AI is no longer just for tech companies — it's transforming how businesses of every size operate, compete, and grow. Data & AI Strategist Charlie Apigian, author of AI Reimagined, cuts through the noise to show what AI can actually do for your business today. From streamlining everyday tasks to rethinking how your team works, Charlie shares a practical framework for getting started with AI — no tech background required. Walk away with clear, actionable steps you can bring back to your organization on Monday morning.
Dr. Charlie Apigian is a Practice Leader and Shareholder at LBMC, where he leads the firm's AI practice. Since June 2024, Dr. Apigian has served as LBMC's Lead Data and AI Strategist, building the AI practice from the ground up — and now steps into this expanded role to scale it further. Known around Nashville as "the data guy," he brings over 25 years of experience helping organizations think different with data and reimagine their processes with AI. A professor of data science and analytics for more than two decades, he built two data science institutes — the MTSU Data Science Institute and the Belmont Data Collaborative — bridging academia and industry while launching over 1,000 students into their careers. He is the Founder of Data Inspire, a data and AI strategy consultancy, and the author of AI Reimagined: A Leader's Guide to Thinking Different with Data (2026), which introduces his proprietary VISTA framework for enterprise AI transformation. A TEDx speaker and published researcher with 30+ papers, Dr. Apigian has been recognized as Nashville Technology Council's Data Scientist of the Year (2020) and a two-time IT Community Leader of the Year (2018, 2023).
