The AI Governance & Strategy Summit: Chicago

Anthoula Pomrening is Group Technology Counsel at Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW), where she leads intellectual property strategy, including patent portfolio management, prosecution, and enforcement across diverse technologies critical to the company’s global industrial innovation. In this role, Pomrening partners with technologists and business leaders to protect and leverage IP assets that support ITW’s competitive position.

Pomrening has deep experience in patent and trademark practice, spanning procurement, protection, and litigation matters across a broad range of technical fields. Prior to her current position, she built a strong foundation in private practice and in-house IP roles, advising on complex patent strategy and managing portfolios for technology-driven businesses.

She holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology (1989) and a J.D. from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law (1999). Pomrening remains active in professional circles and has served on advisory committees within the intellectual property community, reflecting her commitment to both legal excellence and mentorship.

Michael Marchant serves as Global Legal Executive at IBM, where he provides strategic legal leadership across complex global initiatives, regulatory compliance, and business-critical legal operations for one of the world’s largest technology companies. In this role, he collaborates with senior business, technology, and legal teams to support scalable legal frameworks that align with IBM’s innovation strategy and global regulatory environment.

Marchant brings extensive legal and corporate experience in both technology and legal leadership roles. Prior to his current position, he has been identified on legal programs as Senior Counsel at IBM and previously held executive legal positions including Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary at Cleversafe (acquired by IBM), where he led legal strategy on corporate governance, transactions, and compliance matters.

Julie Honor is a founding member and leading lawyer of the Artificial Intelligence Industry Team at Thompson Hine. She advises Fortune 500 companies to startups on both developing and deploying AI. Julie counsels companies and individuals that are building AI to incorporate trustworthy, secure, and transparent principles throughout the development lifecycle, all through a lens of compliance by design. For organizations acting solely as a deployer, she helps them understand their many compliance obligations, advising them on the steps necessary to build a robust AI program, including drafting corporate and governance policies, and developing and leading training programs. Julie brings a wide lens to how AI is affecting her clients given her experience as a general counsel and having practiced in several areas of law throughout her career, including litigation, IP advising, employment law, corporate growth, and commercial contracting. Her years of experience as an executive team member informs her practice and enables her to provide practical, business-forward, and results-oriented advice to clients, enabling them to take a nimble compliance approach with the ever-changing global legal landscape. Julie recently earned the certified Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional (AIGP) credential through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

I serve as Assistant General Counsel for the Chicago White Sox, where I advise ownership and executive leadership on a wide range of legal, governance, and strategic business matters. With over a decade of in-house counsel experience in Major League Baseball—including a prior role as Associate General Counsel for the Arizona Diamondbacks—I have developed a strong track record of managing complex legal issues, from domestic and international litigation to real estate and League compliance.

My work extends beyond legal counsel to supporting high-level decision-making and cross-functional collaboration across departments. I’m passionate about solving business challenges through legal insight and strategic planning.

In addition to my professional responsibilities, I am deeply committed to community engagement and leadership development. I am the founder of WISE Arizona (Women in Sports & Events), an organization dedicated to empowering women in the sports industry, and I previously served as Co-Chair of the ABA Young Lawyers Division’s Entertainment and Sports Committee. I also served as an adjunct professor at Arizona State University, teaching Ethics and Legal Issues in Sports.

I have been recognized by the Business Journal national list of influential executives, Phoenix Business Journal, Arizona Black Bar, and the Greater Phoenix Urban League. I hold degrees from Tennessee State University and Arizona Summit Law School.

Christo Siebrits is Senior Associate General Counsel and Head of AI at AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company advancing science and innovation to improve health outcomes worldwide. In this role, he leads the legal strategy for AI governance, compliance, and responsible deployment across the enterprise, partnering with cross-functional teams to integrate innovative technologies within robust legal and regulatory frameworks.

With over 20 years of experience in global pharmaceutical legal leadership, Siebrits combines deep legal expertise with strategic insight into emerging technologies. Before focusing on AI, he served in roles including Area Counsel covering international markets, providing legal oversight across regions such as Canada, LATAM, JAPAC, Russia/CIS, and the Middle East.

Siebrits is recognized for thought leadership in AI governance and legal innovation. He has shared his approach to scaling AI use cases in regulated environments — such as legal teams and enterprise operations — emphasizing frameworks that balance productivity gains with compliance, human-in-the-loop oversight, and risk management. His perspectives on responsible AI adoption have been featured on industry podcasts and discussions focused on how legal functions can govern emerging technologies while enabling strategic value.

Ghanshyam “Ghan” Patel is Privacy Counsel at Ericsson, where he advises on privacy, data protection, and related legal compliance matters for the global telecommunications and technology company. In this role he partners with cross-functional teams to interpret and apply privacy laws, support product-aligned privacy strategies, and help manage regulatory risk across markets.

Patel is a seasoned transactions attorney with a focus on privacy law and negotiations. He joined Ericsson’s legal team in 2023, bringing experience in advising on privacy frameworks and corporate legal strategy.

He holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from The John Marshall Law School, and is licensed to practice law in Illinois. In addition to his law degree, Patel has earned the Certified Information Privacy Professional – United States (CIPP/US) credential from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), enhancing his expertise in U.S. data protection and privacy compliance.

Lesley Hamming is Assistant General Counsel for Intellectual Property at Honeywell UOP, a division of Honeywell that develops advanced technology, catalysts, and process engineering solutions for the energy and chemical industries. In this capacity, she advises on intellectual property strategy, patent portfolio management, and commercial legal matters that help protect technologies critical to energy transition and industrial innovation.

Hamming brings a rare combination of deep technical expertise and legal acumen to her work. She holds advanced degrees in science and law and is a registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office attorney, enabling her to bridge complex technical subject matter with effective IP protection and enforcement strategies.

Before joining Honeywell UOP as Assistant General Counsel, IP, she practiced intellectual property law in private practice and advising scientific organizations, and has engaged in industry speaking and thought leadership on IP dispute resolution and patent strategy.

n her role at Honeywell UOP she supports cross-functional teams to ensure that innovative technologies—particularly those related to sustainable energy and industrial advancements—are protected, leveraged, and aligned with business goals in global markets.

Scott Garnick is Global Head of Legal Transformation — General Transactions at HERE Technologies, a leading global location-technology company. In this role, he leads initiatives to modernize legal operations, drive strategic process improvements, and integrate emerging technologies into legal workflows. He also negotiates complex commercial and technology agreements, including global licensing transactions, and serves as a trusted advisor within HERE’s leadership team.

Garnick plays a key role in shaping the company’s approach to legal risk and innovation, including participation on HERE’s internal AI strategy team, where he collaborates with product, privacy, and trust stakeholders to develop governance frameworks and “guardrails” for AI-related matters.

Before joining HERE Technologies, Garnick held legal roles at Accenture, where he negotiated technology and consulting agreements, and at Centene Corporation, where he worked on healthcare regulatory compliance matters.

Tejal Vakharia is a seasoned legal and compliance executive with roughly 25 years of experience leading enterprise legal strategy in technology and healthcare settings. She currently serves as Senior Vice President & General Counsel at Veradigm (formerly Allscripts), where she oversees day-to-day legal and compliance affairs and advises the board and executive leadership on a broad range of matters including corporate governance, mergers & acquisitions, contracts, employment law, litigation, cybersecurity, intellectual property, and regulatory risk.

Before her current role, Vakharia was Senior Vice President & Chief Compliance Counsel at Allscripts, where she established and led the company’s global compliance department and managed privacy and security, healthcare compliance, FCPA and antitrust compliance, and regulatory strategy.

Her legal career includes leadership and compliance roles at General Electric and Abbott Laboratories, and early experience as an attorney at international law firms Foley & Lardner and Dentons.

Vakharia holds a Juris Doctor and a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Michigan, as well as a Master’s in Social Science and a Bachelor’s in Philosophy from the University of Chicago. She is actively involved in community leadership, including serving on the Board of the United Way of Lake County, Illinois, and chairing the Little Kids, Big Futures Fund.

Sharlita Davis is Senior Corporate Counsel in Technology & Regulatory Law at Oracle, where she provides legal guidance on emerging technology issues, regulatory compliance, and cross-functional risk management. In this role she works with product, privacy, compliance, and business teams to interpret complex legal and regulatory frameworks affecting cloud, data, AI, and digital technologies across global markets.

Davis brings deep experience in technology law and regulatory strategy, with a strong foundation in both legal analysis and practical business counsel. She earned her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law at the Illinois Institute of Technology and is based in the Greater Chicago area. Her expertise spans technology contracts, governance frameworks, data privacy, and compliance matters—especially as organizations navigate rapid innovation and evolving regulatory landscapes.

Feras Ahmed is Assistant General Counsel, Privacy at People Inc., where he leads the company’s enterprise privacy function, advising on data protection, regulatory compliance, and product-aligned privacy strategy for one of the largest digital media and publishing organizations in the United States. In this role he partners with cross-functional teams including product, engineering, editorial, and legal to embed privacy-by-design principles and uphold trust with People Inc.’s audience.

Ahmed is a certified privacy professional holding CIPP/US, CIPP/E, and CIPM credentials, reflecting deep expertise in U.S. and international data protection frameworks and privacy program management. He regularly contributes to industry dialogues on privacy and emerging legal issues, including speaking engagements on topics such as AI governance, legal risk, and data compliance, and participates in professional forums that shape contemporary privacy practice.

Before his current role, he served as privacy lead at startups working in AR/VR, healthcare, facial recognition, and location data technologies, giving him a broad view of privacy challenges across consumer-facing and regulated environments. Ahmed earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law and a B.A. from Florida Gulf Coast University, grounding his practice in both legal analysis and data-driven strategy.

Kimberly focuses her practice on assisting organizations in designing their privacy programs and operationalizing applicable privacy, data security, and consumer protection requirements. She has extensive experience in enterprise privacy programs, advising on incident response, technology adoption—including artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain—marketing and ad tech.

Kimberly has provided privacy guidance to startups, helping them implement best practices and build brand trust. She previously led the global enterprise data protection and privacy program for a Fortune 100 airline. Additionally, she led the U.S. data privacy program for a Fortune 300 beverage manufacturer, overseeing data protection strategy, governance, operations, and training in both roles.

Earlier in her career, she led a compliance team at a Fortune 50 financial services company and was general counsel and compliance officer at a financial services startup

Emely Thompson is a corporate privacy and information security attorney with experience advising on data privacy laws, including the CCPA, HIPPA, GLBA, and emerging state regulations. Currently serving as Privacy Counsel at a Fortune 40 company, Emely partners with business units to navigate complex regulatory requirements, assess data risk, and implement enterprise-level privacy strategies. A New York City native and first-generation Jamaican-American, Emely is a licensed attorney who brings both sharp legal acumen and valuable cultural insight to her work. She holds dual certifications in privacy law (CIPP/US and CIPP/E) and regularly engages with industry peers through conferences and thought leadership panels.

Before practicing law, Emely built a strong foundation in public interest and youth advocacy through service-oriented roles with AmeriCorps, the Center for Court Innovation, and Public Allies New York. Her work focused on issues like youth homelessness, juvenile justice reform, and educational equity—often designing and leading programming that centered the voices of underserved communities. A former Pinkerton Community Fellow and America Needs You (ANY) alumna, Emely remains committed to empowering first-generation college students through mentorship, community leadership, and public service.

Lisa Davis George is Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Invenergy LLC, a leading global developer of renewable energy and clean power infrastructure. In this role she provides strategic legal leadership across litigation, risk management, and corporate legal strategy in support of the company’s growth in wind, solar, and energy-storage projects.

Before joining Invenergy in September 2023, George served as Director and Senior Counsel at Discover Financial Services, where she directed consumer and antitrust litigation strategy, advised on enterprise risk mitigation, and partnered with business leaders on complex legal matters for over seven years. Earlier in her career, she held senior legal roles at GE Capital Corporation (including Executive Counsel – Litigation and Senior Litigation & Legal Policy Counsel), and served as Chief Compliance Officer at GE Equipment Finance Services/Global Electronic Solutions. She also practiced in litigation at prominent law firms.

George holds a Juris Doctor from American University Washington College of Law (1999) and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Political Science from Duke University (1993). Her career reflects deep experience in litigation, compliance, and strategic legal counsel across highly regulated, enterprise-scale businesses.

Zhaoying (Dorothy) Du is the General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Power Solutions International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSIX), a leader in advanced, emission-certified engines, power systems, and accessories. PSI provides integrated solutions to global original equipment manufacturers and end users across the power systems, industrial, and transportation markets, and develops products and packages supporting the rapidly growing data center sector.

Previously, Dorothy led the global supply chain legal team at Lenovo, supporting procurement operations across more than 30 manufacturing sites in 11 markets serving 180 countries. She advised senior leaders on supply chain resilience, cross-border procurement, international trade compliance, regulatory risk, and contract negotiations, helping the company navigate evolving geopolitical challenges and implement responsible sourcing strategies.

Before that, Dorothy was global head of legal at Motorola Mobility, a Lenovo company, overseeing a broad range of legal matters including AI, global R&D, intellectual property, compliance, privacy, corporate governance, government relations, and litigation. With 20 years of legal experience, she also served as General Counsel for the China operations of a U.S.-based international insurance company and co-chaired the Asian-Pacific Practice Group at a global law firm.

Prior to March 2025, Dorothy led the global legal team of Motorola Mobility, a Lenovo company, and was responsible for overseeing and advising on various legal matters across the organization. Her vast scope includes AI, global product R&D, hardware and software matters, intellectual property, compliance, data privacy and security, sales and marketing, corporate governance, government relations and the overall supervision of litigation matters with support from Motorola’s global legal team.

Dorothy has 20 years of experience in providing legal advice to international companies. Before joining Motorola, she led the compliance and risk management functions of a US-based international insurance company and served as general counsel of that company’s China operation. Before that, she was co-chair of the Asian-Pacific Practice Group of a renowned law firm. In this role, she advised companies on international transactions, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, financing, securities, private equity, startups, subsidiary and joint-venture operations, and compliance.

Ngandu Kasuku is Principal Corporate Counsel at GitHub, the world’s leading software development platform where developers build, share, and collaborate on code at scale. In this role, he advises on complex legal issues involving corporate transactions, open-source licensing and compliance, technology governance, and enterprise-level risk management that support GitHub’s global operations and strategic initiatives.

With a strong interest in the intersection of law, technology, and open source, Kasuku engages with the developer and legal communities on topics that span digital innovation, AI, and the collaborative technology ecosystem. He participates in industry events and discussions that explore legal frameworks for open-source contributions and emerging technology challenges.

Based in Chicago, Kasuku draws on his experience across technology and legal practice to counsel cross-functional teams on regulatory compliance, commercial agreements, and legal strategies that enable innovation while mitigating risk in an evolving software landscape.