The keynote lineup for Discovery Summit Americas 2026 is here, and this year's speakers will inspire fresh thinking, challenge assumptions, and show how data and analytics drive discovery across industries.
Preview the keynote speaker lineup and their abstracts below.
Oct. 20 | Opening Plenary
Evolution, Adaptation, and Survival of the Fittest for Statistical Methods
What happens when proven statistical methods face off against newer challengers? Join us to see where each approach shines, how they compare, and what these advancements reveal about the future of analytics.
"This is also a story of how science and technology advance, where new ideas emerge even though the older ideas still work – and often still work better.” — John Sall
Speakers
John Sall (@John_Sall), Founder and Chair, JMP; Co-Founder and Executive Vice President, SAS
Meichen Dong (Meichen_Dong), Sr. Research Statistician Developer, JMP
Phil Kay (Phil_Kay), Director, Pre-Sales Support, JMP
Laura Castro-Schilo (@LauraCS), Sr. Research Statistician Developer, JMP
Annie Dudley (Annie_Dudley), Sr. Research Statistician Developer, JMP
Clay Barker (@Clay_Barker), Manager, Statistical Modeling, JMP
Yeng Saanchi (@Yeng_Saanchi), Research Statistician Tester, JMP
Kasia Dobrzycka (@Kasia_Dob), Research Statistician Developer, JMP
Oct. 21 | Advocates in Action
Building an Organization That Learns Faster
Moderated by Meg Hermes (@Meg_Hermes), Global Customer Alliance Manager, JMP
Patrick Carlson, Technical Program Manager, Product Development, Rivian Automotive
Rui Vogt Alves da Cruz, Vice-President of Core R&D, Dow
What does it take to build an organization that learns faster and turns data into action? Discover how people at every level can challenge assumptions, strengthen analytical habits, and create a culture where better decisions and innovation can thrive.
Speakers
Rui Vogt Alves da Cruz, Vice-President of Core R&D, Dow
Patrick Carlson, Technical Program Manager, Product Development, Rivian Automotive
Oct. 22 | Closing Plenary
Intraterrestrials: Discovering the Strangest Life on Earth
Join us on real-world adventures to the bottom of the ocean, inside active volcanoes, and into the Arctic to uncover organisms that have evolved in truly extraordinary ways. What they reveal about life on Earth may even give us clues about what’s waiting beyond it.
Speaker
Karen G. Lloyd, Wrigley Professor of Earth Science, University of Southern California
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Help us spread the word
Now that the keynote speakers have been announced, we encourage employees to share the keynote graphic with presenters, customers, prospects, and colleagues who may be interested in attending Discovery Summit.
Attendees can take advantage of the discounted group rate at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor through Sept. 28.
