April 9th, 2026
Marist University, Poughkeepsie, NY
Nelly Goletti Theatre in the Murray Student Center
3399 North Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 (View in Google Maps)
The 2026 Hudson Valley Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit, co-hosted by Dutchess County Government and Marist University was held on the campus of Marist University in Poughkeepsie, NY. The Summit continued the momentum built in our 2025 event by focusing on turning conversation into action and integrating ethics into practical AI solutions.
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| Start Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 7:45 AM | Check-In for Attendees |
| 8:45 AM | Welcome & Opening Remarks |
| 9:00 AM |
AI for the Public Good Kevin Gaugler - Marist + AI Co-Chair, Marist University Michael Snodgrass - AI Specialist, Google Moderator: Diane Hart, Assistant Vice President for Special Projects and Innovation and Marist+AI Co-Chair, Marist University |
| 9:45 AM | Platinum Sponsor Presentation |
| 10:00 AM | Breakout Sessions - Foundations of AI: Literacy, Ethics, and Workforce Development |
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Breakout A | Ethics in AI: Building a Better Future Sasha Biro - Lecturer in Philosophy, Marist University Beth Gordon - VP for Information Technology and CIO, Pace University Michael Kealy - Executive Director of Technology, Arlington Central School District Moderator: Victoria Ferrara - Director of Educational Effectiveness Assessment, Marist University |
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Breakout B | Agentic AI: Putting AI to Work for You Casimer DeCusatis - Professor and Director of Cybersecurity Education, Marist University Eitel Lauria - Professor and Director of Graduate Programs, Marist University Michael Evans - Engineer, Rubrik Moderator: Dominick Foti - Professor, Marist University |
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Breakout C | Workforce Development: Preparing Your Team for Success with AI Gary Albaugh - Vice President of Innovation & Development, MicroTheory Engineering Eleonore Fournier-Tombs - Chief AI Officer, State of New York Moderator: Ron Hicks - Assistant County Executive for Economic Development, Dutchess County Government |
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Breakout D | Use Case - AI for Operational Efficiency Dr. Chris Fu - Internal Medicine Resident, WMCHealth Samantha Sherwin - Director, Access Center, WMCHealth |
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| 10:45 AM | Poster Session & Student Showcase |
| 11:00 AM | Breakout Sessions - Application of AI: Solving Real-World Problems |
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Breakout A | AI Literacy: How is the World Changing? Carolyn Matheus - Professor, Marist University Kevin Gaugler - Assistant Dean and Professor, Marist University |
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Breakout B | Healthcare & Clinical AI Dr. Nicholas Genes - Director of Emergency Medical Informatics, NYU Langone Health Dr. Katharine Maglione - Chief, Breast Imaging, WMCHealth Moderator: Jeff Midgley - Director of PA Program, Marist University |
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Breakout C | AI in Emergency Management & Critical Infrastructure Meghan Dudley, New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Frank LaRocca - CIO, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. Moderator: William Beale - Commissioner of Emergency Response, Dutchess County Government |
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| 12:00 PM |
AI Discovery Zone An interactive space to explore AI tools, demonstrations, and emerging technologies. |
| 1:30 PM | AI for Impact: Responsible AI in Higher Education - Presented by IBM |
For more information, please email DCTechSummits@dutchessny.gov.
