–
Victoria Pu is the Co-Founder and CEO of Pace AI, which she founded after leaving her PhD program in applied mathematics at MIT. Pace AI partners with employers, learning companies, and some of the nation’s largest school districts to deliver AI solutions tailored specifically to nontraditional adult learners. Having served more than 250,000 learners, Pace AI helps working adults advance along career pathways and access workforce training through personalized AI-powered learning experiences. Its AI Tutors integrate language acquisition with workforce training through personalized language practice, role-play scenarios that complement on-the-job training, and individualized AI tutoring available in more than 250 languages.
Previously, she conducted applied AI/ML and computational economics research at Microsoft Research. In 2020, Harvard University named her a Rising Star of AI for Social Impact in recognition of her work on Bayesian machine learning. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, collaborating with statewide stakeholders on its Future of Work Initiative.
Victoria holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stanford University.
Sarah Artiga is a first-generation college graduate of San José State University and a proud Braven alumna. Her experiences as a first-generation student shaped her commitment to expanding opportunity and helping others navigate college and their careers.
At SJSU, Sarah founded an ALPFA chapter to create a community where fellow first-generation Latino students could find belonging, build confidence, and support one another’s ambitions. She cultivated partnerships with companies including Bloomberg and Wells Fargo, connecting students with industry professionals and opening doors to career opportunities.
Through Braven’s Capitol Hill Fellowship, Sarah served on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions under Senator Bernie Sanders. This experience took her from building opportunities on campus to working at the intersection of federal policymaking and the issues shaping educational access and economic mobility nationwide.
Since graduating, Sarah has continued her public-service journey as a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Public Policy Fellow, working with Representative Ro Khanna on the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. Drawing on her roots in Silicon Valley, she brings a community-centered perspective to technology policy and a commitment to ensuring that innovation creates opportunities for communities like her own.
Abbey Carlton is Vice President of Social Impact at LinkedIn, leading the organization’s global efforts to create economic opportunity for people who face barriers to employment.
Prior to LinkedIn, she was the founding leader of Social Impact at Indeed, where she spearheaded efforts that helped nearly 12 million job seekers including people with non-traditional career paths and criminal records secure employment over seven years. She previously led the Rockefeller Foundation’s US Jobs portfolio and has held roles spanning housing, accessibility, product innovation, and environmental sustainability.
Abbey serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors of Family Promise of Essex County. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and a master’s degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University.
Stephanie Khurana is the CEO of Axim Collaborative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transfor and advance economic mobility. Axim also stewards the Open edX® project, a leading open-source platform serving more than 140 million learners worldwide.
Stephanie brings more than three decades of experience in venture philanthropy and technology innovation. She previously served as Managing Partner and COO of the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation and has served on the boards of Generation, Braven, Empower Schools, and Kinvolved.
At Harvard University, Stephanie held several roles focused on supporting students’ academic progress and building undergraduate communities, including serving as a faculty dean. She also served on several university-wide presidential task forces.
Stephanie holds a BS from Cornell University and an MBA and MPP from Harvard University.
