The School of Engineering has an active, engaged, and diverse advisory board representing industry, government, alumni, and higher education. The board meets as a group twice a year, but sub-groups may meet more often to provide timely input on issues of importance to the school. Members are also contacted by the dean when guidance or support is needed. Members are appointed for renewable three-year terms.
Members
Dr. Hamid Adib, P.E., is a senior executive with Jacobs Engineering, a US based global company and provider of solutions to critical challenges of thriving cities, resilient environments, mission critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting edge manufacturing. Dr. Adib’s responsibility is leading the buildings group within the Buildings, Infrastructure and Advanced Facilities business in the US North region.
Ron Angelo is President and CEO of Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology Inc., which is a dynamic and innovative applied technology organization that leads regional and national partnerships that assist global industrial companies and the manufacturing supply chain across industry sectors to drive advancements, efficiencies and adoption of leading-edge technologies.
Angelo has held leadership roles in state government as well as public and private sectors involving project financing and business development for leading-edge technology and advanced manufacturing companies.
Previously he served as Deputy Commissioner of the state Department of Economic Development, (DECD) appointed in 2004 by then-Governor M. Jodi Rell. Angelo was responsible for administering business development programs that targeted retention and expansion of in-state businesses as well as state and federal programs focused on building strong neighborhoods and communities.
Prior to his DECD appointment, he served as Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Consumer Protection and Vice President for Fleet Financial Group.
He has over 25 years of management experience in both the public and private sector including complex union environments. He also has experience working with universities and institutions of higher education and with several successful not-for-profit organizations. Angelo is a board advisor for several corporations and holds numerous boards of director’s seats and professional designations and memberships.
He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics.
Sudhi Bangalore is the newly appointed Chief Technology Officer for Global Operations, responsible for the advancement of Stanley Black & Decker’s entire supply chain through Industry 4.0 enabled technologies and beyond. In addition, he leads the global Advanced Manufacturing program, including the Manufactory 4.0, a state-of-the-art Center of Excellence in Hartford, CT, as well as the automation efforts with technologies such as IIoT, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, 3-D printing, robotics, software solutions, advanced data analytics, advanced materials and the commercialization of Smart Factory solutions.
As a 175-year old industrial business, Stanley is transforming the way it performs manufacturing and distribution activities under Sudhi’s leadership. Leveraging a strong talented team of experts at SBD and a vibrant partner eco-system, his team actively engages on the art of the possible to identify, prove and help deploy several advanced manufacturing technologies to optimize operations environments across 100+ plants worldwide.
He is a passionate and visionary leader who has innovated, built and commercialized several successful manufacturing solutions in the areas of Design Automation, Human Centered AI, Workflow Digitization and Diagnostics for companies like Rockwell Automation, Siemens and Wipro Technologies.
Prior to joining Stanley Black & Decker, Sudhi founded the Smart Manufacturing practice in his role at Wipro in 2013 with a clear focus of leveraging the Data-Led value in manufacturing. Recognized for co-innovation of several “Enterprise Excellence” technologies, he has been a trusted advisor for many companies in their transformation journey and is a frequent speaker on the topic of scale and speed of digital transformation in Manufacturing. He serves on the advisory boards of UConn School of engineering, Intel IoT and The Connecticut Governors Workforce Council. He is also a Future Council Leader in the Advanced Manufacturing & Production council at the World Economic Forum.
Sudhi earned a Bachelor’s in Electronic Engineering from Bangalore University, a Master’s in Industrial Engineering from the University of Louisville and an MBA from Kent State University.
Scott Beecher is an Engineering Fellow at Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, CT and a certification designee for the Federal Aviation Administration. He has worked over 40 years in the aerospace software development domain primarily between UTAS and Pratt & Whitney. He has been predominantly involved in software development and the certification process for Full Authority Digital Engine Controls (FADECs). He has most recently been working on the Next Generation Product Family (NGPF).
Mr. Beecher received a B.S. degree in Computer Science Engineering from the University of Connecticut in 1980. He has been inducted into the UCONN’s Academy of Distinguished Engineers. He received his M.S. degrees in Computer Science and Business Management from RPI, Hartford. He is currently president and a founding member of the UCONN Computer Science Engineering Advisory Board. For the past 13 years, he has been the software engineering instructor for the Federal Aviation Administration Academy, Oklahoma City, OK.
Kevin Bouley is President and CEO of Nerac, Inc. a global research and advisory firm for companies developing innovative products and technologies. A recognized leader in the information industry and Connecticut native, Mr. Bouley holds a B.S. in Finance (’80) from the University of Connecticut. He serves on the Werth Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Advisory Board, the School of Engineering Advisory Board and Dean’s Advisory Cabinet for the School of Business. Bouley received the School of Engineering Distinguished Service Award in 2010 and was inducted into the School of Business Hall of Fame in 2014.
A passionate speaker on innovation and entrepreneurship, and strong advocate for research enabled technology venture development; he supports and encourages entrepreneurial studies in the UConn School of Engineering, School of Business and School of Nursing. In addition to contributing ideas for new curriculum to stimulate and challenge the aspiring student entrepreneurs, he frequently serves as mentor and judge for a number of competitive programs that function as an entrepreneurial gateway for students. He regularly chairs the XcellR8 “Shark Tank” pitch events and has provided or secured seed money for a select number of students’ ventures/products.
Kenneth Bowes is Vice President, Offshore Wind Siting & Permitting for Eversource Energy. In that role, he is responsible for the leadership and direction of siting and permitting activities for Offshore Wind and related transmission infrastructure projects, and compliance for those projects. He serves as a technical consultant for various large transmission projects, clean energy projects, and provides expert testimony in regulatory proceedings concerning them.
A native of New Hampshire, Bowes joined Eversource in July 1984 in the System Test department. He has held several engineering and management positions in the Energy Delivery organizations becoming the Director – Transmission and Distribution Maintenance in 1999, Director – Transmission Construction, Test, and Maintenance in 2002, Director – Transmission Projects in 2004, Vice President – Customer Operations in 2008, Vice President of Energy Delivery in 2010, Vice President of Engineering in 2014, Vice President of Transmission Performance in 2017, and Vice President of ISO Policy, Siting & Compliance in 2018.
Ken has a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from the University of New Hampshire and a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is the past Chairman of the Edison Electric Institute’s Transmission Committee and presently serves on the EEI Transmission and EEI Security Committees. He serves on the Connecticut Science Center Women in Science Steering Committee, the Board of Directors of Special Olympics Connecticut, the Bristol Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors, and is Past Chairman of the Board of Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters. Bowes was inducted into the University of Connecticut, Academy of Distinguished Engineers in 2016 and elected into the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering in 2017.
Michael Cantor leads one of the largest intellectual property specialty law firms in the country. After graduating from UConn with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering / Materials Engineering and then earning a J.D. from UConn Law, Michael joined a two-attorney patent law firm. Thirty years later, the firm has grown exponentially to a nationwide firm with offices in Hartford, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Houston, and Detroit and a global practice. Cantor Colburn’s more than 100 attorneys and patent agents represent a wide variety of clients including Fortune 100 companies, select high tech start-ups, technology transfer offices at universities, government research institutes, and numerous mid-size companies in the U.S., Japan, Korea, China, Europe, Israel and the Americas. Michael has represented businesses from a broad range of industries, including high-technology, entertainment, consumer products and much more.
Michael is a frequent speaker and author on intellectual property issues, and is active in industry associations such as International Trademark Association (INTA), American Bar Association, American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), the Connecticut IP Inn of Court, and the Connecticut Bar Association, where he is a James W. Cooper Fellow. Michael is also active in supporting economic development and innovation. Michael chairs the board of directors of Connecticut Innovations, the quasi-public agency charged with growing Connecticut’s economy by making strategic capital and other investments that encourage the development of high-tech industries within the state, such as energy, biotechnology, information technology, and photonics. Michael serves on many other boards, including the Connecticut Technology Council, the Greater Hartford Arts Council, the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, and the Connecticut Historical Society.
UConn has remained important in Michael’s life since graduation. Michael was inducted into the UConn School of Engineering Hall of Fame and serves on the Engineering Advisory Board. He taught patent law as an Adjunct Professor at UConn’s School of Law for more than 20 years. He is a former member of the UConn Foundation. Michael’s wife Shari is a UConn trustee and was inducted into the UConn School of Business Hall of Fame, making them UConn’s second Hall of Fame husband and wife. Two of their four sons attended UConn, one as an undergraduate, one in law and one in business.
On November 16, 2022, Governor Ned Lamont announced his appointment of Alexandra Daum as Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) as he begins his second term in office.
Daum is currently Deputy Commissioner and Chief Investment Officer of DECD in a position that she has held since March 2020. In this role, she drives public investment in local economic development projects and initiatives across Connecticut, including greenfield and brownfield real estate developments, public-private partnerships, urban revitalization efforts and opportunity zones. She also manages Governor Lamont’s community redevelopment initiatives, most notably the Connecticut Communities Challenge Grants, Brownfield Municipal Grants, and the Community Investment Fund 2030.
Prior to joining DECD, Daum was the founder and principal of Field Properties, a real estate investor in New Haven. She began her real estate development career at Trammell Crow Residential in its Northern California division. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Connecticut native Anne Evans was appointed in January 2008 as the District Director of the US Department of Commerce District Office in Middletown, Connecticut. She is a successful business leader and entrepreneur with 30 years experience in international trade. Prior to her appointment, she grew a family tire business in to an international tire recycling company developing recycling facilities and renewal energy facilities in Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East. As director of the Department of Commerce Connecticut office, she leads a team of business and trade professionals in assisting over 2,500 Connecticut companies grow their businesses and attract overseas customers. Since her appointment as Director, she has led numerous statewide training projects, business development initiatives and trade missions to Europe, Asia, the Middle East and South America.
Mr. Forster is FLEXcon’s Vice President, International Sales & Corporate Development. He joined the company in 2004. The group evaluates new markets and technology platforms; acquisitions; and joint ventures. His projects include overseeing sponsored research at UCONN and mentoring new employees. Mr. Forster has prior executive officer experience at (1) a FLEXcon supplier; (2) a FLEXcon customer; and (3) a publicly held environmental company. Mr. Forster received his MBA from Harvard Business School; a BS - Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and completed graduate Environmental Engineering work at Northeastern University.
FLEXcon Overview: FLEXcon manufactures pressure-sensitive adhesive films and products for indoor/outdoor advertising; consumable and durable goods; healthcare, electronic, transportation and industrial applications. Headquartered in Spencer, Massachusetts, FLEXcon has operations throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia.
Bryan Garcia is the president and CEO of the Connecticut Green Bank – the nation’s first state-level green bank. The “green bank model” is demonstrating how smarter use of public resources can attract more private investment in the green energy economy – reducing energy burden on households and businesses, creating jobs in local communities, increasing the deployment of clean energy, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause global climate change. With its message of “Inclusive Prosperity”, the Green Bank won the “Innovations in American Government Award” in 2017 by the Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation.
Before joining the Green Bank, Garcia was program director for the Yale Center for Business and the Environment. At Yale, Garcia led efforts to develop a leading global program responsible for preparing environmental leaders for business and society. There he was co-editor of two publications – “Carbon Finance: Environmental Market Solutions to Climate Change” and “Carbon Finance II: Investing in Forests for Climate Protection”. Prior to Yale, he served as Connecticut’s Climate Change Coordinator where he supported the Governor’s Steering Committee on Climate Change. Early in his career, he was a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer specializing in NGO capacity building and environmental education in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Bryan is the Co-Chair of the Financing Solutions Working Group of the State Energy Efficiency Action Network (SEEAction Network), on the boards of the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University, Institute for Sustainable Communities, the Yale Center for Business and the Environment, and the co-chair of Sustainable Connecticut.
He holds a B.S. degree in political economy of natural resources from U.C. Berkeley, M.P.A. in public and non-profit administration and an M.B.A. in finance from New York University, and an M.E.M. degree from Yale University.
Dr. Shekhar Garde is Dean of Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Garde provides leadership and administration including strategic planning and implementation, academic programs, budgets, government/industry relations, alumni engagement, and fundraising. The largest among five schools, Engineering enrolls ~3600 UGs (>30% women) and 700 grad students, representing ~60% of the Institute’s enrollment.
Garde received his B. Chem. Eng. (University of Bombay) and Ph.D. (U. Delaware) in Chemical Engineering. He was Director’s post-doctoral fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory before joining Rensselaer in 1999, appointed the Parker Chaired Professor in 2006, Chemical and Biological Engineering Department Head in 2007 and served for seven years before becoming Dean of Engineering.
Dr. Garde’s research employs statistical mechanical theory and molecular modeling and simulation tools to understand the role of water in biological interactions.
Joseph J. Giulietti has served as Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation since January 2019.
A 48-year veteran in public transportation and a native of Connecticut, “Joe” Giulietti served as President of Metro-North Railroad from 2014 to 2017, and as Deputy Executive Director and then Executive Director of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority from 1998 to 2014.
Giulietti began his career in 1971 with Penn Central Railroad as a brakeman. In 1978, he became a foreman with Conrail (the successor to Penn Central) and joined the newly formed Metro-North in 1983 as superintendent of transportation.
In 2014, Giulietti was tapped by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to serve as President of Metro-North. He retired from Metro-North in 2017 and then worked as an independent industry consultant.
Joseph J. Helble was appointed Provost of Dartmouth College in May 2018. Formerly the Dean of Dartmouth’s Thayer School of Engineering, Helble brought national prominence to the school, making it a national leader in educating women in engineering, and creating the first engineering PhD innovation program in the country to prepare doctoral candidates for entrepreneurial success.
He is a co-recipient of the National Academy of Engineering’s 2014 Bernard M. Gordon Prize for Innovation in Engineering and Technology Education for the design and implementation of Dartmouth’s Engineering Entrepreneurship Program (which includes the PHD Innovation Program), and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Helble received his BS in chemical engineering from Lehigh University, and his PhD in chemical engineering from MIT.
Kurt A. Hesch became Sr. Vice President – Programs and Planning, in November 2019. This follows his roles as Chief Operating Officer, Vice President – Engineering and Vice President and Virginia Class Program Manager. In his current role, Hesch is responsible for key functions including Engineering, Supply Chain, Virginia Program and Columbia Program. Hesch received his Bachelors in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts in 1980 and his Masters in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1992. He is married with three children, all University of Connecticut graduates (along with two of their spouses).
Geoff Hunt is senior vice president of Engineering & Technology at Pratt & Whitney, the company that introduced the Geared Turbofan™ engine to reduce the environmental impact of commercial airframes. He leads Pratt & Whitney’s global Engineering team, with a focus on designing and supporting world leading propulsion systems for commercial, military, business and general aviation use, developing technical leadership and capability, and advancing technology development programs that will support the next generation of engines. His 35-year career in the aerospace industry has included leading roles in the development of landmark products in aerospace.
Hunt holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Sheffield University, England, and an MBA from Boston University. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
Carol Juel is Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Synchrony, one of the nation’s premier consumer financial services companies.
Carol leads Synchrony’s overall information technology strategy and digital transformation, including cloud and AI. Carol has played an integral role in moving Synchrony to an agile culture to promote speed and innovation throughout the company. She focuses her team on creating leading payment solutions for partners and customers and plays a major
role in forging new technology partnerships that provide Synchrony a competitive advantage. In addition, Carol co-chairs Synchrony’s Innovation Steering Committee.
Carol was honored by ORBIE as the 2019 CIO of the Year and was named one of the most “Influential Women in Payments” by PaymentsSource in 2016 and 2017.
Prior to Synchrony’s separation from GE in 2015, Carol served as Chief Information Officer of GE Capital Retail Finance. In her ten years with GE, she held a variety of senior leadership roles in technology governance, security, business development, digital and marketing. Before joining GE, Carol was a technology consultant at Accenture where she focused on the financial services sector, developing strategic technology initiatives that drove growth and operational excellence for clients.
Carol is a passionate advocate for advancing women in technology and mentors women inside and outside of the company. She is the executive sponsor of the company’s Girls Who Code Summer Immersion and Club Programs. She also serves as the executive sponsor of Synchrony’s Women’s Network, one of eight Synchrony diversity networks which promote diversity, inclusion and belonging throughout the company. She is a member of the Advisory Board for the School of Engineering at the University of Connecticut.
Carol earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of the Holy Cross.
Paul S. Lavoie was appointed by Governor Ned Lamont as the Chief Manufacturing Officer for Connecticut in February 2022. The Chief Manufacturing Officer position was created to coordinate efforts from the state and private sector to expand manufacturing in Connecticut.
Paul has extensive industry experience, most recently as General Manager at Carey Manufacturing in Cromwell, CT. Carey is known for their reshoring efforts, bringing jobs back from China to Connecticut. Prior to Carey, Paul has owned two businesses and served at senior level positions at publicly traded and privately owned businesses.
Paul serves as the Board Chair of the Central CT Chambers of Commerce, member of the i4.0 Working Group, and a member of Senator Chris Murphy’s Aerospace and Advance Manufacturing Advisory Council. In 2022, Paul was named as one of the Greater Hartford’s Top 50 Power Players by Hartford Business Journal.
Dr. Lee is responsible for the scientific direction and coordination of The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) for Genomic Medicine.
Dr. Lee joined JAX Genomic Medicine from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital. He is best known for his discovery that copy--number variation—a state in which cells have an abnormal number of DNA sections, sometimes associated with susceptibility or resistance to disease—is widespread and significant in the human genome. This discovery, and his subsequent research, has provided tools that clinicians use to help them make accurate diagnoses for hundreds of thousands of genetic tests every year on conditions such as autism, birth defects and cancer.
Throughout his career, Dr. Lee has received numerous accolades and awards for his research into the human genome, including an Award from the American Association for Cancer Research and the 2008 Ho-Am Prize in Medicine. He is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), a 2014 Thompson Reuters Citation Laureate and is currently president of the Human Genome Organization (HUGO).
Dr. Liu is the President and CEO of The Jackson Laboratory, an independent, not-for-profit organization focusing on mammalian genetics research, in order to advance human health. Dr. Liu, who was the Past President of the Human Genome Organisation, was the founding Executive Director of the Genome Institute of Singapore between 2001-2012, a major research institute of 27 laboratory groups and a staff of 270, with faculty in functional genomics, computational biology, population genetics and genome-to-systems biology. Before moving to Singapore in 2001, Dr. Liu was the scientific director of the National Cancer Institute’s then Division of Clinical Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Liu’s research has focused on the functional genomics of human cancers, particularly breast cancer, uncovering new oncogenes and deciphering the dynamics of gene regulation on a genomic scale. His current work focuses on the genomic dynamics of triple negative breast cancer that has an impact on drug sensitivity and resistance. He has authored over 300 scientific papers and reviews and co-authored two books.
Dr. Liu obtained his B.S. in chemistry and psychology and his M.D. at Stanford University.
After graduating from the University of Connecticut with a BSEE of Biomedical Engineering, Robert Madonna explored engineering and sciences until 1988, when he founded Excel Switching Corporation.
Spurred by de-regulation in the telecommunications industry, Excel introduced an open-based switching platform that enabled rapid deployment of new features. Excel became a leading provider of open programmable switches, leading to a successful IPO in 1997. Two years later, Excel was purchased by Lucent Technologies for $1.7B.
Madonna founded Savant Systems LLC in 2005, changing the smart home marketplace with a revolutionary configuration software solution called RacePoint Blueprint™. Delivering vastly superior efficiency and scalability, Savant is sold globally through qualified integrators and specialty retailers.
Most recently, Madonna founded RacePoint Energy, a new venture specializing in groundbreaking alternative energy solutions.
Tom A. Martin was born in Great Bend, KS. He received his B.S. (Engineering Science ’63) from Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ; M.S. (Math ’69) from Trinity College, Hartford, CT; and M.S. (EE ’71), Ph.D. (EE ’74) and MBA (’81) degrees from the University of Connecticut, Storrs. His Ph.D. dissertation was on the application of microwave network theory to the analysis of acoustic devices.
From ’64 to ’65, he was a systems analyst with IBM’s Advanced Systems Development Division, Yorktown Heights, NY. He then joined Andersen Laboratories, Bloomfield, CT (’65-’80), where he was Vice President and Technical Director.
In 1982, Dr. Martin co-founded Phonon Corporation, where he was President and Chairman of the Board. Phonon wss a leading manufacturer of custom high performance SAW microelectronic devices and subsystems for the military and space electronics markets. He retired in 2017 when Phonon was sold to Microsemi Corp.
Dr. Martin is a member of Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, and the IEEE.
Rick Mastracchio is a Director in Program Management at Northrop Grumman Corporation. He is serving as program manager for NASA’s Gateway programs.
Rick is a former NASA Astronaut, Mission Specialist, Flight Engineer and EVA Spacewalk Lead. He has nearly 20 years of experience as an Astronaut and extensive experience in project management, systems design, engineering and technical operations. He has served as a crew member on the Space Shuttles Atlantis, Discovery and Endeavor, a Russian Soyuz spacecraft and ISS.
A native of Connecticut, Rick earned a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering/Computer Science from the University of Connecticut, and master’s degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Houston.
Rick is an experienced public speaker who uses his space mission experiences to develop topics for industry and uses NASA’s missions to excite and educate students of all ages.
Matt manages CI’s full array of business startup and growth initiatives, which include venture and equity investment funds, loans and loan guarantees, and programs to support innovation, entrepreneurship, collaboration and commercialization. A veteran business executive, Matt has more than 20 years of experience in venture capital, sales, marketing and product management.
Matt comes to CI from Chart Venture Partners (CVP), a New York City-based technology venture capital firm. While at CVP, Matt led investments and played an operating role in turnarounds for several successful portfolio companies. Prior to CVP, Matt was a director at Columbia University Science and Technology Ventures (STV), where he helped launch and manage a portfolio of spinout companies, as well as the deployment of STV’s profitable seed fund. During his tenure, 11 portfolio companies went public or were acquired by publicly traded companies.
Prior to Columbia, Matt co-founded Eureka Networks, a communications and application software organization. Eureka was eventually sold for more than $100 million. Prior to that, Matt managed product development, new product roll-outs, and sales and marketing for two Fortune 500 companies, Becton Dickinson and MCI.
Matt has also served as a business and technology reviewer for the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Navy, the Department of Energy and various other agencies in the U.S. government. Matt received his B.A. from Boston College and his M.B.A. from Columbia University Graduate School of Business.
As Carnegie Mellon University’s vice president for research, J.Michael McQuade provides leadership for the university’s research enterprise and advocates for the role that science, technology and innovation play nationally and globally.
From 2006 to 2018 he served as senior vice president for Science & Technology at United Technologies Corporation (UTC). At UTC, McQuade’s responsibilities included providing strategic oversight and guidance for research, engineering and development activities throughout the business units of the corporation and at the United Technologies Research Center, focused on a broad range of high-technology products and services for the global aerospace and building systems industries.
McQuade held senior positions with technology development and business oversight at 3M, Imation and Eastman Kodak. He served as vice president of 3M’s Medical Division and president of Eastman Kodak’s Health Imaging Business. His early career at 3M was focused on research and development of high-end acquisition, processing and display systems for health care, industrial imaging and remote sensing. He has broad experience managing basic technology development and the conversion of early stage research into business growth.
McQuade holds Ph.D., M.S. and B.S. degrees in physics from Carnegie Mellon University. He received his Ph.D. in experimental high-energy physics for research performed at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory on charm quark production.
McQuade served as a member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board and is a member of the Defense Innovation Board.
Kris has 35 years of corporate, academic and professional society leadership experience in environmental health and safety (EHS), sustainability and engineering. She has led global EHS operations for Fortune 100 companies, including GE, Tyco, UTC, ABB/CE and currently serves as Vice President EHS & Sustainability with Baxter International, Inc.
Kris earned a B.S. in Biology from Fairfield University, an M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Connecticut, a Masters in Environmental Management from Yale University, and an Executive MBA from the University of Connecticut. She is a licensed Professional Engineer in nine states; a Board-Certified Environmental Engineer in the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists; a Certified Safety Professional, Diplomate; Water Resources Engineer; and an ENVISIONTM Sustainability Professional.
For several years, Kris was a visiting lecturer at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and previously served on its alumni board. She was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Engineers at the University of Connecticut, School of Engineering, and presently serves on both the University of Connecticut’s School of Engineering and Civil and Environmental Engineering advisory boards. Kris is also an advisory board member of ehsAI, an artificial intelligence developer for EHS compliance, and a board member at large for the Abundant Environment Foundation, and a board member of the World Environment Center (WEC).
An active member in many professional organizations, Kris is a Fellow in the American Society of Civil Engineers, past President of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES), and a former President of the National Association of Environmental Managers (NAEM). In November 2019, Kris was selected as an honoree in the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame.
Dr. Sharon Nunes retired from IBM in 2012, after 28 years in several areas of IBM’s businesses: Research, Development, Office of the Chairman, Business Development and Sales. During her career, Sharon helped to launch two global businesses for IBM: Life Sciences (2001) which grew into a billion dollar business, and Big Green Innovations (2006), which became one of the cornerstones of IBM’s Smarter Planet program. Sharon merged her background in Materials Science and Engineering, with her knowledge of Information Technology to anticipate new business needs and convince her superiors to invest in new growth areas for the business. Together with clients and partners, Sharon’s mission at IBM was to demonstrate how information technology played a critical role in helping to solve the world’s problems.
Dr. Nunes held numerous executive positions at IBM, but is most proud of the recognition she received for mentoring women and early-career employees. In 2004, she was awarded IBM’s Fran Allen Mentoring Award and in 2006 was named a National Association of Female Executives (NAFE) “Women of Excellence”national award winner for her impact in mentoring technical women. In 2009, Sharon was recognized as a Women’s History Month Honoree as one of the “Women Taking the Lead to Save our Planet” and was inducted into the WITI (Women in Technology International) Hall of Fame. While at IBM, Sharon was a leader in the IBM Global Women’s Council and co-chair of the global “Women in Technology”committee at IBM.
Dr. Nunes received her Ph.D. in Materials Science in 1983 from the University of Connecticut. She has held numerous board positions over the past two decades, including the Board of Directors for the University of Connecticut Foundation for eight years, and five years on the Project Advisory Board for Idaho’s “Managing Idaho’s Landscapes for Ecosystem Services”NSF EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement award. Dr. Nunes was a National Academy of Engineering “Frontiers of Engineering” fellow and was a member of the National Academy of Engineering “Engineer of 2020″ advisory board. In 2006, she was inducted into the University of Connecticut Academy of Engineering for Distinguished Engineers and in 2019 was elected to the National Academy of Engineering.
Matt Olander was named Vice President for Design and Engineering, at General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, CT in January of 2021. Matt is responsible for all engineering and design and CONFORM Design at Electric Boat.
Prior to this assignment, Matt Olander assumed the role as the Director of Virginia Program and CONFORM Design. He was responsible for integrating CONFORM, Undersea Dominance, and SubSea Warfare technologies into the Virginia and future attack designs. The result was a more streamlined design organization overseeing VCS Block V, Block VI and Subsea and Seabed Warfare (SSW) design, consolidating these significant design programs under one leader. In this role Matt was also responsible for leading the company’s work on advanced undersea concepts, Independent Research and Development and managing several special programs.
Matt has over 26 years of experience at Electric Boat and has held positions of increasing responsibility, including roles such as developing new capabilities for USS JIMMY CARTER first as Lead Engineer for the original Multi Mission Program design, Program Manager for BRIZO and WATCHTOWER Programs and earlier on as Senior Program Manager for the development of the External Arrangeable Volume. He is the recipient of the General Dynamics Technology Excellence Award in 2004.
Matt graduated from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a MS Mechanical Engineering and from University of Connecticut with a dual BS in Mechanical Engineering and Material Science.
Jean Olive is the Chief Technology Officer for Best Buy Health responsible for technology strategy and architecture, product design and delivery, digital transformations, and operational excellence. Prior Best Buy, Jean was VP of ERP Strategy and Transformation at Schneider Electric, where she led the global quote to cash digital strategy and business transformation programs. Jean’s career has been centered on global companies with a mission to improve and saves lives. At Global Philips, she was the SVP and Head of IT, Business Groups and North America, leading the IT organizations and business transformations for Health Technology. Prior to Philips, Jean spent more than 20 years at Raytheon Company where she progressed through a variety of engineering, supply chain and leadership positions making significant contributions to defense systems including Patriot and Amraam.
Jean is a champion for agile and product methodologies to enable business agility, advancing women in technology and leadership, and inclusion and diversity as a competitive advantage. Jean resides in the Boston area with her husband Stephen and together they have five grown children. Jean is a sports junkie and an advocate for healthy living and improving lives with technology and was the co-chair for the Boston American Heart Association Heart Walk.
Jean received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Connecticut in 1984. She is a member of the UConn Academy of Distinguished Engineers Class of 2015.
Thomas Prete was named Engineering Vice President for Military Engines for Pratt & Whitney in August of 2016. In this newly created position he has overall leadership responsibility for all technical activities related to military engine programs. This includes working with Military Engines Leadership to create future product strategies, technologies and innovation, and advanced military propulsion systems for the Warfighter and their allies. His responsibilities also include the on-time, on-budget delivery of critical program milestones and external customer requirements as well as leading military airworthiness, product reliability and safety, production and sustainment support, and flight test support for Pratt & Whitney’s development and operational fleet.
Thomas has been with Pratt & Whitney since 1989, holding roles of increasing leadership responsibility in engineering, operations, aftermarket, and customer support.
During his career at Pratt & Whitney, Tom has been heavily engaged in various leadership positions focused on helping the community and the engineering profession through organizations such as the United Way, Engineers Without Borders, ASME and Engineering Ambassadors.
Tom holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from UConn, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer and an MBA from UConn.
CIO Mark Raymond has been a member of the State of Connecticut leadership team since 2011. As CIO, Mr. Raymond oversees the Department of Administrative Services’ Bureau of Enterprise Systems and Technology as well as the operational responsibilities for the state’s technology infrastructure. During his tenure, Connecticut has reduced spending on technology, focused on sharing of technology solutions across government and improved the security and availability of state systems. Mr. Raymond is currently focused on transformation improvements in Digital Government and Optimization of Technology across agencies.
Beyond his work with the state, Mr. Raymond serves as the past president for the Executive Committee of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers, previously holding rolls as Secretary/Treasurer, Vice-President and President.
A native of Connecticut, Mr. Raymond graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Degree in Computer Science and Engineering.
In his role as Senior Vice President and CTO, Eric Reed is responsible for the Global Infrastructure Services and Technology Operations Group. This includes: storage, mainframe, data and voice networks, public and private cloud technologies, the data center, and end- user engineering and support.
Prior to joining Cigna, Eric spent approximately 25 years in engineering, product development, and information technology in a variety of businesses at General Electric (GE). He joined General Electric’s Edison Engineering Program in 1991 at GE Electrical Distribution and Control. Eric’s prior role to joining Cigna was as the Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of GE Capital.
Eric holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Connecticut.
Currently Steve is the WW Director for IBM Cognitive City Solutions in IBM’s Internet of Things organization. Steve has 30 years of experience designing, developing and deploying worldwide technology and City solutions. In the past five years, he has led the creation and growth of IBMs City Solution, Command Control, Physical Security and Public Safety businesses working closely with international officials and public safety experts from around the globe. Steve is focused on advanced research technology and emerging technologies in a variety of segments. He works very closely with clients on the implementation of technology to improve efficiency to better manage personnel and assets, and to proactively handle threats. He has worked closely with public and private sector on technologies to continuously optimize these solutions. He has degrees in software and hardware engineering with experience in executive management, as well as industry experience, business and solution development, solution architecture, advanced technology implementation. Stephen as served on the IJIS board of directors. He also serves on the advisory board for the Institute for Ethics in Technology of UC University, Lviv, Ukraine. He has also taught under-graduate and graduate classes on Emerging Technology and business development. Steve has lectured at numerous international conferences and universities. He also serves as PEP Executive for the University of Connecticut. In addition, he holds leadership positions in multiple charitable organizations.
Ramesh Sepehrrad is an author, scholar and practitioner with unique multidisciplinary background in technology executive leadership, innovation, research in cybersecurity, conflict resolutions, gender studies and international relations. Dr. Sepehrrad, brings more than 25 years of experience in technology, academic research and joint consortium management between public, private and academic sectors focusing on innovative transformations, risk management, policy, international governance, security, international operations, and customer relations across multiple industries.
In her FinTech roles, Dr. Sepehrrad leads the Enterprise Risk Management groups to reduce overall operational and cybersecurity risk for the firm. She headed the governance, risk management process, and risk culture on technology, information and resiliency. Prior to joining various FinTech companies, she was at Comcast for 10 years and responsible for several GRC, cybersecurity oversight in several areas including product and enterprise security practices. At Comcast, she also led successful R&D initiatives on hardware security, IoT, and Blockchain. She is the founder and Managing Director of S&B Strategies supporting Chief Risk Officers, CIO’s and CISO’s on adoption of Operational Risk within financial sectors and the largest Credit Union in America. With expertise in cybersecurity, technology and business resiliency, Dr. Sepehrrad is a recognized among the industry scholars and practitioners in US and Europe.
Dr. Sepehrrad has been the recipient of many industry, executive leadership, and academic awards including the Academy of Distinguished Engineers at the University of Connecticut. In 2017, Dr. Sepehrrad received the Cybersecurity Innovation Award at the Cyberseed Conference. In 2018, Dr. Sepehrrad presented at the prestigious RSA Conference on “Age of the Machines in Cyber—Machine Learning and AI, the Next Frontier.”
Dr. Sepehrrad is currently severing on several boards including technology and cybersecurity companies, advising three nonprofit organizations, including University of Connecticut, and a founding member and executive sponsor of Center for Security Innovation at University of Connecticut.
Dr. Sepehrrad holds a bachelor’s degree from State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNYAB) in Computer Science, Master of Science in Political Science and PhD in Conflict Analysts and Resolution from George Mason University. She is an established author and her recent book is titled “Cyber, Social Conflicts and Humanity.”
Sudhakar V. Shenoy is Founder, Chairman and CEO of ALYX Technologies, Inc. (a technology services company) and was recently named one of the Top 25 Most Influential People in the Washington, DC high-tech industry, as well as being awarded the 2004 Executive of the Year by the Northern Virginia GovCon Council, the Professional Services Council, and Washington Technology. Mr. Shenoy embodies the same technology expertise and unique, client-driven approach that has earned both he and ALYX Technologies recognition in media including Time (August 2000), ABC News, Washington Technology, and the Washington Business Journal. ALYX Technologies projects have received the prestigious Golden Hammer Awards, awarded by the Vice President of the United States – as well as ALYX Technologies was listed in the Top 20 “Ones to Watch” list and won a GCN Industry IT award for being the Top Fast-Growth Firm.
Mr. Shenoy received a B. Tech.with honors in electrical engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, an M.S. in electrical engineering and an M.B.A. from the University of Connecticut Schools of Engineering and Business Administration, respectively.
Doug Shidler is a consultant specializing in industry and military vertical lift challenges with 37 years experience. Provide consulting services to both government and industry teams in vertical lift areas that include program management, business development, product support, strategic planning, and next generation technology applications. Prior to this role, he was responsible for development of the next generation high-speed medium lift helicopter in a partnership between Sikorsky Aircraft and Boeing Aircraft. The SB>1 Defiant™ will take the X2 Technology TM that was demonstrated and will be apply it in a military application. Prior to his current position, Doug was the Program Director for the S-97 Raider™ development program. The S-97 also leveraged the X2 Technology™ for Light Tactical Helicopter applications.
Doug joined Sikorsky Aircraft as an engineer in February 1984. He supported the development of the MH-60K Special Operations aircraft program in several capacities. He became the UH-60Q chief engineer, and then moved on to become the Chief Engineer for the BLACK HAWK Product Line. Doug became Director, Air Vehicle Design in April of 2000 and then promoted to the position of BLACK HAWK Program Manager in May 2002. In May 2006, Doug was assigned Vice President Marine Corps Programs. This included the VH Fleet, support of the CH-53D/E aircraft and the CH-53K Development Programs. In February 2008, Doug was assigned Vice President Army Programs, which included U. S. Army, Air Force, and International programs.
Doug received a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Connecticut in 1983. He was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Engineers at UCONN, serves on the University of Connecticut, School of Engineering Advisory Board and Roger Williams School of Engineering Advisory Board. He received his MBA from the University of Bridgeport in 1989. He was the Connecticut Chapter President for Army Aviation Association of America for 13 years. In addition, Doug co-founded and mentored a local high school FIRST robotics program for 13 years.
Paul Singer is the Research & Development Manager for the North American Technology Center for ABB’s Distribution Solutions Division. He leads the research and development teams in several sites in the US and Mexico for this $1B business. He also leads ABBs new Product Development Center in Bloomfield Connecticut.
Paul joined ABB from the acquisition of GE Industrial Solutions in 2018. Through his career at General Electric he has held various product design and development positions within the electrical distribution industry including roles as R&D Technology Platforms Manager, Technology General Manager, Chief Technology Manager, and Chief Engineer.
Paul holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University University of Connecticut and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He holds 14 patents for various electrical distribution inventions and is a member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering.
Paul Stuart has over 28 years of experience in the health care industry at Procter and Gamble Company, Inc. and Pfizer, Inc. Mr. Stuart’s professional background includes leadership roles in engineering, product development, manufacturing, outsourcing, finance, and supply chain management.
As Vice President of the Drug Product Supply organization at Pfizer Worldwide R&D, Mr. Stuart has global responsibility for drug product manufacturing, materials management, and sourcing activities in support of clinical trials conducted globally by Pfizer, Inc. He also sponsors the Digital Acceleration strategy for the Pharmaceutical Sciences organization.
Mr. Stuart earned his BS degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Connecticut and an MBA degree from the Lally School of Management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Matt leads the Military Development engineering team across multiple programs including Adaptive, proprietary / special programs, and Gatorworks. Across all, the leadership team is guided by a persistent commitment to our warfighters and honor of defining the future of military engine propulsion at P&W.
Before this position, Matt has held various program and organizational systems engineering roles, most recently as Adaptive Engines Program Chief Engineer and, previous to that, Senior Director for the Propulsion Systems Analysis organization.
Matt holds a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Connecticut, an MBA from University of Massachusetts, and an Engineering certificate from Stanford University.
Outside of work, he enjoys staying active, traveling, and flying as a private pilot.
Mark Vergnano serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for The Chemours Company, a Fortune 500 $6B revenue chemistry company. He previously served as the company’s initial President and CEO upon its spinoff from DuPont in July 2015 until July 2021.
Vergnano began his career at DuPont in 1980 as a process engineer in its fibers business. He went on to serve the company in various leadership capacities and geographic locales over the next 35 years, culminating in his appointment as Executive Vice President in October 2009.
Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Vergnano received his Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Connecticut and a Master’s degree in business administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a member of the University of Connecticut School of Engineering Academy of Distinguished Engineers and Hall of Fame. Vergnano was the 2018 recipient of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ (AIChE) Government and Industry Leaders (AGILE) Award and was named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year for Philadelphia in 2019.
Vergnano is a member of the Board of Directors of Johnson Controls International. He is the past Chairman of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) Board of Directors, past Chairman of the National Safety Council Board of Directors, and a past board member of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). He is the present Chair of the Future of Stem Scholars Initiative (FOSSI), a national chemical industry-wide program providing scholarships, mentoring and internships to students pursuing STEM degrees at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Ray Wright is the Dean of Engineering at the University of Rhode Island and holds the Vincent and Estelle Murphy Chair in Engineering. He has held this position since 2007.
Wright served as chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and in 1997 was named a Distinguished Engineering Professor in the College of Engineering. He joined the URI faculty in 1981. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Rhode Island.
During his URI career, Wright has been the principal investigator on many multi-disciplinary research projects in the areas of water quality monitoring and modeling of surface water systems. His work has been published in national and international journals. He has been the advisor and mentor to over 60 graduate students. In 2015 he received The Rhode Island Society of Professional Engineer's, The Engineer of the Year Award.
He received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Tufts University in 1973 and his Masters and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University in 1978 and 1982.
