Claude in the Wild
Claude in the Wild — Grand Rapids Tech Week 2026 panel discussion artwork

Real people, real uses, no ACME Corp. A candid panel on how people across Michigan actually use Claude, day to day.

📅 Sept 15, 2026 · 4:00–6:00 PM 📍 GRCC Wisner-Bottrall ATC, Grand Rapids 🎟️ Free & open to the public
Submit a Question RSVP on Luma

What is this?

A moderated conversation, not a keynote — and a chance to ask your own questions live.

Claude in the Wild brings together people who actually use Claude — enterprise teams, agencies, builders, students, and small businesses — for an honest conversation about what's working, what isn't, and what to try next. Expect real workflows, real surprises, and a candid look at the limits, not just the highlight reel. The last 20+ minutes are open to the room.

Date
Tuesday, Sept 15, 2026 · 4:00–6:00 PM
Venue
GRCC Wisner-Bottrall ATC
151 Fountain St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Format
Moderated panel + live audience Q&A
Cost
Free
Moderator
Jeremy Curtis

Built & run on Claude

The panel is about Claude in the wild — so this page practices what it preaches.

Claude CodeThis page was written and deployed with Claude Code.
CoworkEvent planning, panelist tracking, and materials were run through Claude's Cowork mode.
Claude DesignPrint one-pagers for the event were drafted with Claude Design.
MCP ConnectorsHosting and deployment for this site runs through a Claude connector, end to end.
🌿 Curious how any of this works? Ask us in person on Sept 15 — or drop the question in the form below and we'll cover it live.

Panelists

Five voices spanning enterprise, agency, and builder perspectives.

Michael Wright

Michael Wright

AI Product Manager, PwC

Leads Anthropic's Claude Enterprise deployment at PwC as the firm's primary partner contact with Anthropic — provisioning, governing, and enabling Claude across PwC's global network. Came to AI through an unusual path: music educator turned self-taught developer turned AI product manager.

Elaine Ezekiel

Elaine Ezekiel

Director of Marketing, Atomic Object

As Atomic Object's first Director of Marketing, shapes the consultancy's brand and demand strategy across its four regional markets — connecting disparate ideas, people, and tools into approaches that didn't exist before. Has helped drive 179% revenue growth since joining.

Jason Yaeger

Jason Yaeger

SVP, Product & Engineering, VergeIO

Leads product and engineering for VergeOS, VergeIO's unified virtualization, storage, and networking platform built as a modern alternative to legacy VMware infrastructure — a builder's perspective on shipping AI-ready infrastructure at scale.

Elizabeth Goede

Elizabeth Goede

Founder & President, Ratliff Consulting

Founder & President of Ratliff Consulting and the voice behind SPARK AI Lab, translating AI into business results since co-founding an AI company back in 2012. Hosts the SPARK StartHer podcast spotlighting women entrepreneurs in tech.

Heidi Porter

Heidi Porter

Principal, Moyer Group AI

Principal at Moyer Group AI and Founder of the Lansing AI Lab, with nearly two decades as a Principal Domain Specialist at SAS Institute behind her. As President & CEO of Databorne, she brings a deep technical builder's view of AI strategy, MCP servers, and intelligent agents.

FAQ

Everything you need to know before you show up.

What is Claude? +
Claude is an AI assistant made by Anthropic. People use it for writing, research, coding, data analysis, and more — through a website, desktop and mobile apps, or built directly into other tools. This event is about how real people use it, not a sales pitch.
Do I need to know anything about AI to attend? +
No. The panel is built for a general audience — whether you've never opened an AI tool or you use one every day. Panelists explain things in plain language, and the audience Q&A is open to any question.
Is it really free? +
Yes — this is a free, community event hosted at GRCC as part of Grand Rapids Tech Week. No ticket required beyond RSVPing.
Can I submit a question ahead of time? +
Yes — use the "Submit a Question" form below. We read submissions ahead of the event and work strong ones into the moderated discussion, in addition to live audience Q&A on the day.
Where do I park? +
Metered parking is available along Fountain St. NE, with nearby parking ramps close to the GRCC Wisner-Bottrall ATC building. Full accessibility and parking details will be posted closer to the event.
Who's organizing this? +
The panel is organized by Jeremy Curtis, as part of Grand Rapids Tech Week 2026, planned to take place at Grand Rapids Community College.

Submit a Question

Got something you want asked on stage? Send it over — moderator's picking favorites.

We may read this on stage — keep it public-friendly.