AI Exchange Speakers

Amy Bontrager
Director
U.S. Digital Services, Executive Office of the President

Jon Barnhart
Director of Research Advisory Services
EAB

Peter Clardy, M.D.
Director of Clinical Enterprise
Google Health

Lucas Hershberger
AI Literacy Coordinator
QuantHub

Laura Pitts, Ph.D., MLIS
Assistant Professor of Library Services and Faculty Fellow for Experiential Learning
Jacksonville State University

Randy Sparkman
Committee Chair
AI Huntsville

Moriah Kent
AI Implementation Specialist & Instructional Designer
Auburn University

Katherine Chiou, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anthropology
Co-Director, UA AI Teaching Enhancement Initiative
The University of Alabama

Moderator:
Shannon Allen
Executive Director, Future Talent Strategies
Innovate Alabama

C.S. Prakash, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Tuskegee University

Christopher Clemons, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Agriscience Education
Auburn University

Tanzeel Rahman, Ph.D. 
Assistant Professor, Biosystems Engineering
Auburn University

Blake Thaxton
Executive Director, Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association
Commodity Director, Alabama Farmers Federation

Moderator:
DeElla Wiley
Educational Development Specialist, Biggio Center
Auburn University

Eric Negangard, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Accountancy
Harbert College of Business, Auburn University

Corey Thomaston
Assistant Vice President, Talent
Bank Independent

Jerry Siegel
Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
AuburnBank

Damion McIntosh, PhD, CPA, CFM, CMA, CAMS
Professor of Practice
Harbert College of Business, Auburn University

Mandy Devereux
Executive Director, Career & Employer Initiatives
Harbert College of Business, Auburn University

Moderator:
Keven Yost, Ph.D.
Associate Dean and Professor, Finance
Harbert College of Business, Auburn University

Jiaqi Gong, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Computer Science and
Director of Alabama Center for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (ALAAI)
The University of Alabama

Niraj Verma
Senior Manager, Solution Architecture
Red Hat

Calvin Nobles, Ph.D.
Portfolio Vice President and Dean
School of Cybersecurity and Information Technology
University of Maryland Global Campus

Nick Sellers, J.D.
Chief Operating Officer
McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure

Moderator:
Jay James, MS, MBA, CISSP, PMP
Cybersecurity Operations Manager
Auburn University

Jon Barganier, MBA
President & CEO
Manufacture Alabama

Connie Buskness, MBA
Director, NA ESH
Evonik Technology & Infrastructure

Marissa Miller, M.Ed.
Director, Career Coaching and Programs
Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, Auburn University

Cambrie Cook
Market Development Executive
Laborup

Josh Spurgin
AI Customer Success Engineer
IBM

Kamand Bagherian
Co-founder & Chief Technology Officer
Gradly

Julie Stuckey
Director, Digital Strategy
BCD Travel

Chris Carney
Lead AI Solutions Architect
CDW / Mission

Luke Elder
Client Program Manager
Maersk

Moderator:
Brad Erickson
Sr. Executive Partner, Data Analytics & AI
Gartner

Michael De Jesus III, Ph.D.
Founder and Principal
MDJ Advisory

Lawrence Cappello, Ph.D.
Associate Professor & Director
The University of Alabama

Janie Gregg, Ph.D.
Professor
University of West Alabama

William Lutz
AI & Emerging Technology Strategist
Oracle

Moderator:
Lindsay Doukopoulos, Ph.D.
Associate Director for Educational Development, Biggio Center
Auburn University