Carolina Bessega is an Innovation Lead at the Office of the CTO for Extreme Networks. She combines a strategic mindset alongside 22+ years of experience in science and technology. Her focus is on bridging the gap between new technologies and industry. She has built a reputation for being an applied machine learning leader in Canada. Highly experienced in architecting and implementing end-to-end machine learning systems.

After obtaining her Ph.D. in Fundamental Physics, specifically astrophysics, she became a university professor and the director of the Non-Linear Phenomena lab in the Physics Department at the largest university in Venezuela. Her research in Econophysics and complex systems was the starting point for her Applied Machine Learning career.

In 2010, Carolina immigrated to Canada and pivoted her career from the academy to the software industry. Since then, she has worked in technology, providing services and creating AI products and solutions for different industries. Carolina is an active member of the Canadian AI ecosystem, a mentor at several Startup Accelerators, and a Vector Institute Program Recognition Committee member. She has also collaborated with the Government of Canada’s Advisory Council of Artificial intelligence as a member of the AI commercialization Working Group.

Carolina loves travelling, public speaking, science fiction, and puzzles. She is a big Star Trek fan and gets most of her leadership inspiration from the Capitan Kirk.