Nikhil is a leader in digital transformation, advocating for user-centric, accessible technology. Overseeing Georgia's AI program, he focuses on responsible applications that enhance workforce capabilities and public service. Recognized as a top innovator, he is a sought-after speaker and recipient of multiple awards, including Atlanta Business Chronicle's "40 Under 40." Nikhil holds master’s degrees in Human-Computer Interaction and Visual Communication.

Shawnzia A. Thomas has dedicated over 15 years to integrating technology across various sectors of state government to enhance services for Georgians. She serves as the Chief Information Officer of the State of Georgia and as the Executive Director of the Georgia Technology Authority.
Shawnzia’s previous roles include Assistant Deputy Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Human Services, Executive Director of the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity and Director of the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division.
A native of Macon, GA, Shawnzia holds a bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University and a Master's in Public Administration from the University of West Georgia. She is actively involved in leadership governance roles at the state and national levels, serving on the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity Advisory Board and as a member of the Executive Committee for the National Association of State CIOs (NASCIO).
Shawnzia was recognized on the Atlanta Business League's list of Top 100 Women of Influence in 2021 and received the 2022 and 2024 GoldenGov: State Executive of the Year award from StateScoop, the 2025 Outstanding Achievement Award from Becoming Everything You Are (BEYA), and was recently named Government Technology's Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers of 2025.

Dar’shun Kendrick represents House District 95 in the Georgia House of Representatives which includes East DeKalb and South Gwinnett counties. She was elected in 2010 at the age of 27, and was sworn into the House as one of the youngest members of the Georgia legislature in 2011. She currently serves as the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Non-Civil (Criminal law) Committee, the Judiciary Juvenile Committee, Small Business Development and Jobs Creation Committee, Economic Development Committee, and Technology and Infrastructure Committee. In the past, she served on the Artificial Intelligence Subcommittee of the Technology and Infrastructure Committee, and was appointed to the Overview Committee of the Georgia Technology Authority by the Speaker of the House in 2024.
She is the co-Founder of the Georgia Future Caucus, a bipartisan group made up of legislators under the age of 45. In 2018, her peers elected her as the Chief Deputy Whip for the Georgia House Democratic Caucus. Additionally, in 2019, she started the first Technology, Innovation & Entrepreneurship bipartisan Caucus of the Georgia House of Representatives. In 2020, she was elected to serve as House Whip of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, the largest black caucus in the nation. In 2024, she was appointed Co-Chair of the Telecommunications, Science and Technology Committee for the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL). In 2025, she was appointed Vice Chair of NBCSL’s committee on Justice, Ethics and Policy committee as well as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Georgia’s Public Investment Funds. Her policy work focuses on equity in economic development and wealth creation, technology, access to capital, entrepreneurship, and criminal justice reform.
Dar’shun was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and attended Towers High School in Decatur where she graduated at the top of her class. She then went on to Oglethorpe University where she graduated in 2004 receiving a dual degree in political science and communications. She obtained her law degree from the University of Georgia in 2007. In 2011, she graduated with honors from Kennesaw State University with a Master in Business Administration. In 2010, she opened Kairos Capital Legal Advisors, a corporate law firm and registered investment advisory firm in Georgia that guides founders and funders through capital raising compliance and investment strategies, particularly for women founders and black founders. In 2019, she obtained her Series 65 license and is currently a registered investment adviser representative in the State of Georgia. She is the author of the 2021 inspirational book “Morning to Motivation,” and published “Closer to a Yes: The Founder’s Guide to Getting Noticed by Investors” in 2024.
Dar’shun has been featured in the Huffington Post as 1 of 25 people in Atlanta positioned to create diversity in tech for African Americans, and in the Atlanta Journal Constitution for business women running for office. She is the visionary and founder of Georgia’s first and only Tech for All Policy Conference which has a mission of collaboration between the black tech ecosystem and policy makers to advocate for inclusive tech policy within the state of Georgia. It has since formed as a separate entity under Tech for All Alliance, Inc. and the conference has been rebranded to Tech for All Policy Conference. In 2019, she received the Rising Star Award for the Urban League of Greater Atlanta’s Young Professionals, and awarded the “40 under 40” award by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. In 2024, she hosted the 1st ever Tech Demo Day at the Capitol bringing founders and funders of color to meet policy makers at the Georgia State Capitol. She was a finalist for the TAG (Technology Association of Georgia) Emerging Leader award in 2024.
Dar’shun is a community activist, public speaker, elected official, private securities attorney, registered investment adviser representative, founder, investor, published author, and a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She currently resides in Lithonia, Georgia with her dog Dezzy.

Chan M. Hellman, PhD is a Professor in the Anne & Henry Zarrow School of Social Work at the University of Oklahoma and serves as Director of the Hope Research Center. His work focuses on the science of hope as a measurable, teachable psychological strength that helps individuals, organizations, and communities overcome trauma and adversity.
Dr. Hellman has published more than 80 peer-reviewed studies and has spent over two decades translating hope theory into practice across human services, education, public systems, and nonprofit organizations. His research informs the development of the Hope-Centered & Trauma-Informed® model and training programs now used nationwide to strengthen workforce well-being, organizational effectiveness, and system-level change. In recognition of this work, the University of Oklahoma Hope Research Center received the 2024 “Building Knowledge Through Research” Award from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime.
He is the co-author of the award-winning book Hope Rising: How the Science of Hope Can Change Your Life and co-founder of Hope Rising Oklahoma, a statewide initiative launched with First Lady Sarah Stitt to help build a hope-centered culture across communities and institutions. Dr. Hellman was one of five invited workshop leaders for Jane Goodall’s Activating Hope Summit and has delivered invited presentations at national venues, including a main-stage session at the American Psychological Association convention.
His work has been featured by major national media outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, TIME, CNN, and the APA Monitor. In 2025, Dr. Hellman was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame in recognition of his contributions to research, teaching, and public impact.