Merve Hickok is the founder of  AIethicist.org and Lighthouse Career Consulting.

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She is a social researcher, independent consultant and trainer on AI & data ethics and AI policy. Through her work on AI & fundamental rights,  bias, social justice, and governance, she aims to create awareness, build capacity, and advocate for ethical and responsible development & use of AI.

Merve's work intersects both AI ethics and AI policy and regulation. She has been recognized by a number of organizations - most recently as one of the 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics™ – 2021

 

Merve has over 15 years of VP level global experience in Fortune 100, with particular focus on HR technologies, recruitment and DE&I. 

She is a SHRM Certified Senior HR Professional and Career Coach certified by Neuroleadership Institute.

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Her current AI-related work:

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• Research Director at Center for AI & Digital Policy

• Data Ethics lecturer at University of Michigan, School of Information

• Founding editorial board member of Springer Nature AI & Ethics journal

• Advisory board member of Turkish Policy Quarterly

• Advisor at Civic Software Foundation

• Fellow at ForHumanity Center working to draft framework for independent audit of AI systems

• Mentor at Women in AI Ethics Collective

• Instructor at RMDS Lab providing training on AI & Ethics and responsible AI development and implementation

• Steering Committee Member at Start Access (organized by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD))

• Working Group member at Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) P7008  & 2863 and IEC SEG10 Working Groups, developing global standards and frameworks on ethics of autonomous and intelligent systems, with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration

• Member at Open Community for Ethics in Autonomous and Intelligent Systems (OCEANIS) alongside national institutions.

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Merve also works with a Nevada-based social enterprise, High Sierra Industries, focused on learning systems for individuals with intellectual disabilities. She manages IT and software projects, acts as the organization's HIPAA privacy and security officer, and leads all the business process improvement initiatives.

 

She is a member of the board of directors for Northern Nevada International Center (University of Nevada-Reno). NNIC serves as Northern Nevada's refugee resettlement agency to help displaced persons and victims of human trafficking, as well as organizing programs for international delegations through the U.S. Department of State and other federal agencies. It is among the top organizations in the United States hosting over a dozen U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs large exchange programs.