Conference Presenters
Dr. Faith Cole serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services at Leyden High School District 212, where she leads districtwide efforts in special education, student support services, mental health programming, MTSS, 504 services, and family engagement. With more than two decades of experience in education, she has served in a variety of leadership roles focused on improving outcomes for students through equitable systems, collaborative problem solving, and innovative practices.
Dr. Cole is passionate about the thoughtful integration of emerging technologies in education and the opportunities artificial intelligence presents to enhance teaching, learning, and student support. Her work centers on balancing innovation with ethics, ensuring that technology is used to strengthen human connections, increase access, and support the diverse needs of all learners.
As a district leader, she brings a practical perspective on how schools can responsibly leverage AI to improve efficiency, support educators, personalize student experiences, and maintain a strong focus on equity, privacy, and student well being. Dr. Cole is committed to helping educational communities navigate the opportunities and challenges of AI while keeping students at the center of decision making.
Dani Houchin is the Executive Director and Trustee of Origami Works Foundation. Origami Works provides leadership, funding, and project management for workforce development initiatives in Chicago and Cook County. We collaborate with community-based organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies to remove barriers to rewarding employment for Chicagoland citizens. Our programs and funding support individuals with limited experience or education, as well as people living in under-resourced communities, opportunity youth, people with disabilities, and first-generation college graduates.
Origami Works Foundation has developed and launched a number of online resources serving the workforce development ecosystem, including Chicagoland CareerPathways, Game Changers in the C-Suite, Talent Solutions Connector, and the Employer Engagement Playbook.
Dani is a co-author of Talent Connections: Your Guide to Leveraging Chicago's Workforce Investments. Based on over three years of interviews, trusted data, and personal experience in the workforce development ecosystem, Talent Connections is a step-by-step guide for employers new to navigating the workforce development ecosystem.
Dani spent most of her career as a management consultant, helping organizations of all kinds and sizes enhance the performance of their employees, through process improvements, change management initiatives, and learning programs. A first-generation college graduate herself, Dani has a degree in Public & International Affairs from Princeton University, and a Masters in Instructional Technology from Columbia University. She also completed doctoral level coursework at Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy.
Sarah Hunter, MHA serves as President of Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, part of Loyola Medicine, where she leads strategic, operational, and cultural initiatives for the community-based hospital. She is responsible for advancing quality, strengthening physician and team engagement, and ensuring sustainable growth in an increasingly complex healthcare environment. Throughout her career, Sarah has held progressive leadership roles across hospital operations and system strategy, with a focus on building high-performing teams and guiding organizations through change.
Kraig Kistinger is the Director of Human Resources for National Tube Supply (NTS) where he is responsible for the full scope of human resources services across NTS’s 8 locations. During his time at National Tube Supply, Kraig has shifted NTS’s HR focus from being tactical to being a strategic partner. Kraig has worked to streamline and drive efficiencies within the HR processes including the implementation of the company’s first applicant tracking system, automating the benefits process, connecting employees electronically to their company data and developing alternative recruitment strategies to meet organizational challenges and building a comprehensive training system.
Kraig is passionate about workforce development and is active not only in his own organization but also, within his profession and community. He serves as Vice-Chair for the Will County Workforce Investment Board, the Personnel Committee for Guardian Angel Community Services, and the business workforce lead for the Calumet Manufacturing Industry Sector Partnership.
At the state level, Kraig previously served as Chair of the Career Pathways for Target Populations Committee of the IWIB and continues to advocate for private business on various state committees. Additionally, he is Vice-Chair of Industry on the board for SkillsUSA Illinois. Kraig was also selected to the US Chamber of Commerce, the Multistate Career Readiness TPM Academy®.
Kraig's 25+ years experience in human resources spans across the industrial sector including steel, paper, rail & petrochemical. Prior to joining National Tube Supply, Kraig was responsible for corporate HR services and recruiting for a national mechanical contractor in the petrochemical industry with an average employee base of 1500.
Ana Krstic is an Apprenticeship Coordinator at Triton College School of Continuing Education and a dedicated, student-focused education professional with extensive experience in English Language Acquisition and academic support services. She specializes in designing contextualized, career-focused instruction for diverse adult learners, with a strong emphasis on healthcare and workforce development. Ana has demonstrated leadership in supervising and training tutors and has a proven ability to improve program outcomes through data-driven strategies. Her work centers on fostering inclusive, engaging learning environments and exploring how emerging technologies, including AI, can enhance teaching, learning, and student success.
Dora McAllister is co-owner and director of operations for Aire Serv of Oak Park, where she leads business operations and helps integrate artificial intelligence into day-to-day workflows, including customer service, marketing, hiring, training, and operational decision making. She works with AI as a practical business tool to improve efficiency while balancing the importance of human judgment and customer experience.
Before entering the skilled trades, Dora built a career in higher education and education research. She holds a PhD in Higher Education Policy and has led program evaluation, strategic planning, and institutional research initiatives at colleges and universities. Her work has focused on helping organizations use data and evidence to improve decision making and prepare for change.
Drawing on experience in both higher education and industry, Dora brings a practical perspective on how AI is reshaping work, workforce development, and the skills organizations need for the future.
Jennifer Stewart is Vice President of AI and Innovation at Premier Research, where she leads the enterprise AI Center of Excellence, driving how AI moves from concept to real-world impact across the organization. With more than 20 years of global experience in clinical research, data sciences, and operational leadership, Jennifer brings a unique ability to connect strategy with execution, turning complex ideas into practical solutions that deliver measurable results. She helps organizations cut through the hype of AI and focus on what truly matters: solving real problems, enabling teams, and delivering value responsibly. She works across business, healthcare, and technology functions to scale AI in ways that are practical, compliant, and impactful.
Jennifer has presented at global conferences and collaborates with industry groups advancing the real-world application of AI and data innovation. She is passionate about empowering the next generation of AI and data leaders while shaping a future where AI delivers meaningful outcomes across industries. She holds an MBA from Roosevelt University and a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Northwestern University. Outside of work, she enjoys practicing yoga, cheering on Northwestern University athletes (Go Cats!), traveling, reading fiction, and spending time with family and friends.
Dr. Felicia L. Townsend is Dean of the School of Continuing Education at Triton College and a leader in continuing education and workforce development with more than 25 years of experience in higher education, nonprofit management, marketing and communications, and corporate engagement.
Throughout her career, she has led cross-functional teams and developed results-driven continuing education, workforce, and professional development initiatives for colleges, universities, an international trade association, and nonprofit organizations. She has cultivated strategic partnerships, developed outreach and engagement initiatives for national and international audiences, and led more than 35 conferences throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Dr. Townsend began her career in the publishing industry at the Chicago Sun-Times before transitioning to nonprofit and higher education leadership. Her previous higher education positions include Director of Business and Industry Services at Kennedy-King College, Assistant Dean of Recruitment, Admissions, and Marketing/Director of the Center for Professional Excellence at Dominican University, and Director of Corporate and Community Education at Governors State University.
She earned a Doctorate (Ed.D.) in Adult and Continuing Education from National Louis University, an MBA in Marketing from the Illinois Institute of Technology Stuart School of Business, an M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership from the University of Illinois Chicago, a B.S. in Marketing from DePaul University, and a Certificate in Instructional Design from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.