Overview
All the speakers at the conference, including the keynote, session, and panelist, will share their insights, experiences, and wisdom—providing valuable lessons and inspiration for all attendees.
Keynote Speakers
Kendra Cook
Space Systems Security SME at SAIC
“Pathfinding the Future of Spacecraft Protection With Project-Specific Threat Impact Assessments”
Kendra Cook
Kendra Cook
Space System Security Subject Matter Expert
Science Applications International Corporation
Kendra Cook is a Space System Security SME at SAIC, working with NASA’s Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Program Office to perform security assessments on NASA missions. Prior to her current role, she was a Mission Protection SME at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) where she worked for 9 years. She held numerous positions while at JPL, including working for the Mission Protection Office where she was instrumental in developing the PSTIA concept and process. Prior to joining JPL, Ms. Cook spent 15 years working for the U.S. Government on various satellite and technology development programs. Ms. Cook also served seven years as an Officer in the United States Air Force where she was an Aerospace Engineer specializing in UAVs and air-launched weapons systems. She has a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Boston University and M.S. degrees in both Astronautical Engineering and Computer Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), a Certified U.S. Export Compliance Officer (CUSECO), and is the Chair of the IEEE Aerospace Conference.
Mary Ann Hellrigel, Ph.D.
IEEE History Center, Institutional Historian, Archivist, and Oral History Program Manager
Mary Ann Hellrigel
Mary Ann Hellrigel, Ph.D.IEEE History Center, Institutional Historian, Archivist, and Oral History Program Manager
Since January 2016, Mary Ann Hellrigel, Ph.D. serves as the Institutional Historian, Archivist and Oral History Program Manager at the IEEE History Center as well as the manager of the oral history program.
Mary Ann has a bachelor’s degree in History and Biology from Rutgers University (1983); a master’s degree in Public History from UC-Santa Barbara (1989); and a Ph.D. in History of Technology and Science from Case Western Reserve University. She served as a Research Associate and editor at the Thomas A. Edison Papers Project, and for more than thirty years, she taught history; history of technology, engineering, and science; women’s history; American Studies; and geography at universities in the USA, including at Stevens Institute of Technology; California State University, Chico; New Jersey Institute of Technology; Iowa State University; and The State University of New York, College at Geneseo.
Mary Ann has widely published and presented papers on Edison and early electric power and has consulted on related exhibits and documentaries. She has been active in the Society for the History of Technology, having served on several prize committees, and a member of other professional societies including the Oral History Association. She was the recipient of the IEEE Fellowship in Electrical History, 1993-1994 (now the IEEE Life Member History Fellowship).
Daniel Joseph
Walt Disney Imagineering, Inventing the Magic with Illusion Development
Daniel Joseph
Daniel JosephWalt Disney Imagineering, Inventing the Magic with Illusion Development
Daniel Joseph is Executive Illusions and Effects Development at Walt Disney Imagineering, where he helps to conceive, design, and install a range of special effects and illusions for Disney Parks around the world. Daniel is listed as an inventor on over 45 Disney patents.
Last year, Daniel had the high honor of being inducted into the 2023 Florida Inventor Hall of Fame. He was one of the key team members who brought to life the Hatbox Ghost for the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary. The late Disney Legend Marty Sklar wrote about Daniel in all three of his books; Dream it! Do it! My Half-Century Creating Disney’s Magic Kingdoms, One Little Spark! Mickey’s 10 Commandments and the Road to Imagineering, and Travels with Figment on the Road in Search of Disney Dreams.
Daniel has been an inventor and tinkerer his whole life. From a very young age, he would take things apart and create new inventions, a hobby that eventually turned into elaborate haunted houses in his parents’ basement each year that featured homemade fog machines, mirror effects, and other original inventions. Daniel is from Wilmington, DE and attended The University of the Arts, where he majored in Industrial Design. He won first prize in Walt Disney Imagineering’s Imaginations Design Competition in 2006. From there, Daniel has enjoyed over 18 years with Walt Disney Imagineering in Glendale.
8 years ago, he relocated from California to Orlando, where he leads a team of designers and the “Illusion Development Lab” at Walt Disney Imagineering Florida. Daniel enjoys his magical Florida life with his wife Marina, his 10-year-old and 5-year-old boys, and of course, his floppy-eared Basset Hound!
Dean Kamen
Founder of DEKA R&D and FIRST®
Dean Kamen
Dean KamenFounder of DEKA R&D and FIRST®
Dean Kamen is an inventor, entrepreneur, and tireless advocate for science and technology. His roles as inventor and advocate are intertwined— with his own passion for technology and its practical uses driving his personal determination to engage young people in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Dean is the founder of DEKA Research & Development Corporation, FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), FIRST Global, and the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute.
As president of DEKA, he has developed category-defining, transformational innovations to include: revolutionary drug delivery systems – as with the twiist™ Automated Insulin Delivery System and the Remunity® pump which safely delivers stable doses of Remodulin; mobility systems that restore health and quality of life – as with the iBOT™ Mobility System, and the LUKE robotic arm; devices that change the healthcare paradigm – as with cardiac stents, the HomeChoice™ portable dialysis machine; and innovations that change what the world believes is possible – as with a new and improved Stirling engine.
In addition to DEKA, one of Dean’s proudest accomplishments is founding FIRST®, an organization dedicated to motivating the next generation to understand, use and enjoy science and technology – and to apply it for societal contribution. Founded in 1989, FIRST® serves more than 2,500,000 young people ages 6 to 18 annually. He expanded this initiative to create FIRST Global, which recently united teams from over 190 countries to its annual competition in Athens, Greece.
Dean Kamen was awarded the National Medal of Technology in 2000. Presented by President Clinton, this award was in recognition for inventions that have advanced medical care worldwide, and for innovative and imaginative leadership in awakening America to the excitement of science and technology. He was also elected as a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 1997. He was awarded the Lemelson-MIT Prize in 2002, and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in May 2005. He is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering, as well as many other national and international engineering organizations.
Gene Kingsley
Cyber Range Manager, Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence
Gene Kingsley
Gene KingsleyCyber Range Manager, Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence
Gene Kingsley is the Cyber Range Manager at the Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, where he leads advanced cybersecurity training and simulation initiatives. With over 25 years of experience in information security, Gene has held senior roles across higher education, healthcare, finance, federal government agencies, and critical infrastructure sectors, focusing on operations, strategy, and resiliency. He previously served as Vice President of InfraGard National Members Alliance and President of the Boston Chapter, and has been recognized for his leadership in building and managing Security Operations Centers—including a citation from the Governor of Massachusetts.
Gene is a sought-after speaker, thought leader, and workshop facilitator, known for his ability to translate complex security concepts into actionable insights. He holds a Master of Science in Communications and Information Management from Bay Path College and an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass, as well as a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Westfield State University.
Daniel Mitchell
Senior Historian, IEEE History Center
Conference Opening Session
Daniel Mitchell
Daniel MitchellSenior Historian, IEEE History Center
Conference Opening Session
Dr. Daniel Jon Mitchell is the Senior Historian at the IEEE History Center and the staff program lead for the IEEE Global Museum. He gained a B.A. in Physics and a D.Phil. in modern history from the University of Oxford, UK, and an M.A. in Philosophy and History of Science from the University of Bristol, UK. He has held a teaching position at the University of Hong Kong and research fellowships at RWTH Aachen University in Germany; at the Science Museum, London and University of Cambridge in the UK; and at Harvard University. Between 2019 and 2021.Dr. Mitchell served as the Director of the Beckman Center for the History of Chemistry at the Science History Institute in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Karen Panetta
Dean of Graduate Studies, School of Engineering, Tufts University
Karen Panetta
Karen PanettaDean of Graduate Education and Distinguished Professor at Tufts University School of Engineering
Karen Panetta is Dean of Graduate Education and Distinguished Professor at Tufts University School of Engineering, where her research focuses on developing efficient algorithms for simulation, modeling, and signal and image processing for security and biomedical applications. As the first female electrical engineer to be given tenure in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at Tufts, Panetta continues to promote the interests of women in her field. From 2007 to 2009, she was the worldwide director for IEEE Women in Engineering, and she served as editor-in-chief of the IEEE Women in Engineering magazine. She is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the European Academy of Sciences and the Arts, the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and was awarded the 2013 IEEE Award for Distinguished Ethical Practices for exemplary contributions and leadership in developing ethics and social responsibility in students. She has received several NASA and National Science Foundation research grants, including the NSF CAREER Award. In 2011, President Barack Obama awarded Panetta the Presidential Award for Science and Engineering Education and Mentoring. In 2023, she was inducted as a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Jay Patel
CEO & President, Quality and Productivity Solutions Inc.
“AI & Advance Technologies for Aging Populace – Enhancing Quality of Life, Independence, and Health through Artificial Intelligence”
Jay Patel
Jay PatelCEO & President, Quality and Productivity Solutions Inc.
“AI & Advance Technologies for Aging Populace – Enhancing Quality of Life, Independence, and Health through Artificial Intelligence”
Jay P. Patel possesses over 30 years of professional work experience in management and quality assignments, including consulting and training at Fortune 500 companies and training thousands of people over the course of his career. Jay has taught onsite to several public and private companies. He has instructed Courses, including Lean Six Sigma, ISO Management system, Process improvement, Project Management, IT, Soft Skills . Jay has presented speeches and seminars to various organizations such as the Project Management Institute, American Production, and Inventory Control Society, Institute of Industrial Engineers, American Society for Quality, and Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Jay held 20+ certifications in his career. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering and an MBA. Jay has served as Chapter President of the Project Management Institute and as Chapter President of Institute of Industrial Engineers. He has held several positions at Section and Region levels within ASQ including serving Worcester section in the last 30 years. .Jay served as the Conference Chair or Vice Chair of NEQC from 2002-2018. Jay has been the National Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award Examiner. He is the author of 5 books. Jay is serving Chairman of ASQ Lancaster Medal Committee. Jay has worked in manufacturing, service, software and healthcare industries.
David Raften
IBM Senior Quantum Ambassador
Quantum Computing Overview
David Raften
David RaftenIBM Parallel Sysplex Expert
Quantum Computing Overview
I have been with IBM since 1982 and have been involved with the front edge of technology as mainframes grew from 5 MIPS to about 250,000 MIPS, with a range of jobs including performance analysis, product planning for high availability solutions, for the mainframe operating system (z/OS), for mainframe releases, and emulating this on a laptop. I am currently a “Senior Quantum Ambassador” and have spoken to many organizations describing what is a Quantum computer and how it may provide business value by helping provide solutions to hard problems.
Rick Robinson
Vice President and General Manager
, AARP’s AgeTech Collaborative, Vice President of Product Innovation
Rick Robinson
Rick Robinson
Vice President and General Manager
AARP’s AgeTech Collaborative;
Vice President of Product Innovation
For over 30 years Rick Robinson has innovated digital products and content for major media and tech companies like AOL, Sprint, Webs.com, National Geographic, and Politico. He has also co-founded several technology startups, one of which went public in 2023. He is currently the Vice President & General Manager of the AgeTech Collaborative™ from AARP, an innovation ecosystem leading the future of AgeTech by making aging easier, and also serves as AARP’s Vice President of Product Innovation. He believes technology is key to addressing aging’s challenges, as evidenced by the growing interest from entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders in the Collaborative. He is the current Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Georgetown University.
Julie Shah
Head, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT
Julie Shah
Julie Shah
Julie Shah is the head of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is also the H.N. Slater Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics. In addition to her role as a faculty member in AeroAstro, Shah served as associate dean of Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing in the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing from 2019 to 2022, helping launch a coordinated curriculum that engages more than 2,000 students a year at the Institute. She currently directs the Interactive Robotics Group in MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL), and MIT’s Industrial Performance Center. Shah and her team at the Interactive Robotics Group conduct research that aims to imagine the future of work by designing collaborative robot teammates that enhance human capability.
Parallel Session and Panelist Speakers
11 June, 2025
Michael Andrews
Managing Partner, Andrews & Associates
Opening, Closing & Plenary Session
Michael Andrews
Michael AndrewsManaging Partner, Andrews & Associates
Opening, Closing & Plenary Session
Mr. Andrews is Managing Partner of Andrews & Associates, a consulting firm specializing in systemic innovation, new product creation, product and service innovation, business leadership and management development, operations and logistics, and Emergency Planning for business, schools, and government entities. Mike is also a Founding Partner of the Inception Advisory Group, a consulting firm that provides design, development, construction, operations, strategic planning, and financing solutions to entities in the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) industry. Mr. Andrews is a Senior Life Member of IEEE and is currently serving IEEE members as the creator of the 2024 Life Members Conference (Evolution), Champion and cofounder of the Rising Stars Conference, vice chair of the IEEE AgeTech program, the Life Members Committee and past chair of the IEEE-USA Awards Committee and member of the IEEE Awards Board. Mike is also the Region 6 Life Member Coordinator and very active in several IEEE societies. He was also vice chair of the 2024 Innovation AI Summit in Seattle. Mike’s IEEE volunteer experience is diverse. He has served on numerous MGA, TAB, EAB, and IEEE-USA boards and committees, including serving as the Region 6 Director. He is also very active on the Phoenix Section ExCom. Mr. Andrews’ commitment to the community includes serving as President of the Smart Education Foundation, host to the SMART Competition; the Arizona Region Coordinator for the Future City Competition; the Salvation Army Advisory Board past chair and current member, Commissioner on the City of Phoenix Youth and Education Commission; member of the Grand Canyon University Engineering Advisory Board and a member of the GCU President’s STEM Advisory Board; and member of the Williams Institute for Ethics and Management Board of Directors. Mike is also the Government Sector Chief for the Arizona InfraGard Chapter. Mike was awarded the Salvation Army Sally Award for outstanding volunteerism, the Hon Kachina Award (Excellence in Volunteerism, State of Arizona), and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) – Arizona Award of Distinction. He has also received the IEEE Millennium Medal for outstanding achievements and contributions to IEEE, the IEEE-USA George F. McClure Citation of Honor Award, and the IEEE-USA Robert S. Walleigh Award for Distinguished Contributions to Engineering Professionalism.
Sadegh (Ben) Babaii, Ph.D.
AI2Quality
“Accelerating Breakthrough Innovation in Wicked Complex Systems Utilizing Gen.AI”
Sadegh (Ben) Babaii, Ph.D.
Sadegh (Ben) Babaii, Ph.D.
AI2Quality
“Accelerating Breakthrough Innovation in Wicked Complex Systems Utilizing Gen.AI”
Growing in a small provincial town on the Caspian Sea in Iran, Ben eventually graduated from Imperial College, London in 1989 in Mechanical Engineering. His Masters and PhD degrees are from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. Ben’s formal introduction to systematic inventive problem solving was through an extended training in TRIZ in the early 2000. While a senior engineering manager at Chrysler Mexico, Ben found Ideation International and their powerful ITRIZ Innovation Workbench. Ben has been thinking of effective ways of integrating innovation with augmented and artificial Intelligence tools to tackle Wicked Problems, Industry 5.0.
Richard Caro, PhD
Co-founder, Tech-enhanced Life
“Longevity Explorers: The Intersection of Aging and Technology”
Richard Caro
Richard Caro, PhDCo-founder, Tech-enhanced Life
“Longevity Explorers: The Intersection of Aging and Technology”
Dr. Richard G. Caro is co-founder of Tech-enhanced Life, a Public Benefit corporation with the mission of improving the quality of life of older adults and their families. He is also an angel investor, with a particular focus on the intersection of healthcare, aging, and technology. Richard started his career as a researcher at Stanford University, and then spent a number of years developing novel medical products (including medical lasers for minimally invasive surgery, and ophthalmology (e.g. LASIK)). He has a D.Phil in Physics from Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and has 24 patents.
Jerry Hudgins
University of Nebraska – Lincoln
“The IEEE Foundation – The Philanthropic Partner of IEEE”
Jerry Hudgins
Jerry HudginsUniversity of Nebraska – Lincoln
“The IEEE Foundation – The Philanthropic Partner of IEEE”
Jerry Hudgins attended Texas Tech University, earning a Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering in 1985. Dr. Hudgins has been Chair of the University of Nebraska’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department since 2004. Jerry is a Fellow of the IEEE, a past member of the IEEE Board of Directors (Division II Director and IEEE Treasurer), and a current member of the IEEE Foundation Board of Directors and Life Members Committee. Dr. Hudgins served as the President of the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) during 1997 and 1998, and as President of the IEEE Industry Applications Society (IAS) in 2003.
Don Lee
Senior Solution Architect, Bentley Systems
“Digital Twins and Blue Zone”
Don Lee
Don LeeSenior Solution Architect, Bentley Systems
“Digital Twins and Blue Zone”
Don Lee is Senior Solution Architect in the Solution Engineering Transportation group at Bentley Systems. He is an experienced internal and external consultant with deep knowledge in the areas of software management, information standards, design, and development. Since joining Bentley in 2014 as a senior consultant with the civil infrastructure team, Lee has provided training, coaching, and configuration services for agencies and organizations across North America.
Maria Palombini
Global Practice Leader, IEEE Standards Association
“Establishing a Global Standard for Quality of Life: Aging Healthy with Precision”
Maria Palombini
Maria PalombiniGlobal Practice Leader, IEEE Standards Association
“Establishing a Global Standard for Quality of Life: Aging Healthy with Precision”
Maria Palombini is focused on engaging and leading a global community of multi-disciplinary stakeholders to openly collaborate and develop solutions to enable trust in and validation of breakthrough technologies/applications that will enable sustainable equitable access to quality care, privacy, and protection for all individuals. She works with multidisciplinary volunteer experts from around the globe to drive trust in adoption of new technologies and frameworks in telehealth, decentralized clinical trials, digital mental health therapeutics, food sustainability and security and precision therapeutics. Palombini is an entrepreneur having founded various companies including DisruptiveRx™ Media, the first information company to bring awareness of pragmatic uses of emerging technologies and applications within therapeutic development value chain that will enable patient-driven therapeutics.
Volaree Rendon
Director of Solution Engineering, Bentley Systems
“Digital Twins and Blue Zone”
Volaree Rendon
Volaree RendonDirector of Solution Engineering, Bentley Systems
“Digital Twins and Blue Zone”
Volaree Rendon is the Director of Solution Engineering at Bentley Systems. With more than 30 years of transportation industry experience, Rendon leads a high-performing team responsible for delivering comprehensive, scalable engineering solutions tailored to the unique needs of the transportation industry. She collaborates with clients, industry leaders, and cross-functional teams to drive the adoption and implementation of Bentley Systems’ advanced infrastructure software, focusing on roads, bridges, rail, and transit projects. Volaree possesses a strong blend of technical expertise, industry knowledge, and leadership skills to guide customers through complex infrastructure challenges, ensuring they maximize the value of Bentley’s digital twin technology, design, and construction solutions.
Dan Sabin
Distinguished Technical Expert, Schneider Electric
“Modernizing the Electric Grid and Emerging Standards”
Dan Sabin
Dan SabinDistinguished Technical Expert, Schneider Electric
“Modernizing the Electric Grid and Emerging Standards”
Dan Sabin is a licensed professional engineer on the Schneider Electric Digital Power team focused on innovation, AI, architecture, and standards. Previously, Sabib was a Principal Engineer and Software Architect with Electrotek Concepts, where he led the development of the PQView software team for power quality database management & analysis and automatic fault analysis and fault location. He also developed PQDiffractor, which is a widely used viewer for IEEE Std 1159.3 PQDIF files and IEEE/IEC COMTRADE files. He was also a project manager with EPRI Solutions and EPRI focusing on power quality monitoring, distribution grid analytics algorithm development, and distribution fault location automation. An IEEE Fellow, he was Chair of the IEEE PES Transmission & Distribution Committee for 2017-2018 and its Vice Chair for Standards from 2021-2024. He is a Past Chair of the IEEE PES Power Quality and the IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee on Power Quality. He currently chairs the IEEE P1159.3 Working Group on Power Quality Data Interchange Format.
Ratnesh Sinha
Vice President, 6D Technologies, and DelReo Newman, Ph.D., Atlantic Tele-network International
“Telecommunication Evolution and the Senior Digital Divide: policy Approaches for Inclusive Progress”
Ratnesh Sinha
Ratnesh SinhaVice President, 6D Technologies, and DelReo Newman, Ph.D., Atlantic Tele-network International
“Telecommunication Evolution and the Senior Digital Divide: policy Approaches for Inclusive Progress”
Ratnesh Sinha is an avid technology enthusiast with hands on experience in software, delivery and managing team and accounts with a demonstrated history of driving innovative projects for multiple clients in different verticals.
Dr. Delreo Newman is a seasoned telecom consultant, regulatory expert, and Executive Director of International Regulatory and Government Affairs at ATNI. He was recently named Chairman of CANTO, an organization dedicated to shaping information, communication and technology in the Caribbean Region and the Americas. Prior to joining ATNI, he served as the Information and Communications Technology advisor to the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, was Jamaica’s first telecommunications regulator, and has consulted for multiple English-speaking Caribbean governments on ICT development.
Daniel Sniezek
Chief Strategy Officer, Dynamic Education Services; Chairman, IEEE
“Practical Use of Generative AI”
Daniel Sniezek
Daniel SniezekChief Strategy Officer, Dynamic Education Services; Chairman, IEEE
“Practical Use of Generative AI”
Daniel Sniezek has more than 25 years of experience in the development and maintenance of highly complex and highly available systems. He is an internationally sought technical advisor and speaker on subjects of software quality, computerized reliability, Systems Engineering, Systems Safety, quality systems, and process improvements. Sniezek’s career centered on helping companies, governments, and people improve through the use of visual thinking, quality management tools, and cafe-style techniques. He uses his skills as an engineer and artist to convey complex concepts. He currently serves as Regional Director, and Past Section Affairs Council Chair for the American Society of Quality and is the recipient of the coveted Paul A. Robert’s Award presented to him in 1996 for his outstanding effort, dedication, and contribution to the ASQ Binghamton Section. He currently holds the membership grade of Fellow in ASQ. He is a former IEEE Area Chair, Region 1 Government Relations Chair, Region 1 Life Member Chair, Life Member Committee Member, and is a Senior Life Member.
Peggy Sniezek
Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at SUNY Broome Community College
“Practical Use of Generative AI”
Peggy Sniezek
Peggy SniezekAdjunct Professor of Computer Science at SUNY Broome Community College
“Practical Use of Generative AI”
As an adjunct professor of Computer Science at SUNY Broome Community College, Peggy Sniezek leverages her professional experience in the development and maintenance of computer information systems in the industrial sector, including work with systems analysis and design, database management, information systems security, technical task lead of information systems and web server development.
Vince Socci
On Target Motion
“An Introduction to UAV Technology, Applications, and Regulations”
Vince Socci
Vince SocciOn Target Motion
“An Introduction to UAV Technology, Applications, and Regulations”
Vince Socci is the CTO of On Target Motion, where he provides engineering, program management and business development services for aerospace, automotive, rail, marine, and other safety-critical applications. With 35 years of experience in aerospace, automotive, rail, power electronics, and medical systems, he has engineered systems in the most complex applications. His specialized areas of interest are embedded controls, real-time test, and systems engineering for vehicle-based applications. In the early 90s, Socci designed the first electronics for the Cummins B-series diesel engine, which are still in use today. In the mid-90s, he developed power controllers for GE locomotives. Late-90s into 2000s, he led the development of the HybriDrive HEV powertrain, which was used on various platforms from commercial buses and taxis to military trucks. Through the 2000s into 2010s, he led the development of aero and auto vehicle control systems for power, communications, fueling, radar, motor controls, and unmanned systems. Currently, he is focused on aerospace innovation including commercial space transportation and UAV development. Socci has served on the Board of Directors and governing boards of several professional societies, including IEEE, SAE, and PMI. He also serves as an expert witness in aerospace, automotive, and medical device litigation.
12 June, 2025
George Arnold, Ph.D
Chair & IEEE Fellow
“IEEE Standards Association Industry Connections AgeTech Program”
George Arnold
George Arnold, Ph.DChair & IEEE Fellow
“IEEE Standards Association Industry Connections AgeTech Program”
Dr. George Arnold leads IEEE’s AgeTech project. He is the retired CEO of Tercio Solutions LLC, an MIT spin-out specializing in dynamic scheduling and optimization of industrial operations. From 2006 to 2014, he was a Senior Executive at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), responsible for coordinating the U.S. federal government’s standardization activities and also leading the private-public sector partnership developing the architecture and standards to modernize the nation’s electric grid (Smart Grid). Arnold previously served as a Vice-President at Bell Laboratories where he directed the company’s global standards efforts and management of intellectual property. Prior to this role, Arnold had a wide range of technical and managerial assignments at Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, and AT&T in research and development, product management, quality management and process re-engineering. Arnold also served as President of the IEEE Standards Association, Chairman of the Board of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and Vice-President-Policy for the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Conor McGowan Smyth
Brava
“Brava Stronghold: The Evolution of AI and What it Means for Cyber Security”
Conor McGowan Smyth
Conor McGowan SmythBrava
“Brava Stronghold: The Evolution of AI and What it Means for Cyber Security”
Conor McGowan Smyth, a business leader specializing in the technology, telecommunications and B2B managed service provider sector, is the CEO of Brava Solutions, a multinational technology/cyber security managed services and communications provider serving the Atlantic, Caribbean, and LATAM markets. Adjacent to his work at Brava, McGowan Smyth also sits as an advisory board member on multiple boards and committees with Brava’s parent company, ATN, as well as founding and serving as a director of Galoras, an Al coaching exchange platform launching designed to connect business and performance coaches with high performing executives in need and athletes transitioning out of sports. He passionate about driving meaningful change by building real relationships and high performing teams, aligning technology with human capital. In addition to his professional achievements, McGowan Smyth is actively involved in civic organizations, including his involvement with the International Bermuda Rugby Team and Teachers Rugby RFC as a former player and member.
Akshata Moharir
Microsoft
“Building Trust in AI: The Crucial Role of Explainable AI”
Akshata Moharir
Akshata MoharirMicrosoft
“Building Trust in AI: The Crucial Role of Explainable AI”
Akshata Moharir is a Lead Data Scientist at Microsoft. In this role, she leverages her expertise in analytics, machine learning, deep learning, and generative AI to create innovative solutions for the gaming industry. She has experience in data science, working with various data collection methods, data mining techniques, and large language models. Her passion is to develop and apply interpretable and explainable AI/ML approaches that can enhance the user experience, protect data privacy, and prevent fraud. She is the inventor of seven U.S. patents and holder of one trade secret in the realms of interpretable and interactive machine learning and AI. She has also co-authored influential papers presented at premier machine learning conferences and workshops, contributing to the advancement of the field. She is a reviewer for ICML, AAAI, CHI, ICLR, playing a critical role in shaping the future of AI research by reviewing and providing constructive feedback on emerging scientific work. In addition, she is an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Ram Sriram
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
“Harnessing Digital Revolutions for the Aging Population”
Ram Sriram
Ram SriramNIST
“Harnessing Digital Revolutions for the Aging Population”
Ram Sriram is the Chief of the Software & Systems Division in the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Information Technology Laboratory (ITL). Before joining the Software and Systems Division, Sriram was the leader of the Design and Process group in the Manufacturing Systems Integration Division, Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory, where he conducted research on standards for interoperability of computer-aided design systems. Prior to joining NIST, he was on the engineering faculty (1986-1994) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was instrumental in setting up the Intelligent Engineering Systems Laboratory. At MIT, Sriram initiated the MIT-DICE project, which was one of the pioneering projects in collaborative engineering. He has co-authored or authored nearly 300 publications, including several books on Artificial Intelligence. Sriram has received several awards including: an NSF’s Presidential Young Investigator Award (1989); ASME Design Automation Award (2011); ASME CIE Distinguished Service Award (2014); the Washington Academy of Sciences’ Distinguished Career in Engineering Sciences Award (2015); ASME CIE Lifetime Achievement Award (2016); CMU CEE Lt. Col. Christopher Raible Distinguished Public Service Award (2018); IIT Madras Distinguished Alumni Award (2021); and IEEE Reliability Society Lifetime Achievement Award (2023). Sriram’s other professional activities and accolades with IEEE include associate editor of ACM Computing Surveys and IEEE Transactions on Computers; chair of the 2021 IEEE Computer Society Fellow Evaluating Committee, member of IEEE HKN’s Eta Chapter and IEEE Fellow.
13 June, 2025
Adrian Berg
Vice President, Cordata Healthcare Innovations
“Falling Through the Cracks: Technology to Improve Response for Cases of Elder Care Abuse and Neglect”
Adrian Berg
Adrian BergVice President, Cordata Healthcare Innovations
“Falling Through the Cracks: Technology to Improve Response for Cases of Elder Care Abuse and Neglect”
Adrian Berg is Vice President of Cordata Healthcare Innovations, a leading SaaS company serving at-risk populations by coordinating treatment and community resources. He was previously CEO of MedReport Guard, a comprehensive solution for supporting and meeting the needs of interpersonal violence survivors, which was acquired by Cordata to further address health inequities and improve outcomes, access to care, and overall well-being of all populations, especially the most vulnerable. MRG provides critical software infrastructure for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault mandatory and forensic reporting requirements. These collaborative tools and integrated workflows allow healthcare providers, law enforcement, district attorneys, and social services to more effectively respond to incidents and coordinate survivor care. In his experience as a software engineer, he has found that the actual software is only one aspect of a potential solution set, and successful implementations must address issues of governance, compliance, personnel, risk, resource constraints, and cybersecurity.
Berke Buyukkucak
CEO, Superbio.ai
“AI as a Co-Pilot for Scientific Discovery”
Berke Buyukkucak
Berke BuyukkucakCEO, Superbio.ai
“AI as a Co-Pilot for Scientific Discovery”
Berke Buyukkucak is the CEO and Co-founder of Superbio.ai, a low-code platform and marketplace for biomedical AI which focused on making AI models for clinical research and drug discovery accessible and usable for the scientific community. He is a researcher and entrepreneur specializing in computational biology and machine learning for life sciences. His work focuses on applying generative AI to scientific discovery. He has led AI-driven research and development efforts, collaborating with academic institutions and biopharma companies to advance computational methods in drug discovery and synthetic biology.
Jordan Cohen
KBK Wealth Management
“Investing for Longevity”
Jordan Cohen
Jordan CohenKBK Wealth Management
“Investing for Longevity”
Jordan Cohen is a financial planner with KBK Wealth Management where he provides holistic advice to individuals and families on all financial planning matters including investment management, retirement planning, insurance and risk management, tax planning, estate and wealth transfer planning, and general goals-based financial planning. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, an Investment Adviser Representative holding FINRA Series 7 and 66 registrations through Commonwealth Financial Network®, and is a licensed insurance broker for life, disability, long-term care, health, and accident insurance. Cohen also advises small and mid-sized organizations on group retirement and insurance benefits, and holds the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA®) designation from the National Association of Plan Advisors.
Catherine Fang, Ph.D.
Distinguished Service Professor, Carnegie Mellon University
“Demystifying Generative AI: Insights from NVIDIA’s Stable Diffusion Workshop and Its Impact on AgeTech”
Catherine Fang, Ph.D.
Catherine Fang, Ph.D.Distinguished Service Professor, Carnegie Mellon University
“Demystifying Generative AI: Insights from NVIDIA’s Stable Diffusion Workshop and Its Impact on AgeTech”
Dr. Catherine Fang is a Distinguished Service Professor at the Integrated Innovation Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. She is a seasoned and passionate researcher and entrepreneur with 20 years of experience in both the software industry and academia. Fang’s research and product expertise lies in personalized healthcare, clinical trials, AI-based therapy, and data mining on digital audience behavior profiling and targeting. With multiple U.S. patents to her name, she also serves as an associate editor for the IEEE Reliability Society. Her entrepreneurial spirit has led her to co-found AiCare, a cutting-edge AI and cloud-powered Healthcare and Medical platform. Prior to this, Fang served as global/senior product manager and architect at LinkedIn, Yahoo, Bluekai (acquired by Oracle), and Sun Microsystems.
Jeffrey Katz, Ph.D.
CTO of IBM Energy & Utility Industry (Retired)
“Bridging Generations: Connecting Students with Life Members for Community Impact”
Jeffrey Katz, Ph.D.
Jeffrey Katz, Ph.D.CTO of IBM Energy & Utility Industry (Retired)
“Bridging Generations: Connecting Students with Life Members for Community Impact”
Jeffrey S. Katz is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Prior to retiring he was the Chief Technology Officer of IBM’s Energy, Environment and Utilities industry. He was a member of both the IBM Academy of Technology and the IBM Industry Academy. He is a former co-chair of the Industrial Internet Consortium’s Energy Task Group. He has BSEE and MSCS degrees, and did post-graduate work at Yale in EE. He was chair of the Smart Grid Session of the Yale Alumni in Energy conference in 2012 and was a co-chair of the IT Task Force of the original IEEE 2030 Standard on Smart Grid Interoperability Guidelines. He was on the External Advisory Board of the Trustworthy Cyber Infrastructure for the Power Grid and is on the Advisory Board of the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center. He was named by Green Tech Media as a member of the “Networked Grid 100: The Movers and Shakers of the Smart Grid in 2012” . He was appointed by the IEEE Standards Association to the Standards Board for 2014. He achieved an Open Group Distinguished IT Specialist designation, and an IBM Thought Leader level IT Specialist, as well as being the holder of an IBM First Plateau Invention Achievement Award. He co-chaired the first IEEE Power and Energy Society workshop on Big Data in Utilities in September 2017, and the first PES workshop on Utility Cybersecurity in December 2017. He has given several industry keynote presentations, including the 2017 ISA Power Industry Division and the inaugural 2016 National Renewable Energy Lab Cyber Security workshop. He was a member of the Industry Advisory and Organizing Committees of the IEEE Intelligent Smart Grid Technologies conference for 2019 and 2020. He wrote the chapter “The role of big data and analytics in utilities innovation” for both editions of the “Big Data Application in Power Systems” book published by Elsevier. He also served as Technical Leader of IBM Research’s Global University Programs. He is a member of the IEEE Engineering Projects In Community Service committee. Prior to IBM he was the Manager of the Computer Science department at the U.S. Corporate Research Center of ABB (which then became ALSTOM and is now GE Vernova) He is an author of seven patents, in tele-medicine, robotics and computer vision, intelligent electric power distribution, energy aware cloud computing. He has a Commercial General Radiotelephone license from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. Jeff has organized or taught several volunteer activities around robotics for education, including FIRST, FIRST Lego League, and VEX Robotics. Jeff is also a long-time amateur radio operator. He was a Region 1 finalist in the Johns Hopkins National Search for Computing Applications to Assist Persons with Disabilities. He is the Connecticut District Vice President of the Yale Science and Engineering Association and is also a Fellow of that organization.
John McDonald
JDM Associates
Mentoring Panel
John McDonald
John McDonaldJDM Associates
Mentoring Panel
John D. McDonald, P.E., is a Life Fellow of IEEE and was awarded the IEEE Millennium Medal, the IEEE PES Excellence in Power Distribution Engineering Award, the IEEE PES Substations Committee Distinguished Service Award, and the IEEE PES Meritorious Service Award. John is Past IEEE PES President, Past Chair of the IEEE PES Substations Committee, IEEE Division VII Past Director, on the IEEE Foundation Board of Directors and IEEE-HKN Board of Governors, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. John has published one hundred fifty papers and articles, has co-authored five books and has one US patent.
