Get to know the ESPC25 Community Reporters: Your front-row pass to the pulse of the conference!
If you're heading to ESPC25 in Dublin this December, you’re in for enlightening sessions, networking opportunities—and access to the heart of the event through this year’s Community Reporters. These passionate tech leaders will be capturing the energy of ESPC25, conducting interviews, sharing insights—and amplifying the voices of attendees, speakers, and sponsors. Whether you're attending in person or following along remotely, they’ll help you stay connected to the moments that matter most. Meet the incredible team of Community Reporters who will bring ESPC25 to life: 🎤 Jonah Andersson | Jonah is a developer, lead cloud dev-ops engineer, and Microsoft MVP who champions diversity in tech. She's passionate about highlighting the voices of underrepresented communities and the transformative power of Azure and AI. 🎤 Christian Buckley | A veteran of ESPC and a powerhouse in the Microsoft ecosystem, Christian is a Microsoft Regional Director and MVP. He’s known for dynamic interviews and thought-provoking panels. If you want deep insights and lively debates, follow Christian’s coverage. 🎤 Emily Mancini | Emily brings a sharp eye for design and a deep love for collaboration. As a Microsoft MVP and UX champion, she’s passionate about making tech accessible and intuitive. Expect her interviews to spotlight the human side of innovation and the power of inclusive design. 🎤 Jasper Oosterveld | Jasper is a Microsoft MVP and a data security and Microsoft 365 expert with a knack for making complex topics approachable. His coverage will focus on practical takeaways, especially around Microsoft 365 and Teams, helping attendees turn inspiration into action. 🎤 Eric Overfield | Eric is an author, Microsoft MVP and Regional Director, and a recognized authority in AI, Microsoft 365, data insights, and Azure. He’s passionate about bridging the gap between business needs and technical solutions. 🎤 Chirag Patel | Known for his infectious enthusiasm and community-first mindset, Chirag is a Microsoft MVP and Microsoft Certified Trainer who thrives on connecting people and ideas. He’ll be diving into conversations about real-world solutions, modern workplace trends, and the stories behind the tech. 🎤 Zoe Wilson | Zoe is a Microsoft MVP and Regional Director who helps clients leverage the full range of modern work technologies to drive innovation around business problems. Her interviews will explore best practices, security, and how organizations can empower users while staying compliant. Whether you're attending ESPC25 to level up your skills, connect with peers, or explore the future of Microsoft technologies, this year's Community Reporters will be your guide to the conference’s most impactful moments. Stay tuned for updates, follow the coverage, join the conversation, and be part of a community that’s driving innovation forward. We can’t wait to see you in Dublin—and if you’re still deciding, let this be your sign: #ESPC25 is where the Microsoft tech community comes alive. Subscribe to the ESPC YouTube channel https://aka.ms/ESPCYouTubeChannel and we'll have a playlist on our Microsoft Community Learning YouTube channel - https://aka.ms/Community/LearningChannel Register now! - Community discount code: ESPC25COMM (€200 off) Cheers all! HeatherEvent Recap - Midwestern Community Events and AI Tour Chicago
This September, I had the opportunity to connect with three incredible Microsoft communities across the Midwest. From leadership development in Minnesota to AI-powered innovation in Chicago, each stop offered a unique perspective on how our customers and community leaders are embracing Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Copilot. Here's a recap of the journey: Stop 1: M365 Twin Cities – Brooklyn Park, MN (Sept 19) The trip began at M365 Twin Cities, a free, community-led event hosted at Hennepin Technical College. This event continues a legacy that began with SharePoint Saturday Twin Cities, running twice a year for over a decade. It’s one of the longest-running Microsoft community events in the U.S., thanks to the dedication of organizers like Wes Preston, Sarah Haase, and Tamara Bredemus, along with a strong network of Microsoft MVPs and volunteers. Highlights: ~400 attendees from across the region, over 700 registered 29 sessions across 8 tracks, led by 32 speakers Strong community energy, with support from 7 sponsors and giveaways (including LEGO sets!) The welcoming speaker dinner—featuring a standout Midwest walleye dish—was a highlight, setting the tone for a day full of energy, learning, and community building A warm, welcoming atmosphere fueled by donuts, pizza, and shared purpose I presented a session titled “Cultivating Trust and Leadership Excellence: Strategies for Respect and Empathy in the Workplace.” The session sparked meaningful conversations about emotional intelligence as a leadership cornerstone. We explored how respect, empathy, and kindness help build trust within teams, and I shared practical strategies for: Deepening domain knowledge Empowering autonomy Encouraging authentic communication Modeling compassionate leadership Gold Standard for Community Engagement by Donald Donais It was fantastic to connect with Donald Donais, Director - Cloud Solution Architect in Minneapolis, who has been a true champion of the Twin Cities tech community for well over a decade. As an FTE sponsor and advocate, Don has consistently given his time, energy, and expertise to support local user groups and community events—something every region wishes they had from the Microsoft Field. His dedication has helped make the Twin Cities a vibrant hub for learning and collaboration. Huge thanks to Don for setting the gold standard for community engagement! Check out this video on what it means to be a community supporter working in the Microsoft field. https://aka.ms/CommunityDaysTwinCitiesDonaldDonais AND - I couldn’t be more impressed and proud of Harsha Sridharan and Yi Liu for their outstanding session at Community Days M365 Twin Cities! Their talk, “Engineering People Skills: Building for Humans in the Flow of Work,” was a terrific blend of technical depth with human-centered design. They shared how Microsoft 365 is evolving to help individuals and teams surface, manage, and grow their skills—right where work happens. From showcasing how skills appear across tools like Outlook, People Companion, Viva, and Copilot, to explaining how AI can infer and highlight strengths without extra effort, they gave us a behind-the-scenes look at building People Skills in M365. Harsha and Yi didn’t just deliver a session—they sparked confidence and curiosity about the future of skills in the flow of work. Brava! 👏 Stop 2: Chicago Power Platform User Group – Sept 24 (Microsoft Chicago, Aon Center) At the CMPPUG meetup, I delivered “The Next Phase: Research, Creation & Smarter Decisions in the Age of Copilot.” Demonstrated how I used Microsoft Copilot, Researcher, and Create to build the very presentation I was delivering. Introduced three AI-centric leadership frameworks: 10% Rule for continuous improvement 10× Thinking for breakthrough innovation 10-10-10 Rule for responsible decision-making Engaged in a lively Q&A moderated by Craig Jahnke, lead for the Chicago Innovation Hub, and Microsoft MVP Ralph Rivas. and a thank you to Bryan Wofford who went to McCormick to do our tech check for our AI Tour while I was at AON Center. Highlights: 69 attendees in a hybrid format Strong interest in Copilot, AI strategy, and responsible adoption A huge thank you to Craig and Ralph for their leadership and continued commitment to growing the Microsoft 365 and Power Platform community in Chicago Met with David Horstein, the new Director, of the Chicago Innovation Hub in the Aon Center Microsoft Office to talk about Community Days events, user groups and promoting more stories via our MCAG Community News Desk. Stop 3: Microsoft AI Tour – Chicago (Sept 25) At Microsoft AI Tour Chicago, Bryan Wofford and I delivered our workshop twice at McCormick Place, both focused on empowering organizations and community leaders to embrace Microsoft AI. Copilot Ready: Strategy, Data, and Security - Session Code: WRK523-US Co-delivered with Bryan Wofford, who created the deck and demo and the lab. This hands-on workshop focused on preparing organizations for Copilot deployment. We had close to 200 people total for the sessions. We covered: Data readiness and tenant hygiene Agent security and governance Scaling with built-in Microsoft tools Participants brought their own laptops and actively engaged in real-time exercises to assess and improve their Copilot readiness. I also shared a lightning talk - Empowering Community Builders: Join MGCI & CommunityDays Session Code: LTG171-US This lightning talk introduced the Microsoft Global Community Initiative (MGCI) and CommunityDays.org, showcasing how these platforms are transforming grassroots tech engagement. We explored: How to list and find events Opportunities for new and experienced speakers Free training and regional leadership connections Highlights: Strong interest and engagement in both sessions Keynotes from Judson Althoff, Karen del Vescovo, Bryan Goode, and Jenny Lay-Flurrie A packed day of learning, strategy, and connection with customers, partners, and Microsoft engineers Was thrilled to see colleague, Anne Krupke, Sr. Product Marketing Manager was on stage to demo with Judson Althoff. Friday afternoon I went to TedxChicago themed “The Future is Human” to see Nisaini Rexach, Lead, Community Engagement @ Microsoft | Copilot Champ give an amazing session on community building along with 8 other wonderful local speakers. Thank you Craig Jahnke for the intro! Final Reflections This trip was a powerful reminder of the strength and momentum within our Microsoft community. From grassroots leadership development in Minnesota to AI transformation in Chicago, I saw firsthand how our tools—and our people—are helping organizations lead with empathy, innovate with confidence, and build for the future. Our CommunityDays events are always looking for speakers and they are a great way to hone your speaking skills, get feedback directly from customers, partners and our Microsoft MVPs. And connect into The Best Community in Tech. Find events to submit for calls for content and speakers at: Community Days | Homepage #CommunityLuvESPC25 – Dublin | Microsoft event guide
ESPC25 | Come curious. Leave inspired. European SharePoint Conference 2025 | Dublin, Ireland | December 1–4, 2025 | SharePointEurope.com. Your guide to ESPC25 Dublin, Ireland, is one of the most dynamic and innovative tech cities in Europe, making it the perfect place for in-person, in-depth learning at the European SharePoint Conference—now simply branded as ESPC25—December 1–4, 2025. As the celebrated Irish writer Edna O’Brien once said, “Hospitality is the cornerstone of the Irish heart.” This spirit of warmth and welcome is sure to be felt throughout your stay in Dublin during ESPC25. You will have the opportunity to learn from experts, network with peers, and discover new technologies that can help you achieve your goals. The event and city have something for everyone: inspiring keynotes, in-depth sessions and workshops, community, art and culture, and many festive moments. Explore powerful new AI capabilities for every role and function: Diving into Microsoft 365, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Power Platform, and more, you’ll discover how Microsoft is transforming the way we work today—and get a firsthand look at the future of work itself. You’ll find content delivered by the world’s best Microsoft 365 and Copilot Studio experts, including many Microsoft leaders and employees from the product teams. In this pre-event guide, we list all the Microsoft-led sessions below so you can prepare for what awaits you alongside community and MVP expert sessions. There will be plenty of opportunities for you to learn, share, and engage: Evening gatherings, the attendee party, and our Innovation Hub with Microsoft product demo stations, a Promptathon, Vibe Coding, a place to network with your peers, a dedicated community space, the Inspire Stage, and 1:1 meeting spaces are all within the Expo Hall alongside all the wonderful event sponsors. The 101 on ESPC25 What: ESPC25 Where: The Convention Centre Dublin, Spencer Dock, North Wall Quay, Dublin 1 D01 T1W6, Ireland When: December 1-4, 2025 (keynotes, sessions, tutorials, workshops, and more) Presenters: 120+ sessions (35+ Microsoft-led), 115+ speakers (MVPs, RDs, Microsoft and community members); check out Microsoft-led keynotes, tutorials, and sessions Cost: From €695 + VAT (one day) to €1645 + VAT (four day) Enjoy an additional €200 discount with our exclusive community discount code: ESPC25COMM Primary social: Join in and follow @ESPC_Community (Twitter) and ESPC (LinkedIn); use hashtag #ESPC25 About ESPC ESPC25 offers you affordable, world-class learning and networking at your fingertips. Join in 120+ sessions covering: Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Studio, AI and agents, SharePoint, Microsoft Viva, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft 365 adoption, governance, admin, intranets, and more. Over the years, ESPC has visited some of the most incredible cities: from the charming streets of Copenhagen and the historic beauty of Berlin to the vibrant culture of Prague, and the dynamic atmosphere of Amsterdam. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, ESPC kept the excitement alive with engaging online events! The European SharePoint Conference (ESPC), now known simply as ESPC, is one of the largest and most prominent events in Europe dedicated to Microsoft technologies, particularly Microsoft 365 and Azure. It began in 2011 in Berlin, Germany, as a platform for discussing SharePoint and related Microsoft technologies. Over the years, ESPC expanded its scope to include other tools in the Microsoft ecosystem, reflecting the industry's trend toward digital transformation and cloud adoption. ESPC has grown to become the largest independent European event for Microsoft technology users, serving as a crucial knowledge hub and networking space. It continues to play a vital role in educating the tech community on best practices for using SharePoint, Microsoft 365, and Azure to enhance productivity, collaboration, and security in the modern workplace. Review past ESPC events: 2025: Dublin, Ireland 2024: Stockholm, Sweden 2023: Amsterdam, Netherlands 2022: Copenhagen, Denmark 2021: Online (due to COVID-19) 2020: Online (due to COVID-19) 2019: Prague, Czech Republic 2018: Copenhagen, Denmark 2017: Dublin, Ireland 2016: Vienna, Austria 2015: Stockholm, Sweden Review all Microsoft keynotes and sessions below: Start building your schedule today! Microsoft keynotes (All times represented in local Dublin time) Opening keynote: The New Frontier of Work: Copilot, AI, and the Future of Microsoft 365 Jeff Teper, President of Collaborative Apps and Platforms , Microsoft with Miceile Barrett, Zach Rosenfield, Alex Weingard, and Michel Bouman Tuesday, Dec. 2, 9:00–10:00 AM Day one PM keynote: From One to Many: The future of AI is Collaborative Jaime Teevan, Chief Scientist and Technical Fellow, Microsoft Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2:00–3:00 PM Day three keynote: Beyond the Prompt: Building an AI-Resilient Career with Power Skills Heather Cook, Principal Customer Experience PM, Microsoft Karuana Gatimu, Director, Customer Advocacy, Microsoft 365, AI and Agents Thursday, Dec. 4, 9:00–10:00 AM Community keynotes Will AI Become Intelligent? Rafal Lukawiecki, Data Scientist at Tecflix, Ireland Wednesday, Dec. 3, 9:00–10:00 AM Hacker’s Perspective on New Risks: Revising the Cybersecurity Priorities for 2025 Paula Januszkiewicz, Founder and CEO, CQURE Inc. and CQURE Academy Tuesday, Dec. 2, 4:45–5:45 PM Microsoft sessions (All times represented in local Dublin time) Breakout sessions: (60 min, in-person) Latest Innovations in Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat Speaker: Connie Welsh, Bryan Wofford Tuesday, December 2, 2025, 10:15 AM | Session Code T8 What’s new in Copilot Studio Speaker: Antonio Rodriques Tuesday, December 2, 10:15 AM | Session Code T9 SharePoint as the Intelligence Backbone of Copilot Speaker: Zach Rosenfield Tuesday, December 2, 11:45 AM | Session Code T18 IT Excellence in the AI era: Managing Copilot and Agents for Impact and Control Speaker: Ben Summers Tuesday, December 2, 3:15 PM | Session Code T26 AI in Action: Microsoft's Approach to Internal Communications Speakers: Adam Barzel, Anna Pope, Darina Sexton Tuesday, December 2, 3:15 PM | Session Code T27 Woman in Tech & Allies Panel Speaker: Heather Cook, Danielle Moon and Karuana Gatimu Tuesday, December 2, 3:15 PM | Session Code T28 Microsoft Teams: What's New and What's Next Speaker: Alex Weingart Wednesday, December 3, 10:15 AM | Session Code W8 MCP (Model Context Protocol) in action in Microsoft 365 Copilot Speaker: Paolo Pialorsi Wednesday, December 3, 10:15 AM | Session Code W9 Microsoft Teams as Your AI-Driven Work Hub Speaker: Kartik Datwani Wednesday, December 3, 10:15 AM | Session Code W18 Building Intelligent Content Apps for the Copilot Era Speakers: Steve Pucelik, Shreyas Saravanan Wednesday, December 3, 2:00 PM | Session Code W27 OneDrive Updates: Smarter Storage, Seamless Sharing Speakers: Miceile Barrett, Lincoln DeMaris, and Jason Moore Wednesday, December 3, 2:00 PM | Session Code W28 AI Intranet: Creating and Managing High Quality Content on the Intranet of Tomorrow Speaker: Katelyn Helms Wednesday, December 3, 2:00 PM | Session Code W30 AI-Enhanced Planning: Innovations in Planner & Project Manager Agents Speaker: Howard Crow Wednesday, December 3, 3:15 PM | Session Code W38 AI Risk Management: From Oversharing to Strategic Oversight Speakers: Gabriel Tiberiu Damaschin, Nishan DeSilva Wednesday, December 3, 4:45 PM | Session Code W45 Streamlining Core Operations with AI Automation Speaker: Antonio Rodriques Wednesday, December 3, 4:45 PM | Session Code W44 Understanding Copilot Extensibility: a practical guide Speakers: Vesa Juvonen and Paolo Pialorsi Thursday, December 4 ,10:15 AM | Session Code TH8 Agents Among Us – Governance for the Agentic Era Speaker: Sesha Mani Thursday, December 4 ,10:15 AM | Session Code TH 9 Creating AI Agents for People and Platforms Speaker: Nandakishor Basavanthappa Thursday, December 4, 11:45 AM | Session Code TH14 Windows AI: Powering Progress Across the Globe Speaker: Vikas Malekar Thursday, December 4 ,11:45 AM | Session Code TH15 Accelerating Copilot Adoption Across Your Organization Speakers: Karuana Gatimu, Bryan Wofford Thursday, December 4, 11:45 AM | Session Code TH16 True Stories of Copilot in Action Speakers: Connie Welsh, Danielle Moon Thursday, December 4, 2:00 PM | Session Code TH 28 Fireside Insights: Driving Value and Business Growth with AI Speaker: TBA Thursday December 4 15:15 | Session Code TH37 Lightning talks (20 minutes, in person) - Innovation Hub Supercharge Your Projects with Microsoft 365 Community Tools Speaker: Vesa Juvonen Tuesday, December 2, 10:15 AM Building Copilot with community-led engagement Speaker: Anna Pope Tuesday, December 2, 10:40 AM Managing your brand for career management Speaker: Karuana Gatimu (MCAG) Tuesday, December 2, 11:45 AM Empowering Community Builders: MGCI & Communitydays.org Speaker: Heather Cook Tuesday, December 2, 12:05 PM Your Day, Your Way: Personalized AI with OneDrive Speaker: Miceile Barrett Tuesday, December 2, 12:30 PM Security First Powering AI Transformation Speaker: Sesha Mani Tuesday, December 2, 4:45 PM Unlocking SharePoint Advanced Management for Copilot Success Speaker: Michael Holste Tuesday, December 2, 5:10 PM Fast-Tracking Value with the Copilot Success Kit & Scenario Library Speaker: Bryan Wofford Wednesday, December 3, 10:15 AM How to find learning Opportunities Everywhere Speaker: Adam Harmetz Wednesday, December 3, 10:40 AM Copilot readiness & resiliency with Microsoft 365 Backup & Archive Speaker: Kaustubh Chaudhary, Michael Holste Wednesday, December 3, 12:05 PM Unlock SharePoint Embedded integration with Power Platform Connectors Speaker: Steve Pucelik Thursday, December 4, 10:15 AM Microsoft Teams: Day-to-Day AI Speaker: Alex Weingart Thursday, December 4, 10:40 AM Driving Business Value with Copilot Analytics and ROI Measurement Speaker: Manas Kumar Biswas Thursday, December 4,11:45 AM Understanding Copilot APIs Speaker: Paolo Pialori Thursday, December 4, 12:05 PM Migration in Motion: Simplify, Secure, and Scale with Microsoft 365 Speaker: Manas Vishal Lodha Thursday, December 4, 12:30 PM Inspire Track (60 minutes, in person) - Inspire Stage Good Thing We Like Our Copilots CANCELLED: How Your Job Will Evolve in 2026 into AGENTBOSS! Speaker: Dona Sarkar Tuesday, December 2, 10:15 AM | Session Code: Inspire 2 How To Thrive in Your Tech Career: Managing Burnout and Boredom Speaker: Adam Harmetz Wednesday, December 3, 11:45 AM | Session Code: Inspire 6 Managing your brand for career management Speaker: Karuana Gatimu Thursday, December 4, 11:45 AM | Session Code: Inspire 10 Cultivating Trust and Leadership Excellence through Mentorship and Leadership Speaker: Heather Cook Thursday, December 4, 2:00 PM | Session Code: Inspire 11 Innovation Hub and Lightning Talk Theater The Microsoft Innovation Hub at ESPC is a vibrant, multi-zone environment crafted to ignite new ideas, showcase cutting-edge prototypes, and shape the future of Microsoft 365 and Microsoft 365 Copilot. Here, creativity and technology intersect, providing a dedicated space for developers, architects, consultants, and strategists to explore the forefront of innovation. The Innovation Hub is designed to foster collaboration, highlight emerging technologies, and collect real-time insights from the wider Microsoft 365 community. You can meet with Microsoft Product Team members and Microsoft MVPs! You’ll find the Microsoft Innovation Hub in the ESPC Expo Tuesday through Thursday. Each day on the Innovation Stage in Zone 1 you will find Lightning Talks for live demonstrations and peer learning in a compact format. And don't miss the SharePoint 25th Birthday Celebration and the Innovation Awards, Tuesday evening at 5:45 PM. Within Zone 2, you will find Future Tech Demos daily during breaks and lunches. The Microsoft team and MVPs will be on hand to walk you through dynamic demos: Agents/Copilot Studio, Developer, Microsoft 365 Copilot and SharePoint and One Drive. Get connected in the Zone 3 Feedback Loop Lounge and leave your thoughts on our survey for a chance to win daily prizes. And finally, meet in the Zone 4 Ideation Lounge each afternoon for guided workshops including a Promptathon and Vibe Coding activities in an environment specifically designed to encourage creativity and collaborative thinking. This event guide will continue to update as we finalize more of our activations. Stay tuned! Shout out to event leads and community members Sarah McNamara, Kevin Monahan, Ella Murphy, Bridgette Robertson, John, and Sarah G, and the #ESPC25 team for putting together ESPC25, corralling all speakers and content, and for supporting and promoting the knowledge and expertise to promote the world-class Microsoft 365 tech community around the world. Cheers, Heather Last, a glimpse of the ESPC event experience:Where Microsoft’s community comes alive: the Inspire Stage at ESPC25
At ESPC25 (December 1–4 in Dublin) the Inspire Stage returns as a cornerstone of the conference experience—offering a space where personal development, professional growth, and community connection converge. This isn’t just another track; it’s a celebration of the Microsoft community’s spirit, values, and shared journey. A look back: Inspire Stage at ESPC23 and ESPC24 The Inspire Stage first made waves at ESPC23 in Amsterdam, where it hosted the Inspire Awards. This event spotlighted people who made a lasting impact on the Microsoft 365 community. Held right in the EXPO, the high-energy awards ceremony brought together finalists, speakers, and attendees to celebrate excellence, innovation, and impact. At ESPC24 in Stockholm, the Inspire Stage was a hub for 30-minute lightning talks focused on professional development and wellness. Sessions ranged from career coaching and leadership insights to mental health strategies and inclusive practices. The stage also hosted Ask the Experts, where attendees could get real-time advice from the experts themselves. What’s new in 2025: Inspire Stage at ESPC25 Dublin This year, the Inspire Stage at ESPC25 is all set for another great conference. Located in the Expo at the Convention Centre Dublin, it’s designed to help attendees fuel their potential, expand their mindset, and ignite their well-being. What to expect: Development: Talks like “How To Work Like a Brainiac With M365 Copilot – a No-Brainer” and “Managing Your Brand for Career Management” offer practical strategies to elevate your career and adapt to the evolving tech landscape. Wellness: Sessions such as “How To Thrive in Your Tech Career: Managing Burnout and Boredom” and “The Importance of Tech Mentorship and Tech Communities” provide insights into managing burnout, staying balanced, and finding your community. Ask the Experts: This is your chance to connect with seasoned professionals about personal and professional development, work-life balance, and more! Who you’ll hear from: Jonah Andersson Christian Buckley Heather Cook Karuana Gatimu Melissa Hale Adam Harmetz Caroline Kallin Karoliina Kettukari & Sari Soinoja Sean Lally Dona Sarkar Marjia Siddik Sharon Smith Why it matters: the Microsoft community in action The Inspire Stage is more than a schedule of talks—it’s a reflection of the Microsoft community’s strength and generosity. It’s where MVPs, first-time attendees, and industry leaders come together to listen, learn, support one another, and grow collectively. It’s where hallway conversations turn into career breakthroughs, and where you realize you’re part of something bigger. Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. But it’s the community—your community—that brings that mission to life. ESPC25 is your opportunity to connect, grow, and be inspired by the people who make this ecosystem thrive. Learn more about ESPC25 and register today Use the community discount code for: ESPC25COMM (€200 off) See you in Dublin! Heather CookIgnite Connections: Unleashing Community & Networking at Microsoft Ignite 2025
Microsoft Ignite is almost here, and we’re bringing the energy, innovation, and connections you’ve been waiting for! If you’re passionate about innovative and groundbreaking technology, this year’s lineup is packed with insights and inspiration you won’t want to miss. It is always fun for all of us who work on community teams at Microsoft to come together cross-division to collaborate on Community at Microsoft Ignite together. We have Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Azure, Microsoft Fabric, Copilot Studio, GitHub, Security, Windows, Surface, Microsoft MVP team, Microsoft Partner team and Cloud +AI all represented. All sessions are in person and will not be recorded so plan accordingly and be sure to stop by for stickers and the fun interactive areas for when you need a break and place to land during the show. Spotlight Sessions You Can’t Miss We’re excited to showcase the community sessions from all three of our key solution areas: AI Business Solutions, Cloud & AI Platforms, and Security. Each area features sessions designed to help you leverage Copilot, intelligent agents, and cutting-edge technologies to transform your business. Explore the full lineup below and discover every session available to maximize your Ignite experience! Community Theaters: The Agent Readiness Framework AI Business Solutions Tuesday, November 18, 11:30am - 12pm Jack Rowbotham Building Digital Trust: Aligning Microsoft Technologies with Global AI and Regulatory Frameworks Security Tuesday, November 18, 1pm – 1:30pm Sourabh Pandey Human-AI collaboration: Advancing the future of software engineering GitHub Tuesday, November 18, 1:30pm – 2pm Andrew Goodman, Kevin Rhatigan Learn Infrastructure-as-Code through Minecraft Cloud & AI Platforms Tuesday, November 18, 2pm – 2:30pm Mark Tinderholt 10 Partner Center Hacks Every Microsoft Partner Should Know Partner-led organization Tuesday, November 18, 2:30pm – 3pm Michelle Elston Women in Tech & Allies: Turning Allyship into Action AI Business Solutions Tuesday, November 18, 3pm – 3:30pm Heather Cook, Karuana Gatimu, Danielle Moon AI MVP Panel – Unblocking Customer Innovation Cloud & AI Platforms Tuesday, November 18, 3:30pm – 4pm Prashant G Bhoyar, Marco Casalaina, Martina Grom, Dux Raymond Sy Path to MVP: Windows & Devices and Intune—Tips from the Team Surface & W+D Tuesday, November 18, 4pm – 4:30pm Lior Bela, Chauncey Larsen, Donna Ryan Close More Deals with Copilot: Speed, Depth, and Customer Impact Partner-led organization Tuesday, November 18, 4:30pm – 5pm Jennifer Brown Shaping the Future of Azure AI Foundry Cloud & AI Platforms Tuesday, November 18, 5pm – 5:30pm Roelant Dieben, Shawn Henry, Steve Sweetman, Quirine van Walt Meijer Ask Me Anything with Scott Hanselman Cloud & AI Platforms Wednesday, November 19, 9:15am – 9:45am Henk Boelman, Scott Hanselman So you want to become and MVP (Option 1) MVP program Wednesday, November 19, 9:45am – 10:15am Justin Garrett Get Started with Copilot Adoption – Tools, Resources and Best Practices from the Microsoft Adoption Hub AI Business Solutions Wednesday, November 19, 10:45am – 11:15am Karuana Gatimu Security Copilot Security Wednesday, November 19, 11:15am – 11:45am Saurabh Jain Getting Started with Agents for Customer Zero Partner-led organization Wednesday, November 19, 1:15pm – 1:45pm Eddie Bader, Juhi Saha Cloud Perspectives: Lessons Learned and Experiences from Azure MVPs Cloud & AI Platforms Wednesday, November 19, 1:45pm – 2:15pm Nelly Delgado, Taiji Hagino, Ben Reader, Jared Rhodes Copilot Studio Community AI Business Solutions Wednesday, November 19, 2:15pm – 2:45pm David Abu, Wim Coorevits Microsoft Entra for Agents: Ask Microsoft Anything Security Wednesday, November 19, 2:45pm – 3:15pm Leandro Iwase, Ngozi Nwoko, Sharon Sandhu, Nick Wryter Cloud Perspectives: A Q&A with Azure Data Leadership Cloud & AI Platforms Wednesday, November 19, 3:30pm – 4pm Arun Ulag Navigating the Tectonic Shifts Partner-led organization Wednesday, November 19, 4pm – 4:30pm Vincent Menzione Building Modern Businesses Through AI and Partnerships Partner-led organization Thursday, November 20, 9am – 9:30am Asher Mathew Career Chat: Advancing from Product Manager to Product Leader in Tech AI Business Solutions Thursday, November 20, 9:30am – 10am Adam Harmetz So you want to become an MVP (Option 2) MVP program Thursday, November 20, 10am – 10:30am Justin Garrett Cloud Perspectives: Azure Migration Community Insights Cloud & AI Platforms Thursday, November 20, 10:30am – 11am Vikram Bansal Unlock Copilot Success with Power CAT programs AI Business Solutions Thursday, November 20, 11:15am – 11:45am Chitra J, Luis Camino Operationalizing Continuous Threat Exposure Management using Microsoft Security Exposure Management Security Thursday, November 20, 1:15pm – 1:45pm Alex Steele Learn About Licensing Discounts, Azure Credits and MAICPP Support Partner-led organization Thursday, November 20, 1:45pm – 2:15pm Tafara Pulse, Omar Khalid Cloud Perspectives: Cloud Management & Ops Platform Team Insights Cloud & AI Platforms Thursday, November 20, 2:15pm – 2:45pm Ruhiyyih Mahalati, Farzana Rahman Adopting GitHub Enterprise: Unlocking Developer Productivity Today and Tomorrow GitHub Thursday, November 20, 2:45pm – 3:15pm Parker Johnston Behind the Scenes: The Making of the Session Recap Agent Cloud & AI Platforms Thursday, November 20, 4pm – 4:30pm Henk Boelman How the Data Community Can Advanced Your Data & AI Career Cloud & AI Platforms Thursday, November 20, 5pm – 5:30pm Rie Merritt Mentorship Matters: Building Meaningful Connections for Growth AI Business Solutions Thursday, November 20, 5pm – 5:30pm Heather Cook, Karuana Gatimua Connection Pods Becoming an MVP in Biz Apps or Copilot Studio AI Business Solutions Tuesday, November 18, 1pm – 1:45pm Heidi Jordan, Ahmed Salih Build your schedule with help from a Microsoft MVP MVP program Tuesday, November 18, 1pm – 1:45pm Kimberly Sanchez SQL Server Management Studio: Help Drive What’s Next Cloud & AI Platforms Tuesday, November 18, 3pm – 3:45pm Makena Watanabe Barickman Unified SecOps in Action: Practical Incident Response & Threat Hunting with Sentinel, Defender XDR & Copilot Security Tuesday, November 18, 1pm – 1:45pm Uros Babic Challenges in Migrating Data to the Cloud for AI and Analytics Cloud & AI Platforms Tuesday, November 18, 2pm – 2:45pm Imani Hall, Vybava Ramadoss Identity Strategy Approaches Security Tuesday, November 18, 2pm – 2:45pm David Nudelman Microsoft Global Community Initiative: Connecting People, Powering Impact AI Business Solutions Tuesday, November 18, 2pm – 2:45pm Heather Cook, Isidora Katanic The Revenue Multiplier: Marketplace + Campaigns That Grow Profit Partner-led organization Tuesday, November 18, 2pm – 2:45pm Karen Fassio Building Agents with Copilot Studio Lite vs Full AI Business Solutions Tuesday, November 18, 3pm – 3:45pm David Abu, Mariana Prudencio Engaging with the Data Community: from User Groups to Reddit and Everywhere in Between Cloud & Ai Platforms Tuesday, November 18, 3pm – 3:45pm Rie Merritt Maximizing Partner Profitability with Microsoft Commerce Incentives Partner-led organization Tuesday, November 18, 3pm – 3:45pm Brittner Saultman Microsoft Sentinel Data Ingestion: Challenges, Solutions and Best Practices Security Tuesday, November 18, 3pm – 3:45pm Sasha Kranjac Identity & Network Access Management for AI Agents Security Tuesday, November 18, 4pm – 4:45pm Nichole Peterson Mentorship That Matters AI Business Solutions Tuesday, November 18, 4pm – 4:45pm Karuana Gatimu, Jonathan Jones Navigating Partner Center: Setting Your Partnership Up for Success Partner-led organization Tuesday, November 18, 4pm – 4:45pm Shawna Hronek Welcome to the new Azure Solutions & Ecosystem – Azure MVP Technology Area Cloud & AI Platforms Tuesday, November 18, 4pm – 4:45pm Gauri Gorhe, Joe Sarabia Activating the Copilot Community on Agents AI Business Solutions Tuesday, November 18, 5pm – 5:45pm Ahmed Salih AI MVP Community – Meet the Experts & Join the Journey Cloud & AI Platforms Tuesday, November 18, 5pm – 5:45pm Esra Bakkalbasioglu, Promise Uche Nwachukwu B2B Revenue Optimization: Using AI for a More Human Sales Process Partner-led organization Tuesday, November 18, 5pm – 5:45pm Jennifer Brown Unification of Identity & Network Access/Microsoft Entra Suite Security Tuesday, November 18, 5pm – 5:45pm Laura Viarengo Architecting for Identity Resilience: Proactive Strategies with Microsoft Entra Security Wednesday, November 19, 9am – 9:45am Charlie Gough Get Certified: how to prepare for a Microsoft certification exam Cloud & AI Platforms Wednesday, November 19, 9am – 9:45am Marisa Mathews Grow Together: P2P + AI Partner-led organization Wednesday, November 19, 9am – 9:45am Danny Brown, Nyasha Tunduwani Supercharge Copilot with SharePoint Embedded: Build, Manage, and Innovate AI Business Solutions Wednesday, November 19, 9am – 9:45am Reid Carlberg, Cindy Lay Efficient Log Handling with Microsoft Sentinel and Data Lake Architecture Security Wednesday, November 19, 10am – 10:45am Thomas Kurth Hybrid AI with Surface, Copilot + PCs & Windows AI Foundry Surface & W+D Wednesday, November 19, 10am – 10:45am Frank Buchholz, Chauncey Larsen Meet your Cloud Management & Operations Platform Team Cloud & AI Platforms Wednesday, November 19, 10am – 10:45am Rahul Bagaria Power Platform Community AI Business Solutions Wednesday, November 19, 10am – 10:45am Stephanie Cronin, Heidi Jordan, Ahmed Salih Custom & On-Prem Data Ingestion into Microsoft Sentinel: Challenges and Best Practices Security Wednesday, November 19, 11am – 11:45am Den Mutlu Maximizing your Microsoft Partnership, Profitably and Effectively Partner-led organization Wednesday, November 19, 11am – 11:45am Eddie Bader, Juhi Saha Empowering Knowledge Discovery with SharePoint Knowledge Agent AI Business Solutions Wednesday, November 19, 11am – 11:45am Adam Harmetz, John Mighell Building Community-Led Events with Agents AI Business Solutions Wednesday, November 19, 1pm – 1:45pm David Abu, Tiffay Songvilay Insights from Microsoft MVPs on how to ramp up as an AI expert MVP program Wednesday, November 19, 1pm – 1:45pm Kimberly Sanchez New agentic capabilities in Copilot in Azure Cloud & AI Platforms Wednesday, November 19, 1pm – 1:45pm Dean Kroker Threat-Informed Data Protection: Aligning Controls to the MITRE ATT&CK Data Lifecycle Security Wednesday, November 19, 1pm – 1:45pm Victor JR Wingsing Becoming an MVP in Azure or the Data Platform Cloud & AI Platforms Wednesday, November 19, 2pm – 2:45pm Rie Merritt, Gerald Tiu Reimagining data protection with the new Microsoft Purview Data Security Posture Management Security Wednesday, November 19, 2pm – 2:45pm Nathalia Borges Women in Tech & Allies: From Awareness to Action AI Business Solutions Wednesday, November 19, 2pm – 2:45pm Heather Cook, Femke Cornelissen – de Bruin, Danielle Moon Maximizing your Microsoft Partnership, Profitably and Effectively Partner-led organization Wednesday, November 19, 2pm – 2:45pm Juhi Saha Don’t Start from Scratch – Microsoft Community for the Win AI Business Solutions Wednesday, November 19, 3pm – 3:45pm David Abu, Karuana Gatimu Managing Change Through Uncertainty Partner-led organization Wednesday, November 19, 3pm – 3:45pm Christine Bongard Securing the defaults: Building and maintaining your security baseline Security Wednesday, November 19, 3pm – 3:45pm Chris Goosen Troubleshooting AKS networking with Agentic AI Cloud & AI Platforms Wednesday, November 19, 3pm – 3:45pm Sandhya Castelino, Alex Mang Building a Strong Foundation in Microsoft Partner Center Partner-led organization Wednesday, November 19, 4pm – 4:45pm Erin Figer Conditional Access: Practical Insights and Innovations Security Wednesday, November 19, 4pm – 4:45pm Christian DerDecker Engage, Connect, Grow: Your Path in the Microsoft Community AI Business Solutions Wednesday, November 19, 4pm – 4:45pm Heather Cook, Jonathan Jones, Shari L. Oswald, Eric Overfield Global AI Community – Connect, Learn & Share Worldwide Cloud & AI Platforms Wednesday, November 19, 4pm – 4:45pm Henk Boelman, Roelant Dieben, Kasam Shaikh, Alexander Wachtel Copilot & SSMS: Feedback Forum Cloud & AI Platforms Thursday, November 20, 9:15am – 10am Makena Watanabe Barickman Mastering Windows Autopatch as a Modern MSP Security Thursday, November 20, 9:15am – 10am Jeroen Burgerhout Windows Cloud Experiences: Unplugged Surface & W+D Thursday, November 20, 9:15am – 10am Jason Parker, Swarnim Srivastava, Sneha Sultania Build Your Network, Claim Your Voice: Women in IT at Ignite Surface & W+D Thursday, November 20, 10:15am – 11am Priyanka Balaji, Cassidy Fein, Valerie Goulds, Elaine You Building best practice ERP agents AI Business Solutions Thursday, November 20, 10:15am – 11am Anne Krupke, Ahmed Salih Enhancing your AI workload resiliency with the Azure Networking stack Cloud & AI Platforms Thursday, November 20, 10:15am – 11am Sergio Figueiredo, Mario Lopez From Hype to Hardening: Designing a Zero-Trust Framework for Copilot Security Thursday, November 20, 10:15am – 11am Victor JR Wingsing From Zero to AI on K8s: Lessons, Patterns, and Pitfalls Cloud & AI Platforms Thursday, November 20, 11:15am – 12pm Eric Cheng, Saurabh Sensharma Learn About Licensing Discounts, Azure Credits and MAICPP Support Partner-led organization Thursday, November 20, 11:15am – 12pm Brooke Daniel, Tafara Pulse Operationalizing Responsible AI Security in the Enterprise Security Thursday, November 20, 11:15am – 12pm Victor Jr Wingsing Becoming an MVP in M365 AI Business Solutions Thursday, November 20, 1pm – 1:45pm Galen Keene, Tiffay Songvilay, Bryan Wofford Preventing Mistakes and Misuse: The Power of MAA in Intune Security Thursday, November 20, 1pm – 1:45pm Thomas Marcussen Best practices and blockers with moving apps to Intune Security Thursday, November 20, 2pm – 2:45pm Dean Ellerby Building Resilient Enterprises: What Customers Expect from Azure Cloud & AI Platforms Thursday, November 20, 2pm – 2:45pm Gargi Banerjee, Surya Sripathi Raju The ROI of Microsoft Ignite: Strategies to share & scale what you learn MVP program Thursday, November 20, 2pm – 2:45pm Kimberly Sanchez Meet your Azure Engineering Team – Azure Migrate Product Group Cloud & AI Platforms Thursday, November 20, 3pm – 3:45pm Ashish Babbar, Raunak Pandya Context is everything: Enriching identity signals for AI-powered soc defense Security Thursday, November 20, 3pm – 3:45pm Daniel Lynch, Anna Qi The Importance of Networking to Scale your Career Partner-led organization Thursday, November 20, 3pm – 3:45pm Christine Bongard Azure AI Insiders – Your Early Access Pass to AI Cloud & AI Platforms Thursday, November 20, 6pm – 6:45pm Esra Bakkalbasioglu, Quirine van Walt Meijer AI Foundry Chats – Talk AI with the Azure Engineers Cloud & AI Platforms Thursday, November 20, 5pm – 5:45pm Quirine van Walt Meijer, Trish Winter-Hunt Be sure to visit the session catalog on the event website to add these sessions to your schedule and plan your experience. Experience Community at Microsoft Ignite Our Community & Networking space within The Hub is where it all happens! Join us here for Community Theater sessions and Connection Pods, where you’ll dive into roundtable discussions with experts and peers. You can also explore interactive activations designed to spark curiosity—discover new communities, take on exciting challenges, experience cutting-edge tech, and win prizes along the way! Visit the Community page on the event website to learn more about these experiences at Microsoft Ignite. Don’t Just Attend, Ignite Your Experience Microsoft Ignite is where ideas ignite and connections thrive. Register now, share this with your network, and start planning your attendee experience today. The sooner you build your schedule, the more you’ll maximize every moment. Special shout-out to Almina Khorakiwala, Cassandra Steiber, and Peter Harrington for leading the charge and bringing community feedback into this year’s Community Hub planning. Way to go, team! Join us and be part of the conversations shaping the future—because you don’t want to hear about it later, you want to experience it first.Top 5 reasons to attend ESPC25
We are so excited! Don’t miss out on ESPC25, Europe’s premier Microsoft 365 and AI community conference, in Dublin, Ireland. You’ll learn about Microsoft’s product roadmap, gain skills that will help you lead in the era of AI, build connections with a global community of Microsoft experts and enthusiasts—and have fun doing it! Join us for 120+ sessions and plenty of in-person learning and networking opportunities in a city known for its history, culture, and innovation. ESPC25 | Dublin, Ireland | December 1–4, 2025 | aka.ms/ESPC2025 Want the low-down on what you can look forward to? Here are five reasons you’ll want to attend: Learn about AI and the future of work. Dive into the latest advancements in AI, get updates on new features across Microsoft 365 Copilot, and explore how agents can help you scale your team like never before. Connect with Microsoft experts and product makers. There’s nothing like learning directly from the people who build the tools you use every day—especially in today’s rapidly evolving AI landscape. With new advancements rolling out at lightning speed, this is your chance to stay ahead of the curve. Discover how Microsoft 365 Copilot can supercharge your workflow. Microsoft 365 Copilot has been a game-changer for professionals across all functions and lines of business. Whether you’re new to Copilot or a seasoned user, you’ll walk away knowing how to make it work even harder for you. Gain tangible skills you can use immediately. From hands-on demos to technical sessions across Microsoft 365 and Microsoft 365 Copilot, you’ll gain practical insights and solutions that can make an immediate impact on your work—no matter your role or function. Network with a global community of professionals. It’s not just about the tech—it’s about the people who use it. ESPC brings together professionals from all over the world who are eager to share experiences, ideas, and best practices. Connect with peers, make lasting professional relationships, and learn from others in your field. Learn more about ESPC25 What: ESPC25 community event with 120+ sessions When: December 1–4, 2025 Where: Dublin, Ireland, The Convention Centre Dublin Cost: €1795 + VAT: Four days (includes full-day tutorial on December 1 and three conference days, December 2–4) €1650 + VAT: Three days (sessions only) €1295 + VAT: Two days (sessions only) Please use this Microsoft Community discount code: ESPC25COMM (€200 off) Registration page: aka.ms/espcregisternow For those interested in being considered for our Executive Experience Track please be sure to check the box when registering. (limited capacity). Our full event guide will land the first week of November. Can't wait to say hello in Ireland! Heather CookEvent Recap - TechCon Atlanta - August 2025
Reflections on a Week of Innovation, Community, and Microsoft Excellence in the Heart of Atlanta We’ve just concluded an unforgettable week at the Microsoft 365, Copilot / AI & Power Platform Conference in Atlanta, GA, hosted at the Georgia World Congress Center from August 11–15, 2025. This special event, a fusion of TechCon365 and PWRCON, brought together passionate professionals, industry leaders, and a vibrant tech community to explore the very best of Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Copilot, and beyond. Event Highlights 492 attendees 61 Speakers, including 13 from Microsoft. 144 Sessions and 27 Workshops. Atlanta’s signature hospitality and vibrant atmosphere set the tone for an experience that was more than just another tech event—it was a true celebration of learning, sharing, and growth. Workshops & Hands-On Learning Attendees immersed themselves in practical, hands-on workshops designed to go beyond the slide deck. Direct access to Microsoft product teams and some of the brightest minds in the community made it possible to leave with actionable strategies and real-world skills ready to be put to work back home. Keynotes & Special Sessions Microsoft 365 Keynote: The Next Phase: AI Agents, Real-World Impact & Smarter Decisions in the Age of Copilot - with Heather Cook, Principal PM, Customer Advocacy, Microsoft, was joined by Bryan Wofford, Principal PM, Customer Advocacy, Microsoft, Olesya Sarajlic, Data Analyst, Agent Cloud. Olesya covered building agents - one for a healthcare support team and Bryan showed us all the new cool features of Copilot in SharePoint. (a nod to Melissa Torres PM on the SharePoint team who shared demo scripts with Bryan). I love how our teams help each other with building content and demos. Thank you!! I shared our M365 Copilot vision along with three topics close to my heart: 1️⃣ AI-exposed jobs – disproportionately impacting women. We need to get folks skilled, reskilled, and ready for the future. These numbers were a bummer. 2️⃣ Menopause awareness – 1 billion women in menopause as of 2025. This isn’t just a women’s health topic. It’s a workforce, leadership, and community topic. 3️⃣ The 10-10-10 guideline from author Suzy Welch, a decision-making tool my dad, Stan Cook, shared with me years ago that I still use today. Using the new Researcher Agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot, I pulled stats from the 2025 PwC Global AI Jobs Barometer Report (a must read) and generated a 21-page paper in minutes. This will fuel future blogs and content on supporting women in AI-exposed roles and amplifying conversations around women’s health. I also shared how to use Create to build an email header in a flash. It was super fun to build demos of both of these features. A shout out to team member - GPM Stephanie Horn who shared her awesome notes with me on these demos. Thank you! I also used Researcher recently to specifically deal with my own health regarding menopause, my lack of a thyroid, working on weight loss, and simply feeling better. The paper that it created from my prompts and documents about me, and what I should be doing was what inspired me to continue the dialogue on this subject for this keynote. I'll be posting about that experience between me, the agent and my doctors soon. A game changer for me personally. Menopause affects 31% of the population if you do the math - 1.1 billion women, 500 million in a partnership, on average two kids - that is ~2.5 billion people or that 31% of the population indirectly affected by something we don't talk about, we don't study and we don't give enough research funding for - we have to change this and we do that to start by talking about it - a few months ago, I met both Dr. Sharon Malone Grown Woman Talk and Tamsen Fadal who both have excellent books that I also referenced in doing my research. Breakout Sessions With session tracks covering Copilot, Teams, SharePoint, Power Platform, Security and One Drive, the conference program truly offered something for everyone. A big THANK YOU to all the speakers who came to support the event. It was AWESOME to have so many Southeast local folks come as well and represent. Much appreciated. Microsoft-Led Sessions: Getting Ready for M365 Copilot with Bryan Wofford & Dave Minasyan Customize SharePoint Lists and Libraries Forms Using SharePoint Framework with Alex Terentiev Understanding the Voice of the Customer with Power BI and Azure Cognitive Services with Olesya Sarajlic & Stephanie Bruno Expanding SharePoint Framework Web Parts in Teams, Office and Outlook with Alex Terentiev Empower Me: Building an AI Agent for Task Automation and Decision Support with Olesya Sarajlic & Victor Cuadros Unlocking AI Governance with Microsoft Purview with Ajay Kallur Build Custom Copilot Solutions with SharePoint Embedded with Reid Carlberg Empowering Community Management with AI and Microsoft 365 with Heather Cook & Bryan Wofford Microsoft Teams: Collaboration and Communication in the era of AI with Connie Welsh Power BI monitoring with Log Analytics Workspace with Akshata Revankar The real Mechanics of AI and how we got here with Bryan Wofford Enhancing Employee Experience with Copilot with Chris L’Hommedieu Microsoft 365 PnP for SharePoint Framework Developer with Alex Terentiev Git Integration and Azure DevOps for PowerBI with Implementing CI/CD with Akshata Revankar Community & Connections Ask the Experts Located at a prime spot on the expo floor, the Ask the Experts station served as a hub for attendees to seek solutions to their toughest questions. Industry experts and Microsoft professionals engaged with participants, providing valuable insights and sparking inspiration along the way. Women in Tech and Allies Lunch A community-driven highlight, promoting support, inspiration, and the power of collaboration in tech. We had ~50 attendees. Host Heather Cook, Principal PM, MCAG and panelists Rie Merritt, Principal PM Manager, Azure Data, Danielle Moon, Sr. Specialist - AI Business Process and Olesya Sarajlic, Data Analyst and Sharee Brockington, Change Specialist, Dominion Energy. Here were the key takeaways: Your degree doesn't define your tech journey From theater major to nuclear physics PhD to dental hygienist, we all found our way into tech through curiosity and saying YES to opportunities we weren't "fully qualified" for - yes, AND! The power of mentorship vs sponsorship Mentors give you concrete steps to improve. Sponsors talk about you when you're not in the room and get you noticed. Have multiple mentors for different needs - formalize these relationships! Allyship is 1000 small actions Amplify others' voices, acknowledge contributions, and pull someone else through the door after you make it through Stop waiting to be "ready Men apply for jobs they can do 40% of, women wait until they can do 60-70%. If you can do half the job requirements, APPLY. AI is your partner, not your competitor Use tools like Copilot to handle the "make this email less angry" moments and free up time for creativity. Microsoft Global Community Initiative Meetup and Community Connections The heart of TechCon365 Atlanta was its community. The Expo Area provided a welcoming space for creative activities, casual meetups, giveaways, and connection. Evening gatherings and the conference networking social event brought energy and joy, sparking both new collaborations and lasting friendships. Looking Forward As we wrap up this incredible week in Atlanta, the spark for innovation and connection remains strong. Thank you to every attendee, speaker, and partner—especially Sharon Toler and David Wilhelm—for making this conference a can’t-miss event on the tech calendar. Mark your calendars for future TechCon365 events and keep the momentum going as you bring fresh ideas and new energy to your work and community. TechCon Dallas 2025 - November 3-7, 2025 We can’t wait to see you again. Until then—stay inspired, stay connected, and keep building the future together. Stay connected on Microsoft Community channels Microsoft Adoption Hub: https://aka.ms/AdoptionHub MSFT Adoption Twitter: https://aka.ms/MSFTAdoptionTwitter Microsoft Community LinkedIn Page: https://aka.ms/MSCommunityLinkedin Microsoft Community Learning YouTube: https://aka.ms/community/learning Microsoft Tech Community: https://aka.ms/JoinMTC One-Stop Shop for Community Events: https://www.communitydays.org Mondays at Microsoft News Show: https://aka.ms/MondaysatMicrosoftEvent Recap - TechCon Seattle - June 2025
We’ve just wrapped up an incredible week at TechCon365 in the vibrant city of Seattle, WA, held at the Seattle Convention Center from June 23-27, 2025. TechCon365 Seattle brought together three specialized conferences — TechCon, PWRCON, and DATACON — delivering a powerhouse of learning, inspiration, and innovation. With a focus on Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and data solutions, the event catered to all levels, from enthusiasts to seasoned experts. Attendees explored the latest advancements in Microsoft 365 and AI, gained insights into Power Platform innovations, and discovered transformative data practices to elevate their careers and businesses. Event Highlights 1,000+ Attendees, 130 Speakers, including 44 from Microsoft. 245 Sessions and 48 Workshops. 3 Conferences under one roof: TechCon365, PWRCON, and DATACON. Networking Opportunities: Hundreds of professionals, community members, and leaders from diverse industries. A big thank you to David Wilhelm and Sharon Toler, along with your wonderful production team, for putting on such great community-focused technical skilling events for over a decade. Your dedication and hard work always make a significant impact, and we truly appreciate all that you do. Pre-Event Workshops The workshops at TechCon Seattle 2025 delivered two days of immersive, hands-on learning that set the tone for a dynamic week of innovation and collaboration. With 48 expertly led sessions spanning Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Microsoft Data, attendees dove deep into real-world scenarios and cutting-edge tools—from Copilot and AI to Power BI, Power Apps, and Azure SQL. Led by Microsoft MVPs and seasoned practitioners, the workshops offered practical insights and interactive demos that empowered participants to return to their roles with actionable strategies and renewed confidence. Whether building low-code solutions, enhancing data protection, or mastering collaboration tools, the workshops proved to be a cornerstone of the event experience. Keynotes & General Sessions Day 1: The day kicked off with the Microsoft 365 keynote, “Being a Productivity Changemaker in the Era of AI,” delivered by Karuana Gatimu, Melissa Torres, Stephanie Horn, and Kendra Springer. To round out the day, Bob Ward and Shireesh Thota took the stage with “Transform Your Data into a Competitive Edge with Azure.” Their dynamic session sparked new excitement, showing how Azure’s powerful tools can turn everyday data into valuable business breakthroughs. Attendees left energized by the possibilities and ready to harness data as a true driver of innovation. Day 2: The Power Platform keynote, "The Future of the Power Platform: Intelligent Apps,” a session led by the fantastic Evan Lew and Srihari Srinivasa at TechCon365 Seattle. They explored how artificial intelligence and Copilot are bringing new energy and possibilities to the Power Platform, making it easier than ever to build smart, adaptable apps. The session was filled with inspiring ideas and real-world examples, demonstrating how these tools can spark innovation and transform the way people work. For anyone excited about creating apps that truly make an impact, this was definitely a session to catch! Day 3: Sessions and Women in Tech and Allies Meetup, was one of the true highlights of the week was the Women in Tech and Allies Meetup. It was energizing to witness so many passionate voices coming together for meaningful networking and candid mentorship. Breakout Sessions Across all three conferences, Microsoft-led breakout sessions addressed a wide array of topics, including Microsoft 365 Copilot, Power Platform, Microsoft Fabric, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and more. These sessions provided actionable strategies and real-world applications to help attendees prepare their organizations for the AI transformation. TechCon 365 (Microsoft 365) | Microsoft-led breakout sessions "Keynote: Being a Productivity Changemaker in the Era of AI" will be presented by Karuana Gatimu, Melissa Torres, Kendra Springer, Dan Parish on June 25, 2025 "Getting Started with M365 Copilot" will be presented by Michelle Gilbert on June 25, 2025 "Driving Successful Adoption of Microsoft 365 Copilot for SMBs" will be presented by Jessie Hwang on June 25, 2025 "What’s New in Microsoft Education: Powering the Future of Learning with AI" will be presented by Jethro Seghers on June 25, 2025 "Build Your Own Copilot (Jarvis) 🤖 with Copilot Studio" will be presented by Manpreet Singh on June 26, 2025 “Inside the Agent DB: Powering Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales with Unified Data” with Sigita Cepaitiene and Reza Assadi | June 26th 1 "Getting the most out of Copilot Pages and Notebooks: Introduction and Management Discussion" will be presented by Cora Chen, Sammy Chiu on June 26, 2025 "AI-Powered Productivity with Surface + Copilot" will be presented by Frank Buchholz on June 26, 2025 "The Intranet of Tomorrow: Beautiful, Flexible, and AI Ready" will be presented by Melissa Torres, Wende Copfer, Judith Yaaqoubi on June 26, 2025 "Top 10 Best Practices Every Admin Should Be Doing in M365!" will be presented by Michelle Gilbert on June 26, 2025 "Your Magical Microsoft Map of Community, Learning and Training" will be presented by Heather Cook, Jessie Hwang on June 25, 2025 "Build Your Custom Agent for 320M+ Users in Microsoft Teams" will be presented by Carter Gilliam on June 27, 2025 "Cultivating Trust and Leadership Excellence: Strategies for Respect and Empathy in the Workplace" will be presented by Heather Cook, Joel Frauenheim on June 26, 2025 "Understanding Where AI Is at and Where It Is Going" will be presented by Aria Hanson on June 27, 2025 "Revolutionizing Content Management Using the Power of AI with Copilot and SharePoint Premium" will be presented by Marco Rocca on June 27, 2025 PWRCON (Power Platform) | Microsoft-led sessions "Build Your Own Copilot (Jarvis) 🤖 with Copilot Studio" will be presented by Manpreet Singh on June 26th "Accelerate your data and app development using Copilot in Dataverse and Power Apps" will be presented by Travis Shu and Prithvi Khosla on June 26th "Collections with Finance Agents – Extensibility to any ERP" will be presented by Akshay Bhatnagar on June 27th "Enhancing Employee Experience with Microsoft Viva: A Comprehensive Overview" will be presented by Manpreet Singh on June 27th "Extending Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales with Copilot Studio and Power Platform" will be presented by Gaurav Sisodia and Muhammad Arrabi on June 27th "Secure, Compliant, and Connected: How Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales Manages Your Data and Insights" will be presented by Gaurav Babbar and Manpreet Singh on June 27th DATACON (Fabric)| Microsoft-led sessions “A Comprehensive Guide to Direct Lake for the Pro Data Modeler ” with Philip Seamark, Patrick LeBlanc | June 23, 2025 “ETL, KQL, and RTI: Harnessing Data in Motion with Microsoft Fabric” with Matt Gordon, Christopher Schmidt | June 24, 2025 “Query Store and Azure SQL Copilot, who is the fairest in the land?” with Jose Manuel Jurado Diaz, Juan Moreno Romo | June 24, 2025 “Maximize efficiency in your data-driven projects by leveraging AI and Copilot technologies.” with Prashant Atri, Tammiraju Prasanth, Prabhjot Kaur | June 24, 2025 “Real-Time Intelligence: Turning Streaming Data into Smart Decisions” with Ajeta Singhal, Mou Rakshit | June 25, 2025 “Microsoft Fabric: Ultimate Data Security for Robust Data Warehousing” with Jean Joseph | June 25, 2025 “Fabric Data Factory: What's New and Roadmap” with Miguel Llopis, Mark Kromer | June 25, 2025 “Deep dive into Direct Lake” with Philip Seamark, Patrick LeBlanc | June 25, 2025 “Getting started with SQL database in Fabric” with Bob Ward | June 25, 2025 “Introduction to SQL Server Essential Concepts” with Bradley Ball | June 25, 2025 “Generate self-service governance dashboard using Microsoft Fabric and Purview” with Tammiraju Prasanth, Prashant Atri | June 25, 2025 “Innovate without limits with Azure Data” with Bob Ward, Shireesh Thota | June 25, 2025 “PowerBI, DirectQuery and SQL Server. It is a good choice?” with Jose Manuel Jurado Diaz, Juan Moreno Romo | June 25, 2025 02:00 PM “Learn how to troubleshoot SQL Server like a Microsoft engineer would” with Arvind Shyamsundar | June 25, 2025 “Deployments aren’t enough – databases deserve a development process” with Drew Skwiers-Koballa | June 25, 2025 “Transform your business with integrated solutions using SQL database in Microsoft Fabric” with Pam Lahoud | June 25, 2025 “Build an end-to-end data solution with Microsoft Fabric” with Patrick LeBlanc | June 25, 2025 “Everything you need to know about Data Virtualization in Azure SQL Database” with Hugo Queiroz | June 25, 2025 “SQL Server 2025: The Enterprise AI ready database” with Bob Ward | June 25, 2025 “SSMS 21 Spotlight: What's new and why it matters” with Makena Barickman | June 25, 2025 “Harness the Power of Microsoft Fabric and Notebooks” with Bradley Ball | June 26, 2025 “Real Time Monitoring with Real-life Use Cases using Database Watcher” with Matt Gordon, Daniel Taylor | June 26, 2025 “Oracle/SQL to Fabric Migration accelerator” with Tammiraju Prasanth, Prashant Atri | June 26, 2025 “10 Free SQL Databases: Your Playground for AI, Advanced Analytics, and Next-Gen Applications!” with Amar Digamber Patil, Muazma Zahid | June 26, 2025 "Getting the most out of Copilot Pages and Notebooks: Introduction and Management Discussion" will be presented by Cora Chen, Sammy Chiu on June 26, 2025 Build Your Own Copilot (Jarvis) �� with Copilot Studio" will be presented by Manpreet Singh on June 26th “Azure SQL DB Hyperscale: The Definitive Modern Database Choice ” with Aditya Badramraju, Arvind Shyamsundar | June 26, 2025 “Unleash the Power of SQL Database in Fabric: Innovate Without Limits Using the Free Trial” with Amar Digamber Patil, Muazma Zahid, Madhuri Yethirajam | June 26, 2025 “Power BI Storage Modes: The Ultimate Showdown” with Philip Seamark | June 26, 2025 "AI-Powered Productivity with Surface + Copilot" will be presented by Frank Buchholz on June 26, 2025 "The Intranet of Tomorrow: Beautiful, Flexible, and AI Ready" will be presented by Melissa Torres, Wende Copfer, Judith Yaaqoubi on June 26, 2025 “Migration Mystery Solved: Moving SSRS and SSAS to Power BI” with Daniel Taylor, Raju Kumar | June 26, 2025 "Top 10 Best Practices Every Admin Should Be Doing in M365!" will be presented by Michelle Gilbert on June 26, 2025 “Unified DevOps for Microsoft Fabric, Azure SQL, and SQL Server with next-gen SQL projects” with Drew Skwiers-Koballa | June 26, 2025 “Data Processing Architecture: Key Design Principles & Considerations” with Jean Joseph | June 26, 2025 “Handling Big Data with Power BI” with Patrick LeBlanc | June 26, 2025 "Build Your Custom Agent for 320M+ Users in Microsoft Teams" will be presented by Carter Gilliam on June 27, 2025 "Cultivating Trust and Leadership Excellence: Strategies for Respect and Empathy in the Workplace" will be presented by Heather Cook, Joel Frauenheim on June 27, 2025 "Understanding Where AI Is At and Where It Is Going" will be presented by Aria Hanson on June 27, 2025 “Azure SQL Database Hyperscale elastic pools - a deep-dive” with Arvind Shyamsundar, Aditya Badramraju | June 27, 2025 “Supercharge your analytics with Microsoft Fabric Real Time Intelligence” with Christopher Schmidt | June 27, 2025 “AI and SQL ground to cloud to fabric” with Bob Ward, Muazma Zahid | June 27, 2025 “Harnessing the Power of Data Mesh: A Deep Dive into the Four Pillars of Modern Data Architecture” with Jean Joseph | June 27, 2025 “Microsoft Database Docs - Learn about Contributing for your Career” with William Assaf | June 27, 2025 “Collections with Finance Agents – Extensibility to any ERP" will be presented by Akshay Bhatnagar on June 27th "Enhancing Employee Experience with Microsoft Viva: A Comprehensive Overview" will be presented by Manpreet Singh on June 27th "Extending Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales with Copilot Studio and Power Platform" will be presented by Gaurav Sisodia and Muhammad Arrabi on June 27th “Build AI Apps Smarter: Optimize SQL Database Costs & Performance in Fabric” with Amar Digamber Patil, Pam Lahoud, Madhuri Yethirajam | June 27, 2025 “Unleashing Modern Data Warehousing: Architecture, Insights & Future Innovations in Fabric Warehouse” with Twinkle Cyril | June 27, 2025 “Mastering Elastic Database Pools: Best Practices and Troubleshooting from Microsoft Support” with Jose Manuel Jurado Diaz, Juan Moreno Romo | June 27, 2025 “Secure, Compliant, and Connected: How Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales Manages Your Data and Insights" will be presented by Gaurav Babbar and Manpreet Singh on June 27th “Build a Robust App with Fabric SQL Database, GraphQL API, and User Data Functions” with Sunitha Muthukrishna, Ed Lima | June 27, 2025 “Mirroring in Microsoft Fabric - Overview and Roadmap” with Wilson Lee, Maraki Ketema | June 27, 2025 “Indexing Internals for Developers & DBAs” with Bradley Ball | June 27, 2025 “Realtime product review data analysis for Retail using Fabric RTI, Purview and Azure Open AI” with Tammiraju Prasanth, Prashant Atri | June 27, 2025 Expo Hall and Community Ask the Experts Located at a prime spot on the expo floor, the Ask the Experts station served as a hub for attendees to seek solutions to their toughest questions. Industry experts engaged with participants, providing valuable insights and sparking inspiration along the way. Microsoft Zone At the Microsoft Zone, located within the Expo Hall we connected with hundreds of attendees, gaining insights into how Microsoft technologies impact their personal and professional lives. Community members shared their stories, joined Microsoft platforms for ongoing engagement, and, of course, collected plenty of stickers! Microsoft Global Community Initiative (MGCI) Meetup Thank you to everyone who joined the MGCI Meetup at TechCon Seattle—it was energizing to connect with so many community leaders and advocates in person. We left inspired and aligned around new ways to collaborate and support Microsoft adoption efforts together. Microsoft Surface Hub The Microsoft Surface hardware bar at the event featured hands-on demos of the latest Surface devices, giving attendees a chance to explore their design and performance up close and to meet the Surface product team. Ask Microsoft Anything Panel The Ask Microsoft Anything Panel was a standout session—packed with honest insights, expert perspectives, and meaningful engagement between the community and Microsoft leaders. In the End... TechCon Seattle was an extraordinary event that showcased the power of community, innovation, and collaboration. With its diverse range of sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities, the event empowered attendees to unlock new possibilities with Microsoft technologies. For those who joined in Seattle thank you. And thank you to the sponsors. to the speakers for your terrific sessions and to all of the attendees for being a part of the Best Community in Tech. Let’s keep the momentum going at TechCon Atlanta August 11-15!Mondays at Microsoft | Episode 49
Join the upcoming Mondays at Microsoft, launching into Microsoft Build! 🛠️ Don’t miss this quick, insightful kickoff to Build week! Karuana Gatimu and Heather Cook take you through the latest in #AI news, Microsoft 365 product updates, and community news and events. Join in episode 49 of Mondays at Microsoft on Monday, May 19th, 8am PT! ☕ #MondaysAtMicrosoft #CommunityLuv Show Notes: Mondays at Microsoft – May 19, 2025 🎙️ Hosts Karuana Gatimu – Director of Customer Advocacy for AI & Collaboration Heather Cook – Principal Community Evangelist, Microsoft 365 Customer Advocacy Group 📌 Episode Overview This week’s episode dives into: Student-led AI innovation in the Imagine Cup Microsoft’s testimony before the U.S. Senate on AI leadership Legal action against AI abuse networks Microsoft Build 2025 highlights Community events and product updates 📅 https://aka.ms/MondaysAtMicrosoft 📝 https://aka.ms/CommunityNewsDesk 🔔 https://aka.ms/MSCommunityFB 🔍 Big Rocks Microsoft Build 2025 Keynote by Satya Nadella and Kevin Scott on Copilot, agents, and AI innovation. Community Space with interactive stations and sessions. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7326696718907985920/ Marbled Dust Espionage Campaign Microsoft exposes a Türkiye-affiliated threat actor exploiting Output Messenger. https://aka.ms/MarbledDust Imagine Cup Finalists Teams Signvrse, HairMatch, and Argus use AI to drive accessibility, identity, and independence. https://aka.ms/ImagineCupAI 🔁 ICYMI Microsoft 365 Community Conference Jeff Teper’s keynote and exclusive interview on AI and human creativity. https://aka.ms/M365Conf/2025/playlist Brad Smith on AI Leadership Testimony before the U.S. Senate on innovation, infrastructure, and global partnerships. https://aka.ms/WinningTheRace Legal Action Against AI Abuse Microsoft sues Storm-2139 for generating harmful AI content. https://aka.ms/AIHackerProtection 🛠️ Product News Microsoft 365 & Azure Retirement notices: SharePoint 2013 Workflow, Add-Ins, Alerts, and more. http://aka.ms/M365Roadmap Copilot Agents Hub Deployment tools, success kits, and skilling resources. https://adoption.microsoft.com/agents Dynamics 365 & Fabric https://aka.ms/April25Inspiration https://aka.ms/AIHorselessCarriages https://aka.ms/Fabric/April25Features 🌍 Community & Events Get Involved https://aka.ms/MSCommunityLIMM https://aka.ms/MGCI https://communitydays.org/calls Upcoming Events Power Platform Agents Summit – May 24, London European Collaboration Summit – May 25–28, Düsseldorf https://communitydays.org 📅 Next Episode Join us again on Monday, June 2 at 8 AM PT. Catch up or subscribe at https://aka.ms/MondaysAtMicrosoft
