Sara Beatty

Sara provides government consulting services and trade analysis to U.S. manufacturers and associations and works in government relations advocating on behalf of the domestic textile industry. Her work focuses on tracking pending trade initiatives and pressing for strong textile rules in U.S. free trade and preference agreements. Sara represents the U.S. Industrial and Narrow Fabrics Institute (USINFI) a member group of the Advanced Textiles Association (ATA), and the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO).

Shannan Billings

Shannan Billings is currently the US based Director and Global Lead for Fibers in the Aromatics, Fibers and Derivatives team of Commodity Insights for S&P Global Energy. In this role, she is responsible for analyzing and reporting on market developments, engaging with industry across key trends and delivering insights in the fibers supply chain, polyamide and PET polymers.

Shannan Billings joined S&P Global from Shaw Industries, a Berkshire Hathaway company. She was the senior director of direct and indirect sourcing as well as outside manufacturing. Shannan’s team of 35 managed a portfolio of $2.5 billion in spend. While at Shaw, Shannan completed her MBA in Finance with Kennesaw State University. Prior to Shaw, Shannan started her career in fiber manufacturing at DuPont Martinsville as a co-op. She graduated Virginia Tech with a chemical engineering degree and joined Union Camp Paper / International Paper managing Title V permitting, NSPS and Cluster Rule compliance which then led to an operations role in pulping, bleaching, power & recovery. Shannan has over 32 years of experience in manufacturing operations, process control, project management, sourcing and procurement strategy and product development.

Drew Child, Ph.D., PMP

Drew has 33 years of experience in all phases of research and development. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry from Texas -Arlington/University of Florida. Starting his career as a research chemist, Drew is a named inventor on 26 issued US patents in the areas of radar camouflage, heat- and flame-resistant coatings, and e-textiles. After moving to a technology management position, Drew became passionate about improving the NPD process and investigating the role of Stage-Gate and project management in research and development projects. He received his Project Management Professional (PMP) certification in 2014, and in his current role as Vice President of Research and Development, Drew is responsible for driving profitable growth through new product introductions.

Ron Houle

Ron Houle is Founder and President of Pivot Step Consultants, LLC. Prior to founding his consulting practice, Ron served for twelve years as vice president of Washington Operations for HDT Global. Ron’s focus was on opportunities and programs of record in the defense, homeland security, first responder and community hospitals sectors. He has led company partnerships with federal, state and local emergency response agencies, including strategies supporting military support to civilian agencies.

Since joining HDT Global in 2003, Ron was actively involved with the company’s growth in both the defense and non-defense applications of core products. Ron was leading the company’s initiative to develop and deploy technologies that will result in a highly mobile tactical power grid.

Prior to joining HDT Global, Ron served as the director for legislative affairs and later as the chief of staff at the national headquarters of the American Red Cross. Ron is a retired Army Colonel with over 24 years of Active Duty service, and a graduate of the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY.

Kevin Lee

Kevin P. Lee is the Executive Director of the Institute for AI and Democratic Governance and a former law professor. He was the founding Intel Chair in Social Justice and Racial Equity at North Carolina Central University School of Law and the founding director of the Campbell Law Innovation Institute. Holding an advanced degrees in philosophy and religion, his work explores the intersection of AI, law, and Democracy. He previously held the inaugural chair of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Future of Law Committee and was recognized as a FastCase 50 leading legal innovator. He is currently a contributor at North Carolina State University’s CASE Center within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and he is finishing a book titled Our Unfinished Work: Reclaiming Democracy in the Age of AI, forthcoming from Johns Hopkins University Press.

James Robilotta, CSP

James Robilotta, CSP, is a leadership author, motivational speaker, emcee, and trained improv comedian. After years of building, training, and leading teams, James followed an entrepreneurial dream and built two successful businesses. The first is an organization that incorporates freestyle rap into improv comedy (a success story for another day). And the second is his speaking and coaching business (a success story for today).

James has been speaking internationally to willing and unwilling audiences since 2009 and has found that quality humor is the secret to hosting powerful conversations that make a genuine impact. His attendees leave feeling recharged, introspective, and ready to get out of their own way.

With years of research (and a few too many real-life case studies within his work), James has learned everything he can about fighting apathy and building strong company cultures. He uses this insight to help leaders manage and retain talent and give feedback that sticks, and to help organizations create community buy-in using curiosity.

James’ cornerstone concept is that we as humans can’t learn from people who are perfect, we can only learn from people who are imperfect. And companies like American Express, GE, Accenture, and Afterpay have gravitated toward this message and found the insights to be invaluable in shifting the way their people show up for each other. James is working to bring humanity and community back into the workplace. He is on a mission to ensure that people are seen, heard, respected… and giggling a little, too.

Roger Tutterow, Ph.D

Roger Tutterow is Professor of Economics at Kennesaw State University where he holds the Henssler Financial Endowed Chair.

His analysis of the economic, business and political environments have been featured in a variety of media including Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Business Week, Forbes, USA Today, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Arizona Republic, Florida Times-Union, Kansas City Star, New York Times, Orlando Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Wichita Eagle and on CNN, CNBC, NBC, Bloomberg Television, NPR’s “Marketplace” and “All Things Considered,” CNN-Radio as well as by regional electronic and print media.

In addition to his work in academia, Dr. Tutterow has served as a consultant on financial economics and statistical modeling for corporate clients, from Fortune 500 companies to closely held businesses. He has provided expert testimony on economic, financial and statistical matters in state and federal court, before the Georgia General Assembly and before the Georgia Public Service Commission. Dr. Tutterow has given several hundred speeches to professional groups in over 40 states and Canada on topics in the economic, business and political arenas.

Dean Wegner

Dean is the Founder & CEO of Authentically American, a Veteran owned, American made premium apparel brand that was founded in 2017. They are a company that celebrates patriotism, believes in the American worker, and honors our American heroes by intentionally donating 10% of profits to Veteran and First Responder charities. A West Point graduate, Dean served 7 years as a helicopter pilot and Army Ranger. The majority of his business career was spent in business development, marketing, and strategy with Mars and Procter & Gamble. Dean and Authentically American are riding a wave of national media exposure having been featured in Forbes, Inc. Magazine, FOX News, MSNBC, Nasdaq, Newsmax TV, and SiriusXM Radio. In 2024, Authentically American was selected by the Small Business Administration (SBA) from 8000+ businesses in the state of Tennessee as the Veteran Owned Business of the Year. Dean is happily married to his bride of 31 years and they have 4 children, with the youngest being adopted from Ethiopia. As a former Division I ice hockey player, Dean is highly competitive, possesses a tireless work ethic, and he still plays in a Men’s “Beer League” every week. Dean is active in his church and has served on the boards of many for-profit and non-profit companies and organizations.