{"id":1394,"date":"2026-03-31T21:11:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T21:11:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/raise\/?page_id=1394"},"modified":"2026-04-03T02:33:48","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T02:33:48","slug":"judges","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/raise\/judges\/","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

RAISE-26<\/h1>\n

Public Informatics Forum On Artificial Intelligence And Society<\/h2>\n

17th April 2026 | Bloustein School, Rutgers University<\/p>\n

Keynote Speakers and Panel of Judges<\/h2>\n

(In Alphabetical Order)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n\n
Kevin Dehmer<\/div>\n
Chief Technology Officer<\/div>\n
Kevin Dehmer is New Jersey\u2019s Chief Technology Officer, appointed in 2026 by Governor Sherrill to lead statewide efforts to modernize and secure the state\u2019s digital infrastructure. A longtime public-sector leader, he previously served as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education, oversaw policy for 600+ districts, managed a third of the state\u2019s budget, and advanced improvements to educational data systems. He has held several senior roles at Rutgers\u2019 Heldrich Center and is a graduate of St. John\u2019s University and Rutgers University.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n\n
Shino John<\/div>\n
Associate VP for Strategic Growth and International Development<\/div>\n
Shino George John is Associate Vice President for Strategic Growth and International Development at Rutgers University, leading high-impact initiatives across continuing education, workforce development, and innovation, serving over 10,000 learners annually. He also serves on the board of Transform Medical Center in Dubai, advancing global partnerships in precision health and longevity. His work focuses on scaling mission-driven programs, forging public-private collaborations, and translating academic excellence into measurable societal impact.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n\n
Harsh Singhal<\/div>\n
Data & AI Governance Lead<\/div>\n
Harsh Singhal is an AI and machine learning leader with over 18 years of experience building intelligent systems across enterprise and consumer products. He has worked at Glean, Adobe, LinkedIn, Netflix, and Koo. His interests span applied AI, product innovation, and helping students and professionals understand the evolving AI landscape.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n\n
Karun Thankachan<\/div>\n
Senior Data Scientist<\/div>\n
Karun Thankachan is a Senior Data Scientist at Walmart, specializing in large-scale applied machine learning, recommendation systems, and agentic AI. Previously at Amazon and Dell Technologies, he is a published researcher and patent holder, and a LinkedIn thought leader helping aspiring professionals break into data science and grow impactful careers.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n\n
Justin Trugman<\/div>\n
Cofounder & Head of Technology<\/div>\n
Cofounder and Head of Technology at BetterFutureLabs, a venture studio focused on multi-agent systems and the future of work. Former VP of Software Development at Caregility and early engineer there. Previously worked on Google[X]\u2019s Project Loon and cofounded BlinkCDN. Also cofounded SecureMeeting, a nonprofit enabling over a million real-time video conversations. Active contributor to leading multi-agent frameworks and research.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n\n
Marie Pryor<\/div>\n
TechSpark New Jersey Manager | Director of Workforce<\/div>\n
Dr. Marie Pryor is the TechSpark New Jersey Manager at Microsoft and Director of Workforce for the NJ AI Hub. She leads statewide initiatives focused on AI workforce development, education partnerships, and inclusive economic growth. Marie works closely with higher education, government, and industry partners to design employer-informed AI training pathways and pilot programs that expand access to emerging technologies, with a strong emphasis on equity, regional impact, and cross-sector collaboration.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n\n
Cory Yemen<\/div>\n
Director, Data Science<\/div>\n
Cory Yemen, an Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy Ph.D. graduate, is a data science expert specializing in dimensionality reduction. His work bridges advanced analytics with real-world applications in real estate and healthcare, driving innovation and fairness. As Director of Data Science at Labcorp, he supports diagnostics, biopharma, and life sciences businesses in both daily operations and strategic initiatives.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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