While Michael started as native app developer, after excursions to web development and platform operations he eventually ended up as AWS Solutions Architect, specialized into networking.

In his current role he works with German enterprise customers supporting them on their cloud journey. Michael loves to leverage cloud services in a way that they deliberately address the business needs while adhering to cloud best practices.

As a subject matter expert for AWS networking, Michael also works with customers on complex topics in the networking domain. Additionally he creates thought leadership artifacts like the AWS Direct Connect reference architecture, an AWS training about networking gateways, several blog posts and public speaking engagements.

After work you can find him sitting behind a drum set or exploring nature.

While Michael started as native app developer, after excursions to web development and platform operations he eventually ended up as AWS Solutions Architect, specialized into networking. In his current role he works with German enterprise customer... Show more

Jared is a grey/timber wolf furry and therian hailing from the GTA. A strong proponent for complete streets and neighbourhood density, Jared spends their time advocating in their community.

Jared is a grey/timber wolf furry and therian hailing from the GTA. A strong proponent for complete streets and neighbourhood density, Jared spends their time advocating in their community. Show more

Lana McAra is an award-winning, international best-selling author and ghostwriter of 46 titles through traditional publishing with a million books sold. She has been teaching how to write fiction for 20 years. Lana currently serves as the president of the Northeast Florida Chapter of Sisters in Crime and is the host of The Fiction Writer's Podcast.

Lana McAra is an award-winning, international best-selling author and ghostwriter of 46 titles through traditional publishing with a million books sold. She has been teaching how to write fiction for 20 years. Lana currently serves as the president o... Show more

Maxine is a visionary entrepreneur and global connector on a mission to revolutionize the way we exchange knowledge. As the founder and CEO of Pick My Brain, she has built a thriving marketplace where experts, professionals, and storytellers from 88+ countries share their insights via live, interactive conversations.

With a background in economics and community-building, Maxine has spent the last decade designing scalable, human-first knowledge economies that make learning more accessible, personal, and experiential.

Her latest initiative, Meet the World’s People, is a groundbreaking education platform designed to give teachers and students on-demand access to inspiring speakers—offering career stories, life lessons, financial literacy, and post-secondary insights in real-time.

Driven by a belief that a single conversation can change a life, Maxine is passionate about bridging education, technology, and human connection to create a more curious, conscious, and connected world.

Maxine is a visionary entrepreneur and global connector on a mission to revolutionize the way we exchange knowledge. As the founder and CEO of Pick My Brain, she has built a thriving marketplace where experts, professionals, and storytellers from 88+... Show more

A strategic full-stack developer with over five years of experience building high-scale systems, currently shapes the technological landscape at Flipkart, India's largest e-commerce platform. As a key developer handling systems that serve billions of users, she brings deep expertise in architecting scalable solutions and managing high-stakes deployments.

Her journey spans from driving innovation at one of India's premier fintech companies, where she engineered critical systems processing millions of transactions, to building products from the ground up in dynamic startup environments. This diverse background has honed her ability to tackle complex technical challenges across different scales and domains.
Beyond her professional work, she is passionate about game development and maintains an active presence in the indie gaming community, where she creates immersive experiences that blend technical excellence with creative storytelling. Her unique perspective, combining enterprise-scale architecture expertise with creative development, offers valuable insights into building robust, user-centric applications.

Megha Pathak frequently shares her experiences about scaling applications, optimizing performance in high-traffic environments, and bridging the gap between commercial and creative development. Her talks draw from real-world experiences handling billion-user scales while maintaining the innovative spirit of indie development.

A strategic full-stack developer with over five years of experience building high-scale systems, currently shapes the technological landscape at Flipkart, India's largest e-commerce platform. As a key developer handling systems that serve billions of... Show more

Cheryl Sleboda Whited is an nationally known author and sewing teacher, with almost 30 years of niche industry retail experience. She recently opened her new click and mortar business in Paducah KY, also known as Quilt City USA.

Cheryl Sleboda Whited is an nationally known author and sewing teacher, with almost 30 years of niche industry retail experience. She recently opened her new click and mortar business in Paducah KY, also known as Quilt City USA. Show more

Cynthia Peter is a technical writer passionate about helping people understand complex technical concepts. Her blog, Like I Am Five, demonstrates her ability to explain complex ideas clearly and concisely.

Cynthia Peter is a technical writer passionate about helping people understand complex technical concepts. Her blog, Like I Am Five, demonstrates her ability to explain complex ideas clearly and concisely. Show more

Greg Lacan is a seasoned SEO strategist and NFT enthusiast with years of experience promoting NFT, crypto, and blockchain projects globally. As COO for a leading agency, Greg has developed innovative strategies to promote NFT projects online, implementing SEO best practices to attract potential buyers. Greg brings his expertise and passion for the industry to provide attendees with valuable insights and actionable strategies for success in the NFT market.

Greg Lacan is a seasoned SEO strategist and NFT enthusiast with years of experience promoting NFT, crypto, and blockchain projects globally. As COO for a leading agency, Greg has developed innovative strategies to promote NFT projects online, impleme... Show more

A highly creative and curious professional passionate about technology and its intricate workings, Jessica has cultivated a diverse portfolio spanning over two decades. As a presentation designer at Liberty IT, Jessica skillfully combines strategic thinking and design expertise to create compelling narratives that drive transformative change. By integrating pivotal data with the human element, Jessica empowers audiences to take action. Beyond PowerPoint presentations, Jessica finds joy in practicing yoga, having recently obtained their 200-hour yoga teacher training certification.

A highly creative and curious professional passionate about technology and its intricate workings, Jessica has cultivated a diverse portfolio spanning over two decades. As a presentation designer at Liberty IT, Jessica skillfully combines strategic t... Show more

Houston Vandergriff is a globe-trotting photographer, entrepreneur, and influencer based in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Houston has traveled to 49 of the 50 United States, 5 Canadian Provinces, and 26 countries. He also has Down syndrome. His photos have been in magazines and books, won awards in numerous competitions, and been shown in galleries in three countries.

He shares the positives surrounding disability on Tiktok, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. For his photography sales, he started on ETSY, moved to his own website, and now sells his photography as NFTs. To date he has been part of three sold-out NFT collections.

Houston inspires others, both inside and outside of the disability community. By sharing his gift of photography he also shares gifts of beauty and hope.

Houston Vandergriff is a globe-trotting photographer, entrepreneur, and influencer based in Knoxville, Tennessee. Houston has traveled to 49 of the 50 United States, 5 Canadian Provinces, and 26 countries. He also has Down syndrome. His photos h... Show more

Silvia Mogas is an award-winning marketer in the Web3 space and the CEO and Founder of BMBWeb3 Ventures and Blockchain Marketing Boutique. Named Marketing Leader of the Year 2024, Silvia specializes in helping Web2 brands transition to Web3 and provides strategic marketing services to Web3-native companies.

A dynamic international speaker, Silvia has presented at over 50 conferences worldwide, including Mobile World Congress, South Summit, AWE Europe, Taipei Blockchain Week, and TBEX Europe. She also lectures at EAE Business School and hosts the "Hype" program on Pulso Media, part of the Rug Radio Creators Group.

Based in Dubai, Silvia holds an Executive MBA, a Postgraduate Degree in Marketing, a diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and a Tourism Degree with a specialisation in Marketing. She is passionate about blockchain technology, mentoring startups, and fostering innovation within the global business community.

Silvia Mogas is an award-winning marketer in the Web3 space and the CEO and Founder of BMBWeb3 Ventures and Blockchain Marketing Boutique. Named Marketing Leader of the Year 2024, Silvia specializes in helping Web2 brands transition to Web3 and provi... Show more

Mark Jacobs is a visionary leader and a proven authority in scaling midlife, middle-market companies. With over 30 years of executive leadership experience, he has mastered the art of leveraging technology, data-driven strategies, and deep market insights to accelerate enterprise value and profitability.

As the Founding Partner of ScaleWerksSM, Mark pioneered the first business accelerator tailored specifically for mid-life companies, helping them overcome growth plateaus and achieve efficient, sustainable scaling. His proprietary SmartScaleSM protocol has transformed how businesses scale, making him a sought-after strategist for companies aiming for exponential growth.

Mark currently serves on the boards of Stahly Engineering & Associates, Bio::Neos, and OCD Solutions, where he drives enterprise value acceleration, leadership performance, and technology-driven transformation. His career journey—from founding his first business at 16 to leading successful turnarounds and high-growth ventures—demonstrates his deep expertise in strategic planning, operational excellence, and leadership development.

Holding an MBA in Accounting and Finance from Indiana University, Mark combines financial acumen with hands-on business transformation experience. Based in Montana, he balances professional excellence with community involvement and outdoor pursuits.

As a speaker, Mark challenges conventional thinking and delivers actionable insights for leaders seeking to navigate the complexities of scaling in today’s dynamic market.

✅ Expertise: Business Scaling | Enterprise Value Acceleration | Leadership & Culture Transformation | Data-Driven Growth Strategies | Technology as a Strategic Advantage

Mark Jacobs is a visionary leader and a proven authority in scaling midlife, middle-market companies. With over 30 years of executive leadership experience, he has mastered the art of leveraging technology, data-driven strategies, and deep market ins... Show more

Kristian is a Scala dev during the day, working for a fully remote company called Commercetools, and Co-founder by night trying to create an app that allows users to read comics everywhere they go!

Kristian is a Scala dev during the day, working for a fully remote company called Commercetools, and Co-founder by night trying to create an app that allows users to read comics everywhere they go! Show more

I've been developing software professionally since 2006 and in that time, I’ve written backend, frontend, and messaging solutions for the police, travel, finance, commodities, sports betting, telecoms, retail, and aerospace industries.

I've been developing software professionally since 2006 and in that time, I’ve written backend, frontend, and messaging solutions for the police, travel, finance, commodities, sports betting, telecoms, retail, and aerospace industries. Show more

Soy Licenciado en Turismo Historico Cultural, estudiante de Maestría en Educación Superior en la Universidad Estatal de Milagro

Soy Licenciado en Turismo Historico Cultural, estudiante de Maestría en Educación Superior en la Universidad Estatal de Milagro Show more

Jeremy Edmonds is the Vice President of People and Culture for Snooze, an A.M. Eatery. His love for people, process and the employee experience led him to his career in Human Resources. Jeremy’s relentless pursuit of the best of the best employee experience and passion for culture has been a driving force throughout his career. After spending 11 years in talent recruiting, Jeremy turned his focus toward the science of engagement, and has built a career as a thought leader in the culture, performance development, and leadership space.

Mentors throughout his career have shaped the leader Jeremy is today. Jeremy believes that mentorship is a great way to grow professionally and loves the opportunity to create connection in the pursuit of growth. As a seasoned practitioner of leadership development, Jeremy is committed to helping to grow and develop emerging leaders.

Jeremy serves on the board of directors for The Snooze Compass Foundation and Heart and Hand, a Denver based non-profit that connects students with afterschool programing that helps them with homework, exposes them to new passions and provides a healthy dose of love. Jeremy also serves on the advisory board for FSR and QSR magazines.

Throughout his career, Jeremy has been a champion for diversity, leading multiple programs focused on the acquisition, development, and employee experience for underrepresented employees. Being a foodie at heart with a love for all things food and beverage, he is thrilled to spend his days creating moments and experiences for Snoozers across America! In his spare time, Jeremy loves to read, cook, and travel with his family. Jeremy is a Disney Theme Park fanatic!

Jeremy Edmonds is the Vice President of People and Culture for Snooze, an A.M. Eatery. His love for people, process and the employee experience led him to his career in Human Resources. Jeremy’s relentless pursuit of the best of the best employee exp... Show more

Mohit Suman is based out of beautiful country India. He works as a Senior Technical Product Manager at Red Hat, Developer Experience. He holds experience in Product Management, Software Engineering and Architecture in fields ranging from large-scale distributed computing and developer productivity.

Currently defining the journey to enhance the overall developer experience for hybrid-cloud infrastructure. An advocate of open source principles and building a strong community around it. He is a Certified Product Owner, Certified Scrum Master, RHCSA, and Red Hat Certified OpenShift Administrator.

When he’s not writing about himself in the third person, Mohit is an avid traveller and loves to explore the beauty around the globe.

Mohit Suman is based out of beautiful country India. He works as a Senior Technical Product Manager at Red Hat, Developer Experience. He holds experience in Product Management, Software Engineering and Architecture in fields ranging from large-scale ... Show more

Since 2014, Stuart Cooper has had the privilege of working for 3 of the top ranked IT Managed Service Providers, according to CRN, ChannelE2E, and MSPmentor, including the number one Healthcare Managed Services Provider, globally.

With around 50,000 hours of sales and business development experience, Stuart has had some interesting experiences. In his business development efforts for high growth companies over the years, Stuart has become skilled at M&A conversations, initiating several discussions about mergers and acquisitions and in one case, brokering a sizable company acquisition.

Stuart is a life-long learner and has traveled to Egypt, Turkey, Ephesus, Greece, Ukraine, Poland, Venezuela, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Canada, Brazil and other countries. He has worked with Australians, New Zealanders, and folks from all over the world.

Stuart has an Executive (Pro) MBA from the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he was awarded the Marketplace Masters Award. He has a Bachelors degree in Speech Communications from that same University.

Stuart and his wife, Jenny, have four children and live in Franklin.

Stuart is the identical twin brother of Craig Allen Cooper, author of “Glad You’re Hear”, with country music star, Walker Hayes.

You can follow Stuart at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartcooper2

Since 2014, Stuart Cooper has had the privilege of working for 3 of the top ranked IT Managed Service Providers, according to CRN, ChannelE2E, and MSPmentor, including the number one Healthcare Managed Services Provider, globally. With around 50,... Show more

Sebastian Daschner is a self-employed Java consultant, author and trainer and is enthusiastic about programming and Java. He is the author of the book “Architecting Modern Java EE Applications”. Sebastian is participating in open source standardization processes such as the JCP or the Eclipse Foundation, helping forming the future standards of Enterprise Java, and collaborating on various open source projects. For his contributions in the Java community and ecosystem he was recognized as a Java Champion, Oracle Developer Champion, and JavaOne Rockstar. Besides Java, Sebastian is a heavy user of cloud native technologies and anything related to enterprise software. He evangelizes computer science practices on https://blog.sebastian-daschner.com, his newsletter, and on Twitter via @DaschnerS. Sebastian kickstarted the JOnsen and jSpirit unconferences that connect Java developers throughout the globe. When not working with technology, he also loves to travel the world.

Sebastian Daschner is a self-employed Java consultant, author and trainer and is enthusiastic about programming and Java. He is the author of the book “Architecting Modern Java EE Applications”. Sebastian is participating in open source standardizati... Show more

Sohail is a seasoned Developer Advocate. Has been contributing to developer communities for more than 5 years. Travel & Food is always on his plate and pass jokes a lot.

Sohail is a seasoned Developer Advocate. Has been contributing to developer communities for more than 5 years. Travel & Food is always on his plate and pass jokes a lot. Show more

As a Site Reliability Engineer at BlaBlaCar, with my team we are in charge of building and run core infrastructure services.

As a Site Reliability Engineer at BlaBlaCar, with my team we are in charge of building and run core infrastructure services. Show more

• IN BRIEF: I believe we should love what we do and the teams we work with. Through leadership and team coaching, my goal is to create great work cultures and help people find joy every day. This naturally results in more creativity, innovation and productivity.

• SKILLS: I have found that coaching teams and leaders has helped me explore many other areas. I'm told I'm a great listener, bring new ideas to clients and challenge people to explore more. I don't shy away from hard conversations, in fact, I think it's the only way to move forward. I get tons of energy from facilitating and training large groups. And I always, always, bring fun and laughter to work.

• INDUSTRIES: Agile is very industry-agnostic. I have worked with teams in Healthcare, Finance, Government, Manufacturing, Logistics, Product, Retail, Banking, Insurance, Hospitality and Technology. I have also worked with IT, Marketing, Vendor Management, PMO and Recruiting teams - it's not all just about IT!

• PERSONAL: I am passionate about adventure, travel and making this world a better place. I've sailed to Mexico and Alaska, solo-backpacked around the world, summited Mt Kilimanjaro and volunteered in multiple countries. I would love everyone in this world to find their perfect work/life balance.

• IN BRIEF: I believe we should love what we do and the teams we work with. Through leadership and team coaching, my goal is to create great work cultures and help people find joy every day. This naturally results in more creativity, innovation and p... Show more

D’arce Hess is a Sr. Cloud Architect with CloudWay. For more than eight years, D’arce has specialized in the creation of custom portals and experiences in SharePoint and Office365. As a UI/UX Designer and Developer, D’arce uses industry and Microsoft best practices as a base for creating solutions that simplify processes, drive user adoption, and governance from the start. As a recognized Microsoft MVP, D’arce has had the opportunity to work with Fortune 500 companies and has become a trusted partner to her clients in the industries of healthcare, pharmaceuticals, legal, travel & tourism and entertainment.

D’arce Hess is a Sr. Cloud Architect with CloudWay. For more than eight years, D’arce has specialized in the creation of custom portals and experiences in SharePoint and Office365. As a UI/UX Designer and Developer, D’arce uses industry and Microsoft... Show more

I work at Mapbox R&D center in Minsk, Belarus, experienced in .NET, Angular, React Native, NodeJS, NestJS and other interesting stuff in full-stack software development. Really love modern web technical stack, but strongly believe in the understanding of fundamental aspects of programming. I like code writing, work in amazing and useful projects, which can bring something valuable to people. My spare time is mostly dedicated to my family, reading and writing, and also traveling is an important part of my life!

I work at Mapbox R&D center in Minsk, Belarus, experienced in .NET, Angular, React Native, NodeJS, NestJS and other interesting stuff in full-stack software development. Really love modern web technical stack, but strongly believe in the understandin... Show more

Chip Kennedy is the CTO of Tastemakers Africa, a venture-backed experiences marketplace connecting travelers to heritage and culture across the world. Chip built the Tastemakers platform and grew the marketplace to support thousands of travelers and hundreds of experience providers. Previously, he founded and ran Collectively, a startup studio for mission-driven entrepreneurs, where he led projects for startups, accelerators, and government offices, including the NYC mayor's office. Chip has a BS in Computer Science from Case Western Reserve University.

Chip Kennedy is the CTO of Tastemakers Africa, a venture-backed experiences marketplace connecting travelers to heritage and culture across the world. Chip built the Tastemakers platform and grew the marketplace to support thousands of travelers and ... Show more

With over a decade of experience in data field, I’m specialized in transforming data into actionable insights and bridging business and technology, mostly using Microsoft stack.
Starting in 2010 as a business analyst for a Retail company, I was a power user on tools like Excel, VBA and Access to streamline decision-making.
By 2017, I transitioned to Business Consultancy, dealing with SQL, PowerPivot, and ETL pipes. Discovering Power BI in 2019 was love at first sight 😊, enabling me to craft impactful reports. A 2020 master’s in Microsoft Big Data technologies extended my expertise to cloud platforms like Azure, Synapse, and experiment on machine learning tools like Python and R.
Now as a certified Power BI Data Analyst and Fabric Analytics Engineer in Tech Consultancy, I deliver tailored BI solutions across industries to provide fast and meaningful insights to business users.
I’m passionate about travel and exploring new cultures: they also bring a fresh perspective and opens your mind to solve complex challenges!

With over a decade of experience in data field, I’m specialized in transforming data into actionable insights and bridging business and technology, mostly using Microsoft stack. Starting in 2010 as a business analyst for a Retail company, I was a p... Show more

I am a Technology leader with over 15 years of progressive experience successfully managing and implementing large-scale digital transformation projects for start-ups and large organizations, optimizing IT processes, Process Re-engineering, systems integrations, and Technological Transformations to deliver value to key stakeholders. My experience working on over 500 projects has provided me with very diverse industry exposure in a wide variety of sectors including telecommunications, Finance, FMCG, Oil & Gas, etc respectively across SSA

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞
As a Cloud & Modern Workplace Expert and Digital Transformation Strategist, my vast experience in designing/ implementing innovative technology solutions has enabled me to hone strategic skills and utilize these skills to leverage agile technology solutions to provide organizations with the required tools to enhance business performance, drive organization growth transform and rearchitect their business for scale,

I am a Technology leader with over 15 years of progressive experience successfully managing and implementing large-scale digital transformation projects for start-ups and large organizations, optimizing IT processes, Process Re-engineering, systems i... Show more

Lauren is an award-winning creative and strategic leader passionate about building meaningful connections between people, brands and experiences. She leads integrated brand activations and partnerships across digital and real-world environments, blending insight-driven strategy with bold creativity. Her work spans destinations - from Wyoming to Maine and Reno Tahoe to Ocean City, Maryland - and has been recognized by the Effies, Webbys, The Drum, AICP, and more. Known for her curiosity, energy and collaborative spirit, Lauren brings a sharp eye for innovation and a deep understanding of how to turn audience insights into standout brand moments.

Lauren is an award-winning creative and strategic leader passionate about building meaningful connections between people, brands and experiences. She leads integrated brand activations and partnerships across digital and real-world environments, blen... Show more

I'm a DevOps & Cloud Native engineer who is passionate about learning and sharing knowledge on Cloud Native Technologies. Spent 4 years 🌟 developing the skills to increase velocity, reliability, and quality with a high focus on security to help startups and enterprise businesses to become successful. Deep experience with EKS, AKS, GKE, Docker, Kubernetes, Service Meshes, Git-Ops and Open-stack, helping organizations instill DevOps for the modern age. I’m passionate about making open-source more accessible, creating technology to elevate people, and building communities. I’m also a Community Ambassador at Layer5/Cloud Native Islamabad & Cloud Native Expert at Ortelius Open Source Community.

I'm a DevOps & Cloud Native engineer who is passionate about learning and sharing knowledge on Cloud Native Technologies. Spent 4 years 🌟 developing the skills to increase velocity, reliability, and quality with a high focus on security to help star... Show more

Saskia Untiet‑Kepp enables Data Mesh and AI‑ready data platforms in regulated environments. Her focus areas include Data Product Contracts, Enterprise Semantic Layers, Knowledge Graphs, and AI‑assisted querying. She drives self‑service platforms and federated governance and shares hands‑on lessons from complex transformation programs.

Saskia Untiet‑Kepp enables Data Mesh and AI‑ready data platforms in regulated environments. Her focus areas include Data Product Contracts, Enterprise Semantic Layers, Knowledge Graphs, and AI‑assisted querying. She drives self‑service platforms and ... Show more