Krystyna Menkova is a PhD researcher and Lead Data Scientist at Ciena, ex-Citibank focused on advancing AI innovation and exploring the practical future of Generative AI within enterprise environments. Her work centers around incorporating AI and data-driven solutions into real business systems, helping drive AI adoption, organize technical initiatives, and shape the direction of AI-focused development across the organization.

With more than 7 years of experience across multiple industries, Krystyna has led and delivered end-to-end AI and data initiatives — from research and strategic planning to development, implementation, and production deployment. Her expertise combines practical industry leadership with a strong research-driven mindset focused on solving complex real-world problems through AI.

Beyond her professional work, Krystyna is deeply passionate about independent AI research and continuously explores emerging areas of artificial intelligence, LLMs, agentic systems, and intelligent decision-making frameworks. Her work is driven by curiosity, innovation, and a strong belief in the transformative potential of AI technologies.