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Keynote Speakers
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Aneesh Chopra
1s Chief Technology Officer | United States of America
Co-Founder & President | CareJourney
Aneesh Chopra is the President of CareJourney, an open data membership service building a trusted, transparent rating system for physicians, networks, facilities and markets on the move to value. He served as the first U.S. Chief Technology Officer under President Obama (’09-’12) and in 2014, authored, "Innovative State: How New Technologies can Transform Government.” He serves on the Boards of the Health Care Cost Institute, International Digital Accountability Council, the New Jersey Innovation Institute and Chairs the George Mason Innovation Advisory Council. He earned his MPP from Harvard Kennedy School and BA from The Johns Hopkins University.
Co-Founder & President | CareJourney
Aneesh Chopra is the President of CareJourney, an open data membership service building a trusted, transparent rating system for physicians, networks, facilities and markets on the move to value. He served as the first U.S. Chief Technology Officer under President Obama (’09-’12) and in 2014, authored, "Innovative State: How New Technologies can Transform Government.” He serves on the Boards of the Health Care Cost Institute, International Digital Accountability Council, the New Jersey Innovation Institute and Chairs the George Mason Innovation Advisory Council. He earned his MPP from Harvard Kennedy School and BA from The Johns Hopkins University.
Mayor Greg Fischer
President | US Conference of Mayors
Mayor | Louisville, Kentucky
Greg Fischer was elected Louisville’s 50th mayor in 2010 — and was sworn in for a third four-year term on January 5, 2019.
During Mayor Fischer’s tenure, Louisville has experienced a renaissance, adding 83,000 jobs and 3,000 new businesses, with unprecedented investments in affordable housing. In addition, 20,000 Louisvillians have worked themselves out of poverty or into the middle class. More than $15 billion dollars in capital construction is planned or underway, including 25 new hotels built to support the city’s thriving bourbon and local food tourism, also known as Bourbonism.
Louisville has been named an International Model City of Compassion four times and was a 2018 Top 15 city for attracting millennials.
Governing Magazine named Mayor Fischer Public Official of the Year in 2013. A 2016 Politico survey named him as the most innovative mayor in America, and in 2017, Politico named Mayor Fischer among its list of the nation’s most interesting mayors. America’s mayors elected him to serve as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and his one-year term as leader of this non-partisan organization began on July 1, 2020.
Mayor Fischer is determined to work with America’s mayors to set a bold agenda that promotes equity and opportunity for all as the nation’s cities work to rebuild their economies in the wake of COVID-19 and renewed calls for racial justice.
Mayor Fischer is a national award-winning entrepreneur who started and invested in dozens of businesses, including SerVend International and Iceberg Ventures, a private investment firm. He also co-founded bCatalyst, the first business accelerator in Louisville.
Mayor Fischer is a graduate of Trinity High School and Vanderbilt University. He is married to Dr. Alexandra Gerassimides, the daughter of Greek immigrants who were uprooted during the Greek Civil War. The couple have four adult children and one granddaughter.
Mayor | Louisville, Kentucky
Greg Fischer was elected Louisville’s 50th mayor in 2010 — and was sworn in for a third four-year term on January 5, 2019.
During Mayor Fischer’s tenure, Louisville has experienced a renaissance, adding 83,000 jobs and 3,000 new businesses, with unprecedented investments in affordable housing. In addition, 20,000 Louisvillians have worked themselves out of poverty or into the middle class. More than $15 billion dollars in capital construction is planned or underway, including 25 new hotels built to support the city’s thriving bourbon and local food tourism, also known as Bourbonism.
Louisville has been named an International Model City of Compassion four times and was a 2018 Top 15 city for attracting millennials.
Governing Magazine named Mayor Fischer Public Official of the Year in 2013. A 2016 Politico survey named him as the most innovative mayor in America, and in 2017, Politico named Mayor Fischer among its list of the nation’s most interesting mayors. America’s mayors elected him to serve as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and his one-year term as leader of this non-partisan organization began on July 1, 2020.
Mayor Fischer is determined to work with America’s mayors to set a bold agenda that promotes equity and opportunity for all as the nation’s cities work to rebuild their economies in the wake of COVID-19 and renewed calls for racial justice.
Mayor Fischer is a national award-winning entrepreneur who started and invested in dozens of businesses, including SerVend International and Iceberg Ventures, a private investment firm. He also co-founded bCatalyst, the first business accelerator in Louisville.
Mayor Fischer is a graduate of Trinity High School and Vanderbilt University. He is married to Dr. Alexandra Gerassimides, the daughter of Greek immigrants who were uprooted during the Greek Civil War. The couple have four adult children and one granddaughter.
Paul Ford
CEO/Co-Founder
Traffk
Managing Partner at DS9 Capital which manages interest in a portfolio of insurtech companies they operate to scale profitably while adding job opportunities in the region. Traffk is among the portfolio companies which is transforming insurance through the use of cloud computing, machine learning, and data science. Originally from California, he is proud to call Kentucky home.
Learn more about us... Traffk.
Download our latest perspectives on insurance digital transformation.
Check out the Society of Actuaries (SOA) + Traffk Podcast
Traffk
Managing Partner at DS9 Capital which manages interest in a portfolio of insurtech companies they operate to scale profitably while adding job opportunities in the region. Traffk is among the portfolio companies which is transforming insurance through the use of cloud computing, machine learning, and data science. Originally from California, he is proud to call Kentucky home.
Learn more about us... Traffk.
Download our latest perspectives on insurance digital transformation.
Check out the Society of Actuaries (SOA) + Traffk Podcast
Raamel Mitchel
Corporate Citizenship and Market Development Director
Microsoft AI and Sustainability Market Development Team
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As the Director for Corporate Citizenship and Market Development, I lead efforts to establish public-private partnerships, support economic development initiatives, drive civic and start-up innovation, and manage CSR investments and partnerships across commercial, education, government and community engagements throughout the central United States.
For nearly my entire life I have been an avid believer in the power of technology and innovation to shape the world and transform lives. And as the U.S. Citizenship liaison for Microsoft IoT, NASA, and the Managing Campus Director for the Microsoft Las Colinas Campus, I work relentlessly to lead teams that are committed to making an impact across our industry and in the communities we serve.
I currently serve on the board of directors for Space Center Houston, Dallas County Community College Foundation, Dallas ISD P-TECH, Avalon Carver, Perot Museum, Houston Complete Communities Council and several start-ups throughout the U.S.
Microsoft AI and Sustainability Market Development Team
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As the Director for Corporate Citizenship and Market Development, I lead efforts to establish public-private partnerships, support economic development initiatives, drive civic and start-up innovation, and manage CSR investments and partnerships across commercial, education, government and community engagements throughout the central United States.
For nearly my entire life I have been an avid believer in the power of technology and innovation to shape the world and transform lives. And as the U.S. Citizenship liaison for Microsoft IoT, NASA, and the Managing Campus Director for the Microsoft Las Colinas Campus, I work relentlessly to lead teams that are committed to making an impact across our industry and in the communities we serve.
I currently serve on the board of directors for Space Center Houston, Dallas County Community College Foundation, Dallas ISD P-TECH, Avalon Carver, Perot Museum, Houston Complete Communities Council and several start-ups throughout the U.S.
Gretchen O'Hara
Vice President US AI & Sustainability Strategy
Microsoft
Microsoft
Viren Shah
Chief Digital Officer
GE Appliances, a Haier company
GE Appliances, a Haier company
Panelists, Moderators and Performers
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Scott Aldermann
Chief Information Officer
Mercy Iowa City
A passionate, energetic, collaborative, results driven, servant leader who strives to focus on the mission or ministry of an organization. I am fortunate to have had several mentors early in my life who genuinely cared about me and shaped my character:
My mom -- a true go-getter
My drill sergeant, US Army - "...mind over body.”
My brother -- never give up!
An older friend - "...give more than you take.”
My boss of 20 years - "...take care of people.”
The US Army started my IT journey as they sent me to a myriad of technology schools ranging from basic Mainframe/minicomputer fundamentals to complicated Unix systems, fiber optics and network designs. Later, while in healthcare, I gained a tremendous passion to make technology improve the quality of patient care, and I have been driven to this day to continue this effort in an industry that is in much need.
I believe that technology is to serve the business and not the other way around. IT leaders must do a better job to ensure this is the case and to remove IT complexity. We must ensure the business receives every drop of value out of technology investments. As Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), advanced robotics and cloud technologies exponentially improve, it will be critical for IT leaders to harness and manage these powerful tools for the business and improvement of life. This will only be achieved through solid practice of people, process and technology, trusting relationships with the business and strong vendor partnerships.
Specialties: Leadership | Critical Thinking | Strategic Planning | Complex Problem-solving | Digital | Creativity | People Management | Emotional Intelligence | Cognitive Flexibility | IT Operations | Technology Infrastructure | Merger | Service Orientation | Negotiation | AI | Turnaround Management | Business Process Improvement | Judgement and Decision Making | Change Management | Project Management |Governance | Coordinating with Others
Mercy Iowa City
A passionate, energetic, collaborative, results driven, servant leader who strives to focus on the mission or ministry of an organization. I am fortunate to have had several mentors early in my life who genuinely cared about me and shaped my character:
My mom -- a true go-getter
My drill sergeant, US Army - "...mind over body.”
My brother -- never give up!
An older friend - "...give more than you take.”
My boss of 20 years - "...take care of people.”
The US Army started my IT journey as they sent me to a myriad of technology schools ranging from basic Mainframe/minicomputer fundamentals to complicated Unix systems, fiber optics and network designs. Later, while in healthcare, I gained a tremendous passion to make technology improve the quality of patient care, and I have been driven to this day to continue this effort in an industry that is in much need.
I believe that technology is to serve the business and not the other way around. IT leaders must do a better job to ensure this is the case and to remove IT complexity. We must ensure the business receives every drop of value out of technology investments. As Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), advanced robotics and cloud technologies exponentially improve, it will be critical for IT leaders to harness and manage these powerful tools for the business and improvement of life. This will only be achieved through solid practice of people, process and technology, trusting relationships with the business and strong vendor partnerships.
Specialties: Leadership | Critical Thinking | Strategic Planning | Complex Problem-solving | Digital | Creativity | People Management | Emotional Intelligence | Cognitive Flexibility | IT Operations | Technology Infrastructure | Merger | Service Orientation | Negotiation | AI | Turnaround Management | Business Process Improvement | Judgement and Decision Making | Change Management | Project Management |Governance | Coordinating with Others
Walid Ali
Artificial Intelligence and Security
Microsoft
Digital transformation and customer success executive, a cloud and AI leader, a critical-thinker, a problem solver and a corporate developer, who crosses over to global partners in instituting sound enterprise solutions, while tracking business impact and products’ innovation.
Established record of cross companies leadership in applying data driven models to connect solutions, business and sales while executing against plans and cutting cost for realizing tangible financial impact.
Proven record of bootstrapping engineering groups throughout a product life cycle, and through scaling with system integrators and professional service partner organizations.
Microsoft
Digital transformation and customer success executive, a cloud and AI leader, a critical-thinker, a problem solver and a corporate developer, who crosses over to global partners in instituting sound enterprise solutions, while tracking business impact and products’ innovation.
Established record of cross companies leadership in applying data driven models to connect solutions, business and sales while executing against plans and cutting cost for realizing tangible financial impact.
Proven record of bootstrapping engineering groups throughout a product life cycle, and through scaling with system integrators and professional service partner organizations.
Mark Allen
Executive Director, AI & Digital-Powered Talent for Enterprise
Evangelizing AI globally, laying a foundation for what is emerging as the defining business & social opportunity of our time: 14 years
Expert in AI Academy design & development. Founded, developed, and directed a global AI Academy with headquarters in Cambridge, Mass (recruited by ex-faculty from MIT). Taught hundreds of organizations how to develop AI applications for real-time monitoring, fault detection & diagnosis, process optimization and control, abnormal situation management, & more. Clients included NASA, the DoD, the NSA, Intel, DuPont, Siemens, ABB, BMC, IBM, Apple, Samsung, Aramco, Boeing, Motorola, MIT, Harvard, & hundreds more. Co-Founder of AI-for-Everybody.
Accelerating enterprise transformation through strategic talent development: 25 Years
Former CEO, President, & Chief Consultant for Corporate University Xchange. Worked with hundreds of CLOs & C-level leaders to transform organizational performance through strategic, high-performance-focused talent development. Supported CLOs with sector-leading research & consulting. Led dozens of organizations through the process of designing and deploying corporate academies at the cutting edge of technical, human, and organizational development.
Pioneering science-based mindfulness practices for enterprise: 30 years·
Co-founded and directed one of the first mindfulness centers in New England. Developed & delivered programs for research funded by the U. of Chicago & Templeton Foundation. Developed & delivered a mindfulness-based communication, empathy, & collaborative design program for the Future of Work team at Microsoft. Co-delivered a two-day mindfulness-based communication training for 70 healthcare professionals at the UCSF Medical Center (4.87/5.0 reviews). Served as a Compassionate Cities Advisor. Co-delivered a week-long mindfulness symposium funded by Bloomberg.
Evangelizing AI globally, laying a foundation for what is emerging as the defining business & social opportunity of our time: 14 years
Expert in AI Academy design & development. Founded, developed, and directed a global AI Academy with headquarters in Cambridge, Mass (recruited by ex-faculty from MIT). Taught hundreds of organizations how to develop AI applications for real-time monitoring, fault detection & diagnosis, process optimization and control, abnormal situation management, & more. Clients included NASA, the DoD, the NSA, Intel, DuPont, Siemens, ABB, BMC, IBM, Apple, Samsung, Aramco, Boeing, Motorola, MIT, Harvard, & hundreds more. Co-Founder of AI-for-Everybody.
Accelerating enterprise transformation through strategic talent development: 25 Years
Former CEO, President, & Chief Consultant for Corporate University Xchange. Worked with hundreds of CLOs & C-level leaders to transform organizational performance through strategic, high-performance-focused talent development. Supported CLOs with sector-leading research & consulting. Led dozens of organizations through the process of designing and deploying corporate academies at the cutting edge of technical, human, and organizational development.
Pioneering science-based mindfulness practices for enterprise: 30 years·
Co-founded and directed one of the first mindfulness centers in New England. Developed & delivered programs for research funded by the U. of Chicago & Templeton Foundation. Developed & delivered a mindfulness-based communication, empathy, & collaborative design program for the Future of Work team at Microsoft. Co-delivered a two-day mindfulness-based communication training for 70 healthcare professionals at the UCSF Medical Center (4.87/5.0 reviews). Served as a Compassionate Cities Advisor. Co-delivered a week-long mindfulness symposium funded by Bloomberg.
Alan Berube
Senior Fellow and Deputy Director
Brookings Institution
Brookings Institution
Gauri Bhalerao
Director - Infrastructure
Yum! Brands
Gauri Bhalerao, is the Director of Infrastructure at Yum! Brands. She is a transformational and people focused leader with global experience in technology, strategy and delivery.
Gauri Bhalerao has experience leading global teams across multiple domains and industries at large organizations: Yum! Brands, GE, Humana and has also worked in Startups
As a leader she is focused on driving Infrastructure and Cloud strategy supporting Yum! Corporate and its brands KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut globally. Before taking this role, she led Corporate Applications team supporting over 125 applications across multiple functional areas. She also led Back of House, Quality and Above Store applications teams for KFC.
Gauri has been a leader in the Information Technology industry for past 20 years and is transforming the way IT operates in organizations. Prior to joining Yum! Brands she worked for GE for 13 years and held positions of increased responsibility. She is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Agile leader and was a Platform leader for Smart Appliances. Gauri is known for her passion for operational excellence, user experience and customer first mind set. Constantly challenging the status quo and driving change within the organization. Very passionate about using technology and process to drive growth and efficiency within the organization. She has been an Oracle DBA, software engineer, Java Web Developer and Dev ops Leader.
Gauri Bhalerao graduated from Institute of Science, Nagpur University with a B.S. in Physics, Chemistry and Math. She has earned 2 Masters Degrees. She has a Master in Computer Management from Pune University, India and MS in Computer Science from the Speed School in University of Louisville.
Yum! Brands
Gauri Bhalerao, is the Director of Infrastructure at Yum! Brands. She is a transformational and people focused leader with global experience in technology, strategy and delivery.
Gauri Bhalerao has experience leading global teams across multiple domains and industries at large organizations: Yum! Brands, GE, Humana and has also worked in Startups
As a leader she is focused on driving Infrastructure and Cloud strategy supporting Yum! Corporate and its brands KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut globally. Before taking this role, she led Corporate Applications team supporting over 125 applications across multiple functional areas. She also led Back of House, Quality and Above Store applications teams for KFC.
Gauri has been a leader in the Information Technology industry for past 20 years and is transforming the way IT operates in organizations. Prior to joining Yum! Brands she worked for GE for 13 years and held positions of increased responsibility. She is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Agile leader and was a Platform leader for Smart Appliances. Gauri is known for her passion for operational excellence, user experience and customer first mind set. Constantly challenging the status quo and driving change within the organization. Very passionate about using technology and process to drive growth and efficiency within the organization. She has been an Oracle DBA, software engineer, Java Web Developer and Dev ops Leader.
Gauri Bhalerao graduated from Institute of Science, Nagpur University with a B.S. in Physics, Chemistry and Math. She has earned 2 Masters Degrees. She has a Master in Computer Management from Pune University, India and MS in Computer Science from the Speed School in University of Louisville.
John Bostick
CEO and Founder
Hive Networks, Inc.
John Bostick, after 3 years of studying and developing the strategy for “spreading and scaling” disease and condition networks for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and CincyTech, became the Founder and CEO of Hive Networks. This is John’s 5th start-up after an initial 10 years with IBM. John has numerous awards and recognition including the Ohio Valley region’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year winner in 2000. John has been designing, implementing, and operating digital health solutions for most of his 40-years in business and seeks to provide a global platform that helps people get better faster.
Hive Networks, Inc.
John Bostick, after 3 years of studying and developing the strategy for “spreading and scaling” disease and condition networks for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and CincyTech, became the Founder and CEO of Hive Networks. This is John’s 5th start-up after an initial 10 years with IBM. John has numerous awards and recognition including the Ohio Valley region’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year winner in 2000. John has been designing, implementing, and operating digital health solutions for most of his 40-years in business and seeks to provide a global platform that helps people get better faster.
Stacy Brooks
Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion/Reskill Strategy Advisor
Humana, Inc.
Stacy Brooks leads Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and Data Science Reskill strategy development for Humana’s Digital Health Analytics organization. In this capacity Stacy works across his organization with matrixed and cross functional teams of data scientists, product managers, and analysts as well as other non-technical and digital professionals to develop new protocols, products, and core practices enabling our talent and business strategies to leverage the generative value of equity to its competitive advantage in the future workplace. Stacy began his Humana journey developing learning curriculum for operations training. Holding Master’s degrees in Pan African Studies and Applied Anthropology he is currently in candidacy status for a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies. Stacy is a self-described military mama’s boy, a California born Chicago raised Louisville, Kentucky transplant, and an enthusiastic life-long learner. He is married to his wife, Lucie, of ten years and is father to 4 boys.
Humana, Inc.
Stacy Brooks leads Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and Data Science Reskill strategy development for Humana’s Digital Health Analytics organization. In this capacity Stacy works across his organization with matrixed and cross functional teams of data scientists, product managers, and analysts as well as other non-technical and digital professionals to develop new protocols, products, and core practices enabling our talent and business strategies to leverage the generative value of equity to its competitive advantage in the future workplace. Stacy began his Humana journey developing learning curriculum for operations training. Holding Master’s degrees in Pan African Studies and Applied Anthropology he is currently in candidacy status for a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies. Stacy is a self-described military mama’s boy, a California born Chicago raised Louisville, Kentucky transplant, and an enthusiastic life-long learner. He is married to his wife, Lucie, of ten years and is father to 4 boys.
Tawanda Chitapa
System Director Business Intelligence, Clinical Value & Healthcare Analytics, Clinical Information Analysis
Norton Healthcare
Norton Healthcare
Dave W. Christopher Sr.
Founder and Exective Director
AMPED
AMPED
Roger Cude
Enterpice Vice President, Talent and Organization Development
HUMANA
HUMANA
Brian Dennett
Co-Founder
Enable.ai
Enable.ai
Lee Dorsey
SVP, Director of Innovation
Doe Anderson
Doe Anderson
Sunny Dronawat, PhD
Samiteon, LLC
Tony Ellis
General Counsel
Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development
Executive Director
KY Innovation
Anthony Ellis serves as both General Counsel for the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and Executive Director of KY Innovation.
KY Innovation is responsible for preparing Kentucky for the economy of the future. Its programs and operations include:
Statewide partnerships such as Kentucky Commercialization Ventures, the KY Innovation Hubs, and the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation
The SBIR/STTR Match program
Venture and seed investment programs
The Kentucky Angel Investment Act and Kentucky Investment Fund Act tax credit programs
Kentucky Small Business Tax Credit and Kentucky Small Business Credit Initiative,
The STEP export initiative
KYPTAC, which aids Kentucky businesses in obtaining government contracts
The Opportunity Zone program
In his role as General Counsel, Ellis manages a wide range of complex matters on behalf of the Cabinet, as well as the Cabinet's legislative affairs agenda. His responsibilities include developing policies and procedures, managing and negotiating contracts, handling government procurement and drafting RFI/RFP, providing board governance for the Cabinet's various public and public/private boards and commissions, drafting and advocating for legislation, addressing HR and risk management issues, managing outside counsel activities, and handling all litigation on behalf of the Cabinet and its related entities.
Ellis is a member of the Bar in New York and Kentucky. Prior to joining the Cabinet, Ellis worked for law firms in New York and Louisville, including representing the Commonwealth against Perdue Pharma for its role in the opioid epidemic. He also worked in private practice representing clients in a wide range of corporate and litigation matters that included counseling companies throughout their life cycle from creation to growth decisions, capital infusions, sale, and wind downs. Ellis also has experience as an entrepreneur, starting and supporting his own businesses throughout his career.
He supports numerous charities within the community, is an advisory board member of Northeast YMCA in Louisville, and previously served on the board of Brightside, Inc. and Doctors and Lawyers for Kids.
Ellis lives in Louisville, Kentucky with his wife Laura, their daughter Ainsley, and their dog Bella.
Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development
Executive Director
KY Innovation
Anthony Ellis serves as both General Counsel for the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and Executive Director of KY Innovation.
KY Innovation is responsible for preparing Kentucky for the economy of the future. Its programs and operations include:
Statewide partnerships such as Kentucky Commercialization Ventures, the KY Innovation Hubs, and the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation
The SBIR/STTR Match program
Venture and seed investment programs
The Kentucky Angel Investment Act and Kentucky Investment Fund Act tax credit programs
Kentucky Small Business Tax Credit and Kentucky Small Business Credit Initiative,
The STEP export initiative
KYPTAC, which aids Kentucky businesses in obtaining government contracts
The Opportunity Zone program
In his role as General Counsel, Ellis manages a wide range of complex matters on behalf of the Cabinet, as well as the Cabinet's legislative affairs agenda. His responsibilities include developing policies and procedures, managing and negotiating contracts, handling government procurement and drafting RFI/RFP, providing board governance for the Cabinet's various public and public/private boards and commissions, drafting and advocating for legislation, addressing HR and risk management issues, managing outside counsel activities, and handling all litigation on behalf of the Cabinet and its related entities.
Ellis is a member of the Bar in New York and Kentucky. Prior to joining the Cabinet, Ellis worked for law firms in New York and Louisville, including representing the Commonwealth against Perdue Pharma for its role in the opioid epidemic. He also worked in private practice representing clients in a wide range of corporate and litigation matters that included counseling companies throughout their life cycle from creation to growth decisions, capital infusions, sale, and wind downs. Ellis also has experience as an entrepreneur, starting and supporting his own businesses throughout his career.
He supports numerous charities within the community, is an advisory board member of Northeast YMCA in Louisville, and previously served on the board of Brightside, Inc. and Doctors and Lawyers for Kids.
Ellis lives in Louisville, Kentucky with his wife Laura, their daughter Ainsley, and their dog Bella.
Stacy Griggs
CEO
El Toro
Stacy Griggs is the Chief Executive Officer of El Toro. El Toro is innovating AdTech and advanced analytics by using its patented processes to map physical addresses to IP addresses as well as mapping mobile devices to past locations. By doing this, large brands like Ford, Tempur Sealy and Toyota can hyper-accurately target digital advertisements to consumers or businesses. In 2017 Deloitte named El Toro the 13th fastest growing tech company in the United States with a three-year growth rate of 12,032%.
Previously, Stacy has helped lead three different organizations: MaximumASP; Hosting.com; and Diamond Technologies that were recognized by Inc. Magazine on the Inc. 500 list as the fastest growing privately-held companies in the United States. Stacy and his business partner were selected as the 2016 E&Y Entrepreneurs of the Year for the Ohio Valley and El Toro was the 12th company in the United States to be selected to participate in Endeavor at the 63rd International Selection Panel in March of 2016. Additionally, Mr. Griggs currently serves as a volunteer firefighter with the Simpsonville Rural Fire District in Shelby County, KY.
El Toro
Stacy Griggs is the Chief Executive Officer of El Toro. El Toro is innovating AdTech and advanced analytics by using its patented processes to map physical addresses to IP addresses as well as mapping mobile devices to past locations. By doing this, large brands like Ford, Tempur Sealy and Toyota can hyper-accurately target digital advertisements to consumers or businesses. In 2017 Deloitte named El Toro the 13th fastest growing tech company in the United States with a three-year growth rate of 12,032%.
Previously, Stacy has helped lead three different organizations: MaximumASP; Hosting.com; and Diamond Technologies that were recognized by Inc. Magazine on the Inc. 500 list as the fastest growing privately-held companies in the United States. Stacy and his business partner were selected as the 2016 E&Y Entrepreneurs of the Year for the Ohio Valley and El Toro was the 12th company in the United States to be selected to participate in Endeavor at the 63rd International Selection Panel in March of 2016. Additionally, Mr. Griggs currently serves as a volunteer firefighter with the Simpsonville Rural Fire District in Shelby County, KY.
Barry Kaufman
VP of Talent Development, AI, IoT & Cloud
Fast Lane
• Services and training professional with over 20 years in the IT and Information Security sectors, and deeply involved in IoT and AI talent development since 2013.
• Co-creator, AI-for-EverybodyTM and DataSkills-for-EverybodyTM Programs
• Broad experience in developing, marketing, customizing and delivering an extensive portfolio of services, training, and sales enablement programs.
• Works with top IT and information security vendors to develop and deliver leading edge solutions focused on technical and sales enablement, sales acceleration and customer education.
Fast Lane
• Services and training professional with over 20 years in the IT and Information Security sectors, and deeply involved in IoT and AI talent development since 2013.
• Co-creator, AI-for-EverybodyTM and DataSkills-for-EverybodyTM Programs
• Broad experience in developing, marketing, customizing and delivering an extensive portfolio of services, training, and sales enablement programs.
• Works with top IT and information security vendors to develop and deliver leading edge solutions focused on technical and sales enablement, sales acceleration and customer education.
Sharon Kerrick, PhD
Assistant Vice President - Faculty/Department Chair/Executive Director Digital Transformation
University of Louisville
A past 40 Under 40 Business First recipient Dr. Kerrick was also named to Business First’s 2017 Hall of Fame. Also in 2017, she was recipient of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Kentucky Hall of Fame award and in 2018 the NAWBO EPIC award.
Today’s Woman magazine named her 2018 “Most Admired Woman in Education” and in 2019 Business First named her Enterprising Woman “Mentor of the Year”.
Dr. Kerrick is Dept. Chair/Faculty at U of L’s College of Education & Human Development 2019 -and recently appointed Executive Director of Digital Transformation in 2020 for the University of Louisville.
Dr. Kerrick was previously the business school Dean of Bellarmine University’s AACSB accredited School of Business (2016-2019). Prior to that she was the Associate Director of the Forcht Entrepreneurship Center at the University of Louisville’s College of Business (2002-2016) teaching in the MBA, coaching business plan teams and founder of the Entrepreneurship Minor.
She created the community program “VetStart” that helps military veterans start businesses and since 2012 over 100 military veterans have gone through the program. In 2015, she was named Small Business Administration (SBA) Military Veteran Business Advocate of the Year.
Before her academic career, she was one of the founding members of a technology firm for 20 years that grew to employ over 300 full time staff in a 5 state region and provided technology training for between 11-13,000 students each year.
She is the 2020-2021 chair for the Louisville Water Company Board of Directors, secretary for the NAWBO Foundation Board of Directors, member of the Junior Achievement Board of Directors and a Deacon at her church as well as secretary of the church Endowment Board. She is also a founding member of several mentoring groups.
Dr. Kerrick is an accredited angel investor who has been quoted in Forbes and has rang the bell at NASDAQ stock exchange twice!
University of Louisville
A past 40 Under 40 Business First recipient Dr. Kerrick was also named to Business First’s 2017 Hall of Fame. Also in 2017, she was recipient of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Kentucky Hall of Fame award and in 2018 the NAWBO EPIC award.
Today’s Woman magazine named her 2018 “Most Admired Woman in Education” and in 2019 Business First named her Enterprising Woman “Mentor of the Year”.
Dr. Kerrick is Dept. Chair/Faculty at U of L’s College of Education & Human Development 2019 -and recently appointed Executive Director of Digital Transformation in 2020 for the University of Louisville.
Dr. Kerrick was previously the business school Dean of Bellarmine University’s AACSB accredited School of Business (2016-2019). Prior to that she was the Associate Director of the Forcht Entrepreneurship Center at the University of Louisville’s College of Business (2002-2016) teaching in the MBA, coaching business plan teams and founder of the Entrepreneurship Minor.
She created the community program “VetStart” that helps military veterans start businesses and since 2012 over 100 military veterans have gone through the program. In 2015, she was named Small Business Administration (SBA) Military Veteran Business Advocate of the Year.
Before her academic career, she was one of the founding members of a technology firm for 20 years that grew to employ over 300 full time staff in a 5 state region and provided technology training for between 11-13,000 students each year.
She is the 2020-2021 chair for the Louisville Water Company Board of Directors, secretary for the NAWBO Foundation Board of Directors, member of the Junior Achievement Board of Directors and a Deacon at her church as well as secretary of the church Endowment Board. She is also a founding member of several mentoring groups.
Dr. Kerrick is an accredited angel investor who has been quoted in Forbes and has rang the bell at NASDAQ stock exchange twice!
Scott Koloms
President & CEO | FMS pbc
Founder | Canopy
Born and raised in Louisville, KY, Scott Koloms attended the University of Louisville where he earned his
BA in English and completed coursework towards an MA in Literature. In addition, Scott pursued his PhD
in Literature and Rhetoric at Kent State University. Upon his father’s sudden death, Scott returned to
Louisville to take over Facilities Management Services (FMS), the janitorial service his father purchased
just eighteen months prior.
Maintaining his desire to teach and to have a positive impact on people and communities in his new role,
Scott runs FMS in a way that prioritizes the wellbeing of his employees and focuses on making a
difference in their lives, all while maintaining the financial bottom line. His personal growth through
mindfulness and meditation has led him to incorporate new strategies into the practices at FMS. Over the
course of 18 years, FMS has sustained significant growth, increasing its staff from 30 to 850 employees
between 2001 and 2019. Under Scott’s leadership, employee turnover has decreased from 120% in 2014
to 69% in 2017 in an industry with an average turnover rate of 250%.
In November of 2016, this business model allowed FMS to become Kentucky’s second certified
B-Corporation and the first B-Corp janitorial service in the world. The certification requires that the
business meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and
transparency.
In early 2017, Scott began working with others to pass legislation in Kentucky to recognize Public Benefit
Corporations as legal entities, and in July of 2017 the law went into effect. FMS became Kentucky’s first
Public Benefit Corporation on July 1, 2017. In May of 2017, Scott founded Canopy, a nonprofit
organization aiming to make Kentucky first in good business. Its goal is to create a strong network of
socially conscious and impact driven businesses that work to make lives better in Kentucky.
In late 2018, FMS was recognized in the inaugural RealLeaders 100 – a ranking of the 100 Top Impact
Companies in North America. FMS became a part of an incredible set of companies – an exciting
segment of the economy that is demonstrating that every transaction has the potential for prosperity and
profit to manifest.
Founder | Canopy
Born and raised in Louisville, KY, Scott Koloms attended the University of Louisville where he earned his
BA in English and completed coursework towards an MA in Literature. In addition, Scott pursued his PhD
in Literature and Rhetoric at Kent State University. Upon his father’s sudden death, Scott returned to
Louisville to take over Facilities Management Services (FMS), the janitorial service his father purchased
just eighteen months prior.
Maintaining his desire to teach and to have a positive impact on people and communities in his new role,
Scott runs FMS in a way that prioritizes the wellbeing of his employees and focuses on making a
difference in their lives, all while maintaining the financial bottom line. His personal growth through
mindfulness and meditation has led him to incorporate new strategies into the practices at FMS. Over the
course of 18 years, FMS has sustained significant growth, increasing its staff from 30 to 850 employees
between 2001 and 2019. Under Scott’s leadership, employee turnover has decreased from 120% in 2014
to 69% in 2017 in an industry with an average turnover rate of 250%.
In November of 2016, this business model allowed FMS to become Kentucky’s second certified
B-Corporation and the first B-Corp janitorial service in the world. The certification requires that the
business meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and
transparency.
In early 2017, Scott began working with others to pass legislation in Kentucky to recognize Public Benefit
Corporations as legal entities, and in July of 2017 the law went into effect. FMS became Kentucky’s first
Public Benefit Corporation on July 1, 2017. In May of 2017, Scott founded Canopy, a nonprofit
organization aiming to make Kentucky first in good business. Its goal is to create a strong network of
socially conscious and impact driven businesses that work to make lives better in Kentucky.
In late 2018, FMS was recognized in the inaugural RealLeaders 100 – a ranking of the 100 Top Impact
Companies in North America. FMS became a part of an incredible set of companies – an exciting
segment of the economy that is demonstrating that every transaction has the potential for prosperity and
profit to manifest.
Dr. Pamela Jolly
CEO
Torch Enterprises
Torch Enterprises
Tom Lawry
National Director for AI, Health & Life Sciences
Microsoft
Tom Lawry serves as National Director of AI for Health & Life Sciences at Microsoft and previously served as Director of Worldwide Health. Tom works with providers, payors and life science organizations in planning & implementing innovative analytical solutions that improve the quality and efficiency of health services delivered around the globe.
Tom focuses on strategies for digital transformation applied to performance optimization including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Cognitive Services. He previously served as Director of Organizational Performance for Microsoft’s health incubator (Health Solutions Group).
Prior to Microsoft Tom served as a Senior Director at GE Healthcare with global responsibilities for revenue cycle analytics and operational performance solutions.
Lawry was founder and CEO of Verus, a healthcare software company named as one of the Top 100 Fastest Growing Washington Companies for three consecutive years and to the Deloitte Fast 500 Technologies list.
For twelve years Lawry served in various executive management roles in hospitals and integrated delivery networks. He has published numerous articles on using technology to innovate healthcare. His new book from HIMSS & CRC Press is: Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: A Leader’s Guide to Winning in the New Age of Intelligent Health Systems.
Representative Keynote Conference Presentations
“Making Healthcare More Delightful,” HLTH Keynote, Virtual Event, October 2020
“AI and the Creative Destruction of Healthcare,” OmniaHealth Keynote, Virtual Event, June 2020
“AI in Health – The Future is not What It Used to be,” Arab Health CEO Forum keynote, Dubai, UAE, Feb. 2020
“AI, Digital, and the Creative Destruction of Careers in Healthcare,” Sandra Rotman Centre for Health Sector Strategy keynote, Toronto, Canada, May 2019
“Changing the Face of Healthcare with Artificial Intelligence,” The Intelligent Health Association’s AI in Health Conference, Las Vegas, NV, March 2018
“Empowering Healthcare with Systems of Intelligence,” HIMSS, Las Vegas, NV, March 2018
“Digital Transformation in Health – What Can Health Learn from the Private Sector?” The Nobel Forum, Stockholm, Sweden, March 2017
AI is Healthcare’s Next Big Thing,” European Health Innovation Summit, Brussels, Belgium, January 2017
“Health Policy in an Era of Big Data & Digital Transformation,” Commonwealth Fund International Symposium on Health Policy, Washington, D.C., November 2016
“The Transformative Power of Big Data in Health”, Asan International Medical Symposium, Seoul, South Korea, June 2016
“What will the Future of Technology Innovation Bring to Health?”, High Reliability Health Conference, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD, February 2017
Martin Lindsey
Founder and Creative Director
Phunky Pixel Media
Martin Lindsey is the founder and creative director of Phunky Pixel Media, a minority-owned
full-service media agency where he leads a team specializing in storytelling through web animation, social media strategy and live-streaming media. He looks for opportunities to
synthesize his artistic, academic and career experiences in engineering, digital animation and
information technology in interesting ways with the Phunky Pixels and and in his IT career.
In his role as the technology coordinator for Nativity Academy at St. Boniface, a middle school in Louisville, Kentucky, Martin provides technological leadership for a range of matters including trouble hooting digital devices, maintaining instructional MacBook and iPad systems for remote and in-person learning, and managing networked systems throughout the building.
Martin has a Master of Arts degree in Animation from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Tuskegee University. He is a graduate of the Code Louisville and Tech Louisville programs, where he earned a front-end coding certificate and
Google IT Certification, respectively.
As a civically engaged citizen, Martin is an advisory board member of Ghana Code Club, a youth coding program in Accra, Ghana. Over the years he has volunteered as a panelist for the
Adobe Design Achievement Awards and has also lent marketing expertise to the Black Star
Film Festival, River City Housing Inc., a nonprofit in Louisville, and the Chicago Urban League.
Phunky Pixel Media
Martin Lindsey is the founder and creative director of Phunky Pixel Media, a minority-owned
full-service media agency where he leads a team specializing in storytelling through web animation, social media strategy and live-streaming media. He looks for opportunities to
synthesize his artistic, academic and career experiences in engineering, digital animation and
information technology in interesting ways with the Phunky Pixels and and in his IT career.
In his role as the technology coordinator for Nativity Academy at St. Boniface, a middle school in Louisville, Kentucky, Martin provides technological leadership for a range of matters including trouble hooting digital devices, maintaining instructional MacBook and iPad systems for remote and in-person learning, and managing networked systems throughout the building.
Martin has a Master of Arts degree in Animation from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Tuskegee University. He is a graduate of the Code Louisville and Tech Louisville programs, where he earned a front-end coding certificate and
Google IT Certification, respectively.
As a civically engaged citizen, Martin is an advisory board member of Ghana Code Club, a youth coding program in Accra, Ghana. Over the years he has volunteered as a panelist for the
Adobe Design Achievement Awards and has also lent marketing expertise to the Black Star
Film Festival, River City Housing Inc., a nonprofit in Louisville, and the Chicago Urban League.
Ted Marks
Director - Global Applications
Yum! Brands
Yum! Brands
Charley Miller
Founder - Unitonomy
Founder - OrgVitals
Founder - OrgVitals
Jennifer Mackin
Author, Principal, CEO
The Oliver Group
The Oliver Group
Lorenzo Martinelli
Founder and Chairperson
C-Plan.IT
C-Plan.IT
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