Shanne Sowards is the founder and Executive Director of Squires Empowering Young Dads (SEYD), a nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping, mentoring, and empowering teen and young fathers. With a deep passion for breaking cycles of fatherlessness, Shanne has built Squires into a trusted community resource where young dads can gain confidence, leadership skills, and a vision for healthy fatherhood.

Drawing from his own experiences as a young father, Shanne understands the unique challenges young dads face and has committed his life to ensuring they are not left behind. Under his leadership, Squires has developed innovative programs like The Knight Project, which combines personal growth with leadership development, giving young fathers opportunities to step into their roles as leaders in their families and communities.

Shanne is widely recognized as a passionate advocate, speaker, and mentor who believes that supporting young fathers strengthens families and transforms communities. His work has given countless young men the tools not only to graduate and achieve stability, but also to build lasting legacies as engaged, intentional dads.

Shanne Sowards is the founder and Executive Director of Squires Empowering Young Dads (SEYD), a nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping, mentoring, and empowering teen and young fathers. With a deep passion for breaking cycles of fatherlessness... Show more

Dr. Kylie Bragdon, Ed.D., is a transformational leadership expert and workforce strategist committed to solving one of today’s most pressing challenges: 75% of businesses are struggling to find employees with the right skills. Drawing on her background as an educator and executive leader, Dr. Bragdon empowers organizations to close the talent gap by building innovative, future-ready training solutions.

She is widely recognized for her ability to translate complex challenges into actionable strategies, blending real-world leadership experience with cutting-edge approaches to workforce development. With deep expertise in upskilling, organizational change, and talent pipeline design, she equips leaders with the tools to foster resilience, cultivate high-performing teams, and drive sustainable growth.

Dr. Bragdon’s work is rooted in the belief that the future of work will be built, not found. Her mission is to change the world with kindness by helping organizations create environments where people and performance thrive together.

Dr. Kylie Bragdon, Ed.D., is a transformational leadership expert and workforce strategist committed to solving one of today’s most pressing challenges: 75% of businesses are struggling to find employees with the right skills. Drawing on her backgr... Show more

Most organizations don’t fail because of poor leadership or lack of talent. They fail because their systems quietly work against their intentions.

I’m a Ph.D.-trained organizational systems expert and founder of a successful operating company. I work with senior leaders when strategy is clear, people are capable, and execution still isn’t happening.

My keynotes help organizations:
-Understand why execution breaks down even in high-performing cultures
-Replace blame and burnout with system-level clarity
-Build human-centered structures that actually support follow-through
-Leaders bring me in when initiatives stall, transformations lose momentum, or “alignment” hasn’t translated into results. I translate complexity into shared language teams can use immediately—without oversimplifying or shaming.
-Audiences include executive teams, leadership cohorts, government agencies, and professional associations navigating complex change.

Typical outcomes: Greater clarity around where work gets stuck, a shared framework for diagnosing execution problems, and practical next steps leaders can act on after the event—not just inspiration that fades by Monday.

Most organizations don’t fail because of poor leadership or lack of talent. They fail because their systems quietly work against their intentions. I’m a Ph.D.-trained organizational systems expert and founder of a successful operating company. I w... Show more

Chung Park is an artist and educator with an MFA in Art from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. He is currently a PhD student at the Institute of Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. His artwork and research explore the performance of food rituals and diasporic culinary practices as spaces of creativity, worldmaking, and memory within the Asian diaspora.

He is a graduate fellow at the Centre for Asian Canadian Research & Engagement (ACRE) at the University of British Columbia and is a volunteer member of GYOPO, a coalition of diasporic Korean artists, curators, writers, cultural producers, and art professionals based in Los Angeles.

Chung Park is an artist and educator with an MFA in Art from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. He is currently a PhD student at the Institute of Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. His... Show more

Candice Grobler is the founder of Candid Collab, a systems-savvy community consultancy helping solo founders and stretched teams build community-led marketing engines that scale revenue.

After a CPTSD diagnosis and a “you’re unemployable” jab from a well-meaning manager, Candice left the cubicle grind to forge a new model: one where neuro-spicy, outside-the-norm entrepreneurs could thrive through mentorship, scrappy systems, and candid community.

Today, she’s a sought-after mentor and speaker known for transforming sticky-note chaos into streamlined workflows and turning feast-or-famine floundering into steady, soul-aligned revenue. Her live talks, workshops, and interviews blend radical candour with practical playbooks, because life’s too short to build someone else’s empire (or burn out building your own).

Candice has helped dozens of founders grow recurring revenue, reduce burnout, and build communities that market for them, without agency retainers, bro-marketing gloss, or a selling out.

Candice Grobler is the founder of Candid Collab, a systems-savvy community consultancy helping solo founders and stretched teams build community-led marketing engines that scale revenue. After a CPTSD diagnosis and a “you’re unemployable” jab from... Show more

Prudence Pitter is a board director, global keynote speaker, transformative leadership coach, seasoned HR strategist, and sought-after C-Suite advisor with more than 25 years of Human Resources leadership experience spanning technology, hospitality, retail, healthcare, and financial services. Named to the 2025 "50 Women to Watch" list by 50/50 Women on Boards, she currently serves as a Global Human Resources Leader overseeing people strategy in more than 20 countries, aligning talent development with business growth and organizational resilience. Learn more at prudencepitter.com

Prudence Pitter is a board director, global keynote speaker, transformative leadership coach, seasoned HR strategist, and sought-after C-Suite advisor with more than 25 years of Human Resources leadership experience spanning technology, hospitality, ... Show more

Dr. Amr Assad is a distinguished Academic Leader and Assistant Professor of Mass Communication at the Higher Colleges of Technology. Holding a PhD in Broadcasting from Cairo University, he has dedicated over two decades to excellence in teaching, research, and curriculum development within the field of mass media.

As a seasoned educator, Dr. Assad specializes in media literacy, digital storytelling, social media dynamics, and communication theory. He integrates advanced teaching methods and educational technologies to create engaging and inclusive learning environments to support diverse student populations in achieving academic excellence.

Throughout his career, Dr. Assad’s research has been published in reputable peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences. His work explores valuable insights into social media usage, media ethics, and the impact of digital tools on communication practices. These contributions have significantly influenced academic discourse and the development of media curricula across multiple institutions.

Dr. Assad also actively participates in various scholarly and administrative committees, serving on the Program Academic Committee (PAC), Divisional Promotion Committee, and the Applied Media Industry Advisory Committee, among others, where he continues to integrate industry best practices and drive academic innovation.

Dr. Assad is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of communication professionals, providing personalized guidance, and nurturing an environment conducive to academic and professional success. He is open to connecting with fellow academics, industry professionals, and collaborators who share a passion for shaping the future of mass communication.

Dr. Amr Assad is a distinguished Academic Leader and Assistant Professor of Mass Communication at the Higher Colleges of Technology. Holding a PhD in Broadcasting from Cairo University, he has dedicated over two decades to excellence in teaching, res... Show more

creative, published, father to two, Indian Hindi native non-thorny

creative, published, father to two, Indian Hindi native non-thorny Show more

LaShawnda Rodgers is a visionary leader in change management, DEI, and leadership development, standing at the forefront of organizational transformation. As the Founder and Principal Consultant at Rodgers Global Leadership Consortium, she brings over 20 years of experience in guiding multi-million-dollar global projects, technical consulting, coaching, career growth, and stakeholder management.

LaShawnda’s expertise extends into the realms of data science and technology, where she has successfully led initiatives that leverage data-driven insights to enhance customer engagement, leadership development, and employee experience. Her technical acumen is complemented by her role as a Microsoft Partner and a member of Microsoft’s Black Partner Initiative, where she collaborates on innovative solutions and strategies.

In her capacity as Vice President of Community Outreach for Blacks in Technology, LaShawnda partners with organizations to increase African American representation in the technology fields. She is also a Founding Member of Tech Ladies, mentoring and equipping women with the tools to advance their careers in tech. Her efforts have empowered many professionals to confidently negotiate their salaries, articulate their value, and achieve their desired career outcomes.

LaShawnda’s commitment to creating equitable, inclusive work environments has led to significant increases in profitability for organizations. Her recognition with the 40 Under 40 Award and features on platforms like Hired.com, Mentor Me Tech Summit, and Power To Fly underscore her impact as a thought leader dedicated to uplifting individuals and businesses alike.

When she is not speaking, consulting, or coaching, LaShawnda enjoys horseback riding, hiking, and spending time with her family.

LaShawnda Rodgers is a visionary leader in change management, DEI, and leadership development, standing at the forefront of organizational transformation. As the Founder and Principal Consultant at Rodgers Global Leadership Consortium, she brings ove... Show more

Michelle is a portfolio careerist who intentionally lives on cross-boundary intersections, bringing together innovation, creative expression, and human well-being. As an Innovation Designer and Human Well-Being Insight Designer, she explores how people live, work, and thrive, translating complex insights into meaningful everyday practices and solutions. Her work as a Vision-to-Experience Curator connects ideas to real-world impact, helping individuals and organizations bring purposeful concepts to life.

She has led workshops, trainings, and sessions focused on leveraging creativity and technology to drive innovative thinking, collaborating with diverse teams to tackle complex challenges. Committed to building bridges between different perspectives, she thrives on turning bold ideas into actionable strategies that yield meaningful, sustainable impact in both the short and long term. Her aim is always to bring people together in ways that spark self-discovery, creative expression, and personal liberation—ultimately empowering every individual to step fully into their potential.

Alongside these roles, Michelle is an author, artist, and podcaster, using storytelling and creative expression to explore themes of purpose, resilience, and modern innovative work. Her multidisciplinary path reflects a commitment to curiosity, integrity, and designing a life that aligns with her values, vision of success, and purpose.

With experience across multiple sectors and creative fields, Michelle brings a grounded, integrated perspective to conversations about wellness, innovation, and entrepreneurship, offering insights shaped by both lived experience and intentional design.

Michelle is a portfolio careerist who intentionally lives on cross-boundary intersections, bringing together innovation, creative expression, and human well-being. As an Innovation Designer and Human Well-Being Insight Designer, she explores how peop... Show more

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

Hi! I'm Smile :D!

I'm a curious and driven problem solver who enjoys building smart, efficient solutions that improve how things work behind the scenes.💡 I find real satisfaction in digging into complex issues, streamlining processes, and writing clean, reliable code that makes a difference.

I enjoy working with others and believe some of the best ideas come from collaboration 💙 but I’m just as comfortable rolling up my sleeves and tackling things on my own. I thrive in environments where I’m challenged, surrounded by great people, and always learning something new.📚

For me, it’s all about learning, growing, and making things better together. ✨🚀

Hi! I'm Smile :D! I'm a curious and driven problem solver who enjoys building smart, efficient solutions that improve how things work behind the scenes.💡 I find real satisfaction in digging into complex issues, streamlining processes, and writin... Show more

I am passionate about empowering Women in Technology, a champion of Neurodiversity, Accessibility, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and improving culture in the workplace. I love supporting women in technology and working towards creating impact and giving back to their communities in a small way.

I am passionate about empowering Women in Technology, a champion of Neurodiversity, Accessibility, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and improving culture in the workplace. I love supporting women in technology and working towards creating impact and gi... Show more

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

Indra is a postdoctoral fellow in applied mathematics at the University College Dublin, Ireland, working on all things "dynamical systems". He takes a computational approach to tackle complex problems, and his current research is focused on understanding collective behaviour exhibited by coupled neurons. He is an avid Python user and has been a speaker at multiple Python-related conferences before. More information can be found in his website: https://indrag49.github.io/.

Indra is a postdoctoral fellow in applied mathematics at the University College Dublin, Ireland, working on all things "dynamical systems". He takes a computational approach to tackle complex problems, and his current research is focused on understan... Show more

Kevin Smyth has a PhD in genetics and has helped thousands of scientists communicate their work. He is now building AI tools for science communication.

Kevin Smyth has a PhD in genetics and has helped thousands of scientists communicate their work. He is now building AI tools for science communication. Show more

Harrison Crawford, LPC LIAC - Harrison has worked in the field of mental health for 15 years and is a Licensed Professional Counselor with additional licensure focused on addictive disorders. Harrison has a passion for working with fathers through direct services and helping systems implement gender-responsive and trauma-informed programming. Harrison completed his graduate work at Argosy University in Phoenix, earning Master’s degrees in Mental Health Counseling and Sport-Exercise Psychology. Harrison lives in Gilbert, Arizona with his wife, Jenna, and two children, Grayson and Kinsley.

Harrison Crawford, LPC LIAC - Harrison has worked in the field of mental health for 15 years and is a Licensed Professional Counselor with additional licensure focused on addictive disorders. Harrison has a passion for working with fathers through di... Show more

Phil Ledgerwood’s resumé looks like seven other people’s resumés stitched together. He has baked bagels, guarded Clint Black’s town home, cooked for a gourmet food shop, freed stuck college students from elevators, managed printing plates for packaging, and served as a linguist in the Air Force. He taught himself HTML when the Netscape browser was still a thing, and the rest is history.

Phil is a twenty-year veteran of the software development industry in the Kansas City area. If you’re in the Kansas City area, he is two degrees of separation away from any programmer you know and has probably worked for, at, or with your company.

When the agile movement hit town, Phil knew a good thing when he saw it and became an early adopter of first wave agile practices. He has used these practices to ideate, build, and complete software projects ranging from loan forecasting to routing irrigation trucks to managing pharmacies to predictive lead generation to selling teddy bears. When people ask what vertical his company serves, he says, “Yours.”

Phil has incorporated Lean methodologies into software development just like his father used to do in manufacturing. When he partnered with Travis Dietz to start Integrity Inspired Solutions in 2012, they laid the foundation in Lean to make the custom software development enterprise more humane, predictable, and focused on the success of everyone involved.

A regular speaker at developer, Lean, and Agile conferences, Phil has a passion for taking his company’s ways to other companies whether they create software or not. He loves to see them transform from a collection of interactions riddled with disappointments and broken promises to team-oriented relational companies enjoying newfound trust, joy, efficiency, and success. Several companies from all over the world in all different industries contract Phil to help coach them through their own journeys. He also hosts the successful "Agile Bites" podcast.

When he’s not helping project managers learn predictive metrics or helping developers write customer-focused features, he’s enjoying a wide array of highly geeky hobbies including fantasy and sci-fi novels, gaming, and teaching Filipino stick fighting. His main hobby is making the world a better place for everyone who has to share the planet with him, and the engine for that is love.

Phil Ledgerwood’s resumé looks like seven other people’s resumés stitched together. He has baked bagels, guarded Clint Black’s town home, cooked for a gourmet food shop, freed stuck college students from elevators, managed printing plates for packagi... Show more

Luís Miguel Cerqueira is a Program Manager and communicator passionate about shaping the future of work. With a career built across Talent Acquisition, Diversity & Inclusion, and Program Management in tech, he currently leads initiatives that connect purpose, people, and performance across international teams. Known for his sharp storytelling and human-centered approach, Luís challenges traditional views on hiring, leadership, and career development — inspiring organizations to build spaces where belonging drives results. A Toastmasters speaker and creative strategist, he turns complex ideas into relatable stories that move people to think, feel, and act differently.

Luís Miguel Cerqueira is a Program Manager and communicator passionate about shaping the future of work. With a career built across Talent Acquisition, Diversity & Inclusion, and Program Management in tech, he currently leads initiatives that connect... Show more

I work as a Cloud Platform Engineer at iFood, integrating the SRE (Site Reliability Engineering) ecosystem and providing cloud infrastructure resources to over 5,000 developers. I currently participate in the Platform project, contributing to the development of the internal engineering platform. In this context, I use technologies such as Golang, microservices, Temporal Workflow, and infrastructure as code.

I have extensive experience in Cloud Native technologies, cloud computing, and microservices-oriented architectures. My expertise includes migrating workloads to containers, implementing CI/CD (Continuous Integration and Delivery) pipelines, orchestrating and defining applications in Kubernetes, and applying observability practices, including traces, logs, and metrics. I have extensive experience in infrastructure as code, process automation, and DevSecOps practices, focusing on adopting standards for provisioning, configuring, and maintaining scalable and secure platforms.

I was one of the people responsible for building the Celeste Platform—Magalu Cloud's internal infrastructure platform. In this project, I led the implementation of the observability solution, encompassing over 30 services and enabling AZ/DC for customers.

I am a CNCF Ambassador and Docker Captain, actively involved in open source projects such as Kubernetes, and promote the dissemination of Cloud Native technologies through articles, lectures, workshops, and technical events. I also participate in the organization of DevOpsDays Belo Horizonte.

I work as a Cloud Platform Engineer at iFood, integrating the SRE (Site Reliability Engineering) ecosystem and providing cloud infrastructure resources to over 5,000 developers. I currently participate in the Platform project, contributing to the dev... Show more

Gemma Astafanous works at the intersection of human performance and embodied intelligence. With a background in corporate project leadership, she bridges structured, results-driven approaches with somatic practices that help people move beyond stress and mental overload into clarity, creativity, and grounded presence.

Her work combines breathwork, movement, and nervous system regulation to create practical tools for developers, leaders, and innovators navigating high-pressure environments. For Gemma, embodiment is about “debugging the noise” — learning to listen to the body’s signals as another system of intelligence, just as vital as logic and code.

Through global workshops, coaching, and group programs, she has supported individuals and teams in releasing unproductive patterns, strengthening resilience, and showing up with authenticity and impact. Splitting her time between the UK and Mexico, Gemma brings a grounded yet human-centered perspective to tech spaces, making wellbeing as integral as performance in building the future.

Gemma Astafanous works at the intersection of human performance and embodied intelligence. With a background in corporate project leadership, she bridges structured, results-driven approaches with somatic practices that help people move beyond stress... Show more

Meet Robert McNair, the high-energy public speaker with over 20 years of experience in the IT industry. Robert's dynamic presentation skills and deep knowledge of cloud technology make him one of the most sought-after speakers in the field.

As a software developer, Robert quickly rose to become a respected leader in the industry. With his extensive experience in successful cloud migrations and implementations, Robert has established himself as a true expert in the field.

But what really sets Robert apart is his unique ability to make complex technical concepts easy to understand for all audiences. With his motivational speaking style, he inspires and connects with audiences in a way that leaves a lasting impact.

Robert's dedication to excellence has led him to become John Maxwell Certified in effective communication and leadership. This training has given him a unique perspective on the importance of cloud technology and its impact on the future.

Whether speaking at conferences, workshops, or corporate events, Robert's passion for technology and his engaging personality make him a crowd favorite. He is dedicated to educating others on the latest trends and innovations in cloud technology, and his commitment to excellence is sure to leave a lasting impression on all who hear him speak.

Book Robert for your next event and experience the energy and expertise that have made him a top speaker in the IT industry.

Meet Robert McNair, the high-energy public speaker with over 20 years of experience in the IT industry. Robert's dynamic presentation skills and deep knowledge of cloud technology make him one of the most sought-after speakers in the field. As a s... Show more

Lorne Epstein, SHRM-SCP, MSOD, is a social scientist, keynote, and Vistage speaker who consults with senior leaders on improving decision-making outcomes by reducing biases. Over 60,000 professionals have taken his workshops worldwide. He has been quoted in Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Christian Science Monitor, and other publications. His research focuses on improving decision-making and reducing the impacts of bias in the workplace. Lorne has been leading experiential workshops since 1993. His book, You're Hired! Interview Skills to Get the Job has been downloaded over a half-million times worldwide. Lorne is currently studying cognitive neuroscience at the master’s level at George Mason University. He was admitted to the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and Psi Chi, The National Honor Society of Psychology.

Lorne Epstein, SHRM-SCP, MSOD, is a social scientist, keynote, and Vistage speaker who consults with senior leaders on improving decision-making outcomes by reducing biases. Over 60,000 professionals have taken his workshops worldwide. He has been qu... Show more

Cindy Gross is a leadership clarity coach who helps women and non-binary leaders in tech lead with courage, clarity, and confidence. A former Microsoft data and cloud architect with 25+ years in enterprise tech, she knows firsthand what it means to thrive in high-pressure, male-dominated environments—while carrying the emotional labor of being “the only one.”

Now, as the founder of Befriending Dragons, Cindy supports underestimated leaders who are ready to stop shape-shifting to survive and start leading from their full selves. She blends systems thinking, equity-centered coaching, and lived experience to help clients navigate burnout, bias, and big decisions with grounded insight and practical strategy. Her work invites leaders to reclaim their voice, set powerful boundaries, and lead in ways that are both effective and deeply aligned.

Cindy’s keynotes and workshops have sparked reflection and change in tech teams, leadership cohorts, coaching communities, and public sector organizations. She speaks with sharp insight, mythic perspective, and deep compassion for what it really takes to lead when the system wasn’t built for you. Her message is simple and powerful: you’re not broken. You get to lead as your full self—and when you do, you change everything.

Cindy Gross is a leadership clarity coach who helps women and non-binary leaders in tech lead with courage, clarity, and confidence. A former Microsoft data and cloud architect with 25+ years in enterprise tech, she knows firsthand what it means to t... Show more

With over 25 years of experience in managing projects, products, teams, and organizations, I support startups, SMEs, and large corporations in their transformation.

🚀 My expertise: helping organizations and teams achieve greater impact through agile practices.

💡 What I offer:
✅ Organization Coaching: Assisting companies in overcoming obstacles, clarifying their operations, and creating an environment conducive to autonomous, aligned, and resilient teams.
✅ Team Coaching: Strengthening team cohesion and collective resilience, improving interactions, and establishing solid agile practices for sustainable adaptability.
✅ Initiating and Supporting Agile Transformations: Starting a transformation process, stabilizing it, or correcting it in case of difficulties.
✅ Coaching & Supporting Key Roles: Scrum Masters, Product Owners, RTE, PM, STE... to help them become true agents of change.
✅ OKR Expert (certified OKR Master): Training and support to align strategy and execution while ensuring robust implementation.
✅ Training in the SAFe® 6.0 framework in French:
🎯 Leading SAFe®
🎯 SAFe® Agile Product Management
🎯 SAFe® Lean Portfolio Management
🎯 SAFe® Product Owner / Product Manager
🎯 SAFe® Release Train Engineer

🎤 Speaker: Agile en Seine, Agile Tour Rennes, Nantes, Clermont-Ferrand, Printemps Agile de Caen

📢 Want to discuss your organizational challenges? Let's talk!

🌍 Founder of transformationagile.com

#Agility #Coaching #Transformation #Resilience #SAFe #Scrum #Kanban #OKR #AgileAtScale #Startup #SME #LargeCorporation

With over 25 years of experience in managing projects, products, teams, and organizations, I support startups, SMEs, and large corporations in their transformation. 🚀 My expertise: helping organizations and teams achieve greater impact through ag... Show more

Anthony Chinweuba is a Youth Policy and Development Communicator with a strong track record of designing, coordinating, and advocating for youth-centered programs across Nigeria. With a background in project management, monitoring and evaluation, and strategic communications, he specializes in translating complex policy frameworks into relatable, actionable messages that empower young people to engage, influence, and lead.

Anthony’s career cuts across grassroots community work, nonprofit development, and digital engagement. He has led and supported initiatives focused on education access, employment readiness, digital inclusion, and civic engagement—working with local youth networks, donor-funded programs, and impact-driven NGOs. His storytelling approach blends data with lived realities, making him a go-to collaborator for youth advocacy campaigns and development projects that need visibility, clarity, and strategic influence.

Currently, he’s focused on building coalitions around youth digital skills, policy inclusion, and capacity development—particularly in underrepresented communities across Nigeria's Southeast.

Anthony believes in amplifying youth voices through policy briefs, community dialogues, and digital media. He is also exploring opportunities for collaborative advocacy, volunteer engagements, and policy innovation that put young people at the center of Nigeria’s development agenda.

Anthony Chinweuba is a Youth Policy and Development Communicator with a strong track record of designing, coordinating, and advocating for youth-centered programs across Nigeria. With a background in project management, monitoring and evaluation, and... Show more

My name is David Emenyi. I am one of Africa's top Business Strategists & Consultants, as well as "West Africa’s first and currently only official Grant Cardone Licensee".

I am a strategist, creative thinker, coach, keynote speaker and highly passionate about making a difference in the lives of people via the various training platforms I engage.

I currently serve as Head of Business Services & New Product Experimentation at Start Innovation Hub, Lead Strategist for The Deliberate CEO International and I'm a choice consultant for various brands on brand strategy, effective sales/product development/training, and digital marketing strategy.

My superpower is developing "10X Strategies" tailor-made for you so you can begin producing 10X results. I simply won’t rest, stop or quit until we get the desired results!!! This is my commitment to the world.

My name is David Emenyi. I am one of Africa's top Business Strategists & Consultants, as well as "West Africa’s first and currently only official Grant Cardone Licensee". I am a strategist, creative thinker, coach, keynote speaker and highly passi... Show more

👋 Hello! I'm Vivian Acquah, a Certified Inclusion Strategist (CDE®), Certified ESDP, LinkedIn Top Voice, and Nominee for European Businesswoman 2023 (ESDP). I'm also a passionate advocate for topics related to inclusion, in particular neurodiversity, and a transformational speaker, facilitator, and trainer.

🔎 Background Information
After becoming a mother, I transitioned from a Finance/IT consulting career to inclusion consulting. I promised my son (Orlando) and future generations to create thriving workplaces for EVERYONE.

Today, I am the founder of Amplify DEI and the co-founder of Global Inclusion in Practice, where I operate as an Inclusion Coach and Consultant.

💼 What
Employees are the foundation of any organization. I support managers in engaging, energizing, and keeping their team members safe and sustainably, leading to increased revenue for your company. I also perform workplace audits to uncover stress points and identify wins, and I consult on strategies to improve your organization's workplace wellness.

🚀 How
I use a holistic approach to build sustainable employability. I consider all wellness and well-being elements, including physical, mental, career, social, community, and financial wellness, while purposefully incorporating fairness and inclusion.

👣 Your Next Step
Ready to make your organization a better place to work and be a part of? I offer services in English and Dutch, including interactive (online) keynotes, training, workshops, and strategy development. Learn more about the impactful Amplify Empathy with Virtual Reality training via bit.ly/amplifyempathytraining.

📞 Call to Action
Whether you're looking for inspiring workshops/training or an interactive keynote speaker, I'm just a DM and a call away. Don't forget to visit my LinkedIn Recommendations to see what others say about my workstyle/trainingstyle. Book me as a speaker/trainer at bit.ly/vivaspeak or email info@amplifydei.com.

👋 Hello! I'm Vivian Acquah, a Certified Inclusion Strategist (CDE®), Certified ESDP, LinkedIn Top Voice, and Nominee for European Businesswoman 2023 (ESDP). I'm also a passionate advocate for topics related to inclusion, in particular neurodiversity... Show more

Melanie Deziel is a dynamic keynote speaker, award-winning author, and Creative Systems Architect who helps individuals and organizations turn scattered ideas into structured strategies. With a background in journalism, content marketing, and storytelling, Melanie has spent over a decade helping businesses create more effective, scalable, and sustainable creative systems. Now, she applies those same skills to her work as an advocate for late-diagnosed autistic women, bringing clarity and structure to complex and often misunderstood topics.

Melanie is the author of "The Content Fuel Framework: How to Generate Unlimited Story Ideas," a book that has helped thousands of marketers, entrepreneurs, and content creators develop a system for consistently producing high-quality ideas, and "Prove It: Exactly How Modern Marketers Earn Trust," which teaches communicators how to build trust in a skeptical consumer environment. As a sought-after speaker, she has delivered keynotes and workshops for organizations like Google, H&R Block, and many others, equipping teams with the tools to streamline workflows, improve operational efficiency, and maximize creative output.

In her role as a Creative Systems Architect, Melanie specializes in helping teams and individuals build repeatable processes for content creation, communication, and brand storytelling. Her unique ability to deconstruct complex problems and develop structured solutions makes her a trusted advisor for businesses looking to scale their creative efforts without sacrificing quality. She also offers coaching for professionals looking to turn their expertise into proprietary frameworks, helping them develop intellectual property for books, talks, courses, and digital products.

Beyond her work in marketing and creativity, Melanie is a passionate advocate for late-diagnosed autistic women, a mission inspired by her own autism diagnosis at age 31. She speaks to educators, employers, and general audiences about the ways autism presents differently in women and girls, why so many go undiagnosed, and how we can create more inclusive systems to support neurodivergent individuals. Her newsletter, The Late-Diagnosed Diaries, explores the experiences of women who discover their autism in adulthood, and she is currently writing a book on the topic.

Whether speaking about content marketing, storytelling, creative systems, or autism advocacy, Melanie is known for her engaging style, research-backed insights, and highly actionable takeaways. Her presentations blend expertise with personal experience, ensuring that audiences leave feeling both informed and inspired.

To book Melanie for your next event or to learn more about her work, visit MelanieDeziel.com

Melanie Deziel is a dynamic keynote speaker, award-winning author, and Creative Systems Architect who helps individuals and organizations turn scattered ideas into structured strategies. With a background in journalism, content marketing, and storyte... Show more