Throughout his remarkable journey in technology leadership, Satheesh Heddese has emerged as a transformative force in engineering, consulting and customer service operations. His story begins with a strong educational foundation, earning his BS in Electronics and Communication from the University of Mysore, later complemented by an MBA from Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business. Before joining Amazon Web Services, Satheesh built an impressive career spanning multiple continents, taking on leadership roles across telecommunications, consumer electronics, and semiconductor industries. These diverse experiences shaped his unique perspective on global technology solutions and cross-cultural leadership.

In 2016, Satheesh embarked on a new chapter by joining AWS, where he would eventually rise to become Vice President of Frontline Support. From his base in Texas, he has revolutionized AWS's global customer assistance infrastructure, skillfully blending human expertise with cutting-edge generative Al to handle millions of customer inquiries each year. His impact extends beyond operational excellence - Satheesh has been a driving force in expanding AWS's global footprint and has created innovative programs to develop the next generation of tech talent.

Today, as he oversees AWS's worldwide Support Operations, Satheesh continues to draw on his two decades of experience to enhance customer experience and drive strategic initiatives. His journey to leading one of the world's largest Tech Support operations exemplifies the global nature of modern technology leadership and the power of combining technical expertise with cultural awareness.

AI's Disruption of Traditional Models

Agent-to-Agent Interaction: How the rise of agent-to-agent AI communication challenges current models, including the potential for unified digital identities and the implications of increasing social signals and individual data 

Collective Intelligence: The potential for AI systems to aggregate collective intelligence and redefine collaboration and decision-making processes 

Leadership and Culture in the AI Age: Examining how AI impacts leadership and decision-making at the highest levels and how leaders can guide their organizations through AI disruption

Mike is a visionary technology strategist and digital transformation expert with over  23 years of experience.  He excels in leveraging his expertise in software development, Innovation,  and both technology and experience strategy to create innovative solutions that empower clients to thrive in the digital era. His unwavering commitment to innovation and his deep understanding of digital trends have positioned him as a thought leader in the industry, where he takes pride in identifying and implementing cutting-edge technologies to help clients maximize their potential and deliver impactful experiences.

He now focuses on helping clients devise and execute their digital transformation strategies and helping them implement innovation programs.

He is a global speaker and has covered many topics such as web3, metaverse, GENAI, loyalty programs, digital transformation, product led transformation and design thinking.

His extensive work across industries includes collaborations with renowned clients such as P&G, Chick-Fil-A, BMW, Under Armour, J&J and many others.

Autopilot On? Agency, Friction, and the Future of Human Work

AI is no longer just assisting us. It is deciding, coordinating, and acting. Code is written from prompts. Strategy is generated by systems. Organizations are experimenting with agents that negotiate, optimize, and execute on their own.

The temptation is obvious. Why struggle through complexity when the system can do it faster?

But this is not just a productivity shift. It is a structural and cognitive one.

We are not only automating tasks.

We are automating apprenticeship.

We are shifting from writing to orchestrating.

We are reducing friction, and friction is how humans develop judgment. As autonomy moves from people to systems, what happens to responsibility?

What happens to institutional memory?

What happens to expertise when understanding becomes optional?

When organizations begin to function like conversations between agents and decisions become probabilistic rather than deliberate, who is still at the wheel?

Kelly Dowd is Assistant Vice President of Data Science at AT&T, where she leads a high‑performing team of 50+ data scientists and engineers building enterprise-scale AI - most recently generative and agentic systems that transform customer care and corporate operations. Her team partners from strategy through deployment to deliver measurable business impact, with recent programs achieving 5x ROI. 

With more than a decade of experience across operational and analytical roles in technology organizations, Kelly is known for AI strategy, data storytelling, and turning complex problems into simple, scalable solutions. She works at the intersection of product, engineering, and business stakeholders to ensure models ship, scale, and drive outcomes people use. 

Kelly holds BBAs in Marketing and Information Systems Management from St. Mary’s University and an MS in Information Engineering & Management from Southern Methodist University. Outside of work, she enjoys soccer, traveling, and staying current with emerging tech.

2-person Tech Talk with Wes Long

From Tickets to Teammates: Reinventing HR with Human-Supervised Agentic AI

When employees face complex HR moments, they often encounter fragmented systems and unclear next steps. We are redefining that experience—creating clarity, support, and active guidance through human-supervised agentic AI. Participants will leave with a practical understanding of where humans add the greatest value and how to balance autonomy and oversight while keeping people firmly in control.

Wes currently leads Project EmpowHR, a transformation initiative reimagining HR in the AI era to make the organization more efficient, responsive, and experience driven.

Over the past decade, Wes has focused on strategic HR initiatives for the global workforce, driving the implementation of innovative, practical solutions across various centers of excellence. He played a pivotal role in multifaceted initiatives, such as the merger integration activities between AT&T and DIRECTV, and the strategic planning and execution of numerous workforce transformation efforts. This includes developing competency-based insights for every role within AT&T. Moreover, Wes led key response efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wes embarked on his professional journey as a frontline technician, servicing products spanning from 2.4 kbps to high-capacity fiber rings. He held technical and leadership roles throughout the network organization. For his contributions to the Hurricane Ike recovery effort in Galveston, Wes received the Service Excellence Award. He was one of only 56 leaders across AT&T chosen for the Accelerated Development Program (ADP), a year-long intensive experience aimed at enhancing business acumen and strategic perspective in preparation for future leadership opportunities.

Wes holds an Associate of Applied Science in Electronic Engineering, a Bachelor of Technical Management, and a Master of Business Administration.

Wes resides on a working cattle ranch in Bremond, Texas with his wife, Amanda. Their daughter, Makenna, works in Mid-Markets at AT&T, and their son, Hayden, is an IT major at Texas Tech.

Raman Sapra is the Chief Global Executive Officer of Bitwise, responsible for steering the company’s overall strategy, growth, and financial performance. With nearly three decades of global leadership experience, Raman brings a wealth of expertise across go-to-market strategy, geographic leadership, industry verticals, service lines, and enterprise functions

2-person Tech-Talk with Ravi Gunturu

Title: Humans in the Age of AI - AI’s Disruption of Traditional Models

Artificial intelligence is advancing at an unprecedented pace, creating both extraordinary opportunities and significant uncertainty across industries and academic disciplines. Organizations today express a wide spectrum of reactions — from enthusiasm about AI’s potential to transform productivity and innovation, to cautious optimism driven by questions of readiness and governance, to deeper concerns around ethics, regulation, and workforce impact. This diversity of perspectives reflects a market that is energized but still grappling with the unknowns of a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Bitwise approaches this uncertainty with a structured, transparent methodology designed to help organizations move forward with confidence. We begin by acknowledging the unknowns rather than oversimplifying them, and we help clients navigate ambiguity through readiness assessments, responsible AI frameworks, and scenario planning that explores multiple possible futures. Our teams stay ahead of the curve through continuous training, weekly knowledge‑sharing, and active engagement with emerging tools and market shifts, ensuring that our guidance is grounded, current, and practical.

Through this disciplined approach, Bitwise delivers solutions that are both innovative and responsible — from proof‑of‑concepts to enterprise‑scale deployments. By integrating data engineering, AI expertise, and cloud modernization into a single, cohesive offering, we help organizations understand what is happening in the AI market, identify where real value can be created, and build systems that are safe, scalable, and future‑ready. In a world defined by rapid change and uncertainty, Bitwise provides clarity, structure, and a path forward for leaders, educators, and the next generation of innovators.

Ravi Gunturu leads Bitwise Solutions and Market Leader, responsible for evangelizing Next Generation Data, Analytics, AI and Apps Engineering services to our Fortune 1000 clients. Ravi brings in 30+ years of business, technology and enterprise wide thought leadership and experience to clients advising on digital and AI transformations.

Currently serving as Head of New Product Introduction for the Ericsson North America Market, Brian is a thirty-year veteran managing the development and delivery of network and software solutions primarily for telecommunications service providers.  As an evangelist for the innovation driven by analytics and transformative digital solutions Brian has led the creation of strategies for migrating to next generation technologies, evolving businesses to new business models and optimizing business operations.

Humans, Guardrails, and Teammates That Aren’t Human: People at Work in the Age of AI

AI is no longer a future concept—it’s a teammate, a coach, and sometimes a compliance risk. This panel brings together leaders from law, cloud infrastructure, HR, and healthcare to explore how people can thrive alongside AI while navigating practical guardrails, regulation, and real-world ROI. Cross-border data flows, vendor terms, and uneven legal regimes can create exposure even when use cases feel local. Expect practical insights, healthy debate, and candid perspectives on what it really means to be “AI-first” without losing the human center.

Adriana Sanford is a corporate lawyer, compliance executive, and award-winning global threats expert who serves as Vice Chair of the ABA International Law Section’s National Security Law Committee and on the Steering Group of its Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Digital Rights Committee. A former Fortune 10 Regional Counsel, she brings more than two decades of experience leading global integrity programs, overseeing LATAM compliance, and directing major fraud and corruption investigations. A Chilean-American international television commentator, she appeared regularly as a senior analyst on CNN en Español, briefing a 93-million-viewer audience on privacy and cyber crises.

Sanford is a professional keynote speaker represented by the American Program Bureau, with more than 150 addresses delivered across leading technology, cybersecurity, legal, audit, and compliance forums. Her work includes advising the World Economic Forum’s PACI initiative, co-authoring two global-threats books for the Institute for Supply Management, and publishing an AI Governance & Enforcement Series for the International Enforcement Law Reporter. Sanford also heads cybersecurity leadership initiatives for Telecom4Good, supporting 387 NGOs across 102 countries, and serves as an ambassador for Inspire2Live, advancing equitable access to cancer prevention and care worldwide. As an educator, she has taught more than 8,000 students, including over 500 this semester at the University of Texas at Arlington, in law, AI governance, international privacy law, and international business law.

Her honors include Top 20 Cyber Woman of the World (2024), Cybersecurity Woman Law & Privacy Professional of the Year (2019, sponsored by Microsoft), and recognition as a Microsoft VIP Speaker for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (2021, 2022, 2024). She has been featured in Top Cyber News Magazine and in SPRINGER’s Women in Security: Changing the Face of Technology and Innovation. Sanford is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French, proficient in Italian, and holds a Dual LL.M. from Georgetown and a J.D. from Notre Dame.

Sharad Karkera is the Chief Technology Officer at Valify, and a technology leader known for transforming organizations at scale. With more than 20 years across CTO, CIO, and VP roles, he has delivered triple‑digit revenue growth, major cost reductions, and valuation jumps exceeding 100%—all while pushing the boundaries of modern engineering and applied AI.

At Valify, Sharad is reshaping the product portfolio and driving a strategic roadmap that blends market insight with AI‑powered innovation. He is elevating engineering performance across the organization and building a high‑performance culture—empowering top talent, strengthening accountability, and developing the next generation of technology and AI leaders.

Before Valify, Sharad served as CTO at Channel Control Merchants, a KKR‑owned company, where he architected a custom supply chain platform that optimized reverse logistics operations. He also served as CTO at US LawShield, building a modern SaaS platform, and earlier consulted for McKesson on their enterprise Spend Management platform.

He holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the National Institute of Technology in India.

John Simon is Head of People Analytics & AI for the Americas at Ericsson, where he is committed to exploring how AI can create more dynamic, productive organizations while preserving the human element at the heart of every workplace. With over 20 years of progressive leadership experience spanning telecommunications, healthcare, consulting, and semiconductors sectors, John brings a unique perspective on the intersection of technology and human capital. His work focuses on leveraging AI to streamline complex workflows, enhance organizational agility, and empower data-driven decision-making while maintaining a human-centered approach to workplace transformation.

Carlos Orozco brings 25+ years of IT leadership and software development experience, guiding engineering teams from startups to enterprises in building web and mobile applications, connected products, and cloud-native solutions on AWS. What sets Carlos apart is his ability to translate complex technical challenges into scalable, user-centered products that drive real business impact. He believes the best technology is invisible—it simply works, delighting users while solving critical problems. Throughout his career, Carlos has led digital transformations for Fortune 500 companies, helped launch successful products, and mentored global engineering teams. Currently leading Support Engineers for the Americas, Carlos is passionate about sharing insights on operational excellence, team leadership, and building technology that truly serves users.

Sridhar Nerur is the Goolsby-Virginia and Paul Dorman Endowed Chair in Leadership and professor of information systems at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). He is also the chair of the Graduate Studies Committee on Business Analytics at UTA. His research has been published in premier journals/magazines such as MIS Quarterly, Strategic Management Journal, Communications of the ACM, European Journal of Information Systems, Information & Management, IEEE Software, and Journal of International Business Studies. He has served on the editorial boards of the European Journal of Information Systems and the Journal of Association for Information Systems. His research and teaching interests include social networks, machine learning/AI/deep learning, text analytics, neuroeconomics, and agile software development.

Redefining the Role of the Human in AI-Enabled Higher Education

As AI becomes a routine partner in learning, research, and decision-making, higher education must rethink what it means to be human in the academic enterprise. This roundtable explores how AI is reshaping skills, assessment, creativity, and the role of faculty and students. Join us for a forward-looking discussion on how universities can remain human-centered while embracing the opportunities of AI.

Chuck DeVries is a senior technology leader focused on AI, knowledge systems, and large-scale digital platforms. He has spent his career working across startups and Fortune-scale organizations, leading teams that translate complex data and emerging technologies into practical, human-centered solutions.

Ontologies, Knowledge Management, and Humans in the Loop

As AI accelerates, the limiting factor is often not model capability but shared meaning: what our terms mean, how concepts relate, and how humans and systems agree on “the same thing.” This roundtable explores ontologies as a practical bridge between people, data, and AI, from reducing integration friction to improving trust, provenance, and decision quality in complex domains (like healthcare) where ambiguity is expensive. We will discuss lightweight, real-world patterns for building and evolving ontologies, plus how they change the way teams communicate, govern, and responsibly scale AI-powered products.

Magesh Natarajan brings over 25 years of extensive experience in the IT industry, having held key development and support roles across Fortune 100 companies. Throughout his career, he has maintained an unwavering focus on customer-centricity, which now drives his approach to delivering exceptional support experiences at AWS. Currently, Magesh leads a dynamic team of leaders dedicated to enhancing the customer support experience at AWS. His leadership extends beyond traditional support operations, as he spearheads GenAI initiatives for Support from a strategic business perspective. In this capacity, he collaborates closely with engineering teams to advance AWS's mission of leveraging Generative AI solutions to better serve customers and transform support delivery. Magesh holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Master of Business Administration  (MBA) from the University of Texas at Austin. This unique combination of technical expertise and business acumen positions him at the forefront of AI-driven innovation in customer support. His work represents the intersection of cutting-edge technology and customer experience, making him a valuable voice in discussions about the practical applications of AI in enterprise support environments.

Humans in the Age of AI: The Changing Nature of Expertise

As AI systems become increasingly capable of performing tasks once reserved for trained professionals—writing code, diagnosing medical conditions, drafting legal documents, solving complex technical problems—we face a fundamental question: What does it mean to be an expert in the age of AI?

Director and Member of Technical Staff at AT&T, specializing in network analytics, automation, and large scale and service assurance platforms

“Managing change – How to create change in your team with AI”

Successful AI adoption is less about tools and more about people. This talk focuses on how leaders can manage change, align teams, and create confidence when introducing AI into everyday work.

Vishal Modi is the Founder of Spoonified and a veteran product strategist with over 17 years of leadership experience at Fortune 500 tech giants. During his tenure at Motorola and Lenovo, Vishal managed $250M+ portfolios and led the global launches of iconic devices, including the Google Nexus and Moto G series. Transitioning from enterprise scale to venture building, Vishal is now pioneering Spoonified, an AI-enabled hardware company that fuses smart utensils with behavioral science to cultivate mindful eating habits. To navigate this complex intersection of hardware and software with a lean team, Vishal operates as an "AI-Augmented Founder." Spoonified is based out of Richardson, Texas.

Small Teams, Big Leverage: AI as the Ultimate Co-Founder

Advances in AI have radically shifted who can build a company and how quickly they can do it. What once required a large, cross-functional team can now be accomplished by a single founder using AI as a force multiplier, supplemented by short-term contractors for targeted expertise. This roundtable explores how AI reframes fear of displacement into empowerment, enabling a new wave of innovation and cottage-industry businesses driven by individual creators.

Jeremy Johnston is a Senior Cloud Support Engineer with 9 years at AWS in Dallas, TX. Jeremy supports customers of all sizes every day within the AWS cloud. Jeremy specializes in DevOps, Containers, and Gen AI. Prior to AWS I worked for and graduated from UT Dallas. Learn more about Jeremy at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-johnston-aws/

Bhavani Kanneganti brings over 10 years of experience in cloud operations and AI-driven innovation, having progressed from Cloud Support Associate to Principal Engineer at AWS Support. Throughout her career, she has maintained an unwavering focus on leveraging cutting-edge technology to transform customer experiences and operational excellence. Currently, Bhavani leads the Agentic AI transformation for Cloud Operations at AWS Support, working in close partnership with AWS Support leadership and the Kumo development team to architect AI-powered solutions that deliver measurable impact. As a speaker at AWS re:Invent, she presents sessions and hosts customer meetups on troubleshooting and operations efficiencies with agentic AI, sharing insights on how frontier AI agents are transforming cloud operations at scale. Bhavani holds a Master of Science in Computer Engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas. Her work represents the intersection of DevOps excellence, cutting-edge AI technology, and customer experience transformation, making her a valuable voice in discussions about the practical applications of Agentic AI in enterprise cloud environments.

Kien Tran is a Principal Engineer at AWS Support with over 20 years of IT, software development, and cloud computing expertise with a focus on Serverless compute and system architecture.  Currently he leads teams building internal AWS Support tools incorporating GenAI workflows and taking on the challenge of solving the most critical problems AWS Support customers raise.  Kien holds a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science and Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration both from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Umashankar Vaithyanathan (Uma) is a Senior Cloud Support Engineer at AWS bringing over a decade of IT expertise to cloud support and solutions. His technical specializations span Linux, Storage, Containers, VMware, SAP, and GenAI. Before joining AWS, he worked at TATA Consultancy Services. In his current role, he leads high-stakes SAP and VMware customer migrations to AWS through the AWS Countdown Premium program. Learn more about Uma at https://www.linkedin.com/in/umashankar-vaithyanathan/