#434 - Identiverse 2026 - IdentiBeer Las Vegas

Recorded the night before Identiverse 2026 at BrewDog in Las Vegas, Jeff hosts a roundtable of IdentiBeer chapter leaders and community members from around the world. Espen Bago (Oslo), Marco Venuti (Rome and Milan), Heiko Klarl (Munich), Craig Ramsay (Nashville), Tina Srivastava and Elie Azerad (San Francisco), Bertrand Carlier (Paris, in planning), Ole Shved (Detroit, forming), and Roland Baum (Frankfurt) share what makes IdentiBeer work, how chapters get started, and what draws people in. First-time Identiverse attendee Varshith Reddy joins mid-conversation for some live conference tips. The group celebrates going 35 minutes without mentioning AI and closes with everyone's drink of choice and an impromptu MFA rap.

Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/

Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/

Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com

0:00 Welcome and intro

0:41 What is IdentiBeer? Espen Bago explains

2:31 Marco Venuti and the Italian chapters

5:07 Could there be an IdentiBeer conference?

6:03 Heiko Klarl and IdentiBeer Munich

7:09 Craig Ramsay and the new Nashville chapter

9:53 Beer is just clickbait and vendor neutrality

12:45 Tina Srivastava and the IDPro Slack connection

13:18 Ole Shved and the future Detroit chapter

14:14 Advice for new chapter organizers

16:33 Keep the momentum: do another one soon

17:01 What draws people to IdentiBeer?

17:37 The IdentiBeer charter and inclusivity

18:20 Elie Azerad and the San Francisco chapter

21:08 Tina and the South Bay satellite idea

25:50 Bertrand Carlier and plans for Paris

29:31 Varshith Reddy: tips for first-time Identiverse attendees

34:12 35 minutes without saying AI

36:20 Roland Baum and the Frankfurt Identivier

39:06 What is your drink of choice?

40:48 Tina's MFA rap and closing thoughts

Keywords: IdentiBeer, Identiverse 2026, IAM community, Identity and Access Management, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, IDAC, Identity at the Center, Espen Bago, Marco Venuti, Heiko Klarl, Craig Ramsay, Tina Srivastava, Elie Azerad, Bertrand Carlier, Ole Shved, Roland Baum, Varshith Reddy, IDPro, community building, vendor neutral, IAM networking, Las Vegas