Humanities & Social Sciences

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

Evelien Roos

Evelien Roos

Evelien works at the intersection of two urgent challenges in tech: helping Agile teams integrate AI responsibly, and equipping product teams to detect and address gender bias in the systems they build.

She is a Professional Knowledge Sharer at Xebia Academy, Scrum.org PST, and certified Training from the Back of the Room Trainer with 15+ years coaching and training teams at organizations like Rabobank, Philips, Essent, and Unilever. She designs learning experiences that are practical, hands-on, and grounded in what teams actually face.

Evelien co-created the Road2Mastery, wrote the Scrum Master Playbook, and organizes Women in Agile Europe. She is currently writing a book on gender bias in AI.

Evelien works at the intersection of two urgent challenges in tech: helping Agile teams integrate AI responsibly, and equipping product teams to detect and address gender bias in the systems they build. She is a Professional Knowledge Sharer at Xe... Show more

Chad Gerber

Chad Gerber

Chad Gerber is a 10x platinum and gold-selling artist, inventor, and founder of ShadowGen and Meloscene.

As an artist, producer, and composer, Gerber has worked on projects across music, film, television, and interactive media. His background in sound and technology has also played a major role in the systems he builds today.

Gerber is the founder of ShadowGen, where he is developing communication technology designed to keep voice working in extremely low-bandwidth and unreliable network environments. The technology has been tested outside the lab in real-world field conditions, including environments where conventional voice communication becomes impractical.

He is also the founder of Meloscene, an immersive collaboration platform that gives artists and creators a shared virtual space to work together remotely.

Gerber continues to work across music, immersive technology, AI, and communication systems. His talks focus on what he has actually built and learned along the way, from creative technology and immersive environments to the challenges of building communication systems that have to work when networks don't.

He has presented his work in Washington, D.C. and internationally, and has appeared on the BBC and other media.

Chad Gerber is a 10x platinum and gold-selling artist, inventor, and founder of ShadowGen and Meloscene. As an artist, producer, and composer, Gerber has worked on projects across music, film, television, and interactive media. His background in s... Show more

Eriol Fox

Eriol Fox

Eriol has been working as a designer for 15+ years working in for-profits and then NGO’s and open-source software organisations, working on complex problems like sustainable food systems, peace-building, censorship circumvention OSS, Human Rights OSS tools and crisis response technology. Eriol now works at The Open Home Foundation on OSS first smart home technology.

Eriol is part of the core teams at Open Source Design (http://opensourcedesign.net/) Sustain UX & Design working group (https://sustainoss.org/working-groups/design-and-ux/) and help hosts podcast about open source and design (https://sosdesign.sustainoss.org/)

Eriol is a non-binary, queer person who uses they/them pronouns.

Eriol was studying a Comp Sci PhD looking at how designers participate in humanitarian and human rights focussed open-source software projects and is looking for a new home for this research.

Eriol has been working as a designer for 15+ years working in for-profits and then NGO’s and open-source software organisations, working on complex problems like sustainable food systems, peace-building, censorship circumvention OSS, Human Rights OSS... Show more

Diego Coy

Diego Coy

Developer Relations Professional and Software Engineer with over a decade of experience in technology, specializing in AI/ML and Developer Experience.

I work at the intersection of Developer Relations, product, and UX, creating accessible workflows and clear paths to success for developers.

I’ve delivered talks, training sessions, and workshops at conferences across the Americas and Europe, sharing insights on Web Development, AI, Developer Experience, Neurodiversity, and inclusion in tech. Beyond the stage, I write code, content, and support open source and community initiatives. When not working, I'm co-organize GDG Lisbon and learning Rustlang.

My goal has always been to lower the barriers of entry into the tech world for "the rest of us".

Developer Relations Professional and Software Engineer with over a decade of experience in technology, specializing in AI/ML and Developer Experience. I work at the intersection of Developer Relations, product, and UX, creating accessible workflow... Show more

Iva Silla

Iva Silla

Iva Silla već više od desetljeća vodi maštovite tematske razglede grada pod zajedničkim nazivnikom Secret Zagreb. To je samo dio njenog opusa u kreativnom turizmu i interpretaciji baštine, a trenutno joj je najveća strast razvoj igrificiranih istraživanja diljem Hrvatske.

Iva Silla već više od desetljeća vodi maštovite tematske razglede grada pod zajedničkim nazivnikom Secret Zagreb. To je samo dio njenog opusa u kreativnom turizmu i interpretaciji baštine, a trenutno joj je najveća strast razvoj igrificiranih istraži... Show more

Maciej Rząsa

Maciej Rząsa

Software engineer with 10+ years under his belt. At Chattermill, he turns AI research into real-world products. A fan of diving deep into black boxes, he has unusual hobby of writing regular expressions by hand and arguing about their speed. When he’s not coding, he shares knowledge as a university instructor, speaker, and meetup organiser.

Bookworm, hiker, history nerd - ask him about Napoleon!

Software engineer with 10+ years under his belt. At Chattermill, he turns AI research into real-world products. A fan of diving deep into black boxes, he has unusual hobby of writing regular expressions by hand and arguing about their speed. When he’... 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

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

Thijs Limmen

Thijs Limmen

Thijs is a DevOps engineer and front-end development enthusiast at Xebia. With a unique edge as an AI-powered developer, Thijs integrates cutting-edge AI tools into his development process. This allows him to improve code quality, boost productivity, and be any profession, ensuring that his projects stay ahead of the curve.

Thijs is a DevOps engineer and front-end development enthusiast at Xebia. With a unique edge as an AI-powered developer, Thijs integrates cutting-edge AI tools into his development process. This allows him to improve code quality, boost productivity,... Show more

Elena Marquetti-Ali

Elena Marquetti-Ali

Elena is a highly-rated professional speaker with 20+ years of experience as a leadership coach, group facilitator and collegiate faculty member. Elena works with groups, individuals, and organizations to amplify their authenticity and empower them to become effective leaders. Elena is the President of and Lead Consultant with Marquetti Consulting.

Elena is a highly-rated professional speaker with 20+ years of experience as a leadership coach, group facilitator and collegiate faculty member. Elena works with groups, individuals, and organizations to amplify their authenticity and empower them t... Show more

Sebastiano Galazzo

Sebastiano Galazzo

Winner of three AI awards, I’ve been working in AI and machine learning for 25 years, designing and developing AI and computer graphic algorithms.

I’m very passionate about AI, focusing on Audio, Image and Natural Language Processing, and predictive analysis as well.
I received several national and international awards that recognize my work and contributions in these areas.

Microsoft MVP for Artificial Intelligence Category, I have the pleasure of being a guest speaker in national and international events.

Winner of three AI awards, I’ve been working in AI and machine learning for 25 years, designing and developing AI and computer graphic algorithms. I’m very passionate about AI, focusing on Audio, Image and Natural Language Processing, and predicti... Show more

Magali Milbergue

Magali Milbergue

After a decade in social work, Magali decided to change course and became a web developper. She tries to find a delicate balance between the technical aspects of the job (fun !), the creativity (fun too !) and trying to follow her ethics and change the culture of the industry (the less fun aspects of it anyway) by being an advocate and an activist. She recently chose to specialize in web accessibility by joining Access42.

She is co-founder and president of Compositech, an organization advocating for the inclusion of women and non-binary people in tech. She also is the founder and president of La Première Ligne, a feminist magazine created by tech women and non-binary people. She has a dog, Trufa and talks either way too much about her (according to people) or way not enough (according to herself).

After a decade in social work, Magali decided to change course and became a web developper. She tries to find a delicate balance between the technical aspects of the job (fun !), the creativity (fun too !) and trying to follow her ethics and change t... Show more

Oscar Cariceo

Oscar Cariceo

Ingeniero de Software con formación académica en antropología y ciencias sociales. Interesado en las posibilidades que ofrece la inteligencia artificial generativa y el desarrollo de aplicaciones orientadas mejorar la experiencia de los seres humanos con los sistemas computacionales.

Ingeniero de Software con formación académica en antropología y ciencias sociales. Interesado en las posibilidades que ofrece la inteligencia artificial generativa y el desarrollo de aplicaciones orientadas mejorar la experiencia de los seres humanos... Show more

Becca Hiller

Becca Hiller

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

Rabbi Ranon Teller

Rabbi Ranon Teller

Rabbi Ranon Teller is a devoted and dynamic spiritual leader who combines his passion for Jewish music, education, and community with creative approaches to worship and congregational life. His television writing and music background has given him a unique ability to lead through innovative worship services and educational programming. As the senior rabbi at Congregation Brith Shalom in Houston, he has revolutionized prayer services, fostering strong membership engagement and forming deep connections within local and broader Jewish communities.

Raised in a suburban Detroit home, Rabbi Ranon grew up immersed in the practices and values of Orthodox Judaism as the second of three children. His early education occurred at Orthodox Day School, followed by Skokie Yeshiva High School outside Chicago. After completing high school, he moved to Israel, where he studied at an Orthodox yeshiva and dove into advanced Talmudic study, Jewish philosophy, theology, and sacred text. However, as he progressed in his studies, he began questioning the Orthodox practices he had grown up with, leading him to seek a deeper understanding of Judaism that would better align with his evolving spiritual identity.

1996, Rabbi Teller returned to Israel to explore alternative Jewish spirituality and practice. He became particularly drawn to contemporary Chasidic music and the teachings of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, which helped him connect with Jewish traditions in new and meaningful ways. During this time, he audited classes at a Conservative rabbinical school in Jerusalem and participated in an intensive Jewish education program. These experiences led him to a profound realization that his calling was to pursue Jewish leadership, prompting him to return to the United States in 1998 to further his studies and become a rabbi.

Upon returning to the United States, Rabbi Ranon enrolled at the University of Judaism (now the American Jewish University) in Los Angeles, where he focused on Jewish education and rabbinic ordination. His dedication to his studies and growing love for Jewish learning were evident as he excelled in his coursework, culminating in an Honorary Doctorate from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in 2022. Exceptional achievements, including the Fingerhut School of Education Award for Outstanding Achievement and the Ziegler School Award for Excellence in Talmudic Studies, marked his academic journey.

In 2002, Ranon Teller was ordained as a rabbi and began his rabbinic career as the associate rabbi at Congregation B'nai Amoona in St. Louis, where he served until 2005. During his time there, the congregation faced a period of senior leadership turnover, and he was called upon to provide vision and stability. He successfully engaged young families and introduced innovative, interactive prayer services, further solidifying his role as a dynamic and compassionate leader. This experience helped shape his approach to leadership, which would prove invaluable in the future.

In 2005, Rabbi Teller moved to Houston to become the senior rabbi at Congregation Brith Shalom. His soulful, personable, and diplomatic approach to leadership quickly led to congregational growth and revitalization. During his two decades at Brith Shalom, he introduced innovative musical prayer services that united congregants and community members, making services more engaging and spiritually enriching. He also played a key role in securing a $1.5 million endowment for the synagogue and a $5 million contribution toward a building renovation campaign, helping ensure the synagogue's long-term stability and success.

Rabbi Ranon's impact extends far beyond the walls of his synagogue. He is deeply involved in the Houston Jewish community, actively collaborating with and volunteering for organizations such as the Houston Food Bank, SEARCH Homeless Services, and the Food and Faith Collaborative. In addition, he works closely with the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and Alexander Jewish Family Service to support those in need, further reflecting his commitment to tikkun olam, the Jewish principle of repairing the world.

Outside of his professional responsibilities, Rabbi Ranon Teller enjoys a variety of hobbies and interests that further enrich his life. He continues to play blues and folk guitar and remains passionate about song-leading, bringing joy and spirituality through music. Reading non-fiction, particularly biographies and books on human nature, is another of his favorite activities. He also enjoys juggling, magic, and backpacking, often finding spiritual fulfillment in the natural world. He has written for Kolot magazine, the Jewish Herald-Voice, and the Jewish Journal. He co-authored the book, Peaceful Bones, sharing his insights and experiences with a broader audience.

Rabbi Ranon Teller is a devoted and dynamic spiritual leader who combines his passion for Jewish music, education, and community with creative approaches to worship and congregational life. His television writing and music background has given him a ... Show more

Abiodun Alabi

Abiodun Alabi

Abiodun Emiola Alabi is a workforce digital transformation leader, AI Governance, and AI product manager of CareerLens AI, an AI-powered workforce intelligence and employability platform. She helps organisations and professionals navigate the changing world of work by turning emerging AI trends into practical strategies for workforce transformation.

She speaks on AI Product building and management, AI in HR, Workforce Intelligence, Responsible AI, AI Governance, Future of Work, Modern Workplace transformation, Data Privacy in the Workplace, People Analytics, and career readiness in the AI era.

Her work focuses on helping organisations become AI-ready by building the governance, skills, and workforce capabilities needed to adopt AI responsibly. She equips leaders with practical frameworks to transform workplaces, strengthen workforce decision-making, and prepare people for the future of work.

Abiodun is passionate about making AI practical, ethical, and accessible for businesses, HR professionals, educators, and emerging leaders. Her sessions are practical, engaging, and action-oriented, providing audiences with clear strategies they can implement immediately. She's a Women Techmakers Ambassador (Google).

Abiodun Emiola Alabi is a workforce digital transformation leader, AI Governance, and AI product manager of CareerLens AI, an AI-powered workforce intelligence and employability platform. She helps organisations and professionals navigate the changin... Show more

Wiebke Apitzsch

Wiebke Apitzsch

Wiebke Apitzsch is a German expert in artificial intelligence (AI), data-driven transformation, and strategic change in business and industry. She has extensive experience in designing and implementing AI initiatives at the intersection of business, technology, and organizational development, with deep experience in AI Ethics. As co-founder and CTO of the consulting firm AI.IMPACT, she supports organizations across industries in strategically embedding AI solutions and making them operationally effective.

Previously, she held leadership roles at Boston Consulting Group, TTE Strategy, and StatSoft, with a focus on data-driven decision-making models, change management, and translating analytical potential into sustainable business value. Wiebke Apitzsch is a certified Executive Coach (INSEAD), an MBA student in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at LMU Munich, and a sought-after speaker at conferences and podcasts. She is also committed to promoting diversity in the tech sector and advocates for greater visibility of women in technology-driven industries.

Wiebke Apitzsch is a German expert in artificial intelligence (AI), data-driven transformation, and strategic change in business and industry. She has extensive experience in designing and implementing AI initiatives at the intersection of business, ... Show more

Ugne Fink

Ugne Fink

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

Heather McDaniel

Heather McDaniel

Heather McDaniel is a speaker, writer, and organizational consultant based in Spain. She writes and speaks about how people work, lead, decide, learn, and create together.

Her perspective draws on a 28-year career spanning communication, operations, consulting, learning, and facilitation, including work with international and distributed teams across Europe and North America.

She works with leadership teams on organizational readiness, leadership alignment, decision-making, and how people work together through change. Her current work also includes using training and communication expertise to improve AI models for a leading AI lab, and she is Microsoft Certified as an AI Transformation Leader.

Heather also works in adult learning and Erasmus+ partnerships across Europe, designing and facilitating learning experiences for international and cross-cultural groups.

She writes Letters From the Joyful Rebellion, a personal column about the things she notices, the questions she keeps coming back to, and what they show us about the way we live.

Her speaking brings together practical organizational experience, systems thinking, curiosity, and a longstanding interest in power, language, culture, technology, and how people make sense of change.

She is based in Cullera, Valencia, Spain, and is available for talks, workshops, panels, and facilitated learning across Europe and North America, in person or virtually.

Heather McDaniel is a speaker, writer, and organizational consultant based in Spain. She writes and speaks about how people work, lead, decide, learn, and create together. Her perspective draws on a 28-year career spanning communication, operation... Show more

Bonaventure Saturday

Bonaventure Saturday

Bonaventure Saturday is a researcher and project manager with over ten years of experience working at the intersection of digital rights, AI governance, data governance, gender justice, and civic engagement in Africa. His work focuses on online safety for women in public life, technology-facilitated gender-based violence, digital public infrastructure, responsible and inclusive AI, and the governance of emerging technologies. He has extensive experience managing and evaluating donor-funded programmes, conducting policy-relevant research, needs assessments, and stakeholder consultations, and convening multistakeholder actors across government, civil society, academia, the private sector, and regional institutions. He contributes evidence-based perspectives to debates on AI, platform governance, digital inclusion, data protection, and public interest technology. He is committed to advancing digital policies and systems that are inclusive, accountable, safe, and rights-respecting, particularly for women, girls, and historically underrepresented communities across Africa.

Bonaventure Saturday is a researcher and project manager with over ten years of experience working at the intersection of digital rights, AI governance, data governance, gender justice, and civic engagement in Africa. His work focuses on online safet... Show more

Celina Del Turco

Celina Del Turco

Celina Del Turco is a software developer and educator from Argentina working at the intersection of technology, education, and human-centered design.

She develops educational technology and software systems focused on making technology more accessible, understandable, and resilient in real-world environments. Her current work includes Utopía, an offline-first educational technology project exploring adaptive learning, accessibility-aware interaction, local AI, and architectures that remain useful when connectivity and computational resources are limited.

Alongside software development, Celina teaches programming and technology through hands-on workshops, working with learners who often begin with little or no technical background. This experience has shaped her approach to engineering: systems should not force people to adapt to technology when technology can be designed to adapt to people.

Her interests include AI engineering, adaptive systems, offline-first architectures, accessibility, educational technology, and the practical challenges of building technology under real-world constraints.

Celina Del Turco is a software developer and educator from Argentina working at the intersection of technology, education, and human-centered design. She develops educational technology and software systems focused on making technology more access... Show more

Philip Chidera

Philip Chidera

Product Designer and entrepreneur building fintech, SaaS, and Web3 products for clients and companies across Nigeria and internationally. He serves as Design Lead (UI/UX) for Port Harcourt Talent Tribe under ATC Africa, where he mentors and supports emerging tech talent. He combines product design with AI and no-code tools to build and ship production-ready interfaces. His work and speaking focus on product design, AI, emerging tools, and the evolving ways modern digital products are designed and built.

Product Designer and entrepreneur building fintech, SaaS, and Web3 products for clients and companies across Nigeria and internationally. He serves as Design Lead (UI/UX) for Port Harcourt Talent Tribe under ATC Africa, where he mentors and supports ... Show more

Mathias Weber

Mathias Weber

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 four 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 four years in Data Architecture Consulting, he helps clients navigate complex data &... Show more

Tanya Hallett

Tanya Hallett

Tanya Hallett is the an award winning, trauma informed practice and diversity, equity and inclusion specialist. After teaching in some of WA's hardest to staff schools, she decided to take what she had learned outside of education and into the corporate and government world. She is the founder and CEO of TIPT. She specialises in building trauma informed workplaces, mental health and well being, and building team culture through psychological safety and mitigating psychosocial risk. She is a Mental Health First Aid Instructor, a Grief First Aid Instructor, and a LEGO Serious Play facilitator.

Tanya Hallett is the an award winning, trauma informed practice and diversity, equity and inclusion specialist. After teaching in some of WA's hardest to staff schools, she decided to take what she had learned outside of education and into the corpor... Show more

Dr. Saara Haapanen

Dr. Saara Haapanen

Dr. Saara Haapanen is a human performance and leadership strategist, speaker, and internationally published researcher whose PhD work focused on motivation and optimal performance.
For more than 25 years, she has coached and trained high performers across individual, team, and organizational settings, from elite athletes and executives to physicians and large workforces.
Through Performance is Haapanen, she helps organizations create the conditions for their humans to perform at their best. Her work integrates motivation science, psychobiosocial performance, neurodiversity, workplace well-being, and practical performance design.
Saara has been featured in Forbes Health, Shape, Reader’s Digest, and other national media and is known for energetic, highly interactive sessions that turn research into ideas leaders can immediately use.

Dr. Saara Haapanen is a human performance and leadership strategist, speaker, and internationally published researcher whose PhD work focused on motivation and optimal performance. For more than 25 years, she has coached and trained high performers... Show more

Stefan Koehler

Stefan Koehler

Stefan builds and advises on systems where technological sovereignty, software architecture, and organizational design meet. His work takes a systemic view of technology: architectures are not isolated technical artifacts, but part of larger organizational, operational, and social systems whose boundaries, dependencies, and feedback loops shape what they can achieve.

As co-founder and architect of PrAIvate, he is developing a privacy-first RAG platform built almost entirely on free software, with proprietary components limited to the models themselves. His current work focuses on sovereign AI architectures, reproducible environments, infrastructure automation, security, observability, and deployment independence across personal computers, data centers, and cloud infrastructure.

He has contributed to major open-source migration and digital-sovereignty initiatives, including LiMux and the architectural groundwork for what later became openDesk. His approach combines technical architecture with systems thinking and Kanban, with particular emphasis on building AI systems that remain understandable, modular, and operationally independent.

Previous speaking engagements include LinuxCon Europe, Big Data Week, AI Tech Summit, SFSCon, FOSSASIA, OpenTechSummit, LinuxTag, Pingvin-Fest and CeBIT.

Stefan builds and advises on systems where technological sovereignty, software architecture, and organizational design meet. His work takes a systemic view of technology: architectures are not isolated technical artifacts, but part of larger organiza... Show more

Alex Radu

Alex Radu

Alex is a VP Education and Community Manager for Engineering Practices, at JPMorganChase in Glasgow 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 the land of the unicorns 🦄. She is an international speaker, product community manager, former product and marketing manager for public cloud, software engineer and conversational developer, among other roles.

In her work as a creative technologist, she combines content, community and engineering, to help people and products grow. Her role acts as a navigator between product, design, engineering and customers, underpinned by data and feedback.

In her personal life, she loves languages, speaking 4, whilst learning her 5th, Korean, with a 1800+ day streak on Duolingo. Alex adores living in Scotland with her family, 6-year old husky, Kai, and 2-year old Maine Coon kitten, Marvin!

As a fervent advocate of diversity in tech, Alex supports various communities, such as codebar, AWS Community Builders, Aspiring Women Speakers, #IamRemarkable, GitHub Campus Experts, Women Techmakers and more!

Alex is a VP Education and Community Manager for Engineering Practices, at JPMorganChase in Glasgow 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 the land of the unicorns 🦄. She is an international speaker, product community manager, former product and marketing manager for publi... Show more

Dennis Nerush

Dennis Nerush

Dennis Nerush is the Director of AI at Elementor, where he leads the company's AI strategy and guides teams through the integration of GenAI technologies that enhance productivity while preserving human creativity and accountability.

With over 15 years of experience as a developer, manager, director, and adviser across multiple tech companies and startups, Dennis has dedicated his career to building people-first cultures rooted in continuous learning, curiosity, and growth. He believes that when individuals thrive, teams and businesses flourish, a philosophy that has guided him in founding dozens of teams and mentoring over 100 managers.

Dennis is a seasoned public speaker and writer who shares his insights on AI integration, leadership, and team performance at international conferences. He's passionate about helping leaders develop the skills and confidence to excel in a world where human leadership and AI collaboration go hand in hand.

In his free time, Dennis loves cooking and spending time with his kids. His main goal is to help people reach the next level.

Dennis Nerush is the Director of AI at Elementor, where he leads the company's AI strategy and guides teams through the integration of GenAI technologies that enhance productivity while preserving human creativity and accountability. With over 15 ... Show more

Claire Hayek

Claire Hayek

Claire Hayek, Eng., MBA, is a NeuroLeadership expert, TEDx speaker, and creator of Pressure-Proof Leadership™, a neuroscience-based system that protects decision quality, execution stability, and culture performance under pressure.

For more than 30 years, she has operated in high pressure environments, from growing up in war-torn Lebanon to engineering and executive leadership. Her work addresses one of the most expensive problems in business: leaders who lose strategic judgment precisely when it matters most.

Her thought leadership has been featured in International Business Times. She is the host of ‘The NeuroLeadership Edge Podcast’, ranked in the top 5% of podcasts globally, and the author of her second book 'The Leadership Skill Nobody Taught You: Calm Under Fire in the Age of Disruption' launched in September 2026 (French edition: La compétence en leadership que personne ne vous a apprise : garder son calme sous le feu à l’ère de la disruption - Oct 2026).

Her work bridges human resilience and organizational performance, focusing on one central question: how do we master pressure without becoming driven by it?

Claire Hayek, Eng., MBA, is a NeuroLeadership expert, TEDx speaker, and creator of Pressure-Proof Leadership™, a neuroscience-based system that protects decision quality, execution stability, and culture performance under pressure. For more than 3... Show more

Cade Bradford Knudson

Cade Bradford Knudson

Cade Bradford Knudson is a financial professional with tremendous experience managing multi-million dollar portfolios for various clients across the broader financial industry. While working for hedge funds, he has learned various skills, including quantitative analysis, relative valuations, and macroeconomic analysis. He spends a significant amount of time analyzing financial trends, valuing different companies, and looking for investment opportunities on behalf of his clients. He also keeps his eyes open, learning from some of the top professionals in the industry, and applying everything he knows to his own career. This steady approach helps him focus on process, risk control, and clear communication.

Cade Knudson of Denver set his sights on the business world early. He noticed how people around him made decisions and looked for small ways to practice those habits. He graduated toward the top of his class in high school and went on to one of the top colleges in the country. In college, he took numerous business courses, held part-time jobs that taught accountability, and followed through on internships he used to network. Because the business world is incredibly competitive, particularly for those who want to work in equities, he aimed to build simple routines he could repeat—read carefully, test assumptions, and explain conclusions plainly.

After he finished college, he spent several years working. He wanted to apply what he learned, refine judgment, and earn trust with results. The hours were long, but the lessons were practical. By learning how to take lessons from the school and apply them in real life, he built many essential skills that he continues to use. He also got to work with various business clients, continuously generating positive returns on their behalf. That record helped him gain admission to one of the top graduate programs in the country and confirmed the value of preparation and steady execution.

He decided to go back to graduate school and attend DU. There, he distinguished himself from a lot of his peers, graduating magna cum laude from the program. The recognition opened doors, but the habits behind it mattered more: careful research, clear writing, and attention to risk. He immediately garnered the attention of some of the top firms in the industry, which allowed him to land an exceptional job. In his current role, he moves projects from planning to delivery, aiming for straightforward memos and measured position sizing.

Working with different teams has been an essential part of his development. He has shown an ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds, which helps him consistently meet deadlines and requirements for client deliverables. He tries to listen first, ask specific questions, and keep meetings centered on next steps. When results arrive, he reviews what worked, notes what did not, and adjusts his process.

Service is part of his week. Cade Knudson of Denver regularly donates to a safe house for domestic violence victims in Denver. He also supports a food bank in the Rocky Mountains. Many people in the area do not have access to a steady supply of fresh food, and he helps the organization maintain resources so neighbors can count on a nutritious meal. These efforts are practical and local, focused on steady help rather than headlines.

Outside of work, he spends time outdoors. Denver offers easy access to mountains, and he takes advantage of that. During the winter, he often skis at nearby resorts. As seasons change, he turns to fishing and fly fishing for quiet and patience. He also spends time with family and friends exploring some of the Rocky Mountains’ most beautiful hiking and biking trails.

Even though his job is demanding, he tries to gather with loved ones during the holidays and check in during the year. He enjoys mentoring people interested in finance, sharing simple practices that helped him start. The goal is consistent: do the work carefully, keep learning, and humbly serve clients and the community. This path continues to guide Cade Bradford Knudson in the financial sector.

Cade Bradford Knudson is a financial professional with tremendous experience managing multi-million dollar portfolios for various clients across the broader financial industry. While working for hedge funds, he has learned various skills, including q... Show more

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