AI · Innovation · Entrepreneurship · Creative Technology

Leonard R. Dixon

Technology leader, educator, researcher, and creative practitioner connecting intelligent systems with business, student learning, and real-world innovation.

My work bridges professional practice and the classroom: translating emerging technology into practical systems, industry partnerships, student projects, and scholarly questions. I bring more than 25 years of experience across media and entertainment, technology, healthcare, and enterprise operations.

R1/AACSB Teaching Experience Human-AI Systems Applied Analytics Los Angeles Industry Network
Leonard R. Dixon
Los Angeles basedTechnology · Academia · Entertainment · Intelligent Systems
25+
years in technology and operations
R1/AACSB
teaching across research universities and business schools
AI +
data, entrepreneurship, systems, strategy, and creative technology
LA
industry network across media, technology, entertainment, and healthcare
Apple TV+Sony PicturesThe Walt Disney CompanyHBO Max / Warner Bros. DiscoveryBlue Shield of California Apple TV+Sony PicturesThe Walt Disney CompanyHBO Max / Warner Bros. DiscoveryBlue Shield of California
About

Practice informs scholarship.

I have spent my career working where technology, operations, data, and business decisions meet. Much of my professional experience has been based in Los Angeles, where I continue to maintain and rebuild relationships across the technology and entertainment ecosystem.

Education

Doctoral + technical development

I am a Ph.D. candidate in Business Administration at the University of Denver with a concentration in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, expecting to graduate in Summer 2027. I am also completing an M.S. in Applied Data Science and AI through the Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science. I previously earned an MBA, an M.S. in Database Technologies, and a B.S. in Information Systems.

“I value continuous upskilling — especially when emerging technology changes what students and organizations need to know.”

Technology, teaching, and practice are strongest when they continue to inform one another.
Teaching Experience

Across universities, disciplines, and student levels.

My teaching blends technical foundations with hands-on application. I have taught undergraduate, graduate, MBA, Ph.D., and executive education learners, with a strong emphasis on projects, prototypes, client-facing work, and making technical concepts accessible to students with different backgrounds.

CU

University of Colorado Denver

Business School · Information Systems & Entrepreneurship
Selected teaching areas
Information SystemsEntrepreneurshipApplied AIBusiness AnalyticsData SciencePythonDatabases & SQLDigital StrategyCapstone / Independent Study
DU

University of Denver

Daniels College of Business
Selected courses & instruction
Business StatisticsDatabase ProgrammingEntrepreneurshipApplied AIAI StrategyAI EthicsExecutive EducationGraduate Capstone Advising
CU

University of Colorado Boulder

Leeds School of Business
Teaching
Business Statistics

Representative courses and teaching areas are shown here; the curriculum vitae provides the full appointment history and additional academic activity.

Projects & Practice

Industry-connected work.

My projects often sit between university learning, industry collaboration, and applied technology. I am particularly interested in work that gives students real stakeholders, real constraints, and something tangible to build or present.

Featured collaboration

Broncos Country

A multidisciplinary collaboration involving students, music, creative production, university relationships, and the Denver Broncos ecosystem. The project reflects the kind of work I value: bringing technical, creative, business, and industry communities together around a visible outcome.

Watch the CBS Colorado feature →
01
Human-AI systems

Student-facing intelligent systems

Projects have included AI-enabled advising concepts, locally running assistants, voice interfaces, touchscreens, and prototypes developed around real university and organizational needs.

02
Los Angeles collaborations

Creative technology & edge intelligence

Since returning to Los Angeles, I have been re-engaging my network and exploring collaboration ideas with Grammy-winning music producers, including concepts for edge-intelligent systems that can assist recording and production workflows.

03
Upcoming

Artificial Wisdom

An upcoming chapter in a practice-oriented academic volume on transformative mentorship. My contribution explores artificial wisdom and human-AI collaboration as tools for mentorship and decision support.

Scholarship

Research tied to practice.

My scholarly work broadly examines AI adoption, entrepreneurship, intelligent systems, and human-AI collaboration. I value conferences and collaborative scholarship as ways to exchange ideas, see emerging innovations, and bring new thinking back into teaching and applied projects.

HICSS 2025

AI Adoption in Entrepreneurial Firms

The Influence of Innovativeness, Proactiveness, and Risk-Taking, co-authored with John Sebesta and presented at the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.

Read the paper →
Current research

AI adoption & intelligent systems

My doctoral and applied work examines how people and organizations evaluate, adopt, and use AI, with particular interest in entrepreneurial settings and the design of systems that support real decision-making.

Google Scholar profile →
Current

Ph.D. in Business Administration

Innovation and Entrepreneurship concentration, University of Denver. Expected Summer 2027.

Current

M.S. in Applied Data Science & AI

Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Denver.

Upcoming

Artificial Wisdom

Practice-oriented academic book chapter on transformative mentorship and human-AI collaboration.

Media & Recognition

Selected coverage.

A few examples of university and media coverage related to my research, teaching, AI work, and student collaborations.

University of Denver

Featured Researcher: Leo Dixon

A Daniels College of Business profile on applied AI, entrepreneurship, research, and integrating emerging technology into teaching.

Read the profile →
Forbes

AI as Business Partner

Featured perspective on AI, business collaboration, and how organizations may use intelligent systems as practical partners in work.

Read the article →
CBS Colorado

Broncos Orange Zone

CBS Colorado featured CU Denver students and Broncos fans showcasing their musical talent through the 5280 Shuffle project.

Watch the segment →
Music & Creative Work

Creative practice matters too.

Music is another part of how I think about technology, collaboration, and creative practice. It also informs my interest in emerging tools for recording, production, and human-AI interaction.

Music Selection 01

Original creative work.

Music Selection 02

Original creative work.

New music coming Fall 2027. Additional creative work and collaborations will be added as they are released.
Connect

Industry, academia, and creative practice.

I am interested in collaborations that connect students, emerging technology, intelligent systems, entrepreneurship, and real-world partners.