Help! Artificial Intelligence is in the Boardroom!

Randy Goebel

R.G. (Randy) Goebel is currently Professor of Computing Science in the Department of Computing Science, adjunct Professor in the Department of Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, at the University of Alberta. He is also Fellow and co-founder of the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii). He received the B.Sc. (Computer Science), M.Sc. (Computing Science), and Ph.D. (Computer Science) from the Universities of Regina, Alberta, and British Columbia, respectively.

Professor Goebel's theoretical work on abduction, hypothetical reasoning and belief revision is internationally well known; his recent research is focused on the formalization of visualization and explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), especially in applications in autonomous driving, legal reasoning, and precision health.  He has worked on optimization, algorithm complexity, systems biology, natural language processing, and automated reasoning.
 
Randy has previously held faculty appointments at the University of Waterloo, University of Tokyo, Multimedia University (Kuala Lumpur), Hokkaido University (Sapporo), visiting researcher engagements at National Institute of Informatics (Tokyo), DFKI (Germany), and NICTA (Australia); he is actively involved in collaborative research projects in Canada, Japan, Germany, France, the UK, and China.

Alyssa Lefaivre Škopac

Alyssa Lefaivre Škopac is currently the Acting Executive Director of the Responsible AI Institute (RAI Institute).
 
The RAI Institute is a global and member-driven non-profit dedicated to enabling successful responsible AI efforts in organizations.  RAI Institute’s conformity assessments and certifications for AI systems support practitioners as they navigate the complex landscape of creating, selling, or buying AI products.
 
With over 12 years of experience in business and partnership development primarily in emerging tech, Alyssa has a strong understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with the adoption of innovation tools and services. Recognizing that people are at the heart of these technologies, she has been successful in supporting both individuals and companies through various aspects of digital transformation.
 

Dan Semmens

As Sr. Vice President and Head of Data & AI at ATB Financial, Dan leads a diverse team of Data & AI experts who deliver world class services to ATB’s clients.
 
Starting his career as a software developer, Dan has over 20 years of experience in technology with a focus in the financial services industry.
 
Dan believes in creating a positive impact by helping others reach their potential. This is seen through his contributions as Board Chair for Mindfuel, a not-for-profit company aimed at making STEM education accessible to underrepresented youth.

Nicole Janssen

Nicole Janssen is the Co‐founder and Co‐CEO of AltaML, a Canadian artificial intelligence scaleup that designs and implements applied AI solutions for businesses. Nicole is responsible for overseeing the growth of AltaML’s business, which spans multiple sectors including agriculture, financial services, health and energy.
 
Nicole is actively involved in helping business leaders understand the importance of ethical AI, and has been recognized by the Responsible AI Institute for this work. Prior to AltaML, Nicole co‐founded Janalta Interactive Inc., an online media company, as well as Stratus Holdings Inc., a private real estate investment firm. Nicole is active in her community and currently serves as a Director at Edmonton Unlimited, Mitacs and the Canadian Council of Innovators (CCI). In 2023, Nicole was named one of the Top 25 Women of Influence in North America. In 2021, she was the recipient of the Emerging Entrepreneur Award by Alberta Women Entrepreneurs. Nicole is an active member of the A100.