The new wave of innovASIAN is here
Get ready for what comes next
Agenda
Join us for substantive discussions and meaningful business connections with industry leaders and top-caliber Pan Asian American enterprises.
CIO/CTO Forum
Top tech executives will share in-depth and candid thoughts on the state of technology across industries, its outlook, and opportunities for small and diverse businesses.
What’s Your Pitch Innovation Competition
Discover new and exciting upstart innovators who could be the “next big thing” to disrupt the marketplace
EBRG Caucus: The Role of Evolving EBRG in Building Corporate Culture
A timely roundtable on how forward-thinking companies leverage diversity, inclusion, and equity to achieve robust growth
WISE: Women Initiative for Strategic Empowerment
A program intended for AAPI Women that would strategically address core issues and create lasting impact in their professional and personal lives, thus empowering and uplifting them in creating and choosing their own personal choices.
February 15
10am – 5pm
Registration
2pm - 4pm
Chamber Leadership Alliance Training
430pm - 6pm
Employee Business Resource Group Caucus
6:30pm – 8pm
CIO/CTO Dinner
February 16
7:30am – 3:30pm
Registration
9am – 11am
CIO/CTO Forum
12pm-130pm
Innovation Lunch
2pm-4pm
What’s Your Pitch – Final Competition
2pm-4pm
Women Empowering Women Forum
430pm-6pm
Reception & Exhibition
The Washington Georgetown Mariott
We’re excited to have USPAACC’s second InnovASIAN Symposium in Washington, DC. Our InnovASIAN Symposium will take place at the first Marriott hotel built in the nation’s capital, Washington Georgetown Marriott. Set against the backdrop of this National Historic Landmark neighborhood, you can explore the rich history of the city.
Dress Code
Business Formal
Book Hotel Room
Address
1221 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
Directions
From BWI:
Head southeast on Friendship Rd and continue on Service Rd Lower Level. Keep left to continue on Friendship Rd. Continue onto I-195 W. Take exit 2B for MD-295 S/Balt/Wash Pkwy toward Washington. Continue onto Baltimore-Washington Pkwy and take exit US-50 W/New York Ave NE toward Washington. Continue onto Mt Vernon PI NW. At Scott Cir NW, take the 4th exit onto Rhode Island Ave NW. Turn right onto 22nd St NW. The destination will be on the left.
From Reagan:
Head north on Thomas Ave and merge onto George Washington Mem Pkwy. Take exit US-50 W/Memorial Brg/Arlington Cemetery. Merge onto Washington Blvd and use the left 2 lanes to take the ramp to Memorial Cir and take the first exit. Continue onto Arlington Memorial Bridge. At Washington Cir NW, take the 3rd exit onto New Hampshire Ave NW. Turn left onto 22nd St Nw. The destination will be on the left.
From Dulles:
Head east on Saarinen Cir and continue straight onto Dulles Access Rd. Take the I-66 E exit toward E Street. Take the Whitehurst Frwy exit. Keep right, follow signs for Pennsylvania Avenue, and merge onto L St NW. Turn left onto 22nd St NW and the destination will be on the left.
Self Parking Rates
Coming Soon
COVID-19 Protocols
The safety of our symposium attendees and guests is our top priority. The US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce and Education Foundation (USPAACC) continues to actively monitor the changing dynamics in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and their guidelines concerning COVID-19 safety protocols along with our local partners at the Washington Georgetown Marriott and the D.C. Department of Health.
Our goal is to provide a safe and healthy environment for all of our attendees. Therefore, we would like to share what measures are being put in place during our Innovation Symposium to protect your health and peace of mind so that you can focus on enjoying the event.
As of June 7, 2023, mask and vaccination proof are not required according to D.C. guidelines, but we encourage you to take any personal precautions that will allow you to feel safe.
This location may have COVID travel mandates in place, such as proof of vaccination or qualifying negative test results for access to certain local businesses including hotel restaurants, bars, spas, events, and indoor amenities as well as other restrictions based on applicable governmental requirements.
Our 2022 Speakers
Chamber Leadership Alliance
Ruben Barrales is senior vice president of external relations at Wells Fargo. Previously, he was president and CEO of GROW Elect and of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. He served in the White House as deputy assistant to the president and director of intergovernmental affairs for President George W. Bush. He was also president and CEO of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network. In 1998, he was the California Republican Party nominee for state controller. In 1992, he became the first Latino elected to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. He serves on the PPIC Statewide Survey Advisory Committee and was on PPIC’s board of directors from 2007 to 2019. He has served on the California Speaker’s Commission on State and Local Government Finance and on the California Commission of Local Governance for the 21st Century. He grew up in Redwood City, California, and received a BA with a joint major in political science and administrative studies from the University of California, Riverside.
Moderator
As Region III Administrator, John F. Fleming will oversee SBA programs, offices and operations in the SBA’s Mid-Atlantic region, serving Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC, and West Virginia.
Previously, Mr. Fleming was the district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Delaware District Office. In that role, Mr. Fleming is responsible for the delivery and management of the Agency’s programs throughout the State of Delaware. Mr. Fleming started his SBA career in 1992 and has served in various positions including deputy district director, chief credit officer, and public information officer.
Mr. Fleming graduated in 1992 from Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania, with a degree in Business Administration. Prior to attending college, he served in the United States Marine Corps as a non-commissioned officer.
Ramiro A. Cavazos is President and Chief Executive Officer of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), America’s largest business advocacy organization for Hispanics. He is a trusted economic development expert and champion for bipartisan solutions that generate wealth to advance economic opportunity for the Hispanic community. Prior to his role at the USHCC, Ramiro was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SAHCC), the nation’s first Hispanic Chamber of Commerce founded in 1929. During his time at the SAHCC, he fought for the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), was recognized as a 5 Star Accredited chamber, and also led numerous annual trade missions to Spain, Israel, Mexico, Canada, Cuba and Italy.
Ramiro previously served as the Director of Research and Economic Development at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, where he advanced public-private projects promoting entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation. He was also the past Director of Economic Development for the City of San Antonio, where he oversaw projects that focused on business expansion, retention and trade that led to the creation of more than 20,000 higher paying jobs for the seventh largest city in America. Cavazos also taught Economic Development at the Institute of Law and Public Affairs for The University of Texas at San Antonio.
His global perspective was honed by his experience working in the private sector for the Levi Strauss Company and Levi Strauss Foundation as Manager of Global Public Affairs & Contributions, where he was responsible for the Texas, Mexico, and Latin American regions. Additionally, he spent 15 years as a Bank Director at InterContinental Bank Shares Corporation (InterCon). His passion for small business is also fueled by his experience running his own public affairs business for 3 years serving clients such as AT&T, Valero Energy and H-E-B. Ramiro began his career in public service, where he worked in city management for the cities of San Antonio and Helotes, served as a Special Assistant to former U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen of Texas and as a legislative researcher for State Representative Irma Rangel, the first Hispanic woman elected to the Texas Legislature.
Today, Ramiro proudly serves as the Chairman of the Board for the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR), based in Washington, D.C., that advocates for Fortune 500 companies to invest in more equity and fair representation for Hispanics on corporate boards and publicly traded companies.
Ramiro has shared his views on Latino entrepreneurship, small business growth, trade, and commerce on: Fortune, Forbes, Time, Newsweek, CNN, the Associated Press, The Economist, The Washington Post, El País, El Heraldo, and many other media outlets. He has also been recognized by Latino Leaders Magazine as one of America’s “101 Most Influential Latinos” for the last four years. In 2015, the Kingdom of Spain named Ramiro the Honorary Consul of Spain for San Antonio and South Texas. His efforts brought His Majesty King Felipe VI and Her Majesty Queen Letizia of Spain to San Antonio’s Tricentennial events celebrating its founding by Canary Islanders in 1718. The King of Spain bestowed upon Ramiro the Order of Isabel the Catholic (Orden de Isabel la Católica), its highest honor given to a non-Spanish citizen for his service as a business advocate to expand the binational economic relationship between the United States and Spain.
Ramiro earned his master’s degree in Public Administration from St. Mary’s University, where he received the honor of Distinguished Alumnus, and served as a member of the Board of Trustees. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Government from The University of Texas at Austin in three years. A native of Weslaco in the Rio Grande Valley, he is a 7th generation Texan. He and his wife Christa are the proud parents of two boys.
Elizabeth A. Vazquez is the CEO and Co-Founder of WEConnect International, a global network that educates and connects women-owned businesses to qualified buyers around the world. She is a world leader in women’s economic empowerment and global supplier diversity and inclusion.
The WEConnect International WECommunity supports and promotes women-owned businesses based in over 130 countries, including local support and certification in over 50 countries across the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The organization also helps to develop the capacity of large buyers to source more products and services from underutilized suppliers, including women-owned businesses globally.
Ms. Vazquez is the co-author of the book, “Buying for Impact: How to Buy from Women and Change Our World.” She sits on several boards of directors and councils including the Procter & Gamble Supplier Diversity Advisory Council. She also served as a member of the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment from 2016-2017.
Ms. Vazquez is an advisor to a long list of corporate, government and multilateral leaders, including WEConnect International member buyers with over US$1 trillion in annual purchasing power.
She was born in Mexico, has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Arizona State University, and has a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University where she studied development economics and international negotiation.
Susan Au Allen came to the United States from Hong Kong on an invitation from the White House in recognition of her volunteer work for people with disabilities. She received her Juris Doctor from the Antioch School of Law and LL.M. in International Law from Georgetown University. During her 17 years with Paul Shearman Allen & Associates of Washington, DC and Hong Kong, she became nationally recognized for her work on immigration, international trade and investment.
Upon receiving her law degree in 1984, Susan founded the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Education Foundation (USPAACC) with a group of business and civic leaders in Washington, DC and California, to bring the diverse Pan Asian American business and professional people together as one unified voice in business, commerce and trade. In 2001, she won two Federal cases for her small business clients, took sabbatical leave from her law practice, and became USPAACC National President & CEO.
Long an effective advocate for small businesses in the US Congress, the Executive Branch, corporate America and the media, Susan achieved a new level of influence when President George H.W. Bush appointed her to the Council of the Administrative Conference of the United States where she served from 1991 to 1996.
Susan has been a frequent guest at the Executive Branch and Congressional events that address issues affecting America’s small, minority and women business communities. Her participation in these forums plays an important role in shaping the national agenda on the economy.
She is frequently approached by the media to comment on small and Asian American businesses, US-Asia commerce and trade, and Asian American women executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals.
Susan analogizes USPAACC as the acorn that has grown into an Oak Tree since its founding 35 years ago, with strong roots and wide branches extending to thousands of small and Asian American businesses and professionals across the country. She is proud of USPAACC’s ability to connect business to business, open doors to business, educational and professional opportunities for Asian Americans which is the fastest-growing group with the highest business growth in the United States, and substantial social and economic connections to the dynamic Asia Pacific and Indian Subcontinent regions, the world’s fastest-growing economic bloc.
Once an immigrant, she knows the obstacles that one must be overcome to achieve the American Dream, and she has dedicated her life to help entrepreneurs to pursue their Dream - develop, grow and build a successful business.
Susan has served on Pfizer’s Small Business Advisory Council; Diversity Council of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, International Franchise Association and American Red Cross; Diversity Council of Time Warner, Wyndham International, Premier Automotive Group (Aston Martin, Jaguar, Volvo and Landrover); Board of Directors of the Virginia Small Business Finance Authority; Diversity Boards of AMTRAK and the U.S. Marine Corps; Commissioner of the Minority Business Opportunity Commission of the District of Columbia; and the Board of Trustees of Excelsior College in New York.
She has also served on the President’s Council on the 21st Century Workforce Committee on the Future of the Workplace; the Small Business Advisory Committee of the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. General Services Administration; U.S. Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council; U.S. Small Business Administration National Women’s Business Council; NASA’s Minority Business Resource Advisory Committee; Women Small Business Summits National Advisory Board; Washington Board of Trade’s Washington Initiative.
She has contributed op-ed articles to USA Today, The Washington Times, The Baltimore Sun, Asian Week, and Asian Fortune, and appeared as a commentator on C-Span, CNN, CNBC, ABC, Fox News, The News Hour, To the Contrary, This is America, and The Editor.
Susan was named Women Worth Watching by Profiles in Diversity Journal in 2013; America’s Top Diversity Advocates together with President Clinton, President Carter, and Oprah Winfrey by DiversityBusiness.com in 2007; and one of 50 Most Influential Asian Americans by A-Magazine in 1994.
Among Susan’s awards are the US Department of Commerce Minority Business Advocate of the Year (2014); Women of the Year by Boys Scout of America Washington Council (2014); Urban Wheels Lifetime Achievement Award (2010), DiversityBusiness.com Top Diversity Advocates (2007), Minority Business Hall of Fame (2005), National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers’ Diversity Advocacy Award (2006), NASA Special Recognition Award for Extraordinary Efforts in Promoting Small Business Programs Nationally and Internationally (2002), AT&T Spectrum Award for Advocacy for Minority Business Opportunity (2001), and Skirt in Power Award from the District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce (1992).
Susan speaks (Cantonese and Mandarin) and writes Chinese fluently. Married with two sons, she lives in McLean, Virginia.
As President/CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC), Ron Busby, Sr. brings business management skills as well as a lifetime of community development experience to the organization. Mr. Busby is a former successful business owner himself, and he has been recognized as one of the nation’s best CEOs. Ron grew his first company, USA Superclean, from $150,000 annualized revenue, to over $15 million in only 10 years. In addition to being an entrepreneur, Ron was a former Chamber leader serving as the Chairman of the Board and then later became president of the Greater Phoenix Black Chamber of Commerce.
Currently, Ron serves on the Pfizer Small Business Council, National Newspapers Publishers Association Foundation Board of Directors, and White House African American Leadership Council. He has also formerly served on the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Council on Underserved Communities.
Brian serves as Executive Vice President of Operations at Disability:IN (formerly USBLN), leading the organization’s operations, annual conference, public policy advocacy, and other efforts. Prior to joining Disability:IN, Brian was Legislative Assistant at the Council on Foundations. Working on the Public Policy and Legal Affairs team, he represented the Council on Capitol Hill and with executive branch departments, and assisted Council members in planning and executing their policy advocacy strategies. Most recently, he worked at GYMR Public Relations advising clients on strategic communications, media relations and social media. He began his career working on congressional campaigns, and in the office of Senator Chuck Schumer.
Brian serves on the board of directors of the Capital Pride Alliance, the advisory council of the NextGen Chamber of Commerce, and is a volunteer tax preparer with Community Tax Aid in Washington, DC. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and American studies from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where he served as co-chair of his reunion committee.
Justin Nelson is the Co-Founder & President of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), the business voice of the LGBT community and the largest LGBT economic advocacy and business development organization in the world.
In addition to over 50 LGBT affiliate chambers in the United States representing America’s 1.4 million LGBT business owners, NGLCC leads economic development opportunities at over 20 international affiliates. NGLCC is responsible for major victories for the LGBT business community, among them the first-in-the-nation inclusion of LGBT suppliers in statewide contracting opportunities with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Justin regularly advises senior leaders at the White House, in Congress, and corporations throughout the world to build business opportunities through commitments to LGBT-inclusive supplier diversity programs. He is a sought-after speaker at conferences and meetings around the globe promoting the business case for LGBT inclusion and creating equity for the LGBT business community.
Justin and Team NGLCC are also responsible for the creation of the National Business Inclusion Consortium (NBIC), advocating the business interests of a diverse range of people, including the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, ethnic minority, disability, and women-owned business communities, representing a total of over $9 trillion in annual consumer spending power and significant contributions to the marketplace and workplace.
For his efforts in establishing the NGLCC, Justin was named to OUT Magazine’s Top 100 Greatest Gay Success Stories. Justin was also named to the 25 Leading Men of 2006 list by Instinct Magazine, SmartCEO Magazine’s 2012 Top 20 Leaders We Admire, and the 2012 Global LGBT Power 100 from the Guardian Newspaper in Great Britain. In 2010 Justin received the Outstanding Collaborative Partner Award from the U.S. Business Leadership Network for his partnership work on disability issues and is the recipient of the 2014 Vanguard Award from the Atlanta Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
Prior to launching the NGLCC, Justin was the Director of Federal Affairs and External Relations for the American Academy of Ophthalmology in Washington, DC. During his tenure, the organization was named one of the top 100 lobbying organizations in Washington, DC by Forbes Magazine. Prior to lobbying Congress and the White House, Justin spent five years as an aide in the United States Senate. He has served as a past volunteer coordinator for the Wyoming Special Olympics, a Capitol Hill Chair for the March of Dimes Walk America and on the advisory board for the First Wyoming Race for the Cure. Justin holds a BA in political science from the University of Wyoming.
CIO/CTO Dinner
Chetan Kandhari is the leader of Nationwide’s Enterprise Innovation and Digital organization. In this role, Chetan is accountable for maturing the company’s digital capabilities and expertise while creating new customer-centered digital products and services for members and partners.
During his 15-year tenure at Nationwide, Chetan has progressively held roles of increasing responsibility. In his most recent role as Chief Technology leader for P&C operations, Chetan oversaw the development and deployment of Nationwide’s Express platform and SmartMiles, as well as integrations with strategic partners such as Amazon, Toyota and Ford. He was also responsible for Personal Lines Transformation a 7-year, $500 Million-dollar effort to upgrade legacy systems to a more current platform.
In other roles at Nationwide, he has led the Customer Data and SOA SolutionOrganization, creating a single customer file. Earlier in his career, Chetan was a consultant with Diamond Technology Partners and Ernst & Young focusing on large scale program delivery and architecture.Chetan holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from The Ohio StateUniversity, a Master of Science in Information Systems from Miami University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Muskingum University. He is a member of World 50, a private community for CEOs and C-level executives at globally respected organizations.
Chetan was born in India, where he frequently returns to visit, and he moved to the U.S. in 1993. Married, with two children, he enjoys hiking, reading and vacationing with his family in his free time and encourages his associates to look for a balance between work and life.About Nationwide Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the United States. Nationwide is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poors. An industry leader in driving customer-focused innovation, Nationwide provides a full range of insurance and financial services products including auto business, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance.
Moderator
A 40 Under 40 nominee in Fortune Magazine for the Most Influential People in Business,
Jaghori has had several successful exits as a Technopreneur and has helped with the U.S.
government's expansion of open-source software and Machine Learning (ML) usage. He is a
Web3 pioneer (Hyperledger), Founder of the world renowned MIT Social Genome Project, and a
distinguished TED speaker that holds degrees from George Mason University, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, and Harvard Business School.
A self-taught programmer, Jaghori cemented his entrepreneurship early; selling his first company
at 19. He has lived through the Silicon Valley mantra seven times, learned unconventional
business tactics through failures, and rode a billion-dollar "unicorn" — all before the age of 30.
Jaghori has demonstrated his technical leadership capabilities in both the commercial and federal
government industries and has become one of the leaders in the national and global technology
marketplace, including organizations like L3 Communications and Google.
Jaghori has had several successful exits as a Technopreneur and has helped with the U.S.
government's expansion of open-source software and Machine Learning (ML) usage. He is a
Web3 pioneer (Hyperledger), Founder of the world renowned MIT Social Genome Project, and a
distinguished TED speaker that holds degrees from George Mason University, Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, and Harvard Business School.
A self-taught programmer, Jaghori cemented his entrepreneurship early; selling his first company
at 19. He has lived through the Silicon Valley mantra seven times, learned unconventional
business tactics through failures, and rode a billion-dollar "unicorn" — all before the age of 30.
Jaghori has demonstrated his technical leadership capabilities in both the commercial and federal
government industries and has become one of the leaders in the national and global technology
marketplace, including organizations like L3 Communications and Google.
As President of DLZP Group, Lisa Brunet is an experienced Managing Partner with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Ms. Brunet is skilled in nonprofit organizations, sales, team building, management, Oracle, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and business development. Lisa has been instrumental in the growth of DLZP Group. She developed strong relationships with Amazon Web Services and Canon, which has helped establish DLZP Group as a leading innovator. DLZP Group co-created with AWS the "Test Drive" for AWS and had the first working test drive for PeopleSoft on AWS. DLZP Group is the premier solution provider of migrations' services from On-Premise-to- the-AWS Cloud for Oracle PeopleSoft Solutions.
In addition, Ms. Brunet is an active member of her community. She is a Johnson Space Center Small Business Council board member and has been an active member of the Houston Regional Users’ Group (HUG) since 2013. She co-produced the Houston Maker Faire the past three years and has been a volunteer for APFED (American Partnership of Eosinophilic Disorders) since 2008. Moreover, she is a member of NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) and the NextGen planning committee. She is also a member of WIPP (Woman Impacting Public Policy), US Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and the USPAACC (US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce). Lisa believes being a successful entrepreneur is not just by your profit margins, it is measured by your customer’s satisfaction, your employees’ dedication, and what you give back to the community.
CIO/CTO Forum
Chetan Kandhari is the leader of Nationwide’s Enterprise Innovation and Digital organization. In this role, Chetan is accountable for maturing the company’s digital capabilities and expertise while creating new customer-centered digital products and services for members and partners.
During his 15-year tenure at Nationwide, Chetan has progressively held roles of increasing responsibility. In his most recent role as Chief Technology leader for P&C operations, Chetan oversaw the development and deployment of Nationwide’s Express platform and SmartMiles, as well as integrations with strategic partners such as Amazon, Toyota and Ford. He was also responsible for Personal Lines Transformation a 7-year, $500 Million-dollar effort to upgrade legacy systems to a more current platform.
In other roles at Nationwide, he has led the Customer Data and SOA SolutionOrganization, creating a single customer file. Earlier in his career, Chetan was a consultant with Diamond Technology Partners and Ernst & Young focusing on large scale program delivery and architecture.Chetan holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from The Ohio StateUniversity, a Master of Science in Information Systems from Miami University and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Muskingum University. He is a member of World 50, a private community for CEOs and C-level executives at globally respected organizations.
Chetan was born in India, where he frequently returns to visit, and he moved to the U.S. in 1993. Married, with two children, he enjoys hiking, reading and vacationing with his family in his free time and encourages his associates to look for a balance between work and life.About Nationwide Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the United States. Nationwide is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poors. An industry leader in driving customer-focused innovation, Nationwide provides a full range of insurance and financial services products including auto business, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance.
Charlie Myers is the Chief Technology Officer for Monumental Sports and Entertainment. Charlie oversees a new department inclusive of information technology, engineering, cyber security, digital development, new technologies & innovation projects, and other critical technology needs.
Charlie joined Monumental from Sirius XM where he served as Vice President and General Manager of Media & Development Engineering where he was responsible for technology and media infrastructure, strategic planning, and design for all linear media platforms, as well as overseeing video production, IP networks and asset management systems. Under his leadership, Sirius deployed multiple new strategies and platforms to align with evolving best practices and digital advancements contributing to $8B in annual revenue. Prior to that Charlie worked for Discovery, Inc. and was involved with building major media facilities, overseeing global transmission platforms, and managing a media research and development team that was involved with the development and deployment of HD, 3D and UHD technologies worldwide.
Charlie holds a Bachelor of Technology degree from Farmingdale State College – SUNY and is an MBA candidate at the University of Illinois Gies School of Business. He is a longtime resident of Northern Virginia alongside his wife and two sons.
Jim is vice president of cybersecurity, product security and operational technology security at Trane Technologies. Jim has been with the company since 2018 and is responsible for leading digital risk and information security programs globally.
Through Jim’s leadership, Trane Technologies continues to build and mature cybersecurity and digital risk capabilities to keep up with the ever-evolving threat landscape. These capabilities enable our businesses to meet the needs and expectations of our customers and remain compliant with a constantly changing set of global security and privacy regulations.
Prior to joining the company, Jim was the CISO at LPL Financial for three years, and he held numerous leadership functions in a growing and maturing information security organization at TIAA over a ten-year span. In all, Jim has nearly 25 years of IT experience, with more than 20 years in Information Security and risk management roles in the financial, manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries.
Jim serves on the Board of Directors for Opera Carolina, and serves on the IANS Research Advisory Board, a security research and advice service for CISO’s.
Jim earned a Bachelor of Music from Illinois Wesleyan University and Master of Music degree Manhattan School of Music. He holds a Certified Information Systems Security Practitioner (CISSP) certification, a globally recognized cybersecurity certification.
Luiz A. DaSilva is the inaugural executive director of CCI. He is internationally
recognized for leadership and innovation in wireless communications and
networks research. His 24 years of experience in academia include 18 years as
a professor at Virginia Tech, where he is the Bradley Professor of
Cybersecurity in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
DaSilva has led the CCI network for the past two and a half years. During its
first two years of operation, CCI is estimated to have been responsible for the
creation of 1,035 jobs in Virginia and a contribution of $208 million to the GDP
of the commonwealth. Since CCI's inception, our researchers have brought in
$115 million in funding from federal agencies and industry.
His most recent position prior to CCI was as the telecommunications
chairholder at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and director of CONNECT –
the Science Foundation Ireland Centre for Future Communications and
Network, a multi-university initiative convening the expertise of 250
researchers across 10 universities in Ireland.
DaSilva is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
(IEEE) for his contributions to cognitive networking and to resource
management in wireless networks. He pioneered the application of game
theory to analyze and design wireless networks, authoring the first book
on the topic. He is also responsible for seminal work on cognitive
networking and spectrum and network sharing. He has authored two
books, more than 300 peer-reviewed papers, and is a frequent keynote
speaker and invited lecturer around the world. He has also been an IEEE
Communications Society Distinguished Lecturer (2015-18), a Fellow of
Trinity College Dublin, and a Virginia Tech College of Engineering Faculty
Fellow.
recognized for leadership and innovation in wireless communications and
networks research. His 24 years of experience in academia include 18 years as
a professor at Virginia Tech, where he is the Bradley Professor of
Cybersecurity in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
DaSilva has led the CCI network for the past two and a half years. During its
first two years of operation, CCI is estimated to have been responsible for the
creation of 1,035 jobs in Virginia and a contribution of $208 million to the GDP
of the commonwealth. Since CCI's inception, our researchers have brought in
$115 million in funding from federal agencies and industry.
His most recent position prior to CCI was as the telecommunications
chairholder at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and director of CONNECT –
the Science Foundation Ireland Centre for Future Communications and
Network, a multi-university initiative convening the expertise of 250
researchers across 10 universities in Ireland.
DaSilva is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
(IEEE) for his contributions to cognitive networking and to resource
management in wireless networks. He pioneered the application of game
theory to analyze and design wireless networks, authoring the first book
on the topic. He is also responsible for seminal work on cognitive
networking and spectrum and network sharing. He has authored two
books, more than 300 peer-reviewed papers, and is a frequent keynote
speaker and invited lecturer around the world. He has also been an IEEE
Communications Society Distinguished Lecturer (2015-18), a Fellow of
Trinity College Dublin, and a Virginia Tech College of Engineering Faculty
Fellow.
Dr. Rikin Thakker is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA). He leads the activities related to emerging technologies and advises WIA members on 5G strategies including densification, spectrum allocation, and broadband deployment. He analyzes impacts of current and future use-cases of 5G and provide recommendations on broadband infrastructure deployment strategies. He helps WIA members and their CTO offices identify future technology trends and shape their product, services, and real estate portfolio to make them ready for 5G and beyond.
Dr. Thakker possesses more than 20 years of experience in the field of cellular and wireless communications. He has helped design, deploy, and maintain cell sites, from 2G to 5G, for major cellular operators in the United States. Dr. Thakker has also served on the Federal Communications Commission’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee – BDAC and co-chaired the Job Skills and Training Opportunity working group.
Teaching is one of his passions; Dr. Thakker is an adjunct faculty for the Masters in Telecommunication program at the University of Maryland and has designed courses on 5G and cellular infrastructure. He received Best Instructor of the Year Award in 2018 and 2014.
Dr. Thakker earned his Ph.D. in Systems Engineering with a concentration in Mobile Communications and Spectrum Management from George Washington University, his M.S. in Telecommunications from University of Maryland, and his B.E. in Electronics and Communications from the Gujarat University.
Melina Scotto serves as Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of Hilton.
Long ago, Melina secured global health systems providing anti-retroviral drugs to PEPFAR countries with John Snow Inc. where she worked primarily in network security administration. Melina moved from international HIV work to domestic healthcare at George Washington Medical Faculty Associates. The position as Network Security Engineer focused on maintaining technical requirements of HIPAA Security Rule and HITECH in a dynamic virtual server and mobile device environment and assessing OCR criteria for HIPAA/HITECH compliance and Meaningful Use eligibility. It was at GWU where Melina became an instructor for master classes in Health Informatics, HIPAA Security, Business Continuity Planning and Risk Assessment. In 2012, Melina moved to National Institutes of Health (NIH) where she held several engineering security and leadership posts. Former Federal Health CISO for GDIT, she led cybersecurity engineers and analysts across 140 Federal Health and State/Local Health contracts. Melina holds a number of credentials including CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional), HISPP (Privacy and Health Data Security). Her concentration is in Federal, international and domestic data security and privacy regulations as well as general FISMA, PCI and ISO best practice.
Currently, Melina reduces cyber-risk and strengthens security controls in Hiltons Global Information Security (GIS) where innovation for customer experience drives a fast pace and data must be secured to a variety of commercial and international controls across traditional data centers and cloud environments.
Maryland resident and lifelong Orioles fan. When not securely linked into a server, Melina enjoys championing Women in Technology programs.
EBRG Caucus: The Role of Evolving EBRG in Building Corporate Culture
Innovation Lunch
Jim is vice president of cybersecurity, product security and operational technology security at Trane Technologies. Jim has been with the company since 2018 and is responsible for leading digital risk and information security programs globally.
Through Jim’s leadership, Trane Technologies continues to build and mature cybersecurity and digital risk capabilities to keep up with the ever-evolving threat landscape. These capabilities enable our businesses to meet the needs and expectations of our customers and remain compliant with a constantly changing set of global security and privacy regulations.
Prior to joining the company, Jim was the CISO at LPL Financial for three years, and he held numerous leadership functions in a growing and maturing information security organization at TIAA over a ten-year span. In all, Jim has nearly 25 years of IT experience, with more than 20 years in Information Security and risk management roles in the financial, manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries.
Jim serves on the Board of Directors for Opera Carolina, and serves on the IANS Research Advisory Board, a security research and advice service for CISO’s.
Jim earned a Bachelor of Music from Illinois Wesleyan University and Master of Music degree Manhattan School of Music. He holds a Certified Information Systems Security Practitioner (CISSP) certification, a globally recognized cybersecurity certification.
Ravi Chander, technologist, seasoned entrepreneur, strategic visionary, and thought-leader is a co-founder and CEO of Softpath System, a leading, 23-year-old talent management company located in metro Atlanta. Ravi creates and drives the company’s vision with a key focus around job creation and helping clients win in the global marketplace. Ravi is also the co-founder of OPTEVUS, an AI/ML-driven product made to reduce the recruitment life cycle by 50%, and Wydur, a cybersecurity practice that provides solutions for cloud security, vulnerability risk management, and threat detection and response.
Ravi, along with his partner, Sushumna Roy, successfully leads Softpath as a top diverse business with numerous awards.
With more than 25 years of expertise in the development and delivery of innovative technology solutions, Ravi is responsible for managing one of the fastest-growing technology and staffing firms in the nation, with over 800 employees and multiple offices in the U.S., Canada, and India.
Ravi is a committed small business advocate and supports women and minority-owned business enterprises as well as various STEM programs. Ravi served as a President of USPAACC-SE from 2017-2020, President of IT Serve Alliance’s Atlanta Chapter in 2018, and Rotary President for Emory Druid Hills Club 6900 in 2013. He currently serves as a USPAACC-SE Regional advisory council chair.
Outside of work, Ravi is a proud Rotarian, a lifetime Paul Harris Fellow recognized as a major donor, and the recipient of multiple “Rotary Cares Awards” for his contribution to providing clean, safe drinking water to remote villages in rural India. He is a community leader for multiple nonprofits and an active volunteer at Ridge Girls Lacrosse and Robotics. He attended Jackson State University for his master’s in Computer Science and received a bachelor’s degree in electronics from Kakatiya University in India.
What's Your Pitch - National Competition
Ravi Chander, technologist, seasoned entrepreneur, strategic visionary, and thought-leader is a co-founder and CEO of Softpath System, a leading, 23-year-old talent management company located in metro Atlanta. Ravi creates and drives the company’s vision with a key focus around job creation and helping clients win in the global marketplace. Ravi is also the co-founder of OPTEVUS, an AI/ML-driven product made to reduce the recruitment life cycle by 50%, and Wydur, a cybersecurity practice that provides solutions for cloud security, vulnerability risk management, and threat detection and response.
Ravi, along with his partner, Sushumna Roy, successfully leads Softpath as a top diverse business with numerous awards.
With more than 25 years of expertise in the development and delivery of innovative technology solutions, Ravi is responsible for managing one of the fastest-growing technology and staffing firms in the nation, with over 800 employees and multiple offices in the U.S., Canada, and India.
Ravi is a committed small business advocate and supports women and minority-owned business enterprises as well as various STEM programs. Ravi served as a President of USPAACC-SE from 2017-2020, President of IT Serve Alliance’s Atlanta Chapter in 2018, and Rotary President for Emory Druid Hills Club 6900 in 2013. He currently serves as a USPAACC-SE Regional advisory council chair.
Outside of work, Ravi is a proud Rotarian, a lifetime Paul Harris Fellow recognized as a major donor, and the recipient of multiple “Rotary Cares Awards” for his contribution to providing clean, safe drinking water to remote villages in rural India. He is a community leader for multiple nonprofits and an active volunteer at Ridge Girls Lacrosse and Robotics. He attended Jackson State University for his master’s in Computer Science and received a bachelor’s degree in electronics from Kakatiya University in India.
WISE Forum
Doris Li Yeh is the CEO and Founder of Mirapath, a Datacenter Critical Infrastructure Total Solution Provider. . In her role, Doris drives growth strategy for the company using Mirapath’s four core values: relationships matter, commitment to excellence, results driven, and strive for innovation and excellence –while having fun and enjoying the journey together. She is passionate about leadership development, women empowerment and cutting-edge technology related to platform development in the data center and IoT space paired with AI and Automation.Mirapath ‘s was #54 fastest-growing women-owned business. In 2017, the company was on the Fast 100 Asian American Business by USPAACC, the CRN Fast Growth 150, and the CRN Solution Provider 500, as well as the #6 Biggest Minority-Owned Business by Silicon Valley Business Journal.Doris holds a BSEE from the University of São Paulo and graduated in 2018 from the prestigious Harvard Business School Owner President Management (OPM52) program. She was nominated Silicon Valley Women of Influence in 2018 by Silicon Valley Business Journal, 2018 Enterprising Women Award, 100 Fast USPAAC Company and Infrastrastructure Mason IM100 2020 Recipient . She is a proud Platinum member of Women President Organization, Co-Chair USPAAC WISE ( Women Initiative for Strategic Empowerment) and advisory board of USPAAC-West. Doris is fluent in English, Mandarin, and Portuguese.
Carolyn Joshua, President & CEO @ Trilyon, Inc, Top 50 Women Leaders of San Francisco 2023, Enterprising Women of the Year Award 2023, Board Member @ USPAACC West, Co-Chair of USPAACC WISE ( Women Initiative for Strategic Empowerment)Carolyn Joshua is the President and CEO of Trilyon, Inc., a leading content management, documentation, and technology services provider for Fortune 500 companies. Under Carolyn's exceptional leadership, Trilyon has earned notable recognition, including the esteemed 2023 Fast 100 Asian American Business Award from USPAACC. Her outstanding achievements have also been acknowledged through the prestigious Enterprising Women of the Year Award in 2023. Furthermore, she has been honored as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of San Francisco for 2023 by Women We Admire, highlighting her significant contributions to the business community.In addition to her role at Trilyon, Carolyn holds a board position at the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC West), a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering economic growth and promoting diversity through leadership, education, and business networking. Carolyn also plays a pivotal role as the Co-Chair of USPAACC WISE (Women Initiative for Strategic Empowerment), spearheading initiatives that empower and advance women professionals in the business world.Carolyn serves as a General Partner at Early Equity Capital Advisors, specializing in late-stage technology startups. Additionally, she contributes to How Women Invest as an LP,a venture capital firm focused on promoting women-led companies and advancing women leaders within the venture capital ecosystem. Carolyn's commitment to diversity and inclusivity is further exemplified through her role as a global advisor for the Women Leaders for the World Fellowship Program. This transformative leadership training program empowers social change innovators and industry disruptions to create positive impacts on society.
Don't wait any longer, sign up for updates!
