IT Leaders Panel: What drives AI adoption and ROI in the workplace

IT Leaders Panel: What drives AI adoption and ROI in the workplace

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Webinar details

Scaling AI in the workplace is not just about new tools. It is about getting people to actually use them and trust them.

In this on-demand session, moderator Jeff Garrett from Opkalla is joined by Dorren Schmitt of Allen Media Group and Sean Sutton, Sr. IT Manager at Renewal by Andersen. Together, they share what they are learning as they move AI from early pilots to broader rollout. The conversation covers where AI initiatives tend to stall, what helps employees build trust, and which early decisions can make or break adoption.

Watch this session for real-world lessons on how to drive usage, reduce tool sprawl, and connect workplace AI investments to business outcomes.

What you’ll learn:

  • What helps AI adoption stick inside an organization
  • How IT leaders are building employee trust and momentum
  • Which governance, security, and access decisions matter early
  • How to think about KPIs, enablement, and ROI after launch

About the presenters

Sean Sutton

Sr. IT Manager at Renewal by Andersen

With over 25 years of IT experience spanning the medical device industry, manufacturing, and active-duty military, Sean has complied a comprehensive background in various technologies and business applications. For the past fifteen years, his focus in digital transformation has led the delivery of innovative technology solutions across digital marketing, sales, and other sales enablement/sales management technologies.

Sean thrives on the challenge to craft scalable and sustainable solutions to solve complex business problems while aligning to the organizational goals and roadmaps.I He is driven by continuous improvement mindset.

Dorren Schmitt

VP, IT Strategy and Innovation at Allen Media Group (The Weather Channel)

Dorren Schmitt, PhD, is a transformative technology leader and innovator with over 30 years of experience. At The Weather Channel and Allen Media Group, she has spent more than two decades spearheading engineering initiatives, including artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, virtualization, enterprise applications, enterprise infrastructure modernization, data and cloud migration, M&A integration, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. She architected and now leads the teams responsible for end-user, enterprise, and security infrastructure across hybrid cloud environments, as well as the enterprise-wide AI and IT strategy.

Dorren is currently driving the modernization of legacy systems through innovative AI and cloud solutions and defining the future of the company’s digital transformation. Each of these initiatives has been transformational for The Weather Channel to stay as the “Most Trusted News Network”. Before joining The Weather Channel, she taught mathematics at the University of New Orleans. A dedicated community leader, she has served on numerous non-profit boards, including the Technology Association of GA (TAG), TAG ED, and Gwinnett Technical College. She passionately mentors young women pursuing STEM careers and is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences on topics such as digital transformation, AI, and building high-performing teams.

Dorren holds a B.S. in Mathematics and Secondary Education, an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, an M.A. in Applied Statistics, and a Ph.D. in Applied Statistics. Her accomplishments have been recognized with prestigious awards, including The Weather Company Leadership Award (2013), multiple nominations for The Weather Channel Storm Award, Woman of the Year for Women in Technology (2019), Top 50 Women Leaders in Atlanta (2025, 2026), on the cover of IMPAAKT magazine for Women of the Year Tech EditionMarch 2026, and Author of “The AI Production Playbook: From Proof of Concept to Enterprise Scale”.

Jeff Garrett

VP of Solutions Architecture at Opkalla

Jeff Garrett serves as the VP of Solutions Architecture at Opkalla, a vendor-neutral technology advisory firm based in the U.S. With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry as both a consumer and consultant of technology, Jeff brings a breadth of technical and tactical knowledge to help companies drive strategic business evolution with innovative IT solutions. Outside of work Jeff enjoys watching, playing and coaching soccer, as well as the hustle and bustle of life with his wife and three children.