Conference Blog

Heather Buckman

As Vice President of Conferences for Software Quality Engineering, Heather Buckman brings with her ten years of social work experience, five years of industry knowledge, and plenty of experience attending a variety of conferences ranging from the most simple of productions to more elaborate ones. She uses her unique blend of business and people skills to help maintain a constant focus on producing top-notch conference experiences with a rich educational and networking environment for Software Quality Engineering’s delegates. As industry demands change with the times, it is Heather’s goal to exceed the expectations of those who currently attend Software Quality Engineering’s conferences, while paving the way for tomorrow’s conference patrons.

Blog Posting: June 17, 2008

This year, Las Vegas rolled out a warm welcome (very warm; it was near 100 for most of the week!) for the Better Software Conference & EXPO 2008, which just wrapped up June 11. Hundreds of software professionals gathered for the week to learn about the most current software development practices, network with peers, and take in the sites of Vegas.

Every conference has a life of its own, with particularly memorable moments. A couple of my favorites from this year’s conference: the kick-off Welcome Reception on Tuesday night where hundreds gathered before hitting the Vegas strip (or their hotel room) for the evening. The reception lasted an hour and half, and people were there right up to the end, talking about their pre-conference tutorials and anticipating the rest of the week. Another favorite moment was the half a dozen delegates who sought me out personally to give me their feedback, both glowing and constructive. We strive to produce a stellar, top-notch program, and know that there’s always room for improvement—so I take copious notes on any feedback we get! Our conferences are participatory; we expect for you to give us the feedback we need to continue producing high-quality events.

All in all, the event was highly successful, and we look forward to doing it all over again next year. For those of you that weren’t able to join us this year, please consider this your invitation to join us in Vegas next year, June 8 – 11, 2009. We’ll be back at The Venetian/Palazzo, and are looking forward to another full and rich week. And, if you come, make sure you stop by to give me your input and insight. This is your conference, after all, and we build it based on what you tell us is important to you.

Stay tuned throughout the year as we gear up for another great event…until then, stay cool, email me your thoughts on what you’d like to see at next year’s event, and plan on being in Las Vegas next year!

Heather Buckman
Vice President of Conferences