The College of IST Alumni Society is proud to present the IST Alumni Symposium as part of the college's 25th anniversary celebration. Featuring keynotes, breakout sessions, and college leadership who will share current trends in tech and the latest on the college and its future. The day concludes with a reception and presentation of our alumni awards.
7:30 am - 1:00 pm
Eric J. Baron Innovation Hub Building, 123 S. Burrowes St. State College, PA 16801
7:30-8 a.m.
Registration, refreshments, and networking
8 a.m.
Opening Remarks
Colin Murphy, IST Alumni Society President
8:15-8:45 a.m.
State of the College
Andrea Tapia, Dean
8:50-9:30 a.m.
Keynote: “AI in Emerging Markets”
Amulya Yadav, Associate Professor
9:35-10:15 a.m.
Panel 1: "How Is AI Affecting Cyber and Privacy Today and Tomorrow?"
What are real, tangible things that businesses and universities are doing now to address cyber and privacy in a gen AI and LLM world?
Panelists: Chris Gamrat (moderator), Dan Andrascik, Lucas Hakes, Ankur Sheth, CJ Smulligan, Sean Stanton
10:15-10:30 a.m.
Break
Visit with Student Organizations
10:30-11 a.m.
Announcement of Alumni Endowment Student Organization Winners
11-11:40 a.m.
Panel 2: "Beyond Cyber—How Is AI Driving Change in Business Today and Tomorrow?"
What are the practical applications of AI to drive growth and productivity in business verticals, functions, academic, and government institutions?
Panelists: Dana Calacci (moderator), Betsy Campbell, Peter Herr, John O’Hara, Julio Ortiz, Aaron Stricker
11:40-11:50 a.m.
Closing Remarks
11:50 a.m.-noon
Break
Noon
Presentation of Alumni Awards
Outstanding Alumni Award
Emerging Professional Award
Light refreshments and networking
Dan Andrascik ’06
Dan Andrascik is the senior director of Information Technology Audit at the American Red Cross, where he oversees and directs technology audits across the organization. Prior to this, Dan served as the global IT audit manager at H.J. Heinz, managing audit operations in more than 100 locations worldwide and managing a globally based IT audit team. He also held pivotal roles at Johnson & Johnson, including senior IT auditor, where he played a key part in enhancing the company’s IT audit framework. Dan earned a bachelor of science in information sciences and technology from Penn State in 2006 and holds multiple professional certifications, including CISSP, CFE, CISA, and CGEIT.
Betsy Campbell
As an ethnomethodologist, Betsy Campbell studies the practices of teams at the forefront of technological innovation and new venture creation. In her work as an associate teaching professor, she leads the entrepreneurship minor in the College of IST and directs Penn State’s The Cape (Community Advancing Pluralism in Entrepreneurship), a national initiative addressing matters of diversity, inclusion, and belonging in innovative entrepreneurship. She is a Fulbright Specialist in AI and society issues and the recipient of two Academy of Management awards: the 2020 Innovation in Entrepreneurship Pedagogy award and the 2022 Entrepreneurship as Practice award. Earlier in her career, Betsy founded high-tech companies, helped create a business unit within an established company (acquired by Lucent for $1.5B), and launched a 501(c)(3)—Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs — which she grew to more than 5,000 members worldwide before leaving to get her doctorate. She also was the co-director for the MIT Community Innovation Lab. Her work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, RSM Foundation, and Anchor Point Foundation.
Dana Calacci (moderator)
Dana Calacci studies the socio-technical and legal impacts of datafication and AI on communities, especially worker groups. Through collaborations like the Workers Algorithm Observatory, which she helps direct, Dana designs and deploys technologies with communities that aim to answer their most pressing questions about the impact of AI, new platforms, and surveillance on their lives. Dana received her doctorate from MIT’s Media Lab in 2023 and a bachelor of science degree in computer science from Northeastern University in 2015. She also has experience as a startup co-founder and a mixed-media artist. Her writing and work have appeared in NPR’s Radiolab, Gizmodo, Wired, Reuters, The Atlantic’s CityLab, the New York Times, and other major publications.
Chris Gamrat ’07 BUS, ’18 PhD ED (moderator)
Chris Gamrat is an assistant teaching professor in the College of IST. Chris’s research interests include inclusive design, micro-credentials/digital badges, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. He holds three degrees from Penn State: a doctorate in learning, design, and technology; a master’s of education in instructional systems; and a bachelor’s degree in management information systems. He also serves as Penn State's EDUCAUSE ambassador. Before joining the College of IST, Gamrat served as an education technologist for NASA's Aerospace Education Services Project (AESP).
Lucas Hakes
Lucas Hakes is an accomplished information systems security manager serving the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State for nearly five years. With a robust educational background that includes an MBA and a bachelor of science degree in networking and database administration, Lucas combines technical expertise with strategic management skills to safeguard information systems and ensure robust security practices. His career reflects a commitment to protecting digital assets and advancing security practices in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
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Peter Herr ’08
Peter is an engagement director for Salesforce, where he supports the public sector. Before joining Salesforce, he worked in product leadership roles at startups in travel, health care, and security industries, focusing on technology products that leverage data science and natural language processing. He’s led product and engineering teams for fast-growing organizations, including business-to-business software-as-a-service (B2B SaaS) startups, product enterprises, and the government. After earning his bachelor’s degree in 2008, Peter became a management and technology consultant. He reconnected with the College of IST as a mentor in 2018 and joined the IST Alumni Society Board in 2022.
John O’Hara ’02 ENG
John J. O'Hara has been designing and developing solutions in visual analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence for more than two decades. John currently serves as the department head for visual analytics at the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State, in addition to teaching courses for the College of IST. With a robust educational foundation comprising bachelor’s degrees in both computer science and mathematics, coupled with a master's degree in software engineering from the same institution, John has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and development. During his tenure at ARL, he has spearheaded numerous groundbreaking projects, particularly in the fields of data analytics and artificial intelligence. His projects have won numerous awards, including the Director’s Special Recognition Award (twice) and several awards for innovation from the U.S. government.
Julio Ortiz ’02 BUS, ’08 PhD IST
Julio Ortiz is an admired leader with extensive expertise in transformation management, digital acceleration, and supply chain optimization. Currently serving as chief of staff to the president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, Julio has refined his skills in driving operational excellence and strategic initiatives through various high-impact roles across multiple industries. His prior roles at MBUSA included head of remarketing pricing and stock management and head of technician training. He also led the organization’s inaugural customer data management project. In addition to his achievements at MBUSA, Julio has managed key initiatives for Deutsche Bank, Barclays, and Citibank, driving synergies and improving operational efficiency. Notably, he spearheaded the establishment of the Dominican Republic's first High-Tech Research Center. His career spans European and American markets, where he has successfully implemented cost-effective, high-performance solutions that boosted customer experience and improved the bottom line. Julio holds a doctorate in information sciences and technology from Penn State and has completed post-doctoral studies at Harvard Law School and Rutgers University. He is a published author in telecommunications, innovation, digital divide, and municipal broadband networks. He has served as adjunct professor at Rutgers University and the University of Houston.
Ankur Sheth ’04
Ankur Sheth is a senior managing director at Ankura Consulting Group, based in New York, and is the global head of the Cyber Risk Advisory Practice. Ankur has been focused on cybersecurity for 20+ years across a variety of competencies and industries and continues to serve his clients in successfully mitigating potential cyber threats and enhancing cybersecurity programs. He has worked with clients across most industries to help them strategize, analyze, plan, architect, design, implement, and support cybersecurity related controls and systems. Throughout Ankur's career, he has worked in a global environment, supporting clients across North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific.
CJ Smulligan ’17
CJ Smulligan is the director of cybersecurity for the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State, where he oversees the protection of critical infrastructure and sensitive data from emerging digital threats. CJ has a significant educational background culminating in a master’s degree in cybersecurity and multiple industry-related certifications. He has experience across all disciplines of IT, most recently in computer and network defense and risk management. He plays a pivotal role in securing ARL’s network and systems and ensuring compliance with government regulations. Known for his strategic thinking and technical expertise, CJ leads a division of cybersecurity professionals, working tirelessly to mitigate cyber risks and fortify defenses against sophisticated attacks. His dedication to staying ahead of evolving cyber threats makes him a key figure in the defense industry’s cybersecurity landscape.
Sean Stanton ’08
Sean B. Stanton Jr. is a seasoned expert in risk management, compliance, and governance, currently overseeing GRC programs at Meta. His role includes managing trust and safety, security, and privacy risk management programs, ensuring rigorous product compliance and regulatory adherence. Sean’s diverse career includes leadership experience at Amazon, Capital One, Navy Federal Credit Union, Deloitte, Northrop Grumman, Unilever, and Reckitt Benckiser. Sean holds several industry-recognized certifications: CISSP, CSPO, CSM, and AWS-CP. As an active ISACA member, he engages with a global network of professionals to stay at the forefront of industry best practices. An alumnus of the College of IST with a degree in integration and application, Sean mentors IST students through LionLink and has been a speaker at Penn State Harrisburg’s new student convocation. Sean aims to leverage his expertise to drive innovation, enhance security, build resilient organizations, and enable business growth in a dynamic digital landscape.
Aaron Stricker ’18, ’19g
Aaron Stricker is a senior sales engineer, supporting a team of world-class account executives at Samsara since 2022. Samsara is the pioneer of the Connected Operation Cloud, which is a platform that physical operation organizations depend on to harness IoT hardware, data, and AI to develop actionable insights and streamline their operations. He is the presale technical point of contact for all hardware, software, integration, and API questions to ensure a successful sale for his team. Prior to joining Samsara, Aaron was a software engineer at Capital One in the Northern Virginia/DC area, where he and his team developed a new marketing campaign engine. Aaron graduated from the College of IST in 2018, earning a bachelor’s degree in the design and development track. In 2019, he graduated with a master’s degree in management and organizational leadership from Smeal College of Business. While at Penn State, Aaron was a coordinator for the peer tutoring program, served as a learning assistant, and was involved with IST’s Startup Week. At Smeal, Aaron served as a program ambassador.
Amulya Yadav (keynote speaker)
Amulya Yadav is an associate professor in the College of IST. He also has and affiliate faculty appointment with the USC Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society. His research interests include AI, multi-agent systems, computational game theory and applied machine learning. His work in the field of artificial intelligence for social good focuses on developing theoretically grounded approaches to real-world problems that can have an impact in the field. Amulya’s algorithms have been deployed in the real world, particularly in the field of public health and wildlife protection. His work was highlighted by Mashable.com as one of the 26 incredible innovations that improved the world in 2015. He holds a doctorate in computer science from the University of Southern California and a bachelor of technology in computer science and engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Patna.