Decentralized Systems & Applications

**Event Confirmation Form!** ➡️ We kindly request you fill out this **event confirmation form** to confirm your attendance for the event and your dietary requirements - [https://forms.gle/c3M42MHZD8EvYoaf9](https://forms.gle/c3M42MHZD8EvYoaf9) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ## **What's On? 👀** **Panel:** AppSec in the age of AI **Speakers:** * Tim Thacker - Co-Founder & CTO @ Nullify * Paul Theriault - Senior Security Architect @ Atlassian * TBC **Abstract:** From automated security coding reviewers to promises of fully automated AppSec engineers, AppSec arguably is one of the happening spaces of cybersecurity when it comes to AI. But what's hype and what's the reality? In this panel we not only explore that question but we also share first hand experiences of organisations evolving their AppSec programs in the age of AI, from the wins and the failures, to the workflows that actually stuck. Our panelists bring perspectives from across the trenches: security engineers embedding AI into code review pipelines, product security teams rethinking what "shift left" means when developers have AI copilots, and leaders navigating the uncomfortable truth that AI can both accelerate your defences and your attackers. Whether you're just beginning to explore AI-powered security tooling or are already knee-deep in the implementation, this panel will cut through the noise and give you a grounded, practitioner-first view of where AI in AppSec stands today and where it's actually headed. ## **!!! New Location** 📍 EY Melbourne 8 Exhibition St Melbourne VIC 3000 ## **Agenda ⏰** * 5:30 - Food is served * 6:15 - Session start * 7:30 - Post-event networking \-\-\- Note: Please complete the event confirmation form: [https://forms.gle/c3M42MHZD8EvYoaf9](https://forms.gle/c3M42MHZD8EvYoaf9)

"Atlassian’s recent global research, 96% of organisations reported no tangible benefit from their AI initiatives" https://www.forbes.com.au/news/innovation/why-perspective-not-perception-is-key-in-a-world-of-ai \-\-\-\- We've had SDLC, agile and now AI ... yet projects seem to take longer than ever to complete. What we do know is that the faster we complete project the greater the value we deliver. The real question we need to understand as project managers is 'how do we best leverage AI to accelerate delivery?'. Tonight - we will dive into that question. We will have a presenter sharing what one organisation has done to uplift AI skills across their workforce, implement AI Agents, and benefits that brings. We will then expand to a panel to have a much longer conversation about how we as project managers can use AI to accelerate our delivery across the delivery lifecycle. Our speakers for this evening: **Andrew Mair** Andrew will help us set the scene this evening. He will share insights from leading recent implementations of AI and AI Agents and reflect on their impact on the people, process and policy implications for the organisation. We'll then step into a broader panel conversation where we have a range of panelists tease apart key ideas. * Andrew Mair Andrew is a leader in the technology space and has been leading the creation and adotption of AI initiatives across several different clients. He brings exprerience across Government and commercial roles including expertise in digital strategy and delivery, and is expert at bridging the gaps between business, IT and customers. * Neha Rahaman Neha is a Partner and Head of Delivery at Fabric Group, where she leads large-scale digital transformation and delivery programs for enterprise clients. With extensive experience in building high-performing product teams and modern delivery practices, Neha focuses on helping organisations accelerate outcomes through better operating models, automation, and emerging technologies such as AI. In this panel, she will share practical insights on how AI can enhance delivery efficiency, improve quality, and enable teams to move from traditional project execution to faster, product-led value delivery. * Events like this cannot occur without the support of sponsors. Tonight, we are delighted to welcome a new sponsor to our group - Fabric Group. Fabric Group is a collective of passionate technology professionals focused on delivering bespoke software solutions for our clients. With deep expertise in strategy, design, and software engineering with a distinctive design-thinking approach, to solve complex business challenges and drive measurable outcomes.

Speaking in public is not easy for most people, nor is running a workshop, writing a speech, thinking on your feet, or even speaking up amongst friends. At POWERtalk you will learn how to gain the confidence to step up to speak up. We've seen it many times over. We help you with simple techniques to look confident as a speaker even when you feel like crumbling. **You'll be giving presentations before you know it and loving it!!!** **\>\>\>** We believe there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to growing as a person and can tailor a plan to help you grow as an individual. **<<<** **Join us at a meeting soon to learn how to build your confidence as a speaker, effectively communicate, get creative, and have lots of fun doing so.** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- POWERtalk Australia is a not-for-profit organisation training in public speaking and leadership skills. Guests are free of charge for the first 3 meetings. Full membership is surprisingly very affordable. Please ask if you would like more information or become a member. We look forward to meeting you for a night of POWERtalk (1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month) *PS. If you have symptoms of cough, runny nose, fever or are unwell, we wish you a speedy recovery and please ask that you stay away until you are well again. Thanks :)* Come along and enjoy the fun. We look forward to meeting you.

The MLAI Meetup is a community for AI researchers and professionals which hosts monthly talks on exciting research. Our format is: * 6:00 - 6:20: Socializing * 6:20 - 6:40: Announcements and AI news * 6:40 - 7:40: Talk(s) and Q&A * 7:40 - 8:00 Networking * 8:00: Head to the nearest pub for dinner **Abed Karim: "My take on using AI to train AI"** **Description:** I’ll show how tools like ChatGPT, Claude Code, Solvit, and similar assistants can help with the actual work: reading a paper, understanding the method, finding or making a dataset, fine-tuning a model for a specific domain, and running and tracking experiments. The idea is simple. We do not need to know every framework or every training detail before we can start testing ideas. These tools make it easier to move faster, try things, and work through research and experimentation with less overhead. As an example, I’ll walk through how I would approach a recent paper, *Experiential Reinforcement Learning*, and use AI tools to break it down, implement the pipeline, run experiments, and look at possible limitations or next steps. **Speaker Bio:** Abed works on dataset design, agentic AI systems, and reinforcement learning for language models. His current work focuses on making LLMs more creative in advertising and media, and he has also contributed to research on cultural effects in LLM mathematical reasoning and creative generation, including the creation of a cultural version of GSM8K. **Javier Candeira: "A No Name Game called Nonaga"** **Talk description:** Nonaga is a 2008 board game by Viktor Bautista i Roca. It's a two-player full-information turn-taking game with a twist: at every turn, each player gets to move a piece *and* also to reconfigure the game board! Javier will introduce the rules and bring sets for people to try them out, as a preview of his future talk introducing a Nonaga-playing Alpha-Zero style engine. Nonaga Instructions: [https://hiperactivo.com/nonaga](https://hiperactivo.com/nonaga) **Speaker Bio:** Javier Candeira is a software engineer, entrepreneur, public speaker, conference organiser, and a lifelong student of way too many topics, including machine learning.

Visitors and newcomers are very welcome, please see https://hackmelbourne.com/newcomer-faq/ for more details. COVIDSafe restrictions are also in place, please see https://hackmelbourne.com/covid-19-restrictions/ for the latest. Short walk from Glenferrie train station. Car parking at Hawthorn town hall. Bring a laptop and a project you are working on. There is also a number of group projects that you are welcome to join in. We have starter kits for Arduino, a couple of 3D printers, various tools and equipment available for use. Typically our sessions run from 6:45pm till later in the evening (depending on our members' availability to close) but if you're new please come early.

Event Organizers Wanted for this group. Let us know what it is you wish to Organize from time to time. RSVP yes for this meetup or contact the groups Organizer.

Hello everyone! Join us for an Apache Kafka® x Apache Flink® x Apache Iceberg® meetup on **Mar 18th from 5:30PM**, hosted by intelia in Melbourne! The address, agenda, and speaker information can be found below. See you there! **Venue**: intelia L3, 31 Queen St, Melbourne 3000 IMPORTANT: Please note that for security purposes, all attendees are required to sign in at the lobby to get into the building. \*\*\* **Agenda:** * 5:30pm: Doors open * 5:30pm - 6:00pm: Pizza, Drinks, and Networking * 6:00pm - 6:30pm: Olena Kutsenko, Staff Developer Advocate, Confluent * 6:30pm - 7:00pm: Paras Sitoula, Technical Lead, Tabcorp * 7:00pm - 7:30pm: Additional Networking \*\*\* **Speaker:** Olena Kutsenko, Staff Developer Advocate, Confluent **Talk:** Keeping data private in real-time pipelines **Abstract:** We all love real-time data — clicks, payments, rides, messages — but most of it comes with a catch: it contains personal information we're not supposed to leak, such as names, emails, locations, or even small clues that can identify someone. The challenge: how do we keep streaming data useful and safe at the same time? In this talk, we'll explore practical ways to protect privacy in streaming systems using Apache Kafka, Apache Flink, and Apache Iceberg. We'll cover: - simple tricks like masking and tokenizing PII; - why "anonymous" data often isn't anonymous (the re-identification problem); - techniques like bucketing, k-anonymity, and adding noise; - how to balance privacy with data utility (too much hiding makes data useless). Along the way, we'll look at real-world stories: from public data leaks to surprising deanonymization attacks, and show live demos of pipelines that anonymize data before it's written to storage. If you've ever wondered how to build privacy-aware pipelines, this talk will give you practical patterns you can use right away. **Bio:** Olena is a Staff Developer Advocate at Confluent and a recognized expert in data streaming and analytics. With two decades of experience in software engineering, she has built mission-critical applications, led high-performing teams, and driven large-scale technology adoption at industry leaders like Nokia, HERE Technologies, AWS, and Aiven. A passionate advocate for real-time data processing and AI-driven applications, Olena empowers developers and organizations to use the power of streaming data. She is an AWS Community Builder, a dedicated mentor, and a volunteer instructor at a nonprofit tech school, helping to shape the next generation of engineers. As an international speaker and thought leader, Olena regularly presents at top global conferences, sharing deep technical insights and hands-on expertise. Whether through her talks, workshops, or content, she is committed to making complex technologies accessible and inspiring innovation in the developer community. \-\-\-\-\- **Speaker:** Paras Sitoula, Technical Lead, Tabcorp **Talk:** Building an AI Agent on Kafka — Architectural Realities Beyond the Demo **Abstract:** Large Language Models make it deceptively easy to build an “AI agent”: consume an event, call a model, produce a decision. But when this pattern is introduced into a high-throughput streaming system built on Apache Kafka, the architectural assumptions begin to shift. Kafka is optimized for predictable scaling, low latency, and deterministic event processing. LLM-based agents, by contrast, introduce seconds-level latency, per-call cost, rate limits, and non-deterministic outputs. What appears straightforward in a demo can quickly create consumer lag, cost escalation, replay inconsistencies, and new operational failure modes in production. In this session, we will: * Build a simple event-driven AI agent on Kafka * Examine the architectural tension between streaming systems and LLM workloads * Explore the impact of latency, cost-per-event, backpressure, and rate limiting * Discuss how non-determinism affects replay and auditability * Present practical design patterns to isolate and control AI workloads in streaming environments Rather than focusing on prompt engineering, this talk takes a systems-design perspective. It is aimed at engineers and architects who are experimenting with AI in real-time platforms and want to understand the production trade-offs before deploying at scale. **Bio** Paras is a seasoned software/date engineer with significant experience in developing and optimizing realtime scalable systems. At Tabcorp, Paras leads a high-performing team, developing and optimizing real-time transaction monitoring systems utilizing technologies like Apache Kafka and Neo4j. With a robust background in both real-time and batch data processing, Paras has extensive experience across various platforms and tools, including AWS, Databricks, and Spark, which he leverages to deliver high-performance data solutions. \*\*\* If you would like to speak or host our next event please let us know! community@[confluent.io](http://confluent.io/)

Hi Architects, Welcome to our next AWS Melbourne Well-Architected User Group Meetup for 2026, including more exceptional speakers and topics! :-D At each meetup we covered off various pillars in detail, best-practices and insights from industry leaders that specialise in the Well-Architected Framework. And giving away drones, of course. Lots of drones. We’ll be updating throughout the month with more speakers and our speakers so far this month include: * **Andrew Goifeld, Co-founder, Resilera** **“Truly Well-Architected Reliability, the agentic way”** What is the boundary between effort and cost of reliability? Andrew will discuss how in the future, using chatbot with LLM inference will be too expensive. We will demonstrate current and future approaches to reliability on AWS. * **Mystery Speaker** **From hype to disappointment to light at the end of the tunnel; An Agentic AI Journey** In this case study talk, we'll go through all the highs and lows of architecting and building AI Agents using all your favourite tools and what we discovered along the way. This month's menu will include: * Pizzas * Beer: Nastro Azzurro * Wine: Big and red 🤤 NB: Please check in up the stairs from the ground floor to the Mezzanine Level. So come join us at 5:30 for a 6pm **SHARP** start, followed by beer, wine, pizza and friendly networking after our talks :-)

Feeling heard, understood and met is the foundation of fulfilling relationships. And that begins with listening. In March, we explore what it means to be(come) the type of person who can turn ordinary conversations into moments of connection with deep listening and thoughtful responding: * The focus of attention of a conversation: you - me - us * When to listen and when to speak * ⁠The Authentic Relating framework: Listen, reflect, share impact * ⁠How to bring noticing and presence to our listening * ⁠What to listen to: the 3 levels of listening * ⁠How to create an empathic environment for deeper connection: listening to understand, not to fix * ⁠How to weave our experience by sharing impact **TICKETS** Tickets start at $30. [Book here](https://www.mysoremelbourne.com/authentic-relating) We’re committed to accessibility and offer further discount if money is a real barrier to attending. **FUNDAMENTALS OF AUTHENTIC RELATING** Fundamentals of Authentic Relating (AR) happens every 3rd Saturday of the month. It’s for people who want to bring more awareness, honesty, and connection into their relationships. Anyone curious about personal growth, wanting more ease and connection in their interactions, interested in improving their relational skills, or wishing to gain a formal understanding of AR frameworks and mechanics. Sessions are themed and we’ll begin by exploring how to notice what is happening inside (Feb), followed by listening more deeply (Mar), developing curiosity (Apr), expressing oneself with clarity and courage (May), and navigating boundaries and conflict with care (June).

Too many kids as well as teenagers and adults have problems with study. Today's meetup will inform you about the basics in STUDY TECHNOLOGY that provides an understanding of the basics of learning and supplies exact ways to overcome all the pitfalls one can encounter during study. This is applicable to young children, teenagers (or their parents that are trying to help them) and adults alike. Study Technology shows how one studies in order to comprehend a subject so one can apply it. Laws on which learning is based and workable methods have also been discovered for anyone to apply for themselves or when teaching others. Too many students graduate from school and college unable to put to use what they’ve learned in school. It’s not that they’re stupid or that their teachers didn’t know how to teach. More than likely it traces back to the one thing missing from most educations—learning how to learn in the first place. We all went to school, yet isn’t it odd that no one taught us how to study? The information presented at this meetup can help anyone improve others or his own ability to learn. It is a practical tool that parents and teachers alike can use to enhance a child's study performance. You’ll learn the barriers that lie between your own or a child's education. And you will very quickly learn how to overcome them. This technology will enable you or a child to pursue any subject with skill and confidence. Teachers who have "hard to handle/distributive " or slow learners in class will absolutely love the amazing turn around most often seen in improved behaviour and student performance in class. If you or your child has difficulties at school (or learning new things at work or online) than this meetup is important to you. If you can not make it to our meetup than contact the organizer and arrange it to suit your time. This technology can if one was to live far away be taught online. (extension course) You may offcourse also opt to have this technology taught to your own child by experienced volunteeer staff or learn about this yourself and transfer this knowledge to those you want to have better grades. Yes it is possible to improve anyone's study performance. All it takes is just 5 steps. See you at this meetup. Pam

[Merri-bek Tech](https://www.merri-bek.tech/), a group in the inner northern suburbs of Naarm (Melbourne), invites everyone involved interested in tinkering with grass-roots technologies in support of a **Sustainable**, **Resilient** and **Just** future - to join us for the **Naarm Solarpunk Meetup**. Following on from our "Reclaiming the Internet for Humans" event in February we will be doing some hands-on hacking as well as welcoming everyone who wants to talk further about getting involved in the group or finding out more about positive, grassroots tech futures. On the night we will be doing, * Merri-tek LoRes Node install and setup * Raspberry Pi setups * Linux OS installs * Your sustainable, resilient and/or just project :) MBT members will also be ready to talk further about what we do, what we hope to do and how you can join in. **About the Naarm Solarpunk group** Some of us are technologists, and will be showing off software or hardware projects, and others are more interested in community organizing, responding to the climate crisis, or building local resilience. Whatever your area of interest, or your level of skill, you're absolutely welcome to dive in. At the meetups we'll have a show-and-tell time for any projects that you're working on, as well as occasional short presentations. The space will be hosted by volunteers, and we'll actively work towards inclusion through applying a [code of conduct](https://www.contributor-covenant.org/version/2/1/code_of_conduct/). Merri-bek Tech has some projects that you might be interested in updates from, including our attempt to build P2P mesh network based community hosting on Raspberry Pis, and our project to run a local fediverse social network. We aspire to keep this meetup **Solarpunk** as fuck. We support the hackers, tinkerers and makers and misfits. There are plenty of other spaces for big corporate green tech, so bring your hobby project, not your day job, unless that job is firmly rooted in the solidarity economy. We are not value neutral. We'll start with Merri-bek Tech's [values](https://www.merri-bek.tech/about/values/) and [principles](https://www.merri-bek.tech/about/principles/), and build from there together. In particular, in the context of ongoing genocide, we will ask you to leave if you're associated in any way with the weapons industry. This meetup will be hosted on the stolen, unceeded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. **Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.** Image alt text (honestly meetup, get your shit together): The image is a illustration of a future, sustainable city. There is human-scale, green tech, repair shops and urban gardens.

### Hck4G#0x14 – Cloudy with a Chance Orbit-Hack: Securing Critical Space **Monthly Global Cybercrime Impact Report - 3rd Edition** #### **🌍 A cybersecurity meetup for the community, by the community** Hck4G is a not-for-profit organisation focused on disrupting the human impact of cybercrime through awareness, intervention, education, victim support and diversion. Our monthly meetups create ethical pathways, build real-world cybersecurity capability, and strengthen defender communities that understand context, not just tools. For Meetup #0x14, we deliver the **3rd edition of the Monthly Global Cybercrime Impact Report**, followed by a deep-dive into one of the fastest-emerging risk domains: **space cybersecurity**. **Online & In-person Registration Link:** https://events.humanitix.com/hck4g-0x14-cloudy-with-a-chance-of-orbit-hack-securing-critical-space ### **About the Session** **What happens when cyber risk leaves Earth’s atmosphere?** As space infrastructure becomes increasingly embedded in civilian life, defence capability, agriculture, telecommunications and navigation, the security stakes are rising rapidly. In this session, **Peter Lake** explores the growing cyber risk landscape across space systems and critical infrastructure, examining both **civilian and military perspectives**. The talk will unpack how space has become **critical,** **congested and contested**, why traditional security thinking is insufficient, and what practical frameworks defenders can apply today. The session includes a **live demonstration of critical frameworks and tools**, showcasing practical approaches emerging from Melbourne’s space innovation ecosystem. ### **This session is designed for:** * Cybersecurity professionals expanding into critical infrastructure * GRC practitioners working with SOCI or defence environments * Security engineers interested in emerging threat domains * Critical infrastructure risk and resilience professionals * Anyone curious about the intersection of space and cybersecurity ### **What You’ll Learn** * What constitutes **space infrastructure** and why it matters * Why space systems are now considered **critical infrastructure** * Key cyber threats and risk scenarios affecting space environments * How civilian and military threat models differ * How the **SOCI Act verticals** apply to space technology * Introduction to the **MITRE SPARTA model for space security** * Applying **Zero Trust principles in space environments** * How space risk links to the **five hazards of critical infrastructure** * Real-world disruption examples, including space weather impacts on agriculture * Practical insights and case study **demo** ### **🛰 Key Frameworks Covered** * SOCI Act — Space Technology vertical * MITRE SPARTA (Space Attack Research & Tactic Analysis) * Zero Trust (Space-adapted approach) * CMMI / CMMC considerations * Defence and Space Industry Program context * Ground segment security considerations *** ### **🍕 Bonus** Best cyber pizzas in Melbourne, courtesy of **CyLynk & BridgeLynk**. *** ### **Event Information** **Date:** Wednesday, 18 March 2026 **Time:** 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM (AEDT) **Location:** Building 80 RMIT University Melbourne, Level 6, Room 5 **Cost:** Free (registration required) **Catering:** Food and drinks provided *** ### **Livestream Watch Parties** * Ghana (WAT+2) * Nigeria (WAT+1) Livestream links will be shared with registered attendees **24 hours before the event**. *** ### **Speaker — Peter Lake** Peter Lake is a lifelong space enthusiast and amateur astronomer with co-authorship on two scientific papers covering variable stars and exoplanet transit timing variations. He is the discoverer of **Asteroid (551900) Laneways**, named after Melbourne’s iconic laneway culture. Peter brings **40 years of experience in telecommunications and data networks**. During COVID, he completed a **Master of Cyber Security at Edith Cowan University (2023)**. His passions include: * Coaching cybersecurity practitioners * Running a CTF team for people with autism via NDIS provider CRANK No-Barriers * Designing tabletop exercises that combine space and cyber risk * Supporting emerging leaders and startups, including work as a vCISO Peter is a regular speaker at major industry events including **CyberCon Melbourne, BrisSec, Ballarat BSides, and the Australian Space Cyber Forum (ASCF)**. *** ### **What to Bring:** * Laptop with internet access * Minimum 8GB RAM * Curiosity and a willingness to ask questions *** ### **Event Schedule** * **5:30 – 5:40 PM:** Welcome, Intro & Networking * **5:40 – 6:00 PM:** Networking & Cyber pizzas 🍕 * **6:00 – 6:45 PM:** Presentation * **6:45 – 7:30 PM:** Discussions and Q&A *** ### **Thanks to our Sponsors** [RMIT University](https://www.rmit.edu.au/) \- Worldclass certificates\, degrees\, Masters and Postgraduate programs\. [BridgeLynk.io](http://BridgeLynk.io) \- Attack Informed Cybersecurity Services for NFP\, SMB and Enterprise [CyLynk.com](http://CyLynk.com) \- Job\-Ready cybersecurity training led by expert coaches\.

Integral to the modern data scientists toolkit is understanding how to turn data into decisions. A core part of this is thinking about the end stage of your analysis pipeline, and how the communication and visualisation of your results will factor into decision making. But it's not just enough to deliver a solution. Part of successfully supporting end-user decisions comes from co-design. That means thinking about end user needs and how your end-users will engage with your solution. This talk explores both of these issues using fantasy basketball statistics. So come along if you have a love of data and data-driven decision making. Also come along if you are fan of sports analytics or forecasting.

Join the CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group for a dynamic afternoon of B2B networking! This event is perfect for professionals looking to expand their business connections, share insights, and foster collaboration within the community. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this event offers a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, build relationships, and grow your network in a supportive environment. Connect with like-minded individuals, explore potential partnerships, and discover new opportunities for professional growth. Don't miss out on this chance to enhance your business network and take your career to the next level with CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group! We meet the 4th Monday of every month from 11am-1pm. Welcome and general networking from 11am - 11:30am with core meeting 11;30 - 12:30 and a final round of networking from 12:30 - 1pm.

Discover Kiro, AWS’s innovative development environment that adapts to your workflow. Whether you prefer specification-driven development or a more intuitive, vibe-based approach, Kiro empowers you to build applications your way. In this session, speakers will explore Kiro’s core functionality and its evolution through re:Invent 2025, along with demonstrations of prompts used to create APIs, hooks, and steering documents. In the latter part of the session, watch as we build a complete example from scratch, showcasing Kiro’s agentic AI workflow in action for spec-driven development and vibe coding. What You'll Learn - Core Kiro concepts and development philosophy Feature evolution: pre and post re:Invent 2025 Practical examples: API creation, hooks, and steering docs Live coding demonstration with real-time problem solving Who Should Attend - Developers, solutions architects, and technical leaders interested in modern AWS development tools and AI-assisted coding workflows. **Speakers Bio:** Matthew Jorat: Matthew Jorat is a Customer Solutions Manager at AWS with nearly three decades of expertise in AI, cloud transformation, migration, modernization, IT, technology, and business. His career spans infrastructure engineer, solutions architect, security auditor, customer success director, support and services director, and operations officer. He was an early adopter of AWS services as a customer, and his current role at AWS uniquely blends his technical and business skills as he partners with executive teams to translate strategic priorities into measurable business outcomes through cloud adoption, AI implementation, and operational excellence. Matt leads end-to-end AI initiatives for enterprise customers, identifying high-impact use cases and maintaining relentless focus on measurable ROI. He holds eight AWS certifications and serves as Adjunct Professor at Franklin University teaching cloud computing and AWS architecture. His expertise encompasses GenAI, agentic AI systems, migration, modernization, and optimization strategies that drive transformation at scale. [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjorat/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjorat/) Girish Bhatia: Girish Bhatia is a seasoned technology delivery leader with deep expertise in cross-domain program management. He holds multiple AWS certifications, including AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, AWS Certified Developer – Associate, and AWS Generative AI Practitioner, and is also an AWS Community Builder. Girish brings over two decades of experience in the information technology industry. Throughout his career, Girish has led major technology-driven business transformation from modernizing on-premises applications to driving large-scale cloud migrations. His work includes API-based integration platforms, data-center and mainframe modernization, and enterprise cloud adoption initiatives. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Girish works at a tech-forward fintech company. He is passionate about AWS serverless architectures, Generative AI and emerging cloud technologies. An avid learner and builder, he continues to explore and apply the latest innovations in AWS to help organizations accelerate their digital transformation. https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/[https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/) **THANK YOU** *Franklin University* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Franklin University*, please visit their website: https://www.franklin.edu/ **DIRECTIONS** Franklin University Fisher Hall 300 E. Main St, Columbus, OH 43215 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jxjBA2hUmS5qrvhq8 Parking is FREE! Please park in Lot C in front of Fisher Hall. See attached map. NOTE: Map the address only. When mapping with Google Maps it may use the Fisher Hall at OSU, which is NOT correct. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

## **Columbus Bitcoin Meetup – Event** Join us for another great evening dedicated to Bitcoin, learning, and community. We will be gathering in the private room at Olentangy Brewery for an evening of conversation, education, and fellowship with fellow Bitcoiners. This special event will feature three guest speakers sharing insights from across the Bitcoin ecosystem. ### **Guest Speakers** **Lindsay Faust** Relationship Manager at River **Andrew Tilmann** CEO of the Midwest Bitcoin Summit **Carlos Estrada** Founder of Coin Vigilante In addition to speaking during the event, Andrew Tilmann will also be available for a meet and greet. This will be a great opportunity to ask questions about the upcoming Midwest Bitcoin Summit, taking place September 23 and 24 at the Columbus Convention Center. ### **Midwest Bitcoin Summit Discount** Early Bird pricing ends **April 1st**, but you can still save **21%** by using the promo code: **COLUMBUS** Use the link below to apply the discount: [https://tickets.midwestbtc.com/affiliate/columbusbitcoinmeetup/event/midwest-bitcoin-summit-2026/?promoCodeTask=apply&promoCodeInput=columbus](https://tickets.midwestbtc.com/affiliate/columbusbitcoinmeetup/event/midwest-bitcoin-summit-2026/?promoCodeTask=apply&promoCodeInput=columbus) ### **Event Details** This will be a three hour event, with speakers beginning just before 7:00 PM. There will be plenty of time afterward for networking, meeting new friends, and continuing the conversation. Food will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there! ***

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 **Abstract** Web Forms gave .NET developers a powerful abstraction for building reusable UI controls long before design systems were a thing. Web Components finally bring that same idea to the browser natively. This session explores how the Web Forms mindset translates into Custom Elements, Shadow DOM, and HTML templates. We’ll examine how Web Components enable design systems that work across frameworks, how they differ from server‑driven controls, and why they’re becoming a foundational layer for modern UI. Whether you’re maintaining legacy apps or building greenfield projects, you’ll leave with a practical understanding of how to apply familiar patterns in a modern, standards‑based way. **YouTube Link** TBA

Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!! https://sessionize.com/cbus-hug-2026/

In this local meeting, you will discover knowledge that you can use to get over the past. The key to improving your personal motivation, self-confidence, and happiness is to get over your painful memories. When you become free of your past, you will be free from stress, anger, anxiety and depression. Studies show that negative emotions can affect your health. By being free of negative emotions, believe it or not, you will most likely even look younger, feel more energetic, and become healthier! Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is brought to you by the Dianetics and Scientology life improvement center.

Builders, creators, architects, admins, consultants - come one, come all. This one's for you. We're bringing a little friendly competition to the Columbus ServiceNow community while highlighting the cool things people have built on the platform. Five presenters will take the stage to showcase something they've built, solved, designed, or imagined on the ServiceNow platform - and a panel of judges (plus YOU, our amazing audience) will score them live. So basically, America's Got Talent but make it ServiceNow's Got Talent. Bring a notepad if you'd like 'cause you'll definitely be learning something new. Each presenter gets 10 minutes max to wow the crowd with: • A demo • A real-world business solution • A bold idea • A UX transformation • Or a creative use of the platform Judging Criteria: 🏆 Business Value 🚀 Innovation ✨ User Experience This event is about celebrating ideas, sharing knowledge, and showing how ServiceNow can drive both business impact and meaningful user value. Come learn. Come support. Come get inspired. Refreshments and bites will be provided. And maybe next time… you’ll be on stage.