SmartSense LIVE26 • Austin, TX

LIVE26 Speakers

Name: SmartSense LIVE26 User Conference and Industry Summit
Start: 2026-10-07
End: 2026-10-09
Location: Hyatt Regency Austin

Industry leaders, innovators, and IoT pioneers sharing what's shaping the future of connected operations.

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October 7–9, 2026 Hyatt Regency Austin

Keynote Speaker

Ryan Minton

2X Bestselling Author

Former senior VP representing industry giants including Hilton and Marriott

Internationally recognized by Global Gurus as one of the World's Best Speakers in both Hospitality and Customer Experience categories, Ryan combines strategic vision with practical leadership insights. His expertise in creating exceptional customer and employee experiences has earned him positions on the Forbes Business Council and Newsweek's expert panel, establishing him as an influential voice in the industry.

Healthcare — Speakers

Jacob Creel

Director of Practice Compliance - Multi-State Operations

Walmart

A pharmacy-compliance innovator who bridges regulation, patient safety, operations, and technology across complex multi-state healthcare environments.

The Compliance Blind Spot: Building a Regulatory Intelligence Program That Doesn't Depend on Being Notified

Compliance Regulatory Risk

Joel Vengco

SVP and Chief Information and Digital Officer

Hartford Healthcare

A recognized healthcare technology visionary advancing more accessible, equitable, personalized care through data, digital platforms, informatics, and AI.

The Physical Layer Is Your AI Governance Blind Spot

Digital Transformation Healthcare Access Health Equity

Brian Bailey

Clinical Compliance and Operations Director

Tekton Research

A clinical operations and compliance professional whose perspective is grounded in biomedical science, surgical care, and military medicine.

What Healthcare Leaders Can Learn from Clinical Research Operations

Compliance Political Transformation Healthcare Access

Veneta Anand

Senior Director Pharmacy Commercial Strategy & Payor Relations

Neighbourly Pharmacy

An established pharmacy strategy and operations leader whose work spans commercial growth, specialty services, retail execution, and patient-centered care across Canada.

The New Front Line of Healthcare: How Community Pharmacies Are Closing the Care Gap

Compliance Healthcare Access

Food Service — Speakers

Damon Cavasin

Founder

Cavasin Risk Advisory

A veteran asset-protection and security leader known for translating risk, investigations, and crisis preparedness into safer, more resilient operations.

From Known Loss to Bottom-Line Gains: Using Condition Monitoring to Improve P&L

Supply Chain Asset Protection Profit Optimization

Jen Crichfield

Franchise Owner

Chicken Salad Chick

An experienced franchise operator and relationship-focused business leader with a background spanning hospitality, client services, communications, and process improvement.

What Every Operator Should Know Before Expanding

Operations Franchising Growth

Drew Gardner

Director of Operations & Enterprise Resiliency

RaceTrac

A people-first retail operations leader who builds resilient programs and connects enterprise strategy with the realities of field execution.

From Innovation Theater to Operational Impact: What It Really Takes to Scale Technology in Convenience Retail

Convenience Retail Technology Innovation

Wayne Kennedy

IT Support Manager

Johnny's Markets

Retail IT leader with a proven ability to realize substantial improvements in operational KPIs and loss prevenetion.

From Inspection to Execution: Closing the Gap Between Standards and Reality

KPI Optimization Continuous Improvement

Stacey Klinzing

Director FSQA Systems

CookUnity

An enterprise FSQA leader who combines food science, regulatory rigor, supplier oversight, and systems thinking to strengthen safety across complex operations.

KPI Optimization Continuous Improvement

Michael Limauro

Head of Asset Protection / VP Global Asset Protection

Amazon Worldwide Grocery Stores / Whole Foods

A leading asset-protection executive with more than 25 years of experience integrating safety, risk, food quality, and loss prevention with profitable retail growth.

From Known Loss to Bottom-Line Gains: Using Condition Monitoring to Improve P&L

Supply Chain Asset Protection Profit Optimization

Ryan Mikolaycik

Executive Director of Food Service & Warehouse Operations

Austin Independent School District

A nationally engaged school-nutrition leader modernizing large-scale meal programs through operational excellence, local sourcing, sustainability, and culturally responsive menus.

Operations Risk

Dr. Zahra Mohammad

Quality Assurance Manager

Tokyo Gardens Company

A food-safety and microbiology expert whose work bridges quality assurance, regulatory compliance, laboratory operations, applied research, and workforce training.

Food Safety Culture vs. High Turnover: The Behavioral Microbiology of Modern Kitchens

Food Safety Regulatory Microbiology

Drew Schmidt

Network Security Lead

Johnny's Markets

A hands-on network-security practitioner who blends enterprise IT support, automation, and real-world experimentation to build systems that simply work.

From Inspection to Execution: Closing the Gap Between Standards and Reality

Continuous Improvement Scaling Tech Governance

Josh Patrick

Vice President of Procurement and Culinary

Rock N Roll Sushi

A chef-operator who combines culinary craft, entrepreneurial experience, procurement strategy, and supply-chain discipline across the restaurant industry.

What Every Operator Should Know Before Expanding

Operations Franchising Growth

Shane Segur

Director of Guest Services & Store Process

Busch's Fresh Food Market

A seasoned retail operator and servant leader with more than two decades of experience guiding stores, teams, guest service, and process execution.

From the Aisle to the Boardroom: What Retail Leaders Are Prioritizing for 2027

Retail Strategy AI & Optimization

JP Thomas

VP of Operations Services

Honeygrow

A seasoned restaurant operator known for scaling multi-unit teams while aligning operations, technology, supply chain, people culture, and guest experience.

Scaling Hospitality: What It Takes to Grow a Restaurant Brand Without Losing Your Soul

Operations Optimization Scaling

Industry Panels

Beyond Compliance Panel

Darin Detwiler

Founder and CEO

Detwiler Consulting Group, LLC

A nationally recognized food-safety advocate whose work connects public policy, academia, and industry prevention.

Using Data, AI, and Consumer Intelligence to Prevent the Next Food Safety Crisis

Food Safety Regulation AI

Beyond Compliance Panel

Richelle Toriyama

Founder and Principal

Toriyama Group

A hospitality food-safety strategist who bridges regulatory rigor and kitchen reality to protect brands without compromising the guest experience.

Using Data, AI, and Consumer Intelligence to Prevent the Next Food Safety Crisis

Food Safety Regulation AI

Beyond Compliance Panel

Patrick Quade

Founder and CEO

DineSafe

A public-health technology entrepreneur using AI and crowdsourced reporting to turn consumer experiences into earlier signals for food-safety action.

Using Data, AI, and Consumer Intelligence to Prevent the Next Food Safety Crisis

Food Safety Regulation AI

AI's Real Operational Risk

Gil Dror

Chief Technology Officer

SmartSense by Digi

A seasoned technology executive who uses cloud, SaaS, microservices, and product innovation to drive growth across connected and regulated industries.

AI's real operational risk isn't loud failures, it's plausibly wrong output that nobody validates.

Operations Risk AI

AI's Real Operational Risk

David Steck

President & Founder

Steck Consulting, LLC

A veteran retail-technology and infrastructure strategist with decades of experience turning complex systems, vendor relationships, and emerging tools into business value.

AI's real operational risk isn't loud failures, it's plausibly wrong output that nobody validates.

Operations Risk AI

Beyond Compliance Panel

Brian Ronholm

Director of Food Policy

Consumer Reports

A veteran food-policy and regulatory leader whose career bridges consumer advocacy, federal service, legislative affairs, and private-sector policy.

Using Data, AI, and Consumer Intelligence to Prevent the Next Food Safety Crisis

Food Safety Regulation AI

Featured

Daniel Harel

Mentalist & Speaker

Daniel brings a one-of-a-kind experience to LIVE26 — combining psychology, intuition, and live performance to close out the conference in a way attendees won't forget. Performing Wednesday evening and returning for the Friday closing session.

Thought-provoking Inspiration Mindset

Join us in Austin this October

Three days of education sessions, dynamic networking, and hands-on learning. Limited seats available.