AI in Human Resource Management Conference

Richard N. Landers, Ph.D., is the John P. Campbell Distinguished Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the University of Minnesota and Principal Investigator of TNTLAB. His research concerns the use of innovative technologies including artificial intelligence and gamification to improve employee assessment, hiring, learning, and organizational research methods. He is President-Elect and a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. He has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, and Popular Science, among others, and he consults in industry via Landers Workforce Science LLC ( https://landers.tech) by providing guidance on employee selection and learning processes incorporating artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies.

Dr. Louis Hickman is an Assistant Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Virginia Tech, a Visiting Academic at Amazon, and a Senior Fellow at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton People Analytics. He holds an M.S. in Computer and Information Technology, specializing in natural language processing, and a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. His research focuses on applications and implications of machine learning, natural language processing, and artificial intelligence in selection, assessment, and training and development. His research twice won the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology’s Jeanneret Award for Excellence in the Study of Individual or Group Assessment. His achievements earned him the Association for Psychological Science (APS) Rising Star Award in 2025, granted to outstanding psychological scientists in the earliest stages of their research careers. He is the first Industrial-Organizational Psychologist hired through the Academics at Amazon program, where Amazon hires world-class academics to work on large-scale technical challenges while continuing their academic positions.

Chen Tang, PhD is an Assistant Professor at the Kogod School of Business at American University, with his PhD in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His research interests lie at the intersection of HR analytics, machine learning, and computational modeling. Chen leverages advanced quantitative methods to address critical organizational challenges, such as improving the validity and reducing bias in predictive models that facilitate organizational decision-making. His work has appeared in Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, and Journal of Business Ethics.

Dr. Nathan Mondragon is the President & Chief Strategy Officer at ProboTalent, a leading AI-native talent intelligence platform. He is a science and technology leader specializing in technology enabled talent intelligence, psychometrics, and product innovation. He has an extensive 30-year history building scalable, enterprise technology solutions that transform how organizations hire, develop, and understand their workforce. Nathan was previously the Chief Innovation Officer at Hirevue, Chief I/O Psychologist with Taleo (acquired by Oracle), Senior OD Strategist at Dell Computer, and held various consulting and manager roles at Aon, SHL, and DDI. Nathan is a global thought leader that advises executives, boards, and government agencies on AI governance, fairness, and future-of-work implications. He has been featured in NPR, BBC, WSJ, Bloomberg, HBO, and U.S. Congressional briefings for advancing responsible AI in HR technology.

DJ Casto is Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of Synchrony, one of the nation’s premier consumer financial services companies. DJ is responsible for engaging employees in Synchrony’s strategic business imperatives and building people-led development programs that strengthen culture, drive business growth and nurture the company’s talent as a competitive advantage. DJ is passionate about helping every employee live Synchrony’s values and is committed to community service. He currently serves on the boards of Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) and buildOn, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering urban youth to transform their neighborhoods.DJ earned a master’s degree in industrial relations and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from West Virginia University, where he serves on the Master of Science in Industrial Relations and Human Resources Executive Alumni Board.

Kellyn Smith is a Sr. Manager, Talent Management Business Partner in Pharmacy and Consumer Wellness at CVS Health, where she partners with senior field and HR leaders to design and execute talent strategies that build high performing retail leadership teams. Some of her primary responsibilities include creating and deploying content within field leadership development programs, succession planning, and performance management, with a strong focus on building sustainable pipelines of diverse, ready now talent. Her earlier career experiences include progressive roles in talent acquisition and learning and development across hospitality, retail, and academic settings. Kellyn holds a Master of Science in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from West Virginia University and resides in Morgantown with her husband, Nick, and puppies, Kamryn and Heyward.