IT Professionals

**NEW EVENT!!!** Please be sure to RSVP on **[Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1988717400279?aff=oddtdtcreator)** so we have an accurate guest list. Pink Poodle Club is Spark's weekly Yappy Hour — every Monday on the back patio from 5–7pm. $1 Scooby Snacks for hoomans and $1 pup cups for the doggos. Come join us for a fun and **dog-friendly** gathering! It’s the perfect chance to meet new people, share stories, and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere with the **LGBTQ+ community**. Whether you're looking to make friends or just hang out, everyone’s welcome. Grab your favorite drink and let’s make some great memories together! This event is free to attend. We hope to see you there. In addition to coffee selections, the venue offers a good food and drinks [menu](https://spark-dc.com/pages/menu-2). We encourage you to register your attendance in advance. We hope to see you there. When you arrive with your dog, order on your own from the [menu](https://spark-dc.com/pages/menu-2). Then meet and mingle with LGBTQ+ folk and their dogs on the back patio. **Metro Directions:** Be eco-friendly. U Street Metro (Yellow/Green line) is only a few blocks away. Take the 13th Street Exit. The venue is adjacent to Crush Bar. This event is a safe space for everyone under the rainbow. Please feel free to invite all your friends to join you there! This event is hosted by **[Go Gay DC](https://www.gogaydc.com)**, Washington DC's inclusive LGBTQ+ community focused on friendship, leadership, and service. It now reaches over 10K fabulous people and is growing fast. Visit [https://www.gogaydc.com](https://www.gogaydc.com) . Go Gay DC's founder is **[TJ Flavell](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjflavell/)**. Go Gay DC is on social media: Join the Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/GoGayDC](https://www.facebook.com/groups/GoGayDC) Like the Facebook Page [https://www.facebook.com/GoGayDC](https://www.facebook.com/GoGayDC) Follow on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/GoGayDC](https://www.instagram.com/GoGayDC) Follow on Threads [https://www.threads.com/@GoGayDC](https://www.threads.com/@gogaydc) Follow on Bluesky [https://gogaydc.bsky.social/](https://gogaydc.bsky.social/) Follow on X [https://www.x.com/GoGayDC](https://www.x.com/GoGayDC) Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/GoGayDC](https://www.youtube.com/GoGayDC) LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/GoGayDC](https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/GoGayDC?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExZG1DTnM0VnJybG83U3FWcnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR765Xxf5t8wFzbCac74QNX3p0Bs2oT0drXZoOmLV63J8cURMl3ta5b8iP3ztg_aem_nSdndpxd5-hXJ8myNF2_vQ) Search keywords: LGBT LGBTQ LGBTQI LQBTQIA Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Intersex Straight Allies Two-Spirit

[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“How AI Alters Thinking,”** on dealing with artificial intelligence’s capacity to change and undermine our thought processes, with Eli Alshanetsky, assistant professor of philosophy at Temple University, principal investigator at its Cognitive Integrity Lab, and author of an upcoming book on AI and freedom of thought. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-how-ai-alters-thinking](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-how-ai-alters-thinking) .] Doctors who give bad advice can be sued for malpractice. Teachers belong to a profession with set standards. When artificial intelligence guides you, however, that guidance comes with a disclaimer: Use at your own risk. Every day millions of people take that risk, and usually AI seems genuinely helpful. But even if AI gives us good answers, might its use over time do bad things to how we think? Explore the relationship between AI and our own minds with Eli Alshanetsky, whose Cognitive Integrity Lab studies how artificial intelligence changes how we think, learn, and build trust. Author of *Articulating a Thought* and the upcoming book *Freedom of Thought in the Age of AI*, he’s on the cutting edge of efforts to answer AI-related questions such as: How can we tell when work is truly our own? How can technology support rather than replace authorship and reflection? What does trust mean when AI mediates our relationships with others and with our own thoughts? To set up his discussion of potential consequences of AI, he’ll describe how social media’s impact on society serves as a preview. Social media didn’t just give people what they wanted to click on, it actually changed what they regarded as click-worthy. It broke attention spans and fueled radicalization across millions of very different people. It left us with people who doom-scroll for hours, who can’t focus, who don’t know what to trust anymore. If you’d shown people this version of themselves ten years ago, would they have chosen it? Artificial intelligence is making a similar deal with us, but the stakes are higher. It isn’t chasing clicks. It’s optimized for giving you the most satisfying response to whatever is on your mind right now. The risk over time isn’t just that you’ll get lazy. More profoundly, even when you think hard, your sense of what counts as good thinking—as well as what sounds like you—will shift to match what AI has been feeding you. We’ll consider what kind of person this produces and whether this is someone we want to be or want children to become. Professor Alshanetsky will lay out a practical framework, which he calls “the interaction layer,” for using AI without letting it replace the thinking it’s supposed to support. He’ll also talk about what AI-related concerns should be the focus of parents and educators. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: Illustration by David S. Soriano / Creative Commons.

Doubles Volleyball - Competitive BB-A level @Bluemont Park Let's get together to play some fun A level Doubles games at Bluemont. Format: Doubles COST: FREE Court Type: Outdoor grass Minimum Skill Requirements: A level (click [here](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/1PojSi4qdlRsv1msCHhvpQ43iDc4FfzQwpWCc3kafVMY/mobilebasic) for details) Attention: 1. This event is not always on a first come, first served basis. Those who can bring a net and ball, may get priority over others on the waitlist. 1. Since skill levels are self-reported, some attendees may not meet the expected level in reality, so we encourage you to choose a partner you can enjoy the game with, and since this is a competitive event, it is okay if you make a strong team and win all the games. 1. Since people arrive at different times, each group of 1. Players will set up and claim a net as they arrive, and may continue playing without rotating until all nets are set. ——— Smiley Social documents: [Group Rules](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/1HrG35p_0M08leRvCp8XWG3CMkr_GL928XFabl5T6Dvg/mobilebasic) [Liability Waiver](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/1W2mq-7m99lmvd7gdWYaSUFtvVg4UGnzV6koafAbHmco/mobilebasic) [Volleyball Levels](https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/1PojSi4qdlRsv1msCHhvpQ43iDc4FfzQwpWCc3kafVMY/mobilebasic)

Hit the pause button for an hour and reduce your stress. You will be compassionately guided through an exploration of intentionally linking your breath with the movement of both dynamic and static stretching and its impact on your (P)hysical, (I)ntellectual, (E)motional, and (S)piritual layers. Then experience the calming practice of restorative yoga which was designed specifically to move you from the fight, flight, or freeze state of the nervous system into the rest and digest state. Leave this all levels, accessible class feeling restored, renewed, and ready for what life has in store for you next. **Please reserve your spot at www.piesfitnessyoga.com.** The session is offered InStudio only. **Sign up for sessions must be made at least 2 hours prior to class.** The address is 1322 Prince St Alexandria, VA 22314. Our entrance is located on the side of the building, parallel to West St. **Street parking is available and additional parking is located at Shiloh Baptist church, spaces 3,5,7,9.** The church is located across the street from the studio, on the corner of Duke St. and West St.

No sign\-ups required \| All levels welcome \| 21\+ If you're looking for a casual game of chess in a fun atmosphere, this event is for you! Members range from beginner to master level, and games are played both with and without time controls. There are dozens of players each week, with only a fraction of the participants registering on meetup. This event is held at a bar, the Board Room, in Washington, DC, and is intended for 21+ players. We meet upstairs, on the mezzanine. Upon arrival, fill out a name tag and indicate your relative skill, to facilitate match-ups. Chess sets and boards are provided. We don't have club clocks, but most people use the Chess Clock app from Chess.com to play timed games.

Welcome to our new home at the historic Tivoli Theater! Please check our details for access to the space on [our website](https://www.hacdc.org/visit/). Join the discord for questions / help getting in (use channel #let-me-in) [https://discord.gg/dNjuNhNmeT](https://discord.gg/dNjuNhNmeT)

Our first Technoverts meetup had a great turnout, so we're doing it again, this time with an optional conversation theme: **How people are actually using AI in everyday work and life**. This is not a panel or presentation, and I do not have a fixed agenda, it's just a relaxed coffee conversation for people in tech (or tech-adjacent fields) who are curious about practical AI use cases, useful tools, workflow hacks, weird experiments, and what's generally helping people right now. *Topics might include:* * AI tools people actually use at work * Productivity and automation * Prompting successes and failures * Writing, coding, research, analytics and creative use cases * What feels overhyped vs. genuinely useful. No expertise is required. It's completely fine to come mostly curious, skeptical, or just interested in meeting thoughtful people in tech. *What to expect:* * Low pressure conversation * A mix of tech talk and normal conversation Location: (Subject to change as I do more research) High Point Pub Tyson's Whole Foods, 1635 Boro Pl. (This is the cafe space on the second floor of the Whole Foods at the Boro, Tysons. Parking is free in the garage with validation). Time: 11 am (this is when the cafe opens). Everyone covers their own coffee/snacks. I'll arrive early and grab a table and will post details about location in the event discussion. Address: 1635 Boro Pl. Whole Foods 2nd Floor Cafe

collaborative community for ServiceNow specialists and IT professionals to connect, share knowledge, and grow together. This group focuses on real-world use cases, best practices in ITSM, emerging technologies, and career development. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced professional, join us to exchange ideas, improve communication skills, and build meaningful industry relationships.

We’re excited to bring the community together for an evening of learning and connection. This time, we'll have a community member from Chainguard sharing a use case and, as usual, an Elastic employee sharing their expertise as well. Come support your fellow developers, learn something new, and meet others who are passionate about search, observability, and security. **Date and Time:** Tuesday, May 19th, from 5:30-7:30 pm EDT **Location:** Elastic Arlington Office - 4100 Fairfax Drive, Ste 500, Arlington, VA 22203 **Agenda:** * 5:30 pm: Doors open; say hi, grab a seat, and eat some food. * 6:00 pm: The SBOM Pile in Your S3 Bucket: Turning Bills of Materials Into a Risk Dashboard; and Watching It Shrink with Chainguard, by Mike Barreta, Senior Manager, Engineering at Chainguard * 6:30 pm: Q&A * 6:40 pm: **Agentic Observability: Next-Gen Alerting and Auto-Detected Significant Events**, by Jason Rhodes, Senior Manager, Software Engineering at Elastic * 7:10 pm: Q&A * 7:20-7:30 pm: Networking & refreshments **Talk Abstracts:** **"The SBOM Pile in Your S3 Bucket: Turning Bills of Materials Into a Risk Dashboard; and Watching It Shrink with Chainguard**" Most organizations now generate SBOMs because someone — EO 14028, a FedRAMP auditor, an ISSM — told them to. They land in an S3 bucket, get versioned, and are almost universally never queried. This talk is about what happens when you finally do. I'll stand up a self-contained Elastic stack, pour in SBOMs (SPDX), SLSA provenance, Sigstore signatures, Grype vulnerability scans, the CISA KEV catalog, and OpenVEX adjudication for 30 container images, and show the queries that only become possible once SBOMs stop being compliance artifacts and start being telemetry: which packages I actually run right now, which CVEs are real exposures versus VEX-suppressed noise, what swapping a stock image for its Chainguard equivalent would buy me, and how much of my CVE list is just stuff I inherited from the base layer. Then the cleanup. The same dashboards on Chainguard images show what disappears when the SBOM is small, the signatures verify, and the advisory feed is active: \~9,000 fewer CVEs and \~2.5 GB saved across 20 image pairs, KEV exposure dropping from 7 hits to 0, compliance pass rate going from 0% to 76.5% against NIST 800-218 / FedRAMP Moderate / SSDF. **Bio:** Mike Barretta leads Chainguard’s public sector solutions engineering team, focused on helping ensure the federal government receives its fair share of the future. Barretta has worked across civilian, defense and intel programs in a variety of roles—software developer, data scientist, solution architect—for a variety of organizations—system integrators, consulting companies, software vendors—with the common purpose of creating and championing technologies and techniques for simplifying the extraction and utilization of information from lots of data. Having witnessed the ever-increasing threats to those systems, Barretta is now focused on methods and mitigations to secure them **Agentic Observability: Next-Gen Alerting and Auto-Detected Significant Events** We're rebuilding Elastic's alerting engine to make alerts more flexible\, more powerful\, and more valuable as data\. Next\-gen alerting rules will run anything ES\|QL supports and capture whatever fields matter to you\, so alerts carry the context you need for real downstream analysis\. And if you'd rather not manage these rules yourself\, AI agents can help\, drafting them from natural language\, recommending tuning and configuration changes\, and reducing noise through deduplication\. On top of this, we're also building a new Significant Events system which automatically builds a continuously updated knowledge base of your incoming data's own metadata. Using this deep understanding, our agentic tools will detect significant events from log patterns, anomalies, and predicted behavior — without you having to create a single rule. **Bio:** Jason Rhodes is a software engineering lead at Elastic, where he works on alerting and observability features. Based in the DC area, he has over 15 years of experience in software development and has been an active contributor to the local tech community — creating and organizing Baltimore NodeSchool and charmCityJS. When he's not writing and reviewing code, he's probably watching too many movies. **Parking:** * The building’s parking garage is operated by Colonial Parking and is located off N. Randolph Street * Book a spot on[ SpotHero](https://spothero.com/search?kind=address&latitude=38.8818514&longitude=-77.1095268&search_string=4100+Fairfax+Dr+%23500%2C+Arlington%2C+VA+22203%2C+USA) * A Metro Station is located across the street

Grow your professional network across industries, swap ideas, and unwind in a friendly, collaborative vibe, ideal for career-minded pros seeking connections. All professionals in the DMV and MidAtlantic area are invited! This event is to every and each professional in different industry, sector and specialization to grow, interact, and learn from each other. It is designed to provide a professional environment, to meet other professionals, to broaden one's career. It is also for those interested in careers and are studying or intend to enter the dynamic world of global professionalism. ***GRAB A BOOZE OR A BITE AND YOU WILL BE SET TO ENJOY THE EVENT. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD:) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. HOW IT WORKS : We will give out name tags and you write your name and your industry/sector/specialization. However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that area. DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR BUSINESS CARD. Rules to abide : 1. Event is free and 21+ (bring ID). 2. Be respectful to your counterparts and give them a chance to connect with others as well. 3. We all are professionals in one or two fields and be willing to share your knowledge and experience to others and try to accommodate as much as possible. 4. If you don't belong the other person's required specialization, LEAVE THEM ALONE. 5. Rude or aggressive members are removed from the group at an organizers discretion. 6. This is a face-to-face networking event. DO NOT try to arrange an online meeting, by using the comment box or direct message. 7. Most of our members complained about people writing in the comment box. Since it sends notification to all attendees. If you have any questions, send a message to the organizers. Don't write in the comment box. 8. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via ([info@merevents.com](mailto:info@merevents.com)). 9. When you get there, we will greet you and take you to your respective group. 10. ***Please be patient for the first 30 minutes, up until we form a group with your respective industry/sector.*** ***AFTER THE SOCIAL, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!*** \- Come one\, come all; this is the most friendliest event you have ever attended\! \- Feel free to invite your friends\. They don't necessarily have to be a member\. \- Celebrate your birthdays or your moments in life with us\. ***N.B. : We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via ([info@merevents.com](http://info@merevents.com/)).*** **FOR FURTHER INFO, REFER THE EVENTBRITELINK. IT RULES.** [) [) [) [) [) [) [)

meet at Tysons Corner Mall Upper Level Food Court

**Advance ticket purchase required at:** [https://www.internationalclubdc.com/Events/EventDetails.aspx?EventID=84364716-791F-4FD8-A80C-64127321DAE5](https://www.internationalclubdc.com/Events/EventDetails.aspx?EventID=84364716-791F-4FD8-A80C-64127321DAE5) Join us on your own or with friends to enjoy an evening of champagne and Argentine Tango dancing with lessons at the Gallery at the Ven at Embassy Row, in the heart of DuPont Circle. Experience the Tango, one of the most passionate dances that brings to life the romance of 1930s Buenos Aires as you make new friends. A dance partner or prior dance experience are not needed to attend. Dance lesson tickets also includes a complimentary glass of champagne\* with additional drinks available for purchase at the bar. You are welcome to attend on your own or with friends. We’ll have you dancing the Argentine Tango as it is danced in Buenos Aires, even if you have never danced before! The Argentine Tango is known around the world for its romance and bold flair and this is your rare opportunity to learn the Argentine tango from an expert instructor as you meet ICDC members in a friendly and relaxed setting. **Advance ticket purchase required at:** [https://www.internationalclubdc.com/Events/EventDetails.aspx?EventID=84364716-791F-4FD8-A80C-64127321DAE5](https://www.internationalclubdc.com/Events/EventDetails.aspx?EventID=84364716-791F-4FD8-A80C-64127321DAE5) During the lesson you may learn the proper Argentinean Tango embrace, as we may delve into the Caminata, Salida, Baldosa, and Resolution -- elements of the dance. After the lesson, enjoy an elegant tango performance high in color and elegance, commemorating the glamorous years of 1930s Argentina that will transport you to a magical tango soiree in Buenos Aires to practice your newly learned tango skills. After the lesson, dance the evening away with a practice tango dance party at one of DuPont Circle's most fashionable venues, as you meet and socialize with other friendly ICDC members. Space is limited and we expect this event to sell out well in advance, so please make your reservations early. Event details are subject to change. All online ticket sales are final and we are unable to offer refunds on any ticket purchases. \* The champagne served will be a sparkling white wine or Cava. **Advance ticket purchase required at:** [https://www.internationalclubdc.com/Events/EventDetails.aspx?EventID=84364716-791F-4FD8-A80C-64127321DAE5](https://www.internationalclubdc.com/Events/EventDetails.aspx?EventID=84364716-791F-4FD8-A80C-64127321DAE5) **Attend on Your own or with Friends** You are welcome to attend on your own and new members are especially welcome! The event presents a wonderful opportunity to meet, network and socialize with other internationally minded professionals in town. If you are new to our organization or Washington DC this is a great opportunity to meet other like minded professionals in a friendly and relaxed setting.

**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 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** TBD **YouTube Link** TBD

Join Voice Over Pros Of Ohio for an exciting morning of networking, and exploring opportunities in the world of voice acting. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, this event is perfect for expanding your network, learning how to start a VO business, and for honing your skills. Connect with fellow voice actors and VO experts, that will help you succeed in your voice over business. This event will feature discussions on professional development, entrepreneurship in the voice over industry, with tips for navigating the world of voice acting. Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn from others, collaborate with like-minded individuals, and take your voice over career to the next level. Join us Saturday, May 30, from 10am - 12pm and learn how to start or grow your voice over business. Let your voice be heard! The $10 fee covers refreshments and door prizes.

Customer identity resolution becomes increasingly complex as organizations scale across multiple systems, regions, and data formats. Traditional rule-based approaches often fail to keep up with data variability, require constant manual tuning, and struggle with real-time processing needs. This session presents a practical approach to building a scalable identity resolution pipeline using AWS services and modern AI techniques. The architecture combines data ingestion through Amazon S3 and AWS Glue, transformation pipelines using Spark on EMR, and machine learning models deployed via SageMaker for entity matching and standardization. Graph-based relationship modeling is implemented using Amazon Neptune to improve resolution accuracy by incorporating household and shared attribute context. We will walk through how machine learning models can be used for name and address normalization, how intelligent blocking strategies improve matching efficiency, and how feedback loops can be introduced to continuously improve accuracy. The session also highlights how serverless components such as AWS Lambda can be used for orchestration and real-time processing. **SPEAKER BIO** Mosaic Syed is a Senior Data Engineering and Cloud Solutions Architect with over 20 years of experience designing and delivering scalable, secure, and high-performance data solutions across global enterprise environments. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mosaic-basha-syed-92300856 **CALL FOR SPEAKERS** Learn more: [https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/](https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/) **THANK YOU** *VEEAM* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Veeam*, please visit their website: [https://www.veeam.com/](https://www.veeam.com/) **DIRECTIONS** 8800 Lyra Dr #450 · Columbus, OH go to 4th floor. **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

**Improving Office in Franklinton** Physical location: Improving Office 330 Rush Alley Suite #150 Columbus, OH 43215 Schedule: 6:00 p.m.: Socialize, eat, and drink. Improving will be providing pizza and beverages. 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Main meeting and presentation(s). Topic: This month John Lairson will share a notebook describing the Alpaca (Paper) Trading API and discuss different algorithms for evaluating stock trades. We meet on the last Monday of each Month. Presentations are given by members and friends of this group. If you would like to do a presentation (small or large) on a python topic, please contact Central OH Python at centralohpython@gmail.com

No appointment needed - just support from a real, live person. Access services offered through the Ohio Department of Development The Department of Development Minority Business Development Division supports the growth and sustainability of small, minority-owned, and disadvantaged businesses in Ohio. Supporting these businesses means providing them with resources that include technical and professional assistance, access to capital, surety bonding, and connection to business opportunities through the assistance of the Minority Business Assistance Centers (MBAC). The Division leverages these resources to support the achievement of the state's 15% Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) set-aside requirement. The Division works with entrepreneurs and emerging business enterprises to help them achieve scale and market success. The overarching goal is to help small, minority-owned, and disadvantaged businesses contribute to job creation and economic growth in Ohio. The Centers provide the following services: * Accounting assistance * Business management counseling * Completing federal, state, and local certification applications * Contract procurement assistance * Estimating/bidding assistance * Identifying local resources * Loan packaging assistance * Marketing plan development * Referrals to financial assistance program *

We will show how to build custom agents with Microsoft Agent Framework. Attendees will learn how to build and custom host agents when Microsoft Foundry is not a viable option.