Trends and Forecasting
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out trends and forecasting events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the trends and forecasting events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find trends and forecasting events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Trends and Forecasting Events Today
Join in-person Trends and Forecasting events happening right now
7km hike from Utrecht Lunetten to Amelisweerd-Rhijnauwen and back
🌿 Join us for a beautiful 7km hike through Amelisweerd-Rhijnauwen on Saturday 14th of March! ✨
Starting from Utrecht Lunetten station, we’ll explore forest paths, cross charming bridges, and follow the scenic Kromme Rijn river. Along the way, we'll pass the stunning Landhuis Nieuw-Amelisweerd, historic Oud-Amelisweerd, and the famous pancake spot Theehuis Rhijnauwen, before making our way back via a picturesque towpath.
Utrecht Hiking Community is not about fast hiking, but about social hiking. Everyone can join: beginners, more advanced hikers, students, professionals, locals, expats, etc. Every month we organise one hike in a different location each month, so you may explore places where you haven't been before. And if you have been somewhere before already, it's still a good opportunity to be active and to get to know some fellow hiking enthusiasts.🚶♂️
🔔 Tips: Wear comfy walking shoes, bring water, and check the weather. In case of bad weather, the hike may be postponed, so please look for any latest updates on the day before the hike.
Please try to arrive to Utrecht Lunetten train station in time. We want to depart around 10.30AM, so try to be there before that time. Are unforeseen circumstances causing you to arrive later? Then please contact us via WhatsApp on +31621177691. We won't make the whole group wait for you, but we can share our location with you so you can come after us.
There are no toilets at Utrecht Lunetten train station. Therefore please visit a restroom before arrival.
For those coming by car, there's a small free parking lot directly next to Utrecht Lunetten train station, address: Furkaplateau 2.
Dogs are allowed on this route, but need to be kept on a leash during parts of the route. The route is not suitable for people with strollers.
For those who like to, there is the option to go for drinks/lunch in the shopping center of Lunetten afterwards.
Organising our monthly hikes comes with some costs (travel costs, yearly MeetUp subscription). Therefore we would be very glad for any donations to support us via this link: [https://www.ing.nl/payreq/m/?trxid=zXP3ACEFu2KEgnjtqUPIb7BeSr44EGBL](https://www.ing.nl/payreq/m/?trxid=zXP3ACEFu2KEgnjtqUPIb7BeSr44EGBL)
For an impression of this and previous hike, find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utrecht.hiking.community
See you on Saturday 14th of March!
NS‑Wandeling Utrechtse Heuvelrug route
🌸🥾 Hello Hikers! Spring has officially sprung—let’s get back to nature and shake off the winter blues!
We’re hiking the **NS‑Wandeling Utrechtse Heuvelrug route**, a stunning **15.5 km point-to-point trail** from Driebergen-Zeist → Maarn. 🌿✨
📍 **Start:** Driebergen-Zeist train Station
⏰ **When:** Saturday\, 14 March \| Hike starts **11:00 AM** (please arrive 10–15 min early to gear up!) We’ll wait 15 minutes for everyone (11:15 AM) and then share our **live location** in the WhatsApp group for anyone joining late.
🥾 **Distance:** 15.5 km
☕ **After-hike plan:** We’ll finish at Maarn train station, where we can grab a celebratory drink or snack before heading home.
👀 **What to Expect**
* Beautiful estates: Groot Heidestein and Bornia
* The iconic Pyramide van Austerlitz
* Rolling forest paths and open heathlands
* A classic, popular Dutch trail perfect for a weekend escape
* Optional photo stops at scenic viewpoints
*
**Getting there:**
* Train to Driebergen-Zeist Station (excellent connections)
* Limited parking at the station area; public transport is highly recommended
🎒 **What to Bring**
* Hiking shoes with good traction (note: some paths may be muddy!)
* Plenty of water
* Snacks and lunch for a midway break
* Layered clothing and a waterproof jacket
⚠️ **Disclaimers**
* Everyone is responsible for their own safety
* The organizer is not responsible for personal injuries, transportation issues, health problems, loss, or damage
* Hike at your own pace; the trail can be slippery after rain – wear proper footwear
📲 **WhatsApp group** for hike updates & carpool coordination: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/EmzXm6TxZ9lJfwdQZ20x4T](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EmzXm6TxZ9lJfwdQZ20x4T)
🔗 **Join our WhatsApp group** for future events: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/FMIoNQ1ovkO4sYEkWPZP92](https://chat.whatsapp.com/FMIoNQ1ovkO4sYEkWPZP92)
📸 **Instagram** to share photos: [https://www.instagram.com/arezoo_hike?igsh=cWFrb2xkanR1cXFh&utm_source=qr](https://www.instagram.com/arezoo_hike?igsh=cWFrb2xkanR1cXFh&utm_source=qr)
Let’s hike, celebrate the arrival of spring, and enjoy nature together! 🌲✨
La Cumbipeña - Latin and Argentinean cultural event
💃 Southern winds arrive at La Cumbipeña 💫
On Saturday, March 14, we welcome Juani & Friends from Andalucía, bringing flute, voice and special guests ✨🪈🪇
[@juana_justicia_flute](https://www.instagram.com/juana_justicia_flute/)
An evening inspired by shared roots and music that moves both heart and body. 😉
💃 Sevillanas Dance Workshop by [@yasminunfer](https://www.instagram.com/yasminunfer/)
Simple, joyful and open to everyone. No experience needed.
🎶 Live music
🎤 Open Mic
📍 Café Averechts, Utrecht
🕗 20:00 to 23:00
💰 Donations welcome
Come dance, connect and share community love 💙
Everyone is welcome.
Lxs esperamos! 🙂
March Bowling!
A fun evening full of oooohh's and aaahhh’s and this is why: https://youtu.be/9Usnkt4mEvM
It’s all about having fun, so don’t worry if this is your first or second time playing. We will help you and we always cheer every player to victory so everyone has a great experience.
Pls be aware - paid event - read all information!
I reserved 4 lanes for 1,5 hrs, so we play from 20.00 - 21.30
Since I have to pay in advance I ask anyone that joins to pay their part as well in advance.
If you join the list for this event, please transfer 15 euros immediately or make someone on the waiting list happy by giving your spot to him or her.
I will sent a tikkie or publish it in the comments. Your spot is only confirmed after payment. No pay. No play.
Please note that there is no refund for cancellation, since I have reserved bowlinglanes and have to pay full price wheter we are with 10 people or 3 people.
In case you can't make it, I suggest you find someone to take your spot and he or she pays you the money back. If someone on the waiting list takes your spot then a refund is possible. If someone takes your place, pls let me know in advance.
Pls be on time. We start bowling at 8 pm sharp. So be there at least 15 minutes early since u need to change shoes and maybe want to get a drink at the bar.
After the bowling we usually go to a café in the city for drinks but if u feel like going home this is ofcourse also okay.
Bootcamp session for all levels!
Please bring a towel and wear comfortable sports clothing! See you on saturday for a good session!
💦🥾 Walk Through Water Hike 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Gather, water-walking wonders and anti-monarchs! 💧✨
This time we’re trading sandy drama for liquid realness with the fabulous Walk Through Water Hike at Fort de Roovere - because nothing says queer confidence like literally strutting through water without ruining your eyeliner.
Inspired by the iconic sunken pathway of the Mozesbrug (yes babes, we are parting waters now), this 18 km adventure serves forests, historic fortifications, dreamy polder views, and enough reflective surfaces to contemplate your life choices.
Come prepared to walk on water, spill tea responsibly, and prove once again that queer joy flows in every direction. 🌈🚶♀️💦
**Practical info**
📏 **Distance:** \ 18km (5h)
📍 **Start & end:** Station Bergen op Zoom (circular-ish route)
🥾 **Difficulty:** moderate to hard - quite a long distance!
*🤝🏼 Meeting point*: **Utrecht Centraal** (underneath the light cloud)
*🕙 Gathering time*: **10:15**
*🚆 Travel schedule*: Train to **Den Bosch** (direction Maastricht) at **10:39** (platform 18) ➡️ arrival at **Den Bosch** station at **11:06** ➡️Train to **Bergen op Zoom** (direction Vlissingen) at **11:11** ➡️ arrival in Bergen op Zoom at **12:15**
❗You can also travel on your own from another direction and meet us along the way or in Den Bosch or Bergen op Zoom.
🚗 If you come by car, you can park around Bergen op Zoom station.
🚶🏾After a round of introductions, we start walking around **12:20**
🏁 We expect to arrive back in Bergen op Zoom around 17:00, from where we will take the train back. We might head for dinner or drinks first if there’s interest.
Pack your:
🥾 sturdy shoes
🍱 lunch box & snacks
🚰 water
🧥 rain coat/umbrella
☀️ sun screen
🏳️🌈 anything else you might need
❌ If you signed up and cannot make it in the end, please cancel your RSVP attendance so we know how many people will show up and someone else can take your place instead.
💗 A voluntary donation helps us to keep the Meetup group up and running :) you can either pay via a Tikkie or in cash after we finish the hike.
*Hiking Queers Netherlands*
Trends and Forecasting Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Brunch Social Utrecht: Make New Friends
⚠️ **IMPORTANT: You must sign up and buy a ticket here to attend:**
[https://groupvibe.com/](https://groupvibe.com/)
**Join the Utrecht** **Brunch Club and make new friends!**
Each meetup brings together 4–6 people for casual conversations over Brunch. We use the Groupvibe platform to facilitate the meetup and ensure everyone’s a good fit.
**To attend, you’ll need to complete registration via this link:**
[https://groupvibe.com/](https://groupvibe.com/)
We’ll share the exact location of the upcoming meetup the night before only if you have bought a ticket or membership plan.
**Why this works:**
\* Smaller groups make real conversations easier.
\* Discover new restaurants in your city, together.
\* Curated Brunch venues with good food and vibe.
\* If you hit it off with your group, there’s plenty of time to hang out afterwards.
**Note:**
RSVPs on Meetup don’t reflect total attendance. Many attendees register directly via our website. The event on [Meetup.com](http://meetup.com/) is only a placeholder.
This meetup is organized by Groupvibe, a small team passionate about helping people form meaningful friendships offline.
Real Estate #3: Kasteel Broekhuizen — A Country Estate of Ruins & Hidden Stories
**Sunday, March 15th – 13:00**
**Meeting point:** Bus stop *Donderberg*, Leersum
For the third edition of **Real Estate**, our series dedicated to exploring some of the most fascinating villas, estates and historic residences in the Netherlands, we head to the green heart of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug to discover **Kasteel Broekhuizen**.
Hidden among forests and rolling landscapes near Leersum, Broekhuizen is a country estate with **medieval roots and a turbulent history**. Over the centuries, it has known periods of prosperity, destruction and reconstruction — and today it stands as a quiet witness to how history, landscape and architecture continuously reshape each other.
During our walk, we’ll explore the **estate and its surrounding park**, uncovering stories about:
* the rise and fall of the estate
* its phases of destruction and rebuilding
* hidden corners and forgotten traces in the landscape
* and the role of the **Van Nellesteyn family** in shaping its history
This is not just a visit to a beautiful country house, but a journey through **layers of time**, where nature and history are deeply intertwined.
### Practical information
* **Walk length:** approx. 3.4 km
* The route goes through parkland and forest paths, so comfortable shoes are recommended.
### After the walk
We’ll finish at **Bistro LOF**, the café/restaurant located within the castle estate itself, where we can enjoy a drink together — and for those who wish, also stay for something to eat — in a setting that perfectly complements the atmosphere of the place.
A hidden estate.
A story of loss and renewal.
A walk through history in the landscape.
🌸 Online Women’s Circle | Meditation & Journaling – Relax the Belly
🌸 **Free online gathering**
**Next circle: March 15**
After this, we will continue meeting on the **first Sunday of each month**.
A space to begin the month by returning to yourself.
This women’s circle is an invitation to give yourself one hour to pause, slow down, and reconnect with your body, your inner voice, and other women. A simple and caring commitment: beginning the month with meditation and journaling in community.
You can think of it as a small personal ritual, creating the habit of listening to yourself, writing, and setting intentions for the month ahead.
We meet online on Sunday afternoons to gently transition into a new week and a new month, creating a moment of presence, reflection, and intention.
During this 1-hour session we will explore:
✨ a guided meditation to arrive in the body
✨ a journaling practice to connect with what is alive in you
✨ a space for sharing, where you are welcome to speak or simply listen
No previous experience is needed. You are welcome just as you are.
Please have a notebook and a pen nearby, and join from a quiet space where you won’t be interrupted during the session.
You are welcome to join once, or come back each month. The choice is yours.
The first circles are offered for free in order to create community and open this space to more women.
Participants who register for the event will receive the **Google Meet link** before the circle begins.
It will be lovely to welcome you into this space 🌿
Offline Hangout
**Zin om even helemaal offline te gaan voor een avond?**
Doe mee met onze offline hangout. Of je nu alleen komt of samen, je maakt gegarandeerd nieuwe connecties!
**Wat kan je verwachten:**
🎨 Speel (bord)spelletjes, knutsel of relax met een goed boek
📚 Een nostalgische avond in een gezellig café
🎈 Ontmoet nieuwe mensen op de ouderwetse manier
📰 Schrijf met onze vintage typemachines
Gratis entree!
**Waar?**
LE:EN (Heuveloord 140, Utrecht)
**Wanneer?**
Zondag, 15 maart (vanaf 18:00)
*PS: vóór onze Offline Hangout is er live muziek, dus voel je vrij om al wat eerder te komen!*
☕️ Chat & Craft 🧶
Join in for a morning of crafting & chatting over a drink. Just bring your own project and payment for drinks.
Meet fellow crafting enthusiasts, whether it's knitting, crocheting, stitching, origami, or something more unique!
We talk about our projects, exchange tipps, but also just get to know each other and enjoy a relaxed Sunday morning in good company.
All ages, levels and crafts welcome! And don't be shy, we have newcomers most weeks!
**We have limited space at the café, so if you've RSVPd and can't make it, please cancel as early as possible so another person can join!**
We now also have a WhatsApp group, where we want to organise get-togethers and other events. Ask one of the organisers at the next Meetup you join for more information and access.
Weekly Anime Night - Winter Session #5
**☃️ Weekly Anime Night - Winter Season ☃️**
Your friendly neighbourhood anime club is there to get you through those cold days. We are continuing with **Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 2**!
📅 **Event Series Details**
**Dates: March 15th**
**Time: 19:00–21:00**
**Location:** Buurtcentrum De Speler, Thorbeckelaan 18, 3551 BR, Utrecht
🎬 **What’s the Plan This Week?**
1. Before we start watching, enjoy chats with other joiners, meet new people and get comfortable to start the show!
2. **Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 2 - episode 7**
3. Break – Grab a drink, chat, and stretch those legs.
4. **Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 2 - episode 8**
5. Closing & Hangout – Let’s talk reactions, highlights, opinions, hot takes, and everything in between!
**🎒 What Should You Bring?**
Your favorite snacks and drinks (not provided)
Your love for anime
Friends, or just your awesome self – all are welcome!
🎟️ **Free & Open to All!**
This is a non-commercial, community-driven event created by fans, for fans. Whether you’re new to anime or a seasoned otaku, there’s a seat on the couch for you.
🎌 **About Utrecht Anime Club**
U.A.C. is an ever-growing group of collaborative and diverse people. Our goal is to bring people together from all across Utrecht (and beyond!), to create cozy and inclusive events in which we share our love of anime.
🔍 **Questions?**
Drop them in the event chat – we’re happy to help!
Come for the anime, stay for the laughs, finale vibes, and great people.
See you there! ✨🎥🍿
Trends and Forecasting Events Near You
Connect with your local Trends and Forecasting community
NFT AI ART Columbus
NFT's are here to stay folks!
This is a group for like minded people interested in understanding, leveraging, using, creating for, profiting from, trading too i suppose, NFT's.. everything around them, complexity, fear and exploits, best practices and more.
**PLUS**
This group will talk AI ART tools, techniques, artists, video, audio, prototypes and more in the AI assisted production space- ART specifically, but we can get into any aspect of some of the cooler things happening in AI in general.
Stop Negative thinking and Over-thinking and Feel More Positive
How do we recover from having had a toxic or narcissistic ex?
How do we move on from the past, especially something as traumatic as a divorce or breakup?
How do we avoid anxiety and depression?
How do we have more self esteem?
In this meeting, you will learn the mental health secrets to help you
quickly get over the past and heal your mind.
Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there.
This group is created by the Dianetics & Scientology life improvement center.
From Chaos to Clarity to Control - A Workshop For Business Leaders
Is your business taking more of your time than you would like?
[Rob Young](https://www.linkedin.com/in/cinci-robyoung/) principal at [Stage 3 Group](https://www.linkedin.com/company/stage-3-group/), hosts this workshop series and is the author of Stage 3 Success.
* Provides a framework and a playbook for leaders of emerging businesses
* Reviews business management tools and techniques for scaling and maturing a business
* How to recognize and leverage stories hidden in financial statements
* How to implement financial and operational controls and use leading indicators to spot trouble before it occurs
* How to manage your time for maximum effect
* How to deal with nonperforming employees
* How to create standard operating procedures throughout your organization
Four sessions will include two hours of content and an optional 90-minute hands-on lab.
Reserve your spot via this link:
https://clintonvilleba.com/calendar/#!event/2026/3/20/chaos-to-clarity-to-control ($200 for non-CABA members.)
🔥 Lincoln Street Salsa 🔥 Salsa, Bachata, and Merengue Dancing!🔥
**💥 Join us THIS Saturday and EVERY Saturday!**
**💥 At Columbus’ Hottest New Salsa Venue!**
**.**
Lincoln Street Salsa
THIS Saturday and EVERY Saturday!
8 pm – 1 am
**.**
**💥 Gorgeously Renovated Studio!**
**💥 Free Parking!**
**💥 BYOB!**
**💥 Easy Access from Highway!**
**.**
Lincoln Street Salsa
1717 Brice Rd
Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43215
**.**
**ENTRANCE IS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING**
**Behind Anthony’s Pharmacy!**
**.**
**PLEASE SHARE and help get the word out!**
**.**
**🟣 Salsa, Bachata, and Merengue Dancing!**
**.**
**🟣** 8:00 pm – 8:30 pm
**𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻**
**.**
**🟣** 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm
**𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 Class!**
**.**
**🟣** 9:30 pm – 1 am
**𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆!**
**.**
**✅ Questions?**
**Visit [LincolnStreetSalsa.com](https://columbussalsadancing.com/)**
Or Text Todd: 614-774-8146
**.**
**✅ No Experience Necessary!**
**✅ No Partner Required!**
**✅ Plenty of People to Dance With!**
**.**
**✅ $15 Cash / $16 Card**
**✅ College Students $5 Off with Valid ID!**
**✅ BYOB**
**✅ Age 18+**
**.**
**✅ Lincoln Street Salsa is the perfect place for…**
**.**
**👉 Learning to Dance**
**👉** Social Dancing
**👉 Birthday Celebration**
**👉** Bachelorette Parties
**👉 Girl’s Night Out**
**👉 Date Night**
**👉** Getting Fit / Burning Calories
**👉 Meeting New People**
**👉** Having Fun, Fun, Fun!
**.**
✅ **Questions?**
Visit [LincolnStreetSalsa.com](https://columbussalsadancing.com/ "https://columbussalsadancing.com/")
Or Text Todd: 614-774-8146
.
Using Philosophy to Cope with Current Events
So this month's prompt is more general. I think we can all agree that we are living in "unique" times that require coping skills. I think that one role and/or purpose of philosophy is to help us deal with our daily lives and our "unique" times. So, let's share our feelings and thoughts about which philosopher/philosophy we turn to in order to deal with our crazy events. Who/what helps you stay focused in your daily life and helps you sleep at night. I find that Stoicism with a little philosophical pessimism mixed in goes a long way in helping me deal with what I see as very destructive, fearful and mean spirited public policies at both the state and federal levels. Hope to see you on March 28th!
Free In-Person Meeting: Healing from Trauma and Past Betrayals
This is a free, in person meeting.
Burdened by a stressful relationship? Unhealthy relationships can trigger feelings of anger, despair or self-doubt. They can create dwindling spirals of fights and seeking to make-up, or trying to “pin the blame” on someone or something. If you don’t find the RIGHT reasons, or select the correct sources of the problem, the problem can just get worse and worse.
Whether in love or personal ties, with friends or at work, our life really IS affected by the quality of our relationships. Good ones can promote pleasure and survival while less optimum ones can lead to annoyance, anger, self-doubt, stress, or even affect our health and ability to survive well.
Whether you are suffering from a divorce, or a painful break-up, don’t know who to trust (or who to CHOOSE) as a partner, friend, boss or employee - the anxiety of relationship troubles can really make a mess of things. Maybe you’ve suffered a betrayal, or are dealing with hostility or criticalness or invalidation. Dwindling relationships can involve destructive behavior, where we hurt those we love, or start succumbing to self-destructive thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that spiral out of control and affect much more than our immediate relationship.
Past losses in love or life can affect how we act or react to new people and situations and hold us back from even starting to create new, possibly great relationships! How can one get back onto a saner course of action?
Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life: human relationships!
Break free from self imposed limitations
Here we will discuss:
• How to “erase” the trauma of past hurts and betrayals so that one isn’t always repeating past mistakes.
• Why and how do the negative emotions of others affect you?
• Why is my partner withdrawing and what can I do about it?
• Why do we sometimes feel compelled to hurt the ones we love?
• Fights & arguments - what's really behind them?
• What underlies “corrosive criticism” or the need to invalidate self or others?
• How one can stably change one’s outlook on life so they can affect positive change?
• Where do compulsive destructive behaviors come from and what can be done about them?
• How to form closer bonds & keep growing the relationships with the people you care about?
• How to enhance one’s own ability to survive and create positive healthy relationships whether in love, family & friendships or in work, business or one’s career?
Relationships can be hard and life itself IS challenging. Why not arm yourself with the knowledge and breakthroughs that have been made about the mind, mental reactions & interpersonal relationships, so that one has better awareness and control over themselves and life in general.
Learn where painful experiences are “stored” and how they can unknowingly affect us. You will also find out how one can “erase” those past painful experiences so that one is free to move forward without being tripped up by the past. Learn too, about what can lead some people to become “toxic” personalities and how to identify those traits in others so you won’t be tripped up trusting the wrong person.
Our free Meet-ups occur in a safe environment where one can learn, without fear of judgment or criticism, and without the recommendation of harmful mental techniques or therapies, just how YOU can get yourself onto a happier & more successful path: in love & in life.
We look forward to having you join us!
This class is sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.
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




















