AI for All: Empowering Educators and Learners

Joe Bungo
Sr. Deep Learning Institute Program Manager
NVIDIA

Joe Bungo is the Deep Learning Institute (DLI) program manager at NVIDIA, where he supports the use of deep learning and GPU-accelerated computing technologies in universities. His work includes developing curriculum and teaching materials, overseeing DLI University Ambassador/Instructor Certification programs, facilitating academic ecosystems, and leading hands-on workshops. Previously, he managed university programs at Arm and worked as an applications engineer. Joe received his degree in computer science from the University of Texas at Austin.

Edmar Mendizabal
Community Manager
NVIDIA Omniverse

Edmar Mendizabal brings 15 years of game industry experience to NVIDIA’s Omniverse team, where he focuses on developer engagement and onboarding devs to NVIDIA’s transformative open platform for real-time simulation and collaboration using the same commercial tools they already use. He previously worked at companies including THQ and Ubisoft, where he worked closely with game developers, middleware providers, and hardware companies to help bring their projects to life.

Chris Sullivan
Director of Research and Academic Computing
Oregon State University

Christopher Sullivan is the director of Research and Academic Computing in the College of Earth, Oceans and Atmospheric Sciences (CEOAS) at Oregon State University. In this position at the CEOAS, he works with different faculty researching a range of topics, such as identification of plankton in our oceans, modeling species diversity in forests, and assembly of genomes. This macro-level perspective provides a unique opportunity to identify and remove limits affecting all research computing. His work has focused on computational science, biocomputing, and life sciences that change the way we look at and interact with the environment.

Bhavani Kola
Professor, University DLI Ambassador
Tarrant County College
CEO and Founder
Eclatech Solutions

Bhavani Kola is a math professor and department chair at Tarrant County College with over 24 years of experience in education. She is recognized for her leadership in advancing AI literacy and bridging the gap between mathematics and artificial intelligence. As an NVIDIA Certified Instructor, she brings advanced AI concepts—such as deep learning and prompt engineering—into the mathematics classroom, empowering both educators and students through engaging workshops and hands-on curriculum. In addition to her academic leadership, Bhavani is the founder and CEO of Eclatech USA LLC, where she leads strategic initiatives focused on educator upskilling and ethical AI integration. She shares her passion for accessible AI education through her YouTube channel, BhavaniKola, which features practical insights and simplified AI tutorials for educators and lifelong learners. Bhavani’s expertise is reinforced by professional certifications from MIT, Stanford, AWS, and NC3, along with ongoing doctoral studies in educational technology. She continues to champion inclusive, responsible, and innovative approaches to AI in education.

Mitesh Patel
Developer Advocate
NVIDIA

Mitesh Patel is a developer advocate manager at NVIDIA. His team is responsible for creating workflows to showcase how developers can harness GPU acceleration in their workflows related to LLMs, SLMs, and data science using tools and frameworks popular in the developer community. Before NVIDIA, he was a senior research scientist at Fuji Xerox Palo Alto Laboratory, Inc. (research subsidiary of Fuji Xerox), where he worked on developing indoor localization technologies for applications such as asset tracking in hospitals and delivery cart tracking in manufacturing facilities. Mitesh received his Ph.D. in Robotics from Center of Autonomous Systems (CAS) at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia in 2014.

Athena Angara
Data Science Graduate Student, NVIDIA Omniverse Ambassador
University of Illinois Chicago

Athena Angara is a recent data science graduate with a concentration in business analytics, class of 2025. She is also a proud member of the NVIDIA Omniverse Ambassador program. With a diverse background spanning data science, robotics, risk management, and AR/VR, Athena thrives at the intersection of data, technology, and innovation. Her work has ranged from analyzing carbon emissions for sustainability to building immersive digital twins for real-time visualization.

Lu Zhang
Founder and Managing Partner
Fusion Fund

Lu Zhang, founder and managing partner of Fusion Fund, is a renowned Silicon Valley-based investor, serial entrepreneur, and Stanford Engineering alumna. With a strong technical background, Lu has extensive experience bringing a broad range of technologies to commercialization and deep domain expertise in AI in healthcare, enterprise AI/networks, edge computing, and data privacy. Founded by Lu in 2015, Fusion Fund is dedicated to supporting early-stage entrepreneurs working on innovation in healthcare, enterprise AI, and industrial automation. With investments in over 90 companies across the U.S. and Canada, Fusion Fund has generated substantial exits over the years.

Maggie Chow
Global University Recruitment Lead for Research
NVIDIA

Maggie Chow is a global lead research recruiter at NVIDIA with over 10 years of experience in both startup and corporate environments. She is passionate about connecting with new people and maintaining existing relationships. Maggie is a graduate of the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Psychology.