"Smarter Decisions for a Better World" with INFORMS CEO Dr. Elena Gerstmann

On behalf of the UMass Amherst Student Chapter of INFORMS, I am delighted to invite you to a talk by Dr. Elena Gerstmann, CEO and Executive Director of INFORMS. She will be joined by India Williams, Manager of Strategic Projects at INFORMS.

Title: Smarter Decisions for a Better World: Thoughts from INFORMS CEO Elena Gerstmann, Ph.D.
Date: Friday, October 16, 2026
Time: 10:30 to 11:30 AM
Location: Room N135, Isenberg School of Management

In her talk, Dr. Gerstmann will share recent initiatives and future plans that show how INFORMS (Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences) is working to strengthen the profession, support its members, and increase the impact of their work. She will also discuss how INFORMS and its members can help shape the future of data-driven decision-making. The session will be interactive, and she welcomes feedback and ideas from the UMass Amherst community on how INFORMS can continue to strengthen these disciplines.

Dr. Gerstmann leads INFORMS, the largest association for decision and data sciences. Before joining INFORMS, she served as a Principal at Avenue M Group and on the executive teams of ASME and IEEE. She earned her doctorate in social psychology from Rutgers University, is a Fellow and past board member of ASAE, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of CESSE.