<p>Wendy Spelman is a Program Leader at Kraft Foods. She began her career at Kraft General Foods in 1989 in Tarrytown, NY. Wendy is currently on a short term assignment. In this role, she is collaborating on a new specification system. This will allow global access of specifications for Kraft R&D worldwide. She has worked on numerous product lines at Kraft and was the link to Open Innovation, Supplier Collaboration and External Development for Desserts R&D.</p> <p>Wendy Spelman holds a BS in Food Science from Cornell University and an MS in Food Science from the University of Delaware.</p>
<p>Russ Finkelstein joined the staff of Action Without Borders in August 1995 to help build the site and to train nonprofit and community-based organizations on how best to use the internet. After ten years in the New York City office he moved west to open an office in Portland, OR. Currently, he manages work supporting those working in and seeking work in the nonprofit sector, including human resources professionals, graduate and fellowship programs, nonprofit career fairs, volunteerism, and the range of professional development trainings. </p> <p> He previously served as program director for the Higher Achievement Program, an educational and social enrichment program for inner city children in Washington, DC. </p> <p>Russ Finkelstein has his B.A. from Connecticut College and a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) in Education and Nonprofit Management from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.</p>
<p>Daniel Pink is the author, most recently, of THE ADVENTURES OF JOHNNY BUNKO: The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need, the first American business book in the Japanese comic format known as manga. His previous book was A WHOLE NEW MIND: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, a long-running New York Times and BusinessWeek bestseller that has been translated into 18 languages. </p> <p>A free agent himself, Dan held his last real job in the White House, where he served from 1995 to 1997 as chief speechwriter to Vice President Al Gore. He also worked as an aide to U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich and in other positions in politics and government.</p> <p>He received a BA, with honors, from Northwestern University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a JD from Yale Law School.</p>
<p>Larry Robertson has spent more than two decades in the entrepreneurial universe in roles ranging from advisor to investor and many in between. In 1992, he founded Lighthouse Consulting, which, appropriately, guides entrepreneurial ventures, their leaders, and those who invest in them. Robertson frequently lectures on entrepreneurship at Georgetown and Cornell Universities and is a recognized expert on entrepreneurship in public, private, and academic forums.</p> <p>Robertson is on the Board of Directors of Handwriting Without Tears and Really Great Reading, serves as Vice Chair of Netpreneur, and sits on the advisory boards of several other organizations. His professional journey includes roles with investment banking and venture capital firm Robertson, Stephens & Company, JP Morgan, and the Walt Disney Company.</p> <p>Robertson is the author of A Deliberate Pause: Entrepreneurship and its Moment in Human Progress, a game-changing book about the power of entrepreneurship and the truth behind everyone's ability to access it.</p> <p>Larry Robertson is a graduate of both Stanford University and the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.</p>
Chris Stoia works during the day as a Manager for Northport Apparel. When he is not busy with his day job, he is working on developing his own startup in Evening and Bridal Dress Designs.
Chris Stoia received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University.
Marc Leathers is President of Leathers & Associates. The 30-year old company is a family-owned business and the leader in the field of community-built playgrounds. Leathers & Associates is based in Ithaca, N.Y.
Jim Ochterski has been an Extension agent in the Finger Lakes region of New York for more than 15 years and currently leads the Agriculture Team at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ontario County. Although Jim assists farms in many areas of production and sales, his areas of expertise include farm marketing, business development, sustainable farming and community relations.
Jim Ochterski holds a BS in Cell Biology from the University of Rochester and a Master's degree in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan.
Barbara Novick is a member of BlackRock's Global Executive and Global Operating Committees and Chairs the Government Relations Steering Committee.
From the inception of the firm in 1988 to 2008, Ms. Novick headed the Global Client Group and oversaw global business development, marketing and client service across equity, fixed income, liquidity, alternative investment and real estate products for institutional and individual investors and their intermediaries worldwide. In her current role, Ms. Novick heads the firm's efforts globally on Government Relations and Public Policy.
Prior to founding BlackRock in 1988, Ms. Novick was a Vice President in the Mortgage Products Group at The First Boston Corporation. Ms. Novick joined First Boston in 1985 where she became head of the Portfolio Products Team. From 1982 to 1985, Ms. Novick was with Morgan Stanley.
Barbara Novick earned a BA degree, cum laude, in economics from Cornell University in 1981.
Amy Siskind is a national spokesperson, writer and expert on helping women and girls advance and succeed. A highly successful Wall Street executive, she's Co-founder and President of The New Agenda, a national organization working on issues including economic independence and advancement, gender representation and bias, sexual assault and domestic violence.
A pioneer in the distressed debt trading market, she has a lifetime of experience with failure and remarkable success and knows what it takes to win. She became the first female Managing Director at Wasserstein Perella at the age of 31, and later ran trading departments at Morgan Stanley and Imperial Capital, where she was also a partner.
Amy Siskind received a BA in Economics from Cornell University and an MBA in Finance from The NYU Stern School of Business.