Mobile Commerce

**Schedule** 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm - Sign-in/Meet and greet/networking 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm - Break the Cloud Lock-in: Building Adaptive Intelligence Orchestration with DIO 7:00 pm - 7:45 pm - Leaning on the SQL: Crafting Resilient Data Layers **Talk and Speaker Details** **Time**: 5:30 pm est. **Title**: Break the Cloud Lock-in: Building Adaptive Intelligence Orchestration with DIO **Summary**: AIaas are often stuck in a binary choice: pay the "token tax" for convenient Cloud APIs or manage the complexity of local open-source models (Llama/Mistral) yourself. The future belongs to a hybrid architecture—but the routing logic shouldn't be spaghetti code. In this session, we introduce DIO (Distributed Intelligence Orchestration), a new open-source framework designed to bridge on-premise infrastructure and cloud capabilities. We will move beyond theory and look at the code behind the Federated Decision Engine (FDE)—the algorithm that allows you to dynamically route prompts based on privacy, cost, complexity, and more. **Session Takeaways:** \- The DIO Architecture: A technical deep dive into the open\-source framework that decouples your application from specific model providers\. \- Live Integration: How to implement the DIO SDK to build a "Smart Router" that connects the best of both world for Cloud & On Prem Intelligence\. **Speaker**: Snow Zhao **Speaker Bio**: Founder & CEO of AIgentic \| Ex\-Meta engineering leader\. Building the future of professional services with precision & trust\. Snow has decades of Silicon Valley experience building and scaling technology organizations at Facebook, Block (Cash App), and Groupon. She is currently building at AIgentic, an applied AI company designing robust, trustworthy AI systems for professional industries. She leads global teams that delivered secure, high-performance systems used by billions, from product infrastructure behind Messenger’s rewrite and end-to-end encryption, to architecting enterprise AI platforms that bridge traditional sectors with digital transformation. Her work has spanned mobile, security, open-source, federated architecture, AI-powered automation, cross-platform software ecosystems, and more — always guided by the principle that engineering excellence is a human discipline as much as a technical one. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Time**: 7:00 pm est. **Title**: Leaning on the SQL: Crafting Resilient Data Layers **Summary**: Most apps need to persist data. The mechanisms for persisting vary, from key-value pairs to relational databases to files and more. SQLite is the de-facto standard for persistence in mobile apps: it ships with every Android and iOS app. This session looks into best practices for SQLite data persistence, drawing from practical, digestible, real world examples. We look into when one should lean on the SQL versus when to perform data manipulation in application code. We look at some examples of constraints that you might have written in Kotlin/Swift, and how expressing them in SQL instead can offer data consistency and integrity benefits. A major focus of the session is on migrations. Data schemas inevitably evolve, and executing migrations carefully is essential, as mistakes can have severe consequences, including data corruption. We look into best practices for migration, including when to do migration in application code versus in SQL. We also examine some real world migration examples beyond the simple case of adding a column with a default value. Finally we look at migrations that cross data sources. This could occur if for example you were persisting data in a key-value store but you now want to migrate that to a database table. This must be done in application code but can you still take advantage of database migrations? Can you cover your migration code with unit tests? **Speaker**: Kiran Raon **Speaker Bio**: Two decades as a developer, got into Android in 2010. Adopted Kotlin in 2017, had my first attempt at KMP in 2019 (when it was still called KMM). Worked on and off with iOS and web client technologies throughout my career, also dabbled in other cross platform technologies. Full-fledged Mobile developer since 2023. **How to find us:** 1680 Capital One Drive, McLean, VA 22102 We'll be located in C2 **100 D/E**. The area is publicly accessible. If you can't find it, you can ask the front desk for directions to the **C2 100 D/E** **Attending Virtually?** [https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84418455380?pwd=fJczZgKv2BaGVPLi7azEr3XAJMPvBR.1](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84418455380?pwd%3DfJczZgKv2BaGVPLi7azEr3XAJMPvBR.1&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw2giIJenXoEsPXfYgNs_atJ) Meeting ID: 844 1845 5380 Passcode: 369382 **Parking**: You can park at 1680 Capital One Drive; this garage has a sign indicating public parking. Or at the WEGMANS parking lot.

**Are you overpaying** for credit card processing? 💳 Most businesses and nonprofits accept fees as a "cost of doing business" without understanding how they are calculated. Join us for a high-value Lunch & Learn featuring **Daniel Garedew** to learn how to keep more of your revenue. What we’ll discuss: * **Lowering Fees:** How processing rates are determined and ways you can potentially reduce yours. * **Increasing Efficiency:** Using recurring payment plans and QuickBooks integrations to save time. * **Automated Technology:** How Card Updater software fixes expired cards automatically to prevent failed payments. **Stop overpaying and start streamlining your payment systems.** **Event Details:** 📍 **Location:** Founding Farmers, MD 🎟️ [Save Your Spot](https://bnicentralmaryland.com/en-US/eventdetails?eventId=qdlTIXHYJ0xUdNWJEzC83g%3D%3D)

We planned on playing Manhattan Project: Energy Empire a couple of weeks ago, but it didn't work out. So we are trying again! We have two copies of the game. So we can accommodate 10 players. RSVPs will be set at 10. Anyone joining after the 10 spots are full will be put on the waiting list. If you have a copy of MM:EE, then let us know, and we will increase the RSVPs. Manhattan Project: Energy Empire Description: From the ashes of war, nations rise to power in the atomic age! In ***Manhattan Project: Energy Empire***, each player takes control of a nation struggling for power in the latter part of the 20th century. They build up their nation’s industry, commerce, and government by acquiring resources, building structures, and tapping sources of energy. The major threat in *Energy Empire* is not war, but uncertain global impacts, that result from side effects of industrialization and pollution. Many actions come with a cost. So, as nations become more industrious, they also increase the amount of pollution in the environment. Careful use of science can mitigate the harmful effects of industry, and can also help avert global crises. *Energy Empire* uses worker placement, tableau-building, and resource management mechanics. On each turn, a player can choose to either work or generate. On a work turn, a player plays a single worker on the main board, then uses workers and energy to activate cards in their tableau. Players may spend energy to use an occupied space on the main board, so no spaces are ever completely blocked. On a generate turn, players get to renew their supply of energy by rolling "energy dice" that represent nuclear, coal, oil, solar, and other forms of energy.

In March of 2026, the long-time staple of Kubernetes ingress controllers, ingress-nginx, will stop receiving security patches and regular updates. For many Kubernetes operators, this is a forcing function for us to migrate to a new solution that supports the newer Gateway API. The ecosystem of solutions in this space is large and complex, and operators find themselves weighing a myriad of options. In this talk, I hope to answer many questions that we have had to answer in this space, such as: * What are the advantages of Gateway API over the Ingress API? * Which Gateway API Solution should you use for different scenarios * Why not simply migrate to another ingress controller? * Where does the AWS Load Balancer Controller fit in this new ecosystem? * What does support for WAF, ALB, NLB, etc. look like going forward? **Timeline:** **6:00 PM** \- Doors Open\. Please be prepared to show ID that matches your registration\. **6:30 PM - 7:30 PM** \- Speaker **7:30 PM - 8:00 PM** \- Networking **8:00 PM** \- Event ends\. Conversation continues at Highline for anyone interested\.

Competition Night - OPEN – **THIS IS AN IN PERSON EVENT!!** Ed is past President of the Gaithersburg Camera Club and has served in several Board positions. He is a member of the Maryland Federation of Art, Nature First, Photographic Society of America and is a Maryland Photography Alliance (MPA) Certified Judge. He has developed and taught numerous photography classes at Montgomery College and workshops for individuals and clients of Mac Business Solutions and Capital Photography. He is currently chair of the MPA Judge Committee and is responsible for new judge training and continuing education for the MPA judges. Ed’s photographic journey has taken him into exploring what Life is and wondering how it all connects. Ed’s images have appeared and placed in national juried shows that include the Circle Gallery in Annapolis, Photoworks at Glen Echo, Washington Art Works, Delaplaine Arts Center and the Allegany Arts Council. He is a Gaithersburg Camera Club Grand Master and his images have been used for online and print publications. This is an IN PERSON EVENT!! *** The rules for competition and how to submit images can be found on the Silver Spring Camera Club website. (http://www.ssccphotography.org/official-competition-rules-and-awards/) Competition topic definitions can be found on the Silver Spring Camera Club website. https://www.ssccphotography.org/ *** About the Silver Spring Camera Club: We meet the first three Thursdays of every month, September – May, and one day on a weekend for a field trip to an interesting photogenic location in the area. More information about the Silver Spring Camera Club can be found on our website (http://www.ssccphotography.org/) regarding speakers, competitions, field trips, our monthly "A Closer Focus" forums, and a link to our award winning newsletter the "Cable Release". Visitors to the Club are always welcome to attend meetings, and we hope to see you soon! Membership is a very reasonable $50 for individual members, $80 for family and only $35 for students. Please see the link to our membership application, below, for available discounts. https://www.ssccphotography.org/online-membership-form/ Why become a member of the Silver Spring Camera Club? We are a diverse group of photographers who love field trips, competitions, opportunities to see the world captured by other people's viewpoints, and sharing our knowledge, experience and love of photography. Membership in the club gives you the opportunity to enter your photos in our monthly competitions, to receive our award-winning monthly newsletter the Cable Release, join our field trips without paying the $10 non-member fee, and more! Visit us on the web: http://www.ssccphotography.org/

• What we'll do Economist William Michael Cunningham on Podbeam Thursdays at 6 pm. https://www.podbean.com/

**DC Service Jam is back.** This March, SD:DC is hosting the DC edition of Global Service Jam 2026 week. We are part of a worldwide movement of designers, strategists, and curious minds who come together to build real service concepts from scratch. From **Saturday March 14 to Sunday March 15**, you'll work in a small team around a secret theme revealed at kick-off. No briefs, no client. Just hands-on design, rapid prototyping, and plenty of Post-its. This year we're bringing AI into the mix. Throughout the weekend we'll look at how AI tools can support service design work, as a sensemaking tool, to build artifacts faster, and to push prototypes further. **WHAT TO EXPECT** **Saturday March 14th** * **9 - 10am:** social / breakfast (theme reveal + team formation) * **10am - 6pm:** full day of research, ideation, and prototyping (meals provided) * **6:30pm (optional):** social / happy hour (nearby bar) **Sunday March 15th** * **9 - 10am:** social / breakfast * **10am - 12pm:** finalize prototyping & storytelling * **12pm - 2pm:** present your work and share what DC made with the world **WHO SHOULD COME** You don't need to be a service designer. If you're a UX or product designer, strategist, public servant, researcher, or just someone curious about how services actually work, you're welcome here. **LOGISTICS** * **Dates:** Saturday March 14th & Sunday 15th (ending at 2pm) * **Venue:** SteamPunk, McLean, VA * **Capacity:** 50 spots only (first come, first served) * **Attendee fee:** $60\* (covers meals, materials, and space) *\* If the fee is a barrier for you, we have a limited number of discounted tickets available, just reach out to Sergio Venegas directly for a code.* **WHAT TO BRING** ✔️ An open mind and a willingness to make things ✔️ Laptop and charger ✔️ Curiosity about Service Design (no experience needed) **Follow SD:DC on LinkedIn and @DCServiceJam on Instagram for updates!** \*\*\* Many thanks to our host and sponsor, **SteamPunk** *Design. Disrupt, Repeat. Steampunk is anchored by a startup culture with a customer-centered delivery approach. We put our Federal government clients in the center of everything we design, develop, and deliver to drive high quality mission impacts and user experiences at speed.*

Our next club meeting is on Sunday will start at 2:15, please join early. if you're coming in-person, parking is free and usually ample at the Community College on Sundays, and most of us park where the spaces are designated for staff and have never had a problem. 👉 Everyone is welcome to join our meeting, participate and practice. You'll get a chance to hear our club members speak and then have an opportunity to play the table topics game. **Agenda for the Meeting:** 1. Warm Up 2. Prepared Speeches (By club members) 3. Table Topics Game (Learn to think on your feet) 4. Feedback **Online - Join us via Zoom** https://us05web.zoom.us/j/86218205188 If you haven't used Zoom before, watch this short video on how to join our meeting - https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=45&v=vFhAEoCF7jg **In-Person** **\- Join us at Montgomery Community College** Meet us at Science Building, room SC 152. The room is located on the ground floor. The exact building address is https://goo.gl/maps/ZEgQH7bKLvzdqtSQ9 For help, please text or call, 301-917-4202.

Pitch Labs is happy to partner with George Mason University's Computer Science Graduate Student Association to host a tech talk for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, AI, and more. Damon Feldman, co-founder of Advocara, will be joining us to share his experiences in a fireside-chat styled event. **About the Event** This fireside chat will bring together students, founders, and innovators for an engaging conversation at the intersection of AI, entrepreneurship, and real‑world problem‑solving. Damon will share insights from: * Building and scaling AI‑driven products * Navigating the startup landscape from idea to execution * Lessons learned from leading engineering teams and deploying mission‑critical systems * Opportunities for CS students in emerging tech and founder ecosystems The session will include a moderated discussion, audience Q&A, and opportunities to connect with fellow students, founders, and members of the DMV startup community. **About the Speaker** Damon Feldman is the President and Co‑Founder of Advocara, an AI‑based healthcare navigation startup working to bring transparency to medical billing. His career spans leadership roles in customer engineering, large‑scale data integration, and complex system design across healthcare, government, and enterprise technology. Damon holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and has led engineering initiatives for organizations of various sizes and industries

**[Bitcoin District](https://bitcoindistrict.org/)** is a community of Bitcoiners living & working in the greater DMV metro area. Join us for a "Coffee & Bitcoin" meetup where we'll talk about what's happening in the world of Bitcoin. We highly encourage anyone who is new to Bitcoin or just a little curious to come and ask questions... don't be shy! 🚗 PARKING: Paid parking in the garage, make sure to ask at the counter for validation. Limited free street parking is also available. 🚆 METRO: Get off at the McLean station (Silver line) + 3 minute walk **Our events are Bitcoin focused and we generally avoid discussing other coins & tokens. Nothing discussed during this meetup is financial advice. Always do your own research.**

Join us on zoom call zoom from your phone free at 1929 436 2866; meeting id is 896 0197-4108 that's all, see you today 3rd Sunday at 12:45pm 2-15-26 ask for Howard!

Every year MoCo Makers is proud to partner with the DMV Petri Dish to celebrate Pi Day, 3/14, which is a celebration of the mathematical "transcendental number" pi - 3.14159.... Pi day is also a great excuse to be social and eat Pie! This event is open to all backgrounds, even if this is your first event! We are meeting at the 7 Locks Brewery, and they kindly let us bring our own food. No worries if you don't drink alcoholic drinks, all are welcome. Bringing your own food is encouraged but not required. If you are planning to bring something, please enter your name, item name, and quantity in the spreadsheet below: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ldQxYBECyxwTeX_woLhbQZlj0EkAyB5qrc-Q16hBOn0/edit?usp=drivesdk There will be a countdown leading up to 1:59 pm, complete with disco ball drop. 🪩 Dr. Cheryl Lohman is sponsoring an assortment of chef-crafted savory-style pies, and they come well reviewed (just ask past attendees). Join us for some good times, and tasty eats!

✨ SIP & SECURE THE BAG ✨ This luxe, hands-on experience invites you to design and create your very own custom purse while sipping wines and vibing with an incredible community. Whether you're a fashion lover, a creative spirit, or just looking for a unique way to unwind and connect, this is your moment to pour into yourself and leave with something beautiful you made with your own hands. Each experience includes a curated selection of materials, tools, and guided instruction. Tix link: https://www.melaxsocial.shop/event-details/purse-making-experience

One of the most valuable parts of this community is the opportunity to think out loud with other product professionals. This session is built for exactly that. As we wrap up the quarter, it’s a great time to pause and reflect. What’s on track? What needs adjustment? Where could a small shift create bigger impact? Join fellow product professionals for a focused, interactive conversation designed to help you recalibrate for the next quarter. You’ll have the opportunity to share where you are, hear how others are thinking through similar challenges, and gain fresh perspective you can bring back to your team and organization. We’ll gather at 8:00AM, with discussion starting promptly at 8:15AM. 📍 First Watch - 7227 N High St Located in: The Shops at Worthington Ample parking is available. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Start your morning with clarity and connection — we hope to see you there! ☀️

How to be a Better Communicator Communication is everything in life You are only as successful as your ability to communicate. \- What if you could confidently talk to anyone? \- What if you had the ability to calmly control every conversation? \- What if you could close that sale\, ask for that date\, make new friends\, repair problematic relationships\, get that raise\, or effortlessly express any idea with confidence? You can! The secret to success relies on your ability or inability to effectively communicate. Attend a free seminar and gain a better ability to communicate. Hosted by the Church of Scientology of Central Ohio 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215 For more information, contact Rhiannon, the Event Host at 614-221-5024

Communication is everything in life You are only as successful as your ability to communicate. \- What if you could confidently talk to anyone? \- What if you had the ability to calmly control every conversation? \- What if you could close that sale\, ask for that date\, make new friends\, repair problematic relationships\, get that raise\, or effortlessly express any idea with confidence? You can! The secret to success relies on your ability or inability to effectively communicate. Attend a free seminar and gain a better ability to communicate. Hosted by the Church of Scientology of Central Ohio 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215 For more information, contact Rhiannon, the Event Host at 614-221-5024

Drake Lundstrom is presenting: Code Anywhere by Talking to your Phone Abstract: Have you heard the trend of people deploying code anywhere from checkout lines to doctors' offices? In this talk, you will learn how to talk to your phone and have an app on Azure to show your friend 5 minutes later. The basic DevOps tools you already know, plus a little bit of AI magic, are all you need! If you want to follow along, the demo will be in Azure with GitHub Actions and GitHub Copilot, and you can have it set up on your phone by the end of the session. Just come in with an Azure account and a GitHub repo. Join us for pizza, drinks, and networking @ Improving's office. Doors open at 5:45.

The Humanist Monthly Program is our longest running event and still a community favorite. In the old days it used to be called "Going to HCCO" and we still like to think of it as our flagship event. Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Our March speakers are Molly Gaines and Zack Parrish, co-organizers of the Secular Education Association: They will share their story of how a small group of Ohio parents grew into a national organization tracking released-time religious instruction and other church–state issues in public schools. The presentation will cover SEA’s early wins and hard lessons, what we’re seeing nationally right now, and how local advocates can play a meaningful role in protecting public education. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the landscape — and practical ways to get involved. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

Have a small business? Ever wish you could just ask some questions around how to grow your business, get more customers or just know what the freak you are doing with sales? Now is your chance!! Every month we are hosting the "Ask an Expert" at the Columbus Metro Library, Main campus. I will be there to answer your Sales related questions. Drop-in for sales coaching designed to help small business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals sharpen their sales approach. Whether you have questions on how to refine your pitch, are looking to close deals more quickly, or are working on building better client relationships, Smashing Your Sales Goals Coaches are here to help. Drop-in to get expert insights, actionable strategies and real-time solutions to grow your business and generate higher profits. Drop-In Sales Coaching is FREE + OPEN to the public. No appointment needed. First come, first served. EPIC Learning created. Accelerate Columbus supported.