🧜‍♀️ The AI Collective Hampton Roads

Guardrails for Gen AI: From Policy to Practice
How to constrain AI systems without killing their value

Everyone uses the word "guardrails." Almost nobody means the same thing.

This co-presented session brings together AI strategy and cybersecurity expertise to break down what guardrails actually are, where they belong in your AI systems, and how to implement them without crippling the tools your teams rely on. We will cover the strategic layer — governance, risk classification, and authority boundaries — then dive into the technical layer with hands-on walkthroughs of real guardrails frameworks like NVIDIA NeMo Guardrails and Guardrails AI. Whether you are a business leader trying to deploy AI safely or a security practitioner trying to contain it, this session gives you a practical, layered approach you can take back to your organization immediately.

What you'll learn

• Why traditional security assumptions break down with AI systems
• The three layers of AI guardrails: governance, architecture, and implementation
• How to treat AI agents as high-risk identities using least privilege and Zero Trust principles
• Where guardrails actually get enforced — at system boundaries, not in prompts
• Real tools and frameworks for building guardrails into AI pipelines
• What guardrails can and cannot do — honest limitations and tradeoffs
• Hands-on homework: get started with Guardrails AI and NeMo Guardrails in 15 minutes

This is not about adding a system prompt and hoping for the best. It is about building AI systems that fail safely and stay auditable.

Your speakers

Andrew Stafford is a Fractional Chief AI Officer and Director of Technology and Global Alliances at The AI Collective. He works with executive teams to establish clear ownership of AI decisions, focus on real ROI, and avoid unnecessary risk, tool sprawl, and hype-driven strategy. Andrew brings 25 years in tech spanning Amazon, NASA, and five startups to the strategic and architectural side of AI security.

Ken is a security practitioner with ISSA Hampton Roads. He brings deep hands-on experience in security engineering and implementation, and will lead the technical deep dive into guardrails tooling, configuration, and real-world limitations.
Together, Andrew and Ken will walk you through a complete guardrails framework — from policy to architecture to working code — blending strategic thinking with practical implementation.

Who should attend?

• CISOs, security architects, and IT leaders responsible for AI risk
• Developers and engineers building or deploying AI agents and applications
• Product managers and business leaders evaluating AI tools for their teams
• Security practitioners curious about the AI threat model
• Anyone responsible for AI governance, compliance, or acceptable use policies
• Technical professionals who want hands-on experience with guardrails tools

No prior AI security experience required, but familiarity with basic AI concepts is helpful.

Why this matters

AI systems collapse data, logic, and control — and traditional security was never built for that. The real danger is not bad AI. It is trusting non-deterministic systems with authority. Organizations that get guardrails right will deploy AI faster and safer. Organizations that skip them will learn the hard way. This session is about making sure you are in the first group.

FAQs
Is there free parking? Yes. There is plenty of free parking available on the ECPI University campus.

Is this event free? Yes. Space is limited, so please RSVP and cancel if your plans change.

Will food or drinks be provided? Light snacks and drinks will be available.

🤝 Organizers & partners

Meet people and pick up your weekly groceries.

🤝 A casual networking hangout in the grocery store cafe
Chats, connections, & grocery carts is a relaxed, social-first networking event for curious, friendly people across Hampton Roads who enjoy good conversation and knocking out life errands at the same time.

This is not a lecture.
This is not a pitch night.
And you definitely do not need to “prepare” anything.

It is simply a low-pressure space to meet new people, have real conversations, and casually connect while wandering the aisles and picking up your weekly groceries.

Whether you are deeply into AI and automation, adjacent to tech and creativity, or just someone who enjoys thoughtful conversations with interesting humans, you belong here.

✨ What to expect
- Casual, open networking with a mix of builders, creatives, technologists, founders, students, and professionals
- Easy, organic conversations while shopping at your own pace
- Light, optional conversation prompts to help break the ice if you want them
- No presentations, no panels, no pressure to “network correctly”
- A friendly, welcoming environment for all backgrounds and experience levels
- Come as you are. Grab a cart or a basket. Pick up dinner for the week. - - Meet a few new people along the way.

👥 Who should attend
Chats, Connections, & Grocery Carts is for:

People who enjoy meeting others without forced networking vibes
Builders, creatives, technologists, and curious minds
AI, automation, no-code, and tech-adjacent folks
Students and career switchers exploring what is next
Founders, consultants, operators, and professionals
Anyone who likes good conversation and low-stakes socializing

If you enjoy thoughtful chats and meeting people in unexpected places, you will fit right in.

🏪 Why a grocery store
You were probably going to the store anyway.

Hosting this event in a grocery store keeps things human, practical, and approachable. It removes the pressure of traditional networking and turns it into something simple, efficient, and a little fun.

Two errands. One cart.

💡 Why this event exists
Community grows best in relaxed, everyday spaces.

Chats, Connections, & Grocery Carts exists to create an easy, human-centered way for people to connect without titles, talks, or expectations. It is about building relationships, sharing ideas naturally, and strengthening the local community one conversation at a time.

Come say hi. Leave with groceries. Make a few new connections along the way.

ℹ️ Other bits of info & FAQs

• This is a free community event
• Drinks or food are available for purchase depending on the venue
• Photos or videos may be taken for community and marketing purposes
• Come solo or bring a friend
• ​​​​Is there free parking in the area? Yes. Wegman's has got lots of spots available in their many parking lots.
• ​​​Is this free? Yes, but space is limited. Make sure to RSVP.

🤝 Organizers & partners