Cal Al-Dhubaib is a globally recognized data scientist, entrepreneur, and innovator in responsible artificial intelligence, specializing in heavily regulated sectors such as healthcare, energy, and defense. He leads AI and Data Science at Further, a privacy-first data, analytics, and AI company supporting over 100 of the Fortune 500. Cal founded and scaled Pandata, known for responsible AI design and development. Under his guidance, Pandata worked with high-profile clients including Cleveland Clinic, Progressive Insurance, and Parker Hannifin, leading to its acquisition by Further in 2024. Cal frequently speaks on topics including AI ethics, change management, data literacy, and the unique challenges of implementing AI solutions in regulated industries. His insights have been featured in noteworthy publications including Forbes, Nasdaq, VentureBeat, and Open Data Science. Cal has been recognized by Crain’s Cleveland as a Notable Immigrant Leader, Entrepreneur, and Technology Executive.
Scott J. Allen, Ph.D., is an award-winning educator passionate about working with people at all levels and across industries. He serves as an instructor in SMU’s Cox School of Business Executive Education and spent more than 18 years as a professor of management. He also serves as a leadership consultant with Winding River Consulting. Allen’s areas of expertise include leader development, the future of work, and executive communication. Scott has published more than 60 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. He’s the co-author of several books, including The Little Book of Leadership Development: 50 Ways to Bring Out the Leader in Every Employee; Emotionally Intelligent Leadership: A Guide for College Students; Discovering Leadership: Designing Your Success; and Captovation: Online Presentations by Design. Scott hosts Phronesis: Practical Wisdom for Leaders, ranked among the world’s top 2.5% of podcasts. Along with the podcast, he publishes a weekly newsletter. Scott frequently serves as a keynote speaker. In addition, he consults, facilitates workshops, and leads retreats across industries. Recent engagements include Catholic Charities, Progressive, Nestle, Toyota Motor North America, Enbridge (Dominion), and Cleveland Clinic, among others. Scott served on the board of the International Leadership Association (ILA) and was named an ILA in 2021.
Catharyn Baird, JD, is the Founder/CEO of EthicsGame, LLC and Professor of Business, Emeritus, Regis University, Denver, CO. Baird created the Ethical Lens Inventory™, a typology used by more than 650,000 people to determine their ethical preference and leadership style. Her current research focuses on the ethics of emerging technologies as together we create communities where humans can thrive.
Erik Bean, Ed.D, a full-time professor in Indiana Tech’s Ph.D. in Global Leadership, is adept in academic publishing, leadership education, and media literacy. As Media Literacy Now Michigan Chapter Leader and Journal of Leadership Studies LP section editor, he champions critical media evaluation. His book, Bias Is All Around You, reflects his commitment to uncovering information biases. Dr. Bean’s work at Scale AI focused on programming AI for objectivity, and his research on impartiality was published in the Journal of Media Literacy and Academic Research. In 2024, he addressed AI’s impact on white-collar jobs at the International Leadership Association Conference.
Dr. John Banter is the Director of Organizational Effectiveness at Georgia Southern University and an adjunct faculty member with the Department of Leadership Studies at The Citadel. In his full-time role, Dr. Banter directs the university’s strategic planning efforts, the assessment of employee engagement, measures leadership effectiveness, and develops leadership development programs for Georgia Southern employees. He earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Georgia Southern University and holds additional graduate degrees in the fields of Leadership and Homeland Security Management. John is also certified in prompt engineering with ChatGPT and GPT development.
Dr. Tricia Berry is the owner of Dynamic Trajectories LLC and has over 30 years of experience in Higher Education and Healthcare. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Education with a Specialization in Organizational Leadership from Northcentral University, a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning from Kaplan University, and Bachelors’ degrees in both Occupational Therapy and Psychology from St. Ambrose University. Trish is a member of several professional associations and is the President of the American Association of Adult and Continuing Education.
Dr. Kevin Bottomley serves as Assistant Professor of the PhD in Global Leadership and Department Chair for Doctoral programs at Indiana Tech. He has obtained the following AI-related training and certifications: AI Governance, PrivacyOps, AI Ethics, ACUE Empowering Students to Use AI Responsibly, ACUE Writing Effective AI Prompts, ACUE Teaching with AI-Centered and AI-Resistant Learning Experiences, and ACUE Leveraging AI to Develop Course Resources. Additionally, he has worked with doctoral students on dissertation committees in the AI/ML and VLE space. Dr. Bottomley was a panelist at the ILA conference in Vancouver, CA, with the topic AI, Leadership, and Ethics; he has published and presented at other national and international conferences.
Jackie Bruce, Ph.D., is a leadership educator and faculty member in the Department of Agricultural & Human Sciences. At NC State, Jackie teaches courses in leadership development & qualitative research methods, advises graduate students and tries to find good parking every day. She serves as the Co-Director of the Oaks Leadership Scholars Program, is an Equal Opportunity Institute Graduate Scholar, Green Zone trained instructor, and an LGBT Center Advocate. She enjoys great discussions and direct action related to creating more inclusive and trauma informed learning communities. Jackie is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Leadership Education and is honored to work with a vibrant community of leadership scholars and practitioners.
Kyle Bowen is Deputy CIO at Arizona State University, where he leads strategic university efforts for effective uses of technology to advance institutional growth. Kyle guides a portfolio of disciplines such as AI acceleration, learning experience and disruptive innovation. Kyle is an experienced entrepreneur and frequent speaker on the role of technology to change education. He has co-authored and edited more than 20 books in the areas of design, online development and usability, and his work has appeared in the New York Times, USA Today and the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Dr. Tashieka Burris-Melville is a Faculty and Programme Director for Educational Leadership and Management in the Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies at the University of Technology, Jamaica. She received her doctoral degree in Leadership and Professional Practice from Trevecca Nazarene University. Tashieka is the co-author of Empowering Teams in Higher Education: Strategies for Success and has published several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on team development, leadership, and writing in higher education.
Dr. Janice (Jan) Cardwell is a dynamic force in the field of leadership development. With over four decades of experience across industry sectors, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role as CEO of Conceivers Leadership and Learning Group. Dr. Cardwell is passionate about helping leaders thrive in the age of artificial intelligence, and her innovative program, “Navigating Leadership and Learning in the AI Era©,” (where she is known as “AI-Janice”) provides innovative guidance and training. Her distinguished career includes fourteen years as Vice President/Director of the University of Phoenix-Detroit Campus. As Chair of the Board of the National Entrepreneur Association, she trains aspiring entrepreneurs. As a true scholar-practitioner she applies her academic research to real-world challenges, always exploring “What If and What Else” possibilities. Dr. Cardwell holds a PhD in Education and an MBA in Global Management.
Suzanne Clark is intensely curious and passionate about helping organizations and their leaders make meaningful connections—to strategies, outcomes, and each other. She is the President of Pursuit Advisory Partners and a part-time faculty member within the Master of Management program at Trent University, where she teaches graduate courses in leadership, ethics, and organizational behaviour, and explores the relevance of human leadership skills in AI-driven workplaces. A linguist by training, she holds Master’s degrees in Law (University of Toronto) and English (Western University). Complementing her consulting work, Suzanne is a conceptual artist whose relational art practice focuses on themes of belonging and inquiry.
Brandon Charpied is the Executive Director of the Management & Organizational Behavior Teaching Society (MOBTS) and the International Association for Conflict Management (IACM). He also leads the Collegiate Leadership Competition (CLC), which challenges undergraduate teams across North America in leadership skills through competitive experiential activities. Brandon’s research and practice interests include self-concept, leadership, media richness, and artificial intelligence. He has presented domestically and internationally on AI ethics and classroom AI implementation, and led professional development workshops guiding faculty in creating AI and GPT-based tools tailored to their educational needs. Currently a doctoral candidate (ABD) at the Davis College of Business & Technology at Jacksonville University, Brandon will publish a SAGE Skills module, AI in the Workplace in January 2025.
Bradley A. Davis, BRMP, is the Director of Training and Content Development for the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training and the Principal and Founder of Arete Ink LLC, a development and design firm that helps organizational talent achieve its highest potential. A cross-functional collaborator and instructional project manager, he has worked in the non-profit association space over the last decade, bringing innovation, intentional data management and usage, and content strategy to shape organizations supporting the Military History, Government Service, Education, and Cross-Enterprise Healthcare spaces. Bradley graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University with a B.A. in History, earning both a Master of Military History and a Certificate in Teaching and Learning from Norwich University. In 2021, he earned the Business Relationship Management Professional credential from the BRM Institute and is a 2024 – 2026 American Society for Association Executive (ASAE) Diversity in Executive Leadership Scholar and serves on the ASAE Professional Development Professionals Advisory Council. He was recently named a 2024 40 Under 40 Awardee by Association Forum.
Bert De Coutere is the IP & Innovation Lead and Design Faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). He works on innovation projects around AI and the CCL Labs. With over 20 years of experience in corporate learning and leadership development, Bert specializes in technology-enhanced learning and innovation. Bert is the author of Homo Competens and a frequent speaker at international conferences, and a council member of Online Educa Berlin. He holds degrees in Information Management and an Executive MBA.
Ashok K. Goel is a Professor of Computer Science and Human-Centered Computing in the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Institute of Technology and the Chief Scientist with Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities. He is also PI and Executive Director of National Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education (aialoe.org) sponsored by the United States NSF. For almost forty years, he has conducted research into cognitive systems at the intersection of artificial intelligence and cognitive science with a focus on computational design and creativity. He is a Fellow of AAAI and the Cognitive Science Society and a recipient of AAAI’s Outstanding AI Educator Award.
Ameena Elahi, CIIP, RT, MPA, is an Imaging Informaticist and Application Manager at Penn Medicine, where she co-chairs the Clinical Imaging AI Program and is responsible for project oversight for image applications, including research. Ameena volunteers for various imaging informatics programs and organizations, including RAD-AID International, where she is the Director of Informatics Operations. She was elected to the Society of Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM) board in 2021; as of 2023, she is serving her second term. Ameena is the first author and co-author of various peer-reviewed articles and scientific abstracts. She is also the owner and founder of ReleasePointe, an educational provider dedicated to advancing the careers of professionals in the allied health sector.
Elizabeth Goryunova, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Leadership and Organizational Studies Department at the University of Southern Maine. Elizabeth is a global leadership scholar and expert practitioner. Her scholarship explores DEI, international management, metacognitive strategies for effective cross-cultural leadership, AI-augmented leadership, and AI-enhanced leadership education. Elizabeth’s academic interests are informed by her professional experience as an international business executive and one of ten U.S. Private Sector Liaison Officers to the World Bank Group and IDB. Elizabeth is a co-founder and past president of the Organization of Women in International Trade (Utah Chapter), Women Empowerment Global Outreach, and a member of the International Women’s Forum. She is a contributor to the Utah Women & Leadership Project, Chair of the Leadership Education Member Community of the International Leadership Association, and a member of Eastern Academy of Management.
Christine Haskell, Ph.D., is a collaborative advisor, educator, and author with nearly three decades of experience in the technology industry. She is an adjunct information management and data science faculty at Washington State University and the University of Southern California. Haskell was pivotal in Microsoft’s pivotal shift to Big Data and Cloud Computing in the early 2000s. In 2010, she played a key role in delivering predictive data solutions, laying the groundwork for the strategy supporting AI. Her research focuses on values-based leadership, data governance and ethics, and data skills as a critical lever enabling organizations’ social circuitry.
Emily Herman is a curious creative! While new-ish to higher education and corporate learning and development, her 16-year career with The Walt Disney Company allowed her to assess challenges and address them with data-driven solutions and compassionate leadership. At Disney, Emily managed large entertainment projects and mentored “Cast Members” across lines of business. Upon relocating to Texas in 2020, she pivoted to teaching business and leadership communication at The University of Texas at Dallas and Collin College, recently curating an Open Educational Resources textbook. Emily’s philosophy is that a leader is always learning!
Christopher “Doc” Howard, PhD, is currently the Academic Vice President at LCC International University in Klaipeda, Lithuania. In addition to teaching, he has conducted a line of research on leadership formation that includes hardships, resilience, and character. This follows extensive experience and service with youth and young adults through, among others, HIS Life Ministry and Young Life International where he served as a US Army Civilian contractor in Germany. Chris has led international leadership workshops at German Universities and has conducted leadership seminars for non-government organizations in the education, humanitarian, arts, and religious sectors. Chris has also engaged in leadership development activities in 49 countries including many in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. His areas of expertise include building effective cross-cultural teams, strategic thinking, dealing with complexity, and resilient leadership.
Dan Jenkins, Ph.D., is Professor of Leadership & Organizational Studies at the University of Southern Maine. He received his doctorate in Curriculum & Instruction with an emphasis in Higher Education Administration from the University of South Florida. Dan is co-author of The Role of Leadership Educators: Transforming Learning and has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on leadership education, training, and development. As an award-winning international speaker and facilitator, Dan has engaged thousands of leadership educators, students, and professionals on topics such as leadership pedagogy, followership, artificial intelligence, and curriculum and course design. Additionally, Dan is a past Chair of the ILA Leadership Education Member Community, Co-Founder of the ILA Leadership Education Academy, Vice-Chair of the Collegiate Leadership Competition, Co-Lead of the Association of Leadership Educators Teaching & Pedagogy/Andragogy Focus Area Network, Associate Editor of the Journal of Leadership Studies, and co-host of The Leadership Educator Podcast.
Dr. Stefanie K. Johnson is the director of CU Boulder’s Center for Leadership and associate professor at the Leeds School of Business. Her research focuses on the intersection of leadership and diversity. She lends her expertise to organizations like The World Economic Forum, NASA, and the NFL. She is the author of the National Bestseller, Inclusify, publishes in top journals such as the Academy of Management Journal, and has received over $4 million in grant funding. Media outlets featuring Stefanie’s work include: The Economist, Newsweek, Time, Wall Street Journal. She has appeared on news outlets including CNN and CNN International.
Dr. Eric Kaufman is a professor and Extension specialist with Virginia Tech’s Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education. He is also the current chair of the International Leadership Association’s Followership Member Community. Dr. Kaufman researches and promotes best practices for collective leadership, with special emphasis on problem solving and team development. His work advances social science in a variety of contexts, with past projects supporting the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Centers for Instructional Leadership, as well as the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Geosciences Opportunities for Leadership in Diversity (GOLD) program.
Gaurav Khanna, Senior Manager, Data Science and Digital Journeys, Cisco Systems, has 25 years of experience in technology and entrepreneurship. During the past five years, he has led efforts to automate business workflows using machine learning and deep learning techniques. His work focuses on using large language models and generative AI to transform how users interact with sales acceleration platforms. Khanna is passionate about demystifying complex subjects and is a frequent speaker on AI/ML topics. He received a BS in physics from Yale and an MS and a PhD in materials science and engineering from Stanford.
Sara B. Kimmel, Ph.D., is a Professor of Management in Mississippi College’s School of Business. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in leadership, management, and international business. Her research interests include pedagogical applications of AI. Sara has been recognized as her university’s Distinguished Professor of the Year and as the Outstanding Teacher of the Year in the School of Business. She also coordinates the school’s AACSB CIR process. Sara is a Past President of the Institute of Behavioral and Applied Management (IBAM) and is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management.
“Dr. Joe” Lasley is an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern Maine and Founder of Gamenamic Leadership. He holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies and is a certified leadership coach. He specializes in experiential and transformational learning, using role-playing games, focusing on group dynamics, systems thinking, human development, and game-based learning.”Dr. Joe” Lasley is an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern Maine and Founder of Gamenamic Leadership. He holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies and is a certified leadership coach. He specializes in experiential and transformational learning, using role-playing games, focusing on group dynamics, systems thinking, human development, and game-based learning.
Dr. Xi Lin is an associate professor at East Carolina University, USA. Her research focuses on seeking best practices, such as meme and emoji, video timeline-anchored comments, games, and artificial intelligence, to enhance student engagement and interaction in online learning environments. More information can be found at http://whoisxilin.weebly.com/
Gary Lloyd is a Change Leadership Expert and author of Gardeners Not Mechanics: How to Cultivate Change at Work. He created leadershipskillslab.ai, a platform designed to help users practice leadership skills such as coaching, feedback, and conflict management in a supportive environment, complemented by Socratic tutorials. Originally developed for Warwick Business School’s mentoring programme, the platform now supports a broader range of leadership skills. With over 20 years of experience leading change in financial services, Gary is dedicated to fostering adaptive leadership to meet the challenges of an AI-driven world.
Dr. Ray Luechtefeld is an Associate Professor of Management at the University of Central Missouri where he teaches Strategy, Organizational Behavior, and Organization Development. His courses speak to the intersection of leadership, teamwork, personal and organizational change, and group learning. His research considers approaches to improve individual and team outcomes through transformational dialogue. Ray’s experience includes nine years at IBM. He received his PhD from Boston College, an MBA from the University of Minnesota and a BSEE from the University of Missouri-Rolla and has several patents involving AI and dialogic learning. He is a National Science Foundation CAREER awardee.
Dr. Nikolas McGehee is a dedicated husband, father of three, and a passionate educator and researcher. With a PhD in STEM education and a specialization in data science, he focuses on leveraging AI and Machine Learning to advance educational practices. His work integrates cutting-edge technology with data-driven decision-making to enhance teaching, learning, and research. Additionally, as a professional MMA athlete and trainer, he prioritizes both physical and mental growth. Dr. McGehee brings a unique perspective to AI leadership, blending academic rigor with practical experience in data science, education, and fitness.
Maureen Metcalf, CEO of the Innovative Leadership Institute, is a renowned executive advisor and visionary founder. She leads a consulting team dedicated to elevating leadership and evolving organizations through structured processes. Recognized as a Fellow at the International Leadership Association, Maureen is also an acclaimed author of an eleven-book series on innovative leadership, including “Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI.” Her work amplifies impact and fosters thriving organizations globally.
Jimmy Payne, CNP, PhD is an adjunct instructor at Carolina University, William Woods University and the Navy Community College. He coaches dissertation learners and is an Ethics and Leadership Instructor, as well as conducting research on the “dark “ side of leadership. He served 24 years in the United States Navy, retiring in 2010 as a Lieutenant Commander. He is a Program Analyst for the Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command, where he has worked since retiring from active duty and oversees 22 teams. Dr. Payne’s educational background in Business Administration, Technical Management, and Organizational Leadership has allowed him to apply his expertise in academia and the real world. He has applied team building, budget management, and program execution in action, including many different elements of ethical training.
Cosmo Rahn unlocks the potential of teams and organizations through evidence-based, values-driven leadership and cross-disciplinary collaboration. With nearly two decades of experience in digital marketing, e-commerce, productivity, games, and education technology—and advanced degrees in Human-Computer Interaction and Business Leadership—he crafts market-defining strategies to drive customer growth and retention while developing leaders across the organization. His work includes helping to launch or reposition Google AdWords and Workspace, Electronic Arts’ Pogo, Groupon, Coursera, Auction.com, a U.S. Navy squadron, and Indiana University’s Informatics program.
Sonya Sharififard, PhD (she/her) is faculty at Pepperdine University. Her current research explores leadership development and global food systems with an emphasis on ethics in pedagogy. Previously, Dr. Sharififard served as a postdoctoral research fellow and Managing Editor of The Scholarship without Borders Journal at Pepperdine University, Lecturer at California State University, Sacramento, and an AMPLIFY fellow at the Pacific Council on International Policy. Dr. Sharififard has co-authored book chapters in New Horizons in Positive Leadership and Change (Springer 2020) and Workplace Spirituality and Fulfillment (Palgrave 2018). She has presented at major international conferences and serves on the review panel of global institutions in North America, Europe, and Asia, including the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the Academy of Management (AOM), and the International Leadership Association (ILA).
Matthew Sowcik, Ph.D, is an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication (AEC), and serves as the coordinator for the department’s undergraduate communication and leadership development specialization. Additionally, Sowcik serves as a faculty member of the Challenge 2050 Project, a program aimed at developing human capacity to meet the needs associated of a population projected to exceed 9.6 billion by the year 2050. Outside of his research and teaching, Sowcik serves as a consultant to The New York Times. There, he focuses on the newspaper’s educational programming for faculty and students within leadership studies.
Dr. Heather Y. Z. St. Peters serves as an Associate Professor of Business Administration at Indiana Tech. An interdisciplinary background in international relations, political science, and communication underpin her PhD in Global Leadership. Heather’s 30-year career in higher education includes an expatriate assignment in Lithuania and over 20 years as a visiting professor at LCC International University, instructing students from across Eurasia. Dr. St. Peters’ national and international publications and presentations cover alternative learning and service projects, professional identity and dilemmas, narrative identity work, strengths development, cultural competence, and collaboration with artificial intelligence. She currently chairs the GenAI Taskforce at Indiana Tech, leading efforts to explore faculty and student perceptions of generative AI in academics. This work informs the development of guidance and tools that help the Indiana Tech learning community engage with GenAI responsibly to prepare students to be ethical, job-ready professionals.
Mary Tabata, MBA, PhD is a teaching academic and transformational coach. She holds a PhD in Organizational Leadership from Eastern University and an MBA with a concentration in Leadership and Change Management from Pepperdine University. Her interest in AI and ethics originate from many years working around technology innovation and ethics, including AI in education and its applications to healthcare and human-machine interaction, and AI’s influence on coaching, leadership training, leader development, and AI and spirituality.
Frederick Van Johnson is a leader in photography, marketing, and communication. He is the host of the popular photography podcast This Week in Photo (TWiP) and is passionate about using new technologies like AI, VR, and AR to empower creative professionals. With a background in the U.S. Air Force and experience at companies like Apple, Adobe, and Yahoo!, Frederick has a unique blend of creative and strategic expertise. He is a board member of The International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum and continues to inspire photographers and creatives to embrace change and thrive in the digital world.
