this year’s speakers

voices shaping the future of AI CX

Get inspired by industry leaders, AI visionaries, and Ada customers who are redefining customer service through AI.

Featured speakers Roundtable moderators Mainstage speakers

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lisa stoner

vp, support operations

lisa stoner

vp, support operations

Lisa Stoner is VP of Support Operations at Pinterest. With a career spanning some of the world’s most influential tech companies, she’s known for driving operational excellence, building world-class teams, and delivering customer outcomes at scale. Previously at Meta, she led global support for ads, creators, payments, and more. At Uber, she was Head of Global Support Operations and Chair of Women@Uber, scaling a 25,000+ team, driving innovation, cultural change, and IPO readiness.

christina malis

the new york times

executive director, customer care

christina malis

the new york times

executive director, customer care

Christina leads Customer Care at The New York Times, overseeing a cross functional group of product development teams and operations experts. She drives forward strategies to enable bold innovation, achieve operational efficiency, and deliver a high quality support experience.

carissa frear

zapier

director, global support

carissa frear

zapier

director, global support

Carissa is the Director of Global Support at Zapier, where she focuses on delivering meaningful customer experiences. She’s passionate about putting the right tools in customers’ hands and helping them harness the power of AI and automation to do more with less.

daven govender

digicel

group chief customer officer

daven govender

digicel

group chief customer officer

Daven Govender leads customer experience at Digicel Group, the Caribbean’s largest communications provider, with 20 years of global customer service-transformation expertise. He specializes in AI-enabled strategies and best practices that boost engagement, efficiency and delivers business value.

jed thorn

alltrails

customer support manager

jed thorn

alltrails

customer support manager

Customer Service leader with 10 years of experience managing CS organizations at Etsy, Spotify and currently, AllTrails.

michael goudreau

calendly

CX systems administrator iii | chatbot operations

michael goudreau

calendly

CX systems administrator iii | chatbot operations

Hailing from Michigan, Michael leads chatbot and automation projects at Calendly, where he blends tech and conversation to make customer experiences smoother.

karen knighton

beehiiv

knowledge manager

karen knighton

beehiiv

knowledge manager

Karen Knighton leads knowledge management at beehiiv, an all-in-one newsletter platform for creators, businesses, and media companies. She drives the strategy behind their knowledge base to power the AI Manager.

dewi smith

openphone

sr. manager, customer experience enablement

dewi smith

openphone

sr. manager, customer experience enablement

Dewi Smith, Senior Manager of Customer Experience Enablement at OpenPhone, brings deep expertise in support, training, and knowledge management. She leads CX and enablement programs that empower teams and drive seamless, efficient, customer-first experiences.

mike murchison

ada

ceo

mike murchison

ada

ceo

Mike Murchison is CEO and Co-founder of Ada, the world’s leading customer service AI platform. Founded in 2016, Ada automates billions of customer interactions for brands like Square, YETI, and Monday.com.

mike gozzo

ada

cpto

mike gozzo

ada

cpto

Mike Gozzo is a tech entrepreneur and angel investor. He co-founded Smooch.io (acquired by Zendesk), led product at Zendesk, and is now CPTO at Ada, driving AI/ML innovation. He mentors Canadian tech founders and supports education and elder care through his foundation.

valentina sutton

ada

senior customer solutions consultant

valentina sutton

ada

senior customer solutions consultant

At the intersection of customer experience and AI innovation, Valentina Sutton builds intelligent automation strategies that are anything but robotic. As a Senior Solutions Consultant at Ada, she partners with global brands to launch AI Agents that don’t just deflect — they connect. When she’s not designing delightful automations, you can find her exploring Toronto’s green spaces with her pup or chasing live music under the open sky.

fernanda oliveira

fullscript

AI conversation specialist

fernanda oliveira

fullscript

AI conversation specialist

Award-winning AI Conversation Specialist at Fullscript with 10+ years in digital strategy. Fernanda has led chatbot and voice AI initiatives across healthcare, banking, and telecom to deliver human-centered, high-impact automation.

delan diaz

empower

customer experience (CX) gen AI manager

delan diaz

empower

customer experience (CX) gen AI manager

Delan Diaz has a foundation in Computer Science and over a decade of experience in support organizations. For the past four years in fintech, he has led CX AI and automation initiatives. At Empower, he currently heads CS tooling and next-gen chatbot development.

walter tucker

blackhawk network

director of enterprise systems

walter tucker

blackhawk network

director of enterprise systems

Walter Tucker leads a high-performing team at BlackHawk Network, driving the strategic implementation and integration of advanced tech to elevate customer service. Based in Dallas, he's also a mentor, family man, and avid baker.

melissa zalbeigi

betsson group

director of customer service

melissa zalbeigi

betsson group

director of customer service

Melissa Zalbeigi, CS Director at Betsson Group - a leading global online gaming operator - runs international teams across 8+ hubs. the team drives award-winning, multilingual support powered by AI and in-house tech, fostering talent and setting industry standards.

bryan beckwith

weber

sr. director, consumer care americas

bryan beckwith

weber

sr. director, consumer care americas

Award-winning operations leader driving customer experience transformation. Expert in service strategy, talent development, and cross-functional innovation. Proven success in streamlining systems and delivering exceptional consumer satisfaction.

kim l-baril

goodfood

AI manager

kim l-baril

goodfood

AI manager

AI Manager with 6+ years specializing in AI automation & knowledge base management for Goodfood. Former team leader & hospitality professional with DEP in pastry making. Passionate about creating seamless AI interactions. Motto: "No problems, only solutions."

toby moors

loop earplugs

customer success specialist

toby moors

loop earplugs

customer success specialist

Customer Success Specialist at Loop Earplugs, blending AI with a human touch. Toby’s 6+ years in CX drive data-led support ops—earning accolades like 2nd place in Belgium’s Best Bot Awards and proving that scale doesn’t mean sacrificing personality.

celia d'agostino

zoominfo

manager, CX technologies

celia d'agostino

zoominfo

manager, CX technologies

Celia D’Agostino is the Manager of CX Technologies at ZoomInfo, where she leads transformative, AI-powered initiatives across the customer experience landscape. Her customer-first approach ensures that every solution is built to enhance efficiency, personalization, and satisfaction at scale.

joe wang

ancestry

director of customer and community experience

joe wang

ancestry

director of customer and community experience

Joe Wang is Director of Customer and Community Experience at Ancestry, driving the company’s AI support transformation. He leads strategies that leverage generative AI to empower customer autonomy, boost engagement, and accelerate growth.

tj stein

ipsy

head of customer care

tj stein

ipsy

head of customer care

TJ Stein is an accomplished operations, technology and customer experience leader with a proven ability to build and scale organizations to drive positive business outcomes. With 17 years of experience, TJ has a proven track record of turning operational challenges into growth opportunities.

guillaume esperou

King

head of player support

guillaume esperou

King

head of player support

Head of Player Support at King. Passionate about blending automation, data, and empathy to elevate the player experience. Driving innovation in support through chatbots, AI, and close studio collaboration.

lynda hsu

eq bank

senior product manager

lynda hsu

eq bank

senior product manager

Lynda is a Senior Product Manager at EQ Bank. With over eight years of experience in B2B SaaS and banking, she’s led 0-to-1 launches, including EQ’s first AI tool with Ada. Outside work, she’s into podcasts, cafés, and hot yoga.

josé herrera

horatio

ceo & co-founder

josé herrera

horatio

ceo & co-founder

José Herrera is CEO of Horatio, a top customer service outsourcing firm with 2,000+ employees across the Dominican Republic and Colombia. A former Wall Street analyst, José holds an MBA from Columbia and was named a Forbes Next 1000 Entrepreneur in 2021.

built for CX Executives and the leaders driving AI forward

Interact isn’t for the sit-back-and-listen types, it’s for the drivers who aren’t content with “good enough”. This year’s agenda is crafted for action, alignment, and growth.

Mainstage

Far from fluffy placations about AI, these keynotes feature real stories, hard-won lessons, and fresh perspectives from executives at leading brands like Pinterest, Zapier, and Ancestry.

Roundtables

Take part in meaningful conversations facilitated by your peers—senior leaders and AI CX experts who’ve been where you are. Discuss challenges, share tactics, and uncover opportunities as a community.

Workshops

Get hands-on in expert-led workshops designed to help you maximize the impact of Ada’s most powerful features, create better experiences, and improve the ROI of AI customer service.

Sept 15

Welcome Reception

opening party at ada HQ: a night on the (ada) town

6:00 - 9:00 pm

We’re bringing the city vibes into Ada HQ—literally. Expect metro-line mosaics, break dancers, buskers, caricature artists, and street food that hits just right.

Sept 16

Fuel up

breakfast & registration

8:00 - 9:00 am

Grab your badge, fuel up, and connect with fellow attendees before the day gets rolling.

Mainstage

intro & welcome

9:00 - 9:10am

Kick things off with a warm welcome from our MC, key announcements, and a look at what’s ahead.

Mainstage

redesigning the enterprise for an AI-native future

9:10 - 9:40am

Mike Murchison
CEO, ada

Tomorrow’s org charts won’t start with people, they’ll start with AI. Learn how forward-thinking teams are getting there.

Mainstage

pushing the boundaries of AI-powered CX

9:40 - 10:10am

Surprise Speaker

Hear from a leading voice at the intersection of AI and CX. Expect sharp insights, real use cases, and a vision for what’s ahead.

Mainstage

building enterprise-grade AI: trust, control, and the future of CX

10:10 - 10:40am

Lisa Stoner
VP Support Operations, Pinterest

Anuj Arora
VP Solutions & Strategy, ada

When serving 500M+ users, trust is non-negotiable. Hear how Pinterest built transparency, control, and measurable impact into their AI support experience—at scale, without compromise.

Fuel up

morning break & networking

10:45 - 11:10am

Take a break, grab a bite, and keep the conversations flowing. This is your time to recharge and build connections before diving back in.

Roundtables

expert-led discussions

11:10am - 12:10pm

CX leaders

Strategic conversations for leaders rethinking customer service—from AI vision to executive alignment, org design, and bottom-line impact.

Expect discussions about:

Evolving CX team structure, roles, and skills in the age of AI
Mapping the journey for AI customer experiences
Reinvesting CX cost savings for higher impact as you scale
And more...

AI managers

Expert practitioner conversations on the real-world tactics, systems, and wins that make AI agents perform at scale.

Expect discussions about:

Coaching AI agents for complex customer journeys at scale
Managing an AI agent for SaaS
Collaborating with cross-functional teams for better AI performance
And more...

Fuel up

lunch break

12:10 - 1:20pm

Take a well-earned pause to enjoy lunch and good company. Use this time to recharge and reflect before the afternoon kicks off.

Mainstage

ada's 2025 ambitious innovator (AI) awards

1:20 - 1:30pm

The AI Awards celebrate trailblazing Ada customers who are pushing boundaries with visionary leadership, building bold solutions with AI, and setting the standard for CX innovation.

Mainstage

fall product launch: upcoming releases and major announcements

1:30 - 2:00pm

Mike Gozzo
CPTO, ada

Meet [Ada²]: not just new, reengineered for the demands of complex, high-scale enterprises. Get a first look at the platform that delivers unmatched control, composability, and real AI-human teamwork.

Workshop

product breakout workshops

2:00 - 3:00pm

Get hands-on in expert-led workshops designed to help you maximize the impact of Ada’s most powerful features, create better experiences, and improve the ROI of AI customer service.

Fuel up

afternoon break & networking

3:00 - 3:20pm

Take an energizing pause to stretch, sip, and make one last round of connections before heading into the final sessions.

Roundtables

expert-led discussions

3:20 - 4:20pm

CX leaders

Intimate, peer-led roundtable discussions facilitated by CX leaders who’ve walked the same path—and are ready to share what’s actually working.

Expect discussions about:

Turning Heads (and Budgets): Executive Strategies to Scale AI in CX
The Real ROI of AI: Reinvesting in People, Process, and Performance

AI managers

Intimate, peer-led roundtable discussions facilitated by AI Managers who’ve walked the same path—and are ready to share what’s actually working.

Expect discussions about:

Breaking the Bias: Overcoming the Stigma of AI in Customer Service
Balancing AI Coverage and High Quality CX
Coaching Your AI Agent: Lessons Learned From Trial, Error, and Success
From Chaos to Clarity: Structuring Content That Fuels Smarter AI Agents

Mainstage

building an AI customer service strategy: lessons from industry executives

4:20 - 5:00pm

Carissa Frear
Director of Global Support, Zapier

Joe Wang
Director of Customer & Community Experience, Ancestry

Get an inside look at what it really takes to build an effective AI strategy—from aligning stakeholders and setting realistic goals to driving adoption and measuring impact.

Patio

evening reception

5:00 - 7:00pm

The work is done—now it’s time to mingle, reflect, and raise a glass. Join us for a laid-back close to an inspiring day.

for CX leaders

for AI manager

for the AI CX community

General Admission

$1000CAD

+ Taxes

Extended Early Bird

$350CAD

+ Taxes | Expired June 20

lisa stoner

pinterest

vp, support operations

lisa stoner

pinterest

vp, support operations

christina malis

the new york times

executive director, customer care

christina malis

the new york times

executive director, customer care

carissa frear

zapier

director, global support

carissa frear

zapier

director, global support

daven govender

digicel

group chief customer officer

daven govender

digicel

group chief customer officer

jed thorn

alltrails

customer support manager

jed thorn

alltrails

customer support manager

michael goudreau

calendly

CX systems administrator iii | chatbot operations

michael goudreau

calendly

CX systems administrator iii | chatbot operations

karen knighton

beehiiv

knowledge manager

karen knighton

beehiiv

knowledge manager

dewi smith

openphone

sr. manager, customer experience enablement

dewi smith

openphone

sr. manager, customer experience enablement

mike murchison

ada

ceo

mike murchison

ada

ceo

mike gozzo

ada

cpto

mike gozzo

ada

cpto

valentina sutton

ada

senior customer solutions consultant

valentina sutton

ada

senior customer solutions consultant

fernanda oliveira

fullscript

AI conversation specialist

fernanda oliveira

fullscript