My presentations

Click here to see where and when I’ve spoken (including upcoming dates)

I am a frequent speaker at SQL Saturday.  I have a number of presentations that I do, primarily along the professional development track.  Most of them are focused on documentation, technical communication, and professional development.

Click here to view my Sessionize profile.

These presentations are listed below, in reverse order of publication.

List of presentations

Breaking the ice: Ways to initiate networking (lightning talk)

One of the hardest things to do when trying to network is initiating contact. This can be especially terrifying if you’re introverted or socially awkward.

The good news is that even if you are an introvert, there are ways to break the ice to initiate networking, although it will require some effort on your part. In this lightning talk, I’ll discuss some things you can do to initiate networking. You can be successful at networking, even if you’re socially awkward!

This lightning talk is an excerpt from Networking 101: Building professional relationships.

This is a work in progress — coming soon!

Presented at

What I did on my first PASS Summit! (lightning talk)

This is a lightning talk in which I talk about my experiences and impressions of attending and speaking at my very first PASS Summit.

Presented at

Related ‘blog article

Business cards: the most important networking tool (lightning talk)

This is a ten-minute lightning talk about what may very well be the most important networking tool you could have.

Presented at

Related ‘blog article

Blogging for Success: Advancing your career by blogging

Ever wanted to start a ‘blog, but have no idea how to do it? It’s easier than you think! A number of people have become successful by writing ‘blog articles. I originally started my ‘blog to supplement my presentations. Since then, it’s taken on a life of its own.

In this presentation, I’ll tell you how I got started with ‘blogging, where it’s taken me since then, and lessons I’ve learned along the way. We’ll discuss ‘blog platforms, how to get started, what to write about, and what to do (and what NOT to do) when writing articles.

Click here to download my PowerPoint slidesDownload

Presentation video available (see below)

Presented at

Networking 101: Building professional relationships

Networking. You keep hearing that word throughout your career development, but you don’t know much about it, much less, how to do it. You want to connect with technical and data professionals, so you attend events such as SQL Saturday and your local user group. But what about your book club, your gym, your church group, or your kid’s soccer game? Those are prime — and overlooked — opportunities to network!

In this interactive session, we will discuss networking — what it is, why it’s important, and where opportunities exist. You will even have an opportunity to practice networking within the confines of our room. You might even leave this session with new networking contacts that you didn’t previously have! Bring business cards if you have them!

Click here to download my PowerPoint slidesDownload

Presentation videos available (see below)

Presented at

So you want to be a presentation speaker?

Are you interested in presenting at user groups or conferences? When I attended my first SQL Saturday in 2010, I realized that I wanted to contribute — but I didn’t know how. I spoke at my first SQL Saturday in 2015. Since then, I’ve spoken at various events such as PASS Summit, STC Summit, and WE Local conferences, and it has had a tremendous impact on my career!

In this presentation, I’ll take you through my journey from attending my very first SQL Saturday to becoming a regular presenter at numerous events. We’ll discuss the benefits of speaking, how you can get started, and things you can do to improve your craft. Hopefully, we’ll see you presenting at a conference very soon!

Click here to download my PowerPoint slidesDownload

Presented at

I lost my job!  Now what?!?  A survival guide for the unemployed

You’ve just been told by HR that you are no longer a part of their organization. You’ve been kicked to the curb. You are now living in the no-man’s land called unemployment.

Unemployment is a scary situation. You’re dealing with emotions and uncertainty. You don’t know if you’ll be out of work for days, weeks, or months.

Fortunately, unemployment is survivable. In this session, I’ll share my own experiences (and perhaps we’ll talk about some of yours) with unemployment, and how I managed to get through the tough times. We’ll discuss emotional impact, the job hunt, and things you can do to get yourself through this tough time. Hopefully, you’ll land on your feet once again before long!

Click here to download my PowerPoint slidesDownload

Presentation video available (see below)

Presented at

Disaster Documents: The role of documentation in disaster recovery

I was an employee of a company that had an office in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Prior to that infamous date, I had written several departmental documents that ended up being critical to our recovery. In this presentation, I provide a narrative of what happened in the weeks following 9/11, and how documentation played a role in getting the organization back on its feet.

While other disaster recovery presentations talk about strategies, plans, and techniques, this presentation focuses on the documentation itself. We will discuss the documents we had and how they were used in our recovery. We will also discuss what documents we didn’t have, and how they could have made the process better.

Click here to download my PowerPoint slidesDownload

Presented at

Tech Writing for Techies: A Primer

Documentation is one of the most critical, yet most blatantly ignored and disrespected tasks when it comes to technology. Businesses and technical professionals ignore documentation at their own risk. This session discusses what tech writing and documentation is about and why it’s critical for business. It also explores possible reasons for why it’s ignored, how documentation can be improved, and how “non-writers” can contribute to the process.

Tech Writing For Techies PresentationDownload

Presented at

Whacha just say?  Talking technology to non technical people

Many tech professionals are faced with the challenge of explaining technical concepts to people who don’t understand technology. And only a few are able to do it well. This session provides some strategies and suggestions to go about bridging the technological knowledge gap. With time and practice, a technical person can serve as an effective interpreter of technical concepts. This is an interactive session; audience participation is expected and encouraged!

Click here to download my PowerPoint slidesDownload

Presentation video available (see below)

Presented at

Where I’ve spoken

Here’s where my presentation travels have taken me (including upcoming events).
(Map displays in-person events only; virtual events are not included!)

Here is a list of my speaking engagements (including upcoming dates)

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015