Women in AI:
Panel & Awards
Kansas City AI Club Meetup | Thursday, October 8, 2026
The Kansas City AI Club's October meetup brings together a featured speaker, an expert panel on building and leading with AI, and the first presentation of the Women in AI Awards. The event is presented with Kansas City Women in Technology, and everyone in the Kansas City AI community is welcome.
The evening is hosted at KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park, with time for networking before and after the program.
Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026
Time: 4:30 to 7:00 PM (doors open at 4:30)
Location: Regnier Hall Auditorium, KU Edwards Campus, 12610 Quivira Rd, Overland Park, KS 66213
Parking: Park in Lot A, marked by red banners, off 127th St.
Tickets: $25, taxes and fees included. A ticket is required for entry.
Refreshments: Coffee, iced tea, and water are served in the lobby. No food or drinks in the auditorium.
Featured Speaker
Michelle Frost, AI Advocate at JetBrains.
The Panel
From Curiosity to Commitment: Turning AI Interest into Action
Organizations everywhere are exploring AI, and adoption takes more than the technology. It takes trust, leadership, education, governance, security, and people willing to champion new ideas. The panel covers what it actually takes to move from interest and experimentation to results, and what the panelists learned getting there.
Moderator: Tracey "The Safety Lady" Hawkins
Panelists:
- Patty Aenchbacher, American Century Investments
- Sarah Kleine, Essense of Australia
- Alexandria Hamilton, Orinyx
- Dr. Cheryl Cooper, Avila University
- Andrea Cook, WeCode KC
Agenda
- 4:30 PM: Doors open
- 4:30 to 5:30 PM: Open networking
- 5:30 to 5:50 PM: Featured speaker, Michelle Frost
- 5:50 to 6:30 PM: Panel discussion and audience Q&A
- 6:30 to 6:40 PM: Women in AI Awards presentation
- 6:40 to 7:00 PM: Networking
Women in AI Awards
The Women in AI Awards recognize women in the Kansas City metro whose work is shaping how AI is built, adopted, and led. 2026 is the inaugural year. Six awards will be presented: Rising Star, Community & Education Impact, Small & Medium Business AI Impact, Enterprise AI Leadership, Founder, Advisor & Entrepreneur, and the Women’s AI Champion Award. Nominations are closed and recipients will be honored on stage. Learn about the awards.
Who Attends
Founders, engineers, students, executives, and people who are new to AI. The awards honor women doing AI work in Kansas City, and the evening is open to the whole community.
Note: Space is limited and a ticket is required for entry. Refunds, minus Eventbrite fees, are available up to 3 days before the event.
