Women in AI Salon: Lightning Talks Series #1 - Responsible AI
A new monthly gathering for founders, operators, researchers, and builders thinking seriously about AI. We're keeping the format tight: one lightning talk to kick things off, then open discussion and social time.
This month's topic: Responsible AI
Speaker:
Natalia Luka is Future of Work Lead at the Responsible AI Initiative (UC Berkeley). Her research examines how workplaces adapt to new technologies and the impacts of AI on labor and management. Her research has been published in academic venues including The Oxford Handbook on AI Governance and the ACM Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency in Computing (FAccT) Conference and featured in over two dozen media stories, including at The New York Times, NPR, and WIRED. In 2019, she co-founded Collective Action in Tech, the largest public database of protests in the global tech industry, which, in 2021 was named by Fast Company as one of "15 worker groups taking on the tech world". In 2023, she received the MIT Open Data Prize for contributions to publicly accessible data. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to her PhD, she worked in finance at Alliance Bernstein and journalism at Bloomberg.
Moderator:
Dr. Wendy Rasmussen is the founder of Alpenglow Insights, a consultancy that helps mid-market and enterprise organizations build the conditions for successful AI adoption. She developed the AIRE (AI Readiness & Enablement) framework to map the human side of AI readiness, including addressing the legitimate concerns that shape how people engage with AI at work. Working inside organizations, Wendy administers and interprets AIRE assessments, advises leadership on AI change strategy, facilitates workshops, and coaches executives on navigating the human dimensions of transformation. A licensed clinical psychologist and former U.S. Navy officer, she brings specialized expertise in behavioral consultation to executive leaders navigating high-stakes, high-stress environments. She is an MBA candidate at UC Berkeley Haas (2026).
Want to speak? We're curating topics at the intersection of AI, culture, and human impact. If you're building something interesting or sitting on an idea that deserves a room, submit here.
Thank you to our venue sponsor:
Jax Vineyards is a family-owned Napa Valley winery founded by Kimberly Jax, a visionary woman entrepreneur who built the brand with grit, instinct, and a deep love for Cabernet Sauvignon. We bring Napa to SoMa, creating an urban oasis where bold wines, thoughtful hospitality, and community come together. We invite you to enjoy the expression of our collective passion.
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Women in AI connects, empowers, and elevates female founders, investors, and engineers shaping the future of artificial intelligence. Through community, mentorship, and global events, we’re building a more inclusive AI ecosystem where women lead and innovate.
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