Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how we work, how companies hire, and the skills needed to succeed. For college students, bootcamp participants, and early-career professionals, understanding these shifts is critical to staying competitive in today’s job market.

Join us for a 60-minute virtual panel featuring industry AI leaders who are at the forefront of these changes. In this session, panelists will share candid insights on how AI is transforming the workplace, what employers are looking for in candidates, and how job seekers can effectively position themselves in an AI-driven economy. Come ready to ask questions and leave with a clearer, more honest picture of the workforce you're entering — and what it takes to thrive in it.

Sarah Bartel works with some of the world's largest Technology companies to imagine the human side of AI, Data and Cloud. Together, they are finding ways to use generative and agentic AI to create new abilities and opportunities for people. She helps leaders redesign work with AI agents and automation, upskill their workforce with continuous learning and enable new ways of working with a Human + AI workforce. On a personal note.... she believes in using AI to create more opportunities for people - not to automate humanity out of business. Let's work together to help organizations AND people thrive in the era of AI.

Kevin Burson is a Principal AI Strategist at One North, where he brings over a decade of leadership in digital innovation and AI strategy, driving transformation across AI integration, financial services technology, and data modernization. His expertise spans building scalable B2B and internal solutions generating millions in recurring revenue. Kevin combines technical acumen, strategic vision, and execution excellence to deliver impactful AI solutions for our clients across industries.

Priya Raman is a global data and AI leader with 25+ years of experience across Microsoft, Coca-Cola, GE, Nielsen, and Accenture, where she has built and led AI and analytics teams at scale. Her work today focuses on how AI is changing jobs, skills, and the future of work—while emphasizing the importance of using AI responsibly and thoughtfully.

Jen Brun is a Services Account Manager with TEKsystems, owning strategic service delivery and client success across Higher Education institutions in Washington State. She is a champion for Digital Equity, an advocate for Health and Well Being, and an advisory Board Member of Computing for All.

Join senior instructors from Computing for All as we introduce you to Generative AI (GenAI) through Copilot.com, Microsoft's own GenAI chat assistant. We will guide you through a fun hands-on experience designing and creating with Microsoft Copilot, including:

• What GenAI actually is and how prompts work

• How to form effective prompts to generate useful results

• Why GenAI literacy is important, not only for productivity, but also for safety

While this session utilizes Microsoft Copilot, the knowledge and skills you'll learn are transferrable to more GenAI chat assistants like Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok.

To follow along easily, you will want to use a laptop or desktop computer. While not necessary, you can also create a free Microsoft account used with: Copilot.com to store prompts and Microsoft Learn to earn badges.

Lynn Schirmer is a designer, frontend developer, and artist with more than two decades of experience in digital design and development. Since 2005, Lynn has operated a freelance design and development practice, creating websites and digital experiences for a wide range of clients from individuals to corporations. In 2017, Lynn began teaching coding classes, and transitioned into curriculum development. Lynn joined Computing for All in 2022, and developed the current curriculum for its Tech Career Bridge, a six course full stack web development program.

Jonathan Chan is a senior instructor with Computing for All's full-stack web development program and game development workshops. While he has been teaching how to make websites and games for the last five years, he has been making both for the last twenty years. Seeing how web and game development technologies have evolved and disappeared over decades has nurtured a grounded sense of optimism in him toward emerging technologies. In the last year, he has been instructing students how to use GenAI prompts to assist in the ideation, design, and creation of personal projects without hindering their ability to learn for themselves, and he has also been teaching them how to utilize GenAI APIs to develop novel features for their web projects.

Tech startup founders are hiring differently than they were two years ago. In this panel, early-stage leaders talk through what they look for, what they skip over, and what candidates get wrong about working at startups in the age of AI. Whether you're job hunting now or thinking about making a move, this is what the people doing the hiring wish you knew.

Darren Apfel is a technology executive and founder with nearly three decades of experience building products at the intersection of AI, developer platforms, and SaaS. He is the founder and CEO of limerIQ.ai, an agentic platform that orchestrates AI coding tools to automate software development lifecycle workflows. Before founding limerIQ, Darren held VP and GM roles at Ford Model-e, Twilio, Zillow Group, and Microsoft, where he launched and scaled products spanning connected vehicles, global communications, consumer finance, gaming, mobile, and enterprise SaaS. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Yale University, with a concentration in music composition and music technology. He lives in Redmond, WA with his wife and two French Bulldogs.

Shama Keskar is a serial entrepreneur and AI builder with two decades of experience scaling systems at Google, LinkedIn, and Amazon." Currently, the Co-founder and CTO of Suede (backed by AI2 Incubator), she previously co-founded ventures that resulted in a $25M acquisition exit.

As a technology leader & founder, who has built high-performing engineering teams from the ground up, Shama brings a "builder-as-hirer" perspective to the tech ecosystem. She is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of talent, helping them bridge the gap between AI research and real-world impact.

Anatoly Khen is the founder and CEO of Captus.ai, where he is building AI-powered risk detection to eliminate construction rework, a $220B problem in the United States. He brings over a decade of experience building AI products for public safety and enterprise software, including work at Axon, Paylocity, and VC-backed ventures like Revelen.ai. His teams have shipped products used by some of the largest law enforcement agencies in the country. He is currently pursuing his Executive MBA at MIT (Class of 2027).

Outside of work, Anatoly spends his free time exploring the outdoors with his daughter, two labs, and wife. As a family, they love finding new and unique places to eat.

Tatsiana Sokalava is the Co-Founder and CEO of Career Scoops, an AI-powered career discovery platform helping students and early-career individuals explore career pathways and take actionable steps toward their future.

With a background spanning technology, data science, and business, she operates at the intersection of AI, education, and workforce trends, with a focus on how hiring is evolving in the age of AI.

As a founder actively building and deploying AI products in real-world settings, she offers firsthand insight into how startups evaluate talent, skills, and potential in today’s market and how candidates can better position themselves to stand out.

For decades, the path to a tech career was clear: pick a lane—Engineering, Product Management, or Design—and master it. However, the rise of AI is rapidly erasing these silos. Today, AI can write most code and generate sophisticated designs; as we move toward AGI, even the strategic work of product management will be augmented.

This talk explores why your future job title likely won't be "Software Engineer" or "UI Designer," but rather "Builder." We will discuss how to shift your focus from learning specific tools to mastering system orchestration and human-centric problem solving. You will learn three core strategies to future-proof your education: moving from execution to architecture, doubling down on uniquely human skills like empathy and ethics, and building a multi-disciplinary portfolio. The goal is to lead the AI revolution by becoming a versatile visionary that machines cannot replace.

Shilpa Shastri leads AI strategy at Apptio (an IBM company), where she has defined and executed the roadmap for a multi-agent AI infrastructure platform. Previously, she held product roles at AWS and Microsoft, where she shipped cloud services, infrastructure and developer platforms. Her work bridges product strategy, cloud economics, and AI innovation—helping enterprises adopt AI responsibly and at scale. Shilpa speaks frequently on AI adoption, infrastructure optimization, and the future of agentic AI.

The hiring landscape is changing fast. AI tools are transforming the recruiting process, reshaping job descriptions, and raising the bar on what employers expect from candidates. In this session, talent specialists share candid insights on how to navigate your job search, position your skills, and land a role in today's evolving tech market.

Karthika (Kathy) Ahuja is an industry leader specializing in Cybersecurity Compliance. Focusing on the intersection of talent and technology, she is passionate about helping emerging professionals navigate the evolving hiring landscape in the age of AI.

In her current role at Unisys as a fractional CISO, she drives strategic client engagement and oversees cybersecurity risk management for Fortune 500 clients. Over the past 25 years, Kathy has held Information Security leadership roles at Kalles Group, Qumulo, OneLogin, DocuSign, Microsoft, and Oracle.

Kathy has been serving on the board of Computing For All for the past three years, bringing her deep technical expertise and passion for emerging professionals directly to the mission we serve. She holds a degree in English Literature from Carleton University (Ottawa) and an Associate's degree in Management Information Systems from Trios College (Toronto).

Justin Santillan graduated with a B.A. in Marketing and Hospitality Business Management from Washington State University in 2018. He is currently a Marketplace Talent Specialist at TEKsystems, recognized for strategic implementations across the company. He has supported many communities around the US based around military service, multi-cultural, and women in technology. He is an active mentor in Big Brother Big Sister of Puget Sound.

Annalisa Naccarato is a Senior Recruiter at Amazon in Seattle, where she spends her days connecting legal professionals with one of the world's most innovative companies. With over five years of recruiting experience at Amazon and a background in placing candidates across the North America and LATAM regions, she has a front-row view of how AI is changing the hiring game — and what it really takes to get noticed. Today, she's here to share what she knows so you can walk away ready to stand out.

Kate Zimberg, PhD is a senior HR executive and executive coach with deep experience in the technology and telecommunications industries — intentionally building a career that bridges strategy and execution, and translating talent solutions into real business results.

As the founder of Novatra Coaching, Kate works with senior leaders and executive teams to expand their strategic impact, strengthen executive presence, and lead with greater clarity and influence. She brings both psychological insight and operational credibility to every engagement.

Her executive career includes senior roles at F5 — including VP of Employee Experience & Enablement, SVP of Global Talent Solutions, and Interim Chief People Officer — as well as HR leadership roles at T-Mobile and Microsoft.

Kate holds a master's degree and PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Purdue University — grounding everything she does in both rigorous research and real-world practice.

The job market for new graduates is genuinely harder; more applicants, faster rejections, and real uncertainty about which roles will even exist. But there's a gap opening up between grads who are waiting it out and those who are actively adapting. This talk is for the second group.

We'll cover how hiring has actually changed, what employers are looking for right now, and how to use AI tools to build visible skills, craft sharper application materials, and get in front of the right people — without sounding like a bot wrote your cover letter. Whether you're just starting your search or stuck in a frustrating plateau, you'll leave with a clearer picture of what "standing out" looks like in 2026 and one concrete thing to do about it.

Helen Lee Kupp is the co-founder and creator of Women Defining AI, a community of female leaders tackling the biggest topics of understanding today's generative AI widespread adoption through experimentation, support, and community learning. She takes a practical approach towards helping leaders navigate the biggest changes in work — both from AI/technology, and the flexible/hybrid work revolution. She is the co-author of WSJ Bestselling book “How The Future Works: Leading Flexible Teams to Do the Best Work of Their Lives”, an experienced technology operator and executive (former Slack/Salesforce, Thumbtack, Bain). She believes in closing the gender technology gap - starting with women at work - to create a future of work that looks and feels fundamentally different for her two kids and the women she mentors.

Angela Liu is the founder and creator of Gaapsavvy, a practitioner community connecting accounting and finance leaders at high-growth technology companies. Her work focuses on helping teams adapt to rapid industry change - from AI and emerging technologies to evolving standards and modern team building. She began her career at KPMG, later scaled finance at Glassdoor, and joined the founding team of an enterprise software startup, navigating multiple career pivots across corporate, tech, and entrepreneurship. As a member of Women Defining AI, she is passionate about making AI fluency accessible to everyone, not just engineers. She believes the future belongs to curious builders who are willing to experiment, learn in public, and continuously evolve alongside technology.