Speakers

Orlando’s 2009 WordCamp is going to be a full day of learning and networking for publishers and developers. Our schedule is still in the works, but here’s what we can tell you about the great folks who will talking at this year’s WordCamp Orlando.

Barry Abrahamson

During the day, Barry is Automattic’s Systems Wranger, where he makes sure the servers are zipping along while trying not to get too much BBQ sauce on his keyboard and at night… ok, well, he’s doing the same. When he’s not on AIM, ICQ, Jabber, IRC, or reading about the latest and greatest in MySQL optimization, Barry enjoys traveling and playing a little lacrosse.

Sean Brown

Sean is the Online Manager at MIT Sloan Management Review where he is responsible for the implementation of all MIT SMR web initiatives. For over 10 years Sean has led web application projects for organizations including Fidelity Investments, Nokia, Palm Inc., Titleist, Sun Microsystems, The Home Depot, NYU School of Law and Harvard Medical School. Sean has expertise in designing and implementing asset management, content management, e-commerce and social media platforms.

Geno Church

Geno is Brains on Fire’s quoted, sought-after and stalked thought leader in uncovering the DNA of sustainable word of mouth movements and building them from the ground, up. Seriously. Addys. Wommies. Forrester Groundswell Awards. A gold EFFIE, even. He’s a USC grad, a Furman football fanatic and he’s even played in a glam-rock band. Geno’s Southern, approachable and probably one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. No kidding.

Eric Dodds

Eric is what Brains on Fire could call a Community Manager – but they don’t. Eric has played an integral role in the insight, strategy, creation, recruitment and igniting of a movement for a Fortune 100 brand (you’ll have to meet him and ask which one). He’s now the go-to guy for both the brand and the community. But instead of “manage,” he works shoulder-to-shoulder with his client’s employees and customers to fortify a successful long-term, sustainable word of mouth movement. No small task, but you better believe a rewarding one.

Jeremy Harrington

Jeremy creates and manages user experience design and front-end development for a large enterprise application, helping customers like Apple, NASA JPL and GM build cooler products. He’s contracted and designed for WordPress luminaries like Voce Communications, Crowd Favorite and Big in Japan. When not spending time with his wife and two young children his passions include music, photography, design history and all things Disney. He make little use of, but feels obliged to mention that he received a BS in criminology from Truman State University.

JC Hutchins

An innovator in online publishing and promotion, J.C. Hutchins has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR’s Weekend Edition and Time.com. He used podcasting and fan evangelism to land two fiction book deals from St. Martin’s Press. His 7th Son thriller trilogy is the most popular “podcast novel” series in history.

John James Jacoby

John is a web slinger originally from Milwaukee, WI but currently living in Miami, FL. When he isn’t playing Spiderman, he can be found contributing to BuddyPress core, moderating the BuddyPress forums, or singing the praises of BuddyPress from the mountain tops. He likes puppies, dislikes bright lights, and his Ninja Turtle name is “Johnatello.”

Mark Jaquith

Mark has been working with and contributing to WordPress since 2004. He is one of the lead developers of the WordPress core and offers freelance WordPress consulting services through Covered Web Services with a focus on scaling, security, and custom functionality. Mark likes patches that have more red than green, and his favorite WordPress features are the ones that you’re not even aware of. He eagerly looks forward to shooting down your feature suggestions with, “No, but it would make a great plugin!”

Brian Johnson

Brian Johnson is a startup evangelist living in Orlando. He’s responsible for Microsoft’s WebsiteSpark and BizSpark programs in the East. Brian has been with Microsoft for 10 years, working as a developer evangelist, a strategist at MSDN, and a programming editor at Microsoft Press. Once upon a time he was also a product manager for Office for Mac. He’s written books on Microsoft Visual Studio, Xbox 360, and Zune.

Dan Maccarone

Dan created Hard Candy Shell with Kevin Kearney after the two completed the strategy and design work on Hulu. At HCS, Dan has worked with clients such as the Wall Street Journal, Saturday Night Live, Gilt Group, Gawker and CBS Radio. He has spent over 12 years developing online business strategies and user-centered design solutions for companies such as NBC, Fox, Universal Music, GE Capital, AOL, Sports Illustrated, Discovery, Scholastic and Chivas Regal. He also served as the Senior Producer for the Digital Club Network, the Web’s first virtual concert venue.

Eric Marden

Eric Marden is an innovative, standards-aware Web Developer with a less is more approach to software engineering. He is a seasoned professional with 12 years experience crafting custom publishing workflows open source technologies such as WordPress. As an active plugin author, publishing industry veteran, and a contributor to multiple WordPress related projects he will illuminate the realm of possibility that WordPress opens up for publishers, developers and other content creators.

Matt Mullenweg

Matt is the founding developer of WordPress, the open source blogging software that runs millions of sites around the world. In 2005, he started Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, Akismet, Gravatar, bbPress, IntenseDebate, and BuddyPress. Matt lives in San Francisco and has a crush on Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Chris Scott

Chris is a lead developer for Voce Communications. He works daily within projects running on WordPress.com’s VIP service which means he has the added bonus of Automattic’s team scrutinizing his code. His most proud accomplishment, however, might just be the creation of http://bacolicio.us, a site which sadly has nothing to do with WordPress, but everything to do with bacon.

Jane Wells

Jane is the user experience lead for WordPress, and has worked in the web industry for 10 years. Though her apartment is in the East Village, she spends much of her time traveling to WordCamps and meeting WordPress users to incorporate their feedback into each new version.

Andrew Zipern

Andrew was a creative development director at AOL before joining Rocket Fuel, a digital consultancy, in 2008. Current and former clients include CBS, Fuse, Black Planet, Bonnaroo, the National Hockey League, Major League Soccer and the NYSE. He also spent more than seven years as an editor and producer at The New York Times, overseeing business and technology coverage for NYTimes.com and writing frequently about both subjects for The Times and other publications.

Plus more to be announced very soon!