USF Bellini College Hosts First Academic Advisory Board Meeting

Published Date : 1/10/2025 

The University of South Florida's Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Computing held its first meeting of the Academic Advisory Board, bringing together industry leaders to shape programs and highlight workforce needs. 

The University of South Florida’s Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Computing recently held its inaugural meeting of the Academic Advisory Board. This significant event brought together distinguished leaders from various industries to help shape academic programs, highlight workforce needs, and strengthen partnerships.

Several members of the board have previously served on a similar board for the Department of Computer Science. However, this is the first meeting for the expanded and newly launched college board. The board includes experts from industry giants such as Microsoft and Johnson & Johnson, as well as entrepreneurs, mid-sized health care firms, and financial services businesses. Members serve in C-suite roles and are specialists in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data governance, financial technology, and cybersecurity.

This is one of two boards for the college. The Academic Advisory Board reports to the dean and focuses on academic program content and matters related to accreditation. The members provide valuable insights that help shape programs to prepare students for high-demand careers. The college's second board, the External Advisory Board, reports to the USF provost and provides strategic counsel and guidance to foster the college's advancement and alignment with industry needs. Both boards reflect the college’s commitment to staying closely aligned with industry needs while shaping programs that prepare students for high-demand careers.

“This academic advisory board gives us a direct line to the industry leaders shaping the future of technology,” said Launch Dean Sudeep Sarkar. “Their insight is invaluable as we design programs, foster partnerships, and prepare students for careers where they can make an immediate impact.”

Some board members are USF alumni, such as Jeremy Rasmussen, who helped found the Whitehatters student organization and has been a long-standing contributor to the cybersecurity program at USF. Maha Sallam, a USF graduate, entrepreneur, and leader in machine learning and diagnostics, has agreed to serve as board chair. Sallam, who launched companies built on computer vision and gene-expression diagnostics, emphasized the profound impact her computing education has had on her career.

“The applicability of computing for me is quite profound,” she said. “The ability to translate research into products that help people is exactly why partnerships like this matter. I am happy to serve on this board and to see this college succeed.”

Board members shared their perspectives on emerging technologies and their implications for the college’s curriculum. Brad Lawrence, an architect at Microsoft, emphasized the rapid advances in generative AI and its integration into real-world applications. The group discussed topics ranging from data security and governance to industry trends in software and infrastructure. They highlighted the need for students to have skills in the tools of today as well as the ability to adapt to evolving workforce environments.

The meeting concluded with a student interaction segment, which several members said is their favorite part of serving on the board. Faculty left the room, allowing students to discuss their educational experiences, share concerns, and make suggestions for program improvement.

“Talking with the students is easily my favorite part of the meeting,” said Sallam. “It’s why we all volunteered to serve.”

Academic Advisory Board Members

- Meryem Berrada, Senior Director of Engineering, Nielsen

- Asha Calderon, Senior Manager, Johnson & Johnson Technology

- Mark Corder, Senior Director, Cybersecurity, Amgen

- Sidney Fernandes, CIO and Vice President Digital Experiences, USF IT

- Tarun Gulati, Director - Technology, Citi

- Manoj Govindan, VP, Innovation, PGIM

- Kim Hill, Chief of Staff, ReliaQuest

- Bradley Lawrence, Architect, Microsoft

- Greg Mesaros, CEO, Triadex

- Nishit Patel, CMIO, TGH/USF Health Physicians Group

- Jeremy Rasmussen, CTO, Abacode

- Maha Sallam, Founder and President, VuEssence, Inc.

- Ryan Schmiedl, Managing Director, Global Head of Payments, Chief Data Officer for Payments, JPMorgan Chase

- Nate Tuting, Vice President for Cyber Threat Center & Deputy CISO for Global Cyber Defenses, Raymond James

- Cynthia Wyre, Project Manager, Security Research, Rapid7 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the purpose of the Academic Advisory Board at USF?

A: The Academic Advisory Board at USF's Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Computing provides insights to shape academic programs, highlight workforce needs, and strengthen industry partnerships.

Q: Who are some of the members of the Academic Advisory Board?

A: The board includes experts from companies like Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, and Amgen, as well as entrepreneurs and leaders in AI, machine learning, and cybersecurity.

Q: What topics were discussed at the inaugural meeting?

A: Topics included emerging technologies such as generative AI, data security, governance, and industry trends in software and infrastructure.

Q: How does the board help prepare students for high-demand careers?

A: The board provides insights that help shape academic programs to ensure students are equipped with the skills and adaptability needed for evolving workforce environments.

Q: What is the role of the External Advisory Board?

A: The External Advisory Board reports to the USF provost and provides strategic counsel and guidance to foster the college's advancement and alignment with industry needs. 

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