# The CDI Foundation | Conversation Design Institute > The CDI Foundation is the non-profit developing and promoting the standards for conversational and agentic AI, through research, education, scholarships, and industry development. Source: https://www.conversationdesigninstitute.com/about/cdi-foundation --- ![](https://a.storyblok.com/f/323168/118x150/3136de554e/cdi-foundation-vert-logo-white.svg) # About The CDI Foundation Introduction The CDI Foundation (CDIF) is a non-profit organisation that represents, promotes, and develops the Conversational AI community. ## Chapters [Introduction ](#fe93596e-989d-4a93-876c-a5b6b71934bc) [Leadership ](#75968fc8-2e66-44fd-9c16-6d7f4d33ae45) [Programmess and Initiatives ](#bdb9008c-98cd-4242-aaa8-0222a84c001d) [How to Get Involved ](#feaaa785-cea9-4900-8d35-1d2b3b8dabfe) ## Introduction The CDI Foundation (CDIF) is a non-profit organisation that represents, promotes, and develops the Conversational AI community. It does this by promoting standards and best practices for creating human-centric, empathetic, goal-oriented and inclusive AI assistants that talk to people via chatbots and voice applications, and by conducting research, education, and industry development. The foundation supports the CDI Standards Framework, which helps enterprises develop high-performing Conversational AI capabilities. CDIF engages with individuals and partner organisations, universities and schools, technology companies, and consultancy firms. Our engagement is worldwide, with a strong presence in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Through our online Conversation Design Festival, CDIF reaches a global community of over 1,000 Conversational AI professionals, and our Beyond Boundaries event brings the community together for an in-person event each year. We are visible to over 6,000 active learners in more than 50 countries with a large and growing global alumni community. [ Learn more about the CDI Foundation ](https://www.conversationdesigninstitute.org/) ## Leadership Team The Foundation board members are: [ ![Hans van Dam](https://a.storyblok.com/f/323168/300x300/9d7aae7175/hans-van-dam.jpg/m/200x0/filters:no_upscale()) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/follow-hvdam/) [Hans van Dam ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/follow-hvdam/) ![](https://a.storyblok.com/f/323168/372x65/016bf9bb63/cdi-logo-black.svg) The Conversation Design Institute [ ![Olaf Igesz](https://a.storyblok.com/f/323168/300x300/59613d1f33/olaf.jpg/m/200x0/filters:no_upscale()) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/olafigesz/) [Olaf Igesz ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/olafigesz/) ![](https://a.storyblok.com/f/323168/372x65/016bf9bb63/cdi-logo-black.svg) The Conversation Design Institute [ ![Ejieme Eromosele](https://a.storyblok.com/f/323168/300x300/fe16846d44/ejieme-eromosele-quiq.jpg/m/200x0/filters:no_upscale()) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejieme/) [Ejieme Eromosele ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejieme/) ![](https://a.storyblok.com/f/323168/372x65/016bf9bb63/cdi-logo-black.svg) Quiq [ ![Lisa Talia Moretti](https://a.storyblok.com/f/323168/300x300/07b8811ac3/lisa-thalia-moretti.jpg/m/200x0/filters:no_upscale()) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisataliamoretti/) [Lisa Talia Moretti ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisataliamoretti/) ![](https://a.storyblok.com/f/323168/372x65/016bf9bb63/cdi-logo-black.svg) Digital Sociologist [ ![Peter Thomas](https://a.storyblok.com/f/323168/300x300/f7662b3cf4/pater-thomas.jpg/m/200x0/filters:no_upscale()) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaspj/) [Peter Thomas ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaspj/) ![](https://a.storyblok.com/f/323168/372x65/016bf9bb63/cdi-logo-black.svg) RMIT FORWARD [ ![Sarah Lorimer](https://a.storyblok.com/f/323168/300x300/6cf55cac90/sarah-lorimer.jpg/m/200x0/filters:no_upscale()) ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-lorimer-b2558016/) [Sarah Lorimer ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-lorimer-b2558016/) ![](https://a.storyblok.com/f/323168/372x65/016bf9bb63/cdi-logo-black.svg) Futurely Strategy ## Programmess and Initiatives The CDI Foundation works in the following areas: - **Research** supporting collaborative research to uncover best practices, create design patterns and research emerging technologies and how they relate to the conversational AI industry - **Education** creating educational programmess to teach design patterns and supporting inclusive scholarships for those wishing to enter the industry, especially focused on underrepresented people and groups - **Best Practice** developing maturity models that map out proven design patterns and best practices - **Industry Development**, creating and evolving the CDI Manifesto to align the industry around common goals; organising The Beyond Boundaries Global Festival, a global meeting to celebrate people working in conversational AI; an Industry Fellowship scheme; a Conversational AI leaders list to highlight those who are shaping the industry; and Insight Collectives that explore the future of Conversational AI ## How to Get Involved Anyone across the industry can get involved with The CDI Foundation by - Becoming a partner in the Foundation - Attending and speaking at our events - Becoming a Fellow of the CDI Foundation - Joining or leading an Insight Collective - Nominating for the CDI Foundation Conversational AI Leaders List