Jason Dorie
Founder, CEO, CTO
LightBurn
The man behind the curtain. Jason, aka “Oz”, was a Senior Software Engineer at Apple and in the video game industry prior to founding LightBurn.
CLASS
LightBurn Tips and Tricks
Join Jason as he shares tips and trick for using LightBurn. As LightBurn's Founder and Lead Developer, no other brain on Earth contains as much LightBurn knowledge as his. Attendees will learn time saving tips and advanced techniques that will take them one step closer to becoming LightBurn pros.
Mayra Aguilar
Owner
Crafting by Mayra
Mayra is a former teacher turned full-time maker and content creator, with a passion for DIY and crafting. What began as a side project while she was still teaching has blossomed into a thriving business. She specializes in creating teacher accessories and gifts, among other handcrafted items, and loves sharing her journey and insights with the crafting community.
TALK
Leveraging Laser Technology to Diversify and Scale Your Business
Mayra will share how she successfully used her laser to branch out into new materials, offering new products that have helped scale her business. She'll cover how she's identified new market opportunities and customer needs that aligned with my new product offerings, leading to increased sales, new customer segments, and expanded market reach, all because of the new products that were made possible with her laser.
Bail Ansari
Just One More Project
Laser Craft Fest
Bail is the owner and creator behind Just One More Project and Laser Craft Fest. She's an educator and SVG file designer who focuses on laser cut files for crafters and small businesses. She is a girl mama, runs on coffee, and is all about simplifying the path to create.
CLASS
Mixed Media Mastery: Integrating Sublimation and Laser Techniques
Incorporating sublimation and laser cutting/engraving into your projects can open up a wide range of creative possibilities. In this class, attendees will learn essential materials, design considerations, and techniques for integrating sublimation into their laser projects. Attendees will learn the creative benefits of combining these methods, along with the functional advantages. Additionally, the session will address common challenges and solutions for integrating these techniques into projects.
Emily Caroline
That Mom With A Laser
Aeon Brand Ambassador
Emily is the driving force behind That Mom With A Laser, Inc.® and a leader in the laser engraving industry. She is known for making laser education easy and simple to understand and created the pioneering online course, Laser Launch Academy®. As a Brand Ambassador for Aeon Laser USA since 2022, Emily is recognized for her expertise, innovation, and dedication to empowering others in their laser engraving journeys.
CLASS
LightBurn Pro Tips: Hacks to Enhance Your Workflow
Emily will share her top strategies for getting the most out of LightBurn. Whether you're looking to streamline your process, tackle complex designs, or unlock hidden features, these tips will elevate your laser projects. Join Emily to discover practical hacks that will save you time and boost your efficiency in unexpected ways.
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Jon Charnas
Senior Developer
LightBurn
Jon is a Senior Developer at LightBurn, 3D printer designer, and maker.
CLASS
Coordinates: They're Not Just for Playing Battleship
Jon will explain how the various types of coordinates work, how they can be used, and how you can get yourself in (and out of) trouble with them. He'll include specific examples about different workflows, and when to use each type of coordinate reference for a given job.
Mumtaz Cooper
Founder
AlgoJustice
Taji Cooper is a renowned expert in technology and social justice, with a focus on leveraging laser technology to drive innovation and community empowerment. As the founder of AlgoJustice, a technology law firm, and a dedicated advocate for humanitarian aid, Taji combines a passion for cutting-edge technology with a commitment to social impact.
TALK
Empowering Communities Through Innovative Laser Technology
In this talk, Taji will examine how laser technology can be harnessed to drive social justice and community development. By showcasing real-world examples and sharing actionable insights, she'll aim to demonstrate how attendees can utilize laser technology to effect positive social change and empower their communities.
Katie Devlin
Things Katie Makes
Katie Devlin is the creator behind Things Katie Makes. With her engineering background, she makes it straightforward and fun to dive into laser crafting, with clear steps and awesome projects. Her course, "You Can Laser", is all about turning creative ideas into amazing, sellable goodies while having a great time along the way.
CLASS
Mastering Variable Text in LightBurn
In this presentation, you'll discover how to use Variable Text in LightBurn to streamline and enhance your CO2 laser projects. We'll cover the step-by-step process of setting up and using Variable Text, making it easy to personalize each project efficiently. Learn how to automate text changes, save time on repetitive tasks, and keep your work consistent across multiple items. Whether you're just starting or looking to refine your skills, this session will provide valuable insights and techniques to elevate your laser crafting business.
Brodie Fairhall
Senior Software Engineer
LightBurn
Brodie is a LightBurn Software Engineer specializing in UI/UX design. He has worked for almost 15 years in factory and industrial automation, taking dangerous and repetitive work and teaching machines to do it, so humans can focus on the things humans do best. In his spare time, he's a maker and tinkerer, who loves anything to do with manufacturing machines and robotics.
TALK
Boutique Business to Boutique Factory
Brodie will give a talk about different ways to take a mostly manual process in a small business and automate it, allowing the business to scale without losing its charm. Deciding what to do by hand and what to delegate to machines can be tough, and turning it into a process that does this efficiently can be even harder. He'll walk through an example of using Laser cutting, 3D printing, and specialized 3D CAD to improve the manufacturing process for custom shoes.
Mark Garetz
Owner
LightMade Designs
Mark has been using, lecturing on, and supporting graphics software for over 30 years. He's been working with lasers for over 50 years, and using them for cutting and engraving for the last 5 years.
CLASS
LightBurn Text From A to Z
This class will cover everything you ever wanted to know about using text in LightBurn. All the controls and tips to get the most of LightBurn's extensive text capabilities, from the basics to the most advanced controls and techniques.
Adam Haile
Engineering Director
LightBurn
Adam is LightBurn's Engineering Director and was our first external hire. He has 20 years of experience in the software and digital fabrication industry.
CLASS
Mastering Custom GCode
The Custom GCode device type is an underused but extremely powerful tool for taking full control of your machine. With it you can control nearly everything about the GCode output from LightBurn. We will teach you to take full advantage of this amazing feature.
Jeremy Lee
Senior Software Engineer
LightBurn
Jeremy is a Senior Software Developer, charged with updating the camera system in LightBurn. He has dabbled in microscopy, astrophotography, and image compression, and knows just how weird light actually is.
CLASS
Machine Vision: Measuring Ground-Truth When Cameras Are Full of Lies
Jeremy will provide an overview of the current state of machine vision tools in LightBurn and what they do. He'll explain how to choose and get the best out of your camera, what lens calibration and alignment are, and how to do them well. Finally, he'll give guidance on constructing a high-quality calibration target using office supplies, explore the newest features, and discuss what's coming next.
Heather Lynn
Owner
Lobo Designs
Glowcreate
Heather Lynn runs a laser business (LoBo Designs) and a laser-learning platform (Glowcreate). She teaches laser users how to turn their own custom artwork into laser designs for passive income or creative products.
CLASS
From Screen to Beam: Mastering the Use of Procreate With LightBurn
Heather will teach the step-by-step process of importing a photograph of a house into Procreate, tracing and exporting it as a PNG, then importing it into LightBurn. Next, she'll go over the process of setting up the engraving settings in LightBurn, creating a cut path, and sending the project to the laser.
Ben Maxwell
Director
Instant Engraving
Maxce Australia
Ben is an engineer, entrepreneur, and laser business owner who is passionate about technology and empowering small business growth through efficient and automated manufacturing. Based in Melbourne Australia, he is the director of Instant Engraving, a service-based laser engraving shop, and Maxce Australia, manufacturing attachments and tools for Galvo lasers.
CLASS
Batch Galvo Production
Ben will cover the ins and outs of batch production using a Galvo laser and a rotating or linear axis table. This class will cover jig use, Repeat Marking, Variable Text, QR Codes, and more, all in the context of Galvo lasers.
Alisha Pate
Head Bartender
The Laser Lounge
Alisha Pate is the head bartender at "The Laser Lounge". After a fulfilling 24-year career as a Systems Engineer, she retired from corporate life to focus full-time on her passion for the maker industry. She now runs her own business and dedicates herself to empowering others in the community by sharing her knowledge and expertise.
TALK
Demand Shaping Your Products in the Laser Industry
Demand shaping involves steering customer demand to better match a company’s supply and strategic objectives. In short, demand shaping is a company’s strategy to manage customer demand to match its supply capabilities and objectives. It can help laser businesses reduce costs, improve customer satisfaction, and increase market share. Additionally, it can support increased margins by leveraging scales and scope of economies of increased volumes of existing product offerings. Alisha will talk about why a company should think about doing this and how she has transitioned her business this way.
Alan Puccinelli
Owner and Founder
Repkord LLC
Alan is the Founder and Owner of Repkord LLC, a small business focused on providing "fine fabrication furniture" to makers and hobbyists of all kinds.
TALK
LightBurn Developer Panel
Alan will host panel discussions with the LightBurn Development Team. Sessions will feature a Q&A with the audience.
Jason Rife
Owner
JER Custom Designs
Jason is a retired 20 year Navy veteran that started a business out of his house as a side hustle for some play money. Over the years that changed and unfolded into the business he has now, with a wide range of jobs and products in the laser engraving, printing and manufacturing industries. His goal is to produce the very best products for his customers.
CLASS
Everything Rotary
Jason will lecture on everything rotary related: from setup to use with LightBurn and lasers. He'll go over tips and trick on how to better-use all aspects involve with rotary engraving, and include a brief Q&A with the audience.
Billie Ruben
Content and Media Specialist
LightBurn
Billie is a Content and Media Specialist at LightBurn. A maker of many kinds, Billie loves blending digital fabrication with traditional crafts, and trading skills in the online maker communities she has helped to lead.
CLASS
How to Fix a File: Making Designs Laser-Ready
Struggling to laser logos sent to you by customers? Or files you bought online? Many common practices in graphics and print media cause havoc when it comes to lasering. In this class, Billie draws on her experience facilitating publicly-accessible laser cutters to run you through common design errors, and teach you how to fix them — quickly, easily, and while maintaining high quality.
Chelsea Sauder
Co-Owner
Houston Acrylic
As a co-owner at Houston Acrylic, Chelsea leads product development and creates educational content for customers. When she's not using lasers for product testing, she uses them to make custom props and cosplay.
TALK
Elevate Your Acrylic Designs
Have your acrylic projects ever felt... well, flat? With so many styles, acrylic is a popular material for laser crafters, but it is still just a sheet of plastic. Join Chelsea from Houston Acrylic, as she goes over different techniques and trends you can use to make your acrylic projects stand out. From dual engraving to heat forming, discover how to craft your acrylic into art.
Hope Yoder
Owner
Designs by Hope Yoder
Hope is a seasoned expert in the crafting and embroidery industries with over three decades of experience, specializing in networking and laser engraving to help businesses thrive.
CLASS
Engrave and Embroider
Learn how to mix lasers and embroidery for hats, hoodies, and flats, score points with realtor gifts, and ditch the overwhelm of picking the right embroidery machine. Plus, some clever ways to bundle for maximum profits.
Marc Hammons
Owner
Rebel Puzzles
Marc is co-owner, principal designer and lead manufacturer at Rebel Puzzles, a budding laser-cut puzzle business. He's a maker at heart and loves spending time learning and honing laser-craft skills. On weekdays he's a Senior Distinguished Engineer at Dell Technologies, focused on client device innovation using artificial intelligence (PCs).
CLASS
Designing and Making Puzzles with LightBurn
Dive in to the world of laser cut puzzle development, from concept through product. This session hosts an overview of artwork, puzzle cut, materials, production, and packaging, with emphasis on the features of LightBurn for puzzle cut design and product manufacture. We'll touch on various cut styles, including classical, tessellations, computer generated, and freeform designs. The session will also explore nuances and secrets of the overall laser puzzle manufacturing process from printer, to laser bed, to workbench. If you've ever wanted to get deeper into laser-cut puzzle making, this is the session for you.
Nicholas Leqeta
Support
LightBurn
Nic is a proud member of LightBurn Support Team since early 2022. He's currently based in the South Island of New Zealand, where he lives with his family. Prior to working for LightBurn, he's had many years of experience in manufacturing environments as a programmer-operator and in operations, sales, and management roles.
CLASS
How to Train a (Baby) Dragon
This class is for attendees who will be going back to workplaces, schools, or community spaces, and will be involved in training others how to use LightBurn. Nic will share and explain in detail the resources and materials he uses to facilitate beginner training sessions for up to six people, over one full day. The content shared will be based on a training scenario involving a typical Ruida CO2 laser, but is primarily software-focussed, so will be relevant for any machine. This class combines Nic's experiences working for LightBurn, and supporting many individuals around the world remotely, with his experiences in New Zealand, training individuals and small groups in person.
Laura Mathews
Laura Mathews Art
Laura is an artist a puppet maker, focused on creating realistic movement and biological mechanics.
TALK
How I Made My Dragon
Laura will tell the story of how she created the large laser-cut LightBurn Dragon, from the initial design stages to the final creation. She'll show early sketches, the technical drawings for articulating pieces, the process of testing, maquette-making, and all the highs and lows along the way!
Dominic Morrow
Support
LightBurn
Dominic is a LightBurn Support Agent and the founder of Smoke & Mirrors. Starting with a tiny CO2 laser cutter in 2011 at the Nottingham Hackerspace in the United Kingdom, he has worked as a laser cutter service and repair engineer for over 10 years.
CLASS
CO2 Laser Cutter Alignment — Tips and Tricks
Dominic will explain how to approach the alignment of large CO2 Laser cutters, and stay safe in the process!
Sumita and Anuj Patel
Owners
Home Bound Custom Decor
Sumita and Anuj Patel are the owners of Home Bound Custom Decor, a personalized gifts and goods business in Atlanta, GA that specializes in laser engraving and UV printing — but they're most passionate about helping fellow makers grow their business and become more efficient and profitable! They love to share tips and tricks on marketing strategies and relationship building techniques that can help scale a craft business.
TALK
Growing Your Business by Partnering with Influencers
By leveraging influencer partnerships, small businesses can effectively elevate their marketing efforts and drive growth. This marketing strategy has helped us raise brand awareness and scale our business over the years. We will outline everything you need to know about working with an influencer including how to find an influencer, what to send them, how to approach them, and how to compensate them.
Gil Poznanski
Creative Technologist
Laser Livestream
Gil is a Teacher and Maker in the education scene, empowering the next generation with technology. Gil utilizes LightBurn on a daily basis to educate, and can be found interacting with and teaching users about lasers and LightBurn on YouTube, as Laser Livestream.
TALK
LightBurn for Learning: How to Engage Students of All Ages
Lightburn allows amazing access to laser technology. Join Gil as he discusses how you can engage students of all ages in learning LightBurn and lasers, using real world examples from primary, secondary, and tertiary classrooms and Makespaces around the world, allowing anyone to harness power of LightBurn safely and effectively.
Tyler Raps
Copy Lead and Documentation Editor
LightBurn
Tyler is LightBurn's Copy Lead and Documentation Editor. Before assuming his current role, he was a LightBurn Support Agent for two and a half years. He's heard (almost) all the questions.
CLASS
How to Troubleshoot and Ask for Help
We all want things to just work, but sometimes they just... don't. We'll go over what to do when you encounter a problem — including guidance on identifying the issue, the best places to look for answers, and, finally, the most important information you can provide if you need to ask LightBurn Support for help.
Joe Spanier
Vendor Relations
LightBurn
Joe is the Vendor Relations Lead at LightBurn and has been with us for a little over 3 years. He's been building and modifying hobby CNC machines for over a decade now, and loves seeing all the new stuff our customers create, whether it’s in the software or some new machine they are using LightBurn to control!
CLASS
Translating Laser Skills to CNC Routing and Beyond
Joe will cover things like terminology changes between the device types, how operations change, and workflow changes. We will also touch on combination projects and how lasers and CNC machines complement each other.
Bradford Woodson
Director of Operations USA
Haotian Laser
Bradford Woodson, aka BzRad, specialized in material testing and settings. He's built several extensive libraries for fiber, CO2,and UV Galvos. If you want to know if a material can be engraved, he's the guy to ask.
CLASS
Materials Testing and Procedures
Brad will lecture on material testing and procedures: best practices for testing materials, safety protocols, how to be consistent with material testing, and the development of the perfect library. He'll explain how he got into material testing and how it's helped him, then cover his step-by-step process for using LightBurn to achieve quality tests with consistency.
Robert Kofoed
Owner
Computer Creationz
Robert Kofoed is a small shop owner who has been involved in CO2 lasers and LightBurn for 4 years and has been teaching people in groups and in one-on-ones for 3 years. He's passionate about the entire LightBurn process and loves to share his enthusiasm with new users.
CLASS
Jig Making in LightBurn
Robert's presentation will cover the creation and use of jigs — when and why they're beneficial, and how to make them using LightBurn.
Max Lopez
Co-Founder and CEO
Apartment D
Max is the co-founder and CEO of stop motion animation studio Apartment D. His career began over a decade ago working as a machinist in the industry where he created custom rigging and ball and socket armatures. He went on to become an animator, producer, and director, before starting his own studio, Apartment D. In his time working for other studios he worked on projects such as Amazon Prime's Tumble Leaf, Charlie Kaufman's Anomalisa, and a stop motion episode of Adventure Time.
TALK
Dragging Stop Motion Into the 21st Century: Advanced Manufacturing in the Animation Pipeline
This presentation will discuss how CGI previs, coupled with laser cutting and 3D printing, has allowed Apartment D to push the envelope of what can be achieved with stop motion animation on an indie budget. Through examples from past projects, you'll see how we've used this pipeline to: strengthen communication with our clients, empower our artists to be more ambitious with the medium, and unlock new design languages for our projects. From there, we'll discuss the frontier of what is and will be possible by leveraging existing technologies in conjunction with this pipeline. Expect very cool stop motion behind-the-scenes images.
Josh "MalaMaker" Malavolti
Senior Software Test Engineer
LightBurn
Josh is a Senior Software Test Engineer and career software developer at LightBurn Software. He has a deep passion for mechatronics, 3D design, and large-scale prop building, all of which he brings into his work at LightBurn. In addition to his role at LightBurn, he also creates educational content and tutorials to share his knowledge of fabrication technologies with others.
CLASS
Transforming Artwork into Precision-Cut Designs with LightBurn and MillMage
This presentation will demonstrate one method of transforming hand-drawn artwork into precise, manufacturable designs using LightBurn and MillMage. By focusing on a large-scale Beetlejuice prop replica, we'll explore the process of vectorizing, node editing, and cleaning up designs for cutting. While this is just one approach, attendees will gain insights into transitioning from creative concepts to production-ready files for laser cutters and CNC routers/mills.
Liz Olson
Owner
Bela Collective
Liz is the owner of Bela Collective. She's an SVG file designer and online educator, teaching laser owners how to start and scale their SVG file shops.
TALK
The 5 Keys to SVG Selling Success
Diversifying your income with SVG sales is easier than you think! Join Liz as she reveals the patterns and trends she's discovered from generating multiple six figures from her own SVG file shop. In this no-holds-barred session, she'll walk you through the 5 keys to SVG selling success, providing you with actionable insights and proven strategies to start or grow with file sales. By the end of this talk, you'll have a clear roadmap to creating a full-time income from SVG sales.
Scott Pilutik
Attorney
Scott is a New York City-based attorney with a focus in IP/media law and an extensive background in photography and the arts.
TALK
Sourcing Laser Files and Understanding IP Law
Scott will cover how and where to get stock photos and stock vectors for lasering, including rights and licensing issues associated with stock photos and vectors. He'll explain the advantages and disadvantages of paying for files, what terms like "royalty free" actually mean, and the difference between standard and extended licensing for files. Finally, he'll discuss the ethics of using versus abusing files on the internet, including AI-generated files, and answer audience questions.
Ryan Priore
Spectroscopist
Thor Labs
Ryan is a trained Spectroscopist with a doctorate in Analytical Chemistry. His day job involves the development of tools for measuring the chemical properties of materials using light (and lasers). As a hobbyist, he loves digifab tools! He's been a 3D-printing reviewer for Make: Magazine and started a 3D printing hobbyist group in Pittsburgh called, 3D Printing Pittsburgh (3DPPGH). He is passionate about the safety aspects of using laser cutting tools at the hobbyist level.
TALK
Laser Material Safety
In this presentation on Laser Safety, the primary focus will be on the importance of material safety, particularly the hazards associated with the combustion byproducts generated during laser cutting. Different materials can release toxic fumes, requiring proper ventilation and protective measures to ensure a safe working environment. The presentation will also cover the necessity of understanding the material properties before laser cutting to prevent fires or harmful chemical reactions. Additionally, a brief overview of laser eye safety will be provided, highlighting the risks and precautions needed to protect vision during laser operations. The goal is to emphasize the critical safety protocols that must be followed to minimize health risks and ensure safe laser usage for oneself and others.
Jeff Stockton
Owner
Upstate Laser Engraving
Jeff has been in the laser community for half a decade now. He specializes in production marking and large BTB orders. He and his son Noah have a YouTube channel where they educate galvo users through tutorials and real experiences.
TALK
Whale Hunting: Going After Large Corporate Orders
Jeff will convey the teachings and techniques he's learned along the journey of trying to get large orders from large corporations and companies. The deadlines, the insurance, the logistics, the volume, and, above all, the pricing structure he's created. This valuable information will help any new laser business succeed.
Jessica Trueblood
Shop Review Crew
Etsy Underachievers
Jessica is an Etsy coach, helping small businesses navigate and succeed on the Etsy platform. She teaches Etsy Best Practices such as SEO, photography, writing killer descriptions, using Etsy ads, and more! She's coached hundreds of sellers since 2020. She lives in Colorado with her husband and son.
CLASS
How To Be an Etsy SEO Master
Ready to take your Etsy shop to the next level? Join Jessica for a deep dive into the "secrets" of mastering Etsy SEO. Learn how to boost your shop's visibility, optimize your listings for search, and drive more traffic — all using proven, up to date strategies. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned seller, this session will give you the tools you need to stand out on Etsy's competitive marketplace. Don't miss it!
