Shivendu is a Software engineer at Qdrant. He loves search, distributed systems, observability, and AI. He has been building developer tools for the last 3 years and has worked with different startups and institutes like Qdrant, SuperTokens (YC 20), FamPay (YC 19), Inria (Paris), etc.

He lives in Bangalore (India) and loves trying different cuisines and learning about different cultures.

Some of his previous talks can be found at https://talks.kshivendu.dev

Shivendu is a Software engineer at Qdrant. He loves search, distributed systems, observability, and AI. He has been building developer tools for the last 3 years and has worked with different startups and institutes like Qdrant, SuperTokens (YC 20), ... Show more

Samuel Fuge is a Licensed Professional Counselor, educator, and doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA. He provides counseling at Dr. Mary Berge and Associates in Johnstown, PA, where his clinical work includes trauma, grief and loss, anxiety, depression, and personality disorders. Trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), he specializes in working with first responders and other professionals in high-stress environments, combining lived field experience with evidence-based psychological care. His doctoral dissertation in progress examines the role of interpersonal relationships in mitigating burnout among paramedics.

Samuel is also an experienced educator with a strong background in both psychology and health sciences. At Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, he teaches courses that blend psychology with health-science perspectives, emphasizing critical thinking and real-world application. Prior to his counseling career, he was nationally certified as an EMS educator and taught extensively at the Conemaugh School of EMS under the direction of the late Dr. John Karduck, MD. His educational work included training paramedic students, designing integrated out-of-hospital scenarios, leading continuing education programs, and presenting to providers at the local, regional, and national levels.

Samuel’s educational journey reflects both breadth and depth. He began his career in emergency medical services at just 16 years old, completing EMT training at the Conemaugh School of EMS. He went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from West Virginia University in 2010, before returning to Conemaugh to complete paramedic training in 2011. His passion for mental health and education led him to pursue a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Messiah University, which he completed in 2021, and he is currently pursuing his PsyD in Counseling Psychology at Chatham University, with anticipated completion in 2028.

As a speaker, Samuel brings a rare dual perspective shaped by over 16 years in emergency medical services and years of clinical counseling practice. He has delivered engaging presentations across a wide range of topics—wellness, trauma, burnout, mental health treatment, resilience, and educational pedagogy—at both regional and national events, including the National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE) Conference. His style is research-informed yet accessible, drawing on professional expertise, teaching experience, and frontline credibility to connect with diverse audiences.

With a professional journey that bridges emergency medicine, education, and psychology, Samuel is passionate about building systems of care that promote resilience, reduce burnout, and improve well-being for both providers and the communities they serve. His work reflects a commitment to insight, empowerment, and the belief that growth happens at the intersection of education and lived experience.

Samuel Fuge is a Licensed Professional Counselor, educator, and doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA. He provides counseling at Dr. Mary Berge and Associates in Johnstown, PA, where his clinical work inclu... Show more

Oussama is a seasoned Android engineer with roots dating back to the Java and ADT era. Passionate about native mobile development, he thrives in building robust Android apps with Kotlin as his language of choice. Oussama enjoys connecting with people from around the world, whether it's to discuss mobile tech or share cultural insights.

Oussama is a seasoned Android engineer with roots dating back to the Java and ADT era. Passionate about native mobile development, he thrives in building robust Android apps with Kotlin as his language of choice. Oussama enjoys connecting with people... Show more

Giulio Turrisi is a postdoctoral researcher at the Dynamic Legged Systems lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia. His research focuses on Machine Learning methods and Optimal Control for robot locomotion. Before that, he graduated in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in 2018 at the La Sapienza University of Rome. Later that year, he started the PhD in Automatic Control, Bioengineering, and Operations Research, joining the DIAG Robotics Lab.

Giulio Turrisi is a postdoctoral researcher at the Dynamic Legged Systems lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia. His research focuses on Machine Learning methods and Optimal Control for robot locomotion. Before that, he graduated in Artificial Intelli... Show more

Patricia is author of the Children´s book: "El secreto que esconden los colores" that will be soon published in English. She has a university degree in Biology. She developed her Marketing and Business background at UCSD and SDSU in San Diego. She holds a Marketing Certificate in ESADE and a Communication Master in EADA (Barcelona). She is a certified Coach by the International Coaching Federation and also certified in Organization Relationship Systems Coaching (ORSC CRR Global)
Patricia has extensive experience in coaching, facilitation and consultancy around topics like leadership, communication, management, career development, Emotional Intelligence, time management, and day-to-day performance management. Patricia is working for the European Institutions (Commission, Parliament and Courts of Justice) and for NATO in Brussels and Luxembourg. In the private sector she works with companies like Inditex (Massimo Dutti, ZARA, Bershka), GSK, ING, L’Oréal, Astra Zeneca, Delitraiteur, Cargolux, Banco Santander, IPSEN and TOTAL in Brussels, London, Paris…working together with Human Resources to create specific and adapted trainings and conferences.
Lecturer in Gdansk University of Technology, ICHEC Business School in Brussels and EU Business School.
She is also a Keynote Speaker for Commerce schools like ESADE, companies like JUMP and many other institutions that need to boost their employees. Loves writing articles and podcasts for companies or for pleasure.
Her passion now is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize his or her own performance, and the best reward is their success.
She works in Spanish, English, French and Catalan.

Patricia is author of the Children´s book: "El secreto que esconden los colores" that will be soon published in English. She has a university degree in Biology. She developed her Marketing and Business background at UCSD and SDSU in San Diego. She ho... Show more

Experto en transformación personal. Consultor estratégico en cultura organizacional. Master Training en Liderazgo, Coach de Vida, certificado por MB CONSULTORES-MEXICO, Coach Profesional Ontológico, Coach Organizacional, y Mentor con certificación internacional por FICEO-Federación Internacional de Consultores y Entrenadores organizacionales.

Administrador Financiero de la Universidad UFPS, Especialista en Gerencia de Mercadeo de la Universidad Autónoma UNAULA.

Experto en transformación personal. Consultor estratégico en cultura organizacional. Master Training en Liderazgo, Coach de Vida, certificado por MB CONSULTORES-MEXICO, Coach Profesional Ontológico, Coach Organizacional, y Mentor con certificación in... Show more

David has worked across the globe in varying industries from Fiserv to LiSci. The only thing he likes more than a smooth Agile-led project, is a data-driven smooth Agile-led project.

David has worked across the globe in varying industries from Fiserv to LiSci. The only thing he likes more than a smooth Agile-led project, is a data-driven smooth Agile-led project. Show more

Azure is a Senior Consultant at Hitachi in the Washington, DC area. Prior to joining tech consulting in 2022, she spent in pharmaceutical manufacturing, discovering Power Automate in late 2019.

Passionate about people and hoping to assume her final form as a bot, she's on a mission to educate and enable more women and underrepresented groups into tech, one Flow at a time.

Azure is a Senior Consultant at Hitachi in the Washington, DC area. Prior to joining tech consulting in 2022, she spent in pharmaceutical manufacturing, discovering Power Automate in late 2019. Passionate about people and hoping to assume her fina... Show more

Rakesh is a visionary, innovator, and technical leader, who has worked in the computer software industry for around 14 years. After completing his bachelor's in engineering from India and Master's from the USA, he worked for big enterprises like Zscaler, Microsoft, CISCO, Dell, and others, where he led multiple product development in the networking space. He loves to call himself a 'full-stack network software engineer', as he has worked on all the layers of networking; be it VOIP, Secure Calls, WebRTC, Switch NOS, SDN, Programmable data plane, data center underlay network, network observability and many more. At present, he is leading an 'industry-first' network security product development at Microsoft. He is also a security researcher and was awarded by Facebook in 2013, for exposing a deep vulnerability in their stack. Rakesh is also an innovator and researcher. He collaborates closely with universities, IEEE, and open-source communities and gives back his wealth of knowledge and ideas in terms of technical contributions and papers. Rakesh is an avid painter and a people person who endorses best practices and great culture in the workspace.

Rakesh is a visionary, innovator, and technical leader, who has worked in the computer software industry for around 14 years. After completing his bachelor's in engineering from India and Master's from the USA, he worked for big enterprises like Zsca... Show more

Matic Petrič studied theoretical physics at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mathematics in physics.

During his studies, Pertič worked at T-Labs, the Deutsche Telekom Laboratories, where he derived a problem formulation for optimizing traffic flow in real time with Quantum Annealing.

After finishing his degree during the pandemic, he is now working as a Quantum Computing Researcher at Fraunhofer FOKUS, focusing on hybrid quantum-classical algorithms, and working on Eclipse Qrisp - a high level programming language he'll be presenting on stage together with Raphael Seidel during WAD'24.

Matic Petrič studied theoretical physics at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mathematics in physics. During his studies, Pertič worked at T-Labs, the Deutsche Telekom Laboratories, where he derived a problem formulation for optimizing traffic ... Show more

Jelena Ruzic is M.Eng(IT) and Software Engineer, with focus on FrontEnd technologies. She is regional speaker and MVP - Microsoft Most Valuable Professional in Developer Technologies category. CO-leader of BLbit user group in Banja Luka and CO-organizer of IT conference INIT.

Jelena Ruzic is M.Eng(IT) and Software Engineer, with focus on FrontEnd technologies. She is regional speaker and MVP - Microsoft Most Valuable Professional in Developer Technologies category. CO-leader of BLbit user group in Banja Luka and CO-organi... Show more

Robert an SRE and AIOps Lead at IBM with over 20 years of experience navigating the evolution of IT development and operations. A dedicated advocate for systemic reliability, Robert focuses on the intersection of high-stakes decision-making and technical excellence. He specializes in helping organizations move beyond "tool-first" solutions to build cultures where incentives and engineering ethics drive operational success. In his current role, he champions the "Client Zero" philosophy, leveraging internal operational rigor to influence the lifecycle of enterprise products. Outside of the data center, Robert is an avid historian and photographer, often drawing parallels between aerospace history and modern software architecture to help leaders navigate the complexities of distributed systems.

Robert an SRE and AIOps Lead at IBM with over 20 years of experience navigating the evolution of IT development and operations. A dedicated advocate for systemic reliability, Robert focuses on the intersection of high-stakes decision-making and techn... Show more

A skilled consultant and technical strategist, Kevin De Pree is a Vice President at Rand Group, with over 30 years’ experience leading global ERP and CRM projects and teams. Kevin has a unique background in both business management and IT systems consulting and sales, which allows him to provide a holistic understanding of how different systems and processes work together. He is able to paint the big picture for clients, enabling them to completely transform their operations with fully optimized technology solutions that meet their business needs.

A skilled consultant and technical strategist, Kevin De Pree is a Vice President at Rand Group, with over 30 years’ experience leading global ERP and CRM projects and teams. Kevin has a unique background in both business management and IT systems con... Show more

Dr. Otto Dobretsberger is a Senior Software Developer at CODE Consulting (part of the CODE Group). He holds a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Informatics from UMIT, an institution in Austria, as well as a Master's and Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Houston. His professional expertise centers on high-performance computational analysis of genetic and genomic data, with extensive experience in C and C++. He specializes in WPF, C#, and C++ development, while maintaining proficiency in multiple additional programming languages. His project portfolio spans biomedical image processing, genetic and genomic data analysis, analytical software solutions for the oil and gas industry, and the development of custom controls. Dr. Dobretsberger has authored scientific papers and magazine articles and is a regular speaker at industry conferences.

Since 2012, he has served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Houston, where he has taught a range of programming courses, including C++, Python, JavaScript, and Java.

In addition to his technical and academic roles, Dr. Dobretsberger organizes the Global AI Houston chapter, leading a local community of AI professionals and enthusiasts focused on knowledge sharing and advancements in artificial intelligence.

Outside of his professional pursuits, he is an accomplished powerlifter, actively training and competing. He holds multiple USPA National Records and IPL World Records.

Dr. Otto Dobretsberger is a Senior Software Developer at CODE Consulting (part of the CODE Group). He holds a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Informatics from UMIT, an institution in Austria, as well as a Master's and Ph.D. in Computer Science from t... Show more

Cheolkyu Kim is the Sr. Director of Product Marketing at Onto Innovation. Throughout his professional career, he has specialized primarily in application development for metrology and inspection. Kim earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Rhode Island.

Cheolkyu Kim is the Sr. Director of Product Marketing at Onto Innovation. Throughout his professional career, he has specialized primarily in application development for metrology and inspection. Kim earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of... Show more

Melanie Sabado-Liwag, PhD, MPH is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health at California State University-Los Angeles. She received her PhD at the School of Community & Global Health at Claremont Graduate University and a postdoctoral fellowship at the NIMHD at NIH. With over 20 years of experience working with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, her health equity-focused research aims to understand multi-level determinants related to adverse health and social outcomes across the life course through community-partnered approaches.

Melanie Sabado-Liwag, PhD, MPH is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health at California State University-Los Angeles. She received her PhD at the School of Community & Global Health at Claremont Graduate University and a postdoctora... Show more

Undergraduate researcher in 3D vision and open-source developer with experience in systems software and developer tools.

Undergraduate researcher in 3D vision and open-source developer with experience in systems software and developer tools. Show more

Ich studierte Diplom Physik an der Universität Bayreuth, promovierte im Bereich der STED-Mikroskopie am MPI für biophysikalische Chemie in Göttingen und an der Universität Heidelberg. Nach acht-jähriger Industrietätigkeit bin ich seit 2016 Professor für Physik an der Technischen Hochschule Rosenheim. Ich verwende aktivierende Lehrmethoden, synchrone und asynchrone digitale Lehre und bin darin interessiert den Lernerfolg der Studierenden immer weiter zu verbessern.

Ich studierte Diplom Physik an der Universität Bayreuth, promovierte im Bereich der STED-Mikroskopie am MPI für biophysikalische Chemie in Göttingen und an der Universität Heidelberg. Nach acht-jähriger Industrietätigkeit bin ich seit 2016 Professor ... Show more

Dr. Andreas Wagner ist ein erfahrener Data & Analytics Leader und als Customer Success Executive sowie Senior Consultant bei der s-peers AG tätig. Mit über zehn Jahren Erfahrung an der Schnittstelle von Technologie und Business unterstützt er Unternehmen dabei, ihre Datenkultur nachhaltig zu transformieren und komplexe Analyse-Lösungen in messbaren geschäftlichen Erfolg zu übersetzen.

Vor seinem Wechsel zu s-peers verantwortete er als Global Head of Data Science und Data Architecture bei der Hilti Group die weltweite Datenstrategie und leitete über 50 internationale Transformationsprojekte. Weitere Stationen seiner Karriere umfassen Führungspositionen bei FELFEL, wo er als Head of Data & Analytics agile Datenstrukturen aufbaute.

Andreas Wagner ist promovierter theoretische Physiker (Universität Basel) .

Dr. Andreas Wagner ist ein erfahrener Data & Analytics Leader und als Customer Success Executive sowie Senior Consultant bei der s-peers AG tätig. Mit über zehn Jahren Erfahrung an der Schnittstelle von Technologie und Business unterstützt er Unterne... Show more

Profesional enfocado en nube, datos e Inteligencia Artificial, con interés en democratizar la tecnología y generar impacto a través del aprendizaje colaborativo. Ayuda a las organizaciones a transformar la información en soluciones estratégicas basadas en tecnologías cloud y analítica avanzada, impulsando la innovación y el crecimiento.

Profesional enfocado en nube, datos e Inteligencia Artificial, con interés en democratizar la tecnología y generar impacto a través del aprendizaje colaborativo. Ayuda a las organizaciones a transformar la información en soluciones estratégicas basad... Show more

Software engineer currently diving into the simulations topic.

Software engineer currently diving into the simulations topic. Show more

Serban Mare immigrated to the U.S. from Romania with $200 and a
relentless ambition. Over 20 years in the technology industry, he rose from technician to
Engineering Program Manager, leading high-stakes programs under constant pressure. He
achieved the American Dream on paper while quietly burning out behind it. That experience
taught him what most high performers learn too late: success and depletion don't have to be a
package deal. Today, Serban continues to lead complex engineering initiatives while speaking
to corporations and teams facing the same pattern. He delivers keynotes and workshops that
help organizations prevent burnout, retain top talent, and sustain performance without
sacrificing their people. His approach uses science-backed tools he applies in his own career,
presented with the clarity of an engineer and the honesty of someone who's lived it. His
sessions don't offer textbook theory or another generic wellness talk. They provide tactical
strategies that work in real organizational constraints, helping high performers stop choosing
between excellence and well-being.

Serban Mare immigrated to the U.S. from Romania with $200 and a relentless ambition. Over 20 years in the technology industry, he rose from technician to Engineering Program Manager, leading high-stakes programs under constant pressure. He achieve... Show more

Yingfan Xu is a Ph.D. researcher in Engineering (Data Science concentration) at Oklahoma State University, working on real-world multimodal AI. His recent work focuses on building reproducible pipelines that fuse relational clinical metadata with medical images for patient-level prediction tasks, and translating models into deployable systems. He has research experience across computer vision, multimodal learning, and machine learning engineering, and has published work on deep learning for early prediction of disease, wildlife monitoring and acoustic species identification. Yingfan enjoys sharing practical, end-to-end patterns that help data professionals move from SQL-managed data to production-ready AI.

Yingfan Xu is a Ph.D. researcher in Engineering (Data Science concentration) at Oklahoma State University, working on real-world multimodal AI. His recent work focuses on building reproducible pipelines that fuse relational clinical metadata with med... Show more

Kari Adams is a recognized leader in inclusive education, systems change, and equity-focused leadership. As the Inclusive Leadership Center Director at Chapman University’s Thompson Policy Institute, Kari leads the Coalition of Inclusive School Leaders, partnering with school administrators to develop inclusive systems that center students with disabilities, particularly those most marginalized. With nearly two decades of experience, Kari’s work has focused on dismantling barriers, building educator capacity, and improving outcomes for diverse learners. Her previous role as a special education coordinator at Newport-Mesa Unified School District involved district-wide initiatives in inclusion, literacy, and leadership development. Kari’s expertise lies in aligning systems for meaningful change, fostering safe and supportive school environments, and amplifying the voices of students often pushed to the margins. She currently serves as President of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 17, continuing her mission to advance equitable opportunities for all students.

Kari Adams is a recognized leader in inclusive education, systems change, and equity-focused leadership. As the Inclusive Leadership Center Director at Chapman University’s Thompson Policy Institute, Kari leads the Coalition of Inclusive School Leade... Show more

A Symphony of Talent, Service, and Entertainment
T. S. Edwards or Teresa, affectionately known as "MiZZ Entertainment," is a dynamic force in the entertainment industry, weaving a tapestry of diverse experiences and talents. With an MBA from Kennesaw State University and over two decades of distinguished service in the U.S. Air Force, Edwards has seamlessly transitioned from global military operations to commanding stages and boardrooms alike.

As an entrepreneur, author, executive producer, playwright, and music consultant, Edwards brings unparalleled energy and expertise to every endeavor. Her magnetic presence as a speaker and host has electrified audiences across hundreds of events, collaborating with industry titans such as Warner Bros. Discovery, AT&T, and the Technology Association of Georgia.

Edwards' journey from telecommunications professional to entertainment mogul is a testament to her adaptability and passion. As co-founder of Terror Dome Entertainment, LLC, she channels her creative vision into groundbreaking video and music productions. Her commitment to social causes shines through Silence the Tears, a non-profit she founded to support abused children. And From School to Possibilities, a non-profit she found to support minority high school students interested in media and entertainment.

Featured in CanvasRebel and VoyageATL, Edwards' influence extends beyond the spotlight. She dedicates her time as a KSU Executive MBA Program coach and serves on numerous entertainment and technology boards, shaping the future of the industry.

Her artistic repertoire is as diverse as her skill set, spanning television shows, podcasts, plays, movie shorts, and books. The "Adventures of Hildie and Carlos" children's book series stands as a heartwarming tribute to her granddaughter.

In every role - be it entrepreneur, veteran, consultant, mentor, or family woman - T.S. Edwards brings an infectious enthusiasm and unwavering dedication. Those who work with her don't just become clients; they become part of a legacy built on passion, creativity, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.

T. S. Edwards doesn't just entertain; she inspires, innovates, and ignites the potential in others, truly embodying the essence of "MiZZ Entertainment" in every aspect of her multifaceted career.

A Symphony of Talent, Service, and Entertainment T. S. Edwards or Teresa, affectionately known as "MiZZ Entertainment," is a dynamic force in the entertainment industry, weaving a tapestry of diverse experiences and talents. With an MBA from Kennesa... Show more

I work as a mid-level Software Engineer, focusing primarily on backend development with Python.

In addition to my professional work, I code extensively in my free time: exploring procedural generation, designing video games, diving into computer vision, and automating processes.

With three years of practical experience and a degree in Software Engineering, programming isn't just my career, it's my personal superpower. Python is my trusted companion day in and day out.

Even during holidays, going a week without coding feels like something is missing. For me, coding isn't merely about writing lines of code; it's about solving problems. That's why I see myself as more of a problem-solver and builder enthusiast than just a programmer.

I work as a mid-level Software Engineer, focusing primarily on backend development with Python. In addition to my professional work, I code extensively in my free time: exploring procedural generation, designing video games, diving into computer v... Show more

Apoorva Kashyap is a systems engineer and researcher who loves building things close to the metal. At IIT Delhi, he is currently working on scalable storage systems for temporal geospatial data. He enjoys blending cloud-native tools and ML infrastructure to solve hard, real-world problems.

Apoorva Kashyap is a systems engineer and researcher who loves building things close to the metal. At IIT Delhi, he is currently working on scalable storage systems for temporal geospatial data. He enjoys blending cloud-native tools and ML infrastruc... Show more

Sairohith Thummarakoti is a technology leader, researcher, and author specializing in AI, cloud computing, and healthcare IT. He is a Certified Pega Lead System Architect (CLSA) and serves as Chair of the IEEE Computer Society Columbia Section and as an Industry Advisory Board member for multiple universities. He has authored and edited several books on AI, agentic systems, and software engineering, and is an active speaker and organizer at international conferences. His work focuses on building scalable, ethical, and high-impact digital systems at the intersection of research, industry, and real-world impact.

Sairohith Thummarakoti is a technology leader, researcher, and author specializing in AI, cloud computing, and healthcare IT. He is a Certified Pega Lead System Architect (CLSA) and serves as Chair of the IEEE Computer Society Columbia Section and as... Show more

Founder of VYBZ ( NFT project showcasing true community spirit )
Founder of SYS AMA ( Web3 Vetting Show )
Just a guy who knows how to get product to market within the WEB3 Space

Founder of VYBZ ( NFT project showcasing true community spirit ) Founder of SYS AMA ( Web3 Vetting Show ) Just a guy who knows how to get product to market within the WEB3 Space Show more

Bennett D. Bennett (he/him) is currently Cultural Strategy Director, US at GUT. In this role, Bennett oversees inclusion strategy and trend curation, ensuring GUT’s clients and teams meet the moment in multicultural, lifestyle, and entertainment projects. Bringing a multi-disciplined background, his past lives as a creative director, journalist, talent advocate, and content strategist combine to help future-forward brands create intentional, non-traditional campaigns and content.

A career-long advocate of talent equity for media professionals from marginalized groups, he’s a founder of the nonprofit 600 & Rising, and the inclusion summit Allyship and Action.
Bennett’s decade-plus in marketing and media have has included stints at Interbrand, BBDO New York, The Drum, Saatchi & Saatchi, and 22Squared. A 2013 MAIP Alum, Bennett’s been honored as a 2017 ADWEEK Young Influential and one of the 4As 100 People Who Make Advertising Great.

Bennett D. Bennett (he/him) is currently Cultural Strategy Director, US at GUT. In this role, Bennett oversees inclusion strategy and trend curation, ensuring GUT’s clients and teams meet the moment in multicultural, lifestyle, and entertainment proj... Show more