CDO Magazine’s exclusive Executive Boardroom Dinner in Cleveland, hosted at the Marble Room on August 28, brought together leading data, analytics, and AI executives for an in-depth exchange on creating sustainable and trustworthy AI-driven business value. The evening featured a panel discussion on the critical theme of “Guardrails for Innovation: Building Responsible AI in Regulated Industries.”

Panelists addressed key questions around building trust in AI, from balancing speed with responsibility in regulated industries to ensuring fairness in healthcare and financial services, operationalizing AI ethics, overcoming barriers to scaling responsibly, and helping boards engage meaningfully with AI risk.

The panel of experts were:

• Sarah Hatchett, Cleveland Clinic Senior VP & Chief Information Officer
• Craig Schwabl, University Hospitals VP, Digital Solutions & Enterprise Analytics

The discussion was moderated by Priyanka Karan, AHEAD, Field Chief Technology Officer.

Sharing her experience, panelist Hatchett, says, “AI is constantly and quickly evolving, and while it has transformative potential, it’s critical that it is implemented ethically and responsibly. Organizations across a variety of sectors are exploring best practices to integrate AI in ways that are both effective and efficient. I am grateful for the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions with experts and peers from various fields on this important topic.”

Speaking about the approach to AI ethics at her organization, Hatchett adds, “At Cleveland Clinic, we are committed to embedding governance and ethics into every stage of our AI workflow. Each initiative is reviewed by our multi-disciplinary AI Task Force, and we prioritize continuous monitoring and retraining of models to account for data shifts over time. Our goal is to ensure that governance and ethical considerations are not an afterthought but at the forefront of every new AI project we undertake.”

Echoing a similar sentiment, panelist Schwabl says, “Thrilled to meet and engage with other data and analytics leaders in Northeast Ohio at an intimate roundtable hosted by CDO Magazine. I also enjoyed sharing the stage with Sarah Hatchett as we discussed the opportunities and challenges AI introduces in healthcare and other industries.”

James McGregor, Emerson VP, Data Analytics and Intelligent Automation. mentions that the event exceeded his expectations. “The candor in which the other executives spoke about their AI journey was refreshing to hear. The punchline: if you haven’t started, what are you waiting for?” he adds.

Highlighting the belief that “together is better,” Shravan Kotha, Chief Data and Analytics Officer at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, says, “This mantra of data literacy perfectly encapsulates the spirit of our collaboration. It emphasizes the importance of educating IT, Business, and AI Analytics to consider requirements and solutions from each other’s perspectives. By fostering this holistic view, we ensure that the end AI solution outcome is not just better but truly optimized for the organization.”

Anthony Losanno, CDO Magazine SVP, Sales, notes, “What a great night in Cleveland in a breathtaking venue. The conversations around AI ethics and how to effectively integrate AI into businesses ranging from healthcare to manufacturing were insightful and engaging. The human touch is still essential and companies are all at different stages of adoption, but it’s clear that AI adoption needs to be thoughtful and measured.”

Summing up the discussion, moderator Karan says, “What stood out most from our AI ethics in healthcare panel is that trust begins with strong governance and shared literacy. By moving beyond legacy data and its biases, and embracing progress over perfection, we can shape AI solutions that truly elevate patient care and outcomes.”

Special thanks to AHEAD for their partnership in making the event a success.

*Shravan Kotha is a member of the CDO Magazine Global Editorial Board. 

Executives attending the CDO Magazine Cleveland Executive Boardroom Dinner included: 

Jane Alexander, Cleveland Museum of Art Chief Digital Information Officer; Shawn Braxton, Cleveland Metropolitan School District Executive Director, IT Customer Excellence; Gary Cao, Chief Analytics Officer Advisory Principal Advisor; Youran (Bryan) Fan, Key Bank SVP, Enterprise Marketing; Michael Ferris, Lincoln Electric Global IT Director, Infrastructure; Sarah Hatchett, Cleveland Clinic SVP & Chief Information Officer; William Heiser, American Residential Services Sr. Director, Information Security; Richard Hudgins, Crosscountry Mortgage SVP, IT; Shravan Kotha, Ohio Attorney General’s Office Chief Data & Analytics Officer; Ravi Lakkaraju, Sherwin-Williams Sr. Director, Digital Technology Data Engineering; Geoff McCormack, Progressive Insurance Enterprise Architect, Data & AI; James McGregor, Emerson VP, Data Analytics & Intelligent Automation; Endrit Meta, The Center for Health Affairs / Champs Healthcare Director, Technology & Data; Robin Roy, Cuyahoga County Board of Elections Chief Information Officer; Egor Sadovnic, Crowe Sr. Data Architect, Associate Director; Craig Schwabl, University Hospitals VP, Digital Solutions & Enterprise Analytics; Kurt Tighe, Novum Underwriting Partners Chief Data Officer; Paul Di Salvo, AHEAD Client Director; Josh Howard, AHEAD Sr. Account Manager, Client Director; Priyanka Karan, AHEAD Field Chief Technology Officer; Anthony Losanno, CDO Magazine SVP, Sales; and Mindy Mobley, CDO Magazine Global Event Director.