From the Board

It is a fresh new year and INETA is bringing your fresh new faces! Periodically, new speakers are brought into the INETA NorAm Speakers Bureau. Only 16 slots were available this round and were filled with very qualified individuals. We are happy to be able to support your user group by providing the Speakers Bureau. Be sure to take advantage of that resource and request a speaker today!

Please help me congratulate the 16 new speakers!

Thank you to all who submitted applications. The selection process was very difficult and the number of applicants overwhelming, because of this we will be having a second round in the first quarter of 2009. We appreciate everyone's past and future community contributions.

It is a very exciting time! We are also launching the new INETA NorAm Regional Speakers Program. More details will be announced shortly. We are actively seeking participants for this new. Simply fill out the form located here: http://www.ineta.org/newsletters/INETA Speaker Candidate Form 2007.doc  You will be informed as the selection process progresses.

Email your application and any questions to: noram.speakers@ineta.org

David Walker
VP of Speakers Bureau, INETA NorAm
david.walker@ineta.org
Tulsa Developers .NET
INETA - The Face of .NET

 Nominations Now Being Accepted for INETA North America Board of Directors

The INETA NorAm Board of Directors is now accepting nominations for following positions. General commitment is around 15-20 hours/month including regular bi-weekly Board conference calls and two expense-paid in-person weekend Board meetings per year.

OFFICERS

The four Officer positions (President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer) are two (2) year terms and are the individuals responsible for running the not-for-profit corporation.

DIRECTORS

There are five (5) Director positions which have a one (1) year term. Directors are responsible for overseeing the operation of various projects undertaken by INETA.

Nominations must be submitted by any user group leader of a user group that is a member of INETA or a current Board member. Nominations should include the individual's name, email address, phone number, description of why the individual is qualified for the position, as well as any supporting materials. Candidates are then interviewed by and voted on by the current Board members. Send nominations to noram.secretary@ineta.org  no later than Sunday 2/15/2009. Voting will take place on 3/1/2009.

A Board meeting will be held the weekend of 4/4-5 in Raleigh, NC where the new Board members will assume their duties.

Please direct any questions to noram.secretary@ineta.org.

 Birds-of-a-Feather Session Proposals Being Accepted for TechEd 2009

Proposals are now being accepted for Birds-of-a-Feather (BOF) sessions for Microsoft TechEd conference in Los Angeles, CA May 11-15, 2009. BOF sessions are open discussion topics of mutual interest to Tech·Ed attendees. They give developers and IT professionals the opportunity to meet with people who have similar interests and challenges in an open-forum environment that promotes discussion and interaction. Anyone attending Tech·Ed who is willing to moderate a discussion is encouraged to enter a BOF topic, see BOF Submission Information

 MSDN Developer Conference: Coming To a City Near You

The nature of software development is radically changing ... Are you ready?

Attend the MSDN Developer Conference for a glimpse into the future of the Microsoft Application Platform. You will experience Microsoft's vision for Cloud Computing and building applications that seamlessly bridge the gaps between PC, Web, and phone. Be among the first to see the full range of advances in Windows 7, the next major version of the Windows client operating system. Sessions include the latest developments in .NET, Silverlight, Surface, Parallel Programming, Live Mesh, and more. 

Register and attend so you can stay current in an ever-competitive job market, enhance your engineering skills and gain access to the next generation of tools and technology. The cost to attend is just $99. And, did we mention that attendees will get some cool giveaways?

If you are a developer who enjoys diving deep into the Microsoft platform or you are responsible for the technical strategy of your organization, then the MSDN Developer Conference is for you. 

Don't miss this premier developer event coming to major cities. Check out http://www.MSDNDevCon.com  so you can attend the MDC coming to you!

When registering, please use RSVP Code: MDCINETA Hope to see you at the MDC!Here's where you can find us:

Washington, DC: 1/16/09
New York: 1/20/09
Boston: 1/22/09
Detroit: 1/22/09
Dallas: 1/26/09
San Francisco: 2/23/09

 Lego SeriousPlay WomanBuild Workshop

Missed the WomenBuild workshop at PDC?

Come join the Lego SeriousPlay WomenBuild workshop at the MSDN Developer Conferences!

• Open to both MEN and WOMEN
• FREE to anyone registered for the MSDN Developer Conference ($99 registration fee).

What is WomenBuild?

• Designed to address how do we attract and grow Women in Technology through creative out-of-the- box thinking.
• A place to brainstorm solutions on how we can make technology and a career in technology more accessible to women.
• Combines personal interaction and networking with the use of LEGO® Bricks as a conceptual modeling tool, part of the LEGO® Serious Play Program (LSP).
• A great way to build bridges to solutions with a passionate and creative community of people who care to "pay it forward".

Both men and women are welcome to attend this Lego Serious Play workshop, networking oasis and multimedia presentation held at the MSDN Developer Conference.

Actions

• Register for WomenBuild via MDC using this code: MDCWIT. $99
• Join WomenBuild Facebook group to discuss diversity in this industry & what we can do to improve it at Microsoft. Now up to 85 members and growing!
• Watch the Laura Foy video on 10 and find out what WomenBuild is all about!
• Blog away and share the external links widely

 Silverlight: Write and Win!

Start the year off with some Silverlight fun in our "Silverlight: Write and Win!" Holiday Edition contest. What you have to do is to write a cool article and submit it at www.SilverlightShow.net or editorial@silverlightshow.net. This time all the submittals will be judged by jury with members: Adam Kinney, Chris Anderson, Dave Campbell, Emil Stoychev, Michael Sync, Shawn Wildermuth and Tim Heuer. But what is Christmas without presents? The first three articles will be awarded with cool prizes: Telerik Premium Collection for .NET, ComponentOne Studio for Silverlight, Amazon Gift certificate.

 Upcoming Events

2009 Orlando DevConnections

March 22-25, 2009

Orlando, FL

Connect to over 75 Microsoft Architects and Industry experts at Microsoft ASP.NET & Visual Studio Connections March 22- 25, 2009 at the JW Marriott Orlando, FL. The first 800 people to register will be mailed a copy of SQL Server 2008 Std with 1 CAL. Register for your room at the JW Marriott before Feb 3rd and receive a free room night based on a minimum stay of 3 nights. In this economy you need to make connections and stay on top of your game! Call 800-438-6720 or visit www.DevConnections.com

 Upcoming Speaker Bureau Events

 Contacting INETA North America