World Innovation Summit | 13–15 May 2025 | Pittsburgh

Speakers

Sean Doyle

Sean Doyle

Chairman & CEO

British Airways

Bernadette Berger

Bernadette Berger

Director of Innovation

Alaska Airlines

Christina Cassotis

Christina Cassotis

CEO

Pittsburgh International Airport

Farnam Jahanian

Farnam Jahanian

President

Carnegie Mellon University

John Thornton

John Thornton

CEO and Co-Founder

Astrobotic Technology

Martin Kamlah

Martin Kamlah

VP Corporate Development & Operations

Munich Airport International

Paul Hoback

Paul Hoback

Chief Development Officer

Allegheny County Airport Authority

John Thomas

John Thomas

CEO

Connect Airlines

Oren Cohen Butansky

Oren Cohen Butansky

EVP & Chief Customer Experience Officer

EL AL Israel Airlines

Claus Grunow

Claus Grunow

Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Digitalization

Fraport

Dimitris Bountolos

Dimitris Bountolos

Chief Information & Innovation Officer

Ferrovial

Deepak Nayyar

Deepak Nayyar

EVP – CIO

Allegheny County Airport Authority

Matt Breed

Matt Breed

CIO

Port of Seattle

Kurtulus Ozturk

Kurtulus Ozturk

Director of Technology, Operational & Enterprise Solutions

Pegasus Airlines

Zahra Merchant

Zahra Merchant

Chapter Lead Robotics

Royal Schiphol Group

Gus Naughton

Gus Naughton

Senior Software Engineer, Emerging Technologies

Alaska Airlines

Andrew Wang

Andrew Wang

Director of Enterprise Sales

Boston Dynamics

Marion N. Chivot-Legris

Marion N. Chivot-Legris

Director, ESG & Sustainability Strategy

Edmonton International Airport

Travis McNichols

Travis McNichols

Chief Operations Officer

Allegheny County Airport Authority

Carolyn Sponza

Carolyn Sponza

Principal

Gensler

Manuel van Lijf

Manuel van Lijf

Director Innovation – Travel & Transportation

nlmtd

Yuval Kossovsky

Yuval Kossovsky

Managing Director, Transportation

Mappedin

Anuraag Jain

Anuraag Jain

CEO

Zensors

Andrew Price

Andrew Price

Aviation Consultant

Opermium

Xerez Bridglall

Xerez Bridglall

Manager Future Travel Experience

Toronto Pearson

Christie Liu

Christie Liu

Manager – Portfolio Planning and Methods

SkyTeam

Darin Juby

Darin Juby

Head of Transformation

Future Travel Experience

Jim Jen

Jim Jen

Director, Corporate Startup Lab

Carnegie Mellon University

Nicole Hodges-Austin

Nicole Hodges-Austin

Manager of Airport Innovation & Standards

Frontier Airlines

Brandy L. Aven

Brandy L. Aven

Associate Professor of Organizational Theory, Strategy, and Entrepreneurship - Tepper School of Business

Carnegie Mellon University

Michele McGough

Michele McGough

Founder & CEO

solutions4networks

Scott Oranen

Scott Oranen

Senior Account Manager Transportation

LG Business Solutions USA

Bryan Dietz

Bryan Dietz

SVP Air Service and Commercial Development

Allegheny County Airport Authority

Alwyn J Veliyeth

Alwyn J Veliyeth

Chief Technology Officer

Rezcomm

Afsaneh Benson

Afsaneh Benson

Senior Director, Brands & Concepts

SSP America

Raj Rajkumar

Raj Rajkumar

George Westinghouse Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering

Carnegie Mellon University

Cole Wolfson

Cole Wolfson

Director, xBridge

Pittsburgh International Airport

Colin Huwyler

Colin Huwyler

CEO

Optimus Technologies

Mohammed Njie

Mohammed Njie

Founder & CEO

Janta Power

Chris LaFleur

Chris LaFleur

Director

ZQUIP

Prad Tripathy

Prad Tripathy

Head of C&I Sales

BoxPower

Corey Laplante

Corey Laplante

President

MIXHALO

Akku Kumar

Akku Kumar

CEO

Arrow Analytics

Veronica Woodruff

Veronica Woodruff

CEO & Founder

Travelsist

Volkert Paap

Volkert Paap

Vice President Technology & Technical Innovation

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Gabriel Ajram

Gabriel Ajram

CEO & Co-founder

MIDL

Ethan Sefchik

Ethan Sefchik

CRO & Co-founder

MIDL

Dr. Satadru (Dru) Roy

Dr. Satadru (Dru) Roy

Founder and CEO

Skyme

Tim Pote, Ph.D.

Tim Pote, Ph.D.

Co-Founder and CEO

Element Exo

Theresa Blackwell-Frank

Theresa Blackwell-Frank

Chief Information Security Officer, Virtuo Group Corporation & V-CISO

Pittsburgh International Airport

Dr. Lorrie Faith Cranor

Dr. Lorrie Faith Cranor

Director and Bosch Distinguished Professor in Security and Privacy Technologies, CyLab

Carnegie Mellon University

Rusty Hottenfeller

Rusty Hottenfeller

Director of Facilities and Airline Services

Allegheny County Airport Authority

Phil Wellington

Phil Wellington

Senior Project Manager

Daifuku Airport America

Chad Willis

Chad Willis

Director, Planning, Environmental, & Sustainability

Allegheny County Airport Authority

Vishal Shah

Vishal Shah

CEO

Avina

Monica Normark

Monica Normark

Global Director Biofuels Technology

KBR

George Skoptsov

George Skoptsov

CEO

H Quest

Mary Kirby

Mary Kirby

Founder, Editor and Publisher

Runway Girl Network

Scott Savian

Scott Savian

Chief Product Officer

JetZero

Costa Samaras

Costa Samaras

Director, Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation; Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering

Carnegie Mellon University

Ryan Ghee

Ryan Ghee

Chief Operating Officer

Future Travel Experience

Samuel Ingalls

Samuel Ingalls

Principal

Barich, Inc

Steve Armitage

Steve Armitage

Head of Innovation

Heathrow

Johnathan Lewis

Johnathan Lewis

Division Director Innovation

Miami International Airport

Daniel Coleman

Daniel Coleman

CEO & Founder

Future Travel Experience



“I believe innovation is a mindset, and the primary goal of this Summit is to co-create new approaches and highlight how first-movers and pioneers are already leading the charge when it comes to new technology adoption, and energy and sustainability innovation. It will also provide the perfect showcase for our transformational new terminal program, with multiple conference sessions and dedicated tours of the new terminal - opening in 2025 - sure to be among the many event highlights.”

Christina Cassotis, Chief Executive Officer, Pittsburgh International Airport

Read the full letter

Why attend FTE World Innovation Summit 2025?


“This event is the highlight of my year and the conversations, ideas, and collaborations that come out will have a lasting impact on this industry. I think the format (day 1 demos, day 2 lectures and tours, day 3 workshop) allows professionals to get inspired and really drive meaningful conversations.”

Nicole Hodges-Austin, Manager of Airport Innovation & Standards, Frontier Airlines

“Absolutely wonderful. It was very well coordinated, the speakers were phenomenal, the events were engaging, and the attendees were friendly and hospitable. Wonderful job!”

Brian Burdette, Senior Innovation Consultant, DFW International Airport

“The Summit served as a thought-provoking platform for Alaska Airlines. It was two days filled with engaging interactions with core engineers and product demonstrations by innovators in Pittsburgh. The experience of exploring potential applications of these technologies across various facets of our industry was intellectually stimulating, competitively thrilling, and enlightening.”

Gus Naughton, Senior Software Engineer, Emerging Technologies, Alaska Airlines

“The Summit brings together forward-thinking individuals from across the industry in one of the most innovative cities in America. It’s an incredible opportunity to think outside the box and envision the possibilities that lie before us in the future of aviation.”

Kristen Berndt, Senior Manager, Baggage Strategy & Innovation, United Airlines

“The Summit is the only event I’ve participated in – in any industry – that proactively works to develop new partnerships, technologies, and companies to address aviation’s most critical needs. By dedicating significant time to workshops focused on building multi-disciplinary groups of aviation professionals alongside technologists, roboticists, researchers and entrepreneurs, the Summit has created a unique environment than can actually lead to real advances for the industry.”

Cole Wolfson, Director xBridge, Pittsburgh International Airport

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