Learn More About Our Speakers
Todd Terrazas
AI Founder and Investor
Todd Terrazas, an AI Founder and Investor, is dedicated to connecting leaders, ideas, and capital to foster innovative solutions that benefit humanity. He is the Founder, President, and Executive Director of AI LA, a non-profit organization focused on advancing artificial intelligence and frontier technologies in the Los Angeles region through media and events. Additionally, he co-founded FBRC.ai, an entity pioneering AI-driven entertainment and serving as a bridge between creativity and technology. FBRC.ai operates a two-sided marketplace, supporting early-stage AI startups and helping corporations integrate AI into their workflows. Todd Terrazas' contributions to the AI field reflect his commitment to driving progress and innovation.
Kevin Winston is the founder and CEO of Digital LA, the largest LA-based networking group for professionals in tech, startups, digital entertainment (movies, TV, music, games, VFX), social media, advertising to connect via cutting-edge panels, conferences, and other events in LA and beyond. Digital LA reaches more than 100,000 members weekly via its newsletter, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn groups. Recent panel topics include AI, ChatGPT, Sustainability Tech, and more.
Additionally, he is also the founder of Silicon Beach Fest, the first and largest tech entertainment conference in LA. The fest brings together LA's startup CEOs, investors, Hollywood studios, and more, attracting more than 2,000 attendees each summer.
Kevin Winston
CEO of Digital LA
Dr. Marily Nika
Dr. Marily Nika is an award-winning AI PM leader and one of the world's top AI educators with 10+ years of experience building AI products at Google and Meta. Marily earned a PhD in machine learning at Imperial College London and is also an author, TED AI speaker, and executive fellow at Harvard Business School.
She has founded the AI Product Academy that aims to cultivate a new generation of AI product leaders with her AI PM Bootcamp (1k students to date). Find out more about her AI PM courses and offerings at her newsletter: https://marily.substack.com/.
AI Product Lead at Meta
Oded Noy is a tech visionary and serial entrepreneur who finds his inspiration in mentoring and leading technology ventures. His belief that teamwork should transcend individual ambitions underscores his career dedicated to innovation and leadership. Oded Noy is a prominent figure in the LA CTO Forum, a select network of over 250 CTOs in Santa Monica. As an Advisor, he provides strategic direction, mentors new members, assists in securing speakers, and offers support. Additionally, Oded serves as an Advocate within the forum, further contributing to its success by screening and mentoring new members, helping find distinguished speakers, and offering unwavering support to his peers.
Oded Noy
CTO at Crexi
Travis Corrigan
Head of Product Smith.ai
Travis is the Head of Product at Smith.ai, a category-leading customer engagement platform for SMBs where I get to work on the future of generative AI + Humans across Voice and Chat. He's the developer of RossGAN - and AI trained to paint like Bob Ross. Prior to Smith, Travis served as fractional Head of Product specializing in AI-forward clients of both the VC-backed and Fortune 500 varieties. He's a seasoned educator in entrepreneurship and research-driven product management at top institutions like General Assembly, UCLA, Michigan State, and the University of Utah.
Katrina Hercules is a strategist who's passionate about solving complex business challenges for companies of all kinds. Before starting her company, Outsiders Branding, she worked with leading innovation, design, and advertising firms as a strategist for major brands in the B2B, CPG, Automotive, Lifestyle, Hospitality, Multicultural, Finance, and Architecture categories. Her background is in design and she uses her skills in Human-Centered Design, User Experience, Product Development, and Design Thinking across all aspects of her work. When not working on client projects, Katrina teaches and lectures on topics related to professional development, pitching, strategy, and research.
Katrina Hercules
Founder Outsiders Branding
Jeeyan Rostam-Abadi
EVP of Marketing, Hawke Media
Hawke was founded on the idea that every modern business needs a CMO-level expert to lead its marketing efforts. That’s why we create customized, performance-driven solutions around your unique business, helping you to launch, scale, and invigorate your brand. We bring you the resources of a full-service agency with the attention of an in-house team. You have the vision. We’re Your Outsourced CMO.
Tal Navarro is a multifaceted professional who wears many hats—international speaker, host, philanthropist, advisor, and investor, with an impressive track record spanning 18 years. She is the founder and CEO of Social-Lady & Marketing Agency, she specializes in utilizing AI technology, digital marketing strategies, and content creation to build robust online presences for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises. In addition to her business pursuits, Tal is deeply committed to social causes. She founded WINweb3.io, a non-profit organization focused on empowering women in need through blockchain technology.
Tal Navarro
Founder and CEO of Social Lady
Jon Morra
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Jon Morra is the Chief Product and Data Officer at Zefr, a company focused on understanding social media content for brand advertisers. In his role he leads product, data science, and content policy. Prior to this role, Jon was the Chief Data Scientist where he helped create and implement a variety of machine learning models to understand YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook content. Before Zefr Jon was the Director of Data Science at eHarmony where he helped create many of the matching models using machine learning. Jon has a Ph.D. from UCLA in Biomedical Engineering, and a BSE also in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins.
Chief Product and Data Officer, Zefr
Martin Francisco
Martin Francisco is a Creative Consultant at BMW Group Designworks. With a foundation built on curiosity and a keen observational eye, he brings a grounded perspective to design research. His career has honed his ability to seamlessly bridge the gap between qualitative research and impactful design. Fueling his design process are the invaluable insights and opportunities he uncovers, making him a true catalyst for innovation.
Associate Director, Creative Consulting, BMW Group DesignWorks, LA Studio
Chris Smith
With more than three decades of experience developing software and teams, Chris has led the development of data systems & strategies at tech giants like Google, Yahoo, and Sun; S&P 500's like Live Nation; and a wide variety of startups. Active in the open source community, he has also served as a chair with the Southern California Linux Expo, the largest open source conference in Southern California, for over a decade.
VP of Systems Engineering, Crexi, Inc.
William Bartley
William Bartley is a senior technology executive with a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions, stellar execution, and forward-thinking technical strategies for companies ranging from startups to the Fortune 500.
CTO of handdii
Sumeet Rana
Sumeet is a second-time founder and comes with 20 Years of product leadership experience leading large products teams at Disney and Expedia. He is a UCLA Anderson School of Management alum.
Founder of Prodhub
Throughout her career, Natalia has built a reputation for being a clear thinker and strong leader. Her experience has allowed her to shepherd every aspect of an idea, with creativity, vision, and attention to detail. With a focus on marrying brand and technology, Natalia takes a pragmatic approach to managing resources alongside product development and growth. As an innovator, Natalia is known to develop technology solutions that achieve business goals.
Sr. Vice President of Technology at The Bouqs Company
Chad Nelson
Creative Director/ AI Specialist
Chad Nelson, with 25 years in interactive design and entertainment, is an acclaimed creative director and technology strategist. His work spans top-tier video games, social media, TV, mobile applications and creative tools for digital artists. As a co-founder of Eight Cylinder Studios and WGT Media, Chad has creatively collaborated with companies like Microsoft, Intel, Sony, Virgin, Adobe, and OpenAI in utilizing the latest in technology to build new digital experiences.
