Tag: coaching

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Greg Levenhagen

Greg Levenhagen Speaking
  • Location: Midwest US (UTC -6)
  • Expertise: Software Development, Community Building, Public Speaking, Strategy & Innovation, Career Development, Entrepreneurship
  • Contact: Twitter | LinkedIn

Greg Levenhagen is a Microsoft Regional Director, Microsoft MVP in Windows Development and Principal Software Engineer Consultant with Skyline Technologies. He has a great passion for giving back to the community and teaching. A true enthusiast of computer science, with passions and interests including mobile, UX, architecture, parallel, testing, agile, 3D/games, cloud, languages and much more. Greg speaks at conferences like ThatConference, CodeMash, Code PaLOUsa, TechBash, VSLive, KCDC and DevLink.

He is also a Volunteer Teacher for CS through TEALS, Microsoft Certified Trainer, board member of ThatConference, president of the Northeast WI Developers User Group / Northeast WI Code Camp / Milwaukee Code Camp, cofounder of the Northeast WI Agile User’s Group, INETA speaker, IEEE and ACM member and a PhD student.

Along with being a life-long geek, Greg enjoys golfing, football, woodworking, philosophy and stimulating conversation.

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Richard Munn

Richard Munn - Cassandra - Bristol Feb 18
  • Location: Wiltshire, UK (UTC)
  • Expertise: SQL Server, Windows, some Linux, some BigData, some fun…
  • Contact: Twitter | LinkedIn

Hi.

Thanks for picking me. Or, if you haven’t picked me and I just turned up randomly, “hi” as well. How has your day been ?

I guess you want to know a little bit about me, and why I’m more than happy to give up my time for you. See, I’ve always thought that people don’t talk enough. Sure, we communicate, but that’s too easy and not really helping anyone to grow. So, that’s why I’m talking to you now…

I started being a geek a long time ago (it was a Dragon32, if you must know). After a brief failure to study for a Batchelor’s Degree, I worked as a Legal Executive, a production-line operative, and a burglar alarm salesman. Getting tired of that, I fibbed a bit and said I could work Excel (hey, I’d used Lotus 123 at home – how hard could it be ? That ‘Windows 3.1’ wouldn’t take off, though).

After a while, I moved into data, and that’s pretty much where I’ve been since 1998.

I’ve always enjoyed showing-off… errm… sorry, ‘Presenting’ but as a confirmed geek, it took a while for me to be able to put that social awks aside, find my voice, and get out into the world. I took sandwiches, you know, I case I got lost…

My first real ‘public’ session was at a Lightning Talk at SQLBits Nottingham in 2013, about how SQL 6.5 was the future.

I’ve done several user groups since then, a SQLSaturday, and several SQL Relay days. My latest one (at time of writing) was at SQLBits 2018 (Mostly Microsoft Data Platform stuff), and was about a NoSQL datastore running on Linux. I was *really* surprised they even let me in the building !

Anyway, enough about me. We’re here for you, and that’s why you’re here. How can I help you be your future ?

Thanks for reading. Talk soon, yes ?

 

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Chris Yates

 

Location: Kentucky (UTC -5)
Expertise: SQL Server
Contact: Twitter|LinkedIn

I’m an 18-year vet of SQL Server currently living in Kentucky. I started off as a developer who turned into an accidental DBA as most of us do. I started working with SQL Server full time back in 2000. Most of my speaking originally centered around Juvenile Diabetes which I’m an advocate for. Over time I felt as though I could start helping others in my own industry. After becoming an Assistant Vice President|Database Administration Manager I found myself with speaking opportunities that I never thought I would have. If you’ve been around me long enough then you will know I’m big on if we just reach one person than it is all worth it.

The art of public speaking can be both daunting and rewarding. I’m living proof that if you put hard work into it you will be able to succeed. Everyone has some sort of story to share; don’t wait another minute.

The people found on this site are here to help and some of the best data professionals around.

Feel free to reach me on Twitter or LinkedIn

 

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Will Rowe

 

  • Location: London, UK  (UTC+0)
  • Expertise: Career Advice, IT Recruitment, Coaching
  • Contact: Twitter | LinkedIn

I have been working in the IT Recruitment space for more than 18 years, and have been speaking and training people for most of that time.  I have a Bachelors Degree in Drama and can be found frequenting a large number of User Groups up and down the UK.

In 2017 I coached a long-time friend Simon Bucknall on some of his content and the performance elements of his Toastmasters speech, which he went on to deliver in the USA at the World Public Speaking Championships.  Simon placed 2nd globally out of more than 32,000 people.

My first speaking experience was as a Best Man at the tender age of 18-years old.  I was standing in front of a crowd of over 100 people; I was terrified, my palms were sweating and suddenly the ‘humorous’ anecdotes about my brother and a near miss with ‘trouser crustaceans’ did not seem quite so funny as they had in the mirror that morning.

Needless to say, I made it through with only an occasional stumble which nobody noticed mostly due to the alcohol and the fact my Mother nearly passed out at one point due to embarrassment.

Since then I have given 4 other Best Man speeches, trained hundreds of Recruiters (the toughest of Tough Crowds) in groups of up to 30, and am currently speaking at a number of User Groups in 2018 on the themes of a book I wrote last year.

No matter how many times I speak I still get nervous, and more so when it is my own content.

What I cannot do:

  • Advise on what code should go in your presentation
  • Make the Demo Gods listen!!

What I can do:

  • Help you with your delivery and the performance elements of a presentation, including adding humour and making a presentation enjoyable.
  • I understand how nerve-wracking it can be to speak publicly, and have a few ideas on what works for me (NOTE: do NOT imagine the audience all naked. It really gets you in trouble…)