Nathalie Teresa El Barche Antonios is a multilingual Supply Chain and Retail Technology Strategist specializing in AI-driven digital transformation, data governance, and organizational change. With a strong academic foundation in Materials Engineering and two master’s degrees—one in International Business and the other a STEM-designated degree in Sustainable Business from the University of Miami-she brings a rare cross-disciplinary perspective to solving complex industry challenges. Her mission is to modernize U.S. supply chains and retail operations by integrating artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and human-centered transformation strategies that improve operational resilience and drive national competitiveness.
Over the past decade, Nathalie has led large-scale innovation and data governance initiatives across the logistics, transportation, and retail sectors throughout the Americas and Europe. She has implemented enterprise-wide system integration and data quality frameworks in more than 20 countries, equipping global teams with tools to streamline operations, strengthen decision-making, and build digital maturity. Her ability to translate technical innovation into measurable business impact has made her a trusted collaborator across both corporate and academic environments.
Currently based in Miami, Florida, Nathalie is preparing to launch a consulting venture focused on helping U.S. retailers and logistics providers-especially small and mid-sized enterprises-leverage AI and analytics to enhance supply chain visibility, optimize inventory, and mitigate operational risk. Her work directly supports national priorities including domestic supply chain resilience, inclusive digital innovation, and sustainable economic growth.
In addition to her professional experience, Nathalie has led academic-industry consulting projects focused on supply chain transformation and sustainability impact tracking. These collaborations reflect her commitment to applying emerging technologies to real-world challenges, delivering scalable, data-driven solutions that benefit both businesses and communities.
She is an active member of IEEE TEMS, INFORMS, and ASCM, where she engages with thought leadership at the intersection of analytics, AI adoption, and innovation strategy. Her early research in materials science has been cited in a National Science Foundation–funded study and international publications. She was awarded an Academic Merit Award for her performance in International Business at the University of Miami, and received an Honorable Mention for her undergraduate thesis, which contributed to understanding fiber attrition in polymer processing environments.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and Arabic—with working proficiency in Portuguese-Nathalie brings a global mindset to every initiative. She is passionate about democratizing access to AI-powered tools and ensuring that digital transformation is scalable, inclusive, and aligned with long-term national impact.
Driven by purpose, systems thinking, and a deep commitment to impact, Nathalie continues to bridge the gap between technology, strategy, and human behavior-reshaping the future of commerce, one decision at a time.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
My days are structured to balance focused work with strategic growth. I start the morning with deep concentration tasks such as researching advanced applications of AI in supply chains, organizing data for predictive analytics models, or drafting frameworks for digital transformation projects. This time is reserved for independent thinking before meetings or communication. Later, I transition to collaboration—whether attending class, connecting with mentors, or developing ideas for my future consulting venture. To stay productive, I plan my week around clear priority goals and use reflection to course-correct. Breaking complex tasks into actionable steps makes progress more visible when juggling multiple responsibilities. I continually ask myself: “Is this moving me closer to creating solutions that enhance human potential through technology while strengthening national competitiveness?”
How do you bring ideas to life?
I bring ideas to life by combining rigorous research with practical design thinking. It starts with understanding the root problem-what’s truly limiting performance, visibility, or adoption in a system. From there, I map user journeys, assess data landscapes, and build prototypes-whether it’s an AI-powered analytics tool, a governance framework, or a change strategy designed to augment human decision-making rather than replace it. I test solutions early with stakeholders and treat feedback as essential input. The critical component is iteration-refining until the solution not only works technically but aligns with people, processes, and systems while advancing both productivity and human wellbeing. To me, innovation succeeds when it’s both intelligent and implementable, creating pathways for economic growth while addressing potential risks responsibly.
What’s one trend that excites you?
The convergence of artificial intelligence, supply chain resilience, and sustainability represents a transformative opportunity for U.S. economic competitiveness and security. We’re entering an era where intelligent systems can anticipate disruptions, optimize inventory, reduce waste, and improve transparency across supply chains in ways that strengthen national resilience. What excites me most is developing AI-powered analytics and data governance frameworks that democratize these capabilities for U.S. retailers and logistics providers-especially small and mid-sized businesses-enabling them to make better decisions with fewer resources. These solutions not only improve efficiency but support economic security, environmental responsibility, and long-term innovation leadership. I see this convergence not just as a trend to follow but as critical infrastructure to build responsibly, ensuring AI advances benefit all Americans while maintaining our technological advantage globally.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
I approach each day as a building block toward a long-term vision. One habit driving my productivity is translating my broader mission—advancing responsible AI-powered supply chain transformation—into focused, meaningful actions. Each morning, I identify the most consequential task supporting my strategic priorities and break it into manageable, results-driven steps. This habit maintains momentum on complex initiatives while keeping me grounded in daily execution. It ensures my time and energy align with the systems I’m working to build—solutions that improve operational resilience, support American businesses of all sizes, and drive measurable impact in U.S. retail and logistics. This disciplined approach helps me navigate the opportunities and responsibilities that come with developing technology that affects people’s livelihoods and national competitiveness.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Trust the value of thinking across boundaries. Your ability to connect engineering, business, data science, and human factors is a strength – not a limitation. The way you bridge disciplines will become increasingly valuable in a world where AI and technology transformation require both technical excellence and ethical consideration. Don’t hesitate to pursue complexity or challenge outdated systems, but always center human flourishing in your work. Your ability to design scalable solutions and bring structure to ambiguity will evolve into a mission with national significance. Stay focused on responsible innovation that lifts all participants in the digital economy. What you create will empower others while strengthening America’s technological leadership in a competitive global landscape.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you.
That most traditional change management frameworks are fundamentally misaligned with AI-powered environments. These models were designed for linear, top-down initiatives – not the rapid, iterative transformation that modern organizations require as they integrate artificial intelligence. I believe lasting impact comes from designing change as a built-in, adaptive process – one that starts with human users, evolves with data, and supports real-time decision-making while proactively addressing skills development. In my work, I’ve seen the most success when change management is integrated directly into AI adoption strategies – not treated as an afterthought. To truly modernize systems while ensuring economic security, we don’t just need smarter tools – we need smarter approaches to helping people adopt them in ways that enhance their capabilities rather than creating anxiety or resistance that ultimately undermines national competitiveness.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Design with the end user, not just for them. Whether it’s an AI-powered analytics tool or a large-scale transformation initiative, I always involve the people who will use the solution from the earliest stages. Their feedback shapes functionality, reveals adoption barriers, and often uncovers more responsible ways to implement innovation. This isn’t just about user satisfaction—it’s about creating technology that genuinely augments human capabilities rather than diminishing them. Embedding users in the design process helps ensure that solutions don’t just launch—they deliver sustainable value while addressing legitimate concerns about technological change. This human-centered approach is essential for developing AI systems that earn trust, achieve widespread adoption, and ultimately strengthen America’s position as a leader in responsible innovation.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I zoom out to reconnect with purpose. When complexity mounts, I step back to realign with the broader system I’m working to build—AI-powered tools and transformation strategies that improve how supply chains function while enhancing national resilience. This perspective shifts me from reactive to intentional thinking. I reconnect each task to its larger outcome, then break the work into strategic, manageable steps. This isn’t about working harder but thinking more systematically about how my contributions advance both business objectives and national interests in technology leadership. This practice helps me maintain focus on creating tools that serve human flourishing while navigating the inevitable challenges of pioneering new approaches to digital transformation.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Adopting a cross-disciplinary mindset at the intersection of technology and human systems has been transformative for my career. I integrate engineering principles, business strategy, data governance, and responsible AI development to design solutions that are technically robust, operationally scalable, and ethically sound. This perspective reveals connections others might miss—such as how predictive analytics can enhance human decision-making in supply chains, or how change management must evolve to support AI adoption without creating unnecessary barriers to innovation. This approach has helped me lead transformation initiatives across global logistics and retail operations while maintaining a focus on human-centered outcomes. As I prepare to launch a consulting venture focused on AI-powered supply chain innovation, this ability to connect disciplines will be crucial for building solutions that improve resilience, visibility, and competitiveness for U.S. businesses while ensuring we maintain leadership in critical technologies that enhance national security and economic prosperity.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Early in my career, I launched a digital transformation training program that failed to gain traction. Adoption was disappointingly low because I’d designed it from a systems perspective without adequately addressing human factors. I paused, gathered feedback, and completely restructured the approach. I introduced real-time coaching, interactive formats, and embedded feedback loops—treating adoption as a continuous, adaptive process rather than a one-time event. Engagement improved dramatically, but the real value came afterward: the model I developed became a foundation for human-centered AI implementation strategies I’ve applied across multinational environments. It taught me that even the most advanced technical systems fail without intentional strategies for human integration and skill development. This insight now shapes how I build AI-powered tools and data frameworks—always with dual focuses on technological advancement and human flourishing, recognizing that both are essential for maintaining America’s competitive edge. The most sophisticated AI solutions create little value if they’re not thoughtfully integrated into human workflows and organizational cultures.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
An AI-powered decision support platform tailored for small and mid-sized retailers. It would serve as a plug-and-play assistant-offering demand forecasts, risk alerts, inventory recommendations, and sustainability insights in plain language. What makes this idea powerful isn’t just the technology-it’s the accessibility. Many small businesses struggle to compete because they lack the resources to implement advanced analytics. By making AI tools intuitive and affordable, we can empower these businesses to operate with the same intelligence as large enterprises. This kind of solution could strengthen local economies, reduce inefficiencies across the supply chain, and improve national resilience-one smart decision at a time. I believe tools like this are essential to leveling the playing field, and I’m actively working to help bring this kind of vision to life.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Power BI is one of the most strategic tools in my workflow-it allows me to convert complex datasets into real-time dashboards that support supply chain visibility, performance tracking, and user adoption across transformation projects. I often use it alongside Excel for advanced modeling and data preparation, R Studio for statistical analysis and machine learning models, and PowerPoint and Canva to communicate insights in a compelling, decision-ready format. Platforms like Trello and Jira help me manage agile initiatives and ensure projects stay aligned with long-term objectives. This ecosystem of tools enables me to bridge the gap between technical innovation and operational execution-ensuring that every solution I deliver is not only data-driven but also scalable, user-centered, and aligned with national priorities in retail and supply chain modernization.
What is the best $100 you recently spent?
While renewing my IEEE membership, I made the intentional decision to join IEEE TEMS (Technology and Engineering Management Society). I was drawn to their focus on innovation leadership, digital transformation, and the strategic adoption of AI-areas that directly align with my professional mission. Becoming a TEMS member has given me access to valuable research, case studies, and peer networks that are shaping how technology is transforming global operations. It’s helping me stay current on best practices as I build scalable, AI-powered frameworks to support U.S. supply chain and retail modernization. That membership renewal wasn’t just administrative-it was a strategic step in deepening my contribution to national-level innovation.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast from which you’ve received much value?
One book that’s had a lasting impact on my thinking is Competing in the Age of AI by Marco Iansiti and Karim Lakhani. It offers a clear framework for how artificial intelligence is redefining business models, decision-making, and operational structures—especially in industries like logistics and retail. What resonated most was the emphasis on shifting from traditional, linear systems to scalable, intelligence-driven platforms. That insight continues to shape how I approach my own work-designing AI-powered tools and data governance frameworks that help U.S. retailers and supply chain operators operate with greater agility, precision, and resilience. The book doesn’t just describe a future I believe in—it directly informs the one I’m working to build.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
Two films that left a lasting impression on me are Steve Jobs and The Founder – each highlighting a different side of innovation that deeply resonates with my work. In Steve Jobs, there’s a powerful moment when he tells his daughter, “I’m going to put music in your pocket.” That line captures the essence of visionary leadership: turning something invisible – like data or technology – into something intuitive and empowering for the end user. It’s a reminder that real innovation doesn’t just solve technical problems—it simplifies complexity and enhances people’s lives. On the other hand, The Founder shows the operational side of innovation: how systems, processes, and standardization transformed a local idea into a globally scalable model. It reinforced the importance of building solutions that don’t just work once – they work everywhere. Together, these films reflect how I approach my mission: combining vision and execution to develop AI-powered tools and data frameworks that are not only intelligent, but scalable, accessible, and built to drive meaningful transformation across the U.S. retail and logistics landscape.
Key learnings:
- Transformational innovation begins with systems thinking and ends with solutions that scale.
- Combining technical depth with empathy ensures digital tools are adopted – and not just implemented.
- Cross-disciplinary strategy is essential for modernizing U.S. supply chains and retail operations.
- Clear, actionable insights are more valuable than complex tools that go unused.
- Scalable impact depends on designing AI-powered systems around real user needs.