Wednesday, May 11, 2022

7:30 a.m.

Registration and Networking

8:00 a.m.

Welcome Remarks from NVTC President and CEO Jennifer Taylor

8:15 a.m.

Keynote Speaker

Speaker:
Teresa Carlson, Chairman, KnightSwan Acquisition Corporation

Moderator:
Brad Antle, Executive Chairman, Oceus Networks

9:05 a.m. – 10:05 a.m

Responsible AI by Design: The High Road of Mission AI at Scale

Responsible AI is a clarion call to design, develop and deploy AI technology ethically and transparently. The purpose of this panel is to highlight challenges of the times. AI at scale is mission-value driven – at all levels of connectivity including global, societal and personal endeavors. AI’s power and hidden autonomy calls for incredible personal and societal responsibility. The direct impact on individual lives and societies has raised considerable questions of AI ethics, data governance, trust, intentionality, legality and propriety.AI is at a critical “fulcrum” point, as teams aggressively collaborate and compete, to reap AI benefits, while considering the daunting challenges ahead to protect the societies and freedoms we cherish. We invite you to interact with our panel of 5 diverse RAI leaders, authors, advocates and practitioners. We welcome your questions, look forward to meeting personally during networking, and to providing an e-packet link to references for further thought.

Moderator:
Brett Berlin, Data Analytics Engineering, Volgenau School of Engineering, George Mason University

Panelists:
Cortnie Abercrombie, CEO & Founder, AI Truth Foundation

Peter Bruce, Chief Learning Officer at Elder Research Corporation & Founder, Statistics.com

Dr. Wendy Martinez, Senior Director, Mathematical Statistics Research Center, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ian McCulloh, Chief Data Scientist, Accenture Federal Services

Dr. Amarda Shehu, Associate Vice Provost of Research for the Institute of Digital InnovAtion & Professor of Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computing, George Mason University

10:05 a.m – 10:25 a.m.

Networking Break

10:25 a.m. – 11:25 a.m.

Your AI: Only as Smart as Its Data

Ever been in the situation where you didn’t have the data needed to make an informed decision in the face of uncertainty? How does one deal with this problem when developing an AI? In this panel, we will discuss how the quality of the data used to train an AI affects how well it may perform. We will explore such questions as: suitability of data to the purpose of the AI; synthetic data, what it is and how it’s used; how bias creeps in; and using AI to improve data quality.

Moderator:
Dr. Tom Woteki, Data Analytics and Applied Statistics Master’s Program and Director, Academy of Data Science, Virginia Tech

Panelists:
Dr. Laura Freeman, Deputy Director, Virginia Tech National Security Institute Assistant Dean for Research, College of Science

Zachary Hanif, VP, Machine Learning, Capital One

David Keever, Vice President, Data Science Strategist, Leidos

John Larson, Senior Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton

11:25 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.

Keynote 2

Speaker:
Dr. William Streilein, CTO, Chief Digital and AI Office, Department of Defense

12:10 p.m.  – 12:25 p.m.

Networking Break

12:25 p.m. – 1:55 p.m.

Lunch and Workforce Session – AI in Recruiting & Hiring: A New Self-Regulatory Strategy

The use of AI in various employment processes, especially diversity-focused recruiting and hiring, is advancing rapidly with new products and services entering the market at an explosive pace. These new technologies promise dramatic efficiencies and added value. In the recruiting and hiring process, AI assists human decision-making and managing a deluge of data. The challenge for rapid innovation in any industry is the ability for regulatory requirements to keep pace. There is a need to combine important technological innovation with a proactive approach to employment law regulations and compliance requirements. For a solution, BBB National Programs’ Center for Industry Self-Regulation, in conjunction with the law firm Epstein, Becker & Green, launched an initiative to develop a new self-regulatory regime for AI in recruiting and hiring. You will learn about the latest innovation in self-regulation for AI in the recruiting and hiring space that will be finalized in summer 2022.

Speaker:
Andrea Shandell, Vice President, Privacy Initiatives, Operations, BBB National Programs

Workforce Session Moderator:
Kurt Hall, Talent Acquisition Leader, Booz Allen Hamilton

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Accelerating Your AI Business

Panel will discuss the resources available to growing companies in Northern Virginia from the entrepreneur and innovation ecosystem fostered by Marymount University, George Mason University and Virginia Tech, as well as grant and incentive programs for companies in Northern Virginia and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Information will be shared on specific services available to companies located in Northern Virginia, including identifying office space, getting support for tech talent recruiting and how to publicize their latest innovations. There is a vibrant VC community in Northern Virginia with Fairfax County companies raising nearly $1.25 billion last year. We will cover what VCs are looking for when they are making investments in AI companies.

Moderator:
John Gustavo Blair, Assistant Director, National Business Investment, FCEDA

Panelists:
Jonathan Aberman, Partner Ruxton Ventures and Dean and Professor of Practice, Marymount University College of Business, Innovation, Leadership and Technology

Brandy Salmon, Associate Vice President of Innovation & Partnerships, Virginia Tech

Paula Sorrell, Associate Vice President of Innovation and Economic Development, George Mason University

Ryan Thompson, COO, Unusual Ventures

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Closing Remarks and Networking Reception