Entrepreneur & Thought Leadership Awards Judging Committee

Chair:
Jessica M. Graham, Founder & CEO
Fionix Consulting, Indian Trail, North Carolina, United States

Jessica M. Graham, APR, Fellow PRSA, is the founder and CEO of Fionix Consulting, a strategic communications agency she established in 2017. Leveraging over 30 years of diverse and multifaceted experience in communications, Jessica delivers creative and strategic solutions in public relations, brand positioning, community engagement, social media, and reputation management for a wide range of organizations and industries. Her work moves ideas, people, and businesses forward, creating positive change.

Jessica's extensive career spans various industries, including retail, telecommunications, and education. Before founding Fionix Consulting, she served as vice president, chief communications and community officer for Belk, Inc., where she managed public relations, community outreach, corporate and store events, internal communications, and diversity and inclusion initiatives. Her previous roles include public information officer and assistant to the President for Community Relations & Marketing Services at Central Piedmont Community College, director of public affairs for Time Warner Cable Charlotte, and corporate relations manager for Harris Teeter, Inc.

Jessica is active in the community and has served on more than 20 boards, seven as chair. In addition, she has participated on more than 30 committees for various community organizations. She currently serves as chair of Dress for Success Charlotte’s Board of Directors; marketing chair of the Charlotte Trail of History Board of Directors; secretary and board member of the Union County Chamber of Commerce; and a past chair and board member of the American Lung Association North Carolina’s Leadership Board. A graduate of Leadership North Carolina Class XXI and Leadership Charlotte Class XIX, she is an active member of Women Executives.

Jessica has been deeply involved in the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) since joining in 1999. She has held more than 20 leadership roles in the organization, including Charlotte Chapter chair, Chapter District Council chair, Southeast District chair, chair of the National Governance Committee, and treasurer and member of the National PRSA Board. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the College of Fellows. Named a Top Woman in PR by P R News, Jessica was honored with the PRSA Chair's Award for Exceptional Service to the Society in 2018. She has also been the recipient of three PRSA Silver Anvil Awards, multiple Gold, Silver and Bronze International Business, American Business, and Women in Business Stevie Awards, Leadership North Carolina’s Stanley Frank Award, Mecklenburg Times’ 50 Most Influential Women, and PRSA Charlotte Chapter’s Infinity Award. She holds a B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication from UNC Chapel Hill.

Committee:
 

Tirupathi Anand, Chief Strategist
Leap Business Excellence Advisory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
TP is a Doctor of Business Administration (PhD) and a Chartered Accountant (Indian CA) with over 35 years of post-qualification experience, having worked in India, Singapore and Dubai. TP helps his clients with Strategic Planning Process, Business Process Mapping, Corporate Strategy, Strategic Alliances, Design Thinking and Business Excellence.

Ignazio Arces, Chief of Operations
Versalis, Milan, Italy  
Ignazio Arces is a seasoned energy executive and humanistic leadership advocate. With decades of experience across ENI, he combines technical acumen with a Renaissance-inspired ethos. Author of the book Navigating the Energy Transition, he bridges science and philosophy to champion ethical transformation in the energy sector.

Anish Kumar Arya, SAP Global Practice Head
Promantus Inc, Apex, North Carolina, United States  
Distinguished Technology Leader with two decades of expertise in digital transformation initiatives, specializing in orchestrating cloud & digital transformation programs across the globe. Demonstrated excellence in leading very large & complex projects, both in revenue and scope, offering strategic consulting, and serving as a trusted advisor to C-level executives. Widely recognized with multiple business & technology awards.

Sudeep Bansal, Director
The Bank of Nova Scotia, Jersey City, New Jersey, United States  
Sudeep is a senior banker, with diverse experience covering public and private corporates and sponsor backed companies. Prior to Scotiabank, he was a VP at Goldman Sachs

Pragya Batra, Senior Manager, AI Strategy & Transformation
EY, Atlanta, Georgia, United States  
Pragya is a Senior Manager in EY's Business Consulting practice, with a focus on leading enterprise AI strategy and transformation. She has successfully defined and executed AI roadmaps for Fortune 500 companies, established AI Centers of Excellence (CoEs), and enabled scalable AI adoption across business functions. Her expertise spans AI operating models and execution enablement.

Lorena Bregaj, Contract Associate
Invenergy, Chicago, Illinois, United States   
Lorena is a Contracts Associate at Invenergy, a global leader in sustainable energy solutions, with a background in international and U.S. law. She is a licensed attorney in Albania and specializes in compliance and contract management for large-scale infrastructure projects and has extensive experience in data privacy, cybersecurity, and corporate governance.

Ayşegül Bulut Atalay, AI & Digital Marketing Consultant | Lecturer | Mentor | Entrepreneur    IcerikPlus Media and Advertising
Kadir Has University, Istanbul, Turkey  
Experienced digital marketing strategist, AI enthusiast, and mentor with a strong background in SME innovation and entrepreneurship. Currently a lecturer and consultant, helping businesses harness data and technology to scale. Passionate about empowering startups through smart tools and insightful strategies.

Caner Çakır, Technical Product Owner
Akbank T.A.S., Istanbul, Turkey
Caner is a distinguished Technical Product Owner with over 16 years of leadership in banking and finance technology. An Executive MBA graduate and multi-certified expert, he excels in architecting enterprise-scale solutions, enhancing system resilience, and delivering innovation at scale. Renowned for driving strategic transformation, Caner consistently delivers measurable business value through technology excellence.

 

Leela Naga Sai Vamsi Krishna Dogiparthi, Applications Architect
Bright Horizons, Newton, Massachusetts, United States
Vamsi Dogiparthi is an Innovative Applications Architect with 8+ years of experience designing scalable solutions. Vamsi holds a Master's in Computer Science, multiple professional certifications (Azure, HashiCorp, Cisco), and published research. He leverages AI/ML to solve tough problems in health and education, delivering high-value products.

Kellie Dyer, Founder/CEO
Keldy, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia  
Creative and driven, Kellie brings diverse experience in business, technology, and innovation. Known for strong communication and leadership, she excels at uniting teams to deliver strategic outcomes, combining enthusiasm with a solid understanding of governance and effective policy.

Abhishek Garg, Senior Real Estate Development Manager
Amazon Web Services, Seattle, Washington, United States        
Abhishek is a dynamic real estate professional at AWS. He has led high-impact initiatives, from securing strategic sites to navigating entitlement processes. Prior to AWS, Abhishek leveraged his skills at Ernst & Young in the Transaction Real Estate team. He holds a master's in Real Estate Development at Arizona State University.
 

Marlene Gaspar, General Manager
LLYC LISBOA, Lisboa, Portugal  
Marlene leads LLYC’s Lisbon office as Managing Director, driving integrated communication, marketing, and public affairs strategies. With over 20 years experience in consultancy and advertising, she has worked across diverse sectors. Formerly with Leo Burnett, VML, she is Vice-President of APECOM and holds qualifications from INP, INDEG-ISCTE, Nova SBE.

Andrea Gils Monzon, CEO & Founder
Shiftmakers Consulting, Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Andrea Gils Monzón is an award-winning marcomms strategist with experience across 15+ industries and Fortune 100 brands. She leads Shiftmakers, a consultancy that helps brands grow through smart use of data, AI, and inclusive storytelling. Her work has shaped results for government, higher ed, tech and mission-driven organizations globally.

Kanoon Giri, Finance Analyst
International Finance Corporation (IFC), Washington, District of Columbia, United States   
Kanoon is a finance professional at IFC (World Bank) with expertise in financial planning, budgeting, and corporate reporting. A Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Kanoon holds business degrees from Georgetown and NYU and brings global experience from firms like WeWork and Hyatt, along with a passion for financial strategy, innovation, and inclusive leadership.

Saifuddin Gunja, Director of Product Marketing
GitHub, Cedar Park, Texas, United States
Saif is a seasoned product marketing leader with 15 years of experience across B2B technology sectors, including cybersecurity, automation, and cloud infrastructure. Passionate about storytelling, he specializes in crafting go-to-market strategies, driving revenue growth, and inspiring teams to translate complex technology into customer value.

Priscilla Idahosa, Founder
Khyte LLC, Temple Hills, Maryland, United States 
A Nigerian-born serial entrepreneur and the founder of Khyte LLC. With a background in the oil and gas industry and business development, she has spent years helping businesses grow across various sectors. She's now focused on her passion, building inclusive platforms like Khyte.com and KhyteAfrica.com to create a level playing field for entrepreneurs worldwide.

Franklin Damnang Ngansop, Founder and Business Coach
Vitamin CS Coaching, Douala, Littoral, Cameroon
Franklin Ngansop, an energetic Startup & Business Coach whose mission is to unlock the immense potential within entrepreneurs and businesses. His expertise in business strategy and innovation, coupled with a profound understanding of industry dynamics, makes him a powerhouse in nurturing growth in budding enterprises. Franklin has a commendable history of assisting startups.


 

Nitesh Khullar, Senior Vice President
Citibank, Schaumburg, Illinois, United States
Nitesh is a Senior Vice President at Citibank, having over 15 years of experience working with banks, bureaus, and consultancies within financial services, retail, and consumer products. Nitesh is leading and managing risk management functions of multi-billion-dollar consumer banking portfolios. He has a strong background in Risk/Fraud statistical models, Machine Learning models.

Darren Kilbride, Contracts & Procurement Manager
Shell, Houston, Texas, United States
Darren is an expert Contracts and Procurement manager with extensive experience in multibillion-dollar energy projects. He has held supply chain leadership positions for over 20 years across Europe, Asia, South and North America. He is currently C&P manager for Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC (a 50:50 Joint Venture partnership between Shell and EDF).

Saksham Kukreja, Co-Founder and COO
Bitgrit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Saksham Kukreja is the Co-Founder and COO of Bitgrit, a global AI startup with 40,000+ developers across 62 countries. He has led large scale projects with NASA, SoftBank, and the Tokyo Government, and is recognized for pioneering AI-blockchain convergence through the BGR Network.

Ritesh Kumar, Quantitative Risk Researcher
Balyasny Asset Management, New York City, New York, United States
Ritesh Kumar has extensive expertise in all aspects of Energy Finance including Risk Management, Model building, Price Forecasting and executing Risk Projects. Ritesh Kumar has 15+ years of experience in the energy industry with a variety of energy companies. Ritesh Kumar holds a Masters degree in Finance and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering.

Arunima Motiwala, Manager
Grant Thornton Advisors, LLC, New Delhi, Delhi, India
Arunima is a CPA with extensive experience in Mergers & Acquisitions and transaction advisory, catering to the US market. She has worked closely with company leadership to evaluate financial performance, assess business viability, and support strategic decision-making. With over a decade of expertise, she specializes in financial due diligence, quality of earnings, and transaction structuring.      

Daniel Nigiri, CEO and Owner
ValuePoint Property Solutions, North Olmsted, Ohio, United States
Entrepreneur, leader, and real estate investor specializing in acquiring, building, renovating, and managing multi-million-dollar high-performing residential portfolios. CEO and Founder of multiple real estate ventures focused on value-add investments, affordable housing, and community revitalization. Passionate about solving housing challenges and creating long-term impact through sustainable real estate development.

Oluwafemi Omosuyi, Chief Executive Officer
OBA Global Citizens Limited, Lagos, Nigeria  
Oluwafemi is a Mandela Washington and IMF Youth Fellow with expertise in sustainable development. He joined the 2023 Global Financing Pact in Paris, advancing resilient financial systems through integrated resource management and circular economy strategies across the Water-Food-Energy nexus.

Donald Pillai, Servant Leader
Kifalme Africa Investments, Gauteng, Pretoria, South Africa
Donald is a top-performing business relationship expert & global impact power connector. He works at an intense pace and is a catalyst for change. Donald knows how to strategize, innovate, and execute successful pivotal outcomes while demonstrating high levels of integrity, empathy, and passion, and honoring the greater good principle by influencing & empowering leadership.                                                                                   

Vladyslav Podoliako, Founder & CEO
Belkins, Dover, Delaware, United States
Vladyslav is the Founder & CEO of Belkins and Folderly and a serial entrepreneur and investor with a decade of experience in building and growing service companies and SaaS startups in Sales- and MarTech. He is known for creating successful businesses and building top-notch teams that drive all ventures to the top of their industries.

Kumar Raghvendra, Commercial Director
Veetee Rochester, Kent, United Kingdom
Kumar Raghvendra is a global business leader with experience at Procter & Gamble, LVMH, and Veetee Group. He has led multi-million-pound transformations across FMCG and luxury sectors. A certified life coach and NLP practitioner, Kumar combines strategic leadership with purpose-driven innovation to create lasting impact in business and community.

Rodrigo Segnini, Director
emoVoice Inc, Cary, North Carolina, United States 
Rod Segnini earned his Doctorate from Stanford's CCRMA before becoming a Research Scientist at the JST-ERATO Implicit Brain Functions Project at NTT Labs in Tokyo. A Healthtech Management expert with two decades of experience, including a global career at Siemens Healthineers, he also teaches, mentors, and consults from his practice, EmoVoice Inc. 

Ali Shahami, Chief Executive Officer
R&K Immigration Group, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Dr. Ali Shahami is an immigration practitioner and entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience. As CEO of R&K Immigration Group, he specializes in Australian, New Zealand, U.S., and European immigration. Holding a PhD in Business and multiple law degrees, he is a recognized leader in global migration solutions.

Srilakshmi Tella, VP, Technical Product Management
Mckesson, Alpharetta, Georgia, United States
Srilakshmi Tella, Vice President of Technical Product Management at McKesson, leads transformative initiatives in digital technology. With over 20 years of expertise, she specializes in upgrading legacy systems and shapes strategic technology goals for Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, BackOffice Operations, Supply Chain, and more, driving innovation and efficiency across diverse domains.

Linda Thomas Brooks, Advisor
Spacely Media, Tarrytown, New York, United States      
Linda Thomas Brooks has operated at the intersection of marketing, media, communications, and technology. She is currently an advisor to Spacely Media, a technology platform for offline media, and to Culturs Media Network. She has been CEO of industry associations and led media at The Martin Agency & General Motors Mediaworks.

Pradeep U.N., Founder CEO
The Stories and Wisdom Company, Issaquah, Washington, United States
Pradeep U.N. is the CEO of Stories and Wisdom, dedicated to transforming workplace culture through digital storytelling and social learning. Formerly a senior leader at Microsoft, he led inclusive innovation efforts and was honored on their Innovation Wall of Fame. He holds an MBA from Carnegie Mellon and an engineering degree from NTU Singapore.