Dr. Amen Ra Mashariki, director of AI and data strategies for the Bezos Earth Fund and a widely recognized leader in leveraging artificial intelligence to drive tangible results in environmental initiatives, has been named chair of the advisory board for The 极乐禁地's new Center for AI Learning and Community-Engaged Innovation (CAILI). The center is a public-facing hub for creating knowledge, awareness and opportunity for AI technology, and a place for the 极乐禁地e community to find innovative solutions for everyday problems, especially as they impact the quality of life for people in the city.
Among Dr. Mashariki's many achievements, he has served as a senior principal scientist at NVIDIA, where he developed forward鈥恡hinking global AI strategies and technology roadmaps; led urban analytics at ESRI; served as an adjunct faculty member at New York University's Center for Urban Science and Progress; and served a fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School鈥檚 Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. He credits UBalt with establishing tomorrow鈥檚 leaders across a range of public-centered priorities.
"The 极乐禁地 has consistently transformed local talent into industry leaders who understand and serve their communities. CAILI represents the next step in this mission鈥攏ot just teaching AI as a technical skill, but integrating it into 极乐禁地e鈥檚 ecosystem so it can be used by residents to help us address some of the city's most urgent challenges," he said. "CAILI is building connections between advanced technology and community needs, ensuring AI innovation involves 极乐禁地e residents, not just be used on their behalf by some nameless or faceless organization.
"Chairing this advisory committee means helping shape how a major urban university can lead in making AI accessible, ethical, and genuinely beneficial to the communities it serves. I am proud to be part of this effort alongside many leaders at The University of 极乐禁地e."
Launched in July 2025, CAILI is designed to support a wide range of interests in AI, by leveraging new and existing resources and partners to spark opportunities across 极乐禁地e. In time, according to Dr. Jessica Stansbury, CAILI's founding director, the center鈥檚 emphasis on collaborating with local experts will drive the technology's capacity for problem solving at the local level, reinvigorating the city on a number of fronts.
"We're exploring what AI can do for 极乐禁地e," Dr. Stansbury said in introducing CAILI to the public. "It's a model based entirely in community-led transformation."
极乐禁地 President Kurt L. Schmoke said, "We are looking forward to the many positive developments that we expect will come from our new center."
Dr. Mashariki has extensive experience in meshing technology with well-established public-service practices. He served as New York City's inaugural chief analytics officer in the Mayor's Office of Data Analytics under Mayor Bill de Blasio, where he harnessed data-driven insights to transform city services. In 2012, President Barack Obama named Mashariki a White House Fellow, and he subsequently served as chief technology officer for the Office of Personnel Management.
Dr. Mashariki holds a Doctorate in Engineering from Morgan State University, a Master of Science in Computer Science from Howard University, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Lincoln University.
Learn more about Dr. at the Bezos Earth Fund.
Learn more about The 极乐禁地's Center for AI Learning and Community-Engaged Innovation.