Speaker Spotlight – Renée Downs

Renée Downs is an avid culinary adventure traveller and creator. Never leaving home without paper and pen, this published author is an accomplished wordsmith. Once upon a time she called herself a reluctant blogger. She has come a long way since her first post back in November 2013. Her WordPress love is strong but there were other platforms before trying it on for size; this non-techie writer could not find her groove until WordPress. Now she is hooked for life. Her blog, Gettin’ Fresh with R.H. Downs, is the place to find everything from what’s hot around Halifax to topics on self-care and mental health. Renée is also one of the founding members and producers for BlogJam Atlantic; a fun, informative, and unique event for the region’s blogging community.

What’s been your best experience with WordPress?

When guest bloggers send me their words and I get to make them look pretty on my WordPress blog.

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Speaker Spotlight – Floria Aghdamimehr

Floria Aghdamimehr is the catalyst and facilitator from information to transformation. Recognize Your Potential (RYP) creates and fosters a Growth Mindset. Floria has a Solutions-based focus and works on Leadership Through People & Effective Interpersonal Communication Skills. She offers training on Growth Mindset, Gratitude at Work, Difficult Conversations Simplified, and Diversity & Inclusion. RYP becomes the Co-Creative Partner to achieving your goals. Floria has developed the Performance Unleashed program to enhance trust and respect, while building a strong engaged team that collaborates and improves Productivity & Innovation in the workplace!

Attitude = Outcome

Floria has many years of experience working with Dalhousie University, RCMP, Trade Centre Limited, Teachers Provincial Professional Development conferences, and Correctional Services Canada, to name a few. Floria is a coach, trainer, keynote and speaker for Professional Development events and conferences. Floria serves on Creating a Positive Business Environment task force, co-chair of Partners for Human Rights and Ability Employers.

“Leaders Embrace difficulties to find opportunities.” ~ Floria

What’s been your best experience with WordPress?

Answers to my questions as a newbie to WordPress

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Speaker Spotlight – Tim Covell

Tim is a technical writer by day, and a freelance writer and editor/web consultant/film studies academic by night. He built his first website, using Notepad, in 1997, after deciding there was room on the internet for one more site. He looks after several WordPress sites, both .com and .org, and assists individuals and small organizations maintain and update their sites.Tim is a writer and editor/web consultant/film studies academic. He built his first website, using Notepad, in 1997, after deciding there was room on the internet for one more site. He looks after several WordPress sites, both .com and .org, and assists individuals and small organizations maintain and update their sites.

What’s been your best experience with WordPress?

Seeing other folks “get it” and start doing their own posts.

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Speaker Spotlight – Michael MacMillan

While working as a developer for an agency in Vancouver around 2009, Mike started noticing the patterns in the action items sent by third-party SEO consultants. In an effort to save his customers communication time and reduce costs he offered to not only consult on the onsite optimization opportunities but also work with the developers to implement them. After moving into an in-house SEO position with a startup SaaS company in 2013 he was able to round out his skill set to include off page ranking factors and a more in-depth understanding of analytics. Currently he leads up the SEO team at VERB Interactive. When not digging through spreadsheets Mike enjoys skateboarding, grappling and getting records to make weird noises.

What’s been your best experience with WordPress?

That is hard to say, it’s interesting how versatile platform it is. I have been involved in sites that range from 5 to 10,000+ pages and each project has taught my something.

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Speaker Spotlight – Jason Tremere

I’ve been on the Internet since the dial-up modem days and Netscape beta. Now I’m amazed with how far things have come since the 90s. While my music tastes may be stuck in the 80s, let’s do WordPress web design like it’s 2018.

What’s been your best experience with WordPress?

The WordPress community is super helpful, open to sharing solutions and best practices. When I run into a technical problem, there is always somewhere to turn. A quick Google search usually gives me the answer or opinions I need on WordPress or on blogs dedicated to WordPress.

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Speaker Spotlight – Chris Van Patten

Chris Van Patten is the founder and creative director of Tomodomo, which helps magazines (and other content publishers) build powerful subscription websites that editors and readers love. He has spoken at WordPress events in Barcelona, Boston, Houston, Toronto, and many other cities around the world. Chris writes at tomodomo.co and chrisvanpatten.com, and tweets as @ChrisVanPatten.

What’s been your best experience with WordPress?

Getting to contribute to a platform with an important mission — making publishing accessible to millions around the world, while letting them own their data — has been exciting and meaningful.

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Speaker Spotlight – Enrique Hoyos

Enrique helps businesses identify unmet needs, goals, opportunities and challenges. His main focus is digital marketing, where he leverages quantitative and qualitative data to develop integrated marketing strategies that connect brands to their consumer needs.

What’s been your best experience with WordPress?

I think that the aggregate experience I’ve had with WordPress has been my best experience. Allowing me to build a website without many of the expertise required and in less time has been a game changer.

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Call for Speakers

What’s WordCamp Halifax without people sharing what they know about WordPress with others?

We’re looking for speakers to inspire a variety of audiences for June 16. Speak independently, as a duo, or even suggest a panel topic we can wrangle you and some other speakers into! Continue reading Call for Speakers