Speaker Biographies
AI/DATA INNOVATION STRATEGIES – SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES – March 25, 2026
Kevin Davis, Vice President of Applied AI and Data, CBTS
Kevin Davis is the Vice President of Applied AI and Data at CBTS, where he leads the strategic integration of advanced intelligence and modern data architectures for global enterprise clients. With a focus on moving beyond AI experimentation to industrial-scale application, Kevin is a vocal advocate for “defensible AI”—a paradigm that prioritizes proactive security and resilience as the foundation for innovation.
At CBTS, Kevin works at the intersection of product technology and delivery, ensuring that enterprise data infrastructures are optimized to fuel the next generation of secure, compliant, and scalable AI-driven business outcomes. He is dedicated to helping organizations build lasting trust in their AI initiatives, allowing them to innovate with confidence in an increasingly complex threat landscape.
Chadd Engel, AI Initiatives & Outcomes Assessment Manager, Waubonsee Community College
Chadd Engel is an AI and learning systems leader whose work sits at the intersection of generative AI, pedagogy, data infrastructure, and institutional transformation. Across his career, he has been a Computer Science for All advocate, working across K–12, higher education, and community-based settings to expand access to computing, data literacy, and emerging technologies.
His background spans system design, platform implementation, and analytics, with experience in Python, R, enterprise analytics workflows, data visualization, and data governance. He has led and supported institutional ecosystems that include learning management systems, assessment platforms, adaptive learning tools, student success and analytics systems, and enterprise collaboration environments—strengthening evidence-informed decision-making and organizational coherence.
Chadd is a Ph.D. candidate in Curriculum Studies at DePaul University (defense: March 11, 2026). His research examines the impact of generative AI on human learning, with a focus on transparency, ethics, and safeguarding human agency within automated systems. His work emphasizes AI not as a standalone tool, but as institutional infrastructure that must be governed, accountable, and aligned with human values.
A father of three, Chadd’s thinking about learning is shaped as much at home as it is in professional settings. Watching his children collaboratively design complex digital worlds through curiosity and play reinforced a guiding belief in his work: innovation does not begin with content delivery—it begins with environments that invite inquiry.
Across roles in enterprise technology, data systems, and education, he is guided by a core principle: transparency is a prerequisite during times of transformation and disruption.
James (Jim) MacLennan, Maker Turtle LLC; Former CIO, IDEX
James MacLennan (Jim) is the Founder of Maker Turtle LLC, an advisory firm helping organizations build sustainable, scalable businesses that unlock value for customers, employees, and communities. Through Maker Turtle’s portfolio of services (including the upcoming JazzAI virtual advisor), Jim helps leaders navigate digital transformation with practical frameworks grounded in decades of real-world experience.
Jim also leads Advisory Consulting services for VentureDNA, an established venture capital firm from Chicago. Services include defining and refining product strategy, revenue and operations, and investor outreach. VentureDNA helps early-stage companies in a range of disciplines.
Jim has 35+ years of experience in a variety of business models and markets, translating strategic drivers into tactical plans and tangible results. His career spans industries including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, consumer durables, industrial products, and consumer package goods.
Jim’s latest book, Don’t Think So Much, lays out his vision for accelerating business with technology. He regularly speaks on digital and leadership topics, and publishes his insights at MakerTurtle.com
Debashis Rana, VP Data and AI Markets, Myridius
Bio to come!
Doug Parker, Senior Vice President, JBS Dev
Doug Parker combines a strong technical background as a former developer with excellent personal and leadership skills to lead the team at JBS Dev. Doug interfaces with existing customers and prospective clients’ leadership to fully understand modern IT challenges and try to align with JBS Dev’s core capabilities.
Aureo Zanon, Director, Data Analytics & Engineering, HAVI
Aureo Zanon is the Director of Data Operations, Engineering, and Agentic AI at HAVI Global Planning & Analytics, where he leads advanced data initiatives that drive strategic innovation across supply chain and analytics operations. At HAVI, he combines deep technical expertise in data engineering, machine learning, and AI to solve complex business problems and scale intelligent systems.
He brings decades of global experience spanning leadership roles in analytics, supply chain optimization, and technology development. Prior to HAVI, he held senior data science and analytics positions at United Airlines and played key roles in engineering and operational functions across major corporations earlier in his career.
He is also an Adjunct Instructor in the Engineering Division at Penn State Great Valley, where he teaches and mentors on engineering and data-driven topics. Aureo holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from UNICAMP and advanced graduate degrees in applied statistics, data analytics, business, and engineering, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Engineering focused on Agentic AI applications for Supply Chain Planning. His professional interests include generative AI, autonomous agents, supply chain analytics, and data science applications that enhance organizational impact.
