I began my adventure with Salesforce in 2015 and have been in the environment since. Born and raised in Kenya moved to the US in 2001. Predominantly worked in the not-for-profit world, however, made the transition to corporate America back in 2014. Currently working in the Sales Cloud.Besides family (husband and children) I enjoy traveling, movies and dance.

Amber entered the Salesforce universe in late 2008 and was immediately smitten. Since then she has passed 14 certification exams, founded or co-founded 5 user groups (Nonprofit UG, Dev Meetup, Architect, Women In Tech, & Slack), started a weekly Salesforce Saturday in central NC, and is a 8 time Dreamforce speaker. Amber has been a Salesforce.com MVP since 2011.

Amber is always looking for ways to help organizations streamline their processes. She has worked with Fortune 500 organizations, startups, nonprofits, and everything in between. When not Salesforce-ing, Amber enjoys walking her dog Ranger in her hometown of Durham NC, tweeting (@amber9904), community theater, and spending time with her nieces. Amber can be bribed with chocolate cake or gin.

Patrick has been writing code since he could first type (BASIC on the Commodore 64). In 2009 Patrick was asked to "help with this Salesforce thing since you know coding" and the rest is history. This set him on the track to lead the RDU Developer user group, becoming a Salesforce MVP in 2013 and speaking multiple times at Dreamforce and various Salesforce webinars.

When Patrick isn't writing code for work he's writing code for "fun", photographing things, 3d printing things, making things of wood and building things out of electronics.

Dee is a former pharmacist turned Salesforce Architect. From the very beginning of her Salesforce journey, Dee has been captivated by the world of automation, and she continues to channel this passion into transforming businesses, one Flow at a time. She actively supports the Salesforce community by mentoring career changers and leading Salesforce Saturday meetups. Dee shares her Salesforce insights through articles and conference talks.

Beyond her professional life, she finds joy in tending to her plant collection, exploring the great outdoors in national parks, reading, and painting.

Karmel started her Salesforce career in 2015 after a single data migration exposed her to streamlined, consistent data quality. Applying scientific principle to complex business processes, she strives to build holistic technical solutions. Karmel has held multiple roles from in-house administration to consultancy working at over 20+ organizations in industries including healthcare, nonprofits, venture captial, and ed-tech. As a Salesforce Marketing Champion and Golden Hoodie, she's passionate in sharing innovations and best practices with the Salesforce community at user group meetings, WITness Success, and TrailheadDX.

Outside of Salesforce, Karmel is an avid learner of American Sign Language (#LearnFromDeafTeachers), a hobby seamstress, and music aficionado creating a personalized soundtrack to her life.

Whilst being adjacent to Salesforce (in some capacity or other) since 2012, it wasn't until about 2016 that Kelly decided that "resistance was futile." And so, for fun…she, and a couple of other family members, put her very large family on in a Salesforce org so she could solution real world problems in her spare time. She is a lover of coffee, yoga, and travel. She is also a dog momma.

A relative newbie when it comes to all things Salesforce, Steven dove right into the ecosystem back in 2022. Since then, he's been working to tell the stories and form the bigger picture for all things Salesforce data management. A native of metro Atlanta, he was looking for a way to become more engaged with the conference that's hosted in his own stomping grounds so he jumped at the chance to join the Southeast Dreamin' team.

When he's not busy working, he loves all things London, the color blue, and spending time with his pets - two cats named Winston Purrchill (no for real, he really does love London) and Emma, and his geriatric chihuahua Baron who still serves all the lewks even in his golden years.

Salesforce MVP, Marketing Champion, and Partner. Transplanted Bostonian. Family guy. Dogs > cats.

Carolyn Bathauer has been with Salesforce for 12 years holding various roles in sales and marketing. She has over 20 years in the technology space and developed a niche for creative problem solving in large organizations and building programs for scale. She's passionate about helping customers understand Salesforce, leading with authenticity and career development. She was born and raised in Chicago and now resides OTP in Marietta with her partner Vincent and her crazy french bulldog, Winnifred.

Michelle began her Salesforce adventure in 2014 and since then has been on a whirlwind journey of growth leading to 7 Salesforce Certifications and working in multiple industries and various company sizes.

Michelle is all about bringing people together and fostering a sense of belonging. As the founder of Salesforce Saturday Atlanta and the Co-Leader of the Atlanta Admin Salesforce Community Group, she’s fostered a community where professionals can connect, learn, and thrive. As a testament to her dedication to bringing together the community to learn and grow, Salesforce recognized Michelle with a Golden Hoodie in 2019.

Michelle’s impact extends beyond Atlanta, as she’s shared her insights and experiences at major events like Dreamforce, TrailblazerDX, and Southeast Dreamin', inspiring audiences with her passion for learning and teaching.

Outside of the Salesforce world, Michelle is all about family time and embracing hobbies. Whether it's spending quality moments with loved ones or diving into puzzles, games, or woodworking projects, she finds joy in every facet of life.

I have been working on Salesforce since 2017 in the Banking Industry with Commercial Loan Originations. Currently working at Truist Bank.

Born and Raised in Indiana and moved down to Ga after High School.

I recently Married my childhood sweetheart.

I have 2 Teenage Boys with my oldest heading off to College in North Georgia in the Fall

Aaron King has been using Salesforce since 2004, pushing the platform to the limits with “creative” configuration. Since joining ISV partner nCino in 2016, Aaron has worked on the Professional Services teams of Implementation Consultants, Managed Services, and Solution Architecture, all with the goal of making happy long term customers. Holder of 16 Salesforce certifications, Aaron loves to get crazy mixing up different pieces of Salesforce functionality and features to find innovative solutions for each customer's needs, often offering a proposal so outrageous that the team then sees the beauty of the more traditional standard approaches.

From the Army to the Cloud: Michael Lyons is not just a Salesforce Consultant at CGI; he's a force of innovation, driven by a passion for technology and a commitment to service. Michael's career path is a testament to resilience and determination. After proudly serving in the Army, he transitioned into the tech world through the Hiring Our Heroes program in collaboration with Salesforce Military. With his unique blend of military discipline and tech savvy, he swiftly rose as a Salesforce Consultant, bringing unparalleled dedication to every project. Before donning the Salesforce cape, Michael honed his skills as a Broadcast Cable Integration Specialist. His journey underscores his ability to seamlessly integrate diverse experiences, paving the way for innovative solutions and groundbreaking ideas.

Aaron McGriff is a Senior Administrator at IBM and has been part of the Salesforce Ecosystem for 7 years. With a passion for technology and innovation (discovered by chance) found his dream career in the Salesforce world and made his mark during his learning journey.  Aaron has spoken at several Salesforce events including Dreamforce, Dreamin’ In Color, and TDX, and even picked up a Golden Hoodie along the way.  Outside of the office, Aaron's adventurous spirit fuels his love for travel, allowing him to explore new cultures and experiences around the globe.

Scott Reed is a newcomer to Southeast Dreamin'. He has spent the last 16 months learning as much as possible about Salesforce, earning 3 certifications, while continuing to teach full-time. As a career educator and current volunteer administrator for the Friends Together cancer charity of Michigan, Scott's goal is to apply kindness, humor, and analytical precision to understanding and solving problems. When not using his free time to prepare for his next certification (Advanced Administrator by early July!), he enjoys reading, games, karaoke, and mastering his recipe for homemade salsa

Meet Tashay Thrash, a proud native of Atlanta, Georgia, whose journey is deeply rooted in the warmth of family and upbringing. Raised by a devoted teenage mother and guided by the timeless wisdom of her Southern grandmother, Tashay holds dear the values of grace, resilience, and quality passed down to her.

In her current chapter, Tashay finds herself immersed in a beautifully blended marriage that defies expectations. Celebrating 12 years of union after dating only 90 days with her opposite, their love story unfolds amidst spirited debates over sports teams, cola preferences, and entertainment choices. Together, they've crafted a tapestry of diverse interests, raising four remarkable children.

Tashay's journey has been filled with twists and turns. From her early aspirations of teaching mathematics as a college student to spending a decade in the telecom industry, where she honed her leadership skills, led teams, provided training, and served as a network analyst. Subsequently, she transitioned to spending another decade working for cell phone companies, where her roles encompassed similar responsibilities. Through these experiences, she has embraced the fluidity of her ambitions and continues to thrive in diverse professional settings.  As a Lean Six Sigma green belt, Tashay brings a passion for efficiency and excellence to all her endeavors.

Known for her warm and welcoming personality, Tashay has never met a stranger and is always quick to flash a smile. Her infectious positivity and genuine interest in others make her a beloved presence in any setting.

Now, as an empty nester, Tashay embarks on an exciting new venture in the realm of IT, particularly in the dynamic world of Salesforce. Despite being relatively new to Salesforce, she approaches each day with unwavering enthusiasm, drawing insights from both triumphs and tribulations along her journey. Her dedication and eagerness to learn shine through as she navigates the complexities of Salesforce administration, leveraging her extensive experience in customer service, process improvement, and quality management to excel.