Dr. Curtis Rasmussen

Dr. Curtis Rasmussen, PhD, is a keynote speaker focused on artificial intelligence that works in the real world, not on slides. Curtis is a retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer, TS, SCI, turned Industrial, Organisational Psychologist and Human, Machine Teaming Architect, known for putting people at the centre of AI delivery. He helps leaders reduce risk, increase adoption, and protect culture while still driving measurable value from AI.

Curtis brings a rare blend of operational leadership and federal delivery. He served 22 years in the U.S. Navy as a Chief Petty Officer, including roles as a rescue diver and dive instructor, where trust, precision, and accountability were non negotiable. After military service, he moved into national security and public sector work, building experience across risk, intelligence, and cyber environments. He later became Senior Industrial, Organisational Psychologist at CISA, where he helped shape workforce strategy and supported ethical, practical AI pilots in regulated settings.

His work sits at the point where AI ambition meets organisational reality. Curtis is the author of ‘Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Human Resources, A Concise Guide’ (2025), written for leaders who want AI outcomes without losing credibility with their people. He also created patent pending innovations, including MAS, a Multi Dimensional Algorithm Structure for algorithm selection, and XAIC, an eXplainable Artificial Intelligence Construct for trust and explainability, built to make AI decisions clearer, safer, and easier to govern. Curtis also leads Focal Point Mid Atlantic as an owner and executive coach, bringing coaching frameworks and assessments into AI change programmes so teams perform, not just comply.

On stage, Curtis is direct, evidence led, and practical for executives, HR leaders, and technical teams. He explains why AI implementations fail, what leaders miss in adoption, and how to build high trust human, machine teams that deliver sustainable ROI. A typical audience takeaway is a step by step derisking plan they can use before approving an AI tool, covering data readiness, workflow fit, decision rights, and human in the loop controls. Curtis delivers keynotes, leadership sessions, and custom briefings that help organisations move from pilot pain to confident, responsible AI at scale.