AboutThe DataJam

Brian Macdonald is President of The DataJam Board. He is a Data Scientist and Artificial Intelligence leader who has a 30-year history at Oracle helping the largest customers solve complex problems with a focus on how AI, Data Science and Data products can generate impactful business benefits. As the Leader for the North American Data and AI Center of Excellence, Brian takes a practical, focused approach based on Enterprise Architecture principals to ensure benefits are realized quickly while planning for future expansion and continuous improvement. Brian is also deeply involved in the Oracle Red Bull Racing Esports and Premier League technology platforms using data and AI to help explain and improve performance. Brian has spoken multiple times at Oracle Cloud World, Oracle User Groups, Carnegie Mellon, Harvard, and The University of Pittsburgh on various topics around AI, Data Science and Data Management. Brian co-authored the Oracle Big Data Handbook. Brian earned his master's degree from Northwestern University and bachelor's degree from Carnegie Mellon University.

Beth Bauer is Vice President of The DataJam Board. Beth is founder and CEO of PosiROI, a consultancy focused on sustainable data-informed strategies, specializing in healthcare and life sciences. Beth has over 35 years guiding the building and structure of big data system integrity and data product innovation for scaled commercialization. She's led large, advanced analytics teams at companies like Merck and IQVIA, innovating alongside her numerous Fortune 200 clients to generate billions in returns through data analytics. Beth holds a BS degree (psychology / professional writing, minor statistics) from Carnegie Mellon University and a MS degree (Applied Statistics) from Rutgers University. She also serves as Global Program Chair of HBA's Women in Healthcare Giveback. In partnership with Carnegie Mellon University's CREATE Lab, Beth recently co-founded the Communities Connected initiative, aiming to bridge trust, knowledge, technology, and connection for local communities to improve their own health and wealth together.

Judy Cameron is the Executive Director of The DataJam, a member of the Board of Directors for The DataJam, and a Professor of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, Behavioral & Community Health Sciences and Clinical Translational Science at the University of Pittsburgh. She has a long history of translating science to the public. She served as Director of Pitt Science Outreach from 2009-2019, which provided science education to more than 20,000 school age children and members of the public each year. She made a series of short films for PBS about the myths about mental illness, which first aired in 1995 and are still being aired today. She was a founding member of the editorial board for the public information website, BrainFacts. She teaches a college course that is telecast to universities around the country entitled "Using Big Data for Community Good" that trains college students how to be effective mentors for The DataJam.

Beth Schwanke is Secretary of The DataJam Board. She is the executive director of the University of Pittsburgh's Institute for Cyber Law, Policy, and Security (Pitt Cyber), where she leads work on AI governance, cybersecurity workforce and education, and information ecosystems. Beth holds a JD from the University of Michigan School of Law. Beth previously practiced with the global law firm DLA Piper and led policy outreach efforts at the Center for Global Development in Washington, DC.

Devashish Saxena is a visionary executive and growth-focused leader with deep expertise in AI, ecommerce, and tech-enabled transformation. He has built and led global digital, marketing, and AI/ML teams that have driven more than $2B in digital revenue growth and AI use cases projected to unlock $200M+ in EBIT. Devashish has held digital and AI leadership roles at Texas Instruments, Premier Farnell, Rexel, PPG and most recently Imperial Dade – the last three as the company's first CDO - spanning both public and PE-backed businesses across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. His leadership blends commercial acumen, digital depth, and a human-centered approach to transformation. Devashish began his career in technology and strategy, with early roles at Nortel and A.T. Kearney during the dot-com era. He holds dual degrees in Computer Science and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. He was a Senior Advisor to AEA Investors, and is an adjunct faculty at Carnegie Mellon University. A frequent keynote speaker, he is passionate about helping organizations unlock growth at the intersection of people, data, and technology.

Raja Sooriamurthi is a Teaching Professor with the Information Systems Program at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh. He is also the inaugural Program Director of the Decision Analytics and Systems (DAS) minor. He has been actively involved with The DataJam as a member of the Board since its inception in 2013. Trained as a computer scientist with research in AI and Machine Learning, he has a varied academic background, having been a faculty member in computer science, business, and information systems departments. In addition to his work in AI/ML, he has explored a novel approach to teaching creative problem solving termed puzzle-based learning and has coauthored the book Guide to Teaching Puzzle-based Learning. Over 30 years, his various pedagogical contributions have been recognized with several awards for teaching excellence.