Kyla Scanlon is the founder of Bread, a financial education company, where she shares daily explainers across social media and her newsletter. She is the bestselling author of In This Economy? (Penguin Random House, 2024), a former Bloomberg Opinion contributor, and the creator of the now-dictionary word vibecession. Her work has appeared in The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and many more, and she has guest lectured at several universities, including Harvard, MIT, and UC Berkeley. She has interviewed top policymakers and business leaders while making economics accessible to a new generation.

Dug Song is co-founder and former chairman & CEO of Duo Security, Michigan’s first tech unicorn and multibillion venture-backed acquisition. As a founder and funder, Dug is a champion for growing community wealth — economic, social, cultural, and environmental — to build a more just and inclusive future for all.Dug is heavily involved in the global startup community and fostering entrepreneurship in Michigan as an active investor, advisor, and board member. He is co-founder/chair of the Michigan Founders Fund, helping entrepreneurs turn business success into positive community impact.In 2020, Dug and his wife started the Song Foundation to invest in the innovative people and organizations improving the quality of life for all in Southeast Michigan. Dug also serves on the executive boards of the Detroit Regional Chamber, the Wallace House Center for Journalists, and the national advisory board for Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Michigan.

Graeme Timmeney is GIS/Remote Sensing Director at Blue Carbon International, where he bridges the gap between cutting-edge marine conservation research and real-world deployment. Based in Michigan, he develops innovative partnerships with organizations and startups worldwide, including Nika Planet and Geopera, to commercialize breakthrough technologies across the valley of death. Leading large-scale seagrass mapping projects spanning over 130,000 km² across the Caribbean and Bahamas, Graeme combines geospatial AI, machine learning, and satellite imagery to create measurable, financially viable carbon credit methodologies. His work empowers local communities to protect their livelihoods while valuing their lived experiences in ecosystem conservation. With expertise in remote sensing, carbon certification development, and ecosystem monitoring, Graeme transforms academic research into operational tools that make ocean conservation both scientifically rigorous and economically sustainable through strategic global partnerships.

Trista has built and scaled membership networks and programs since 2009, giving her unparalleled insight into relationship management challenges. She co-founded and built Michigan Founders Fund into Michigan's largest high-growth founder network whose members raised over $350 Million collectively. She leveraged a 1% equity pledge system, raised $7.5 Million in funding, and created multiple first-of-their-kind programs including Michigan Tech Week, which tripled in size year-over-year.She is an experienced operator who led business development for startups in the US and Europe and was a founding member of AXA Venture Partners' $250 million fund, sourcing early-stage investments in predictive analytics, and tech companies—including Blockstream (valued over $1 Billion). She was named a 2025 Women of Influence, Top Woman in Tech in 2024, Top Community Builder in 2023 by Purpose Jobs, and is a 2022 Crain’s Detroit 40 Under 40 awardee.

Stacy Bare is a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and a pioneer in promoting time outdoors as health care. He is currently the executive director of Friends of Grand Rapids Parks. His work focuses on increasing access to parks, trees, and trails for all. He is a US Army veteran with deployments to Bosnia and Iraq. He conducted land mine clearance in Angola and the Republic of Georgia.

Pitt has been working in the outdoor industry for 20 years. From resort operations to public service, he has always focused on helping people get outside and find a connection with our public lands. In this role, he drives the strategy behind AllTrails' mission to help protect trails, protect the planet, and ensure safety for everyone outdoors. Before joining AllTrails, Pitt served as the Director of the Division of Outdoor Recreation in the state of Utah. He loves working with the many outdoor recreation stakeholders to increase funding, harbor collaboration and educate communities on the benefits of getting outside. He is always up for an adventure on a trail, a river, a cliff face, or in the snow.

Johnnie Turnage is a visionary leader, innovator, and co-founder of Black Tech Saturdays, a national movement reshaping how communities engage with technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation.Under his leadership, Black Tech Saturdays has grown from a small Detroit meetup into a national model for inclusive innovation, engaging over 25,000 attendees, generating $40M+ in economic impact, and creating hundreds of jobs through partnerships.Through Black Tech Saturdays, Johnnie has built an ecosystem where founders, creatives, and investors collide —empowering underrepresented voices and bridging gaps across industries, generations, and geographies. His work has been celebrated for its ability to turn tech spaces into community spaces, driving collaboration, career opportunities, and economic mobility.Johnnie continues to inspire the next generation of innovators through his commitment to access, belonging, and purpose-driven innovation, making him one of the leading architects of Detroit’s and the nation’s growing tech renaissance.

Claudia Saric is the Founder of Centered Strategies and the Host & Producer of the podcast "So You Want to Run a Restaurant," now entering its fifth season.Claudia helps organizations align teams, engage stakeholders, and turn big ideas into impact. With over 15 years of experience across operations, stakeholder engagement, and executive partnership, she’s led initiatives that connect people and purpose while building platforms that amplify voices.Through Centered Strategies, Claudia partners with brands to design meaningful ways for people to connect - from podcasts and live conversations to digital engagement campaigns and community experiences.

Spencer brings over 20 years of restaurant industry experience, having worked nearly every position from busser to operations manager. He got his start bussing tables at his father’s restaurant, soon after, he was cooking in kitchens across independent restaurants. He deepened his culinary knowledge at Earl’s, a well-known Canadian chain.Spencer later transitioned to the front of house at The Keg, a Canadian steakhouse chain, where he moved into management and re-learned every position from dishwasher to bartender. He also spent time bartending at two high-volume pubs before stepping into the restaurant tech world, where he helped launch the first fully cloud-based POS on the market. Most recently, he served as Partnerships Manager at Ready, introducing U.S. operators to QR code ordering and mobile payments. At Back of House, Spencer combines his hands-on restaurant experience with tech knowledge to help operators find the right tools to streamline operations and boost performance.

Erica Wenger is the founding General Partner at Park Rangers Capital, a venture firm backing early-stage software startups that turn customers into members and companies into communities, or what she calls “elephant companies.” Her viral essay Elephants, Not Unicorns has reached millions, cementing her as a leading voice in reimagining venture. She’s a serial entrepreneur (3x founder, 1.5 exits), employee #2 twice, host of the Trailblazers podcast, and content creator (75k+ followers). Erica brings a rare mix of operating grit, investing acumen, and platform reach that founders actively seek out. Park Rangers Capital has received funding from Catalyze (funding by Skoll Foundation, Sorenson Impact, JP Morgan Chase), Recast (funding by Melinda Gates's Family Office), Allocator One, Impact Assets, top GPs, unicorn founders, and executives from influential companies like Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, etc. Erica’s ideas appear in The Information, Business Insider, and TechCrunch. Follow-up essays like Elephant DNA and Getting off the Alphabet Train build on her thesis, and founders regularly call her “the most thoughtful” VC they’ve met.

Kevin is a product and design leader, mentor, and author who believes in the power of design to drive business impact through lovable products that solve problems. With experience spanning agencies, startups, and companies like Verizon, 23andMe, and LinkedIn, Kevin has built and led high-performing product, design, and research teams across diverse environments.In the 90s, Kevin co-founded a Silicon Valley agency, pioneering interactive media. He has practiced design and evolved with the industry ever since. His entrepreneurial journey through multiple startups provided valuable insights into innovation and adaptability, later fueling his leadership roles in tech companies. As the co-author of the "Design Career Handbook", Kevin is dedicated to helping others advance their careers, drawing on his decades of experience.Kevin co-authored over twenty technology patents and enjoys taking on unique challenges—even working with a pop star along the way.

Chef Rome’s impressive culinary career spans the globe. After studying culinary arts in Paris while working at Spago, he later served as a culinary consultant while sailing the Caribbean. From 1998–2003, he was one of only five chefs selected to work at the Cannes International Film Festival’s American Pavilion, alongside master chefs including Bobby Flay and Mario Batali.In 2000, Chef Rome founded Rome’s Joy Companies, a diverse business portfolio anchored in Chicago's historic Bronzeville neighborhood. This includes the brick-and-mortar restaurant Peach’s on 47th, a catering and event planning company, a chicken sausage manufacturer, a fine arts gallery, and Parkway Social, a coworking and event facility. In a major development for the city, his company joined with Bon Appétit Management Company to form BamJoy, a food service management company leading operations at the Obama Presidential Center in 2024.With over 30 years of experience, Chef Rome is also a dedicated community leader. He developed and runs Mise en Place, an accredited culinary and hospitality training program that provides critical job opportunities for at-risk youth and adults throughout the Chicagoland area. Through his businesses and workforce programs, Chef Rome is committed to reinvesting in Bronzeville, ensuring a lasting and positive impression of the community’s rich history.

Adrian Fortino is a General Partner at Mercury Fund. At Mercury, Adrian leads the Industrial Transformation & Frontier Tech investment practice. He’s most passionate about helping founders in overlooked industries and regions build massive, impactful companies. Prior to his venture roles, he spent several years as an operator in Michigan and the Bay Area where he co-founded three venture backed startups. And before his founder days, he was an powertrain development engineer in the automotive industry at Ricardo Inc. Adrian sits on several non-profit boards including Michigan Founders Fund, Michigan Venture Capital Association & the Great Lakes Venture Summit. He has also taught a venture capital class at the University of Michigan College of Engineering for the last 10 years.Adrian has a BSE in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan College of Engineering and an MBA from the Ross School of Business.

Jeannette Stawski is the author of, “The Outdoor Leader” and owner of leadership development company Leading Valiantly. She currently serves as the Senior Assistant Director of Adventure Leadership and Sustainability at the University of Michigan. Jeannette served for 14 years executive director for the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE). She is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and a Certified Executive Coach. She was the director of Outdoor Adventures at the University of Michigan for eleven years and has worked as a professional outdoor guide, a wilderness medicine instructor, and NOLS instructor. She is currently the chair of the Coalition for Outdoor Access (COA) and lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her husband and their two children.

Alison Todak is Vice President of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), where she leads strategic efforts to strengthen Michigan’s entrepreneurial and innovation landscape. She oversees a portfolio of programs and partnerships designed to support startups and ecosystem builders across the state, with a focus on economic impact.Alison brings a strong background in venture capital, community building, and founder support. Before joining MEDC, she was Director of Platform at Plymouth Growth, supporting portfolio companies and leading firm-wide marketing, communications, and ecosystem engagement. She also helped shape Michigan’s startup scene as Ecosystem Development Manager at Bamboo and as Managing Director of Cahoots. She also co-founded and ran programming for the Desai Accelerator at the University of Michigan.A champion for inclusive entrepreneurship, Alison co-founded Shine & Rise in 2019, a support network for women in tech.

Scott Burak is the co-founder of Map Dot Media and Iowa Chill LLC, the Midwest-focused media company behind Iowa Chill and Midwest Vs. Everybody. He leads a creator network across 12 states that reaches millions daily. Scott helps national and regional brands translate messages into culturally native content, pairing geo-targeted influencer strategy with production and community storytelling. His team has driven campaigns for John Deere, General Mills, Anheuser-Busch, C-stores and tourism partners, including programs that surpassed guaranteed goals and delivered multi-million-impression results. A former agency account lead turned entrepreneur, Scott builds creator-led projects and consults on organic social systems, UGC pipelines, and campus-to-career creator programs. He lives in Iowa, where he champions Midwest culture and the people and places that make it resonate online.

Amanda Westra is a Senior Program Manager at the Chill Foundation. Chill inspires young people through boardsports and builds a more equitable outdoor community. She specializes in curriculum development, and creating environments that support long-term youth engagement and developmental healing through boardsports. A tribal citizen of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Amanda integrates her background in art and Potawatomi cultural practices into her work, fostering creativity and connection among participants. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from Kendall College of Art and Design.

Monica Wheat is a venture strategist, investor, consultant, and ecosystem builder. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Venture Catalysts, a leading nonprofit ecosystem development firm that has served 50,000+ founders, investors, and innovators. Venture Catalysts focuses on venture ecosystem mapping, founder and investor education, and large-scale corporate innovation initiatives. She builds on this work as the General Partner of Catalysts Fund, an early-stage venture fund identifying talent in emerging markets and assisting these founders into high-return paths to scale through multi-stage, milestone-based investing.Previously, Monica served as Managing Director for Techstars Detroit powered by JP Morgan and spent over a decade building global startup programs across 45+ cities. With a 15+ year background spanning strategy, engineering, trading, and brand analytics, Monica is recognized for bridging capital, innovation, and community globally.

Joseph Morrison is a strategic advisor to entrepreneurs, family offices, and venture investors, specializing in navigating complex investment transactions and business challenges. With expertise in business and technology consulting, he counsels clients on technology licensing, venture financing, governance, and commercial contracting. Joe's versatile approach enables clients to focus on executing strategic plans and consummating key investments.

As a trusted adviser to high-growth companies across the U.S., he brings deep knowledge of market norms and an efficient approach to deal-making. His practice particularly emphasizes advising multi-generational family offices and high-net-worth individuals on strategic investments.

Deeply engaged with the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, Joe is a frequent presenter to student groups, startup communities, and University of Michigan classes, sharing insights on legal challenges facing high-growth companies and emerging entrepreneurs.