Kristen Barr

President
Versatility

Jonathan Cohen

Founder, CEO & President
20/20 GenSystems

Jonathan Cohen is President & CEO of 20/20 GeneSystems, Inc. (Rockville, MD). 20/20 develops and commercializes machine learning powered laboratory tests for the early detection of cancer and other diseases. The company saw over 600% revenue growth in FY’20 and it expects to be listed as one of the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America in the summer of 2021.

In Q’4 2021 the company will establish what is believed to be the country’s first shared CLIA lab accelerator for innovative developers of laboratory tests.

As a seasoned health technology entrepreneur Cohen has raised over $20 million in equity capital and forged and managed license, technology transfer, investment, and sales & marketing agreements with Fortune 500 companies such as Eastman Kodak, Abbott Diagnostics, Johnson & Johnson, and Ping An, the largest health insurance company in China.

Mr. Cohen has also been a leading advocate for the life sciences industry at the state and federal levels. He is the architect of the Maryland Biotechnology Investor Tax Credit, the most aggressive investor incentive in the U.S. Jonathan also led the legislative effort that resulted in the first increase in funding under the federal Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) in over 30 years.

Jonathan is a registered patent attorney with an M.S. in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University and a J.D. from the American University.

James Crifasi

COO & CTO
RedZone Technologies

James is one of the founders of RedZone Protects CUSO, RedZone Compliance Services, and RedZone Holdings. Recently he has focused on growth through mergers and acquisitions with a focus on due diligence and cross company operational logistics. With over 20 years’ experience as a technology-centric executive, James has excelled at building high-performing teams to overhaul business and technology operations and create cost-effective secure environments for clients. He has proven leadership running infrastructure, security, enterprise applications, and eBusiness teams. Serving as CTO and COO for RedZone Technologies, James is responsible for all aspects of technology, client delivery, sales, legal, and operations. His background includes degrees in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Computer Science, and a master’s in interdisciplinary management. James is pursuing a masters of law. Under James’ leadership, RedZone Technologies has successfully developed into a world-class information technologies service organization. He ensures that RedZone delivers on its promises and that first-time customers become customers for life.

Parker Davis

Managing Member
Slate Capital Group

Since 2010, Parker has been a Partner of Slate Capital Group, an independent sponsor focused on private equity opportunities in the lower-middle market. Parker focuses on developing new opportunities for Slate and managing its current portfolio. Parker was previously a Managing Director at JPB Capital Partners, a private equity fund. Prior to joining JPB, Parker was CEO of AHS, LLC, a water-treatment technology company. Parker was also an investment banker at Merrill Lynch in New York for six years, working primarily in the Global Industries Group.

Douglas Falk

Venture Partner
Riptide Ventures

Doug Falk, MS, is a Venture Partner at Riptide Ventures. In addition to this, he co-founded and joined Vita Therapeutics, Inc. as Chief Executive Officer in 2019. Prior, he spent six years in the investment world with a particular focus in biotechnology at Brown Advisory, where he was a principal, Merrill Lynch, and Lazard. He was also involved in the formation of Regron Therapeutics, a Johns Hopkins spin, and currently sits on the board of directors. In addition to his work at Riptide Ventures, Doug is also a venture partner at Sunday Ventures. He received his MS from Johns Hopkins University in biotechnology and his BA from Goucher College in economics and business management

Yair Flicker

President
SmartLogic

Yair is the President of SmartLogic, a company that creates data-driven web and mobile software applications.

Matthew Gorra

Partner
DLA Piper LLP

Matthew is a transactional lawyer with extensive experience advising clients on mergers and acquisitions; private equity, venture capital and financing transactions; securities issuances and compliance; strategic transactions; shareholder disputes; and general corporate matters. He is a member of the firm’s Healthcare, Life Sciences and Technology Sectors and provides advice to private and public companies, investors, owners and entrepreneurs. Matthew has managed transactions for both private and public clients in a wide variety of industries, among them technology, healthcare, life sciences, aeronautical engineering, performance sportswear, financial services, investment management, propane gas distribution, commercial printing, chemical manufacturing, paint manufacturing, newspaper publishing, car dealership management, professional employee training, credit card consulting, education, real estate, construction, medicine, environmental engineering and human resource management. He advises clients from both the company/seller and investor/buyer perspectives. Matthew has structured transactions in a variety of forms, including common and preferred stock financings, debt issuances, asset sales, stock sales (public and private), mergers, recapitalizations, joint ventures and licensing arrangements.

Scott Gotshall

VP, Head of Personal Genome Diagnostics
Personal Genome Diagnostics

Scott Gotshall is the CEO / Head of Personal Genome Diagnostics (PGDx), a cancer genomics company that was acquired by Labcorp in Feb '22. PGDx was formed out of Johns Hopkins in 2010 and provides comprehensive genomic profiling products in services, which are both tissue and blood-based. Previously, Scott led the legal and business management functions at PGDx and helped drive this acquisition which was >25+ revenue. Prior to PGDx, Scott spent close to 10 years as a legal and operations leader at Roche Diagnostics, served as Corporate Counsel at a tech company, and worked a law firm as a corporate law focused on M&A transactions.

Anita Graham

Principal, Baltimore Market
Arctaris Impact Investors

Anita joined Arctaris in 2020 and serves as Principal of the Baltimore Market.  She leads the sourcing, due diligence and execution of debt and equity investment opportunities in Baltimore. Anita has over 25 years of experience as a private equity investor and has made direct investments in an array of sectors leading transactions that total in excess of $300 million.

Prior to joining Arctaris, Anita was co-founder and Managing Director of Graham & Associates, a company that assembled and partnered with professionals experienced in assisting management teams in developing processes to meet operational and financial objectives, identifying the appropriate source of capital to support the management team’s goals, and performing internal operational and financial audits to insure that the goals are being met.

Harold Green

Ecopreneur
Global Emissionairy, LLC

Created the first transportation specific carbon emissions Methodology to capture, document, validate, verify, post and sell carbon emissions.

Deborah Hemingway

Managing Partner
Ecphora Capital

Dr. Deborah Hemingway, as the Founder and Managing Partner of Ecphora Capital in Baltimore, spearheads this Baltimore-based venture capital firm focused on medtech and diagnostics. She boasts an impressive entrepreneurial background, having founded, funded, or served on the boards of 53 startups. Dr. Hemingway holds a Ph.D. in Biophysics from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Tim Hodge

Managing Partner
Nelson Mullins

Tim is the managing partner of the Baltimore office and provides outside general counsel for businesses in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond—from the most promising newcomers arriving in the market today to serial entrepreneurs and established industry leaders. Mr. Hodge focuses much of his time on complex transactional matters that often prove crucial to a company's growth, evolution, or exit strategy. His legal experience includes handling general corporate matters, domestic and international M&A deals, intellectual property issues, and the full array of business disputes and challenges a corporate client might face. His past experience as a litigator also enables him to provide the advice clients require in a highly competitive and sometimes treacherous business world.

Lee M. Koury

Managing Partner
Smart Business Network Inc.

Lee is managing partner of Smart Business Network Inc., a national events, media and marketing company founded in 1989, primarily responsible for expanding the company’s Aspire deal-making conference throughout the U.S. He plays a key role in establishing corporate policies and developing long-term strategy and growth plans. Previously, he founded and chaired the Growth Group at national law firm Arter & Hadden LLP (now Tucker, Ellis & West), which focused on working with middle-market and high-growth technology companies. 

Tim Krongard

Owner
Chesapeake Chemlab

Tim is the owner of Chesapeake Chemlab, a Baltimore-based provider of equipment, products and services for commercial kitchen and laundry operations. He is also a partner at Anchor Capital, a small cap stock fund based in Raleigh, NC. Prior to 2018, he had a 20 year career in venture capital. Tim is active in philanthropy serving schools, a community hospital, and various veteran service organizations.

Josh Matthews

Co-founder & CEO
Apkudo

William A. McComas

Managing Partner
Bowie & Jensen, LLC

William A. McComas is the Managing Partner at Bowie & Jensen and a corporate attorney focusing on the technology sector. A leading technology attorney, he represents companies, investors, and entrepreneurs in many different technology industries. He counsels clients throughout the country in connection with financing, mergers and acquisitions, sales of assets, equity financings, and other general corporate matters. He is well established for helping companies to manage and develop commercial technology and strategies. He often publishes and speaks on such topics and has received numerous awards including citations in Best Lawyers in America and multiple "Lawyer of the Year" honors. Email: [email protected]

Charles McCusker

Managing Partner
Patriot Capital Group

Charles McCusker is the Managing Partner of the Patriot Capital Group and is one of the founders of Patriot Capital I, Patriot Capital II, Patriot Capital III, and Patriot Capital IV.

Prior to Patriot Capital, Mr. McCusker was a General Partner of the ServiceMaster Venture Fund, a highly successful portfolio of focused private equity investments in consumer services, for-profit education, application software, and business e-commerce industries.

Mr. McCusker also founded and held several operating executive positions, including President and Chief Operating Officer of a joint venture between The ServiceMaster Company (SVM) and Kleiner Perkins.

Mr. McCusker has also served as the Chair of the Small Business Investor Alliance, the leading industry association for lower and middle market private equity firms, and currently serves on the Board of the University of Chicago’s Private Equity Council for the Booth School of Business. 

J. Gary McDaniel

CEO
Geothermal Technologies, Inc.

Gary McDaniel has worked in emerging ventures, Fortune 500 corporations, and multinational enterprises undergoing various stages of start-up, turnaround, and rapid-growth. A chemical engineer with an MBA, Gary has 35+ years of proven success providing the right leadership to achieve the highest revenue, profit, and corporate value. A “serial CEO”, he has now led 7 companies, several to successful exit.

Ryan McGovern

Managing Director & Investment Committee Member
Star Mountain Capital

Ryan McGovern is a Managing Director & Investment Committee Member at Star Mountain Capital. He was previously a partner at Ember Capital (fka Nomura Mezzanine), a ~$500 million private debt fund manager sponsored by Nomura. Before joining Nomura to help launch its private credit fund business, Ryan was an investment professional at AIG-MezzVest, a ~$750 million mezzanine fund sponsored by AIG. Earlier in his career, Ryan was an investment banker at HSBC and at Stephens Inc. He holds an MBA from HEC Paris and a BA from Vanderbilt University.

Jack Miner

Chief Investment Officer
Maryland TEDCO

As TEDCO’s Chief Investment Officer, Jack stewards the organization’s investment and due diligence processes, leads the Builder, Seed and Maryland Venture Funds, and manages the investment portfolios to maximize financial return and ensure a lasting impact for the State of Maryland. His leadership and expertise provide valuable insights to advance TEDCO’s investment activities, lead TEDCO’s investment teams, complete all investment transactions, effectively maintain portfolio development, and ensure compliance with all investment policies and guidelines.

Jack is an experienced entrepreneur, economic development specialist, and subject matter expert for venture-stage technology startups with a deep understanding and affinity for the venture capital industry. He successfully partners with research and development teams, strategic investors, and investment colleagues to develop and communicate the vision and launch strategy while optimizing the success of pipeline assets. Jack is adept at vetting companies and teams, evaluating investment strategies, and measuring results. He is focused on designing and implementing corporate venture processes using the most current techniques and trends to attract investors, improve company valuations, and bottom-line return to stakeholders.

Chuck Morton

Managing Partner, Baltimore
Venable LLP

Chuck Morton, the Managing Partner of Venable's Baltimore Office, supports privately held businesses and their owners thrive in a constantly evolving business environment. As part of Maryland's largest law firm, he and his team provide practical guidance to help you seize your greatest opportunities and navigate your most complex challenges.

Ted Olsen

Principal
Neowise, LLC

Ted Olsen is a serial entrepreneur and operations executive. He is currently a principal at Neowise, a product development company. Olsen also serves on the board of Astek Diagnostics, is a partner at BLU Venture Investors and Next Gen Venture Partners. Previously, he was co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aqualith Advanced Materials. Prior to Aqualith, Mr. Olsen was the founder and CEO of PathSensors, where he led the sale to Smiths Group in 2020. Earlier in his career he was Chief Operating Officer at Innovative Biosensors. In the late 1990’s, Olsen was one of the early employees at Corvis Corporation, a Columbia, MD telecommunications company which raised $1.2B via a public offering in 2000.
Ted spent the early part of his career with Corning, working through a series of management roles in glass, ceramics, and telecommunications. His career focused on product / process development and manufacturing operations.

Mr. Olsen served for seven years on the State of Maryland’s Life Science Advisory board. He is an advisor and mentor to Georgetown University’s start-up accelerator;TechStars Equitech Accelerator;The Tech Council of Maryland;The Biotechnology Institute of Maryland;and Baltimore City Community College’s biotechnology program. He is an engineering graduate from The Catholic University of America.

Rhonda Overby

Chairman and CEO
Camera Ready, Inc.

Rhonda Overby is an investor, board director, and founder/CEO of Camera Ready, a strategic communications company that aligns mission, vision, and message(s) with target audiences to achieve.  Overby guided Camera Ready to profitability in year-one and has successfully managed through rapid, unprecedented, global industry changes by embracing them as opportunities to pivot. Experienced as director, advisor, and public communicator, Overby thrives upon evolving and adding value.

Marshall Paul

Partner
Saul Ewing LLP

Marshall Paul focuses his practice on counseling businesses, health care concerns and professionals with respect to limited liability company matters, general corporate matters, joint ventures, acquisitions and sales, fiduciary duty issues and financings. His clients include large-scale health care providers, technology companies, distributors, service providers and manufacturers of various sizes, as well as individual health care professionals and other professionals.

A co-author of the Maryland Limited Liability Company Act, he served on the American Bar Association committee that drafted the ABA's original Prototype Limited Liability Company Act. Marshall has lectured both locally and nationally regarding limited liability companies and other legal matters. He has co-authored numerous articles on limited liability companies and other legal matters, as well as a widely-used book on limited liability companies. 

Kent Pearce

Managing Director- Senior Financial Advisor
The Pearce Group at Merrill

KENT V. PEARCE, a Managing Director - Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management along with his associates, form one of the firm's most distinguished Wealth Management Groups. Over the course of Kent's entire 29+ year career with Merrill, he has been recognized as one of America's leading financial advisors.

In 2022-2024, Kent was named among the Top 40 Wealth Advisors on the FORBES "America's Top Wealth Advisors" list and recently ranked #37 in America in 2024. In addition, he was ranked #1 in Maryland on the FORBES "Best-In-State Wealth Advisors" list for 2020-2023. (Both lists are published annually Jan - April. Rankings based on data as of June 30 of prior year).

Kent was also named to the BARRON’S “Top 100 Financial Advisors” List from 2020-2023 and holds the #1 ranking in Maryland on the BARRON’S “Top 1200 Financial Advisors” list for 2024. (Both Lists Published annually March-April. Rankings based on data as of September 30 and December 31 of the prior year, respectively).

Kent's 16-member team has approximately 250 years of combined experience and has consistently set a standard to offer stellar investment advice, and guidance as well as customized financial strategies to affluent individuals and families, corporate executives, business owners, foundations/endowments, private & public companies, and professional athletes/entertainers.

The Pearce Group was recently named to the FORBES "Top 100 Private Wealth Teams in America" list for 2023, as well as being the #1 Ranked Wealth Management Team in the State of Maryland on the FORBES "Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams" list for 2024. (Published on November 7, 2023 and January 9, 2024, respectively. Both rankings based on data as of March 31, 2023).

Lastly, Kent was the recipient of Merrill Lynch’s prestigious David Brady Award (2018) recognizing him for his devoted commitment to his clients, colleagues and community best represented through character and integrity.

Kent presently serves as a member of the CEO Club of Baltimore, the Living Classrooms Foundation Board of Directors and is also a founding member of Merrill's highly acclaimed National AGN (Advisor Growth Network) Board. Kent has also previous served as a member of the University of Maryland St. Joseph's Medical Center Foundation Board, as well as the President's Advisory Board at McDaniel College. Kent received a MBA degree from Mount Saint Mary's University in Financial Management, as well as a BA degree from McDaniel College with a dual concentration in Economics and Finance.

Stephanie Peck

Certified Business Performance Advisor
Insperity

Stephanie Peck is a Certified Business Performance Advisor with Insperity. Joining in 2018, Stephanie brings a unique blend of experience: with a degree and hands-on experience in HR, her perspective provides a deeper insight to founders on the challenges & opportunities that exist with their people.

While Stephanie has the ability to help organizations in nearly all industries & stages of the business life-cycle, she has a particular interest in the M&A space... from providing qualified deal flow to her network, to helping clients create & execute on an exit-strategy that aligns with their goals, she has provided guidance to countless organizations. Insperity is able to support throughout all transactions; our hands-on approach allows us to support our clients with their most important asset: their people.

Allyson Redpath

Director, Entrepreneurship
Maryland Department of Commerce

As the Director of Entrepreneurship for the Maryland Department of Commerce, Allyson Redpath directs and manages the agency's involvement in the early-stage ecosystem with the goal of encouraging and supporting new business formation and growth. A former investment banker, she is skilled in M+A, capital raising, investment analysis, and strategic partnerships. Allyson also founded the DC-area angel investment group, Citrine Angels.

Leslie Schaller

Retired Owner & Vice President
Bond Distributing Company

Previously having served as Owner/Vice President of her family's 3rd generation Baltimore-based Beverage Wholesalership, Leslie is now fully engaged in her next chapter of "FUNEmployment". Leslie has previously actively served on Boards of the Associated Jewish Charities, the McDonogh School, the National (and Maryland) Beer Wholesalers and Woodholme Country Club.

Currently, Leslie is focused on her continued Board involvement with LifeBridge Health/Sinai Hospital, the Advisory Board of Truist Bank and Philanthropy Tank Baltimore

Tom Springer

Shareholder
Schneider Downs

Tom is an experienced professional with over 20 years of expertise in providing strategic planning, business development, interim management, and technical advisory services to private equity firms, portfolio companies, and public and private enterprises. He has been involved in more than 30 transactions, including mergers and acquisitions at the enterprise level. 

Tom is recognized for his ability to solve complex business problems by aligning technology with business and operations. As a former C-Level leader, he brings invaluable perspective to his management advice, particularly in maximizing enterprise value, preparing owners for liquidity events, transferring ownership, and navigating complex transactions. 

Tom's approach involves creating productive sales and service teams, developing new business lines, and building strong client relationships, which ultimately drive enterprise value. He has extensive knowledge in telecommunications, systems integration, software development, and network management, which he leverages to support private equity and operating companies to drive growth.

Before coming to Schneider Downs, Tom was a managing partner at his firm and supported international work assignments in Spain, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, the UK, Ireland, Ethiopia, and Costa Rica.

Mac Tisdale

President, Mid-Atlantic Region
FNB Corporation

Mac Tisdale is President, Mid-Atlantic Region for First National Bank. With strong and relevant experience, Mac joined First National Bank in January 2013 as President of the Bank’s Maryland Region. In addition to coordinating Corporate and Business Banking and the overall business strategy in the Bank’s Mid-Atlantic Region, Tisdale manages the integration of sales by Retail Banking, Investment Real Estate, Asset Based Lending, Private Banking, Wealth Management, Investment and Insurance professionals.

Prior to joining First National Bank, Tisdale served for 12 years with SunTrust Bank in Baltimore, Maryland, as Market President and Commercial Banking Manager.

Tisdale earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Maryland’s Johns Hopkins University, as well as a B.A. in Economics from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. Currently, he serves as a member of the board of directors for the Greater Washington Board of Trade, the executive committee of the Greater Baltimore Committee, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, Living Calssrooms and Junior Achievement. He is also Chairman of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Maryland Chapter. In addition, he is also the past president of both the Maryland Chapter of Association for Corporate Growth and Washington and Lee University’s Alumni Association, Baltimore Chapter.

Stanley Tucker

President & CEO
Meridian Management Group

As President and CEO of Meridian Management Group, Inc., Stanley W. Tucker oversees and supervises MMG’s daily operations and provides the vision for the overall organization. He is involved in marketing strategy, initiating, structuring, syndicating and monitoring of investments, as well as review of financial reports and financial plans for MMG and its managed funds. Mr. Tucker has 38 years of diversified business experience with a strong emphasis on lending, venture capital investing and the development of socially or economically disadvantaged small businesses. Prior to forming MMG, which has managed the Maryland Small Business Development Financing Authority (MSBDFA) since 1995, Mr. Tucker was the Executive Director of MSBDFA from 1981 to 1995. He developed his skills as a credit analyst while working for Equitable Trust Company of Baltimore from 1979 to 1980. Mr. Tucker is a nationally sought-after speaker and consultant on minority business development. Mr. Tucker received his bachelor’s degree from Morgan State University and graduate degree from Carnegie-Mellon University.