Allen Kinsel - SQL DBA

The 2010 PASS Program Committee Call for volunteers is open, We're looking for the usual assortment of people to help shape the summit in 2010.

Abstract Reviews

Ever wanted to have an input into which sessions are actually chosen for the summitt?  The group of volunteers who do this are chosen from these applications. Its a very challenging endeavor but also very rewarding.

Special Projects

There are literally dozens of separate projects that need to happen every year in order for the Summit to come together appropriately.  Things like setting up the mgmt software, reviewing the ppts, reviewing the chosen abstracts for grammatical errors etc.  These people will also be chosen primarily from the applications received

Keep reading →

This one has been sitting on my to do list for a very very long time, actually its been on my list since nearly the day after the 2009 SQLPASS Summit closed.

Admittedly Im not a PASS «Chapter leader», nor do I attend the meetings in person more than a few times a year (its 3 hrs roundtrip to the local group during lunch) but, Im always looking for ways we can improve processes at PASS and Ive heard too many times to count over the years that we dont do a good job of helping chapters connect with speakers, or even providing a way for the chapters to contact potential speakers.

The other day I contacted Andy Warren about an idea I had for getting a simple speaker bureau off the ground reasonably quick since I know he's had that on his mind lately.  I'd like to think that his post on that subject was  part of the fruits of that brainstorming session but, Ill never know.  In order to make some of the things we want to do for the community «easier» we need to rework (in a small way) the speaker terms and conditions to allow for it.

Keep reading →

I get asked quite frequently about the different PASS committee's and how a person goes about volunteering for them.  I thought I'd take a little time and explain what the program committee does and a little about how they do it.

The program committee

The current program committee could easily be renamed «The Summit Committee».  This group of community volunteers are responsible for most pieces of education at the annual SQLPASS Summit.

Committee Members

Every year PASS sends out a call for volunteers for the program committee (usually in Jan-Feb).  This call is actually quite formal with a few questions asked in an online survey.  The answers to these questions are used to match volunteers to tasks within the committee

Keep reading →