Keynotes
Ethan Mollick
Innovation Expert & Artificial Intelligence Thought Leader; Professor of Entrepreneurship, The Wharton School
Ethan Mollick is an Associate Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he studies and teaches innovation and entrepreneurship, and also examines the effects of artificial intelligence on work and education. His papers have been published in top journals and his book on AI, "Co-Intelligence," is a New York Times bestseller. His research is highly cited by other academics, and has been covered by CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and other leading publications.
In addition to his research and teaching, Ethan is the Co-Director of the Generative AI Lab at Wharton, which builds prototypes and conducts research to discover how AI can help humans thrive while mitigating risks. Prior to his time in academia, Ethan co-founded a startup company, and he advises numerous organizations.
Mollick received his PhD and MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University.
Presenting:
Moritz Bächer
Associate Lab Director of Disney Research
Moritz Bächer is the Associate Lab Director of Disney’s Zurich-based robotics team, where he leads a strategic program focusing on the development of novel model- and learning-based tools for the design and control of believable robotic characters. His core expertise is the optimal design and control of both soft and rigid systems, using a combination of differentiable simulation and reinforcement learning. Prior to joining Disney, Moritz received his Ph.D. from the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and his master’s degree from ETH Zurich.
Presenting:
Liv Boeree
Science Communicator & Poker Champion
A self-confessed nerd with a first class degree in astrophysics, Liv combined her science background and passion for games to become one of the most recognizable faces in professional poker. She was the number one ranked female player from 2014-2016, and holds both European Poker Tour and World Series of Poker championship titles after winning more than $4 million on the international circuit.
Liv is also a keen philanthropist, and in 2014 co-founded Raising for Effective Giving (REG), a research and advisory non-profit that uses the philosophies and strategies of effective altruism to identify and raise money for the most globally impactful charities.
Since retiring from professional poker in 2018, Liv is now focused on education, keen to inspire others with the rational thinking techniques she has learned through both poker and effective altruism.
Presenting:
Mark Moyou
Sr. Data Scientist & Solutions Architect, NVIDIA
Dr. Mark Moyou Senior Data Scientist at NVIDIA working with enterprise clients on AI strategy and deploying machine learning applications to production. He is the host of the Caribbean Tech Pioneers Podcast, The AI Portfolio Podcast and is the Director of the Optimized Ai Conference.
Presenting:
Martin Kihn
Sr. Vice President of Product Strategy, Salesforce
Martin Kihn is senior vice president of strategy for Salesforce Marketing Cloud, working with global enterprises on data strategy and execution. Before joining Salesforce, Marty led the data-driven marketing practice as research vice president at Gartner, focusing on data integration and analytics. He was previously vice president and director of strategy and analytics at Digitas. Marty is widely known as a thought leader, speaker and frequent contributor to publications such as AdExchanger, ZDNet, Forbes and the New York Times. His first book, “House of Lies,” was the basis for a Showtime series. His latest book, releasing in September 2024 through Wiley publishing, is titled, “Customer 360: How Data, AI and Trust Change Everything.”
Presenting:
Mike Bechtel
Chief Futurist, Deloitte Consulting LLP
As chief futurist for Deloitte Consulting LLP, Mike and his team work to make sense of what’s new and next in tech. Their goal: Helping today’s leaders arrive at their preferred tomorrows slightly ahead of schedule. He also serves as an adjunct professor teaching corporate innovation at the University of Notre Dame. In 2013, Mike co-founded and served as managing director of Ringleader Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage startups that had (intentionally or not) built simple solutions to complex corporate challenges. Mike began his career in technology R&D where he was awarded 12 U.S. patents.
Presenting:
Tim Brooks
Managing Director and Chief AI Advisor, World Wide Technology
Tim has 25 years of innovation experience at start-ups, early growth companies and established enterprise organizations. He specializes in data strategy, AI solutions and platform transformations that leverage data. Tim’s expertise includes digital and customer experience strategy, service design and partner ecosystem development.
At World Wide Technology, Tim serves as co-founder and managing director of World Wide Technology’s consulting services and solution engineering practice, where he leads solution development activities for AI solutions and data strategy. Under his leadership, World Wide Technology has been recognized for seven consecutive years as NVIDIA’s AI Solutions Partner of the Year and has delivered nearly 100 working AI solutions to Fortune 500 customers during the last nine years while growing a team from four consultants to 350 data scientists, data engineers, consultants and delivery specialists.
Presenting:Featured Speakers
Aditya Ganjam
Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, Conviva
As Conviva’s chief product officer and co-founder, Aditya leads product strategy for the world’s first operational data platform. He has been key in implementing Conviva’s stateful analytics, connecting system performance to business outcomes. Aditya’s career at Conviva spans from lead engineer to chief product officer. He was previously a doctoral candidate at Carnegie Mellon University, where he contributed to the first peer-to-peer live streaming system.
Presenting:
Alvin Francis
Vice President of Product Management for Business Analytics, IBM
Alvin Francis is currently the vice president of product management for business analytics at IBM. Before joining IBM, he held several senior leadership positions in the telecommunications industry, including director of sales, vice president of marketing, vice president of product management and general manager.
Alvin's educational background includes a Master of Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario Ivey School of Business, a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto, and Bachelor of Science degrees in Physics, Mathematics and Electrical Engineering from New Mexico State University.
Presenting:
Amanda Kelly
Director of Streamlit & Product Experiences, Snowflake, and Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer, Streamlit
Amanda Kelly serves as director of product experiences at Snowflake, including Streamlit, one of the fastest-growing open source data science projects. She was the co-founder and chief operating officer of Streamlit before it was acquired by Snowflake in March 2022. Amanda previously led product and operations for several stealthy Google X projects, developing new products and algorithms across Google's natural language processing capabilities. During her tenure at Zoox (acquired by Amazon), she developed ground-up product solutions to build a fully autonomous vehicle, and later scaled operations for deploying fleets in cities. Amanda has a Master of Business Administration from Stanford and holds several patents.
Presenting:
Andy Eyherabide
Sr. Vice President of Data & AI, Globant
As senior vice president of data and AI at Globant, Andy Eyherabide helps clients reinvent themselves by designing and building connected experiences using data and AI with a business-driven approach. He fosters regional synergies and promotes internal AI adoption. Andy has held senior roles at industry leaders SAS and BCG, co-founded and led Datalytics’ professional services team and shapes the future workforce as a postgraduate professor of data science at Universidad del CEMA.
Presenting:
Billy Fischer
Sr. Vice President of Business Development, 10up
With extensive experience in driving strategic growth and market expansion, Billy Fischer is a dynamic leader renowned for his ability to transform businesses and inspire teams. As senior vice president of business development at 10up, Billy has a proven track record of identifying and capitalizing on new market opportunities, fostering innovation and leading successful business development initiatives.
Presenting:
Brian Alvey
Chief Technology Officer, WordPress VIP
Brian Alvey is the chief technology officer at WordPress VIP, an enterprise content management system solution trusted by iconic media titans, major brands and government agencies. Before joining WordPress VIP in 2022, Brian was the founder of Engadget. He also served as a leader in online publishing and has built software used by hundreds of global media and retail brands.
Presenting:
Carolina Dolan Chandler
Chief Digital Officer, Globant
Carolina Dolan Chandler is chief digital officer at Globant. She joined the company in 2006 and has held a variety of roles contributing to the business’s 360-degree growth, including technical director, account director and global marketing director. Today, Carolina is in charge of establishing a cross-company data strategy and driving the adoption, development and implementation of digital technologies, ranging from proprietary applications to industry standards.
Presenting:
Deepthi Bollu
Partner, DTT Service Line Leader, Industrial and Communications Sector, IBM Consulting
Deepthi leads an incredibly brilliant team of data and AI practitioners for IBM Consulting across several industries including manufacturing, energy telecommunication and technology. She is an avid technologist, thinker, thought leader, curious learner and problem solver working at the intersection of people, processes, strategy, digital, technology and data with rapid experimentation and an entrepreneurial mindset. Her superpowers include curiosity, servant leadership, Innovator's DNA, connectivity, collaboration, self-motivation, thirst for knowledge, optimism, a can-do spirit, a must-do resolve and problem-solving. Prior to joining IBM, she led all things digital for Shell's Lubricants Americas business, helping accelerate the growth agenda for Shell Downstream.
Presenting:
Eric Mayberry
Sr. Director, Enterprise Reporting Professional Services, Bread Financial
Eric has over 25 years of experience in the data and analytics space and is currently responsible for standing up and maturing an enterprise-wide reporting function for Bread Financial. Prior to Bread, Eric served as director of data analytics at Ohio State University where he built out their enterprise reporting organization, consolidating reporting teams across the university. While at Ohio State, Eric created a collaborative reporting community with other reporting experts at universities across the world.
Presenting:
John Doulis
Vice President of Clinical Informatics & Technology Innovation, HCA Healthcare
Dr. John Doulis is vice president of clinical informatics and technology innovation at HCA Healthcare. Previously, Dr. Doulis was the senior vice president of clinical solutions at First Data Bank as well as the assistant vice chancellor for health affairs and chief operating officer of the Informatics Center at Vanderbilt University. He has 20+ years of experience designing and managing information systems that support health and academic enterprises. He received his doctor of medicine from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
Presenting:
John Giaquinto
Vice President of Loyalty & Analytics, Rite Aid
John has more than 25 years of experience in marketing, specializing in data-driven marketing and loyalty. He is currently vice president of loyalty, personalization and analytics at Rite Aid. John has been a change agent and leader for data transformation and creating a data-driven culture, and for introducing behavioral design and behavioral economics concepts. John has a Bachelor of Arts in Design from Salem State University and a Master of Science in Communications from Boston University.
Presenting:
Manu Singh
Vice President of Data Science & Analytics, News Corp
Manu Singh is the vice president of data science and analytics at the New York Post, where they founded NYP Data Labs to drive ML-powered analysis and experimentation. His current responsibilities include leading a team of highly skilled professionals, fostering innovation, and translating data into strategic business advantages for maximum impact.
Previously, Manu was the director of analytics at the NFL, focusing on digital media and international markets, and served on the board of a UK Rugby League team. With a strong background in data science, analytics and engineering, Manu holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of London, and his areas of interest involve cartesian linguistics and algorithmic game theory.
Presenting:
Owen Van Valkenburg
Sr. AI Global Black Belt, Microsoft
Owen Van Valkenburg, a Sr. Microsoft AI Global Black Belt, specializes in Video Analytics, Language and Vision AI, and Multi-Agent Architectures. As the inventor of the COBRA Video Analyzer, he leverages his media background to push the boundaries of AI and how it can apply to video and analytics. Interests include reading, camping, and building interesting and innovative solutions with AI models.
Presenting:
Solomon Williams
Vice President, Data Transformation, Factspan
Solomon Williams is a senior technology leader with Factspan having 25+ years of experience in solving complex business problems. Solomon has a proven track record of progressive experience in data and analytics strategy including digital transformations, cloud strategy, data governance, strategic consulting and XOPs (development/data/machine learning) and has delivered global data and AI solutions across industries such as insurance, media & entertainment and retail.
Presenting:
Tim Hossain
Vice President, Marketing, WordPress VIP
Tim Hossain leads Marketing at WordPress VIP, a leading content management system with enterprise and high-volume traffic websites in mind. With a rich career across education and technology, Tim is a data-driven leader that understands the importance of analytics and how it should be used in making business decisions. Tim is a first-generation American whose parents immigrated to the US in the early 1970s. He is a child of two worlds, walking the line between his Bangladeshi roots and the realities of being a minority in America.
Presenting:
Traci Gusher
EY Americas Data and Analytics Leader, EY
Traci teams with leaders and executives to build sustainable data, analytics and artificial intelligence capabilities, focusing on moving beyond experimentation and prototyping.
Traci helps organizations build processes, teams and technology that follow modern delivery approaches for production scale analytics and AI and product centered data strategies with a relentless focus on generating tangible business benefits. Her clients and teams strive to identify the most pressing use cases and align data and analytics to drive measurable value.
She has deep experience helping clients define their data and analytics strategies, drive insights from unstructured data and designing and implementing conversational AI programs.
Presenting:
Tyler Becker
Global Analytics Specialist, Microsoft
Tyler Becker is a global analytics specialist at Microsoft with extensive experience in data analytics, cloud technologies and artificial intelligence. Passionate about leveraging emerging technologies to drive innovation, Tyler excels in designing and building data foundations, ensuring security and governance, and promoting the adoption of advanced cloud analytics solutions. With a strong balance of business understanding and technical expertise, Tyler is dedicated to helping organizations gain operational insights and make intelligent decisions.
Presenting:
Vasant Paranjpe
Vice President of Sales Engineering, MicroStrategy
Vasant Paranjpe is a seasoned software engineer executive with over a decade of experience in the tech industry. He specializes in developing innovative solutions for complex problems, leveraging his expertise in Java, Python and cloud technologies. Vasant holds a Master of Business Administration and a bachelor’s in computer science and has a proven track record of delivering high-quality software products. Passionate about continuous learning, he stays updated with the latest advancements in technology to drive impactful results in his projects.
Presenting:
Adam Cohn
Sr. Manager - Food & Beverage Business Insights & Analytics, The Walt Disney Company
Adam has spent his entire career at the intersection of technology and business in multiple industries including defense, biotechnology and hospitality. He is unusually passionate about data and spends his time looking for ways to leverage the incredible talents of technical professionals, uncover hidden secrets in data and tell the story through compelling visualizations. Adam loves his current role supporting the chefs and culinary professionals as senior manager, food and beverage business insights and analytics for Walt Disney World.
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Ali Baiocco
Analyst, Business Development & Innovation, The Walt Disney Company
Ali Baiocco is an analyst on ESPN’s business development and innovation team and has been with the company for two years. She is responsible for evaluating new opportunities and negotiating, maximizing and scaling deals that generate short and long-term revenue, uncover cost reductions across ESPN and push forward fan-facing innovations. She manages key partnerships, servicing key functionalities and verticals including consulting, advanced technology, connectivity, gaming, AI, AR/ VR, commerce and more. She was a part of the team that executed the NHL Big City Greens Classic 1 and 2 and the NFL Toy Story Funday Football live, animated telecasts.
Presenting:
Ashley Levine
Principal Project Controls Estimator, The Walt Disney Company
Ashley Levine is a principal project controls estimator at Walt Disney Imagineering and has been with the company since 2011. She manages the resources required to deliver the creative vision to the Guests, supporting various teams in identifying obstacles, tracking changes and developing efficient strategies to overcome them. Currently, Ashley is the lead estimator for Tokyo Disneyland Resort Portfolio, responsible for identifying and communicating the needs of multiple project teams bringing new magic to life at both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. Ashley studied civil engineering at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee and is originally from Cooper City, Florida.
Presenting:
Brett O'Neil
Sr. Analyst Business Development & Innovation, The Walt Disney Company
Brett O’Neil has been with ESPN since 2005. Starting in the stats and information group, he spent years working with leagues, data providers and internal product teams to enhance the live data experience on ESPN platforms. Brett also helped manage ESPN Analytics and worked to integrate the team’s world class sports metrics into digital and production executions. His current role with business development focuses on collaboration with external partners to create new and innovative ESPN experiences.
Presenting:
Brian Burke
Principle Sports Data Scientist, The Walt Disney Company
Brian Burke is a sports data scientist at ESPN and an early pioneer in football analytics. Prior to joining ESPN, he founded the website Advanced Football Analytics (www.advancedfootballanalytics.com), where he developed the core metrics and models still widely used throughout the sport. He was formerly a consultant to several NFL teams, and a regular contributor to the New York Times, Washington Post, NBC Sports and other outlets.
Presenting:
Chad Cooper
Sr. Manager - Digital Analytics, The Walt Disney Company
Chad Cooper has over 20 years of experience in digital analytics and currently leads a team of brilliant digital data analysts supporting Disney Signature Experiences. His career experience includes working for globally recognized media, hospitality and entertainment companies. Chad earned a Doctorate in Business Administration from Rollins College, a Master of Business Administration from Stetson University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tennessee.
Presenting:
Chris Szydlo
Content Director, Disney Institute
Leading the content team, Chris Szydlo’s team designs and develops both shelf and customized learning experiences about Disney’s approach. Joining Disney in 1994 and Disney Institute in 2000, he’s held multiple roles from leading the delivery team to the business development team. Chris helped revitalize the public courses twice and in his account leadership role helped expand into several new markets, starting up the advisory services team. Chris previously worked as a master model builder and general manager of the LEGO Imagination Center at Disney Springs. Chris has his bachelor’s degree with a specialization in education from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Presenting:
Claudia Morales
Sr. Manager of Decision Science, The Walt Disney Company
Claudia is a senior manager of decision science for Disney Decision Science and Integration (DDSI). Her primary responsibilities include overseeing the science components of the media portfolio which serve Disney media networks’ ad sales and research teams. Prior to joining DDSI, Claudia led a team of data scientists at Southwest Airlines and Colgate Palmolive for several years. Before discovering her passion for technical leadership, she worked in consulting for over six years as a data scientist specializing in revenue management and pricing disciplines in a variety of industries. Claudia holds a master's degree in applied economics and math.
Presenting:
Farnaz Shoraka
Vice President, Content Planning & Analysis - Walt Disney Studios, The Walt Disney Company
Farnaz Shoraka has spent 16 years working in finance, strategy and analytics for the entertainment industry across several lines of businesses including theatrical, transactional, consumer products and streaming. Currently, Farnaz leads content planning and analysis for Direct-to-Consumer at Disney, providing strategic and analytical support on titles from Walt Disney Studios on Disney+ and Hulu. She has been at The Walt Disney Company for 13 years, and prior to joining streaming she worked in Theatrical Distribution and Disney Consumer Products.
Presenting:
Hailey Skoglund
Customer Experience Manager, The Walt Disney Company
Hailey is a business intelligence manager and passionate data storyteller at Disney, where she leverages her expertise in data science and business analytics to deliver strategic insights. Dedicated to diversity, inclusion and accessibility, Hailey integrates accessible design principles into her analytics, inspired by her own visual impairment. Outside of work, she enjoys playing the violin and helping to advocate for individuals with disabilities, accompanied by her guide dog, Marli. Hailey holds a Master of Business Administration degree with a focus on data analytics from the University of West Florida.
Presenting:
Marli Skoglund
Guide Dog, Hailey Skoglund
Justin Hoffman
Business Integration Manager II, The Walt Disney Company
Justin is a business integration manager with consumer insights (CIMA), where he works in survey methodology, data management and data visualization.
Prior to Disney, Justin worked in rotating digital marketing roles in Sydney, Australia and Seoul, Korea. Once in Orlando, he served as a product analyst in ecommerce, then in project management for pharmaceutical research.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts from The Ohio State University and a Master of Business Administration from Florida Gulf Coast University.
Presenting:
Kerri Bair
Director, Customer Experience & Commercial Intelligence, The Walt Disney Company
Kerri Bair is the director of customer experience and commercial intelligence at Walt Disney World Resort. She leads a team that focuses on improving the customer experience while leveraging data science and analytics to address emerging trends, assess business performance and influence commercial activations. Kerri has spent 20 years in the data analytics space and has led multiple teams including industrial engineering, supply chain transformation and food and beverage business insights. Before Disney she worked for Ingersoll-Rand as a supply chain engineer. Kerri holds a degree in industrial engineering from Penn State University.
Presenting:
Kevin Masick
Manager - Research Systems, The Walt Disney Company
Kevin began his Disney career in August 2021 as a research systems manager in consumer insights (CIMA). Prior to joining Disney, he spent 16+ years as a healthcare leader driving analytic innovation, research education and storytelling with data and an adjunct professor teaching research methodology and statistics. He has co-authored three textbooks and published 25+ peer reviewed journal articles. He holds a PhD in Applied Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University.
Presenting:
Laura Albert
Professor, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Laura Albert is a professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the 2023 president of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS). She has been recognized with many honors, including the INFORMS Impact Prize, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow, Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Fellow and a Fulbright Award. She is the author of the analytics blog, "Punk Rock Operations Research."
Presenting:
Lauren Boyer
Sr. Manager, Business Insights & Analytics, The Walt Disney Company
As senior manager of business insights and analytics at National Geographic, Lauren Boyer drives data-based decision-making for the organization's subscription business, including editorial and marketing efforts. Lauren started at National Geographic in 2017, initially spearheading social media intelligence. As a former newspaper reporter, she's passionate about how data-driven approaches can bolster newsrooms' resilience and sustainability in today's digital landscape. Lauren holds a degree in journalism from Penn State University, where she is currently an adjunct instructor and curriculum contributor for the college of communications.
Presenting:
Lexi Hunt
Revenue Management Manager, The Walt Disney Company
Lexi is a revenue management manager for Walt Disney World Resorts. Storytelling has always been at the forefront of her life, and she knew that Disney was the perfect place to combine her analytical skills with her life-long passion for accessibility. She also sits on the leadership team for Enabled FL, which is Walt Disney World’s Business Employee Resource Group that promotes a positive experience for people with disabilities. Lexi holds a master’s degree in analytics from Villanova University as well as a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the State University of New York at Binghamton.
Presenting:
Nick Lewerke
Sr. Vice President, Content Planning & Analysis, The Walt Disney Company
As the senior vice president and head of content planning and analysis for direct-to-consumer at Disney Entertainment, Nick leads the team responsible for planning the best-in-class storytelling created across The Walt Disney Company.
Grounded in data-driven decision making, Nick’s team collaborates with key partners across Walt Disney Studios and Disney Entertainment Television to plan the streaming releases across all platforms; including determining financial viability, identifying target audiences and more.
Nick has been with The Walt Disney Company for 17 years on various analytics, strategy and business planning roles for Walt Disney Studios prior to working in Direct-to-Consumer.
Presenting:
Sam Savage
Executive Director, ProbabilityManagement.org and Author
Dr. Sam L. Savage is executive director of ProbabilityManagement.org, a nonprofit cofounded with Harry Markowitz, Nobel Laureate in Economics, to pioneer stochastic data standards. Dr. Savage is author of, "The Flaw of Averages: Why We Underestimate Risk in the Face of Uncertainty," and, "Chancification: Fixing the Flaw of Averages." He invented the Stochastic Information Packet (SIP), the basic building block of stochastic data, and is an adjunct at Stanford’s Engineering School.
Presenting:
Sara Shapiro
Manager, Growth Strategy Subscription Services, The Walt Disney Company
As National Geographic’s digital marketing senior analyst, Sara Shapiro supports the tracking and measurement of the subscription business’s marketing efforts across paid and O&O channels. As a passionate marketer, she is focused on continually improving the ‘art’ of marketing through the ‘science’ of analysis, by providing strategic insights around performance and digging deep into the conversion funnel to uncover optimization areas. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising from the University of South Carolina.
Presenting:
Yael Grushka-Cockayne
Chair in Business Administration & Sr. Associate Dean, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia
Professor Grushka-Cockayne's research and teaching activities focus on data science, artificial intelligence, forecasting, project management and behavioral decision-making. She is an award-winning teacher. She is the president of INFORMS’ Decision Analysis Society. She served an associate editor at Management Science and is currently an associate editor at Operation Research. Her course, "Fundamentals of Project Planning and Management," MOOC has over 300,000 enrolled, across 200 countries. Her Data Science for Business HarvardX course has taught hundreds of learners around the world.
Presenting:Presentations
At Disney, we are fundamentally rethinking what entertainment robotics means to this world. In this talk, we will provide insight into the robotic character platform Disney is developing to enable the rapid design of legged robotic characters that learn to imitate artist-specified animations with a combination of deep reinforcement learning and GPU-accelerated simulation. We will also showcase live for attendees the first characters developed with this platform – our BDX series droids.
Please note that overflow seating for this session is available in rooms Fiesta 5 & 6.
In this thought-provoking speech, join Wharton Professor Ethan Mollick as he dives into the highly discussed, transformative realm of AI. Discover how AI, including chatbot technologies like ChatGPT, has disrupted our work and our entire way of life, leaving an indelible mark akin to the advent of the internet. Rather than fight the current we're already in, Ethan shifts the conversation towards a more pivotal question: How can we thoughtfully and consciously embrace AI to propel innovation and shape our future?
Please note that overflow seating for this session is available in rooms Fiesta 5 & 6.
This year's closing keynote will be delivered by self-confessed nerd, keen philanthropist and retired professional poker player, Liv Boeree. Learn from Liv's professional poker and effective altruism experience as she seeks to inspire others with techniques for rational thinking.
In an age of intelligent and creative machines, intelligent and creative people matter more, not less. With AI out of “the lab” and into the real world, it’s our shared privilege (and responsibility) as business leaders to shape a future that puts human ingenuity, empathy and initiative in the spotlight. Join Deloitte’s Chief Futurist, Mike Bechtel, and NVIDIA’s Senior Data Scientist and Solutions Architect, Mark Moyou, as they illustrate how humans and machines are already working together to help us arrive at our preferred tomorrows, slightly ahead of schedule.
Deloitte & NVIDIA are Platinum Plus Sponsors of DDAC
AI is enabling profound changes for early adopters.
As organizations move from AI experimentation to scaling AI across business functions, there are a host of strategic decisions to make about platforms, data fabric, governance, security, performance, adoption, compliance and return on investment.
This session will share WWT’s observations from leading dozens of significant customer AI transformations across multiple industries during the past 10 years, including gaming, retail, financial services and mining enterprises.
What you will learn:
- Buy. Build. Customize. Partner. How to organize your AI strategy.
- ROI vs ROIQ – which metric is best for your organization?
- Successful AI transformation is not a project; success requires a product-centric approach.
- AI Silos of Experimentation, AI Centers of Excellence and AI Federations of Expertise – which model is right for you?
- A peek at the near future - how AI is maturing from augmentation and automation to agency.
World Wide Technology is a Platinum Plus sponsor of DDAC
Companies today are looking to AI to unlock new innovations and gain a strategic advantage. Bridging the trust gap between this cutting-edge technology and the practical application of data-driven experiences is key. Achieving success in this dynamic environment requires an enterprise AI strategy that combines AI with unified and harmonized data and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to improve customer experience and engagement.
In this session, Salesforce Strategy Senior Vice President and former Gartner thought leader Martin Kihn will share how leading companies combine AI + Data + CRM to build a next-gen customer engagement engine on a trusted platform. Join us to gain valuable insights, real-world examples, and practical strategies to empower your organization to connect with your customers in a whole new way.
Join us to discover how AI and emerging tech can elevate your role within your organization. In this session, we'll dive into extended use cases of AI, serving up fresh ideas to supercharge your efficiency, productivity and overall awesomeness. Whether you're optimizing operations, crafting marketing campaigns, enhancing guest experiences, or innovating within different divisions, we'll provide you with the insights on how AI can make you the hero of your team.
MicroStrategy is a Gold Sponsor of DDAC
Benefits of data-driven decision making include improved accuracy in predictions and forecasts, enhanced operational efficiency, better resource allocation, more targeted marketing and customer service strategies and overall competitive advantage.
However, many organizations continue to struggle with driving a culture of data-driven decision making. In this session we will address factors which inhibit growth of this culture, what actions, best practices and tools can be adopted to overcome these challenges and grow your organization's data literacy which in-turn will drive data-driven decision making.
Factspan is a Gold Sponsor of DDAC
To be an operational data hero, you need to be the first to know (and the first to know why) when issues impact guest experience. It requires speed, scale and efficiency to act instantly when any of your millions of users need you. Join our conversation to discover how the latest trends in operational data can make you the hero of tomorrow.
Uncover the capabilities you need to find and eliminate the issues leaking revenue, conversion and engagement. Today's operational data heroes need to:
- Natively correlate user action and system performance data at internet scale
- Conduct deep root-cause analysis on real-time and historical data
- Leverage AI-powered alerting across millions of user cohorts
Conviva is a Gold Sponsor of DDAC
Traci Gusher, EY Americas AI and Data Leader, will outline how organizations should be planning to drive value from their data. She will delve into different ways data can drive value, the challenges of transforming data into a strategic asset and unlocking new revenue streams. This session will also cover strategies to bridge the capability gap, ensuring companies will be equipped to harness data for a competitive edge.
Imagine a world where businesses effortlessly conjure the perfect customer journey, with precise personalization in every single interaction. In this panel discussion, we'll reveal the secrets behind using AI and analytics to captivate customers at every marketing touchpoint.
Our panel of data-driven wizards will unveil the real-world potential of generative AI and advanced analytics in transforming the customer journey. By tapping into the hidden charms of data, you'll weave unified, seamless and enchanting customer experiences.
During our session, you will hear about:
- Integrating diverse data sources to create an all-knowing, all-seeing view of your customers.
- Tapping into artificial intelligence to help predict and fulfill customer desires and needs with clairvoyant-like accuracy.
- Leveraging key digital transformation tools and strategies to craft compelling digital experiences that leave customers spellbound (but coming back for more).
WordPress VIP is a Gold Sponsor of DDAC
In a recent study, we found that 64% of CEOs today say they face significant pressure from investors, creditors, and lenders to accelerate adoption of generative AI. But there is a great deal of confusion about where and how generative AI will drive the greatest value for enterprise. Enterprises will derive the greatest value from generative AI by addressing high impact use cases that change the way business users make decisions. Join Deepthi Bollu and Alvin Francis as they explore how generative AI is changing the game for customer experience, digital labor, app dev & IT ops, and business intelligence.
IBM is a Gold Sponsor of DDAC
Come hear about the latest innovations from Snowflake and Streamlit that make it incredibly easy to spin up apps and notebooks that let you experiment with and ship LLM-backed products. We'll go through latest features and upcoming innovations as well as real examples from other customers that you can start using today.
Snowflake is a Gold Sponsor of DDAC
Generative AI has emerged as a critical focus area for businesses and is even being integrated into the daily lives of consumers. The advent of this groundbreaking technology is brimming with innovative possibilities and will unlock business benefits across industries. In this panel, executives from Globant and HCA Healthcare will discuss AI’s present and future, including:
- Strategies for integrating AI into business operations for maximum efficiency.
- How businesses can best prepare for widespread AI adoption.
- Predictions for future AI trends and developments.
- Practical examples of AI applications that are enhancing consumer experiences.
Globant is a Gold Sponsor of DDAC
In today’s data-driven landscape, the convergence of data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) holds immense potential. Data analytics often relies on structured data to quickly gain useful insights, patterns and trends, but what if the source of that data starts is an image or video stream? AI brings the ability to derive structure from unstructured sources, generating new data which can then be consumed by enterprise analytics platforms to provide deeper insights.
Come see how streaming unstructured data, such as video, can be consumed by multimodal AI models to provide real, consumable data for enterprise analytics consumers and used with everyday tools like Power BI.
Microsoft is a Gold Sponsor of DDAC
The Flaw of Averages occurs when decisions in the face of uncertainty are based on single number estimates instead of probabilities. Stochastic data improves this situation in three ways:
- Division of Labor: Data scientists can generate stochastic data for use by decision makers just as power engineers generate electricity for use in lightbulbs.
- Modularity: The modularity of stochastic data allows for Lego block as opposed to sandcastle architecture.
- Speed: Because much of the computation can be done in advance and stored in stochastic data, the speed of user interaction may be increased by orders of magnitude.
Social media generates a monolith of data - a precipice of metrics that threatens to knock us off course. National Geographic embraces the climb. This 136-year-old publisher is the number one brand on social media, with 785 million followers.
With a paywall launch in 2019, National Geographic introduced a new set of conversion-based KPIs to the social universe. Since then, National Geographic has honed its strategy, leveraging data to drive deeper relationships with a new generation of fans.
In this presentation, learn to cut through the clutter of vanity metrics to focus on what matters and develop data-driven collaboration between teams to increase engagement and drive off-platform conversions among younger consumers.
Disney is the home of many beloved characters and franchises that fans want to return to again and again. But that could be hard to do - movies leave theatres, Blu-rays leave shelves, and there used to be no single way to find out where to watch or stream a movie or show at home. That all changed with Disney+ and Hulu, which provides subscribers a unique offering where all our characters and shows live in one place. Join us as we uncover the dynamics of our audiences' engagement with our brands, drive incremental engagement with our content on streaming platforms, and feed fans' fleeting appetite as soon as the hunger strikes.
The use of analytics in mainstream football coverage is years in the making, the roots of which date back nearly two decades. Former Navy fighter pilot Brian Burke was there at the beginning, having solved the 4th-down problem in 2008. Now a sports data scientist at ESPN, he remains at the forefront of decision analysis in football. Brian will discuss how he cracked the problem, how NFL teams apply his approach and how ESPN uses the analysis on its biggest platforms, including Monday Night Football and the College Football Playoff.
Experts often provide judgments on an ordinal scale, which are easy to generate and are intuitive. Ordinal ratings, however, are not trivial to aggregate across multiple experts, as they provide neither the strict preference ordering of a ranking, nor the intensity of preference of cardinal scores. In addition, ordinal rating judgments often map to a broad set of outcomes, which are not expressed through the ordinal, discrete set of choices elicited. In this way, ordinal rating also neglects to express the degree of uncertainty that may exist when rankings are interpreted as forecasts. This presentation will offer a framework for mapping ordinal ratings to continuous forecasts, allowing for the ratings to be aggregated and represent the uncertainty that may exist in the submissions. Finally, our framework allows for rendering the aggregate distributional forecasts back to the original ordinal scale, providing again an intuitive set of judgements, to be used by the decision maker. We demonstrate our framework in the context of a National Football League (NFL) scout's assessments of players' performances. These assessments, treated as forecasts, are utilized by general managers when making player selections in the annual NFL draft.
Differences in thought patterns, approaches, communication styles and skill sets can strengthen an analytical team. In the first part of this presentation, we will discuss practical ways to leverage the strengths and special abilities of individuals on your team through inclusive leadership.
Next, we will share how to help make your dashboards accessible by implementing features such as alternative text for images, clear and concise data labels, proper color contrast and keyboard navigation. Gain tips on how to format your code in a way that is compatible with screen readers and other assistive technology.
How does storytelling with data make you feel? Joyful? Afraid? Anxious? We all have unique experiences, knowledge, skills, and abilities that guide our interpretation of the world. When conducting research or analyzing data, sometimes we are guided by beliefs, assumptions, feelings, or hunches, because we think we know what needs to be done to drive change. By being aware of various biases that exist, you'll be equipped to critically take a step back when analyzing data and avoid being derailed by your own train of thought.
In this session, we will create core memories for how to be objective when storytelling with data by:
- Enhancing awareness of data biases that cloud effective decision-making
- Promoting critical thinking to ask the right questions
- Providing skills to step back and objectively evaluate and analyze data
This methodological foundation will enhance your awareness of data biases, encourage critical thinking, prioritize the right questions, and build more effective storytelling.
Discover how innovative employees from The Walt Disney Company harness the transformative power of creativity at work. Join us as we listen to the inspiring stories of panelists from Disney Corporate and Disney Experiences who have brought innovations to life through visionary thinking, nurturing leadership and fostering inclusivity. Through the panelists' diverse perspectives, attendees will explore the importance of employing a creative mindset at work, leaving with renewed inspiration and actionable insights.
Over the years, volumetric and animated telecasts have undergone a significant evolution, transforming the landscape of sports broadcasting and entertainment. Through advanced data tracking, traditional linear events can now evolve into immersive experiences that blend cutting-edge technology with creative storytelling. Examples like the NHL Big City Greens Classic and Toy Story Funday Football showcase this evolution and push the boundaries of what is possible in live sports programming. These telecasts combine the excitement of the game with animated elements from fans favorite IP, captivating viewers of all ages. Our goal is to demonstrate the rapid advancement of this technology, challenges faced during production and envision the future of animated telecasts.
Leaders across all organizations oversee both people and business. Disney equally prioritizes the focus on leading both people and the business. This dual prioritization is the critical success factor for how Disney creates a culture where employees thrive and drive creative, customer-driven, story-based experiences that can result in an increase in business results. Not convinced? You'll get the business case behind why a people-focused organization thrives. You'll also hear powerful insights and immersive stories from Disney Institute professionals and other Disney leaders who have lived the Disney approach. You'll leave with great ideas and impactful tips to take back and help you as a leader take action immediately.
Data analytics plays a pivotal role in solving some of our most complex challenges and boosting the global economy. In this presentation, we will explore the boundless possibilities of data analytics and the latest trends shaping the field, showcasing real-world applications spanning transportation, critical infrastructure protection and public health. Attendees will gain insights into the beauty of data analytics and optimization, demonstrating how academic research translates into tangible benefits for communities worldwide.
What time is it? It’s time for a session about time!
Time is ever present, difficult to define, flies while having fun and is sometimes wasted. This session investigates how time impacts the way you analyze data, how you prioritize your daily demands and how you can get the most from each minute of every day. So, turn on your time circuits and join a room full of curious explorers as we travel one second per second, for forty minutes into the future to discover how time influences our professional endeavors and personal lives. You’re all but guaranteed to have a good time!
Product Demos
Akamai Connected Cloud and TrafficPeak can detect and address performance and security issues proactively, BEFORE they impact your users. Retain more data for longer at a fraction of the cost compared to other providers.
Akamai is a Silver Sponsor of DDAC
Organizations have been utilizing the same legacy digital analytics products for decades. During that time, the world has changed. Marketing analytics is transforming into product analytics and legacy digital analytics tools haven’t kept up. Leading digital native organizations are choosing Amplitude - the undisputed leader in product analytics - as part of modern data stacks. Amplitude offers newer analytics tech, unparalleled self-service capabilities, integrated session replay and an open system that integrates easily with other technologies. In this session, Adam Greco, author of a book on Adobe Analytics, will explain why the industry is shifting and why large organizations are switching to more modern digital analytics products like Amplitude.
Amplitude is a Silver Sponsor of DDAC
Businesses need to use their data effectively to spot the latest trends, stay ahead and work efficiently. The key is to set up AI solutions that are simple, but powerful enough to enhance decision making, speed up problem-solving and reimagine your operations.
Introducing Capgemini’s RAISE – Reliable AI Solution Engineering. RAISE is a tool that helps businesses swiftly and smoothly integrate AI into their operations. It works with your current systems to support AI-driven decisions and innovation. With RAISE, you get faster results and lower costs, all while ensuring reliability and scalability.
With RAISE, Capgemini’s clients can enhance their AI capabilities, leading to smarter operations and better outcomes. Join us to see how RAISE can turn your data into useful insights, connecting the spots to reveal the bigger picture.
Capgemini is a Silver Sponsor of DDAC
A lot has changed in the world of data over the years, from the big data revolution with distributed computing to the most recent wave of Generative AI. Through this evolution, Cloudera has remained a trusted partner for some of the world’s largest enterprises, delivering data solutions that meet the most demanding requirements.
Today, Cloudera stands out by offering the world's only Hybrid Data Platform. This platform provides purpose-built data services for every stage of the data lifecycle, from the edge to AI. Join us in this session to discover the transformative benefits of a platform with fully integrated data services, enabling you to build and deploy solutions tailored to your specific requirements.
Whether you need air-gapped security on premises for highly sensitive data, or highly elastic and undefined resource needs best suited for deployment in the public cloud, Cloudera has you covered.
With Cloudera's Hybrid Data Platform, your organization can build projects once and deploy them anywhere, ensuring flexibility, security and efficiency across all environments.
Cloudera is a Silver Sponsor of DDAC
Build an ethical and secure digital assistant interface to elevate customer and employee experiences, providing personalized interactions with natural facial expressions, gestures and various languages—trained on domain and company-specific datasets. The fully integrated solution uses NVIDIA ACE for lip sync and facial animation, bringing next-level realism to digital assistants for more immersive interactions.
Experience how EPAM's Data Product Factory is revolutionizing the data landscape, turning fragmented information into a unified, high-quality asset. This engaging demo will showcase how our embedded governance ensures data quality and trust, breaking down silos for seamless data integration.
Discover the transformative benefits of our Data Product Factory through enhanced self-service analytics, interactive "talk to your data" capabilities, and rapid prototyping of insightful reports and dashboards. See how this robust data foundation supports the creation of powerful AI agents, including live concierge services, customer service bots, claims registration and more.
Join us to explore how EPAM's solutions elevate data utilization and AI integration, driving operational excellence and innovation. Witness the transformation that our Data Product Factory can bring to your organization, setting new standards for data-driven decision-making and customer engagement. Don't miss this opportunity to see how we can help your organization harness the power of data and AI to create memorable experiences.
EPAM is a Silver Sponsor of DDAC
In today’s dynamic advertising landscape, data, measurement and privacy take center stage. Clean rooms have emerged as a game-changing technology to uncover new audience insights, drive more strategic partnerships and trans- form the customer experience at greater speed and scale.
Join LiveRamp’s Ted Flanagan, Habu Chief Customer Officer, to learn how the LiveRamp Clean Room powered by Habu, enables:
• Media companies and other data owners to easily scale analytics for their advertisers through templated queries, visualizations and automa- tion to improve campaign optimization, performance and sales growth
• Advertisers to gain secure access to high-value datasets and pre-pack- aged insights across media companies, CTV, retail media and social part- ners for smarter insights, activation and measurement
• Seamless connection to any partner, across any cloud – unifying mea- surement across the advertising ecosystem
LiveRamp is a Silver Sponsor of DDAC
Experience the future of AI with Qubika’s Compound Model AI System, a
breakthrough in intelligent computing. Designed for versatile applications,
our system seamlessly integrates multiple specialized AI models to deliver
accuracy and performance.
Whether you’re optimizing complex workflows, analyzing large datasets or en- hancing your product, Qubika’s AI system adapts dynamically to meet diverse demands. It combines the strengths of neural networks, RAGs and data plat- forms, ensuring comprehensive solutions across industries.
Join us for a live demonstration to see how Qubika’s innovation can acceler- ate your business, drive efficiency and unlock new opportunities. Discover the power of a truly integrated AI ecosystem.
Qubika is a Silver Sponsor of DDAC
Discover how SAP Analytics Cloud and UiPath(r) Intelligent Automation can help customers elevate and automate Planning and Analysis capabilities. Speakers will demonstrate the benefits of SAP Analytics Cloud and UiPath Intelligent Automation and discuss how they are better together.
SAP & UiPath are Silver Sponsors of DDAC
Join us for a 20-minute demo session to explore Select Star, an intelligent data catalog and data lineage platform. Learn how companies use Select Star for data migration, data democratization and cost optimization for their data cloud.
Select Star automatically analyzes and documents your metadata, providing a user-friendly data portal for your team. In this session, we will demonstrate how Select Star's data catalog, column-level lineage tracking, usage analysis and AI assistants can streamline your data discovery and data governance for your team.
Don't forget to visit our booth #514 and learn how Select Star can serve as a co-pilot for your data team!
Select Star is a Silver Sponsor of DDAC
Integrate diverse data sources, maintain real-time data flow, and ensure centralized control and observability — it's all possible with Stonebranch Universal Automation Center (UAC). Learn how to replace fragmented automation with a streamlined, end-to-end solution that includes event-based triggers, automated managed file transfers, and detailed monitoring. Through practical demonstrations, we'll show how UAC empowers DataOps teams to enhance efficiency, reduce errors, and optimize performance. Embrace the future of data pipeline management with a robust, scalable approach that adapts to evolving enterprise needs.
Stonebranch is a Silver Sponsor of DDAC
Previous Speakers
Thomas Mazloum
President, New Experiences Portfolio and Disney Signature Experiences
Thomas Mazloum is the president of New Experiences Portfolio and Disney Signature Experiences, leading several key growth businesses for the Disney Experiences segment and inspiring teams around the world to deliver the company's unparalleled family vacations. Based in Celebration, Florida, Thomas oversees Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney, National Geographic Expeditions, Golden Oak, Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Disney Institute, National Geographic Live and Storyliving by Disney.
Before being named to his current role, Mazloum served as senior vice president of operations at the Walt Disney World Resort, overseeing 30 Disney resort hotels as well as premium services, security and transportation operations at one of the world's premier vacation destination.
At Disney Cruise Line, Thomas is responsible for the entire award-winning operation, including the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish cruise ships, as well as Castaway Cay (Disney's private island in the Bahamas) and Disney's Port Canaveral cruise terminal. He also oversees the much-anticipated expansion of Disney's cruise fleet, with three new ships on the horizon, all of them showcasing the immersive family entertainment, enchanting storytelling and world-class service for which Disney is well known.
Thomas also leads the team at Disney Vacation Club, the company's popular vacation-ownership program. The club offers a portfolio of 15 themed resorts, from its newest property, Disney's Riviera Resort, to Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii, to properties across Walt Disney World Resort, at Disneyland Resort and in Vero Beach, Florida and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. His other responsibilities include Adventures by Disney and National Geographic Expeditions, the company's guided group travel businesses; Golden Oak, Disney's luxury whole-ownership community of custom homes at Walt Disney World Resort; and Disney Institute and National Geographic Live, which celebrate advancement and exploration through engaging and enriching programming.
In addition, Thomas is responsible for the development of a newly launched business, Storyliving by Disney. These master planned communities are intended to inspire residents to foster new friendships, pursue their interests and write the next exciting chapter in their lives – all while enjoying the attention to detail, unique amenities and special touches that are Disney hallmarks. The first Storyliving by Disney community, Cotino, is being built in Rancho Mirage, California. Additional locations in the U.S. are under exploration for future development.
Thomas began his Disney career in 1998 as a hotel director for Disney Cruise Line and was instrumental in launching the Disney Wonder, the second ship in the Disney fleet. He later served as general manager of Food & Beverage and Special Events at EPCOT. Before returning to Disney in 2017, Thomas served as the chief operating officer of Crystal Cruise Line, leading efforts to define “The Crystal Experience,” a concept that would set the bar for luxury vacations, with a focus on nurturing a positive employee culture.
Born in Austria, Thomas earned his degree in hotel management and administration in Innsbruck. A lifelong learner, he has also received several business certifications from institutions including Cornell University, the Hotel School of Lausanne and the Hotel School of Salzburg.
Presented:
- From Ear to Eternity: Using Data to Unlock Your Imagination
Shingai Manjengwa
Head of AI Education, ChainML
Shingai Manjengwa is the head of AI education at ChainML, a startup building an open-source platform for the rapid and responsible development of generative AI tools. She is also the founder of Fireside Analytics Inc., a data science education company that develops customized programs to teach digital and AI literacy, data science, bias and fairness in machine learning, and computer programming to various audiences.
A data scientist by profession, Shingai previously led Technical Education at the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Toronto, where she translated advanced AI research into educational programming to drive AI adoption and innovation in industry and government.
Shingai’s online courses have over 500,000 registered learners on platforms like IBM’s CognitiveClass.ai and Coursera. Her book, "The Computer and the Cancelled Music Lessons," teaches data science to kids from ages 5 to 12.
She was one of the DMZ’s Women of the Year in 2022 and is the recipient of the 2023 Womxn in Data Science Guiding Light Award. You can find Shingai on LinkedIn and Twitter: @Tjido.
Presented:
- From Analytics to AI: Building Successful Teams in a Rapidly Changing World
Ozan Varol
Rocket Scientist Turned Professor, Bestselling Author & Expert on Creativity & Critical Thinking
Ozan is a rocket scientist turned award-winning professor, #1 bestselling author and internationally acclaimed speaker. He is one of the world’s foremost experts in creativity, innovation and critical thinking.
Ozan has been called a “true original” by Adam Grant and dubbed a “superhero” by Dan Pink. His work has been described as “must read” by Susan Cain and featured in the Wall Street Journal, Time, BBC, CNN, Fast Company, Washington Post and more. His books and articles have been read by millions around the globe.
He’s the author of two bestselling books, "Awaken Your Genius" and "Think Like a Rocket Scientist." The books have been translated into 25 foreign languages and received numerous accolades, including being selected as:
- One of Amazon's Top 20 business books of the year
- Adam Grant’s # 1 pick of his top 20 leadership books of the year
- One of Inc.com’s “6 Business Books You Need to Read This Year (according to Bill Gates, Satya Nadella, and Adam Grant)”
- One of 6 Groundbreaking Books of Spring 2020 (according to Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Dan Pink, and Adam Grant)
Presented:
- Reimagine the Status Quo with Moonshot Thinking
Andy Eyherabide
Sr. Vice President of Technology, Specialty in Data & AI, Globant
Results driven and passionate for innovation, Andy Eyherabide is Globant's senior vice president for
technology. Andy created his first data and analytics start-up, Datalytics, in 2007. He built a multi-national team throughout South America to help clients make better strategic decisions with the use of big data. In 2013, he chose Globant as a growth vehicle for his career. Andy currently leads Globant's global team in the key growth market of media and entertainment. Their ongoing work aims to apply artificial intelligence and data strategy so that companies adapt and stay relevant in an environment with multiple platforms and touchpoints.
Presented:
- Using Generative AI to Redefine the Analytics Experience
Aniruddha Ray
Vice President, Analytics, Factspan
With over 22 years of experience in leading data and AI driven digital transformation, Aniruddha specializes in designing, building and scaling cloud data and AI platforms for clients. His transformation journey includes experience in organizations like IBM, Accenture, GE, EMC etc.
He loves to architect data and AI solutions to maximize client value while infusing a data product mindset and adaptive governance. He is a passionate data-driven storyteller, strategic thinker and innovator.
Presented:
- Data in Motion: Empowering Business Agility with Dynamic Data Pipelines
Doug Traill
Director Solution Architecture and Engineering, NVIDIA
Doug leads the Solution Architecture team at NVIDIA for Enterprise Products. His team supports customers adopting the latest NVIDIA technology for Gen AI, Data Science, Professional Visualization and Virtual Reality. Doug joined NVIDIA in 2009 and has supported many key Industry verticals from Media & Entertainment to Public Sector.
Doug holds a Masters degree in Telecommunication Business management from Kings College London and a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Glasgow.
Presented:
- Transforming Experiences with Generative AI - For Both Customers and Employees
Frank Pacione
Partner Solutions Engineering Manager, Snowflake
Frank is a partner solutions engineering manager at Snowflake. He leads a global team of partner sales engineers who are focused on helping ISV and Powered by Snowflake partners, such as Habu and Hightouch, grow and build data intensive applications on Snowflake.
Presented:
- Turbocharging AI/ML and Building a CDP on the Snowflake Data Cloud
Goutham Belliappa
Managing Director, Deloitte Consulting
Goutham Belliappa is the managing director for AI in Deloitte Consulting's Telecom Media & Entertainment practice focused on advising, implementing and operating data and AI outcomes for clients. Goutham led AI / gen AI and data transformations, clean rooms, personalization and other data and AI projects within media, gaming, hospitality and telco clients. He has worked closely with partners, implemented solutions, and built data and AI teams with NVIDIA, AWS, Google, Azure, Snowflake, Databricks and Salesforce. Goutham holds a Master of Computer Information Systems & Engineering (CISE) from the University of Florida, and loves returning home to Florida for work and pleasure.
Presented:
- Transforming Experiences with Generative AI - For Both Customers and Employees
Graham Allan
Managing Director, Deloitte Consulting
Graham has spent almost 30 years in digital media and entertainment technology, leading content operations, media supply chain metadata, rights and information architecture transformations for major film, animation & VFX, television, online media, theme parks, publishing and content aggregation organizations in the United States and Europe. As managing director at Deloitte Consulting, he drives a range of strategy and digital transformation initiatives across the media landscape.
Presented:
- Transforming Experiences with Generative AI - For Both Customers and Employees
Holly Stevens
Director of Product Marketing
Holly Stevens leads G2M strategy and content development for MicroStrategy's most innovative emerging products. As one of the team's most strategic storytellers, she works continuously to inspire creativity in the world of data analytics.
Prior to this role, Holly was a product manager for four years, integrating user testing and human-centric design into product development. Under her leadership, MicroStrategy introduced the Library application framework—enabling organizations to create personalized workspaces for users and shifted focus to machine learning.
Holly graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce, concentrating in Marketing and Management with a track in Business Analytics.
Presented:
- From Data to Action: Maximizing Value with Analytics and AI
Hugh Owen
Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, MicroStrategy
Hugh Owen has served as executive vice president and chief marketing officer since October 2020 and has previously served in various positions in support, product, marketing, and education since joining MicroStrategy in January 2000.
Mr. Owen received a Bachelor of Science Honours in Business from The University of Bath, England, in 1999.
Presented:
- From Data to Action: Maximizing Value with Analytics and AI
Luke Ambrosetti
Partner Solutions Engineer, Snowflake
Luke is a partner solutions engineer at Snowflake. He is passionate about data apps and martech, and works with both Snowflake customers and partners to build their applications on top of Snowflake. Prior to Snowflake, Luke implemented customer engagement and communication platforms for enterprise customers.
Presented:
- Turbocharging AI/ML and Building a CDP on the Snowflake Data Cloud
Melissa Yurash
Sr. Customer Success Engineer, Conviva
Melissa Yurash is an expert in streaming measurement with a decade of experience collaborating and consulting across global Tier 1 OTT streaming publishers and cable companies to optimize operations efficiency and customer experience. She has spoken at industry events and evolved her methodology to drive best practices in streaming measurement and is Six Sigma certified with a Bachelor of Statistics and Mathematics. Melissa is passionate about solving the challenge of delivering a consistent quality of experience for streaming and has worked to define KPIs and measure customer expectations in the industry.
Presented:
- Real-Time Decisioning and Data Freshness: Unleashing Your Data Superhero
Nick Winfrey
Director, Audience Modeling and Data Science, The Walt Disney Company
Nick Winfrey is a director, audience modeling and data science, Disney Advertising. In this role, Winfrey oversees groups responsible for data science and data strategy for advertising sales, covering Disney's portfolio of linear, streaming, digital, and social properties. The teams are responsible for creating and driving innovative solutions focused on audience segmentation, data activation, and clean room capabilities underscored by Disney's proprietary Audience Graph. Winfrey previously worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Federal Reserve and graduated from the University of San Diego.
Presented:
- How Leading the Data Clean Room Revolution Landed Disney on 2023's List of Most Innovative Companies
Priya Raman
Corporate Data & Analytics Lead, Accenture
Priya Raman is the corporate data and analytics lead for Accenture. Prior to Accenture, Priya was chief data and analytics officer for Microsoft and Hub. She brings expertise in driving value for organizations by designing and establishing data and intelligence organizations for Microsoft, GE Aviation, GE Financial Services, Nielsen Retail, Coca Cola and Hub, leading to enterprise-wide transformation. Priya has created holistic transformation of enterprise data management, bridging insights and intelligence with automation and generative AI.
Priya strongly believes that “data is the new currency,” and uses her passion and experience to create transformational business value that sticks.
Presented:
- Implementing a Modern Data Strategy in the Age of AI
Puneet Lakhanpal
Field CTO, Snowflake
Puneet is a Field CTO at Snowflake, who advises Snowflake customers on data science and ML strategy. He has a background in delivering business outcomes through MLOps, DevOps and working with distributed computing systems.
Presented:
- Turbocharging AI/ML and Building a CDP on the Snowflake Data Cloud
Sabina Schneider
Chief Solutions Officer, Specialty In Data & AI, Globant
Coming from a hard-skill career background in big data and backend scalable platforms, Sabina joined Globant when it was a startup of 20 people. In the studios, she worked with diverse teams to develop smart corporate products incorporating machine learning, artificial intelligence and image processing to provide long-term value. Sabina focuses on delivering transformation programs by breaking down big business challenges into actionable elements to achieve a shorter time to market with continuous delivery. She bridges the gap between technical skill and business acumen and helps companies become more competitive through data-driven, rapid, and dynamic technology solutions.
Presented:
- Using Generative AI to Redefine the Analytics Experience
Stuart Moncada
Product Leader, Google
Stuart Moncada is a product leader at Google working on the Google Cloud Data and AI Platform. Throughout his 20+ year career, Stuart has built and launched a variety of data products in industries including security, healthcare and digital advertising.
Prior to Google, Stuart was vice president of product at several technology companies including Canary Technologies, Thirty Madison, and DoubleVerify.
Stuart holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from University of California, Los Angeles, a Master of Science in Image and Speech Recognition from the University of Southern California, and a Master of Business Administration from University of California, Los Angeles.
Presented:
- Implementing a Modern Data Strategy in the Age of AI
Sushil Kumar Pandey
Director, Data & AI, Factspan
With over 13 years of experience in enabling customers to build and utilize data assets to drive value for end consumers, Sushil has primarily worked with entertainment, pharma and retail clients and deeply understands evolution of technology and its application in designing highly dynamic data solutions. In his role as director of data & AI, Sushil manages a portfolio of projects within enterprise data strategy, data platforms & services, data governance, advance AI/ML with a goal of delivering business insights from data assets.
Presented:
- Data in Motion: Empowering Business Agility with Dynamic Data Pipelines
Ted Flanagan
Chief Customer Officer, Habu
As Habu's chief customer officer, Ted oversees the company's customer engagements end-to-end, starting with solution design and continuing all the way through implementation and value delivery. Habu is redefining how companies work with data - building software that puts privacy first and delivers on business outcomes. Ted leads Habu's pre-sales solution engineering team, as well as its post-sale customer success and analytics functions. He brings over a decade of experience advising the world's leading brands on how they can better leverage data and technology. Based in New York City, Ted is always eager to brainstorm and problem solve with customers, partners and prospects.
Presented:
- How Leading the Data Clean Room Revolution Landed Disney on 2023's List of Most Innovative Companies
Todd Donzelli
Client Advisor, Infor
Todd Donzelli is a client advisor for Infor's technology and innovation sales organization. Prior to joining Infor, Todd was an advisory executive at Accenture, helping chief innovation officers and chief technology officers define and execute strategic programs. Before his time in consulting, he was the vice president of transformation at GE Healthcare where he built the company's SaaS business model in advance of their IPO. Todd's extended background is enterprise software where he held various leadership positions in sales, consulting and product management.
Presented:
- From Impossible to Possible: The Easy On-Ramp to AI & ML
Wenny Katzenstein
Managing Director, Deloitte Consulting
Wenny is a managing director in Deloitte's technology, media and entertainment practice with 20+ years of client-side experience at various entertainment companies. Focused on consumer strategy, she has extensive knowledge driving initiatives that yield growth through insights, technology, innovation and experiences.
Presented:
- Transforming Experiences with Generative AI - For Both Customers and Employees
Amy Sardeshmukh
Sr. Manager, Industrial Engineering, The Walt Disney Company
Amy Sardeshmukh is a senior manager, industrial engineering for The Walt Disney Company. In this role, she leads a team of internal consultants who translate data via analytics into key insights for business leaders, in order to drive continuous improvement and operations strategy. In her 15 years in the Industrial Engineering department, she has supported operations that serve Walt Disney World® Resort Guests at every stage of their visit, including attractions, transportation, food & beverage, merchandise, resorts,
pre-arrival, and back-of-house operations. She has also contributed to several theme park land designs including Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Toy Story Land, and Fantasyland®. Amy holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University and University of Central Florida.
Presented:
- Modeling the Magic: Attraction Optimization Through Simulation
Ari Silva
Sr. Manager, Marketing Analytics & Insights, The Walt Disney Company
Ari is the senior manager of marketing analytics as a part of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products analytics group (CIMA) and has built and executed social media measurement concepts across companies within the media & entertainment, ad tech and travel industries. Ari currently oversees the Disneyland Marketing Analytics team where she's focused on driving media measurement, analytics, and providing strategic insights to leaders in order to make data-driven marketing investment decisions.
Presented:
- From Influencers to Influencing Purchase: How to Leverage Organic Social to Amplify Media Investment
Ashley Gough
Data Engineer, The Walt Disney Company
Ashley joined the Disney Decision Science and Integration team as a data engineer in May 2022. She is passionate about building secure data solutions to support and optimize the business. She enjoys the challenges that accompany data pipeline builds, such as security, volume, and transformation requirements.
Prior to joining the Disney Decision Science and Integration team, Ashley worked as a data engineer at both Procter & Gamble and General Electric Aviation. Her focus was on building data ingestions using a combination of on-premises technologies and cloud technologies. She has a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems from Miami University (OH).
Presented:
- Embrace the Unknown: Journeys of Discovery and Reinvention
Billie Inbal Nahum-Shani
Professor, University of Michigan
Billie Inbal Nahum-Shani is a professor at the Institute for Social Research and the director of the Data Science for Dynamic Intervention Decision-Making Center at the University of Michigan. Her primary research interest is harnessing adaptive interventions to transform health care. Adaptive interventions address the changing needs of individuals by modifying their treatment based on dynamic information about their state and progress. An important focus of her work is the Just-In-Time Adaptive Intervention, a special type of adaptive intervention that leverages powerful mobile and sensing technologies to adapt the delivery of support in real-world settings—in near real time. Her work is highly multidisciplinary, spanning behavioral health and applied psychology, while also being tightly integrated with advanced research methodology. She developed the Hybrid Experimental Design to help scientists optimize the integration of human-delivered (e.g., coaching session) components with digital (e.g., mobile-based) components, which necessitates adaptation on multiple timescales.
Presented:
- Leveraging Digital Technology to Improve Employee Health and Well-Being: New Directions in Intervention Design and Experimentation
Caitlin Cassidy
Sr. Manager, Digital Analytics, The Walt Disney Company
Caitlin Cassidy is an Orlando native, self-dubbed “data storyteller,” and Senior Manager at The Walt Disney Company within the Consumer Insights, Measurement and Analytics. After earning her fully employed Master of Business Administration from University of California, Anderson specializing in Leadership, Technology and Globalization, Caitlin returned to Orlando, Florida to pursue “adventures in management.” She now serves a team of leaders and analysts responsible for performance, health and demand measurement of resort and ticket purchases at Walt Disney World® Resort.
Presented:
- Hiring Tactics for a "Practically Perfect" Magical Team
Cara Dienes
Vice President, Decision Science Application Development & Operations, The Walt Disney Company
During her tenure at Disney, Cara has provided decision science leadership for the development of end-to-end analytical solutions that deliver advanced pricing, inventory control, forecasting and marketing capabilities to business segments across The Walt Disney Company. These solutions empower decision makers with scalable decision support features, leveraging techniques from statistics, optimization, simulation and machine learning. Prior to joining Disney in 2010, Cara worked as a systems engineer in the defense industry. She holds a Master of Science in Operations Research from Georgia Institute of Technology and a doctorate in Industrial Engineering from Iowa State University.
Presented:
- X Marks the Spot: A Treasure Map to Find Analytics-Driven Business Value
Chad Cooper
Sr. Manager, Digital Analytics, The Walt Disney Company
Chad Cooper is very curious. With over 20 years of experience in digital analytics and
optimization, he now leads a team of brilliant analysts as the senior manager of digital
analytics supporting Disney Signature
Experiences. His career experience includes working for The E.W. Scripps Company, Gannett, and globally recognized hotel and entertainment companies. Chad earned a doctorate in Business Administration from Rollins College, a Master of Business Administration from Stetson University, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of
Tennessee.
Presented:
- The Fast and the Curious: Discovering the Power of Curiosity to Create, Collaborate and Innovate
Clare Tuyn
Product Manager I, The Walt Disney Company
Clare Tuyn is a product manager working on the National Geographic app. Last year, she transitioned to product management from her old role as a financial systems analyst via the CODE:Rosie program. Clare holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, a Bachelor of Arts in French, and a Master of Science in Econometrics and Quantitative Economics from the University at Buffalo. She loves reading fantasy novels, drinking tea, and hiking with her dog, Felicity.
Presented:
- Embrace the Unknown: Journeys of Discovery and Reinvention
Cynthia Rudin
Professor, Duke University
Cynthia Rudin is Earl D. McLean, Jr. Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at Duke University. She directs the Interpretable Machine Learning Lab. She is the recipient of the 2022 Squirrel AI Award for Artificial Intelligence for the Benefit of Humanity from AAAI (the “Nobel Prize of AI”). She is also a three-time winner of the INFORMS Innovative Applications in Analytics Award, and a 2022 Guggenheim Fellow. She is a fellow of the American Statistical Association, the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, and AAAI. Her goal is to design predictive models that people can understand.
Presented:
- Do Simpler Machine Learning Models Exist?
James Keenan
Engagement Manager, Disney Institute
In his role as an engagement manager, James is responsible for building and maintaining the client relationship throughout the multiple phases of an engagement. He leads and manages concept creation, content development, as well as training for the client's facilitation delivery team. Prior to joining Disney Institute, he worked as a training manager for Magic Kingdom® Park and Walt Disney World® Transportation. James led a team that strategized and delivered multiple levels and types of training for more than 4,000 cast members. James earned a Bachelor of Organizational Communication from Northeastern University.
Presented:
- Disney's Foundations of Leadership Excellence
Jay Riola
Executive Vice President of Strategy & Innovation, Orlando Magic
Jay Riola is the Orlando Magic's executive vice president of strategy and innovation. Riola oversees the Magic's business strategy and innovation efforts including data engineering, strategy and analytics, customer relationship management, digital marketing and marketing technology, as well as other strategic initiatives.
In addition to his role with the Magic, Riola also adjunct teaches sports analytics at the University of Central Florida and Linfield University. Riola received his bachelor's degree from Trinity University, and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Florida.
Presented:
- How the Orlando Magic Built a Winning Business Analytics and Innovation Program
Jeff Wiley
Staff Systems Engineer, The Walt Disney Company
Jeff Wiley is a staff systems engineer on the Modeling, Simulation and Training Tools team within The Walt Disney Company's Global Engineering and Technology Department. In this role, he oversees the building and utilization of computer models of attractions which are employed both to ensure that new Disney Parks attractions meet creative and capacity goals and to find ways to improve the efficiency of existing attractions. Over his 15-year career on the Modeling, Simulation and Training Tools team, Jeff has been heavily involved in the design of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, TRON Lightcycle / Run, Slinky Dog Dash, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and he has performed studies of efficiency improvements at many other popular attractions. Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Ohio Northern University and Master of Business Administration from Stetson University.
Presented:
- Modeling the Magic: Attraction Optimization Through Simulation
Joni Ferguson
Director, Learning & Development, The Walt Disney Company
Born into a family of educators, Joni has often found curiosity where others found obstacles. As a 20-year Disney veteran who has led teams in learning, business, analytics & strategy, and finance across multiple Disney segments, she finds opportunities to solve challenging business problems.
With a passion to help others succeed, her career and professional endeavors are dedicated to making career advancement faster and less stressful. She is a champion of diversity and believes that diverging thoughts create innovation.
A Florida native, she graduated from Florida State University in Accounting and Finance and later received her Master of Business Administration from Rollins College in Orlando, Florida.
Presented:
- Embrace the Unknown: Journeys of Discovery and Reinvention
Julie Wellons
Decision Science Manager, The Walt Disney Company
Julie Wellons is a decision science manager within the Disney Decision Science and Integration team. Using her love for optimization and problem solving, she has contributed to the resort inventory optimization engine managing rooms at Walt Disney World® Resort. She is passionate about making data analytics more accessible by teaching others about optimization. Her current responsibilities also include assessing and developing a suite of technical services to enable the advancement of data science capabilities across the enterprise. Julie has a Master of Industrial Engineering from North Carolina State University and is in her seventh year with Disney.
Presented:
- Embrace the Unknown: Journeys of Discovery and Reinvention
Lisa Meyer
Sr. Manager, Social Media Strategy & Activation, The Walt Disney Company
Lisa has been with Disney for 10 years and oversees the Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products' in-house Paid and Organic Social Media Marketing teams, as well as the Affiliate and Influencer Marketing team. Businesses include Walt Disney World® Resort, Disneyland® Resort, Disney Cruise Line, shopDisney, Disney Consumer Products, Disney Publishing, Adventures by Disney, and so much more.
Presented:
- From Influencers to Influencing Purchase: How to Leverage Organic Social to Amplify Media Investment
McKay Curtis
Director, Decision Science Transformation, The Walt Disney Company
McKay Curtis is director of decision science transformation where he leads teams to develop analytical methods and tools that drive better decision making across the Disney enterprise. His teams' solutions have helped diverse businesses such as Disney Cruise Line, The Walt Disney Studios, Disney Parks and Resorts, ESPN and Disney Theatrical Group among others. McKay's background in causal inference, Bayesian statistics, machine learning and experimental design have helped drive analytical solutions in the areas of marketing, revenue management and finance.
Presented:
- Using Machine Learning to Help You Not Be Annoying
Paloma Sierra Rivera
Production Manager I, The Walt Disney Company
Paloma Sierra Rivera is a product manager with Sports Product Operations working on the ESPN+ app. She started out as a sales and solutions specialist at Disney Central and transitioned to product management after completing the CODE:Rosie program. Her love of sports led her to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Therapy from Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce and subsequently received a certificate in Global Strategic Communication at the University of Florida. She spends her leisure time solving escape room puzzles or learning a new skill.
Presented:
- Embrace the Unknown: Journeys of Discovery and Reinvention
Tara Wilson
Sr. Manager, Decision Science, The Walt Disney Company
Tara Wilson is a senior manager, decision science at The Walt Disney Company. Using her skills and love of mathematics and software engineering, she has contributed to the development, delivery, and sustainment of novel and innovative decision support tools for multiple clients across the enterprise. Today, she splits her time between product delivery and developing and implementing processes and tools that streamline delivery and sustainment of decision science applications. Prior to joining Disney, Tara was a visiting assistant professor at Clemson University where she earned a doctorate in Mathematical Sciences.
Presented:
- Teaching Dogs New Tricks: Level Up Your Python