Dates: Thursday June 4 and Friday June 5, 2026
Location: Ala Moana Hotel
Audience: HIDOE teachers and educational specialists, UH Faculty and IT Staff, Industry partners
Schedule & Sessions
Thursday, June 4, 2026
08:00 AM
Registration / Breakfast / Networking
PCATT 25 years Time Capsule Gallery — all day
Room: Anthurium
09:00 AM
Opening Remarks
PCATT Welcome and 25th Anniversary Celebration — Karen Lee, Honolulu Community College Chancellor
University of Hawaiʻi Welcome — Kim Siegenthaler, UH System Senior Advisor to the President
Room: Hibiscus
09:30 AM
Keynote Speaker
Chris Barton – Founder and Creator of Shazam, Entrepreneur, Inventor, and Tech Investor
Topic – Bring Impossible Ideas to Life
Room: Hibiscus
Presenter: Chris Barton
Founder and Creator of Shazam, Entrepreneur, Inventor, and Tech Investor
Description: Technology & AI are dramatically changing what’s possible in our world. Our challenge as we create new things is to dislodge from the comfort of what we already know. Chris created Shazam after being told by every “expert” that his outlandish idea was impossible. It was an idea far ahead of its time – eight years before iPhone apps even existed. In this presentation, Chris helps audiences imagine and then create new visions for the future. He inspires with jaw-dropping stories about creating Shazam and shows how innovation comes from not just an idea, but from a series of insights to overcome obstacles along the way.
Takeaway: Audiences learn a new framework of thinking to drive innovation through technology and AI.
10:30 AM
Track I — Trust in AI
Session — Auntie’s Advice for AI Ethics and Responsible Use
Room: Pakalana
Presenter: Mericia Palma Elmore
UH System and HPU
Description: In the landscape of AI, most of us travel between fascinated and freaked out on any given day. We read the articles, scroll the feeds, and consume the podcasts. It is too much and not enough; it would be helpful to have a knowledgeable auntie (and her friends) who have the time and space to sit with you a while and have some real talk.
Join Mericia Palma Elmore in conversation with writer/producer Noah Evslin, journalist Cassie Ordonio, and IATSE Local 665 President Christopher Weiking. Together they’ll dig into AI ethics, what responsible practice actually looks like in newsrooms and on set, and what they hope for the future of media and creative work.
Track II — AI and the Future of Work
Session — Game-Based Learning with AI: From Concept to Classroom
Room: Plumeria
Presenter: Monir Hodges
PCATT
Description: This session explores how AI can be used to design and build an engaging educational game app for students. It will demonstrate how AI tools can help generate ideas, create interactive content, personalize learning experiences, and simplify development—making it easier to turn core academic concepts into fun, accessible gameplay that supports student learning.
Track III — Public/Social Interest in AI
Session — AI 101 Vibe Coding: Build and Launch Your Own Projects
Room: Carnation
Presenter: Gabriel Yanagihara
Description: In this interactive session, attendees will learn what AI is and what it is truly capable of in today’s landscape. We will then dive into how to use AI to rapidly prototype, build, and launch your own digital projects. Participants will explore the “vibe coding” workflow and leave with their own website, a project plan, and the AI skills needed to improve office productivity for free starting tomorrow.
Track IV — Mechanics of AI
Session — Operationalizing Intelligence in Real-World
Room: Ilima
Presenter: Paul Sakamoto
UHCC
Description: A practical view of AI adoption within existing systems, workflows, and organizational constraints. The following tools will be demonstrated:
1. AI Career Explorer
2. AI Program Report (education to workforce alignment)
3. AI Data Query (Using AI to write SQL and extract data)
11:45 AM
Lunch
Pre-Function Area
12:15 PM
Lunch Panel
Room: Hibiscus
What should educators learn from entrepreneurs, and what should entrepreneurs learn from educators?
Chris Barton — Industry
Kim Siegenthaler — UH System
Brett Tanaka — HIDOE
01:30 PM
Track I — Trust in AI
Session — AI in Cybersecurity
Room: Pakalana
Presenter: Chad Morita
Description: TBA
Track II — AI and the Future of Work
Session — AI Workforce Resources from the National Science Foundation
Room: Plumeria
Presenters:
Dr. Kimberly Scott
Sarah Dunton
Dr. Nasser Alaraje
NSF
Description: This session will cover AI funding opportunities, partnership possibilities, and guidance on NSF program submissions.
This session is presented virtually.
Track III — Public/Social Interest in AI
Session — Who Shapes the Future? AI, Access, and Hawaiʻi’s Answer
Room: Carnation
Presenter: Nicole Cacal
TRUE Initiative
Description: The Hawaiʻi AI Center exists to make AI a force for good on our islands. Together, TRUE Initiative, the University of Hawaii, MIT, DBEDT, and industry partners are working together to build the locally governed infrastructure, talent pipeline, and industry connections that let our people build full, well-paying careers. The MIT PATH pilot is our first proof point: that a community can equip its own people to build the future at home, instead of leaving to find it.
Track IV — Mechanics of AI
Session — Understanding Machine Learning Algorithms
Room: Ilima
Presenter:Wayne Lewis PCATT
Focus: Supervised vs. unsupervised learning
02:30 PM
Track I — Trust in AI
Session — Tropes: Why Knowing Stories Helps You Understand the Limits of AI
Room: Pakalana
Presenter: Brook Conner
Description: It seems AI has been affecting every aspect of life, from cheating in education, to jobs lost to bots, to social interaction online, to drone-driven wars. But there’s secret hidden inside how AI works. AI statistically recombines what it has been trained on to produce something likely. And what is more likely than a story? And what do you call a likely story? A trope. A trope is a stereotype of discourse, and AI produces Uncanny Discourse. Why do AI proponents claim AI will take over the world? Because that’s been the story of technology we create, since the Matrix, Kubrick’s 2001, Shelley’s Frankenstein, Icarus, and the Golem. So if you’ve read Shakespeare or Harry Potter, so has AI and it will tell you the stories you already know. But the trouble with tropes is that they aren’t the actual truth, just an average. Just a stereotype. Bio: Brook Conner is a faculty instructor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he teaches a variety of computer science classes. He is also an advisor at Graphistry, Inc., a software company providing information visualization of complex cybersecurity situations. He has over 25 years of experience in the technology and security fields, with multiple publications, speaking engagements, and certifications to his name. He has held technology leadership positions at multiple large organizations. Most recently, he transformed the technology landscape of public education in Hawaii as the CIO (chief information officer) of the state’s Department of Education, modernizing legacy systems, enhancing collaboration, and ensuring network resilience. He was the CISO (chief information security officer) at Estée Lauder Companies (a Fortune 500 retailer and manufacturer), and led vulnerability management for Morgan Stanley (one of the largest investment banks in the world). His passion is to apply his expertise and skills to create innovative solutions that advance digital transformations with an emphasis on cybersecurity and visualization.
Track II — AI and the Future of Work
Session — Beyond the Bot: How Building with AI Is Defining the Future of Work in Hawaiʻi
Room: Plumeria
Presenter: Dr. Gloria Niles
University of Hawaiʻi System
Description: The Intelligence Era is swiftly moving beyond the “bot phase” of simply using AI tools into the “build phase” of creation and customization. This presentation explores why the future of work requires employees with specialized skills to build with AI, leading to dramatic improvements in productivity, efficiency, and individual agency across all industry sectors. We will discuss the competencies necessary for this shift and highlight the University of Hawaiʻi’s free “Artificial Intelligence for Hawaiʻi” course (https://aiforhi.hawaii.edu/) as an accessible strategy for all attendees to upskill in AI literacy and drive this new building paradigm.
Track III — Public/Social Interest in AI
Session — Every Candidate Deserves an Interview. Every Employer Deserves a Real Conversation. AI Delivers Both.
Room: Carnation
Presenter: Lionel Derrick Roxas
eWorld Enterprise
Description: Hawai’i loses talent every time an interview doesn’t happen. Candidates struggle with speaking after growing up in the digital world, and employers make bad hires because they screen people out on paper instead of talking to them first. Hexcelerate, built by UH students for Hawaiʻi’s workforce, fixes both with one conversational AI platform: HexReady for candidates and HexHire for employers. In this session, you’ll get hands-on with our “Tell Your Story” interview prep module, then see how the same conversation scales to employers like Goodwill, WorkHawaii, Oceanit, and HECO. You’ll walk away with the workshop curriculum, a live demo, and a partnership pathway for your school or organization.
Presenter: Nani Daniels
Apple Education Hawaiʻi and Alaska
Scott Brems
Apple
Description: Learn about AI, Machine Learning, and Apple Intelligence, and how Apple securely and privately integrates them into products and services you use every day.
Track IV — Mechanics of AI
Session — Apple Intelligence, ML, and AI
Room: Ilima
03:45 PM
Friday, June 5, 2026
08:00 AM
Registration / Breakfast / Networking
PCATT 25 years Time Capsule Gallery — all day
Room: Anthurium
09:00 AM
Keynote Speaker
Dave Free – Cisco Networking Academy
Topic – Learning at the Speed of AI with Cisco
Room: Hibiscus
Presenter: Dave Free
Cisco Networking Academy
Topic Description: The pace of AI innovation is unprecedented, but technical progress is only half the story. As we move from AI as a tool to AI as a collaborative coworker, the true challenge lies in preparing our workforce to keep pace. Join Dave Free from Cisco Networking Academy for an insightful look at how the landscape of ICT roles is shifting—and why 78% of technology jobs will soon require specialized AI skills. In this session, we will explore the “AI fog”—the gap between rapid technical advancement and workforce preparedness—and discuss how educators can bridge it.
We’ll look beyond the hype to examine the essential blend of technical proficiency, ethical intelligence, and human-centric skills needed to succeed in the AI era. Whether you are looking to integrate AI into your curriculum or help students transition from
entry-level learners to expert AI practitioners, this session offers a practical roadmap for building a resilient, future-ready workforce.
10:15 AM
Track I — Trust in AI
Session — Trust by Design in the Age of AI
Room: Pakalana
Presenter: Victoria Rivett, AI in Education
Description: This presentation explores how trust in AI should be developed intentionally rather than assumed. It explores how AI is reshaping the process in academia and other domains in how we come to know what is true, how knowledge is formed and information is interpreted. Participants will gain practical ways to verify and use AI with greater confidence in everyday work and life.
Track II — AI and the Future of Work
Session — Experience AI on Apple Platforms
Room: Carnation
Presenter: Apple Presenter
Apple Education
Focus: Join us for this hands-on experience to explore the full spectrum of on-device AI, cloud AI, and Apple Intelligence across Apple platforms – iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Track III — Public/Social Interest in AI
Session — How can AI tools help with grading? An ethical and practical dive into four effective techniques
Room: Plumeria
Presenter: Kevin Lim
Description: AI Tools based on Large Language Models (LLMs) are changing education. In this session, I’ll talk about upgrades I’ve made to my process that reduce the grading burden while increasing feedback quality and improving student-teacher relationships.
Track IV — Mechanics of AI
Session — Impact of GenAI in the Classroom – Case Study from a Capstone Course!
Room: Ilima
Presenter: Debasis Bhattacharya
UH- Maui College
Description: Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), which uses Large Language Models (LLMs), has existed for a few years and has significantly influenced higher education. Although educators understand what GenAI is, they find it challenging to implement it effectively in the classroom. While some disruptions have impacted student learning and assessment, they have also notably affected faculty teaching STEM, Business, and other disciplines.
This session will examine the impact on curriculum development, assessment strategies, and teaching methods for a business course, including a case study from a Business Capstone course in the ABIT BAS program at UH Maui College. Session learning outcomes will include designing an adaptive curriculum, project-based assessments, and oral student presentations that showcase creativity in solving new and unique problems.
This session will cover general topics of interest to faculty, staff, and administrators, including hands-on activities to actively engage a diverse audience.
11:30 AM
Lunch
Pre-Function Area
12:00 PM
Lunch Panel
Room: Hibiscus
Topic: Diversifying our Economy via AI
Moderator: Marty Beach — Anthology FINN Partners
Panelists:
Katie Adams — SAFAL
Nicole Bentley — SAFAL
Branden Baker — Intech Hawaii
Ben Mendes — Hawaii State Federal Credit Union
01:00 PM
Track I — Trust in AI
Session — Digital Sovereignty in the AI Era
Room: Pakalana
Presenter: Todd Robertson
Description: A hopeful, urgent look at how AI is reshaping society, and why Hawaiʻi must help guide that future through equity, digital sovereignty, ALOHA, and human connection.
Track II — AI and the Future of Work
Session — Building the AI Workforce: Practical Pathways into Applied Computing
Room: Plumeria
Presenter: Mahdi Belcaid
UH-Manoa
Description: This session introduces UH Manoa’s AI and Data Science professional programs, designed for learners without prior computer science experience. The session will highlight the program’s student-centered approach and show how students from varied backgrounds can move from little or no prior experience in computer science to real competence in one year through practical training, project-based learning, and exposure to state-of-the-art AI and data science methodologies.
Track III — Public/Social Interest in AI
Session — The Human Edge in an AI World
Room: Carnation
Presenter: Noah Pomeroy
Mindfulness Works
Description: The better AI gets, the more the quality of your own mind matters. This experiential session introduces practical, evidence-based mindfulness training to protect and develop three critical human skills: attention, judgment, and connection. They’re becoming more valuable in our work, our classrooms, and our daily lives. Together, they build agency, the ability to act on purpose instead of running on autopilot. We’ll practice together, and you’ll leave with a simple technique to use before you act on AI’s next answer.
Track IV — Mechanics of AI
Session — Glass Box AI: Knowledge Graphs and Decision Tracing (Part I)
Room: Ilima
Presenter: Sadie Flick
UH System
Description: In 2026, the greatest hurdle for institutions isn’t the technology’s capability—it’s its reliability. This session explores the transition from ‘Black Box’ LLMs to ‘Glass Box’ architectures. By grounding AI in Knowledge Graphs and Fixed Entity Architecture (FEA), we can move from probabilistic guessing to deterministic navigation. We will look under the hood of a local cybersecurity career navigator to explore Decision Tracing (showing the AI’s work) and Knowledge Fidelity (anchoring AI in frameworks like NIST and ESCO). Attendees will walk away with a practical framework for architecting AI systems that are transparent, auditable, and reliable.
For both technical and non-technical audiences, includes high-level technical explanations with visual demos to clearly demonstrate practical use-cases.
02:00 PM
Track I — Trust in AI
Session — A Decade in the Making: How True AI-Native Architecture Delivers Self-Driving Networks
Room: Pakalana
Presenter: Sujit Ghosh
HPE
Description: The combination of HPE and Juniper Networks has created the industry’s first true AI-native networking portfolio. Powered by Mist AI and Marvis—an intelligent conversational virtual assistant—this platform utilizes over a decade of domain data to drive autonomous, self-driving networks across campus, branch, and data center environments.
Track II — AI and the Future of Work
Session — The Future is Bright: Building a Resilient Workforce in the Age of AI
Room: Carnation
Presenter: Nicole Bentley and Katie Adams
SAFAL
Description: The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and its impact on the American workforce have outpaced many individuals’s expectations. Nevertheless, workforce development professionals and educators are primed for the shift. The necessity to adapt, evolve, and modernize is fundamental to establishing a sustainable talent development strategy. This session will utilize the Registered Apprenticeship model as a case study to highlight best practices for incorporating AI literacy, education, and hands-on skills training into essential occupations without supplanting their existence.
Track III — Public/Social Interest in AI
Session — The Race to Regulate AI
Room: Plumeria
Presenter: Seiichi Nagai
Civic Nexus
Description: A tour of the AI policy landscape in 2026, the bills moving through state and federal legislatures, and what’s at stake.
Track IV — Mechanics of AI
Session — Glass Box AI: Knowledge Graphs and Decision Tracing (Part II)
Room: Ilima
Presenter: Sadie Flick
UH System
Description: In 2026, the greatest hurdle for institutions isn’t the technology’s capability—it’s its reliability. This session explores the transition from ‘Black Box’ LLMs to ‘Glass Box’ architectures. By grounding AI in Knowledge Graphs and Fixed Entity Architecture (FEA), we can move from probabilistic guessing to deterministic navigation. We will look under the hood of a local cybersecurity career navigator to explore Decision Tracing (showing the AI’s work) and Knowledge Fidelity (anchoring AI in frameworks like NIST and ESCO). Attendees will walk away with a practical framework for architecting AI systems that are transparent, auditable, and reliable.
For both technical and non-technical audiences, includes high-level technical explanations with visual demos to clearly demonstrate practical use-cases.
