Speakers
Our speakers are regional experts and we carefully chose them to ensure attendees get a wide range of helpful information, skills, and knowledge. Because these professionals often have big responsibilities, we might have last-minute substitutions but we'll keep this updated. Most of these speakers will be available all day for you to network with. A few can only be here for part of the day so if you want to connect with someone, don't be shy!
NOTE: We have not finalized our agenda so there will be additional speakers added to this list!
Shari Fitzpatrick
Shari Fitzpatrick is the creator of the world-famous gourmet dipped strawberry brand, Shari’s Berries. What began in 1989 with a $1,500 credit card and a love for chocolate-dipping quickly grew into a multi-million-dollar national brand.
Her passion started as a little girl in Oregon with her father’s strawberry patch and later blossomed when she gifted handmade dipped strawberry baskets to clients as a young mortgage broker in Los Angeles. That creative gesture soon became her sweet path to entrepreneurship.
Today, Shari is the author of Berried in Chocolate, an acclaimed inspirational speaker, and the founder of her boutique brand of premium chocolate gifts that are shipped nationwide at BerriedInChocolate.com. She also welcomes guests and coaches entrepreneurs at her wine-country B&B in Northern California and pours her heart into BoysandBerries.org, her ministry supporting children living in extreme poverty in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Shari has tasted sweet success, endured crushing loss, and come back stronger. With grit, humor, and chocolate-dipped inspiration, she now motivates audiences everywhere to dream big, take risks, and create their own “sweet success.”
For over 30 years, Shari’s story and her creations have attracted attention through appearances in O Magazine, In-Style Magazine, People Magazine, Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneurial Soul; on the Today Show, Food Network, The Apprentice, The Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune, QVC and HSN.
Mark Haney
Mark Haney is a successful entrepreneur, media personality, and angel investor with a portfolio of 50+ Sacramento-based companies across various industries including new media, tech, consumer products, real estate, construction, transportation, distribution, and security.
Mark's accomplishments include successfully exiting a Rocklin, CA based enterprise that maintained hundreds of employees and generated over $200M in annual revenues. Having scaled the entrepreneurial mountain and achieved many of his lifelong dreams, Mark has turned his attention and resources to helping the next generation of entrepreneurs succeed. He is Founding Partner of the Growth Factory, an early-stage venture capital fund, and a nonprofit accelerator, on a mission to unleash the potential of 100 world-class startups in the next 3-5 years.
When Mark is not company building, he can be found in his studio igniting the Entrepreneurial Revolution as host of The Mark Haney Show podcast, at cross-fit and yoga, or playing baseball in the backyard with his grandkids. He also serves as Past President of the Sacramento chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) and on various corporate and non-profit boards.
He and his family devote time to helping military veterans through his "Allegiant Giving" non-profit.
Bradley Frisk
Bradley Frisk is the Founder and CEO of Cypress Creek Capital Group, where he works exclusively with middle-market business owners to help them grow, protect, and ultimately transition their businesses with confidence. For nearly 20 years, Bradley has guided entrepreneurs through major liquidity events, helping them prepare for an exit long before health issues, burnout, or life events force difficult decisions without a plan.
Specializing in business exit and tax optimized wealth planning, Bradley and his team coordinate closely with Raymond James Investment Bank to integrate investment banking, tax strategy, and long-term wealth planning into a single, aligned process. This concurrent approach allows business owners to maximize company value while preparing personally and financially for life after the sale, an area often overlooked until it’s too late.
Bradley began his career as the California top-producing commercial banker for JPMorgan in San Francisco, earning annual recognition and invitations to national sales conferences. He later spent time with Morgan Stanley in Menlo Park on Sand Hill Road, where he was first exposed to the integration of wealth management with investment banking. Prior to founding Cypress Creek Capital Group, Bradley also held roles at Wells Fargo Private Bank, further deepening his experience working with complex business owner balance sheets and liquidity events.
Bradley is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor™ (CEPA), earned the Certified Private Wealth Advisor® certificate from Yale School of Management, and holds the Retirement Management Advisor® (RMA) designation through the Investments & Wealth Institute. He has also studied financial planning strategy and process at the American College of Financial Services. In addition, Bradley leads Business Owner Strategy Summits across California, bringing together top investment bankers, M&A legal advisors, transaction accounting experts, business and tax-focused attorneys, and commercial lenders to help owners prepare for both a successful exit and life beyond their business.
Deeply involved in his community, Bradley serves on the boards of Sacramento Venture Philanthropy and Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance, works closely with the Association for Corporate Growth, and is a former volunteer firefighter with the Sacramento Fire Department.
Barry Broome
Barry Broome serves as the first President & CEO of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council. Barry is responsible for leading community-driven efforts to attract, grow and scale new businesses; develop advanced industries, and guide new job-creation strategies throughout the six-county region.
In his role, he has established the first public/private partnership economic development organization led by chief executive officers in California. The organization is led by over 40 CEOs and 20 communities in the Greater Sacramento region.
Previously, Barry was the President & CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. In 2013, he was also named Arizona Economic Developer of the Year, Arizona Real Estate Executive of the Year and received the Phoenix Black Chamber of Commerce award.
Prior to Arizona, Barry was the CEO of Southwest Michigan First, where he built an organization from the ground up, which was later listed in the top 20 companies in North America by Site Selection Magazine. Barry built and co-developed venture funds, angel networks, and 31 new ventures – primarily in the life science space in the Kalamazoo region.
Barry was named Michigan Economic Developer of the Year in 2001. Preceding Michigan, Barry led the economic development in Toledo, Ohio. There, he completed the largest industrial deal in the history of the United States, Project Jeep, which was built on 450 acres of brownfields in the North Central Toledo area.
Barry has been featured and interviewed for his work in global and national media outlets including the Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg, Forbes and CNBC, among other publications.
Dr. J. Luke Wood
Dr. J. Luke Wood assumed the presidency of California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State) on July 16, 2023. He is a two-time alumnus, having earned a bachelor’s degree in Black History and Politics and a master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership from the university. He also earned an additional master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (Higher Education concentration) from Arizona State University.
Prior to his presidency, Dr. Wood served as Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Diversity and Chief Diversity Officer at San Diego State University. As a faculty member there, his groundbreaking research on student success and equity—particularly concerning men of color—earned him the distinction of being the first Black Distinguished Professor in the university’s 125-year history. A Critical Race Theorist, Dr. Wood has authored or edited 16 books and published more than 200 scholarly works on racial equity in education.
Under President Wood’s leadership, Sacramento State has reached historic milestones and launched several nationally recognized initiatives, including the nation’s first Black Honors College and the Wileety Native American College—both designed to provide students with enriched, culturally grounded educational experiences.
He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and a passionate boxing enthusiast who trains daily and spars regularly.
Dr. Parnell Lovelace, Jr.
Dr. Parnell M. Lovelace, Jr. serves as the Interim President of Jessup University. Prior to his appointment as Interim President, he served as Vice President of Community at Jessup University and he is a senior fellow with the American Leadership Forum. Reared in Sacramento, CA, he planted the Center of Praise Ministries in 1989 and is the founding and senior pastor of that congregation.
He is described as a strategist, communicator, teacher, thinker, and progressive leader. He serves as a mentor and friend among multitudes of pastors, trans-denominationally. The merging of his spiritual journey and that of social science has served to facilitate an approach that reaches and embraces the disenfranchised, the poor, the youth, the elderly, the marginalized, and people of all communities. He is held in high esteem regionally and globally for his character, integrity, and life-transforming teachings.
His educational accomplishments include an Associate in Arts Degree, American River College; Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, Oral Roberts University; Master of Arts in Social Work, University of Oklahoma; Master of Arts in Practical Theology (High Honors), Oral Roberts University; and a Doctor of Ministry, Talbot School of Theology (Biola University). He earned his PhD in Intercultural Studies at the Cook School of Intercultural Studies, Biola University (2021). He is an inductee of the prestigious Martin Luther King Jr. International Board of Preachers and Collegium Scholars at Morehouse College (2012). He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including being presented the Key to the City of Rancho Cordova for his leadership in facilitating the development of the innovative Rancho Cordova Youth Center.
He is the author of several journal articles and a well-received book on pastoral succession, Set it Up: Developing Leaders for Healthy Churches. He has served as the North American editor for the Great Commission Research Journal, an academic journal devoted to research and scholarly thinking.
He is married to the lovely Lady Dianna (Richardson) Lovelace. They are the proud parents of a son and a daughter, and grandparents of one granddaughter.
William H. Duncan IV
William H. Duncan IV has served as President of Sierra College since 2011. Under his leadership, the college has experienced significant growth and expansion, including the construction of new instructional, science and affordable student housing buildings. President Duncan spearheaded a comprehensive overhaul of the student experience to streamline academic progress, improve student success rates, eliminate completion barriers, and address equity gaps. Through his development of strong collaborative partnerships with its service area K-12 districts, the college has created one of the largest dual enrollment programs for high school students in the state. Under President Duncan’s leadership, the college has expanded career technical education offerings and forged industry partnerships to meet regional workforce needs. President Duncan maintains active involvement at the local and state level, serving on numerous committees and task forces, including as President for the statewide Chief Executive Officers of the California Community Colleges (CEOCCC) Board; co-chair for Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSEC) Competitiveness Council; and as a board member for the Placer County Economic Development Board, Valley Vision, and several Chambers of Commerce. He is also a lifelong Rotarian.
President Duncan has been recognized with the Harry Buttimer Distinguished Administrator Award by the Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA), the Community Partner Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), and as a 2022 CEO of the Year by the Sacramento Business Journal.
President Duncan resides in Newcastle with his wife, Melody. They have two sons, a daughter, three beautiful grandchildren, and three dogs.
Dr. John Jackson
Dr. Jackson is a dynamic and strategic leader who works with national and global organizations, pastors, leaders, consultants, and non-profit organizations, equipping them with the knowledge and resources needed to shape their environments for good. John is passionate about personal, organizational, and community transformation through strategic leadership. He is the author of 10 books, most recently the best-selling book Grace Ambassador - Bringing Heaven to Earth.
Dr. Jackson’s current role is the Chancellor of Jessup University, a nationally ranked Christian University. John served as the President of Jessup University from 2011 to 2025. Prior to his leadership at Jessup, Dr. Jackson was the Executive Director of Thriving Churches International and a Co-Pastor at Bayside Church. He is the founding pastor of LifePoint Church in Minden, Nevada, and was the Executive Minister of the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest (now the Aspire Network) where he supported more than 270 churches in four western states and served on 9 corporate boards.
Dr. Jackson holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Educational Administration and Organizational Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara; M.A. in Theology (Christian Formation and Discipleship) at Fuller Theological Seminary; and a B.A. in Religion (Christian History and Thought) from Chapman University. He lives, works, and writes in Rocklin, CA with his wife Pamela. Their family includes five grown children and their spouses and eight grandchildren and a growing and large extended family.
Stacey Sommerhauser
Stacey Sommerhauser is the Director of Consulting Services for Silvers HR and has been delighting our clients for 10 years.
She holds three high-level Human Resources certifications from the HR Certification Institute and the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). Stacey has been a member of the Sacramento Area Human Resources Association (SAHRA) and SHRM for over 15 years. Her HR experience spans over twenty-five years in both the private and public sectors and over five years of sales and marketing experience. She has held management-level positions in Human Resources management in the transportation, finance, and construction industries.
She holds a BA from the University of California, Riverside in Sociology and Administrative Studies.
Much of Stacey’s work has been in employee relations, talent acquisition, performance management, legal compliance, and training handling multi-state and multi-site legal compliance. Stacey is known for her ability to coach senior-level business partners and provide effective training in harassment prevention, performance management, and communication skills.
When Stacey is not assisting clients, you may find her golfing with her family and friends in Placer County or walking her very energetic Boston Terrier, Jax.
Stacy was voted as the Top Event Speaker in 2024 and received the "Golden Microphone" award: 
Gloria Stearns
Gloria Stearns is the Placer County Economic Development and Housing Director. This division includes the Placer Tahoe Film Office, which facilitates memorable commercials, as well as feature films.
Gloria previously was with the City of Seaside, on the Monterey peninsula, where she worked in Economic and Community Development, as well as the Housing Department. Prior to that, she spent most of her career in Milwaukee. As the Director of a nonprofit dedicated to creating jobs and housing in the most disadvantaged area of the city, she generated significant investment, which helped establish a stronger community. She worked in both community and economic development throughout that region. Prior to that, Ms. Stearns had a long career in IT and managed large projects across North America. She is excited about the many opportunities in Placer County and appreciates the people who have been working hard to move projects forward.
Rob Haswell
Rob Haswell is the Chief Executive Officer of the Placer County Visitors Bureau, which runs Visit Placer, the countywide destination marketing organization, as well as PlacerGROWN, the county agriculture marketing program. In his role, Haswell also works on Quality-of-Life messaging for the county’s Economic Development Department. The PCVB also runs the California Welcome Center in Auburn, CA. Haswell is a 5th-generation Placer County native and was previously the Executive Director of the Auburn Symphony.
Rob's career path is as diverse as it is long. Along the way, he has worked as a journalist, a technical writer, adult education technical support, construction laborer, political consultant, and non-profit leader and advisor.
Rob's expertise is in business analysis, pain point resolution, market branding, and team building. His superpower is guiding organizational turnarounds and navigating them through choppy waters. He is a Placer County champion and, these days, focuses almost entirely on delivering the message that living in Placer County is Life At Its Peak.
He holds a Master's Degree in English (creative writing), loves to cook, hike, camp, travel, and spend time with his wife, Kim, and their adult children.
Lindsay Bleecker
After studying business at Brigham Young University, Lindsay completed the extensive training required to become an Enrolled Agent– a federally authorized practitioner with a specialization in taxation. Lindsay has lived in Placer County most of her life. She has owned her local tax practice, Your Financial Diva, for eleven years.
She has a lifelong thirst for knowledge, regularly completing rigorous continuing education courses, so she is always up to date on the constantly changing tax laws.
With her tax expertise and friendly manner, Lindsay creates a comfortable environment for her clients – making tax preparation a painless process. She likewise applies her number-crunching skills to the bookkeeping records of multiple clients.
Greg West
Greg West is a Northern California entrepreneur and long-time business owner with 29 years of hands-on experience building and operating service-based businesses. He focuses on practical AI adoption for small teams, using simple workflows to reduce admin, improve follow-up, and increase consistency, without turning the business into an IT project.
David Atkinson
David Atkinson was promoted to Assistant Director of Emergency Services in April 2021 and, in that role, has managed the County’s Emergency Operations Center through several disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the River Fire, the Mosquito Fire, and several severe winter storms. He has facilitated recovery efforts and has undertaken several county planning initiatives, including the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, Community Wildfire Protection Plan, and Drought Resilience Plan.
David is also vice-president of the CalOES Regional IV Mutual Aid Regional Advisory Committee.
Outside his professional role, David has volunteered for 15 years with Placer County Search and Rescue and serves on Team Rubicon's National Incident Management Assistance Team.
Scott Alvord
Scott Alvord is the CEO of Advanced Development Concepts, LLC, a company that he started as a custom software company while still in college. It’s now a business consulting firm with some small subsidiaries. He is president of the Advanced Business Roundtable mastermind group that organizes this event. Scott was also the original owner of A Dash of Panache, an award-winning restaurant he operated for over a decade in downtown Roseville until he sold it in 2016.
Scott earned an MBA degree from Sacramento State University. He also holds a Bachelor's in Computer Science from Pacific Union College. Scott has been voted “Favorite Local Businessperson” and “Favorite Civic Leader” in the Style Magazine’s Readers Choice Awards. He was a 2015 & 2016 finalist in Gallina’s Business Person of the Year award.
Scott was elected to the Roseville City Council in 2016 re-elected in 2020 and termed out at the end of 2024 where he focused on aspects of economic development to help solidify the future of the region.
He served nine years as the President of the Downtown Roseville Merchants, has been an active Chamber member for decades, and has authored three books.
Scott served as a Senior Examiner for the California chapter of the national Malcolm Baldridge Quality Awards program. He led teams that evaluated the state’s top-performing corporations, hospitals, schools, civic governments, and even military programs for prestigious awards.
Currently, he is the president of the Roseville Police Activities League (RPAL), president of the Roseville Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (RCONA), and he serves on boards of the Golden Sierra Job Agency and Roseville Public Safety Foundation.
Scott has been married to his college sweetheart for almost 40 years, is the father of 7 children (some by birth and some through adoption of relatives), and currently has 14 grandchildren.
Alexa Bandala
(vocalist)
Alexa Bandala is a locally–based vocalist known for her warm tone and soulful performances. With years of experience singing at restaurants, wineries, and special events, she brings a relaxed, welcoming presence to every space. Alexa specializes in creating an inviting musical backdrop that enhances conversation and connection. Her repertoire spans multiple genres, thoughtfully curated to suit the mood of each event.
In addition to her work as a performing artist, Alexa is a communications professional with extensive experience in nonprofit and creative-sector marketing. Her professional background informs her approach to both music and storytelling, enabling her to contribute significantly to mission-driven initiatives through a diverse array of creative and strategic services.
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