YoPro Talks '25

Description

Udemy | 1860 Blake St. Unit 170, Denver, CO 80202

CTA is hosting its fourth annual YoPro Talks, an event designed to spotlight emerging leaders in the Colorado tech industry. This TED-style event spotlights the innovative ideas and experiences of young professionals through five, ten minute presentations. 

YoPro Talks is organized by CTA's Young Professionals Board and is open to both young and experienced professionals in the tech community! Attend to support our emerging leaders, connect with peers over drinks and listen to thought provoking presentations by this year's speakers.

Speakers:

Danika Hannon, Deputy Head of the Quantum Strategy Institute

Danika Hannon is the Deputy Head of the Quantum Strategy Institute, which is a global think tank focused on the consumer adoption of quantum computing. In 2024, she was recognized as a Top Quantum Voice by Barcelona bqb.

Danika has presented on quantum computing, cybersecurity, and generative AI at several events, including South by Southwest, the Rocky Mountain Information Security Conference, SnowFROC, and the Department of Energy’s Emerging Tech Studio’s Venture Summit. Additionally, she volunteers on the Board of Directors for the Denver Cloud Security Alliance and as the President of the Mile High Toastmasters club.

Kristen Harris, Founder, Keynetk Solutions, Kristen Harris Coaching

Kristen is a seasoned leader with over two decades of hands-on experience navigating the complexities of technology landscapes. As a former Director at Oracle, she led global teams that delivered web platform transformations. Her expertise deepened as VP of Services at Zia Consulting in Boulder, where she focused on data and organizational modernizations for complex clients.

Having navigated the demands of high-level tech leadership herself, Kristen now leverages that insight as an entrepreneur, consultant, and coach. She empowers high-achievers to embrace growth, master strategic communication, and navigate their perfectionism. Kristen passionately guides individuals to flex beyond limiting constraints by embracing functional approaches to life and leadership, equipping the next generation of tech leaders to thrive.

Meredith Kaiser, Account Manager, CoreSite

Meredith Kaiser is a sales professional with over a decade of experience in the data center and connectivity industry. As an Account Manager at CoreSite, a leading hybrid IT solutions provider, she specializes in guiding enterprises, cloud providers, and digital innovators through complex infrastructure strategies, helping them harness the power of colocation, interconnection, and cloud adjacency to drive growth and innovation.

Meredith is the former Co-Chair of the CU Real Estate Center Alumni Board and currently serves on its Philanthropy Committee where she supports alumni and technology partner engagement on scholarships, programs, and fundraising efforts to promote long-term involvement with the broader CU community.

Kyle Moore, Sales Leader, Toptal

Kyle Moore is a husband, father of 4, and a community builder in his neighborhood. Before entering the technology ecosystem, he worked as a shepherd in Australia, was a D1 soccer player at the University of Denver, became a missionary in Africa, and served on the Avalanche Snow Science team as a Ski Patroller at Vail. He then turned his focus to building his career in technology consulting, where he has been for the past 15 years, and is the former Chair of CTA's Young Professional Board.

While he is passionate about his career, clients, and technology, he has found himself on a mission to find purpose, fulfillment, joy, and peace in all the roles he fills at home and work, amid a corporate environment and fast-paced industry that demands more and more of his time, energy, and attention.

Jaidie Vargas, IT Director, Governor's Office of Information Technology (OIT)

Jaidie Vargas is an award-winning technology leader with over 14 years of experience spanning aerospace, defense, and the tech industry, driven by a passion for community empowerment and workforce transformation. A first-generation Mexican-American and U.S. Navy veteran, she is committed to expanding equitable pathways in STEAM and redefining what leadership in technology looks like. Jaidie’s expertise spans cybersecurity engineering, network security, cyber intelligence, and R&D, with a focus on connecting advanced technologies to real-world community impact. Her work now extends into artificial intelligence, where she researches ethical, community-driven AI frameworks and sustainable infrastructure for digital systems. Now serving as an IT Director in the public sector, Jaidie continues to lead efforts to modernize infrastructure, strengthen cybersecurity, and drive innovation in AI governance and digital equity. Her background also includes technical marketing, government relations, and policy advisory roles for nonprofits advancing workforce development and inclusion. Her work embodies resilience, strategic vision, and a commitment to building a more secure, inclusive, and just digital future

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