Morning keynote
Dan Gill
Chief Product and Technology Officer, Carvana
Learn how Dan's team at Carvana works as AI practitioners: the processes they put in place, how they got there, and what to do if you're a year behind.
2026 Conference · Evolved
Thursday, November 12, 2026 · UCLA Faculty ClubRegister
Lead product and engineering through the next wave of AI.
A one-day conference for directors, VPs, and C-level leaders in Los Angeles and Orange County. Hear how practitioners are adopting AI, compare approaches with peers, and explore what those choices mean for your teams.
- Date
- Thursday, November 12, 2026
- Time
- 8:30 AM–5:00 PM
- Venue
- UCLA Faculty Club
- Price
- $199
Sponsored by
2026 speakers
Presentation
Hersh Tapadia
Co-Founder and CEO, Allstacks
Why AI-powered software factories fail without product management, and how top companies use AI to bring every product manager to top-performer output.
Afternoon keynote
Cassie Campbell
SVP, Product and Technology, Plug
AI made building cheap. It didn't change the fundamentals of product; it raised the price of skipping them. Cassie on what an AI-native product org deliberately keeps human.
Workshop lead
Travis Johnson
Claude Ambassador
Leads the hands-on workshop the room chooses at the opening.
Presentation
Eric Girard
Nvidia
Where AI hardware is going in entertainment: what the next generation of chips and infrastructure means for the business of entertainment, and for your costs and capacity.
See every session in the program.
Decisions worth a day together
2026 theme: Evolved. AI agents, new operating models, and evolving expectations are changing how technology organizations build and lead.
How to change the way your team works
Hear how Carvana's product and technology team adopted AI: the processes they use and what that experience taught them.
Where to invest
Why AI-powered software factories fail without product management, and what the next generation of chips and infrastructure means for your costs and capacity.
What to learn from other leaders
See how leaders in corporate IT, venture capital, and marketing are adopting AI, and what they have changed along the way.
Your peers, in one room
Directors, VPs, and C-level leaders in product, engineering, and technology from Los Angeles and Orange County.
- Director level and above. Registration is limited to directors, VPs, and C-level leaders. LA Tech Connect started as an open gathering, and the most candid conversations came from senior leaders talking with peers who face the same problems at the same scale.
- One track, one room. Every session runs on a single track, so everyone shares the same sessions and the conversations between them.
- Earlier in your career? PMA.LA runs open community events all year.
The program
-
9:00 AM
Opening remarks
-
9:15 AM · Morning keynote
What a team a year ahead looks like
How Dan's team at Carvana works as AI practitioners: the processes they put in place, how they got there, and what to do if you're a year behind.
Dan Gill, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Carvana -
10:00 AM
Networking
-
10:30 AM · Presentation
Why software factories are failing
Why AI-powered software factories fail without product management, and how top companies use AI to bring every product manager to top-performer output.
Hersh Tapadia, Co-Founder and CEO, Allstacks -
11:15 AM · Panel
Beyond product: how organizations are evolving with AI
Leaders across corporate IT, venture capital, and marketing share what they've learned, and what they've changed, as their organizations adopt AI.
-
12:00 PM
Lunch
-
1:00 PM · Afternoon keynote
Everything I need to know about AI-native product, I learned in kindergarten
When anyone can build a feature in a weekend, features stop being a moat. Cassie argues that what makes a business durable is mostly human: judgment about what to build and what not to, taste, trust, and the conviction to say hard things when the hype is loud. Each section ends with something leaders can try the next business day.
Cassie Campbell, SVP, Product and Technology, Plug -
1:45 PM · Presentation
Where AI hardware is going in entertainment
What the next generation of chips and infrastructure means for the business of entertainment, and for your costs and capacity.
Eric Girard, Nvidia -
2:15 PM
Networking
-
2:45 PM · Workshop
A workshop chosen by the room
Everyone votes at the opening. The selected workshop is for the whole room. The three options:
- Spreading AI adoption across your org
- Building an agent live
- Setting up a daily brief
Travis Johnson, Claude Ambassador · Workshop lead -
3:45 PM
Closing remarks
How the day runs
The day has two keynotes, two presentations, a panel, and a hands-on workshop picked by the room. Every session runs on a single track in one room. Sponsor tables are open during breaks. Breakfast and lunch are included.
Previous speakers
Speakers from past LA Tech Connect events.
Shub A.SVP, Product Management and Gen AIUS Bank
Marily NikaGen AI ProductGoogle
Noah SchwartzHead of Product, API NetworkPostman
Jon MorraChief AI OfficerZefr
Anu VarmaniProductHonda
Oded NoyCTOCrexiDid a great job crystallizing some of the technical details behind the recent developments in AI and providing practical tips.2025 attendee
I liked the thought-provoking topics, diverse points of view, wide ranges of experiences, and that AI ethics were a big part of these discussions.2025 attendee
I liked the diverse panelists, from engineering experts to managers and regular business people.2025 attendee
Register
Spend a day with product and engineering leaders from Los Angeles and Orange County. Hear how practitioners are adopting AI and compare approaches with peers who face the same decisions.
- For directors, VPs, and C-level leaders. Register with your title and company, and you're in.
- Every session. Two keynotes, two presentations, a panel, and the workshop.
- Breakfast and lunch. Both are included.
Ticket
$199
Breakfast, lunch, and every session
Register
Active PMA.LA members get early access.
FAQ
Who is this for?
Registration is limited to director level and above: directors, VPs, and C-level leaders in product, engineering, and technology, mostly from Los Angeles and Orange County. If you're earlier in your career, PMA.LA runs open community events all year.
When is LA Tech Connect 2026?
Thursday, November 12, 2026, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, in person at the UCLA Faculty Club in Westwood.
Who's speaking?
Dan Gill (Chief Product and Technology Officer, Carvana), Hersh Tapadia (Co-Founder and CEO, Allstacks), Cassie Campbell (SVP, Product and Technology, Plug), and Eric Girard (Nvidia). Travis Johnson leads the hands-on workshop.
What's on the program?
Two keynotes, two presentations, a panel with leaders from corporate IT, venture capital, and marketing on how their organizations are adopting AI, and a hands-on workshop the room picks at the opening. Every session runs on one track.
Is it a conference or a networking event?
Both. Between sessions there are networking breaks at 10:00 AM and 2:15 PM and an hour-long lunch with directors, VPs, and C-level leaders from Los Angeles and Orange County.
Can I send someone from my team?
Yes, if they're director level or above. Each person registers with their own title and company.
What does it cost?
$199. Breakfast, lunch, and all sessions are included. You pay when you register.
How do I get a ticket?
Click Register and tell us your title and company. Director level and above register on the spot, with no approval wait.
What time should I arrive?
Doors open at 8:30 AM with breakfast. The day ends at 5:00 PM.
Can my company pay?
Yes. You get a receipt with your ticket to submit for reimbursement.
What should I bring?
A laptop for the workshop.
What is the dress code?
Business casual.
Is there parking?
Yes. UCLA Parking Structure 2 is next to the Faculty Club. $16 for the day, paid separately.
Where is it?
UCLA Faculty Club, 480 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095.