John Lizzi, a 1997 graduate of Colonie Central High School, has built a distinguished career building and leading organizations to advance robotics, autonomous systems, and AI - cementing his place as a leader in some of the most transformative fields of the 21st century.

Lizzi holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Siena College, a Master’s in Computer and Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and an MBA from the University at Albany. This strong academic foundation set the stage for a career defined by innovation, strategic leadership, and impact across multiple sectors.

As the Executive Leader of Robotics and Autonomous Systems at GE Research, Lizzi leads a world-class team advancing technologies for the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, GE’s global business units, and strategic partners – applying robotics and AI to solve some of today’s most complex, real-world challenges.

Lizzi holds 15 patents and is widely recognized as a national expert and speaker in the robotics field.  He has advised the White House, DoD, NASA, national associations, and some of the world’s largest companies.  Lizzi also serves on the Board of Directors of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), is the co-founder and past chair of the A3’s AI Technology Strategy Board, and previously served on the Technical Advisory Committee of the DoD’s ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute.  Above all, John is most proud of being a husband to Kelly and a father to Claire, Johnny, Joseph, and Jackson.