Key Dates
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Program Speakers
The speakers during the Doing it Right New York program dedicated their time to assist program participants to stand out from the crowd, allowing entrepreneurs to enhance their company's ability to attract funding and cultivate invaluable relationships. Speakers:Lili Balfour, Atelier PartnersThatcher Bell, DFJ Gotham Ventures Nicole Brookshire, Cooley Faith Charles, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo P.C. Linda Conlin, Export-Import Bank of the United States Greg Collins Alexis Coppedge, Morrison Foerster Thomas M. Devaney, Morrison Foerster John Elton, iNovia Capital Brian Evje David Freschman, Innovation Capital Dayna Grayson, Northbridge Venture Partners Bob Greene, Contour Ventures Divya Gugnani, Behind the Burner Richard Guha, MENG Liz Hamburg, Upstart Ventures Stephanie Hanbury-Brown, Golden Seeds Brian Hirsch, Greenhill SAVP Peg Jackson, Neocarta Ventures Jalak Jobanputra, NYCIF Dahlia Kang, Edison Ventures Daphne Kis, Golden Seeds Debora LaBudde , Envoi Ventures Loretta McCarthy, Golden Seeds Lisbeth McNabb, w2wLink Alison Newman, Cooley Katherine O'Neill, Jumpstart NJ Angel Network Nicole Perrotta , UBS Will Porteous, RRE Ventures JJ Ramberg, MSNBC Laura Ramsey, Zweave Scott Reardon, Dakota Ventures Lisa Ricciardi, Essex Woodlands Health Ventures David Rose, New York Angels Kylie Sachs, Ascend Ventures Lori Smith, Goodwin Proctor LLP Melissa Stepanis, Silicon Valley Bank Bart Stuck, Signal Lake Ventures Jeanne Sullivan, Starvest Partners Sarah Tavel, Bessemer Venture Partners Jon Vollemaere, Vollume Michael A. Wiley, NJ Economic Development Authority Sherri Williams, Montgomery & Co Vanessa Wilson, Golden Seeds Bios:Lili Balfour, Atelier PartnersLili is the Founder of Atelier Partners, a bi-coastal advisory firm serving emerging industries. Ms. Balfour earned her B.S. in Financial Management and International Management from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where she found time to intern with Money Manager Jim Maino and polish her Japanese skills. Shortly after, her career brought her to Genesis Merchant Group where she worked on the private equity fund, Always Early, Often Wrong (AEOW), co-managed by Bernard Osher and Will Weinstein. While at SVB Alliant`s Technology Investment Banking Group, she worked on mergers and acquisitions involving both private and pubic companies, such as National Semiconductor, Cirrus Logic, PLX Technology, Allayer Technologies, Broadcom Technologies, Mattson Technology, and Sebring Networks. In addition, she has worked on debt financings for both non profit and for profit clients at Cain Brothers in San Francisco and New York. Upon building the infrastructure for Heller Ehrman Venture Law Group`s prospective client due diligence process, Lili spent her time traveling bi-coastally, working with Edison Group, Cisco Systems, and Lan-Mar Marina (a Traina Enterprises Inc. company) on acquisitions, which led to the eventual creation of Atelier Partners. Thatcher Bell, DFJ Gotham VenturesThatcher’s background includes venture investing, operating and consulting roles with software, Internet, and financial services companies. Prior to joining DFJ Gotham, Thatcher was a Senior Analyst at North Hill Ventures, the venture capital affiliate of Capital One Financial. While at North Hill, he evaluated investments in financial technology, enterprise software and technology-enabled services companies, and was a deal team member for DealerTrack (NASDAQ: TRAK), Compete (acquired by TNS), Higher One, and Exchange Solutions. Before joining North Hill, Thatcher was Manager of Business Development at OpenPages, an enterprise software vendor, where he oversaw an acquisition and developed channel partnerships in the U.S. and Europe. Previously, he was the third employee at SharkTank, an online marketplace connecting lawyers and potential clients. Thatcher began his career as a consultant at Ernst & Young (now Cap Gemini Ernst & Young), working on competitive strategy and process improvement projects in the financial services, telecommunications, and health care industries. Thatcher has a B.S. cum laude in Engineering from Cornell University and an M.B.A. with honors from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. While at Wharton he was a Summer Associate with Silicon Alley Venture Partners (now Greenhill SAVP) in New York, an early-stage, internet- and technology-focused venture capital firm. Thatcher also serves on the Board of Directors of the Children’s Museum of the Arts in New York City. Nicole Brookshire, Cooley
Nicole C. Brookshire is a partner in the Cooley Godward Kronish Business department. She joined the Firm in 1997 and is resident in the Boston office. Faith Charles, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo P.C.Ms. Charles is a Member of the firm's Business & Finance practice, where she focuses on corporate, commercial and securities matters, including strategic transactions and corporate structuring. She assists public and private companies, both start-ups and industry leaders, and investment bankers in a wide range of matters. A significant portion of Ms. Charles' practice involves handling all aspects of public offerings and private placements, representing issuers, underwriters and placement agents. She also has experience representing sellers and purchasers in asset, stock and merger transactions and assisting clients with the negotiation and structuring of joint ventures, strategic alliances and licensing agreements. Ms. Charles received her B.A., cum laude, from Barnard College (1983) and her J.D. from George Washington University Law Center (1986). Greg Collins
Greg Collins has over 25 years of experience in providing tax preparation and planning services to high-income individuals and small businesses. His clients include major entertainers, record labels, production companies and closely held businesses. He has been a leader in the accounting industry and actively involved in his community. Mr. Collins is currently the Managing Director of G. Collins & Company, LLC which was established in 2007 to provide tax, business management and accounting ervices to clinets in the sports and entertainment industries, high net worth individuals and small businesses. The firm currently represents several professional athletes and entertainers including 50 Cent and G-Unit Records, Sean “P Diddy” Combs and Bad Boy Entertainment, Romeo and Master P, Darnell Stapleton (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Pologrounds Records. Mr. Colilns began his career as a revenue agent with the Internal Revenue Service. He went on to be become a tax supervisor with the international accounting firm, Ernst & Young, an assistant director of the federal tax group at Columbia Pictures and an assistant director of federal taxes at AT&T. He has also served as chief financial officer for the Stevie Wonder Business organization and as Managing Director of Collins, Austin & Co., a New Jersey based CPA firm. Mr. Colins has a B.S. in accounting from Montclair State University and is licensed as a CPA in New York and New Jersey. Linda Conlin, Export-Import Bank of the United StatesLinda Mysliwy Conlin is first vice president and vice chair of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank). Conlin was sworn in on July 31, 2006. Conlin first joined Ex-Im Bank’s board as a director on April 26, 2004. As a member of the board of directors, she has been responsible for voting on transactions in excess of $10 million as well as on significant matters affecting Bank policy. As a director, she has served as chair of the Bank’s audit committee. As vice chair, Conlin continues to oversee Ex-Im Bank’s Environmental Exports Program. She organized the Bank’s Environmental Exports Team, responsible for increasing financing of environmentally beneficial U.S. exports. Under her leadership, Ex-Im Bank provided 15-year financing for a solar power project in Korea and became the first OECD export credit agency to utilize enhanced financing for clean energy and clean water projects. Vice Chair Conlin has a long and distinguished career as an international marketing and management executive, including an extensive public service background promoting commerce on both the state and federal levels. Prior to joining Ex-Im Bank, Conlin served as assistant secretary for Trade Development from August 2001 to April 2004 at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where she worked to help U.S. businesses succeed in the global marketplace. She directed a program of industry sector offices that work to identify market opportunities, address market barriers and advocate on behalf of small businesses as well as large corporations. Conlin oversaw a $67 million budget and managed over 370 U.S. industry experts. She administered the Trade Information Center and the Advocacy Center, and oversaw the President’s Export Council as well as 21 trade advisory committees, an advisory system that ensures that U.S. trade policy and trade negotiation objectives adequately reflect U.S. commercial and economic interests. Conlin helped break new ground in trade in health care services for U.S. pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies in Russia and expanded the participation of U.S. health care and other industries in the global fight against HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. She expanded dialogue between U.S. and Polish businesses and government leaders as a tool to strengthen trade and investment between the United States and Poland. She was also a leader in the post-9/11 efforts to help the U.S. tourism industry recover. From 1994 to 1999, Conlin served New Jersey Governor Christie Whitman as the principal advisor for marketing and policy for travel and tourism. Earlier she was the assistant secretary of Commerce for Tourism Marketing in the U.S.Travel and Tourism Administration and before that she held positions at the U.S. Information Agency and the U.S. Department of State. Conlin began her career as a small business owner. Her company, Park-Main Travel Agency, was ranked as one of the top-10 travel agencies in southeastern New England under her leadership. Ms. Conlin was born in Springfield, Mass. She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts. She is married to Joseph F. Conlin, Jr. Alexis Coppedge, Morrison FoersterAlexis Coppedge is an associate in the firm’s New York office and practices in the Corporate group of the Business Department. Ms. Coppedge’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, securities and financing law. Her practice encompasses a broad range of domestic and international transactions, including cross-border mergers and acquisitions, venture capital finance, project finance, acquisition finance and joint venture arrangements. Ms. Coppedge received a B.A. in Economics and International Studies from American University in Washington D.C. in 1995 and her J.D. degree from Harvard Law School in 2001. Ms. Coppedge is admitted to practice law in the state of New York. Thomas M. Devaney, Morrison FoersterThomas M. Devaney is a partner in Morrison & Foerster’s New York office, and a member of the firm’s Private Equity Fund Group. His practice emphasizes the formation, organization and operation of domestic limited partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations, and a range of off-shore entities; as well as venture capital and strategic finance, private placement offerings, cross-border transactions and other types of business transactions. Mr. Devaney represents a variety of domestic and international private equity funds, including real estate funds, venture capital funds and debt funds, in addition to hedge funds with a broad range of investment strategies. Mr. Devaney’s counseling of sponsors of private equity and hedge funds draws upon his expertise in securities laws and relevant portions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the Commodity Exchange Act and ERISA. He is also familiar with a range of U.S. and foreign tax issues applicable to pooled investment vehicles, with a particular focus on investing in Japan, China and Southeast Asia. In connection with his representation of institutional investors, gatekeepers and funds of private equity and hedge funds of funds, Mr. Devaney also provides counsel on investment activity. In addition, Mr. Devaney structures, forms and advises on operational aspects of privately held REITs, typically for sponsors of real estate funds. Mr. Devaney also represents emerging growth companies, advising on legal and strategic matters commencing with formation and involving all aspects of their enterprises throughout the development of their business. Mr. Devaney received his J.D., magna cum laude, from St. John’s University School of Law in 1998, where he was a recipient of an Academic Achievement Scholarship. He served as an Articles and Notes Editor of the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review and won a national writing competition scholarship for an article that he wrote while with the Law Review. While in law school, Mr. Devaney served as a judicial intern in the chambers of the Hon. Joseph M. McLaughlin, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit. He received his B.A., cum laude, in History from the University at Albany in 1995. Prior to joining Morrison & Foerster, Mr. Devaney counseled a number of well-known venture capital funds and technology start-up companies, and served as lenders’ counsel in connection with bankruptcy proceedings, and DIP financing and pre-bankruptcy work-out transactions for mid-cap companies. Mr. Devaney is admitted to practice in the states of California and New York and the U.S. District Courts of Southern and Eastern New York John Elton, iNovia CapitalJohn Elton is a venture capitalist at iNovia Capital. He focuses on digital media and software investments in Canada and the US. He also heads iNovia’s US initiatives. Prior to joining iNovia, John spent several years as a venture capitalist and advisor to startup companies including dMarc Broadcasting (acquired by Google for up to $1.2 billion), for whom he helped raise $10 million and close an acquisition while at Turnstone Capital. Prior to this, John co-managed a venture capital fund for Gulf International Bank which invested in eMotion (acquired by Corbis), Revenue Sciences, and Anystream. John also worked as a consultant for McGill University’s technology transfer unit, a partner institution of iNovia’s. John’s additional experience includes having worked in strategic planning for 24/7 Media (acquired by WPP for $649 million) and as an investment banker at Veronis Suhler Stevenson a merchant banking firm focused on the media and communications industries with capital committed exceeding $2.8 billion. John is currently a member of, or an observer on the board of directors of Collective Media, Standout Jobs and LegiTime Technologies. John received an M.B.A. in Finance and Marketing from New York University and holds a B.A. Degree in Economics from Lehigh University. Brian Evje
Brian Evje (EV-yah) helps people and organisations manage change and growth – this involves organisational health, strategy, culture, change management, leadership development, performance improvement, coaching, and hiring the right people in the right roles. He has worked in human resources and business operations with early-stage and high-growth startups, public companies, the public benefit sector, and as a private consultant. David Freschman, Innovation CapitalMr. Freschman is a Managing Principal of Innovation Capital Advisors, LLC (ICA). ICA serves as the management company of Innovation Ventures, L.P. (IV), a licensed SBIC, and the Delaware Innovation Fund (DIF), a state and community sponsored economic development venture capital firm. Mr. Freschman has been responsible for all aspects of IV’s and the DIF’s management since its inception, including the business strategy, fiscal and operational management, raising investment capital, and evaluating all investment opportunities and portfolio company management. He served as the President and CEO of the DIF since its establishment in 1995. The DIF is a seed and early stage venture capital fund that focuses on entrepreneurial ventures in the Mid-Atlantic region. Mr. Freschman is active in the venture and entrepreneurial communities, sits on a number of Boards, and has been a lecturer on such topics at The White House Conference on Small Business, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, the University of Delaware, Goldey-Beacom College, and Loyola College in Baltimore. He is the creator and founder of Early Stage East – the premier early stage venture capital fair on the East Coast. In 2001, Mr. Freschman was appointed by Gov. Ruth Ann Minner to chair the venture capital study of the state’s Strategic Economic Council. Mr. Freschman was appointed and served a three-year term representing New Castle County, Delaware on the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Mr. Freschman was awarded Small Business Financial Advocate of the Year by the US Small Business Administration. Mr. Freschman has served on various boards of directors of companies including Foxfire Printing and Packaging, Business Intelligence International, Skill Survey, Smart Button, Market Data Insite, Solstice Software and Maverick Network Solutions, among others. He is also actively involved in community activities and has served on the boards of the Kutz Home Nursing Home, New Castle County Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement of Delaware, Delaware Society of CPA’s, and the American Israel Chamber of Commerce, among others. Prior to establishing the DIF, Mr. Freschman was responsible for the formation of the corporate finance advisory division of McBride Shopa and Company, one of the largest certified public accounting and consulting firms in Delaware. Mr. Freschman began his career with the Enterprise Group of the Philadelphia office of Arthur Andersen, LLP, from 1984 through 1989. Mr. Freschman graduated with honors with an MBA from Loyola College of Maryland and cum laude from the University of Delaware with a B.S. in accounting, where he was a John B. Lynch Scholar. He is also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma – the National Honor Society. Dayna Grayson, Northbridge Venture PartnersDayna Balcome Grayson joined North Bridge Venture Partners as a Principal in 2006. Prior to North Bridge, Dayna led new product development efforts at Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the leading global provider of software to nonprofit organizations. Dayna managed products throughout their life cycle as the company grew to over $130 Million in revenue and completed a successful public offering. Prior to joining Blackbaud, Dayna was a consultant at Cap Gemini Ernst and Young were she led business analysis efforts for the largest custom development projects the firm had undertaken to date. These projects pioneered the development of large scale applications on web-based platforms. She started her career as an early employee at Eye Response Technologies, which developed breakthrough gaze-tracking technology. Dayna has a B.S. from the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Bob Greene, Contour VenturesBob Greene is a co-founder of Contour Venture Partners and has been a venture capitalist since the late 1980's. He has invested in all stages of venture capital across several industry sectors. Prior to launching Contour, Bob was one of the three managing partners of Flatiron Partners. Located in New York City, Flatiron was a leading venture capital firm focused on the information technology sector. The firm backed over 50 companies with over $500 million of venture capital. Bob has also been an active private investor, where he has invested his own capital in emerging technology companies. Bob is the former President of the Venture Investors Association of New York and has been on the VIANY Board since 1994. Bob has been a guest lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and the Wharton School of Business for many years, and formerly served for five years on the Undergraduate Financial Aid Committee of the Board of Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. Bob received a BS from the Wharton School of Business and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Divya Gugnani, Behind the BurnerAt Cornell University I completed my degree in Policy Analysis, but I couldn't leave without taking a cooking course at the School of Hotel Administration. After a few lessons on Chinese noodle salad and duck l'orange, I was hooked. A year as an investment banking analyst at Goldman Sachs and many kitchen concoctions in my NYC apartment later, I attended the French Culinary Institute and discovered my inner chef. It was there I learned French techniques from classically trained chefs, heightened my appreciation for fine dining, and refined my palate. For the years that followed, I kept my day job in finance; even got my MBA at Harvard Business School, but my passion for food coexisted with my demanding career as I continued to cater events and worked short stints in restaurant kitchens. As a technology venture capitalist, I have spent the better part of six years as an investor providing entrepreneurs with strategic and operational guidance to achieve their visions. Every company has its twists and the turns, ups and downs, and as an investor I have felt like a passenger along for some pretty exhilarating and bumpy rides. Richard Guha, MENGRichard is a Partner in Max Brand Equity, the market-driven consulting firm which focuses on company valuation growth, and has helped most Fortune 500 companies. The firm has proprietary technology which helps understand market perceptions rapidly and accurately. Richard has over thirty years in leading Fortune 500 and their International equivalents to success as a member of top management in Fortune 500 companies and advisor to them as consultant and Board member. Prior to founding Max Brand Equity, Richard started his career in marketing at Procter & Gamble, later becoming a Division Head at Mars, Inc, CMO at US West and BMC Software as well as President of Reliant Energy. He was also a partner in two respected consulting firms, where he advised top management of Global 2000 companies. He has been on the Board of six highly successful companies, including four start-ups. Richard has focused on initiating and leading change to achieve successful results in global organizations in changing markets. From Consumer Packaged goods to communications and high-tech he has created new paradigms which have changed the market structure and built substantial revenue and profit growth. Most recently, Richard created the consumer “broadband” market while at US West/Comcast, the most successful retail energy business at Reliant Energy, new “dialog-based” CRM approaches at several companies as well as BMC software, as well as pioneering in multi-channel and direct to the consumer marketing. He grew market value of three public corporations by several-fold in periods of around two years each. The firm focuses on excellence in execution - Big Idea to Successful Implementation in Seven Steps Richard has focused on initiating and leading change to achieve successful results in global organizations in changing markets. From Consumer Packaged goods to communications and high-tech he has created new paradigms which have changed the market structure and built substantial revenue and profit growth. Richard has grown and led several large global organizations. Much of the success of the organizations was built on his definition of tasks and responsibilities as well as structure and communications. He has lived and worked in ten countries and four continents, achieving great success in multiple markets. He has regularly achieved success for many companies, in multiple categories, both as a manager and as a consultant. He is an acknowledged expert, having been a published author and public speaker over many years, and is sought out as an interviewee in many areas. Richard graduated from Cambridge University with a Bachelors degree in Chemistry, Physics, and Math. He went on to become the youngest person to earn a Masters from Cambridge in Chemical Engineering. Liz Hamburg, Upstart VenturesLiz Hamburg is a “serial entrepreneur” with extensive experience launching new products and companies in areas of communications, technology, entertainment and media. She is the founder and President of Upstart Ventures, consulting to and incubating early stage companies. Through Upstart, she has been involved in the startup of 15 new businesses including her latest venture, ApplyWise, an online college admissions counseling company. Liz is the co-host on WOR radio (WOR 710AM) of “New York Uncovered” and “Launchpad”, a weekly radio segment focusing on entrepreneurs and small business. She also blogs about small business for the Huffington Post. Liz was Chairman and Founder of Hypnotic, a broadband content and branded entertainment company and was one of the founding managers and Director of the Board of Vimpel Communications (NYSE:VIP), the leading cellular company in Russia. She has launched new products for Reuters Tokyo and Fujisankei Communications, one of Japan’s largest media conglomerates, where she worked on the first international television home shopping show and played a leading role in the introduction of Fuji’s Nintendo game software into the U.S. Liz received an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a B.A. from Brown University. She is a Director of the Board of Safe Space, a New York based non-profit; the President of the Advisory Board of the Brown University Entrepreneurs Program and a member of the Advisory Panel of the Columbia Business School's Eugene Lang Entrepreneur Initiative Fund. She is a frequent lecturer on topics concerning entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses. Stephanie Hanbury-Brown, Golden SeedsStephanie Hanbury-Brown spent 20 years in financial services in Sydney, London and New York. The majority of her career was with JPMorgan where she headed several global businesses. In 2004 she founded Golden Seeds. She is also a former member of New York Angels and an investor with Boldcap Ventures. Stephanie currently retains board positions with Foster Wheeler Limited, RiskMetrics Group and Artemis Woman. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney. Brian Hirsch, Greenhill SAVPBrian Hirsch is a Managing Director of Greenhill SAVP and a Co-Chairman of the Fund’s Investment Committee. Prior to joining SAVP in 2004, Mr. Hirsch was a Principal at Sterling Venture Partners and led the firm’s investments in technology-related companies. Mr. Hirsch is currently a board member of BDMetrics, BestContractors, FTRANS, iKobo, Pontiflex and Serious. Brian previously sat on the board of YellowJacket (acquired by the Intercontinental Exchange, NYSE:ICE) and KnowledgeStorm (acquired by TechTarget, NASDAQ:TTGT). Prior to joining Sterling Venture Partners, Mr. Hirsch was a vice president at ABN AMRO Private Equity (“AAPE”), the U.S. venture capital group of ABN AMRO N.V., one of the world’s largest banks. Before joining AAPE, Mr. Hirsch worked as a senior consultant at KPMG in the Information, Communications & Entertainment (ICE) practice, where his clients included General Electric, CBS/Westinghouse and the Tribune Company. Peg Jackson, Neocarta VenturesPeg joined NeoCarta from NBC, where she was a Vice President of Business Development. Peg joined NBC in 1996, where she was responsible for investing in strategically related Internet companies and managing NBC's interactive TV group. Prior to NBC, she was a manager at Reuters Newmedia investing in early stage Internet companies and managed a Reuters/TCI joint venture based in Denver. Prior to Reuters Newmedia, Peg worked as an associate in Toronto Dominion Bank's Media group, analyzing broadcast, cable and cellular deals. She received her MBA from New York University and a BA from Georgetown University. Peg is currently a director of DataSynapse, Silverpop and Zoom Systems. She was formerly the director of Cendura and Myrio and managed NeoCarta's investment in PRN. Jalak Jobanputra, NYCIF
Jalak is Senior Vice President at the New York City Investment Fund and manages the Fund's investments in the information technology, media and cleantech sectors. Prior to joining the Fund, Jalak was a Principal at New Venture Partners, a $300M early stage venture fund where she was a director of Procelerate Technologies and Real Time Content. Previously, Ms. Jobanputra worked at Intel Capital where she led and managed strategic investments in software, digital media and services companies. Dahlia Kang, Edison VenturesDahlia Kang focuses on generating investment opportunities and conducting analysis of emerging information technology companies in New York and New Jersey. She also specializes in interactive marketing, digital media, wireless, enterprise infrastructure and networking communications. Dahlia has over 5 years experience in marketing for the media, e-commerce, and interactive marketing industries. Dahlia was a marketing manager for NBC Cable Networks during the rebranding of CNBC, the launch of MSNBC and ShopNBC, and the acquisitions of Telemundo and USA. Dahlia also has experience in the financial field as an accountant in A/P management. Dahlia has a B.A. from Princeton University and an MBA with Honors from NYU Stern School of Business. Daphne Kiss, Golden Seeds
Daphne Kis is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 25 years experience in the technology and media industries. She is a strategic advisor to several digital media companies; her clients include ContentNext Media, Smart.fm, DailyMakeover.com, BurdaStyle.com, the Markle Foundation and ShareThis.com. Until 2007, Kis was Vice President of Business Programs at CNET Networks which had acquired her company, EDventure Holdings. At EDventure, she was President & CEO, as well as publisher of the influential technology report, Release 1.0, and executive producer of the industry's prestigious executive gathering, PC Forum. Debora LaBudde, Envoi Ventures
Ms. LaBudde has more than 10 years of investment banking, venture development and management experience in the life science and technology sectors. Loretta McCarthy, Golden SeedsLoretta McCarthy is principal of McCarthy Group which advises executives in the areas of business strategy, marketing and distribution. Prior experience: Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at OppenheimerFunds and Vice President of Establishment Marketing at American Express, both of New York City. She is President of Sanctuary for Families, a domestic violence organization. Other board experience: Kessler Rehabilitation Corp., Prolitec, Inc., Carnegie Speech Company, the Women's Tennis Association, New Yorkers for Children and Abingdon Theatre Company. Loretta is a graduate of the University of Colorado (MBA) and the University of Arizona (BA). Lisbeth McNabb, w2wLinkLisbeth McNabb just completed two years as CFO for Match.com prior to founding w2wlink.com. Lisbeth has formed women's network groups at Pepsico Frito-Lay and Sodexho. This passion for women's development and her belief in the value of a community online model has led Lisbeth to launch this business. For more than 20 years she has specialized in strategy, finance, operations, sales and business development in growth and emerging-stage businesses. She has increased profit and market share in companies such as Match.com, Frito-Lay, American Airlines and Sodexho Marriott. She is currently a Director on the board of Nexstar Broadcasting, a NASDAQ company and other corporate and non-profit organizations. Alison Newman, CooleyAlison Newman is a partner in the Cooley Godward Kronish Business department and practices in the area of general corporate and securities law. She joined Kronish Lieb Weiner & Hellman LLP in 1999, which was merged into Cooley Godward Kronish LLP in 2006. She is resident in the New York office. Ms. Newman represents a diverse client base comprised of public and private companies, investment banks, venture capital firms and high net worth individuals. Throughout her career she has represented clients in connection with public offerings and private placements of securities, venture capital investments, private equity investments and mergers and acquisitions. She has extensive experience representing issuers and underwriters in public offerings for companies engaged in a number of industries, including high-technology, biotechnology, electronics, homeland security and the Internet. Prior to joining Kronish Lieb, Ms. Newman was a partner at Bachner Tally Polevy & Misher, where she practiced from 1991 through 1999. Ms. Newman’s counsel is often sought by companies seeking to access venture capital and other financing alternatives. Ms. Newman has regularly acted as counsel to public and privately held companies advising them on compliance with securities laws and Sarbanes Oxley and in connection with their general and transactional matters. She is also regularly engaged by buyers, sellers and financial advisors in a variety of public and private business combinations. Ms. Newman received her J.D. in 1986 from New York University School of Law. She received her B.A. cum laude in 1983 from the University of Pennsylvania. Katherine O'Neill, Jumpstart NJ Angel Network
Katherine O’Neill is the Executive Director for Jump Start New Jersey Angel Network, a member led angel investor group that invests in early stage high growth companies in Mid-Atlantic region. Jumpstart focuses on seed/early stage technology companies needing both funding and seasoned management assistance to move forward. Jumpstart actively looks for investments in the $200k-1 Million range, and sometimes will co-invest in large investments with other groups. She currently serves on the Board of the Angel Capital Association, the national association of angel groups in the United States. Nicole Perrotta, UBSBio coming soon! Will Porteous, RRE VenturesMr. Porteous is a General Partner with RRE Ventures. Before joining the venture capital industry, Mr. Porteous held senior management positions in marketing and product management with SupplyWorks and NetMarket, the e-commerce pioneer now owned by Cendant Corp. Mr. Porteous is a Director of Data Robotics, Electric Cloud, Liquid Machines, Peek, and Skyhook Wireless and a former Director of Frictionless Commerce (acquired by SAP) and Tacit Networks (acquired by PKTR). He also serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia Business School and as Chairman of the Dockery Farms Foundation which he founded. Mr. Porteous holds an MBA from Harvard University, an MSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a BA with Honors from Stanford University where he served as Captain of the Varsity Crew. JJ Ramberg, MSNBCJJ Ramberg is the host of MSNBC's new small business show, “Your Business.” Before joining MSNBC, Ramberg was a reporter at CNN, where she covered a wide range of topics, ranging from breaking news to profiles of the country’s top business leaders. Her extensive field experience includes reporting from Biloxi, Miss., and New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. She also hosted the daytime talk program “The Flipside” on CNNfn and was a producer on CNN’s profile program “Pinnacle.” She began her television career at NBC News, where she was an associate producer at “Dateline NBC.” Ramberg is passionate about small business and has firsthand experience as an entrepreneur herself. With her brother, she co-founded GoodSearch.com, a search engine that donates 50 percent of revenue to the charities and schools its users designate. Ramberg also spent two years after business school as the director of marketing and one of the first employees at Cooking.com, an Internet-based cookware retailer. Ramberg has spent her career balancing business with public service, spending considerable time during the past few years working for microfinance organizations in Uganda and India. Ramberg is also a contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine and she writes a financial column for Cookie Magazine, Conde Nasts’ parenting magazine. Ramberg graduated cum laude from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and received her MBA from Stanford Business School. Laura Ramsey, ZweaveLaura is the Founder and CEO of Zweave. At Zweave she is responsible for global operations, sales, marketing, solution delivery and product development. Laura’s vision supports Zweave’s focus on designing tools that address the complexity of product development organizations. She has won seven Small Business Innovation Research Grants from the Department of Defense. Prior to founding Zweave, Laura was the Founder and CEO of Fashion Express Worldwide and FX Asia, Private Label Buying Offices, developing apparel products for vertical retailers. Fashion Express was profitable in twelve months and continued to grow at 300% annually for 5 years. In 1997, Laura merged Fashion Express (FX) to form International Product Options (IPO). As CEO and Creative Director of IPO, Laura expanded her business into a global private label sourcing business with offices in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China serving the leading vertical retail brands in the United States. Laura directed operations for these businesses and managed product development and sourcing activities. Laura founded Zweave to fulfill the technology gap she experienced as an apparel product developer. Zweave is Laura’s third startup. Laura is an author and frequent speaker on the topic of Product Life Management (PLM), Product Development and Sourcing for the Fashion Industry. She has presented at numerous industry conferences including The National Retail Federation Super Show, WWD Teens and Tweens Summit, ASAP Global Sourcing Show, ASTM standards conference, and NYNMA. Laura has been featured in articles on Apparel technology and entrepreneurship including Success, Fortune, Entrepreneurs, MSI, Apparel Magazine, WWD, and Bobbin. McCann has been featured on CNN fn, Entrepreneurs Only on NPR, NY-1, and was featured in Money Hunt’s technology profile pilot. Laura holds a Bachelors degree in Fashion Design from Parson’s School of Design and is a graduate of several Executive Management programs including MIT’s “Birthing of Giants” and Leadership America. Laura was a longstanding member of EO, the Entrepreneurs Organization and was Chapter President of New York and held multiple international board positions throughout the late 90’s. Laura’s professional experience commenced at the age of seven as a child actress in France. Laura’s major accomplishment was in 1980 when she starred in “La Petite Sirene”. Laura’s story has appeared in People Magazine, Variety, The Los Angeles Times, The New York times and others and, she has appeared on television and Radio. Raised in Europe as a child Laura is fluent in French and Spanish. Scott Reardon, Dakota VenturesScott Reardon is founder and General Partner of Dakota Ventures LLC, an early-stage venture capital firm focusing on emerging opportunities in communications and information technology. With expertise investing in, developing and operating businesses and bringing nascent technologies to market since 1980, Scott has a deep record of identifying opportunities in environments undergoing rapid technological, operational, competitive and/or regulatory change. His portfolio companies follow a pattern: be selective, capitalize on high barriers to entry and exit to strategic buyers. The resulting returns on investment are in the top 10% of the venture industry. Scott has been the lead investor in more than 20 ventures spanning broadcasting, cellular telephony, advanced broadband wireless communications and web, internet protocol and communications software. Prior to his experience as a technology investor and entrepreneur, Scott served as President and CEO of Dakon, Inc., a distributor of industrial, consumer, and agricultural products, from 1983 to 1987. Previously he held senior managerial positions in marketing, operations and systems integration. Scott began his career in financial analysis. Scott completed his A.B. in Economics at Georgetown University and his Masters in Business Administration at American University. He is Chairman of the Deutsche Bank Microcredit Development Fund, a pioneering global philanthropic investment initiative, and an affiliate member of the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers. He formerly was a member of Georgetown University’s Board of Regents and active in local civic organizations. Lisa Ricciardi, Essex Woodlands Health VenturesLisa Ricciardi brings over 15 years of business and healthcare experience gleaned from a distinguished career with Pfizer, Inc. Most recently, Ms. Ricciardi served as the Senior Vice President for Licensing and Development at Pfizer, a position to which she was promoted in 2004 after serving as Vice President for Licensing and Development for Pfizer beginning in 1998. As Senior Vice President, Ms. Ricciardi led overall licensing negotiations of complex multinational, multiyear deals with global research-based pharmaceutical firms and was responsible for sourcing half of Pfizer's future pipeline. Previously, Ms. Ricciardi was a Team and Group Leader in the Global Pharmaceuticals Division (1995-1998) and as Assistant Product Manager and Product Manager in Pfizer Laboratories (1988 - 1995). Prior to Pfizer, Ms. Ricciardi worked with clients of the American Practice Management, a $100 million international management consulting firm specializing in physician and hospital management, enforcing the implementation of Diagnostic Related Groups. Ms. Ricciardi joined Essex Woodlands in October 2007. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago. David Rose, New York AngelsDavid S. Rose is an entrepreneurial executive and investor with extensive experience in high technology and communications, angel investments, finance and government. He was named by Inc. magazine to the 1998 Inc 500 list as CEO of one of the fastest growing private companies in America. Red Herring magazine has described him as "a patriarch of New York's Silicon Alley" and Crain's New York Business named him one of the City's 25 most influential technology executives. During the course of his career, Mr. Rose has supervised the creation of an intellectual property portfolio of issued patents appraised at over $100 million and negotiated both domestic and international corporate acquisitions. He was a prime author of the new data messaging protocols for the personal communications industry, and lectures frequently on issues relating to the development of the international information infrastructure. Mr. Rose is Chairman of the Board of the New York Angels, Inc., the leading angel investment consortium in the New York region. Through his investment fund, Rose Tech Ventures, he provides capital and management expertise to promising early stage companies. On behalf of his own technology firms he has personally raised tens of millions of dollars in venture, strategic and institutional capital. A native New Yorker, Mr. Rose has a B.A. from Yale University and an M.B.A. in Finance from Columbia University Business School. Kylie Sachs, Ascend VenturesKylie A. D. Sachs is a partner of Ascend who joined the firm in July 2003. Prior to joining Ascend, Kylie served in several operating and managerial roles at PRIMEDIA Inc. Prior to her tenure at PRIMEDIA, Kylie served as a Director of Corporate and Business Development at 360HipHop, a media company founded by Russell Simmons. Kylie also has a background in investment banking, having worked for Goldman, Sachs & Co., Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette and Peter J. Solomon Company. Kylie serves as a director of Printroom.com, Inc., Boxxet, Inc., Wimba, Inc. and Tutor.com; is an observer to the Channel M, Inc., NextMedium, Inc. and Retention Education, Inc. boards of directors; and is a director on the board of trustees of Literacy, Inc. Kylie earned a B.A. in Economics from Georgetown University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Lori Smith, Goodwin Proctor LLPLori Smith, a partner in the firm’s Business Law Department, specializes in representing foreign and domestic companies in various industries with regard to mergers and acquisitions, financings and general corporate matters, with an emphasis on emerging technologies. Ms. Smith has extensive experience acting as outside counsel for companies at all stages of development, from start-ups to public companies. Ms. Smith has represented both public and private companies -- including software, Internet, wireless and other emerging technology clients -- in the structuring, negotiation and implementation of equity and debt financings and private equity transactions, private placements, acquisitions, mergers, strategic alliances, joint ventures, and licensing, manufacturing and distribution arrangements (including distribution via the Internet and wireless means). She also advises companies with respect to the various issues that need to be addressed in anticipation of and planning for a public offering, sale or merger. In addition, Ms. Smith is experienced in representing both publicly and privately held companies in all aspects of their business operations. Along with providing assistance on contracts and transactional matters, she has advised companies on board of directors and shareholders issues, negotiation of shareholders’ and voting agreements, and transitional issues in connection with the transfer of management and control from one generation to the next. Ms. Smith has a B.A. from the University of Rochester (magna cum laude) and a J.D. from Duke University School of Law (with high honors). Melissa Stepanis, Silicon Valley BankMelissa Stepanis is a Vice President and Relationship Manager for Silicon Valley Bank’s New York Technology Practice which services technology companies in New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. She is responsible for business development, assisting technology companies with their financing and banking needs, and managing client relationships. Ms. Stepanis joined Silicon Valley Bank’s Boston office in 1996, and moved to New York in 2001 to help grow the Bank’s tri-state lending practice. Ms. Stepanis’ tenure at Silicon Valley Bank also includes working for the Life Sciences Practice and the Bank’s Structured Finance lending group. Prior to joining Silicon Valley Bank, Ms. Stepanis was employed as an Associate for BayBank’s Not-for-Profit lending group. Ms. Stepanis holds a B.A from Smith College (summa cum laude) and a M.B.A. from Babson College (summa cum laude). Bart Stuck, Signal Lake Ventures
* 1972: ScD in Electrical Engineering (Communications and Control Theory) MIT, Cambridge MA Jeanne Sullivan, Starvest PartnersJeanne has 17 years of private equity experience and has spent 27 years in the technology sector encompassing both extensive operating and investing experience with technology companies. Over the past 17 years as a founding principal of StarVest and previously with Olivetti Ventures, Ms. Sullivan has served on the boards of fourteen private and two public companies and has extensive experience creating “go to market” plans for expansion stage companies. Her expertise also includes strategy, an understanding of the technology landscape and industry trends. She has been a member of all board committees, and has served as the head of several Compensation Committees. Ms. Sullivan holds a BS from the University of Illinois and a JD from Creighton University School of Law. She directed the selection committee as part of the founding group for the New York New Media Association Angel Investors Program. She is active with the Natural Resource Defense Council, a nonprofit New York City-based organization that lobbies for environmental reform, and established the New York area Environmental Entrepreneurs group comprised of business and technology leaders. She is also on the Emerging Enterprise Committee of the National Minority Business Council. Ms. Sullivan is a sought-after industry speaker on the subject of investing in and building technology companies and serves as an adjunct professor of marketing at the graduate level. Sarah Tavel, Bessemer Venture PartnersSarah Tavel is an Associate working with Jeremy Levine in the Larchmont office. She focuses on the software and Internet sectors and has been closely involved in the Metalogix, Yodle, Cornerstone OnDemand, Onestop, and CPower investments. Sarah joined BVP in 2006 as an Analyst with responsibility for identifying sectors and companies of interest and sourcing deals. Earlier, she was a consultant for The Kerdan Group, a strategy consulting firm, where she focused on the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. Previously, she founded a residential service-provision company, which she grew to 20% net margins. She began her career in sales for non-profits. While earning a degree in Philosophy cum laude from Harvard University, Sarah captained the women’s Rugby team and was a Harvard Scholar. She is conversant in Spanish and has traveled widely. Jon Vollemaere, VollumeMany new technology companies have a great new innovation but struggle to find a market for it or cannot afford the top quality Sales and Marketing resources they need to close those early deals. Alternatively, established firms would like to expand outside their home market, but cannot justify the cost of a foreign office without having the clients first. Vollume fills that gap by providing outsourced business development. Through our vast experience, global contacts and advisors we help get those early adopter customers, with very little risk. New Technology can often solve the business problem in many countries, but you need a local presence. Throughout his career, Jon has been successful in expanding new business Ideas into greenfield regions across the World. He has sold and managed a wide variety of technology solutions ranging from highly complex Enterprise Software to GUI design. From Online Content to serving the specific demands of on-line Financial Markets trading and Exchanges. Jon holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Auckland University, NZ is AFMA accredited, holds certificates in both Foreign Exchange and International Finance Markets and in Film Studies from New York University. Michael A. Wiley, NJ Economic Development AuthorityMichael Wiley is a Senior Venture Officer within the EDA's Technology and Life Sciences Division. Wiley assists early-stage technology companies by providing financing from the Edison Innovation Fund to further innovation, expand their businesses and grow jobs in New Jersey. His areas of focus include: the communications, software, and new media sectors. He previously served as Innovation Zone Manager for the EDA where he managed, along with the three Innovation Zone Coordinators, the three Innovation Zones in Newark, the Greater New Brunswick Area and Camden. Prior to joining the EDA, Wiley’s experience included: commercial contracting, intellectual property/technology licensing and business development for organizations such as Lucent Technologies, Rutgers University’s Office of Corporate Liaison and Technology Transfer, and Avaya Inc. Sherri Williams, Montgomery & CoSherri Williams serves as a principal in Montgomery & Co.’s private placement group. Prior to joining Montgomery & Co., Ms. Williams worked at J.P. Morgan as an executive director in the areas of Equity Capital Markets, and Equity Private Placements. There, she was responsible for continued business development, managing existing investor relationships and expanding investor networks among venture capital firms, private equity firms, financial sponsors and hedge funds. Previously, Ms. Williams has also held Vice President positions in private placement and finance at Rothschild, Inc. and Credit Suisse First Boston. Ms. Williams holds her MBA from Cornell University’s Johnson School of Management, and her Bachelor of Science degree in international economics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, where she participated in the Landegger Honors Program in International Business Diplomacy. Vanessa Wilson, Golden SeedsVanessa Wilson has significant public markets and M&A experience after 19 years on Wall Street. She retired in 2007 from Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc., where she had been a Managing Director and equity research analyst with primary responsibility for the U.S. life insurance industry. Prior to joining Deutsche Bank in October 2000, Ms. Wilson had been a Principal and equity research analyst at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. She had moved to DLJ in 1997 from Credit Suisse First Boston, where she had been a Managing Director in equity research. Ms. Wilson's career as a sell-side equity analyst started at First Boston in 1991, following three years of investment banking experience in the firm's insurance industry practice. She had previously worked in the insurance industry for six years with Marsh & McLennan, initially as an insurance broker and then as a property-casualty credit analyst. As an equity research analyst specializing in life insurance, Ms. Wilson lead- or co-managed 15 initial public offerings. She was ranked on the Institutional Investor “All-American Research Team” for 10 years and in The Wall Street Journal’s “All Star Analysts’ Survey” for 7 years. She is also past-president of the Association of Insurance and Financial Analysts. Ms. Wilson is currently an active investor in early stage companies. She is a Managing Director of Golden Seeds, an angel investor group that provides early stage and private equity capital across all sectors to women entrepreneurs. Her Golden Seeds portfolio includes software services, technology, media and publishing and consumer goods companies. Separately, Ms. Wilson also sits on the advisory board of Oyster Digital Media which provides innovative retail marketing solutions. She is also active within her community and is using her expertise in finance to help several non-profit companies achieve sustainable business models. Ms. Wilson serves on the Board of Directors and the Finance Committee of Count Me In, a nonprofit provider of micro loans and business education for women entrepreneurs. At St. James School, an inner city parochial school located on Manhattan’s lower eastside, Ms. Wilson created an after-school program and sits on the school’s Advisory Board. As a former trustee of The Ethel Walker School, an all girls’ secondary school in Connecticut, Ms. Wilson served on the Finance and Audit Committees and was the Chair of the Investment Committee for the endowment. Ms. Wilson is a member of the Board of Directors of Protective Life Corporation of Birmingham, Alabama. She serves on the Finance and Audit Committees of the Board and is designated as the financial expert on the Audit Committee. Ms. Wilson graduated cum laude from Amherst College with a B.A. in economics and biology in 1981. She received her MBA in finance from New York University's Stern School of Business in 1987. Ms. Wilson resides in New York City with her 13-year old son Brandon and their dog Fudge. |