The STAREAST Virtual Attendee Experience

K1

Dona Sarkar
Microsoft

KEYNOTE | Oops AI Did It Again: How to Get AI and Agents to Stop Being Weird and Actually Be Useful in Your Business

We're starting to see AI and agents everywhere. Let's admit it, though - at times they can be unruly. Not good! Why does this happen? Where can AI go wrong? How do we wrestle these tools into line? Maybe get them to wear a tie at times, if that's not asking too much? Dona will tackle common pitfalls you might run into with AI and agents. She'll show you how to address the quirks that make AI seem unpredictable. You'll learn how to set clear expectations for AI performance, and design systems that work for YOUR business. She'll show you a framework to harness AI and agents effectively. And, yes, there will be homework.

K2

Janna Loeffler
The Walt Disney Company

KEYNOTE | Put Our Service to the Test!

"Put Our Service to the Test" invites you on a magical journey through Disney Enterprise Technology's Quality Engineering wonderland, where they're serving up more than just test cases! In this adventure, Janna will show you how their team is making testing dreams come true, one quality solution at a time. They're bringing the magic of Disney to software quality. Join Janna as she explores how quality engineering services are going "To QE and Beyond!" She will showcase how the team is more reliable than Dory's short-term memory, more thorough than Mrs. Potts' tea service, and more supportive than Baloo's bare necessities. Learn how they are transforming traditional testing into a whole new world of quality excellence, and remember, as Walt Disney said, "We are just getting started." Whether you're looking to overcome challenges like Mulan defeated the Huns, or seeking a quality partnership as strong as Woody and Buzz's friendship, this presentation will show you why when you wish upon their test suite, your software dreams come true!

W3

API Testing*

Revolutionizing API Quality Assurance with Contract Testing and Error Code Analysis

Chintan Pandya, S&P Global

W5

Test Automation*

Path to Becoming a Test Automation Engineer Rock Star!

Lee Barnes, Forte Group

IND1

Industry Insights

Anyone Can Test

John Ray, Tricentis

W7

AI/ML*

Is Your Playbook for Generative AI in Test Automation on Point?

Julio de Lima, Capco

W10

Performance Testing*

Expanding Your Testing Scope: Thinking Beyond System Health

Tod Golding, Amazon Web Services

IND7

Industry Insights

GenAI is Reshaping Software Testing: Trends, ROI, Technology and Organizational Changes

Sapnesh Naik, BlinqIO

W13

AI/ML*

From Vision to Velocity: Accelerating Agile Testing with Generative AI

Philip Daye, Insider Intelligence

W14

Test Leadership*

Elevating Test Leadership: Strategies for Effective Team Management and Career Growth

Srinivas Rao Labhani, EPAM Systems India Pvt Ltf

K3

Adam Auerbach
EPAM Systems

KEYNOTE | Panel - Revolutionizing Test Automation: The Impact of Generative AI on Quality Engineering

As Generative AI rapidly reshapes how we work, its impact on quality engineering and more specifically test automation is profound. Join our panel of AI and testing experts as they dive into how Gen AI is transforming testing practices, from creating smarter automation frameworks to redefining manual testing roles. Explore cutting-edge tools, discuss the challenges of integrating AI into test strategies, and debate the ethical implications of AI-driven quality engineering. This thought-provoking session will be driven by your questions and thus provide actionable insights, inspire innovation, and prepare you for the future of testing in the age of AI.

K4

Ronit Bohrer Hillel
Microsoft

KEYNOTE | Redefining Quality: Empowering Autonomous Teams for SaaS Excellence

Traditional roles within software development teams are being redefined in today’s fast-paced world of cloud platforms and Software as a Service (SaaS). The rise of DevOps has blurred the boundaries between development and operations, emphasizing speed, agility, and continuous delivery. Amid this transformation, the debate about whether to have a separate QA team is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Instead, the focus should shift to building autonomous, cross-functional teams equipped with the skills and ownership required to deliver high-quality SaaS products efficiently. Ronit challenges the conventional segregation of QA functions and explores how empowering teams with full accountability for development, quality assurance, and customer support creates better products and happier customers. Organizations can enhance collaboration, accelerate delivery cycles, and improve overall service reliability by fostering a culture where quality is everyone's responsibility. Through real-world examples and actionable strategies, this talk will guide attendees on structuring teams for independence, cultivating a mindset of shared accountability, and implementing practices that ensure efficient, customer-centric SaaS delivery and support. The future of SaaS excellence lies not in questioning the presence of QA but in reimagining how teams should deliver high-quality customer-focused solutions.

T4

Behavior-Driven Development*

Is the Juice of BDD Testing Worth the Squeeze?

Patrick Grant, MCANTA

T6

Security*

Using AI in Testing, Development, and Production to Automate Fraud Prevention

Karen Hu, Blockchain by Women & Appdome

IND13

Industry Insights

Goodbye Test Scripts: How Gen AI is Tackling the Untestable

Surya Suravarapu, Perforce Software

T7

AI/ML*

Agentic Automation for Hyper Automation

Rajkumar J. Bhojan, Fidelity Investments

T12

Test Strategy*

Scaling Automated Tests to Infinity and Beyond

Andrew Knight, Cycle Labs

IND16

Industry Insights

From Reactive to Predictive: Using Generative AI to Anticipate Quality Risks

Leonardo Pace, Globant

T15

Team Health & Collaboration*

Uncertainty of Change

Jitesh Gosai, BBC

T16

Chaos Engineering*

Testing Product Resiliency with Chaos Engineering

Aakash Singhal, Ellofant

IND22

Industry Insights

Digital Assurance: AI First Approach for Quality Engineering

Eddie Urenda, Hexaware

T19

AI/ML*

Testing Under Pressure: Leveraging AI to Satisfy the C-Suite

Joel Deutscher, Planit

T22

Test Strategy*

Why Testing Needs to Be Part of Your Brand Loyalty Strategy

Marcus Merrell, Sauce Labs

K5

Adam Auerbach
EPAM Systems

KEYNOTE | Panel - The Future of Test Automation: Trends, Challenges, and Your Burning Questions

Test automation is evolving at an unprecedented pace, driven by AI, continuous testing, and the ever-increasing complexity of modern software development. Join us for an engaging panel discussion where industry experts will explore the latest trends in test automation, including AI-powered testing, low-code/no-code automation, and the role of testers in a rapidly changing landscape. This session will also serve as an open forum for attendees to ask any lingering questions from the conference. Whether it’s about the future of automation, best practices, or the impact of AI on testing roles, our panelists are ready to share their insights. Come prepared with your toughest questions and join the conversation on what’s next in software testing!