TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Culverhouse College of Business at The University of Alabama has announced the formation of its new AI Advisory Board, a cross-disciplinary group of faculty, students, and industry leaders dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence education and research across the college.
The board was established following a yearlong strategic effort initiated by Culverhouse Dean Kay Palan, who convened two faculty-led committees to guide the college’s approach to artificial intelligence—one focused on curriculum and the other on research. The AI Advisory Board represents a key outcome of that work.
The board’s mission is to unite student leaders, faculty experts, and industry professionals to ensure Culverhouse graduates are equipped with practical, future-ready skills aligned with the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
Comprised of 14 industry professionals, the board reflects a wide range of experience levels, ranging from early-career managers to senior executives, and represents all major disciplines within the College. The group was intentionally assembled to provide both immediate and forward-looking perspectives: practitioners who work with AI daily and can speak to current workforce needs, alongside senior leaders who offer insight into emerging trends and long-term direction.
The board held its inaugural meeting in spring 2026, focusing on curriculum development. Members reviewed recent program updates and shared input on the skills and experiences they expect from career-ready graduates. Their feedback, combined with insights gathered from several months of industry interviews, informed a comprehensive gap analysis to be presented to Dean Palan by the end of the semester.
“This advisory board ensures we remain closely aligned with the evolving needs of industry while preparing our students to lead in an AI-enabled world,” said Dean Palan.
The members of the board are:
- Randall Lemoine, VP Global Grooming Strategy at P&G
- Frank Phillips, Applied AI engineer at Snorkel AI
- Laurent Rudloff, Senior data analyst for Michelin
- Kayla Merritt, Innovation Insights team at Kraft Heinz
- Keith Smith, Managing director at the Marketing Science Institute
- Ashley Ferguson, President & managing member at Cyber Investigations & Intelligence Agency
- Micah Taylor, Tax manager at Crowe
- Caroline Aulbach, Senior manager at Schellman
- Pratyaksh Sharma, Founder – HRMNY HR
- Nrupal Das, Senior director of product management at Paysafe
- Armand Kapllani, Senior data scientist at Microsoft
- Matthew Studer, Software engineer at BlueFlame AI
- Reggie Walker, Technology and media sector tech and transformation lead at PwC
- Chris Bayham, COO at XSOLIS
For more information about Culverhouse College of Business and its AI initiatives, visit culverhouse.ua.edu/AI