speaker photo

Jake Hirsch-Allen (he/him)

Senior Advisor, North America, Apolitical

Former North America Workforce Development Lead, LinkedIn

I connect people and ideas to create social and economic impact. I build public private partnerships to fight inequality. I have done so through international criminal law and intellectual property law, global health, software development entrepreneurship and education. 

I work with governments, think tanks, AI institutes and tech companies helping society build a healthier relationship with technology and strengthening democracy and human rights. I advise startups, non-profits, investors and foundations on AI policy and how to improve education, employment and social service systems, particularly in their use of tech.

I speak regularly on society's relationship to tech, AI policy, the future of work and learning.

Most recently I worked with North America's governments, workforce development organizations, colleges and universities to leverage LinkedIn Talent Solutions to close skills gaps and increase sustainable employment. I am passionate about supporting disadvantaged groups such as newcomers and refugees, indigenous populations, the formerly incarcerated and people with disabilities. 

I founded Lighthouse Labs, Canada's leading immersive software development bootcamp which operates in 6 cities. I co-founded Hacking Health and have advised a number of tech startups and non-profits. I managed the non-profit behind the Health Impact Fund, a new means of incentivizing access to medicines, and I taught global health at McMaster University,

I have clerked for the Supreme Court of Israel and articled at an intellectual property litigation boutique. I was the Executive Director of McGill’s International Criminal Law Clinic and Chair of the Global Education Platform's Technology Committee. I have worked for Global Affairs Canada, McGill’s Centre for IP Policy and UofT’s Munk Center. I also interned at Human Rights Watch and on defense teams at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.

Sessions

Learning & Doing

Red-teaming for the future: How well can your team defend against a cyber attack?

Cyber attacks are on the rise worldwide. The World Economic Forum estimates that the global cost of cybercrime will reach nearly $24 trillion by 2027. Just this year, Canada faced complicated and intelligent attacks on central infrastructure and local authorities which threatened the delivery of public services. See More.