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Council of National Advisors
The Members of the Springboard Council of National Advisors of Springboard Enterprises are some of the most talented and accomplished leaders in the business world. The Council was convened to advise and support the organization and its Board of Directors and to actively advocate on behalf of Springboard Enterprises and its alumnae among their peers and within the broader business community. Click on a picture below to learn more about one of our Advisors.
Council of National Advisors:
Denise Brosseau
Well-Connected Leader, Inc.
Denise Brosseau is the CEO of Well-Connected Leader, Inc., (WCL) an executive talent agency which specializes in building the visibility, credibility and thought leadership of executives and CEOs. Clients include senior leaders at Apple, Medtronic, Agilent and KPMG as well as start-up entrepreneurs and service professionals.
Prior to founding WCL in 2008, Denise spent over 15 years in the women's leadership arena, founding and serving as the first CEO of the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (now Watermark) and growing it into the country's leading organization for women-led startups with 7 offices across the US and Europe. Denise also co-founded and continues to serve on the National Council of Advisors to Springboard Enterprises, the prestigious women's startup launch pad that has led to over $5 billion in funding for women entrepreneurs.
A Wellesley graduate with a Stanford MBA, Denise began her career in the high tech industry with marketing roles at Motorola, Broderbund, and Kensington. Today, she is a frequent speaker on leadership, thought leadership and career acceleration strategies at companies (KPMG, Roche, Intel), conferences (CA Governor's Conference) and universities (Stanford, Berkeley, Wellesley).
In 2012, she was honored as a Champion of Change by the White House and as one of the Top 100 Women in Northern California by the Girl Scouts. She serves as Chair of the Advocates board of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte and on the for-profit board of 416 Holdings. She also serves on the Business Advisory Council of Belle Capital USA. Her book, Ready to Be a Thought Leader?, will be published by Wiley Press in 2014.
Connie Connors
CKC Communications
Connie Connors is a leader in strategic marketing communications. For more than 25 years, she has worked with both startup and Fortune 500 technology companies in public relations and marketing, business planning and product development, investor relations and growth strategies as well as overall branding. She is a futurist and positioning expert having been instrumental in the launch of many brands such as Amazon, Priceline, Lending Tree, RealNetworks, Overture, 24/7 and Vonage as well as helped many well known brands transform their businesses online: Disney, Nordstrom, National Geographic, NYTimes.com and others.
Connie built her firm, Connors Communications, from 1984 through 2008, at which time the firm transitioned to search optimization and ultimately became an Internet company, HitTail, which was sold in 2011. Connors Communications was highly regarded, both domestically and internationally, as the top public relations firm specializing in consumer technology and new media.
Currently, Connors is actively involved in an advisory capacity to several startup companies as well as not-for-profit organizations. She graduated from Santa Clara University with a BA in Theatre Arts and Dance.
Dr. Pamela Reilly Contag
Cygnet Biofuels
Pamela R. Contag, Ph.D., is currently the CEO of Cygnet Biofuels. Pam founded four venture-backed start-up companies; Xenogen Corporation was listed as one of the “Top 25 Young Businesses” by Fortune Small Business and in both 2001 and 2003 received the R&D 100 award for achievements in Physics. Xenogen Corp. completed a public offering in 2004 and was subsequently acquired by Caliper Life Sciences; Cobalt Technologies, was named multiple times as a Top 20 Company in Cleantech, as is now in product demonstration; Cygnet Biofuels, is a company that consults and develops platforms in biomass and biofuels; and ConcentRx, is a novel therapeutic for oncology indications. Pam was named one of the “Top 25 Women in Small Business” by Fortune magazine. In 2011, Pam was appointed to the Founding Board of the Startup America Partnership, an organization envisioned by the Case and Kauffman Foundation and The White House to identify, encourage, and celebrate all entrepreneurs.
Pam has held various consulting and board positions, public, private and not-for-profit. Those positions include a consulting Professorship at Stanford School of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics (1999-present), the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (1999-2005). Pam was a Director of Xenogen Corporation (Nasdaq) (1995-2005) and was CEO and Chairman of Cobalt Technologies (2005-2008) and a Delcath (Nasdaq) Board Member (2008-2011). In 2009, she also joined the DOE Biomass Technology Advisory Committee and two nonprofit boards, Springboard Enterprises, an accelerator of women entrepreneurs, and the VTT-MSI Center for Bioengineering. In 2010 Pam joined the Merrick Engineering Consultancy specializing in the energy field.
With more than 25 years of microbiology research experience, Pam is widely published in the field of Microbiology and Optical imaging and has over 36 patents and patent applications. Dr. Contag received her Ph.D. in Microbiology at the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1989 and completed her Postdoctoral Training at Stanford University School of Medicine in 1993 specializing in “Host/Pathogen Interactions”.
Ellen Corenswet
Covington & Burling LLP
Ellen Corenswet is Co-Chair of Covington’s Venture Capital/Emerging Company Practice Group, resident in the New York office. She has over 35 years' experience in venture capital transactions at all stages, representing both companies and investors. Ms. Corenswet typically acts as outside general counsel to company clients. She advises emerging companies on structuring issues, founders’ equity, compensation and equity plans, commercial matters, angel and venture capital financings, private placements, and IPOs. Ms. Corenswet advises public company clients on SEC disclosure and compliance, public offerings, PIPEs, corporate governance, and equity incentives. Her practice also includes representation of public and private companies in M&A transactions, including acquisitions and divestitures. Clients include TouchTunes Interactive Networks, Inc., the world’s largest out-of-home entertainment technology company; VantagePoint Venture Partners, a West Coast venture capital firm focused on cleantech, technology and software; and Acorda Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly-held specialty pharmaceutical company. Ms. Corenswet has been recognized (2006–2011) as a leading life sciences corporate lawyer by The Practical Law Company (PLC). She received a J.D. from Stanford Law School in 1975, where she was a member of the Stanford Law Review and received her BA from the University of Florida in 1972.
Joan Fallon
Curemark
Dr. Joan Fallon is the founder and chief executive officer of Curemark LLC, a drug development and research company focused on the treatment of neurological diseases. Curemark reported positive FDA Phase III clinical trial results for CM-AT, a treatment for autism. Curemark was founded on Dr. Fallon’s research that revealed an enzyme deficiency in children with autism resulting in a dearth of amino acids, the building blocks of protein.
Dr. Fallon filed her first patent application in 1999 and has worked to research autism and related disorders, as well as to commercialize her findings. Her discovery of a biomarker for autism and ADHD and her vast array of intellectual property has formed the foundation of Curemark LLC. She presently holds 15 Patents, and has 42 patents pending worldwide.
Dr. Fallon has both clinical and academic experience. Prior to founding Curemark in 2004, she spent 25 years in private practice specializing in pediatric development. She was an assistant professor of natural science and mathematics at Yeshiva University, and has lectured extensively worldwide on pediatric development and disease states related to the growth and development of children.
Dr. Fallon has been an integral part of multiple successful medical ventures, as well as becoming a founding scientific board member at Oxford Health Plans. Dr. Fallon was one of the first physicians to enter Romania and to help determine the state of Romanian orphanages as an emissary of the US government.
“Dr. Joan", as she is known to all, has passed on her two great passions: a love for children and a love for baseball to over two decades of children who have passed through her practice. A student of the game, she graduated from the Harry Wendelstedt school of umpiring, named the outstanding graduate, and receiving the humanitarian award for the graduate who best exemplified the characteristics of an umpire both on and off the field. An athlete all of her life, Joan was the first woman to enter the Westchester NY Junior Golf Tournament at the age of 12, she was NYC one-on-one champion in basketball in her senior year in high school, and was a nationally ranked squash player in college. She has combined her love of children and sport in numerous venues, including umpiring on Saturday’s for the handicapped Challenger league games. She presently serves as an advisor to the New York Yankees on disability services for the new Yankee Stadium.
She has a BA degree from Franklin and Marshall College, a DC degree from Palmer University, and has completed her work for the MSc in clinical investigation from Harvard University’s joint program with Massachusetts General Hospital. She resides in Bronxville, NY.
Debra Filtzer
American Express
Debra Filtzer has spent her career supporting the success of small businesses and entrepreneurial ventures.
Debra has worked for American Express since 2005, serving in a variety of marketing roles throughout the company. She is currently Director of Small Business Marketing in the Global Merchant Services division, where she develops loyalty marketing strategies and interactive online content to increase brand awareness and customer satisfaction. Debra has also led events marketing for the Commercial Card organization and premium customer marketing for high value small business Cardmembers. In her first job within the small business Card group, Debra spearheaded numerous brand, acquisition and loyalty campaigns and launched the successful Make Mine a Million program.
Prior to American Express, Debra was a co- founder of Springboard Enterprises, a national venture catalyst organization that connects women entrepreneurs to investors. She developed and produced 30+ venture capital forums, bootcamps and educational programs, helping 300+ women-led firms raise $2B+ in equity capital. Prior to Springboard, Debra was Program Manager at the National Women’s Business Council, a federal advisory commission.
Debra’s previous work experience includes marketing for a growing technology start-up, setting up early stage venture capital and angel funds, managing political consulting firms and working with political action committees. Debra received her BA in Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics, and Government from The American University in Washington, DC. She resides in New York, NY.
Lauren Flanagan
SCIO Corp
Ms. Flanagan is Managing Partner of BELLE Capital, LP, an early stage Fund that invests in high growth companies in the Midwest and other underserved geographic markets. She is also a Managing Partner of the Phenomenelle Angels Fund, and chief executive officer of strategic advisory firm, SCIO Corp. Ms. Flanagan has more than 25 years experience in founding and operating technology companies, and has invested in 30 companies in the past 7 years. Before founding SCIO Corp, Ms. Flanagan co-founded WebWare Corporation, a leader in digital asset management, and served as WebWare's chairman and chief executive officer for 7 years. WebWare, one of the first Software as a Service (SaaS) companies, was acquired in 2003. Prior to WebWare, Ms. Flanagan co-founded 4 technology companies and consulted for high technology leaders including Apple, Atari, HP, IBM, Microsoft, NeXT, Texas Instruments and Xerox. A Springboard finalist in January 2000, Ms. Flanagan received Trailblazer Awards in 2000 and 2001 from the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs. She was also awarded IT Software CEO of the Year for 2002 by Frost and Sullivan. BusinessWeek selected her as one of the Top 25 Angels in Tech in 2010. Springboard Enterprises recognized her with their Northstar award in 2011. Ms. Flanagan is Executive Chairman at Current Motor Company, chairman of the board at HarQen Inc., and serves on the boards of directors of Springboard Enterprises and Michelle's Miracle Inc. Ms. Flanagan also serves on Dell’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence Advisory Board, on the Angel Capital Association's collaboration committee and is an active investor on Angel List.
Darcy Garner Bhatia
Channel Family Assets
Darcy Garner Bhatia is an advisor to entrepreneurial individuals and families around the areas of self, money and service.
Darcy was a founding Partner of Highmount Capital, a 2.5 billion dollar wealth management firm. While at Highmount, Darcy structured and managed the firm's internal investment capabilities and resources. Darcy’s passion for educating women and the next generation was well known in the industry and during her time at Highmount, she developed a governance and education program that in 2010 was introduced as its own stand alone entity, a not for profit called The Redwoods Initiative. TRI seeks to educate individuals around three main areas: self, money and action (service) and works through collaboration with other advisors in these specialties for families.
Prior to forming Highmount Capital, she served as a Portfolio Manager and Managing Director at Trainer Wortham & Company in New York, where she designed strategic investment and asset allocation strategies for families. Previously, Darcy served as Vice President and Portfolio Manager at The Pacific Bank in San Francisco, where she established the Investment Management Division of The Pacific Bank before it was sold to City National in late 1999.
Darcy received her BS from Tulane University and her MBA from Thunderbird, The Graduate School of International Management in Glendale, Arizona. Darcy has served on a variety of non-for-profit boards including K.I.D.S. and is a founding and advisory member of The Redwoods Initiative. She is a member of the Women’s Presidents Organization (WPO), Financial Women’s Association (FWA), New York Society of Security Analysts (NYSSA), The CFA Institute, Financial Planning Associations (FPA), and STEP. She holds a series 65, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, and a CFP (Certified Financial Planner). She is a member of Golden Seeds, a women’s angel investing group and on the Board of Springboard Enterprises, a venture catalyst for Emerging growth ventures led by women.
Calvin L. Hackeman
Corporate Director and Advisor
Cal is a member of the Board of Directors of Social and Scientific Systems, an employee-owned company headquartered in Silver Spring, MD. He also serves as an advisor to various private companies including start-ups in the technology space. In addition to his involvement in Springboard Enterprises, he is actively involved in two additional not-for-profit organizations serving as a Director of the Capital Area Preservation Board in Raleigh, NC and as Vice President of the Stretch Glass Society.
Cal retired from Grant Thornton LLP as of January 31, 2012, after more than 36 years with the firm. He most recently served as National Managing Partner of the Technology Industry Practice at Grant Thornton LLP, the US member firm of Grant Thornton International, one of the six global audit, tax and advisory organizations. Grant Thornton is a dynamic organization focused on serving public and private dynamic, growing organizations in our chosen markets.
Cal’s leadership at Grant Thornton has also included a career-long commitment to community leadership. Cal serves on the Board of Directors and as Treasurer of Springboard Enterprises. In the past, Cal has served on the Commercial Policy Board of Directors of TechAmerica and on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA), Mid-Atlantic Venture Association, the Northern Virginia Minority Business Association, the Professional Services Council, the Reston Board of Commerce, the Prince William County-Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Jaycees and the Greater Manassas Jaycees. He is a past president of the Reston Board of Commerce, the Prince William County-Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Manassas Jaycees. He also served as an appointed member of the Manassas, Virginia Downtown Revitalization Committee and the Manassas, Virginia Business Council. He has been active in numerous local and national civic and charitable organizations.
Ellen Hancock
Consultant, Former President of Jazz Technologies, Inc., Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Exodus Communications, Inc.
Ellen M. Hancock served as the President of Jazz Technologies, Inc and President and Chief Operating Officer of its predecessor Acquicor Technolgy Inc from August 2005 to June 2007. Prior to its merger with Jazz Semiconductor Inc., a wafer foundry, in February 2007, Jazz Technologies (then known as Acquicor) was a blank check company formed for the purpose of acquiring businesses in the technology, multimedia and networking sector.
Ellen M. Hancock is the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Exodus Communications, a leader in complex Internet hosting and managed services. She joined Exodus in March 1998 and served as chairman from June 2000 to September 2001, Chief Executive Officer from September 1998 to September 2001 and president from March 1998 to June 2000.
Hancock was with IBM for 29 years, serving in various staff and line executive positions. She was appointed an IBM vice president in 1985 and senior vice president in 1992. Her last position was as Senior Vice President and group executive, responsible for the networking hardware division, the networking software division, and the software solutions division. She was also a member of the IBM Corporate Executive Committee and the IBM Worldwide Management Council.
Following IBM, Hancock joined National Semiconductor in September 1995 as an executive vice president and Chief Operating Officer in the office of the president reporting to the CEO. Hancock was responsible for the company's technology, applications, and product development.
Hancock also served with Apple Computer in 1996 as Executive Vice President, R&D and Chief Technology Officer. She was responsible for research, quality and assurance, OS development, multimedia and networking software development, as well as overall technical strategy.
Hancock is a member of the boards of directors of Colgate Palmolive and Aetna. She was on the boards of Watchguard. Jazz,and EDS. She is chairman of the board of trustees of Marist College and on the board of Santa Clara University. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Committee of 200 (Women Executives) and on the Board of Trustees of the Pacific Council and Springboard. She is on an advisory board of the RAND corporation.
She is a graduate of the mathematics program at the College of New Rochelle, holds a Master of Arts degree in mathematics from Fordham University, and an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the State University of Western Connecticut.
Lore Harp McGovern
Business@Venturess, LHM Ventures
She co-founded Vector Graphic Inc in 1976 and initiated a successful public offering in 1981, led by Hambrecht & Quist and Shearson Lehman Brothers. She also co-founded Pacific Technology Venture Fund in 1981 and headed firm with offices in Tokyo and San Francisco from 1984 through 1985. She founded Aplex Corporation in 1985 to develop products for the feminine hygiene market and holds two patents for her invention until she sold marketing rights in 1990.
She was CEO from 1990 of Good Morning Teacher! Publishing Company, with 750 titles from K-12, and consumer- oriented educational materials for 4-8 year old children, and sold the company in 1999. She has served as Mentor Investor since 1998, raising seed capital, first or second-round financing for companies in the technology sector. In 2000, with her husband, she established The McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT and is actively involved as a Director. Lore has also been involved in politics for over 30 years as major fundraiser on the National and State level.
Lore is also a former director for the American Electronics Association and Montgomery Ventures. She is Chair Emeritus, Board of Associates for Whitehead Institute at MIT and was a director for Pacific Community Ventures, Inc until 2011 She is currently a member of the Visiting Committee for Theater Arts at MIT, Council for the Arts at MIT and the Band of Angels. She is a Director at Lohika Inc, and serves as board observer for IDG. In addition she serves as Advisor to numerous companies. Lore has also received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1983 and Distinguished Citizen Award in 2008, awarded by The Commonwealth Club and the Distinguished Alumnus award from Pepperdine University in 2012. She received her BA from California State University in Los Angeles and her MBA from Pepperdine University.
Holly Hassett
Consultant
Holly is a well-respected, seasoned public affairs advocate who for much of her career headed up the government affairs operations for The Hershey Company, a large, publicly traded, food and consumer goods manufacturing company. Since her retirement from Hershey, Holly has worked as a Consultant, Board Member and Advisor providing strategic guidance to corporate, trade association and non- profit clients seeking to influence the political process on a broad range of public policy issues.
Holly spent 25-years at The Hershey Company starting in 1978 when she opened their Washington, D.C. Corporate office after working on Capitol Hill as a Legislative Assistant for a member of the US House of Representatives after college. She served as Manager of Hershey's Washington Office until 1992 when she was named Director of Federal Government Relations. In 1994 she relocated to Corporate Headquarters in Hershey, PA to manage international, federal, state and local government relations programs for the company. Holly retired from The Hershey Company in June of 2002 as Vice President of Government Relations and a corporate officer.
In addition to government relations consulting, Holly spends much of her time working with non-profit organizations that focus on entrepreneurship, leadership and literacy. In 2013, she was nominated and appointed to the DC Advisory Board of the Posse Foundation, which recruits promising high school students from diverse, disadvantaged backgrounds and provides them with full 4-year university scholarships, mentoring and leadership training. She has served for many years on the Council of National Advisors of Springboard Enterprises, which educates, showcases and supports women entrepreneurs as they seek equity capital to build their businesses. For more than a decade, Holly has served on the boards, and recently joined the Advisory Councils, of the Washington-Ireland Program and the South African- Washington International Program, which inspire, prepare and support the next generation of young leaders in these two post-conflict countries by providing summer internships and leadership training in Washington, DC to outstanding university students. Holly has also been actively involved with the DC Chapter of Room to Read, an organization which promotes literacy in the developing world by building libraries, schools and providing books, in addition to offering educational scholarships to empower young girls.
Terry Chase Hazell
Advisory Committee Chair and Presiding Officer, Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF)
A nationally recognized biotechnology and academic leader, Terry Chase Hazell has more than 20 years of experience leading university programs, launching companies, managing and advising funding agencies and serving as a senior adviser to academic and business leaders.
Currently, Hazell is appointed by the Governor as Advisory Committee Chair and presiding officer of the $400 million Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF). She led the investment review and recommendation of over $50 million. She has led multiple reforms that have shortened the review process, streamlined compliance, and dramatically improved transparency. Recently, at the request of the TETF trustees, she led the State of Texas’ due diligence and investment in Texas A&M University System’s pandemic influenza manufacturing program.
Hazell launched or grew several University programs, including the University of Maryland’s Biotechnology Program, professor venture fair, entrepreneur office hours and Texas State University’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Program. Though these programs she has launched or helped founders launch over 40 start-up companies—many of them led by women. She serves on the national advisory committee for the leading women’s accelerator, Springboard Enterprises.
Prior to her university career, Hazell was an entrepreneur spinning out university technologies into successful companies. She founded the award-winning startup Chesapeake PERL, which was named one of Fortune Magazine’s Coolest Companies and recognized not only as the best Maryland Incubator company but also as the best technology transfer company by the Federal laboratories. Hazell began her career in contract biologics manufacturing, where she managed large teams, process development, technology transfer and CGMP manufacturing through Phase III clinical trials.
Hazell speaks and writes for nationally-recognized conferences and periodicals. She led the entrepreneurship education tracks at the Massachusetts, Texas and Pennsylvania Governors’ women’s conferences and was a commencement speaker at her alma mater, the University of Maryland. The Austin American Statesman named her one of Austin’s most social citizens in the 500 Out and About, and the Austin Business Journal named her one of the top 20 politically-minded Austinites to know.
Christie Hefner
Canyon Ranch Enterprises
As Chairman and CEO of Playboy Enterprises, Inc. from 1988 to 2008, Christie Hefner oversaw the global expansion of Playboy’s legendary brand to a wide array of new platforms and markets, transforming a domestic publishing-based business into a global multi-media and lifestyle company. She was the longest serving female CEO ever of a public company: she was named one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World by Forbes magazine for three consecutive years (2005-2007); and in 1991, she was inducted into the Women's Business Development Center Hall of Fame for "opening doors and building opportunities for all women entrepreneurs."
Christie currently serves as Executive Chairman of Canyon Ranch Enterprises, a new company leveraging the brand and knowledge of Canyon Ranch via media and business partnerships. Christie has also been working with the Center for American Progress, the leading progressive think tank started and run by John Podesta, and appearing regularly on cable news to talk about business and public policy.
The first woman elected to the Chicago chapter of the Young Presidents' Organization, Christie helped to found the Committee of 200, an international organization of preeminent women business owners and executives. She currently sits on the Council of National Advisors for Springboard Enterprises, which supports women-led growth ventures, and has long been involved in working to elect progressive candidates, advance women, and first amendment issues. She was a founding partner of The Directors’ Council, which is dedicated to meeting the increasing needs of public boards for independent directors by increasing the diversity of boards.
She’s on the board of Trustees for Rush University Medical Center and has also distinguished herself as a committed HIV/AIDS activist, dedicating time and resources to many AIDS-related programs. She spent four years as project board chairman for the CORE Center––a public-private partnership between Rush University Medical Center and Cook County Hospital––and raised $30 million to build this innovative clinic and research facility, which opened in Chicago in the summer of 1998. The CORE Center conducts clinical research and provides prevention education and outpatient care for people with HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases.
Christie was born in Chicago in 1952. Elected to Phi Beta Kappa in her junior year of college, she graduated from Brandeis University summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and American literature in 1974. After graduation, she worked as a journalist for a year for The Boston Phoenix.
Lorrie Keating Heinemann
Wisconsin Capital Partners
Lorrie Keating Heinemann served as Governor Jim Doyle's Secretary of the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) from 2003-2010. In 2004, Heinemann co-founded the Wisconsin Angel Network (WAN) with the Wisconsin Technology Council (WTC), which was recognized by Inc. Magazine and the National Governor’s Association as a best practice in angel investing. She served on WAN’s Angel Advisory Committee, on the WTC’s Board and a Trustee for WiSys Technology Foundation, an affiliate of WARF (Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation). Prior to her position, Heinemann founded an investment firm in 1985 and 5 years later merged it into Valley Bank, where she built a portfolio from $10 million to $150 million of assets under management. Lorrie holds a BBA from UW Eau Claire, a MBA from UW Oshkosh and Series 7 and Series 24 securities licenses. Lorrie is a 2007 graduate of the Venture Capital Institute.
Julia Klein
C.H. Briggs
Julia Klein is a Chief Executive, Board Director, and leader in the building materials distribution industry. As President, C.E.O. and currently Chairwoman of C. H. Briggs Company, she transformed a local business into a super regional, professionally managed platform company.
With expertise in strategy, governance, mergers and acquisitions, technology and supply chain solutions, and the residential and commercial construction industries, Ms. Klein has led C. H. Briggs for over 20 years. The Company is one of the nation’s largest independently owned distributors of specialty building materials. Customers include manufacturers, architects and designers of specialty interior products. Ms. Klein has successfully integrated 6 acquisitions expanding the C. H. Briggs footprint throughout the Middle Atlantic and Southeast.
Strategic use of new technology has established the company’s reputation as an innovator and Ms. Klein’s reputation as a thought leader in the industry. Over the last 20 years Briggs has achieved top quartile performance in its’ segment, and is among the nation's top 100 women-owned businesses.
She has served as C.E.O. and Chairwoman of C. H. Briggs since 2007. She is a member of the Boards of Directors of Hedwin Corporation in Baltimore, Reading Hospital Medical Group, the Reading Hospital & Medical Center, and the Advisory Board of Modern Distribution Management. She is a former member of the Advisory Boards of Quaker Maid Meats, Inc. in Reading, Arbill Safety Supply Company in Philadelphia, and the Regional Advisory Board of Wachovia Bank.
She and C.H. Briggs have received numerous industry and community awards. Ms. Klein was a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards© in Greater Philadelphia, and was honored with the Junior Achievement Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame Award, the Athena Award, and as a Distinguished Girl Scout Alumna by the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania. She also received the SmartCEO magazine Brava Award and Best Managed Companies in Philadelphia.
Ms. Klein is actively involved in numerous professional organizations. She is a former member of the Board of Directors of the NAW (National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors) Institute for Distribution Excellence, the Board of Directors of the North American Building Materials Distribution Association, and the Cabinet Industry Distribution Association, which she helped establish. She is a member of the World Presidents’ Organization (WPO) and a former member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO); she is also a member of the Committee of 200, an international organization of women entrepreneurs, executives, and board members.
She was a member of the Board of the Berks County Community Foundation for 11 years, served as Chairwoman and continues as a member of its Governance Committee. Ms. Klein was a founding member of the Berks Economic Partnership, and a member of the Nominating & Governance Committee of Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
She earned a Master Degree in Public Policy as an Urban Scholars Fellow at the University of Chicago and a B.A. from the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio. Ms. Klein and her husband have a son and live in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Kay Koplovitz
Chairman, Springboard Enterprises
Founder, USA Networks
Chairman of the Board, Fifth & Pacific Cos. (formerly Liz Claiborne, Inc.)
Chairman and CEO, Koplovitz & Company
Board Member, CA Technologies
Author and Entrepreneur
Kay Koplovitz is the founder of USA Network and the first woman network president in television history. A pioneer in cable television networks and new media ventures, she is a visionary woman who led the emergence of cable television to challenge the broadcast networks for coveted audiences. Kay served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer from USA’s premiere in 1977 as an all sports service (Madison Square Garden Sports), until stepping down in 1998. During her tenure, she built USA into the #1 ranking in primetime viewership among cable networks, for 13 consecutive years at the helm. Under Koplovitz’s direction, USA launched the SCI FI Channel in 1992, which has become one of the industry’s top ranked networks in viewership according to Nielson and is distributed to over 200 million households worldwide. In April 1994, she launched USA Networks International, which now operates in countries around the world. The Company was sold in 1998 for $4.5 Billion and became a publicly listed company.
She continues to be a leader in raising venture capital for women entrepreneurs and in launching new programming companies that challenge the frontiers of the digital age. She is the author of Bold Women, Big Ideas (May '02) also available as an ebook, which she wrote to inform and inspire women entrepreneurs to create wealth through equity. Kay speaks on subjects ranging from media and the digital revolution, to venture and private equity and corporate governance. Her company, Koplovitz & Company provides advisory services to entertainment companies, sports organizations, advertisers and distributors and advises companies on growth strategies. The firm also invests in early to mid-stage companies in media and technology.
In 2000, Kay co-created Springboard Enterprises, a national organization that fosters venture capital investments in women-led high growth companies. She also co-founded Boldcap Ventures, a venture capital fund backed exclusively by leading women executives. Boldcap invests principally in early to mid stage companies in the media, technology, and healthcare sectors. Kay counts among her accomplishments the Presidential appointment as Chair of National Women's Business Council (1998-2001). She is the recipient of numerous awards and inductions for her leadership accomplishments in the areas of Media and Entrepreneurship.
Kay currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Fifth & Pacific Cos. (formerly Liz Claiborne, Inc.), ION Media and CATechnologies, the world's leading independent IT management software company. Kay has previously served on the boards of Instinet, Oracle, Nabisco, General Re, and Sun New Media. She serves as trustee of The Paley Center for Media and The University of Wisconsin. She holds a master's degree in Communications from Michigan State University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin as well as honorary doctorate degrees from Emerson College, St. John's University, Michigan State University and Canasius College. A native of Milwaukee, Kay is married to private investor William C. Koplovitz, Jr.
Lauri Kien Kotcher
Godiva Chocolatier, Inc.
Lauri Kien Kotcher joined Godiva in February 2009, as Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President, Global Brand Development. In this role Lauri has been responsible for leading Godiva’s brand and marketing initiatives in the areas of product and packaging innovation, store design and visual merchandising, pricing and promotions, licensing and marketing communications, including advertising, digital marketing, social media, CRM, public relations, cause marketing and sustainability. Over the four years since Lauri joined Godiva, revenues have grown 50%, EBITDA has improved 30% and the strength of the brand equity has reached new heights. Growth has been driven by product innovation, expanding the brand into new countries and channels, transforming the retail experience and creating engaging marketing communications, including launching the first ever cause marketing program for the brand. Under Lauri’s leadership, Godiva has been recognized with industry awards for new store design, the quality of PR/events, and for the Godiva Rewards loyalty program.
Prior to Godiva, Lauri was a Managing Director at Lehman Brothers, where she was head of marketing for the equities business, with a focus on innovating and marketing Lehman’s industry leading equity research business. She rebranded equity research and launched two major new $50MM businesses.
Earlier, Lauri spent three years at Pfizer Consumer Healthcare as the head of Global Marketing where she was responsible for global marketing and innovation initiatives for the $4 billion consumer division of Pfizer. Her team led the global brand portfolio including Listerine, Nicorette, Visine, Rogaine, Purell, and Zyrtec, which accounted for 70% of the business. Lauri’s team significantly enhanced product innovation at Pfizer, driving double-digit category growth in several categories and growing the whole business at twice the industry average. The strength of the new product pipeline was the primary reason the business was sold for a record valuation to J & J.
Prior to Pfizer, Lauri was a partner at McKinsey and Company, one of the world’s leading general management consulting firms. Over her 15 year career at McKinsey, Lauri served clients and led teams around the world across a wide range of consumer driven industries including luxury retail and prestige brands, packaged goods and consumer healthcare. Lauri was co-leader of McKinsey’s North American packaged goods practice as well as the leader of McKinsey’s Customer Management, Innovation and M&A/Alliance service lines. She authored multiple articles and speeches and sat on the Advisory Board of the GMA, the leading consumer packaged goods industry association.
Lauri earned her BA degree cum laude at Princeton University in The Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and a combination JD/MBA degree from Stanford University. She is the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Churchill School and Center (a private school in NYC), and served on the Board of Directors of Mosaic, a private equity backed company, through its eventual sale.
Geraldine Laybourne
Serial Media Entrepreneur
Geraldine Laybourne founded Oxygen Media, a 24-hour cable television network for young women, where she served as Chairman and CEP until she sold it to NBC Universal in 2007. Gerry was a cable programming pioneer in the 80’s and 90’s: she lead the team that created Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite. She also served as president of Disney/ABC Cable Networks (from 1996-1998) where she ran cable programming for the Walt Disney Company and its ABC subsidiary.
Ms. Laybourne has been singled out for her many contributions to the industry. She was ranked No. 1 among the 50 most influential women in the entertainment industry by The Hollywood Reporter in 1996 and named one of the 25 most influential people in America by Time magazine that same year.
She serves on the Board of Directors of J.C. Penney, Symantec Corporation, and the non-executive Chairman of the Board of Alloy Inc. She is the President of the AAVC and on the Board of Trustees of Vassar College and a corporate ambassador for Vital Voices. She and her husband Kit, a teacher, producer, and author, have two children and four grandchildren.
Joan Lyman
Lyman Management Group
Joan Lyman is a Partner with Lyman Capital Management (LMG), which specializes in entrepreneurs' economic interests, and is the CEO and co-founder of Olopoly, a digital marketing infrastructure software company. She co-founded SecureWorks, an Atlanta based Internet security firm in 1998 and served as the initial CEO and Chairman of the Board. SecureWorks was sold to Dell in 2012 for $600 million. As a leading expert in Internet Startups she teaches a course nationwide in the hottest topic of future founders: Finance verses Economics - what every start up should know when selling to Investors.
Pat Mitchell
The Paley Center for Media
Pat Mitchell’s diverse background in media includes work as a journalist and producer and executive. She has worked in front of the camera and behind, anchoring the news and reporting for broadcast networks, producing award winning documentaries as President of CNN Productions, becoming the first woman President and CEO of PBS, and currently is the President and CEO of the Paley Center for Media whose mission is to convene media professionals and media consumers for programs that explore the role of media in society. Throughout her career, Mitchell has engaged the power of media and storytelling as an agent of social change. She was the first woman to launch, produce and host her own nationally syndicated program “Woman to Woman,” and continues to be active in breaking new ground for women across the media landscape, including a current series of initiatives and programs called Women@Paley which includes producing an annual TEDxWomen conference in partnership with the TED organization. Her many awards, include multiple Emmy Awards, five Peabodys and two Academy Award nominations. Mitchell is also a sought after speaker and mentor. Most recently featured in Fast Company’s Special Report, The League of Extraordinary Women and Huffington Post named Pat one of the Powerful Women Over 50. Pat also recently was named one of the 21 Leaders For The 21st Century and Newsweek's 150 Women who Shake the World. She has received the Sandra Day O’Connor Award for Leadership, the Women in Cable's Woman of the Year Award, was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame. The Women’s Media Center has honored Ms. Mitchell with the Pat Mitchell Lifetime Achievement award, an award that will be given annually in her name. Ms. Mitchell serves on the boards of VDAY, a movement to end violence against women and girls, is Vice Chair of the Sundance Institute, a Trustee of the Mayo Foundation, a board member of Global Green USA and Acumen Fund and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Women’s Forum Inc and the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Mitchell also sits on the corporate board of AOL.
Toby Moskovits
Heritage Equity Partners
Toby Moskovits is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Equity Partners, a family office advisory firm based in NYC. Heritage works with a global network of entrepreneurs and their families, supporting their diversification efforts in acquiring control and minority stakes in operating companies and real estate. Toby has had a long history working with families around the world, both at Heritage and in her previous roles, and has developed a specific expertise guiding the 2nd generation in the art of strategic diversification outside of the family’s core business. Prior to founding Heritage, Toby served as Managing Director of private equity and venture capital investment activity at Cammeby’s Capital Group, a family investment company based in NYC with significant holdings in real estate. In October of 2006 Toby founded Gotham Angels, a NYC based Angel Investment group focused on providing angel investors with middle market private equity opportunities. Prior to that she founded Cato Advisors, a boutique investment bank and consulting firm providing advisory services to early and growth stage companies. From 1998-2002 Toby lived in Israel during which time she worked at Israel Seed Partners, a $250 million fund based in Jerusalem, in addition to holding operational and advisory roles in a number of technology companies. During her tenure at Israel Seed Partners, the fund invested in Cyota (sold to RSA) and Dealtime (IPO: Shopping.com, subsequently sold to Ebay). Toby currently serves as Chairman of the board of Melior Discovery and is a founder and board member of Global Fellows in Social Entrepreneurship. Toby has a B.Sc. from Touro College and an MBA from Bar Ilan University, both awarded summa cum laude.
Michael Murdoch
Aon Risk Solutions / Private Risk Management
Michael F. X. Murdoch serves as Strategic Advisor to both Aon’s national and international accounts, bringing global resources to his prospects and clients. Mr. Murdoch’s primary areas of expertise are real estate, family office, media, telecommunications, public entities, financial institutions, hedge funds, waste management, entertainment and hospitality. In addition, he specializes in Property and Casualty lines, as well as Private Client Services.
Prior to joining Aon, Mr. Murdoch served as a Managing Director for Marsh & McLennan and was an account executive on multi-national accounts. In addition, he was part of Marsh & McLennan’s Risk Evaluation Group, specializing in risk management due diligence analysis for buyout companies and private and public investment groups. He was also the co-head of the Private Client Services Group, which provided risk management advice and placement to High Net Worth and Family Office clients.
Michael began his insurance career with Johnson & Higgins.
Betsy Myers
Leadership Expert
Betsy Myers is the founding director of the Center for Women and Business at Bentley College. Prior to her appointment, Myers was most recently speaking and leading corporate workshops around the world on the changing nature of leadership and women's leadership, work that continues in her role with the center. Her new book, Take the Lead, was released September 2011.
Previously, Myers was a senior adviser to Barack Obama's presidential campaign, as COO and as chair of Women for Obama. Prior to the campaign, Myers served as executive director of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, and worked closely with the Harvard's Women's Leadership Board.
During the Clinton Administration, Myers was the President's senior advisor on women's issues. As deputy assistant to the president, she launched and was the first director of the White House Office for Women's Initiatives and Outreach. She played a critical role in Clinton's re-election effort in 1996 and figured prominently in shaping the administration's legislative agenda on a number of important issues, including many with significant impact for women.
Betsy also served as the associate deputy administrator for Entrepreneurial Development in the U.S. Small Business Administration. In a previous post, she was the director of the Office of Women's Business Ownership at the SBA. Prior to joining the Clinton Administration, Myers spent six years building Myers Insurance and Financial Services, based in Los Angeles. Betsy received her undergraduate BAin Business Administration from the University of San Diego, and a Master's in Public Administration from Harvard's Kennedy School, where she was a Public Service Fellow.
Carol Nichols
Capital One Bank, Texas Women Ventures, Golden Seeds, North Texas Angel Network
Carol Nichols is a serial capitalist with a passion for fast companies and fast horses. Carol has multiple methods for getting companies "out of the starting gate" through Springboard Enterprises and early stage Angel groups Golden Seeds and North Texas Angel Network. She is also involved in directing capital to later stage companies via Texas Women Ventures, which she co-founded. Recently, Carol joined Capital One Bank to continue her third decade in banking -- now focused on growing Middle Market companies in North Texas.
Carol is a leader in capital access initiatives for women-business owners and also in mentoring women. Carol was a co-founder of women mentoring groups at both JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America. She was an early advisor to Texas Wall Street Women which now has over 700 members.
The Fort Worth Business Press has recognized Carol as one of the "Great Women of Texas." Carol graduated Cum Laude from the University of Georgia with degrees in Economics and Political Science and she received an MBA from Tulane University.
Mindy Posoff
Golden Seeds, LLC, Traversent Capital Partners, LLC
Mindy M. Posoff is a Managing Director and member of Golden Seeds, an investment firm whose network is dedicated to investing in early stage companies with diverse management teams. She is also the Founder of Traversent Capital Partners, LLC, a consulting firm focusing on strategic solutions for hedge funds and asset management firms.
Ms. Posoff is a senior financial services professional with expertise in strategic development and institutional sales and marketing. She has over 20 years experience with top-tier global financial services organizations.
Prior to Traversent and Golden Seeds, Ms. Posoff was one of the three co-founders of NewMarket Capital Partners, LLC, an investment management company focusing on absolute return strategies for the institutional investor. She was the firm's Chief Operating and Compliance Officer as well as Co-Head of Sales and Marketing.
Previously, Ms. Posoff was a Vice President at E*Trade, where she was a key leader in business development and was instrumental in expanding the firm's strategic asset gathering initiatives as well as developing alternative distribution channels for the online broker. She served on the board of directors for E*Trade Asset Management, E*Trade Advisory Services, and E*Advisor.com. Prior to E*Trade, Ms. Posoff was a Director at Credit Suisse First Boston and an institutional sales manager of the structured product sales group.
Ms. Posoff is a Trustee of The HighMark Mutual Funds, a member of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. She is also Chair of the Board of Directors of AboutOne, an on line family management company and a member of the Board of Directors of 100 Women in Hedge Funds. Additionally Ms. Posoff is a Member-Director of the Samuel S. Fels Fund, a member of the Board of Managers of The Philadelphia Foundation and a member of Springboard Enterprises’ Council of National Advisors. In 2007, Ms. Posoff was appointed by Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell to the Board of Trustees of Salus University. She has an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. from Beloit College.
Heidi Roizen
Draper Fisher Jurvetson
Heidi Roizen has spent her life immersed in the Silicon Valley ecosystem – as an entrepreneur, corporate executive, venture capitalist, educator and member of the boards of directors of private and public companies, trade associations and nonprofit institutions.
After receiving her undergraduate and MBA degrees from Stanford University, Heidi co-founded T/Maker Company (an early personal computer software company) in 1983, where she served as CEO from inception through its acquisition by Deluxe Corporation in 1994. In 1996, Heidi joined Apple as Vice President of Worldwide Developer Relations. From there, Heidi entered the venture capital world, serving as a Managing Director for Mobius Venture Capital from 1999 to 2007.
Today, Heidi is a Venture Partner at leading global venture capital firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ). She is also a Fenwick and West Entrepreneurship Educator in the Department of Engineering at Stanford University, where she teaches the course Spirit of Entrepreneurship. Heidi is a member of the board of directors of TiVo (NASDAQ:TIVO), DMGT (LSE:DMGT), TrustedID, ShareThis, XTime, and of Eventful and serves on the advisory boards of Springboard Enterprises and the National Center for Women in Information Technology.
Amy Rosen Wildstein
Boldcap Ventures, LLC
Amy Rosen Wildstein serves as the Fund Manager for Boldcap Ventures, LLC, a venture capital fund that invests in early to mid-stage women-led companies, primarily in the healthcare and technology sectors. Wildstein oversees the investment activities of the fund.
Prior to Boldcap, Wildstein served as a Principal of Solera Capital, which was formed in 1999. Prior to this position, she worked at Morgan Stanley, where she was responsible for evaluating potential acquisition candidates and structuring investments for Morgan Stanley's $2 billion investment fund.
Prior to Morgan Stanley, Wildstein worked with The Blackstone Group and focused on private equity investing and mergers and acquisitions. With this experience under her belt, Wildstein is able to play a crucial role for Boldcap's portfolio companies in developing and executing financial strategies, including public equity and debt financings, bank facilities and private equity placements. Amy has served on the Boards of Directors of companies in the media, healthcare information technology and consumer sectors.
Muriel Siebert
Muriel Siebert and Company, Inc.
Muriel “Mickey” Siebert is the founder and President of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) brokerage firm that bears her name, Muriel Siebert & Co., Inc. She established the firm in 1967 when she became the first woman member of the NYSE and transformed it into a discount brokerage house on May 1, 1975, the first day that NYSE members were permitted to negotiate commissions. On December 28, 1997, she celebrated her 30th anniversary. To commemorate 30 years of service as the first woman member, she was invited to ring the closing bell on January 5, 1998.
In 1977, Mickey took a leave of absence from her firm to serve five years as the first woman Superintendent of Banking for the State of New York under Governor Hugh Carey. As such, she was responsible for the safety and soundness of not only the banks, but also other financial institutions in New York State. In 1982, Mickie resigned from her government post to run for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate. This was her first campaign for political office. She polled second among three candidates in the primary.
Mickey is known to pull no punches in lectures, panels and talk shows. She often exhorts the industry to utilize women more aggressively: "American business will find that women executives can be a strong competitive weapon against Japan and Germany and other countries that still limit their executive talent pool to the male 50 percent of their population." One of Muriel Siebert's favorite words is "risk." She maintains that, “the real risk lies in continuing to do things the way they've always been done." For Muriel Siebert, the secret to making a difference is to "take stands, take risks, take responsibility - and care deeply about how America's big institutions affect the lives of individual people."
In 1999, while president of the New York Women's Agenda - a coalition of over 100 women's organizations - Muriel Siebert developed the Siebert Personal Finance Program – Taking Control of Your Financial Future, a curriculum that teaches essential financial management skills to young people. Developed through the Muriel F. Siebert Foundation, this high school program is in use in various school districts across the nation and has been adapted for middle schools and adults. In keeping with her personal agenda, In 2009, the New Jersey Coalition for Financial Education chose Ms. Siebert as the First Recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award for Promoting Financial Literacy, which they named after her.
Throughout her career, Ms. Siebert has been actively involved in a wide range of non-profit, civic and women's organizations. She is currently on the boards of The Economic Club of New York, The New York State Business Council, the Greater New York Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and the Guild Hall Museum, to name only a few. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Committee of 200, the International Women's Forum, Springboard Enterprises and the New York Women's Forum. Muriel Siebert is also a former appointee to the New York State Commission on Judicial Nomination and the National Women's Business Council.
Ms. Siebert has received countless awards and honors throughout her career, including the first woman selected as "one who has made a difference" for the Working Women's Hall of Fame. In 1994, she was inducted into the International Women's Forum Hall of Fame in the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY. She received the Sara Lee Frontrunner Award in Business which honors the service, accomplishments, and abilities of women who represent achievement and shape the future. She was also a recipient of The Athena Foundation's highest award given to those "who open the doors of leadership opportunity for women." Her most recent honors include the Town Hall Friend of the Arts Award, NAWBO First Signature Award for Lifetime Achievement as a pioneering women's business owner, the Iphigene Ochs Sulzberger Award for Contributions to Family Life from Inwood House, the Pride of New York Award and, in March 2007, the "Pioneering Woman Award" from the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC. Most recently, she was named one of U.S. Banker Magazine's 2010 "25 Most Powerful Women in Finance."
Ms. Siebert's autobiography, "Changing the Rules - Adventures of a Wall Street Maverick," was published in November 2002 by Simon and Schuster.
Andrea Silbert
Eos Foundation
Andrea Silbert is the President of the Eos Foundation which supports ground-breaking initiatives and systemic solutions aimed at securing an equitable and just society where the basic human needs of all individuals, especially children, are met.
In 1995, Andrea co-founded and served for nine years as the CEO of the Center for Women & Enterprise, the largest women's entrepreneurial development center in the country. CWE serves entrepreneurs ranging from owners of small home-based businesses to founders of fast-growth technology companies like Zipcar and iRobot. Andrea began her career on Wall Street as a financial analyst with Morgan Stanley in New York. She left the country in 1988 to serve in grassroots economic development in Costa Rica, Colombia, and Brazil.
A nationally recognized advocate in the area of economic empowerment, Andrea was selected in 2001, along side of Senator Barbara Mikulski and Gloria Steinem by Working Woman magazine as one of only 25 leaders in the past 25 years who “have given women in the workplace a better shot.” Nationally, Andrea served as the founding President of the Association of Women’s Business Centers, meeting with Congressional leaders to promote legislation to assist women-owned and small businesses. In 2000, she was appointed to the National Women’s Business Council, which provides advice to Congress and the President on issues of concern to women entrepreneurs, particularly around access to capital and government procurement. Andrea was a co-founder of Springboard Enterprises, a national organization which has helped fast-growth women entrepreneurs raise over $2 billion in angel financing and venture capital.
Andrea lives in Harwich, Massachusetts, with her three children. She attended Harvard University, earning a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.
Ingrid Vanderveldt
Dell
Entrepreneur, investor and media personality, Ingrid Vanderveldt (iV) has made “Empowering a Billion Women by 2020” (EBW2020) her mission. By leveraging her business, policy, and media initiatives, Vanderveldt strives to guide motivated women to success and help make their visions a reality by providing the tools, technology & resources.
In business, she is the Entrepreneur-in-Residence (“EIR”) for Dell Inc. and the Creator/Curator of the $100M Dell Innovators Credit Fund (DICF) to power entrepreneurs worldwide. Leader of the Dell Founders Club and the Dell Center for Entrepreneurs, Vanderveldt oversees the program that provides access for Dell’s 10M small business customers. Her resources and expertise helps entrepreneurs worldwide build and grow their companies.
In addition to her work at Dell, Vanderveldt holds the position as Founder & CEO of the holding company, IngridVanderveldt LLC, the CEO of VH2 Energy Investments & Green Girl Energy, and is the Founding Organizer of the GLASS Forum (Global Leadership & Sustainable Success) for women. Vanderveldt serves on the Advisory boards of Springboard Enterprises, Current Motor, Belle Capital and the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) Member. Vanderveldt also sits on the UN Foundation Global Entrepreneurs Council. Co-Founder of The Billionaire Girls Club, Vanderveldt believes technology is the key denominator to the success of growing companies. She holds a patent for one of the first “personalization software” applications, United States Patent 6266668.
In 2012, Vanderveldt took her expertise to Washington D.C. where she helped architect the first Federal and State based Entrepreneur in Residence Bill, aimed to simplify small business regulatory hurdles to help business owners start and grow their companies.
Vanderveldt’s spirited personality led her to opportunities as a business television host, an international speaker and subject matter expert on entrepreneurship, women’s leadership and our global economy. She created and hosted CNBC’s first original primetime series, “American Made,” reaching over 1M viewers around the globe. She is the host of the online entrepreneurship show, “On the Road with iV” and “The Conversationalist Series” by Dell. She speaks on topics such as “The Future of Technology” (TedxFiap- Brazil) and “Making the Impossible, Possible” (TedxFiDiWomen- SFO).
She has been featured on outlets including NBC, CNBC, FOX, ABC, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Today Show, Power Lunch and The Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo. Her first book, “Making the Impossible, Possible” will be released in 2013.
Her philanthropic efforts focus on women’s leadership, development and entrepreneurial initiatives in developing countries, starting with Haiti. To kick off this initiative, she supported the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Haitian Global Cohort, in partnership with Thunderbird School for Good and The US State Department, providing grants and computers (provided by Dell) to 27 women entrepreneurs in Haiti.
She has a Masters in Architecture and an MBA in Entrepreneurship. She was awarded the 2012 Alumna of the Year from The Savannah College of Art & Design. Ingrid is a skydiver, motorcycle rider, snowboarder, art enthusiast and lover of her family, friends, great coffee and wine. She travels non-stop promoting women and entrepreneurship issues around the globe based out of Austin Texas where she lives with her husband, a professional skydiver and their two dogs.
Debra Walton
Thomson Reuters
Debra Walton is Managing Director of the Enterprise Content team at Thomson Reuters. Her team is responsible for our DataScope suite of offerings and the ongoing product management, development, operations, sales and marketing for all our non streaming pricing and reference data which is delivered to our Financial & Risk customers globally. In addition to her day-to-day business responsibilities Debra is an executive sponsor of the Thomson Reuters Women’s network.
Debra has been a member of the Thomson Reuters senior management team since 2003 and has held a number of Senior Management roles including President of Global Accounts, Managing Director and Global Head of the Investment Banking Division and Managing Director, Global Sales Specialists. She was the founder of the firm’s Global Customer Advisory Board a forum which brings C-level customers together with Thomson Reuter’s executive leadership team to guide the firm’s strategic business and product agenda.
Debra is a veteran of the financial services industry; prior to joining Thomson Reuters, Debra has held senior executive roles at Cantor Fitzgerald, Nucleus Financial and Dow Jones Telerate.
In addition to her business roles, Debra is active in a number of financial industry and community based organizations. She is an active Board member of the Women’s Refugee Commission – a non-profit organization serving refugee women and children globally. Debra also serves as an advisory board member to Springboard, a New York based non-profit organization which brings together entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts to help women bring their business plans to market and realize their business expansion plans.
She is a recipient of a number of industry awards including the prestigious New York Women’s Agenda Galaxy award and the Women’s Venture Funds Highest Leaf Award.
Debra is an avid golfer and sailor. She lives in Connecticut with her husband Marc.
Betsy Zeidman
Milken Institute
Betsy Zeidman is a Senior Fellow at the Milken Institute, with expertise in impact investing, community development finance, corporate governance and strategic philanthropy; and an Executive Fellow at the USC Center for Communication Technology Management. She consults with investment funds and organizations on building and growing sustainable investment programs that generate positive financial and social returns.
She previously served as the inaugural director of the RFK Compass Program at the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. The RFK Compass Program engages institutional investors to explore and advance the connections among investment performance, fiduciary duty, and public interest issues.
Earlier, Zeidman served as director of the Milken Institute’s Center for Emerging Domestic Markets. She managed the Institute’s work in mission-related investing, corporate governance and development finance, working with institutional and individual investors, foundations, governments, entrepreneurs and policymakers.
Prior to joining the Milken Institute, Zeidman provided strategic management and marketing advisory services to clients in the public, private and non-profit sectors, with a specialty in corporate responsibility and financial performance. She also held senior roles in financial and business affairs at several entertainment companies. She received both her B.A., cum laude with distinction, and her M.B.A. from Yale University.
Zeidman is a member of the board of directors of US SIF – the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment; and sits on the advisory board of the Center for Community Investments at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and the Council of National Advisors for Springboard Enterprises, a national organization catalyzing equity capital for high-growth, women-led companies. She has authored numerous reports and op-eds, and speaks frequently at industry conferences and to the media.
Penny Zuckerwise
Guggenheim Partners
Ms. Zuckerwise joined Guggenheim in 2011 as Senior Managing Director and Head of Institutional Distribution. In this role, she is responsible for the expansion of the firm’s institutional distribution business as well as consultant and client relationship management. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Zuckerwise served as CEO of Russell Investments’ Americas Institutional division, where she managed the business and was a member of the Russell Executive Committee and Global Risk Management Committee. Ms. Zuckerwise has over 35 years of industry experience which includes: President and CEO at Utendahl Capital Management, L.P.; President and COO of Chancellor LGT Asset Management (currently Invesco Institutional); and President, COO and CAO of Chancellor Capital Management (formerly Citicorp Investment Management). A pioneer and entrepreneur in the asset management industry, Ms. Zuckerwise was the founder and principal of Wiserock, LLC, which provides strategy management oversight and business advice to a select group of companies, CEOs, management teams, pensions and private equity funds. She also co-founded and was general partner of Boldcap Ventures LLC, the first New York women’s venture capital fund targeting early- to mid-stage private investments across the media, technology and health care industries. Ms. Zuckerwise is a member of several boards and councils, including UCM Partners, Boldcap Ventures LLC and Springboard Enterprises. She previously served on the boards of Automated Collection Control, Inc., Boston Advisors, LLC, Lebenthal & Co., Miavita, Liechtenstein Global Trust Asset Management, Chancellor LGT Asset Management and Chancellor Capital Management. She also held advisory roles for Stanfield Capital Partners and BBR Partners. Ms. Zuckerwise holds a B.A. in Psychology from Ithaca College.
