Humanities & Social Sciences

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

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

Shavana Peynado

Shavana Peynado

Shavana Peynado is a multi-award winning Software Developer, public speaker, DEI advocate. Coming from an Finance and Modern Languages background, learning to program during the pandemic, Shav is dedicated to giving back to the community, fostering psychologically safe spaces for women in tech and is actively involved in mentoring.

Shavana Peynado is a multi-award winning Software Developer, public speaker, DEI advocate. Coming from an Finance and Modern Languages background, learning to program during the pandemic, Shav is dedicated to giving back to the community, fostering p... Show more

Tajah M. Gross, PhD

Tajah M. Gross, PhD

Dr. Tajah M. Gross is Founder & CEO of Ethilect, an AI governance, risk, and decision intelligence firm helping organizations confront the hidden human risks inside artificial intelligence systems. A recognized voice in responsible AI, escalation architecture, and operational oversight, she is known for translating complex AI risk into practical governance strategies leaders can actually use.

Her expertise spans agentic AI, autonomous decision systems, human oversight design, AI governance, and enterprise risk visibility. Through her signature frameworks, Question Everything and ReasonGate, Dr. Gross challenges organizations to rethink how AI decisions are monitored, escalated, interrupted, and trusted at scale.

Blending executive strategy with real-world implementation, she helps institutions design AI systems that remain observable, accountable, and human-centered under pressure—not just efficient. Dr. Gross has delivered high-impact sessions for nationally recognized venues including AI in the New Era, Nashville Microsoft Community Day, UN Blockchain Week, North Carolina A&T University, and Morgan State University.

Dr. Tajah M. Gross is Founder & CEO of Ethilect, an AI governance, risk, and decision intelligence firm helping organizations confront the hidden human risks inside artificial intelligence systems. A recognized voice in responsible AI, escalation arc... 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

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

Priyant Banerjee

Priyant Banerjee

Priyant Banerjee is an AI/ML Research Intern at IIIT Hyderabad's CSTAR Lab, working on federated learning, multimodal AI security, and deepfake-resistant authentication systems. He holds a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering (First Class Honours and Distinction) from Amity University Mumbai with a minor in Economics. He has authored more than 22 peer-reviewed publications and has presented research at WILL2025 (Kyoto University), TNKU, UNM and, visited as delegate to Harvard HPAIR. His current research focuses on privacy-preserving federated systems for cybersecurity applications, at the intersection of technical architecture and legal and policy constraints.

Priyant Banerjee is an AI/ML Research Intern at IIIT Hyderabad's CSTAR Lab, working on federated learning, multimodal AI security, and deepfake-resistant authentication systems. He holds a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering (First Class Honou... Show more

Jessica Ibarra

Jessica Ibarra

I’m a creative, people-first service and experience designer with 15+ years of transforming complex programmes into end-to-end services that leaders, boards, and delivery teams can understand, fund, and scale. I’m successful because empathy is where I start, not where I stop, to deliver quality products, services and experiences that make a positive impact.
My work bridges design thinking, service design, and systems thinking principles applied to AI enablement for products, workflows and teams. In practice, I lead service, experience, and learning design across tech-forward, AI-heavy programmes, often as the first and only designer in the room. In the past, I have helped several emerging teams and startups build a shared practice and find smarter, more inclusive ways through their most ambiguous challenges, so I’m confident as hire #1 or leading a growing team.

I’m a creative, people-first service and experience designer with 15+ years of transforming complex programmes into end-to-end services that leaders, boards, and delivery teams can understand, fund, and scale. I’m successful because empathy is where ... Show more

Emanuel Toledo

Emanuel Toledo

Emanuel Toledo is a Data Scientist and holds a degree in Public Management, specializing in the implementation of artificial intelligence and the strategic use of data in organizations.

With over 15 years of experience in the public sector, he works on designing practical frameworks for AI adoption, addressing its limitations, risks, and challenges in real-world decision-making contexts.

He is the founder of Thinking Out!, a consulting firm focused on data analytics, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation, where he supports institutions and professionals in the effective integration of these technologies.

He is currently researching how the public sector can reduce its structural gaps and improve its capabilities through the strategic adoption of technology. As part of this work, he developed a digital transition approach adaptable to different types of organizations, aimed at effectively integrating data and artificial intelligence in real-world management contexts.

Emanuel Toledo is a Data Scientist and holds a degree in Public Management, specializing in the implementation of artificial intelligence and the strategic use of data in organizations. With over 15 years of experience in the public sector, he wor... Show more

Sarah Kundla

Sarah Kundla

As a facilitator, speaker, and instructional designer, I explore human behavior, the science of how people learn, and the modern trends shaping the way we connect in today's culture. That curiosity drives everything I do, helping leaders and teams understand the people they work with, so they can work more effectively together.

My approach is shaped by research, experience, and a deep interest in how communication styles, cultural norms, and human dynamics influence the way people lead, relate, and grow in today's modern landscape.

I've delivered training for 1,800+ professionals across the U.S. and internationally, and spoken at conferences including Worthington Steel's LEARN & LEAD Conferences (2020, 2023, 2025), WitCon (2025), and CodeMash (2026). My facilitation style is practical, relatable, and focused on driving lasting behavior change, the kind that shows up long after the session ends.

As a facilitator, speaker, and instructional designer, I explore human behavior, the science of how people learn, and the modern trends shaping the way we connect in today's culture. That curiosity drives everything I do, helping leaders and teams un... Show more

Michelle Courtney Berry

Michelle Courtney Berry

Michelle Courtney Berry — The Workplace Doc™ — is a leadership consultant, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and doctoral candidate in Leadership Studies at Louisiana State University Shreveport, where her original mixed-methods research (N=186) on toxic workplace environments and employee coping behavior has been accepted twice by the International Leadership Association Global Conference and at other esteemed venues and conferences.

A Cornell MPS alumna and two-time TEDx and encore SXSW speaker, Michelle has delivered more than 5,000 talks, trainings, and facilitated experiences across four continents — for Fortune 500 companies, federal agencies, healthcare systems, hospitality organizations, and nonprofits. She is the creator of the Working Well, One Day at a Time® method and the founder and CEO of Courtney Consulting Enterprises, LLC.

An internationally-trained Usui Reiki Master Teacher and Karuna Master Teacher, Michelle is also an internationally-certified group conflict negotiator, a humorist, and the international bestselling author of Keeping Calm in Chaos: How to Work Well, Live Well, and Love Abundantly No Matter What.

Her work has appeared on Good Morning America and PBS, and she has shared stages with Dr. Maya Angelou, Howard Zinn, The Dalai Lama, Mos Def, and Amiri Baraka. She is a Cave Canem Poetry Fellow and former Second Poet Laureate of Tompkins County, NY.

Press kit: https://bit.ly/michelleEPK | michellecourtneyberry.com

Michelle Courtney Berry — The Workplace Doc™ — is a leadership consultant, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and doctoral candidate in Leadership Studies at Louisiana State University Shreveport, where her original mixed-methods research (N=186) o... Show more

Joel Silverstone

Joel Silverstone

Joel brings 25 years of global experience, supporting Fortune 500 companies and thousands of participants. He specializes in empowering leaders and teams with effective communication skills, fostering more impactful collaboration and motivation. His expertise lies in enabling individuals to authentically influence others towards deeper business relationships, fostering trust and enhancing engagement.

Joel thrives to lead engaging and interactive sessions based on 'Learn, Laugh, and Do!'

When you communicate effectively, people feel heard, seen, and understood- mutual respect is created, and you start connecting and unlocking the motivators for you and the other.

Drawing from his background as a former professional actor and improviser- Joel brings unique tips and activities for everyone to practice and implement.

You can listen to or watch Joel as the host of "The Great Canadian Leadership" and "This Feels Right" Podcasts and YouTube – interviewing leaders and experts on influencing and communications skills."

Joel brings 25 years of global experience, supporting Fortune 500 companies and thousands of participants. He specializes in empowering leaders and teams with effective communication skills, fostering more impactful collaboration and motivation. His ... Show more

Mya Tyler

Mya Tyler

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

Paul-Louis Nech

Paul-Louis Nech

Paul-Louis Nech is a Machine Learning engineer with 10 years of experience crafting software for a global audience.
Throughout his career, he has leveraged advanced algorithms to empower developers and users alike.
From SwiftKey to Algolia, Paul-Louis has built tools that bridge the gap between state-of-the-art algorithms (which work in the lab) and end products (which succeed in the wild).
This requires not only great technology, but more importantly great user-experience, to make sure you build something people want!

Paul-Louis Nech is a Machine Learning engineer with 10 years of experience crafting software for a global audience. Throughout his career, he has leveraged advanced algorithms to empower developers and users alike. From SwiftKey to Algolia, Paul-L... Show more

Caroline Nicole Letaru

Caroline Nicole Letaru

Caroline Nicole Letaru is a globally recognized Career Coach and Talent Strategist at Kazini Consults, with over 6 years of experience empowering tech professionals across 12+ countries. She is known for helping developers and emerging tech leaders unlock international opportunities through strategic career planning, skill building, and high-impact coaching.

Nicole has led technical recruitment for global institutions such as the United Nations and UNHCR, and has coached over 500+ professionals including software engineers, PowerShell, UX designers, and AI specialists helping them transition into global careers and remote work ecosystems.

She is a seasoned international speaker who has graced renowned stages including the International AIDS Society Conference (Germany), Going Global Conference (UK), and the SCORE Conference (Tanzania). Her thought leadership earned her the Best Essay Award at the South American Business Forum (SABF) in Argentina, recognizing her voice on youth, development, and innovation.

Nicole’s work focuses on building future-proof careers for African professionals in tech. Through Kazini Consults, she leads a community-first approach that equips talents to scale their impact with confidence, clarity, and visibility.

Caroline Nicole Letaru is a globally recognized Career Coach and Talent Strategist at Kazini Consults, with over 6 years of experience empowering tech professionals across 12+ countries. She is known for helping developers and emerging tech leaders u... 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

Simen Svenkerud

Simen Svenkerud

Simen Svenkerud is a Senior consultant at Webstep with extensive experience in data engineering , Data science and platform architecture. His career spans significant roles in major Nordic organizations, with particular expertise in regulated industries and complex data environments.
At Norwegian Air Shuttle, he is leading their data platform modernization initiative, implementing a group-wide data sharing solution and modernizing their data warehouse architecture.

Simen specializes in designing and implementing modern data platforms with a focus on security, scalability, and regulatory compliance.
His approach combines deep technical knowledge with practical business understanding, enabling him to deliver solutions that balance security requirements with operational efficiency. He works in transforming legacy systems and establishing robust data governance frameworks in enterprise environments. Simens started as Research methodologist and statistician. Moving though the roles working with data and moving down the stack. Having interacted with data and technology from multiple angles, provides him with several perspectives to draw upon in his talks.

Simen Svenkerud is a Senior consultant at Webstep with extensive experience in data engineering , Data science and platform architecture. His career spans significant roles in major Nordic organizations, with particular expertise in regulated industr... Show more

Aga Skraburska

Aga Skraburska

Aga Skraburska is Head of Product Education at Nexthink, a Digital Employee Experience Management company, where she leads a suite of educational products that help users master the Nexthink platform. Over the past two years, she has led AI adoption on two fronts: inside her own team, from individual capability through to process redesign, and in the products themselves — rebuilding Nexthink's product education so that it is AI-driven and fits how people actually learn now.

For nearly two decades, she has held product and program roles at ABB, UBS, and a number of startups, building global learning, leadership, and transformation programs. That work taught her a consistent lesson: people don't change because an organization expects them to adapt. They change when they feel seen, supported, and appropriately challenged.

Trained in systems-psychodynamic approaches to learning and coaching, Aga works at the intersection of two things that rarely meet — organizational strategy and genuine human awareness. She speaks the language of systems, data, and leadership, and also the language of culture, motivation, and what people actually fear when their role starts to change. She coaches individuals and teams through exactly that shift.

Aga Skraburska is Head of Product Education at Nexthink, a Digital Employee Experience Management company, where she leads a suite of educational products that help users master the Nexthink platform. Over the past two years, she has led AI adoption ... Show more

Lani Gonzales

Lani Gonzales

Lani Gonzales helps successful women and high achievers who look accomplished on the outside—but feel exhausted, disconnected, or unfulfilled on the inside—create success without burnout and power without losing their soul.

Many of the women Lani works with have done everything “right.” They’ve built impressive careers, achieved financial independence, and earned respect—yet inside, they feel stuck, overextended, or quietly empty. The constant pressure to perform, produce, and prove has pulled them further from their intuition, their body, and their deeper sense of purpose.

After becoming a law firm partner at 23, Lani lived that same story. From the outside, she had it all. On the inside, she was driven by subconscious survival patterns and a nervous system locked in overdrive. Her own awakening led her to leave the legal profession and devote her life to studying the subconscious mind, human behavior, and the wisdom traditions that have guided healing and leadership for thousands of years.

Today, Lani blends neuroscience-based hypnotherapy, performance psychology, and ancient wisdom traditions to help high-achieving women:
- Rewire burnout and overdrive at the root
- Break free from subconscious self-sabotage
- Reconnect to clarity, intuition, and inner authority
- Build success that feels aligned, sustainable, and alive

Her talks are known for being raw, strategic, and deeply activating—combining modern science with timeless wisdom to create real, lasting transformation. Audiences leave with tools they can use immediately to change how they lead, live, and work.

Lani Gonzales helps successful women and high achievers who look accomplished on the outside—but feel exhausted, disconnected, or unfulfilled on the inside—create success without burnout and power without losing their soul. Many of the women Lani ... Show more

Barno Kaharova

Barno Kaharova

Barno is a consultant and researcher specializing in AI security, data engineering, and machine learning security. She works at the intersection of offensive and defensive AI security & developing methodologies to protect AI systems from adversarial threats across the full stack, from data pipelines and ML models to LLM-powered applications and autonomous agents. Additionally in her role as an AI security trainer Barno has designed and delivered hands-on training programs covering AI red teaming, prompt injection, adversarial ML, RAG and vector database security, and the OWASP Top 10 for LLM and Agentic AI. Her training approach is practitioner-first: participants attack and defend real-world AI systems, leaving with techniques they can apply immediately. She is actively involved in AI governance and evaluation efforts at the national level and regularly contributes to the AI security community through speaking engagements, publications, and conference submissions. She bridges the gap between rapid AI adoption and the critical need for robust, field-tested defenses in an evolving threat landscape.

Barno is a consultant and researcher specializing in AI security, data engineering, and machine learning security. She works at the intersection of offensive and defensive AI security & developing methodologies to protect AI systems from adversarial ... Show more

Benoît Darroux

Benoît 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 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

Tim Rayburn

Tim Rayburn

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

Atharv Tiwari

Atharv Tiwari

A cybersecurity expert, criminology researcher, and entrepreneur, currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer at Nevis Infosystems and the Co-Founder & Director of NCORE Foundation. At Nevis, he drives product development, secure technology solutions, and innovative GenAI-based services, while at NCORE he empowers law enforcement agencies and professionals through advanced cyber investigation and security training.

He has solved 150+ real-world cybercrime cases and trained 10,000+ students, 200+ teachers, and 300+ law enforcement officers on digital safety, cybercrime investigation, and cloud security. As an entrepreneur, he is building products like Neviscater — bridging design, security, and usability — to create safer and smarter digital ecosystems.

With past experience at the Ministry of Defence (DRDO) and as a Graduate Project Manager at Kounsel, he has led security-focused software projects and helped startups build safe, user-friendly products.

Known for simplifying complex cybersecurity concepts, he regularly speaks at global and national conferences, mentors young professionals, and supports law enforcement with modern investigation techniques. His mission is clear — to make technology safer, accessible, and impactful for everyone.

A cybersecurity expert, criminology researcher, and entrepreneur, currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer at Nevis Infosystems and the Co-Founder & Director of NCORE Foundation. At Nevis, he drives product development, secure technology solu... Show more

Yaya Xia

Yaya Xia

Xiaoya Xia studies how open-source communities and infrastructure evolve around emerging AI workloads and agent infra. At Ant Group, she uses ecosystem data to connect project activity with changes in AI technology and adoption. Her recent work includes the Agentic AI Landscape and research based on OpenDigger. She is a co-chair of KubeCon China 2026 and served on the Program Committees for Open Source Summit North America and Open Source Summit Japan in 2025.

Xiaoya Xia studies how open-source communities and infrastructure evolve around emerging AI workloads and agent infra. At Ant Group, she uses ecosystem data to connect project activity with changes in AI technology and adoption. Her recent work inclu... Show more

Alina Astapovich

Alina Astapovich

Alina Astapovich is a Platform Engineer at Storytel, where she works on building and running AI agentic systems. She has spent the past couple of years working with AI agents, and holds a master's degree in Neurotechnologies and Software Engineering along with a Solutions Architect certification. Alina has a natural fascination with the parallels between the human brain and the systems we build. She is also an active conference speaker, regularly sharing her work on AI agents and platform engineering with the wider tech community.

Alina Astapovich is a Platform Engineer at Storytel, where she works on building and running AI agentic systems. She has spent the past couple of years working with AI agents, and holds a master's degree in Neurotechnologies and Software Engineering ... Show more

William Guevara

William Guevara

Trabajo con líderes y organizaciones que transitan complejidades cuando lo que solía funcionar ya no sirve... y lo nuevo aún no ha emergido.

Como 𝘌𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳, cultivo condiciones para el cambio real desde dentro del sistema. No impongo soluciones ni métodos cerrados: acompaño a descubrir tensiones, patrones invisibles y posibilidades emergentes. Ayudo a crecer lo que ya está listo para evolucionar.

Mi enfoque integra conciencia profunda y sistemas reales, combinando pensamiento complejo, desarrollo adulto y cultura organizacional viva. Facilito procesos desde marcos como Immunity to Change, Human Systems Dynamics, ORSC y The Leadership Circle.

Estoy certificado como PCC (ICF), ICE-EC (ICAgile), KCP (Kanban University), SPC6 (SAFe), HSDP (HSD Institute), LCP/CLA (The Leadership Circle) y ORSC (CRR Global), además de contar con un Executive Certificate en Estrategia e Innovación del MIT. Estas credenciales no definen mi enfoque, pero lo respaldan con solidez cuando es necesario.

Acompaño procesos de transformación cultural, liderazgo consciente y cambio adaptativo en organizaciones complejas. Comparto aprendizajes y reflexiones en mi newsletter mensual 𝘌𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘮.

No lidero el cambio. Acompaño lo que está listo para emerger.

Trabajo con líderes y organizaciones que transitan complejidades cuando lo que solía funcionar ya no sirve... y lo nuevo aún no ha emergido. Como 𝘌𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳, cultivo condiciones para el cambio real desde dentro del sistema. ... Show more

Michaela Gyasi-Agyei

Michaela Gyasi-Agyei

Michaela Gyasi-Agyei is a lawyer and policy professional who is interested in the intersection between technology, policy and digital rights. She holds a Bachelors of Economics/Laws (Honours) from the University of Queensland, and graduated as Valedictorian of my cohort. Michaela has worked in government agencies and private organisations advising on privacy, data governance, and corporate responsibility. In 2026, her policy paper on international security and technology governance was published by the Australian National University in Voices of the Future Volume 2. She has participated in the She Codes Plus and Cyber5050 programs. In 2024, Michaela was selected to join the inaugural cohort of the Asia Pacific Internet Governance Academy (APIGA) Australia.

Michaela Gyasi-Agyei is a lawyer and policy professional who is interested in the intersection between technology, policy and digital rights. She holds a Bachelors of Economics/Laws (Honours) from the University of Queensland, and graduated as Valedi... Show more

Ashley René Casey

Ashley René Casey

Ashley René is the founder of Presence Over Pixels® and a keynote speaker who helps organizations solve their biggest workplace challenge: keeping humans engaged and productive in an AI-driven world. A former senior leader at Amazon and BNSF Railway, Ashley delivers actionable strategies for digital wellness, human-first leadership, and sustainable high performance.

With her signature "Future of Work Is Human" approach, Ashley transforms how teams think about technology, burnout, and authentic connection. Her talks blend corporate credibility with practical tools that audiences can implement immediately — from Fortune 500 executives to school administrators to conference attendees seeking work-life integration.

Ashley's presentations address today's most pressing workplace issues: Gen Z leadership dynamics, AI adoption without human displacement, cognitive overload management, and building resilient organizational cultures. Her engaging style combines business insights with neuroscience research, delivered without tech-shaming or unrealistic solutions.

Event planners consistently praise Ashley's ability to make complex topics accessible while driving real behavior change. Her content scales from intimate leadership retreats to 5,000-person conferences, always leaving audiences with concrete next steps rather than just inspiration.

When not on stage, Ashley performs as lead singer of rock band Bourbon Jury and champions St. Louis's vibrant arts community.

Ashley René is the founder of Presence Over Pixels® and a keynote speaker who helps organizations solve their biggest workplace challenge: keeping humans engaged and productive in an AI-driven world. A former senior leader at Amazon and BNSF Railway,... Show more

Chris Lindenthaler

Chris Lindenthaler

I am an expert in brand psychology and the founder of NOBUS - an exclusive agency specializing in brand psychology and perception.

I studied business psychology, with a focus on advertising psychology and market behavior.
Afterward, I spent ten years in international marketing - in Austria, the Netherlands, South Africa, and most recently in Boston, USA. I’ve led teams of over 25 people, managed annual advertising budgets exceeding $40 million, and worked with over 60 brands. Internal training sessions, client workshops, and presentations - sharing knowledge during that time wasn’t a byproduct, but an integral part of the job.

At some point, I became more interested in the level beneath the execution than in the execution itself: Why do people choose one company over another - usually before they even compare them? NOBUS was born out of this question.

Today, next to running my own business, I teach as a lecturer at the Digital World Academy in Vienna and give talks, workshops, and seminars.
My talks aren’t lectures: I start with a decision that the audience makes themselves - and let the room realize that the answer had nothing to do with personal preference.

When I’m not thinking about perception, I’m on a mountain (alpine climbing), underwater (scuba diving), or in free fall (skydiving).

I am an expert in brand psychology and the founder of NOBUS - an exclusive agency specializing in brand psychology and perception. I studied business psychology, with a focus on advertising psychology and market behavior. Afterward, I spent ten y... Show more

Jimmy Sjølander

Jimmy Sjølander

Jimmy Sjølander is the Founder & CEO of Ahead XR, a Norwegian company pioneering the future of Active Gaming through immersive XR technology. With a background in UX design and extended reality development, he has built innovative experiences that combine physical movement, gaming, and social interaction.

Jimmy is the driving force behind Ahead XR Arena, a concept designed to transform traditional gaming into engaging, physical, and inclusive experiences. His work focuses on lowering the barrier to activity for young people while creating new opportunities for learning, health, and community building through technology.

He has presented Ahead XR on major stages, including Digithon 2025, where he showcased the vision for the next generation of gaming. As a finalist at Digithon and a nominee for the VRINN Awards, Jimmy is recognized as an emerging voice in the intersection of gaming, health, and immersive technology.

Through his talks, Jimmy challenges the traditional e-sports model and inspires audiences to rethink how gaming can create movement, connection, and real-world impact.

Jimmy Sjølander is the Founder & CEO of Ahead XR, a Norwegian company pioneering the future of Active Gaming through immersive XR technology. With a background in UX design and extended reality development, he has built innovative experiences that co... Show more

Gabriel Vaz

Gabriel Vaz

Husband, Father, Speaker, Coach, Co-author.
Luana's husband for 18 years, the most beautiful woman on earth.
Father of 6 (yes, I have a Squad indoors).
Corporate speaker on Productivity, Career, Agile Methods. (on Agile Trends since 2018)

I have already worked in an Agile Transformation directly developing 26 agilists + 14 leaders and indirectly 160 leaders.

There are more than 9,000 students on Udemy, and many more on Hotmart, Sympla.
Co-author in the Collaborative Journey of the books Product, Remote Work, Career Transition, Lean and others.
He is co-founder of Cocrie.org, agile courses for those who can't afford it.

Apply Scrum / Kanban / Values / Agile Principles since 2010 in all my circles: Shalom Catholic Community, Spread, CAIXA, Homeschooling, Claro, INCRA, Ministry of Education, UNESCO, etc.

ITIL certified in 2010, PSM I in 2014, PMP 2018, PSM II in 2019, PACC Expert, KMP (KSD and KSI), KCP (KMM), OKR (2023).

Husband, Father, Speaker, Coach, Co-author. Luana's husband for 18 years, the most beautiful woman on earth. Father of 6 (yes, I have a Squad indoors). Corporate speaker on Productivity, Career, Agile Methods. (on Agile Trends since 2018) I hav... Show more

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