Kristen Schmidt

Kristen Schmidt, MBA, is an AI entrepreneur and passionate advocate for responsible AI development and youth education. As the founder of Protects, an AI protection startup, she is at the forefront of ensuring AI technologies are developed and deployed with safety and human impact at the center.

A recognized thought leader in conversational AI and digital transformation, Kristen brings a unique perspective to the tech industry as both a female executive and mother. She champions the advancement of women in technology and cybersecurity, actively working to reshape how the industry approaches talent development and leadership.

Kristen's current mission extends beyond traditional tech boundaries. After teaching an AI literacy class at her daughter's school and discovering students' concerns about AI's impact on their constitutional rights, she launched the AI Youth Coalition—a platform dedicated to ensuring young people have a voice in AI governance and development decisions that will shape their future.

Her leadership philosophy centers on asking "Who will this hurt?" before "What can we achieve?"—a perspective she believes is critical for balanced AI development. Through her work, she advocates for collaborative AI usage, literacy over dependency, and focusing AI solutions on real human problems rather than just technical challenges.

When she's not building AI solutions or advocating for responsible tech development, Kristen can be found preparing the next generation of leaders, including her 11-year-old daughter Harper, to thrive in an AI-driven world. She resides in her hometown, where she remains deeply connected to her local community and educational institutions.