Dr. Catherine Blake, School of Information Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Catherine Blake is a Professor in the School of Information Sciences and a Health Innovation Professor in the Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She has held various academic leadership positions, including Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the iSchool and Associate Director for the Center for Informatics Research in Science and Scholarship. Her foundational research on how experts synthesize scientific evidence earned a best paper award from the Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology. Additionally, she served as Principal Investigator of the NSF’s Midwest Big Data Innovation Hub, which received the Chicago Council on Science and Technology Synergy Award in 2025. Her interdisciplinary work blends technical and social aspects of data analytics, including the development of foundational courses for the MS in Information Management program.

Dr. Adil Haider, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Adil Haider, MD, MPH, FACS is an internationally recognized trauma surgeon, public health scientist, and the Inaugural Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at Carle Illinois College of Medicine. He is also the Founder and CEO of Boston Health AI, an initiative aimed at scaling accessible clinical intelligence globally with a mission to treat one billion patients. Previously, Dr. Haider served as Dean of the Aga Khan University Medical College from 2019 to 2025 and held senior leadership roles at Johns Hopkins Medicine and Harvard Medical School, where his pioneering research helped establish the field of surgical disparities. A widely published researcher with over 450 peer-reviewed papers, he currently serves as Deputy Editor of JAMA Surgery and Medical Director for Research Informatics at Carle Health. His distinguished career has earned him major honors, including the ACS Jacobson Promising Investigator Award, the Ellis Island Medal of Honour, and the Johns Hopkins Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Dr. Alison Keogh, Trinity College Dublin

Dr. Alison Keogh is a physical therapist, educator, and researcher based in Trinity College Dublin Ireland. She has a strong interest in digital health, physical activity, and healthcare innovation, with experience in clinical practice, teaching, and research across a range of healthcare settings.

Dr. Holly Lisanby, Founding Dean, John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering, Arizona State University

Dr. Sarah “Holly” Hollingsworth Lisanby, MD, DLFAPA, is the Founding Dean of the Arizona State University John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering, where she leads a next-generation curriculum integrating medicine, engineering, entrepreneurship, and artificial intelligence. An internationally recognized physician-scientist, she pioneered the field of therapeutic neuromodulation, including advancing FDA-cleared therapies like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and developing Magnetic Seizure Therapy (MST) from engineering concept to clinical trials. Prior to joining ASU, Dr. Lisanby served as Director of the Division of Translational Research at the National Institute of Mental Health, overseeing a $400 million portfolio and co-leading the NIH BRAIN Initiative. Previously, she served as Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University, where she expanded integrated models of research and patient care. Over her distinguished career, she has maintained continuous NIH funding for over two decades, authored more than 330 peer-reviewed publications, and consistently bridged neuroscience, engineering, and technology to advance patient care.

Dr. Mel Speisman, President, American College of Artificial Intelligence and Medicine

Dr. Mel Speisman is an internal medicine specialist, expert in managing chronic conditions, and an pioneer in AI and medicine. A lifelong member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, he spent 25 years as a core faculty member in internal medicine residency, earning numerous teaching awards and mentoring future leaders in academic medicine. In August 2024, he transitioned from Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine to President of the American College of Artificial Intelligence and Medicine. His advanced training includes AI and healthcare certifications from Harvard Medical School, MIT, Northwestern Kellogg, and Stanford University. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Physicians and Artificial Intelligence and Medicine, and was honored with the ACP Illinois Laureate Award in 2026.