Scaling Scrum
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out scaling scrum events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the scaling scrum events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find scaling scrum events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Scaling Scrum Events Today
Join in-person Scaling Scrum events happening right now
Melbourne Brazilian Samba Drumming – (All Levels Welcome)
**WELCOME! BEM-VINDOS!**
Join us at our Open Session!
Come and play Brazilian Samba drums with us! Meet new people, learn new skills, enjoy this awesome culture! All experience levels welcome!
**Bloco 3K** is Melbourne's biggest samba carnival drum and dance crew. Our mission is to promote and share our love of Brazilian music and culture, whilst making loads of noise, and having some fun . These drumming sessions are taught by Rob Arcari and members of Bloco 3K.
**WHAT**
Come and play drums with us!
We play all the drums and percussion you might expect in one of Rio's Samba Schools - Surdo, Caixa, Repique, Tamborim, Chocalho, Agogô, Timbal etc
**WHAT YOU NEED**
All the drums are provided
**WHEN**
We rehearse every Tuesday evening at 6:30PM
(We open our doors to newcomers at these Open Sessions - one week of the month)
**WHERE**
North Melbourne Community Center
**COST**
Your first session is just $10.
After that they're $30 each week, or just $60 for the month.
[Secure your spot using our eventbrite link](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/brazilian-samba-drumming-workshop-melbourne-all-levels-welcome-tickets-1573928595799)
**RATHER DANCE?**
We also run Samba dance classes too, with Open Sessions also on the first Tuesday of the month. Check our other events details.
Any questions then shoot us a message. Looking forward to playing with you soon!!
**WHO**
Led by two pioneers of Australian Samba, you’re in expert hands as you enjoy your Samba journey with Bloco 3K. Founder and Mestre de Bateria, Rob Arcari, leads the drum team, while Rainha de Bateria and Dance Director, Denise Kayan, heads up the dance element.
Mestre Rob has been at the forefront of the Melbourne Samba scene for the past decade. As the Mestre de Bateria for both Bloco 3K (Melbourne) and Unidos da Cacatua (the largest samba project in Australia and New Zealand), he brings a wealth of experience and passion. Since 2017, he has made an annual pilgrimage to Rio, parading with numerous Escolas de Samba. A regular ritmista with Imperatriz Leopoldinense and Acadêmicos da Rocinha, he has also paraded with Paraiso da Tuiuti, Império da Tijuca, Estacio de Sá, and many other schools.
Denise Kayan is one of Australia’s most accomplished samba dancers. Locally, she serves as Rainha de Bateria and Dance Coordinator for Bloco 3K, as well as Director of Dance for Unidos da Cacatua. Denise is well-known in Rio, where she has been a passista with Vila Isabel since 2020 and previously with Mocidade from 2017 to 2019. She has held prestigious titles such as Rainha da Escola and Princesa da Bateria at Unidos da Ponte, in addition to various Musa positions at numerous schools. With her extensive experience, Denise is adept at commanding attention and leading with confidence in front of a bateria.
Come and share in our passion! We look forward to having you as a part of it.
June Community Night - Leon Poggioli and Sanam Makadia + Peter Lake
Hello friends,
This month we will (finally!) be an entirely standalone community event, not for profit and volunteer run. We have booked a large event space in the Multicultural Hub across from Vic Market. Pizza and beverages will be graciously funded this month by Dragos, but we would really love to see other food and beverage sponsors in the future.
**We can also really use additional volunteers to watch the door, help carry in food and drinks, or help with set up or clean up. Please send us a message if you're able to help.**
This event will survive if people are involved and want to make it survive!
Cheers,
Lesley
**Talk 1: A practical methodology to secure critical infrastructure**
OT Cybersecurity is current in a “perfect storm scenario”. This is due to:
● Increased OT automation
● Increased regulation
● OT cyber maturity lags IT cyber maturity
● OT cyber risk impacts safety and production
While many large organisations are well-resourced with dedicated teams, smaller organisations who aren’t able to appoint a dedicated OT Cybersecurity leader often struggle to deliver an effective OT Cybersecurity uplift program.
This talk outlines why practical, lightweight approaches to complicated scenarios suit most critical infrastructure organisations and how such an approach would work in practice.
**Speaker:**
Leon Poggioli is the founder of NetSeg, an advisory
organisation focused on consulting around OT Cybersecurity
Strategy and Program Development. He founded NetSeg after
recognising that many organisations with OT Cybersecurity
obligations don’t have the necessary knowledge and
experience to drive a program which requires different
capabilities and stakeholders than IT Cybersecurity programs
require.
OT Cybersecurity is in a “perfect storm” - with increased OT
automation and connectivity increasing the attack surface,
increased regulations, not to mention the fact that any organisation with an OT network likely
relies on that network to conduct their core business!
Before founding NetSeg, Leon was the Australia New Zealand Country Manager for Claroty,
one of the Gartner leaders for CPS (Cyberphysical Systems) Protection Platforms, and
worked with a wide range of Australian and New Zealand organisations to drive their
programs using Claroty’s technology.
Leon also has a YouTube channel @NetSeg_IO where he shares short-form videos on a
range of OT Cybersecurity topics. He has also been featured several times on Australian
television and talkback radio.
**Talk 2: Managing a Crisis in Critical Infrastructure -**
**Incident Command System**
Critical infrastructure is increasingly exposed to cyber-physical threats impacting
essential services like energy, water, and transportation. This session introduces
ICS4ICS, a proven incident response framework adapted for Industrial Control
Systems (ICS) and Operational Technology (OT).
It enables IT, OT, and cybersecurity teams to collaborate with clear roles, shared
language, and coordinated response during high-impact incidents. Attendees will gain
practical insights into managing cyber incidents that can escalate into physical
disruptions, improving resilience and response effectiveness.
Designed for cyber, natural, and accidental events, ICS4ICS supports cross-sector and
public-private coordination.
**Speakers:**
Sanam Makadia
• Cyber Security Architect and Advisor
• Thought leader and advisor with more than 2
decades of experience in design, consulting,
architecture, Risk and Governance
• Interest in topics such as Cyber strategy, GRC,
operational technology/industrial control systems
(OT/ICS) and robotics & artificial intelligence (AI)
Peter Lake
• Cybersecurity Strategy Lead and CTF coach
• Passionate about capacity building for
neurodivergent young people, coaching, and
building Cybersecurity career pathways.
• Keen interest in critical infrastructure, space
cyber awareness, incident response and
management.
Linux Town Hall - June 2026 (online and in-person)
Join us for the Linux Town Hall June meeting.
This month we have special guest **Duncan from [MLUG](https://mlug-au.org/?utm_source=luma)** giving a talk on **Saving bash cd history**!
View details on [our website](https://linuxvictoria.org/events/2026-06-02-linux-town-hall-june-2026/).
## Key Discussion Points
* Workshops
* Planning for Q1/26-27
* Linux & AI
## Join In Person
June's town hall is history as it will be held in Kathleen Syme Library for the first time in a long time!
Maps Link for **Kathleen Syme Library**:
[https://maps.app.goo.gl/FhSaC53ERfJYRaBC7](https://maps.app.goo.gl/FhSaC53ERfJYRaBC7)
## How To Join Online
Link to join:
[https://electronworkshop.com.au/goto/venue](https://electronworkshop.com.au/goto/venue)
We use a self-hosted Big Blue Button instance (aka BBB) for this meeting, managed by Electron Workshop and hosted by Serversaurus.
## Schedule
19:00 Meet and greet
19:30 Opening
20:30 ClosureApril
Improve your Speaking Skills with fun and Support at Waverley Communicators
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 :)*
We meet every 1st & 3rd Tuesday.
Address: Power Neighbourhood House - 54 Power Avenue Ashwood Vic
7.45 pm start. 2-hour duration.
Come along and enjoy the fun. We look forward to meeting you.
Scaling Scrum Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Tomorrow-Ready DNA: the updated Domains of Business Agility
Business Agility is continuously improving, as is the Domain Model that underpins how we think about it. In June we welcome Evan Leybourn co-founder of the Business Agility Institute and Chief Product Officer at the newly founded X2A to run a deep dive on how the Domains, their Capabilities, and exhibited Behaviours evolving.
The goal of the update is to further support practitioners' understanding of their organisation's standing today (their "X") and map a viable approaches to meet their ambitions (their"A").
Thanks to TeamForm for providing the space and funding the refreshments on the night. Without sponsors great events like this don't happen.T
KSUG.AI Australia - Melbourne Meetup @AWS - 3 Jun 2026
**Register now to attend! =>** [https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-06-03](https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-06-03) **<=**
**Latest promotions** discovered by our community!
* **20%** OFF **[FinOps](https://ksug.ai/finops/?ref=meetup)** Certs Code: **KSAI_20**
* **30%** OFF **[Kubernetes](https://lf.ksug.ai/)** Certs - Code: **30K8SUG**
* Missed **65%** off [LF / CNCF](https://lf.ksug.ai/)? [Get Notified](https://ksug.ai/?notify&ref=meetup) for next BIG drop!
We're excited to welcome you to the upcoming **KSUG.AI Australia Meetup** — happening both in-person at at Amazon and online via [Zoom](https://linktr.ee/ksug.ai)! 🎉
We're actively seeking more awesome K8s and AI topic speakers!
👉 [https://sessionize.com/ksug-au](https://sessionize.com/ksug-au)
**Agenda and topics preview:**
* Food, drinks and Socializing
* Welcome / Introductions by the Organizers @**[KSUG.AI](https://ksug.ai/?ref=meet)**
* **Topic 1:** A day in the life of AI-driven software engineer by **[Konstantin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kilyinov/)**[ Ilinov](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kilyinov/), @**[Harness](https://www.harness.io/)**
* **Topic 2:** Why are your PRs still waiting? Building Code Critiq by [Gautam Sihag](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gautamsihag30)
* **Quiz time:** nice swags giveaways
Food and drinks will be provided between **5.30 and 6 pm** on a first-come, first-served basis. This is a great opportunity to learn and network with our peers. Thanks to our sponsors **[Amazon](https://aws.com/)** and **[Harness](https://www.harness.io/)**!
**[Register here](https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-06-03) to secure your spot!** See you all there!
**Location:** Amazon MEL12, Level 13.304 [555 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000](https://maps.app.goo.gl/Kbi13GZqj2zDqDz2A)
👉 Join our [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/Rp9WzYyKua) and [WhatsApp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/D9a9IDiCS7U4cqQ0Sh60cz?mode=gi_t) for latest update!
🔖 𝐎𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬:
☸ 30% OFF **[Kubernetes](https://lf.ksug.ai/)** Certs - Code: **30K8SUG**
☸ 20% OFF **[FinOps](https://ksug.ai/finops)** Certs - Code: **KSAI_20**
𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐖𝐞 𝐃𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬:
✅ Learn 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 ⚡
✅ Certify 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 💰
✅ Grow 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 💪
𝟐𝟎𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎+ follow **[KSUG.AI](https://ksug.ai/?ref=meet)** 🔥 [linktr.ee/ksug.ai](https://linktr.ee/ksug.ai)
*By registering, you consent to the management of your personal information in accordance with KSUG.AI Meetup's [Privacy Policy](https://k8sug.ai/privacy). Additionally, you agree that our sponsors may contact you.*
**[KSUG.AI](https://ksug.ai/?ref=meet)** is an independent community and not affiliated with or endorsed by CNCF. Kubernetes, K8s, Kubestronaut are registered trademarks of The Linux Foundation.
Holly's Pop Quiz Drag Trivia (QUEER CULTURE THEME)
Celebrate Pride Month with us this June as HollyPop brings extra queer chaos, camp energy and community spirit to Pride of our Footscray’s fabulous monthly Drag Trivia nights! 🌈✨
[(Link to tickets here)](https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1510782)
Join HollyPop for drag trivia nights filled with fun quizzes, drag performances, surprise moments, and plenty of opportunities for EVERYONE to earn points throughout the night.
And yes diva - there are prizes too:
🏆 Winning team receives either $50 CASH or a $100 bar voucher.
We now host TWO Drag Trivia nights every month:
✨ 1st Wednesday of the month: SPECIAL THEME TRIVIA
June 3: Queer Culture
Future themes: TBA
✨ 3rd Wednesday of the month: GENERAL KNOWLEDGE TRIVIA
Teams are flexible from 2 people upwards, and solo players are absolutely welcome. If you come alone, Holly and the venue team will help match you with a team.
Doors open at 6pm with trivia starting promptly at 7pm. Food and drinks available from the bar all night.
Limited tickets will also be available at the door, though pre-booking is strongly recommended to make sure your team gets a good table.
Note: Pride of our Footscray is located on the first floor of a building with no elevator and is therefore not wheelchair accessible. We sincerely apologise for our reduced accessibility.
STILL HERE: Drag Bingo Fundraiser
On Thursday 4 June we'll be gathering at Pride of our Footscray for a HUGE night of performances, bingo, prizes, and more, to support The Sameer Project.
[(BOOK TICKETS HERE)](https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1567470)
The Sameer Project is a mutual aid organisation led by Palestinians in the diaspora. They run multiple projects daily on the ground in Gaza including operating medical clinics, distributing food and fresh water, setting up tents for families, running classes for children, and even organising Eid celebrations.
We strongly suggest checking them out on Instagram (@thesameerproject) to see the great work they do! 100% of every ticket sale and raffle ticket sale (after bank fees) will be donated directly to The Sameer Project's Refaat Alareer Camp campaign.
Hosted by Xena Ghost
Produced by Emily Rose
Performances by:
Clepto Nymph
Elliot Cyrus
Jinkies
Mischa en Scene
Mr Misty-Eyed
Nolan Void
Shallyxia Bitz
Tangerine Scream
Ur Dad Daryl
Zero
* DJ set by lmaochloe
& more to come!
Prizes donated by:
Bizzi Body
Bonez Alternative Queer Party
Cinema Nova
Florian Wild
JIMJAM
Nordacious
Moon Dog Wild West
Offworld Aesthetic
Randy Roy
Section 8
Tibbs and Bones
Ur Dad Daryl
Doors open 6:30pm with bingo starting at 7:30pm and performances throughout the evening.
Raffle tickets will be available for $5 each or 5 for $20!
This event is proudly supported by Pride of our Footscray who are donating the use of their venue for this event, and DraggedTo who have assisted with some of the event costs.
Please note the venue is located on the first floor of a building with no elevator. We apologise for the reduced accessibility.
Leadership - How to activate audience minds
Smashing! Try something new Thursday
Interactive workshop - Add power to your presentation. Why and how to activate the mind of an audience!
Serious about improving your leadership - **Why mess, come to the best**
Why is Smashing different to other speaking clubs?
Just one member's thoughts, "The fun/laughs factor is definitely a point of difference. We keep it moving with high standards so it’s a nice balance. Too strict makes it tense and boring, too loose and we can lose the energy/commercial feel. SmashSpeak's vibe's in the sweet spot."
**Free parking** close: O'Connell and Cobden streets
**IMPORTANT: Be on time, as doors close when the show starts**
“Proudly Australian" – Free-flowing teamwork, greater good focus, sharing the stage, etc
Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth St (Opposite Queen Vic Market)
Level 1, Purple Room (End of corridor)
More to come...
Women in Cloud - Building Resilient AI
We’re excited to bring our community together again — this time with a focus on **Building resilient AI**.
As LLM-powered applications move from experimentation to production, a new challenge emerges: **how do we secure what we don’t fully understand yet?**
In this session, we’ll explore two critical layers of AI defense—**protection** and **proactive testing**—through real-world practices and practical demos.
**Topics**
**1\. Shielding your LLMs with AWS Bedrock Guardrails**
Ever felt like deploying an LLM is a bit like letting a genius but unpredictable intern talk to your customers? Join me as we explore how to move past the unregulated nature of unregulated AI using AWS Bedrock Guardrails. We’ll dive into the six pillars of AI safety and deploying guardrails to build AI that isn't just smart, but is fundamentally trustworthy and brand-safe.
**About the speaker**
[Maitreyi Singh](https://www.linkedin.com/in/maitreyisingh/) is a Data Scientist at [REA Group](https://www.realestate.com.au/), currently working on developing AI agents and intelligent systems. She has experience in Generative AI and enjoys exploring innovative applications of AI in real-world solutions. Outside of her professional work, Maitreyi enjoys painting as a creative hobby.
**2\. Red Team Your LLM App Before the Bad Guys Do**
As LLM-powered apps become more common, they're also becoming bigger targets. Prompt injection, jailbreaks, and harmful content exploits are real threats — and most developers don't discover them until it's too late. In this talk, we'll cover why guardrails are essential for any production LLM app, and why red teaming is one of the most effective ways to uncover vulnerabilities before bad actors do. We'll then put theory into practice with a live demo: a vibe-coded AI app on Amazon Bedrock, attacked using an open source red teaming tool — first without guardrails, then with them. The difference will speak for itself.
**About the speaker**
[Vanessa](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-kong-8069601a7/) is a Senior Product Security Engineer at [REA Group](https://www.realestate.com.au/) with five years of experience spanning cloud infrastructure security, security tooling and automation, and AI security. She specialised in building secure systems end-to-end, automating security workflows, wiring up tools to catch issues earlier in the pipeline, and exploring the evolving security challenges that come with AI-powered applications. She loves getting into the weeds of how things break — and helping people build them more securely.
**Agenda**
5:30pm – Food and networking
6:00pm – Presentation 1. Shielding your LLMs with AWS Bedrock Guardrails
6:30pm – Presentation 2. Red Team Your LLM App Before the Bad Guys Do
7:00pm – Networking
We’re incredibly grateful to our sponsor — [REA group](https://www.rea-group.com/) for supporting our community and making this event possible.
Join us for an evening of learning, meaningful conversations, and great company, we can’t wait to see you there!
Melbourne AI Enthusiasts x AI Engineer Melbourne — AI Week 2026
You've built the POC. Leadership loved it. Now what?
The gap between a working AI demo and a production system is where most projects quietly die. This event tackles the hard part, the decisions that come after the proof of concept gets the green light.
Hosted by Zendesk!
**What we're covering:**
🏗️ Architecture decisions that don't show up in tutorials when to build, when to buy, when to stitch things together
💰 Cost and efficiency trade-offs, what it actually costs to run AI at scale, and how teams are managing it
🔒 Governance and guardrails, who owns the model in production, and what happens when it breaks
🎤 Talks, panel, and Q&A from practitioners who've shipped AI into production, not just theorised about it
**Our panel of experts:**
* Darragh Kennedy, Director - Software Engineering, Zendesk
* Fernando Mourão, Head of Responsible AI, Seek
* Brad Ryan, Chief AI Officer, i-screen, Ex AI Lead - AWS
* Romina Sharifpour, AI Engineering Lead, CBA
**Details:**
📅 Thursday 4 June 2026
🕕 6:00 – 8:30pm
📍 Zendesk Office Level 13/550 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
**Format:**
Talks + Panel + Q&A (6:00–7:30pm) → Networking & drinks (7:30–8:30pm)
This event is part of AI Week Melbourne (June 1–7) and is run in partnership with Web Directions / AI Engineer Melbourne.
Whether you're an engineer wrestling with inference costs, a leader trying to get your AI strategy past the pilot stage, or just curious about what production AI actually looks like, this one's for you.
Spots are limited. RSVP to secure yours.
Scaling Scrum Events Near You
Connect with your local Scaling Scrum community
Hialeah Online Speed Dating
**💝 Hialeah Zoom Online Speed Dating**
Online speed dating for Hialeah locals — personality matched, hosted live on Zoom.
**Register below for your age group:**
- **Ages 18-32** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=531.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Hialeah&groupurlname=meet-for-serious-bonds-over-brunch&ar=18-32&face_v=1.0)
- **Ages 30-46** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=531.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Hialeah&groupurlname=meet-for-serious-bonds-over-brunch&ar=30-46&face_v=1.0)
- **Ages 40-58** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=531.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Hialeah&groupurlname=meet-for-serious-bonds-over-brunch&ar=40-58&face_v=1.0)
- **Ages 55+** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=531.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Hialeah&groupurlname=meet-for-serious-bonds-over-brunch&ar=55+&face_v=1.0)
**⚠️ Important: RSVP ≠ registration.** To join, pick your age group below and complete the quiz. Capacity is limited.
---
**How It Works**
1. **Register** – Pick your age group above and sign up.
2. **Take the quiz** – Short personality quiz so we can match you well.
3. **Join on Zoom** – Your host will guide you through every round.
4. **Get matches** – Mutual matches sent after the event.
---
✨ Your next match is one Zoom call away. 💘 ✨
June 2026 AWS Columbus - Topic to be announced
Topic to be announced.
**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
Azure CBUS June
Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!!
https://sessionize.com/azure-cbus-2026/
QA or The Highway 2026
QA or the Highway is a one-day, affordable, regional, professional conference featuring real-world experience and thought leadership in the QA and testing industry.
This is a ticketed event please register here:
https://www.qaorthehwy.com/
Featured Keynote Speakers:
**Matthew-Hope Eland** **(Wizard at Leading EDJE)** \- An AI Specialist and Wizard at Leading EDJE who is known to teach software engineering\, AI\, and data science concepts in the most ridiculous ways possible\. Matt has used machine learning to settle debates over whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie\, reinforcement learning to drive the behavior of digital squirrels\, data analytics to suggest improvements to his favorite TV show\, and AI agents to play board games and create an AI agent with the personality of a dog\. Matt is the author of "Data Science in \.NET with Polyglot Notebooks" and "Refactoring with C\#" as well as several LinkedIn Learning courses\. Matt helps organize the Central Ohio \.NET Developer Group\, runs several blogs and a YouTube channel\, has a Master’s of Science in Data Analytics\, and is a current Microsoft MVP in AI and \.NET\.
**Tatyana Arbouzova** **(CEO at Innovate QA)** \- Tatyana Arbouzova is an engineering and business leader with a strong background in Quality Engineering across multiple industries\, including Big Tech\, Healthcare\, and Entertainment\. She has held leadership roles at world\-class companies such as Microsoft\, VMware\, Disney\, and The Pokémon Company International\, where she focused on building quality\-driven cultures and scaling teams to deliver high\-impact products\. With decades of experience\, Tatyana has helped organizations transform their quality practices so teams can deliver software efficiently\, confidently\, and with measurable business outcomes\. Today\, Tatyana advises software companies on adopting AI to optimize quality practices and improve how software is delivered at scale\. She is also a passionate community builder and the founder of Innovate QA\, a thriving Seattle\-based community and conference for quality professionals\.
Recruiting Virtual Mental Health Group Leaders!
We are recruiting new group leaders for virtual men's groups! Our primary groups are outdoor movement groups, but we are launching virtual groups for the state of Ohio and beyond and the groups will move outside in the spring, creating room for men's groups, women's groups and coed groups all over the country.
Read below to learn about our groups and click the links at the bottom to apply.
### **What is an Outdoor Empowerment Group?**
Our Outdoor Movement & Community Empowerment Groups are simple, guided experiences designed to help people reconnect with nature, themselves, and others. We combine some form of movement (hike, walk, run, bike, yoga, workout) and meaningful conversation within a simple community circle to create a space where individuals can support each other while prioritizing mental and physical well-being.
Whether you’re seeking stress relief, personal growth, or community, our groups offer everyone a unique and welcoming environment.
## **Why Join?**
* **Improve Mental & Physical Well-Being** – Movement, nature, and supportive conversations reduce stress and promote balance.
* **Feel Less Alone** – Build genuine connections with like-minded people in a safe, welcoming space.
* **Gain Clarity & Perspective** – Step outside daily routines and into a space designed for personal growth and reflection.
## **The Ideal Group Leader**
The ideal group leader
* Has a born-in passion for mental health, movement, connecting with nature and building community.
* Has 5 extra hours per week to dedicate to a meaningful cause for at least one year. Yes, you can leave any organization at any time and we can also ask you to leave, but we are building with legacy in mind and we need people who can commit and be ALL IN on this mission to build with us.
* Is independently financially stable with the ability to volunteer with no expectation of pay. This is a deeply beautiful journey of service that all participants commit to at Speak Your Mind.
* An ability to manage groups with high emotional intelligence and desire for human connection.
* An ability to self-motivate and market/promote their group on Facebook and other social platforms.
* Nature informed therapy or clinical therapists/psychologists a plus.
## **Our Impact**

Since launching, we have helped thousands find support, connection, and healing through our Outdoor Movement Groups. 100% of participants surveyed have reported:
* A noticeable improvement in mental clarity and emotional well-being.
* An increase in social connection and a sense of belonging.
* Said they would return again.
We believe mental health should be accessible, community-driven, and rooted in nature. Join us and take the first step toward a more connected, grounded, and supported version of yourself.
### **Why Our Groups are Donation-Based**
Our Outdoor Movement Groups are made possible through a donation-based model. This approach allows us to keep our events accessible to everyone, regardless of financial circumstances, while also ensuring that we can continue expanding our reach. It’s a great way to pay it forward and support the growth of this beautiful mission!
Every contribution helps us:
* **Cover Essential Costs** – Donations allow us to pay essential legal, marketing, insurance, and admin costs as well as nourish the important people who run the organization.
* **Grow Our Mission** – With your support, we can bring these healing experiences to thousands more people in the future and execute our long term plan to expand across the USA, affecting up to 500,000 people per year.
By choosing to contribute, you’re not just leading an event—you’re helping build a mental health movement that supports long-term well-being and connection for all during a severe mental health epidemic.
## **Come Join Us!**
We’d love to have you be part of this growing community of people prioritizing their mental health, movement, and connection.
🔹 **Visit Our Website to Learn More:** https://speakyourmind.men/joinusoutside
🔹 **Apply Here to Lead Your Own Group!** – https://form.jotform.com/taketimespeakyourmind/sym-group-leader-application
🔹 **Support the mission**: If you resonate with the mission and want to support, feel free to join a group before applying or donate to help us reach our goals to help more people! You can donate here: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/angels-for-angels/speak-your-mind
Please text Mario with any questions: (808) 855-8831
Microsoft Build - Columbus Edition!
We are bringing Microsoft Build sessions to Columbus Ohio!
The Central Ohio Azure Meetup and Central Ohio .NET Developer's Group (CONDG) are coming together to bring some of the labs and breakouts from Microsoft Build to your backyard. In this free, 1 day event, you are going to Build stuff with us!
And yes, there will be free food. So please RSVP for a head count!





















