Topher DeRosia
Topher is a husband and father from Grand Rapids MI. He’s been a web developer since 1995 and a WordPress Developer since 2010. He currently works for BigCommerce as a WordPress Developer Evangelist.
Ross Johnson
Ross is the founder of the design agency 3.7 DESIGNS and premium plugin company Snap Orbital. An eighteen year veteran of the field and part time faculty of Michigan State University, he provides a holistic view of business, design and development.
Alex Sirota – PMP
Alex is a pioneer in orchestrating cloud-based systems to meet the needs of small and medium sized business (SMBs). His company, NewPath Consulting, provides business-relevant technology advice and education to prepare SMBs for optimizing business activities through the cloud. He runs the Let’s Fix Your Site meetup in Toronto, and contributes to the WordPress Governance project.
Christie Chirinos
Christie Chirinos is currently the Product Manager for Liquid Web’s Managed WooCommerce Hosting. Before Liquid Web, she was a Partner at Caldera WP, makers of the popular Caldera Forms plugin for WordPress, where she led all business development and marketing. Christie holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Florida State University, and is currently based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Bill Rice
Bill Rice is the Founder/CEO of Kaleidico, a digital agency focused on lead generation. Bill regularly writes and speaks about designing lead generation systems and platforms that deliver consistent sales growth.
Kaleidico’s specialty practice areas include Banking (Lending & Wealth Management), Legal (Personal Injury & Mergers and Acquisitions), Emerging Technology, and Senior Living.
Laura Eagin
Laura Eagin is a web designer and developer, teacher, a lifelong entrepreneur, and a vocal supporter of the do-it-yourself approach.
After working remotely for eight years as a freelance WordPress web developer, in 2014 Laura joined forces with a partner and founded the boutique web design studio ellell & co. The duo was best known for designing beautiful custom websites, and teaching tech skills workshops at Grand Circus, AIGA Detroit, TechTown and the SheHive.
Today Laura is the founder of a collective called Anita Expert. She leads a diverse team of web and marketing experts with one singular mission: giving you real answers to website & marketing questions.
Ian Gray
InsideOut Design and Development is a website development firm that has the expertise to build usable and maintainable websites for clients that work as great as they look. Our development staff consists of members specially trained in a variety of the current programming languages used in web development today. Coming from multiple backgrounds, our development team can help plan your site as well, reducing the amount of time needed in developing your application. We ensure a unified user experience across browsers, platforms and devices.
Eric Malcolm
I develop object-oriented clean front-end code and lead accessibility efforts on agile development teams.
As a front-end developer I help architect solutions while creating usable, human-friendly and accessible websites, interfaces, and apps.
I also help to lead the Metro Detroit WordPress Meetup group and am the Lead Organizer for WordCamp Detroit (2018 & 2019).
Cate DeRosia
A writer, editor, and nearly retired home school teacher, I have worked alongside my website developer husband for over 20 years. I currently focus on communication and business operations for others in the industry.
Jeff Large
Jeff is a podcast producer and strategist. He leads his team at Come Alive Creative in producing podcasts for businesses and brands. Favorite things include family, board games, and learning something new every day.
Curtis Hays
I am a digital consultant with experience building web-based companies, campaigns and online platforms that take clients to the next level. In 2014 I launched Curtis Hays Consulting to put my experience in business and technology to work for companies who look to grow their reach and presence through effective web design, SEO and digital marketing specializing in WordPress websites.
In 2018 I founded collideascope LLC, a digital marketing agency that helps organizations get found online, Period.
I have worked with small businesses and Fortune 500 companies to develop strategies that help them target new audiences and achieve global reach. In addition to my own consulting firm, I am founder of Quotegine, a platform that allows you to create custom online proposals. Prior to starting my own firm, I was Vice President of Core3 Solutions where I helped to grow the business through the provision of high-quality technology solutions for small businesses. In that role, I also oversaw a digital web division, IT Managed Services, company human resources, finance, and business development. Before Core3 Solutions, I was with Philips Medical Systems.
https://curtishaysconsulting.com https://collideascope.co
Emerson Jeffries
Emerson Jeffries is a 15-year old business consultant with over three years of experience in business and entrepreneurship. His firm “Emerson DSign” has helped over 75 Metro Detroit business owners create better lives for themselves, transforming their ordinary business ideas into successful ventures!
On his free time, Emerson enjoys performing with the internationally acclaimed Mosaic Youth Theatre, spending time with his family (amongst his five busy siblings) and watching a host of YouTube videos about tech products and graphic design (just like any other kid would, right?)
Seth Alling
Seth Alling is a Detroit-based developer turned designer turned developer, who has been working with WordPress since 2009 and currently works as a Senior Publisher Engineer for Mediavine. When he’s not developing (or designing), you can find him playing soccer, running or spending time with his wife and kids.
Jeries Eadeh
I am the son of a shopkeeper! As I mentioned earlier. In my twenties, I took ownership of a family business. I turned around our failing business into a success in two years. I’ve used those lessons managing a neighborhood shop to advance as a highly-motivated executive and consultant with special expertise in eCommerce, Cloud Computing, and Data Center Infrastructure Management.
I provide full cycle business development expertise to B2C and B2B retail and technology companies. I help executives realize their goals as a trusted resource that can assist with all Cloud Computing and Infrastructure Management aspects of the business. Including performance, security, sales, software development and code deployment-related requirements.
My expertise includes both channel and direct sales, sales training, sales team development, and management with a special emphasis on identifying existing assets (technology, case studies, account base, etc.) and creating the messaging that drives new customer and partner participation.
I presented at roadshows and conferences including… WordCamp Ann Arbor, WordCamp Detroit (2011) – wow that seems like a long time ago now 🙂 WordPress MeetUp Ann Arbor, ExpressionEngine Conference Portland PeersConf Philadelphia, Meet Magento (India, Indonesia,Netherlands, USA, Vietnam Magento Live (UK, AU), Imagine in Las Vegas
I’ve also had guest appearances and contributed to several nationally syndicated podcasts where I focus on eCommerce and technology-related segments.
Andrea Zoellner
Andrea is the Chief Content Creator at SiteGround and the lead organizer for WordCamp Montreal. She trained as a broadcast journalist and worked in corporate communications before trading it for a career in tech. Now she spends her days developing brand messaging, copy editing and blogging. When she’s not at home in Montreal, she’s sampling the digital nomad life and documenting her adventures on her travel blog.
Amit Rathi
A developer, traveler, and entrepreneur in the pursuit of a digital nomad lifestyle. Co-founded The MobiDev, LLC – a technology solution provider specializing in mobile-first application.
Hobbies include reading articles on Medium, attending Meetups, and sharing great memes.
Eva PenzeyMoog
Eva PenzeyMoog is a Lead Designer at 8th Light. She works to ensure that digital products cannot be be used as tools of abuse, with the goal of reducing harm in the world through centering the safety of victims of domestic violence. When not designing, coding, or mentoring people new to tech, she spends her time creating botanical cyanotype prints, consuming any zombie-related media she can get her hands on, and playing with her two dogs, Hamlet and Horatio.
Samer Bazzi
I am a workaholic (Yes, I know, it sounds bad but I love what I do). I have been a consultant for many hours and am a top 10 marketing consultant on Upwork. I know, boring, boring, boring. But anyhow, I started to build cool / neat little plugin to solve client problems. I finally decided that it was time to start something where we would build plugins for the masses and this is when CRM Perks was born. My story has been a very rocky one, diagnosed with a very rare form of kidney diseases which was apparently being triggered by a very rare benign tumor which I eventually had removed and resolved my kidney issue (not after a ton of damage – luckily, I am fine now), having a divorce at the same time. I decided to take life on, lost 120 lbs, went vegan / gluten free and focused on building CRM Perks. I am excited to share my journey on the pitfalls you should avoid while building a WordPress plugin business.
Steve Grunwell
Steve Grunwell is a Senior Software Engineer at Liquid Web, working primarily on the Managed WordPress and WooCommerce platforms. Specializing in WordPress and web application development, he has a passion for teaching and contributing back to the development community through speaking, blogging, and open-source work.
When he’s not writing tests or finding new ways to automate the world around him, Steve is off spending time with his family, enjoying a fine cup of coffee, playing guitar, or otherwise getting away from the keyboard.
Christa Stephens
I have been immersed in science and how the body functions since I was 9 years old. Well-being and wholistic health became a bit more serious when I attended college at Wayne State University to become a pretty awesome rock scientist and began to experience consistent health issues. I discovered so much about the benefits of Geology and Environmental Science that I had to share it with the world. I initially began my career as an Environmental, Health & Safety Scientist – but, the universe twisted my path in a different direction. I attended Grand Circus’ Java Boot Camp in 2018 to become a Software Developer and discovered that I can intertwine mindfulness with object-oriented programming.
Anthony Montalbano
Anthony is the Managing Director and co-founder of AMBR Detroit. AMBR has built custom WordPress sites for clients such as StockX, Rocket Fiber, Emagine Entertainment, and more. He’s helped mentor startups and loves watching the Detroit tech community grow. Anthony enjoys good whiskey and cold showers.