John O'Dowd has over 40 years of experience in z/OS mainframe environments. He spent his first 25 years at BMC Software as a product developer. He is currently a Principal Product Manager for BMC Software and is the Product Manager for the IMS Product Suite. John enjoys learning new technologies, developing new products, and mentoring the next generation of developers. He lives and works in Houston, Texas.

John O'Dowd has over 40 years of experience in z/OS mainframe environments. He spent his first 25 years at BMC Software as a product developer. He is currently a Principal Product Manager for BMC Software and is the Product Manager for the IMS Prod... Show more

Alan worked in the IT realm for large and small companies from 1971 until 2019 and still tries to keep current with changing trends.

In Alan’s spare time, he volunteers with a local organization that sends him to the homes of the elderly (older than himself) to fix their computers.

Alan is currently a member of the Board of Governors of The Collectors Club (NY), along with being their webmaster and membership chair, Webster Groves (MO) Stamp Club, secretary-treasurer of the APS Writers Unit #30, and the secretary of the Gastronomy on Stamps Study Group.

Alan speaks to several clubs each year on a host of topics such as “Computers and Technology on Stamps”, “Bread!”, “Penguins on the Stamps of Falkland Islands”, “An Alphabet of Topicals – Ideas for Collectors”, and “Pachyderms”.

Alan worked in the IT realm for large and small companies from 1971 until 2019 and still tries to keep current with changing trends. In Alan’s spare time, he volunteers with a local organization that sends him to the homes of the elderly (older th... Show more

Juan Antonio Eulate is a Software Engineer, Technical Product Owner, and Co-Founder of INSOFTLINE, with more than a decade of experience designing, building, and leading software solutions across multiple industries.

His expertise spans cloud-native application development, DevOps, Infrastructure as Code, CI/CD automation, software architecture, and technical leadership. He has successfully led projects involving AWS cloud services, GitHub Actions, Docker, REST APIs, serverless architectures, and modern deployment pipelines.

Passionate about continuous learning and knowledge sharing, Juan focuses on transforming real business challenges into scalable cloud solutions while promoting engineering best practices and DevOps culture. His sessions emphasize practical experience, real-world lessons learned, and actionable techniques that attendees can immediately apply in their own projects.

Juan Antonio Eulate is a Software Engineer, Technical Product Owner, and Co-Founder of INSOFTLINE, with more than a decade of experience designing, building, and leading software solutions across multiple industries. His expertise spans cloud-nati... Show more

Mousaab Khaldi is a leadership coach, author,
and entrepreneur based in Germany. He is the
creator of the '4 Interior Empires' framework,
a neuroscience-backed methodology used by
executives and founders to achieve sustainable
leadership transformation.

With over 10 years of entrepreneurial experience,
Mousaab specializes in helping high-achieving
leaders break through burnout and lead with
clarity, confidence, and authentic authority.

My book '4 Empires, 12 days to unlock Leadership'
is a practical 12-day program designed to
transform leadership from the inside out.

Mousaab Khaldi is a leadership coach, author, and entrepreneur based in Germany. He is the creator of the '4 Interior Empires' framework, a neuroscience-backed methodology used by executives and founders to achieve sustainable leadership tr... Show more

I started as a developer. I automated thousands of tests — because I had no interest in testing manually.
At some point I realized: the biggest problems in software teams are not technical. They are habit problems.

Today I guide companies through software modernization at Gepardec — and I give keynotes on the habits behind code quality, stress, and long-term performance.

My book FutureHabits is out fall 2026.

🎤 https://futurehabits.at/keynotes

I started as a developer. I automated thousands of tests — because I had no interest in testing manually. At some point I realized: the biggest problems in software teams are not technical. They are habit problems. Today I guide companies through... Show more

Markus is Senior Consultant at TNG Technology Consulting. From OR planning systems at the University Hospital Erlangen to evaluation and simulation of X-ray experiments at the Technical University of Munich, he has always been interested in complex software problems. At TNG, besides full-stack development, he also likes to deal with software architecture and requirements analysis, preferably in the environment of modern cloud technologies. Currently he supports a customer in the development and delivery of software for the visualization of vehicles.

Markus is Senior Consultant at TNG Technology Consulting. From OR planning systems at the University Hospital Erlangen to evaluation and simulation of X-ray experiments at the Technical University of Munich, he has always been interested in complex s... Show more

Chris Barber is a chartered accountant (ACMA, CGMA), 4 times Microsoft MVP, author of Income Statement Semantic Models, runs StarSchema.co.uk, and has popular YouTube videos (over 100k views) and courses (over 1k participants) on the topic of Profit and Loss (P&L) using Power BI. He also works in the largest Microsoft consultancy globally and thus has experience working across various industries.

Chris Barber is a chartered accountant (ACMA, CGMA), 4 times Microsoft MVP, author of Income Statement Semantic Models, runs StarSchema.co.uk, and has popular YouTube videos (over 100k views) and courses (over 1k participants) on the topic of Profit ... Show more

Rodney is an experienced Senior Software Engineer, teacher, and JavaScript evangelist with nearly a decade of experience. He demonstrates a profound interest in solving complex problems focusing mainly on front-end and cloud technologies. In his spare times he spend most of his time with his kids, games, tinkering with the latest tech and observing modern user interfaces.

Rodney is an experienced Senior Software Engineer, teacher, and JavaScript evangelist with nearly a decade of experience. He demonstrates a profound interest in solving complex problems focusing mainly on front-end and cloud technologies. In his spar... Show more

As an Agile Coach, I apply my 18 years of work experience in various industries, such as fintech, mobility, blockchain, airline, and travel, to help teams and organizations achieve their goals. I am a Profesional Certified Coach (PCC-ICF) and hold multiple certifications, such as PMI-ACP, CSP-SM, A-CSM, CSM, CSPO, ICP-ACC, ICP-LEA, ICP-BAF, and SAFe.

My mission is to build positive relationships with all and enable teams and organizations to achieve agility and innovation with my coaching and facilitation skills. I help teams raise awareness about how they work, identify meaningful goals, create plans for their fulfillment, and hold them accountable for following through. I also advocate agile in the whole organization and spotlight waste. Previously, I worked on the discovery of a new standard team operating model in medicines research (vaccines) with the aim of prototyping new organizational models to shorten research cycles. I have also collaborated with other coaches, leaders, and stakeholders in big organizations, propagated success through the organization, learned from failures, and raised teams' capability.

As an Agile Coach, I apply my 18 years of work experience in various industries, such as fintech, mobility, blockchain, airline, and travel, to help teams and organizations achieve their goals. I am a Profesional Certified Coach (PCC-ICF) and hold mu... Show more

Gino is actively involved in the software development community and has coached individuals and organizations around the world as they embrace Agile and Lean principles and practices.

Driven by a clear vision, he strongly relies on his passion for team dynamics, his experience in leadership positions, and his technical expertise to help achieve Xodiac's ambitious mission.

Gino is actively involved in the software development community and has coached individuals and organizations around the world as they embrace Agile and Lean principles and practices. Driven by a clear vision, he strongly relies on his passion for... Show more

Victor Churchill is a Senior Product Designer with over 7 years of experience creating impactful, user-centered solutions across fintech, logistics, EdTech, and SaaS. He has led the design of platforms that secured multi-million dollar funding, integrated generative AI to boost user engagement, and scaled systems to serve tens of thousands of users. With a strong focus on measurable impact, inclusive design, and cross-functional collaboration, Victor brings a strategic yet practical approach to solving complex design challenges in emerging and global markets.

Victor Churchill is a Senior Product Designer with over 7 years of experience creating impactful, user-centered solutions across fintech, logistics, EdTech, and SaaS. He has led the design of platforms that secured multi-million dollar funding, integ... Show more

Emir is a Senior Data Scientist/AI Engineer with 7+ years designing and deploying production-grade AI and ML solutions. Specialized in Python, CI/CD, and cloud-based AI/ML platforms, with deep expertise in LLMs and Generative AI. He has background in Aerospace Engineering.

Emir is a Senior Data Scientist/AI Engineer with 7+ years designing and deploying production-grade AI and ML solutions. Specialized in Python, CI/CD, and cloud-based AI/ML platforms, with deep expertise in LLMs and Generative AI. He has background in... Show more

Patrick is a true pioneer—credited with coining the term DevOps, co-authoring the DevOps Handbook, and launching the very first DevOpsDays back in 2009. Since then, he’s been shaping the tech industry with his unmatched ability to bring development, operations, and now GenAI together in truly transformative ways. He now works at Tessl where he shapes up Product Devrel and the AI Native Dev community.

Here’s why you don’t want to miss this:
🔹 Independent consultant at the cutting edge of GenAI and DevOps
🔹 Fractional CTO, advisor, and workshop leader
🔹 Former VP of Engineering, Distinguished Engineer, CTO
🔹 Guided teams at industry giants like Atlassian and Snyk
🔹 Active speaker, community builder, and lifelong learner

Patrick is all about raising the bar—helping companies embed engineering rigor into their GenAI journeys, inspiring teams to embrace AI for automation, and advising GenAI platforms on how to truly deliver value. He bridges the gap between management and engineering with a rare mix of deep tech expertise and people-first thinking.

💬 Ready to hear where the future of DevOps, GenAI, and software delivery is headed? This is your chance.

Patrick is a true pioneer—credited with coining the term DevOps, co-authoring the DevOps Handbook, and launching the very first DevOpsDays back in 2009. Since then, he’s been shaping the tech industry with his unmatched ability to bring development, ... Show more

Elisa Love is a marketing strategist, speaker, and community connector who believes clarity changes everything. As the founder of Hourglass Strategy, she helps organizations and individuals turn ideas into direction, and direction into momentum.

Her work is rooted in more than twenty years of experience in media, marketing, and community engagement. Elisa is known for making strategy feel accessible and for helping people move past self-doubt into confident, visible leadership.

She speaks on imposter syndrome, personal branding, leadership, and marketing strategy, with sessions that combine practical tools, honest storytelling, and meaningful interaction. Her approach resonates especially with women leaders, entrepreneurs, and purpose-driven professionals navigating growth and change.

Elisa is a Boettcher Foundation Doers & Difference Makers Fellow and a frequent speaker at regional business and leadership events.

Elisa Love is a marketing strategist, speaker, and community connector who believes clarity changes everything. As the founder of Hourglass Strategy, she helps organizations and individuals turn ideas into direction, and direction into momentum. H... Show more

Dhruv Goel is a Staff Software Engineer at project44, specializing in cross-platform development, distributed systems, and modernizing legacy infrastructure . With a career defined by tackling complex scale, Dhruv previously served as a Senior Software Engineer at Atlassian . There, he played a pivotal role in breaking down the legacy JIRA monolith, decoupling core systems to engineer a standalone JQL Search platform service . By pioneering new search-based experiences and enforcing strict sub-second performance SLOs, his work directly accelerated workflows for millions of enterprise users . Dhruv is passionate about resilience engineering, cloud architecture, and helping engineering teams navigate the painful but necessary transition from monoliths to high-performance microservices .

Dhruv Goel is a Staff Software Engineer at project44, specializing in cross-platform development, distributed systems, and modernizing legacy infrastructure . With a career defined by tackling complex scale, Dhruv previously served as a Senior Softwa... Show more

Andrew is a Lecturer in Computer Engineering at San Jose State University, a Lecturer in Computer Science at Sonoma State University

Andrew is a Lecturer in Computer Engineering at San Jose State University, a Lecturer in Computer Science at Sonoma State University Show more

Jason specializes in brand strategy, corporate identity systems, and brand architecture for organizations navigating growth and change. He helps companies clarify their structure, unify sub-brands, and build design systems that scale across teams, channels, and markets.

With decades of experience leading rebrands, product launches, and multi-channel campaigns, Jason brings a strategic yet creative approach to solving complex brand challenges. He has partnered with corporations, startups, and nonprofits alike, blending structure with personality to ensure brands are both organized and human.

A Louisville native, Jason has led award-winning projects recognized with Gold ADDYs, AIGA Louisville’s Best of Branding, and the organization’s only Visionary Award. He was also named one of Business First’s 20 People to Know in Advertising.

Jason’s talks explore branding as an essential business function that drives clarity, culture, and growth. He speaks on topics including brand architecture for growing companies, agile creative process, and how to align legacy with evolving markets.

He has presented at CreativeMornings, AIGA Louisville, AAF, and on panels covering branding, AI, and leadership.

Jason specializes in brand strategy, corporate identity systems, and brand architecture for organizations navigating growth and change. He helps companies clarify their structure, unify sub-brands, and build design systems that scale across teams, ch... Show more

Software Engineer with 4+ years at Samsung, building production Android and Wear OS systems, including phone-to-watch sync architecture for an internal messaging platform. Outside of work, builds small end-to-end projects at the intersection of AI, IoT, and mobile, including a top-5 placement in Google's GenAI Hackathon 2024. Active in the GDG Noida/Delhi and Kotlin User Group communities.

Software Engineer with 4+ years at Samsung, building production Android and Wear OS systems, including phone-to-watch sync architecture for an internal messaging platform. Outside of work, builds small end-to-end projects at the intersection of AI, I... Show more

Aman Zishan is an AI Engineer at Blackthread Technologies in London, where he builds AI-driven automation for enterprise supply chain risk management — from intelligent workflows and automated risk detection to supplier due diligence systems. He works across the full stack, with growing expertise in LLM integration, scalable API architecture, and cloud infrastructure including CI/CD pipelines, Docker, and Kubernetes. Aman brings hands-on experience deploying and operating AI systems in production enterprise environments. He's also a three-time mentor at HackMIT, MIT's largest global hackathon, where he supports the next generation of builders.

Aman Zishan is an AI Engineer at Blackthread Technologies in London, where he builds AI-driven automation for enterprise supply chain risk management — from intelligent workflows and automated risk detection to supplier due diligence systems. He work... Show more

Apasionado por el vasto mundo de la nube, la inteligencia artificial, la seguridad, DevOps y FinOps, soy un entusiasta defensor del poder de compartir conocimiento nos ayuda a mejorar y contribuir a la comunidad.

Apasionado por el vasto mundo de la nube, la inteligencia artificial, la seguridad, DevOps y FinOps, soy un entusiasta defensor del poder de compartir conocimiento nos ayuda a mejorar y contribuir a la comunidad. Show more

Amar Nath Pandey is an Advisory Engineer at IBM India Software Lab with approximately 18 years of IT experience specializing in J2EE, Cloud technologies, and Machine Learning. He has a proven track record of leading teams to deliver complex platforms, including Kubernetes-based ML serving systems and intelligent automation foundations. Amar holds certifications in Data Science and Machine Learning, and his technical expertise spans Java, Golang, Python, and cloud-native tools like Docker and OpenShift. Throughout his career at organizations like Oracle, Nokia Siemens, and IBM, he has consistently focused on building scalable web applications and innovative software solutions.

Amar Nath Pandey is an Advisory Engineer at IBM India Software Lab with approximately 18 years of IT experience specializing in J2EE, Cloud technologies, and Machine Learning. He has a proven track record of leading teams to deliver complex platforms... Show more

Francisca B. Medina Concha (frani.be) is a Front-End Developer, Women Techmakers Ambassador, and Lecturer at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Her career thrives at the intersection where logic meets communication. As a programming professor in the faculties of Design and Communications, she has led the challenge of democratizing technology, turning Python into a language for mutual understanding. With experience on international stages such as JSConf Budapest and Nerdearla, Frani is dedicated to humanizing code to build more inclusive and connected communities.

Francisca B. Medina Concha (frani.be) is a Front-End Developer, Women Techmakers Ambassador, and Lecturer at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Her career thrives at the intersection where logic meets communication. As a programming profes... Show more

Mateo is an expert at bridging cutting-edge AI research with practical developer tools. With a background in computational biology and experience in both research and engineering, he now focuses on making LLMs more useful by connecting them to systems developers already use. At Arcade, Mateo creates tutorials, SDKs, and open-source examples that help developers move beyond chatbots and into fully agentic applications.

Mateo is an expert at bridging cutting-edge AI research with practical developer tools. With a background in computational biology and experience in both research and engineering, he now focuses on making LLMs more useful by connecting them to system... Show more

Speaker Biography: Balaji Venkatasubramaniyar
Balaji Venkatasubramaniyar is a Technical Lead with over 12 years of experience in software development, specializing in architecting scalable enterprise solutions. As his career has evolved alongside the AI revolution, Balaji has developed deep expertise in understanding how AI technologies integrate into modern software architectures and business workflows.
As a Technical Lead, Balaji excels at evaluating emerging technologies and translating complex technical concepts into practical implementation strategies. His extensive background in distributed systems, API design, and software architecture provides a unique lens for analyzing AI orchestration patterns. He has studied how leading AI applications are built, examining the architectural decisions behind successful products like GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Perplexity AI, and Notion AI.
Balaji's technical foundation spans full-stack development, cloud infrastructure, microservices architecture, and system design—skills that are increasingly critical as organizations integrate AI capabilities into their existing platforms. He brings a pragmatic, engineer-focused perspective to AI adoption, emphasizing practical patterns, common pitfalls, and realistic implementation strategies rather than theoretical ideals.
Passionate about continuous learning and knowledge sharing, Balaji has invested significant time researching AI orchestration frameworks, studying production AI systems, and understanding the engineering challenges teams face when building with LLMs. He believes that successful AI integration requires solid software engineering fundamentals combined with an understanding of AI-specific patterns and constraints.
At the Optimized AI Conference 2026, Balaji will share comprehensive insights into AI orchestration patterns, drawing from extensive research and analysis of well-orchestrated applications in production today.

Speaker Biography: Balaji Venkatasubramaniyar Balaji Venkatasubramaniyar is a Technical Lead with over 12 years of experience in software development, specializing in architecting scalable enterprise solutions. As his career has evolved alongside th... Show more

Renad Turki is an AI in education strategist, consultant, and the founder of Edtech Academy. As a doctoral candidate pursuing an EdD in emerging technologies and AI integration in education at Edgewood College, her work bridges the critical gap between academic research and practical classroom application. She is a published researcher who recently co-authoring a study on higher-education faculty adoption of generative AI in lesson planning and assessment for the 2025 IEEE International Conference.
Renad brings extensive expertise in driving institutional change across both higher education and K-12 sectors. Her recent work includes leading comprehensive faculty and student AI training initiatives in collaboration with Google for Education, alongside AI syllabus audits with the Higher Colleges of Technology to build AI-integrated curricula. Additionally, she served as the implementation partner for the Arabic Write and Improve research project in collaboration with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.
An active voice in the region, she has presented at major platforms, including the Google for Education Leadership Summit, Dubai AI Week, Gitex, UAE Innovate, the UAE AI Summer Camp and the Sharjah International Summit on Improvement in Education.

Renad Turki is an AI in education strategist, consultant, and the founder of Edtech Academy. As a doctoral candidate pursuing an EdD in emerging technologies and AI integration in education at Edgewood College, her work bridges the critical gap betwe... Show more

Manfred Moser is a Senior Principal DevRel Engineer at Chainguard, bringing a profound focus on software supply chain security to the open source world. A dedicated community leader and published author, his technical expertise spans decades as a software engineer and advocate. He has a deep, influential history with the Apache Maven ecosystem, including authoring prominent reference books, and is an active Trino maintainer, advocate, and podcast host. Manfred leverages his versatile background to drive technical excellence and foster collaboration across diverse developer communities.

Manfred Moser is a Senior Principal DevRel Engineer at Chainguard, bringing a profound focus on software supply chain security to the open source world. A dedicated community leader and published author, his technical expertise spans decades as a sof... Show more

Olamide is a cloud engineering leader, specialising in secure AWS architecture, cloud governance, DevOps, and digital transformation within regulated environments.

Over the past eight years, He has led cloud modernisation programmes across government and enterprise sectors, strengthening infrastructure resilience, reducing security risk exposure, and improving operational efficiency. My experience spans large-scale migrations, multi-account AWS optimisation, DevOps automation, and Zero Trust implementation.

Beyond infrastructure, He is passionate about enabling digital growth, mentoring emerging engineers, delivering AI and cloud training workshops, and contributing to technology conversations through podcast discussions and community initiatives.

Olamide combines strategic thinking with hands-on technical depth, ensuring that cloud solutions are not only scalable and cost-efficient but also secure and audit-ready.

Olamide is a cloud engineering leader, specialising in secure AWS architecture, cloud governance, DevOps, and digital transformation within regulated environments. Over the past eight years, He has led cloud modernisation programmes across governm... Show more

For more than a decade, Maurice Harary has been tearing down the barriers that keep small- and medium-sized businesses from winning major government and corporate contracts. As the co-founder and CEO of The Bid Lab, he built a streamlined RFP response system that has won multi-million-dollar deals across nearly every major industry, transforming the high-stakes world of public contracts into scalable wins for his clients. In 2023, Maurice launched Bid Banana, a subscription software that strips the friction from bid discovery for growing businesses. His strategic edge earned The Bid Lab a spot on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies. A charismatic authority featured in Forbes, HubSpot and DevX, Maurice is a rising voice on the podcast circuit and a frequent speaker, recognized for his sharp insights on SaaS, government contracting, and the science of business growth.

For more than a decade, Maurice Harary has been tearing down the barriers that keep small- and medium-sized businesses from winning major government and corporate contracts. As the co-founder and CEO of The Bid Lab, he built a streamlined RFP respons... Show more

J. Michael Coffey is a CEO, M&A Strategist and author of GALE Force: Navigating Strategy, Culture, and Value Creation in Modern M&A(Entrepreneur Books, 2026).

Over a thirty-year career leading industrial and manufacturing companies across seven countries, Coffey has been involved in 38 M&A transactions valued in excess of $1 billion — leading or serving as a C-suite principal in over 20 of them. As a member of the executive team that built H-E Parts International into a global multi-country platform, he helped drive the acquisition strategy that culminated in a $240 million exit to Hitachi Construction Machinery.

He subsequently served as CEO of Manitex International (NASDAQ: MNTX), where he led a full operational turnaround — delivering 30% revenue growth and a 400% EBITDA, prior to leading a sale to Tadano Ltd.

He is the founder of Resurgence Advisory, a boutique firm specializing in M&A strategy, post-merger integration, and performance metrics for lower-middle market industrials.

GALE Force, Global Aim, Local Execution - draws on his experience and methodologies such as DRiiVE and PRACTISE

Coffey holds an MBA from Emory University's Goizueta Business School and is based in Atlanta, Georgia. He resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife of 30 years and two daughters.

J. Michael Coffey is a CEO, M&A Strategist and author of GALE Force: Navigating Strategy, Culture, and Value Creation in Modern M&A(Entrepreneur Books, 2026). Over a thirty-year career leading industrial and manufacturing companies across seven co... Show more

I’m a Software Engineer specialized in Frontend, currently working as a Tech Lead at CaixaBank Tech.

I have over 11 years of experience building web applications, and over time my focus has progressively shifted toward a specific area: improving how users interact with interfaces, going beyond pixel-perfect design or pure performance.

I’m passionate about psychology and neuroscience, and today I try to apply these disciplines in my work to better understand what happens when an interface changes and how that impacts the real user experience.

Throughout my career, I’ve also had the opportunity to work abroad twice (Ireland and Germany), which has helped me broaden my perspective and refine the way I approach concepts.

I enjoy technology and continuously evolving, and I’m particularly interested in sharing ideas and bringing them into real-world scenarios, so that other teams and projects can apply them and create a more positive impact on how we build software.

I’m a Software Engineer specialized in Frontend, currently working as a Tech Lead at CaixaBank Tech. I have over 11 years of experience building web applications, and over time my focus has progressively shifted toward a specific area: improving h... Show more