Christa Markgraff is the general manager of datacenter operations for Microsoft’s U.S. Central Region, where she is responsible for delivering safe, available and physically secure datacenter services to Microsoft’s customer base.

Prior to Microsoft, Christa served as vice president of operations for one of the nation’s largest energy companies, overseeing supply, transmission, and system operations, while delivering reliable and sustainable energy to a multi-state footprint. Throughout her 30+ years in energy distribution, Christa held positions in operations, construction, engineering, financial analysis, technical compliance and customer development.

Christa is a founding member and served as the third president of the Women’s Energy Network (WEN), Chicago Chapter. Christa also served as the board chair of Children’s Advocates for Change (CAFC), which is an independent, nonpartisan advocacy organization that champions strong public policies, investments in and access to healthcare, education, and basic safety for all children.

In 2019, Christa was named to the HERoes Women Role Model 100 Women Executives List. This annual list celebrates 100 women from around the globe who are leading by example and driving impact into the workplace. In 2022, Christa received the Midwest Energy Association’s Maverick award.

Christa has a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Valparaiso University, and a master’s degree in business from the University of Notre Dame.

Wilfred Mascarenhas is an Executive Director for Data, Analytics and AI at Eli Lilly and Company. Wilfred has over 20 years of experience in Manufacturing Technology and over 25 years in Data and Analytics. In his current role, Wilfred leads the Innovation Team and the Data & AI architecture strategy for Manufacturing and Quality.

Jennifer is the managing partner of Milwaukee-based venture capital firm VC 414. The vision of the firm is to invest from the center of America into frontline industries and workers.

Dia Ali is the Global Lead for Unstructured Data Platforms at Hitachi Vantara, specializing in sovereign AI and Lakehouse transitions. With 20 years of experience at GE, Ford, and AT&T, he transforms petabyte-scale data into high-performance AI assets through visionary, agile architecture

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Kelly Armstrong is an accomplished economic development professional with a robust history of spearheading public-private partnerships to drive regional economic vitality and empower communities. In her newest role as President of the Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood (KIN), she leads a visionary nonprofit initiative aimed at transforming Kenosha's former Chrysler engine plant site into a vibrant, neighborhood-centric space where residents and visitors can live, work, learn, and play. With her strategic oversight, KIN is positioned to become a regional hub that fosters entrepreneurship, technology, and community development.

Before joining KIN, Kelly served as Vice President of Economic Development at the Greater Green Bay Chamber, where she built and managed an eight-member team to implement a five-year economic strategy. Under her leadership, the Chamber successfully rebranded and expanded entrepreneurial resources, launched a tech-focused coworking space, established an angel investment network, and led numerous initiatives, including Greater Green Bay’s first tech accelerator and a landmark partnership with the City of Green Bay to support diverse small businesses. A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, Kelly's strategic vision and passion for building collaborative ecosystems have earned her multiple awards, including the Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council.

Originally from Louisville, Kelly’s career in economic development includes foundational roles as Executive Director of Community Main Street in Cedar Falls, IA, where she led organizational growth and disaster recovery planning for the historic business district, and as Communications Director at Waverly Light & Power, a public power utility. At Greater Louisville Inc., she developed sector strategies in post-acute care and bourbon, establishing Louisville as a national leader in both industries. Later, as Director of Sector Strategy Development at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), Kelly led statewide initiatives in key industries such as manufacturing and energy. She was instrumental in establishing the Connected Systems Institute (CSI), a public-private consortium focused on workforce development and research in advanced manufacturing.

Prof. Arnold received his PhD under Nobel Laureate Ben Feringa in organic chemistry in 2002. He expanded his knowledge in biochemistry and molecular biology at UC San Francisco as postdoctoral researcher under the leadership of Dr. Kip Guy. In 2005, the Guy research group including Dr. Arnold moved to Memphis and established the Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Dr. Arnold quickly advanced as an expert in the field of vitamin D research and developed new potent anti-tumor agents for ovarian cancer and leukemia. During the last decade, Dr. Arnold focused on the development of compounds that activate the GABA(A) receptor in non-neuronal tissue and paved the way to understand the function of these receptors in smooth muscle cells and immune cells. Lead compounds from this research were commercialized by Pantherics Incorporated, a startup company that Dr. Arnold and Dr. Stafford established in 2017. Dr. Arnold is the current Director of the Milwaukee Institute for Drug Discovery located in the new UWM chemistry building. The institute has seven specialty laboratories supporting various aspects of drug discovery and drug development. Last year, he established together with Professor Blecking the RE-CHARGE STEM program at UWM. This workforce program trains program attendees to become laboratory technicians for the booming Wisconsin BioHealth Tech sector.

Kate is GP of The W Fund, a VC investing in women tech founders, and CEO of SWITCH, coaching women founders & training women angels. She's spoken at or been featured 100s of times, including SXSW, Collision, Fast Co, Microsoft, IBM, MSNBC, and BBC. 

A physician, healthcare executive, and growth-stage investor in the emerging healthspan economy, focused on innovations advancing prevention, wellness, longevity, and human performance.

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As the Head of Technology Banking, Andreas Bubenzer-Paim oversees the delivery of BMO Commercial Banking’s services to Technology clients nationwide. Bubenzer-Paim has two decades of corporate and investment banking experience, as well as expertise across lending, capital markets, investments and treasury services. Bubenzer-Paim earned his Masters of Business Administration from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business; he also studied Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation at Stanford University. He is an official member of the Forbes Technology Council and contributing author on Forbes.com.

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Grady Buchanan is a founder and experienced investor. As an institutional asset allocation professional, his focuses include venture capital fund investments as well connecting startup ecosystems across the globe. He is co-founder and Managing Director of NVNG. NVNG is focused on establishing stronger venture capital presences throughout the Midwest region - managing a venture capital fund of funds tailored to meet the needs of local corporations and institutional limited partners. Grady also spends timing mentoring founders, advising emerging companies, volunteering with university entrepreneurship programs, and collaborating with leaders working to strengthen innovation economies and our local ecosystem.

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A Cybersecurity and Information Assurance student pursuing a bachelor's degree while serving as an Application Administrator with Michels Corporation. With over three years of progressive IT experience spanning service desk operations, systems administration, application management, and enterprise infrastructure support, I bring a strong combination of technical expertise, business acumen, and a passion for continuous learning.

Dr. Paul Campbell is a venture capitalist and serial entrepreneur, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Brown Venture Group. He also co-founded Federal Mashup Lab, helping founders commercialize federal technology and turn tech into funded startups.

Dr. Abby Cannon brings a unique combination of academic rigor and biotech industry leadership. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology (2010), Master of Science in Microbiology and Immunology (2015), and PhD in Integrative Cellular Biology (2019) from Loyola University Chicago, where she advanced translational research in neuroinflammation and gastrointestinal disease, secured NIH funding, and mentored more than 25 researchers. 

Dr. Cannon then served as a Project Lead at Radyus Research, where she spearheaded oncology, CNS, and infectious disease drug development programs guiding market assessments, regulatory strategy, CMC planning, and manufacturing execution. Combining her scientific expertise with her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, she has helped clients navigate complex preclinical-to-clinical development pathways and achieve program milestones.

Then in 2025 she joined MATC as the Director of Biohealth Career Pathways helping to the lead ABC (Actualizing Biohealth Career) Pathways, the workforce training innovation arm of the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub.

Bryce Carpenter serves as Executive Vice President, Chief Operations and Strategy Officer at Conexus Indiana.
Since joining Conexus Indiana in 2016, Bryce has held five progressive leadership roles, reflecting both his versatility and deep commitment to Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics economy. In his current role, he oversees industry engagement, public sector relations, operations, research, and marketing — working in close partnership with the President & CEO to drive strategic planning, fundraising, and organizational growth.

At the center of Bryce’s work is convening the Conexus Indiana Advanced Industries Council (CIAIC), shaping transportation and infrastructure policy through service on the Executive Committee of the Joint Transportation Research Program and multiple statewide advisory committees, and serving as a senior leader of the AML Industry Talent Association, where Conexus administers Indiana’s AML apprenticeship and talent pathways.

Bryce holds a Bachelor of Arts from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. He lives in Carmel, Indiana, with his wife and their two children.

Aaron Colcord is the Founder and CEO of Voyager AI, a Milwaukee-based startup building a unified AI intelligence layer to accelerate complex financial workflows, particularly in commercial lending. A U.S. Army veteran holding seven patents, Aaron has been a thought leader in enterprise artificial intelligence solutions for over a decade. He brings deep technical and strategic leadership from his foundational work building the mobile banking vertical, alongside his tenure at Associated Bank, Thrivent, Northwestern Mutual, and FIS. His mission at Voyager AI is to equip financial institutions with secure automation that delivers complex lending outcomes in minutes instead of months.

Mason Cook is Founder and Managing Director of Mastercraft Ventures, a seed-stage venture capital fund. He built Mastercraft Ventures after 10 years launching and scaling startups, working with entrepreneurs, and refining startup systems. Previously, Mason was president of a $3M VC-backed AR startup, managing director of a nationally-ranked startup accelerator, an early employee at a $70M VC-funded fintech company, and owner of a house painting business. He graduated from Iowa State University and Columbia Business School. 

Mason believes the best startups reflect the entrepreneur - their habits, values, and grit. Mastercraft Ventures exists to support founders dedicated to mastering their craft.

In his role as Chief Technology & Strategy Officer for the Milwaukee Bucks, Robert is responsible for all technology infrastructure, information systems and operations technology enabling the Milwaukee Bucks front office, business office and arena office.

Strategically Robert is responsible for business innovation and continuous improvement at the Bucks through the use of technology. Robert has gained business experience through a career in aerospace (Northrop Grumman), manufacturing (Sara Lee), telecommunications (Lumen), and technology sales (AT&T). Robert see sports as an industry with the ultimate mix of both qualitative and quantitative paradigms that shall benefit greatly from our current AI boom.

One of Robert’s favorite quote is from IBM’s Louis Gerstner: “Strategy is a commodity, Execution is an art form”. His advice to the younger generation is “it is far more important to like what you do than to do what you like”. Robert embraces stoicism always reminding himself and his team that “the obstacle is the path”.

Robert was named CIO of the Year in 2019 by the Milwaukee Business Journal for his work at the Bucks and in the community.

Robert was born and raised on the east side of Los Angeles. He graduated from Yale College with a degree in Electrical Engineering where he was a member of the rowing team. Robert has been married 33 years to a New Yorker he met in a college chemistry class. They have three grown children that true to form, live all over America (L.A., San Francisco and NYC) but enjoy coming home often for Bucks games and Old Fashioneds.

Elaine Coughlin is a startup ecosystem leader dedicated to supporting startups as they grow companies in the state of Wisconsin. Based in Eau Claire, WI, she focuses on building bridges across regions, organizations, and institutions to strengthen startup corridors and shared opportunity. Her work centers on creating connected ecosystems that enable long‑term, sustainable innovation.

Matt is a Director of Field Engineering at HBS, responsible for leading engineering strategy, technical execution, and the growth of field engineering capabilities across infrastructure and architecture services. Matt has held multiple leadership and technical roles throughout his career at HBS, including Field Engineer, Director of Architecture, and Director of Field Engineering. With over 15 years of experience in Information Technology consulting, Matt has specialized in large scale network architecture, network security, and next-generation infrastructure solutions across enterprise and complex customer environments. His background includes designing and delivering modern networking, security, cloud connectivity, and transformation initiatives while helping customers align technical outcomes to business goals.

Sheldon is the CEO & Founder of Cream City Cyber, an early-growth stage tech startup and international consulting firm enabling businesses to confidently manage cyber-risk through risk management, resiliency, and cybersecurity services.

Sheldon is the former CIO of American Family (AmFam) Insurance, and former CISO of AmFam, Dell Technologies, and Northwestern Mutual. In 2023, Sheldon was recognized with the ORBIE CIO of the Year Leadership Award and was named a Top 100 CISO in 2021 and 2023 by industry peers. Sheldon serves as a board member of Greater Mt. Sinai Church, i.c.Stars Milwaukee, UW-Health, and the United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County.

Sheldon served as an enlisted soldier in the Wisconsin Army National Guard for nine years, earned a BA in Management with honors from Concordia University Wisconsin, and an MS in Organizational Leadership with honors from Quinnipiac University.

As a native of Milwaukee, WI, Sheldon is a passionate supporter of STEM programs in Southeastern Wisconsin. In 2019, Sheldon and his wife Celeste created an endowment at Concordia University Wisconsin to support diverse students in STEM, nursing, and construction-related fields. In 2023, Sheldon developed a partnership with tech companies and state government to train under-employed talent to become cloud engineers.

Outside of work, Sheldon enjoys the challenge of remodeling homes, serving in ministry, and exploring new destinations. Sheldon is married to Celeste Cuffie, CEO of Life Empowered Consulting Services and is the proud father of two adult children, Alyssa and Zach. As the next generation of #teamcuffie, they are following in their father’s footsteps as techies. Alyssa is a Business Architect at Cisco Systems and Zach is a Cloud Technology Analyst at Cream City Cyber.

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Matt is a Director of Field Engineering at HBS, responsible for leading engineering strategy, technical execution, and the growth of field engineering capabilities across infrastructure and architecture services. Matt has held multiple leadership and technical roles throughout his career at HBS, including Field Engineer, Director of Architecture, and Director of Field Engineering. With over 15 years of experience in Information Technology consulting, Matt has specialized in large scale network architecture, network security, and next-generation infrastructure solutions across enterprise and complex customer environments. His background includes designing and delivering modern networking, security, cloud connectivity, and transformation initiatives while helping customers align technical outcomes to business goals.

Billy Daniels is the Director of Product at Wearlinq, where he helps shape the future of cardiac monitoring. Over 17 years in health tech, he has shipped conversational AI to some of the world's largest payers across 12 countries, led patient experience at Exact Sciences for Cologuard (a $2.1B at-home cancer screening test), and scaled products to tens of millions of users. He lives in Madison, WI.

Tim Dickson serves as Chief Digital and Information Officer at Regal Rexnord, responsible for leading the company’s global digital and information technology organization. Since joining in October 2023, Tim has focused on advancing enterprise-wide digital transformation, strengthening core technology capabilities, and enabling data- and AI-driven decision-making to support growth and customer experience excellence.

Tim previously served as the first Chief Information Officer at Generac Power Systems and held senior leadership roles at Motorola Solutions and Dell Technologies. Across his career, he has led large-scale digital modernization efforts, M&A integrations, emerging technology programs, and customer-centric experience transformations.

A strong advocate for digital talent development and AI-led innovation, Tim is committed to building high-performing teams and positioning Wisconsin as a leading technology hub. He actively mentors leaders, shares best practices in emerging technologies, and supports community-focused initiatives.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a rockstar or a designer. These days, after 15 years at Generac, I think I’ve found a place somewhere in between.

I lead corporate innovation, industrial design, and research — work that keeps me creatively challenged and deeply connected to how our products shape the world. I’m proud of the impact we make, and even more proud to say I genuinely love what I do.

Outside of work, I’m a longtime superfan of the Pramac MotoGP team, a Ducati rider, and the guy helping bring the Generac Power Stage to life each year at Summerfest. It’s a full circle kind of thing — building powerful ideas by day and celebrating what they make possible by night.

Tyler Einberger is a process engineer turned marketer. He co-founded Momentic in 2018, a search agency covering organic search, AI search, and everywhere people search, and runs AI search for mid-market to Fortune 100 healthcare, finance, and manufacturing brands. When the tool he needs doesn't exist, he builds it. He also co-founded and runs MKE DMC, Wisconsin's largest in-person marketing meetup.

Thomas is an award-winning Manager at Platform94, a leading centre of excellence for scaling businesses in the west of Ireland. He plays a key role in delivering the operational excellence that enables businesses to scale and expand internationally.

Ron was an original founder of Red Foundry in 2009. In addition to staying hands-on with emerging mobile technologies himself and leading our product team. Ron provides our “Founder’s Touch” with direct oversight on client projects from the initial kick-off meeting through app deployment. Before Red Foundry, Ron was CEO of Giant Company Software, acquired by Microsoft for its award-winning AntiSpyware software, which was later released as Windows Defender. He was one of the first employees at Click Commerce, going public in 2000, and acquired by Illinois Tool Works in 2006. Ron is passionate about awe-inspiring product design and the use of emerging technologies to solve problems and create wonderful user experiences.

Roman Freidel is Global CoE Leader for Manufacturing Industry and Director of Presales at Syntax, where he has spent over a decade driving digital transformation for manufacturing customers. A specialist in Digital Manufacturing, IIoT, and AI-powered factory solutions, Roman helps manufacturers connect ERP, MES, and cloud platforms to build intelligent, scalable production environments. He is a 2021 SAP Innovation Award winner and a frequent speaker on the future of AI-driven manufacturing.

Steve Giovannetti is Field CTO at SDG. He is a seasoned identity and cybersecurity leader with deep expertise in identity strategy, security architecture, and large-scale distributed systems. Steve advises organizations on modernizing identity, reducing fraud risk, and building trusted digital experiences in an increasingly AI-driven threat landscape.

Eric Groce is a Sales Engineer at Sublime Security who works closely with organizations to defend against modern email-based attacks. With over a decade of experience in incident response and a talent for simplifying complex problems, he helps teams turn security challenges into actionable strategies.

Matt Grubis is a strategic technology leader for GE HealthCare’s Patient Care Solutions segment, spanning Patient Monitoring, Anesthesia Delivery, Infant Care, Diagnostic Cardiology, and a growing portfolio of digital and ecosystem solutions.

He is a passionate advocate for patients and clinicians, focused on improving outcomes, increasing healthcare efficiency and accessibility, and delivering advanced clinical intelligence to caregivers in the moments that matter. He is widely recognized within GE HealthCare and across the medical device industry as a thought leader, mentor, and innovator.

Matt is considered the architect of GE HealthCare’s Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) ecosystem, commercially branded as Portrait, which connects devices, data, and intelligence across care environments.

He maintains strong partnerships with Wisconsin-based academic institutions, including the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he leads collaboration with the College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence. He is a recipient of GE HealthCare’s prestigious Bob Senzig Talent Development Award.

Matt holds bachelor’s degrees in computer engineering and computer science, and a Master of Science in electrical engineering with a focus on communication systems, signal processing, and information theory.

Gwen Hammes is co-CEO of Cro Metrics, where she leads the company in empowering global brands like Mattel, Bombas, Tory Burch and Starz to unlock growth through strategic experimentation and innovation. Under Gwen’s leadership, Cro Metrics designs strategic digital solutions that drive measurable impact having generated over $1 billion in client revenue impact with an average client ROI of 10x. Gwen’s strategic vision continues to position Cro Metrics as a trusted growth advisory partner, transforming digital consumer experiences and delivering tangible, meaningful results for industry-leading brands.

Prior to Cro Metrics, Gwen built her career at global agencies including Ogilvy, FCB, and DDB, where she led cross-functional teams and delivered standout work for brands like Mars, Kimberly-Clark, Stellantis, and Levi Strauss. She’s known for her collaborative style, strategic thinking, and passion for helping CMOs tackle complex challenges.

Based in Chicago with her husband and two sons, Gwen is a global citizen at heart. She’s lived and worked in Argentina and Mexico, and brings a culturally fluent perspective to everything she does. Outside of work, Gwen is a stand-up comedian, farmhouse renovator, and devoted Formula 1 follower, all with a glass-half-full outlook on business and life.

Dr. Christopher Harrison is the founder and CEO of PrismScope, an AI-native conversational survey and organizational intelligence platform. He came to it through high-performance computing: for roughly 15 years he designed and ran the monitoring systems for large research compute clusters at UW–Madison, where he learned that complex systems almost always signal trouble before they fail.  If you know how to listen for it. He turned that observation into formal research, earning a PhD (Universidade do Porto) in ML/AI with his thesis "Toward early detection of faults and failures in complex systems." Today, at PrismScope, he applies the same discipline to a very different kind of complex system—organizations - surfacing the weak, early signals hidden inside AI-driven conversational survey responses.: He is also the founder of MadAI, Madison's 800-member AI community, and founding chair of the IEEE Computer Society's Madison chapter.   When not working with computers, you can often find him on trails or out doors and enjoying travel and his kids.

Dale Hawkins is Senior Manager of Information Systems at Subaru of Indiana Automotive, where he helps lead digital transformation across a complex manufacturing environment. With more than 25 years of experience in manufacturing IT, he has worked across enterprise systems, infrastructure, cybersecurity, analytics, and smart factory initiatives. Dale focuses on turning connected technologies and operational data into measurable gains in efficiency, quality, and resilience.

Shayna Hetzel (she/her) is Vice President of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at WEDC, where she leads Wisconsin’s $100M public-private venture capital initiative and a portfolio of programs advancing early-stage investment, venture debt, and startup ecosystem growth. She brings bold vision and executional strength shaped by 20 years of leadership across public, private, nonprofit, and university sectors.

Previously, Shayna was one of the founding directors at the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact, where she helped deploy a $105M investment strategy through early-stage venture capital and catalytic partnerships across the United States. A proud Wisconsinite and double Badger, Shayna was named one of Wisconsin’s Most Influential Asian Leaders by Madison365 and is a 40 Under 40 honoree by InBusiness Madison.

Lori Highby solves the problem of digital overwhelm with a "no-nonsense" approach to strategy. As a national speaker and founder of Keystone Click, Lori specializes in breaking down complex marketing ecosystems into simple, actionable steps. Having taught thousands of professionals she focuses on the practical intersection of AI innovation and the customer journey.

Amy Hiltabidel is the Chief of the Technology Transfer Office at NASA’s Glenn Research Center (GRC). In her role, Amy is responsible for leading technology transfer efforts at GRC including assessing commercial potential for newly developed technology, managing GRC’s intellectual property portfolio, negotiating and administrating partnership and license agreements, and supporting economic development opportunities. Amy brings over 20 years’ experience in the assessment, management, transfer, and commercialization of federally owned intellectual property ensuring NASA's intellectual property rights are secured to advance appropriate transfer for commercial, industrial, academic, and governmental purposes. She holds a bachelor of science in polymer engineering from Case Western Reserve University.

Jason Hoffer is the Business Design for the Crowe X-Design Lab, where he helps founders and organizations bring purpose to life through growth, innovation, and lasting impact. A former growth-stage CEO and experienced business designer, Jason specializes in helping leaders navigate change, uncover opportunity, and align people around a shared vision. Through Crowe's innovation ecosystem, he connects organizations with multidisciplinary teams that help transform bold ideas into meaningful outcomes and sustainable value.

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Ben Holter is the Director of Mechatronics at Husco with over 15 years of experience in machine control for mobile systems. He leads a cross-functional team focused on developing hardware, software, and control systems that transform everyday machines into high-precision, intelligent platforms. Ben is passionate about solving complex, real-world challenges and has helped deliver advanced machine capabilities by integrating technologies across industries while minimizing development risks and timelines.

Derek Hyde, Senior Vice President of Information Technology for the Milwaukee Brewers, leads the organization’s enterprise technology strategy, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and emerging AI initiatives. Since joining the Club in 2018, he has led the technology modernization of American Family Field and the infrastructure buildout of the Brewers’ Spring Training facility and Dominican Academy.

Prior to joining the Brewers, Hyde was Chief Technology Officer at TrustedChoice.com, a digital insurance marketplace for independent agents. He began his career as an analyst for the prestigious National Academy of Sciences and later served as Vice President of Enterprise Technologies at Paine Communications.

Hyde serves on the advisory board for i.c.stars and is a member of United Way’s Technology United, supporting community impact through technology initiatives. He also serves on the Wisconsin CIO Advisory Board where he received the Wisconsin CIO of the Year ORBIE Award in 2023.

Cris Ippolite is CEO/Director of ML/AI @ iSolutionsAI, providing AI services to enterprise. iSolutionsAI actively develops, implements, and delivers custom AI services to business decision makers that safely leverage artificial intelligence with high upside ROI.

Cris began his AI journey in the sports industry with a paper on 2013 that led to disruption in fantasy sports gaming. Since, he has applied custom machine learning models and A.I. language model implementations for businesses uses cases within various enterprises and small to medium organizations. Cris is a thought leader in the modern AI space, evangelizing to business leaders, founders and developers. iSolutionsai.com

Sarah Iselin is a Design Engineer at Husco. She graduated from Valparaiso University in 2025 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and has been with Husco for the past year. During that time, she has primarily worked on GenSteer and spool position sensors, contributing to design, prototyping, testing, and analysis.

Delaney is a coach, entrepreneur, and changemaker with 15+ years across startups, founders, and communities. Rooted in human-centered design and deep resilience, she helps people, ideas, and places turn potential into lasting, real-world impact.

Todd Kelly is Chief Technology Officer at STEP CG, where he helps organizations securely adopt advanced networking, 4G/5G, IoT, and cybersecurity solutions. With experience spanning startups, IPO-stage firms, and Fortune 500 companies, he excels at collaborating with customers and cross-functional teams to reduce cyber risk while driving measurable business outcomes. Todd is especially passionate about developing technology leaders and guiding customers through complex transformations, which aligns with STEP CG’s engineering-led focus on networking, security, and managed services across the U.S.

CEO & Founder of MayimFlow. 1st Place TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 & SXSW 2026 Tech Award winner. 15+ yrs at IBM, Oracle & Microsoft. Workshop host & mentor at Plug and Play, StartX & ClassX Silicon Valley. #1 Amazon Best-Selling Author.

Becky Kikkert is the Development Director with the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin (WDBSCW). For over 40 years, WDBSCW has been helping people and businesses achieve their goals, whether that’s earning degrees or certifications, planning careers, finding or training employees, or overcoming barriers. The WorkSmart Network is WDBSCW’s workforce development system and team that delivers these programs to help workers, businesses and young adults succeed. Becky develops and manages key business and workforce strategic relationships and provides leadership with regional industry initiatives and community collaborations.
 
Leveraging 20 years of government and public sector experience, Becky has extensive background that includes government management, grant writing and management, program and policy development/implementation, volunteer management, and most importantly fostering partnership and relationships in the workforce ecosystem. She has experience in workforce development coordinating the creation of policies and procedures including youth services, justice-involved workforce strategies, grant writing, and overseeing and managing multi-million dollar grant programs through effective partnership with stakeholders at the local, state, and national level.

Brian Kohlmann is Director of AI and Emerging Technology at Bader Rutter, where he leads the agency's AI, MarTech, and digital transformation practice. With over 25 years in the industry, he's built a reputation as a marketing technologist who closes the gap between what AI and technology promises and what organizations can actually execute. His work focuses on making AI approachable and actionable, helping teams move from pilot to production, build the right infrastructure, and lead with confidence in a landscape that isn't slowing down.

Chris Kudulis is a Sales Engineer with 25+ years of experience in network design and cybersecurity. Since 2013, he has focused exclusively on pre-sales, helping organizations evaluate and adopt security solutions at companies like Torq, Armis, and SentinelOne. He's known for making complex technology easy to understand for both technical and executive audiences.

Tom is an experienced Director of Engineering, responsible for leading field engineering teams delivering customized infrastructure solutions and services to clients. Through nearly a decade at HBS, Tom has held a variety of roles, including Field Engineer, Pre-Sales Architect, Manager, and Director. Tom has been in the IT field for 28 years, much of that time spent as a Network Engineer or Network Architect.

Seth Lentz serves as the Executive Director and CEO for the Workforce Development of South Central Wisconsin (WDBSCW), the second largest workforce development area in Wisconsin. Under his guidance, the WDBSCW continues to be at the forefront of workforce innovation, ensuring that the six counties of south-central Wisconsin are equipped with a highly skilled and responsive workforce tailored to meet the demands of industry.
Leveraging more than 20 years of programmatic and administrative experience, Lentz has cultivated effective partnerships with key stakeholders, including educational institutions, economic entities, and workforce system collaborators. Lentz has garnered both local and national recognition for his roles in cutting-edge workforce strategies and solutions aimed at strengthening the workforce ecosystem. He actively serves on several local and statewide councils and associations focused on workforce, community and economic development in south-central Wisconsin.

Jennifer Manchester is Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at Fiserv, Inc. In this role she leads the global HR team, responsible for attracting, developing and retaining the talent necessary to achieve the company’s goals and in building the high-performance culture necessary for continued domestic and global expansion.

Manchester, who joined the company in 2015, most recently served as SVP, Co-General Counsel. In this role, her responsibilities included legal support for three publicly reported Fiserv business segments, litigation and investigations. Prior to her current role, she led the employment, benefits and global services technology legal teams, as well as the ethics team. She has also served as a member of both the Legal and HR leadership teams while at Fiserv.

Elijah May is the CEO and Co-Founder of Funded House, which exists to fund innovation faster for the benefit of society, and creator of the Venture Scoreboard, a platform designed to help investors identify the highest-potential startups. Over the past two decades, Elijah has worked with founders, investors, corporations, universities, and innovation organizations to create experiences, partnerships, and communities that accelerate innovation. He also serves on the Board of Advisors for STEM in Schools, a nonprofit that engages students in engineering, science, and technology through hands-on robotics competitions.

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Shannon McGhee serves as the Chief Executive Officer of SEED SPOT, leading the organization’s mission to educate, accelerate, and invest in entrepreneurs who are creating solutions to social and economic challenges. She guides SEED SPOT’s national strategy, oversees its programs and partnerships, and works closely with funders, community leaders, and innovators to expand opportunities for social impact entrepreneurs.

Shannon is a seasoned nonprofit and civic leader with deep experience in scaling programs, securing philanthropic support, driving earned revenue, and building cultures grounded in equity, innovation, and community impact. McGhee joined SEED SPOT after more than a decade advancing equitable entrepreneurship, innovation, and community-centered economic development. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Programs and Engagement at mHUB, the nation’s leading independent hardtech innovation center, where she led strategy, program and membership growth, and ecosystem partnership development. Under her leadership, mHUB achieved record membership, engagement, and founder outcomes. As a founding member of the mHUB team, she has held successive roles in marketing, equity-centered programming and community partnerships, and now leads the broader incubator’s programming and engagement strategy.

Across her career, Shannon has brought a human-centered, equity-driven approach to entrepreneurship and economic development. Her work at World Business Chicago, Hawthorne Strategy Group, and FleishmanHillard supported community campaigns, health access initiatives, small business programs, and job creation strategies that connected people to resources that had historically been out of reach. She has been an active spokesperson for inclusive innovation, representing organizations on national stages and cultivating cross-sector partnerships to expand opportunity.

Shannon has been nationally recognized as one of Crain’s Chicago Business' “Notable Women in Manufacturing,” a “Notable Executive in HR and DEI,” and a 2022 Chicago Urban League IMPACT Fellow. McGhee also serves on the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning Regional Economy Committee and Cook County Solar Synergy Committee. She is a graduate of Butler University’s School of Journalism.

Anthony (CEO; co-founder) has a product-led growth mindset who drives vision, strategy, sales, and partnerships with cloud, AI, university, government, policy, and economic leaders around the world.

LinkedIn (Devii): https://www.linkedin.com/company/devii/ 
LinkedIn (Anthony): https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-molzahn/ 

Devii is a developer-first platform that generates enterprise-grade, production-ready GraphQL APIs and security policies from any SQL database in one click.

Lisa Morales-Hellebo has spent more than 30 years obsessed with how things are made — and how they can be made better. 

Her career spans technology, design, systems thinking, entrepreneurship, community building, and venture capital. She is the Founder and Managing General Partner of REFASHIOND Ventures, a New York–based early-stage fund that writes first institutional checks into startups transforming industrial value chains to work better for people, planet, and profits. The fund invests across Data & AI, Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing, and Next-Generation Logistics, with a focus on defensible economic moats.

Lisa began her career in Silicon Valley during the first dot-com boom, pioneering mass customization and on-demand micromanufacturing for P&G at Reflect.com. She later founded the New York Fashion Tech Lab and co-founded the Worldwide Supply Chain Federation, reshaping how supply-chain leaders learn, collaborate, and adopt innovation globally. A Carnegie Mellon University alum and Techstars founder, she serves on accelerator boards and is widely recognized for her leadership in supply chain, ESG, and inclusive innovation.

Lisa has been featured in numerous publications and media outlets, and is profiled in the bestselling book; Disrupters: Success Strategies from Women Who Break the Mold.  A distinguished speaker Lisa has keynoted numerous events and participates in panels covering technology, advanced manufacturing, supply chain, logistics, venture capital, fashion tech, women in tech, diversity, and more.

Chris Mowery is a Senior Facilities Engineer with 18 years of experience at GE Vernova.  Holding degrees in Electrical Engineering and Mechancial Design, along with a background in physics, his multidisciplinary expertise spans process systems design, controls integration, and medium voltage power systems. Chris specializes in driving innovative growth and modernization capital projects while maintaining operational continuity.

Hafeezah Muhammad, Founder & CEO of Backpack Healthcare is an extraordinary
mompreneur, passionate about leveraging technology to address critical societal issues. With an extensive background in leadership and a profound understanding of the transformative power of A.I. and technology, she embarked on a mission to revolutionize mental health support for children.

Sanjukta Mukherjee is a Senior Solutions Architect at AWS based in New York. She works with enterprise customers across industries to accelerate their cloud adoption and modernize their applications on AWS. She has a keen interest in cloud security, governance, and Responsible AI helping customers innovate with confidence.

Veronica Murphy Sotelo (M.P.P, Duke University) is a consultant with more than a decade of experience advancing talent development, economic mobility, and equitable workforce systems. Veronica partners with public agencies, employers, educational institutions, and community organizations to design workforce strategies that connect people to high-quality careers while helping industries meet evolving talent needs.
Today, through Northbeam Consulting, Veronica supports Employ Milwaukee in overseeing implementation of the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub initiative, a regional effort funded through the U.S. Economic Development Administration's Tech Hubs program. In this role, she works with industry leaders, higher education institutions, workforce organizations partners to build the talent infrastructure needed to accelerate growth in Wisconsin’s biohealth sector and strengthen the state's innovation economy.
Prior to launching Northbeam Consulting, Veronica served as a Senior Research Analyst at Mathematica, where she led and supported more than 20 federal and foundation-funded projects focused on workforce development, apprenticeship expansion, education, and economic opportunity. Her work informed national policy and practice through partnerships with the U.S. Departments of Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services, as well as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other leading organizations. She has managed large-scale evaluations, provided technical assistance to workforce systems across the country, and contributed to research on registered apprenticeships, career pathways, adult education, and workforce innovation.
Veronica is a leader with deep roots in Wisconsin.  Before entering the policy and consulting field, she worked directly with job seekers, low-income families, and employers through workforce development programs, community-based organizations, and economic development initiatives. Her career has included designing workforce programs for underserved populations, developing employer partnerships, supporting apprenticeship expansion, and creating pathways to family-sustaining careers in sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, and technology.
Veronica holds a Master of Public Policy from Duke University and a bachelor's degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. She is a published researcher, and advisor on workforce strategy, apprenticeship systems, talent development, and inclusive economic growth. Her work is driven by a commitment to ensuring that innovation and economic prosperity create opportunities for all communities.

Patrick Murray is an Enterprise Solutions Architect at Palo Alto Networks. With 22 years of IT experience, Patrick brings a deeply practical and architectural perspective to enterprise identity security. Today, he focuses on helping large organizations secure privilege across complex multi-cloud environments, operationalize zero standing privileges (ZSP), build resilient, platform-centric identity architectures and secure agentic AI.

Steve Nackers is Director of Electronics and Connectivity at Sub-Zero Group, Inc., the Madison, Wisconsin maker of Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove appliances, and Director of AI Professional Education Programs at UW–Madison's Interdisciplinary Professional Programs (InterPro). Over more than two decades at Sub-Zero, he has moved from field support and design engineering into senior leadership, with work spanning embedded controls, connected products, IoT, and smart-grid technology. He currently leads Sub-Zero's enterprise AI enablement effort — an AI Center for Enablement, a cross-functional champions network, and a company-wide training program — focused on helping non-technical teams put AI to practical use. At InterPro, he develops AI education for engineers and technical professionals across industry. His approach is people-first: he treats workforce capability as the factor that determines whether technology investments actually pay off. Steve chaired the Connectivity Specialists group at AHAM, spent six years on the UW–Madison Mechanical Engineering Industrial Advisory Board, and guest-lectures on AI upskilling and technology development. Outside work, he races a resurrected Porsche Cayman and volunteers with local charities.

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Dr. Asif Naseem serves as the Chairman of the Board, CEO & President of GenoPalate, a leading US Genomics Nutrition company, where he is responsible for establishing and executing the company strategy. Previously Dr. Naseem spent 7 years as the CEO & President of Paragon Development Systems (PDS). Under his leadership, the company developed and deployed administrative & clinical systems, applications and services for enterprises and medium & large hospitals and clinics across the country. Asif recently led the successful merger of PDS with Converge Technology Solutions, a company trading on Toronto Stock Exchange. Asif is also an Executive Operating Partner at Mason Wells, a private equity firm headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Asif has held executive management roles at large public companies and small & medium privately held companies, including multiple startups. Prior to joining PDS, he served as Vice President, Communications Global Business Unit of Oracle Corporation where he was responsible for successfully developing and growing company’s market share in telecom core networking. Before joining Oracle, Asif served as President and Chief Operating Officer of GoAhead Software, Inc., a telecom infrastructure software company that under his watch became industry’s de facto leader in telecom service availability. Subsequently, Asif led the acquisition of the company by Oracle. Previously, Asif was the Chief Operating Officer of Iospan Wireless, a pioneer in broadband wireless, that was acquired by Intel Corporation.

Asif’s experience includes executive management roles at AT&T Bell Laboratories, AT&T-NCR and Motorola, where he established and ran successful software, systems and applications businesses. Asif served as an ex-pat in Europe as the General Manager of the Internet and Connectivity Solutions Division of Motorola, where he developed and launched a software applications business for large telecom operators and enterprises in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). In addition to operational experience, Asif has successfully led over a dozen national and international mergers and acquisitions.

Asif holds a B.S. & an M.S. in Electrical Engineering, a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering, and a post doctorate fellowship at MVisión, a joint healthcare & technology program at Harvard Medical School and MIT. Under this fellowship, he did his clinical rotations at Mass General Brigham & Women, and two large teaching hospitals in Madrid, Spain. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School’s Program in Negotiation, and studied leadership at the Center for Creative Leadership in Brussels, Belgium. He is an Adjunct Professor at MSU where he lectures on entrepreneurship and on identifying unmet needs in Healthcare that can be addressed with state-of-the-art technologies. Asif is also a mentor/faculty at StartMIT. Asif serves on multiple boards including the Wisconsin Technology Council - a body chartered to provide policy counsel to the Governor of Wisconsin on all matters related to technology.

Bryce P. Nelson, Ph.D. is a scientist-turned-entrepreneur and executive whose career spans early-stage biotech ventures and global leadership roles in the life science and high-tech fields. After earning his Ph.D. in Chemistry from UW–Madison, he became the first employee and Chief Scientific Officer at Gentel Biosciences, a Madison-based startup. Backed by early revenue, SBIR grants, and support from angel and venture investors, the company grew steadily before its assets were acquired by Intuitive Biosciences. Bryce joined Sigma-Aldrich (now MilliporeSigma), where he spent 14 years leading several flagship businesses. He held executive roles across Chemical Synthesis, Discovery Chemistry, Materials Science, and marketing for the global chemistry division. Currently, Bryce is Director of Product Management at LGC Diagnostics & Genomics and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor and Executive-In-Residence at the Lubar College of Business at UW-Milwaukee, where he also directs the Ignite Startup Accelerator.

An advisor, facilitator, and investor with expertise in commercialization, go-to-market strategy, sales, and culture, Jon focuses on early-stage technologies advancing human mental and physical capacity.

Danyel O’Connor is Co-Founder & CEO of Umami, an AI platform helping food & beverage brands turn consumer reviews into smarter innovation. A 24-year industry operator, she focuses on practical AI that drives durable growth and better products.

Dan O'Day is a Senior Consulting Director with Unit 42 by Palo Alto Networks, leading teams in digital forensics and incident response (DFIR) efforts. Often described as a cyber firefighter and digital arson investigator, Dan drives the integration of Unit 42's industry-leading threat intelligence into every facet of incident response services. He leads teams through complex cyber incidents and is passionate about uncovering and sharing key lessons from these cyberattacks, ensuring that companies are equipped to manage risk and stay one step ahead.

Brian Olsson, Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer and Corporate Services, oversees the information technology function, corporate engineering services & PMO, HR, legal, and EHS, ensuring strategic alignment with the business strategy and effective operational performance. He is also responsible for key functions that support our new product development (NPD) and product quality initiatives, including the NPD Program Management Office, engineering labs, prototype facility, and Advanced Manufacturing Team. Olsson joined the company in 2000. Since joining, Olsson has served in various leadership roles at Briggs & Stratton, including information technology, engineering, product management, sourcing, and manufacturing. Prior roles include Vice President of Business Transformation and Senior Director of Turf & Consumer Products. Olsson holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Marquette University.

Segun Onilude is the AI Project Manager at Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC). Drawing on a background in technical project management and AI product development, Segun is leading the execution of  WCTC's enterprise AI  strategy from the inside out, championing a problem-first, people-driven approach that helps faculty and staff buy back time through professional development, accessible AI resources, and custom solutions built around real operational challenges. His work sits at the intersection of governance, innovation, and human impact in higher education.

Sid Pailla is the Founder & CEO of Sunny Day Fund, a pioneer in workplace emergency savings and actionable financial wellness. Sid is on a broader mission to power financial well-being for all hardworking Americans, three-fifths of whom lack $1,000 of emergency savings.

Sid and the Sunny Day Fund team are pursuing this mission driven by their own personal experiences with financial hardships, and their work has been amplified by networks like Financial Health Network and Worker Solutions Lab, and media outlets including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Sid also serves on the Board of WorkLife Partnership, a non-profit dedicated to serving lower-income workers through resource navigation.

Prior to Sunny Day Fund, Sid was as a Technology Strategy Executive with Accenture, where he worked with C-suite clients on M&A and product innovation, and was recognized as an Innovator of the Year.

Before that, Sid researched the development of inclusive systems driven by behavioral economics principles – and applied that research to water and telecommunication systems in India and South Africa. As part of this work, Sid founded HiComm, which expanded fee-free, SMS-based international group messaging to 14M South Africans. HiComm was the primary case study for Sid’s PhD in Systems Engineering at the University of Virginia, where he also received an MBA, and MS and BS in Systems Engineering.

At home, Sid enjoys “improving” recipes, playing tennis, and adventuring with his brilliant wife and two beautiful daughters.

David Parks is the new Director of Data Science and AI Solutions at Molson Coors Beverage Company. His team is focused on applying machine learning and enabling AI use across the organization.
David brings 20 years of hands-on analytic experience from both the public and private sectors, including roles in academia, healthcare, manufacturing, and 13 years of service with the US Navy and US federal government. The highlight of his career was serving on the President's Daily Briefing staff during the Obama/Trump presidential transition.

He earned master's degrees in data science and strategic policy from Marquette University and American Military University, respectively, and bachelor's degrees in computational modeling, economics, and political science from Virginia Tech. Since moving to Milwaukee in 2021, David has been involved with the MKE Tech Hub and is an active advocate for multiple UW programs.

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Laura Perz serves as SVP, Revenue at Aleysian, where she leads the firm's go-to-market strategy and revenue growth. The majority of her career has been spent in the manufacturing vertical, giving her deep fluency in the operational and commercial challenges manufacturers face. She brings that industry expertise directly to Aleysian's clients, helping them drive meaningful outcomes through architecting the technology that underpins their revenue foundation.

Don Rogers leads Slalom’s Global Manufacturing practice, bringing over 35 years of experience in technology, consulting, and executive leadership. He helps manufacturers drive measurable improvements in operational efficiency, product quality, and cost optimization through digital transformation. 

Don’s expertise spans data, AI, IoT/OT convergence, and customer experience, enabling organizations to modernize operations and unlock new value. He has worked across a broad range of industries, including automotive, aerospace & defense, industrials, and consumer products, partnering with clients to deliver end-to-end transformation.

Joseph Rose is the president of JBS Dev. He joined the company in 2012 as a developer and quickly advanced through the ranks. In 2019, Rose assumed the role of Senior VP of Delivery, and in recognition of his outstanding leadership and impact, was named President of JBS Dev in 2021. Rose brings a wealth of experience, technical expertise, and a proven track record of consistently meeting and exceeding our customers' expectations. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science from Georgia Southern University.

Notoane R. Russell is a cybersecurity executive and Vice President of Cybersecurity Architecture at a Fortune 100 global financial services firm, where he leads enterprise security strategy, risk management, and security engineering across platforms, protecting trillions of dollars in client assets. His current work spans cloud security architecture, AI security governance, Zero Trust implementation, and crypto exchange enablement across multiple business lines.

With more than 20 years of technology and cybersecurity leadership, Notoane has built and led security programs across both private-sector financial services and the U.S. Department of Defense. As a retired Chief Warrant Officer 3 in the U.S. Army, he directed cyberspace defense operations across the DoD's largest global information network, safeguarding approximately 3.5 million endpoints and 1,500 networks worldwide.

Notoane is also an Adjunct Professor of Information Technology and Cybersecurity at the University of Maryland Global Campus, where he teaches undergraduate courses on ethical hacking, vulnerability management, and cyber defense.

He holds a Master of Science in Cybersecurity and a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management from UMGC, along with CISSP, CISM, CEH, and multiple GIAC certifications (GPEN, GCIA, GCIH, GCWN, GSEC).

Leena Sharma is VP & Global CIO at Enerpac Tool Group, where she leads the company’s global technology strategy with a focus on business transformation, digital modernization, cybersecurity, data, and AI enablement. Over her 20+ year career, she has held technology leadership roles with leading industrial and consumer brands including Whirlpool, Emerson, and Master Lock.

Leena is passionate about moving AI beyond experimentation and into practical business impact — helping organizations use technology to improve customer insights, strengthen operations, and create measurable growth. Known for her pragmatic, business-first leadership style, she bridges the gap between executive strategy and technology execution, making complex topics approachable and actionable for business leaders.

She holds an executive credential from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Notoane R. Russell is a cybersecurity executive and Vice President of Cybersecurity Architecture at a Fortune 100 global financial services firm, where he leads enterprise security strategy, risk management, and security engineering across platforms, protecting trillions of dollars in client assets. His current work spans cloud security architecture, AI security governance, Zero Trust implementation, and crypto exchange enablement across multiple business lines.

With more than 20 years of technology and cybersecurity leadership, Notoane has built and led security programs across both private-sector financial services and the U.S. Department of Defense. As a retired Chief Warrant Officer 3 in the U.S. Army, he directed cyberspace defense operations across the DoD's largest global information network, safeguarding approximately 3.5 million endpoints and 1,500 networks worldwide.

Notoane is also an Adjunct Professor of Information Technology and Cybersecurity at the University of Maryland Global Campus, where he teaches undergraduate courses on ethical hacking, vulnerability management, and cyber defense.

He holds a Master of Science in Cybersecurity and a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management from UMGC, along with CISSP, CISM, CEH, and multiple GIAC certifications (GPEN, GCIA, GCIH, GCWN, GSEC).

Michael Szewczyk is Co-Founder of Okkanti, a maternity and infant care fintech platform helping care workers increase their take-home pay and build financial security in a rapidly growing market. He also serves as Director of Capital Entrepreneurs in Madison, supporting events and programming for Wisconsin’s startup community. Previously, he co-founded Factor, a supply chain analytics and automation company that raised $12M and was acquired by CoFactr in 2024.

Ed Walton joined STEP in 2019 as Chief Executive Officer, bringing more than 30 years of industry leadership and a track record of building high-performing teams, customer-focused organizations. Known for his energy, innovative vision, relationship-driven approach, and commitment to cultivating winning cultures, Ed continues to guide STEP’s growth and strategic direction.

Before STEP, Ed served as Vice President of Sales and Channel at Cradlepoint and held multiple senior executive roles at Avaya, including Global Strategic Accounts Leader, Vertical Strategy Leader for Networking Solutions, and U.S. Sales Leader for Government, Education, and Medical markets. His career also includes executive sales positions with Nortel, Bay Networks, Intelliseek, Quantum Bridge, and Wellfleet Communications.

Ed was a finalist for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2021.

Ed holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame.

He resides in Montgomery, Ohio with his wife and their three sons.

Matt Weinheimer is Group Manager of Advanced Manufacturing at Milwaukee Tool, where he leads global teams bringing next-generation battery technology into production. He holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from Belmont University, with prior experience spanning the automotive and food and beverage industries. Matt leads a team focused on new product launches and digital transformation initiatives across global manufacturing operations, bringing advanced manufacturing technology and data-driven approaches to the production floor.

A global technology & business executive with 30+ years experience serving Accenture’s clients, business and people. Mark enjoys industry-wide recognition as a top leader in the SAP space having designed, built and led the largest SAP practice in the world. Also, led global enterprise businesses (Eg, Oracle, Microsoft, Salesforce) and managed Accenture's ecosystem partnerships.

Adept at building and operating technology-based businesses from small, mid to large ... shaping their capabilities around the unique growth challenges therein including people leadership, establishment of operating models, growth platforms, go-to-market plans, value-lead service offerings and delivery.

Mark's board portfolio includes several fast-scaling AI/Data and services companies. Most recently, Mark served as the Interim CEO for the successful turnaround of a private equity-backed 450-person services company.

Areas of expertise: technology, leadership & management, operations both domestic & international. Entrepreneurial Design/Build/Run of new enterprises, or, service offerings and their operations. Creating and leading high performing teams.

Chris Wozniak leads the Production Materials business at MilliporeSigma. His organization delivers essential materials that underpin diagnostics manufacturing, drug development, and advanced technology applications for manufacturing clients across the globe. Chris is based in the Milwaukee area and is a champion of the southeast Wisconsin life science and technology ecosystem. He holds deep expertise in supply chain strategy, manufacturing-grade quality systems, and the bench-to-batch journey from early drug discovery through commercial launch.

A physician, healthcare executive, and growth-stage investor in the emerging healthspan economy, focused on innovations advancing prevention, wellness, longevity, and human performance.

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Prathamesh Bhope is a Senior Engineering Manager leading Walmart's global marketplace financial services platform. He previously led the architecture and scaling of Walmart’s worldwide cloud platform hosting 5k+ apps across public and private clouds.

Clayton Custer is the Managing Director for gBETA Wisconsin at gener8tor. Clayton oversees programming across Wisconsin that supports early-stage entrepreneurs through a 7-week no equity accelerator focused on storytelling and business fundamentals.

Joey works to implement WEDC’s efforts to support entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment in early-stage companies through the division of Entrepreneurship and Innovation.  

Shabaka is a healthtech investor. His background includes HealthX Ventures and CDL-Wisconsin, a UW-Madison based accelerator. He has worked with early-stage companies throughout Wisconsin.

Andrew Harrison leads partnerships and BMO's award-winning accelerator program, WMNfintech, run in collaboration with 1871. He has spent 15 years in finance and banking focusing on commercial banking, payments, and technology.

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PAUL HOESLY serves as the Chief Financial and Investment Officer (CFIO) of Potawatomi Ventures, providing direct insight into the investments of the company, including activities that range from strategic direction to investment selection. 

Partner at BlueTree VC. I specialize in venture capital and technology commercialization, focusing on AI, sustainable energy, digital health, and the future of work. I bridge the gap between strategic investment and hands-on operational scaling

Kasra is a Partner at Pathlight Ventures focused on leading early-stage investments in regulated markets. Kasra was previously an Investor Human Capital, where he invested in companies like Anduril, Commure, Applied Intuition, and Transcarent.

Karen Kerr is the founder and General Partner of Exposition Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund focused on industrial and deep technology.  Karen was previously an Executive MD at GE Ventures.  She holds a PhD in physical chemistry.  

Abby is a Partner at gener8tor, overseeing programming across startup accelerators, skills accelerators, conferences, and investor network development. She joined as the first full-time employee and helped grow it to 120+ employees in 50+ markets.

Ecosystem builder across Dallas and New York. Built MassChallenge's Texas hub across life sciences, healthcare, biotech, fintech, and dual-use tech. Former startup operator with angel and early-stage fund experience.

Laura Strong is founder and CEO of Valency Fund. She focuses on growth-stage capital deployment in scalable Wisconsin-based agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and technology businesses.

Taylor Williams is a VC investor at Cleveland Avenue, investing across ClimateTech, Food & Beverage, Beauty, and Digital Health. She brings experience from a16z, Muller & Monroe, and Atomic, with a Corporate Finance foundation from JPMorgan and Ford.

Pamela York, PhD is an investor and entrepreneur with extensive successes. She's founder and managing partner of Capita3 VC, investing in health frontier tech. Pam co-founded 2 VC-backed cos. with successful exits, and is featured on TED and NPR.