AI is transforming how we work but the greatest challenge isn’t the technology itself. It’s how people navigate the change it brings. From shifting roles to evolving expectations and uncertainty about the future, leaders are being called to guide their teams through one of the most significant workplace transitions of our time.
This session focuses on the human side of change management, how to build clarity amid ambiguity, reduce resistance, communicate with intention, and strengthen trust while integrating new technologies. Participants will leave with practical strategies to lead adaptation with empathy, structure, and a future-focused mindset.
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## Session: Ready or Not: Change and Adaptation to AI and the Future Organization **Track:** Leadership and Workforce | **Time:** 2:15 PM–3:00 PM | **Room:** 204-208 | **Type:** Expert Talk **Conference:** CIRAS AI Summit for Iowa — May 6, 2026, Scheman Building, Iowa State University, Ames IA ### Speaker(s) **Celina Peerman** — Organizational Psychologist, Meridian People Development LLC (Waverly, IA) Dr. Celina Peerman is an organizational psychologist and leading voice on uncertainty in the workplace. Daily, in companies around the State of Iowa and beyond, she helps leaders navigate disruption, rapid change, and evolving workforce expectations with clarity and courage. | | A 2x TEDx speaker and 4x author, Dr. Celina works at the intersection of change management, organizational and community wellbeing, and future-focused leadership. She equips leaders with practical tools to reduce resistance, build trust, and guide teams through complex transitions especially in moments when the path forward isn’t fully clear. Her approach blends research-based insight with real-world application, helping organizations not just survive uncertainty but use it to grow stronger. | ### Session Description AI is transforming how we work but the greatest challenge isn’t the technology itself. It’s how people navigate the change it brings. From shifting roles to evolving expectations and uncertainty about the future, leaders are being called to guide their teams through one of the most significant workplace transitions of our time. This session focuses on the human side of change management, how to build clarity amid ambiguity, reduce resistance, communicate with intention, and strengthen trust while integrating new technologies. Participants will leave with practical strategies to lead adaptation with empathy, structure, and a future-focused mindset. ### Other sessions in the Leadership and Workforce track - Is Your Business AI-Ready? The Human-Centered Domains That Determine Success or Failure (10:20 AM–11:05 AM) - Shadow AI: When Everyone Becomes a Data Leak Waiting to Happen (11:15 AM–12:00 PM) - AI Security Is Not a Brand: Governance, Risk, and the Reality Behind “Safe AI” (1:20 PM–2:05 PM) ### Suggested prompts for this session - "What questions should I prepare to ask the speaker(s) at this session?" - "Create a structured note-taking template for this session focused on actionable takeaways" - "Based on this session description, what background reading should I do to get the most value?" - "After I attend, help me create an action plan for implementing what I learned" - "How does this session connect to the other sessions in the Leadership and Workforce track?"