SPIN Events
No Code, No Problem: How BAs Can Steer the AI-Powered App Journey
Worried AI might axe your role as a business analyst? Think again.
In this hands-on session, you’ll discover how Microsoft Copilot Studio can turn your plain-language requirements into fully functional, data-driven applications—without writing a single line of code. No coding campouts, no developer detours.
Remember: *developers may wield the axe, but you chart the course, set the bearings, and know where the s’mores are stashed.* With Copilot Studio, your trail map becomes GPS.
You’ll learn how to:
* Craft effective prompts that bring business needs to life
* Quickly model data in Dataverse
* Rapidly prototype and test apps with real users
Whether you're defining requirements or guiding delivery, this session puts you at the heart of your organization’s AI-powered journey. Come ready to lead the next expedition.
Date and Time
Wednesday, 05/28/2025
5:30pm - Free Food and Networking
6:15pm - Announcements, Board elections and bylaw changes
6:30pm - Presentation and Q&A
Location
Landmark Credit Union Corporate office
555 S Executive Dr, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click here for map.
555 S Executive Dr, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
About the Speaker:
Brian Haydin is a Solution Architect at Concurrency, where he helps organizations navigate the complex terrain of digital transformation across the Microsoft cloud. With over 20 years of experience translating whiteboard ideas into enterprise-ready solutions, Brian specializes in turning daunting business challenges into practical AI-powered tools—especially using Microsoft Copilot Studio.
When he's not designing data models or refining app strategies, you’ll find Brian off the grid—literally—guiding back-country expeditions, fishing Lake Michigan, or tracking game through the Northwoods. He brings that same trail-tested mindset to every project: strategic clarity, adaptive thinking, and a knack for helping teams find their way from concept to completion.
Whether you’re building your first AI copilot or looking to level up your prompt game, Brian’s sessions blend real-world insights, hands-on expertise, and just enough campfire storytelling to keep the journey memorable.
Modern Job Search
If the job market feels louder, faster, and more confusing than ever—you’re not wrong. The rules of job searching have shifted dramatically, fueled by AI, culture shifts, and ever-changing employer expectations. In this session, Amanda Daering, CEO of Newance, will break down the modern job search with clarity and candor.
You’ll learn what actually matters (and what doesn’t) when it comes to applications, networking, interviews, and negotiating in 2025. Amanda will also share how to navigate the overwhelming flood of advice online and why the future of work is still full of opportunity for those who know how to look.
Expect real talk, practical tips, and templates to stay strategic (and sane-ish) while job searching today.
Date and Time
Wednesday, 04/23/2025
5:30pm - Free Food and Networking
6:15pm - Announcement and Presentation
Location
Landmark Credit Union Corporate office
555 S Executive Dr, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click here for map.
555 S Executive Dr, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Amanda Daering is the CEO of Newance. She loves nothing more than when smart people come together to solve important problems.
Since 2007, she has built teams for some of the world’s most stellar companies including Seven Seven Six, Northwestern Mutual and more. She sees the future of work as something to be created rather than feared. Amanda has been featured in Inc, Parade, Forbes and more.
When not nerding out about the future of work, you’ll find her either reading or taking too many photos of her mini-Schnauzer named Ruth.
Event Files
Funding the Future: How Agile Product Operating Model (APOM) Transforms Work and Value Creation
Traditional project-based funding models create inefficiencies, handoffs, and misaligned incentives that slow organizations down. The Agile Product Operating Model (APOM) introduces a radical shift: funding products, not projects. This session dives into how APOM streamlines the flow of work, supports cross-product initiatives, and empowers teams to focus on sustainable, long-term value creation. Attendees will learn how shifting from outputs to outcomes unlocks innovation, accelerates delivery, and maximizes customer impact.
Date and Time
Tuesday, 03/18/2025
5:30 PM - 6:15PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:45 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
National Business Furniture
770 S 70th St
Milwaukee, WI 53214
Please use the rear entrance into the cafe.
Parking is available along the south side and back of the building.
Click here for map.
770 S 70th St
Milwaukee, WI 53214
Please use the rear entrance into the cafe.
Parking is available along the south side and back of the building.
Click here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Chad Beier
Chad is an organizational agility advisor, external change agent, and Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) with Scrum.org. He promotes organizational agility and positive pressure for change through speaking, advising, coaching, and training.
As a trusted advisor, he works with all levels of the organization to optimize your business to respond to change. Developer, project manager, product owner, business owner - Chad has a diverse background that helps him connect with people throughout the entire organization.
In addition to speaking at conferences across the United States, Chad is active in the Wisconsin agile community - organizing meetups in multiple regions (Mad City Agility and Central Wisconsin Agile) and founder of the Mad City Agility Conference.
Jeff Bubolz
Jeff is a Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) with Scrum.org, organizational agility advisor, and speaker. He has been a Product Owner, Scrum Master and Development Team member and has worked with companies ranging from enterprise to small start-ups.
While working with many teams across many companies Jeff has found that most problems are not technology problems, but are organizational structure, process, and people problems. Jeff brings storytelling, a broad array of experience, along with a collaborative approach to teaching and speaking.
Jeff is the co-host of The Agile Wire podcast where he speaks with industry leaders around the world. He also speaks at conferences across the United States. Jeff is active in the Wisconsin agile community - organizing meetups in multiple regions (Mad City Agility and Central Wisconsin Agile) and founder of the Mad City Agility Conference.
Thanks to Wisconsin Agility: https://www.wisconsinagility.com/
Championing Quality Assurance as a Strategic Value Adding Initiative (Wednesday the 26th)
Join us for our roundtable discussion focused on QA leadership, identifying QA value, and strategies for applying a quality mindset throughout the enterprise!
Date and Time
Wednesday, 02/26/2025
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 8:00 PM Panel Discussion and Q&A
Location
Schlitz Park 1555 N Rivercenter Dr Suite 100, Milwaukee, WI 532123 Click here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Panelist: Leon Schmidt is a founder and owner of QAsis Labs, an active quality strategist, QA leader and a software process innovator with over 20+ years’ experience in quality assurance, test automation, performance testing and process optimization. He specializes in driving strategic QA solutions that enhance efficiency, mitigate risk, and ensure seamless software delivery. He has successfully led large-scale QA programs, managed diverse teams across industries including manufacturing, healthcare, and finance, and implemented innovative automation and performance testing strategies that have fostered collaboration between business and technical teams, driving overall business value.
Panelist: Anil Venkatappagari is an Ex-Microsoftian and currently in the QA Architect role leading a team of Test Leads, Automation Testers, and Performance Engineers at FedEx. He has over 20 years of experience in the Software Quality Assurance and Testing field but remains very close to the technical side of the craft at the ground level. He has been involved in implementing test automation and performance testing solutions in many environments across Finance, Insurance, Retail, and Logistics. Most recently, he has been focusing on implementing best quality practices (with a focus on automation and performance) to multiple Agile Trains across the Enterprise besides driving enterprise-level End-End Testing initiatives.
Moderator: David Cox is Director of Software Quality Assurance at HSA Bank. In his 20+ years in software quality assurance David has advocated for continuous improvement of core test fundamentals, their application to the automation of testing, and the propagation of the quality assurance mindset beyond the program. He has led teams successfully through rapid process transformation and now applies those experiences to the larger organization, strategically revealing value through process optimization and improved collaboration within lines of business. David has had diverse experiences in the energy management, manufacturing process automation, environmental systems automation, insurance, and financial industries.
Rescheduled - Winter networking happy hour!
Come celebrate the holiday and winter season!!
Connect with the MKE-SPIN community at Ope! Brewing Co. in West Allis on Tuesday January 14th from 4:30pm to 7pm.
Space is limited and only those registered will be provided with refreshments.
Invite a coworker or business associate.
Hope to see you there!
Date and Time
Tuesday, 01/14/2025
4:30 - 7:00 Happy hour with drink tickets
Location
OPE! Brewing Co. 6751 W National Ave, West Allis, WI 53214 Click here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Ope! Is a micro-brewery with a variety of beers and hard seltzer with a large taproom that plays host to musicians, live events, and food trucks.
Mastering LLM Instrumentation and Test Automation
Building and scaling LLM-powered applications is no walk in the park! Unlike traditional software, LLMs can unpredictably generate different outputs from the same input, making it incredibly tricky to optimize, troubleshoot, and maintain these systems. Even the smallest tweak could cause the entire chain to break. So, how can we turn this wild unpredictability into a reliable system at scale? Enter LangSmith, a tool designed to tame the complexities of LLM instrumentation and test automation.
In this session, we’ll dive into how LangSmith offers deep insights into the behavior of large language models, revealing performance bottlenecks, bias patterns, and other anomalies—all in real-time! We’ll also roll up our sleeves and get hands-on with live demos, showcasing how to implement automated testing pipelines that validate LLMs across various tasks and domains.
This isn't just theory—this is battle-tested automation designed to make life easier for AI engineers and DevOps pros working in the fast-paced world of LLMs. Whether you're optimizing for performance, debugging unpredictable behavior, or ensuring ethical compliance, LangSmith (or tools like it) will be your secret weapon to streamline development cycles and raise the bar on reliability.
By the end of this talk, you’ll walk away with actionable, cutting-edge strategies to productionalize LLM applications with confidence. Expect a fast-paced, demo-rich session full of insights that will change how you manage and optimize your AI-driven projects!
Date and Time
Tuesday, 11/12/2024
5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Free Food and Networking
6:00 PM - 6:15 PM Announcements
6:15 PM - 7:30 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
Milwaukee Tool, 13135 W Lisbon Rd, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Cameron Vetter is a technologist with 25 years of experience using Microsoft tools and technologies to create products. He has experience in Technical, Leadership, and Managerial roles in many different sized organizations.
Cameron is the AI Practice Director at New Resource Consulting, a technological innovation leader focused on delivering transformative business impact to clients. He helps clients build technology roadmaps and Architect, Design, and Develop software focusing on Deep Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Architecture, and Mixed Reality.
Cameron enjoys sharing what he has learned by speaking at national, regional, and local conferences, including THAT Conference, Microsoft Ignite, The Midwest Architect Community Conference, AI DevWorld, Codemash, and many others.
In 2019, he was named a Microsoft MVP for Artificial Intelligence– one of the first honorees in the U.S. and he is now a 6 time MVP award winner for evangelism in the Deep Learning and Generative AI space.
Registration is currently closed.
UX Marks the Bot: Navigating the Human Side of AI
Is your AI user-friendly or just...friendly? Dive into the intriguing world where sleek algorithms meet human quirks. Join our panel of UX maestros who've danced with AI and lived to tell the tale! Discover why user experience is the secret sauce that transforms artificial intelligence from cold code into engaging companions. Whether you're decoding data, squashing bugs, engineering solutions, or managing the madness, this session is your ticket to unlocking AI's true potential—with a wink and a smile. Get ready for stories, insights, and a fresh perspective on making smart software that people actually want to use!
Date and Time
Thursday, 10/17/2024
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:45 PM Announcements Followed by the Interactive Agile Discussion
Location
Continuus Technologies
301 N Broadway Suite 204, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Enter on Buffalo Street just west of Broadway Click here for map.
301 N Broadway Suite 204, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Enter on Buffalo Street just west of Broadway Click here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Moderator:
Ash Dzick is deeply passionate about the growing importance of the intersection of UX and AI. In 2018, she delivered her first talk on the ethical and UX implications of machine learning. Since then, she’s helped develop user research, personas, and strategy for AI projects in healthcare, insurance, and CPG industries. Ash is currently the Senior Manager of UX for Molson Coors Beverage Company and chair of the UX Industrial Advisory Board at Milwaukee School of Engineering.
Panelist:
Jessica Darby is a hands-on Creative Director, Product Designer Manger & Certified Usability Analyst with over 15 years of experience as an empathetic innovator who excels in thinking outside the box and approaching designs holistically to be both functional and beautiful. She believes user experience encompasses so much beyond visual design and her goal with her work is to create a human centered experience throughout each project that focuses on the first touch point of the company to the last. She does this by working across departments to develop cohesion and brand consistency that elevates the entire business.
Damon Sanchez is a human-centered design executive with over 18 years of experience leading private and public sector clients. With an acute sense of brand execution combined with leading and implementing user experience and customer experience strategies, Damon has a proven track record of delivering successful brands, products, and services. As a mentor and coach, Damon manages development, creative, and research teams through hands-on support and leadership. Damon holds an MS in Human Factors Psychology and is working on a PhD in Cognitive Learning and New Technology. Fun facts about Damon involve archery, science fiction, and fantasy, including collecting action figures.
Erik O'Brien, Chief Product Officer at Why of AI, is a product strategy & experience leader with 14 years of cross-industry experience. Erik thrives on uncovering the "juice" (insights) that reshape perspectives on people, categories, and culture. Always seeking the path less traveled, he brings a unique blend of analytical rigor and creative thinking to drive innovation at the intersection of people and technology.
From Mechanical to Mastery: Silent Killers of Scrum Revealed
Many organizations adopt Scrum with high hopes of enhancing agility, productivity, and team collaboration. However, the reality often falls short as teams find themselves trapped in a cycle of going through the motions without realizing the true benefits of Scrum—a state often referred to as "Zombie Scrum" or "Mechanical Scrum."
In this talk, "From Mechanical to Mastery: Silent Killers of Scrum Revealed," we will delve into the critical root causes that lead to these ineffective practices. Targeted at organizational leaders, this session will uncover the often-overlooked variables that silently undermine Scrum's effectiveness. We’ll explore how common organizational behaviors, cultural misalignments, and leadership decisions contribute to these pitfalls and provide actionable strategies for moving from a mechanical implementation of Scrum to an effective state that drives business outcomes.
Date and Time
Monday, 09/16/2024
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:45 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
National Business Furniture
770 S 70th St
Milwaukee, WI 53214
Please use the rear entrance. Parking is available on the side and back of the building.
Click here for map.
770 S 70th St
Milwaukee, WI 53214
Please use the rear entrance. Parking is available on the side and back of the building.
Click here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors and the hosts at NBF
Speaker Bio:
Chad Beier
Chad is an organizational agility advisor, external change agent, and Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) with Scrum.org. He promotes organizational agility and positive pressure for change through speaking, advising, coaching, and training.
As a trusted advisor, he works with all levels of the organization to optimize your business to respond to change. Developer, project manager, product owner, business owner - Chad has a diverse background that helps him connect with people throughout the entire organization.
In addition to speaking at conferences across the United States, Chad is active in the Wisconsin agile community - organizing meetups in multiple regions (Mad City Agility and Central Wisconsin Agile) and founder of the Mad City Agility Conference.
Jeff Bubolz
Jeff is a Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) with Scrum.org, organizational agility advisor, and speaker. He has been a Product Owner, Scrum Master and Development Team member and has worked with companies ranging from enterprise to small start-ups.
While working with many teams across many companies Jeff has found that most problems are not technology problems, but are organizational structure, process, and people problems. Jeff brings storytelling, a broad array of experience, along with a collaborative approach to teaching and speaking.
Jeff is the co-host of The Agile Wire podcast where he speaks with industry leaders around the world. He also speaks at conferences across the United States. Jeff is active in the Wisconsin agile community - organizing meetups in multiple regions (Mad City Agility and Central Wisconsin Agile) and founder of the Mad City Agility Conference.
Thanks to Wisconsin Agility: https://www.wisconsinagility.com/
How do I get started with AI in my organization?
You've probably noticed that Artificial Intelligence is everywhere. You've probably interacted with numerous machine learning models this week and didn't even realize it. With the rise of generative AI, technologists have found countless ways to apply AI to virtually every vertical market to solve problems and augment human abilities.
AI can be overwhelming to introduce into your products and workflows. In this talk I will give a primer on the current stare of AI and Machine Learning. I will then introduce the process I use to help companies navigate the AI landscape and figure out not only where to get started but also how to develop a roadmap selecting the best wins using AI (and other technology) within their company.
Date and Time
Wednesday, 05/29/2024
5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Free Food and Networking
6:00 PM - 6:15 PM Announcements and Election
6:15 PM - 7:30 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
Landmark Credit Union Corporate office
555 S Executive Dr, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click here for map.
555 S Executive Dr, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Cameron Vetter is a technologist with 25 years of experience using Microsoft tools and technologies to create products. He has experience in Technical, Leadership, and Managerial roles in many different sized organizations.
Cameron is the AI Practice Director at New Resource Consulting, a technological innovation leader focused on delivering transformative business impact to clients. He helps clients build technology roadmaps and Architect, Design, and Develop software focusing on Deep Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Architecture, and Mixed Reality.
Cameron enjoys sharing what he has learned by speaking at national, regional, and local conferences, including THAT Conference, Microsoft Ignite, The Midwest Architect Community Conference, AI DevWorld, Codemash, and many others.
In 2019, he was named a Microsoft MVP for Artificial Intelligence– one of the first honorees in the U.S. and he is now a 5 time MVP award winner for evangelism in the Deep Learning and Generative AI space.
The Next Wave of Work Efficiency: How Copilot for M365 is Leading the Change
Discover the dawn of a new era in office productivity with Copilot for M365. We will explore the dynamic ways AI integration within Office applications is reshaping the way we work.
Date and Time
Tuesday, 04/30/2024
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:30 PM Announcements and Presentation
Location
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Anthony Escobedo currently works in an Office 365 role as a Senior Power Platform Cloud Solution Architect for Microsoft. He has over ten years of consulting experience in Information Technology, system design, and implementation for numerous clients, including multiple Fortune 500 organizations. His growth mindset and customer-obsessed passion for problem-solving help him achieve his goals for inclusivity and collaboration in his community.
Ultra-productivity Without Burnout
In today's fast-paced world, the pressure to be productive is at an all-time high. While it's important to achieve our goals and succeed in our careers, it's equally crucial to prioritize our well-being and avoid the pitfalls of burnout. This presentation will explore practical strategies and tips for achieving ultra-productivity without sacrificing your health and happiness.
Key Takeaways:
Setting Realistic Goals: Learn how to set achievable and meaningful goals that align with your values and long-term vision.
Time Management Techniques: Discover effective time management strategies to optimize your workflow, minimize distractions, and maximize your productivity.
Self-Care and Stress Management: Explore essential self-care practices and stress management techniques to maintain your physical and mental health while pursuing your goals.
Building Sustainable Habits: Gain insights into forming positive habits that support your productivity and overall well-being.
Adapting to Change: Learn how to adapt and thrive in the face of unexpected challenges and changes in your personal and professional life.
Target Audience:
This presentation is designed for professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking to enhance their productivity and achieve their goals without compromising their well-being.
Date and Time
Tuesday, 03/19/2024
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:45 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
National Business Furniture
770 S 70th St
Milwaukee, WI 53214
Please use the rear entrance. Parking is available on the side and back of the building.
Click here for map.
770 S 70th St
Milwaukee, WI 53214
Please use the rear entrance. Parking is available on the side and back of the building.
Click here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Dr. Oliver Degnan
Oliver is a CIO, CTO, author, and inventor passionate about technology innovation, entrepreneurship, and business strategy. He holds technology patents for breakthrough inventions cited by Fortune 50 companies, such as Apple, Google, and Intuit in Silicon Valley.
Over the past 20 years, Oliver led more than 1,600 employees worldwide to disrupt the status quo in healthcare innovation to help prevent physician burnout and improve people's health.
As SVP for IBM Watson Health and CIO for ChenMed, Experity, and Fortium, Oliver led engineering efforts to advance artificial intelligence to improve healthcare patient outcomes and boost operations efficiency toward a sustainable Value-based Care model in the United States.
Oliver is a published author on AI topics and currently works as a fractional CIO and partner with Fortium Partners, supporting healthcare and PE-backed organizations to leverage AI as a competitive advantage to improve people’s health further
AGILITY: It's Just Good Business (agile mindset isn't enough)
Rescheduled!
Why Agile? IT'S JUST GOOD BUSINESS! Mitigate risk, deliver more frequently, increase visiablity, and maintain the ability to change.
Many organizations want these attributes, but are not willing to setup an environment that can execute on these results. Too often when agile is talked about the phrases "agile mindset", "psychological safety", "agile manifesto" are used. It's wishful thinking...and it is not enough. Join us for a talk about how to go from wanting agility to setting up an environment that is just good business.
Date and Time
Thursday, 02/08/2024
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:30 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
Landmark Credit Union Corporate office
555 S Executive Dr, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click here for map.
555 S Executive Dr, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Chad Beier
Chad is an organizational agility advisor, external change agent, and Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) with Scrum.org. He promotes organizational agility and positive pressure for change through speaking, advising, coaching, and training.
As a trusted advisor, he works with all levels of the organization to optimize your business to respond to change. Developer, project manager, product owner, business owner - Chad has a diverse background that helps him connect with people throughout the entire organization.
In addition to speaking at conferences across the United States, Chad is active in the Wisconsin agile community - organizing meetups in multiple regions (Mad City Agility and Central Wisconsin Agile) and founder of the Mad City Agility Conference.
Jeff Bubolz
Jeff is a Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) with Scrum.org, organizational agility advisor, and speaker. He has been a Product Owner, Scrum Master and Development Team member and has worked with companies ranging from enterprise to small start-ups.
While working with many teams across many companies Jeff has found that most problems are not technology problems, but are organizational structure, process, and people problems. Jeff brings storytelling, a broad array of experience, along with a collaborative approach to teaching and speaking.
Jeff is the co-host of The Agile Wire podcast where he speaks with industry leaders around the world. He also speaks at conferences across the United States. Jeff is active in the Wisconsin agile community - organizing meetups in multiple regions (Mad City Agility and Central Wisconsin Agile) and founder of the Mad City Agility Conference.
Thanks to Wisconsin Agility: https://www.wisconsinagility.com/
Event Files
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