Cynthia Pereda is the Director of the National Applied AI Consortium, where she works nationally with colleges, workforce leaders, and industry partners to scale artificial intelligence in education and workforce training. Originally trained in social services, she spent over a decade working directly with communities, which fuels her passion for helping others and bringing people together around a shared mission. Today, she focuses on translating emerging AI into ethical, purpose-driven practices that expand access, opportunity, and workforce success.

The National Applied AI Consortium (NAAIC) connects academic institutions, industry leaders, and educators nationwide to build a robust national AI talent pipeline. Led by Miami Dade College, Houston City College and Maricopa Community Colleges, we're democratizing AI education by bringing cutting-edge, industry-informed teaching to the educators building the AI workforce.