THE EXTERNAL ADVISORY COUNCIL was formed in 2010 to assist the department in the following ways: gain insight and offer input into the mission, programs and activities of the department, facilitate the department in establishing mutually beneficial partnerships with individuals and corporations, actively participate in department fundraising efforts, assist in identifying and prioritizing resource needs of the department, participate in online discussions and attend annual on-campus meetings, represent the department to the ISU community at large as well as to external organizations.
Karthik Balakrishnan, Ph.D. in Computer Science from Iowa State University, boasts 25 years of experience in AI, with leadership roles at Verisk, Allstate Insurance, and Fireman’s Fund/Allianz Insurance Company. As Verisk's senior vice president, he oversaw the IoT/Telematics business, managing P&L, sales, product development, technology, data science, and data management. With over 40 publications and a novel on Intelligent Agents from MIT Press, Balakrishnan is currently the global Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Principal Financial Group, driving modernization in data/analytics strategy, culture, and execution since 2021. He also chairs the External Advisory Committee for Software Engineering and received the Department’s 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award.
Kathy Hahn-Davidson, a 1973 Iowa State Computer Science graduate, began her career at Hewlett Packard (HP) as an R&D software engineer. Simultaneously pursuing a Computer Engineering graduate degree from Stanford, she spent nearly 30 years at HP, holding various R&D and management roles. Notably,
she directed HP/Agilent Technology’s Year 2000 Product Program, overseeing Y2K product efforts across 187 lines. Her contributions extended to innovative product development, including operating systems and networking for HP 1000, 3000, and 9000 systems. Post-HP, she served as senior director of operating systems engineering at Network Appliance, later consulting for startups. Retiring in 2003, Davidson's impact continued through her role on Iowa State's External Advisory Council, which resumed this year, and contributions to HP-related initiatives and scholarships. She is the recipient of the Department’s 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award.