is the founder of the Knoxville Happiness Coalition and the World Happiness Fellowship, a global platform advancing human centered leadership, workplace wellbeing, and the future of work. She is an internationally recognized keynote ... Show more

Sergès Goma

Sergès Goma

Sergès Goma is a Paris-based software engineer specialized in Java and JavaScript. When she's not fixing codebases, she gives motivational speeches mostly aimed at junior and would-be developers as well as participating in the tech women's empowerment association Motiv'Her.

Sergès Goma is a Paris-based software engineer specialized in Java and JavaScript. When she's not fixing codebases, she gives motivational speeches mostly aimed at junior and would-be developers as well as participating in the tech women's empowermen... Show more

Gustavo Andrés Montalvo Espinosa

Gustavo Andrés Montalvo Espinosa

Ayudo a personas y organizaciones a desarrollar pensamiento analítico para tomar mejores decisiones mediante el uso inteligente de los datos.

Durante más de 20 años he liderado proyectos estratégicos en los sectores de banca, telecomunicaciones, medicina prepagada y educación superior, transformando datos en información útil para optimizar procesos, diseñar indicadores de gestión y apoyar la toma de decisiones.

Mi experiencia combina la consultoría empresarial con la docencia universitaria, donde enseño Business Intelligence, Microsoft Power BI, Microsoft Excel y análisis de datos mediante casos reales. Mi objetivo no es únicamente enseñar herramientas, sino ayudar a desarrollar la capacidad de interpretar la información, formular mejores preguntas y convertir los datos en decisiones que generen valor.

Soy fundador de BI Datos en Acción, una iniciativa desde la cual comparto artículos, análisis, conferencias y contenido educativo para promover una cultura basada en datos. Además, participo activamente en LinkedIn y YouTube difundiendo conocimientos sobre Business Intelligence, indicadores de gestión y pensamiento analítico.

Creo firmemente que los datos, por sí solos, no transforman las organizaciones; son las personas, mediante el pensamiento analítico, quienes convierten la información en mejores decisiones.

Ayudo a personas y organizaciones a desarrollar pensamiento analítico para tomar mejores decisiones mediante el uso inteligente de los datos. Durante más de 20 años he liderado proyectos estratégicos en los sectores de banca, telecomunicaciones, m... Show more

Anja Schröder

Anja Schröder

Anja Schröder is a Microsoft MVP and Modern Workplace Architect at Skaylink. She designs and builds Microsoft 365 architectures and leads their technical implementation from initial concept to rollout. Her approach ensures that solutions are not only secure and reliable but also improve the day-to-day work experience. Her expertise lies in Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and Copilot. In her sessions, she combines deep technical knowledge with practical examples to show how organizations can unlock the full potential of Microsoft 365.

Anja Schröder is a Microsoft MVP and Modern Workplace Architect at Skaylink. She designs and builds Microsoft 365 architectures and leads their technical implementation from initial concept to rollout. Her approach ensures that solutions are not only... Show more

Osita Ifezue

Osita Ifezue

Osita Ifezue is a researcher, international keynote speaker, and storytelling strategist. He is the founder of Njiko Storytelling, with over 25 years of experience training individuals and developing storytelling strategies. He has created the Storyboard Backcasting and Origin Story-Loop Strategic Frameworks, strategic storytelling tools designed to enhance learning in the storytelling process. Beyond entrepreneurship, Osita founded Entergrate, an NGO in Finland that focuses on social inclusion, and he hosts the podcast Think About It! With Osita Ifezue.

Osita Ifezue is a researcher, international keynote speaker, and storytelling strategist. He is the founder of Njiko Storytelling, with over 25 years of experience training individuals and developing storytelling strategies. He has created the Storyb... Show more

Makan Sepehrifar

Makan Sepehrifar

Makan Sepehrifar is a software architect whose fascination with the intricacies of organizational behavior and cognitive psychology has led him to redefine the way technology interfaces with human understanding. Looking at software architecture as a craftsmanship process, he realized that the more abstract you look at it, the more complexities arises. His career has been a testament to his commitment to bridging the gap between technology and human behaviour, resulting in innovative software solutions that not only work efficiently but also self-adaptive teams that embrace the mindset of agile.

Makan Sepehrifar is a software architect whose fascination with the intricacies of organizational behavior and cognitive psychology has led him to redefine the way technology interfaces with human understanding. Looking at software architecture as a ... Show more

Traci Sewell

Traci Sewell

Traci joined the community to take the tech down a notch! She lives in Somerset with some (very cute) cats, some horses, some sheep, and her husband, Rob. When not looking after all of those, she also works to sooth people's minds as a psychotherapist. Being tech-adjacent she has been drawn into the tech event organising world and the wider community, where she brings her life long knowledge, expertise and fearsome determination to empower and protect those who are outside of the generic majority box. Over the past few years she has also found a voice as a speaker, sharing information and insights into all things mental health and wellbeing - which has lead to providing Team Dynamics training and Project Management.

Traci joined the community to take the tech down a notch! She lives in Somerset with some (very cute) cats, some horses, some sheep, and her husband, Rob. When not looking after all of those, she also works to sooth people's minds as a psychotherapis... Show more

Kristyna Ferris

Kristyna Ferris

Kristyna Ferris is a solution architect at P3 Adaptive. Her experience includes implementing and managing enterprise-level Power BI instance, training teams on reporting best practices, and building templates for scalable analytics. Passionate about participating and growing the data community, she enjoys co-writing on Data on Wheels (dataonwheels.com) and speaking at various events. She also a co-organizer for Lexington Data Technology Group.

Kristyna Ferris is a solution architect at P3 Adaptive. Her experience includes implementing and managing enterprise-level Power BI instance, training teams on reporting best practices, and building templates for scalable analytics. Passionate about ... Show more

Sarah Kundla

Sarah Kundla

Sarah Kundla has always been curious about people: how we communicate, how we learn, and how our experiences and environments shape the way we see the world. That curiosity grew through years of teaching, facilitating, and living and working across cultures, where she saw firsthand how differently people can approach the same conversation, relationship, or challenge.

Today, Sarah is the founder of Questing Insight, where she turns that curiosity into practical learning experiences focused on emotional intelligence, communication, and leadership development. As a speaker, facilitator, and designer, she blends research with real-world experience and storytelling to help people better understand themselves and the people they work with.

Sarah has trained more than 1,900 professionals across the U.S. and internationally, is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, and has spoken at conferences including Learn & Lead, WITCON, and CodeMash. At the heart of her work is a simple goal: helping people become more thoughtful about how they communicate, more curious about perspectives beyond their own, and ultimately, better at working with other humans.

Sarah Kundla has always been curious about people: how we communicate, how we learn, and how our experiences and environments shape the way we see the world. That curiosity grew through years of teaching, facilitating, and living and working across c... Show more

Ixchel Ruiz

Ixchel Ruiz

Ixchel Ruiz has been developing software applications and tools since 2000. Her research interests include Java, dynamic languages, client-side technologies, and testing. As a member of the JCP Executive Committee, Java Champion, Oracle ACE Pro, Testcontainers Community Champion, CDF Ambassador, Hackergarten enthusiast, Open Source advocate, public speaker, and mentor, Ixchel is deeply committed to fostering inclusive and collaborative tech communities. She actively mentors aspiring developers and champions initiatives aimed at increasing diversity and accessibility in the technology sector.

Ixchel’s work is characterised by a relentless pursuit of innovation, a deep understanding of user needs, and an unwavering commitment to ethical technology development.

Ixchel Ruiz has been developing software applications and tools since 2000. Her research interests include Java, dynamic languages, client-side technologies, and testing. As a member of the JCP Executive Committee, Java Champion, Oracle ACE Pro, Test... Show more

Ashwin Hariharan

Ashwin Hariharan

Ashwin Hariharan is a Developer Advocate at Redis, with over eight years of experience as a full-stack software engineer. He's passionate about making complex ideas simple, helping developers build faster, more reliable systems, and understand the "why" behind the tools they use. His current work focuses on applied AI, and exploring how intelligent, real-time applications can be built using retrieval-augmented generation, vector search, agentic AI, and other emerging technologies.

Outside of tech, he spends time learning piano and basic music production, hitting the gym, and exploring big questions about how the world works. He's also fascinated by how people think and learn, often channeling that curiosity into talks, writing, and conversations about science and critical thinking.

Ashwin Hariharan is a Developer Advocate at Redis, with over eight years of experience as a full-stack software engineer. He's passionate about making complex ideas simple, helping developers build faster, more reliable systems, and understand the "w... Show more

Damian Synadinos

Damian Synadinos

Damian Synadinos has many labels. He spent 25 years as a software executive across diverse industries, gaining deep experience in technology, quality, and leadership. Along the way, he’s also been a schoolteacher, a children’s book author, a comedic improviser, and a portrait artist - experiences that sharpened his ability to communicate, connect, and think creatively. In 2016, he founded Ineffable Solutions to become a full-time speaker focused on people and fundamental topics such as communication, empathy, risk, identity, and trust – areas that are timeless and universal. His keynotes, talks, and workshops feature original content that blends conceptual depth, practical insight, and interactive humor, engaging the audiences’ hearts, minds, and funny bones. The result is a thought-provoking, relatable message that creates a lasting impact in any context.

Damian Synadinos has many labels. He spent 25 years as a software executive across diverse industries, gaining deep experience in technology, quality, and leadership. Along the way, he’s also been a schoolteacher, a children’s book author, a comedic ... Show more

Valarie Regas

Valarie Regas

Valarie Regas is a DevOps fanatic, a Georgia Tech coding bootcamp graduate, and a veteran mommy. She holds a BA in Psychology and currently works in Computer Science education. After years being a stay-at-home mom, she decided to change her life by entering tech, and has learned a lot along the way. Outside of work, she enjoys mixed martial arts fighting, table-top role playing games, public speaking, creating tiny humans, and activism of all sorts.

Valarie Regas is a DevOps fanatic, a Georgia Tech coding bootcamp graduate, and a veteran mommy. She holds a BA in Psychology and currently works in Computer Science education. After years being a stay-at-home mom, she decided to change her life by e... Show more

Hanna Engel

Hanna Engel

Indiana Jones of cloud technologies, Hanna Engel takes customers on exciting expeditions through the world of Azure, helping them navigate complex architectures, decode networking challenges, tame wild acronyms, and uncover the hidden treasures of modern cloud and AI solutions.

As a Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft, Hanna helps organizations realize their cloud and AI ambitions through strategic guidance, technical expertise, and hands-on implementation experience. She is a former Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP), Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), quantum computing evangelist, and representative of the Belgian Quantum Circle.

A frequent conference speaker and podcast guest, Hanna is passionate about making complex technology accessible to everyone. Through public speaking, community engagement, and social media, she focuses on democratizing access to IT knowledge and empowering professionals to embrace cloud and AI with confidence.
Combining experience from both the customer side and the Microsoft ecosystem, Hanna brings a pragmatic, real-world perspective to every challenge. Her approach is simple: focus on business outcomes, keep technology approachable, and ensure customer success remains at the heart of every journey.

Hanna is based in Brussels, Belgium. Personally, fan of Dungeons&Dragons, couchsurfing and foreign languages.

Indiana Jones of cloud technologies, Hanna Engel takes customers on exciting expeditions through the world of Azure, helping them navigate complex architectures, decode networking challenges, tame wild acronyms, and uncover the hidden treasures of mo... Show more

Mario Esposito

Mario Esposito

Artiste plasticien, Architecte, UX Designer et enfin Coach Agile.
Un parcours atypique, plusieurs pivotages dans ma vie m'ont porté à comprendre que c'est la valorisation de l'humain la plus grande des réalisations.

Artiste plasticien, Architecte, UX Designer et enfin Coach Agile. Un parcours atypique, plusieurs pivotages dans ma vie m'ont porté à comprendre que c'est la valorisation de l'humain la plus grande des réalisations. Show more

Jo Franchetti

Jo Franchetti

Jo is a Developer Advocate with a passion for the web and the people who build it. She champions great developer experience and loves teaching good use of JS, TS, and AI by making complex concepts feel approachable and fun. When she's not on a conference stage or mentoring the next generation of developers, you'll find her crafting sparkly, wearable, internet-connected tech. Jo is also a vocal advocate for mental health awareness and is deeply committed to building a more diverse and inclusive tech industry.

Jo is a Developer Advocate with a passion for the web and the people who build it. She champions great developer experience and loves teaching good use of JS, TS, and AI by making complex concepts feel approachable and fun. When she's not on a confer... Show more

Elliott Mattice

Elliott Mattice

Elliott Mattice is Co-Founder and CEO of Veraidyn. His work focuses on AI security and governance, applying human trust principles and behavioral assessment to decisions about agent responsibility, oversight, and accountability. He brings 25 years of experience leading cybersecurity, risk, and governance programs across defense, healthcare, and federal contracting, including more than 40 federal authorizations. He is CSA TAISE-certified in trusted AI safety and holds CISM, PMP, ITIL, and CMMC-RP credentials. He earned a master's degree in Mindful Leadership and speaks regularly on AI governance to security audiences.

Elliott Mattice is Co-Founder and CEO of Veraidyn. His work focuses on AI security and governance, applying human trust principles and behavioral assessment to decisions about agent responsibility, oversight, and accountability. He brings 25 years of... Show more

Amy Barthelemy

Amy Barthelemy

Amy Barthelemy is the solo founder of GovParti (govparti.org), a free civic intelligence platform covering all 3,127 US counties. The platform stores data from almost 50 federal sources locally, functioning as a living civic archive resilient to federal data removal. She is a published researcher (SSRN: 10928268), Latina first-generation American, military spouse, and mom.

Amy Barthelemy is the solo founder of GovParti (govparti.org), a free civic intelligence platform covering all 3,127 US counties. The platform stores data from almost 50 federal sources locally, functioning as a living civic archive resilient to fede... Show more

Paula Bria

Paula Bria

Psicóloga y especialista en Business Intelligence, IA y automatización de procesos. Conecto datos, tecnología y psicología para que las organizaciones trabajen mejor y tomen mejores decisiones.

Hoy trabajo como consultora independiente: acompaño a empresas y profesionales a automatizar tareas repetitivas, incorporar IA en su trabajo diario y ordenar sus datos para convertir intuiciones en métricas accionables. Menos tiempo perdido en procesos manuales, más tiempo para lo que importa. Según cada proyecto, sumo especialistas en Power BI, Excel, IA y SQL.

Vengo de la investigación. Soy Psicóloga y Magíster en Psicodiagnóstico y Evaluación Psicológica (UBA), doctoranda en Psicología y docente de Psicología Social en la UBA. Además, estoy cursando la Especialización en Ciencia de Datos aplicada a Ciencias del Comportamiento. Investigué variables emocionales y cognitivas hasta que decidí llevar ese pensamiento analítico al análisis de datos.

Trabajo con lo que hay. Automatizo procesos. Profesionalizo reportes. Ordeno el caos. Creé y desarrollé sectores desde cero, instalando cultura data-driven en organizaciones que no siempre contaban con grandes presupuestos, pero sí con desafíos complejos.

Mi diferencial:
- Entiendo cómo piensan las personas.
- Entiendo los datos, la tecnología y el negocio.
- Y sé cómo hacer que conversen.

Soy creadora y host de "La Cocina del Dato", un espacio donde entrevisto a referentes tecnológicos desde una mirada humana, porque la cultura de datos también se construye desde la comunicación, la comunidad y la creatividad.

Mi motor es claro: abrir puertas. Mostrar que el mundo de los datos y la IA no es exclusivo ni inaccesible, y ayudar a que más personas se animen a dar el salto.

Herramientas: Power BI (DAX, Power Query), Power Automate, IA generativa, SQL, Python, R, Excel.

Contacto: mpaulabria@gmail.com

Psicóloga y especialista en Business Intelligence, IA y automatización de procesos. Conecto datos, tecnología y psicología para que las organizaciones trabajen mejor y tomen mejores decisiones. Hoy trabajo como consultora independiente: acompaño a... Show more

Caroline Nicole Letaru

Caroline Nicole Letaru

**Caroline Nicole Letaru** is a Career Coach, Talent Strategist, and Founder of Kazini Consults, with **7 years of experience** helping professionals navigate career growth, employability, and international opportunities. Her work focuses on helping African professionals build future-ready careers through strategic career planning, skills development, and practical positioning in an evolving world of work.

Nicole has led technical recruitment for global institutions, including the United Nations and UNHCR, and has coached over 500 professionals across technical and non-technical fields, including software engineering, UX design, PowerShell, and AI. She brings a talent-market perspective to conversations about how people develop relevant skills, navigate changing industry expectations, and translate their capabilities into meaningful opportunities.

Her international speaking experience includes the International AIDS Society Conference in Germany, the Going Global Conference in the United Kingdom, and the SCORE Conference in Tanzania. She also received the Best Essay Award at the South American Business Forum in Argentina for her contribution to conversations on youth, development, and innovation.

Through Kazini Consults, Nicole champions practical, people-centred approaches to career development and the future of work, helping African talent navigate change, recognise emerging opportunities, and build sustainable professional pathways.

**Caroline Nicole Letaru** is a Career Coach, Talent Strategist, and Founder of Kazini Consults, with **7 years of experience** helping professionals navigate career growth, employability, and international opportunities. Her work focuses on helping ... Show more

Els van Vessem

Els van Vessem

Els van Vessem (they/them) works as a Data Engineer and Scrum Master for the House of Representatives in the Netherlands, after some years working as general data specialist and project lead for several healthcare organizations. They focus on topics of diversity, non-data skills needed for data jobs, compassion and mental health. Outside of work they hang out on bluesky (@geekingthething.bsky.social), help events with their code of conduct and harassment/abuse policies, read too many books, and watches political debates for fun.

Els van Vessem (they/them) works as a Data Engineer and Scrum Master for the House of Representatives in the Netherlands, after some years working as general data specialist and project lead for several healthcare organizations. They focus on topics ... Show more

Chris Hetzler

Chris Hetzler

Hello! I'm a Solution Architect at Eide Bailly Advisory LLC, a top-notch business advisory firm, and a proud Featured Fabric Partner. I love working with clients and teams to craft and deliver innovative solutions to business challenges using Microsoft technologies and platforms.

With over 20 years of experience in software engineering, I hold master's degrees in both software engineering and data science. I'm also certified in over 25 industry areas, including Microsoft Solution Architect certifications for AI, Azure, Power Platform, and Dynamics.

My expertise spans across Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft Fabric, Power Platform, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Development frameworks, tools, and DevOps, as well as major open-source development platforms. I specialize in designing and implementing no-code, low-code, and custom solutions, and I thrive on leading and collaborating with both on-shore and off-shore development teams to drive innovation and deliver customer value.

I'm known for my exceptional communication skills, which allow me to connect with both technical and non-technical audiences at all levels. I've had the pleasure of presenting at several industry conferences, including the FabCon, Microsoft Ready, Microsoft Convergence, and StarWest / East.

In my spare time, I enjoy indulging in my interests in U.S.A. Swimming, space exploration, science, engineering, and Lego. I'm passionate about creating software that solves real problems and makes a positive impact.

Hello! I'm a Solution Architect at Eide Bailly Advisory LLC, a top-notch business advisory firm, and a proud Featured Fabric Partner. I love working with clients and teams to craft and deliver innovative solutions to business challenges using Microso... Show more

Emily Harden

Emily Harden

Emily Harden is a knowledgeable consultant, skillful speaker, and community builder dedicated to fostering growth and impact. As the Founder and Owner of Harden Consulting, she provides tailored coaching to help people clarify what they want, navigate pivots, and thrive at work; so your passion becomes a sustainable path.
Emily draws on her deep roots in the tech ecosystem, where she previously served as Techlahoma's Executive Director, to connect challenges with creative solutions.

When she’s not working, you can probably find her playing board games, trying out new video games, or off on an adventure with her husband and their dog, Patches!

Emily Harden is a knowledgeable consultant, skillful speaker, and community builder dedicated to fostering growth and impact. As the Founder and Owner of Harden Consulting, she provides tailored coaching to help people clarify what they want, navigat... Show more

Manuel Alejandro Ledezma Falcon

Manuel Alejandro Ledezma Falcon

Manuel Ledezma, known in the tech community as Tester Testarudo, is a software testing and automation specialist with a strong commitment to delivering high-quality and reliable software. Over the past years, he has focused on mastering QA practices and automation strategies, working in agile and fast-paced environments.
He has contributed to leading companies such as Mediktor, AXA, Telecom Argentina, Newfold, and Mojo Marketplace, where he implemented scalable testing solutions that improved product stability and user experience.
Manuel currently serves as the QA Automation Lead at Mediktor in Barcelona, Spain, where he leads automation initiatives to ensure robust and impactful digital products.
Beyond his professional work, Manuel empowers the QA community through Tester Testarudo, his educational project dedicated to helping newcomers learn testing in a clear, practical, and accessible way.

Manuel Ledezma, known in the tech community as Tester Testarudo, is a software testing and automation specialist with a strong commitment to delivering high-quality and reliable software. Over the past years, he has focused on mastering QA practices ... Show more

Ragnar Heil

Ragnar Heil

Ragnar is a Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for Microsoft 365 Office Apps and Services. Together with MVP Alexander Egger, he hosts the “Alex & Ragnar Show,” a bi-weekly Video Live Stream about Microsoft 365 Hybrid Workplace and also "Guardians of M365 Governance" with Christian Buckley. Ragnar is a blogger and podcaster, headset geek, and core-member of Viva Explorers Community. He has an M.A. in Social Science and an Executive MBA, and has also published several books and articles about modern work.

Ragnar is a Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for Microsoft 365 Office Apps and Services. Together with MVP Alexander Egger, he hosts the “Alex & Ragnar Show,” a bi-weekly Video Live Stream about Microsoft 365 Hybrid Workplace and also "Guardians of ... Show more

Brian Madden

Brian Madden

Brian Madden is a renowned workplace AI strategist, future of work expert, and dynamic speaker with over 30 years of experience in digital transformation. As a futurist at Citrix, he's at the forefront of helping organizations navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of AI in the workplace.

Expertise & Current Focus
• Workplace AI strategy and implementation
• Future of work and digital workplace transformation
• AI's impact on employee productivity and HR practices
• Ethical considerations of AI in the workplace
• Bridging the gap between technology and human resources

Career Highlights
• Currently a VP, Technology Officer & Futurist, Citrix
• Creator of the Workplace AI Strategy Guide project, a comprehensive, continuously-updated resource for organizations adapting to AI
• Author of 6 books and over 2,000 articles on technology and workplace transformation
• Founder of BriForum, the largest vendor-neutral End-User Computing conference (2005-2016)
• Former Distinguished Technologist at VMware, focusing on the Future of Work
• Creator and leader of multiple influential tech community programs (Citrix CTP, VMware EUC vExperts)

Speaking and Thought Leadership
• Delivered 1000+ talks worldwide on technology's impact on work and productivity
• Ranked #1 speaker at major tech conferences multiple times
• Regular contributor to discussions on AI ethics, productivity, and workplace dynamics
• Passionate about democratizing knowledge and fostering inclusive tech communities

Brian's unique blend of technical expertise, strategic insight, and engaging presentation style makes him an ideal speaker for conferences exploring the intersection of AI, HR, and the future of work. He excels at breaking down complex technological concepts in humorous and relatable ways for diverse audiences, from C-suite executives to HR professionals and IT teams.

Brian Madden is a renowned workplace AI strategist, future of work expert, and dynamic speaker with over 30 years of experience in digital transformation. As a futurist at Citrix, he's at the forefront of helping organizations navigate the rapidly ev... Show more

Ashley Rivera

Ashley Rivera

Your systems are built. Your people don't trust them.

That's the problem I solve.

As Data & Automation Director at HEI Civil, I've led enterprise data and automation strategy across multi-state operations. I speak to leaders and teams navigating fragmented data, manual processes, and growing complexity who want systems they can rely on, not workarounds.

Why I speak: I used to say I did it to "share knowledge" or "help the community." The real answer took longer to find. Early in my career I learned that building something correct isn't the same as building something people actually use, a gap that cost me more than I expected until I dug into the psychology of adoption and trust. That's the same work that's generated $1M+ in cost avoidance and returned 19,000+ hours a year at HEI Civil. I speak so other developers, managers, and leaders don't have to learn the hard way what I learned the hard way. Read the full story on my blog.

My sessions focus on:

Why well-designed programs fail without adoption
How to design systems leaders actually trust
Change management and governance as competitive advantages
Why the hardest part of any data, AI, or automation initiative is never the tool

Bilingual: English and Spanish. Available for keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops, and internal consulting engagements.

Your systems are built. Your people don't trust them. That's the problem I solve. As Data & Automation Director at HEI Civil, I've led enterprise data and automation strategy across multi-state operations. I speak to leaders and teams navigatin... Show more

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