Event 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/MondaysatMicrosoft
