Career Communications Group today announced the honorees of the 2026 AiNEXTGEN America Futurist Awards, recognizing leaders, innovators, researchers, educators, executives, organizations and emerging talent contributing to the future of artificial intelligence, technology, industry and the workforce.
Presented as part of the AiNEXTGEN America Conference and Futurist Awards, the awards recognize achievement across major areas of innovation, including artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, digital infrastructure, energy, healthcare technology, defense, workforce development, education and emerging technology.
Leading the 2026 honors are Dario Gil, Ph.D., Under Secretary for Science, U.S. Department of Energy (Futurist of the Year) and Isabella Piña, CEO, President & Founder, Inspired Solutions (Technologist of the Year).
"The Futurist Awards recognize people and organizations who are not simply anticipating the future, but actively building it," said Tyrone Taborn, CEO and publisher of Career Communications Group. "These honorees represent the leadership, imagination and commitment needed to translate technological advancement into opportunity and impact."
Futurist of the Year
Dario Gil, Ph.D., Under Secretary for Science, U.S. Department of Energy
Technologist of the Year
Isabella Piña, CEO, President & Founder, Inspired Solutions
In the Industry and Technology category are winners including the Advanced Manufacturing Leader Award, the AI Innovator Award, the Digital Infrastructure Leader Award, the Energy Pioneer, the Financial Technology Leader Award, the Healthcare Technology Leader Award, and the Maritime Defense Innovator Award.
Advanced Manufacturing Leader
- Charlisha Greene, Vice President, Global Supply Chain & Integration – Air Dominance, The Boeing Company
- Christopher Johnston, Contracting Officer, Army Contracting Command - Detroit Arsenal
- Jay Lee, Sc.D., Director of Industrial Artificial Intelligence Center, University of Maryland
AI Innovator
- Jeannice Fairrer Samani, Ph.D., CEO and Managing Director, Fairrer Samani Group, LLC
- Daniel Sierra-Sosa, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Digital Infrastructure Leader
- Lucia Chung, Vice President and CIO, Engineering & Product Support, The Boeing Company
- Robert Slone, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Scientist, UL Solutions
Energy Pioneer
- Anthony Kinslow II, Ph.D., CEO and Founder, Gemini Energy Solutions
- Migo Szeman Ng, Ph.D., Principal Research Scientist, UL Research Institutes
Financial Technology Leader
Thomas Phillips, Chief of the Intelligence and Security Command and the Ground Vehicle Systems Center, Army Contracting Command - Detroit Arsenal
Healthcare Technology Leader
- Betsy Butler, Program Manager, Tanaq Health
- Qian Zhang, Ph.D., Research Scientist IV, UL Research Institutes
Maritime & Defense Innovator
Juan Henderson, Acting PEG Chief, Air Force Materiel Command, AFNWC/NIZ Engineer
AiNEXT
In the Workforce, Community and Impact category are the AI Governance Leader Awards, the Community Workforce Impact Leader Award, the Corporate Responsibility Leader Award, the Educator of the Future, the Future Workforce Employer Award, and the Community, Impact and Workforce Development Leader Award.
AI Governance Leader
- The Catholic University of America
- Ryan McManusFounder. techtonic.io
AI Thought Leader
- Center for Responsible AI at Virginia State University
- David Shrier, Professor of Practice, AI & Innovation, Imperial College London Business School
Community Workforce Impact Leader
- Kara Branch, Founder and CEO, Black Girls Do Engineer
- Christine Burkette, CEO, Promising Integrations Consulting Firm
- Rozlyn Chambliss, Ph.D., Program Integrator, The Boeing Company
Corporate Responsibility Leader
Heidi Spahn, Global Corporate and Community Investment, Corteva Agriscience
Educator of the Future
Agentic FuturePath AI
- Kim Lewis, Ph.D.,Vice President for Research and Chief Research Officer, Howard University
- Becki Rowan-White, Senior Education Programs Manager, UL Research Institutes
Future Workforce Employer
- Tamika King, Site Facility Manager, Leadec
- Andrea Lewis-Allen, Senior Manager, The Boeing Company
- Sol Rashidi, CEO, ExecutiveAI
Workforce Development Leader
University of Maryland Global Campus
In the Creative and Emerging Technology category are the Creative Technology Innovator Award, the Interactive Media Innovator Award, and Special Recognition honorees.
Creative Technology Innovator
Audapt, LLC
Interactive Media Innovator
- Tennessee State University, SMART Center
- Valeria Palacios Cruz, Student, Ceulver/TecNM University
Special Recognition
- Kemal Badur, Assistant Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, University of Chicago
- Branville Bard Jr., D.P.A., Vice President for Public Safety, Johns Hopkins University
- Stephan Daniels, Product Quality Manager, Apple, Inc.
- Donald “Doni” Glover, Founder and Publisher, BMORE News
- Tammie Jones-Jefferson, Regulatory and Stewardship Leader, Corteva Agriscience
- Aleksandra Przegalińska, Professor & Vice Rector for Innovations and AI, Kozminski University
- Amy Webb, CEO and Founder, Future Today Strategy Group
The 2026 Futurist Awards demonstrate the breadth of people and institutions contributing to technological transformation. This year's honorees span industry, government, higher education, research, entrepreneurship and community organizations, reflecting the increasingly interconnected ecosystem shaping artificial intelligence and the future of work.
AiNEXTGEN America Conference and Futurist Awards brings together leaders, innovators, educators, technologists and emerging talent to explore artificial intelligence and the technologies shaping the future of work, industry and society.
Career Communications Group, Inc. is a media, workforce development and technology organization dedicated to advancing opportunity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Through its publications, conferences, digital platforms and STEM City USA initiatives, CCG connects students, professionals, educators, employers and communities.
