Manuel Alba, a civil engineer specializing in computer science and telecommunications, is the organizer of the Elastic community in Chile and holds a prominent role at the University of Chile as a head of software development and architecture. His journey with Elastic began at Entel when the company transitioned from Splunk, which sparked his appreciation for the tool's observability features. This initial exposure led him to recognize Elastic's potential and incorporate it into his teaching. Alba's enthusiasm for Elastic technology culminated in organizing a virtual meetup during the pandemic, attracting 122 students and inspiring him to establish a series of knowledge-sharing events across Latin America. His commitment to the community earned him the Bronze Contributor award in 2022, and he emphasizes the significance of creating a supportive, sales-free environment where developers can learn and share insights. Alba credits the Latam Community team for their unwavering support, which has been crucial in fostering an inclusive and enriching ecosystem centered around Elastic's core pillars of search, observability, and security.