Bozoma Saint John

Chief Marketing Officer, Endeavor

Bozoma Saint John

Chief Marketing Officer, Endeavor

Bozoma (“Boz”) Saint John is Chief Marketing Officer for Endeavor, a global leader in entertainment, sports and fashion. Operating in more than 30 countries, Endeavor is the parent of a number of subsidiaries with leadership positions in their respective industries, including WME, IMG and UFC. Collectively, Endeavor specializes in talent representation and management; brand strategy, activation and licensing; media sales and distribution; and event management.

Over the course of her career, Saint John has earned a formidable reputation as a trailblazing marketing and advertising executive. She most recently served as Chief Brand Officer for Uber, where she was tasked with telling the stories of millions of riders and driver partners across 600+ cities. Prior to Uber, Saint John served as Head of Global Consumer Marketing for Apple Music and iTunes, spearheading campaigns geared towards growing consumer brand recognition, loyalty and equity around the world. She stole the show at Apple’s keynote World Wide Developers Conference when she introduced the new interface for Apple Music. Following the presentation, Buzzfeed called her the "coolest person to ever go on stage at an Apple event.”

Before Apple, Saint John served as Head of the Music and Entertainment Marketing Group at Pepsi-Cola North America, where she drove breakthrough consumer engagement plans for brands across the soda giant’s beverages portfolio by engaging tastemaker-consumers. Prior to Pepsi, Saint John served as VP of Marketing for Ashley Stewart, a women’s fashion brand, as well as managed accounts at advertising agencies Arnold Worldwide and Spike Lee's SpikeDDB.

Saint John was born in Middletown, CT, but spent her early childhood in Nairobi Kenya, Washington DC, and Accra Ghana, before immigrating to Colorado Springs, CO when she was 12 years old. She received her Bachelor’s degree in English and African American Studies from Wesleyan University (at which she currently sits on the President’s Advisory Council).

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2019 LINE-UP OF SPEAKERS & PRESENTERS

• RISHAD TOBACCOWALA

  Chief Growth Officer, Publicis Groupe

  

  
  

  RISHAD TOBACCOWALA

  Chief Growth Officer, Publicis Groupe

  Rishad Tobaccowala is the Chief Growth Officer of the Publicis Groupe, the world’s third largest marketing communications firm with 78,000 employees.

  Over his 37-year career in marketing, Rishad has served as the Chief Strategist of Publicis Groupe, The Chairman of Digitas and Razorfish and several roles at Starcom and Leo Burnett including setting up the first digital units for both firms called Starcom IP and Giant Step over 20 years ago.

  Rishad is finishing a book titled “Restoring the Soul of Business: Staying Human in The Age of Data” which will be published by Harper Collins in January 2020. In addition, Rishad is a prolific speaker keynoting many conferences around the world.

  Rishad is also the Chairman of The Tobaccowala Foundation which helps 10,000 people in India gain better healthcare and education.

  Rishad has a BS in Mathematics from the University of Bombay and an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago.

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• CATHY HACKL

  Futurist and AR/VR Author, Enterprise Marketing, Magic Leap

  

  
  

  CATHY HACKL

  Futurist and AR/VR Author, Enterprise Marketing, Magic Leap

  Cathy Hackl is an Emmy-nominated communicator turned virtual reality & augmented reality global speaker, producer, and futurist. Linkedin recently named her the #4 Top Voice in Technology globally on the platform in 2018. She's a Lead Futurist at You Are Here Immersive Labs, one of the Southeast's most prominent XR labs. Prior to that, Hackl worked as an HTC VIVE VR Evangelist during the launch of their latest headset, the VIVE Pro, and during the company’s partnership with Warner Brothers’ blockbuster, Ready Player One. She's the author of Marketing New Realities: An Introduction to VR & AR Marketing, Branding & Communications. Hackl was named by IZEA and Onalytica as a leading augmented reality and virtual reality influencer and also by NBC News as one of the top women working in virtual reality. Hackl served as chief communications & content officer for Future Lighthouse, one of the world's top VR studios focused on branded VR narrative, where she collaborated on projects with brands like Sony Pictures Entertainment, Oculus, Beefeater, and William Morris Endeavor. Hackl was also selected as a 2017 Oculus Launch Pad Fellow, a program designed to support promising diverse VR content creators and help them bring their unique ideas to market. She's the founder of Latinos in VR/AR and has spoken about VR and social media in more than 10 countries. Hackl has been featured in media outlets like Mic, CNN, Silicon Beat, Entrepreneur, CMO.com, Forbes, VentureBeat and Mashable. She is a global advisor for VR AR Association and a leading voice in the VR AR marketing space. Before working in AR, VR and social media, Hackl worked as a journalist for CNN, Discovery Communications, and ABC News. She's also the creator of the holographic press release. She loves all things spatial computing, tech, AI and blockchain.

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• MARCUS WASDIN

  Chief Information Officer, Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena

  

  
  

  MARCUS WASDIN

  Chief Information Officer, Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena

  Marcus Wasdin is the Chief Information Officer of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena. At the Hawks, Marcus has responsibility for the technology, analytics and business strategy functions. As a key contributor in formulating and implementing strategic short and long term goals for the Hawks, Marcus understands the importance of a sound strategy, improving operations and the growing the business. In addition, he understands the growing importance of technology and provides the Hawks with executive leadership, strategic planning, implementation and support to help define and meet company priorities.

  Prior to joining the Hawks, Marcus served in multiple executive roles for hospitality, software and technology companies where he proved to be a successful and driven business leader. Most recently, Marcus served as Chief Information Officer at Church’s Chicken. Marcus' experience also includes time as Vice President of Marketing and Product Management as well as the Vice President of Sales Support for SumTotal Systems, a strategic Human Capital and Business Planning software provider. Marcus also serves as an advisory board member for Hospitality Technology Magazine which is the only media brand dedicated exclusively to covering technology trends and solutions in the lodging and food service industries.

  Marcus Wasdin graduated with honors from the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer Information Systems.

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• Tom Goodwin

  EVP, Head of Innovation, Publicis Media

  

  
  

  Tom Goodwin

  EVP, Head of Innovation, Publicis Media

  Tom Goodwin is the EVP, Head of Innovation for Zenith Media, his role is to understand new technology, behaviors and platforms and ideate and implement solutions for clients that take advantage of the new opportunities these make possible.

  Tom is also voted the #1 voice in Marketing by LinkedIn with over 700,000 followers on the platform, he is also one of 30 people to follow on Twitter by Business Insider & the top two people in Advertising to follow by FastCompany. Tom recently wrote Digital Darwinism, a book aimed to help companies understand change in the world and to be more optimistic about what technology means for business.

  An industry provocateur and commentator on the future of marketing and business, he's a columnist for the Guardian, TechCrunch and Forbes and frequent contributor to GQ, Ad Age, Wired, AdWeek, Inc, The World Economic Forum and Digiday. He features on Global TV as a regular guest on i24News’s “Cutting Edge” section and runs a global inspiration series and podcast called “Interesing people in interesting times”.

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• Maxine Cain

  Founder and President, STEM Atlanta Women

  

  
  

  Maxine Cain

  Founder and President, STEM Atlanta Women

  Maxine Cain is a Senior Human Resources leader and entrepreneurial personality known for Changing the way employees live, work and play and doing work that matters by making breakthroughs in STEM, interactive entertainment, digital media, the Internet of Things and broadband services for customers in the telecommunications and technology industry.

  Maxine is the Founder and CEO of STEM Atlanta Women, Inc. founded in 2016. Maxine is also the visionary leader of the (Girl Centric STEM Innovation Academy) planned to open in the Fall of 2019.

  STEM Atlanta Women is a non-profit 501c(3) organization created to Enlighten, Educate, and Empower women and girls about the advantages and global opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math and the future skills needed to compete and succeed in the 21st Century.

  The STEM Innovation Academy is an organization that was created and designed by women for women. The STEM Innovation Academy is a digital creative space that offers a collaborative environment for learning, innovation, and creativity. We support and promote the "Educate to Innovate" campaign to motivate and inspire students and young adults to excel in STEM subjects.

  Maxine is also the Co-Founder & COO of Incluzion. The First Ever Marketplace for Underrepresented Freelance Talent. The online platform makes it easy for entrepreneurs and businesses to find and hire Black, Latinx, and Women freelancers in the United States.

  Launched last October by Atlanta-based startup Spendwith Corp, the platform strives for more diversity and inclusion in the gig economy. Much like its competitors, clients post projects and invite freelancers to bid. Freelancers are notified by email when new jobs are posted matching their skills. Still, with its growing database, Incluzion.co is uniquely positioned for clients looking for diverse, U.S.-based freelancers.

  Maxine Cain is a college educated professional who pursued a Bachelor of Science in Management degree designed to develop the professional knowledge and skills of cross-functional managers in any organization.

  Maxine Cain is a native of Georgia. Born and raised in Atlanta, GA. Maxine was married for 21 years and is currently divorced with 2 beautiful children. Brandon Cain – 25 years old and Lauren Cain 20 years old. Maxine loves to entertain at home, travel, cook, and make everyone around her feel very special.

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• Andrew Shannon

  Director of Emerging Technology, Atlanta Falcons, United FC and Mercedes-Benz Stadium

  

  
  

  Andrew Shannon

  Director of Emerging Technology, Atlanta Falcons, United FC and Mercedes-Benz Stadium

  Andrew Shannon is a technologist with a background in IoT and big data product development. His career has centered around technology, first in consulting, then building a start-up, and now as an innovator-in-residence for AMBSE. Andrew is an Atlanta native, attending Georgia State University for his undergrad and Georgia Tech for his MBA and MS-CS. Andrew got his start in tech entrepreneurship during his MBA, when he co-founded Aspirum Technologies. Later, he envisioned and commercialized many new products and features at Microsoft, including Windows Ink, Windows Focus Assistant, and Windows Timeline while on the Windows team, and Azure Sphere and Azure Time Series Insights while on the Azure IoT engineering team. Andrew is currently the director of emerging technology for the Atlanta Falcons, United FC, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Outside of that, Andrew spends time advising and supporting tech start-ups and children and healthcare-focused non-profits.

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• Jeff Perkins

  Chief Marketing Officer,ParkMobile

  

  
  

  Jeff Perkins

  Chief Marketing Officer, ParkMobile

  Jeff Perkins is Chief Marketing Officer of ParkMobile, the leading provider smart parking and mobility solutions in the U.S. Prior to ParkMobile, Jeff was the CMO of QASymphony where he helped establish the brand and grow revenue 500% over a three-year period, leading to a $40 million Series C with Insight Venture Partners. He also has held senior marketing leadership positions at PGi and AutoTrader.com. Jeff started his career grinding it out in the NYC ad industry at Saatchi & Saatchi working on clients like Procter & Gamble, General Mills and Volvo. His experiences range from traditional to digital, B2C to B2B, and agency-side to client-side. Jeff received his BA from American University and MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. He is a frequent contributor to several marketing publications and a speaker at many industry events. When he’s not working, you might find him riding his Peloton bike or attending a Bruce Springsteen concert (he’s been to 32 so far). He lives in Atlanta with his awesome wife, two adorable daughters (ages 8 and 11) and two hyper dogs.

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• DR. JEFF SCHNEIDER

  Founding Member, Uber’s Advanced Technology Group

  

  
  

  DR. JEFF SCHNEIDER

  Founding Member, Uber’s Advanced Technology Group

  Dr. Jeff Schneider is a research professor in the Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science where his recent research is on machine learning for autonomous systems. He received his PhD in Computer Science from the University of Rochester. He has over 20 years experience developing, publishing, and applying machine learning algorithms in government, science, and industry. He has over one hundred publications and has given numerous invited talks and tutorials on the subject.

  Jeff is also an entrepreneur. He was a founding member of Uber's Advanced Technologies Group and spent three years helping to build their self driving car program. Before that, he developed a machine learning based CNS drug discovery system and commercialized it during two years as Psychogenics' Chief Informatics Officer. Earlier in his career he was the co-founder and CEO of Schenley Park Research, a company dedicated to bringing machine learning to industry. Through his research, commercial, and consulting efforts, he has worked with dozens of companies and government agencies around the world.

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• Pavani Yalla

  Creative Director, Second Story 

  

  
  

  Pavani Yalla

  Creative Director, Second Story 

  As Creative Director for Second Story's Atlanta studio, Pavani leads award-winning projects that live between digital and physical realms. Her passion for culture and collaboration inspires her human-centric approach to designing experiences that influence emotion. Pavani has a diverse background in engineering, design, and music and holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida and an M.S. in Human-Computer Interaction from Georgia Institute of Technology. Her work has been recognized for design excellence by HOW Design, the Society for Experiential Graphic Design (SEGD), the Interaction Design Association (IxDA) and The American Alliance of Museums (AAM).

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• Chris Melissinos

  Senior Director of Interactive Entertainment, Verizon Media 

  

  
  

  Chris Melissinos

  Senior Director of Interactive Entertainment, Verizon Media 

  Chris Melissinos is the former Chief Gaming Officer and Chief Evangelist for Sun Microsystems, Inc., and served as the Guest Curator and creator of "The Art of Video Games" exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. He currently serves as the Senior Director of Interactive Entertainment at Verizon Media.

  A highly regarded speaker, Melissinos is an authority on the intersection of technology and popular culture, future trends in interactive entertainment, and the impact of technology and new media on an increasingly connected world.

  During his career, Melissinos has contributed to and led the development of several technologies, including Java technology focused on media and entertainment industries, mobile technologies, and server technologies for massively connected, global experiences. His expertise in technology adoption, social platforms, developer communities, and impact of technology as a change agent has made him a sought-after speaker around the world.

  The record setting "The Art of Video Games" exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, was created and led by Melissinos. The first video game art exhibition of its kind, "The Art of Video Games" explored the 40 year evolution of video games as an art form and examined the impact of video games on American culture. Since its opening in 2012, the exhibition has traveled to 10 additional museums across the country and ended its historic run at the Frost Art Museum at Florida International University in April, 2016.

  For his work and his role as a strong and passionate advocate for video games as an important part of global culture, he was awarded the "Ambassador Award" at the 2013 Game Developers Choice Awards, held during the annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, CA.

  A sought after speaker, engagements have included CES, Game Developers Conference, iHollywood Forum, PAX, Mobile World Congress, JavaOne, TEDx, and universities, investment, and educational conferences around the world. He has been Interviewed by more than 30 different news outlets including CBS, ABC, FOX, BBC, NPR, Wired, Time Magazine, Fast Company, Nintendo Power, Game Informer, and major newspapers.

  Chris also co-authored the book, “The Art of Video Games: From Pac-Man to Mass Effect"

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• Tia Buckham-White

  Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Notre Internationale, Inc.

  

  
  

  Tia Buckham-White

  Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Notre Internationale, Inc.

  White is the founder of Notre Internationale and has facilitated group conversations, circle dialogs and workshops on race, women in business, and personal relationships since 2010. Notre has developed executive level group programs for corporations, universities, and private events both independently, and in partnership with non-profits and individuals, to help build accountable and transparent communities.

  Tia founded the Company to offer S.A.F.E™ (Self-Awareness for Everyone) environments for women and people of color to discuss the challenges associated with developing inclusive, accountable and transparent community and group interactions. She demonstrates her commitment by helping participants think about self-awareness and how it informs diversity, culture, leadership and change. As a result, Notre Internationale was awarded the Excellence in Diversity Leadership Award from the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG).

  Notre holds private, corporate and community events for groups interested in developing self-awareness within the culture as a teachable skill that transforms human relationships.

  Tia has more than 18 years of group and individual coaching experience with people from all walks of life and maintains a thriving practice exclusively focused on self-awareness coaching for executive, entrepreneurial, and high-potential leaders across diversified sectors.

  She has worked with organizations, companies, and schools including The University of Ghana Business School in Accra, Ghana; the University of Houston Student Services; and the Information Technology Senior Management Forum, an African American organization for executives in technology. Tia has facilitated workshops and leadership engagements across many functional areas and throughout multiple levels of organizations.

  Tia is committed to community service and has consulted with the YWCA’s It’s Time to Talk Facilitator Community and coached participants to tackle difficult conversations and improve their self-awareness. She also serves on the advisory board of the Sub-Saharan Education Project, a US-based non-governmental organization with a mission to enrich the lives of women and children in West Africa by increasing access to community-based educational opportunities.

  Tia is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and is a member of the National Association of Professional Women and the American Business Women’s Association. She holds a Qualified Administrator designation with the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)™ assessment and is a Certified Administrator of The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team™ and Everything DiSC™ with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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• ASHISH PATEL

  Chief Insights Officer, Group Nine Media

  

  
  

  ASHISH PATEL

  Chief Insights Officer, Group Nine Media

  Ashish Patel is the Chief Insights Officer at Group Nine Media and concurrently holds the title of Executive-in-Residence at Lerer Hippeau. Prior to Group Nine’s formation, Ashish was Senior Vice President Social Media at NowThis Media as well as Advisor at The Dodo and Thrillist. Previously, Ashish was Head of Global Social Media at VICE. Ashish is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

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• Matt Joanou

  Global Agency Lead, Reddit

  

  
  

  Matt Joanou

  Global Agency Lead, Reddit

  Matt Joanou has spent the last 3 years building out Reddit's business. Initially focusing on the Gaming industry and more recently launching Reddit's Agency Development team. Reddit is a top 5 website in the US and sees over 300 million global visitors each month. Historically known as the Frontpage of the Internet, Reddit's 130k+ active communities cover nearly every interest and passion in the world. With massive legacy communities in Gaming, Technology, and Entertainment, Reddit has seen tremendous growth recently from Parenting, Beauty, Sports, Music, etc. After a recent round of funding, Reddit is poised to accelerate it's growth as a platform and provide an alternative to the advertising duopoly.

  Prior to Reddit, Matt has worked across various ventures in Technology, Design, and Advertising. Most notably spending 4 years at Google, where he was involved in a variety of efforts - Mobile Apps Lab, Google Wallet, and Advertising. Before and after his time at Google he worked on and/or consulted for a number of startups. Most significant of those was his experience launching and growing Punchd, which was acquired by Google in 2011. Originally from California, Matt now lives across the country in New York.

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• Elizabeth Strickler

  Director, Media Entrepreneurship and Innovation; Director, Blockchain Labs, Georgia State University

  

  
  

  Elizabeth Strickler

  Director, Media Entrepreneurship and Innovation; Director, Blockchain Labs, Georgia State University

  A passionate believer in creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship, Elizabeth uses her talents to support students and clients to start businesses, tell immersive stories, and build a stronger cultural economy. She is excited to combine her knowledge of media technologies and the decentralized movement with local, digital and international communities. As the Director of Media Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII) and The Blockchain Lab at Robinson College of Business, she works to make her visions become reality and virtual reality.

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• Brian Cooley

  Editor at large, CNET

  

  
  

  Brian Cooley

  Editor at large, CNET

  Brian Cooley is CNET’s Editor at large, focused on predicting and explaining the trends of the consumer tech industry. He is known for his high energy style and ability to make tech make sense without jargon or varnish. He's one of CNET's original editors, joining the site in 1995, and was born & raised in Silicon Valley.

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• John Adcox

  Chief Executive Officer, Gramarye Media, Inc.

  

  
  

  John Adcox

  Chief Executive Officer, Gramarye Media, Inc.

  Over the course of a 20-year career in advertising, marketing, and new media, John Adcox has held a number of titles including Executive Producer, Vice President of Digital Media, Creative Director, Vice President of Marketing and Creative Services, and CEO. A few of his clients have included AT&T, Mercedes-Benz, Holiday Inn, Coca-Cola, UPS, SCANA, AutoTrader.com, Time Warner, Disney, Delta Airlines, 3M, Ford, and many more.

  In addition, he has hosted a radio show, acted professionally (although not since age 15), designed and written scripts for games, written a play for a professional theatre company, taught university astronomy, and written articles on topics including mythology, psychology, technology, religion, and marketing strategy.

  John served for more than four years as the Lay Leader and Council Chair at Inman Park United Methodist Church. His many, many interests include books and literature, religion and philosophy, mythology, the Arthurian legends, travel, baseball, science fiction and fantasy, marketing communications, Celtic music and lore, new media, theatre, and politics, not to mention astronomy and cosmological physics.

  John Adcox is the founder and CEO of Gramarye Media, the story incubator — a disruptive book publisher, a film studio, a game developer, and more. Gramarye is the first “mini-major” studio, complete with distribution, on the east coast, and the first funded by an SEC-compliant Security Token Offering.

  Gramarye Media is a company incubated through Georgia Tech’s prestigious Flashpoint program, which advocates rigorous process for reliable innovation. Gramarye applies that same “Silicon Valley” incubation approach to content innovation, building and vetting engaged audiences before a single frame of film is shot. That process, along with proprietary technology and the Georgia business environment, allows Gramarye to reduce both the risk and costs of developing original event tentpole franchises.

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• Dr. Mitzi Joi Williams

  Neurologist and MS Specialist, Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta.

  

  
  

  Dr. Mitzi Joi Williams

  Neurologist and MS Specialist, Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta.

  Dr. Mitzi Williams is a neurologist and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Specialist in Atlanta, Georgia. She received her medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine and has been in practice for several years. Dr. Williams completed her internship and residency in neurology with a Fellowship in MS at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. After several years serving as an Assistant Professor in Neurology, as well as the Medical Director of the Augusta MS Center, she returned to Atlanta, where she joined her colleagues as an MS Specialist at the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Atlanta. She served in this capacity for 7 years. Because of her passion for teaching, Dr. Williams will be accepting a faculty appointment at her alma mater, Morehouse School of Medicine. She has a strong interest in understanding and furthering research in MS in ethnic minority populations, especially the African American population, and has been involved in the Special Populations Group Initiative that is supported by Biogen since its inception. Dr. Williams is the author of MS Made Simple: The Essential Guide to Understanding Your Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis.

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• Colleen Maalouf

  Senior Technical Partner Development Manager, Adobe

  

  
  

  Colleen Maalouf

  Senior Technical Partner Development Manager, Adobe

  Colleen Maalouf is a Senior Technical Partner Development Manager at Adobe focused on the Adobe Experience Platform and strategic Microsoft relationship. She believes the strength of this platform and partnership is creating a visionary future on how brands will interact and produce personalized experiences with their customers at scale. Colleen has prior experience supporting enterprise partners in the data and analytics space like Microsoft, IBM, Informatica, and Hitachi Vantara. In addition, she has hands to keyboard technical consulting experience developing IP to support digital transformation. She holds many technical certifications across major vendors and has been recognized for multiple customer service awards. Colleen holds an MBA in Business Intelligence from Xavier University and currently resides in Chicago Illinois.

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• Annie Eaton

  Chief Executive Officer, Futurus

  

  
  

  Annie Eaton

  Chief Executive Officer, Futurus

  Annie Eaton is the CEO of Atlanta-based future technologies company Futurus, where she creates immersive, engaging and interactive experiences in virtual reality, augmented reality and micro-location enabled experiences. Annie earned her degree from The Georgia Institute of Technology in 2010. In 2014, she created XR Atlanta, which now boasts 1,200 members. Annie is involved with Women in XR Atlanta, Women in Technology (WIT) and Young Entrepreneurs Council. In 2018, Annie received the Women in IT Rising Star award, as well as the Women in Technology Woman of the Year (Small/Emerging Business). In 2017, she was named the Technology Association of Georgia Young Professionals’ 2017 Technologist of the Year. Annie has vast public speaking experience, having been invited as a speaker for conferences, podcasts, educational institutions and corporate events.

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• Alexander Ernst

  Chief Financial Officer, Lab1886

  

  
  

  Alexander Ernst

  Chief Financial Officer, Lab1886

  Alexander looks back on 20 years of exciting Daimler corporate experience, including multiple innovation projects in the US, Europe and China.

  In his career, Alexander has been driving innovation with visionary leadership and strong passion for developing new businesses within Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars, Trucks and Financial Services.

  He was driving part with his pioneering spirit as a Co-Founder of the electric-vehicle joint venture Denza in Shenzhen, China and as General Manager at Mercedes-Benz Taiwan. In charge of Best Finance & Corporate he rolled-out the first digital roadmap for the global finance organization of 13.000 employees. He started the incubator FC think! tank and design Lab1886 concept as part of a corporate game changer ‘Back to the Garage’. Since 2018 Alexander is in his function at Lab1886 USA LLC responsible for setting up the company and producing new digital business models around today’s and future mobility.

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• Joey Womack

  Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Amplify 4 Good and Goodi Nation

  

  
  

  Joey Womack

  Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Amplify 4 Good and Goodi Nation

  Joey Womack is the Founder/CEO of Amplify 4 Good, a mission-driven agency that uses rapid problem-solving to help organizations create social impact as well as the Founder/CEO of Goodie Nation, a nonprofit that empowers everyone to play a role in using innovation to reduce disparities in education, financial access, health, and safety.

  His life’s purpose is to equalize socio-economic disparities in communities around the world with the goal of helping 1 billion people by the year 2039. Since starting this journey in 2014, he’s achieved a social impact reach of 500+ million people by working with the likes of CARE USA, Google, NetHope, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Ford Motor Company, Coca-Cola, United Negro College Fund, Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, and the White House HBCU Initiative.

  Evident as a Hive Global Leader, Inaugural White House Demo Day Invitee, and Outstanding Atlanta Alumnus, he has received the Technology Association of Georgia’s (TAG) Diversity in Tech Game Changer Award for Community Engagement and Equity Champion Award by Startup Atlanta, been named one of the Top 10 social entrepreneurs in Atlanta by Hypepotamus, featured in McDonald’s Black Your Story campaign, recognized by PepsiCo as a Champion For Change, and listed by Huffington Post as one of the Top 20 Innovators in Atlanta Tech Startup Scene.

  A “Rebel with a Cause” at the leading edge of change, Joey was bitten by entrepreneurial bug in 2002 when he launched digitalguestlist.com as a graduate student at Florida A&M University. He grew the site to 80,000 users, and advertised thousands of events for Fortune 500 companies, agencies, and high-profile promoters during special events like NBA All-Star Weekend, Super Bowl Weekend, and Essence Music Festival. He also used forward-thinking digital marketing strategies to execute events in the Southeast for brands well known brands such as Crown Royal & Warner Bros.

  Joey received his MBA from Florida A&M University in the Spring of 2003, where he was also initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc. He has been named one of the Top 40 Under 40 Alumni and received an Outstanding Alumni during FAMU's Quasquicentennial (125th) Anniversary Celebration.

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• Zach Pousman

  Chief Executive Officer, Helpfully

  

  
  

  Zach Pausman

  Chief Executive Officer, Helpfully

  Zach Pousman has built a career pursuing tomorrow’s best ideas. Zach founded Helpfully, an R&D consultancy that focuses on understanding emerging social trends and technology leaps to power new business ideas.

  Zach has keen eye on the way that AI techniques, big data, and new ways of working will affect health and wellness in the coming decades. Zach’s past projects include work at Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, UCB Biopharma, First Data, Allstate, Kroger, and Google. Zach holds a Philosophy degree from the University of Chicago, and did advanced graduate work at Georgia Tech, blending anthropological techniques, design, and technology studies. He’s presented worldwide at academic and industry conferences including IEEE Information Visualization, Ubicomp, ACM CHI, and O’Reilly SOLID (IoT).

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• Mike Coffas

  Southeast Lead, Waze

  

  
  

  Mike Coffas

  Southeast Lead, Waze

  Mike joined Waze in early 2016 as the Southeast Lead and Waze’s first Atlanta based employee. Mike is responsible for educating the Southeast market on the Waze offering and ensuring marketers are using the platform to help brands connect with the 30 million monthly active drivers. Mike’s career began in 1999 at McCann Erickson in New York and includes positions at Ogilvy & Mather, Conde Nast, ESPN and Rhythm New Media. He graduated from the University of Rhode Island, and lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife and two children.

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• Ramses Alcaide

  Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Neurable

  

  
  

  Ramses Alcaide

  Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Neurable

  Ramses Alcaide the founder and CEO of Neurable, a brain-computer interface (BCI) company leading the race in understanding the brain and how it connects to human-computer interaction. An entrepreneur, electrical engineer, and neuroscientist Dr. Alcaide has worked on high impact health projects ranging from a malaria prediction system to rehabilitation technology for stroke patients. His BCI work has touched people with amputations, children with cerebral palsy and people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Some of his honors include the Neuroscience Innovator Award, National Science Foundation Fellowship, and the Ford Foundation Fellowship.

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• Jacque Rushin

  Board Chair, TAG Diversity & Inclusion Society

  

  
  

  Jacque Rushin

  Board Chair, TAG Diversity & Inclusion Society

  Jacque Rushin is an award-winning veteran leader in the technology industry with over 25 years of experience across multiple industries, disciplines and corporations. She has an extensive background in sales and all facets of operations, with a key focus on strategy, execution, service and people-centric solutions. Prior to starting her own consulting firm, Rich Rush Business Consulting, she was Vice President of North America Operations for Qmatic where she led their transformation initiatives to develop a platform for their 2X growth strategy.

  Prior to this, she worked at IHG Corporate for 15 years as their Director of Global Customer Care and Technical Support, Director of Global Deployment and Enterprise Solutions, and Enterprise Corporate Services and EUC. Jacque led her teams to achieve multi-year industry Stevie awards for International Contact Center of the Year and Best Customer Service Department in Leisure and Tourism.

  She also worked at AT&T for many years in various roles where she managed and grew a $40MM portfolio covering the 9-state southern region and led some of the most complex implementations across many diverse industries including healthcare, state governments, airlines, military, retail and hospitality. She received numerous sales and delivery awards, as well as AT&T’s highest, the Spirit of Communications Award.

  Jacque served on the board of Women in Technology for several years and is a past president, as well as a past board member of the Technology Association of Georgia where she chairs their highly impactful Diversity and Inclusion Society.

  Her community ministry is uplifting people no matter where they are in life. She provides transitional housing to homeless veterans through collaborations with programs that provide peer services and supports many sex trafficking victims. She was recognized by the Atlanta Center for Self-Sufficiency with their Innovative Leadership Award for her committed support of their clients in transition and other initiatives. She is also a past recipient of the TIAW World of Difference Award for her efforts to advance the economic empowerment of women.

  Ms. Rushin is a writer, speaker and mentor who enjoys the art of storytelling. She has her MBA in Management from Mercer University and BS from Alabama A&M University. She is a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, whose purpose is grounded in service.

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• Jason Vazzano

  Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Vectorform

  

  
  

  Jason Vazzano

  Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Vectorform

  Jason Vazzano is CEO and Co-founder of Vectorform, a global digital invention company. Under Vazzano’s leadership the company has grown to provide solutions that accelerate innovation and digital transformation for some of the world’s best-known brands and was named Automation Alley Technology company of the year for 2016.A serial entrepreneur, Vazzano has founded over a half-dozen successful companies. In 2013, he was recognized by DBusiness Magazine as one of Detroit’s Top 30 in Their 30s and is a TechWeek Detroit award recipient — a recognition of his contributions to Detroit’s burgeoning technology ecosystem. In 2016, Endeavor Global, a nonprofit aimed at driving social change through entrepreneurship, selected Vazzano as an Endeavor entrepreneur at its 64th International Selection Panel in Madrid. A recognized thought leader, Vazzano is a sought-after speaker whose recent presentations include Harvard School of Business Executive Education sessions, DMEXCO in Munich, TedX Detroit, and Futureland in Milan. Vazzano serves as a board member of Crossroads for Youth, a non-profit organization that focuses on giving children the tools and skills required to lead productive and happy lives. He additionally serves on the Advisory Board of the Oakland University Information & Decision Sciences Department

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• Alex Valdes

  Chief Financial Officer and Senior Director, Business Development, Trust Stamp

  

  
  

  Alex Valdes

  Chief Financial Officer and Senior Director, Business Development, Trust Stamp

  Before graduating college, Alex founded and operated four separate companies, using the incomes from these businesses to pay his way through college. Before graduating, Alex spent 15 months studying abroad in Mexico where he launched an innovative microfinance lending system in partnership with the Yucatan State Department of Economic Development.

  Alex successfully exited each of the businesses, all of which are in operation today and returned to the US to complete his degree in accounting from The University of Georgia.

  Alex worked in public accounting as a strategy consultant before serving as an advisor for Trust Stamp as the company launched operations. After 6 months advising, Alex joined the company full-time as the Chief Financial Officer & Senior Director, Business Development for the Small to Midsized Enterprises.

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• Brandon Carson

  Director of Learning, Delta Air Lines

  

  
  

  Brandon Carson

  Director of Learning, Delta Air Lines

  Brandon Carson is a Director of Learning at Delta Air Lines, where he leads a team dedicated to designing and delivering next-gen learning solutions for Delta employees. An award-winning learning and development executive with extensive expertise in developing learning strategies and learning technology implementation for Oracle, Apple, Intel, and other global companies, Brandon is also a best-selling author. His latest book, Learning in the Age of Immediacy: 5 Factors for How We Connect, Communicate and Get Work Done, explores how the digital transformation is affecting workplace performance. Brandon holds a BA in business communication and an M.Ed in eLearning technology and design.

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• Amy Barbieri

  Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer, Vital4

  

  
  

  Amy Barbieri

  Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer, Vital4

  Amy oversees Vital4’s marketing and business development efforts. Amy brings a wealth of knowledge in international background screening and has worked closely with some of the largest consumer reporting agencies in the world to provide them with the most compliant background screening and due diligence solutions available on the market.

  Amy has held several Executive Sales Director and VP positions and has over 17 years’ experience in enterprise sales with 10 years’ experience in technology; specializing in converged communications, integration services, data storage, co-location services and SaaS technology. Amy has over six years’ experience as VP of Business development of a full-service marketing agency that specialized in branding, creative and interactive design, public relations, TV, radio & digital advertising.

  Amy brings over five years’ experience in international background screening and corporate risk and compliance solutions. She was the former Director of Strategic Accounts at an international background screening company where she worked closely with her partner Kristin Stafford. Amy was instrumental as the only business development resource in growing the company over 42% in 2015. Kristin Stafford hand selected Amy in 2014 due to her extensive background in technology/business development to help launch a due diligence SaaS platform that Stafford created and designed. The Chief Security Officer of ADP quickly endorsed the software. Amy was successful in enabling the quick adoption of the technology by several of the largest global background screening companies in the world.

  Amy’s intimate understanding of international background screening and global due diligence combined with her expertise in cloud software applications makes her a valuable asset to Vital4 and the future growth of the business. She has been a member of NAPBS (National Association of Professional Background Screeners) since 2014. Amy is also a member of the Society for Corporate Compliance and Ethics.

  When Amy isn’t busy selling and marketing, she enjoys spending time with her two teenage daughters and traveling with friends. Amy loves yoga, tennis and working out. Amy also has a passion for food and wine and enjoys the dynamic food scene in Atlanta.

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• Larry Hipp

  Chief Operating Officer, Brightwell

  

  
  

  Larry Hipp

  Chief Operating Officer, Brightwell

  Larry Hipp brings more than 15 years of experience in the technology and product development field to his role at Brightwell. He has a proven track record of creating expertly crafted digital products that deliver comprehensive value. Unlike many technologists, however, Larry is uniquely able to connect all the critical elements of digital strategy and performance expertise to develop a product that excels in user experience, functional software, and digital marketing combined.

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• Brennen Dicker

  Executive Director of CMII, Georgia State University

  

  
  

  Brennen Dicker

  Executive Director of CMII, Georgia State University

  Brennen Dicker, a film and television professional with 25 years of experience, is Executive Director of the Creative Media Industries Institute. Before joining Georgia State, Brennen was the General Manager for SIM International (Post) Atlanta. SIM provides production and post-production services for many episodic television series and feature film productions, including; “The Originals”, “The Gifted”, “Dynasty”, “Good Girls”, “True Detective” S3, as well as the blockbuster “Get Out”.

  Brennen previously served as Director of Post Production Sales at Crawford Media Services, and has broad experience in all aspects of film and television production, and deep ties to Atlanta’s production community. Earlier in his career, he was executive producer and principal of American Mongrel Productions (Chicago). He was the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship Recipient in 2001, and 2018 inaugural Women and Film (Atlanta) Gallantry Award winner. Brennen is a current member of Georgia Chamber of Commerce Screen Coalition Committee. Also, serves on Board of Directors for The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. He has served as Chair of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Atlanta Advisory Council, and as Chair of Gov. Relations with the Georgia Production Partnership (GPP) board, and was the Chair for the 2018 and 2019 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. He has also served on the board for The Frazer Center and served on the Executive Board for the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce.

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• Dana Dojnik

  Strategy Lead, Foundry45

  

  
  

  Dana Dojnik

  Strategy Lead, Foundry45

  Dana Xavier Dojnik s an idea-generator and energy creator. Prior to joining Foundry 45, Dojnik spent the first 15 years of her career in advertising and consulting in New York for brands such as Lockheed Martin, Ford Motor Company, Liz Claiborne and Starwood. In 2006, she joined 22squared as VP of interactive operations in Atlanta and then moved over to BBDO Atlanta to build out their digital team working on campaigns for REI, American Cancer Society, Georgia Pacific and AT&T. For six years, Dojnik spearheaded all of the photography, video and innovation at IHG before coming aboard as the first female partner at Foundry 45.

  Dana is an accomplished speaker and moderator and over the past few years she’s shared insights with audiences at SXSW, Savannah Film Festival, PRSA, Social Fresh and General Assembly to name a few. She has 20+ years of experience in the digital domain, from her early New York advertising days to her growing success in the thriving Atlanta immersive tech scene today. Locally, Dana sits on the Invest Atlanta Creative Industries Advisory Board and is on the Board for the Outreach Advisory Committee for Grant Park. Nationally, she is a member of the AR/VR Association and is 6x century cyclist through Team-in-Training for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

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• Enrique Rubio

  Founder, Hacking HR

  

  
  

  Enrique Rubio

  Founder, Hacking HR

  Enrique is an HR and Tech Evangelist and founder of Hacking HR. He came to the United States from Venezuela as a Fulbright Scholar. Prior to coming to the US, Enrique was the CEO at Management Consultants, a firmed specialized in Human Resources in Venezuela. Before Management Consultants, Enrique worked in the telecommunications sector as a Senior Project Engineer for Telefonica. He is also the cofounder of Cotopaxi, an artificial intelligence based recruitment platform focused on Latin America and the Caribbean. Enrique is a guest author in several blogs about innovation, management and human resources. Enrique has over twenty years of experience and is an Electronic Engineer with an Executive Master’s in Public Administration from Maxwell School.

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• Crystal Kadakia

  Founder and Principle Consultant, Invati Consulting

  

  
  

  Crystal Kadakia

  Founder and Principle Consultant, Invati Consulting

  Crystal is a two-time TEDx speaker and known for her thought leadership on evolving workplace culture for a digital world. Through her best-selling book, The Millennial Myth (Berrett-Koehler, 2017), and keynotes, Crystal has changed the story around generation gap for thousands over the past 7 years. Her forthcoming books include The Way of the Digital Warrior (Berrett-Koehler, 2020), a self-leadership guide to create connection, escape burnout, and overcome other challenges unique to the digital age, and Modern Learning: How Millennials, Media, and Mobility are Reinventing Learning Design (ATD, 2020). She is honored to be a Power 30 Under 30, CLO Learning in Practice, and ATD One to Watch award recipient.

  As an organization development consultant, she brings organizations into the digital age, leveling up people strategies in areas such as career development, learning culture, inclusion, leadership development, and employee engagement. Past clients include General Mills, Southern Company, Monster.com, Wells Fargo, and other organizations. She also brings deep training expertise as the co-creator of the Modern Learning Design Process, a new instructional design model focused on learning experiences for the training industry, supported by ATD.

  Crystal has a bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering and a master’s in Organization Development. Originally from Austin, TX, she is now based in Atlanta, GA with her husband Jeremy, where they love enjoying time with friends, the outdoors, and immersive cultural experiences

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• Robert Joseph

  Director of Industrial Strategy in Industry 4.0, Stanley Black and Decker

  

  
  

  Robert Joseph

  Director of Industrial Strategy in Industry 4.0, Stanley Black and Decker

  Robert received an M.S. and a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon in Computer Science, as well as a B.S. and M.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Electrical Engineering. He has developed state-of-the-art technology (e.g. online learning systems, phone apps, internet applications, and desktop applications) for companies including AT&T Bell Laboratories, US West, Sony, Freshwater Software, and school districts across the country. Also as a University professor for 10+ years, he has taught over 3,000 students in all levels of Computer Science and Mathematics. Currently he is the Director of Industrial Strategy in Industry 4.0 at Stanley Black & Decker where he works with Plants in as a Data Scientist use IoT and Data Science to improve efficiency. In the past he worked in Supply Chain utilizing Data Science to create business results. But through all that, his greatest accomplishment is being the father of two awesome teenage boys.

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• Bronwyn Morgan

  Founder, Airversity Drone Pilot Training Academy

  

  
  

  Bronwyn Morgan

  Founder, Airversity Drone Pilot Training Academy

  Morgan is a sUAS Part 107 certified pilot and teaches FAA Part 107 classes. She is the Founder of tech startup Xeo Air,a drone services platform for mission management that connects B2B clients in telecom, insurance, catastrophic response, oil and gas, civil infrastructure with a crew of vetted Part 107 pilots. In addition, she is Founder of Airversity Drone Pilot Training Academy, a training school for both Part 107 prep and drone flight. Morgan’s past includes being Head of Subkulture Innovation Lab, an innovation and advanced tech solutions firm focused on future proofing organizations by developing strategic business models and disruptive strategies, where she has developed upstream innovation strategies for Fortune 500 organizations and startups. Morgan is also the Founder of Black Women In STEAM, an organization dedicated to galvanizing the efforts of black women in STEAM fields.

  Morgan has over 20 years of senior level management experience in sales management, strategic planning, national product and customer marketing, innovation, large team management, emerging tech ventures, corporate innovation, IP commercialization, and business development with global companies on projects in Asia, Europe, and South America. She has worked for companies such as P&G, Coca-Cola, and with major labels and studios in the entertainment industry, as well as, Silicon Valley based tech companies. Morgan is also a former Associate Director of Georgia State University’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation Institute.

  Community:

  • Board Directorships with Start Up Atlanta, TEDx, World Water Relief
  • Guest speaker on innovation, drones, technology and AI for tech organizations and Apple iTunes and LinkedIn podcasts.
  • AUVSI Atlanta
  • Center for Excellence for Aviation & Aerospace Unit, UAV Working Group, State of Georgia
  • STEM speaker Girls In Tech, St. Louis Science Center, STEM Atlanta Women

  
  

  Media Features:

  • “The Future of Tech in Atlanta” Leader by Thinkful Magazine
  • 2017 Woman of The Year in Technology Finalist by Women In Technology (WIT)
  • “Top 10 Influential People in Technology”, Hypepotamus Media
  • “Finding Entrepreneurial Mindfulness”, Hypepotatmus Media
  • “Women Who Light Up & Lead the Atlanta Tech Ecosystem”, Hypepotamus Media

  
  

  Social:

  • Twitter: @bmm@bronsworld, @airxeo, @wingsdrones, @airversity107, @subkultureinnovation
  • IG: @xeoair, @wingsdrones @airversity107 @subkultureme
  • LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/bronwynmorgan
  • Sites: www.xeoair.com, www.airversity.com , www.wingsdrones.com

  Back to bios

• Dave Beck

  Managing Partner, Foundry 45

  

  
  

  Dave Beck

  Managing Partner, Foundry 45

  Dave Beck is founder and Managing Partner at Foundry 45, an Atlanta-based company that helps brands train their teams and tell their stories through Virtual and Augmented Reality. His company has built over 200 experiences for notable clients such as AT&T, Coca-Cola, IBM, and Delta.

  Before starting Foundry 45, Dave served as the Chief Operating Officer at EquipCodes, a mobile SaaS and Augmented Reality company. Dave also serves on boards for Georgia Tech, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, and the MAK Historic District. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Wake Forest University and his MBA in Technology Commercialization from Georgia Tech.

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• Jhillika Kumar

  Founder, AxisAbility

  

  
  

  Jhillika Kumar

  Founder, AxisAbility

  Jhillika is a UX/UI designer, aspiring entrepreneur, and Georgia Tech student with a passion for improving the lives of the disabled through improving accessible technologies- through her startup, AxisAbility. Growing up with a brother who is autistic and non-verbal, Jhillika has been on a lifelong path towards advocacy for disability rights and a career driven by her mission to create an inclusive world.

  Alongside her Master’s degree in Digital Media, and BS in Computational Media, she is currently working on her startup, AxisAbility, turning disability into a world filled with possibility through accessible technology. By teaming up with advocates, educators, companies, faculty and students, AxisAbility’s goal is to use virtual reality educate and inspire empathy in individuals with disabilities. At the rapid pace at which technology is growing, Jhillika believes there is no excuse for us to turn a blind eye to the 1 billion people with disabilities across the globe. As innovators of the future, bringing that empathy to the table is instrumental in bringing about widespread change.

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• Sunshine Nance

  Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Boxlight

  

  
  

  Sunshine Nance

  Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Boxlight

  Sunshine Nance is Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Boxlight where she oversees all event marketing, community development, STEM programs, and intellectual property for the education technology solutions provider. Sunshine Nance began her career at Boxlight in 1996 and in 1999 co-developed and launched Boxlight’s consumer division which quickly grew to over $12M.

  In 2007 Sunshine Nance and her husband acquired worldwide operations of the company and refocused the business on the education industry after launching the worlds first patented interactive projector. Together they developed products, service programs, and campaigns specific to the needs of educators. During this time, Nance managed all aspects of marketing, human resources, and community development.

  With year-over-year growth, in 2014 Boxlight relocated corporate headquarters from Seattle, WA to Atlanta, GA, opening an additional warehouse and moving operations to the East Coast.

  When Boxlight expanded classroom solutions to include STEM products, Nance developed Boxlight’s first international Boxlight STEM Day (#BLSTEM) to increase students access to STEM programs and to gain awareness about Boxlight’s expanding product solutions. Today #BLSTEM Day is celebrated across numerous countries and impacts thousands of classrooms and teachers around the world.

  Sunshine’s passion for STEM, particularly girls in STEM lead her to sign on as the Georgia State Lead for the National Girls Collaborative Project, encouraging girls to pursue education and careers in STEM fields.

  In November 2017, Boxlight was listed on NASDAQ (BOXL) as a publicly traded company.

  Nance studied Marketing & Communications from Evergreen State in Olympia, Washington. Outside of her career Sunshine is a mom, athlete, and artist. She has completed marathons and triathlons in Ireland, Hawaii, Amsterdam, Seattle, and Georgia. She and her daughters enjoy being artistic and creating, to include interior design and decoration. Nance spends much of her time fostering philanthropy through her personal and professional relationships, in community development, and via mission groups.

  Sunshine is her real name and suits her well.

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• Zenobia Godschalk

  Vice President of Corporate Communications, Hedera Hashgraph

  

  
  

  Zenobia Godschalk

  Vice President of Corporate Communications, Hedera Hashgraph

  Zenobia Godschalk is the Vice President of Corporate Communications for Hedera Hashgraph. She has over 20 years experience in high tech PR, helping companies create and dominate new categories.

  Zenobia is the Founder of ZAG Communications, a boutique PR firm that serves tech companies from venture-backed startups to multi-billion dollar infrastructure companies. Prior to founding ZAG, she was a sell-side analyst with investment bank Morgan Keegan, where she was part of The Wall Street Journal’s #1 Ranked Software Analyst team.

  Previously she served as the head of corporate communications for Opsware Inc (NASDAQ: OPSW), founded by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, which was acquired by HP for $1.6B. Prior to that, she began her career at Intel. Zenobia graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Economics and Psychology, minor in Industrial Engineering.

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• Dr. Adriane Randolph

  Professor of Information Systems, Kennesaw State University.
  Founder and Executive Director, BrainLab.

  

  
  

  Dr. Adriane Randolph

  Professor of Information Systems, Kennesaw State University.
  Founder and Executive Director, BrainLab.

  Dr. Adriane B. Randolph is the founder and executive director of the BrainLab and Professor of Information Systems in the Michael J. Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University. She is also President/CEO and co-founder of nürltec, a consulting firm engaged in biomarketing research to help organizations gain deeper insights about their customers and employees. Dr. Randolph earned a Ph.D. in Computer Information Systems from Georgia State University and a B.S. in Systems Engineering with Distinction from the University of Virginia. Her research of over sixteen years focuses on brain-computer interface systems which allow for non-muscularly controlled assistive technologies and reflect varying cognitive states. She has been featured as a speaker for multiple TEDx and Moxie events, as an Atlanta Business Chronicle “40 Under 40” Young Professional on the Rise, was invited to attend President Obama’s White House Frontiers Conference, and was invited to innovate as an original Google Glass Explorer. She has published over fifty-five manuscripts, received federal and private grant funding, co-organizes an annual retreat on Neuro-Information Systems in Austria, and has a patent pending for a brain-computer interface and associated framework. Prior to academia, she worked for Accenture implementing change management and human performance tools in the federal government sector.

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• Colin BurnsColin Burns

  Senior Director of Client Delight, Spinklr

  

  
  

  Colin BurnsColin Burns

  Senior Director of Client Delight, Spinklr

  Colin Burns is Senior Director of Client Delight at Sprinklr, leading process and operations for Customer Success and Professional Services. In his past life, he held digital marketing positions at AT&T, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Match.com and Red Bull. Colin is a Texas-born Horned Frog fan who holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from TCU and an MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas.

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• John Rich

  VP, Future Experiences, Moxie

  

  
  

  John Rich

  VP, Future Experiences, Moxie

  Never before has the combination of exponentially advancing technology and shifting consumer behavior unfolded at today’s current scale and speed. Entire industries worth billions of dollars are now created or upended not in decades, but in a matter of years or even months.

  To help companies navigate this ever-changing future John applies his 30 years of experience identifying and applying emerging technologies to create a culture of continuous innovation. From technology forecasting and prototyping to FutureX Live - our emerging technology conference series - John helps brands and businesses future-enable themselves and thrive in this time of exponential change.

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• Tracy YoungLincoln

  EVP Data, Technology and Intelligence, Moxie, Zenith, MRY

  

  
  

  Tracy YoungLincoln

  EVP Data, Technology and Intelligence, Moxie, Zenith, MRY

  Tracy YoungLincoln has never said no to challenge. And while she doesn’t always know what she’s getting herself into, she never doubts that it will be different, exciting and — best of all — potentially game changing. It’s this avidity to up-end the mundane that has fueled her success as a patent-winning leader in the digital analytics space.

  Described by her peers as an architect of change, Tracy has reimagined and constructed new types of teams, practices and solutions wherever she’s worked. Reflected in every solution, methodology and invention she introduces is a passion for using the art and science of data to solve consumer and business problems.

  At Moxie, an Atlanta-based marketing agency, Tracy serves as executive vice president of intelligence, a new practice that reaches beyond the traditional arena of data and analytics to understand the deep connection between human behavior and brand performance. Through intelligence, Tracy and her team help Moxie’s clients translate these insights into self-evolving, profit-elevating marketing solutions.

  Prior to Moxie, Tracy worked at 22squared, UPS and with other Fortune 100 brands.

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• Deigratia Daniels

  Project Manager, Futurus

  

  
  

  Deigratia Daniels

  Project Manager, Futurus

  Deigratia A. Daniels is an accomplished Systems Engineer and Project Manager. He received his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the illustrious Florida A&M University (FAMU). Afterwards, he continued his education at the University of Central Florida (UCF) where he received his Master of Science in Interactive Simulation & Training Systems Design (Virtual/Augmented Reality Engineering). He has spent the last 20 years fully engaged in designing, building, and delivering virtual/augmented reality products all over the world. Currently, Deigratia is a Project Manager at Futurus and he uses his expertise in VR/AR to create unique interactive experiences that fully immerse participants in a rich audio and visual experience.

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• Sarah Koch

  Founder and Executive Director, Development in Gardening

  

  
  

  Sarah Koch

  Founder and Executive Director, Development in Gardening

  Sarah Koch, the Founder and Executive Director of DIG - Development in Gardening who's humble and wonderful work needs to be shared far and wide. And FutureXLive will be an amazing way to do just that in a few months! Sarah is a local Atlantan/ATLien who's Peace Corps beginnings have grounded her in goodness and the desire to make a difference in all that she does in this world.

  For the past 12 years, Sarah's organization DIG has been working to address issues of food justice for nutritionally vulnerable communities throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Their approach centers communities in their own solution building and adapts sustainable agriculture projects to meet the unique needs of the various communities that they serve and in their environment. DIG primarily engages groups who are resource-poor, heavily impacted by climate change and often stigmatized due to disease (HIV primarily), gender (female-focused) or ethnic prejudice.

  DIG’s model impacts household food security, income generation, nutritional wellbeing, and climate resilience. Through their adapted experiential training program, farmers are positioned to grow organically and for optimal nutrition, restore soil fertility, improve production and harvests, increase financial independence, supply markets, reduce post-harvest losses, and lead their neighbors in sustainable nutrition-sensitive agriculture. DIG meets farmers where they are and leaves them equipped to continue without them.

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• Neil Sweeney

  Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Freckle

  

  
  

  Neil Sweeney

  Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Freckle

  Neil was named among Deloitte’s Fast 50 three years in a row, was a two-time Finalist for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year and has established an industry reputation for his visionary entrepreneurship in developing bleeding edge mobile technologies before they became industry standards, including the world’s first mobile futures market and a blockchain based consent management application. Neil is the chief architect of the strategy and culture at both Freckle and Killi.

  As the former founder and CEO of JUICE Mobile, a mobile technology and advertising firm he founded in 2010, Neil was responsible for ushering in some of the most prolific brands and publishers into the mobile space. After recognizing the industry's growing reliance on data, Neil launched Freckle in response to the incredible demand for consumer attribution data and deterministic location detection. A pure data company, Freckle leverages a proprietary ecosystem of connected devices, location partners and app publishers coupled with proprietary software to measure the effectiveness of media, irrespective of channel, in driving a consumer to a location.

  Today, Freckle works with the world’s most prestigious brands, publishers and investment firms to deliver intelligence and validation of 1st party consumer data. Freckle’s technology is used by Fortune 50 brands like Coca-Cola, Audi, Lexus, Lowe’s, Walmart, AT&T, Unilever and Mondelez and is a core component of the top demand side platforms and data management platforms used around the world.

  In May 2018, Neil launched Killi, the world's first consumer facing mobile application built on the blockchain that allows consumers to opt-in and control their data and its sale. Available to both Apple and Google users, Killi is currently available in multiple markets around the world with twelve new markets scheduled for 2019. Killi provides brands, platforms and agencies a platform to purchase data directly from the consumer, conforming with privacy laws that are sweeping the planet including GDPR and CCPA. As the most compliant data source in the world today, Killi’s vision is to be the consent management solution of the future.

  Prior to founding and launching JUICE, Neil was an owner in StreamTheWorld and was instrumental in building StreamTheWorld into the world's first, and largest, in-stream programmatic audio platform prior to its sale in June 2010.

  Throughout his career, Neil has been the recipient of numerous academic and business awards. In 2007, Mr. Sweeney was awarded a Gold medal at the 2007 Media Innovation awards for his integration of mobile technology into the Grammys award show - an initiative that the Grammys has since taken worldwide.

  Neil is currently a Mentor at Next36, a large startup accelerator organization as well as being an adviser to over 12 individual entrepreneurs and startups. Neil is the entrepreneur in residence at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, the world's most technically advanced facility in creating assistive technologies and treatments to enhance the lives of the elderly and those with disabling injury or illness. Neil’s work has been featured in Bloomberg, Ad Age, Ad Week, MSNBC, AdExchanger, Venture Beat, Globe&Mail, MediaPost and others. He is a frequent industry speaker having been featured at IAB, M1, StreetFight summits as well as Mobile World Congress and investment panels including Progress Partners.

  Neil holds an MBA from the University of Edinburgh and works from New York, or a plane, when he is not home in Toronto with his wife and two children.

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• Emaline Friedman

  Writer and Speaker, Holochain

  

  
  

  Emaline Friedman

  Writer and Speaker, Holochain

  Emaline Friedman is a PhD candidate in Qualitative Research. Her tech-critical oeuvre led her to a position on the core team of Holochain where she worked on Holo's (HOT) successful ICO in 2018. As a writer and speaker, Emaline delves deeply into the dynamics of distributed organization, emerging forms of cryptocurrency, and the realities of digital labor.

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• IV Ashton

  President and Founder, LegalServer

  

  
  

  IV Ashton

  President and Founder, LegalServer

  IV Ashton has spent his 20-year legal career leveraging technology to increase access to justice for vulnerable populations throughout the World. Mr. Ashton began his legal career working internationally, applying technology to promote the rule of law. Mr. Ashton oversaw the development of the Kosovo War Crimes Database (documenting human rights violations in Kosovo), as well as several online tools for various Ministries of Justice throughout the Balkans, to help strengthen emerging legal systems. In 1999 Mr. Ashton co-founded Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO), a leading website in the US that provides important legal resources to pro se litigants, pro bono attorneys, and legal aid attorneys. In 2001, Mr. Ashton founded LegalServer, a web-based case management platform used by hundreds of nonprofit agencies and public defenders. LegalServer has the singular purpose of helping those who cannot afford attorneys by leveraging technology to overcome the complexities and inefficiencies of our legal system. Most recently, Mr. Ashton created houston.ai, a web-based platform applying machine learning to automate and streamline legal processes for vulnerable populations throughout the United States.

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• Marco Piovesan

  Chief Executive Officer, InfoMart

  

  
  

  Marco Piovesan

  Chief Executive Officer, InfoMart

  A seasoned leader in the industry, Marco has over 20 years of experience in global identity, credit, and screening programs, serving corporations and governments worldwide. He is an active regulatory data privacy consultant for the International Monetary Fund. As a leading advocate for a global approach to identity and screening that resolves economic and societal challenges, Marco combats obstacles to basic identity verification that lead to the denial of financial access and employment opportunities. He’s served as InfoMart’s CEO for over two years, during which time he’s led organizational innovation with multiple first-to-market, global identity and background screening solutions.

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• Matt Lewis

  Studio Technology Manager, Second Story

  

  
  

  Matt Lewis

  Studio Technology Manager, Second Story

  Matt leads technology for Second Story’s Atlanta studio. Leveraging his experience with traditional and emerging technology, he enables his teams to quickly make their visions and concepts real. Simplicity, flexibility and scalability drive his approach. Matt has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

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• Katie Klein

  Vice President, Executive Engagement and Global Events, Technology Association of Georgia

  

  
  

  Katie Klein

  Vice President, Executive Engagement and Global Events, Technology Association of Georgia

  As Vice President of Executive Engagement, Katie oversees strategy, marketing, and execution of TAG's global events, while leading program development and engagement opportunities for TAG's premier C-level executives.

  Katie recently oversaw FinTech South, the largest fintech event in the southeast U.S., in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. FinTech South 2019, a global exchange of insights, innovations and trends fueling tomorrow's financial tech industry, attracted 1400+ international companies, speakers and media.

  Katie joined TAG in August 2017 with experience building 360◦ marketing campaigns and teams across multiple organizations - leading advertising strategies, industry sector development, brand awareness and talent accounts. She previously served as Director of Experiential and Execution for AT&T Creator Lab, managing a dynamic team focused on delivering talent-driven content and experiences for AT&T customers with entertainment partners like Taylor Swift, iHeartMedia, Black Enterprise, and film studios. In previous roles, she managed acquisition advertising and channel marketing at AT&T for their home security product, Digital Life.

  She also served as Marketing and Client Development Director at the Metro Atlanta Chamber planning and executing marketing events to promote industry sectors that better positioned metro Atlanta as a major hub for expanding companies.

  Katie is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, but spends fall weekends cheering for her husband, Defensive Line Coach Liam Klein, and Kennesaw State University with her two boys, James and Luke. Go Owls!

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• Todd Harris

  Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Hi-Rez Studios

  

  
  

  Todd Harris

  Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Hi-Rez Studios

  Todd is co-founder of Hi-Rez Studios, one of the largest video game studios in the Southeast, and President of Skillshot Media, the largest dedicated esports production company on the east coast. Todd submitted his first computer game to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as part of his college application, since writing games was more fun than writing essays. After obtaining his BS in Computer Science from the same university, Todd entered the software engineering industry, eventually managing product development at NCR, Radiant Systems, and BlueCube Software. In 2005 he left FinTech for the games industry when he co-founded Hi-Rez Studios. Hi-Rez' titles include the mythology themed, action MOBA SMITE and the fantasy team-based shooter Paladins, both played as competitive esports. In 2018 more than $4,000,000 was earned by the best professional Smite and Paladins players around the globe, and between Hi-Rez Studios and Skillshot Todd works with partners to advance the development and production of new and existing esports.

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• Jacqui Chew

  Licensee, TEDxAtlanta

  

  
  

  Jacqui Chew

  Licensee, TEDxAtlanta

  Jacqui Chew is an award-winning marketing executive, speaker and innovation enthusiast. She is the licensee and organizer of TEDxAtlanta, the largest TEDx group in Georgia and a pioneer in the global TEDx movement. Jacqui is also CMO-in-residence at the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), Georgia’s technology incubator where she provides business and marketing strategy counsel to the 185 companies in the portfolio.

  Over the course of her career in technology, Jacqui has launched several dozen companies and helped raise more than $100M in angel and venture funding. She is frequently called upon to speak on new business models, strategy and inclusion at the workplace. Jacqui has given a TED talk and has been featured on broadcast news and quoted in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, USA Today, and Fortune. She was named a Game Changer by Spelman College in 2015 and the Technology Association of Georgia in 2017, respectively.

  An active member of the technology and social innovation communities, Jacqui serves as a mentor at the Goodie Nation pre-accelerator, Founder Institute and Points of Light’s Civic Accelerator. She previously served on the boards of the Atlanta Press Club, StartupChicks, Women in Technology and the Atlanta chapter of the American Marketing Association.

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• E.B. Moss

  Head of Content Strategy, MediaVillage

  

  
  

  E.B. Moss

  Head of Content Strategy, MediaVillage

  E.B. Moss has created, produced and written about cross-platform marketing strategies – from podcasts to promotions -- for leading brands and major media companies. As Head of Content Strategy for MediaVillage she develops thought-leading content for leading media, marketing and advertising companies, manages a team of professional journalists, hosts the company’s podcast -- “Insider InSites” -- and oversees social media. In her previous positions as VP of Strategic Marketing at Cumulus/Westwood One, AdLarge Media and Food Network, she led the teams that crafted integrated sponsorships and activations for national advertisers.

  E.B. also built Moss Appeal, an award-winning brand and marketing agency providing promotion, branding and pro-social marketing services to clients ranging from AMC to NBCU, DIRECTV to Comcast, NYC’s Board of Education to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She has coached companies in podcasting, social media and "green" marketing. E.B. began her career as a radio copywriter, voiceover talent. Her personal passions include serving as a board member of Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra...and swing dancing.

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• Suff Syed

  Head of Product for Marcel, Publicis Groupe

  

  
  

  Suff Syed

  Head of Product for Marcel, Publicis Groupe

  Suff is the Head of Product for Marcel at Publicis. He believes in combining meaningful design and intelligent technology to enable human value. He’s a self-taught Machine Learning engineer and a non-conformist.

  Prior to Publicis.Sapient, Suff has worked at and advised startups building creative and enterprise solutions. He’s lead Design and Tech teams on agile projects through Design Thinking and Systems Thinking approaches; he is passionate about designing products and services that solve problems, delight people, generate user adoption, and drive strategic business value.

  His in-depth knowledge and practical experience in software design, from design concept creation to development and release, enable him to build strong strategic partnerships with Research, Strategy, Design, Engineering, and Marketing teams to deliver innovative end to end solutions. He maintains a fine balance between leading, managing, and being hands-on collaborative.

  His favorite TV show is Silicon Valley.

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• Amy Patterson

  Operations and Logistics Lead, Atlanta Host Committee

  

  
  

  Amy Patterson

  Operations and Logistics Lead, Atlanta Host Committee

  Amy Patterson joined the Atlanta Host Committee in September 2016, leading the Operations and Logistics team for the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship, Super Bowl LIII and the 2020 NCAA Men’s Final Four. In this role, Amy is responsible for overseeing public safety, transportation, crowd management and décor programming, along with team operations and practice sites.

  She came to the Host Committee from the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB), where she spent three years as the Vice President, Business Development and Corporate Events leading the membership department and planning the ACVB’s largest events.

  Prior to the ACVB, Amy served as Director of Operations for the 2013 NCAA Men’s Final Four in Atlanta and worked as events manager for five years at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, where she planned and executed more than 20 bowl week events.

  Amy is a graduate of the University of Virginia.

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• Jill Bentley

  Vice President of Global Marketing, TruRating

  

  
  

  Jill Bentley

  Vice President of Global Marketing, TruRating

  As the Vice President of Global Marketing for TruRating, a Customer Experience management business specializing in retail and hospitality industries, Jill Bentley oversees all marketing activities to drive brand growth across North America, Australia & New Zealand, and the UK.

  Jill’s marketing career began 15 years ago, working on campaigns for environmental change. Here she learned the power of building communities, both on- and offline, and using consultation as a tool to gather knowledge as well as gain buy in from end users.

  Since then Jill has applied that knowledge in industries as diverse as publishing, FMCG and cloud hosting technologies. She moved to TruRating’s Atlanta office two years ago, originally to support their expansion in the US, but quickly taking on responsibility for their global brand.

  Jill is passionate about creating a culture of experimentation within the marketing teams she leads, encouraging testing & learning using data and analytics. But her greatest love is storytelling - which is extremely fortunate, as the insights uncovered via TruRating’s unique data collection techniques give tremendous scope to craft compelling stories.

  Originally from the UK, Jill moved to Atlanta with her wife Elley, where they spend their time exploring their new surroundings – a city in a forest! – hiking with the dog, and enjoying the difference in weather. Especially the latter.

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• Paul Ollinger

  Host

  

  
  

  Paul Ollinger

  Host

  Paul Ollinger borrowed $100,000 to get a Masters of Business Administration from Dartmouth, only to learn he wanted to be a stand-up comedian. After fifteen years selling digital advertising for companies like Yahoo! and Facebook (where he was one of the first 250 employees and VP of West Coast Sales), Ollinger launched the comedy career that has taken him all over North America, opening for top comics like Dave Attell, Norm Macdonald and many more.

  An official selection of the Laughing Skull, Asheville, Cleveland, and North Carolina Comedy Festivals, Paul has appeared on The Apprentice, Red Eye on Fox, and several other shows that are no longer in production. In March, he will headline Carolines on Broadway as part of their Breakout Artist series.

  He is the author of the book, You Should Totally Get an MBA: A Comedian’s Guide to Top U.S. Business Schools, and the creator of the Crazy Money podcast.

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