Committee

AZ Abiud, a trailblazing entrepreneur, has carved a distinguished path in the business world with three remarkable exits, demonstrating his exceptional ability to identify and cultivate lucrative opportunities. His journey into entrepreneurship began at just seventeen years old, marking the start of a storied career defined by innovation and success. While still in college, AZ launched a PropTech property management platform, a venture that masterfully utilized master leasing agreements with landlords to sublet properties to students. This early endeavor not only showcased his entrepreneurial acumen but also led to his first million net revenue before the age of twenty-one.

AZ's business ventures have consistently broken ground and garnered widespread recognition. His development company was listed as one of the top five fastest-growing real estate firms by Inc. Magazine in 2013, a remarkable achievement for any entrepreneur. Further accolades followed, with Blackbusiness.org naming AZ’s company among the top five Black-owned fast-growing companies in the United States in 2015. AZ's entrepreneurial spirit continued to thrive with Acumen Capital, which ranked second on INC. 5000's fastest-growing companies in D.C. in 2016 and was also recognized by Inc. Magazine as the fastest-growing company led by an African-American nationwide.

Ethan Assal is managing partner of CYPF Manager, LLC, CYPF Manager III, LLC, CYPF Manager IV, LLC, CYPF Manager V, LLC, CYPF Manager VI, LLC and CYPF Manager VII, LLC, each of which manages its related CYwP Fund.

Before establishing CYWP Fund, Assal founded and served as Chairman and CEO of Multi-Media Holdings, Inc. (MHI). In 2000, the Washington Business Journal ranked MHI as the largest advertising firm in Washington, DC. At MHI, Assal grew capitalized billings to $400 million and managed a staff of 600 employees in offices across five states. He negotiated more than $50 million in a combination of mezzanine and equity financing and oversaw a mergers and acquisitions program that successfully purchased and integrated more than 20 competitors’ firms. Prior to MHI, Assal founded Personalities, Inc. while still in college. Assal directed all licensing, marketing, product development and manufacturing. Under his leadership, the company grew to be the largest manufacturer and distributor of non-apparel licensed rock n’ roll merchandise. In the 1980s, Personalities, Inc. shipped more than one million buttons and key chains per month to major retailers for bands including The Police, Duran Duran, AC/DC, Grateful Dead and The Rolling Stones. Assal sold the business in 1986 at the age of 25.

A graduate of Brandeis University and the Harvard Business School OPM Program, Assal is an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award winner and served as a judge for the prestigious award for several years. He also is a recipient of the Washington Business Journal’s “Forty under Forty” award and the Mass Mutual Blue-Chip Award. Assal is an active member of the Washington-Baltimore World Presidents’ Organization.

Robert Berdanier is a Managing Director in Riveron’s Business Restructuring & Turnaround Services practice. His focus is on middle-market companies, both distressed and healthy, seeking financial and operational improvement through interim leadership and re-organization. Robert is a seasoned restructuring professional, with significant experience in the manufacturing, distribution & hospitality.

Melissa L. Bradley founded 1863 Ventures, a platform providing content and connections to New Majority entrepreneurs. She is an exited founder, Eat the Change board member, and Nathan Cummings Foundation trustee. She is a distinguished Professor of Practice at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. She is a member of the Milken Institute Inclusive Capitalism Executive Council, Goldman Sachs’ One Million Black Women Advisory Council, and the Small Business Administration’s Investment Capital Advisory Committee.

Chris joined IMB in 2025 and is the Director of Business Development. In his 10-year career, Chris has worked in investment banking, capital markets, research and business development.

Prior to IMB, Chris was a Vice President with 890 5th Avenue Partners, where he was responsible for originating, evaluating, and negotiating transactions across various special purpose acquisition companies. Before 890 5th Avenue Partners, Mr. Buffone worked as an Investment Banking Associate at Landmark Ventures, where he focused on buy-side and sell-side M&A, and equity and debt-capital raises for technology, media and telecommunications companies.

Mr. Buffone received his BA in American Studies from Georgetown University.

Ben Carson Jr. is Co-Founder and Partner at FVLCRUM, where he is responsible for the overall guidance of the company and portfolio. He is actively involved in the community and serves on several boards, including Tufts University (Derby Entrepreneurial Center, President’s Council), YPO (Young President’s Organization), the Minority Wealth Commission, Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital Foundation Board, and Carson Scholars Fund.

Throughout her career in business development, account management and engineering, Gina Carvana has demonstrated a proven ability to exceed sales predictions, and client expectations. Her decade of strong executive sales experience and savvy negotiating laid the perfect groundwork for her transition to small business consulting after serving as an accomplished director of business development for various software firms, and as an award-winning software account manager for IBM Corporation.

Besides being consulting and tech savvy, Gina is expert at developing personal relationships with clients and maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction. Her interpersonal and managerial skills partner with her keen eye for detail to ensure that every deal is navigated with utmost attention and finesse.

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Gina has deep family roots in the hometown market she knows and loves. Gina will approach your challenges with an analytical yet creative approach.

Gina is a graduate of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville with a B.S. in Systems Engineering. She also studied Liberal Arts at City of London Polytechnic in London, England. When not busy working, Gina spends her time as an involved mother and an active community member

Ms. Colvin is a Director on Stellex’s Business Development team. Ms. Colvin joined Stellex after a career in business development with Perkins Coie, an Am Law 50 law firm, and two private equity firms – Wynnchurch Capital and Pfingsten Partners. Ms. Colvin began her career at the Alliance of M&A Advisors.

Ms. Colvin received her B.A. in History with a minor in Business from Indiana University.

Mark has been delivering solutions to clients since the early 1980s, by combining sensor technologies and wireless connectivity with other technologies for mobile data communications and tracking of assets and personnel to Green Energy. Mark has been involved in the ASIS International community for over 20 years. He served on the board of directors for several years at the Long Island New York chapter of ASIS International, holding positions from Treasurer to Vice Chair and Chairman. He is currently on the ASIS International Foundation Board of Trustees, and previously, on the Awards Committee of ASIS International. Overall, Mark Eklund has been a successful entrepreneur and leader in the security and technology industries for several decades, and his contributions to the field continue to have a significant impact on both public and private sectors.

Ticki Favaroth is a beacon of leadership and strategic prowess in human capital management and advisory services. Ticki embodies the roles of Executor, Diplomat, and Administrator. She provides visionary leadership, shapes strategic objectives, and ensures the effective execution of business and development plans. Cultivating a positive organizational culture, driving growth, and optimizing resource management are central to her mandate, contributing to the BOW Enterprises’ overall success and sustainability.

As a Senior Partner and Managing Director at HR&Co., Ticki brings a wealth of experience and a global perspective to her role. With a Master's in Business Administration from Texas Women's University and a Bachelor's in Business Administration from Texas Tech University, she has honed her craft over 17+ years, collaborating with organizations ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.

Numerous industry awards and leadership positions underscore her track record of success and reflect her commitment to driving impactful change. Ticki's approach is characterized by meticulous attention to detail, personalized insights, and a collaborative spirit that ensures clients remain integral to the process.

Ticki's expertise encompasses various human resources topics, from strategic planning to talent acquisition and retention. By forging strong partnerships with business leaders and aligning with organizational missions, Ticki has consistently delivered results, fostering engaged, high-performing workforces.

As a trusted advisor and problem solver, Ticki Favaroth embodies the essence of transformative leadership, guiding organizations and individuals toward sustainable success and growth.

Deborah Fell is Managing Partner for Chief Outsiders and brings a background of consistent value creation through sales and marketing plans, people, processes, organizations, tactical ability and measurement visibility. She identifies blocks and gaps, as well as the right fractional sales and/or marketing leader for immediate and enduring success.

A Corporate and Securities Transactions partner and member of the firm’s Public Company Advisers Team, John Gambaccini has more than 20 years of experience advising middle-market public and private companies, investors and individuals in connection with mergers and acquisitions, capital and equity financings, securities regulation, joint ventures, corporate governance, and general corporate matters. His experience with clients crosses a variety of industries, including technology, health care, finance, government services, and industrial manufacturing. 

John has a particular niche in assisting private equity funds and related financial sponsor groups in domestic and international middle-market transactions. He also represents private equity portfolio companies through their life cycle, from acquisition through add-on acquisitions, growth and exit. 

A native Ohioan, John now practices law from the firm’s Tysons, Virginia office, where he is also active in the Association for Corporate Growth - National Capital Chapter (ACG) and the Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AMAA) - DC/MD/VA chapter. He also serves as the current Managing Partner of the firm’s Tysons, Virginia office.

For more than 25 years, Michael Gold has assisted clients in a wide variety of industries in corporate and transactional matters. He is a trusted advisor to general counsel, senior management and boards of directors across the country. Michael is a "closer" with a record of negotiating complex transaction to a satisfactory conclusion, focusing on his clients' business objectives.   

Michael has extensive experience with public securities markets and securities regulatory matters, particularly in the M&A, corporate governance and general disclosure and compliance areas. 

He has also advised numerous clients regarding private equity, hedge fund and venture finance transactions, representing both investors and issuers. He handles issues related to structuring complex securities transactions, and trading practices and policies within different securities markets and firms.

In addition, Michael has represented companies and individuals in numerous corporate crisis situations, has conducted internal investigations and assisted with enforcement actions brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the NYSE and FINRA (formerly the NASD). 

Prior to law school, Michael was a financial analyst for Goldman, Sachs & Co. in New York City, specializing in mortgage finance.

Dahna Goldstein is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Halcyon Venture Partners, which invests in seed stage companies in climate, health, and equitytech. Dahna's career has been focused on the intersections of entrepreneurship, technology, and impact. She has founded two impact ventures – PhilanTech and Resistance by Design – taught entrepreneurship, and written extensively about social impact.

Jennifer is the DC Market Leader for Riveron a business advisory firm with 16 Global Offices and over 1100 professionals advising CFOs, Private Equity sponsor and other key shareholders. She has worked for over 25 years providing business improvement, transaction advisory and technology enablement services for public and privately held companies. She enjoys helping clients balance people, processes, data and technology, to achieve strategic objectives. Jennifer has industry specialization in Defense Contractors, Healthcare, Technology & Media, Asset Management, Financial Services and Non-Profits.

Jennifer is on the board of Bite Me Cancer, a foundation based in Oakton, Virginia that provides support for teens going through cancer treatments. The organization also raises money for thyroid cancer research and education.

Dr. Deborah Hemingway is the Founder and Managing Partner of Ecphora Capital, a venture capital firm funding early-stage medtech ventures headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. With a doctoral degree in Biophysics from the University of Maryland College Park, Dr. Hemingway brings over two decades of entrepreneurial experience to her role and held board positions for 53 startup companies. She was recognized by the UMD Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship as the 2019 Angel Investor of the Year and by the Baltimore Dealmakers Conference as a 2024 Baltimore Dealmaker of the Year.

Criss Kennedy, SVP, is a Team Leader of Commercial Banking with First National Bank’s Mid-Atlantic region, having joined in 2022. She has more 30 years of in the mid-Atlantic region and holds MBA from Western Illinois University. She serves in the Professional Services Council, NOVA Chamber of Commerce and holds board positions with Senwah Foundation, KDHC, and the UMD Advisory Council.

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. 

Will Krusen is President of Falcon Affiliates, where he manages Falcon’s investment process as well as the Firm’s involvement with portfolio companies. His background includes investing in private companies and partnerships, corporate strategy, general management, and corporate finance and M&A. He has worked on financings and acquisitions ranging in size from $10 million to greater than $1billion.

Prior to founding Falcon, Krusen was a Managing Director with Raymond James Financial (NYSE:RJF) in the Proprietary Capital department reporting to and working with the CEO and CFO. Prior to Raymond James, Krusen worked for Catterton Partners, a leading private equity firm, and began his career as an investment banker with Deutsche Bank in New York.

Krusen holds an AB in Economics from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard University. He is active with the Young President’s Organization (YPO), the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), the Princeton Alumni Association, and is a trustee of the Boys & Girls Clubs and St. Christopher’s School, both in Richmond.

Wright Lewis is a Partner at Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig, a mid-sized business boutique law firm with a nationwide practice. Wright's practice is focused on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, and providing outside general counsel for matters arising throughout the business life cycle, including entity formation, governance, restructuring, contracts, equity compensation, and succession planning.

As ScienceLogic’s CEO, David used his market knowledge and customer focus to lead the ScienceLogic IT management system to dramatically exceed the needs and expectations of clients.

Prior to founding ScienceLogic in 2003, David was Senior Vice President and a corporate officer at Interliant, Inc., where he led the establishment of Interliant’s strong presence in the ASP/MSP market. He previously held senior management positions within IBM’s Software Division, leading the development of Internet commerce products.

David also spent nine years in IT solutions with CompuServe, building innovative global online communication solutions while establishing the market for business and consumer online services.

David earned his BS at Denison University.

Recognized as one of the region's leading technology attorneys and ranked by Chambers for his corporate expertise, he represents clients ranging from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 companies on commercial transactional matters. His practice focuses on helping businesses improve their core functions through legal counsel in areas including financing, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital investments, and general corporate matters.

Bill has established himself as an expert in managing and developing commercial technology strategies, providing representation on complex business transactions such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, electronic commerce, outsourcing, and intellectual property management. His unique value stems from his executive business and technology management background, having worked for one of North America's largest book manufacturers and a major global ocean carrier before becoming an attorney, where he developed software and managed major vendor contracts.

A cum laude graduate of the University of Baltimore School of Law with a B.A. in Computer Science from Brown University, Bill has received numerous professional recognitions including being named Lawyer of the Year for Information Technology Law in Baltimore multiple times (2019-2022) and for Copyright Law in 2024. He is a frequent business and technology law columnist for publications including the Legal Times, National Law Journal, Baltimore Business Journal, and The Daily Record.

Molly Merritts-Ricci is an experienced transactional attorney, routinely assisting clients with mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt financing transactions, and general corporate governance. Molly has led deal teams in complex transactions across an array of industries, including technology, healthcare, heavy equipment and automotive, cybersecurity, and hospitality. She also serves as outside general counsel to private equity groups, family offices, operating companies, and new business ventures. She has extensive experience in drafting and negotiating commercial contracts, limited liability company agreements, stockholder agreements, buy-sell agreements, and other key business documents. Molly also assists companies with equity incentive grants and internal reorganizations.

Molly's practice also includes representing companies and investors in equity financing and investment transactions. In addition, she advises borrowers and lenders in debt financing transactions, including acquisition financing, working capital lines of credit, and other types of loan facilities.

Curtis Ofori is a Partner at Greenhall Capital. Throughout his career, he has been investing in and partnering with leading businesses and management teams across technology, communications infrastructure, tech-enabled services, payments and software.

Before Greenhall, Mr. Ofori worked in the investment banking division at Morgan Stanley (TMT) and the U.S. Treasury Department. He also was on the U.S. Economics and Business Analysis (EBA) team at Booz Allen, where he primarily focused on telecom. Mr. Ofori began his career as Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and worked as an auditor at PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Jean-Luc is the Senior Director of Social Impact Funds at TEDCO, responsible for defining and executing the strategy for the funds with dual objectives of financial returns and Maryland economic development. 

Jean-Luc was one of the founding partners of Ferrum Capital, an EB-5 regional center focused on facilitating investment for real estate developments to support job creation. He has been a consultant to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, where he researched the IFC’s job creation activity through their global private equity investments. He was a consultant to the board of Calvert Social Funds, a publicly traded mutual fund, running their private equity and venture capital activities in the Special Equities program. During that time, he was responsible for over $50 mil in investments in about 30 funds and 30 direct investments. Jean-Luc began his investment career at Draper Triangle Ventures and Lycos Ventures in Pittsburgh during the dot-com era in 1999.  He has experienced many booms and busts in the private equity world. He is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University (B.S. Math/Computer Science 1994, B.A. Economics 1994, MBA 1998)

Jean-Luc was on the Global Advisory Board of the MIT Enterprise Forum, and has been the executive chair of the Washington D.C. and Baltimore chapter. He has been a member of the Forum since 2002. He also served on the Carnegie Mellon Alumni Association Board.  He helped restart the Washington D.C. chapter of the Tepper Alumni program.  He consults and advises several start-up companies in the Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. region.  He has taught and coached several hundred companies since he began his investing career. 

Mali Phonpadith is the Founder and CEO of SOAR Community Network (SOAR), an organizational development firm helping leaders map their strategic priorities and build C3 cultures where Compassionate leaders thrive, Cohesive teams drive results and employees Collaborate and innovate effectively. She is a certified Talent Optimization Leader, IBI certified consultant, TEDx Speaker and a 3-time,#1 International Bestselling Author.

Mali was chosen as a community partner for Oprah Winfrey’s Belief Initiative and has been involved in several documentaries addressing social and racial inequalities and workplace cultures. In 2022, she was selected to participate in the “Being Asian in America” documentary produced by the PEW Research Center.

Mali serves numerous roles to support organizations such as the Lao Heritage Foundation, Founder Institute, Din Din and Connectpreneur. In 2022, SOAR Community Network acquired Successful Culture International (SCI) to position SOAR to serve international clients by providing human, leadership and culture development programs that build healthy and sustainable, C3 organizational cultures. In 2023 The Asian American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) awarded Soar Community Network with their Jewels of Asia Power 30 Award. In 2025, Women Thrive Media nominated Mali as one of their most inspiring global speakers.

Zaria serves as Program Director at Nex Cubed Venture Capital Firm in San Francisco, within Washington DC. With expertise spanning software engineering, healthcare, and startup development at Amazon Web Services, she has established herself as a pivotal figure in supporting emerging entrepreneurs and fostering diversity in tech.

At Nex Cubed, Zaria specializes in connecting, building, and supporting startup founders from pre-seed to Series A stages. Zaria is a passionate ecosystem builder with a background in cloud technology and startup consulting. After college, she launched her career at Amazon Web Services as an Early Stage Startup Cloud Consultant. This experience ignited her desire to create and nurture ecosystems that facilitate resource sharing within the tech industry. Zaria's unique blend of technical knowledge and entrepreneurial insight drives her mission to foster innovation and collaboration in the startup world. Her strategic vision led to the creation of the Nex Gen Program, a successful collaboration with Harvard iLabs. As a member of Select Global Women in Tech, she continues to break barriers and create opportunities for Global Majority communities in the technology sector.

Zaria’s commitment to empowering the next generation earned her the prestigious Lanta Evans-Motte Youth Advocate Award, recognizing her substantial impact on youth and young adults under 30. This accolade reflects her dedication to career development and student enrichment, particularly through her work at the University of Maryland.

A proud graduate of North Carolina A&T State University and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Zaria brings shared knowledge of experience from her background in tech startups and healthcare to her current/previous role and studies. She leverages this diverse expertise to amplify the voices of global majority communities in technology while advocating for mental health and wellness in the industry.

As she guides early-stage startups through the complexities of growth and development, Ms. Smith remains committed to being a catalyst for change and innovation.

Pramod Raheja is the CEO of Airgility and an Aerospace Engineering graduate from UMCP with over 30 years of aviation/aerospace operations experience. He is an experienced entrepreneur with demonstrated success in leadership roles and a consistent history of surpassing revenue goals. He has a crazy passion for growing businesses, creating new service offerings, cultivating executive-level relationships, and strategizing with and mentoring team members. He has a comprehensive understanding of technology at a tactical and strategic level and always takes a customer-focus approach to management, new business development, revenue generation, and profitability. He is also a Graduate of the Founder’s Institute and the Entrepreneurial Master’s Program at MIT.

Mike is responsible for leading a team of resources to deliver the MMA Value Proposition of World Class and Local Touch experience. His clientele include companies in the government contracting, construction, information technology and artisan trade industries. He focuses his time and efforts in these areas as well as real estate and technology which are fields that align with his experience.

A native of Arlington VA, Mike is a high impact sales and marketing executive with over 25 years’ experience in sales and sales management. His professional background includes numerous management and functional roles with two Fortune 500 companies.

Nikki is responsible for cultivating company culture and aligning strategy with our priorities of Team, Clients, and Excellence. Nikki is an experienced management consultant who has worked across manufacturing, healthcare, and government contracting industries. She is a voracious reader and passionate traveler. Nikki earned a B.S. in Accounting from North Carolina A&T State University, and dual MBA and MHA degrees from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

Nikki completed the Change Management Advanced Practitioner (CMAP) program at Georgetown University and the Leadership Development Program (LDP) at Johns Hopkins University and is a Project Management Professional (PMP®). Nikki is a Leadership Fairfax alum and co-chair of the LFI Program Committee.  She serves as a board director for Washington Improv Theater and on the advisory board of the UNC-CH Director Diversity Initiative (DDI).

After a 25-year history as a technology entrepreneur, Leo is now at DataTribe helping other teams to traverse the adventurous terrain of startup land.

Previously, he co-founded three startups and guided them from inception through acquisition. Over the years, Leo has been in organizations ranging in size from two guys in a basement to thousands, building products to solve a variety of business and technology challenges. He has led high-growth, venture-backed companies and have helped to lead companies through difficult restructuring and turnaround situations. Throughout these different experiences, he has been focused on leading technology and product development in a wide variety of domains such as big-data-driven marketing technology, financial portfolio management, satellite telemetry processing, and the TV Everywhere initiative.

Specialties include: Entrepreneurship, Technology leader and architecture, Building teams, Startup strategy

As CEO of Clarest Health, Hammad Shah, RPh, is at the helm of the organization’s vision to embrace modern technology and Personalized Medication Management to ADVANCE PATIENT HEALTH AT EVERY STEP. With an intense focus on patients, he is charting the path for the future of pharmacy care, increasing access to better, more efficient solutions.

A pharmacist by trade and education with over 30 years of experience, Hammad’s expertise crosses disciplines, including product development, sales, process improvement, and mergers and acquisitions. Before joining Clarest, Hammad focused on corporate direction and strategy as the President and CEO of SOC Telemed, successfully growing the company’s ability to connect patients to the highest quality clinicians at the right time – regardless of proximity. Previously, Hammad championed FreseniusRX’s vision to change the practice of pharmacy from simply dispensing medications to playing an integral role in patient care as their President.

Hammad has a deep understanding of operating in rapidly changing healthcare markets. His efforts and expertise in healthcare leadership have positively impacted patients and providers by increasing access to higher-quality care and services.

With over 20 years of professional experience, Tom developed a deep, hands-on understanding of M&A and technical advisory services while working for the world's most prestigious professional services and private equity firms. He has served as a PE portfolio company CEO and a strategic advisor to the PE community and has built, run, and sold multiple companies. In addition, Tom has led or participated in numerous transactions, including small to enterprise-level M&A deals. He has considerable experience with strategic planning, business development, interim management, and technical advisory services, catering to private equity firms, portfolio companies, and public and private enterprises.

Tom creates and unlocks value, helping owners evaluate and prepare for various financial events, such as recapitalization, management buyouts, family transitions, or other forms of monetization. His unique blend of experiences as a former business owner, PE operating partner, and C-level executive equips him with the insight to maximize enterprise value and the stakeholder's benefit. 

Further, Tom is well-known for his ability to solve intricate business challenges for middle-market clients across industries. He leverages his technical knowledge in application development, cyber security, and systems integration, along with his business acumen, to create unique, out-of-the-box solutions.

Before joining Schneider Downs, Tom co-founded Springer Lawson and Associates, LLC, which assisted clients in various industries with value creation and sell-side advisory services.

Tom is married with three children and enjoys outdoor activities, youth sports, and spending time with his family. He is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Computer Information Systems from North Carolina Wesleyan and an M.S. in Telecommunications from Johns Hopkins University.

Aquil Stinson is a Director at Lafayette Square on the origination team covering the mid-Atlantic. Lafayette Square is a private credit fund providing growth debt capital for middle market companies. Previously, he worked for JP Morgan Chase in their middle market banking group covering Charlotte. He also spent time at Goldman, Sachs in the investment banking group trading fixed income securities for 4.5 years. Aquil is an Entrepeneur and has been an owner/operator for a logistics company.

Matthew is an Army veteran and deployed to Iraq in 2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He founded KeenLogic in 2012 when he realized an opportunity to build an Enterprise IT Services company focused on innovation, agility, and quality. With over 18 years of private sector and federal sales experience, he has refined and developed KeenLogic into a successful, inclusive and innovative enterprise that is positioned for long-term growth and scalability.

Matthew’s growth strategy relies on creating and solidifying a foundation with KeenLogic’s clients to enable a trusted relationship in delivery of quality IT services.

Matthew has a Bachelor’s in Entrepreneurial Studies and Small Business Management from AMU and a Master’s in Entrepreneurship. As CEO, Matthew will lead the company with his vision to innovate and provide value to KeenLogic’s clients within the federal space. He will continue to create, plan, and implement the company’s winning strategy.

Robert Turner’s ingenuity and intimate knowledge of IT infrastructure and system integration have generated solutions where other leaders have failed. As the owner and CEO of Vanjure, headquartered in Northern Virginia, he leads a specialized team of collaborating industry partners who provide technical consultation and custom IT solutions to government offices and intelligence businesses of all sizes in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

Robert’s experience spans more than two decades in project management, system integration, and system engineering in IT infrastructure and software development life cycles. He is AWS certified and an expert in Agile and Waterfall project management methodologies. Robert manages large-scale, complex, high-visibility initiatives, and whether he is involved in cloud or storage migrations, system engineering, AWS services, or data center consolidation, Robert has earned the trust of his clients and a reputation of excellence.

David has been a successful entrepreneur since age 23. Before founding NewConnect and providing business Internet to dozens of companies, David built and grew several organizations, including the Travel Guide that grew 600% before being acquired by a Fortune 500 competitor.

Casey leads both the firms’ early stage investments and venture build initiative, helping to develop and launch new businesses in financial services. Casey is also the Head of Operations and Founding Ambassador for RightWise Wealth, a financial planning and investment management firm helping high-earners organize and optimize their financial lives.     

Prior to joining Fenway Summer, Casey worked in finance and entrepreneurship as an R&D analyst at Wells Fargo in San Francisco, California, and as a manager for the non-profit Kiva Microfinance U.S. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her work with Kiva earned her the 2018 Financial Service Champion award from the Tulsa SBC, as well as Entrepreneur of the Year from Tulsa Young Professionals. Prior to her work in financial services, Casey spent two years as a fourth-grade math teacher through Teach for America.

In 2022, Casey founded and launched DC Startup Women, an organization connecting female founders and funders to one another and to local resources. 

Born and raised in North Carolina, Casey holds a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma and a B.A. in English Literature from Elon University. She currently resides in Washington, DC, with her husband, Bobby, and a menagerie of rescue animals that chose to adopt the couple. 

Allison Wisniewski is a Principal focused on digital infrastructure opportunities globally. She is based in Washington, D.C.

Prior to joining Carlyle, Ms. Wisniewski was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company, where she focused on helping clients deliver large capital projects. Her experience includes serving as restructuring advisor to a renewable energy company.

Ms. Wisniewski received an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.S. in industrial and systems engineering from the University of Southern California.

Mr. Tien Wong is a tech investor, entrepreneur, and CEO. He is Chairman & CEO of Opus8, Inc., a private investment and advisory firm investing in exceptional life science and tech enabled services companies, as well as specializing in raising capital for promising tech companies and alternative investment fund managers.

He is Founder of CONNECTpreneur, a global community of 25,000+ founders, investors, CEOs, and business leaders. CONNECTpreneur organizes the world’s largest monthly virtual investor pitch events as well as in-person Forums with upwards of 500 attendees, featuring VIP guests, speakers, exciting presenting companies, and the best CXO to CXO networking on the East Coast. Since 2012, over 1200 companies have presented, half of whom have received funding from investors from the CONNECTpreneur investor network.

Mr. Wong is also a Venture Partner in IronGate Capital Advisors, a VC and Fund of Funds manager investing in dual use technologies; Investment Advisory Board member of Virginia Venture Partners; and Chairman of Lumious, an ed tech company which provides learning & development services to Fortune 500 customers.

Mr. Wong was appointed by Governor Martin O'Malley to the 9-person Maryland Venture Fund Authority which oversees $84 million in VC allocations; he serves on the Boards of Directors of the Austin Venture Association, Association for Enterprise Growth (Chair), Frederick Innovative Technology Corp., Inc. (FITCI), and Junior Achievement, as well as on the Council of Advisors for the Washington Institute for Business, Government, & Society and the Entrepreneurship Advisory Council of The Universities at Shady Grove. He is a Mentor at the Mach37 Cybersecurity Accelerator and Conscious Venture Labs.