Erin Stellato

Erin Stellato is a Principal Program Manager on the SQL Tools and Experiences team, helping advance tools that customers use daily with SQL databases. She is passionate about data and chocolate, not always in that order. She previously worked as a consultant and was a Data Platform MVP, and has been an active member of the SQL community as both a volunteer and speaker. Her areas of interest within the engine include Query Store, Extended Events, statistics, and performance tuning; and she also enjoys helping accidental/involuntary DBAs figure out how SQL Server works.

Erin Stellato's Training Days

Finding Problems and Stabilizing Performance with Query StoreSQLBits 2022

In this workshop you'll learn how to leverage Query Store to its full extent - from finding problems, forcing plans, and understanding all the new capabilities it will support in SQL Server 2022.

Performance Tuning with Query Store in SQL Server and AzureSQLBits 2020

We’ll cover Query Store end-to-end in this full day workshop using real-world examples based on customer issues resolved over the last 3 years to help you tune your workload, whether it's on-prem or in the cloud.

Stop Tuning Queries and Start Tuning Your WorkloadSQLBits 2019

A traditional approach to tuning is at the query level, where you address the worst performers one at a time. In this session we will step through tuning at the workload level by identifying anti-patterns and addressing them across sets of queries.

Solving Common Performance Problems Using Query StoreSQLBits 2018

One of the best new features in SQL Server 2016 is Query Store; it’s a game-changer for data professionals. If you're looking to upgrade to SQL Server 2016 or higher, it's essential that you know how to leverage this feature immediately.

Erin Stellato's Sessions

Finding Problems and Stabilizing Performance with Query StoreSQLBits 2022

In this workshop you'll learn how to leverage Query Store to its full extent - from finding problems, forcing plans, and understanding all the new capabilities it will support in SQL Server 2022.

Stop Tuning Queries and Start Tuning Your WorkloadSQLBits 2021

This session will discuss how to look at your workload holistically using a variety of methods, so that you can target and address patterns in your code and query plans, rather than troubleshooting one query at a time.

Performance Tuning with Query Store in SQL Server and AzureSQLBits 2020

We’ll cover Query Store end-to-end in this full day workshop using real-world examples based on customer issues resolved over the last 3 years to help you tune your workload, whether it's on-prem or in the cloud.

Stop Tuning Queries and Start Tuning Your WorkloadSQLBits 2020

This session will discuss how to look at your workload holistically using a variety of methods, so that you can target and address patterns in your code and query plans, rather than troubleshooting one query at a time.

Why You Need Query StoreSQLBits 2020

If you have heard about Query Store but don't know what it can offer, or why you really need it, this session will answer those questions and demonstrate the value of this feature that continues to evolve.

Plan Stability with Automatic Tuning in SQL Server and AzureSQLBits 2019

Automatic Plan Correction is a feature you can use whether you're a pro at performance tuning or just starting with SQL Server. Come to this session to learn how to spend less time fighting fires with this new feature.

Extending your use of Extended EventsSQLBits 2019

If you've been using Extended Events the same way you used to use Trace, you might be wondering if there's more to it. There is! In this session we will explore what else you can do with XE besides capture long-running queries.

Stop Tuning Queries and Start Tuning Your WorkloadSQLBits 2019

A traditional approach to tuning is at the query level, where you address the worst performers one at a time. In this session we will step through tuning at the workload level by identifying anti-patterns and addressing them across sets of queries.

Solving Common Performance Problems Using Query StoreSQLBits 2018

One of the best new features in SQL Server 2016 is Query Store; it’s a game-changer for data professionals. If you're looking to upgrade to SQL Server 2016 or higher, it's essential that you know how to leverage this feature immediately.

Kicking & Screaming: Replacing Profiler with Extended EventsSQLBits 2018

Extended Events was released with SQL Server 2008, and almost 10 years later, many data professionals are still clinging to Profiler. It's time to move forward, and in this session I'll show you how.

SSMS 21 Spotlight: What's new and why it matters, Part ISQLBits 2025

In this session we'll take a tour of SSMS 21 and new features including the new connection dialog and Git integration. We'll also share plans for SQL 2025.

SSMS 21 Spotlight: What's new and why it matters, Part IISQLBits 2025

In this session we'll take a tour of SSMS 21 and new features including the new connection dialog and Git integration. We'll also share plans for SQL 2025.

Maximizing what's new in SQL tools and their CopilotsSQLBits 2025

Whether your data lives in Fabric, Azure, or SQL Server, you likely have a series of tasks to complete with not a lot of time to get them done. You need to know the right tool to use (and why!) as well as how to leverage its AI capabilities to create more time in your day. In this session we'll share the latest updates to your favorite SQL tools, including Copilot improvements, that help you become more efficient in your daily workflow and less stressed about your to-do list. You'll see what's new in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), the MSSQL extension in VS Code, SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) and SDK-style Projects. We'll have demos throughout, share what's on the roadmap, and make sure there's time for your questions.

SQL Server 2025 Engine Deep DiveSQLBits 2025

Discover the latest innovations for the core database engine from the latest major release of SQL Server, SQL Server 2025. This session comes packed with a deep dive look at features across security, performance, and availability including some long requested enhancements to the T-SQL language. Come see how applications accelerate performance through concurrency and query execution enhancements. Go “passwordless” using the new Microsoft Entra managed identity support. Or see how a collection of enhancements power backups and Always On Availability Groups for your HADR needs. We will also show you some T-SQL love through RegEx and other language enhancements. Our session will be full of demos all using the new SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 21 assisted with Copilot experiences.

Getting Started with Troubleshooting Query PerformanceSQLBits 2024

This session will teach folks how to get started with troubleshooting query performance across the main SQL offerings using practical demos.

Stabilizing Performance with Query StoreSQLBits 2024

This session will demonstrate how to use plan forcing (manual and automatic) and Query Store Hints to stabilize query performance without changing code.

SQLBits 2024 Opening KeynoteSQLBits 2024

The Opening Keynote

What You've Been Missing in SSMSSQLBits 2024

Get tips and tricks and a sneak peak at the future for SSMS.

Meet the PG: SQL toolsSQLBits 2024

Come meet some of the team around different tools in the Microsoft SQL ecosystem. Questions and comments welcome, please stop by and let us know what has and hasn't worked well for you recently.