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Meet the Experts of AI and Faith

At its core, AI and Faith is people – a diverse community composed of experts in business, ethics, theology, and technology from a wide variety of business, religious, and academic institutions. We are always working to expand our roster of outstanding thought leaders. If you are interested in the leading dialogue between the faith community and those working on emerging AI-related technologies, please contact us.

Meet Our Experts: 

  • Research Fellows explore the practical relevance of “ancient wisdom” to the AI ethics discussion, working with fellow scholars and practitioners who seek to cross-fertilize ideas and perspectives as part of a multidisciplinary community of experts.  Immediate goals are to help organize the global discussion of faith perspectives on AI by 1) defining issues of relevance; 2) tracking research on faith perspectives on AI; and 3) connecting researchers across the landscape of such faith perspectives.
  • Our Contributing Fellows and Contributing Experts are deployed in four teams to promote our “Channel” into the broad AI ethics debate. The Editorial Team originates, edits, and publishes features and other content for our social media pages and Newsletter. The Programs Team supports the appearances of our experts and others at third-party policy and ethics conferences and plans our own programs and internal discussions among our community of experts. Our Networking Team builds on the connections of our current experts, promotes mutual programming opportunities with our Partners, and carries forward our “network of networks” approach to promoting the global conversation on faith perspectives on AI. The Media/Tech Team develops and maintains our tools for connecting with and publicizing global faith perspectives on AI.
  • Our Advisors bring knowledge and experience from their disciplines to advise the Board and Fellows, provide content and fill speaking roles, and maintain valuable ties to Partner organizations and their own networks.
  • We cooperate with our organizational Partners in preparing joint programs and other content, highlighting our overlapping missions, and exploring creative ways to advance wise engagement with AI-powered technologies.

Filter by Role

Sadegh Aalizadeh

Is currently working as a Software Developer and Solution Architect at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, after completing his Masters degree in Computer Science there.  Sadegh’s continuing research interest is in the area of software refactoring – maintaining and adapting software systems for coming dramatic changes in software architecture and design. Prior to his move to Quebec, Sadegh worked as a software developer in the Computer Research Center for Islamic Sciences in Qom, and as a researcher and writer at the intersection of economic, culture, public policy and legal issues for several high-level policy institutes at Islamic Azad University in Tehran Sadegh also holds a Masters of IT Engineering, E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce from Noore Touba Institute of Higher Education, and a Bachelors in Computer Science from the University of Qom.

Nicoleta Acatrinei, Ph.D.

Is an economist, theologian (Eastern Orthodox), and independent expert consultant and evaluator working in Geneva, Switzerland. Nicoleta holds a Ph.D.  from the Swiss Graduate School of Public Administration (IDHEAP). She has lead projects at Princeton University at the intersection of faith and work, and now is working as an expert in faith-based impact investment metrics , focusing on religion/spiritual-based motivations and behaviors, altruism, and workplace changes resulting from the introduction of AI.  

Aneelah Afzali, Esq.

Is an attorney and the founder and Executive Director of the American Muslim Empowerment Network (AMEN) at the Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS). Previously she was a partner in a law firm and general counsel of a healthcare IT company. Aneelah earned her law degree from Harvard University.

Muhammad Aurangzeb Ahmad

Is the Principal Research Data Scientist at KenSci, an AI in healthcare-focused company, and an Affiliate Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Washington.  Muhammad speaks at major AI ethics conferences globally.  He holds a PhD in computer science from the University of Minnesota.

Leah Airt

is an information professional with over 15 years of program management and leadership experience. She holds a Masters in Library Science and is recognized for managing projects and teams that require bringing structure to ambiguous and challenging scaled programs. Leah is currently leading a team as a Senior Program Manager to build data-driven operations programs that can be replicated across divisions, accounts, and time-zones.

Yasmin Ali

Is the founder of Skillspire, an education startup that offers technology boot camps for immigrants, refugees and women, largely taught by part-time instructors who work in technology.  Yasmin was an early and visionary member of the Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS) and remains active in leadership there.  

Naeem Altaf

Naeem is a Distinguished Engineer, Master Inventor & CTO in Space Technology. Naeem leads Space Tech initiatives such as: edge computing in space, exploring quantum computing for the new space age, designing and building first-of-a-kind proof of concepts and technical prototypes. Topical focus includes AI, Cloud, Edge Computing, Internet-of-Things. Launched a Fortune 100’s first Cube Satellite to democratize access for explorers to perform edge computing in space. Altaf holds a B.S. in Computer Science from The University of Texas at Austin.

Carlos Arias, Ph.D

Is Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Seattle Pacific University. He previously taught and served as research director at a leading university in Honduras. His work focuses on the interaction between faith and computer science, and computer science education

Thomas Arnold

Is a Research Associate at the Human-Robot Interaction Lab at Tufts University and a lecturer in the university’s Computer Science Department.  His work focuses on the ethical evaluation and design of AI systems for interactive contexts, including how moral norms will shape how social robots are judged. Thomas also holds a Master’s degree in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School, and is nearing completion of his PhD dissertation there.

Ahmed Hassan Awadallah, Ph.D

Leads the Language and Information Technologies Team of scientists and engineers at Microsoft Research Technologies, a new R&D organization within Microsoft Research.  His team focuses on harnessing AI to understand how people interact with information systems and develop new experiences to empower people to be more productive.

Vincent Bacote

Is an Associate Professor of Theology fand the Director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College.  Vince’s areas of teaching and research include theology and culture, theological anthropology, and faith and work.  He is a graduate of the Citadel, holds a Masters degree in Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a Masters degree in philosophy and a PhD in Theological and Religious Studies from Drew University. 

 

Bruce Baker, Ph.D

Recently retired from his role as adjunct professor of Business Ethics at Seattle Pacific University and is a former senior Microsoft executive.  Bruce is also ordained as a Presbyterian minister. He is a graduate of the California Institute of Technology, Stanford Business School, Fuller Theological Seminary, and holds a PhD in Theological Ethics from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland.   

Catherine Ballantyne

Is an AI researcher, technologist, engineer, device physicist, designer, and a decades-long participant in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day SaintsCatherine has been a participant observer in Stanford’s Hoover Institution and the Berkman Klein Center’s think tank outreach/opinion shaping programs at Harvard. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in cybersecurity at Stanford.

Keith Barrows, J.D., Ed.D

Is the CEO of AllPeople Marketplace, an ethical, global marketplace designed to make a positive change in the world. He was formerly a Senior Advisor for The Future Society, a nonprofit think-and-do tank that advances the global governance of Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies.  He brings to AI&F a knowledge of entities engaged in AI governance on a global scale, as well as over 20 years of non-profit leadership, fundraising, education, and legal experience in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. 

William Barylo

is a sociologist, photographer and filmmaker and postdoctoral researcher in Sociology at the University of Warwick, UK where he studies how young Muslims in Europe and North America navigate race, class and gender barriers from a decolonial and restorative perspective. William also produces films on social issues to disseminate knowledge to wider audiences, including documentary and fiction films to equip students and community organizers with practical tools for navigating the world, and help businesses nurture better work cultures.  He holds a PhD from the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS) in Paris, France.

Gordon Bell

is President of MDCommerce, which helps healthcare providers manage the business in their practice, using technology and rigorous process to enhance patient services, cut costs and improve the practice bottom line.  Gordon also works extensively in health care availability and ministry in India.

Rev. Dr. Matthew Bell

Is an instructor of Computer Science at Whitworth University and a “free-range” pastor in the Presbytery of the Inland Northwest (PCUSA). Bell holds a Ph.D. in Historical Theology from Durham University in the United Kingdom, an M.Div. from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and a M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Pittsburgh.

Gilad Berenstein

Is currently working in venture capital in Seattle after founding and leading a successful travel personalization startup and serving as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI2).  Gilad holds masters and undergraduate degrees from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington.

Ali-Reza Bhojani

Is a Teaching Fellow in Islamic Ethics and Theology in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Birmingham, and Honorary Research Fellow at the Al-Mahdi Institute. Ali-Reza has a developing research and teaching interest in AI ethics, exploring how Islamic thought can both inform and be informed by the pressing questions emerging out of the AI ethics space. In previous academic posts at the Al-Mahdi Institute, the University of Nottingham, the University of Oxford, and the Markfield Institute of Higher Education, his research, teaching and writing has focused on intersections between Islamic legal theory, theology, and ethics. He has served two terms as an elected council member of the British Association of Islamic Studies and regularly contributes to a range of knowledge exchange activities within Muslim communities, inter-faith settings and beyond. Ali-Reza holds a PhD in theology from Durham University.

Shanen Boettcher

Has completed his PhD dissertation at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland on the role that AI technology plays in the relationship between spiritual/religious information and knowledge among people living in the Pacific Northwest.  Previously, Shanen worked for 25 years in technology, primarily as a General Manager of Product Management at Microsoft.  Shanen brings an interfaith perspective to AI&F. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Religions and Education from the University of Warwick in England.

Mayla Boguslav

Is a dedicated post-doctoral mathematician who specializes in biomedical research at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Currently a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Michael Kirby’s lab, she is keenly interested in both collaborating with and studying DSRI (Data Science Research Initiative). She is also learning about and working with Veterinary health records.

A notable facet of Mayla’s background is her deep understanding of Jewish theology and traditions, rooted in her undergraduate degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. This, combined with her hard science degree from Columbia, equips her with a well-rounded approach to scientific endeavors, especially when deploying advanced AI tools in research.

Her graduate advisor was Larry Hunter, our esteemed advisor, at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.

Harris Bor

Practices international arbitration and commercial and company litigation from Twenty Essex, a barristers’ chambers in London. Harris is also Research Fellow at the London School of Jewish Studies, a rabbinic scholar with the Montefiore Endowment, London, and author of the 2021 book Staying Human: A Jewish Theology for the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Harris holds a Master of Laws in International and Comparative Dispute Resolution from Queen Mary, University of London, and a PhD in Theology from Cambridge University.

Brian Brock

is AI and Faith’s Advisor on ethics and disability.  He is the author of the pathbreaking Christian Ethics In a Technological Age and holder of an endowed chair in Moral and Practical Theology at the University of Aberdeen’s School of Divinity, History, Philosophy, and Art History. Brian holds a doctorate in Christin ethics from King’s College in London and his master’s degree in biomedical and clinical ethics.

David Brenner

Currently serves as the board chair of AI and Faith.  For 35 years he practiced law in Seattle and Washington DC, primarily counseling clients and litigating claims related to technology, risk management and insurance. He is a graduate of Stanford University and UC Berkeley’s Law School. 

Andrew Buhrmann

Is the Co-Founder and CEO of Vettd, Inc., a Bellevue, Washington-based company which uses deep learning AI models and search engines at the core of its advanced decision management solutions. Eschewing mainstream AI tools, Vettd builds AI models that their clients own and are built with their own data, or data Vettd helps them ethically acquire.  Vettd manages these AI models and search engines which are integrated into existing platforms or used to power new intelligent products.  Before Vettd, Andrew worked in several service-oriented startups in key product development and sales roles.  Andrew holds a degree in economics from the University of Washington. 

 

Kutter Callaway, Ph.D.

is an Associate Dean of Advanced Theological Studies at Fuller Seminary and co-director of Reel Spirituality at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California where he is actively engaged in writing and speaking on the interaction between theology and media culture. Kutter is also an ordained Baptist minister. He holds masters degrees and two PhDs from Fuller, the first in Theology and Culture and the second in Psychological Science.

Danny Chai

Is a software engineer with 20 years of experience working in a variety of Silicon Valley start-ups and largescale tech companies, including Yahoo and Facebook. Danny is the Vice President of AI at CrowdSmart.ai, an AI-driven business insights platform. Danny’s interest in artificial intelligence and ethics began at Stanford University, where he received an undergraduate degree in Symbolic Systems and a master’s degree in Computer Science, both with concentrations in AI.

Alex Chao

Currently, Alex is building next-generation AI products at Microsoft through the Office of the CTO with an emphasis on multimodal and large language models. He focuses on industries in health, gaming, finance, defense, energy, autonomous vehicles, semiconductors, and enterprise tech.

His career background includes roles at SambaNova Systems and C3.ai building out ML Platforms and deep learning offerings to enterprise customers and was the first data science hire at Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group working on building large scale computer vision and sensor fusion algorithms for self-driving cars.

He graduated from University of California, Berkely with a B.A. in Statistics and Computer Science and Harvard Business School with a focus on Strategy and Leadership.

Craig Chapman

Is the Director/Dean of the Creatio Center for Technology, Media and Design at Northwest University. Previously 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 Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Occidental College.

Yaqub Chaudhary, PhD

Is currently a visiting scholar at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, part of The Institute for Technology and Humanity at the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on AI, cognitive science and neuroscience in connection with Islamic conceptions of the mind, intelligence, human reasoning, cognition, knowledge, and the nature of perception and consciousness. Yaqub holds a Masters of Engineering degree and a PhD in physics from Imperial College – London.

Levi Checketts

Is Assistant Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Hong Kong Baptist University and a participant in the joint Pontifical Council for Culture at the Vatican, and Santa Clara University’s Committee on AI Concerns. Levi writes on social and ethical problems related to AI and transhumanism from a Catholic perspective. Levi holds a M.T.S. in moral theology from Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry and a PhD in Ethics and Social Theory from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. 

Phil Chen

Is the Founding Partner at Race Capital, a Silicon Valley software venture fund that invested in companies like Lightning Labs and Databricks. He is also an advisor and founder of the HTC Exodus, the world’s first open source crypto mobile phone. Previously at HTC, Phil was product manager for the launch of the world’s first Android phone in 2009.  Phil holds both Bachelor of Arts and Science degrees from the University of California San Diego in Arts, Physics, and Pure Mathematics, and a Master of Divinity in Post-Modern Philosophy from Fuller Seminary. 

 

Mark Chinen

Is a Professor of Law at the Seattle University School of Law, where he teaches courses in artificial intelligence and legal responsibility (among others)Mark authored a 2019 book on the law of autonomous machines and the forthcoming The International Governance of Artificial Intelligence. He is also a Fellow of the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality Mark received his law degree from Harvard Law School and previously earned bachelors and masters degrees at Pomona College and Yale Divinity School.

Ben Christensen

Directs Global Purpose and Sustainability Partnerships strategy for SAP Marketing to advance SAP’s Purpose and Sustainability strategy. Ben also is a co-founder of the SAP Interfaith Alliance ENG to advocate for policies that unlock whole employee capability in a company, and advance sustainable development across industry through the socio-economic capital of interfaith harmony.

Nathan Colaner, Ph.D

Is Senior Instructor and Director of Business Analytics at Seattle University and Managing Director of SU’s Initiative in Ethics and Transformative Technologies. He is also an external fellow of the Grefenstette Center for Ethics in Science, Technology, and Law at Duquesne University, and ethics lead for the AI Institute for Complex Systems at the University of Washington.  Nathan holds an MBA from Seattle University and a PhD in philosophy from the University of Kansas. 

Jane Compson, Ph.D.

Is an associate professor at the University of Washington, Tacoma Campus, teaching classes in topics surrounding Ethics and Religion. Jane holds Ph.D. and Master’s degrees in Comparative Religion from the University of Bristol (UK), and a Master of Arts degree in philosophy (bioethics) from Colorado State University. 

Andy Crouch

Is partner for theology and culture at Praxis, an organization that works as a creative engine for redemptive entrepreneurship, and author of five influential books exploring faith, culture, and the image of God in the domains of technology, power, leadership, and the arts – most recently The Life We’re Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World  He previously was a campus minister with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Harvard University. Andy studied classics at Cornell University and received his Masters in Divinity from Boston University School of Theology. 

 

Salah Dandan

Is an attorney and business executive with extensive experience in international business transactions, technology, and intellectual property.  Salah is also an Associate Professor of Law at Kuwaiti International Law School where he teaches Intellectual Property and is a Research Fellow focused on AI Ethics.  Salah is the Secretary and a member of the Board of Directors at the Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS).

Andrew DeBerry

has focused on AI products for social value in cybersecurity, advertising, and healthcare.  He has 17 years of experience leading cross-functional teams to protect vulnerable groups, fight discrimination, and build inclusive communities at Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Meta and is a Lieutenant Colonel for the US Air Force reserves.  

Craig Detweiler, Ph.D

is Dean of the College of Arts and Media at Grand Canyon University and a professor, author, and mentor on culture, faith and technology. Craig has written several screenplays and books, including iGods: How Technology Shapes Our Spiritual and Social Lives and Selfies: Searching for the Image of God in a Digital Age. He earned an M.F.A. from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, and a Masters of Divinity and PhD from Fuller Theological Seminary.

Saskia De Vries, Ph.D

Is an Assistant Investigator at the Allen Institute for Brain Science where her research centers on how the brain transforms sensory information into perception and behavior. Saskia received her Ph.D. from Harvard.

Matthew Dickerson

Is a Professor of Computer Science at Middlebury College and the author of numerous books, including The Mind and the Machine: What it Means to be Human and Why it Matters. He has also authored several works of scholarship on the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, in addition to medieval historical novels, works of fantasy literature, and guides to flyfishing in many parts of the US.  Matthew earned his PhD in computer science from Cornell University.  

Francis Djirackor

Was most recently the Executive Director of Elris Communications Services Ltd, which provides professional services in the telecommunications, broadcast and IT space in Nairobi. Francis has worked in telecommunications and IT engineering in Ghana and Kenya since 1995.  Francis is also a leader at CITAM Ministries, a dynamic collection of four large Christian congregations in Kenya’s capital.

Wen Dombrowski

Wen Dombrowski, MD, MBA, is a geriatrics physician executive and the founding principal of CATALAIZE, known for integrating clinical, technical, business, and ethical expertise. She excels in human-centered design and data analytics, focusing on developing technology-enabled services for complex needs. Dr. Dombrowski advises a wide range of clients in tech, healthcare, and retail, and is a respected speaker at international conferences on health innovation, AI ethics, and workforce development. Dr. Dombrowsk holds a Bachelors of Science in Cellular-Molecular Biology from the University of Michigan, an MD from the University of Rochester, and an MBA from IE Business School.

Marcia Drake

Marcia Drake is the founder of Ecoheart Coaching and Consulting, LLC, and received the “2022 Data Leader of the Year” award from Women in Data. As an esteemed global data leader with specialty expertise in AI, analytics, and IT her focus areas include: social and behavioral science, healthcare and trauma, traffic safety, judicial, law enforcement and corporate security, transportation and sustainability. Marcia is a convert to Catholicism and she holds a Bachelors of Arts in Political/Cultural Anthropology from Western Washington University.

Barry Dynkin

Is a cybersecurity attorney and the Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of the American Cybersecurity Institute, a think tank focused on the juncture of technology, security, law and policyHe is also the  Co-Founder and President of Atlas Cybersecurity, a managed cybersecurity service provider and consultancy. As a Tech-in-Residence Fellow and adjunct professor at the City College of New York and Hofstra University, he teaches technology ethics, cybersecurity, and privacy law at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Barry has published widely on the juncture of technology, security, law, and policy. He is also a Board Director and Co-Chair of the Risk, Legal, and Compliance and Academic Relations Committees of the New York Metropolitan Chapter of ISACA.

Ben Dynkin

Is a cybersecurity and technology policy professional working in the financial services sector.  Ben also founded Atlas Cybersecurity, a managed cybersecurity services company based in New York, and the American Cybersecurity Institute, a non-profit think tank exploring legal and policy issues around cybersecurity and cyber warfare. Ben is also a member of the Board of Directors of the New York Metropolitan Infragard Members Alliance, a leading public-private partnership between the FBI and critical infrastructure operators.  Ben teaches privacy, cybersecurity, and tech ethics as an adjunct professor at both Hofstra University and the City College of New York. Ben’s interest in applying the principles and values of Orthodox Judaism to AI ethics stems from a lifetime of finding ways of applying his religious and ethical principles to his work in technology policy. Ben holds a law degree from Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, and a BA in economics from Hofstra University. Ben is also completing his masters degree in AI Ethics at the University of Cambridge, where he is a member of the inaugural cohort of the program.

Eric Elnes

Serves as an interim minister and as the Executive Director of the Eden Tree Foundation as well as the Interim Senior Minister at Pass-A-Grille Beach Community Church. He created Darkwood Brew, the world’s first interactive, broadcast-quality internet television program focused on faith. In recent years, Dr. Elnes focuses on VR/AR/Metaverse technologies. Elnes holds a Masters of Divinity and PhD in Biblical Studies from Princeton Theological Seminary. 

Ethan Edwards

Ethan Edwards is the AI Lead for the Cognitive Human Enterprise group at Ernst & Young, an initiative which fuses insights from the artistic world with engineering to find novel and compelling business solutions. He writes on history, philosophy, religion, and AI for publications with focused interest in challenges AI poses for practical morality and institutional decision making. Edwards is a practicing Catholic and holds a Bachelors of Arts in Philosophy and a Masters of Fine Arts, Sound Arts, both from Colombia University.

Al Erisman

is the co-founder of Ethix magazine, which explores business ethics in a technological age.  He previously served as Director of Technology at the Boeing Company, where he led a 300-person research staff focused on innovation paths.  Al is cochair of the board for The Theology of Work Project and a founding board member for KIROS (Christians in Business in the Seattle area). 

R. Daren Erisman

Is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Minot State University in North Dakota where he established and co-leads a new data science program with undergraduate topics in AI. Holding a PhD in Systematic and Philosophical Theology from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Daren’s research interests include comparative theology between Christianity and Islam, as well as the relationship between science and religion.

Douglas Estes, PhD

Currently teaches at Friends University and is an author of numerous books and articles on Bible and theology, including many focused on technology such as Braving the Future: Christian Faith in a World of Limitless Tech. Douglas contributes articles on faith, science and technology to Christianity Today, and is editor of Didaktikos, the journal for theological education. He received his PhD in Theology from the University of Nottingham, two Masters in Theology from Southeastern Seminary, and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry.

Don Forbush

Is co-publisher of the Smartacus web platform, which uses tools like Zoom, Basecamp and Trint to enable students, writing coaches, and community leaders to create communications that serve the public interest while preparing students for careers in journalism, public relations, film, and digital media. 

 

Sharron Frammingham

works at DataForce (part of the TransPerfect family of companies and an approved vendor in data augmentation and labeling). Her work supports organizations that are developing Responsible Artificial Intelligence to solve real world problems (Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and Bytedance). Previously, Sharron engage from 2007 forward in extensive non-profit activities in universities, hospitals and prisons. In addition to serving with some amazing organizations, she also originated the Octagonal Mindset theory and has spoken at TEDx.    Sharron holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Leicester.

Shannon E. French

Is the Inamori Professor in Ethics and the Director of the Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence at Case Western Reserve University and an advisor to various US defense and intelligence agencies. Her primary research focuses on conduct of war issues, ethical leadership, command climate, warrior transitions, moral injury, and the future of warfare.  Previously, Shannon was a tenured faculty member teaching ethics at the US Naval Academy. She holds a PhD in Philosophy from Brown University. 

Dr. Robert M Geraci

Is Professor of Religious Studies at Manhattan College and author of multiple books on technology and religion including  Apocalyptic AI: Visions of Heaven in Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and Robotics and Futures of Artificial Intelligence: Perspectives from India and the United States. His research expertise and writing are focused on exploring how we use technology to enchant and give meaning to the world.  

David Goecke

is the visionary behind Go Technology Solutions, serving as the CEO and Founder. His primary focus is empowering Christians in Technology to create additional income or leave their 9-5 completely to start/scale organizations through career development and faith-based coaching. Previously, David worked as a data scientist for five years at Microsoft, working in business analytics and data analysis.  David holds a Bachelors in Business Administration from the University of Washington.

Brian Glenn

is a senior manager on Meta’s Strategic Response Policy team Previously, he was a foreign policy specialist in the Office of the Secretary of Defense on Middle East issues and in the Defense Security Cooperation Agency for over 10 years.  Brian holds a Bachelor’s degree in Culture and Politics of the Middle East from Georgetown University, and a Masters degree from the Naval War College.

Mark Graves

Is a Research Fellow and Director at AI & Faith, and a Research Associate Professor of Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary. He has developed AI and data solutions in the biotech, pharmaceutical, and healthcare industries. Mark’s current research focuses on using text analysis and other natural language processing techniques for understanding and modeling human morality, ethical approaches to data science and machine learning, and philosophical and psychological foundations for constructing moral AI. Mark holds a PhD in computer science from the University of Michigan and a master‘s degree in theology from the Jesuit School of Theology and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

Adam Graber

Consults for innovative, faith-driven organizations and their leaders on strategy, content, and research. He cohosts the Device & Virtue podcast. Previously Adam served as Director for FaithTech, a global tech community of Christian technologists building Christian missional applications; and at Tyndale House Publishers as an Bible editor on the New Living Translation, and as product development and marketing manager on The Message. Adam holds a Master’s Degree in Digital Theology from Durham University and a BS degree in Psychology and Bible from University of Northwestern – St. Paul.

Brian Patrick Green

Is the Director of Tech Ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University and teaches AI ethics in the school’s Graduate School of Engineering.   His work focuses on the ethics of technology, as well as the relationship of technology and religion. He is the author and co-editor of books on Space ethics, transhumanism, and is the co-author of the Ethics in Technology Practice corporate ethics resources. Brian holds doctoral and master’s degrees in Ethics and Social Theory from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, and an undergraduate degree in genetics from Univ of California, Davis.   

Haley Griese

Haley Griese is currently working toward her PhD at Harvard, focusing primarily (though not exclusively) on philosophy of religion in the modern West. In 2023, she completed her Master’s of Theological Studies (MTS) degree at Harvard Divinity School where she studied faith in science, technology, and society. Her academic interests range from pragmatism, existentialism, moral philosophy, decolonial theory, and visual studies, to tech ethics, and AI. She explores questions such as: What does it mean to be human in the digital age? How could pragmatic digital ethics reduce emergent technologies’ potential for harm, while maximizing their capacities to build more equitable futures for all? And: How are AI and morality mutually influential?

Tricia Griffin

Is a researcher working at the intersection of professional ethics and AI ethics. She is currently a PhD candidate and researcher in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Maastricht University in The Netherlands. Her research focuses on the ethical agency of the artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science communities. Previously, Tricia was the Vice President of Corporate Communications for San Francisco-based Dignity Health, the fifth largest health system in the U.S. and the largest hospital provider in California. Tricia holds a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from the University of San Francisco, a Master of Public Health from Creighton University, and a Master of Science in Bioethics from Creighton University School of Medicine.

Rev. Dave Hackett

has been a pastoral minister and mission mobilizer since 1985. Most recently he served for 19 years with VisionSynergy (www.visionsynergy.net), which helps Christian organizations worldwide work together for maximum impact by developing and strengthening large-scale strategic ministry networks and partnerships in critical areas of world mission. This work has dealt with sophisticated deployment of technology for collaboration and engagement in the Middle East and North Africa. Dave was born in Princeton, NJ, raised in the Pacific Northwest and Saudi Arabia, and educated at the University of Washington (Seattle), Fuller Theological Seminary (Pasadena) and Oxford University (Oxford, UK).

Scott Hawley

Is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Physics at Belmont University, where he teaches physics to audio engineering students.  Scott is widely engaged in writing and conferences on the ethics of technology, and on machine learning applications to acoustics and audio signal processing. Fitting for Nashville and Belmont, he is also a singer songwriter. Scott holds a  PhD in Physics from the University of Texas at Austin. 

Daniel Heck

Daniel Heck is an AI ethicist at The Understanding Group, with a rich background in non-profit leadership, including roles in the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). His work focuses on integrating secular social theories and theological insights into an ethical AI framework applicable in diverse contexts. Heck holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Natural Resources Management and Policy from The Ohio State University. He is pursuing a Masters of Divinity with the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with he intent to pursue PhD afterward.

Peter Hershock

Is Director of the Asian Studies Development Program (ASDP) at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai’i where he helped launch the Center’s initiative on Humane Artificial Intelligence, which focuses on the societal impacts and ethical issues raised by emerging technologies.  Peter holds a PhD from the University of Hawai’i in Asian and Comparative Philosophy. His research and writing draw on Buddhist conceptual resources to reflect on and address contemporary issues of global concern.

Noreen Herzfeld, Ph.D

Is the Nicholas and Bernice Reuter Professor of Science and Religion at St. John’s University and the College of St. Benedict where she teaches in both the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Theology.  Her topics of interest include computer theory, computer ethics, theology in the light of science, the spirituality and politics of Islam, and ministry in a technological age.  She is the author of four books on religion and technology.  She holds degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics from the Pennsylvania State University and a PhD in Theology from the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley.

Don Howard, Ph.D

Is a Professor of Philosophy, a Fellow of the University of Notre Dame’s Reilly Center for Science, Technology, and Values, and an Affiliate of Notre Dame’s interdisciplinary Technology Ethics Center (TEC). He is an editor of the Einstein Papers at Princeton and has been writing and teaching about the ethics of science and technology for over three decades. Don’s current research interests are focused on ethical and legal issues in cyberconflict, cybersecurity, and autonomous systems.  He earned his PhD from Boston University.

Gretchen Huizinga

Is the former Executive Producer and Host of the Microsoft Research Podcast and recently earned a PhD in Education at the University of Washington based on her thesis “Righteous AI: Christian Perspectives on AI Ethics”.  Gretchen also holds a Master of Arts degree in the Art of Mass Communication, and an M.Ed. in Learning Sciences and Human Development.

Larry Hunter

Is Director of the University of Colorado’s Computational Bioscience Program and a Professor of Pharmacology (School of Medicine) and Computer Science (Boulder). His research interests span cognitive science to rational drug design, while his recent primary focus is the integration of natural language processing, knowledge representation, machine learning and advanced visualization techniques to address challenges in interpreting data generated by high throughput molecular biology. He holds a PhD from Yale University.

Batool Hussain

Is SAP’s Head of Americas Sustainability Services – Ventures, located in greater New York City.  Batool has over 15 years of international work experience covering UK, Europe and the U.S delivering on strategic programs.  Batool is skilled in leading large cross-functional and geographically dispersed teams in development, integration and implementation efforts of transformation and innovative initiatives.  Batool is also a co-founder of the SAP Interfaith Alliance ENG.  She holds an Executive MBA from Baruch College and Masters in International Relations from Harvard University. 

 

Maria Joseph Israel

is an assistant professor of Computer Science at St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata, and a visiting scholar at Santa Clara University. His current research addresses the impact on the world of computing technology, particularly data and automation systems like AI. Dr. Israel holds a PhD in Computer Science and Engineering from Santa Clara University where he also taught Computer Science and Engineering and led research projects on knowledge engineering, data provenance, system storage technology, and AI and Ethics.

Bob Johansen

Is a distinguished fellow with the Institute for the Future in Silicon Valley. For more almost 50 years, Bob has worked as a professional futurist to help organizations around the world prepare for and shape the future, including large corporations, universities and nonprofits. The author or co-author of thirteen books, including the best-selling Get There Early: Sensing the Future to Compete in the Present, and most recently Office Shock: Creating Better Futures for Work and Living.  Bob’s books are used widely in corporations, universities, nonprofits, and at the Army War College. Bob holds a B.S. from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University—as well as an M.Div. degree that focused on world religions.

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. 

David Zvi Kalman, Ph.D

Is a Scholar in Residence and Director of New Media at the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America, where he writes and teaches about religion and technology, and produces several podcasts. He received a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania with a dissertation on the relationship between Jewish history and the history of technology, and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania in medieval Islamic law.

So-Young Kang

So-Young Kang is the Founder and CEO of Gnowbe, pioneering a mobile microlearning and micro-authoring platform to help people perform better. She is the chairman and founder of Awaken Group, a human-centered transformation design firm. So-Young is the author of ‘Inside Out’ and speaks on tech, humanity, and the future of human development. Previously, she had experience with the HuffPost, the World Economic Forum, McKensey and Citibank. So-Young holds a BA in International Relations, Japanese Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a MBA in Management from Harvard University.

Raja Kanuri

is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Theology and Religion at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.  He is researching Vedic ethics in the context of the evolving AI ethics framework.  Raja is also a Project Manager at the SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences in Berlin and works with the Berlin School of Technology. Before moving to Germany to pursue his MBA, Raja worked as a project team lead and manager at several technology companies in Hyderabad, India in the areas of customer service, training, team and project management. He holds a bachelors of science degree from Osmania University and a diploma in Communicative English from Central Hyderabad University. 

Turan Kayaoglu, Ph.D

Is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Washington, Tacoma, and teaches in Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs, a division of the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on the intersection of religion, human rights, and international relations.

Jawad Khaki

Is an entrepreneur, investor, technologist and a community volunteer. He is a 20-year Microsoft Corporation veteran where he served as a Corporate Vice President. In 1997 Jawad helped establish the Ithna‐asheri Muslim Association of the Northwest (IMAN) and serves as its President.

Nicholas “Nikky” Kho

Nikky Kho is a renowned AI educator focused on empowering individuals through the VJAL Institute for AI Empowerment. He is the Founder & CEO of Trelais in Dubai, Senior Advisor of Investment Banking at STS Capital Partners, the Executive Committee Officer for Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and an Investor in the Kho Family Office. Nikky Kho holds a JD from Mitchell Hamline School of Law, an MBA in Business, Entrepreneurship & Venture Management from USC, an ALM in Liberal Arts from Harvard University, a BS in Economics with a Mathematics Concentration from UW-Madison, a BS in Marriage and Family from BYU–Idaho, and a BA in Psychology from ASU.

Margaret Kibben

Is an ordained Presbyterian minister and the current Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives. She previously served as the first woman Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Navy and the Chaplain of the Marine Corps, retiring as a Rear Admiral She was awarded the Bronze Star for her service as a chaplain in Afghanistan. Admiral Kibben holds a Masters of Divinity and Doctorate in Ministry from Princeton Seminary and a Masters Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.

David Kim

Is the CEO and co-founder of Goldenwood and has spent the past several decades training, consulting, and counseling hundreds of leaders and organizations in developing a meaningful integration of faith and work. He previously served as VP of Faith and Work with Redeemer City to City, Executive Director of the Center for Faith & Work and Director of the Gotham Fellowship, all at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC. David is editor of the NIV Faith and Work Bible.

W.E. King

Teaches core informatics courses to undergraduates in the Information School at the University of Washington. Previously, they were adjunct faculty at Portland Seminary while studying Comparative Religion at the University of Washington. Their research focuses on human experiences with intelligent technologies in relation to religion and gender, specifically looking at ways religious ideologies embedded in intelligent technologies impact multiply marginalized individuals. In 2021, they were awarded their PhD with a dissertation entitled A Match Made in Heaven: Queer Christians and Dating Apps, in the Information School of the University of Washington.

Bobbie Kite

Is a professor with a focus in the Healthcare Management and Health Informatics Programs at University College, University of Denver. Previously he was the Clinical Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Kite holds a Ph.D. in Public Health from University of Texas at Houston, a MHS in Health Sciences in Emergency and Disaster Management from Touro University, and is currently pursuing his MDiv at Iliff School of Theology with a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas at Austin.

Jeremy Kirshbaum

Is a venture builder and strategist who has been working with clients to understand, plan and implement generative AI projects since 2019. Alongside his work with Fortune 500 executive teams, governments, and NGOs, he is building the Library of Babel platform for collaborative LLM exploration at https://libraryofbabel.ai. He previously founded the innovation consultancy Handshake (https://handshake.fyi) and the Mesopotamia creator service (https://mesopotamia.ai).

Pieter Klijnsma

Is a recent graduate of the University of Bristol in England where he studied Philosophy & French. At university he was able to marry his passion for Ethics with AI, primarily considering the possibility and consequences of what have been considered to be human-only faculties such as intelligence, semantic comprehension and consciousness, existing in non-human entities. His final thesis concerned the presence of semantic meaning in contemporary LLMs. Pieter hopes to continue exploring these issues as an editor with AI&Faith and to soon begin a graduate program in AI Ethics.

Sean Koh

Is an expert in cross-border transactions in finance, technology, infrastructure, media, and entertainment. He is chair of his family office, Koherent Incorporated, and through it has structured various private equity and project financing deals with leading global institutions, while also co-chairing investment forums with other family offices and financial institutions at the United Nations, World Economic Forum, and other international communities. Sean holds a degree from the Wharton School of Business, and is also an award-winning recording artist, songwriter, and music producer known as ESKOH.com. 

 

Rajesh Koilpillai

Rajesh Koilpillai is a Director at Palmtree Infotech, a product development firm. Rajesh focuses on natural language processing and the role of generative AI in translating content into less common languages. Koilpillai holds a Master of Engineering in Applied Electronics from PSG College of Technology, India and a Bachelors of Engineering in Electronics and Communication from Bharathiar University Karunya Institute Of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India.

Elias Kruger

Is a Quantitative Analytics Manager and VP at Wells Fargo Bank in Atlanta, and the Founder of  AI and Theology which seeks to apply a thoughtful Christian lens to the promise and peril of Artificial Intelligence. Elias holds a Masters of Theology degree  from Fuller Seminary, and an MBA from Regent University.  

Nathan Kutz, Ph.D

Is the Robert Bolles and Yasuko Endo Professor within the Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Washington in Seattle, and author of the book Data-Driven Modeling & Scientific Computation: Methods for Complex Systems & Big Data (Oxford Univ. Press, 2013).

Cory Andrew Labrecque, PhD

Is Associate Professor of Bioethics and Theological Ethics, and Chair of Educational Leadership in the Ethics of Life at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Laval in Quebec.  Cory’s research lies at the intersection of religion, medicine, biotechnology, environment, and ethics. He previously taught at the Center for Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, and Department of Religion at Emory University and is a corresponding member of the Pontifical Academy for Life in the Vatican. He earned his PhD in Religious Ethics at McGill University. 

Heather Mellquist Lehto

Is a Public Scholarship Fellow for the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), an Advancing Public Scholarship Fellow at Henry Luce Foundation, an Advisor of AI and Emerging Technologies with the Vatican on the Pontifical Council on Culture of the Roman Catholic Church. Lehto holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Wellesley College, a M.T.S. in Religion and Social Sciences from Harvard University, and a PhD in Sociocultural Anthropology from University of California, Berkeley.

 

Chris Lim

Leads TheoTech, where he created the company’s primary product io, a platform where humans and AI collaborate to deliver real time translations of live events. He was formerly a software engineer at Amazon.  Chris earned a Master of Computer Science degree at the University of Washington, where his research focused on machine translation.

 

Albert Luswata

Dr. Albert Luswata is a Senior Lecturer at Uganda Martyrs University with numerous former roles including Director of the Institute of Ethics and Head of Department in the School of Arts and Social Sciences. His research interests are in areas moral theology, ethics, religious studies and pedagogy. Dr. Luswata holds a doctorate in Theology from the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome.

Quintin McGrath

Quintin McGrath is a retired Deloitte IT executive and founder of QplusAI LLC. He sits on many boards including the CXO Advisory Network, Blumberg Capital’s CIO Council, The Mentor Project, and the Society for Information Management (SIM) in Tampa Bay, USA. McGrath holds a Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) focused on AI, ethics, and risk management from the University of South Florida, a Master of Science in Engineering from the University of Cape Town, and a Master of Arts in Missional Church Movements from Wheaton College, Illinois.

Lewis McMurran

Is a financial advisor who previously implemented “future of work” strategies for the Washington State Workforce Board, following his role as Co-Manager of the Future of Work Project for the Workforce Board.  Lewis has over two decades of experience in government relations, advocacy, and external affairs, and was the first Director of Government Relations for the Washington Software Alliance (now WTIA). He is a graduate of Georgetown University in International Relations. 

Maryyum Mehmood

Is a ‘pracademic’ (practical academic) whose work sits at the interface between academia, grassroots and policy, aiming to harness the power of positive social impact. Through her decade-long academic career, Maryyum has been at the forefront of providing training to international diplomats and NGO leaders. Maryyum is also the Founding Director of The SHIFT (Social Harmony, Intercultural & Faith Training), where she provides consultancy, advisory, and ethical leadership training to enhance religious and cultural literacy. Maryyum holds a PhD from King’s College London in International Relations as well as a masters degree in South Asia and Global Security. 

 

Ed Melick

worked for 30 years in high-tech in various consulting, engineering, and sales/strategy roles. He moved into the media space for several years after learning a profound lesson about the realness, superpower, practicality, and beauty of God’s grace. He has authored three books, and for five years co-produced and co-hosted the Grace in 30 radio program/podcast, a program dedicated to providing a counterbalance to today’s spirit of un-grace, division, fear, and untruth. He’s excited about the potential to influence the creation of grace-driven learning machines while working with AI and Faith.

Meenaz Merchant

is the Partner Group Program Manager of Bing Search and Web Experiences at Microsoft. He holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in computer science respectively from Maharashtra Institute of Technology and Stanford University, and an MBA from UC Berkeley. Meenaz is an active leader  and worships with his family at the Iman Center in Kirkland, Washington.

Suzette Messa

Was most recently with SAP where she teaches and works with internal and external customers to grow their ideas and businesses.  Prior to joining SAP, Suzette was instrumental in helping to build 3 startup companies from the ground up in the Silicon Valley and in Europe. Suzette is a leader in the SAP Interfaith Alliance ENG which began with her desire to embrace and evolve the different textures of faith and culture.  Suzette holds a bachelor of science degree in Business Administration – Marketing from Cal State University. 

 

Rabbi Geoffrey A. Mitelman

Is the founder of Sinai and Synapses. Previously he served as a pulpit rabbi, taught at the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion and the Academy for Jewish Religion. Mitelman holds a Bachelors in Religion and Jewish Studies from Princeton University Education and Rabbinic Ordination, MAHL from the Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion Cincinnati.

Dr. Nikki Mirghafori

Dr. Nikki Mirghafori serves as a Board of Director, Stewarding Teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and a Dharma Teacher at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA. The PhD thesis titled, “A Multi-Band Approach to Automatic Speech Recognition” and Masters thesis titled, “On Robustness to Fast Speech in Automatic Speech Recognition”. Mirghafori holds a B.S. in Computer Science from University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a M.S. and PhD in Computer Science from University of California, Berkeley. 

Vikram Modgil

Is currently Global head of partnerships at Amazon Chime SDK.  He is an AI/ML expert who previously founded  Pi Square, a machine-learning startup specializing in AR/VR/XR, synthetic voice (called NeuraVoice) and intelligent automation. Since the early 2000’s, Vikram has been on the executive leadership teams of multiple unicorn startups & multi-billion-dollar corporations. Vikram also founded a pioneering broad spectrum AI ethics group in Seattle called The Good AI. 

Braden Molhoek

Braden Molhoek is the CTNS Director at the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences and the Ian G. Barbour Assistant Professor of Theology, Science, Ethics, and Technology at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley California. Currently he is the Project Director for the CTNS Grant: "Virtuous AI?: Cultural Evolution, Artificial Intelligence, and Virtue" funded by the John Templeton Foundation. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Ethics and Social Theory from the Graduate Theological Union, Master of Theological Studies from Boston University School of Theology and a Bachelors in Genetics and Religion from Ohio Wesleyan University.

Manuel David Morales

Manuel David Morales is an astrophysicist and postdoctoral researcher at the Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico, funded by the National Council for Science and Technology. Manuel’s expertise includes gravitational-wave astronomy, criminology in government, and global industry social impact. Manuel holds a Bachelors of Science in Applied Physics from Universidad de Santiago de Chile, a Masters of Science in Relativistic Astrophysics and PhD in Numerical Relativity from Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Mexico.

Emad Mostaque

Is the founder and chairman of Stability.AI, a UK-based collective of vibrant communities of experts, leaders and partners across the globe developing cutting-edge open AI models for Image, Language, Audio, Video, 3D and Biology. Emad has had a very successful career in hedge fund management with a particular focus on gaming. His particular current vision is delivering open source technologies in a wide range of media to languages and cultures outside the current mainstream English and western orientation.

Dorin Munteanu

is co-founder of the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Initiative, Community Director of the Virginia Academic RPA Community of Practice and senior advisor at the Center for Business Civic Engagement at the George Mason University, in Arlington, VA.

Dorin also serves as the President of the Romanian-American Chamber of Commerce, in Washington, D.C., where he founded and is co-chairing the DC Cyber Task Force between the U.S. and Romania.

Dorin is an Advisory Council member to the AlphaTech Group, an initiative designed to engage with promising CEOs of emerging growth companies within the cybersecurity, big data and analytics industries. Dorin holds degrees from Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, and the School of International Service at American University. He is fluent in Romanian, Spanish, Italian, and Hungarian, and proficient in French.

Mois Navon

Is a doctoral student at Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv, Israel, following a 35- year career as a computer design engineer.  His thesis “The Moral Status of AI” seeks to understand how humans should interact, morally, with humanoids – be they mind-less or mind-ful.  His research combines his rabbinic background in moral philosophy with his long term career in computer technology. 

Brendan Newell

has been a Technical Architect at Microsoft for over 20 years, most recently working on Identity and Cloud Security issues with some of Microsoft’s largest Enterprise customers. Before entering the technology field, Brendan studied to be a Catholic Deacon. Brendan was involved in Microsoft’s discussions of AI ethics with the Vatican and business and government agencies that became The Rome Call for AI Ethics, and is presently participating in a Microsoft-sponsored irrigation project applying AI software in Tanzania.

Brenda Ng

Is the Executive Director for Research & Insights in the Digital Innovation Group of Providence Health and Services.  She was previously principal and founder of The Trio Group, specializing in customer-driven business and marketing insights for a wide range of technology companies, and a senior executive for consumer and competitive insights at Microsoft and T-Mobile where she played leading roles in the launch of X-Box and T-Mobile’s first cell phone.  Brenda holds a bachelor of science degree from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. 

Joanna Ng

Is a pioneering AI researcher and IBM Master Inventor who holds over 50 patents in the field from her three decades as a senior manager and software architect at IBM Canada. Joanna now works in an entrepreneurial start-up setting at Devarim Research, continuing to apply her design-thinking methodology to IoT,  Blockchain, and augmented cognition.  Joanna is also the founder of Tech KOE (Kingdom on Earth), a ministry to integrate faith and work where she teaches and mentors tech professionals.  

James B. Notkin

Is Co-Pastor and Vision Lead of Union Church, Seattle, where he seeks to work with congregants and the surrounding tech community to live into our call to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with Jesus. Before co-founding Union, James B was in ministry with Ann Arbor First Presbyterian Church, and then University Presbyterian Church in Seattle. He received his Masters of Divinity degree from  Princeton Theological Seminary.

Sean Oesch

Is a research scientist at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee and previously served as a software engineer for the US Air Force.  Outside his day job, Sean has a strong interest in ethical application of technology tools for faith mission and ministry.  Sean holds a Masters degree in Software Engineering from Mercer University and a PhD in Computer Engineering from the University of Tennessee.

Ben Olsen

Is a Responsible Technology leader and a professional coach informed by an ecumenical spirituality. Today, he works on Trust and Governance Infrastructure for Microsoft, where he also teaches Mindfulness and Compassion to employees. He is co-chair of Responsible AI Learning for the World Economic Forum’s Responsible Use of Technology working group. In 2021, Ben founded Huminary, a coaching, learning, and advisory company. Throughout his life, Ben has been practicing and teaching across contemplative traditions, including Evangelicalism, Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, and Buddhism. 

Cyrus Olsen III

Is Lo Schiavo Chair in Catholic Social Thought at the University of San Francisco (AY 2022-23).  He is an Oxford-trained academic, collaborator, and observer in the Neurology Department of Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School through the Dhand Lab.  The Templeton World Charity Foundation is supporting his research for the next three years titled “Buffering, Porosity, and Brain Health in Uganda,” a partnership with Ugandan researchers to study how beliefs about ancestors influence health-seeking behavior.  Cyrus is also a small business owner (TunedtoCyrus,LLC), facilitating his work in voice-acting and thought leadership for social impact. 

Thomas Osborn

Is a senior leader at Vettd, Inc., a human resources software company in Bellevue, Washington. He brings to AI and Faith extensive experience in business strategy and management, and technology consulting (most recently in relation to education and church platforms) and has a keen interest in technology that enhances spiritual transformation via deeper teacher and learner engagement. Thomas holds a BA in communications and speech and an MBA with a finance concentration from the Univ of Illinois – Urbana Champaign.

Tripp Parker

Is an applied AI leader currently working in fintech and payments processing as Lead Product Manager at Marqeta.  Previously he spent over 10 years at Amazon and Microsoft working on AI applications in advertising and healthcare, before moving into the fintech space.  He holds degrees in Philosophy, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Computer Science from Duke University.

Michael Paulus

Is the Dean of the Library, Assistant Provost for Educational Technology, and Director and Associate Professor of Information Studies at Seattle Pacific University. Michael’s administrative, teaching, and scholarly interests focus on the future of information and communication technologies, especially their impact on higher education, libraries, work, and ethics. He is co-editor of AI, Faith, and the Future, a collection of essays by an SPU faculty study group reflecting on Christianity and artificial intelligence published in 2022.

Rev. Dr. Ted Peters, PhD

Is the Distinguished Research Professor of Systematic Theology and Ethics at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, and co-founder and co-editor of the journal Theology and Science.  Ted has historically focused on ethics related to the human genome and stem cell research, and is currently studying issues related to transhumanism and data technology. He holds masters degrees from the University of Chicago and Trinity Lutheran Seminary and a PhD from the University of Chicago. 

 

Rev. Dr. Dan Peterson

Has been the pastor of Queen Anne Lutheran Church in Seattle since 2016.  Prior to his arrival at Queen Anne Lutheran, he was an ordained Lutheran pastor in a specialized call to a teaching ministry as a professor in the humanities at Seattle University. He holds a BA in English from Santa Clara University along with three graduate degrees in theology, the last of which is a PhD in Systematic and Philosophical Theology from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

Veronica Petrencu

is currently Project Lead and Research Fellow for Enterprise for Society Center in Lausanne, Switzerlan, where she is involved in projects related to sustainable food and agriculture, responsible consumption, sustainability in education and public health prevention. She is notably interested in the role and impact of AI on consumers’ behavior and mental health, considering the current challenges our societies face regarding planetary boundaries, inequality, and public health.

She holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland and has 10 years of experience in research related to international migration, civil conflicts, integration policies, attitudes towards immigrants, migration policies, and economic history. She published one article in the prestigious American Economic Review.

Anna Puzio

Studied Catholic theology, German and philosophy in Münster and Munich. She did her doctorate in the doctoral program on the anthropology of transhumanism at the Munich School of Philosophy. After working in Münster, Munich, Frankfurt, am Main and Vienna, Puzio is now working at the University of Twente (NL) in the Netherlands-wide ESDiT Research Program (Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies). Together with her colleagues, she founded the network for theology and AI. Her research areas include anthropology, anthropology of technology, ethics of technology and environmental ethics.

Michael J. Quinn

Recently retired as Dean of the College of Science and Engineering at Seattle University and as Director of Seattle University’s  Initiative in Ethics and Transformative Technologies. Michael did pioneering research in the area of parallel computing and in the early 2000’s began to focus on ethical issues related to computing. His seminal textbook, Ethics for the Information Age (Pearson) is in its 8th edition, and used by more than 125 colleges and universities. Michael holds masters and doctoral degrees in computer science from the University of Wisconsin and Washington State University.

Mihaela D. Quirk, PhD

Mihaela is a computational mathematician and a research scientist at Q360 Consulting, LLC. Her work focuses on artificial intelligence (Al), mathematical education, logic, and the philosophy of mind. Her research in Al spans decades and covers computer vision, knowledge representation and reasoning, and perception-based computational frameworks. Her current research is geared towards a formalism for classes of Al-complete problems.

Vineet Rajan

Is the Co-Founder and CEO of Paraclete. Paraclete is the world’s first SoulCare™ platform enabling employers to individually support and engage their employees by connecting them to on-demand, confidential conversations with trained SoulCare™ Guides, to lighten employees’ loads and actualize a thriving workforce where workers can truly bring their whole selves to work. Vineet brings to Paraclete experience with another startup and 11 years as an officer in the Marine Corps, where he led Marines in combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and served in military intelligence and national policymaking roles. Vineet holds an MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, a Masters Degree in International Relations from the University of Cambridge, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Drexel University.

Daniel Rasmus

Is the founder of Serious Insights, which provides strategic analysis around scenario planning, knowledge management, collaboration, emerging technology and popular culture to help clients put their future in contextDan formerly managed think tank research teams at Forrester Research and MicrosoftHe is the author of Listening to the Future, and Management by Design and publishes regular blog posts on AI on the Serious Insights website.

Randall Reed

Randall Reed is a Professor of Religion at Appalachian State University, specializing in the intersection of Religion and Artificial Intelligence. He is currently co-chair of the American Academy of Religion Artificial Intelligence and Religion unit. Reed holds a PhD in the sociology of religion from the University of Chicago.

Micah Redding

Micah Redding is a software developer and the founder of the Christian Transhumanist Association. He organizes conferences on transhumanism and engages in public dialogues with experts in science, technology, and religion. Redding has contributed to several publications on transhumanism and is an advisor to the Transhumanist Party. He holds a BS in Computer Science and an MSc in Philosophy, Science, and Religion from the University of Edinburgh.

Robert Rex

Robert Rex is the Technology Tools Supervisor at the Online Teaching Center of the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah where he works on global onboarding of technology tools, builds systems to evaluate performance, and leads research & development. He is also the president of student success at the Charlie Life and Leadership Academy, a 501c(3) non-profit committed to providing world-class leadership education to young adults.  Robert graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.

Rebekah Rice, Ph.D

Is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Philosophy Department, and Associate Dean in the College of Arts & Sciences at Seattle Pacific University. Her areas of expertise include Philosophy of Mind and Action Theory (including causal theories of action, agent causation, and free will).  She received her PhD from Brown University. 

Travis Ross

Is a historian and informaticist with a PhD in history from the University of Utah. He is currently an Assistant Professor of History and Director of the Humanities Plus initiative at George Fox University. He previously held a faculty appointment in the Department of History at Yale University, as well as completing a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Yale’s Center for Medical Informatics. He focuses on moments of rapid innovation in the way that we have created, organized, and used knowledge and information in capitalism. His interest in AI includes both the practical application of machine learning and other sophisticated computing technologies to the research questions in the humanities as well as the critical application of historical reasoning to our own moment of rapid, uncertain transformation. Combining his skills and knowledge as a historian with his technical knowledge, Ross is working on a practical and clear-eyed vision of the bounds within which the many technologies identified under the label AI are likely to develop in the future.

Ron Roth

Is a lead vocalist, philosopher, writer, ethicist, and Board Member at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Boca Raton, Florida, and a 20-year veteran of designing and architecting software systems.

Yuriko Ryan

Is a seasoned bioethicist-gerontologist with over 20 years of international experience in healthcare ethics and policy. Based in Vancouver, she holds a Doctorate in Bioethics from Loyola University of Chicago and is a certified Healthcare Ethics Consultant (HEC-C) and Project Management Professional.

Yuriko’s expansive skill set includes Business Ethics, Healthcare Ethics, AI Ethics, and Public Health Ethics. Since 2015, she has led Health System Redesign Program at the Provincial Health Services Authority in British Columbia, managing over 130 projects that involved streamlining specialist services and fostering government partnerships.

Earlier in her career, she served various roles at Simon Fraser University and earned a Master’s in Gerontology, gaining recognition for her research. Fluent in English and Japanese, Yuriko has a strong focus on the ethical aspects of aging populations and AI, and she has been involved in international collaborations across Canada, the U.S., Europe, and Asia. She combines academic rigor with practical expertise to make a meaningful impact in healthcare ethics and technology.

Michael Sacasas

Is the Associate Director for Educational Programming at the Christian Study Center of Gainesville, Florida and an Associate Fellow in Ethics and Culture at the Greystone Theological Institute.  He writes The Convivial Society, a widely-read newsletter on technology and society.

Pablo A. Ruz Salmones

Is the Chief Executive Officer at Xeleva Group a Software Development, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Business Consulting firm. Pablo has spoken on AI and Ethics in Mexico, the US, and other countries, and appears regularly on TV and radio shows in México to discuss the relationship between art, religion, sustainable development, and technology. Pablo studied Business Engineering and Computer Engineering at Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México in Mexico City.   

 

Chris Skaggs

Is the Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Soma Games and Soma SoulWorks.  Created in 2005, Soma Games makes artistically excellent games for people who may never go to church, but  find themselves having fun while pondering eternal things.  Soma SoulWorks is the ministry side of Soma producing teaching and podcasts for “young creatives”.  Chris is an Intel Black Belt recipient and frequent speaker at major mobile and game-developer conferences.

Derek Schuurman, PhD

Is a professor of Computer Science at Calvin University.  His research interests include robotics and computer vision as well as faith and technology issues. He has written extensively on the interplay of Christian values and technology, including Shaping a Digital World, and A Christian Field Guide to Technology for Engineers and DesignersDerek holds a Master of Applied Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, and a PhD in Electrical Engineering from McMaster University.

Marcus Schwarting

Is a PhD candidate in computer science at the University of Chicago, where his research focuses on applying deep learning to important challenges in computational chemistry, materials science, and spectroscopy. Marcus graduated from the University of Louisville in 2018 with degrees in mathematics and chemical engineering. After working for four years at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory, Marcus began his PhD studies in 2020 under Dr. Ian Foster. 

Trish Shaw

Is the Founder of Beyond Reach, a tech ethics consultancy in the UK that provides advice on AI and data ethics policy and government/regulatory affairs, designs AI and data ethics governance frameworks for corporations and other organizations, and curates experts for Ethics Advisory Boards, Panels and Committees.  Trish created and coordinates the Homo Responsibilis Network of Christian AI professionals across the EU. She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from East Anglia University and a Masters of Laws degree from the University of Trier. 

Brian Sigmon

Brian Sigmon is a science fiction author and an acquisitions editor at The United Methodist Publishing House, where he edits books, small group studies, and official resources for The United Methodist Church. Brian has a Ph.D. in religious studies from Marquette University and a M.Div. from Duke Divinity School. His 2023 novella MessiahBot imagines God becoming incarnate as an AI.

Ann Skeet

Is the Senior Director for Leadership Ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University.  Her work focuses on the ethical dilemmas of leaders and followers, the ethical challenges of governance and the ways executives can shape and reinforce organizational cultures that encourage ethics. She is a member of the steering committee for the Responsible Use of Technology at the World Economic Forum’s Centre for the 4th Industrial Revolution and the Partnership on AI’s Labor and the Economy working group.  Ann holds an MBA degree from Harvard Business School. 

 

John Slattery

Is Directing Fellow for the Carl G. Grefenstette Center for Ethics in Science, Technology, and Law at Duquesne University, an interdisciplinary center that explores the intersections between ethics and science, technology, and law from a Catholic faith-based perspective.  He is also a Senior Program Associate with the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion Program at the American Association for the Advancement of Science.  John holds a master’s degree in Religious Studies from Saint Paul School of Theology, an interdisciplinary PhD in the history and philosophy of science and systematic theology from the University of Notre Dame, as well as a B.S. degree in Computer Science from Georgetown University. 

Douglas M. Strong, PhD

Is Professor of the History of Christianity at Seattle Pacific University and the former Dean of SPU’s School of Theology, where he studies American religious history. He is especially interested in comparing religious movements’ historical engagement of technology with their potential influence on the complex, global environment of AI-powered technology today. Doug holds a master’s in divinity and PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary.

S. Joshua Swamidass, MD PhD

Is a scientist, physician, and associate professor of laboratory and genomic medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. He leads a research group that uses artificial intelligence to explore science at the intersection of medicine, biology, and chemistry, and is the founder of Peaceful Science. Josh holds an M.D. from the University of California Irvine Medical School and a Ph.D in Computer Science, also from UC-Irvine. 

Marsie Sweetland

Is a Client Executive with Equinix, the world’s digital infrastructure company where she works with some of Equinix’s largest global cloud customers. Marsie is also the founder of Equinix FaithConnect which is open to all faiths, non-faiths, and worldviews with a mission to inspire a culture of learning and respect in the workplace.

Sara-Jo Swiatek

Is an ethicist who specializes in Christian ethics, Kantian moral philosophy, and technology ethics. She holds a Masters in religious studies and PhD in religious ethics from the University of Chicago Divinity School. Her research is centered on the question of moral agency, and what it means to have moral faith in a time of rapid technological change and innovation. She has taught courses in computer ethics, theological ethics, and religious studies and will be teaching theology courses at Seattle University during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Paul Taylor

Is a teaching pastor and elder at Peninsula Bible Church in Palo Alto, California. Paul has long explored the intersection of technology and theology through blogging and podcasting, growing out of his work at Oracle Corporation as a Senior Product Manager designing software solutions before entering the ministry. 

Jonathan Teubner

Jonathan Teubner is the Founder and CEO of FilterLabs.AI, a data analytics company based in Cambridge, MA. With experience in academia, business, and non-profits, Teubner specializes machine learning applications that improve peace-building methods. Teubner has a Master’s Degree in Religion from Yale, a PhD in Divinity from Cambridge, and has held fellowships at the Sorbonne in Paris, the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Yale.

Jason Thacker

Is the Chair of Research in Technology Ethics and Creative Director at The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.  He is the author of several books on human dignity, ethics, technology, and artificial intelligence and is the host of the Digital Public Square PodcastJason is a graduate of The University of Tennessee and Southern Seminary where he is currently pursuing a PhD in Ethics and Public Theology. 

Curt Thompson

Is a board-certified psychiatrist and the founder of Being Known, an organization that develops resources for hope and healing at the intersection of neuroscience and Christian spiritual formation. He is the author of The Soul of Shame, The Soul of Desire, and Anatomy of the Soul in which he weaves together an understanding of interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB) and a Christian view of what it means to be human to provide insights about how the brain affects and processes relationship.

Tracy J. Trothen

Tracy J. Trothen is a professor of ethics at Queen’s University, jointly appointed to the School of Religion and the School of Rehabilitation Therapy. A certified spiritual care supervisor by the Canadian Association of Spiritual Care, she specializes in spirituality, artificial intelligence, moral distress, technology, and aging adults. Trothen holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Divinity from Queen’s University, and a Doctor of Theology from the University of Toronto.

Rev Dr Richard Turnbull, Ph.D., CA

Is the Director of the Centre for Enterprise, Markets and Ethics at Oxford (CEME). Previously, he was Principal of Wycliffe Hall, a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford, and a Chartered Accountant with Ernst and Young. Richard holds a first-class honours degree in Theology and PhD in Theology from the University of Durham, and is ordained in the ministry of the Church of England.

Ingrid Vanderveldt

Is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Vanderveldt Global Investments, EBW (Empowering a Billion Women) Worldwide and Ingrid Vanderveldt LLC.  Ingrid, known as “iV”, is an advisor, change agent and business innovation strategist focused on entrepreneurship, women’s leadership & innovation. EBW’s mission is to educate, inspire, develop, and work with visionary leaders seeking peak performance, helping clients connect, activate and do business with impact-focused, wealth-building women leaders & entrepreneurs.  Previously, Ingrid was the first Entrepreneur in Residence for Dell Inc. (2011-2014).

Isabella Wang

Is a Managing Partner for Operations at Creative House in New York City and a seasoned social entrepreneur, working for over 13 years in digital innovation, future education, renewable energy, and health. She is the author of a bestselling book, “The Digital Mind of Tomorrow.” Her work draws on the faith traditions of Christianity, Daoism, and Confucianism.

Rabbi Daniel Weiner

Is the senior rabbi of Temple De Hirsch Sinai, the Pacific Northwest’s largest and oldest synagogue, in Seattle and Bellevue, WA. He is a pioneer in video worship, an author and columnist for Seattle newspapers, and leads the worship rock band at TDS.

Tim Weinhold

Most recently served as Executive Editor for the Eventide Center for Faith and Investing in Boston where he was responsible for content creation and editorial oversight.  Tim was the Founding Editor of AI and Faith’s Newsletter and a former Director.  He is also a Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Enterprise, Markets and Ethics.

James Wellman, Ph.D

Is the Chair of the Comparative Religion Program at the Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington, where he also heads the Initiative for Global Christian Studies.  Jim’s areas of expertise are in American religious culture, history, and politics. He also works on and teaches in religion and global issues, particularly related to religious violence, human security and US foreign policy.  Jim holds a Masters of Divinity degree in Practical Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary and a PhD in Religion and Human Sciences from the University of Chicago.

Emily Wenger

Is a PhD candidate in computer science at the University of Chicago, where her research focuses on machine learning and privacy, specifically the limitations, vulnerabilities, and privacy implications of neural networks. After graduating from Wheaton College in 2016 with a degree in mathematics and physics, Emily worked for two years as a mathematician at the US Department of Defense before beginning her PhD studies in 2018. 

Katie Williamson

Is an MBA candidate in the pioneering MBAI track at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, after working as a senior associate consultant with Bain & Company.  Katie’s interest in artificial intelligence and AI&F’s mission grows out of a desire to help companies across industries grapple with the impact that the technologies they’re adopting can have on the humans that interact with them – both positive and perhaps unintentionally negative.  Katie earned dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Economics and Mathematics at Vanderbilt University. 

 

Catherine Wood

Is the Founder, CEO and Chief Investment Officer of hedge fund ARK Investment Management LLC (“ARK”), which focuses on large-scale investment opportunities in the public markets resulting from technological innovations centered around DNA sequencing, robotics, artificial intelligence, energy storage, and blockchain technology.Cathie founded ARK after 40 years of experience identifying and investing in innovation to focus solely on disruptive innovations.  

Richard Zhang

Richard Zhang is Senior Research Engineer at Google Deepmind on the Vizier team and co- creator of OSS Vizier, working on hyperparameter optimization, Bayesian calibration, and theoretical machine learning. Richard stewards the Global Christians in AI (CHAI) community. Zhang holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at UC Berkeley, and an undergraduate degree from Princeton University.

AI & Theology

IMAN Center Kirkland

Muslim Association of Puget Sound

Northwest University

Peaceful Science

Religious Freedom & Business Foundation

Seattle Pacific University

Seattle U – Initiative in Ethics and Transformative Technology

Temple De Hirsch Sinai

TheoTech

University Presbyterian Church

University of Washington – Initiative for Global Christian Studies

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