Speakers
Adi Polak
Director Advocacy and Developer Experience Engineering, Confluent
Adi is an experienced Software Engineer and people manager. For most of her professional life, she has worked with data and machine learning for operations and analytics. As a data practitioner, she developed algorithms to solve real-world problems using machine learning techniques and leveraging expertise in Apache Spark, Kafka, HDFS, and distributed large-scale systems. Adi has taught Spark to thousands of students and is the author of the successful book — Scaling Machine Learning with Spark. In early 2024, she embarked on a new adventure with data streaming, specifically Flink, and she can't get enough of it.
Adi is an experienced Software Engineer and people manager. For most of her professional life, she has worked with data and machine learning for operations and analytics. As a data practitioner, she developed algorithms to solve real-world problems using machine learning techniques and leveraging expertise in Apache Spark, Kafka, HDFS, and distributed large-scale systems. Adi has taught Spark to thousands of students and is the author of the successful book — Scaling Machine Learning with Spark. In early 2024, she embarked on a new adventure with data streaming, specifically Flink, and she can't get enough of it.
Sofie Zilberman
Sr. Streaming Solutions Architect, AWS
I design and optimize real-time data pipelines using Apache Flink, Kafka and Apache Iceberg, building fast, reliable, and scalable systems for streaming and streaming analytics. With experience in both streaming and batch processing, I focus on making data workflows efficient, observable, and high-performing. I enjoy solving complex challenges in large-scale data processing, always looking for ways to push the boundaries of performance and reliability. Passionate about Data Lakehouse technologies, I enjoy sharing knowledge through talks, hands-on sessions, and discussions on streaming architectures and real-time analytics frameworks.
I design and optimize real-time data pipelines using Apache Flink, Kafka and Apache Iceberg, building fast, reliable, and scalable systems for streaming and streaming analytics. With experience in both streaming and batch processing, I focus on making data workflows efficient, observable, and high-performing. I enjoy solving complex challenges in large-scale data processing, always looking for ways to push the boundaries of performance and reliability. Passionate about Data Lakehouse technologies, I enjoy sharing knowledge through talks, hands-on sessions, and discussions on streaming architectures and real-time analytics frameworks.
Asaf Halili
Staff Software Engineer, LinkedIn
Asaf is passionate about data, solving problems by using code, software design & architecture and he's a technology enthusiast in general. He started writing code at elementary school applying his passion to almost every aspect in life. Among his hobbies, he’s a hobbyist photographer with a growing collection of cameras.
Asaf is passionate about data, solving problems by using code, software design & architecture and he's a technology enthusiast in general. He started writing code at elementary school applying his passion to almost every aspect in life. Among his hobbies, he’s a hobbyist photographer with a growing collection of cameras.
Yaara Cohen
Fullstack Team Lead, Handshaik
Yaara Cohen is a tech lead and AI developer with over a decade of experience across full-stack engineering and cloud infrastructure. She’s led end-to-end development at companies like Wix, BigPanda, and Apono, and currently explores agentic workflows and AI tooling. She is also an active community contributor, co-leading DataNights GenAI courses and speaking on innovation in data and AI.
Yaara Cohen is a tech lead and AI developer with over a decade of experience across full-stack engineering and cloud infrastructure. She’s led end-to-end development at companies like Wix, BigPanda, and Apono, and currently explores agentic workflows and AI tooling. She is also an active community contributor, co-leading DataNights GenAI courses and speaking on innovation in data and AI.
Roy Prager
Team Lead, Coralogix
Roy Prager is a team lead at Coralogix, specializing in high-throughput data pipelines and real-time observability infrastructure. He focuses on building systems that turn massive volumes of raw telemetry into structured, queryable data — fast.
Roy Prager is a team lead at Coralogix, specializing in high-throughput data pipelines and real-time observability infrastructure. He focuses on building systems that turn massive volumes of raw telemetry into structured, queryable data — fast.
Roy Miara
Director of ML Engineering, Pinecone
Roy leads the AI Application layer at Pinecone, where he oversees Pinecone Assistant and works on areas like agentic RAG, information retrieval, evaluation, and MCP. Prior to joining Pinecone, he led Data and ML Engineering at Explorium and held leadership roles at several other startups in the AI/ML space, gaining broad experience in data platforms and applied machine learning. Roy has an academic background in Physics, Electrical Engineering, and Human-Computer Interaction and actively collaborates with the AI community at the forefront of AI application development.
Roy leads the AI Application layer at Pinecone, where he oversees Pinecone Assistant and works on areas like agentic RAG, information retrieval, evaluation, and MCP. Prior to joining Pinecone, he led Data and ML Engineering at Explorium and held leadership roles at several other startups in the AI/ML space, gaining broad experience in data platforms and applied machine learning. Roy has an academic background in Physics, Electrical Engineering, and Human-Computer Interaction and actively collaborates with the AI community at the forefront of AI application development.
Roee Ben David
Product Growth Analyst, Meta
Product Growth Analyst at Meta, 1.5 years: 1. Analyzing user behavior to identify areas of improvement 2. Collaborating with xfn teams to develop and implement data-informed solutions 3. Designing and executing experiments 4. Providing actionable recommendations to shape product and growth initiatives 5. Combining data analysis and external sources to identify new opportunities for growth Product Growth Analyst at Honeybook, 4 years: Analyzing data to identify opportunities, key trends and patterns. Data and Business Analyst: 4+ years: Intel and Woo.io Speaker at Hatadata 2023
Product Growth Analyst at Meta, 1.5 years: 1. Analyzing user behavior to identify areas of improvement 2. Collaborating with xfn teams to develop and implement data-informed solutions 3. Designing and executing experiments 4. Providing actionable recommendations to shape product and growth initiatives 5. Combining data analysis and external sources to identify new opportunities for growth Product Growth Analyst at Honeybook, 4 years: Analyzing data to identify opportunities, key trends and patterns. Data and Business Analyst: 4+ years: Intel and Woo.io Speaker at Hatadata 2023
Yizhar Gilboa
Co-Founder & CTO, Finout
With 15+ years in development, including 8200 unit service, Yizhar has held roles like core developer at Zebra Medical (acquired by Nanox) and Head of Data Science at Planck Data (acquired by Applied Systems). Now Co-Founder and CTO of Finout, he focuses on simplifying cloud cost management. Passionate about scaling challenges, data engineering, and software architecture, Yizhar blends technical expertise with strategic vision. Outside work, he enjoys tennis, workouts, and gaming.
With 15+ years in development, including 8200 unit service, Yizhar has held roles like core developer at Zebra Medical (acquired by Nanox) and Head of Data Science at Planck Data (acquired by Applied Systems). Now Co-Founder and CTO of Finout, he focuses on simplifying cloud cost management. Passionate about scaling challenges, data engineering, and software architecture, Yizhar blends technical expertise with strategic vision. Outside work, he enjoys tennis, workouts, and gaming.
Daniella Karni-Harel
Senior Backend Engineer, HiBob
Senior backend engineer who thrives on blending structure and creativity, whether coding or storytelling. Passionate about “using your powers for good”, she is volunteering as a software engineer in several organizations, such as Midaat. She cares deeply about wildlife, and volunteered at both the Wildlife Hospital and the Haibulans. She is currently volunteering for the Haibulans as tech consultant.
Senior backend engineer who thrives on blending structure and creativity, whether coding or storytelling. Passionate about “using your powers for good”, she is volunteering as a software engineer in several organizations, such as Midaat. She cares deeply about wildlife, and volunteered at both the Wildlife Hospital and the Haibulans. She is currently volunteering for the Haibulans as tech consultant.
Yarden Mark
R&D Group Manager, Planck
Yarden Mark - R&D Group Manager at Planck Yarden (Jordi) is a Group Manager at Planck. With 6.5 years at the company, Yarden joined Planck as a developer when it was still a small startup, growing with the company to lead data analytics domains and teams, up to leading an AI product group composed of data scientists, developers, and data analysts. In his free time, Yarden enjoys hitting the tennis court and recently has taken up playing the piano for the first time in his life.
Yarden Mark - R&D Group Manager at Planck Yarden (Jordi) is a Group Manager at Planck. With 6.5 years at the company, Yarden joined Planck as a developer when it was still a small startup, growing with the company to lead data analytics domains and teams, up to leading an AI product group composed of data scientists, developers, and data analysts. In his free time, Yarden enjoys hitting the tennis court and recently has taken up playing the piano for the first time in his life.
Danielle Menuhin
Data Operations Manager, Data Operations IL community
A seasoned Data Operations professional with 9 years of experience, experienced with human and LLM-based labeling, e-commerce taxonomy, and catalog creation and curation. I’m also the founder of the Data Operations IL community, where I’ve organized 10+ meetups, launched a mentoring program, and actively promote knowledge sharing among data professionals. I regularly speak at meetups and enjoy sharing practical, real-world insights from the field.
A seasoned Data Operations professional with 9 years of experience, experienced with human and LLM-based labeling, e-commerce taxonomy, and catalog creation and curation. I’m also the founder of the Data Operations IL community, where I’ve organized 10+ meetups, launched a mentoring program, and actively promote knowledge sharing among data professionals. I regularly speak at meetups and enjoy sharing practical, real-world insights from the field.
Or Sagiv
Staff Data Platform Engineer, Riskified
Or Sagiv is a Big Data Tech Lead at Riskified, responsible for shaping data infrastructure and sharing knowledge across R&D teams. He specializes in distributed systems, workflow orchestration, and real-time data processing, with hands-on experience managing Airflow at scale. Passionate about knowledge sharing, Or has led internal initiatives to foster collaboration and improve best practices in data engineering. Beyond work, he enjoys surfing, learning Spanish, and traveling the world.
Or Sagiv is a Big Data Tech Lead at Riskified, responsible for shaping data infrastructure and sharing knowledge across R&D teams. He specializes in distributed systems, workflow orchestration, and real-time data processing, with hands-on experience managing Airflow at scale. Passionate about knowledge sharing, Or has led internal initiatives to foster collaboration and improve best practices in data engineering. Beyond work, he enjoys surfing, learning Spanish, and traveling the world.
Hanit Hakim
Backend Engineer, Finout
Hanit is a backend engineer at Finout, where she works on the data team, blending her love for data engineering and backend development. She holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science from the Hebrew University, where her thesis focused on data science and NLP. Before joining Finout, Hanit tackled software engineering challenges at NICE and Viz.ai and dabbled in computer vision research at Lightricks. She’s passionate about integrating diverse data sources, solving complex puzzles, and building systems from scratch. Outside of work, you’ll find Hanit singing, reading, crying over good sad movies, or experimenting a little with her own software projects—because who says coding is just for the office?
Hanit is a backend engineer at Finout, where she works on the data team, blending her love for data engineering and backend development. She holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science from the Hebrew University, where her thesis focused on data science and NLP. Before joining Finout, Hanit tackled software engineering challenges at NICE and Viz.ai and dabbled in computer vision research at Lightricks. She’s passionate about integrating diverse data sources, solving complex puzzles, and building systems from scratch. Outside of work, you’ll find Hanit singing, reading, crying over good sad movies, or experimenting a little with her own software projects—because who says coding is just for the office?
Nitay Kufert
Principal Engineer, Unity
Nitay Kufert is a Principal Engineer at iAds, the ironSource ad network by Unity. With nearly 11 years of experience, he has built high-scale, high-concurrency, low-latency systems powering real-time ad delivery. After roles as a developer and team lead, he now leads a small IC group focused on cost-critical challenges. Recently, he stepped into the data engineering world by building iAds’ internal data platform using Apache Iceberg and Spark Structured Streaming.
Nitay Kufert is a Principal Engineer at iAds, the ironSource ad network by Unity. With nearly 11 years of experience, he has built high-scale, high-concurrency, low-latency systems powering real-time ad delivery. After roles as a developer and team lead, he now leads a small IC group focused on cost-critical challenges. Recently, he stepped into the data engineering world by building iAds’ internal data platform using Apache Iceberg and Spark Structured Streaming.
Jonathan Kaplan
DataOps Manager, Unity
Jonathan Kaplan leads DataOps at Unity iAds, where a dedicated team steers a petabyte-scale lakehouse and streaming platform that ingests billions of ad events daily. He architects and operates a stack spanning Apache Iceberg, Flink, Spark, Trino, Druid, Redshift, Aurora, BigQuery, Airflow and beyond - turning raw clicks into real-time insight.
Jonathan Kaplan leads DataOps at Unity iAds, where a dedicated team steers a petabyte-scale lakehouse and streaming platform that ingests billions of ad events daily. He architects and operates a stack spanning Apache Iceberg, Flink, Spark, Trino, Druid, Redshift, Aurora, BigQuery, Airflow and beyond - turning raw clicks into real-time insight.
Ben Shaharizad
Software Engineer, Taboola
I’m Ben – a software engineer at Taboola. Before that, I spent six years as a software engineer in the army. I have a B.Sc. in Computer Science and a deep love for technology, innovation, and anything that makes me stop and say, “wow.” Ever since the world of LLMs took off, I’ve been living and breathing it – reading, building, experimenting, and genuinely enjoying every moment. It’s a field that keeps surprising me, and I’m still just as excited about it as I was on day one.
I’m Ben – a software engineer at Taboola. Before that, I spent six years as a software engineer in the army. I have a B.Sc. in Computer Science and a deep love for technology, innovation, and anything that makes me stop and say, “wow.” Ever since the world of LLMs took off, I’ve been living and breathing it – reading, building, experimenting, and genuinely enjoying every moment. It’s a field that keeps surprising me, and I’m still just as excited about it as I was on day one.
Hila Sofer Elyashiv
Group Manager, Data Engineering & DWH Architecture, Wix.com
I am Hila Sofer Elayshiv, a data professional with over a decade of experience in the industry. Over the past eight years, I have been part of the Wix team, transitioned from an Analyst role ro a Data Engineer, then I established and led the Data Modeling and DWH Team, focusing on crafting robust data models and building data warehouses tailored to the needs of internal teams. Today, I serve as a Group Manager and DWH Architect, who lives and breathes data.
I am Hila Sofer Elayshiv, a data professional with over a decade of experience in the industry. Over the past eight years, I have been part of the Wix team, transitioned from an Analyst role ro a Data Engineer, then I established and led the Data Modeling and DWH Team, focusing on crafting robust data models and building data warehouses tailored to the needs of internal teams. Today, I serve as a Group Manager and DWH Architect, who lives and breathes data.
Ori Abramovsky
Data Science Lead, Spectralops.io (by Checkpoint)
Specialized in turning AI from concept to reality, with hands-on experience across a wide range of machine learning types and paradigms. I work end-to-end—from ideation and modeling to deployment and monitoring—bridging the gap between research, engineering, and real-world product impact. Passionate about building practical, scalable AI systems that deliver value.
Specialized in turning AI from concept to reality, with hands-on experience across a wide range of machine learning types and paradigms. I work end-to-end—from ideation and modeling to deployment and monitoring—bridging the gap between research, engineering, and real-world product impact. Passionate about building practical, scalable AI systems that deliver value.
Hila Weisman
Senior Data Scientist & AI Consultant, Now You Know & AI Empire
Hila Weisman-Zohar is a Senior Data Scientist and AI researcher with over 15 years of expertise in NLP and Recommender Systems. Holding 5 US patents, her influential work is published at top conferences like EMNLP and RecSys. At Now You Know, Hila leads Generative AI initiatives, previously advancing ML innovation at Outbrain and NICE. A passionate community leader, she co-founded Recommender Systems IL, organizes PyData TLV, and mentors as a Google Women Techmaker Ambassador.
Hila Weisman-Zohar is a Senior Data Scientist and AI researcher with over 15 years of expertise in NLP and Recommender Systems. Holding 5 US patents, her influential work is published at top conferences like EMNLP and RecSys. At Now You Know, Hila leads Generative AI initiatives, previously advancing ML innovation at Outbrain and NICE. A passionate community leader, she co-founded Recommender Systems IL, organizes PyData TLV, and mentors as a Google Women Techmaker Ambassador.
Eyal Trabelsi
Lead Architect, Bigabid
Builder‑minded engineer ⚙️ hooked on Python 🐍, automatic testing, machine learning 🤖, and blazing‑scale performance 🚀. I make doing the right thing easy. Husband of one, dad of one, and faithful servant to a cat 🐱 and a dog 🐶.
Builder‑minded engineer ⚙️ hooked on Python 🐍, automatic testing, machine learning 🤖, and blazing‑scale performance 🚀. I make doing the right thing easy. Husband of one, dad of one, and faithful servant to a cat 🐱 and a dog 🐶.
Alon Nisser
Principal Engineer, Zencity.io
Software developer. currently in Zencity.io. Writing software as a hobby and as a profession. Strong opinions on things. Open source aficionado. Trying to make a difference. Sometimes software makes we wonder if I'd be better off being a farmer.
Software developer. currently in Zencity.io. Writing software as a hobby and as a profession. Strong opinions on things. Open source aficionado. Trying to make a difference. Sometimes software makes we wonder if I'd be better off being a farmer.
Rachel Abo
Senior Data Scientist, Riskified
Racheli is a Data Scientist at Riskified with 5 years experience in the Fraud Detection domain. She has led multiple projects regarding automating and optimizing ML solutions, and is currently working on data sampling related projects. Outside of her professional life, Racheli enjoys traveling, camping and Yoga.
Racheli is a Data Scientist at Riskified with 5 years experience in the Fraud Detection domain. She has led multiple projects regarding automating and optimizing ML solutions, and is currently working on data sampling related projects. Outside of her professional life, Racheli enjoys traveling, camping and Yoga.
Maya Malamud
AI Consultant
Maya Malamud is a Senior Data Scientist and Researcher with over 10 years of experience specializing in Machine Learning, NLP, and Healthcare AI. She has a strong background in leading teams, mentoring, and aligning AI solutions with business and industry goals, tracking project success with KPIs and evaluation methods. As a career branding expert, Maya is passionate about guiding techies to build their brand on LinkedIn and refine their professional pitch.
Maya Malamud is a Senior Data Scientist and Researcher with over 10 years of experience specializing in Machine Learning, NLP, and Healthcare AI. She has a strong background in leading teams, mentoring, and aligning AI solutions with business and industry goals, tracking project success with KPIs and evaluation methods. As a career branding expert, Maya is passionate about guiding techies to build their brand on LinkedIn and refine their professional pitch.
Nitzan Band
Data Researcher, Island
Nitzan Band is a Data Researcher at Island, where she delivers data-driven features and insights for customers and internal teams, focusing on research and innovation to guide product development. She previously managed a big data application for cyber analysts in IDF’s Unit 8200, designing APIs, rule engines, and integrating hundreds of data sources, an experience that laid the groundwork for her expertise in prompt engineering and automated validation loops. Before that, she served as a Cyber Security Data Analyst in the same unit, conducting risk assessments and automating workflows. Her hands-on work with complex datasets and self-validating AI pipelines directly informs her talk on zero-touch rule tuning with off-the-shelf LLMs.
Nitzan Band is a Data Researcher at Island, where she delivers data-driven features and insights for customers and internal teams, focusing on research and innovation to guide product development. She previously managed a big data application for cyber analysts in IDF’s Unit 8200, designing APIs, rule engines, and integrating hundreds of data sources, an experience that laid the groundwork for her expertise in prompt engineering and automated validation loops. Before that, she served as a Cyber Security Data Analyst in the same unit, conducting risk assessments and automating workflows. Her hands-on work with complex datasets and self-validating AI pipelines directly informs her talk on zero-touch rule tuning with off-the-shelf LLMs.
Tal Mizrachi
Data Scientist
Tal Mizrachi, AKA Analysis Paralysis online, is a data scientist and educator trying to make data science, analytical methods, and programming accessible and fun to learn about. Tal teaches with laughter, Joy and dad jokes and easy acceptance of mistakes, Tal is married to Adi (MD, it rhymes), 2 daughters (5, 0.5), a black dog.
Tal Mizrachi, AKA Analysis Paralysis online, is a data scientist and educator trying to make data science, analytical methods, and programming accessible and fun to learn about. Tal teaches with laughter, Joy and dad jokes and easy acceptance of mistakes, Tal is married to Adi (MD, it rhymes), 2 daughters (5, 0.5), a black dog.
Maria Yanson
Data Scientist, SentinelOne
I'm a data scientist at SentinelOne, and I'm passionate about the power of data to drive insights and innovation. My work centers around machine and deep learning. I've spent years honing my skills in Python scientific programming. As an organizing PyData Tel Aviv conference member, I'm dedicated to fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing in the data science community. I take pride in building Python packages that make data workflows more streamlined and efficient. When I'm not working with data, you can find me hiking in the great outdoors or exploring the vibrant cultural scene of Tel Aviv. ChatGPT helped with phrasing this paragraph. Also, the LLM generated the last line entirely, and it is untrue. I do have two daughters and a partner with whom I love spending time.
I'm a data scientist at SentinelOne, and I'm passionate about the power of data to drive insights and innovation. My work centers around machine and deep learning. I've spent years honing my skills in Python scientific programming. As an organizing PyData Tel Aviv conference member, I'm dedicated to fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing in the data science community. I take pride in building Python packages that make data workflows more streamlined and efficient. When I'm not working with data, you can find me hiking in the great outdoors or exploring the vibrant cultural scene of Tel Aviv. ChatGPT helped with phrasing this paragraph. Also, the LLM generated the last line entirely, and it is untrue. I do have two daughters and a partner with whom I love spending time.
Lior Kalman
ML Engineer, Sunbit
Lior holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Mathematics (cum laude) from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, and an M.Sc. in Computer Science from the Weizmann Institute of Science. With over 3.5 years of experience as a Machine Learning Engineer at Sunbit, Lior specializes in developing innovative AI solutions to solve real-world challenges. His expertise spans feature engineering, embedding models, and applying machine learning techniques in production environments.
Lior holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Mathematics (cum laude) from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, and an M.Sc. in Computer Science from the Weizmann Institute of Science. With over 3.5 years of experience as a Machine Learning Engineer at Sunbit, Lior specializes in developing innovative AI solutions to solve real-world challenges. His expertise spans feature engineering, embedding models, and applying machine learning techniques in production environments.
Michael Levinger
Senior Data Scientist, Melio
Hello! I'm Michael, a Data Scientist with over 5 years of experience, specializing in developing advanced algorithms for fraud prevention in the fintech industry. Currently, I work as a Senior Data Scientist within the risk department at Melio, a rapidly growing fintech company. Alongside my work in data science, I'm also an avid ultra-marathon runner and a former coach. I believe that maintaining a healthy mind and body is essential for a fulfilling life and enjoy pushing myself to new physical and mental limits. I'm always looking for opportunities to collaborate and make a positive impact in the world. If you're interested in connecting with me or learning more about my work, feel free to send me a message!
Hello! I'm Michael, a Data Scientist with over 5 years of experience, specializing in developing advanced algorithms for fraud prevention in the fintech industry. Currently, I work as a Senior Data Scientist within the risk department at Melio, a rapidly growing fintech company. Alongside my work in data science, I'm also an avid ultra-marathon runner and a former coach. I believe that maintaining a healthy mind and body is essential for a fulfilling life and enjoy pushing myself to new physical and mental limits. I'm always looking for opportunities to collaborate and make a positive impact in the world. If you're interested in connecting with me or learning more about my work, feel free to send me a message!
Shirli Di-Castro Shashua
Senior AI Scientist, Intuit
Shirli is a senior AI scientist at Intuit, where she brings cutting-edge innovation to life through generative models and agentic AI. Her areas of expertise span reinforcement learning, LLM training and evaluation, NLP, classical machine learning, and the design of intelligent agents. Shirli holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Technion, specializing in Reinforcement Learning, and a B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering from Ben Gurion University.
Shirli is a senior AI scientist at Intuit, where she brings cutting-edge innovation to life through generative models and agentic AI. Her areas of expertise span reinforcement learning, LLM training and evaluation, NLP, classical machine learning, and the design of intelligent agents. Shirli holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Technion, specializing in Reinforcement Learning, and a B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering from Ben Gurion University.
Itay Vegh
Senior Data Scientist, Planck
Itay Vegh is a Senior Data Scientist at Planck (now part of Applied Systems), where he designs and deploys GenAI-powered solutions that reshape commercial-insurance underwriting worldwide. His data journey began in the Israel Defense Forces’ elite Unit 8200, then advanced through roles as a Senior Quantitative Researcher at WorldQuant and a founding data scientist at Loops. Itay holds a B.Sc. in Physics and Computer Science (with distinction) from Tel Aviv University and is passionate about translating cutting-edge research into business impact. When he steps away from the keyboard, Itay enjoys bird-watching, practicing yoga, and watching classic world cinema.
Itay Vegh is a Senior Data Scientist at Planck (now part of Applied Systems), where he designs and deploys GenAI-powered solutions that reshape commercial-insurance underwriting worldwide. His data journey began in the Israel Defense Forces’ elite Unit 8200, then advanced through roles as a Senior Quantitative Researcher at WorldQuant and a founding data scientist at Loops. Itay holds a B.Sc. in Physics and Computer Science (with distinction) from Tel Aviv University and is passionate about translating cutting-edge research into business impact. When he steps away from the keyboard, Itay enjoys bird-watching, practicing yoga, and watching classic world cinema.
Shira Sherman Sasson
Director of Data Engineering and BI, LSports
Industrial Enginerring and Management Ben Gurion University-> HP->Papaya Global-> LSports Director on data engineering and BI, Team Leader, senior BE and FE developer, Project Manager and Analyst. Combining deep technological knowledge with extensive project management capabilities. A professional in using BI platforms – Tableau (expert), DBT, Snowflake, Rivery, MySQL,PostgreSQL, MariaDB... focused on delivering high business value and robust and performant BI solutions to emphasize insights and help users achieve their business goals.
Industrial Enginerring and Management Ben Gurion University-> HP->Papaya Global-> LSports Director on data engineering and BI, Team Leader, senior BE and FE developer, Project Manager and Analyst. Combining deep technological knowledge with extensive project management capabilities. A professional in using BI platforms – Tableau (expert), DBT, Snowflake, Rivery, MySQL,PostgreSQL, MariaDB... focused on delivering high business value and robust and performant BI solutions to emphasize insights and help users achieve their business goals.
Nir Smilga
Data Visualization Manager, monday.com
Nir Smilga is a Data Visualization Manager at monday.com, where he transforms complex data into impactful visual stories. He also serves as a Tableau Public Ambassador and Featured Author. In addition, he shares his expertise through lectures and industry talks
Nir Smilga is a Data Visualization Manager at monday.com, where he transforms complex data into impactful visual stories. He also serves as a Tableau Public Ambassador and Featured Author. In addition, he shares his expertise through lectures and industry talks
Meirav Avraham
Data Visualization Engineer, ZoomInfo
Meirav Avraham is a Data Visualization Engineer at ZoomInfo, where she designs clear, intuitive dashboards that make complex information easier to understand. Her work focuses on data storytelling and user-friendly design across the company.
Meirav Avraham is a Data Visualization Engineer at ZoomInfo, where she designs clear, intuitive dashboards that make complex information easier to understand. Her work focuses on data storytelling and user-friendly design across the company.
Timor Keidar
Lead Data Analyst, Cyera
Nothing fires me up like turning raw data into “aha!” moments and showing others how to do the same. Over the past decade I’ve led high-performing analytics teams, crafted the KPIs that steer organizational growth, and built a culture around data-driven thinking. Today, I’m the Tech Lead for the Data team at Cyera, where I help colleagues level up their data skills and turn metrics into impact. Beyond Cyera, I co-lead "Data Leads IL", a community that connects data leaders across the industry so we can swap ideas, tackle challenges, and raise the bar together.
Nothing fires me up like turning raw data into “aha!” moments and showing others how to do the same. Over the past decade I’ve led high-performing analytics teams, crafted the KPIs that steer organizational growth, and built a culture around data-driven thinking. Today, I’m the Tech Lead for the Data team at Cyera, where I help colleagues level up their data skills and turn metrics into impact. Beyond Cyera, I co-lead "Data Leads IL", a community that connects data leaders across the industry so we can swap ideas, tackle challenges, and raise the bar together.
Inbal Gilead
Freelance Data Product Professional
A product professional with deep specialization in data product management and data-driven decision-making. An alumnus of Unit 8200, I have over 18 years of experience leading product and data teams across startups and scaled industry-leading companies such as Sisense and ZipRecruiter, building data products and driving cross-functional alignment. Passionate about empowering teams to make better decisions through data.
A product professional with deep specialization in data product management and data-driven decision-making. An alumnus of Unit 8200, I have over 18 years of experience leading product and data teams across startups and scaled industry-leading companies such as Sisense and ZipRecruiter, building data products and driving cross-functional alignment. Passionate about empowering teams to make better decisions through data.
Nimrod Milo
Data Engineering Manager, Honeybook
I am a husband, father of four wonderful daughters, and an avid DIYer. On a professional level, I am a data engineering manager at HoneyBook, where I lead a team that works on machine learning, classical data engineering, and business intelligence analytics. I have spent the last 11 years working as a data scientist, team lead, and group leader, always with the goal of creating practical and impactful data systems.
I am a husband, father of four wonderful daughters, and an avid DIYer. On a professional level, I am a data engineering manager at HoneyBook, where I lead a team that works on machine learning, classical data engineering, and business intelligence analytics. I have spent the last 11 years working as a data scientist, team lead, and group leader, always with the goal of creating practical and impactful data systems.
Noa Harari
Senior Product Analyst, C8 Health
Product Analyst and a former team lead with 9 years of experience as a Product Analyst. Worked extensively with A/B testing in real-world, high-impact environments. Passionate about data storytelling and helping product teams make smarter decisions by understanding not just what users do—but why. As a mentor and co-leader of TechGym (a peer-learning space for senior tech professionals), I am on a mission to help data analysts level up their skills and impact.
Product Analyst and a former team lead with 9 years of experience as a Product Analyst. Worked extensively with A/B testing in real-world, high-impact environments. Passionate about data storytelling and helping product teams make smarter decisions by understanding not just what users do—but why. As a mentor and co-leader of TechGym (a peer-learning space for senior tech professionals), I am on a mission to help data analysts level up their skills and impact.
Corrin Shlomo Goldenberg
Product Manager, Chainlink Labs
Corrin is a seasoned technology professional with over 15 years of experience spanning data analysis, project management, and product management across diverse industries including marketing technology, broadcasting, fintech, IT operations and Web3. Throughout her career, Corrin has consistently demonstrated a passion for data, always seeking to leverage its power to drive insights and inform decisions. Corrin's experience provides a unique perspective on the challenges and rewards of building a data-driven culture and infrastructure.
Corrin is a seasoned technology professional with over 15 years of experience spanning data analysis, project management, and product management across diverse industries including marketing technology, broadcasting, fintech, IT operations and Web3. Throughout her career, Corrin has consistently demonstrated a passion for data, always seeking to leverage its power to drive insights and inform decisions. Corrin's experience provides a unique perspective on the challenges and rewards of building a data-driven culture and infrastructure.
Yoav Nordmann
Tech Lead & Architect, Tikal Knowledge
Yoav Nordmann is a Backend & Data Architect and Tech Lead with over 20 years of experience. At Tikal he holds the position of a Group Leader mentoring fellow workers. He is passionate about new and emerging technologies, knowledge sharing and a fierce advocate for open source. Being in the industry for so long gives him a sense of perspective on different languages, architectures, and hypes.
Yoav Nordmann is a Backend & Data Architect and Tech Lead with over 20 years of experience. At Tikal he holds the position of a Group Leader mentoring fellow workers. He is passionate about new and emerging technologies, knowledge sharing and a fierce advocate for open source. Being in the industry for so long gives him a sense of perspective on different languages, architectures, and hypes.
Eyal Solnik
Head of Data, Riverside
With over 10 years of experience in data, I am currently the Head of Data at Riverside.fm. I previously held senior data roles at Lili, Meta, and other leading companies, where I built and scaled data platforms across fintech and high-growth startup environments. I'm also active in the tech community, frequently speaking at events on fintech, data strategy, and generative AI.
With over 10 years of experience in data, I am currently the Head of Data at Riverside.fm. I previously held senior data roles at Lili, Meta, and other leading companies, where I built and scaled data platforms across fintech and high-growth startup environments. I'm also active in the tech community, frequently speaking at events on fintech, data strategy, and generative AI.
Tomer Moskov
BI Team Lead, Elementor
Hi, I’m Tomer Moskov BI Team Lead at Elementor with 8 years of experience in BI and data analytics. I like helping teams make sense of their data by designing dashboards that not just look good-they actually help people make better decisions. My work focuses on bridging the gap between raw data and real business impact - without overwhelming stakeholders along the way. Beyond work, I’m a musician with a second album in the works.
Hi, I’m Tomer Moskov BI Team Lead at Elementor with 8 years of experience in BI and data analytics. I like helping teams make sense of their data by designing dashboards that not just look good-they actually help people make better decisions. My work focuses on bridging the gap between raw data and real business impact - without overwhelming stakeholders along the way. Beyond work, I’m a musician with a second album in the works.
Yuval Press
DataOps Tech Lead, Elementor
Yuval is a DataOps engineer at Elementor with five years of experience in the DevOps field. He is the founder and manager of the EntryPoint community, a tech blogger, and a public speaker. With real-world expertise, he mentors aspiring developers and shares insights on technology, innovation, and career growth through his writing and speaking engagements.
Yuval is a DataOps engineer at Elementor with five years of experience in the DevOps field. He is the founder and manager of the EntryPoint community, a tech blogger, and a public speaker. With real-world expertise, he mentors aspiring developers and shares insights on technology, innovation, and career growth through his writing and speaking engagements.
David Krakov
co-founder & CEO, honeydew
David is the co-founder and CEO of Honeydew, a YC-backed semantic layer on Snowflake. Prior to that, David co-founded Varada (acquired by Starburst) and has been creating products for 20 years from autonomous firmware to distributed high-performance storage to data infrastructure. David holds over a dozen patents and publications and an M.Sc. in computer science.
David is the co-founder and CEO of Honeydew, a YC-backed semantic layer on Snowflake. Prior to that, David co-founded Varada (acquired by Starburst) and has been creating products for 20 years from autonomous firmware to distributed high-performance storage to data infrastructure. David holds over a dozen patents and publications and an M.Sc. in computer science.
Ori Avner
BI Engineer Team Lead, Lightricks
I’m a BI Engineering Team Lead at Lightricks, focusing on product data. With over a decade in various data roles and 5 years as a team lead, I treat data as a product—delivering end-to-end solutions that drive real business value through strategic thinking, critical analysis, and AI innovation. I bridge technology and business, collaborating with stakeholders and analysts in their language to address what truly matters and build strong, united teams that thrive on complex challenges. With an MBA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an entrepreneurial mindset, I leverage rigorous business acumen to drive AI-powered self-serve BI solutions.
I’m a BI Engineering Team Lead at Lightricks, focusing on product data. With over a decade in various data roles and 5 years as a team lead, I treat data as a product—delivering end-to-end solutions that drive real business value through strategic thinking, critical analysis, and AI innovation. I bridge technology and business, collaborating with stakeholders and analysts in their language to address what truly matters and build strong, united teams that thrive on complex challenges. With an MBA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an entrepreneurial mindset, I leverage rigorous business acumen to drive AI-powered self-serve BI solutions.
Shani Rabi-Guttel
BI Engineer Team Lead, Lightricks
I'm Shani, a BI Engineering Team Lead at Lightricks, focusing on Finance and G&A data. With nearly a decade of experience in the data world, I’ve built a strong foundation in data modeling, analytics, and cross-functional collaboration. Over the years, I’ve learned to create data systems that are both reliable and impactful. I'm passionate about making data accessible, mentoring others, and helping teams turn complex challenges into clear, actionable insights. I hold a degree in Industrial Engineering.
I'm Shani, a BI Engineering Team Lead at Lightricks, focusing on Finance and G&A data. With nearly a decade of experience in the data world, I’ve built a strong foundation in data modeling, analytics, and cross-functional collaboration. Over the years, I’ve learned to create data systems that are both reliable and impactful. I'm passionate about making data accessible, mentoring others, and helping teams turn complex challenges into clear, actionable insights. I hold a degree in Industrial Engineering.
Adi Polak
Director Advocacy and Developer Experience Engineering, Confluent
Adi is an experienced Software Engineer and people manager. For most of her professional life, she has worked with data and machine learning for operations and analytics. As a data practitioner, she developed algorithms to solve real-world problems using machine learning techniques and leveraging expertise in Apache Spark, Kafka, HDFS, and distributed large-scale systems. Adi has taught Spark to thousands of students and is the author of the successful book — Scaling Machine Learning with Spark. In early 2024, she embarked on a new adventure with data streaming, specifically Flink, and she can't get enough of it.
Adi is an experienced Software Engineer and people manager. For most of her professional life, she has worked with data and machine learning for operations and analytics. As a data practitioner, she developed algorithms to solve real-world problems using machine learning techniques and leveraging expertise in Apache Spark, Kafka, HDFS, and distributed large-scale systems. Adi has taught Spark to thousands of students and is the author of the successful book — Scaling Machine Learning with Spark. In early 2024, she embarked on a new adventure with data streaming, specifically Flink, and she can't get enough of it.
Sofie Zilberman
Sr. Streaming Solutions Architect, AWS
I design and optimize real-time data pipelines using Apache Flink, Kafka and Apache Iceberg, building fast, reliable, and scalable systems for streaming and streaming analytics. With experience in both streaming and batch processing, I focus on making data workflows efficient, observable, and high-performing. I enjoy solving complex challenges in large-scale data processing, always looking for ways to push the boundaries of performance and reliability. Passionate about Data Lakehouse technologies, I enjoy sharing knowledge through talks, hands-on sessions, and discussions on streaming architectures and real-time analytics frameworks.
I design and optimize real-time data pipelines using Apache Flink, Kafka and Apache Iceberg, building fast, reliable, and scalable systems for streaming and streaming analytics. With experience in both streaming and batch processing, I focus on making data workflows efficient, observable, and high-performing. I enjoy solving complex challenges in large-scale data processing, always looking for ways to push the boundaries of performance and reliability. Passionate about Data Lakehouse technologies, I enjoy sharing knowledge through talks, hands-on sessions, and discussions on streaming architectures and real-time analytics frameworks.
Asaf Halili
Staff Software Engineer, LinkedIn
Asaf is passionate about data, solving problems by using code, software design & architecture and he's a technology enthusiast in general. He started writing code at elementary school applying his passion to almost every aspect in life. Among his hobbies, he’s a hobbyist photographer with a growing collection of cameras.
Asaf is passionate about data, solving problems by using code, software design & architecture and he's a technology enthusiast in general. He started writing code at elementary school applying his passion to almost every aspect in life. Among his hobbies, he’s a hobbyist photographer with a growing collection of cameras.
Yaara Cohen
Fullstack Team Lead, Handshaik
Yaara Cohen is a tech lead and AI developer with over a decade of experience across full-stack engineering and cloud infrastructure. She’s led end-to-end development at companies like Wix, BigPanda, and Apono, and currently explores agentic workflows and AI tooling. She is also an active community contributor, co-leading DataNights GenAI courses and speaking on innovation in data and AI.
Yaara Cohen is a tech lead and AI developer with over a decade of experience across full-stack engineering and cloud infrastructure. She’s led end-to-end development at companies like Wix, BigPanda, and Apono, and currently explores agentic workflows and AI tooling. She is also an active community contributor, co-leading DataNights GenAI courses and speaking on innovation in data and AI.
Roy Prager
Team Lead, Coralogix
Roy Prager is a team lead at Coralogix, specializing in high-throughput data pipelines and real-time observability infrastructure. He focuses on building systems that turn massive volumes of raw telemetry into structured, queryable data — fast.
Roy Prager is a team lead at Coralogix, specializing in high-throughput data pipelines and real-time observability infrastructure. He focuses on building systems that turn massive volumes of raw telemetry into structured, queryable data — fast.
Roy Miara
Director of ML Engineering, Pinecone
Roy leads the AI Application layer at Pinecone, where he oversees Pinecone Assistant and works on areas like agentic RAG, information retrieval, evaluation, and MCP. Prior to joining Pinecone, he led Data and ML Engineering at Explorium and held leadership roles at several other startups in the AI/ML space, gaining broad experience in data platforms and applied machine learning. Roy has an academic background in Physics, Electrical Engineering, and Human-Computer Interaction and actively collaborates with the AI community at the forefront of AI application development.
Roy leads the AI Application layer at Pinecone, where he oversees Pinecone Assistant and works on areas like agentic RAG, information retrieval, evaluation, and MCP. Prior to joining Pinecone, he led Data and ML Engineering at Explorium and held leadership roles at several other startups in the AI/ML space, gaining broad experience in data platforms and applied machine learning. Roy has an academic background in Physics, Electrical Engineering, and Human-Computer Interaction and actively collaborates with the AI community at the forefront of AI application development.
Roee Ben David
Product Growth Analyst, Meta
Product Growth Analyst at Meta, 1.5 years: 1. Analyzing user behavior to identify areas of improvement 2. Collaborating with xfn teams to develop and implement data-informed solutions 3. Designing and executing experiments 4. Providing actionable recommendations to shape product and growth initiatives 5. Combining data analysis and external sources to identify new opportunities for growth Product Growth Analyst at Honeybook, 4 years: Analyzing data to identify opportunities, key trends and patterns. Data and Business Analyst: 4+ years: Intel and Woo.io Speaker at Hatadata 2023
Product Growth Analyst at Meta, 1.5 years: 1. Analyzing user behavior to identify areas of improvement 2. Collaborating with xfn teams to develop and implement data-informed solutions 3. Designing and executing experiments 4. Providing actionable recommendations to shape product and growth initiatives 5. Combining data analysis and external sources to identify new opportunities for growth Product Growth Analyst at Honeybook, 4 years: Analyzing data to identify opportunities, key trends and patterns. Data and Business Analyst: 4+ years: Intel and Woo.io Speaker at Hatadata 2023
Yizhar Gilboa
Co-Founder & CTO, Finout
With 15+ years in development, including 8200 unit service, Yizhar has held roles like core developer at Zebra Medical (acquired by Nanox) and Head of Data Science at Planck Data (acquired by Applied Systems). Now Co-Founder and CTO of Finout, he focuses on simplifying cloud cost management. Passionate about scaling challenges, data engineering, and software architecture, Yizhar blends technical expertise with strategic vision. Outside work, he enjoys tennis, workouts, and gaming.
With 15+ years in development, including 8200 unit service, Yizhar has held roles like core developer at Zebra Medical (acquired by Nanox) and Head of Data Science at Planck Data (acquired by Applied Systems). Now Co-Founder and CTO of Finout, he focuses on simplifying cloud cost management. Passionate about scaling challenges, data engineering, and software architecture, Yizhar blends technical expertise with strategic vision. Outside work, he enjoys tennis, workouts, and gaming.
Daniella Karni-Harel
Senior Backend Engineer, HiBob
Senior backend engineer who thrives on blending structure and creativity, whether coding or storytelling. Passionate about “using your powers for good”, she is volunteering as a software engineer in several organizations, such as Midaat. She cares deeply about wildlife, and volunteered at both the Wildlife Hospital and the Haibulans. She is currently volunteering for the Haibulans as tech consultant.
Senior backend engineer who thrives on blending structure and creativity, whether coding or storytelling. Passionate about “using your powers for good”, she is volunteering as a software engineer in several organizations, such as Midaat. She cares deeply about wildlife, and volunteered at both the Wildlife Hospital and the Haibulans. She is currently volunteering for the Haibulans as tech consultant.
Yarden Mark
R&D Group Manager, Planck
Yarden Mark - R&D Group Manager at Planck Yarden (Jordi) is a Group Manager at Planck. With 6.5 years at the company, Yarden joined Planck as a developer when it was still a small startup, growing with the company to lead data analytics domains and teams, up to leading an AI product group composed of data scientists, developers, and data analysts. In his free time, Yarden enjoys hitting the tennis court and recently has taken up playing the piano for the first time in his life.
Yarden Mark - R&D Group Manager at Planck Yarden (Jordi) is a Group Manager at Planck. With 6.5 years at the company, Yarden joined Planck as a developer when it was still a small startup, growing with the company to lead data analytics domains and teams, up to leading an AI product group composed of data scientists, developers, and data analysts. In his free time, Yarden enjoys hitting the tennis court and recently has taken up playing the piano for the first time in his life.
Danielle Menuhin
Data Operations Manager, Data Operations IL community
A seasoned Data Operations professional with 9 years of experience, experienced with human and LLM-based labeling, e-commerce taxonomy, and catalog creation and curation. I’m also the founder of the Data Operations IL community, where I’ve organized 10+ meetups, launched a mentoring program, and actively promote knowledge sharing among data professionals. I regularly speak at meetups and enjoy sharing practical, real-world insights from the field.
A seasoned Data Operations professional with 9 years of experience, experienced with human and LLM-based labeling, e-commerce taxonomy, and catalog creation and curation. I’m also the founder of the Data Operations IL community, where I’ve organized 10+ meetups, launched a mentoring program, and actively promote knowledge sharing among data professionals. I regularly speak at meetups and enjoy sharing practical, real-world insights from the field.
Or Sagiv
Staff Data Platform Engineer, Riskified
Or Sagiv is a Big Data Tech Lead at Riskified, responsible for shaping data infrastructure and sharing knowledge across R&D teams. He specializes in distributed systems, workflow orchestration, and real-time data processing, with hands-on experience managing Airflow at scale. Passionate about knowledge sharing, Or has led internal initiatives to foster collaboration and improve best practices in data engineering. Beyond work, he enjoys surfing, learning Spanish, and traveling the world.
Or Sagiv is a Big Data Tech Lead at Riskified, responsible for shaping data infrastructure and sharing knowledge across R&D teams. He specializes in distributed systems, workflow orchestration, and real-time data processing, with hands-on experience managing Airflow at scale. Passionate about knowledge sharing, Or has led internal initiatives to foster collaboration and improve best practices in data engineering. Beyond work, he enjoys surfing, learning Spanish, and traveling the world.
Hanit Hakim
Backend Engineer, Finout
Hanit is a backend engineer at Finout, where she works on the data team, blending her love for data engineering and backend development. She holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science from the Hebrew University, where her thesis focused on data science and NLP. Before joining Finout, Hanit tackled software engineering challenges at NICE and Viz.ai and dabbled in computer vision research at Lightricks. She’s passionate about integrating diverse data sources, solving complex puzzles, and building systems from scratch. Outside of work, you’ll find Hanit singing, reading, crying over good sad movies, or experimenting a little with her own software projects—because who says coding is just for the office?
Hanit is a backend engineer at Finout, where she works on the data team, blending her love for data engineering and backend development. She holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science from the Hebrew University, where her thesis focused on data science and NLP. Before joining Finout, Hanit tackled software engineering challenges at NICE and Viz.ai and dabbled in computer vision research at Lightricks. She’s passionate about integrating diverse data sources, solving complex puzzles, and building systems from scratch. Outside of work, you’ll find Hanit singing, reading, crying over good sad movies, or experimenting a little with her own software projects—because who says coding is just for the office?
Nitay Kufert
Principal Engineer, Unity
Nitay Kufert is a Principal Engineer at iAds, the ironSource ad network by Unity. With nearly 11 years of experience, he has built high-scale, high-concurrency, low-latency systems powering real-time ad delivery. After roles as a developer and team lead, he now leads a small IC group focused on cost-critical challenges. Recently, he stepped into the data engineering world by building iAds’ internal data platform using Apache Iceberg and Spark Structured Streaming.
Nitay Kufert is a Principal Engineer at iAds, the ironSource ad network by Unity. With nearly 11 years of experience, he has built high-scale, high-concurrency, low-latency systems powering real-time ad delivery. After roles as a developer and team lead, he now leads a small IC group focused on cost-critical challenges. Recently, he stepped into the data engineering world by building iAds’ internal data platform using Apache Iceberg and Spark Structured Streaming.
Jonathan Kaplan
DataOps Manager, Unity
Jonathan Kaplan leads DataOps at Unity iAds, where a dedicated team steers a petabyte-scale lakehouse and streaming platform that ingests billions of ad events daily. He architects and operates a stack spanning Apache Iceberg, Flink, Spark, Trino, Druid, Redshift, Aurora, BigQuery, Airflow and beyond - turning raw clicks into real-time insight.
Jonathan Kaplan leads DataOps at Unity iAds, where a dedicated team steers a petabyte-scale lakehouse and streaming platform that ingests billions of ad events daily. He architects and operates a stack spanning Apache Iceberg, Flink, Spark, Trino, Druid, Redshift, Aurora, BigQuery, Airflow and beyond - turning raw clicks into real-time insight.
Ben Shaharizad
Software Engineer, Taboola
I’m Ben – a software engineer at Taboola. Before that, I spent six years as a software engineer in the army. I have a B.Sc. in Computer Science and a deep love for technology, innovation, and anything that makes me stop and say, “wow.” Ever since the world of LLMs took off, I’ve been living and breathing it – reading, building, experimenting, and genuinely enjoying every moment. It’s a field that keeps surprising me, and I’m still just as excited about it as I was on day one.
I’m Ben – a software engineer at Taboola. Before that, I spent six years as a software engineer in the army. I have a B.Sc. in Computer Science and a deep love for technology, innovation, and anything that makes me stop and say, “wow.” Ever since the world of LLMs took off, I’ve been living and breathing it – reading, building, experimenting, and genuinely enjoying every moment. It’s a field that keeps surprising me, and I’m still just as excited about it as I was on day one.
Hila Sofer Elyashiv
Group Manager, Data Engineering & DWH Architecture, Wix.com
I am Hila Sofer Elayshiv, a data professional with over a decade of experience in the industry. Over the past eight years, I have been part of the Wix team, transitioned from an Analyst role ro a Data Engineer, then I established and led the Data Modeling and DWH Team, focusing on crafting robust data models and building data warehouses tailored to the needs of internal teams. Today, I serve as a Group Manager and DWH Architect, who lives and breathes data.
I am Hila Sofer Elayshiv, a data professional with over a decade of experience in the industry. Over the past eight years, I have been part of the Wix team, transitioned from an Analyst role ro a Data Engineer, then I established and led the Data Modeling and DWH Team, focusing on crafting robust data models and building data warehouses tailored to the needs of internal teams. Today, I serve as a Group Manager and DWH Architect, who lives and breathes data.
Ori Abramovsky
Data Science Lead, Spectralops.io (by Checkpoint)
Specialized in turning AI from concept to reality, with hands-on experience across a wide range of machine learning types and paradigms. I work end-to-end—from ideation and modeling to deployment and monitoring—bridging the gap between research, engineering, and real-world product impact. Passionate about building practical, scalable AI systems that deliver value.
Specialized in turning AI from concept to reality, with hands-on experience across a wide range of machine learning types and paradigms. I work end-to-end—from ideation and modeling to deployment and monitoring—bridging the gap between research, engineering, and real-world product impact. Passionate about building practical, scalable AI systems that deliver value.
Hila Weisman
Senior Data Scientist & AI Consultant, Now You Know & AI Empire
Hila Weisman-Zohar is a Senior Data Scientist and AI researcher with over 15 years of expertise in NLP and Recommender Systems. Holding 5 US patents, her influential work is published at top conferences like EMNLP and RecSys. At Now You Know, Hila leads Generative AI initiatives, previously advancing ML innovation at Outbrain and NICE. A passionate community leader, she co-founded Recommender Systems IL, organizes PyData TLV, and mentors as a Google Women Techmaker Ambassador.
Hila Weisman-Zohar is a Senior Data Scientist and AI researcher with over 15 years of expertise in NLP and Recommender Systems. Holding 5 US patents, her influential work is published at top conferences like EMNLP and RecSys. At Now You Know, Hila leads Generative AI initiatives, previously advancing ML innovation at Outbrain and NICE. A passionate community leader, she co-founded Recommender Systems IL, organizes PyData TLV, and mentors as a Google Women Techmaker Ambassador.
Eyal Trabelsi
Lead Architect, Bigabid
Builder‑minded engineer ⚙️ hooked on Python 🐍, automatic testing, machine learning 🤖, and blazing‑scale performance 🚀. I make doing the right thing easy. Husband of one, dad of one, and faithful servant to a cat 🐱 and a dog 🐶.
Builder‑minded engineer ⚙️ hooked on Python 🐍, automatic testing, machine learning 🤖, and blazing‑scale performance 🚀. I make doing the right thing easy. Husband of one, dad of one, and faithful servant to a cat 🐱 and a dog 🐶.
Alon Nisser
Principal Engineer, Zencity.io
Software developer. currently in Zencity.io. Writing software as a hobby and as a profession. Strong opinions on things. Open source aficionado. Trying to make a difference. Sometimes software makes we wonder if I'd be better off being a farmer.
Software developer. currently in Zencity.io. Writing software as a hobby and as a profession. Strong opinions on things. Open source aficionado. Trying to make a difference. Sometimes software makes we wonder if I'd be better off being a farmer.
Rachel Abo
Senior Data Scientist, Riskified
Racheli is a Data Scientist at Riskified with 5 years experience in the Fraud Detection domain. She has led multiple projects regarding automating and optimizing ML solutions, and is currently working on data sampling related projects. Outside of her professional life, Racheli enjoys traveling, camping and Yoga.
Racheli is a Data Scientist at Riskified with 5 years experience in the Fraud Detection domain. She has led multiple projects regarding automating and optimizing ML solutions, and is currently working on data sampling related projects. Outside of her professional life, Racheli enjoys traveling, camping and Yoga.
Maya Malamud
AI Consultant
Maya Malamud is a Senior Data Scientist and Researcher with over 10 years of experience specializing in Machine Learning, NLP, and Healthcare AI. She has a strong background in leading teams, mentoring, and aligning AI solutions with business and industry goals, tracking project success with KPIs and evaluation methods. As a career branding expert, Maya is passionate about guiding techies to build their brand on LinkedIn and refine their professional pitch.
Maya Malamud is a Senior Data Scientist and Researcher with over 10 years of experience specializing in Machine Learning, NLP, and Healthcare AI. She has a strong background in leading teams, mentoring, and aligning AI solutions with business and industry goals, tracking project success with KPIs and evaluation methods. As a career branding expert, Maya is passionate about guiding techies to build their brand on LinkedIn and refine their professional pitch.
Nitzan Band
Data Researcher, Island
Nitzan Band is a Data Researcher at Island, where she delivers data-driven features and insights for customers and internal teams, focusing on research and innovation to guide product development. She previously managed a big data application for cyber analysts in IDF’s Unit 8200, designing APIs, rule engines, and integrating hundreds of data sources, an experience that laid the groundwork for her expertise in prompt engineering and automated validation loops. Before that, she served as a Cyber Security Data Analyst in the same unit, conducting risk assessments and automating workflows. Her hands-on work with complex datasets and self-validating AI pipelines directly informs her talk on zero-touch rule tuning with off-the-shelf LLMs.
Nitzan Band is a Data Researcher at Island, where she delivers data-driven features and insights for customers and internal teams, focusing on research and innovation to guide product development. She previously managed a big data application for cyber analysts in IDF’s Unit 8200, designing APIs, rule engines, and integrating hundreds of data sources, an experience that laid the groundwork for her expertise in prompt engineering and automated validation loops. Before that, she served as a Cyber Security Data Analyst in the same unit, conducting risk assessments and automating workflows. Her hands-on work with complex datasets and self-validating AI pipelines directly informs her talk on zero-touch rule tuning with off-the-shelf LLMs.
Tal Mizrachi
Data Scientist
Tal Mizrachi, AKA Analysis Paralysis online, is a data scientist and educator trying to make data science, analytical methods, and programming accessible and fun to learn about. Tal teaches with laughter, Joy and dad jokes and easy acceptance of mistakes, Tal is married to Adi (MD, it rhymes), 2 daughters (5, 0.5), a black dog.
Tal Mizrachi, AKA Analysis Paralysis online, is a data scientist and educator trying to make data science, analytical methods, and programming accessible and fun to learn about. Tal teaches with laughter, Joy and dad jokes and easy acceptance of mistakes, Tal is married to Adi (MD, it rhymes), 2 daughters (5, 0.5), a black dog.
Maria Yanson
Data Scientist, SentinelOne
I'm a data scientist at SentinelOne, and I'm passionate about the power of data to drive insights and innovation. My work centers around machine and deep learning. I've spent years honing my skills in Python scientific programming. As an organizing PyData Tel Aviv conference member, I'm dedicated to fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing in the data science community. I take pride in building Python packages that make data workflows more streamlined and efficient. When I'm not working with data, you can find me hiking in the great outdoors or exploring the vibrant cultural scene of Tel Aviv. ChatGPT helped with phrasing this paragraph. Also, the LLM generated the last line entirely, and it is untrue. I do have two daughters and a partner with whom I love spending time.
I'm a data scientist at SentinelOne, and I'm passionate about the power of data to drive insights and innovation. My work centers around machine and deep learning. I've spent years honing my skills in Python scientific programming. As an organizing PyData Tel Aviv conference member, I'm dedicated to fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing in the data science community. I take pride in building Python packages that make data workflows more streamlined and efficient. When I'm not working with data, you can find me hiking in the great outdoors or exploring the vibrant cultural scene of Tel Aviv. ChatGPT helped with phrasing this paragraph. Also, the LLM generated the last line entirely, and it is untrue. I do have two daughters and a partner with whom I love spending time.
Lior Kalman
ML Engineer, Sunbit
Lior holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Mathematics (cum laude) from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, and an M.Sc. in Computer Science from the Weizmann Institute of Science. With over 3.5 years of experience as a Machine Learning Engineer at Sunbit, Lior specializes in developing innovative AI solutions to solve real-world challenges. His expertise spans feature engineering, embedding models, and applying machine learning techniques in production environments.
Lior holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Mathematics (cum laude) from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, and an M.Sc. in Computer Science from the Weizmann Institute of Science. With over 3.5 years of experience as a Machine Learning Engineer at Sunbit, Lior specializes in developing innovative AI solutions to solve real-world challenges. His expertise spans feature engineering, embedding models, and applying machine learning techniques in production environments.
Michael Levinger
Senior Data Scientist, Melio
Hello! I'm Michael, a Data Scientist with over 5 years of experience, specializing in developing advanced algorithms for fraud prevention in the fintech industry. Currently, I work as a Senior Data Scientist within the risk department at Melio, a rapidly growing fintech company. Alongside my work in data science, I'm also an avid ultra-marathon runner and a former coach. I believe that maintaining a healthy mind and body is essential for a fulfilling life and enjoy pushing myself to new physical and mental limits. I'm always looking for opportunities to collaborate and make a positive impact in the world. If you're interested in connecting with me or learning more about my work, feel free to send me a message!
Hello! I'm Michael, a Data Scientist with over 5 years of experience, specializing in developing advanced algorithms for fraud prevention in the fintech industry. Currently, I work as a Senior Data Scientist within the risk department at Melio, a rapidly growing fintech company. Alongside my work in data science, I'm also an avid ultra-marathon runner and a former coach. I believe that maintaining a healthy mind and body is essential for a fulfilling life and enjoy pushing myself to new physical and mental limits. I'm always looking for opportunities to collaborate and make a positive impact in the world. If you're interested in connecting with me or learning more about my work, feel free to send me a message!
Shirli Di-Castro Shashua
Senior AI Scientist, Intuit
Shirli is a senior AI scientist at Intuit, where she brings cutting-edge innovation to life through generative models and agentic AI. Her areas of expertise span reinforcement learning, LLM training and evaluation, NLP, classical machine learning, and the design of intelligent agents. Shirli holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Technion, specializing in Reinforcement Learning, and a B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering from Ben Gurion University.
Shirli is a senior AI scientist at Intuit, where she brings cutting-edge innovation to life through generative models and agentic AI. Her areas of expertise span reinforcement learning, LLM training and evaluation, NLP, classical machine learning, and the design of intelligent agents. Shirli holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Technion, specializing in Reinforcement Learning, and a B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering from Ben Gurion University.
Itay Vegh
Senior Data Scientist, Planck
Itay Vegh is a Senior Data Scientist at Planck (now part of Applied Systems), where he designs and deploys GenAI-powered solutions that reshape commercial-insurance underwriting worldwide. His data journey began in the Israel Defense Forces’ elite Unit 8200, then advanced through roles as a Senior Quantitative Researcher at WorldQuant and a founding data scientist at Loops. Itay holds a B.Sc. in Physics and Computer Science (with distinction) from Tel Aviv University and is passionate about translating cutting-edge research into business impact. When he steps away from the keyboard, Itay enjoys bird-watching, practicing yoga, and watching classic world cinema.
Itay Vegh is a Senior Data Scientist at Planck (now part of Applied Systems), where he designs and deploys GenAI-powered solutions that reshape commercial-insurance underwriting worldwide. His data journey began in the Israel Defense Forces’ elite Unit 8200, then advanced through roles as a Senior Quantitative Researcher at WorldQuant and a founding data scientist at Loops. Itay holds a B.Sc. in Physics and Computer Science (with distinction) from Tel Aviv University and is passionate about translating cutting-edge research into business impact. When he steps away from the keyboard, Itay enjoys bird-watching, practicing yoga, and watching classic world cinema.
Shira Sherman Sasson
Director of Data Engineering and BI, LSports
Industrial Enginerring and Management Ben Gurion University-> HP->Papaya Global-> LSports Director on data engineering and BI, Team Leader, senior BE and FE developer, Project Manager and Analyst. Combining deep technological knowledge with extensive project management capabilities. A professional in using BI platforms – Tableau (expert), DBT, Snowflake, Rivery, MySQL,PostgreSQL, MariaDB... focused on delivering high business value and robust and performant BI solutions to emphasize insights and help users achieve their business goals.
Industrial Enginerring and Management Ben Gurion University-> HP->Papaya Global-> LSports Director on data engineering and BI, Team Leader, senior BE and FE developer, Project Manager and Analyst. Combining deep technological knowledge with extensive project management capabilities. A professional in using BI platforms – Tableau (expert), DBT, Snowflake, Rivery, MySQL,PostgreSQL, MariaDB... focused on delivering high business value and robust and performant BI solutions to emphasize insights and help users achieve their business goals.
Nir Smilga
Data Visualization Manager, monday.com
Nir Smilga is a Data Visualization Manager at monday.com, where he transforms complex data into impactful visual stories. He also serves as a Tableau Public Ambassador and Featured Author. In addition, he shares his expertise through lectures and industry talks
Nir Smilga is a Data Visualization Manager at monday.com, where he transforms complex data into impactful visual stories. He also serves as a Tableau Public Ambassador and Featured Author. In addition, he shares his expertise through lectures and industry talks
Meirav Avraham
Data Visualization Engineer, ZoomInfo
Meirav Avraham is a Data Visualization Engineer at ZoomInfo, where she designs clear, intuitive dashboards that make complex information easier to understand. Her work focuses on data storytelling and user-friendly design across the company.
Meirav Avraham is a Data Visualization Engineer at ZoomInfo, where she designs clear, intuitive dashboards that make complex information easier to understand. Her work focuses on data storytelling and user-friendly design across the company.
Timor Keidar
Lead Data Analyst, Cyera
Nothing fires me up like turning raw data into “aha!” moments and showing others how to do the same. Over the past decade I’ve led high-performing analytics teams, crafted the KPIs that steer organizational growth, and built a culture around data-driven thinking. Today, I’m the Tech Lead for the Data team at Cyera, where I help colleagues level up their data skills and turn metrics into impact. Beyond Cyera, I co-lead "Data Leads IL", a community that connects data leaders across the industry so we can swap ideas, tackle challenges, and raise the bar together.
Nothing fires me up like turning raw data into “aha!” moments and showing others how to do the same. Over the past decade I’ve led high-performing analytics teams, crafted the KPIs that steer organizational growth, and built a culture around data-driven thinking. Today, I’m the Tech Lead for the Data team at Cyera, where I help colleagues level up their data skills and turn metrics into impact. Beyond Cyera, I co-lead "Data Leads IL", a community that connects data leaders across the industry so we can swap ideas, tackle challenges, and raise the bar together.
Inbal Gilead
Freelance Data Product Professional
A product professional with deep specialization in data product management and data-driven decision-making. An alumnus of Unit 8200, I have over 18 years of experience leading product and data teams across startups and scaled industry-leading companies such as Sisense and ZipRecruiter, building data products and driving cross-functional alignment. Passionate about empowering teams to make better decisions through data.
A product professional with deep specialization in data product management and data-driven decision-making. An alumnus of Unit 8200, I have over 18 years of experience leading product and data teams across startups and scaled industry-leading companies such as Sisense and ZipRecruiter, building data products and driving cross-functional alignment. Passionate about empowering teams to make better decisions through data.
Nimrod Milo
Data Engineering Manager, Honeybook
I am a husband, father of four wonderful daughters, and an avid DIYer. On a professional level, I am a data engineering manager at HoneyBook, where I lead a team that works on machine learning, classical data engineering, and business intelligence analytics. I have spent the last 11 years working as a data scientist, team lead, and group leader, always with the goal of creating practical and impactful data systems.
I am a husband, father of four wonderful daughters, and an avid DIYer. On a professional level, I am a data engineering manager at HoneyBook, where I lead a team that works on machine learning, classical data engineering, and business intelligence analytics. I have spent the last 11 years working as a data scientist, team lead, and group leader, always with the goal of creating practical and impactful data systems.
Noa Harari
Senior Product Analyst, C8 Health
Product Analyst and a former team lead with 9 years of experience as a Product Analyst. Worked extensively with A/B testing in real-world, high-impact environments. Passionate about data storytelling and helping product teams make smarter decisions by understanding not just what users do—but why. As a mentor and co-leader of TechGym (a peer-learning space for senior tech professionals), I am on a mission to help data analysts level up their skills and impact.
Product Analyst and a former team lead with 9 years of experience as a Product Analyst. Worked extensively with A/B testing in real-world, high-impact environments. Passionate about data storytelling and helping product teams make smarter decisions by understanding not just what users do—but why. As a mentor and co-leader of TechGym (a peer-learning space for senior tech professionals), I am on a mission to help data analysts level up their skills and impact.
Corrin Shlomo Goldenberg
Product Manager, Chainlink Labs
Corrin is a seasoned technology professional with over 15 years of experience spanning data analysis, project management, and product management across diverse industries including marketing technology, broadcasting, fintech, IT operations and Web3. Throughout her career, Corrin has consistently demonstrated a passion for data, always seeking to leverage its power to drive insights and inform decisions. Corrin's experience provides a unique perspective on the challenges and rewards of building a data-driven culture and infrastructure.
Corrin is a seasoned technology professional with over 15 years of experience spanning data analysis, project management, and product management across diverse industries including marketing technology, broadcasting, fintech, IT operations and Web3. Throughout her career, Corrin has consistently demonstrated a passion for data, always seeking to leverage its power to drive insights and inform decisions. Corrin's experience provides a unique perspective on the challenges and rewards of building a data-driven culture and infrastructure.
Yoav Nordmann
Tech Lead & Architect, Tikal Knowledge
Yoav Nordmann is a Backend & Data Architect and Tech Lead with over 20 years of experience. At Tikal he holds the position of a Group Leader mentoring fellow workers. He is passionate about new and emerging technologies, knowledge sharing and a fierce advocate for open source. Being in the industry for so long gives him a sense of perspective on different languages, architectures, and hypes.
Yoav Nordmann is a Backend & Data Architect and Tech Lead with over 20 years of experience. At Tikal he holds the position of a Group Leader mentoring fellow workers. He is passionate about new and emerging technologies, knowledge sharing and a fierce advocate for open source. Being in the industry for so long gives him a sense of perspective on different languages, architectures, and hypes.
Eyal Solnik
Head of Data, Riverside
With over 10 years of experience in data, I am currently the Head of Data at Riverside.fm. I previously held senior data roles at Lili, Meta, and other leading companies, where I built and scaled data platforms across fintech and high-growth startup environments. I'm also active in the tech community, frequently speaking at events on fintech, data strategy, and generative AI.
With over 10 years of experience in data, I am currently the Head of Data at Riverside.fm. I previously held senior data roles at Lili, Meta, and other leading companies, where I built and scaled data platforms across fintech and high-growth startup environments. I'm also active in the tech community, frequently speaking at events on fintech, data strategy, and generative AI.
Tomer Moskov
BI Team Lead, Elementor
Hi, I’m Tomer Moskov BI Team Lead at Elementor with 8 years of experience in BI and data analytics. I like helping teams make sense of their data by designing dashboards that not just look good-they actually help people make better decisions. My work focuses on bridging the gap between raw data and real business impact - without overwhelming stakeholders along the way. Beyond work, I’m a musician with a second album in the works.
Hi, I’m Tomer Moskov BI Team Lead at Elementor with 8 years of experience in BI and data analytics. I like helping teams make sense of their data by designing dashboards that not just look good-they actually help people make better decisions. My work focuses on bridging the gap between raw data and real business impact - without overwhelming stakeholders along the way. Beyond work, I’m a musician with a second album in the works.
Yuval Press
DataOps Tech Lead, Elementor
Yuval is a DataOps engineer at Elementor with five years of experience in the DevOps field. He is the founder and manager of the EntryPoint community, a tech blogger, and a public speaker. With real-world expertise, he mentors aspiring developers and shares insights on technology, innovation, and career growth through his writing and speaking engagements.
Yuval is a DataOps engineer at Elementor with five years of experience in the DevOps field. He is the founder and manager of the EntryPoint community, a tech blogger, and a public speaker. With real-world expertise, he mentors aspiring developers and shares insights on technology, innovation, and career growth through his writing and speaking engagements.
David Krakov
co-founder & CEO, honeydew
David is the co-founder and CEO of Honeydew, a YC-backed semantic layer on Snowflake. Prior to that, David co-founded Varada (acquired by Starburst) and has been creating products for 20 years from autonomous firmware to distributed high-performance storage to data infrastructure. David holds over a dozen patents and publications and an M.Sc. in computer science.
David is the co-founder and CEO of Honeydew, a YC-backed semantic layer on Snowflake. Prior to that, David co-founded Varada (acquired by Starburst) and has been creating products for 20 years from autonomous firmware to distributed high-performance storage to data infrastructure. David holds over a dozen patents and publications and an M.Sc. in computer science.
Ori Avner
BI Engineer Team Lead, Lightricks
I’m a BI Engineering Team Lead at Lightricks, focusing on product data. With over a decade in various data roles and 5 years as a team lead, I treat data as a product—delivering end-to-end solutions that drive real business value through strategic thinking, critical analysis, and AI innovation. I bridge technology and business, collaborating with stakeholders and analysts in their language to address what truly matters and build strong, united teams that thrive on complex challenges. With an MBA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an entrepreneurial mindset, I leverage rigorous business acumen to drive AI-powered self-serve BI solutions.
I’m a BI Engineering Team Lead at Lightricks, focusing on product data. With over a decade in various data roles and 5 years as a team lead, I treat data as a product—delivering end-to-end solutions that drive real business value through strategic thinking, critical analysis, and AI innovation. I bridge technology and business, collaborating with stakeholders and analysts in their language to address what truly matters and build strong, united teams that thrive on complex challenges. With an MBA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an entrepreneurial mindset, I leverage rigorous business acumen to drive AI-powered self-serve BI solutions.
Shani Rabi-Guttel
BI Engineer Team Lead, Lightricks
I'm Shani, a BI Engineering Team Lead at Lightricks, focusing on Finance and G&A data. With nearly a decade of experience in the data world, I’ve built a strong foundation in data modeling, analytics, and cross-functional collaboration. Over the years, I’ve learned to create data systems that are both reliable and impactful. I'm passionate about making data accessible, mentoring others, and helping teams turn complex challenges into clear, actionable insights. I hold a degree in Industrial Engineering.
I'm Shani, a BI Engineering Team Lead at Lightricks, focusing on Finance and G&A data. With nearly a decade of experience in the data world, I’ve built a strong foundation in data modeling, analytics, and cross-functional collaboration. Over the years, I’ve learned to create data systems that are both reliable and impactful. I'm passionate about making data accessible, mentoring others, and helping teams turn complex challenges into clear, actionable insights. I hold a degree in Industrial Engineering.
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