The Future is HER: Elevating Beauty Through AI

Have an idea about beauty and technology? Here’s your chance to take action.

Elevating Beauty Through AI

A Future is HER Panel Discussion

Discover how artificial intelligence is reshaping skincare, haircare, and cosmetics. At this free virtual event, you’ll hear from industry leaders, scientists, and entrepreneurs using AI to develop smarter products, create sustainable solutions, and launch innovative businesses in the beauty space.

Event Details:

🗓 Date: Wednesday, June 25
🕕 Time: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. ET
📍 Location: Online

💬 Live Q&A included
🎟 Registration: Free

Who Should Attend?

Aspiring beauty entrepreneurs
Product developers and cosmetic chemists
Tech professionals curious about beauty AI
Students exploring STEM + beauty careers
Anyone with a passion for innovation

Featuring a powerful discussion with these experts:

Amber O. Evans

Technical Director, House of Cheatham

Amber O. Evans, Ph.D., is a hair care scientist and cosmetic chemist, product development leader, NYSCC advisor, and a proud member of the Society of Cosmetic Science. Evans has experience through science, technology, and leadership for more than 15 years. She is the technical director at House of Cheatham, where she leads the R&D, regulatory, and microbiology teams supporting a portfolio of global textured hair care and body care brands, such as Aunt Jackie’s Curls & Coils.

Katie Fullerton

AI, Technology Enablement, Data, and Analytics Consultant

Katie Fullerton is a former NASA scientist and engineer turned data and AI consultant. She works with metro Atlanta companies to develop their data strategy to support AI implementation in safe and ethical ways. She has experience along the full data lifecycle, from ingestion and warehousing to analytics and machine learning. Fullerton is passionate about advocating for ethical AI implementation, and believes AI has revolutionary potential across the technology landscape.

Candace Mitchell

Founder and CEO, MYAVANA

As the founder and CEO of MYAVANA, a groundbreaking beauty tech company, Candace Mitchell pioneered a new market segment of personalized hair care and spearheaded a revolution in the haircare industry. MYAVANA has pioneered AI recognition for textured, multicultural hair and amassed the world’s largest database of hair care data. Mitchell was inducted into the Georgia Tech College of Computing Hall of Fame as a Rising Star, named 2023 Beauty Matters Innovator of the Year, and WWD’s Top 50 Beauty Innovators.

Akuba Torvikey

Director of Product Development, PATTERN Beauty

With a career spanning legacy and startup beauty brands, Akuba Torvikey developed more than 200 products that have propelled substantial growth through innovation. She works as the director of product development at PATTERN Beauty by Tracee Ellis Ross. In 2017, she established BeautyWise, a platform uniting Black product developers in the beauty industry. In 2020, Torvikey founded Breedlove Accelerator, empowering Black-owned beauty and wellness ventures, and was recognized as a 2023/2024 Beauty United Fellow.

Leyte L. Winfield

Director, Cosmetic Science Program at Spelman College

Leyte L. Winfield, Ph.D., is a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Spelman College, where she serves as chair for the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and director of the Cosmetic Science Program. She is the 2024 Robert Holland Jr. Award for dedication to excellence in scholarship and teaching in chemistry. In addition, she co-chairs the internal steering committee for the newly established Center of Excellence for Women of Color in STEM. The center builds upon Spelman’s legacy for preparing women of African descent to excel in STEM careers.

Moderated by:

Sakeya Donaldson

Founder, The Science of Beauty

Sakeya Donaldson is a seasoned fashion stylist, on-air fashion correspondent, philanthropist, advocate, and author with a career in the fashion and beauty industry spanning over two decades. A graduate of Clark Atlanta University and the Fashion Institute of Technology, Donaldson began her journey as a visual merchandiser at Arden B. During an internship at Jeffrey’s in New York City, she met Tameka Raymond and this connection propelled her career forward, culminating in a three-year tenure as a quick-change stylist for Usher during his “Confessions” tour. Donaldson has also collaborated with Nicki Minaj, Zendaya, and Raven-Symoné. She is the author of “Fly Girl Approved” and “Fly Girl Quotes.” an affirmation journal. In 2021, Donaldson founded The Science of Beauty, a groundbreaking STEM beauty program dedicated to empowering African American girls to explore careers in the beauty industry. Through partnerships with Estée Lauder, Neiman Marcus, Chanel, Sephora, and the Savannah College of Art and Design, Donaldson has inspired young women to consider STEM as a viable career pathway. During the summer of 2024, Donaldson collaborated with Spelman College and launched a Science of Beauty Camp, further solidifying her status as a trailblazer in the beauty and STEM fields.