AI and Faith’s mission and strategy is to bring together AI technology professionals and ethicists, theologians and philosophers from diverse faith perspectives and organizations to speak from a sophisticated knowledge and values base into the emerging discussion on how to achieve artificial intelligence for human flourishing. We are pleased to welcome the following distinguished Founding Experts who accepted our invitation to join in November:
ANEELAH AFZALI, Esq. is the founder and Executive Director of the American Muslim Empowerment Network (AMEN) at the Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS). She also serves as a Board Member of the Faith Action Network and on the Steering Committee of the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network. A graduate of the University of Oregon Honors College and Harvard Law School, Aneelah became a partner in a law firm and General Counsel of a healthcare IT company. Since leaving her legal career six years ago, Aneelah has served as a community activist, interfaith leader, and justice advocate, and is presently a leading participant in the Tech Fairness Coalition organized by the ACLU of Washington.
Shanen Boettcher is a Ph.D student at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, following a 25 year career in technology, primarily as a General Manager of Product Management at Microsoft. His PhD research studies the role that artificial intelligence technology plays in the relationship between spiritual/religious information and spiritual/religious knowledge among people living in the Pacific Northwest. Shanen is a graduate of Carroll College in Economics and International Relations and earned a Master of Arts Degree in Religions and Education from the University of Warwick in England.
Craig Chapman is the Director/Dean of the Creatio Center for Technology, Media and Design at Northwest University. Craig worked for 35 years as a software engineer and architect, with his last act the co-founding of INRIX, a highly successful traffic and navigation software and data company in Kirkland, Washington. Craig holds a bachelors of science degree in mathematics from Occidental College.
Steven J.P. Johnson is an engineer with an MBA. His technology company is primarily focused in the area of cybersecurity where he is developing next generation access control solutions based on his patented authorization method. His previous work includes creating a live music nightclub that played a pivotal role during Seattle’s “grunge” years and developing automated production and control systems for military aircraft including the B-2, A-6 and F-22. In addition to work on a number of nonprofit boards, he has been both an Elder and a Deacon at his church.
