Conference Chair and Advisory Council

Greg Shields - TechMentor Conference Chair

Greg is an independent author, speaker, and IT consultant, as well as a Founding Partner with Concentrated Technology. With nearly 15 years in information technology, Greg has developed extensive experience in systems administration, engineering, and architecture specializing in Microsoft OS, remote application, and virtualization technologies. Greg is a Contributing Editor and columnist for TechNet Magazine, a former columnist for Redmond Magazine and Virtualization Review Magazine, and has authored or contributed to ten books and countless white papers and webcasts. His writing is regularly seen in publications like TechTarget online, e-books from Realtime Publishers, and the UK-based IT EXPERT Magazine. He has also produced numerous video training series for CBT Nuggets.

Advisory Council

Doug Barney

Doug Barney has been a technology journalist for nearly 20 years, serving as a writer, news editor and editor in chief. Barney is Vice President/Editorial Director of the 1105 Enterprise Computing Group. In the space of 25 months, Barney launched Redmond Magazine, Redmond Channel Partner, and Redmond Developer News. In late 2006, the Redmond Media Group acquired Fawcette Technical Publications, including Visual Studio Magazine. Barney was most recently Editor in Chief of Network Computing, a bi-weekly publication with over 220,000 subscribers.

Early in his career, Doug worked as Senior Editor, Microcomputing for Computerworld. While not breaking news about PC software makers such as Lotus and Microsoft, Doug managed the Microcomputing section of the newspaper. One career highlight was the debate that ran in print between Doug and Bill Gates over the future of PC operating systems. From there, Doug became editor in chief of AmigaWorld, a 100,000 circulation newsstand-driven publication. Doug snagged art and editorial contributions from such notable readers as Arthur C. Clarke and Todd Rundgren. Later, Doug joined InfoWorld and once again covered PC software. There, Doug was the recipient of the Computer Press Association Award for Breaking News.

More recently Doug served as Executive Editor of News for Network World newspaper where he ran both print and on-line news operations. His very first story for the publication revealed that hate groups were using the Internet to recruit new members and to tie disparate groups together. The story also exposed calls for censorship from certain human rights groups. The piece was followed up by NBC, AP, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, and was syndicated nationwide by NBC. Doug has also been a frequent guest on CNN, CNNfn, NECN, and NPR commenting about PC and networking technologies.

Lafe Low

Editor in Chief, TechNet Magazine

Lafe Low brings 20 years of experience as a writer and editor to the team of TechNet Magazine. Low served in various editorial positions with inCider, PC Games, InfoWorld and Redmond magazines. While working for CIO, he was the 2001 Neal Award winner for best single feature, and served with the 2001 and 2002 ASBPE Magazine of the Year award-winning editorial and design team.

Conference Speakers

J. Peter Bruzzese

J. Peter Bruzzese (Triple-MCSE/MCT/MCITP: Messaging) is Co-Founder of ClipTraining, provider of screencast video Learning Management Systems. In addition, Peter works for InfoWorld as their Enterprise Windows column blogger, has a monthly column with Realtime Publishers called 'Exclusively Exchange' (with a corresponding site www.exclusivelyexchange.com), and contributes regularly to Redmond Magazine and WindowsITPro. His latest book is Exchange 2007 How-To (Sams, January 2009) with other titles to his credit over the past 10 years that continue to sell worldwide. He welcomes email at [email protected] or visit his website for both free and subscription based training videos at www.cliptraining.com.

James Conrad

MCSE, Server+, A+, Certified Ethical Hacker is a sought-after consultant and trainer including those within the Fortune 500. James has been an official contributor to the MCP program and was a key contributor in determining MCSE exam objectives in the Microsoft Certification and Skills Assessment division. James has trained and consulted for Intel, UCLA, Raytheon, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, MCI Worldcom, Sprint, Exxon-Mobil, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, State Farm, US Department of Justice, Bureau of Land Management and many others. James also wrote the CompTIA Server+ college curriculum for Thomson Learning. James also served as the technical editor for Thomson Learning's Network+ college curriculum. James is currently the lead recruiter and instructor for CBT Nuggets, a leading Microsoft, Cisco, and Linux video training source.

Mike Danseglio

Mike Danseglio has worked in the IT field for more than 20 years. Starting at the bottom allowed Mike to build experience in all aspects of the computer industry. He is an award-winning author, public speaker, and instructor on a variety of technology topics including security, virtualization, computer hardware, and OS operation and deployment. His security work has included protecting militaries, government agencies, and private industry around the world. Mike holds numerous certifications and credentials but doesn't clutter up his bio that way. He is based in Redmond, Washington, a mere stone's throw from Microsoft's main campus.

David Davis

vExpert, VCP4, VCAP-DCA, CCIE#9369, Author of the Train Signal vSphere video training course
Train Signal

David Davis is the author of the best-selling VMware vSphere video training library from Train Signal. He has written hundreds of virtualization articles on the Web, is a vExpert, VCP, VCAP-DCA, and CCIE #9369 with more than 18 years of enterprise IT experience. His session was ranked at one of the top 5 sessions at VMworld US and Europe. You can read more content from him and learn more about him at his personal website- VMwareVideos.com.

Laura Hunter

Laura E. Hunter is a Principal Technology Architect for Microsoft IT's Identity & Access Management team, responsible for determining architecture and strategy for Microsoft deployments of Active Directory, ADFS, Identity Management, PKI and RMS. In previous lives, Laura has been an Identity Management consultant, the Active Directory architect for a global engineering firm, and other assorted IT pursuits. Laura has a Bachelor's and Master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Laura is the author of the Active Directory Cookbook, 2nd & 3rd Editions, from O’Reilly Publishing, is an unrepentant ADFS technology zealot, and likes to talk about herself in the third person when providing auto-biographical information. She blogs at http://www.shutuplaura.com, and Twitters (tweets? She’s not cool enough to know the verb form of Twitter) @adfskitteh.

Don Jones

Don Jones has more than a decade of professional experience in the IT industry. He's the author of more than 30 IT books, including Windows PowerShell: TFM; VBScript, WMI, and ADSI Unleashed; Managing Windows with VBScript and WMI; and many more. He's a top-rated and in-demand speaker at conferences such as Microsoft TechEd and TechMentor, and writes the monthly Windows PowerShell column for Microsoft TechNet Magazine. Don is a multiple-year recipient of Microsoft's Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Award with a specialization in Windows PowerShell. Don's broad IT experience includes work in the financial, telecommunications, software, manufacturing, consulting, training, and retail industries and he's one of the rare IT professionals who can not only "cross the line" between administration and software development, but also between IT workers and IT management.

Todd Lammle

Todd Lammle, CCSI, CCNA/CCNA Wireless/CCNP/CCSP/CCVP, MCSE, CEH/CHFI, FCC RF Licensed, is the authority on Cisco certification and internetworking. He is a world renowned author, speaker, trainer and consultant. Todd has over 29 years of experience working with LAN’s, WAN’s and large licensed and unlicensed Wireless networks, and has published over 50 books, including the very popular Sybex Cisco CCNA Study Guide & Sybex CCNA Wireless Study guide. He runs an international training and consulting company based in Colorado, San Francisco, and Texas. You can reach Todd through his forum and blog at www.lammle.com.

Ed Liberman

Instructor, Train Signal 

Ed Liberman (MCP, MCSA, MCSE, MCDST, MCT, MCTS, MCITP, A+, Network+, Server+) has worked in technology for 18 years and has been certified and instructing IT since 1998. He's helped thousands of people get started or advance their careers in the IT industry. When not in the classroom, he is out helping corporations with their network infrastructure as an independent consultant. Ed’s teaching style encourages you to have fun while you learn. Ed also volunteers his time in his local community as a math tutor for struggling grade school children.

Bruce Mackenzie-Low

Bruce Mackenzie-Low, MCSE, is a master consultant at HP providing 3rd level worldwide support on Microsoft Windows based products specializing in Clusters and Crash Dump Analysis. With over 25 years of computing experience at Digital, Compaq and HP, Bruce is a well known resource for troubleshooting highly complex problems involving clusters, storage, networking and internals. He has taught extensively throughout his career always leaving his audience energized with his enthusiasm for technology.

Mark Minasi

Mark Minasi is a best-selling author, popular technology columnist, commentator, keynote speaker, and IT consultant. Mark's written over a thousand computer columns and several dozen best-selling technical books, explaining operating system and networking planning, installation, maintenance and repair to crowds from two to two thousand. An independent voice hailed as "Favorite Technical Author" by CertCities four times out of four, Mark takes even the most technical topics, filters out the hype and explains them in plain English.

Mark is probably best known for his Mastering Windows Server and Complete PC Upgrade and Maintenance Guide books, both of which have seen more than 12 editions and sold over a million copies.

His humorous, provocative and yet informative style makes him a favorite of audiences around the world. Mark's firm, MR&D, is based in Virginia's Tidewater area.

John O'Neill Sr.

During his 20+ years in the IT industry, John has enjoyed the opportunity to work as a consultant, architect, executive, and author. He has been involved in multi-national networking, messaging, and communications projects as well as finding solutions for small mom and pop shops to use technology to increase business opportunity and decrease operational complexity.  John has authored material for Thomson-Reuters' Aspatore Books as well as written articles for Exec Blueprints in recent years. He's also enjoyed contributing to regional newspapers as a technology correspondent and to CompTIA certification programs as a Subject Matter Expert.  John is proud to be a multi-year finalist for the NEOSA CIO of the Year Award in 2009 and 2011.

Matthew B. Parks

MCT, MCITP, MCP, A+

Matthew is an IT Technician, Consultant, Blogger and Instructor. As an IT professional since 1995, he has many industry recognized certifications and an Associates in Electronic Engineering Technology. Matthew has supported varies software, OS and hardware for a multitude for clients, ranging from individual customers to small businesses to enterprises, with a recent concentration on Windows Vista/Windows 7. He has taught the gambit of IT certification subject matter including, Introduction to Computers, Microsoft Office 2003/2007/2010, Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Exchange Server 2007, Windows Vista, Windows 7, CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, Planet3 CWTS® Certified Wireless Technology Specialist and Certified Wireless Network Professional. Matthew can also be found blogging about tech on his blog, Straight up Geeksta. Whether Hardware, Software, Networking, Audio/Visual, Home Theatre or Telephony, he is both dedicated and evangelistic about his craft in addition to being enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge. In fact, a signature of Matthew’s presentations is his ability to simplify or “Caveman” some of the more complex subjects in IT using simile to the familiar, the everyday and the applicable. Matthew currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida.

Bruce Rougeau

MCSE, MCT, MCP+Internet, CCMA

Bruce Rougeau, MCSE, MCP+I, MCT, Citrix Certified MetaFrame Administrator, has been working in data processing for over 25 years. Bruce began his career as a developer and has focused his past 13 years in computing infrastructure ranging from mainframes to terminal servers. Currently, Bruce leads a team of engineers that support a manufacturing facility. Bruce has spoken at TechMentor since 2000 focusing on terminal services and the administration skills. Teaching is the best job Bruce has ever had and he brings a lot of knowledge, experience, and excitement to each session.

Mark Russinovich

Technical Fellow, Windows Azure Product Team
Microsoft Corporation

Mark works at Microsoft in the Windows Azure product team as a Technical Fellow. He is author of the popular Sysinternals Windows administration and diagnostic tools, coauthor of the Microsoft Press Windows Internals book series, the Sysinternals Administrator’s Reference, and the novel Zero Day. He speaks at many conferences including Microsoft TechEd and PDC, and is a contributing editor for TechNet Magazine.