Future-Ready AI: Your Guide to Thriving in Work 4.0 (2025-26)

The Future-Ready AI series takes you on a dynamic journey into the evolving world of artificial intelligence—demystifying the hype, revealing practical possibilities, and empowering you with hands-on skills. Across five interactive sessions, you'll explore AI myths, uncover breakthrough applications, experiment with cutting-edge tools, and discover strategies to amplify human potential through AI. Whether you're an AI skeptic, enthusiast, or strategist, this series equips you to navigate the future of work with clarity, confidence, and a competitive edge.

March 10, 2026 – Working Smarter Together: The Human-AI Edge
Unlock the full potential of human-AI collaboration. This session reveals strategies for balancing creativity, ethics, and productivity in the age of AI.

About The Speakers:

Elizabeth Decker, the visionary Founder and CEO of Braided Strategy, brings
over two decades of experience in steering complex technology and business
projects to success. Her career is marked by a series of transformative
achievements in environments characterized by mergers, acquisitions, and
challenging project landscapes. Elizabeth's unique approach combines
technical acumen with a profound understanding of human dynamics, enabling
her to craft solutions that are precisely designed to meet business objectives.

Mike Kritzman is the founder and CEO of SkillNet, a leading platform for
managing workforce skills, certifications, and personalized training.
With extensive experience in IT workforce development, Mike helps
organizations optimize talent strategies by solving skill gaps with
personalized learning that drives performance improvements.
Mike regularly advises IT leaders on building agile, future-ready teams
through intelligent skills data. SkillNet is leveraging AI-driven insights.

Stuart Kerr is a veteran technology executive and AI strategist with over 30
years of experience in enterprise software and SaaS. He has led two
software firms through successful IPOs and has served on the boards of five
others, bringing deep expertise in scaling innovation-driven businesses. His
current work with SkillNet focuses on applying cutting-edge AI to accelerate
human learning and skills development at scale, empowering individuals and
organizations to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital economy.

Sean Masterman, Ed.D has been a technology leader delivering value
for over 25 years to organizations like Target, Wells Fargo, Rollerblade,
and UCare, and a higher educator for over 15 years at Concordia
University- Saint Paul, the University of Minnesota, and the University of
Sioux Falls. He is passionate about helping prepare youth to thrive in the
future workforce alongside AI and robotics.

Dr. Yuqing Ren is a Professor and Lawrence Fellow at the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota. She holds a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University and has years of experience in researching and teaching AI, its business applications, and social impact. Her current research investigates the impact of working with GAI on human workers' productivity and well-being as well as mindful interactions with smartphones. Dr. Ren is an award-winning researcher and teacher, including winning the Carlson School Outstanding Teaching Award twice in 2017 and 2021. She publishes commentaries in local newspapers like MinnPost and Star Tribune, particularly around the impact of AI on humanity. 

About The Sponsor:

For more than 40 years, the technology supply chain has operated with a fundamental misalignment: it’s been built to benefit providers and their channel partners—not the buyers. Mid‑market organizations are pushed to purchase through resellers who layer on 15–40% in hidden costs, even when their services aren’t needed. The result is a system with no transparency, no alternatives, and no one advocating for the customer.

We set out to change that.

We’ve created the first—and only—true wholesale option for mid‑market technology procurement. Think of it this way: we’re working to become the Costco of tech procurement, while everyone else is trying to be Nordstrom, searching for the value‑add angle that will win your business.

Our mission is simple: to restore control, choice, and confidence to mid‑market technology leaders—one purchasing decision at a time.