Adam Aronson
Adam Aronson is the founder of Full City Consulting, a Platinum Claris partner, about to celebrate its 24th year in business. He has spent most of his adult career in the Claris Community, growing alongside his peers through both family and business experiences. In his free time, Adam enjoys woodworking, ethnomusicology, and exploring sound art. He also likes spending time with his 17-year-old daughter, who is currently a junior in high school and aspires to be an ornithologist.
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Alexis Allen
Alexis Allen is a Claris FileMaker developer and designer based in Toronto, Canada. She is the founder of FM Design University and the president of Hyperspace Data Solutions, Inc. For over 25 years, clients around the world have turned to her to create Claris FileMaker apps that are both highly functional and visually appealing. Alexis is passionate about helping other developers understand UI/UX design, enabling them to create clean, simple, and visually pleasing apps their clients will love. In addition to her work, Alexis is an avid cellist and regularly performs with the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra.
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Allison Bell
Allison Bell is a senior developer at Beezwax with extensive experience in optimizing processes and leading teams. She is certified in Claris Connect, Claris Studio, Claris FileMaker Server, and Claris FileMaker Pro Expert. With experience managing complex tech projects and running a successful restaurant chain, Allison has a proven ability to create systems that eliminate bottlenecks and boost productivity. She looks forward to sharing practical strategies for streamlining success, transforming problem-solving approaches, and helping businesses achieve their goals.
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Angelo Luchi
Angelo Luchi, founder of Foxtail Tech, specializes in building hybrid-cloud infrastructures that serve hundreds of clients and thousands of users globally. After gaining experience at several software development firms, he turned his passion for cloud infrastructure design into a full-time business, launching Foxtail Tech in 2009. In addition to cloud infrastructure, he provides app, web, and API integration services. His offerings include Windows and Linux virtual servers, CPanel servers, Lasso Web Servers, Windows Desktops OnDemand, Apps OnDemand, and enterprise email, calendaring, video, and chat services.
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Barbara Cooney
Barbara Cooney is a senior software engineer at Proof+Geist and has been developing in Claris FileMaker since the days of Nashoba FileMaker and the MacPlus. Always eager to broaden her knowledge, she has mastered many APIs and specializes in QBO integrations. While developing a Claris FileMaker Go solution, she discovered the essential need for transactional scripting and was part of the development team that created the Karbon framework. In her free time, Barbara enjoys cruising the Long Island Sound with her husband and two daughters.
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Bill Bennett
Bill Bennett is the co-founder of Kiza Solutions, a company he launched with his wife Amanda after many years at Soliant Consulting. In 2013, they moved to Rwanda to establish the business, where they trained a local team. Now back in Ohio, Bill continues to grow the company and expand its impact. He is passionate about the Claris platform and believes it opens doors for talented software developers worldwide to participate in the global knowledge economy. Outside of his professional life, Bill has a background as a professional classical singer and volunteers with the non-profit Pure & Faultless Rwanda.
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Bob Bowers
Bob is Soliant's Chief Executive Officer and is widely known for his expertise in the field of software development. He is a recipient of the FileMaker Excellence Award and has co-authored seven books on database development. In 2008 Bob was inducted into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame. After graduating summa cum laude in Music and English at Wabash College, Bob earned a masters in Musicology from the University of Chicago.
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Cath Kirkland
Cath Kirkland, from Christchurch, New Zealand, has been a senior Claris FileMaker developer at Digital Fusion for 23 years—working with clients across New Zealand and Australia to create innovative solutions. Her passion for Claris FileMaker grows with each release as she continually explores new ways to solve problems. In 2024, her team received the Claris Partner Excellence Award for a solution developed with Mobile Tyre Shop. Cath has been speaking at Claris events in the APAC region since 2018 and was recently featured on Claris Live. Her mission is to help developers modernize their solutions, raising the quality of work and benefiting the entire Claris Community.
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Claus Lavendt
Claus Lavendt is the senior developer and founder of DataManix, with over 25 years of experience as a Claris FileMaker developer. Throughout his career, he has developed systems of all sizes and integrated them with a wide range of systems and hardware. Claus has worked with companies ranging from small businesses to international enterprises with over 120,000 employees. He has also hosted sessions at many developer conferences around the world, including Claris FileMaker DevCon in the United States, regional DevCons, and dotFMP. Claus holds a degree in commercial photography.
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Cris Ippolite
Cris Ippolite, director of AI at iSolutions, has worked with a wide range of clients—from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses—to develop and deploy tailored machine learning models and custom AI language model solutions. He is also an expert in applied AI, with a history of innovative machine learning applications in sports, including his work for the NFL. With over 28 years of experience in the Claris Community, Cris has earned the Claris Lifetime Achievement Award for his thought leadership and training contributions. He has delivered training to thousands of learners through platforms like Claris Academy and LinkedIn Learning.
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Cristos Lianides-Chin
Cristos Lianides-Chin is a platform architect at Codence with expertise in Claris FileMaker development. He possesses a broad range of technological skills, including Python, PHP, and JavaScript, and drives cloud-first architectures in AWS and Azure. Cristos is passionate about leveraging AI and LLM tools to deliver real value. Outside of work, he enjoys supporting local immigrant communities, sailing in Casco Bay, and cooking. Of half-Greek and half-Chinese descent, he speaks enough Mandarin to order dim sum and resides in Portland, Maine.
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Eric Luce
Eric Luce is a senior software engineer at Proof+Geist with a strong understanding of web technologies and how they interact with platforms like Claris FileMaker. He first discovered Claris FileMaker while working at a Hollywood post-production facility, where he needed a solution to track clients' tapes and print pixel-perfect labels. This experience ignited his passion for problem-solving and programming. Known for his endless flow of ideas, Eric enjoys creating solutions that make people’s jobs easier and more enjoyable. In his free time, he loves spending time with his wife and two young boys and playing modern board games with friends. Be sure to ask him which games he brought to the conference!
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Ernest Koe
Ernest Koe is the CEO and co-founder of Proof+Geist, a Claris Platinum partner. His software journey began with BASIC on a Sinclair Z81, a personal computer with just 1kB of RAM. He discovered Claris FileMaker in 1996 while working as a high school teacher, and by 1999, he chose to build a Claris FileMaker-based education business instead of attending law school. Ernest co-founded PauseOnError with John Sindelar, highlighting his belief in collaborative innovation. At the core of his philosophy is the idea that a vibrant, collaborative community strengthens everyone and drives progress. Outside of work, Ernest enjoys cooking, reading sci-fi, and engaging in competitive meditation.
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Fabrice Nordmann
Fabrice Nordmann began using Claris FileMaker while working as an assistant director in the film industry. He soon transitioned into becoming a professional developer and founded 1-more-thing, a leading European Claris Platinum partner. His contributions to the community are extensive, including custom functions, LayoutProperties, FM AuditLog Pro, add-on-olam.com, and fmcloud.fm, one of the world’s premium FileMaker hosting services. And most of all, you'll love his French accent.
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Ian Jempson
Based in London, UK, Ian Jempson runs Transforming Digital, a company he founded four years ago to build AI-enabled systems that make sense of unstructured data. With over 30 years of experience in various roles, Claris FileMaker has been a common element throughout his career. Currently, Ian is focused on building AI-driven software products and consulting on AI implementation and training. His MBA dissertation explored the strategic implications of AI and the capabilities required to fully leverage this paradigm-shifting technology. Over the past year, Ian has been an active participant in the AI Kitchen ETS and has delivered many presentations on FileMaker and AI.
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Javier Dura
Javier Dura is a certified Claris FileMaker developer, trainer, and consultant at Afterdata in Spain, with a deep passion for database solutions. He is well-known for his engaging video tutorials on the Claris FileMaker platform and runs a YouTube channel. He also offers premium video content on his website, FileMakerMagazine.es, for dedicated learners. Javier has been a speaker at many Claris FileMaker events worldwide, sharing his knowledge and insights with the community.
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Jeremy Upton
Jeremy Upton is a seasoned Claris FileMaker developer with over 25 years of experience and has been with Skeleton Key for nearly eight years. As one of the development team leads, he manages a team of six developers and oversees projects for 10 to 20 clients weekly, ranging in size and complexity. Jeremy holds a UX certification from the Nielsen Norman Group. Beyond his professional achievements, Jeremy is a classically trained musician and has been a member of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra for 20 years.
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Johan Hedman
Johan Hedman has over 25 years of hands-on experience with the Claris platform. A seasoned speaker at global conferences, he is passionate about sharing his knowledge and insights with the community. Johan creates business opportunities by helping clients develop custom apps that streamline workflows, using Claris FileMaker and integration tools to connect with nearly any API or solution. With a background in web development, he brings an extra layer of expertise when turning client ideas into reality. He is excited to connect and exchange ideas at Claris Engage 2025 and looks forward to making it an unforgettable experience.
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John Renfrew
John Renfrew is a Claris FileMaker expert with over 25 years of experience. For the past 12 years, he has been a Claris Partner, developing systems full-time with a focus on growing micro-businesses and creating products for statutory reporting. He likes pushing the boundaries of Claris FileMaker, with specialist skills in PDF creation from code, API integrations, and innovative uses of OData. A Claris Community MVP, he regularly contributes to user groups and explores new features that improve efficiency for small organizations. Outside of work, John enjoys photography and is a keen collector, with his prized piece being an original photograph of Marilyn Monroe with Arthur Miller.
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Jonathan Nicoletti
Jonathan Nicoletti, founder of Acolyte Application, works with non-profits and educators to empower their staff through compassionate, mission-driven technology. He specializes in streamlining workflows, delivering insightful analytics, and unifying key information. When he's not working with visionaries, Jonathan enjoys brewing tea, solving puzzles, and exploring the town with his wife and daughter.
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Joris Aarts
Joris Aarts co-founded ClickWorks in 2005, an award-winning Claris Platinum Partner with a team of 15. Passionate about Claris FileMaker since 1996, he has regularly spoken at international events like dotFMP, Scandinavian DevCon, and Claris Engage. In 2022, Joris and his team revived live conferences in Europe by launching EngageU in collaboration with Square Moon in Sweden. The third edition in Malmö aims to host 250 participants. Joris is excited about the future of software, especially AI integration, Claris Connect, and Claris Studio for low-code development. Outside of work, he enjoys playing electric guitar and sailing.
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Josh Ormond
Josh Ormond is a seasoned freelance developer with nearly two decades of experience in creating efficient solutions. His journey began in 2007 when he developed his first custom app, transitioning a paper-based classified ad department into a digital workflow. An active contributor to the Claris FileMaker Community, Josh frequently helps others on forums. In 2011, he founded his own consulting company, which he now runs full-time, primarily collaborating with CityTech Solutions. In 2017, he was recognized as the 'FileMaker Community: Leader of the Year' by the community and Claris.
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Kaz McLamore
Kaz McLamore is an experienced Claris FileMaker developer with a decade of expertise in database solutions and custom app development. Kaz's professional journey includes roles at DB Services, Woodland Foods, and FullCity Consulting before founding his own consultancy. With a team of four skilled developers, Kaz leads projects that leverage his extensive background in teaching and consulting on FileMaker at all skill levels.
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Koji Takeuchi
Koji Takeuchi is an experienced Claris FileMaker developer, trainer, and consultant, specializing in building and administering servers—as well as providing training and consulting related to Claris FileMaker. He is a certified Claris FileMaker developer and a former Claris FileMaker and Apple certified trainer. Koji has led the FileMaker Tokyo User Group since 2000 and has spoken at major events, including FileMaker DevCon 2019, dotfmp.berlin 2021, and every FileMaker Conference (Claris Engage) Japan from 2009 to 2024. Outside of work, Koji enjoys playing guitar, singing in a band, and playing billiards.
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Marcelo Piñeyro
Marcelo Piñeyro is a technical solutions architect with Soliant Consulting, specializing in Claris FileMaker development since 2004. With a background in agronomy and animal science, Marcelo brings a diverse skill set to his work. When he's not coding or rebuilding his house, he enjoys playing tennis, bike touring, and sailing.
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Mark Allen
Mark Allen is head of technical partnerships at We Know Data, a Claris Platinum Partner, where he has worked for 10 years. His background as a senior developer began in 1999 with FileMaker applications. Since then, he has worked on over 150 database solutions, using the full range of Claris FileMaker tools. Mark collaborates closely with clients to identify business challenges and propose technical solutions. He leads strategic workshops and roadmap sessions, crafting project proposals delivered by his team and network of associate developers.
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Mark Richman
Mark Richman is the founder and CEO of Skeleton Key, a Claris Platinum Partner based in St. Louis, MO. With over 30 years of IT experience as a Claris FileMaker certified developer, he is dedicated to improving clients' workflows and delivering valuable results. He and his team provide multi-platform development and technology consulting for a wide range of markets. An authorized Claris FileMaker trainer, Mark has presented at prestigious organizations and enjoys engaging in discussions on entrepreneurship, technology, and human nature. Outside of work, he enjoys photography, hiking, backpacking, and motorcycling.
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Martha Zink
Martha Zink is the director of business development at Proof+Geist and co-CEO of PauseOnError. She focuses on understanding people, helping them feel successful and empowered, and believes work should be enjoyable. Martha strives to simplify lives so people can focus on what matters most. Her love for problem-solving drew her to the Claris platform, where she enjoys teaching new users and developers, as well as helping create advanced systems for clients. A seasoned speaker at DevCon and Claris events, Martha enjoys presenting on data modeling, UI/UX, and reporting methods. Outside of work, she enjoys board games, concerts, and planning get-togethers.
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Mekuria Getinet
Mekuria Getinet joined Beezwax as a UX designer with over 15 years of experience in user interface, brand, web, and print design. A designer who codes, he brings thought and creativity to every project. Before Beezwax, Mekuria was the lead designer of a browser-based design studio used by creative agencies and publishers to build HTML5-based ads for mobile, tablet, and desktop browsers. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family, photography, tinkering with home automation projects, and taking things apart to see how they work.
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Mick Crozier
Mick Crozier grew up in a home with a Mac and Claris FileMaker on the desktop. His curiosity soon turned into a fascination with databases, data analysis, and a love for solving problems through programming. After spending 15 years managing technical teams for live performances and developing in-house software for several production companies, Mick joined Goya in 2019, where he works with a wide range of clients, from small one-person shows to some of the largest companies in Australia. Beyond the FileMaker realm, Mick has developed iOS apps using Swift and full-stack web apps with Angular, Node.js, and MongoDB. These days, he enjoys integrating web viewers for advanced functionality in his solutions. When not at his computer or spending time with family, Mick can be found sparring at the local gym or kitesurfing at the beach.
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Mislav Kos
Mislav Kov is a technical solutions architect at Soliant Consulting, specializing in software consulting for the Claris FileMaker platform. With 15 years of experience, he works with businesses of all sizes, helping them leverage technology to streamline operations and achieve their goals. He partners with clients to design and implement custom software solutions—focusing on automating processes, improving workflow efficiency, and integrating systems—to deliver real value. Mislav enjoys staying up to date with the latest technology trends and seeks new ways to bring innovative solutions to the businesses he serves.
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Sara Severson
Sara Severson is a business solution architect at Soliant Consulting. She is a frequent DevCon and Claris Engage speaker, and was the lead author on the Claris FileMaker training series manual back when books were the primary teaching tool. During in-person training, you can expect similar knowledge but with significantly less editing. She’s been developing in FileMaker for about 20 years, and these days focuses most of her work on helping clients define and refine their workflows, designing solutions, and working with excellent dev teams to make dreams reality. It’s a good gig. Outside of work you’ll find her tromping through the wilds of central Washington state or taming a little corner of the wilds into a garden and orchard. There is likely music involved.
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Steve Lane
Steve Lane is the chief technology officer at Soliant and has been building systems in Claris FileMaker for almost 30 years. Transitioning from a background in academics and higher education, Steve has been leading software teams for the past dozen years, working with hundreds of clients of all sizes. A recipient of the FileMaker Excellence Award and the author of six books on FileMaker, Steve is widely recognized in the field. After graduating magna cum laude from Yale College, Steve earned a master's degree and Ph.D. in history from the University of Chicago, as well as an M.S. in computer science from the same institution.
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Steve Winter
Steve Winter is a seasoned Claris FileMaker developer who began his journey while working as a primary school teacher on remote offshore islands in New Zealand. The Claris platform has been a key part of his career ever since. He has spoken at many Claris FileMaker conferences and community-organized conferences worldwide and online. These days, Steve primarily helps other Claris FileMaker developers integrate their solutions with external services, whether it's building web applications, exposing APIs, or interacting with external systems. Outside of work, Steve enjoys walking and traveling, and has taken several long-distance cycling trips around the world.
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Todd Geist
Todd Geist, CTO of Proof+Geist, thrives on solving technical problems that help people do things they couldn’t before. One of his greatest rewards is hearing how his work, like automating a process that once took an entire weekend, makes a difference for customers. Originally a chemistry major working in biology labs, Todd discovered his passion for software development. Known as a pillar of the Claris FileMaker Community, he’s recognized for building the JavaScript add-ons in FileMaker 19. He also co-founded One Spark Academy, a non-profit learning center. Outside of work, Todd enjoys Zen meditation, SciFi/Fantasy, and time with his wife Lori and their dogs.
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Todd Weller
Cross IT Services & Solutions, LLC
Todd Weller is a Claris FileMaker certified developer and the senior data systems architect at Cross I.T. Services & Solutions—a Claris Platinum Partner in Greenville, PA. With over 20 years of experience, starting with FileMaker 6, Todd has developed solutions for both in-house users and clients. He also serves as the primary organizer for FMburgh, the Pittsburgh FileMaker Developer Group. Todd holds a degree in electrical engineering and previously worked as a PLC and drive system programmer. He shares his expertise through blog posts, webinars, and conference presentations. When he's not working, you can likely find him riding a roller coaster.
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Vanessa Costanzo
Vanessa Costanzo manages daily operations at NaviCu and oversees the implementation of technology to meet business needs. She also guides clients through the NaviCu® p2s Platform, designing custom solutions to solve business problems. With years of experience in client support and training, she helps clients maximize the efficiency of their systems. Vanessa holds an MBA in Marketing & Entrepreneurship and an MS in Information Systems from Boston University. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, she serves on the advisory board of the Wisconsin Family Business Center. In her free time, she enjoys planning adventures, reunions, and dinner parties.
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Vincenzo Menanno
Vincenzo Menanno is a master consultant and developer with 30 years of experience in Claris FileMaker products. As chief innovation officer at Beezwax and a community leader, he is known for his dedication to innovation and knowledge-sharing. Vincenzo has earned the Claris Excellence Award for Lifetime Achievement and played a key role in Beezwax receiving an Advocacy Award. Vincenzo is also the author of InspectorPro, a leading Claris FileMaker development tool for in-depth solution analysis. He was born to an Italian family in Montreal and now lives in Florida with his family. His interests include architecture, data visualization, and space technology.
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Wim Decorte
Wim Decorte is the director of the Claris practice at Soliant Consulting. He is both a Claris FileMaker certified developer and an AWS certified architect. Wim has authored many tech briefs and articles on Claris FileMaker Server and security and is one of the few to have received multiple Claris FileMaker Excellence Awards, including the FileMaker Community Leader of the Year award. He frequently speaks at Claris FileMaker Developer Conferences and user groups around the world. Wim specializes in integrating Claris FileMaker with other applications and systems. His many pet projects on GitHub include Punisher and the entertaining Billy Bass driven by Claris FileMaker.
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Xandon Frogget
Xandon Frogget is a senior Claris FileMaker developer at Portage Bay Solutions. With over 25 years of experience in Claris FileMaker development, he holds certifications in Claris FileMaker Pro App Development and Claris Connect and serves as the lead AI specialist and evangelist at Portagebay. He has a knack for understanding needs from the user's point of view, and his passion is building robots. You’ll often find him at the Seattle Robotics Society when he’s not spending time with his family.
Sessions
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