Speakers

Beverly Wright, PhD, CAP serves as Vice President of Data Science & AI at Wavicle Data Solutions, and Director for Data Science & AI at University of Georgia’s Executive Education. With a career spanning over 30 years across utilities, financial services, telecommunications, healthcare, consulting, and academia, Beverly has led numerous teams and established herself as a data science & AI thought leader, executive professor, national speaker, podcast host, and a trailblazing advocate for data science for good. She also serves as Board Chair for TAG Data Science & AI, Board Member for Georgia Institute of Technology’s Master of Science in Analytics program, Past President of the Analytics Society at INFORMS, Board Member for Emory Center for Ethics, and podcast host for TAG Data Talk.

Amos graduated from UTK with a bachelor’s degree in physics and has since shifted into a career of making scientific instrumentation. He is involved in the maker community and recently has become primarily a frontend developer working for Protean Instrument Corporation building low-background alpha beta radiation detectors.

Amy Fletcher, PhD, worked abroad as a scholar and policy analyst in New Zealand from 1999 – 2021 at the University of Canterbury. She is a specialist in science, technology, and environmental politics, and now the lead writer and foresight analyst for A. Fletcher Strategies in Knoxville, TN (her hometown). She helped to establish the Artificial Intelligence Forum of New Zealand. She is currently working on a book due in 2024, provisionally titled Silicon Seduction: Sex and Intimacy in an Algorithmic Age.

Gaurav Mittal is a seasoned IT Manager with 15+ years of leadership experience, adept at guiding teams in developing and deploying cutting-edge technology solutions. Specializing in strategic IT planning, budget management, and project execution, he excels in AWS Cloud, security protocols, and container technologies. Gaurav is skilled in Java, Python, Node.js, and CI/CD pipelines, with a robust background in database management (Aurora, Redshift, DynamoDB). His achievements include substantial cost savings through innovative solutions and enhancing operational efficiency. Gaurav is recognized for his leadership, problem-solving abilities, and commitment to delivering exceptional IT services aligned with organizational goals.

Knox Game Design lead organizer since 2017. Member since 2012. https://www.knoxgamedesign.org
Created over one hundred games in a variety of engines such as Unity, MonoGame/XNA, GameMaker, Godot, SDL, Allegro, Scratch, Unreal Engine, Pico-8, 6502 assembly (NES), and PyGame,
Georgia Tech (Atlanta, Georgia) – Bachelor of Science, Computer Science, 2002
University of Tennessee (Knoxville, Tennessee) – Master of Science, Industrial Engineering, 2008

Wil Wade is a Director of Engineering at Project Liberty and co-architect of DSNP (Decentralized Social Working Protocol) and the Frequency Blockchain. DSNP is a free and open protocol for the social graph and content broadcast that anyone can build upon implemented on Frequency. Wil’s background includes startups, research, and mathematics.

Wil currently lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee. You can often find him playing games with his kids or thinking about how to teach abstract thinking.

Jeremy Davis is a Software Engineering Senior Director of Applied Generative AI at Cigna, where he’s been driving innovation and technological advancement since 2014. With over 15 years of experience in data analytics, AI/ML strategy, and healthcare technology, Jeremy has consistently pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in the intersection of healthcare and cutting-edge tech.
At Cigna, Jeremy has worn many hats, from strategic pharmacy reporting and medical economics analytics to DevOps and client reporting. He’s led initiatives in Medicare end-to-end solutions and, most recently, spearheaded efforts in Applied Generative AI. Throughout his career, both at Cigna and in previous roles, Jeremy has been a catalyst for adopting advanced technologies to drive tangible business value.
Jeremy holds an MBA in Business Intelligence from Capella University and a BS in Business Management from the University of Tennessee. He’s also an AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, reflecting his deep technical expertise.
When he’s not revolutionizing healthcare technology, Jeremy can be found enjoying the great outdoors of Chattanooga, TN. An avid hiker, mountain biker, and paddle boarder, he believes in balancing hard work with an active lifestyle. Jeremy has been married to his wife Kristi for 16 years, and together they share their home with a lively crew of 3 dogs and 4 cats. A self-proclaimed movie buff, Jeremy often peppers his conversations with film quotes, adding a touch of humor to his technical prowess.

As the Chief Architect for a leading eProcurement company and Co-founder of KnoxDevs, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering the technology community in East Tennessee, I bring a wealth of experience in both technical leadership and community building. With a deep passion for working alongside talented individuals to create impactful software, my focus is on driving innovation and building systems that not only solve complex problems but also empower others to do their best work.