Seth Goldman, Founder and TeaEO Emeritus Honest Tea and now Executive Chairman of Beyond Meat, will inspire attendees with lessons he has learned on the path to success fueled in significant part by innovation, but overcoming huge obstacles. He will discuss many facets of "The Future of Food," from creative and more sustainable ways to grow, produce, distribute, and encourage the use of more healthful food products - and better ways to use water & other vital resources.
Seth Goldman, Founder and TeaEO Emeritus Honest Tea and now Executive Chairman of Beyond Meat, will inspire attendees with lessons he has learned on the path to success fueled in significant part by innovation, but overcoming huge obstacles. He will discuss many facets of "The Future of Food," from creative and more sustainable ways to grow, produce, distribute, and encourage the use of more healthful food products - and better ways to use water & other vital resources.
Keynote: Creating Business Magic
David Morey will discuss and demonstrate (through his performance of magic) his theme from his latest book "Creating Business Magic: How the Power of Magic Can Inspire, Innovate, and Revolutionize Your Business".
Keynote: Creating Business Magic
David Morey will discuss and demonstrate (through his performance of magic) his theme from his latest book "Creating Business Magic: How the Power of Magic Can Inspire, Innovate, and Revolutionize Your Business".
James P. Moore, Jr. is the founder and CEO of the newly launched Washington Institute for Business, Government, and Society. Based in Washington, D.C., the Institute is dedicated to addressing challenging issues facing the intersection of business, government, and society, particularly in the area of high technology and innovation. Furthermore, it is committed to the education of future leaders through scholarships and other opportunities, underscoring its trademarked slogan ‘Shaping the world together”.
Prior to launching the Institute, he served as Managing Director of the Business and Public Policy Initiative at Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business and taught courses in international trade, ethics, management and leadership. He received the school’s highest award for distinguished teaching and was also inducted into its honor society.
James P. Moore, Jr. is the founder and CEO of the newly launched Washington Institute for Business, Government, and Society. Based in Washington, D.C., the Institute is dedicated to addressing challenging issues facing the intersection of business, government, and society, particularly in the area of high technology and innovation. Furthermore, it is committed to the education of future leaders through scholarships and other opportunities, underscoring its trademarked slogan ‘Shaping the world together”.
Prior to launching the Institute, he served as Managing Director of the Business and Public Policy Initiative at Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business and taught courses in international trade, ethics, management and leadership. He received the school’s highest award for distinguished teaching and was also inducted into its honor society.
Susan Penfield is Booz Allen’s Chief Innovation Officer, Strategic Innovation Group Lead, and a member of the Firm’s 11-person Leadership Team. She drives the firm’s innovation agenda to build and scale functional differentiation and develop and monetize breakthrough solutions in the areas of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, advanced cyber, and augmented and virtual reality.
Susan came to Booz Allen 24 years ago and has transformed numerous business units across her tenure. She led the firm’s billion-dollar digital business spanning the defense, national security and civilian sectors. Susan then took on the leadership of the health business, advancing it to become the firm’s largest and fastest growing account and providing transformational consulting and technology to public and private sector healthcare clients.
Susan is a dedicated philanthropist and serves on the board of several not-for-profits including the globally recognized social good incubator, SEED SPOT, and the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She is a passionate advocate for the recruitment, retention, and the advancement of women, and speaks routinely on STEM-related topics.
Susan was recognized as one of the top 25 executives to watch in 2019 by WashingtonExec magazine for her pioneering work driving technology innovation in government.
Susan Penfield is Booz Allen’s Chief Innovation Officer, Strategic Innovation Group Lead, and a member of the Firm’s 11-person Leadership Team. She drives the firm’s innovation agenda to build and scale functional differentiation and develop and monetize breakthrough solutions in the areas of digital transformation, artificial intelligence, advanced cyber, and augmented and virtual reality.
Susan came to Booz Allen 24 years ago and has transformed numerous business units across her tenure. She led the firm’s billion-dollar digital business spanning the defense, national security and civilian sectors. Susan then took on the leadership of the health business, advancing it to become the firm’s largest and fastest growing account and providing transformational consulting and technology to public and private sector healthcare clients.
Susan is a dedicated philanthropist and serves on the board of several not-for-profits including the globally recognized social good incubator, SEED SPOT, and the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She is a passionate advocate for the recruitment, retention, and the advancement of women, and speaks routinely on STEM-related topics.
Susan was recognized as one of the top 25 executives to watch in 2019 by WashingtonExec magazine for her pioneering work driving technology innovation in government.
Gary Shapiro is president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)™, the U.S. trade association representing more than 2,200 consumer technology companies and which owns and produces CES® – The Global Stage for Innovation.
Shapiro directs a staff of about 200 employees and thousands of industry volunteers, leading his organization’s promotion of innovation as a national policy to spur the economy, create jobs and cut the deficit. CTA advocates for a lower deficit, skilled immigration, free trade and policies that support innovative new business models. CTA does not seek government funding for industry.
Shapiro is a New York Times bestselling author, whose books include “Ninja Future: Secrets to Success in the New World of Innovation” (HarperCollins, 2019), “Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World’s Most Successful Businesses” (HarperCollins, 2013) and “The Comeback: How Innovation will Restore the American Dream” (Beaufort, 2011). Through these books and television appearances, and as a columnist whose more than 1,000 opinion pieces have appeared in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post, Shapiro has helped direct policymakers and business leaders on the importance of innovation in the U.S. economy. He is considered an “influencer” on LinkedIn and has more than 300,000 followers.
Gary Shapiro is president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)™, the U.S. trade association representing more than 2,200 consumer technology companies and which owns and produces CES® – The Global Stage for Innovation.
Shapiro directs a staff of about 200 employees and thousands of industry volunteers, leading his organization’s promotion of innovation as a national policy to spur the economy, create jobs and cut the deficit. CTA advocates for a lower deficit, skilled immigration, free trade and policies that support innovative new business models. CTA does not seek government funding for industry.
Shapiro is a New York Times bestselling author, whose books include “Ninja Future: Secrets to Success in the New World of Innovation” (HarperCollins, 2019), “Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World’s Most Successful Businesses” (HarperCollins, 2013) and “The Comeback: How Innovation will Restore the American Dream” (Beaufort, 2011). Through these books and television appearances, and as a columnist whose more than 1,000 opinion pieces have appeared in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post, Shapiro has helped direct policymakers and business leaders on the importance of innovation in the U.S. economy. He is considered an “influencer” on LinkedIn and has more than 300,000 followers.
Midday Featured Panel Moderator &
Session Panelist: PitchMasters
Mr. S. Tien Wong is a technology entrepreneur, CEO, and angel investor. He is Chairman & CEO of Opus8, Inc., a private investment and strategic advisory firm specializing in raising capital for private equity and venture capital fund managers, as well as and promising tech companies. He is also Chairman of Tech 2000, Inc., an ed tech company which provides advanced tech training, learning analytics, and software development to Fortune 500 customers. Mr. Wong is also Chairman of Lore Systems, Inc., an IT services company which provides managed hosting, IT support, "virtual CIO," and cloud computing solutions for commercial, nonprofit, and government clients.
He is Founder and Host of the Big Idea CONNECTpreneur Forum, a community of over 7000 founders, CEOs, angels, VCs, CXOs and other business leaders in the Mid-Atlantic region. The community hosts quarterly 1/2-day Forums with upwards of 550 attendees, featuring VIP guests, speakers, exciting presenting companies, and the best CXO to CXO networking in the region.
In 1991, Mr. Wong co-founded and served as Chairman & CEO of CyberRep, Inc. until its acquisition in 2003 by Affiliated Computer Services, a “Fortune 500” company. CyberRep was one of the world’s largest privately held CRM outsourcing companies, operating 9 customer interaction centers throughout the USA with over 2,300 employees and $80 million in revenue. Today, the CyberRep/ACS business unit is a $2 billion division of Conduent (NYSE: CNDT), a spinoff of Xerox. CyberRep garnered prestigious awards including Customer Inter@ction Solutions magazine's MVP Quality Award and Customer Interface magazine's ACCE (Award for Call Center Excellence), as well as INC. magazine's 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000's "Inc. 500" recognition as the 51st, 53rd, 72nd and 408th fastest growing private company in the USA, respectively. CyberRep was profitable for 11 straight years and was backed by Allied Capital, a $5 billion investment company.
A recognized international expert in CRM, direct marketing, and BPO, Mr. Wong has presented at dozens of conferences around the world. He has also provided industry commentary on the ABC, Fox, NBC, CNBC, Maryland Public Television, and China’s CCTV networks, as well as for publications such as Time Magazine, The Washington Post, Inc. Magazine, and Success Magazine.
Mr. Wong received the 2001 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for Greater Washington and the 2003 Ernst & Young Performance Excellence Award. He was inducted into the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame. He is a 2012 and 2013 Washington Business Journal "Power 100" selection as one of the region's most influential leaders, a three-time SmartCEO Magazine selection as a "Smart100" CEO ('09, '10 and '11), a 2013 InTheCapital "Fifty on Fire" awardee, community service honoree as a member of Greater DC Cares 2009 "Class of Change” and The Gazette of Politics and Business selection in 2010 as one of "25 CEOs You Need to Know." He is a member of YPO and is a frequent guest lecturer on entrepreneurship, leadership, venture capital, and private equity at the University of Maryland and Georgetown University where he is an Entrepreneur in Residence.
Mr. Wong was appointed by Governor Martin O'Malley to the 9-person Maryland Venture Fund Authority which oversees $84 million in venture capital allocations; he serves on the Boards of Directors of the Montgomery County (MD) Economic Development Corp., Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Potomac Officer's Club, and FounderCorps. He serves on the Investment Advisory Boards of the Commonwealth of Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology GAP Fund, and the Digital DC Tech Fund, and is a Mentor at the Mach37 Cybersecurity Accelerator and Conscious Venture Labs. In the past, he has served as Treasurer and National Board Member of the American Teleservices Association; Chairman of the Executive Leadership Committee for the Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE); Trustee of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and on the Boards of the Maryland Tech Council, Association for Corporate Growth, Monte Jade Science and Technology Association, TradeUp Capital Fund, and Startup Maryland. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College.
Midday Featured Panel Moderator &
Session Panelist: PitchMasters
Mr. S. Tien Wong is a technology entrepreneur, CEO, and angel investor. He is Chairman & CEO of Opus8, Inc., a private investment and strategic advisory firm specializing in raising capital for private equity and venture capital fund managers, as well as and promising tech companies. He is also Chairman of Tech 2000, Inc., an ed tech company which provides advanced tech training, learning analytics, and software development to Fortune 500 customers. Mr. Wong is also Chairman of Lore Systems, Inc., an IT services company which provides managed hosting, IT support, "virtual CIO," and cloud computing solutions for commercial, nonprofit, and government clients.
He is Founder and Host of the Big Idea CONNECTpreneur Forum, a community of over 7000 founders, CEOs, angels, VCs, CXOs and other business leaders in the Mid-Atlantic region. The community hosts quarterly 1/2-day Forums with upwards of 550 attendees, featuring VIP guests, speakers, exciting presenting companies, and the best CXO to CXO networking in the region.
In 1991, Mr. Wong co-founded and served as Chairman & CEO of CyberRep, Inc. until its acquisition in 2003 by Affiliated Computer Services, a “Fortune 500” company. CyberRep was one of the world’s largest privately held CRM outsourcing companies, operating 9 customer interaction centers throughout the USA with over 2,300 employees and $80 million in revenue. Today, the CyberRep/ACS business unit is a $2 billion division of Conduent (NYSE: CNDT), a spinoff of Xerox. CyberRep garnered prestigious awards including Customer Inter@ction Solutions magazine's MVP Quality Award and Customer Interface magazine's ACCE (Award for Call Center Excellence), as well as INC. magazine's 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000's "Inc. 500" recognition as the 51st, 53rd, 72nd and 408th fastest growing private company in the USA, respectively. CyberRep was profitable for 11 straight years and was backed by Allied Capital, a $5 billion investment company.
A recognized international expert in CRM, direct marketing, and BPO, Mr. Wong has presented at dozens of conferences around the world. He has also provided industry commentary on the ABC, Fox, NBC, CNBC, Maryland Public Television, and China’s CCTV networks, as well as for publications such as Time Magazine, The Washington Post, Inc. Magazine, and Success Magazine.
Mr. Wong received the 2001 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for Greater Washington and the 2003 Ernst & Young Performance Excellence Award. He was inducted into the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame. He is a 2012 and 2013 Washington Business Journal "Power 100" selection as one of the region's most influential leaders, a three-time SmartCEO Magazine selection as a "Smart100" CEO ('09, '10 and '11), a 2013 InTheCapital "Fifty on Fire" awardee, community service honoree as a member of Greater DC Cares 2009 "Class of Change” and The Gazette of Politics and Business selection in 2010 as one of "25 CEOs You Need to Know." He is a member of YPO and is a frequent guest lecturer on entrepreneurship, leadership, venture capital, and private equity at the University of Maryland and Georgetown University where he is an Entrepreneur in Residence.
Mr. Wong was appointed by Governor Martin O'Malley to the 9-person Maryland Venture Fund Authority which oversees $84 million in venture capital allocations; he serves on the Boards of Directors of the Montgomery County (MD) Economic Development Corp., Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Potomac Officer's Club, and FounderCorps. He serves on the Investment Advisory Boards of the Commonwealth of Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology GAP Fund, and the Digital DC Tech Fund, and is a Mentor at the Mach37 Cybersecurity Accelerator and Conscious Venture Labs. In the past, he has served as Treasurer and National Board Member of the American Teleservices Association; Chairman of the Executive Leadership Committee for the Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE); Trustee of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and on the Boards of the Maryland Tech Council, Association for Corporate Growth, Monte Jade Science and Technology Association, TradeUp Capital Fund, and Startup Maryland. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College.
Session Moderator: Cybersecurity Trends in Protecting Disruptive Technologies
Jonathan is highly respected and valued thought leader on entrepreneurship and innovation. His work as a venture investor, innovation consultant, university professor and media commentator, allows him to experience and connect the many threads of entrepreneurship and technology innovation that are core to the United States economy and its future. When Jonathan talks about these areas, the community takes notice. He is identified as a leader of change and influence in print and television media, among other things being recognized by Washingtonian magazine as a “Tech Titan,” by Washington Business Journal as a member of the “Power 100” and by the Commonwealth of Virginia as one of the “50 Most Influential Entrepreneurs” in the Commonwealth. He has been innovation policy advisor to a number of national and state political campaigns, including serving most recently as the head of the Innovation Group for the successful gubernatorial campaign of Ralph Northam.
Jonathan is best known for his work as the founder and managing partner of Amplifier Ventures, a closely held innovation and venture capital company he founded in 2004. Amplifier Ventures has seeded 16 companies since that time, and helped create lasting technology businesses that have impacted the media, cybersecurity and healthcare industries. His innovation consulting work has been national in scope, and has provided strategically useful advice to a diverse range of clients that includes the Department of Defence, Volunteers of America, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation and George Mason University. His expertise in creating innovation programs, changing organizational culture and promoting entrepreneurship keeps him in steady demand as an advisor, strategic consultant and keynote speaker.
He has a significant media footprint. He hosts What’s Working in Washington, a podcast and weekly show on WFED examining innovation in one of the least understood business communities in the country. Jonathan’s interviews reveal how D.C. is about way more than just politics. It is brimming with creative people who are interesting, engaged and getting things done. He is also a weekly columnist in the Washington Business Journal and was previously a columnist in the Washington Post, where in each case he wrote on innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development.
During his career Jonathan has helped to create many successful communities of entrepreneurs. In 2011, he was the founder of Startup Virginia, Startup Maryland and StartupDC as part of the Obama Administration’s StartupAmerica Initiative. These efforts resulted in the formation of regionally impactful programs including 1776 Accelerator and the iCorps program. In 2012 he formed FounderCorps, a not for profit that aggregated many of the Greater Washington region’s most prominent entrepreneurs and promoted mentorship. In 2013 he founded TandemNSI, a community that connects entrepreneurs with national security opportunities.
Jonathan grew up in a family of small business owners. His parents and grandparents desperately tried to prevent him from living an entrepreneurial life and encouraged him to become a professional instead. He obtained an education in economics and law (with post graduate qualifications in each) from the London School of Economics (MSc in Economics), Cambridge University (BA and MA in law), New York University (LLM) and George Washington University (BA).
During his subsequent career as a professional advisor, he worked in the financial services industry in London for Daiwa Securities, Goldman Sachs and Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette, and then as a corporate/venture capital lawyer as a partner in technology law firms Fenwick & West, Pillsbury Winthrop and Fish and Richardson. During this time Jonathan’s focus was on opening new business initiatives and offices, and in 2003 he realized that despite his parents’ best intentions he was really an entrepreneur after all.
Jonathan is a committed educator, and has been adjunct professor at a number of universities. He is currently Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Smith School of Business of the University of Maryland, where he teaches a broad range of classes in business formatting, strategy and family entrepreneurship. He is a sought-after commentator on developments in technology, innovation and political economics. In addition to his work with the Washington Business Journal and What’s Working in Washington, he is often quoted in national publications including Bloomberg, CNN, Huffington Post and The New York Times. He is also an active and regular participant on panels involving innovation, entrepreneurship and technology as well as a keynote speaker at similar events.
Jonathan is lead guitarist of Two Car Living Room and an avid reader of science fiction.
Session Moderator: Cybersecurity Trends in Protecting Disruptive Technologies
Jonathan is highly respected and valued thought leader on entrepreneurship and innovation. His work as a venture investor, innovation consultant, university professor and media commentator, allows him to experience and connect the many threads of entrepreneurship and technology innovation that are core to the United States economy and its future. When Jonathan talks about these areas, the community takes notice. He is identified as a leader of change and influence in print and television media, among other things being recognized by Washingtonian magazine as a “Tech Titan,” by Washington Business Journal as a member of the “Power 100” and by the Commonwealth of Virginia as one of the “50 Most Influential Entrepreneurs” in the Commonwealth. He has been innovation policy advisor to a number of national and state political campaigns, including serving most recently as the head of the Innovation Group for the successful gubernatorial campaign of Ralph Northam.
Jonathan is best known for his work as the founder and managing partner of Amplifier Ventures, a closely held innovation and venture capital company he founded in 2004. Amplifier Ventures has seeded 16 companies since that time, and helped create lasting technology businesses that have impacted the media, cybersecurity and healthcare industries. His innovation consulting work has been national in scope, and has provided strategically useful advice to a diverse range of clients that includes the Department of Defence, Volunteers of America, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation and George Mason University. His expertise in creating innovation programs, changing organizational culture and promoting entrepreneurship keeps him in steady demand as an advisor, strategic consultant and keynote speaker.
He has a significant media footprint. He hosts What’s Working in Washington, a podcast and weekly show on WFED examining innovation in one of the least understood business communities in the country. Jonathan’s interviews reveal how D.C. is about way more than just politics. It is brimming with creative people who are interesting, engaged and getting things done. He is also a weekly columnist in the Washington Business Journal and was previously a columnist in the Washington Post, where in each case he wrote on innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development.
During his career Jonathan has helped to create many successful communities of entrepreneurs. In 2011, he was the founder of Startup Virginia, Startup Maryland and StartupDC as part of the Obama Administration’s StartupAmerica Initiative. These efforts resulted in the formation of regionally impactful programs including 1776 Accelerator and the iCorps program. In 2012 he formed FounderCorps, a not for profit that aggregated many of the Greater Washington region’s most prominent entrepreneurs and promoted mentorship. In 2013 he founded TandemNSI, a community that connects entrepreneurs with national security opportunities.
Jonathan grew up in a family of small business owners. His parents and grandparents desperately tried to prevent him from living an entrepreneurial life and encouraged him to become a professional instead. He obtained an education in economics and law (with post graduate qualifications in each) from the London School of Economics (MSc in Economics), Cambridge University (BA and MA in law), New York University (LLM) and George Washington University (BA).
During his subsequent career as a professional advisor, he worked in the financial services industry in London for Daiwa Securities, Goldman Sachs and Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette, and then as a corporate/venture capital lawyer as a partner in technology law firms Fenwick & West, Pillsbury Winthrop and Fish and Richardson. During this time Jonathan’s focus was on opening new business initiatives and offices, and in 2003 he realized that despite his parents’ best intentions he was really an entrepreneur after all.
Jonathan is a committed educator, and has been adjunct professor at a number of universities. He is currently Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Smith School of Business of the University of Maryland, where he teaches a broad range of classes in business formatting, strategy and family entrepreneurship. He is a sought-after commentator on developments in technology, innovation and political economics. In addition to his work with the Washington Business Journal and What’s Working in Washington, he is often quoted in national publications including Bloomberg, CNN, Huffington Post and The New York Times. He is also an active and regular participant on panels involving innovation, entrepreneurship and technology as well as a keynote speaker at similar events.
Jonathan is lead guitarist of Two Car Living Room and an avid reader of science fiction.
Session Panelist: Future of Healthcare
Bikram is a seasoned CEO, innovator, and entrepreneur based in the Washington, DC area. He has led organizations ranging from early stage startups to key business divisions of a Fortune 10 company. He currently serves on the Entrepreneurship Advisory Board for the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and is a named inventor of 13 US patents. Bikram is widely recognized for his leadership in the successful turnaround of healthcare.gov, the health insurance marketplace established under the US Affordable Care Act (washingtonpost/healthcare.gov)
From Sep 2012 to June 2017, Bikram was a member of the Executive Leadership Team at United Health Group (UHG). From Feb 2014 to June 2017 Bikram was a member of the Office of the CEO for Optum, UHG’s $100B health services business. As CEO of Optum’s Govt business based in the Washington DC area, Bikram had oversight of federal and state government engagements. Prior to that, Bikram was CEO of Optum’s International business based out of London, UK. In that role, he managed a portfolio of businesses across Europe, South America, Asia and Australia. Optum’s charter is to make the healthcare system work better across the globe by bringing capabilities in data, technology, analytics and care management to governments, employers, health care professionals and individuals.
From 2007 to Sep 2012 Bikram was President & CEO of QSSI, a privately held company that grew rapidly and rose to prominence as an iconic healthcare technology business. QSSI was the prime contractor charged with turning around healthcare.gov and implementing other key components for the US health insurance marketplaces. QSSI was acquired by United Health Group/Optum in Sep 2012.
Previously, Bikram held various positions in organizations ranging from Fortune 100 companies like Intel and Xerox PARC, to technology start-ups like BNX systems (acquired by Citigroup in 2005).
Bikram has an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and an MS degree in Computer Science, and a BE degree in Computer Engineering.
Session Panelist: Future of Healthcare
Bikram is a seasoned CEO, innovator, and entrepreneur based in the Washington, DC area. He has led organizations ranging from early stage startups to key business divisions of a Fortune 10 company. He currently serves on the Entrepreneurship Advisory Board for the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and is a named inventor of 13 US patents. Bikram is widely recognized for his leadership in the successful turnaround of healthcare.gov, the health insurance marketplace established under the US Affordable Care Act (washingtonpost/healthcare.gov)
From Sep 2012 to June 2017, Bikram was a member of the Executive Leadership Team at United Health Group (UHG). From Feb 2014 to June 2017 Bikram was a member of the Office of the CEO for Optum, UHG’s $100B health services business. As CEO of Optum’s Govt business based in the Washington DC area, Bikram had oversight of federal and state government engagements. Prior to that, Bikram was CEO of Optum’s International business based out of London, UK. In that role, he managed a portfolio of businesses across Europe, South America, Asia and Australia. Optum’s charter is to make the healthcare system work better across the globe by bringing capabilities in data, technology, analytics and care management to governments, employers, health care professionals and individuals.
From 2007 to Sep 2012 Bikram was President & CEO of QSSI, a privately held company that grew rapidly and rose to prominence as an iconic healthcare technology business. QSSI was the prime contractor charged with turning around healthcare.gov and implementing other key components for the US health insurance marketplaces. QSSI was acquired by United Health Group/Optum in Sep 2012.
Previously, Bikram held various positions in organizations ranging from Fortune 100 companies like Intel and Xerox PARC, to technology start-ups like BNX systems (acquired by Citigroup in 2005).
Bikram has an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and an MS degree in Computer Science, and a BE degree in Computer Engineering.
Brian Barnett founded The Barnett Company, Inc., a strategy consulting and advisory firm based in McLean, Virginia, in 1993. During his career, he has launched, led and consulted to projects and businesses in 38 countries across Africa, Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Latin America, Middle East, Pacific Rim, the former Soviet Union and the United States. He has worked in industries that include agriculture, agribusiness, environmental products and services, finance and information technology.
The Barnett Company, Inc., advises investors on building a portfolio of compelling agriculture-food businesses; and entrepreneur, corporate, government and multi-lateral clients by bringing new vision, fresh perspective, strategic analysis, innovative solutions, action plans and execution and/or monitoring. The Barnett Company also assists private sector clients in advising, evaluating and launching potential ventures, partners, projects and new lines of business.
Mr. Barnett received his Bachelor of Science degree with Distinction from Cornell University and his Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. He also earned the Certifications: Amazon Web Services - Business Professional; IBM Top Gun Sales; and Verizon Partner Program Sales; and enjoys contributing to the Harvard Business School Club, Washington DC Agricultural Roundtable and the Controlled Environment Agriculture Advisory Council at Cornell University.
Brian Barnett founded The Barnett Company, Inc., a strategy consulting and advisory firm based in McLean, Virginia, in 1993. During his career, he has launched, led and consulted to projects and businesses in 38 countries across Africa, Asia, Indian Subcontinent, Latin America, Middle East, Pacific Rim, the former Soviet Union and the United States. He has worked in industries that include agriculture, agribusiness, environmental products and services, finance and information technology.
The Barnett Company, Inc., advises investors on building a portfolio of compelling agriculture-food businesses; and entrepreneur, corporate, government and multi-lateral clients by bringing new vision, fresh perspective, strategic analysis, innovative solutions, action plans and execution and/or monitoring. The Barnett Company also assists private sector clients in advising, evaluating and launching potential ventures, partners, projects and new lines of business.
Mr. Barnett received his Bachelor of Science degree with Distinction from Cornell University and his Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. He also earned the Certifications: Amazon Web Services - Business Professional; IBM Top Gun Sales; and Verizon Partner Program Sales; and enjoys contributing to the Harvard Business School Club, Washington DC Agricultural Roundtable and the Controlled Environment Agriculture Advisory Council at Cornell University.
Kevin Batteh is the CEO of Jenga Advisors and a partner of Delta Strategy Group.
Kevin is a seasoned financial services lawyer with over two decades of futures and swaps regulatory experience. Prior to forming Jenga Advisors, Kevin joined Delta Strategy Group as a partner in 2014 assisting clients across a range of areas including regulatory compliance, enforcement, and policy issues related to domestic and international derivatives and energy markets. Kevin also acts as a senior advisor to a number of blockchain and digital currency (e.g. bitcoin and token) technology companies.
Kevin began his career as a complex litigation associate at a Fortune 100 law firm. In 2003, after five years of private practice, he joined the CFTC as a trial attorney in the Division of Enforcement where he investigated and prosecuted cases of fraud and market manipulation in Federal District Courts across the country. Kevin left the CFTC in 2008 to take a senior lawyer role with the UK Financial Services Authority (now Financial Conduct Authority) in the Division of Enforcement where he investigated cases of securities and derivatives market abuse, market manipulation, and insider trading.
Kevin returned to the CFTC in 2010 and served as a chief trial attorney responsible for leading a team of lawyers and investigators in the US Dollar LIBOR rate manipulation cases that ultimately resulted in billion-dollar settlements. In 2011, Kevin transitioned from Enforcement to serve as counsel to CFTC Commissioner Jill Sommers where he provided legal and policy advice concerning the CFTC’s Dodd-Frank rulemaking, regulation of futures and swaps, enforcement matters, and foreign jurisdictions regulatory policy and legislation.
Immediately prior to joining Delta Strategy Group in 2014, Kevin served Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Thad Cochran as special counsel and policy advisor for futures and derivatives where he had responsibility for the confirmation of Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Commissioner Nominees and CFTC reauthorization legislation.
Kevin Batteh is the CEO of Jenga Advisors and a partner of Delta Strategy Group.
Kevin is a seasoned financial services lawyer with over two decades of futures and swaps regulatory experience. Prior to forming Jenga Advisors, Kevin joined Delta Strategy Group as a partner in 2014 assisting clients across a range of areas including regulatory compliance, enforcement, and policy issues related to domestic and international derivatives and energy markets. Kevin also acts as a senior advisor to a number of blockchain and digital currency (e.g. bitcoin and token) technology companies.
Kevin began his career as a complex litigation associate at a Fortune 100 law firm. In 2003, after five years of private practice, he joined the CFTC as a trial attorney in the Division of Enforcement where he investigated and prosecuted cases of fraud and market manipulation in Federal District Courts across the country. Kevin left the CFTC in 2008 to take a senior lawyer role with the UK Financial Services Authority (now Financial Conduct Authority) in the Division of Enforcement where he investigated cases of securities and derivatives market abuse, market manipulation, and insider trading.
Kevin returned to the CFTC in 2010 and served as a chief trial attorney responsible for leading a team of lawyers and investigators in the US Dollar LIBOR rate manipulation cases that ultimately resulted in billion-dollar settlements. In 2011, Kevin transitioned from Enforcement to serve as counsel to CFTC Commissioner Jill Sommers where he provided legal and policy advice concerning the CFTC’s Dodd-Frank rulemaking, regulation of futures and swaps, enforcement matters, and foreign jurisdictions regulatory policy and legislation.
Immediately prior to joining Delta Strategy Group in 2014, Kevin served Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Thad Cochran as special counsel and policy advisor for futures and derivatives where he had responsibility for the confirmation of Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Commissioner Nominees and CFTC reauthorization legislation.
John Beccia is Co-Founder and CEO of FS Vector, a Washington DC-based advisory firm which provides a broad range of solutions for financial services, fintech and cyrptocurrency firms. FS Vector assists clients with government/regulatory strategy and with the implementation of compliance programs and regtech tools.
He was previously General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Circle Internet Financial, Inc., a global crypto finance company that is seeking to help change the global economy. Prior to Circle, Mr. Beccia served as Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Boston Private Financial Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded bank holding company. He was also Assistant General Counsel for Investors Bank & Trust Company and Chief Regulatory Counsel and Research Director for The Financial Services Roundtable where he was responsible for all regulatory affairs and assisted with legislative efforts for the trade association.
Mr. Beccia has served as Chairman of the In-House Counsel Subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Banking Law Committee and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Boston University School of Law. Mr. Beccia has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Providence College, a J.D. from Roger Williams University School of Law, and a LLM in Banking and Financial Law from Boston University School of Law.
John Beccia is Co-Founder and CEO of FS Vector, a Washington DC-based advisory firm which provides a broad range of solutions for financial services, fintech and cyrptocurrency firms. FS Vector assists clients with government/regulatory strategy and with the implementation of compliance programs and regtech tools.
He was previously General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Circle Internet Financial, Inc., a global crypto finance company that is seeking to help change the global economy. Prior to Circle, Mr. Beccia served as Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Boston Private Financial Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded bank holding company. He was also Assistant General Counsel for Investors Bank & Trust Company and Chief Regulatory Counsel and Research Director for The Financial Services Roundtable where he was responsible for all regulatory affairs and assisted with legislative efforts for the trade association.
Mr. Beccia has served as Chairman of the In-House Counsel Subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Banking Law Committee and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Boston University School of Law. Mr. Beccia has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Providence College, a J.D. from Roger Williams University School of Law, and a LLM in Banking and Financial Law from Boston University School of Law.
Session Moderator: Innovative Alternatives: Crowdfunding, ICOs, Token Sales
Andrew is the CEO and Founder of Global Startup Media, a digital media agency with a portfolio of podcasts, YouTube channels, and virtual conferences highlighting investment opportunities in emerging and frontier markets. Andrew hosts their award-winning podcast, The Global Startup Movement, the top show on iTunes and Spotify covering global startup ecosystems.
Session Moderator: Innovative Alternatives: Crowdfunding, ICOs, Token Sales
Andrew is the CEO and Founder of Global Startup Media, a digital media agency with a portfolio of podcasts, YouTube channels, and virtual conferences highlighting investment opportunities in emerging and frontier markets. Andrew hosts their award-winning podcast, The Global Startup Movement, the top show on iTunes and Spotify covering global startup ecosystems.
Session Panelist: Artificial Intelligence + Big Data
Mr. Boughner's patent practice includes transactional intellectual property matters and client counseling for all phases of patent preparation and procurement, including preparing and procuring patent applications, as well as post issuance activities and evaluations, including reissue, reexamination, pre-litigation counseling involving a broad range of technologies and legal issues, design around counseling, portfolio management, and patentability, product clearance, validity, and infringement studies and opinions. Mr. Boughner has also has prepared and conducted and numerous seminars with both focused presentations and general IP overviews here in the U.S. and abroad.
Mr. Boughner began his career in with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as an Examiner in the television technologies, until joining Staas and Halsey, LLP in Washington D.C. in 1999. As a Partner at Staas and Halsey, Mr. Boughner worked in many different fields of technology and provided services across a broad range of Intellectual Property issues.
Mr. Boughner is also a subject matter expert in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), including the technological and legal aspects of this field. In particular, Mr. Boughner has an in-depth knowledge of the patenting and legal protection strategies for software and AI technologies. Mr. Boughner also has extensive specialized expertise in a wide range of particular AI technologies, including machine learning, neural networks, intelligent mobile device management, authentication, Internet of Things (IoT), machine vision, speech recognition, intelligent agents, and Natural Language Processing (NLP).
Session Panelist: Artificial Intelligence + Big Data
Mr. Boughner's patent practice includes transactional intellectual property matters and client counseling for all phases of patent preparation and procurement, including preparing and procuring patent applications, as well as post issuance activities and evaluations, including reissue, reexamination, pre-litigation counseling involving a broad range of technologies and legal issues, design around counseling, portfolio management, and patentability, product clearance, validity, and infringement studies and opinions. Mr. Boughner has also has prepared and conducted and numerous seminars with both focused presentations and general IP overviews here in the U.S. and abroad.
Mr. Boughner began his career in with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as an Examiner in the television technologies, until joining Staas and Halsey, LLP in Washington D.C. in 1999. As a Partner at Staas and Halsey, Mr. Boughner worked in many different fields of technology and provided services across a broad range of Intellectual Property issues.
Mr. Boughner is also a subject matter expert in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), including the technological and legal aspects of this field. In particular, Mr. Boughner has an in-depth knowledge of the patenting and legal protection strategies for software and AI technologies. Mr. Boughner also has extensive specialized expertise in a wide range of particular AI technologies, including machine learning, neural networks, intelligent mobile device management, authentication, Internet of Things (IoT), machine vision, speech recognition, intelligent agents, and Natural Language Processing (NLP).
Session Panelist: Connectivity: 5G + Internet of Things
Doug Brake is director of broadband and spectrum policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. He specializes in broadband policy, wireless enforcement, and spectrum-sharing mechanisms.
He previously served as a research assistant at the Silicon Flatirons Center at the University of Colorado, where he sought to improve policy surrounding wireless enforcement, interference limits, and gigabit network deployment. Prior to that, he served as a Hatfield scholar at the Federal Communications Commission, assisting with the implementation of the advanced communications services section of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act.
Brake holds a law degree from the University of Colorado Law School and a bachelor’s degree in English literature and philosophy from Macalester College.
Session Panelist: Connectivity: 5G + Internet of Things
Doug Brake is director of broadband and spectrum policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. He specializes in broadband policy, wireless enforcement, and spectrum-sharing mechanisms.
He previously served as a research assistant at the Silicon Flatirons Center at the University of Colorado, where he sought to improve policy surrounding wireless enforcement, interference limits, and gigabit network deployment. Prior to that, he served as a Hatfield scholar at the Federal Communications Commission, assisting with the implementation of the advanced communications services section of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act.
Brake holds a law degree from the University of Colorado Law School and a bachelor’s degree in English literature and philosophy from Macalester College.
Session Panelist: Cybersecurity Trends in Protecting Disruptive Technologies
Dr. Charles Clancy is the Executive Director of Virginia Tech's Hume Center for National Security and Technology and is the Bradley Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. With 85 faculty and staff, the Hume Center engages over 400 students annually in research and experiential learning focused in national security and technology. Dr. Clancy is an internationally-recognized expert at the intersection of wireless, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.
Prior to joining Virginia Tech in 2010, he served as a researcher at the National Security Agency. Dr. Clancy received his BS in Computer Engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois, and PhD in Computer Science from the University of Maryland. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and has over 200 peer-reviewed technical publications and patents, is co-author to five books, and co-founder to four venture-backed startup companies.
Session Panelist: Cybersecurity Trends in Protecting Disruptive Technologies
Dr. Charles Clancy is the Executive Director of Virginia Tech's Hume Center for National Security and Technology and is the Bradley Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. With 85 faculty and staff, the Hume Center engages over 400 students annually in research and experiential learning focused in national security and technology. Dr. Clancy is an internationally-recognized expert at the intersection of wireless, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.
Prior to joining Virginia Tech in 2010, he served as a researcher at the National Security Agency. Dr. Clancy received his BS in Computer Engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois, and PhD in Computer Science from the University of Maryland. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and has over 200 peer-reviewed technical publications and patents, is co-author to five books, and co-founder to four venture-backed startup companies.
Session Panelist: Venture Capital + Angel
Chris brings over three decades of experience as a corporate officer and board member in varied biotechnology enterprises ranging from oncology, virology and neural stem cells to pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment and BioMed IT. She has a Ph.D. in molecular biology with over ten years of bench research experience. Her responsibilities have included fund raising, business development, operations, build out, cGMP manufacturing build/design, regulatory affairs, human resources, international marketing and sales, corporate communication, PR, investor relations, legislative liaison and R&D. She is a founder of 2 publicly traded companies - Microfluidics and Neuralstem and ran the seed venture fund of the American Society of Microbiology. Chris currently is the Chief Strategy Officer at SciTech Development an oncology company and Chief Operating Officer at ETX Pharma a gastroenterology company. She also serves on several private corporate and advisory boards including miRecule, Inc., a genomic based drug development platform company, the Maryland Industrial Partnerships Board and the Washington D.C. ArchAngels Board where she Chairs their Bio-Life Science Caucus.
Session Panelist: Venture Capital + Angel
Chris brings over three decades of experience as a corporate officer and board member in varied biotechnology enterprises ranging from oncology, virology and neural stem cells to pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment and BioMed IT. She has a Ph.D. in molecular biology with over ten years of bench research experience. Her responsibilities have included fund raising, business development, operations, build out, cGMP manufacturing build/design, regulatory affairs, human resources, international marketing and sales, corporate communication, PR, investor relations, legislative liaison and R&D. She is a founder of 2 publicly traded companies - Microfluidics and Neuralstem and ran the seed venture fund of the American Society of Microbiology. Chris currently is the Chief Strategy Officer at SciTech Development an oncology company and Chief Operating Officer at ETX Pharma a gastroenterology company. She also serves on several private corporate and advisory boards including miRecule, Inc., a genomic based drug development platform company, the Maryland Industrial Partnerships Board and the Washington D.C. ArchAngels Board where she Chairs their Bio-Life Science Caucus.
Dr. Crocker is an Internet pioneer and computer scientist, with expertise in computer and network security and formal methods. He is CEO of Shinkuro, Inc. At ICANN, he was the founding chair of the Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) and served on the Board of ICANN for 14 years, including 6 ½ years as chair.
In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, while he was a graduate student at UCLA, he was part of the team that developed the protocols for the Arpanet and laid the foundation for today’s Internet. He organized the Network Working Group, which was the forerunner of the modern Internet Engineering Task Force, initiated the Request for Comment (RFC) series of notes through which protocol designs are documented and shared, and laid the foundation for the open architectural structure of the Internet Protocols. For this work, Dr. Crocker was awarded the 2002 IEEE Internet Award. He remained active in the Internet standards work through the IETF and IAB and served as the first security area director on the Internet Engineering Steering Group from 1989 to 1994.
Dr. Crocker experience includes research management at DARPA, USC/ISI and The Aerospace Corporation, vice president of Trusted Information Systems, and co-founder of CyberCash, Inc. and Longitude Systems, Inc.
Dr. Crocker earned his BA in mathematics and PhD in computer science at UCLA, and studied artificial intelligence at MIT. He has an honorary doctorate from the University of San Martín des Porres in Lima, Perú, was selected in the initial group of members of the Internet Society’s Internet Hall of Fame Pioneers, and has a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Internet Society.
Dr. Crocker is an Internet pioneer and computer scientist, with expertise in computer and network security and formal methods. He is CEO of Shinkuro, Inc. At ICANN, he was the founding chair of the Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) and served on the Board of ICANN for 14 years, including 6 ½ years as chair.
In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, while he was a graduate student at UCLA, he was part of the team that developed the protocols for the Arpanet and laid the foundation for today’s Internet. He organized the Network Working Group, which was the forerunner of the modern Internet Engineering Task Force, initiated the Request for Comment (RFC) series of notes through which protocol designs are documented and shared, and laid the foundation for the open architectural structure of the Internet Protocols. For this work, Dr. Crocker was awarded the 2002 IEEE Internet Award. He remained active in the Internet standards work through the IETF and IAB and served as the first security area director on the Internet Engineering Steering Group from 1989 to 1994.
Dr. Crocker experience includes research management at DARPA, USC/ISI and The Aerospace Corporation, vice president of Trusted Information Systems, and co-founder of CyberCash, Inc. and Longitude Systems, Inc.
Dr. Crocker earned his BA in mathematics and PhD in computer science at UCLA, and studied artificial intelligence at MIT. He has an honorary doctorate from the University of San Martín des Porres in Lima, Perú, was selected in the initial group of members of the Internet Society’s Internet Hall of Fame Pioneers, and has a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Internet Society.
Session Panelist: Traditional Alternatives: SBA, Bank, Tax Incentives
John Davis serves as General Manager of the SBIR Resource Center(R), America’s leading provider of business development resources to the SBIR/STTR community since 1994. He is a research scientist and C-level executive with more then 30 years experience in securing federal
financing for R&D projects -- the last 15 concentrated on SBIR/STTR.
He leads more than 10 SBIR workshops every year and works with state and local economic development organizations to establish effective, local SBIR outreach programs. Davis is a much-published author and popular lecturer on the subjects of SBIR/STTR, Developing Federal Proposals and on R&D Project Planning & Management. He has earned advanced degrees in
both science and business administration. For more information see his biographical listings in:
- Who's Who In Science And Engineering,
- Who's Who In Industry and Finance,
- Who's Who In America, and others.
- http://www.sbir.us
Session Panelist: Traditional Alternatives: SBA, Bank, Tax Incentives
John Davis serves as General Manager of the SBIR Resource Center(R), America’s leading provider of business development resources to the SBIR/STTR community since 1994. He is a research scientist and C-level executive with more then 30 years experience in securing federal
financing for R&D projects -- the last 15 concentrated on SBIR/STTR.
He leads more than 10 SBIR workshops every year and works with state and local economic development organizations to establish effective, local SBIR outreach programs. Davis is a much-published author and popular lecturer on the subjects of SBIR/STTR, Developing Federal Proposals and on R&D Project Planning & Management. He has earned advanced degrees in
both science and business administration. For more information see his biographical listings in:
- Who's Who In Science And Engineering,
- Who's Who In Industry and Finance,
- Who's Who In America, and others.
- http://www.sbir.us
Session Panelist: Venture Capital + Angel
Bob Dinkel is an experienced business executive and advisor to a number of early stage firms.
He is also a Managing Director at Pierce Capital Partners, an international investment banking firm providing middle market merger, acquisition, divestiture, and corporate finance services. Mr Dinkel is the former CEO of DroneShield LLC, drone detection via acoustic sensors, prior to DS he was President and COO of FedResults, a premier provider of IT innovation to the federal marketplace. Mr. Dinkel was instrumental in the creation of FedResults,which was formed by the merger of JB Cubed and Government Strategy Advisors in July 2007.
Prior, Mr. Dinkel spent almost 23 years at CA (formerly Computer Associates Intl Inc.)
He joined CA upon its acquisition of Johnson Systems. At JSI, He was head of federal product sales, based in McLean, VA., which became CA's federal sales region. While at CA, he held various senior management positions covering product sales, professional services, corporate administration and strategic alliances in a number of key business locations, including Chicago, Long Island (corporate) and DC.
As a Senior Vice President, he focused on Federal services and built CA's Services unit (CASI) to a staff of 400+ & revenues exceeding $80 million. Upon the creation of CA's Global Professional Services organization, he played a key role in shaping CA's overall services strategy leading up to global responsibility for a staff of more than 2,500. During his 20+ years & multiple locations at CA, assignments involved running CA's federal and commercial field sales divisions, planning selective mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, opening new CA offices and managing international operations that included Canada, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Latin America.
Specialties: Sales & Services Management to include Federal Govt, Commercial, International (Canada, Latin America & EMEA)
Session Panelist: Venture Capital + Angel
Bob Dinkel is an experienced business executive and advisor to a number of early stage firms.
He is also a Managing Director at Pierce Capital Partners, an international investment banking firm providing middle market merger, acquisition, divestiture, and corporate finance services. Mr Dinkel is the former CEO of DroneShield LLC, drone detection via acoustic sensors, prior to DS he was President and COO of FedResults, a premier provider of IT innovation to the federal marketplace. Mr. Dinkel was instrumental in the creation of FedResults,which was formed by the merger of JB Cubed and Government Strategy Advisors in July 2007.
Prior, Mr. Dinkel spent almost 23 years at CA (formerly Computer Associates Intl Inc.)
He joined CA upon its acquisition of Johnson Systems. At JSI, He was head of federal product sales, based in McLean, VA., which became CA's federal sales region. While at CA, he held various senior management positions covering product sales, professional services, corporate administration and strategic alliances in a number of key business locations, including Chicago, Long Island (corporate) and DC.
As a Senior Vice President, he focused on Federal services and built CA's Services unit (CASI) to a staff of 400+ & revenues exceeding $80 million. Upon the creation of CA's Global Professional Services organization, he played a key role in shaping CA's overall services strategy leading up to global responsibility for a staff of more than 2,500. During his 20+ years & multiple locations at CA, assignments involved running CA's federal and commercial field sales divisions, planning selective mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, opening new CA offices and managing international operations that included Canada, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Latin America.
Specialties: Sales & Services Management to include Federal Govt, Commercial, International (Canada, Latin America & EMEA)
Session Panelist: Connectivity: 5G + Internet of Things
Barry Einsig is a Principal of CAVita, responsible for business development and execution of the strategic advisory programs. Einsig will work closely with Econolite President & COO and CAVita Principal Abbas Mohaddes, and CAVita Principal Peter Sweatman.
Einsig joins CAVita following six years with Cisco Systems, Inc., where he was an executive responsible for global automotive and transportation solution development. Einsig helped launch Cisco’s leading innovative solutions in several new markets, including connected and automated vehicle, rail, roadways, and mass transit.
Prior to Cisco Systems, Einsig was the Director of Transportation/Strategic Development for Harris Corp. (Washington D.C.) where he was one of the founding members of the Broadband team to lead the company into the LTE market. While at Harris, Einsig received a patent for the use of video over LTE networks.
He is a member of Singapore CARTS Committee focused on Connected and Highly Automated vehicle systems. He has worked globally with customers in all modes of transportation, including: Network Rail, Deutsche Bahn, Dallas Fort Worth Airport, Port of Hamburg, SFMTA, Transport For London, BNSF, WMATA, AMTRAK, DART, PA Turnpike, TMR Australia, Metrolinx Toronto. Einsig is a published authority on ITS, infrastructure systems, and connected vehicle applications. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Juniata College (Huntingdon, PA).
Session Panelist: Connectivity: 5G + Internet of Things
Barry Einsig is a Principal of CAVita, responsible for business development and execution of the strategic advisory programs. Einsig will work closely with Econolite President & COO and CAVita Principal Abbas Mohaddes, and CAVita Principal Peter Sweatman.
Einsig joins CAVita following six years with Cisco Systems, Inc., where he was an executive responsible for global automotive and transportation solution development. Einsig helped launch Cisco’s leading innovative solutions in several new markets, including connected and automated vehicle, rail, roadways, and mass transit.
Prior to Cisco Systems, Einsig was the Director of Transportation/Strategic Development for Harris Corp. (Washington D.C.) where he was one of the founding members of the Broadband team to lead the company into the LTE market. While at Harris, Einsig received a patent for the use of video over LTE networks.
He is a member of Singapore CARTS Committee focused on Connected and Highly Automated vehicle systems. He has worked globally with customers in all modes of transportation, including: Network Rail, Deutsche Bahn, Dallas Fort Worth Airport, Port of Hamburg, SFMTA, Transport For London, BNSF, WMATA, AMTRAK, DART, PA Turnpike, TMR Australia, Metrolinx Toronto. Einsig is a published authority on ITS, infrastructure systems, and connected vehicle applications. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Juniata College (Huntingdon, PA).
Session Panelist: Future of Work
David Gamse is a gerontologist who has served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Council for the Aging since 1990. At JCA, he plays a pivotal role in creating and managing innovative and cost-effective programs that help seniors thrive and that build intergenerational connections.
More than 90 staff and 1,300 volunteers rely on his leadership, and together they serve more than 30,000 older adults and family caregivers each year through senior employment programs, transportation services, intergenerational activities, adult day programs, public information and more. Concurrently, David serves as CEO of the National Center for Productive Aging™, JCA’s consulting arm.
Over the years, David has led workshops and symposia on issues of aging and nonprofit management for a wide range of public and private organizations including the American Management Association, the White House Conference on Aging and the U.S. Department of Labor. He has represented U.S. policy on aging at international conferences of the United Nations and Israeli Gerontological Society. He has authored many articles about productive aging and service delivery.
Prior to joining JCA, David was a senior manager at AARP, a multi-million-member association. For several years, David was responsible for the development and marketing of all of AARP's educational and service programs. For several years, too, he directed AARP's senior employment programs that included pre-retirement planning education, job-search support, and litigation under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and ERISA.
Earlier, he was an adjunct faculty member at the University of South Florida’s Aging Studies Program from which he graduated and later received an Eminent Graduate Award. David is also a recipient of the Florida Board of Regents’ Distinguished Scholarship Award and the Seabury Leadership in Aging Award. He is a member of the Age-Friendly Montgomery leadership group.
David is a member of the American Society of Association Executives, the Gerontological Society of America, the Executive Directors & Headmasters Council of Jewish Agencies in the metro Washington, D.C. region, and the Age-Friendly Montgomery Leadership Group (formerly the Senior Subcabinet of Montgomery County, Md.) He was a founding board member of WorkSource Montgomery.
Session Panelist: Future of Work
David Gamse is a gerontologist who has served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Council for the Aging since 1990. At JCA, he plays a pivotal role in creating and managing innovative and cost-effective programs that help seniors thrive and that build intergenerational connections.
More than 90 staff and 1,300 volunteers rely on his leadership, and together they serve more than 30,000 older adults and family caregivers each year through senior employment programs, transportation services, intergenerational activities, adult day programs, public information and more. Concurrently, David serves as CEO of the National Center for Productive Aging™, JCA’s consulting arm.
Over the years, David has led workshops and symposia on issues of aging and nonprofit management for a wide range of public and private organizations including the American Management Association, the White House Conference on Aging and the U.S. Department of Labor. He has represented U.S. policy on aging at international conferences of the United Nations and Israeli Gerontological Society. He has authored many articles about productive aging and service delivery.
Prior to joining JCA, David was a senior manager at AARP, a multi-million-member association. For several years, David was responsible for the development and marketing of all of AARP's educational and service programs. For several years, too, he directed AARP's senior employment programs that included pre-retirement planning education, job-search support, and litigation under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and ERISA.
Earlier, he was an adjunct faculty member at the University of South Florida’s Aging Studies Program from which he graduated and later received an Eminent Graduate Award. David is also a recipient of the Florida Board of Regents’ Distinguished Scholarship Award and the Seabury Leadership in Aging Award. He is a member of the Age-Friendly Montgomery leadership group.
David is a member of the American Society of Association Executives, the Gerontological Society of America, the Executive Directors & Headmasters Council of Jewish Agencies in the metro Washington, D.C. region, and the Age-Friendly Montgomery Leadership Group (formerly the Senior Subcabinet of Montgomery County, Md.) He was a founding board member of WorkSource Montgomery.
Session Panelist: Innovative Alternatives: Crowdfunding, ICOs, Token Sales
Dahna Goldstein is a senior fellow, Blockchain Trust Accelerator at New America. She is a social entrepreneur and advisor to social impact organizations.
Goldstein was the founder and CEO of PhilanTech, which created PhilanTrack, an online grants management software solution designed to reduce the transaction costs of grants administration to redirect grant dollars to program and service delivery to achieve greater social impact. When PhilanTech was acquired by Altum in 2014, Goldstein served as director of philanthropy solutions at Altum.
Prior to starting PhilanTech, Goldstein worked for venture philanthropies, including Ashoka and Blue Ridge Foundation New York, and produced interactive eLearning programs for Global Education Network and Harvard Business School Publishing, including the award-winning "What Is a Leader?" program.
A graduate of Williams College, Goldstein also holds a master of education degree, with a concentration in technology, from Harvard University, and an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business. She has written extensively about the nonprofit sector, including a chapter on managing change for technology in “Managing Technology to Meet Your Mission: A Strategic Guide for Nonprofit Leaders” (Wiley 2009).
Goldstein teaches technology entrepreneurship at Georgetown University and blockchain at American University's Kogod School of Business. She serves on nonprofit boards, including JustGive.org and ParentsTogether Action.
Goldstein was named one of Newsweek’s "13 Women Entrepreneurs to Bet On" and one of BusinessWeek’s "25 Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs."
Session Panelist: Innovative Alternatives: Crowdfunding, ICOs, Token Sales
Dahna Goldstein is a senior fellow, Blockchain Trust Accelerator at New America. She is a social entrepreneur and advisor to social impact organizations.
Goldstein was the founder and CEO of PhilanTech, which created PhilanTrack, an online grants management software solution designed to reduce the transaction costs of grants administration to redirect grant dollars to program and service delivery to achieve greater social impact. When PhilanTech was acquired by Altum in 2014, Goldstein served as director of philanthropy solutions at Altum.
Prior to starting PhilanTech, Goldstein worked for venture philanthropies, including Ashoka and Blue Ridge Foundation New York, and produced interactive eLearning programs for Global Education Network and Harvard Business School Publishing, including the award-winning "What Is a Leader?" program.
A graduate of Williams College, Goldstein also holds a master of education degree, with a concentration in technology, from Harvard University, and an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business. She has written extensively about the nonprofit sector, including a chapter on managing change for technology in “Managing Technology to Meet Your Mission: A Strategic Guide for Nonprofit Leaders” (Wiley 2009).
Goldstein teaches technology entrepreneurship at Georgetown University and blockchain at American University's Kogod School of Business. She serves on nonprofit boards, including JustGive.org and ParentsTogether Action.
Goldstein was named one of Newsweek’s "13 Women Entrepreneurs to Bet On" and one of BusinessWeek’s "25 Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs."
Session Panelist: Cybersecurity Trends in Protecting Disruptive Technologies
Ron started his cybersecurity career as a network penetration tester for the NSA. At BBN, he developed network honeypots to lure hackers and he ran US Internetworking's team of penetration testers and incident responders. As CTO of Network Security Wizards, Ron pioneered the art of network security monitoring and produced the Dragon Intrusion Detection System which was recognized as a market leader by Gartner in 2001. As CEO and co-founder of Tenable Network Security, Ron led the company's rapid growth and product vision from 2002 through 2016. He helped them scale to more than 20,000 customers worldwide, raise $300m in venture capital and achieve revenues in excess of $100m annually which enabled an IPO in 2018. Ron is President at Gula Tech Adventures which focuses on investing and advisement of next generation cyber-security start-ups companies. Ron was honored and humbled to receive the 2017 Betamore BETA award, be named a 2016 Baltimore Tech 10 leader and a 2013 Maryland entrepreneur of the year award by Ernest and Young. Ron is also a Global Fellow at the Wilson Center and helps educate congressional staff on cyber issues.
Session Panelist: Cybersecurity Trends in Protecting Disruptive Technologies
Ron started his cybersecurity career as a network penetration tester for the NSA. At BBN, he developed network honeypots to lure hackers and he ran US Internetworking's team of penetration testers and incident responders. As CTO of Network Security Wizards, Ron pioneered the art of network security monitoring and produced the Dragon Intrusion Detection System which was recognized as a market leader by Gartner in 2001. As CEO and co-founder of Tenable Network Security, Ron led the company's rapid growth and product vision from 2002 through 2016. He helped them scale to more than 20,000 customers worldwide, raise $300m in venture capital and achieve revenues in excess of $100m annually which enabled an IPO in 2018. Ron is President at Gula Tech Adventures which focuses on investing and advisement of next generation cyber-security start-ups companies. Ron was honored and humbled to receive the 2017 Betamore BETA award, be named a 2016 Baltimore Tech 10 leader and a 2013 Maryland entrepreneur of the year award by Ernest and Young. Ron is also a Global Fellow at the Wilson Center and helps educate congressional staff on cyber issues.
Session Panelist: Artificial Intelligence + Big Data
Vishal Gupta is global CTO and Senior Vice President, Technology at Unisys. Vishal leads the global technology and product development organization across six global centers and several thousand associates. Prior to Unisys, he was Senior Vice President of Engineering and Product management at Symantec responsible for five product lines in Cyber security. Mr. Gupta is a seasoned engineering and business leader with a proven track record in developing award winning products and transforming global centers of excellence. He has extensive experience in creating award winning products and transforming industries by leveraging technologies like Machine Learning, Cloud, IoT, and Agile development and partnering closely with customers to transform the experience and achieve the relevant business outcomes.
Prior to Symantec, Vishal was the Chief Product and IoT Officer for Silent Circle, a cyber security and privacy company. There he launched the industry’s first Enterprise Privacy platform. Prior to that, Mr. Gupta held multiple leadership roles at Cisco, including VP/GM for IoT to lead their global effort to transform industries by creating differentiated IoT products, partner eco-systems, and services for multiple sectors including banking by developing transformational products like Remote expert to drive higher wallet share. Prior to Cisco, Vishal was VP of Global Solutions Engineering and Partner Enablement for MetaSolv Software.
Vishal has a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from BITS Pilani in India, an MS in computer engineering from Dartmouth College where he graduated as Henry J McCarthy 1931 fellow, and an MBA from The Wharton Business School where he graduated as a Palmer Scholar. Vishal created an innovative platform at Dartmouth called Dartmouth Associative retrieval kernel that leveraged Deep learning and Singular Value decomposition to create an advanced search engine.
Session Panelist: Artificial Intelligence + Big Data
Vishal Gupta is global CTO and Senior Vice President, Technology at Unisys. Vishal leads the global technology and product development organization across six global centers and several thousand associates. Prior to Unisys, he was Senior Vice President of Engineering and Product management at Symantec responsible for five product lines in Cyber security. Mr. Gupta is a seasoned engineering and business leader with a proven track record in developing award winning products and transforming global centers of excellence. He has extensive experience in creating award winning products and transforming industries by leveraging technologies like Machine Learning, Cloud, IoT, and Agile development and partnering closely with customers to transform the experience and achieve the relevant business outcomes.
Prior to Symantec, Vishal was the Chief Product and IoT Officer for Silent Circle, a cyber security and privacy company. There he launched the industry’s first Enterprise Privacy platform. Prior to that, Mr. Gupta held multiple leadership roles at Cisco, including VP/GM for IoT to lead their global effort to transform industries by creating differentiated IoT products, partner eco-systems, and services for multiple sectors including banking by developing transformational products like Remote expert to drive higher wallet share. Prior to Cisco, Vishal was VP of Global Solutions Engineering and Partner Enablement for MetaSolv Software.
Vishal has a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from BITS Pilani in India, an MS in computer engineering from Dartmouth College where he graduated as Henry J McCarthy 1931 fellow, and an MBA from The Wharton Business School where he graduated as a Palmer Scholar. Vishal created an innovative platform at Dartmouth called Dartmouth Associative retrieval kernel that leveraged Deep learning and Singular Value decomposition to create an advanced search engine.
Session Panelist: Future of Food
Associate Dean William Hare oversees the land-grant programs of the University of the District of Columbia and is responsible for coordinating the applied research and community outreach programs of CAUSES to ensure their dedicated focus on building capacity in the food desert neighborhoods of Washington DC. Associate Dean Hare will speak about the commercial potential of the urban hydroponics and aquaponics systems that CAUSES has been building in three low income neighborhoods of Washington DC in Wards 5, 7 and 8.
Session Panelist: Future of Food
Associate Dean William Hare oversees the land-grant programs of the University of the District of Columbia and is responsible for coordinating the applied research and community outreach programs of CAUSES to ensure their dedicated focus on building capacity in the food desert neighborhoods of Washington DC. Associate Dean Hare will speak about the commercial potential of the urban hydroponics and aquaponics systems that CAUSES has been building in three low income neighborhoods of Washington DC in Wards 5, 7 and 8.
Session Moderator: Future of Healthcare
Jeffrey Hausfeld, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S., has served on the national board and committees of specialty medical societies since he began his practice in Otolaryngology/Facial Plastic Surgery in 1982. He is an Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery at George Washington University School of Health Sciences and an alumnus of the Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Hausfeld is widely published in the medical literature, is the pioneer of innovative laser surgery techniques, is the author of a lay oriented medical book on snoring and sleep apnea, and has appeared on numerous local and national television and radio shows as a medical expert.
He has also served as a health care consultant, spokesperson, and executive coach for multi-national pharmaceutical companies, health care firms, as well as the U.S. military. Dr. Hausfeld stepped down from his clinical duties after receiving a Masters in Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Hausfeld is presently developing assisted living facilities specializing in Alzheimer's and dementia care.
He serves as a consultant to several healthcare/life science startups in diagnostics, devices, biotech and Health IT. He also serves on the Investment Advisory Board of the Center for Innovation Technology's Life Science Gap Fund. The fund supports promising healthcare and life sciences ventures in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Dr. Hausfeld is the Chairman and Founder of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs (www.sopenet.org ), a global network focused on educating healthcare and life science professionals in Bioentrepreneurship and Innovation.
Dr. Hausfeld is orchestrating the Series B Financing of BioFactura (www.biofactura.com) and acted as the lead investor in this round. He will serve as Chairman of the Board of BioFactura as well as their Chief Medical Officer as the company develops its Biosimilar platform as well as its novel Bio-defense therapeutics.
Session Moderator: Future of Healthcare
Jeffrey Hausfeld, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S., has served on the national board and committees of specialty medical societies since he began his practice in Otolaryngology/Facial Plastic Surgery in 1982. He is an Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery at George Washington University School of Health Sciences and an alumnus of the Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Hausfeld is widely published in the medical literature, is the pioneer of innovative laser surgery techniques, is the author of a lay oriented medical book on snoring and sleep apnea, and has appeared on numerous local and national television and radio shows as a medical expert.
He has also served as a health care consultant, spokesperson, and executive coach for multi-national pharmaceutical companies, health care firms, as well as the U.S. military. Dr. Hausfeld stepped down from his clinical duties after receiving a Masters in Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Hausfeld is presently developing assisted living facilities specializing in Alzheimer's and dementia care.
He serves as a consultant to several healthcare/life science startups in diagnostics, devices, biotech and Health IT. He also serves on the Investment Advisory Board of the Center for Innovation Technology's Life Science Gap Fund. The fund supports promising healthcare and life sciences ventures in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Dr. Hausfeld is the Chairman and Founder of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs (www.sopenet.org ), a global network focused on educating healthcare and life science professionals in Bioentrepreneurship and Innovation.
Dr. Hausfeld is orchestrating the Series B Financing of BioFactura (www.biofactura.com) and acted as the lead investor in this round. He will serve as Chairman of the Board of BioFactura as well as their Chief Medical Officer as the company develops its Biosimilar platform as well as its novel Bio-defense therapeutics.
Chef Ype Von Hengst is co-founder and executive chef of Silver Diner and Silver New American Brasserie, a group of 17 restaurants located primarily in the Washington, D.C. region. Von Hengst has received many accolades for his creative, healthier menu items that use fresh and local products, plant-based products, and his expanded kids’ menu. The Silver Diner Kids Menu has received national acclaim and has been a model that has been studied and reported on by Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy in partnership with ChildObesity 180. Several top tier medical journals have run the Tufts study results on the benefits of Silver Diner’s Kids menu in influencing healthy eating.
Born in the Netherlands, Von Hengst received his training in some of Europe’s finest restaurants before coming to the U.S. Since that time, he has overseen more than a dozen premier restaurants in New York and Washington, D.C. As a strong believer that customers should have a choice, at Silver Diner Von Hengst has created diner classics as well as healthier alternatives that include vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menu items.
Von Hengst has been featured on numerous local and national television programs including Beat Bobby Flay and Food Network’s Chopped.
Chef Ype Von Hengst is co-founder and executive chef of Silver Diner and Silver New American Brasserie, a group of 17 restaurants located primarily in the Washington, D.C. region. Von Hengst has received many accolades for his creative, healthier menu items that use fresh and local products, plant-based products, and his expanded kids’ menu. The Silver Diner Kids Menu has received national acclaim and has been a model that has been studied and reported on by Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy in partnership with ChildObesity 180. Several top tier medical journals have run the Tufts study results on the benefits of Silver Diner’s Kids menu in influencing healthy eating.
Born in the Netherlands, Von Hengst received his training in some of Europe’s finest restaurants before coming to the U.S. Since that time, he has overseen more than a dozen premier restaurants in New York and Washington, D.C. As a strong believer that customers should have a choice, at Silver Diner Von Hengst has created diner classics as well as healthier alternatives that include vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menu items.
Von Hengst has been featured on numerous local and national television programs including Beat Bobby Flay and Food Network’s Chopped.
Session Panelist: Cybersecurity Trends in Protecting Disruptive Technologies
Niloofar Razi Howe has been an investor, executive and entrepreneur in the technology industry for the past 25 years, with a focus on Cybersecurity for the past ten. Most recently Ms. Howe served as Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Vice President of Strategy and Operations at RSA, a global cybersecurity company where she led corporate strategy, corporate development and planning, business development, global program management, business operations, security operations and Federal business development.
Prior to RSA, Ms. Howe served as the Chief Strategy Officer of Endgame, Inc., a leading enterprise software security company, where she was responsible for driving market and product strategy, as well as leading marketing, product management, corporate development and planning.
Prior to her operating roles, Ms. Howe spent twelve years leading deal teams in private equity and venture capital; first as a Principal at Zone Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm in Los Angeles, and then as Managing Director at Paladin Capital Group, a Washington DC based private equity fund focused on investing in next generation security companies. Ms. Howe started her professional career as a lawyer with O’Melveny & Myers and as a consultant with McKinsey & Co.
Ms. Howe speaks regularly on national security, cybersecurity, technology, innovation, corporate governance and corporate culture. She also created a TEDx talk entitled “The Gift of Exile” about the long-term opportunities that can arise from the most difficult challenges encountered in childhood for both the individuals who suffer the adversity and the communities that can accept and integrate such individuals.
Ms. Howe graduated with honors from Columbia College and holds a JD from Harvard Law School. She serves on the Board of Director of Recorded Future, a leader in the threat intelligence market, is a life member at the Council on Foreign Relations and serves as an advisor to the US government. Her non-profit work includes serving on the board of IREX, an international non-profit organization focused on promoting lasting change, as Vice Chair.
Previously she served on the Board of Global Rights, an international human rights organization, as Chair, Sibley Memorial Hospital (a member of Johns Hopkins Medicine), as chair of its Investment Committee, and Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation, as Vice Chair.
Session Panelist: Cybersecurity Trends in Protecting Disruptive Technologies
Niloofar Razi Howe has been an investor, executive and entrepreneur in the technology industry for the past 25 years, with a focus on Cybersecurity for the past ten. Most recently Ms. Howe served as Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Vice President of Strategy and Operations at RSA, a global cybersecurity company where she led corporate strategy, corporate development and planning, business development, global program management, business operations, security operations and Federal business development.
Prior to RSA, Ms. Howe served as the Chief Strategy Officer of Endgame, Inc., a leading enterprise software security company, where she was responsible for driving market and product strategy, as well as leading marketing, product management, corporate development and planning.
Prior to her operating roles, Ms. Howe spent twelve years leading deal teams in private equity and venture capital; first as a Principal at Zone Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm in Los Angeles, and then as Managing Director at Paladin Capital Group, a Washington DC based private equity fund focused on investing in next generation security companies. Ms. Howe started her professional career as a lawyer with O’Melveny & Myers and as a consultant with McKinsey & Co.
Ms. Howe speaks regularly on national security, cybersecurity, technology, innovation, corporate governance and corporate culture. She also created a TEDx talk entitled “The Gift of Exile” about the long-term opportunities that can arise from the most difficult challenges encountered in childhood for both the individuals who suffer the adversity and the communities that can accept and integrate such individuals.
Ms. Howe graduated with honors from Columbia College and holds a JD from Harvard Law School. She serves on the Board of Director of Recorded Future, a leader in the threat intelligence market, is a life member at the Council on Foreign Relations and serves as an advisor to the US government. Her non-profit work includes serving on the board of IREX, an international non-profit organization focused on promoting lasting change, as Vice Chair.
Previously she served on the Board of Global Rights, an international human rights organization, as Chair, Sibley Memorial Hospital (a member of Johns Hopkins Medicine), as chair of its Investment Committee, and Sibley Memorial Hospital Foundation, as Vice Chair.
Session Panelist: Future of Work
Narayan Iyer is the Global Venture Leader for Cognizant’s Drones and Image Analytics venture. In his role, he is actively involved in engaging and managing investments of Cognizant in this sector as well as building a global practice around drones and the associated data and analytical services.
Prior to joining Cognizant, he held executive roles in building over half a dozen startups globally in analytics, optimization, ecommerce and Saas across various industries in a twenty five plus year career.
Narayan is a graduate of Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai in Mechanical Engineering and did his graduate work at the University of Texas in Austin in Engineering, where he worked on building hypersonic fluid flow simulation models in a joint project with NASA.
Session Panelist: Future of Work
Narayan Iyer is the Global Venture Leader for Cognizant’s Drones and Image Analytics venture. In his role, he is actively involved in engaging and managing investments of Cognizant in this sector as well as building a global practice around drones and the associated data and analytical services.
Prior to joining Cognizant, he held executive roles in building over half a dozen startups globally in analytics, optimization, ecommerce and Saas across various industries in a twenty five plus year career.
Narayan is a graduate of Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai in Mechanical Engineering and did his graduate work at the University of Texas in Austin in Engineering, where he worked on building hypersonic fluid flow simulation models in a joint project with NASA.
Session Moderator: Artificial Intelligence + Big Data
Leif Jackson is responsible for Cybrary’s Content, Operations, and Product teams. Leif has 15 years experience leading teams across business analytics and global product management in the UK, Egypt, and the US in fortune 500 financial services companies (Capital One, Equifax, and Barclays), as well as non-profit organizations (the Broad Foundation and AARP). In these roles he has modeled and predicted financial fraud, learning, and future wealth using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Leif’s proudest work accomplishment is devising and executing a comprehensive academic strategy to turnaround his mother’s high school (Anacostia). Leif is the President of the Washington, Dc area Chicago Booth DC alumni club. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a Masters in Education Leadership from the Broad Foundation, and a BS in Systems Engineering and Economics from the University of Virginia.
Session Moderator: Artificial Intelligence + Big Data
Leif Jackson is responsible for Cybrary’s Content, Operations, and Product teams. Leif has 15 years experience leading teams across business analytics and global product management in the UK, Egypt, and the US in fortune 500 financial services companies (Capital One, Equifax, and Barclays), as well as non-profit organizations (the Broad Foundation and AARP). In these roles he has modeled and predicted financial fraud, learning, and future wealth using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Leif’s proudest work accomplishment is devising and executing a comprehensive academic strategy to turnaround his mother’s high school (Anacostia). Leif is the President of the Washington, Dc area Chicago Booth DC alumni club. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a Masters in Education Leadership from the Broad Foundation, and a BS in Systems Engineering and Economics from the University of Virginia.
Session Panelist: Future of Healthcare
Kristi Jones brings more than 25 years of business leadership experience in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries across strategic and operational roles. For five years prior to joining NexImmune, Ms. Jones was with Astra Zeneca and its subsidiary MedImmune.
From 2013-2015, Ms. Jones was Vice President of Portfolio Strategy and Management at Astra Zeneca, where she played an instrumental role in building a scientifically innovative, diverse portfolio creating new value for the company.
Prior to that she served as Vice President of Global Strategic Marketing to shape product plans and prepare MedImmune for multiple launches.
Previously, Ms. Jones held multiple leadership roles with increasing responsibility at Genentech, where she worked for 16 years, including Head of Immunology and Ophthalmology in Global Portfolio and Product Strategy, Endocrine and Pulmonary Franchise, and Immunology Business Unit Operations and Pipeline Planning. Ms. Jones also serves in a consulting role for various companies and organizations and serves on the Life Science Panel for Springboard Enterprises focused on start-up companies led by women.
Session Panelist: Future of Healthcare
Kristi Jones brings more than 25 years of business leadership experience in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries across strategic and operational roles. For five years prior to joining NexImmune, Ms. Jones was with Astra Zeneca and its subsidiary MedImmune.
From 2013-2015, Ms. Jones was Vice President of Portfolio Strategy and Management at Astra Zeneca, where she played an instrumental role in building a scientifically innovative, diverse portfolio creating new value for the company.
Prior to that she served as Vice President of Global Strategic Marketing to shape product plans and prepare MedImmune for multiple launches.
Previously, Ms. Jones held multiple leadership roles with increasing responsibility at Genentech, where she worked for 16 years, including Head of Immunology and Ophthalmology in Global Portfolio and Product Strategy, Endocrine and Pulmonary Franchise, and Immunology Business Unit Operations and Pipeline Planning. Ms. Jones also serves in a consulting role for various companies and organizations and serves on the Life Science Panel for Springboard Enterprises focused on start-up companies led by women.
Session Panelist: Future of Food
Thomas Kakovitch is the CEO of several Global Businesses dedicated to innovation in food production and environmental health. He is Emeritus Professor of Environmental Science at the University of the District of Columbia and holds 26 patents ranging from water sanitation to surface water aeration and energy efficiency of power plants. Prof. Kakovitch will introduce the science behind an innovative aeration devise used in aquaponic food production.
Session Panelist: Future of Food
Thomas Kakovitch is the CEO of several Global Businesses dedicated to innovation in food production and environmental health. He is Emeritus Professor of Environmental Science at the University of the District of Columbia and holds 26 patents ranging from water sanitation to surface water aeration and energy efficiency of power plants. Prof. Kakovitch will introduce the science behind an innovative aeration devise used in aquaponic food production.
Session Panelist: PitchMasters
As a Partner at Newport, Susan Kearney helps middle market CEOS grow and improve the profitability of their businesses, often in preparation for fundraising or a sale. Her clients are frequently in the technology, education, or professional services industries. For example, as an advisor to the owners of a privately held software company, Susan worked with them to evaluate strategic alternatives for scaling the company, to optimize operations and accelerate growth, and to quarterback a process for raising capital.
Susan’s career highlights include building a number of software, data, and analytics businesses, one of which was sold to Oracle Corporation. She also co-founded Voxant, a pioneering digital media company, raising several rounds of investment and growing it to over 200 content partners and 35,000 syndication affiliates within the first year before it was acquired by Grab Media (now Blinkx). Most recently, Ms. Kearney transformed Network for Good, a SaaS business, generating dramatic growth and improved efficiency after several years of flat to declining performance. Susan has worked with venture and private equity investors, participated in several liquidity events, and managed post-merger integration from both buy and sell sides.
Session Panelist: PitchMasters
As a Partner at Newport, Susan Kearney helps middle market CEOS grow and improve the profitability of their businesses, often in preparation for fundraising or a sale. Her clients are frequently in the technology, education, or professional services industries. For example, as an advisor to the owners of a privately held software company, Susan worked with them to evaluate strategic alternatives for scaling the company, to optimize operations and accelerate growth, and to quarterback a process for raising capital.
Susan’s career highlights include building a number of software, data, and analytics businesses, one of which was sold to Oracle Corporation. She also co-founded Voxant, a pioneering digital media company, raising several rounds of investment and growing it to over 200 content partners and 35,000 syndication affiliates within the first year before it was acquired by Grab Media (now Blinkx). Most recently, Ms. Kearney transformed Network for Good, a SaaS business, generating dramatic growth and improved efficiency after several years of flat to declining performance. Susan has worked with venture and private equity investors, participated in several liquidity events, and managed post-merger integration from both buy and sell sides.
Session Panelist: Artificial Intelligence + Big Data
An experienced technology leader, Lokesh Kumar is interested in platforms and technologies that transform industries, particularly those making our lives better. That aptly fits both the description of his previous start-up (FamilyArmour) as well as Urgent.ly. And it describes Lokesh’s past work on WRX, Verisign, Comcast and Videology. He has varied experience in both hardware and software systems, large and small teams. He has built high achieving distributed teams, across different continents.
He has Bachelor of Technology from India.
In his spare time, he likes to work with other local startups, helping in product and business strategy, in the process learn from others.
Session Panelist: Artificial Intelligence + Big Data
An experienced technology leader, Lokesh Kumar is interested in platforms and technologies that transform industries, particularly those making our lives better. That aptly fits both the description of his previous start-up (FamilyArmour) as well as Urgent.ly. And it describes Lokesh’s past work on WRX, Verisign, Comcast and Videology. He has varied experience in both hardware and software systems, large and small teams. He has built high achieving distributed teams, across different continents.
He has Bachelor of Technology from India.
In his spare time, he likes to work with other local startups, helping in product and business strategy, in the process learn from others.
Session Panelist: Future of Food
Chef Shawn Lightfoot entered the culinary industry in 1982 under the tutelage of Chef Gary Black, then at Washington, DC’s famed Hogates Seafood Restaurant. Chef Lightfoot brings over thirty years of culinary experience to the kitchen and hospitality world. He began as a prep cook at the Rib-It Restaurant in Cherry Hill NJ. Only after a year he was named Asst. Banquet Chef at Hogates Seafood Restaurant. Shortly thereafter, he was offered a job as Sous Chef for the Savoy Suites Hotel in Washington, DC. After spending the next few years there, he studied with Chef A. Renato of the famed Georgetown Club Washington, D.C., was a first cook at The Cosmos Club and got his degree at The Baltimore International Culinary Institute of Culinary Arts, and he also studied at the famed Culinary Institute of America, Boot Camps in Hyde Park, New York. At the CIA, Shawn saw and tasted many different cuisines from around the world. He uses techniques from around the world, always with a mind to bend them to his own purposes. As he continued his education, he developed and refined his style as a chef. The more he learned, the more he realized that virtually his entire culinary repertoire was possible to share to his community even under the strict standards of our field. So, after serving as Phillips Seafood Training Coordinator for four years, in 1995 he decided to open his first food experience bringing people a taste of his travels, he decided to redraw the fence line. Truly, it is all about the people, the food and drink. The menus are always focused on freshness, flavor, and healthy preparation options. The foods are grounded in the climate of today’s health disparities in marginalized and low-income communities and neighborhoods. This is his dream come true, his passion and his life. The fences have been rebuilt around his community, and this grass is definitely greener.
Session Panelist: Future of Food
Chef Shawn Lightfoot entered the culinary industry in 1982 under the tutelage of Chef Gary Black, then at Washington, DC’s famed Hogates Seafood Restaurant. Chef Lightfoot brings over thirty years of culinary experience to the kitchen and hospitality world. He began as a prep cook at the Rib-It Restaurant in Cherry Hill NJ. Only after a year he was named Asst. Banquet Chef at Hogates Seafood Restaurant. Shortly thereafter, he was offered a job as Sous Chef for the Savoy Suites Hotel in Washington, DC. After spending the next few years there, he studied with Chef A. Renato of the famed Georgetown Club Washington, D.C., was a first cook at The Cosmos Club and got his degree at The Baltimore International Culinary Institute of Culinary Arts, and he also studied at the famed Culinary Institute of America, Boot Camps in Hyde Park, New York. At the CIA, Shawn saw and tasted many different cuisines from around the world. He uses techniques from around the world, always with a mind to bend them to his own purposes. As he continued his education, he developed and refined his style as a chef. The more he learned, the more he realized that virtually his entire culinary repertoire was possible to share to his community even under the strict standards of our field. So, after serving as Phillips Seafood Training Coordinator for four years, in 1995 he decided to open his first food experience bringing people a taste of his travels, he decided to redraw the fence line. Truly, it is all about the people, the food and drink. The menus are always focused on freshness, flavor, and healthy preparation options. The foods are grounded in the climate of today’s health disparities in marginalized and low-income communities and neighborhoods. This is his dream come true, his passion and his life. The fences have been rebuilt around his community, and this grass is definitely greener.
Session Moderator: Venture Capital + Angel
Dan Loague is President, Washington DC ArchAngels, a member-organization formed in 2011 that holds monthly meetings attended by local investors in the MD-DC-VA region interested in evaluating exceptional start-up companies as potential investment opportunities. Membership in the Washington DC ArchAngels is limited and invitation-only.
Washington DC ArchAngels members include high-energy private investors and investment leaders that work almost exclusively with enterprises of exceptional growth potential in the global marketplace. Investments span a wide range of funding levels, include most industries and focus only on “best-of-thebest” companies with multiple revenue streams. All have a broad-based national business network of investment partners and business development experts, and several actively work with investors in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Members’ net worth profiles range from achievement of SEC accreditation requirements to wealth exceeding several hundred million dollars. Company participation is referral-only: during the past eight years, members have referred more than 6,000 companies for potential investment and have selected more than 650 as investment candidates. Of these, more than sixty have exited by acquisition, two have achieved IPO and others are in process.
Mr. Loague is also Executive Director of the Capital Formation Institute, Inc (CFI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit spin-off of the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds (NASVF), an organization that, from 1996-2004, built the nation’s largest network of seed and early stage investment professionals. Under his leadership, NASVF produced ten national conferences and held 86 invitation-only seed investing and networking workshops across 39 states. Mr. Loague’s efforts were fundamental in building NASVF’s national network of angel and seed stage venture investors. He is also a former cofounder of WBT Innovation Marketplace (see www.wbtshowcase.com), Investment Director, Space Investment Summit II and III (see www.spaceinvestmentsummit.com), and Executive Director, National Association of Seed and Venture Funds.
He has extensive economic development experience: for twenty-five years, working for six governors of the State of Oklahoma, he directed major programs for business development and economic statistics research. Mr. Loague’s publications include “Jumpstarting Sustainable American Jobs”, Science Progress, July 27, 2010, co-authored with Thomas Gephart, Ventana Capital (see http://www.scienceprogress.org/2010/07/jumpstarting-sustainable-american-jobs).
He has held academic positions at Arizona State University, Tempe, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City and Oklahoma City University (OCU). Military experience includes Avionics Officer (aviation electronics), Captain, USAF, Air Force Systems Command; Lawry Technical Training Center, Denver, Colorado; Keesler AFB, Mississippi; and Holloman AFB, New Mexico.
Session Moderator: Venture Capital + Angel
Dan Loague is President, Washington DC ArchAngels, a member-organization formed in 2011 that holds monthly meetings attended by local investors in the MD-DC-VA region interested in evaluating exceptional start-up companies as potential investment opportunities. Membership in the Washington DC ArchAngels is limited and invitation-only.
Washington DC ArchAngels members include high-energy private investors and investment leaders that work almost exclusively with enterprises of exceptional growth potential in the global marketplace. Investments span a wide range of funding levels, include most industries and focus only on “best-of-thebest” companies with multiple revenue streams. All have a broad-based national business network of investment partners and business development experts, and several actively work with investors in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Members’ net worth profiles range from achievement of SEC accreditation requirements to wealth exceeding several hundred million dollars. Company participation is referral-only: during the past eight years, members have referred more than 6,000 companies for potential investment and have selected more than 650 as investment candidates. Of these, more than sixty have exited by acquisition, two have achieved IPO and others are in process.
Mr. Loague is also Executive Director of the Capital Formation Institute, Inc (CFI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit spin-off of the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds (NASVF), an organization that, from 1996-2004, built the nation’s largest network of seed and early stage investment professionals. Under his leadership, NASVF produced ten national conferences and held 86 invitation-only seed investing and networking workshops across 39 states. Mr. Loague’s efforts were fundamental in building NASVF’s national network of angel and seed stage venture investors. He is also a former cofounder of WBT Innovation Marketplace (see www.wbtshowcase.com), Investment Director, Space Investment Summit II and III (see www.spaceinvestmentsummit.com), and Executive Director, National Association of Seed and Venture Funds.
He has extensive economic development experience: for twenty-five years, working for six governors of the State of Oklahoma, he directed major programs for business development and economic statistics research. Mr. Loague’s publications include “Jumpstarting Sustainable American Jobs”, Science Progress, July 27, 2010, co-authored with Thomas Gephart, Ventana Capital (see http://www.scienceprogress.org/2010/07/jumpstarting-sustainable-american-jobs).
He has held academic positions at Arizona State University, Tempe, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City and Oklahoma City University (OCU). Military experience includes Avionics Officer (aviation electronics), Captain, USAF, Air Force Systems Command; Lawry Technical Training Center, Denver, Colorado; Keesler AFB, Mississippi; and Holloman AFB, New Mexico.
Session Panelist: Future of Cities
Mark Maier began his career as an electrical engineer upgrading communication networks and integrating new IT systems across Europe. He then harmonized US products in Denmark, was the regional IT expertise in Australia and started a consulting group in Boston. Mark is now a Partner at Shulman Rogers where he chairs the firm’s Technology Transactions, Government Contracts and Homeland Security groups. He recently negotiated contracts for wireless location services, cyber security, international cloud computing and a new cleaner form of nuclear energy. During this time, Mark was also in the US Army on both Active Duty and in the Reserves where he commanded a tactical communications battalion and was responsible for all combat zone technology assets in Iraq and Afghanistan as his special operations task force CIO J6. Mark has an electrical engineering degree from Penn State, a law degree from Suffolk magna cum laude and retired from the US Army as Colonel.
Session Panelist: Future of Cities
Mark Maier began his career as an electrical engineer upgrading communication networks and integrating new IT systems across Europe. He then harmonized US products in Denmark, was the regional IT expertise in Australia and started a consulting group in Boston. Mark is now a Partner at Shulman Rogers where he chairs the firm’s Technology Transactions, Government Contracts and Homeland Security groups. He recently negotiated contracts for wireless location services, cyber security, international cloud computing and a new cleaner form of nuclear energy. During this time, Mark was also in the US Army on both Active Duty and in the Reserves where he commanded a tactical communications battalion and was responsible for all combat zone technology assets in Iraq and Afghanistan as his special operations task force CIO J6. Mark has an electrical engineering degree from Penn State, a law degree from Suffolk magna cum laude and retired from the US Army as Colonel.
Session Panelist: Future of Cities
Passionate and seasoned entrepreneur and attorney with multi-decade experience in developing creative and innovative strategies to obtain value from emerging market opportunities. Recognized as an industry innovator in the technology and telecommunications sectors. Demonstrated ability to launch and structure organizations with a keen eye for alliances, integration and establishing forward-thinking footprints and scalable business models. Able to quickly recognize, synthesize and resolve technical, economic, regulatory, legal and business issues in a shifting landscape. Focused on building effective cultures that promote, honesty, respect and transparent communications enabling organizations to grow and thrive. He is a Founder and currently a Partner at Smart City Works. Created in 2016, Smart City Works is a next generation business accelerator, focused on launching new infrastructure companies that improve the livability, operations, and resilience of cities. A principal who assisted in the conception and founding of iBiquity Digital (terrestrial digital radio), iXnet (Global VPN), Ondas Media (European satellite radio), Assure Space, LLC (aerospace insurance underwriter) and most recently Apio Systems, Inc. For each of these companies, Bob identified the business opportunity, drafted the business plans and go-to-market strategy, hired the core management team and secured investment.
Session Panelist: Future of Cities
Passionate and seasoned entrepreneur and attorney with multi-decade experience in developing creative and innovative strategies to obtain value from emerging market opportunities. Recognized as an industry innovator in the technology and telecommunications sectors. Demonstrated ability to launch and structure organizations with a keen eye for alliances, integration and establishing forward-thinking footprints and scalable business models. Able to quickly recognize, synthesize and resolve technical, economic, regulatory, legal and business issues in a shifting landscape. Focused on building effective cultures that promote, honesty, respect and transparent communications enabling organizations to grow and thrive. He is a Founder and currently a Partner at Smart City Works. Created in 2016, Smart City Works is a next generation business accelerator, focused on launching new infrastructure companies that improve the livability, operations, and resilience of cities. A principal who assisted in the conception and founding of iBiquity Digital (terrestrial digital radio), iXnet (Global VPN), Ondas Media (European satellite radio), Assure Space, LLC (aerospace insurance underwriter) and most recently Apio Systems, Inc. For each of these companies, Bob identified the business opportunity, drafted the business plans and go-to-market strategy, hired the core management team and secured investment.
Session Moderator: PitchMasters
Art Medici has a diverse background as an executive leader in e-commerce, high tech, telecom and information companies. His experience spans startups, high growth small/mid cap firms and global leaders like Thomson Reuters.
Consistently, he has assembled top management teams, then mentored and motivated them to significant accomplishments. He has served on boards of directors, including ICC and Logilent.
Art advises government contractors on taking advantage of that industry's rapid transition and consolidation trend.
For an IT provider to numerous government agencies, Art built alliances to drive new business and increase revenue and built and advisory board.
In the e-commerce space, as CEO and COO of ICC, and Director of Easy Link Services (ESIC) he completed four acquisitions and helped drive revenue from $20M to $90M while raising the share price significantly. He has helped to shepherd family businesses through generational transfer while positioning them for continuing growth.
Earlier in his career, as SVP of Marketing at $12B Cable & Wireless PLC, Art was responsible for growth by building alliances with Cisco and IBM among others.
Session Moderator: PitchMasters
Art Medici has a diverse background as an executive leader in e-commerce, high tech, telecom and information companies. His experience spans startups, high growth small/mid cap firms and global leaders like Thomson Reuters.
Consistently, he has assembled top management teams, then mentored and motivated them to significant accomplishments. He has served on boards of directors, including ICC and Logilent.
Art advises government contractors on taking advantage of that industry's rapid transition and consolidation trend.
For an IT provider to numerous government agencies, Art built alliances to drive new business and increase revenue and built and advisory board.
In the e-commerce space, as CEO and COO of ICC, and Director of Easy Link Services (ESIC) he completed four acquisitions and helped drive revenue from $20M to $90M while raising the share price significantly. He has helped to shepherd family businesses through generational transfer while positioning them for continuing growth.
Earlier in his career, as SVP of Marketing at $12B Cable & Wireless PLC, Art was responsible for growth by building alliances with Cisco and IBM among others.
Session Moderator: Future of Cities
Anthony Millin is the Chair of NEXT and a trusted legal and business advisor to startup, early-stage and emerging growth companies. As a corporate and securities attorney, a successful serial entrepreneur and a venture capitalist, Anthony brings a unique legal and business perspective to advising his clients. “Anthony has had a tremendous impact on the success of my company since we were in the startup phase,” says Dale Nirvani Pfeifer, Founder and CEO of GoodWorld. “He has not only provided sound and creative legal support, but has also served as a key business advisor throughout the growth of my company.” Anthony understands firsthand what it takes to start, scale and manage a company, to successfully prepare for and run a fund raising process, and to address the legal issues faced by a startup. This background provides him with valuable insights into the legal and business needs of his clients. Anthony has worked closely with a range of angel and institutional investors and helps clients identify real opportunities. He serves businesses across multiple industries including internet/SaaS, technology, biotech, cleantech, edtech, fintech and health care. Another specialized skill set Anthony brings to the table is his China-based experience, assisting early-stage and middle-market companies interested in conducting business in China or seeking direct foreign investment from China. Anthony also serves as a Venture Partner at Urban.Us, a seed stage VC firm. Contact Anthony at amillin@shulmanrogers.com.
Session Moderator: Future of Cities
Anthony Millin is the Chair of NEXT and a trusted legal and business advisor to startup, early-stage and emerging growth companies. As a corporate and securities attorney, a successful serial entrepreneur and a venture capitalist, Anthony brings a unique legal and business perspective to advising his clients. “Anthony has had a tremendous impact on the success of my company since we were in the startup phase,” says Dale Nirvani Pfeifer, Founder and CEO of GoodWorld. “He has not only provided sound and creative legal support, but has also served as a key business advisor throughout the growth of my company.” Anthony understands firsthand what it takes to start, scale and manage a company, to successfully prepare for and run a fund raising process, and to address the legal issues faced by a startup. This background provides him with valuable insights into the legal and business needs of his clients. Anthony has worked closely with a range of angel and institutional investors and helps clients identify real opportunities. He serves businesses across multiple industries including internet/SaaS, technology, biotech, cleantech, edtech, fintech and health care. Another specialized skill set Anthony brings to the table is his China-based experience, assisting early-stage and middle-market companies interested in conducting business in China or seeking direct foreign investment from China. Anthony also serves as a Venture Partner at Urban.Us, a seed stage VC firm. Contact Anthony at amillin@shulmanrogers.com.
Session Panelist: Future of Work
Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi is the President of RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities for people with disabilities. She regularly works with disability organizations, national, state and local policy leaders, workforce development professionals, media, employers, philanthropists, celebrities and faith-based organizations in order to expand opportunities for people with disabilities. Mizrahi has submitted testimony on employment for people with disabilities in all fifty states and at the Federal level.
She has published dozens of op-eds and publications on disability issues, including in USA Today, The Hill and other publications. She has columns in The Huffington Post, Times of Israel and The Mighty. Mizrahi is a co-author of Disability & Criminal Justice Reform: Keys to Success, which brought critical attention to the school-to-prison pipeline for people with disabilities and was featured on the PBS NewsHour. She is involved in the Emmy-winning TV show Born This Way and advancing diversity in Hollywood. Dyslexic herself, she also knows what it means to parent a child with multiple disabilities.
Mizrahi has met one-on-one with 43 of America’s governors on disability issues. She also has done projects with the White House and more than 60 U.S. Senators, as well as helping elect Prime Ministers and Presidents around the world. She is an expert in strategic communications, political strategy and on numerous public policies including international relations. A former spokesperson for a national political party, Mizrahi became “post-partisan” after 9/11 when she dedicated the next decade to “winning hearts and minds” on issues of terrorism and Middle East peace. She has worked with ambassadors from 85 different nations.
Mizrahi founded and led Laszlo Strategies and previously was political and training director for Campaigns and Elections magazine, campaign manager for a winning Congressional campaign, and founder of the District of Columbia Jewish Community Center’s award-winning community services program and public policy programs. She was a regular columnist for The Daily Record where she published more than 300 columns/op-eds on policy and politics. She has produced numerous videos and has been more than a hundred times on national television including on CNN, MSNBC, FOX and others.
The co-founder/director of The Mizrahi Family Charitable foundation, Mizrahi is active in the philanthropic community. A graduate of Emory, Mizrahi also studied at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, L’Institute Catholic in Paris and successfully completed further work on performance metrics at Harvard.
Session Panelist: Future of Work
Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi is the President of RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities for people with disabilities. She regularly works with disability organizations, national, state and local policy leaders, workforce development professionals, media, employers, philanthropists, celebrities and faith-based organizations in order to expand opportunities for people with disabilities. Mizrahi has submitted testimony on employment for people with disabilities in all fifty states and at the Federal level.
She has published dozens of op-eds and publications on disability issues, including in USA Today, The Hill and other publications. She has columns in The Huffington Post, Times of Israel and The Mighty. Mizrahi is a co-author of Disability & Criminal Justice Reform: Keys to Success, which brought critical attention to the school-to-prison pipeline for people with disabilities and was featured on the PBS NewsHour. She is involved in the Emmy-winning TV show Born This Way and advancing diversity in Hollywood. Dyslexic herself, she also knows what it means to parent a child with multiple disabilities.
Mizrahi has met one-on-one with 43 of America’s governors on disability issues. She also has done projects with the White House and more than 60 U.S. Senators, as well as helping elect Prime Ministers and Presidents around the world. She is an expert in strategic communications, political strategy and on numerous public policies including international relations. A former spokesperson for a national political party, Mizrahi became “post-partisan” after 9/11 when she dedicated the next decade to “winning hearts and minds” on issues of terrorism and Middle East peace. She has worked with ambassadors from 85 different nations.
Mizrahi founded and led Laszlo Strategies and previously was political and training director for Campaigns and Elections magazine, campaign manager for a winning Congressional campaign, and founder of the District of Columbia Jewish Community Center’s award-winning community services program and public policy programs. She was a regular columnist for The Daily Record where she published more than 300 columns/op-eds on policy and politics. She has produced numerous videos and has been more than a hundred times on national television including on CNN, MSNBC, FOX and others.
The co-founder/director of The Mizrahi Family Charitable foundation, Mizrahi is active in the philanthropic community. A graduate of Emory, Mizrahi also studied at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, L’Institute Catholic in Paris and successfully completed further work on performance metrics at Harvard.
Session Panelist: PitchMasters
Jeff is a Venture Investor, Advisor, and Entrepreneur. In the public sector, Jeff served on active duty as a Naval Officer. He worked in surface warfare and aviation operations, and represented the USA as a member of the All-Navy and All-DOD volleyball teams. In the private sector, as a General Manager and Management Consultant Jeff has led engagements with leading firms in supply chain, cyber, medicine, and television. Leading MCVC Partners' investment practice, Jeff helps leaders and organizations focus, execute, and celebrate their vision. Jeff is a Co-Creator of the startup accelerator FounderTrac. Jeff graduated from The Naval Academy with a degree in Economics and earned his MBA at the Wharton School.
Session Panelist: PitchMasters
Jeff is a Venture Investor, Advisor, and Entrepreneur. In the public sector, Jeff served on active duty as a Naval Officer. He worked in surface warfare and aviation operations, and represented the USA as a member of the All-Navy and All-DOD volleyball teams. In the private sector, as a General Manager and Management Consultant Jeff has led engagements with leading firms in supply chain, cyber, medicine, and television. Leading MCVC Partners' investment practice, Jeff helps leaders and organizations focus, execute, and celebrate their vision. Jeff is a Co-Creator of the startup accelerator FounderTrac. Jeff graduated from The Naval Academy with a degree in Economics and earned his MBA at the Wharton School.
Session Moderator: Future of Food
Dr. Sabine O'Hara is the founding Dean of the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) and Land-grant Programs, at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). UDC is the only public university in Washington DC, and the only exclusively urban land-grant university in the United States. As Dean of CAUSES, Dr. O’Hara is responsible for academic, applied research and community outreach programs that build capacity in the District of Columbia as an expression of the land-grant mission of the University. Key to that mission are her efforts to build a cutting edge model for urban agriculture and urban sustainability that improves the quality of life and economic opportunity for urban populations, and the resilience of urban communities.
Dr. O’Hara is a respected author, researcher, and higher education executive, and is well known for her expertise in sustainable economic development, community based assessment, circular economy systems, urban agriculture, and global partnerships. She has experience in virtually every aspect of university administration including curriculum development, strategic planning, program accreditation, participatory research, and stakeholder engagement.
Dr. O'Hara is a strong advocate of higher education who believes that education cannot merely provide answers to our questions, but must also question our answers. She is the founder and principal of Global Ecology LLC, the 10th President of Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, and held faculty and administrative positions at Green Mountain College in Vermont, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in Troy New York, and as Executive Director of the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, the preeminent international exchange organization that administers the Fulbright Scholar Program.
A native of Germany, O'Hara earned Doctoral and Master’s degrees in environmental and agricultural economics from the University of Göttingen, Germany. She serves on the board of several national and international organizations including as past president of the International Society for Ecological Economics and the US Society of Ecological Economics, Advisory Board member of King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and as editorial board member of several academic journals.
Session Moderator: Future of Food
Dr. Sabine O'Hara is the founding Dean of the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) and Land-grant Programs, at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). UDC is the only public university in Washington DC, and the only exclusively urban land-grant university in the United States. As Dean of CAUSES, Dr. O’Hara is responsible for academic, applied research and community outreach programs that build capacity in the District of Columbia as an expression of the land-grant mission of the University. Key to that mission are her efforts to build a cutting edge model for urban agriculture and urban sustainability that improves the quality of life and economic opportunity for urban populations, and the resilience of urban communities.
Dr. O’Hara is a respected author, researcher, and higher education executive, and is well known for her expertise in sustainable economic development, community based assessment, circular economy systems, urban agriculture, and global partnerships. She has experience in virtually every aspect of university administration including curriculum development, strategic planning, program accreditation, participatory research, and stakeholder engagement.
Dr. O'Hara is a strong advocate of higher education who believes that education cannot merely provide answers to our questions, but must also question our answers. She is the founder and principal of Global Ecology LLC, the 10th President of Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, and held faculty and administrative positions at Green Mountain College in Vermont, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in Troy New York, and as Executive Director of the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, the preeminent international exchange organization that administers the Fulbright Scholar Program.
A native of Germany, O'Hara earned Doctoral and Master’s degrees in environmental and agricultural economics from the University of Göttingen, Germany. She serves on the board of several national and international organizations including as past president of the International Society for Ecological Economics and the US Society of Ecological Economics, Advisory Board member of King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and as editorial board member of several academic journals.
Session Moderator: Traditional Alternatives: SBA, Bank, Tax Incentives
Natalia Olson-Urtecho is a serial entrepreneur and recognized expert in finance, government, smart cities, commercialization of technologies. Prior to cofounding The Disruptive Factory, she was appointed by President Obama as the SBA Regional Administrator managing yearly 35 billion dollars in government contracts and 8 billion in loans for SMEs. Natalia was appointed to Philadelphia’s Planning Commission and served as the Vice Chair of the Zoning Code Commission. She was appointed to the U.S. Innovation Advisory Board to advise Congress and the White House on competitiveness and innovation. She has been honored with numerous prestigious awards such as Woman of Distinction for her work in sustainable infrastructure & the green economy.
Session Moderator: Traditional Alternatives: SBA, Bank, Tax Incentives
Natalia Olson-Urtecho is a serial entrepreneur and recognized expert in finance, government, smart cities, commercialization of technologies. Prior to cofounding The Disruptive Factory, she was appointed by President Obama as the SBA Regional Administrator managing yearly 35 billion dollars in government contracts and 8 billion in loans for SMEs. Natalia was appointed to Philadelphia’s Planning Commission and served as the Vice Chair of the Zoning Code Commission. She was appointed to the U.S. Innovation Advisory Board to advise Congress and the White House on competitiveness and innovation. She has been honored with numerous prestigious awards such as Woman of Distinction for her work in sustainable infrastructure & the green economy.
Brian is a startup evangelist, advisor, and angel investor. He is the Managing Partner at the SparkLabs Cyber+Blockchain (Formerly Fishbowl Labs), which is the premiere startup accelerator in the Washington DC area. He is also the Director of Technology for Curator Solutions, which is an Edtech SaaS startup that creates interactive tools for trainers and instructional designers.
He was also formerly the global COO of Startup Grind, which is the one of the largest hi-tech startup communities in the world with over 2,000,000 startup entrepreneurs in 600 cities.
Prior to Startup Grind, he has over 18 years professional experience in web/online/mobile product development. He has experience in developing innovative consumer and enterprise products and services. Brian has started three previous startups. He has previously worked at AOL as a senior software developer and Merrill Lynch as a software developer for hi speed trading platforms.
He has been featured in Forbes as “17 Top Business Gurus to Follow” and other publications such as Washington Post, Huffington Post, Politico, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, Washington Business Journal, and DCInno “50 on Fire” 2017 and 2018
He has a BS in Information Systems/Policy & Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Brian is a startup evangelist, advisor, and angel investor. He is the Managing Partner at the SparkLabs Cyber+Blockchain (Formerly Fishbowl Labs), which is the premiere startup accelerator in the Washington DC area. He is also the Director of Technology for Curator Solutions, which is an Edtech SaaS startup that creates interactive tools for trainers and instructional designers.
He was also formerly the global COO of Startup Grind, which is the one of the largest hi-tech startup communities in the world with over 2,000,000 startup entrepreneurs in 600 cities.
Prior to Startup Grind, he has over 18 years professional experience in web/online/mobile product development. He has experience in developing innovative consumer and enterprise products and services. Brian has started three previous startups. He has previously worked at AOL as a senior software developer and Merrill Lynch as a software developer for hi speed trading platforms.
He has been featured in Forbes as “17 Top Business Gurus to Follow” and other publications such as Washington Post, Huffington Post, Politico, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, Washington Business Journal, and DCInno “50 on Fire” 2017 and 2018
He has a BS in Information Systems/Policy & Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Session Panelist: Venture Capital + Angel
Mr. Peek has an extensive background in public accounting, commercial lending, venture capital formation and as an entrepreneur having ran his own business for eight years and founded a partnership organized to qualify to be an Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) and Rural Business Investment Company (RBIC).
Mr. Peek led a national dialogue on investing in and lending to underserved markets via the SBA Small Business Investment Companies program (SBIC). His activities had a direct influence on national policy to emerging managers to work more closely with federal agencies such as SBA and federal agencies via the U.S. Treasury to invest in and lend to ethnic minorities, minority depository institutions, community banks, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and other U.S. entities. He has formed and will manage, once capitalized, a $250 million venture capital firm that will invest in and lend to minorities, women, and veterans and underserved communities.
Mr. Peek, in his prior role as Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Treasury, sat on an investment
committee and was a voting member that deployed $1.5 billion to states that was used to form venture capital funds, to cause loan participations, to create revolving loan pools, and to advance job creation and entrepreneurship with women, minorities, and veterans. He also served on the Small Business Lending Fund (SBLF) investment committee that deployed $4.5 billion to over 300 community banks. and the investment committee for the $300 million investment into CDFIs.
Mr. Peek served on various Presidential Committees for Access to Capital for Veterans and the Appalachia. He wrote the foundational policy memo for Treasury Secretary Geithner and the White House for the Departments of Treasury, OMB, and Labor to direct the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”-the federal entity that backstops pension funds) and other federal financial agencies to invest in emerging managers.
Mr. Peek’s investment committee results demonstrated that for every dollar committed, the fund managers have leveraged $9, and created 240,000 jobs through 2016. The overall fund activities have attracted $11 billion in private capital. Peek, functioning in a role as a fund of fund manager, assisted in creating 41 VC funds who were allocated $431MM. The average deal size for the fund manager was $2.6MM with the fund manager committing 50% of that amount. The fund managers made 1,623 financings with 36% of the financings being deployed in LMI communities.
Mr. Peek advised the then President of the U.S. appointed Director of the Jobs Council and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury served as the Deputy Assistant to President Obama and Counselor to Vice-President Biden.
Mr. Peek, prior to hos role at Treasury was a Assistant Vice-President /Bank Commercial Business Development Officer with Industrial Bank, one of the largest minority banks in the country and later he was Vice President in Commercial Banking with BB&T- both banks or in Washington, D.C. Mr. Peek sourced commercial credit and business relationships in excess of $100 million in his stint in banking. In his commercial banking career, Mr. Peek led and chaired The Access to Capital Committees in the District of Columbia for Local Small and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises.
Prior to his banking career, Mr. Peek established his own consumer products firm that manufactured, marketed, and distributed board and digital game products with five-time heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, a childhood friend. That firm launched two #1 rated products and was reviewed in nearly every major daily newspaper in America. The company created distribution agreements with many Fortune 500 firms such as Bellsouth, Carlson Travel, Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R’ Us, Pearson Television, U.S. Army, National Geographic and more.
Prior to his stint as a entrepreneur, Mr. Peek was a Senior Commercial lender with the Atlanta Economic Development Corporation for seven years (now ” Invest Atlanta”) his responsibilities included credit administration, deal flow, loan participation, loan origination, loan presentation to a credit committee, and other business development activities using general fund money of the City of Atlanta, money from the U.S HUD, and via the SBA long-term fixed asset and flexible capital programs (The 504 and 7-A). He led, completed, and closed over 200 financings to small and medium sized businesses.
Mr. Peek graduated from Wilberforce University in Ohio with a B.S, in Accounting, Summa Cum Laude. He is licensed as a CPA in, Georgia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Mr. Peek successfully completed the Council for Legal Education and Opportunity (CLEO) program for advanced studies in law and completed two years of law school at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Mr. Peek has many honors from church, civic and fraternal organization. He was awarded the 2013 Emancipation of Capital Award during the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington. Mr. Peek has chaired the audit committee of Wilberforce University, the world’s oldest Historically Black College and University (HBCU). He is an active Life Member and national committee chairman of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. He was past president of the Stone-Mountain-Lithonia Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, which won Chapter of the Year under his helm. He has served many years as Treasurer of the Christian Business Institute finance ministry at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, MD.
He is proudest honor is his award as “Greatest Dad” from his lovely daughter and his gift of eternal life by his beliefs in Jesus Christ.
Session Panelist: Venture Capital + Angel
Mr. Peek has an extensive background in public accounting, commercial lending, venture capital formation and as an entrepreneur having ran his own business for eight years and founded a partnership organized to qualify to be an Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) and Rural Business Investment Company (RBIC).
Mr. Peek led a national dialogue on investing in and lending to underserved markets via the SBA Small Business Investment Companies program (SBIC). His activities had a direct influence on national policy to emerging managers to work more closely with federal agencies such as SBA and federal agencies via the U.S. Treasury to invest in and lend to ethnic minorities, minority depository institutions, community banks, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and other U.S. entities. He has formed and will manage, once capitalized, a $250 million venture capital firm that will invest in and lend to minorities, women, and veterans and underserved communities.
Mr. Peek, in his prior role as Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Treasury, sat on an investment
committee and was a voting member that deployed $1.5 billion to states that was used to form venture capital funds, to cause loan participations, to create revolving loan pools, and to advance job creation and entrepreneurship with women, minorities, and veterans. He also served on the Small Business Lending Fund (SBLF) investment committee that deployed $4.5 billion to over 300 community banks. and the investment committee for the $300 million investment into CDFIs.
Mr. Peek served on various Presidential Committees for Access to Capital for Veterans and the Appalachia. He wrote the foundational policy memo for Treasury Secretary Geithner and the White House for the Departments of Treasury, OMB, and Labor to direct the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”-the federal entity that backstops pension funds) and other federal financial agencies to invest in emerging managers.
Mr. Peek’s investment committee results demonstrated that for every dollar committed, the fund managers have leveraged $9, and created 240,000 jobs through 2016. The overall fund activities have attracted $11 billion in private capital. Peek, functioning in a role as a fund of fund manager, assisted in creating 41 VC funds who were allocated $431MM. The average deal size for the fund manager was $2.6MM with the fund manager committing 50% of that amount. The fund managers made 1,623 financings with 36% of the financings being deployed in LMI communities.
Mr. Peek advised the then President of the U.S. appointed Director of the Jobs Council and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury served as the Deputy Assistant to President Obama and Counselor to Vice-President Biden.
Mr. Peek, prior to hos role at Treasury was a Assistant Vice-President /Bank Commercial Business Development Officer with Industrial Bank, one of the largest minority banks in the country and later he was Vice President in Commercial Banking with BB&T- both banks or in Washington, D.C. Mr. Peek sourced commercial credit and business relationships in excess of $100 million in his stint in banking. In his commercial banking career, Mr. Peek led and chaired The Access to Capital Committees in the District of Columbia for Local Small and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises.
Prior to his banking career, Mr. Peek established his own consumer products firm that manufactured, marketed, and distributed board and digital game products with five-time heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, a childhood friend. That firm launched two #1 rated products and was reviewed in nearly every major daily newspaper in America. The company created distribution agreements with many Fortune 500 firms such as Bellsouth, Carlson Travel, Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R’ Us, Pearson Television, U.S. Army, National Geographic and more.
Prior to his stint as a entrepreneur, Mr. Peek was a Senior Commercial lender with the Atlanta Economic Development Corporation for seven years (now ” Invest Atlanta”) his responsibilities included credit administration, deal flow, loan participation, loan origination, loan presentation to a credit committee, and other business development activities using general fund money of the City of Atlanta, money from the U.S HUD, and via the SBA long-term fixed asset and flexible capital programs (The 504 and 7-A). He led, completed, and closed over 200 financings to small and medium sized businesses.
Mr. Peek graduated from Wilberforce University in Ohio with a B.S, in Accounting, Summa Cum Laude. He is licensed as a CPA in, Georgia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Mr. Peek successfully completed the Council for Legal Education and Opportunity (CLEO) program for advanced studies in law and completed two years of law school at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Mr. Peek has many honors from church, civic and fraternal organization. He was awarded the 2013 Emancipation of Capital Award during the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington. Mr. Peek has chaired the audit committee of Wilberforce University, the world’s oldest Historically Black College and University (HBCU). He is an active Life Member and national committee chairman of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. He was past president of the Stone-Mountain-Lithonia Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, which won Chapter of the Year under his helm. He has served many years as Treasurer of the Christian Business Institute finance ministry at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, MD.
He is proudest honor is his award as “Greatest Dad” from his lovely daughter and his gift of eternal life by his beliefs in Jesus Christ.
Session Panelist: Future of Healthcare
Malinda Peeples, RN, MS, CDE, is the Vice President of Clinical Services, Programs, and Research at WellDoc, a digital health company transforming the delivery of health care in the value-based world with the use of FDA-cleared digital therapeutics focused on chronic disease care. In this role at Welldoc over the last decade Malinda has been a leader and champion in the digital health arena. She has been at the forefront of defining the digital health domain and remodeling how practitioners implement these clinically effective and cost containing innovative tools. By background Malinda is a registered nurse, certified diabetes educator and clinical and informatics nurse specialist. She earned a Master’s degree and completed a postgraduate research fellowship in health sciences informatics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She currently serves as an Adjunct Assistant Faculty member in the Division of Healthcare Informatics at Johns Hopkins. Malinda has been a dedicated volunteer for numerous local and national professional organizations. In 2005-2006 she served as President of the American Association of Diabetes Educators, an association for which she continues to be a dedicated volunteer.
Session Panelist: Future of Healthcare
Malinda Peeples, RN, MS, CDE, is the Vice President of Clinical Services, Programs, and Research at WellDoc, a digital health company transforming the delivery of health care in the value-based world with the use of FDA-cleared digital therapeutics focused on chronic disease care. In this role at Welldoc over the last decade Malinda has been a leader and champion in the digital health arena. She has been at the forefront of defining the digital health domain and remodeling how practitioners implement these clinically effective and cost containing innovative tools. By background Malinda is a registered nurse, certified diabetes educator and clinical and informatics nurse specialist. She earned a Master’s degree and completed a postgraduate research fellowship in health sciences informatics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She currently serves as an Adjunct Assistant Faculty member in the Division of Healthcare Informatics at Johns Hopkins. Malinda has been a dedicated volunteer for numerous local and national professional organizations. In 2005-2006 she served as President of the American Association of Diabetes Educators, an association for which she continues to be a dedicated volunteer.
Session Panelist: Venture Capital + Angel
Ian Portnoy is Senior Counsel in Dickinson Wright’s Corporate Practice with over 40 years of experience in the legal industry. With a diverse corporate, intellectual property and real estate practice, I’ve played a significant role in many high profile projects throughout the United States. I’ve assisted with major economic development, infrastructure development and finance projects, including public/private joint ventures, in conjunction with airports and mass transit facilities throughout the U.S.
In addition, I act as outside counsel to large and small technology and bio-tech companies (several of which specialize on agriculture, food security and food safety) coordinating their intellectual property assets with their business objectives and assisting with complex contract and intellectual property issues. I also regularly advise on board governance and board/staff issues, 501-C-3 compliance issues, and mergers and acquisitions of not-for-profits.
Mr. Portnoy is also a Senior Advisor to The Washington DC ArchAngels an has invested in several companies. He is a frequent participant for the ArchAngels initial due diligence panels, in which he questions entrepreneurs on their business strategy and implementation.
Session Panelist: Venture Capital + Angel
Ian Portnoy is Senior Counsel in Dickinson Wright’s Corporate Practice with over 40 years of experience in the legal industry. With a diverse corporate, intellectual property and real estate practice, I’ve played a significant role in many high profile projects throughout the United States. I’ve assisted with major economic development, infrastructure development and finance projects, including public/private joint ventures, in conjunction with airports and mass transit facilities throughout the U.S.
In addition, I act as outside counsel to large and small technology and bio-tech companies (several of which specialize on agriculture, food security and food safety) coordinating their intellectual property assets with their business objectives and assisting with complex contract and intellectual property issues. I also regularly advise on board governance and board/staff issues, 501-C-3 compliance issues, and mergers and acquisitions of not-for-profits.
Mr. Portnoy is also a Senior Advisor to The Washington DC ArchAngels an has invested in several companies. He is a frequent participant for the ArchAngels initial due diligence panels, in which he questions entrepreneurs on their business strategy and implementation.
Session Panelist: Venture Capital + Angel
Randall Reade is the Executive Vice-President and of The Washington DC ArchAngels (WDCA), an angel investment group he co-founded in 2011. The WDCA meets monthly and brings innovative companies from around the US and the world to meet with their broad range of angel investors. They have reviewed several thousand companies, and have presented over 700 companies to date.
WDCA is also launching Angel Ventures TV and Podcasts, which is designed to provide information about angel investing from experienced investors, and includes interviews with successful entrepreneurs. Mr. Reade has also taken the lead in bringing US companies to China seeking funding and entry to their markets. Additionally, he actively seeks companies from around the US, and has developed a three week course to teach students the basics of venture capital.
Prior to founding the WDCA, Mr. Reade was Chair of the International Committee for the Northern Virginia Technology Council, and is on the Board of Directors of numerous for-profit startups and non-profits arts organizations.
Session Panelist: Venture Capital + Angel
Randall Reade is the Executive Vice-President and of The Washington DC ArchAngels (WDCA), an angel investment group he co-founded in 2011. The WDCA meets monthly and brings innovative companies from around the US and the world to meet with their broad range of angel investors. They have reviewed several thousand companies, and have presented over 700 companies to date.
WDCA is also launching Angel Ventures TV and Podcasts, which is designed to provide information about angel investing from experienced investors, and includes interviews with successful entrepreneurs. Mr. Reade has also taken the lead in bringing US companies to China seeking funding and entry to their markets. Additionally, he actively seeks companies from around the US, and has developed a three week course to teach students the basics of venture capital.
Prior to founding the WDCA, Mr. Reade was Chair of the International Committee for the Northern Virginia Technology Council, and is on the Board of Directors of numerous for-profit startups and non-profits arts organizations.
Session Panelist: Traditional Alternatives: SBA, Bank, Tax Incentives
Charlie is an experienced executive with a demonstrated history of working in technology and finance. As Vice President of Business Development at Tri-Merit he is passionate about working with companies to help them benefit from Research & Development Tax Credits. Based in Tysons Corner, Virginia Charlie works with companies and CPAs from coast to coast.
Session Panelist: Traditional Alternatives: SBA, Bank, Tax Incentives
Charlie is an experienced executive with a demonstrated history of working in technology and finance. As Vice President of Business Development at Tri-Merit he is passionate about working with companies to help them benefit from Research & Development Tax Credits. Based in Tysons Corner, Virginia Charlie works with companies and CPAs from coast to coast.
Session Panelist: Future of Cities
Miriam Roure is passionate about improving cities through technology and design. She is the Director of URBAN-X, an accelerator built by MINI and Urban Us, dedicated to investing in and supporting entrepreneurs developing urban solutions.
Previously, Miriam worked at MIT Senseable City Lab, a research laboratory dedicated to exploring the future of cities from a data and sensor-based technology perspective. Trained as an architect an urban planner, she also worked at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture in Rotterdam and at Mateo Arquitectura in Barcelona.
Miriam holds degrees from Harvard University (MArchII) and Cornell University (BArch). She co-organized the first Harvard xDesign Conference in 2013.
Session Panelist: Future of Cities
Miriam Roure is passionate about improving cities through technology and design. She is the Director of URBAN-X, an accelerator built by MINI and Urban Us, dedicated to investing in and supporting entrepreneurs developing urban solutions.
Previously, Miriam worked at MIT Senseable City Lab, a research laboratory dedicated to exploring the future of cities from a data and sensor-based technology perspective. Trained as an architect an urban planner, she also worked at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture in Rotterdam and at Mateo Arquitectura in Barcelona.
Miriam holds degrees from Harvard University (MArchII) and Cornell University (BArch). She co-organized the first Harvard xDesign Conference in 2013.
Session Panelist: Traditional Alternatives: SBA, Bank, Tax Incentives
C. E. “Tee” Rowe is the President and CEO of America’s SBDC, the association representing Small Business Development Centers, a nationwide network of over 1,000 centers providing free, confidential counseling and low cost training to small business owners. He joined America’s SBDC in August of 2009.
A graduate of Dartmouth College and the Tulane University School of Law, Mr. Rowe has a long history of legislative and advocacy experience on behalf of the small business community.
In addition to his job at America’s SBDC he is the past Chairman of the Small Business Legislative Council, a nationwide association of 45 small business trade associations advocating for small business policies and a member of the US Chamber of Commerce’s Council on Small Business.
Prior to joining America’s SBDC he served as Associate Administrator for Congressional and Legislative Affairs for the US Small Business Administration from 2005 to 2009.
Tee also worked for ten years in the US Congress as Counsel to the Committee on Small Business in the US House of Representatives.
Mr. Rowe resides in Virginia with his wife Laurie and his daughter, Alex.
Session Panelist: Traditional Alternatives: SBA, Bank, Tax Incentives
C. E. “Tee” Rowe is the President and CEO of America’s SBDC, the association representing Small Business Development Centers, a nationwide network of over 1,000 centers providing free, confidential counseling and low cost training to small business owners. He joined America’s SBDC in August of 2009.
A graduate of Dartmouth College and the Tulane University School of Law, Mr. Rowe has a long history of legislative and advocacy experience on behalf of the small business community.
In addition to his job at America’s SBDC he is the past Chairman of the Small Business Legislative Council, a nationwide association of 45 small business trade associations advocating for small business policies and a member of the US Chamber of Commerce’s Council on Small Business.
Prior to joining America’s SBDC he served as Associate Administrator for Congressional and Legislative Affairs for the US Small Business Administration from 2005 to 2009.
Tee also worked for ten years in the US Congress as Counsel to the Committee on Small Business in the US House of Representatives.
Mr. Rowe resides in Virginia with his wife Laurie and his daughter, Alex.
Session Panelist: Future of Work
Aaron Saunders is the CEO and Founder of Clearly Innovative Inc., a minority-owned digital solutions provider headquartered in Washington DC. The firm shapes ideas into viable products and transforms clients’ existing technologies into stunning digital
solutions. Clearly Innovative is a leader in early adoption and implementation of cutting edge technologies to create web and mobile solutions, exemplifying this through work for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Queens Public Library, and even the American Red Cross, to name a few. Clearly Innovative provides support and expertise through services focused on product strategy, user
experience, design and development.
Aaron is also the CEO and Founder of In3 DC, LLC. In3 DC was selected by Howard University and DC Mayor
Muriel Bowser to operate the Inclusive Innovation Incubator (In3) at Howard University. In3 , which opened in April 2017, is the District’s first incubator, training, and co-working facility intentionally focused on increasing diversity in tech and business. The incubator offers entrepreneurship training, co-working space, events space, mentorship and a cross sector experience that bridges the gap between DC’s multifaceted education, business and tech industries.
Aaron, through his companies, has demonstrated commitment to preparing future generations for the Innovation Economy. In 2012 Clearly Innovative provided STEM and entrepreneurship classes, piloting a Summer program at Howard University Middle School for Math and Science (HUMS). Demonstrating success at HUMS through two
consecutive first place wins for our students in the Verizon App Challenge, his education initiatives began to expand. After being awarded a $100,000 grant from Chase Bank’s Mission Main Street to focus on extending the work of the education initiatives, Clearly Innovative initially branded its education work Luma Lab, but has since changed the name to Clearly Innovative Education. Through a partnership with TDF Foundation, we provided free and subsidized STEM based after-school and summer programs at DC Public schools and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington. Aaron and his companies have been recognized for their mobile development and education
work being covered on Fox News, NBC news, NPR, Washington Business Journal, the Washington Post and more.
Aaron himself was recognized as MMTC’s Champion of Digital Equality at their annual Access to Capital and
Telecom Policy Summit and was one of nine entrepreneurs selected to be featured on the Washington Business Journal’s 2017 Book of Lists.
To further validate the education initiatives, since his education programs inception, nearly 1,000 students and adults in the District of Columbia have been provided with unique opportunities and exposure to technology and business education. Partnerships have grown to include the College Success Foundation, Anne Beers Elementary
School, AnBryce Foundation, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington DC, Georgetown Day School, Howard University Middle School, KIPP Will Academy, Kramer Middle School, OCTO, YWCA, Washington School for Girls and the Development Corp. of Columbia Heights. Aaron’s passion for education is further showcased through his work as an Adjunct Computer Science Professor at
Howard University teaching courses on Web and Mobile Development. His unique perspective working with clients to quickly create solutions or long-term product strategy creates a relevant and hands-on approach to teaching web and mobile development with a focus on creativity and innovation.
Aaron has over thirty years experience in the technology and innovation space he has strong technical, communication, and collaboration abilities. He is highly adept at helping organizations add business value using technology. Aaron is recognized in the space as the thought-leader on mobile development and his book “Building
Cross-Platform Apps using Titanium, Alloy, and Appcelerator Cloud Services” was published in November 2014.
Aaron has a BS in Computer Science from Ohio Wesleyan University and an MBA in Information Technology
Strategy and Marketing from the NYU Stern School of Business.
Session Panelist: Future of Work
Aaron Saunders is the CEO and Founder of Clearly Innovative Inc., a minority-owned digital solutions provider headquartered in Washington DC. The firm shapes ideas into viable products and transforms clients’ existing technologies into stunning digital
solutions. Clearly Innovative is a leader in early adoption and implementation of cutting edge technologies to create web and mobile solutions, exemplifying this through work for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Queens Public Library, and even the American Red Cross, to name a few. Clearly Innovative provides support and expertise through services focused on product strategy, user
experience, design and development.
Aaron is also the CEO and Founder of In3 DC, LLC. In3 DC was selected by Howard University and DC Mayor
Muriel Bowser to operate the Inclusive Innovation Incubator (In3) at Howard University. In3 , which opened in April 2017, is the District’s first incubator, training, and co-working facility intentionally focused on increasing diversity in tech and business. The incubator offers entrepreneurship training, co-working space, events space, mentorship and a cross sector experience that bridges the gap between DC’s multifaceted education, business and tech industries.
Aaron, through his companies, has demonstrated commitment to preparing future generations for the Innovation Economy. In 2012 Clearly Innovative provided STEM and entrepreneurship classes, piloting a Summer program at Howard University Middle School for Math and Science (HUMS). Demonstrating success at HUMS through two
consecutive first place wins for our students in the Verizon App Challenge, his education initiatives began to expand. After being awarded a $100,000 grant from Chase Bank’s Mission Main Street to focus on extending the work of the education initiatives, Clearly Innovative initially branded its education work Luma Lab, but has since changed the name to Clearly Innovative Education. Through a partnership with TDF Foundation, we provided free and subsidized STEM based after-school and summer programs at DC Public schools and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington. Aaron and his companies have been recognized for their mobile development and education
work being covered on Fox News, NBC news, NPR, Washington Business Journal, the Washington Post and more.
Aaron himself was recognized as MMTC’s Champion of Digital Equality at their annual Access to Capital and
Telecom Policy Summit and was one of nine entrepreneurs selected to be featured on the Washington Business Journal’s 2017 Book of Lists.
To further validate the education initiatives, since his education programs inception, nearly 1,000 students and adults in the District of Columbia have been provided with unique opportunities and exposure to technology and business education. Partnerships have grown to include the College Success Foundation, Anne Beers Elementary
School, AnBryce Foundation, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington DC, Georgetown Day School, Howard University Middle School, KIPP Will Academy, Kramer Middle School, OCTO, YWCA, Washington School for Girls and the Development Corp. of Columbia Heights. Aaron’s passion for education is further showcased through his work as an Adjunct Computer Science Professor at
Howard University teaching courses on Web and Mobile Development. His unique perspective working with clients to quickly create solutions or long-term product strategy creates a relevant and hands-on approach to teaching web and mobile development with a focus on creativity and innovation.
Aaron has over thirty years experience in the technology and innovation space he has strong technical, communication, and collaboration abilities. He is highly adept at helping organizations add business value using technology. Aaron is recognized in the space as the thought-leader on mobile development and his book “Building
Cross-Platform Apps using Titanium, Alloy, and Appcelerator Cloud Services” was published in November 2014.
Aaron has a BS in Computer Science from Ohio Wesleyan University and an MBA in Information Technology
Strategy and Marketing from the NYU Stern School of Business.
Session Panelist: Innovative Alternatives: Crowdfunding, ICOs, Token Sales
Akin Sawyerr is the Managing Director of Feleman Limited, an investments and consulting firm focused on deploying payments systems, remittances, and blockchain solutions to catalyze growth in emerging markets. Feleman also assist projects in renewable energy, healthcare, and ancillary industries that add value in underserved communities.
Mr. Sawyerr is also the cofounder of a blockchain remittance company called RocRemit and serves as a Director of Splash Mobile Money, a mobile payments company in Sierra Leone where he provides strategic guidance on all matters concerning the company.
Mr. Sawyerr previously spent fifteen years working for management consulting and Fortune 500 corporations. He led strategic and organization transformation projects at Booz Allen Hamilton and Accenture in Washington, D.C., and held leadership positions with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.
Mr. Sawyerr started his career at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Washington, D.C., in the Technology and General Services Group where he conducted economic research and data analysis in support of IMF country strategies in Africa, Asia and Europe.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Economics with a minor in Political Science from Union College, New York, and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from The Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
He is a Board Member of the Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network in Washington D.C., and an alumnus of the World Bank Institute, and the ASPEN Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE).
Session Panelist: Innovative Alternatives: Crowdfunding, ICOs, Token Sales
Akin Sawyerr is the Managing Director of Feleman Limited, an investments and consulting firm focused on deploying payments systems, remittances, and blockchain solutions to catalyze growth in emerging markets. Feleman also assist projects in renewable energy, healthcare, and ancillary industries that add value in underserved communities.
Mr. Sawyerr is also the cofounder of a blockchain remittance company called RocRemit and serves as a Director of Splash Mobile Money, a mobile payments company in Sierra Leone where he provides strategic guidance on all matters concerning the company.
Mr. Sawyerr previously spent fifteen years working for management consulting and Fortune 500 corporations. He led strategic and organization transformation projects at Booz Allen Hamilton and Accenture in Washington, D.C., and held leadership positions with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.
Mr. Sawyerr started his career at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Washington, D.C., in the Technology and General Services Group where he conducted economic research and data analysis in support of IMF country strategies in Africa, Asia and Europe.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Economics with a minor in Political Science from Union College, New York, and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from The Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
He is a Board Member of the Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network in Washington D.C., and an alumnus of the World Bank Institute, and the ASPEN Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE).
Alan is the Summit Chair and President of the Wharton Club of Washington, DC. His dedication to the School and the Club resulted in his becoming a recipient of the Club’s Joseph Wharton Award and Wharton’s Distinguished Alumni Service Award. During his tenure, the Club has had 15 successful conferences, including the five Innovation Summits that have stimulated, connected and empowered a diverse group of innovators and entrepreneurs within and well beyond the Wharton alumni network.
An accomplished business attorney with the highest rating, “a v,” from Martindale-Hubbell, Alan’s career has been split between private practice (now in business and general practice) and public service. He received a Distinguished Service Award for his decade of service as a Senior Trial Attorney at the Federal Trade Commission after two years at the Justice Department. Alan earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School following his undergraduate work at the Wharton School.
Alan is the Summit Chair and President of the Wharton Club of Washington, DC. His dedication to the School and the Club resulted in his becoming a recipient of the Club’s Joseph Wharton Award and Wharton’s Distinguished Alumni Service Award. During his tenure, the Club has had 15 successful conferences, including the five Innovation Summits that have stimulated, connected and empowered a diverse group of innovators and entrepreneurs within and well beyond the Wharton alumni network.
An accomplished business attorney with the highest rating, “a v,” from Martindale-Hubbell, Alan’s career has been split between private practice (now in business and general practice) and public service. He received a Distinguished Service Award for his decade of service as a Senior Trial Attorney at the Federal Trade Commission after two years at the Justice Department. Alan earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School following his undergraduate work at the Wharton School.
Workshop: IP-Driven Innovation 2.0
(Patent Protection)
As a Patent Attorney, Mr. Schlaifer has worked on a large number of computer-related applications, including a wide variety of hardware and software technologies, as well as various technologies in electronic and mechanical fields, including a variety of medical devices and business methods applications.
Mr. Schlaifer worked as a software engineer at the National Library of Medicine and as a Patent Examiner before attending law school. During law school, Mr. Schlaifer was an intern at the Solicitor's Office of the USPTO, assisting in litigation. Mr. Schlaifer has also practiced law as a patent prosecutor at large law firms in the Washington, DC area, including a general practice firm and IP boutiques. Mr. Schlaifer has represented a variety of large clients as well as smaller clients, preparing and prosecuting applications, advising clients, assisting with legal research, due diligence, and litigation support work. During his time at large firms, Mr. Schlaifer also worked on a variety of pro bono cases, such as in landlord-tenant law and family law cases.
Workshop: IP-Driven Innovation 2.0
(Patent Protection)
As a Patent Attorney, Mr. Schlaifer has worked on a large number of computer-related applications, including a wide variety of hardware and software technologies, as well as various technologies in electronic and mechanical fields, including a variety of medical devices and business methods applications.
Mr. Schlaifer worked as a software engineer at the National Library of Medicine and as a Patent Examiner before attending law school. During law school, Mr. Schlaifer was an intern at the Solicitor's Office of the USPTO, assisting in litigation. Mr. Schlaifer has also practiced law as a patent prosecutor at large law firms in the Washington, DC area, including a general practice firm and IP boutiques. Mr. Schlaifer has represented a variety of large clients as well as smaller clients, preparing and prosecuting applications, advising clients, assisting with legal research, due diligence, and litigation support work. During his time at large firms, Mr. Schlaifer also worked on a variety of pro bono cases, such as in landlord-tenant law and family law cases.
Session Panelist: Connectivity: 5G + Internet of Things
Sanyogita Shamsunder is the Vice President of 5G Labs and Innovation at Verizon. Previously, she was Director of Advanced Wireless and Mobile Technology Planning, and has led the 5G network planning and Device Technologies teams at Verizon. Sanyogita has directed and managed teams in all areas of the wireless business, including silicon, and network technology development, marketing, planning and strategy.
Sanyogita received an MBA from The Wharton School, and a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Math from The University of Virginia.
Session Panelist: Connectivity: 5G + Internet of Things
Sanyogita Shamsunder is the Vice President of 5G Labs and Innovation at Verizon. Previously, she was Director of Advanced Wireless and Mobile Technology Planning, and has led the 5G network planning and Device Technologies teams at Verizon. Sanyogita has directed and managed teams in all areas of the wireless business, including silicon, and network technology development, marketing, planning and strategy.
Sanyogita received an MBA from The Wharton School, and a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Math from The University of Virginia.
Session Panelist: Innovative Alternatives: Crowdfunding, ICOs, Token Sales
Allison combines her background in securities enforcement, white collar defense, and her many years as a Senior Trial Attorney with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission to shepherd clients through the regulatory landscape as applied to virtual currencies, including but not limited to token offerings and the sale of virtual currencies.
Session Panelist: Innovative Alternatives: Crowdfunding, ICOs, Token Sales
Allison combines her background in securities enforcement, white collar defense, and her many years as a Senior Trial Attorney with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission to shepherd clients through the regulatory landscape as applied to virtual currencies, including but not limited to token offerings and the sale of virtual currencies.
Session Panelist: Venture Capital + Angel
Lilian Ting is a Principal of Select Venture Partners LLC, an early-stage, post-seed/pre-Series A investment management group that focuses on cloud services, SaaS enterprise software, mobile, data analytics, and e-commerce companies.
She has been a startup instructor, judge, panelist, and mentor for various accelerators: Fed-Tech, I-Corps, Korean Innovation Center, George Washington University and UMD. She is a frequent judge for pitch events in Boston, New York, Washington DC, and Philadelphia and has seen 1000’s of startups. She facilitates co-investing with US venture groups and introduces Chinese investor and manufacturers to leading US startups interested in entering the China market.
She is on the advisory board of Quinncia, ZipTime, CollegeNode and GreenSight Agronomics. She is the Development Director of the Washington DC Archangels. She founded a real estate company and did her PhD coursework and MA at George Washington University and her BA at Bryn Mawr College.
Session Panelist: Venture Capital + Angel
Lilian Ting is a Principal of Select Venture Partners LLC, an early-stage, post-seed/pre-Series A investment management group that focuses on cloud services, SaaS enterprise software, mobile, data analytics, and e-commerce companies.
She has been a startup instructor, judge, panelist, and mentor for various accelerators: Fed-Tech, I-Corps, Korean Innovation Center, George Washington University and UMD. She is a frequent judge for pitch events in Boston, New York, Washington DC, and Philadelphia and has seen 1000’s of startups. She facilitates co-investing with US venture groups and introduces Chinese investor and manufacturers to leading US startups interested in entering the China market.
She is on the advisory board of Quinncia, ZipTime, CollegeNode and GreenSight Agronomics. She is the Development Director of the Washington DC Archangels. She founded a real estate company and did her PhD coursework and MA at George Washington University and her BA at Bryn Mawr College.
Session Panelist: Connectivity: 5G + Internet of Things
An accomplished entrepreneur, business executive, and cybersecurity strategist with 28+ years leading myriad Cabinet-level and commercial entities, Pete maintains a passion for collaborating with government, industry, investor, and academic ecosystems to unearth and stimulate transformative innovation while increasing private-sector commercialization.
A trusted thought leader with corporate savvy and substantive technical proficiency, Pete maintains several Advisory Board roles in which Companies leverage Pete’s sophisticated aptitude to facilitate digital transformation, mitigate supply-chain risk, and ensure global growth.
As the Department of Energy’s (DoE) first-ever appointed Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Pete served as an innovation advocator for technology transfer of intellectual property, was an effective and credible collaborator across the international research and development community, and leveraged intellect within the national laboratory enterprise to catalyze economic competitiveness.
A self-proclaimed "Connective Tissue Officer," Pete founded Dots and Bridges LLC to satisfy his appetite for connecting dots, building bridges, and nurturing relationships.
Pete received his B.A. in Communications from Villanova University and earned his M.S. in Information and Telecommunication Systems from Johns Hopkins University. Most importantly, Pete is blessed with an incredible wife (Betsy) and four amazing children (Jacob, Joshua, Gabrielle, and Zachary).
Dots and Bridges provides an expansive suite of professional services to assist its clients throughout the business lifecycle. Applying a unique complement of creative methods, rooted in the discovery, cultivation, and fostering of relationships, Dots and Bridges helps clients crystallize value proposition, differentiate service offerings, and enable opportunity capture and sustainable, competitive advantage.
Session Panelist: Connectivity: 5G + Internet of Things
An accomplished entrepreneur, business executive, and cybersecurity strategist with 28+ years leading myriad Cabinet-level and commercial entities, Pete maintains a passion for collaborating with government, industry, investor, and academic ecosystems to unearth and stimulate transformative innovation while increasing private-sector commercialization.
A trusted thought leader with corporate savvy and substantive technical proficiency, Pete maintains several Advisory Board roles in which Companies leverage Pete’s sophisticated aptitude to facilitate digital transformation, mitigate supply-chain risk, and ensure global growth.
As the Department of Energy’s (DoE) first-ever appointed Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Pete served as an innovation advocator for technology transfer of intellectual property, was an effective and credible collaborator across the international research and development community, and leveraged intellect within the national laboratory enterprise to catalyze economic competitiveness.
A self-proclaimed "Connective Tissue Officer," Pete founded Dots and Bridges LLC to satisfy his appetite for connecting dots, building bridges, and nurturing relationships.
Pete received his B.A. in Communications from Villanova University and earned his M.S. in Information and Telecommunication Systems from Johns Hopkins University. Most importantly, Pete is blessed with an incredible wife (Betsy) and four amazing children (Jacob, Joshua, Gabrielle, and Zachary).
Dots and Bridges provides an expansive suite of professional services to assist its clients throughout the business lifecycle. Applying a unique complement of creative methods, rooted in the discovery, cultivation, and fostering of relationships, Dots and Bridges helps clients crystallize value proposition, differentiate service offerings, and enable opportunity capture and sustainable, competitive advantage.
Session Moderator: Connectivity: 5G + Internet of Things
Dr. Nicol Turner Lee is a fellow in the program’s Center for Technology Innovation and a contributor to TechTank. She comes to Brookings from the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC), a national non-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving equal opportunity and civil rights in the mass media, telecommunications, and broadband industries, where she served as vice president and chief research and policy officer. In this role, she led the design and implementation of their research, policy, and advocacy agendas. Her most recent White Papers at MMTC included, “A Lifeline to High-Speed Internet Access: An Economic Analysis of Administrative Costs and the Impact on Consumers” (March 2016), “Guarding Against Data Discrimination in the Internet of Everything” (September 2015), “Refocusing Broadband Policy: The New Opportunity Agenda for People of Color” (November 2013).
Prior to joining MMTC, Dr. Turner Lee was vice president and the first director of the Media and Technology Institute at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the nation’s leading think tank on issues related to African Americans and other people of color. In this role, she led the technology research agenda that was focused on advancing digital equity and inclusion for historically disadvantaged populations. Her most notable work was her development of the first national minority broadband adoption study in 2009 that was later cited in the congressionally mandated Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Plan. Her other publications there included, “Minorities, Mobile Broadband, and the Management of Chronic Diseases” (April 2012), co-authored with Dr. Brian Smedley and Joseph Miller; “Place Matters: The Debate over Broadband Availability” (2011); and, “Increasing Civic Engagement in the Digital Age” (2010) which was published by the Federal Communications Commission Law Journal.
In addition to these and other publications, Dr. Turner Lee has been cited in the New York Times, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Communications Daily, Multichannel News, Washington Informer, among other print and online publications. She is also a widely sought expert and speaker on issues related to communications policies in media and at conferences, and she has testified before Congress. Dr. Turner Lee was a two-time Digital Research Program Scholar as part of Time Warner Cable’s Cable Research Program in Communications and recipient of countless recognitions, including the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rainbow PUSH Coalition (2015) and one of the Most Inspiring Women in Media from the Alliance of Women in Media (2014).
At the Center for Technology Innovation, Dr. Turner Lee researches public policy designed to enable equitable access to technology across the U.S. and to harness its power to create change in communities across the world. Dr. Turner-Lee’s research also explores global and domestic broadband deployment, regulatory, and internet governance issues. She is also an expert on the intersection of race, wealth, and technology within the context of civic engagement, criminal justice, and economic development.
Dr. Turner Lee graduated from Colgate University magna cum laude and has a M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Northwestern University. She also holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Illinois-Chicago. Dr. Turner-Lee is a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology at Arizona State University. She also serves on the U.S. State Department’s Advisory Committee on International Communications and Information Policy (ACICIP). In her free time, Dr. Turner Lee is active on the boards of various nonprofit organizations, including the Telecommunications Policy Research Conference (TPRC), the Washington Literacy Center, and STEM4US, which is committed to advancing diversity in the technology fields.
Session Moderator: Connectivity: 5G + Internet of Things
Dr. Nicol Turner Lee is a fellow in the program’s Center for Technology Innovation and a contributor to TechTank. She comes to Brookings from the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC), a national non-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving equal opportunity and civil rights in the mass media, telecommunications, and broadband industries, where she served as vice president and chief research and policy officer. In this role, she led the design and implementation of their research, policy, and advocacy agendas. Her most recent White Papers at MMTC included, “A Lifeline to High-Speed Internet Access: An Economic Analysis of Administrative Costs and the Impact on Consumers” (March 2016), “Guarding Against Data Discrimination in the Internet of Everything” (September 2015), “Refocusing Broadband Policy: The New Opportunity Agenda for People of Color” (November 2013).
Prior to joining MMTC, Dr. Turner Lee was vice president and the first director of the Media and Technology Institute at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the nation’s leading think tank on issues related to African Americans and other people of color. In this role, she led the technology research agenda that was focused on advancing digital equity and inclusion for historically disadvantaged populations. Her most notable work was her development of the first national minority broadband adoption study in 2009 that was later cited in the congressionally mandated Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Plan. Her other publications there included, “Minorities, Mobile Broadband, and the Management of Chronic Diseases” (April 2012), co-authored with Dr. Brian Smedley and Joseph Miller; “Place Matters: The Debate over Broadband Availability” (2011); and, “Increasing Civic Engagement in the Digital Age” (2010) which was published by the Federal Communications Commission Law Journal.
In addition to these and other publications, Dr. Turner Lee has been cited in the New York Times, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Communications Daily, Multichannel News, Washington Informer, among other print and online publications. She is also a widely sought expert and speaker on issues related to communications policies in media and at conferences, and she has testified before Congress. Dr. Turner Lee was a two-time Digital Research Program Scholar as part of Time Warner Cable’s Cable Research Program in Communications and recipient of countless recognitions, including the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rainbow PUSH Coalition (2015) and one of the Most Inspiring Women in Media from the Alliance of Women in Media (2014).
At the Center for Technology Innovation, Dr. Turner Lee researches public policy designed to enable equitable access to technology across the U.S. and to harness its power to create change in communities across the world. Dr. Turner-Lee’s research also explores global and domestic broadband deployment, regulatory, and internet governance issues. She is also an expert on the intersection of race, wealth, and technology within the context of civic engagement, criminal justice, and economic development.
Dr. Turner Lee graduated from Colgate University magna cum laude and has a M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Northwestern University. She also holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Illinois-Chicago. Dr. Turner-Lee is a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology at Arizona State University. She also serves on the U.S. State Department’s Advisory Committee on International Communications and Information Policy (ACICIP). In her free time, Dr. Turner Lee is active on the boards of various nonprofit organizations, including the Telecommunications Policy Research Conference (TPRC), the Washington Literacy Center, and STEM4US, which is committed to advancing diversity in the technology fields.
Session Panelist: Future of Food
The Netherlands have arguably been on the forefront of precision agriculture and controlled agriculture systems for many years. Agricultural Counsellor of the Netherlands, Dr. Marianne Vaes, will speak about the newest innovations in precision agriculture in the Netherlands. These innovations have made a small country like the Netherlands one of the world's largest exporters of vegetables and horticulture plants.
Session Panelist: Future of Food
The Netherlands have arguably been on the forefront of precision agriculture and controlled agriculture systems for many years. Agricultural Counsellor of the Netherlands, Dr. Marianne Vaes, will speak about the newest innovations in precision agriculture in the Netherlands. These innovations have made a small country like the Netherlands one of the world's largest exporters of vegetables and horticulture plants.
Session Panelist: Venture Capital + Angel
Prachi Vakharia lives and works in Washington DC, where she works on Autonomous Vehicles, V2X technologies, digital and shared mobility projects in DC, NY, and LA. Previously, she worked with the World Bank and mentored startup companies — 3 of which were acquired by Daimler AG (German automaker of Mercedes Benz) for $100 million in a single deal on a single day. Prachi also chairs 3 committees for the National Academies of Sciences Transport Research Board, and was approached by SAE last year to serve as the first Global Chairperson for the development of new worldwide Digital & Shared Mobility Standards with SAE.
Beyond her work in transportation, Prachi also established, funded and serves as Manager Director of a foundation, Womanium, one of the most unique Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship organisations in USA that has worked with NASA, ARPA-E, NIH, Amazon, PARC, Industries, etc. for women’s advancement in STEM+Entrepreneurship in domains ranging from Energy, Space, Astronomy, Computational Neuroscience, Industrial Additive Manufacturing, Automation, Transportation to Nuclear Weapons Safety. Last year, in 2017, Prachi Vakharia gave away 177 Scholarships through Womanium to students in 42 countries – including 11 from Columbia University, for Space, Energy and Neuroscience.
Session Panelist: Venture Capital + Angel
Prachi Vakharia lives and works in Washington DC, where she works on Autonomous Vehicles, V2X technologies, digital and shared mobility projects in DC, NY, and LA. Previously, she worked with the World Bank and mentored startup companies — 3 of which were acquired by Daimler AG (German automaker of Mercedes Benz) for $100 million in a single deal on a single day. Prachi also chairs 3 committees for the National Academies of Sciences Transport Research Board, and was approached by SAE last year to serve as the first Global Chairperson for the development of new worldwide Digital & Shared Mobility Standards with SAE.
Beyond her work in transportation, Prachi also established, funded and serves as Manager Director of a foundation, Womanium, one of the most unique Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship organisations in USA that has worked with NASA, ARPA-E, NIH, Amazon, PARC, Industries, etc. for women’s advancement in STEM+Entrepreneurship in domains ranging from Energy, Space, Astronomy, Computational Neuroscience, Industrial Additive Manufacturing, Automation, Transportation to Nuclear Weapons Safety. Last year, in 2017, Prachi Vakharia gave away 177 Scholarships through Womanium to students in 42 countries – including 11 from Columbia University, for Space, Energy and Neuroscience.
Session Moderator: Future of Work
Sandy is a seasoned Brand & Marketing executive specializing in innovation and digital transformation in the US, EMEA, China and India. Her expertise includes positioning brands to stay competitive, creating products and go-to market strategies, and, establishing a culture that attracts talent and promotes innovation. Her experience spans blue-chip companies, IT (IBM), Finance (Deutsche Bank and J.P. Morgan) and SaaS start-ups in Clean Tech (ByFusion) and hospitality (SkipIt). Her work led to industry awards for Advertising, Marketing & Digital excellence. Sandy holds certificates in Agile and Design Thinking in addition to a double Masters, MBA (Nyenrode University NL) and International Affairs (Columbia University).
Session Moderator: Future of Work
Sandy is a seasoned Brand & Marketing executive specializing in innovation and digital transformation in the US, EMEA, China and India. Her expertise includes positioning brands to stay competitive, creating products and go-to market strategies, and, establishing a culture that attracts talent and promotes innovation. Her experience spans blue-chip companies, IT (IBM), Finance (Deutsche Bank and J.P. Morgan) and SaaS start-ups in Clean Tech (ByFusion) and hospitality (SkipIt). Her work led to industry awards for Advertising, Marketing & Digital excellence. Sandy holds certificates in Agile and Design Thinking in addition to a double Masters, MBA (Nyenrode University NL) and International Affairs (Columbia University).
Neil H. Wasserman (Ph.D.), Adjunct Prof. in Computer Science at George Washington University (GW), and Managing Director, Timewave Analytics, LLC, focuses on the design and implementation of healthcare applications of blockchain and other technologies. He teaches the first course on blockchain at GW in the Computer Science Dept. and leads a university wide seminar on blockchain. He and his students have developed designs for applications of blockchain technology to a wide variety of application domains including satellite tracking, land registration, trade authentication, currency stabilization, IoT device access and other areas.
He is applying distributed ledger techniques and platform business models to challenges in patient engagement and pilot development aimed at global health challenges. He has led workshops in blockchain use case and pilot development, guiding participants through a design process for blockchain applications to supply chain, value-based payments, identity, and access to healthcare records and data. He sees blockchain as a key accelerator for the transformation of the medical culture to serve patients through new forms of connectivity and service integration, ultimately reducing costs and improving outcomes for management of chronic disease. He has spoken on blockchain issues including a speaking tour at multiple universities in China. Neil Wasserman has a PhD. from Harvard University, and an A.B. from Cornell University.
Neil H. Wasserman (Ph.D.), Adjunct Prof. in Computer Science at George Washington University (GW), and Managing Director, Timewave Analytics, LLC, focuses on the design and implementation of healthcare applications of blockchain and other technologies. He teaches the first course on blockchain at GW in the Computer Science Dept. and leads a university wide seminar on blockchain. He and his students have developed designs for applications of blockchain technology to a wide variety of application domains including satellite tracking, land registration, trade authentication, currency stabilization, IoT device access and other areas.
He is applying distributed ledger techniques and platform business models to challenges in patient engagement and pilot development aimed at global health challenges. He has led workshops in blockchain use case and pilot development, guiding participants through a design process for blockchain applications to supply chain, value-based payments, identity, and access to healthcare records and data. He sees blockchain as a key accelerator for the transformation of the medical culture to serve patients through new forms of connectivity and service integration, ultimately reducing costs and improving outcomes for management of chronic disease. He has spoken on blockchain issues including a speaking tour at multiple universities in China. Neil Wasserman has a PhD. from Harvard University, and an A.B. from Cornell University.
