Speakers

Vijay Sivaram is a seasoned technology, workforce, and AI transformation leader with more than 22 years of experience shaping large-scale staffing, GCC strategy, and future-of-work models across India and Asia-Pacific. A founding leader at Quess Corp, he helped build one of the region’s largest technology staffing and solutions enterprises, leading divisions spanning recruitment, temporary staffing, AI-driven talent platforms, and engineering and facility services. Today, as Founder of RVAI Global and an advisor to emerging ventures, funds, and innovation networks, Vijay focuses on agentic AI platforms, AI-enabled workforce models, GCC acceleration, gig-economy talent innovation, and building employability pathways for technology professionals. His work sits at the intersection of AI solutions, workforce strategy, and enterprise transformation, offering deep insight into how AI will reshape talent, capability building, and professional education.

Hariraj Vijayakumar is a seasoned entrepreneur and HR-tech leader with over two decades of experience driving large-scale learning and performance transformation. Prior to founding NWORX, Hari spent more than 20 years at Cognizant Technology Solutions, where he rose to serve as Global Head of Learning & Development, leading Cognizant Academy for a 200,000+ global workforce across 26 cities and playing a pivotal role in establishing Cognizant as the #1 learning organization worldwide for two consecutive years by the Association for Talent Development—an unprecedented achievement. Building on this legacy, he founded NWORX, a pioneering B2B SaaS performance enablement platform that helps enterprises move beyond traditional performance management to drive sustained, business-aligned growth and leadership impact at scale.

Experienced Product Leader and Content Officer with over 4.5 million students on Coursera, and a demonstrated history of creating and launching highly successful programs and online courses. Growth and success oriented mindset with IT Strategy Formulation and strong partner management and business development skills. Expertise in EdTech and eLearning specializing in topics including AI, Data Science, Data Analytics, Data Engineering, Cloud Computing, Software Development, Mobile Apps, Project Management, Product Management and IT Support. MBA from Ivey Business School at Western University, and engineering ungrad from McGill University. Rav has been responsible for developing and delivering 100s of hours of top quality content for IBM.

Dr. Todd Dewett is a globally recognized leadership expert, bestselling author, and award-winning educator whose work has reached millions of professionals worldwide. With a career that spans Andersen Consulting, Ernst & Young, and a decade as a distinguished professor of management, Todd has become one of the most popular instructors on LinkedIn Learning and a leading voice on authenticity, team dynamics, and workplace success. He is a 5-time TEDx speaker, a Top 100 Leadership Speaker, and a Top 75 Human Business Champion, known for his energetic, practical, and deeply human approach to unlocking individual and organizational performance. As President of TVA Inc., he coaches leaders and teams to get unstuck and accelerate growth, drawing on his unique blend of humor, insight, and real-world experience. Todd’s courses, books, and keynotes continue to inspire audiences across industries and around the globe

As an educator, consultant, and speaker, I bring over a decade of experience in leadership development, team building, and organizational communication. My passion lies in helping individuals and organizations unlock their full potential through targeted leadership strategies and fostering stronger team dynamics. With a Ph.D. in Organizational Communication and an MBA with a management focus, I've spent my career working with both academic institutions and corporate clients, developing and delivering cutting-edge courses on leadership, communication, and organizational effectiveness. As the author of multiple books and the designer of over 11 online courses with over 600,000 views on LinkedIn Learning, I am deeply committed to empowering leaders and teams with the tools they need to thrive in today’s complex environments. Let’s work together to build better leaders, better teams, and better organizations.

Andrew Madson is a leading data and AI educator and practitioner known for his deep expertise in modern data lakehouse architectures—especially Apache Iceberg—and enterprise analytics at scale. As a LinkedIn Learning Instructor, he has built and taught highly practical courses including Hands-On Apache Iceberg, Apache Iceberg Fundamentals, and Iceberg for Analytics and ML, helping thousands of professionals move from legacy data stacks to cloud-native, open lakehouse platforms. His work spans Iceberg, SQL-based analytics, ML-ready data pipelines, and governance-ready architectures, informed by senior roles at Fivetran, Dremio, JPMorgan Chase, and Fidelity, and reinforced by his authorship with Wiley and O’Reilly on next-generation data systems. Equally impactful in academia, Andrew teaches data and AI across multiple universities, uniquely bridging cutting-edge industry practice with accessible, real-world instruction—making him a trusted voice for organizations modernizing their data foundations and analytics capabilities.

Alex Cowan is a faculty member at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, where he teaches product design and digital development. He has delivered online courses to over 500,000 students. Before his teaching career, Alex founded and sold two companies, and he remains active in advising and investing in digital ventures. His work on Hypothesis-Driven Development is widely recognized and used by both practitioners and educators in new product and venture creation. Alex’s blend of entrepreneurial experience and academic expertise equips his students with the skills needed to innovate and succeed in the dynamic business landscape.

I am a seasoned business leader with over 13 years of experience in the technology learning space. As the Vice President of Partnerships at Packt, I focus on building strategic alliances that foster innovation and drive value. With a background in product development, I've had the privilege of developing innovative learning products and strategies for some of the UK’s biggest brands, such as BT and Hertz. At Packt, my role involves identifying and nurturing partnerships that enhance our market presence, expand our reach, and empower professionals globally through cutting-edge content and technical solutions. My expertise lies in developing product cultures, leading global teams, and driving revenue growth through strategic product innovations.

Paweł Mielniczek is an advocate and compliance leader specializing in AI governance, GDPR, data protection, and international technology law. As CEO of Get Compliant, he oversees complex compliance programs, GDPR implementations, ISO frameworks, litigation, and risk audits for organizations across Europe. His background spans NATO’s Allied Command Transformation, the UN Office in Geneva, financial institutions, supervisory authorities, and international law firms. Paweł has implemented GDPR at more than forty companies, trained hundreds of legal and compliance professionals, and authored widely used resources on data protection and AI management. His expertise makes him a leading voice on regulatory, ethical, and operational challenges in modern digital ecosystems.

As the Head of Generative AI Strategy and Business Development at Cerebras Systems, I lead the development of cutting-edge AI solutions, specializing in generative AI for corporate use. With over a decade of experience, including leadership roles at AWS, where I shaped strategies for products like SageMaker and Bedrock, I bring a deep understanding of AI's transformative impact. As the founder of AI Guru Academy, I’ve trained over 1,000 executives in AI adoption. At this conference, I’ll discuss the future of AI in professional education and how it’s revolutionizing workforce training, helping organizations foster growth, enhance skills, and stay competitive in an AI-driven landscape.

Paul Siegel is an accomplished entrepreneur and "venture execution expert" with extensive experience across various business domains. His diverse background includes IT services, financial and professional development, healthcare devices and services, online retail, and HR and talent management. Paul has a proven track record of driving growth and innovation within these sectors, leveraging his expertise to execute successful ventures. His strategic approach combines deep industry knowledge with a focus on operational excellence, enabling him to navigate complex challenges and deliver impactful results. With a commitment to fostering collaboration and building high-performing teams, Paul is dedicated to transforming ideas into successful business outcomes and enhancing the overall value proposition for stakeholders.

Neel Majumder is a global digital health product leader and educator with deep expertise in virtual care, EHR systems, health analytics, and large-scale clinical technology adoption across Canada, the U.S., the Middle East, and Asia. With leadership roles at institutions such as Stanford University Medical Center, University Health Network, the Provincial Health Services Authority of British Columbia, and the World Health Organization, he has shaped digital health strategy and implementation for some of the world’s most advanced healthcare systems. Neel specializes in designing and deploying virtual care platforms, Epic and Cerner EHR solutions, AI-enabled health technologies, and large provincial digital health programs. Now serving as Faculty and HealthTech Innovation Lead at the Higher Colleges of Technology in the UAE, he mentors the next generation of health informatics leaders while continuing to drive applied innovation that bridges technology, clinical workflows, and human-centered care.

Jeffrey Mac Boham is an AI-driven Learning & Development strategist and a LinkedIn Top Voice in AI for HR, known for helping organizations build future-ready workforces through innovative learning transformation. With deep expertise in curriculum design, performance improvement, leadership development, and AI literacy, he has led major L&D initiatives for organizations such as the U.S. Foreign Service Institute, Sierra Space, AARP, Kellogg, and the National Council for Behavioral Health. Jeffrey integrates data, design, and human insight to elevate organizational capability and connect learning to measurable business outcomes. His work advances modern, AI-enabled talent development at scale.

Vin Mitty, PhD is a senior Data & AI executive and AI-in-Education advocate who helps leaders cut through AI hype and deliver real, measurable value. Currently serving as Senior Director of Data Science & AI, he brings decades of experience across consulting, enterprise analytics, and executive leadership, including roles at Deloitte and large-scale operating organizations. Drawing on his PhD research and hands-on delivery experience, Vin focuses on why the majority of AI initiatives fail—and how leaders can avoid those traps through clear decision frameworks, disciplined execution, and value-driven strategy. He is the author of the forthcoming book The AI Decision Map, which equips executives with practical models to move from experimentation to impact.

As the Head of Content Strategy and Marketing at Starweaver, Vani Aggarwal leads the development and execution of high-quality educational content, working closely with world-class experts and content creators to ensure each course is engaging and impactful. With over 15 years of experience in media production, including directing and producing award-winning films and documentaries for platforms like National Geographic and Discovery Channel, Vani brings a wealth of creativity and expertise to her role. She specializes in video storytelling, digital production, and AI-driven tools to enhance the online learning experience. At Starweaver, Vani is passionate about collaborating on strategic content creation, optimizing processes, and delivering exceptional learning solutions that drive engagement and success for a global audience.

I am a seasoned expert in data analytics, AI strategy, and business transformation, currently serving as the lead for Data & AI Technology at Accenture Switzerland. Over the years, I have honed my skills in creating innovative solutions that merge the power of generative AI, advanced analytics, and cloud architectures to drive business value. My career spans pivotal roles at pmOne and Teradata, where I successfully led teams and designed cutting-edge data warehousing and business intelligence strategies. My work is deeply rooted in helping organizations modernize their data infrastructures, improve strategic planning, and harness AI-driven insights to achieve transformative growth. I am passionate about pushing the boundaries of technology to create meaningful business impacts, always focusing on pragmatic, scalable solutions that align with both current and future industry trends.

As Co-Founder and CTO of Guidepoint PEO LLC and Founder of Drighten Research, I bring extensive experience in leading teams across industries like software, healthcare, education, and government. My focus is on supporting Information Systems (IS) and IT services for large user communities, ensuring effective, tailored solutions. I have successfully managed projects from inception to completion, overseeing budgets and leading teams to achieve goals. With expertise in Decision Science, Data Analytics, Cloud technologies, and Project Management, I bridge technical expertise with business strategy. I am passionate about guiding teams to deliver innovative solutions that meet both technological and organizational objectives.

Praveen Gogia is a global technology and business transformation leader with more than 25 years of experience shaping digital strategy, innovation, and operations across major enterprises including Nomura, Accenture, Zensar, and TCS. A board advisor, CXO-level strategist, angel investor, and executive coach, he has led large-scale IT, AI, and digital modernization initiatives while guiding global capability centers and financial innovation groups in India and abroad. Praveen now serves as Chairman of the Advisory Board at Starweaver and advises multiple tech ventures, bringing deep expertise in AI leadership, organizational transformation, and next-generation digital business models—making him a powerful voice on how AI will redefine professional education and workforce development.

Gabriella Parente is a Fractional CHRO, organizational behavior consultant, and internationally recognized leadership keynote speaker. With 18+ years in corporate HR and organizational development, she specializes in leadership strategy, DEI, culture transformation, and high-performance team development. A LinkedIn Learning instructor whose courses have trained over 1.2 million learners globally, Gabriella is also a two-time McGraw-Hill HR author and Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach. Known for her empathetic, practical approach, she helps leaders and teams communicate effectively, resolve tough workplace challenges, and build thriving cultures. Her work has supported organizations ranging from fast-growing companies to Fortune-level enterprises.

Phil Gold is a seasoned learning and communications professional with more than twenty years of experience helping organizations improve performance through effective training and content design. A former global learning leader at Nike, he has developed large-scale programs supporting digital transformation and employee capability building. Phil is also a prolific online instructor, with over twenty LinkedIn Learning courses reaching worldwide audiences. Through his consultancy, Criativo Dourado, he provides instructional design, content strategy, professional voiceover, and English-language editing services, helping companies communicate clearly, train effectively, and navigate the evolving digital workplace.

As the Director of Content at Starweaver, I lead the creation of engaging learning experiences by collaborating with subject matter experts, instructional designers, and multimedia specialists. I oversee teams to produce high-quality audio and video content, shaping our instructional design and quality standards to inspire a global audience. I also support senior leadership in promoting the brand and aligning with strategic goals. With over 30 years of experience as a Leadership Effectiveness Coach, Consultant, and Speaker, I’ve helped individuals and corporations enhance leadership skills. My career spans major international airlines, a European regional carrier, and an aerial emergency services provider, setting strategic direction in commercial aviation.