Keynote Speaker

Dr. Besa Bauta,
AI Expert and Chief Information Officer of the Jewish Board

Dr. Besa Bauta is the Chief Information Officer of the Jewish Board, overseeing enterprise-wide infrastructure modernization projects and technology implementations. Previously, Dr. Bauta served as the Chief Data and Analytics Officer for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, where she managed data, analytics, and digital transformation initiatives for a multi-billion-dollar state division. With experience as a Chief Data Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, and Information Privacy/Security Officer at MercyFirst, she oversaw data integration technology, research, evaluation, and analytics.

In academia, Dr. Bauta is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at New York University, teaching public health and social work. She holds a Ph.D. in Health Services and Implementation Science, an MPH in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, and an MSW in Clinical Social Work, all from NYU.

Dr. Bauta has been recognized as a leader in the data and analytics field, being selected as a Global Data Power Woman, Top 25 Women in AI: US Healthcare & Pharma, and a finalist for the Changemaker in the Field of Data Award. She is an accomplished author and has conducted research on mental health, non-communicable diseases, and improving health and mental health systems. Her current research focuses on optimizing processes, protecting patient health information, and implementing AI technologies ethically in healthcare and human services.