Executive Director | Board of Directors

Randy Steck is a technology executive, engineer, and technical leader with decades of experience directing advanced computing and engineering programs.

Randy retired from Intel Corporation as Vice President/General Manager in 2001. He was a designer on the 80960 family of microcontrollers and was named Design Manager for the Pentium Pro (P6) microprocessor in 1990. He later became General Manager and Vice President of Intel’s Performance Microprocessor Division, where he drove the development of the Pentium II, Pentium III, Celeron, and Pentium 4 product lines. He was responsible for more than twelve mainstream microprocessor development programs and, in his final year at Intel, served as Chief Technology Officer for the Network and Communications Group.

He subsequently served as CEO and Chairman of Stexar Corporation, developing new technology for digital television and leading the development of a dedicated microprocessor for digital entertainment.

From 2006 to 2011, Randy worked at SpaceX as a “Troubleshooter,” working closely with executive staff and key management to deliver results amid rapidly changing technical requirements and organizational challenges. His work included management and organizational initiatives across Avionics, Software, Structures, and Propulsion.

Randy has extensive experience leading technical teams working at the frontier of product development and has received multiple industry awards and holds several patents. He earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Brigham Young University and has served as an Associate Professor at Arizona State University and the Oregon Graduate Institute.

Principal Scientist | Board of Directors

Raed Shaiia is a theoretical physicist and the Principal Scientist at the Probabilistic Computing Lab. His research focuses on the foundations of quantum mechanics, probability theory, and their extension to new approaches to probabilistic computation.

Shaiia began the research program underlying his current work in 2012. His research has examined the relationship between probability and the mathematical structure of quantum theory, including generalized probabilistic theories and the emergence of Hilbert-space structure. His work has been published in IET Quantum Communication and is also available through arXiv. 

At PCL, he leads the development and testing of foundational approaches to probabilistic computing and their potential applications to optimization, scientific computation, physics, and engineering.

Board of Directors

Eric Pedersen, Ph.D. is Professor of Software Engineering at Utah Tech University and a longtime academic and technology leader. He served as Dean of Utah Tech’s College of Science, Engineering & Technology from 2013 to 2024 and has more than three decades of experience in higher education, computing, innovation, and technology entrepreneurship.

His work has included directing the research team that developed and launched the first website in Utah and co-founding InfoWest, the first regional internet service provider in southern Utah. He has also held multiple leadership roles in technology development, business development, and university programs. At PCL, he serves on the Board of Directors and contributes academic, technical, and entrepreneurial experience to the Lab’s mission.

Treasurer 

Anfissa Smith is a finance executive and Certified Public Accountant who oversees financial operations, reporting, and compliance at the Probabilistic Computing Lab. She previously served as Vice President of Finance at Mercato, a private growth equity firm, where she led recurring finance functions, investor reporting, portfolio-company financial analysis, and fund compliance.

She began her career at KPMG, rising to Senior Manager in the audit practice and serving public and private companies across multiple industries. She holds both a B.S. in Accounting and a Master of Accountancy from the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business, serves on the school’s Opportunity Scholars and Accounting Advisory Boards, and was named a Rising Star in the David Eccles School of Business Hall of Fame.