Building community is an inherently human endeavor, one that thrives when people are placed at the center of innovation and connection. For Lena DeLaet, Director of Sales & Summerfest Tech for Milwaukee World Festival, technology and AI are not just tools but pivotal forces in creating meaningful relationships and impactful events. Her approach redefines the boundaries of tech, making it a driver of human engagement and collective growth. 

Lena’s journey in the tech world is rooted in a deep passion for connecting, supporting, and learning. Technology first planted a seed in her career at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel where she spent eight years in marketing and sales. There, she leveraged technology and data to craft targeted messaging for diverse audiences. But Lena sought more. She wanted to dig into deep technological knowledge and discover its broader applications and transformative potential. 

That aspiration led her to the Milwaukee World Festival team in January of 2018, where she led the organization’s ambitious task of launching the first Summerfest Tech. This annual conference emerged from a desire to unite communities around a shared interest in technology, answering the growing call to bring tech-focused talent and organizations to the Midwest. Lena embraced this challenge and has shaped a space where innovation and collaboration could flourish. 

Today, Lena focuses on how technology talks to people. Her mission is clear: understand the greater concepts, why it’s important, why it works, and empower individuals with valuable takeaways they can integrate into their professional or personal lives. After leading the conference for several years, Lena has witnessed the strength and inclusivity of Milwaukee’s tech ecosystem, crediting the conference’s success to the collective commitment of those who believed in the conference’s vision and pushed it forward. 

This year, Summerfest Tech takes place from June 23-26 and puts AI in the center, focusing on giving attendees immediate takeaways to implement in their work, touching on humans in the loop, and furthering the education, mission, and connectivity as AI expands in Milwaukee. The event, free and open to all, provides something for everyone. 

The overarching goal of Summerfest Tech is simple: to enable attendees to meet someone or learn something they might not have otherwise encountered. Lena positions this conference as a convergence point – a space where thousands of attendees gather, connect, and inspire each other to achieve great things. Within this ecosystem, organizations serve a role in diving deeper into technology and AI while Summerfest Tech serves as the hub that brings them together. 

In her own work, Lena sees AI as a powerful tool for enhancing efficiency and unlocking more space for creativity. For her, AI is not just about streamlining processes but about powering her ability to connect communities and foster relationships that matter. 

Lena advises our AI Community to attend, show up, and remain open to learning. At a time when the AI space is still in its formative stages, embracing opportunities to learn and grow collectively is a significant advantage. She is a champion of this mindset and incorporates it into the experiences she brings to the tech and AI Community.