The spotlight was on, the carpet rolled out, and the air was filled with anticipation as the award finalists, delegates, speakers, and more gathered for the much-anticipated 2023 ESPC Inspire Awards ceremony. Held on the brand new Inspire Stage in the EXPO, the evening was a celebration of acknowledging remarkable talents, inspiring personalities, and those who drive positive change within our community.
Celebrating & Announcing the Winners 🏆
The ceremony kicked off during EXPO drinks and there was a vibrant and exciting atmosphere all round. People in attendance were treated to a fantastic opening welcome from the ESPC Team and wonderful Judging Panel. The energy was palpable as the stage came to life with the excitement and anticipation of those in the room waiting to hear who the winners for each award category were. So, without further ado, let me introduce to you the ESPC Inspire Awards 2023 Winners!
Find out more about the finalists here.
Award Winners⭐
As the evening unfolded, the awards ceremony commenced and the finalists were honoured across the 9 distinct categories. In an evening filled with celebration and recognition, the following individuals each took home a coveted award in their respective categories:
Best Community Contributor Award – Martin Lingstuyl
Martin Lingstuyl took home the coveted Best Community Contributor Award. Here’s what nominees had to say about Martin 👑
“His blog, his work as maintainer for CLI, speaking on events and podcasts and so many more things. As a person, he wants to give something back to the community and he loves to help others with that. He is an amazing person, and he is the best MVP’er ever!!”
Best Podcast – CollabTalk by Christian Buckley
Christian Buckley’s podcast, CollabTalk, received well-deserved recognition, highlighting his commitment to delivering fantastic content. Here’s what nominees had to say about it 👑
“The CollabTalk Podcast by Christian Buckley valuable content with excellent guest speakers!”
“CollabTalk is one of the best sources for up-to-date Microsoft news.”
Best YouTube Channel – Andy Malone
Andy Malone’s engaging and informative content on his YouTube channel secured him the Best YouTube Channel Award. Here’s what nominees had to say about it 👑
“He consistently and regularly delivers technical content in easy-to-understand terms and with descriptive examples. I look forward to each new session because I’ve learned so much from him. I have my team watch him as well so they can be better equipped to do their jobs. Andy’s presentation style makes it easy to grasp what he is saying as he is saying it (unlike others, where you have to rewatch it several times because they talked too fast, or you didn’t understand what they were trying to say). He points out all the details you don’t get from the documentation (or that are buried so deep you won’t find them), so aside from that value, he helps keep you from making mistakes or falling into pitfalls. He explains things fully and I appreciate all the time it must take for him to put together all these videos that help so many of us struggling with so many constant changes to keep up with.”
Best Online Courses – Voitanos by Andrew Connell
Andrew’s dedication to providing outstanding online courses (Voitanos) earned him recognition and the title of ‘Best Online Courses’. Here’s what nominees had to say about his courses 👑
“Andrew has been creating courses for years. When you think about SharePoint Framework, most people think about Andrew. Very high-quality courses for a good price.”
Diversity Leader Award – Tricia Sinclair
Tricia Sinclair’s significant contributions to promoting diversity were acknowledged with the prestigious Diversity Leader Award, underscoring her commitment to creating inclusive environments. Here’s what nominees had to say about her 👑
“Tricia has made all and continues to promote diversity through the Power Platform School.”
Tech Trailblazer Award – João Ferreira
João’s innovative and pioneering work in technology earned him the Tech Trailblazer Award, recognising his trailblazing impact on the industry. Here’s what nominees had to say about him 👑
“João’s commitment to keeping the community informed and educated is unparalleled because he provides really amazing updates on what is going on in Microsoft 365, speaks in several conferences around Europe and also organizes events where people can share their knowledge about a given topic. He creates comprehensive content and use cases for Microsoft 365 tools, offering clear step-by-step instructions and engaging videos that facilitate seamless adoption and utilization of powerful. He has empowered individuals and businesses to harness the full potential of Microsoft 365, streamlining their workflows and driving productivity to new heights. Beyond his digital presence, João actively participates as an invited speaker at conferences, sharing his expertise and insights with diverse audiences.”
Wellness Champion Award – Ståle Hansen
Ståle’s commitment to promoting and encouraging wellbeing within the community was honoured with the Wellness Champion Award. Here’s what nominees had to say about him 👑
“Stale Hansen has been a leading beacon for working smarter for many years. He has been speaking at Microsoft Ignite talking about OneNote way back when, and when Viva Insight came he was one of the first to really deep dive into it, and he has been speaking about Digital Wellbeing on numerous conferences and he also created a video series in 4 modules, altogether 8 hours about Digital Wellbeing concept, this is freely available on YouTube. Management groups around the world is contacting him to present this in their leader teams just by watching the series. He has created a simple yet complete way to both implement and manage Digital Wellbeing in organizations and is passionately teaching others about this. As a leader he implemented Meeting Free Friday in CloudWay, a day where we avoid meetings and use it to summarize our week and get ready for the next, so when the time goes weekend it is truly weekend and we can rest and be together with our loved ones. He not only talks about Digital Wellbeing, he coaches us as employees, customers, partners, everyone. The description of this reward encompasses what Stale is and he truly deserves this awar
Mentorship Award – Gift Ahmed
Gift’s dedication to mentoring others in their professional journeys earned him the Mentorship Award, a testament to his impact on the growth and development of others. Here’s what nominees had to say about him 👑
“His expertise, willingness to share knowledge, accessibility, provision of constructive feedback.”
“He has an exemplary leadership skill, and his profound knowledge ICT had guided me through challenges and inspired my professional growth.”
Young Female STEM Award – Sara Lagerquist
Sara’s achievements were celebrated with the Young Female STEM Award, recognising her as a rising star in the area of STEM. Here’s what nominees had to say about her 👑
“Sara organizes the best events and makes sure there is a diversity of speakers. Sara was one of the first people in the community who gave me a helping hand. She is direct, genuine and gives great feedback. On top of that she is very competent in her field acting as a role model.”
Best Tutorial – Paolo Pialorsi
Paolo’s Tutorial Securing Custom Software Solutions with the Microsoft Identity Platform was voted Best Tutorial at ESPC23. This tutorial taught those in attendance how to leverage the Microsoft Identity platform to secure your custom-developed software solutions. Congrats to Paolo on this fantastic achievement!👑
Congratulations to all the winners for their outstanding achievements and contributions to their respective fields!
Awards Recap
This year at ESPC we wanted to place a special emphasis on recognising and awarding those who have made a lasting impact on the Microsoft 365 community. The Microsoft 365 community is, as we know it to be, a diverse and vibrant group of professionals who share their knowledge, skills, and passion for technology. They are the ones who drive innovation, collaboration, and positive change in the industry and beyond – those who inspire us to learn, grow, and achieve more.
We would like to say one last congratulations to all ESPC Inspire Awards Winners and Finalists. There were some fantastic names in there and it wasn’t an easy decision for the judging panel.
And a final note, we would also like to thank our wonderful judges who took the time to review and research each nominee to determine a winner in the fairest manner.
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