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Current Events
Monthly Meetup – Socializing over Beer
NWA TechFest hosts monthly social meetups at local drinking establishments. We pay for the drinks and (shared) snacks for attendees. You show up to talk with other STEM professionals in the community about whatever you want. We have begun to have short presentations from local speakers at the beginning of meetings. There is usually some group Q&A so that we can gather feedback and see if anything interesting is happening in the area. Feel free to invite people you know. Ages 18+ preferred.
Yearly Conference – 2023 – “AI and the Future of NWA”
NWA TechFest brought back its yearly conference for the first time since COVID started messing up all of our plans. The theme of this year’s conference was “AI and the Future of NWA”. Presentations explored the what, how, and why of “A.I.” as of 2023 as well as what, how, and why it could affect the future of software developers in Northwest Arkansas.
The conference was hosted at The Jones Center in Springdale, AR on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.
Current Initiatives
We are seeking local companies and organizations to partner with for both speaker talent and event sponsorship.
We are looking for people to join our non-profit organization and do some long-term event organization with us. Contact us below or join one of our relevant Mailing Lists if you want to get involved.
We are asking for community feedback through our social channels, corporate engagement, and our connections in education. If you have ideas for events we should hold (e.g. a specific talk, something centered around another non-profit, a small job fair) then please contact us and let us know what you want to see and if you’d like to get involved in organizing it. Likewise, if you know about other events that are going on then we’d love to hear about them and share them with others.
Board of Advisors
NWA TechFest is organized by the community of Northwest Arkansas, for the community of Northwest Arkansas.
We’re always open to welcoming new volunteers and organizers into our fold.
Jonathan Ulrich
President
Software Engineer II @ SupplyPike
Jonathan Ulrich is a software developer who lives and works in Fayetteville, AR. He has spent his career jumping between local startups where he has helped design and develop a variety of desktop and web applications across multiple industries.
When not working he can be found coding for his own entertainment, leisurely biking on the NWA trail system, playing video games, or reading comic books.
Charlie Weber
Vice President
A self taught powershell enthusiast, Charlie learned the skills to automate aspects of his role as a one man IT shop. Charlie now teaches powershell at K12 ed tech conferences, with an emphasis on automation and scripting. Charlie is a leader in the K12 education community in Arkansas. Charlie is passionate about enabling change, connecting people, and helping make the world a little better each day.
Charlie can often be found on the sand volley ball courts, biking the green way, or at a local concert. When Charlie is not out and about he enjoys a good video game or movie.
Alie Streeter
Secretary & Events Chair
Alie is a big nerd who loves to learn about all things tech and data. In the tech world, she works to solve ecommerce problems with custom technology solutions.
She has a passion for helping startups and has experience in the nonprofit, hospitality, and supply chain industries.
When she’s not at her desk, you can usually find her enjoying the outdoors or spending time with friends and family.
Sapna Ramachandran
Board Member
Talent Acquisition @ Kitestring
Sapna Ramachandran is a Talent Acquisition and Management professional, specializing in Technology Recruiting. Sapna currently heads Talent Acquisition for Kitestring Technical Services. She has worked for companies like Siemens and JB Hunt, providing them with strategic and innovative solutions to meet their recruiting and staffing needs for Technology professionals.
Sapna enjoys managing and empowering her team, participating in employment marketing initiatives, branding campaigns, referral programs, employee engagement and retention programs. She is passionate about giving back to the Northwest Arkansas community, in the form of education and technology.