Michael W. Forness is a design-build landscaping specialist whose career is characterized by technical discipline and a strong connection to the coastal environment he serves. Also known informally as “Mike” or “Michael Forness”, the New Smyrna Beach-based landscape contractor focuses primarily on high-end residential landscaping, where he has more than two decades of hands-on experience.

Mike Forness attended the University of Central Florida and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business before pursuing a career in landscaping and residential construction. In 2005, he earned a certified state building contractor license from the Florida State Construction Licensing Board. His education and years of field experience have helped shape a practical approach to project management, planning, and outdoor design.

In 2001, he founded Coastal Landscapes of Volusia, a company focused on residential landscaping projects throughout the New Smyrna Beach area. Since establishing the Business, he has worked primarily with homeowners seeking outdoor environments that balance functionality with the natural coastal setting. Many of his projects involve waterfront and oceanfront homes where drainage, soil conditions, and environmental exposure require careful planning and long-term consideration.

His work is built around a design-build process that integrates planning, engineering, scheduling, and construction into a single, organized system. By remaining involved from the beginning of a project through completion, Michael W. Forness oversees client communication, site coordination, scheduling, and project management. This direct involvement allows him to maintain consistency throughout every stage of development.

His landscaping projects frequently include irrigation systems, hardscape installation, outdoor living layouts, and plant selection designed for Florida’s coastal conditions. Rather than treating landscaping as a separate decorative feature, Michael Forness views outdoor spaces as an extension of the home itself. This perspective has remained an important part of his professional philosophy over the years.

Working in coastal Florida also requires experience with changing weather conditions, salt air, and exposure to moisture. Through years of practical work, he has developed methods designed to support durability and long-term functionality in outdoor spaces. In the market associated with Michael Forness New Smyrna, his projects reflect a steady focus on organization, usability, and dependable project execution.

In addition to overseeing construction and landscaping work, he also manages many operational responsibilities connected to running the company. Estimating project costs, organizing schedules, coordinating resources, and maintaining communication with homeowners are all important parts of his daily responsibilities. His background in Business has helped him balance field operations with administrative management.

Outside of work, Mike enjoys activities connected to Florida’s coastal lifestyle, especially offshore fishing and surfing along the east coast. Family life also remains important to him. His wife contributes to the company as office manager and marketing director, supporting daily operations and long-term planning for the Business.

Together, they have three daughters pursuing different educational and career paths. One is continuing her education in nursing, another is preparing for a career in accounting, and their youngest daughter remains active in academics and competitive soccer while attending high school.

He has also remained connected to the local community through support for youth athletics and school sports programs. Through continued sponsorships and local involvement, Michael Forness New Smyrna continues to contribute to the New Smyrna Beach community while maintaining his commitment to thoughtful landscaping and dependable residential project management.

Michael W. Forness is a design-build landscaping specialist whose career is characterized by technical discipline and a strong connection to the coastal environment he serves. Also known informally as “Mike” or “Michael Forness”, the New Smyrna Beach... Show more

Faith Sycaoyao is an emerging entrepreneur, artist, and researcher with 10+ speaking engagements across academic and international spaces. She is the Boston Marathon Founding Muralist and founder of NCLS Holdings, where she has built a global audience of 70,000+ across 40 countries. Her work spans 15+ years in visual art and has been featured or presented through institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania, UC Berkeley, and the University of Texas at Austin, as well as outlets and platforms including UNESCO, NBC 10 WJAR, CBS Boston, and international art fairs. She has also received recognition from critic Anthony Fawcett (University of Oxford).

Her academic and research work includes collaborations and contributions with institutions such as Stanford University, the University of Texas at Austin, UCLA, and the University of Kentucky, with a focus on environmental studies, finance, and real estate. She has also contributed to youth-led and UN-affiliated initiatives, including UNICEF, UNESCO, and the WHO Youth Council, and has participated in global climate policy spaces such as COP and YOUNGO. She is a Vital Voices Visionaries Fellow with The Estée Lauder Companies and has worked with Climate Cardinals on climate education and communication projects.

Faith Sycaoyao is an emerging entrepreneur, artist, and researcher with 10+ speaking engagements across academic and international spaces. She is the Boston Marathon Founding Muralist and founder of NCLS Holdings, where she has built a global audienc... Show more

John Dennison is a senior Cloud and DevOps architect at Sogeti Engage, part of Capgemini. He has worked for over 20 years in the IT Industry and has a range of experience from IoT & data to being an application architect and DevOps expert. He is passionate about automation and improving developer experiences by allowing them to focus on producing value for their customers. He has followed the Dapr project for many years and is involved in implementing solutions based on Dapr for our customers.

John Dennison is a senior Cloud and DevOps architect at Sogeti Engage, part of Capgemini. He has worked for over 20 years in the IT Industry and has a range of experience from IoT & data to being an application architect and DevOps expert. He is pass... Show more

Nandipa Sozoyi is a PhD candidate, transdisciplinary researcher, and systems thinker working at the intersection of Indigenous Knowledge Systems, digital infrastructure, spatial governance, and emerging technologies. Her research explores how knowledge systems function as adaptive infrastructures that inform contemporary challenges in AI, sustainability, governance, and technology design.

She is the founder of Noncedo Development Collective, a South African systems design and research initiative focused on ethical development architectures, knowledge infrastructures, and innovation ecosystems. Her work spans academic research, community innovation, and applied platform development, including community-based initiatives through Zithulele Development Collective and IKS SoMbo Connect, an emerging initiative exploring how Indigenous knowledge can be translated into digital and institutional systems.

Nandipa’s work has received innovation funding, featured in innovation showcases and collaborative initiatives, and increasingly bridges architecture, systems thinking, and technology futures. She also contributes to higher education through research mentorship and studio teaching while building models that connect research, communities, and emerging technologies.

Nandipa Sozoyi is a PhD candidate, transdisciplinary researcher, and systems thinker working at the intersection of Indigenous Knowledge Systems, digital infrastructure, spatial governance, and emerging technologies. Her research explores how knowled... Show more

Arun Pratap Singh is an IEEE Senior Member and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). Distinguished judge and speaker on agentic AI & analytics adoption in enterprise analytics at MIT, Harvard, Yale, Duke, Georgia Tech, the University of California, San Diego, and various IEEE conferences.

He is a contributing author to CIO Magazine, where he writes on analytics maturity frameworks, agentic AI & analytics adoption, and digital transformation. His recent research focuses on multi-agent AI architectures and autonomous decision systems, examining how organizations can scale AI from experimental pilots to production-grade infrastructure.

Arun Pratap Singh is an IEEE Senior Member and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). Distinguished judge and speaker on agentic AI & analytics adoption in enterprise analytics at MIT, Harvard, Yale, Duke, Georgia Tech, the ... Show more

Stefan Baumgartner is an architect and developer based in Austria. He is the author of "TypeScript in 50 Lessons" (Smashing Magazine, 2020) and "The TypeScript Cookbook" (O'Reilly, 2023). In his spare time, he organizes ScriptConf and Rust Linz. Stefan enjoys Italian food, Belgian beer, and British vinyl records.

Stefan Baumgartner is an architect and developer based in Austria. He is the author of "TypeScript in 50 Lessons" (Smashing Magazine, 2020) and "The TypeScript Cookbook" (O'Reilly, 2023). In his spare time, he organizes ScriptConf and Rust Linz. Stef... Show more

Don Miller is Chief Innovation Officer at Tranztec Solutions, where he leads the design and development of large scale software platforms used across the transportation and logistics industry. With more than 20 years of experience building enterprise software, Don specializes in distributed systems, API integrations, and modern development workflows that help teams ship reliable software faster.

Throughout his career, Don has led engineering teams responsible for complex integrations between transportation management systems, telematics providers, and cloud platforms. His work focuses on scalable architecture, event driven systems, and practical ways developers can use emerging technologies like AI to improve productivity and code quality.

Don is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Engineering Technology at the University of Toledo, where he teaches courses in object oriented programming and software engineering. In the classroom and in industry, he enjoys helping developers think more deeply about how software systems are designed and built.

When he is not leading product innovation or teaching, Don speaks at developer events about architecture, AI assisted development, and lessons learned from building real world production systems.

Don Miller is Chief Innovation Officer at Tranztec Solutions, where he leads the design and development of large scale software platforms used across the transportation and logistics industry. With more than 20 years of experience building enterprise... Show more

Passionate problem solver and results-driven Architect with 18 years of experience in designing and delivering scalable, innovative solutions across multimillion-dollar projects for global, multibillion-dollar organizations.

Passionate problem solver and results-driven Architect with 18 years of experience in designing and delivering scalable, innovative solutions across multimillion-dollar projects for global, multibillion-dollar organizations. Show more

Manoj Reddy Jaggavarapu is a seasoned technology executive with over 20 years of experience in architecting, developing, and leading the delivery of scalable, reliable, and intelligent enterprise software solutions. Currently serving as Senior Director of Software Engineering at Progress Residential, Manoj has played a pivotal role in leveraging AI and automation to transform customer experience, operational efficiency, and fraud prevention in the real estate technology space.
At Progress Residential, Manoj led the development and pilot of an AI-driven leasing solution that nurtures over 20,000 leads per month across multiple channels email, text, and voice with plans for national expansion to manage over 2 million leads annually. His leadership in integrating Salesforce Voice Cloud with AWS Connect, along with AI-powered call quality analysis systems, contributed to a 30% reduction in lost cases and a 28% cut in call center costs. He also spearheaded initiatives such as a redesigned customer portal, advanced case handling workflows, and the automation of over 6,000 types of HOA notices using OCR and generative AI resulting in the elimination of 10 person-days of manual effort and drastically reduced error rates.
Previously, at 7-Eleven, Manoj led the RIS 2.0 cloud migration, handling over 10 million POS transactions daily across 10,000+ stores, and modernized cashierless store operations using computer vision. He played a critical role in launching the 7NOW delivery platform, now a billion-dollar line of business, and spearheaded innovations in contactless retail, including the U.S.'s first facial recognition-based payment and loyalty system in partnership with Caliburger while at NEC Corporation.
Manoj’s earlier experience includes technical leadership roles at NEC India and Wipro, where he built and optimized mission-critical systems in retail, telecom, and pharmacy domains. He has consistently demonstrated the ability to lead large engineering teams, drive complex cloud migrations, develop AI-first applications, and bring innovative solutions to market with measurable business outcomes.
With deep hands-on expertise in full-stack development, AI/ML, RPA, and cloud architecture (AWS), Manoj continues to drive digital transformation through technical innovation and strategic leadership.

Manoj Reddy Jaggavarapu is a seasoned technology executive with over 20 years of experience in architecting, developing, and leading the delivery of scalable, reliable, and intelligent enterprise software solutions. Currently serving as Senior Direct... Show more

Matthew Flanagan is the Director and Principal Cyber Security Consultant at Cybliminal, a security consultancy he founded in 2022. With 30+ years of IT experience, including 25 years specialising in cyber security, he applies adversarial and offensive techniques to help organisations build stronger, more resilient defences.

Matthew Flanagan is the Director and Principal Cyber Security Consultant at Cybliminal, a security consultancy he founded in 2022. With 30+ years of IT experience, including 25 years specialising in cyber security, he applies adversarial and offensiv... Show more

As the Director of Information and AI at adorsys, Tim brings a visionary approach to enterprise architecture and data governance. His expertise lies in designing strategic frameworks that enable organizations to unlock the full potential of their data assets. Tim’s leadership is rooted in a deep understanding of the symbiotic relationship between information and innovation.

As the Director of Information and AI at adorsys, Tim brings a visionary approach to enterprise architecture and data governance. His expertise lies in designing strategic frameworks that enable organizations to unlock the full potential of their dat... Show more

Founder of **Explyra**, a modern productivity and developer platform designed to unify multiple business tools into one ecosystem.

Explyra focuses on building powerful, lightweight web tools including video meetings, booking systems, attendance management, CRM utilities and developer tools.

Key things I am working on:

• Building scalable SaaS products using modern web technologies
• Creating real-time communication tools (similar to modern meeting platforms)
• Designing developer-friendly utilities and automation tools
• Developing productivity systems for companies, schools and individuals

Products currently in development within the Explyra suite include:

• Explyra Meet – real-time video meetings
• Explyra Booking – personal scheduling system
• Explyra Attendance – attendance and analytics platform
• Explyra CRM – customer relationship management tools
• Explyra Utilities – productivity utilities for developers

Goal:
Build a unified platform where individuals, teams and organizations can manage work, communication and productivity from a single place.

Founder of **Explyra**, a modern productivity and developer platform designed to unify multiple business tools into one ecosystem. Explyra focuses on building powerful, lightweight web tools including video meetings, booking systems, attendance ma... Show more

When he’s not helping finance teams untangle their payments messes, Jay is usually strapped into something loud, fast, or airborne—sometimes all three in the same week.

In the office, he’s a visionary and a natural leader for Accounts Payable teams: the kind of operator who doesn’t just “optimize a process,” but rethinks how AP should work end-to-end—simplifying the chaos, modernizing the tech stack, and rallying teams around a clear path from manual grind to automated control.

He’s also a multi-rated pilot (powered, glider, and unmanned—rotor and fixed-wing) who puts those skills to work with the Civil Air Patrol on search-and-rescue missions, logging real cockpit time when it actually counts.

Back on the ground, he’s a lifelong motorsports addict: a season points champion who’s finished 3rd out of 330 cars in divisional competition—and then decided that wasn’t chaotic enough, so he went all-in on the art (and smoke) of drift driving.

And when things “slow down,” it’s only by Jay’s standards: playing guitar in a band, disappearing off-grid in the mountains, or sending a snowmobile through deep powder like it personally offended him. If it runs on fuel, flies, or makes your heart rate question your life choices, there’s a decent chance Jay’s either done it… or is already planning the next stunt.

When he’s not helping finance teams untangle their payments messes, Jay is usually strapped into something loud, fast, or airborne—sometimes all three in the same week. In the office, he’s a visionary and a natural leader for Accounts Payable team... Show more

"JM" is an industry old-schooler, with more than 25 years of experience as software engineer, architect, and CTO in startups, last 10 years mangling and crunching data for ML use cases, now at Adobe. In his career he has developed NLP systems, developer tools, cryptographic cards, mobile video games, and big-data pipelines, among others. He also helped the young generations as associated professor in his local university, for more than 15 years.

"JM" is an industry old-schooler, with more than 25 years of experience as software engineer, architect, and CTO in startups, last 10 years mangling and crunching data for ML use cases, now at Adobe. In his career he has developed NLP systems, develo... Show more

I am a consulting architect, programmer, coach, building applications for various rather large financial institutes and insurance companies for more than 15 years. Since greenfield projects are rare and precious, I have been using various tech stacks ranging from WS-* with EJBs to HapiJS on Node.

Currently I am focusing on cloud architectures, serverless computing, conversational user interfaces and any good reason to use Elixir.

I am a consulting architect, programmer, coach, building applications for various rather large financial institutes and insurance companies for more than 15 years. Since greenfield projects are rare and precious, I have been using various tech stacks... Show more

Kamal Aliyu is a passionate AI Engineer and tech advocate with extensive experience in machine learning, prompt engineering, and data science. As the Chief Operating Officer at Bravpuls Technologies, a nonprofit startup focused on promoting technology education among students, especially girls in underrepresented regions, Kamal has been instrumental in shaping initiatives that bridge the gender and regional gaps in the tech ecosystem. He is also the GDSC Lead at Ahmadu Bello University, where he empowers students to harness the power of technology. Kamal has a proven track record of developing AI-driven solutions, including CogniEdify, and is dedicated to leveraging AI to solve real-world challenges.

Kamal Aliyu is a passionate AI Engineer and tech advocate with extensive experience in machine learning, prompt engineering, and data science. As the Chief Operating Officer at Bravpuls Technologies, a nonprofit startup focused on promoting technolog... Show more

Deepthi is a senior technical leader at NetApp with 18+ years of experience in designing, deploying, and managing distributed systems. With deep expertise in virtualization and Kubernetes, she brings practical insights on building and operating large-scale, reliable platforms. A Certified Kubernetes Application Developer, she has hands-on experience with Kubernetes operators, Helm, microservices, and cloud-native tooling for modern application delivery and operations

Deepthi is a senior technical leader at NetApp with 18+ years of experience in designing, deploying, and managing distributed systems. With deep expertise in virtualization and Kubernetes, she brings practical insights on building and operating large... Show more

I’m the technical cofounder of Hey Rafi, building a real estate acquisition product that uses AI to handle calling, texting, and follow-ups. I’m focused on making those workflows reliable in production, and I’m starting to share the lessons we learn along the way.

I’m the technical cofounder of Hey Rafi, building a real estate acquisition product that uses AI to handle calling, texting, and follow-ups. I’m focused on making those workflows reliable in production, and I’m starting to share the lessons we learn ... Show more

Background in ML/AI and Data Science. Prior experience with applied ML models and geo-spatial modeling in the Real Estate tech space at companies like LocalLogic, GraceHill and Grab.

Background in ML/AI and Data Science. Prior experience with applied ML models and geo-spatial modeling in the Real Estate tech space at companies like LocalLogic, GraceHill and Grab. Show more

Raquel Thompson joined Barbados Community College and completed her degree. She is 13 years experienced architecture professional with involvement across a wide range of project types and sizes. Barbados Community College Raquel Thompson has experience in planning, designing, and constructing major and minor renovation and architecture projects inclusive of Institutional, recreational, commercial, and residential facilities.

Raquel Shaheda Karimah Thompson has a background in directing all project phases, from design through completion of construction. Raquel Thompson is a motivated designer with excellent interpersonal communication skills, relationship management, and execution skills. It can be noted that Raquel works well under pressure.

Raquel Thompson joined Barbados Community College and completed her degree. She is 13 years experienced architecture professional with involvement across a wide range of project types and sizes. Barbados Community College Raquel Thompson has experien... Show more

28+ years experienced developer, entrepreneur, speaker and game developer. Strong background on .NET and Microsoft Azure. XR passionate.

28+ years experienced developer, entrepreneur, speaker and game developer. Strong background on .NET and Microsoft Azure. XR passionate. Show more

After finishing his education as a software developer in 2011, Patrick worked for a small company. There he was able to work on the further development of a 50 year old software for real estate management. He gained a broad knowledge of programming languages (Cobol, VB6, Delphi, C#) and practices.

After that, he moves to the Business Central area in 2017. He uses the prior knowledge to think "out of the box" in Business Central.

You can read his ideas on his blog https://patrickschiefer.com

After finishing his education as a software developer in 2011, Patrick worked for a small company. There he was able to work on the further development of a 50 year old software for real estate management. He gained a broad knowledge of programming l... Show more

Defining Go-to-market strategy for Enterprises to extend Microsoft Copilot & Power Platform through AI tools and low code/ no code solutions. Aiming to create a sustainable impact for the Enterprises & consumers by turbocharging product value with the magic of modern tech! 🚀 .

I have prior experience in Global e-commerce, with Amazon in Multi-Million dollars Brand Transparency Program to protect the Fortune 500 brands and SMBs against counterfeit products on Amazon. I was also associated with Vodafone in Business Transformation Programs across international markets to position the company for competitive advantage.

From growing up as an Army kid to becoming an Army wife, community spirit and exploring uncharted territories is in the DNA.

Defining Go-to-market strategy for Enterprises to extend Microsoft Copilot & Power Platform through AI tools and low code/ no code solutions. Aiming to create a sustainable impact for the Enterprises & consumers by turbocharging product value with th... Show more

Freelance consultant, developer and architect in Enterprise Application Integration. .NET enthusiast of the first hour. Many years of experience in software development and architecture in national and international projects with a focus on Microsoft solutions, especially the .NET platform.

Freelance consultant, developer and architect in Enterprise Application Integration. .NET enthusiast of the first hour. Many years of experience in software development and architecture in national and international projects with a focus on Microsoft... Show more

As a Microsoft Stack Enterprise Architect I have worked with customers, Partners and Microsoft to support in the delivery of complex CRM & ERP solutions and requirements. Technology Transformations often end up overcomplicated simply because people make them that way and my goal is to try and stop that! We can make it simpler so lets do this!

As a Microsoft Stack Enterprise Architect I have worked with customers, Partners and Microsoft to support in the delivery of complex CRM & ERP solutions and requirements. Technology Transformations often end up overcomplicated simply because people m... Show more

Agile developer at heart, going on 20 years experience in almost every role imaginable and still hungry to learn more.

Agile developer at heart, going on 20 years experience in almost every role imaginable and still hungry to learn more. Show more

Mark Perry is a senior developer at Howard Hughes Medical Institute with 25+ years of enterprise software experience. He builds AI-powered SaaS applications using React, ASP.NET Core, and Azure while running Pulse AI Solutions, a Microsoft Cloud Partner focused on AI implementation. Mark's production applications include UFL News Hub Fantasy (8,000+ users), Golf News Nation, and Grown Up Magic. He attended Live! 360 Orlando 2025 as a Live! Insider and is pursuing Azure AI Engineer certification. When he's not coding, he's figuring out how to make AI tools actually useful for working developers.

Mark Perry is a senior developer at Howard Hughes Medical Institute with 25+ years of enterprise software experience. He builds AI-powered SaaS applications using React, ASP.NET Core, and Azure while running Pulse AI Solutions, a Microsoft Cloud Part... Show more

Robert Kasirer manages his family office, where he helped build a national real estate investment and management company with a diversified portfolio across 12 states. His role has included oversight of real estate investments, property operations, and long-term business direction. He also serves as president of his family foundation, where his charitable work focuses on education and Jewish causes. Through this work, he supports institutions and programs that strengthen learning, identity, and community life.

Kasirer founded nonprofit organizations in the United States and Israel in 2022 to support the development of a digital platform and app for Jewish life. The platform brings together music, learning, prayer, podcasts, videos, and short interactive experiences in one accessible place. It is designed for individuals and communities, while also allowing schools, synagogues, camps, campus groups, organizations, and creators to share their own content through customized digital spaces.

Robert Kasirer comes from a family history shaped by Holocaust survival, deep loss, and lasting purpose. His mother was imprisoned in Auschwitz, while his father was sent to a forced labor camp. Many members of their family were killed during that period. His parents came from a small village in the Carpathian Mountains, and his father trained as a shoemaker after losing his own father at a young age and beginning work to help support the family.

Robert was born in Austria after his parents were liberated, married, and waited for visas to immigrate to the United States. He and one sister were born there before the family later settled in Los Angeles, where another sister was born. After arriving in 1954, his parents helped build Jewish community life by supporting schools, synagogues, and educational institutions, even as those resources remained limited for many families.

Kasirer was raised with the belief that remembrance should lead to education, service, and continued Jewish engagement. His parents wanted the memory of the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust to remain connected to living faith, learning, and identity. That purpose influenced him from childhood. At age 13, he attended a Jewish boarding school in New York, where he studied secular subjects while also becoming proficient in Jewish learning.

Robert Kasirer attended university in New York and later completed law school before passing the New York bar. He began his career as an attorney and helped form a law firm with associates, focusing on public finance and major financing matters across the United States. He later worked with another firm before joining his father in business in 1984. Together, they developed, owned, and operated commercial properties, mainly shopping centers in Los Angeles.

Robert continued operating and growing the family real estate business after his father passed away in 2005. Over time, his two sons and son-in-law joined the family office and its related subsidiaries. They now lead the company and manage daily operations while he serves as chairman. This structure reflects his commitment to continuity, family responsibility, and careful stewardship of the work built through many years of shared effort and practical leadership.

Kasirer sees his digital Jewish platform as a way to help Jewish life remain meaningful in a changing world. He believes each generation must find its own path to tradition, learning, and community, especially when some younger people feel disconnected from traditional institutions. Through technology, he hopes to make Jewish content more accessible while helping organizations strengthen identity, belonging, and engagement across different locations, affiliations, and backgrounds.

Robert Kasirer has been married to his wife for 48 years, and they have four children and 13 grandchildren, including 7 boys and 6 girls. Family remains central to his life, along with his work in business, philanthropy, and Jewish engagement. In his personal time, he enjoys skiing, hiking, and traveling around the world, where he appreciates different traditions, cultures, and landscapes while staying connected to family, heritage, and community.

Robert Kasirer manages his family office, where he helped build a national real estate investment and management company with a diversified portfolio across 12 states. His role has included oversight of real estate investments, property operations, a... Show more

Jason is a 20+ year veteran of the IT industry with a career spanning network operations, system administration, unified communications, contact centers, cloud, and AI platforms.

Jason is a 20+ year veteran of the IT industry with a career spanning network operations, system administration, unified communications, contact centers, cloud, and AI platforms. Show more

Rohit Alekar is a Software Engineer with deep expertise in machine learning infrastructure, large-scale data systems, and distributed platforms. He currently works at Meta, where he plays a key role in building and scaling infrastructure that powers feature engineering for ad ranking systems across major products. His work focuses on improving system reliability, enabling efficient feature generation, and supporting large-scale machine learning pipelines that drive critical business outcomes. He has contributed to infrastructure initiatives that enhance scalability, operational efficiency, and the overall performance of data-driven systems serving billions of users.
Prior to Meta, Rohit worked at Pinterest, where he contributed to machine learning infrastructure for ads targeting and shopping platforms. He developed and optimized large-scale data pipelines, improved system responsiveness, and enabled more effective targeting and indexing capabilities. His work supported scalable model deployment and reliable content processing systems essential to Pinterest’s advertising ecosystem.
Earlier in his career, Rohit held engineering roles at Samsung and Shutterfly, where he built foundational systems for machine learning workflows, real-time data processing, and payments infrastructure. He focused on improving standardization, scalability, and production readiness across complex engineering environments. Rohit began his professional journey in database administration, developing strong expertise in data management, system optimization, and performance engineering.
He holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Indiana University and a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from the University of Pune.

Rohit Alekar is a Software Engineer with deep expertise in machine learning infrastructure, large-scale data systems, and distributed platforms. He currently works at Meta, where he plays a key role in building and scaling infrastructure that powers ... Show more