Dr. Krishna Chaitanya Rao Kathala, program director at The Ohio State University’s Translational Data Analytics Institute (TDAI), has been invited to lead a featured session at the inaugural National Accreditation Conference, taking place Sept. 28–30, 2026, in Columbus.

Kathala’s session, “Responsible AI in Public Safety: Governance, Risk and Accountability in the Age of Automation,” will explore how public-sector organizations can adopt artificial intelligence responsibly while maintaining transparency, accountability, human oversight and public trust.

Hosted by the National Association for Accreditation Leadership, the conference is the first national forum dedicated exclusively to accreditation leadership across public safety disciplines. It will bring together executives, accreditation professionals, assessors and subject-matter experts representing law enforcement, fire and rescue, emergency medical services, corrections, emergency communications and emergency management.

Drawing on his expertise in data science, AI governance and workforce development, Kathala will discuss the opportunities and challenges that AI presents for public agencies. Topics will include responsible implementation, decision-making oversight, risk mitigation, explainability and workforce readiness.

The invitation reflects growing recognition of TDAI and Ohio State’s leadership in advancing responsible and trustworthy AI across education, health care, industry and the public sector.