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!
Troels Adrian
Troels serves as the Executive Vice President, leading Business Development, Marketing, Research and Strategy for the Greater Sacramento Economic Council. A native of Denmark but now a true believer in the California Dream, he lives in Sacramento with his wife Christy and their two rambunctious boys.
An accomplished economic development executive, Troels has personally been involved in the creation of over 13,000 jobs throughout his career. Prior to joining the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, he led tradable sector economic development activities for the City of Portland, Oregon. During his tenure, he strategically repositioned his team to serve the City of Portland’s key industry clusters with a strong inclusion lens and reenergized the city’s international trade efforts. Major wins included the expansions of Adidas’ and Daimler Trucks’ North American Headquarters and new locations of Genentech, Amazon Web Services and Square. All told, these and other projects supported the creation of 4,400 net new jobs for the city and hundreds of millions in new capital investment. Troels was also instrumental in serving Portland businesses during the pandemic, leading several major emergency grant and loan programs, advising key leaders on recovery planning and co-creating the statewide Small Business Stabilization Fund in partnership with the Oregon Community Foundation.
Prior to his time in Portland, Troels spent nine years in Atlanta, first with Partnership Gwinnett and then leading the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s work in developing that region’s globally competitive supply chain and automotive ecosystems. Together with executives from Porsche, AT&T, Panasonic, Cox Automotive and Georgia Tech he founded a regional automotive technology consortium to bring R&D assets to Metro Atlanta. He also launched a major initiative in partnership with 25 major corporations to spotlight Atlanta’s supply chain technology ecosystem and sourced projects that led to the creation of over 2,500 jobs in the region.
Before he found his true calling in economic development, Troels started out in the community development space, building his nonprofit management and accounting skills at one of New York City’s largest community-based nonprofits, CAMBA. He is particularly passionate about early childhood nutrition and currently serves as a Board Member for the Urban School Food Alliance, a coalition of the largest school districts in the United States working together to improve school food for our nation’s children.
Troels is a proud alum of the University of Copenhagen with a BA in Political Science and holds two master’s degrees: a Master of Public Administration from Baruch College and a Master’s in City and Regional Planning from Georgia Tech. The latter earned him the prestigious Ed McClure Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, given to the top Master’s student paper in North America each year.
Marcie Shelton
Marcie is Founder and CEO of Give2Lead (www.Give2Lead.com) which is a simple marketing platform that enable businesses to be a force for good by replacing wasteful branded swag with sustainable and meaningful community giving. Marcie is also a Leadership Consultant at her own company - The Leaders Partner -(www.TheLeadersPartner.com) serving the greater Sacramento Region.
Marcie volunteers for the Roseville Area Chamber of Commerce to lead the EDG program each month. She’s on the board of The Sacramento Area HR Association, as well as her local Homeowners Association and loves helping out at the Twin Lakes Food Bank Garden.
When she’s not helping businesses succeed, she loves spending time with her family playing outside.
Bryan Alger
Bryan Alger spent 27 years in the corporate world and 22 years in high-level corporate management. He is a lifetime student of leadership and personal growth with a deep passion for helping others and seeing them grow profitable businesses often larger than initially imagined. Bryan hosts the twice monthly (1st and 3rd Thursdays) podcast, Alger Coaching Podcast, which can be found on all major podcast platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, etc. In addition, Bryan is a DISC personality consultant, certified executive coach, speaker, and trainer through The Maxwell Team.
He began dating his high school sweetheart at 16 years old while she was 15 years old, married at 21, and has two grown children, who have a total of 9 children of their own.
On his journey to high-level leadership, Bryan had a unique and obscure path, in that he set out to achieve one of two goals, to become a branch manager in the blue-collar pest control field, or a professional poker player. However, he found it fascinating that business and poker have many things in common, as he studied and grew in poker knowledge, his business skills improved. As a result of the years of study his business dreams, and earnings outpaced his poker earnings. He is now a profitable part-time recreational player when not speaking, teaching, or working with his clients at Alger Coaching and Consulting.
Justin Studebaker
Justin is a co-founder of Symphoneo Consulting and an expert in organizational behavior.
As a dynamic speaker, Justin inspires audiences to prioritize what truly matters in their professional and personal lives. With a profound understanding of organizational dynamics, he is a guiding force for teams aspiring to achieve sustainable growth. He was one of the first Certified Working Genius Trainers and has pioneered Working Genius. This role allows him to seamlessly blend theoretical knowledge with practical applications, empowering leaders and teams to excel. In the past few years, Justin has played a pivotal role in elevating the performance of numerous leaders and teams. His expertise is facilitating positive behavioral change and refining workplace culture through strategic models and tools.
He is also a foster youth advocate and has contributed to growing several non-profit organizations. Justin holds a Master of Arts in Human and Organizational Behavior from National University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Sonoma State University.
Jeff Dern
Jeff joined PRIDE Industries in 2008, serving in a variety of finance and operational positions before stepping into the role of President in 2018. In 2021, he was named President and CEO by the Board of Directors. During his tenure as head of PRIDE Industries, Jeff has continued to expand the company’s mission across the nation, increasing services for people with disabilities and leading the company into new markets to support that mission. Under Jeff’s innovative leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, PRIDE Industries was able to grow and thrive, while ensuring the safety of all its employees and customers.
Jeff brought more than 20 years of domestic and international business leadership to PRIDE Industries when he joined in 2008. Since then, he has held a variety of roles within the company, including Controller from 2008 – 2014, VP of Finance from 2014 – 2016, and Chief Financial Officer from 2016 – 2018. Jeff holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Drexel University, Sacramento. He is also a California State University, Sacramento graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.
Jeff has a long history of community involvement, and currently serves on the California Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Comstock’s Editorial Advisory Board, and the Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council Board of Directors. In his spare time, you’ll find Jeff outdoors golfing, hiking, skiing, cycling, or playing baseball.
Kyle Cassano
Kyle Cassano is the President & CEO of Digital Marketing Labs.
Mr. Cassano is a digital marketing and advertising consultant who, since 2010, has specialized in lead generation for multi-location healthcare companies. His team builds, manages, executes, and manages digital campaigns to generate increased patient volume and drive revenue. They understand the goals and objectives for successful lead generation; they know what needs to be in place, and how it should be assembled.
Over the years, DML has worked with some extremely talented teams at the nation's largest multi-site healthcare organizations. Working side-by-side through acquisitions, sales, and huge wins to drive growth.
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.
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.
Scott Alvord
Scott Alvord is the founder and CEO of Advanced Development Concepts, LLC, a company that Scott 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-MCA 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 voted “Local Hero” in the Press Tribune’s 2020 and 2021 Best-of-the-Best Awards for his organizational efforts with the over-2,000-person Roseville Volunteer Force during the height of the pandemic. 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 and re-elected in 2020. He is known in the community as approachable, available, and a problem solver. He enjoys focusing on economic development aspects to help solidify the future of the region.
He served for 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 at the California Awards for Performance Excellence (CAPE), which is the California version of the national Malcolm Baldridge Quality Awards program. He lead teams that evaluated the state’s top-performing corporations, hospitals, schools, civic governments, and even military programs for prestigious awards.
Scott has been married to his college sweetheart for 39 years, is the father of 7 children (some by birth and some through adoption of relatives), and currently has 13 grandchildren.
Haley Garrett, Emcee for Pitch Showcase
Haley Garrett is a senior at Granite Bay High School with a passion for fostering entrepreneurship and business development.
Her leadership journey began with founding her high school’s first business club in 2022, currently serving as DECA Chapter President. Her interests in the startup realm flourished when interning at the Growth Factory and working with local startups. Haley has engaged in entrepreneurial programs like Roseville Rising for High School Students, subsequently winning first place with her team Co-Elevate.
Now, she mentors high school students in Roseville Rising and represents students on the GBHS CTE Business Committee. Haley plans to major in business administration at Cal Poly in the fall of 2024, furthering her education and involvement in the business sphere.
In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis and exploring Sacramento's coffee scene.
Sophia Perez, Emcee for Pitch Showcase
Sophia is a junior at Roseville High School and has a passion for entrepreneurship and business.
She's been involved in local pitch competitions, winning first place with her team Enviro in the Roseville Rising for High School Students Entrepreneurship program last year. At Sacramento State's Startup Challenge hosted by the Carlsen Center, she led her team, CollegeKash, to another first-place win in the catalyst cohort.
Sophia now mentors for Roseville Rising and organizes the annual Cars Against Cancer car show, benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in collaboration with the Roseville Area Chamber of Commerce.
Academically she ranks at the top of her class, while also serving as the founder and President of her school's Rotary Interact Club.
David Lichtman
David Lichtman is the Market President & Publisher of the Sacramento Business Journal. He joined the Journal as Advertising Director in October 2011. He was named Publisher in December 2014 and then promoted to Market President in 2017.
He has also been in top leadership management positions in Comcast Spotlight TV, ReachLocal as well as over 2 decades in radio where he has held every sales and sales management role in radio, leading up to his position as VP/General Manager of 96.9 The Eagle, 98 Rock, and if you remember it, KWOD.
He is a true fan of the power of local media content and advertising, and the power it has to create lasting brands and positive perceptions for businesses.
He is certified in digital media sales from the Interactive Advertising Bureau, is a Certified Radio Marketing Consultant, and taught Dale Carnegie sales courses. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Marketing from the University of Florida, and a Masters in Sports Administration from Ohio University.
David has lived in the Sacramento area (Folsom) for 20 years with his wife of 35 years, Gloryvette. His daughters graduated from Folsom High and live now in Sherman Oaks and San Francisco, CA.
Tom Indrieri
Tom Indrieri started with the Lincoln Area Chamber of Commerce in July of 2019. As a former three-term Colusa County Supervisor, past Chamber President, and restaurant owner, Tom’s experience was just what the Lincoln Chamber wanted in a new CEO.
In the past two years, the Chamber has increased its membership dramatically along with forming alliances with our South Placer Chambers, giving our business community a larger voice.
Rana Ghadban
Rana Ghadban was recently appointed as the new CEO of the Roseville Area Chamber of Commerce and succeeds the Chamber‘s former CEO, Wendy Gerig, who retired after 28 years of service. Rana has worked as a Chamber of Commerce CEO for the past twelve years, and for the past two years has served as the leader of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Prior to her work in leading the Hollywood Chamber, Rana headed the Five-Star Nationally Accredited Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce, and before that, the Chatsworth/Porter Ranch Chamber of Commerce.
Rana holds an MBA degree from California State University Northridge, as well as a Masters Degree in Business Administration and Management from St. Joseph’s University in Beirut, Lebanon. In addition, she has completed the Leadership Simi Valley program, and the WACE Chamber Academy program.
Prior to her work as a Chamber President/CEO, Rana held managerial positions with various organizations, including The Management And Organizational Development Center at California State University Northridge, and also served two years as Research Director at The Volunteer Center Of Los Angeles.
In addition, Rana also enjoys community involvement, and has served on the Board for several organizations, including Devonshire PALS, Hollywood PAL, Boys and Girls Club of Simi Valley, Supporters of Law Enforcement in Devonshire, and the Chatsworth Business Improvement District.
On a personal level, Rana enjoys horseback riding, is an avid world traveler, and most importantly, she is the proud mother of two beautiful children, Sarah, 15, and Sami, 13.
Jackie Weston
As the current CEO of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, Jackie has worked diligently in the business community to grow the Auburn Chamber membership and collaborate with the other surrounding Chambers to make a greater Placer County.
Jackie came to the Auburn Chamber as Interim CEO in August of 2020 and became a permanent employee in October of the same year. Before coming to the staff of the Chamber Jackie was a Chamber ambassador for nearly 15 years and a board member for over two years. During the almost three years as CEO of the Chamber Jackie has increased membership by over 150 members, and created several new events to support both the members and the community as a whole.
Jackie's family moved to Auburn in the mid-'80s where they purchased a local small printing business and grew it over time to a medium family-run business employing 17 local Auburn residents. Jackie joined the Family Business in 2010 and continued to work there until early 2020. Because of this work in a family business, Jackie understands the challenges faced by small businesses and has insight into how to help them.
Jackie comes from a long line of community involvement and that shows in her daily work within the Auburn Community. Her parents were very involved in the Chamber including serving on the Board, as Board President, and as President of the Downtown and Airport Business Associations. Jackie has also served on many local boards, committees, and event planning teams.
On a personal level, Jackie is married with 2 young children, 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 11 chickens.
K.D. Molnar
K.D. is the Director of the Loomis Basin Chamber of Commerce. Moving her family to Placer County in 2022 and desiring to become involved in the community and to promote her graphic design services, she joined the Loomis Chamber as a member before the board appointed her to her role at the beginning of 2023.
She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from Cal State Long Beach and has run a freelance graphic design business for 20 years. Her experience in print design and digital marketing, along with her communication and networking skills, are beneficial for her role in connecting the members of the Chamber to the community they serve as well as helping them adjust to the growth the area is experiencing.
K.D. spends her effort outside of her Chamber role by being a leader in the Loomis 4-H Community, a youth organization in which her four children are actively involved.
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