“The Community Zone is the best place of all at PASS Summit, you run into so many people, have so many conversations. It’s a chance to rejoin and have a reunion with the #SQLfamily”.

– Monica Rathbun, Consultant at Denny Cherry and Associates.

Monica perfectly sums up the purpose of the Community Zone at PASS Data Community Summit. It’s a place for attendees to come together in a relaxed and social setting to build relationships that can help you grow professionally and advance in your career, but more importantly, it’s a place to form friendships.

This year, we are expanding the value of the Community Zone further. As well as being a comfortable and open space to take time out or mingle with likeminded attendees throughout the day, you’ll also find a range of sessions on topics from professional development to beekeeping (to name just a few). These informal sessions will be run by the community, for the community, with hosts who can offer first hand tips from their own experience.

In this blog, we aim to provide you with everything you need to know about the Community Zone:

Where is the Community Zone located?

You’ll find the Community Zone on Level 3, in the light and airy Terrace Lounge. It’s located directly beside both the elevator and escalator, making access nice and easy.

When is the Community Zone open?

The Community Zone opening hours are as follows. These timings are also listed in the Schedule at a Glance:

• Wednesday, November 6 | 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
• Thursday, November 7 | 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
• Friday, November 8 | 9:45 AM – 3:45 PM

What’s the purpose of the Community Zone?

Connect, share, and learn with fellow attendees and community leaders in this friendly, interactive space.

What types of sessions can you expect?

Community Conversation

In our Community Conversation sessions, attendees can hear directly from their peers on topics that have helped them develop professionally. This could include advice on how speakers grew their career, and how they grew their network within the wider data community. There will be a designated seating area assigned in the Community Zone, and the sessions will be held daily during the lunch breaks.

Community Conversation Q&A

This year in the Community Zone we are hosting Q&A style discussions directly after some of the non-technical sessions, to enable the speaker and attendees to follow on the conversation in an informal and relaxed setting.

Community Hobby Huddles

Hobby Huddles are new to PASS Summit this year. Hosted in the Community Zone, these sessions are a fun way for people in the community to showcase their passions and hobbies. There will be a designated seating area for you to join these highly entertaining and informative back-to-back mini sessions.

Community Mingle

Join your fellow attendees for the opportunity to meet Community Group Leaders from around the world. This informal mingle will run directly after the Community keynote and will give attendees the chance to chat with one another and find out more about their local user groups.

What are the daily session schedules?

Wednesday, November 6:

Community Conversation Q&A | The Neurodiverse People Leader

• Speaker: Chris Voss
• Time: 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Community Hobby Huddles

• Speakers: Grant Fritchey, Cathrine Wilhelmsen, Matt Gordon
• Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
  • 12:00 PM – 12:15 PM: Grant Fritchey – Ham radios
  • 12:20 PM – 12:35 PM: Cathrine Wilhelmsen – Teaching my dog to talk
  • 12:40 PM – 12:55 PM: Matt Gordon – Stock car racing

Community Conversation | Coaching and Mentoring

• Speakers: Chris Yates and Mala Mahadevan
• Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Community Conversation | Running a Local Meetup or Data Event

• Speaker: Pat Wright
• Time: 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Community Hobby Huddles

• Speakers: Kellyn Gorman and Tonie Huizer
• Time: 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM
  • 4:30 PM – 4:45 PM: Kellyn Gorman – Lego
  • 4:45 PM – 5:00 PM: Tonie Huizer – Whisky

Thursday, November 7:

Community Hobby Huddles

• Speakers: Steve Jones, Kendra Little and Ryan Booz
• Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
  • 12:00 PM – 12:15 PM: Steve Jones – Volleyball
  • 12:20 PM – 12:35 PM: Kendra Little – Quilting
  • 12:40 PM – 12:55 PM: Ryan Booz – Beekeeping

Community Conversation | User Groups and Community Meet Ups

• Speakers: Steve Jones and Pat Wright
• Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Community Conversation Q&A | The Benefits of Active Community Engagement

• Speaker: Ben Weissman
• Time: 4:45 PM – 5:15 PM

Friday, November 8:

Community Mingle | Meet Your Community Group Leaders

• Time: 9:45 AM – 10:30 AM

Community Conversation Q&A | Dealing with the Myth of Work-Life Balance

• Speaker: Edwin Sarmiento
• Time: 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Community Conversation | Learning new databases

• Speakers: Grant Fritchey and Kellyn Gorman
• Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

What is available at the Community Zone outside of these session times?

Throughout the day the Community Zone is your place to hang out. Whether catching up with friends old and new, or just enjoying some chill out time on a comfy bean bag. There will also be a range of games available for you to play, along with interactive displays and a few surprises.

We don’t want to give everything away though, so you’ll just have to come and visit to see for yourself.