Humanities & Social Sciences

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

Nyi Aye

Nyi Aye

Nyi founded ThitsaWorks in 2016 to create data-driven solutions that assist financial institutions in managing payments, data, and risk mitigation. Nyi has over 27 years of expertise in public administration, finance, fintech, software development, and financial inclusion.

Before launching ThitsaWorks, Nyi dedicated over two decades to the United Nations Headquarters in New York, working in the finance and technology sectors. In his final role there, he served as the Chief of the Information Systems Unit in the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management. Here, he led a team of IT experts and software developers, overseeing the development, maintenance, and support of worldwide IT operations for UN conference activities.

Nyi has a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Columbia University and a Master of Science in Information Systems from the City University of New York.

Nyi founded ThitsaWorks in 2016 to create data-driven solutions that assist financial institutions in managing payments, data, and risk mitigation. Nyi has over 27 years of expertise in public administration, finance, fintech, software development, a... Show more

Carmen Estela

Carmen Estela

Carmen Estela is a graduate student in Digital Forensics at the University of Central Florida. She holds a B.A. in Criminology from the University of Florida with certifications in Data Analytics and AI Fundamentals. Carmen has attended and been awarded scholarships to HackSpaceCon 2024 and 2025, where she participated in hands-on cybersecurity workshops including adversarial machine learning and physical penetration testing. At Hack Red Con 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky, Carmen presented "Social Engineering Your Network: Hacking Human Connections". She has also served as an adult protective investigator, police communications operator, legal intern, and research assistant, applying investigative skills across law enforcement, academic, and public service settings.

Carmen Estela is a graduate student in Digital Forensics at the University of Central Florida. She holds a B.A. in Criminology from the University of Florida with certifications in Data Analytics and AI Fundamentals. Carmen has attended and been awar... Show more

Matteo Carella

Matteo Carella

My work is spreading agile and lean culture, helping people with theory and practice, mentoring, facilitating and supporting them. I also coach teams, managers and executives (CTOs, CEOs) in order to help them grow strong in applying Agile methodologies to their work.

My work is spreading agile and lean culture, helping people with theory and practice, mentoring, facilitating and supporting them. I also coach teams, managers and executives (CTOs, CEOs) in order to help them grow strong in applying Agile methodolog... Show more

Gopal Balakrishnan

Gopal Balakrishnan

Balakrishnan's work consistently displays an interdisciplinary erudition spanning the fields of history, political theory, philosophy, and economics. This breadth of interests formed the basis of his doctoral research, which evolved into his groundbreaking first book, "The Enemy: An Intellectual Portrait of Carl Schmitt." This work provided a meticulous analysis of Schmitt’s political thought conceived as a series of responses to the crises of the German and European state systems from 1919 to 1945. 

A collection of his essays, "Antagonistics: Capitalism and Power in an Age of War," came out subsequently offering reflections on the history of the interstate system and the future of warfare, the significance of Machiavelli as a theorist of the founding of new orders, of De Tocqueville as a conservative critic of democracy, and on the European origins of identity politics. 

As an editor, Balakrishnan has contributed significantly as an editor, assembling highly influential collections on nationalism, and the forms of empire in a supposedly post-national age in "Mapping the Nation" and "Debating Empire", respectively.
 
More recently, Balakrishnan has been working on a reconstruction of Karl Marx's economic thought that identifies its concealed conceptual structure, making its historical and logical assumptions more apparent and thus opening up new questions regarding its adequacy as an account of the structure and history of capitalism. 

His forthcoming association with the journal SS African Mercury is the beginning of a new chapter in Balakrishnan’s intellectual career. This journal sets a new standard for political and cultural criticism, and his contributions to it can be expected to further highlight its distinctiveness in the contemporary intellectual scene. He foresees writing pieces for this journal that continue the practice of criticism through careful reconstruction that characterized his earlier work but with a more trenchant style influenced by his study of the genre of polemics.   

Balakrishnan currently participates in a number of study groups and private seminars on topics as varied as classical political economy, Marxist writing on the Graeco-Roman world, and the Bible in its historical context. Here he seeks to inspire others with the spirit of pure intellectual inquiry, free from current fashion and ideological pieties.

Currently, he is working on a reconstruction of Marx’s Capital that uncovers its conceptual organization as a system and raises new questions regarding its adequacy as an account of the nature and history of capitalism.

Balakrishnan's work consistently displays an interdisciplinary erudition spanning the fields of history, political theory, philosophy, and economics. This breadth of interests formed the basis of his doctoral research, which evolved into his groundbr... Show more

Rashan Smith

Rashan Smith

Rashan is a Senior Software Engineer with 8+ years of experience. Her career journey started as a backend and middleware Java Developer, and has evolved to full stack cloud native application development consulting, spanning Javascript and Python tech stacks. In her free time she enjoys travelling and trying new sports, most recently boxing and padel.

Rashan is a Senior Software Engineer with 8+ years of experience. Her career journey started as a backend and middleware Java Developer, and has evolved to full stack cloud native application development consulting, spanning Javascript and Python tec... Show more

Mercy Makinde

Mercy Makinde

Mercy is an accomplished technical writer with over a year of professional experience in the field. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with various companies, specializing in enhancing and revitalizing their blogs and technical documentation. By focusing on clarity and user engagement, she transforms complex information into easily understandable content, ensuring that readers can effectively grasp the subject matter. Mercy's meticulous attention to detail and her ability to organize information logically make her a valuable asset to any team seeking to improve their communication materials.

Mercy is an accomplished technical writer with over a year of professional experience in the field. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with various companies, specializing in enhancing and revitalizing their blogs and technical documentation... Show more

Ingo Kleiber

Ingo Kleiber

Ingo Kleiber studied English, political science, and economics at Heidelberg University, pursuing a teaching degree. After previously working at the Heidelberg School of Education, he is now a Senior Expert for Digital Education and Educational Technology at the Vice-Rectorate for Teaching and Studies of the University of Cologne. He is currently also pursuing his Ph.D. at the intersection of corpus/computational linguistics and foreign language teaching.

Ingo Kleiber studied English, political science, and economics at Heidelberg University, pursuing a teaching degree. After previously working at the Heidelberg School of Education, he is now a Senior Expert for Digital Education and Educational Techn... Show more

Dread One

Dread One

Founder of VYBZ ( NFT project showcasing true community spirit )
Founder of SYS AMA ( Web3 Vetting Show )
Just a guy who knows how to get product to market within the WEB3 Space

Founder of VYBZ ( NFT project showcasing true community spirit ) Founder of SYS AMA ( Web3 Vetting Show ) Just a guy who knows how to get product to market within the WEB3 Space Show more

Ellis Hughes

Ellis Hughes

I am a statistical Programmer at Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center where I work on a team that evaluates potential HIV vaccine candidates. After graduated from Washington State University with a degree in Bioengineering, I found a passion for programming in R. I now organize the Seattle UseR group, and enjoy building packages to automate my workflows.

I am a statistical Programmer at Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center where I work on a team that evaluates potential HIV vaccine candidates. After graduated from Washington State University with a degree in Bioengineering, I found a passion for program... Show more

Elena Dumitrana

Elena Dumitrana

I am a data-driven design strategist.
I specialise in transforming raw data into blueprints for intelligent, human-centred services and products. With a career spanning MI, data engineering and data solutions, I see data as a design tool that powers innovation. I champion a design philosophy that places human needs, ethical considerations and user control at the forefront of AI-driven automation.
I advocate for technology designed to enhance, rather than dictates human experience.

I am a data-driven design strategist. I specialise in transforming raw data into blueprints for intelligent, human-centred services and products. With a career spanning MI, data engineering and data solutions, I see data as a design tool that power... Show more

Emna Ouali

Emna Ouali

As a certified professional coach and enterprise agile coach, I support leaders, managers, and teams in driving sustainable transformation across industries and cultures. With 15+ years of experience, I bring an integrative approach that blends agile frameworks, systems thinking, neuroscience, positive psychology, sociology, and collective intelligence.

I help organizations surface implicit team dynamics, assess their maturity, and design tailored strategies to foster collaboration, performance, and meaningful impact. I’ve worked with clients in the tech, retail, and public sectors — including scale-ups and organizations navigating crisis or restructuring.

My coaching and facilitation style is grounded, pragmatic, and focused on real-life challenges. I create safe spaces for reflection and experimentation, while making complex concepts accessible and actionable. I strongly believe in embodied agility — an agility that embraces tension, context, and human complexity.

As a speaker, I share case-based insights, tools to align strategy with action, and systemic lenses to better understand organizational behavior. My sessions are designed to spark awareness and equip participants with ideas they can implement immediately.

I’m particularly passionate about helping leaders “connect the dots” between strategic intent and collective execution — and about enabling teams to grow through clarity, ownership, and trust.

As a certified professional coach and enterprise agile coach, I support leaders, managers, and teams in driving sustainable transformation across industries and cultures. With 15+ years of experience, I bring an integrative approach that blends agile... Show more

Laurent Cervilla

Laurent Cervilla

Après plusieurs années à œuvrer en tant que développeur, chef de projet, directeur de projet, j'accompagne depuis 10 ans des leaders, managers et organisations dans le changement.
Que ce soit des PME, ETI et grand groupe, les changements sont une nécessité et l'adaptabilité une aptitude tant personnelle qu'organisationnelle indispensable.
L'accompagnement des personnes n'est pas tout le temps au centre des préoccupations, pourtant c'est un facteur clé de succès ou d'échec. C'est pour cela que je continue de me former, d'échanger et de partager avec passion et conviction.
Le changement c'est tout le temps et connaître ses ressources et freins individuels et collectifs face à lui est un gage d'adaptabilité et de succès.

Après plusieurs années à œuvrer en tant que développeur, chef de projet, directeur de projet, j'accompagne depuis 10 ans des leaders, managers et organisations dans le changement. Que ce soit des PME, ETI et grand groupe, les changements sont une né... 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

Tyler Ross

Tyler Ross

Tyler Ross recently relocated from Manhattan to San Francisco, California, with his wife and daughter after living in New York City for over 10 years. The family is now adjusting to their new life on the West Coast. In his free time, when he’s not spending time with his daughter or working on his books, Tyler explores the Bay Area, documenting the sights, sounds, culture, and cuisine for others considering a similar move.

Tyler’s primary profession is writing. He has a deep passion for storytelling and self-expression. Writing allows him to create, reflect, and connect with others through words. Engaging deeply with his readers brings him a sense of purpose and satisfaction. His writing serves as a tool to share his experiences and ideas, fostering connection and reflection.

In addition to writing, Tyler has a wide range of other interests. As a writer, collector, cyclist, and foodie, he blends these passions into his daily life. Tyler writes about various topics, from historical insights and rare collectibles to local cuisine and biking adventures. His creativity and reflective nature shape his writing, offering readers a personal and unique perspective on his life in San Francisco.

Tyler is an avid cyclist who enjoys the challenge of San Francisco’s hills and terrain. He has been working through over 62 miles of mountain bike trails and bike lanes. Along the way, he photographs landmarks and maps out bicycle-friendly routes, rating them based on difficulty. His passion for cycling and exploration allows him to share valuable insights with other cyclists while enjoying the city’s natural beauty.

Having lived in Manhattan for many years, Tyler enormously appreciated food. Now in San Francisco, he is testing the city’s culinary offerings. From Mexican and Italian to Japanese and Vietnamese cuisine, he enjoys the variety of flavors. He also indulges in the fresh seafood, especially the famous local crabs and oysters, and appreciates the region’s farm-to-table culture.

Tyler is also a dedicated collector of rare stamps, coins, historical books, and manuscripts. He enjoys preserving these unique items and connecting with their history. In addition to his collections, Tyler plays tennis and golf, valuing the physical challenge and mental discipline these sports offer.

Tyler Ross’s love for travel, reading, and photography further enhances his writing. His travels inspire his work, while photography lets him capture precious family moments. Tyler graduated from the University of Chicago, where his education in critical thinking helped shape his approach to writing.

Tyler Ross recently relocated from Manhattan to San Francisco, California, with his wife and daughter after living in New York City for over 10 years. The family is now adjusting to their new life on the West Coast. In his free time, when he’s not sp... Show more

Marco Calzolari

Marco Calzolari

Philosopher and entreprenuer, involved with technology and communication since 1999. Co-founder of Agile Reloaded and Nobilita. Currently working with corporates teams in order to get their companies ready for the future, evolving the way they works and hacking their culture.

Philosopher and entreprenuer, involved with technology and communication since 1999. Co-founder of Agile Reloaded and Nobilita. Currently working with corporates teams in order to get their companies ready for the future, evolving the way they works ... Show more

Kevin Paczkowski

Kevin Paczkowski

I solve the $2M problems that happen when brilliant technology meets confused humans.

Over the past decade, I've built AI platforms that generate $5M ARR, transformed failing products into 340% growth stories, and led 50,000+ user migrations with zero downtime. But here's what I've really learned: the biggest technology challenges aren't technical at all. They're psychological.

With my Master's in Social Data Science from Oxford, I've spent my career at the intersection where human behavior meets enterprise technology. I've worked across healthcare, finance, and global consulting at Accenture, consistently discovering that the same patterns emerge everywhere: smart people make predictable, irrational decisions about technology adoption.
I'm the product leader who gets called in when expensive AI implementations sit unused, when teams resist change despite obvious benefits, or when leadership needs someone who can translate between C-suite vision and developer reality. My "human first AI" framework is now adopted by 3 Fortune 500 companies because it works with human psychology rather than against it.
My superpower is turning complex technological chaos into revenue generating clarity. I've reduced patient wait times from 48 hours to 4 hours, cut compliance review time by 87%, and helped teams embrace AI tools they initially feared. I understand both the technical possibilities (Python, TensorFlow, cloud architecture) and the human realities (cognitive bias, change resistance, team dynamics) of making technology actually work.

Whether I'm speaking about AI manipulation psychology, the neuroscience of developer attention, or why brilliant teams make terrible technology decisions, I bring data driven insights combined with real world war stories from the trenches of enterprise transformation.
I
believe the future belongs to leaders who understand that every technology problem is fundamentally a people problem. And people problems are endlessly fascinating to solve.

I solve the $2M problems that happen when brilliant technology meets confused humans. Over the past decade, I've built AI platforms that generate $5M ARR, transformed failing products into 340% growth stories, and led 50,000+ user migrations with ... Show more

Julio Cesar Mom von Kotsch

Julio Cesar Mom von Kotsch

A professional with more than 15 years of experience in human resources, focused on promoting development through a modern, effective, and technological strategy.

Profesional con más de 15 años de experiencia en recursos humanos, orientado a potenciar el desarrollo a través de una estrategia moderna, eficaz y tecnológica.

Profissional com mais de 15 anos de experiência em recursos humanos, focado em promover o desenvolvimento por meio de uma estratégia moderna, eficaz e tecnológica.

A professional with more than 15 years of experience in human resources, focused on promoting development through a modern, effective, and technological strategy. Profesional con más de 15 años de experiencia en recursos humanos, orientado a poten... Show more

Gary S Winemaster

Gary S Winemaster

Gary S. Winemaster is a seasoned executive and a leading figure in the clean energy and alternative fuel industries. An Illinois native, the CEO of NEXIO Power has played a pivotal role in advancing the company’s mission to provide sustainable, green-powered vehicles and energy solutions to the commercial vehicle sector. With decades of experience in clean energy, Gary has built a reputation for his innovative leadership approach, deep technical expertise, and commitment to sustainability.

Gary Winemaster’s career began at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, where he distinguished himself academically and athletically. As the varsity football team captain, he developed key leadership skills such as teamwork, discipline, and managing pressure. These qualities would later shape his executive career, where he consistently applied these principles to lead successful companies. His academic success and leadership on the football field laid the foundation for the drive and determination to characterize his professional life.

Building on his educational experience at the University of Pennsylvania, Gary’s career took him overseas to Europe, where he worked for a global glass manufacturer in Luxembourg. During his time in Europe, he played a key role in the development and execution of market strategies that led to the complete sellout of the factory’s production. This experience was an essential step in Gary’s career, allowing him to hone his strategic thinking while working in a diverse, international business environment. The global perspective and insights he gained during this time would prove invaluable as he transitioned into leadership roles within the clean energy industry.

Gary’s career in the clean energy sector began in 1989 when he founded Power Solutions International (PSI). As CEO, he led PSI to become a recognized alternative fuel engine technology leader, serving industrial and on-highway markets. Under his leadership, PSI grew significantly, expanding its product offerings and building a solid global presence. His ability to recognize emerging trends in the energy market and his commitment to innovation allowed PSI to stay ahead of its competitors. His leadership helped PSI ship over 1.5 million engines worldwide, cementing its position as a key player in the clean energy sector.

One of Gary’s standout leadership qualities is his ability to forge strategic partnerships with industry leaders. Throughout his career, he has cultivated strong relationships with major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Navistar, Freightliner, and Caterpillar. These partnerships were instrumental in expanding PSI’s market share, as they enabled the company to serve a broader customer base and develop cutting-edge solutions for the alternative fuel market. Gary’s ability to build these lasting relationships is a testament to his business acumen and dedication to fostering long-term success for the companies he leads.

After retiring from PSI, Gary transitioned to his current NEXIO Power CEO role. At NEXIO, Gary has continued to focus on providing sustainable energy solutions for the commercial vehicle sector. Under his guidance, NEXIO Power has developed green-powered trucks and chassis, offering cutting-edge alternatives to traditional fuel sources. His leadership has driven the company’s growth, as he has consistently pushed for innovation and adopting sustainable energy technologies. Gary’s focus on alternative fuel solutions and his ability to navigate the evolving clean energy landscape has helped NEXIO Power maintain a leadership position in the industry.

Gary Winemaster’s commitment to sustainability is at the heart of his career. Throughout his work at PSI and NEXIO Power, he has focused on advancing technologies that reduce the environmental impact of transportation. His efforts to promote clean energy solutions have played a crucial role in the broader movement toward sustainability in the commercial vehicle sector. Gary’s work has not only helped reduce the transportation industry's carbon footprint but has also demonstrated the potential for alternative fuel technologies to drive positive change.

Gary continues to lead NEXIO Power today, ensuring that the company remains at the forefront of the green energy revolution. His strategic vision, technical expertise, and commitment to sustainability continue to drive the company’s success and ensure that NEXIO Power remains a leader in developing green-powered vehicles. Gary’s leadership is shaping the future of transportation, and his work will continue to have a lasting impact on the clean energy sector for years to come.

Gary S. Winemaster’s career is a powerful example of how visionary leadership, technical expertise, and a commitment to sustainability can drive significant change. His contributions to the clean energy sector, particularly in the commercial vehicle industry, have helped pave the way for a more sustainable future. As NEXIO Power continues to develop innovative green-powered solutions, Gary’s leadership will remain a key factor in shaping the industry's future.

Gary S. Winemaster is a seasoned executive and a leading figure in the clean energy and alternative fuel industries. An Illinois native, the CEO of NEXIO Power has played a pivotal role in advancing the company’s mission to provide sustainable, green... Show more

Rachel Crawford

Rachel Crawford

Is your business working for you, or are you working for it? I partner with values-driven entrepreneurs to build sustainable, well-oiled, joy-filled ventures that truly serve everyone involved. With expertise in BizOps, practical and holistic FP&A (from financial projections to the human power behind them), and intuitive leadership development, I help untangle the complexities of growth.

Together, we'll build clear processes that simplify daily operations, optimize all forms of capital (yes, even sleep!), and cultivate people-first strategies that free up time, energy, and mental bandwidth. Because your work should support your life, not consume it. Based in Durango, Colorado, I believe that when business thrives, humans thrive too.

Is your business working for you, or are you working for it? I partner with values-driven entrepreneurs to build sustainable, well-oiled, joy-filled ventures that truly serve everyone involved. With expertise in BizOps, practical and holistic FP&A (f... Show more

Tetiana Gulei

Tetiana Gulei

Tetiana is a Senior UX Designer at BIMcollab in the Netherlands. Starting her career as an engineer, she developed a passion for user-centric and accessible design, together with an interest for technology and innovation. Her work emphasizes ethical design and sustainability, creating products that make a positive impact.

She also shares her UX expertise through conference talks and LinkedIn Learning courses on various UX topics, reaching over 35,000 students worldwide.

Tetiana is a Senior UX Designer at BIMcollab in the Netherlands. Starting her career as an engineer, she developed a passion for user-centric and accessible design, together with an interest for technology and innovation. Her work emphasizes ethical ... Show more

Diana David

Diana David

Psicóloga con 8 años de experiencia en procesos de Recursos Humanos para la industria TI Internacional con filiales en Colombia y LATAM. Soy una intensa con el tema de la experiencia positiva del candidato - luego empleado, reflejo la calidad humana que todos admiran de los latinos en el ámbito corporativo y me encargo de contagiarla fácilmente a mi equipo. Veo a mis candidatos como clientes futuros y mensajeros invaluables de la industria, soy embajadora del feedback - feedforward para el candidato, y cuando no estoy trabajando estoy cantándole canciones de Rammstein a mi hija.

Psicóloga con 8 años de experiencia en procesos de Recursos Humanos para la industria TI Internacional con filiales en Colombia y LATAM. Soy una intensa con el tema de la experiencia positiva del candidato - luego empleado, reflejo la calidad humana ... Show more

Lucas Sahn

Lucas Sahn

Lucas has worked his whole career to unlock the door for students and early professionals to tiptoe their way into the tech world. Be it through global hackathons, enabling student campus leaders, or giving educators future forward tools, Lucas works to build as many bridges as possible for every brand of new professional.

Lucas has worked his whole career to unlock the door for students and early professionals to tiptoe their way into the tech world. Be it through global hackathons, enabling student campus leaders, or giving educators future forward tools, Lucas works... Show more

Rebecca Grier

Rebecca Grier

Rebecca Grier, Ph.D. is a behavioural scientist with 20 years experience in product development across various business sectors. Most recently she was the lead for Customer-Driven: EMEA at Microsoft, with the goal to change product making culture to be more customer obsessed. Previously she moved Ford to consider people with disabilities in the design of their autonomous vehicles and the US DoD to include user experience in testing of systems. She currently lives in Dublin with her husband and son.

Rebecca Grier, Ph.D. is a behavioural scientist with 20 years experience in product development across various business sectors. Most recently she was the lead for Customer-Driven: EMEA at Microsoft, with the goal to change product making culture to ... Show more

Roy Vu

Roy Vu

Roy Vũ earned his Ph.D. (2006) in history at the University of Houston. He is now a history professor at Dallas College - North Lake Campus. He is also an advisory board member for Foodways Texas and Keep Irving Beautiful, where he is the 2018 recipient of the Sadie Ray Graff Education Award. His new book, Farm-to-Freedom: Vietnamese Americans and Their Food Gardens, was released in September 2024 by Texas A&M University Press. He and his wife, Ngọc, live in Irving, Texas.

Roy Vũ earned his Ph.D. (2006) in history at the University of Houston. He is now a history professor at Dallas College - North Lake Campus. He is also an advisory board member for Foodways Texas and Keep Irving Beautiful, where he is the 2018 reci... Show more

Dragan Vucic

Dragan Vucic

Dragan is passionate about applying technology and research in data and business processes, with expertise in banking and IT across diverse roles and responsibilities, from operational to C-level strategic positions. He led development of several cutting-edge AI/ML/CV/XR products. With a wealth of experience, he specializes in data and process analytics, process management, performance management, and change initiatives. He is Certified Data Engineer by Celonis, Germany, and Internal Control Auditor (CICA) by the Institute of Internal Controls in the USA. Moreover, he achieved the title of European Champion in Internal Auditing in 2021. Currently he has been pursuing a doctorate at the Catholic University of Louvan, Louvain School of Management in Belgium.

Dragan is passionate about applying technology and research in data and business processes, with expertise in banking and IT across diverse roles and responsibilities, from operational to C-level strategic positions. He led development of several cut... Show more

Falene McKenna

Falene McKenna

Falene McKenna is a product manager with a strong background in software development, conversational experience design, and data analysis. Specializing in Robot VUIs, she is passionate about using technology, particularly social robots and Conversational AI, to improve people's lives.

Coming from a background Linguistics, Falene began her Social Robotics career at Intuition Robotics, working on their flagship project ElliQ—an AI-powered social companion robot for older adults—and developing in-car voice experiences. She later collaborated on a proof-of-concept for Fur Hat Robotics and Microsoft PVA before serving as the Head of Product for Aico, an AI-driven early childhood learning robot by Curiosity Robotics.

In October of 2023, Falene started her own company, Lingua Robotica, with the hopes of bringing ethical and holistic design into multimodal development.

A voice in the conversational AI space, Falene has presented at various events, including the Conversation Design Festival 2022, emphasizing the importance of bot building standards, language expertise in AI experiences, and persona building. She is also an active member of Women in Voice, promoting gender diversity in the voice technology industry.

Falene McKenna is a product manager with a strong background in software development, conversational experience design, and data analysis. Specializing in Robot VUIs, she is passionate about using technology, particularly social robots and Conversati... Show more

Bahar Ramazanova

Bahar Ramazanova

Bahar is a Flutter developer and co-founder at Altogether startup, a pioneering law tech platform designed to serve persons with disabilities. With a passion for inclusive design and innovation, Bahar played a pivotal role in leading her team to victory as the 1st place winner at the Global BeChangeMaker 2023 Competition held in Dublin, Ireland organized by WorldSkills and HP Foundation. Drawing on her extensive experience, Bahar has actively collaborated with persons with disabilities to identify and address accessibility challenges within Flutter applications. Through direct engagement and rigorous testing, she has managed to enhance accessibility and ensure adherence to legal compliance guidelines. Furthermore, Bahar also has a background in legal compliance complementing her technical expertise.

Bahar is a Flutter developer and co-founder at Altogether startup, a pioneering law tech platform designed to serve persons with disabilities. With a passion for inclusive design and innovation, Bahar played a pivotal role in leading her team to vict... Show more

Elizabeth Gilbert

Elizabeth Gilbert

I am a PhD student at Carnegie Mellon University with research interests in developer tooling and distributed systems. WebAssembly provides a compelling domain as it is a common, language-independent executable format upon which many new distributed application platforms are being built. Through targeting this domain, I hope to provide tools for industry adoption backed by meaningful research.

I am a PhD student at Carnegie Mellon University with research interests in developer tooling and distributed systems. WebAssembly provides a compelling domain as it is a common, language-independent executable format upon which many new distributed ... Show more

Yanina Ledovaya

Yanina Ledovaya

Yanina Ledovaya is a Developer Experience Research team lead at JetBrains, being an academic cognitive psychologist by background. She organizes research on the human aspects of developers work, productivity and wellbeing (including AI usage experience, in-IDE experience, overall employee experience) and advocates for applying theoretical and empirical psychological knowledge in hardcore software tooling research and development.

Yanina Ledovaya is a Developer Experience Research team lead at JetBrains, being an academic cognitive psychologist by background. She organizes research on the human aspects of developers work, productivity and wellbeing (including AI usage experien... Show more

Lana Lesik

Lana Lesik

With my two core strengths - I'm a psychologist and a full-stack developer - I have a keen eye for both technical aspects and team dynamics. In startups or large-scale projects, my contribution extends beyond code — I’m dedicated to accompanying organizations through their digital and cultural transformations.
Passionate about DX and designing solutions that empower users and adapt to diverse environments.

With my two core strengths - I'm a psychologist and a full-stack developer - I have a keen eye for both technical aspects and team dynamics. In startups or large-scale projects, my contribution extends beyond code — I’m dedicated to accompanying orga... Show more

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