AI NEXTGEN AMERICA
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F U T U R I S T AWA R D S
From Innovation to Impact Saturday, October 10, 2026 • 7-9 p.m. Baltimore Convention Center • Baltimore, Maryland Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Presented by Career Communications Group, Inc. • Powered by STEM City USA
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EVENT SPONSOR
CONFERENCE HOST
PREMIERE AND FOUNDING ACADEMIC PARTNER
2 0 2 6 F UTU R I ST AWA R D S C E R E M O N Y INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN IS ACCURATE AT PRESS TIME AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
the future is hiring. Artificial intelligence is reshaping how America works, creating new roles, transforming existing careers and accelerating demand for skills across nearly every industry. “The Future Is Hiring” reflects AI NEXTGEN America’s focus on turning technological change into workforce opportunity by connecting employer demand with talent readiness, career pathways and hiring. AI NEXTGEN America brings together employers, educators, workforce organizations, students, veterans and professionals around a shared goal: preparing people for an AI-driven economy and connecting talent directly to opportunity. By aligning workforce development with real hiring needs, AI NEXTGEN America is helping build America’s AI workforce and move participants from preparing for the future to participating in it.
f rom innovation to impact. The AI NEXTGEN America Futurist Awards recognize leaders whose work is moving artificial intelligence and emerging technologies beyond possibility and into measurable impact. “From Innovation to Impact” celebrates individuals and organizations whose ideas, leadership and technological contributions are strengthening industries, expanding opportunity and helping prepare the workforce for what comes next. These honorees are not simply predicting the future. They are helping build it, connecting innovation with human potential, workforce advancement and the evolving needs of the AI economy.
CONFERENCE HOST AI NEXTGEN Magazine
2026 Award Honorees
EVENT SPONSORS
INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY AWARDS
World Wide Technology
ADVANCED MANUFACTURING LEADER
PREMIERE AND FOUNDING ACA D E M I C PA RT N E R
JAY LEE, SC.D. Clark Distinguished Chair Professor and Director of Industrial AI Center University of Maryland
University of Maryland Global Campus EVENT HOSTS ADRIENNE SOMERVILLE MATTHEW BOWMAN
AI INNOVATOR DANIEL SIERRA-SOSA, PH.D. Assistant Professor The Catholic University of America
DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE LEADER LUCIA CHUNG Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Engineering, Manufacturing & Product Support The Boeing Company ROBERT SLONE, PH.D. Chief Scientist UL Solutions
ENERGY PIONEER MIGO SZEMAN NG, PH.D. Principal Research Scientist UL Research Institutes’ Electrochemical Safety Research Institute
2 0 2 6 F UTU R I ST AWA R D S C E R E M O N Y HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY LEADER BETSY RISSELLOR BUTLER Program Manager Tanaq Management Services QIAN ZHANG, PH.D. Research Scientist IV UL Research Institutes
WORKFORCE, COMMUNITY AND I M PACT AWA R D S
ANDREA LEWIS-ALLEN Senior Manager The Boeing Company SOL RASHIDI CEO ExecutiveAI
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LEADER UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND GLOBAL CAMPUS
AI GOVERNANCE LEADER
CREATIVE AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AWARDS
THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA
INTERACTIVE MEDIA INNOVATOR
RYAN MCMANUS Founder; Board Director techtonic.io
VALERIA PALACIOS CRUZ Student Universidad Ceulver/TecNM-Campus Veracruz
AI THOUGHT LEADER
CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY INNOVATOR
CENTER FOR RESPONSIBLE AI AT VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY
AUDAPT, LLC
DAVID SHRIER Professor of Practice, AI and Innovation Imperial College London Business School
COMMUNITY WORKFORCE IMPACT LEADER CHRISTINE BURKETTE CEO and Founder Promising Integrations Consulting Firm and Michigan Youth STEM, Tech & Aeronautics ROZLYN NICOLE CHAMBLISS, PH.D. Program Integrator The Boeing Company
SPECIAL RECOGNITION STEPHAN LAVEL DANIELS Product Quality Manager Apple Inc. DONALD “DONI” GLOVER Founder and Publisher BMORE News TAMMIE JONES-JEFFERSON Global Regulatory and Stewardship Leader Corteva Agriscience
MARQUEE AWARDS
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LEADER
TECHNOLOGIST OF THE YEAR
REV. DR. ALVIN C. HATHAWAY SR. President and CEO Beloved Community Services Corporation
ISABELLA PIÑA CEO, President and Founder Inspired Solutions, Inc.
EDUCATOR OF THE FUTURE
FUTURIST OF THE YEAR
AGENTIC FUTUREPATH AI
DARIO GIL, PH.D. Under Secretary for Science U.S. Department of Energy
BECKI ROWAN-WHITE Senior Manager, Education Programs UL Research Institutes’ Institute for Research Experiences & Education
FUTURE WORKFORCE EMPLOYER TAMIKA KING Site Facility Manager Leadec
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