KC-DAMA is excited to bring 5 sensational speakers to you to discuss everything from the technology outlook in Kansas City to how to collect emotional data, from how to handle IT burnout to how data helps with local human trafficking, plus using how data helps to transform society. Our speakers are all using data in creative ways in KC!

Speaker: Kara Lowe, President and CEO of KC Tech Council

Kara Lowe

Kara Lowe serves as President & CEO of KC Tech Council, a member-driven organization that serves as the shared voice of Kansas City’s tech industry. With nearly 200 member companies spanning from startup to enterprise, KC Tech Council advocates for public policy that helps the tech industry grow, champions meaningful workforce development programs to create a competitive tech talent pipeline, and brings the leaders of the tech industry together to achieve its mission of creating the Midwest’s most competitive tech hub.

Before being named President & CEO in May of 2022, she served for five and a half years as the organization’s COO. Her career prior to that largely focused on leading marketing and promotions efforts for some of Kansas City’s treasured assets and events, like the Country Club Plaza. Currently, she serves on the Workforce Development board for KU Edwards Campus and is a Public Director for the board of the American Institute of Architects. Kara is a native Kansas Citian, a proud Kansas Jayhawk alum, and lives in Brookside with her husband and two children.

• Topic: KC Tech Specs v5
  • In KC Tech Specs, the KC Tech Council presents a state of the tech industry in our region. Using workforce and economic data, the report weaves together a story of how KC’s tech industry is growing, how it stacks up against other regions, and what opportunities exist for us to maintain this growth. The KC Tech Council releases KC Tech Specs annually with support from RSM.

Speaker: Grant Gooding, CEO of Proof

Grant Gooding

Grant got his professional start in mergers and acquisitions working first on the legal side then buy-side analysis, valuations and

transition management. After roughly a decade of analyzing, valuing and transitioning hundreds of small and mid-market businesses, Grant became infatuated with market research, something that he had to work with every day. Grant determined that while valuable, almost all market research failed to address one simple, yet critical question that he needed to answer for his clients: Why are people buying this product or service from your business?

With his MBA emphasis in qualitative research marketing, Grant spent the next several years experimenting with methodologies and measurement techniques that could be used to discover the emotions and motivations behind purchasing intent. After working with a nationally renowned brand analyst, Grant discovered a quant method that could be used to assess brand preferences. With that as a starting point, he and his team utilized some principals of neuroscience and behavioral economics and created a new metadata system that can accurately quantify emotional resonance.

Today, PROOF has executed over 500 market research engagements using its emotional resonance method and stands as one of the most novel, compelling and accurate ways to quantify and understand why customers do the things they do. Grant is an international speaker in the areas of Emotional Market Research and Emotional Data, an emerging field that PROOF is helping pioneer.

Nerdy Fact: Grant is a classically trained vocalist and has performed in venues all over the world including Carnegie Hall, Westminster Abbey and St. Mark’s Basilica. He has 3 amazing children with his wife, Stacey, of over 13 years.

• TOPIC: How to Use Emotional Data for Sales and Marketing
  • What if there was a dataset that explained WHY people do the things they do, not just that they did them? What if there was a dataset that could measure the emotions that drive our behaviors? And what if we could use that data to influence or change behaviors? This dataset is called “Emotional Data” and it is the future of marketing, sales and communication. Emotional Data is the qualitative and quantitative measurement of emotions, motivations and preferences that helps explain human behaviors and interactions. In this presentation, you’ll learn what emotional data is, how it is gathered and real examples of its use.

Speaker: Vercie Lark, author of “Make it Rain” & former President Biden appointee SBA

Vercie Lark

Vercie Lark recently completed his role as a presidential appointee in President Biden’s administration overseeing the SBA’s Great Plains Region helping small business owners access the capital, counseling, contracts, and other federal services needed to expand small business and job growth in America. As a presidential appointee Mr. Lark provided oversight of SBA District Offices, Field Operations, and served as an Advocate to protect the rights and interests of small business owners located in Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. Although Mr. Lark is no longer working as a presidential appointee for the SBA, he continues to advocate for and believes investing in small businesses is the best way to expand economies, job opportunities, wealth, and security for citizens in every zip code across the nation.
Mr. Lark is the author of Make It Rain, a simple self-help personal finance book, and he a small business investor who’s on a mission to increase wealth, jobs and financial security for millions of hardworking citizens. Mr. Lark, working in collaboration with Naples Technology Ventures (NTV), recently launched an $18 million dollar venture capital (VC) fund to help fuel the growth of U.S. technology firms owned by women and minority entrepreneurs. Mr. Lark retired from a successful career as an entrepreneur and corporate executive rising up the ranks in several fortune 500 firms before leading a billion-dollar business at DST Systems in Kansas City, MO.

Mr. Lark and his wife believe in helping those among us who simply need a hand up to realize their dreams. His wife volunteers her time helping feed the homeless and supports elections in the Kansas area while Mr. Lark currently serves on the boards of Avila University, Kansas City Junior Achievement Foundation, and Wright State University’s Engineering Department where he and his wife created the Hammond-Lark Family foundation to provide college scholarships for well-deserving students.

Mr. Lark previously served on the boards of the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City, The Family Conservancy, Boys Hope of Missouri, Prodapt Americas, George Butler Associates, and Stamus Networks.

Mr. Lark attended Central State University and graduated in 1986 from Wright State University with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.

• TOPIC: Using the Power of Data to Transform American Society
  • Information or lack thereof has always played and will continue to play an essential role shaping American Society (Governments, Businesses, Communities, & Cultures). Lark, will share insights about how he’s leveraging publicly available information (data) to increase equity in businesses, jobs, justice and education for citizens in the KC metro and across America.

Speaker: Dr. Rodney Hammer, Founder and CEO of Rehope

Dr. Rodney Hammer

My wife and I served as missionaries in Asia and Eastern Europe for 18 years and expanded two humanitarian NGOs to meet indigenous needs. While there, I was exposed to the raw realities of human trafficking. I found its vastness, corruption, and demand overwhelming and seemingly impossible to address.

Simultaneously I wondered why trafficking victims were unable to escape. During a street outreach, my colleague asked a woman forced to sell herself on the street, “Why don’t you just leave?” She responded, “Am I coming home with you? Do you have a safe place for me?”
With her hopelessness seared in my mind and without a solution, we returned to the states for a much-needed break. During this time, we discovered that human trafficking is a major problem in our own communities. With up to two million people being trafficked in the United States and a lack of long-term solutions and safe homes, we founded REHOPE.

On a mission to restore survivors, we opened REHOPE Farms, a 17-acre campus offering women long-term housing, therapy, healing and wellness programs, education, and lifelong support. To provide jobs, professional skills training, and reintegration into the community, we launched REHOPE Market & Cafe, a social enterprise of survivor-made products. We also opened REHOPE Youth, a campus for the restoration of victimized children providing trauma treatment, education, family reintegration, and advanced, trauma-informed foster/adoptive services. We have the only facility in the Midwest that accepts boys.

Being an advocate and a strategic partner in this fight, I catalyzed REHOPE University - Center of Excellence in Counter Human Trafficking, which brings together a centralized network of professionals from legal, medical, psychological, prevention, social services, business, law enforcement, judicial, and legislative arenas.

I recently stepped into the Executive Producer role and joined forces with three-time Emmy-nominated producer, Craig Martin, to create a docuseries called Knock: Peering Behind the Door of HumanTrafficking. This series is to bring awareness and create change to the growing pandemic in our own backyard.

• TOPIC: Human Trafficking – Where is it? What is it? How Does Data Management and Training fight it?
  • Think human trafficking isn't happening in in your community. Think again! In this presentation you will hear real life emotional stories about how data was utilized to save local victims of human trafficking. We will expose you to the different types of trafficking in the KC metro and debunk the stereotypical images of trafficking victims. Share some of the challenges that law enforcement faces. Learn how enormous human trafficking is and who runs it! Provide tips on how you can identify signs of trafficking and where to turn for help.

Speaker: Eric Lee, Chief Emotional Officer at Mental Health Hackers

Eric Lee

Eric Lee is a Solutions Architect at AWS. His focus is in cloud infrastructure and IAM.

Not giving up after being rejected by numerous conferences, he has shared his experience going through IT Burnout to over 30 conferences and companies that span multiple IT verticals.

When not working, you'll find him ridding 4-wheeler's with his daughters, drinking bourbon, or at a dirt track watching sprint cars.

• TOPIC: Surviving IT burnout
  • Eric shares – “I've lived through IT Burnout twice and seen it in numerous peers. Keeping it at bay during COVID-19 has been extremely hard. This is my journey with IT Burnout and what you can do to support yourself, family, and peers.”

TO PARTICIPATE YOU MUST PICK IN PERSON OR ZOOM when you RSVP. 

In person we will be meeting in the following location:

TRAINING UMBRELLA
10551 Barkley St Ste 102, Overland Park, KS 66212
Directions: in Overland Park off of Metcalf: 105th & Barkley

Please arrive by 12:30PM – we will have prepackaged snacks and drinks. We can’t wait to see you!
Note: Masks are optional in this facility at this time.

Those choosing to participate remotely:

Zoom details will be emailed to each participant after you RSVP.

Guests are welcome to attend for a $35 fee and can submit payment here.

We have special rates for students and unemployed, please contact RSVP@kcdama.org for more details.

We also offer a scholarship to one deserving individual if you or someone you know would like to apply to attend for free, send an email to RSVP@kcdama.org with a short paragraph for application.

Please send your RSVP by January 20th to: RSVP@kcdama.org.  Each individual who will participate must register separately.

NOTE:  Please contact Membership@kcdama.org or Treasurer@kcdama.org if you are unclear of the status of your membership.

Game Show Battle Rooms 10520 Metcalf Lane, Overland Park, KS 66212 RSVP to rsvp@kcdama.org by February 16th, 2023 Free for 2022-2023 members Guest may attend by purchasing a ticket here.

75 minutes of fun and exciting friendly feud against fellow KC DAMA members in a variety of games.

• Send your RSVP to rsvp@kcdama.org by Thursday, February 16th, 2023.
• Free attendance for 2022-2023 members.
• $35 attendance fee for guests.

Stay tuned for upcoming events @DAMA Kansas City

Speaker: Karen Lopez - Data Evangelist for InfoAdvisors, Space Enthusiast, & Team Data Coach

Karen Lopez

Topic: Database Design Contentious Issues

Karen is a senior project manager and architect with an extensive background in development processes and information management. She specializes in taking practical approaches to systems development. She has 20+ years of public speaking (keynotes, speeches, and demonstrations). She wants attendees to have fun, gain insights and take away inspiration for working with new technologies and methods.

She's known for her slightly irreverent and practical approach to IT training and speaking. She wants you to be part of #TEAMDATA. 

 Follow Karen on:  

• @datachick (Twitter) 
• LinkedIn 
• Mastodon 

KC-DAMA is excited to bring the amazing, dynamic, talented, and fun Karen Lopez back to Kansas City!  You will not want to miss our first IN PERSON ONLY event since 2020!

In this session we’ll be talking about all things database design.  We’ll evaluate options, best practices, and argue/discuss those answers.  This is a REAL WORLD session where you can leave with actionable steps, learn more about how others handle the same problems you’re having, plus you’ll get to share your expertise where applicable to help others.

We will be IN PERSON ONLY as this session requires participation and is customized to those in the room to give them exactly what they need.  After a delicious hot breakfast and networking, let’s dig in and solve some advanced design issues! This is the kind of session that you’ve always wanted – how to solve those contentious issues with an expert to guide you!

Modules may be voted on ahead of time by participants but could include:  

• Are NULLS evil? 
• How many are too many joins? 
• Who gets the final say in design decisions? 
• How long is too long for a naming standard? 
• Are GUIDs helpful?  
• Is refactoring a help or a hinderance? 
• Are all surrogate keys helpful? 
• Are data models anti-agile? 
• Is a database software or infrastructre or both?  
• Which is more important: performance or data quality?  
• Is normalization the end of the world? 
• Are naming standards just for the wicked?  
• Are repeating columns that bad? 
• How much security should be in the database rather than the application? 
• Are faux NULLS dangerous?  

Bring your votes, your debates, your opinions.  JOIN US FOR THE FUN (and breakfast)!

Meeting Location:

TRAINING UMBRELLA
10551 Barkley St. Ste. #102, Overland Park, KS 66212
Directions: in Overland Park off of Metcalf: 105th & Barkley

Breakfast starts at 7:30AM, and meeting starts promptly at 8AM.

• • Note: Masks are optional in this facility at this time.

Guests are welcome to attend for a $45 fee and can submit payment here.

We have special rates for students and unemployed, please contact RSVP@kcdama.org for more details.

We also offer a scholarship to one deserving individual if you or someone you know would like to apply to attend for free, send an email to RSVP@kcdama.org with a short paragraph for application.

Please send your RSVP by June 21st to: RSVP@kcdama.org.  Each individual who will participate must register separately.

NOTE:  Please contact Membership@kcdama.org or Treasurer@kcdama.org if you are unclear of the status of your membership.

Chicken N Pickle - NKC 1761 Burlington North Kansas City, MO 64116 RSVP to rsvp@kcdama.org by August 31st, 2023 Free for 2023-2024 members Guest may attend by purchasing a ticket here.

Come to learn about the fast-growing sport – Pickleball with fellow KC DAMA members. Enjoy Hamburger & Fries or a vegetarian option.

• Send your RSVP to rsvp@kcdama.org by Thursday, August 31st, 2023.
• Free attendance for 2023-2024 members.
• $40 attendance fee for guests.

Stay tuned for upcoming events @DAMA Kansas City

Speaker: Bill Inmon - The Father of the Data Warehouse

Bill Inmon

Topic: Data Architecture: The Evolution

Bill Inmon, the father of the data warehouse concept, the corporate information factory, and the government information factory has written 47 books on data warehouse, data base, and information technology management. His publishers include John Wiley, Prentice-Hall, and QED. His books have been translated into nine languages.  More than thirty of his books have been book club selections. In addition, Bill has written over 750 articles for trade journals such as Data Management Review, Byte, Datamation, ComputerWorld, and many others.  Currently Bill has a newsletter with b-eye-network.com that reaches 55,000 people.
Bill founded Inmon Data Systems, a company that reads and manages unstructured data – emails, telephone transcripts, documents – and processes them for inclusion into a structured data warehouse. In addition IDS creates visualizations for unstructured data. IDS has technology that crosses the bridge between unstructured data and structured data, currently protected by seven patents.
Bill can be reached at BInmon@BillInmon.com.

Meeting Location:

TRAINING UMBRELLA
10551 Barkley St. Ste. #102, Overland Park, KS 66212
Directions: in Overland Park off of Metcalf: 105th & Barkley

• • Note: Masks are optional in this facility at this time.

Guests are welcome to attend for a $40 fee and can submit payment here.

We have special rates for students and unemployed, please contact RSVP@kcdama.org for more details.

We also offer a scholarship to one deserving individual if you or someone you know would like to apply to attend for free, send an email to RSVP@kcdama.org with a short paragraph for application.

Please send your RSVP by September 18th to: RSVP@kcdama.org.  Each individual who will participate must register separately.

NOTE:  Please contact Membership@kcdama.org or Treasurer@kcdama.org if you are unclear of the status of your membership.

Speaker: Len Silverston - Data management, data governance, data modeling thought leader and fully ordained Zen priest and spiritual teacher

Len Silverston

Len Silverston is a best-selling author, consultant, and speaker with over 35 years of experience in helping organizations around the world integrate data.

He is an internationally recognized thought leader in the fields of data management, data governance, as well as in the human dynamics that lies at the core of synthesizing and effectively using information. He is the author of the best-selling ‘The Data Model Resource Book’ series (Volumes 1, 2, and 3), which provide hundreds of reusable data models and have been translated into multiple languages. Mr. Silverston's company, Universal Mindful, LLC (www.universalmindful.com), focuses on the cultural, political and human side of data management and data governance.

He is also a fully ordained Zen priest and life coach. He provides training, coaching, corporate mindfulness workshops, and retreats through his organization, 'Zen With Len' (www.zenwithlen.com).

Topic:  Practical Negotiation Techniques for DG & DM Professionals

Data governance and data management involves a huge amount of negotiating including securing adherence to enterprise-wide semantics, policies and standards, working with projects’ timelines and budgets, agreeing on who has access to what data, and a plethora of other negotiated activities. We cannot be successful in data governance and data management without effectively negotiating.

This seminar will share many practical and essential tools and techniques regarding common data governance and data management scenarios that require negotiations. The presentation will include real life stories of negotiations illustrating how the outcomes from negotiations can make or break a program or project. It will also share some misconceptions about negotiations. For example, the adage, ‘the one who speaks first, loses’ may not always produce the best outcomes, and viewing a negotiation as coming to terms between two opposing sides is not what negotiation is really about. So, you are invited to come to this seminar to cultivate skills that are critical to your success in data governance and data management by learning about the art of negotiation.

This seminar will share:

• Common, likely scenarios where data professionals need to negotiate and how to effectively negotiate in these circumstances
• Case studies of negotiations in data management that led to successful and unsuccessful outcomes
• A framework for negotiation including what to do before, during, and after a negotiation
• Principles for negotiation as well as misconceptions in order to achieve optimal results and avoid mistakes
• Research and studies regarding effective negotiation techniques
• Exercises in negotiations to practice and develop effective negotiation skills

Bonus Session:  Zen with Len (In Person Only)  Presented by Kensho Len Silverston

What Does Zen Have to do With Data Governance and Data Management?  The Answer is "Everything". Find Out Why!

This will be a relaxing session, so please be in room by 11:30 to participate.  Late arrivals may enter as Len indicates appropriate.

Details:

Prepare yourself and your mind for the day so you can make the most of it!  This presentation will cover the what, why and how of meditation and how this applies to data governance.

Come invigorate yourself, reduce stress, develop your mind, and learn about and practice meditation.

Len Silverston, will provide this brief overview of what meditation is, why it is important, how to meditate, and lead a sitting meditation and moving meditation (Qigong) session.  This will be an enlightening, wonderful session to start the meeting in a relaxed and receptive state of mind!

Meeting Location:
We'd love to see you in person!

Training Umbrella
10551 Barkley St. Ste. #102
Overland Park, KS 66212

Directions: in Overland Park off of Metcalf: 105th & Barkley
Note: Masks are optional in this facility at this time.

Current members can attend at no charge.  Guests are welcome to attend for a $40 fee and can submit payment here.

We have special rates for students and unemployed, please contact RSVP@kcdama.org for more details.

We also offer a scholarship to one deserving individual if you or someone you know would like to apply to attend for free, send an email to RSVP@kcdama.org with a short paragraph for application.

To Participate you must RSVP to RSVP@KCDAMA.ORG by November 10th, 2023. Each individual who will participate must register separately, the link to the meeting is yours only.  You must chose in person or virtual when you RSVP.  Please indicate any food allergies or needs when you RSVP for in person.

NOTE:  Please contact Membership@kcdama.org or Treasurer@kcdama.org if you are unclear of the status of your membership.