Liji Thomas is a seasoned technologist with over 15 years of experience in creating transformative digital experiences. As Engineering Director at H&R Block, she drives innovation by leveraging generative AI to enhance customer experiences and deliver business value. Her expertise spans AI, machine learning, natural language processing, and conversational AI.

Liji is passionate about harnessing AI's transformative potential to revolutionize business and human interaction with technology. A thought leader in the field, she actively shares her insights through speaking engagements, publications, and community involvement. Committed to diversity and inclusion, she mentors aspiring technologists and advocates for the next generation of AI leaders.

Liji Thomas is a seasoned technologist with over 15 years of experience in creating transformative digital experiences. As Engineering Director at H&R Block, she drives innovation by leveraging generative AI to enhance customer experiences and delive... Show more

I've been building on the Internet since 1999 😎 The most interesting problems are always the ones that cross the human/machine boundary.

I help large enterprises navigate the messy parts of digital transformation: data center exits, cloud migrations, and cloud-native modernization. Currently obsessed with what comes next: agentic AI, spec-driven design, and quantum computing.

When I'm offline, I'm chasing the Endless Summer: exploring surf spots around the world with my family, one break at a time.

I've been building on the Internet since 1999 😎 The most interesting problems are always the ones that cross the human/machine boundary. I help large enterprises navigate the messy parts of digital transformation: data center exits, cloud migrati... Show more

Help people adopt AI in a way that feels human with "lived intelligence", common sense, empathy. Nurture moving teams from fear of AI to curiosity, creativity, and confident collaboration.

Lead Microsoft Copilot adoption through a people‑first launch, communications, and Champion networks, surfacing real success stories and demonstrating clear value and ROI.

Coach individuals and small businesses to use free, open‑source AI responsibly and creatively.

Founder of MVP Viva Explorers, creator of Viva Origami, and architect of a Microsoft‑endorsed Viva Wayfinder onboarding experience. Co‑author of the adoption chapter in "Microsoft Teams Administration Cookbook", and a regular Microsoft event speaker and blogger.

MVP for 11 years. MCT for 1 year; AB-731 Certification. 15 years at GSK Communications. Proudly “the commsiest person in tech and the techiest person in comms.”

Help people adopt AI in a way that feels human with "lived intelligence", common sense, empathy. Nurture moving teams from fear of AI to curiosity, creativity, and confident collaboration. Lead Microsoft Copilot adoption through a people‑first la... Show more

Muhammad Ahsan is a Google Developers Expert (GDE) in AI & Angular, an author of 3 world-wide published books, an Educator, and a Software Architect.
https://bio.link/codewithahsan

Muhammad Ahsan is a Google Developers Expert (GDE) in AI & Angular, an author of 3 world-wide published books, an Educator, and a Software Architect. https://bio.link/codewithahsan Show more

Steve is a startup advisor and technology leader delivering cloud and cloud-native (Kubernetes, AKS, Argo CD, Backstage) services at a leading tech company powering SaaS products for Apple management used by 70,000+ customers worldwide. He is a Pluralsight author, the author of nine technical books, 11-time Microsoft MVP, Docker Captain and Tekne award winner.

He has presented at tech events including: Applied AI, Minnebar18 Keynote, DevOps Days, Open Source North, Midwest Management Summit (MMS), Microsoft Ignite, BITCon, Experts Live Europe, OSCON, and various user groups.

He has been a guest on over a dozen podcasts and featured in several publications including the Star Tribune (the 5th largest newspaper in the US).

He stays active in the technical community and enjoys blogging about his adventures in the world of IT at www.buchatech.com

Steve is a startup advisor and technology leader delivering cloud and cloud-native (Kubernetes, AKS, Argo CD, Backstage) services at a leading tech company powering SaaS products for Apple management used by 70,000+ customers worldwide. He is a Plura... Show more

Rachel is a 2x Microsoft MVP for .NET and Web Development; she is also a 6x Umbraco MVP. Rachel has been a developer for over 25 years, working in the Microsoft .Net stack. She is passionate about accessibility and supporting and encouraging future developers. She also drinks copious amounts of tea.

Rachel is a 2x Microsoft MVP for .NET and Web Development; she is also a 6x Umbraco MVP. Rachel has been a developer for over 25 years, working in the Microsoft .Net stack. She is passionate about accessibility and supporting and encouraging future d... Show more

With more than 25 years of experience in the world of data and, especially in the automation of processes to guarantee the availability of information following the quality and defined standards.

In my career I have been able to give free rein to two of my passions. The first, lead the transformation of teams and work models, based on the automation of processes.
The second, to share and disseminate my knowledge and experiences, about the world of data, and specifically, regarding the integration of systems, analysis and visualization of information.

With more than 25 years of experience in the world of data and, especially in the automation of processes to guarantee the availability of information following the quality and defined standards. In my career I have been able to give free rein to ... Show more

AWS Community Builder, works as a Senior Data Scientist at SLB. She is passionate about data and its usage for problem-solving. The area of interest includes NLP, GenAI, as well as working with AWS services. An eternal student, she likes taking part in online schools, courses, and workshops.

AWS Community Builder, works as a Senior Data Scientist at SLB. She is passionate about data and its usage for problem-solving. The area of interest includes NLP, GenAI, as well as working with AWS services. An eternal student, she likes taking part ... Show more

Jimmy is the creator and maintainer of the popular OSS libraries AutoMapper and MediatR, and the originator of Vertical Slice Architecture. Jimmy is an independent software consultant based in Austin, TX. Jimmy has received the "Microsoft Most Valuable Professional" (MVP) award every year since 2009.

Jimmy is the creator and maintainer of the popular OSS libraries AutoMapper and MediatR, and the originator of Vertical Slice Architecture. Jimmy is an independent software consultant based in Austin, TX. Jimmy has received the "Microsoft Most Valuab... Show more

Alvaro Costa-Neto is a Senior Database Specialist Solutions Architect at AWS who specializes in helping customers implement cloud-based database solutions. With over 20 years of experience in database technologies, he has extensive expertise in both Microsoft SQL Server and various open-source database engines. His role focuses on designing and architecting database solutions for AWS customers.

Alvaro Costa-Neto is a Senior Database Specialist Solutions Architect at AWS who specializes in helping customers implement cloud-based database solutions. With over 20 years of experience in database technologies, he has extensive expertise in both ... Show more

As a software architect, consultant and trainer at embarc Software Consulting GmbH, Falk Sippach is always on the lookout for that spark of passion that he can ignite in his participants, customers and colleagues. He has been supporting mostly agile software development projects in the Java environment for over 20 years. As an active part of the community (co-organizer of the JUG Darmstadt and Java Champion) he also likes to share his knowledge in articles, blog posts, as well as in presentations at conferences or user group meetings and supports the organization of various professional events.

As a software architect, consultant and trainer at embarc Software Consulting GmbH, Falk Sippach is always on the lookout for that spark of passion that he can ignite in his participants, customers and colleagues. He has been supporting mostly agile ... Show more

With over a decade in the Android world, I’ve lived the fast-paced startup life in California before returning to France. Today, I’m leading and managing the Android team at Aircall, where we're building the best phone system for modern businesses.

Beyond Android, I’m passionate about backend development with Kotlin and exploring the possibilities of AR/VR. In 2021, I was honored to become an Android GDE—continuing my mission to share knowledge and grow alongside the amazing Android community.

Outside of work, you’ll find me traveling the globe or on the hunt for the perfect IPA.

With over a decade in the Android world, I’ve lived the fast-paced startup life in California before returning to France. Today, I’m leading and managing the Android team at Aircall, where we're building the best phone system for modern businesses. ... Show more

Antonio Liccardi is a seasoned speaker, book author, and trainer, currently serving as Chief Technology Officer at Blexin. His passion for knowledge sharing led him to co-found "DotNetCampania," an Italian .NET community where he helps others enhance their skills in DevOps, the .NET ecosystem, and software development in general. Antonio is a frequent speaker at both national and international conferences, including Microsoft Build, and has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for Visual Studio Developer Technologies since 2015. He also hosts a live show called "DevOps Time" for UgiDotNet, Italy’s largest .NET community, and runs the podcast "Il corriere del DevOps."

Antonio Liccardi is a seasoned speaker, book author, and trainer, currently serving as Chief Technology Officer at Blexin. His passion for knowledge sharing led him to co-found "DotNetCampania," an Italian .NET community where he helps others enhance... Show more

Eberhard Wolff has 20+ years of experience as an architect and consultant - often on the intersection of business and technology. He is Head of Architecture at SWAGLab. As a speaker, he has given talks at international conferences and as an author, he has written more than 100 articles and books e.g. about Microservices and Continuous Delivery. His technological focus is on modern architectures – often involving Cloud, Domain-driven Design, and Microservices.

Eberhard Wolff has 20+ years of experience as an architect and consultant - often on the intersection of business and technology. He is Head of Architecture at SWAGLab. As a speaker, he has given talks at international conferences and as an author, h... Show more

Marcelo is a Microsoft Data Platform Database Consultant and Engineer. He has more than 15 years of experience in several Companies from different branches and sizes. Like financial companies, consultant shops, datacenters and e-commerce sites. Currently holds the MCSE, MCT and MCSA Microsoft Certifications and also the Oracle OCP. Loves technology and enjoys sharing his Database knowledge delivering presentations and official Microsoft Training Courses. Currently he is also the co-leader of the SQLMANIACS PASS User Group, based in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Marcelo is a Microsoft Data Platform Database Consultant and Engineer. He has more than 15 years of experience in several Companies from different branches and sizes. Like financial companies, consultant shops, datacenters and e-commerce sites. Curre... Show more

Carly is a Senior Manager in Developer Advocacy at Elastic, based in London, UK. Before joining Elastic in 2022, she spent over 10 years working as a technologist at a large investment bank, specialising in front-end web development and agility. She is a UI developer, who occasionally dabbles in writing backend services, a speaker and a regular blogger.

She enjoys cooking, photography, drinking tea, and chasing after her young son in her spare time.

Carly is a Senior Manager in Developer Advocacy at Elastic, based in London, UK. Before joining Elastic in 2022, she spent over 10 years working as a technologist at a large investment bank, specialising in front-end web development and agility. She ... Show more

Silvano Coriani is a Program Manager in Azure Database for PostgreSQL team at Microsoft. He has over 25 years of experience in application development and database design, troubleshooting, and performance tuning. He is specialised in data access libraries, query optimisation, and distributed system design. He is also an author and speaker in many international industry conferences.

Silvano Coriani is a Program Manager in Azure Database for PostgreSQL team at Microsoft. He has over 25 years of experience in application development and database design, troubleshooting, and performance tuning. He is specialised in data access libr... Show more

Matthias Haeussler is VP Expert at CGI, university lecturer for distributed systems, awarded ambassador of Cloud Foundry and the organizer of the Stuttgart Cloud Foundry Meetup. He advises clients on Cloud strategies and supports implementations and migrations. Prior to that he was employed at IBM R&D Germany for more than 15 years. He has teaching experience from lectures at multiple universities in Stuttgart (DHBW, HSE, HfT). Besides that he is frequent speaker at various national and international conferences and meetups. (e.g. Spring One Platform, Open Source Summit, Cloud Foundry Summit, Spring IO, IBM InterConnect, WJAX).

Matthias Haeussler is VP Expert at CGI, university lecturer for distributed systems, awarded ambassador of Cloud Foundry and the organizer of the Stuttgart Cloud Foundry Meetup. He advises clients on Cloud strategies and supports implementations and ... Show more

I hold a degree in Computer Engineering from the University of L'Aquila. My passion lies in research, particularly in Machine Learning and Evolutionary Computation.
I work as a Machine Learning Engineer in the IT sector, focusing on security and defense.
Driven by curiosity and a love for continuous learning, I have ventured into the world of Dev Talks, where I enjoy sharing knowledge and connecting with the tech community.

My goal is to inspire and engage others with the same enthusiasm that fuels my work, fostering discussions that push the boundaries of technology and innovation.

See my personal blog here: https://www.lucadivita.it/

I hold a degree in Computer Engineering from the University of L'Aquila. My passion lies in research, particularly in Machine Learning and Evolutionary Computation. I work as a Machine Learning Engineer in the IT sector, focusing on security and def... Show more

Alexander is the Lead Data Transformation Architect at Advania in Sweden, where he spends his days helping clients of all shapes and sizes to take better care of - and make more sense of - their data.
He has spent the last 29 years poking around with data, databases, and related infrastructure services such as storage, networking, and virtualization, occasionally emerging from the technical darkness to attend a Star Wars convention somewhere in the world.
He is a long-time Data Platform MVP, frequent international speaker, podcaster, Pluralsight author, blogger, and a Microsoft Certified Trainer, focusing on the Microsoft data platform stack.

Alexander is the Lead Data Transformation Architect at Advania in Sweden, where he spends his days helping clients of all shapes and sizes to take better care of - and make more sense of - their data. He has spent the last 29 years poking around wit... Show more

Hanno Embregts is a Java Developer with a passion for learning, teaching and making music.

In his day-to-day job as a Teacher / Technology Advocate at Info Support, Hanno prefers work that is fast-paced and versatile. This is why he juggles Java development, software architecture, public speaking, leading Info Support’s Speaker Community and teaching courses at Info Support’s Knowledge Centre.

Hanno is a Java Champion, an Oracle ACE Pro and one of the leaders of the NLJUG (the Dutch Java User Group). Outside of work Hanno likes making music with his friends. He plays the flute, the guitar and he likes to sing.

Software conferences are Hanno’s favourite thing in the world, because they allow him to do the three things he loves most at the same time: learning new things, teaching others about stuff he discovered and yes: even making music from time to time!

Hanno Embregts is a Java Developer with a passion for learning, teaching and making music. In his day-to-day job as a Teacher / Technology Advocate at Info Support, Hanno prefers work that is fast-paced and versatile. This is why he juggles Java d... Show more

Daniel started his IT career as an administrator for ETL and BI tools. He then worked some time in a data warehousing team before diving into all topics devops and cloud native. In his current role he is a DevOps and cloud-native consultant with FullStackS GmbH. Daniel holds a BSc in Industrial Engineering, a MA in Innovation Management and an MBA. He's a lifelong learner and teacher, lecturing at two Austrian universities of applied science.
Daniel lives in Graz with his girlfriend and his tomcat Manfred 🐈.

🌐 drackthor.me
📧 daniel@drackthor.me

Daniel started his IT career as an administrator for ETL and BI tools. He then worked some time in a data warehousing team before diving into all topics devops and cloud native. In his current role he is a DevOps and cloud-native consultant with Full... Show more

Engineering leader with over a decade of experience in software development and a proven track record of leading teams through modernisation initiatives, high-pressure deliveries, and the kind of challenges where the easy answer doesn't exist. I stay close to architecture and strategy not to make every decision, but to protect my teams, challenge the right assumptions, and represent engineering credibly at every level.

I care deeply about psychological safety and technical rigour — because I believe the best work happens when people feel ownership, trust each other, and know their manager is fully in it with them.

I actively experiment with emerging technologies — including AI tools — to understand their real value before adopting them at scale. Less hype, more signal.
Microsoft MVP in Developer Technologies, author of "Software Architecture for Web Developers" book, and international speaker with 50+ conference appearances — because sharing what we learn is part of the job.

You can see my work in here:

https://medium.com/@ghidersa-mihaela
https://www.amazon.com/Software-Architecture-Web-Developers-professionals/dp/1803237910
https://sessionize.com/mihaela-roxana-ghidersa

Engineering leader with over a decade of experience in software development and a proven track record of leading teams through modernisation initiatives, high-pressure deliveries, and the kind of challenges where the easy answer doesn't exist. I st... Show more

Todd Gardner is the cofounder of CertKit, TrackJS, and Request Metrics, and a longtime builder of tools that keep things from breaking at 2am. He spends his time on certificate automation, Windows environments that still speak TLS 1.0, and convincing people that 47-day lifetimes are survivable. He takes the work seriously and himself much less so.

Todd Gardner is the cofounder of CertKit, TrackJS, and Request Metrics, and a longtime builder of tools that keep things from breaking at 2am. He spends his time on certificate automation, Windows environments that still speak TLS 1.0, and convincing... Show more

Barbara Forbes is an Azure Architect & consultant at Zure in the Netherlands, a Microsoft Azure MVP, Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), and a GitHub Star. She works at the intersection of technology, strategy, education, and development. Her focus is on the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework, Generative AI, Infrastructure as Code, PowerShell, and GitHub.
Barbara loves explaining things in an accessible manner; in person, as a teacher for LinkedIn Learning and as a frequent speaker at conferences and user groups. She is actively involved in the tech community, including being part of the organization of European events

Barbara Forbes is an Azure Architect & consultant at Zure in the Netherlands, a Microsoft Azure MVP, Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), and a GitHub Star. She works at the intersection of technology, strategy, education, and development. Her focus is... Show more

Dave Stokes has worked for organizations ranging alphabetically from the American Heart Association to Xerox in areas ranging from anti-submarine warfare to webmaster. He lives in a small Texas town with the required hound dog and pickup truck. Dave is the Author of MySQL & JSON - A Practical Programming Guide, now in a second edition.

Dave Stokes has worked for organizations ranging alphabetically from the American Heart Association to Xerox in areas ranging from anti-submarine warfare to webmaster. He lives in a small Texas town with the required hound dog and pickup truck. Dave... Show more

James Eastham is a Serverless Developer Advocate at Datadog, AWS Community Builder and a Microsoft MVP. He answered phones in front-line support, administered databases and developed modern application backends with a range of technologies. He worked AWS working with some of the biggest companies on the planet, migrating workloads from data centers into the cloud and modernizing in the process.

James produces content on YouTube focused on architecting and building applications with serverless technologies using .NET and Rust. He also has a strong interest in and expertise in event-driven architecture and building more loosely coupled systems.

James Eastham is a Serverless Developer Advocate at Datadog, AWS Community Builder and a Microsoft MVP. He answered phones in front-line support, administered databases and developed modern application backends with a range of technologies. He worked... Show more

Kanwal Khipple is the CEO and Founder of 2toLead, a trailblazing consulting firm dedicated to innovative digital workplace transformations. Over the past decade, he has established himself as a trusted authority in creating engaging, award-winning employee experiences that seamlessly blend design, technology, and human-centric thinking. Recognized by the Nielsen Norman Group for designing two Top 10 Intranets, Kanwal continues to influence how modern organizations enhance collaboration, learning, and performance.

As AI reshapes how employees interact with information and one another, Kanwal focuses on leveraging cutting-edge tools—like personalization engines, intelligent chatbots, and workplace analytics—to drive meaningful, future-ready workplaces. A long-standing Microsoft 365 community contributor and Microsoft and Business Applications MVP since 2009, he frequently speaks on the value of embracing emerging technologies to amplify rather than replace human connection. His mission is to ensure that as we evolve our workplaces with AI, we do so ethically, responsibly, and with enduring human value at the core.

Kanwal Khipple is the CEO and Founder of 2toLead, a trailblazing consulting firm dedicated to innovative digital workplace transformations. Over the past decade, he has established himself as a trusted authority in creating engaging, award-winning em... Show more

Tori is a Principal AI Consultant at Advancing Analytics. Specialising in MLOps and LLMOps, Tori has worked on many ML and data science projects with Azure and Databricks at all stages of the ML Lifecycle. She is a co-presenter of the Data & AI podcast, Totally Skewed, founder of Girls Code Too UK and Trustee of Girls in Data.

Tori is a Principal AI Consultant at Advancing Analytics. Specialising in MLOps and LLMOps, Tori has worked on many ML and data science projects with Azure and Databricks at all stages of the ML Lifecycle. She is a co-presenter of the Data & AI podca... Show more

John is a Principal Consultant at ControlPlane, where he helps some of the world's most security-conscious organizations build and assure mission-critical platforms. He is a member of the in-toto Steering Committee and a maintainer of its Witness and Archivista sub-projects. He also serves as a co-chair of the CNCF's TAG Security. Within the OpenSSF, John is a member of the inaugural Ambassador cohort and contributes to several initiatives, including the SBOMit project.

John is a Principal Consultant at ControlPlane, where he helps some of the world's most security-conscious organizations build and assure mission-critical platforms. He is a member of the in-toto Steering Committee and a maintainer of its Witness and... Show more