Great TechEd speakers: Tech.Steve & Tech.Frank

Steve Riley

http://blogs.technet.com/steriley/
I had a chance to attend one of Steve Riley’s sessions today and it as one of the best presentations I’ve seen. Steve Riley is a security expert at Microsoft and has been involved in the work that has gone into BitLocker and other Vista’s under-the-hood security features. The content of Steve’s presentation was not all that out-of-this-world, but his personality and way of presentation was so captivating. He would not use the stage, instead he walks just over a metre infront of the first row of the audience. He would walk back and forth and often stopping infront of people, looking at them right in the eye and kept talking. Sometimes he’d even walk up half way the sidewalks to get closer to the people at the back. It sounds weird, but it felt like he wasn’t presenting to the audience, but more having a chat with the audience.

Watch a portion of Steve’s talk about Windows Vista integrity and security.

Frank Arrigo

http://blogs.msdn.com/frankarr/
Frank, the DPE group manager of Microsoft Australia, He hasn’t been on digg, techmeme or Wikipedia, but he sure knows how to communicate. One in every three persons at TechEd wants to talk to Frank, and Frank will always respond with their name (apart from it printed on their badge) and know what they do.

He can start a conversation with anyone and everyone, and make sense. He knows pretty much every field of work and research at Microsoft Australia and is passionate about every single one of them. He’s always relaxed, whether it is minutes before an unprepared presentation or the keynote, he makes it seem like he doesn’t even have to present at all.

He’s one of those people that you feel comfortable with whenever, wherever. And it’s fun working with him.

5 insightful thoughts

  1. I’m glad you made it for one of Steve’s session. He is such an experienced and engaging speaker.


    Well, Frank is our technical communities manager, no doubt about that! I am so proud to have the opportunity to work along side him. He’s a good friend and mentor.

  2. You are absolutely right about Steve.

    The key to capturing the audience’s attention during presentations is to present in an informal and dynamic way. On the one hand the presenter must be expressive, but on the other hand must seem authentic. Steve accomplishes all these things, which was why he was so effective.

    Never once does he seem static, aloof, or indifferent…the banes or presenting effectively.

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