Thought Leaders

INNOVATE® Washington DMV Edition

MIGUEL COPPEDGE

AGE 17, AUTHOR, ENTREPRENEUR, PHILANTHROPIST, INSPIRATIONAL/MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER

I pride myself on being unique and different. Most teens my age are worried about having the latest name brand clothing, shoes, or gadgets. But not me! I want to help and inspire people and change the world for the better. As a former foster child and current adoptee, I...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

Sue Daugherty

Sue Daugherty - CEO Of Manna

CEO Of Manna

But often overlooked is the talent drawn to the region’s well-established and innovative nonprofit sector, which continually adapts to meet the growing needs of a city that sadly tops the charts in rates of chronic disease and poverty. As the CEO of MANNA, a community-based organization delivering medically tailored meals...

INNOVATE® Philadelphia: 250 Years of Innovation

TOM SELLIG

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

After decades of leadership, I’ve learned that most of what matters fits into a single sentence: get one percent better every day. It sounds simple, and it is simple…but simple and easy aren’t the same thing. Every day I challenge myself and my team to improve by just one percent....

INNOVATE® Nashville

DAVID BUTTREY

CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT AT MANGROVE

I’ve spent years at the intersection of technology and human experience—building festivals that draw tens of thousands into shared, electric moments under the stars, while simultaneously harnessing AI and automation to make those moments possible. Through it all, I’ve come to believe that the defining skill of our era isn’t...

INNOVATE® Kansas City

JESSICA POWELL

OWNER OF SOCIAL BALANCES

I’ve always believed that the most successful people—whether founders, investors, or community leaders—aren’t the ones who know the most or have the most. They’re the ones who give first. They show up, offer help, make introductions, and invest in others long before expecting anything in return. And over time, the...

INNOVATE™ Kitchener Waterloo

AMIN YAZDANI

PHD. CSP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR SAFETY, WELLNESS, AND PERFORMANCE (CISWP)

For example, skilled trades are the backbone of our economy, yet the individuals who build our homes, roads, hospitals, and infrastructure often face preventable risks every day. How can we prolong working lives of our workforce in critical sectors? What if safety solutions were designed for everyone, not just the...

INNOVATE® Nashville

ANTON BUSUTTIL

PLANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

If there’s one leadership skill that’s quietly shaped every success I’ve had, it’s flexibility. Not intelligence. Not experience. The ability to adapt and lead change is what matters most. That mindset has carried me from blue-collar beginnings in Michigan to manufacturing plants in Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, and now Tennessee. I’m...

VOICES of the Future

DORIE CLARK

PURPOSE IN THE TUNNEL

In the heart of America’s corporate hustle, where ambition beats faster than a Wall Street trader’s pulse, Dorie Clark is a beacon of foresight and inspiration. This moment isn’t just a conversation; it is a masterclass in future-flung vision, delivered by a woman who’s cracked the code on thriving in...

INNOVATE™ Adelaide

The Hon Peter Malinauskas

Premier of South Australia

They’re all inventions which changed the face of the world. They’re all examples of original and innovative thinking. And they all began as sparks of brilliance in the minds of South Australians. From Sir Howard Florey’s insights into the properties of penicillin and Lancelot de Mole’s development of caterpillar tracks,...

INNOVATE™ South Africa

DI WILSON

DI WILSON

CEO INTEGER/HOTSPOT

I have always connected with people. I love their inherent curiosity; I love the idea of collective thought, and I thrive on the energy I get from engaging with people across all facets of life. From my early days at Grey Advertising, through my founding role at Pod Communications, and...

INNOVATE™ Bristol & Bath

Neil Douglas

Neil Douglas - Director

Director, Viper Innovations

When we started our company in 2007, one of the first questions we had to ask ourselves, was where is the best place to be located? The client base for our products and services was international and so our selection did not have to be governed by the location of...

INNOVATIONS in Pharmaceutical Development®

PEDRO MOURA

GENERAL MANAGER, MERCK PORTUGAL

I have looked at this quote for many years in a row. It was on a board as part of my office decor when I worked in a regional position. And I always felt it reflects my thinking. To be results driven has helped me navigate different roles and different...

VOICES of the Future

DR. MARSHALL GOLDSMITH

NAVIGATING THE WHEEL OF CHANGE

Professor Marshall Goldsmith stands as a paragon of leadership and executive coaching, his name synonymous with transformative change in business and personal development. As a two-time winner of the Thinkers 50 award for the #1 Leadership Thinker in the World and the world’s #1 Executive Coach, his influence stretches across...

INNOVATE® Gaming & Esports

CLEMENT TSANG

CLEMENT TSANG

MANAGING DIRECTOR, AUSTRALIA

As of the writing of this article in October 2021, the Twitch Influencer payment hack was making its way through the metaverse, enabling a comparison between the compensation that influencers and broadcast anchors enjoy, and the relative engagement they have with theiraudiences and the business models that underpin their ecosystems...

INNOVATE® Georgia

VANESSA EDMONDS

UTILITY 2030 COLLABORATIVE - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

YOUR ROLE IN SHAPING A SUSTAINABLE WORLD STARTS TODAY Our planet faces unprecedented challenges. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, the transition to clean energy is more urgent than ever, and water resources are under increasing strain. Our world’s sustainability and the well-being of future generations are on the...

INNOVATE® Milwaukee

Gordon Nameni, PhD

Managing Partner at August Brown

Innovation alone does not guarantee market success. Many promising technologies fail to gain traction because companies struggle to translate technical breakthroughs into commercially viable products. This is where Tech Translation—a structured framework for bridging the gap between technology development and market adoption—becomes essential. The Tech Translation Framework Tech Translation integrates...

INNOVATE® Northern Virginia

JENNIFER TAYLOR, PRESIDENT & CEO, NORTHERN VIRGINIA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL (NVTC)

Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of watching extraordinary ideas become reality. I’ve seen entrepreneurs build companies from sketches on whiteboards, researchers solve problems once thought impossible, and technologies transform industries in ways few could have imagined. Those experiences have shaped how I think about innovation. Innovation Begins with...

INNOVATE® Minnesota

Angie Conley

Angie Conley

CEO - Abilitech

In my days at Medtronic, I remember Bill George used to say (as a lighthearted dig at General Mills), “We’re not selling Cheerios; we’ve got soul.” We all laughed, but even today I find it relevant in thinking about the importance of a mission. A mission-centered culture gives employees purpose,...

INNOVATION Quebec

GRAHAM CARR

PRESIDENT AND VICE-CHANCELLOR, CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

Montréal présente la plus forte concentration d’étudiants universitaires de toutes les villes d’Amérique du Nord. Offrant un mélange unique de français et d’anglais, elle attire des étudiantes et étudiants de plus de 155 pays du monde entier. Montréal n’est pas seulement le principal centre de recherche universitaire du Canada, elle...

INNOVATE™ Atlantic Canada

OWEN SAGNESS

CEO, DIGITAL NOVA SCOTIA (DNS)

Introduction The digital sector is experiencing an unprecedented demand for skilled professionals, creating a significant talent gap. Traditional education pathways alone are no longer sufficient to meet this demand. In early2024, Digital Nova Scotia surveyed our members and produced the2024 Digital Nova Scotia Workforce Survey. This survey highlights a promising...

VOICES of the Future

CARA DE LANGE

THE FUTURE IS SOFTER

In the evolving corporate world, Cara de Lange stands out as a change-maker, TEDx speaker, author of ‘Softer Success,’ host of the Work Reset Revolution podcast, and a burnout researcher, advocating a shift from traditional corporate success to prioritizing employee well being. As the founder of Softer Success, Cara developed...

INNOVATE® Georgia

JAMES WANG

DJJ TECHNOLOGIES NTL, LLC - FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER

In the business world, few principles are more critical than the ones I hold dear: take care of your employees and customers. This ethos, rooted deeply in the Golden Rule, has shaped every aspect of my journey and remains the cornerstone of DJJ Technologies. By treating others how we want...

INNOVATE® Minnesota

Dan Atkins

Dan Atkins

President - MinneAnalytics - Chief Community Entanglement Particle, Optum

Dan Atkins President, MinneAnalytics – Chief Community Entanglement Particle, Optum I can’t explain the principle of quantum entanglement as well as a physicist could, but I believe in its application to the concept of community engagement nevertheless. There’s a way that two particles, separated by immense distance, can become entangled...

INNOVATE® Detroit

BONNIE FAHOOME

CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DESIGN CORE DETROIT

Detroit has been an epicenter of innovation for well over a century, leading the world in mass manufacturing, music and industrial design. In 1920, for example, Detroit police officer William Potts was credited with inventing the four-way and three-colored traffic light, a standard still used today for regulating traffic flow...

MIGUEL COPPEDGE

AGE 17, AUTHOR, ENTREPRENEUR, PHILANTHROPIST, INSPIRATIONAL/MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER

I pride myself on being unique and different. Most teens my age are worried about having the latest name brand clothing, shoes, or gadgets. But not me! I want to help and inspire people and change the world for the better. As a former foster child and current adoptee, I...

Sue Daugherty

Sue Daugherty - CEO Of Manna

CEO Of Manna

But often overlooked is the talent drawn to the region’s well-established and innovative nonprofit sector, which continually adapts to meet the growing needs of a city that sadly tops the charts in rates of chronic disease and poverty. As the CEO of MANNA, a community-based organization delivering medically tailored meals...

TOM SELLIG

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

After decades of leadership, I’ve learned that most of what matters fits into a single sentence: get one percent better every day. It sounds simple, and it is simple…but simple and easy aren’t the same thing. Every day I challenge myself and my team to improve by just one percent....

DAVID BUTTREY

CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT AT MANGROVE

I’ve spent years at the intersection of technology and human experience—building festivals that draw tens of thousands into shared, electric moments under the stars, while simultaneously harnessing AI and automation to make those moments possible. Through it all, I’ve come to believe that the defining skill of our era isn’t...

JESSICA POWELL

OWNER OF SOCIAL BALANCES

I’ve always believed that the most successful people—whether founders, investors, or community leaders—aren’t the ones who know the most or have the most. They’re the ones who give first. They show up, offer help, make introductions, and invest in others long before expecting anything in return. And over time, the...

AMIN YAZDANI

PHD. CSP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR SAFETY, WELLNESS, AND PERFORMANCE (CISWP)

For example, skilled trades are the backbone of our economy, yet the individuals who build our homes, roads, hospitals, and infrastructure often face preventable risks every day. How can we prolong working lives of our workforce in critical sectors? What if safety solutions were designed for everyone, not just the...

ANTON BUSUTTIL

PLANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

If there’s one leadership skill that’s quietly shaped every success I’ve had, it’s flexibility. Not intelligence. Not experience. The ability to adapt and lead change is what matters most. That mindset has carried me from blue-collar beginnings in Michigan to manufacturing plants in Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, and now Tennessee. I’m...

DORIE CLARK

PURPOSE IN THE TUNNEL

In the heart of America’s corporate hustle, where ambition beats faster than a Wall Street trader’s pulse, Dorie Clark is a beacon of foresight and inspiration. This moment isn’t just a conversation; it is a masterclass in future-flung vision, delivered by a woman who’s cracked the code on thriving in...

The Hon Peter Malinauskas

Premier of South Australia

They’re all inventions which changed the face of the world. They’re all examples of original and innovative thinking. And they all began as sparks of brilliance in the minds of South Australians. From Sir Howard Florey’s insights into the properties of penicillin and Lancelot de Mole’s development of caterpillar tracks,...

DI WILSON

DI WILSON

CEO INTEGER/HOTSPOT

I have always connected with people. I love their inherent curiosity; I love the idea of collective thought, and I thrive on the energy I get from engaging with people across all facets of life. From my early days at Grey Advertising, through my founding role at Pod Communications, and...

Neil Douglas

Neil Douglas - Director

Director, Viper Innovations

When we started our company in 2007, one of the first questions we had to ask ourselves, was where is the best place to be located? The client base for our products and services was international and so our selection did not have to be governed by the location of...

PEDRO MOURA

GENERAL MANAGER, MERCK PORTUGAL

I have looked at this quote for many years in a row. It was on a board as part of my office decor when I worked in a regional position. And I always felt it reflects my thinking. To be results driven has helped me navigate different roles and different...

DR. MARSHALL GOLDSMITH

NAVIGATING THE WHEEL OF CHANGE

Professor Marshall Goldsmith stands as a paragon of leadership and executive coaching, his name synonymous with transformative change in business and personal development. As a two-time winner of the Thinkers 50 award for the #1 Leadership Thinker in the World and the world’s #1 Executive Coach, his influence stretches across...

CLEMENT TSANG

CLEMENT TSANG

MANAGING DIRECTOR, AUSTRALIA

As of the writing of this article in October 2021, the Twitch Influencer payment hack was making its way through the metaverse, enabling a comparison between the compensation that influencers and broadcast anchors enjoy, and the relative engagement they have with theiraudiences and the business models that underpin their ecosystems...

VANESSA EDMONDS

UTILITY 2030 COLLABORATIVE - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

YOUR ROLE IN SHAPING A SUSTAINABLE WORLD STARTS TODAY Our planet faces unprecedented challenges. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, the transition to clean energy is more urgent than ever, and water resources are under increasing strain. Our world’s sustainability and the well-being of future generations are on the...

Gordon Nameni, PhD

Managing Partner at August Brown

Innovation alone does not guarantee market success. Many promising technologies fail to gain traction because companies struggle to translate technical breakthroughs into commercially viable products. This is where Tech Translation—a structured framework for bridging the gap between technology development and market adoption—becomes essential. The Tech Translation Framework Tech Translation integrates...

JENNIFER TAYLOR, PRESIDENT & CEO, NORTHERN VIRGINIA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL (NVTC)

Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of watching extraordinary ideas become reality. I’ve seen entrepreneurs build companies from sketches on whiteboards, researchers solve problems once thought impossible, and technologies transform industries in ways few could have imagined. Those experiences have shaped how I think about innovation. Innovation Begins with...

Angie Conley

Angie Conley

CEO - Abilitech

In my days at Medtronic, I remember Bill George used to say (as a lighthearted dig at General Mills), “We’re not selling Cheerios; we’ve got soul.” We all laughed, but even today I find it relevant in thinking about the importance of a mission. A mission-centered culture gives employees purpose,...

GRAHAM CARR

PRESIDENT AND VICE-CHANCELLOR, CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

Montréal présente la plus forte concentration d’étudiants universitaires de toutes les villes d’Amérique du Nord. Offrant un mélange unique de français et d’anglais, elle attire des étudiantes et étudiants de plus de 155 pays du monde entier. Montréal n’est pas seulement le principal centre de recherche universitaire du Canada, elle...

OWEN SAGNESS

CEO, DIGITAL NOVA SCOTIA (DNS)

Introduction The digital sector is experiencing an unprecedented demand for skilled professionals, creating a significant talent gap. Traditional education pathways alone are no longer sufficient to meet this demand. In early2024, Digital Nova Scotia surveyed our members and produced the2024 Digital Nova Scotia Workforce Survey. This survey highlights a promising...

CARA DE LANGE

THE FUTURE IS SOFTER

In the evolving corporate world, Cara de Lange stands out as a change-maker, TEDx speaker, author of ‘Softer Success,’ host of the Work Reset Revolution podcast, and a burnout researcher, advocating a shift from traditional corporate success to prioritizing employee well being. As the founder of Softer Success, Cara developed...

JAMES WANG

DJJ TECHNOLOGIES NTL, LLC - FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER

In the business world, few principles are more critical than the ones I hold dear: take care of your employees and customers. This ethos, rooted deeply in the Golden Rule, has shaped every aspect of my journey and remains the cornerstone of DJJ Technologies. By treating others how we want...

Dan Atkins

Dan Atkins

President - MinneAnalytics - Chief Community Entanglement Particle, Optum

Dan Atkins President, MinneAnalytics – Chief Community Entanglement Particle, Optum I can’t explain the principle of quantum entanglement as well as a physicist could, but I believe in its application to the concept of community engagement nevertheless. There’s a way that two particles, separated by immense distance, can become entangled...

BONNIE FAHOOME

CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DESIGN CORE DETROIT

Detroit has been an epicenter of innovation for well over a century, leading the world in mass manufacturing, music and industrial design. In 1920, for example, Detroit police officer William Potts was credited with inventing the four-way and three-colored traffic light, a standard still used today for regulating traffic flow...

INNOVATE® Ecosystems