News

PMI Northeast Ohio (PMINEO), in partnership with UX Akron and Cleveland AI & Data, recently hosted AI Success Stories: Practical AI from Our Community on April 20, 2026 at Cuyahoga Community College’s Eastern Campus. The event brought together professionals, students, and AI practitioners for an engaging evening focused on how artificial intelligence is being applied in real-world workflows across our local community.

Practical AI in Action

Unlike traditional conferences or vendor showcases, this event emphasized real use cases, lessons learned, and tangible outcomes. Attendees gained exposure to how AI is actively shaping work in areas such as product development, education, operations, and healthcare.

From improving internal workflows to enabling entirely new ways of building and delivering solutions, the talks highlighted how organizations are experimenting with and benefiting from AI in meaningful ways.

Featured Speakers and Insights

Six speakers shared their experiences through concise, 10-minute presentations, offering practical insights into how AI is being applied across industries:

• Dave Huber, SVP Intelligent Automation, Quadax
  From Prompt to Production: What a Company-Wide, 6-Week Hackathon Taught Us About AI Adoption
  Dave demonstrated how a company-wide AI initiative accelerated adoption by focusing on real business problems. He emphasized that successful AI adoption is 20% technology and 80% culture, and that framing AI as a “digital intern” requiring human oversight helps teams build trust and accountability.
  
• Rachel Clingman, CTE Program Manager, Cleveland Metropolitan School District
  The PBL Architect: How AI is Giving CTE Teachers Their Time Back
  Rachel showcased how AI is helping educators design project-based learning experiences more efficiently. Using structured prompts and frameworks, teachers can reduce planning time while improving student outcomes and overall work-life balance.
  
• Anurag Saxena
  What I Learned Building Software with AI Agents
  Anurag shared lessons from building software with AI agents, highlighting that context is critical. He emphasized disciplined practices such as working on one feature at a time, using structured planning, and thoroughly reviewing AI-generated code.
  
• Ruthy Lichtenstein, Product Designer & Co-Founder, MaPott
  Bringing Clarity to Dismissed Daily Chaos: A New Era for Chronic Patients
  Ruthy highlighted how combining aggregated and user-generated data can uncover meaningful patterns in patient experiences, helping clinicians move from uncertainty to more informed, personalized care decisions.
  
• Christina Burnett, Sr. Product Manager, CHAMP
  Don’t Forget That It’s Still Just a Machine
  Christina emphasized the importance of critical thinking and skepticism when working with AI. She encouraged users to validate outputs, request sources, and allow AI to acknowledge uncertainty rather than assuming accuracy.
  
• Carla Anderson, Director of Operations, Akron Innovations
  AI Enablement for Ohio’s Workforce
  Carla reinforced that successful AI adoption starts with a strong foundation: people, process, then technology. She highlighted the importance of clear use cases, data readiness, and building AI literacy across organizations.

Key Takeaways

Across the sessions, several common themes emerged:

• AI is already embedded in everyday workflows across industries
• Practical experimentation is driving meaningful adoption
• Human judgment and oversight remain critical when using AI tools
• Organizations are seeing value through efficiency, innovation, and new capabilities

Attendees walked away with actionable insights, real-world examples, and ideas they can apply in their own work.

Community, Collaboration, and Connection

The event also created space for meaningful networking, allowing attendees to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and build relationships across the regional AI and project management communities.

During the event, Vishnu Themura, PMI-CPMAI, PMP, Technology Programs Manager at PMI Northeast Ohio Chapter, recognized the collective effort behind the program, thanking the speakers for their contributions, Eric Vaughn, Program Manager for Visual Communication & Design and Interior Design at Cuyahoga Community College, for sponsorship support, and co-hosts Melanie Bozzelli, Chairperson of UX Akron, and Julie Novic, Co-Executive Director of Cleveland AI & Data, for their collaboration in bringing the event to life.

This event represents the start of a continued collaboration between PMI Northeast Ohio (PMINEO), UX Akron, and Cleveland AI & Data, with additional AI-focused events and opportunities planned for the community.

Acknowledgments

This event was co-hosted by PMI Northeast Ohio (PMINEO), UX Akron, and Cleveland AI & Data. Special thanks to Cuyahoga Community College’s School of Creative Arts for serving as the event sponsor and venue partner, providing the space and refreshments that supported created a welcoming and engaging experience for attendees.