Business leaders, policymakers and community stakeholders from across the region will gather May 14 for the PHX East Valley Partnership’s 44th Annual Meeting, an event focused on one of the most transformative forces shaping the future of work: artificial intelligence.
The event, titled “AI and the Workplace: Contemporary Issues and Opportunities,” will run from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at the Mesa Community College Performing Arts Center in Mesa. More than 200 East Valley executives, public officials and community leaders are expected to attend.
Presented by the University of Phoenix, with support from First Things First, Mesa Community College and media sponsor AZ Big Media, the annual meeting will explore how organizations are moving beyond experimenting with AI and beginning to integrate it into daily operations and long-term business strategy.
The program will feature insights from Leo Goncalves, vice president of Workforce Solutions Group at University of Phoenix, who will discuss the evolving role of AI in the workplace and share findings from the university’s Career Optimism Index, including perspectives from working adults on AI opportunities and challenges.
The event will also feature a panel discussion moderated by AZ Big Media Editor in Chief Michael Gossie. Panelists include Alison Brooks, vice president of Marketing & Destination Experience at Visit Mesa; Emily Ward, director at Fennemore; Korey Wilkes, principal at Butler Design Group; and Goncalves.
Together, the panelists will examine how AI is impacting industries ranging from tourism and law to architecture and higher education, while discussing ethical considerations, workforce implications and emerging opportunities.
In addition to the AI-focused discussions, attendees will receive updates on key East Valley issues, including the childcare crisis and the ongoing transformation of Fiesta Mall into the Palo District development project.
The annual meeting begins with networking and breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and concludes at 9:30 a.m.
