Aequilibrium

Adrian is the founder and CEO of Aequilibrium, one of the top 5 digital agencies and fastest-growing companies in BC, and the winner of several VancouverUX awards for digital product design. Our vision is to enrich people’s lives by crafting remarkable digital experiences. We provide end-to-end consulting and implementation services: Strategy, Design, and Development. We envision, design, and develop web, mobile and XR solutions for progressive organizations who want to be more resilient, differentiate, and grow. Adrian has been building immersive experiences for over 20 years, starting as a Lead Game Developer for Ubisoft, and Development Director for Electronic Arts, where he helped build the mobile gaming division! His agency work includes clients like Microsoft, Nintendo, Pokemon, Bioware, and Electronic Arts. Adrian holds a Postdoc from the University of British Columbia and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Simon Fraser University. Committed to lifelong learning, Adrian took executive education training at Wharton and Harvard.

AVANT Communications

Drew Lydecker is the President and Co-founder of AVANT Communications. Drew comes from a family of entrepreneurs who have continually pushed the envelope in disrupting the status quo by focusing on high value and high touch solutions. Drew built AVANT to fill a void in the market created by the accelerating pace of change in IT. Prior to this, Drew worked as a Voice & Data specialist at CDW where he played a key part in helping CDW become one of the largest telecommunications agents in the world.

Avaya

Alan Masarek is President and Chief Executive Officer. He brings over 30 years of software and cloud-based business experience. Alan is an industry innovator with deep expertise in enterprise communications, information technology and business services. He most recently served as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Vonage Holdings Corp. In this role, which he held from November 2014 to June 2020, Alan led the company through an era of transformation from a VoIP-based residential phone provider into a global enterprise cloud communications company. Over the course of his tenure, Vonage completed eight acquisitions and its market capitalization increased severalfold. As importantly, Mr. Masarek led a revitalization of Vonage’s culture, creating a talent-driven organization with a culture of agility, technology innovation and customer centricity.Prior to Vonage, Alan served as Director, Chrome & Apps at Google, Inc. from June 2012 until October 2014, following Google’s acquisition of his prior company, Quickoffice, Inc. Alan was Co-founder and CEO of Quickoffice from June 2007 to June 2012. Under his leadership, Quickoffice became one of the world’s most widely used mobile productivity software solutions, engaging more than 26 million registered users at the time of Google’s purchase. Alan earned his M.B.A., with Distinction, from Harvard Business School and his B.B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Georgia.

Charle

Drawing on an illustrious career that spans over two decades, Kara Wood stands at the forefront of the intersection between technology and marketing, pioneering innovative strategies within the metaverse and beyond. As a visionary Co-founder of a Web 3 Metaverse marketing agency, Charle.io, Kara Wood has adeptly navigated the digital frontier, crafting immersive brand experiences that resonate in the virtual realm. This expertise is underpinned by a profound understanding of Web 3.0 dynamics, augmented by Karas foundational skills in design, development, and creative content. Beyond the digital landscapes of the metaverse, Kara has also made significant strides in the health and wellness sector as the co-founder and COO of Healthspan.digital. This venture is testament to Kara’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies like precision medicine and genomics, aiming to revolutionize personal well-being and extend the health span of individuals.Karas role in shaping the companys vision and strategy underscores a deep-seated belief in the power of innovation to drive societal progress. Karas entrepreneurial journey is marked by a series of strategic leadership roles across various industries, from directing a premier corporate advisory to orchestrating digital marketing strategies for highly regulated financial businesses. Each role has showcased Karas adeptness at navigating complex regulatory landscapes, driving change management, and fostering deep-seated partnerships across traditional and interactive media. Most recently helping to Co-found a web 3 peer community called www.joinSalon a group of Web3 enthusiasts that meets weekly to discuss Web 3 articles. Armed with a rich skill set that includes project management, financial projection, strategic communications, content development, and digital marketing, Kara brings a holistic and forward-thinking approach to every venture. This multifaceted expertise has not only fueled the success of Kara’s business endeavors but has also positioned Kara as a thought leader in the realms of marketing, technology, and wellness. As a speaker at the upcoming Enterprise Metaverse Conference, Kara is poised to share insights into the transformative potential of marketing in the metaverse, drawing from a wealth of experience that bridges the gap between the virtual and the tangible, the digital and the personal. Attendees can look forward to a compelling narrative that weaves together the threads of innovation, leadership, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Cloudonix

Eric is a Mentor for technology-oriented startups and VoIP security and fraud specialist, and a sci-fi author. He oversees the day-to-day operations at Cloudonix so the developers can focus on turning caffeine into code.

Compliology

Jesse Tuttle, also known as Hackah Jak, is a worlds former most wanted hacker that has breached countless Fortune Companies, Foreign and Domestic Government and Military systems. Jesses past as a hacker has been analyzed in university case studies, textbooks, and research projects. His exploits have been reported in newspapers from New York to LA, across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. He began his adventure to the dark side in 1994 by hacking his high school network. While searching online via dial-up BBS (bulletin board system) and newsgroups for hacking/phreaking tools, he discovered the world of pirated software (warez). Seeing an opportunity to provide warez to other students in his school, he took to IRC (Internet Relay Chat) and AOL (America Online) where he joined as a distributor and then became a software cracker. By 1996, he had carved out a niche for himself, specializing in reverse engineering Microsoft products like Windows Operating Systems, Outlook, Exchange, and IIS Web Server. His expertise in cracking registrations and uncovering zero-day exploits earned him respect and invitations from several hacker communities. Jesse shared his zero-day discoveries and began applying them by hacking websites and other internet-connected systems. His reputation as an expert in Windows exploitation led p4ntera to invite him to join Hackweiser in 2000. With Hackweiser, Jesse provided zero-day exploits for trading within the community and participated in defacing web servers, aimed at social recognition, and boosting Hackweisers underground status. The post-9/11 era in 2001 marked a significant turn for Jesse. While leading a hacking movement to gather information related to al-Qaedas cyber army, he supplied this intelligence to the U.S. Government and Military. This collaboration resulted in Jesse being contracted to pen-test and secure government and military systems. Arrested in 2003, while working with the FBI to take down a human trafficking network in his hometown, he got caught in a jurisdictional dispute between local and federal law enforcement. This conflict led to a prolonged pre-trial house arrest of 4 years, 4 months, and 28 days, heavily impacting his personal life. To move on and prioritize his family, including his wife and young daughter, Jesse accepted a plea deal in December 2007, ending this difficult period. In 2010, Jesse resumed his professional pursuits, delving into freelancing and consulting. He expanded his skillset to include web application development and geolocation-based gaming activities by 2013. His expertise spans a broad range of areas, including but not limited to cybersecurity, hacking, web/software engineering, and data compliance. He has been trained as a Certified Ethical Hacker, Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator, and Licensed Penetration Tester. Today, Jesse offers his broad experience and skills as a consultant and freelancer to a worldwide clientele, ranging from startups to Fortune-level enterprises.

Compliology

Reesë Tuttles journey in tech began under the guidance of a former world-famous Black Hat hacker - her father. Accepted to College at 13, she began her pursuit of a formal education in tech. She earned an Associate Degree at 16 then a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at 17. Additionally, she completed four more associate degrees and became a Certified Encryption Specialist, all before graduating from high school with a STEM Honors Diploma. Work experience was built interning at two Fortune 100 companies, The Kroger Company in IT Product Development and General Electric in Secure Cloud Dev-ops. She co-opted several semesters at a financial firm focusing on cyber security, encryption, and compliance. Additionally, she worked on a Freelancer.com Preferred team which was the focus of a Freelancer Blog Success Story. Compliology.com (for resellers) and ManagedComply.com (for the retail market) are startups specializing in Data Compliance and Cyber Security, providing an innovative solution based on her experiences along with collaborations from law firms, lenders, insurance providers, top tech experts, and seasoned bug-bounty - former black hat hackers. These platforms are designed to provide a framework that addresses the complex data compliance challenges presented by FTC Safeguards (GLBA), CMMC, IRS 4557, NIST, and other International, National, and State level data regulations and frameworks. Accolades include multiple Hackathon victories including Major League Hacking, several speaking engagements at conferences. She received US Presidential “President’s Volunteer Service Award” for developing web platforms for nonprofits. Contributions to the Ohio Department of Education in establishing pathways to professional certifications for students. Leadership roles in TechOlympics (the nations largest youth-run tech conference) and INTERalliance (a 501c3 nonprofit connecting companies with talented tech youths). In her free time, she enjoys being a violinist and an athlete. She has earned her black belt in Mixed Martial Arts, and recognition from US Lacrosse as All-Academic and First Team All-State Girls Lacrosse Goalie. As a passion project, she fully rewired a 1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle. Currently, at 18, shes a 5th year Software Development student at the University of Cincinnati. Her senior project involves inventing a multifunctional 5G and LAN-connected IoT network device targeting MSPs. Connect with Reesë on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/reesebess/

Epic IO

Genesys

Dr. Peter Graf is the Chief Strategy and Operations Officer at Genesys. In his role, he is responsible for developing, communicating, sustaining and executing the Genesys strategy. He oversees strategy management, business development, business transformation and operations, information technology, sustainability, and executive and employee communications. Prior to joining Genesys in 2017, Peter held a variety of executive leadership positions in strategy, development, and marketing throughout his more than 25 years in the global enterprise software industry, most notably as an Executive Vice President at multinational software corporation SAP. Peter earned a doctorate in artificial intelligence from Saarland University and a master’s degree in computer science and economics from Technical University of Kaiserslautern in Germany.

IBM

Large Language Models and other Generative AI technologies. Prior to her current role at IBM Research, Kate was a leader at the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, a joint research partnership between MIT and IBM Research; Kate ran the Lab’s corporate membership program, supporting industry members as they co-invested in the Lab’s AI research technologies. Kate earned her MBA at MIT Sloan and previously worked at Deloitte Consulting as a Senior Consultant within the Strategy and Operations practice. Kate also holds a B.S. in Statistics from Cornell University

IKIN

Blake leads a multidisciplinary and innovative engineering team at IKIN that is focused on changing the way visual experiences are imagined and delivered across multiple platforms and use cases. Immersed in the creation of new lossless video processing techniques that address real-world challenges, Blake brings to IKIN extensive expertise in AI and 3-D honed through his previous work as an innovative software and hardware developer creating and implementing solutions for companies that include IBM Watson and HIA technologies, and Triple-A studios such as Electronic Arts, 2K Studios, Disney, and Nickelodeon. He is a U.S. Navy veteran.Sales, marketing, and management needs required to successfully sell cloud computing, and cloudcollaboration technologies. As a founding member of the Evolve IP Management team, Gary joinedthe Company in 2008 to develop and launch their channel initiative which today is recognized asone of the leading channel programs for cloud services in the world. Gary has been a featuredspeaker at industry events, including Channel Partners, Channel Connect, and CES and is widelyBlake leads a multidisciplinary and innovative engineering team at IKIN that is focused on changing the way visual experiences are imagined and delivered across multiple platforms and use cases. Immersed in the creation of new lossless video processing techniques that address real-world challenges, Blake brings to IKIN extensive expertise in AI and 3-D honed through his previous work as an innovative software and hardware developer creating and implementing solutions for companies that include IBM Watson and HIA technologies, and Triple-A studios such as Electronic Arts, 2K Studios, Disney, and Nickelodeon. He is a U.S. Navy veteran.

IKIN

Joe Ward serves as chief executive officer and president of IKIN, and oversees the company’s strategy, business development, sales, and marketing initiatives. Joe joined IKIN after spending much of his career as a highly respected executive in the telecommunications sector. In his three-decades-long career, he has held management positions with leading providers including Inter-Tel, Mitel, and other large channel providers. Joe is a graduate of the University of Georgia, and resides in Austin.

ISM Inc.

Barton is committed to help sales, marketing and customer service executives do business in the Metaverse. His Metaverse Resource Center, founded with Silicon Valley guru Tim Bajarin, contains >250 case studies of companies doing business in the Metaverse, along with >230 articles and >75 videos. Barton does a bi-weekly podcast titled Business Success in a Virtual World covers case studies of successful, global companies doing business successfully in the Metaverse. Recent podcast episodes include: Nike, Verizon, Pfizer, Marriott, Farmers Insurance, Mayo Clinic, BMW, JP Morgan, Northrop Grumman, Walmart, Siemens, P&G, and others. Barton is the founder and President of ISM Inc., where, since 1985, he has applied leading-edge technologies to sales, marketing, and customer service. His extensive work in these areas led him to his selection as one of the first three inductees in the CRM Hall of Fame (2003) and is detailed in his three best-seller business books, countless articles, and hundreds of keynote speeches. His latest book, The Definitive Guide to Social CRM, is hailed as “the roadmap for success at the intersection of social media and CRM.” Barton’s clients include Chase Bank, ExxonMobil, Jaguar Land Rover, Johnson Controls, Kraft Heinz, Marriott, Nike, Schlumberger, T. Rowe Price, U.S. Department of Defense, Zumba Fitness and many others. Barton holds a B.Sc. (Economics) degree with honors from the Wharton School of Business, and a M.Sc. (Economics) degree from the London School of Economics. He served as Rotary District Governor from 2019-2020. He was honored with the ‘Humanitarian of the Year’ award in 2019. He lives in Maryland with his wife and two young adults.

Kaseya

MBM Intellectual Property Law LLP

Dr. Horvath is an intellectual property lawyer at MBM Intellectual Property Law LLP. In her legal practice,Carly manages a broad range of IP matters, with a focus on privacy law, technology agreements, andblockchain law. Carly is particularly passionate about the transformative impact of blockchain ontraditional legal systems and within the metaverse, the intricacies of data privacy within virtualenvironments, and the challenges of protecting intellectual property rights in the digital sphere. Prior tobecoming a lawyer, Carly obtained a PhD in Medical Sciences and subsequently worked as a scientificeditor. Carly also holds a certificate in blockchain law from Osgoode Hall Law School.

Plover Animation

A life-long artist. Web3 enthusiast. Creative mentor. Domestic violence survivor. Jennifer Hotai has experienced and endured many challenges through her creative career and personal struggles. She worked on game and film projects as a concept artist while working dead end jobs, before creating an advertising company in 2015. She created Plover Animation in 2022 in the midst of escaping a life-threatening abusive relationship. She is now focused on building a bold and bright future through her startup, and sharing her knowledge with others as co-founder of the organization Grand Strand Web3 Guild. Shes currently a member of VRAR Association, Metaverse Standards Forum, and is featured in the book Women of the Future.

PushPopDesign

Tim Stutts is a multifaceted product design leader focused on user interface/ user experience surrounding emerging technologies. He is an ethical technologist who values data privacy and accessibility. Tim has an extensive professional background as an individual contributor and more recent experience as a director/ people manager in AR/VR, neurotechnology, and industrial IoT. He has worked for PTC Vuforia, Magic Leap, IBM and others on efforts tied to product innovation. He recently started a new role as Principal UI/UX Designer at Stryker, working on acute care medical products.

Sanas

Anant Singh, VP of Global Sales at Sanas.AI is a seasoned sales executive and AI evangelistwith over 15 years of experience in driving revenue growth and building high-performing dreamteams. At Sanas.AI, Anant is responsible for game-changing sales strategies to drive marketpenetration and skyrocket revenue streams. With a proven track record of crushing sales targetsand fostering strong client relationships, Anant brings a dynamic leadership style coupled with adeep understanding of market dynamics and customer needs. Prior to joining Sanas.AI, Anantheld senior sales roles at Observe.AI and Akamai Technologies where he consistently deliveredexceptional results and played a key role in driving business expansion.

Stackyon

David Jodoin serves as Chief Executive Officer at Stackyon. He drives and maintains executive responsibility across Sales, Marketing, Product Development, Finance, Investor Relations, Legal Affairs, and Operations. He is an accomplished techno-commercial professional with a career spanning over 30 years. During this period, he has led or been a key member of the leadership team that has launched or turned around over seven organizations in the technology sector.

Tangra

Nelly V. Tacheva is a a Future of Work, Metaverse, and Web3 innovator with 20+ years of technology and leadership experience.Her metaverse platform Tangra is revolutionizing online learning, training, and team collaboration. Her mission is to make learning and working virtually an engaging, efficient, and entertaining experience - for real!Nelly holds an MBA in Business Analytics and an MS in Mathematics, Computer Science, and Education.Metaverse Standards Forum ChairInternational Telecommunication Union Focus Group

Tealet

Tech Founder and CEO, Elyse Petersen, is an experienced international development worker in the area of food security, natural resource management, and sustainable food preservation, having served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger, West Africa and Antigua and Barbuda. Elyse graduated from Shidler College of Business with a Japan-focused M.B.A and from Cal State Pomona with a B.S. in Food Science. Petersen livestreams daily as a #1 broadcaster on mobile app Pococha bit.ly/peaacelyse and builds a community brand on Tiktok Live as @tealettea

Telarus

Dan Foster is the chief revenue officer for Telarus. Dan, an inspirational and visionary leader, has provided market expertise to strategize and define opportunities that maximize revenue and shareholder return for multiple organizations. In his previous role at Ericsson, he pioneered the entry into the North America partner channel. In his more than 25 years of senior leadership experience in technology and data communications, Dan held the title of CRO at StratusWorX, Fusion Connect, Primus.ca, and two other companies. Under Dan’s stewardship as President and COO of MegaPath, the organization experienced exponential growth from $5 million to over $600 million via organic development and acquisitions. He has garnered industry recognition and awards throughout his career including being a five-time winner of Channel Chief by CRN. Dan received dual engineering and liberal arts degrees from Tufts University and graduated from Harvard Business Schools Executive PMD program.

Thrive

Webex by Cisco

Aruna Ravichandran, SVP and Chief Marketing & Customer Officer for Webex by Cisco, is a visionary leader with over two decades of dynamic experience weaving technology and marketing into a powerful tapestry to drive revenue, elevate brand value, and foster human connections. With a people-first ethos, she guides the business toward innovation and brand evolution while shaping culture through inclusive initiatives and empathetic leadership. Aruna was recently recognized as one of the Elite 18 Customer-Led CMOs by Influitive and named UC Today’s Collaboration Leader of the Year. Before joining Cisco, Aruna led DevOps Marketing at CA Technologies (now Broadcom), spearheaded marketing and strategy at Juniper Networks, and held leadership roles in Engineering, Product Development, and Marketing during her 17-year tenure at Hewlett Packard. Aruna holds an MBA and an MS in Computer Engineering from Santa Clara University and a BS in Computer Science from Bangalore Institute of Technology (BIT). She graduated from the esteemed CMO Leadership program at Kellogg Business School in 2019. Aruna also serves on the board at Cal Polytechnic San Luis Obispo, Fast Company, Forbes Technology Council, and Vox Media.

Yellow AI

Raghu Ravinutala is the CEO and Co-Founder of Yellow.ai, a global leader in generative AI-powered customer service automation. Since its inception, Raghu and his team have successfully expanded Yellow.ai’s presence across North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, with 1000+ customers in 85+ countries. The entrepreneurial bug had been conceded deep inside him for long before he co-founded Yellow.ai in 2016, with a vision to deliver conversational experiences that help enterprises achieve higher customer satisfaction and employee engagement. Previously, Raghu worked for 16 years with leading tech companies such as Texas Instruments, and Broadcom across leadership roles in Engineering, Product Management and Business Development both in the Bay Area and India. He was also an elected member of the NASSCOM Executive Council 2021-23 and a member of the Forbes Tech Council. Raghu has been recognized as the one of the top 50 SaaS CEOs 2023 by The Software Report and CX Leader of the Year at the CX Awards 2022. Raghu is an alumni of NIT Warangal, India where he completed his B-Tech in the year 2000. He enjoys a game of squash every now and then and believes in practicing an active lifestyle.

Generiqo

Leading the Way in Tech and Sales.As President of Smarterverse, I lead a team focused on the innovative world of the HabytatMetaverse. With over 20 years of experience, Ive played key roles in growing businesses andmaking sales strategies work, both in small startups and big companies like Nestle, Hertz, andXPO Logistics.In 2017, I stepped into the blockchain technology field and co-founded a new company thatblends advertising with the metaverse. This move was not just about embracing newtechnology, but also about finding new ways to grow businesses in this exciting area.Then, in 2018, I started Generiqo. This company helps other businesses use blockchaintechnology effectively. My work here goes beyond being a leader; its about understandingwhat businesses need and helping them grow.Throughout my career, Ive always looked for new and better ways to do things, focusing onleading teams to success and finding the best business opportunities. Im passionate aboutcombining technology know-how with a strong sense of business, aiming to help businessesflourish in a world thats always changing.In 2017, I ventured into the thrilling realm of blockchain technology, co-founding an innovative advertising network company dedicated to the metaverse. This immersive journey sparked my passion for leveraging blockchains transformative potential. In 2018, I took the entrepreneurial leap once again and established Generiqo, a pioneering company facilitating the seamless migration of numerous organizations into the blockchain space.Driven by a relentless pursuit of excellence, I attained my Masters degree in Commerce and Marketing (Mcom) from EUDE Business School in Madrid, Spain, in January 2014. This comprehensive academic foundation and my extensive industry experience have equipped me with a deep understanding of market dynamics and a strategic mindset to navigate complex business landscapes.As a leader, I am committed to fostering innovation, empowering teams, and driving tangible results. By harnessing my expertise in blockchain technology, I consistently strive to revolutionize industries, shape cutting-edge solutions, and unlock new avenues of growth for businesses.I thrive in fast-paced environments and relish the opportunity to tackle challenges head-on, leveraging my unique blend of leadership, industry knowledge, and entrepreneurial spirit to steer organizations toward unprecedented success.

Plover Animation

A life-long artist. Web3 enthusiast. Creative mentor. Domestic violence survivor. Jennifer Hotai has experienced and endured many challenges through her creative career and personal struggles. She worked on game and film projects as a concept artist while working dead end jobs, before creating an advertising company in 2015. She created Plover Animation in 2022 in the midst of escaping a life-threatening abusive relationship. She is now focused on building a bold and bright future through her startup, and sharing her knowledge with others as co-founder of the organization Grand Strand Web3 Guild.Shes currently a member of VRAR Association, Metaverse Standards Forum, and is featured in the book Women of the Future.

Univ. of Miami

Dr. Sara Rushinek is a Business Technology and Health Informatics professor at the University of Miami Business School. She is also a Professor in the Master of Science in Clinical and Translational Investigation Research Program at the Miller School of Medicine. She has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles. Dr. Rushinek was inducted into the 2019 Women in Technology Hall of Fame, serves on the Leadership Team of Women in Technology International, Government Blockchain Association, and is an Academic Advocate for ISACA. Dr. Rushinek specializes in Artificial Intelligence Systems, Big Data Analytics, cutting-edge Hybrid Collaborative Tools & Techniques, SEO App Development, Computer Litigation Support, Health Informatics, Cyber Security, Blockchain Applications, and Automated Algorithmic Trading Systems. Dr. Rushinek is a frequent speaker at academic, business, health, and tech conferences. In addition, she is an advisor and mentor to the City of Coral Gables, tech, and startup community. She has served as a consultant to major tech companies such as Intel, Microsoft, Sony, Panasonic, and HP and hedge fund and trading platform companies such as Tradestation and Ninja Trader. Sara Rushinek also serves as an Expert Witness on technology and patent infringement cases. Dr. Rushinek earned her undergraduate degree from Tel Aviv University and her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.