In 2021, Tim Cortes was promoted to Chief Technology Officer for Plug. His focus includes responsibility for the company’s long-term technology strategy and vision. Mr. Cortes works with the leadership team to develop technology roadmaps, design solutions and implement processes that make technology development a significant differentiator for Plug. He collaborates with industry leaders and …
Noa Conger Simons is an entrepreneur, investor, and ecosystem builder. She leads the Upstate Capital Association of New York, an organization that increases access to capital for companies across the state. Simons manages a robust membership network and convenes events on technology, trends, and best practices for investors, entrepreneurs, and professional advisors. She emphasizes collaboration …
Martin A. Schmidt, the 19th President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), took office on July 1, 2022. Prior to coming to RPI, Schmidt served as the provost of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) since 2014 and was also MIT’s senior academic and budget officer. He was responsible for the Institute’s educational programs, as well as …
Dr. Thomas Caulfield is the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GF which recently went public in October 2021. He was elected to the board of directors in March 2018 and joined the company in May 2014 as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the company’s Fab 8 semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility in …
My name is Kambiz (pronounced come-bees) Ghazinour! I am Associate Professor and Chair of CyberSecurity at the State University of New York (SUNY) in Canton. I am also directing the Advanced Information Security and Privacy (AISP) lab. I received my PhD In 2012 in the area of Data Security and Privacy from University of Calgary …
David Brown is the Founding Managing Partner of Impellent Ventures, a preseed / seed stage venture capital firm based in UNY that invests nationally. Brown has been a community builder, startup investor and operator, and mentor for over a decade, supporting hundreds of companies, holding events for over 14,000 tech leaders per annum, and applying …
Kara Jones is the Director of Innovation Programs and Engagement at GENIUS NY, the world’s largest business accelerator for uncrewed systems and robotics. Five finalists are selected for the GENIUS NY each year, and are awarded a large investment; one grand prize winner receives $1 million, followed by four $500,000 investments to the remaining teams. …
Sherman Williams is a co-founder and Managing Partner of AIN Ventures. Sherman has an extensive history investing in dual-use technology subsegments, such as space technology and healthcare technology. Sherman has been the VC-in-Residence to several Techstars programs. Sherman is also a Kauffman Fellow (’26). Prior to becoming an early-stage investor, Sherman gathered six years of …
Jenn’s career in the games industry began in 2007 when she became the first academic advisor in the newly created game design and development program at RIT. She is a founding member of RIT’s MAGIC Center and MAGIC Spell Studios, which was established in 2013. In her role as Director of Games Industry Relations, Jenn …
Dr. Linda Alvarez is the co-founder and CEO of Levelle Nutrition, a sports food CPG company focused on female athletes. Dr. Alvarez has over 10 years of experience including roles in national strategy campaigns, leadership development, clinical medicine and entrepreneurship. Through her education, practice experience, and management roles, Linda is sought after for her unique …
