New Product & Product Management Awards Judging Committee
Chair:
Sagar Ganapaneni, Head of Data Science, Data Powered Services
Intuit, San Jose, California, United States
Sagar Ganapaneni is a distinguished leader with over a decade of experience in data science, algorithmic marketing optimization, and advertising technology, driving innovation at the intersection of data, AI, product, and business strategy. As Chair of the New Product & Product Management Awards Judging Committee for the 2025 American Business Awards, he brings deep expertise in data-driven decision-making to evaluate and recognize groundbreaking advancements in data-centric product innovation. At Intuit, Sagar leads data science for a suite of data-powered services, including SMB MediaLabs, the first-of-its-kind B2B media network for small businesses. Focused on addressing the challenges of targeting SMBs in the evolving digital advertising landscape, he oversees a team of data scientists and engineers, driving the creation and commercialization of resilient data assets while ensuring regulatory compliance and strategic alignment.
Previously, Sagar played a pivotal role in scaling Teladoc Health’s AI-driven growth programs, contributing to multimillion-dollar ARR expansion. His career spans key positions at Adobe, Expedia, Cypress Semiconductor, and Sabre, where he built AI and data science solutions enhancing product intelligence, personalization, marketing optimization, and operational efficiency. Beyond corporate leadership, Sagar is a highly regarded figure in data science and marketing technology, shaping the industry through advisory roles and thought leadership. He serves on advisory boards and leadership committees for organizations like MMA Global and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), contributing to industry standards and innovation. As a Gartner Peer Community Ambassador and AIM Leaders Council member and an IEEE senior member he collaborates with global experts. A passionate advocate for AI education, Sagar mentors emerging professionals through Google’s KaggleX Fellowship and advises Texas A&M University’s MS Analytics Program, bridging academia and industry. His contributions to AI governance and responsible data practices earned him recognition as one of the 100 Most Influential AI Leaders in the USA for 2024 by AI100.
A seasoned judge, Sagar has evaluated industry-leading innovations for the Stevie Awards, MMA Smarties, ECHO Awards, and ANA B2 Awards. His ability to identify transformative technologies and assess product excellence makes him a key figure in recognizing business innovation. While his achievements define his professional success, his deep-rooted values set him apart. He aspires to be remembered not just for his career accomplishments but for his positive impact on society and those around him. Committed to driving AI-powered business transformation, he continues to foster innovation and honor groundbreaking achievements as Chair of the 2025 Stevie Awards Judging Committee.
Committee:
Keshav Agrawal, Senior Director of Product
Walmart, Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
Keshav is a product leader with 10+ years of experience in eCommerce and technology. As Senior Director of Product at Walmart eCommerce, he leads teams driving product search and discovery. Previously at Deloitte and Quantcast, he holds an MBA from Wharton, an MS from UCLA, and a BTech from IIT Kanpur.
Oluwadamilola Alajogun, Product Manager
Microsoft, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Dami Alajogun is a Product Manager at Microsoft building AI capabilities for low code software. She is extremely passionate about building software that helps people to do their jobs more effectively. She obtained her Bachelor's in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech and her MBA from Harvard Business School.
Parth Desai, Founding Engineer
Litmus Automation Inc, Santa Clara, California, United States
Parth Desai, founding engineer at Litmus Automation since June 2016, brings over a decade of expertise in product management and software development. Leading industrial driver development for Litmus Edge, he has significantly contributed to advancing industries' IIOT adoption through numerous solutions.
Raveendra Babu Gangavaram, Business Relationship Manager
TATA Consultancy Services, Irving, Texas, United States
Nikhil Jain, Senior Global Partner, Technology Manager
SmartThings, Inc, Mountain View, California, United States
Nikhil Jain is a seasoned technology leader with over 12 years of experience specializing in IoT-based home and industrial automation. He currently serves as Senior Global Partner Technology Manager at Samsung SmartThings, driving innovation through smart living solutions, including home automation, energy management, and sustainable smart communities.
Akhil Khunger, VP Quantitative Analytics
Barclays, New York City, New York, United States
Akhil is a seasoned professional in financial engineering and risk management. He currently serves as a QA financial modeling specialist at Barclays. With over a decade of experience, he has held significant roles at institutions like Citibank and HSBC.His expertise in time series analysis and statistical modeling has led to the creation of sophisticated financial models.
Athanasios Lolos, Senior Data Scientist
Navy Federal Credit Union, Falls Church, Virginia, United States
Dr. Athanasios Lolos is a Senior Data Scientist at Navy Federal Credit Union, the world’s largest credit union. With a PhD in Operations Research and an MBA from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Dr. Lolos combines academic expertise with practical industry experience.
Subramanian Narayanaswamy, Executive Director
Wells Fargo, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Subramanian is a seasoned "FinTech-Banker" with over 15 years of experience at the intersection of financial technology and mainstream banking. Known for his "adaptive risk management" approach, Subbu has a unique ability to integrate regulatory guardrails for consumer protection with the need to foster innovation in today’s competitive fintech landscape.
Shafeeq Ur Rahaman, Associate Director
Monks, Dublin, California, United States
Shafeeq Ur Rahaman is the Associate Director of Analytics & Data Infrastructure at Monks. With over 12 years of experience in data analytics, cloud automation, and business intelligence, he leads large-scale data transformation projects. He holds a Master’s in Management Information Systems from the University of Illinois Springfield.
Jawahar Thangavelu, Software Engineer
Joby Aviation, Santa Cruz, California, United States
Jawahar has been a software engineer at Joby Aviation since 2021. He has been working in the Aerospace industry for the past 18 years and has expertise in Program Management, Real Time Embedded aerospace applications, and Software life cycle processes including Design, Development, Verification, and Validation activities for safety systems.
Narasimha Rao Vanaparthi, Assistant Vice President
State Street Financial Corporation, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
With over 19 years of experience in IT, he specializes in Agile project implementation, project management, team leadership, and incident management. Narasimha is an expert in Agile and SDLC methodologies, along with a strong understanding of associated frameworks. He has a proven track record of successfully delivering large-scale and complex projects.