Chief Operations Officer’s Report: The Power of People—Third Quarter 2023
The Power of People in the Generative Era of Artificial Intelligence
Brien K. Jones
Chief Operations Officer and Executive Vice President of Business Development
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been dominating the headlines for the better part of the year. The current era of AI, Generative AI where data inputs generate new data with similar characteristics, follows the machine and deep learning eras. And while it is easy to be awed by the capabilities of AI, undeniably continuing to shape how companies deploy resources for increased productivity and profitability, the power of people remains essential.
Beneath the surface of impressive Generative AI tools like ChatGPT lies a fundamental truth: Generative AI is only as good as the data it is trained on and the guidance it receives from humans. It can streamline customer service and administrative tasks, analyze vast datasets, and generate insights that humans might overlook, but it is no substitute for human ingenuity, creativity, and ethical judgment, or building and sustaining relationships between people. The true power of people in the era of Generative AI lies in our ability to harness this technology as a tool for innovation, collaboration, and productivity.
I am extremely fortunate to work alongside tenured staff and recent new hires who share a commitment to excellence in work serving the profession, wish to have a healthy work-life balance, and want to grow and thrive in our careers. It is a challenging feat these days to attract and retain exceptional employees and, as such, I want to celebrate the people behind the scenes at NACVA|GACVA headquarters who provide the human touch engaging with and serving our members, credential designees, and the profession. There is no substitute for these incredible human beings. They are the heart of our organization and I thank them.
Executive Management
Parnell Black, Chief Executive Officer | Hired 1988
Brien Jones, Chief Operations Officer and Executive Vice President of Business Development | Hired 1997
Melissa Cardwell, Director of Project Management | Hired 1997
Lynne Johnson, Executive Editor/Accreditation Manager | Hired 2015
Chanda Chuon, Manager of Marketing Media and Strategic Partnerships | Hired 2015
Kal Bumgardner, Senior Projects Manager | Hired 2023
Kenzie Palmer, Executive Assistant to the CEO | Hired 2023
Education and Program Execution
Wendy Cayias, E-Learning Program Specialist | Hired 2001
Diana Ridgeway, Director of Educational Enrichment | Hired 2006
Ida May Barlow, Training Project Coordinator | Hired 2021
Jessica Rodriguez, Digital Learning Program Specialist | Hired 2021
Jeremy Clines | E-Learning Development Specialist | Hired 2023
Marketing and Member/Client Services
Kirk Bowden, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager | Hired 2012
Michael Daniels, Member/Client Services Relationship Consultant | Hired 2017
Megan Wright, Recertification Administrator | Hired 2019
Yolanda Ocasio, Credentialing Administrator | Hired 2020
Tyler Jensen, Member/Client Services Relationship Consultant | Hired 2022
Avery Bocage, Credentialing Specialist | Hired 2023
Abby Napoles, Member/Client Services Relationship Consultant | Hired 2023
Accounting and Administrative Support Staff
Steve Marston, Financial Assistant to the CEO | Hired 1988
Josephine Thompson, Systems and Process Manager | Hired 2008
Emily Wagman, Office Administrator | Hired 2020
Sally Obaid, Accounts Payable and Receivable Administrator | Hired 2021
Lisa Cuadra, Administrative and Accounting Specialist | Hired 2022
Matt Crowley, Controller | Hired 2023
