The first thing to know about Thea Soehren is that she is a Christian — and she strives to LIVE IT OUT LOUD. Her faith shapes her leadership, her mentorship, and the way she shows up in every professional and community space.

Professional Background

Thea is a seasoned Business Analyst with more than 20 years of experience, including 15 years in Information Technology. Her career spans nuclear energy, insurance, medical diagnostics, tax preparation, and data governance, where she has led transformative initiatives in regulatory compliance, process optimization, security enhancement, and master data alignment.

Current Role

At Cincinnati Insurance Companies, Thea provides strategic business analysis leadership and actively explores AI‑enabled solutions to strengthen organizational effectiveness.

She is a proud contributor to the IIBA’s Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK®) v3.0 and has been a dedicated IIBA member for over a decade, mentoring analysts across five continents.

IIBA Leadership

Thea serves as President for the IIBA Tampa Bay Chapter. She leads weekly Business Analysis Master Classes and two seven-month CBAP study groups — credited by more than three dozen professionals as pivotal to their certification success.

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Olga Sliezina is a dedicated and results-oriented professional with diverse experience in IT Product Development and Software Engineering. She brings 5 years of expertise in Business Analyst and Technical Product Owner roles, complemented by a robust 14-year background as a Software Developer and Architect. Olga is passionate about collaborating with cross-functional teams and engaging stakeholders to align technology solutions with business goals. She is adept at grasping complex technical concepts and software architecture, and is proficient across the full development life cycle using Agile methodologies.

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An effective communicator with practical facilitation experience in international distributed teams, Olga’s strengths lie in self-management, analytical thinking, and strategic problem-solving. She currently serves as a Board Member at Large for the IIBA Tampa Bay Chapter, where she continues to provide value to the business analysis community through mentorship, leadership, and operational support.

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Olga served as Workshop Program Manager for the SDLC Experience Workshop, where she coordinated the multi-team simulation. In addition to her program-level leadership, she acted as Mentor and Project Manager for Team 2, guiding participants through iterative development cycles and fostering collaboration. Her contributions reflect a deep commitment to professional growth, community engagement, and the advancement of the BA discipline.

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Esther is a seasoned Business Analyst with a dynamic portfolio of achievements in business requirements gathering, solution design, visual modeling, and project management. Her deep expertise spans business process optimization, database architecture, data intelligence, financial reporting, management consulting, and system policy review—always with a focus on delivering high-quality, value-driven outcomes.

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As Lead Tech Coordinator for the SDLC Experience Workshop, Esther orchestrates the technical infrastructure that powers immersive learning and collaboration. She ensures seamless digital execution across platforms, enabling participants to engage with clarity and confidence.

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In her role as Vice President of Technology for the Tampa Bay IIBA Chapter, Esther drives innovation and operational excellence—streamlining systems, enhancing member experiences, and supporting strategic growth through technology.

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Her client portfolio spans public and private sectors, supporting organizations at every stage of growth—from start-ups to mature enterprises—across industries including financial technology, healthcare, engineering, oil and gas, banking, retail, manufacturing, agriculture, and advertising.

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Known for her adaptability, curiosity, and passion for business analysis, Esther thrives in change-oriented environments. She brings energy, insight, and meaningful contributions to every team she joins—always eager to learn, relearn, and unlearn in pursuit of excellence.

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For the 2026 SDLC Experience Workshop, Cossi played a significant role in technical planning and execution. He implemented the workshop’s Single Sign-On capability and significantly advanced the technology environment from the program’s first year in 2025. He also helped establish a professional Help Desk structure with ticket numbers and defined processes, creating a more organized and responsive approach to participant technical support.

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Throughout much of the workshop, Cossi provided extensive technical support while collaborating closely with the technical team to address the needs of participants and administrators.

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Cossi’s technical infrastructure and processes reflect technical leadership, innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to building sustainable solutions that enable others to succeed.

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Femi Esan is a data-driven Business and Risk Analyst with experience spanning business analysis, risk management, banking, fintech, operations, and technology across the United States, Europe, and Africa. A certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Google Data Analyst, he combines analytical expertise with strengths in operational excellence, risk mitigation, and data-informed decision-making.

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As Technical Help Desk Manager for the 2026 SDLC Experience Workshop, Femi supported the technical operations behind the participant experience, helping manage the Help Desk and providing dependable technical assistance to participants and administrators.

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Femi’s professional experience includes roles with TikTok, Stripe, and Zenith Bank, connecting business needs, operational processes, risk, and data across diverse organizational environments.

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He is also an Adjunct Professor at Morgan State University, where he previously served as a Teaching Assistant. Femi holds a master’s degree in Data Analytics and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Information Science and Systems. His educational background also includes Strategic Management and Leadership, Mathematics, and Mechanical Engineering.

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Femi brings together business and risk analysis, data analytics, operational improvement, technical understanding, and a commitment to helping others succeed, qualities that made his support of the SDLC Experience Workshop particularly valuable.

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Drew is an accomplished innovator, systems thinker, Business Analyst, Solutions Architect, and Software Engineer.

A Stanford University Computer Science graduate and Certified Business Analysis Professional (IIBA CBAP), Drew combines strong technical expertise with an understanding of business value and software development best practices. As Chief Innovation Officer and Owner of Diji LLC, he applies first principles thinking to create thoughtful solutions to complex problems.

As a volunteer Mentor in the 2026 SDLC Experience Workshop, Drew supported participants as they navigated the full SDLC and transformed business case goals into working solutions. His mentoring reflects his belief that software engineering is a craft strengthened through exploration, experimentation, hands-on experience, repetition, and curiosity. Drew brings a practical, multidisciplinary perspective to professional development and helps others explore the connection between business needs, technology, and effective solution delivery.

Will Powers is a Client Service Implementation Analyst with Fidelity Investments, bringing experience in client service, operations, implementation, and financial services. His professional background includes several roles supporting Fidelity, including Emerging Products Student Debt Operations Associate and Defined Contribution Service Associate. [linkedin.com]

Before moving into his current implementation role, Will Powers built several years of experience supporting financial-services operations and clients. His background reflects a steady progression from service-focused responsibilities into implementation work.

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Will Powers earned his bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Northern Kentucky University, where he was involved with Alpha Sigma Phi, Golden Key International Honour Society, and Phi Sigma Pi. He also worked as a Digital Media Assistant with the university’s Museum of Anthropology, supporting special projects.

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Will was a Developer in the 2025 session, and then a Development Mentor for the 2026 SDLC Experience Workshop, Will Powers provided participants with additional support and guidance as they worked through the development portion of the simulation. His contribution added another experienced resource participants could turn to while navigating the challenges of transforming project requirements and designs into a working solution.

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Will Powers brings together client service, implementation experience, operational knowledge, and a willingness to support others, qualities that made his mentorship a valuable addition to the 2026 SDLC Experience Workshop.

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Sarita is a proactive, results-driven professional with a strong background in business analysis and digital solution delivery.

As both a Mentor and Observer for Team 2 in the SDLC Experience Workshop, she supported teams in refining requirements, enhancing collaboration, and translating insights into actionable improvements.  She also brought her experience as a Quality Assurance Analyst to provide instruction to Team 2 and others.

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Her experience spans insurance, IoT (Home Security Automation), healthcare, e-commerce, and banking—where she has consistently transformed complex business needs into precise technical specifications. Sarita excels in stakeholder management, agile project leadership, and cross-functional collaboration, driving large-scale technology initiatives with clarity and impact.

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Her areas of expertise include Agile and Scrum methodologies, requirements elicitation, data mapping and flow, product management, and storytelling for business alignment. Sarita brings strategic insight and a collaborative spirit to every engagement, helping teams deliver meaningful, value-driven outcomes.

Nastassia Shahun is a Senior IT Business Analyst and Product Owner whose background spans business analysis, system design, digital product development, and product discovery across FinTech, EdTech, and eCommerce. She holds a Master’s degree in Informatics and focuses on user-centered and data-informed approaches to product delivery.

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In her professional work, Nastassia Shahun supports complex products, discovery initiatives, and multi-team collaboration, with a focus on decision-making and aligning business and user needs. Her experience combines business analysis and product ownership in the development of increasingly intelligent products and systems.

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Nastassia Shahun also contributes actively to the professional community as an international conference speaker, writer, and mentor at international hackathons. As Editorial Lead for the IIBA Poland Chapter, she helps shape content strategy and supports the development of the business analysis community.

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Her specialties include business analysis, product ownership, product discovery, system design, digital product development, user-centered approaches, and data-informed decision-making. Through her speaking, writing, and mentoring, Nastassia Shahun shares her perspectives on business analysis, product development, UX, and the evolving role of analysts in intelligent products.

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Michelle Oliveira, CSPO®, is an experienced Senior Business Analyst, Product Owner, and Project Manager with more than 20 years in technology. Her career spans the full solution lifecycle, from discovery and requirements through development, delivery, and post-production, with experience in digital transformation, financial services, academic systems, and enterprise technology.

As a Mentor in the 2026 IIBA Tampa Bay SDLC Experience Workshop, Michelle guides participants through the simulated software development lifecycle, helping them strengthen their analysis and problem-solving skills by asking the questions that lead them toward their own solutions.

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Her experience includes leading digital transformation programs, managing cross-functional and international teams, defining product roadmaps, facilitating discovery, managing requirements and backlogs, and applying Agile practices. She also brings a strong analytical perspective through her Master’s degree in Computer Science, with a focus on Data Mining and Machine Learning.

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Michelle’s specialties include business analysis, product ownership, project management, data analysis, Agile methodologies, digital transformation, and SDLC delivery. Known for bringing clarity to complex problems, she focuses on turning business needs into practical, data-driven technology solutions while keeping teams aligned and moving forward.

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Abisola Odumosu is a business development, marketing, and data analytics professional with experience in technology solutions, client relationships, market development, and cross-functional collaboration. Her career includes work in technology, marketing, sales, account management, and community engagement.

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As a Business Analyst Mentor in the 2026 IIBA Tampa Bay SDLC Experience Workshop, Abisola supported participants as they worked through the simulated software development lifecycle and developed their understanding of the Business Analyst role.

Her professional experience includes business development, strategic client engagement, market research, CRM and pipeline management, cloud solutions, and data analysis. Her data analytics background includes data governance, analytics, data visualization, databases, Azure, and real-time analytics.

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Abisola’s specialties span business development, marketing, data analytics, client relationship management, market research, cloud solutions, and cross-functional collaboration. Her diverse background brings together business, technology, data, and customer-focused perspectives that complement her work supporting participants as they develop their Business Analysis skills.

Aman Kukreti is an AI Business Analyst with more than five years of cross-industry experience spanning EdTech, FMCG, manufacturing, and energy. With a B.Tech and MBA, he combines business analysis, data analytics, automation, and AI to turn complex information into practical, data-driven solutions.

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His experience includes business intelligence, process optimization, strategic reporting, dashboard development, automation, and AI-powered solutions. His toolkit includes Power BI, Tableau, Excel, Power Automate, and other analytics and AI technologies.

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Aman also participated in the Tampa Bay IIBA SDLC Simulation, stepping beyond his traditional Business Analyst role to serve as a Developer and UI/UX Designer. He created 37 wireframes for a digital insurance claims solution and later transformed the concepts into a functional website, gaining hands-on experience connecting business analysis, design, and development.

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His specialties include business analysis, data analytics, AI and automation, business intelligence, process improvement, dashboard development, and strategic storytelling. Aman is particularly passionate about adaptability, continuous learning, mentoring, and using emerging technologies to create meaningful business outcomes.

Cíntia Souza made an exceptional contribution to the 2026 Tampa Bay IIBA Software Development Lifecycle Experience Workshop, combining Business Analysis expertise, technical enablement, educational content development, outreach, and hands-on volunteer support. Her work equipped participants with practical resources they could use throughout the SDLC experience.

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Cíntia created the workshop’s comprehensive, well-structured, and user-friendly Tools Guide, covering the technical tools used throughout the SDLC simulation. She also developed the Business Analysis package, including the templates and examples participants used to complete their Business Analysis deliverables. Together, these resources provided essential guidance for participants navigating both the technical environment and Business Analysis responsibilities.

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Her contribution extended well beyond training materials. Cíntia supported marketing and outreach by connecting with external organizations and helping bring additional people into the program. When unexpected needs arose, she consistently stepped in, took ownership of tasks, assisted other organizers, and helped resolve problems, including providing direct support with the workshop’s Wix website.

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Cíntia distinguished herself through exceptional professionalism, productivity, reliability, collaboration, and commitment. Her willingness to fill gaps wherever help was needed made a significant impact on the workshop and its participants, demonstrating the value of combining strong Business Analysis practices with technical knowledge, initiative, and a genuine commitment to helping others succeed.

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Michael Moser is a seasoned IT Business Analyst who uses IT consulting as a functional bridge to facilitate effective change across a wide range of domains. His approach centers on understanding and delivering the “why” behind the “what,” ensuring that technology initiatives create meaningful value for clients, development teams, and frontline users.

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Specializing in the Agile Software Delivery Lifecycle, Michael brings a holistic perspective to Business Analysis, connecting business needs, technology, and people to support effective software delivery and organizational change.

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Michael participated in the 2026 SDLC Experience Workshop to further develop his understanding of Product Ownership while contributing to a collaborative environment where participants could learn and grow across the software development lifecycle.

Beyond the workshop, Michael serves as Vice President of the IIBA-affiliated Houston Business Analysts organization, where he works to provide an enriching professional community for aspiring and practicing Business Analysts throughout the Greater Houston area.

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Michael continues to contribute to the Business Analysis profession through leadership, professional development, and a strong commitment to understanding the value behind change, not simply the solution being delivered.

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Aaron is a widely regarded IT professional with over 35 years of experience spanning business analysis, consulting, and project management. With deep expertise in SDLC and PLC processes, he has led initiatives in systems analysis, product development, and enterprise application delivery across multiple platforms in multiple industries.

As a Mentor and Product Owner for a team in the SDLC Experience Workshop, Aaron guided participants through agile analysis, strategic planning, and cross-functional collaboration—bringing clarity, structure, and momentum to every phase of the simulation.

Aaron is an active leader in the Bluegrass IIBA Chapter, where he contributes to professional development and community
engagement across the business analysis field. Known for his rare ability to balance technical precision with strategic vision, he communicates seamlessly across business and IT teams.

His specialties include requirements elicitation, business process improvement, product ownership analysis, and multi-project planning.

Aaron is also recognized for his thought leadership, mentorship, and training—consistently driving change, improving outcomes, and fostering alignment across diverse teams.

Rohit Thakur is an accomplished Business Analyst and Product Owner with more than 10 years of experience delivering digital transformation initiatives across banking, fintech, and enterprise environments. Working across India, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, he specializes in transforming complex stakeholder needs into clear, actionable requirements and successful product outcomes.

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With expertise in Agile, Scrum, SAFe, Kanban, and hybrid delivery environments, Rohit brings strong capabilities in requirements analysis, backlog management, user stories, acceptance criteria, and cross-functional collaboration. His experience spans digital banking, BFSI, KYC/AML, compliance, data platforms, and enterprise systems.

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Rohit is particularly skilled at bridging business, UX, and engineering teams, helping ensure that solutions remain focused on business value while meeting complex technical and regulatory requirements. His approach emphasizes simplifying complexity, aligning stakeholders, and maintaining clarity throughout delivery.

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His specialties include business analysis, product ownership, requirements elicitation and analysis, backlog management, process modeling, stakeholder collaboration, and data-informed decision-making. His professional toolkit includes Jira, Confluence, QlikSense, Archer, Excel, wireframing, and BPMN.

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Rohit holds SAFe® AI-Empowered Product Owner/Product Manager, Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I), and Professional Scrum Product Owner I (PSPO I) credentials. He also contributes to the broader business analysis community, including discussions on UAT, testing collaboration, Agile, and the role of business analysis in successful product delivery.

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Carol Hoeke-Friberg is a seasoned leader, consultant, architect, and mentor in Information Systems and Information Technology, with deep experience across financial services, hospitality, manufacturing, telecommunications, and academia.

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As a Mentor and Product Owner in the SDLC Experience Workshop, Carol guided Team 4 through agile delivery, strategic planning, and quality assurance—bringing clarity and structure to every phase of the simulation.

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Her career includes ten years of on-site implementation management across the Asia-Pacific region, where she led product development and business analysis initiatives that transformed enterprise systems.

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Carol is known for her ability to bridge technical depth with strategic insight, supporting cross-functional teams in delivering high-impact solutions.

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Her specialties include financial systems, credit card platforms, retail operations, higher education systems, and application development.

As an Agile coach, she brings strong expertise in requirements analysis, systems design, and continuous improvement—empowering teams to deliver with precision and purpose.

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Marcela Rivas is an experienced systems and business professional with a background spanning data analysis, performance management, process improvement, strategic planning, and technology. Her international career includes work in New Zealand, Chile, and the United Kingdom across healthcare, government, and aviation.

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Her experience includes stakeholder engagement, data modeling and analysis, business process documentation, performance reporting, ERP implementation, and developing tools and scorecards to support strategic decision-making. She has worked with Power BI, SQL, SAS, Excel, Visio, and SAP.

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Marcela holds an MBA and a Systems Engineering degree, combining business knowledge with a strong technical and analytical foundation.

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Her specialties include business and data analysis, process improvement, performance measurement, stakeholder collaboration, strategic reporting, and translating complex information into practical insights that support better organizational decisions.

Eimal Durrani is a Product Manager and Project Manager (PMP®, CBAP®, PSM II) dedicated to operational efficiency, strategic process improvement, and human-centered design.

As Mentor and Product Owner for Team 6 in the SDLC Experience Workshop, Eimal guided participants through product visioning, MVP goal-setting, software architecture visualization, and end-to-end solution design. To align diverse perspectives, he used interactive consensus-building tools—such as voting tables—fostering clear agreement and team cohesion throughout the simulation.

Skilled at bridging technical rigor with empathetic leadership, Eimal helps teams turn complex ideas into practical digital solutions. His work is backed by advanced research in Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), and Text Mining (NLP), holding a B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc., and Ph.D. (ABD) in Computer Engineering.