Humanities & Social Sciences

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

Omid Motamedisedeh

Omid Motamedisedeh

Phd student in QUT, Australia and author of book : The Ultimate Guide to Functions in Power Query: Turn Raw Data into Actionable Insights

Phd student in QUT, Australia and author of book : The Ultimate Guide to Functions in Power Query: Turn Raw Data into Actionable Insights Show more

Ewelina Kurasz

Ewelina Kurasz

Senior Business-Systems Analyst & Product Owner. In love with IT. Fascinated by the process of coding. Speaker at international conferences. I truly believe that communication matters.
When I'm not at work, you can find me at IT conferences, meetup’s, volunteering somewhere, or spot me when enjoying nature in the middle of mountains or forests.
I'm usually the one, who will challenge your idea to make it bulletproof!

Senior Business-Systems Analyst & Product Owner. In love with IT. Fascinated by the process of coding. Speaker at international conferences. I truly believe that communication matters. When I'm not at work, you can find me at IT conferences, meetup... Show more

Giovanni Valli

Giovanni Valli

Giovanni is Head of Agile Transformation at Entain Italy. He spent the last 6 years as an Agile Coach consultant, after leading for 7 years digital products development in a multinational company. His focus is on building autonomy, aligning culture and execution, and enabling sustainable change.

Giovanni is Head of Agile Transformation at Entain Italy. He spent the last 6 years as an Agile Coach consultant, after leading for 7 years digital products development in a multinational company. His focus is on building autonomy, aligning culture a... 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

Kris Manché

Kris Manché

Kris Manche (Dr BC) is a seasoned BC expert with 25 years of continuous experience. Starting in tech support at Navision HQ, Kris became a leading authority in recovering failed implementations at AU’s largest partners. He later founded, grew, and sold a top-performing VAR to a leading European distributor.

Kris has re-engineered hundreds of organizations and has developed & implemented many addons for many industries. Kris has deep technical and functional knowledge of complex business processes, ERP delivery and organizational transformation. Kris founded DIY-ERP to build the ultimate Business Central Implementation Toolkit for partners and customers. The toolkit distils 300+ implementations worth of expertise into configuration templates, quoting tools, data migration processes, scope controls, client training assets, and assisted go-live automation — all designed to remove risk, increase outcomes and value, and make implementations a repeatable, scalable, and value added service for partners.

Our approach empowers partners to focus on value-added outcomes instead of rework, and clients to take ownership of their ERP journey. The result? Better adoption, stronger Microsoft stack utilization (Teams, Power Platform, Power BI, Shopify), and increased partner services in Modern Work and beyond.

Kris Focus is to enable new partners and customers to be instantly successful with Business Central, drastically transforming outcomes and Time to Value, filling the disconnect between vendor and partner support. DIY-ERP aim is to help Microsoft, Partners and Customers globally to change the way BC is implemented for the better. It's time for Change from ERP Implementations designed in the 70's

Kris Manche (Dr BC) is a seasoned BC expert with 25 years of continuous experience. Starting in tech support at Navision HQ, Kris became a leading authority in recovering failed implementations at AU’s largest partners. He later founded, grew, and so... Show more

Sarah Burne James

Sarah Burne James

I am a data scientist and AI architect with a specialism in speech processing and natural language processing. I have broad experience of incorporating AI into solutions, especially virtual assistants. In my current role, I help clients adopt watsonx Assistant for Z, enabling them to power up their mainframe operations with AI.

I am particularly interested in ethical and inclusive technology. Technology plays an ever increasing role in our world, and it will take collaboration and thoughtful design from across all sectors to make sure it works for everyone. I have led work on Coercive Control Resistant Design as part of IBM’s Academy of Technology, which was featured on BBC News.

I am a data scientist and AI architect with a specialism in speech processing and natural language processing. I have broad experience of incorporating AI into solutions, especially virtual assistants. In my current role, I help clients adopt watson... Show more

Rebecca Bragdon

Rebecca Bragdon

Rebecca Bragdon is a dynamic speaker who weaves together storytelling, strategy, and authenticity to inspire audiences to see leadership, growth, and creativity in new ways. Known for her ability to make complex ideas feel personal and practical, Rebecca challenges listeners to lean into the future with curiosity and courage, rather than fear.
Her talks blend lived experience with sharp insight, offering audiences both inspiration and tangible takeaways. Whether she’s speaking about leadership, innovation, or the power of authenticity, Rebecca brings warmth, wit, and a bold perspective that leaves people thinking differently about what’s possible.
She believes the future belongs to those who choose connection over competition, hope over fear, and authenticity over perfection — and her mission is to help others step into that future with confidence.

Rebecca Bragdon is a dynamic speaker who weaves together storytelling, strategy, and authenticity to inspire audiences to see leadership, growth, and creativity in new ways. Known for her ability to make complex ideas feel personal and practical, Reb... Show more

David Aronchick

David Aronchick

I am CEO and co-founder of Expanso, the company behind the distributed compute platform Bacalhau. This means I spend most of my time helping humans to convince machines to be smarter. I am only moderately successful at this.

Previously, I led product management for Kubernetes on behalf of Google, launched GKE, and co-founded the Kubeflow project, and led Open Source ML Strategy at Azure. I have also worked at Protocol Labs, Amazon and Chef and co-founded three startups.

I am CEO and co-founder of Expanso, the company behind the distributed compute platform Bacalhau. This means I spend most of my time helping humans to convince machines to be smarter. I am only moderately successful at this. Previously, I led prod... Show more

Nicolò Cambiaso Erizzo

Nicolò Cambiaso Erizzo

Communications expert, event organizer, community gatherer. OSS contributor, sailing the K8s ocean since 2019. Marketing Director @Mia-Platform.
Strong believer that better software engineering brings to better development for the planet.

Communications expert, event organizer, community gatherer. OSS contributor, sailing the K8s ocean since 2019. Marketing Director @Mia-Platform. Strong believer that better software engineering brings to better development for the planet. Show more

Ana Sarmiento

Ana Sarmiento

Ana Sarmiento is a Growth Product Manager and AI evangelist with over a decade of experience bridging technical innovation and human-centered design. She has led projects in personalization, data strategy, and automation, helping cross-functional teams translate data into decisions. Ana is also the founder of Cabana Media, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting AI literacy in underserved communities, where she creates programs that empower seniors, immigrants, neurodivergent and BIPOC individuals to engage with AI as creators, not just consumers. Her mission is to build technology that tells stories, drives equity, and inspires the next generation of builders.

Ana Sarmiento is a Growth Product Manager and AI evangelist with over a decade of experience bridging technical innovation and human-centered design. She has led projects in personalization, data strategy, and automation, helping cross-functional tea... Show more

Elias Mokole

Elias Mokole

Harness the Power of Your Voice to Build Trust, Inspire Action, and Lead with Confidence

Elias Mokole is a keynote speaker, voice coach, and former opera singer with over 800 performances worldwide. With two decades of experience spanning vocal performance, communication strategy, and leadership training, Elias helps professionals develop a powerful, authentic presence that resonates—onstage, on-screen, or in the boardroom.

He works with leaders, analysts, educators, and teams to elevate how they speak, listen, and connect. Whether facilitating high-stakes conversations or leading global workshops, Elias brings together technical voice training and emotional intelligence to help clients communicate with clarity, credibility, and calm.

At the 2025 BA & Beyond Conference in Denmark and the Netherlands, Elias delivered sessions on vocal resilience and presence in change-driven environments, receiving praise for his engaging exercises, real-world voice tools, and memorable delivery.

Elias holds an MFA in Voice & Performance and blends artistic discipline with practical leadership insights. Through interactive keynotes, voice-based coaching, and applied storytelling, he helps people use their voice not just to be heard—but to move others.

Harness the Power of Your Voice to Build Trust, Inspire Action, and Lead with Confidence Elias Mokole is a keynote speaker, voice coach, and former opera singer with over 800 performances worldwide. With two decades of experience spanning vocal pe... Show more

Matthew Pothoff

Matthew Pothoff

Matthew Pothoff is a dedicated individual from Dubuque County, Iowa, whose life is defined by hard work, curiosity, and passion. Growing up, he found joy in sports such as baseball, football, basketball, and tennis, each of which shaped his character and developed his teamwork skills. His appreciation for history and craftsmanship led him to collect military rifles, where his interest in both mechanical design and historical context continues to grow.

Raised in Epworth, Iowa, Matthew attended Western Dubuque High School after spending his early education years in Catholic school. The structured environment taught him values of respect, focus, and perseverance. These formative lessons became the foundation for his professional and personal life. His upbringing in a close-knit community instilled in him an appreciation for tradition, discipline, and the value of self-improvement through hard work.

After high school, he pursued a degree in Criminal Justice at Hawkeye Community College, which deepened his sense of integrity and responsibility. Professionally, he began working in the automotive industry, where he developed hands-on skills and a strong work ethic. Now employed as a paint line laborer in a metal fabrication company, he applies coatings with precision, ensuring each product meets quality standards while maintaining a high level of craftsmanship.

Sports remain an enduring part of his life and identity. Baseball was his first love, one that he played until he turned nineteen. Throughout high school, he stayed active in football, basketball, and tennis, finding motivation and purpose through competition. Matt Pothoff still follows his favorite teams—the St. Louis Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, and Cleveland Cavaliers—remaining an enthusiastic supporter of the games he grew up loving.

Beyond athletics, his fascination with firearms and military history reflects his curiosity about the intersection of technology and human innovation. Collecting surplus military rifles allows him to connect with historical eras and craftsmanship from around the world. He takes pride in understanding the function and history behind each piece, exploring the strategies and stories that shaped military development over time.

Outside of work, Matthew enjoys outdoor activities like hunting, camping, and hiking. He values time spent in nature for its balance and clarity, often engaging in deer and turkey hunts. Health and fitness are also priorities for him, as he experiments with new diets and routines to stay active. His lifestyle reflects discipline, passion, and respect for both history and the natural world.

Matthew Pothoff is a dedicated individual from Dubuque County, Iowa, whose life is defined by hard work, curiosity, and passion. Growing up, he found joy in sports such as baseball, football, basketball, and tennis, each of which shaped his character... Show more

Dr Jay Bulot

Dr Jay Bulot

Jay is a national expert on aging and disability services, Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS), health policy, and assistive technology. Before joining Guidehouse, he served under three governors as the State Director for Aging and Adult Services where he was responsible for a wide range of Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) for vulnerable adults, including the administration of the Older Americans Act, Medicaid 1915c waiver programs, protective services, and public guardianship. He was also Vice President for State Markets for a global healthcare IT company where he served as an SME for state clients. He also led the Human and Social Services division efforts related to data analytics, machine learning, and AI for Medicaid and other vulnerable adult populations. Jay is passionate about technology and helps states evaluate and envision how technology can help them meet current and future goals and objectives.

In his current role with Guidehouse, and as a former state government leader, professor, and President of the National Association of State Units on Aging and Disability; Jay has worked closely with state and federal leadership on strengthening protections for vulnerable adults and people with SMI / SUD, developing clinical and performance benchmarking data for recipients of traditional and Managed LTSS services. Jay has more than 13 years of experience leading the development and implementation of state programs such as 1915(b)(c)(i) and 1115 waivers, No Wrong Door (NWD) / Single Entry Point for LTSS, Balancing Incentive Program, Money Follows the Person, and administration of HCBS services. As an SME, he has testified before Congress and various state legislative committees and subcommittees.

As a tenured professor, he developed the first nationally accredited graduate program in Long-Term Care (LTC) administration and he has developed and taught graduate-level courses in statistics, research methods, public policy, healthcare administration, aging and disability services networks, and applied data analytics.

As a state director and later as an SME at Guidehouse, he applies these academic techniques to support the administration and oversight of state programs and services. He develops, promotes, and maintains relationships with leaders at health systems, government agencies, universities, and associations to drive a better understanding of the need to integrate health, social, and behavioral supports.

Jay provides clients with valuable insight, policy, and program consulting, budget analysis, and technical assistance while empowering them to realize success in areas such as organizational assessment, risk mitigation strategies, applied data analytics (including reimbursement and fee schedule analysis, network adequacy, budget neutrality, rate setting, and alternative payment models) for both FFS and Managed HCBS and LTC environments, program development, enhancing federal match, interagency collaborations, stakeholder engagement, and state planning services.

Jay is a national expert on aging and disability services, Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS), health policy, and assistive technology. Before joining Guidehouse, he served under three governors as the State Director for Aging and Adult Services ... Show more

Dr. Jennifer Elemen

Dr. Jennifer Elemen

Dr. Jennifer Elemen is an award-winning education leader, writer and speaker who designs and facilitates professional learning.

Dr. Jennifer Elemen is an award-winning education leader, writer and speaker who designs and facilitates professional learning. Show more

Dr. Jennifer Elemen

Dr. Jennifer Elemen

Dr. Jennifer Elemen is an award-winning education leader, writer and speaker who designs and facilitates professional learning.

Dr. Jennifer Elemen is an award-winning education leader, writer and speaker who designs and facilitates professional learning. Show more

Joanne Stone

Joanne Stone

Joanne founded Wicked Agility, Agilists4Sustainability, We Hope Magazine, and the Agile Mentorship TO Program. Wicked Agility brings wicked problems and agility with corporations and volunteers to serve local communities sustainability challenges. The Mentorship program brings knowledge & connection to the Agile Community about Agile, Business Agility, team dynamics, leadership, coaching, and sustainability. She currently applies agility to sustainability in her incubator programs with great success. She is passionate about enabling more cause-based leaders who want to make a difference in the world. Her expertise helps teams, leaders, communities, and organizations make a difference.

Joanne founded Wicked Agility, Agilists4Sustainability, We Hope Magazine, and the Agile Mentorship TO Program. Wicked Agility brings wicked problems and agility with corporations and volunteers to serve local communities sustainability challenges. Th... Show more

Tamara Lechner

Tamara Lechner

Tamara Lechner is a distinguished expert in flourishing science and peak performance, specializing in individual and cultural change. As Chair of the AI for Human Flourishing think tank within the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard, Tamara leads initiatives that explore how AI can be harnessed to enhance humans’ ability to thrive in today's rapidly evolving technological landscape Committed to placing humans at the heart of AI, she partners with organizations to help them a create work environments where technology and people work in harmony, driving exceptional results.

Tamara Lechner is a distinguished expert in flourishing science and peak performance, specializing in individual and cultural change. As Chair of the AI for Human Flourishing think tank within the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard, Tamara leads in... Show more

Gena Dellett

Gena Dellett

Gena Dellett, CEO of Skvare, is a client advocate who believes in the fundamental importance of relationships. Gena cultivates a supportive environment, encouraging her team to experiment, adapt, and consider unique perspectives. Her joy lies in witnessing these practices foster impactful client relationships through a strong commitment to teamwork.

Through her work at the intersection of business operations, development, and technology; Gena recognizes that relationship-building is not just a strategy—it's a way of operating. Known for her adeptness in asking the right questions, she guides Skvare as a technology company that recommends a pencil when it's the best tool for the job. Gena understands that Skvare's ongoing success hinges on effective recommendations balancing clients' needs with their budgets and views her work as building and supporting meaning-making spaces – online hubs where people access resources, connect with peers, and take action on issues they care about.

Gena Dellett, CEO of Skvare, is a client advocate who believes in the fundamental importance of relationships. Gena cultivates a supportive environment, encouraging her team to experiment, adapt, and consider unique perspectives. Her joy lies in witn... Show more

Eduardo Telaya

Eduardo Telaya

Eduardo is a hackathon enthusiast who has worked as a senior developer and technical lead on Drupal projects for some of the most recognizable organizations including the NCAA, World Bank, and World Fuel Services. Before joining Lullabot full time, Eduardo was an integral member of the Lullabot team that launched Drupal 8 projects for Bravo and Oxygen. His career has also included launching DevsTec and heydru! both a Lima-based Drupal company, and working on Drupal projects for Lullabot, Myplanet, Phase2, and Anexus.

Having participated in over 100 hackathons, Eduardo’s Bomba App, a “life-saving” mobile application that allows firefighters to more immediately locate emergencies via the popular traffic app Waze, took first place at AngelHack’s Hackcelerator 2017. Eduardo also helped create Code Heroes, a gaming app that teaches kids how to code.

Eduardo’s love of development has also inspired him to give back by serving as a professor at the Autonomous University of Peru, organizing hackathons and mentoring participants as the AngelHack Ambassador, speaking at international conferences, and contributing to Drupal innovation. He has also been a contributor to #UnaSolaFuerza, a project that creates awareness of areas affected by the floods in Peru through citizen-generated reports.

Eduardo is a hackathon enthusiast who has worked as a senior developer and technical lead on Drupal projects for some of the most recognizable organizations including the NCAA, World Bank, and World Fuel Services. Before joining Lullabot full time, E... Show more

Hazirah M

Hazirah M

Hazirah is an introspective web developer and micropreneur. After an early career in e-government, she went on to work in software and web development. She's been a reading advocate and a volunteer in local tech and sports communities. She dreams of digitally archiving Brunei, our culture and communities, for the future.

Hazirah is an introspective web developer and micropreneur. After an early career in e-government, she went on to work in software and web development. She's been a reading advocate and a volunteer in local tech and sports communities. She dreams of ... Show more

Tyler Suard

Tyler Suard

Tyler Suard is a Python software developer in the field of Machine Learning and AI. He loves spaceships, giant robots, and his cat Ridley.

Tyler Suard is a Python software developer in the field of Machine Learning and AI. He loves spaceships, giant robots, and his cat Ridley. Show more

Mila -

Mila -

Mila je član SFere koji se mota po Kajzerici već par godina, a sad se dala nagovoriti i na organizaciju SFeraKona. Postavlja naizgled jednostavna pitanja na konovima, koja vas zapravo tjeraju na razmišljanje. Odavno igra razne društvene igre, a (skoro) uvijek je otvorena za probati novu. Član hrvatske Carcassonne reprezentacije 2024. i 2025. Kapetan hrvatske Azul reprezentacije 2025./2. sezona

Mila je član SFere koji se mota po Kajzerici već par godina, a sad se dala nagovoriti i na organizaciju SFeraKona. Postavlja naizgled jednostavna pitanja na konovima, koja vas zapravo tjeraju na razmišljanje. Odavno igra razne društvene igre, a (skor... Show more

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

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

Paul Umaru

Paul Umaru

Paul is a Computer Science graduate from the University of Jos and holds global certifications as a trainer from both Microsoft and Google. He is also certified in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity by IBM, bringing extensive expertise in the field of responsible AI. His passion for innovation and commitment to excellence have established him as a seasoned application developer and consultant.

As an alumnus of the prestigious Microsoft EMEA Gold Ambassador program, Paul was recognized for his outstanding contributions and leadership within the Microsoft technology ecosystem. This accolade underscores his dedication to advancing innovation and fostering global connections within the tech community. His core mission is to collaborate, share knowledge, and build networks with professionals both within and beyond the tech industry.

Paul is a Computer Science graduate from the University of Jos and holds global certifications as a trainer from both Microsoft and Google. He is also certified in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity by IBM, bringing extensive expertise in the ... 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

Nicholas Adams

Nicholas Adams

Nicholas is a British IT engineer living in Japan, early adopter of tech, early discarder of tech, legacy user and Head of Global Support for TI Tokyo, running the team that provides 24/7/365 Enterprise Grade support for Riak and OpenRiak. On the open source side, Nicholas is also the package manager for OpenRiak.
Nicholas enjoys presenting and teaching and keeps in practice through regular small lectures and training sessions in and around Tokyo in Japanese and English on topics from IT through to culture and history.

Nicholas is a British IT engineer living in Japan, early adopter of tech, early discarder of tech, legacy user and Head of Global Support for TI Tokyo, running the team that provides 24/7/365 Enterprise Grade support for Riak and OpenRiak. On the ope... Show more

Emma Gilmour

Emma Gilmour

Emma Gilmour is an accessibility consultant and frontend developer originally from Co. Monaghan.

Following secondary school in Co. Antrim, she studied Media and Fine Art in Liverpool before running a photography business and art studio. Later, she retrained in construction and spent several years as a decorator and furniture maker.

In 2018, she retrained as a developer, working mainly in frontend development for companies like AO, where she became known as an accessibility subject matter expert and co-founded the Accessibility Guild.

After almost 20 years in Liverpool, she relocated to the Glens of Antrim and founded Pathfinder Accessibility, an accessibility consultancy and training business that helps organisations on their accessibility journey.

Emma Gilmour is an accessibility consultant and frontend developer originally from Co. Monaghan. Following secondary school in Co. Antrim, she studied Media and Fine Art in Liverpool before running a photography business and art studio. Later, she... 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

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

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