Industry Reverse Pitch Presenters

Jennifer Bradford is a global academic program manager for Siemens Digital Industries Software. Bradford has spent more 20 years in the learning and development space across diverse environments from Silicon Valley startups to grassroots community-based non-profits and in subject areas ranging from industrial and consumer software and hardware to economics to fine art. She holds a master of science in instructional design and technology from Fontbonne University in St. Louis. When she’s not dreaming up new ways to engage learners, Jen can either be found on the trail, in the kitchen or at the beach!

Ryan McClelland is a research engineer in the Instrument Systems and Technology Division at NASA GSFC, currently developing X-ray optics for future astrophysics missions. His previous technology development experience includes work on aluminum foam core optical systems and non-linear effects of clearances in kinematic mechanisms. McClelland has also worked on flight missions with designs currently on orbit aboard the Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station.

Steven Szymeczek is an entrepreneur and mechanical engineer with more than 10 years of product experience across aerospace, oil and gas, consumer, and medical device industries. His broad areas of expertise include manufacturing, product development, engineering, and implementing design for additive manufacturing/3D-printing strategies. Szymeczek holds a leadership position as the chief applications officer at Athena 3D Manufacturing, where he oversees product strategy and development for a variety of clients seeking to implement 3D printing/additive manufacturing into their processes.

He was previously co-owner of Penumbra Engineering LLC, a 3D product development services company. He also served as design engineer with B/E Aerospace where he led design for first class airline suites such as Emirates Next Generation. Szymeczek obtained his bachelor of science in mechanical engineering at Northern Arizona University.

Dr. DP Prakash, Co-CEO of Youtopian, is the former global head of innovation at Global Foundries and has previously held numerous technology leadership roles spanning research, development and manufacturing for more than two decades at IBM. Prakash's work on the digital transformation of enterprises include innovations in remote collaboration, remote upskilling, predictive AI engines, conversational-AI powered virtual human assistants, IoT Edge sensors and digital twins of factories, tools and nanoscale structures. Dr. DP Prakash’s work with the world's first and only AI-AR powered Connected Worker Platform makes it easier for frontline workers to do more with reduced cognitive load and human errors and improve training time by up to 80%.

In 2018, Prakash and his team, in collaboration with University of Southern California, demonstrated for the first time the VR capability to visualize walking inside chips made with nanotechnology. Prakash was recognized in 2019 by the EE Times for his pioneering work in AR applications that speeding up documentation of standard operating procedures by 10x on advanced semiconductor factory floors. In 2020, Prakash’s firm has created and released COVID-19 landing in VR, a pathbreaking way for humans to look at life forms at nanoscale.

Along with two Outstanding Technical Achievement Awards at IBM in research and manufacturing, DP Prakash holds a doctoral degree in electrical engineering from University of California, Los Angeles, an MBA with honors from Jack Welch Management Institute, a certificate in Film Producing from UCLA School of Film & Television, a B.Tech in Electronics and Communication engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and a certificate on leading innovation at scale from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Lisa Sibilia, Co-CEO of Youtopian, is leading digital transformation in education and enterprise to upskill talents at a global scale using NYOUGENE, the world’s first omnichannel upskilling platform powered by disruptive innovations including AI and eXtended Reality (AI XR). Sibilia is leading top universities shifting to hybrid course design and experiential innovation, such as labs online and enabling language learning through Total Physical Response methodology and AI XR integration. The complementary roles of humans and machines is redefined to accelerate humans to full potential and power the innovation economy.

Sibilia is a former Disney Company cast member, spent more than a decade in education management, and is a professional artist. She graduated from the Stanford Graduate School of Business LEAD corporate innovation executive education program, received her master of art in educational leadership and administration from Montclair State University, and completed her bachelor of arts in communication arts and sciences from Penn State. Lisa was recognized by the Stanford LEAD program for the 2019 Intellectual Contribution Award for Neuroscience in Customer Experience Design. She is the Co-Chair of the Stanford LEAD Mentor Network supporting 700+ leaders worldwide. She was awarded the Governor’s Educator of the Year honor in New Jersey for her excellence in management of internal and external stakeholders advancing interdisciplinary collaboration through dynamic instruction and as District Education Committee Chair for an arts partnership connecting over a dozen schools.