Barbara Forbes

Netherlands

Barbara is the Field CTO at OGD in the Netherlands, recognized as a Microsoft Azure MVP, Microsoft MCT, and GitHub Star. Her specialization lies in Infrastructure as Code, Automation, PowerShell, Security, and the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework. Barbara is passionate about teaching in an accessible manner, in person, as a teacher for LinkedIn Learning and as a regular speaker at conferences and user groups. She is also actively involved in the tech community, contributing to the organization of major events, including the European PowerShell Conference and the European Cloud Summit.

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[UpdateConf]From Idea to Commit: Coding with GitHub Copilot Agent

The only difficult part of working on code issues, is getting started. With GitHub Copilot Agent, this part will become the easiest. In this session, we'll see how this new AI-powered assistant helps you go from a GitHub issue to a complete solution without ever opening your IDE. In a live demo, we will see your options. Let Copilot agent take complete control, or use them as a rubber ducky for your own process. Then we will see how you can use GitHub Codespaces to tie the process together and shape your development flow into what works best for you.

Speaking (conference/usergroups) / 11-14-2025

[UpdateConf]Deploying to Azure: Azure DevOps Pipelines vs GitHub Actions

When using Infrastructure as Code, it’s crucial to maintain the highest possible quality and security of your code. Automated tests and deployments help us achieve a consistent and stable Azure environment. But which tool should you use? Both Azure DevOps and GitHub Actions are professional tools to achieve this goal, but how do they compare? In this session, we will explore the similarities and differences between these two tools. How much time does it take to learn them, how much management do they require, and how do they integrate with Azure? Together, we’ll discover which of the two best fits your situation.

Speaking (conference/usergroups) / 11-14-2025

[Techorama]Kickstart your secure Azure environment with Microsoft Defender for Cloud

In today's world, securing your cloud environment is more important than ever. We all need to find our way, but did you already explore what Microsoft Defender for Cloud has to offer? You get a suite of tools designed to protect your resources, detect threats, and respond to incidents swiftly. So many options, where do you start? Join me in this session as I guide you along the different options of Microsoft Defender for Cloud. We'll start with an overview of its key features and capabilities, including threat detection, vulnerability management, and security posture assessment. Then, we'll explore practical scenarios and real-world examples to demonstrate how Defender for Cloud can help you create workflows to enhance security without compromising efficiency. This session will provide insights and strategies to help you safeguard your Azure environment. Let's unlock the power of Microsoft Defender for Cloud together and ensure your cloud infrastructure stands strong against evolving threats.

Speaking (conference/usergroups) / 10-28-2025

Judge for the for the "For the Love of Code" Contest

I helped pick the winners for this contest by GitHub

Other / 10-22-2025

[NDCporto]Coding in the Cloud: Get started with GitHub Codespaces

workshop: With GitHub Codespaces, you can enjoy coding effortlessly, straight from your browser! Use whatever device to write your code. No installation, no fuss. Codespaces are avaliable for everyone with a GitHub account for free. A great opportunity to get a better development experience, whether you are a developer or an operations expert. In this workshop, we will go through the ins and outs of Codespaces on our own laptops. We'll cover a range of use cases, settings, and how to work with Visual Studio Code to get the most out of your Codespace. By the end of this session, you'll be all set to start using Codespaces for your own work with ease!

Speaking (conference/usergroups) / 10-20-2025

[Azure Dev Summit]Implementing Azure Policies: Before the Portal

As your Azure environment grows, you'll need to find ways to keep everything organized. Especially with structures like the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework, it's important to set boundaries to manage the endless possibilities that Azure has to offer. So you create policies to help maintain control, security, and compliance in your environment. But where do you begin? The options seem endless. Should you use all of them? In this talk, we'll look at the starting point. Guess what; it isn't the Azure portal. We'll see how to determine the policies you need and how to simplify your Azure experience rather than complicate it. We'll also address common challenges and mistakes in Azure policy as seen from the field. At the end, you will have a clearer understanding that will help you make the best choices and make Azure policy work for you.

Speaking (conference/usergroups) / 10-15-2025

[Azure Dev Summit]The Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework: What the Docs don’t tell you

The Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure promises a flexible environment where developers have the freedom to innovate while keeping data and resources secure. Sounds great right? It is, but real life implementations can often come with some challenges. Including the first world problem of too much documentation. In this session, we'll look at the Cloud Adoption Framework and how you can use it effectively. I will take your through each step of the Framework and the challenges that came with them in the real world implementations. Spoiler alert: It’s often not the technology that’s the problem! By the end of this talk you will have actionable knowledge to shape your own Azure journey to its fullest potential.

Speaking (conference/usergroups) / 10-14-2025

[NTK]From Idea to Commit: Coding with GitHub Copilot Agent

The only difficult part of working on code issues is getting started. With GitHub Copilot Agent, this part will become the easiest. In this session, we'll see how this new AI-powered assistant helps you go from a GitHub issue to a complete solution without ever opening your IDE. In a live demo, we will see your options. Let Copilot Agent take complete control, or use them as a rubber ducky for your own process. Then we will see how you can use GitHub Codespaces to tie the process together and shape your development flow into what works best for you.

Speaking (conference/usergroups) / 09-23-2025

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