AI Pre-Conference

Steve Bien-Aimé works as an assistant professor in the Willam Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas. His research interests include examining the intersection of communication technology and journalistic practice as well as media representation. His work has been published in myriad academic publications such as Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Newspaper Research Journal, Communication & Sport, Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans, Journal of Communication Technology, and Journal of Information Policy. He is also the co-editor of the 2022 book Perceptions of East Asian and Asian North American Athletics. Prior to receiving his doctorate from the College of Communications at Penn State University, Bien-Aimé worked as a copy editor at The News Journal in Delaware and The Baltimore Sun, and served in a variety of functions at FOXSports.com in Los Angeles, departing as deputy NFL editor.

Tyler Dukes is the lead editor for AI innovation in journalism at McClatchy Media, where he leads a small team of journalists that helps the company’s 30 local newsrooms responsibly harness data, automation and artificial intelligence to elevate and strengthen their reporting. For nearly a decade, he’s taught undergraduate courses in data journalism at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. He was previously an investigative reporter at The News and Observer in Raleigh, N.C., where he specialized in data and computational journalism. In 2017, he completed a fellowship at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University. Prior to joining the N&O, he worked as an investigative reporter on the state politics team at WRAL News, a locally owned television station.

Amy S. Mitchell is the founding Executive Director of the Center for News, Technology & Innovation. Prior to her role at CNTI, Mitchell served as Managing Director of news and Information Research at the Pew Research Center. In her 25 years with Pew Research, Mitchell helped launch the journalism research program and served as managing director since 2010, responsible for the center’s research related to news and information, including how the public accesses, engages with and creates news, what news organizations are providing, and the evolving role of technology in the flow of news and information. Mitchell is an expert in project design & management, methodological application & evaluation, analysis and writing. She speaks around the world to elected leaders, technology companies, news and information providers and other decision makers. Mitchell also spent five years in her early career as a Congressional Research Associate at the American Enterprise Institute, where she researched public policy and the relationship of the press, the public and government. Mitchell is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Elite Truong is the Vice President of Product Strategy at American Press Institute, where she manages data products that help local newsrooms make strategic decisions, Metrics for News and Source Matters. API’s mission is to unite communities and uphold democracy through rebuilding trust with local news organizations and supporting news leaders in doing so. Elite (e-light) serves as the Board Secretary for News Product Alliance and is on the advisory board for Democracy Day. Formerly, she was the Director of Strategic Initiatives at The Washington Post, where she led the newsroom R&D team to capture younger and more diverse audiences by creating projects driven by emerging technologies, including machine learning, artificial intelligence and 3-D and augmented reality, which won awards from SND, World Press Photo. Before joining The Post, Truong spent four years at Vox Media, three as the product manager for off-platform storytelling, primarily negotiating with tech platforms to create user experiences that benefited news consumers.

Iris Shaffer, senior director in APCO’s Chicago office and North America Media Practice Lead, brings more than three decades of corporate and crisis communications and media relations expertise. She assists clients by developing and directing successful corporate and crisis communications campaigns and managing complicated challenges for multi-national corporations, Fortune 500 companies, public and private institutions, and nonprofit organizations. At APCO her clients have included a tire company, a US Olympic Committee governing body, medical devices companies, two of the nation’s largest associations, large hospital systems and health insurers, transportation/logistics companies and others. Ms. Shaffer previously served as Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) chief spokesperson and worked in communications positions for the BCBSA and with member companies to shape the overall image of the Blue Brands, overseeing media relations, sponsorships and crisis, internal and digital communications. She also held corporate communications/public affairs positions with the American Osteopathic Association, the Alliance of American Insurers and the U.S. Department of Education. She leads a team of 70+ media relations strategists and practitioners in North America and co-leads APCO’s Global Media Relations Center of Excellence. She also serves on APCO’s North America management team. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a past president of the Wisconsin Club of Chicago

Lauren Berry is the Chief Operating Officer for News Product, Technology and Publishing at Bloomberg, helping to build products that allow for the ingestion, creation, curation and discovery of news. Previously, Berry spent 15 years in the Bloomberg newsroom serving as Global Managing Editor for Data-Driven News and Automation and deputy New York bureau chief. Under her direction, Bloomberg has built out automated and semi-automated workflows for everything from earnings stories to local language coverage. She is passionate about using AI and editorially-driven technologies to improve the quality, speed and relevance of content. Berry is a graduate of the Executive Program in News Innovation and Leadership at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was previously an adjunct professor for the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media. She lives in New York City with her husband, two daughters and two dogs.

Marisa Porto is the Knight Chair in Local News and Sustainability and conducts research with UNC’s Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media. Porto focuses on entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence and business continuity. Porto has held leadership roles in traditional media, nonprofits, startups and academia, and is committed to empowering organizations worldwide to navigate the challenges of the digital era. Porto joined UNC after serving two years as assistant dean of the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications at Hampton University. As executive in residence in 2019, she conducted organizational assessments and led strategic planning for Hampton University’s online program. Prior to joining academia, Porto’s professional experience included positions as executive editor, vice president, and publisher with news organizations in Florida, Ohio, Delaware, and Virginia. She has held leadership roles in regional, national, and international organizations dedicated to mentorship, diversity, and sustainability in journalism. She has served as a consultant and adviser for news organizations in the United States, Ukraine, and Georgia.

Porto holds a bachelor’s in journalism from the University of South Carolina and an MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus

Andrew Deck is the AI reporter at Nieman Journalism Lab, a publication at Harvard University focused on innovation in digital media and the future of news. Previously, he reported on the rise of generative AI as a founding staff reporter at Rest of World, an international nonprofit publication covering the impact of technology in non-Western countries. He began his career as a reporter and editor in Tokyo, Japan, where he contributed to publications including The Japan Times.