15 Fan-Favorite Speakers & Instructors Returning for ODSC East 2025
As we approach the 10th Anniversary of ODSC East, coming to Boston this May 13th to 15th, our speakers drive our topics and conference content. While every event’s lineup is unique and changes based on industry trends and needs, we reinvite many speakers each time as the attendees have made it clear that these AI professionals are can’t-miss speakers, and they always get positive feedback. This year’s event is no different, and here’s a rundown of 15 fan-favorite speakers who are returning once again.
Allen Downey, PhD, Principal Data Scientist at PyMC Labs
Allen is the author of several books — including Think Python, Think Bayes, and Probably Overthinking It — and a blog about data science and Bayesian statistics. He received a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley; and Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from MIT.
Session 1: Mastering Time Series Analysis with StatsModels: From Decomposition to ARIMA
Learn how to model and forecast time-dependent data using powerful tools from the StatsModels library. This hands-on session will explore seasonal decomposition, ARIMA, and autoregression techniques, with real-world examples from weather patterns and renewable energy data.
Session 2: Bayesian Analysis of Survey Data: Practical Modeling with PyMC
Unlock the power of Bayesian inference for modeling complex categorical data using PyMC. This session takes you from logistic regression to categorical and ordered logistic regression, providing practical, hands-on experience with real-world survey data.
Dr. Jon Krohn, Host of the SuperDataScience Podcast
Jon Krohn is a leading voice in data science as the host of SuperDataScience, the industry’s most-listened-to podcast. A dynamic educator, he delivers compelling lectures at top universities, conferences, and through his award-winning YouTube channel. As the author of Deep Learning Illustrated, a #1 bestseller translated into seven languages, and an Oxford PhD with over a decade of machine learning research, Jon brings unparalleled expertise to the stage.
Session: Agentic AI in Action: Build Autonomous, Multi-Agent Systems Hands-On in Python
Explore the power of autonomous AI agents and learn how to design, build, and deploy multi-agent systems with minimal human intervention. This hands-on session covers key frameworks like LangChain, CrewAI, and Microsoft Autogen, guiding you through live coding exercises to create AI agents that research, analyze, and make decisions independently. Gain both theoretical and practical expertise to harness agentic AI in real-world applications and stay ahead of this rapidly evolving field.
Andras Zsom, PhD, Assistant Professor of the Practice, Director of Graduate Studies at the Data Science Institute, Brown University
Andras Zsom is an Assistant Professor of the Practice and Director of Graduate Studies at Brown University’s Data Science Initiative. As a key architect of Brown’s data science master’s program, he shapes the next generation of AI leaders, teaching core courses and mentoring students in cutting-edge research on missing data, interpretability, and machine learning pipelines.
Session: Practical Explainability Techniques for Machine Learning Models
Understand why machine learning models make decisions and how to enhance their interpretability for real-world applications. This session explores global and local explanation methods, from model-agnostic techniques like perturbation feature importance to advanced approaches like Shapley Additive Explanations. Through hands-on coding with Python, pandas, sklearn, and SHAP, you’ll learn how to debug models, build trust, and ensure fairness in high-stakes applications like finance and healthcare.
Rajiv Shah, PhD, Machine Learning Engineer at Contextual AI
Rajiv Shah is a leading expert in Practical AI, with a track record of helping enterprise teams succeed through his work at top AI companies like Hugging Face, Snorkel, Snowflake, and DataRobot. A prolific researcher with over 20 published papers, 1,000+ citations, and 20 patents, his expertise spans deep learning, interpretability, and sports analytics. With a PhD, a law degree, and a Harvard fellowship, Rajiv is not only a technical leader but also a dynamic communicator — his viral AI insights on @rajistics have amassed over 10 million views.
Session: Hill Climbing: Best Practices for Evaluating LLMs
Learn how to systematically evaluate and improve LLM performance using cutting-edge techniques. This session covers benchmarking with evaluation suites like EleutherAI LM Evaluation Harness, leveraging models as judges, and incorporating human feedback. You’ll also explore modular testing strategies and unit tests to refine complex tasks, leaving with a practical roadmap for building robust LLM evaluation pipelines.
Dr. Andre Franca, CTO of Ergodic
Andre is the co-founder and CTO of Ergodic, pioneering AI powered by world models for smarter decision-making. Previously, as VP of R&D at causaLens, he applied cutting-edge Causal AI to solve critical business challenges for global enterprises. With a background as an executive director at Goldman Sachs, where he built and validated quantitative models, and a PhD in theoretical physics exploring black holes, Andre brings a rare blend of deep technical expertise and real-world impact.
Sinan Ozdemir, AI & LLM Expert | Author | Founder + CTO of LoopGenius
A former Director of Data Science at Directly and AI advisor to Tola Capital, he brings deep expertise in LLMs, machine learning, and algorithm development. As an accomplished author for Addison-Wesley and Pearson and a former Forbes Technology Council member, Sinan has shaped the AI landscape through thought leadership and education.
Session: Beyond Benchmarks: Evaluating AI Agents, Multimodal Systems, and Generative AI in the Real World
Discover advanced evaluation techniques for AI agents, multimodal models, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) workflows. This session covers assessing tool selection accuracy, decision-making metrics, and biases in multi-agent systems, along with strategies for evaluating text, image, and audio coherence. Learn how to benchmark RAG pipelines for precision, recall, and factuality while tackling hallucination detection and trustworthiness scoring to ensure AI systems are reliable and deployment-ready.
Julien Simon, Chief Evangelist at Arcee.ai
Julien is a leading expert in AI and open-source small language models, helping enterprises build cutting-edge, cost-efficient solutions. With over 30 years in tech — including key roles at Hugging Face, AWS, and as a startup CTO — he brings unparalleled expertise in cloud computing and machine learning. A prolific educator, Julien shares his knowledge through code demos, blogs, and YouTube, making complex AI accessible.
Amber Roberts, Staff Technical Marketing Manager at Databricks
Prior to her time at Databricks, Amber was the ML Growth Lead at Arize AI, where she leaned on her years of experience building models as a data scientist and machine learning engineer. Before Arize, Amber was a Product Manager of AI/ML at Splunk and Head of Artificial Intelligence at Insight Data Science. A former astrophysicist and Carnegie Fellow, Amber has an MS in Astrophysics from the Universidad de Chile.
Valentina Alto, Technical Architect, AI & App at Microsoft
Valentina is an AI and Apps Tech Architect at Microsoft, specializing in analytics and AI solutions for the manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries. Since 2022, she has been driving digital transformation, designing cloud architectures, and developing cutting-edge data platforms incorporating IoT, real-time analytics, machine learning, and generative AI. A published author on AI and large language models, she shares her expertise through insightful articles and technical writing.
Cal Al-Dhubaib, Head of AI and Data Science at Further
Cal Al-Dhubaib is a leading voice in responsible AI, specializing in high-risk sectors like healthcare, energy, and defense. As Head of AI and Data Science at Further, he navigates the complex challenges of AI implementation in mission-critical environments. A recognized thought leader featured in Forbes, Marketing AI Institute, and AI Business News, Cal speaks widely on AI ethics, change management, and data literacy. Named among Crain’s Cleveland Notable Technology Executives and Entrepreneurs, his session is a must-attend for those tackling AI’s toughest real-world challenges.
Stefanie Molin, Data Scientist, Software Engineer, Author of Hands-On Data Analysis with Pandas at Bloomberg
Stefanie Molin is a software engineer and data scientist at Bloomberg, where she tackles complex information security challenges through data wrangling, visualization, and tool development. As the author of *Hands-On Data Analysis with Pandas* (now in its second edition), she is a recognized expert in making data actionable. With degrees from Columbia and Georgia Tech specializing in machine learning, Stefanie brings a deep technical foundation and a passion for knowledge sharing.
Session: Getting Started with Open Source Contributions
Learn five practical ways to start contributing to open-source projects, no matter your experience level. This session will guide you in finding projects that match your interests and skills, offering actionable tips for making meaningful contributions and setting yourself up for success in the open-source community.
Steven Pousty, PhD, Principal and Founder at Tech Raven Consulting
Steve is the founder of Tech Raven Consulting and a seasoned expert in data analysis, software engineering, and GIS. With deep expertise in Java, Python, PostgreSQL, Kubernetes, and microservices, he has shaped tech innovation as a developer advocate for VMware, Crunchy Data, Red Hat, and more. Holding a Ph.D. in Ecology, he brings a unique perspective to statistics, spatial analysis, and real-world data applications.
Session: Getting Started with Computer Vision — a Workshop for Impatient Beginners
Get hands-on with computer vision and learn how to train and deploy AI models beyond text-based applications. This session covers key CV concepts, real-world use cases, and step-by-step guidance on data preparation, model selection, and fine-tuning. Through interactive exercises in GitHub Codespaces, you’ll leave with practical experience and the skills to start applying computer vision in your own projects.
Hugo Bowne-Anderson, PhD, Independent Data and AI Consultant
Hugo Bowne-Anderson is a leading data and AI consultant, podcast host, and educator, dedicated to democratizing data skills. As the host of *Vanishing Gradients* and *High Signal*, he explores cutting-edge AI developments, and his previous work at Outerbounds, Coiled, and DataCamp has impacted over 3 million learners. With teaching experience at Yale, SciPy, and PyCon, Hugo is a powerhouse in data science education and open-source advocacy.
Matt Harrison, Python & Data Science Corporate Trainer at MetaSnake
Matt Harrison is a Python and data science expert with over two decades of experience, specializing in corporate training and consulting through his firm, MetaSnake. With a background spanning search, business intelligence, and software testing, he has a deep understanding of real-world data challenges. A sought-after speaker, Matt has taught at top conferences like PyCon, SciPy, and Strata.
Session 1: Idiomatic Polars
Learn how to navigate common pitfalls in Polars and write efficient, high-performance code. This session debunks common misconceptions, covering key topics like proper data types, chaining, aggregation, and debugging. Gain insights from an expert who has written three books on the subject and leave with best practices for working effectively with Polars.
Session 2: Machine Learning with CatBoost
This workshop will show how to use CatBoost. It will demonstrate model creation, model tuning, model evaluation, and model interpretation.
Amy Hodler, Founder | Consultant | Graph Evangelist at GraphGeeks.org
Amy Hodler is a leading expert in graph analytics and responsible AI, with decades of experience driving innovation at Microsoft, HP, Neo4j, and more. As the co-author of Graph Algorithms and Knowledge Graphs (O’Reilly) and a contributor to major works on AI and graph analytics, she is a key voice in the field. Founder of GraphGeeks.org, Amy is dedicated to advancing graph technology and its real-world applications. Don’t miss her session for expert insights into the power of graphs in AI and beyond!
Wow what a lineup!
As you can see by the experience and achievements of all of the speakers mentioned above, there’s a good reason why they’re frequently requested by ODSC conference attendees. If you’re ready to meet these speakers through hands-on training sessions, interactive workshops, and deep dives into their expertise, then you’ll want to sign up for ODSC East 2025 while tickets are still 30% off! Learn more about ODSC East 2025 here and use this link for an additional 10% off.
