Avaya ENGAGE® 2024 Announces Guest Speakers for its May 13-15 Conference at the Colorado Convention Center in Downtown Denver

MORRISTOWN, New Jersey – April 15, 2024 – Avaya, a global leader in customer experience and communications solutions, announced the guest speakers and new interactive experiences at

Avaya ENGAGE®─ the premier event where CX-savvy customers converge to discover how Avaya and its global ecosystem of partners empower organizations to engage customers and employees for maximum value, offering diverse pathways to drive business momentum.

“The contact center is at the tip of the spear in CX, and Avaya, with our expertise in some of the world’s most complex integrations, emerges as a natural leader,” said Alan Masarek, Avaya CEO. “We’re committed to delivering the solutions our customers choose along their CX journey, so they in turn can deliver the best experiences and greatest value for their customers and employees while accelerating their own business momentum.”

Thrive Global Founder and CEO Arianna Huffington, The Ohio State University’s Dean of Engineering Ayanna Howard, PhD, Governor of Colorado Jared Polis, and Constellation Research’s Founder, CEO, and Principal Analyst R “Ray” Wang are presenting on the main stage at the Avaya user conference held May 13-15 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado.

Returning as program emcee this year, Emmy Award-winning TV personality and consumer technology expert Katie Linendoll joins these captivating speakers who will inspire attendees to engage their customers and employees in ways that may deliver the greatest value.

Hosted by Avaya and the International Avaya User Group (IAUG), Avaya ENGAGE 2024 will feature:

• Arianna Huffington: Founder and CEO of Thrive Global, the founder of The Huffington Post, and the author of 15 books, including Thrive and The Sleep Revolution. In 2016, she launched Thrive Global, a leading behavior change technology company with the mission of improving productivity and health outcomes. She has been named to Time Magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people and the Forbes Most Powerful Women list.

• Ayanna Howard, PhD: Innovator, entrepreneur, leader, and international expert in robotics and AI. She is also the author of the best-selling audiobook – Sex, Race, and Robots: How to be Human in the Age of AI. Currently, Dr. Howard is the Dean of Engineering at The Ohio State University and Monte Ahuja Endowed Dean’s Chair. In addition, she serves on the board of directors for Autodesk and Motorola Solutions. Her career spans higher education, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the private sector.

• Colorado Governor Jared Polis: Entrepreneur, education leader, and public servant. After launching several successful companies, Polis committed himself to making sure other Coloradans had the opportunity to pursue their dreams. Polis founded schools for at-risk students and new immigrants and focused on supporting businesses and creating new jobs. Prior to becoming Governor, Polis served on the State Board of Education and represented Colorado’s 2nd Congressional district. In October 2023, Colorado and the TechHubNow! Initiative secured one of two federal designations as a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub) focused on advancing quantum technology, including quantum computing, sensing, networking, and enabling hardware.

• Katie Linendoll: is an Emmy Award-winning TV personality, consumer technology expert, and one of the leading women in the technology industry. She makes regular appearances as a contributor on TV in digital segments and series such as the TODAY Show, Rachael Ray, and The Weather Channel. She has been named a Silicon Valley Visionary and leads a faith-filled, active lifestyle while also devoting her time to select philanthropic causes in healthcare and with retired K9s and U.S. veterans.