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Shaping the Future of Learning and Productivity with Microsoft Fabric, Copilot, and AI Foundry

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Shaping the Future of Learning and Productivity with Microsoft Fabric, Copilot, and AI Foundry

Data & AI Strategy- The CIO Perspective

C-level executives, CIOs, and industry leaders are invited to join an in-person executive roundtable exploring how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of higher education.

As institutions modernize operations and improve student experiences, technologies such as Microsoft Fabric, AI Foundry, and Copilot are helping universities move from isolated AI pilots to practical, operational use. These platforms support data-driven decision-making, smarter campus operations, and academic innovation.

“Data and analytics leaders must shift from experimentation to operationalizing AI if they want to deliver measurable business value.”
Gartner

This roundtable will examine how universities are applying these capabilities today through real-world examples and peer-led discussion—focused on outcomes, lessons learned, and practical considerations rather than product demonstrations.

Sponsored by

Royal Cyber Logo Image
Callibrity-logo

Community Sponsored

Featured Speakers

Jordan Wilson
Jordan Wilson
Founder at Everyday AI
AI strategist & Everyday AI founder helping businesses grow with GenAI | Top 15 tech podcast host & keynote speaker
LinkedIn
Alex Castrounis
Alex Castrounis
Founder and CEO at Why of AI
Founder of Why of AI | Kellogg Prof | TEDx Speaker | Author | Ex-INDYCAR Strategist helping firms win with practical AI
LinkedIn
Bamshad Mobasher
Bamshad Mobasher
Professor at DePaul University
AI professor & DePaul AI Institute director, expert in recommender systems, personalization & ethical AI research
LinkedIn
Jenny-Hamilton
Jenny Hamilton
Chief Legal Officer at Exterro, Inc.
AI professor & DePaul AI Institute director, expert in recommender systems, personalization & ethical AI research
LinkedIn
Brian Martin
Brian Martin
Chief AI Product Owner at Abbvie
Chief AI Product Owner at AbbVie | AI & quantum leader | Driving R&D innovation through cognitive and cloud platforms
LinkedIn
Quentin-Reul
Quentin Reul
Director of Global AI Strategy at expert.ai
AI leader driving ethical, customer-focused AI & knowledge graph solutions to empower info pros at expert.ai.
LinkedIn
Heather-Grey
Heather Grey
SVP/GM at Omega Healthcare-CurateIQ
Heather Grey, SVP/GM at Omega Healthcare-CurateIQ, advancing clinical trials through real-world data innovation.
LinkedIn
Mary-Grygleski
Mary Grygleski
Regional Director (East), AI Collective
Director of Emerging Tech at Callibrity | AI/ML strategist | Java Champion | GenAI & Cloud advocate | TEDx speaker
LinkedIn
David M. Smith
David M. Smith
Founding Attorney at Chicago Trusted Attorneys
Founding Attorney & CEO | 19 yrs legal innovation | Now leading AI program management, compliance & ethical AI design
LinkedIn
Sam Tepper
Sam Tepper
Growth Advisor and an AI-Evangelist
AI evangelist & growth advisor | Founder & mentor | Ex-Salesforce, Accenture, Deloitte | Driving mission-led growth
LinkedIn
Mas
Mustafa Pesh
Digital Transformation Principal at Royal Cyber
Digital Transformation Principal at Royal Cyber, driving AI-led innovation and enterprise modernization.
LinkedIn
Zoeb Rajkotwalla
Zoeb Rajkotwalla
AI Solutions Manager at Royal Cyber
Driving innovation in Agentic AI | 20+ yrs in tech leadership, product dev, sales & strategic growth at Royal Cyber Inc.
LinkedIn
Sarmad Afzal
Sarmad Afzal
Lead AI Engineer - AI Innovation at Royal Cyber
Generative AI & ML expert at Royal Cyber | UChicago alum | Skilled in LLMs, computer vision, deep learning & data science
LinkedIn
Shikhar Saraswat
Shikhar Saraswat
AI Software Engineer at Royal Cyber
AI Engineer & Full Stack Dev skilled in AWS AI, Java, React, Spring Boot, microservices, and cloud solutions.
LinkedIn

Agenda

Networking & Coffee
  • Executive networking with peers, Microsoft, and Royal Cyber teams.
  • Discussion on current challenges and priorities in higher education

From Data to Decisions: How Education Leaders Are Modernizing with Microsoft Fabric

Transforming Education with Microsoft AI: The Future of Campus Operations
  • Improving administrative workflows and operational efficiency
  • Enhancing student engagement through intelligent systems
  • Lessons from ongoing digital transformation initiatives
Othniel Tucker
Othniel Tucker

Account Executive at Microsoft

Panel Discussion 

Data & AI Strategy from the Platform Perspective :
  • What education leaders should prioritize first: data, AI, or productivity
  • Common pitfalls universities face in analytics and AI adoption
  • Platform thinking vs. point solutions
Neeraj Kumar
Neeraj Kumar

Vice President & Chief Information Officer - Roosevelt University

Bamshad Mobasher
Bamshad Mobasher

Professor at DePaul University

Richard Schwarz
Richard Schwarz

Sr. Cloud & AI Specialist - Higher Education/Microsoft

Unlocking Productivity with Microsoft Copilot
  • Copilot boosts productivity by summarizing content, drafting emails, translating documents, and working directly within your daily workflow.
  • AI is becoming more accessible and practical, with secure, compliant models, real-world use cases (including education), and flexible pricing compared to traditional solutions.
  • Copilot augments human expertise, acting as a customizable digital assistant that adapts to your role and tone rather than replacing people.
Lincoln Hughes
Lincoln Hughes

Education Solution Specialist - Microsoft

Royal Cyber Session 

Turning Strategy into Execution: Implementing Fabric, AI Foundry, and Copilot in Higher Ed :
  • Reference architectures for higher education
  • Common implementation patterns across teaching, IT, and operations
  • What it realistically takes to go from pilot to production
Asif Hussain
Asif Hussain

Practice Head - Automation at Royal Cyber

Alex Jeyasingh
Alex Jeyasingh Nesiyan

Director Technology - AI / ML at Royal Cyber

Shikhar Saraswat
Shikar Saraswat

Data Scientist- MS Fabric Solution

Sarmad Afzal
Sarmad Afzal

Lead AI Engineer - AI Innovation at Royal Cyber

Networking Lunch
  • Open networking with attendees and speakers
  • Deeper one-on-one conversations
  • Relationship building with peers across institutions
Networking Lunch
Network with industry leaders over delicious bites.

Why Attend

AI Data Analytics

Hear directly from peers leading technology initiatives at major universities

cutting-edge retail

Gain insight into how AI is being applied on campuses today

AI Chatbot Assist

Participate in thoughtful, in-person discussion with fellow leaders

AI Risk

Leave with a clearer perspective on where AI can deliver real value

Whether you’re a CIO, CTO, academic leader, or an executive leading digital transformation and AI strategy, this event delivers the insights needed to drive meaningful innovation across your institution.

Shaping the Future of Learning and Productivity with Microsoft Fabric, Copilot, and AI Foundry