Manu is an engineering manager for the Cloud and Infrastructure Services team at NVIDIA, specifically supporting GeForce NOW, a cloud-based game streaming platform, and NVCF, a GPU cloud computing platform. Based in the Bay Area, Manu enjoys reading, hiking, motorcycle rides, running, and crossfitting when not innovating and engineering.

Manu is an engineering manager for the Cloud and Infrastructure Services team at NVIDIA, specifically supporting GeForce NOW, a cloud-based game streaming platform, and NVCF, a GPU cloud computing platform. Based in the Bay Area, Manu enjoys reading,... Show more

Iliyan Hirani is a GIS Engineer at AI GEO Navigators in Islamabad, Pakistan, building geospatial AI tools including a Geo-LLM weather dashboard. A 2026 Geo-Informatics Engineering graduate of NUST, he built PropQuora, a map-based real estate platform with grounded LLM search and has published GeoAI research. He works with LangGraph, MCP, AutoGen, CrewAI, PostGIS and Docker.

Iliyan Hirani is a GIS Engineer at AI GEO Navigators in Islamabad, Pakistan, building geospatial AI tools including a Geo-LLM weather dashboard. A 2026 Geo-Informatics Engineering graduate of NUST, he built PropQuora, a map-based real estate platform... Show more

Drew Cutright is the Director of Sustainability Engagement for Georgia Tech’s Office of Sustainability, managing outreach, office communications, reporting, and programs such as GT’s Sustainable Lab Certification and TRUE Zero Waste precertification. She has also served as a Program Manager for Georgia Tech’s Living Building, the Kendeda Building, and a Managing Strategy Consultant at Georgia Tech. Prior to working in higher education, Drew held roles in city government, green building certification, and K-12 environmental education. She holds a Bachelor in English Language and Literature, a Master of Environmental Planning and Design, and a Master of Business Administration and is a certified Project Management Professional and LEED AP BC+C.

Drew Cutright is the Director of Sustainability Engagement for Georgia Tech’s Office of Sustainability, managing outreach, office communications, reporting, and programs such as GT’s Sustainable Lab Certification and TRUE Zero Waste precertification.... Show more

Maria Morukian, president of MSM Global Consulting, is a recognized speaker, author, and organizational development practitioner specializing in diversity, equity, inclusion, and intercultural competence. Over the last twenty years she has worked with thousands of leaders and DEI professionals to build thriving organizations that work for everyone. Maria is the author of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Trainers: Fostering DEI in the Workplace and host of the popular DEI podcast Culture Stew.

Maria Morukian, president of MSM Global Consulting, is a recognized speaker, author, and organizational development practitioner specializing in diversity, equity, inclusion, and intercultural competence. Over the last twenty years she has worked wit... Show more

Strategy and marketing professional with nine years of full-time experience in the food industry. I am passionate about helping businesses grow and achieve their goals. My expertise lies in providing strategic advice and practical solutions to companies in the food industry. Throughout my career, I have worked with quick service restaurants like Taco Bell, Dominos, and Popeyes providing tailored solutions to meet their unique needs in the Asia Pacific region.
Currently building the strategy roadmap for new product innovation and launch strategy roadmap for Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, across all 3200+ stores in North America.
My skills include category management, strategy development, go-to-market strategy building, brand management, market research, and stakeholder engagement. I am a strategic thinker and am always looking for ways to improve processes and drive growth.

Strategy and marketing professional with nine years of full-time experience in the food industry. I am passionate about helping businesses grow and achieve their goals. My expertise lies in providing strategic advice and practical solutions to compan... Show more

I am a Technical Consultant in Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management projects. I work on development, integrations, and Application Lifecycle Management (ALM), designing and implementing custom solutions, optimizing processes, and ensuring smooth system integrations across complex environments.

I am a Technical Consultant in Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management projects. I work on development, integrations, and Application Lifecycle Management (ALM), designing and implementing custom solutions, optimizing processes, and ensuring s... Show more

Ingeniero de sistemas, con mas de 15 años de experiencia en el campo de TI, especialista en temas de infraestructura y datacenter, tengo 10 años de experiencia en el sector financiero, tanto en el mundo onprem como cloud desplegando, implementando y brindando soluciones E2E atendiendo capacidades de negocio. Tambien soy aficionado en temas de ciberseguridad, pentesting, y tengo como hobbies cocinar y practicar muay-thai y jiujitsu brasilero.

Ingeniero de sistemas, con mas de 15 años de experiencia en el campo de TI, especialista en temas de infraestructura y datacenter, tengo 10 años de experiencia en el sector financiero, tanto en el mundo onprem como cloud desplegando, implementando y ... Show more

I specialize in supply chain systems, inventory and material optimization, and business performance improvement within industrial manufacturing. My work focuses on designing and improving inventory planning, material flow, warehouse, ERP/WMS, and supply chain processes through systems development, analytics, automation, and root-cause problem solving. I also apply manufacturing and production improvement methods, including process analysis, DFM, and material-flow improvement, to reduce cycle time, waste, and production constraints. My work connects supply chain and manufacturing improvements with broader business needs, while my emerging focus is developing AI-enabled supply chain systems and scalable decision-support solutions.

I specialize in supply chain systems, inventory and material optimization, and business performance improvement within industrial manufacturing. My work focuses on designing and improving inventory planning, material flow, warehouse, ERP/WMS, and sup... Show more

De la bidouille perso aux projets clients, je cherche avant tout à trouver des solutions. L'intelligence artificielle n'est pas toujours la bonne, mais si elle l'est, il faut savoir la mettre en place !

De la bidouille perso aux projets clients, je cherche avant tout à trouver des solutions. L'intelligence artificielle n'est pas toujours la bonne, mais si elle l'est, il faut savoir la mettre en place ! Show more

Sandipana Das is a UX Designer at IBM whose work sits at the intersection of AI, enterprise systems, and human-centered design. Beyond enterprise product design, Sandipana explores the future of learning and equitable access, especially in contexts where technology may extend guidance beyond institutional limits.

She designs for complex, high-stakes environments across sustainability, finance, and knowledge-rich workflows, with a focus on how intelligent systems can better support comprehension, decision-making, and trust.
Her practice combines design strategy, systems thinking, and emerging AI behaviors to examine how interfaces might evolve from reactive tools into more context-aware forms of support. She is particularly interested in adaptive AI, multimodal interaction, and the ethical questions that arise when systems begin interpreting human signals, behavior, and cognitive strain.

Sandipana Das is a UX Designer at IBM whose work sits at the intersection of AI, enterprise systems, and human-centered design. Beyond enterprise product design, Sandipana explores the future of learning and equitable access, especially in contexts w... Show more

Software Engineer como más de 6 años de experiencia.

Software Engineer como más de 6 años de experiencia. Show more

Edith Ijeh operates at the intersection of workforce strategy, technical labor mobility, and informal economy formalization across African and international markets. As a bilingual creativity coach and cross-cultural strategist fluent in both Anglophone and Francophone economic zones, she enables organizations, development partners, and industrial firms to navigate complex labor landscapes and build resilient, future-ready workforces.

Grounded in over a decade of dedicated humanitarian service and impact-driven initiatives, Edith’s work focuses on restoring human dignity and driving grassroots economic empowerment. She strongly advocates that the blue-collar and skilled trade sector is an economic engine, not a charity sector. Through Skills HR Africa and digital platforms like the Connect Nigeria app, she bridges critical economic gaps by standardizing artisan qualifications (such as National Trade Tests), connecting verified technical talent directly to enterprise opportunities, dismantling systemic barriers for skilled women in industrial fields, and designing structured systems to leverage expatriate expertise for local talent development.

Key Stage Themes & Core Focus Areas
The Blue-Collar Sector as a Commercial Powerhouse

Reframing technical and artisanal labor from social welfare or charity into bankable, scalable, and highly profitable human capital.

Digital Talent Ecosystems & Technical Integration

Leveraging technology platforms like Connect Nigeria to verify, map, and deploy skilled artisans, creating direct digital pipelines between informal technical labor and formal corporate supply chains.

Dismantling Barriers for Skilled Women in Industrial Enterprise

Addressing systemic discrimination and procurement bias that prevent verified female artisans, mechanics, and technicians from accessing corporate contracts, major industrial sites, and technical employment.

Expatriate-to-Local Knowledge Transfer & Workforce Development

Structuring mandatory shadow programs, cross-cultural training, and formal mentorship models that use foreign technical expatriates to upskill, certify, and empower local African talent.

Humanitarian Leadership & Impact-Driven Community Building

Combining grassroots advocacy with institutional reform to protect worker dignity, build resilience, and transform vulnerable populations into structured technical communities.

Bilingual Cross-Cultural Trade & Regional Mobility (Anglophone–Francophone)

Facilitating workforce integration, policy alignment, and communication across English and French-speaking trade corridors.

Creativity Coaching & Practical Vocational Thought Leadership

Author of NOW THAT YOU ARE SKILLED! a practical guide assisting technical workers and artisans with contract compliance, workplace safety, pricing models, and transitioning from raw skill to business enterprise.

Signature Keynote & Panel Topics
Skilled Labor is Enterprise, Not Charity: Unlocking Economic Value in the Blue-Collar Economy

Focus: Why governments, corporate leaders, and investors must treat technical skills development as a high-return commercial strategy rather than a corporate social responsibility (CSR) project.

Digitizing the Informal Workforce: How Platforms like Connect Nigeria Standardize & Scale African Talent

Focus: Using digital infrastructure to verify qualifications, streamline artisan procurement, and bridge the gap between unstructured labor and enterprise demand.

Breaking the Industrial Glass Ceiling: Integrating Skilled Women into Corporate Supply Chains

Focus: Overcoming systemic barriers that exclude female technical talent from corporate projects, job sites, and industrial contracts and how to build inclusive, high-performing technical teams.

The Expatriate Advantage: Structuring Expatriate Knowledge Transfer to Build Local Capacity

Focus: Practical models for organizations to pair foreign expatriate experts with local African artisans to ensure sustainable knowledge transfer, skill upgrading, and long-term local talent retention.

Bridging the Divide: Cross-Border Workforce Mobility Across Anglophone and Francophone Corridors

Focus: Strategies for navigating language, policy, and qualification barriers to enable seamless labor movement and cross-border trade.

Contact & Professional Details
Location: Lagos, Nigeria (Available for global, continental, and virtual engagements)

Languages: English (Native/Anglophone), French (Working Proficiency/Francophone)

Engagement Roles: Keynote Speaker, Panelist, Creativity Coach, Workshop Facilitator, TVET & Workforce Advisor

Inquiries & Strategic Partnerships: edithnijeh@gmail.com

Whether collaborating with international development agencies, trade ministries, digital platforms, or grassroots technical communities, her mission is clear: to ensure Africa’s skilled artisans and technical workforce receive the investment, recognition, and global opportunities they deserve.

📩 Open to strategic partnerships, ocean-economy workforce advisory roles, and cross-border technical initiatives.

Edith Ijeh operates at the intersection of workforce strategy, technical labor mobility, and informal economy formalization across African and international markets. As a bilingual creativity coach and cross-cultural strategist fluent in both Angloph... Show more

Venezolano de 33 años, residente en Bogotá, con más de 10 años de experiencia en el área de desarrollo de software, 7 de ellos dedicados a startups. Soy apasionado por el impacto real que estas empresas tienen en la región. Actualmente soy engineering manager en Habi, una fintech líder en LATAM en compra y venta de inmuebles.

Venezolano de 33 años, residente en Bogotá, con más de 10 años de experiencia en el área de desarrollo de software, 7 de ellos dedicados a startups. Soy apasionado por el impacto real que estas empresas tienen en la región. Actualmente soy engineerin... Show more

Steve Johnson, MSc, CISSP, C|CISO
Steve earned his MSc in Cybersecurity from Essex University in Colchester, England, following a career in the U.S. Army as a Communications Security Specialist. He has over 20 years of experience in the design of large-scale intelligent transportation systems, including 7 years as the program manager and principal investigator for a USDOT research project on Connected Vehicle technology.

Steve currently leads cybersecurity design and consulting services for several state DoTs, transit rail operators, and aviation facilities. He also leads cybersecurity design projects for the Department of War pertaining to building management systems, access control, anti-terrorism standards, and other facility protection systems.
He is a Professional Associate at HDR, a global A&E firm.

Steve Johnson, MSc, CISSP, C|CISO Steve earned his MSc in Cybersecurity from Essex University in Colchester, England, following a career in the U.S. Army as a Communications Security Specialist. He has over 20 years of experience in the design of la... Show more

Vishal Shrivastav is a Business Intelligence Consultant specializing in Power BI, Microsoft Fabric, SQL, and DAX. He has designed and delivered dashboards and reporting solutions across Real Estate, Manufacturing, Automobile, Insurance, and Banking & Finance, working with global brands including Knight Frank, ICICI Bank, Gulf Oil, BMW, and MINI Cooper.

His reporting and analytics solutions enable data-driven decision-making across multiple departments and business segments, helping organizations improve operational efficiency, business visibility, and overall performance.

His expertise spans Power Query, Dataflows Gen2, Azure Databricks, Azure DevOps, and Row-Level Security. He is recognized for automating reporting workflows, strengthening data governance, and earning the "Rising Star" award from the BMW & MINI client for outstanding project contributions

Vishal Shrivastav is a Business Intelligence Consultant specializing in Power BI, Microsoft Fabric, SQL, and DAX. He has designed and delivered dashboards and reporting solutions across Real Estate, Manufacturing, Automobile, Insurance, and Banking &... Show more

AI, Sustainability & Smart Cities Strategist | Startup Ecosystem Leader

Isaac Agya Koomson is a Ghanaian sustainability strategist, AI innovation advocate, and startup ecosystem builder focused on advancing Africa’s economic transformation through technology, entrepreneurship, and smart systems development.

He is the Founder & CEO of KIA-Start Up Consult, Civitas Estate & Maintenance, and Farmers Haven, and Team Lead of HopeFusion Africa — an initiative with a bold vision to reduce Africa’s unemployment by 10% by 2030. His work integrates AI-driven innovation, smart urbanization, renewable energy, and agribusiness transformation to build scalable, impact-driven enterprises.

Isaac has delivered keynote addresses on AI for smart urbanization, the Human + AI hybrid workforce, and reskilling for the generative AI age at platforms including Ghana Digital & Innovation Week, Africa Education Trust Fund, and DataGlobal Hub. He has represented Ghana and African youth as an official delegate at the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings, World Bank Youth Summit, UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), IPBES-12, Global Youth Environment Assembly, and the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Seville, contributing to global discussions on climate finance, sustainable development, and digital transformation.

With over seven years of leadership across entrepreneurship, humanitarian operations, and green innovation, Isaac has supported more than 50 startups in achieving product-market fit, investment readiness, and scalable growth. His thought leadership publications have generated over 2 million views, shaping conversations around AI infrastructure, economic resilience, and Africa’s future of work.

Recognized as Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2023) by the Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs, Isaac speaks at the intersection of technology, sustainability, policy, and inclusive economic growth — challenging audiences to rethink how Africa builds its future.

AI, Sustainability & Smart Cities Strategist | Startup Ecosystem Leader Isaac Agya Koomson is a Ghanaian sustainability strategist, AI innovation advocate, and startup ecosystem builder focused on advancing Africa’s economic transformation through... Show more

As a dedicated Technical Consulting Engineer at Cisco TAC with over five years of professional experience, I have developed deep expertise in network troubleshooting and complex problem resolution. My commitment to continuous learning drives me to currently prepare for the rigorous CCIE Wireless certification, as I aim to further sharpen my technical mastery within the ever-evolving wireless landscape. Outside of my professional responsibilities, I find great joy in playing strategic board games and staying active through volleyball, which helps me maintain a healthy and productive balance between my career goals and personal well-being.

As a dedicated Technical Consulting Engineer at Cisco TAC with over five years of professional experience, I have developed deep expertise in network troubleshooting and complex problem resolution. My commitment to continuous learning drives me to cu... Show more

Technology Enthusiast.

Technology Enthusiast. Show more

Associate Product Developer specializing in test automation, IMS technologies, and quality assurance, focused on building reliable solutions and enhancing customer success using automations in products and processes.

Associate Product Developer specializing in test automation, IMS technologies, and quality assurance, focused on building reliable solutions and enhancing customer success using automations in products and processes. Show more

Herb is currently a Principal Solutions Architect for AWS, where he provides expert guidance to customers leveraging containers-based solutions. Prior to this role, Herb served as the CTO at La Haus, a leading PropTech in LatAm. During his tenure at La Haus, he successfully led the migration from monolithic to a microservices which included the early adoption of Karpenter.

Herb is currently a Principal Solutions Architect for AWS, where he provides expert guidance to customers leveraging containers-based solutions. Prior to this role, Herb served as the CTO at La Haus, a leading PropTech in LatAm. During his tenure at ... Show more

I am a Cost Control Engineer specializing in project controls for large-scale infrastructure projects. My work focuses on cost management, schedule performance, forecasting, and applying artificial intelligence to improve project decision-making and early risk detection. I am passionate about developing practical AI-driven solutions for the construction industry and am actively researching predictive analytics, cost forecasting, and infrastructure program management.

I am a Cost Control Engineer specializing in project controls for large-scale infrastructure projects. My work focuses on cost management, schedule performance, forecasting, and applying artificial intelligence to improve project decision-making and ... Show more

Peter Judge is a software architect at Consultingwerk, and has been working with Progress since 1996. Over the years, he has gone from writing reports, to building customer applications, to writing frameworks, to designing and building libraries, and generally makes stuff work together. Peter's background is in application and application toolkit design and development, and more recently has worked on server and integration technologies, but his interests span the whole SDLC from design through to deployment, regardless of language and technology. Peter is a frequent poster to various forums, a regular speaker at conferences and user groups, and enjoys bad puns and relaxing listening to records.

Peter Judge is a software architect at Consultingwerk, and has been working with Progress since 1996. Over the years, he has gone from writing reports, to building customer applications, to writing frameworks, to designing and building libraries, and... Show more

Maciej Piec is a Senior Business-Systems Analyst and Team Leader at Lufthansa Systems Poland, where he leads a BA stream in the biggest middleware harmonization project within Lufthansa Group. With experience spanning software houses, startups, and corporate environments, he possesses a strong background in business analysis, project management, and system integrations. Maciej holds a Master's degree in Computer Systems and Networks and is known for his analytical skills and ability to bridge business needs with technical solutions.

Maciej Piec is a Senior Business-Systems Analyst and Team Leader at Lufthansa Systems Poland, where he leads a BA stream in the biggest middleware harmonization project within Lufthansa Group. With experience spanning software houses, startups, and c... Show more

Mike Klingler gained his love for security while a obtaining his Computer Science degree at BYU. Since then he has worked as Anti-Virus support, PCI DSS penetration testing, SOC Analysis, and now as a Scientist and Senior Manager in Cybersecurity at L3Harris. In addition to security work, Mike has a family with 8 children and a side business in real estate.

Mike Klingler gained his love for security while a obtaining his Computer Science degree at BYU. Since then he has worked as Anti-Virus support, PCI DSS penetration testing, SOC Analysis, and now as a Scientist and Senior Manager in Cybersecurity at ... Show more

Priyanka Neelakrishnan is an accomplished and forward-thinking cybersecurity product leader, boasting over a decade of specialized expertise in AI-driven data security. Renowned for her groundbreaking contributions, she has played a pivotal role in driving sustained business development within esteemed organizations such as Palo Alto Networks, Symantec, ServiceNow. Priyanka's exceptional combination of a customer-first mindset and strong technical acumen sets her apart as a distinctive business leader dedicated to developing cutting-edge and innovative products. She is the author of security and product management books including "Autonomous Data Security"; "Jailbreaking LLMs" and "Problem Pioneering".

Her journey in the cybersecurity domain reflects a commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements. Priyanka has consistently demonstrated a visionary approach in anticipating and addressing the evolving challenges in data security. Her leadership style is characterized by a relentless pursuit of excellence, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration.

Priyanka Neelakrishnan is an accomplished and forward-thinking cybersecurity product leader, boasting over a decade of specialized expertise in AI-driven data security. Renowned for her groundbreaking contributions, she has played a pivotal role in d... Show more

Lydia Sampson is the Assistant Director at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA. She holds an MLS from Simmons University, and a Master of Science In Management. Outside of her professional life, Lydia is a foster cat mom, an avid adventure traveler, and a true crime enthusiast.

Lydia Sampson is the Assistant Director at the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood, MA. She holds an MLS from Simmons University, and a Master of Science In Management. Outside of her professional life, Lydia is a foster cat mom, an avid adventure tr... Show more

Engineer using sessionize to test the API and see if I can help make finding events easier for my company.

Engineer using sessionize to test the API and see if I can help make finding events easier for my company. Show more

Catherine Pepper, MLIS, MPH, is a Senior Associate Professor for the Department of Medical Education and teaches in evidence-based medicine and interprofessional education courses. She retired from the Medical Sciences Library at Texas A&M University in August 2022 as the Regional Services Coordinator and holds the rank of tenured Associate Professor Emerita. Based in Austin, TX, as medical librarian for the Round Rock campus of the Texas A&M Health Science Center, Cathy also served as the liaison librarian for HSC campuses and residencies in locations outside of College Station, including Houston, Corpus Christi, Temple, Dallas, and McAllen. She has taught evidence-based medicine/practice for medical, nursing, and public health students and a credit-bearing course on public health informatics.

Cathy earned her master's degree in Library and Information Science at the University of Texas and her Master of Public Health in health informatics at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. Cathy is a graduate from the CDC’s Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program (PHIFP) and was recognized for outstanding service to the Informatics Office at the Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases. Cathy’s primary research has focused on qualitative studies on teaching evidence-based medicine.

Catherine Pepper, MLIS, MPH, is a Senior Associate Professor for the Department of Medical Education and teaches in evidence-based medicine and interprofessional education courses. She retired from the Medical Sciences Library at Texas A&M University... Show more

Eric is a software and firmware engineer with over 30 years of experience in C and C++–based systems development, spanning embedded firmware, low-level infrastructure, and hardware–software interfaces. His work emphasizes stable abstractions, precise interface contracts, and long-term maintainability across implementations.

He has served as a technical contributor to the LXI Consortium and was a member of the working group for the LXI 1.6 specification, collaborating with multi-vendor teams to define interoperable, standards-based instrumentation interfaces. Eric brings a pragmatic, implementation-driven perspective to standards development, balancing technical rigor with deployability and backward compatibility.

Eric is a software and firmware engineer with over 30 years of experience in C and C++–based systems development, spanning embedded firmware, low-level infrastructure, and hardware–software interfaces. His work emphasizes stable abstractions, precise... Show more

Seale Rapolai is a problem solver and critical thinker with a passion for science and technology. A self-driven, enthusiastic full-stack developer, he is experienced in both web and app development. Seale enjoys learning and creating efficient software applications that solve complex problems – applications that are also maintainable and scalable. He’s always keen to meet new people and discover new ideas.

Seale Rapolai is a problem solver and critical thinker with a passion for science and technology. A self-driven, enthusiastic full-stack developer, he is experienced in both web and app development. Seale enjoys learning and creating efficient softwa... Show more