Speakers

I am a Web Developer and avid WordPress user, I have used WordPress since 2006 (from version 2.x) and have over 12 years of web development experience. I am the Senior Manager of Web Development for Murad Inc where I manage a team of web developers working on our eCommerce & content sites and use WordPress and other Open Source Platforms everyday.

I recently started a Blog for the WordPress community that shows users how to take WordPress further than just a blog, such as for eCommerce, Membership sites, and other uses. My blog is called WP Power Guide wppowerguide.com.

Ben can track his involvement with the WordPress community way back before it was even WordPress (B2, in fact, which was the name of the former project that was forked and became WordPress). As a software engineer, Ben helped build the BBC News Website. He also rolled out the BBC’s blogging platform (sadly not WordPress) and its developer platform.

Since moving State-side in 2006, Ben has worked as a technologist, strategist and entrepreneur – launching the MySpace Platform, founding various startups in the tech/media landscape and advising numerous startups in his portfolio – including Apture (acquired by Google) and NutShellMail (acquired by Constant Contact). After being asked to rearchitect the WordPress install for a highly successful, high-trafficed blog, Ben realized that there was a gap in the market for premium managed WordPress hosting – and the rest is history.

Ben is the co-founder of WP Engine

Chris Lema has been a senior software executive in 5 startups – responsible for new product development, strategy, staffing and product launches. With over 90 web software products launched since 1995, he has deep technical & marketing expertise in enterprise software, web applications, B2B exchanges, and SAAS. He’s leveraged WordPress for over 6 years, and currently works at Emphasys Software, where they use WordPress in the real estate industry.

My name is Greg Douglas. I am the Art Director at Domestic Equity Studio based in Los Angeles, CA. I have a very unique approach to WordPress customization and have been perfecting my style of design for the last several years.

I am a Woo Affiliate Worker and recently had a case-study article published in the WooThemes blog. This will give you a good idea of what I will be presenting in my talk; As well as give you a good sense of how I organize and communicate my thoughts. You can read the case-study I wrote here: www.woothemes.com/2012/05/case-study-the-lab-anti-mall/

Jake Goldman is the owner of 10up LLC (10up.com), a distributed web agency focused on awesome WordPress implementations with 12 full time employees. At 10up, Jake works on exciting and wide ranging WordPress projects, like TechCrunch, NBC Universal Sports, 9to5 Mac, Hip2Save (the official deal blog of NBC’s Today Show), VentureBeat, and Trulia. Jake is a writer and expert reviewer for Smashing Magazine, teaches WordPress at Boston University, and has authored over a dozen highly rated WordPress plug-ins. Jake founded the WordPress Providence meet up, and has spoken at WordCamps around the country, including Boston, New York, Mid-Altantic, Chicago, and Miami.

Today, Jake lives just an hour’s flight away in Sacramento, California.

I am Jeff Zinn, co-founder and WordPress programmer at Pixel Jar. I am also one of the organizers for WordCamp Orange County since it began in 2010. I spoken at three WordCamps thus far, but not at LA yet. I contribute presentations on a regular basis to my local WordPress meetup here in Orange County. I authored/co-authored a handful of plugins in the WordPress plugin repository as well as the recently released AdSanity ad-rotating premium plugin. When not WordPressin’, I’m usually surfing, hiking, camping or sleeping.

VP of McNaughton Newspaper group, operator of 8 northern California newspapers. Our newspaper publications are driven by WordPress, not just the websites but the print publications as well.

Kari Leigh is a Content Strategy Maven for CandyApple Content, part of the VeloMedia Group, and currently serves as the Group’s Director of Content Services. She collaborates with clients on content branding, copy development, and works with designers and developers to create UX that converts.

Kimanzi Constable is an author who has self-published two eBooks and sold over 50,000 copies. His first published book will be out this February (Sound Wisdom Books). He is an international speaker (3 countries and 10 states), coach and consultant. His mission is to help people live the full and abundant life they deserve You can find him at Tales of Work.

Konstantin is a member of the WordPress Theme Review Team, a Core Contributor to 3.4 and 3.5, and is currently working alongside many other volunteers on Twenty Twelve, the new WordPress default Theme. He has been developing with WordPress since 2009 and published his own Theme and a number of Plugins to their respected repositories. You can find him on Twitter: @obenland.

Self & School taught C++, Java, PHP, Perl and Ruby Developer working as a Lead San Diego Software Engineer @GapIntelligence with a BSCS degree. I’ve been using WordPress since 2009 and run an Advanced WordPress group out of San Diego.

Natalie MacLees is a front-end web developer and UI designer. Together with Noel Saw she heads up the Southern California WordPress User’s Group, organizing WordPress meetups, help sessions, and workshops. In 2010, she worked as technical reviewer on WordPress 3 Complete by April Hodge Silver and this published jQuery for Designers with Packt Publishing. She makes her online home at nataliemac.com.

Paul serves as the co-founder and “Left Brain” at Brainstorm Media, a team of passionate servants with teachers’ hearts. Together, they are in the business of changing the world using WordPress.

Paul has been working with WordPress for 7 years and is a Core Contributor to 3.5. He is proud to have created intelligent, intuitive solutions for great clients including The Wall Street Journal, Iomega, and Vistage International.

Sé Reed is a fan of the digital revolution. Through her consulting company, Sé Reed Media, she develops, codes, and manages custom WordPress websites for clients in a range of industries, and is a frequent presenter at a variety of seminars and conventions on the topics of small business, the Internet and WordPress.

Sé also provides one-on-one consulting and conducts workshops to help small and micro businesses develop their web presence through websites, social media and search engine optimization as a specialty business adviser for the Small Business Development Center (Los Angeles Regional Network).

In 2003, Sé founded the award-winning independent bookstore OPEN in Long Beach, CA, through which she has produced special events of every sort and scale, and where she revels in the non-digital loveliness of paper and ink.

Taylor Jasko is an expert in web design and development, enjoys iOS/Mac programming, fancies the design what he does every day with the Wacom Intuos5, and lastly, is an extremely social person being on practically ever social network possible. Most of the technologies he has ever learned he taught himself though many books and samples on the StackExchange network.

Wes Chyrchel has been building websites for 16 years. He has worked with WordPress since 2006 and exclusively with WordPress, since 2008. He is passionate about creating great websites and personal customer experiences for visitors and his clients. Wes loves to talk about the business of web development and is committed to making his clients successful.