Stratos Kontopoulos

Knowledge Graph Engineer, Foodpairing AI

Stratos Kontopoulos, PhD, is a highly accomplished knowledge scientist with 20+ years' experience bridging Semantic Web research and practical applications. His expertise spans diverse sectors including Pharma & Life Sciences, E-health, Cultural Heritage, and FoodTech, leveraging ontology engineering and knowledge graph technologies. A proven project leader and strategist, Stratos has secured international funding and successfully delivered scalable solutions across academia and industry. He is a sought-after speaker on Semantic Web technologies and their real-world impact.

Thomas Hubauer

Principal Key Expert for Knowledge Graph, Siemens

Thomas is an experienced researcher driving Knowledge Graphs at Siemens. He has a strong interest in both academic and applied research (also beyond computer science), and is excited about R&D and technology generating impact. Thomas holds a PhD in Computer Science from Hamburg University of Technology.

Ben Gardner

R&D Lead for Data Mesh / Semantic Infrastructure, AstraZeneca

Ben is R&D lead for Data Mesh and Semantic Infrastructure at AstraZeneca he is responsible for the application of graph technology in support of Information Discovery. He is focused on delivering FAIR Data-centric architecture to create multimodal integrated data sets to enable exploration and reuse of pre-clinical, clinical and Real World Evidence data.

Philippe Rocca-Serra

Senior Director - FAIR Collaboration - Data Office, AstraZeneca

Philippe, as part of the AstraZeneca R&D data office and University of Oxford e-Research Centre, builds on past FAIR-ification experiences with industry and academic efforts to encourage the sharing of common FAIR practices and the use of open-source community tools to foster interoperability and reuse.

Wilson Carey

Head of Data Engineering, Payzer

Wilson joined the Payzer team in 2020 to develop and drive the company’s data strategy. With over 20 years of experience in systems integration and solution architecture, Wilson oversees the data engineering, data operations and data insights functions at Payzer.

Dylan Abney

Ontologist, Semantic Arts, Inc.

Dylan is an ontologist in Semantic Arts, Inc.

Pel Olson

Ontologist, Semantic Arts, Inc.

Formerly NYU Philosophy, focus on Philosophy of Language, Logic, and Philosophical Semantics, NYU Fencing Su '24 NREL Knowledge Graphs/Ontology intern. MLIS @ UW (co '25), focusing on Ontologies. Entry Ontologist for Semantic Arts.

Peter Winstanley

Ontologist, Semantic Arts, Inc.

Data and metadata specialist with experience of enterprise, national and global scale projects covering semantics, Linked Data, textual analysis and machine learning.

Beatrice Gamba

Head of Innovation, WordLift

Beatrice Gamba is the Head of Innovation at WordLift, where she leads the development of AI-driven SEO and content optimization strategies for global enterprises. With over a decade of experience in digital marketing and tech companies, Beatrice helps businesses scale their digital efforts, leveraging knowledge graphs and AI to double organic search revenue. Her work empowers editorial teams and e-commerce platforms to innovate and thrive in the evolving web landscape. A frequent speaker at webinars and events like The Knowledge Graph Conference (2023 & 2024) and Connected Data London (2024), Beatrice is passionate about transforming digital marketing through cutting-edge technologies​

Robert Long

Chief Product & Technology Officer, Apptad Inc.

Robert is building the autonomous enterprise. He started with streaming data and HPC (High Performance Computing) in the '90s. Commodity compute technologies now exist to let him bring to reality a vision he's held for 25 years of what is possible. What's coming next will change everything!

Jay Yu

VP of Applied Research, RelationalAI

Jay is the VP of Applied Research at RelationalAI, a startup enhancing native data cloud with knowledge graph capabilities. With a Ph.D. in Computer Science, 32 patents, and over 25 years of industry experience, he is an expert in AI / Knowledge Graph / Big Data. He is passionate about solving complex problems, driving innovation, and aligning technology with business goals. He has a track record leading diverse teams and projects in applying knowledge graphs to enterprise applications at startups and established high-tech software companies like RelationalAI, TigerGraph, Intuit, and Teradata.

Michael Uschold

Senior Ontologist, Semantic Arts

Michael is a pioneer and leader in engineering and applying ontologies, with over 25 years of experience driving advancements in semantic technology. Known for his passion and commitment to delivering business value through cutting-edge innovation, he excels at distilling complex concepts into clear and actionable insights. With a strong background in enterprise applications, aerospace, and semantic advertising, Michael has served on numerous industrial and scientific advisory boards, bringing his expertise to research projects and journals. As a mentor, trainer, and sought-after speaker, he inspires professionals across industries to embrace semantic technology and its transformative potential. Throughout his career, Michael has achieved numerous milestones. He co-pioneered the field of ontology engineering, collaborating with Michael Gruninger to develop a methodology that remains widely used today. At Boeing, he spearheaded the use of ontologies to achieve interoperability among product design tools, laying the groundwork for production implementations still in use. He also led the creation of the influential Enterprise Ontology, crafting formal definitions for key business concepts and co-authoring a widely cited paper with lasting impact. Additionally, Michael played a key role in developing a commercial-grade contextual advertising system, leveraging ontologies, linked data, natural language processing, and machine learning to surpass revenue targets by 200%. His specialties include applied research and development in ontologies, semantic web, autonomous systems, and knowledge management, where his work continues to shape the future of semantic technology.

Philip Blackwood

Ontologist, Semantic Arts

Phil is an ontologist with over 30 years of experience delivering value to large Enterprises. He was the Lead Systems Engineer for the first release of 7 major AT&T applications, including the application that monitors the core network of connections between AT&T locations and the application for ordering business data services. He advocated for data-centric architecture at AT&T while in the position of Enterprise Architect. His contributions at Semantic Arts include leading client projects in the areas of telecom networking, data privacy, and content management. He has also elaborated on practical aspects of data-centric architecture in blog posts on this site. Credentials Ph.D. in Mathematics, University of Virginia Bell Labs Distinguished Member of Technical Staff

Rebecca Younes

Senior Ontologist, Semantic Arts

Rebecca is an accomplished IT professional with expertise in ontology design and development, semantic modeling, software development, and linguistic and text analysis. Her approach to ontology development involves close collaboration with subject matter experts to create domain models, alignment with established vocabularies, and meticulous documentation, including formal specifications and application profiles. Rebecca is also skilled in mentoring domain specialists and providing technical leadership, with her insights on semantic modeling and ontology design principles shared in papers and presentations. She has specialized in developing sophisticated ontologies for bibliographic materials and the financial services industry, demonstrating a remarkable ability to quickly master new domains and deliver complex, high-quality models. Rebecca’s diverse software development career spans a wide range of programming languages, platforms, and applications. Her work includes linked data and semantic web applications, text-to-speech systems, web applications, and a civic engagement platform for the federal regulatory process. As a text-to-speech scientist, she developed advanced text analysis components for multi-language systems, contributing modules for text normalization, morphological decomposition, phonological analysis, and more. Rebecca is a practitioner and advocate of test-driven development, model-view-controller architecture, and interface- and object-oriented programming, combining technical precision with a deep understanding of software engineering best practices.

Michael Atkin

Strategic Advisor, Semantic Arts

Michael is a seasoned strategic analyst and trusted advisor to financial institutions and market authorities, specializing in the principles, practices, and operational realities of data management. With extensive experience spanning the foundations of the information industry to the adoption of cutting-edge semantic technology, Michael is uniquely positioned to bridge traditional data practices with innovative solutions. Currently, Michael focuses on data management strategy and advisory services for both the public and private sectors. His expertise lies in helping organizations navigate complex data ecosystems, align with regulatory requirements, and leverage advanced technologies to optimize operations. As a passionate advocate for data-driven excellence, Michael combines a deep understanding of industry trends with a commitment to empowering clients through tailored strategies and actionable insights.

Steve Case

Data-Centric Ambassador, Semantic Arts

Steve is a passionate and entrepreneurial business development leader who specializes in aligning business transformation with cutting-edge technology and data innovation. With a proven track record of driving business growth, Steve excels in strategic management consulting, SaaS product delivery, and professional services implementation to maximize business outcomes. He is an expert in guiding organizations through digital transformation by reducing data complexity and delivering tailored, high-value solutions. Known for his personalized, high-touch sales approach, Steve prioritizes understanding clients' goals before recommending strategies, quickly establishing credibility and fostering trust. Dedicated to building lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with business leaders and aspiring technology professionals, Steve is committed to driving efficiency and innovation in every organization he works with. He facilitates the adoption of technologies and services that enhance business agility, automate workflows, and deliver exceptional customer experiences. A lifelong learner with an insatiable curiosity, Steve collaborates with integrity and the highest professional values, employing educational selling techniques to expand market share and create sustainable revenue streams.

Joaquin Melara

Marketing Coordinator, Semantic Arts

Joaquin Melara is a highly skilled content and event producer, focusing on strategy, branding, operations, and the responsible usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. Over the last four years, Joaquin has produced media and conferences around AI that have featured global industry experts from organizations such as Adobe, Amazon, BayWa r.e., IBM, LexisNexis, MIT, Roche, Schneider Electric, Stanford, and Verizon. His expertise in event production has established him as a trusted advisor in the AI community, fostering great relationships built on trust, communication, and mutual respect. In addition to event production, Joaquin offers freelance business and project management consulting services, with experience in software development, lean product development, and operational management.

Alexander Garcia

Senior Enterprise Data Architect and Ontologist at Siemens Energy

Alexander navigates the complex landscape where business requirements meet technical solutions. A skilled communicator and technologist, he specializes in data integration, governance, interoperability, semantics, and knowledge graphs, effectively connecting business and technical stakeholders to maximize value.

Tony Seale

Founder, The Knowledge Graph Guys

For over a decade, Tony has been passionate about linking data. His creative vision for integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) and Knowledge Graphs in large organisations has gained widespread attention, particularly through his popular weekly LinkedIn posts—earning him the reputation of ‘The Knowledge Graph Guy.’ Tony’s journey into AI and Knowledge Graphs began as a secret side project, working from a computer under his desk while employed at an investment bank. What started as a personal passion quickly evolved into an area of deep expertise. Over the past decade, Tony has successfully delivered several mission-critical Knowledge Graphs into production for Tier 1 investment banks, helping these institutions better organise and leverage their data.

Patrick Park

Senior Staff Data Engineer, Payzer

Senior Staff Data Engineer at Payzer. Patrick has a broad background in IT including Enterprise Client Server Application Development with Oracle and C#, AWS services, Data Warehouse Design, ETL, and contract software work. Patrick is an avid reader and enjoys keeping up with and sharing developments in all aspects of the fast moving data technology sector, from new databases and search engines, to the latest AI models, to data streaming and distributed compute options.

Marina Aguado

Interoperability Coordinator & Data Lab Coordinator,
European Union Agency for Railways

My expertise is focused on communication technologies for transport systems, more specifically on critical railway services such as train control systems. After my MSc in UK, I worked for eight years in the control centre of different railway companies, among them the major heavy haul railway companies in Brazil (CVRD, MRS Logistics and Brasil Ferrovias). In these companies, I hold the positions of Telecom Network Administrator and Senior Consultant on Signalling, IT and Logistics. Back to Bilbao, in 2004, I enrolled UPV/EHU as an Assistant Professor and initiated my research specifically motivated by my previous professional experience in the day-by-day work routine of a railway control centre and the train control communication technologies. In May 2007, I joined the European rail Research Network of EXcellence (EurNEX) MentorShip Program with Prof. Marion Berbineau from IFSTTAR (France). Under the EurNEX mentorship umbrella, in July 2009, I submitted my European PhD thesis entitled “Broadband Communication Architecture for Train to Ground Communication Services” supervised by Eduardo Jacob (UPV/EHU). Since 2010, I work as an Associate Professor and as a Senior Researcher in the research group I2T (UPV/EHU). I also currently contribute as a Professor on the recent Master on Transportation Systems with a topic on Communication Technologies for ITS. Research stays in international leading Railway Research Institutes such as IFSTTAR , Transportation Research Program at MIT- (USA) and Railtec (University of Illinois). I co-leader with Marion Berbineau EurNEX Pole 5 on Intelligent Mobility, member of the Spanish Railway Technological Platform and member of the Advisory Board for the CBTC World Congress. I participate as TPC, Chair, reviewer and/or author in conferences and journals in the railway sector such as VTC, Vehicular Magazine, TRA,Joint Rail Conference, Nets4trains, WIVEC, ITS-T, WCRR, Railway Telecommunication and CBTC World Congress.

Dave McComb

CEO and Co-founder

Leading large firms through their transition to Semantic Technology and Data-Centric Architectures. Inventor on four patents in the area of Model Driven Development, and author of "Semantics In Business Systems" and "Software Wasteland: How the Application-Centric Mindset is Hobbling our Enterprises". Specialties: Semantic Consulting, Semantic Modeling, OWL and Model Driven Development.