As boards focus more on technology leadership appointments, Parker Remick welcomes back experienced executive search leader Amy Lewis.

SEATTLE, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Parker Remick, the executive search firm behind technology leadership appointments for companies including Walmart, Google, Waymo, Hershey, and CharacterAI, has announced the return of executive search leader Amy Lewis.

The appointment comes at a pivotal moment for corporate America. As AI reshapes every business function, boards are placing greater emphasis on technology leadership than ever before.

Lewis returns to Parker Remick with more than 17 years of experience advising organizations on senior technology leadership appointments. She will focus on CTO and CPO searches, partnering with boards and CEOs to identify leaders who can guide complex organizations through rapid technological change.

Her return also reflects Parker Remick’s continued investment in one of the fastest-evolving areas of executive search.

Kevin Williamson, Founder of Parker Remick, believes technology leadership has become one of the defining competitive advantages for large enterprises.

“Technology leadership has never carried greater responsibility than it does today. Every board is evaluating how AI, product innovation, and engineering capability will shape the future of its business. That changes what organizations expect from technology leaders, and it changes how we advise our clients. Amy has spent her career helping companies solve exactly those leadership challenges, and we’re delighted to welcome her back to Parker Remick.”

Lewis previously spent several years with Parker Remick before broadening her experience through leadership recruiting within the venture capital ecosystem at Lightspeed. She has partnered closely with founders and CEOs building engineering and product leadership teams during a period of significant investment in AI-native software. She now returns with an even broader perspective on how expectations of technology leaders continue to evolve.

For Lewis, returning meant fitting into Parker Remick’s culture of long-term outcomes over transactional hiring. As well as a desire to use the platform they have carefully curated through their work in AI and technology search.

“What brought me back was Parker Remick’s commitment to quality and being of service. Our incentives are aligned with helping clients make the best hiring decisions, not simply filling roles. We work alongside CEOs and boards to understand what the business needs from its next leader. From AI-native companies building the frontier to established organizations reinventing how they compete, CTO and CPO leadership has never been more consequential. These decisions deserve a partner who holds a high bar and won’t settle until the right leader is in the seat.”

That philosophy aligns closely with Parker Remick’s broader approach to executive search. Rather than viewing searches as individual assignments, the firm partners with organizations to define leadership mandates, benchmark the market, and identify executives who can create long-term enterprise value.

Lewis has led executive searches for some of technology’s most recognized VC- and PE-backed organizations, as well as numerous public companies spanning engineering, product, and enterprise technology leadership.

As organizations continue to rethink the role technology plays within the enterprise, Parker Remick expects demand for senior technology leadership to accelerate across both public companies and growth-stage businesses. The firm’s continued investment in experienced advisors reflects its commitment to helping clients secure technology leaders who can navigate one of the most significant periods of business transformation in decades.

About Parker Remick

Parker Remick is a specialist executive search firm focused on technology, product, and engineering leadership. The firm partners with Fortune 500 companies, venture-backed businesses, and private equity portfolio companies to appoint transformational executives across technology, product, and engineering. Parker Remick has led executive searches for organizations including Waymo, Block, Airbnb, Walmart, Nike, and Asana.

Media Contact

Ann Healy, Parker Remick, 1 360 527 2555, ann@parkerremick.com, https://parkerremick.com/

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SOURCE Parker Remick

Peer-reviewed study of 45 online working adult undergraduates introduces a model linking course design, psychological safety and guided AI use. 

PHOENIX, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — University of Phoenix researchers have published a new peer-reviewed study examining how stress, self-regulation, resilience, belonging, psychological safety and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) interact in the experiences of non-traditional online students. The article, “Designing for Persistence in Online Higher Education: A Trauma-Informed, GenAI-Integrated Model for Non-Traditional Learners,” was published July 15, 2026, in Innovative Higher Education. The research was conducted by fellows and scholars affiliated with the University’s Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research (CEITR): Melinda Kulick, EdD; Jessica Sylvester, EdD; Chunfu Cheng, EdD; Christina Bergren, PhD; and Jim Croushore, EdD.

The descriptive phenomenological study of 45 online undergraduates found that trauma-related regulatory strain intensified cognitive demands associated with course navigation, pacing expectations and limited instructional presence. Participants described belonging and psychological safety as supporting engagement, while GenAI could provide short-term cognitive relief and help students initiate tasks during periods of overwhelm. Participants also raised concerns about AI dependency and unclear ethical boundaries. The study introduces the Trauma-Informed AI Persistence (TIAIP) Model, which connects trauma-informed pedagogy, digital course architecture, and guided GenAI use.

Study identifies connections among cognitive load, belonging, and GenAI

The researchers found that trauma-related regulatory strain can intensify the cognitive load associated with navigating courses, managing pacing expectations, and learning with limited instructional presence. Belonging and psychological safety supported engagement, while participants described GenAI as providing short-term cognitive relief and helping them initiate tasks during periods of overwhelm. Students also raised concerns about becoming dependent on GenAI and uncertainty about the ethical boundaries of its use for learning.

Participants described how ongoing stress and competing responsibilities affected concentration, problem-solving, and their ability to engage fully in academic work: one stating, “stress for me creates a lot of brain fog. If I am stressed out, my ability to problem solve diminishes incredibly,” and another, “my current source of stress is managing school, work and my household all at the same time… it detracts from my ability to fully engage in my academic work.”

Participants also described that unclear instructions, inconsistent course organization, and difficulty knowing where to begin could increase cognitive strain and make task initiation more difficult but also identified how simple acknowledgements help: “when my instructor acknowledged how hard it is to juggle everything, I felt seen. It made me want to stay engaged.”

Participants described GenAI as a situational support that could reduce overwhelm and help them initiate academic tasks, while also raising questions about appropriate use and dependence: “when my brain is overloaded, AI helps me get started. It takes away the panic of a blank page”; and “when I’m feeling overwhelmed by an assignment or unsure where to start, AI helps break things down into smaller, manageable steps. That structure helps reduce my stress and gives me a clearer plan of action.”

“For students managing work, family responsibilities and other pressures alongside their education, persistence cannot be understood simply as a matter of motivation or individual resilience,” said Kulick, assessment manager, associate faculty in the College of Doctoral Studies and a research fellow with CEITR. “Our findings point to the importance of designing online learning environments that reduce unnecessary cognitive demands, strengthen students’ sense of connection and give learners appropriate support for navigating moments when the demands on them become especially high.”

Researchers introduce Trauma-Informed AI Persistence Model

Building on the findings, the authors introduce the TIAIP Model, a framework integrating trauma science, online learning design and guided GenAI use. The model connects trauma-informed pedagogy, digital course architecture and GenAI integration and conceptualizes student persistence as an outcome shaped in part by institutional design and support rather than solely by individual learner characteristics.

TIAIP Model is a conceptual model that positions student persistence in online higher education as an institutional outcome shaped by the interaction of trauma-related demands, online learning design, and guided use of GenAI.

TIAIP addresses how trauma-related regulatory strain can intensify the cognitive demands of course navigation, pacing, and limited instructional presence, while belonging and psychological safety can influence engagement. It also recognizes GenAI as a conditional scaffold that may provide short-term cognitive relief and support task initiation, while requiring clear ethical and instructional boundaries.

In practice, TIAIP encourages institutions to design learning environments that reduce unnecessary barriers to persistence through clearer course structures, supportive instructional presence, attention to belonging and psychological safety, and purposeful guidance for GenAI use.

“GenAI is not presented in this research as a replacement for human support or student thinking,” said Sylvester, senior manager of College Operations, associate faculty and a CEITR research fellow. “The more useful question is how can institutions create the conditions in which technology serves as an intentional scaffold — alongside clear expectations, thoughtful course design and meaningful human connection? That requires helping students understand both what these tools can support and where their limitations and ethical boundaries lie.”

About the study

The qualitative study used purposive sampling to recruit 45 undergraduate students enrolled in six bachelor’s programs within the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at a large U.S. online university. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 51 and older, with most between ages 36 and 50, and represented varied employment, caregiving and prior educational experiences commonly associated with non-traditional online learners.

Participants completed an anonymous online questionnaire with open-ended prompts exploring stress, self-regulation, resilience, belonging, psychological safety and GenAI use, responding in writing or by audio. Researchers analyzed the responses using Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method, identifying significant statements and meanings and organizing them into thematic clusters. Five themes emerged and informed development of the Trauma-Informed AI Persistence (TIAIP) Model. The study did not assess specific trauma histories or clinical diagnoses; instead, it examined participant experiences involving stresses such as financial pressure, caregiving, employment instability and competing life demands.

Study limitations

The findings provide context-specific qualitative insights from students at one online university and should not be generalized to all higher education populations. The study relied on self-reported experiences, and the open-ended questionnaire provided less opportunity for follow-up probing than interviews. Findings were not analyzed by intersecting demographic identities. The TIAIP Model is a preliminary conceptual model derived from the qualitative findings and requires further study and validation across institutions and learner populations.

Read “Designing for Persistence in Online Higher Education: A Trauma-Informed, GenAI-Integrated Model for Non-Traditional Learners” in Innovative Higher Education at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-026-09935-z.

About the authors

The authors are affiliates of the Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research (CEITR), housed within the University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies, which supports scholarly research and collaboration on topics related to teaching and learning, online and in-person education, educational technology strategies, and educational policies, practices and theories.

Jessica Sylvester, EdD, is senior manager of College Operations, associate faculty and a research fellow with CEITR. A higher education leader with more than 18 years of experience, her research interests include artificial intelligence, student learning, institutional practices and inclusive learning environments for non-traditional students.

Melinda Kulick, EdD, is assessment manager, associate faculty in the College of Doctoral Studies and a CEITR research fellow at University of Phoenix. She oversees academic assessment for the College of Education and College of Nursing and conducts research exploring generative AI, assessment practices, student engagement and the use of educational technology in online higher education.

Chunfu “Jeff” Cheng, EdD, serves as a University Research Methodologist at the University of Phoenix and Chair of the Business Department at the Community College of Aurora. He has over a decade of higher education experience. His scholarly interests include student success, retention, engagement, graduate employability, work-integrated learning, and higher education policy. Dr. Cheng earned an EdD in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University and an MBA in Finance from Oklahoma City University. He completed the Public Leadership Credential (PLC) at Harvard Kennedy School. He is pursuing a Master of Public Affairs at the University of California, Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy, further integrating his higher education leadership, research, public policy analysis, and evidence-informed decision-making to advance institutional effectiveness and student success.

Christina Bergren, Ph.D., LPC-S is a Counselor Educator, Mental Health Therapist, and former School Counselor. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Bilingual Education from The University of Texas at Austin and her master’s degree in School and Community Counseling from The University of Texas at San Antonio. She completed her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision at Capella University. Licensed as an LPC-S in Texas and Missouri, she specializes in supporting families involved in foster and kinship care.

Jim Croushore, EdD, serves as an elementary principal within the Burrell School District in Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania. His professional experience includes roles as a field social worker, school counselor, assistant high school principal, and elementary principal. He is also a Pennsylvania Safe Schools culture and climate assessor and a trauma-informed approaches training provider through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. Dr. Croushore holds a B.S. in Psychology from Saint Vincent College, an M.Ed. from California University of Pennsylvania, K-12 Principal Certification from the University of Pittsburgh, and an Ed.D. in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University.

About the College of Doctoral Studies

University of Phoenix’s College of Doctoral Studies focuses on today’s challenging business and organizational needs, from addressing critical social issues to developing solutions to accelerate community building and industry growth. The College’s research program is built around the Scholar, Practitioner, Leader Model which puts students in the center of the Doctoral Education Ecosystem® with experts, resources and tools to help prepare them to be a leader in their organization, industry and community. Through this program, students and researchers work with organizations to conduct research that can be applied in the workplace in real time.

About University of Phoenix 

University of Phoenix is Built for Real Life. 50 Years Strong. The University innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world through flexible online learning, relevant courses, academic AI pillars, and skills-mapped curriculum for associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Active students and alumni have access to Career Services for Life® resources including career guidance and tools. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

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SOURCE University of Phoenix

New communications company combines AI and human expertise to deliver better positioning, messaging and content in a fraction of the time and cost

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Lisa Rodriguez and Melissa Laverty spent decades doing communications work the traditional way. They know how good it can be. They also know how long it takes and how much clients pay for the process around it.

When technology changed what was possible, they built a different way to do it.

Today, Rodriguez and Laverty launched Slugline, a communications company built to rethink the traditional PR practices with AI. Slugline helps companies find the right story, prove it against the market, and turn it into content.

“Every ad, pitch, article, speech, video and social post starts with the story,” said Rodriguez, co-founder of Slugline and a former journalist who has spent more than 30 years in communications. “Companies spend an enormous amount of money making content. We think there’s a smarter way to get the story right first.”

That’s where Slugline starts.

Slugline starts with leaders’ own words and what they know about their company. It then tests those ideas against the market, competitors, and the audiences that matter. Its technology can analyze far more information, make connections, and test ideas at a scale a traditional PR agency process can’t match, compressing months of discovery and strategy into weeks. Experienced journalists and communicators then use that intelligence to decide what matters and what story to tell.

“We didn’t want to use AI just to do the same work faster,” said Laverty, co-founder of slugline who built Slugline’s proprietary interview and analysis agent. “We created something that makes the answer fundamentally better. It gives us evidence for why a story is the right one, who it will matter to, and where it might fail.”

Bluesky CEO Toni Schneider helped shape the Slugline model early on and later became a pilot client.

“There’s a lot of technology focused on making more content,” said Schneider. “What interested me about Slugline was that Lisa and Melissa were starting one step earlier: What’s the right story, and how do you know? They’ve built a much faster way to answer that without taking experienced people out of the equation.”

Once the story is right, Slugline makes the content.

Founding Creative Technologist Luke Rodriguez leads content development across film, photography and emerging creative technology. He founded a Brooklyn creative studio after graduating from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and has created work for brands including Formula 1, Mercedes-Benz and Meta.

Slugline has no traditional PR agency layers. Its team brings together experienced journalists, strategists, writers, filmmakers, photographers and other specialists, with more than 100,000 hours of combined experience helping hundreds of clients get the story right. Together, they turn the story into a season of video, social and editorial content.

“Slugline delivered a high-quality library of video, social, and editorial content, backed by a clear story architecture that gave our messaging consistency, focus, and impact,” said Katherine Atkinson, SVP, Global Sales & Marketing at Rapid Micro Biosystems, a Slugline pilot client.

Slugline tested its model with pilot clients ranging from early-stage startups to public companies, including Alloy, Artyc, Bluesky, Doximity, and Rapid Micro Biosystems.

Early work has ranged from identifying the message a public company later led with on an earnings call to helping a startup zero in on the core story its CEO would tell publicly weeks later, and taking another client’s narrative from strategy to the main stage at its flagship customer event.

Learn more atslugline.ai.

About Slugline

Slugline helps companies find the right story, prove it against the market and turn it into content. It uses technology to see more, test more and make better recommendations, with experienced people making the decisions and creating the work.

The name comes from journalism where a slugline identifies a story before it is written so everyone working on it knows what the story is. Slugline works the same way. Know the story before you start making things!

Media Contact

David Schutzman, Slugline, 1 203 550-8551, david@schutzmanpr.com, https://slugline.ai/

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SOURCE Slugline