Announcement #1!
It’s time to reveal the first four speakers for Checkout Summit 2026, and I couldn’t be more excited to share them with you. After reviewing all submissions and carefully considering the stories, insights, and hands-on lessons our community thrives on, we’ve selected these first speakers who represent the best of real-world WooCommerce experience.
These makers, builders, and problem-solvers will bring practical, actionable talks to Palermo, sharing everything from coding breakthroughs and automation hacks to business decisions that made a real impact. Each session is designed to inspire and equip developers, implementers, freelancers, and entrepreneurs who work with WooCommerce daily.
This is just the beginning. More speakers will be announced in the coming weeks as we continue shaping the 2026 program to deliver the most relevant, engaging, and practical content possible for the WooCommerce community.
Our First Speakers Take the Stage
These first voices of Checkout Summit 2026 bring a mix of technical expertise, real-world experience, and actionable insights. Each of them has built, optimized, or solved something remarkable in the WooCommerce ecosystem, and they’re ready to share what actually worked. Here’s a closer look at who they are.
#1: Katie Keith, Barn2
Katie Keith is the Founder and CEO of Barn2, a leading WooCommerce plugin company.
After more than a decade building a multi-product plugin business approaching $2m/year, she spent the last year expanding into the Shopify ecosystem and publicly sharing lessons under the #ShopifyDiary hashtag.
Katie now applies cross-platform insights to help WooCommerce merchants get better results, faster. She co-hosts the WP Product Talk and Do the Woo podcasts and speaks regularly at WordPress events.
#2: Josh Kohlbach, Rymera
Josh Kohlbach is the founder and CEO of Rymera, creators of leading WooCommerce tools like Wholesale Suite, Advanced Coupons, AdTribes Product Feed Pro, and WC Vendors.
A developer turned entrepreneur, he’s driven by a mission to make ecommerce simpler and more powerful through tools that automate, optimize, and scale what store owners do best.
#3: Patrick Rauland, Xero Shoes
Patrick Rauland is the Sr. ECommerce Engineer at Xero Shoes, where he helps grow the brand’s online presence and sales. With years of experience in eCommerce, he has previously led three major releases of WooCommerce, co-founded WooSesh, and launched his own products on Kickstarter.
Patrick also shares his expertise through courses and books on LinkedIn Learning and Packt. He’s passionate about powering up entrepreneurs with exceptional online retail experiences that connect brands with customers.
#4: Nik McLaughlin, SkyVerge
Nik McLaughlin is Product Manager at SkyVerge, where he leads the team behind 40+ WooCommerce extensions used by an estimated 200,000 stores. Nik has more than a decade of experience in WooCommerce ranging across merchant-side operations to product, support, and engineering roles.
Hailing from Portland, Oregon, he’s fond of the quirky, personal, and exceptional businesses that the city fosters so well. At SkyVerge, he’s building the tools to empower merchants like them in the modern eCommerce landscape.
More Speakers to Be Revealed (Soon)
This is just the beginning—more talented WooCommerce makers will join the lineup as we continue shaping Checkout Summit 2026.
Keep an eye out for upcoming announcements, because each new speaker brings fresh insights, practical lessons, and real-world experience that you won’t want to miss.
The full program is coming together, and Palermo is set to host two days of learning, inspiration, and community for everyone working with WooCommerce.
