Max Dworin serves as a Vice President at Cintrifuse Capital, a $180mm AUM fund, where he leads investment into seed-stage companies in the Cincinnati region. Immediately prior to joining Cintrifuse, Max served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Northern Kentucky-based startup hub Blue North. Max is a seasoned startup operator, having co-founded and served as COO of Onda, a tequila seltzer brand that scaled to national distribution and raised over $20 million in venture capital funding. Prior to working in startups, Max served as Press Secretary to U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer. Max received a BA from The Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from Yale School of Management. He is a recipient of the Cincinnati Business Courier’s 40 Under 40 Award and is a member of the 50th cohort of the Cincinnati Regional Chamber’s Leadership Cincinnati program.

Daniel Levine first joined Accel in 2010 and focuses on product-first startups aimed at consumers, developers, and bottoms-up business users. After spending time at Dropbox on the platform team, he re-joined Accel in 2015. Earlier, Dan co-founded Chartio, a Y Combinator-backed (S10) startup in data visualization, and worked on CrunchBase at TechCrunch. He’s from Washington, DC, and graduated from Yale.

Catherine Jue is the co-founder and CEO of Kernel, an AI infrastructure company building the browser layer that allows AI agents to interact with the internet. Founded in 2025 and part of Y Combinator’s S25 cohort, Kernel has raised $22 million in Seed and Series A funding led by Accel. A repeat founder and technologist, Catherine previously co-founded Sway Finance (YC S16) and went on to lead engineering teams at Cash App, including its forward-deployed engineering team and developer documentation platform. She studied linguistics and computer science at UCLA and brings a career-long focus on building technology at the intersection of infrastructure, automation, and emerging platforms.

Rob is a member of the Cincinnati Commercial Products Practice and the Market Sector Leader for Tech and Services Sector for the firm’s Cincinnati, Louisville and Evansville markets. He has over 14 years of experience providing assurance and consulting services to companies in technology and services, manufacturing and consumer and logistics spaces. He is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, The Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants, and Association for Corporate Growth. Rob is active in the community, having previously served on the board of the Nashville Sports Council and is a recent graduate of Leadership Northern Kentucky. He is a graduate of University of Dayton, Ohio, with an M.B.A. degree and a B.S.B.A. degree in accounting.

Ryan has over 18 years of diversified public accounting experience providing tax and consulting experience to emerging, mid-market, and large multi-national companies. As a partner in the firms Federal Tax Specialty group, Ryan focuses on providing tax planning solutions to companies in a multitude of industries including manufacturing and distribution, energy, technology, real estate, retail, financial services, and health care. Ryan is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, and Tennessee Society of CPAs. Ryan is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University with a B.A. degree in accounting and DePaul University with a MBA and M.S. in Taxation.

COO @ Pantomath

John Hurley leads marketing at Notion, where he runs product marketing, demand, content, and regional go-to-market as the company scales. Before Notion, he built product marketing at Amplitude through its growth from $50 million to $250 million ARR and its IPO. He started even earlier as a first go-to-market hire at Radius, joining pre-seed and staying through acquisition. He has spent fifteen years in the middle of product and go-to-market, usually sitting next to founders.

Jake Rouse is a passionate entrepreneur who believes in the power of food and beverage to bring people together. As Co-Founder and CEO of Braxton Brewing Company, he’s helped shape one of the Midwest’s most innovative breweries - creating vibrant, community-focused taprooms and pushing the boundaries of beer and beverage manufacturing. In 2021, Jake founded Hit Seekers, a next-generation sports card retail and live streaming company. Fueled by authenticity and entertainment, it quickly became a national presence and was named Cincinnati’s fastest-growing company in 2024. A 40 Under 40 honoree, Jake is driven by a deep belief in connection—whether through craft beer, collectibles, or community events—because the best things in life are meant to be shared.

With more than 22 years in technology and automation, Mark leads Sensory Robotics’ operational and commercial execution as COO and co-founder. A U.S. military ARMY veteran, he drives strategy, partnerships, and revenue growth for SR-1, the company’s 3D sensing safety solution built to support fenceless, human-robot collaboration in real production environments. Mark is known for bridging engineering, certification, and customer needs, bringing disciplined execution to complex deployments and turning safety requirements into scalable solutions that protect people and keep lines running.

J.B. Kropp is CEO of Cintrifuse and Managing Director of Cintrifuse Capital, where he leads efforts to grow Cincinnati into the best place in the Midwest to start and scale a high-growth startup. Since 2010, he has held impact-building roles that helped shape the region’s entrepreneurial landscape, including Co-Founder and Board Member of the Brandery, a nationally ranked accelerator leveraging Cincinnati’s branding and marketing expertise; Co-Manager of Vine St. Ventures, a regional early-stage investment fund; and Co-Founder and Board Member of Main Street Ventures, a non-profit empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs. He has also held strategic and operational leadership roles at Gorilla Glue, Scripps, and Twitter.

Ethan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Another Nine, a 24/7 indoor golf franchisor. He has worn many hats throughout his professional career prior to co-founding Another Nine. With a breadth of experiences, his primary focus has always been at the intersection of tech and retail. He's spent time in consulting, strategy and operations, partnerships & M&A, and product management, at Deloitte, dunnhumby, and 84.51, as well as executive leadership roles with Kroger and Shipt (Target). He's a dedicated Co-Founder and an active collaborator and mentor in the Cincinnati/NKY startup ecosystems. He holds a bachelor's degree from Miami University and an MBA from Indiana University. Ethan lives in Cincinnati, OH and is a proud husband and father of three.

Brett is the Co-Founder & COO of Another Nine, a Cincinnati-based indoor golf startup and one of the fastest growing franchise brands in the US. A proud Kentucky alum and former Lexington native, Brett pursued entrepreneurship following an Executive MBA program at Quantic. Over the last 12 years, Brett has made Cincinnati his home alongside his wife, Kelly, and two daughters.

Torrey Babson is the Senior Director of Innovation Services at BRITE Energy Innovators. Day-to-day, Torrey oversees BRITE's CXO Services, which provides fractional leadership solutions to pre-market energy technology startups.

Joe Rohan is the Director of Startup Programs at BRITE Energy Innovators. In his role, Joe helps early-stage startups build the foundation needed to build a business from the ground up, launch successful fundraising rounds, and enter the market.

Early-stage investor focused on solutions for SMBs

Sue Bevan Baggott is a human-centered Executive Advisor, Innovation Catalyst, and Intentional Investor. Sue is dedicated to empowering leaders to create positive impact, accelerate life-improving innovation, and invest in transformative change. Her career spans global innovation leadership at Procter & Gamble (growing mega-brands from Pantene and Pampers) to founding Power Within Consulting, a firm focused on human-centered strategies for meaningful leadership and business success. As an “accidental angel investor” and startup advisor, Sue supports diverse portfolios of innovative startups addressing critical global challenges. She also advocates for inclusion in entrepreneurship and investing as an Associate Producer of Show Her the Money, a multi-award-winning documentary promoting investment in underrepresented founders. Through speaking, writing, consulting, advising, and board roles, Sue strives to inspire purposeful leadership and meaningful innovation. She also encourages more open discussions about money confidence and investing to encourage more people to build wealth through investing with their values to drive positive change. Sue is a member of multiple early-stage investment groups and funds including: QCA Ventures, Next Wave Impact (Investment Committee member), Kachuwa Impact Fund, Mindshift Capital (LPAC member), Ohio Impact Fund (LP), H Venture Partners (LP), Fireroad Ventures (LP), SoGal Ventures (LP), Emmeline Ventures (LP), and Sage Growth Capital (LP). She’s also an Advisor for Accelerating Angels and several purpose-driven startups.

Denise Dunlap Co-Founder and Managing Partner Loon Creek Capital Group Sage Growth Capital denise@looncreekcapital.com denise@sagegrowthcapital.com www.linkedin.com/in/denisedunlap55 ​ Denise brings a rare combination of operator experience, investment acumen, and community leadership to everything she does. Her career spans founding and running companies, mentoring entrepreneurs, and shaping the ecosystems that help them thrive. Earlier roles include CEO of an IT services company and Director of Boise State University’s business incubator. She has been an active angel investor and a recognized leader in the angel investment community since 2008. Denise co-founded Loon Creek Capital Group in 2010, building it into a trusted resource that provides consulting and administrative services to angel investors across the country. In 2019, she co-founded Sage Growth Capital, a fund dedicated to companies that need growth capital but aren’t a fit for traditional bank or equity financing. She serves as CEO/Managing Partner of both organizations. In 2025, Denise was appointed President of the COBE Advisory Council at Boise State University, where she helps guide the College of Business and Economics in developing the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders. Denise holds a BBA from Boise State University, a first-degree black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu, and is a certified Wrangler/Packer. She collects hobbies the way others collect frequent flyer miles! A few of her interests include golf, growing vegetables, classic cars, riding horses/motorcycles/bicycles, collecting wine, and turning wine bottles into artificial sea glass.

Grayson Stalvey is the founder of Aegis Runway Systems, where he helps early-stage founders improve financial visibility, understand burn rate and runway, and make better decisions with limited capital. He is a Coast Guard veteran, entrepreneur, MBA, and Fortune 50 operations leader with more than 20 years of experience in operations, cost management, procurement, decision-making, and resource allocation. Grayson has also coached individuals and businesses on financial management and budgeting topics for more than six years.

Mark is a chartered financial analyst (CFA) and financial risk manager (FRM) with 20+ years of experience in investment management and business advisory, specifically for ultra-high-net-worth clients. His expertise spans trading, sector analysis, portfolio management, and succession planning, and as a small business owner himself, he has started, bought, built, and exited businesses across a range of industries. Mark is the president of Owner Actions and a board advisor to every portfolio business. He is also a youth soccer coach, a father to 3 boys, and an avid Ohio State fan.

Max Dworin serves as a Vice President at Cintrifuse Capital, a $180mm AUM fund, where he leads investment into seed-stage companies in the Cincinnati region. Immediately prior to joining Cintrifuse, Max served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Northern Kentucky-based startup hub Blue North. Max is a seasoned startup operator, having co-founded and served as COO of Onda, a tequila seltzer brand that scaled to national distribution and raised over $20 million in venture capital funding. Prior to working in startups, Max served as Press Secretary to U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer. Max received a BA from The Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from Yale School of Management. He is a recipient of the Cincinnati Business Courier’s 40 Under 40 Award and is a member of the 50th cohort of the Cincinnati Regional Chamber’s Leadership Cincinnati program.

Early-stage investor focused on solutions for SMBs

Nick Cramer is the founder and principal of Cramer Office, a design studio where he works with early-stage founders ahead of inflection points to make the next version of their company feel inevitable. His work spans product, brand, engineering, and narrative. He's an EIR at Blue North, a former venture-backed founder at Harper, and was Head of Design at Ahalogy and a GM at Roadtrippers. "Nick Cramer is the founder and principal of Cramer Office, a design studio that works with early-stage founders ahead of inflection points to make the next version of their company feel inevitable. He's an EIR at Blue North, a former venture-backed founder at Harper, and was Head of Design at Ahalogy and a GM at Roadtrippers.

Torrey Babson is the Senior Director of Innovation Services at BRITE Energy Innovators. Day-to-day, Torrey oversees BRITE's CXO Services, which provides fractional leadership solutions to pre-market energy technology startups.

Tim’s background in business has been entrepreneurial throughout his career. Even within established companies, he has consistently identified opportunities and developed new areas of business. He has worked across a wide range of industries, including radio, telecommunications, hospitality, restaurants, and healthcare. The diversity of these experiences has enabled Tim to quickly learn and adapt to unfamiliar industries while recognizing that the fundamentals of building a successful business are remarkably consistent. He understands what it takes to take a business from concept to launch and from startup to successful day-to-day operations.

Zachary Hensley is SVP of Product & Operations at FRAYT, an early-stage tech startup building an on-demand logistics marketplace. He's spent 15+ years in tech and the last seven building venture-backed companies: COO and then President at Livegistics, and VP of Technology & Operations at Astronomer, where he was employee 19 and scaled the company through hypergrowth. Before startups, he was Head of Product at Kroger Digital and a Director at P&G, where he founded Alchemy, an internal startup. He's also an Expert in Residence at Cintrifuse Capital and an early member of X15 with Refinery Ventures.

Jaimin Gandhi is Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Redi Health, where he oversees Product, Engineering, Design, and Implementation. His work focuses on modernizing how pharmaceutical patient support programs operate by connecting fragmented vendor ecosystems into unified, patient-centric platforms. He enables faster access to therapy by simplifying enrollment, reducing operational friction, and embedding automated intelligence into complex healthcare workflows. Jaimin brings a systems-level perspective to building compliant, scalable infrastructure that improves patient outcomes and patient support program performance.

Chief Architect at Pantomath, former CTO at VNDLY, all-around hypergrowth technical leader.

Venture Capital Investor with Refinery Ventures, based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Strategic Account Executive at Databricks, hypergrowth sales guys enabling GenAI, Machine Learning and Analytics.

Amelia is a senior biomedical engineering student at the University of Cincinnati. She is the Founder of TissuTrak, a mobile app for patients with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and Long-COVID that helps patients identify correlations between lifestyle factors and their symptoms so they can have better communication with their doctors and eventually feel better.

Founder & CEO of Illume.

Tammie Scott is the founder and CEO of RiffPay, a fintech platform streamlining booking and payments for independent venues, event organizers, and artists — an idea born from her experience owning Nostalgia Wine & Jazz Lounge, an upscale wine bar and live music venue in downtown Cincinnati. She has spent 15 years in sports and entertainment marketing, including roles at the NFL Players Association and Roc Nation. Tammie is an alumna of Ohio University and Howard University.

Nicholas Archer – BIO Nicholas Archer has spent more than two decades across healthcare's full continuum, spanning operations, innovation, and commercialization. At Cincinnati Children's Hospital, he leads the translation of scientific discovery into real-world impact, moving innovations from bench to bedside through technology transfer and venture creation. His work sits at the intersection of operational excellence, financial sustainability, and patient need—a balance he's pursued whether restructuring care delivery networks, building digital platforms, or advising emerging companies. A graduate of Oakwood University with an MBA from the University of Florida and executive education from Harvard Business School, Nick has served on numerous boards focused on healthcare access and community development. Outside of work, he's an avid cyclist and sports enthusiast who enjoys time with his family.

Dave Theus is a serial founder and C-suite executive with more than 25 years of leadership across technology driven sectors, including healthcare innovation, artificial intelligence, SaaS, PropTech, InsurTech, and TravelTech. Co-founded and scaled multiple venture-backed companies — raising over $65M in institutional and strategic capital, building organizations of 100+ employees, and guiding businesses from concept through launch, revenue growth, and acquisition. A hands-on operator and trusted advisor to boards, investors, and Fortune 500 partners, with a proven record of translating emerging technology into commercially successful products across B2C, B2B, and B2B2C channels. Currently Executive in Residence at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, advancing healthcare and research ventures toward real-world impact. Previously, Dave founded and led product, technology, and growth initiatives at several ventures, including: • Fixle – CEO & Founder of a PropTech platform he spun-out of American Family Insurance. • Roamie – CTO & Co-Founder of a personalized travel platform developed alongside AAA. • HOMEE, Inc. – Founder, CTO, CRO, and Director, a PropTech and InsurTech platform, where he drove product, sales, and marketing strategies to fuel rapid growth. • inno360, Inc. – Chief Product Officer & VP of Technology, where he pioneered enterprise innovation management solutions leveraging IBM Watson AI/ML technologies. Dave is a named inventor on U.S. and international patent filings across three ventures - HOMEE family (U.S., PCT, European, Canadian), an inno360 filing (2011), and two pending Cincinnati Children's applications (2025, 2026). He began his career as an Engineering Analyst in GE’s Technical Leadership Program.. Dave holds a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton and a Master of Engineering in Structural Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. His work has been recognized with multiple awards, including CIO Review’s 20 Most Promising Insurance Tech Solution Providers (2020) and Forbes’ Top 10 America’s Best Startup Employers. Passionate about leveraging technology to solve complex, real-world challenges, Dave’s career reflects a consistent commitment to entrepreneurship, innovation, transformation, and creating positive change at scale.

Dave Hutten is an entrepreneur and product leader with 25 years of experience building companies across media, digital health and early-stage innovation. He is currently Entrepreneur in Residence at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center within the Innovation Ventures group, where he works with clinicians and researchers to turn promising technologies into investable, market-ready ventures. Dave has spent his career on both sides of the table. He was employee #1 and ultimately VP of Product at Hugo Health, where he helped raise close to $6 million and scale the company from concept to a 40-person team serving Mayo Clinic, Yale, the FDA, Medtronic and Johnson & Johnson. He founded and led Sequel Media, a medical content production company, and later served as an executive in residence at CincyTech, working inside a venture fund to support Cincinnati Children's spinouts. Earlier in his career, before moving into health tech, he was an executive producer at a WPP digital agency in New York, leading global campaigns for Microsoft and InterContinental Hotels Group. Dave is a graduate of DePaul University and advises digital-health startups on product, positioning and fundraising.

John Hurley leads marketing at Notion, where he runs product marketing, demand, content, and regional go-to-market as the company scales. Before Notion, he built product marketing at Amplitude through its growth from $50 million to $250 million ARR and its IPO. He started even earlier as a first go-to-market hire at Radius, joining pre-seed and staying through acquisition. He has spent fifteen years in the middle of product and go-to-market, usually sitting next to founders.

For the past decade, Antony Seppi has built and scaled the startup ecosystem across the Greater Cincinnati regional footprint. His work bridges economic development, innovation strategy, and hands-on founder support to turn local assets into launchpads for high-growth ventures. As VP of Alloy Growth Lab - recognized as a UBI Global Top 10 Public Business Incubator worldwide and ranked #45 on TIME & Statista’s 2026 list of America’s Best Incubators - Antony champions a "patient growth" model built on rolling admissions and zero equity take. He works directly with early-stage founders to connect them to capital, tailored mentorship, and talent pipelines. With a background spanning urban planning, clean-tech, tech transfer, and civic innovation, Antony focuses on cultivating resilient, interconnected networks where entrepreneurs transform ambitious ideas into lasting regional impact.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-grimberg-phd/

For the past decade, Antony Seppi has built and scaled the startup ecosystem across the Greater Cincinnati regional footprint. His work bridges economic development, innovation strategy, and hands-on founder support to turn local assets into launchpads for high-growth ventures. As VP of Alloy Growth Lab - recognized as a UBI Global Top 10 Public Business Incubator worldwide and ranked #45 on TIME & Statista’s 2026 list of America’s Best Incubators - Antony champions a "patient growth" model built on rolling admissions and zero equity take. He works directly with early-stage founders to connect them to capital, tailored mentorship, and talent pipelines. With a background spanning urban planning, clean-tech, tech transfer, and civic innovation, Antony focuses on cultivating resilient, interconnected networks where entrepreneurs transform ambitious ideas into lasting regional impact.

Jeremy Jarrett is CEO of Kinetic Vision, a Cincinnati-based technology and product development company specializing in digital transformation, advanced manufacturing, AI, simulation, and automation. With extensive experience helping organizations adopt emerging technologies, Jeremy brings a practical perspective on the evolution of robotics and automation and how these tools are transforming the factory floor.

With more than 22 years in technology and automation, Mark leads Sensory Robotics’ operational and commercial execution as COO and co-founder. A U.S. military ARMY veteran, he drives strategy, partnerships, and revenue growth for SR-1, the company’s 3D sensing safety solution built to support fenceless, human-robot collaboration in real production environments. Mark is known for bridging engineering, certification, and customer needs, bringing disciplined execution to complex deployments and turning safety requirements into scalable solutions that protect people and keep lines running.

Founder of a product engineering, design, and commercialization company. Supporting students develop the mindset of an entrepreneur at BGSU

For the past decade, Antony Seppi has built and scaled the startup ecosystem across the Greater Cincinnati regional footprint. His work bridges economic development, innovation strategy, and hands-on founder support to turn local assets into launchpads for high-growth ventures. As VP of Alloy Growth Lab - recognized as a UBI Global Top 10 Public Business Incubator worldwide and ranked #45 on TIME & Statista’s 2026 list of America’s Best Incubators - Antony champions a "patient growth" model built on rolling admissions and zero equity take. He works directly with early-stage founders to connect them to capital, tailored mentorship, and talent pipelines. With a background spanning urban planning, clean-tech, tech transfer, and civic innovation, Antony focuses on cultivating resilient, interconnected networks where entrepreneurs transform ambitious ideas into lasting regional impact.

Alex Zyndorf is the Director of Commercial Real Estate at Model Group, where she leads retail strategy and oversees a 300,000-square-foot commercial portfolio across Cincinnati’s urban core. Since joining Model in 2023, she has guided leasing, tenant partnerships, and ground-floor activation across neighborhoods including Over-the-Rhine, Pendleton, Findlay Market, Walnut Hills, and Downtown. Alex began her career in New York City’s fashion industry before transitioning to real estate in 2017. She is a Cincinnati resident and active member of the urban core community.

Sue Bevan Baggott is a human-centered Executive Advisor, Innovation Catalyst, and Intentional Investor. Sue is dedicated to empowering leaders to create positive impact, accelerate life-improving innovation, and invest in transformative change. Her career spans global innovation leadership at Procter & Gamble (growing mega-brands from Pantene and Pampers) to founding Power Within Consulting, a firm focused on human-centered strategies for meaningful leadership and business success. As an “accidental angel investor” and startup advisor, Sue supports diverse portfolios of innovative startups addressing critical global challenges. She also advocates for inclusion in entrepreneurship and investing as an Associate Producer of Show Her the Money, a multi-award-winning documentary promoting investment in underrepresented founders. Through speaking, writing, consulting, advising, and board roles, Sue strives to inspire purposeful leadership and meaningful innovation. She also encourages more open discussions about money confidence and investing to encourage more people to build wealth through investing with their values to drive positive change. Sue is a member of multiple early-stage investment groups and funds including: QCA Ventures, Next Wave Impact (Investment Committee member), Kachuwa Impact Fund, Mindshift Capital (LPAC member), Ohio Impact Fund (LP), H Venture Partners (LP), Fireroad Ventures (LP), SoGal Ventures (LP), Emmeline Ventures (LP), and Sage Growth Capital (LP). She’s also an Advisor for Accelerating Angels and several purpose-driven startups.

Rachel DesRochers is a strategic advisor, community architect, transformational leader, consultant, connector, and the visionary founder of Power to Pursue, the Incubator Kitchen Collective and The Gratitude Collective – and she's passionate about empowering women and supporting entrepreneurs to build sustainable, purpose-driven businesses! As an international speaker and recognized thought leader, Rachel shares her insights on entrepreneurship, strategic leadership, community building, gratitude, and women's empowerment with audiences worldwide. Her collaborative leadership style is key to her role as advisor for the Queen City Game Changers, an executive leadership program for women, where she develops and facilitates programming that mentors and guides emerging entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. She's also the author of The Mourning Light: Reflections on Love and Loss and Shift to Light: 90 Days to Grateful, and creator of Gratitude Grams – a 54-card deck designed as practical tools for personal and professional transformation. When she's not consulting, speaking, or building community, Rachel is being a mom to three wildly wonderful children who keep her grounded, grateful, and endlessly inspired!

Courtney Carroll, LPCC-S, is the founder of Called 2 Encourage Counseling & Self Development in Cincinnati's Pendleton neighborhood and the creator of CEO Serenity, a restorative experience built for entrepreneurs and high achievers. With 13 years in mental health and 8 years running her own practice, she helps founders build businesses that don't cost them themselves.

Jackie Reau is the CEO and Co-Founder of Game Day, a media and marketing agency founded in 2002. She is the author of the book, The Power of Hustle, to be released in March 2027. Reau is a proud graduate of Ohio University.

With more than a dozen years of non-profit experience and twice as long as an entrepreneur, Jill Morenz is leading Aviatra Accelerators into its 16th year. Jill has created three businesses in her career and leverages those insights as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Aviatra, as she works with women entrepreneurs to set them up for business success.

Helping women dream BIG!... I support & spotlight women business owners by connecting them to the resources and creating space where women shine and thrive. I'm focused on digital marketing, branding, and talking about your business in a succinct and engaging way.

Austin is Lead Engineer at Pay Theory, a Cincinnati fintech building embedded payment infrastructure, where he leads engineering work across the platform, from architecture to partner integrations. Outside of work, Austin builds iOS apps, including Spritz, a home bar assistant with an AI mixologist. Across both worlds, he's focused on harnessing AI tooling to build stable, scalable systems faster without sacrificing quality.

Paul is a biomedical engineer that somehow got trapped in the world of startups and venture capital. He currently runs Flamel - automating marketing for multi-location brands. In his free time - he reads, studies (read drinks) wine, and cooks meals with his wife Lina.

Chris Bergman is a serial entrepreneur, game creator, and investor based in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is the founder and CEO of Gylee Games, an independent studio focused on creating character-driven games with distinctive worlds and meaningful stories, and served as game director, writer, designer, and composer on the studio’s debut title, Ra Ra BOOM. Previously, Chris co-founded ChoreMonster, a family-focused technology company that grew to more than four million users and  participated in the Disney Accelerator. He is also a General Partner at Everywhere Ventures Midwest, where he supports early-stage founders and helps strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. His multidisciplinary career spans technology, venture capital, video games, music, and Cincinnati’s creative community. All connected by a belief that meaningful work can also be weird, joyful, and deeply human.

Dr. Christin Godale is a scientist, innovation strategist, and ecosystem builder with experience spanning academic research, venture capital, early-stage company development, and nonprofit innovation infrastructure. Trained as a neuroscientist, she brings a dual perspective as an academically trained scientist and a builder of programs, partnerships, and platforms that help scientific innovation move into the real world. She is the founding Executive Director of LifeSciKY, a nonprofit life sciences lab in Kentucky, where she leads strategy, partnerships, and infrastructure development to support early-stage biotech, diagnostics, and health innovation companies while strengthening the life sciences ecosystem. Christin’s expertise spans therapeutics, cell and gene therapy, neurology, drug-delivery systems, and emerging biomedical technologies. She is known for translating complex science into clear, actionable strategy and for aligning research, venture insight, policy, capital, and talent to accelerate impact. She is deeply passionate about using innovation infrastructure as an economic development tool, expanding access to labs, talent pathways, and STEM education, reducing barriers for scientists and founders, and ensuring that breakthrough research can create jobs, companies, and healthier communities, especially in regions that have historically been overlooked.

Brad runs Wolf House Fables and teaches Creativity & Ideation at the University of Cincinnati. He helps organizations build cultures of courage using Wonder Building practices he developed working with teams from Fortune 10 giants, non-profits, entrepreneurs, and his students at the University of Cincinnati. Brad is raising three kids and dog named Huckleberry with his wife, Leah in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Catherine Lentz is the Director of Lending for Southern Ohio at Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI). She helps entrepreneurs and small business owners realize their dream of owning and growing their small business by providing resources and small business financing. Catherine has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry and prior to joining ECDI in 2021, she was a Business Relationship Manager and Private Client Branch Manager with JPMorgan Chase. Catherine grew up in the Dayton, Ohio area, is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Co-Chair of the Emerging Leaders for the Cincinnati Parks Foundation and a sustaining member of the Junior League of Cincinnati.

Sue Bevan Baggott is a human-centered Executive Advisor, Innovation Catalyst, and Intentional Investor. Sue is dedicated to empowering leaders to create positive impact, accelerate life-improving innovation, and invest in transformative change. Her career spans global innovation leadership at Procter & Gamble (growing mega-brands from Pantene and Pampers) to founding Power Within Consulting, a firm focused on human-centered strategies for meaningful leadership and business success. As an “accidental angel investor” and startup advisor, Sue supports diverse portfolios of innovative startups addressing critical global challenges. She also advocates for inclusion in entrepreneurship and investing as an Associate Producer of Show Her the Money, a multi-award-winning documentary promoting investment in underrepresented founders. Through speaking, writing, consulting, advising, and board roles, Sue strives to inspire purposeful leadership and meaningful innovation. She also encourages more open discussions about money confidence and investing to encourage more people to build wealth through investing with their values to drive positive change. Sue is a member of multiple early-stage investment groups and funds including: QCA Ventures, Next Wave Impact (Investment Committee member), Kachuwa Impact Fund, Mindshift Capital (LPAC member), Ohio Impact Fund (LP), H Venture Partners (LP), Fireroad Ventures (LP), SoGal Ventures (LP), Emmeline Ventures (LP), and Sage Growth Capital (LP). She’s also an Advisor for Accelerating Angels and several purpose-driven startups.

Candida Crasto, MFT, LPC (she/her) is the Founder and Executive Director of The AFFECT Project, a non-profit clinical research initiative developing an evidence-backed model for integrated sex and family therapy. A former chemical engineer who navigated the startup world before becoming a licensed therapist, Candida bridges analytical systems-thinking with deep human connection. She is also the host of the #SEXHAPPENS podcast, where she destigmatizes sexuality through candid, shame-busting conversations. Across her research, podcast, and experiential workshops, Candida helps individuals, couples, and families dismantle internal barriers, step into their authentic selves, and step into their full potential.

With more than a dozen years of non-profit experience and twice as long as an entrepreneur, Jill Morenz is leading Aviatra Accelerators into its 16th year. Jill has created three businesses in her career and leverages those insights as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Aviatra, as she works with women entrepreneurs to set them up for business success.

Helping women dream BIG!... I support & spotlight women business owners by connecting them to the resources and creating space where women shine and thrive. I'm focused on digital marketing, branding, and talking about your business in a succinct and engaging way.

Christopher A. Ritter is a design thinker, branding expert, and creative entrepreneur focused on strategy, identity, and cultural relevance. He’s led brand work for adidas, GE, lululemon, and the Chicago Cubs, and created public art and exhibitions alongside artists like FAILE, The London Police, and Gene Spatz. His practice integrates strategy and design to help brands evolve and is grounded in the future of creative leadership.

Kerry Taft is the expert entrepreneurs call when their business systems are holding them back. She’s the one founders turn to when they’re ready to stop duct-taping systems together and start running a company that works without them. With over 20 years in the health sciences as an exercise physiologist and former university professor, Kerry brings both analytical rigor and a deeply human-centered approach to every system she builds. In 2024, she acquired and integrated a digital agency into her growing portfolio, further solidifying her role as a strategic force in the operations space. Founders seek her out when they’re ready to reclaim their time, streamline their backend, and build businesses that run smoothly—and feel better.

Tian Philson is a Jay Shetty Certified Leadership Transformation and Decision-Making Coach and creator of the VOICCE® Framework - a proprietary method that helps leaders navigate uncertainty with clarity and confidence. With 20 years of corporate experience across CPG, Retail, and Media and as the founder of Love, Strength & Fitness, LLC, she blends mindfulness and strategy to help professionals lead authentically, confidently and sustainably. Tian is also a registered yoga teacher and passionate advocate for purposeful, holistic growth. “We help leaders go inward, so they can go Upward.”

The lady in purple, you can’t miss her. That’s Bethany George, owner and founder of The Sales Mystique. With decades of sales experience, Bethany helps small business owners and B2B professionals stop following scripts that don’t fit and start selling in a way that feels natural to them. Her clients describe the same shift: from dreading every sales conversation to approaching them with calm confidence, not because they learned a new script, but because they finally started selling as themselves. Practical, playful, and genuinely invested in your success.

Greg Pipkins is an entrepreneur, strategist, and organizing member of FoundHouse, where he leads sales strategy, relationship development, and strategic partnerships. He is also the CEO and co-founder of Kept House and serves as Third Vice President of the North Avondale Neighborhood Association. A husband, father, son, and friend, Greg’s work is grounded in relationships, service, and creating meaningful opportunities for people and communities. At FoundHouse, he helps connect each client’s immediate challenges with custom software, AI and workflow automation, and ongoing technology support that strengthens their long-term capacity. FoundHouse combines the rigor and results of a large technology firm with the responsiveness and agility of a small business—helping clients become more capable, confident, and ready to scale revenue.

Dr. Christin Godale is a scientist, innovation strategist, and ecosystem builder with experience spanning academic research, venture capital, early-stage company development, and nonprofit innovation infrastructure. Trained as a neuroscientist, she brings a dual perspective as an academically trained scientist and a builder of programs, partnerships, and platforms that help scientific innovation move into the real world. She is the founding Executive Director of LifeSciKY, a nonprofit life sciences lab in Kentucky, where she leads strategy, partnerships, and infrastructure development to support early-stage biotech, diagnostics, and health innovation companies while strengthening the life sciences ecosystem. Christin’s expertise spans therapeutics, cell and gene therapy, neurology, drug-delivery systems, and emerging biomedical technologies. She is known for translating complex science into clear, actionable strategy and for aligning research, venture insight, policy, capital, and talent to accelerate impact. She is deeply passionate about using innovation infrastructure as an economic development tool, expanding access to labs, talent pathways, and STEM education, reducing barriers for scientists and founders, and ensuring that breakthrough research can create jobs, companies, and healthier communities, especially in regions that have historically been overlooked.

Kelly Kucharczyk is a Principal Consultant who partners with startups to help navigate the complexities of medical device development, with a strong passion for developing commercialization strategies that look across regulatory, reimbursement, and clinical to align with the overarching business objective. She serves as a strategic ally helping companies intentionally scale for sustainable growth or position for a successful exit. With extensive expertise in global market entry and FDA negotiations, Kelly is experienced in building "acquisition-ready" Quality Management Systems (QMS) and Design History Files (DHF). Her leadership background includes serving as a Director at NAMSA, where she guided global teams across Regulatory, Quality, and Medical Writing. Prior to this, Kelly spent nearly a decade at Stryker, driving regulatory strategies for new product development and managing complex M&A activities from initial due diligence through full post-acquisition integration. Outside of the Medtech world, she is an outdoor enthusiast and avid gardener who can frequently be found foraging for wild foods, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, or collaborating on "toddler art" masterpieces.

With more than a dozen years of non-profit experience and twice as long as an entrepreneur, Jill Morenz is leading Aviatra Accelerators into its 16th year. Jill has created three businesses in her career and leverages those insights as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Aviatra, as she works with women entrepreneurs to set them up for business success.

Helping women dream BIG!... I support & spotlight women business owners by connecting them to the resources and creating space where women shine and thrive. I'm focused on digital marketing, branding, and talking about your business in a succinct and engaging way.

Laurkita Sheffield is an accountant, CFO strategist, financial empowerment educator, and founder of Sheffield Accounting & Financial Services. She helps small-business owners understand their numbers, improve cash flow, strengthen profitability, and make informed decisions about pricing, taxes, hiring, and growth. Through CFO-level advisory services, financial education programs, workshops, and strategy intensives, Laurkita transforms complex financial concepts into practical strategies entrepreneurs can confidently apply within their businesses. Laurkita is also the creator of the C.A.S.H.F.L.O.W. Framework™, a financial leadership system built around Clarity, Accountability, Strategy, Habits, Foundations, Leadership, Ownership, and Wealth, and the author of *The C.A.S.H.F.L.O.W. Framework™: Take Control of Your Cashflow*. Her work is rooted in helping entrepreneurs move beyond financial survival and develop the clarity, confidence, and control necessary to build businesses that are profitable, financially stable, and prepared to last.

Casey Sprague is the Founder and CEO of SpectC Technologies Inc, a Cincinnati-area startup building an Execution Intelligence platform that helps organizations turn strategy into measurable execution. SpectC gives leaders greater visibility into project health, risk, priorities, and performance so teams can identify problems earlier and make better decisions faster. Casey brings more than 15 years of experience across technology, aerospace and defense, SaaS, project and program management, and organizational leadership. A retired U.S. Army Major, PMP, CSM, and Georgetown University graduate, he has built his career around solving complex execution challenges and helping teams move from planning to results. He is also the owner of Constructive Curiosity, a project management, training, and advisory firm, and is passionate about building companies, developing people, and contributing to Cincinnati’s growing startup ecosystem.

Stephanie is the founder of Ascension Analytics, where she helps growing businesses turn fragmented data into clear, confident decision-making. With nearly 20 years of experience in analytics leadership, she most recently led the Marketing Analytics team at Amazon Web Services (AWS) before founding Ascension Analytics. She specializes in translating complex data into practical business insights, helping founder-led businesses build simple measurement systems, align teams around meaningful metrics, and drive sustainable growth through clarity and action.

John Bentley II is the founder of Product Journey Group, where he works with founders on the decision in front of them — what to build, what to fix, what to stop — before any of it becomes code. A practitioner for 35 years, he spent the last eight as founder and CTO/CPO of 10XTS, building and shipping the same decisions he now helps founders make. He runs AI and agents across definition, development, and operations under accountable human authority rather than in place of it. Through the Product Journey — Define → Build → Launch — he helps early-stage founders cut decision waste and reach an MVP that's easier to launch, operate, and evolve, and helps scaling teams get a live product back under control. He takes fractional CTO engagements where a bounded leadership mandate is the right answer.

I’m a Cincinnati-based founder, product leader, and technologist. I’m currently building Wayside, a modern operating system for independent venues and experience-driven businesses. My work sits at the intersection of company strategy, product design, and software development—taking ambitious ideas from early concept through launch.

Co-Founder of Swirley's Soft Serve

Swirley's Soft Serve Co-Founder

John Hurley leads marketing at Notion, where he runs product marketing, demand, content, and regional go-to-market as the company scales. Before Notion, he built product marketing at Amplitude through its growth from $50 million to $250 million ARR and its IPO. He started even earlier as a first go-to-market hire at Radius, joining pre-seed and staying through acquisition. He has spent fifteen years in the middle of product and go-to-market, usually sitting next to founders.

Ilana Habib is Principal at Cintrifuse Capital, a venture fund and innovation hub backing early-stage founders and strengthening the Cincinnati startup ecosystem. She’s spent her career in and around the entrepreneurial ecosystem and loves rolling up her sleeves to support founders and operators. She’s also an avid traveller, taking her camera with her to capture some of the most interesting places on earth.

Zac Strobl is the Director of Northern Kentucky University’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and an entrepreneurship professor. He is a cofounder of The INKUBATOR, NKU’s award winning pre seed accelerator, and one of the founders of INVENT, a statewide startup internship program connecting students with emerging technology startups. His work focuses on developing entrepreneurial talent and strengthening connections between universities, startups, and the Greater Cincinnati tri-state region.

Mark Voytek is Founder and Managing Partner of Voytechnology Partners and a strategic advisor to enterprises and high-growth technology companies based on his Founding Partner role with Next Stage Trajectory. A former EY Partner, Mark has spent more than 25 years leading and advising on business transformation, global business services, technology, and go-to-market growth. He is also an active startup advisor, investor, author, and guest lecturer who is passionate about mentoring the next generation of founders and business leaders.

Lekha Challappa is the Founder of Aurat, a venture-backed company using AI to understand and predict how the brain responds to sensory inputs. Aurat is starting with scent, working with leading CPG and fragrance companies to transform how products are tested with consumers. Lekha’s vision is to build a broader platform for simulating human perception across the senses. She holds a graduate degree in AI from Emory University, focusing on computational neuroscience.

Dr. Christin Godale is a scientist, innovation strategist, and ecosystem builder with experience spanning academic research, venture capital, early-stage company development, and nonprofit innovation infrastructure. Trained as a neuroscientist, she brings a dual perspective as an academically trained scientist and a builder of programs, partnerships, and platforms that help scientific innovation move into the real world. She is the founding Executive Director of LifeSciKY, a nonprofit life sciences lab in Kentucky, where she leads strategy, partnerships, and infrastructure development to support early-stage biotech, diagnostics, and health innovation companies while strengthening the life sciences ecosystem. Christin’s expertise spans therapeutics, cell and gene therapy, neurology, drug-delivery systems, and emerging biomedical technologies. She is known for translating complex science into clear, actionable strategy and for aligning research, venture insight, policy, capital, and talent to accelerate impact. She is deeply passionate about using innovation infrastructure as an economic development tool, expanding access to labs, talent pathways, and STEM education, reducing barriers for scientists and founders, and ensuring that breakthrough research can create jobs, companies, and healthier communities, especially in regions that have historically been overlooked.

Jackie Reau is the CEO and Co-Founder of Game Day, a media and marketing agency founded in 2002. She is the author of the book, The Power of Hustle, to be released in March 2027. Reau is a proud graduate of Ohio University.

Rob is a member of the Cincinnati Commercial Products Practice and the Market Sector Leader for Tech and Services Sector for the firm’s Cincinnati, Louisville and Evansville markets. He has over 14 years of experience providing assurance and consulting services to companies in technology and services, manufacturing and consumer and logistics spaces. He is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, The Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants, and Association for Corporate Growth. Rob is active in the community, having previously served on the board of the Nashville Sports Council and is a recent graduate of Leadership Northern Kentucky. He is a graduate of University of Dayton, Ohio, with an M.B.A. degree and a B.S.B.A. degree in accounting.

Ryan has over 18 years of diversified public accounting experience providing tax and consulting experience to emerging, mid-market, and large multi-national companies. As a partner in the firms Federal Tax Specialty group, Ryan focuses on providing tax planning solutions to companies in a multitude of industries including manufacturing and distribution, energy, technology, real estate, retail, financial services, and health care. Ryan is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, and Tennessee Society of CPAs. Ryan is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University with a B.A. degree in accounting and DePaul University with a MBA and M.S. in Taxation.

COO @ Pantomath

Sue Bevan Baggott is a human-centered Executive Advisor, Innovation Catalyst, and Intentional Investor. Sue is dedicated to empowering leaders to create positive impact, accelerate life-improving innovation, and invest in transformative change. Her career spans global innovation leadership at Procter & Gamble (growing mega-brands from Pantene and Pampers) to founding Power Within Consulting, a firm focused on human-centered strategies for meaningful leadership and business success. As an “accidental angel investor” and startup advisor, Sue supports diverse portfolios of innovative startups addressing critical global challenges. She also advocates for inclusion in entrepreneurship and investing as an Associate Producer of Show Her the Money, a multi-award-winning documentary promoting investment in underrepresented founders. Through speaking, writing, consulting, advising, and board roles, Sue strives to inspire purposeful leadership and meaningful innovation. She also encourages more open discussions about money confidence and investing to encourage more people to build wealth through investing with their values to drive positive change. Sue is a member of multiple early-stage investment groups and funds including: QCA Ventures, Next Wave Impact (Investment Committee member), Kachuwa Impact Fund, Mindshift Capital (LPAC member), Ohio Impact Fund (LP), H Venture Partners (LP), Fireroad Ventures (LP), SoGal Ventures (LP), Emmeline Ventures (LP), and Sage Growth Capital (LP). She’s also an Advisor for Accelerating Angels and several purpose-driven startups.

With more than a dozen years of non-profit experience and twice as long as an entrepreneur, Jill Morenz is leading Aviatra Accelerators into its 16th year. Jill has created three businesses in her career and leverages those insights as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Aviatra, as she works with women entrepreneurs to set them up for business success.

Helping women dream BIG!... I support & spotlight women business owners by connecting them to the resources and creating space where women shine and thrive. I'm focused on digital marketing, branding, and talking about your business in a succinct and engaging way.

Catherine Lentz is the Director of Lending for Southern Ohio at Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI). She helps entrepreneurs and small business owners realize their dream of owning and growing their small business by providing resources and small business financing. Catherine has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry and prior to joining ECDI in 2021, she was a Business Relationship Manager and Private Client Branch Manager with JPMorgan Chase. Catherine grew up in the Dayton, Ohio area, is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Co-Chair of the Emerging Leaders for the Cincinnati Parks Foundation and a sustaining member of the Junior League of Cincinnati.

Sue Bevan Baggott is a human-centered Executive Advisor, Innovation Catalyst, and Intentional Investor. Sue is dedicated to empowering leaders to create positive impact, accelerate life-improving innovation, and invest in transformative change. Her career spans global innovation leadership at Procter & Gamble (growing mega-brands from Pantene and Pampers) to founding Power Within Consulting, a firm focused on human-centered strategies for meaningful leadership and business success. As an “accidental angel investor” and startup advisor, Sue supports diverse portfolios of innovative startups addressing critical global challenges. She also advocates for inclusion in entrepreneurship and investing as an Associate Producer of Show Her the Money, a multi-award-winning documentary promoting investment in underrepresented founders. Through speaking, writing, consulting, advising, and board roles, Sue strives to inspire purposeful leadership and meaningful innovation. She also encourages more open discussions about money confidence and investing to encourage more people to build wealth through investing with their values to drive positive change. Sue is a member of multiple early-stage investment groups and funds including: QCA Ventures, Next Wave Impact (Investment Committee member), Kachuwa Impact Fund, Mindshift Capital (LPAC member), Ohio Impact Fund (LP), H Venture Partners (LP), Fireroad Ventures (LP), SoGal Ventures (LP), Emmeline Ventures (LP), and Sage Growth Capital (LP). She’s also an Advisor for Accelerating Angels and several purpose-driven startups.

Ilana Habib is Principal at Cintrifuse Capital, a venture fund and innovation hub backing early-stage founders and strengthening the Cincinnati startup ecosystem. She’s spent her career in and around the entrepreneurial ecosystem and loves rolling up her sleeves to support founders and operators. She’s also an avid traveller, taking her camera with her to capture some of the most interesting places on earth.

Torrey Babson is the Senior Director of Innovation Services at BRITE Energy Innovators. Day-to-day, Torrey oversees BRITE's CXO Services, which provides fractional leadership solutions to pre-market energy technology startups.

Zachary Hensley is SVP of Product & Operations at FRAYT, an early-stage tech startup building an on-demand logistics marketplace. He's spent 15+ years in tech and the last seven building venture-backed companies: COO and then President at Livegistics, and VP of Technology & Operations at Astronomer, where he was employee 19 and scaled the company through hypergrowth. Before startups, he was Head of Product at Kroger Digital and a Director at P&G, where he founded Alchemy, an internal startup. He's also an Expert in Residence at Cintrifuse Capital and an early member of X15 with Refinery Ventures.

Jaimin Gandhi is Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Redi Health, where he oversees Product, Engineering, Design, and Implementation. His work focuses on modernizing how pharmaceutical patient support programs operate by connecting fragmented vendor ecosystems into unified, patient-centric platforms. He enables faster access to therapy by simplifying enrollment, reducing operational friction, and embedding automated intelligence into complex healthcare workflows. Jaimin brings a systems-level perspective to building compliant, scalable infrastructure that improves patient outcomes and patient support program performance.

Chief Architect at Pantomath, former CTO at VNDLY, all-around hypergrowth technical leader.

Venture Capital Investor with Refinery Ventures, based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Strategic Account Executive at Databricks, hypergrowth sales guys enabling GenAI, Machine Learning and Analytics.

Brad runs Wolf House Fables and teaches Creativity & Ideation at the University of Cincinnati. He helps organizations build cultures of courage using Wonder Building practices he developed working with teams from Fortune 10 giants, non-profits, entrepreneurs, and his students at the University of Cincinnati. Brad is raising three kids and dog named Huckleberry with his wife, Leah in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Courtney Carroll, LPCC-S, is the founder of Called 2 Encourage Counseling & Self Development in Cincinnati's Pendleton neighborhood and the creator of CEO Serenity, a restorative experience built for entrepreneurs and high achievers. With 13 years in mental health and 8 years running her own practice, she helps founders build businesses that don't cost them themselves.

Austin is Lead Engineer at Pay Theory, a Cincinnati fintech building embedded payment infrastructure, where he leads engineering work across the platform, from architecture to partner integrations. Outside of work, Austin builds iOS apps, including Spritz, a home bar assistant with an AI mixologist. Across both worlds, he's focused on harnessing AI tooling to build stable, scalable systems faster without sacrificing quality.

Paul is a biomedical engineer that somehow got trapped in the world of startups and venture capital. He currently runs Flamel - automating marketing for multi-location brands. In his free time - he reads, studies (read drinks) wine, and cooks meals with his wife Lina.

Chris Bergman is a serial entrepreneur, game creator, and investor based in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is the founder and CEO of Gylee Games, an independent studio focused on creating character-driven games with distinctive worlds and meaningful stories, and served as game director, writer, designer, and composer on the studio’s debut title, Ra Ra BOOM. Previously, Chris co-founded ChoreMonster, a family-focused technology company that grew to more than four million users and  participated in the Disney Accelerator. He is also a General Partner at Everywhere Ventures Midwest, where he supports early-stage founders and helps strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. His multidisciplinary career spans technology, venture capital, video games, music, and Cincinnati’s creative community. All connected by a belief that meaningful work can also be weird, joyful, and deeply human.

Dr. Christin Godale is a scientist, innovation strategist, and ecosystem builder with experience spanning academic research, venture capital, early-stage company development, and nonprofit innovation infrastructure. Trained as a neuroscientist, she brings a dual perspective as an academically trained scientist and a builder of programs, partnerships, and platforms that help scientific innovation move into the real world. She is the founding Executive Director of LifeSciKY, a nonprofit life sciences lab in Kentucky, where she leads strategy, partnerships, and infrastructure development to support early-stage biotech, diagnostics, and health innovation companies while strengthening the life sciences ecosystem. Christin’s expertise spans therapeutics, cell and gene therapy, neurology, drug-delivery systems, and emerging biomedical technologies. She is known for translating complex science into clear, actionable strategy and for aligning research, venture insight, policy, capital, and talent to accelerate impact. She is deeply passionate about using innovation infrastructure as an economic development tool, expanding access to labs, talent pathways, and STEM education, reducing barriers for scientists and founders, and ensuring that breakthrough research can create jobs, companies, and healthier communities, especially in regions that have historically been overlooked.

Christina S. Moss, CPA is the founder of MossFinancials, LLC, a CPA-led advisory and accounting firm that helps business owners uncover what’s actually true about their businesses so they can make better decisions and lead with greater confidence. With more than 25 years of accounting experience, Christina has seen firsthand that many of the challenges entrepreneurs face with money aren't simply accounting problems. They're decision-making problems shaped by uncertainty, fear, overwhelm, and the stories we tell ourselves about our businesses. A passionate financial educator and advocate for underserved entrepreneurs, Christina uses accounting as a tool to replace uncertainty with clarity and help founders move from reacting to leading. Her candid, compassionate, and no-nonsense approach to money, growth, and business decision-making has earned her the nickname “The PitBull of Accounting™.”

Candida Crasto, MFT, LPC (she/her) is the Founder and Executive Director of The AFFECT Project, a non-profit clinical research initiative developing an evidence-backed model for integrated sex and family therapy. A former chemical engineer who navigated the startup world before becoming a licensed therapist, Candida bridges analytical systems-thinking with deep human connection. She is also the host of the #SEXHAPPENS podcast, where she destigmatizes sexuality through candid, shame-busting conversations. Across her research, podcast, and experiential workshops, Candida helps individuals, couples, and families dismantle internal barriers, step into their authentic selves, and step into their full potential.

Tian Philson is a Jay Shetty Certified Leadership Transformation and Decision-Making Coach and creator of the VOICCE® Framework - a proprietary method that helps leaders navigate uncertainty with clarity and confidence. With 20 years of corporate experience across CPG, Retail, and Media and as the founder of Love, Strength & Fitness, LLC, she blends mindfulness and strategy to help professionals lead authentically, confidently and sustainably. Tian is also a registered yoga teacher and passionate advocate for purposeful, holistic growth. “We help leaders go inward, so they can go Upward.”

Christopher A. Ritter is a design thinker, branding expert, and creative entrepreneur focused on strategy, identity, and cultural relevance. He’s led brand work for adidas, GE, lululemon, and the Chicago Cubs, and created public art and exhibitions alongside artists like FAILE, The London Police, and Gene Spatz. His practice integrates strategy and design to help brands evolve and is grounded in the future of creative leadership.

Nicholas Archer – BIO Nicholas Archer has spent more than two decades across healthcare's full continuum, spanning operations, innovation, and commercialization. At Cincinnati Children's Hospital, he leads the translation of scientific discovery into real-world impact, moving innovations from bench to bedside through technology transfer and venture creation. His work sits at the intersection of operational excellence, financial sustainability, and patient need—a balance he's pursued whether restructuring care delivery networks, building digital platforms, or advising emerging companies. A graduate of Oakwood University with an MBA from the University of Florida and executive education from Harvard Business School, Nick has served on numerous boards focused on healthcare access and community development. Outside of work, he's an avid cyclist and sports enthusiast who enjoys time with his family.

Dave Theus is a serial founder and C-suite executive with more than 25 years of leadership across technology driven sectors, including healthcare innovation, artificial intelligence, SaaS, PropTech, InsurTech, and TravelTech. Co-founded and scaled multiple venture-backed companies — raising over $65M in institutional and strategic capital, building organizations of 100+ employees, and guiding businesses from concept through launch, revenue growth, and acquisition. A hands-on operator and trusted advisor to boards, investors, and Fortune 500 partners, with a proven record of translating emerging technology into commercially successful products across B2C, B2B, and B2B2C channels. Currently Executive in Residence at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, advancing healthcare and research ventures toward real-world impact. Previously, Dave founded and led product, technology, and growth initiatives at several ventures, including: • Fixle – CEO & Founder of a PropTech platform he spun-out of American Family Insurance. • Roamie – CTO & Co-Founder of a personalized travel platform developed alongside AAA. • HOMEE, Inc. – Founder, CTO, CRO, and Director, a PropTech and InsurTech platform, where he drove product, sales, and marketing strategies to fuel rapid growth. • inno360, Inc. – Chief Product Officer & VP of Technology, where he pioneered enterprise innovation management solutions leveraging IBM Watson AI/ML technologies. Dave is a named inventor on U.S. and international patent filings across three ventures - HOMEE family (U.S., PCT, European, Canadian), an inno360 filing (2011), and two pending Cincinnati Children's applications (2025, 2026). He began his career as an Engineering Analyst in GE’s Technical Leadership Program.. Dave holds a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton and a Master of Engineering in Structural Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. His work has been recognized with multiple awards, including CIO Review’s 20 Most Promising Insurance Tech Solution Providers (2020) and Forbes’ Top 10 America’s Best Startup Employers. Passionate about leveraging technology to solve complex, real-world challenges, Dave’s career reflects a consistent commitment to entrepreneurship, innovation, transformation, and creating positive change at scale.

Dave Hutten is an entrepreneur and product leader with 25 years of experience building companies across media, digital health and early-stage innovation. He is currently Entrepreneur in Residence at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center within the Innovation Ventures group, where he works with clinicians and researchers to turn promising technologies into investable, market-ready ventures. Dave has spent his career on both sides of the table. He was employee #1 and ultimately VP of Product at Hugo Health, where he helped raise close to $6 million and scale the company from concept to a 40-person team serving Mayo Clinic, Yale, the FDA, Medtronic and Johnson & Johnson. He founded and led Sequel Media, a medical content production company, and later served as an executive in residence at CincyTech, working inside a venture fund to support Cincinnati Children's spinouts. Earlier in his career, before moving into health tech, he was an executive producer at a WPP digital agency in New York, leading global campaigns for Microsoft and InterContinental Hotels Group. Dave is a graduate of DePaul University and advises digital-health startups on product, positioning and fundraising.

Dr. Christin Godale is a scientist, innovation strategist, and ecosystem builder with experience spanning academic research, venture capital, early-stage company development, and nonprofit innovation infrastructure. Trained as a neuroscientist, she brings a dual perspective as an academically trained scientist and a builder of programs, partnerships, and platforms that help scientific innovation move into the real world. She is the founding Executive Director of LifeSciKY, a nonprofit life sciences lab in Kentucky, where she leads strategy, partnerships, and infrastructure development to support early-stage biotech, diagnostics, and health innovation companies while strengthening the life sciences ecosystem. Christin’s expertise spans therapeutics, cell and gene therapy, neurology, drug-delivery systems, and emerging biomedical technologies. She is known for translating complex science into clear, actionable strategy and for aligning research, venture insight, policy, capital, and talent to accelerate impact. She is deeply passionate about using innovation infrastructure as an economic development tool, expanding access to labs, talent pathways, and STEM education, reducing barriers for scientists and founders, and ensuring that breakthrough research can create jobs, companies, and healthier communities, especially in regions that have historically been overlooked.

Kelly Kucharczyk is a Principal Consultant who partners with startups to help navigate the complexities of medical device development, with a strong passion for developing commercialization strategies that look across regulatory, reimbursement, and clinical to align with the overarching business objective. She serves as a strategic ally helping companies intentionally scale for sustainable growth or position for a successful exit. With extensive expertise in global market entry and FDA negotiations, Kelly is experienced in building "acquisition-ready" Quality Management Systems (QMS) and Design History Files (DHF). Her leadership background includes serving as a Director at NAMSA, where she guided global teams across Regulatory, Quality, and Medical Writing. Prior to this, Kelly spent nearly a decade at Stryker, driving regulatory strategies for new product development and managing complex M&A activities from initial due diligence through full post-acquisition integration. Outside of the Medtech world, she is an outdoor enthusiast and avid gardener who can frequently be found foraging for wild foods, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, or collaborating on "toddler art" masterpieces.

Dr. Christin Godale is a scientist, innovation strategist, and ecosystem builder with experience spanning academic research, venture capital, early-stage company development, and nonprofit innovation infrastructure. Trained as a neuroscientist, she brings a dual perspective as an academically trained scientist and a builder of programs, partnerships, and platforms that help scientific innovation move into the real world. She is the founding Executive Director of LifeSciKY, a nonprofit life sciences lab in Kentucky, where she leads strategy, partnerships, and infrastructure development to support early-stage biotech, diagnostics, and health innovation companies while strengthening the life sciences ecosystem. Christin’s expertise spans therapeutics, cell and gene therapy, neurology, drug-delivery systems, and emerging biomedical technologies. She is known for translating complex science into clear, actionable strategy and for aligning research, venture insight, policy, capital, and talent to accelerate impact. She is deeply passionate about using innovation infrastructure as an economic development tool, expanding access to labs, talent pathways, and STEM education, reducing barriers for scientists and founders, and ensuring that breakthrough research can create jobs, companies, and healthier communities, especially in regions that have historically been overlooked.

Allison Schroeder, APR is an award-winning public relations professional with nearly 20 years of experience serving in both agency and in-house roles. Allison is the founder of Pomme Communications, an agency specializing in public relations, marketing activations and strategic partnerships. Under her leadership, Pomme has been recognized more than 30 times for its work in the industry, representing clients within the food, beverage and hospitality space. In the community, Allison is actively involved in the Public Relations Society of America, having served a number of board roles, including President, and is currently the Director of Accreditation. She is also involved with the Ohio State Alumni Association of Cincinnati, where she has served on several committees. She is also particularly passionate about giving back to support local cancer research, as demonstrated through her involvement with Ride Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Cancer Advisors. She is a regular presenter at Aviatra Accelerators, serves as a coach for Sam Adams Brewing the American Dream program and has created programming for private organizations as well as conferences, including Startup Cincy Week, Cincinnati PRSA Media day, and the 2025 ICON PRSA national conference in Washington DC. Most notably, Allison is the 2021 recipient of the Werner-Vonderhaar-Bogart Award, Cincinnati PRSA’s highest honor for contributions to the profession and the community. Pomme is the 2024 and 2025 recipient of Small Agency of the Year and has been recognized as “Best in Cincy” for several years. In addition, Allison is the creator of the online series, The Creativity is Human Project, in which she sits down with creatives of all varieties to learn more about their unique creative processes and prove that the best creative ideas are derived from uniquely human experiences. Allison hold a B.A. from The Ohio State University and can be found on Saturdays cheering on her beloved Buckeyes at the weekly game watch.

Pete Millspaugh is a programmer and writer. He is currently working on his first book, “dot com et al: The Secret Life of Internet Domains,” and working at Val Town.

With 28 years of experience, Holly has become a trusted authority in naming, brand strategy, and creating brand identities for Fortune 100 companies. She has played a pivotal role in building some of the most iconic brands in the world, earning her reputation as a visionary in the field. Holly’s approach to brand building is rooted in her belief that creativity thrives in a positive, collaborative environment. By fostering open, honest communication, she has established strong, enduring relationships with teams and clients alike. Known for her passion and ability to inspire, Holly leads with a focus on innovation and an energy that makes the creative process as enjoyable as it is impactful. Her philosophy is clear: positivity fuels creativity, and when channeled effectively, it leads to extraordinary results.

Kristy Sieve is President + Partner and Graphic Design Lead at Mertz Design Studio, a Cincinnati-based brand strategy and design agency. A servant leader passionate about design, culture, and community, she helps guide the studio's creative vision and client partnerships.

Mitko Karshovski is the Director of Community Engagement at Blue North and SparkHaus where he helps support founders and the broader startup ecosystem. He's also the cofounder of Cincy Scoop, a local media company and venture studio.

Tom Walker is Vice President, Partner, and Director of Industrial Design at Mertz Design, where he leads the studio's industrial design practice in creating physical products that are as thoughtful in function as they are in form. Over 24 years in the field, he has developed products for brands including Crest, Oral-B, Zevo, and Rubbermaid. He helps businesses translate consumer insight into products, services, and strategies that solve real problems.

Kailah Ware is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, creative director, and narrative strategist driven by a commitment to social impact and mission-centered storytelling. As Founder and Creative Director of SunnyBlu Art Agency, she helps nonprofits, public sector partners, and values-led organizations translate complex issues into clear, compelling campaigns that move people to action. Her work spans public health, civic engagement, workforce development, economic mobility, and narrative change, with campaigns reaching millions and earning national and regional recognition. A Wright State University graduate with a background in motion pictures production and studio art, Kailah brings a cinematic, research-informed approach to strategic communications, digital campaigns, and public-facing storytelling.

As a kid, Mary Tighe skipped the princess and dragon stories and went straight to interviewing her great-grandmother instead. That curiosity led her to journalism and, eventually, fifteen years in marketing. Today, Mary helps businesses make sense of what they do, find the stories beneath the surface and turn it all into marketing that sounds like them.

Sarah Dowlin is a photographer by trade, an observer by nature, and the founder of WorkLife Studios. For nearly two decades, she’s worked inside organizations of all kinds, developing an eye for the moments, relationships, and patterns that reveal far more about a business than its marketing ever could. Today, her work explores one simple question: how can marketing help people feel known in a world obsessed with being seen? Through WorkLife Studios and her writing and speaking, Sarah explores Connection Marketing, relationship-led growth, storytelling, and the practice of paying attention.

Damian Grey is the founder of FilmStory, a Cincinnati-based story development company built for mission-driven storytellers — the ones stuck in the gig-to-gig grind, carrying the doubt alone, ready to stop being vendors for hire and lead with the stories only they can tell. He hosts the StoryFirst podcast and leads a cohort for storytellers ready to step out of isolation.

For the past decade, Antony Seppi has built and scaled the startup ecosystem across the Greater Cincinnati regional footprint. His work bridges economic development, innovation strategy, and hands-on founder support to turn local assets into launchpads for high-growth ventures. As VP of Alloy Growth Lab - recognized as a UBI Global Top 10 Public Business Incubator worldwide and ranked #45 on TIME & Statista’s 2026 list of America’s Best Incubators - Antony champions a "patient growth" model built on rolling admissions and zero equity take. He works directly with early-stage founders to connect them to capital, tailored mentorship, and talent pipelines. With a background spanning urban planning, clean-tech, tech transfer, and civic innovation, Antony focuses on cultivating resilient, interconnected networks where entrepreneurs transform ambitious ideas into lasting regional impact.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-grimberg-phd/

For the past decade, Antony Seppi has built and scaled the startup ecosystem across the Greater Cincinnati regional footprint. His work bridges economic development, innovation strategy, and hands-on founder support to turn local assets into launchpads for high-growth ventures. As VP of Alloy Growth Lab - recognized as a UBI Global Top 10 Public Business Incubator worldwide and ranked #45 on TIME & Statista’s 2026 list of America’s Best Incubators - Antony champions a "patient growth" model built on rolling admissions and zero equity take. He works directly with early-stage founders to connect them to capital, tailored mentorship, and talent pipelines. With a background spanning urban planning, clean-tech, tech transfer, and civic innovation, Antony focuses on cultivating resilient, interconnected networks where entrepreneurs transform ambitious ideas into lasting regional impact.

Jeremy Jarrett is CEO of Kinetic Vision, a Cincinnati-based technology and product development company specializing in digital transformation, advanced manufacturing, AI, simulation, and automation. With extensive experience helping organizations adopt emerging technologies, Jeremy brings a practical perspective on the evolution of robotics and automation and how these tools are transforming the factory floor.

With more than 22 years in technology and automation, Mark leads Sensory Robotics’ operational and commercial execution as COO and co-founder. A U.S. military ARMY veteran, he drives strategy, partnerships, and revenue growth for SR-1, the company’s 3D sensing safety solution built to support fenceless, human-robot collaboration in real production environments. Mark is known for bridging engineering, certification, and customer needs, bringing disciplined execution to complex deployments and turning safety requirements into scalable solutions that protect people and keep lines running.

Founder of a product engineering, design, and commercialization company. Supporting students develop the mindset of an entrepreneur at BGSU

For the past decade, Antony Seppi has built and scaled the startup ecosystem across the Greater Cincinnati regional footprint. His work bridges economic development, innovation strategy, and hands-on founder support to turn local assets into launchpads for high-growth ventures. As VP of Alloy Growth Lab - recognized as a UBI Global Top 10 Public Business Incubator worldwide and ranked #45 on TIME & Statista’s 2026 list of America’s Best Incubators - Antony champions a "patient growth" model built on rolling admissions and zero equity take. He works directly with early-stage founders to connect them to capital, tailored mentorship, and talent pipelines. With a background spanning urban planning, clean-tech, tech transfer, and civic innovation, Antony focuses on cultivating resilient, interconnected networks where entrepreneurs transform ambitious ideas into lasting regional impact.

Kara Willis is a marketing, events, and community engagement professional with a career focused on bringing people, ideas, and experiences together. She currently serves as Program Manager for RedHawk50 at Miami University’s John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship, where she works with alumni entrepreneurs and the broader Miami University entrepreneurship community. Kara also serves as Marketing Director at The Mercantile Library in Cincinnati, leading marketing, membership engagement, programming, and communications for one of the country’s oldest member-supported libraries. Throughout her career, she has worked across marketing, events, entrepreneurship, community building, and brand strategy, with a particular passion for creating memorable experiences and developing programs that help people connect. Her work is driven by a belief that great marketing is about more than promotion. It is about building communities, telling meaningful stories, and creating opportunities for people to engage with organizations in authentic and unexpected ways.

Patrick J. Brown is Director of Commercialization at the University of Cincinnati's 1819 Innovation Hub, where he leads efforts to develop and commercialize UC technologies, research, and innovation — connecting entrepreneurs, industry partners, and investors with UC's deep portfolio of intellectual property, capabilities, and resources. Having licensed UC technology and co-founded a startup himself, Patrick now helps others do the same. With nearly two decades at UC, he has built a career around bridging the gap between the lab and the market and finding the right partners to bring UC innovations to life.

Zac Strobl is the Director of Northern Kentucky University’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and an entrepreneurship professor. He is a cofounder of The INKUBATOR, NKU’s award winning pre seed accelerator, and one of the founders of INVENT, a statewide startup internship program connecting students with emerging technology startups. His work focuses on developing entrepreneurial talent and strengthening connections between universities, startups, and the Greater Cincinnati tri-state region.

I’m a Cincinnati-based founder, product leader, and technologist. I’m currently building Wayside, a modern operating system for independent venues and experience-driven businesses. My work sits at the intersection of company strategy, product design, and software development—taking ambitious ideas from early concept through launch.

Co-Founder of Swirley's Soft Serve

Swirley's Soft Serve Co-Founder

Rahul Desai is an operations executive who has spent the past decade helping people accelerate their careers and build smarter, stronger companies. He’s consulted at Google and Uber, scaled Silicon Valley startups to 100M+ valuations, sold an operations training business, served as an operating partner for a private equity fund, and now raised a fund of his own to build / buy group travel companies.

Mark Voytek is Founder and Managing Partner of Voytechnology Partners and a strategic advisor to enterprises and high-growth technology companies based on his Founding Partner role with Next Stage Trajectory. A former EY Partner, Mark has spent more than 25 years leading and advising on business transformation, global business services, technology, and go-to-market growth. He is also an active startup advisor, investor, author, and guest lecturer who is passionate about mentoring the next generation of founders and business leaders.

Lekha Challappa is the Founder of Aurat, a venture-backed company using AI to understand and predict how the brain responds to sensory inputs. Aurat is starting with scent, working with leading CPG and fragrance companies to transform how products are tested with consumers. Lekha’s vision is to build a broader platform for simulating human perception across the senses. She holds a graduate degree in AI from Emory University, focusing on computational neuroscience.

Chef Ali Crowdus, a Northern Kentucky native, is the founder of The People’s Kitchen, a consultancy providing strategic advising for small food businesses. With almost two decades in the hospitality industry, Ali is a seasoned chef, entrepreneur, community leader, and an advocate for local food makers. Ali is also the President of Chef & Coffee, a non-profit organization supporting Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky’s culinary community. Outside of work Ali spends time with her daughter Nora, volunteering, going to concerts, experiencing art, and exploring new local makers.

Four-time James Beard-nominated Chef Jeffrey Harris has called Cincinnati home since 2005, when the New Orleans native relocated to the Queen City following Hurricane Katrina. After working his way through some of Cincinnati’s top restaurants, Chef Jeff launched his first concept, Jimmie Lou’s, in 2021 as an ode to his beloved grandmother. In 2022, he opened Nolia Kitchen in Over-the-Rhine, bringing an inventive and deeply personal approach to Southern cuisine that quickly earned local and national recognition.

As his profile has grown, Chef Jeff has used his platform to invest back into the city and hospitality community that embraced him. Beyond the kitchen, he is an entrepreneur, mentor, connector, and community builder committed to creating opportunities for culinary professionals and strengthening Cincinnati’s food ecosystem. In 2024, he founded Chef & Coffee, a gathering designed to bring chefs and chef-adjacent professionals together to connect, collaborate, and support one another.

Kelly Shaw is the Associate Director of Findlay Kitchen, bringing over 15 years of hospitality experience across a wide range of roles, from line cook, kitchen manager, catering sales, and many others in between. She also has extensive experience in customer service and administrative management, giving her a well rounded perspective on both the operational and people focused sides of the food industry. In her role at Findlay Kitchen, Kelly supports members, oversees day to day operations, and is helping lead Findlay Kitchen into its next phase of growth. Kelly also recently launched her own small pop up food business, Okie Doke, giving her firsthand insight into the challenges and opportunities that come with building a food business.

I have worked in the restaurant and hospitality industry for more than 20 years, with experience spanning restaurant operations, culinary training, workforce development, and food business support. At Findlay Market, I served as the chef and program manager for Mighty Good, a hospitality workforce training program focused on preparing individuals for careers in the food industry. For the past three years, I have focused on supporting startup and growing food businesses at Findlay Market through educational courses, one-on-one advising, and connections to industry professionals and resources. My work combines hands-on restaurant experience with business development and mentorship to help food entrepreneurs build stronger, more sustainable businesses.

Betty Poling is a nonprofit and small business leader with extensive experience in food entrepreneurship, workforce development, organizational leadership, and community-based economic development. She is a Certified Professional through the Society for Human Resource Management and currently serves as Director of Food Innovation at the Corporation for Findlay Market, where she supports entrepreneurs through programs including Findlay Kitchen, Findlay Launch, and Findlay Learn. Previously, Betty co-founded Fibonacci Brewing Company in 2015 and served as its President, leading the business through nearly a decade of growth and the expansion of its urban farm and hospitality ventures. Under her leadership, Fibonacci became the first brewery to participate in Ellequate’s workplace equity certification program. Her background also includes more than 10 years in the craft beer industry and 11 years in restaurant and hospitality operations. Betty has been actively involved in community and economic development throughout Greater Cincinnati. She has served as Cincinnati Chapter Leader of the Pink Boots Society and Vice President of the Mount Healthy Business Association, and helped address local food insecurity through Mount Healthy’s We Thrive initiative, including the development of a community farmers market. Across her work, Betty is passionate about strengthening small businesses, expanding opportunity, and building programs and communities where people and ideas can thrive.

Scott Edsall has been with the Corporation for Findlay Market for three years, most recently as the Findlay Market Incubator Manager. During his tenure he has worked on the buildout of the Findlay Launch storefronts and incubated multiple businesses out of the Findlay Kitchen, most notably Soul Secrets and The Empanada’s Box. Scott also led the restoration of a 1970s deck oven, allowing new bakeries to start in the Kitchen. Scott has over 20 years of experience starting and operating food services in Cincinnati, Nashville and Illinois, with a focus on efficient operations for food businesses “Within one-on-one business mentoring, our goal is to lower the barrier of entry for businesses to start and thrive. We are trying to figure out programs, manuals–anything we can do that explains how to operate a food business, because that doesn’t exist.”

Aaron Bradley is a professor, futurist, and innovation leader with a proven record of designing, launching, and scaling signature initiatives from blank page to sustained impact, including building one of the nation’s only undergraduate strategic foresight labs and founding a student innovation consultancy that helps Fortune 500 companies and global brands translate next-generation insights into whitespace innovation opportunities and forward-looking strategy. With expertise in applied strategic foresight, human-centered design, and futures research, he’s led more than 100 corporate innovation projects ranging from short-term ideation sprints to multi-phase strategy development for organizations across the globe.

Rahul Desai is an operations executive who has spent the past decade helping people accelerate their careers and build smarter, stronger companies. He’s consulted at Google and Uber, scaled Silicon Valley startups to 100M+ valuations, sold an operations training business, served as an operating partner for a private equity fund, and now raised a fund of his own to build / buy group travel companies.

John Hurley leads marketing at Notion, where he runs product marketing, demand, content, and regional go-to-market as the company scales. Before Notion, he built product marketing at Amplitude through its growth from $50 million to $250 million ARR and its IPO. He started even earlier as a first go-to-market hire at Radius, joining pre-seed and staying through acquisition. He has spent fifteen years in the middle of product and go-to-market, usually sitting next to founders.

John Hurley leads marketing at Notion, where he runs product marketing, demand, content, and regional go-to-market as the company scales. Before Notion, he built product marketing at Amplitude through its growth from $50 million to $250 million ARR and its IPO. He started even earlier as a first go-to-market hire at Radius, joining pre-seed and staying through acquisition. He has spent fifteen years in the middle of product and go-to-market, usually sitting next to founders.

John Hurley leads marketing at Notion, where he runs product marketing, demand, content, and regional go-to-market as the company scales. Before Notion, he built product marketing at Amplitude through its growth from $50 million to $250 million ARR and its IPO. He started even earlier as a first go-to-market hire at Radius, joining pre-seed and staying through acquisition. He has spent fifteen years in the middle of product and go-to-market, usually sitting next to founders.

Nick Cramer is the founder and principal of Cramer Office, a design studio where he works with early-stage founders ahead of inflection points to make the next version of their company feel inevitable. His work spans product, brand, engineering, and narrative. He's an EIR at Blue North, a former venture-backed founder at Harper, and was Head of Design at Ahalogy and a GM at Roadtrippers. "Nick Cramer is the founder and principal of Cramer Office, a design studio that works with early-stage founders ahead of inflection points to make the next version of their company feel inevitable. He's an EIR at Blue North, a former venture-backed founder at Harper, and was Head of Design at Ahalogy and a GM at Roadtrippers.

Greg Pipkins is an entrepreneur, strategist, and organizing member of FoundHouse, where he leads sales strategy, relationship development, and strategic partnerships. He is also the CEO and co-founder of Kept House and serves as Third Vice President of the North Avondale Neighborhood Association. A husband, father, son, and friend, Greg’s work is grounded in relationships, service, and creating meaningful opportunities for people and communities. At FoundHouse, he helps connect each client’s immediate challenges with custom software, AI and workflow automation, and ongoing technology support that strengthens their long-term capacity. FoundHouse combines the rigor and results of a large technology firm with the responsiveness and agility of a small business—helping clients become more capable, confident, and ready to scale revenue.

Casey Sprague is the Founder and CEO of SpectC Technologies Inc, a Cincinnati-area startup building an Execution Intelligence platform that helps organizations turn strategy into measurable execution. SpectC gives leaders greater visibility into project health, risk, priorities, and performance so teams can identify problems earlier and make better decisions faster. Casey brings more than 15 years of experience across technology, aerospace and defense, SaaS, project and program management, and organizational leadership. A retired U.S. Army Major, PMP, CSM, and Georgetown University graduate, he has built his career around solving complex execution challenges and helping teams move from planning to results. He is also the owner of Constructive Curiosity, a project management, training, and advisory firm, and is passionate about building companies, developing people, and contributing to Cincinnati’s growing startup ecosystem.

Kerry Taft is the expert entrepreneurs call when their business systems are holding them back. She’s the one founders turn to when they’re ready to stop duct-taping systems together and start running a company that works without them. With over 20 years in the health sciences as an exercise physiologist and former university professor, Kerry brings both analytical rigor and a deeply human-centered approach to every system she builds. In 2024, she acquired and integrated a digital agency into her growing portfolio, further solidifying her role as a strategic force in the operations space. Founders seek her out when they’re ready to reclaim their time, streamline their backend, and build businesses that run smoothly—and feel better.

Laurkita Sheffield is an accountant, CFO strategist, financial empowerment educator, and founder of Sheffield Accounting & Financial Services. She helps small-business owners understand their numbers, improve cash flow, strengthen profitability, and make informed decisions about pricing, taxes, hiring, and growth. Through CFO-level advisory services, financial education programs, workshops, and strategy intensives, Laurkita transforms complex financial concepts into practical strategies entrepreneurs can confidently apply within their businesses. Laurkita is also the creator of the C.A.S.H.F.L.O.W. Framework™, a financial leadership system built around Clarity, Accountability, Strategy, Habits, Foundations, Leadership, Ownership, and Wealth, and the author of *The C.A.S.H.F.L.O.W. Framework™: Take Control of Your Cashflow*. Her work is rooted in helping entrepreneurs move beyond financial survival and develop the clarity, confidence, and control necessary to build businesses that are profitable, financially stable, and prepared to last.

Ethan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Another Nine, a 24/7 indoor golf franchisor. He has worn many hats throughout his professional career prior to co-founding Another Nine. With a breadth of experiences, his primary focus has always been at the intersection of tech and retail. He's spent time in consulting, strategy and operations, partnerships & M&A, and product management, at Deloitte, dunnhumby, and 84.51, as well as executive leadership roles with Kroger and Shipt (Target). He's a dedicated Co-Founder and an active collaborator and mentor in the Cincinnati/NKY startup ecosystems. He holds a bachelor's degree from Miami University and an MBA from Indiana University. Ethan lives in Cincinnati, OH and is a proud husband and father of three.

Brett is the Co-Founder & COO of Another Nine, a Cincinnati-based indoor golf startup and one of the fastest growing franchise brands in the US. A proud Kentucky alum and former Lexington native, Brett pursued entrepreneurship following an Executive MBA program at Quantic. Over the last 12 years, Brett has made Cincinnati his home alongside his wife, Kelly, and two daughters.

Since joining the Samuel Adams Boston Brewery in 2001, Jennifer Glanville has played an integral role in the research and development of experimental Samuel Adams brews, honing her craft at the renowned Doemens Brewing Academy in Germany. Passionate about traditional and lost beer styles, as well as barrel-aged and extreme beers such as Samuel Adams Utopias and Kosmic Mother Funk, Jennifer has helped push the boundaries of craft brewing. Named one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business” and an award-winning cookbook author, she now serves as Director of Partnerships at The Boston Beer Company, where she leads the company’s flagship philanthropy initiative, Brewing the American Dream, supports small business owners and breweries nationwide, and cultivates strategic collaborations and research efforts across the brewing and cider industries to champion the integrity and future of craft.

I’m a builder of brands, leaders, and communities — with a healthy rebel streak and a deep belief that how we work matters just as much as what we create. With 15+ years of enterprise creative leadership, I’ve led award-winning campaigns for global brands like Ford, P&G, Walmart, Humana, and Gillette, blending strategic clarity with bold creative execution. My work lives at the intersection of purpose, performance, and people — pushing boundaries while delivering real results. Today, my work is focused on something even bigger: creating environments where people thrive. As CEO of Together Digital, I lead a national platform empowering 500+ women in digital and tech through strategic networking, mentorship, and an ask-and-give community model designed to drive real career outcomes — raises, promotions, and access to opportunity. As Managing Director of The Marketer Collaborative, I’m building a physical space rooted in the belief that community fuels momentum. It’s a coworking and event environment intentionally designed for marketers, creatives, and business builders who want more than a desk — they want connection, inspiration, and room to grow.

Mark is a chartered financial analyst (CFA) and financial risk manager (FRM) with 20+ years of experience in investment management and business advisory, specifically for ultra-high-net-worth clients. His expertise spans trading, sector analysis, portfolio management, and succession planning, and as a small business owner himself, he has started, bought, built, and exited businesses across a range of industries. Mark is the president of Owner Actions and a board advisor to every portfolio business. He is also a youth soccer coach, a father to 3 boys, and an avid Ohio State fan.

Alex Zyndorf is the Director of Commercial Real Estate at Model Group, where she leads retail strategy and oversees a 300,000-square-foot commercial portfolio across Cincinnati’s urban core. Since joining Model in 2023, she has guided leasing, tenant partnerships, and ground-floor activation across neighborhoods including Over-the-Rhine, Pendleton, Findlay Market, Walnut Hills, and Downtown. Alex began her career in New York City’s fashion industry before transitioning to real estate in 2017. She is a Cincinnati resident and active member of the urban core community.

Rachel DesRochers is a strategic advisor, community architect, transformational leader, consultant, connector, and the visionary founder of Power to Pursue, the Incubator Kitchen Collective and The Gratitude Collective – and she's passionate about empowering women and supporting entrepreneurs to build sustainable, purpose-driven businesses! As an international speaker and recognized thought leader, Rachel shares her insights on entrepreneurship, strategic leadership, community building, gratitude, and women's empowerment with audiences worldwide. Her collaborative leadership style is key to her role as advisor for the Queen City Game Changers, an executive leadership program for women, where she develops and facilitates programming that mentors and guides emerging entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. She's also the author of The Mourning Light: Reflections on Love and Loss and Shift to Light: 90 Days to Grateful, and creator of Gratitude Grams – a 54-card deck designed as practical tools for personal and professional transformation. When she's not consulting, speaking, or building community, Rachel is being a mom to three wildly wonderful children who keep her grounded, grateful, and endlessly inspired!

With more than a dozen years of non-profit experience and twice as long as an entrepreneur, Jill Morenz is leading Aviatra Accelerators into its 16th year. Jill has created three businesses in her career and leverages those insights as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Aviatra, as she works with women entrepreneurs to set them up for business success.

Helping women dream BIG!... I support & spotlight women business owners by connecting them to the resources and creating space where women shine and thrive. I'm focused on digital marketing, branding, and talking about your business in a succinct and engaging way.

The lady in purple, you can’t miss her. That’s Bethany George, owner and founder of The Sales Mystique. With decades of sales experience, Bethany helps small business owners and B2B professionals stop following scripts that don’t fit and start selling in a way that feels natural to them. Her clients describe the same shift: from dreading every sales conversation to approaching them with calm confidence, not because they learned a new script, but because they finally started selling as themselves. Practical, playful, and genuinely invested in your success.

With more than a dozen years of non-profit experience and twice as long as an entrepreneur, Jill Morenz is leading Aviatra Accelerators into its 16th year. Jill has created three businesses in her career and leverages those insights as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Aviatra, as she works with women entrepreneurs to set them up for business success.

Helping women dream BIG!... I support & spotlight women business owners by connecting them to the resources and creating space where women shine and thrive. I'm focused on digital marketing, branding, and talking about your business in a succinct and engaging way.

Stephanie is the founder of Ascension Analytics, where she helps growing businesses turn fragmented data into clear, confident decision-making. With nearly 20 years of experience in analytics leadership, she most recently led the Marketing Analytics team at Amazon Web Services (AWS) before founding Ascension Analytics. She specializes in translating complex data into practical business insights, helping founder-led businesses build simple measurement systems, align teams around meaningful metrics, and drive sustainable growth through clarity and action.

John Bentley II is the founder of Product Journey Group, where he works with founders on the decision in front of them — what to build, what to fix, what to stop — before any of it becomes code. A practitioner for 35 years, he spent the last eight as founder and CTO/CPO of 10XTS, building and shipping the same decisions he now helps founders make. He runs AI and agents across definition, development, and operations under accountable human authority rather than in place of it. Through the Product Journey — Define → Build → Launch — he helps early-stage founders cut decision waste and reach an MVP that's easier to launch, operate, and evolve, and helps scaling teams get a live product back under control. He takes fractional CTO engagements where a bounded leadership mandate is the right answer.

Max Dworin serves as a Vice President at Cintrifuse Capital, a $180mm AUM fund, where he leads investment into seed-stage companies in the Cincinnati region. Immediately prior to joining Cintrifuse, Max served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Northern Kentucky-based startup hub Blue North. Max is a seasoned startup operator, having co-founded and served as COO of Onda, a tequila seltzer brand that scaled to national distribution and raised over $20 million in venture capital funding. Prior to working in startups, Max served as Press Secretary to U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer. Max received a BA from The Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from Yale School of Management. He is a recipient of the Cincinnati Business Courier’s 40 Under 40 Award and is a member of the 50th cohort of the Cincinnati Regional Chamber’s Leadership Cincinnati program.

Early-stage investor focused on solutions for SMBs

Max Dworin serves as a Vice President at Cintrifuse Capital, a $180mm AUM fund, where he leads investment into seed-stage companies in the Cincinnati region. Immediately prior to joining Cintrifuse, Max served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Northern Kentucky-based startup hub Blue North. Max is a seasoned startup operator, having co-founded and served as COO of Onda, a tequila seltzer brand that scaled to national distribution and raised over $20 million in venture capital funding. Prior to working in startups, Max served as Press Secretary to U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer. Max received a BA from The Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from Yale School of Management. He is a recipient of the Cincinnati Business Courier’s 40 Under 40 Award and is a member of the 50th cohort of the Cincinnati Regional Chamber’s Leadership Cincinnati program.

Daniel Levine first joined Accel in 2010 and focuses on product-first startups aimed at consumers, developers, and bottoms-up business users. After spending time at Dropbox on the platform team, he re-joined Accel in 2015. Earlier, Dan co-founded Chartio, a Y Combinator-backed (S10) startup in data visualization, and worked on CrunchBase at TechCrunch. He’s from Washington, DC, and graduated from Yale.

Catherine Jue is the co-founder and CEO of Kernel, an AI infrastructure company building the browser layer that allows AI agents to interact with the internet. Founded in 2025 and part of Y Combinator’s S25 cohort, Kernel has raised $22 million in Seed and Series A funding led by Accel. A repeat founder and technologist, Catherine previously co-founded Sway Finance (YC S16) and went on to lead engineering teams at Cash App, including its forward-deployed engineering team and developer documentation platform. She studied linguistics and computer science at UCLA and brings a career-long focus on building technology at the intersection of infrastructure, automation, and emerging platforms.

Tim Schigel is an entrepreneur, investor, and connector who has spent his career helping founders turn bold ideas into high-growth companies. As the Founder and Managing Partner of Refinery Ventures, Tim focuses on helping entrepreneurs accelerate through the “early-scale” stage — the crucial phase between product-market fit and sustained hypergrowth. Tim began his journey as a founder, creating ShareThis, one of the first social media platforms to reach over 500 million users worldwide. He later launched and led the Cintrifuse Syndicate Fund, a fund of funds backed by Cincinnati’s corporate community, where he built partnerships with leading venture firms and helped startups raise nearly $150 million. Today, through Refinery Ventures and as a co-founder of the Great Lakes Venture Summit, Tim is dedicated to building stronger connections between the coasts and the Midwest. Drawing on his experience across Silicon Valley and the heartland, he shares actionable insights on leadership, scaling, and creating innovation ecosystems that last.

Rolando Archila teaches founders to make their ideas impossible to ignore. As the founder of SLIDEAS, he has helped founders and executives raise more than $1 billion through pitch decks and narratives built for high-stakes moments. His clients range from seed-stage startups to C-suites at Fortune 500s such as Nestlé, Clorox, Johnson & Johnson, and Kimberly-Clark. His thesis is simple: as AI makes content infinite, genuinely human stories become invaluable. That's why he now coaches founders and executive teams on human-first, AI-assisted workflows that sharpen thinking and structure narratives investors actually remember.

Torrey Babson is the Senior Director of Innovation Services at BRITE Energy Innovators. Day-to-day, Torrey oversees BRITE's CXO Services, which provides fractional leadership solutions to pre-market energy technology startups.

Joe Rohan is the Director of Startup Programs at BRITE Energy Innovators. In his role, Joe helps early-stage startups build the foundation needed to build a business from the ground up, launch successful fundraising rounds, and enter the market.

Early-stage investor focused on solutions for SMBs

Sue Bevan Baggott is a human-centered Executive Advisor, Innovation Catalyst, and Intentional Investor. Sue is dedicated to empowering leaders to create positive impact, accelerate life-improving innovation, and invest in transformative change. Her career spans global innovation leadership at Procter & Gamble (growing mega-brands from Pantene and Pampers) to founding Power Within Consulting, a firm focused on human-centered strategies for meaningful leadership and business success. As an “accidental angel investor” and startup advisor, Sue supports diverse portfolios of innovative startups addressing critical global challenges. She also advocates for inclusion in entrepreneurship and investing as an Associate Producer of Show Her the Money, a multi-award-winning documentary promoting investment in underrepresented founders. Through speaking, writing, consulting, advising, and board roles, Sue strives to inspire purposeful leadership and meaningful innovation. She also encourages more open discussions about money confidence and investing to encourage more people to build wealth through investing with their values to drive positive change. Sue is a member of multiple early-stage investment groups and funds including: QCA Ventures, Next Wave Impact (Investment Committee member), Kachuwa Impact Fund, Mindshift Capital (LPAC member), Ohio Impact Fund (LP), H Venture Partners (LP), Fireroad Ventures (LP), SoGal Ventures (LP), Emmeline Ventures (LP), and Sage Growth Capital (LP). She’s also an Advisor for Accelerating Angels and several purpose-driven startups.

Denise Dunlap Co-Founder and Managing Partner Loon Creek Capital Group Sage Growth Capital denise@looncreekcapital.com denise@sagegrowthcapital.com www.linkedin.com/in/denisedunlap55 ​ Denise brings a rare combination of operator experience, investment acumen, and community leadership to everything she does. Her career spans founding and running companies, mentoring entrepreneurs, and shaping the ecosystems that help them thrive. Earlier roles include CEO of an IT services company and Director of Boise State University’s business incubator. She has been an active angel investor and a recognized leader in the angel investment community since 2008. Denise co-founded Loon Creek Capital Group in 2010, building it into a trusted resource that provides consulting and administrative services to angel investors across the country. In 2019, she co-founded Sage Growth Capital, a fund dedicated to companies that need growth capital but aren’t a fit for traditional bank or equity financing. She serves as CEO/Managing Partner of both organizations. In 2025, Denise was appointed President of the COBE Advisory Council at Boise State University, where she helps guide the College of Business and Economics in developing the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders. Denise holds a BBA from Boise State University, a first-degree black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu, and is a certified Wrangler/Packer. She collects hobbies the way others collect frequent flyer miles! A few of her interests include golf, growing vegetables, classic cars, riding horses/motorcycles/bicycles, collecting wine, and turning wine bottles into artificial sea glass.

Grayson Stalvey is the founder of Aegis Runway Systems, where he helps early-stage founders improve financial visibility, understand burn rate and runway, and make better decisions with limited capital. He is a Coast Guard veteran, entrepreneur, MBA, and Fortune 50 operations leader with more than 20 years of experience in operations, cost management, procurement, decision-making, and resource allocation. Grayson has also coached individuals and businesses on financial management and budgeting topics for more than six years.

Tim’s background in business has been entrepreneurial throughout his career. Even within established companies, he has consistently identified opportunities and developed new areas of business. He has worked across a wide range of industries, including radio, telecommunications, hospitality, restaurants, and healthcare. The diversity of these experiences has enabled Tim to quickly learn and adapt to unfamiliar industries while recognizing that the fundamentals of building a successful business are remarkably consistent. He understands what it takes to take a business from concept to launch and from startup to successful day-to-day operations.