Get to know the speakers.

Jon Lambert

Chief Executive Officer

Jon brings over 30 years of professional experience and organizational and operational leadership across the public and private sector.

Timmeko Moore Love

General Manager and Senior Vice President

Timmeko Moore Love leads Greentown Houston as Greentown Labs’ first-ever Houston General Manager and Senior Vice President.

Robert Pieroni

Director of Italian Business Development

For gener8tor, a renowned venture capital firm.

Robert has established a remarkable track record in
developing initiatives that bridge the gaps between various stakeholders in the entrepreneurial landscape.

Jane Stricker

SVP and Executive Director

Jane has responsibility for the Partnership’s effort to leverage Houston’s energy leadership to accelerate the transition to an energy abundant, low-carbon future.

Mike Tauiliili Brown

Founder and Chief Visionary Officer

Win-Win, a venture backed startup behind the Compete-2-Earn technology that enables fans to compete in fun mobile games and earn blockchain based badges.

William Schlitz

Chief Operating Officer

William brings 30 years of expertise in public and media relations, community engagement, and legislative advocacy.

Bailey Kinney

Executive Director of Lemonade Day Houston

Bailey's 27 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and business ownership has prepared her to organize, promote, and host events for the Lemonade Day youth entrepreneurship program.

Jonah Margulis

Head of N.A., Aker Carbon Capture

Mr. Margulis joined Aker Carbon Capture in February 2023 and has significant leadership experience from his roles spanning nearly a decade within the Aker group.

Samantha Colletti

Managing Director for Silicon Valley Bank

Samantha has spent her whole career in the financial services and banking industry covering venture capital, private equity, technology and innovation.

Brannon Albritton

JP Morgan

Brannon has been with J.P. Morgan since 2011 and is an Executive Director in the Technology & Disruptive Commerce team, where he specializes in providing

banking solutions.

Al Ware

Founder & CEO of VoxBox

Within just one year, his exceptional strategy and dedication transformed VoxBox into a design powerhouse, renowned for its innovative approach and exceptional design acumen.

Robert Johnson

Business Advisor II at the Ft. Bend County SBDC

Robert spearheads transformative initiatives including the SBIR/STTR Task Force and Entrepreneurship 101, focusing on empowering underserved communities and university students.

Jordyn Wright

Founder and CEO of J. Brielle Handmade Goods

Jordyn passionately utilizes her platform to inspire and
empower youth like her to pursue their interests through social entrepreneurship.

Israel Wilson

Leading Beauty Walker Studios, he empowers indigenous artists to monetize their crafts, merging technology with cultural expression.

Expert in Emerging Technologies

Darren Smith

Co-founder and COO of Tradeblock

Tradeblock is the #1 barter-based social marketplace for sneakers.

Nate Thompson

Co-Founder of HTX Sports Tech

Nate provides advisory services for professional sports organizations, venture capital firms, accelerators, and consulting agencies, seamlessly connecting innovative tech solutions with strategic growth objectives.

Bryan Luhn

Interim Director of Media Relations for the UH

Bryan is an accomplished storyteller and communicator whose work has been honored by national press and industry organizations, including a Murrow Award and several Emmy Awards.

Julie Russ

Director of Retail Experience at Third Coast Bank

With over twenty-five years of experience, she leads the branch network including 16 branch locations, the service center, and online banking.

Andy Roehr

Managing Director

Andy focuses on the Energy Transition where he helps companies develop and execute their energy strategies with everything from hydrogen to small modular reactors and fleet fuel transitions.

Michelle Avalos

Co-Founder of Impact Hub Houston

Michelle is passionate about economic equity and helping people find Decent Work to achieve Economic Growth. She empowers change makers to transform their vision into action for good.

Bill Bobbora

Chief Banking Officer

With over 30 years of corporate finance experience, Mr. Bobbora’s expertise is centered around building middle market corporate banking platforms and the bank’s overall growth strategy.

Firoz

Seasoned Tech and Management Professional

Firoz is passionate about implementing technology with the aim to benefit society and is always searching for new innovations to bring to market.

Jerry Varnado

Venture Partner and Angel Investor

Jerry has a portfolio of early-stage companies ranging from EV infrastructure and marketplaces, to platforms and vertical SaaS.

Billy Cohn, M.D.

Director of CDI at TMC

Dr. Cohn has been granted more than 90 US patents or patents pending. Since 2012, Dr. Cohn has served as the Chief Medical Officer and on the Board of Directors for BiVACOR and CSI Inc.

Dr. Muddasir Siddiqi

President at Central College

With a passion for higher education and a reputation for visible leadership characterized by energy, vision, and entrepreneurship, Dr. Siddiqi is driving innovation and academic excellence to new heights

Dr. Danielle Stagg

Department Chair at HCC

With a rich background in both non-profit management and higher education Dr. Stagg brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Speech, Communication, & Sign Language department at HCC.

Professor Shasta Beveridge

Professor and Program Coordinator at HCC

With a passion for fostering innovation and workforce development, Shasta is dedicated to preparing design students for success in the ever-evolving landscape of the industry.

Professor Cheryl Whitaker

Fashion Merchandising Program Coordinator

With a wealth of experience in the fashion industry, Cheryl is a motivating and results-oriented educator dedicated to inspiring students to achieve academic and personal excellence.

Sharon Burinyuy Fuhnjem

Mechanical engineer at HCC

Sharon is not just a student; she's a force of change within her academic community. Her HCC experience has been transformative, fostering her growth as a leader and a global citizen.

Mohamed Mahrez Haboubi

Computer Engineer at HCC

Mohamed is a driven and forward-thinking student on a mission to revolutionize the world of technology through his unwavering dedication and passion for computer engineering.

James Mable

Director of the CJPSC

James oversees district-wide initiatives to support student success in job placement, internship development, and career readiness.

Filecha Lucas

Master of Career Services (NCDA)

With a diverse skill set and a passion for serving at-risk and underserved populations, Filecha is dedicated to making a positive impact in higher education, career planning, and organizational leadership.

Dr. Amy Tan

Dean of English and Communications at HCC

With over 15 years of experience teaching English Composition and Literature at the college level, Dr. Tan brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role.

Dr. Maya Durnovo

AVC for Entrepreneurial Initiatives at HCC

Dr. Maya spearheads initiatives to foster small businesses and entrepreneurial ventures across the college district, driving economic growth and empowerment within the local community.

Todd Duplantis

Director and General Manager of HCCTV

With a career spanning over 30 years as a seasoned broadcasting professional, Todd oversees all aspects of the network's operations while also hosting HCCTV's flagship program.

Dr. Ravi Brahmbhatt

Director of Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship at HCC

Dr. Ravi strives to cultivate viable economic opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Sandra Louvier

Director, Center for Entrepreneurship at HCC NW

Sandra has 17 years of experience in economic feasibility analysis and appraisal in the hospitality industry at PKF Consulting, Marriott International, and as President of Louvier & Associates.

Susana Rosas

Founder and visionary of Suyana Designs

Through Suyana, she strives to preserve indigenous Latin American traditions of handcrafted accessories while providing the artisans knowledge on how to break the cycle of poverty.

Michelle Ngome

Outreach Director for Goldman Sachs

In this role, Michelle spearheads efforts to connect entrepreneurs with vital resources and support to fuel their growth and success.

Khalil J. Vinson

Leader, and founder of Tech Fest Live

With a profound commitment to advancing technology education, Khalil's journey as the visionary behind Tech Fest Live showcases his unwavering dedication to empowering the next generation.

Alex W. Reed

President & CEO of Yokogawa Fluence Analytics

Alex Reed is the founding CEO of Fluence Analytics, a technology company that delivers hardware/software systems for continuous process analytics .

Jay Manouchehri

CEO & Chairman of the Board for Yokogawa Fluence Analytics

Yokogawa Fluence Analytics, a technology company that provides real-time analytics solutions for the optimization of manufacturing and R&D processes.

Adrienne Blanks

Accomplished Entrepreneur in the Beauty Industry

Throughout her career, her business savvy and creative vision have been recognized by leading publications such as Essence magazine, Glamour, just to name a few.

Salvatore Grignano

Sr. Marketing and Promotion Officer, Italian Trade Agency

A dynamic and results-oriented senior professional with a master’s degree in Management Engineering from Turin Polytechnic. His expertise lies in enhancing brand visibility, driving business growth.

Sarah Smith

Co-Founder of Speakerbox Media

Sarah obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and has a passion for helping businesses leverage their expertise digitally to drive demand.

Phillip

Chairman of Impact Hub Houston

Phillip is a licensed and practicing attorney in the State of Texas and the Southern District of the United States. He has extensive experience in corporate law, commercial litigation, and bankruptcy related matters.

Muriel Foster

Co-Founder, Program Director, and Certified Nonprofit Professional

They leverage their expertise in both nonprofit and business sectors to identify and implement innovative strategies for fostering new business ventures.

Kristeen Reynolds

CEO and Co-Founder of DrinKicks

DrinKicks is a CPG company that repurposes food waste and recycled materials into sustainable shoes. DrinKicks also has a strong emphasis on educating consumers about the power of the circular economy.

Ashley DeWalt

Co-Founder & Managing Partner of the Collectiv

Ashley DeWalt is an emerging fund manager, advisor, and mentor for venture-backed startups. The Collectiv, a community-powered VC fund investing in growth-to-late stage startups, franchises and leagues at the intersection of sports, technology and innovation.

Alfredo Arvide

Chief Innovation Officer for Blue People

With close to 20 years of professional work experience, Alfredo Arvide is a versatile marketing executive and technology expert with an entrepreneurial spirit.

Isis Ashford

COO & Co-founder of Xplosion Technology

Isis Ashford-Swain, COO and co-founder of Xplosion Technology, has served as senior personnel in two NSF SBIR Phase I grant proposals and overseen a combined budget of $520,000 in federal funding

Thomas Fields

Founder & CEO of GRIND

Thomas Fields is the founder & CEO of GRIND, a sports brand developing a smart ecosystem of training equipment, starting with a portable basketball rebounding machine (seen on Shark Tank).

Jeff Idehen

Head of Ops and Growth for Tobe Nwigwe

Jeff Idehen is renowned for his strategic role in the music industry, primarily as the head of operations and growth for Grammy-nominated artist, and Houston’s shining star, Tobe Nwigwe.

Ray Smith

Co-Founder of Speakerbox Media

Ray holds a degree in Audio Engineering and has a passion for helping entrepreneurs find their white space, reach their audience, and develop and build brand authority.

Zoë G. Cherry

Writer & Equestrian enthusiast

Zoë G. Cherry is a 6th grader, writer, and equestrian enthusiast. At age 6, she was diagnosed with dyslexia but continued using her imagination through art and computer coding.

Jose Avalos

Co-Founder and CEO of TECH23

Jose Avalos is the Co-Founder and CEO of TECH23, dedicated to elevating Latinos in Tech through media and entertainment. His leadership has steered TECH23 to produce impactful content and events, fostering a vibrant Latino tech community.

Gabriel L. Silva

Actor, Model, Podcaster

Gabriel L. Silva started acting in school plays in his hometown of Houston, TX. He began acting and modeling classes at the Page Parkes Center for Acting and Modeling, continuing to mature in his craft through one-on-one coaching.

Kodi D. Bailey

Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Equiliberty Inc.

Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of EQUILIBERTY INC, is a seasoned technology professional with 24 years of IT experience and a proven track record in operations and cybersecurity leadership.

Arianna Williams

Founding President of the PVAMU

Arianna Williams is a senior at Prairie View A&M University studying business management. As the founding president of the PVAMU Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Ken Williams

Founder of GROW

Green Resources & Opportunities Workforce, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering BIPOC communities in the energy transition and green economy.

Wade Pinder

Founder of Houston Product Community

Wade has cultivated an inclusive space where industry professionals gather to share insights, hone skills, and forge valuable connections.

Garett Noel

Branch Manager for Third Coast Bank

A leader with 20 years of experience in retail and business banking, he joined Third Coast Bank in 2021 to open the Conroe retail Branch.

Meera Naehr

Business and Finance Executive

Her 25+ year career has included a diverse set of leadership roles in management consulting, finance, energy trading, investment analysis, entrepreneurship.

Marya Cokar

Faculty Member at Rice University

Marya's strength is in the area of mathematical modeling, experiment design, data analysis, machine learning and dimensionless analysis for scale-up

Alex Pagliano

SVP, Media Services and GTM

Alex is positioned at the convergence of digital, finance, and strategic planning. He is a highly sought-after consultant with a track record of working with blue-chip brands.

Ruben Duran

Sr. Developer at Houston Community College

With a proven track record of success in the higher education industry, Rubén is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of technology to enhance learning experiences and empower students.

Dr. Nithy Sevanthinathan

Director of HCC’s International Student Services

With a distinguished career spanning public, private, and state universities, Nithy is renowned for his role in fostering academic and workforce solutions on a global scale.

Sayma Said El Hoderi

International student ambassador at HCC

With a genuine desire to empower others and create a more inclusive and supportive campus culture, Sayma invites her peers to explore and seize the countless opportunities that HCC offers.

Igor Lucic

Artificial Intelligence student at HCC

With a strong foundation in Electronic Engineering and Software Engineering, Igor is poised to make a significant impact in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence.

Mary Lawson

Faculty Division Chair for English at HCC

Mary has demonstrated a passion for fostering student learning and success. Her dedication to teaching excellence is evident. spanning from English composition to advanced literature studies.

Susie Molina

Spanish-speaking Spokesperson

With a diverse background, Susie brings extensive expertise in managing community relations and public affairs efforts, coupled with a deep understanding of local government affairs

Deidra (Lewis) Sutton

Business Advisor at Houston Community College

With a wealth of experience spanning over 30 years in the MBE space, Deidra brings invaluable expertise to her role. Her commitment for empowering businesses make her an invaluable asset to the HCC community.

Natara Branch

CEO for Houston Exponential

Natara is a leader and an experienced business strategist and investor. She currently serves as a Director for Super Group (SGHC) and as a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee for Bleuacacia ltd (BLEU).

Luis Arregoces

Chief AI Officer for Blue People

Luis brings more than 15 years of experience working on Machine Learning and Quantitative Analysis.

Kehlin Swain

CEO & Co-founder of Xplosion Technology

Kehlin is a software engineer who has created a suite of digital health products in the rehabilitation, diabetes, and obesity management sector. He has served as a Principal Investigator with multiple NSF SBIR Phase I awards and has two formal patents.

Tim Aramil

Manager, Commercial Partnerships, Technology & Innovation Office at Jacobs

He has held various roles in technical, strategic planning, and leadership positions. His previous work includes developing NASA flight hardware, training and mentoring junior engineers, among other things.

Hannah M. Le

Founder of RE.STATEMENT

The powerhouse of upcycled fashion. Inspired by the scraps of fabric saved from her mom’s alterations shop, fashion design was the first job she ever wanted - until she discovered how much of a fiend she is at applying behavioral economics.

Christopher A. Howard

Founding General Partner of Softeq Venture Fund

Christopher A. Howard is the founding General Partner of the Softeq Venture Fund and Softeq Venture Studio accelerator program. Chris also serves as CEO of Softeq Development.

Zariah G. Cherry

Writer & Award-winning author

Zariah G. Cherry is an 11-year-old, writer, and award-winning author of her debut children’s book “Lulu, the Lollipop Girl”, which is part of a new book series, Lulu.

Brandy Guidry

Pearland Navigator for Innovation HUB

She leads the efforts in promoting the Hub throughout the Pearland community and ensures all partnerships, sponsorships and programming align with the Pearland Economic Development Corporation (PEDC)’s strategic plan.

Glenn Klimchuk

Houston Market Office Executive Director

A strategy leader with more than 30 years of experience in senior management, operations, consulting, and corporate-wide performance improvement working for a broad range of corporates, and private equity portfolio companies.

Meredith Wheeler

Co-Founder and CCO of Sesh Coworking

In 2017, after experiencing years of work-from-home loneliness and feelings of exclusion from traditional workspaces, she created the Girlsesh Community, bringing together hundreds of working women from all across Houston for connection, and support.