PANELISTS

MONDAY

Mónica Cervantes Jiménez  (MEX)
Mónica Cervantes-Jiménez obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Biology in 2011 and a PhD in Water Sciences in 2016. She is a Level I member of the National System of Researchers and serves as a full-time professor at the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the Autonomous University of Queretaro. Her primary research interests encompass the investigation of vegetation functions at the ecosystem level, employing remote sensing and machine learning for livestock production in intensive grazing systems and regenerative livestock practices. Additionally, she focuses on ecological restoration and the monitoring of carbon and water dynamics within ecosystems.

Carlos Dobler Mehner (MEX)

Carlos Dobler Mehner was the Secretary of Agricultural Development (Sedea) for the state of Querétaro and previously served as the Director of CAE-TEC and a Lecturer at ITESM Querétaro Campus, developing academic linkage programs. He is an Agricultural Engineer with a specialization in Animal Husbandry, graduated from the Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM), and holds a Master's degree in Animal Science and Production from Texas Agriculture & Mechanics University. He also has a diploma in Marketing from the Universidad del Mayab. Additionally, he was the delegate for the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries, and Food (Sagarpa) from 2010 to 2013. Furthermore, he was the Administrative Manager of the Regional Cattlemen's Union of Querétaro (UGRQ) and the General Manager of the Local Pig Farmers' Association of Querétaro.

Oswaldo Hernández Dorantes (MEX)

Oswaldo is a Veterinary Doctor specialized in Animal Husbandry, graduated from the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo. He holds diplomas in Holistic Rangeland Management, Nutrition and Management of Grazing Cattle, and Regenerative Ranch Management. He is currently a private consultant on Sustainable Grazing Livestock, and the founder of the Demonstration Center for Sustainable Livestock at Rancho El Dorado, located in the municipality of Tolimán, Querétaro. Additionally, he serves as the President of the cooperative Sociedad Cooperativa SUELOS, AGOSTADEROS, GANADO Y ALMAS. He is a leader in the Sustainable Grazing Livestock Project in Querétaro, which includes the incorporation of 38 ejidos (communal lands) across the state. He is also a member of the Civil Association for Regenerative Ranch Management. His passion lies in sustainable livestock farming practices in social-use rangelands.

TUESDAY

Luz del Carmen Morales (MEX)

Luz del Carmen Morales is an Anthropologist and PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies from UAQ. She is interested in the extractivist processes taking place in Indigenous and peasant territories. She is a consultant for social processes that link mega-projects with common property, ejidos, and communities. She participates in territorial defense processes through training, reflection, and strengthening local governance systems, as well as the ethics of care from Southern epistemologies and gender studies. She is a Humanities professor at the TEC de Monterrey in Querétaro.

Mariana Morales (MEX)
Mariana Morales Cortés holds a degree in History from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where she also completed a Master's in Art History. Since 2003, she has worked as a curator and cultural manager, collaborating with various museums and cultural institutions.

Since 2012, her work has focused on the intersection of art and community, exploring the potential of art as a tool for reflection and social transformation. She is currently the founder and a member of Proyecto Garambullo. Laboratorio de Arte y Cultura del Semidesierto, an interdisciplinary initiative that works with the community of Colón, Querétaro, on intangible cultural heritage and its relationship with nature and territory. Her work centers on the development of participatory projects that connect art, agroecology, and collective memory, promoting food sovereignty and the preservation of traditional knowledge in the region.

Camille Pelletier (CAN)

Camille Pelletier holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Laval University and is currently pursuing a master's degree in political science under the supervision of Professor Yannick Dufresne. Strongly interested in public opinion from various perspectives, she focuses particularly on the study of belief systems.

In addition to her work with the Political Communication Research Group (GRCP), Camille is a student-researcher at the Chair of Leadership in Teaching Digital Social Sciences (CLESSN), the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CAPP), the Center for Sustainable Health Research (VITAM), and a member of the Center for the Study of Democratic Citizenship (CECD).

Sara-Jane Vincent (CAN)

Sarah-Jane Vincent holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Modern Languages - International Development profile and a bachelor degree in political science from Université Laval. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in political science under the supervision of Professor Yannick Dufresne and Alexandre Gajevic Sayegh. Strongly interested in public opinion from different perspectives, she focuses particularly on attitude towards climate change.

In addition to her role with the Chair of Leadership in Teaching Digital Social Sciences (CLESSN), Sarah-Jane is actively involved in several academic initiatives. She works as a student-researcher at the Political Communication Research Group (GRCP) and collaborates with both the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CAPP) and the the Institute for Environment, Development, and Society. Moreover, she is affiliated with the Center for the Study of Democratic Citizenship (CSDC).
 

WEDNESDAY

Marc-Antoine Dilhac (CAN)
Marc-Antoine Dilhac (PhD, Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne) is a professor of ethics and political philosophy at the Université de Montréal and an associate academic member of Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute. He currently holds a CIFAR Chair in AI Ethics (2019–2024) and previously served as Canada Research Chair in Public Ethics and Political Theory (2014–2019).

Dilhac specializes in theories of democracy, social justice, and applied ethics. His research focuses on the ethical and social impacts of AI, governance, and institutional design, particularly how new technologies are reshaping public relations and political structures. In 2017, he initiated the co-construction of the Montréal Declaration for a Responsible Development of AI and chaired its scientific committee. As Director of Algora Lab in 2020, he led an international deliberation process for UNESCO’s consultations on its Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.

He founded Algora Lab in 2019, an interdisciplinary laboratory dedicated to advancing AI ethics research and developing a deliberative approach to AI governance. Dilhac is also co-director of deliberation at the International Observatory on the Societal Impacts of AI and Digital Technologies (OBVIA), contributes to the OECD Policy Observatory as part of its expert network, and serves on Canada’s AI Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence, where he co-chairs its Working Group on Public Awareness.

Elham Kheradmand (CAN)

Elham is a mathematician and AI researcher dedicated to advancing AI for social good, with a focus on sustainable finance (ESG), climate change, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). She holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics with a full GPA and has an excellent academic record, earning numerous prestigious scholarships and awards. She has been recognized for her contributions with distinguished honors, including ESG AI Leader of the Year 2022 in North America.

A thought leader in AI for sustainability, Elham actively engages in discussions on the future of AI, ESG, and corporate accountability, shaping the intersection of technology and sustainable finance. Beyond her technical expertise, she is passionate about empowering women in their personal and professional growth and dedicates time to volunteer initiatives supporting this mission.

Réjean Roy (CAN)
Réjean Roy is the Director of Training and Knowledge Mobilization at IVADO, the leading interdisciplinary and intersectoral research consortium in artificial intelligence in Quebec and Canada.

For over 25 years, Réjean has specialized in executing strategic mandates in the digital world. In recent years, he has co-led the drafting of Quebec's strategy for the development of the AI ecosystem, as well as the establishment of the International Observatory on the Societal Impacts of AI and Digital Technology (Obvia) and the Forum AI Quebec (which unites all AI stakeholders in Quebec). He also co-authored the report on AI regulation that the Quebec Innovation Council presented to Minister Fitzgibbon in February 2024"

THURSDAY

Manuel Morales (CAN)
Manuel Morales is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Montreal, specializing in Financial and Actuarial Mathematics. His research interests include Applied Machine Learning in banking and responsible investment, as well as Mathematical Finance and Risk Theory. He is particularly focused on innovative applications of learning algorithms in finance, banking, and micro-structural modeling in high-frequency finance, extending beyond traditional Ruin Theory.

He has also contributed to the AI transformation initiative at the National Bank of Canada, where, as Chief AI Scientist, he led the scientific efforts to integrate AI technologies across various sectors. His work spanned diverse projects, including wealth management and retail banking, and he played a key role in establishing an AI governance framework. Since 2018, he has served as the General Director of the FinML Network.
    

Juan Alberto Amézquita (MEX)
He is an Associate Professor of Ethics in the Department of Humanities at Tecnológico de Monterrey in Guadalajara. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy from the Universidad Panamericana, Mexico Campus; a Bachelor's in Theology from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome (Italy); a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy from the Ecclesiastical Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Navarra, in Pamplona (Spain); and a PhD in International and Intercultural Studies from the University of Deusto in Bilbao (Spain). His research areas include educational innovation applied to the teaching of Ethics, Applied Ethics, and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Enrique Cortés Rello (MEX)
Enrique Cortés-Rello has extensive international experience in the application of advanced information technology to enable digital transformation across multiple industries. He is currently the Director of the Artificial Intelligence Hub at Tec de Monterrey, the first AI ecosystem in Latin America, and a technology advisor to several investment funds in Mexico and Europe. Previously, Enrique was the Managing Director of Luxoft Mexico, a Swiss firm specializing in the use of advanced technologies such as data science and Artificial Intelligence for digital transformation in industries like automotive, agribusiness, and e-commerce. Prior to that, Enrique worked for Perot Systems/Dell in India, the UK, the U.S., and the Philippines, helping global clients digitalize their businesses in the travel, utilities, telecommunications, financial, and healthcare sectors. Enrique holds a Master’s and PhD in Computer Science with a specialization in AI from Arizona State University, and he also completed the "Leading Professional Services Firms" program at Harvard Business School.
 
    
Juan Roberto Hernández Villalobos (MEX)
Juan Roberto is an experienced professional in project management, cultural strategy, and social innovation. He currently works as a consultant for UNESCO on projects related to Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Neurotechnology. Since 2020, he has been the General Coordinator of fAIr LAC Jalisco at Tecnológico de Monterrey, promoting the responsible and ethical use of AI for social good in Jalisco.

Previously, Juan Roberto served as Liaison for Urban Innovation at Visor Urbano, a Bloomberg Philanthropies-funded social innovation project, and as CEO of Imaginuro, a communication agency focused on political and social projects. He was also Deputy Director of Planning and Institutional Development at the Cultural Institute of Zapopan, where he developed strategies for cultural program growth.

He holds a Master's in Innovation Development from the University of Guadalajara and a Bachelor's in Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. Additionally, he contributed to the award-winning documentary series "200 Ecos."

Ivete Sánchez Bravo  (MEX)
Ivete Sánchez Bravo holds a Master's degree in Computer Science and Industrial Mathematics from CIMAT and is a doctoral candidate in Management at the Universidad Iberoamericana León. She works at the Coordination of Technological Services (CST) at the Centro de Investigación en Matemáticas (CIMAT). The CST is the office for the development and innovation of mathematical-based solutions. She has over 20 years of experience in developing technological projects in mathematical computing, artificial intelligence, and information technologies. She is the Secretary of Outreach for the Mexican Mathematical Society, where she coordinates the Outreach Commission and is a member of the board of directors.

From 2020 to 2023, she was the Coordinator of Technological Services at CIMAT. Additionally, from 2019 to 2021, she was the manager of the CONACyT Artificial Intelligence Consortium of Centers, an alliance of eight public research centers, and served as the institutional leader of CIMAT in the Binational Innovation Nodes of the Bajío and Southeast regions. In the private industry, she led optimization platforms at Prolec-General Electric. Since 2020, she has been a volunteer for the Women in Artificial Intelligence organization as the Operations Director in Mexico and as an ambassador for Women in Data Science (WiDS) from Stanford in Guanajuato and as Ambassador in Women Techmakers de Google. 

PANELIST USE CASES 

Rheia Khalaf (CAN)

Rheia Khalaf is the Director of Partnerships at Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute. She brings an expertise in actuarial science, artificial intelligence (AI) and risk management acquired through more than fifteen years working in various roles for reputable organizations like IVADO, Fiera Capital and EY.

Rheia serves on the technology transfer committee of the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), Quebec’s financial regulatory body and she mentors startups. She contributes to numerous initiatives that focus on responsible AI use, sustainable finance or climate risks, and has co-authored several publications on AI.

After earning a B.Sc. in actuarial mathematics from Concordia University, Rheia completed an M.Sc. in risk management at the University of Zurich / ETH Zurich. She also has a certificate in sustainable investing from Queen’s University.

Ulises Moya (MEX)

Ulises Moya is a pioneering director in the AI field within the public administration in Mexico. Ulises's expertise and commitment to responsible and ethical design have gained international recognition. Some of his projects were selected by GPAI(2020), Global UNESCO IRCAI Top 100 (selected in Top-10) 2023, and GPAI scale-up solutions 2023-24, reflecting their contributions to responsible AI, and ethics in real-world problems.

Before his current role, Ulises contributed in the HPC and deep learning research at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center's high-performance artificial intelligence group.

Finally, the Institute of Physics UNAM honored Ulises with the Juan Manuel Lozano Diploma and the Fulbright García-Robles grant, which provided him with the opportunity to collaborate with the Quantitative Bio-imaging Laboratory at the University of Texas in Dallas and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Heinrich Terborg (MEX)

Heinrich Terborg is a physicist (honorary distinction) and Ph.D. in Sciences (Physics) specializing in Complex Systems from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). With more than 15 years of experience leading R&D projects across multiple industries, he has focused extensively on data science, sensor design, and blockchain over the past five years. He holds over five patents spanning document security, blockchain, and smart contract technologies, and has played pioneering roles in both AI-driven cryptographic security for banknotes and innovative solutions for renewable energy optimization.

A serial entrepreneur since 2007, he began his entrepreneurial journey by founding a company dedicated to aid simulating petrochemical processes. He also helped founding Wonderblocks Labs, Inc., a startup specializing in blockchain-based loyalty programs, which helped leading to significant growth before its acquisition in 2022 by a publicly traded company in the US. Currently, he serves as co-founder and CTO of Solar180 and co-founder and CEO of Marein, Inc., an AI-driven data analytics spin-off from Solar180. In these roles, he blends IoT technologies with advanced machine learning to enhance operational efficiency, reliability, and fraud detection in energy-generation projects. With Marein, his ultimate goal is to leverage data science and AI to improve risk assessment and underwriting in the insurance sector, providing more accurate insights into the performance and reliability of energy assets.

Heinrich thrives on bridging rigorous scientific research with real-world impact, using data science to tackle complex challenges in energy, finance, and security.

Jesús Horacio Hernández Anguiano (MEX)

 Jesús Horacio Hernández Anguiano is an hydrologist and Full Professor at the Department of Geomatics and Hydraulics at the University of Guanajuato (UG). Alongside Dr. Yanmei Li, he has been actively involved in significant research focused on the hydrogeochemistry of aquifers in the Upper Basin of the Laja River. Their collaborative work has earned recognition and financial support from both national and international institutions, including the Texas A&M University (TAMU), where their research has been acknowledged by the College of Arts & Sciences.

Throughout his career, Dr. Hernández has led and participated in various projects dedicated to the study of hydrology and hydrogeology. His research has not only gained institutional support within the University of Guanajuato but has also involved international partnerships with institutions such as the University of Texas in San Antonio and the University of Massachusetts. His current projects include a multi-disciplinary approach to groundwater studies, addressing agriculture, health, economics, and politics, with the goal of securing support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) of the United States.

Aurelio Guevara (MEX)
Aurelio Guevara-Escobar is a veterinarian by training and has been a user of computational technology for over 40 years. He applies machine learning algorithms to predict the future behavior of biological phenomena, such as ecosystem carbon and water fluxes between the biosphere-atmosphere interface, as well as future estimates of animal productive performance. His area of expertise is animal production, grazing, agroforestry and evaporation. He works as a research professor at the Autonomous University of Querétaro in the Ecology Laboratory.