On the evening of April 30, I found myself in a packed Bishop Auditorium at Stanford University, surrounded by over 500 students, faculty, alumni and community members, with an overflow room to accommodate the enthusiastic crowd. We had gathered for the Stanford Veritas Forum, a student-organized event dedicated to exploring life’s deepest questions at the intersection of faith, reason and culture. I was particularly eager to hear from two tech industry giants: John Hennessy, former Stanford president and current chairman of Alphabet, and Patrick Gelsinger, former CEO of Intel and a key contributor to the development of USB and Wi-Fi.
The forum was moderated by Elli Schulz ’25, president of Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship and vice president of Vox Clara, a student-run magazine partnered with Veritas. It offered a unique opportunity to connect with leaders who have shaped the tech world while reflecting on identity, purpose, ethics, and faith. Elli, whom I’ve known since 2022 through Chi Alpha — one of Stanford’s most diverse and largest Christian organizations — brought calm confidence, lighthearted humor and sharp questions to guide the hour-long conversation. She was the ideal moderator, given her passion for apologetics and dedication to faith and work.
Elli opened the discussion with: “Success isn’t just what we achieve vocationally, but it’s who we are as a person, our values, and how we treat others.” This set a profound yet grounded tone for the rest of the event.
The warmth between Hennessy and Gelsinger was striking, their friendship dating back decades. Hennessy had been Gelsinger’s professor at Stanford, and they reminisced about old times, laughing over Gelsinger’s nickname for Hennessy — “Mr. Risk” — and their public debates. Gelsinger called Hennessy “the best teacher” he ever had, underscoring their genuine mutual respect.
As the conversation unfolded, their insights on success, resilience and ethics captivated me. Gelsinger’s emphasis on integrity stood out: “If you want to piss me off, really get me angry, question my integrity, because to me that is by far the most important thing. I’m gonna beat you, and I’m gonna do it ethically.”
His words resonated deeply, showcasing achievement without compromised values. As an entrepreneur, I related strongly, striving to overachieve while staying humble, honoring my Peruvian roots and giving back to communities. It reminded me of core priorities: family first, community and values.
Through Pan Peru USA, the nonprofit I founded and lead, I continue my mother’s legacy by building libraries for underserved kids, reforesting thousands of trees in the Andes and empowering rural women entrepreneurs in her hometown at 12,600 feet elevation. With my mom currently battling Parkinson’s, balancing Silicon Valley entrepreneurship and caregiving in Peru has been challenging — I’ve missed Stanford weddings, conferences and board meetings to be in Lima, but I regret nothing. It echoes Gelsinger’s book, The Juggling Act.
The discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) drew me in further. Immersed in Stanford’s AI research, I found Hennessy’s view sobering yet inspiring. He acknowledged AI’s potential but cautioned: “AI needs leaders who think about how this technology gets deployed for good in the world rather than for negative consequences… It’s a lot more powerful than social media, so we have to think a lot harder about how we push it in directions that benefit society.”
This highlighted innovation’s responsibilities. It recalled my interview with Judith Estrin ’77 — Internet pioneer, Cisco’s first CTO, and Stanford alum in electrical engineering — for my book “Differences That Make A Difference”. Expecting tech gadgets at our Menlo Park coffee meet, she brought pen and paper, sharing regrets over the Internet’s negative impacts, especially on female teens. I agree with Hennessy: we must critically steer AI to benefit Stanford, the Bay Area and global society.
Elli boldly asked about balancing demanding careers with family and personal life. Their advice on mentorship, boundaries and relationships felt applicable. In my MS&E course with lecturer Jack Fuchs, noticing his tennis shoes led to suggesting a match, fostering a relational bond. Today, we play weekly in Portola Valley and have attended the French and Australian Opens. Despite differing faiths — he’s Jewish, I’m Christian — we share grace before meals in gratitude.
Gelsinger’s Christian faith was powerful, describing it as his life’s foundation. Quoting Colossians 3:23–24: “Work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” It drives his generosity — he and his wife donate 53% of their income: “Make all that you can, so you can give all that you can.” This inspired rethinking my priorities: caring for my mom Julia, leading Pan Peru USA in Silicon Valley, and serving on Notre Dame de Namur University’s board. While investing heavily in Pan Peru, a 501(c)(3), I could support more Stanford nonprofits and friends like Nicole Benalcázar-Pavlik ’25 (Chi Alpha vice president) and Erin Liwen Su ’25 on mission trips.
During Q&A, questions on AI policy, success, faith and life arose. Gelsinger’s resilience insight stuck: “You grow in failure, you grow in challenge. And if you’re not failing, you’re not challenging yourself. Character is refined in failures, it is gained in failure.” It freed me from fearing mistakes.
Post-event, the energy buzzed. I debriefed with friends over Chipotle; Gelsinger chatted with attendees. Hennessy praised Elli before leaving: “You did a great job — balanced and sharp.”
Gelsinger added: “What a fabulous evening. I’m always happy to share the stage with John.”
The Veritas Forum, founded at Harvard in 1992 with a strong Stanford history, fosters honest dialogue on big questions. For me, it was an invitation to reflect on purpose, ethics and belief in a fast-paced world. Hennessy’s closing lingered: “When you get to be my age and you look back on life, what you want to know isn’t how much money you made or anything else, it’s how many people’s lives you improved along the way.”
I left challenged to impact not just tech, but lives around me.