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In a rapidly transforming world, data has become the new competitive advantage. And according to future trends expert Paul Zikopoulos, “Every day we walk by solvable problems, leaving opportunities untapped.” The VP of Technology Unit Skills & Enablement at IBM, Zikopoulos discusses how working these “solvable problems” creates disruption in the marketplace and how golden signals of opportunity can be found within mountains of noise. At IBM, Paul leads from the front, owning accountability and strategic direction in a “tech years are like dog years” world for the entire IBM Technology Unit’s (all IBM software and hardware) sales, tech sales, and partner ecosystem learning journeys, and upskilling programs.

Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau for lectures, Paul is changing the way audiences are looking at their businesses in terms of potential sales, obstacles, potential for growth, and how they utilize technology, such as generative AI and cloud applications, to support their organizations. Paul shares future trends that are starting to happen in real-time and have multiple applications: from garbage cans that alert sanitation departments when they need collection – saving cities millions – to shampoo brands that are connecting weather forecasts with personal consumer profiles to suggest the right mix of hair products for the day. He easily discusses the next generation of technological change from the power of machine learning and voice-to-text, to the opportunities in reading digital body language and joining the Internet of Things trillion sensor economy, and more.

Incredibly energetic and easy to follow, Paul is the antithesis of what many people think of when they consider a big data expert. Using incredible visuals, including a hashtag aggregator that instantly creates examples of perfectly segmented consumers live on stage, Paul amazes audiences with the amount of information available to change the conversation about your industry. By sharing his insights on where big data comes from and the idea that “If you aren’t paying for it, you are being sold,” Paul breaks apart the roles of data collection and decision making for executives seeking the opportunities for disrupting their industry and leap-frogging the competition.

Paul is an award-winning tech thought leader and writer who has shared his expertise on AI and big data on the popular TV show, 60 Minutes, as well as in publications such as Technopedia and Analytics Week. He has published 21 books, including Cloud Without Compromise, The AI Ladder, and three ‘For Dummies’ titles, and more than 360 articles during his, as he calls it, accidental 28-year career as a data nerd — which he began with no prior coding experience. Among the leading voices in tech and big data, Paul has been named in dozens of global “Experts to Follow” & “Influencers” lists, including Analytics Insight’s “Top 100 Global AI & Big Data Influencers” and SAP’s “50 Big Data Twitter Influencers.” Currently, he is writing an O’Reilly book on Hybrid Cloud. An expert in harnessing the power of big data, Paul brings real world experience from his at time managing more than 1,400 professionals to help groups build influence and affect change in their organization. 

Paul has taken an active role in bolstering Women in Technology, LGBT and general workplace inclusivity (completing an intensive D&I certificate at Cornell University), and Coding for Veterans. In addition to being the first and only male ever to be recognized as an IBM Canada “Women in Technology Ally of the Year” award winner, he is a seated board member for Switch (formerly known as Women 2.0), a global network and social platform for aspiring and current female founders of technology ventures who he became involved with after one of his tweets was mentioned on the TV show “The View.” He is also on the world-recognized Masters of Management Analytics and AI program boards at Canada’s prestigious Queen’s University.

Michelle Schultz was sworn in on January 11, 2021, as a new member of the Surface Transportation Board.  Michelle was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 18, 2020.  Michelle served as Vice Chairman of the Board from February 2022 to January 2023.

For the previous 14 years, Michelle served in various leadership roles with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), which serves the public transportation needs of over one million daily riders in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs. She is regarded as a leading lawyer and policy professional in the public transportation space. Most recently, Michelle served as SEPTA’s Deputy General Counsel, where her responsibilities included: representing the agency before the Federal Railroad Administration and Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission; serving as lead counsel on a major railroad reconstruction project; overseeing compliance, regulatory, and legislative issues; and, serving as lead counsel on real estate transactions and contract negotiations.

During her time with SEPTA, Michelle also served as the Director of Legislative Affairs where she managed a team of public policy professionals who advocated for SEPTA on the local, state and federal level. She was also responsible for reviewing legislation and regulations at the local, state and federal level for impact to SEPTA as well as drafting provisions. Michelle served as SEPTA’s representative to the Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association and the Keystone Transportation Funding Coalition.

Early in her career, Michelle was an associate with White and Williams LLP where she represented businesses from diverse industries with a focus on financing matters including Chapter 7 and 11 bankruptcy, commercial litigation, and collection matters. Prior her time in private practice, she served as a judicial law clerk for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and prior to that, as a judicial law clerk for the late Vincent A. Cirillo, President Judge Emeritus of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.

Schultz obtained a Master of Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania; a Juris Doctor from Widener University School of Law; and a Bachelor of Arts from the Pennsylvania State University. She is licensed to practice law in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Robert E. Primus was sworn in as a Member of the Surface Transportation Board on January 7, 2021, following his confirmation by the U.S. Senate on September 16, 2020.  He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate for a full term on December 20, 2022 and sworn in on January 12, 2023.  Mr. Primus served as Vice Chairman of the Board from February 2021 to February 2022.

For the past thirty years, Robert Primus has been involved in various aspects of the United States Congress and the Federal legislative process.  In 1991, he began his government service with the late Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey.  In 1993, he moved to the House of Representatives to join the legislative staff of former Representative Carrie Meek of Florida.  Mr. Primus joined the staff of former Representative Mel Reynolds of Illinois in early 1994 and remained there as the Congressman’s principal legislative assistant until the end of that year.

In 1995, Mr. Primus transitioned from the Hill to the lobbying firm of Van Scoyoc Associates, Inc. where, for four years, he represented and advised firm clients on budgetary, appropriations, transportation, and national security matters.  Mr. Primus returned to Capitol Hill in 1999 as Legislative Director to former Representative Michael Capuano of Massachusetts.  In 2002, Representative Capuano promoted Mr. Primus to the position of Chief of Staff, a post he held until December of 2018, when Representative Capuano departed Congress.  In addition to his Chief of Staff duties, Mr. Primus advised Rep. Capuano on national security, health care, transportation and Coast Guard-related matters.

In January of 2019, Mr. Primus joined the office of Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán of California as her Chief of Staff.  In October of 2019, he departed Representative Barragán’s office and joined the office of former Presidential candidate and current Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio as his Senior Advisor.  He served with Congressman Ryan until February 2020, when Mr. Primus joined the office of Congressman Tony Cárdenas, first as his Senior Advisor and then as Chief of Staff.

Mr. Primus is a native of Madison, New Jersey.  He graduated with honors from Hampton University in 1991, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing.  Additionally, Mr. Primus received a certificate from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in 2007 for his participation in the school’s Executive Education Program.  He is happily married and enjoys the daily challenges associated with raising three adventurous young boys.

John Sileo lost his million-dollar startup, his wealth, and two years of his life to cybercrime. It began when a cybercriminal (and trusted insider) embezzled from the company’s clients using John’s identity. John was held legally and financially responsible for the felonies committed while proving his innocence. The losses not only destroyed his company and decimated his life savings, but consumed two years of young fatherhood as he fought to stay out of jail.

Thankfully, John’s story has a happy ending. After two years, he was exonerated of all crimes and has spent the better part of two decades sharing his story and hard-earned wisdom as a cybersecurity expert, award-winning author, 60 Minutes guest and keynote speaker for the Pentagon, Amazon, and thousands of audiences worldwide. He seeks to keep organizations from becoming the next disastrous data breach headline. John specializes in the human elements of cybersecurity and uses disarming humor, audience interaction and cutting-edge research to keep his training relevant and entertaining.

John is President of The Sileo Group, a Colorado-based think tank, and serves on several boards as a director. He graduated with honors from Harvard University and was recently inducted into the National Speakers Hall of Fame. John finds his greatest pleasure hiking in the Rocky Mountains with his amazing wife and strong daughters – the lovely family who helped him turn life’s lemons into something much sweeter and more fulfilling.