Maryville College AI Summit announces speakers for May 12-13 conference at Downtown Center
April 14, 2026
With just one month to go, excitement is building for the second annual Maryville College AI Summit, set for May 12–13, as organizers unveil a dynamic and expanded lineup of speakers from across education, industry and research.
Building on the success of its inaugural year, the 2026 summit promises to be bigger and more ambitious, featuring regional experts, hands-on workshops and thought-provoking discussions on the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in society. The summit is sponsored by Blount Partnership and the Sudman Foundation, among others.
“This year’s summit really takes things to the next level,” said Dr. Niklas Trzaskowski, director of the Maryville College Career Center and one of the event’s organizers. “We’ve brought together an exceptional group of speakers who are actively shaping how AI is being used in education and business, and can help us understand how it shapes our broader world. It’s going to be an incredibly engaging two days full of thoughtful dialogue on AI.”
Among the featured speakers are two Maryville College alumni: Andy Lombardo ’04, technology director for Maryville City Schools, and Jeff Huckaby ’98, CEO and co-founder of Versalytix, an analytics consulting and talent acquisition firm. Their participation underscores both the reach of Maryville College graduates and the College’s growing role in conversations around emerging technologies.
May 12 will feature keynote speaker Andrew Farrior, co-founder of AXM, who will explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and the creative economy. Additional sessions throughout the day will cover topics ranging from AI implementation in business and ethical decision-making to the philosophical implications of machine learning.
On May 13, keynote speaker Dr. Jay Eckles of Oak Ridge National Laboratory will lead discussions on prompt engineering and the role of a liberal arts education in an AI-driven world. Concurrent sessions will examine AI’s impact on teaching and learning, workforce development, nonprofit data analysis and the infrastructure required for trustworthy AI systems.
Speakers — more of whom will be announced in the coming weeks — represent a wide range of institutions and organizations, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the University of Tennessee (UT), the University of Kentucky and leaders in private industry, offering attendees a comprehensive look at both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI.
In addition to Lombardo, Huckaby and Farrior, speakers on May 12 include Hunter Kallay, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Tennessee and adjunct professor at Pellissippi State Community College who also writes a daily AI newsletter; Kate Nash, an instructional designer and AI strategist; Marcus Blair, founder of Omega Business Solutions who will discuss “AI Implementation: An Executive’s Guide”; Dr. Trey Conatser, assistant provost for teaching and learning at the University of Kentucky; and Daniel Jankowski, AI for Operations program lead at ORNL.
ON May 13, Eckles will be joined by Diana Wheeler, knowledge management and AI governance specialist with Athena Knowledge Consulting; Dr. Dan Ross, associate professor of Mathematics at Maryville College who will speak on “Using AI for Nonprofit Data Analysis”; Felicia J. Slattery, lecturer and inaugural Generative AI Fellow at UT; Joel Smith, founder and CEO of TeachCraft, an AI-powered platform for K-12 instructional design; Alyssa Schoudel, senior director of technology and Abhinav Mahajan, technical delivery lead with the manufactured home corporation Clayton; lecturer Jan Taylor from Maryville College, who will discuss “A Practical Framework for Better AI Decision-Making in Professional Settings; and Dr. Heather McMahon, assistant dean for academic success at MC, who will partner with Abhijit “AV” Verekar (founder and CEO of Avero Advisors) and Jason Leverant (president and COO of AtWork Group) for a panel discussion of “C-Suite Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence.”
“This summit reflects what Maryville College does best,” Trzaskowski added. “It brings together big ideas, practical applications and a liberal arts perspective that asks not just what AI can and should do, but also how it affects both our society and culture. We’re especially proud to welcome alumni back to campus as part of that conversation.”
The Maryville College AI Summit is open to educators, students, professionals and community members interested in understanding and engaging with artificial intelligence. Tickets are $35 per day or $60 for both days; registration remains open, and organizers encourage early sign-up as space is limited. MC faculty and staff interested in attending can email aisummit@maryvillecollege.edu to request a promo code for complimentary access, which will be provided by the recently endowed Sondra and Dorsey Ellis Center for Faculty and Student Excellence.
To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-maryville-college-ai-summit-tickets-1982231887937. More information can be found at www.maryvillecollege.edu/ai.