THAT Conference
Schedule

Hi, I'm Clark. I'm on my 48th trip around the sun, having lived my entire life along the IL/WI border. I'm married to my best friend, fantastic wife, and business partner, and we share the joys of raising two kids, Ethan and Addison. Historically trained software developer, architect, and product manager, I've managed to fool companies such as Allstate, Microsoft, and Telerik to let this crazy passionate, entrepreneurial, "see only limitless opportunities" of a person work for them. My wife and I have founded two companies, THAT Conference and Unspecified. I fell backward into software development because computers help people scale. It's my love for people and helping one another that's led me to a life of building products that build communities. It's my mission to create software that connects people in a more profound and meaningful way. Today, THAT Conference is one of the largest Family Friendly Technology Conferences. During the pandemic, we created a SAAS platform to connect geeks across the globe. Unspecified is our boutique software development company. We use our extensive enterprise application skills to help small businesses build software to improve their business. Regardless of titles, I will always call myself a practitioner.

Tessa Kriesel is a self-taught developer with over 14 years of experience in open-source development, DevOps, AR/VR, gaming, and community growth. She is currently the Head of Platform Developer Relations at Snap, where she designs programs and strategies to scalably drive growth of Snap’s developer ecosystem and improve the developer experience. She inspires developers around the unique capabilities of Snap’s Platform Products by producing compelling educational content, leading captivating presentations, and engaging with developers both virtually and in person. In addition to her work at Snap, Tessa is a sought-after DevRel coach and consultant, advising early-stage startups and mentoring underrepresented groups. She takes pride in engaging with her community as a contributor and leader and has done this for several companies & clients, ranging from startups to tech giants. As a technologist, her goal is to elevate developers' voices and knowledge in the community. She is passionate about engaging developer audiences and drives her efforts from a data-driven campaign perspective.

Glenn Block is a seasoned leader with 25+ years experience in software engineering and product management. He currently leads product at Uplevel, where he focuses on helping improve the health of engineering teams. He previously worked at a number of hi-tech companies and startups including Microsoft, Splunk, Auth0 and Docusign. In the past Glenn has been a big supporter of the developer and open source community and was an early proponent and adopter of OSS at Microsoft. He is passionate about moving the ball forward for creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment in tech. He invests a large amount of his energy in mentoring and advising in particular for black women and women of color. He is a lifelong learner and recently graduated with an Executive MBA from Seattle University. Glenn loves the outdoors and is an avid mountaineer and rock climber. He lives with his wife and 17 year old daughter in Seattle

Hey there! I am an award-winning journalist, podcast professional, independent scholar and founding director of nonprofit The Center for Hip-Hop Advocacy. My work focuses on promoting the ability of Hip-Hop music and culture to uplift humanity and improve society, particularly in areas such as education, science & technology, health & wellness, and social justice. I've lectured, conducted workshops, and participated in conferences and festivals throughout the world, and frequently collaborate with tech-oriented folks and organizations including Google, BreakBeatCode and Hip Hop Hacks.