Agile Leadership

Next AWS meetup is up to date. This chapter is dedicated to **cloud migration** and **a developer-first tour of the AWS services**. 🗓 **Save the Date**: Mark your calendar 🍕 + 🍺 = Let's gather around pizza and beer at **Hevre** or Watch the stream on [YouTube (link)](https://youtube.com/live/x2YENCV4jnU) Hosted by: **Maciej Lelusz**, AWS Hero AWS Community Builders: **Maria Kmita** 🎤 **Speakers**: 〰️ *„Cross-Account, Cross-Region,* *Cross-Fingers – Migrating a Live AWS Platform"* **Volodymyr Hordiienko**, DevOps Architect at Intellias 〰️ *„NET on AWS: Better Than You Think"* **Wojtek Dąbrowski**, AWS Hero 💡 Details about Speakers & Talks💡 **Volodymyr Hordiienko:** DevOps Architect with over a decade of experience in multi-cloud infrastructure, platform engineering, and delivery automation. Designs and builds production-grade environments across AWS, Azure, GCP, and hybrid on-prem - covering architecture, infrastructure-as-code, CI/CD pipelines, container platforms, security, and operational reliability. Has led cloud migrations, platform modernizations, and greenfield builds across industries, including telecom, healthcare, IoT, finance, and retail. ☞ will speak about: A practical AWS migration story about rebuilding a live platform from a single-account, manually managed setup into a governed multi-account delivery model. The talk covers Terragrunt/Terraform, ECS Fargate, RDS, S3, CloudFront, Lambda, Cognito, CI/CD, cross-account deployments, mobile release pipelines, enterprise IAM constraints, and the operational reality of getting an AWS platform truly ready for production. **Wojtek Dąbrowski**: is a Solutions Architect and backend engineer with over a decade of experience, working primarily with AWS. He stays hands-on with code and delivery, combining practical engineering with architecture and technical decision-making. Currently, he is a Platform Tech Lead at Northmill Bank. Since 2019, he has led AWS User Group Silesia in Poland, and in 2023, he was recognized as an AWS Hero. ☞ will speak about: Most people still assume AWS is not the natural home for .NET and treat C# as a “second choice” on AWS. That used to be a fair concern in some areas, but it’s no longer the reality. In this talk, we’ll walk through what building on AWS looks like when your primary stack is C# and modern .NET. We’ll take a developer-first tour of the AWS services that make .NET a strong fit: serverless workloads (APIs, async processing, event-driven systems), container platforms, and infrastructure-as-code written in C#. Along the way, I’ll show concrete patterns and trade-offs, including where .NET shines, where it’s neutral, and where you should be honest and pick a different tool. The goal is simple: leave with a clear mental model, practical options you can use immediately, and a refreshed view of what “.NET on AWS” can look like in 2026.

**Beer, Pizza and AIoT Meetup (**[5plus2.de](http://5plus2.de) and [botcraft.de](botcraft.de)) AGENDA 18:30-19:00: Pizza and Beer (other drinks available) 19:00-19:30: Ashley Gibbons ([5plus2.de](http://5plus2.de)) - Product‑Led Marketing for AI and IoT 19:30-20:00: Daniel Carton ([botcraft.de](botcraft.de)) - Dark Factories: How Industry 4.0 comes alive with Agentic Automation 20:00-21:00: Networking Look forward to seeing you all there. Due to limited capacity, we reserve the right to restrict admission. Pizza, beer and seats first come first serve! :)

At Toastmasters, we empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Our meetings provide a supportive and positive learning environment where members grow through prepared speeches, impromptu speaking (Table Topics), and constructive evaluations. Whether you're looking to overcome your fear of public speaking, enhance your work communication, or develop leadership skills, you're welcome here. Guests are always invited to observe first. If you'd like to speak, we’ll ask before inviting you to participate - no pressure at all. See how Toastmasters can help you build confidence, develop new skills, and connect with a community focused on growth.

If you’re trying to grow in marketing right now, guessing isn’t a great strategy. This event gives you direct access to how marketing leaders actually think. Join DC Marketing Tech Talks on May 19th in Tysons for a live **CMO Ask Me Anything** — a candid, open conversation with experienced marketing leaders who have built teams, driven revenue, and led at the highest levels. This is your chance to ask: * What skills actually matter right now? * What gets someone promoted vs. passed over? * What does it take to become a CMO today? * How are marketing teams and roles changing? * How do you connect brand to real business growth? Just real answers from people who have done the work. Whether you’re looking to move up, switch roles, or sharpen your edge, you’ll leave with a clearer sense of what to focus on next. As always, this event is free and open to the public thanks to our sponsors, SalesIntel. Food, drinks, networking, and a room full of marketers who care about getting better at what they do. Come with questions. Leave with direction.

What is mediumship? Depends on who you ask. Have you ever had an experience you can’t explain? Maybe dreamed of events before they happened or swore you received information from someone or something that wasn’t there? Have you ever felt presences around you or gotten internal messages that didn’t originate from you? If you are interested in exploring or working with the spirits of your ancestors, guardian spirits, or other entities, this is a safe space to help you learn and connect to those energies/spirits. We are a community group open for all levels of mediumship. There is no set curriculum, this space is for learning, group practice, energy work, sharing different types of mediumship and experience, and meditation. Come and See. This class is $20.

Whether you are a seasoned public speaker or looking to build your confidence in front of an audience, this event is perfect for anyone interested in self-help and self-improvement. Hosted by the Empower Confident Toastmasters group, this workshop aims to provide practical tools and techniques for leadership development. Meet like-minded individuals and network with professionals in a supportive environment. Don't miss this opportunity to invest in your personal growth and unlock your full potential.

**In a time of division and isolation, come be part of the community that's rebuilding the town square, one table at a time.** In BreadBreakers, we use the common space of the dining table to have conversations where neighbors can **hear, be heard, and know one another.** If you're hungry for good conversation and deeper community, join us for a Community Dinner in Reston and help blaze the trail to a healthier, more connected society and democracy. Here’s how it works: For just two hours, multiple tables of people set aside the need to "win" and instead focus on sharing, listening, and connecting. Guided by experienced table hosts, we'll tell our stories, try to understand each other, and practice being in community with those with different views or backgrounds. **At this dinner, participants will get to choose between three different topics, including some current events.** Topics range from the political, to the "slice of life", to the spiritual, to the philosophical, to the off-the-wall - but no matter which table you choose to sit at, you can be sure it'll be like no dinner conversation you've had before! You can also **suggest a topic** by emailing us at BreadBreakersInfo@gmail.com. Food will be provided for free. For those who wish to provide a donation to help fund BreadBreakers, you can [give here](https://pushpay.com/g/restorationrestonumc?fnd=pO6G-N7oO7FH7Mp1u-x6mA&fndv=Lock&r=No&lang=en&src=pcgl) or at the event. We'll have vegetarian and gluten-free options available. If you have any additional dietary restrictions (Celiac Disease, vegan, etc.) please let us know at BreadBreakersInfo@gmail.com so that we can implement the appropriate food handling procedures. **Join us, invite a friend, and be a part of the movement to mend our fractured society and normalize a better way of talking with one another.** BreadBreakers, an initiative by [Restoration United Methodist Church](https://restorationreston.org/breadbreakers) in Reston, VA, is a religiously inclusive community. We are a collaboration between people of all faiths and stripes. Our leadership, volunteer team, and community include people who attend Restoration and people who don't.

## **1 Million Cups Loudoun – Resource Presentation** **What You Really Need to Know from an HR Professional** **Presented by Donna Giarratana** **Wednesday\, May 27 \| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM** **Venture X Loudoun** Join us for a practical and insightful resource presentation designed to help small business owners navigate one of the most critical — and often overlooked — areas of growth: **Human Resources**. *** ## **About the Session** As your business grows, so do the complexities of managing people, processes, and compliance. Many entrepreneurs wait too long to think about HR — and by the time they do, they’re already reacting instead of planning. In this session, **Donna Giarratana** will break down what small business owners *really* need to know about HR — in a way that is clear, actionable, and relevant to your stage of growth. This conversation is designed to help you move from uncertainty to confidence when it comes to building and managing your team. *** ## **What You’ll Learn** * When it’s the right time to hire * How to set your business up for success before bringing on employees * Why HR matters — even for small businesses * Common pitfalls and how to avoid them * The foundational HR knowledge every business owner should have *** ## **Who Should Attend** * Entrepreneurs preparing to hire their first employee * Small business owners currently managing a team * Founders looking to strengthen operations and compliance * Anyone who wants to build a business with a strong, scalable foundation *** ## **Why Attend?** * Gain clarity on one of the most important aspects of business growth * Learn how to avoid costly mistakes before they happen * Ask questions and get real-world insight from an HR professional * Walk away with practical knowledge you can apply immediately *** ## **About 1 Million Cups** 1 Million Cups is a national program that brings entrepreneurs and communities together to learn, connect, and grow through presentations and discussion. Loudoun’s chapter meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays each month. Join us on **May 27** for coffee, connection, and a conversation that will help you build your business the right way from the inside out. We look forward to seeing you there.