Director
Jimmy Ardis
Jimmy Ardis is a policy analyst, researcher, and consultant whose work has long focused
on the real-world effects of public policy on communities, institutions, and vulnerable
populations. His background spans policy journalism, community development, environmental
compliance, disaster recovery, and applied AI. He previously served as a research associate
with the Joseph P. Riley Jr. Center for Livable Communities, where his work included policy
analysis, economic impact analysis, demographic analysis, survey research, GIS-based analysis,
and other quantitative and qualitative methods. He has also written hundreds of policy and
public-affairs articles, including extensive work for Ballotpedia, and co-founded Civitas, a
successful community development and policy-research consultancy that served clients across
multiple states. More recently, his work has included developing AI-enabled automation tools
and workflow systems through Carolina Redesign and related consulting efforts. At SCAIO, he
directs research, analysis, and institution-building efforts aimed at helping South Carolina
understand, govern, and benefit from the rise of artificial intelligence.
jimmy@scaio.org
Chief Technologist
Noah Schiffman
Noah Schiffman is a veteran cybersecurity leader, researcher, inventor, and writer with
more than two decades of experience at the forefront of information security and emerging
technology. His career includes senior leadership roles such as Chief Technology Advisor at
KBR and Chief Information Security Officer positions at Wave Sciences and Orbis, where he
worked on enterprise security strategy, vulnerability analysis, incident response, classified
data protections, and advanced technical research. He has spoken at venues including DEFCON,
BSides, IEEE, ISACA, and the Cloud Security Alliance, and has written for outlets such as
Network World and TechTarget. His work spans not only cybersecurity but also invention and
interdisciplinary technical problem-solving, with patents in areas including computing devices,
acoustics, and medical instrumentation. At SCAIO, he brings deep technical judgment and a
strong security lens to the study of AI systems, risk, infrastructure, and responsible adoption.
noah@scaio.org
