The Future of Data & AI

Data & AI Think Tank

June 16, 2026 - Chicago, IL

Past & Present Visionaries

Charles Wiggins (filler) AlterEnable
Charles Wiggins

Founder & CEO

AlterEnable

About Me

As the Founder and CEO of AlterEnable, Charles Wiggins helps organizations modernize at scale without losing control in the process. For over 20 years, he has led complex enterprise technology transformations across global, regulated, and high-stakes environments. His work sits at the intersection of AI, cloud, cybersecurity, data, and operating models, helping organizations grow while maintaining trust, resilience, and governance. Most recently, as CIO at the American Marketing Association, he led a significant digital shift, re-architecting infrastructure and applications while embedding AI to power personalization and predictive analytics. Through his advisory work, Charles partners with CEOs and executive teams to operationalize AI, modernize security foundations, and align technology strategy to business outcomes. A battle-tested operator who leads with clarity, calm, and conviction, he specializes in creating clarity, reducing risk, and unlocking growth through fractional CIO/CTO leadership and real-world mentorship.

Jason Clark LaunchDarkly
Jason Clark

Solutions Engineer

LaunchDarkly

About Me

Jason Clark is a creative solutions engineer and former architect specializing in driving business value through innovative, out-of-the-box thinking. With a strong focus on AI, agentic engineering, and automation, he stays at the forefront of technological advancement. At LaunchDarkly, Jason has carved out a niche as a thought leader, strategist, and collaborative visionary. He has partnered with numerous large enterprises to define best practices for feature releases, code enhancements, and modern software delivery. Prior to his time at LaunchDarkly, Jason worked in the cloud and Kubernetes security space, further deepening his expertise in scalable, secure systems.

Sid Chakravarty (filler) Synchrony
Sid Chakravarty

VP Performance Insights (Analytics)

Synchrony

About Me

Sid Chakravarty is a VP of Performance Insights at Synchrony and a Kellogg MBA / Georgia Tech MS (AI) graduate who bridges the gap between sophisticated engineering and enterprise economics. With 25 years of experience, Sid specializes in deploying pragmatic, ROI-driven AI—from Agentic AI and LLM frameworks (LangChain, LangGraph, MCP) to large-scale MLOps pipelines on AWS. A hands-on technologist and Adjunct Professor, Sid approaches AI through a unique "dual mindset," aligning technical fine-tuning with market structures and behavioral insights. He has a proven track record of transforming healthcare and financial services through intelligent automation, including developing language models for customer intent and multivariate time-series forecasting. Known for his focus on Responsible AI, Sid thrives on turning complex emerging capabilities into ethical, scalable strategies that move the needle for global organizations.

Vijay Jakka (filler) Sankhya
Vijay Jakka

Global Data & AI Practice Leader

Sankhya

About Me

Vijay Jakka is a transformative thought leader and advisory consultant specializing in data, digital, AI, and analytics for global enterprises. Currently leading Global Data Governance at MetLife, Vijay excels at aligning business strategy with a value-driven data vision, effectively evolving organizations from being business-informed to truly data-driven. With deep expertise in Enterprise Architecture and Digital Transformation, he bridges the gap between offensive data enablement and defensive risk management. His technical proficiency spans the entire data lifecycle—from architecting sophisticated data lakes and warehouses to implementing ethical AI governance and active metadata intelligence. Vijay is a strategic partner to executive leadership, known for identifying growth opportunities, reducing technology debt, and optimizing business efficiency through automation. Whether navigating complex regulatory compliance or securing connected IoT ecosystems, he consistently delivers seamless, customer-centric digital solutions and holistic organizational optimization.

Michael LaRue (filler) University of Illinois Chicago
Michael LaRue

Deputy Director of Software Delivery & Data

University of Illinois Chicago

About Me

Experienced leader, technologist, innovator and collaborator. Michael leverages his previous experiences along with the talents of his team to drive successful projects using agile methodologies to meet or exceed organizational goals. Michael LaRue serves as Deputy Director of Software Delivery & Data at the University of Illinois Chicago.

Michael Allen (filler) Morningstar
Michael Allen

Head of Technology and Product

Morningstar

About Me

Morningstar, Inc. provides independent investment research services in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company offers a line of data, software, research, and investment management offerings for financial advisors, asset managers, retirement plan providers and sponsors, and individual investors. It offers Morningstar Data, an investment data spanning various investment databases, including pricing and commodity data; Morningstar Advisor Workstation, a Web-based investment planning system; Morningstar Direct, an institutional investment research platform; and Morningstar.com, a Website for individual investors. The company also provides institutional investment advisory services; Morningstar Enterprise Components, a set of tools and capabilities that builds customized Websites or enhances existing solutions; and Morningstar Managed Portfolios, a discretionary asset management service. In addition, it offers equity and manager research services; ratings and analysis for structured credits; Morningstar Indexes, a set of investment indexes; Morningstar investment profiles, a pre-made or custom-generated investment fact sheets for investor communications; and Morningstar Commodity Data, a market data and analytical product. Further, the company offers ByAllAccounts, which provides data aggregation technology for financial applications; Morningstar Enterprise Data Management, a customized data aggregation and performance reporting solution; market data and desktop, and investment software; print and online publications; and investment conferences services, as well as other investment software for financial advisors and institutions. It serves financial advisors, asset management firms, retirement plan providers and sponsors, and individual investors. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Chicago,...

June 16, 2026

Agenda

All times Central Time

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

Registration


9:00 AM - 9:30 AM

Morning Networking


9:30 AM - 9:40 AM

Opening Remarks


9:40 AM - 10:05 AM
Keynote

Rearchitecting the Enterprise for Agentic AI: Control, Collaboration, and the Next Frontier of Automation

Agentic AI, autonomous systems that perceive, reason, and act with minimal human intervention is poised to redefine how work gets done. As these intelligent agents move beyond experimentation into enterprise-scale deployments, organizations must prepare to fundamentally rearchitect their digital environments.

This keynote will explore how leaders can operationalize agentic AI to drive efficiency, creativity, and strategic advantage while preserving oversight, governance, and trust. Discussion topics will include designing workflows around autonomous decision-making, managing human-agent collaboration, and navigating emerging risks such as bias, security, and operational drift. Join us as we unpack what it truly means to lead in an era of intelligent, action-oriented AI and how to ensure these agents serve both your innovation goals and core business values.


10:10 AM - 10:55 AM
Panel

The Human Side of Tech: Why Soft Skills Are the Real Superpower

In a world obsessed with digital transformation, AI, and automation, it’s easy to forget the power of human connection. But the truth is—technology doesn’t lead, people do. As roles evolve and teams become more cross-functional, the ability to listen, influence, adapt, and collaborate has become just as critical as technical expertise.

Today’s CIOs, CISOs, and tech leaders are expected not only to drive innovation, but to communicate across departments, manage diverse teams, and navigate uncertainty with empathy and clarity. Emotional intelligence, storytelling, active listening, and resilience are no longer “nice to have”—they’re essential for anyone leading in a fast-moving, high-stakes environment.

Nowhere is this leadership shift more relevant than in the US particularly in NYC, a city built on creativity, reinvention, and cultural diversity. Here, the ability to connect across perspectives isn’t just a professional skill—it’s a way of life. As tech and business worlds converge, NYC’s unique blend of innovation and human-centered thinking offers the perfect backdrop to explore how soft skills are reshaping the future of leadership.

This session dives into why the most successful executives are blending EQ with IQ to inspire trust, build alignment, and drive lasting impact.


10:55 AM - 11:15 AM

Networking Break


11:15 AM - 11:30 AM
Vision Voices

Securing the Rise of Agentic AI: Trust, Control, and Resilience in Autonomous Systems

As agentic AI systems evolve from experimental tools to enterprise-grade digital workers—capable of making decisions, taking actions, and adapting in real time—they introduce a new paradigm of both possibility and risk. Unlike traditional automation, agentic AI operates with greater autonomy, raising urgent questions for security leaders: How do we ensure control? How do we manage risk when systems learn, act, and adapt independently?

This panel will explore the security implications of deploying agentic AI across business operations—from data privacy and decision integrity to real-time threat mitigation and adversarial AI risks. We'll dive into the intersection of governance, identity management, and AI observability, and how CISOs can build frameworks that safeguard both the systems and the outcomes.



11:55 AM - 12:30 PM
Fireside Chat

Strategic Shifts: Reimagining Engineering Talent Deployment and Management in the Age of GenAI

Unlock insights into the evolving landscape of talent deployment and retention as board expectations drive CIOs to rethink traditional IT talent models. Explore the impact of GenAI on coding processes and the software engineering lifecycle, and discover strategies for optimizing talent allocation and headcounts. Gain actionable insights into defining new roles, cultivating essential skills, and charting GenAI-centric career paths to align with organizational goals and stay ahead in a rapidly changing technological landscape.


12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Lunch


1:30 PM - 1:45 PM
Disruptor

Building a Resilient Digital Infrastructure

In the digital age, building a resilient infrastructure for business continuity is paramount. This involves redundancy and backup systems, robust cybersecurity measures, cloud solutions, and the ability to facilitate remote work. Scalability, real-time monitoring, and ongoing training are essential, as are compliance with regulatory requirements and strong vendor relationships. Effective communication strategies, continuous improvement, and the establishment of a crisis response team round out the key components. By embracing these insights, organizations can better withstand disruptions and ensure the uninterrupted operation of critical systems, all while maintaining the trust of employees, customers, and stakeholders in an increasingly dynamic business environment.

Together With:
Amplitude

1:50 PM - 2:35 PM
Panel

Chief Architect Network: Designing Adaptive Enterprises in the Future Age of Emerging Technologies

Emerging technologies are no longer isolated innovations, they are converging forces reshaping the enterprise core. From agentic AI and quantum computing to edge intelligence, composable architectures, and post-quantum security, today’s Chief Architects are redefining how organizations design for resilience, speed, and scale.

This high-impact panel brings together leading Chief Architects to explore how enterprise architecture must evolve to support autonomous systems, real-time data ecosystems, and cloud-native platforms—without compromising governance, interoperability, or long-term sustainability. The discussion will move beyond hype to focus on practical design patterns, modernization strategies, and architectural principles that enable innovation at scale.


2:40 PM - 3:15 PM
Fireside Chat

The Next Wave Agentic AI: Control, Collaboration, and the Future Frontier of Automation

Agentic AI, autonomous systems that perceive, reason, and act with minimal human intervention is poised to redefine how work gets done. As these intelligent agents move beyond experimentation into enterprise-scale deployments, organizations must prepare to fundamentally rearchitect their digital environments.

This panel will explore how leaders can operationalize agentic AI to drive efficiency, creativity, and strategic advantage while preserving oversight, governance, and trust. Discussion topics will include designing workflows around autonomous decision-making, managing human-agent collaboration, and navigating emerging risks such as bias, security, and operational drift. Join us as we unpack what it truly means to lead in an era of intelligent, action-oriented AI and how to ensure these agents serve both your innovation goals and core business values.


3:15 PM - 3:35 PM

Afternoon Networking


3:35 PM - 4:10 PM
Fireside Chat

Monetizing Digital Platforms

In the digital age, monetizing digital platforms is a fundamental challenge for businesses and content creators. These online spaces offer numerous revenue-generating avenues, including advertising, subscriptions, e-commerce, affiliate marketing, and the sale of digital products or services. Effective monetization strategies require a deep understanding of the target audience, the delivery of valuable content or services, and the creation of user-friendly experiences that encourage engagement and conversions. Finding the right balance between profitability and user satisfaction is central to realizing the potential of digital platforms in the contemporary digital economy.


4:15 PM - 4:25 PM

Closing Remarks


Together With