TENNAIR 2026 Conference
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Jules White – Director of Vanderbilt’s Initiative on the Future of Learning & Generative AI
Dr. Jules White is Director of Vanderbilt’s Initiative on the Future of Learning & Generative AI, Associate Dean of Strategic Learning Programs in the School of Engineering, and Professor of Computer Science in the Dept. of Computer Science at Vanderbilt University. He created one of the first online classes for Prompt Engineering (https://coursera.org/learn/prompt-engineering), which is the study of how you converse with AI effectively. He is a National Science Foundation CAREER Award recipient. His research has won multiple Best Paper Awards. He has also published over 160 papers. Dr. White’s research focuses on large language models, such as ChatGPT, cyber-security, and software engineering in domains ranging from healthcare to manufacturing. His research is conducted through the Mobile Application computinG, optimizatoN, and secUrity Methods (MAGNUM) Group at Vanderbilt University, which he directs (http://www.magnum.io/people/jules.html).
Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner – President/CEO of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner is President and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, the nation’s oldest and largest honor society for community college students. She is dedicated to expanding opportunity for some of the nation’s hardest-working learners—connecting them with life-changing scholarships, transformative leadership experiences, and pathways to family-sustaining careers. With nearly three decades in higher education, Lynn has served as a community college instructor in math, chemistry, and physics; a computer programmer and database administrator; an institutional researcher; and a university faculty member. She currently serves on the national boards of the Center for Community College Student Engagement and the Rural Community College Alliance. Her past service includes the American Association of Community Colleges Board of Directors, America’s College Promise, and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. A passionate advocate for community colleges and their students, Lynn uses data-driven storytelling to highlight their achievements and the vital role these institutions play in shaping the nation’s future.