We are thrilled to announce that Juan Cardona Ramirez has been recognized as a Databricks Partner Champion, making him the first Perficient colleague in Latin America to earn this prestigious designation. This recognition celebrates Juan’s deep technical expertise, consistent contributions, and commitment to innovation within the Databricks ecosystem.
Program Overview
The Databricks Partner Champion Program is a selective initiative that highlights individuals who exhibit thought leadership, demonstrate technical mastery, inspire and guide the community and deliver innovation and value.
Champions go through a rigorous process that includes multiple certifications, in-depth training, and continuous contributions to both internal teams and external communities. The goal is to elevate professionals who are not only skilled with the Databricks platform but also help others grow through knowledge sharing, mentorship, and hands-on leadership.
Juan’s Journey to Champion Status
Juan’s path to becoming a Partner Champion spanned nearly two years and required significant dedication. The nomination process was initiated by a fellow Champion—David Callaghan, Perficient’s first Databricks Champion—and required Juan to:
- Obtain basic, associate, and professional-level certifications
- Complete the three-day Architect Essentials course
- Demonstrate continuous contributions within Perficient and the broader Databricks community
More than just checking boxes, Juan’s journey was driven by proactivity, discipline, and a relentless commitment to continuous learning. He consistently led internal study groups and hosted “chill and learn” sessions to help colleagues understand best practices and maximize the platform’s potential.
“I’m feeling grateful for this. All the effort is recognized, and it’s a big achievement for my career. I’m really proud of it, and my main objective is to get more people into this position.” — Juan Cardona Ramirez, Technical Consultant.
Impact and Vision
Juan’s recognition has significant implications—not just for his career, but for Perficient’s presence in Latin America and for the broader Databricks ecosystem in the region. His achievement reflects the growing technical excellence and leadership across our global teams.
He has played a key role in promoting Databricks adoption with clients, aligning technology with business needs, and championing best practices. Now, as a Champion, Juan is focused on:
- Improving Perficient’s Databricks practice across LatAm
- Making the certification and development paths more accessible for aspiring engineers
- Leading mentorship and enablement initiatives through Perficient’s Databricks Center of Excellence
Looking Ahead
Juan is especially excited about the latest innovations from Databricks, including:
- Advancements across the GenAI solution space
- Unity Catalog and enhanced data protection
- Revamped dashboards for simplified data visualization
- Genie, a powerful new tool designed to bring insights to non-technical users
“This kind of recognition makes our company shine brighter in the Databricks partnership, showcasing the internal talent and our amazing capabilities to take on challenges.” — Juan Cardona Ramirez, Technical Consultant
More About Our Partnership
At Perficient, we are proud to be a trusted Databricks consulting partner with almost 200 Databricks-certified consultants. Our team specializes in delivering tailored data engineering, analytics, and AI solutions that unlock value and drive business transformation.
Learn more about our Databricks partnership here
