Dr. Eduardo Haynes is an ELI Entrepreneurial Mindset Certified Instructor with more than a decade of experience as an entrepreneur, while working and teaching full-time. Dr. Haynes has worked, teached, and consulted in the virtual space with entrepreneurs for the past 6 years. In addition, he has authored several entrepreneurship programs from undergraduate to the doctoral level. Dr. Haynes is skilled with keeping the audience engaged and interacting for the duration of all his workshops.

Bryant C. Mitchell is an associate professor of management, in the Department of Business, Management and Accounting. From 1996 to present, Dr. Mitchell has taught courses: in Professional Development; Management and Organizational Behavior; Entrepreneurship; Supply Chain Management; and the department’s capstone course, Strategic Management. In addition, he received two IBM faculty awards in 2010 and 2011 for his work with the UMES\IBM Academic Initiative. In addition, he is currently the chair of Hawks for Football, Inc.

Clarissa J. Sparks, Ed.D., is a certified brand strategist, mentor, and investor in women entrepreneurs. She is the founder of Sparks + Company, a brand strategy & entrepreneurship education consultancy that teaches early-stage entrepreneurs how to brand, market, and grow their businesses. Brand development and entrepreneurship are the focus of Spark's teaching, research, and outreach activities. Her research interests include entrepreneurship education, digital marketing & design, and leadership development for women entrepreneurs. Dr. Sparks is also a Cornell University Course Facilitator for the Bank of America Institute for Women's Entrepreneurship and a Visiting Scholar in The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions at Rutgers University. She received her Ed.D. in Education Leadership from Clark Atlanta University, her MBA from Troy University, a B.S. in Marketing from Albany State University, and a A.A. in Digital Graphics and Design from the Art Institute of Atlanta.

Rebecca Wilson is a faculty member in the School of Business at Harris-Stowe State University, an HBCU in St. Louis, MO. She assists with the university's new Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and MECCA (Minority Entrepreneurship Collaborative Center for Advancement). Rebecca Wilson received her MBA from Emory University and her bachelor’s degree from Clark Atlanta University. She has over twenty years of experience in business and finance. She is an entrepreneur and has taught at higher education institutions for eight years. She is passionate about seeing students achieve their career and entrepreneurial aspirations.

Katrina Young presently serves as the Technology Transfer Expansion Program Manager at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA. In this role, she seeks to foster start-up creations by performing ecosystems analysis and conducts outreach and engagement to connect specific regions with NASA technology. She also seeks to collaborate with colleges and universities to support the integration of NASA patented technologies in business, STEM or multidisciplinary coursework and establish partnerships with academia related to NASA Technology Transfer University. Young has over twenty years of federal service at NASA in various capacities to include serving as the Center’s Public Engagement Lead with the Office of Communications; the Awards Officer and Performance Management Representative with the Office of Chief Human Capital Officer to Program Analyst in the Office of Education, now STEM Engagement. Katrina is a graduate of Hampton University and the George Washington University.

Piotr Kulczakowicz is the Director of Quantum Startup Foundry (QSF) at the University of Maryland (UMD), a quantum startup accelerator. Prior to QSF, he managed and licensed UMD‘s intellectual property in physical sciences and engineering at UMD's technology transfer office. Piotr advised and mentored more than 20 UMD spinoff companies. Before joining UMD, he was leading business development for non-quantum software startup Quantum4D, an In-Q-Tel portfolio company. Piotr developed business skills while at McKinsey & Company, a top management consulting firm, in their European, North American, and Asian offices where he had an opportunity to lead development of innovative analytic services in addition to consulting, research, and practice management assignments. Piotr worked as a Lead Research Assistant in the Laser Spectroscopy Group at the Institute of Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences. He received his MSc in Applied Physics and MBA degrees from the Warsaw University of Technology in Poland.

"Dr. John P. Sawyer is the Executive Director of Strategic Research Initiatives for the University of Maryland (UMD). He develops high-impact interdisciplinary research programs and collaborations with strategic partners. John served as Commercialization Director at UMD’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, where he co-founded and led the Special Projects Division to incubate partner research programs. John is also the Interim Executive Director of the Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance, a coalition of 30+ government, industry, academic and nonprofits, that is building an inclusive, innovative, and globally-connected regional ecosystem for quantum technologies. Dr. Sawyer served as the part-time CFO for Communication APPtitude, an EdTech startup acquired in 2021. He worked in the private sector as a business development consultant. John graduated from UMD with degrees in History and Government and Politics and earned a master’s in Security Studies and a doctorate in Government from Georgetown University."

Karen Presley is the Deputy Director for the NSA Office of Research and Technology Applications. Her experience includes working as an IP attorney in the Washington DC area, a patent examiner with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, an electrical engineer with the FBI, a Computer Systems Engineer within the private sector, and an adjunct professor in the Graduate Cybersecurity Policy Program at the University of Maryland Global College. Presley earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina A&T. Additionally, she is a barred attorney with a J.D. from Texas Southern University, earned an LL.M in IP from George Washington University Law School, and an MBA from New York University.

Dr. Benjamin Harvey is the Founder and CEO of AI Squared. He has a BS in Computer Science from Mississippi Valley State University and a Master and Doctorate of Science in Computer Science from Bowie State University. He worked for over a decade in the Department of Defense at the National Security Agency where his last position was the Chief of Operations Data Science. He is a research professor at George Washington University/Bowie State University/Georgetown University and also a Research Scientist at Johns Hopkins University.

Kim V Scott, PhD, PMP is a Professor of Management & Entrepreneurship at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU). Areas of teaching include project management, entrepreneurship and leadership & teamwork. Prior to joining ECSU, Dr. Scott spent 20 years working for various government & corporate agencies as an engineer & project manager. Additionally, she is the Executive Director of MAP Community Development Corporation. Dr. Scott studied engineering at Hampton University & completed an MTA from George Washington University. In 2019, Dr. Scott finished her PhD in Business Administration from Hampton University. Her research interests include Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship.

Hanif Omar, is an entrepreneur, historian, professor, and business professional with over two decades of owning and leading complex organizations, building strategic business alliances and developing successful business models. Currently, Mr. Omar manages The Omar Group, LLC, a business and finance consulting firm operating in North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. In addition, he is also the Director of Commercial Lending for Piedmont Business Capital, and a professor of Entrepreneurship at Shaw University (Raleigh, NC) in the School of Business and Professional Studies.

Dr. LaTanya White is an expert in belonging, racial equity, and entrepreneurship. As a result of her leadership, impact, and contributions to the Education and Business Administration sectors, Dr. White was recognized by the U.S. Department of State as a Fulbright Specialist. She leverages her research and expertise on Black entrepreneurship and the racial wealth gap to help entrepreneurs and the inclusive organizations that support them create racial equity in their policies, practices, and programming. Dr. White is a 2x author, TEDx Speaker, and Founder of Concept Creative Group, a professional and management development training firm focused on empowering Black entrepreneurs, their families, and their communities. Learn more about Dr. White’s solutions for racial equity in entrepreneurship at https://meetdrwhite.com/howtobraceforimpact.

An urban innovator, Talib Graves-Mann draws on his vast expertise in technology, finance and real estate to build vehicles that launch, fund and help support Black entrepreneurial enterprises across N.C. From his time in Silicon Valley, to the Aspen Institute and in the Research Triangle, Talib combines his experience in the corporate world with his accomplishments as a serial entrepreneur. He served as a Google entrepreneur-in-Residence (2015–2017), founded a CDFI backed HBCU Entrepreneurship Center, designed an education and career readiness non-profit called Knox St. Studios, and built from the ground up Black Wall Street Homecoming, an organization that connects black-owned businesses with the venture capital, start-up capital, and equity capital need to connect and thrive. In his work Talib concentrates his energy in securing owner-occupied real estate and supporting ownership within the historically overlooked Black entrepreneurial ecosystem in N.C., whether it be in the tech space or with Main St. brick-and mortar businesses.

Hope Liu leads the Higher Education Catalyst Team, supporting faculty in developing programs that cultivate student innovators and promote institutional change. Prior to VentureWell, she was the founding Dean of the School of Continuing and Online Learning at Cardinal Stritch University and was the Senior Director of Knowledge and Learning at Social Current, a national nonprofit that services the social sector. She has a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Tech.

Amit Arora an is Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management at the University of the District of Columbia. He has a Ph.D. in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from Georgia Southern University. He is a certified SCOR scholar by the Supply Chain Council. He has co-authored articles in logistics, marketing, international business, and pedagogical journals. Amit serves as Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-PI for research grants from National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, and VentureWell. He has extensive industry experience having worked in the auto industry in India for about 10 years.

Kathaleena Monds is a tenured, full professor of Management Information Systems. She served as Co-Dir. of the Center for Economic Education conducting economic and entrepreneurship workshops for K-12 teachers. She is the founding Director of the Center for Educational Opportunity. She has co-authored articles on teaching strategies and homeschooling. Her research interests focus on mentoring girls in STEM. She is a former Fulbright Professor at the Universiti of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. The native Detroiter holds a Ph.D. in Instructional Tech. (concentration in End-User Computing) from Wayne State, a M.A. in Economics & Entrepreneurship for Educators from University of Delaware, a M.S. in Computer Science from Wayne State, and a B.S. in Computer Science from Spelman College. She worked 12 years in the IT industry before joining academia.

Mahour Parast is an Eminent Scholar at the Del E. Webb School of Construction. His current research is focused on supply chain risk and resilience management, and process and product innovation. His scholarly works have appeared in several peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Operations Management, Decision Sciences Journal, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, International Journal of Production Research, International Journal of Production Economics, International Journal of Logistics Management, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, and Production Planning & Control. He is a member of Decision Sciences Institute (DSI), Production and Operations Management Society (POMS), Academy of Management (AOM). He is also a member of the International Supply Chain Risk Management Network (ISCRiM). He has been the principal investigator of several research and technology commercialization projects from the National Science Foundation (NSF), US Department of Transportation (USDOT) and VentureWell. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska.

Over the past 15 years, Ross has worked with communities of various shapes and sizes to build and sustain vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems. His experience spans across several innovation-related disciplines to include entrepreneurship, business incubation, economic development, and investment management. Before joining the InBIA management team, Ross was responsible for driving economic impact for local communities at Kennesaw State University and Georgia Tech. Ross joined InBIA in 2006, was elected to its Board of Directors in 2011 and served as Chair in 2017. Ross holds a degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University and an MBA from Indiana University.

June Evans is an experienced, value-driven innovation leader with over 20 years of experience pioneering entrepreneurial and innovation initiatives leading to economic growth and financial prosperity. Evans began making an impact within the small business community in Baltimore City with Baltimore City's Local Contractor Development Program (LCDP). She helped small, local, and minority businesses in the construction and energy sector build capacity and business ingenuity. She continued her work with entrepreneurs and small businesses at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC), where she pioneered several entrepreneurial and innovation initiatives that solidified the College’s leadership in the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Recently, Evans accepted the position as the executive director for the Bowie Business Innovation Center (Bowie BIC). Evans holds a bachelor of arts degree in Communication and Fine Arts from Loyola Marymount University, and a master’s degree in Public Administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Quinn is the Conrad N. Hilton Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship and an Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship at Xavier University of Louisiana. He teaches entrepreneurship, directs the Xavier University Entrepreneurship Institute and founded the X-ncubator, Xavier’s student business incubator. Previously he served as Executive Director of the Greater Newark Enterprises Corporation, a certified Community Development Financial Institution of the US Department of the Treasury. He has served in senior level positions such as managing public sector loan funds, managing entrepreneurial training programs, developing mixed use housing and managing commercial real estate for a community development corporation.

Ronald (Ron) C. Williams, Ph.D. has worked in higher education for 36 years, spending 26 years at Coppin State University (CSU), College of Business, four of those years as interim dean. He currently serves as an associate professor of management and founding director of the Center for Strategic Entrepreneurship. Dr. Williams is well-known for his makerspace and workforce development research with Open Works, The Century Foundation, and Urban Manufacturing Alliance. A thought leader in economic justice, he introduced the term “ingepreneurship” in 2015 as a framework for positive economic mobility in underserved communities. Dr. Williams holds a Ph.D. in management and organization from George Washington University with concentrations in organization behavior & development and the management of science, technology, & innovation. He serves on the AAAS HBCU Making & Innovation Showcase Advisory Board, the Open Works Board of Directors, and as president and chair of the Urban Manufacturing Alliance.

Jainaba Ceesay is an accomplished banking executive & finance professional with over 20 years of proven record success in strategy, management, collaboration, business development and entrepreneurship. She has successfully led, mentored, lectured, and coached teams within the banking and finance industries and higher education. She launched her Global Consultancy upon successfully completing her MBA at the University of Maryland, Robert H, Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland. Prior to joining University of Maryland College Park I-Corps Team in June 2022, Jainaba also served as an Adjunct Lecturer of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Bowie State University, College of Business and The Robert H. Smith School of Business Undergraduate and MBA Programs.

Dan Kunitz joined the University of Maryland in 2019 as Professional Track Faculty in the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) in the Clark School of Engineering. Dan is co-PI and Director of the NSF-funded Mid-Atlantic I-Corps Hub, supporting innovation and entrepreneurship programs for university researchers. Dan is also PI and Director of the EDA-funded Maryland Innovation Extension, supporting HBCUs and researchers and technology entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups throughout Maryland. Dan is an Instructor in NSF’s National I-Corps program and has taught evidence-based entrepreneurship programs for researchers throughout the region as well as nationally and internationally. At UMD, Dan has been involved in several task forces and workgroups to connect the innovation ecosystem on campus and throughout the region, and he is a senator in the UMD Faculty Senate. Dan actively advises and mentors many startups and is a member of several investor groups. He is also a Partner at NextGen Venture Partners.

Lindsay Ryan is Interim Executive Director of Economic Development for the University System of Maryland and coordinates among 12 public institutions throughout Maryland to support innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development throughout the System and State. She is the Board President of the Maryland Business Innovation Association. Previously, she was the Founding Manager of the business incubator Harbor Launch at IMET and the Chair of the Capital Region Chapter of Women Lindsay began her career in the National Science Foundation’s innovation programs. She received a B.S. in Bioengineering from the University of Maryland - College Park and an M.S. from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill studying Marine Microbiology.

Mahour Parast is an Eminent Scholar at the Del E. Webb School of Construction. His current research is focused on supply chain risk and resilience management, and process and product innovation. His scholarly works have appeared in several peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Operations Management, Decision Sciences Journal, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, International Journal of Production Research, International Journal of Production Economics, International Journal of Logistics Management, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, and Production Planning & Control. He is a member of Decision Sciences Institute (DSI), Production and Operations Management Society (POMS), Academy of Management (AOM). He is also a member of the International Supply Chain Risk Management Network (ISCRiM). He has been the principal investigator of several research and technology commercialization projects from the National Science Foundation (NSF), US Department of Transportation (USDOT) and VentureWell. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska.

Dr. Doug Franklin is a Houston native who is focused on uplifting the future of business. He is co-founder and CEO of DeckLaunch, a company that helps aspiring founders validate startup ideas to seek funding and investment opportunities. Dr. Franklin specializes in taking concepts from ideation to validated concepts and developing marketing and operational strategies. He also is adept at coaching and training leadership and team competencies for startup founders and teams. Doug is a proud graduate of Florida A&M University where he achieved his bachelor’s of Business Administration; Rice University where he achieved his master’s of Business Administration; and has graduated from the University of St. Thomas with his Doctorate of Ethical Leadership. When not working with startups, “Dr. Doug” lectures college students at The University of St. Thomas and Houston Baptist University, and engages in teams, leadership, and entrepreneurship research.

Derrell Noris was born and raised on the east side of Houston, TX. He attended the historic Prairie View A&M University where he studied Computer Engineering and minored in Physics. While pursuing a master’s degree in computer engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Noris was hired as a software engineer at Tata Consultancy Services, a global software consulting firm with over 400,000 employees. Noris left corporate America after 5 years as a developer and business relationship manager and is currently the CEO and Founder of Fresh Tech Solutionz. As the “Fresh Executive Officer,” Derrell has won the Opulence Tech Titan Award 3 years in a row for his work at Fresh Tech Solutionz, as well as The Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce Pinnacle Award and back-to-back Better Business Bureau awards.

Nicholas Mbaezue-Daniel graduated from Prairie View A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. He worked with one of the largest fortune 500 companies in the world as a self-sustained all-risk and process risk engineer for three years. During that period, he successfully performed consultation for over 150 clients in a wide range of industries such as, retail, real estate, manufacturing, engineering, data processing, education, law enforcement, construction, food production and processing, Oil & Gas, Healthcare, Automotive, Technology, etc. He used his knowledge and expertise to access and analyze the business for risk exposure in all areas from the business facilities to its operational process and data management.

Darlene Ajayi is the Program Manager for the Entrepreneurship Innovation Center (EIC) at Bowie State University. She has more than 25 years of experience teaching entrepreneurship and small business development in K-12, post-secondary and adult learners' arenas. As Program Manager with the EIC, she is instrumental in developing programming and co-curricular for students, faculty, and the community. She is knowledgeable about all stages of the entrepreneurial and innovation journey, from ideation to growth. In addition to content creation for entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs, she serves on multiple workgroups in the development curriculum at K-12 and post-secondary levels. Before joining Bowie State University in 2018, she was the Program Director for the Baltimore Washington metropolitan region for the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). Ajayi was also a former SBA Women's Business Center Program Director in Baltimore. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Baltimore and a graduate degree in educational technology from Johns Hopkins University.

Bridget Gillis-Cruise has served the Prince George’s County Public Schools community for more than 23 years. She began her career in education as a Mathematics and Technology Teacher at the middle school level and later transitioned to High School Business Education Teacher. Gillis-Cruise is a Hampton University and McDaniel College alum with undergraduate studies in Accounting and Finance and graduate studies in Curriculum and Instruction. Bridget’s professional experiences as an educator include Instructional Team Leader, Math, Technology, and Business Department Chairperson, Technology Coordinator, Professional Development Lead Teacher, Curriculum Writer, Textbook Evaluator, Student Leadership Clubs and Organizations Advisor, and Work-based Learning Coordinator. Currently, Bridget serves as the Business Management and Finance Program Coordinator in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department. In this capacity, she collaborates with teachers, school administrators, industry partners, and other stakeholders in support of program implementation, improvement, and expansion to ensure students’ successful transition into postsecondary and career opportunities in the business industry.

Kene Turner specializes in the Development and Implementation of community-based programs, geared towards the economic development of under-resourced communities. Turner is also a business education specialist with 16+ years of experience in design, delivery, and administration of entrepreneurship programs. He also has experience working with academic institutions, and business entities, with a focus on entrepreneurship, workforce development, and community development. Over the past several years, Turner has helped NFTE’s Los Angeles region expand its program offerings to a variety of program partners, while providing leadership and innovation. Currently, as the Director of National Postsecondary and Alumni Programs, Turner helped to establish and grow NFTE’s postsecondary initiatives. Turner has also successfully trained, supported, and contributed to the entrepreneurial ecosystems internationally, in areas such as Peru, China, India, Japan, and Switzerland. These and other efforts have helped support Kene’s passion centered around the importance of entrepreneurship as a solution to economic development in under-represented communities.

Danielle Carter is a veteran public-school educator with 21 years of experience in education. She is currently an Instructional Specialist in Prince George’s County Public Schools where she is responsible for educator professional development and program implementation of Career and Technical Education Programs for a diverse population of students. Carter has served as an elementary and secondary school teacher in a magnet school, several title one schools, an alternative education school, and comprehensive schools during her career. She has held positions as a Middle School Mathematics Teacher and Chairperson, Literacy Instructional Lead Teacher, Acting Assistant Principal, Curriculum Writer, Extended Learning Opportunities Coordinator, and Special Education Teacher. She holds several education certifications and endorsements with the Maryland State Department of Education. Carter received her bachelor's degree from Norfolk State University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), and she holds a master's degree in Education Administration.

Katie Gailes is a Bennett College for Women and the Duke University Fuqua School of Business graduate. She spent 6 years as a business strategy consultant, then 3 years in the Growing America Through Entrepreneurship (GATE) program at the NC Rural Econ. Dev. Ctr. As the Dir. of Entrepreneurships at Wake Tech, she co-founded a community-based entrepreneurship model that trained approximately 600 entrepreneurs: about 70% of them minority and/or women. She is now the Sr. Dir. of Membership and DEI&B at the Nat'l Assoc. for Community College Entrepreneurship. She is also in the Kauffman Foundation’s Entrepreneurial EcoSystem Builders Leadership Project.

John Dozier has an eighteen-year career in higher education holding a variety of leadership positions in the Chicago community college system, including vice president of academic and student affairs for Kennedy-King College and Wilbur Wright College; chief information officer for the entire system; and then president of Kennedy-King College.
He joined the University of South Carolina in 2013. There, as chief diversity officer and senior associate provost for inclusion, he helped create and oversee strategy and programs to enhance diversity and inclusion for the state’s flagship university, with over 35,000 students.
He and his wife, Victoria (who is a mechanical engineer), own Columbia, South Carolina’s first and only world language-learning center, The Language Buzz, where they provide Spanish, French, Mandarin instruction and cultural experiences. John is a third-generation graduate of South Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing. He also holds Master of Business Administration and Doctor of Education degrees from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois.

Leah Lizarondo began her career as a product manager in Southeast Asia, working in consumer-packaged goods and technology before moving on to her passion in food and health advocacy. She received her master’s degree in Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University graduating with Highest Distinction. She is interested in the intersection of social good and technology and mines her experience launching startups as she works to grow 412 Food Rescue. Leah has also trained at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City and received her Certification in Plant-based Nutrition from Cornell University. The Brazen Kitchen, Leah’s blog and Pittsburgh Magazine column, won the 2013 National City & Regional Magazine Awards. Her work has been featured in national media including NPR, Oprah.com, and GOOD Magazine online. In April 2014, she gave the TEDx Talk “Why the Farm Is Not Getting to the Table.” In 2017, she was named in SmartBusiness “Who To Watch” as one of the individuals “poised to shape the Pittsburgh region in 2017 and beyond” and FoodTank‘s “17 Food Heroes to Inspire Us in 2017.”

Brittany Young is founder of B-360. After noticing the lack of diversity in STEM fields, Brittany helped partner FIRST Lego League with Baltimore City Public Schools to host an annual Girls and STEM summit and teach technology courses to K-12 students. As a faculty member of the BCCC STEM Scholars Program, she provides scholarships and internships with NASA to motivate black students to pursue STEM careers, reaching them at the community college/GED level. In 2017, Brittany founded B-360 with the goal of intersecting STEM education, dirt bikes, and unrecognized talent. B-360 has received awards from the Baltimore Corps’ Elevation Awards, the Social Innovation Lab at Johns Hopkins, the Warnock Foundation, Red Bull Amaphiko, and Black Girl Ventures; has been recognized as a B’More History Maker and a Top 10 Baltimore Start-Up; and was CLIA’s Inspiring Voices 2018 Honoree.

Dr. Noble is passionate about addressing the healthcare disparities that face the Black community. A cardiothoracic surgeon and decorated Navy veteran, his clinical interests include robotic-assisted thoracic surgery, health outcomes disparities, and the use of science and technology in medicine. He graduated from Xavier University and received his medical and surgical training from Indiana University, Oregon Health and Science University and the Ohio State University.

Live Chair is a barbershop app that leverages the power of the trusted barber-customer relationship to overcome health care inequities that have caused gaping health disparities for Black men. Equipped with a blood pressure monitor and driven by purpose, Live Chair barbers empower, encourage and enable their clients to better manage their conditions and live a healthier life.

Johnetta has more than 25 years of championing the power of entrepreneurship in transforming communities and over two decades of experience leading entrepreneurship centers. At Bowie State University, Johnetta shares her energy and passion for entrepreneurship as the Executive Director of the Entrepreneurship Innovation Center, where she is creating an entrepreneurial mindset and culture across the university, empowering students to launch businesses and is the founder of the Annual HBCU Entrepreneurship Conference. She has created four companies and counseled over 3000 businesses. She co-authored in 2021, “The Black Experience and Navigating Higher Education through a Virtual World, and published in “Annals of Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy” - Vol. 5. She serves on the Global Consortium for Entrepreneurship Centers’ Executive Advisory Board, and Co-Founded the United States Association for Small Business’ Centers & Institutes’ Social Innovation Group. Johnetta received an Entrepreneurship Essentials Certificate from Harvard University School of Business, an Entrepreneurial Mindset Facilitator Certification from the Entrepreneurship Learning Initiative, and a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts from Howard University, Washington DC.

TBA

Dr. Caroline Glackin is a pracademic. She earned an A.B. from Bryn Mawr College, an MBA from The Wharton School, and a PhD from the University of Delaware. Her areas of research include entrepreneurial finance, entrepreneurship education, and direct selling with an emphasis on women and minority entrepreneurship. She was the Executive Director of a Community Development Financial Institution and Director of Delaware State University’s Center for Enterprise Development. She has entrepreneurial experience in multiple sectors. Dr. Glackin is active in non-profit organizations such as the USASBE Minority and Women and Venture Financing SIGs, a local ESO, and a co-working space.

Ronald (Ron) C. Williams, Ph.D. has worked in higher education for 36 years, spending 26 years at Coppin State University (CSU), College of Business, four of those years as interim dean. He currently serves as an associate professor of management and founding director of the Center for Strategic Entrepreneurship. Dr. Williams is well-known for his makerspace and workforce development research with Open Works, The Century Foundation, and Urban Manufacturing Alliance. A thought leader in economic justice, he introduced the term “ingepreneurship” in 2015 as a framework for positive economic mobility in underserved communities. Dr. Williams holds a Ph.D. in management and organization from George Washington University with concentrations in organization behavior & development and the management of science, technology, & innovation. He serves on the AAAS HBCU Making & Innovation Showcase Advisory Board, the Open Works Board of Directors, and as president and chair of the Urban Manufacturing Alliance.

Dr. Caroline Glackin is a pracademic. She earned an A.B. from Bryn Mawr College, an MBA from The Wharton School, and a PhD from the University of Delaware. Her areas of research include entrepreneurial finance, entrepreneurship education, and direct selling with an emphasis on women and minority entrepreneurship. She was the Executive Director of a Community Development Financial Institution and Director of Delaware State University’s Center for Enterprise Development. She has entrepreneurial experience in multiple sectors. Dr. Glackin is active in non-profit organizations such as the USASBE Minority and Women and Venture Financing SIGs, a local ESO, and a coworking space.

Derek G. Abrams is an Associate Professor of Practice at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Within the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship, Derek teaches a course in entrepreneurial finance and a senior capstone project course to undergraduate entrepreneurship students. In addition, Abrams serves as the Associate Director at the Center for Innovation & Commercialization (CIC). At CIC, Abrams supports entrepreneurship programs and workshops and tracks data metrics. With more than 20 years of business experience, Abrams also actively consults with start-ups, small-sized firms, and non-profits while serving as a member of the Rio Grande Valley Angel Network.

Dr. Michael R. Ryan is a Professor of Practice at Texas Tech University. He serves as the Executive Director for two centers (Entrepreneurship and Leadership). His primary academic interests include Leadership, Ethics, and Team Development. Before entering his academic career, Dr. Ryan founded his own logistics company and started an information technology venture in the Small/Medium Enterprise market. As a consultant, he worked with Fortune 500 companies in the technology and pharmaceutical industries, including AT&T, Lucent, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck. He is actively engaged in several of the entrepreneurship activities that have fostered within Texas Tech University, including those at the Innovation Hub and the Health Sciences Center. Michael is an instructor in the regional I-Corps program and an adjunct in the national program. As an iHub mentor, he has promoted these programs, actively bridging the gap between academics and the practical engagement of these principles.

Dr. Jana Minifie has been the Director for Service-Learning Excellence Program for Texas State University since September 2015. Service-learning is an innovative teaching technique that provides hands-on learning of course learning objectives to benefit a community partner. There are two critical components of service-learning courses: 1) the experiential experience has to meet a real need of the community partner and 2) the course must incorporate a reflective piece for deeper understanding of course learning objectives. Since taking over service-learning, the number of classes including a service-learning component has grown from 1-section fall 2015, to 159-sections spring 2022. Jana is a full professor in the McCoy College of Business and has served as the Samuel Barshop Excellence Professorship in entrepreneurship. She has been PI and/or co-PI on 7 state/federal level entrepreneurial grants in the last 3 years. She works with Texas State entrepreneurs thru the TXST I-Corps Site for Entrepreneurship.

Weston Waldo serves as an NSF I-Corps Regional and National instructor for the Southwest and South I-Corps Nodes. Mr. Waldo has led 54 I-Corps cohorts, trained 873 I-Corps teams, and has endorsed over 135 teams to gain acceptance in NSF National I-Corps program. Those teams have since went on to generate an additional $68M in follow-on capital, 5 acquisitions, and generated 233 jobs. Mr. Waldo also serves as a board member for various startup companies in the Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A growth stages. Mr. Waldo is an Entrepreneur in Residence for multiple R1 and R2 universities and an advisor for two venture capital groups. In addition, Mr. Waldo is an Adjunct Professor in the Strategy, Entrepreneurship & Venture Innovation department at The Sam M. Walton College of Business and serves as a Program Manager for Venture Development at the University of Arkansas.

Jena Roscoe SVP, Chief of Government Relations & Public Policy. Jena Roscoe concentrates on developing, growing, and sustaining international, federal, state, and local government partnerships and alliances in support of Operation HOPE Programs and Initiatives. She also monitors and participates in public policy forums around financial literacy, financial inclusion, economic education, economic empowerment/development, small business/entrepreneurship education, and economic disaster preparedness resiliency and leads the organization’s public policy campaigns. She is an alumnus, Howard University and a graduate of The American University in Paris, France, study abroad program.

NaThanya Ferguson serves as the manager of the USPTO’s Office of Innovation Outreach, which focuses on outreach education to independent inventors, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and underrepresented communities of innovators. Ferguson joined the USPTO in 1989. During her 32-year tenure at the agency, she has worked as a contracting officer representative, lead patent analyst for the Patent Reengineering initiative, strategic planning project manager for the Office of the Commissioner for Patents, and project manager for the Council of Inclusive Innovation (CI2). Ferguson has received numerous awards, including a Department of Commerce Gold Medal in 2015 for her contribution to the innovative and collaborative implementation of the First Inventor to file statutory provisions of the America Invents Act, and a Department of Commerce Distinguished Career Award in 2011 for continued outstanding service. Ferguson holds a bachelor of science degree in business and management from Johns Hopkins University.

Prof. DeShannon McDonald, J.D. is an Assistant Professor of Business Law in the College of Business & Public Affairs at Alabama A&M University whose research interests focus on active learning strategies and wellness in business and legal education.

Valentina Iscaro is an Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and the Coordinator of the Entrepreneurship Program at the College of Business and Public Affairs at Alabama A&M University. She has experience as a Professor of Entrepreneurship, Innovation Management and Social Media Marketing in undergraduate and graduate courses. She is an entrepreneur, a startup mentor with experience in one-to-one as well as group coaching. She is a founding mentor of the Invention to Innovation Center and serves on the Board of Directors of the Catalysts. Her research interests focus on Entrepreneurial University, Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation, Open Innovation, Virtual Networks and Knowledge Ecosystems.

Dr. LaTanya White is an expert in belonging, racial equity, and entrepreneurship. As a result of her leadership, impact, and contributions to the Education and Business Administration sectors, Dr. White was recognized by the U.S. Department of State as a Fulbright Specialist. She leverages her research and expertise on Black entrepreneurship and the racial wealth gap to help entrepreneurs and the inclusive organizations that support them create racial equity in their policies, practices, and programming. Dr. White is a 2x author, TEDx Speaker, and Founder of Concept Creative Group, a professional and management development training firm focused on empowering Black entrepreneurs, their families, and their communities. Learn more about Dr. White’s solutions for racial equity in entrepreneurship at https://meetdrwhite.com/howtobraceforimpact

Dr. Shakenna Williams is an author, thought-leader, and speaker. She leads the Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership as the Executive Director, leading the Women Innovating Now Lab and the Diana International Research Institute. Under her leadership, she oversees programming and strategic partnerships that build on CWEL assets to advance women-led entrepreneurship. She is the founding director of Babson’s Black Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Accelerator, which provides funding and professional training to Black women entrepreneurs. Recently appointed to the National Business Women's Council by SBA Administrator, Isabella Guzman. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Dr. Simmons is a University Professor with years of experience delivering lectures, forums and community outreach. She holds a Ph.D. in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises from Syracuse University, a juris doctor / master’s from the University of Virginia Law School and a B.S. in Accounting from Hampton University. Her published research focuses on how formal and informal institutional contexts shape the venturing activities of experienced entrepreneurs.

Tyrome ‘Ty’ Smith, has over 25 years of consulting and leading executives and their teams by helping them understand human and organizational dynamics. Currently, he is the Director of Partnership for the Common Mission Project, whose mission is to create an international network of entrepreneurs driven to solve the critical challenges of our time. Prior to that, he was a senior consultant to the Department of Defense (DoD). Ty developed an innovative education program for the DoD; including coaching and mentoring product development teams engaged in an internal incubator. He is a much sought-after workshop presenter for topics ranging from unconscious bias to business model innovation.

Rob Herndon came to entrepreneurship education later in life after recognizing the parallels between leadership development and entrepreneurial skills. As a former USAF Officer who led various teams as an engineer, pilot, and commander, a former Associate Dean of Business and Technology, and a former high school teacher, Rob’s breadth and depth of leadership experience informs his approach to understanding entrepreneurship education as a vital method of tapping into human potential. Currently, as President of the Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative he leads a team that impacts thousands of people around the world annually through a variety of entrepreneurial mindset education programs.

Amber Chaney, CEO of Chaney Communications holds a master’s degree from American University, bachelor’s degree from University of Maryland, and studied abroad both at The University of Ghana and the American University of Rome. She spent more than 12 years in social media, marketing, and communications leadership. Her work includes Bowie State University, the National Museum of African American history and culture, Gloria Mayfield banks and many other notable clients.

Justin McLeod leads the development of VentureWell’s early-stage innovator programming that focuses on providing equitable access to underrepresented student innovators and underserved institutions across the US. With a background as an entrepreneur and marketer, he helps innovators at the earliest stages of their startup journey identify a problem to solve, build a team, and create a minimum viable solution to transform their ideas into a business. Justin has a B.A in marketing from the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University.

TBA

Chante’ Knox developed, tested and patented the Anu Clean Cup, a new absorbent menstrual cup (U.S. Patent Number 10016308). DelivHer FemCare was founded to bring the product to market. Anu offers a unique combination of benefits found in tampons and traditional menstruation collection cups. The Anu Clean Cup provides leak protection by collecting and through non-direct absorption. Like the typical menstruation collection cup, Anu can be worn up to 12 hours, doesn’t cause irritation and doesn’t pose a risk of TSS, and like tampons, the absorbent layer allows for leak-free protection and clean, less-mess removal. DelivHer is a startup that will manufacture and sell the cups through a full-service subscription model.

Julian Ajenifuja is the Program Coordinator for the Office of Undergraduate Research and the Entrepreneurship Innovation Center at Bowie State University (BSU). Prior to joining Bowie State University, she was the CFO for her family childcare business. Ajenifuja continues to serve part-time to support the entrepreneurial endeavors of her family. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Foundations Solid Rock Center and as the board treasurer. Ajenifuja received her bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and her master’s in Public Health from Walden University.

Darlene Ajayi is the Program Manager for the Entrepreneurship Innovation Center (EIC) at Bowie State University. She has more than 25 years of experience teaching entrepreneurship and small business development in K-12, post-secondary and adult learners' arenas. As Program Manager with the EIC, she is instrumental in developing programming and co-curricular for students, faculty, and the community. She is knowledgeable about all stages of the entrepreneurial and innovation journey, from ideation to growth. In addition to content creation for entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs, she serves on multiple workgroups in the development curriculum at K-12 and post-secondary levels. Before joining Bowie State University in 2018, she was the Program Director for the Baltimore Washington metropolitan region for the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). Ms. Ajayi was also a former SBA Women's Business Center Program Director in Baltimore. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Baltimore and a graduate degree in educational technology from Johns Hopkins University.

Josh Berry is serving as the Head of Sales for StartupTree. He comes from a software sales background, previously with Outreach.io & Pavilion, he decided to make the jump over to StartupTree because of the passion he has for the entrepreneurship space & the belief he has in the StartupTree platform to best support the next generation of entrepreneurs with all the resources it takes to find success. Outside of working hours, in the summer months, he enjoys spending my time on the golf course or in the mountains in Seattle. In the winter months he enjoys watching Michigan State Hockey!

Tiffanie Turner-Henderson received a B.A. from Hampton University, a M.A. from Bowie State University, and a Ph.D. from Hampton University. Dr. Turner-Henderson's sales and marketing career spans from the Associated Press, The Discovery Channel, to various educational technology, assessment, and professional development companies. Tiffanie is the former Interim Assistant Director of Career Readiness at Johnson C. Smith University. Dr. Turner-Henderson currently serves as the Assistant Professor of Marketing and serves as the faculty advisor for the JCSU collegiate chapter of the American Marketing Association.

Jeffery Miles has over 25 years of banking experience. He has served in various leadership roles throughout his career and currently serves in the role of Vice President, Commercial Banker for Truist. In his current role, Miles assists enterprises in the areas of Capital Formation, Treasury Solutions, Risk Management, Employee Benefits, Wealth Management and Strategic Advisory Services. Miles currently sits on boards and committees of several local organizations and is alumnus of University of Maryland where he received a B.S. in Finance.

Ron Thurston is a Commercial Banker for Truist Financial Corporation. Ron assist enterprises in the Washington DC Metro market that generate revenue between $5 million and $75 million. He assists in facilitating Capital Formation, Cash Management, Maximize Liquidity, Risk Management, Merger and Acquisitions, and Strategic Advisory Services.

Since joining Truist in 2018, Ron has held numerous positions such as Branch Leader, Business Banking Relationship Manager, Business Banking Service Direct, and most recently as a Commercial Banker. Ron is currently a member of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, where he is active in the New Membership Committee. Ron earned his degree from Emory & Henry College. When Ron isn't working, he enjoys spending time with family and friends. Ron and his wife Aquilina, reside in Bowie, Maryland along with their two children Ronald Jr and Amelyia. Ron also enjoys working at his church St. Edwards the Confessor Catholic Church and being the Basketball Commissioner at St. Pius Regional School.

Dr. Joy Smith serves as Dean of the School of Education and Business at Elizabeth City State University. She received her A.B. from Dartmouth College, her J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law, her M.B.A. from De.Paul University, her M.P.M. From Western Carolina University, and her M.Phi.l and Ph.D. from New York University. She serves on the Executive Committee of the HBCU Business Deans Roundtable, as Immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Elizabeth City, as chair-elect of the AACSB Small Schools Network affinity group, and on the steering committee of the AACSB WAME Affinity Group. She supports ECSU's efforts to build the base for business in its 21-county region.