MEET OUR 2026

Speakers

Keynote Speaker

Kathleen Walch

Director, AI Engagement and Community, PMI

Kathleen focuses on advancing practical, responsible AI adoption across the project management profession. In this role, Kathleen works at the intersection of education, community, and real‑world practice to help professionals confidently lead AI‑enabled initiatives.

Kathleen joins PMI from the Cognilytica acquisition. At Cognilytica, Kathleen co-developed the Cognitive Project Management for AI (CPMAI) methodology that is in use by Fortune 1000 firms and government agencies worldwide to successfully run and manage their AI and advanced data projects. Adopted by dozens of multinational organizations, dozens of government agencies, and NGOs, CPMAI is quickly becoming the standard methodology for AI project management best practices. Kathleen is CPMAI+E Certified.

Carlos Rojas

Global Technology Executive

Carlos has 20+ years of experience leading AI-enabled platforms, cloud infrastructure, and engineering organizations at Fortune 100 companies.
Specialized in AI enablement, embedding intelligence into reliability engineering, cloud platforms, and mission-critical systems to improve decision-making.
Recognized for building high-performing teams and delivering solutions that serve 100M+ users worldwide. Co-author of Reliability Engineering in the Cloud and keynote speaker.

Jim Highsmith

Co-author Agile Manifesto

I was one of the original signers of the Agile Manifesto and have spent decades working at the intersection of technology, AI, leadership, and organizational change. I’ve written several books on adaptive leadership and agility, including Adaptive Software Development, Agile Project Management, and Wild West to Agile.

Early in my career, the challenge was improving software process. Today the challenge is far broader: how enterprises adapt at scale as AI accelerates execution and reshapes decision-making. Speed increases, but governance, judgment, and resource reallocation often lag behind.

My work focuses on enterprise agility, especially Judgment, as a leadership capability: sensing change early, making deliberate trade-offs under uncertainty, and reliably re-configuring how the enterprise works.

Amber Field

Chief Operating Officer, Strudel.AI

Amber Field is the Chief Operating Officer at Strudel AI, a Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and author of the book, Agile Discovery & Delivery: A Survival Guide for New Software Engineers & Tech Entrepreneurs. She has been an executive leader in tech, agile proponent, and engineer for her entire career at a number of organizations including IBM, National Geographic, Oracle Utilities (formerly Opower), Capital One, and Singlewire Software. Amber frequently speaks at conferences and blogs at amberrfield.com. She lives in Madison, WI.

Chris Sims

Founder, Agile Learning Labs

Chris Sims is a certified scrum trainer, agile coach, and recovering C++ developer who helps organizations improve their productivity and happiness. Chris is the founder of Agile Learning Labs and the co-author of two best-selling scrum books: The Elements of Scrum and Scrum: a Breathtakingly Brief and Agile Introduction. More of their writing can be found on the Agile Learning Labs blog. Before starting Agile Learning Labs in 2007, Chris made a living in roles such as: scrum master, product owner, engineering manager, project manager, software engineer, musician, and auto mechanic.

Larry Taxson

Digital Innovator

Lawrence “Larry” Taxson is a seasoned National Security Senior Executive with over 27 years of experience driving digital transformation across both public and private sectors. Throughout his career, Larry has focused on solving complex technical problems that directly impact mission success, bridging the gap between business objectives and digital innovation. His passion lies in driving digital evolution through the integration of technology, strategy and collaboration. With advanced training in both business and technology, Larry brings a unique blend of strategic and tactical perspectives to every challenge, enabling organization to thrive in an era where digital readiness is paramount to mission success.

Charlie Kennedy

Director of Emerging Technologies, HNB

Charlie Kennedy bio coming

AI Panel

Kathleen Walch

Director, AI Engagement and Community, PMI

Stacey Reinke-Bui

Visionary Leader, AI Governance, PMI

Stacey (Hang) Reinke-Bui is a visionary leader at the intersection of Enterprise AI Governance and Strategic Project Management. As a PMI Region 5 Mentor, she orchestrates strategy and operational alignment for 14 chapters across the Mid-Atlantic, representing over 12,000 project professionals.

Stacey is one of only 13 world-wide Subject Matter Experts selected by PMI Global to define and communicate the industry standard for the Certified Professional in Managing AI (CPMAI) credential, directly contributing to the framework that will certify the next generation of AI practitioners. Her current portfolio includes serving as a Global PMIxAI Champion, where she pilots AI adoption strategies and translates complex frameworks—such as Zero Trust Architecture, 7 Patterns of AI and 6 phases of implementation—into actionable enterprise roadmaps.

With a professional background spanning from writing foreign language policy at the Pentagon to leading high-stakes digital transformations for the U.S. Coast Guard, Stacey brings a people first mindset to organizational resilience and adoption. She is currently advancing her expertise in Systems Thinking (STSI) through Cabrera Research Lab (Cornell University), further refining her ability to navigate the path to value and success in complex, high-achieving enterprise environments.

George Fountain

IT Project Manager & AI Strategist

Veteran U.S. Army officer, IT Project Manager, and AI Readiness Strategist with more than 20 years of experience leading complex technology initiatives across federal and commercial sectors. In 2025, he was recognized as a Black Engineer of the Year at his former firm, Booz Allen, for his leadership and impact in emerging technology delivery.

He is the creator of the StAIR-Ready™ framework, a structured AI readiness model aligned with CPMAI methodology and NIST AI governance principles. Over the course of his career, George has led hundreds of IT projects, including nearly 50 AI-focused initiatives spanning automation, machine learning enablement, and AI-assisted operational workflows.

George also builds and experiments with AI-powered SaaS tools, actively testing practical applications of generative AI in real-world project environments. His work centers on helping PMOs and executive teams move beyond experimentation to disciplined, risk-aware AI adoption—reducing administrative burden, strengthening governance, improving reporting integrity, and identifying risks earlier in the project lifecycle.

His approach is pragmatic and execution-focused. Rather than theoretical transformation narratives, George equips leaders with structured methods to make AI operational, measurable, and governed within the constraints of existing teams and tools.

A member of the PMI Silver Spring, MD Chapter, he is committed to helping today’s project professionals adapt their leadership models to thrive in an AI-driven world.

Gilbert Brown

Software Architect

Gilbert is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP©), a PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP©) and a Certified Scrum Master (CSM). He has over 30 years of IT experience in sponsoring, architecting, leading, designing, and implementing projects and products valued at thousands to millions of dollars. He has provided innovative solutions to problems and opportunities spanning Civil Engineering, Data Science, Cloud Computing, Software Architecture, Project Management, Agile Product Management, Cybersecurity, Business Analysis, Software Development, and Database Management Systems.

Executive Panel

Sanjiv Augustine (Moderator)

Founder and CEO, LitheSpeed

Sabrina Iqbal is a dynamic and results-driven leader with over a decade of experience in project and portfolio management, strategic planning, and agile transformation. Currently serving as the Senior Manager of Project Portfolio at Sands Capital Management, Sabrina oversees the Enterprise Project Portfolio, ensuring strategic alignment, driving measurable value, and fostering continuous improvement. She has reshaped the project management ecosystem, established the Agile Center of Excellence within the Project Management Office, developed frameworks for high-impact initiatives, and effectively communicates with executive leaders to ensure strategic alignment.

Jim Highsmith

Agile Thoughtleader

Early in my career, the challenge was improving software process. Today the challenge is far broader: how enterprises adapt at scale as AI accelerates execution and reshapes decision-making. Speed increases—but governance, judgment, and resource reallocation often lag behind.

Amber Field

Chief Operating Officer, Strudel.AI

Charlie Kennedy

Director of Emerging Technologies, HNB

Charlie Kennedy bio coming