Presidential Colloquium

Designed to inspire discourse on critical global issues, the Smith College colloquium brings influential thought leaders—from poets and economists to policy experts—to speak on campus. These events are open to the public unless otherwise noted.

2026–27 Series

AI, Integrity, and the Collective Good

This year’s series focuses on how rapid advances in artificial intelligence are raising complex questions about human labor, access to technology, and ethics.

Amanda Ballantyne ’02

Tuesday, October 20 at 5 p.m., Campus Center Carroll Room

Ballantyne graduated from Smith College in 2002 with a bachelor of arts in government. She went on to earn a law degree from the University of Washington School of Law and build a career in organizing, tech policy, and economic justice. She was the founding executive director of the AFL-CIO Technology Institute, the labor movement’s first dedicated technology policy center. Ballantyne is currently a visiting scholar at the MIT Stone Center on Inequality and Shaping the Future of Work and a senior fellow for Workers and Tech at New America, a public policy think tank. She also served as an inaugural member of the National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee, advising the White House on AI workforce strategies, and has testified before Congress on the future of work.

Yacine Fall ’21

Thursday, April 15 at 5 p.m.

Fall is a data strategist, entrepreneur, and public health advocate specializing in cross-cultural data access and technology. She graduated from Smith with a bachelor of arts in biochemistry and African studies. She earned her master’s from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where she co-founded HYVE, a secure data platform designed to address language and cultural barriers in global research. Using accessible AI technology and data management tools, HYVE seeks to connect global data collectors with populations that have historically been underrepresented in research. Fall currently serves as a community-based doula at Rawdah, a New Jersey initiative providing culturally responsive, faith-centered support to Muslim women and families.

Past Colloquia

Dr. Frances Jensen ’78
Professor of neurology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
March 12, 2026

Admiral Rachel Levine
Former U.S. assistant secretary for health
November 4, 2025

Deborah Archer ’93
Scholar, professor, and president of the ACLU
October 16, 2025