Chris Ilacqua D.B.A.
About Chris Ilacqua D.B.A.
Chris Ilacqua is the Senior Director of Product & Design at WhizAI, where he has worked since 2021. He holds a D.B.A. from the University of Phoenix and has extensive experience in product management and education.
Work at WhizAI
Chris Ilacqua has served as the Senior Director of Product & Design at WhizAI since 2021. In this role, he has been instrumental in coordinating cross-functional teams that include Marketing, Customer Support, Sales, and Education to develop effective product rollout strategies. He has also created and managed the WhizAI Academy & Product Certification, which serves as an online educational platform for distance learning. His leadership in product design and development has contributed to the company's growth in the AI analytics sector.
Education and Expertise
Chris Ilacqua holds a Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) from the University of Phoenix, where he focused on Leadership from 2003 to 2008. He also earned an MBA in Accounting from Western New England University between 1982 and 1984. Additionally, he has studied Marketing and achieved a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) from Western New England University from 1978 to 1982. His academic background supports his extensive experience in product management and education.
Professional Background
Chris Ilacqua has a diverse professional background spanning several key roles in product management and marketing. He worked at IBM as Director of Product Marketing from 2004 to 2011 and held the position of Global Research Director for Product Validation at Qlik from 2012 to 2016. Prior to that, he served as Senior Director of Product Management at Qlik from 2016 to 2019. His earlier career includes roles at Applix and NEBS, where he gained significant experience in decision support and product management.
Teaching and Mentoring
Chris Ilacqua has contributed to academia as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Nichols College from 2018 to 2019, where he developed and instructed undergraduate and graduate students in a hybrid learning environment. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Cambridge College Global since 2010, focusing on educating future business leaders. Additionally, he was a Dissertation Committee Member at the University of Phoenix from 2013 to 2015, providing support and feedback to doctoral students during their dissertation process.
Achievements in Product Development
Throughout his career, Chris Ilacqua has led significant initiatives in product development. He coordinated the Beta and Early Adopter Program to facilitate early product feedback and iteration. He also played a key role in defining and developing ExplAIn, a suite of AI/ML analytics tools that includes features such as Anomaly Detection and Key Driver Analysis. His work has included publishing quarterly competitive reports on the BI Marketplace, offering strategic insights into industry trends.