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AI Researcher and Technologist | Board Director | Investor
Over the years, I have had the privilege of contributing to multiple waves in the evolution of AI – from computational linguistics as a researcher in academia to foundation models and the agentic world as a strategic innovator in industry. In addition to deepening our understanding of scientific questions, I am interested in the broader societal impact of AI and in developing AI ecosystems which focus on blending technical and societal solutions. I am passionate about building global networks engaging broadly with academia, non-profit institutions, industry partners and government research agencies worldwide to drive open AI innovation. I am committed to advancing safe, trustworthy AI solutions that reflect human values, support economic growth, and align with societal goals and preferences. I am most energized when navigating complex challenges, creating new strategies and delivering on them, collaborating across teams and divisions. I enjoy working with a variety of audiences from educators, engineers, entrepreneurs, policy makers to researchers. I value the fresh perspectives and energy that the new generation of AI innovators bring. I have extensive experience in leading teams in academia and industry on developing initiatives from vision to completion, including over 25 years in R&D environments. I enjoy engaging in creative thinking and remain laser-focused when it comes to execution.
University of Washington
Executive Masters in Information Management
N/A – Present
Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès
PhD, Computational Linguistics, Natural Language Processing
N/A – Present
Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III
Master's degree, Mathematics and Computer Science
N/A – Present
Matriculate
Board Director
March 1, 2026 – Present
CHALEARN
Vice President, AI Research and Scientific Discovery
March 1, 2026 – Present
Seattle Angel Conference
Angel Investor
February 1, 2026 – Present
Microsoft
Senior Director, Research Explorations and Innovation
November 1, 2025 – March 1, 2026
Microsoft
Technical Advisor, Research Explorations, Microsoft Research
September 1, 2024 – October 1, 2025
CHALEARN
Board Director
December 1, 2023 – January 1, 2026
Microsoft
Senior Director, Research Catalyst, Microsoft Research Accelerator
November 1, 2023 – September 1, 2024
Microsoft
Senior Director, Global Research Engagement, Microsoft Research & Incubations
July 1, 2018 – October 1, 2023
Microsoft
Director, Artificial Intelligence, Microsoft AI & Research
November 1, 2010 – June 1, 2018
Microsoft
Senior Program Manager, Microsoft Research
December 1, 2005 – October 1, 2010
Microsoft
Technical Lead, Natural Interactive Services Division
January 1, 2000 – November 1, 2005
Computing Research Laboratory, New Mexico State University
Principal Investigator/Adjunct Professor in Computer Science
November 1, 1994 – December 1, 1999
Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States
Brandeis University
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
February 1, 1993 – October 1, 1994
Waltham, Massachusetts, United States
Agentic AI Research and Innovation
July 1, 2025 – Present
The Agentic AI Research & Innovation (AARI) program embraces the spirit of openness, collaboration, and responsible innovation to a new era of intelligent systems—AI agents capable of reasoning, planning, and collaborating safely in complex real-world environments. AARI builds on the strong foundation of the Accelerating Foundation Model Research (AFMR), an AI global initiative with the academic community to advance the foundations of AI research together for the benefit of society.
Accelerating Foundation Models Research (AFMR)
April 1, 2023 – Present
Accelerating Foundation Models Research (AFMR) is a global research network and a resource platform, which enables a network of researchers with different expertise to engage on solving together some of the greatest technical and societal challenges of tomorrow in AI. AFMR includes a grant program that provides access to state-of-the-art foundation models hosted on Microsoft Azure through Microsoft Azure AI Foundry. Through AFMR our goal is to foster more collaborations across disciplines, institutions, and sectors, and to unleash the full potential of AI for a wide range of research questions, applications, and societal context.
Project Malmo
March 1, 2016 – December 1, 2021
The Malmo platform is an open source sophisticated Artificial Intelligence experimentation platform built on top of Minecraft, and designed to support fundamental research in artificial intelligence. Try it today: https://github.com/Microsoft/malmo#getting-started
CodaLab
January 1, 2013 – Present
CodaLab is an open-source platform that provides an ecosystem for conducting computational research in a more efficient, reproducible, and collaborative manner. There are two aspects of CodaLab: worksheets and competitions. - Worksheets allow you to capture complex research pipelines in a reproducible way and create "executable papers". Use any data format or programming language — great for the power user! Check out: https://worksheets.codalab.org/ - Competitions bring together the entire community to tackle the most challenging data and computational problems today. You can win prizes and also create your own competition. Check out: https://competitions.codalab.org/
TryF#
January 1, 2012 – January 1, 2017
TryF# is a new tool from Microsoft Research Connections that enables the learning of the F# programming language in an interactive browser-based environment. TryF# makes F# accessible to users with Windows and Macs when using common browsers. TryF# also has an online training tool to introduce users to F# and it provides a portal for information about the language and its growing community, linking them through Facebook and Twitter. TryF# was developed by Microsoft Research Connections Engineering and Computer Science teams, in collaboration with Microsoft Research Cambridge, and the Visual Studio F# development team.
Web N-gram Services
January 1, 2009 – January 1, 2016
Web N-gram services, made available via a cloud-based platform, help drive discovery and innovation in web search, natural language processing, speech, and related areas by conducting research on real-world web-scale data, taking advantage of regular data updates for projects that benefit from dynamic data.
Leadership for Positive Impact
Microsoft
June 24, 2026 – Present
Cultural Fit Analysis
The candidate's career trajectory, particularly their long tenure at Microsoft in various leadership roles focused on research, innovation, and global engagement, suggests a strong cultural fit for large, research-driven technology organizations. Their involvement with organizations like CHALEARN and Matriculate, and projects like AFMR and AARI, highlights a commitment to advancing AI for societal benefit and fostering diverse research networks. This aligns with a culture that values impact, collaboration, and ethical considerations in AI development. However, the lack of specific technical skills listed in projects or experience makes it difficult to assess fit for a hands-on 'Software Engineer' role.
Soft Skills & Operational Fit
The candidate demonstrates strong leadership, strategic thinking, and collaboration skills through their extensive experience in directing research initiatives and building partnerships. Their roles consistently involve fostering innovation, managing teams, and engaging with diverse stakeholders, indicating excellent operational fit for roles requiring strategic vision and execution in complex technical environments. The emphasis on 'openness, collaboration, and responsible innovation' aligns well with modern operational values.