Location
In-person Austin Central Library 710 W. César Chávez St. Austin, TX 78701 Online On Zoom (register for event to receive link) |
Agenda
5:15-6:15 p.m. Networking 6:15-7:30 p.m. Presentation 7:30-7:45 p.m. Q&A 8:00 p.m. Networking at Trifecta |
Moderators
Jay Boisseau, Executive Director, Austin Forum on Technology & Society Nancy Giordano, Founder and CEO, Play Big Inc Bryon Jacob, CTO, data.world Jay Williams, President and CTO, ARCatar |
Event Summary
Technology capabilities advance at rapid, often exponential, rates, making it challenging to know which technologies to invest time and resources in—and when and how much—for maximum benefit for our companies, organizations, education, and personal lives. So, understanding technology trends is more than just fun: it is important for updating vision statements and strategic plans, developing and updating operational goals and plans, optimizing productivity and operational efficiencies, making new innovations and discoveries, and more. As Austin’s largest and most comprehensive technology series, the Austin Forum on Technology & Society kicks off every year with a preview of the technologies that we believe will become much more important in the year (and sometimes, years) ahead, why, and what you should do now to take advantage of these potentially high impact technologies. |
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About the Moderators
Jay Boisseau is an experienced, recognized leader and strategist in advanced computing technologies, with over 25 years in the field. Jay is the executive director and founder of The Austin Forum on Technology & Society, which he created in 2006 and is the leading monthly technology outreach and engagement event in Austin--and now attracts national and international attendees online. The Austin Forum is one of the pillars of the Austin tech scene, providing connections to information, ideas, collaborations, and community overall. In addition, Jay is CEO, co-founder (June 2014), and a partner in Vizias, a small team of passionate professionals with expertise in high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), technology community building, and technology outreach & event planning. Vizias staff lead, execute, and support the Austin Forum through Vizias Research, Education, and Outreach, a non-profit dedicated to using technology for positive social impact. Jay has held previous leadership positions at Dell Technologies, the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at The University of Texas at Austin, the San Diego Supercomputer Center and the Arctic Region Supercomputing Center. He received his doctorate in astronomy from UT Austin, and his undergraduate degree in astronomy and physics from the University of Virginia.
For Jay's full professional bio, visit here. |
Nancy built a formidable career at several of the most influential ad agencies in NY, Chicago, and LA and for more than a decade has been the Founder/CEO of Play Big Inc., a strategic inspiration company. Her current work dives deeply into the emerging intersection of tech, business, and society. Her expertise and experiences range from AI to frozen foods, to reinventing the internet, and all of her projects have a key common denominator: transitioning away from the extractive operating systems and outdated business thinking that no longer holds up... to create more sustainable, inclusive, and dynamic solutions the future demands.
Author of the Amazon bestselling book Leadering: The Ways Visionary Leaders Play Bigger, Nancy is a frequent panelist at South by Southwest, global keynote speaker, Singularity University guest lecturer, and the world’s first TEDx licensee. She is recognized as one of the world’s top female futurists and is co-founder of the Femme Futurists Society. |
Bryon Jacob, CTO, data.world
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Bryon Jacob, CTO of data.world, is an experienced leader in the Austin tech community with a career spanning over 20 years. He has held leadership roles at Trilogy Software, Amazon, and HomeAway (now Vrbo), where he was instrumental in the company's growth and eventual sale to Expedia. Bryon's education in Computer Science at Case Western Reserve University, including graduate studies in AI, has fueled his interest in integrating knowledge representation and machine learning. His current endeavor, data.world, aims to revolutionize enterprise-scale data management and integration using advanced technologies in graph databases, AI, and linked data. Bryon is also an active contributor to the tech community, advising several companies and frequently sharing his insights at technology conferences.
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Jay Williams, President and CTO, ARCatar
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Jay Williams has been a chief technology officer and consultant to many of the Fortune 500. As a consultant he has developed a highly refined process for managing a company’s technology infrastructure, including applications, security, and network assets. Jay is a highly sought-after, enterprise systems architect and problem solver. He has advised a number of high profile technology companies on their products and is known for a rare combination of deep technology expertise, expert problem solving ability and business acumen. Jay is widely respected by peers and has influenced many pivotal technology consortia and industry steering groups. He regularly consults with senior technology and business executives and is frequently consulted by venture and capital investors for analyses of new technology strategies.
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