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Speakers

2024 ECOSYSTEM SUMMIT SPEAKERS

The 2024 Ecosystem Summit includes an impressive lineup of nationally recognized experts to local ecosystem builders.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Tom Barkin

Tom Barkin

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Mark Huang

Mark Huang

Long Leaf Studios LLC
Gary Schoeniger Summit '24

Gary Schoeniger

ELI

Featured Session Speakers

Jose Alvarez 2024

José D. Alvarez

Prospera USA
Laboosh

Spencer Barbera

Laboosh Printing
Liz Brigham

Liz S. Brigham

The Hurt Hub@Davidson
Michelle Bolas

Michelle Bolas

NCInnovation
Benjamin Colvin

Benjamin Colvin

Devil's Foot Beverage
Joseph A. Covi

Joseph A. Covi

UNCW

Kristen Dellinger

North Carolina A&T State University
Ruminder (Romi) Dhillon

Ruminder (Romi) Dhillon

Carry Venture Capital
Jerry Edmonds

Jerry Edmonds, III, Ed. D.

VANCE GRANVILLE CC
Elaine Fairman

Elaine Fairman

BEFCOR
Caroline Glackin

Caroline Glackin

UNCP
Jen Greenstein

Jen Greenstein

NC Biotechnology Center
Molly Hemstreet

Molly Hemstreet

The Industrial Commons Initiative
Merald-Holloway

Merald Holloway

MDC
Louis Judge III

Louis Judge III

NCInnovation
Justyn Kasierski

Justyn J. Kasierski

Hutchison PLLC
Alan Kathman

Alan Kathman

Teledyne FLIR Commercial Systems
April Kelly

April Kelly

Tavi
Tim Minor

Tim Minor

North Carolina A&T State University

Greg Needham

ORCP - UNCC
Jeff Neuville

Jeff Neuville

Manufacturing Solutions Center
Rachael Newberry

Rachael Newberry

RIoT
PAIGE O'NEILL

Paige A. O'Neill

UNCW - NC EcoTech
Tom Barkin

Tony Pipa

The Brookings Institutions
Frank Pollock

Frank Pollock

NC IDEA
Hemali

Hemali Rathnakye

UNCG
Cherese Spand

Cherese Spand

SHE Wealth International
William Toole

William W. Toole

North Carolina Secretary of State
Q. Nicole Vanderhorst

Q. Nicole Vanderhorst

WH Farms
Tasha Williams

Tasha Williams

Innovative Networking Group
Anne Wiper

Anne Wiper

NC TISE

Breakout Session Speakers

Stuart Bridgers

Stuart Bridgers

PNC Bank
Lee Gray

Lee Gray

Knox St Studios
Gwendolyn Dare Hageman

Gwendolyn Dare Hageman

Darë Vegan Cheese
Fay Horwitt

Fay Horwitt

Forward Cities
Sean GL Johnson

Sean GL Johnson

North Carolina A&T State University
Jeffrey Headshot

Jeffrey Kaplan

Venture Asheville
Christine Laucher

Christine Laucher

Mountain BizWorks
Will McGuire

Will McGuire

incolo.io
Andy Stoll

Andy Stoll

EBLN
Christina Williams-DeBrew

Christina Williams-DeBrew

Innovative Networking Group

Proud Participant of:

Tom Barkin

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Linkedin

Tom Barkin is the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. He has held this position since 2018.

Tom serves as a voting member on the Fed’s chief monetary policy body, the Federal Open Market Committee, and is also responsible for the Richmond Fed’s bank supervision and the Federal Reserve’s technology organization. He is “on the ground” continually in the Fed’s Fifth District, which covers South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, D.C., West Virginia and Maryland. His engagement in the region has brought real attention to areas facing economic challenges.

Prior to joining the Richmond Fed, Tom was a senior partner and CFO at McKinsey & Company, a worldwide management consulting firm, where he also oversaw McKinsey’s offices in the southern United States.

Tom earned his bachelor’s, MBA and law degrees from Harvard University.

Mark Huang

Long Leaf Studios LLC

Linkedin

Mark is a co-founder of SeaAhead, Inc., one of the first venture innovation platforms focused on bluetech. He had also led the creation of General Electric’s cleantech corporate venture arm and was a co-founding partner of Novus Energy Partners, a 2008 vintage US-European cleantech VC fund. Mark has worked in shipbuilding as a naval architect and he is currently an advisor to Fathom Science, a recent NC State metocean digital twin spin-out. In the public service sector, Mark served a term as the Economic Development Director for Providence, RI. Here, he deployed an urban food strategy and introduced the concept of a bluetech economic cluster for the Ocean State. Mark also served for 13 years as an officer in the US Army Reserves and was mobilized to Baghdad in 2003 where he focused on nation-building. He is a US director of Alfanar, the only venture philanthropy non-profit focused on the Arab world, and Tern, a Taiwan-based urban mobility company. Mark is also on the Board of Visitors for UNC’s Institute of the Environment in Chapel Hill, NC.

Mark holds an MBA and Masters of International Affairs from Columbia University and a BS in Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering from Webb Institute.

Gary Schoeniger

The Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative

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Gary G. Schoeniger is an internationally recognized thought leader in entrepreneurial mindset education and professional development. His first book, Who Owns the Ice House?, which he coauthored with Pulitzer nominee Clifton Taulbert, has become an international bestseller. Schoeniger also led the development of the Ice House Entrepreneurship Programs. With his focus on the entrepreneurial mindset, Schoeniger’s message has influenced a diverse audience ranging from academic, economic, and workforce development organizations to government, corporate, and nonprofit leaders worldwide, including the South African Department of Education, the Columbian Ministry of Education, the Cisco Entrepreneur Institute, the European Commission, and the US State Department.

José D. Alvarez

Prospera USA

Linkedin

José’s professional experience and passion for the past twenty-four years have been in the non-profit and economic empowerment fields, currently serving as the Vice President for Prospera North Carolina. He has dedicated his career providing business advice to Hispanic immigrant entrepreneurs and creating positive impact in their quest to integrate into the American system and become economically independent through their entrepreneurial endeavors. His role involves managing a talented group of business consultants in two offices who deliver specialized and culturally relevant programs throughout the state in addition to handling partner relations, collaborating with local and state governments, corporate funders, chambers of commerce, other fellow economic development organizations, the leadership team and fostering media relationships. He also serves on several statewide boards.

During his tenure in North Carolina, Prospera’s statewide impact includes providing one-on-one business consulting to over 1,300 individuals, training over 2,800 business seminar attendees, facilitating $4.5 million in capital, and resulting in the creation/retention of 1,825 jobs. During the first four years in operations in North Carolina, the organization’s total economic output in the state stands at an impressive $126.7 million, with $45.1 million in labor income and $2.1 million in direct state and local tax revenues.

Spencer Barbera

Laboosh Printing

Family owned and operated screen printing company from Durham, North Carolina. We specialize in live screen printing and putting smiles on people’s faces.

Liz S. Brigham

Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Davidson College

Linkedin

Liz S. Brigham serves as the W. Spencer Mitchem Executive Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the Jay Hurt Hub at Davidson College. Prior to this role, she held GM, product and marketing leadership positions at Morningstar Inc., Jive Software, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, political tech startup Timshel, which developed the tech platform for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Presidential campaign, and McMaster-Carr Supply Co. In 2019, she was recognized as the Product Marketing Leader of the Year by the Global Product Marketing Alliance and with the Davidson College Alumni Service award. Brigham holds a B.A. in English from Davidson College and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. She also serves as a Trustee for the Cannon School, is a board member of LaunchCLT, and advisor and mentor to many startups all over the country.

Benjamin Colvin

Devil's Foot Beverage and Distillery

Linkedin

Ben Colvin is the President and founder of Devil’s Foot Beverage and Distillery. He holds a BS in Psychology and Political Science and an an MS in Environmental Studies, both from the University of Montana. After spending 16 years working in leadership at Conservation Nonprofits, Ben stepped into the Entrepreneurial world and founded Devil’s Foot Beverage with his wife and close friends. He was a recipient of the NCIDEA Micro Grant in 2018 and awarded the NCIDEA SEED grant the next year in 2019. Venture Asheville has named Devil’s Foot as one of the Top 15 Fasted Growing Startups in Western North Carolina each of the last 4 years and awarded Ben as Entrepreneur of the Year in 2021. Brewing farm-to-can craft sodas and zero proof cocktails, working with regional farmers in the Southeast, and focusing on place-based ingredients, sustainability and ‘doing good through business’ has set Devil’s Foot apart in their industry. They are currently distributed state-wide in 6 Southeastern states -and growing. Ben continues to be a leader in Asheville, supporting emerging startups and entrepreneurs and serving on boards including The Asheville Brewers Alliance, Asheville Greenworks and Asheville Music Professionals.

Joseph A. Covi

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Linkedin

I am an integrative and comparative biologist interested in improving water quality in lakes and estuaries around the world. My goal of improving water quality was born while I was a graduate student studying dormancy in tiny organisms call zooplankton. I was fascinated by the ability of these tiny animals to survive as embryos for centuries in the sediment of lakes and estuaries. The goal of my graduate research was to understand how these animals enter and exit dormancy so that information could be used to preserve human cells. Serendipitously, I discovered their Achilles heel. I used that lesson as motivation to train students in the field of toxicology, and to develop an entirely novel toxicology kit. Our entirely novel goal is to improve the management and maintenance of freshwater lakes by using zooplankton as tools.

Kristen Dellinger

North Carolina A&T State University

Linkedin

Dr. Kristen Dellinger is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nanoengineering at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) and founder of the NanoBio Innovation Lab. She earned a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from McGill University and has authored over 25 peer-reviewed scientific publications, including ACS Nano and Advanced Functional Materials. Currently, Dr. Dellinger’s laboratory focuses on designing and evaluating biosensors for early disease detection, including Alzheimer’s disease, exploring extracellular vesicles for disease treatment and diagnosis, and engineering functionalized nanoparticles and 2D platforms for integrated optical sensors in biomedical and environmental applications. Her work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and NC Innovation.

Jerry Edmonds III, Ed.D.

Vice President of Workforce and Community Engagement, Vance Granville Community College

Linkedin

Jerry Edmonds III, Ed.D. serves as Vice President of Workforce and Community Engagement at Vance Granville Community College in Henderson, NC. Previously he served in varying roles as Dean of Workforce and Economic Development and Small Business Center Director at Halifax Community College in Weldon, NC. In his earlier career, Dr. Edmonds held a variety of executive leadership positions within Johnson & Johnson and IBM where he was the recipient of numerous training, recruitment, marketing and leadership awards. Dr. Edmonds is currently a member of the Henderson, North Carolina Chapter of Rotary International and a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow. He also serves on the Mariah Parham Duke Lifepoint’s Board of Trustees, the Lakeland Cultural Arts Center and Working Landscapes’ Board of Directors, and the Kerr Tar Council of Governments. He recently launched Willow Creek Tennis Retreat, LLC and the Edmonds Tennis and Education Foundation.

Elaine Fairman

BEFCOR - Business Expansion Funding Corporation

Linkedin

Elaine joined BEFCOR in 2012 as the organization’s Executive Director. BEFCOR, a non-profit economic development lender serving NC’s small businesses for over 40 years, offers SBA 504 and CDFI lending programs.

Elaine’s 35-year lending career spans marketing, financial analysis, loan packaging, closing, servicing, Board relations, strategic planning, team building, financial oversight, compliance, advocacy, and executive management in 3 non-profits in the Carolinas. She is passionate about helping small businesses find access to reasonably priced financing.

Elaine has been elected by her peers to serve on the Board of Directors of the SBA 504 industry’s leading trade association for 4 terms, with 6 years on the Executive Committee.

She received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Coastal Carolina University and a Master of Business Administration from Winthrop University.

Caroline Glackin, PhD

UNCP

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Caroline Glackin, Ph.D., is the Thomas Family Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship at UNC Pembroke. She is passionate about education, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment and thrives on supporting youth and adult journeys to success. Caroline earned a Ph.D. from the University of Delaware, an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and an AB from Bryn Mawr College.

She worked in the private, public, and sectors including business ownership. Before entering academia, she was the executive director of a U.S. Treasury-certified community development financial institution, First State Community Loan Fund. She also owned and operated several entrepreneurial ventures spanning manufacturing, retailing, publishing, and consulting.

Caroline’s primary research interests are Entrepreneurial Financing, Entrepreneurial Education and Pedagogy, and Women and Minority Entrepreneurship. This research is focused on advancing entrepreneurship education and telling the stories of entrepreneurs facing and overcoming challenges.

Jen Greenstein

North Carolina Biotechnology Center

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Jen Greenstein joined the Emerging Company Development team at North Carolina Biotechnology Center in May 2020 and is currently a Senior Director of Investments. She manages the agtech loan program and conducts due diligence for agtech, industrial biotech, and food tech startups. In this role, she supports a portfolio of companies through advising on business development strategy, facilitating relationships with investors and strategics, and connecting companies with opportunities and resources. Previously, Jen was involved with diverse aspects of promoting innovation through internships with the Office of Research Commercialization at NC State, the North Carolina Office of Science, Technology & Innovation in the Department of Commerce, and the Small Business & Technology Development Center. Jen has a scientific background and conducted lab research at RTI International and Piedmont Biofuels. She holds a Doctorate of Microbiology and a Professional Science Masters of Microbial Biotechnology from North Carolina State University. Her Bachelor’s degrees were in Biology and Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Molly Hemstreet

The Industrial Commons

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Molly is Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director for The Industrial Commons (TIC). In this role she works as the Deputy CEO for the North Carolina Textile Innovation and Sustainability Engine. She co-founded TIC in 2015 to support industrial workers across her region. She is a native of Morganton, NC where she continues to work and raise her family. After attending Duke University she returned home to teach in the public school system. In 2008, she founded Opportunity Threads, currently the largest US-based worker-owned, cut-and-sew facility. She also co-founded the Carolina Textile District in 2013, a strategic value chain supporting the resurgence of textiles across the Carolinas. Molly served on the national board of the Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI) and was a founding board member of NC Employee Ownership Center (NCEOC).

Merald Holloway

MDC

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Merald Holloway serves as a Program Manager for MDC’s Rural Prosperity & Investment Project Team, serving as the lead for the Non-Profit Community Capacity Program. He joined the Rural Forward program in 2020.

Formally educated at the University of North Carolina and University of Phoenix, and with more than two decades of senior management experience in areas such as retail operations, staff development, nonprofit management, community development, and diversity and inclusion, Merald spent a decade leading internal support and external member services at Self-Help, a community development financial institution based in Durham, NC. In 2018, he founded NC 100, a rural North Carolina social enterprise that engages stakeholders locally, regionally, and statewide to support the creation and protection of local wealth and health.

Committed to fostering supportive community building ecosystems, he has served or continues to serve on several non-profit and education boards and committees, including the CareShare Health Alliance, Rockingham County Partnership for Children, North Carolina Employee Ownership Center, Reidsville Area Foundation, Durham Technical Community College, and the Greater Durham Black Chamber of Commerce.

Louis Judge III

NCInnovation

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Mr. Louis Judge has over 20 years of technology commercialization, entrepreneurship, economic and workforce development experience. Mr. Judge leads NCI’s work in the Piedmont region, where he works closely with UNCG, WSSU, NCCU and NCA&T as the Hub’s anchor University. Prior to this role Mr. Judge was the Associate Vice President of Corporate Education and Economic Development at Alamance Community College. He also spent 13 years of his career as a Senior Licensing Associate and Director of Technology Transfer at N.C. A&T State University. He holds an MBA and Six Sigma Black Belt from Winston-Salem State University.

Justyn J. Kasierski

Hutchison PLLC

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Justyn advises technology and emerging growth companies at all stages of development across a range of industries, including software, e-commerce, video games and development, networking, advanced materials, clean-tech, alternative energy, medical devices, biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals. He also represents angel and venture capital funds in their fundraising and investment activities. Justyn counsels clients on day-to-day legal and business issues, and his transactional experience includes startup and formation, public and private offerings of equity and debt securities, mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions and strategic partnerships.

Justyn joined Hutchison after practicing in the Waltham office of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP, a national venture law firm. During his tenure at Gunderson Dettmer, Justyn represented a variety of private and public technology companies and also served as counsel for a number of leading venture capital funds.

Alan Kathman

Linkedin

Teledyne FLIR Commercial Systems

As Senior Director, Optics for Teledyne FLIR, Alan Kathman is responsible for all aspects of optics planning, development, and production within FLIR’s OEM business unit, the world leader in infrared lenses volume.

As Vice President of Technology for Digital Optics Corporation, Alan was responsible for continuing the founder’s vision for DOC’s micro-optics technology as well as serving as the global organizer of DOC’s Technology Roadmap in support of the CTO. Mr. Kathman managed design and development engineering for the micro-optics business group, successfully extending product lines in semiconductor lithography and data communications.

Mr. Kathman’s career features repeated success bringing new technologies to market utilizing cross-functional teams. He is an effective innovator with over 70 patents who brings an extremely broad toolbox of skills to address complex technical challenges. Alan earned a BS in Physics from Purdue University and a MS in Physics from the University of Alabama at Huntsville, as well as numerous business certifications.

April Kelly

Tavi

Linkedin

April Kelly, the CEO and self-proclaimed startup supermom is the founder of Sure! a groundbreaking plant-based infant formula startup company trailblazing with their allergen-centric approach. Over the past few years, April has assembled a remarkable team of healthcare professionals, regulatory experts, and food scientists, setting new standards in the industry. Her impressive achievements, including the NC Idea $10K Micro grant, two-time participation in ECU’s I-Corp Program, and recognition in the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council pitch competition, highlight her potential to revolutionize infant formula and create lasting impact. As the first black female-owned infant formula startup in the country, her mission focuses on fostering innovation powered by inclusion to create a healthier, more equitable world—a “sure” world.

Timothy Minor

North Carolina A&T State Universitiy

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Timothy Minor is the Vice Chancellor for Strategic Partnerships at North Carolina A&T State University. He is an accomplished, strategic and innovative leader in higher education, with extensive experience in advancement, engagement, and business partnerships. As Vice Chancellor, Timothy works with corporate partners to launch new educational opportunities, foster public-private collaboration, and advance research programs to create meaningful outcomes for students, faculty, and corporations. The office also supports economic development efforts of the state of North Carolina and the Piedmont Triad region by actively recruiting companies and promoting university-industry partnerships.

Greg Needham

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

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Greg Needham is the Senior Executive Director of Research Commercialization and Partnerships at UNC Charlotte. His university unit is charged with working with faculty reseachers, industry, government, entrepreneurs and investors to translate the university’s research to commercial development and market success. He’s an industrialist and entrepreneur with international commercial experience spanning Fortune 500, SMB, startup, and private-equity portfolio companies. His global leadership spans various industries including complex engineered products, high-ticket consumer products, technology, and business services. He holds a Bachelor’s in Business, an MBA, and a Master’s in Technology Commercialization.

Jeff Neuville

Manufacturing Solutions Center

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Jeff Neuville is the Director of the Manufacturing Solutions Center at Catawba Valley Community College, a non-profit advocate and support organization for US manufacturers and manufacturing start-ups. The MSC supports US manufacturers through product development and prototyping services, validating product claims in its 3rd-party ISO accredited testing lab, and through its onsite incubator for manufacturing startups. In addition to these services, the MSC connects entrepreneurs to domestic suppliers and manufacturers through its resource database and network of partners. As a core partner in the NC Textile Innovation and Sustainability Engine, the MSC is working to revitalize the US textile industry by focusing on commercializing recyclables and sustainable materials. Prior to joining the MSC in 2022, Jeff was the Small Business Center Director at Catawba Valley Community College and the NC Small Business Center Network’s Northwest Region Director. In 2021 Jeff was recognized as the NC Small Business Center Director of the Year.

Rachael Newberry

RIoT

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Rachael Newberry leads innovation programs and public sector support at RIoT, an economic development nonprofit focused on emerging technology and IoT sector growth. Rachael launched the RIoT Accelerator Program in 2018, and has advised 150+ startups that have created 500+ jobs and generated more than $150 Million in revenue. She led expansion of the program, launching RAP in four locations and extending support to both corporate and government innovation initiatives. At RIoT, she acts as a liaison between public and private sector partners to spur collaboration in the smart cities space and support entrepreneurial ecosystem development. Previously, Rachael built and ran a behavioral science-focused startup program at Duke University (though she is a proud UNC alum), where her work was featured at Google and in Forbes and Inc. Magazine.

Paige A. O'Neill

UNCW - NC EcoTech

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Paige O’Neill, MBA, CGBP, EDFP, is a dynamic leader with global experience in business development, business acquisition and integration, strategic technology development, and international economic development. She embodies a unique skillset across business strategy, technology strategy, and entrepreneurship. Paige has an extensive background in the technology field and has led strategic planning, emerging technology introduction, equity investments and acquisitions of technology companies. As the NC EcoTech™ Program Manager, Paige coordinates cross-sector teams of business owners, entrepreneurs, multi-institutional researchers, and community stakeholders to establish an Innovation Engine that drives EcoTech emerging technology innovations for economic and workforce impact in rural communities while maintaining ecological sustainability in emerging aquaculture and coastal resilience technologies.

Tony Pipa

The Brookings Institution

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Tony Pipa is a senior fellow in the Center for Sustainable Development at the Brookings Institution. Tony launched and leads the Reimagining Rural Policy initative, which seeks to modernize and transform U.S. rural policy, and hosts the Reimagine Rural podcast, collecting the stories of rural towns across America that are experiencing positive change. Tony has three decades of executive leadership experience in the philanthropic and public sectors addressing poverty and advancing inclusive economic development in the U.S. and globally. His career spans experiences from leading the U.S. at the U.N. to negotiate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to helping launch the Foundation for Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. He grew up in rural Elysburg, Pennsylvania, in the heart of anthracite coal country, and attended Stanford University, graduated from Duke University, and earned a Master of Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Frank Pollock

NC IDEA

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For more than 25 years, Frank has worked at the intersection of marketing, innovation, and strategy. In addition to serving as the Piedmont Region EIR for NC IDEA, he is the Chief Marketing Officer/Co-Founder at Home Lending Pal and Chief Marketing Officer at BlueRecruit. Frank was part of the initial application review team for NC Innovation and he has participated in the NC IDEA grant process for 8 years. When he isn’t working you can find him in front of a TV yelling as his beloved Tar Heels play college basketball.

Hemali Rathnayake

University of North Carolina Greensboro

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Dr. Rathnayake’s current research focuses on developing environmentally benign nanomaterials for critical mineral recovery, desalination, and water purification. Among three granted international patents and three provisional patents, her invention on the point-of-use direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology to recover lithium from water resources has spurred a UNCG spin-off company, Minerva Lithium. She serves as the co-founder and Chief Scientific Advisor for Minerva Lithium and has received enormous recognitions and press releases all around the world. Her Lithium technology has received the winner of Disrupt TechCrunch 2022, Defense TechConnect Innovation awards in 2021, 2022 and 2024, NSF SBIR Phase I award, NC Innovation, and NC Collaboratory and secured over $1.6M funding towards R&D and commercialization efforts.

Cherese Spand

SHE Wealth International

Linkedin

Cherese L. Spand has thrived in the financial services industry for over 16 years. Her corporate and secular experience has moved her to educate her clients in the areas of insurance, tax-free retirement planning and asset protection. Her background as a Cosmetology Educator with strong managerial skills and training created a perfect storm.

The collaboration of the two industries prompted Cherese to address a need that was lacking in the industry, Financial Literacy for Women and Women in business. She currently serves as the instructor for the Ice House Entrepreneurship Program at the Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Davidson College, in addition to serving on many other community organization boards.

William W. Toole

North Carolina Secretary of State

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Bill Toole is a Deputy to the North Carolina Secretary of State, where he oversees the Business Registration, Charitable Solicitation Licensing, Notary Commissioning and Enforcement, and Land Records Divisions and serves as an advisor to Elaine F. Marshall, the first woman elected to the Council of State in North Carolina. In that role he evaluates filing processes and analyzes registration data to identify Departmental improvements and policies that can attract and promote commercial and noncommercial capital formation in North Carolina.

Before joining the Department in March 2020, he was a partner at the law firm Robinson Bradshaw and Hinson, PA. During his thirty-year legal career, his practice experience ranged from billion dollar international mergers and acquisitions, high-stakes litigation, complex stakeholder negotiation, and rulemaking.

He has a BA from Haverford College (1982) and a JD/MBA from Wake Forest University (1989). He has also been a commercial fisherman, carpenter, newspaper journalist and French chef.

Q. Nicole Vanderhorst

WF Farms

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Q. Nicole Vanderhorst is the visionary Founder and CEO of WH Farms Co., a vertically integrated botanical product development company dedicated to advancing therapeutic and wellness applications of premium hemp extracts. With a background in real estate and project management, Nicole transitioned into the hemp industry to merge her passion for plant-based wellness with entrepreneurial innovation. Under her leadership, WH Farms Co. has grown to include a USDA-licensed hemp farm and in-house scientific research team, focusing on developing therapeutic products across multiple verticals and building economic opportunities in rural communities. WH Farms Co. also qualified for the pharmaceutical-grade GMP and ISO standards in August of this year, demonstrating its commitment to excellence. Nicole’s commitment to quality and sustainability has positioned WH Farms Co. as a trusted partner for brands in both domestic and international markets. As a 2022 NC Idea Seed grant recipient, she has been recognized for her contributions to North Carolina’s innovation landscape. She is also passionate about educating the public on hemp’s wellness potential and advocates for responsible business practices in the CBD industry through their community-based Academy and other civic efforts. Through WH Farms Co., Nicole aims to create high-quality, plant-based products that make wellness accessible and effective.

Tasha Williams

Innovative Networking Group LLC

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I hold a BS in Criminal Justice; BA in Education(Teaching Students with Learning Disabilites), and a Master of Arts in Education-Teacher Leadership. I spent 17 1/2 years in Education, the first 10 years as a Resource/OCS teacher. The last 7 years as the Transition Specialist for the Exceptional Children Department. As a business owner, my passion continues to be in educating and providing an array of services to youth and adults. Being the cofounder of Innovative Networking Group has allowed my sister and I to Educate, Engage, and Empower in multi-faceted ways.(One of which is being Ice House Facilitators)

Anne Wiper

North Carolina Textile Innovation & Sustainability Engine

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Anne Wiper is the CEO of the North Carolina Textile Innovation & Sustainability Engine, as part of The Industrial Commons. Anne brings a long background in consumer brands and textiles, as the product creation leader for brands in the athletic, outdoor and winter sports industries. She has been passionate about finding more sustainable ways to make products, starting with work at Nike, then Salomon and Smartwool. She and her family have traveled the world, lived in Amsterdam with Nike, and Annecy, France with Salomon. She was the chief instigator and product champion of the Smartwool 2nd Cut project. Anne went to Covenant College in Lookout Mtn, TN and has an MBA from the University of Denver. Anne has been committed to building culture and driving equity at work and giving back to the community where she lives.

Stuart Bridgers

PNC Bank

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As a PNC business banker, I rely on my 26 years in financial services. At PNC my role is to help businesses identify ways to best optimize cash and meet their business needs. By working together with each client, I help businesses mitigate exposure to fraud and the risks inherent in operating a business. This includes: Strategically managing your short-and long-term financing and working capital needs, effectively managing cash flow & Mitigating risk of fraud and embezzlement. I am a graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne University With a BA in Political Science and Minor in Economic. I am active in numerous community groups to include the YMCA of Catawba Valley, Lenoir Rhyne University Alumni Board & Board of Visitors and various other non profit Boards. I live in Hickory NC I am married to Andrea Bridgers and have 2 teenage children Aidan & Courtlynn with our 2 dogs Bogey & Birdie.

Lee Gray

Knox St Studios

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Lee has had the joy of playing in diverse professional sandboxes, including Design, Project and Retail Management, Ecosystem Building, and Entrepreneurship. Lee is a North Carolina A&T State University graduate, and her career path has seen her lead teams in Design and Visual Merchandising for well-known national clothing brands such as Nordstrom, Belk, and Bevello. Her experience extends to Social Impact and Community Development at the state level, where she contributes her skills and expertise. She has also been selected as the Ecosystem Builder-in-Residence for the statewide Black Wall Street Forward initiative and continues her ecosystem building work in the Triangle area.
Currently, Lee holds the position of Associate Director at Knox St. Studios. In this role, she manages programs, oversees project implementation, and sets the strategic direction for the organization. Lee’s educational background is diverse and includes a Masters in Operations Management, a B.S. in Marketing and International Business, and career certificates in Non-Profit Management, Fashion Design, and Merchandising.

Gwendolyn Dare Hageman

Darë Vegan Cheese

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Gwendolyn Dare Hageman is the founder and owner of Darë Vegan Cheese, an Asheville, NC-based company that is transforming how people enjoy cheese— it’s nuts. A mission-driven first-time entrepreneur, Gwendolyn is committed to environmentally conscious and ethical business practices. Gwendolyn’s passion has made Darë a standout in the vegan food industry, proving that innovation and sustainability can go hand in hand.

Fay Horwitt

Forward Cities

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Fay Horwitt serves as President & CEO of Forward Cities, where she oversees organizational and programmatic strategy. In this capacity, she has a passion for designing community-based initiatives and convening entrepreneurial supporters within and across communities for knowledge sharing and collaborative projects to support local entrepreneurs. Recent successes include the Black Wall Street Forward and PLACE Builders action learning networks – and the innovative learn-to-earn model for the E3 Durham program. Additionally, Fay is a nationally recognized expert, keynote speaker, truth-teller and thought leader on the topics of equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems and inclusive entrepreneurship.

Sean GL Johnson

North Carolina A&T State University

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Mr. Johnson’s role as Director, Center of Excellence in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at North Carolina A&T State University (CEE&I) is to ensure the Center is a transformative point of engagement for faculty, staff, students, and the NC Triad community.

CEE&I’s vision is simple: We empower individuals to explore opportunities to create value and wealth.

Our mission is equally simple: CEE&I helps individuals bold enough to pursue solutions to large challenges primarily through connecting them to skills development opportunities and marshaling resources necessary to start, scale, and sustain ventures.

Sean understands entrepreneurs’ need for access to education, capital, and networks to create the next big, bold idea. He is currently leading alpha testing for risk management application he developed to preserve capital while delivering superior market returns for retail foreign currency traders.

Mr. Johnson is a graduate of Morehouse College, Northwestern University, and Wesley Seminary @ Indiana Wesleyan University.

Jeffrey Kaplan

Venture Asheville

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Jeffrey Kaplan is an award-winning entrepreneur, published author, and professional speaker on the topics of entrepreneurial development and startup ecosystems. Serving as the Executive Director of Venture Asheville, Jeffrey’s portfolio of startups impact the Asheville market by creating over 380 jobs, raising over $60M investment dollars, and earning over $110M in revenue. Taking an unconventional approach to founder and startup ecosystem development earned Jeffrey an International Economic Development Council Gold Ranking for Innovation and Impact, an appointment by Governor Roy Cooper to the NC Board of Science, Technology, and Innovation, and listed as one of 2022’s Business NC “Trailblazers”. The underlying philosophy and methodology can be seen in his 2022 TEDxAsheville talk, “How to Build a Better Entrepreneur.”

Prior to leading Venture Asheville, Jeffrey founded and worked for a number of startups spanning ed-tech, healthcare, pet-tech, a dating site, and one internet-connected kegerator.

Christine Laucher

Mountain BizWorks

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Christine Laucher is the Strategic Partnership Manager at Mountain BizWorks, a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution. For 35 years, Mountain BizWorks has been building a vibrant and inclusive entrepreneurial community in Western North Carolina by helping small businesses start, grow, and thrive. Christine serves as the Chair of Spark Tank, the Western North Carolina-based collaborative of entrepreneurial support organizations. Additionally, she oversees NC’s efforts toward Appalachian regional collaboration on projects such as Opportunity Appalachia, the Appalachian Downtown Development Initiative, the Resilient Appalachia Data Initiative, and others.

Will McGuire

incolo.io

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Coordinator connecting 30+ relief orgs in WNC including Special Forces Charitable Trust through wcen.net. Founder // incolo, largest investment crowdfunding ally / advisor to NC companies. Investor in 90+ CRE / Startups / SMBs. Head of Partnerships at North Cove Leisure Club and Advisor / Investor to several other WNC businesses. Currently focused on rebuild in WNC through WNC Strong.

Andy Stoll

Ecosystem Building Leadership Network (EBLN)

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Andy Stoll is a serial social entrepreneur and producer who has co-founded seven entrepreneurial-focused organizations. He currently serves as the founding executive director of the Ecosystem Building Leadership Network (EBLN) — a newly forming national network designed to advance entrepreneurship ecosystem building as a valued practice, a trusted profession, and a model for economic health and community well-being in the United States.

Andy previously served as Senior Program Officer in Entrepreneurship at the Kauffman Foundation. He is a sought-after speaker on leadership, creativity, entrepreneurship, communities, and travel, and has been a featured speaker at SXSW, numerous TEDx events, and more than 100 universities and colleges. Andy has taught at Cornell College and The University of Iowa, served as a Global Facilitator for Startup Weekend, and completed a 4-year, 40-country solo trip around the world.

Christina Williams-DeBrew

Innovative Networking Group

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Christina Williams-Debrew is the co-founder of Innovative Networking Group. She served eighteen years in the school system before venturing out as a serial entrepreneur. Over the last six years, alongside her co-founder she has been building a brand of educating, engaging and empowering through entrepreneurial mindset cohorts, partnering with nonprofits to accomplish their mission/vision, C4 enrichments (tutoring), protecting individuals, families and small businesses with legal protection plans as well as marketing life/health insurance plans. Her ultimate goal in life is to be a “Problem Solver” and a “Change Agent.”.