Introducing Our Speakers
Mansi Kapoor
Senior Data Engineer
Zola Intelligence
Mansi Kapoor is a technical lead who builds AI systems that reach millions of customers, from content safety classifiers at fintech startups to recommendation models at Amazon and petabyte-scale data infrastructure at Samsung Research America. She holds an M.S. in Computer Science from USC, has published at IEEE BigData, and has judged at HackMIT and CalHacks. Mansi's career path, from software engineer to leading teams building production LLM systems, reflects a belief that the best engineers lift others as they grow. She's excited to be at CED 2026 to share what she's learned about navigating the industry, building with AI, and rising together.
Kenneth Foward
CEO
SALT Task Force
Kenneth T. Forward is the owner of the SALT Task Force and a consultant and contract Program/Project Manager in the technology and utility industries. With more than 30 years of experience, including 23 years at PG&E, he has held leadership and engineering roles across multiple departments and contributed to over $1 billion in business outcomes. As a former DEIB Program Manager and co-founder of PG&E’s SALT Task Force, Kenneth has helped strengthen workplace inclusion, community engagement, and professional development. He currently serves as Chair of the MESA Industry Advisory Board and a board member for Junior Achievement of Northern California, while continuing to support others through mentoring and community involvement.
Mudassir Syed
Software Engineer
Autodesk Inc.
Mudassir Syed is a Security Software Engineer at Autodesk Inc., where he focuses on security and privacy posture management and reviews threat models for business-critical applications. He is passionate about making cybersecurity more practical and accessible, particularly through hands-on learning and adversarial thinking. Mudassir created the AppSec Mindset Academy and has facilitated security workshops at conferences including BSides Chicago, BSides San Francisco, and BSides Tampa. Through his work and teaching, he helps students and professionals develop the skills to identify security risks and design more resilient software.
Cecilia Groves
EP Mapping Specialist
Medtronic
Cecilia holds both a B.S. and an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from The Ohio State University. During her undergraduate studies, she was actively involved with the Society of Women Engineers and the Biomedical Engineering Society, while also working with Engineering Career Services to support students exploring professional opportunities. Cecilia began her career as a Clinical Specialist in the cardiac electrophysiology field at Johnson & Johnson. She has since transitioned into a similar role at Medtronic, where she continues to support healthcare
Neeki Meshkat
Associate Clinical Specialist
Autodesk Inc.
Neeki holds a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee. As an undergraduate, she was involved with the Society of Women Engineers and the Biomedical Engineering Society and worked as a research assistant in a campus musculoskeletal lab. Neeki now serves as an Associate Clinical Specialist on Medtronic’s Cardiac Ablation Solutions team, where she applies her engineering and research background to support advances in cardiac care.
Angela Chen
Lead Quantum Engineer
Rigetti Computing
Angela Q. Chen is a Lead Quantum Engineer at Rigetti Computing, where she studies interactions between superconducting qubits to improve quantum processor performance. She earned her PhD in condensed matter physics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign before moving into quantum computing. Her experience in both academic and industrial research has shaped her view of quantum hardware development as a collaborative effort that brings together many areas of science and engineering.
Carlos Orozco Gonzalez
Electrical Engineer
Autodesk Inc.
Carlos Orozco Gonzalez is an Electrical Engineer at Rigetti Computing, where he validates the signal paths that carry control signals into the company's quantum processors, from room-temperature electronics down to a chip colder than deep space. He also leads the lab's automation efforts, developing software used to control those processors. He earned his bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from UC Davis and joined Rigetti in 2021 as a technician before moving into his current engineering role.
David D’Amico
System Program Manager
Microsoft
David began his academic journey at Mission College before transferring to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to study aerospace engineering. Lalit Cal Poly, he served as an Aerospace Lead for Formula SAE and completed internships at General Atomics, Tesla, and Boeing. He later transferred to San Jose State University, where he earned his degree in Industrial and System of Engineering, served as President of the IISE student chapter, and Chaired the IISE Western Regional Conference. During his time at SJSU David interned at Apple and Microsoft before joining Microsoft full-time. His journey reflects the many paths a student can take to build a successful career in engineering.
Jorjeta Jetcheva
Associate Professor & Chair & Director
Computer Engineering at San José State University
Dr. Jorjeta Jetcheva is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Computer Engineering Department at San José State University. Her research focuses on artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, and knowledge management. She leads a $2.5 million NSF S-STEM grant supporting student success and holds 45 U.S. patents. Before joining SJSU, she held research and leadership roles at Accenture, Fujitsu Laboratories, Itron, and Firetide. She earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University.