April 2022 Featured User Group Leaders

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Christian Abata has been a User Group leader for two years, after deciding he wanted to be able to share Spanish content to users in Latin America. While he may not have been experienced when he began, Christian has learned much during his two years and loves sharing his knowledge with others. He loves having “the chance to show others that everything is possible, even if you come from a small country like mine.”

He has appreciated the opportunity to get to know more people because of the User Group, and also is grateful for the ways he has grown as a leader, “guiding others and understanding the responsibility” of leading. One of the things Christian recommends to anyone thinking of leading a user group is “just start.” Even if you are uncertain at first, he says, “All things will fall into place,’ and the connections you make with others will be worth it.

Highlights of the last couple years include the most recent Power Platform Bootcamp as well as the technical knowledge he has learned from so many other user groups around the world. He is especially thankful for the “great partnership with people around my country.”

Hans Kristiansen leads the Power BI User Group in Norway, a position he’s been honored to have for six years.  His passion for bringing other Power BI users together to share, learn, and grow their skills is a big reason for his involvement as a leader. “It’s a community for people from every profession, background, and age,” and while there’s a lot of technical know-how being shared, it’s also a place where people have fun.

His favorite part of being a leader is seeing the way he can help others build community around a platform he loves. One of the biggest differences being part of this group has made in his life is that it’s helped him “empower people to achieve more” while they discover and grow in new opportunities. Hans recommends that anyone thinking of leading a group must remember that fun is a key part of success.

He and his group were honored to arrange the Dynamics 365 and Power Platform Conference in Norway last year in partnership with Microsoft Norway. “It was the first conference after the pandemic and a big success,” he says. A highlight of the past year has also been the opportunity to arrange events, focusing on innovation and community, while helping so many Power BI users connect with each other.

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Congratulations to these amazing leaders!