Speakers
Alison Bell
Opening Keynote
Finding Your Place in the Evolving IT Workforce
Alison Bell is the Regional Vice President of Western Governors University’s Central Region, which consists of Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania. She also serves as Chancellor of WGU Indiana. Bell has more than 20 years of higher education leadership experience, including four years of prior experience with WGU Indiana as their general manager of operations from 2010-2014.
Bell currently serves on the advisory board for TechPoint and for Career Ready Indiana, an Indianapolis Business Journal publication. She previously served on several higher education committees during her tenure at IUPUI, including: Academic Policies and Procedures Committee, the Campus Advising Council, the Recruitment Council, the Welcoming Campus Task Force, and the Mid-North Promise Program. She was also the recipient of WGU’s Excellence in University Service Award in 2011.
“Across rural and urban areas of our region, talent is equally distributed, but unfortunately access to higher education is not. Our goal at WGU is to make sure that students of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life have access to a flexible, affordable higher education to fulfill their potential and the opportunity to thrive in today’s ever evolving workforce.” - Alison Bell, WGU Regional Vice President
Kate Maxwell
Lunch Keynote
Creativity Unleashed
Kate Maxwell is the Chief Technology Officer for Defense & Intelligence in Microsoft’s Worldwide Public Sector, where she delivers on Microsoft’s mission to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more.
Kate was named one of “100 Women in Tech Leaders to Watch in 2022” by WomenTech Network, and #40 of the “Top 100 Women in Tech” by Technology Magazine in 2021. She was named the Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ) Tech Executive of the Year in 2022, was a Forty Under 40 recipient in 2021, and a Woman of Influence in 2019. Kate is active in the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and has won both the Emerging Leader award and the Work/Life Integration award.
Her session will explore the psychology of creativity and identifies ways in which we can find inspiration for ourselves and for our teams. By attending this session, you will learn about the many habits that hold back our creative selves, including fear of judgment, self-doubt, the problem with being too busy, and the many distractions that interrupt the creative thought process.
Randi Roger
Breakout Room Speaker
BEYOND THE RED OR BLUE PILL: Tips and tricks from the trenches to survive the matrix
Randi Roger is a Product Manager with MISO (Midcontinent Independent System Operator) based in Carmel, IN. In that role, Randi supports the mission of the organization to manage the flow of high-voltage electricity across 15 US States and the Canadian province of Manitoba, facilitate one of the world’s largest energy markets and plan for the future of the grid to ensure reliable, dependable and cost-effective electricity to the people who depend on it.
In an effort to give back Randi supports two different not-for-profit organizations. On a professional level she is a mentor with Spark! Mentors a women's mentoring group that creates and fosters important conversations for personal and professional growth. On a personal level she is part of the leadership team with the Carmel Farmers Market which organizes, produces and manages fun and exciting farmers markets for the residents of Carmel and the surrounding central Indiana area. Randi has twice been named to Ball State’s Center for Information and Communication Sciences Hall of Fame for her work supporting the mission of the center.
Kim Richman
Table Talks
Kim specializes in design and implementation of Unified Communications, Video, and Contact Center Customer solutions, having 11 years’ experience designing and deploying solutions for her clients. Her relevant technical skills include design, implementation, and deployment of Cisco Unified communications platforms (Webex and on-premises), UCaaS solutions such as Microsoft Teams as well as technology assessments, dial plan migrations, E911 compliance, call center workflows, and visual communications.
Kortnee Knoble
Breakout Room Speaker
Confidence in the Workplace
"When you’re just starting your career, you question if you deserve a seat at the table. Further into your career, you’re thriving and in multiple seats, wearing multiple hats. Near the end of your career, you’re inviting others like you and wishing you knew that you belonged all along.".
Krista Ewing
AI Revolution Panel Moderator
"Values are my core in all I do inside and outside of work - past, present, and future. The values central to my being are compassion, utility, discovery / growth, resilience, creativity, and integrity.
Generally, my current role is chalked full of creativity, design, problem-solving, technology, data, and even some policy. More specifically, I work a lot on user interface design (UI or UX), feedback loops, communications, branding, and creating online learning videos, webpages, presentations. I also serve on my company’s AI Ethics Operating Committee - with a focus on Responsible AI education, & HR AI tools."
David Hughes
AI Revolution Panelist
Co-founder of Deeplight Labs which started as an experiment in art and engineering turned into a full-time passion of leveraging technology and science to create immersive, interactive art pieces, meant to push the boundaries of what’s possible - ‘art from the future’.
Ken McNamara
AI Revolution Panelist
Ken is a distinguished technology expert with extensive experience in the field. He is also a dedicated educator and currently teaches at Ball State University, where he shares his knowledge and expertise with the next generation of technology professionals. With his deep understanding of AI and its potential to transform industries and societies, Ken brings a unique perspective to our panel. He is passionate about exploring the possibilities of AI and helping others understand its impact on our world.
Lauren Metzler
AI Revolution Panelist
Recent graduate from the Department of Media at Ball State University and current CICS scholar. With a focus on video production, she has honed her skills in creating and manipulating visual content.
Our panelist brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the discussion on deepfakes, an area of AI that has garnered significant attention in recent years. She is well-versed in the technical aspects of creating and detecting deepfakes, as well as the ethical and social implications of their use.
Bette Smith
Ignite Talk Speaker
How to Show Up for Life(long Learning)
Bette Smith is the principal and owner of Destra Consulting Group. She is a management and communications consultant with more than 20 years of experience. Bette works with organizations going through business transformation and specifically does the work of assessment, design, delivery, and evaluation of initiatives for companies and organizations in all industries. She has designed and delivered Leadership and Change Management programs for clients including MoneyGram, Turner (formerly Turner Broadcasting Systems), Samsonite, TCF Bank, AT&T, UnitedHealth Group, and many more.
Bette received her Masters in Social Science with an emphasis in Educational Evaluation from the University of Colorado Denver, and her Bachelor of Arts in Russian Studies from Bates College.
Desiree Soptelean
Ignite Talk Speaker
Neurodiversity in the workplace
A natural builder of community through empathy, personal connection, and creation of an inclusive, welcoming atmosphere. A strategic thinker with a keen eye for detail, both visually and figuratively, and a desire to develop
people, projects, or events to their full potential.
Kerry Broshears
Ignite Talk Speaker
An Argument to End Arguments
"I am an enthusiast of any opportunity to expand my knowledge. I treat every person I meet as an explorer in my learning labyrinth, leading me into a perpetual state of growth, which I imprint upon others."
Charlotte Obeng
Ignite Talk Speaker
A structured approach to problem solving & A structured approach to problem solving
"I am a keen listener. I always listen with empathy and with a purpose. Which means that I am able to understand a client’s pain and perspective. On the other hand, I am also very curious and will most likely ask leading questions which always reveal the devil in the detail. At the end of the day, these interactions help me draw deep insights that help drive conversations and inspire great leadership through action, towards change that matters.
I have left a trail of evidence across banking, insurance, e-commerce, business consulting and entrepreneurship."
Kathy Walterhouse
Ignite Talk Speaker
The 4 Golden Rules of Sales
"After being asked numerous times how I did it, l became obsessed with helping entrepreneurs just like you. l love teaching how to break the rules along with how to find your authentic voice so that you can reach your financial dreams.My unique approach not only in life but the way l sell, helped me achieve my goals. l absolutely love challenges and new adventures... Never letting a simple 'no" or "you will never be able to do that" or "you are crazy" stop me. l am a rule-breaker with a motto of "Be Relentless and Just Do It "
Dr. Paaige Turner
Closing Keynote
Dean Turner is an experienced higher education administrator, communication teacher-scholar and organizational consultant with an extensive background in gender in the workplace, strategic planning, mentoring, change management, budgeting, education technology and international education. Her focus upon collaborative working partnership has allowed her to support the creation of year-round high school to college programs, assessment practices with 100% compliance, faculty and student mentoring programs, award winning faculty educator/learning technology platforms, budget/mission alignment for net revenue gain, and award-winning international programs.