2026 INI Diploma Ceremony Keynote Speaker is AWS Principal Aditi Pendharkar

On May 10, the Information Networking Institute (INI) will welcome Aditi Pendharkar as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Diploma Ceremony. A 2009 alum of the M.S. in Information Networking (MSIN) program, Pendharkar now works at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud and trust, helping organizations adopt powerful technologies responsibly. During Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Commencement Weekend, she will help to welcome the latest INI graduating class into the INI alumni community at Rodef Shalom in Pittsburgh.  

“Aditi has been an outstanding alum of our flagship degree program, forging a career characterized by the innovation, technical rigor and strategic flexibility the INI represents,” said Dr. Dena Haritos Tsamitis, Director of the INI. “Beyond her success, Aditi is a community-minded leader who cares deeply about bringing up the next generation of engineers. I look forward to hearing her advice for our graduates.” 

Pendharkar is a Principal at Amazon Web Services (AWS), where she focuses on building trust into AI and cloud systems for large, regulated organizations. Her work centers on turning security, risk and governance into scalable systems so that powerful technologies can be adopted safely in the real world. She is particularly focused on embedding accountability and explainability directly into how these systems operate, rather than treating them as afterthoughts.

Her work gives her a front-row view of how fast-moving technology meets real-world consequences. She brings a timely message for INI graduates who are preparing to join the workforce during a period of immense change and rapid development. 

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment to be an engineer,” said Pendharkar. “As an INI alum, I am excited to come back and explore with our community why, in a world where we can build almost anything with AI, being human — bringing judgment, care and responsibility — will matter more than ever.” 

Pendharkar came to INI after beginning her career in avionics engineering, and used that foundation to explore multiple facets of technology — from policy to secure system design to business outcomes. Following her time at INI, she worked in senior roles across global consulting organizations including Deloitte, Grant Thornton and PwC, advising enterprises on how to adopt emerging technologies and translate them into real-world impact.

To commemorate the INI's 25th anniversary in 2015, Pendharkar wrote a letter published in Carnegie Mellon Today magazine: "My years at CMU shaped the way I think. In fact, CMU has become an integral part of who I am. The INI offered us global, multidisciplinary, world-class education; an opportunity to use technology expertise to solve business challenges; and platforms to meet exceptionally talented colleagues on campus as well as outside. Those were the essential tools needed for the journey ahead.”