Humanities & Social Sciences

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

Samuel Rangel

Samuel Rangel

Meet Samuel Rangel

Samuel Rangel, a proud Merced, California native, is a devoted husband, father of seven, and grandfather of eight. He currently serves with the Merced County Human Services Agency’s All Dad’s Matter Program, where he empowers fathers and families through support, education, and advocacy.

With over two decades of service, Samuel has established himself as a licensed substance abuse counselor, Certified Lactation Education Counselor, author, court-appointed gang culture expert, motivational speaker, and community advocate. He is also the co-founder of two nonprofit organizations—Mentoring Odd Jobs Organization (MOJO) and Distinguished Outreach Services—both of which are dedicated to improving the quality of life for Merced County residents with a strong emphasis on youth engagement, prevention, and fatherhood initiatives.

Samuel’s work extends beyond titles. He is widely recognized for his ability to connect with people from all walks of life, often using his own experiences to inspire others. Having overcome personal challenges, he understands the struggles many in his community face today. His story of resilience fuels his mission: to help individuals break cycles of hardship and to create pathways toward healthier families and stronger communities.

Outside of his professional and nonprofit leadership, Samuel has lived a dynamic and inspiring life. He is a former MMA coach and fighter, a recording artist with seven albums, and a five-time competitive BBQ rib champion. Each of these pursuits reflects his belief in discipline, creativity, and the importance of pursuing one’s passions fully.

His passion and dedication have earned him numerous accolades, including Safeway’s Humanitarian of the Year Award, recognition as Hispanic Man of the Year by the Merced County Hispanic Chamber, and formal accommodations from both the California State Assembly and the United States House of Representatives. These honors reflect not only his personal achievements but also the profound impact he continues to make on families, youth, and the broader community.

Looking ahead, Samuel remains committed to expanding his work in advocacy, mentorship, and fatherhood education. His vision is to see every father equipped with the tools to lead with love, responsibility, and purpose—because stronger fathers create stronger families, and stronger families build stronger communities.

Samuel often shares this guiding belief:

“You can spend a lifetime looking for your purpose, but when you find your passion, you begin to live.”

Meet Samuel Rangel Samuel Rangel, a proud Merced, California native, is a devoted husband, father of seven, and grandfather of eight. He currently serves with the Merced County Human Services Agency’s All Dad’s Matter Program, where he empowers fa... 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

Ruth Bolo

Ruth Bolo

Ruth Anyango Bolo is a distinguished leader and governance expert who has dedicated nearly a decade to dismantling barriers for women and youth in the socio-political landscape of Africa. With over eight years of experience in governance, democracy, and leadership, Ruth has established herself as a formidable force in embedding feminist principles within political structures. Her work is defined by a commitment to creating a level playing field where marginalized groups can exercise their agency and participate meaningfully in decision-making processes.
Ruth’s work increasingly intersects with the digital frontier. In November 2024, she presented a paper for the Nordic Africa Institute focusing on Gendered Electoral Violence, specifically examining Emotional Violence and the role of Technology. This research highlights her understanding of how digital spaces can be weaponized against women in politics and the urgent need for inclusive digital rights frameworks to protect female participants in the democratic process.
As a seasoned moderator and public speaker, Ruth frequently leads high-level dialogues on femicide legislative frameworks, resilient democratic structures, and the restructuring of equity for young women in the political space. Her unique blend of policy expertise, grassroots experience, and focus on the digital dimensions of political participation makes her a vital voice in the conversation on Bridging the Enforcement Gap in TFGBV in Kenya.

Ruth Anyango Bolo is a distinguished leader and governance expert who has dedicated nearly a decade to dismantling barriers for women and youth in the socio-political landscape of Africa. With over eight years of experience in governance, democracy, ... Show more

Sonia Daniels, Ph.D.

Sonia Daniels, Ph.D.

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

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

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

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

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

Amadou Sall Gueye

Amadou Sall Gueye

I am a Computer Engineering student and a member of the marketing team at LYCS. In this role, I am actively engaging with the world of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), specifically technologies like Salesforce and Marketing Cloud, by blending both consulting and development expertise.

I concurrently pursue a profound interest in personal development and coaching, which I channel into content creation as a medium for artistic expression, creative freedom, and the exploration of core human themes, including motivation, leadership, and emotional intelligence.

I characterize myself as a developing full-stack engineer who places significant emphasis on the balance between hard and soft skills. My inspiration is drawn from a diverse set of sources, ranging from Quranic studies and spirituality to physical activity (swimming, running, calisthenics), design (photo and video editing), and e-sports (valorizing strategy, teamwork, and responsiveness).

My primary objective is to disseminate accessible, practical, and inspiring insights aimed at helping individuals progress, grow, and effectively define their niche within the technology ecosystem and broader professional landscape.

I am a Computer Engineering student and a member of the marketing team at LYCS. In this role, I am actively engaging with the world of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), specifically technologies like Salesforce and Marketing Cloud, by blending ... Show more

Jonas Hulthén

Jonas Hulthén

Hello!

My name is Jonas Hulthén and I'm a software engineer at Nordnet who loves to learn, collaborate and spread positivity!

Hello! My name is Jonas Hulthén and I'm a software engineer at Nordnet who loves to learn, collaborate and spread positivity! Show more

AWL Partners

AWL Partners

Jennifer A. Matwawana (Slay), MSW, RSW is an award-winning professional speaker, leadership strategist, and registered social worker with 27 years of experience supporting leaders, teams, and organizations to move from intention to meaningful action. She is the Co-Founder of AWL Partners and All Women L.E.A.D., where she delivers emotionally intelligent leadership development, communication training, and workplace wellness programming across Canada and internationally.
Jennifer is a Certified Extended DiSC Trainer and International Trainer with the Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute. She is the co-creator of the Willingness–Clarity Gap™ framework, a practical tool for diagnosing why organizations stall despite good intentions. She has delivered keynotes and workshops at conferences, leadership summits, and corporate events across sectors including trades, manufacturing, healthcare, post-secondary education, finance, government, and the nonprofit sector.
Her TEDx talk, “The Adversity Perspective,” is available at ted.com. Jennifer is an International Amazon Best-Selling Author and the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the City of London Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-Oppression Award. Her third book, You’re Not the Boss of Me! – Slaying Your Inner Critic, releases in March 2026.

Jennifer A. Matwawana (Slay), MSW, RSW is an award-winning professional speaker, leadership strategist, and registered social worker with 27 years of experience supporting leaders, teams, and organizations to move from intention to meaningful action.... Show more

Revanth Reddy Airre

Revanth Reddy Airre

Revanth Reddy Airre is a Staff Engineer at Silicon Valley–based AI healthcare startup HippocraticAI, where he works on building safety-critical, large-scale AI platforms for healthcare. His work focuses on designing distributed AI infrastructure, including large-scale distributed systems, distributed scheduling, KV-cache–aware systems, and prefix-aware inference routing to support high-performance LLM serving in production environments.

Previously, Revanth was part of the Comcast Silicon Valley Innovation Center, where he helped build and scale a major data platform serving over 70 million users, tackling complex distributed systems and data infrastructure challenges. Earlier in his career, he worked at Paris-based startup CAST Software and with multiple Silicon Valley startups across AI and blockchain, gaining experience across both enterprise and startup ecosystems.

Revanth is also an active IEEE contributor, serving as Chair of the IEEE Silicon Valley Blockchain Chapter and as Global Student Coordinator for the IEEE Blockchain Technical Community. He has served on program committees for international blockchain research conferences. He is also the founder of FreeCodingSchool, a nonprofit initiative that provides accessible coding education through mentorship and open learning resources.

Revanth Reddy Airre is a Staff Engineer at Silicon Valley–based AI healthcare startup HippocraticAI, where he works on building safety-critical, large-scale AI platforms for healthcare. His work focuses on designing distributed AI infrastructure, inc... Show more

Ebony Britton

Ebony Britton

Ebony D. Britton is an educator of over 20 years, children’s author, and advocate for inclusive education. As an ESE teacher, she is deeply committed to supporting students with diverse learning needs, including those on the autism spectrum and nonverbal learners.

Motivated by the lack of representation in children’s literature, Ebony began writing books that reflect the experiences of all children—especially those who are often unseen. Her work combines education and storytelling to promote empathy, inclusion, and meaningful connection in classrooms.

As a speaker, Ebony empowers educators and communities with practical strategies and heartfelt insight on creating inclusive environments where every child feels valued and understood.

Ebony D. Britton is an educator of over 20 years, children’s author, and advocate for inclusive education. As an ESE teacher, she is deeply committed to supporting students with diverse learning needs, including those on the autism spectrum and nonve... Show more

Melanie Suzanne Wilson

Melanie Suzanne Wilson

Melanie Suzanne Wilson is now available as a keynote speaker, emcee, or facilitator.

Melanie shares insights about personal branding, sustainable lifestyle, networking, diversity, inclusion, and confident public speaking.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson founded The Motivate Collective, a wellness discussion provider. Melanie hosted podcast recordings with acclaimed experts, storytellers, and advocates.

Melanie has been a speaker for more than a decade and a half. Melanie learned presentation techniques from her grandparents, Gary Wilson OAM and the late Elizabeth Wilson OAM.

She is available now in Sydney, regional NSW, further locations in Australia, and internationally.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson is now available as a keynote speaker, emcee, or facilitator. Melanie shares insights about personal branding, sustainable lifestyle, networking, diversity, inclusion, and confident public speaking. Melanie Suzanne Wilson... Show more

Michael Braun

Michael Braun

56 - verheiratet - 3 erwachsene Kinder - natur und insbesondere Berge verbunden.
mehr als 25 Jahre Erfahrung im Bereich PeopleDevelopment und PeopleManagement (angestellt und selbstständig)
14 Jahre Geschäftsführer bei :verteko Unternehmen für systematische Personalentwicklung
6 Jahre Führungskraft Deutsche Telekom IT
Seit Anfang des Jahres unterstütze ich als CPO (Chief Passion Officer) der Passioneers GmbH mit all meiner Leidenschaft unsere Kunden neue, menschenzentrierte und nachhaltige Wege in der Unternehmensentwicklung zu gehen.

56 - verheiratet - 3 erwachsene Kinder - natur und insbesondere Berge verbunden. mehr als 25 Jahre Erfahrung im Bereich PeopleDevelopment und PeopleManagement (angestellt und selbstständig) 14 Jahre Geschäftsführer bei :verteko Unternehmen für syst... Show more

Bethany Parnell

Bethany Parnell

Bethany Parnell is the Senior Product Manager at the American College of Surgeons and the founder of Resilient Product Leadership. With over a decade of experience driving digital transformation across the insurance, hospitality, and healthcare industries, Bethany specializes in building systems that bend, not break. From AI integration to headless CMS migrations, her work bridges the gap between technical scalability and human resilience. She is a passionate advocate for psychological safety and teaches frameworks that help cross-functional teams navigate high-stakes, regulated environments without burning out.

Bethany Parnell is the Senior Product Manager at the American College of Surgeons and the founder of Resilient Product Leadership. With over a decade of experience driving digital transformation across the insurance, hospitality, and healthcare indus... Show more

Mollie Adler

Mollie Adler

Mollie Adler is the creator and host of the podcast Back From The Borderline, a podcast exploring psychology, philosophy, culture, and the evolving landscape of human consciousness.

Through long-form audio essays and investigations, her work examines the intersection of mental health systems, depth psychology, spirituality, artificial intelligence, and the search for meaning in the digital age.

Her independent platform has grown into one of the most engaged creator-supported communities in podcasting, with:

• 5k+ Patreon members
• a global podcast ranking in the top 0.5% (Listen Notes)
• hundreds of long-form episodes exploring the psychology of modern life

Rather than presenting definitive answers, Adler documents an ongoing intellectual journey — investigating how individuals make meaning in a world shaped by collapsing institutions, emerging technologies, and shifting psychological frameworks.

Her work blends:

• depth psychology
• philosophy
• cultural criticism
• mysticism and symbolic systems
• technological analysis

Adler is also the founder of MOODS, a new category of reflective software designed as a symbolic interface for the psyche. The platform allows users to explore their inner world through structured dialogue with archetypal intelligences, transforming AI from an answer machine into a meaning engine.

She has spoken at South by Southwest (SXSW) on the intersection of artificial intelligence and consciousness, and her work has been featured in outlets including Novara Media.

Adler frequently speaks about:

• Artificial intelligence and consciousness
• The psychological impact of emerging technologies
• The failures of the biomedical model of mental health
• Depth psychology and archetypal systems
• Cultural power structures and institutional narratives

Adler welcomes invitations for podcast interviews, conference talks, panels, and media collaborations.
Inquiries can be submitted through the contact form at backfromtheborderline.com.

Mollie Adler is the creator and host of the podcast Back From The Borderline, a podcast exploring psychology, philosophy, culture, and the evolving landscape of human consciousness. Through long-form audio essays and investigations, her work exami... Show more

Dawn Pfeifer Reitz

Dawn Pfeifer Reitz

Dawn Pfeifer Reitz is a communication strategist, leadership educator, and higher education leader who helps people transform expertise into influence. With more than three decades of experience in teaching, training, and organizational leadership, her work focuses on the power skills that drive professional success: communication, leadership presence, collaboration, and strategic thinking.

Dawn serves as an Associate Teaching Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences and First Year Seminar Coordinator at Penn State Berks, where she leads curriculum innovation, faculty collaboration, and student success initiatives across programs.

Dawn is also the founder of DSPR Consulting, where she advises organizations and leaders on communication strategy, leadership development, and learning systems.

Known for translating research into practical tools, Dawn's sessions combine storytelling, frameworks, and real world application. She regularly speaks on communication for career readiness, leadership development, mentoring, and the role of communication in professional mobility.

Her work sits at the intersection of education, leadership, and workforce development, helping students, professionals, and organizations communicate with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Dawn Pfeifer Reitz is a communication strategist, leadership educator, and higher education leader who helps people transform expertise into influence. With more than three decades of experience in teaching, training, and organizational leadership, h... Show more

Jasmine Evans

Jasmine Evans

Practical speaker who uses professional and life experience to motivate and prepare others to take the next steps in their careers and vocations.

Practical speaker who uses professional and life experience to motivate and prepare others to take the next steps in their careers and vocations. Show more

Sharron Tendai

Sharron Tendai

In addition to her role as a Program Manager and Contracting Officer Representative at a federal agency, Sharron Tendai is the founder of Get Her to the B.A.G. and Her Big Bag Consulting, where she empowers women of color entrepreneurs to secure the funding necessary to realize their business dreams. With over 20 years of experience combined as a grant writer, reviewer (at the federal level) and consultant, Sharron is deeply committed to advancing the economic success of Black women, offering expertise in both grant writing and securing funding for nonprofit and for-profit entities. She has also shared her knowledge by teaching grant writing and conducting workshops, including her 'BAG Big Grants' workshop presented at local, national and global conferences.

Sharron’s work with Get Her to the B.A.G., a community-driven initiative that curates wealth-building and wellness experiences for women and youth in Washington, DC. With nearly $50,000 in grant funding secured from the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and the nonprofit Let's Choose Love, the project has successfully implemented five transformative events—four in-person and one virtual—benefiting over 100 participants from Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. Partnering with the *Congress Heights Arts and Culture Center* (CHACC), a nonprofit focused on exposing and educating local communities on arts and cultural opportunities in Wards 7 and 8, Sharron has used these events to uplift marginalized communities. Get Her to the B.A.G. has been acknowledged by the Mayor of Washington, DC, Hon. Mayor Bowser via a letter of Ceremonial Greetings. Sharron Tendai also received an award from Beautiful I Am, a nonprofit organization committed to empowering and inspiring women and girls, for her extensive community contributions and good works.

As the CEO and Principal Consultant of Her Big Bag Consulting, LLC, Sharron brings her expertise in business strategy, grant writing, and digital resources to women of color entrepreneurs, creators, and social impact leaders. Her consulting firm provides tailored solutions designed to meet the specific needs of her clients, addressing the unique challenges faced by Black women in the business world. Under her leadership, Her Big Bag has become a vital partner for women-owned businesses, providing the tools necessary for long-term success.

In addition to her role as a Program Manager and Contracting Officer Representative at a federal agency, Sharron Tendai is the founder of Get Her to the B.A.G. and Her Big Bag Consulting, where she empowers women of color entrepreneurs to secure the ... Show more

Nat Hawley

Nat Hawley

Nat Hawley is the founder of Divergent Thinking, a UK-based neuroinclusion and neurodiversity consultancy. He delivers keynotes and practical training that help leaders and teams build accessible, high-performing workplaces. His work focuses on the systems that shape performance—communication, meetings, onboarding, workload design and reasonable adjustments—turning good intent into manager-ready tools (scripts, checklists and standards). Nat holds an MSc in Applied Neuroscience and is known for clear, evidence-informed talks that translate neurodiversity into practical action. Learn more: https://www.divergentthinking.uk/

Nat Hawley is the founder of Divergent Thinking, a UK-based neuroinclusion and neurodiversity consultancy. He delivers keynotes and practical training that help leaders and teams build accessible, high-performing workplaces. His work focuses on the s... Show more

Yen Kha

Yen Kha

I am the Founder of GammaLex AI Inc. and Co-Founder of Justice for All (J4All.org), both launched at Stanford Law School. At GammaLex, I develop vertical AI solutions for high-stakes domains, where AI can meaningfully influence human outcomes, community systems, and long-term sustainability across health, legal technology, and AI infrastructure. Through Justice for All, we collaborate with Google Research to advance access to justice and deliver tangible humanitarian impact.

I am the Founder of GammaLex AI Inc. and Co-Founder of Justice for All (J4All.org), both launched at Stanford Law School. At GammaLex, I develop vertical AI solutions for high-stakes domains, where AI can meaningfully influence human outcomes, commun... Show more

Tuyen Nguyen

Tuyen Nguyen

Tuyen Nguyen is a leadership speaker, entrepreneur, and founder of Nguyen Impact whose life story embodies resilience, reinvention, and purpose-driven leadership.

A first-generation immigrant and former refugee from Vietnam, Tuyen arrived in the United States with her family after fleeing war. She went on to build a successful corporate career, holding Top Secret security clearance as an investigator with USIS before serving in executive human resources leadership roles, including Director of HR and Diversity Engagement Leader.

Today, Tuyen uses her story and leadership experience to help individuals and teams transform adversity into momentum. Through powerful storytelling and practical strategies, she speaks on resilience, leadership, and navigating identity in professional spaces.

Trusted by organizations including Girls Inc., United Way, and business communities across Central Massachusetts, her high-energy keynotes and immersive workshops inspire audiences to own their story, unlock their strength, and rise into their next chapter.

Tuyen Nguyen is a leadership speaker, entrepreneur, and founder of Nguyen Impact whose life story embodies resilience, reinvention, and purpose-driven leadership. A first-generation immigrant and former refugee from Vietnam, Tuyen arrived in the U... Show more

Bowen Gillings

Bowen Gillings

Bowen Gillings writes to keep fiction fun. Known for his thrillers and fantasy fiction laced with snark, wit, and characters you could share a beer with, Bowen’s quirky, offbeat style “boggles the genre mind.” He loves giving back to fellow writers through media engagement and by leading workshops on the craft, business, and lifestyle of writing. He holds a Master of Education, five martial arts black belt certifications, and is an Army veteran. Travel enthusiast, lover of the outdoors, and habitual volunteer, Bowen’s secret joys include quiet moments by the fireplace and cooking big meals for family and friends.

Bowen Gillings writes to keep fiction fun. Known for his thrillers and fantasy fiction laced with snark, wit, and characters you could share a beer with, Bowen’s quirky, offbeat style “boggles the genre mind.” He loves giving back to fellow writers t... Show more

Daisy Atieno Omondi

Daisy Atieno Omondi

Daisy Omondi is an business data science specialist with a healthcare background who works on real-world AI systems where data quality, assumptions, and design choices directly affect human outcomes.

Ms. Omondi speaks about building and evaluating AI systems in high-stakes contexts, translating responsible AI principles into concrete design decisions, and bridging the gap between data science theory and real-world deployment. Her sessions are aimed at data scientists, engineers, and technical decision-makers working on applied AI systems.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Omondi worked in healthcare as a nurse, an experience that shaped her perspective on ethics, accountability, and the real-world consequences of decisions made under uncertainty. Having lived and worked across different systems in Africa and Europe, she brings a global lens to how data-driven technologies include or exclude different communities.

Ms. Omondi has presented academic work at international forums and regularly writes about technology, data, and social impact. Her work focuses on how data quality, assumptions, and system design choices shape outcomes in real-world AI deployments, with a particular interest in transparency, accountability, and trust.

Daisy Omondi is an business data science specialist with a healthcare background who works on real-world AI systems where data quality, assumptions, and design choices directly affect human outcomes. Ms. Omondi speaks about building and evaluating... Show more

Laura Weitze

Laura Weitze

Studium der Umweltingenieurwissenschaften an der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (bis 2008). Promotion zur Optimierung von Biogasanlagen mit Fokus auf Erfahrungswissen. Stationen in Angewandter Bauforschung und Universitätsentwicklung (Mediendidaktik). Seit 08/2023 Professorin für Technikkommunikation an der TH Nürnberg. Entwickelt und erforscht erfahrungsbasierte Lehrkonzepte wie „Move–Build–Reflect“ und arbeitet als Coach und Mentorin an der Schnittstelle von Wissenschaft, Selbstführung und Karrieregestaltung.

Studium der Umweltingenieurwissenschaften an der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (bis 2008). Promotion zur Optimierung von Biogasanlagen mit Fokus auf Erfahrungswissen. Stationen in Angewandter Bauforschung und Universitätsentwicklung (Mediendidaktik). Se... Show more

Amarachukwu Eze

Amarachukwu Eze

Amarachukwu Eze is a Data and AI specialist with experience in workforce analytics, public health insights, and building impactful data solutions. She is the founder of DataHER Africa, a social impact initiative empowering Black and Brown women from underserved communities to enter data and AI careers through mentorship, storytelling, and project-based learning. A published author and mentor, she is passionate about bridging technology, storytelling, and inclusivity to create meaningful impact. With a background in electronic engineering, she has successfully navigated male-dominated spaces to become a recognised advocate for diversity in technology.

Amarachukwu Eze is a Data and AI specialist with experience in workforce analytics, public health insights, and building impactful data solutions. She is the founder of DataHER Africa, a social impact initiative empowering Black and Brown women from ... Show more

Tomislav Buljubasic

Tomislav Buljubasic

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

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

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

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

Find more on 7innovation.net

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

Xiaoji Song

Xiaoji Song

Xiaoji Song (she/they) is an artist, (interdisciplinary) researcher, and creative practitioner based in Berlin. Growing up in China and trained in Europe, Xiaoji works on socially relevant and community-specific experiences, often with the local networks, NGOs, and local cultural and political institutions, mediated by texts, images, games, and performances. Working in the liminal spaces of political theory, practice, and art, Xiaoji's interests include techno-politics, networked social movement, border practices, and the performative aspect of political memory.

Xiaoji Song (she/they) is an artist, (interdisciplinary) researcher, and creative practitioner based in Berlin. Growing up in China and trained in Europe, Xiaoji works on socially relevant and community-specific experiences, often with the local netw... Show more

Kevin Smyth

Kevin Smyth

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

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

Luís Miguel Cerqueira

Luís Miguel Cerqueira

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

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

Natália Granato

Natália Granato

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

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

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

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

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

Gemma Astafanous

Gemma Astafanous

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

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

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

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

Jay Patel

Jay Patel

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