AI Summit

Dr. Jeff Carlson’s story unfolds in the mountains of rural Idaho, where he witnessed firsthand the power – and limitations – of education. As the son of educators, he saw both the dedication it required and the digital divide that left some students behind. This sparked a lifelong commitment to bridge the gap.

Fueled by his passion, Dr. Carlson embarked on a remarkable academic journey, earning degrees from Georgetown, Pace, and Harvard Universities. Over the last two decades, he has transformed classrooms in the South Bronx and helped shape education policy and technology at the highest levels, including Congress, the College Board, and T-Mobile.

Today, at Clever, Dr. Carlson leads the charge for educational opportunity and ensuring students can safely access the technology required to become a productive and fulfilled citizen. His impact is undeniable: he partners nationwide to empower 28 million students and educators by providing safe, secure access to the world of digital learning and has received national recognition for his efforts.

Dr. Carlson’s vision extends beyond digital access. He advocates for sustainable solutions and effective policy changes to empower educators and build lasting systems. His goal is to ensure that every student, regardless of location, possesses the tools needed to thrive—today and in the future.

Taylor Black shapes AI strategy at one of the world’s largest technology companies while building an institute grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition—a dual role reflecting his conviction that the most consequential questions about frontier technology are not only technical but anthropological.

From Microsoft’s Office of the CTO, where he serves as Director of AI & Venture Ecosystems within Strategic Programs and Communities, he designs cross-company initiatives that accelerate AI development while fostering broad participation in capability-building. At the Catholic University of America, he serves as Inaugural Director of the Leonum Institute for AI & Emerging Technologies, building an interdisciplinary hub that integrates research, venture creation, and philosophical inquiry into what technology is for. He teaches entrepreneurship both at the Catholic University of America and at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business.

Over two decades, he has built and operated corporate venture studios at Microsoft and Intellectual Ventures, served as a fellow with Conduit Venture Labs on deep tech hardware incubation, and helped developed frameworks for enterprise, venture, and academic innovation ecosystems. His writing and speaking explore questions at the intersection of AI and human cognition: how memory constitutes identity in both humans and AI agents, what distinguishes statistical pattern-matching from genuine understanding, and how technology might restore meaningful human work by absorbing coordination friction rather than replacing judgment.

Harry Amend is a veteran education leader with 41 years of experience serving students, educators, and communities across multiple states, with a career defined by adaptability, creativity, and the development of new programs to meet evolving student needs.

Over a 4 decade career in education, Harry has been a teacher, coach, counselor, principal, and with the unique distinction of being superintendent of school districts in three states: Idaho, Montana, and Washington.

In statewide leadership roles representing more than 1,500 school administrators, Harry worked closely with education and government leaders during periods of significant reform, helping translate emerging ideas into practical, system-wide improvements for schools and districts.

Throughout his superintendent roles in northwest, Harry consistently focused on designing and implementing new programs for students who were not thriving in traditional models. His work included introducing the middle school “School Within a School” model and establishing early Bridge Academy dropout retrieval high schools—initiatives that reflected a willingness to rethink structure, curriculum, and support systems to better serve students.

In addition to his education career, he spent 20 years as a Major League Baseball scout for the Philadelphia Phillies, an experience that reinforced his focus on talent development, long-term growth, and identifying potential early.

Harry currently lives in North Idaho with his wife, Sandy. Their three grown children, spouses, and nine grandchildren all live within an hour of his home.

Nick Smoot is a civic innovator, entrepreneur, and strategist focused on the future of work, education, and community development. For more than a decade, he has worked at the intersection of technology, public policy, and economic development, helping communities adapt to rapid technological and social change.

Nick has partnered with schools, universities, state governments, and federal stakeholders across the United States on initiatives related to workforce development, innovation, and education reform. His work has included advising governors’ offices and public agencies on modern approaches to learning, skills development, and workforce participation, with a particular focus on aligning education systems with real-world economic needs.

An early advocate for online and blended learning, Nick began building digital education programs in 2009. He has since helped design award-winning education initiatives in partnership with Apple Inc. and supported the launch of alternative and for-credit rapid learning programs in multiple states. He has also been strategically involved in launching hands-on STEM and robotics programs that connect schools with industry and community partners, including laying the early groundwork for the Center for Intelligent Industrial Robotics in Coeur d’Alene.

Nick is a frequent speaker and writer on the future of work and the impact of artificial intelligence on education, labor, and civic systems. His work emphasizes practical experimentation, local leadership, and learning-first approaches to change. He currently lives in North Idaho with his family.

Gary A. Bolles is a globally recognized authority on the future of work, workforce transformation, and the impact of artificial intelligence on skills, learning, and economic participation.

Over the past decade, Gary has conducted in-depth analysis of more than 500 workforce training and reskilling programs across the United States, giving him a rare, systems-level perspective on what actually works in preparing people for a rapidly changing labor market. This work has focused on how emerging technologies, including AI, are reshaping job roles, skill requirements, and the effectiveness of traditional workforce and education models.

He is the author of The Next Rules of Work, widely regarded as a roadmap for navigating uncertainty in an economy shaped by exponential technologies. The book explores the mindset, skillset, and toolset organizations, workers, and institutions must adopt as AI changes how work is done and how people learn.

Gary serves as Adjunct Chair for the Future of Work at Singularity University, where he helps leaders around the world understand and respond to AI-driven change in labor markets, organizational design, and lifelong learning systems. He delivers more than 100 lectures and interviews annually and is known for translating complex technological and labor trends into clear, practical strategies.

He has advised governments, global institutions, and enterprises including Google, Novartis, the World Bank, the United Nations, and national workforce agencies. Across his work, Gary emphasizes human-centered adoption of AI, continuous learning, and inclusive access to meaningful work.

Karen Parker is a seasoned Program Manager and operations leader with over two decades of experience in the technology and non-profit sectors. Currently, she serves as a Program Manager for Google.org, where she leads a K-12 investment portfolio focused on scaling technical solutions to advance global educational equity.

During her 20-year tenure at Google, Karen has held several pivotal roles, including incubating major projects K-12 computer science education like App Inventor and CS First, and leading the Computer Science for High School (CS4HS) funding program. Her earlier work at Google involved establishing foundational new hire orientation and mentorship programs across multiple national offices.

Before joining the tech industry, Karen served as the Director of Disaster Services for the American Red Cross in Silicon Valley, where she managed large-scale disaster response policies and budgets. Additionally, she is a mental wellness coach with Forte, providing mentoring and emotional support to individuals. Karen holds a BS in Sociology from John Carroll University and completed advanced studies in Project Management at Stanford Continuing Studies.