OMSCS Speaker Series: Past Speakers

Description: Join Avital Shira and Birney Robert, strategists at Georgia Tech Arts, for a dynamic conversation at the intersection of storytelling, community, and technology. Both Shira and Robert have taken uncommon paths into working in roles where technology is a key component of their work—from theatre and directing to painting and curation.

Avital Shira is a director, educator, and strategist whose work spans theatre, film, and arts integration. With a background in directing, community organizing, and strategic consulting, she leads academic, research, and engagement strategy at Georgia Tech Arts, championing collaboration that leads to innovation through the arts.

Birney Robert is a curator and strategist working at the forefront of art, science, and technology. She leads external engagement initiatives that connect high-tech conceptual art with diverse audiences, curating exhibitions, and spearheading cross-sector collaborations and community engagement. Robert has a background in visual arts, museum anthropology, and curating art exhibits at the intersection of technology.

Together, Shira and Robert bring deep expertise in arts leadership, innovation, and cultural strategy—bridging disciplines to shape the future of creative technologies. They’ll discuss both their (sometimes circuitous) pathways to their current roles, and the work they are currently doing to drive and highlight innovation at the intersection of technology and the arts.

Bios:
Birney Robert is a strategist working at the cutting edge of art, science, and technology. As Strategist for External Engagement in Arts + Technology at Georgia Tech Arts, she leads bold initiatives that connect high-tech conceptual art with diverse audiences. Her work spans curating exhibitions, building cross-sector partnerships, and serving as principal investigator on innovative art-tech projects.

Robert curated two acclaimed exhibitions—Extension of Self and Extension of Community—through a grant from Microsoft and Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities, exploring digital identity, accessibility, and sustainability. Her curatorial footprint includes projects for AMP’s Atlanta Art Fair, the Art & Entertainment Downtown Atlanta Art Activation Project, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

With a master’s in Museum Anthropology from Georgia State University and a BFA from Birmingham-Southern College, Robert blends academic rigor with creative vision. She’s a recipient of the Georgia Association of Museums award and a frequent contributor to Georgia’s arts ecosystem, serving on committees and championing the fusion of art and tech statewide.

Her work has been featured in NPR’s City Lights, ArtsATL, Rough Draft, AJC, and more. Known for her strategic thinking and collaborative spirit, Robert brings deep expertise in curation, arts administration, and cultural brokerage—sparking dialogue and expanding the reach of contemporary art in the digital age.

Avital Shira (she/her) is a Strategist for Georgia Tech Arts, a lecturer in Georgia Tech’s School of Literature, Media, and Communication and School of Arts, Entertainment, and Creative Technologies, and a director for theatre and film. She is passionate about building and empowering communities through sharing stories. Whether directing, teaching, or community organizing, her work remains consistent: community engagement, people management, and storytelling. She loves building ensembles, bringing people together, and coordinating and empowering individuals to take collective action that is more than the sum of its parts.

Avital graduated from Boston University's MFA Directing program in 2020, with a certificate in Arts Administration, where she directed six plays and taught undergraduate courses in both acting and public speaking. Recent directing credits include THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (Portland Shakespeare Project), Anna Ziegler's PHOTOGRAPH 51, Sarah B. Mantell's EVERYTHING THAT NEVER HAPPENED, MY FAIR LADY, CYMBELINE and INTIMATE APPAREL (Boston University), Laura Neill's WINTER PEOPLE (Boston Playwrights Theatre), LIFEBOAT (Corrib Theatre), BETWEEN FRIENDS (Sycamore Theatre Co @ The Brick), and LOVE'S LABOURS LOST (Post 5). She also develops new plays and has collaborated recently with playwrights including Sarah Mantell, Ali Viterbi, Danielle Frimer, Ash, and E.M. Lewis.

Having graduated with a degree in Theater Studies and English from Yale University, Avital spent the next decade working as a community organizer and educator, and directing and assistant directing at theatres all around the United States including Lincoln Center Theater, Writers Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Denver Center of Performing Arts, Book-It Repertory Theatre, and Portland Center Stage. In parallel to that directing work, she also honed her community organizing skills—working on a presidential campaign; leading community engagement strategy as the Field Director for the Colorado launch of Skillful, a Markle foundation initiative to promote ecosystem-wide skills-based hiring; project managing for gradient Consulting; and serving as the Strategic Director for IDEA Con, which grew to be the largest student innovation and entrepreneurship conference under her tenure. Avital has taught at Boston University, Brandeis University, and Tufts University, and ran the arts entrepreneurship program at MIT. In her role at Georgia Tech Arts, she has spearheaded the development of a new B.S. in Arts, Entertainment, and Creative Technologies, and leads GT Arts strategy related to academics, research, and engagement.

Description: Leadership doesn’t begin with a title—it begins with a mission. In today’s academic and professional environments, the ability to align your work with a clear purpose, communicate effectively, and build trust enables you to lead from where you are, regardless of role. This talk explores the Mission-First Mindset, a framework for turning output into influence and accelerating career growth. We’ll discuss why visibility and transparency matter, how communication creates trust, and why leadership is about more than KPIs. Through real-world insights and lessons learned from mission-driven environments, you’ll gain practical strategies to:

• Lead through clarity and accountability.
• Turn work into trust and trust into impact.
• Build habits that strengthen visibility and credibility.

Whether you’re just starting out or deep into your academic journey, this session will equip you with a foundational framework for long-term success.

Bio: Kristen Perez is a strategic content marketing and communications manager specializing in AI, accelerated computing, and sustainable computing. She develops audience-first, evergreen strategies that establish thought leadership, educate key stakeholders, and influence industry conversations. At NVIDIA, Kristen drives both external content programs—targeting tech press, IT leaders, and practitioners—and internal communications strategies that align teams and amplify core messaging across the enterprise marketing organization.

Blending technical depth with clear, accessible storytelling, she transforms complex topics into compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences. Passionate about sustainability in technology, Kristen champions initiatives around energy efficiency, waste reduction, and liquid cooling for data center and AI infrastructure.