The Team
Dr. Michael Sandborn
After earning his Ph.D. in computer science from Vanderbilt University, Michael Sandborn co-founded Athena AI Consulting, delivering impactful AI solutions for businesses. His dissertation work was funded by DARPA and the NSF, and includes a patent in anti-counterfeiting technology and developing AI tools for malware detection, structured document extraction, design space exploration, and software vulnerability prediction. Previously, Michael worked as a software engineer in e-commerce.
Originally from Tampa, Florida, he pitched for Vanderbilt’s baseball team from 2016–2019 and enjoys biking, skiing, and reading.
Dr. Henry Gilbert
Henry Gilbert, the co-founder of Athena AIC, works as the Head of AI and Data platforms for a FinTech focused on quantitative trading and AI-driven wealth management. Henry has led groundbreaking projects, from transforming banks financial data ingestion and real-time risk management, to developing novel technologies for LLM-powered tax management.
As the Head of AI, he lead large-scale AI trading systems, developed infrastructure for automated portfolio rebalancing, and built high-throughput real-time order generation systems. He is currently researching LLM applications for global financial advisory solutions.
With a Ph.D. in AI from Vanderbilt University, Henry's work in quantitative finance and Bayesian analysis highlights his commitment to advancing AI in finance.
— ”My special interest is competing with the best in the world and winning”
Alex Bernstein
After graduating from Vanderbilt University, Alex has built a career at the intersection of AI strategy, product development, and business growth. He led AI strategy and implementation at Noodle, a leading EdTech company. Beyond EdTech, he has advised companies across industries on how bridge the gap between cutting-edge AI technologies and real-world business needs.
In his free time, Alex enjoys kiteboarding, cooking, running, and exploring the New York City restaurant scene.
Vikram Meyer
After obtaining his BS and MS in Computer Science from Vanderbilt University, Vikram joined Athena to translates advanced AI research into practical, high-impact products. He developed his software engineering expertise through internships at leading tech companies, including Microsoft. Specializing in AI during his time at Vanderbilt, Vikram did cutting edge research at the intersection of robotics and AI.
In his free time, Vikram enjoys reading, playing basketball, and exploring the outdoors around Tennessee.
Alexy Skoutnev
After graduating from Vanderbilt University with a Masters in CS, Alexy joined Athena AIC as one of its founding engineers. With a career built on excellence in research, engineering, and product development, he now leads Athena AIC’s engineering team in pushing the boundaries of technology. Alexy lives by the motto, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” Outside of work, he enjoys golfing, fitness, and reading.