Ms. Rosemarie McClean brings to the position over 32 years of progressively responsible experience in pension administration and management. Previously she was Chief Operating Officer of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan in Toronto where she managed a sizable budget and was responsible for operational activities including financial operations for pension administration and investments, information technology, project management, and process improvement.

Before that position, Ms. McClean served as Senior Vice-President of Member Services in the Pension Plan and was accountable for all aspects of service delivery to retired and working teachers in Ontario. Named as one of the Most Powerful Women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network in 2008, she has mentored young leaders throughout her career.

Ms. McClean holds a Master of Business Administration from the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Management from the University of Waterloo. She holds a Certified Public Accountant designation.

Mr. Gallucci leads the Regulatory Strategy efforts for Circle, the company behind the $24 billion stable coin, USDC.

Dr. Stornetta is a visionary in the field of computer science. He is widely recognized as one of the pioneers of blockchain technology, having co-authored the foundational work on blockchain with Stuart Haber in the early 1990s. Their groundbreaking research laid the groundwork for many of the decentralized systems that we rely on today.

With a career spanning over three decades, Dr. Stornetta’s contributions extend far beyond the realm of blockchain. His expertise in cryptography, distributed computing, and cybersecurity has earned him acclaim throughout the academic and tech communities. Currently serving as Chief Scientist at Yugen Partners, Dr. Stornetta continues to push the boundaries of innovation, exploring the intersection of technology and society.

Mr. Wong has extensive experience working with the Federal Reserve Board and the Bank for International Settlements prior to joining the Stellar Development Foundation. His expertise in public blockchains, particularly his involvement in the development of the Transparent Network (TPN), Ukraine’s first real-time retail payment solution, is an invaluable resource for educating policymakers on how blockchain technology can transform government finance.

TPN, a real-time settlement system, is a prime example of how financial services can leverage public blockchains for improved transparency and efficiency. This initiative, supported by DCM and the Independent Association of the Banks of Ukraine (NABU), is poised to have a significant impact on Ukraine’s recovery efforts.

D. R. Maurice is a global expert in central banking and IT risk management working with financial institutions in New York, London, Africa, and around the world. Her area of expertise includes digital transformation, spearheading initiatives in central bank digital currency and blockchain technologies, prioritizing financial inclusion. Her expertise includes regulatory sandbox platforms, with notable engagements in emerging markets. Drawing from her extensive background, which includes roles at prominent institutions such as BNP Paribas, Moody’s Investors Services, and Morgan Stanley, Maurice brings a unique perspective to the intersection of finance, technology, and governance. Holding academic qualifications from institutions like Salem State College, Arizona State University, and the London School of Economics, she is also recognized for her numerous contributions to literature in the field and is actively involved maturing the industry.

Note: D. R. Maurice speaks in her personal capacity, with her views representing her own and not reflecting any official government positions or policies.

Over 15 years of legal and regulatory expereince with securities and cryptocurrency. Prior to working at Chainalysis as the Head of North American Policy, Mr. Somensatto worked at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as a FinTech Policy Specialist and was the acting director of LabCFTC. His expereince also includes being the Senior Councel for cryptocurrency tool developer, ox Labs.

Dr. David Utzke is a retired federal agent with the IRS-Criminal Investigation Cybercrimes Headquarters, where he managed fraud related to digital assets. He led a project with the FDIC to ensure the security of digital asset keys in cases of bank failures. He collaborated with the Department of Justice through the Asset Forfeiture Investigative Support Services (AFISS) contract. Now, he’s the Senior Director of Digital Assets Security at Wave Digital Assets and serves as the VP of Emerging Technology Integration at Klover.ai. 

Ms. Sklar has 18 years of legal and policy experience with financial markets and financial institutions.  She has  been involved in the digital assets space since 2015, when while working as a senior advisor for a Commissioner at the CFTC, the CFTC found that bitcoin was a commodity.  Since then, I have been involved in advocacy efforts, training, public speaking, writing comment letters, policy statements, and speeches; and reviewing, analyzing, and advising on digital asset-related regulation and registration, enforcement actions, policy, and legislation.

Markus is a partner at Grant Thornton LLP, where he leads the National Digital Assets, Blockchain & web3 Industry and the Northeast Financial Institutions Practice. He has over 25 years of experience in banking and public accounting and holds an M.B.A., a Dipl. Betriebswirt, and a C.P.A. credential.

He works with a diverse range of clients, from banks, fintechs and digital asset companies to private equity funds and REITs, providing them with audit, advisory, and compliance services. He is also a SEC and IFRS specialist, and has extensive experience in cross-border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and asset securitizations. He is a member of the firm’s Innovation Group and has a keen interest in Blockchain technology and its applications in the financial sector. He is a frequent speaker, trainer, and media commentator on topics related to his field of expertise.

Mr. Vivenzio advise financial institutions and other clients in the area of Bank Secrecy Act, anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing (BSA/AML/CFT) compliance, including the AML Act of 2020, examination and enforcement processes, and the effective use of innovation and technology and fintech relationships. He served for 32 years with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) as the Director for BSA/AML Policy and the Senior Counsel for BSA/AML and has been intimately involved in every major BSA/AML/CFT policy matter and enforcement action taken by the OCC during the course of my career.

Ananya Kumar is the CBDC Lead for the Atlantic Council. She is an experienced policy professional with history of working at the intersection of technology, finance and international affairs issues. She has a Masters from Johns Hopkins SAIS in International Economics and Strategic Studies.

Aalex co-founded and leads the the American Blockchain Initiative is a 501(c)(4) organization based in Washington, DC. The organization’s mission is to promote and educate lawmakers on the critical importance of blockchain technology as it relates to promoting responsible innovation to advance American leadership in DLTs.

Mr. Attarde serves as the Director of the New Jersey Blockchain Council as well as the Attarde Foundation. He is the CEO of Apex Defi Lab, Inc., a FINTECH firm that excels in steering digital innovation with over 28 years as a tech entrepreneur. Known for demystifying technology for diverse audiences, he is driven to democratize the Global Capital Market for Small and Medium Businesses. Beyond his executive role, Pramod actively contributes his expertise in blockchain technology trends to executives, trade associations, governments, and investors. 

Adding to his portfolio, Pramod is pioneering the use of blockchain to enhance liquidity for illiquid assets. Through the proprietary platform of Defi Assets LLC, he aids issuers in legally launching digital securities, marking a significant stride in the evolution of financial markets. He has extensive experience consulting for esteemed organizations like KPMG, Deloitte, the Federal Reserve, and the United Nations. 

Paul Dowding has over thirty years of experience in operations and process management, innovation, design and re-engineering. Recently, he has been instrumental in designing and launching a patented, real-time, scalable, high-capacity, double-entry accounting distributed ledger technology solution – TapestryX – https://TapestryX.com

His financial services industry experience encompasses multiple products, markets, solutions and service providers for global financial infrastructure.

He has previously held management positions at BNY Mellon, Meridian Equity Partners, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Chase Manhattan, and Ford Motor Company. Paul has also consulted independently and was also a Managing Director in the boutique consultancy Gartland and Mellina Group

He has worked and lived in London, New York, Singapore and Sydney and travelled extensively throughout Europe, Latin America and Asia.

Paul is a graduate of the University of Southampton, UK with a B.Sc. Hons (So’ton) Aeronautics and Astronautics. He is an Associate Member of The Institute of Mechanical Engineers, and has previously held NASD Series 7, 63 and 24 licenses.

Michael Henson is the Chair of the Government Blockchain Association’s Intellectual Property Working Group, a Blockchain Maturity Model (BMM) Professional and a partner with Perkins Coie’s Intellectual Property practice. He provides seasoned intellectual property counsel to businesses of varying sizes that trust him to employ his wide-ranging intellectual property prosecution and litigation experience to achieve positive results. Combining extensive patent and trademark prosecution experience with a litigation background, Michael offers his clients a unique approach to their sophisticated intellectual property needs.

Mike Kanovitz is a practicing attorney and tech entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Jurat, a Legal Tech provider of blockchain infrastructure. He is also a founding partner of the nation’s largest civil rights law firm. He is known for bringing cutting edge cases that draw praise from attorneys and judges alike. His cases have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in recoveries as well as meaningful changes in corporate and government policies.

Mike concentrates his law practice on civil rights litigation in all of its forms, from protecting prisoners, to employee whistleblowers, to online privacy and other aspects of the burgeoning field of Cyber Civil Rights. His belief that financial empowerment is vital to social justice also led him to design and patent a system for protecting legal rights by connecting blockchains to courts. He stands with those who want to see advancing technologies develop as a force for good while preventing their misuse against the people they should be serving.

Allison is an attorney with regulatory, litigation, real estate, and contracts experience who is interested in utilizing this experience with clients using blockchain technology. Clients include startups, entrepreneurs, and companies in every development stage.

Allison has a national practice where she works with clients in the FinTech and blockchain spaces guiding them through all stages of development and the regulatory hurdles each company faces in an ever-changing environment. Through her practice, Allison supports clients in a wide range of areas, including business formation, employment, contract formation, compliance, and regulatory matters.

Prior to her legal career, she was an analyst in the oil and gas industry. She researched and wrote for a forecasting firm that provided detailed reports to clients. She later worked for an independent oil and gas production company as an attorney, and she has a deep understanding of the energy industry, including the regulatory issues companies face.

Allison is active with the Government Blockchain Association where she participates in the Digital Asset working group. She received her JD from Tulane Law School and a Bachelors of Arts in History and Political Science from the University of Louisville where she was also a member of the Division-I field hockey team for four years.

Dr. Etim has traveled glboally researching and teaching about how money as a medium of exchange that has moved through many phases -from the barter system to modern units of exchange like currency and mobile payment systems to support different economic systems. She has examanined how the Unbanked (people who lack capacity to open and maintain modern bank products) have been challenged. She has examined statistics from scholarly works on how mobile money/payment systems have enabled the Unbanked to join in the global economy and advocated for ways the Unbanked can be part of the global Blockchain ecosystem.

Mr. Neilson is the CEO of Web3 Certification Board (W3CB), a pioneering organization that empowers the technological ecosystem with reliable and credible certifications. I have over 35 years of experience as a leader, innovator, and educator. I have authored 2 books on Web3 technologies, such as blockchain, IoT, DeFi, AI/ML, and the Metaverse.

His mission is to advance Web3 technologies and foster a global community of certified professionals who can leverage them to create value and impact. He oversees the development and delivery of certification standards that meet the globally recognized ISO and ANSI guidelines, ensuring the utmost reliability, quality, and credibility of the certification holders. He was previously the Director of Training for Bullish Global and Block.One, two leading companies in the blockchain industry, and collaborates with the Government Blockchain Association and The Blockchain Academy, two influential organizations that promote blockchain education and adoption.

Dr. Chris Smithmyer, the visionary founder of Black Wallet and KIROS coin, embodies a fusion of profound expertise and relentless dedication to revolutionizing the financial landscape. Armed with advanced degrees spanning Law, Business, Conflict Management, Labor Relations, and International Transactions, Dr. Smithmyer brings a wealth of knowledge to his role as CEO and Co-Founder. Notably, he serves as a distinguished professor of MBA Business at Doane University and is a prolific author, with his publications consistently dominating the corporate taxation and cryptocurrency charts. Dr. Smithmyer’s illustrious career has seen him featured in esteemed journals such as the Harvard Business Review, U.S. News and World Report, and Finance Magnates, solidifying his status as a luminary in the realm of finance and technology.

Mr. Malik has establsihed an asset-building consultation company, compounding investments to build wealth for thier clients future! Cryptolotics strive for growth mainly through cryptocurrency assets. Through years of experience, they use a range of techniques to make investment decisions that result in profitable returns for their clients. They track the movement and performance of cryptocurrencies in a volatile market and make decisions based on fundamental and quantifiable approaches.

Heather Leigh Flannery is an applied futurist, entrepreneur, patient advocate, and complex systems theorist, serving as CEO at AI MINDSystems Foundation, a nonprofit she co-founded in March 2024 with a vision for systemic interventions addressing humanity’s health, safety, prosperity, and privacy. Previously, she founded and led Equideum Health, a company focused on blockchain-facilitated decentralized AI, analytics, and privacy technologies, partnered with Intel, Oracle, and Microsoft, and a part of the Consensys Mesh and GBV portfolio. Prior to Equideum Health, Heather established Obesity Prevention, Policy, and Management, Inc. (Obesity PPM) in 2009, pioneering digital health and tech-enabled services in chronic disease management, and later delved into blockchain adoption for healthcare, co-founding Blockchain in Healthcare Global (BiHG) under IEEE ISTO.

Heather has driven business model innovation across her 30-year career, emphasizing values such as scalability, sustainability, and diversity. With a background in international development, she advocates for global health perspectives and fights against discrimination in obesity treatment, demonstrating a commitment to patient advocacy throughout her professional journey.

Daniel Keller is CEO of InFlux Technologies and has more than 25 years of IT experience in technology, healthcare and nonprofit/charity works. Daniel successfully manages infrastructure, bridges operational gaps and effectively deploys technological projects. An entrepreneur, investor and disruptive technology advocate, Daniel has an ethos that resonates with many on the Flux Web3 team that is “for the people, by the people” and is deeply involved with projects that are uplifting to humanity. A “Cypherpunk” at heart, Daniel ensures he emphasizes the team and the projects in development at Flux. Heavily focused on the world of Web3, his core competencies include strategic planning, project management, infrastructure development, staff development, leadership, regulatory and contractual compliance, capital expenditures, vendor management, service integration, blockchain development, system analysis and improvements.

Concert pianist as a child. Entered college at 14. Master’s in math from NYU. Web developer and entrepreneur who is passionate about the power of social applications to improve people’s lives. Greg is the architect behind the technology that powers Intercoin applications, including the app we’re using for our conference.

Adel has earned a Ph.D. in AI/ML/Blockchain with more than a dozen academic publications. Three successful exits with one unicorn, LP in DGH, advisor, and world speaker. He served on several boards including the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (​​https://www.ec.co/).  Currently, he is incubating half a dozen companies.  His main investment area is in AI, Web 3 Gaming, NFTs, Infrastructure, and Healthcare.

Mr. Morosov has 25 years in a variety of senior roles in US financial industry including commercial and investment banking, operations, compliance and risk management. He has extensive experience with blockchain technology adoption evangelist and has been a speaker at numerous tech conferences globally. He is a primary author and contributlr in the development of several blocckhain based snandards for the Government Blockchain Assocation and a founding member of the Internet Governance Forum, Blockchain Assurance & Standrization DAO of the United Nations. He has also founder and led as the CEO several cutting edge blockchain projects capable of legacy industries disruption.

Sergei Sergienko is an Australian serial entrepreneur, listed in multiple business awards such as “Hot 30 under 30” and “Young gun in business”. Being an expert in connecting real & digital world economies, Sergei has represented Australia on G20 Summits. He co-founded Edway Group, an innovative HR solution company, where he led National Expansion & Strategic planning for 10+ years. Currently, Sergei is acting as consultant at Edway Training, a subsidiary based in Sydney. Sergei is also an Advisor at SingularityNET, a marketplace for AI algorithms, and the founder and CEO at Chrono Tech., a global blockchain start-up headquartered in Sydney which streamlines global access to work and payments for HR professionals, businesses and contractors by way of blockchain technology. The startup crowdfounded about $30 M in the second round. The platform is currently considered one of the leaders in the blockchain employment and HR space, having over 30,000 active members around the world. His next startup LaborX , as a part of the gaming guild, is paying over 20,000 people in developing countries at least 5 dollars a day and targeted new markets of Africa, the CIS and Pan-Asian region.