
The Power of AI: Own Your Future in the AI Generation
The 2023 conference has concluded successfully! Stay tuned for the next event in 2024.





2023 PROGRAMS & SPEAKERS

TIME TO RECONNECT
Morning Coffee & Networking
Come early to check-in and network with fellow WCA members, peers and community leaders! Check-in table opens at 8:00AM with coffee and light breakfast. Programming starts at 9:00AM.

Dr. Cindy Royal, a leading expert in digital media and journalism, is a professor at Texas State University. Her impactful research and innovative teaching methods prepare students for the digital age. She bridges academia and industry, shaping the future of media professionals. Generated by ChatGPT.
SPEAKER SESSION
AI 101: Getting Started with Artificial Intelligence
Cindy Royal, Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Texas State University
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, artificial intelligence is the driving force behind innovation. This session is your entry point into the world of AI. Whether you’re a beginner or someone who has begun experimenting with AI tools, you’ll gain a solid foundation in understanding AI concepts, practical applications, and how it’s reshaping industries and creating ethical implications. Get ready to take your first step into the fascinating realm of AI.

Rafaella, co-founder and CCO of Vlogmi, a platform for sharing authentic behind-the-scenes content. Her role encompasses marketing, UI/UX, and graphic design. With a track record of orchestrating content for celebrities and influencers, her work has garnered over 50 million views within the past 9 months.
SPEAKER SESSION
The Era of AI, Data-Driven Creativity, and the Creator Economy
Rafaella Chavez Thorssen, Co-founder & CCO of Vlogmi
Explore the synergy of AI and creativity in the world of creator economy, marketing, and communication. Learn how to harness data to create authentic content and increase audience engagement. Discover actionable insights at the intersection of technology and storytelling.

Numa Dhamani is a Principal Machine Learning Engineer at KUNGFU.AI working at the intersection of technology and society. She is also the co-author of Introduction to Generative AI: An Ethical, Societal, and Legal Overview, to be published by Manning Publications in Fall 2023.
SPEAKER SESSION
Engage, Learn, Prompt: Practical Prompting Techniques
Numa Dhamani, Principal Machine Learning Engineer, KUNGFU.AI
In this interactive session, we will demonstrate and practice several prompting techniques with AI chatbots. It will empower the audience to incorporate and engage with AI chatbots into their professional and personal workflows. Get ready to engage, learn, and prompt!

Jess leads Accenture’s Marketing Transformation Strategy & Readiness practice, guiding marketers as they envision and realize their transformation agendas. She works with brands to redefine their experiences, adapt to ever-changing customer needs, and rewire their organizations and capabilities, integrating emerging technologies like GenAI for continued relevance and growth.
SPEAKER SESSION
Marketing in the Machine Age: Embracing GenAI for Success
Jess Lin, Marketing Transformation Managing Director, Accenture
Embark on a compelling journey into the world of AI-powered branding and marketing. We’ll explore how GenAI is revolutionizing marketing, uncover key use cases today and for the future, and learn how marketers are already embracing it. Discover how we collaborate with clients to harness GenAI’s potential. We’ll delve into the art of the possible — and some of the exciting tools that enable it — as GenAI reshapes marketing, while separating hype from reality and addressing critical considerations. We’ll also provide actionable insights for immediate GenAI impact and guide you on your ongoing learning journey. Join us at this insightful session for a grounded, expert perspective on the AI marketing revolution and what it means for you as a marketer.

Rebecca Gonzales is the Worldwide Head of Enablement for the Generative AI Innovation Center for AWS. Before coming to Amazon, she spent more than 25 years in the technology sector, has mentored international startups and women entrepreneurs, and was an entrepreneur running her own consultancy. She is passionate about using technology to improve people’s lives.
SPEAKER SESSION
Generative AI and its impact on ID&E
Rebecca Y. Gonzales WW Head Generative AI Enablement Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Generative AI is the fastest growing technology of our lifetime. With the widespread adoption of generative AI, we must be diligent in recognizing both the positive and negative impacts this technology will have on our efforts around inclusion, diversity, and equity and to society as a whole.

RECHARGE
Meditation + Electronics-free Zen Zone
Raelynn Haynes, Willow Gardens Yoga Studio
Dr. Raelynn Haynes is a science professor at Texas State University, owns two yoga studios in the surrounding Austin area (Buda and Lockhart) and directs the Willow Gardens Yoga Teacher Training School. She is a teacher of biology, anatomy, yoga, meditation, Pilates and barre, and a holistic health coach. She believes that everyone deserves opportunities for good health and offers services through yoga, private coaching sessions, retreats and healthy foods.