TEDCO’s Black Female Founders Venture Capital Forum

By MEDA Admin | Dec 6, 2023

November 15, 2023 | 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Coppin State University
Tawes Center Ballroom

TEDCO held their Black Female Founders Venture Capital Forum on November 15, 2023, welcoming over 150 guests to the beautiful Coppin State University campus. During the event, investors, founders and entrepreneurs alike gathered to discuss their experiences, share insights into how venture capital investors choose who to invest in and brainstorm solutions for a better, more equitable ecosystem in Maryland.

The event featured two panels: the first – the Founders Panel and Q&A – gave founders the space to share their entrepreneurial journeys and the obstacles they overcame; the second panel – Venture Capital Panel and Q&A – featured venture capital professionals who provided insights on their processes, how to navigate those processes, as well as different resources available to entrepreneurs.

In addition to the panelists and moderators, the event welcomed words from Coppin State University’s President Anthony L. Jenkins, Delegate Vanessa E. Atterbeary, Chair of the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee, and the Honorable Maryland House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones.

Event Agenda

9:30 – 10:00 AM: Registration & Refreshments

10:00 – 10:10 AM: Welcome

10:10 – 11:05 AM: Founders Panel and Q&A

11:05 – 11:10 AM: Remarks from Delegate Vanessa E. Atterbeary, Chair of the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee

11:10 AM – 12:10 PM: Venture Capital Panel and Q&A

12:15 PM – 12:30 PM: Closing Remarks

  • Omar Muhammad, Morgan State University; TEDCO Board Chair; Baltimore Metropolitan Women’s Business Center (Balt Metro WBC)
  • Tammi Thomas, TEDCO

WATCH NOW 

Speakers

Speaker Adrienne A. Jones

Maryland House of Delegates, 10th Legislative District

Speaker Adrienne A. Jones shattered two glass ceilings when she was unanimously elected by the full House of Delegates to serve as the first African-American and the first woman Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates in history.

Since becoming Speaker, she has led the Maryland House of Delegates in passing some of the most consequential bills in a generation. Speaker Jones ushered through The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a 10-year plan that makes the largest investment in education in Maryland history. She implemented the nation’s first comprehensive statewide policy agenda for racial and economic justice and made transformational police reforms including making Maryland the first state in the nation to repeal the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she led the legislature in passing the RELIEF Act, which made Maryland’s earned income tax credit (EITC) the highest in the nation and allowed Maryland’s nearly 86,000 immigrant tax payers to benefit from this critical pandemic relief.

Prior to being Speaker, Speaker Jones also held the distinction of being the first African American woman to serve as Speaker Pro Tem in the Maryland House of Delegates, serving in that capacity under Speaker Mike Busch for 16 years. Speaker Jones served on the House Appropriations Committee, and was Chair of the Capital Budget and Education, and Economic Development Subcommittees. She has been a delegate since 1997.

In February 2019, Speaker Jones received the Casper R. Taylor, Jr. Founder’s Award, the highest award given to a member of the House of Delegates, recognizing her steadfast service. She has three times been named to the “Top 100 Women in Maryland” by the Daily Record and was inducted into the Circle of Excellence for Sustained Achievement. Most recently she was selected along with 25 female legislators for Governing Magazine’s Women in Government Leadership Program Class of 2016. As the first Executive Director of the Baltimore County Office of Fair Practices and Community Affairs, she faithfully served the citizens of the County for over 37 years. She served as Deputy Director of the Baltimore County Office of Human Resources until her retirement from service in Baltimore County Government on June 30, 2014. During her civil service career, she worked with diverse populations of the County with dedication and sensitivity, providing a listening “ear” to individual citizens, business owners, religious leaders, and elected officials. She is the Founder of the Annual Baltimore County African American Cultural Festival, now in its 26th year.

Speaker Jones was born in Cowdensville, Maryland, a historic African-American community located near Arbutus in Southwest Baltimore County. She attended Baltimore County Public Schools, graduating from Lansdowne High School and is a proud alumna of the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) where she received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology. She attended The National Security Seminar, U.S. Army War College in 2007. In 2008, she received an Honorary Doctor of Law Degree from Goucher College in Towson, Maryland. She is the mother of two adult sons and proud grandmother of two wonderful grandchildren, Jalen and Janelle Jones.

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Delegate Vanessa E. Atterbeary

Vanessa was elected to a third term, in the Maryland General Assembly, to represent District 13, Howard County, Maryland (where she was born and raised) in 2022 and was sworn in on January 11, 2023.

After only having served one term in the Maryland General Assembly, Vanessa was appointed by Speaker of the House Michael Busch to serve as Vice Chair of the Judiciary Committee where she served for 3 years.

In 2021, Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones appointed her as Chair of the Ways and Means Committee. In addition to serving as Chair, Vanessa serves on the Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, The Domestic Violence & Fatality Review Team, Legislative Black Caucus, and the Howard County House Delegation in which she served as Chair in both 2016 and 2019.

The Daily Record named Vanessa one of Maryland’s “Top 100 Women” in 2020 and 2023. In addition, the Baltimore Sun named her one of the Top 25 Women to Watch in 2018 and one of the Fresh Faces of Power in the 2019 Maryland General Assembly. She recently earned the 2022 Excellence in Public Service Award from the Arc of Howard County.

For her successful passage of landmark legislation, “The Repeat Sexual Predator Prevention Act of 2018”, and continued efforts to protect victims, hold enablers accountable and prosecute predators, Vanessa has received: the 2018 Leadership Award by the Women Legislators of Maryland and the Women Legislators of Maryland Foundation; the 2018 State Legislator Leadership Award from the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City; and was honored on May 10, 2019 by the Baltimore Child Abuse Center as a “Hero.” Most recently in the 2022 session, she won her seven-year battle by passing legislation to prevent child marriage in Maryland; the first of its kind in the State.

During her first term, Vanessa was appointed Deputy Majority Whip by Speaker Michael Busch, served on the Judiciary Committee and was Chair of the Family Law Sub-Committee in the Maryland General Assembly. She is a member of the Women’s Caucus and the Black Caucus. Vanessa was appointed by Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones to Chair the workgroup to study Police Accountability and Transparency, resulting in the passing of a sweeping police reform legislation package in 2021.

Vanessa was also appointed to represent the state of Maryland on the National Conference of State Legislators Law, Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committees. Vanessa was also appointed to represent the Maryland General Assembly on the Three Branch Institute to Improve Child Safety and Prevent Child Fatalities; the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board; the Neshante and Chloe Davis Domestic Violence Prevention Task Force; the Joint Committee on Children and Youth; and, she was also selected to participate in the Emerging Leaders Program, at the Darden School of Business, for state Legislators from across the country.

In the General Assembly, she has been successful in passing legislation to keep guns out of the hands of abusers, strengthening prosecutors’ ability to convict sexual predators, increasing circumstances under which a protective order may be granted; and, altering how Howard County elects its school board members.

In addition to serving in the Maryland General Assembly, Vanessa serves as Corporate Counsel for KRA Corporation, a company providing workforce development and health consulting services, headquartered in Fulton, Maryland.

Vanessa is a member of the Jack and Jill of America, Inc., Columbia Chapter; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, Omega Eta Omega Chapter; The Links, Inc., (Columbia MD) Chapter; and, The Maryland Bar Association.

Vanessa is a 1993 graduate of Atholton High School, a 1997 graduate of the College of William and Mary, with a B.A. degree in Government and a 2000 graduate from Villanova University School of Law.

She resides in Fulton with her family and is a loving mother to her three young children, Grayson, Holden and Victoria.

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President Anthony L. Jenkins, Ph.D.

Coppin State University

Anthony L. Jenkins, Ph.D. became the eighth President of Coppin State University on May 26, 2020.

President Jenkins is a well-respected leader across the landscape of higher education and is leading Coppin State University through an unprecedent era of great transformation which includes the addition of new cutting-edge academic programs (available in-person and online), increased enrollment, retention, student success, and historic fundraising and research.

President Jenkins serves on numerous boards and has been honored by several media and civic organizations and universities for his leadership, and commitment to social change and community engagement.

President Jenkins chairs the West North Avenue Development Authority, a legislative mandate to revitalize West Baltimore. His leadership has drawn the attention and support of high-ranking state and national leaders to campus from the governor’s mansion to the White House, which has helped cement Coppin State’s reputation as a leader in higher education.

During his tenure, Coppin State has established the Presidential Scholarship, numerous private and public partnerships that have enhanced the education, career opportunities, and holistic development of Coppin State scholars. He has also spearheaded over $120 million in capital projects, including the creation of the Eagle Achievement Center, construction of a new state-of-the-art College of Business and College of Graduate Studies building, as well as the Fanny Jackson Coppin Plaza, at the center of campus.

Born in Washington, D.C., and raised between the nation’s capital and North Carolina, President Jenkins is a United States Army veteran who began his path to the presidency as a first-generation college graduate of Fayetteville State University. He went on to earn a master’s degree from North Carolina Central University and a doctorate from Virginia Tech.

President Jenkins is married to his college sweetheart, Toinette who proudly serves as the First Lady of Coppin State University. They have two daughters.

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Tina C. Williams-Koroma, Esq., CISSP, PMP

Founder
CyDeploy

Tina C. Williams-Koroma, Esq., CISSP, PMP, is a serial entrepreneur – Founder/CEO of TCecure, and most recently, Founder of CyDeploy. She is a Maryland licensed attorney and possesses a BS in Computer Science from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), a MS in Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a JD from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. This cybersecurity expert is extremely community-minded, having partnered with local institutions and contributed to several boards.

A driven leader and cybersecurity expert, Tina Williams-Koroma transitioned from Lockheed to Unisys, where she graduated from the Leadership Excellence Acceleration Program (LEAP) and served in several technical, management, and leadership capacities, including her last position as an Engagement Manager in the Justice, Courts, and Corrections practice. Throughout her time at Unisys, Ms. Williams-Koroma provided cybersecurity architecture, engineering, testing, risk management, and several other related services to Federal clients in the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, and the State of New York.

After several years with Unisys, Ms. Williams-Koroma transitioned to a small business, and as Vice President of its Civilian Division, led the Division to experience exponential growth in clients, staff, and revenue. Ms. Williams-Koroma continued to provide direct client support in the form of cybersecurity consulting, but largely focused on business development, capture management, and division growth.

This cybersecurity leader also provided legal research support to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development and the Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security during her part-time law school tenure, while working full-time.

Tina Williams-Koroma is excited about her entrepreneurial ventures, looks forward to continued growth, as she continues to equip the next generation of cybersecurity experts by supporting Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education initiatives.

Tina’s Social Media

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Elizabeth P. Clayborne, MD, MA Bioethics

CEO/Founder, NasaClip
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine

Dr. Clayborne is an Emergency Physician faculty member at the University of Maryland School of Medicine with an academic focus on ethics, health policy and innovation/entrepreneurship. She developed a novel nosebleed device, NasaClip, as a resident and in 2015 was awarded the NSF I-Corps grant which helped to launch her company. Dr. Clayborne has raised $2.5M in funding as of September 2023 and was awarded a NSF SBIR Phase I grant for $256K to assist with the development of her device. NasaClip launched the Class I version of the device into the market in July 2023 on NasaClip.com. Dr. Clayborne has been featured on several national interviews on networks such as CNN, MSNBC, CBSN and TEDx discussing COVID-19 and health equity and ethics issues. She looks forward to continuing her career as a practicing emergency physician, innovator and leader in health care policy and reform. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @DrElizPC.

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Ashley Williams

CEO
Clymb

Ashley Williams, an educator and emotional wellness advocate with over a decade of experience, has dedicated her career to enhancing happiness and satisfaction for both individuals and organizations. She developed tech startup Clymb to address the mental and emotional health challenges of school-age children. This interactive software provides tailored content designed to elevate emotional intelligence and resilience and lead to improved mental health and academic results. Clymb has received financial investment and guidance from TEDCO, the state of Maryland’s economic engine for tech companies. Currently, Williams is working to expand Clymb’s infrastructure and enhance its cultural relevance to further support student mental well-being. To date, Clymb has reached over 15,000 students and formed partnerships with the American Heart Association, school districts, and city governments. In recognition of Clymb’s work, the Mayor of Baltimore designated March 20 as “Baltimore Happiness Day.”

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Shawna Stepp-Jones

Founder
Divaneering Lab

Shawna Stepp-Jones is a hardware engineer and the Founder of Divaneering Lab, who is revolutionizing the $10.1B wig and weave care industry starting with her flagship product Spundle. Spundle was exclusively designed to dry wigs and detachable hair pieces in 15 minutes or less saving stylists, hair distributors, and kitchen beauticians hours of time and providing increasing convenience.

Shawna is an HBCU graduate of Morgan State University and received her master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University.  Prior to her entrepreneurial journey, Shawna spent ten years as a patent examiner. Shawna examined patent applications pertaining to display systems applications and commenced her employment examining multiplexing and networking, emerging technologies.

Since 2012, Shawna has been committed to solving the disparity in women pursuing STEM professions, by igniting a culture of innovation, impact, and inspiration in her community. Shawna’s Baltimore-based organization, Divaneering Impact Lab, has worked with thousands of women and girls nationally and internationally, curating culturally relevant STEM and innovation enrichment experiences.
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Crystal Berger

Founder
EBO

Media-Tech Entrepreneur Crystal I. Berger is the founder of EBO, an on-demand expert matching engine that makes it easy for media outlets to discover, vet, and book on-air talent. For over a decade, Crystal worked at FOX News Channel as a Senior Booking Producer and National News Feature Host. There, she tripled network bookings and increased on-air diversity by 85%  while managing 1,300 local stations. Crystal was host of Extraordinary which aired on FOX News 24/7 Headlines.

Her technology, EBO tackles the booking and DEI challenges media outlets, publicists, and professional organizations face when seeking talent for content offerings. To date, EBO has booked guest experts for FOX Business, SxSw, Medium, Sinclair Broadcast Group and BNC. Some of EBO’s community partners include Black Speakers Network, WIN Executive Summit, the Associated Black Charities, and Black Women Talk Tech.

Crystal has been a featured speaker and host at the United Nations, Business Insider, the Congressional Black Caucus, Black Women Talk Tech, AMC Networks and more. She’s published in Black Enterprise, Mediabistro and on FOX News. Crystal’s book, “Be Extraordinary” explores how embracing purpose propels a life of prosperity. Grab Crystal’s latest e-release, AI Powered Press at www.AIpoweredpress.com

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Tammira Lucas, DBA

Venture Growth Advisor, Baltimore City
TEDCO

As Venture Growth Advisor for TEDCO’s Urban Business Innovation Initiative, Tammira works extensively with Baltimore City ecosystem partners to identify entrepreneurs in need of support. By tapping into TEDCO’s full range of services along with the programs offered by collaborative partners throughout the city, she helps them as they launch and grow amazing companies.

Recognized as one of Baltimore’s Top 40 under 40, Dr. Tammira Lucas is an award-winning thought leader, Author, Speaker, and economic developer focusing on the areas of entrepreneurship, social innovation, and financial & investment education.

Dr. Lucas has over 14 years of implementing financial investments into Baltimore’s entrepreneurs, innovators, and communities to increase economic power, provide real solutions to the city’s past and current issues, and build generational wealth.

Dr. Lucas is the CEO of The Cube Cowork, a black-women-owned coworking space that provides babysitting services to support parents. Dr. Lucas is also the co-founder of Moms As Entrepreneurs, an organization that focuses on decreasing chronic poverty in families by helping mothers build sustainable and profitable businesses. As of 2019, Dr. Lucas’ program has helped over 100 moms launch businesses in Baltimore.

Dr. Lucas holds a Bachelor of Science in Management Science from Coppin State University, Master of Business Administration from Strayer University, and a Doctor of Business Administration from Walden University.

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Stefanie Thomas 

Managing Director
Zeal Capital Partners 

Stefanie is Managing Director at Zeal Capital Partners, the Washington, D.C.-based category specific venture capital firm dedicated to investing in dynamic early-stage technology businesses with diverse management teams.

Stefanie is an early-stage investor with a decade of venture deal-making experience, from pre-seed to Series B, who oversees the firm’s pre-seed investment strategy through an expanded commitment to Inclusive Investing™ under the new Barclays Black Formation Investments (BBFI) partnership–a pioneering pre-seed investment platform backed by Barclays and managed by Zeal Capital Partners. Built to propel the next generation of Black-led companies, BBFI provides critical early-stage capital and support to ambitious founders who are building high-growth technology companies primarily across the US.

Prior to Zeal, Stefanie served as founding member and investor at Impact America Fund (IAF), one of the first (and largest at the time) Black female led venture firms in the US. During her tenure at IAF, she helped grow the investment company from $7M to $110M AUM with a thesis of driving economic power to communities of color. Her track record includes deal financings for early stage, mission-driven companies primarily across Future of Work, Fintech, and Health Equity categories. Stefanie has advised select CEOs and venture ecosystem organizations on impact business modeling, tech innovation, capital raising, and equitable capital access for underrepresented groups, while also serving on private company boards and supporting early companies in raising follow-on capital.

Earlier in her career, Stefanie was a Vice President in Citigroup’s global banking division, managing $2 billion in credit assets for the firm. She received her M.B.A. from the Ross School at the University of Michigan and her B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Stefanie is a member of the Board of Trustees for The Potomac School in McLean, VA and resides in Washington, DC, her hometown.

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Mike Ravenscroft

Managing Director
University System of Maryland (USM) Maryland Momentum Fund

Mike Ravenscroft is the Managing Director of the University System of Maryland (USM) Momentum Fund, a $16M seed stage venture fund that invests in startups affiliated with USM member institutions. Additionally, Mike serves on the Executive Committee for the Maryland Launch Fund, a pre-seed funding program serving USM-affiliated startups, and he serves on the Advisory Board of the Chesapeake Bay Seed Capital Fund, an early-stage cleantech fund administered by the Clark School of Engineering and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Prior to joining the Momentum Fund, Mike served on investment teams at Dreamit Ventures, Virginia Venture Partners, and C5 Capital, and he previously ran accelerator programs focused on cybersecurity, smart infrastructure, and social impact technology ventures. He holds an MBA from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a BA from the University of Michigan.

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Jeff Cherry

Founder
Conscious Venture Lab

Jeff is the Founder of the Conscious Venture Lab, The Novella Center for Entrepreneurship and the Founder and Managing General Partner of Conscious Venture Partners. Together the three organizations provide training, support and venture capital investments for under-estimated founders and companies operating at the intersection of profit and purpose. He is an evangelist for stakeholder capitalism, and the transformation of the relationship between business and society. At the Conscious Ventures collective, he seeks to use business to create a more just, joyous, equitable, sustainable and profitable society, reshaping cities and lives through equitable investing and a more human-centered form of work.

The collective supports companies that use societal purpose as the foundation for long-term sustainable value, those under-estimated and under-represented founders who are too often shut out of the innovation economy and ideas that are breaking down societal barriers to access.

Jeff is a frequent speaker on the topic of impact investing, Conscious and Stakeholder Capitalism and other new models of business in society. He has recently had the honor to present at The University of Maryland, The Darden School at the University of Virginia, Yale University, Columbia University, The Booth School at the University of Chicago, and The University of Baltimore.

Jeff is a recovering NCAA DIII Football player, and a martial artist with a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and extensive experience in Krav Maga. He lives in Baltimore with his fiancé in a Federal Hill townhome that now has the kitchen of their dreams. So, he’s happy to cook for you at any time!

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Mitch Brooks

Co-Founder & Managing Partner
High Street Equity Partners

Mitch Brooks is co-founder and managing partner at High Street Equity Partners, a venture capital firm that invests, supports, and scales technology companies. High Street’s ethos is that exceptional talent and revolutionary ideas know no borders. That some of the most transformative technology disruptions are born from diverse minds and untapped regions. We’re dedicated to sourcing, championing, and investing in these voices across the United States. High Street has two investment lenses: geographic diversification and thematic approach. Prior to High Street Equity Partners, Mitch was Chief Operating Officer and Partner at DSI – an enterprise SaaS technology company and consultancy. Mitch is a multi-disciplinary business executive, investor, and advisor. From 2011 – 2021, Mitch was an angel investor and previously co-founded Eye Street Investments, an angel investor network. In addition to serving on several private company boards, he is actively involved in a number of philanthropic and nonprofit endeavors. Mitch is from Washington, DC and lives in the Historic Fort Lincoln neighborhood with his wife, Cadene. He is guided by his faith and family values, and is passionate about entrepreneurship, sports, and live entertainment.

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David Warschawski 

Managing Director & Founder
W Ventures

David has been a business owner-operator and investor for more than 20 years. Today, he serves as both the CEO & Founder of Warschawski, the #1 rated U.S. marketing communications agency, and the Managing Director & Founder of W Ventures.

Warschawski has been named “U.S. Small Agency of the Year” three years in a row and has won more than 200 industry awards for its integrated advertising, marketing and digital communications work.  The company holds the prestigious Google Certified Agency Partner designation and has more than 10 Google Certified Analysts on staff.

W Ventures is a one-of-a-kind venture capital accelerator that combines three elements.  We are the only company in the U.S. that offers the ability to do integrated marketing communications work in exchange for equity and not cash. For any companies and founders we invest in, we offer a beautiful incubator workspace in the W Ventures HQ and living quarters in the W Founders House all free of charge. And of course, we write large checks and make strategic introductions to other sources of capital for the companies in our portfolio.

In addition to being an avid entrepreneur and business owner, David has been an investor in numerous deals spanning early and mid-stage start-ups, real estate deals, founding completely new brands and companies, and investing in publicly traded companies. He has invested in a wide range of different companies ranging from Nanotechnology, HealthTech and FinTech, Sports and Fitness, and Consumer Products, among others.

Over the course of his career, David has worked with many of the leading brands in the world including:  Adidas, Black & Decker, Under Armour, Verizon Wireless, USA Swimming, DEWALT, The Country of Norway, The Country of Switzerland, Dole Foods, The Athlete’s Foot, Hair Cuttery, New Balance, Topps, Century 21, Fila, Medifast, GORE-TEX, The United Way, Microsoft, Ripken Baseball, Sylvan Learning, SunTrust, The International Olympic Committee, Penguin Books, Robert Talbot, 180s, KMS, New York University’s Stern School of Business, NikeTown, Boeing, MaggieMoo’s Ice Cream, Marble Slab Creamery, IDT, Federated, UPS, Hogan Lovells, GlaxoSmithKline, Chase Manhattan Bank and Credit Suisse.

David is a published author whose works have appeared in numerous publications and who has been asked to provide expert commentary for media outlets ranging from CNBC to National Public Radio (NPR), from PBS to Germany’s highly regarded Der Spiegel to New Zealand’s biggest radio station, Newstalk ZB.

He serves as a professor for the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business, and he co-authored the book, “Building Customer Relationships Through Public Relations,” published by Aspatore Books. David has been named a “Most Admired CEO” by The Daily Record and also has been named to numerous “40 Under 40” lists.

David is a Board Member of many of the companies that W Ventures invests in and sometimes serves in the capacity of an Advisory Board Member to W Venture portfolio companies. He also serves as a Member and Advisor to NexGen Ventures.  Additionally, David has served as a judge for many VC pitch competitions in the U.S. and Canada.

David, a dual U.S. and Swiss citizen, was born in Basel, Switzerland and speaks English, German and Swiss German.  He is a Dean’s List graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in English with a Studio Arts minor.

In his spare time, David loves to coach and has coached varsity basketball and travel baseball teams.  He also enjoys working out or reading a book while relaxing in his hammock.

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Troy A. LeMaile-Stovall

CEO
TEDCO

As the CEO of TEDCO—Maryland’s economic engine for technology companies—Troy leads the organization’s mission to support economic development through the cultivation of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. He brings to bear more than 25 years of experience in investment management, higher education, telecommunications, information/communication technology, and management consulting in this leadership role.

Prior to joining TEDCO, Troy was the chief operating officer at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), the nation’s only urban land-grant university. UDC encompasses a six-site community college, a four-year baccalaureate campus, and a law school, and serves 7,000 degree- and certificate-seeking students. He oversaw an array of critical functions at UDC, including capital construction, communications, emergency management, enrollment services, facilities management, government relations, information management, institutional research, marketing, public safety, risk management, and strategic planning, to name a just a few.

An entrepreneur at heart and in spirit, Troy founded the management consulting firms LeMaile-Stovall LLC and GTMS Partners, LLC. He also co-founded and served as the first president and CEO of GulfSouth Capital. His resume includes positions as the interim president of Zenith Education Group; principal at Butler Snow Advisory Services; executive vice president and chief operating officer of Howard University; and senior vice president and chief financial officer Jackson State (Mississippi) University, where he was awarded the Thurgood Marshall HBCU CFO of the Year. Earlier in his career, Troy held positions at McKinsey & Company, Southwestern Bell Telephone (now AT&T), AT&T Bell Labs, and Rockwell international.

Troy is a subject matter expert in capital stack formation and a frequent speaker on venture capital, economic development, and higher education administration, among other topics. He has published articles on entrepreneurship, venture capital, economic development, diversity and inclusion, and higher education. His expertise has been recognized through the various awards he has received including the Dealmakers Award and the Most Admired CEO, among others.

Troy graduated cum laude from Southern Methodist University with a bachelor of science in electrical engineering. He earned a master’s of science in computer science from Stanford University as a Bell Labs One Year on Campus Fellow, and an MBA from Harvard University. He was included in the Leadership Greater Washington Signature Program Class of 2019.

Troy has served and is serving on a number of for-profit and non-profit boards including Parkway Properties (NYSE:PKY, Compensation Committee Chair, Audit and Corporate Governance Committees), Archipelago Learning (NASDAQ:ARCL, Audit and Compensation Committee), Internet America (NASDAQ:GEEK, Audit Chair and Compensation Committee), School Status, EpiCor Software (Chair, Audit Committee), National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Southern Methodist University (SMU) School of Engineering, SMU Dept. of Electrical Engineering (Chair), UDC Foundation (Treasurer), MD Cybersecurity Council, MD Clean Energy Center Advisory Council, MD Technology Council, DC Chamber of Commerce (Workforce Committee Chair), MemberSuite (Chair, Audit Committee), DC Housing Enterprises, National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) Advisory Group on Leadership Diversity, and his church Landover, MD-based Zion Church, led by Sr. Pastor Keith Battle, where he serves as Treasurer. During his time on Boards, Troy has had an impact on efforts in the areas of strategic and operational planning, mergers, fiscal planning, capital formation, diversity and inclusion, organizational design and marketing.

Troy has also coached an award-winning youth robotics team and is a USA Swimming-certified stroke- and-turn and chief judge official. A triathlete himself, he is married to marathoner Sonya L. Wiggins and is the father of two academically gifted and multi-talented young athletes, Zora Lauren, and Langston Anthony as well as their AkiPoo dog (Akita and Poodle mix), Hamilton.

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Omar Muhammad

Director & EN-TRE-PRE-NEUR for the Entrepreneurial Development & Assistance Center (EDAC)
Morgan State University

Chair
TEDCO Board of Directors

Omar S. Muhammad is an entrepreneurship ecosystem builder who works with entrepreneurs, small business owners, corporations and government entities to build their respective economies and communities.  Omar currently serves as the Director & EN-TRE-PRE-NEUR for the Entrepreneurial Development & Assistance Center (EDAC) at Morgan State University. Omar knows a little about the entrepreneurship landscape. He has been actively involved in entrepreneurship since the age of 12, served as a vice president for a nonprofit organization where he operated a $4 million small business loan fund within Baltimore’s Empowerment Zone, provided small business counseling and entrepreneurial training for women and other budding and existing entrepreneurs. His love for entrepreneurship led him to media outlets. He served as a business columnist for a national business newspaper and served as a business radio talk show host for 22 years on National Public Radio.  Omar is the board chair for the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) and serves on other committees to further build entrepreneurship ecosystems for all.

Omar holds a Masters in Technology Entrepreneurship from the University of Maryland and a Bachelors of Science from Morgan State University.  Omar is happily married with four daughters and two granddaughters.  When he is not building entrepreneurship ecosystems, he is spending time living life with his family and friends, playing golf, riding his bike, enjoying a nice mystery or tuning in to a podcast.  His mantra for life is improve and progress!

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Tammi Thomas

Chief Development & Marketing Officer
TEDCO

As TEDCO’s Chief Development & Marketing Officer, Tammi is primarily responsible for the overall strategic direction, leadership, execution and management of TEDCO’s marketing and fundraising strategies designed to broaden awareness of and resources for TEDCO and its various programs; this includes the development and implementation of the organization’s brand, marketing, and communications strategy.

Her leadership and knowledge are instrumental in forging relationships that will enable TEDCO to expand their reach and services, diversify resources and grow the innovation ecosystem as well as establishing TEDCO as the most recognized organization in Maryland for identifying, investing in, and growing technology-based businesses. Driven by this mission, she serves as TEDCO’s internal subject expert on media and public relations, social media, brand messaging, marketing, and special events.

Her resume includes C-suite positions as the Vice President of Strategic Management at Data Solutions & Technology Inc., a full-service technology solutions provider; and as the Director of Business Development and Marketing at the University of Maryland Baltimore County’s Research Park & Business Incubator. Additionally, Tammi’s professional expertise was sought after to teach the next generation of communicators as an adjunct professor at Bowie State University and the University of Baltimore. She frequently speaks and publishes on such topics as leadership, entrepreneurship, and business development.

Tammi has been recognized by her industry peers for excellence in communication and marketing. She has received the Maryland Economic Development Association’s Marketing award for TEDCO’s Entrepreneur Expo (2020), the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland’s 2017 Cybersecurity Industry Resource Award, the AMA Baltimore’s MX Award for Best Print Advertisement Campaign of the Year (2022 and 2023), and most recently was named one of The Daily Record’s Top 100 Women in Maryland (2023). She graduated from Leadership Maryland’s Class of 2018, completing the eight-month hands-on learning program focused on the State’s most vital social, economic and environmental issues. She serves on several boards, to include WeAchieve and MEDA, where she is currently serving as Vice President of the organization. Tammi earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Alabama State University and an MBA from the University of Baltimore. She is active in her community and serves in volunteer roles and on boards and committees for various schools and organizations in the region.

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