Sustainability

The APAC Umbraco HQ team have finalised the agenda for Umbraco 360° on Tuesday, 10 March. This is a chance for the local community - developers, practitioners, and partners alike - to get together, talk shop, and hear the latest directly from the source. This is a free hybrid event, but in-person space is limited. Please make sure to register so we can get the catering right! Register here: [https://umbraco.com/umbraco-anz-community-360-auckland/](https://umbraco.com/umbraco-anz-community-360-auckland/) **Why come along?** 🛠️ The Inside Track: Get a first look at the global roadmap and the future of the Umbraco ecosystem directly from CEO Mats Persson. ⚡ Community Lightning Talks: Rapid-fire innovation showcases from our Umbraco legends Pete Lister, Brett Hancock and Alexander Jacobsen 🍻 Socialise & Connect: This isn't just a series of slides. We've carved out some time for food, drinks, and honest chats with the HQ team and your fellow ANZ developers after we let the virtual attendees leave. **Event Details** 📅 Date: **Tuesday, 10 March** 🕔 Time: **3:30 PM – 5:00 PM AEDT** 📍 Location: **The Annex, 12 Madden Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010, New Zealand** Tickets are moving fast. Grab your spot to catch up with the community and see where the platform is headed next. Secure your place: [https://umbraco.com/umbraco-anz-community-360-auckland/](https://umbraco.com/umbraco-anz-community-360-auckland/)

**Setbacks happen…but so do restarts!** Come hang out **IN PERSON** at Shift & Sip for a casual hour of mindset shifts, life systems exploration, and good conversation with like-minded people. Bring a notebook and your awesome energy...we’ll supply the cuppa and snacks! **The Mayfair, Kaikōura** 12 March \| 7–8pm Koha appreciated

**🔥 Modernizing ASP.NET Framework to Core in 2026** Inside Microsoft’s AI‑Driven App Modernization Work 📅 Wednesday, 11 March 2026 🕠 5:30pm – 7:00pm NZDT 📍 Microsoft Auckland (Hybrid) 🎤 Presenter: Taylor Southwick **🌏 Why this session is special** This is a rare opportunity for the Auckland / New Zealand .NET community. Taylor Southwick is based in Redmond, working directly inside Microsoft engineering on application modernization tooling and strategy. He’s only in Auckland for a short visit — and this session gives local developers a chance to hear first‑hand how Microsoft is approaching AI‑assisted App Modernization for large, real‑world .NET applications. This isn’t a conference replay or a polished marketing talk — it’s direct insight from the team building the tools. **🧠 Session overview** Modernising large, long‑lived ASP.NET Framework applications is no longer a “someday” problem — it’s a right‑now reality for many teams across NZ and beyond. In this session, Taylor Southwick will share how Microsoft is thinking about modernising ASP.NET Framework applications to ASP.NET Core in 2026, drawing directly from real customer and ISV engagements involving very large, very real codebases. **Rather than a theoretical migration guide, this talk focuses on:** ✅ What actually works in practice ✅ What breaks (and why) ✅ How teams are using AI‑assisted and incremental approaches to modernisation ✅ Where the latest App Modernization (AppMod) tooling is heading Much of this thinking is shaped by recent work with enterprise customers — including Vista‑backed organisations — navigating complex, multi‑year modernisation programs under real business constraints. **🧩 What Taylor will cover** Taylor will start with \~30 minutes of prepared content, followed by an open, interactive discussion. Topics include: * The current state of ASP.NET Framework → Core migrations in 2026 * How Microsoft and customers are breaking down large monoliths without “stopping the world” * Common anti‑patterns and traps teams fall into during modernisation * Where incremental modernisation makes sense — and where it doesn’t * How AI‑driven tooling is starting to influence AppMod decisions * How teams are thinking about risk, ROI, and sequencing for long‑running migrations * This content comes straight from frontline engineering and customer work, not greenfield demos. 🧪 Format ✅ \~30 minutes of prepared walkthrough and insights ✅ Followed by open Q&A and discussion ✅ No heavy slide deck — this is about shared learning and lived experience Whether you’re: * Sitting on a 10+ year old ASP.NET Framework app * Mid‑migration and feeling the pain * Or trying to work out how to even start …this session should give you practical clarity and confidence — straight from the source. 🍕 Logistics * Food & drinks provided (thanks Arinco!) * In‑person and remote attendees welcome * Please RSVP so we can plan catering

The APAC Umbraco HQ team have finalised the agenda for Umbraco 360° on Tuesday, 10 March. This is a chance for the local community - developers, practitioners, and partners alike - to get together, talk shop, and hear the latest directly from the source. This is a free hybrid event, but in-person space is limited. Please make sure to register so we can get the catering right! Register here: [https://umbraco.com/umbraco-anz-community-360-auckland/](https://umbraco.com/umbraco-anz-community-360-auckland/) **Why come along?** 🛠️ The Inside Track: Get a first look at the global roadmap and the future of the Umbraco ecosystem directly from CEO Mats Persson. ⚡ Community Lightning Talks: Rapid-fire innovation showcases from our Umbraco legends Pete Lister, Brett Hancock and Alexander Jacobsen 🍻 Socialise & Connect: This isn't just a series of slides. We've carved out some time for food, drinks, and honest chats with the HQ team and your fellow ANZ developers after we let the virtual attendees leave. **Event Details** 📅 Date: **Tuesday, 10 March** 🕔 Time: **3:30 PM – 5:00 PM AEDT** 📍 Location: **The Annex, 12 Madden Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010, New Zealand** Tickets are moving fast. Grab your spot to catch up with the community and see where the platform is headed next. Secure your place: [https://umbraco.com/umbraco-anz-community-360-auckland/](https://umbraco.com/umbraco-anz-community-360-auckland/)

Free at Bexley Library Adventures in Ecological Horticulture with Rebecca McMackin Wednesday, March 18 1:00pm - 2:30pm Gone are the days when a garden could be ornamental alone. We now recognize the impact that our land care practices have on the ecosystems around us, and can see the importance of encouraging biodiversity. Thankfully, we do not need to sacrifice beauty when we invite butterflies and songbirds into our gardens. Rebecca McMackin has cultivated gorgeous landscapes in the toughest environments possible: urban parks, school playgrounds, and the sidewalks of New York City. She will take lessons from her work at Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Brooklyn Museum, and decades of research to share how those of us who are fortunate enough to care for land, can do it beautifully and ecologically. Rebecca McMackin is an ecologically obsessed horticulturist and garden designer. She writes, lectures, and teaches on ecological landscape management and pollination ecology, as well as designs the rare public garden. She is currently Lead Horticulturist for the American Horticultural Society, an Associate with the Harvard Divinity School’s Thinking with Plants and Fungi Initiative, and Consulting Arboretum Curator for Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, NY. Rebecca spent a decade as Director of Horticulture of Brooklyn Bridge Park, where she managed 85 acres of diverse parkland organically. Their research into cultivating urban biodiversity and ethical management strategies has influenced thousands of people and entire urban parks systems to adopt similar approaches. She has been published by and featured in the New York Times, Gardens Illustrated, on NPR and PBS. Her garden for the Brooklyn Museum recently won the PPA’s Award of Excellence and her TED Talk has been viewed over a million times. She holds M.Sc. from Columbia University and University of Victoria in landscape design and biology and recently completed the Loeb Fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. This program is presented in partnership with Rooted in Bexley and generously funded by the Bexley Community Foundation and Bexley Community Author Series Fund.

5th annual Earth Day Celebration! This year (2026) the Celebration is scheduled for April 25th with activities running from 10am-2pm. This is a non-ticketed event. Everyone is welcome! We will have food trucks, Birds of Prey, kids crafts, live music, raspberry plants, apple trees, and of course NATIVE PLANTS! Where: Lynd Fruit Farm, 9399 Morse Rd, Pataskala Ohio 43062 Time: Activities will be from 10am- 2pm. The Market will remain open until 5pm.

Hosted by Wild Ones Columbus How to Install a Bog Garden, with David Marsolo Saturday, March 14th, 2026 10:00 am to 12:00 pm (Eastern Time) Innis House (Inniswoods Metro Park) , 940 S. Hempstead Road, Westerville, OH Public Welcome Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking A bog can serve the same functions as a traditional rain garden but has the advantages of being low maintenance, climate resilient and attractive for a much longer part of the year. David Marsolo is a long time Wild Ones member. He has been maintaining artificial bogs at his suburban Westerville home for about 20 years. He will describe how to install a bog and fill it with many interesting native plants including pollinator and host plants https://columbus.wildones.org/calendar-of-events-and-programs/?wo_event_id=11160

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! ☀️

🌱 Vegan Dinner + Bowling Night 🎳 Join us for a relaxed vegan dinner at Loving Hut on Saturday, March 14 from 6:00–8:00 PM. We’ll enjoy delicious plant-based food, good conversation, and chill, friendly vibes. After dinner, we’ll head over for bowling at Holiday Lanes for some fun and laughs 🎉 ✨ All are welcome 🥗 100% vegan dinner 🎳 Bowling afterwards (optional) Come eat, connect, and enjoy a fun Saturday night together 💚 Locations: Loving Hut 6569 E Livingston Ave Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 Holiday lanes 4589 E Broad St Columbus, OH 43213

Hosted by Licking Parks District Planning and Growing a Cut Flower Garden Thursday, March 12, 2026 Are you a plant lover or garden enthusiast who would like to add growing cut flowers to your garden repertoire but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’d like to grow flowers instead of grass to attract pollinators? Whatever your flower dream is, let’s dig in and start here! Join Tracey Barnes of Moon Maiden Flower Farm to learn the basic foundations of growing a cut flower garden, which includes planning, choosing the right varieties, succession planting for continuous blooms, maintenance, harvesting and post harvest care for making bouquets. Whatever your horticulture experience level is, you’ll gain confidence in your decision making, and before you know it, you’ll be slinging flowers and sharing their beauty with others. Register by Mar 11. [Register here for free https://www.lickingparkdistrict.com/267/March-2026](https://www.lickingparkdistrict.com/267/March-2026) 6PM - 7:30PM Location: James Bradley Center, Infirmary Mound Park

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