Our Leadership

Meet the Team

Christopher Brya

Founder, CEO

Chris Brya is the Founder and CEO of SmartRoad AI, where he’s pioneering a bold, practical path into the AI 3.0 era. With over 25 years of experience in digital marketing, e-commerce, and business strategy—including leadership roles at brands like GoDaddy, Revlon, Motorola, and Choice Hotels—Chris has built SmartRoad AI to be more than an education platform; it’s a system for transforming careers through intelligent, real-world AI adoption. A strategist at heart and operator by trade, Chris leads with clarity, structure, and relentless focus on helping professionals build autonomy, income, and resilience in an AI-driven economy. He’s the architect behind the AI training series, Insight360 AI Diagnostic System®, the C.R.E.S.T. Prompting Framework™ and a growing ecosystem of training protocols that bring generative AI down to earth. Known for blending intellectual rigor with a bias toward action, Chris is on a mission to help people stop fearing the future—and start leading it. He holds a degree in Economics from Arizona State University.

Miguel Almaraz

Executive Vice President of Marketing

Miguel leads brand awareness, user acquisition, and retention efforts with precision and creativity. With more than two decades of experience spanning digital marketing, UX leadership, and data-driven growth, Miguel has built a reputation for delivering scalable, high-performance marketing systems across industries. He previously led digital strategy at Plexus Worldwide and advised DTC brands through his consultancy, consistently driving double-digit gains in conversion and ROI. A builder at heart, he established the UX department at Choice Hotels and continues to blend strategic vision with hands-on execution. Miguel holds an MBA and is a proud alumnus of Arizona State University. At SmartRoad AI, he’s on a mission to help professionals navigate—and thrive in—the AI 3.0 era by crafting campaigns that are as innovative as the technology they represent. Data sharp. Strategy smart. Always moving forward.

Katie Arnett

Director of Community & Customer Experience

As the Director of Community & Customer Experience at SmartRoad AI, Katie leads with equal parts empathy and execution. With a career spanning key roles at Electronic Arts and Intel, Katie brings deep expertise in building human-centered engagement systems within high-growth, tech-forward environments. At SmartRoad AI, she designs and scales customer journeys that turn first-time users into loyal advocates—through intuitive onboarding, thoughtful support, and a vibrant professional community. Whether managing cohort experiences, capturing voice-of-customer insights, or developing community protocols that foster connection, Katie ensures every interaction feels personal, frictionless, and high-value. Her background includes spearheading digital education initiatives and engagement programs for both consumer and enterprise audiences, giving her a rare blend of marketing psychology, systems thinking, and service design. Katie holds a B.S. in Communications from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and believes that in an AI-driven world, authentic human connection is still the ultimate differentiator.

Benjamin Hoffner

Director of Engineering & AI Systems

Ben leads the development of the educational platform’s technical backbone—architecting APIs and systems that are scalable, secure, and intelligently automated. With a background in full-stack engineering and AI systems architecture, Ben specializes in integrating cutting-edge AI technologies into real-world learning environments. Prior to joining SmartRoad AI, he led engineering efforts for multiple SaaS and edtech platforms, where his rapid prototyping and API-first mindset enabled faster go-to-market cycles and superior user experiences. His work bridges deep technical expertise with a builder’s mindset—translating AI possibilities into usable, stable features that power the AI 3.0 learning journey. Ben studied at Freie Universität Berlin before earning his B.S. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Oregon, where he focused on emerging AI systems. At SmartRoad AI, he’s shaping the technology infrastructure that allows users to scale their careers and growth—one intelligent system at a time.