Agile Open Northwest

Agile Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the concepts of Agile software development as outlined in the Agile Manifesto. With nearly 35,000 members and subscribers around the globe, Agile Alliance is driven by the principles of Agile methodologies and the value delivered to developers, organizations and end users. Agile Alliance organizes and supports events to bring the Agile community together on a global scale.

AGLX Consulting employs the disciplines of high-performing networks of teams, debriefing, red teaming, cultures of safety, complexity heuristics, and transformation initiatives to deliver cross-spectrum capabilities which enable organizational agility, resiliency, and innovation.

AIM Consulting, an Addison Group company, is a rapidly growing leader in technology consulting services and solutions delivery that helps companies compete effectively in the digital world. AIM builds long term relationships with the best technology consulting talent in the region and deliver end-to-end on business-critical initiatives with modern technologies and processes. Founded in 2006, AIM Consulting provides strategic guidance and scalable project teams in the areas of Application Development, Data & Analytics, Delivery Leadership, Digital Experience & Mobile, and Infrastructure, Cloud & Enterprise Service Management. Headquartered in Seattle with offices in Denver and Minneapolis and the capability to deliver solutions across the US, AIM Consulting has been repeatedly recognized as one of the nation’s fastest growing private companies and best places to work. Learn more at aimconsulting.com.

Schools and districts nationwide implement Apex Learning digital curriculum to personalize the learning experience and support success for all students—from those who are struggling to those capable of accelerating. Proven to increase outcomes, Apex Learning digital curriculum actively engages students in learning, with embedded supports and scaffolds to meet the needs of diverse learners. During the most recent school year, there were more than 3.6 million enrollments in Apex Learning digital curriculum.

Integral GIS is a geospatial engineering and consulting company specialized in business growth. We help companies answer their key questions by mapping important business information. Our work leads to a better holistic understanding of key information, better strategic decisions, clarity of goals & objectives, and deeper cross-functional collaboration, ultimately boosting growth. We provide a clear and customized analytical platform at your fingertips.

The Open Space Institute(US) holds space for Open Space. The Open Space Institute(US) serves by providing access to resources on Open Space, by connecting individuals and groups to inform, inspire, mentor, and sustain each other in opening and holding space, AND by being an inclusive learning community.

The Pacific Northwest Software Quality Conference (PNSQC) 2018 – Always ‘On the Road to Quality’. PNSQC is now in its fourth decade of hosting a prestigious annual quality conference in Portland, OR. Our 2018 program will explore the theme, ‘On the Road to Quality.’ Join us Oct. 8-10, 2018, in Portland, as the leaders of the software quality industry gather to discuss the latest trends and developments in QA and testing. You’ll learn from those on the cutting edge–and have plenty of opportunities to socialize too, making new friends and contacts to build your professional and personal networks. By following our blog, checking out our YouTube channel and delving into our rich archives, you can travel the road to quality with us throughout 2018. The Call for presentations will open in early February; registration opens in early July.

Plaster Group is dedicated to partnering with our clients to identify Agile solutions that accelerate the delivery of business value and enable our partners to maintain or gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Whether you are just beginning the Agile journey, or are struggling to make existing Agile practices more effective, our experienced and knowledgeable consultants are passionate about identifying and implementing strategies for your success.

At Premera, we make healthcare work better. By focusing on improving our customers’ experience purposefully and serving their needs passionately, we make the process easier, less costly and more positive. Through empathy and advocacy, we change lives. Premera, a not-for-profit organization, is proud to serve more than 2 million people—from individuals and families to members of Fortune 100 employer groups. As the largest health plan in the Pacific Northwest, we provide comprehensive, tailored services to customers in Washington and Alaska that include innovative programs focused on wellness and prevention, disease management, and patient safety. We deliver these programs through health, life, vision, dental, stop-loss, disability, workforce wellness, and other related products and services. We’re committed to controlling rising medical costs while ensuring access to quality care for our members.

Keeping pace with the velocity at which markets and industries change is essential. This new era of continuous disruption needs a brand of management consulting that instills speed and agility. Propeller helps large organizations navigate and succeed in this increasingly volatile business landscape. We are consultants, fixers, change makers but mostly we’re a company full of people who love the adventure of solving complex problems.

Qumulo is the leader in universal-scale file storage. Qumulo File Fabric (QF2) gives data-intensive businesses the freedom to store, manage and access file-based data in the data center and on the cloud, at petabyte and global scale. Founded in 2012 by the inventors of scale-out NAS, Qumulo serves the modern file storage and management needs of Global 2000 customers.

Slalom is a purpose-driven consulting firm that helps companies solve business problems and build for the future, with solutions spanning business advisory, customer experience, technology, and analytics. Our clients come to us to find new ways to accelerate innovation, do more with less, get to market faster, create experiences their customers love, and build operational muscle for sustainable results. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Seattle, WA, Slalom has organically grown to nearly 5,000 employees. You can find us in 25 cities across the U.S., U.K., and Canada. Learn more at slalom.com.

SolutionsIQ is the leading Agile transformation and Innovation consultancy. We guide our clients toward becoming learning organizations capable of adapting at the speed of market change, consistently delivering high-quality products and thrilling customers. SolutionsIQ helps technology-driven organizations outlearn and outperform their competition. SolutionsIQ is an Accenture company.

SourceCell helps people create better products & services, using the best ideas & practices from Agile, Scrum, Lean, Lean Startup, Design Thinking, & more. We help transform organizations, and keep them adapting & learning, through a combination of consulting and training tuned to their unique challenges. We utilize a principles-based approach for pragmatic progress, at whatever rate makes sense for an organization. We emphasize early progress via rapid learning cycles and continuous improvement. We work holistically at all organizational levels from individuals, to teams to leadership, bringing empathy for all participants.

As part of UW Continuum College, UW Professional & Continuing Education expands the educational impact of the University of Washington, breaking down barriers so learners of all types can access quality opportunities that fit their lives. Whether you’re pursuing a higher level of education or simply forever curious, you’ll discover innovative and relevant programs that fit your schedule and your budget – so you can keep learning at the University of Washington.

Aki Namioka

Aki has been an Agile practitioner since 2002 and a Certified Scrum Master since 2010. She specializes in Agile coaching, and has helped several organizations transform into high-functioning Agile teams, using XP, Scrum, and Kanban. Aki’s background includes Boeing, IBM Global Services, and Cisco Systems. Aki enjoys learning from others in the Agile community, and is active in BeyondAgile and Agile Open Northwest.

Dan DiCamillo

I’m a part of the Northwest Software Craftsmanship, DevOps, Product, and Agile communities, and an 8+ year AONW attendee. I’ve received so much from them that I’ve focused on giving through volunteering and hosting within my company and externally. Internally through things like Hackathons, Multi-Team Planning, Open Spaces, Open Demos, Meetups, and Curation. Externally through this conference, DevOpsDays Seattle, BeyondAgile, Seattle Scaled Agile, and CodeRetreat. Topics on my mind these days are things like Scale and Systems Thinking, Social and Software System Dynamics, The evolving ways we communicate, Bottlenecks | Betrayals | Trust | Safety | Chaos | Flow | Agility | Improvement | Responsibility; at their many scales like Individual | Role | Teams | Leadership | Software | Systems | Infrastructure | Products | Planning | Business | Companies | Culture | Communities | etc.

Excited to help create another event that seeks to add value, and grateful to be involved. My goals for this event are for you to leave with new energy, ideas, examples, and a better sense of where Northwest companies and practitioners are with these topics.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dandicamillo, https://twitter.com/criticalthinker

Aki Namioka

Aki has been an Agile practitioner since 2002 and a Certified Scrum Master since 2010. She specializes in Agile coaching, and has helped several organizations transform into high-functioning Agile teams, using XP, Scrum, and Kanban. Aki’s background includes Boeing, IBM Global Services, and Cisco Systems. Aki enjoys learning from others in the Agile community, and is active in BeyondAgile and Agile Open Northwest.

Ian Savage

A quality evangelist, Ian Savage is a veteran software developer, quality engineer, and manager with experience in manufacturing, financial services, construction project estimating, and software security. For more than thirty years, he has worked to improve productivity and software quality through rigorous development methods and processes and now through the pragmatic application of agile methods.

He founded/co-founded various Pacific Northwest software and quality volunteer organizations. By day he works with the Quality Initiatives Team at McAfee focusing on metrics, static analysis, and quality systems. His present interests are software security, insourcing vs. outsourcing, and quality training. Like many others, Ian looks forward to retirement or Career 2.0.

Jeremy Lightsmith

Jeremy Lightsmith spends most of his time and energy building highly performant software development teams.

A seasoned agile coach, trainer, and facilitator, Jeremy excels at creating environments where teams can discover how they work best. He has a deep understanding of agile, and is constantly looking for better ways to share knowledge and collaborate. As a presenter, Jeremy favors interactive and group techniques and pulls from disciplines as diverse as Theatre Improv and Montessori.

Find Jeremy at http://jeremylightsmith.com or @lightsmith.

Michael J. Tardiff

I love hearing what people want to do and helping them see the ways in which they might do it. In doing the work, we discover the work that needs to be done.

For the last decade that’s been my story: facilitator, trainer, coach, mentor, guide, storyteller, provocateur. Happiness for me is working with a team of people who are different from me; together, we serve others better than I could alone. Along the way, I’ve held all the software roles that begin with “p” and end with “manager.” Twice I was a director at a growing startup. My early years were spent technically writing.

I write things at FeelingAgile.com. Still available on iTunes is the “The Agile Coach” podcast. @mjt on Twitter is me being short. Invite me and I’ll talk, wherever and whenever you like. Agile Open Northwest’s annual Open Space brings me joy. And I find peace sailing the waters north of Seattle.

Nora Beyerle

I journeyed into technology via a music education. Working in the software industry since 2000, I’ve explored responsibilities of business analysis, project management, and people management. It was the agile values and principles that resonated strongest with me, and I have since focused on coaching agile development teams and championing individuals. I appreciate all the learning opportunities within our agile community of practice! I enjoy volunteering at AgilePDX, and now joining Agile Open Northwest. Additionally I am looking forward to further collaborate with Future of Work communities. I believe that people can change the world, and that we can achieve this by being curious, open, and kind.

I hesitantly tweet at @sunhiltb.

Troy Frever

Troy Frever discovered XP in 2000, after two decades as a professional software developer. Since then he has been an Extreme Programmer and Coach for a number of companies in the Seattle area, including Smilebox, Aviarc, RealNetworks, and more. He was recenlty co-founder and CTO of Blok24, and is currently having a grand time as VP of Engineering at LiquidPlanner. When he’s not writing unit tests or refactoring mercilessly, Troy enjoys backpacking and skiing with his family and playing Ultimate Frisbee. Troy is also a former organizer of the Seattle Extreme Programming Users Group (SXPUG) and a co-founder of Seattle’s Beyond Agile user group.