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.

Kate Weiland-Moores is the Chief Operating Officer at Concurrency, Inc., where she oversees sales, delivery, and all corporate operations. In this executive role, Kate is responsible for setting corporate strategy, providing organizational direction, and ensuring financial stewardship. She leads the development and execution of company-wide standards for service excellence, operational efficiency, and culture—driving sustainable growth and long-term success.

Prior to her current role, Kate served as Chief People Officer, where her leadership was instrumental in growing Concurrency from 10 to over 200 employees nationwide. With a passion for people, quality, and culture, she is dedicated to attracting and retaining top talent while navigating the evolving dynamics of the technology industry and the global business landscape.

Kate brings more than 28 years of experience in IT recruiting, sales, ownership, organizational development, and executive leadership. Before joining Concurrency in 2012, she served as Vice President at Milwaukee-based Elite Human Capital Group, where she directed the firm’s professional information technology practice. An entrepreneur at heart, she also built her own firm, C&C Recruiting and Consulting, which later merged with Elite Human Capital Group.

Beyond her professional achievements, Kate is deeply committed to giving back to her community. She serves as a mentor to young women pursuing careers in technology and leadership, helping to inspire and empower the next generation of talent.

Meghan Focht is a strategic Human Capital leader with over 15 years of HR experience. As Director of Human Capital at Concurrency, she sits on the leadership team and leads talent strategy, development, compliance, and employee relations. Her career spans hospitality and tech, with a focus on building strong cultures and leading change.

She believes “Clear is Kind” and “Feedback is a gift,” embracing Radical Candor to foster leadership alignment and trust. Meghan is known for coaching leaders, resolving complex employee issues, and creating inclusive, high-performing environments.

Meghan leads with empathy and ensures employees are treated with humanity and respect. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities and a Certificate in Human Resource Management from UCLA Extension.

Joe Steiner is a Solutions Architect at Concurrency, where he helps organizations change how they go to market using information and technology.  With over 25 years of global IT experience, including roles at Lucent Technologies, Avaya, and Microsoft, Joe has deep expertise in Microsoft’s Modern Workplace and Cloud solutions. He’s passionate about helping clients navigate the evolving world of automation and AI to solve complex business and technical challenges.

Joe holds both an MBA from Notre Dame and a Master of Science degree in Applied Economics from Marquette University.  He has worked with leaders across all levels, from C-suite to frontline teams, driving vision, alignment, and impact.  Joe’s collaborative approach and strategic insight make him a valuable partner in helping clients achieve their goals.

Outside of work, Joe spends most of his time with his family with whom he enjoys traveling and attending various sporting events, movies and concerts. 

Chad Beier

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.

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.

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.