Scrum Day Madison Announces Siva Balu as Afternoon Keynote Speaker

Scrum Day Madison is excited to announce that Siva Balu, Senior Vice President, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Quartz Health Solutions, will take the stage as the afternoon keynote speaker at this year’s conference, happening October 15, 2026, at the Madison Marriott West.

This year’s theme, “Agility in the Age of AI,” brings together thought leaders and practitioners who are navigating the rapidly evolving intersection of artificial intelligence and agile ways of working. Siva’s keynote perfectly embodies this theme, offering real-world insight into how organizations can move beyond the hype and deliver meaningful business outcomes with AI.

From AI Hype to Real Business Impact

In his keynote, “From AI Hype to AI for your Business: Challenges, Solutions, Lessons Learned and Ideas,” Siva will share practical experiences from implementing AI at scale within a Fortune 3 organization and beyond. Attendees will gain a grounded perspective on how to translate business problems into actionable AI use cases, deploy solutions responsibly, and upskill teams along the way.

Siva brings a unique blend of executive leadership and hands-on experience, currently serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Information & Digital Officer at Quartz Health Solutions. With over 15 years of AI experience and a track record of leading digital transformation across organizations like UnitedHealth Group, YMCA of the USA, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, his insights promise to be both strategic and actionable.

A Day Packed with Insight and Inspiration

Scrum Day Madison 2026 features a full day of learning, collaboration, and innovation. The event kicks off with a morning keynote, “Embracing the ‘New Meta’ of AI with an Agile Gamer Mindset,” presented by Chris Diller and Dan Bliss.

Throughout the day, attendees can choose from breakout sessions across multiple tracks, including:

• Kristen Hires exploring collaboration in “All I Need to Know About Scrum I Learned in Kindergarten”

• Sagar Awate presenting “The AI Co-Pilot for Product Owners”

• Rachel Breitbach and Ryan Johnson discussing the human side of AI in “AI Works When People Do”

• Eric Reighard highlighting the importance of human skills in “Soft Skills Are Your Superpower”

• Chris Sims tackling product challenges in “Your Stories Are Too Big!”

• Fred Deichler sharing practical tools in “AI Tools for the Scrum Master”

The day concludes with an engaging closing activity led by master facilitator Darin Harris.

Don’t Miss It

With three keynote experiences, diverse breakout sessions, and a strong focus on real-world application, Scrum Day Madison 2026 is shaping up to be a must-attend event for anyone working at the intersection of agile and AI.

Join us on October 15, 2026, at the Madison Marriott West to learn, connect, and explore what agility looks like in the age of AI.