Meet Our Empowering Team
At Women AI Academy, our strength lies in the collective power of our dedicated team. Comprising experts from diverse backgrounds, each member shares a common goal: to empower women with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities to excel in the dynamic fields of data science and artificial intelligence.
Our core team behind the daily operations
Naz Cilo-van Norel
Founder of WAIA
A passionate advocate for ethical AI and gender equity in tech, Naz weaves her immigrant background and motherhood journey—with two children and three foster kids—into her advocacy.
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Holding dual expertise in electronics engineering and political science, and with over 30 years in tech, she effortlessly blends technology with societal challenges. Naz's vision? Ethical AI that's accessible to all, particularly underprivileged groups. To bring this vision to life, she founded both the Women AI Academy and Big Data Queens. These institutions mentor underprivileged women, guiding them towards AI careers. In partnership with IEEE, Naz works tirelessly to establish ethical AI standards. True to her roots, the Academy emphasizes inclusivity, ensuring every graduate, regardless of background, secures a place in the tech landscape.
Oliwia Walewska
Head of Business Development
With a diverse experience ranging from Business and Data Analysis to Artificial Intelligence and Project Management, Marketing and Finance, she leads as our Head of Business Development.
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Her business acumen, collaborations with international professionals from over 100 countries, and strategic foresight offer a unique combination of expertise which equips her with a holistic understanding of the business landscape enriched by a deep appreciation for cross-cultural nuances. Driven by the goal of leveraging technology to bring positive impact to both community and planet, she powers our mission to champion women in the tech sphere.
Melanie Stuchlik
Head of Marketing
With more than 6+ years of experience in performance marketing, brand development, and external communication, she's a true versatile professional in our organisation.
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Her dynamic skill set propels our brand to new heights and fosters efficiency through cross-team collaboration. She's a driving force, blending performance marketing expertise with strategic vision. What truly sets her apart is her ability to bridge brand-building and external communication, creating a compelling narrative that resonates far and wide.
Sarah Haq
Head of Bootcamp
Instructor,
Machine Learning Engineering Expert
Sarah Haq is a Computer Science and Creative Computing Lecturer at Leuphana University
- Sarah has over ten years of experience working with data and building machine-learning models for various startups, from underwear companies to unicorns.
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She was previously a Senior Machine Learning Engineer at the world’s largest online art marketplace, Artsy, where she shaped the personalisation strategy and built a recommendation engine to connect collectors with artworks they truly loved.
- Sarah completed her studies in Mathematics and Economics at the London School of Economics.
Erum Afzal
Consultant & Mentor,
Artificial Intelligence Expert
Erum is a Ph.D. scholar specializing in AI tools for teacher training at Justus Liebig University, Germany, with a strong background in Information and Computational Technology.
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Beyond academia, she is a mentor and speaker, passionate about educating in AI, Data Science, and Machine Learning. Her collaborations with esteemed organizations like Women AI Academy, ETHOS AI, Women Who Code, Omdena, and Neuro Match Academy showcase her commitment to knowledge sharing. Erum's academic pursuits and industry engagement make her a valuable asset, driving innovation in AI and Data Science..
Meltem Başoğlu Serranò
Admission & Learner Support
With a diverse background across different domains, Meltem brings a unique blend of skills, experiences, and a global perspective to her role as our Admission & Learner Support Specialist.
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She holds a master's degree in Development Economics and a bachelor's in Computer Science. This dual academic foundation equips her with a deep understanding of the intersection between technology, socio-economic development, and education. With a global perspective honed through studying and working in diverse countries, Meltem excels at performance and delivering solutions that transcend borders. She takes prompt action to support our learners with her open-mindedness, keen insight, and quick thinking. Her commitment to SDGs related to gender equality, decent work, and economic growth further underscores her dedication to our mission.
Özlem
Digital Marketing Manager
With a decade of international experience in marketing communications, she possesses a versatile skill set that she continually enhances through marketing technology.
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She has a keen interest in technology, is an advocate for equality and women's rights, and proudly identifies as a rescue dog mom. With a life spanning over three continents, she is a challenge seeker and creative at heart, and in her free time, she explores various artistic pursuits.
Theresa Engelhardt
Quality manager
She is a seasoned quality management professional with a specialization in ISO 9001 standards. With an extensive background spanning three years in this domain,
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she has established herself as a trusted expert in assisting companies with the optimization and enhancement of their processes. Theresa's unwavering commitment to process excellence serves as the cornerstone of her work, ensuring that organizations attain and maintain the highest standards of quality and operational efficiency.
Committed to Change
What sets our team apart is our shared commitment to driving meaningful change. We are not just educators and mentors; we are advocates for gender equality, diversity, and ethical innovation in tech.
Join us as we leverage our collective expertise to empower women, dismantle barriers, and create a tech industry that celebrates inclusivity, innovation, and collaboration.
WOMEN AI ACADEMY
Women AI Academy is a gender-equality and technology driven learning & development organization
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Weihenstephanerstr.1281673
Munich-Germany
We are driven by the vision of making AI both ethical and accessible to everyone
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Ali Hessami is currently the Director of R&D and Innovation at Vega Systems, London, UK. He has an extensive track record in systems assurance and safety, security, sustainability, knowledge assessment/management methodologies. He has a background in the design and development of advanced control systems for business and safety-critical industrial applications.
Hessami represents the UK on the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) & International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) – safety systems, hardware & software standards committees. He was appointed by CENELEC as convener of several Working Groups for review of EN50128 Safety-Critical Software Standard and update and restructuring of the software, hardware, and system safety standards in CENELEC.
Ali is also a member of Cyber Security Standardisation SGA16, SG24, and WG26 Groups and started and chairs the IEEE Special Interest Group in Humanitarian Technologies and the Systems Council Chapters in the UK and Ireland Section. In 2017 Ali joined the IEEE Standards Association (SA), initially as a committee member for the new landmark IEEE 7000 standard focused on “Addressing Ethical Concerns in System Design.” He was subsequently appointed as the Technical Editor and later the Chair of P7000 working group. In November 2018, he was appointed as the VC and Process Architect of the IEEE’s global Ethics Certification Programme for Autonomous & Intelligent Systems (ECPAIS).
Trish advises and trains organisations internationally on Responsible AI (AI/data ethics, policy, governance), and Corporate Digital Responsibility.
Patricia has 20 years’ experience as a lawyer in data, technology and regulatory/government affairs and is a registered Solicitor in England and Wales, and the Republic of Ireland. She has authored and edited several works on law and regulation, policy, ethics, and AI.
She is an expert advisor on the Ethics Committee to the UK’s Digital Catapult Machine Intelligence Garage working with AI startups, is a Maestro (a title only given to 3 people in the world) and expert advisor “Maestro” on the IEEE’s CertifAIEd (previously known as ECPAIS) ethical certification panel, sits on IEEE’s P7003 (algorithmic bias)/P2247.4 (adaptive instructional systems)/P7010.1 (AI and ESG/UN SDGS) standards programmes, is a ForHumanity Fellow working on Independent Audit of AI Systems, is Chair of the Society for Computers and Law, and is a non-exec director on the Board of iTechlaw and on the Board of Women Leading in AI. Until 2021, Patricia was on the RSA’s online harms advisory panel, whose work contributed to the UK’s Online Safety Bill.
Trish is also a linguist and speaks fluently English, French, and German.
In 2021, Patricia was listed on the 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics™ and named on Computer Weekly’s longlist as one of the Most Influential Women in UK Technology in 2021.
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