Professor Samson Williams
Anthropologist @ Axes and Eggs
Washington, DC, USA
Instagram | Twitter: @axesandeggs

Samson is a classically trained anthropologist, serial entrepreneur and accidental finance expert who is happy to share the business and startup lessons he’s paid the iron price for. Specialties include: fintech, digital transformation, organizational change management, crowdfunding, blockchain use cases, cryptocurrency regulations, initial coin offerings and explaining all the above, in plain English, to investors, government officials, small children and c-suite executives.

Highlights of Samson’s career:
Adjunct Professor, University of New Hampshire (UNH) School of Law, Tokenomics and Cryptocurrency Regulations

Adjunct Professor, Columbia University, Blockchain, AI, Fintech & Beyond Courses

2019 SXSW Advisory Board Member

Board Member, Washington, DC Department of Health, Institutional Review Board

Samson spent 2008 – 2016 at Fannie Mae as Emergency Manager, managing an REO portfolio of $20B in distressed assets; then as Deputy Chief of Staff Operations & Technology Executive Office; blocking, tackling, putting out fires and babysitting c-suite executives

Fluent in Irish, Legalese, Corporate Speak and discerning the slow “no” between the BS

3x Marine Corps Marathon finisher and running enthusiast, who prefers to spend his weekends fishing, playing chess, drinking bourbon and reading about the latest in emerging tech

Samson graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Cultural Anthropology and holds a Masters in Emergency & Disaster Management from American Military University. Samson’s most valuable educational asset is his common sense and experience, which he employees regularly to overcome humanity’s biggest challenge to technology adoption and organizational change – humans. For more information on Samson or to connect with him please visit his LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samson-williams-axesandeggs/

Professor Samson Williams Anthropologist @ Axes and Eggs Washington, DC, USA Instagram | Twitter: @axesandeggs Samson is a classically trained anthropologist, serial entrepreneur and accidental finance expert who is happy to share the busine... Show more

Bill Brockbank has been working with SharePoint for over 16 years and 20+ years with knowledge management solution on the Microsoft platform. Currently a Senior Architect at DatAvail Canada. specializing in SharePoint support and development on Premises and Online. Has been an active member of the Toronto SharePoint User Group for 13+ years, past President of the Toronto SharePoint User group, and Microsoft Reconnect MVP.

Bill Brockbank has been working with SharePoint for over 16 years and 20+ years with knowledge management solution on the Microsoft platform. Currently a Senior Architect at DatAvail Canada. specializing in SharePoint support and development on Premi... Show more

Developer/Architect working with Dynamics backend since 2010 and CRM 4.0. Worked with integrations in various situation with retail, media, tech and finance companies.

Developer/Architect working with Dynamics backend since 2010 and CRM 4.0. Worked with integrations in various situation with retail, media, tech and finance companies. Show more

Amy Peck is the founder & CEO of EndeavorVR, a leading global VR/AR (XR) strategy & consulting firm. Amy is a recognized thought-leader in the space and speaks globally on the future of XR. She has deep connections within the industry and works with Fortune 500 companies, digital media/production companies and tech startups on XR strategy, content, development, product and GTM.

Amy holds several Advisory Board roles:
Geo.Network, a volumetric geospatial control platform
VantagePoint, VR Sexual Harassment Training
Venture Partner, Capital Region AR/VR Accelerator
XR Marin Leadership Council
Virtual World Society Ambassador

Amy is a mentor at Draper U, Women in XR Fund, Korean Innovation Center and River Studios and is an active member of several Women in Tech & STEM Education organizations. Amy is a member of the VR/AR Association’s (VRARA) Digital Healthcare Committee and Co-chairs the VRARA Enterprise Committee.

Amy's true passion for this technology emerged at Leap Motion where she launched the Enterprise division working with clients across every major vertical including healthcare, entertainment, retail, hospitality, education and government.

It became clear that there was a need to help foster XR development in the commercial arena and more importantly, shepherd these critical early wins. EndeavorVR was conceived for this very purpose.

Amy continues her work with Fortune 500 clients, helping them adopt XR for both internal process and consumer-facing initiatives, including marketing, customer experience, productivity and training. She engages the top content creators, designers, developers and platform partners to bring these solutions to fruition.

Amy’s forte is distilling complex technologies into meaningful solutions across many verticals and business lines, delivering strategy and resources at scale.

Her own personal mission is to see XR accessible to all - fundamentally improving every aspect of our lives and changing the way we work, learn, communicate and play.

Amy Peck is the founder & CEO of EndeavorVR, a leading global VR/AR (XR) strategy & consulting firm. Amy is a recognized thought-leader in the space and speaks globally on the future of XR. She has deep connections within the industry and works with ... Show more

Rosco is a software engineer and recent Computer Science graduate with experience in Domain Driven Design through his employer Incode, where he creates applications for the real estate industry. As part of his graduation project, he implemented a proof of concept blockchain-validated audit trail inside one of the company's applications.

Rosco is a software engineer and recent Computer Science graduate with experience in Domain Driven Design through his employer Incode, where he creates applications for the real estate industry. As part of his graduation project, he implemented a pro... Show more

Creative software architect, code junkie, open source advocate and always searching for the silver bullet in software development. Proud member of an extremely talented team delivering mission-critical enterprise solutions to customers around the globe.

Creative software architect, code junkie, open source advocate and always searching for the silver bullet in software development. Proud member of an extremely talented team delivering mission-critical enterprise solutions to customers around the glo... Show more

Brian has over eighteen years of software engineering, architecture and technology leadership experience. Over the last few years he has been focusing on designing and implementing automation to support continuous integration, delivery and deployment processes. When not hard at work, he enjoys learning to play the drums and spending time with his family.

Brian has over eighteen years of software engineering, architecture and technology leadership experience. Over the last few years he has been focusing on designing and implementing automation to support continuous integration, delivery and deployment... Show more

Director, Housing Operations and Off-Campus Life

Director, Housing Operations and Off-Campus Life Show more

Michelle G. Magalong, PhD is a scholar-activist committed to elevating the stories of underrepresented peoples and places through historic preservation, planning, and public policy.

Dr. Magalong is Assistant Professor in the Historic Preservation program at the University of Maryland's School of Architecture. Planning and Preservation, where she previously served as a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow. She is affiliate faculty in Asian American Studies, Urban Studies and Planning, and American Studies. Dr. Magalong served as President for Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation (APIAHiP), a national nonprofit organization. She received her BA in Ethnic Studies and Urban Studies and Planning at University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and MA and PhD in Urban Planning at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Michelle worked in preserving historical Asian American neighborhoods and sites including Historic Filipinotown, Little Tokyo, and Thai Town in Los Angeles, and Little Manila in Stockton, California. She has served on advisory boards including for the National Park Service, State of California, and City of Los Angeles on their respective theme studies and context statements on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. She served on the board of directors for California Humanities. Michelle is a featured speaker at national conferences on historic preservation, advocacy, and the nonprofit sector, and was named "40 Under 40: People Saving Places" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2018.

Michelle G. Magalong, PhD is a scholar-activist committed to elevating the stories of underrepresented peoples and places through historic preservation, planning, and public policy. Dr. Magalong is Assistant Professor in the Historic Preservation ... Show more

I'm Ayush Rai, an engineer and independent builder working at the intersection of AI, software, and business systems.

I like getting close to difficult problems, understanding how things work under the hood, and building solutions that are useful beyond a demo. My work spans AI engineering, LLM systems, agentic workflows, full-stack product development, and revenue infrastructure.

I'm building products including [RevenueRoles](https://revenueroles.in/), a platform focused on revenue-focused careers, and [AGENYRA](https://agenyra.com/), alongside [The Open Framework](https://theopenframework.org/), an initiative exploring how technology can make social-sector work more structured and effective. I also explore ideas around GTM engineering, automation, developer tools, and the systems that help small teams do more with less.

My approach is simple: understand the problem deeply, reason about the architecture, build end to end, ship, and improve from real-world feedback. I care about the details most people skip—workflows, infrastructure, edge cases, operational constraints, and what happens after something goes live.

Beyond engineering, I'm interested in public policy, technology's impact on society, and how institutions and businesses actually operate. I enjoy connecting ideas across disciplines and turning that understanding into things people can use.

I'm particularly interested in connecting with founders, founding engineers, Forward Deployed Engineers, GTM engineers, and ambitious teams solving hard problems. I enjoy conversations about early-stage products, AI-native companies, systems architecture, and turning messy real-world problems into working software.

I build, investigate, write, and share what I learn.

**If you're working on something difficult and worth solving, let's talk.**

Website: https://ayushrai.site
Writing: https://life.ayushrai.site
GitHub: https://github.com/ayushrai-hub
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ayushrai02

I'm Ayush Rai, an engineer and independent builder working at the intersection of AI, software, and business systems. I like getting close to difficult problems, understanding how things work under the hood, and building solutions that are useful ... Show more

I'm a Power Platform and Dynamics 365 consultant and solution architect based in Umeå, Sweden. I work across Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement, Dataverse, Copilot Studio and Business Central integrations, with a focus on the new pro-code side of the platform: Code Apps, generative pages, single-page applications in Power Pages, mobile apps and AI-assisted development with GitHub Copilot CLI. I've spoken at the EPPC 2026 community stage and Power Platform Community Sweden, I mentor makers in Power Apps and Power Automate, and I write at The Dynamic Power Disciple.

I'm a Power Platform and Dynamics 365 consultant and solution architect based in Umeå, Sweden. I work across Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement, Dataverse, Copilot Studio and Business Central integrations, with a focus on the new pro-code side of the p... Show more

Adefunminiyi Morakinyo is a Senior Infrastructure Engineer and Enterprise Cloud Architect specializing in hybrid cloud engineering, enterprise security governance, and AI-driven data automation. With deep experience spanning mission-critical infrastructure across multinational organizations, he designs resilient, high-performance systems utilizing Azure, enterprise virtualization (Proxmox, VMware), and automation with Python, Go, and PowerShell.

Adefunminiyi has led digital transformation initiatives and engineered custom platforms that automate complex enterprise data lifecycles and asset ecosystems. Beyond hands-on architecture, he is an active advocate for practical AI integration in regulated environments and writes regularly as a national technology columnist on modern infrastructure design, DevSecOps, and enterprise AI adoption.

Adefunminiyi Morakinyo is a Senior Infrastructure Engineer and Enterprise Cloud Architect specializing in hybrid cloud engineering, enterprise security governance, and AI-driven data automation. With deep experience spanning mission-critical infrastr... Show more

Dr. Haidy Mahmoud Shehata is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Engineering, Pharos University in Alexandria, specializing in Architectural Engineering, Sustainable Design, Smart Cities, and Artificial Intelligence-driven solutions for sustainable development. She holds a PhD in Architectural Engineering from Alexandria University, with research focusing on Fifth Generation Smart Cities and strategies for sustainable urban transformation.

Her research interests encompass smart cities, sustainability, environmental design, energy-efficient buildings, human-centered design, and the integration of AI and emerging technologies within the built environment. She has contributed to scientific publications, international conferences, peer reviewing, training, and interdisciplinary sustainability initiatives.

Dr. Shehata serves as THE Impact Rankings Coordinator at Pharos University in Alexandria and Coordinator of Community Service and Sustainability Center at the Faculty of Engineering. She is a Certified Trainer at EDC and under the “Be an Ambassador for Sustainable Development” initiative. Her work advances engineering education, sustainability, and innovation toward sustainable environments.

Dr. Haidy Mahmoud Shehata is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Engineering, Pharos University in Alexandria, specializing in Architectural Engineering, Sustainable Design, Smart Cities, and Artificial Intelligence-driven solutions for sustaina... Show more

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Tomasz Maj began his journey in product development over 15 years ago, long before "scaling" became a buzzword. Having spent nearly a decade in strategic consulting, he’s navigated the complexities of organizational change across four continents—seeing the good, the bad, and the truly ugly of digital transformation. Along the way, he’s managed to build a formidable sneaker collection, survive the chaos of raising three kids in the Warsaw suburbs, and likely spent more time with Lego bricks than most professional architects. He currently serves as Head of Product Operations at Odevo, where he specializes in bridging the gap between tech and product to build high-performing global PropTech solutions.

Tomasz Maj began his journey in product development over 15 years ago, long before "scaling" became a buzzword. Having spent nearly a decade in strategic consulting, he’s navigated the complexities of organizational change across four continents—seei... Show more

Lana Crouse serves as Regional Director for the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Market Transformation & Development team, where she leads efforts to advance sustainability, health, resilience, and equity across the Atlantic region, including Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. In this role, she oversees market development, cultivates strategic partnerships, and drives local engagement to accelerate the adoption of green building practices.

With more than 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Lana brings a strong background in business development, event strategy, and stakeholder engagement. She is passionate about building collaborative communities and advancing solutions that positively impact both people and the planet. Her work reflects a deep commitment to USGBC’s mission of transforming the built environment.

Lana holds a degree from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs and a Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate from Georgetown University.

Lana Crouse serves as Regional Director for the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Market Transformation & Development team, where she leads efforts to advance sustainability, health, resilience, and equity across the Atlantic region, including Wa... Show more

Sr. Customer Success Architect at GitHub
Primarily provides technical support for GitHub's enterprise solutions. Actively promotes the adoption of GitHub Copilot.
Additionally, focuses on introducing open source culture and practices into corporations, advocating for InnerSource to break down organizational silos. Through these efforts, serves as the President of the non-profit InnerSource Commons Foundation, contributing to the global advancement of InnerSource principles.

Sr. Customer Success Architect at GitHub Primarily provides technical support for GitHub's enterprise solutions. Actively promotes the adoption of GitHub Copilot. Additionally, focuses on introducing open source culture and practices into corporati... Show more

Bryan is an experienced engineer and leader who designs and builds complex distributed systems. He has spent his career developing mobile and back-end systems whilst building autonomous teams. More recently he has been focused on delivery and cloud native at Thoughtworks. In his free time he plays ice hockey and goes trail running, and tries to break into the champion rank in rocket league. https://olivercodes.com

Bryan is an experienced engineer and leader who designs and builds complex distributed systems. He has spent his career developing mobile and back-end systems whilst building autonomous teams. More recently he has been focused on delivery and cloud n... Show more

Magnus Sandvik, Special Advisor in Sykehusbygg HF, working with labour integrity (A-krim), health and safety (SHA), and security in hospital projects. Leads and contributes to the development of frameworks and guidelines for preparedness and security in large, complex construction projects

Magnus Sandvik, Special Advisor in Sykehusbygg HF, working with labour integrity (A-krim), health and safety (SHA), and security in hospital projects. Leads and contributes to the development of frameworks and guidelines for preparedness and security... Show more

Valeria Cerpa es desarrolladora front-end y arquitecta, actualmente becaria de la organización Engineering for Change (E4C) y GHC 23. En 2021, fundó "Datos para Espacios Resilientes", primer proyecto digital del Fellowship Resilience Fund, lo que le permitió liderar un equipo y trabajar en la generación de mapas interactivos sobre seguridad urbana.
Además, Valeria está involucrada en el desarrollo de "Planning 2050", un proyecto web peruano-americano, que promueve compromisos sostenibles para ciudades desde instituciones públicas. Anteriormente, fue becaria de US Green Building Council en Washington DC, Harvard WECode y participó en el podcast de Women Who Code (WWCode). Su experiencia le ha permitido colaborar con organizaciones de Estados Unidos, Suiza, Francia y Perú.

Valeria Cerpa es desarrolladora front-end y arquitecta, actualmente becaria de la organización Engineering for Change (E4C) y GHC 23. En 2021, fundó "Datos para Espacios Resilientes", primer proyecto digital del Fellowship Resilience Fund, lo que le ... Show more

Opeyemi Adegboye (Yemi) l
Seasoned UI/UX Designer | Digital Experience Architect | Educator

With over three years of experience in UI/UX design, I specialize in creating user-centered solutions that merge functionality with aesthetics. From my early beginnings as a freelance designer to my current role as a lead UI/UX Designer at TASAfrica, I have helped businesses craft intuitive, user-driven experiences that resonate.

Previously, I worked as a UI/UX Engineer at Lights on Heights, where I spearheaded impactful projects like the My Limestone App redesign, enhancing features such as offline check-in and geolocation-enabled panic alerts. My expertise lives across design systems, usability testing, and crafting scalable solutions for web and mobile platforms.

Passionate about sharing knowledge, I've tutored over 50 aspiring designers within 25 different African countries, helping them launch careers in tech. Beyond work, I attend tech events and webinars, most recently speaking at Tech1M's webinar, "Creating Memorable Experiences through User-Centric Designs."

I believe design is more than visuals, it's about solving problems, crafting memorable experiences, and connecting people. When I’m not designing, you’ll find me learning German, playing call of duty mobile or brainstorming ideas to give back to the community through tech education.

Opeyemi Adegboye (Yemi) l Seasoned UI/UX Designer | Digital Experience Architect | Educator With over three years of experience in UI/UX design, I specialize in creating user-centered solutions that merge functionality with aesthetics. From my ea... Show more

Zuhairah Washington is a dynamic C-level executive and global business leader with more than 20 years of experience scaling high-growth companies and leading complex marketplace businesses. She currently serves as Senior Vice President and General Manager at Zillow Group, where she oversees Zillow’s for-sale business, Zillow Preferred, driving billions in revenue and shaping the future of real estate.
Known for delivering transformative growth and operational excellence, Zuhairah has led organizations from early-stage startups to Fortune 500 companies. She previously served as CEO of Otrium, a global sustainable fashion marketplace recognized as one of the Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company, where she led international expansion and drove significant revenue growth. Prior to that, she held senior leadership roles at Expedia Group and Uber, where she led large-scale global teams, built strategic partnerships, and scaled businesses to over $1 billion in annual revenue. At Uber, she also played a key role in navigating regulatory frameworks that helped legitimize ridesharing in major U.S. markets.
In addition to her executive leadership, Zuhairah is an experienced board director, currently serving on the board of Five Below and previously on the board of Olo. She is a recognized thought leader and frequent speaker on topics including marketplace innovation, leadership, and scaling businesses, with insights featured in outlets such as Harvard Business Review, NPR, Forbes, and MSNBC. She is also a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute.
Zuhairah holds a JD/MBA from Harvard University and a BA magna cum laude from University of California, Los Angeles. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, collecting art, traveling, and cheering on the Seattle Seahawks.

Zuhairah Washington is a dynamic C-level executive and global business leader with more than 20 years of experience scaling high-growth companies and leading complex marketplace businesses. She currently serves as Senior Vice President and General Ma... Show more

Entrepreneur français, investisseur immobilier et dirigeant de plusieurs entreprises, Abel Gadri accompagne les entrepreneurs dans l'amélioration de leur performance grâce à des méthodes concrètes mêlant stratégie, discipline et intelligence artificielle. Son approche repose sur des applications directement utilisables sur le terrain pour gagner du temps, améliorer les décisions et accélérer le développement des entreprises.

Entrepreneur français, investisseur immobilier et dirigeant de plusieurs entreprises, Abel Gadri accompagne les entrepreneurs dans l'amélioration de leur performance grâce à des méthodes concrètes mêlant stratégie, discipline et intelligence artifici... Show more

Sr. TPM en Zillow, PhD en Inteligencia Artificial y GDE en Machine Learning.

Sr. TPM en Zillow, PhD en Inteligencia Artificial y GDE en Machine Learning. Show more

Con casi 25 años ya de trayectoria profesional, mi inicio en la consultoría me llevó a implementar soluciones tecnológicas en NH Hoteles y a liderar proyectos de software e innovación en gestión empresarial. Posteriormente pasé a cliente final como CIO, donde abordé el reto de modernizar y digitalizar un gran grupo con más de 1500 empleados y 11 sedes. De vuelta en la consultoría, y dentro de la excelencia empresarial y la estrategia de proyectos, adopté la tecnología Low Code para optimizar procesos y talento. Hoy, en SNGULAR, como Business Manager y Microsoft Lead, aplico mi experiencia para desarrollar proyectos que integran BizzApps de Microsoft, facilitando la vida y potenciando negocios con soluciones que lideran la transformación digital.

Con casi 25 años ya de trayectoria profesional, mi inicio en la consultoría me llevó a implementar soluciones tecnológicas en NH Hoteles y a liderar proyectos de software e innovación en gestión empresarial. Posteriormente pasé a cliente final como C... Show more

Valentino Palomba, born on May 29, 2000, in Naples, is a passionate iOS developer and a fervent fan of Napoli football and Formula 1. Currently studying Computer Science, he works as a iOS Software Engineer for Intesa Sanpaolo, where he had the possibility to attend WWDC 2024. Beyond coding, Valentino loves watching Napoli matches and Formula 1 races, bringing energy and enthusiasm to every project he undertakes.

Valentino Palomba, born on May 29, 2000, in Naples, is a passionate iOS developer and a fervent fan of Napoli football and Formula 1. Currently studying Computer Science, he works as a iOS Software Engineer for Intesa Sanpaolo, where he had the possi... Show more

Over time I’ve realized that I prefer platforms that don’t try to do too much at once. When everything feels clean and simple, the whole experience is just better. Recently I’ve been using, and it’s been a solid choice so far.

Over time I’ve realized that I prefer platforms that don’t try to do too much at once. When everything feels clean and simple, the whole experience is just better. Recently I’ve been using, and it’s been a solid choice so far. Show more

Jacek Korneluk is a Blockchain and AI strategist, and the Founder and Director of Spektrumlab Pty Ltd and Spektrumlab.io - a platform focused on practical education, mentoring, and innovation in emerging technologies.

With over 20 years of multidisciplinary experience across healthcare, digital health, and technology, he operates at the intersection of AI, Web3, and digital transformation. Jacek mentors founders and teams in applying AI, blockchain, and agent-based systems in practical, outcome-driven ways.

He works closely with founders, professionals, and organisations to bridge the gap between concept and execution. He translating complex ideas into practical strategies and real-world applications. His work includes leading LedgerMed - a blockchain and AI framework for patient-centric healthcare and contributing to the international publication Decentralised Healing.

Jacek is a Blocksquare Ambassador and an active member of the innovation ecosystem in Western Australia, including the WA AI Hub and Polish Business WA. In 2025, he was recognised as PropTech Champion of Western Australia and named a finalist in three categories at The Blockies.

He regularly publishes insights on AI, blockchain, and digital transformation at Spektrumlab.io.

Jacek Korneluk is a Blockchain and AI strategist, and the Founder and Director of Spektrumlab Pty Ltd and Spektrumlab.io - a platform focused on practical education, mentoring, and innovation in emerging technologies. With over 20 years of multidi... Show more

Bryan is currently working with the Linux baseport team for Texas Instruments’ Sitara class of SoCs and other embedded processors TI produces. When he’s not playing with chips, Bryan is learning everything he can about everything: general aviation, baseball statistics, embedded real-time systems. He’s a pretty cool guy, you should say hello

Bryan is currently working with the Linux baseport team for Texas Instruments’ Sitara class of SoCs and other embedded processors TI produces. When he’s not playing with chips, Bryan is learning everything he can about everything: general aviation, b... Show more

Anurima is Product Designer working on high impact user journeys in Southeast Asia's real estate space - PropertyGuru where decisions are complex, high stakes and deeply personal. Her work focuses on designing experiences that go beyond usability to build trust, clarity and confidence.
She is particularly interested in how AI is reshaping user behaviour and decision making, and how design can evolve beyond interfaces to support better, more informed outcomes. Through her work, she explores how to balance automation with user control in systems that increasingly act on behalf of people.

Anurima is Product Designer working on high impact user journeys in Southeast Asia's real estate space - PropertyGuru where decisions are complex, high stakes and deeply personal. Her work focuses on designing experiences that go beyond usability to ... Show more