Conference 2026 Schedule
Saturday, January 31, 2026
TIME |
ACTIVITY |
LOCATION |
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. |
Breakfast & Registration |
The Ballroom |
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. |
Patti Ippoliti, Ph.D. Building the Next Generation of Leaders |
The Ballroom |
10:30 a.m. - 11:20 a.m. |
Breakout Rooms |
|
11:30 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. |
Breakout Rooms |
|
12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. |
The Ballroom |
|
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. |
Jacky Wright Former Chief Technology Officer for McKinsey & Company |
The Ballroom |
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. |
Networking Reception |
The Montrose Mansion |
*Vegetarian lunches will be served
Session Descriptions
R |
Room 220 Live stream |
Room 114 |
Room 201 |
Room 218 |
Leading, Building, and Scaling Health-Tech Initiatives and Programs |
Actionable Analytics |
Outsmarting the Con: Red Team Social Engineering in the Real World |
Student Lighting Talks |
|
Engineering Your Path: Managing Life and Leadership in Tech |
Two Industries, One Engine: Data Models Transforming Healthcare & Food Service |
Trust Is the Technology: Building Relationships That Drive Sales |
AI Failure Loops in Devalued Work: The Confluence of Overconfidence in AI & Underconfidence in Worker Expertise |
Breakfast Keynote | 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
The Road to Success is a Tale of Determination
The Ballroom
Success in technology and business is not just about skills, it is about authenticity, ambition, and generosity. In this keynote session, Dr. Patti will share practical strategies to help you grow personally and professionally to become the best version of yourself while navigating the ever-changing landscape of tech and business. Discover the power of authenticity and ambition in leadership, understand why generosity and collaboration are essential in tech-driven industries, and leave with practical, actionable strategies to lead confidently and shape the future.
The Ballroom
Success in technology and business is not just about skills, it is about authenticity, ambition, and generosity. In this keynote session, Dr. Patti will share practical strategies to help you grow personally and professionally to become the best version of yourself while navigating the ever-changing landscape of tech and business. Discover the power of authenticity and ambition in leadership, understand why generosity and collaboration are essential in tech-driven industries, and leave with practical, actionable strategies to lead confidently and shape the future.
- Patti Ippoliti, Ph.D. Villanova School of Business Alumna, Builder of the Next Generation of Leaders
- Moderators: Grace Rodenberg, Villanova University, Computer Science major, CLAS '28
Frances Waltz, Villanova University, Applied Quantitative Finance major, VSB '27
Breakout Session I | 10:30 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.
Leading, Building, and Scaling Health-Tech Initiatives and Programs
Room 220
As healthcare systems face persistent workforce challenges, the urgent need for innovative ideas has never been greater. Learn how the largest healthcare system in Delaware built a robotics program, led by nurses, to support its workforce. This will be an exciting learning session where aspirations meet operations in one of the most human environments. You will leave with practical tools to advance and scale innovative ideas in any environment.
Actionable Analytics
Room 114
Two alumna and industry practitioners will show how data, analytics, and AI are used to drive real business decisions. Through practical examples from operations, human capital, and sales, the speakers will walk students through what an analyst’s day-to-day work looks like—turning raw data into insights that leaders can act on. The session highlights the business impact of good analytics and the technical, analytical, and communication skills needed to succeed in today’s data-driven organizations.
Outsmarting the Con: Red Team Social Engineering in the Real World
Room 201
This cybersecurity-focused session demystifies what a Red Team is, why it matters for every organization, and how attackers actually get in, often through people, not just technology. We'll unpack social engineering tactics beyond "just phishing", as well as share stories and the lessons they unlocked.
Student Lighting Talks
Room 218
In this session, current students will take the stage for a series of quick lighting talks highlighting what they’re building, researching, and exploring in the tech world. Each speaker will share a snapshot of ideas, breakthroughs, and lessons learned from their work. It’s a fast, engaging way to hear what’s next!
Room 220
As healthcare systems face persistent workforce challenges, the urgent need for innovative ideas has never been greater. Learn how the largest healthcare system in Delaware built a robotics program, led by nurses, to support its workforce. This will be an exciting learning session where aspirations meet operations in one of the most human environments. You will leave with practical tools to advance and scale innovative ideas in any environment.
- Susan D. Smith, PhD, RN, Villanova Alumna, Director, Technology Research & Education, Christiana Care
- Moderator: Carol Weingarten PhD, RN, ANEF, Associate Professor, M. Lousie Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, Villanova University
Actionable Analytics
Room 114
Two alumna and industry practitioners will show how data, analytics, and AI are used to drive real business decisions. Through practical examples from operations, human capital, and sales, the speakers will walk students through what an analyst’s day-to-day work looks like—turning raw data into insights that leaders can act on. The session highlights the business impact of good analytics and the technical, analytical, and communication skills needed to succeed in today’s data-driven organizations.
- Kristin Prautzsch, Villanova Alumna, Associate Vice President, Data Strategy & Analytics, NBA
- Jenna Weyant, Villanova Alumna, Value Creation Manager, People & Performance, Nordic Capital
- Moderator: Sue Metzger, VU Women in Tech Founder, Professor of Practice, Villanova School of Business
Outsmarting the Con: Red Team Social Engineering in the Real World
Room 201
This cybersecurity-focused session demystifies what a Red Team is, why it matters for every organization, and how attackers actually get in, often through people, not just technology. We'll unpack social engineering tactics beyond "just phishing", as well as share stories and the lessons they unlocked.
- Angel Schnabel, Lead Security Principal Consultant, AHEAD
- Heather Smedley, Security Specialist Solutions Engineer, AHEAD
- Moderator: Christine Stackhouse, Information Security Awareness Educator, Villanova University
Student Lighting Talks
Room 218
In this session, current students will take the stage for a series of quick lighting talks highlighting what they’re building, researching, and exploring in the tech world. Each speaker will share a snapshot of ideas, breakthroughs, and lessons learned from their work. It’s a fast, engaging way to hear what’s next!
- Mackenzie Fuhrmann, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, J.D. Candidate ’26
- Kristen Libonati, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, J.D. Candidate ’26
- Elayna Tsiouplis, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, J.D. Candidate ’26
- Abby Loyson, Villanova University, Computer Science major, Cognitive Science minor, CLAS ’26
- Rebecca Jackson, Villanova University, Computer Science and Mathematics majors, CLAS ‘26
- Lillian Wong, Villanova University, Biology major, Global Health minor, CLAS '28
- Moderator: Sarah Cooney, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Villanova University
Breakout Session II | 11:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.
Engineering Your Path: Managing Life and Leadership in Tech
Room 220
Learn from the dynamic experiences of Adriann Guy, Founder and Executive Director of CreateHER Fest, and Camille Smith, Founder of STEM So(ul)cial as they discuss the ways their leadership has guided their careers, supported them through setbacks, and led them to be change makers in the tech field.
- Adriann Guy, Villanova Alumna, Co-Founder & Organizer CreateHER Fest
- Camille Smith, Villanova Alumna, Founder & CEO, STEM So(ul)cial
- Moderator Danielle Ross, Associate Director McNulty Institute, Villanova University
Two Industries, One Engine: Data Models Transforming Healthcare & Food Service
Room 114
Two of the regions most respected organizations, Main Line Health and Wawa, will share real, practical examples of data‑driven solutions recently implemented. Predictive models are helping both boost efficiency, enhance service, and stay true to their core values. At the heart of this success is strong data literacy, ensuring that the right models are built for the right purposes to support smarter decision making. Join us to be inspired, learn from local leaders, and discover what is possible when data fuels your engine.
- Shealyn Hubbs, Senior Competition Analyst, Wawa Inc.
- Carrie Kanzinger, Manager of Data Science, Main Line Health
- Moderator Isabella Ricevuto, Graduate Student, Villanova University, MAC '26
Trust Is the Technology: Building Relationships That Drive Sales
Room 201
While a solid technical foundation is certainly important to a successful Sales career it is soft skills and interpersonal savvy that is likely truly closing deals. Trust, consistency, transparency, honesty, communication and partnership are what build strong relationships and set you apart. When you work to improve these aspects of your relationships – be that professionally or personally – then often success follows naturally. Sales, Account Management, Technical Sales – These are positions that on the surface seem like you might need to be a PhD, hold hundreds of patents, be published worldwide, but in reality the skills you need might be ones you already possess.
- Judy Soukup, Business Manager, Applied Materials
- Mayrita Arrandale, Senior Account Manager, Applied Materials
- Moderator: Jenna Feterl, Director of Enrollment, Professional Education
AI Failure Loops in Devalued Work: The Confluence of Overconfidence in AI & Underconfidence in Worker Expertise.
Room 218
A growing body of literature has focused on understanding and addressing workplace AI design failures. However, past work has largely overlooked the role of the devaluation of worker expertise in shaping the dynamics of AI development and deployment. In this session, we'll examine the case of feminized labor: a class of devalued occupations historically misnomered as “women’s work,” such as social work, K-12 teaching, and home healthcare. Drawing on literature on AI deployments in feminized labor contexts, we conceptualize AI Failure Loops: a set of interwoven, socio-technical failure modes that help explain how the systemic devaluation of workers’ expertise negatively impacts, and is impacted by, AI design, evaluation, and governance practices. These failures demonstrate how misjudgments on the automatability of workers’ skills can lead to AI deployments that fail to bring value to workers and, instead, further diminish the visibility of workers’ expertise. We discuss research and design implications for workplace AI, especially for devalued occupations.
- Anna Kawakami, PhD Candidate, Carnegie Mellon University
- Moderator: Arieta Nasto, Villanova University, Finance major & AI/ML minor, VSB '26
Lunch Keynote | 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Innovation with Impact: Building an AI-Ready Career with Integrity
The Ballroom
Technology executive Jacky Wright and Terri Boyer, Assistant Vice Provost of the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women's Leadership, discuss what makes the acceleration of AI uniquely transformative and how to build careers that shape its responsible development. Wright shares insights from leading digital transformation at global organizations, addressing the mindset shifts needed for emerging tech professionals, how to advocate for ethical AI before reaching leadership positions, and strategies to ensure AI augments rather than diminishes opportunity in sectors where women are concentrated. The fireside chat concludes with audience Q&A.
The Ballroom
Technology executive Jacky Wright and Terri Boyer, Assistant Vice Provost of the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women's Leadership, discuss what makes the acceleration of AI uniquely transformative and how to build careers that shape its responsible development. Wright shares insights from leading digital transformation at global organizations, addressing the mindset shifts needed for emerging tech professionals, how to advocate for ethical AI before reaching leadership positions, and strategies to ensure AI augments rather than diminishes opportunity in sectors where women are concentrated. The fireside chat concludes with audience Q&A.
- Jacky Wright, Board director & Former Chief Technology officer, McKinsey & Company
- Terri Boyer, Assistant Vice Provost, The Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women's Leadership, Villanova University
- Moderator: Chichi Chioke, Chief of Staff to McKinsey's Global Technology and Platform Officer, McKinsey & Company
