Almaz Negash, Managing Partner & Founder, Entwine Global
Almaz Negash, consults businesses and educational institutions on international trade, economic development and sustainability. Over the last seventeen years she has helped build and foster countless, vital strategic relationships between a diverse set of individuals and organizations around the world. Serving at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Almaz had the opportunity to further her expertise in connecting, former head of states, business and community leaders, individuals and organizations from varied backgrounds to critical global challenges.
Almaz is contributing author of the book Awakening Social Responsibility – www.csraction.com and has written numerous articles on global trade, social and education issues – www.entwineglobal.com. She is also founding member of Global Women Leadership Network of the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University – http://www.scu.edu/business/gwln/, Sr. Advisor to WE CARE SOLAR – www.wecaresolar.org and Sigma Solar Energy – www.sigmasolarenergy.com. She holds MBA from GGU and BA from USF.
Christine Stirrat, Sub-Saharan Africa Capacity Building, Associate
Christine Stirrat has extensive international experience including her recent work in Ghana where she developed a community based organization and started a commercial agriculture project in a rural subsistence farming village. Prior to Ghana, she spent time in New Zealand assisting environmental conservation groups and took a National Outdoor Leadership School semester course in Australia.
Christine graduated from Santa Clara University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History and Anthropology. She is currently a legal assistant in Chicago and will be attending law school in 2012.
Dick Dao, Creative Manager, Entwine Global
As Creative Manager for Entwine Global, Dick Dao is responsible for the creative design and execution of web and print marketing for Entwine Global. He graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in Business Economics and has an associates degree in Digital Media Design and Production at West Valley College.
EXECUTIVE ADVISORY COUNCIL
Agnieszka Winkler
Agnieszka Winkler is the founder and Chairperson of The Winkler Group, a San Francisco based management consultancy specializing in branding and marketing efficiency and effectiveness. Ms. Winkler is also the founder, former Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Winkler Advertising, founded in 1984, and TeamToolz, Inc., founded in 1999, both of which were acquired. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Cheesecake Factory,( NASDAQ) and on the Boards of Trustees of Ascension Health (one of the top 3 healthcare systems in the United States) and on the Board of Trustees of Santa Clara University. She has also served on numerous other public and private company boards such as Reno Air, Supercuts, Intertel and IpLocks, and many non profit and professional organizations such as The American Association of Advertising Agencies, Western Folklife Center, Holy Names University and more, where she has served on the following committees: Audit, Compensation (Chair), Governance (Chair), Nominating (Chair), Special Committee (Chair), Executive Committee, Trustees Marketing Committee (Chair); ) and Academic Affairs.
Ms. Winkler is the author of “Warp Speed Branding,” published by Wiley in the United States , China , and Turkey and a frequent speaker on the subject of branding and marketing and more recently on spirituality in business. She has been the recipient of numerous awards including “100 Best and Brightest Women in Marketing and Advertising;” Best Woman in Advertising, McCall’s Magazine in conjunction with Adweek; “25 Women to Watch,” Advertising Age; Outstanding Alumni Award, Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University; “50 Most Influential Women San Francisco Bay Area,” San Francisco Times; 10 Most Innovative Products of the Year, Seybold 2002 (for TeamToolz); President’s Medal, Holy Names University and more. Ms. Winkler’s previous professional and board experience with start-up, mid cap and Fortune 500 companies has allowed her to contribute on such issues as new product/market development, new technology development and introduction, new channel development, corporate governance, new lines of business, streamlining operations through technology, operationalizing the brand, monetizing intellectual capital, M&A and ongoing strategic planning.
Art Lund, Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel, Inc. Practice Overview
Arthur K. Lund has more than 38 years of experience handling all aspects of corporate and business transaction matters, including commercial, banking, hospital and real estate law. He is also a certified arbitrator and a former Judge Pro Tem. Mr. Lund is the founding chairman of San Jose National Bank, and he currently serves as a Director of Samaritan Medical Center and Chairman of L&A Industries, Inc.
His lengthy roster of community and professional involvement also includes the National Conference of Community and Justice, the Rotary Club of San Jose and the San Jose Mayor’s Task Force on General Aviation. He is a former member of the San Jose Redevelopment Agency and the past president of the Health Facilities Planning Council of Santa Clara County. He was a member of the San Jose State University President’s Advisory Committee, and a past president of the university’s Alumni Association and the Spartan Foundation. He was recently recognized by San Jose Magazine as one of the area’s top lawyers
David Henderson, President Samaritan Medical Center
Dave has over twenty-five years of management experience and community involvement. Currently he is President of Samaritan Medical Center, a family owned business in San Jose . He has held this position since 1988. His responsibilities include leasing, managing and developing medical office properties. Currently the portfolio consists of 230,000 sf of developed buildings. The last project completed in 2003 consisted of a 70,000 sq ft. medical office building with a five-level parking structure.
Prior to these activities, Dave held the position of General Manager with Arrow Electronics both in Salt Lake City (1983-1984) and Chicago (1985-1988). Arrow is a $10.2 billion dollar worldwide distributor of electronic components. Dave was responsible for directing operations, marketing, and sales people and was honored as General Manager of the Year. Dave is a member of the Wells Fargo Advisory Board and El Repco Advisory Board. Volunteer activities included five trips to Mississippi and Louisiana assisting with the recovery efforts for those impacted by Hurricane Katrina and member of the Stroke Awareness Foundation. Dave was also Chairman of The Health Trust. He has a Bachelors Degree in Business from Pennsylvania State University (1973).
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND TRADE COUNCIL
Peter K. Yap
Peter K. Yap is an expert in international trade, sales, and management. He has more than years of extensive direct sales and channel partners experience in communications equipment segment market. Award winning records in sales, with multiple country, and regional assignment responsibilities combined with partner management experience. Proven track record in implementing effective sales channel entry strategies and product market developments in the fixed, mobile and wimax operator business environment. Consistent record of exceeding goals, increasing sales, entering new markets, and winning business from competition.
Peter is an Alumni of Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, Monterey Institute of International Studies and San Francisco State University . He comes from a multicultural background and visited more than 40 countries for business and leisure.
Jeannine Athas
Jeannine Athas, is a business development, results-oriented executive with diverse experience in both U.S. and European technology markets driving company growth and profitability with a track record in uncovering, initiating and growing business opportunities and innovative products. A successful, experienced entrepreneur with 6 years VC experience in a British group; she is recognized for establishing long-term, successful and profitable commercial relationships through building collaborative teams and dynamic companies, developing rapport, agreement and influence to build alliances, conduct strategic negotiations, generate sponsors and close deals with executive management, corporate partners, and vendors.
Based between Silicon Valley and London , Jeannine has business fluency in 6 languages. She holds an INSEAD MBA, Middlebury College MA in Spanish and was a Fulbright Scholar – Abraham Lincoln Grant, Republic of Mexico . Jeannine’s professional alliances include: SDForum – Chairperson, International SIG (Special Interest Group), International Program Advisor and Executive Council member (http://www.sdforum.org); Silicon Valley International Council – member and representative of SDForum; Forum for Women Entrepreneurs, Europe; Advisory Council Board; Chair of UK Meetings (http://www.fwe.org); President INSEAD Alumni Association NW USA, INSEAD UK Class Representative and Chair of 20th INSEAD Reunion.