IIBA Greater Philadelphia Chapter

Event Description
Creating AI Agents for Regular People: What's In It for You? You've heard the buzz about AI, but what if you could create your own AI assistant without being a developer, data scientist, or programmer? In this practical, beginner-friendly session, you'll see how everyday professionals can build simple AI agents that solve real problems, save time, and make work easier. We'll create several useful agents live, step-by-step, showing that AI agent creation is no longer reserved for technical experts. Whether you are a Business Analyst, Project Manager, Product Owner, Consultant, or simply curious about AI, you'll leave with ideas you can immediately apply in your work and volunteer activities. In this session, you'll discover: What an AI agent is and how it differs from a chatbot Real-world business and personal use cases anyone can build How to create simple AI agents in minutes Ways AI agents can help with analysis, documentation, meeting preparation, study groups, customer support, and more Common mistakes to avoid Opportunities to increase your impact without increasing your workload Why attend? AI is rapidly becoming a core workplace skill. The people who learn to direct AI effectively will have a significant advantage over those who simply use it for basic prompts. This session will help you move from AI user to AI creator, opening the door to smarter workflows, better productivity, and entirely new ways of solving problems. No technical background required. No coding required. Just curiosity and a willingness to explore what's possible. Come see how regular people are creating AI agents today and leave ready to build your first one.

Speaker Bio
Thea Soehren is a Business Analyst with Cincinnati Insurance Companies, a CBAP-certified business analysis leader, and President of the award winning Tampa Bay IIBA Chapter. She is passionate about helping professionals develop practical skills that advance their careers while delivering greater value to their organizations.
A frequent trainer, speaker, mentor, coach, and facilitator, Thea has led hundreds of hours of professional development programs covering business analysis, AI, Excel, SDLC practices, effective facilitation, leadership development, and certification preparation. She is known for helping individuals and teams navigate complex challenges, strengthen stakeholder engagement, improve meeting effectiveness, and build confidence in their professional capabilities.
An enthusiastic advocate for emerging technology, Thea has successfully applied AI tools in both corporate and volunteer settings and enjoys showing others how everyday professionals can use AI to increase productivity, improve decision-making, and solve business problems. Her approach focuses on practical, no-code solutions that anyone can start using immediately.
When she's not leading workshops, mentoring aspiring CBAP candidates, or speaking at industry events, Thea is actively involved in building communities that support learning, collaboration, and professional growth.