Alisa Dean

Bio

Alisa is a Senior Academic Advisor at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in the College of Liberal Arts, where she works with undergraduate students charting paths into tech careers. She specializes in making AI approachable for non-technical people and has spent years bridging the gap between emerging tools and the humans who aren't sure they belong in the room yet.

A Minnesota State Fair regular, Alisa has been competing in the Crop Art competition for years and brought home a 5th place ribbon in the Group, Organization, or Team category in 2025. This year she's combining her two worlds and proving that the most interesting tech people are also, occasionally, covered in seed glue.