Aaron Towns is Director of BMOs Commercial Bank in Southeast Wisconsin. Aaron oversees the strategic execution of BMOs Diversified Industry Groups clients who have revenues that range from $30M - $1B and is the Ambassador for BMO's $40B Empower program. An initiative designed to provide financial and community driven investment in communities across the state of Wisconsin and beyond. Aaron joined the bank in 2013 and has more than 20 years of professional service experience.

Prior to his role with BMO, Aaron was an IT Leader a part of GE Aircraft Engines Leadership Development Program, Project Team Member with Kroger Corporate responsible for the creation of the Kroger plus rewards program. He then was recruited to be a part of National City Banks leadership team, where he lead 4 business lines and was responsible for the implementation of six sigma and lean methodology concepts being integrated in banking / finance, as a Best In Class initiative. Aaron, then joined 5/3rd Banks Consumer Banking line of business. With BMO, Aaron has served as a leader of one of BMOs top 5 Flagship locations, a Market President with BMOs Premier Wealth business, a Retail Regional Sales Manager and now takes his previous expertise to help his clients identify holistic solutions to positively impact their employees, leaders, corporate entity and community.

Aaron received his degree in Business Marketing and Information Systems with Xavier University and serves as an advisor and strategist for many local non profit organizations. Furthermore, he serves on the leadership committee for the OCC’s Project Reach initiative, which supports and advocates for small businesses and affordable housing in order to offer equity to underserved communities.

Darren Webb is the co-founder and CEO of Mindset Care, a fast-growing digital health platform transforming how individuals with serious mental illness access Social Security Disability benefits. Inspired by his personal journey as a longtime caregiver, Darren has applied a product-driven approach to dismantle bureaucratic barriers and bring scalable impact to one of the most overlooked populations in healthcare. He currently serves on the National Academy of Social Insurance’s Task Force on AI and Disability and is a member of the Leadership Circle at NAMI-NYC, where he helps shape policy and advocacy at the intersection of technology, mental health, and public benefits. Backed by top-tier venture capital, Darren is building a category-defining company that sits at the crossroads of AI, social impact, and the future of digital government infrastructure.

Derek serves as Managing Director and Head of BMO’s Business Transition Advisory Group, a highly specialized team that is dedicated to preparing business owners (and their families) financially and personally for a future business transition or liquidity event.
Derek joined BMO in 2023, bringing more than 14 years of experience advising private business owners and corporate executives. He collaborates closely with colleagues across the BMO Commercial and Capital Markets teams to deliver comprehensive, customized strategies that integrate personal wealth planning with business transition objectives. His areas of specialization include pre-transaction planning and readiness, succession and legacy planning, and advising multigenerational family enterprises..
Prior to joining BMO, Derek served as Business Advisory Consultant with a regional bank, helping lead a platform focused on advising business owners on transition and value acceleration strategies. He also has served as a Wealth Strategist in a business transition advisory group, as well as a Trust Officer with several national financial institutions. He has earned the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™  designation, as well as the Certified Exit Planning Advisor and Certified Mergers & Acquisition Advisor certifications.
Derek received his undergraduate degree in Trust & Wealth Management from Campbell University and his Masters Degree in Finance from Indiana University. He is a member of the Board of Professional Advisors for the Foundation for the Carolinas and an Executive Committee Member for the Alliance of M&A Advisors, Carolina Region.
Outside the office, Derek is an avid hiker, a barbecuing/smoking enthusiast and a long time Formula 1 fan.

Henna Pryor is a dynamic Workplace Performance Expert who speaks and writes about performance mindset, interpersonal dynamics, high-impact communication, and embracing bumps in a world that keeps optimizing for smoothness.

She’s a regular Expert Columnist for Inc. Magazine, 18x award-winning author of Good Awkward, and an in-demand global keynote speaker. Her playful personality and insightful talks blend 2 decades of working with corporate leaders and teams with a fresh, science-based approach to taking more strategic risks and boosting social and mental fitness for success at work.

She’s been invited to speak twice for TEDx in NYC and Wilmington, DE, and brings her expertise to a variety of global organizations, including Google, Workday, Johnson & Johnson, and JPMorganChase. She’s frequently sought after for her insights by top media outlets like INSIDER, NBC, The Washington Post, Fast Company, Business.com, HuffPost, and more.

Henna founded Pryority Group – a fast-growing performance growth firm – to expand on her belief that the key to most people’s success is learning to strengthen mental and social muscles in order to boost risk-taking, maximize influence, and be braver in the work that we do.

She’s also a SUCCESS Magazine Woman of Influence, LinkedIn Learning Instructor, Glassdoor WorkLife Pro, and two-time SXSW Workplace track speaker, and her bestselling book was endorsed by NFL Quarterback Russell Wilson and former HBR Editor Karen Dillon, and was named a Kirkus Reviews’ Best Book of the Year.

Jessie Blank is a trusted advisor to leading Retail, Consumer Goods, and Manufacturing brands, known for driving customer-centric innovation and operational transformation. As Managing Director at Slalom Chicago, she has led the growth of key practices and helped Fortune 500 clients modernize go-to-market strategies and deliver impactful, experience-led change. With a background in strategy, innovation, and analytics—plus a flair for facilitation and improvisation—Jessie brings a unique blend of rigor and creativity to every opportunity. She’s also a frequent speaker, guest lecturer at Northwestern University, and active community mentor.

Jessy Servi Ortiz is Executive Director of the Sustainable Business Council (SBC), where she leads efforts to integrate sustainability into business strategy through education, consulting, and the Green Masters Program™. With over two decades of experience in corporate sustainability, systems thinking, and regenerative practices, Jessy is a trusted advisor and changemaker in the field. She co-founded Wisconsin Women in Sustainability (WIS), advises the UW Sustainable Management Program, and is a Certified Professional Coach with an MBA in Sustainable Business Management.

Jonathan Ozeran is a product executive, investor and serial entrepreneur passionate about harnessing AI and technology to transform healthcare. An early team member and Vice President of Generative AI at Tempus, a Chicago-based leader in precision medicine building the world's leading Intelligent Diagnostic platform, Jonathan drives innovations empowering doctors, accelerating drug development and enhancing patient outcomes.

Jonathan has successfully led product, engineering and machine learning teams from pre-seed startups through IPO. He actively advises early and growth-stage companies on product development, artificial intelligence applications and scalable growth strategies. Additionally, he collaborates with venture funds and family offices, providing strategic insights on sourcing, diligence and portfolio management.

A Detroit native now based in Chicago, Jonathan earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and a master's degree from Northwestern University.

Kian Ronnasi is a venture-backed strategist and operator who has built a career at the intersection of startup growth, capital strategy, and social impact. As VP of Strategy at Mindset Care, he has helped scale the company into a national leader in disability benefits advocacy, while also advising high-growth consumer and tech ventures like Taylor Chips, TreeHouse Studios, and Tatsu Tea. With a background in venture capital, Kian specializes in helping founders build scalable business models, close funding rounds, and unlock transformative partnerships. He continues to support bold entrepreneurs building enduring, category-defining companies across industries.

Marcus is a managing director at KPMG with more than 15 years of experience leading teams in successfully delivering large-scale/complex business transformations, strategy 
(development and execution), and M&A (strategy, diligence, and execution) engagements. His primary focus is leading sustainability strategy engagements with Fortune 100 and 
Global 500 clients. He is KPMG’s Sustainability Strategy leader within the Infrastructure, Capital Projects, & Climate advisory group at KPMG US.
Marcus is bilingual (English/German) and has extensive international experience having worked on consulting engagements on 5 continents and more than 15 countries
Marcus also serves as the “Living Green” chapter leader for KPMG’s Miami office and is personally dedicated to championing environmental conservation and sustainability efforts 
both locally and abroad. 

Melissa “Missy” Hughes is secretary and CEO of WEDC, Wisconsin’s lead economic development organization.
She was appointment to the post by Governor Evers in September 2019. Prior to joining WEDC, she was chief counsel 
and chief mission officer for Organic Valley, a Wisconsin- based, nationwide cooperative of organize dairy farmers.
In her role at WEDC, Secretary Hughes oversees efforts to attract businesses to Wisconsin and help existing businesses 
expand, meet current and future workforce needs, promote global trade and investment, support thriving communities and small businesses, encourage entrepreneurship and innovation, address the unique needs of rural residents, and advance the economic well-being of every resident.

Molly Mulroy was named executive vice president and chief administrative officer in August 2021.

In this role, Mulroy has responsibility for Administrative Services, Facility Management, Human Resources, IT Services, and IT System Strategy and Development. She assumed additional responsibility for Supply Chain and Supplier Diversity in December 2021.

Mulroy previously served as vice president and chief information officer for WEC Energy Group since June 2015, with responsibility for a centralized information technology function, including technology security and providing infrastructure support and applications for all operating areas of the company and corporate center departments.

Since joining the company in 1999, she has held a number of management and leadership positions in Customer Service, Customer Operations, Finance, Wholesale Energy and Fuels, and Regulatory Affairs. She also served as a principal representative in State Government Affairs. Mulroy served as director — credit and collections from 2008 to 2012 and director — supply chain from 2012 to 2013. Mulroy was named director — information services for We Energies in April 2013. She was appointed to vice president and chief information officer when WEC Energy Group was formed in 2015.

Mulroy earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and her Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago.

Mulroy is currently chair of the Milwaukee Tech Hub, vice-chair of Next Door Foundation, and on the boards of Milwaukee Women Inc. and the Milwaukee Ballet

Dr. Monika Roots is the Co-Founder, President, and Chief Medical Officer of Bend Health, where she is on a mission to transform pediatric mental health care by improving access and outcomes through innovative solutions and partnerships. A passionate advocate for youth mental health, she is committed to challenging the status quo of the U.S. healthcare system and redefining pediatric mental health care with a skills-based, family-centered approach.

Dr. Roots is a board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist with over 16 years of experience. She has held leadership roles at Teladoc, where she launched its behavioral health line of business, as well as at Sanvello, CogCubed, and Psych Hub, where she spearheaded initiatives in telehealth, gamification, and digital therapeutics. Her work has earned her recognition as the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Midwest 2024 winner, and Inc Magazine's 2025 Female Founders 500 Honoree and names as Fast Company's 15 Most Innovative Companies moving the needle in healthcare, 2025.

A Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a Member of its Committee on Innovation, Dr. Roots is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she continues to contribute to the advancement of mental health care through education and research. She has published extensively, holds several patents, and frequently appears in the media as a trusted expert on youth mental health.

Her blog, DrMonikaRoots.com unveils the truth of what is happening in the infection years of youth (ages 8–15) from a biological and social perspective, offering caregivers practical advice and insights. As a mom of two boys, Dr. Roots combines her professional expertise with personal empathy to guide families toward better mental health.

Dr. Roots’ passion for youth mental health is deeply rooted in her own upbringing. Growing up between two cultures—never fully American or Brazilian—and navigating life with a mother who had bipolar disorder, she often felt caught in the in-between. These experiences instilled in her a profound understanding of the importance of giving kids a voice and the support they need to feel seen and heard.

Nanda Chitrala leads go-to-market strategy and industry solutions for Salesforce’s Manufacturing Cloud and Automotive Cloud across the Americas, Japan, and APAC. He serves as a trusted industry advisor, guiding digital transformation for global manufacturers and influencing product innovation based on real-world customer needs. Previously, he was the Customer Digital Transformation Officer (CDXO) for Salesforce Americas, supporting clients such as Caterpillar, Cummins, and Daimler Trucks. With prior roles in architecture and consulting at Tata Consultancy Services and a U.S.-based manufacturer, Nanda brings deep expertise in enterprise technology strategy, digital execution, and business growth. 

Dr. Paul Campbell, a co-founder and managing partner at Brown Venture Group, LLC (BVG), is a trailblazer in the venture capital industry. Launched in 2018, BVG made history as Minnesota’s first Black and Indigenous-led venture capital firm. Prior to founding BVG, Dr. Campbell’s diverse background included being a serial entrepreneur, technology sales executive, and music producer. Dr. Campbell has spearheaded the BVG Federal Non-Dilutive De-Risking Model, which identifies innovative technologies that align with the interests of the Federal government and are highly desirable for private-sector acquisition. Additionally, he has pioneered groundbreaking public-private partnerships, such as the “Federal Mashup Lap” with NASA and the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) for technology transfer offices, and “Pathways to Inclusive Innovation” with the USPTO. Dr. Campbell’s expertise has been recognized in various publications, including Tribal Business News, Forbes, Bloomberg, Black Enterprise Magazine, and Authority Magazine. He actively serves on the boards of the Pro Bono Advisory Council, the University of Minnesota Technology Commercialization office, and the Science Museum of Minnesota. His academic credentials include a Doctorate in Social Entrepreneurship and an MBA in Global Business Management. He resides in Minnesota with his spouse and their four children.

Paul Mraz is a trusted advisor to leading Manufacturing, Automotive and Consumer Goods brands, known for driving digital transformation through design thinking. As Senior Director at Slalom, he has helped clients modernize commercial operations and deliver impactful, experience-led change. With a cross-functional business and technical background, Paul enjoys engaging customers on a daily basis to explore the art of the possible and facilitate the transition from concept to reality

Paul Zielinski, Executive Director of the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC), supporting over 300 federal labs across all federal agencies in moving federal technologies from the laboratory to market. Prior to this role, Paul has spent over 30 years in government service across several agencies, including leading government-wide policy workgroups for technology transfer. Mr. Zielinski has an MS in Civil Engineering, an MBA, and a bachelor’s degree in biology.

Check out Prashant's LinkedIn

Priscilla Guevara is a General Partner of Science Inc., a venture fund and studio focused on building the next generation of companies shaping the future. She leads partnerships and communications across the institutional investor network, corporate partners, and portfolio, bridging the gap between investors and partners in innovation. Priscilla also leads structuring and capital formation efforts for new investment vehicles, while expanding Science’s barbelled investment platform inclusive of early-stage venture funds, rolling funds, co-invest follow-on, and late-stage SPVs. 

Science’s startup studio has built household names including Dollar Shave Club, MeUndies, and Liquid Death. Priscilla was instrumental in Liquid Death’s fundraising success, as the brand's valuation as of March 2024 is $1.4 billion.

Priscilla is also the Co-Founder of the SWIPE (Senior Women in Private Equity Group) Network, which has more than 2,000 members globally. Prior to Science, Priscilla served as an investor at ZX Ventures (Anheuser-Busch's CVC arm) and an investor in sustainable assets on behalf of family offices. She has been a leading voice in Wall Street, spearheading efforts from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation to Neuberger Berman and JCAM (Moore Capital). 

She holds a BA in Business Economics from UC Santa Barbara and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Rebecca Gries is Executive Director of the Milwaukee 7 Regional Partnership (M7), bringing transformative vision to economic development in southeastern Wisconsin. Since joining M7 in December 2018, she has helped major companies including Microsoft, Generac, and Lilly expand to or within the region while positioning it as a premier destination for business growth and innovation. Her recent honors include Milwaukee Business Journal 40 Under 40 (2024) and North American Top 50 Economic Developer (2022). She serves on boards of Northwest Side CDC and Literacy Services of Wisconsin. Rebecca holds an MA in Global Politics from Loyola University Chicago and BA in Political Science from St. Norbert College.

Rick Ross is a seasoned manufacturing technology executive and innovation leader, currently serving as Senior Director of Manufacturing Technology & Automation at Generac. With over 20 years of experience transforming industrial operations through digital innovation, Rick is at the forefront of smart manufacturing—bridging legacy systems with advanced automation, data analytics, and IoT to drive resilient, future-ready factories.

At Generac, Rick leads strategic initiatives that integrate next-gen technologies into manufacturing environments, enhancing productivity and agility across global operations. His career spans key roles where he has consistently delivered measurable impact through MES implementations, supply chain innovation, and continuous improvement programs.

Rick holds a B.S. in Management from Clemson University, and brings a unique blend of IT systems expertise, operational insight, and leadership to the evolving world of Industry 4.0. His passion lies in empowering teams to embrace change, scale digital solutions, and unlock new value from connected manufacturing ecosystems - where innovation meets practical application and execution.

Ryan leads the Industry Advisor practice for Manufacturing, Automotive, Oil & Gas, Utilities, Retail and Consumer Goods for Salesforce.  His personal expertise lives in manufacturing where he works with the largest 600 manufacturers in North America as a strategic advisor.  He is constantly on the go, having 200+ customer conversations a year on industry best practice, what is next and how to unlock value with technology. 

Shannon is an accomplished entrepreneur and intrapreneur that has a passion for solving client challenges in the Artificial Intelligence and Language translation sectors. From start-up to serving as a CEO of a NASDAQ traded company, his 25-year career in high-tech has centered around leadership and team development.

Sajan, Inc., the company he founded in 1997 went public in 2010 and as CEO, Shannon led the company to unprecedented growth and recognition as an INC Magazine Fast 5000 and 500 company over multiple years. The company exited by sale in 2017.

In 2016, Shannon was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly. He has led on numerous technology and economic development legislation and serves on the Joint Committee of Finance.

Shannon loves tech, solving complex challenges, building and motivating teams and enjoying time with his wife and family... and doing a modest job of playing guitar.

Shelia Wojtiuk is a seasoned technology leader with over two decades of experience in the financial services industry and Data & Analytics. As the Director of Development at FIS Global, Shelia has been driving innovative solutions and leading high-performing teams to deliver cutting-edge financial technology products. Her expertise spans software development, project management, and strategic planning, making her a key player in the digital transformation of financial services.

Rep. Tip McGuire represents the fighting 64th Assembly District which includes the north side of Kenosha and the Town and Village of Somers. Rep. McGuire is a former Kenosha County prosecutor and staffer to former Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca.  In the Legislature, Rep. McGuire serves as the ranking Assembly Democratic member on the Joint Committee on Finance and is a co-chair of the bipartisan Wisconsin Tech Caucus.

Trina Zanow has been the chief information officer for the State of Wisconsin since 2020, and has more than 25 years of experience in state government. Zanow was the deputy administrator of Wisconsin’s IT department and director of the Bureau of Infrastructure Support. She also held roles at the Housing and Economic Development Authority and Department of Health Services.

Adam Berk is a startup collaboration
expert and the co-author of Startup
Program Design. He’s spent over a
decade helping early-stage teams,
corporate innovators, and ecosystem
builders implement Lean Startup
principles and hypothesis-driven product
development. He’s mentored founders
through Google for Startups and
Techstars—currently serving as lead
mentor for the JP Morgan-backed
accelerator—and advises corporate
innovation teams across industries on
validating new ideas before scaling.

Adam is a subject matter expert in switching hypersegmented fabric architectures focused on flexibly deploying and securing Healthcare environments among others. Previously served as a lead architect in the design and implementation of switching architecture for the second largest Catholic Healthcare organization in the United States; also previously served as a SPOC troubleshooting complex networks for power companies, government divisions, and manufacturing. MS Information and Communication Sciences, ACEFx and Extreme ATP certification. abolander@stepcg.com

Aichelle is a music administrator and founder of MuSample, a career management platform built to support independent music creatives. With a background in music administration and a passion for artist empowerment, Aichelle created MuSample to help artists confidently manage their music catalogs, royalties, contracts, and career growth. Known for breaking down complex industry topics into clear, actionable guidance, Aichelle is committed to making music business knowledge accessible and equitable. Through MuSample and ongoing educational efforts, they’re redefining how creatives navigate and sustain their careers in today’s music industry.

Alex is President and CEO of Cellular Logistics, and before that in the same role in Plumb Pharmaceuticals. He is a dynamic and hands-on executive with over three decades of leadership experience in the life sciences and biotechnology sectors. Proven track record of driving success through executive leadership, strategic planning, innovative commercial business development, and fostering collaborative relationships. Known for an energetic management style and exceptional interpersonal skills, consistently delivering results by translating strategic vision into actionable plans. Adept at navigating complex market landscapes and driving sustainable growth in competitive environments. He is now supporting southeast WI startups in factional C / EIR roles, including those affiliated with CTSI-AMPD and CU Ventures.

Amanda Schmidt is a strategic and people-centric HR leader with over 2 decades of experience driving human capital innovation across manufacturing and technology-driven sectors. As the Director of Human Resources at Generac Power Systems—a global leader in energy technology Amanda leads workforce strategy, talent development, and organizational transformation initiatives that support the company’s rapid innovation and growth.

With a proven track record of aligning HR practices with dynamic business needs, Amanda is known for championing a modern, data-informed approach to talent acquisition, employee engagement, and leadership development. Her career spans multiple industries where she has successfully scaled HR functions, implemented DEI initiatives, and fostered cultures that prioritize agility, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Amanda brings a perspective grounded in real-world workforce transformation—bridging the gap between legacy industries and future-forward talent strategies.

Amanda earned her Bachelor’s degree from Winona State University and remains a lifelong learner with a deep passion for shaping the future of work. She is an advocate for building strong, inclusive teams that can thrive in today’s fast-evolving tech and manufacturing landscape.

Anai N. Kothari, MD MS is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He holds additional faculty appointments in the Clinical & Translational Science Institute of Southeast WI (CTSI) and the MCW Data Science Institute. He received his BS and MD at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Kothari completed his General Surgery training at Loyola University Medical Center where he also earned a Master’s degree in Epidemiology with a focus on Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning. This was followed by a fellowship in Complex General Surgical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Kothari’s clinical expertise is the surgical treatment of upper gastrointestinal tract and advanced cancers of the GI tract, including stomach, liver/bile duct, and peritoneum.

He is an active researcher with a focus on improving clinical care through personalizing treatment, digitalizing care delivery, and the responsible deployment of artificial intelligence. He is the Inaugural Director of the Bud and Sue Selig Hub for Surgical Data Science, Director of the MCW Cancer Center’s Integrated Cancer Data Resource, and the AI Lead for Inception Health. Dr. Kothari has published over 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles and is a member of several national societies including the Society of Surgical Oncology, American College of Surgeons, Society of Asian Academic Surgeons, Association for Academic Surgery, and the American Medical Informatics Association.

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.

Andrew recently joined the AI Solutions Practice at Dell to help lead industry use case and partner ecosystem development.  Andrew has over a decade of experience in AI, machine learning and data analytics.

Prior to joining Dell, Andrew was at Amazon Web Services for five years where he was focused on helping Telcos build chatbots for customer service and optimize their cellular networks using Generative AI.  Before AWS, Andrew was at SAS for five years where his role was centered around helping large pharmaceutical customers achieve better and faster results in their genomic sequencing efforts using machine learning and big data.

Andy Black currently serves as the Vice President of Global Supply Chain for Husco's Off-Highway Division. With over 20 years of experience at Husco, Andy has held various roles in engineering, manufacturing, quality, and sales. Most recently, he led Husco’s business development group to help define their five-year strategy and now focuses on ensuring the global supply chain supports Husco’s growth. Andy is also an active member of AEM’s Components Council Executive Committee and is joining the AEM Futures Council in 2025.

Andy is active in the community on Acts Housing’s Engagement Committee, and helping to coach the 14U Hartland Hawks baseball team. In 2020, Andy was recognized in the Milwaukee Business Journal's 40 Under 40 list. He and his wife Megan reside in Hartland, WI, where they are raising their two children, Addison and Owen.

Angela Mallett, the founder and owner of HoneyBee Sage Wellness & Apothecary, LLC is a passionate advocate for holistic health and wellbeing. With over 10 years of experience as an herbalist and massage therapist, Angela has dedicated her career to helping individuals restore balance and harmony to their bodies and minds.
In addition to her expertise in herbs and massage therapy, Angela holds professional certifications as a Reiki Healer, Full Circle Doula, and Vaginal Hydrotherapy Practitioner. These diverse qualifications allow her to offer a holistic approach to healing, incorporating herbal medicine and metaphysical practices into her treatments and products.

Angela's unique understanding of the body and its interconnected systems enables her to tailor her services to meet the individual needs of her customers, who she affectionately calls "HoneyBees." She believes in the power of nature and its ability to nurture and heal, which is why she meticulously sources and handcrafts all the medicinal tea products available at HoneyBee Sage Wellness & Apothecary.

As the CEO of her company, Angela ensures that the highest quality standards are met in every aspect of her business. She carefully oversees every aspect of the business from selecting the organic ingredients used in her herbal remedies, to designing eco-friendly packaging, to the serene ambiance of the cafe. Angela strives to create an environment that promotes belonging, relaxation, rejuvenation, balance, and overall well being. Her dedication to quality and sustainability has earned HoneyBee Sage Wellness & Apothecary a loyal customer base and numerous accolades.

Angela's mission extends beyond her products, she is dedicated to educating and empowering others to take control of their health. Through workshops, classes, and one-on-one consultations, she shares her wealth of knowledge and encourages individuals to explore the benefits of holistic healing practices.

With Angela's guidance and expertise, HoneyBee Sage Wellness & Apothecary has become a trusted brand and hub for those seeking natural, effective, and sustainable solutions for their wellness needs. Angela's commitment to her craft, her clients, and the HoneyBee community is unwavering, making her a respected figure in the holistic health community.

For over a decade, Atalia Horenshtien has held leadership and contributor roles across engineering, presales, alliances, and marketing. Her career has encompassed a wide range of projects, deep customer engagement, strategic partnerships, and speaking engagements at numerous industry events.

While her experience spans multiple domains, Atalia's passion remains rooted in AI and machine learning. She approaches technology not only for its complexity, but for its potential to transform businesses, integrate seamlessly into operations, and make a lasting impact on people and organizations. Her customer-first mindset is central to how she drives value and builds meaningful solutions.

Beyond the world of technology, Atalia embraces physical challenges and enjoys competing in marathons and triathlons.

Austin Schmitt is a engineering leader with over 20 years of experience in the automotive industry. As Vice President of Global Advanced Engineering at Husco, he drives innovation, technology strategy, and business development to keep pace with a rapidly evolving automotive market.  A UW-Milwaukee graduate with a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering, Austin has bolstered his education with certifications in program management, high impact communication, six sigma, and various technical programs.   He excels at forming meaningful customer relationships, leading highly technical teams, fostering innovation, and bridging the gap between idea generation and value creating products.  Austin's passion with connecting STEAM education with real-world application has led to a new Full STEAM Ahead program connecting middle school students with on-site industry opportunities.  Outside of work, Austin enjoys leading scouts, vintage auto racing, engine development, fishing, boating, and spending time with his family. 

Bala brings extensive leadership in driving digital transformation initiatives through the strategic application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud-based digital solutions. His expertise encompasses cutting-edge technologies such as Generative AI (Gen AI), Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), Large Language Models (LLM), Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, and advanced analytical solutions.

With a profound knowledge of both first-party Microsoft technologies and a wide range of open-source solutions, as well as other leading cloud providers, I excel in providing comprehensive leadership, analysis, and design tasks essential for developing robust and scalable solutions.

Ben Kerford is President of 7Rivers, where he leads the company’s mission to unlock business value through data modernization and AI innovation. A seasoned technology executive, Ben helps organizations transform into Augmented Enterprises by implementing modern data strategies, intelligent applications, and scalable AI solutions.

Ben brings deep experience in driving digital transformation across industries. At 7Rivers, he champions the Data Native™ model, guiding clients to harness data and AI for faster decisions, improved operations, and future-ready growth.

Blanca Gonzales, Executive Director, has over 20 years of non-profit experience. Blanca began her career supervising youth programs and after a few years, she began developing programs for "at risk youth" in the Milwaukee inner city. Extending her program development experience, Blanca went to work for the Girl Scouts of Milwaukee and increased their membership market by increasing high visibility in the Hispanic area. Continuing her work with youth organizations, she was recruited by the Boy Scouts of America Milwaukee office to oversee the Diversity and Multicultural program for the Greater Milwaukee Area. Blanca spent 12 years working for the BSA that included several promotions of Special Initiatives Director, Friends of Scouting Development Manager and Marketing & Special Events Manager. She worked with the Racine Unified School District for four years as Operations Manager for 7 middle schools.

In 2023 Blanca, along with other local leaders in the Latin community worked tirelessly to launch the Milwaukee chapter of Techqueria. Working with both tech companies and employee resource groups to build Latin-centered spaces that revolve around career advice, mentorship and networking in order to comprehensively affect positive change in the tech industry.

Bobola Odebiyi, CPA, is the Founder & CEO of CrossKudi, a fintech solving cross-border payments using a decentralized model. He also founded SaveCircle, an AI-first financial wellness platform. Prior to his ventures, Bobola worked at Johnson Controls, EY, and PwC LLP, where he was a tax accountant focused on private equity and hedge fund clients. At PwC, he co-led the global blockchain community of Interest and has 8+ years of experience in crypto and DeFi.

Brian is currently Managing Partner at Freedom Bioscience Partners and provides M&A advisory and strategic services to the pharmaceutical services sector. He is also an Advisor at Edgewater Capital Partners where he has provided strategic services to portfolio companies and currently serves on the boards of Prolytix and GL Chemtec. He has served on multiple industry boards, including the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Bioforward, and routinely provides strategic market insights to the sector through various global pharma industry conferences and publications. Previously Brian served as President and CEO of Cambridge Major Laboratories, where he worked for over 12 years. Brian has offered to collaborate with CU Ventures and partners on exploring early-stage Pharma Services investment in the state of Wisconsin, and he is facilitating this panel discussion.

Brian Volkman is Chief Scientific Officer and cofounder of XLock Biosciences, Inc. He is also President and cofounder of Protein Foundry. Dr. Volkman is a Professor of Biochemistry at the Medical College of Wisconsin and is recognized for his contributions in the fields of structural genomics, protein dynamics and precision medicine. Engineered chemokines developed in his research lab have been licensed by multiple companies for therapeutic development.

Brittany Kulka is the Director of Talent Acquisition and Development at Husco.

With a strong background in human resources, talent acquisition, and talent development, Brittany is passionate about supporting people operations by recruiting, engaging, and developing employees to their fullest potential. A Wisconsin native, Brittany graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. She is actively involved in the community through Women in Manufacturing, serving as the Chair of Southern Wisconsin chapter, a member of the Talent Council with the Waukesha County Business Alliance, and supporting many K-12 education initiatives through her daily work. 

ChaChi Gallo is the Vice President of Information Technology at Michels Corporation, a leading global construction company known for its innovation in trenchless technology and its commitment to safety, quality, and environmental stewardship. In his role, ChaChi is responsible for overseeing the company’s global IT strategy, infrastructure, cloud operations, AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation initiatives. 

With a strong background in Global IT leadership, ChaChi has built a reputation for driving innovation and supporting high-performing teams. ChaChi is passionate about fostering the next generation of IT professionals and is actively involved in mentorship. He is committed to creating an exciting team atmosphere that leads digital innovation at all levels.

Charlie is Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer at Golgix, a manufacturing intelligence company helping leaders cut downtime, improve yield, and achieve operational excellence through human-centric AI. He brings over a decade of experience commercializing industrial analytics, AI, and enterprise software across sales, strategy, and marketing. Charlie leads Golgix’s go-to-market efforts with a sharp focus on customer impact—equipping manufacturers to turn complexity into clarity and data into sustainable, measurable results.

Christina Drake is a partner at Renaissance Venture Capital, where she is a member of the investment committee and leads the connection work between venture funds across the U.S., and Michigan-based start-ups and corporations. To date, this work has attracted $3 billion of venture funding to Michigan founders and has resulted in 100 strategic partnerships between corporations and startups. Christina previously spent six years as an advisor at FEG Investment Advisors, working with non-profit institutions across the U.S. She guided clients through investment policy development, strategic asset allocation, manager selection, and Investment Committee education. Prior to FEG, Christina spent seven years at Bridgewater Associates, one of the largest hedge funds in the world, where she worked with some of the most well-known institutional investors in Europe and the Middle East.

Christina was named to Crain’s Detroit Business Forty Under 40 in 2024, and is a member of Leadership Detroit class 45. Christina graduated cum laude from Butler University with degrees in Marketing and in Communication Studies. She’s interested in yoga, art, puns, and playing with her dog.

Christina Sivulka is a Global Sustainability Senior Manager at EnerSys. At EnerSys, a leading industrial and battery manufacturing company, Christina spearheads efforts to enhance energy efficiency and environmental responsibility – including the execution of the company’s environmental data collection, sustainability reports, communications and more. Prior to her role at EnerSys, Christina completed her masters in Environmental Policy in at George Washington University while working as a Project Manager at Environmental Defense Fund where she focused on research and policy implementation for air quality improvements and ecosystem restoration.

Clayton Custer is the program manager for gBETA at WCTC's Applied AI Lab. The free, 7-week pre-accelerator powered by gener8tor, takes an industry-first approach to AI technology, and provides growth support to startups whose practical applications of AI are central to their differentiation and success. Clayton's hard-earned experience as a startup founder shapes his approach as he coaches early-stage entrepreneurs and serves as an AI specialist within gener8tor's network.

Collin Summers is an executive who understands how to use technology to help an organization meet its mission, vision, and business goals. Mr. Summers successfully integrated existing enterprise systems and human talent into new information technology platforms and processes. Mr. Summers is experienced in a diverse range of industries in a wide range of international settings. He is the driver of IT innovation and optimization throughout complex organizations.

Dan is currently serving as Operations & Fund Admin for the emerging Talents Fund in Wisconsin, and before that he served as a Partner at Impact Venture Capital and before that as CFO and cofounder of AscentOS in San Francisco. Dan has served in many leadership roles in Venture Capital, where his career began launching Samsung’s Corporate Venture group in Silicon Valley, where he was Director, Venture and Innovation (US Subsidiary).

As a Venture Capital and Corporate Development professional, Dan helps build VC/PE-backed companies and investment fund platforms, focusing on strategy, people, and operations at scale. His investing and operating experience involved 16 investment and M&A transactions, all early-to-growth-stage, with an aggregate value of $ 1.5 B+. He works on both buy and sell sides from thesis development and deal management to targeted growth, integration, and exit milestones. He is a Kauffman Fellow, and graduate of the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.

Dana A. Guthrie is Managing Partner at Gateway Capital, a venture capital firm focused on Wisconsin-based, early-stage startups. Prior to her current role, Guthrie founded and managed Alchemy Angel Investors, an angel investment network. She founded Alchemy while being employed full-time at a Fortune 500 company and managing a multi-million dollar, global product offering.
 
Guthrie is a two-time patent recipient, holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering from Milwaukee School of Engineering, and a M.S. in Energy Engineering from University of Illinois at Chicago.

Daniela Ruby Varela is the founder of Ruby’s Bagels, which she established in 2019 with a commitment to providing the community with exceptional bagels. Born in El Paso, Texas and raised in Milwaukee Wisconsin, Daniela observed a lack of Latina-owned businesses in her community, sparking her determination to make a difference. She turned her vision into reality by launching Ruby’s Bagels with a mission to not only provide top-quality bagels but also to represent Latina entrepreneurship. With a keen eye for quality, Daniela ensures that every bagel leaving Ruby’s kitchen is freshly made and meets her high standards. Beyond just serving delicious food, Daniela fosters a sense of belonging and togetherness within the community through Ruby’s Bagels. As an innovative leader, she constantly seeks ways to enhance the customer experience while staying true to the core values of the brand. Through her passion for food and community, Daniela Ruby Varela brings people together, one bagel at a time.

David Manske was born in the digital-first, mobile-first, and cloud-native era, giving him a slight edge along the tech adoption curve, but he knows it’s easy to fall behind in this swiftly changing digital landscape. He immerses himself in new emerging technologies, loves building software and cross-functional teams, and leads with bottomless energy and chutzpah. He’s amassed a comprehensive skillset across the gamut of building software from mobile, web, cloud, IoT, data, and AI. He’s outgoing and will likely strike-up a conversation with a stranger – but don’t be a stranger and please reach out to talk tech, raising children, or the outdoors!

Professional Science Master’s (Cyber DIA PSM) program at Temple University and founder of Securely Built, a sole-proprietor cybersecurity consultancy. Combining academic leadership with hands-on consulting, Derek helps organizations build secure systems while preparing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

Dierra Reaves serves as the Director of Programming at The Pink Hustle, bringing over 13 years of experience in the financial and fintech industries. Known for her strategic leadership and passion for empowering communities, Dierra leverages her deep industry knowledge to design and implement impactful programs that drive financial literacy, economic empowerment, and innovation. Her commitment to excellence and visionary approach continue to shape transformative experiences for entrepreneurs and professionals alike.

Ed Troost is a seasoned professional services leader with over 20 years of experience driving growth and delivering results for global brands. As Director at Monument Consulting, he specializes in strategic sales, account leadership, and supplier diversity program design, overseeing the implementation of the Fiserv contingent labor program. Known for his collaborative style and operational expertise, Ed brings a proven track record of aligning innovative solutions with business objectives to create lasting client impact.

Edwin Menor, Palo Alto Networks,  Edwin Menor, Sr. OT Security Manager GTM, is an honor graduate with a degree in Electronics from DeVry Institute of Technology (Pomona, CA). He was instrumental in the architectural design of the secured RADIUS authentication fabric for Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (NERSC) followed by being the first SE with Identity Engines (early adaptor NAC technology). His IoT security started by being the first systems engineer at Armis followed by a tenure with Zingbox which was acquired by Palo Alto Networks. He also recently developed and led the global systems engineering group for Cylera.

In the past, Edwin also worked for Juniper, Infoblox, Brocade while specializing in 802.16 WiMAX and 802.11 WiFi design as he worked for Alvarion Inc, Ruckus Wireless, Trapeze Networks, and Meru Networks. Other accomplishments include management of the nationwide deployment of Redback Networks Optical BRAS/Edge Router SmartEdge) in 13 major markets and a First Place in Mr. San Francisco, Mr. Los Angeles, and Mr. California Bodybuilding Championships.

Dr. Paulson is Professor and Chief Physicist of Radiation Oncology, and Professor of Radiology, Biophysics, and Biomedical Engineering at Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). Dr. Paulson received a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Milwaukee School of Engineering and PhD in Biophysics from MCW, with a focus on pulse sequence, reconstruction, and algorithm development for perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). He joined the MCW Radiation Oncology faculty in 2011 after completing a residency in Radiation Oncology Physics. Dr. Paulson’s work focuses on the development and clinical translation of technologies to improve precision radiation medicine, and he has made significant contributions in the area of MRI-guided radiation therapy. Dr. Paulson has successfully secured research funding through a number of sources, including industrial collaborations. Technologies developed by Dr. Paulson have been commercialized through these industrial research collaborations. Regarding 3D printing, Dr. Paulson led the clinical introduction of 3D printed bolus (ie radiation modifying devices) and brachytherapy applicators, which are now used routinely in patients at MCW. Finally, beyond his clinical duties, Dr. Paulson serves and mentor and advisor to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, medical physics residents, and junior faculty.

Faith Harron is an award-winning storyteller, educator and founder from Bismarck, North Dakota. Her constellation of experience includes work as a BCG consultant, engineer, reporter, strategy director, and writer of 16 books. Harron holds two degrees & honors from Stanford and currently serves as Founder of Esper Collective, a consultancy focused on soft skills development.

With over 17 years of experience in data and analytics, Franco Patano is a Lead Product Specialist at Databricks, the leading cloud-based data lakehouse platform. In this role, he partners with customers to understand their business needs, challenges, and objectives, helping them harness the power of Databricks to build data products that drive innovation, growth, and measurable value.

Franco brings a strong foundation in data management, networking, cloud technologies, and project management. He is highly proficient in Databricks, Spark, Delta, and SQL, and has earned multiple certifications and recognitions for his expertise and performance. He enjoys working collaboratively with technical and business leaders, architects, engineers, data scientists, and analysts across diverse industries, offering best practices and strategic insights for building, managing, and optimizing data lakehouses.

Franco is deeply passionate about enabling data-driven decision-making and empowering teams to unlock the full potential of their data.

Gaurav is an experienced and purposeful Data analytics professional with over 13 years of proven experience in the design & development of enterprise-scale data analytics solutions. He has worked across various Fortune 500 companies and industry sectors, helping clients with design, architecture and implementation of data driven solutions.  

Professional Certifications: GCP Certified Cloud Digital Leader, GCP Certified Professional Data Engineer, AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, Snowflake Hands-On Essentials, Certified Scrum Product Owner

Grady Buchanan is a founder and experienced investor. As an institutional and risk-based 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 in regions throughout the US - managing a venture capital fund of funds tailored to meet the needs of local corporations and institutional limited partners. Grady is responsible for the fund of funds portfolio, venture capital fund sourcing and diligence, and for investment allocation decisions. Grady was also the founder and CEO of OmniValley, an online social community exclusively for those looking to establish the right connections within entrepreneurial ecosystems. He and team built an interactive platform housing institutional investors, venture capital firms, accelerators, and individuals in efforts to connect under-ventured communities to more sophisticated, strategic, and engaged investors, sponsors, and mentors.

Greg Marshall is Chief Storyteller and Producer at CI Design, a Creative Brand Agency that serves clients nationally and internationally. He assists organizations in creating powerful stories and experiences that create traction and momentum with their audiences and teams. Greg has successfully assisted tech and therapeutics startups in raising funding in their Seed round, Series A, B, C and D. He has won national and international awards for his writing and producing, including three Emmy wins and several Emmy nominations. He is also a Milwaukee Business Journal 40 Under 40 recipient. In the last 13 years, Greg has led alignment, story, and brand workshops with over 140 organizations, and has been a featured keynote speaker on these and other topics related to creativity, purpose, and diversity.

Irina is the founder of Dirina Media Group, a PR and branding agency for business owners. A fellow immigrant entrepreneur, she scaled her personal brand and business through media storytelling, community engagement, and helping others craft authentic public personas that attract attention, opportunity, and growth.

Jacob Wampole is an accomplished electrical engineer specializing in automation and control systems. With over 18 years of experience in manufacturing and automation at Husco, he has held various roles involving both internal and external automation control systems and equipment. Currently, Jacob oversees the design, build, and programming of automated systems within Husco's Advanced Manufacturing Group. His team is responsible for developing fully automated assembly equipment for a wide range of manufacturing processes for Husco, as well as small to medium-sized manufacturers looking to add automation to new or existing lines.

Josh oversees the Data and AI team at Heartland Business Systems (HBS). With more than 13 years of experience, Josh specializes in AI, SQL and Data architecture, and uses this expertise to help organizations across industries derive greater value from their data—organizing, optimizing, and leveraging data to empower better decision-making, streamline processes, and drive organizational improvements. In his day-to-day work at HBS, Josh helps organizations unlock the potential of their data through high availability, PaaS SQL and ETL offerings, reporting and data warehousing, AI, and many other data asset projects.

Karyna is the Founder & CEO of Miles Away, an AI-powered platform helping international students study and thrive in the U.S. Karyna arrived with $500 and broken English, building a social brand reaching 3.5M+ and a funded tech startup from her story. She’s a digital marketing expert and a vocal advocate for immigrant founders.

I’m a senior technology leader who believes technology is the easy part — people and process unlock real progress.

Over the past 20+ years, I’ve led enterprise transformations, scaled high-performing engineering teams, and modernized legacy systems into agile, secure, and cloud-native platforms. As a CTO, I focus on building technical wealth: scalable architecture, deep automation, empowered teams, and a culture that values readiness as much as velocity.

From platform engineering to data strategy, I align technology with business outcomes — driving measurable impact, reducing risk, and enabling innovation at scale.

I’m passionate about developing leaders, eliminating friction, and creating environments where great work thrives. Whether in a boardroom or a backlog, my mission is the same: build what lasts and invest in what matters.

Laura Hilty is a health tech operator turned venture capital investor. After nearly two decades working to improve the healthcare, including 15 years in clinical research, she is investing in early-stage health tech companies and helping portfolio companies grow through strategy and board work. Prior to HealthX, she held leadership roles spanning corporate strategy, M&A, product strategy, product management, and partnerships across stages from company start-up to scale, through Forte / Advarra and Epic. Through that time, she launched 7 new software products, helped the company exit, developed corporate strategy, and acquired 6 companies within 18 months, all contributing to the company's $5B valuation at exit. With clinical research domain expertise combined with experience in Electronic Healthcare Records (EHRs) at Epic, she is passionate about creating new paradigms in healthcare that create impactful and sustainable change, much of that through the vehicle of early stage investing. Laura holds a Bachelor’s in Molecular / Cell Biology from Vanderbilt University, is a mentor to start-up entrepreneurs, active in helping improve healthcare in Africa, and spends her free time negotiating with her young daughter or outdoors hiking or kayaking.

Mark Molitor joined Milwaukee Tool in 2017 and is responsible for overseeing the company’s IT strategy and ensuring the security and reliability of the organization’s technology infrastructure. In his time as CIO, he has executed a technology strategy to digitally transform Milwaukee® while supporting consistent double-digit year-over-year revenue growth. With more than 30 years of experience, Mark holds a track record of delivering complex, transformational initiatives and digital solutions, differentiating himself as an innovative technology leader and business partner who enables growth and efficiency through strategy, execution, and collaboration.  Prior to Milwaukee Tool, Mark held leadership positions with GE, Mattel, and TruStage. Mark holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BS in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Illinois.  

Mark is a co-founder and managing partner at Milwaukee Capital Partners (MCP) and is an active private equity (PE) investor. He recently joined the Concordia University Ventures Angel group which invested in the MCP led acquisition of Major Pharmaceutical Products (MPP), a company that provides injectable drug development services. He is also an investor in the Golden Angel Investors as well as Notre Dame’s Irish Angels. Formerly Chairman and controlling shareholder of Northern Oak Wealth Management, Mark currently serves on the board of directors of Turnkey Solutions, Wrought Washer Manufacturing, the Lannon Tank Company, Omco Sumo, and RCS Innovations. Mark has also served as an adjunct instructor of Finance at the Marquette University College of Business Graduate School, where he taught Entrepreneurial Finance and Private Equity, as well as several other courses over a seventeen-year span.

Mary Martin has been a recognized subject matter expert in managing non-employees and architecting flexible staffing programs for Metavante (now FIS), MetLife and M&I Banck. She was named to Staffing Industry Analyst’s (SIA) 40 under 40 in 2017 and was a Global Power 150 Woman in Staffing in 2020; the highest distinction given to innovators within the contingent labor industry, presented by Monster.com and Bullhorn. Mary is focused on growing the Allére footprint globally and recently opened Allére’s center of excellence in Downtown Milwaukee.

Mike began his banking career at Bank of Brodhead in 1996 while still in high school. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a degree in Business Administration and started his full-time career as a banker in 2002. He furthered his education at the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was promoted to President and CEO of Bank of Brodhead in 2014. Under his leadership, the bank's holding company, Brodhead Bancshares, was formed in 2019, and the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Orfordville was acquired in 2020.

Mike is a member of the ICBA Rural America and Ag Committee. He co-founded Vault.Bank, a de novo digital brand of the Bank of Brodhead and is a seed capital investor in the fintech startup Linker. In addition to his banking responsibilities, Mike also manages a grain farming operation with his wife, Jamie. They have three children: Ella, Isaac, and Olive.

Naveen Kankate is a Milwaukee-based entrepreneur and AI product leader. He is the founder of StayThanks, a local-first rewards platform helping small businesses grow, and Requisor AI, an AI-native assistant that transforms vague project ideas into structured execution plans. As the host of a startup-focused podcast, Naveen shares raw insights from early-stage founders and product builders. He also teaches product management and AI courses at MSOE and brings experience from both Fortune 100 companies and high-growth startups to help teams innovate faster.

Nick is the Co-Founder of RedFox AI, where he served as CEO. RedFox AI was recently acquired by Recovery.com, where Nick now serves as Director of AI Innovation. As Co-Founder of an AI-driven digital healthcare startup, Nick spent the last five years leading efforts to make healthcare more accessible and actionable. His journey has equipped him with a deep expertise in AI innovation, product management, and executive leadership, spanning strategy, sales, marketing, finance, HR, and beyond. He also advocates for entrepreneurs, successfully helping secure $25M in new state funding for Wisconsin startups in the last biennium. He is also a global speaker, sharing insights on AI, technology, and data privacy, and is an avid advocate of pediatric cancer research through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Awards include: 40 Under 40 and the Best of Madison Business Brian Howell Excellence in Innovation Award. He serves on multiple Boards, including the Wisconsin Technology Council and 100State.

For the past decade, Nick O’Brien has been focused on getting entrepreneurs connected to the people, insights, and opportunities that remove friction and build lasting relationships. Nick has developed and led countless founder-focused events, initiatives, and communities that have sprouted untapped ecosystem opportunities, assets, and infrastructure throughout Wisconsin. His mind brings a new depth to any challenge or conversation, while his work blends deep research, a diverse network of strong relationships, and creative ingenuity. Nick brings a unique lens to discovery by focusing not just on customers—but on the cultural and connective tissue that surrounds them.

Nicole Bolt is the founder and CEO of The Allére Group, a global talent solutions firm. She launched Allére after a pivotal career shift from corporate banking to entrepreneurship. Guided by resilience and a deep commitment to people, Nicole has built a company known for its integrity, long-term partnerships, and culture of trust. She leads with the belief that staffing is more than filling roles—it’s about building lasting careers and communities.

Ramani is President and Founder of CIAN Technolopgies. Dr. Ramchandran completed his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Augusta University. He undertook a research fellowship at Harvard Medical School from 1997 to 2002. In 2002, upon receipt of National Cancer Institute Scholar Award, he moved to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to start his first independent lab. He was recruited to the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) in 2007 as an Associate Professor where he has risen through the academic ranks to the position of professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Research Institute. He has had numerous leadership positions at MCW including the current position of the Director of the Medical Student Summer Research Program. He has published over 100 articles and is considered a leading expert on vascular biology. His research has been continuously funded from NIH since 2002. In 2023, Professor Ramchandran founded CIAN Inc., a company dedicated to developing ciliary proteins as a biomarker for altered blood flow.

As CTO and General Manager of Data Holdings, Ryan oversees strategy, operations, and business development.  Data Holdings is a top-tier public data center in Milwaukee that many of the region’s enterprises and organizations entrust with their applications and data. Data Holdings is a subsidiary of Potawatomi Ventures, which is owned by the Forest County Potawatomi tribe. 

Ryan has previously worked with large organizations including Time Warner, Kohl’s, UPS, and British Telecom. He specializes in assisting with large scale public-facing applications and networks and is often involved with new product/service development. He enjoys internetworking, hardware and software development and the rapid pace of change in the technology economy. Compliance and security continue to be top priorities. 

He's founded or co-founded three startups, two of which resulted in exits. 

Sarah J. Buszka is the director of Waukesha County Technical College’s Applied AI Lab, where she leads efforts to develop practical AI solutions for local businesses and drive workforce innovation. With over 15 years of experience in higher education technology and consulting—including roles at Stanford University and the University of Wisconsin—she brings deep expertise in AI strategy, digital transformation, and cross-sector collaboration. A recent recipient of the 2024 EDUCAUSE Rising Star Award, Buszka aims to position Wisconsin as the “Silicon Prairie” through applied AI initiatives and partnerships.

Shabaka brings over 20 years of experience supporting startups and large businesses. Prior to HealthX, Shabaka was the Director of the Creative Destruction Lab at the University of Wisconsin, a globally-focused, seed-stage acceleration program for highly innovative start-ups in health and risk management. 

During his time at CDL-Wisconsin, Shabaka evaluated over 2000 high-tech, innovative start-ups for selection into the program. Once in the program, Shabaka helped the companies gain access to high-quality business and scientific support through the massive network of exited founders, C-suite operators, scientists, and VC and angel investors he cultivated to volunteer their time with the founders.

Shabaka spent 8 years with ExxonMobil in various corporate affairs roles around the world, where he supported many major business development activities for the company. He is a former US Army military intelligence officer with a Bronze Star from his service in Iraq. 

Gibson holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Western Michigan University, a master’s in public policy from the University of Chicago, and a doctorate of business administration from the University of Maryland.

Spencer X Smith is an active investor in the digital asset space, with stakes in dozens of blockchain-based startups and protocols. A graduate of the Economics of Blockchain & Digital Assets program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Spencer combines academic insight with hands-on experience. He also teaches Digital Asset Forensics for the U.S. Department of Justice, helping law enforcement understand and navigate crypto ecosystems. Spencer regularly speaks on DeFi, digital assets, and the evolving regulatory landscape for the 401(k) industry.

SriRaj Kantamneni joined Schreiber in 2022 as Executive Vice president, Chief Information & Digital Officer. In this role, Sri leads Schreiber’s information technology, cyber security as well as the corporate venturing organizations and is responsible for shaping its digital strategy and innovation.

Sri earned his MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management in Evanston, Illinois, and an undergraduate degree in Computer Engineering from Iowa State University.

Sri brings more than 20 years of leadership in data, and digital technologies. His breadth of experience spans finance, supply chain, sourcing, logistics and transportation; as well as production and manufacturing. He most recently served as Managing Director of Digital Insights at Cargill, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sri has held various global leadership roles at Cargill spanning large technology transformation initiatives, establishing shared service centers and deploying SAP and other ERP programs. He’s led acquisition integrations and stood up new businesses focused on strategic solutions and services.

Stephanie Melnick has been practicing law in the Milwaukee area for 30 years. She currently owns and operates Melnick & Melnick, S.C. – a Milwaukee law firm that serves small businesses and their owners. Stephanie values her backstage pass into clients’ businesses and learning what makes them tick. She enjoys writing clients’ contracts and protecting their unique brands, logos, and slogans. When disputes arise, Stephanie facilitates resolution through negotiation, mediation, and if necessary, litigation. Committed to advancing women in business, Stephanie launched She Stands Tall® in 2017 starting with a female entrepreneurs’ speaker series. Since then, Stephanie, and the women of Melnick & Melnick, S.C. and She Stands Tall, have featured over 75 female entrepreneurs as well as hosted educational events about marketing, brand protection, and financial literacy. For its latest challenge, She Stands Tall took over on Women’s Entrepreneurship Week in 2023 and is excited to plan a week of meaningful, educational, and festive in-person events in Milwaukee from May 6-10, 2024.

Steve is President of Stem Pharm, and has recently assumed the role of CEO for Retham Technologies. He is an experienced professional in development and commercialization of medical therapeutics, devices and diagnostics, with broad skills in R&D, marketing, regulatory, clinical affairs and intellectual property. Steve has a track record of creating new initiatives, developing strategy, gaining financial support, managing development teams, obtaining regulatory approval, and commercializing. He is also a member of the Golden Angels investor group, and previously served in founding and leadership roles in companies such as Prodessa, Hologic (formerly Gen-Probe) & Floraseq.

Todd is responsible for providing leadership and collaboration for the development of STEP solutions with our employees, partners and clients. Prior to joining STEP, he was the Chief Security Officer at Cradlepoint(now Ericsson), and also served as Vice President of Solution Engineering. Prior to Cradlepoint he held global engineering leadership positions at Starent Networks (Cisco), 3Com, USRobotics, and several startups in the field of intelligent wireless and wireline networking.

Todd earned a Master of Science in Information Technology from Northwestern University, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology from Southern Illinois University and holds a CISSP® Certification with several other cyber technology and cyber risk management credentials.

Abhinaya is a Partner at M25, where she focuses on pre-seed and seed-stage investments across the Midwest. She joined the firm eight years ago, shortly after graduating from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in Finance and Mathematical Computer Science. Her path into venture began with a YouTube interview series she created in college, highlighting local startup founders and building early connections in the ecosystem.

Alex leads Rockwell Automations venture capital team. In his role, Alex is responsible for investment strategy, deal sourcing, structuring, and portfolio management.

Rockwell Automation invests in startups of all stages with a focused on innovative and disruptive technologies within industrial manufacturing.

Alex has a background in corporate development and finance and serves as a BOD Observer for C-Motive, Cadenza Innovations, DataHow, Elementary Robotics, HMX.ai, RightHand Robotics, and Everactive - Rockwell portfolio companies and sits on the investment committee for Momenta’s Digital Industry Fund IV. As a strategic investor, the insights and learnings gained from entrepreneurs can help shape the way we think about delivering new and differentiated offerings to our customers

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.

As Principal at BlueTree Venture Capital, I lead our Midwest practice, manage deal flow, and partner with our portfolio companies to drive strategic initiatives. With a decade in venture capital and technology commercialization, I focus on identifying transformative opportunities in artificial intelligence, sustainable energy, digital health, and future of work. My background in management consulting, technology, and product development provides a unique lens for evaluating and scaling promising ventures. I'm passionate about connecting with founders who are solving meaningful problems and creating lasting impact through innovation.

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.

David Wein joined Milwaukee Tool in 2022 and is responsible for the areas of environmental, health, safety, and sustainability across the global organization. In addition to his time at Milwaukee®, David has worked for 25 years in various roles supporting or leading safety, health, and ergonomics in manufacturing and distribution environments including 12 years at Oshkosh Corporation and 9 years at Kohler Co. He has also held roles involving ergonomic research and design in product development. David is Chair of the Board of Advisors for the Wisconsin Safety Council. David has a bachelor’s degree in occupational safety from the University of WI-Whitewater and master’s in engineering-Ergonomics from the University of WI-Milwaukee.

Helen Abad is the Head of Early-Stage Partnerships and Investor at Inflect Health, the innovation and venture arm of Vituity, one of the nation’s largest independent physician groups. She focuses on initiatives to pilot innovative healthcare programs, invest in high-impact startups, and drive growth for portfolio companies, while collaborating with health systems and physicians to create valuable partnerships. Prior to Inflect Health, Helen developed several transformative programs at Vituity and contributed to clinical research trials at Advocate Health Care that improved healthcare outcomes. She holds an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Roosevelt University and a B.S. in Sociology with a minor in Biology from Illinois State University.

Jerry Miller is the director of business development for electrification efforts at U.S. Energy. For nearly 10 years, he led multiple large-scale electrification development efforts for the U.S. Navy as a defense contractor. Jerry is now applying that experience to the transportation sector. Using his innovation and leadership background, he’s developed a patent-pending, re-deployable EV charger that runs off RNG — helping fleets expedite their EV deployment while solving for infrastructure constraints.

U.S. Energy - We’re driven to be the very best and most trusted energy solutions provider dedicated to Finding a Better Way toward a sustainable future.

https://www.us-energy.com/

Joey’s career started in the private financial world before transitioning to economic development and working to support high growth companies. Joey works to implement WEDC’s efforts to support entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment in early-stage companies through the division of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The division operates  a number of programs and partnerships that aim to support not only business directly, but also the ecosystem and support networks that they need to grow and succeed. Specifically Joey manages the Qualified New Business Venture and Technology Development Loan programs geared towards high growth companies looking to raise capital from investors to grow and scale.

Jonah Turner is a results-oriented, high-energy technology professional with a strong portfolio of project successes that span government, startup, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. As Senior Director of Supply Chain Technology at Molson Coors, Jonah oversees the product strategy and roadmap across order management, planning, scheduling, and transportation groups. Prior, he led the Emerging Tech team focused on driving new sources of value for the organization and developing unique experiences to strengthen its innovation ecosystem. Jonah spent more than a decade before then running digital accelerator initiatives at Kohl's, building a successful software company for college sports, and serving in different specialist roles under the U.S. Department of Commerce. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Mathematics, and earned a Master's certificate in Information Technology Project Management from The George Washington University. Jonah currently serves on the Advisory Board of i.c. stars |* Milwaukee, offering technology-based leadership development for promising young adults, and as Board President of the Ozaukee Nonprofit Center, which provides shared space and support for a variety of human service nonprofits in Ozaukee County where he lives with his wife and five kids.

Tenure with Molson Coors 26 years
Current Role – VP of Manufacturing Operations, North America
Lead 17 manufacturing sites across Canada and the US, employee nearly 5,000 employees
Manufacturing sites are mix of small and large breweries, as well as container plants
Over 26 years with Molson Coors held various supply chain roles spanning accountability across countries in North America, Asia-Pacific, and Western Europe.

Dr. Paul Campbell, a co-founder and managing partner at Brown Venture Group, LLC (BVG), is a trailblazer in the venture capital industry. Launched in 2018, BVG made history as Minnesota’s first Black and Indigenous-led venture capital firm. Prior to founding BVG, Dr. Campbell’s diverse background included being a serial entrepreneur, technology sales executive, and music producer. Dr. Campbell has spearheaded the BVG Federal Non-Dilutive De-Risking Model, which identifies innovative technologies that align with the interests of the Federal government and are highly desirable for private-sector acquisition. Additionally, he has pioneered groundbreaking public-private partnerships, such as the “Federal Mashup Lap” with NASA and the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) for technology transfer offices, and “Pathways to Inclusive Innovation” with the USPTO. Dr. Campbell’s expertise has been recognized in various publications, including Tribal Business News, Forbes, Bloomberg, Black Enterprise Magazine, and Authority Magazine. He actively serves on the boards of the Pro Bono Advisory Council, the University of Minnesota Technology Commercialization office, and the Science Museum of Minnesota. His academic credentials include a Doctorate in Social Entrepreneurship and an MBA in Global Business Management. He resides in Minnesota with his spouse and their four children.

Taylor Williams is an investor with Cleveland Avenue (CA). Since joining the firm, Taylor has managed investments across a range of industries, including Climate Tech, Beauty Health & Wellness, and Food & Beverage. With a solid foundation in Corporate Finance from her tenure at JP Morgan and Ford Motor Company, and consulting experience with Ernst & Young, Taylor’s diverse background strengthens her ability to make informed investment decisions. Taylor holds an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BA in Economics from The George Washington University.

Tom Rausch is a successful entrepreneur turned corporate intrapreneur and investor. He was part of the founding team at Good World Solutions who scaled their product suite to 30+ countries before acquisition in 2017. GWS served a wide range of Fortune 100 customers, as well as millions of factory and farm workers who make our devices, food, garments and footwear. Since then, Tom designed and launched BASF’s global digital innovation unit, including a revolving $MM internal innovation fund. He also stood up BASF’s global technology partnership program for agriculture, called AgroStart. In his current role, Tom helps Emplify Health invest in promising HealthTech companies, as well as incubate and build new companies for the broader industry. He is a true believer in the promise of technology to serve humanity and is closely watching developments in AI, biohacking, robotics, quantum and web3 to see what amazing outcomes happen at their confluence. Tom holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and London School of Economics.

Zach Brandon became President of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce in November 2012.

Prior to joining the Greater Madison Chamber, Zach was the director of the Wisconsin Angel Network, an early stage investment organization focused on increasing equity investments in Wisconsin's entrepreneurs. Zach also served as the vice chair of public policy for the national Angel Capital Association.

Previously, Zach served as Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce and served in the agency's senior policy and external affairs role. Zach advised the Governor, Commerce Secretary and the Legislature on global trade and business development strategies with a heavy emphasis on expansion, investment and entrepreneurial development.

An experienced entrepreneur and small business owner, Zach was part of the leadership team of three startups. He was president and chief executive officer of Laundry 101, which in 2003 topped USA Today's "Best Places" to do laundry.

Zach earned a B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in Management from Kent State University.