Ed Pollack is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP with a passion for learning how Data Platforms work and sharing that knowledge with the community. His experiences in data architecture, database design, performance optimization, and data security are motivation for public speaking, writing, coding, and other community activities.

Ed has spoken at SQL Saturday events, SQL Bits, PASS Summit, EightKB, and many other regional and international events. Ed is the organizer of the Capital Area SQL Server Group and SQL Saturday Albany, as well as a co-organizer of SQL Saturday New York City, and Future Data Driven. He has published a number of books, including "Dynamic SQL: Applications, Performance, and Security in Microsoft SQL Server", "Expert Performance Indexing in Azure SQL and SQL Server 2022", and "Analytics Optimization with Columnstore Indexes in Microsoft SQL Server: Optimizing OLAP Workloads". Ed is also an active contributor of content to SimpleTalk.

In his free time, Ed enjoys video games, traveling, cooking exceptionally spicy foods, and hanging out with his amazing wife and sons.

Ed Pollack is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP with a passion for learning how Data Platforms work and sharing that knowledge with the community. His experiences in data architecture, database design, performance optimization, and data security are mot... Show more

Dr. Joe Perez is a game-changing professional who has made an impressive impact on the world of IT, health & human services, and higher education. With advanced degrees in education, Joe started his career as an educator and continued to further his education by earning a doctorate in education with a double minor in computers and theology. His career focus changed to IT in the early 1990’s when he started working as a Computer Consultant at NC State University. Three promotions later, Dr. Perez ended his successful 25-year career at NC State as Business Intelligence Specialist when he took another promotion to become Senior Business Analyst at the NC Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) in the fall of 2017.

Notably, Dr. Perez has been featured on multiple billboards in the iconic Times Square, a testament to his remarkable achievements and influence worldwide. This recognition, along with his Top 10 Global Thought Leader Rankings in IT Strategy & Big Data on Thinkers360 (2023 through 2025) and Gartner Peer Community Ambassador of the Year (2023), reflect his dedication and impact in the industry.

Having achieved significant success throughout his career, Dr. Perez's accomplishments include being promoted to Senior Systems Specialist and Team Leader, a position he has excelled in while showcasing his expertise and leadership skills. In addition to his full-time analytics/BI leadership role at DHHS, Joe was named fractional Chief Technology Officer at a North Carolina firm in October 2020. A top-ranked author with multiple #1 Amazon new releases, more than 21,000 followers on LinkedIn, and several professional certifications, he has consistently proven to be a much sought-after resource, highly-recommended international keynote speaker, data analytics & visualization expert, and specialist in efficiency and process improvement.

Perez, a recipient of the IOT Industry Insights 2021 Thought Leader of the Year award, speaks at numerous conferences each year, and continues to be in high demand to this day, expanding his reach into more than twenty countries around the globe, impacting thousands. Thanks to these outstanding accomplishments and influential presence as a leading expert in the industry, Dr. Perez has been welcomed into several prestigious Thought Leader communities. He was recently inducted into the United Nations Global Network of Data Officers and Statisticians and was selected to be a Distinguished Fellow in the Public Sector Network's Future Government Institute.

Dr. Perez's passion for teaching has never waned, whether as a speaker, workshop facilitator, podcast guest, conference emcee, or team leader; inspiring countless individuals to strive for excellence. He cherishes spending time with his wife and children, who he considers to be the "best things that ever happened to me." Besides being a gifted musician, singer, pianist, and composer, Joe serves in his church's Hispanic ministry. He even manages to publish a monthly military newsletter, The Patriot News, which has gained widespread recognition. His unwavering commitment to his community is an inspiration to all. To stay in shape, Perez hits the gym, and he loves watching Star Trek reruns to relax. "I'm a firm believer that if I'm not innovating, then I'm stagnating," says Joe. His devotion to innovation, his boundless energy, and his constant drive for excellence are the hallmarks of a truly exceptional individual, thus making Dr. Joe a perfect fit to inspire and engage your audience, leaving a lasting impact on your event.

Dr. Joe Perez is a game-changing professional who has made an impressive impact on the world of IT, health & human services, and higher education. With advanced degrees in education, Joe started his career as an educator and continued to further his ... Show more

Pragati Jain is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Microsoft Certified trainer (MCT) and a certified Microsoft Fabric Analytics Engineer (DP-600) based in London, UK.
As a Fabric Consultant, she specialises in end-to-end Microsoft Fabric implementations - designing Fabric architecture, migrating organisations from Power BI to Fabric and advising clients on Fabric strategy.
Her hands-on expertise spans Fabric Lakehouse, Fabric Data Engineering, Fabric Notebooks, Fabric Pipelines, Data Factory, Dataflow Gen2, Real-Time Analytics (KQL) and Semantic Models with Direct Lake - alongside Power BI, Tableau, PySpark and SQL.
A recognised Superuser in the Microsoft Fabric Community, she has delivered sessions at flagship events including the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference, PASS Data Summit, SQLBits, Power Platform Conference and Microsoft Reactor, earning the Sessionize Most Active Speaker badge four years running (2022–2025).
Beyond tech, she's a trained Indian classical singer, painter and hiking enthusiast.

Pragati Jain is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Microsoft Certified trainer (MCT) and a certified Microsoft Fabric Analytics Engineer (DP-600) based in London, UK. As a Fabric Consultant, she specialises in end-to-end Microsoft Fabric implementation... Show more

Community leader and CNCF ambassador, Alessandro has spent the last few years building cloud native infrastructures for Microsoft customers, animating the Dutch community, and training others to pass the CKx exams. He has passion for all things cloud native, he's been around open source for 25 years and recently moved to a new Developer Relations role. Twitter handle: @bongo

Community leader and CNCF ambassador, Alessandro has spent the last few years building cloud native infrastructures for Microsoft customers, animating the Dutch community, and training others to pass the CKx exams. He has passion for all things cloud... Show more

MVP Copilot and Sensai. I teach AI with common sense and empathy, with a focus on employee engagement, adoption, change management and champions.

MVP Copilot and Sensai. I teach AI with common sense and empathy, with a focus on employee engagement, adoption, change management and champions. Show more

As a M365 Architect, I leverage my 16+ years of experience and multiple certifications to design, implement, and maintain large-scale projects using SharePoint and Office 365. I am a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), a Microsoft MVP in two categories (M365 and AI Platform).

My mission is to help clients achieve their business goals and optimize their digital transformation journey using the latest technologies and best practices. I am passionate about sharing my knowledge and expertise with the community, and I frequently speak at various events, such as SPS, Global Microsoft 365 Developer Bootcamp, and Global Power Platform Bootcamp. I am also an author, speaker, and organizer of several books, blogs, podcasts, and webinars on M365 topics.

As a M365 Architect, I leverage my 16+ years of experience and multiple certifications to design, implement, and maintain large-scale projects using SharePoint and Office 365. I am a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), a Microsoft MVP in two categories (M36... Show more

I love learning new things and solving old problems. I started my days as an admin back in 1990 and have had many roles since. I became a full time Microsoft Certified Trainer in 1999. Today I work as an independent consultant specializing in Microsoft 365 productivity.
I produce a bi-weekly podcast in Swedish called Office 365-podden.

I love learning new things and solving old problems. I started my days as an admin back in 1990 and have had many roles since. I became a full time Microsoft Certified Trainer in 1999. Today I work as an independent consultant specializing in Microso... Show more

Joseph is a leading voice in cybersecurity and AI, developing software and content that shape how developers build securely. His open source game gh.io/scg has helped 10K+ developers gain future-proof security skills. His videos, with 2.8M+ views, simplify complex security topics and deliver actionable tips to a global audience. As a speaker, Joseph has delivered 68 talks across 25 countries over the past four years, captivating audiences with his insights and energetic stage presence.

Joseph is a leading voice in cybersecurity and AI, developing software and content that shape how developers build securely. His open source game gh.io/scg has helped 10K+ developers gain future-proof security skills. His videos, with 2.8M+ views, si... Show more

Spencer Schneidenbach is an AI Architect, President, and CTO of Aviron Labs, an AI and software development firm based in the United States. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for his AI expertise and contributions to the community. Visit our website at https://avironlabs.com for more information.

Spencer Schneidenbach is an AI Architect, President, and CTO of Aviron Labs, an AI and software development firm based in the United States. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for his AI expertise and contributions to the community. Visit our ... Show more

Aditya Oberai is a Developer Relations Lead at Appwrite and an avid tech community and hackathon enthusiast. Having worked with various technologies, including .NET, Microsoft Azure, and SvelteKit, he has spent the last six years empowering student and tech communities. He is a three-time Microsoft MVP awardee and a DigitalOcean Wavemaker. Aditya was awarded "Best Developer Relations Professional of the Year" at the CMX Community Industry Awards 2024 and currently serves as a Steering Committee member for the Developer Relations Foundation.

Aditya Oberai is a Developer Relations Lead at Appwrite and an avid tech community and hackathon enthusiast. Having worked with various technologies, including .NET, Microsoft Azure, and SvelteKit, he has spent the last six years empowering student a... Show more

Co-Author of 'Signals & Levers (ITRevolution, September 2026)', 'Coaching for Learning; the Art and Practice' and 'Create Your Dojo; Upskilling Your Organization for Digital Evolution,' Joel helps organizations evolve through learning. This combines a blend of systems thinking, XP, agile, lean, devops and product thinking practices all to embrace learning in the context of work.
With deep experience in architecture modernization, blending product discovery with delivery and architecture, and systems thinking, Joel helps organizations make it easier for their teams to do great work.

Co-Author of 'Signals & Levers (ITRevolution, September 2026)', 'Coaching for Learning; the Art and Practice' and 'Create Your Dojo; Upskilling Your Organization for Digital Evolution,' Joel helps organizations evolve through learning. This combines... Show more

Christian is an award-winning product marketer and technology evangelist, and both a Microsoft Regional Director (RD) and Most Valuable Professional (MVP). Christian's 30+ year tech career includes Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Evangelist for several leading SharePoint ISVs, and being part of the Microsoft team that launched SharePoint Online. He has worked with some of the world’s largest technology companies to build and deploy social, collaboration, and supply chain solutions, and sold his first software startup to Rational Software in 2001. Co-author of books on both SharePoint and software configuration management (SCM) and one science fiction novel, Christian is one of the most widely published names within the Microsoft ecosystem, and can be found online at www.buckleyplanet.com and @buckleyplanet

Christian is an award-winning product marketer and technology evangelist, and both a Microsoft Regional Director (RD) and Most Valuable Professional (MVP). Christian's 30+ year tech career includes Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Evangelist for sev... Show more

Everyone has their niche in the world where they find the most joy and fulfillment. For me that has become Accessibility. Some of my experience comes from my personal ordeals I have gone through as I have steadily learned more about what makes my brain tick and what makes my joints throw a temper tantrum. My professional experience has helped me along the way because it is where I learned just how diverse the options were for accommodations, treatment, and more.

I was initially thrown into the deep end during my amazing journey with the American Printing House for the Blind's Internal IT department. I gained insight to some of the struggles caused when environments, processes, technology, and attitudes are not accessible. However, I also experienced great joy every time I managed to help make someone's day easier by helping them be more independent and confident in themselves. Since then, I have held many other Accessibility related roles and made it my mission to spread Accessibility awareness. I've done so through by improving Code Louisville's Accessibility policies and coursework as a mentor, speaking at domestic & international events, providing support online, and so much more. I plan to continue to do what I can for as long as I am able.

Everyone has their niche in the world where they find the most joy and fulfillment. For me that has become Accessibility. Some of my experience comes from my personal ordeals I have gone through as I have steadily learned more about what makes my bra... Show more

Arthur (or Art, take your pick) has been a software engineer for 22 years and has worked on things as exciting as analysis software for casinos and things as boring as banking websites. He is an advocate for talking openly about mental health and psychology in the technical world, and he spends a lot of time thinking about how we program and why we program, and about the tools, structures, cultures, and mental processes that help and hinder us from our ultimate goal of writing amazing things. His hair is brown and his thorax is a shiny blue color.

Arthur (or Art, take your pick) has been a software engineer for 22 years and has worked on things as exciting as analysis software for casinos and things as boring as banking websites. He is an advocate for talking openly about mental health and psy... Show more

Microsoft Bizz Apps MVP and seasoned technology leader with over 18 years of global experience designing and delivering intelligent solutions across diverse industries. As an AI Solutions Specialist and Power Platform Architect, Alex has been at the forefront of integrating Cognitive Services, developing enterprise-grade chatbots and Copilot solutions, and driving automation through RPA and low-code platforms. His expertise spans cloud architecture on Azure and Microsoft 365, with a strong focus on empowering organizations through innovation, scalability, and user-centric design. A passionate advocate for digital transformation, Alex combines technical excellence with a deep understanding of business needs to create impactful solutions that bridge people and technology.

AI Solutions Specialist / Copilot Studio / Copilot / Power Platform Architect / RPA / Cloud Architect / Azure / M365 /Fabric

Microsoft Bizz Apps MVP and seasoned technology leader with over 18 years of global experience designing and delivering intelligent solutions across diverse industries. As an AI Solutions Specialist and Power Platform Architect, Alex has been at the ... Show more

John is an experienced data platform professional having spent over fifteen years working with Microsoft SQL Server, Azure, and AWS technologies. Working closely with clients to solve their data platform problems with innovative solutions with a focus on simplicity, maintainability, and automation.

John is an experienced data platform professional having spent over fifteen years working with Microsoft SQL Server, Azure, and AWS technologies. Working closely with clients to solve their data platform problems with innovative solutions with a focu... Show more

I'm a software engineer who enjoys solving problems and building cool things.
When I'm not working, I love soaking in the beauty of mountains and staying connected with awesome tech communities =)

I'm a software engineer who enjoys solving problems and building cool things. When I'm not working, I love soaking in the beauty of mountains and staying connected with awesome tech communities =) Show more

Nacho is a software engineer from Barcelona, fan of TDD and XP practices. He has been working with Java and other web technologies before the effect 2000 and had experience in different roles in the IT world now working at Dynatrace writing code to monitor applications. You may probably meet him before as founder of the Barcelona Java Users Group ( https://barcelonajug.org ) & the Barcelona Developers Conference ( DevBcn - https://www.debcn.com, former JBCNConf ). He enjoys spending time with his family, playing sports & improving his eXtreme Programming skills

Nacho is a software engineer from Barcelona, fan of TDD and XP practices. He has been working with Java and other web technologies before the effect 2000 and had experience in different roles in the IT world now working at Dynatrace writing code to m... Show more

Steve Yonkeu is a backend software engineer dedicated to delivering excellence in architecture, performance, and modularity. For over 5 years he has been leading teams and projects and open source communities worldwide. Steve is also the founder of Django Cameroon and Python Cameroon communities today. He is also an organizer at PyCon Africa and speaker at PyConUS.

Steve Yonkeu is a backend software engineer dedicated to delivering excellence in architecture, performance, and modularity. For over 5 years he has been leading teams and projects and open source communities worldwide. Steve is also the founder of D... Show more

As a Google Developer Expert specializing in Google Cloud and GenAI, I am a passionate DevOps Advocate and a dedicated Community Evangelist. I lead and nurture multiple communities across diverse platforms, fostering DevOps and Developer Relations awareness. My commitment to the open-source ecosystem is demonstrated through delivering presentations, crafting documentation and blogs, and contributing code. Presently, my focus is on innovating within the AI space and Backend Agentic Frameworks.

As a Google Developer Expert specializing in Google Cloud and GenAI, I am a passionate DevOps Advocate and a dedicated Community Evangelist. I lead and nurture multiple communities across diverse platforms, fostering DevOps and Developer Relations aw... Show more

Kristina Devochko is a platform engineer, tech content creator, speaker and tech community contributor based in Norway. She focuses on all things cloud native, Kubernetes, cloud security and green tech.

Kristina Devochko is a platform engineer, tech content creator, speaker and tech community contributor based in Norway. She focuses on all things cloud native, Kubernetes, cloud security and green tech. Show more

Fabio is an Android lover even before being an Android Developer, he studied in Pisa and now lives in Padua working as Senior Android Developer for Twinkly. 
In his spare time helps the Google Developer Group Venezia organising events.

Fabio is an Android lover even before being an Android Developer, he studied in Pisa and now lives in Padua working as Senior Android Developer for Twinkly. 
In his spare time helps the Google Developer Group Venezia organising events. Show more

Vincent Caldeira, Red Hat APAC CTO and Industry Visiting Scholar at Columbia University, drives tech strategy and emerging engineering. A Top 10 APAC CTO (2023) with 20+ years in finance IT, he is an authority on open source, cloud-native technologies and AI. Vincent holds leadership roles across the Linux Foundation (FINOS, LF AI & Data) and GSF, championing AI safety, sustainability, and digital sovereignty.

Vincent Caldeira, Red Hat APAC CTO and Industry Visiting Scholar at Columbia University, drives tech strategy and emerging engineering. A Top 10 APAC CTO (2023) with 20+ years in finance IT, he is an authority on open source, cloud-native technologie... Show more

Henry Been is an independent architect and developer from The Netherlands. He enjoys working with software development teams to create and deliver software for the Azure cloud. His interests include Azure, Agile, DevOps, software architecture and the design and implementation of testable and maintainable software. Besides his work he is a speaker at international conferences, is the author of two books, and creates online training courses for Pluralsight and A Cloud Guru. For his work in the community, he has been awarded the Microsoft MVP Award since 2019. To follow Henry, you can go to his blog henrybeen.nl or look him up on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrybeen

Henry Been is an independent architect and developer from The Netherlands. He enjoys working with software development teams to create and deliver software for the Azure cloud. His interests include Azure, Agile, DevOps, software architecture and the... Show more

Greg is a Business Intelligence Team Lead at Kearney Warsaw. He serves as a Power BI technical Lead for Kearney.

He has proved his lecturing and teaching skills by running Power BI community events as well as internal trainings at Kearney at all levels, ranging in audience size from 5 to 250. Greg has been leading a number of Power BI workshops aimed at experienced professionals, students as well people willing to explore the art of possible in Business Intelligence. He has experience at conveying his knowledge at various levels, ranging from beginner to expert.

Greg holds a number of Microsoft Certifications including those in Fabric: DP-600 and Power BI: PL-300, DA-100 and 70-778.

Greg is a Business Intelligence Team Lead at Kearney Warsaw. He serves as a Power BI technical Lead for Kearney. He has proved his lecturing and teaching skills by running Power BI community events as well as internal trainings at Kearney at all l... Show more

I began my programming journey at the tender age of 12, diving headfirst into Basic and Assembler for Sinclair and Commodore machines back in the distant 1980s, cementing my foundation. Since then, I've dived headfirst into the world of information technology, enjoying the constant evolution of systems and technologies, programming languages, being an insatiable learner and a high-level engineer. Scalability and flexibility are my passions. My job is my favorite game (and there's no such thing as a break!).

I began my programming journey at the tender age of 12, diving headfirst into Basic and Assembler for Sinclair and Commodore machines back in the distant 1980s, cementing my foundation. Since then, I've dived headfirst into the world of information t... Show more

Microsoft MVP, husband, father, speaker, mentor, writer, architect@NimblePros, developer, former manager, gamer, LEGO enthusiast, Buckeyes fan, model railroader. When I'm not doing all that other stuff I also occasionally develop applications. Find links to my previous speaking, podcasts and sessions at my website: https://barretblake.dev

Microsoft MVP, husband, father, speaker, mentor, writer, architect@NimblePros, developer, former manager, gamer, LEGO enthusiast, Buckeyes fan, model railroader. When I'm not doing all that other stuff I also occasionally develop applications. Find l... Show more

Laureato in Scienze dell'Informazione e MCT trainer specializzato principalmente nell'ambiente IT, Security e Formazione su differenti tecnologie Microsoft da Windows Server a SCCM in ambienti locali, da Microsoft 365 ad Azure passando per Microsoft Endpoint Manager in ambiente hybrid cloud. Lavoro come dipendente part-time (50%) presso il Dipartimento di Informatica dell'Università degli Studi di Milano, dove svolgo l'attività di sistemista Microsoft, e come consulente libero professionista nel restante tempo. Come consulente svolgo attività di progettazione, implementazione, troubleshooting di ambienti ibridi basati su tecnologie Microsoft, progettazione e implementazione di funzionalità di sicurezza delle suite Microsoft e attività di docente/speaker.
Da Agosto 2020 Microsoft MVP nella categoria Entreprise Mobility mentre da Gennaio 2023 nella categoria Security; da Febbraio 2021 CTO di Overnet Education.

Laureato in Scienze dell'Informazione e MCT trainer specializzato principalmente nell'ambiente IT, Security e Formazione su differenti tecnologie Microsoft da Windows Server a SCCM in ambienti locali, da Microsoft 365 ad Azure passando per Microsoft... Show more

Fast track recognised Power platform Engagement Director at HCL Technologies formerly known as PowerObjects with over 18 years of professional experience in the analysis of business problems and application of IT-based solutions - primarily in government, Housing and public authority. Mr. Kumar is delivery-focused and pragmatic with considerable team leading, architectural and technical design experience, allied with appreciation of business requirements and effective people management skills. He has experience of the entire life cycle - from pre-sales through to transition and service delivery

Fast track recognised Power platform Engagement Director at HCL Technologies formerly known as PowerObjects with over 18 years of professional experience in the analysis of business problems and application of IT-based solutions - primarily in gove... Show more

Mihail Mateev is an owner, Solution Architect, Senior Technical Evangelist at SoftProject, responsible for .Net, IoT and cloud solutions. Mihail currently works as a Senior Solution Architect at EPAM Systems. He also worked many years like a Technical evangelist in the Infragistics. Last years Mihail was focused on various areas related to technology Microsoft: Visual Studio , ASP.Net, Windows client apps, MS SQL Server and Microsoft Azure.

Mihail Mateev is an owner, Solution Architect, Senior Technical Evangelist at SoftProject, responsible for .Net, IoT and cloud solutions. Mihail currently works as a Senior Solution Architect at EPAM Systems. He also worked many years like a Techni... Show more