Visionary Headliners, Rockstars &
Fab Facilitators
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Elif Balkas, Ph.D.
Chief Technology Officer
Wolfspeed
Elif has spent more than two decades helping organizations turn breakthrough semiconductor technologies into products and businesses that scale. Her experience spans the journey from fundamental research through product development, creating AI-enabled industrial systems that accelerate technology innovation and bridge the path from pilot to commercialization, to enterprise technology strategy. She is passionate about connecting technology innovation with strategy, execution, and governance to create lasting business value.
Alissa Comella
Associate Vice President Corporate Partnerships, Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge
The Ohio State University
Duane Detwiler
Vice President of Research
Honda Research Institute USA, Inc.
Growth Innovation Leadership Council Member
As Vice President of Research at Honda Research Institute USA, Duane is a member of the leadership team dedicated to advancing the organization’s mission of innovating through science. He oversees the institute’s Ohio operations, including Material Science Research and 99P Labs, where teams collaborate to develop breakthrough technologies that support future Honda applications and broader societal benefits. During his more than 30-year career with Honda, Duane has focused on the research, development, and application of physics-based modeling, simulation, and optimization methods for vehicle design and development. His contributions have resulted in multiple patents and have played a key role in driving innovation across the organization.
Dr. Ryan Goldsberry
Professor
Hampton University
Former Managing Director, Honeywell
Vivek Iyer
Vice President, Head of Enterprise Data & Analytics
ABM Industries
With more than 25 years of experience advising businesses on innovation and growth, Vivek has worked across financial and business services industries to help organizations embrace change and unlock new opportunities. His insights on leadership and innovation have made him a trusted voice among executives and business leaders.
Andrea Jacobs
Senior Director, Artificial Intelligence
CAS
Alix Jules
Head of AI Transformation
Broadridge
Alix is an enterprise AI executive with more than 20 years of experience turning emerging technology into measurable business value. He has led major AI and transformation programs across Broadridge, Google, IBM, and Verizon. As an executive educator at Caltech, he combines enterprise-scale execution with strategic and academic rigor.
Tiger Maharana
Head of Artificial Intelligence
Sequoia Financial Group
Tim Morton
Director – Global Design
Husqvarna Group
Tim is a design and innovation leader driven by a deep curiosity about how people experience the world. He’s led and consulted on design and innovation ventures for organizations including LEGO, Qualcomm, Dell, Novartis, Crayola, Newell Brands, and the Husqvarna Group, leading and enabling teams to connect the dots between people, business, and technology, turning complexity into opportunity. Tim has also served as a mentor and member of the faculty at the University of Notre Dame, where he continues to support Innovation and entrepreneurship education, nurturing a passion for curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking to create a lasting impact.
Jay Nakagawa
Director, Competitive Intelligence
Dell Technologies
Jay brings more than 40 years of leadership in competitive intelligence, product strategy, and executive management. For over 14 years, he has served as Director of Competitive Intelligence at Dell Technologies, helping drive more than $100B in annual revenue. His career spans executive roles across enterprise companies, high-growth firms, and startups, with global experience in sales, marketing, business development, and product management. Jay is a former Chairman of SCIP, a 2023 Fellow of the Council of Competitive Intelligence, a faculty member at the Academy of Competitive Intelligence, and a lecturer at SMU. He was recently named Co-Executive Director of SAICI, focused on applying AI to strategy and competitive insight.
Priya Rao
Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Worthington Enterprises
Dr. Phil Samuel
Director, AI + Tech PMO
RK Industries
Antony Oliva
Director of Innovation
HF Sinclair
Antony has been a leader in AI, data, and operational innovation for nearly two decades. As Director of Innovation at HF Sinclair, he drives enterprise AI adoption across one of the country’s largest energy companies, giving him a practical, ground-level perspective on how AI reshapes business operations and where it delivers real value.
Master of Ceremonies
Brian Fitzpatrick
Partner, Events
Frost & Sullivan