Jeff Hadfield has spent his career at the intersection of technology, people, community, and business. He’s built, led, and advised developer programs, technical communities, and partnership ecosystems for more than 25 years. If you’ve worked in software, tech media, or tech marketing, you’ve probably crossed paths with something Jeff started, grew, or touched in some way.

Jeff’s influence spans industries. He’s designed, launched, and grown developer and partner programs for both startups and global enterprises. He’s worked directly with companies like Microsoft, Google, MasterCard, Carbonite, DocuSign, Intel, Adobe, SAP, and Docker, advising, executing, and building strategic partnerships and advisory boards that have shaped how companies connect with developers, partners, and customers—always with a focus on real human relationships.

Events are a big part of Jeff’s story. He’s been involved in more than 100 live events and over 180 online events—designing, hosting, guiding, or facilitating them. He’s led partner engagement and sponsorship strategy for conferences, leadership summits, and professional gatherings, and has organized content, research, and technology briefings in major cities worldwide. Jeff has brought tens of thousands of humans (including developers or partners) together (and made sure they left with something valuable).

Jeff is also a veteran print and electronic editor and publisher. He’s edited or published over 300 magazine issues and 270 newsletters, and written more than 600 articles for developers, IT professionals, and business leaders. He’s built and launched dozens of content products, from print magazines to large-scale web communities, always focused on making complex technology accessible and useful.

He’s a published author (including two books), frequent speaker, and trusted advisor. Jeff’s “human-centric” approach to partnerships and ecosystems is now a playbook for others. He’s written and spoken about soft power, values-first leadership, and the art of building communities that last. His frameworks and advice are used by teams worldwide.

Jeff is also a key part of Dent The Future, a curated community and annual conference that brings together innovators, artists, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders to explore what’s next in ideas, technology, and human potential. At Dent, Jeff helps design and facilitate high-impact experiences—connecting people who want to put a “dent in the universe” and supporting them as they build deep connections, share insights, and challenge each other to think bigger.

Ask Jeff about the future of partnerships, the power of soft skills, or why “ecosystem” isn’t just a buzzword. Just don’t ask him to pick a favorite project—he’ll say it’s whichever one brought the most people together (and maybe had the best soundtrack).