2024 ATX BADD: Speakers/Topics

Speakers/Topics

Chris Wilke - Keynote Speaker
Topic: AI Foundations and the Emergence of Digital AI Teams
Get oriented. See what’s possible. Start building.
And, learn about where the trends are going.
Chloe LaPorte - Featured Speaker
Topic:

Carrie Goldberger
Topic: Lessons Learned Delivering an AI-Driven Product
Ultimately, my goal is to provide you with actionable ideas for responsibly incorporating AI into your product, as well as resources to help get you started on that journey.

Danelkis Sierra, CBAP
Topic: Ignite your Leadership and Communication Skills
Effective communication and leadership skills are key to all positive outcomes, especially in our Business Analysis world with diverse stakeholders. This tutorial aims to empower individuals to unlock their potential by honing their communication and leadership skills. We will begin by exploring the fundamental principles of effective communication, delving into various communication styles, and the art of active listening. Participants will learn to navigate complex interpersonal relationships and articulate their ideas with clarity. With these foundational skills, they can build trust and rapport, both crucial for effective leadership. In line with this years’ theme “Igniting Your Potential” this tutorial is designed to equip individuals with the means to transform their personal and professional lives. It is not merely a tutorial but a catalyst for personal growth and development. By harnessing the power of effective communication and dynamic leadership, participants will unlock their true potential and embark on a journey toward achieving their loftiest aspirations.

Laura Robey
Colleen Cristarella
Topic: Fearless and Unapologetic Diagramming
A picture is worth more than 1,000 words. Yet sometimes we’re intimidated by notation standards and/or the very topic which we’re trying to depict. The result? The potential to spend way too much time doing something that should be super-simple in order to come to shared understanding with our business partners. Let me show you how to abandon the fear and plunge unapologetically into creating powerful diagrams to drive your projects forward fast!
In this session you will:
- Learn why pictures can make all the difference in a project.
- Eliminate fear of notation standards
- Work with a familiar scenario to develop a set of highly-usable and reusable diagrams; for example: create a Data Flow Diagram in 5 minutes flat!
- Bring your own real-life scenario to develop one or more diagrams.
Gaby Lio
Topic: Why Functional Analysts are the Secret Sauce for AI Solutions
In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, functional analysts play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between complex AI technologies and practical business applications. In this talk we will explore the lifecycle of deploying an AI solution and the pivotal areas functional analysts are needed for success.
The objectives of this session are to understand:
- The end-to-end lifecycle for AI development
- Why these projects tend to fail
- Strategies to ensure success

Cindy Brummer
Everybody loves a comeback, and Cindy Brummer’s story is full of them. She has overcome setbacks to find her way into UX and become a pillar in the UX community.
Topic: Accessibility Is for Everyone
- The fundamentals of accessibility and its importance in today’s diverse society.
- Key principles for creating accessible digital content, including websites, social media, and documents.
- Techniques for ensuring non-verbal communication is inclusive.
- Tools and technologies that support accessibility.
- Best practices for making presentations accessible.
Leadership Panel Discussion
- Understanding Leadership Styles: Explore different leadership approaches and identify which resonates most with your personal style.
- Influencing Without Authority: Learn techniques for gaining buy-in from stakeholders and fostering collaboration across teams.
- Communicating with Impact: Develop essential communication skills to articulate insights and drive decision-making.
- Navigating Change: Equip yourself with strategies to lead teams through organizational change, ensuring smooth transitions and sustained engagement.
- Building a Leadership Mindset: Cultivate confidence and resilience to tackle challenges and inspire others.
Moderated by Danelkis Sierra (bio above)
Panelists:
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Laura Robey (bio above)
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Colleen Cristarella (bio above)
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Jose DeLeon
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Jose currently serves as the Director of Business Analysis & Customer Success at the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS). Jose provides guidance and collaborates with ERS stakeholders on devising effective and efficient approaches to achieving ERS goals and objectives. Jose also serves as the VP, Treasurer for IIBA Austin Chapter.Jose earned his Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance) from the University of Texas at Austin and his Master of Business Administration (Management Information Systems) from St. Edward’s University, where he currently serves as Adjunct Faculty Professor in the Bill Munday School of Business.
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Michael Bailey
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Michael started his career with the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) in December of 2006 as a CPS Investigations Caseworker. Since that time, his roles included Child Placement Specialist placing children into foster homes, CPS Trainer training new caseworkers, IT Functional Analyst (2015), IT Business Analyst, and IT Business Analyst Manager. In 2022 Michael briefly left DFPS and was a Business Analyst for the General Land Office and Health and Human Services. In 2023 he returned to DFPS IT as a Business Analyst Manager, which is his current role.
Given his many years and roles with DFPS, Michael is committed to DFPS’s mission of protecting the vulnerable citizens of Texas. He found his calling combining the critical mission of DFPS and building/maintaining the software that support DFPS caseworkers that help them meet that mission. He loves his role as a Business Analyst Manager and takes his responsibilities as a Leader seriously.
As a father of an almost 6-year-old daughter, Michael’s free time is almost completely consumed with puzzles, dress-up, fancily painted toenails, play dates, and family vacations
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