AI for Community Resilience
Turning innovation into shared value for communities
The Purpose Summit convenes leaders across technology, finance, and the public sector to explore how AI can strengthen communities, unlock new pathways for capital, and drive more inclusive, place-based innovation.
Tuesday, May 12th, Civic Hall
About
At a time when institutions are under strain and public trust is eroding, AI offers more than disruption; it offers a chance to redesign the foundations of how we live and work together. When guided with intention, it can help communities rebuild critical systems and strengthen resilience from the ground up.
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The 2026 Purpose Summit: AI for Community Resilience is not a traditional conference, but a participatory gathering of doers and thinkers exploring how AI can support collective action, deepen civic engagement, and expand communities' capacity to adapt and thrive. Designed for exchange, not passive listening, it brings people together to challenge ideas and work across sectors.
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At the Purpose Summit, speakers are conversation catalysts, shaping dynamic forums that foster meaningful connection, shared learning, and real-time problem solving. Bringing together leaders from startups, VCs, family offices, foundations, community organizations, government, industry, and academia, the summit elevates those building AI solutions that center people and place.
This one-day experience is designed to move beyond dialogue - to spark alignment, unlock collaboration, and accelerate action.
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Join us on May 12th. Not just to discuss what's possible, but to help build it.
Simon Sylvester-Chaudhuri
Summit Co-host; Executive Director, CIV:LAB
Terah Lyons
Managing Director - Global Head of AI & Data Policy, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
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Rebecca Darling
Director, Community Affairs and Partnerships,
Coreweave
Mitchell Joachim
Professor, NYU; Co-founder,
Terreform ONE
Mark Chambers
Summit Co-host; Executive Director, Terreform ONE
Jay Lundy
Managing Director,
NAACP Capital
Mike Pell
Senior Director,
The Microsoft Garage
John Pasmore
Founder & CEO,
Latimer
Growth Product Manager, Wefranch
Ketaki Sodhi
SVP - Head of AI Enablement,
Moody's Corporation
Amar Bakshi
Co-Founder, Andus Labs; Founding Lead, MIT Center for Constructive Communication
Anthony Townsend
Senior Research Associate,
Cornell Tech
Executive in Residence and Assistance Professor, NYU
Nassar Omar
Senior Associate,
NAACP Capital
Jamil Ellis
CEO, Unified Ground PBC
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Kendra Batchelder, PhD
Founder & CEO, medara, Inc.
Darren Riley
CEO, JustAir Solutions
Morris Cox
General Partner,
Purpose Fund
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Alex Bell
Program & Partnerships Director, CIV:LAB
Ashdeep Seth
Global Strategy Lead,
CIV:LAB
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Jim Malatras
Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Vice President for Education,
The Fedcap Group
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Devin Abraham
Founder & CEO,
Liiv
Derrick Lewis
General Partner,
Purpose Fund
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Allison Lucas
Director of Operations,
CIV:LAB
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Stephen Brandt
Chief Development Officer, InnSure Corporation
Raj Pannu
Founder & CEO, Emergence Creative
Javad Mustaq
Managing Director, NYC & Head of NYC AI Nexus
C10 Labs
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Anh Nguyen
Urban Innovation Fellow @ NYC Department of Environmental Protection, Cornell Tech
Yelena Mammadova
Director - AI Transformation Strategy, Microsoft
Gabo Arora
Director of Strategic Initiatives, Museum of the Moving Image
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Tricia Wang
CEO & Co-founder, Advanced AI Society
Gregory Ugwi
Co-Founder,
Muck Capital
Stela Lupushor
Chief-Reframer, Reframe.Work Inc.
Roma Van der Walt
Founder & CEO, Vitelle
Andrew Rasiej
Founder, Civic Hall @ Union Square
Eric Horvath
Vice President - Community-engaged Investing, Earlystone
Abhishek Dash
Engineering Lead / Developer, Adaptive Infrastructure Partners