Conference Chairs and Speakers

Conference Chairs

Don Jones
Don Jones - TechMentor Conference Chair
Microsoft MVP

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.

Greg Shields
Greg Shields - TechMentor Conference Chair
MVP, vExpert
Concentrated Technology

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.



Keynote Speaker

Stephen L. Rose
Stephen L. Rose
Sr. Community Manager, Windows OS
Microsoft

Stephen Rose is the Worldwide Community Manager for the Commercial Windows OS group at the Microsoft Headquarters in Redmond, Washington. In his current role, Stephen manages the IT Professional community for the Windows Client OS, oversees technical content for the Springboard Series on TechNet, the Springboard Insider Newsletter read by over 1 million IT pros each month, writes the IT pro news for the Windows Team Blog and leads the worldwide Springboard Technical Experts Panel (STEP) . Before joining Microsoft, Stephen spent 15 years working as a network infrastructure design and virtualization consultant for many global Fortune 500 companies, earning certifications as both a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and Microsoft Certified Trainer. Stephen is a two time Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) and was the Senior Tech Correspondent for Fast Company magazine. For more on Stephen visit his personal blog at http://blogs.technet.com/stephenrose or follow his Twitter feed at @stephenlrose.



Conference Speakers

Eric Beehler
Eric Beehler
Consortio Services, LLC

Eric Beehler has been working in the IT industry since the mid-90’s, and has been playing with computer technology well before that. From help desk technician to solutions provider; he has been involved at many layers of enterprise solutions from the desktop to the network to the server and the SAN. He currently has certifications from CompTIA (A+, N+, Server+), and Microsoft (MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician and Consumer Support Technician, MCTS: Windows Vista Configuration, MCDBA SQL Server 2000, MCSE+I Windows NT 4.0, MCSE Windows 2000, and MCSE Windows 2003). He also holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. His experience includes over nine years with Hewlett-Packard’s Managed Services division, working with Fortune 500 companies to deliver network and server solutions and, most recently, I.T. experience in the insurance industry working on highly-available solutions and disaster recovery. He has authored books, including MCITP: Microsoft Windows Vista Desktop Support Enterprise Study Guide from Sybex/Wiley Publishing, authored several white papers, and co-hosts CS Techcast, a podcast aimed at IT professionals. He provides consulting, managed services, and training through his co-ownership in Consortio Services, LLC.



J Peter Bruzzese
J. Peter Bruzzese
Triple-MCSE/MCT/MCITP:Messaging
ClipTraining

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 jpb@cliptraining.com or visit his website for both free and subscription based training videos at www.cliptraining.com.



James Conrad
James Conrad
Lead Recruiter, Instructor
CBT Nuggets

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, 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

Mike Danseglio has worked in the IT field for more than 18 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.



Jeffery Hicks
Jeffery Hicks
Scripting Guru, MCSE, MCSA, MCT
IT Consultant

Jeffery Hicks (MCSE, MCSA, MCT) is a Microsoft MVP and an IT veteran with almost 20 years of experience, much of it spent as an IT consultant specializing in Windows server technologies. He works today as an independent author, trainer and consultant. Jeff has co-authored or authored several books, courseware, and training videos on administrative scripting and automation. His latest book is Windows PowerShell 2.0: TFM (SAPIEN Press 2009). You can follow Jeff twitter.com/jeffhicks and jdhitsolutions.com/blog.



Rhonda Layfield
Rhonda Layfield
NT/2000/2003 MCSE, Setup and Deployment MVP, DDPS

Rhonda Layfield has been helping people securely deploy, protect, and streamline their IT resources for over 25 years. She began her career in the US Navy as communications specialist with a top secret clearance. Later as Sr. Security Analyst for an electrical utility company operating nuclear power plants she discovered serious security flaws in software about to be acquired. She also consults for large and small customers. Rhonda is currently an NT/2000/2003 MCSE, Setup and Deployment MVP and Desktop Deployment Product Specialist (DDPS). Along with teaching, she enjoys presenting at International conferences, contributing articles to magazines, and has co-authored two books, one on Windows Server 2003 and another on Windows Server 2008.



Rhonda Layfield
Todd Klindt
Senior SharePoint Consultant
SharePoint911

Todd has been a professional computer nerd for 15 years, specializing in SharePoint for the last five years. His love affair with SharePoint began one slow day at the office when he discovered SharePoint Team Services 1.0 on the Office XP CD and decided to install it. The rest is history. In 2006 he was honored to be awarded the MVP award from Microsoft for Windows SharePoint Services. He has had the pleasure of working with SharePoint farms both large small. He has written several books and magazine articles on SharePoint. Todd has presented sessions on SharePoint at many major conferences both in the United States as well as Europe and Asia and does the user group circuit as well. He chronicles his SharePoint adventures on his blog at http://www.toddklindt.com/blog/default.aspx.



Mark Minasi
Mark Minasi
IT Consultant, Author, Speaker
MR & D

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.



Jeremy Moskowitz
Jeremy Moskowitz
Chief Propeller-Head, Group Policy MVP
Moskowitz, Inc. and GPAnswers.com

Jeremy Moskowitz a Group Policy MVP and is the Chief Propeller-Head for Moskowitz, inc. and GPanswers.com. He is one of less than a dozen Microsoft MVPs in Group Policy. Since becoming one of the world's first MCSEs, he has performed Active Directory, and Group Policy planning and implementations for some of the nation’s largest organizations. His latest books are Group Policy Fundamentals, Security, and Troubleshooting and Creating the Secure Managed Desktop: Group Policy, SoftGrid, and Microsoft Deployment and Management Tools. Learn more about the books and Jeremy's Group Policy Master Class training www.GPanswers.com (ranked as one of "The 20 most useful Microsoft sites for IT professionals" by ComputerWorld magazine).



Bruce Rougeau
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.



Rick Vanover
Rick Vanover
IT Infrastructure Manager, MCTS, MCSA, MCT, VCP
Alliance Data

Rick Vanover, MCTS, MCSA, MCT, is an IT Infrastructure Manager for Alliance Data in Columbus, Ohio. With years of IT experience in system administration, technology management and software engineering roles, Rick has a solid foundation of infrastructure in a virtual world. Rick is a columnist for Virtualization Review Magazine in the Everyday Virtualization blog as well as other online technology publications. Rick can be reached at: vanover-rick@usa.net.