Our team is expanding! We’re pleased to announce we’ve brought on Steve Lewis as RAI Institute’s Head of Growth, along with two new AI Policy Analysts, Yogasai Gazula and Sez Harmon.
Please join us in welcoming them to the Institute — we look forward to their future contributions internally and externally with current and future community members.
Steve Lewis, Head of Growth
Prior to joining RAI Institute, Steve was the senior director of strategic alliances at Northeastern University where he codified and launched a formal partnership program for the College of Computer Sciences. Before Northeastern, he was the assistant director of global strategic alliances at MIT’s Computer Science and AI Lab.
Given Steve’s extensive expertise in scaling businesses and driving revenue growth, he’s well-equipped to lead our membership acquisition and retention, go-to-market development, and demand generation strategies while promoting adoption of responsible AI practices.
“AI will impact every aspect of our lives in ways we have yet to imagine. I’m excited to join the important mission of RAI Institute to advocate for responsible AI practices and help build an ecosystem of responsible AI practitioners.”
— Steve Lewis
Yogasai Gazula & Sez Harmon, AI Policy Analysts
Yogasai comes to RAI Institute from the University of Cambridge where she received her Master’s in Innovation, Strategy, and Organization. Her research focused on how early-stage deeptech and AI startups approach product innovation and ethics. Yogasai’s background brings an interdisciplinary lens to responsible AI, combining social sciences, business, and informatics to analyze digital innovation, developments, and broader risks, implications, and opportunities.
“I love that the RAI Institute is a ‘do tank,’ rather than a ‘think tank.’ There is thorough research available on responsible technology and AI, and RAI Institute is one of the few organizations to put it into practice by developing solutions that help enterprises define and implement responsible AI principles. As AI research and responsible AI continue to evolve, I’m excited to be a part of a team at the forefront of shaping this field for the benefit of people and society.”
— Yogasai Gazula
Sez recently received her Master’s in International Relations at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, where she focused on the intersection of global affairs and emerging technologies. She has first-hand exposure to how AI technologies are fundamentally shaping human agency and civil liberties.
“Promoting trustworthiness and inclusivity in AI applications is a very real, evolving challenge. Many organizations discuss this problem, but I believe RAI Institute stands out for its willingness to implement solutions. The assessments and certification programs the team has developed and continues to enhance tangibly help member organizations shift their strategies to create responsible AI practices.”
— Sez Harmon
As part of the Policy and Delivery team, Yogasai and Sez will help member organizations assess their AI maturity, evaluate and improve their AI systems, and provide them with actionable insights through recommendations, workshops, and reports.
“We’re thrilled to have Steve, Yogasai and Sez on the team to help deepen the Institute’s relationships with organizations and expand our reach with responsible AI practices,” said Jeff Easley, RAI Institute’s general manager. “Steve brings a wealth of leadership experience and a successful track record in both academia and the AI industry. Yogasai and Sez’s combined expertise in international relations, technology policy, and startup innovation will be invaluable as we work to advance both cutting-edge AI development and robust governance frameworks across industries.”
Become a RAI Institute Member
RAI Institute invites new members to join in driving innovation and advancing responsible AI. Collaborating with esteemed organizations like those mentioned, RAI Institute develops practical approaches to mitigate AI-related risks and fosters the growth of responsible AI practices. Explore membership options here.
About Responsible AI Institute (RAI Institute)
Founded in 2016, Responsible AI Institute (RAI Institute) is a global and member-driven non-profit dedicated to enabling successful responsible AI efforts in organizations. We accelerate and simplify responsible AI adoption by providing our members with AI conformity assessments, benchmarks and certifications that are closely aligned with global standards and emerging regulations.
Members include leading companies such as Amazon Web Services, Boston Consulting Group, KPMG, ATB Financial and many others dedicated to bringing responsible AI to all industry sectors.
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