Deel AI Policy Summit 2026

The Honorable Elaine Chao served as the 24th U.S. Secretary of Labor and the 18th U.S. Secretary of Transportation, becoming the first Asian American Pacific Islander woman to serve in the President’s cabinet in American history. Her career spans banking, nonprofit leadership, including President and CEO of United Way and Director of the Peace Corps, and executive government roles. She holds an economics degree and an MBA from Harvard Business School, and has received 40 honorary doctorates.

Kanishka Narayan is the Labour MP for Vale of Glamorgan and has served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for AI and Online Safety since 2025. He read PPE at Oxford and holds an MBA from Stanford. A former tech investor, he is widely regarded as a minister who genuinely understands his brief.

Heidi Heitkamp was the first female senator elected from North Dakota, serving from 2013–2019. Heitkamp previously served as North Dakota’s Attorney General, and was elected State Tax Commissioner. She serves on numerous boards and is the founder and Chair of the One Country Project, an organization focused on addressing the needs of rural America. She serves as a contributor to both CNBC and ABC News.

Seth Harris was the former Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor and Deputy Secretary under President Obama. Harris also served as Deputy Director of President Biden's National Economic Council and spent nearly seven years at the Labor Department during the Clinton Administration. He is a Distinguished Professor of Practice at Northeastern University and Senior Fellow at the Burnes Center for Social Change. He practiced law in Washington, D.C., taught at Cornell, and is a regular commentator on labor, work, and the economy. He has also advised businesses and unions across higher education, workforce development, healthcare, and technology.

Taylor Stockton is the Chief Innovation Officer of the U.S. Department of Labor. In his role, Stockton leads the DOL's exploration of how AI and emerging technologies impact the labor market and the overall experience of the American worker, as well as what new innovations can support workers in achieving the American Dream. Stockton was formerly the Co-Founder of future of work venture capital firm Pathway Ventures and the Chief Operating Officer of an AI-powered workforce development company, and he received his MBA from Harvard Business School.

Michael McNamara is a Member of the European Parliament Renew Europe Group. An Irish independent barrister and politician, McNamara has served as MEP for Ireland South since July 2024, sitting with the Renew Europe group. He previously served as a TD for Clare and has worked with the OSCE on human rights and democracy projects. In the Parliament, he sits on the Committee for Civil liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) focusing on digital rights and data privacy.

Max Uebe is Deputy Head of Cabinet to Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness at the European Commission. He previously served in the Cabinets of Commissioners László Andor and Vladimír Špidla and now leads on some of the most consequential files in the future of work agenda including the Platform Work Directive, algorithmic management, quality jobs, and social dialogue.

Jakob Mökander is the VP of Policy for Europe and the UK at General Catalyst. He previously directed Science and Technology Policy at the Tony Blair Institute, advising leaders in 40+ countries on AI and digital sovereignty. He holds a PhD from Oxford's Internet Institute focused on AI auditing and governance.

Maria Curi is a tech policy reporter at Axios and author of the AI+Government newsletter. She covers regulators, the tech industry, and how both in the U.S. and abroad are approaching AI.

Nick Catino leads Deel's engagement with lawmakers and regulators across North America, driving the policy agenda on AI, workforce, and the future of work.

Karen White leads Deel's policy engagement across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with a focus on labor regulation, AI governance, and the future of work across EMEA jurisdictions.