Genetics

\*\*Please note that this event requires your name and email address for QR code to get access to the building on the event day, you must register or else you will not receive a QR code for access\*\* [Link ](https://forms.office.com/r/kUUNAxpugZ)to Registration: https://forms.office.com/r/kUUNAxpugZ ### Topic 1: Agentic DevOps: Redefining the SDLC DevOps just got an upgrade. Thanks to GitHub Copilot and other AI tools your pipelines can now think ahead, automate the boring stuff, and even nudge you when you’re about to break production (again). This talk dives into agentic AI—the kind of AI that doesn’t just wait for orders but actually helps out, like a proactive teammate who never sleeps. Agentic DevOps is a paradigm that combines human developer expertise with AI-powered tools and frameworks to enhance software delivery. While Microsoft popularized the concept, it’s not limited to their ecosystem. You can apply Agentic DevOps with: \- Coding agents like : Cursor\, Windsurf\, Claude Code\, Codex etc \- Local AI coding agents: Continue\, Cline\, Roo Open-source models: Llama 4, Mistral, DeepSeek, Qwen \- On\-prem deployment tools: vLLM\, SGLang\, TGI \- Agent Frameworks: LangGraph\, AutoGen\, CrewAI\, DSPy etc These are just few examples but choose your preferred tooling and infrastructure, whether on-prem or in the cloud with AWS, GCP, Azure, IBM Cloud, Oracle Cloud, or Alibaba Cloud. Agentic DevOps is about augmenting human capabilities with AI, not about vendor lock-in. Agentic DevOps is for everyone. We’ll show how Copilot helps you write, review, and ship code faster, while Azure keeps the infrastructure humming along. Think: smarter CI/CD, fewer “oops” moments, and more time to focus on the fun parts of building software. Expect real-world examples, best practices, and a few cautionary tales. You’ll leave with practical ideas for making AI a trusted part of your DevOps toolkit—without replacing the humans who still need coffee breaks. Whether you’re a DevOps engineer, team lead, or architect, this session will help you see how AI can make your life easier, your pipelines smarter, and your deployments a lot less stressful. Speaker: **Max Yermakhanov, Microsoft MVP** **Topic 2: Building a Secure Browser Agent with Microsoft AI Foundry & Azure Playwright Workspace** AI agents are moving beyond APIs and command-line tools — they are starting to reason and act inside real web browsers. In this session, we’ll explore how to build a secure, production-minded browser agent using Microsoft AI Foundry and Azure Playwright Workspace, enabling agents to autonomously navigate websites, interact with UI elements, validate outcomes, and report results with transparency and guardrails. Speaker: **Kaan Turgut, Hybrid Cloud Solution Architect** **Topic 3: Introduction to Azure SRE Agent** As organizations increasingly adopt cloud-native architectures, maintaining reliability and operational excellence becomes a critical challenge. Enter Azure SRE Agent—a cutting-edge solution designed to bring Site Reliability Engineering principles into the AI era. This session introduces the Azure SRE Agent, an intelligent, autonomous system that leverages AI-driven insights and automation to monitor, diagnose, and remediate reliability issues across distributed environments. Speaker: **Ehsan Eskandari, Microsoft MVP**

This is a ticketed event. Please register at [this link](https://luma.com/5seq0r1v). ***Who's governing the AI your doctor trusts?*** ​Healthcare AI is crossing thresholds faster than governance can keep pace. In Utah, an AI is now legally prescribing medication without a doctor. In January, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health, and Anthropic released Claude for Healthcare. AI companies are benchmarking their models against expert clinicians' performance and rapidly closing the gap—and, in some cases, surpassing them. Meanwhile, Elon Musk is encouraging users to upload medical imaging to Grok for analysis. ​This talk will explore how today's fragmented regulatory approach creates systemic vulnerabilities that could amplify as systems become more capable. [Pascal Thibeault](https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-law/common-law/faculty/thibeault-pascal)[ ](https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-law/common-law/faculty/thibeault-pascal)will examine the growing chasm between AI deployment and AI governance in clinical care, and consider which governance frameworks might help prepare us for a future where AI systems operate with increasing autonomy. ​​​**Event Schedule** 6:00 to 6:30 - Food and introductions 6:30 to 7:30 - Presentation and Q&A 7:30 to 9:00 - Open Discussions ​​​​If you can't attend in person, join our live stream starting at 6:30 pm via [this link.](https://www.youtube.com/@Trajectory-Labs/live) ​​​​This is part of our weekly [AI Policy Tuesdays ](AI Policy Tuesdays)series. Join us in examining questions like: * ​​​​How should AI development be regulated? * ​​​​What are the economic and social implications of widespread automation? * ​​​​How do we balance innovation with safety considerations? * ​​​​What governance structures are needed for safer AI?

Join us for an exclusive **AWS Toronto Office Visit** hosted by the AWS team, bringing together members from AWS Cloud Clubs across Ontario for an afternoon of learning, insight, and inspiration. This in-person visit is a chance to step inside the AWS office, meet the people building and scaling real-world cloud and robotics systems, and get a behind-the-scenes look at what careers at AWS actually look like. **What to expect:** * 🏢 **Guided Office Tour** – Experience the AWS Toronto workspace and culture * ☁️ **AWS Cloud Clubs Program Overview** – Learn how AWS supports student builders and communities * 🧠 **AWS & Solutions Architecture Talk** – How solutions architects design systems at scale * 🤖 **Amazon Robotics Session** – Explore how robotics and cloud infrastructure intersect at Amazon **📅 Date:** February 17, 2026 **⏰ Time:** 12:00. 12:30 Check-in. – 2:30 PM **📍 Location:** AWS Toronto Office **👥 Audience:** AWS Cloud Club members & partner university clubs (including TMU) Whether you’re curious about cloud careers, large-scale system design, or robotics at Amazon, this is a rare opportunity to learn directly from AWS professionals face to face. Spots are limited. RSVP early.

They say you never forget your first love. But there’s something about love that isn’t returned that's pretty hard to forget too. To help ease any post-Valentine’s Day blues, we’re going to spend our next Curiosity Café discussing **unrequited love.** We’ll begin by examining our experiences of unrequited love, to get to the bottom of what exactly we’re talking about. How is it different from, say, love that *is* requited? Or from infatuation? Is a one-sided friendship an instance of unrequited love? Is there a relevant difference between love that is not requited at all, and love that is not requited in *kind*? What can unrequited love tell us about the nature of love in general? Then, we’ll turn to thinking about how we should respond to unrequited love, either in ourselves, or in others. What value, if any, does unrequited love have? When love is unrequited, should we try to move on? Should we try to persuade our beloved to love us back? What should we do if we’re on the receiving end of unrequited love, or if we’re witness to a friend in this kind of situation? Join co-moderators Alexandra Gustafson and Sophia Whicher to dissect these questions and more on February 17th. **Space is limited!** **Please obtain a “Pay-What-You-Can” ticket from Curiosity Café at [this link (click here)](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/curiosity-cafe-unrequited-love-tickets-1982624787109) to attend this event. You need a ticket to be admitted.** See the above link for more info about tickets and other options including a limited number of free tickets. Come and hang out with us, grab food, and read through our handout from 6-6:30pm. Our structured discussion will run from 6:30-8:30pm with a 10 minute break in the middle. Hope to see you there! ***___________________________________________________________________*** This event is brought to you by [Being and Becoming](https://beingnbecoming.org/), a Toronto based non-profit. We aim to create community around exploring everyday concepts and experiences so that we may live more intentional, thoughtful, and meaningful lives. We use philosophy as a tool with which we can come to a richer understanding of the world around us. By offering activities, spaces, and other opportunities for conversation and co-exploration, we hope to enable the meeting and fusion of individuals and their ideas. Everyone is welcome, regardless of background: indeed, we believe the journey is best undertaken alongside explorers from a variety of disciplines, cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Find out more about Being and Becoming [here](https://beingnbecoming.org/). About the Curiosity Café Series: For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to join us at our Curiosity Cafés and are wondering what they’re all about: every two weeks, we invite members of our community to come out to the Madison Avenue Pub to engage in a collaborative exploration of our chosen topic. Through these events, we aim to build our community of people who like to think deeply about life’s big questions, and provide each other with some philosophical tools to dig deeper into whatever it is we are most curious about.

For the past couple of years, these events have brought together professionals who share a commitment to animal protection, ethical leadership, and thoughtful engagement. This upcoming gathering marks a special edition of the series, and will feature Melanie D.G. Kaplan, journalist and author of Lab Dog: A Beagle and His Human Investigate the Surprising World of Animal Research. Melanie D.G. Kaplan will be joined in conversation by Camille Labchuk, executive director of Animal Justice. Together, they will explore the ethical questions surrounding animal research and advocacy, drawing on Melanie’s investigative reporting, her experience sharing a life with a former lab dog, and Camille’s long-standing work in animal protection. **The conversation is especially timely, as Ontario moves toward prohibiting invasive research on cats and dogs—signaling a significant shift in how the province approaches the ethics of animal research.** **Why Attend:** ✔️ **Hear from an Expert: **Melanie D.G. Kaplan brings journalistic rigor and compassion to her work on Lab Dog, a book that sheds light on how animals are used in research and what ethical alternatives might look like. ✔️ **Deepen Your Perspective: **Gain a nuanced understanding of the ethical, scientific, and human questions at the heart of contemporary animal research debates. ✔️ **Explore What’s Changing Now:** Ontario is moving to ban invasive research on cats and dogs—this event provides a timely opportunity to understand the implications for animal research ethics and advocacy. ✔️ **Connect with Purpose: **Join others who are passionate about making a meaningful impact in their fields and communities. [RSVP HERE ](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScX1DDdQ5NaZmMSlon944OkvzEGSWfaDXcycnJ3yQLCINwxFA/viewform?utm_source=google_form&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ethics_in_action&utm_content=email1_button2)

***Tickets must be purchased in advance:*** https://luma.com/ecomTO2602?utm_source=meetup ***(limited early bird & discounted tickets available)*** \-\-\- Step into an atmosphere alive with ecommerce founders, brand builders, and digital entrepreneurs at Oria - one of Toronto’s newest modern, stylish venues with a cool, luxurious vibe perfect for sparking big conversations over drinks. 🍸✨✨ 📸 [Follow us on Instagram @Ecomnetworking](https://instagram.com/ecomnetworking) 📸 Hosted by the **Ecom Network**, this event brings together ecommerce and DTC founders, online sellers, and digital entrepreneurs for a relaxed yet high-energy networking night. Expect great drinks, curated music, and meaningful conversations with people building and scaling real businesses. 💬🎶 **​​Who is this event for?** This event is suitable for all online sellers - whether you run a Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) brand on Shopify, sell on Amazon (FBA), Etsy, eBay, Walmart, or manage a store on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok.​ — **Event Highlights** **✨ Network in a Vibrant Setting** We’ve secured a dedicated section at at the venue just for our group. Enjoy meaningful conversations and great vibes while connecting with fellow entrepreneurs. We kindly ask that you support the venue by purchasing at least one drink or food item. 📣 **Share Your Story** Building a brand, product, or project? Looking for partners, feedback, or fresh ideas? This is your chance to introduce yourself and spark valuable connections in the ecommerce community. 💡 **Learn and Grow** Exchange insights on scaling, marketing, operations, and sales with fellow ecommerce founders. Many past attendees have walked away with partnerships, new clients, and fresh ideas - one conversation could be the start of something big. — **Dress code: Smart/Business casual** — Have questions or suggestions? ​Feel free to reach out to the organizers! ​We can’t wait to see you (again)! — *Notice of Photography* *​During the event, photos and videos may be taken for promotional purposes. By attending, you consent to being photographed and/or filmed. If you prefer not to appear in any media, please let one of the event organizers know.*

Join Liberty Labs Toronto for our eighth meetup on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 7:00 PM near Yonge and Eglinton! In the libertarian tradition of self-ownership, we’ll explore biohacking and healthy, active living as tools for personal sovereignty—optimizing your body, mind, and energy without relying on centralized healthcare systems. From practical lifestyle upgrades to emerging biohacks, we’ll discuss how to build resilience and vitality on your own terms. What to expect: * Open discussion on biohacking basics, intermittent fasting, sleep optimization, cold exposure, and movement as liberty practices * Hands-on sharing of real-world routines and low-cost/no-cost hacks anyone can start * Complimentary appetizers and a drink ticket * Everyone who attends will receive a million-dollar Zimbabwe note as a fun take-home reminder of real value vs. fiat illusions * Connect with 10-20 liberty-minded Torontonians Venue: Pickle Barrel (2300 Yonge St, at Yonge & Eglinton), right above Eglinton Station. Easy parking in the Yonge Eglinton Centre garage or nearby Green P lots. Let’s claim sovereignty over our health—together!

Join the Toronto Founders Hub every other Saturday at 3:30pm for our regular meetup at 5 Elements Espresso Bar. Sit down with other entrepreneurs to network and discuss business ideas or strategies. \- Broaden your network \- Get critical feedback \- Socialize in low pressure setting I look forward to seeing you!

Power grids run on protocols that were never designed to be secure. Modbus doesn't authenticate. MQTT trusts whoever connects. State estimation believes whatever data you feed it. This month, Parham Mohammadi shows what happens when you exploit all of that. **THE TALK** Parham built a full ICS attack simulation lab and ran real attack chains against it. False data injection into state estimation. Modbus register overwrites. MQTT broker takeover. Chained attacks against distributed energy resources. The operator dashboard stayed green the entire time. If Ukraine 2015 and Industroyer taught us anything, it's that this isn't theoretical. **THE SPEAKER** Parham Mohammadi — Postdoctoral Researcher, York University Parham spent six years at York doing his PhD on power systems simulation. The CPPS-SEC Lab he built for this research simulates real ICS attack chains against power grid infrastructure — the same lab he's demoing at this talk. ***ARRIVAL WINDOW — PLEASE READ*** Doors open at 6:15 PM and close at 6:40 PM. Our volunteer at the gate can only let people up during this window. After 6:40 PM, there will be no one downstairs to let you in. Plan accordingly. If you RSVP and can't make it, please update your status so someone on the waitlist can take your spot. Food and drinks sponsored by Stan. **CONNECT** [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/VDy69zgfc3) [Website]( https://defcontoronto.ca) DC416 is Toronto's DEFCON group. If you're into security, you're welcome here.

**Click here to register:** **[https://energeticmagic.thrivecart.com/foundation-courses/](https://energeticmagic.thrivecart.com/foundation-courses/)** Yes, there is real magic out there and you are immersed in it. Some call it universal or source energy. Some call it God or divine energy. Some call it magic. It’s been talked about and worked with for thousands of years and now science has gotten to the point, through quantum physics, where tests are confirming what many have been saying: We are all connected by this energy and we all affect it. Tapping into that energy allows me to perform what I call Energetic Magic, and now I have made this method of actually editing your reality available to you. You will learn: – How spiritual energy works and affects us every day – The “must do”s for growth and potency – To use intuition for guidance and to detect truths – To get in touch with Pure Source/Universal/Quantum/God energy (however your philosophy describes it) – To create and manipulate simple energetic constructs – To react and respond to other people’s energy – To play harmoniously with another’s energy – To perceive energy in other people for information or clearing – To integrate the techniques you learn with other modalities and your daily life Are you ready? It’s intense. And it will change your life. Every person who has attended this class has had big realizations and multiple shifts in their beliefs during the class. While learning, you release old belief patterns and come out of the class a different person. I look forward to sharing this powerful technique with you and watching your transformation. Got a friend? You can refer a friend and get a 20% referral fee. Contact transform@energeticmagic.com to find out how.

The TAICO team is happy to announce our next meetup at the Adaptavist office in Toronto. Much thanks to [Adaptavist](https://www.adaptavist.com/) for hosting! **Wayfinding** * *Please be careful when using maps features on phones, some people have been redirected to a completely wrong address. The event is near Winners on Front St, which is just south, across the street, from Berczy Park (where the dog fountain is) so if you are not near that area, you are in the wrong place.* **Registration and Event Details** Our goal is to bring artificial intelligence and cybersecurity together. To do that, we need to explore what's happening in AI and what's happening in cybersecurity, and where the two intersect and collide. We're also working to understand how we solve problems in these areas, what that looks like, and how Canada can and will participate. With that in mind, we're pleased to announce our speaker and the agenda for our next meeting! **Sponsors** And thanks to our host, [Adaptavist](https://www.adaptavist.com/)! **Notes** * *Unfortunately, we won't have pizza at this meetup due to a gap in sponsorship. We're actively working on securing sponsors for future events.* **Agenda** **Doors Open: 5:30PM** **Event Start: 6:00PM** * 👋 **Welcome and introductions** * 🙏 **Thank you to our amazing hosts and sponsors!** 🎉 * 🎙️ **Speakers** 🎤 **Speaker #1: Curtis Collicutt** *Title: Stegalographer* *Abstract:* ***They said never write your own encryption. They didn’t say anything about steganography!*** *What if the best place to hide a secret message was in something so boring that nobody would ever look twice at it? Stegalographer is a tool that embeds data in legitimate-looking application logs by encoding information in the choices that generate the logs, rather than encrypting them. The template used, the number of trailing spaces, whether the log says 'error' or 'failure', and even the microsecond variations in timestamps can all carry hidden bits. The output isn't logs with secrets stuffed inside, but real log structure with your data silently riding along.* *This talk will explain how Stegalographer works, from analysing existing logs to extract templates (using the Drain algorithm from log analytics research), to the encoding process that turns your message into a stream of plausible entries. We will explore practical use cases such as covert channels in penetration testing, watermarking logs to trace leaks and censorship-resistant publishing disguised as 'sample data'. However, we will also be honest about the limitations: this is steganography, not encryption, and statistical analysis can potentially detect anomalies at scale. Whether you're interested in security research or information theory or privacy, or want to know more about building security tools, come and see how the most mundane part of any system can become a covert communication channel.* *We'll also touch on the experience of building security tools like this one using AI-assisted programming tools like Claude Code.* 🎤 **Speaker #2: Ads Dawson** Title: *Q&A with Ads Dawson* *Ads Dawson is an Offensive security engineer, penetration tester and red teamer with over thirteen years of experience breaking, testing, and securing applications and infrastructure across startups and large enterprises. Skilled in web application security, DevSecOps, and large-scale hybrid cloud environments, with a strong focus on offensive engineering, red team operations, and vulnerability research. Active bug bounty hunter and researcher in AI and LLM security, specializing in uncovering and mitigating attack vectors such as prompt injection, unrestricted model inference, and backdoor attacks. Experienced in leading incident response and simulating advanced adversaries to expose weaknesses before real attackers do.* *He works with organizations like OWASP and was Technical Lead for [OWASP’s Top 10 for LLM Applications](https://owasp.org/www-project-top-10-for-large-language-model-applications/assets/PDF/OWASP-Top-10-for-LLMs-v2025.pdf).* *This is your chance to ask Ads anything you want about AI and cybersecurity so come armed with your questions!* **⚡ Lightning Talks and Demos** Lightning Talks - 5 to 10 minutes long 1. Myles Harrison - Point / counterpoint on Claude Code and agent orchestration 2. Elshad Humbatli - Repo Health software project 3. **You?** \- Please reach out if you'd like to do a lightning talk or demo Please reach out to us if you'd like to present at the meetup. We are looking for people to talk about what they are working on, what they are building and learning, and are open to any level of experience and technical depth. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, we want to hear from you! We're all just out here building and learning. 👋 **See You There!** Thanks, and we look forward to seeing you at the meetup!

～English description below～ イベント参加費として、日本人の方(日本で生まれ育ち、現在英語を勉強している方)は$2、日本人以外の方(日本語を勉強している方)は$5頂いております。 皆さんから頂いたお金は、こちらのサイトの維持費や将来のランゲージエクスチェンジ施設利用料やソーシャルイベント等のために使われます。ご理解の程、よろしくお願いいたします。 予約受付開始：土曜日5:00PM(前イベント終了後) 予約取消締切：土曜日12:30PM(当日) 予約受付締切：土曜日1:30PM(当日) スケジュール 5.15 PM - 5:30PM - チェックイン、グループ分け 5:30 PM - 6:15PM - 日本語の時間［または英語の時間］ 6:15PM - 7:00 PM - 英語の時間［または日本語の時間］ イベント内容 ・対面でのLanguage Exchangeを再開しています！参加者のレベルに応じて、事前にオーガナイザーが3〜4名のグループをつくり、そのメンバーで各45分間、それぞれ英語と日本語でセッションを行なっていただきます。決まったディスカッショントピックなどはございませんので、気軽にフリートークや質問をしながらそれぞれのセッションを楽しんでいただければと思います。 ・体調が優れない方、あるいはここ数日中に体調が優れない人との接触があった方は、申し訳ありませんが参加をお控え願います。 開催場所：Atrium フードコート 地下鉄Dundas駅と直結していますが、多少分かりにくいため、特に初めて参加される方は次の方法で来れることをおすすめします。 Dundas駅から地上に出ていただき、Dunsas Streetを西にまっすぐ3分ほど歩いていただきます。 Bay Streetとの交差点北東角にある階段を降りてください。 階段を降りた場所にある入り口から入ったところがフードコートですので、そちらでTJEXのサインボードを持ったオーガナイザーにお声がけください。(わからなければメッセージをお願いします！) 予約規約（⚠️重要） ・当日の不参加、もしくは15分以上の遅刻(5:45PM以降)、また予約取消締切後の変更(13:00以降)は原則不参加(No-Show)とみなします。不参加(No-show)が3回になりますと会員登録が抹消され、退会となりますのでご注意ください。 ・イベントに遅れそうな場合は必ずオーガナイザーまでメッセージをお願いします。イベント開始時間にいるメンバーでグループを組み直すこともあるので、連絡なしで到着された場合はイベントに参加できない可能性もあります。原則、30分以上遅れての参加はご遠慮いただいております。あらかじめご了承ください。 キャンセル待ち ・満席の場合、”キャンセル待ち”リスト(waiting-list)にご登録いただくことが可能です。“参加予定”リスト（going-list)中に空席が発生した場合は、”キャンセル待ち”への登録が早かった方を優先に、”参加予定”へ移動いただけます。 ※ご注意※ ・空席ができた際は、自動的に”キャンセル待ち”より”参加予定”へ変更されます。この時にMeetupよりお知らせがあるかはわかりません。 ・システムにより自動的に”参加予定”とされ、それに気づかずに参加しなかった場合でも、不参加とみなされますのでご了承ください。 ・上記の理由により、確実に参加できる場合のみ”キャンセル待ち”への登録をお願いします。予定が入ってしまった場合は、”キャンセル待ち”にいる場合も必ずイベント当日の午後1時までに予め”不参加”リストに移動させてください。 質問 こちら (https://www.meetup.com/tjex-ca/pages/1274142/FAQ/)をご参照ください。または、オーガナイザーまでお問い合わせください。 Instagramアカウント @tjex.ca 最新情報やミートアップの様子を掲載しています。 ぜひこちらもフォローお願いします！ _______________________________________ ***Although our group is a non-profit organization, we collect $ 5 per English Speaker for every event. All the proceeds are used to run this website and for social events*** RSVP: RSVP open: 5:00 PM (Saturday after previous event) RSVP cancel deadline: Saturday, 2:00 PM (day of the event) RSVP close: Saturday, 3:00 PM (day of the event) Day of Event: 5:15 PM - 5:30 PM - Check-in and Group placement 5:30 PM - 6:15 PM - Japanese conversation 6:15 PM - 7:00 PM - English conversation Event Description: This is an in-person language exchange! Members are placed into groups of three or four based on their language level. Each 45 minute session consists of friendly casual conversation, and/or informal study. Optional Dinner : After the Language event, we usually go for Dinner. Dinner is optional, you may or may not join the Dinner, it depends on you. However, Dinner is only for Participants that joined on the day of the event. Event Location: Atrium Food Court The food court is directly connected to the Dundas subway station. Leave the subway station and walk west along Dundas Street. At the intersection of Bay Street and Dundas Street, you will find an entrance. Proceed down the escalator. The food court is on the basement floor. Please talk to the organizer with the signboard showing TJEX. (If you can’t find them, please send a message to the organizer.) ⚠️RSVP & Late Policy: If you are unable to join on the day of the event, please change your status from 'going-list' to 'not going-list'. Failure to Not show up will result in 1 No -Show. Also, in case of arriving 15 mins late to the event will result in 1 No-Show. Members are removed from the group after 3 No-Shows. Waiting List: Members can join the waiting-list even if an event is full. When a spot becomes available, we will move you to the going-list. Going List: Only Members on the going-list can participate on the day of the event. Group Instagram - @tjex.ca Feel free to follow us!

The next NoVABeerSec event - "Informal Gathering of Security Minds Over Beer'' will be Wednesday, February 25th, 5:30PM til 7ish at Crooked Run Fermentation (22455 Davis Drive, Sterling, VA ). **BONUS** there is a Senor Ramon Taqueria as part of the brewery; so it will be a “Taco Wednesday” for everyone ;) **Venue for February:** Crooked Run Fermentation (https://crookedrunfermentation.com/sterling-virginia-2/) - Crooked Run Fermentation is a Virginia-based producer of contemporary and traditional beers, coolship sours, natural wines, ciders, and seltzers. Started in 2013 in Leesburg, Virginia, Crooked Run has developed a following for creative and nuanced beverages across a variety of styles, from lagers to IPAs, barrel-aged stouts, sours, and beyond beer. In 2017, we opened our main production facility in Sterling, Virginia, and will open a third location in northeast DC in 2022. Opened in 2017, the Sterling location features a bustling taproom, outdoor biergarten, 10 BBL brewhouse, and best of all, TACOS! Senor Ramon Taqueria offers a full menu of tacos, quesadillas, empanadas, and more. Come relax with 12 beers on tap, weekend live music, and some great food! If you're biking, we're right off the W&OD Trail. **Additional Info:** We are an inclusive group, so if we missed anyone please let us know or if you want to bring your significant other/spouse please do. Have a great week and see you later this month! Cheers, Rinaldi Rampen & Mike McCabe of @NoVABeerSec

Attendance is $35 (cash, credit/debit card, or ApplePay - paid at the door), which includes water/soda/coffee, bread, choice of a plated lunch entrée, and a dessert assortment. Parking is also validated in the Reston Station garages (3 hours of validation). Join one of Northern Virginia's most successful business networking groups (part of BNI). Open to the public and is typically attended by business owners, business developers, and entrepreneurs. Meetings are typically attended by 30-40 members and guests. \*\*\*PLEASE RSVP here: [REGISTER HERE](https://square.link/u/0WvC6Eir) \*\*\*If you do not register on the BNI website, there may not be a seat available for you.

**Women Over 40: Understanding Our Natural Transitions with Ayurveda** This seminar is for all women over or approaching 40. Understand the changes that your body, mind and spirit will inevitably go through, and how you can prepare for the transition to a new stage of life. Dr. Jain will give you the real picture of perimenopause and beyond, what it entails and what it means from an Ayurvedic perspective, and share concerning truths about our medical system's approach to supporting women during this important time. This is rare information not to be found in any AI bot. Dr. Amita shares deep, ancient knowledge that is practical, sensible and critical for our long-term well being. ***About Dr. Amita Jain***\*: Dr. Jain is a Doctor of Ayurveda, Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor, and the Founder of [Vedic Health Inc](https://www.vedichealth.org/ "https://www.vedichealth.org/"). in Rockville, MD. With over 20 years of experience in Ayurveda and yoga, she holds a Doctor of Ayurveda degree from Sai Ayurvedic College, clinical training from Swasthyam Ayurvedic Hospital in Kerala, and a certification in Hatha Yoga from SVYASA Yoga Research University in Bangalore. She has helped countless individuals heal from chronic conditions, trained thousands in Yoga and Ayurveda, and is a passionate advocate for affordable and accessible holistic healthcare. Her primary focus is working with chronic and complicated health problems western medicine has been ineffective. Sun., Feb.. 22nd, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. Held at Brahma Kumaris, 14020 Thunderbolt Pl, Suite 200, 2nd Floor, Chantilly, VA. Free Event – Register at: [https://shorturl.at/2qhPl](https://shorturl.at/2qhPl)

We are a group of professionals who share business strategies, refer business, and act as a sounding board to our members. Our business group is Clifton/Fairfax-based. We meet on the third Wednesday of the month. We start every meeting with informal networking and then move to the more formal agenda of the day. The agenda includes the topic of the day, discussion of the topic, then business needs and wants, and finish with success stories. We are looking for experienced business professionals and business owners who see value in networking with like-minded professionals and are dedicated to growing their business and helping other group members grow theirs. If this is you, we'd love to connect!

Join our partners Watermark Woods Native Plants, Loudoun County Public Library (LCPL), and Birch Tree Bookstore for the Read! Plant! Grow! Book Club, which focuses on native plants, sponsored by Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and LCPL. At this meeting we’ll discuss the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Both memoir and journalistic investigation, this book explores how the Kingsolver family took on a new challenge: to spend a year on a locally -produced diet, paying close attention to the provenance of all they consume. Concerned about the environmental, social, and physical costs of American food culture, they hoped to recover what Kingsolver considers our nation’’s lost appreciation for farms and the natural processes of food production. You can either buy the book from Birch Tree Bookstore or contact Allison Forbes at [Allison.forbes@loudoun.gov](mailto:Allison.forbes@loudoun.gov) to borrow a copy of the book at the library. There are two ways to participate: attend the event online via the library website or [sign up to participate in person at Birch Tree Bookstore](https://www.birchtreebookstore.com/event-details/read-plant-grow-2026-02-24-18-30). ***Questions:*** *Contact [info@loudounwildlife.org](mailto:info@loudounwildlife.org)*.

Small business Owners who do business through referrals and community. Come visit our chapter to see how help each other expand our business and maximize our time. Our group has over 30 members from different backgrounds! We meet every Wednesday morning, network, and share great ideas! We are looking for a few more like-minded business professionals to grow our group! Come visit our chapter and see if we are fit! Breakfast and drinks are provided at $30. Location: Seva Spaces Tysons 1604 Spring Hill Rd 2nd floor, Vienna, VA 22182

**-->> DIFFERENT than usual start location** **++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride: Summary** **(Must Read)** **++++++++++++++++++++** * ***Definition of "Klatch" /kläCH/ noun = A gathering characterized by informal conversation*** * * RIDE NAME: The Koffee Klatch Ride ("Social" Pace): Black History Month Vienna & Odricks (Tysons) * [START LOC: Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna, VA](https://maps.app.goo.gl/nA2b1mNGn7fF5KFNA) * START GPS: *38.937994126293646 — -77.28199477509895* * START PARKING: Park in the furthest corner from the Visitors' Center * ARRIVAL: 10:00 am * SPEECH: 10:10am ***—> \*\*you must be present for the speech or no ride for you!\*\**** * ROLLING: 10:15am * LEVEL: Medium * PACE: 11-13 mph (Social Pace) * DISTANCE: 17.6 mi * TERRAIN: Trail / Street / Cyclepath * RIDEWITHGPS ROUTE: CBG_KOFFEEK_BLACK_HISTORY_2026 * [https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53978385](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53978385) **Notes:** * This ride is organized very "lean" and may, or may not, have a sweep. * Check your brakes and pump your tires on the morning of the ride and please have a spare tube that fits your tire. * It is strongly suggested that you become a NoVA CBG RidewithGPS club member and download the route posted for each "Klatch". * Loading the route onto your Garmin (or other Nav device) is also acceptable. * **NoVA CBG has a turn by turn RideWithGPS club account that's free. [https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/events/271742916/](https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/events/271742916/)** **++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride: Detail** **+++++++++++++++++++** Welcome to The Koffee Klatch! These rides are generally based off the Arlington Loop where we will visit different area coffee shops or bakeries for a cup and/or treat if desired. You don't have to drink or even like coffee to participate. This ride is not on the Arlington loop -- it starts at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, winds through Vienna, winds its way through Tysons, Odricks Corner, & Wolf Trap. We will visit historic sites (churches, schools, cemeteries, houses, etc) and stop for an explanation of each. It is a 17.6 mile medium level ridden at a social pace (11-13 mph). There are more streets and hills than our usual rides, but we try to use as much of the trails as possible. There are some very narrow trails and we will make use of sidewalks where appropriate **+++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride After The Ride:** **+++++++++++++++++++++** This week's Coffee Shop is the Ride WITHIN The Ride at mile 11.1! [Classic Bakery](https://www.classicbakery.com/) 8605 Westwood Center Dr #150 Tysons, VA 22182 **+++++++++++++++++++++** **Ride Level Chart** **+++++++++++++++++++++** NoVA CBG tries to accommodate all levels of cyclists by offering different types/levels of rides. We just ask that you come to the ride that suits your current riding ability the best. * Introductory Level: If you haven't ridden a bike in a number of years (or are uncertain of your abilities on a bicycle). * Beginner Level: You can ride for 10+ miles at a pace of 10+ to 12+ mph with potentially minor hills involved. * Medium Level: You can ride for 20+ miles at a pace of 13+ to 15+ mph with potentially moderate hills involved. * Advanced Level: You can ride for 20++ miles at a pace of 15+ mph with potentially major hills involved. Both Medium and Advanced Levels might require handling various challenges such as reading cue sheets, using a Garmin or navigation app, night riding, out of town travel, or any other odd cycling situations. **+++++++++++++++++++++** **The Fine Print:** **+++++++++++++++++++++** An RSVP of 'YES' is your digital signature and means you have read and understood MEETUP.com's: * "Terms of Service : Section 6. Release" found at https://www.meetup.com/terms/ * NOVA-CBG's "Assumption of Risk Agreement" found @ https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/pages/1942951/NOVA-CBG_Waiver/ * NoVA CBG's "COVID Policy" found @ http://bit.ly/2021_NoVACBG_COVID19_POLICY Helmets are required to participate in all NOVA-CBG rides. All riders ride at their own risk and with the understanding that cycling is an inherently dangerous activity. When coming to the meetup you do so voluntarily and are ready and able to participate in the ride as described under the conditions of the day. Be on time for the "pre-ride" preparation. If you do not attend the pre-ride preparation you will not be allowed to participate on the ride. There are NO exceptions to the above.