“Performance at Altitude: Why the future of Technology is Human”

One of the world’s first Sports Technologists, he built a distinguished career at the intersection of elite performance, leadership, and innovation across the NFL, MLB, and NBA, earning recognition for shaping sustainable high-performance cultures.

He was named Arizona’s top technologist in 2022 with the ArizonaCIO ORBIE Award and received the 2023 CIO Award for Extraordinary Technology Leadership from Info-Tech Research Group. Steve has served on the NBA’s Innovation Hub, S.E.A.T. Executive Advisory Board, and as a founding member of the NFL’s Technical Advisory Committee.

Now a sought-after executive speaker and leadership coach, Steve integrates his professional sports legacy with the science of motivation and fulfillment to help leaders drive clarity, accountability, and lasting performance in today’s demanding environments.

"Solving the Founder Credibility Problem by Rewriting the Rules of Funding"

Eric R. Parker, AIA is an architect, entrepreneur, and nationally regarded leader in innovation and ecosystem development. His work centers on designing environments and systems that build trust, accelerate growth, and strengthen connections between individuals, organizations, and communities. His contributions to creative collaboration spaces were profiled in Make Space: How to Set the Stage for Creative Collaboration from the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University. He has also provided testimony before Congress and presented to the National Governors Association on the role of federal policy in advancing local entrepreneurial ecosystems.

As Cofounder and CEO of Make Startups, Eric has supported more than 2,500 founders and helped communities strengthen entrepreneurial pathways that expand economic mobility. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Startup Champions Network and has spoken at major convenings including SXSW, the Mayor’s Conference on Entrepreneurship, InBIA, and national forums hosted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Through advisory work and program design, he has helped organizations secure significant investment and philanthropic capital that fuels job creation in cities and regions across the country.

Today Eric leads the development of training, credentialing, and funding automation tools that help founders build credible business plans, demonstrate readiness, and access capital at scale. He helped introduce the Startup Act in the current session of Congress and continues to work with national partners to expand opportunities for entrepreneurs. His current work includes advancing CofounderOS, a platform that supports ESOs, economic developers, and funders in evaluating founders, improving outcomes, and equipping communities with data to drive inclusive economic growth.

“From Climate Risk to Climate Return: The Methane Opportunity”

Amy Wolkowinsky is a climate scientist, technologist, and entrepreneur focused on turning urgent climate challenges into scalable solutions. She is the co-founder and Associate Director of the Ecosystem Science and Innovation Lab (ECOSAIL) at Northern Arizona University, where she works at the intersection of research, policy, and venture creation on issues including methane emissions, extreme heat, wildfire risk, and carbon accounting. Her work emphasizes urgency, optimism, and the power of audacious, collaborative innovation.

Beyond AI: The Hidden Tech Stack Reshaping Investment Management

Scott MacDonald is the Creator and Host of Investment Management Operations podcast under the award winning Capital Allocators platform, where he interviews fintech founders and leaders at some of the world’s top investment firms.  After 20+ years building and scaling asset management firms, he advises fintechs and investment organizations on visionary products, AI, and operations in a rapidly changing tech landscape.

"From Global Markets to Manufacturing Innovation: Lessons from Three Continents"

Eduardo González Díaz de León is President of 258 Consulting LLC, a cross-border advisory firm specializing in contract manufacturing, site selection, and industrial expansion strategies across Mexico and the Southwest United States. With over two decades of experience in FDI and international business development, Eduardo has helped companies—from startups to multinationals—establish and optimize manufacturing operations in Mexico.

He previously served as Deputy Trade Commissioner of ProMexico for Arizona and Nevada, and as State Director for ProMexico Baja California, where he led foreign direct investment initiatives and supported industrial real estate projects. Eduardo also held roles with The Mexico Export Development Bank in The Hague and Mexico.

Eduardo brings a deep understanding of binational industrial ecosystems, supply chain dynamics, and the evolving landscape of real estate-driven manufacturing growth. His work bridges the gap between strategic investment and operational execution, making him a valuable voice in conversations around industrial site development, tenant sourcing, and regional competitiveness.

“Entrepreneurial Insights - What to Do and What to Avoid”

Panel Discussion

DAVID JOHNS BIO:

Attorney David Johns has been in practice for almost forty years. He has extensive experience advising clients on wide-ranging business and intellectual property matters including patent, trademark, and copyright law. He guides entrepreneurs and businesses at all stages of development, including business formation and operation, commercial transactions, intellectual property acquisition, licensing and management, and buying and selling of intellectual property rights and businesses. David is skilled in counseling both start-up and established businesses. Prior to joining AWD, David was a partner in a boutique intellectual property law firm and served for 30 years as Chief Trademark Counsel and senior patent attorney of an international diversified consumer, electronic, industrial and medical device company.