Speakers

Brandee Spears Segraves

Founder of Engaging Brand Solutions, a growing online marketing firm which provides affordable content marketing solutions for small businesses and startups while helping talented freelancers build their portfolio without being a “starving artist.” Brandee has worked with clients as a content copywriter turned consultant in an eclectic range of businesses to help them develop brand loyalty outside of the “rules” of marketing. WordPress is Engaging Brand Solutions’ preferred website/blog platform where they educate their clients on how to navigate and enjoy technology. She is an avid fan of “nerd culture,” would get star-struck meeting Seth Godin over Beyoncé, is married to her best friend and together they are raising two boys to believe they CAN grow up to be superheroes.

Michael McCranie

Michael is the founder and developer of Type 3 Web Design, a WordPress development firm bringing online solutions to very small businesses. He specializes in creating high functioning, SEO driven online solutions for small businesses owners. Michael has been in programing since floppy disks were cool. In between other business ventures, Michael has spent much of his career in civil service, with a focus on giving back to his community. He loves rock climbing, backpacking and the beauty of the natural state.

Wayne George

Wayne is a 20 year software development veteran in main frame systems for an international company. Recently taking the plunge into WordPress, Wayne scoured the internet (and bugged his friends numerous times) trying to find answers to his questions. Armed with that knowledge, he took his project from an idea on a napkin to a working site, www.NWACommunities.com Wayne lives in Springdale and enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter.

Nancy Kay Grace

Nancy Kay Grace is a speaker and award winning author who recently published her 200th WordPress blog post at www.nancykaygrace.com. She has faced the fear of technology and overcame the panic of possibly crashing her website.

Logan Kipp

Logan has been an intermittent WordPress user since “Strayhorn” 1.5 in 2005 and has used WordPress as a primary platform since “Coltrane” 2.7 in 2008. Logan has over seven years experience in the website hosting and security technology field, starting with three years at GoDaddy, followed by four years at SiteLock. Logan most recently served as SiteLock’s Lead Security Analyst before taking his current role as a Product Evangelist – WordPress earlier this year.

Aaron Campbell

Aaron has over sixteen years of web development experience. He has been a regular contributor to WordPress for the last eight years, and even co-lead the WordPress 3.6 release. He’s committed to writing quality code that is both fast and scalable, and has a knack for translating ideas and goals into functional sites. Aaron has worked with clients ranging from small local businesses to Google, Yahoo, Disney, and Harvard. He’s been called both a coffee snob and a beer snob, but considers both to be compliments. When not buried in code, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son, attending or hosting beer tastings, and reading sci-fi/fantasy books.

Neal Colston

If only math lied … Neal Colston has 20+ years experience with interactive technologies and the internet with a focus on marketing and end user experience (and that doesn’t even count the Commodore 64!). Neal started Paze Interactive in 2006. Neal always wanted to figure out how things worked, thus many items from his parents’ house went to the graveyard as ritual sacrifices to pursuit of MacGyver-like knowledge. If it weren’t for hardware stores and kitchen appliances, who knows if Neal would be as fascinated as he is with why people choose to make things work the way they do. Neal highly recommends reading The Design of Everyday Things for surprising insights into human interactions with the machines they designed themselves.

Brian Hilliard

Our keynote speaker is the author of How to Overachieve without Overcommitting and Network Like a Pro.

As creator of the program “How to Ask for the Business & Get Paid What You’re Worth,” Brian works with designers, developers and other WordPress Professionals,showing them how to get more business while still being nice!

Some of Brian’s work has appeared nationally in Black Enterprise and the Martha Zoller Morning Show – where his interview was broadcast to over 2 million listeners.

When not traveling and speaking at his popular ClientBuilder Networking Events, Brian enjoys playing golf, basketball and spending time with his wife and their dog Barley.

For More Info: www.BrianHilliard.com

Christopher Spencer

Christopher Spencer is head of content at University Housing. He joined the University of Arkansas in October 2011. Previously, he wrangled words, analytics and social media as the University’s first content strategist. A south Arkansas native, he spent the first ten years of his career in journalism as a reporter at the El Dorado News-Times, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and the now-kaput Morning News of Northwest Arkansas. In 2009, he “experimented” with online media by creating hyperlocal news sites like Ozarks Unbound, Fayettevittles and a campaign funding watch dog site called Ballot Bucks. He just bought a new bicycle to explore the NWA Greenway and is known to freely mix paper scribbles and digital tools together.

Angie Albright

Angie Albright is a professional writer. She is the author of A Growing Season, a blog which allows her to productively channel her obsession with WordPress, social media and good grammar. She also writes for several area publications. Angie has a long background in teaching college English. She did her undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Arkansas in English. A few years ago she moved into nonprofit and small business management. She is a vocal advocate for using technology to enhance communication and build relationships.

Jamie Smith

Jamie Smith is the Jamie in Jamie’s Notebook, a professional writing services company. Her background is in journalism and she uses those skills for a wide variety or client projects including blogs and websites. She is active in her Toastmasters Club and is in the process of becoming certified as a Coach through Future Achievement International. Jamie lives in Elkins, AR with her husband and four pets.

Shane Purnell

Shane Purnell is an IT Professional, Podcaster, Blogger and Speaker. He’s spent the last 15 years studying how technology and communication affect each other. He has multiple blogs on technology, personal development and public speaking You can find out more about him at www.platformgiant.com.

Meredith Lowry

Meredith Lowry of Wright, Lindsey & Jennings LLP has the scoop on legal issues that affect bloggers. Meredith Lowry is a patent attorney for Wright, Lindsey & Jennings, LLP in Rogers, Arkansas. Her legal practice principally involves intellectual property, including acquisition of patents, trademarks, and copyrights for retail companies and suppliers. As part of this, Meredith has advised companies engaging in online marketing to ensure these efforts are appropriate and follow the Federal Trade Commission rules and guidelines for online advertising.

Rebecca Haden

Rebecca Haden has been writing for the web since the 20th century, and is the founder and Creative Director of Haden Interactive, a WordPress shop where WordPress websites are built, optimized, and maintained with blogging, analytics, social media, and content marketing. Rebecca’s B.A. from UC San Diego and M.A. from San Diego State University are in Linguistics, which she has found to be good preparation for a career in SEO. Rebecca has worked for clients on four continents, from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, from Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas to Lockton. Rebecca often speaks about SEO, WordPress, and business.

Ben Pollock

Ben Pollock is a 10-year WordPress enthusiast, with an emphasis on content and ease of navigation. The longtime journalist now is Digital Media Specialist for the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas. Ben has been managing national and area websites that he set up on WordPress. Find his own at benpollock.com with a blog at benpollock.com/brick. He lives in Fayetteville with his wife and their critters.