Dr. Siobahn Day Grady is an Associate Professor in the School of Library and Information Sciences at North Carolina Central University and the Founding Director of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Research—the first dedicated artificial intelligence institute of its kind established at a Historically Black College or University.

A nationally recognized leader in AI, digital education, and workforce innovation, Dr. Grady leads institution-wide initiatives that connect emerging technologies to teaching, research, and public engagement. The first woman to earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science from North Carolina A&T State University, her research focuses on artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, and algorithmic bias, with applications in healthcare, misinformation, and autonomous systems.

In 2025, Dr. Grady was appointed to North Carolina's AI Leadership Council, recognizing her as one of the foremost voices shaping how artificial intelligence is developed and governed in our state.

She is a 2025 inductee into the NC A&T Graduate College Hall of Fame and an alumna of the AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador program.

Professor Po-Shen Loh is a social entrepreneur and inventor. He combines math, science, and technology with firsthand exploration of the human condition across the global landscape of work, AI, and education. Major newspapers have covered his diverse innovations. His latest initiative unites math stars and actors to transform education.

He won silver for Team USA at the 1999 International Math Olympiad and served a decade as National Coach. He is a Hertz Fellow in a community of broadly innovative scientists with roots in the Manhattan Project and Space Race.

He personally speaks in more than 100 cities each year on education and the future of AI, substitutes in K–12 classrooms, visits companies and labs, and delivers public lectures—learning as he shares ideas with students, parents, researchers, and policymakers. All of this while teaching at one of the world’s foremost universities in AI (Carnegie Mellon) and running his own edtech social enterprise.

Professor Loh is also the founder of Expii and Live, and the lead developer of the contact-tracing app NOVID.

Phaedra Boinodiris is the Global Lead of IBM Consulting's Responsible AI Practice, a globally recognized leader in responsible AI, author, and advocate for making artificial intelligence work fairly for everyone. As the Global Lead of IBM Consulting's Responsible AI Practice, a practice she co-founded, she has spent more than two decades helping governments, enterprises, and educators build AI systems that are ethical, transparent, and inclusive. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, she holds five patents and has been dedicated to expanding access and equity in technology since 1999.

Boinodiris began her career as a serial entrepreneur before joining IBM, where she launched some of the company's most forward-thinking initiatives — including IBM's first Serious Games and Advanced Simulation program and its first K-12 education program. That early commitment to reaching young learners never left her. She is the co-founder of the Future World Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing AI ethics curriculum into K-12 classrooms, and she is pursuing her Ph.D. in AI and Ethics at University College Dublin's Smart Lab.

Her impact has earned wide recognition. She received the United Nations Woman of Influence in STEM and Inclusivity Award, was named the 2030 Responsible AI Leader of the Year, and was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women Shaping AI Today. Her book, AI for the Rest of Us, co-authored with Beth Rudden, was nominated the number-one book to read in 2024 by Constellation Research. A frequent contributor to Forbes, Fast Company, NPR, and the National Academy of Engineering Journal, she is known for her rare ability to make complex ideas accessible — often using her own hand-drawn comics to bring AI ethics to life for audiences of all backgrounds.

Boinodiris has deep ties to North Carolina. A proud UNC Chapel Hill alumna, she serves as an advisor to NC State's Executive Education and Women in Tech programs. In 2025, she was appointed to North Carolina's AI Leadership Council.

Dr. Jamie Lathan is a distinguished educator, scholar, and advocate for equitable access to education. As Vice Chancellor for Extended Learning at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM), he leads statewide initiatives that bring high-quality, honors-level learning opportunities to thousands of students, especially those in rural and underrepresented communities. Under his leadership, NCSSM’s extended learning programs, including NCSSM Connect, virtual summer enrichment, and educator outreach, have expanded in reach and impact, offering students rigorous instruction in courses such as AP U.S. History, African American Studies, Latin American Studies, and Honors Science of Race.

Dr. Lathan began his career at NCSSM in 2001 as a social studies teacher and quickly became one of the most respected and well-loved members of the faculty. He holds a Ph.D. in Education from UNC Chapel Hill, as well as a B.A. in History and M.A.T. in Social Studies Education from the University of Virginia. A National Board Certified teacher, he has spent more than 20 years teaching and mentoring students in both residential and online settings. Throughout his career, Dr. Lathan has prioritized inclusive curriculum design, student engagement, and culturally responsive pedagogy.

His work has earned statewide recognition. In 2020, he received the UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching, one of the highest honors in the UNC System. He was named a 2019 Kenan Fellow, during which he co-developed a racial equity assessment tool for educators and school districts. As a leader during the COVID-19 transition to remote learning, he helped guide teachers and administrators across North Carolina in best practices for virtual instruction, emphasizing connection, clarity, and compassion.

Beyond awards and credentials, Dr. Lathan is known for his warmth, humility, and ability to inspire. Colleagues describe him as a “rock-star teacher” who builds powerful learning communities, even across digital platforms. Students have called him a life-changing mentor whose classes sparked their passion for social justice, history, and civic leadership. A frequent speaker and facilitator, Dr. Lathan brings a unique perspective that bridges traditional teaching values with forward-thinking approaches to equity and innovation in education.

He lives in Durham, North Carolina, with his wife Lucinda and their three children. Deeply rooted in both family and service, Dr. Lathan continues to shape the future of public education in North Carolina through his leadership, scholarship, and unwavering dedication to student success.