Humanities & Social Sciences

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

Francisca Márcia Gomes Sampaio

Francisca Márcia Gomes Sampaio

Apaixonada por pessoas, agilidade, gestão e conhecimento. Com mais de 20 anos de experiência em tecnologia e transformação organizacional, atuo no SERPRO — a maior empresa pública de TI do mundo — onde já contribuí em diversas frentes: transformação ágil, gestão ágil, experiência do usuário (UX), LGPD, técnicas de facilitação e, atualmente, como gestora do time Sinergia, apoiando o desenvolvimento de lideranças inspiradoras e a construção de times de alto desempenho.

Doutoranda em Engenharia de Software pela UFPE, sou também especialista em Gerência Estratégica da Informação (UNIFOR - 2004), mestre em Informática Aplicada (UNIFOR - 2008), MBA em Gerência de Projetos (FGV - 2012), pós-graduada em Psicologia Positiva, Ciência do Bem-Estar e Autorrealização (PUCRS - 2021), MBA em Liderança, Inovação e Gestão 4.0 (PUCRS - 2022) e pós-graduada em Psicologia Organizacional e Gestão de Pessoas (PUCRS - 2024).

Certificada PMP desde 2005 e Personal Coach pela SLAC, atuo também como professora em cursos de pós-graduação e palestrante em grandes eventos de agilidade, como Agile Trends, Agile Trends Gov, TDC, Agile Brazil, entre outros. Sou ainda partner do Coletivo Ação no Workshop Team Facilitator.

Movida por propósito, sigo em constante evolução pessoal e profissional, acreditando que ambientes de trabalho felizes, colaborativos e humanos geram, naturalmente, os melhores resultados.

Apaixonada por pessoas, agilidade, gestão e conhecimento. Com mais de 20 anos de experiência em tecnologia e transformação organizacional, atuo no SERPRO — a maior empresa pública de TI do mundo — onde já contribuí em diversas frentes: transformação ... Show more

Tobias Meixner

Tobias Meixner

Tech Entrepreneur who is passionate about building software that solves real problems.

Tech Entrepreneur who is passionate about building software that solves real problems. Show more

Vadim Deylgat

Vadim Deylgat

Vadim discovered his passion for business analysis at the intersection of his training as psychologist and his deep interest in information technology. With years of business and IT experience in his backpack, he now focusses on training & coaching best practices to the analysts at Colruyt Group IT, and on building a thriving BA community where knowledge sharing is second nature.

Vadim discovered his passion for business analysis at the intersection of his training as psychologist and his deep interest in information technology. With years of business and IT experience in his backpack, he now focusses on training & coaching b... Show more

Charles-Louis de Maere

Charles-Louis de Maere

Bringing people together is something that lives on through my workshops and training. Whether they take place online or on-premise, I facilitate workshops and learning experiences that focus on high participation, on learning by doing and verifying that the concepts are integrated. I use Live Online Learning Activities to ensure people get a chance to practice their understanding of the new concepts.

What better way is there to give meaning to what we say than to draw to make our thoughts explicit? When we add visual information to what we’re saying, suddenly our intention becomes much more precise, and we can begin to work on shared understanding. This is why I love bringing people in contact with the power of Visual Thinking, of getting back to our roots and using pen and paper to bring people closer together.

Stories are another option for bringing sensitive topics to the surface, which I recently started to explore through my self-development practice, as well as during numerous Around the world in (less than) 80 days workshops throughout the past years!

Bringing people together is something that lives on through my workshops and training. Whether they take place online or on-premise, I facilitate workshops and learning experiences that focus on high participation, on learning by doing and verifying ... Show more

Arne Mertz

Arne Mertz

Arne Mertz has been working with modern and not-so-modern C++ codebases for over 15 years in various kinds of embedded and enterprise contexts. He is a mentor and teacher for clean code and modern C++ for colleagues and customers at Zühlke Engineering. Since 2015 he has written more or less frequently about those topics on his blog "Simplify C++!"

Arne Mertz has been working with modern and not-so-modern C++ codebases for over 15 years in various kinds of embedded and enterprise contexts. He is a mentor and teacher for clean code and modern C++ for colleagues and customers at Zühlke Engineerin... Show more

Thomas Chopin

Thomas Chopin

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

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

Oliver Larsson

Oliver Larsson

My PhD journey in the cold of northern Sweden has led me down a path to much of the latest cloud-native tech. Between that and my somewhat alarmingly high interest in homelabbing, I really live in the cloud-native ecosystem. But those are just side-hustles, cat-dad is my main occupation.

My PhD journey in the cold of northern Sweden has led me down a path to much of the latest cloud-native tech. Between that and my somewhat alarmingly high interest in homelabbing, I really live in the cloud-native ecosystem. But those are just side-h... Show more

Elle Younker

Elle Younker

Marine Corps Veteran, Storyteller, and Hackivist disrupting power-based violence through online access to education and community care with over eighteen years experience in the technical and operational program management of space and military intelligence federal contracts in the United States.

I made a promise to support and defend the United States Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I take that VERY seriously, and will fight for your right to hate me. I will not, however, tolerate acts of violence directed at individuals for simply taking up space, acts of coercion through threats of violence, or any attempt at using violence as a way to maintain power. I will speak out and take the defense for any victim of violence (in all of its forms) and all individuals impacted by the use of power-based violence.

I believe in the power of storytelling energy as a renewable resource capable of magic, the kindness of strangers, and ability to overcome hardship through communal care. I use the arts of satire, drag, and boudoir performance to make light of extremely controversial and traumatic but historical events that surround United States Post World War II Military History.

Marine Corps Veteran, Storyteller, and Hackivist disrupting power-based violence through online access to education and community care with over eighteen years experience in the technical and operational program management of space and military intel... Show more

Suvarna Kulkarni

Suvarna Kulkarni

Suvarna is an experienced agile enthusiast supports organisations in unlocking their full potential and elevating their impact and success using agile ways of working, a blended methodology of Mindset-maps, Emotional Intelligence, Neuroscience, NLP, and Positive Psychology.
As a certified coach, she's dedicated to fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, empowering teams to deliver results consistently. Her commitment, authenticity, and trust values have proven invaluable in facilitating successful transformations for high-impact projects, establishing psychologically safe environments, and collaborating with leaders to ensure seamless alignment between strategy and execution.

Suvarna is an experienced agile enthusiast supports organisations in unlocking their full potential and elevating their impact and success using agile ways of working, a blended methodology of Mindset-maps, Emotional Intelligence, Neuroscience, NLP, ... Show more

Alexis Roig

Alexis Roig

Alexis Roig is the CEO of SciTech DiploHub, the world-leading think-and-do tank working at the intersection of science, technology, and foreign affairs, where he leads an international team of over 20 members committed to empowering science and technology to face global challenges.

He also serves in the pioneering role of Barcelona’s Chief Science and Tech Envoy, bringing the voice of evidence-based urban policies and innovations before the UN’s ECOSOC, UNESCO, UNFCCC, the United Nations Sustainable Solutions Network, the International Science Council, the Union for the Mediterranean, and the European Committee of the Regions, among other international organizations. He has over 15 years of experience as a Senior Advisor on Science Diplomacy and City Diplomacy for ministries of Foreign Affairs, Science, Research, and Education across Asia, Latin America, and Europe.

His academic roles include being a Professor at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST), Associate Researcher at the Barcelona Centre for International Relations (CIDOB), Associate Professor at Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), and the Barcelona Institute for International Studies (IBEI) and Associate Research Fellow at United Nations University (UNU-CRIS), where he works as part of the Regions and Cities Governance Lab in the fields of Science and Technology Diplomacy. Professor Roig is a founder and board member of numerous non-profits and think tanks on Public Diplomacy, Science Advice, and Innovation Policy.

Among other roles, he has served as an advisor to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation of the Government of Spain, and to the European Commission and the United States’ Department of State on their respective Science, Technology, and City Diplomacy strategies, and as Commissioner for International Affairs of the Barcelona Metropolitan Region strategic plan.

Alexis Roig has developed numerous policy reports, strategic plans, and training programs in Science Diplomacy for regional and national governments of the United States, Mexico, Chile, Spain, France, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, China, Korea, and Japan. He has taught in institutions such as Harvard University, Georgetown University, Sciences Po, CEIBS, Fudan University, Tsinghua University, and Johns Hopkins University, and in the last decade trained over 1,000 government officials from over 50 different nationalities.

He holds a master’s degree in Computer Science from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, an MBA from EM Normandie Business School, a Postgraduate degree in Diplomacy from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, an Executive Diploma in Nonprofit Foundation Management, and has completed Executive Education programs in Leadership and Public Administration at ESADE and IESE. He is fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Catalan, and is continuously improving his proficiency in Mandarin Chinese.

Alexis Roig is the CEO of SciTech DiploHub, the world-leading think-and-do tank working at the intersection of science, technology, and foreign affairs, where he leads an international team of over 20 members committed to empowering science and techn... Show more

Laura Maguire

Laura Maguire

Dr. Laura Maguire studies complex, high value work to aid in the design of more human-friendly tooling, processes, and work systems. Her work is both theoretical and practical and offers insights into both individual strategies and organizational design that can optimize performance in software engineering.

She holds a Master's degree in Human Factors & Systems Safety from Lund University and a Ph.D. in Integrated Systems Engineering from Ohio State University.

Dr. Laura Maguire studies complex, high value work to aid in the design of more human-friendly tooling, processes, and work systems. Her work is both theoretical and practical and offers insights into both individual strategies and organizational de... Show more

Layshi Curbelo

Layshi Curbelo

Layshi Curbelo is a user experience designer specializing in digital accessibility, with a focus on creating inclusive solutions with high return on investment (ROI). She holds a Bachelor's degree in Advertising, a Master's degree in Education with a specialization in Instructional Design, and certifications in User Experience.

She is the CEO of Command Z Studio and the Command Z podcast, where she explores trends and challenges in design. Additionally, she produces other design-focused podcasts, including Design Tracks from Design Matters and If U Seek from the company Useberry. She is also the CTO and Co-Founder of Yestoday, an innovative software that blends creativity and functionality for entrepreneurs and creatives, ensuring that technology transforms ideas into tangible realities.

With over a decade of experience, Layshi has worked on international projects and has been a speaker at prestigious events such as Design Matters, South by Southwest, Interaction Foundation, and the 2020 Ibero-American Biennial, where she was a finalist. She has created educational materials used in more than 16 countries and has spoken at over 30 international conferences. Her commitment is to make every digital experience accessible and effective, changing the world one pixel at a time.

Layshi Curbelo is a user experience designer specializing in digital accessibility, with a focus on creating inclusive solutions with high return on investment (ROI). She holds a Bachelor's degree in Advertising, a Master's degree in Education with a... Show more

Stephen Morris

Stephen Morris

Stephen is an author, speaker and accomplished and award-winning leader with over twenty years of experience in complex, uncertain and high-scale technical organisations.

Across diverse sectors, including information technology, healthcare, banking, insurance, manufacturing, and government, Stephen has a track record of driving real success, backed by hands-on achievements and industry recognition.

Leadership highlights
• C-Suite leader during a period of extraordinary growth, achieving 400% YoY
• Leadership coach for a 300-million-dollar international software rollout
• Mentor and consultant for an international leadership team managing over 750 professionals through an organisational transformation
• Strategist for the successful launch of 50+ commercial cloud-based products and services, shaping the future of business technology

Awards
• Most Influential Business Leader, 2016 Agile Awards
• Most Improved Agile Team, 2016 Agile Awards
• Best Leadership and Agile Coaching Provider, 2020 UK Enterprise Awards

Stephen is an author, speaker and accomplished and award-winning leader with over twenty years of experience in complex, uncertain and high-scale technical organisations. Across diverse sectors, including information technology, healthcare, banki... Show more

Kayla Ooms

Kayla Ooms

Kayla Ooms has been serving as the Social Media Specialist at Purdue University Northwest since 2022. In her role, she manages the university's primary social media platforms, coordinates marketing events, and oversees digital marketing assets. Kayla is passionate about using marketing and public relations to achieve significant results in the digital landscape. With a strong background in social media management, she enjoys creating engaging content and developing strategic campaigns to enhance the Purdue Northwest brand and foster meaningful connections with current students, prospective students, parents, alumni, and the community.

Kayla Ooms has been serving as the Social Media Specialist at Purdue University Northwest since 2022. In her role, she manages the university's primary social media platforms, coordinates marketing events, and oversees digital marketing assets. Kayla... Show more

Karl Wester-Ebbinghaus

Karl Wester-Ebbinghaus

Currently being most passionate about Azure Local and Azure Arc. Coming down a long way with Microsoft tech only, since the 90s

Currently being most passionate about Azure Local and Azure Arc. Coming down a long way with Microsoft tech only, since the 90s Show more

Kamal Rawat

Kamal Rawat

With expertise spanning SEO, content marketing, PPC, and social media, I help brands elevate their visibility, skyrocket organic traffic, and drive measurable engagement. Whether it’s optimizing site structure, crafting high-impact content, or building performance-driven campaigns, I believe in strategies rooted in data and designed for results.

With expertise spanning SEO, content marketing, PPC, and social media, I help brands elevate their visibility, skyrocket organic traffic, and drive measurable engagement. Whether it’s optimizing site structure, crafting high-impact content, or buildi... 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. She is currently participating 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

Nicholas Lavery

Nicholas Lavery

Nick Lavery (pronounced Nick Lay-Very) is an active-duty Green Beret in the United States Army Special Forces and the founder & CEO of Precision Components LLC.  After a life-altering injury sustained in combat, he transformed his challenges into a series of curriculums on leadership, resilience, and goal achievement. As one of the most sought-after speakers and mentors in the country, Nick and his team of assets share valuable insights on discipline, work ethic, and teamwork, in turn empowering others to unlock capacity and increase capability. 

Nick has a long and distinguished list of military awards, but to name a few, he has been awarded the Silver Star, three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star with Valor, three Bronze Stars for service, the Bruce Price Leadership award, and the Special Operations Command Excalibur award. 

Nick is the best selling author of Objective Secure- the battle-tested guide to goal achievement, and most significantly, he is a proud husband and father of two boys. 

Nick Lavery (pronounced Nick Lay-Very) is an active-duty Green Beret in the United States Army Special Forces and the founder & CEO of Precision Components LLC.  After a life-altering injury sustained in combat, he transformed his challenges into a s... Show more

Vered Robinzon

Vered Robinzon

Agile Organiziational leader and manager, Certified board facilitator with TAB (The Alternative Board) and a graduate of the StratPro leadership and strategy program, bringing over 20 years of experience in establishing and leading corporate training and education centers. Skilled in managing cross-cultural educational initiatives across Eastern Europe and North America, with a strong background in organizational development and leadership.

Currently serves as Deputy Head of the pioneering Education Authority and Director of Business Development at Sheba Medical Center, consistently ranked among the world’s Top 10 hospitals. Leads innovation processes, organizational learning and strategic growth initiatives and played a central role in establishing the Education Authority as a trailblazing organizational unit within the medical center.

Dedicated sports enthusiast with a particular passion for the English Premier League and an Executive Board Member of The Association of Independent Sport Organizations,
contributing energy, curiosity and a people-centered approach to every professional role.

Agile Organiziational leader and manager, Certified board facilitator with TAB (The Alternative Board) and a graduate of the StratPro leadership and strategy program, bringing over 20 years of experience in establishing and leading corporate training... Show more

Mable Amuron

Mable Amuron

Mable Barbara Amuron is a researcher examining the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital culture, and society, with a focus on misinformation and disinformation. Drawing on her editorial and literary background, she investigates how AI systems shape the creation and perception of information online. Her work explores the risks of AI-driven mis/disinformation, such as deepfakes, automated content, and
algorithmic amplification, and their effects on public trust and democracy. Through interdisciplinary research, Mable analyses the ethical, social, and technical dimensions of emerging technologies while advocating for transparency, accountability, and equitable access to information. Her expertise spans
misinformation studies, election analyses, AI and society, and research communication, combining critical analysis with ethical storytelling to promote informed and resilient communities.

Mable Barbara Amuron is a researcher examining the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital culture, and society, with a focus on misinformation and disinformation. Drawing on her editorial and literary background, she investigates how AI sys... Show more

Darryl Kanouse

Darryl Kanouse

Darryl Kanouse has led enterprise-scale data science, AI/ML, and analytics product development at global organizations including AWS, Amazon, Canva, and Activision. For over two decades, he has built and scaled data systems and capabilities that enable large, complex organizations to make better decisions, optimize performance, and operate with precision at scale. Throughout his career, Darryl has built cross-functional teams that bridge engineering, product, analytics, and business strategy, focusing on structural alignment over strict process.

In recent years, Darryl has evolved his work in systems thinking to focus on the structural foundations of organizational success. As a Viability Architect, he identifies and addresses the underlying causes of dysfunction: misaligned feedback loops, boundary ambiguity, and resource allocation failures. His systems-level approach helps executive teams move beyond surface-level fixes to implement durable, high-leverage structural change.

Darryl Kanouse has led enterprise-scale data science, AI/ML, and analytics product development at global organizations including AWS, Amazon, Canva, and Activision. For over two decades, he has built and scaled data systems and capabilities that enab... Show more

Suzi Edwards-Alexander

Suzi Edwards-Alexander

She led global recruitment for Thoughtworks - once described as the most selective hiring process in the world - as well as helping shape the Tech Radar and establishing operations in more than eight countries.

Now a fractional TA/HR leader, and a sought-after career coach, Suzi helps startups and scale-ups build teams where belonging and psychological safety are the baseline, not just buzzwords. Through her company Appartenir, she brings values-driven hiring, radically better interviewing, and inclusive leadership to life with warmth, wit, and the occasional well-placed challenge to the status quo.

Expect honesty. Expect humour. Expect really great questions.

Her mission? To help people interview with confidence, put humanity at the heart of hiring and help topple the patriarchy.

She led global recruitment for Thoughtworks - once described as the most selective hiring process in the world - as well as helping shape the Tech Radar and establishing operations in more than eight countries. Now a fractional TA/HR leader, and a... Show more

Yashvardhan Rathi

Yashvardhan Rathi

Pursuing a PhD at University of the Cumberlands with a focus on Data Engineering, data security & cloud computing. A certified Mountaineer and a FIDE rated Chess player.

Pursuing a PhD at University of the Cumberlands with a focus on Data Engineering, data security & cloud computing. A certified Mountaineer and a FIDE rated Chess player. Show more

Tim Huff

Tim Huff

Tim Huff is a decorated combat veteran, certified executive coach, and award-winning CEO recognized for servant leadership and character. A graduate of the U.S. Army’s Ranger School, Tim served 14 years as an Infantry Officer, culminating in a year-long deployment to Afghanistan with the US Army National Guard as Chief of Operations for a brigade responsible for training and sustaining the Afghan National Army. For his leadership in combat, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

After active military service, Tim made what he calls his ‘most extreme transition’… from command of over a dozen tanks and leading 100 troops, and a few months later, to a cubicle at The Walt Disney Company, managing spreadsheets. That moment reinforced in him that genuine leadership isn’t tied to uniforms, titles, or settings. It’s about character: the one constant that endures when pressure mounts. He later advanced in technology leadership roles with Macy’s, CRH Americas, and Owens & Minor, but his life took another defining turn in 2017 when he became the client of an executive coach. The experience gave him a profound sense of leadership freedom and clarity and set him on a new mission: to help leaders everywhere discover the same success based in character.

Today, Tim is the President & CEO of Turknett Leadership Group, a 38-year-old Atlanta-based firm trusted by Fortune 500 companies and global organizations. He is a Titan 100 honoree and recipient of the Servant Leader of the Year Award, recognized for his commitment to building leaders who live and lead with integrity, respect, and responsibility. In 2024, he extended that commitment in the most personal way, by donating a kidney to help save the life of a colleague.

Tim’s message is clear: skills can be taught, strategies can shift, but character is the bedrock of leadership. Whether on the battlefield, in the boardroom, or at the side of someone in need, it’s character that inspires trust, courage, and authentic leadership.

He lives in Cumming, Georgia with his wife, Kristin, and enjoys hiking in the North Georgia mountains where he finds both rest and renewal for his life of service!

Tim Huff is a decorated combat veteran, certified executive coach, and award-winning CEO recognized for servant leadership and character. A graduate of the U.S. Army’s Ranger School, Tim served 14 years as an Infantry Officer, culminating in a year-l... Show more

Lea Hildermeier

Lea Hildermeier

Lea Hildermeier studiert Anglistik und Erziehungswissenschaften an der Universität Bielefeld. Seit 2024 ist sie studentische Mitarbeiterin im CHE-Team des Hochschulforums Digitalisierung.
Als Gründungsmitglied und Vorstand der Hochschulgruppe LiLiGoesMental setzt sie sich seit 2018 für die Entstigmatisierung psychischer Gesundheit ein und organisiert Workshops sowie Austauschformate.
Als DigitalChangeMaker der Kohorte 2024 engagierte sich Lea in den Bereichen studentische Partizipation, Student Wellbeing und dem Einsatz von Künstlicher Intelligenz in der Hochschulbildung, unter anderem durch ihre Mitarbeit am KI-Sprint. Derzeit begleitet sie als Mentorin die neue DigitalChangeMaker-Kohorte.
Seit September 2024 engagiert sich Lea im Common Grounds Forum, damit junge Menschen ihre Stimme in bildungs- und digitalpolitischen Anliegen einbringen können.

Lea Hildermeier studiert Anglistik und Erziehungswissenschaften an der Universität Bielefeld. Seit 2024 ist sie studentische Mitarbeiterin im CHE-Team des Hochschulforums Digitalisierung. Als Gründungsmitglied und Vorstand der Hochschulgruppe LiLiGo... Show more

Anna van Dillen

Anna van Dillen

Anna van Dillen is a freelance consultant, trainer and coach working with tech organisations on agile leadership, product development and ways of working – currently supporting a German industrial tech company in the Black Forest alongside other clients. Previously a travelling consultant at Thoughtworks, a tribe master building a big data organisation, and a people development manager in a cloud-native startup, she brings over a decade of hands-on experience in delivery and organisational change. In recent years she has integrated systemic coaching and breathwork training into her practice, using simple, evidence-informed nervous system tools to help leaders and teams stay clear-headed, collaborative and sustainable in high-pressure environments.

Anna van Dillen is a freelance consultant, trainer and coach working with tech organisations on agile leadership, product development and ways of working – currently supporting a German industrial tech company in the Black Forest alongside other clie... Show more

Tomislav Buljubasic

Tomislav Buljubasic

Tomislav is involved in raising innovation culture in the organizations, scouting new technology trends, creating innovation programs and a new kind of innovation campaigns. He has more than a decade of experience in Innovation and Technology Management. During years, he was the author of several innovation reward programs which raised innovation culture and a special series of inno-challenges tailored for software developers.

Through many trainings for corporates, but also entrepreneurs and students he tries to encourage different ways of thinking using future scenarios and build a capacity to innovate.

He is author of the book "Developing Innovation - Innovation Management in IT Companies" where he writes about the examples of the innovation process in various IT companies. A book on innovation management and creativity on Croatian “Free your Creativity” is a manual for starters in this topic. He is also the author of “Creative Cards” – a tool for raising creativity capabilities, idea generation, idea reshaping and self-evaluation.

He strongly believes in bottom-up innovations, creativity of everyone in the system, intrapreneurship and simple and fast innovation campaigns. He is a history lover, and many of his works connect history and future.

Find more on 7innovation.net

Tomislav is involved in raising innovation culture in the organizations, scouting new technology trends, creating innovation programs and a new kind of innovation campaigns. He has more than a decade of experience in Innovation and Technology Managem... Show more

Byron Hopkins

Byron Hopkins

Byron Hopkins is a globally recognized Chief Wellness & Performance Strategist, Psychotherapist, and Best-Selling Author of Mental Health Is a Lie: Why You Haven’t Healed Yet—And the Missing Piece No One Taught You. A decorated U.S. Marine turned transformational speaker and coach, Byron blends neuroscience, psychology, and spirituality to help people unburden emotional weight and rise into their highest, most healed selves. Through his signature framework, SoulScience: Alchemy™, and his R³ Method—Recognize, Reframe, Release—Byron helps individuals and organizations bridge the gap between mental health and emotional intelligence.

His approach is simple: he doesn’t just help you heal—he enables you to rise by rewiring your mind, healing your heart, and launching your legacy. At the heart of his work is W.H.O.L.E. (We Heal Out Loud Every Day), a global movement helping people transform pain into power through practical tools, embodied healing, and authentic connection.

Byron Hopkins is a globally recognized Chief Wellness & Performance Strategist, Psychotherapist, and Best-Selling Author of Mental Health Is a Lie: Why You Haven’t Healed Yet—And the Missing Piece No One Taught You. A decorated U.S. Marine turned tra... Show more

Chinonso Ohakwe

Chinonso Ohakwe

Nonso Ohakwe is the Business Operations Manager at Waza, a fintech infrastructure company powering cross-border B2B payments and liquidity for African businesses. At Waza, he leads critical work across partner onboarding, compliance, OTC readiness, and cross-functional execution—ensuring partners are onboarded with speed, structure, and scale.

Nonso’s professional journey spans fintech, legal-tech, policy, and social impact. He has worked with over a dozen justice-focused startups across Nigeria, helping them define their customer segments, validate solutions, and launch to market. As a facilitator at Hill’s Justice Entrepreneurship School, he has coached startups tackling issues from land transactions and domestic violence to electoral accountability and legal transparency.

Throughout his career, Nonso has been deeply invested in systems-thinking, strategy, and building operational frameworks that scale. He’s led initiatives on KYC/KYB compliance flows, managed multi-stakeholder partnerships, and advised founders on process automation and market positioning. His work often blends legal insight with operational execution and strategic storytelling.

Whether he’s onboarding fintech partners, coaching startup founders, or scaling internal systems, Nonso brings a structured, mission-aligned, and detail-driven approach to every room he walks into.

Nonso Ohakwe is the Business Operations Manager at Waza, a fintech infrastructure company powering cross-border B2B payments and liquidity for African businesses. At Waza, he leads critical work across partner onboarding, compliance, OTC readiness, a... Show more

JC Quintana

JC Quintana

JC gives audiences a powerful framework for better technology adoption and innovation. His books incorporate psychology and technology perspectives and expectation management from a fresh and captivating perspective. If you want to build a culture of business outcomes, clarity, and alignment, attend one of JC's presentations. A senior executive and educator, JC teaches Customer (CX) and Human-Centered Design Thinking at 32 universities in the United States. He lives in Nashville, TN with his wife Shelley.

JC gives audiences a powerful framework for better technology adoption and innovation. His books incorporate psychology and technology perspectives and expectation management from a fresh and captivating perspective. If you want to build a culture of... Show more

Please note that Sessionize is not responsible for the accuracy or validity of the data provided by speakers.

Join Speakers Directory

Join our Speakers Directory today and amplify your reach! Showcase your expertise to a global audience hungry for your insights. Let your voice be heard!

Create Profile