LEAN AGILE KC - Key Persons
Daniel Vacanti is a 20-year software industry veteran who got his start as a Java Developer/Architect and who has spent most of the last 15 years focusing on Lean and Agile practices. In 2007, he helped to develop the Kanban Method for knowledge work. He managed the world's first project implementation of Kanban that year, and has been conducting Kanban training, coaching, and consulting ever since. In 2011 he founded Corporate Kanban, Inc., which provides world-class Lean training and consulting to clients all over the globe-including several Fortune 100 companies. In 2013 he founded ActionableAgile which provides industry leading predictive analytics tools and services for Lean-Agile processes. In 2015 he published his book "Actionable Agile Metrics for Predictability". Daniel holds a Master's in Business Administration and regularly teaches a class on lean principles for software management at the University of California Berkeley.
Job Titles:
- Director, Westar Energy
- Leader of the Program Portfolio Management Office
Josh is a leader of the Program Portfolio Management Office (PPMO), Quality Assurance (QA), and IT Office capabilities at Westar Energy. With over 15 years of experience delivering software solutions, he has managed projects with both traditional and Lean-Agile methodologies. His background in portfolio, program and team management practices enables him to successfully architect and implement solutions delivery frameworks tailored to enterprise objectives.
Job Titles:
- Principal With Silicon Prairie Solutions
Martin Olson is a Principal with Silicon Prairie Solutions. Silicon Prairie Solutions helps organizations and their associates grow and adapt more Lean|Agile abilities through training, coaching and mentoring. Drawing on over twenty years of IT experience, Martin helps individuals and organizations define and execute a roadmap to improve their process. Focusing on continual improvement and metric based decision making, the resulting roadmaps are sustained by the teams that are implementing them, leading to true lean leadership.
Martin founded the Agile KC (www.agilekc.org) group and continues to lead it after twelve years. In addition he has been a founding member of the Agilehood KC (http://kc.agilehood.org/) who's mission is to ‘Connect groups and communities to foster collaboration' in the Kansas City Metropolitan area. He holds an MBA from the University of Kansas and the following certifications: PMI-ACP, CSM, SPC, SPCT. Martin is also a member of the International Coaching Federation and graduate of Organizational Relationship and Systems Coaching (ORSC). You can reach Martin at molson@siliconprairiesolutions.com.
Job Titles:
- Agile Trainer / Coach, Commerce Bank
Paul Carter grew up on the central coast of California. He currently resides in the Kansas City metropolitan area where he has lived for the past 20 years. He earned a Bachelor's degree from
A software and technology development veteran of 25 years, Todd has a deep and varied background in the design and development of software systems, infrastructure, and technical operations.
Since 2007, Todd has been an executive at Balance Innovations, where he serves as Senior Vice President, Advanced Technology Group. In this role, he has led the organization through data center convergence and a transition to cloud-based product offerings, as well as transformed the company's development process with the adoption of Kanban/Lean. He also focuses on the growth of existing products through new feature delivery, technical vision and cost-effective customer implementation.