2026 Silicon Valley Leadership Summit

Thyaga Nandagopal

Head of Emerging Technologies

Samsung Research America (SRA)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thyaga/

Dr. Thyaga Nandagopal is the current Head of Emerging Technologies at Samsung Research America, a position he assumed in August 2024. In this role, he spearheads the identification and incubation of cutting-edge innovations, with a strategic focus on next-generation areas such as 6G networks, robotics, artificial intelligence, and new product concepts. His work involves scouting external technologies and managing the pipeline for Samsung's future technological advancements. Before his tenure at Samsung, Dr. Nandagopal spent over a decade at the National Science Foundation (NSF). A Fellow of the IEEE and a holder of 38 U.S. patents, he also worked at Bell Labs/Alcatel-Lucent. Thyaga holds a Ph.D in Electrical Engineering from UIUC.

Stella Sze

Senior Director, Facilities Project Management

Sutter Health

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-sze-4243971/

Stella Sze is a highly experienced healthcare professional with over 25 years in facility planning, design, construction, and activation. She is currently the Senior Director of Space Planning and Activation at Sutter Health Greater Silicon Valley Ambulatory Division.  Stella is committed to creating and maintaining healing environments for patients, staff, and the community. Her project portfolio spans multi-million-dollar initiatives, ranging from hospitals to clinics. She is dedicated to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and safety by collaborating effectively across multi-functional departments. Stella holds a Master's Degree in Architecture and Business Administration from UIUC.

Ravi Thakkar

Senior Director, Roadmap Planning & Program Management

Airbnb

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravithakkar/

Ravi Thakkar is a technology and product leader who has built and scaled products across consumer electronics, mission-driven innovation, and global marketplaces at iconic companies including Airbnb, Apple, Impossible, and Motorola. He currently leads Roadmap Planning and Program Management at Airbnb, where he helps align strategy with execution across complex, global organizations. Previously, Ravi served as SVP of Product and Commercialization at Impossible, helping scale a mission-driven food technology platform. At Apple, Ravi led product management and product marketing for several iconic iPhone models, including the groundbreaking iPhone X. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from UIUC and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.