Speakers
Christopher Ross
Christopher Ross is a veteran Web Developer who’s developed with WordPress for the past five years. He’s contributed over 25 plugins to the WordPress community, works to optimize themes and develops WordPress websites for startups, national firms and trains small business owners on the power of blogging.
David Wilemski
@davidwilemski
DavidWilemski.com
David studies computer science at the University of Michigan and has developed a number of mobile and web applications. His current project is DrawWith.Me with co-founder Alex Haefner. David is the developer of Ann Arbor-based Duo Security’s WordPress plugin. The plugin secures WordPress sites with two-factor authentication using your mobile phone. David uses WordPress for his personal blog and maintains WordPress websites for others.
Douglas Hanna
@douglashanna
ASmallOrange.com
Douglas Hanna is the CEO of A Small Orange, a web hosting company based in Durham, NC. He used to run customer service at HostGator, a world leading web hosting provider based in Houston. Douglas blogs about customer service and the customer service experience at Service Untitled. Douglas has also worked with Automattic and ran the WordPress Showcase for its first two years. You can read more about him at douglashanna.com.
Garth Koyle
@eventespresso
EventEspresso.com
Garth C. Koyle, is the co-owner of Event Espresso, an event registration and management plugin for WordPress. Although Garth has dabbled in programming and design, his true talent lies in business management. He has been involved with internet marketing for almost a decade, from SEO consulting to his current entrepreneurial adventure of the WordPress plugin, Event Espresso. He and Event Espresso’s founder, Seth Shoultes, competed in the 2011 Utah Entrepreneur Challenge and took home the grand prize of $40,000 for their business plan that used innovative business forecasting techniques. Garth has spoken at WordCamp Chicago and Salt Lake City.
Heather Acton
Heather Acton is a freelance web developer in Chicago, IL (ActonWeb) specializing in custom WordPress functionality. She is passionate about building the WordPress community in the midwest, and so organizes WordCamp Chicago, recently founded the WordCamp Chicago monthly meetup, and is on the organizing committee for WordCamp Milwaukee. She recently co-founded her first startup, Lake County Branding (site coming soon!), set to launch in 2012. When Heather’s not building websites or teaching or learning something about WordPress, she’s chasing around her 4 and 2 year olds, going to a Guster concert, or just eating avocados.
Jim Raffel
@raffel
JimRaffel.com/shehechat
Jim Raffel is a business owner, speaker, blogger and gadget lover. Through his WordPress-powered blog, JimRaffel.com, he shares thoughts about life as a small business owner utilizing social media to grow his network. After developing a comprehensive social media strategy for his company ColorMetrix, he realized he needed help with implementation and hired Shelby Sapusek, who he met on Twitter. After editing one of Jim’s blog posts, Shelby was inspired to offer an alternative opinion and their “She Said, He Said” blog post series was born. They share their social media enthusiasm through speaking engagements and a weekly Twitter chat.
Matt Lincoln Russell
Matt is a software developer for Vanilla Forums where he is part of a team rethinking how online discussions should work. He co-owns Icrontic.com and NewBuddhist.com, each home to vibrant online communities for 11 and 7 years, respectively. He’s used WordPress since 2008 and has built custom forum integrations with it on his sites. He currently organizes the Meetup group PHPDetroit for the metro area and has been developing with PHP since 2004.
Nile Flores
Nile Flores is a sassy Southern Illinois mom that is not only a professional blogger, but also a WordPress Web Designer and Developer. She has been in the WordPress community since its b2 days and loves to help others rock out their websites. Nile has spoken at several WordCamps and what she speaks about is also what she talks about on both her sites, Blondish.net and WPAddict.net. When she is not knee deep in code, she does karate twice a week, does handmade jewelry, and travels.
Sam Cohen
Sam manages a small development company called samcohencreative.com based out of Kansas City, MO. He is an accomplished WordPress enthusiast, practitioner, and developer who is currently ranked “Master” in WordPress on the reputable Experts – Exchange.com. Sam’s specialties include designing, programming, engineering, and consulting. From WordPress WordCamps, local groups, to live webinars, Sam routinely shares his knowledge through various speaking engagements. He can often be found educating others on how to effectively harness the less obvious capabilities offered through WordPress.
Shelby Sapusek
@ShelMKE
JimRaffel.com/shehechat
Shelby Sapusek is the project manager for Jim Raffel’s company ColorMetrix. Her passion revolves around the way information is shared and the technology behind it. Shelby spent 17 years in the print media industry as a reporter, blogger and designer. She describes herself as a social media hound who is a shameless promoter of all things great. After working side by side, Shelby and Jim started a venture called “She Said, He Said” through blog posts, speaking engagements and in a weekly Twitter where they debate blogging and social media topics.
Wally Metts
Wally Metts is director of graduate studies in communication at Spring Arbor University and has a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies from Michigan State. He has been blogging for nine years, teaching writing for over 30 and has worked professionally as a reporter and editor for both newspapers and magazines. He has four twitter accounts, three blogs, two passions and a 50cc scooter.
Christopher Ross
Christopher Ross is a veteran Web Developer who’s developed with WordPress for the past five years. He’s contributed over 25 plugins to the WordPress community, works to optimize themes and develops WordPress websites for startups, national firms and trains small business owners on the power of blogging.
David Wilemski
@davidwilemski
DavidWilemski.com
David studies computer science at the University of Michigan and has developed a number of mobile and web applications. His current project is DrawWith.Me with co-founder Alex Haefner. David is the developer of Ann Arbor-based Duo Security’s WordPress plugin. The plugin secures WordPress sites with two-factor authentication using your mobile phone. David uses WordPress for his personal blog and maintains WordPress websites for others.
Douglas Hanna
@douglashanna
ASmallOrange.com
Douglas Hanna is the CEO of A Small Orange, a web hosting company based in Durham, NC. He used to run customer service at HostGator, a world leading web hosting provider based in Houston. Douglas blogs about customer service and the customer service experience at Service Untitled. Douglas has also worked with Automattic and ran the WordPress Showcase for its first two years. You can read more about him at douglashanna.com.
Garth Koyle
@eventespresso
EventEspresso.com
Garth C. Koyle, is the co-owner of Event Espresso, an event registration and management plugin for WordPress. Although Garth has dabbled in programming and design, his true talent lies in business management. He has been involved with internet marketing for almost a decade, from SEO consulting to his current entrepreneurial adventure of the WordPress plugin, Event Espresso. He and Event Espresso’s founder, Seth Shoultes, competed in the 2011 Utah Entrepreneur Challenge and took home the grand prize of $40,000 for their business plan that used innovative business forecasting techniques. Garth has spoken at WordCamp Chicago and Salt Lake City.
Heather Acton
Heather Acton is a freelance web developer in Chicago, IL (ActonWeb) specializing in custom WordPress functionality. She is passionate about building the WordPress community in the midwest, and so organizes WordCamp Chicago, recently founded the WordCamp Chicago monthly meetup, and is on the organizing committee for WordCamp Milwaukee. She recently co-founded her first startup, Lake County Branding (site coming soon!), set to launch in 2012. When Heather’s not building websites or teaching or learning something about WordPress, she’s chasing around her 4 and 2 year olds, going to a Guster concert, or just eating avocados.
Jim Raffel
@raffel
JimRaffel.com/shehechat
Jim Raffel is a business owner, speaker, blogger and gadget lover. Through his WordPress-powered blog, JimRaffel.com, he shares thoughts about life as a small business owner utilizing social media to grow his network. After developing a comprehensive social media strategy for his company ColorMetrix, he realized he needed help with implementation and hired Shelby Sapusek, who he met on Twitter. After editing one of Jim’s blog posts, Shelby was inspired to offer an alternative opinion and their “She Said, He Said” blog post series was born. They share their social media enthusiasm through speaking engagements and a weekly Twitter chat.
Matt Lincoln Russell
Matt is a software developer for Vanilla Forums where he is part of a team rethinking how online discussions should work. He co-owns Icrontic.com and NewBuddhist.com, each home to vibrant online communities for 11 and 7 years, respectively. He’s used WordPress since 2008 and has built custom forum integrations with it on his sites. He currently organizes the Meetup group PHPDetroit for the metro area and has been developing with PHP since 2004.
Nile Flores
Nile Flores is a sassy Southern Illinois mom that is not only a professional blogger, but also a WordPress Web Designer and Developer. She has been in the WordPress community since its b2 days and loves to help others rock out their websites. Nile has spoken at several WordCamps and what she speaks about is also what she talks about on both her sites, Blondish.net and WPAddict.net. When she is not knee deep in code, she does karate twice a week, does handmade jewelry, and travels.
Sam Cohen
Sam manages a small development company called samcohencreative.com based out of Kansas City, MO. He is an accomplished WordPress enthusiast, practitioner, and developer who is currently ranked “Master” in WordPress on the reputable Experts – Exchange.com. Sam’s specialties include designing, programming, engineering, and consulting. From WordPress WordCamps, local groups, to live webinars, Sam routinely shares his knowledge through various speaking engagements. He can often be found educating others on how to effectively harness the less obvious capabilities offered through WordPress.
Shelby Sapusek
@ShelMKE
JimRaffel.com/shehechat
Shelby Sapusek is the project manager for Jim Raffel’s company ColorMetrix. Her passion revolves around the way information is shared and the technology behind it. Shelby spent 17 years in the print media industry as a reporter, blogger and designer. She describes herself as a social media hound who is a shameless promoter of all things great. After working side by side, Shelby and Jim started a venture called “She Said, He Said” through blog posts, speaking engagements and in a weekly Twitter where they debate blogging and social media topics.
Wally Metts
Wally Metts is director of graduate studies in communication at Spring Arbor University and has a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies from Michigan State. He has been blogging for nine years, teaching writing for over 30 and has worked professionally as a reporter and editor for both newspapers and magazines. He has four twitter accounts, three blogs, two passions and a 50cc scooter.