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AI & Public Interest Technology | 9:30-10:15 AM
Join leaders from government, non-profit, and innovation sectors as they explore the evolving role of AI in public interest technology. This discussion will cover current trends, ethical considerations, and pathways for implementing AI responsibly in communities.
Daniel Culotta is the City of Austin's Chief Innovation Officer. The Innovation Office focuses on research, design, data, partnerships, and collaborative consultative services that help the City create new solutions for complex challenges such as homelessness, displacement, emerging technologies, and green workforce development. Daniel leads the talented Innovation team in taking an equitable, human-centered approach to civic challenges, and drives an organization-wide innovation culture that improves outcomes for all Austinites.
Prior to joining the City of Austin, Daniel created the first comprehensive sustainability and environmental program for the City of Avondale, AZ, and co-founded a startup that helped design and speed adoption of innovative sustainable products and services. Daniel graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelors in Anthropology and Business Administration, and worked in environmental consulting before earning a Masters in Sustainability Science from Arizona State University.
Jennie Hoelscher serves as Privacy Officer and Assistant General Counsel for the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR). She develops and implements the Texas DIR privacy program, advises on privacy laws, regulations, and best practices, provides privacy training to public employees, serves as contracts counsel to ensure privacy protections by our third-party vendors, and works to protect the personal information Texans share when doing business with or accessing services from the state. As with many privacy officers, her role increasingly includes advising on AI risk, governance, and best practices.
Adam Leonard is the Texas Workforce Commission’s (TWC) Chief Analytics Officer & self-described Data Evangelist who seeks help TWC leverage its most important under-tapped resource – its data – to help the agency and its partners better help employers, individuals, families, and communities achieve and maintain economic prosperity.
Since joining TWC in 2003, Adam has worked extensively with federal, state, and local partners to improve the use of data in support of prosperity. He serves on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Workforce Information Advisory Council and works with organizations such as the National Association of State Workforce Agencies, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the Coleridge Initiative, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Texas Education Agency & the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
More recently his focus has turned toward Artificial Intelligence, particularly as relates to ethics, bias, and standards and how it presents both an incredible challenge to the education and workforce system and an opportunity for changes that will better serve employers, individuals, families, and communities.
Meme Styles is the visionary President and founder of an award-winning social justice nonprofit, with over 15 years of leadership, research, and community organizing experience. Her work has led to numerous impactful programs focused on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in both Texas and California. As a Social Science Research Council Just Tech Fellow, Meme is pioneering anti-racist technology, shaping the future of tech to be more inclusive and equitable for all. Drawing from her lived experiences, tireless energy, and unwavering commitment to social justice, she continues to inspire others to join the fight against racism.
Meme holds a Bachelor's in Communications, a Master’s in Public Administration with a focus on National Security, and certifications in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Cornell, along with Performance Measurement from George Washington University. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate, all while balancing her roles as a wife to a U.S. Veteran and a dedicated mother of four. With her unique blend of expertise, passion, and fearlessness, Meme Styles is a true visionary, leading the charge for a more just and equitable world.
