Program Overview: Women executives currently trail men in AI adoption by an estimated 20 to 25 percentage points. The AI Executive Rubric for Women Leaders is a one-day, hands-on workshop designed to help close that gap by giving women leaders practical experience with AI and tools they can immediately put to work.

Presented in partnership with the Western New York Women’s Foundation, University at Buffalo School of Management, Hot Cognition, SUNY Erie, and Siobhan Smith Executive Consulting, the program brings together university faculty, student facilitators, AI experts, and women executives for a full day of learning, building, and application.

This is not simply a conversation about AI. Participants will build a working AI agent, explore where AI can create meaningful value in their work and where it does not belong, learn how executives can use AI as a strategist, assistant, and creator, and address practical questions surrounding ROI, cybersecurity, risk, governance, ethics, organizational adoption, and personal branding.

How the Day Runs

8:30 a.m. | First Look at the AI Startup Exhibit
Meet AI startups and connect with University at Buffalo student facilitators before the formal program begins.

9:00 a.m. | AI Confidence Ladder
Participants begin by assessing where they currently stand in their understanding and use of AI.

9:05 a.m. | AI Future Flash
A look at some of the innovations currently reshaping AI.

9:15 a.m. | Hackathon to Drive Personal AI Fluency
Celine Krzan, Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University at Buffalo, leads a 90-minute hands-on build. UB student facilitators will work alongside participants at a 1-to-4 ratio as each attendee begins putting AI into practice.

10:45 a.m. | Break

11:00 a.m. | AI Executive Mode
Explore three ways executives can put AI to work: as a strategist, assistant, and creator.

11:30 a.m. | AI Opportunity Assessment
Examine the practical ROI of AI use cases and how to identify opportunities where AI can deliver meaningful value.

12:45 p.m. | Risk, Governance & Ethics
A discussion of practical cybersecurity, risk, governance, and ethical considerations, with James Brusseau, Professor of Philosophy at Pace University, bringing an ethics perspective to the conversation.

1:30 p.m. | Networking Lunch
Continue exploring the AI Startup Exhibit while networking with AI startups and UB student facilitators.

2:30 p.m. | Being Your Best
Cate Smit, media and presentation coach, leads a session combining presence, delivery, and personal branding with a focus on being your best human self in the age of AI.

3:30 p.m. | AI Showcase
Participants share the AI agents they built during the morning hackathon, revisit their AI Confidence Ladder, and close the workshop with a personal commitment.

4:00 p.m. | End of Session Social
Connect with fellow executives, UB student facilitators, AI accelerator founders, and the Hot Cognition team.

What You’ll Leave With

This is designed to produce more than ideas. Participants will leave with a completed Scorecard and practical tools they can continue using after the workshop, including a Personal AI Opportunity Matrix, Personal AI Tool Stack, tested executive use case, AI Culture Commitment, 90-Day AI Leadership Action Plan, Personal AI Use Policy, Personal AI Brand Plan, and a working AI agent they built themselves.

Each ticket also includes a 30-day virtual check-in, extending the experience beyond the October 2 workshop.

📅 Date: Friday, October 2, 2026

⏰ Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., followed by the End of Session Social

📍 Location: SUNY Erie North Campus | Buffalo, NY

🎟️ Registration: Learn More & Register

Registration is handled directly through The AI Executive Rubric. Learn More & Register