Brad Messner
Cybersecurity in the Age of AI – 9:00 a.m., AI in Business and Industry Track
Brad Messner, PhD, EA, is a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Business as well as a third-generation owner of Messner & Fox, LLC and founder of Financial Guardians, LLC. With over 30 years of experience in technology and tax preparation, Brad pairs deep accounting expertise with a strong background in cybersecurity, AI, automation, and information systems.
He is an enrolled agent, board member on several AI startups, and a Department of Defense NSA NCAE-C scholar for his PhD research on blockchain and financial system security. Named the 2023 Tax Professional of the Year by the National Association of Tax Professionals, Brad is also a nationally recognized speaker on tax, AI, automation, ethics, and cybersecurity in finance. Through his work leveraging technology, he has helped thousands of individuals improve their understanding of artificial intelligence and its impact on business and financial systems. As AI-based systems continue to evolve, Brad remains steadfast in his dedication to ensuring data integrity and protection at all stages of AI-enabled processes.
Anders Rapp
From Topic to Sources: Exploring AI-Assisted Research Discovery with Keenious – 1:30 p.m., AI Exploration Track
Anders Rapp is the chief operating officer of Keenious, where he leads operational strategy and partnerships to expand the company’s AI-powered research discovery platform. With a background in technology commercialization and international business development, Anders focuses on bringing innovative tools to universities and research institutions worldwide. His work centers on improving how scholars and students discover relevant academic literature, helping integrate AI-driven solutions into library services, research workflows, and higher education ecosystems.
Robert Sheesley
Synthetic Intelligence: Architecting the Organizational Mind – 10:00 a.m., AI in Business and Industry Track
Robert Sheesley is an award-winning technology executive and CIO currently serving as chief information officer and board member of Bump Connect, a next-generation social community and commerce platform, and as a senior consultant with Future Point of View, where he provides fractional CIO and advisory services. Known internationally as the Blue-Collar CIO, Rob brings decades of experience leading transformational change at mid-market and Fortune 500 companies, big four consulting firms, and private equity-backed organizations. As CIO of Wrench Group, he built an award-winning technology organization during the company’s historic growth, earning recognition including Georgia CIO of the Year (2023) and a Global CIO 100 designation (2024). A US Marine veteran, Rob holds an MBA and BS from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and certifications in cybersecurity leadership and enterprise architecture from Carnegie Mellon University. He serves on the business advisory council of IUP’s Eberly College of Business and Information Technology and is a Forbes Technology Council member and coauthor of the leadership anthology Wired for Success.
Jacob Williamson Rea
Writing as Infrastructure: Context Engineering Across Disciplines – 10:00 a.m., AI Exploration Track
Jacob is a senior AI engineer at Microsoft Research’s Creative Technology Team, working at the intersection of advanced AI systems, product-grade engineering, and creative exploration. He specializes in translating complex research into real-world prototypes that inform decisions, shape product direction, and surface new possibilities—work that has been showcased at major conferences, including Microsoft Build and Microsoft Ignite. Jacob holds an MA from Johns Hopkins University and a BA from the University of Pittsburgh, and has taught through MIT’s Office of Engineering Outreach Programs and at the University of Pittsburgh.
Roberto Piedra
AI in Project Management: Case Studies and Insights – 11:00 a.m., AI in Business and Industry Track
Roberto Piedra is a PMP and ACP-certified project manager and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with over 14 years of experience delivering technology, compliance, and operational transformation initiatives in regulated environments. He specializes in enterprise reporting, internal controls automation, ERP optimization, and AI-enabled governance solutions.
Roberto has led cross-functional programs supporting SOX compliance, IT general controls, and business intelligence modernization. He designs scalable KPI dashboards, automated control frameworks, and data-driven reporting ecosystems that enhance audit readiness, improve transparency, and strengthen executive decision-making.
With a background spanning financial services, healthcare informatics, and military operations, Roberto brings structured problem-solving, quantitative rigor, and disciplined project execution to complex transformation initiatives. His approach integrates agile delivery, lean process engineering, and governance alignment to drive measurable operational and risk reduction outcomes.
Raef Lawson
From Data to Decisions: How AI Is Transforming Profitability Analysis in Business – 2:30 p.m., AI in Business and Industry Track
Raef Lawson, PhD, CPA, CSCA, FCMA, CAE, is executive director of the Profitability Analytics Center of Excellence (PACE), a nonprofit community of professionals dedicated to helping organizations make better decisions through the use of data analytics and integrated, causal models.
Raef previously served as vice president of research and policy at the Institute of Management Accountants, where he led the organization’s global research efforts for more than 15 years. He is an award-winning author, global speaker, and media contributor in the areas of performance management, profitability analytics, sustainability, business ethics, corporate governance, and accounting education. He holds an MBA and a PhD from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business.