“My goal is to make Wisconsin the ‘Silicon Prairie,’ through AI, and I really do feel like we have the best minds in the room and the gusto and gumption to do so." -- Sarah J. Buszka, WCTC Applied AI Lab director
PEWAUKEE, Wis. (Thursday, May 29, 2025) – Waukesha County Technical College is excited to welcome Sarah J. Buszka as the new director of WCTC’s Applied AI Lab. In this role, she will
spearhead the development and implementation of AI solutions to assist local companies with business challenges, provide workforce training and support AI strategy. Buszka will collaborate with employer partners and community stakeholders to create opportunities for economic development, and she will serve as WCTC’s primary point of contact for businesses and entrepreneurs seeking AI expertise.
"We are thrilled to have Sarah leading the Applied AI Lab into its next phase of growth,” said Laura Krohn, WCTC’s chief of staff. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in AI, information technology and training, and she is poised to help us expand our portfolio of AI services to businesses and startups. She will be a great partner and resource for this region and beyond."
Strong higher education technology background
Buszka will draw on her 15 years of higher education technology and consulting experience for her new role. Most recently, she was the senior relationship manager and technology strategist at Stanford University. Prior to that, she served as the critical infrastructure and cyberinfrastructure service lead, as well as process improvement specialist and engagement coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Through these roles, she developed expertise in several areas, among them AI enterprise strategy policy and ethics; digital transformation; data governance; cross-functional andvisionary leadership; machine learning; program management and more.
Buszka's recent involvement extends to the Applied AI Lab, where she served as a teacher and mentor for both gener8tor's gALPHA and gBETA accelerators. Notably, she was instrumental in connecting one of the gBETA participants with a valuable partnership opportunity, fostering the startup's growth. In February, Buszka also founded Forward AI Consulting to guide organizations across multiple sectors – education, corporate, government and entrepreneurial – and assist them with their AI efforts.
Buszka holds a Master of Public Administration from Cornell University, with a focus on AI policy, and Bachelor of Science degrees in Neurobiology and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She earned certifications in leadership, process improvement and other areas and was recently honored with the 2024 EDUCAUSE Rising Star Award for emerging international leaders in higher education technology.
Mission, vision align with core philosophy
Buszka said she is looking forward to being part of an organization that is fast becoming the vanguard for AI resources – and one that lives out its mission. She observed that many institutions tend to concentrate on theoretical topics and broad concepts with AI, often overlooking elements on the granular level. "With WCTC, the hands-on higher education focus was what really caught my attention," she said, noting that practical application of AI is crucial to help users understand how it works.
Upon meeting College leaders and learning WCTC’s visionary stance to change higher education, it resonated with Buszka’s own beliefs. “I think there’s a lot of opportunity for us to change what we’ve been doing in higher education -- for the better. Especially as technology continuously evolves – and as rapidly as it is right now -- with AI,” she said. “… I feel like my core philosophy is completely aligned with the mission of this institution, and I honestly haven’t heard such a bold mission anywhere.”
Buszka is eager to build on the AI lab’s many strengths, and she is excited to propel it forward while making her mark. She’s hoping to take the best of what she has learned from her experiences on the East Coast and West Coast and bring them to WCTC.
“My goal is to make Wisconsin the ‘Silicon Prairie,’ through AI, and I really do feel like we have the best minds in the room and the gusto and gumption to do so,” she said.
About WCTC's Applied AI Lab
WCTC’s Applied AI lab opened in fall 2024 and is dedicated to the exploration, development and application of AI technologies for entrepreneurs, business and industry professionals, students and others. To date, several classes, customized training opportunities, accelerators and events have taken place in the unique, state-of-the-art lab. The first floor of the lab is currently in use, and the WCTC Foundation is more than halfway to its $6 million fundraising goal to build a second-story addition devoted to student learning spaces.
For more information on WCTC’s Applied AI Lab and additional academic offerings, visit wctc.edu/ai.
