Anne DeClouette, Ph.D.
MGM Resorts, Director of Training

 

 Dr. Anne DeClouette is a versatile business and education professional with experience as higher education faculty/administrator and corporate financial analyst. Dr. DeClouette is the Director, Training and Development (FSSC) for MGM Resorts International. Excellent both strategically and tactically within complex organizations. Effective collaborator and communicator at all organizational levels and credible liaison to multiple, diverse stakeholders. Holds unique ability to effectively fuse academic and corporate experience. Holds a Ph.D. in Organization and Management.

Jordan Cheeks
General Motors, Senior Data Engineer

 Jordan Cheeks is Senior Data Engineer at General Motors. He has held various senior roles at General Motors. Cheeks is a nationally recognized thought leader and innovator. He was awarded the Science Spectrum Trailblazer BEYA Award in 2018. He is an experienced developer and technologist with a wide array of professional skills and a proven ability to deliver effective, quality results. A native of Maricopa, Arizona and born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems from Grambling State University and is earning the master’s degree in Software Engineering from Arizona State University. 

Errol King
Google, Manager of Google Creative Lab

 

 Errol King was born and raised in the Bronx, NY. He is a self taught creative technologist, game designer and social entrepreneur. His career started in communications and tech strategy for social justice movements. He later became the Director of Online Organizing & New Media at 1199SEIU, the largest local union in the US. In this role, he used tech to improve the lives of 400,000 low wage healthcare workers across five states.

Inspired by maker culture, he left this work to pursue his passion for education and technology. He co-founded Hidden Level Games, an indie gaming studio focused on transforming players into creators. Over the last two years, he designed and developed a virtual world where students can build and share games via the cloud. He is also the co-author of CodePop, a tweet-sized game programming language. Using this platform he has toured the world teaching design thinking and game programming to youth.

Errol was named a Tech Week Top 100 most influential people in New York for 2014. He is now at Google working on a team focused on cultivating the next generation of awe-inspiring leaders in computer science from Black and Latino communities.

 

Yul Williams, Ph.D.
U.S. Department of Defense, Senior Technical Director and Adjunct Professor, The University of Maryland University

 Dr. Yul Williams is the technical director for the National Security Agency/Central Security Service, working with computer scientists, mathematicians and engineers to develop new technologies in the cybersecurity field that will assist the agency in its intelligence operations. Dr. Williams is currently serving with Virginia Tech academic leadership and a diverse set of peers from around the U.S. to provide insights and advice on approaches to enhance the Master of Information Technology program’s value, to manage its growth, expand enrollment and produce world-class technology leaders. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Master of Science in Computer Science, Hardware and Systems, the Ph.D. in Computer Science.

 

Albert McHenry, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus/Research Professor and Retired Vice Provost of Arizona State University

Dr. Albert McHenry is Professor Emeritus and Research Professor at Arizona State University.  He retired from the position of Vice President and Executive Vice Provost of the Polytechnic campus of ASU, in 2008.  Over his long and distinguished career he also served as founding Dean of the College Technology and Innovation, Director of the School of Technology and Chair of the Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology.  Dr. McHenry is an active National Science Foundation Principle Investigator and is current involved in executing funded projects that are focused on enhancing the success of young people from underrepresented groups in STEM Education at the baccalaureate through doctoral study levels, with special focus on mentoring for the professorate.  He is also leading the Gamma Mu Pathways to Success leadership development program.

 

Loretta H. Cheeks, Ph.D.
Strong TIES, Founder & CEO and
Artificial Intelligence-Machine Learning Consultant

 Dr. Loretta H. Cheeks is an A.I. expert, research scholar, thought leader, and CEO of Strong TIES. During her tenure, she has helped organizations gain dynamic data insights serving enterprises, governments, and nonprofits. Dr. Cheeks is on a mission to create a better world with technology. Before earning a Ph.D in Computer Science at Arizona State University, the STEAM advocate was developing, deploying and leading various teams within the communications, avionics, instrumentation & control and chemical industries for Fortune 500 corporations. But this Doctor of Philosophy isn’t just paving the way for up-and-coming engineers, Dr. Cheeks is also committed to improving higher education for underserved and underrepresented communities to follow in her scientific footsteps. To do that, Dr. Cheeks created “Strong TIES,” a non-profit. Dr. Cheeks holds a Bachelor and Master of Science degree in Computer Science, Master in Technology Management, and Ph.D. in Computer Science.