SAS Presenters at WUSS 2026

Jim Box

• Introducing PROC R: PROC R is a new procedure in SAS Viya that allows programmers to freely switch between R and SAS code in the same program. It makes it easy to move data between R dataframes and SAS datasets, produce R graphics in SAS output, utilize SAS commands in the R code, and much more. This new PROC makes it easy to use the right coding language for the specific part of the problem you are trying to solve, all in the SAS environment.
• Clinical Analytics Innovation with SAS Clinical Acceleration: Clinical innovation depends on speed, but it also depends on trust. Jim Box will share how SAS Clinical Acceleration modernizes clinical analytics on SAS Viya with a secure, validated foundation that supports collaboration, governance and scalability in one environment. At the core is a governed repository with role‑based permissions, version control, electronic signatures and a full audit history, paired with a statistical compute environment that keeps analysts working where the data lives. Walk away with a clear view of how an integrated, cloud‑native approach can reduce workflow friction and help teams stay audit ready while accelerating the path from insight to submission.
• An Introduction to JSON: JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is becoming the dominant standard for exchanging structured data across modern computing environments. In this talk, we’ll do a practical introduction to JSON, focusing on its structure and some of its unique features. We’ll explore ways of using JSON in SAS environments, including the JSON LIBNAME statement in SAS 9 and PROC JSON in Viya, and we’ll also look at how it is implemented in R and Python.

Biography:
Jim is a Principal Data Scientist in the Life Sciences Customer Advisory group at SAS, where he helps customers improve the value of their SAS environments. He’s a long-time SAS programmer, starting with version 6.08 in the last century. When’s he’s not writing code, he likes to experiment with new baking recipes.

Carleigh Jo Crabtree

• How Do I Modify SAS® 9 Programs to Run in SAS® Viya®: SAS Viya is a modern, cloud-enabled analytics platform built for high-speed, scalable processing- but what does that mean in practice for SAS programmers? This demonstration demystifies SAS Viya by explaining its core architecture, introducing caslibs, and showing how they compare to traditional SAS libraries. You’ll also see how to load data into memory and explore key considerations when working with the CAS server. Whether you’re new to SAS® Viya or transitioning from SAS 9, this session provides a practical foundation for working effectively in SAS Viya.
• SAS ® Programming with an AI Assistant: Explore how to effectively use ChatGPT as a programming partner when writing SAS® code. Learn best practices for prompting and validating results to accelerate your programming workflow. See how ChatGPT can assist with drafting, explaining, and refining SAS® programs.
• Simplifying SAS® Viya® : Explaining the Compute and CAS Servers, Caslibs, and In-Memory Data: SAS® Viya® is a modern, cloud-enabled analytics platform built for high-speed, scalable processing- but what does that mean in practice for SAS® programmers? This demonstration demystifies SAS® Viya® by explaining its core architecture, introducing caslibs, and showing how they compare to traditional SAS® libraries. You’ll also see how to load data into memory and explore key considerations when working with the CAS server. Whether you’re new to SAS® Viya® or transitioning from SAS® 9, this session provides a practical foundation for working effectively in SAS® Viya® .

Biography:
Carleigh Jo works in content development as a technical training consultant, creating and delivering technical courses designed to make complex data concepts clear and actionable. Her expertise spans DATA step processing, program efficiency techniques, optimizing programs with SAS macros and programming strategies that can apply to a range of real-world scenarios. She regularly presents at conferences and user groups, sharing practical insights that help practitioners solve everyday data challenges. Carleigh Jo is currently pursuing graduate studies in Engineering Management at NC State.

Frances Gillespie

• A Dashboard-Driven Approach to Metadata and Audit Trails with SAS Clinical Acceleration: Clinical trial organizations face increasing demands for transparency, traceability, and regulatory compliance. This presentation introduces the concept of growing regulatory expectations in clinical trials, followed by an overview of the importance of metadata and audit trails in ensuring data integrity and submission readiness. An interactive dashboard built using SAS Visual Analytics on Viya will be demonstrated, leveraging metadata and audit trail data from a clinical trial stored in SAS Clinical Acceleration Repository on Viya. The dashboard visualizes metadata changes and audit trail logs, illustrating why understanding and interpreting these elements is critical for compliance and efficient workflows. The session highlights how dashboard driven insights enable clinical programmers, data managers, and regulatory professionals to conduct faster data reviews, improve traceability, and support regulatory submissions through enhanced transparency.

Biography:
Frances Gillespie is a Customer Success Manager at SAS, specializing in the life sciences industry. She partners with pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations to help them maximize the value of their SAS software investments, with a focus on clinical trial analytics, regulatory compliance, and data-driven decision-making. With a background in statistics and a passion for data visualization, Frances enjoys helping teams uncover insights through intuitive dashboards and automation strategies.

Her work often involves collaborating with clinical programmers, data managers, and regulatory professionals to streamline workflows and improve submission readiness. She is particularly interested in how metadata and audit trail analytics can enhance transparency and traceability in clinical research. Frances also supports customer engagement through user groups, webinars, and presentations, and is an advocate for knowledge sharing across the life sciences community.

Prior to joining SAS, Frances studied statistics at North Carolina State University, where she developed a strong foundation in applied analytics and communication. She is excited to contribute to WUSS 2026 by showcasing practical applications of SAS tools that accelerate clinical insights and support regulatory success.

Chris Hemedinger

• Working with SAS and Microsoft 365 using SAS Programming: In today’s cloud-connected world, traditional methods of accessing Excel data from SAS are becoming obsolete. With more content stored in SharePoint Online and OneDrive (hosted in Microsoft 365), it can be challenging to get SAS to read these files and publish new ones to these locations. This paper guides you through the steps of connecting your SAS programs to Microsoft 365, enabling you to read and write files to SharePoint folders, OneDrive folders, and Microsoft Teams. You will learn how to use SAS to connect to Microsoft 365 using the Microsoft Graph APIs. Additionally, we will introduce SAS macros developed to simplify common tasks: listing your files, reading files into SAS, and publishing new files from SAS. By the end of this session, you will have the tools and knowledge to seamlessly integrate SAS with Microsoft 365, enhancing your data management and collaboration capabilities.
• What’s New with SAS 9.4 M10: SAS Viya represents the future of analytics innovation—but SAS 9.4 isn’t going anywhere. In this session, discover how SAS is committed to supporting customers on their own timeline, ensuring a smooth transition without compromising reliability or trust. We’ll share the roadmap for SAS 9.4 Maintenance 10, including key enhancements like automated TLS configuration and a unified Multi-Factor Authentication capability for SAS Servers and the Middle Tier, and support for PROC PYTHON. Learn how these updates reinforce SAS’s dedication to security, stability, and customer confidence while paving the way for generations of SAS solutions.

Biography:
Chris Hemedinger is the Director of SAS User Engagement. His talented team looks after SAS online communities, SAS user groups, developer experience and GitHub, tech newsletters, expert webinars and tutorials. Chris is a recovering software developer who helped build popular SAS products such as SAS Enterprise Guide. Inexplicably, Chris is still coasting on the limited fame he earned as an author of SAS For Dummies. You can follow Chris on Twitter as @cjdinger.

Danny Modlin

• Getting Started with Bayesian Analysis: This presentation introduces the audience to the realm of Bayesian analyses and concepts. Participants will be able to see the difference between the Bayesian approach and the classical approach to statistics. Convergence diagnostics, images, and a sample example of PROC MCMC will be shared.
• Missing Data in PROC MCMC: This presentation will show the participants how to incorporate missing data into the Bayesian analysis and not be subjected to complete case analysis. Posterior distributions for the missing values will be generated and the uncertainty of the missing will be captured within the final model.
• SAS Visual Statistics in SAS Viya: In this hands-on workshop, learn to perform statistical analysis on any size data, quickly and easily, for maximum impact. SAS Visual Statistics tasks put the power of large-scale statistical analysis at your fingertips. Learn to create generalized linear models, cluster analyses, and more!
• The GENMOD Toolkit: What do you do when things aren’t Normal?: Life is nice in the statistical world when things are normal (distributed that is). We have performed multitudes of regression analyses where the residuals meet the required assumptions of normality. What happens when this normality is not present? What do you do when your response variable is a count or a rate? Welcome to the world of generalized linear models! In this presentation, we will explore this expansion from normality using the GENMOD procedure in SAS. Suggestions for deciding which distribution to use will be shared. Our discussion and examples will also include a look into zero-inflation and one of the more interesting distributions, the Tweedie distribution.
• PROC PPF: Past, Present, and Future: As SAS celebrates its 50th anniversary, take a moment to consider the past, present, and future of statistical programming. In this presentation, we look back at our roots, the SAS procedural programming language, reminisce over graphical user interfaces that changed the way we interact with code, and look to the future where AI tools assist with our programming based on an iterative, back-and-forth conversation with SAS copilots.

Biography:
Danny Modlin is a Senior Analytical Training Consultant at SAS world headquarters in Cary, North Carolina. Since starting at SAS in 2011, Danny has taught and developed courses that span across many areas of statistics and SAS platforms, with a specialization in the application of Bayesian analyses. Danny received his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Elon College (now Elon University), a Masters of Mathematics from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and a Masters of Statistics from North Carolina State University.

Prior to his time at SAS, Danny was a mathematics, statistics, and computer science teacher at the middle school, high school, and collegiate levels. Outside of SAS, Danny’s interests include local sports and meteorology.

Charu Shankar

• How to Land Work as a SAS® Professional in the Age of AI:
  The analytics profession is being transformed by AI, cloud computing, and open-source technologies, creating strong demand for professionals who can combine SAS®, Python, and AI-assisted development skills. With tools such as SAS Viya Copilot™, ChatGPT, Claude, and GitHub Copilot helping automate coding tasks, the question is no longer whether AI can write code, but how professionals can differentiate themselves in a rapidly evolving job market.

  As a SAS instructor, one of the most frequent questions I receive is: “How do I find work in analytics?” To help answer that question, I created a 21-Day Career Challenge focused on technical growth, networking, personal branding, continuous learning, and effective use of AI tools.

  In this practical and engaging session, I will share 21 actionable strategies drawn from my own career journey and years of mentoring SAS professionals.

  Attendees will leave with a career action worksheet and concrete steps they can immediately apply to strengthen their skills, increase their visibility, and position themselves for success in the age of AI.

• Express yourself with Python in SAS Viya: Learn how to fulfil your analytic needs by writing a python panda in SAS Viya using the SWAT wrapper.. Learn how object oriented programming python stacks up with procedural SAS data step code, and do a compare and contrast. Learn to write native python code to perform data access and data manipulation tasks and submit it in your SAS session. Learn how computing principles such as ‘order of first occurrence’ play out in both languages.
• The Log Whisperer: Still Reading SAS Logs? Start Ranking Them:
  SAS logs are vital for QC, but review is often slow and inconsistent—manual scanning, uneven triage, and too much time lost to noise. This paper introduces a SAS-only “Log Whisperer” that turns log review into a repeatable workflow using a rules control table, DATA step parsing, PRX pattern matching, and PROC SQL rollups.

  A lightweight rules dataset defines patterns, severity, and weight. The engine scans a folder of .log files, captures line-level hits, and rolls results up to a file score with stoplight status (RED/AMBER/YELLOW/GREEN). A rule-frequency view highlights the most common root causes across the project.

  Rather than reading every log line, reviewers get a ranked queue that focuses attention where it matters most—reducing QC thrash and improving consistency without a heavy framework.

  Takeaway: a reusable SAS utility that helps focus reviewer attention where it counts, reduce QC thrash, and bring consistency to log review—without a heavy framework.

  The solution is shared as 5 modular “Lego block” programs that can be run in sequence and reused across studies or projects.

• Stop Guessing. Start Matching. High-Impact SAS PRX Patterns in 20 minutes:Messy text is everywhere in clinical programming—IDs embedded in free text, inconsistent visit labels, unpredictable separators, and key-value strings that require precise parsing. SAS PRX brings Perl-compatible regular expressions into the DATA step, enabling accurate validation and extraction without brittle cascades of INDEX/SUBSTR logic.

  This 20-minute, code-forward session is delivered as three fast demo segments:

  1. Anchors and boundaries to validate common values (such as USUBJID and visit labels) and eliminate false positives.
  2. Capturing groups to extract structured components—such as USUBJID and visit numbers—from unstructured strings.
  3. Lookarounds to target exactly the value you want (for example, extracting AESER from key-value text) without consuming labels or delimiters.

  We finish by layering a small set of standardization patterns—normalizing separators, collapsing whitespace, and applying safe character filtering—to make downstream derivations and reporting more reliable.

  Attendees will leave with a concise PRX recipe card and a compile-once/apply-many template they can drop into SDTM/ADaM preparation, mapping support, reporting pipelines, and QC workflows to reduce review churn and improve robustness.

Biography:
SAS Senior Technical Trainer Charu Shankar teaches by engaging with logic, visuals and analogies to spark critical thinking. She interviews users to recommend the right SAS training.

Charu curates and teaches unique content in classrooms and with presentations at well over 100 international SAS user groups. She contributes to the SAS YouTube channel, SAS Global Forum, SAS Ask the Expert webinar series, Programmer Week, SAS Training Post Blog, and more. Charu’s areas of expertise include Base SAS programming, PROC SQL, SAS Viya, SAS efficiencies, SAS Enterprise Guide, and Tips & Tricks.

In her personal time, Charu is a Health & Life Coach, vegan chef and yoga instructor. She loves to explore Canadian natural trails with her rescue husky Miko.

Kim Wilson

• Debugging TLS/Certification Errors: When PROC HTTP, FILENAME EMAIL, FILENAME FTP, and other SAS code fail when attempting to connect to various remote servers using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS), the root cause is often not the SAS code itself but the underlying TLS and certificate configuration. As more SAS programs integrate with web services, email servers, and secure file transfers, understanding how TLS works has become essential for effective troubleshooting. This paper focuses on why TLS and certificates are such a common source of confusion and how they directly affect network-enabled SAS features.

  The paper begins with a brief, practical overview of TLS, including how it evolved from SSL and why modern environments rely on TLS 1.2 and TLS 1.3. It then reviews key changes in SAS® 9.4 that significantly impacted debugging, starting with the introduction of the Mozilla CA certificate bundle in SAS 9.4M3. Common errors—such as certificate validation failures, hostname mismatches, and protocol negotiation problems—are examined using real-world scenarios from PROC HTTP, FILENAME EMAIL, and FILENAME FTP.

• Top 5 Headscratchers with DATA step coding: The SAS DATA step has been around for decades, but it isn’t always clear which approach to take for a given task. This session reveals powerful techniques for solving tricky SAS logic problems, such as consolidating multiple rows into a single observation, performing table lookups with hash objects, processing hierarchical data, and mastering the DOW loop. See how four different approaches can produce the same result, but each has different strengths and limitations. Discover cleaner, faster, and more flexible ways to write DATA step code—and learn how to choose the right technique for the job.

Biography:
Kim Wilson is a Technical Support Analyst in the Foundation SAS group in Technical Support. She has been a SAS user since 1996, and provides general support for the DATA step, macro, and Base procedures. She has written several papers and presented them at various SAS conferences and user events.