Sara Smith | Field Service Palm Springs

Field Service Palm Springs 2025

April 22 - 24, 2025

JW Marriott Desert Springs, Palm Springs, CA

Sara Smith

Service AI Program Owner Waters Corporation

Sara is a seasoned professional with a background in Forensic Toxicology, an MBA with a concentration in healthcare management, and 17 years of experience in the industry. Starting her career as a Forensic Scientist at Quest Diagnostics, Sara has seamlessly transitioned from a Field Service Engineer to various leadership positions within Waters’ service business, including the Director of Global Service Change Enablement. Today, Sara combines her diverse background and expertise in change management principles to drive strategic initiatives centered around AI for the Waters global service business.

Tue, April 22: Day 1 - Deep-Dive Workshop Day - The Next Generation of Leadership: Evolving Your Style and Influence Skills to Fit the Times and New Workforce Realities

9:30 AM PANEL: Accelerating Speed to Value from Your Technology Investments, Whether you Build, Buy or Blend Both Approaches

Organizations face critical decisions when it comes to technology investments. This panel session brings together industry leaders to explore strategies for maximizing return on investment and accelerating speed to value, regardless of whether you choose to build custom solutions, buy off-the-shelf products, or adopt a hybrid approach.

Our panelists will share insights on:

  • Evaluating the pros and cons of building vs. buying technology solutions
  • Identifying opportunities to blend custom and off-the-shelf approaches for optimal results
  • Strategies for rapid deployment and adoption of new technologies
  • Overcoming common challenges in technology implementation and integration
  • Measuring and demonstrating ROI from technology investments

Attendees will gain valuable perspectives on how to make informed decisions about technology investments and drive tangible business value in their field service operations. Whether you're considering a major technology overhaul or looking to optimize your existing systems, this session will provide actionable insights to help you accelerate your path to success.

10:10 AM PARTNER KEYNOTE/FIRESIDE CHAT: The Human Side of AI – How Waters and Aquant Are Transforming Field Service

Join Aquant and Waters Corporation for a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to embed AI into the DNA of a service organization. In this keynote, we’ll unveil two powerful innovations — Aquant’s Voice Agent and Offline AI — designed to amplify every technician’s capabilities and preserve tribal knowledge in the field.

You’ll also hear directly from Sara Smith, Service AI Program Owner at Waters, as she shares the creative, human-first strategies that made AI adoption not only successful, but fun.

From Star Wars-themed training quests to dedicated AI leadership roles, this is the real-world blueprint for transforming service from the inside out.

Walk away with:

  • A first look at Aquant’s Voice AI and Offline AI agents in action
  • Proven strategies to engage frontline teams and overcome resistance
  • A vision for what AI-powered service teams can achieve—no matter where they are


Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Sara.

Download The Latest Agenda