Humanities & Social Sciences

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

Janosch Felde

Janosch Felde

Janosch Felde ist Softwareentwickler und Psychosozialer Berater. Er arbeitete viele Jahre freiberuflich als Coach in der DACH-Region und war Verantwortlicher für Mitarbeiterentwicklung im Technischen Bereich des Weltmarktführer für Carsharing-Technologie. Seine Leidenschaft liegt darin, Menschen und Organisationen durch Klarheit und Wertorientierung dabei zu unterstützen, die Belastungen und Herausforderungen ihres Alltags konstruktiv zu gestalten.
Im Moment arbeitet er bei der REWE Digital als Agile Coach und liebt es, als Coach und Berater Menschen und Organisationen aller Art zu verstehen und gemeinsam mit ihnen auf eine positive Zukunft hin zu arbeiten.

Janosch Felde ist Softwareentwickler und Psychosozialer Berater. Er arbeitete viele Jahre freiberuflich als Coach in der DACH-Region und war Verantwortlicher für Mitarbeiterentwicklung im Technischen Bereich des Weltmarktführer für Carsharing-Technol... Show more

Fred Brandon

Fred Brandon

Fred is a SharePoint Solutions Architect and Microsoft Certified Professional. With over 20 years of IT experience, he has developed solutions for clients across the globe. He's been a part of the SharePoint community since 2007 and enjoys using his creativity to solve problems. He's a visionary, world traveler, author, and avid Blockchain enthusiast.

Fred is a SharePoint Solutions Architect and Microsoft Certified Professional. With over 20 years of IT experience, he has developed solutions for clients across the globe. He's been a part of the SharePoint community since 2007 and enjoys using his ... Show more

Himanshu Patel

Himanshu Patel

A technologist with a solid breadth and depth, firm believer of simplistic, sustainable design and practitioner of agile methodologies and lean management Techniques.
Ability to influence Top to Down and drive executive strategic decisions pertaining to Technology and Process for the organization.
Most Importantly, keeping up very close with time and changing industry.
Help organizations transform into new era of building software systems for increased efficiency, quality & predictability while reducing the cost.
Outstanding motivator and builder of the culture full of passion, hunger to continuous improvement, positive synergy, independence, innovation and creativity.
Hands on with Spring Boot, Microservices, Docker, Vagrant, MongoDB, ElasticSearch, Big Data (Hadoop, Spark), Kafka, Cloud and Virtualization (AWS, Cloudera, Azure), CI/CD and DevOps areas.
Ability to drive Development Efficiency, Tool standardization, Vendor Management, Technology Governance, Continuous Integration, Estimation, Budgeting, Build vs. Buy Analysis, Prototyping, Resource/Talent Management and Performance Reviews.

A technologist with a solid breadth and depth, firm believer of simplistic, sustainable design and practitioner of agile methodologies and lean management Techniques. Ability to influence Top to Down and drive executive strategic decisions pertaini... Show more

Mathias Segerlund

Mathias Segerlund

Har jobbat med området mellan IT och människor samt kostnadsanalyser sedan 2011, innan dess har det varit inom olika serviceyrken

Har jobbat med området mellan IT och människor samt kostnadsanalyser sedan 2011, innan dess har det varit inom olika serviceyrken Show more

Rafael Riva Finatti

Rafael Riva Finatti

Pai da Cecília e do Inácio, esposo da Ana Lúcia, membro da Comunidade de Vida Cristã (CVX), curitibano e sofredor do Coritiba. Desde a pandemia, optou por morar na zona rural de Piraquara (Região Metropolitana da capital paranaense), onde cria galinhas, joga bola com os filhos, colhe amoras, figos e Physalis e está cavando (bem aos poucos!) um pequeno lago para os futuros gansos da família. Jornalista e economista, sempre trabalhou em organizações com forte impacto social. Atualmente, é responsável por ajudar o Grupo Marista, uma instituição de mais de 7 mil colaboradores e com uma história bicentenária, em sua estratégia ESG, articulando iniciativas transversais e proprietárias das Frentes de Missão (unidades de negócio) PUCPR, Saúde, FTD Educação e Centro Marista de Defesa da Infância; e monitorando indicadores e avaliando a evolução da maturidade - sempre procurando nutrir uma mentalidade ágil, com foco nas pessoas, na entrega de valor e na melhoria contínua.

Pai da Cecília e do Inácio, esposo da Ana Lúcia, membro da Comunidade de Vida Cristã (CVX), curitibano e sofredor do Coritiba. Desde a pandemia, optou por morar na zona rural de Piraquara (Região Metropolitana da capital paranaense), onde cria galinh... Show more

Alex Reis

Alex Reis

Alex Reis is a Experience Strategist and Service Design leader with 10+ years of experience leading user-centered transformations in high-complexity sectors including Finance, Telecom, and Agribusiness.

As the founder of Cliente Sempre, Alex facilitates the intersection of User Research and Product Ownership, ensuring that design decisions are treated as strategic business investments. His career is defined by measurable impact: from saving $1M in operational costs through automation to scaling support operations for over 1 million active users.

Holding certifications in Design and Strategy Execution from Harvard Business School, Alex provides a pragmatic, data-grounded approach to CX that prioritizes revenue, risk mitigation, and operational efficiency.

Alex Reis is a Experience Strategist and Service Design leader with 10+ years of experience leading user-centered transformations in high-complexity sectors including Finance, Telecom, and Agribusiness. As the founder of Cliente Sempre, Alex facil... Show more

Marie Jarry

Marie Jarry

J’ai commencé à travailler en mode Agile, utilisant les principes et valeurs associés en 2009 année où je suis devenue maman Pour moi, faire le parallèle entre ma vie professionnelle et mon rôle de parent est devenu une évidence et une nécessité au fil du temps D’un naturel pragmatique et ayant besoin d’être dans l’action, j’accompagne mes enfants, tous deux ayant des troubles DYS, avec mes pratiques agile depuis maintenant 10 ans Eux me permettent également d’enrichir mes méthodes de mise en place de la méthode Agile en entreprise.

J’ai commencé à travailler en mode Agile, utilisant les principes et valeurs associés en 2009 année où je suis devenue maman Pour moi, faire le parallèle entre ma vie professionnelle et mon rôle de parent est devenu une évidence et une nécessité au f... Show more

Jess Brock

Jess Brock

Jess is a seasoned leader, speaker, and author with deep tech industry experience since the mid-2000s.

She has coached hundreds, combining empathy, real-world insight, and practical expertise.

Focused on generative AI and immersive learning dojos, she’s a leading voice in AI-driven performance. As the author of The Dojo Coach’s Pocket Guide, Jess distills her diverse experience into action, helping organizations maximize their performance.

Jess is a seasoned leader, speaker, and author with deep tech industry experience since the mid-2000s. She has coached hundreds, combining empathy, real-world insight, and practical expertise. Focused on generative AI and immersive learning doj... Show more

Christian Kühn

Christian Kühn

Dr. Christian Kühn studierte Sozial- und Bildungswissenschaften und promovierte zur Digitalisierung in der Erwachsenen- und Weiterbildung. Als wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter an der Leibniz-Universität Hannover konzipierte und begleitete er u. a. Zertifikats- und Microcredentialprogramme und gestaltet innovative, medienbasierte und transferorientierte Lehr-Lern-Konzepte.
Seit zwei Jahren berät er im Bereich Hochschulmanagement bei HIS-HE e. V. deutschlandweit Hochschulen zu strategischen und organisatorischen Fragestellungen. Sein Schwerpunkt liegt dabei im Bereich Studium und Lehre sowie Hochschulentwicklung. Aktuell befasst er sich in verschiedenen Projekten mit der Entwicklung und Implementierung von Hochschulzertifikaten und Microcredentials.

Dr. Christian Kühn studierte Sozial- und Bildungswissenschaften und promovierte zur Digitalisierung in der Erwachsenen- und Weiterbildung. Als wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter an der Leibniz-Universität Hannover konzipierte und begleitete er u. a. Zert... Show more

Tina John

Tina John

Plattformentwickler / Softwareentwickler

Plattformentwickler / Softwareentwickler Show more

Svenja Geißler

Svenja Geißler

Svenja Geißler (geissler@kit.edu) entwickelt am Zentrum für Mediales Lernen (KIT) innovative Lernformate sowie digitale Anreicherungskonzepte für Lehrveranstaltungen und betreibt digitale Wissenschaftskommunikation. Diese Konzepte vermittelt sie in Seminaren für das Institut für Schulpädagogik und Didaktik (KIT) und gibt Workshops u.a. für das HDZ, wobei sie ihre Lernveranstaltungen zugleich als Experimentierfeld für neue virtuelle und digitale Konzepte nutzt.

Svenja Geißler (geissler@kit.edu) entwickelt am Zentrum für Mediales Lernen (KIT) innovative Lernformate sowie digitale Anreicherungskonzepte für Lehrveranstaltungen und betreibt digitale Wissenschaftskommunikation. Diese Konzepte vermittelt sie in S... Show more

Gaetano Cuomo

Gaetano Cuomo

Product Manager nel tech, passo le giornate a cercare di far funzionare prodotti e team in contesti complessi. Mi interessa la psicologia applicata al lavoro: decisioni, attriti, cose non dette. In passato ho usato i Teletubbies per spiegare dinamiche di team (ha funzionato più del previsto). Oggi continuo a usare metafore pop per raccontare cosa succede quando il lavoro “regge”, ma le persone un po’ meno.

Product Manager nel tech, passo le giornate a cercare di far funzionare prodotti e team in contesti complessi. Mi interessa la psicologia applicata al lavoro: decisioni, attriti, cose non dette. In passato ho usato i Teletubbies per spiegare dinamich... 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

Ibrahim Mustapha

Ibrahim Mustapha

Ibrahim Mustapha is a public speaking coach and communication consultant dedicated to helping individuals and organizations speak with clarity, confidence, and impact. With a strong background in communication and international marketing, he specializes in training leaders, professionals, and young people to develop persuasive speaking skills and effective communication strategies.

Through coaching, workshops, and digital learning programs, Ibrahim empowers his audience to overcome fear, articulate their ideas powerfully, and create opportunities through communication. He is also passionate about using modern tools, including AI, to enhance public speaking and leadership development across Africa and beyond.

Ibrahim Mustapha is a public speaking coach and communication consultant dedicated to helping individuals and organizations speak with clarity, confidence, and impact. With a strong background in communication and international marketing, he speciali... Show more

Aga Skraburska

Aga Skraburska

Aga Skraburska is a Product Education Manager at Nexthink, Digital Employee Experience Management Software, where she leads a suite of educational products that enable users to master Nexthink software.
For over 18 years, she held product and project management roles at ABB, UBS, and a number of startups, successfully implementing global education and learning programs. With extensive experience in system-psychodynamic learning, Aga also helps individuals and organizations unlock their potential through individual and group coaching.

Aga Skraburska is a Product Education Manager at Nexthink, Digital Employee Experience Management Software, where she leads a suite of educational products that enable users to master Nexthink software. For over 18 years, she held product and proje... Show more

Julia Möws

Julia Möws

- seit November 2025 Co-Projektkoordinatorin im Projekt MC4LSA – Career Readiness durch Microcredentials im Land Sachsen-Anhalt an der Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal
- von August 2023 bis November 2025 Projektmitarbeiterin im Projekt h²d² - didaktisch und digital kompetent Lehren und Lernen an der h² der Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal
- von April 2016 bis Juni 2023 Projektkoordinatorin verschiedener Berufsbildungsprojekte der Handwerkskammer Magdeburg
- Studium der Sozialwissenschaften an der Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg und der Staatlichen Universität Sankt Petersburg mit dem Abschluss Master of Arts

- seit November 2025 Co-Projektkoordinatorin im Projekt MC4LSA – Career Readiness durch Microcredentials im Land Sachsen-Anhalt an der Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal - von August 2023 bis November 2025 Projektmitarbeiterin im Projekt h²d² - didaktisch... Show more

Tiangay Samandia Massaquoi

Tiangay Samandia Massaquoi

Tiangay Samandia Massaquoi is a Data and AI governance practitioner, software engineer, policy expert, and emerging technology strategist working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, public sector data systems, and digital governance in West Africa.
She currently serves as a Data Expert under a Global Partnership for Education Programme, embedded within the Planning and Policy Directorate of Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education — where she works directly on data systems, policy design, and evidence-based planning at the heart of government.
As a software engineer, Tiangay is passionate about building applications that solve real, everyday problems for Sierra Leoneans — grounded in the belief that technology should be felt in people’s lives, not just debated in policy rooms. She is a passionate advocate for harnessing artificial intelligence to transform Sierra Leone and the broader West African region from reactive societies into predictive ones — using data and intelligent systems to anticipate challenges, allocate resources smarter, and get ahead of crises before they arrive.

Tiangay’s academic formation is both unusually broad and deliberately interconnected. She holds a Master’s in Global Public Policy with Distinction from SOAS University of London, where her research interrogated how donor-driven implementation shapes policy practice in Sierra Leone’s education sector. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence at the University of York — extending her expertise to the technical frontier of AI. She further holds a Postgraduate qualification in Education from University College London, and a Postgraduate qualification in Poverty and Development from the University of Sussex — giving her a rigorous grounding in the human development conditions that technology must ultimately serve.

Her work spans AI readiness, data governance frameworks, and the institutional conditions that determine whether technology serves public good or bypasses it. She is a vocal advocate for rethinking AI priorities in African public institutions — arguing that governance infrastructure must be built alongside, not after, AI deployment.
Tiangay is based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and brings to every platform the rare combination of technical knowledge, policy fluency, hands-on engineering experience, and the lived perspective of a practitioner working inside a West African government institution.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Tiangay Samandia Massaquoi is a Data and AI governance practitioner, software engineer, policy expert, and emerging technology strategist working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, public sector data systems, and digital governance in We... 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

David Chege

David Chege

I am passionate about market research, focusing on SME market segments and business ecosystems. My work revolves around need-based innovation, particularly within social entrepreneurship spaces, where I explore sustainable solutions that drive long-term impact.

With a keen eye for emerging trends, I specialize in identifying opportunities for social sustainability ventures. I bridge gaps between market needs and transformative innovations, and I thrive on fostering collaborations that create business models with lasting social value.

I am passionate about market research, focusing on SME market segments and business ecosystems. My work revolves around need-based innovation, particularly within social entrepreneurship spaces, where I explore sustainable solutions that drive long-t... Show more

Peter Yeltulme Mwinlaaru

Peter Yeltulme Mwinlaaru

Peter Y. Mwinlaaru is a Data Scientist at the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) specializing in environmental statistics, alternative data sources, and innovative approaches to official statistics production. He leads Ghana's pioneering AIS-based maritime emissions monitoring initiative, applying the IMO Fourth GHG Study methodology to quantify CO₂ emissions from vessels in Ghana's territorial waters—the first such system implemented by a National Statistical Office in West Africa.
His expertise spans the full data science pipeline: from processing millions of AIS vessel tracking records to developing interactive R Shiny dashboards for policy-ready visualization. He is proficient in R, Python, and Quarto, with advanced skills in spatial data analysis, machine learning, and Reproducible Analytical Pipelines (RAP) for transparent and sustainable statistical production.
Peter has extensive experience working with alternative and large-scale data sources, including satellite imagery (night-time lights), Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, and call detail records (CDRs), integrating these with traditional survey and administrative data to expand the scope of official statistics. He was a member of the winning team at the 2023 UN Datathon.
He holds an MPhil in Economics, a Bachelor of Education in Economics and Mathematics, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Economics at the University of Cape Coast. Peter is passionate about building statistical capacity across Africa and believes that open-source tools and knowledge sharing are essential for data-driven climate action on the continent.

Peter Y. Mwinlaaru is a Data Scientist at the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) specializing in environmental statistics, alternative data sources, and innovative approaches to official statistics production. He leads Ghana's pioneering AIS-based marit... Show more

Piyush Singh

Piyush Singh

Piyush is a software developer with nearly 12 years of experience, starting as a mainframe engineer and now working extensively with Azure cloud. The shift from legacy systems to cloud-native solutions continues to captivate him, pushing him to explore new architectures and modern engineering practices. He is passionate about AI and all the great things it can be do for society especially with accessibility.

Piyush is a software developer with nearly 12 years of experience, starting as a mainframe engineer and now working extensively with Azure cloud. The shift from legacy systems to cloud-native solutions continues to captivate him, pushing him to explo... Show more

Daniela Kalyd Rosas Bendezú

Daniela Kalyd Rosas Bendezú

Daniela Rosas es estudiante de Gestión y Alta Dirección con mención en Gestión Social y Pública en la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP) y Presidenta de 180 Degrees Consulting PUCP, donde lidera proyectos de consultoría estratégica para organizaciones sociales y emprendimientos de impacto. Ayacuchana de origen, su trabajo está profundamente conectado con la generación de soluciones que respondan a realidades diversas y descentralizadas.

Su enfoque se sitúa en la intersección entre tecnología, innovación social y estrategia, utilizando inteligencia artificial generativa, herramientas no-code y diseño centrado en el usuario (UX/UI) para transformar ideas en soluciones escalables, accesibles y con impacto medible. Ha implementado soluciones tecnológicas en ONGs y proyectos sociales, integrando automatización, marketing social y herramientas como n8n y Lovable para optimizar procesos, fortalecer el fundraising y movilizar comunidades de manera innovadora.

Ha sido Parlamentaria Joven Nacional del Congreso de la República del Perú, donde contribuyó al diseño de propuestas legislativas en temas ambientales, participación ciudadana y transparencia, incorporando indicadores de impacto y mecanismos de seguimiento. Asimismo, fue becaria del Millennium Fellowship (ONU) y participante del Aspire Leaders Program de Harvard University, consolidando su formación en liderazgo global e impacto social.

Como consultora en sostenibilidad en Mypes Verdes, ha acompañado a pequeñas empresas en la adopción de modelos responsables y elaboración de reportes de sostenibilidad. Además, es fundadora de Responsible Work For Ecology, una iniciativa comunitaria en Ayacucho que ha capacitado a más de 80 mujeres en prácticas sostenibles, promoviendo su empoderamiento económico y ambiental.

Ha sido reconocida como ganadora del HONOR College Marketing Challenge 2025, finalista en la Datatón OEFA Innova y en el GreenTech Challenge, destacando por su propuesta de “IA que te entiende y potencia tu esencia”, entendida como el uso de la inteligencia artificial para potenciar capacidades humanas y construir soluciones más empáticas e inclusivas.

Daniela promueve activamente el acceso inclusivo a la tecnología y el uso ético de la IA, convencida de que romper los patrones en la industria implica que más mujeres y actores del sector social pasen de ser usuarios a creadores de tecnología, diseñando soluciones que transformen realidades y generen valor sostenible.

Daniela Rosas es estudiante de Gestión y Alta Dirección con mención en Gestión Social y Pública en la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP) y Presidenta de 180 Degrees Consulting PUCP, donde lidera proyectos de consultoría estratégica para ... Show more

Claire Van Der Meulen

Claire Van Der Meulen

Claire is a seasoned Agile Coach with a passion for people and building relationships that matter. She has a creative mind in continuous search of new conundrums to master and solve.

With close to 2 decades of experience in project and program management, working in diverse sectors ranging from automotive to government, Claire has a down-to-earth approach when it comes to people, processes and challenges. Over the past decade, her focus grew more towards the people side, so she took the lead in setting up a mentorship program, mentoring & coaching coworkers.

She loves the outdoors, takes pleasure in the simple joys of life and recently grew her family with Tess, the German Shepherd, and Wolf, the Malinois. She firmly believes in mens sana in corpore sano. Her motto? Live. Love. Life!

Claire is a seasoned Agile Coach with a passion for people and building relationships that matter. She has a creative mind in continuous search of new conundrums to master and solve. With close to 2 decades of experience in project and program man... Show more

Anna Roquel

Anna Roquel

A 19 ans, l'agilité pour moi c'est surtout des adultes bizarres qui jouent aux LEGO, sous couvert d'intelligence collective. :)

A 19 ans, l'agilité pour moi c'est surtout des adultes bizarres qui jouent aux LEGO, sous couvert d'intelligence collective. :) Show more

Rebeca Barzuna

Rebeca Barzuna

With two decades of professional experience, my expertise in digital marketing and neuromarketing has been the cornerstone of my success. At La de Rojo Marketing & Talks, I have honed key skills in applied neuroscience and sensory marketing, consistently seeking creative solutions to drive growth and increase sales for the brands I collaborate with.

My passion for continuous learning and innovation is evident in every project and strategy I design, as my team and I work to maximize the impact of our digital campaigns and events, helping our clients achieve their business goals and strengthen their market presence. Additionally, I am the author of "STIMMA," a book on self-love and personal branding for success.

As a motivational, energetic, and charismatic speaker, I am dedicated to educating and entertaining your audience, ensuring they leave inspired and informed.

With two decades of professional experience, my expertise in digital marketing and neuromarketing has been the cornerstone of my success. At La de Rojo Marketing & Talks, I have honed key skills in applied neuroscience and sensory marketing, consiste... Show more

Sylvia Schulze-Achatz

Sylvia Schulze-Achatz

Studium der Anglistik, Germanistik, Erziehungswissenschaft an der TU Dresden. Nach der Promotion wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin am CODIP der TU Dresden. Seit 2022 Projektmitarbeiterin D2C2 an der Berufsakademie Sachsen / Duale Hochschule Sachsen.

Studium der Anglistik, Germanistik, Erziehungswissenschaft an der TU Dresden. Nach der Promotion wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin am CODIP der TU Dresden. Seit 2022 Projektmitarbeiterin D2C2 an der Berufsakademie Sachsen / Duale Hochschule Sachsen. 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

Eric Wada

Eric Wada

Bio :
Eric Wada is a cultural practitioner and Indigenous graduate scholar at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani, College of Hawaiian Language, Program for Indigenous Language and Culture Revitalization and Education. His work bridges performing arts, language, and ceremony to explore Okinawan identity, diaspora, and decolonial practice. Through the philosophy of Nadayashiku—conciliation as a pedagogy for survival—Wada examines how Indigenous and land-based education can foster responsible allyship, heal generational trauma, and inspire language revitalization grounded in ancestral worldview through decolonizing and re-indigenizing methodology. "From our experiences, decolonization as a process places us within a multi-layered social dermis where imperial and colonial powers have impregnated politics and cultures (Smith 2021, p. XV, Decolonizing Methodologies)."

Bio : Eric Wada is a cultural practitioner and Indigenous graduate scholar at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani, College of Hawaiian Language, Program for Indigenous Language and Culture Revitalization and Education. His... Show more

Renae Ninneman

Renae Ninneman

I experienced life as an immigrant when I lived in South Korea, and I remember the confusing anger I felt toward South Koreans when I experienced culture shock. I thought I was a good person and I couldn’t understand why I was so angry and frustrated. I was trying so hard to make Korean friends, but I didn’t feel comfortable talking to Koreans about certain questions about their culture that made me confused and frustrated. I had so many questions. Explain bowing. How do you know which verb tense to use with which people? How do I know if I did something offensive? Where can I go to learn more about Korean culture? I didn’t have a comfortable place to ask my questions, and I thought I should just ignore the confused feelings and keep trying.

I didn’t get any cultural orientation or training when I lived abroad. When I eventually returned home, I went through intense reverse culture shock. I questioned my values, my identity, and my cultural programming. That’s when I started studying cultural differences and cultural intelligence. From this moment, everything changed. I realized my struggle wasn't a personal failure. It was cultural misunderstanding.

It wasn’t that I wasn’t trying hard enough. It was that no one had explained the deeper rules shaping how people connect in South Korea.
That experience is why I care so deeply about helping immigrants feel comfortable and confident in the American workplace. They bring a great deal of skills and experience into our workplaces, and oftentimes team effectiveness is hampered by simple, predictable cultural misunderstandings.

Since returning from South Korea 20 years ago, I’ve intentionally built my life around cross-cultural engagement. I have worked, volunteered, or built friendships with people from more than 30 countries. I’ve seen patterns repeat across cultures. I've seen similar misunderstandings, similar frustrations. It’s not just theory to me, it’s personal and I’ve lived it. I don’t view cultural challenges as personality flaws. I see them as predictable outcomes when people are navigating invisible cultural rules without orientation.

I hold a Master of Public Administration (MPA), which trained me to think about cultural challenges inside larger systems, including universities, workplaces, and communities. Cultural struggles don’t happen in a vacuum. They happen inside places of work and within social norms that were not designed to explain themselves. This

I am certified by the Cultural Intelligence Center to debrief cultural intelligence assessments, and I am a doctoral student in the Communication Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

I help people understand cultural differences and how to connect across them. Because we won't be able to deal with our world's big problems without addressing our differences.

I experienced life as an immigrant when I lived in South Korea, and I remember the confusing anger I felt toward South Koreans when I experienced culture shock. I thought I was a good person and I couldn’t understand why I was so angry and frustrated... Show more

Sarah Gruneisen

Sarah Gruneisen

About me: https://www.avagasso.com/about
My cv: https://www.avagasso.com/cv

My core values are trust, authenticity, autonomy, reliability, empathy, and respect. I am committed to fostering a space of understanding and authenticity. My mission is about empowering each individual to discover their unique solutions, fueled by the freedom and trust we instill in one another.

I uphold the inherent worth of each person and strive to promote genuineness in all aspects of our interactions. I am dedicated to unlocking your deepest potential, and nurturing the unseen strengths within you. I aim to guide you in identifying and pursuing your most stimulating, significant, and stretching goals, thereby kindling your intrinsic passions.

Once your inner flame is kindled, my aspiration is for its warmth to leave a lasting imprint on you and to radiate outwards, touching those in your world. My belief is that tasks are short term, existing within the confines of the present, but passion is enduring. It is passion that remains with us, shaping us, defining us, and leaving its indelible mark on the world. This is the essence of my impact: to ignite your enduring fire and allow its heat to echo into eternity.

As a Director of Engineering at Novoda and the Founder/Coach at Avagasso Coaching, I genuinely believe that transformation starts with a shift in mindset!

I started my journey in the late 90s as a software developer, and since then, I have continuously evolved my skillset:

→ Giving trainings since 2002
→ Adopted agile methodologies in 2003
→ Embraced Scrum in 2008
→ Embarked on my leadership journey in 2008
→ Discovered the power of Liberating Structures in 2017
→ Stepped into coaching in 2019

By creating a supportive ecosystem that integrates System, Agile, Personal Development, and Leadership Coaching, you can establish a strong foundation for success. Encourage communication and collaboration, foster a culture of continuous learning, and empower your leaders to guide their teams effectively to achieve the best possible results for your organization.

About me: https://www.avagasso.com/about My cv: https://www.avagasso.com/cv My core values are trust, authenticity, autonomy, reliability, empathy, and respect. I am committed to fostering a space of understanding and authenticity. My mission is... Show more

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