Boards, Talent and AI: Governing Workforce Strategy for the Next Decade

Nirmal Kumar Jingar Sr. Engineering Leader – AI, Platforms & Modernization (Wayfair) | Board Advisor

Nirmal Jingar is an engineering leader at Wayfair, where he drives platform modernization and AI enabled engineering across critical business systems. He leads the transformation of complex services into resilient, data driven architectures, with a strong focus on applying AI to improve productivity, decision making, and operational efficiency.
His work sits at the intersection of AI adoption and workforce transformation. Nirmal has led initiatives that integrate generative AI into engineering workflows while advancing upskilling, redefining roles, and improving team productivity at scale. He brings practical experience in balancing rapid automation with investment in talent and culture.
Nirmal offers a board level perspective on how organizations can govern workforce strategy in an era of AI. He focuses on elevating human capital as a strategic priority, strengthening accountability for reskilling, and ensuring ethical and human centric AI adoption that drives long term enterprise value.

Panelists

Janak Joshi Chief Digital Officer, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Janak Joshi serves as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Chief Digital Officer under Maura Healey, leading next-generation digital and AI capabilities across state agencies. He authored Massachusetts’ multi-sector AI Guidance Framework and, as of July 2025, was nominated to the White House AI Task Force advising on national and international AI policy.
A serial entrepreneur, Janak founded Synestesi Technologies (exit to Spry Media Group), was on the founding team of Generation Health (sold to CVS Caremark), and Life Image (sold to Intelerad), now the world’s largest healthcare exchange and medical imaging RWE network.
He previously led global product strategy at Deloitte’s Life Sciences & Healthcare practice and held leadership roles at Siemens Healthcare. A former venture capitalist, he advises Walmart, Audax Group, Advent International and defense contractors and serves on the boards of Bentley and Brandeis University.

Elizabeth (Liz) Graham COO, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center

Liz Graham currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. In this role, she oversees the operational effectiveness of the MLSC and partners with the executive team and board to develop and execute the MLSC’s strategy.
Liz is a startup executive who specializes in accelerating high-growth companies. Her experience spans AI, climate tech, digital trust services, eCommerce, SaaS, and media & technology. Liz combines board-level governance experience at public and private companies with hands-on operational leadership.
Liz is active on several non-profit boards including the global startup accelerator MassChallenge, The Rappaport Institute, an organization dedicated to improving the governance of Greater Boston by strengthening connections among scholars, students & civic leaders, and is a founding member of Women Applying AI. Liz holds an A.B. from Harvard College, a M.St. from the University of Oxford, England (Balliol), and a J.D. from Harvard University.

George Manley CEO & Co-Founder, Blue Sarah Inc.

George Manley is a graduate of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland and has completed executive programs in AI and business at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He began his career in media with roles at ABC News, WTOP in Washington, D.C., and Adweek, before moving into enterprise sales and leadership roles for global fashion brands in New York.
With nearly 30 years of experience across technology, retail, e-commerce, and real estate, George has led initiatives spanning residential, retail, and hospitality sectors. He has managed store and factory operations for international fashion houses and contributed to major real estate projects including Chelsea Market and Warehouse Row.
He has also owned and operated hospitality assets across New England and has over two decades of board experience in land conservation, historic preservation, and downtown revitalization. George currently leads East Coast development for the Jesuits and is CEO of Blue Sarah, an AI driven e-commerce platform.

Bernard Yeboah Human Resource Specialist, Field Service Operations Insperity

Bernard Yeboah is a Human Resource Specialist in Field Service Operations at Insperity, where he partners with organizations to navigate complex workforce challenges and strengthen their people strategies. With expertise in employee relations, compliance, and organizational effectiveness, Bernard works closely with leadership teams to align HR practices with broader business objectives.
In his role, Bernard supports companies across a range of industries, giving him a front-line perspective on how trends like AI adoption, workforce disruption, and evolving employee expectations are reshaping the modern workplace. He brings a practical, solutions-oriented approach to helping organizations build resilient, engaged workforces while adapting to rapid change.
Bernard holds his SHRM-CP certification and is passionate about advancing human-centric strategies that position talent as a key driver of long-term business value.

Dr. Hema Seshadri Principal Consulting AI and Data Engineer Akamai Technologies

Dr. Hema Seshadri is a distinguished AI, data and analytics leader currently serving as Principal Consulting AI & Data Engineer at Akamai Technologies. In this capacity she shapes global data and AI strategy and architects next-generation data and AI ecosystems. Her multifaceted career spans from pioneering drug discovery—as the co-inventor of the cancer treatment Rezurock—to holding key leadership roles at Dell EMC.
As a Principal Investigator, Dr. Seshadri currently leads the "Internet of AI Agents" research project in collaboration with MIT and Cisco. An accomplished author and educator, she penned Analytics for Business Success and serves as an Adjunct Professor of Analytics and Applied AI at Northeastern University. Deeply committed to social impact, she mentors through the Akamai STEM Foundation and serves on a local non-profit’s technology board, expertly bridging the gap between complex engineering and transformative business intelligence.

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