Prior to starting Tamara Olson Designs, Tamara spent several years at Google as a design lead. She has also crafted user experiences for Apple, numerous startups, media companies, and countless small business websites. A hybrid designer/developer, Tamara has been building websites for nearly 17 years and lives in New York City.

Website:  www.tamaraolsondesigns.com

Talk Title:  The power of outside-in thinking: Providing a better UX for both your clients and end users

Talk Summary:  Learn ways in which user-centered thinking and data can improve your process of creating WordPress websites for both end users and clients, including:

• How to conduct research and interviews to better understand your client’s target audiences and prioritize their needs alongside your client’s business objectives
• Ensure your clients’ user experience is also seamless and intuitive by customizing the WordPress back-end and creating easy to follow documentation

(Ideal for the solo designer/developer or small agency.)

What do you love most about WordPress?  Its flexibility, and the community (for its collective wisdom about how to put that flexibility to work).

Part designer, part aspiring astronaut reaching for the cosmos, part business owner at Westwerk. Travis is all about connections – with travel, with people and with design. What started out as a combination of all three – a trip to Hawaii, some good friends and brilliant design – has since become a thriving WordPress business known as Westwerk. Most recently, Travis led the acquisition of WordPress theme creative house, Press75 and now heads Westwerk’s product division of the same name.

Company:  Westwerk and Press75

Website:  http://westwerk.com/

Talk Title:  Working Off Grid and Remote

Talk Summary:  The world is full of amazing things, and if you’re like me you would like to see as much of this beautiful planet as possible. The existence of the Internet has made working off grid a real possibility for people. During my talk I will discuss my experience running a WordPress business while being “off-grid”, the types of products that make this lifestyle a possibility, and the challenges that come along with it.

What do you love most about WordPress? The community and the connections. A thriving eco-system has helped to grow our business and without the amazing people, pushing the boundaries of WordPress and open-source software, many of us would not have the opportunities we have today. So thank you all!

I am a theme wrangler at Automattic. This means I am lucky enough to spend my days arm deep in themes. I get to not only work on WordPress.com with themes, but also as part of the theme review team for WordPress.org. When I’m not themeing, I like to spend time with my husband and two dogs around the beach we live by. I like to balance the time spent online with offline crafts, yoga and photography.

Company work for:  Automattic

Website:  www.diaryofawebsite.com

Talk title:  Theme don’t be my everything

Talk summary:  It’s time to stop putting everything including the kitchen sink into themes. A theme shouldn’t be a bloated monster with an options panel that stretches out the horizon. This talk is a call to action, to stop making themes that do everything and start making themes that focus. Themes that are designed to meet a need, to fit a market. Themes that work out of the box and don’t require a manual you could use to hold up a table that’s missing a leg. Themes that don’t be my everything.

What do I love most about WordPress? I love most the community. The way we make each other feel welcomed and part of the WordPress tribe. The way we help each other and as a whole don’t judge but accept. The way we encourage new people and let them flourish in the community. The way we give anyone a chance to contribute and become part of the community. The way we are our own worst critiques and look at how we can improve our community to be the best we can.

Arlen makes Tech and WordPress web design simple.  If it’s all “Geek” to you, you need Arlen. For years, Arlen has been keeping up with the trends of technology and WordPress web design. He provides simple, easy to understand help for others with their technology and website needs.

Company:  HawaiiWP.com LLC

Website:  http://hawaiiwp.com

Talk Title:  I’m not a developer or designer, but still a WordPress Pro

Talk Summary:  No design skills? Can’t code PHP or Javascript? There are still many careers available to you within the WordPress world for freelancers like me and you. Start your own WordPress business or link arms with a growing business. This is an amazing time to be working with WordPress… even if you’re not a designer or developer.

What do I love most about WordPress?  WordPress is simple enough to start a website in an hour, yet flexible and extensible enough for businesses like Best Buy, The Wall Street Journal, and Time Magazine.

Have you developed enough WordPress skills to make your own custom themes, but they still look like crap? Don’t worry, there’s some simple steps and tools that can help you design less like a developer. Come with your questions, leave with concrete examples and tools to use right away… and designers everywhere will thank you.

Company: Tracy Apps Design, LLC

Website:  iamtapps.com

Talk title:  How To Not Design Like A Developer

Talk summary: Have you developed enough WordPress skills to make your own custom themes, but they still look like crap? Don’t worry, there’s some simple steps and tools that can help you design less like a developer. Come with your questions, leave with concrete examples and tools to use right away… and designers everywhere will thank you.

What do you love about WordPress:  As someone who’s formal education is in art, and who’s completely self-taught with front-end development, WordPress has been an invaluable tool for my web development projects. Because of WordPress’ flexibility and robust features, I’m able to “bend” WordPress to create very easy to use web solutions for my clients. Then I’m able to train clients of ANY technical level how to take control of their own web presence, which speaks to the quality of WordPress as a platform. And not only that, the WordPress community is the best out there. The wealth of knowledge this community has and readily shares is awe inspiring.