This panel brings together alumni developers from Operation Spark to share their frontline experiences and evolving relationship with AI in software development. Panelists will discuss how AI tools are changing their daily workflows, the opportunities AI presents, and their concerns about job security, skill shifts, and ethical responsibilities. Special focus will be given to diversity in tech, exploring how AI may affect representation, including the risks of entrenched biases versus the potential for AI to democratize access and inclusion. This candid dialogue will unpack how historically underrepresented groups perceive and experience AI’s rapid advance and what collective actions can support equitable and sustainable growth in tech careers.
Code, Bias & Bots: Voices of Operation Spark Alumni Navigating AI’s Future by Johnnie James II
Presentation Description
Presentation Details
Date:
11/11/2025
Time:
4:30 PM
Location:
Downstairs Classroom
Presenter Biography
Johnnie James II
Johnnie James II is a catalyst for sustainable innovation, blending entrepreneurship, advocacy, and community empowerment across technology and sustainability sectors. As Co-Founder and CEO of PoH Farms, he spearheads the U.S. launch of REEFBUDS® a patented, plant-based concrete technology credited with restoring coral reefs and coastal livelihoods for nearly two decades in the Philippines now expanding to the Gulf Coast. Under Johnnie’s leadership, PoH Farms holds exclusive global rights to REEFBUDS®, driving zero-waste agriculture and circular economy models for coastal resilience. A New Orleanian now based in Baton Rouge, Johnnie serves as Operations Coordinator at Operation Spark 501(c)(3), assisting individuals to access fast-track software careers and boasting alumni employment rates above 90%. He is also the creator of Glass Wars, a community art and competitive recycling initiative, which diverted over 41,000 pounds of glass from New Orleans landfills during its 2025 Mardi Bar Wars pilot. It aims for exponentially greater impact across Southeast Louisiana in 2026 with Mardi Bar Wars x Mardi Glass Wars seeking to divert over 200,000 pounds of glass from the trash. Johnnie’s dedication was forged in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, where displacement to Albuquerque, New Mexico ignited a lifelong passion for sustainability and youth empowerment. He was invited to join the board of directors for the Sustainable Global Leadership Alliance (SGLA), before becoming the youngest facilitator in the world for the Pachamama Alliance Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream symposium, which he introduced to the Deep South in New Orleans before age 25. His leadership has been recognized with honors including NOLAvate Black’s Tech 30 “Black Excellence Award” and membership on advisory councils for Tulane SOPA IT Department and the VA San Diego Mental Health Advocacy Council. At his core, Johnnie is a disciple, husband, 2x girl father, kingdom builder, poet, servant leader, and bridge-builder. He is committed to pursuing transformational change through sustainability, entrepreneurship, and community empowerment.
