Boost Camp Experts
Boost Camp Experts
Dr. David Cutler balances a varied career as a jazz and classical composer,
pianist, educator, arranger, conductor, author, blogger, advocate and
entrepreneur. His book The Savvy Musician, available now, helps
musicians build a career, earn a living and make a difference. Cutler
is a regular contributor to the Entrepreneur the Arts blog and is the
Coordinator of Music Entrepreneurship Studies at Duquesne University.
More information on The Savvy Musician can be found at www.SavvyMusician.com.
David Cutler can also be found online at his official site, www.TrunkMusic.org.
Linda Garbe is a storyteller. Storytelling has been the key to Linda Garbe's communication success from Plum
Grove, the one room school she attended in first grade, to State Farm
Insurance, a Fortune 500 company where she was the caretaker of
creativity. As Assistant Vice President, she was responsible for designers, writers,
producers, directors, photographers, and technical experts who developed
communication solutions for nearly 70,000 employees, 16,000 agents, and
millions of customers.
Her unique understanding of communication and the power of storytelling
is a result of her experience as a graphic designer, writer, and leader
of creative groups. No matter what the delivery format: speeches,
videos, multimedia, print, events, or one-on-one conversations, Linda can
show you how to find the perfect combination of fact and story to
produce the results you need.
Gregory D. Grove is a Principal at the law firm Much Shelist. His practice concentrates on private equity, venture capital and
corporate transactions and counseling. He advises funds, boards of
directors, management teams, underwriters, and private and public
companies at all stages of development, from entrepreneurial to
established, operating in a wide range of industries. Greg counsels
clients in all aspects of domestic and international private equity and
debt transactions, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital
investments, public offerings and intellectual property matters. Greg provides guidance to
growing and established businesses regarding exit strategies, including
mergers, equity sales, asset sales, public offerings and, where
applicable, the negotiation of settlements with former employees,
vendors and others. In addition, Greg advises companies on general
corporate and ordinary operations matters, including company and
subsidiary organization, contract drafting, equity and bonus
compensation, and negotiations with executives and others.
Jay Harris, President and founder of Global Futures in Education, is an international programs specialist with 25 years of experience. Past and future activities include development assistance projects; curriculum and program development; grant proposal development; international education/global perspectives projects and presentations for K-12, universities, and community organizations. In 2010-11 Harris designed and implemented (as program director) a “Young Entrepreneurs” grant program (ECA Professional Exchanges), earning kudos from the expansive network of in-country, multi-sector contacts created as a result. Harris has designed and implemented several other major participant training and international exchange programs with federal funding. He has visited the Middle East over twenty times. Jay is the primary consultant on project in Tajikistan (Democracy Commission, Embassy of the U.S.), youth development through sports, volunteerism and entrepreneurship. He has considerable experience in Jordan developing educational programs, an arts entrepreneurship initiative, and an annual study tour for American teachers.
Lisa Henderson is a Service and Product Designer. She believes that good design is the interception between art, emotion, simplicity and consumer need. With over nine years consulting experience at ZS Associates, a Global Sales and Marketing Firm, and a master’s degree in Product Development from Northwestern University, Lisa specializes in design that focus on the connection between consumers and service/product offerings. She is the co-founder of Flex Products LLC, which is a think tank for innovate product concepts and is in the process of launching of a new refrigeration product for college students. 
Jason William Johnson
is the founder of Identity Engineers, an entrepreneurial development
and brand development consulting firm. Jason’s life mission is to help
individuals express their individuality through knowledge of self,
creativity, and entrepreneurship. Through Identity Engineers, Jason
uses his understanding of personality and color psychology along with
his creative talents as a writer, musician, and graphic designer to help
individuals start businesses based on their personality strengths and
talents; as well as help small businesses develop brands,
advertisements, and websites that accurately their core brand values.
Jason graduated with honors from Roosevelt University in 2010 with a
Masters in Industrial Organizational Psychology. More information on
Identity Engineers can be found at www.identityengineers.com.
Angel Oakley's innate marketing acumen has enabled her to provide businesses
of various sizes and disciplines a unique insight into their marketing
plans. As a strategic planner, she can walk others through the
exploration process, uncovering their purposes and goals. Her marketing
career began more than 16 years ago in sales. Angel's first ad agency
experience was working for a Germany firm where she was responsible for
international clients like OTTO/Spiegel and Medtronic. Angel's
ability to hit her sales goals, build teams, and provide group
leadership moved her quickly through the management ranks. During her 9 years in the Property and Casualty insurance industry,
Angel played a pivotal role in building brand equity for Monitor
Liability Managers, as they grew from $40 to $250 million in annual
revenue. She transitioned them into a new identity and then built on the
brand assets. Under her leadership, they were recognized as being the
marketing pioneers of all the subsidiaries within the W. R. Berkley
Corporation.
Patrice Perkins is the founder and principal attorney of Lifestyle Zen, a law firm for creative entrepreneurs, providing business set-up, intellectual property and transactional services. Lifestyle Zen was born out of her passion to help overworked entrepreneurs create the lives that they truly deserve by offering services to fuel both their business endeavors and lifestyle needs. Patrice’s clientele represent a variety of industries including the arts, fashion design and retail, graphic design, skincare, event planning, non-profit and professional services. She enjoys providing counsel to small businesses, helping them protect their businesses, brands and long-term sustainability. Patrice is widely published on lifestyle, work-life balance and productivity, and has contributed to CBS Chicago and The CRAVE Company, an international lifestyle company that cultivates and connects women business owners in over 30 markets. Patrice will continue to share the importance of work-life balance and how others can balance it all through her non-traditional approach to the world. In Patrice’s spare time, she serves on the Future Leaders Council for the YWCA.
Michelle Rodwell is responsible for leading the branding and marketing strategy for Ambius' European and North American businesses. Michelle
is energized by the many ways Ambius can create a feeling of well being
and productivity within a space, expanding beyond plant related
services. She believes all five senses play a role in brand image and
employee satisfaction, and thus Ambius provides more than just products
and services but an experience. To present this message to the world,
Michelle was integral to the Ambius branding efforts, which won a “Best
Rebranding” award from CorpComms in the United Kingdom. Michelle has over 20 years of marketing expertise including
strategic brand building, direct marketing, internet marketing, website
development, market research, and promotions.
Tricia Scully is a senior loan officer for ACCION. ACCION is recognized leader in U.S. microfinance, and also has international offices. ACCION helps small business
owners use microloans to build their businesses with
over $272 million lent since inception in 1991. Tricia holds a B.A. in Commercial French
Studies from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, along with a
Certificate in Global Business Culture with Area Specialization in
African Studies. She currently sits as the Co-Chair of Marketing and
Communications Committee for Women Advancing Microfinance
Chicago-Midwest Chapter and volunteers with an after-school program
helping high school students to understand economic concepts and to
further financial literacy.
Jeanette Smith is the consummate art licensing coach. In just six short years, J’net
turned Dilbert™ from a relatively unknown syndication-based comic strip
into a 200 million dollar a year global brand. Then in 2000, J’net
translated and expanded on her extensive experience to train, advise and
license all types of creators. She has helped hundreds of artists,
graphic designers, painters, photographers, authors, illustrators,
design firms, fine artists, creative companies, non-profits and agents
to maximize the power of their brands and talents. From her early days in New York building new divisions for such
corporate giants as Official Airline Guides, MacMillan Publishing,
Paramount Communications, and VIACOM International, to her six years of
work at United Media spearheading the astronomical growth of Dilbert,
Jeanette has compiled a long list of satisfied clients and has gained an
enormous amount of respect and experience in marketing, licensing,
advertising, PR, agenting, negotiating, and much more.
Mary Shepard Spaeth, President of Transmera AB, based on the Mjärdevi Science Park in Sweden, specializes in entrepreneurship, technology commercialization, FDI, and international market strategy. She served as director of marketing for the Northwestern University/Evanston Research Park, Executive Vice President of ANGLE Technology, and as the executive director of the East Sweden Development Agency. Mary has a BA in Creative Writing and an MA in literature from SMU in Dallas, an MS in international child studies from Linköping University and an MPhil in Business from the UK. She is currently a full-time researcher affiliated with the University of the West of Scotland completing a PhD in business with a specialization in entrepreneurship in the creative industries. Mary
has started and managed three companies, including an advertising
agency in Chicago and a technology commercialization management firm in
Sweden through which she assists companies and governments on questions
regarding new business development. She serves on the board of advisors
for the Swedish Academy of Realist Art and for Scrive, an e-contracting
start-up, and is a member of the board of directors for the Swedish
Fulbright Commission.
Joyce Thomas is
an innovator and educator with a passion for design. As a professional
industrial designer, she has worked across interdisciplinary boundaries
and integrated marketing, engineering, and consumer needs into creative
products for 30+ years. Joyce has invented products that have been
awarded 58 US and international patents as Principal at Joyce Thomas
Designs and previously as Senior Designer at Electrolux / The Eureka Co.
She has employed the consumer as an active participant in the designing
process, utilizing user-centered design, design ethnography, and
empathic design research strategies. Joyce is also a Visiting Assistant
Professor of Industrial Design at the University of Illinois
Urbana-Champaign where she teaches interdisciplinary design studios and
technology courses. Her research interests include Design and Disability
and Design for Disaster Preparedness and Recovery.
Tom
Tresser is a consultant, producer, educator and trainer who works with
individuals, companies and communities to leverage and amplify their
creative assets in order to solve problems, create economic value and
trigger civic engagement. He has taught workshops on“The Politics of Creativity – A Call To
Service" for arts service organizations in six states. He has taught a
number of classes on art, creativity and civic engagement for Loyola
University, School of the Art Institute, the Illinois Institute of
Technology, and DePaul University. Tom also consults with arts
organizations on strategic planning, audience development and
peer-to-peer marketing. Tom has published a web-based project, “America Needs You!” – about the need for artists to get involved in politics. Tom was the Green Party
candidate for the position of President of the Board of Commissioners
of Cook County in November 2010 election. Tom recently taught “Got Creativity? Strategies & Tools for the Next Economy” (IIT Stuart School of Business), “Introduction to the Creative Economy” (online for Project Polymath), and “Acting Up – Using Theater & Technology for Social Change” (online for DePaul University’s School for New Learning). Tom is currently working on establishing a new civic project, Protect Our Public Assets, to fight privatization and to defend and extend the commons. Download Tom's Creativity + Civics Manifesto (PDF).