[RDU-2026] Speaker/Sponsor Updates

content/events/2026-raleigh/program/kapil-patel-workshop.md

@@ -7,15 +7,35 @@ Type = "talk"
 Speakers = ["kapil-patel"] 
 +++
 
-High-pressure delivery cycles, on-call fatigue, and constant context switching quietly erode the very capacity teams need to ship reliably. This session gives engineering leaders and ICs a practical playbook to reduce burnout and raise engagement—without big budgets or headcount.
-Kapil shares his G.P.S. for Happiness™ framework—Gratitude, Purpose, and Small Acts (Smile)—translated for DevOps realities: incident reviews, stand-ups, retros, and handoffs. The focus is not “feel-good” theory; it’s micro-habits that improve collaboration, psychological safety, and execution under stress.
-
-Participant will learn:
-A 3-step ritual teams can use in <5 minutes to reset energy before high-stakes work (deploys, incidents, war rooms).
-How to connect daily tasks to personal and product Purpose, so motivation sustains beyond deadlines.
-“Small Acts” that lift morale during on-call rotations and reduce friction across Dev, Ops, and Security.
-A manager toolkit to turn disengagement into ownership—leading to better MTTR, lower change-failure rates, and stronger retention.
-Why it works: DevOps thrives on trust, clarity, and fast feedback. The GPS framework operationalizes those human levers so the team can think clearly, collaborate faster, and finish stronger—especially when things break.
-Format: Fast-paced talk with stories from high-pressure environments, field-tested exercises, and take-home prompts teams can start using the same day.
+High-pressure delivery cycles, on-call fatigue, and constant context switching quietly
+drain a team’s ability to ship reliably. This session gives engineering leaders and ICs a
+**practical, lightweight playbook** to reduce burnout and raise engagement—without
+adding budget, headcount, or more meetings.
+Kapil shares his **G.P.S. for Happiness™ framework—Gratitude, Purpose, and Small
+Acts (Smile)** — translated into real DevOps moments: **incident reviews, stand-ups,
+retros, and handoffs**. This is not “feel-good” theory. It’s **micro-habits** that strengthen
+collaboration, psychological safety, and execution under stress.
 
-Outcomes: Attendees leave with a shared language and simple rituals they can insert into existing ceremonies—no extra meetings required. The result: calmer incidents, tighter collaboration, and a team that has the energy to keep improving.
+**What you’ll learn (practical takeaways)**
+- **A 3-step reset ritual (under 5 minutes)** to use before high-stakes work:
+deployments, incidents, war rooms
+- How to connect daily tasks to **personal + product Purpose** so motivation lasts
+beyond deadlines
+- **Small Acts** that lift morale during on-call rotations and reduce friction across
+**Dev, Ops, and Security**
+- A manager toolkit to turn disengagement into ownership—driving **better MTTR,
+lower change-failure rates, and stronger retention**
+
+**Why it works**
+DevOps thrives on **trust, clarity, and fast feedback**. The GPS framework
+operationalizes those human levers so teams can **think clearly, collaborate faster, and finish stronger—especially when things break**.
+
+**Format**
+Fast-paced session with:
+- stories from high-pressure environments
+- field-tested exercises
+- take-home prompts teams can start using the same day
+
+**Outcomes**
+Attendees leave with a shared language and simple rituals they can plug into existing ceremonies—**no extra meetings required**.
+Result: **calmer incidents, tighter collaboration, and a team with the energy to keep improving**.

content/events/2026-raleigh/speakers/kapil-patel.md

@@ -6,8 +6,4 @@ type = "speaker"
 linktitle = "kapil-patel" 
 +++
 
-Kapil Patel helps leaders in high-pressure industries turn stress into engagement and burnout into brilliance. He is the founder of Inspiring Happiness at Work™ and creator of the G.P.S. for Happiness™ framework, a practical system that equips teams to build resilient culture from the bottom up.
-A former co-founder of a multimillion-dollar IT services firm with 20+ years of IT experience, Kapil blends business rigor with people science to deliver actionable, story-driven sessions. He has experience working both as an employee and as an employer in IT, which enables him to speak the language 
-of technical teams and leadership alike. He has spoken for leadership audiences and organizations across sectors, translating human performance principles into simple rituals teams actually use.
-
-His mission: help teams rediscover joy at work and ship with consistency.
+Kapil Patel is a 20+ year IT leader and hands-on developer who built and sold a multi-million-dollar technology company. After losing purpose and burning out himself, he created the G.P.S. for Happiness at Work™ to help leaders turn burnout into breakthrough—without fluff.

data/events/2026/raleigh/main.yml

@@ -114,16 +114,18 @@ sponsors:
   # - id: samplesponsorname
   #   level: gold
  #  url: http://mysponsor.com/?campaign=me # Use this if you need to over-ride a sponsor URL.
-  - id: arresteddevops
-    level: community
-  - id: kubeevents
+  - id: agiliway
     level: community
-  - id: iacconf
+  - id: arresteddevops
     level: community
-  - id: harness
-    level: gold
   - id: edgedelta
     level: gold
+  - id: harness
+    level: gold
+  - id: iacconf
+    level: community
+  - id: kubeevents
+    level: community
 
 sponsors_accepted : "yes" # Whether you want "Become a XXX Sponsor!" link
 

data/sponsors/agiliway.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+name: "AgiliWay"
+url: "https://www.agiliway.com/"
+twitter: "Agiliway"