SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
CLOUD ARCHITECTURE STRATEGIES – SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES – SEPTEMBER 25, 2025
Ashley Lewis, Senior Manager Infrastructure, Morningstar
Ashley Lewis is a technology leader who has built and rebuilt cloud infrastructure for organizations ranging from Fortune 500 powerhouses to high-growth disruptors. She has led cloud migrations and architecture programs at companies including Morningstar, Bright Health, Riot Platforms, and Xerox—tackling everything from greenfield Azure builds to AWS cost optimizations and hybrid-cloud implementations with GCP.
Ashley designs strategies that determine what belongs on-prem, what belongs in the cloud, and what belongs in the recycle bin. She builds environments that can withstand mergers, divestitures, and the occasional burst of unexpected growth—all while maintaining rigorous compliance standards. When she’s not orchestrating multi-cloud strategies or retiring legacy data centers, Ashley can be found mentoring future IT leaders or pretending to take a vacation without her laptop.
Owen Taylor, Senior Staff Solutions Engineer, Cockroach Labs
Owen Taylor is a Sr Staff Sales Engineer at Cockroach Labs with a unique background. A former soloist in the Broadway company of “Cats,” he daily seeks to combine his passions for coding and performing. This makes him an invaluable and compelling speaker, capable of teaching and positioning complex technologies to diverse audiences.
Deepak Vishwakarma, Manager – DevSecOps & Operations, Kohler Co.
Deepak Vishwakarma is a seasoned technology leader with deep expertise in cloud-native architecture, platform engineering, and DevSecOps. He currently leads global teams across DevOps, DevSecOps platforms, Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), and Digital Support Operations. Over the course of his career, Deepak has driven transformative initiatives across India, Sweden, and now the United States, bringing a global perspective to enterprise cloud strategy and digital modernization. Known for building scalable, secure, and resilient platforms, he is passionate about aligning technology with business outcomes and fostering innovation through cross-functional collaboration. His insights into cloud transformation and platform delivery make him a valuable contributor to today’s evolving tech landscape.
Heiko Zuerker, Principal Architect, Infrastructure & Cloud Services, Northwestern Mutual
Heiko Zuerker is a seasoned IT professional with over 30 years of experience in the industry. Over the decades, he has worked in various roles in operations, engineering, architecture, and management, demonstrating his versatility and expertise in the field. Heiko is recognized for his pragmatic leadership style, strong focus on innovation, continuous improvement, collaboration, and challenging the status quo. He has successfully led significant initiatives, driven the early adoption of new technologies, and spearheaded cost optimization efforts that have resulted in substantial savings. Heiko is passionate about automation, reliability, continuous improvement, and simplicity. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife, diving with sharks, and participating in precision motorcycle competitions.
