Microsoft Global Community Initiative Newsletter
November 2025
đź‘‹Hello MGCI Members around the world,
Welcome to this month’s newsletter sharing insights on what’s happening in communities around you.
Microsoft Ignite, Nov 17-21 in San Francisco
It’s November! Which means, Microsoft Ignite is right around the corner and behind the scenes we are preparing theater sessions and connections pods for our community. Check out the schedule for all community-focused sessions and make sure you don’t miss out on session such as:
Tue, Nov 18: Community Connection Pod: Microsoft Global Community Initiative: Connecting People, Powering Impact
Speakers: Heather Cook (Microsoft) & Isidora Katanic (Experts Inside)
This session introduces the Microsoft Global Community Initiative and how it empowers individuals to share knowledge, collaborate, and drive change worldwide. Join us to learn how you can participate, lead, and amplify your voice in this global movement.
Wed, Nov 19: Community Theater: Women in Tech & Allies: Turning Allyship into Action
Speakers: Heather Cook (Microsoft), Karuana Gatimu (Microsoft), Danielle Moon (Microsoft), Isidora Katanic (Experts Inside), Femke Cornelissen (Wortell)
Allyship isn’t a buzzword—it’s a commitment to creating workplaces where everyone can thrive. Join this interactive Community Forum to explore what authentic allyship looks like and why it matters. We’ll share real-world scenarios, practical strategies, and personal stories that highlight how allies can advocate, amplify, and act. Whether you identify as an ally or want to engage allies in your journey, you’ll leave with actionable steps to foster inclusion, challenge bias, and build a culture of equity in tech.
Thu, Nov 20: Community Connection Pod: Engage, Connect, Grow: Your Path in the Microsoft Community
Speakers: Heather Cook (Microsoft), Jonathan Jones (Microsoft), Shari L. Oswald (PowerUP!Learning), Eric Overfield
The Microsoft community is a powerful network of professionals, advocates, and innovators—but where do you start? This interactive session will show you how to get involved, share your expertise, and build your personal brand. Learn best practices from experienced community leaders and discover opportunities to contribute meaningfully. Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned participant, you’ll leave inspired and equipped to take your next step.
Next General Session – November 18th
Don’t miss out on the next General Session taking place on November 18th. Mark your calendars and join us LIVE for the AM or PM session broadcasted on the Microsoft Tech Community. With updates directly from Ignite and other cool community topics, we are looking forward to welcoming you in this month’s general session with:
Topic: Running Events & Building Community in Tough Environments
Host: Heather Cook, Principal PM, Microsoft Customer Advocacy Group, Microsoft
Guest Speakers: Augustine Correa, Biz Talk Lead at CompuCom and Oluwaseyi Oluwawumiju, Management Executive at Convenant Technologies
In this session, we explore strategies for executing impactful events in challenging or resource-constrained environments. Speakers will share insights on fostering community resilience and engagement when external conditions are less than ideal. Attendees will leave with practical tools and inspiration to build meaningful connections through events, regardless of circumstance.
📅 November 18 ⏰ 8:10 AM PT - https://aka.ms/MGCIMtgAM
📅 November 18 ⏰ 5:10 PM PT - https://aka.ms/MGCIMtgPM
Community Spotlight: #CommunityLuv
Celebrating 3 years of communitydays.org we would like to shine a light on one of our Board Members Tom Daly’s LinkedIn post. What started as a small idea, turned out to be THE one-stop-shop featuring hundreds of Microsoft tech community events around the world.
You can like, share or comment on the post here on LinkedIn.
Congratulations, November MVPs!
On November 1st, Microsoft welcomed a selected group of newly awarded Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVP) into the MVP Program. We love to see this community growing, which is a proof of the commitment out there to communities worldwide. A big congratulations to the newly awarded MVPs!
ESPC, Dec 1-4, Dublin here we come!
Our MGCI (Board) Members and Microsoft leaders are heading over to Dublin to attend, speak, or staff their sponsor booths at ESPC in Dublin. The conference covers topics around Microsoft 365 & AI technologies and you can still register to attend. More than 3000+ IT enthusiasts will gather together to learn and achieve more with Microsoft 365 & AI. Come join us!
MGCI in December
❄️ Join in with a cup of hot chocolate, as our monthly general session will take place on December 16th, right before the winter break starts. Stay tuned as more details will follow in next month's newsletter.
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Community Led Events
Community Days | Fabric Data Days | Nov 4-11 | Hybrid
Community Days | Vancouver Microsoft 365 Summit | November 6 | Vancouver, BC, Canada
Community Days | MN M365 15TH BI-ANNUAL FALL WORKSHOP DAY | November 7 | Edina, Minnesota
Community Days | AI COMMUNITY DAYS - TUNIS | November 8 | Tunis, Tunisia
Community Days | COLLABDAYS GREECE 2025 | November 8 | Virtual
Community Days | Experts Live Emirates 2025 | November 10-11 | Dubai, UAE
Community Days | Viva Engage Festival - APAC | November 12 | APAC Virtual
Community Days | Viva Engage Festival - EMEA | November 12 | EMEA Virtual
Community Days | Update Conference Prague 2025 | November 13-14 | Prague, Czechia
Community Days | Microsoft Ignite 2025 NYC Community Summit | November 17-18 | New York City, NY
Community Days | M365 Community Days DC - Microsoft Ignite 2025 Watch Party + Unconference | November 18 | Washington DC
Community Days | SmartCloud 365 - 2025 | November 25 | Germany Virtual
Community Days | Shift Enter Summit 2025 | November 26 | Mixát, Budapest
Microsoft Global Community Initiative Resources
We’ve made it easy for you to find all the MGCI resources you need at your fingertips. This space features the PowerPoint decks from our Monthly General Sessions and Event Training Sessions & Office Hours as well all MGCI Event Producer playbooks, checklists and templates. Check it out!
Missed last month's events?
In case you missed our October events, you can check out the recordings of the General Sessions here:
And the recording of the Event Organizer training here:
Sincerely,
Your Board Officers
