Sara M. Watson is an independent industry analyst and technology critic. Her intersectional career covering emerging technology, data, privacy, and tech policy bridges industry, policy, and academia. Sara has covered emerging tech trends for enterprise tech business leaders as a principal analyst at Forrester, Insider Intelligence, and the Gartner Research Board. As a sought-after keynote speaker, Watson helps audiences understand the ways emerging technologies are reshaping business and society, and the opportunities they present for organizations to innovate and operate ahead of the curve. Using accessible, concrete examples, captivating visuals, and a healthy dose of wit and humor in her presentations, Watson’s grounded insights into the possibilities, challenges, and ethical considerations of artificial intelligence, big data, and other emerging tech advancements offer a strategic vision for organizations in any industry.

Frances West is an internationally-recognized thought leader, inspirational speaker, strategy advisor, author, and women in technology trailblazer known for her work in innovation, technology, and business transformation. She is the founder of FrancesWestCo, a global strategy advisory company focused on operationalizing inclusion as a business and technology imperative through her unique Authentic Inclusion™ blueprint. Her insightful and impactful approach comes from her unique personal background as a first-generation, no-English speaking immigrant to her trailblazing professional path as one of the first women in the technology field and her experience as a global executive in sales, marketing, business development, and research as well as her ground-breaking work in accessibility as IBM’s first Chief Accessibility Officer. Frances brings a valuable business perspective to this human rights-based initiative. Because of her expertise, she was invited as the sole IT industry representative to testify before the US Senate on the need to pass the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and she holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts in Boston in recognition of her work in accessibility, research, and digital inclusion.