About Our Speaker: Chris Chism is Superintendent of Pearl Public School District and a nationally recognized leader in artificial intelligence adoption, with 30 years in public education. Under his leadership, Pearl Public School District has earned an "A" district rating three years running and posted major gains in student outcomes. He was named the 2025–2026 Mississippi Association of School Administrators State Superintendent of the Year.

Over the past 26 months, Chris has delivered 280+ presentations across 18 states, trained administrators and teachers in 71 Mississippi districts, and briefed audiences ranging from the Mississippi Legislature and Governor's Office to the U.S. House Education Committee. His district became one of the first in the nation to operate its own on-premises AI server. He's also the founder of Ascended Intelligence, an AI solutions platform for school districts.
Learn more or connect with Chris on LinkedIn, Facebook, or X (@cchism82).

Presentation Topic: Leading Change in the Age of AI

Presentation Synopsis: Drawing on his experience standing up one of the nation's first on-premises AI systems in a public institution, Chris will share what large-scale, practical AI adoption looks like from the inside — and what it takes to lead people through that kind of change. This session moves beyond the hype cycle to focus on the leadership judgment, data literacy, and organizational readiness that determine whether AI initiatives actually succeed. 

By the end of this session, attendees will to:

Attendees will leave with a grounded, real-world framework for leading innovation in their own organizations, regardless of industry.