Rafael is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University and directs its Neurotechnology Center. He led a small group of scientists that inspired the US BRAIN Initiative, announced by President Barack Obama in 2013, and helped form the International Brain Initiative (IBI) in 2017. He also led the Morningside Group, a global consortium of interdisciplinary experts advocating for the ethical use of neurotechnology and artificial intelligence.

Jared is an international human rights lawyer and serves as outside General Counsel to the Neurorights Foundation. He is a managing director of Perseus Strategies, a public interest law firm, a special advisor on the Responsibility to Protect to the Organization of American States, and an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center.

Jamie is the co-founder and managing partner of Everyone, Inc., a venture studio that creates and invests in companies that deploy technology and regenerative economic strategies to advance health, learning, and economic opportunity. He is also a founding team member and board member of the Center for New Data, non-profit making information available to researchers, journalists, and policymakers to support public health, democracy, and other areas essential to the common good.

Dr. Sean Pauzauskie is a hospital neurologist in the University of Colorado system, where he conducts clinical research employing neurotechnology, primarily for the optimization of epilepsy management. He is an active member of the American Academy of Neurology and The American Medical Association, and his research experience includes time at The National Institute of Mental Health, The Energy and Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Kaufmann Foundation for entrepreneurship.

Steve is a postgraduate researcher at Yale University in the department of neurosurgery where he specializes in the development and deployment of computer vision based deep learning tools in the analysis of massive sets of biomedical images. His application of AI Is multimodal and solution driven, primarily contributing to translational research purposed for the development of novel drugs, treatments, and diagnostic tools targeting Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) mediated dysregulation of mTOR, which can result in epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder.

Steve is particularly interested in the intersection of industry and ethics, and believes that if ethically developed and standardized across a stalwart business model, emergent neurotechnology has the potential to further revolutionize the way we treat disorders across all stages of life.

Stephen Damianos received a DPhil in international development at the University of Oxford in 2023. Previously based in Athens, Greece, his dissertation was based on ethnographic research interrogating the usage of Skype within the Greek asylum procedure, exploring the diffuse accountability structures and novel forms of violence that arise from the insertation of technology within border regimes. He is particularly interested in the intersection human rights, technology, and corporate accountability, as well as questions of agency and self-concept.

Prior to commencing his doctoral work, Stephen received an MPhil in development studies at the University of Cambridge and a BA in political science and journalism from the University of Pennsylvania. Stephen is a 2020 Rhodes Scholar (Pennsylvania & Balliol) and a 2018 Truman Scholar.

Margot Hanley is a doctoral candidate in Information Science at Cornell Tech specializing in the ethical and policy implications of AI and commercial neurotechnology. Her dissertation explores how this rapidly advancing industry is poised to both enhance and challenge human autonomy, agency, and privacy.

In her work, Margot actively collaborates with industry experts to forge ethical, legal and regulatory guidelines and frameworks. In this way, she seeks to bridge the gap between technological innovation and ethical governance, ensuring that advancements in neurotechnology align with societal values and human flourishing.

Prior to pursuing her doctoral work, Margot spent five years in the technology department at Warby Parker, managing vendor relationships and the company-wide budget.

Margot holds a B.A. from Oberlin College in Economics and an M.A from Columbia University in Sociology. Alongside her studies, Margot is a research-based artist and has her artwork on display at Mmuseumm Mmuseumm in NYC.