A Forbes Technology contributor and voted a Top Retail Expert and Top AI Expert by RETHINK Retail in 2024 & 2025, a top 10 "mover & shaker" by RIS News in 2023, Most Influential Women by Mass Market Retailers in 2024, and 2024 Top Women of Excellence by the Path to Purchase Institute, Lori Schafer is a senior executive and entrepreneur with 30+ years in technology, analytics (All types of AI & Generative AI), Digital commerce, consumer products branding, retail and consumer industries experience. She serves as CEO of Digital Wave Technology, a software company focusing on transforming consumer industries' business processes through AI, GenAI, workflow, and automation. She spent the previous 17 years serving as SVP, SAS Institute, leading the Global Retail/Consumer Brands Business Unit. She consults with retailers and brands on their digital transformation strategies in today’s world of Omni-channel customer engagement and near-exponential technology growth. Schafer currently serves / has served on the board of directors of various public and private retailers, consumer goods, and technology companies. She is also a past board member of the National Retail Federation. Schafer has experience building and managing startup ($0-$100M) and large enterprise technology businesses, across all major geographical sectors including North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle-East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. She is current on technology, retail, and consumer trends and frequently travels internationally, consulting with top brands around the globe. In 2010, she co-authored a business book Best Seller, Branded! The book accurately predicted how mobile, analytics and social media would change the face of retail in just a few short years. From 2003 to 2009, Schafer served as President of SAS Retail. During that time, Schafer was instrumental in building SAS Institute’s global leadership position in retail analytics. Prior to her tenure at SAS, Schafer served as Chairman/CEO of Marketmax, Inc., a merchandise / supply chain analytics software company. Marketmax was acquired by SAS in 2003. She directed Marketmax operations since 1996 and established its strong reputation among some of the world’s most prominent brands. Schafer started her career at Procter & Gamble. She graduated Summa Cum Laude, first in the School of Applied Science (Mathematics and Operations Research) from Miami University.