Artificial Intelligence Conference
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Artificial Intelligence: Industry Insights Conference
March 22, 2025
Fred Rogers Center
Saint Vincent College
Presented by the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics, and Government
Audience
- Industry professionals that want a broad overview of ways that AI can be used in a variety of contexts
- Students that seek insight on how generative AI could impact their future careers
- Anyone interested in exploring unique ways AI is changing various industries
Why?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the way that business is done. At a surface level, tools like ChatGPT have changed the way that individuals approach work, but many organizations and entire industries are going beyond such simple tools and adopting AI in unique and unexpected ways. Many of the ways that AI is used are already changing the world around us in ways that we might not even realize. This conference is meant to give attendees a broad overview of the ways that AI is shaping businesses and the world at large.
Approach
Early sessions will define AI, talk about types of AI, and give a broad overview of some of its uses. Subsequent sessions will focus on how AI is shaping various industries including:
- Utilities
- Higher education
- Aviation
- Healthcare
- Tech
Community Programs
Agenda
9 a.m. — Continental breakfast
9:30 a.m. — Opening remarks – Dr. Mike Urick, dean of the McKenna School
9:45 a.m. — “Augmented Enterprise: Towards Collective Performance” – Mike Hruska, president and CEO, Problem Solutions
10:30 a.m. — “Powering the Future of the Grid with Generative AI” – James Buscaglio, senior director, product management, electrification software, GE Vernova
11:15 a.m. — “Using AI to Predict Alzheiemer’s Disease” – Dr. Mary Regina Boland, assistant professor, Saint Vincent College
Noon — Lunch break
12:15 p.m. — “Autonomy and Trusted AI in Aviation” – Alden Bushnell, business development, Near Earth Autonomy
1 p.m. — “The Multiple Uses of AI in Healthcare” – Terrance Tormey, CEO, The Tormey Consulting Group
1:45 p.m. — “An AI Engine for Software Quality Assurance and Testing” – Elliot Levenson, senior software engineer, UPMC
2:30 p.m. — “AI in the Classroom and Ethical Considerations” – Dr. Mike Urick; Robert Markley, instructor, Saint Vincent College; and Dr. Justin Petrovich, chair and associate professor, Saint Vincent College
2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. — Reception
2025 Conference Speakers
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Dr. Mary Regina Boland
Assistant professor, Saint Vincent College
Dr. Mary Regina Boland received her Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics from Saint Vincent College in 2010. At Columbia University, she received a Master of Arts in Biomedical Informatics in 2012, a Master of Philosophy in Biomedical Informatics in 2016 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 2017. Boland has a wealth of expertise in academic medicine, health analytics, data science and biomedical informatics and is a nationally recognized leader in the field of healthcare informatics. She has a grant with collaborators on AI methods and Alzheimer’s disease.
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James Buscaglio
Senior director, product management, electrification software, GE Vernova
James Buscaglio is a 2004 graduate of Saint Vincent College. He took part in the MBA exchange program – international business at École Supérieure de Commerce de Bordeaux in Marseille, France; earned an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh; and earned a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University. With Amazon Web Services, he managed workforce operations (operational planning and ongoing reporting) for 1,700 global employees.
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Alden Bushnell
Business development, Near Earth Autonomy
Alden Bushnell is the senior business development manager at Near Earth Autonomy, where he drives adoption of autonomous flight solutions for defense and commercial aviation. Previously, he supported large-scale aerospace programs at Lockheed Martin, NASA (as a contractor through Hamilton Sundstrand, now Collins Aerospace and Oceaneering) and Jacobs Critical Mission Solutions (now part of Amentum). Along with his technical and program management responsibilities, he helped secure over a billion dollars in contract awards. Alden holds an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University and is both a licensed private pilot and a certified sUAS operator.
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Mike Hruska
President and CEO, Problem Solutions
Mike Hruska, a seasoned technologist and AI specialist, is the driving force behind Problem Solutions, an advanced technology agency renowned for its 20-year history of innovation. With a solid foundation in design thinking and background as a researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Mike excels in transforming actionable technology products into reality through the efficient design and implementation of innovative solutions.
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Elliot Levenson
Senior software engineer, UPMC
Elliot Levenson has more than two decades of experience in quality assurance, software testing and artificial intelligence, and brings a unique perspective to the intersection of AI and quality engineering. His expertise spans healthcare, financial services, transportation and defense industries, where he’s pioneered the integration of AI to enhance software reliability and efficiency. As a Senior Software Engineer at UPMC, Levenson leads QA initiatives in a SAFe Agile environment, overseeing end-to-end testing for enterprise healthcare applications. He specializes in incorporating AI-driven strategies into testing workflows, including test case creation, planning and full-spectrum test automation.
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Robert Markley
Instructor, Saint Vincent College
Robert Markley is a co-founder and vice president of Regulatory and Quality Solutions LLC, a provider of full-service regulatory affairs and quality assurance expertise to medical device designers and manufacturers in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio. He is the Carpenter Technology - Latrobe Specialty Metals-sponsored lecturer at Saint Vincent College. He teaches the Management Information Systems and Accounting Information Systems courses and leads the SAP Business One certification program.
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Terrance Tormey
CEO, The Tormey Consulting Group
Terrance Tormey is a 1976 graduate of St. Vincent College and studied at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. A Fellow at The America College of Healthcare Trustees, Tormey has extensive experience in introducing new medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotech products to global markets, including stints as CEO at Xenon-VR, Inc., The Medical Phone Company (a Division of Publicis, Paris), Kibow Biotech and Omax Health. He is a board member for Transdermal Specialities Global and several other healthcare companies. Tomey has launched and/or supported dozens of medical devices, pharmaceutical medications and over-the-counter healthcare products, including Cipro, Flomax, Flonase, Advil and Tylenol.
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Dr. Justin Petrovich
Chair and associate professor, Saint Vincent College
Dr. Justin Petrovich graduated from Saint Vincent College in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Mathematics and completed his doctorate in statistics at Penn State University. He teaches a variety of courses in statistics, econometrics, data science and business analytics. In 2022 he became chair of the Marketing, Analytics and Global Commerce Department.
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Dr. Mike Urick
Dean of the McKenna School
Dr. Mike Urick is Dean of the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics and Government and a professor of management and operational excellence. During Urick’s tenure as dean, the McKenna School launched eight new certificate programs geared to providing practical knowledge for immediate application in students’ careers and launched the Aviation Management – Professional Pilot program. Urick directed the Master of Science in Management: Operational Excellence program for nearly 10 years. During that time, it was consistently ranked as a top 50 best value master’s in management program by Value Colleges and as a top online non-MBA business graduate degree by U.S. News & World Report. Urick has taught undergraduate and graduate courses related to organizational behavior, human resources, communication, conflict, organizational culture, operations and research methods. His research has been widely cited in academic publications as well as in news media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and the BBC.
Sponsors
ISM Pittsburgh
Breakfast Sponsor
Aerium
Lunch Sponsor
Catalyst Connection
General Sponsor