Charlotte AI Summit 2026

AI + Opportunity: Innovation, Leadership + Human Impact
About this Event

Charlotte AI Summit 2026

Where AI, Innovation, and Human Potential Converge

🗓️Thursday, June 18, 2026

⏰8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
📍Central Piedmont Community College – Parr Center
🛜CharlotteAISummit.com

Artificial Intelligence is transforming every industry — from healthcare, finance, education, entrepreneurship, and workforce development to marketing, product innovation, governance, and leadership.

Charlotte AI Summit 2026 brings together executives, founders, innovators, educators, investors, healthcare leaders, technologists, students, young professionals, workforce development leaders, and community builders for a full day of practical conversations on AI, innovation, leadership, and economic opportunity.

Whether you are leading AI adoption, building a company, growing your career, developing talent pipelines, exploring emerging technologies, or preparing the next generation of innovators, this summit was designed for you.

Join leaders from AWS, CGI, Citi, Gartner, MedStar Health, TIAA, LEAP, LaunchWorks, AI Innovation Council, Ascend Charlotte, Fifth Third Bank, Syntari AI, ProdZenAI, and more as we explore how AI is reshaping our industries, communities, and future.

Featured Conversations

AI + Human Care
Women in Leadership + AI in Surgery

The Future of Work Is Already Here
Jobs, Teams + Leadership in the AI Economy

Money, Fraud + Trust
AI in Finance, Risk + Consumer Protection

Who Owns the Future?
Copyright, Privacy + AI Rights

Build What Matters
Neuroglove + Product Design + Innovation

Your Next Team Member Is AI
Agentic AI + The New Workplace

Collective Impact
Workforce Development + Digital Literacy

Building Charlotte’s AI Innovation Economy
Can Charlotte lead the Southeast?

Executive AI Lab
Exclusive Executive Track | Limited Capacity: 80 Participants

Designed for founders, CIOs, CTOs, consultants, marketers, operators, technology leaders, analysts, and innovation teams seeking practical, hands-on conversations around AI implementation, governance, and adoption.

Featured sessions include:

Managing a Fleet of AI Agents
Agentic AI for Enterprise Operations

How to Make AI My Chief Marketing Officer
GEO, AEO, Content Creation + Marketing Automation

Claude Code vs. OpenAI Codex vs. Microsoft Copilot Studio vs. Google AI Studio
Choosing the Right AI Development Stack

AI Governance = Architecture
Privacy, Compliance + Executive Risk

NextGen + Innovation

A curated experience connecting students, young professionals, entrepreneurs, and future innovators with executives, founders, investors, workforce leaders, and technology experts.

Featuring:

• Startup Showcase
• Career Pathways
• Innovation Demonstrations
• Mentor Connections
• Executive Networking
• Workforce Development Resources

Featured SpeakersBecause the future of Artificial Intelligence belongs not only to today’s leaders, but to the next generation who will build it.

Event Schedule
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Executive Breakfast + Registration

9:30 AM – 9:45 AM
Opening Remarks

Brett Fansler
Executive Director for Corporate Engagement, Central Piedmont Community College

9:45 AM – 10:25 AM
AI + Human Care

Women in Leadership + AI in Surgery
Featuring:
Mireille Truong, MD — MedStar Health
Sirisha “Siri” Swahari — CGI | Women Executives Circle

10:35 AM – 11:15 AM
The Future of Work Is Already Here

Jobs, Teams + Leadership in the AI Economy
Featuring:
Alex Cena — LEAP
Celestine Pressley — Gartner
Dr. Camelia Taheri Protzel — TIAA

11:35 AM – 12:00 PM
Money, Fraud + Trust

AI in Finance, Risk + Consumer Protection
Featuring:
Katherine Wong — ProdZenAI
Rafi Menachem — Syntari AI

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Networking Lunch + Investor Connections

Afternoon Program

1:00 PM – 1:40 PM
Who Owns the Future?

Copyright, Privacy + AI Rights
Featuring:
Michael T. Abramson — Jordan IP Law
Lena Chun Lee — Linville Law Office
Rachel Di Martino — Hatfield Lange Consulting

1:50 PM – 2:30 PM
Build What Matters

Neuroglove + Product Design + Innovation
Featuring:
Monish Pemmasani — Neuroglove
Torrence Reed — Battery Xchange

2:40 PM – 3:20 PM
Your Next Team Member Is AI

Agentic AI + The New Workplace
Featuring:
Dr. Camelia Taheri Protzel — TIAA
Michael Schreiber — Proactive Technology Management

3:30 PM – 3:40 PM
Collective Impact

Workforce Development + Digital Literacy
Featuring:
Dr. John Chen — CAACC & AAFC

3:40 PM – 3:50 PM
State of AI

Featuring:
Charles D’Andrea — AI Innovation Council

3:50 PM – 4:20 PM
Can Charlotte Lead the Southeast?

Building the Region’s AI Innovation Economy
Featuring:
Hiren Deliwala — AWS
Kaiwen Chen — LaunchWorks
Vishal Bhalla — AnalytAIX

4:20 PM – 5:30 PM
Innovation Social Hour

Continue networking with speakers, executives, founders, sponsors, students, investors, and community leaders from across the Carolinas.

Executive AI Lab Schedule

Location: Multipurpose Room
Limited Capacity: 80 Participants

1:00 PM – 1:35 PM
Managing a Fleet of AI Agents

Agentic AI for Enterprise Operations
Speaker:
Katherine Wong
Chief Strategy Officer, ProdZenAI

Explore how organizations are deploying AI agents to automate workflows, improve efficiency, scale operations, and create measurable business outcomes.

1:35 PM – 2:10 PM
How to Make AI My Chief Marketing Officer

GEO, AEO, Content Creation + Marketing Automation
Speakers:
Breanne Byrne — Syntari AI
Rachel Di Martino — Hatfield Lange Consulting

Topics include GEO, AEO, AI content systems, marketing automation, customer engagement, and AI-powered growth strategies.

2:10 PM – 2:45 PM
Choosing the Right AI Development Stack

Claude Code vs. OpenAI Codex vs. Microsoft Copilot Studio vs. Google AI Studio
Speaker:
Rafi Menachem
Founder, Syntari AI

Compare today’s leading AI development environments and learn how organizations are selecting platforms based on business goals, governance needs, technical resources, and implementation strategy.

2:45 PM – 3:20 PM
AI Governance = Architecture

Privacy, Compliance + Executive Risk
Speakers:
Hiren Deliwala — AWS Public Sector
Dr. Camelia Taheri Protzel — TIAA
Henan Li — Citi

Learn how governance, architecture, compliance, and responsible AI frameworks shape enterprise adoption and long-term success.

Speakers + Panelists

Michael T. Abramson
Principal, Jordan IP Law

Alex Cena
Chief Programs Officer, LEAP

Dr. John Chen
Chairman, Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce
Executive Director, Asian American Foundation for the Carolinas

Kaiwen Chen
Executive Director, LaunchWorks

Charles D’Andrea
AI Innovation Council

Hiren Deliwala
AWS Public Sector

Vishal Bhalla
Founder & CEO, AnalytAIX

Michael Gilbert
Principal Consultant

Henan Li
SVP, Financial Planning Integration, Citi

Lena Chun Lee
Estate Planning & Elder Law Attorney, Linville Law Office

Rafi Menachem
Founder, Syntari AI

Monish Pemmasani
Founder, Neuroglove

Celestine Pressley
Executive Partner, Gartner Executive Programs

Dr. Camelia Taheri Protzel
Program Director, Workforce Transformation & Emerging Technology, TIAA

Torrence Reed
Chief Technology Officer, Battery Xchange

Michael Schreiber
Director of Fusion Development, Proactive Technology Management

Sirisha “Siri” Swahari
Vice President, US Global Technology Operations, CGI
Founder, Women Executives Circle

Mireille Truong, MD
Division Director, Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery, MedStar Health

Katherine Wong
Chief Strategy Officer, ProdZenAI

Rachel Di Martino
Principal Consultant, Hatfield Lange Consulting LLC

Breanne Byrne
Syntari AI

Moderators

Carolyn Lent
Financial Center Manager, Fifth Third Bank

Linda Yang
Executive Director, Information Strategy & Analytics, Family Health Initiatives

Minh Ngo
Executive Director, Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce

Presented By

Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce
Asian American Foundation for the Carolinas
Barings
Central Piedmont Community College

Powered By

AI Innovation Council
Ascend Charlotte
Central Piedmont Small Business Center
Fifth Third Bank
Mint Hill Marketing
Savvy Pioneer
Social Media Club Charlotte

Vendors + Exhibitors

Alexis + Kingston
Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce
Central Piedmont Small Business Center
Fifth Third Bank
Linxy
New York Life
Queen City Robotics
TIAA
Truliant Federal Credit Union
Urban Sweets
Wild’s Wonder
Women+ in Tech Charlotte
Zembra’s Coffee

Partners

AI Innovation Council
AnalytAIX
Ascend Charlotte
AWS
Battery Xchange
Central Piedmont Small Business Center
CGI
Citi
Compass Group USA
Fifth Third Bank
Gartner
Hatfield Lange Consulting LLC
Jordan IP Law
LaunchWorks
LEAP
Le Phim Media
Linville Law Office
Linxy
MedStar Health
Mint Hill Marketing
New York Life
Paradigm CI
ProdZenAI
Queen City Robotics
Savvy Pioneer
Social Media Club Charlotte
Syntari AI
TIAA
Urban Sweets
Women+ in Tech Charlotte

Agenda

🕑: 08:30 AM - 09:30 AM
Registered Guests Check-In, Networking
🕑: 09:30 AM - 04:30 PM
Educational Program
🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Networking Lunch
🕑: 04:20 PM - 05:00 PM
Innovation Social Hour