Keynote Speakers

Whurley

Whurley is founder and CEO of Strangeworks, a quantum computing startup that makes the power of quantum computing easily accessible and available to all. He is an Eisenhower Fellow, A Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Chairman of the Quantum Computing Standards Workgroup at the IEEE, the first Ambassador to CERN and Society, a regular contributor to TechCrunch on the topic of Quantum Computing, and the co-author of “Quantum Computing For Babies”. Prior to starting Strangeworks he was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs [NYSE: GS]. He came to Goldman Sachs via the acquisition of his second startup, Honest Dollar. Prior to Honest Dollar whurley founded Chaotic Moon Studios which was acquired by Accenture [NYSE: ACN].


Tamara Dull

Tamara Dull is a Principal Open Source Technologist at Amazon Web Services in Los Angeles, focusing on enterprise blockchain technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT). Her biggest working IoT demo is her smart home; it’s still a work in progress. Tamara began her high-tech journey long before the internet was born, and has held technical, executive and marketing positions for a variety of technology vendors, consultancies, and nonprofits. When she’s not speaking, writing, or geeking out on emerging tech, you’ll find Tamara helping shelter dogs find their forever homes with Outta the Cage, a nonprofit she cofounded.

Keynote: How Blockchain-y Are You? Test Your Enterprise Blockchain IQ

On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you understand blockchain technologies? If you answered 7 or less, then this presentation is for you. The reality is that even though there have been many well-meaning attempts to explain blockchain – largely focused around Bitcoin and cryptocurrency investing – many of us still don’t get it. During this fast-paced, interactive presentation, we’ll take a journey through today’s enterprise blockchain landscape and test your blockchain smarts along the way. Some of the questions we’ll discuss are: What is enterprise blockchain? What’s the difference between DLT (distributed ledger technology) and blockchain? How do the four types of blockchain compare – public, private, permissionless, and permissioned? Do you even need a blockchain? If you’d like to understand blockchain well enough to explain it to a 5th grader or even your professor or boss, we’ve got a seat saved especially for you.


Jonathan Chew

Jonathan Chew is a Creative Producer for Walt Disney Imagineering, the unique innovative design arm of The Walt Disney Company. Working in Inclusive Strategies and Exploratory Blue Sky Development, his responsibilities include brainstorming and development of fresh and culturally relevant stories, concepts and integration of new technologies into Disney theme parks, resorts, attractions, cruise ships, real estate developments, and regional entertainment venues worldwide. Since joining the Disney team, Jonathan has supported a number of innovative projects, including Cars Land at Disney California Adventure, the development of Shanghai Disney Resort, and the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge which debuted last year at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. Prior to joining Walt Disney Imagineering, he studied electrical engineering at UCLA with a computer science specialization and biomedical focus. He has worked at several leading companies in different industries, including Amgen and Raytheon, and loves to inspire people, bring joy to others, and help create a big beautiful tomorrow.

Keynote: The Hidden Lenses of Success

Join Jonathan and Leo for an invigorating morning presentation to learn some tips on staying aware of the hidden forces that will help you shape a successful career, as well as get the most out of this year’s Rising Stars conference.


Sonita Lontoh

Sonita Lontoh is the SVP & Global Head of Marketing, HP 3D Printing & Digital Manufacturing. She came to HP from Siemens, the global industrial conglomerate, where she focused on enabling Industrial IoT and Digital Transformation. Sonita has more than 18 years of experience at the intersection of new technology, business models and policy, both at venture-backed Silicon Valley start-ups and Fortune 100 global companies.

Outside of work, Sonita is passionate about advancing more women in technology and in increasing global cross-collaborations in technology between the U.S. and emerging countries. She has been invited by the White House to speak at former President Barack Obama’s Global Innovation Summit and to attend an event honoring AAPI Women Champions of Change. In 2017, Sonita was inducted into the U.S. National Asian American Hall of Fame and MIT listed her as one of its Notable Women Alumni.

Sonita earned her Master of Engineering from MIT, her M.B.A. from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University, and her B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.


Frank Soqui

Frank is a 38 year veteran at Intel, serving in a diverse set of leadership roles including; telecommunications design and marketing, desktop motherboard and systems product marketing, Digital Office marketing, planning, strategy and engineering, as well as communications and embedded platform market enabling covering strategic planning, engineering, ecosystem enabling and industry marketing. Frank was a strong Intelligent Systems Group and Sponsors of Tomorrow champion creating a highly visible presence via interviews, keynotes, and commercials increasing the awareness and driving success of intelligent systems initiatives.


Leo Szeto

Leo Szeto has served in a wide variety of teams and companies of different sizes, from research groups, start-ups, established companies, and multi-national corporations. After graduating from UCLA, Leo became an Imagineer, creating magic as a Ride Controls Engineer for the Shanghai Disney Resort. A strong believer in the creative potential of everyone, Leo has given numerous talks in the US and China on the “Technical Creative”; People who can dream, design, and execute, with vision and passion.

Leo is currently serving as a Scientific Controls Engineer at Nusano, an LA-based early-stage startup that has developed a new technology to mass-produce radioisotopes, enabling the development of radiopharmaceuticals for personalized cancer therapies.


Peijung Tsai

Peijung Tsai works for L3Harris Technologies as a senior system engineer for communication systems. She has been working on both Line-of-Sight and Satellite communication systems for both airborne and ground systems over the product life cycle. She has served in a number of volunteer roles within IEEE and the local STEM groups. She holds a MSEE from University of Utah.