AWS Heroes: Celebrating Leaders Shaping the Future of Cloud
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced its first cohort of AWS Heroes for 2026, recognizing three exceptional individuals for their significant contributions to the AWS community. These leaders are not only technical experts but also dedicated mentors and community builders, fostering growth and innovation within the cloud ecosystem. The AWS Heroes program, established to acknowledge outstanding individuals, highlights those who share their knowledge through blog posts, articles, books, and active engagement with the global AWS community.1
Meet the 2026 AWS Heroes
Maurizio – Pignola, Italy (Community Hero)
Based in Pignola, Italy, Maurizio is a CTO and the organizer of the AWS User Group Basilicata. He’s been instrumental in establishing tech ecosystems in regions where they were previously absent. For over a decade, Maurizio has championed cloud culture through a focus on human connection and knowledge transfer. He founded an international tech conference in a small mountain village, bringing together global experts and local talent for technical sessions on cloud architectures, DevOps, and web scaling, alongside unique networking opportunities. Maurizio’s mentorship spans generations, from introducing children to coding to assisting professionals in transitioning to cloud architecture.3
Ray Goh – Singapore (Artificial Intelligence Hero)
Ray Goh, based in Singapore, is a seasoned leader in the AWS machine learning and AI community. He has been actively involved in AWS community programs since 2018, including AWS ASEAN Cloud Warrior, AWS Dev/Cloud Alliance, and as a pioneer member of the AWS Community Builders program in 2020. In 2024, he founded The Gen-C, a Generative AI Learning Community, hosting regular workshops at Singapore libraries on topics like LLM fine-tuning and AI agents on AWS. Ray has presented at major AWS events, including re:Invent and AWS Summit ASEAN, and has authored content for the AWS Machine Learning Blog. He also led a large-scale AWS DeepRacer program for DBS Bank, upskilling over 3,100 employees, and trained over 1,300 ASEAN students in LLM techniques. His work extends to skills-based CSR initiatives focused on teaching AI and machine learning to women, children, and youth.3
Sheyla Leacock – Panama City, Panama (Security Hero)
Sheyla Leacock, an IT security professional from Panama City, Panama, is a mentor, technical author, and international speaker dedicated to the global cloud and cybersecurity community. She has presented at AWS Summits in Mexico and LATAM, participated in PeerTalk sessions at AWS re:Invent, and leads the AWS User Group in Panama. Sheyla regularly contributes to AWS Community Days and regional meetups, and delivers talks at over 20 international conferences. She also publishes technical articles and educational content on AWS cloud computing and cybersecurity, and collaborates with universities as a guest lecturer.3
Learn More
For more information about the AWS Heroes program and to connect with a Hero in your region, visit the AWS Heroes webpage.1