Sustainability
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out sustainability events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the sustainability events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find sustainability events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Sustainability Events Today
Join in-person Sustainability events happening right now
Station Alpha + Founder Institute: Startup Spring in partnership with Startup DC
IMPORTANT: for this event please make sure you've RSVP'd at [https://luma.com/4usyy9d7](https://luma.com/4usyy9d7) to see the address and additional information.
# Spring is Coming!
Some winters are for hibernating, but this isn’t one of them.
[Station Alpha](https://stationalpha.org/) and [Founder Institute](https://fi.co/), in collaboration with Startup DC, are partnering on this public meetup celebrating fresh ideas, new beginnings, and the unstoppable energy of the startup ecosystem in the National Capital Region. With generous support from [Unstuck Labs](https://unstucklabs.com/), this event brings together founders, builders, investors, operators, and the startup-curious for an evening that feels like the first warm day after a long winter - optimistic, electric, and full of possibility.
\* Expect great connections with people who are actually building things, not just talking about them.
\* Expect lightning pitches from awesome startups moving fast and thinking big.
\* Expect conversations that start casually and turn into collaborations, partnerships, or maybe even the next breakout company.
Spring is when things grow, and startups are no different. Come meet the people shaping what’s next in the National Capital Region - and maybe plant a few seeds of your own.
## **Agenda**
* 5:30 – 6:45 \| Networking
* 6:45 – 7:15 \| Quick welcome\, announcements and lightning pitches
* 7:15 \- 8:30 \| More networking
## **Food&Bev**
Food and beverages will be provided, thanks to our generous partners [Founder Institute](https://fi.co/) and [Unstuck Labs](https://www.unstucklabs.com/)!
## Parking and Transportation
* Street parking is limited
* There is a lot of garage parking nearby, e.g. 1200n N Garfield St, Arlington, VA 22201 **for <$10/day**
* Unstuck Labs’ office is located across the street from the Clarendon Metro station on the Silver and Orange Lines (two stops from the Blue Line and three stops from DC). There is also a separate entrance to the building directly from the Metro station.
## About Station Alpha
[Station Alpha](https://stationalpha.org/) is an angel group built for founders and investors who believe the best outcomes are engineered - together. We source standout opportunities, educate our members, and convene in-person to help great companies become inevitable.
We are global and industry agnostic — evaluating every opportunity on its own merits. We back differentiated companies with defensible advantages and a credible path to scale.
## **About Founder Institute**
The **[Founder Institute](https://fi.co/)** is the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups, and startups into global businesses. Since 2009, our structured accelerator programs have helped over 8,900 entrepreneurs raise over 2BN in funding. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 100 countries, our mission is to empower communities of talented and motivated people to build impactful technology companies worldwide.
## **Huge thanks to our sponsors, partners, and organizers!**
* [Unstuck Labs](https://www.unstucklabs.com/)!
* [Station Alpha](https://stationalpha.org/)
* [Founder Institute](https://fi.co/)
* [Craftus](https://craftus.com/)
TERROIR: UNCORKED @ Barcelona Wine Bar on 14th Street
\*\* Tickets are $71.50 ($65 + tax) and can be purchased [here.](https://www.exploretock.com/barcelona-wine-bar-14th-street/event/594770/terroir-uncorked) \*\*
UNCORKED is a walk-around tasting where we open 30 different bottles from our list—a chance to try the cellar of our award-winning wine program. The wines are paired with seasonal paella and passed tapas. Each time we host, we dive into a different theme. This time, we’re uncorking terroir.
Terroir is a French term that refers to the natural environment in which a wine is made. This includes everything– but most often focuses on soil, topography and climate, ultimately producing a bottled sense of place. Our 400+ bottle program deeply focuses on terroir, becoming a collection of places that can be experienced through a pour.
For this UNCORKED, we’re opening 30 wines that we think are some of the clearest expressions of place out there. We can’t wait to share these truly transportive bottles with you.
Volunteer Night @ The Warehouse
Volunteer with us refurbishing donated bicycles to help us get them back out in the community! This event is open to both new and existing volunteers. No mechanical experience is necessary.
Note: The warehouse location is in the alley behind 1502 Mt Vernon Ave. Enter through the gray door next to a roll-down garage door. If you drive to the location, be sure to park in the street, not in the alleys or parking lots surrounding the warehouse. And wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty with bicycle grease!
Please be aware that volunteers under 18 need a parent or guardian to accompany them to their first volunteer experience and sign a liability waiver, while volunteers under 16 need a parent or guardian to accompany them at all times while volunteering with Vélocity.
Monday Evening Volleyball at the BISW
See the group description for rules, guidelines, and payment info (cost is $10). Remember to cancel your registration if you find you can't make it to an event to which you RSVP'd.
The code to access the gym will be sent to people who have registered shortly before the event. The code should be entered at the second door (furthest from Whitehaven Street) at the building opposite the main entrance of the school.
There is limited on-site surface-level parking available, as well as street parking around the facility. The underground parking lot off Whitehaven Street costs $5 an hour.
As always, participation in the volleyball is undertaken at the participant's own risk. The British International School, the sponsoring organization Virtuous Volleyball Inc., as well as the event organizer, are not liable for any injuries sustained in the course of participating, nor for any theft or damage to personal belongings.
Open Hac
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)
Trivia: 54 Restaurant, Springfield, VA
We will be participating in a trivia night event at 54 restaurant located at the Springfield Town Center mall on Monday. Trivia starts at 7 pm.
Parking: There is free mall parking. There is also paid valet parking if you are feeling bougie.
There's a maximum of 7 people per team, so please show up by 6:45 pm so that we organize accordingly. We may field multiple teams depending on turnout.
Please plan on arriving and staying for the entire trivia event.
To ensure you get a spot on a trivia team:
* Please arrive by 6:45 PM, or notify the hosts that you are running late by 6:45 PM. If you arrive after 6:45 or don't notify the hosts, you are not guaranteed a spot on a trivia team and may need to form your own, separate team.
* Please RSVP so we know to expect you. Don't be like Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn from Wedding Crashers and crash a trivia event (i.e., don't show up without signing up on the attendee list).
\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-
If you have Instagram, you can check out our account at asiandiningandadventuregroup for photos and announcements of group outings!
The Power of a Peaceful Mind
The Power of a Peaceful Mind
In situations of conflict, we easily become angry. However, anger limits us and leaves a trail of painful feelings. On the other hand, the creative mind of patience opens us to options. In this series, we learn to understand and meditate on patience. We will discover how meditation helps us to find peaceful solutions to everyday problems.
**REGISTRATION**
Standard: $12 \| Financial Hardship: $6 \| Free for [Members](https://meditation-dc.org/membership/)
[Pre-Register Here](https://meditation-dc.org/monday-evening-meditation/)
Each class is available by drop in. Everyone is welcome to attend, no previous experience is required.
**LOCATION**
Kadampa Meditation Center DC
1200 Canal St\. SW \| Washington\, DC 20024
**Metro Stop:** Waterfront or Navy Yard
Sustainability Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Join VSDC at the DC Environmental Film Festival's "Forever Home" Screening
**Join VSDC for a special film screening of \*[Forever Home](https://dceff.eventive.org/schedule/6991eb830674ec121400d150)\*** which is being shown as part of the [DC Environmental Film Festival ](https://dceff.org/)(DCEFF). The screening will start at 7 pm and then followed by a conversation with filmmaker Allison Argo after the film. The film is about 1 hour in length.
**You must buy your ticket directly from the DCEFF website [here.](https://dceff.eventive.org/schedule/6991eb830674ec121400d150)**
The DCEFF is graciously providing a special discount code for 50% off the ticket price for our group: VSDCEFF26
***NOTE: If you would like to get a bite to eat before the film, let’s gather at Bombay Street Food 2 (they have good vegan options), 524 8th St SE, Washington, DC 20003, at 5:30pm.***
Don't hesitate to get your film screening tickets because tickets can run out. Seating is general admission. You should **also RSVP here on the Meetup page** for communication purposes.
**About the film:**
In the heart of North Carolina, two dreamers are revolutionizing animal care through groundbreaking architecture and by rethinking the concept of “home.” At their refuge, they’re replacing conventional barns with customized homes. With empathy and imagination, they’re bringing architectural design to the world of animal care and providing a blueprint for a compassionate, sustainable future.
From goats who thrive in vertical spaces to chickens whose house opens with the sun, these customized homes show farm animals in a new light. When they build an ingenious new home for rescued cows, this moving documentary reveals a groundbreaking vision for how we can see and care for the animals most people overlook.
Through gorgeous visuals and endearing characters, *Forever Home* invites us to reimagine our relationship with farm animals by showing us who they really are when they're given the chance to simply be themselves. This unique film is a celebration of life and creativity!
**Update Your RSVP**
Out of respect for others interested in attending this limited-space event, please update your RSVP promptly as your schedule changes.
**VSDC: More Than A Meetup**
We are delighted to have you as part of The Veg Society of DC Vegan Meetup group, and we look forward to seeing you at our events. Did you know that [VSDC](https://vsdc.org/%20) is a nonprofit organization with membership benefits?
With VSDC membership, you will save money at area restaurants and businesses, attend VSDC member-only events, and, most importantly, support us as a clear and consistent voice for improving the lives of all beings through community building and education centered on the benefits of a vegan diet and lifestyle.
The membership fee is minimal, but the impact is significant! [Join today](https://vsdc.org/membership/)!
**Ways to Stay In Touch with Us**
Thank you for being part of our Meetup presence and bringing like-minded people together. We invite you to:
* Become a [VSDC member](https://vsdc.org/membership/) to save money at area restaurants and support us in being a clear and consistent voice for improving the lives of all beings through community building and education centered on the benefits of a vegan diet and lifestyle.
* Sign up for our[ monthly e-newsletter](https://vsdc.org/about/newsletter/) to hear more about our activities.
* Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/vegsocietydc/) or [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/vegsocietydc/) to engage with us.
**Interested in Volunteering with VSDC?**
VSDC offers many events each month, thanks to the dedication of our event planning team. Would you consider volunteering? To learn more and get started, [please visit our website](https://vsdc.org/volunteer/).
**Only Vegan Food, Please**
While VSDC welcomes people wherever they are on the path to an all-plant, vegan diet and lifestyle, it is our policy that only vegan food be served and consumed at our events. If you would like to [explore a vegan diet or get support in making lifestyle changes, consider these resources](https://vsdc.org/exploringvegan/).
**Liability Waiver and Code of Conduct**
When you sign up to attend, you automatically acknowledge [VSDC's Liability Waiver](https://vsdc.org/activity-waiver/) and commit to follow the code of conduct found at [Policies - VSDC - Veg Society of DC](https://vsdc.org/policies/).
**VSDC. Creating communities. For your health, the animals, and the planet.**
The New Frontier of Bitcoin Mining at PubKey DC
Bitcoin mining today looks very different from what it was a decade ago. What began largely as a hardware race has evolved into a complex global industry shaped by energy markets, infrastructure development, and new demands on data centers. Companies that adapt to this new reality don’t just survive. They position themselves to lead the next phase of the industry.
👉 [RSVP on Luma](https://luma.com/cmlndtin)
In this panel, executives from publicly traded mining companies will discuss how their strategies reflect this new frontier. From hardware innovation and home mining to heat reuse, large-scale energy infrastructure, and the growing intersection with AI and high-performance computing. The conversation will explore how the industry has changed, where it is headed, and why these companies remain committed to building in Bitcoin.
**Guest Speakers**
* James Cheng (CFO, Canaan Inc.): A seasoned finance leader with over 20 years of experience at Fortune 500 companies, James oversees the financial strategy for a major NASDAQ-listed hardware pioneer, focusing on investor relations and debt/equity financing.
* Darcy Daubaras (CFO, HIVE Digital Technologies): A strategic financial expert and Corporate Director, Darcy leads global growth for HIVE, specializing in public company regulatory reporting and the intersection of crypto mining with high-performance computing.
* Elizabeth Frei Duchek (Government Relations, Bitdeer): With over 15 years of experience in government affairs and policy analysis, Elizabeth leads government relations for Bitdeer (NASDAQ: BTDR). Her background in appropriations and public policy brings a critical perspective to how regulation, infrastructure, and energy policy intersect with the future of Bitcoin mining.
👉 [RSVP on Luma](https://luma.com/cmlndtin)
**About the Bitcoin District Initiative**
This event was organized by The Bitcoin District Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to build a grassroots Bitcoin circular economy in Washington, DC through education, business onboarding, and community outreach programs. If you’d like to get involved or support the Initiative, visit [bitcoindistrictinitiative.org](https://bitcoindistrictinitiative.org/).
Stream Clean-up
The Northern Virginia Ethical Society will be hosting a Stream Clean-up at the home of Jim Ball and Amy Anderson in Falls Church, VA on March 22 at 11:00 AM. This residential area is rich with deer, foxes, hawks, blue birds, and eastern box turtles, and many native plants. Adults and children are welcome. Parents must accompany any child under the age of 12. Water proof footwear is a must. You will receive the address once you register. Lunch will be included. Register at our website [NoVES.org](https://noves.org/event-6613869) and you will be sent the address of the clean-up.
🌿 Sunday Morning Hike & Coffee Conversation
**Black Hill Regional Park → Paris Baguette (Germantown)**
**Sunday \| March 22\, 2026 \| 10:00 AM**
**Join us for a Sunday morning in nature, centered on meaningful conversation along the trail.**
**We’ll meet at the Black Hill Regional Park Visitor Center parking lot around 10:00 AM and spend about 60–90 minutes on the scenic lake trails, surrounded by water, trees, and open sky. The morning setting offers space to be present, notice the landscape, and let conversation unfold naturally as we walk.**
**After our time on the trails, we’ll continue on to Paris Baguette in Germantown Town Center for coffee or a pastry and keep the conversation going.**
**This group is for gay men who enjoy being outdoors, care about how food is grown and gathered, appreciate thoughtful conversation, and value authentic friendships built at a natural pace. This is not a hookup space, a dating pool, a nightlife extension, or a professional networking circle. The aim is simply to share time outdoors, exchange ideas, and see what connections take root from there.**
**What to bring:**
* **Comfortable walking shoes**
* **Water**
* **Weather-appropriate layers**
**Feel free to arrive a few minutes early so we can gather and get started together.**
VSDC Restaurant Visit: Sunflower Vegetarian Restaurant, Vienna, VA
Join us for an all plant-based meal at the always popular Sunflower Vegetarian Restaurant in Vienna, VA. We've made a reservation for 20 attendees, so don't delay in RSVPing as this will fill up. You can preview Sunflower's menu [here. ](https://www.crystalsunflower.com/menu)
Parking is available in the restaurant's lot and the Vienna Metro station is 1.6 miles away. Rides may be available from attendees with cars so please communicate needs/availability in the comments below.
Please note that there is no outdoor dining at this venue and that this is an indoor event.
**Update Your RSVP**
Out of respect for others interested in attending this limited-space event, please update your RSVP promptly as your schedule changes.
**VSDC: More Than A Meetup**
We are delighted to have you as part of The Veg Society of DC Vegan Meetup group, and we look forward to seeing you at our events. Did you know that [VSDC](https://vsdc.org/%20) is a nonprofit organization with membership benefits?
With VSDC membership, you will save money at area restaurants and businesses, attend VSDC member-only events, and, most importantly, support us as a clear and consistent voice for improving the lives of all beings through community building and education centered on the benefits of a vegan diet and lifestyle.
The membership fee is minimal, but the impact is significant! [Join today](https://vsdc.org/membership/)!
**Ways to Stay In Touch with Us**
Thank you for being part of our Meetup presence and bringing like-minded people together. We invite you to:
* Become a [VSDC member](https://vsdc.org/membership/) to save money at area restaurants and support us in being a clear and consistent voice for improving the lives of all beings through community building and education centered on the benefits of a vegan diet and lifestyle.
* Sign up for our[ monthly e-newsletter](https://vsdc.org/about/newsletter/) to hear more about our activities.
* Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/vegsocietydc/) or [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/vegsocietydc/) to engage with us.
**Interested in Volunteering with VSDC?**
VSDC offers many events each month, thanks to the dedication of our event planning team. Would you consider volunteering? To learn more and get started, [please visit our website](https://vsdc.org/volunteer/).
**Only Vegan Food, Please**
While VSDC welcomes people wherever they are on the path to an all-plant, vegan diet and lifestyle, it is our policy that only vegan food be served and consumed at our events. If you would like to [explore a vegan diet or get support in making lifestyle changes, consider these resources](https://vsdc.org/exploringvegan/).
**Liability Waiver and Code of Conduct**
When you sign up to attend, you automatically acknowledge [VSDC's Liability Waiver](https://vsdc.org/activity-waiver/) and commit to follow the code of conduct found at [Policies - VSDC - Veg Society of DC](https://vsdc.org/policies/).
**VSDC. Creating communities. For your health, the animals, and the planet.**
What Technology Are You Optimistic About?
Details
Location: Crimson Whiskey Bar (Either the downstairs whiskey bar, or main floor bar, TBD)
The purpose of Thinkers and Drinkers is to facilitate casual but meaningful and interesting conversations with other people in a face-to-face setting. The topics cover a wide variety of issues and are different for every meeting. While conversations may get heated at times, we ask that all members be respectful of each other and refrain from personal insults.
Here's the updated version:
***
**Topic: Reasons to Be Excited (A Technology Optimism Round)**
It's easy to doom-scroll your way into thinking the world is falling apart. And honestly, some of our recent meetings haven't helped. So this time, we're flipping the script: what technology are you actually *excited* about?
This isn't a request for blind techno-utopianism. Skepticism is welcome. But the goal is to spend some time on the genuine wins and promising horizons, because there are more of them than the headlines suggest.
Here's a quick tour of some things worth being optimistic about:
* **AI in everyday life** — Love it or hate it, AI tools are genuinely saving people hours of tedious work. From coding assistants to writing tools to writing this very event descriptin you're reading now to AI that sits inside your spreadsheets and email, the practical applications are moving faster than most people expected even two years ago. The question is less "will this be useful?" and more "who actually benefits, and when?"
* **Clean energy's quiet boom** — Solar and battery storage have had a decade of jaw-dropping cost reductions. The U.S. added more renewable capacity last year than any year on record. It's not fast enough for some, but the trajectory is real.
* **CRISPR and gene editing** — In late 2023, the FDA approved the first CRISPR-based treatment for sickle cell disease — a condition that has caused lifelong suffering for millions of people with very few good options. It's the first of what could be a long list of genetic diseases that are now, for the first time, actually curable rather than just manageable.
* **Lab-grown meat** — Chicken and beef grown directly from animal cells, no slaughter required. It's real, it's been approved for sale in the US, and while it's still expensive and not yet on your grocery shelf, the cost curves are dropping fast. Whether you care about animal welfare, climate, or just think it's cool, this one is quietly wild.
* **SpaceX and the new space economy** — Reusable rockets went from fantasy to routine. Launch costs have dropped by an order of magnitude in 15 years, opening the door to satellite internet in remote areas, new science missions, and yes, eventually humans on Mars (whether or not that excites you).
* **Brain-computer interfaces** — Still early, still expensive, but Neuralink and others are giving paralyzed patients the ability to control devices with their thoughts. The sci-fi shelf life on this one is getting shorter.
**Questions to Consider:**
* Is there a technology you were skeptical about that has actually won you over? What changed your mind?
* Which of these feels most overhyped — and which feels *under*hyped?
* Are the benefits of new technology reaching people broadly, or mostly concentrating among the already-fortunate?
* Is optimism about technology a luxury? Does it depend on where you live, how much money you have, or what you do for work?
* What's something small and unglamorous — not AI, not space — that has genuinely made your life better recently?
Sustainability Events Near You
Connect with your local Sustainability community
SOLD OUT- Adventures in Ecological Horticulture
w Rebecca McMackin
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! And Native Plant Sale- Pataskala
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.
Nature Loving Fest | Spring Edition
Join us for the Spring edition of [Nature Loving Fest](https://www.facebook.com/events/895148649812928), a small, thoughtfully curated outdoor gathering celebrating vegan eats, handmade goods, and the beauty of the season.
Formerly known as our Vegan Pop-Up, this new chapter reflects what the event has always been — a space rooted in nature, community, and intentional living. Expect around 20 local vendors offering seasonal vegan eats, small-batch bakes, handcrafted goods, and earth-conscious products.
Come support local makers, share good food, and celebrate the beginning of a new season with us.
Admission is Free.
From Idea to Working App in Minutes: The Agentic Development with Amazon Kiro
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
Powell Gold Star Referral Club Meetup
We meet at lunch each week and each meeting follows a fairly organized agenda. First all participants pass their business cards around. Then each member and guest is invited to give a one-minute overview of their company and what is a perfect referral for the week. We always have a 10 minute presentation from one of the members about their business in more detail. And finally we pass referrals. You're welcome to visit. Nobody is ever put on the spot. Bring plenty of cards!
Bonifacio Brunch/Lunch
Let’s try some Filipino food at a well known Grandview area restaurant,
This is the menu:
https://www.canva.com/design/DAHByDNxwDA/TO8oxEmjQrBp_PP_mLPUag/view?utm_content=DAHByDNxwDA&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h435abfbbb3#1





























