Industry Advisory Board

Bio

Irfan Khan, Ph.D., has been a technology executive with deep expertise in system solutions, ASICs, cellular infrastructure, and communication networks. Over his 30-year past career at Qualcomm, Ericsson, and SRI International, he has driven groundbreaking innovations and led the commercialization of several flagship products. He has successfully built and scaled high-performance global R&D teams from the ground up. Dr. Khan is active in San Diego’s startup ecosystem, serving as an angel investor and advisor.

He is a member of NuFund Venture Group. Passionate about giving back, he is a mentor for the Alaska gBETA accelerator and is an adjunct faculty member at San Diego State University (SDSU) and UC San Diego (UCSD), where he teaches the next generation of engineers. He also serves as Chair of the Computer Science Industry Advisory Board (IAB) at SDSU.

Dr. Khan holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California (USC), and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering (George Washington University) and Computer Science (USC). He also earned an MBA in Entrepreneurship from SDSU and a B.E. in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from BITS Pilani, India.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irfan-khan-22ba7a/
Organization: https://www.bizprofile.net/ca/san-diego/medzair-technologies-llc

Bio

Based in San Diego, California, he has over 26 years of experience in hardware, software, and systems engineering. His background includes hardware and software engineering, front-end design, physical implementation methodology and tools, CAD software development, emulation/prototyping, and system validation.

He previously worked at Qualcomm for 10.5 years and Intel for 15 years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering and a Master’s degree in Mathematics from Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, Rajasthan, India, as well as a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Outside of work, he enjoys running, skiing, biking, chess, table tennis, and cricket. He aims to travel to at least one new country every year and values spending time with his family.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/narasimhan-narayanan-237a5164/
Organization: https://www.nxp.com/

Bio

Michael Brookey is a seasoned technology executive and IT strategist with decades of experience leading large-scale IT operations, SaaS development, and AI-driven enterprise solutions. As the Founder & CEO of Brookey & Company, Inc., he specializes in IT service management (ITIL), cloud-based SaaS solutions, and AI-driven automation, serving Federal, SLED, and Fortune 500 enterprises.

Michael is currently driving the integration of Agentic AI into his firm’s consulting solutions, helping clients optimize data-driven strategies and automation. His expertise spans mission-critical IT operations, cybersecurity, DevSecOps, cloud infrastructure, and IT governance, ensuring the seamless adoption of emerging technologies in complex enterprise environments.

Beyond his professional work, Michael actively supports the entrepreneurial ecosystem as a volunteer panelist for the ZIP Launchpad review panels at San Diego State University. The ZIP Launchpad, SDSU’s on-campus incubator, empowers students, faculty, staff, and researchers in launching innovative startup ventures.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmbrookey/
Organization: https://www.brookeyco.com/

Bio

As a Principal Solutions Architect at Amazon Web Services (AWS), Nadeem Bulsara drives innovation at the intersection of cloud computing and life sciences, with a specialized focus on genomics and precision medicine.

A Georgia Institute of Technology alumnus with a Master’s in Bioinformatics, he brings over 13 years of distinguished expertise spanning bioinformatics, software engineering, and cloud architecture. Throughout his career, he has been instrumental in transforming research through the implementation of cutting-edge cloud solutions in genomics and multi-omics platforms.

He partners with leading healthcare and life sciences organizations worldwide, architecting solutions that accelerate scientific discovery and improve patient outcomes. His work is driven by a passionate commitment to advancing technologies that promote longevity and enhance quality of life

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadeembulsara/
Organization: https://aws.amazon.com/

Bio

Mr. Steven D. Holden works for the Command and Control (C2) Department at Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific as a Senior Systems Engineer. His interests include cybersecurity, systems architecture, resiliency, and software engineering.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-holden-1b6262/
Organization: https://www.niwcpacific.navy.mil/

Bio

Dr. Xiayu Hua, Ph.D., serves as the Senior System Architect and Software Engineer in the Machine Learning Infrastructure Department at Bot Auto, an AI-driven autonomous truck company. He has over a decade of experience in machine learning and computing infrastructure, having worked at Motorola, Amazon Web Services, and several AI-focused startups.

His primary areas of expertise include hybrid cloud real-time scheduling, machine learning workflow systems, Kubernetes cluster design and deployment, and GPU clusters for large language model (LLM) training, tuning and serving.

Bio

Jo Ann Lane is an SDSU computer science Professor Emeritus. Prior she was a research professor at the USC Center for Systems and Software Engineering (CSSE). Dr. Lane is a co-author of The Incremental Commitment Spiral Model: Principles and Practices for Successful Systems and Software and the US DoD Systems Engineering Guide for Systems of Systems. 

In addition, she retired as a vice president from Science Applications International Corporation after 20 years as a computer scientist in the areas of software and system development.  Key programs that she worked on in her industry career included the US Navy’s Integrated Undersea Surveillance System, the US Air Force’s Global Positioning System, and the US Department of Defense Healthcare System.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-ann-lane-4527a7a/
Organization: https://www.sdsu.edu/

Bio

Doug Lautner, PhD, is the Senior Director and Research Fellow of Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence at Abbott’s Neuromodulation Division. He leads a lab dedicated to advancing neurocomputer interface technologies to improve the lives of individuals suffering from neurological disorders.

Doug’s career spans significant roles in both industry and academia, including positions at Google, Lenovo and Motorola, where he contributed to groundbreaking technological advancements. Doug holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science, along with multiple Master’s degrees in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Business, and Applied Cognition and Neuroscience.

His academic background is complemented by numerous patents and publications across various disciplines. Doug’s research focuses on the integration of advanced technologies in healthcare, particularly in the development of adaptive AI-enabled implantable medical devices. His vision includes the realization of predictive, decentralized medicine, leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance diagnosis and treatment accessibility.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglaslautner/
Organization: https://www.abbott.com/

Bio

Ryan is VP of Product & UX at BMC Helix, leading AI Service Management, Agentic AIOps, and No/Low-code Platform teams. He has experience across startups, high-growth, and Fortune 100 companies, incubating, scaling, and revitalizing B2B software products.

Before BMC, Ryan was VP of Product at Coupa, leading AI/ML and GenAI strategy, as well as the Source-to-Contract P&L. He co-founded FreeAgent, a CRM company, raising $25M+ and earning Gartner recognition as “Most User-Recommended CRM.” Prior to FreeAgent, he managed FP&A and Investor Relations at ServiceNow, helping take it public before transitioning to Product to create the IT Business Management unit, now a $400M+ ARR business.

He began his career in corporate finance at Data Domain. Ryan holds a B.S. in Business Administration (Finance) from San Diego State University and is excited to give back to SDSU’s Computer Science program as a board member, helping shape the next generation of technology leaders.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rpmanning2/
Organization: https://www.bmc.com/

Bio

Ashraf Memon is a distinguished technology executive, entrepreneur, and strategic advisor with expertise in healthcare, finance, real estate, and insurance. He holds a MS degree in Computer Science from San Diego State University and a Management degree from Harvard University. Additionally, he has earned AI certifications from Stanford University and a SAMD (Software as a Medical Device) certification from Yale University, reinforcing his expertise in AI-driven healthcare innovations. He has co-authored multiple books, several papers published internationally and has a patent pending.

As the CTO at Hifinite Health (Chronica Care), Ashraf leads the development of cutting-edge AI solutions that enhance monitoring and care for chronically ill patients. Under his leadership, his company leverages AI and real-time health data to improve patient outcomes.

Beyond his corporate leadership, Ashraf is passionate about mentorship and education. He is the co-founder of the Memon Leadership Institute; a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth leaders and serves on the advisory board of San Diego State University. He also contributes to the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) grant, shaping policies for aging populations for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). With expertise spanning AI, technology, healthcare, insurance, real estate, finance, and leadership, Ashraf continues to drive meaningful innovation and mentorship, shaping the future of AI in different domains.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashrafmemon/
Organization: https://www.hifinite.com/

Bio

Serves as the Director of Accessibility Education at Microsoft, where she is dedicated to preparing the future workforce to design and build with accessibility as a core principle. Previously, Brissa held leadership roles at Microsoft as the Research & Innovation Director and University Relations Lead, where she advanced initiatives that drive research, foster innovation, and develop solutions to address systemic inequities.

Dr. Quiroz earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), an MS in Industrial Technology from California State University, Fresno, and a PhD in Environmental Science and Engineering from UTEP. She currently serves on the steering committee for EngineerGirl of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE).

Brissa has also held leadership roles including President of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) San Joaquin Valley Section, member of the Board of Directors for the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Corporate Industry Partnership Division, and member of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE).

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brissa-quiroz/
Organization: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us

Bio

Anant is a seasoned engineering leader with a diverse background in software development and currently holds the position of Group Engineering Leader at Intuit in San Diego. His current role involves leading the Sales Engineering efforts for multiple Intuit products including QuickBooks and Mailchimp.

Previously, Anant made significant contributions to the development of TurboTax, Turbo, and Mint, where he focused on improving user engagement and integrating GenAI experiences. With over 15 years of experience in the software industry, including a stint at Intel, Anant has a strong track record of building and managing both product and platform teams.

He is adept at enhancing developer productivity and expertise through strategic platform initiatives. Anant earned his Masters in Computer Science degree from San Diego State University, further solidifying his technical expertise and leadership in the field.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anant20/
Organization: https://www.intuit.com/

Bio

Hadi Zadeh received his PhD in electrical engineering from Cornell University in 2013. Hadi joined Google in 2016 and he is currently the input systems tech lead for the ChromeOS devices where his focus is on the next generation of consumer electronics products. Hadi is also in charge of design and test specifications for touch, stylus, keyboard, and trackpad in 250+ devices across Google which turn into mass production of 70M+ Chromebooks per year.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadiinfo/
Organization: https://www.sdsu.edu/