AI For Good: Harnessing Technology To Reduce Societal Challenges

3:30pm

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Session Overview

There have been a wide array of studies identifying different methods to address many of today’s societal issues and inequalities. Many of the suggested solutions tend to involve education, government legislation, and activism, but recently, more recent studies have been focused on technology as a solution with AI highlighted due to its power and popularity. AI is typically not used in isolation but in conjunction with other technologies. Although these societal issues impact many, if an individual is identified as being a member of a marginalized group, studies demonstrate that this individual may be impacted at a disproportionate rate. In this session, we’ll look at a case study highlighting how AI could be used to reduce Black maternal mortality.

During this 60-minute deep dive session with a combination of lectures and interactive activities, different perspectives on this topic will be identified. The interactivities during this session will be through guided conversations at our tables, dedicated reflection time, and the creation of action plans with the next steps. This session will provide an opportunity to explore what are ways that AI in conjunction with other resources could be used to address societal issues such as the increase in Black maternal mortality.

The Why: Specifically, by joining this session we can explore if AI and other technologies could be used to address one plus possibly other societal issues. The focus of the session case study is a health crisis that is occurring now and through this session, we can gain an understanding of where the technology may be able to assist to address the case study or other societal issues.

Key Takeaways:

  • Explain what are the key concerns related to AI being used to address societal issues such as Black maternal mortality.
  • Illustrate how you as an audience member can understand how AI could be helpful or harmful with respect to societal issues.
  • Devise a plan to understand how AI in conjunction with other technologies could be used to reduce Black maternal mortality but also recognize potential challenges with this approach.

This session is for… you if you want to learn how technology could be used to address a current societal issue which is an existing health crisis and how you can understand the usage of technology in this potential solution to this health crisis.

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    Head of Strategy

    Article Group

In today’s crowded marketplace, you need every advantage to differentiate and get attention. During this session, I’ll guide you through the critical components of a GTM strategy, from market research and segmentation to value proposition development, and choosing the right distribution channels

You’ll learn how to craft compelling messaging that resonates with your target audience and explore the importance of building a robust sales and marketing plan that aligns with your business objectives.

The Why: In today’s crowded marketplace, you need every advantage to differentiate and get attention.

Key Takeaways:

  • GTM Strategy Framework
  • How to approach positioning
  • Developing an audience-centric channel plan

This session is for… you whether you’re a startup looking to launch a new product or an established business aiming to revamp your approach, this session will provide valuable insights and practical tips to help you plan for a product launch that maximizes your chances of success.

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3:00pm
Workshop

Key for The New Frontier: Coaching Skills for People Leaders

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Career Development
  • Not to be Missed
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Liz Myers

    Executive Leadership Coach

    Integrative Leadership Strategies

Today, burnout is still prevalent, turnover is higher than ever, and economic constraints remain. How do we lead in this competitive, high-pressure environment when everyone is exhausted? We become facilitative leaders, employing coaching skills to engage, learn from, and bring out the best in those whom we lead.

You probably got promoted to your current role thanks to your organizational skills and technical competence. Very few people leaders actually get training on how to lead others. So how do you engage with your stakeholders in a way that brings out the best in them? Coaching skills are key and important to have in your daily leadership toolbox.

Key Takeaways:

  • How to improve your leadership style to better engage your stakeholders
  • A framework to support those you lead in their own development journeys
  • Conversation skills to help bring out the best in others
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11:40am
Workshop

How Data Can Unlock AI Potential and Power Your Customer Experience Strategy

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Data
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Courtney Trudeau

    SVP - Technology Strategy Lead

    Merkle

Join this session to learn the importance of a first-party data strategy to unlock AI and then maximize your personalized customer experience strategy. Courtney will share details to prioritize identity resolution, how to build a first-party data asset, how this data + generative AI can power your internal processes, align your organization, and then focus on your use case. Attendees will take away insights on the significance of accurate customer profiles, how a standardized data model enables enterprise business intelligence and AI, the need for organizational alignment, and identifying holistic business goals.

Workshop activity:
Using your own desired business outcomes, we will work through creating a use case to uncover the needed capabilities for Data, Technology and AI to obtain the goal.

Key Takeaways:

  • The importance of prioritizing identity resolution
  • Building a first-party data asset
  • Where AI capabilities make sense
  • How to take a use case-driven approach

This session is for…

  • IT Operations
  • Technology product owners
  • IT Professionals (who want to understand business partnerships)
  • Marketing Technology Professionals
Find Out More
3:30pm
Workshop

Change Happens: Setting up Transformation Initiatives for Success

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Dora Clements

    Senior Vice President of Enterprise Transformation

    Unum

Transformation isn’t easy, but it is required more now than ever. This workshop will focus on the essential elements of setting up a successful transformation plan and program and identify key pitfalls to avoid along the way.

The session will focus on ensuring you know what problem you are solving, how to define success, identifying your stakeholders and their needs, and getting your work over the finish line in a measurable and sustainable way.

The Why: Change is the one constant in life and business – knowing how to manage it effectively, and tell your story well, can give you a leg up in making your transformation successful.

Key Takeaways:

  • Be able to identify and communicate the “why” behind your transformation
  • Get tips on things to look out for or avoid while building your program
  • Best practices for establishing a transformation program

This session is for…

  • Leaders who are driving change efforts
  • Business sponsors who want to support change more effectively
  • Those who want to be able to plan and communicate change with passion and data 
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3:30pm
Workshop

Making It Up As You Go Along: Improv for Presence, Presentation, and Networking

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Career Development
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Elizabeth Garber

    Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer

    IDPartner

  • Kayleigh Kane

    Corporate Trainer

    ImprovBoston

Have you ever wished you felt more comfortable on your feet? Maybe you want to speak up more in meetings or volunteer for public speaking opportunities. Maybe you find yourself thinking about “the tightrope” that underrepresented communities often report – the one that means worrying about balancing your credibility with your approachability.

Or maybe you’re crushing it: opportunities are coming your way and you just want to feel more at ease with yourself when you speak.

Improv is here to help. Elizabeth Garber was struggling with “all that stuff” (and probably more) when she left the comfort of her corporate career to launch a startup. With the mounting pressure of public speaking, pitching, and leading a new team, she turned to improv for a bit of non-traditional personal development. Two years – and many pitches, podcasts, and presentations – later, she’s here to share how the core tenets of improv can help you feel more confident and grounded in any context. In this workshop, you’ll try new things in a really safe environment. Join us!

Key Takeaways:

  • How to use the ‘yes, and’ common tool and what it means at work
  • How to find support and safety in teams
  • How to become a better communicator with improv
Find Out More
11:40am
Workshop

Motivating the Next Generation High Performance Team

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Leadership
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Denise Arruda, PhD, PMP

    Senior Manager Software Electronics Fire Suppression Products

    Johnson Controls Inc.

As frontier leaders, we need to guide and develop a high-performance team to deliver the next-generation products. We are often challenged by how to inspire, engage, and motivate our team to deliver on our vision. Research has shown that most teams and organizations continue to be misaligned on how to truly motivate today’s knowledge workers, yet we keep instituting programs to provide incentives for better performance and to drive innovation. Is there a more effective way?

This workshop will discuss practical research and theory behind motivation aligned to today’s knowledge worker’s intrinsic motivators. This workshop will combine hands-on challenges, discussions, and engaging lectures to uncover motivational techniques aligned with today’s knowledge workers and beyond.

Key Takeaways:

  • Motivational practices based on pay for performance are not aligned with today’s knowledge workers
  • Motivational practices that are aligned to intrinsic motivators are more effective to inspire and motivate today’s knowledge worker
  • How to keep your team motivated against daily challenges and uncertainty

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3:00pm
Workshop

Mastering the Art of Project Triumph: Unleashing the Power of Critical Success Areas

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Donna Gregorio

    Head of IT Project Management Office

    The MITRE Corporation

Join us for an exhilarating ride through the world of project management, as we dive headfirst into the critical success areas that can elevate your projects from ordinary to extraordinary!

In this dynamic and interactive workshop presentation, we will uncover the secrets to successfully navigating the most challenging moments that can make or break any project.

The Why: Mastering critical success areas is essential for delivering projects on time, within budget, and to the satisfaction of stakeholders.

Key Takeaways:

Prepare for the challenges faced during these critical success areas:

  • At project initiation, define quality scope with impact descriptions and well-crafted project plans.
  • At project execution, implement efficient task-tracking systems.
  • Through the project life cycle, manage scope creep with the indispensable role of status reports in maintaining transparency, accountability, and momentum.

This session is for…you if you want to boost your professional reputation and credibility as a reliable and competent leader, then buckle up and get ready to supercharge your project management skills as we embark on this journey toward project excellence! Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to learn, grow, and empower yourself to conquer even the most formidable project challenges with confidence and finesse.

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11:40am
Workshop

Product Strategy In Action

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Product
  • Nupur Patel

    Associate Director of Product Management

    Cognizant

Real product strategy is embedded in a series of guiding principles that profitably add unique value to known customers and stakeholders. Let’s, for now, assume that we are inspired by the product vision, have an unambiguous product definition, and are monitoring the North Star metric. During the one-hour session, the emphasis will be placed on crafting actionable and real product hypotheses that may or may not achieve the vision. There is only one way to guarantee success, and it’s by putting the strategy to work.

Key Takeaways:

  • Break down a multi-year product vision into a series of product hypotheses
  • Understand when and how to leverage convergent and divergent experiments
  • Design a convergent experiment to test out a product hypothesis

This session is for… People who are ready to fail creatively, are not order-takers, and have their eyes on the ball for solving customer-centric problems.

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11:40am
Workshop

Right-Sizing Your Cybersecurity Program

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Digital Transformation
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Rose Lally

    Chief Information Security Officer and VP Governance & Controls

    Altisource

With cybercrime and security risks at an all-time high and an endless number of security tools to choose from, it’s important to have a cybersecurity protection game plan based on your company’s appetite for risk and a clear understanding of what requirements must be met within a realistic budget. Distinguishing between nice-to-haves and must-haves is key, especially considering how quickly cybersecurity regulations are evolving. In this workshop, you will identify what is your company’s risk tolerance level and where you are on the cybersecurity maturity curve. We will then discuss strategies for risk management and right-sizing a cybersecurity program roadmap.

Key Takeaways:

  • Managing risks – getting to a tolerable level of residual risk
  • Understanding the cybersecurity maturity curve – where you’re at, where you want to be, and what it will take to get there
  • How to approach right-sizing a cybersecurity program

This session is for… anyone trying to mitigate an overwhelming amount of cybersecurity risks with limited resources and budget

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1:50pm
Workshop

Experience-Driven Decision-Making

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Data
  • Digital Transformation
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Leslie Ottavi

    Chief Transformation Officer

    iTalent Digital

Tech won’t work without people, but to be truly people-focused, you need good tech! In this interactive deep dive, iTalent Digital Chief Transformation Officer Leslie Ottavi will present real-world case studies and proven methodologies for using data analytics, automation, and AI to achieve the “big flip” to a stakeholder-centered, change-agile business model. Learn how market leaders have overcome resistance to change, how they’ve applied technology to improving EX and CX, and come away with practical steps you can take right away.

Key Takeaways:

  • Move beyond data-driven decision-making. The name of the game for staying competitive and profitable is experience-driven decision-making where data analytics and business insights are used to optimize UX, CX, and EX
  • How AI enhances experience-driven decision-making; practical ways to embed AI into your current data analytics model
  • How Project Management, Change Management, and Data Analytics converge to optimize UX

This session is for… you if you are a business leader, transformation leader, project manager, or change manager of a medium-sized to large company.

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11:40am
Presentation

How to Design the Career of Your Dreams and Achieve It

30 mins
  • Track - new-frontiers
  • Career Development
  • Diversity Equity & Inclusion
  • Angela Cheng-Cimini

    Senior Vice President - Talent and Chief Human Resources Officer

    Harvard Business Publishing

During this learning session, you’ll gain practical tips to help you advance in your career, including identifying your purpose and cultivating your personal career advisors. You will learn how to be marketable from an HR perspective and tap into your personal magic to spark change in your career journey.

Angela will share her own experience as a diverse woman in business on how to be heard when you are the “only” in the room. She will share her insight and practical wisdom on how to draw on courage and perseverance in the face of obstacles to help you show up more confident and achieve your goals. Hear thought-provoking real-world stories and come away with practices and tools you can use to design and develop a career you’ll love.

Key Takeaways:

  • Develop your distinctive personal presence and be seen and heard in your workplace.
  • Plan a flexible strategy that can adapt and pivot to the ever-evolving landscape in the tech industry.
  • Identify steps to create a career path that is unique to your story.

Find Out More
11:40am
Workshop

Human-Centered Design and Generative AI Engineering

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Advanced Technology
  • AI
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Technical
  • Naz Mirzaie

    Principal Human and AI Experience Researcher and Designer

    Microsoft

  • Narmatha Balasundaram

    Engineering Lead

    Microsoft

In this technical deep dive session, Naz and Narmatha, experts in their respective fields of Human Experience Design and Software Engineering, delve into the pivotal role of a human-centered, multidisciplinary approach in shaping meaningful generative AI solutions. Through practical insights, Naz and Narmatha share strategies to foster seamless collaboration between design and engineering teams, emphasizing the need for user research, iterative feedback loops, interdisciplinary communication, and holistic problem-solving approaches.

This is an engaging session where they will bring the audience into the discussion! Please bring your own learnings and questions to ask along the way.

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3:00pm
Workshop

Communicating the Business Impact of DEI to Develop Executive Support

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Diversity Equity & Inclusion
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Michele Buckley

    Vice President - Research and Executive Advisory

    Gartner

According to a recent Gartner survey, DEI leaders find it challenging to engage active leadership support and interest from other stakeholders. The new frontier of opportunity is for high-tech DE&I initiatives to directly align program benefits to business imperatives and revenue growth. For example, research data shows that companies in the top quartile of executive team diversity are 25% more likely to have above-average profitability, and IT services buyers rank “meeting diversity standards” as the second most important buying criteria. In this workshop, you will learn how to align your DEI initiatives to business impact. You will work together with other attendees to create messages and pitches for your programs that can create new funding and sponsorship opportunities.

Key Takeaways:

  • Understand the business priorities of different C-suite executives
  • Learn about Gartner research that connects DE&I outcomes to business imperatives
  • Develop personal messaging that aligns your DEI initiatives with business outcomes

This session is for… those who are looking to develop the most compelling pitches and requests possible that garner executive support, funding, and sponsorship.

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1:50pm
Workshop

Using Data to Drive Successful Implementation of DEI Initiatives and Long-Term People Strategies

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Diversity Equity & Inclusion
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Flo Nicolas

    Co-Founder/COO

    DEI Directive

This session highlights the crucial role of technology specifically data analytics and broadening the scope of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) beyond gender and race. By utilizing data-driven insights and embracing a more comprehensive understanding of diversity, organizations can make evidence-based decisions when creating DEI strategic plans. Attendees will learn how these approaches enhance decision-making processes and foster more inclusive environments.

Key Takeaways:

  • Significance of data analytics in DEI strategic planning
  • Expanding DEI beyond gender and race for comprehensive insights
  • Leveraging data to identify disparities and address inequities
  • Enhancing decision-making through evidence-based insights
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1:50pm
Workshop

Building Pathways for Inclusion: Driving Equity and Advancement through Networking

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Career Development
  • Not to be Missed
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Becky McDougal

    Director of Programs & Engagement - The Gloria Cordes Larson Center for Women & Business

    Bentley University

Networking is a critical skill for personal, professional, and organizational growth, but it is easily overlooked and undervalued. As we look to a future without systemic barriers or concrete ceilings, we need to disrupt our patterns of behavior to create greater access to information, transparency, and opportunity, and affirm one another’s intersectional identities in the workplace.

Our networks are critical sources of information that lead to greater task achievement, collaboration, innovation, and they provide a sense of belonging. In this workshop participants will be guided through the business case for creating diverse and inclusive networks and learn how our networks can be powerful tools for allyship. 

Participants will engage in an activity to establish networking goals and explore the diversity of their network to be more intentional and strategic, and to identify patterns in our network composition. The program will end with strategies to foster a more diverse network to generate greater innovation and collaboration.

Key Takeaways:

  • Explore the role of networks in advancing equity and inclusion
  • Learn about the three components of your developmental network
  • Gain strategies to create more diverse networks

The Why: As organizations roll back investment in DEI initiatives, the conversations turn to the investment in talent and overall sustainability. Creating a diverse network generates access to greater sources of talent, ensuring the organization is finding the best candidates for their positions.

Additionally, organizations create access to new markets, identifying new trends and opportunities, and can take advantage of those opportunities with more agile, higher performing teams who have the right access to information and the confidence needed to achieve objectives. By promoting investment in individual networks, organizations are investing in themselves and their future as a company.

This session is for…

  • You if you are seeking new opportunities in your career, either within your role or in potential endeavors
  • You if you find yourself saying “I’m too busy to network” or “My work will speak for me and then I’ll get that promotion.”
  • You if you lead teams, manage hiring processes, and want new ways of finding talent.
  • You if you find yourself overwhelmed in networking settings (hello, introverts!)
Find Out More
1:50pm
Workshop

AI Prompt Engineering

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • AI
  • Data
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Neha Khanna

    Technical Product Manager

    Wayfair

Are you intrigued by the wizardry of AI-driven products and the magic behind crafting persuasive content with prompts?

Join us for a workshop where you’ll delve into the metrics for effective prompts, navigate potential issues, and gain insights from real-world examples. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a curious beginner, you’ll leave this session with practical insights and inspiration to embark on your own AI-driven adventures.

Key Takeaways:

  • Gain a clear understanding of how to measure the effectiveness and the quality of prompts in AI-driven content creation
  • Be equipped with the knowledge and tools to identify and address common challenges and issues that can arise when using AI-driven content generation
  • Explore real-world examples of AI-driven content and discover the principles and techniques that make them successful

This session is for… you if you are intrigued by AI-driven products and the art of crafting persuasive content using prompts, this workshop is for you. Whether you have prior experience with AI or are just starting to explore its possibilities, you will find valuable insights and inspiration to enhance your AI-driven content creation skills.

 

Find Out More
1:50pm
Workshop

How To Pitch An Idea and Get A ‘Yes’

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Career Development
  • Leadership
  • Premium Ticket Holders Only
  • Amy Furber

    Master Facilitator and Coach

    PowerSpeaking

This masterclass is a game-changer! Too often brilliant technical and scientific minds fail to get their ideas past the decision-makers in their organization because business leaders don’t understand the benefit. In this session, you will discover the secrets of speaking to the top of any organization. You will walk away with a model that ensures the business listens when you talk tech.

The Why: Too many brilliant ideas fail because decision-makers just don’t ‘get it’. Why? Because the presenter didn’t share the key information in the first 60 seconds. This masterclass changes all that.

Key Takeaways:

  • Understand the mindset of business leaders
  • Know the 4 key elements to include in the first minute of your talk
  • Learn a proven model that ensures the business listens

This session is for… Mid-to-Senior managers seeking approval or funding from decision-makers.

Find Out More

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Events in the Women In Technology Series

Women Of Silicon Valley

May 10, 2024San Francisco

Women In Tech Texas

May 6-7, 2024Houston

European Women In Technology

26-27 June, 2024RAI Amsterdam

Women In Tech Boston

October 1-2, 2024Sheraton Boston Hotel

Women Of Silicon Roundabout

22-23 Nov, 2023ExCeL London

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