Story spotlight with Ann Arbor’s tech visionaries.
September 24 | 4:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. | Venue by 4M
Tickets $25
This event is hosted by Ann Arbor SPARK.
Immerse yourself in the captivating world of technology and innovation at Tech Talk, one of the highlights of a2Tech360! Prepare to be captivated as we bring you a lineup of brilliant minds who will share their origin stories and provide exclusive insights into the groundbreaking technologies emerging from the Ann Arbor region.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation, to hear from the trailblazers shaping the future of technology, and to expand your network within the innovative community. Join us for an evening of inspiring stories and insights that will ignite your entrepreneurial spirit. Enjoy food, drinks, and networking with fellow tech enthusiasts.
Tech Talk 2024 Agenda
Doors Open
5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Tech Talk Speaker Presentations
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Emcee: Rep. Jason Morgan, State Representative
Speakers:
- Wonwoo Lee, Chief Real Estate Officer | Oxford
- Noah Kaplan, President and Founder | Leon Speakers
- Bia Hamed, Program Manager | SEMI Foundation
Come listen to four visionary speakers at Tech Talk as they delve into an array of topics related to this year’s theme – Placemaking, Talent, and the Evolution of Ann Arbor. From cutting edge advancements in art and sound technology to the eye-opening discoveries in real estate in tech hubs like Ann Arbor.
Childcare Innovations Fireside Chat
6:30 p.m. – 7:05 p.m.
Moderator: Thressa Nichols, Vice President of People Operations | Snappt Inc & Founder | Recess Cafe
Panelists:
- Amanda Lewan, Co-Founder & CEO | Bamboo Detroit
- Deata McLemore, Co-Owner | Bottles-N-Backpacks Child Development Center
- Phil Santer, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff | Ann Arbor SPARK
- Cheranissa Williams, Economic Opportunity Manager | Washtenaw County
The panel discussion will examine how childcare availability and affordability influence economic development and the tech sector in Ann Arbor. It will highlight innovative solutions and explore how effective communication and collaboration can address these challenges, enhancing workforce participation and supporting the growth of local tech businesses. The goal is to identify strategies that connect supportive childcare policies with a vibrant, sustainable economy.
Networking Reception
7:10 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Mingle with the speakers and fellow attendees during the networking reception, complete with delicious food and drinks!
Tech Talk Speakers
Plus more being announced soon!
![Bia Hamed, SEMI Foundation Bia Hamed, SEMI Foundation](https://a2tech360.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Bia-Hamed-213x300.jpg)
Bia Hamed
Program Manager
SEMI Foundation
Bia is an advocate increasing the number of Minorities in STEM education and in the workplace. Currently, she is a Program Manager for the SEMI Foundation, where she is building a more diverse workforce pipeline for the semiconductor industry globally. Past accomplishments include creating programming for middle and high school students in various areas of STEM education. One of her programs, the Digital Divas Conference, has served tens of thousands of middle and high school girls from SE Michigan since 2011. She developed a multitude of outreach programs for K-12 students such as the Digital Dudes Conference, STEM Kits for Kids program, after-school programs, all-girl esports teams, and producer of a television program on PBS.org and the Detroit PBS named the Future of Me. In 2020, Bia founded the Office of K-12 STEM Outreach to institutionalize and magnify programming for students from urban and rural communities on a university campus.
Bia earned a doctorate in Philosophy of Education, finding better ways higher education can recruit and serve all minorities entering STEM majors. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family, reading, traveling, and cooking. Bia lives in Canton, Michigan with her son Yacoub and her two cats Bissa and Tiger.
Bia Hamed
SEMI Foundation
![Noah Kaplan, Leon Speakers Noah Kaplan, Leon Speakers](https://a2tech360.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Noah-Kaplan-259x300.jpg)
Noah Kaplan
Founder
Leon Speakers
Visual artist, musician, and entrepreneur Noah Kaplan has spent over 25 years building successful, creatively driven, craft-oriented Ann Arbor businesses like Leon Speakers, Mothfire Brewing Company, and York Food & Drink: growing them together into a thriving Creative Campus for the Ann Arbor Community.
Leon Speakers
www.leonspeakers.com
Mothfire Brewing Company
www.mothfire.com/home
York
www.yorka2.com
Noah Kaplan
Leon Speakers
![Wonwoo Lee, Oxford Companies Wonwoo Lee, Oxford Companies](https://a2tech360.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Wonwoo-Lee-242x300.jpg)
Wonwoo Lee
Chief Real Estate Officer
Oxford Companies
Oxford’s Chief Real Estate Officer, Wonwoo Lee, is asset manager of the largest commercial real estate portfolio in Ann Arbor. Overseeing more than $500 million in real estate transactions in commercial leasing and investment sales, Wonwoo has been named a CoStar Power Broker and was recently inducted into the Midwest RENews Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. He’s also part of the most recent class of Crain’s Detroit 40 Under 40 inductees.
A longtime Ann Arbor local (and Ann Arbor Public Schools and three-time University of Michigan graduate), Wonwoo knows our city inside and out. Placemaking and solving complex real estate issues is a passion of his, especially when these efforts uplift our community as a whole. Wonwoo also loves playing piano and going for runs with his dog, Louie – and you’ll often find him on the golf course.
Wonwoo Lee
Oxford Companies
![Amanda Lewan, Bamboo Amanda Lewan, Bamboo](https://a2tech360.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Amanda-Lewan-200x300.jpg)
Amanda Lewan
Co-Founder
Bamboo
Amanda Lewan is an entrepreneur with a mission to change culture and inspire innovation. She co-founded Bamboo, overseeing its three locations, and serving 1,300 members. Bamboo’s mission is to serve as a space platform for Michigan entrepreneurs and doers.
Bamboo began in 2013, as a co-working collective for new startups, bootstrapped with a $5,000 loan. The company has since expanded to Royal Oak and Ann Arbor, with 65,000 sq ft developed and operated. Amanda’s leadership has been recognized locally and nationally by Crain’s Detroit, the City of Detroit, and Fortune Magazine.
Amanda has a Master’s Degree in English. She has over a decade of operations and ecosystem building experience. Her work has helped launch accelerators, conferences, programs and places that create a more inclusive and innovative world. She lives in Detroit with three dogs, two kids, and one husband.
For more on Bamboo: www.bamboodetroit.com,
Connect with Amanda: twitter.com/amanda_jenn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandalewan
Amanda Lewan
Bamboo
![Deata McLemore, Bottles-N-Backpacks Child Development Center Deata McLemore, Bottles-N-Backpacks Child Development Center](https://a2tech360.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Deata-McLemore-225x300.jpg)
Deata McLemore
Co-Owner
Bottles-N-Backpacks Child Development Center
Originally pursuing a degree in Business Management, Mrs. McLemore soon discovered that her passion to nurture and teach far outweighed her interest in accounting, spreadsheet development, and analytical projections. It all started one day at the kitchen table while helping their oldest pair (but back then, their only two) with homework. As Mrs. McLemore sat and watched her children struggle with grasping the concepts of their assignments, it became clear that the lacking of comprehension was rooted in the fact that every child’s learning style tends to differ and was also due to the small amount of time that was going into their academic development. However, as time progressed and with their mother’s input, it was definitely apparent that the light bulbs had come on and were shinning brighter than the sun at high noon. The overwhelming sensation of joy that Mrs. McLemore experienced from her children’s progression, combined with the smiles that were left on her little one’s faces, left mom with no other logical choice, but to switch her major from Business Management to Elementary Education. Thereafter, the McLemore’s took a leap of faith, opening up their home and the very first Bottles-N-Backpacks location to the community in 2004 and have yet to look back.
Mr. McLemore’s travels, on the other hand, are slightly different from his better half-as he would say. With a corporate background in both Automotive Design-Engineering and in Marketing & Sales, if you were to ask him back then: “Can you picture yourself in front of a group of preschoolers teaching the lesson of the day?”, you might have gotten a look that could rival Superman in a laser beam eye-starring contest. If it didn’t involve logical thinking, calculating sizes of sheet metal, or any other left-brain function for that matter, he’d rather explain quantum physics to a squirrel than to entertain any topic or activity outside of his immediate interest. Fast forward several years, several children, and a ton of life experiences later and you end up with a foreign object-Mr. McLemore as a completely different person; a reversal of 180°. It was his decision to step away from his corporate affairs in 2009, so that he would have more quality time with his family, which he believes was the primary catalyst for his significant growth. To this day, he often brags about how he’s learned so much more from the children at the center than he could ever teach them in a lifetime and how blessed he feels to play a contributing role in creating a brighter future for society as a whole.
Today, Bottles-N-Backpacks is a family oriented business that concerns itself with the health, wellbeing, and improvement of the households that we service and the communities where we reside. Due to majority of a child’s influence coming from the home and environment in which they grow, for us, it is essential that the programs, services, resources, and any opportunity for greatness that is offered here, is-in some way-extended throughout these other contributing factors of their development, as well. Therefore, we strongly subscribe to the old adage that: “It takes a village to raise a child”; and in order for the children to be strong-mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, the village must mirror the same. This philosophy not only remains the driving force that our brand rest upon, but it is also our pledge and commitment to building a better tomorrow.
Deata McLemore
Bottles-N-Backpacks
![Jason Morgan, Michigan State Rep. Jason Morgan, Michigan State Rep.](https://a2tech360.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Jason-Morgan-240x300.jpg)
Jason Morgan
Representative
State of Michigan
State Rep. Jason Morgan is serving his first term representing the 23rd House District, which comprises part of Ann Arbor, the city of South Lyon, Superior Township, Salem Township and parts of Plymouth, Northville, Lyon, and Ann Arbor townships.
The son of a commercial fisherman, Rep. Morgan was raised in Pinconning. By working part-time and thanks to state and federal student aid, Rep. Morgan worked his way through college as a first-generation college student, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Northern Michigan University. He later earned a Master of Public Administration from the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.
Rep. Morgan served for six years as a Washtenaw County commissioner and was elected as the county’s first-ever LGBTQ-identified person to serve as chair of the Board of Commissioners. He also served as a Northern Michigan University trustee, having been appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and is a service member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Over the last 15 years, Rep. Morgan has worked in various leadership positions in Michigan and Washington, D.C. He served as the constituent services director to Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and in senior staff positions to five members of Congress, including Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, Haley Stevens and Elissa Slotkin, and Congressman John Dingell and Bart Stupak. Much of his career has focused on higher education, including working as a director of government and community relations and later teaching government at Washtenaw Community College.
Rep. Morgan’s passions are his family and serving the community, with a focus on addressing economic and social inequality, LGBTQ rights, transportation and infrastructure, access to quality public education, and protecting the health of our environment. He lives in Ann Arbor with his husband, Jon, and their cats, Doug and Joey.
Jason Morgan
Michigan State Rep.
![Thressa Nichols, Recess Cafe Thressa Nichols, Recess Cafe](https://a2tech360.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Thressa-Nichols-283x300.jpg)
Thressa Nichols
Vice President of Operations
Snappt
Founder
Recess Cafe
Thressa Nichols is an Ann Arbor resident, parent, and community member. After spending years leading People Operations teams at fast-paced startups, she is now the Vice President of Operations for an LA based tech company working 100% remote. As an Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority (DDA) board member and a founding member of Shine & Rise (shinerise.org) she is an advocate for economic vitality and the benefits of creating community. Over the last year, she has begun the work to create Recess (www.recess.cafe), a third place for working families to connect and support one another.
Thressa Nichols
Recess Cafe
![Phil Santer, Ann Arbor SPARK Phil Santer, Ann Arbor SPARK](https://a2tech360.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Phil-Santer-Web-300x269.jpg)
Phil Santer
Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff
Ann Arbor SPARK
Phil Santer is Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff for Ann Arbor SPARK, leading a team of professionals that partner with businesses and communities to help them grow. Phil has more than 15 years of economic development experience as a practitioner and at the public policy level. Prior to joining Ann Arbor SPARK, Phil held various roles at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and with a research center at George Mason University in Washington, DC.
Phil is a graduate of James Madison College at Michigan State University and received his MBA from Wayne State University. He is also an Economic Development Financial Professional certified by the National Development Council and was recognized by DCI as “40 under 40” for economic development. He serves on the Board of Directors at Lake Trust Credit Union.
Phil Santer
Ann Arbor SPARK
![Cheranissa Williams, Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development Cheranissa Williams, Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development](https://a2tech360.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Cheranissa-Williams-199x300.jpg)
Cheranissa Williams
Economic Opportunity Manager
Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development
Cheranissa Williams is a dedicated Human Service professional who seeks to make a difference in the lives of others. I am an experienced Operations Manager who has over 20 years of experience working with State and local Governments and Non-Profits. Ms. Williams is a proponent of personal empowerment and is dedicated in helping women live their best life now!
Ms. Williams has helped people from all walks of life with professional and personal crisis by being compassionate, challenging and respectful. She has 25 years of experience coaching and consulting with small business owners and customer service teams including 17 years of experience teaching entrepreneurs how to start and launch businesses.
Ms. Williams is a Certified Life Coach, and Co-Author of four books on women’s empowerment. She uses her life to help others better their own. She holds certifications in Women’s Issues and Diversity, Women’s Journey to Wellness, Mind, Body and Spirit, Life Coaching and Entrepreneurship as well as a Master’s Degree in Science Administration with the concentration in Public Administration.
Ms. Williams personal statement “I enjoy learning and feel that I have more to give. I am looking forward to my latter being my greater and embrace everyday with enthusiasm and love.”
Cheranissa Williams
Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development
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