Experienced professional with a diverse background in Software, Architecture, infrastructure, SRE, OpenSource. Versatile in Research and Development. Proven track record in various roles across startups and corporations. Committed team player, thriving in collaborative environments, and dedicated to continuous learning.

I love sharing what I learn, which is why I actively participate in tech communities, organize events, give talks, and create content on platforms like YouTube, X, and GitHub.

My goal when giving a talk is always to provide practical value by sharing real-world lessons, tools, and best practices that attendees can apply the very next day. If you join one of my sessions, you'll leave with clear ideas, real examples, and the motivation to try it yourself.

Experienced professional with a diverse background in Software, Architecture, infrastructure, SRE, OpenSource. Versatile in Research and Development. Proven track record in various roles across startups and corporations. Committed team player, thrivi... Show more

Raniz is a programmer, architect, speaker and coach at factor10. He is a problem solver who keeps track of the bigger picture. He is prestigeless, likes to get into new domains, and loves sharing knowledge and ideas. Raniz has worked with system- and software architecture at several companies since 2010 and has been with factor10 since 2021. When not working he's into beer brewing, sourdough bread, 3D printing and triathlons.

Raniz is a programmer, architect, speaker and coach at factor10. He is a problem solver who keeps track of the bigger picture. He is prestigeless, likes to get into new domains, and loves sharing knowledge and ideas. Raniz has worked with system- and... Show more

Thorsten Pickhan works at Microsoft and has been focused on Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Teams Phone, and Copilot for many years. As a speaker, blogger, YouTuber, and community advocate, he regularly shares his knowledge at conferences, user groups, and through his blog and YouTube channel.

From 2021 to 2025, he was honored as a Microsoft MVP in recognition of his contributions to the Microsoft community, particularly in the areas of Microsoft Teams and Copilot. After joining Microsoft, he retired the MVP title in accordance with the program requirements.

His areas of expertise include modern collaboration, communication solutions, and the productive use of AI within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

Thorsten Pickhan works at Microsoft and has been focused on Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Teams Phone, and Copilot for many years. As a speaker, blogger, YouTuber, and community advocate, he regularly shares his knowledge at conferences, user group... Show more

Senior Developer Advocate at Microsoft and a Google Developer Expert in Flutter & Dart with 14+ years of experience across Web, Android, Flutter, HarmonyOS, and Microsoft 365. Women Techmakers Ambassador, mentor at MentorCruise, international speaker, YouTuber behind whatsupcoders, and an active open-source community builder. Passionate about AI and developer technologies, she helps developers and organizations build innovative solutions using Microsoft and open-source platforms.

Senior Developer Advocate at Microsoft and a Google Developer Expert in Flutter & Dart with 14+ years of experience across Web, Android, Flutter, HarmonyOS, and Microsoft 365. Women Techmakers Ambassador, mentor at MentorCruise, international speaker... Show more

Elizabeth Fuentes is a Developer Advocate and AI engineer specializing in agent harness architecture. Her work spans context engineering, agent memory, security guardrails, and taking agents to production. Through hands-on demos she breaks complex concepts into simple, understandable pieces of code, helping developers build more efficient agents and democratizing the adoption of advanced AI for everyone. Master's in Data Science, bilingual English/Spanish.

Elizabeth Fuentes is a Developer Advocate and AI engineer specializing in agent harness architecture. Her work spans context engineering, agent memory, security guardrails, and taking agents to production. Through hands-on demos she breaks complex co... Show more

I like lots of stuff 👉 Power Platform 💘 Dynamics 365 🚀 Azure 🧙‍♂️

Microsoft MVP ✍ blogs at https://nckr.de 🚀 Founded https://dhino.io

I worked for over 15 years with Microsoft Biz Apps as a solution architect / developer, starting with Business Central, nowadays loving the Power Platform & Azure

Building repeatable software has always been my passion and I'm continuing to talk about the best ways to do that 🙂

I like lots of stuff 👉 Power Platform 💘 Dynamics 365 🚀 Azure 🧙‍♂️ Microsoft MVP ✍ blogs at https://nckr.de 🚀 Founded https://dhino.io I worked for over 15 years with Microsoft Biz Apps as a solution architect / developer, starting with Bus... Show more

With a passion for enhancing organizational effectiveness through digitalization and process optimization, Tomasz brings extensive expertise as a seasoned Business Analyst. As a distinguished Microsoft Power Platform expert, recognized with the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) title and multiple certifications, including Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), Tomasz possesses a robust analytical acumen. With proficiency in SharePoint, Nintex, Webcon, and other process implementation tools, Tomasz continuously updates his knowledge to deliver cutting-edge solutions and shares insights with both clients and technical communities.

Renowned for crafting user-friendly business processes and applications, Tomasz prioritizes simplicity and reliability, ensuring seamless adoption and comprehension. As a dedicated co-organizer of community events in Poland and an active blogger, Tomasz contributes actively to the technical community and serves as an esteemed international speaker.

With a passion for enhancing organizational effectiveness through digitalization and process optimization, Tomasz brings extensive expertise as a seasoned Business Analyst. As a distinguished Microsoft Power Platform expert, recognized with the Micro... Show more

Marco Dal Pino is working in IT for more than 30 years as Developer, Team Leader, PM and Cloud Architect.
He mostly experienced Microsoft dev Platforms around .NET, for LOB, Desktop, Mobile and embedded apps.
He is a Microsoft Certified Trainer and a Speaker at the main technical conferences all around the world.
He is part of the staff of DotNetToscana a community focused on Microsoft technologies.
He received many awards from IT companies as independent Advisor like:
Microsoft MVP, Intel BlackBelt & Innovator, Nokia DevChamp, Hackster Live Ambassador
He works in Microsoft as a Senior Technical Consultant.

Marco Dal Pino is working in IT for more than 30 years as Developer, Team Leader, PM and Cloud Architect. He mostly experienced Microsoft dev Platforms around .NET, for LOB, Desktop, Mobile and embedded apps. He is a Microsoft Certified Trainer and... Show more

Martin Rövekamp embarked on his career as a Communication Consultant, specializing in solutions such as Learning Terminals and Intranets. In 2012, he transitioned to SharePoint Consulting, focusing on Collaboration and Intranets.

Since April 2024, he has been recognized as an MVP for SharePoint and since July 2025 additionally for M365 Copilot. His current area of expertise lies in the Modern Workplace, encompassing internal communication, collaboration, and enhancing the Employee Experience. Martin actively guides his clients through the process of migrating to or implementing new intranets, as well as optimizing collaboration using Microsoft 365. He showcases, how to integrate AI in the daily work of editors.

Martin’s community involvement includes: Co-Founder of Hamburg SharePint, Organizer of CollabDays Hamburg & Oslo, Member of Global AI Community Hamburg & Oslo, Agent Con in Oslo and Agent Camp in Hamburg, Co-Host of the “Martin’s Modern Work” Webtalkshow. He frequently shares insights on topics such as Modern Work, AI, and Digital Transformation. Beyond his professional endeavors, Martin also graces the stage as a trumpet player.

Martin Rövekamp embarked on his career as a Communication Consultant, specializing in solutions such as Learning Terminals and Intranets. In 2012, he transitioned to SharePoint Consulting, focusing on Collaboration and Intranets. Since April 2024... Show more

Adriana Villela is a blogger, host of the Geeking Out podcast, CNCF Ambassador, OpenTelemetry Community Manager, and maintainer of the OpenTelemetry End User SIG. By day, she focuses on Observability and OpenTelemetry, as a Principal Developer Advocate at Dynatrace. By night, she climbs walls. She also loves capybaras, because they make her happy.

In past lives, Adriana managed both a Platform Engineering team and Observability Practices team at Tucows. She has also worked at various large-scale enterprises as both an individual contributor and leader, including Bank of Montreal, Ceridian, and Accenture.

Adriana Villela is a blogger, host of the Geeking Out podcast, CNCF Ambassador, OpenTelemetry Community Manager, and maintainer of the OpenTelemetry End User SIG. By day, she focuses on Observability and OpenTelemetry, as a Principal Developer Advoca... Show more

As a Developer Advocate at Neo4j, I help developers harness the power of graph technology and AI. A Microsoft MVP and global speaker at events like TED, Microsoft Build, and WeAreDevelopers, I focus on making complex tech accessible through content, community, and hands-on support. My mission is to connect, empower, and inspire developers to build impactful solutions.

As a Developer Advocate at Neo4j, I help developers harness the power of graph technology and AI. A Microsoft MVP and global speaker at events like TED, Microsoft Build, and WeAreDevelopers, I focus on making complex tech accessible through content, ... Show more

Emiliano is a Uruguayan-Spanish software developer, Microsoft MVP in Developer Technologies, and passionate community advocate based in Tenerife. He’s also a proud dad, balancing family life with a deep commitment to tech and community.

As Team Lead at Intelequia Technologies, he drives the design of scalable cloud solutions using Microsoft technologies, blending strategic vision with hands-on execution. With years of experience tackling complex challenges, Emiliano brings strong expertise in cloud architecture and team leadership.

A frequent speaker and blogger, he shares practical insights to support and mentor the global developer community—giving back to the ecosystem that shaped his own journey.

Emiliano is a Uruguayan-Spanish software developer, Microsoft MVP in Developer Technologies, and passionate community advocate based in Tenerife. He’s also a proud dad, balancing family life with a deep commitment to tech and community. As Team Le... Show more

Paul is a Solution Architect for P3 Adaptive, and a 16-year Microsoft Data Platform MVP. He consults, writes, speaks, teaches & blogs at SqlServerBI.blog about business intelligence and reporting solutions. He works with companies around the world to model data at enterprise scale, visualize and deliver critical information to make informed decisions using the Microsoft data platform. He is a user group leader in the Portland/Vancouver metro area. As a published author on Power BI, Fabric, TSQL, SSAS & SSRS, he holds several Data Platform credentials and all current Fabric & Power BI certifications.

Paul is a Solution Architect for P3 Adaptive, and a 16-year Microsoft Data Platform MVP. He consults, writes, speaks, teaches & blogs at SqlServerBI.blog about business intelligence and reporting solutions. He works with companies around the world to... Show more

I’m Mati Armándola, an Information Security leader with over 20 years of experience in technology and more than a decade focused on asset protection, regulatory compliance, and organizational culture.

I speak internationally on AI security, risk and governance, offensive security, and awareness, at conferences such as DEF CON, Ekoparty, Nerdearla, and DevOpsDays. In 2026 I was recognized with the Best Talk award at Ekoparty’s AI Resilience Village. I’m also part of the organizing team for DevOpsDays Buenos Aires.

Beyond the stage, I train the next generation of professionals in security, cloud, and leadership across several institutions and educational platforms.

My motto: LEAD – TEACH – PROTECT

I’m Mati Armándola, an Information Security leader with over 20 years of experience in technology and more than a decade focused on asset protection, regulatory compliance, and organizational culture. I speak internationally on AI security, risk a... Show more

Vanessa Toves is a Microsoft 365 Solutions Architect and a recognized Microsoft MVP. She has worked with Microsoft enterprise technologies since the first versions of SharePoint on-premises, Microsoft’s BI suite, and SQL Server, making her instrumental in driving Microsoft 365 adoption for large organizations. Currently serving as a Microsoft subject matter expert for Druva, Vanessa works seamlessly across departments—from sales to engineering—to ensure the security of customer data. She is also an avid speaker and thought leader on cyber resilience.

Vanessa Toves is a Microsoft 365 Solutions Architect and a recognized Microsoft MVP. She has worked with Microsoft enterprise technologies since the first versions of SharePoint on-premises, Microsoft’s BI suite, and SQL Server, making her instrument... Show more

Ashley began her career in Digital Marketing but found her true calling in the world of Dynamics when she started working with Dynamics CRM version 4.0. Since then, she has become a leading expert in transforming CRM experiences for sales teams, significantly improving sales productivity and organizational efficiency. In recognition of her exceptional contributions, she was awarded the prestigious Microsoft Business Applications MVP in March 2022.

Currently, Ashley is a Solution Architect with PS Hummingbird. With over a decade of experience, her expertise spans the Sales, Customer Service, Marketing & Project Operations modules, business analysis, configuration and automation, process integration, and tool selection and analysis. She mentors individuals and people new to the industry, continuing her commitment to supporting professional growth and development.

Ashley co-leads the DFW Dynamics 365 User Group Meetup, hosts the Awkward Silence podcast with Ed Gonzales, and speaks at Dynamics events worldwide. Her commitment to integrating business processes with technology ensures consistency and accountability, making her a valued business partner in the Dynamics community.

Outside of her professional life, Ashley enjoys spending time with her family, attending country music concerts, and following various sports teams. She is an avid reader and Netflix documentary enthusiast.

Ashley began her career in Digital Marketing but found her true calling in the world of Dynamics when she started working with Dynamics CRM version 4.0. Since then, she has become a leading expert in transforming CRM experiences for sales teams, sign... Show more

Sebastian Nilsson helps teams make sense of modern software engineering without adding unnecessary complexity. By day he's a CTO advisor, AI strategist, and renaissance engineer, which in practice means architecture, tech leadership, delivery improvement, and finding practical ways to use AI that enables individuals and hold up in real products.

He has a soft spot for .NET, Azure, modern web development, strong engineering culture, and talks that get to the point. His career pairs hands-on work across a wide range of areas with major strategic impact at companies large and small, so expect talks grounded in experience, containing honest takes, and takeaways that spark new thinking and survive contact with real work.

Sebastian Nilsson helps teams make sense of modern software engineering without adding unnecessary complexity. By day he's a CTO advisor, AI strategist, and renaissance engineer, which in practice means architecture, tech leadership, delivery improve... Show more

Maxim Salnikov is a tech community enthusiast based in Oslo. With more than two decades of experience as a developer, he shares his expertise in the web platform, cloud computing, and AI by speaking at and delivering training for developer audiences worldwide.

By day, Maxim supports developer teams across Europe as a Senior Solution Engineer at Microsoft, focusing on AI-native developer tools and platforms. He is also an active builder of developer tooling, creating and maintaining AI agent assets that help engineers adopt AI-assisted development more effectively.

In the evenings, Maxim runs events for some of Norway’s largest web, AI, and cloud developer communities. He is passionate about exploring the possibilities of Generative AI, with a strong focus on developer productivity. To share insights and connect with practitioners globally, he founded and organized the Prompt Engineering Conference, the key global event dedicated entirely to prompting from the engineering discipline perspective.

Maxim Salnikov is a tech community enthusiast based in Oslo. With more than two decades of experience as a developer, he shares his expertise in the web platform, cloud computing, and AI by speaking at and delivering training for developer audiences ... Show more

Ryan Mangan is the founder and CEO of EfficientEther, which builds software for the people who run Microsoft estates. Its products help MSPs and IT teams cut Microsoft waste, track every configuration change, find the AI nobody is watching, and move legacy Windows applications to MSIX. He also founded Systech IT Solutions, a Microsoft-focused managed service provider he has run since 2013.

Ryan has worked in IT for more than 20 years. He started as a telecommunications specialist in the Royal Engineers, then ran IT for two colleges before moving into consultancy. Along the way he has worked across network engineering, virtualisation, legacy applications and cloud services, writing his own tools as he went.

AI now runs through all of his work, as a user, a builder and a researcher. He leads EfficientEther's ISO 42001 AI management system, writes on large language models for Computer Weekly, and uses AI in vulnerability and patching research. He also built and open-sourced an MCP server and agent skill that lets AI agents audit and configure Parallels RAS farms. He led a published study of 3,261 real Windows applications packaged as MSIX, in which 80% packaged automatically.

He co-wrote Mastering Azure Virtual Desktop, which has sold more than 78,000 copies across two editions, and wrote An Introduction to MSIX App Attach. His technical blog reached over four million visitors in ten years, and he has written for the BCS's IT Now magazine.

Ryan is a double Microsoft MVP for Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop, a Parallels VIPP, a Chartered Fellow of the BCS (FBCS CITP) and a member of TechTarget's Desktop Management Editorial Advisory Board. Since 2018 he has spoken at more than 35 events, including Parallels VIPP, E2EVC, EUC Forum, VMworld, VMware Explore, WorkPlace Ninja Summit, Experts Live Netherlands, Global Azure and AVD Tech Fest. His audiences range from developers and IT professionals to health and safety professionals. His talks are practical: real estates, real numbers and live demos.

Ryan Mangan is the founder and CEO of EfficientEther, which builds software for the people who run Microsoft estates. Its products help MSPs and IT teams cut Microsoft waste, track every configuration change, find the AI nobody is watching, and move ... 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

Shawn Dorward is the Chief Operating Office at Innovia Consulting and a seasoned business and technology leader with over 25 years of experience in ERP and CRM implementations. His expertise spans a wide range of industries and organizations—from small family-owned businesses to complex global deployments—driving digital transformation and delivering measurable business value.

Recognized as a 10-time Microsoft MVP for Business Applications, Shawn is deeply passionate about helping businesses maximize efficiency and ROI through strategic use of technology. His dedication to the Microsoft Dynamics community is evident in his frequent speaking engagements at user groups, conferences, and online events across the U.S.

Shawn shares practical insights and productivity tips through his popular blog www.LifeHacks365.com, covering Dynamics 365 (including Dynamics GP and Business Central) and Office 365 tools like Excel and Outlook.

Embracing the next wave of innovation, Shawn is currently exploring the power of AI and Microsoft Copilot. Through his platform www.TheWorldsOkayestShawn.com, he documents his journey with podcasts, blog posts, and life hacks—all designed to help others save time, increase efficiency, and navigate their own Copilot adventures.

Shawn Dorward is the Chief Operating Office at Innovia Consulting and a seasoned business and technology leader with over 25 years of experience in ERP and CRM implementations. His expertise spans a wide range of industries and organizations—from sm... Show more

Kamil Nowinski is a Databricks Solutions Architect Champion, former Microsoft Data Platform MVP, and Azure Data Engineer & Architect focused on designing strategic, AI-ready data platforms for the modern enterprise.
With over 25 years of experience in data engineering and SQL Server technologies, Kamil specialises in building scalable Lakehouse and Lake-centric architectures across Microsoft Fabric, Azure, and Databricks. His expertise spans Data Strategy, Data Integration, governance frameworks, and platform maturity models - helping organisations move from fragmented analytics to unified, high-performance data ecosystems.
Kamil's work centres on architecting robust foundations, including implementing Unity Catalog with classification, designing real-time and event-driven architectures, modernising legacy BI estates, and embedding DevOps practices into data platforms. He believes that successful AI and advanced analytics are not accidental - they are the result of deliberate architectural decisions, strong governance, and disciplined engineering practices.
As a consultant working with enterprises across the UK market, he partners with organisations to troubleshoot complex data challenges, prototype next-generation BI and Big Data solutions, and optimise Microsoft-centric data environments for scale, automation, and long-term sustainability.
He is the founder of AzurePlayer.net blog, creator of the "Ask SQL Family" podcast and actively publishes technical content on his YouTube channel, sharing practical insights on Data Strategy, Microsoft Fabric, Databricks, and modern cloud data engineering with the global #sqlfamily community.
Privately happy husband and father of 2 wonderful girls.

Kamil Nowinski is a Databricks Solutions Architect Champion, former Microsoft Data Platform MVP, and Azure Data Engineer & Architect focused on designing strategic, AI-ready data platforms for the modern enterprise. With over 25 years of experienc... Show more

Lian always wanted to save the world. After leaving law school, she decided to work with computers instead.
While in Web Dev, she started attending tech events, and soon fell in love with the community. In her roles as Consultant and DevRel, Lian combined technical knowledge with a focus on the human side.
Currently, Lian works as freelance Platform Engineer in Amsterdam and is the Chief Karaoke Officer for Kuberoke, the first and only Kubernetes Karaoke Community. She also enjoys performing in musical improvisation theatre and standup comedy shows.

Lian always wanted to save the world. After leaving law school, she decided to work with computers instead. While in Web Dev, she started attending tech events, and soon fell in love with the community. In her roles as Consultant and DevRel, Lian c... Show more

Doing AI stuff since before it was cool!
• Developer / DBA / Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) focusing on Microsoft's Data Platform, AI, Azure, IoT and Security.
• Developing information and multimedia systems, DBA, project and IT management, for over 27 years.
• Speaker with over 350+ sessions delivered since 2015 at international conferences and community events (mostly in-person before pandemic times) on multiple technologies, Internet Governance and Human Rights, as well as volunteer and moderator.
• Organiser and founder at technical communities: IT Pro Portugal, PowerShell Portugal, Data Community Portugal, and multiple other online communities such as IPv6 Portugal, DNSSEC Portugal, etc.
• Organiser of technical events: Global AI Bootcamp Lisboa, Global Power Platform Bootcamp Lisboa, Ctrl-Alt-Shell, Ctrl-Alt-Xmas, Global Diversity CFP Day Lisboa, Power BI Roadshow Lisboa, Programar Saturday, Community Evenings, etc.
• Go to https://Andy.PT and you'll know the same as the NSA...

Note: The sessions listed below have been presented in at least one or more events. The list of events below only includes Sessionize-driven events.

Doing AI stuff since before it was cool! • Developer / DBA / Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) focusing on Microsoft's Data Platform, AI, Azure, IoT and Security. • Developing information and multimedia systems, DBA, project and IT management, for ... Show more

Harshavardhan Bajoria is a Product Manager for AI & Innovation at Unstop, where he builds AI-driven products at the intersection of artificial intelligence and cloud computing. He is a GitHub Campus Expert Alumni, a LeetCode Knight, and holds 18 professional certifications — 7x Microsoft Certified, 5x Oracle Certified, 5x Google Certified, and GitHub Certified. A Top 5% Speaker on Sessionize, Harshavardhan is a regular voice at tech conferences and community meetups, sharing his experience building AI products and working with cloud platforms.

Harshavardhan Bajoria is a Product Manager for AI & Innovation at Unstop, where he builds AI-driven products at the intersection of artificial intelligence and cloud computing. He is a GitHub Campus Expert Alumni, a LeetCode Knight, and holds 18 prof... Show more

I operate at the intersection of bold vision and brilliant teams. As a Principal Cloud & AI Strategist and Fractional CTO, I partner with companies to architect future-proof cloud solutions and build the high-performing engineering teams needed to execute them.

With over a decade of hands-on experience in Digital Transformation, I specialize in Google Cloud Platform, complex multi-cloud architectures and lately in Generative AI (Vertex AI). I don't just talk theory, I have built Cloud Business Units from scratch and led mission-critical migrations in fast-paced sectors like Oil & Gas.
My philosophy is simple: an elite strategy is useless without an elite team to execute it, so I build the team first, knowing that the results will follow.
As a passionate advocate for open knowledge, I am a Google Cloud Authorized Trainer, a Google Developer Expert (GDE) for Cloud, and the Community Lead for GDG Campobasso.
Whether I am live-coding a Gen AI agent or sharing insights on the dynamics of engineering leadership, I bring energy, clarity, and deep real-world experience to the stage. I love connecting with people who are eager to challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of what technology can solve.

I operate at the intersection of bold vision and brilliant teams. As a Principal Cloud & AI Strategist and Fractional CTO, I partner with companies to architect future-proof cloud solutions and build the high-performing engineering teams needed to ex... Show more

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 security are motivation for public speaking, writing, coding, and other community activities.

Ed has spoken at Day of Data events, SQL Bits, PASS Summit, EightKB, and many other regional and international events. Ed is the organizer of the Capital Region Data Professionals and Day of Data Albany, as well as a co-organizer of SQL Saturday New York City. 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 security are motivati... Show more

I started programming at 12, cutting my teeth on Basic and Assembler for Sinclair and Commodore machines back in the 80s, a foundation that's stuck with me ever since. Today I'm a Docker Captain, Golden Kubestronaut and CNCF Ambassador, AI dedicated and still an insatiable learner, drawn to scalability, flexibility, and the hard problems of transformation at scale. Innovation is my belief! My job is my favorite game, and there's no such thing as a break.

I started programming at 12, cutting my teeth on Basic and Assembler for Sinclair and Commodore machines back in the 80s, a foundation that's stuck with me ever since. Today I'm a Docker Captain, Golden Kubestronaut and CNCF Ambassador, AI dedicated ... Show more

Thomas holds a degree in Business Economics, but has been a data explorer and a developer at heart ever since the days of dBase and Turbo Pascal. He touched his first SQL Server at V6.5, used covering indexes before they became a feature and joined the PASS community in 2006.

Thomas has been developing in Navision/Dynamics/Business Central systems for quite some time (since 2001, one year before MS acquired Navision), got his hands on R in 2014 (the year before MS bought Revolution Analytics), on the Power Platform from 2020 and the Arduino world from 2024 on. He has worked for ISVs as well as end-user companies, as a developer, consultant, accidental data engineer and he enjoys travelling around Europe speaking at data/dev events.

Thomas holds a degree in Business Economics, but has been a data explorer and a developer at heart ever since the days of dBase and Turbo Pascal. He touched his first SQL Server at V6.5, used covering indexes before they became a feature and joined t... Show more

Michael Heath is an innovation strategist and Frontier Firm advisor who helps organizations move beyond digital transformation into intelligent transformation. With more than 15 years of experience across the Microsoft ecosystem and enterprise technology, Michael partners with leaders to align people, platforms, and purpose through AI, automation, and data.

Throughout his career, Michael has led enterprise initiatives that drive measurable growth, operational efficiency, and long-term adoption. His work focuses on translating strategy into practical execution, helping organizations modernize how work gets done while bringing teams along for the journey.

Michael’s perspective sits at the intersection of technology and human behavior. As a speaker and practitioner, he shares real-world lessons, practical frameworks, and honest insights that help organizations move from experimentation to meaningful impact at scale.

Michael Heath is an innovation strategist and Frontier Firm advisor who helps organizations move beyond digital transformation into intelligent transformation. With more than 15 years of experience across the Microsoft ecosystem and enterprise techno... Show more