Speakers
MORGAN RADFORD
National Correspondent - Today Show
NBC News
MORGAN
National Correspondent - Today Show
NBC News
Morgan Radford is a correspondent for NBC News based in New York City. Since joining NBC in 2015, Morgan has covered some of the country’s biggest stories, including the San Bernardino massacre, the historic West Virginia floods, and the 2016 Oscars boycott.
Prior to joining NBC, Morgan was an anchor/correspondent for Al Jazeera America. As part of Al Jazeera America’s inaugural team, Morgan covered the normalization of US-Cuba relations, Philadelphia’s deadly Amtrak train derailment, and the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela.
Previously, Morgan worked for ABC News at their headquarters in New York City. Originally from Greensboro, NC, Morgan received her bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, a master’s degree from Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism, and a Fulbright Fellowship from the United States State Department, where she spent one year teaching in Durban, South Africa.
Morgan speaks Spanish fluently and is certified by the French Chamber of Commerce for business proficiency in French.
ROBERT RICHARDSON JR.
Chairperson
UC Board of Trustees
ROBERT RICHARDSON JR.
Chairperson
UC Board of Trustees
With his election to Board Chair, Richardson, 37, an alumnus of the university who once served as undergraduate Student Body President, became the youngest person to ever serve as chairman of UC’s Board of Trustees. He is also the youngest currently serving board chair among the nation’s research-intensive public universities. Richardson received his UC Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 2002 and his Juris Doctor from the university in 2005. While a student at the university, he established the first college chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in the tristate and was elected Student Body President in the spring of 2001. Most recently, Richardson not only played an instrumental role in founding the UC Scholars Academy but has also taught at UC as an adjunct instructor in a fall 2015 UC Forward course, “Inquiry to Innovation: Leading Change at UC.”
BEVERLY DAVENPORT
President
University of Cincinnati
BEVERLY DAVENPORT
President
University of Cincinnati
Beverly J. Davenport, PhD, is Interim President of the University of Cincinnati, one of the nation’s top public research universities and an institution ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the top tier of the Best National Universities. Prior to her presidential appointment in July 2016, she served for three years as UC’s Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. Davenport oversees a state university with a $1.2 billion budget, record-setting enrollment of over 44,000 students, nearly 300,000 living alumni, a $1.2 billion endowment and more than $390 million in annual research funding. Prior to UC, Davenport served as Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at Purdue University, senior fellow at Virginia Tech University, divisional dean for the social sciences at the University of Kansas and chair of the Department of Communication at the University of Kentucky. She earned a PhD in communication from The University of Michigan and bachelor's degrees in communication and journalism from Western Kentucky University in her hometown of Bowling Green, Kentucky.
PAT LIMBACH
Vice President for Research
University of Cincinnati
PAT LIMBACH
Vice President for Research
University of Cincinnati
Pat Limbach is the Vice President for Research, a Professor of Chemistry and Ohio Eminent Scholar at the University of Cincinnati. He is a bioanalytical chemist with research interests in mass spectrometry, modified ribonucleic acids (RNAs), ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes and protein translation. After earning an undergraduate degree from Centre College in 1988, he studied under the direction of Dr. Alan G. Marshall at The Ohio State University. While there, his graduate research focused on instrumentation improvements to Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry. He received his PhD from OSU in 1992. He then took a postdoctoral position at the University of Utah working with Dr. James A. McCloskey. While in Utah, he worked in the areas of RNA chemistry and nucleic acid mass spectrometry. In 1995, he joined the faculty at Louisiana State University as an Assistant Professor and was promoted to Associate Professor in 1999. In 2001, he moved to his current position in Cincinnati, being promoted to Professor in 2005. He has served as Department Head in Chemistry at UC from 2005-2010 and as Interim Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences in 2013. Dr. Limbach and his group seek to advance the area of mass spectrometry within modified RNAs and RNPs and collaborate extensively with researchers inside the state of Ohio and throughout the world. Dr. Limbach is an active member of the American Chemical Society, American Society for Mass Spectrometry, Sigma Xi and a lifetime member of Phi Kappa Phi. He also serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for RiboNova, Inc.
JULIE GOONEWARDENE
Associate vice chancellor for Innovation and strategic investment
University of Texas System
JULIE GOONEWARDENE
Associate vice chancellor for
University of Texas System
Ms. Goonewardene is the associate vice chancellor for innovation and strategic investment for the University of Texas System. In this role she serves as the strategic leader and advisor for the UT System and UT institutions in all areas related to commercialization, growth and expansion of innovation and entrepreneurship including the UT Horizon Fund. She is also responsible for the development of sustainable academic-industry partnerships. She serves on the Board of Trustees for the American Medical Association as its public member. She is the third person to ever hold this position. Additionally she is a member of the board for the Personalized Medicine Coalition. Ms. Goonewardene was recently name to the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE). The Council advises the Secretary of Commerce on issues related to accelerating innovation, expanding entrepreneurship and developing a globally competitive workforce.
Prior to her role in Texas she held leadership positions with the University of Kansas and Purdue University. One of her primary focus areas was company formation and capital acquisition for start-up companies. While at Purdue she designed and managed Purdue's first venture fund
In addition to being recognized as an expert in bringing groups together across the health care spectrum to develop solutions to medical issues, Ms. Goonewardene is an experienced entrepreneur. She co-founded and served as president of a venture-backed software company, which she sold in 2004. Previously, she was president of an information technology consulting firm and co-founder of an IT professional services firm that went public three years after its inception.
Ms. Goonewardene is a frequent speaker both nationally and internationally on entrepreneurship and an author on innovation. She is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and the Chicago Finance Exchange.
Ms. Goonewardene holds a Bachelor of Science with honors in general management and a Masters of Science in health communication both from Purdue University.
JOHN HILL
Network Catalyst
Techstars
JOHN HILL
Network Catalyst
Techstars
Traded one passion for another which led me to leave Michigan State University to become the Higher Education Evangelist at LinkedIn. Did it one more time moving from LinkedIn to become the Network Catalyst for Techstars, which supports the world’s most promising entrepreneurs throughout their lifelong journey, from inspiration to IPO. I have a thing for cool work titles. I also believe "changing the world" can be more than hyperbole. Building relationships and connecting people with opportunity are at my core. I rely heavily on online and offline networks to facilitate each. I am young, smart and global at heart, MSU by passion and driven by nature. I've presented at over 100 conferences in 16 countries, helped build the suite of Higher Education products for LinkedIn and am currently working to build the largest entrepreneurial network in the world.
NATASIA MALAIHOLLO
Co-Founder, CEO, and Chief Hacker
Wyzerr
NATASIA MALAIHOLLO
Co-Founder and CEO, and Chief Hacker
Wyzerr
Natasia Malaihollo is a Co-Founder and CEO at Wyzerr, a tech startup that builds customer feedback surveys that look like games. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Ms. Malaihollo studied law, with a focus on Intellectual Property (IP). She worked for several years as a patent specialist and trademark agent, prosecuting applications for companies like IBM, Samsung, and Fujifilm. Ms. Malaihollo received her Bachelor’s Degree from UC Berkeley.
RODNEY WILLIAMS
CEO and Co-Founder
LISNR
RODNEY WILLIAMS
CEO and Co-Founder
LISNR
Rodney Williams leads one of the most disruptive companies in the IoT space and the world of mobile connectivity. He is the 2016 Black Enterprise Tech Entrepreneur of the Year and been honored by Ad Age's Top 40 under 40 and the Upstart100. Rodney is a P&G brand management alumnus, known for being the first marketer there to co-write digital patents. He is also a former Lockheed Martin and Department of Energy disruptor. He achieved those honors after earning four degrees by the age of 24.
AUSTIN ALLISON
Entrepreneur, Co-Founder, and CEO
dotloop
AUSTIN ALLISON
Entrepreneur, Co-Founder, and CEO
dot loop
Austin Allison is the founder and GM of dotloop, a software company that digitizes the real estate transaction. Austin joined Zillow Group in August 2015 after the company’s acquisition of dotloop, which he founded in 2009, and where he served as CEO. As dotloop’s GM, Austin oversees the day-to-day operations of the brand and manages the Cincinnati office.
Austin has been recognized by numerous industry publications, including Forbes’ 30 Under 30, and was one of 10 CEOs selected as Ohio’s Most Talented Entrepreneurs by CEO Magazine. Austin was featured on the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine and was named by Inman News as Innovator of the Year and one of the Top 100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders. Austin graduated summa cum laude from the University of Cincinnati, and studied Law at the the Cincinnati College of Law.
WAEL SAFI
Procter & Gamble - R&D
Procter & Gamble
WAEL SAFI
Procter & Gamble - R&D
Procter & Gamble
Dr. Safi’s international health and consumer care related experience includes over 12 years in the pharmaceutical and consumer goods industry, in the areas of research, communications, and business development. He currently is an Open Innovation Leader for the Procter & Gamble Company where he leads R&D efforts harvesting the Silicon Valley ecosystem for partnerships and technologies as well as developing and growing partnerships with North American Universities. He has held several advisory roles for local charities, foundations and currently serves as and advisor to several start-ups, academic institutes and government organizations.
HECTOR MEDINA
Vice President IT/Strategic planning and Analytics
Macy's
HECTOR MEDINA
Vice President IT/Strategic planning and Analytics
Macy's
Hector is responsible for leading the technology capability for Macy’s corporate functions including real state, store planning, design, construction, architecture and engineering. He is also responsible for strategic planning and analytics for the stores.
Prior to his current role, Hector spend 19 years at Procter & Gamble in various global leadership positions in Business Technology and Supply Chain in 3 different countries, and 4 ½ years at Luxottica as Sr. Director Global Information Technology.
A native of Mexico, Hector holds a BS degree in Biochemical Engineering from the Instituto TecnolĂłgico de Monterrey, MBA from UoP and currently a MS in IT at UC.
Hector was named in the top 100 most influential and notable Hispanic Professionals in the Information Technology Industry in 2015 by Hispanic IT Executive Council.
STEVE FIFITA
Executive Director
City Digital
STEVE FIFITA
Executive Director
City Digital
Steven Fifita is the Executive Director at City Digital, a collaboration with UI LABS, where he leads the National Innovation Accelerator focused on creating collaborations between government, industry, and academic partners around a common goal of leveraging Chicago as a test-bed for piloting Smart City solutions. Steven has had more than 20 years of experience in technology innovation, global strategy and commercial execution working for companies like Diebold Inc., Best Buy, Cisco Systems, and Hewlett Packard. Most recently, Steven was the Managing Member at ADG Holding where he advised companies on corporate development, strategy and innovation across a number of different industries including IoT/analytics, consumer electronics, health, finance, banking, and energy. Steven has also served as the Chairman of the Economic Advisory Board for the Stanford Project on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SPRIE) and the Stanford Project on Japanese Entrepreneurship (STAJE) and is a frequent speaker on topics of innovation and entrepreneurship clusters.
TOM SAVOCA
Founder
urbanHive
TOM SAVOCA
Founder
urbanHive
Tom Savoca is the Founder of urbanHive, an on demand staffing startup that helps employers find and mange their entry level temp staff using its online platform. Tom graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2016 with a degree in architecture and real estate. During his studies, Tom's various co-op experiences showed him the value of experiential learning. Tom created urbanHive to help bring the value of the 'earn while you learn' approach to the masses in a sustainable way. urbanHive seeks to be the long term provider of employment solutions for the fast growing gig economy.
MIKE BOHN
Director of Athletics
University of Cincinnati
MIKE BOHN
Director of Athletics
University of Cincinnati
Mike Bohn is the director of athletics at the University of Cincinnati. His career spans 30 years and includes record-setting achievements at multiple institutions.
As director of athletics at the University of Colorado from 2005—2013, Bohn successfully led its transition to the Pac-12 Conference. CU won four conference championship titles in two years, including the first for men’s basketball in 43 years. Meanwhile, Bohn enhanced academic support for scholar-athletes, resulting in departmental highs for APR and GPA. He oversaw several multimillion-dollar capital projects and facility upgrades, as well as secured the largest corporate sponsorship in school history. In 2008, CU garnered national attention for launching the first zero-waste stadium initiative at the college or professional level. In 2013, CU was named the most economically efficient athletics department in the nation by the Laboratory for the Study of Intercollegiate Athletics at Texas A&M.
Prior to the University of Colorado, Bohn was director of athletics at San Diego State University. As director of athletics at the University of Idaho from 1999—2003, Bohn successfully led its transition to Division I-A from the Big Sky Conference. Bohn spent three years at Colorado State University as associate director of athletics.
KATHIE MAYNARD
Assistant Dean of Innovations and Community Partnerships
University of Cincinnati
KATHIE MAYNARD
Assistant Dean of Innovations and Community Partnerships
University of Cincinnati
Dr. Kathie Maynard (Assistant Dean of Innovations and Community Partnerships) works to engage the College of Criminal Justice, Education, and Human Services (CECH) at the University of Cincinnati with the community (schools, informal education organizations, workforce intermediaries, community organizations, and business & industry). A major area of collaboration currently focuses on the community-identified priority of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education.
Dr. Maynard provides co-leadership for two community-based organizations focused on STEM education: Greater Cincinnati STEM Collaborative (GCSC) and Ohio STEM Learning Network (OSLN). In this work, she facilitates collaborative service projects, research, and grants. In the last three years, she has served as either co-PI or senior personnel on nearly $3 million in grant funds and $425,000 in local business and foundation funds. These grants have included pre-service teacher development, in-service STEM professional development, research on the implementation of engineering design instruction by science and math teachers, and STEM education outreach. Additionally, she engages and supports the development and implementation of a cross-college and unit partnership across the University of Cincinnati with Hughes STEM High School.
Kathie creates pragmatic solutions to educational challenges based on her extensive experience as a science teacher for 16 years, her doctorate in curriculum and instruction, and her research in authentic STEM instruction in science and math classrooms.
ANDREW BACKS
Founder
Pilot44
ANDREW BACKS
Founder
Pilot44
Andrew is the founder of Pilot44, a company that enables brands to proficiently discover, pilot, and employ emerging technologies from across the global startup ecosystem. Prior to founding Pilot44, Andrew led Procter & Gamble’s open innovation effort in Silicon Valley. He is an experienced corporate entrepreneur that spent 10 years at P&G and has marketing, retail, finance, M&A, and extensive business development experience. Andrew has a unique talent for bridging an entrepreneurial approach with the complexities of large company operations, cutting through the noise to bring meaningful solutions to market.
WENDY LEA
CEO
Cintrifuse
WENDY LEA
CEO
Cintrifuse
Having delivered business solutions in 30 countries, Wendy brings a worldly point of view to digital innovation and a charming edge to her entrepreneurial pursuits. She’s a harmonious blend of San Francisco’s upstream edge, Boulder’s down to earth vibe and the Deep South’s infectious charm.
Her entrepreneurial success is evidenced through the acquisition of OnTarget in 1999 by Siebel Systems, where she was a co-founder; Stratify’s acquisition in 2007 by Iron Mountain, where she served on the board and, most recently, Get Satisfaction’s acquisition by Sprinklr where she was an investor and CEO. Through her 5 years of board service at Corporate Visions she guided exponential growth that led to a significant round of private equity investment in June 2015.
Currently, she is the CEO and serves on the board of Cintrifuse, a public-private partnership that enables high-growth startups to prosper in Cincinnati. Wendy uses her years of entrepreneurial experience to lead and mentor the most promising startups in #StartupCincy, Greater Cincinnati’s startup movement. Her industry knowledge helps founders find product/market fit, connect with customers and develop funding strategies.
Wendy extends her leadership to two non-profit boards, The Health Collaborative and Cincinnati's Symphony Orchestra. She also serves on the private venture-backed board of Zyleme, a learning content management company, based on Boulder. She is a member of C200 and Cincinnati Women’s Executive Forum. In 2012 and 2013, she was recognized as a Women of Influence in Silicon Valley and in San Francisco.
PETER LANDGREN
Provost and Interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
University of Cincinnati
PETER LANDGREN
Provost and Interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
University of Cincinnati
As Interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost of the University of Cincinnati, Peter E. Landgren is the university’s chief academic officer, providing oversight and strategic direction for its more than 44,000 students, 4,200 faculty and 12 academic colleges on the Clifton Campus, two regional campuses in Blue Ash and Clermont, the Graduate School and a collection of state-of-the-art university libraries. He oversees the human and fiscal resources that fuel UC’s academic and research mission with assistance from the 14 academic deans and Provost senior staff while also supporting various aspects of faculty and student success.
Through constant collaboration with the deans, faculty, staff and students, Landgren works to continue the ever-forward momentum of UC. By fostering the school’s growth through new partnerships, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and the incorporation of experiential learning, he strives to modernize the student experience and support the development of young professionals. A former chair of the Council of Deans, as well as a past member of the President’s Cabinet and the UC Foundation Board, Landgren has been involved in numerous levels of administration and management, devoting much of his time to improving the academic experiences of students and faculty across campus.
