MMS 2025 at MOA: Full Schedule

We’re in the process of selecting speakers and sessions. Actual slots and dates will be determined later, so there’s currently nothing to log in and schedule. This list is just to give you an idea of what to expect.

8:00am CDT

Azure BeerOps: Leveraging Azure for Personal Projects

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Discover how to utilize Azure for non-work-related scenarios, including brewing beer and hardware experimentation. Learn about cost-effective services, innovative approaches, and tips for managing Azure expenses while having fun.

What you will learn:

Understand innovative uses of Azure for hobbies.
Explore ways to use Azure for personal projects.
Learn cost management strategies for non-work workloads.
Discover creative applications of Azure in leisure activities.

Speakers

Nathan Ziehnert

Microsoft MVP, Software Engineer, HP

I work on secret stuff. Or maybe not so secret stuff. I'm in research and development. I don't know anymore, so I just call it all secret. I dig Windows systems from consumer to enterprise, I'm in an eternal love affair with PowerShell and C#, and I also like to play in Azure. I have... Read More →

Donnie Taylor

Microsoft MVP, Architect, GM

With over 20 years in IT, Donnie stands out as a seasoned IT Architect and leader. He's helmed multiple Systems Management user groups and has an impressive record of over 400 speaking engagements. Notably, he's been honored as a Microsoft MVP for Cloud and Datacenter Management for... Read More →

Scott Corio

Microsoft MVP, Enterprise Cloud Architect, MMS Staff

Boasting over 20 years in IT, Scott is not only an esteemed Enterprise Cloud Architect for a major healthcare giant, but he's also a distinguished dual-award Microsoft MVP in Cloud & Datacenter Management and Enterprise Mobility. With a diverse portfolio spanning healthcare, non-profit... Read More →

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Personal Projects

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8:00am CDT

Building a Cyber Range for Enhanced Security Skills

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Learn to build a cyber range—a hands-on lab for testing and improving cybersecurity skills. Set up an effective lab environment, craft realistic scenarios, and use scripting to simulate attacks. Identify Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) and implement changes to strengthen defenses. Gain practical insights from real-world customer attacks to enhance your team's ability to prevent, detect, and respond to cyber threats.

What you will learn:

Design and build an effective home lab environment.
Source realistic attack scenarios and scripting techniques.
Identify IoCs and understand incident impact.
Apply lab insights to bolster your production security posture.

Speakers

Ben Dumke

Systems and Network Manager, Lawrence University

Ben Dumke spent 23 years supporting technology in a K-12 environment. He finally graduated and is now the Systems and Network Manager for Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. Working in education requires wearing many hats and Ben has supported desktops, servers, SCCM, Exchange, Group... Read More →

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Training

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8:00am CDT

Building Your Brand: Strategies for Internal and External Success

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Building a strong personal brand is essential for career growth and market relevance. Effective strategies for enhancing your brand within your organization and in the broader market will be discussed. Learn the do's and don'ts of personal branding, including leveraging social media, taking on stretch assignments, and gaining visibility with leadership.

What you will learn:

Effective Use of Social Media: Learn how to leverage social media platforms to enhance your personal brand without falling into common pitfalls.
Internal Growth Opportunities: Discover the importance of taking on stretch assignments and how to gain visibility with leadership to advance your career.
Maintaining Relevance: Understand the strategies to stay relevant in your role and continuously add value to your organization.
Personal Branding Do's and Don'ts: Gain insights on common mistakes to avoid while building your brand.

Speakers

Scott Corio

Microsoft MVP, Enterprise Cloud Architect, MMS Staff

Chad Lich

Director Azure Infrastructure Specialist, Microsoft

Chad has over 30 years of industry experience across all verticals and technologies, don't even try to put baby in a corner! Strongest corners are Manufacturing, Retail, and Consumer Packaged Goods. With years of experience as a technologist and a BS in Information Management, an... Read More →

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Branding

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8:00am CDT

Building Your Own Cloud: A Guided Tour of Must-Have Home Lab Services

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Expand your technical skills through a practical exploration of today’s most popular self-hosted/home lab services. Get started with homelab hardware and hypervisors, uncover must-have learning resources, and delve into open-source platforms such as media servers, monitoring tools, and cloud file sync solutions. Gain practical tips to replace paid services, boost privacy, and enhance your IT skillset.

What you will learn:

Understand the benefits and basics of homelabbing, including hardware choices and common OS/hypervisor setups.
Discover popular open-source solutions to replace paid services and increase privacy.
Learn to organize and automate your self-hosted environments, including best practices for monitoring and resource optimization.
Walk away with a curated list of resources, communities, and tips for continuous learning and experimentation in your home lab.

Speakers

Frank Lesniak

Sr. Cybersecurity & Enterprise Technology Architect, West Monroe

Frank Lesniak leads the Microsoft 365 consulting team at West Monroe, specializing in accelerated, secure corporate M&A (integrations and divestitures). By combining proven processes and purpose-built tools (using PowerShell, Terraform, Ansible, and others), Frank and his team consistently... Read More →

Hosts

Blake Cherry

Principal, West Monroe

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Home Lab

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8:00am CDT

First Steps with Bicep for Endpoint Engineers

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Gain a comprehensive introduction to various Azure deployment options, their unique advantages, and potential drawbacks. Create a lab environment using Bicep tailored for common Endpoint Engineer use cases. Acquire practical skills to enhance your deployment strategies.

What you will learn:

Understand different options for deploying Azure services.
Learn the fundamentals of Bicep.
Build a lab environment in just a few clicks.
Gain insights to enhance deployment strategies.

Speakers

Thomas Kurth

CEO, baseVISION AG

I’m a consultant and architect for modern workplace and security projects with Microsoft Technologies. I published many blogs and community tools like the M365Documentation solution and am awarded as Microsoft MVP for Enterprise Mobility and Security.I love to push and design solutions... Read More →

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Deployment

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8:00am CDT

Future-Proof Your Career: Azure Certifications and Applied Skills Playbook

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Staying ahead in today's dynamic tech landscape is imperative. This roadmap through the Azure Certifications and Applied Skills ecosystem aligns credentials with career goals, navigates learning resources, and provides strategies for exam success. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to confidently pursue Azure Credentials and elevate their cloud careers.

What you will learn:

Understand the transformative value of Azure Certifications and Applied Skills for career growth and gain clarity to start or advance your credentialing journey.
Receive a clear roadmap through the Azure Certifications ecosystem, covering Fundamentals to Role-Based, Specialty, Associate, and Expert levels.
Identify impactful credentials aligned with career goals while learning to navigate resources and strategies for exam success.
Develop a personalized action plan to approach Azure Certifications with confidence and clarity.

Speakers

Harjit Dhaliwal

Senior Product Marketing Manager, MMS Staff

Harjit Dhaliwal is a Senior Product Marketing Manager for Cloud Endpoints at Microsoft. Previously, he was a Customer Engineer at Microsoft where he focused on Modern Management solutions in the Microsoft 365 space to advocate and empower every person and company to achieve more... Read More →

Sucheta Gawade

Manager, Client Infrastructure Design

I'm a Microsoft MVP in Azure and Security (Intune), and have over seventeen years of enterprise IT experience in large, global environments. I work as the Manager of an Endpoint Engineering team in a leading healthcare organization in the US, focusing on Modern Management, Enterprise... Read More →

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Career Development

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8:00am CDT

Home Assistant: The Presence Experiment

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Compare various presence detection techniques and their applications. Gain insights into new features added since last year, enhancing your Home Assistant experience.

What you will learn:

Different techniques for detecting presence.
New insights on utilizing these techniques effectively.
Latest features and improvements in Home Assistant.
Practical applications for real-world scenarios.

Speakers

Tom Degreef

Senior Consultant, OSCC

Tom has been a Configmgr consultant for several years and has been a Microsoft Support Escalation Engineer for over 2 years. Tom became an independent Configmgr Consultant again and delivers consultancy for just about anything that is EMS or Systems Management related. The focus has... Read More →

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Presence Detection

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8:00am CDT

Home Automation Tips and Tricks Showcase

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Ventured into home automation? Share your creations and discover innovative tips and hacks from fellow enthusiasts. Learn from quirky and practical automations to inspire your next project and enhance your own home setups.

What you will learn:

Discover innovative automations created by peers.
Share your own tips and tricks with the group.
Get inspired to try new automation tools.
Gather ideas to enhance your home automation projects.

Speakers

Matt Zaske

Developer/Fleet Admin, University of Minnesota

I have over 25 years of broad IT experience including fleet/desktop endpoint management, server administration (Linux and Windows), and applications architecture and development. Theatre nerd and participant, mustache aficionado, storyteller, technology grief counselor, governance/process... Read More →

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Home Tech

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8:00am CDT

Intune Training Live

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Witness live discussions with Steve and Adam as they tackle your toughest Intune questions. Gain insights into best practices and discover practical tips and tricks to enhance your Intune experience.

What you will learn:

Learn how to implement advanced features in Intune.
Discover essential tips and tricks for effective Intune usage.
Get valuable insights from seasoned Intune experts.
Engage in QandA to resolve your Intune challenges.

Speakers

Steven Hosking

Windows Commercial CAT, Microsoft

With 20 years of experience in end use compute management, across internal, consultant, and now Vendor, Steven can provide a unique point of view. He is also one of the founding members of the highly popular Intune.training series.

Adam Gross

Microsoft MVP, Co-Host of Intune.Training, A Square Dozen

Adam Gross is a Microsoft Intune and Windows 365 MVP and End User Computing Manager at Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. in The Woodlands, TX where he shares management duties for a ConfigMgr and Intune infrastructure which supports ~9000 clients. He’s also a consultant for System... Read More →

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Training

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8:00am CDT

Is the Grass Greener? Navigating IT Careers

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Compare the pros and cons of being an IT consultant versus an employee. Gain insights on starting as a consultant or advancing in your career through consulting or climbing the corporate ladder. Understand what employers seek, evaluate the value of IT certifications, and learn how to craft an effective resume. Engage in an open discussion on succeeding in today's IT job market.

What you will learn:

Understand what employers, recruiters, and managers prioritize in candidates.
Learn whether IT certifications are worth pursuing for your career goals.
Discover strategies and best practices for finding and landing your next IT role.
Explore tips for crafting an impactful resume tailored to IT positions.

Speakers

Garth Jones

Blogger, Ask Garth

Garth Jones is Senior Architect of Endpoint Insight at Recast Software. Recast Software is a company that develops products to extend the value of Microsoft Endpoint Manager Configuration Manager (Current Branch) and Microsoft Intune. Garth started working with Systems Management... Read More →

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Consulting vs. Employment

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8:00am CDT

Mastering The Red Dragon Inn

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Master the art of staying sober, outwitting friends, and safeguarding your gold in The Red Dragon Inn. Learn strategies to navigate this beloved card game, where fantasy characters come to life in a battle of wits and cunning. Expect laughter, strategy, and the thrill of competition.

What you will learn:

Experience the joy and competitive spirit of The Red Dragon Inn.
Gain insight into your friends' strategic minds and moral flexibility.
Understand the importance of Pooky's favor in your quest for tavern supremacy.
Learn effective strategies to win while keeping your gold safe.

Hosts

Damien Solodow

IT Senior Systems Engineer, Gaylor Electric, Inc.

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Strategies

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8:00am CDT

Office Hours LIVE: Community Updates and Q and A

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Get the latest industry updates and engage in Q and A and roundtable discussions on Windows deployment, MDT, ConfigMgr, and Intune. Submit your questions for our special guests to address, providing a unique opportunity to learn and connect with the community.

What you will learn:

Latest industry updates on Windows deployment and management.
Opportunity to submit questions and receive expert answers.
Insights from special guests at the conference.
Networking opportunities with peers and industry leaders.

Speakers

Johan Arwidmark

Microsoft MVP, Technical Fellow, 2Pint Software / Mirolus

Johan Arwidmark is a Technical Fellow with 2Pint Software and ViaMonstra Online Academy. He is a consultant, author and all-around geek specializing in Systems Management and Enterprise Windows Deployment Solutions. In addition to his consulting role, Johan present trainings and speaks... Read More →

Andrew Johnson

Solutions Architect

Andrew has served in various technical and leadership roles in IT over 15 years, spending most of his time in higher education. He's always looking for new ways to perform tasks more efficiently and share knowledge with others. When he is not working with IT - professionally or in... Read More →

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Interactive

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8:00am CDT

PowerShell Meets Wall Street: Automating Stock Trading

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Automate stock trading with PowerShell. Demystify algorithmic trading and learn how PowerShell can automate trading tasks, connect with APIs, and handle data. Set up a development environment, fetch real-time stock data, and implement a simple strategy like a moving average crossover in a live demo. Ideal for intermediate PowerShell users seeking new challenges.

What you will learn:

Unlock the surprising power of PowerShell to automate stock trading tasks, fetching real-time market data using APIs and executing trades programmatically.
Implement a simple trading strategy like a moving average crossover to understand algorithmic trading and automate decision-making in PowerShell.
Gain practical insights into setting up a development environment for trading automation with PowerShell, including best practices for error handling and logging.
Experience a live demo running a trading script in real-time, gaining valuable lessons regardless of achieving (virtual) gains or encountering (hypothetical) losses.

Speakers

Frank Lesniak

Sr. Cybersecurity & Enterprise Technology Architect, West Monroe

Hosts

Blake Cherry

Principal, West Monroe

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Financial Tech

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8:00am CDT

Public Speaking Essentials: Start Your Journey

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Overcome the fear of public speaking and build your confidence. Learn how to craft an engaging session abstract and create an impactful presentation deck. Gain valuable tips on effective speaking behaviors and common pitfalls to avoid, setting you on the path to becoming a proficient speaker.

What you will learn:

How to write a compelling session abstract.
Techniques for creating an effective presentation deck.
Essential speaking tips and behaviors to adopt.
Common pitfalls in public speaking to avoid.

Speakers

Donnie Taylor

Microsoft MVP, Architect, GM

Adam Gross

Microsoft MVP, Co-Host of Intune.Training, A Square Dozen

Scott Corio

Microsoft MVP, Enterprise Cloud Architect, MMS Staff

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Skills Development

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8:00am CDT

Self-Hosted Superheroes: Unlocking Your Home Lab's Potential

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Transform your home lab with innovative self-hosted solutions. Discover practical ideas for hosting, avoid common setup pitfalls, and see a quick demo of effective tools in action. Perfect for those considering an Intel NUC or looking to maximize their current setup.

What you will learn:

Worthwhile self-hosted solutions to enhance functionality.
Methods to securely expose solutions to the web.
Efficient deployment and management using Docker.
Insights into real-world applications and demos.

Speakers

Nathan Ziehnert

Microsoft MVP, Software Engineer, HP

Andrew Johnson

Solutions Architect

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Self-Hosting

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8:00am CDT

Stump the Expert: A Challenge of Knowledge

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Contestants take the stage to demonstrate their expertise on randomly selected topics. As the wheel spins, participants describe topics they may not know, while judges buzz if the explanation falters. The last contestant standing wins. A fun and engaging way to test knowledge and quick thinking.

What you will learn:

A fun way to test your expertise
Quickly learn new topics in an engaging format
Discover if you have what it takes to be a consultant
Network with peers in a competitive environment

Speakers

Adam Gross

Microsoft MVP, Co-Host of Intune.Training, A Square Dozen

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Interactive

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8:00am CDT

Tales from the Trenches: A Community Complaint Department

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Share your horror stories from the field, whether it's encountering a disaster recovery nightmare or discovering a networked XP machine on a factory floor. Engage with an audience that encourages storytelling, networking, and exploring the possibility of public speaking at technical conferences.

What you will learn:

Build comfort being on-stage and telling stories
Create a network of peers to share experiences with during the conference
Evaluate if speaking at a technical conference aligns with your goals
Gain insights from real-world IT challenges shared by peers

Speakers

Krystina Kyle

Microsoft MVP, Sr. Systems Administrator, WinAdmins

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Networking

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8:00am CDT

Think Like a Consultant: Elevate Your IT Career

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT

TBD

Description:
Adopt a consultant's mindset to excel in your IT career. Gain insights on becoming a trusted advisor within your organization. Enhance skills, engage with the IT community, and communicate effectively to drive impactful change. Learn strategies to position yourself as a valuable consultant and advance your career.

What you will learn:

Continuous Learning: Stay updated with the latest technologies and trends.
Community Engagement: Build a strong professional network.
Effective Communication: Articulate ideas clearly and confidently.
Consultative Approach: Provide strategic recommendations and drive success.

Speakers

Sean Bulger

Cloud Endpoint Technical Specialist, Microsoft

Sean is a Cloud Endpoint Technical Specialist at Microsoft. Prior to joining Microsoft, he was a consulting engineer at a large partner and an Enterprise Mobility MVP. Sean credits the community for empowering him to grow personally and professionally and seeks to encourage others... Read More →

Monday May 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:15am CDT
TBD

Happy Hour, Consulting Skills

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