CLOSING KEYNOTE & PANEL DISCUSSION
Baratunde Thurston returns to the main stage and will be joined by these impressive professionals for a panel discussion on AI’s impact on their work and other dimensions of their lives.
Current Interim Executive Director, Christine Vendredi joined Palm Springs Art Museum in 2024 as the chief curator, bringing with her a diverse background in curating, teaching, and programming. Vendredi previously served as the Artistic Director of Espace Louis Vuitton in Tokyo (2011-2015) where she oversaw over twenty exhibitions and commissioned original works from various artists (from Alex Katz to Refik Anadol). As Director for Art, Culture, and Heritage at Louis Vuitton (2014-2023), Vendredi founded innovative projects and formats. She initiated the In Situ project, inviting female artists to create on-site in gallery spaces in Paris (Andrea Bowers), Munich (Simryn Gill), and Tokyo (Min-Jeong Seo). She curated Le fil rouge (Common Points), inviting curators to explore themes of connection and connectivity in exhibitions held in Paris, Munich, and Tokyo.
Additionally, Vendredi served as the co-director of the Hors les Murs Program of the Foundation Louis Vuitton, overseeing over 50 exhibitions in a network of six galleries worldwide. She expanded art accessibility by exhibiting artworks in Louis Vuitton flagships and collaborating with artists to incorporate their work into fashion showcases. Vendredi also curated exhibitions highlighting the archival pieces of Louis Vuitton, creating video game Louis The Game and launching the first NFT for Louis Vuitton with Beeple. Vendredi holds Ph.D. degrees in Art and Architecture History from EPHE (Paris) and Art History from Charles University.
She has authored books on Henri Labrouste, Antonin Raymond, and has published numerous papers on Czech, French, and Japanese architecture. Vendredi has also held teaching and research positions in Switzerland and Japan.
VAL MARTINEZ GARCIA
Val Martinez Garcia is a proud community college graduate, who currently serves as the Acting Superintendent/President of College of the Desert, bringing more than two decades of transformative leadership experience in higher education to the Coachella Valley. His career reflects a steadfast commitment to student success, institutional effectiveness, and meaningful community engagement.
At College of the Desert, Martinez Garcia has held key executive roles as Vice President of Instruction and Vice President of Student Services, where he provided strategic oversight for academic programs, instructional services, and student support for more than 14,000 students. His leadership has driven significant institutional advancements, including the expansion of dual enrollment programs, the streamlining of academic processes, the completion of the college’s Institutional Self Report (ISER), and the development of the college’s Educational Strategic Master Plan.
He has played an integral role in guiding major facilities initiatives, notably the Indio Campus Expansion and contributed to the design of the new Palm Springs Campus. In addition to his campus leadership, Martinez Garcia has represented the region as a Regional Representative for the Chief Student Services Officers Association (CSSO) and actively contributes to statewide initiatives aimed at improving educational access and equity. Prior to his tenure at College of the Desert, Martinez Garcia served as Vice President of Student Services at West Hills College Lemoore, where the institution was nationally recognized two times as an Aspen Top 150 College and designated as an Achieving the Dream College of Distinction. His innovative leadership there included the redesign of student services, the expansion of mental health support, and the cultivation of impactful community partnerships. Martinez Garcia holds a Master of Science in School Counseling and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of La Verne. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership. As Acting Superintendent/President, he leads College of the Desert with a vision rooted in collaboration, equity, and data-informed decision-making, ensuring that the institution continues to deliver high-quality educational opportunities that enrich and empower the communities it serves.
MARK TALKINGTON
Mark Talkington is the founder and publisher of The Palm Springs Post and the cofounder and publisher of The Indio Post, two community news outlets here in The Coachella Valley. He began his career in media as a newspaper reporter and editor before transitioning into high tech, where for more than two decades he was a key member of the MSN.com team at Microsoft as a news editor and content project manager. He closed out his career at Microsoft last year as part of the Bing News team, where he worked to leverage AI technology into news products. In 2023, he began working with Peter Loforte to develop what became Satchel, a startup that supports journalists by leveraging AI to enhance the efficiency and quality of news reporting.
Ken Buechele
Ken Buechele is vice president and chief information officer (CIO) for Eisenhower Health. Since 2022, his responsibilities include system-wide oversight of cybersecurity, infrastructure, business and clinical information system services for Eisenhower Health. Prior to his current role, Buechele spent the last 19 years at Bronson Healthcare in Kalamazoo, Michigan, holding various leadership roles, including the last 5 years as vice president of information technology. His earlier career includes work in software development at Country Insurance in Bloomington, Illinois, and Thompson Reuters in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Buechele earned his bachelor of science in Applied Computer Science from Illinois State University and his executive MBA from Grand Valley State University.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Business Track Speakers
CHRIS WILSON
With decades of experience building and securing the technology infrastructure that powers some of the internet’s largest services, Chris Wilson is an Engineering Director at Google focused on ensuring the security of Google’s production infrastructure. Chris’s career began at the forefront of the commercial internet, where he founded the first internet service provider in his hometown. Throughout his career, Chris has held senior leadership roles at some of the world’s most prominent and leading technology companies. Previously, as an Engineering Director at Cruise, his teams built the essential technology platform that powered the first autonomous vehicle service in San Francisco. At Facebook, he led the teams responsible for reliably scaling the company’s network infrastructure. His experience also includes building one of the world’s largest storage clouds at Dell EMC and leading ESPN’s global network infrastructure organization.
JAMES SILVA
James Silva is the CEO and Founder of ConciergeBot, an AI-driven concierge for hotels and vacation rentals over popular messaging services. A seasonal resident of Palm Springs since 2014, James is originally from the Los Angeles area and spent many years in Silicon Valley as a software engineer and product manager, where he worked for tech brands such as eBay, Expedia and Adobe after graduating from Stanford University with a BS degree in Computer Science. James currently splits his time between Palm Springs and Los Angeles and is passionate about the intersection of AI and hospitality.
BRYAN HUGHES
Bryan Hughes has over 35 years of experience as a developer, entrepreneur, advisor, and executive, with roles in both startups and Fortune 500 companies. He co-founded Predictive Medical Technologies, aiming to predict cardiopulmonary arrest in ICUs, followed by GOFACTORY, an IoT enterprise acquired by Space Time Insight and later Nokia. His third venture, a global pallet tracking device, unfortunately did not launch. His new company VIAlab is using generative AI to develop a “FICO” score for sustainability and financial performance to bring visibility into the supply chain of money. Hughes also serves on the boards of Third Economy, the Russian River Alliance (a 501(c)(3)), and founded and is on the board for Equitable Access California (a 501(c)(3)), providing free public Wi-Fi to rural Sonoma County communities.
BREAKOUT LEARNING SESSIONS
HABIB JAFFER
Habib Jaffer is the CEO and co-founder of Domus Tech Solutions, an innovative startup that makes smart home technology accessible and user-friendly through an AI-driven home platform. With a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering from Western Governors University and a lifelong interest in tech, Habib specializes in integrating diverse technologies to create seamless experiences where people interact with tech the most, in their homes. He previously launched a successful custom PC building program during his time at Best Buy, where he also met his co-founder, Rane McCartney.
Rane McCartney
Rane McCartney, COO and co-founder of Domus Tech Solutions, combines strong business acumen with a passion for supporting consumers as they navigate new technologies. A graduate of California State University, San Bernardino, with a Bachelor of Arts in Business, Rane has consistently built and led top-performing teams at Best Buy’s Geek Squad across numerous locations. Rane is dedicated to helping consumers confidently adopt new technology, ensuring reliability, security, and ease of use for every client.
Damien Bastin
Director of Homemade Software. Damien builds autonomous AI systems using OpenAI, Anthropic, and n8n platforms, helping businesses move beyond simple prompts to create AI agents that handle complex multi-step operations. As Co-Founder of Bindle and owner of Homemade Software, he specializes in transforming manual workflows into intelligent, self-managing systems that can plan, execute, and adapt without constant human oversight.
Wallace Colvard
Wallace Colvard is currently a fine artist working in multiple disciplines and media. He lives in Palm Desert, California and his work is expressed through painting, prints, photography, and digital and AI work. With an educational background in both graphic design and computer science from North Carolina State University, he worked as a digital commercial artist for over 40 years in the fields of textile print design, television graphic design and art direction, film animation and live action visual effects. He contributed his visual style to many major companies, including MTV, VH1, NBC (where he won seven Emmys), CBS, Disney, DreamWorks and Sony Pictures Animation.
Stephen Baumbach
Stephen Baumbach is an American photographer and fine art master printer based in Palm Springs, California. Known for his diverse work, including landscapes, portraits and studio photography, Steve explores new techniques with advanced technologies in what is often referred to as “The Lab”. He has been a photographer for over 50 years and has exhibited his work internationally. His gallery in Palm Springs offers a unique model for artists to gain visibility and showcases several local and national artists each year. “While some may be wary about the use of AI in the creative arts, it is a valuable tool as it gives us new ways to explore creative expression and push the boundaries of traditional photography.”
