Next Generation Leadership Summit
Bringing together students, educators, and emerging professionals to explore digital infrastructure, connect with industry leaders, and discover career opportunities shaping the future of the industry.
Event Highlights and Essentials.
Join us in San Jose on October 15, 2026, for a day of learning, networking, and career exploration at the Nomad Futurist Foundation’s Next Generation Leadership Summit. Connect with industry leaders, students, educators, and emerging professionals to explore the future of digital infrastructure and discover new pathways into the industry.
📅 Date
October 15, 2026
🕒 Time
Registration Opens: 7:00 AM
Event: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
🏨 Venue
San Jose Convention Center
About the Event.
Explore the Future of Digital Infrastructure
Join us in San Jose to discover the technologies shaping the digital infrastructure industry through expert-led discussions, educational sessions, and an interactive expo hall tour.
Connect with Industry Leaders
Meet the people shaping the industry. Build meaningful connections, explore career pathways, and gain insights into the opportunities shaping the next generation of digital infrastructure leaders.
OUR VISION.
Our vision is to connect the next generation with meaningful career pathways in digital infrastructure, bridging the gap between education and industry. Through hands-on learning, industry connections, and exposure to emerging technologies, we aim to inspire future leaders to shape the future of the industry.
NGen Leadership Summit Agenda October 15, 26
7:00am – 4:00pm
Registration & Check-In
Registration will be open until 4:00 pm PST
8:00AM - 8:15AM
Welcome to the Next Generation
By Nabeel Mahmood of Nomad Futurist Foundation & Rob Coyle of Open Compute Project Foundation
Welcome to the Next Generation Leadership Summit. An introduction to the day, what to expect, and how students can make the most of their experience.
8:15AM - 8:55AM
Beyond the Classroom: Finding Your Place in Digital Infrastructure
By Harris Hamid of MITRE & Andrew Jones of Open Compute Project Foundation
Hear from emerging professionals as they share how they broke into digital infrastructure and the lessons, connections, and opportunities that helped shape their careers.
8:55AM - 9:35AM
Entrepreneurship in the AI World
By Vic Rose of Meridian Cloud & Jodie Lin of Mirapath, Inc.
Discover what it takes to build, innovate, and create opportunities in an AI-driven world, from identifying problems to turning ideas into action.
9:35AM - 10:15AM
Beyond the Server: Data Center Careers and Diverse Leadership in Tech
By Anahita Mouro of Google, Rebecca Weekly of brk tech, David McCullough of Brightnet Consulting, Chris Leatham of Arcadis, and Jodie Lin of Mirapath, Inc.
Explore the wide range of career paths that power the data center industry beyond traditional technical roles, while hearing from diverse leaders about their journeys, experiences, and opportunities to build a career in tech.
10:15AM - 10:30AM
Introduction to the Digital Infrastructure Expo Hall Tour
By Rob Coyle of Open Compute Project Foundation
A quick overview of the expo experience, what students will see, and how to make the most of the tour.
10:30AM - 12:30PM
Digital Infrastructure Expo Hall Tour
Get an inside look at the technologies, companies, and people shaping the future of digital infrastructure through a guided tour of the OCP Global Summit expo hall.
12:30PM - 1:00PM
Networking Lunch
Connect with fellow students, educators, industry professionals, speakers, and Nomad Futurist community members.
1:00PM - 1:20PM
The Data Center Needs More Than Engineers | 100+ Career Paths Powering the AI Era
By Dirk Van Slyke of Open Compute Project Foundation
Explore the wide range of careers that power AI, cloud computing, and data centers, from engineering and skilled trades to marketing, finance, operations, and more. Dirk Van Slyke will show students that there are many pathways into the industry and help them discover where their own skills and interests could fit.
1:20PM - 2:00PM
The Evolution of Digital Infrastructure and Its Growing Impact on Our World
By Nomad Futurist Foundation Board Members Nabeel Mahmood, Phillip Koblence, Phill Lawson-Shanks, and Anahita Mouro
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
2:00PM - 2:40PM
NGen: The Jobs That Haven’t Been Invented Yet | Dreaming Big About the Next Era of Data Centers
By Allison Boen of Alcatex Inc. & Dr. Dereje Agonafer of University of Texas Austin
Explore how rapid advances in AI, cooling, energy, and infrastructure are creating new opportunities—and entirely new careers—for the next generation shaping the future of data centers.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
2:40PM - 3:20PM
Physics Meets the Future: How Science Is Shaping Digital Infrastructure
By Scott Charter of PSI, Walter Cannon of Boldyn Networks, & Joel Chakkalakal of Critical Risk Solution
Explore how principles of physics connect to the technologies powering digital infrastructure and how scientific innovation could shape the industry’s future.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
3:20PM - 4:00PM
Building What Comes Next: The Future of Digital Infrastructure
By Phil Koblence of Nomad Futurist, Nabeel Mahmood of Nomad Futurist, Phill Lawson-Shanks of SubMer, Anahita Mouro of Google, Mark Reynolds of Salute, and Rob Coyle of Open Compute Project Foundation
Explore what is coming next in digital infrastructure, how AI, data centers, energy, and emerging technologies will shape the world students live and work in, and where the next generation can jump in and help build what comes next.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
An introduction to digital infrastructure, how the industry has evolved, and why the technology behind our increasingly connected world matters for the next generation.
Thank You to OCP
Partners who make impact possible
We’re grateful to the Open Compute Project (OCP) Foundation, a valued sponsor of the Nomad Futurist Foundation, for supporting our mission to educate and inspire the next generation of digital infrastructure leaders.
SEE YOU IN SAN JOSE!
Join us in San Jose for a day of industry insights, career exploration, and meaningful connections, bringing together students, educators, and industry leaders to inspire the next generation of digital infrastructure talent.