AI Adoption Roadmap: The Essential Stages—from Stumbles to Successes

Tim Willittes is an M&A Tech Innovation Lead at Johnson & Johnson, focusing on designing, implementing, and socializing tech platforms and custom AI solutions to accelerate the J&J M&A process, leverage information assets more effectively, and raise AI acumen across the enterprise. Previously, he led the development of cognitive automation solutions within Janssen R&D. He holds a B.S. in Operations Research and Information Engineering from Cornell University, where he was a pitcher on the baseball team. Tim enjoys traveling, learning new sports, and flying his videography drone, and currently resides in Austin, Texas.

Kristy Lapidus accelerates business with technology. With over two decades of experience in leading digital + human systems transformations across sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, financial services and consumer packaged goods (CPG), she currently leads Digital Culture at Gagen MacDonald, an APCO company. Gagen has been transforming companies that transform the world for the past 25 years. Kristy’s collaboration with APCO’s AI Comms Lab positions her as a champion of AI adoption and organizational change in the communications space. Her unique blend of experience in software development, IT leadership, and organizational change management makes her an invaluable asset in guiding large organizations through  GenAI readiness and adoption. Kristy’s credentials include a Master of Science in Organization Development from Pepperdine University Graziado Business School and a bachelor’s in journalism from Indiana University. She is a Prosci certified Change Practitioner and has earned her Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud Practitioner certification. Her people-first approach to GenAI adoption addresses strategic issues across organizations with a focus on navigating the human struggle of change to integrate and assimilate technology.

Kathleen currently serves on Microsoft Federal’s Defense team as Director of Business Programs.  She leads the executive communications function and organizational engagement for the sales and delivery teams supporting the Department of Defense customer at Microsoft.  A connector, strategic thinker, storyteller and trusted ally, Kathleen has become a trusted advisor to senior executives throughout her career. Passionate about leveraging technology to drive positive change, Kathleen fosters a values-driven leadership approach, always exploring new ideas and create impactful solutions for internal and external stakeholders.  She has experience working nationally and globally with organizations in technology and serving the public sector, spanning from nonprofits to tech giants, and is a lifelong learner. A native Spanish speaker, Kathleen lives in the Boston metro area with her husband and 2 children, and has roots in Chile and Ireland.

Daryl Drabinsky leads the social media team across the US and Mexico for PwC. She also helms AI implementation and strategy across the 250-member communications business for PwC's multi-billion-dollar, industry-leading investment in AI to drive digital innovation and cloud transformation for joint customers. In this year, she introduced an AI communications strategy and program structure that bolstered awareness, engagement and usage of 3 newly created AI tools (content creator, risk checker, project manager) to facilitate new ways of working and a mindset shift in creating content and campaigns. She also propelled team to the forefront in how the firm measures AI impact in ROI, capability and application; reinvented a product development roadmap, consolidating and integrating AI tools with 3rd party tools for a better user experience (UX) and optimal results; and facilitated a coordinated approach to communication and weekly reporting about AI initiatives and results to C-suite. In her social media role, her mission has been to position global organizations at the leading edge of transformation in their industries. Prior to PwC, she Weber Shandwick's North American digital health practice, and also served as lead digital strategist for the agency’s West Coast clients, spanning across health, tech, consumer and corporate. Before that, she, was the head of digital, social and experiential communications at CVS Health and Aetna, where she led the enterprise Center of Excellence with innovations in digital strategy, social media, experiential activations, analytics, social thought leadership, employee advocacy and integrated content initiatives. She serves on the board as is marketing co-chair for the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. She’s also been a three-time 40 under 40 PR week honoree, a Los Angeles Business Journal Rising Star nominee, Aetna Phenomenal Women in Tech and a Women to Watch brand innovator, among other nominations and awards.