Speakers

Survive And Thrive Today

Keynote Speakers

   

MITCH LOWE

Top Business Speaker and Entertainment
Speaker, CEO of MoviePass, and Co-Founding Executive of Netflix

Mitch Lowe invested in and became CEO of MoviePass, Inc. in June 2016. MoviePass is a Movie Theater subscription service and is headquartered in New York City.

Mitch was a founding Executive at Netflix, Inc., serving as Netflix’s Entertainment Domain Expert and as Vice President of Business Development & Strategic Alliances from 1998 to 2003.

In 2003 Mitch joined the investment group at McDonald’s to co-lead as COO and then as President, at Redbox, a DVD vending machine rental service, that under his leadership grew to 35k kiosks across the US with revenue growing from less than $1m in 2003 to $1.5B in revenue in 2011 with over $325m in free cash flow.

Since then Mitch has made many personal investments in start-ups primarily in the entertainment, blockchain and social space. Mitch is passionate about the success and business fulfillment of people in large businesses as well as first-time entrepreneurs.

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VERNICE “FLYGIRL” ARMOUR

First African American Fighter Pilot/Motivational Speaker

Leveraging her “Breakthrough Mentality” and “Get Gutsy” mindset, Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour propelled herself from beat cop to combat pilot in a record-breaking three years and became America’s First African American Female Combat Pilot. As featured on CNN, MSNBC, The View, FOX News, Oprah Winfrey and others, FlyGirl’s fresh, edgy style, high, contagious energy and unique, gutsy essence jump off the stage, page and screen and moves people to action. Since 2007, she has inspired countless organizations and individuals to make gutsy moves and create breakthrough results.

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Bill Reichert

Co-founder and Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures

Bill Reichert is co-founder and Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures, a seed and early stage venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley.  He is also a Partner at Fenox Venture Capital, a global venture capital firm with offices in Silicon Valley and around the world.

Bill and his partners make focused investments in promising early-stage technology companies and work intensively with them to help them grow and succeed. Some of Garage’s most successful investments include Pandora Media (NYSE: P), Digital Fountain (acquired by Qualcomm), Coremetrics (acquired by IBM), iNest (acquired by LendingTree), and LeftHand Networks (acquired by HP).  

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Survive And Thrive Today

Featured Speakers

   

Capt. D.J. Skelton

The Army's Most Seriously Wounded Commander

DJ served in the United States Army from 1997-2018. DJ was severely wounded in November, 2004, in Fallujah, Iraq. Since his recovery at Walter Reed, DJ served as a military advisor to Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ADM Mike Mullen. After six years of continual surgeries, rehab and recovery, DJ returned to the Infantry and deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. DJ is fluent in Chinese, is one of the youngest graduates of Harvard\'s Senior Executive Fellowship program, a graduate of Stanford University’s GSB Ignite for Veterans program, and is the Founder of Paradox Sports, a non-profit organization that revolutionizes lives through adaptive outdoor opportunities that defy convention, empowering their pursuit of a life of excellence. He has conducted over 80 major surgeries to date and continues to rehab and triage his physical and mental limitations.


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ERIK QUALMAN

Bestselling Author and Motivational Keynote Speaker

Often called a Digital Dale Carnegie and The Tony Robbins of Tech, Erik Qualman is a #1 Bestselling Author and Motivational Keynote Speaker that has spoken in over 50 countries, and reached 25 million people. His Socialnomics work has been featured on 60 Minutes to the Wall Street Journal and used by the National Guard to NASA. His book Digital Leader propelled him to be voted the 2nd Most Likeable Author in the World behind Harry Potter’s J.K. Rowling. Qualman was formerly a sitting professor at Harvard & MIT’s edX labs.


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Jesse Draper

Founding Partner of Halogen Ventures

Jesse Draper is founding partner of Halogen Ventures as well as creator and host of 2015 Emmy nominated television series,The Valley Girl Show. Draper is a 4th generation venture capitalist focused on early stage investing in female founded consumer technology. Her portfolio includes the Skimm, Laurel & Wolf, Carbon38, HopSkipDrive, The Flex Company& Sugarfina. Through her show she’s helped pioneer the way in digital media and started the initiative to interview 50% women in technology. Previously a Nickelodeon star, Draper used her comedic talents to bring an approachable feel to the technology world, has produced and distributed 500 interviews with some of the greatest minds in technology and beyond (including; Ted Turner, Mark Cuban, Sheryl Sandberg, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Jessica Alba, MC Hammer and Eric Schmidt). Draper was listed by Marie Claire magazine as one of the ‘50 Most Connected Women in America’. USA Today called the show “Must see startup TV”.

Marina Nicholas

European Partner

Over 25 years creating innovative products and advising Start Ups and Enterprises. As an award winning business advisor, Marina's dynamic style brings clarity, strategy and growth to inspire and transform companies. ?Awards include 'International Business Woman of the Year', 'Start Ups Women in Business', 'Business Start Up Award' and 'Best New Product' from 80 global entrants. Marina loves the outdoors and having new adventures. In the last few months adventures have included a trip to the Arctic Circle and a ski endurance challenge in the French Alps – 200km in 25 hours.

Marlon Nichols

Co-founder & Managing Partner at Cross Culture Ventures

Marlon Nichols is a founding managing partner at Cross Culture Ventures (CCV), where he leads CCV in identifying game-changing entrepreneurs who are creating next-generation companies. Marlon draws from his unique professional background to drive CCV’s focus on using global trends and shifts in consumer behavior to capture high-potential investments. Prior to co-founding CCV, Marlon was an investment director at Intel Capital where he completed his Kauffman Fellowship. He also has led successful careers in enterprise software and strategy consulting in the technology, private equity, media and entertainment sectors. As a former professional athlete, Marlon takes a team-oriented approach to working closely with CEOs in the areas of operations and business model development to build tomorrow’s most innovative and notable enterprises.

Steven Smith

One Of America’s Most Experienced Astronauts

Steve Smith dreamed of being an astronaut at age 7. Then he made his dream come true through sheer determination and intelligent risk taking. He is one of America’s most experienced astronauts with 4 spaceflights and 7 spacewalks to repair the Hubble Space Telescope and build the Space Station. During the 3-decade pursuit of his dream he became a Stanford electrical engineer and MBA, General Motors Fellow, pilot, elite collegiate athlete, and IBM Product Manager. At NASA Steve held multiple senior leadership positions and served as a Diplomat. He now uses this one-of-a-kind experience base as a board director, venture capital advisor, and keynote speaker. Steve shares the wonders of spaceflight and motivates audiences to use his lessons learned – an “explorer’s mindset” and disciplined protocols - to improve individual, team, and leadership performance in today’s dynamic highly-competitive business environment.


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Survive And Thrive Today

Other Speakers

   

Victoria Saucier

Impact Investor I AI I Blockchain I CEO @ Gainfy | Partner @ Ignite 500

Victoria Saucier is the CEO of Gainfy, AI and blockchain healthcare company I Managing Partner at Ignite 500, an investments group with a diversified portfolio of technology, media and healthcare companies I Founder of Bloomojo, alternative medicine marketplace I Chief Editor at Bloopost Media Group I Executive producer of SharkChain TV, pitching competition show for emerging tech companies I Mentor and advisor to companies developing blockchain and AI applications to solve inefficiencies in varies industries. Ms. Saucier has over 20 years of experience in business development and capital investments and have lead several companies through various stages of growth, from inception to a successful exit. Ms. Saucier is a public speaker and serves on numerous advisory boards. Born in Ukraine and fluent in four languages, Ms. Saucier earned graduate degree in linguistics, undergraduate in clinical medicine, business and economics.

Tania Yuki

Founder and CEO of Shareablee

Tania Yuki is Founder and CEO of Shareablee, the leading provider of actionable competitive intelligence for social media. She began her career as a media and internet attorney, specializing in digital rights management, IP and film financing. Since moving to the US, Tania has run an online video content network as head of acquisitions and branding and has also led product management for comScore's Video Metrix. Tania also founded Wimlink in 2008, an organization that holds regular events and seminars promoting entrepreneurship, leadership and the professional development of women.

TAHJAR ROAMARTINEZ

CEO for Cyber Warfighters Group, Inc.

As a cybersecurity consultant, her innovative solutions consistently streamline processes, increase operational effectiveness in both commercial and government entities. As CEO of Cyber Warfighters Group, her company achieves results in innovative and robust cyber security solutions and design and implement enterprise email services, reporting tools, policies and processes. The Group’s goal is to provide Subject Matter Expert rapid deployment teams to quickly address cybersecurity incidents and support the Information Security industry, federal, and state cybersecurity requirements. Tahjar earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Texas A & M University Central Texas.

Ryan Foland

Communication Strategist | International Speaker | Writer

Ryan Foland coaches leaders worldwide on the art of simplifying spoken and written messaging for greater impact. He is the inventor of the 3-1-3 Method, a process whereby ideas begin as three sentences, condense into one sentence and then boil down to three words. Ryan was recognized by Inc. Magazine as a Top Youth Marketer and was named by Entrepreneur Magazine as a Top Personal Branding Expert. Ryan’s company InfluenceTree, specializes in helping individuals discover, build and grow their personal brands. Ryan is a radio show host and is known as the high energy #GingerMC. Learn more at www.RyanFoland.com


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Rahul Narvekar

Founder, The India Network

Rahul Narvekar is a seasoned startup entrepreneur, having earned his stripes in Mumbai and accumulated a track record in Delhi. Most significantly, Rahul has a wealth of experience with e-commerce out of India. He has been involved with the industry from its inception to the present, and he's passionate about sharing with you all the hallowed rules that he has learnt (and broken!) In addition to startups and e-commerce, Rahul's specialities include all elements of the retail experience, be it online or physical. Rahul is also an expert in real estate sourcing, pricing, negotiation, buying, leasing, renting and development.

Michelle Gadsden-Williams

Managing Director NA & Canada, Inclusion & Diversity Lead
Accenture

As Managing Director of North America & Canada Inclusion and Diversity, Michelle Gadsden-Williams is responsible for further strengthening and accelerating the company’s efforts to foster an inclusive culture. Michelle joins Accenture with more than 25 years of experience as an advocate for equality within corporate America and a thought leader around diversity and inclusion. Michelle is a seasoned diversity practitioner with experience working in the consumer goods and pharmaceutical industries before transitioning to financial services in 2011.

George S. Georgiades

FinTech, Blockchain, STO & ICO Lawyer

George S. Georgiades is a corporate and securities attorney based in New York focusing his practice on capital formation transactions (from startup to NASDAQ/NYSE) and regulatory compliance for intermediaries such as investment banks, investment advisors, hedge funds and funding portals as well as representing leading venture-backed blockchain and fintech companies. Since 2011, he has been working cooperatively with industry associations, intermediaries and regulators to fashion new and innovative regulations to provide startups with greater access to capital such as Crowdfunding and Regulation A+. More recently, he has been counseling US and international Initial Coin Offerings and Security Token Offerings on structuring and regulatory compliance. He routinely speaks at national and international conferences.

Cindy Chin

CEO

Cindy is an entrepreneur, venture strategist, and cultural ambassador of the arts and sciences. She is an advisor, board member to founding startup teams, opportunity scout for VCs, investors, and LP partners, and a supporter of global entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems in the arenas of venture capital, blockchain, & frontier tech startups. She is also an advisor to Women in Blockchain International, a global strategic thought leader, a sought-after speaker, and a NASA Datanaut, an open data innovation program to promote data science, coding, and gender diversity operating within the NASA CIO office. She is also a delegate of the United Nations Blockchain for Global Impact and UN Decade of Women initiatives in advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, mentor in the Google Launchpad Mentor Program, Stanford University’s Tech Entrepreneurship and undergrad programs, and a member of the faculty at the premier Startup Executive Academy of Silicon Castles in Salzburg, Austria.

Thrive Investors

   

Victoria Saucier

Impact Investor I AI I Blockchain I CEO @ Gainfy | Partner @ Ignite 500

Victoria Saucier is the CEO of Gainfy, AI and blockchain healthcare company I Managing Partner at Ignite 500, an investments group with a diversified portfolio of technology, media and healthcare companies I Founder of Bloomojo, alternative medicine marketplace I Chief Editor at Bloopost Media Group I Executive producer of SharkChain TV, pitching competition show for emerging tech companies I Mentor and advisor to companies developing blockchain and AI applications to solve inefficiencies in varies industries. Ms. Saucier has over 20 years of experience in business development and capital investments and have lead several companies through various stages of growth, from inception to a successful exit. Ms. Saucier is a public speaker and serves on numerous advisory boards. Born in Ukraine and fluent in four languages, Ms. Saucier earned graduate degree in linguistics, undergraduate in clinical medicine, business and economics.

Thomas Lovell

Co-founder of BoldPointe Partners

Previously, he has held various senior leadership positions at Drexel Burnham including EVP and board member, Chairman and Chief Executive of Drexel Burnham Europe, Chairman of DBL Commercial Paper, and Worldwide Head of Operations & Administration (Institutional Investors & Commodities Groups). Early in his career, he was CFO of Citibank’s largest banking group and Treasurer of Citibank (Delaware) and Citibank (USA). He also headed Citibank’s North American Securities Services group (US Custody, Global Custody, Broker-Dealer, Securities Lending, 401(k) Processing). Mr. Lovell was also the COO of The Dubai Capital Group and a member of its investment committee, a $3 billion $US PE/hedge fund owned by the Ruler of Dubai. In the mid-90’s, he co-founded Goldman Sachs’ middle market business which contributed over $3B to the firm’s IPO market cap. It was #2 in market share and #1 in customer satisfaction per Greenwich Research within 3 years. He holds a BSIE from the University of Michigan and a MBA from Harvard Business School.

SWATICK MAJUMDAR

Venture Partner
CMO Survive and Thrive Today

Swatick Majumdar is a Venture Capitalist, a former investment banker, and a serial entrepreneur. He is an active advisor and mentor to start-ups and helps leverage his wealth of global relationships, expertise and operating history to them. Swatick cherishes his time to help build disruptive companies that are led by passionate entrepreneurs. He is on the board of Global Path Capital and Rental Uncle (P) Ltd and a board observer at Easy Energy Systems. Previously he assisted in the execution of successful financings for companies in Technology, Media and Telecommunication (TMT), Renewable Energy, Biotechnology and Medical devices sectors. Swatick has participated as a panelist and a moderator at several industry related events in the US, India and the United Arab Emirates. He has a double Master’s in applied economics and computer information systems. Swatick is a trained volunteer at the American Red Cross and represents the Disaster Action Team (DAT) of Long Island, New York.

Sonpreet Bhatia

Entrepreneur and Innovator | Versatile Advisor and Investor | Recognized leader and speaker

Entrepreneur and Innovator: Sonpreet raised $14MM in venture capital funding in her two startups. Prior roles include VP on Wall Street; Co-founder and Partner at other VC-backed companies building AI conversational interfaces; and Scientist at IBM’s TJ Watson. Versatile Advisor and Investor: Sonpreet advises and enables many startups, social ventures, and nonprofits. Some of these organizations work in partnership with the UN across 110 countries. Sonpreet has forged business alliances and partnerships with top Fortune 500 executives, visionary leaders of global nonprofits, and people from all walks of life. Recognized leader and speaker: Advertising Age named Sonpreet to its “Creativity 50” list in 2014, honoring the most creative and innovative thinkers and doers. Business Insider magazine named her to “The Silicon Alley 100: New York’s Coolest Tech People” and “35 Up-And-Coming Entrepreneurs You Need To Meet.” The Wall Street Journal selected Sonpreet as one of 20 participants to appear in its “Start-up of the Year” documentary series. Her outreach includes public speaking on topics in technology, women leadership, Big data, Innovation, AI, Mindful Living, Integrative Medicine, Health, Ethics & more and high-profile writing and publishing for books and leading journalistic and business platforms, including both print and digital media.

Riley Kovatch

Investor at March Capital Partners

Riley comes from an enterprise software investment banking background where he worked on M&A and Private Equity transactions from the San Francisco and Bangalore, India offices of Signal Hill. After banking, Riley took time to pursue entrepreneurial ventures and now brings perspectives from both sides of the table into his role as a VC. Riley received his BS from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley where he played on a Division 1 soccer scholarship.

Rahul Narvekar

Founder, The India Network

Rahul Narvekar is a seasoned startup entrepreneur, having earned his stripes in Mumbai and accumulated a track record in Delhi. Most significantly, Rahul has a wealth of experience with e-commerce out of India. He has been involved with the industry from its inception to the present, and he's passionate about sharing with you all the hallowed rules that he has learnt (and broken!) In addition to startups and e-commerce, Rahul's specialities include all elements of the retail experience, be it online or physical. Rahul is also an expert in real estate sourcing, pricing, negotiation, buying, leasing, renting and development.

Peter Csathy

Managing Partner, SAM CREATV Ventures

Peter Csathy is Founder & Chairman of CREATV Media, a leading business development, advisory and investment firm. Peter is a noted international expert, thought leader and “go to” resource on media, entertainment and technology issues and is regularly quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, TechCrunch, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, CNBC, Bloomberg, Billboard, Digiday, among others. He regularly appears on television, speaks at major industry events, and writes for TechCrunch and Variety, as well as for his own Digital Media Update blog (that USA Today’s business reporter Jefferson Graham calls a “must read”). He also just recently published his second highly-acclaimed book, “Media 2.0 (18): An Insider’s Guide to Today’s Digital Media World & Where It’s Going.”

PATRICK CONROY

Vice President at Revolution

Patrick is a Vice President at Revolution Growth where he focuses on venture investments in tech-enabled consumer and software businesses. Prior to Revolution, Patrick was an Analyst at Morgan Stanley on the Technology Investment Banking and Global Capital Markets teams based in New York City. Patrick graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in Business Economics.

Morgan Linton

Co-founder & COO, Bold Metrics Inc | Angel Investor @ Morgan.xyz

I am the co-founder of Bold Metrics, you can think of us as an API for the human body. Two years ago I started my journey as an Angel Investor and I made my fifth investment this year. I\'m a first time founder and relatively new investor so I don\'t see myself as a startup expert by any means. Instead, I\'m a founder who is going through the ups and downs of running a startup and interested in investing in other companies with founders who aren\'t married to their idea, but instead laser-focused on solving a real problem, knowing that the way in which they solve that problem will likely change over time.

Mikal Khoso

Investor at Wavemaker Partners

I’m a driven individual with experience in building and investing in early-stage companies as well as a proven capacity for operational excellence. With a unique international heritage and perspective, I bring a cross-section of global experience, leadership and passion to my professional endeavors. A selection of my thoughts at https://medium.com/@MikalKhoso

Melinda Bush, C.H.A.

President/Chief Executive –HRW Holdings / Hospitality Resources Worldwide, LLC

Melinda Bush, C.H.A, is one of the industry’s most well-known and respected experts on the issues affecting the hospitality and tourism sector. After a dynamic career building the world’s largest travel trade publishing company for Rupert Murdoch and Reed Elsevier, and opening 12 offices around the world, Mrs. Bush founded Hospitality Resources Worldwide LLC, in 2001, with a focus to assist hotels, resorts and destinations in their market development and investment activities. Various past HRW ventures and partners have included The Carlyle Group Realty Fund, FelCor Lodging Trust, Canyon Ranch Enterprises, Outrigger Hotels of Hawaii, Fairmont Hotels, The Moroccan – American Development Fund, and The World Bank Panama Initiative, as well as specific hotel/resort development programs in Hawaii, Costa Rica, Baha Mexico, Vancouver, Washington State, Southern California, among others. Mrs. Bush has and continues to serve on a number of public and private corporate boards and has Honorary Degrees and awards from Johnson & Wales University and the Cornell Society of Hoteliers. The C.H.A. designation is the highest award granted in the industry by the American Hotel and Lodging Industry’s Educational Institute. Hospitality Resources Worldwide LLC is headquartered in New York City with affiliated offices in Florida, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Texas and California.

Marlon Nichols

Co-founder & Managing Partner at Cross Culture Ventures

Marlon Nichols is a founding managing partner at Cross Culture Ventures (CCV), where he leads CCV in identifying game-changing entrepreneurs who are creating next-generation companies. Marlon draws from his unique professional background to drive CCV’s focus on using global trends and shifts in consumer behavior to capture high-potential investments. Prior to co-founding CCV, Marlon was an investment director at Intel Capital where he completed his Kauffman Fellowship. He also has led successful careers in enterprise software and strategy consulting in the technology, private equity, media and entertainment sectors. As a former professional athlete, Marlon takes a team-oriented approach to working closely with CEOs in the areas of operations and business model development to build tomorrow’s most innovative and notable enterprises.

Lucas Pols

Quake Capital

Lucas is a Venture Partner at Quake Capital Partners, and the founder of Spark xyz At Quake Lucas is focused on expanding Quake’s venture capital and angel relationships. He is also providing operational guidance to the portfolio companies on a range of topics including leadership, recruiting, and sales. Lucas received his Master’s in Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California. While at USC, Lucas was the case protagonist of professor Noam Wasserman’s case study, which focused on his venture, Spark xyz, and hybrid entrepreneurship. Lucas also currently writes for Forbes and does speaking engagements around Los Angeles.

LAURENT GRILL

Venture Lead Investor at Luma

Laurent is an Entrepreneur turned Venture Capitalist who works with start-up founders to successfully build scalable teams, strong company cultures and disruptive products. Laurent believes that there is a fundamental need for additional support in the early stage ecosystem in Los Angeles and other budding technology hubs around the US and globally. This desire to support these growing tech communities led him to his current role as Venture Lead at Luma Launch, a seed to series-a corporate venture with an accelerator program and internal incubation team. Luma Launch is focused on early stage startups at the convergence of evolving technology and content markets, capitalizing on internal and external resources to create successful products. Laurent has founded, expanded and managed multiple start-ups ranging from a music education technology platform, Miso Media, to the leader in the Massage-on-Demand space, Zeel. His experience working in the early stage start up scene has given him the tools necessary to understand the needs of founders in the infancies of their companies.

Joyce Greenberg

Managing Partner and FounderCAPGreenberg

Joyce Greenberg is the founder of CAP Greenberg. She began her career as a Chase Manhattan Bank, then later a shareholder of Kidder, Peabody & Co later Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. She was one of the first woman partners at both firms. She was also the CEO of TakeGoodCare Holdings, a medical supplies and equipment company. TakeGoodCare was sold in 2004. She was a director and audit committee member of Fay’s Inc. (NYSE: FAY) She sits on the boards of Ayre Lighting, High Grade Management Group and Material World. She was a trustee of the Institute for Social & Economic Policy in the Middle East at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, a trustee of the Jewish Association for Services for the Aged (JASA), board of Governors of the New School University’s Parsons School of Design and board of the Harvard Club of New York. Ms. Greenberg has a B.A. with Honors from Simmons College and a M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School. She has FINRA® Series 7, 63 and 79 certifications.

John Della Penna

Investor

Marketing, is all about the Marketing, the GTM Strategy, driving sales and market share. Marketing starts when an idea is born, and it should be an intricate part of the business from day one. Surprisingly that is seldom the case. Even though I came from a technical background I realized early in my business career that I needed to learn about marketing because without it nothing big happens. I am passionate about Marketing developing GTM strategies and supporting business development to drive sales. I love to build and be part of hard working teams with concrete goals in mind.

Jesse Draper

Founding Partner of Halogen Ventures

Jesse Draper is founding partner of Halogen Ventures as well as creator and host of 2015 Emmy nominated television series,The Valley Girl Show. Draper is a 4th generation venture capitalist focused on early stage investing in female founded consumer technology. Her portfolio includes the Skimm, Laurel & Wolf, Carbon38, HopSkipDrive, The Flex Company& Sugarfina. Through her show she’s helped pioneer the way in digital media and started the initiative to interview 50% women in technology. Previously a Nickelodeon star, Draper used her comedic talents to bring an approachable feel to the technology world, has produced and distributed 500 interviews with some of the greatest minds in technology and beyond (including; Ted Turner, Mark Cuban, Sheryl Sandberg, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Jessica Alba, MC Hammer and Eric Schmidt). Draper was listed by Marie Claire magazine as one of the ‘50 Most Connected Women in America’. USA Today called the show “Must see startup TV”.

James Sowers

Featured speaker @ MIT Media labs

James was named top 50 angel Investor, by Forbes (https://www.forbes.com/sites/alejandrocremades/2018/08/05/top-50-angel-investors-based-on-investment-volume-and-successful-exits/#213a5f2d7748$). He is a featured speaker @ MIT Media labs ,Mentor @ alchemist Accelerator Director @ Greater Good Society . Mentor @ CS359B at Stanford University Designing Decentralized Applications on Blockchain. Co-host of syndicated tv show Exploring The Block James believes in joining the best founders in projects that are creating the future as we know it . He as been quoted saying "The key to redefining a category is to see possibly where others don't". "Talent is hitting a target no one else can hit Genius is hitting a target no one else can see"

Harper Cheng

Angel Investor

Harper Cheng is a senior hardware design engineer at Apple with over 10 years of experience in power management. Prior to Apple, she worked for semiconductor companies Marvell and Intersil. She is an active angel investor at Sand Hill Angels and she is looking into entrepreneurial opportunities. She is also involved in real estate investments and rental property management. She is very passionate in philanthropy supporting healthcare services and medical research. She received her M.S. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from University of California, Irvine.

Greg Obenshain

Investor and Founder, Obenshain Capital

Greg Obenshain manages Obenshain Capital, which uses a quantitative approach to investing in corporate credit. He previously ran high yield investment portfolios at Apollo Global Management and Stone Tower Capital. Prior thereto he completed GE's post-MBA leadership program. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management. He lives in New York City with his wife and two children.

Dayakar Puskoor

Managing Director at Naya Ventures

Mr. Dayakar Puskoor is a Managing Partner at Naya Ventures, a 50 million USD fund that invests in early- stage Cloud, Mobile & Big Data companies. Apart from his role at Naya Ventures, Dayakar is Executive Chairman at Motivity Labs, GlobalOutlook and KeepTrax. He is also a Board Member at Altia Systems, SnapOne and Zoomingo. He is a Board Observer at Minetta Brook and an Advisory Board Member at Boxfish and Glympse. Dayakar’s distinguished career is showcased by an impressive record of achievement in building high value mobile, wireless and telecommunications businesses. He was recognized by the US White House as a mobile technology visionary and has been a keynote speaker for numerous industry events. Dayakar is an active supporter of entrepreneurs and startups.

Cindy Chin

CEO

Cindy is an entrepreneur, venture strategist, and cultural ambassador of the arts and sciences. She is an advisor, board member to founding startup teams, opportunity scout for VCs, investors, and LP partners, and a supporter of global entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems in the arenas of venture capital, blockchain, & frontier tech startups. She is also an advisor to Women in Blockchain International, a global strategic thought leader, a sought-after speaker, and a NASA Datanaut, an open data innovation program to promote data science, coding, and gender diversity operating within the NASA CIO office. She is also a delegate of the United Nations Blockchain for Global Impact and UN Decade of Women initiatives in advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, mentor in the Google Launchpad Mentor Program, Stanford University’s Tech Entrepreneurship and undergrad programs, and a member of the faculty at the premier Startup Executive Academy of Silicon Castles in Salzburg, Austria.

Brett Brewer

Co-Founder / Managing Director at Crosscut Ventures

Prior to co-founding Crosscut Ventures, Brett was a serial entrepreneur who has built, operated, and sold a number of Internet media companies. In 1998, he co-founded Intermix Media, which launched several online businesses including Myspace.com. Brett sold Intermix to Rupert Murdoch\'s News Corp. in 2005 for $680M. After leaving News Corp, Brett became President and Vice Chairman of Adknowledge, and helped grow the business from $40M to $300M in revenue over the span of seven years. Brett is an active angel investor and a pillar in the SoCal tech community. He has been a featured speaker at numerous industry events including Bear Sterns Internet Roundtable, Goldman Sachs Internet Conference and the Montgomery Technology Conference. Brett received a B.A. in Business and Economics from the University of California Los Angeles.

Braden Pollock

Angel Investor

I'm primarily an Angel Investor having invested in a couple of dozen technology start-ups. I've also purchased more than a dozen small companies that have been rolled up into existing companies that I own and operate. In addition, I invest in high-value domain names as an alternative asset class.

Alo Ghosh

Silicon Valley Venture Capital. Founder of 5 FinTech Ventures

Seed investor, cofounder, interim CXO, strategist to startups in AI, fintech, edtech, impact-investment. Trusted advisor to SME & MNC top decision makers for creating sustainable competitive market value. Sourced & funded $multibillion PE deals, headed $4B country wealth fund, adviced CXO's worldwide. Taught Wharton MBAs, co-led McKinsey corporate finance, bootstrapped SV fintech startup to $100M.

Thrive Mentors

   

Tania Yuki

Founder and CEO of Shareablee

Tania Yuki is Founder and CEO of Shareablee, the leading provider of actionable competitive intelligence for social media. She began her career as a media and internet attorney, specializing in digital rights management, IP and film financing. Since moving to the US, Tania has run an online video content network as head of acquisitions and branding and has also led product management for comScore's Video Metrix. Tania also founded Wimlink in 2008, an organization that holds regular events and seminars promoting entrepreneurship, leadership and the professional development of women.

Sweta Patel

SF Community Director

Sweta Patel, a startup growth advisor and founder of Silicon Valley Startup Marketing who has advised for more than 200 early-stage startups and high-growth companies and ressurected 144 of them. Follow Sweta on Facebook and Instagram

Ryan Foland

Communication Strategist | International Speaker | Writer

Ryan Foland coaches leaders worldwide on the art of simplifying spoken and written messaging for greater impact. He is the inventor of the 3-1-3 Method, a process whereby ideas begin as three sentences, condense into one sentence and then boil down to three words. Ryan was recognized by Inc. Magazine as a Top Youth Marketer and was named by Entrepreneur Magazine as a Top Personal Branding Expert. Ryan’s company InfluenceTree, specializes in helping individuals discover, build and grow their personal brands. Ryan is a radio show host and is known as the high energy #GingerMC. Learn more at www.RyanFoland.com


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Rahul Narvekar

Founder, The India Network

Rahul Narvekar is a seasoned startup entrepreneur, having earned his stripes in Mumbai and accumulated a track record in Delhi. Most significantly, Rahul has a wealth of experience with e-commerce out of India. He has been involved with the industry from its inception to the present, and he's passionate about sharing with you all the hallowed rules that he has learnt (and broken!) In addition to startups and e-commerce, Rahul's specialities include all elements of the retail experience, be it online or physical. Rahul is also an expert in real estate sourcing, pricing, negotiation, buying, leasing, renting and development.

PHIL SCHNYDER

Director of Business Development for Avanquest Software

Mr. Phil Schnyder is a 20 years veteran of the software industry and currently the Director of Business Development for Avanquest Software, a leading publicly listed global software developer and publisher. At Avanquest, he helps run the software division which sells over 300 products via online and retail channels globally. Previously he was the President/CEO of askSam Systems, a developer of some of the world's most popular freeform database and information management tools. Phil helped design the askSam products that won numerous industry awards including PC World's "Internet Utility of the Year" and PC Magazine's "Editor's Choice". In 1984, Phil helped start North American Software, a software publishing company based in Munich, Germany. He is an advisor to many software startups and an angel investor.

Oriana Leo

Chief Strategic Officer
Future Famous Group

Oriana left pharmaceutical sales to pursue a career in entertainment, only to find there wasn't an efficient way to stay in "camera-ready" shape given her limits. Those limits were the usual culprits: time, energy, equipment - and the most disruptive one - chronic migraine. She adapted the pelvic "tilt technique" for proper posture and spinal alignment into a modern "Workaholic Workout," allowing her to stay fit and pain-free while pursuing her dreams. She now provides TBO corporate wellness consulting, personal training, and on-demand fitness video subscriptions. Currently the spokesperson for Nonnie's Nectar hemp extract line, she promotes a holistic and cannabis-friendly methodology for optimal performance for new moms and serial entrepreneurs alike.

Michelle Gadsden-Williams

Managing Director NA & Canada, Inclusion & Diversity Lead
Accenture

As Managing Director of North America & Canada Inclusion and Diversity, Michelle Gadsden-Williams is responsible for further strengthening and accelerating the company’s efforts to foster an inclusive culture. Michelle joins Accenture with more than 25 years of experience as an advocate for equality within corporate America and a thought leader around diversity and inclusion. Michelle is a seasoned diversity practitioner with experience working in the consumer goods and pharmaceutical industries before transitioning to financial services in 2011.

Max Shapiro

CEO of PeopleConnect

Max Shapiro is a serial entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of PeopleConnect a 19 year old executive search firm which helps early-stage high-tech companies find the talent they need to succeed. The company\'s clients are in technology, biotech, clean tech, apps, services, medical devices, and consumer products. PeopleConnect has the most unique recruiting model in the world! It\'s called Employees Without Paychecks whereby the company places people at startups who are willing to work for options only for the first three months of their employment. Shapiro is also the producer of four monthly PitchForce pitch events alternating between San Francisco and Palo Alto. Shapiro was a co-founder of the Runway Innovation Hub located in the Twitter building in San Francisco. He is also an Angel investor. He has been called one of the most connected people in Silicon Valley, connected to over 10,000 people on LinkedIn.

Marina Nicholas

European Partner

Over 25 years creating innovative products and advising Start Ups and Enterprises. As an award winning business advisor, Marina's dynamic style brings clarity, strategy and growth to inspire and transform companies. ?Awards include 'International Business Woman of the Year', 'Start Ups Women in Business', 'Business Start Up Award' and 'Best New Product' from 80 global entrants. Marina loves the outdoors and having new adventures. In the last few months adventures have included a trip to the Arctic Circle and a ski endurance challenge in the French Alps – 200km in 25 hours.

Lisa Chau

Marketing Director Lampix

Lisa Chau is a Director at Lampix, which creates intelligent tabletop augmented reality powered on blockchain. She has been published over 100 times in Forbes, US News & World Report as well as Huffington Post on TABLES: Technology - Academia - Business - Leadership - Entrepreneurship - Strategy. Her work includes profiling high level executives, successful entrepreneurs, established professors, distinguished creatives and award-winning authors. She is the Managing Director at Laampix, an Intelligent tabletop augmented reality Powered on blockchain

Laurie Marshall

TRADEMARK AND COPYRIGHT ATTORNEY AND NATIONAL SPEAKER ON TRADEMARKS, COPYRIGHTS AND BRAND PROTECTION

For over 20 years, Laurie has been counseling clients on trademarks, copyrights and the legal aspects of branding. Laurie worked for much of her career as in-house trademark counsel for Major League Baseball. In 2010, Laurie founded her own law practice and continues to represent many MLB clubs, the National Basketball Association, Daymond John from Shark Tank and hundreds of small businesses. She speaks regularly on the Legal Aspects of Branding a Small Business at events and conferences throughout the country. She holds a JD from Hofstra University School of Law.

Kyle Ellis

Combat Aviator | Instructor | Military Leadership Circle

Kyle is a graduate of the US Naval Academy, an active duty Marine, and has over 11 years’ experience in leading America's finest. He has flown six military type/model/series aircraft, holds multiple military and FAA instructor qualifications, and has completed over 200 combat missions. As member of the Military Leadership Circle, Kyle seeks to help bridge the widening military-civilian divide and advocate for veterans in the work force. He is currently a full-time graduate student at the Naval Postgraduate School pursuing a Master of Science degree in Information Technology Management and a Master of Business Administration with a focus on Information Management.

John Ryan Beers

CEO, Nonnie's Nectar

Ryan Beers enjoyed a long and storied sales career before he entered the cannabis market in Denver, CO in 2009. That prior experience, paired with Ryan’s pioneering ingenuity, has lead him to create the most successful cannabis brands of their time. Between brand-launches he created a unique vaping experience in Venice Beach called Nidor: The Art of Vapor. The custom-built art gallery featured local artist’s work, and caught the eye of a 2015 up-and-comer: Snapchat. Snapchat bought Nidor and the entirety of the artwork to be used for their office space. His latest pioneering adventure is into hemp extract, creating a whole plant extract product line suitable to treat his Nonnie’s epilepsy before she passed. Today Nonnie’s Nectar is the premiere hemp CBD product line featured in many Los Angeles dispensaries and high-end health foods stores.

JENNIFER JACQUES

Managing Partner at Jacques & Associates

Jennifer represents clients in the full range of mergers and acquisitions (both buy and sell-side), venture capital and private equity investments, securities transactions, and other complex and general corporate matters. Her work has touched on numerous market sectors, including technology, financial services, healthcare, advertising, media, fashion and energy. Jennifer has been particularly active in venture capital work, where she has served as outside general counsel to several venture-backed companies and has advised numerous women- and minority-owned and led businesses. She also has significant experience in drafting and negotiating license and commercial agreements including software, technology, trademark, design and patent licenses.

Jason Roberts

High School Teacher at Chicago Public Schools

Jason majored in mathematics at the University of Chicago with plans of becoming a mathematician but got sidetracked into launching technology startups and building high-frequency trading systems. Not wanting to leave Pasadena for San Francisco, he infamously turned down the CTO position at Uber but instead opting to work as a consultant, designed and developed much of the company\'s original real-time technology, their global \"air traffic control\" and other foundational technologies. In addition to working on Math Academy, Jason spends his time advising startups and Fortune 500 companies on their technology strategy and product roadmaps.

Haris Stamoulis

Investor & Value Creation Advisor

Value Creator. For over 30 years, I have been trying to assist corporate clients in boosting growth and/or restructuring their business. With particular strengths in deal structuring, capital raising, valuations and financial engineering, I’ve managed through the years to develop and sustain an extensive network of business relationships in the USA and Europe. As a former professional player, coach, team executive, and owner, I’d also consider basketball an important segment in my life.

George S. Georgiades

FinTech, Blockchain, STO & ICO Lawyer

George S. Georgiades is a corporate and securities attorney based in New York focusing his practice on capital formation transactions (from startup to NASDAQ/NYSE) and regulatory compliance for intermediaries such as investment banks, investment advisors, hedge funds and funding portals as well as representing leading venture-backed blockchain and fintech companies. Since 2011, he has been working cooperatively with industry associations, intermediaries and regulators to fashion new and innovative regulations to provide startups with greater access to capital such as Crowdfunding and Regulation A+. More recently, he has been counseling US and international Initial Coin Offerings and Security Token Offerings on structuring and regulatory compliance. He routinely speaks at national and international conferences.

Francesca Burack

Award Winning Serial Entrepreneur
CEO, Fearless Talent Development

Francesca Burack is a respected global leader and trusted advisor to thousands of aspiring and experienced women with ambitions to rise. She is a dynamic, inspirational, charismatic speaker, not to mention a dream-chaser and goal-reacher who easily relates to her audiences and provides impactful information that can be implemented immediately. As a speaker, Francesca has inspired business audiences around the world. As a consultant, she works with companies seeking systemic change in their management practices and culture. And as a coach, she trains individuals, especially women, to fearlessly stand in their authentic power and take action with heart and conviction. She is expert at drawing out hidden talents, developing effective, strategic communication skills, and crafting action plans that can be implemented immediately.

Faith Jones

Corporate Attorney and Executive Business Coach

Faith graduated summa cum laude from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service and with honors from UC Berkley Law School, and was named top 40 Under 40 M&A Advisor in 2015. Previously a corporate attorney with Skadden Arps in Los Angeles and Hong Kong, she has her own legal education and executive performance coaching business. Faith empowers business owners with clear and straight-forward legal knowledge so they can set their businesses up with confidence, and coaches them on a personal level to step into their power as successful entrepreneurs. Faith began her career as an attorney with Skadden Arps in its Los Angeles and Hong Kong offices. She represented clients in a wide variety of cross-border corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, earn-outs, investor rights, going-private deals, initial public offerings and general corporate matters.

DESIREE REID

General Manager – IMPALA INC

Desiree Reid is one of the foremost industry experts in global and multicultural business development, marketing and branding. From cosmetics, to fragrance, to fashion and entertainment, she has led high-profile and emerging brands in launching award-winning products, expanding global reach and meeting the demands of evolving markets. Throughout her 20 year career as a senior executive and management consultant, she has harnessed the power of brands’ DNA and positioned them for the ever-changing landscapes of today’s marketplace. Her experience ranges from global HBA giants like Avon, Revlon and Estee Lauder, to niche organizations like the Global Language Project, The Mission Society and MIST Harlem.

Carmen Ring

Expert Translator & Interpreter

Over the past 12 years Carmen Ring has been working with all size companies helping them to conquer new international markets by translating their content and connecting them with the right partners to expand their exposure. From Hollywood productions to renewable energy companies, Carmen has helped industry leaders from a wide variety of fields to grow their international reach. Published author in several languages, Carmen now focuses on helping entrepreneurs understand and take advantage of the power of the global market.

Capt. D.J. Skelton

The Army's Most Seriously Wounded Commander

DJ served in the United States Army from 1997-2018. DJ was severely wounded in November, 2004, in Fallujah, Iraq. Since his recovery at Walter Reed, DJ served as a military advisor to Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ADM Mike Mullen. After six years of continual surgeries, rehab and recovery, DJ returned to the Infantry and deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. DJ is fluent in Chinese, is one of the youngest graduates of Harvard\'s Senior Executive Fellowship program, a graduate of Stanford University’s GSB Ignite for Veterans program, and is the Founder of Paradox Sports, a non-profit organization that revolutionizes lives through adaptive outdoor opportunities that defy convention, empowering their pursuit of a life of excellence. He has conducted over 80 major surgeries to date and continues to rehab and triage his physical and mental limitations.


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BRIAN Mac Mahon

Founder of Expert DOJO

Brian McMohan is a serial entrepreneur and investor and has owned companies in over 35 countries. He is also the owner of Expert DOJO, who are the fastest growing startup accelerator in Southern California. At Expert DOJO early stage startups receive investment, success coaching, advice, and specialist help in all areas of their business growth. Their patented 12 step accelerator is unlike any other program available and gives direct access to specialists in branding, design, business planning, product fit, strategic planning, web development, growth hacking and so much more. In 2017 Expert DOJO brought 400 companies through their startup programs and made 4 investments. They are planning to bring 2,000 companies through their program this year and make 25 investments. All you want to know about Brian is contained in his TEDx talk - https://youtu.be/Y6f7lFy0oW0

Braden Pollock

Angel Investor

I'm primarily an Angel Investor having invested in a couple of dozen technology start-ups. I've also purchased more than a dozen small companies that have been rolled up into existing companies that I own and operate. In addition, I invest in high-value domain names as an alternative asset class.

ALISON ANTHOINE

Entrepreneurial Lawyer and Business Strategist

Alison Anthoine is an entrepreneurial lawyer and business strategist who has spent most of her professional life working in and around the media business. She has been an early angel investor, trusted consigliere and/or mentor for many entrepreneurs. In addition to her solo law practice, she is currently advising a startup that is developing content about developments in neuroscience for both professional and consumer audiences. She has also recently launched a new business, EOL Navigator, to empower individuals and families in making informed choices when navigating or planning for the end of life. Earlier this year, inspired by the Women’s March on January 21, she ran as independent candidate for Mayor of Cold Spring, NY against the incumbent (who would have otherwise run unopposed) and came within 23 votes of being elected.

ALAN BRODY

Founder of the iBreakfast

Alan Brody is the author of Are You Fundable? the book for Entrepreneurs. He is the founder of Angel Week and iBreakfast, New York and L.A.’s longest running Digital Media Executive Networking Group. He created the Marcom Awards, the first awards program for online advertising & marketing (now ADWEEK's Icon Awards). He has been a columnist for divisions of Advertising Age and ADWEEK and now runs the monthly Startupalooza pitching forum and the Capital Raising Workshop for Startups in 8 Cities in the US. He is one of the leading personalities in a new Startup series on the worldwide ZeeTV network.

AJ Wilcox

LinkedIn Ads Expert | Agency Founder | Speaker

I fell in love with LinkedIn Ads back in 2012. Globally recognized as one of the top LinkedIn Ads experts, I speak with, train, present, and manage advertising campaigns for executives and teams around the world. I started B2Linked.com, an agency that specializes in account management and consulting with LinkedIn Ads back in 2014. Our team manages the largest and most sophisticated accounts worldwide. We recently became official Certified LinkedIn Partners. To date, we\'ve managed >100 LinkedIn Ads accounts, spent a cumulative $100M+ on the platform, and have managed 2 of LinkedIn\'s top 5 customers. Since founding B2Linked, I\'ve been honored to be invited to speak at 30+ conventions, such as Social Media Marketing World, HeroConf, Search Marketing Expo, and Content Marketing Conference. I’ve also been honored to have been interviewed on tons of awesome podcasts, such as Entrepreneur on Fire and Social Media Marketing Podcast.