The Windsor Google Developers Group (GDG) is proud to host our annual Windsor-Essex DevFest on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
DevFests are Google-sponsored software developer conferences that allow the local software development community to network and learn about the latest and greatest technology. The Devfest is also an opportunity to present topics aligned with the latest industry trends or that have the potential to become such, and share knowledge and experience with others.
Get your tickets at this ticket purchase link
Read the session abstracts at this session abstract link
GDG Windsor attendees agree to the following code of conduct
Agenda
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Speakers
Luis Serrano - Serrano Academy (Founder and Chief Education Officer)
Don Ward - Google (Customer Engineer Specialist)
Nilesh Patel - Google (Customer Engineer Specialist)
Nilesh Patel is a Generative AI Specialist at Google, building conversational AI experiences and helping customers transform their businesses with AI technologies. With 24+ years in tech, he empowers businesses to achieve their goals through innovative solutions. He's passionate about solving challenges with cutting-edge technology and sharing his knowledge with fellow developers.
Naresh Jasotani - Google (Principal Technologist | Gen AI Ambassador)
Naresh R. Jasotani AI/ML Innovations Lead - Automotives, GenAI Ambassador, Google Cloud USA (LinkedIn) Naresh has over 18 years of experience in helping customers to get benefits of data, analytics and artificial intelligence advancements. With Machine Learning picking up in the last few years, he believes that it has brought endless possibilities for businesses to make data-based decisions,…
Satish Venugopal - Google (Senior Cloud Architect)
Mark Johnson - Learn.Grow.Deploy, LLC (Solutions Architect and Google Cloud Trainer)
Mark Johnson is a Google Developer Expert in Cloud and a LinkedIn Top Voice, recognized for his thought leadership in AI and cloud architecture. With over 11 years of experience as a Cloud Solutions Architect, he has a proven track record of guiding enterprise and public sector organizations through large-scale digital transformations. He is also a prominent speaker at top industry events like…
Ben Morss - DeepL (Developer Evangelist)
As DeepL’s Developer Evangelist, Ben works to help anyone use DeepL’s API to access its world-class AI translations. Previously, at Google, he was a Product Manager on Chrome and a Developer Advocate for a better web. Before that he was a software engineer at the New York Times and AOL, and once he was a full-time musician. He earned a BA in Computer Science at Harvard and a PhD in Music at th…
Nicholas Schmidt - SolasAI & BLDS, LLC (Chief Technology and Innovation Officer)
Nicholas "Nick" Schmidt is the Founder and CTO of SolasAI and holds the title of AI Practice Leader at BLDS, LLC. Residing in Philadelphia, he has deep expertise in the domains of algorithmic fairness and explainable AI. Nick's approach intertwines statistics and economics to address critical questions related to law, regulatory compliance, and model governance best practices.
His pionee…
Godfrey Nolan - RIIS (President)
Godfrey Nolan is the President of RIIS LLC, a mobile development company based in Troy, Michigan, specializing in mobile apps for drones. With over 26 years of experience, he has built a team of experts capable of defining, developing, testing, and deploying mobile and web applications for our clients. Godfrey is also a prolific author, having written six books on mobile development and securi…
Ahmed Abou Gharam - Molex (Design for Reliability Director)
Dr. Ahmed Abou Gharam is a global leader in Design for Reliability (DfR) and AI-driven analytics with over a decade of experience in the automotive and microelectronics industries. As Director of Reliability Engineering at Molex, he leads global teams and has driven initiatives that integrate AI and predictive analytics into reliability testing. His expertise spans accelerated life testing, ma…
Mina Girges
Andrea Irina Yzeiri - Picsume (Chief Data & Analytics Officer and Lead AI Engineer)
Andrea Yzeiri is a dynamic leader at the intersection of technology, strategy, and innovative development, recently recognized as one of North America’s Top 25 Women Chief Data & Analytics Officers by Women We Admire. With over a decade of experience spanning AI, data analytics, and leadership, she brings a unique blend of technical expertise and practical business insights. Andrea is a pi…
Umair Durrani - Presage Group (Data Scientist)
Umair Durrani is a Data Scientist at Presage Group Inc., where he conducts scientific studies in the field of human factors and decision-making. Umair also develops web applications and data tools for optimizing data collection and reporting. With a PhD in Civil Engineering, he is passionate about modeling and mitigating human error in transportation systems. Umair also teaches data analysis w…
Joseph Youssouf - Oden Technologies (Data Scientist)
BASc Electrical and Computer Engineer from the University of Windsor with an interest in big data, neural networks, and generally all things tech. Life-long learner trying to acquire new skills every day, always interested in the cutting edge of science.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeyoussouf/;
Daria Deriagina - DashDev (UX/UI & Web Designer)
I’m a Computer Programming student at St. Clair College 👩💻. I have experience in UX/UI design 🎨 and web development 🌐, where I focus on creating easy-to-use websites. I also work as a professional photographer 📸, bringing creativity into my projects. I enjoy combining design and coding to make websites look good and work well. I’m excited to keep learning and work with others in the tech comm…
Raneem Ghalion - ADOPLI AI (Co-Founder and AI Business Strategist)
Raneem is an AI automation strategist and founder of Adopli AI, specializing in designing and implementing intelligent workflows that streamline operations and improve efficiency. She integrates AI agents, process automation, and data-driven systems to help organizations reduce manual work, improve accuracy, and scale sustainably.
Salma Aly - BlinkTech Solutions. (Founder)
Salma Aly is a computer science PhD student at UWindsor. She also has her AI consulting startup, BlinkTech Solutions, that aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry to create AI-based solutions.
Kiran Puthan - Bell Canada (Solution Consultant)
Kiran is a self-taught Product Designer specializing in Product Strategy, Marketing, and Operations, with over four years of experience in Product Design. He is also a leadership expert who delivers high-energy talks and presentations on Technology, Design, AI, and Management. Passionate about translating visions and objectives into reality, Kiran focuses on offering tangible results aligned w…
Steven Rice - University of Windsor (AI Researcher)
Pursuing my PhD in Computer Science, my research and experience cover innovative artificial intelligence studies and educational contributions, showcasing my commitment to artificial intelligence advancements. As a recipient of the Vector Scholarship in Artificial Intelligence, I bring a blend of academic rigor and practical expertise. My work spans from novel research topics to practical appl…
Safiia Mohammed - University of Windsor (PhD Student)
Safiia is a PhD student and Responsible AI researcher at the University of Windsor, specializing in AI/ML privacy, security, and accountability models. With a strong focus on developing ethical and reliable AI systems, she is passionate about addressing real-world challenges in AI safety. Safiia is the president of the Women in Cyber Security student chapter at the university, where she advoca…
Keval Patel - REALIQ (Data Scientist)
Keval Patel is a college instructor and entrepreneur, currently the founder of REALIQ, a cutting-edge software company dedicated to providing innovative solutions for architects, engineers, and real estate agents through LiDAR scanning and photography. Keval teaches courses related to data analytics at St. Clair College. His passion for deep learning and large language models (LLMs) informs hi…
Panelists
Don Ward - Google (Customer Engineer Specialist)
Nilesh Patel - Google (Customer Engineer Specialist)
Nilesh Patel is a Generative AI Specialist at Google, building conversational AI experiences and helping customers transform their businesses with AI technologies. With 24+ years in tech, he empowers businesses to achieve their goals through innovative solutions. He's passionate about solving challenges with cutting-edge technology and sharing his knowledge with fellow developers.
Satish Venugopal - Google (Senior Cloud Architect)
Naresh Jasotani - Google (Principal Technologist | Gen AI Ambassador)
Naresh R. Jasotani AI/ML Innovations Lead - Automotives, GenAI Ambassador, Google Cloud USA (LinkedIn) Naresh has over 18 years of experience in helping customers to get benefits of data, analytics and artificial intelligence advancements. With Machine Learning picking up in the last few years, he believes that it has brought endless possibilities for businesses to make data-based decisions,…
Moderator
Aasha Khan - Youth Tech Labs (Founder & Lead Organizer)
Hosted By
Ali El-Sharif, Professor
Ali El-Sharif works as a professor at St. Clair College in Windsor, where he teaches Data Analytics and Cybersecurity. Ali is currently co-authoring a book with Serg Masís and Nick Schmidt. The book title is “Building Responsible AI with Python - Identify, explain, and mitigate bias with hands-on code examples.” Ali enjoys volunteering for GDG Windsor and encourages everyone to stay connected with this amazing community of developers.
Kiran Puthan, Solution Consultant
Arunesh Choudhary,
I am a highly motivated and detail-oriented Computer Science student with a strong academic foundation and a passion for machine learning and research. My journey in this field has been marked by hands-on experiences and recognition for my academic achievements. As a recipient of the NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA), I have had the opportunity to delve into research, applying advanced techniques in deep learning and information retrieval.
Passionate about applying technical expertise and research experience to innovative projects in machine learning and AI, with the ultimate goal of contributing to the field’s continued evolution. Eager to take on new challenges, contribute to cutting-edge research, and grow within this dynamic field.
Ashlynn Ward, Computer Science Student
Ashlynn Ward recently started a Computer Science degree at the University of Windsor. She is a Women Techmaker Member and a big fan of Google Developer Groups.
Daria Deriagina,
I design and build websites that are easy to use, look great, and actually work the way people need them to. My background in UX/UI design and web development lets me blend creativity with clean, functional code.
I love turning ideas into digital experiences that feel effortless to navigate, and I enjoy working with others to make something we can be proud of.
Esraa Abdelhalim,
Esraa is an Assistant Professor at the Odette School of Business, University of Windsor, specializing in Human-AI Interaction, Privacy and Cybersecurity, Responsible Algorithms, and Data Analytics. Her research is published in top-tier journals and conferences, and she has received multiple awards, including Professor of the Year (2024, 2025), Ontario Trillium Award, and TechWomen award. Esraa has worked with 100+ women in leading Silicon Valley tech companies and co-founded initiatives like “Women Techmakers-Alexandria”, “GDG-Alexandria”, and “Heya is Back.” She also organizes the annual International Women’s Day event and AI workshops at Odette.
Troy Hector, St. Clair College
Sam Ghasan, Enterprise Architect
Keval Patel, Data Scientist
Kayode Babalola,
Kayode Babalola is a community leader with Google Developers Group, passionate about tech, business, and photography. With a background in mathematics and data analytics, he helps people learn practical AI and cloud skills. Kayode enjoys mentoring beginners and building projects that uplift his community. He loves capturing stories through his lens. He believes learning and sharing are keys to growth.
Complete your event RSVP here: https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-windsor-presents-windsor-essex-gdg-devfest-2025/.
