Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.

Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
Avani Desai

Avani Desai

CEO, Schellman, Henry Crown Fellowship

Tampa, FL

Avani Desai is the Chief Executive Officer of Schellman, a leading global provider of attestation and compliance services. Driven by a deep interest in how trust is built between organizations and the people they serve, Avani began her career as a technical practitioner in IT Risk Management at KPMG. Upon arriving at Schellman, she has since leveraged her expertise to begin guiding the firm’s transformation and growth over the last 14+ years, including a recent strategic shift to strengthen scalability, operational alignment, and long-term value.

In addition to leading Schellman’s team of over 500 professionals who help organizations navigate cybersecurity and compliance, Avani is a recognized global authority on artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and ethical governance and often speaks on notable industry stages around the world, including forums such as the World Economic Forum (Davos), AI House (Davos), Credo AI Summit, and InfoSec World.