About me

Hi, I'm Michelle Sandford.

Developer Engagement Lead @ Microsoft | Tedx Speaker | Keynote Speaker | AI Developer | GAICD | MCT | Developer Relations | Technical Storyteller

Michelle Sandford is a Developer Engagement Leader who writes code, builds with GitHub and Azure AI, and learns out loud. She likes sharing what's useful (and what isn't), and believes shipping is better than talking about it:

  • A community builder, connecting MVPs, user groups, universities, and developer communities into thriving ecosystems that learn together and lift each other higher.
  • A technical storyteller, Michelle shapes how the world talks about AI‑powered engineering and Azure innovation bringing clarity, curiosity, and creativity to every conversation.
  • A program strategist, designing scalable, repeatable motions that help developers grow their capability and confidence at pace with a rapidly evolving industry.
  • A bridge between engineering and the field making sure developers feel heard, supported, and empowered, from the first line of code to the final production push.
What I do

Talks on GitHub Copilot, Trustworthy Agents, and shipping safer code.

How I help

Hands-on demos, workshops, and practical guides that teams can use immediately.

Watch

Featured YouTube videos

You can find my full playlist on my YouTube Channel, but here are a few of my favourite recordings.

Overcoming your imposter syndrome with GitHub Copilot thumbnail

Overcoming your imposter syndrome with GitHub Copilot

Do you have a voice inside your head that pops up and tells you that you aren't good enough, that your colleague should speak at that event or get that award, or take that secondment rather than you? That voice is not your friend! It is holding you back from opportunity. In this session, I will walk through the 5 types of imposter syndrome and show you how GitHub Copilot can help to silence that voice and overcome your fears. I will show you how it can be a coach, a pair-programmer, an alternate point of view (but not an unfriendly one) and how it can help to reassure the anxious part of you that thinks you are unworthy. I'll also show off my favourite features that I find make me a better coder, tester, more secure collaborator and less annoying team mate.

Watch on YouTube
New Breakpoint: S5 Ep5 | Supercharging your terminal with GitHub Copilot CLI

New Breakpoint: S5 Ep5 | Supercharging your terminal with GitHub Copilot CLI

Discover how Copilot in the command line can transform your workflow—from automating shell scripts to integrating with pipelines and GitHub Actions. Scott walks through installation, security features, prompt files, MCP servers, and even programmatic access for automation. Plus, learn best practices for using Copilot effectively whether you’re a beginner or a senior developer. Stay tuned for demos, practical tips, and insights on making AI tools work for you—not the other way around.

Watch on YouTube
AI Genius Series Workshop thumbnail

AI Genius Series Workshop: Build Smarter, Ship Faster - with GitHub Copilot Agent Mode

Welcome to Episode 1 of AI Genius 2.0! In this livestream, we dive deep into GitHub Copilot Agent Mode—your autonomous coding assistant that helps you build, refactor, and debug code across your entire project. Join us as we build a full-stack fitness tracker app using Python Django, React, and MongoDB, all inside GitHub Codespaces.

Watch on YouTube