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8:00am
Registration & Open Networking
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8:45am
Chairperson's Opening Remarks
Dr. Ram Singh - Chief Data Officer - Night Market
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9:00am
From Data Analyzer to Decision Enabler to Business Driver: How to Elevate Your Organization’s Data Analytics Maturity
Jason Wang - Chief Risk Officer & VP Data Analytics - Allstate Insurance
• Examine the current maturity of your data analytics capabilities
• Articulate the end goal of a data-driven organization
• How to implement the transformation roadmap with actionable phases -
9:30am
Cheese and Change: The Art of Meeting People Where They Are: How a Pizza Analogy Ignited a Data-Driven Transformation
Jeannie Furlan - VP Financial Data Strategy - Mutual of Omaha
Come join me as I share how we have succeeded in evolving our financial data consumer’s relationship with data!
• Cutting through the noise when setting a strategy
• Staying on the critical path during execution
• Evaluating impact: how to know whether you’re moving the needle
• …and other corporate catchphrases -
10:00am
AI is Changing the Relationship Between Data and the Business, as CDO/CDAO Are You Ready?
Dr. Ram Singh - Chief Data Officer - Night Market
• How to support the transition from decision support (charts and graphs) to decision automation (models)
• Managing accountability for the Amplified Value and Amplified Risk of AI (AI Governance)
• Scaling AI despite unprecedented operational complexity (AI Change Management)
• How to embrace the CDO/CDAO responsibility as the Enterprise AI leader (AI Portfolio Management)
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10:30am
Mid-Morning Coffee Break & Networking
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11:00am
Panel Discussion: ‘’All That Sounds Great… But What Can It Actually Do?’’ Cutting Through the Hype of Artificial Intelligence
Moderator: Colin Kennedy - Founder & COO - Shelf
• Develop strategies for assessing what ‘AI’ means to you and building a definition to meet your organizations needs
Panelists:
• How to gain executive buy-in for AI solutions without overpromising or overcomplicating
• Eliminate workforce misconception by communicating ‘optimization’ rather than ‘replacement’
Zack Jakaitis, Associate Director, Data Governance Lead, RTX
Randy Callender, Senior Data Scientist, AbbVie
Anil Saldanha, Chief Innovation Officer, Rush University Medical Center
Patrick Chew, Global Head Data Enablement, AIT Worldwide Logistics
Moderator: Colin Kennedy, Founder & COO, Shelf
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11:40am
TRACK A
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11:40am
How to Build an Agile Data Practice that is Ready for AI
Subbiah Mahalingam - VP - Digital Transformation - Becton Dickinson
- Evaluate upskilling or process updates needed for desired data maturity
Identify technology infrastructure essential for a successful data strategy
Integrate generative AI into your data practice to gain insights across business functions
- Evaluate upskilling or process updates needed for desired data maturity
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12:20pm
Building Data Products in a Data Mesh Architecture to Drive Growth and Customer Value at Scale
- - Sponsored by WhereScape
• Building a cutting-edge data organization that attracts, excites, develops and retains exceptional and diverse talent
• Generating sustainable value with industry-leading data products, insights and expertise
• Increasing efficiency by giving data product teams with end-to-end responsibility in a data mesh architecture
• What’s next? data-enabled innovations, and a world-class data stack to win customers’ hearts, minds and loyalty -
11:40am
TRACK B
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11:40am
Discussion Group A: How can the Benefits of Data & Analytics Transformation be Effectively Measured?
Jeff Courcelle - Senior Vice President, UX Design - MicroStrategy
• What metrics are most effective in measuring the success of Data & Analytics Transformation?
• How do you assess the tangible benefits derived from the implementation of data and analytics initiatives?
• In what ways can key performance indicators (KPIs) be tailored to reflect the impact of transformation on business outcomes?
• Are there specific benchmarks or standards for evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of data and analytics transformations?
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12:20pm
Discussion Group B: Where do I Start with AI?: Identifying the Use Cases that Can Provide Value Quickly and Accelerate your AI Adoption
Alex Tsourmas - Senior Data Scientist - DataRobot
• What problems within my org can I address NOW with AI that can show value to stakeholders?
• My data isn’t perfect, but I don’t want to be left behind with AI adoption, what are my options?
• Build or buy? What resources, tools, and funding do I have available to begin an AI project?
• What governance frameworks do I need in place to make sure we are compliant and that we can deploy with confidence
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1:00pm
Lunch & Networking
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2:00pm
Panel Discussion: How to Deliver Business Value in the CDAO Role
Moderator: Ravindra Salavi - NA Practice Lead – Insurance - WNS Analytics
• CDAOs are under increased pressure to deliver business value and show an ROI from data and analytics investments. This CDAO panel discussion will explore:
• The importance of building strong and trusted business sponsorship.
• Why creating a data culture is a foundational requirement.
• Communicating and selling your ideas to business leaders.
• Starting small to provide business value.Panelists:
Patrick Chew, Global Head Data Enablement, AIT Worldwide Logistics
Robin Czajka, VP of Data Solutions, HealthTrust
Marta Magnuszewska, VP of Claims Analytics, Markel
Alan Schuchner, Chief Analytics Officer, Chicago Atlantic Group
Rohit Sachdev, Head of Data Management, QBE North America
Moderator:
Ravindra Salavi, NA Practice Lead – Insurance, WNS Analytics -
2:40pm
Not Just Semantics: The Distinction Between AI and Automation in Data Management (And Why You Don't Need That Chatbot)
Jordan Burger - Lead Researcher, AI Applications - Keboola
The distinction between AI and automation is more than just a matter of semantics—it's crucial for developing effective, value-driven data strategies. This session delves into the critical differences between these often-confused technologies and their implications for business success. We'll address how companies can avoid being distracted by disruptive innovations that may not serve their core needs, using the current chatbot trend as a timely example. Participants will gain insights into evaluating AI and automation initiatives based on their organization's data maturity and strategic objectives, rather than market hype. By the end, attendees will have a clear framework for making informed decisions that drive real business value in their data and analytics endeavors.
• Understand the critical distinctions between AI and automation, and how misunderstanding these concepts can lead to misguided investments.
• Learn to evaluate whether trending AI solutions (like chatbots) align with your organization's actual needs and data maturity.
• Develop a framework for assessing when to invest in AI versus optimizing existing automation processes for maximum business impact.
• Gain strategies for communicating the value of thoughtful AI and automation adoption to leadership, focusing on tangible business outcomes rather than hype. -
3:10pm
Bolting Ahead: Precision with Purpose using Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning
Hardi Gokani - Director of Product Engineering - AI/ ML - Grainger
• Start with the business problems and then identify a technology solution
• Employ machine learning to drive strategic business value and augment business operations
• Actively engage stakeholders to maximize impact and warrant successful products -
3:40pm
Afternoon Coffee Break & Networking in Exhibition Area
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4:10pm
Scaling Artificial Intelligence Solutions Effectively
Shamsa Jafri - SVP, Head of Media & Owned Channel Science - Wells Fargo
• CDAOs are under increased pressure to deliver business value and show an ROI from data and analytics investments. This CDAO panel discussion will explore:
• The importance of building strong and trusted business sponsorship.
• Why creating a data culture is a foundational requirement.
• Communicating and selling your ideas to business leaders.
• Starting small to provide business value.Panelists:
Patrick Chew, Global Head Data Enablement, AIT Worldwide Logistics
Robin Czajka, VP of Data Solutions, HealthTrust
Marta Magnuszewska, VP of Claims Analytics, Markel
Alan Schuchner, Chief Analytics Officer, Chicago Atlantic Group -
4:40pm
Beyond Risks and Controls: The Role of Governance in Advancing AI/ML
Shawn Tumanov - Head of Data, Model and AI Governance - GEICO
• How can governance enable and support AI/ML?
• Using existing governance frameworks
• Building sufficient data AI ethics
• Becoming an advocate for AI/ML usage -
5:10pm
Panel Discussion: Value-Added Data Governance: Building Your Team for Success
• How can data governance create a collaborative environment where data professionals with diverse skill sets (technical, analytical, communication) can work together effectively to address challenges and opportunities?
• What approaches or best practices have you found effective in balancing regulatory requirements while promoting innovation within your data team?
• What strategies can the panel recommend for fostering a culture of data sharing and breaking down silos that may exist between different teams within the organization?
• How can organizations measure the effectiveness of their data governance program?
• How can data governance facilitate "data democratization," enabling broader use of data for insights without compromising security or data integrity?
Panelists:
Kalpana Yendluri, Managing Director, Data & Analytics Environments, BMO Financial Group
Teja Ginjupalli, Chief Data Officer, Kelly
Arindam Mukherjee, Head Data Strategy & Enterprise BI, Lundbeck
Shawn Tumanov, Head of Data, Model and AI Governance, GEICO
Priya Velamoor, Director, Data Stratgy and Governance, UScellular -
05:50pm
Cocktail Reception
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8:00am
Registration & Open Networking
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8:45am
Chairperson's Opening Remarks
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9:00am
Developing a Multidisciplinary Workforce Skilled in Collaborative AI
Yuan Luo - Chief AI Officer - Northwestern University
• Building AI infrastructure and training resources
• Crafting multi-modal AI/ML tools and tutorials to enhance capabilities in analyzing complex data
• Cultivating environments of collaboration and innovation -
9:30am
Beyond the Real: How Synthetic Data Fuels the Future of AI and Generative AI
Gokula Mishra - Vice President, Data Science - Direct Supply
• The Data Bottleneck: Challenges of Real-World Data for AI/GenAI
• The Rise of Synthetic Data: Crafting Artificial Reality for AI
• Unlocking the Potential: Applications of Synthetic Data in AI/GenAI Growth -
10:00am
Morningstar: Accelerating Insight Creation Using Data Mesh
Anne Homsy / Anusha Dwivedula - Director of Analysis/Director of Technical Product Management - Morningstar
• Initial challenges and motivations for adopting Data Mesh
• Steps taken to transition from traditional data architecture to Data Mesh
• How Data Mesh has accelerated insight creation at Morningstar
• Key lessons learned and best practices -
10:30am
Mid-Morning Coffee Break & Networking
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11:00am
Panel Discussion: Articulating the Value of Data Analytics & IA Projects to Leadership
• What are the best methods for ensuring data is understood up and down your enterprise, and how best to articulate the value of relevant projects to senior leadership?
• Aligning Data Analytics & AI Projects with Business Goals
• Customizing Communication for Different Leadership Levels
• Case Studies and Success StoriesPanelists:
Daniel Chertok, Sr. Data Scientist, Endeavor Health
Joel Li, Director, Data Science and Business Intelligence, Allstate Insurance
Marta Magnuszewska, VP of Claims Analytics, Markel
Timothy Riddle, Senior Director, Enterprise Analytics, Premier Inc
Moderator: Mary Purk, Managing Director, AI and Analytics Research Center, The Wharton School -
11:40pm
Unleashing the Power of Chief Data Officers in the Age of AI
Karthikeyan Ilangovan - Head of Business Intelligence - Neiman Marcus Group
• Explore strategies to align CDOs' roles and responsibilities with AI initiatives, enabling them to drive data-driven decision-making across the organization
• Create a robust data governance framework, establish data-driven culture and leverage emerging technologies to support CDOs in their transformational roles
• Discover how to measure and communicate the value of CDOs' contributions, ensuring corporate support and investment in their roles to deliver successful data-driven transformation in the age of artificial intelligence -
12:10pm
Building a Data-Inspired Culture to Drive Better Decisions
Cyril Nigg - Senior Director Analytics - Reverb
• How to build trust in the data and deliver value
• Avoiding paralysis by analysis
• Becoming more hypothesis minded and understanding the "why" -
12:40pm
Lunch & Networking in Exhibition Area
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1:40
The Optimal Team Make-up: What is the Talent Set that Every Data & Analytics Leader Should Have, and How To Get Them
Jyoti Mishra - Sr. Director Analytics Executive - Amtrak
• What profile and skillsets do you truly need and how do you combine them to optimize performance? How are data analytics leaders dealing with the great resignation, or the great re-shuffle?
• Identify, upskill and retain internal talent; how to create compelling career paths
• Tapping into collaboration networks – externally, for recruitment and project-based initiatives, and internally, to leverage mobility opportunities
• Nurturing diverse internal talent that could be interested in moving to data analytics roles -
2:40
“Sharing the Right Data at the Right Time”: How to Successfully Implement a Smart Data Fabric Integration
Rajib Nandi - Head, Head of Data Analytics - Harris Associates
What tells you that something is going to actually get value in the end?
How do disruptions happen?
What are the keys to using AI successfully and getting value?
The importance of considering factors such as scalability, integration, and ease of use
Overcoming challenges and mitigating risks -
02:40pm
End of Conference
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