TEDCO’s Entrepreneur Expo to Host “Human in the Loop” Panel on Thriving in the AI Economy

Session will feature leaders from PerryLabs, Kelly Benefits, IntelliGenesis and RAISE US, moderated by Maryland chief innovation officer Francesca Ioffreda

COLUMBIA, Md., (September 15, 2026) - TEDCO, Maryland's economic engine for technology companies, announces the "Human in the Loop: How to Thrive in the AI Economy" session at the upcoming 2026 Entrepreneur Expo taking place at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor on October 27, 2026.

The session will bring together Angie Lienert, chief executive officer of IntelliGenesis, a woman-owned, veteran-owned data science and cybersecurity firm headquartered in Columbia; Ezra Kagan of the Policy Lab at RAISE US, the nonpartisan national nonprofit led by former U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and former Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb that works with governors and employers to help workers transition into the AI economy, and formerly senior advisor at the U.S. Department of Commerce; Kate Vahdani, chief technology officer at Kelly Benefits, a Sparks-based benefits administration and payroll firm, where she serves on the company's AI Governance Council; and Jason Michael Perry, founder of PerryLabs and host of WYPR's "Thoughts on Tech & Things" - for a conversation moderated by Francesca Ioffreda, chief innovation officer in the Executive Office of Governor Wes Moore.

Every sector is being told to adopt agentic AI. Far fewer are told what to do with the experience already on their teams. This conversation addresses the harder question: how to leverage human expertise alongside these systems and build organizations where both are stronger.

"AI is rapidly changing the landscape for businesses, workers and entrepreneurs - reshaping how work gets done, how we train people and how new companies are formed," said Ioffreda. "The organizations navigating this well are thinking hard about how to integrate human expertise with fast-moving technology, and this panel brings leaders together to talk honestly about how they're approaching it, what's working and where we're still learning."

Together, panelists will explore what agentic tools can reliably handle, where experienced human management remains crucial and why deep domain expertise tends to grow as routine work is automated. Attendees will leave with practical guidance about these tools to build on what their people already know.

The session arrives as the AI economy reshapes hiring across the State. Nationally, AI job postings climbed 68% between the fourth quarter of 2022 and the fourth quarter of 2024, according to UMD-LinkUp AI Maps, co-produced by researchers at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business. Maryland has moved to meet that shift directly: in February 2026, Governor Wes Moore announced a $4 million investment to prepare Maryland workers, employers and community organizations for an economy shaped by AI and emerging technologies, including $2.5 million for internships and upskilling in the State's lighthouse industries.

Maryland is also one of four launch partner states for RAISE US, which is working with the Governor's office on career transition models and an accelerator supporting displaced workers who want to start companies. The State's own strategy includes integrating AI tools in ways that enhance rather than replace human workers, the same balance this panel takes up from the company side. Meanwhile, AI companies captured 86% of all venture dollars deployed in the first half of 2026, making the question of how to compete with expertise rather than capital an urgent one for founders outside that narrow band.

TEDCO's award-winning Entrepreneur Expo shines a spotlight on regional entrepreneurship. Attracting more than 1,170 attendees, the event collects some of the region's top entrepreneurs, business owners, innovators, venture capital investors, legislators and resources for a day of celebration. This year, the event will take place in Baltimore, one of the top 20 best cities for entrepreneurs, offering a full day of interactive workshops, insightful discussions and inspiring connections.

Don't miss the opportunity to learn from the region's top experts, including keynote guests Anirban Basu, Tamla Olivier and TEDCO's very own Troy LeMaile-Stovall; secure your spot at this impactful event now at tedcomdexpo.com/event/2026/register.