Speaker Bios
Showcase your expertise in this year’s Poster Walk competition, exploring the theme of “Transforming the Workforce: Trends and Challenges in the Manufacturing Industry.”
Latesa K.
Bailey, J.D., M.B.A.
Senior Manager and Head of Department for Human Resources
Kia Georgia, Inc.
Latesa Bailey is the Senior Manager and Head of Department for Human Resources at Kia Georgia, Inc. (Kia Georgia). Bailey is currently responsible for leading Human Resources People Operations, Workforce Development and Recruitment, Total Rewards, HRIS, Strategic Planning and Compensation, and Learning and Organizational Development.
Upon joining Kia Georgia in April 2012, Bailey served as the Senior Corporate Counsel, Labor and Employment Law for Kia Georgia where she partnered with and advised business professionals in labor and employment related matters under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, National Labor Relations Acts, and other various laws. She also developed and conducted training in areas of EEO compliance.
Before joining Kia Georgia, Bailey was the Corporate Counsel, Labor and Employment Law for ThyssenKrupp Steel USA, LLC in Mobile, Ala. where she partnered with and advised business professionals in labor and employment related matters. She managed the Compliance Program in areas including, but not limited to, Anti-trust and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Environmental Health and Safety and Immigration. Bailey served as Of Counsel, Labor and Employment for Littler Mendelson, PC and Turner Broadcasting System in Atlanta, Georgia where she litigated labor and employment related matters.
Bailey has published several articles related to EEO Compliance in legal and business journals, and has participated in several HR panel discussions for the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance, Georgia Employer’s Association and the Next Generation Manufacturing Leadership for Women.
She is a licensed attorney in Florida and Georgia. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Florida State University, and she also graduated Cum Laude from Stetson University College of Law where she received a Juris Doctorate (JD) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
She serves as the Chair of the Foundation Board of Trustees for West Georgia Technical College, a member of the Board of Directors for the LaGrange-Troup Chamber of Commerce and has served as a member of Cool Girls, Inc. advisory board, the Junior League of Atlanta and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
David
Bridges
Vice President, Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2), Georgia Institute of Technology.
David Bridges is the Vice President of the Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2) at the Georgia Institute of Technology. EI2 is the largest, oldest, and most successful economic development organization at any university in the country. It is home to more than a dozen economic development programs which (1) build and scale startups, (2) grow existing small and medium-sized enterprises, including manufacturing firms, and (3) energize ecosystem builders (communities, governments, universities, and non-profits).
These programs serve the State of Georgia, with programmatic reach across the Southeast region, the United States, and five continents around the world.
Prior to his appointment as vice president, Bridges was director of the Economic Development Lab (EDL) within EI2. EDL works with communities in Georgia on projects such as workforce development, fiscal and economic impact analyses, strategic planning, and downtown redevelopment. This lab also works globally and has conducted innovation policy research and implemented innovation ecosystem building projects in 23 countries around the world.
Since joining the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1994, Bridges has worked in various practice areas serving manufacturing firms, national labs, international governments, and innovation ecosystems. He has been a Principal or Co-Principal Investigator on over $20 million in grants and has authored, co-authored, or significantly contributed to over $40 million in winning proposals. Bridges has won over 100 proposals from U.S. federal agencies, plus universities, governments, and non-profits from around the world. He is a Principal Research Faculty member and a frequent lecturer and keynote speaker in China, South Africa, and across Latin America on nascent, innovation ecosystem building.
Prior to joining EI², he was a general management consultant and a brand manager at three consumer package goods companies. Bridges has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Emory University and a Master of Science in Marketing from Georgia State University.
Donald R.
CRAVINS, JR.
Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development,
Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
Mr. Donald “Don” R. Cravins, Jr. serves as the first Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development where he leads the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) in its service of the nation’s 9.7 million minority business enterprises. After more than 52 years in existence, in 2021 President Biden signed the Minority Business Development Act of 2021 expanding and making permanent MBDA as the United States’ newest federal agency. Under Secretary Cravins was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on August 4, 2022.
In 2004, he was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives and in 2006 elected to the Louisiana State Senate. While in the Louisiana Legislature, he represented hundreds of businesses —many were minority-owned, and many located in rural communities. Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Mr. Cravins served as a voice and champion for business owners, assisting with navigating the challenges related to recovery and rebuilding.
In January 2009, Mr. Cravins left the Louisiana Legislature to serve as Staff Director and Chief Counsel for the United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, where he played a vital role in the successful passage of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. In January 2013, he became the Chief of Staff to United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana. At that time, he was the only African American Chief of Staff in the United States Senate.
Since leaving the United States Senate in 2015, Mr. Cravins has served in key executive positions for some of America’s largest non-profit and for-profit corporations, including the National Urban League where he most recently served as its Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. As one of the Nation’s preeminent Civil Rights Organizations, Mr. Cravins led the National Urban League’s entrepreneurial initiatives and spearheaded its corporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program.
In addition to serving as Under Secretary, Mr. Cravins is a United States Army Major in the District of Columbia Army National Guard Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps. His awards and military decorations include two Meritorious Service Medals, three Army Commendation Medals, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal. He is also a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity, Inc., a Life Member of The Rocks, Inc., and a member of the 100 Black Men of Prince George’s County.
His honors include induction into the Southern University Law School Hall of Fame in 2018, recognition as a Distinguished Alumnus of Louisiana State University in 2015, and in 2020 he was named Advocate of the Year by the National Bar Association.
Under Secretary Cravins and his wife, Yvette Puckett Cravins, Esq., have three children and reside in Maryland.
Donna
Ennis, C.P.F.
Director, Diversity Engagement and Program Development
Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2)
Donna M. Ennis, C.P.F provides leadership across all EI2 units to develop collaborative funding opportunities and provide support and services to ensure the integration of diversity and inclusion into EI2’s programs and operations. She co-leads the Georgia Artificial Intelligence Manufacturing Technology Corridor (Georgia AIM) project funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
Georgia AIM leverages a statewide network of partners to fulfill its mission of the equitable development and deployment of talent and innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) for all manufacturing sectors. Ennis also serves as the director of Community Engagement for Georgia AIM to ensure that the project is inclusive across all communities throughout Georgia. Through innovation, collaboration, education, and participation, Georgia AIM is providing the tools and knowledge to empower all communities to participate fully in a diverse AI manufacturing workforce.
Ennis is the current operator representative and former project director for the Georgia Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center and the SE MBDA Business Growth Hub. In this role, she provides strategic direction and operational oversight for the Center and the Business Growth Hub and business assistance to Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs). Under Ennis’ leadership, the MBDA programs have assisted companies in generating over $6.4 billion in contracts, financing, and sales and creating or retaining more than 7,000 jobs.
Known for her thought leadership and passion for advocating for and developing MBEs and small businesses, Ennis has been at the forefront of helping MBEs learn and understand the role that technology plays in scaling businesses. She established the NEXTTECH initiative for MBEs to bring technology solutions to federal agencies and corporations, launched the Specialty Trades Aiming at the Right Targets (START) to Build program for construction companies, and started the national MBE Manufacturers Summit in 2016, the only Summit of its kind in the U.S. to focus on bringing opportunities and education to MBE manufacturers across the country. Ennis has mentored hundreds of business owners and frequently presents to audiences on minority business issues, business challenges, and entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Ennis received her Master of Public Administration from Georgia State University and a B.S. in communications from Boston University. She received the 2022 Georgia Tech Diversity Champion Faculty Award and the 2022 Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President’s Partnership in the Promise Awards. She is the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2021 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Outstanding Voice awardee and one of Georgia Tech’s 2021 Faces of Inclusive Excellence. Ennis is also a graduate of the Leading Women@Tech program and has been named a tenured Atlanta’s Top 100 Black Women of Influence by the Atlanta Business League. She is on the Board of Directors of the Healthcare Supplier Diversity Alliance (HSDA) and the Atlanta Business League, and the Board of Advisors of Enhanced Capital. She is a mentor for Emory University’s Start: ME business accelerator and Georgia Tech’s MentorTech program.
Steven
Ferguson
Chief Information Officer, Technical College System of Georgia
Steven Ferguson is a highly regarded IT leader with 27 years of industry experience. As the Chief Information Officer for the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), he manages a talented team of IT professionals to support TCSG's technical education, adult education, economic development, and workforce development initiatives across 88 campuses in the state. Steven's contributions to the field have earned him recognition as a 2022 member of Georgia's TITAN 100, 2021 Technology Leader of the Year for Innovation, and the 2019 Georgia CIO of the Year.
He is a driving force behind TCSG’s innovative eCampus platform and micro-credential initiative. He is also a founding executive committee member of the National Science Foundation-funded National Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Adult Learning and Online Education (AI-ALOE).
With an M.S. in Information Technology from Southern Polytechnic State University, a B.S. in Business Administration and Information Technology from Columbia Southern University, and an A.S. in Engineering from Gainesville State College, Steven is well-equipped to tackle complex IT challenges. He is also a proud graduate of TCSG’s Executive Leadership Academy.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Steven is a committed community leader who serves on the Board of Directors for the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) and volunteers for various non-profit and educational organizations.
Regan
Brewer-Johnson
President, Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC)
Regan Brewer-Johnson is the President of the Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC). In this role, she oversees the overall strategic vision, mission and programs of JARC Chicago, JARC Baltimore and JARC Rhode Island – nationally recognized workforce development organizations with combined annual budgets of $5.7 million.
JARC is comprised of Sector-Based Job Training Programs, Business and Workforce Services, and the Center for Working Families services. These programs target the manufacturing and construction industries. Brewer-Johnson’s responsibilities include leading the agencies’ strategic plan, directing fundraising efforts with government and private foundation funders and overseeing the agencies’ programs and operations. She has an exceptional track record for bringing in new funding streams, designing and implementing new programs, and establishing data-driven solutions to solve problems.
Regan came to JARC with several years of nonprofit community development experience, having worked in both a national foreclosure prevention program and a residential treatment center. Regan holds a Master’s in Nonprofit Management from DePaul University, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and is a 2010 Sector Skills Academy Marano Fellow through the Aspen Institute and Public/Private Ventures. In 2018, Regan earned her Six Sigma Green Belt Certification from DePaul University’s Management Development Center.
Sheila
Jordan
CEO, Knowledge Architects
Sheila Jordan is CEO of Knowledge Architects, a workforce training and technology firm delivering interactive training and mobile applications that improve operational processes, increase worker efficiency, and support growth for major industrial, manufacturing and transit organizations.
Sheila has more than 20 years of experience using technology to help organizations increase their flexibility, responsiveness, and organizational performance. She began her career in management consulting leading large-scale training and change initiatives, delivering practical solutions to complex engagements across the U.S. for companies like The Coca-Cola Company, Georgia Pacific, State of Georgia, City of Atlanta, IBM, and MARTA.
Today, Sheila leads a team of experienced learning technologists, engineers, and software developers, who design training and process improvement solutions using emerging technologies like 3D animation, AR, and mobile apps. Sheila and her team at Knowledge Architects share a sense of urgency about ensuring the competitiveness of the American workforce. They understand their customers’ imperative to rapidly advance the technological proficiency of their current workforce through digital “work and learn” solutions that also satisfy the needs of an incoming generation of tech-savvy workers.
Throughout her career as a serial entrepreneur, Sheila has been a committed advocate for young women, helping them understand and overcome the barriers to success in today’s ever-shifting economic landscape. She mentors young women from Year Up and is a member of the board of Directors for the Georgia Women’s Business Council an organization designed to educate, mentor, and expand opportunities for women-owned businesses. She is an advisor for the Women’s Leadership Forum and participates in several community-based organizations focused on under-employment issues facing at-risk populations.
She is an excellent communicator with a tremendous ability to engage her audience, a respected leader in both the civic and professional arena and has been honored by her peers for her accomplishments in the industry. Sheila was a recent finalist for Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Small Business of the Year Award for an Early-Stage business, the 2017 winner of the Atlanta Business League’s Woman of the Year Award for Outstanding Achievement, a 2020 winner of Inc 5000 fastest growing Businesses and a 2022 recipient of Inc’s Small and Mighty Award.
Guy
Loudon
Senior Vice President for Business and Industry Services, Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC)
In this capacity, Guy oversees JARC’s manufacturing operations and all aspects of its technical training curricula for JARC’s workforce development programs in the manufacturing sector.
Guy was a CNC Machinist before joining JARC as a machine trades instructor in 1995. Guy co-authored the Metalworking Skills Assessment and developed much of JARC’s technical training curriculum. After a brief return to the private sector, Guy served as Director of Training Services from 2006 to 2009, developing and growing JARC’s training programs for job seekers and incumbent workers.
Guy served as JARC’s CEO from 2009 to 2020 before stepping back into his current role. As executive director, and later president (2015), Guy and his team established JARC as a nationally recognized innovator in best practice strategies for workforce development. The JARC model was referenced in both the Sectors Act and the eventual passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA) under the Obama Administration. JARC’s Careers in Manufacturing Programs became a model for job training and employment programs, fusing Sectoral Strategies with the LISC approach to bundled services, bridge programming for ABE learners, innovative partnerships with workforce intermediaries and other innovations.
Under Guy’s leadership, JARC’s budget grew from $1.4 Million to $3.5 Million and staffing levels increased from 11 FTE’s to 45. Guy led the team through a series of strategic plans focused on scalability, program synergy and bundled supportive services. Under these plans, JARC sought to scale its impact through a combination of geographic expansion and replication, as well as sharing its evolved best practices among workforce practitioners and policy makers.
In 2014, JARC began to expand inside of the Chicago Metro region; today it has satellite training centers in the Austin and Chatham neighborhoods on Chicago’s west and south sides. In 2015, JARC launched its first national affiliate, JARC Baltimore, with the support of partners in philanthropy, community and industry. In his new role, Guy is supporting JARC’s replication efforts in Providence, Rhode Island and elsewhere, working with industry stakeholders to develop customized training and career path plans for job seekers and incumbent workers in CNC.
H. Philip
Paradice, Jr.
Regional Director, Economic Development Administration
Atlanta Regional Office
Phil Paradice has served as Director of the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Atlanta Regional Office since 2006. Serving the eight-state southeast region he manages a staff dedicated to facilitating regional innovation and entrepreneurship for competitiveness in the 21st Century economy. His prior service with EDA includes an appointment as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Affairs where he managed EDA’s six regional offices and the Performance and National Programs Division.
Since the beginning of his service with EDA in 1998 he has been honored by the Department of Commerce on three occasions as the recipient of the Department’s Silver Medal Award and by the Secretary of Commerce with the Performance Excellence Award. Most recently he received the Department’s Gold Medal Award, IEDC’s 2020 Federal Executive of the Year Award, and the 2020 Gears of Government Award through the Office of the President.
Phil’s prior experience includes service with a non-profit that represented financial service institutions, as a vice president with a Wall Street investment banking affiliate, and as a supervisory liquidation specialist for the FDIC during the banking and real estate crisis of the 1980’s.
He is a native of Atlanta, graduate of Georgia Tech, and holds an MBA – Finance from Georgia State University.
EDA is a bureau of the US Department of Commerce whose mission is to support innovation and entrepreneurship, making America more competitive in the global marketplace.
Jennifer
Pasley
Project Director, Georgia MBDA Business Center, Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute
Jennifer Pasley serves as the Project Director and manages the day-to-day operations for the Georgia Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center operated by the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce MBDA, the Center is part of a national network of centers and special projects serving Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) throughout the country.
Jennifer engages new and existing Center clients helping them to optimize and execute sustainable growth plans and strategies with an array of services including providing technical assistance, identifying contract opportunities, and sourcing capital. Her expertise includes developing capital stacks for major projects requiring conventional and creative financing to acquire commercial real estate and/or expand business operations. A notable experience in Jennifer’s career includes sourcing over $10MM in capital for small businesses, non-profit organizations, and churches during the pandemic.
Jennifer serves as the Vice President of Economic Development for the Greater South Fulton Chamber of Commerce; Advisory Committee Member, West End Merchants Alliance; and volunteer for the National Black Golf Hall of Fame. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Drury University and training certificates in economic development from Georgia Tech, Georgia Economic Developers Association, and the University of Oklahoma.
Denise
Rice-Hall
CEO at Peak Performance, Inc.
Operator of Smart Factory Institute
Denise Hall is president and owner of Peak Performance, Inc. a Workforce Development Training & consulting company helping manufacturers achieve operational excellence in a continual pursuit of cost reduction and efficiency improvement using the most modern and advanced manufacturing strategies, equipment and processes. Peak Performance operates the Smart Factory Institute guided by the Tennessee Manufacturers Association.
Previously, Ms. Hall was an Operations Executive with a career spanning more than 25 years with Corning, Inc. and their subsidiaries holding positions including Director of Operations, Plant Manager and Engineering manager.
Hall has held the position of Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers Association and president for the Cleveland Associated Industries. Both associations are committed to the needs of local manufacturing companies ranging from government affairs to education in the community to ensure a prepared workforce. After completing a three-year term as a Board of Director for the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce, she then served as a Board of Director for the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry. In 2014 she was appointed by Bradley County Mayor to the Southeast Tennessee Workforce Development Board. In 2017, she was the Manufacturing Consultant to the Tennessee Manufacturers Association a division of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Hall’s passion is inspiring and encouraging the STEM programs among middle, high school and college students. She is an active industry advisor to area high school engineering programs and is a member and past president of the Chattanooga Chapter of the Society of Women Engineers. She was a finalist for the Supernova award by the Young Women’s Leadership Academy Foundation.
Hall received her Bachelor’s of Science in electrical engineering from Syracuse University. She received her certificate from The Lean Manufacturing Leadership Institute at the University of Kentucky, a certificate from the Executive Development Institute at Vanderbilt University and a certificate in Operations Management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 2018 she was selected and completed the Goldman Sach’s 10K Small Businesses Entrepreneurship Program at Babson College.
Marcus G.
SHEANSHANG
President and CEO of JBM Packaging
Marcus Sheanshang is the President and CEO of JBM Packaging, an eco-friendly flexible packaging manufacturer headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. As its second-generation owner, Marcus has led JBM since 2008, defining its purpose of creating better solutions, better lives, and a better world.
Marcus began working at JBM at age 11, learning the company from the ground up. His jobs ranged from machine operator to customer service and management. He graduated with a double major in Finance and Accounting from the University of Cincinnati. Before JBM, he also held financial positions at Ernst & Young, Fleet Capital, and at a tech startup.
In 2018, Marcus learned about second chance programs and how they support formerly incarcerated individuals through his church. To deliver on its purpose of creating better lives and a better world, JBM initiated its own second chance program in 2016, now known as its Fair Chance ProgramTM. JBM’s goal is to expand employment opportunities to more individuals and successfully reintegrate them into society while providing a labor strategy for its business.
In 2021, JBM expanded its capabilities into bagging and filling packaging with a new location in downtown Cincinnati. Committed to helping its customers transition from plastic to paper packaging, JBM has enhanced its commitment to sustainability and support of responsible forest management by securing certifications through the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) standards.
JBM was named Winner of the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Top Workplaces 2022 Award, and in 2023, it announced it is B Corp Certified. The certification brings together a global community of businesses working together to lead a global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy, requiring participating organizations to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. JBM is among a very small group of packaging companies to achieve this certification, earning a total of 93.1 points.
When he isn’t at JBM, Marcus enjoys volunteering and spending time with his family—hunting, hiking, or simply sitting around the fire pit making s’mores.
Robert
Sozanski
Supply Chain Deployment Manager in the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains at the U.S. Department of Energy
In this role, Robert works on the design and management of programs that support small and medium sized manufacturers in securing clean energy supply chains and stabilizing communities impacted by the energy transition.
Prior to joining the Department of Energy, Robert worked as a Senior Project Manager at Empire State Development (ESD), New York State’s urban and economic development agency. Robert led several strategic initiatives during his time at ESD, including the agency’s involvement in removing three miles of urban highway along the Niagara Gorge in Niagara Falls and the investment of $60 million to kick off the adaptive reuse of Buffalo’s historic Central Terminal train station.
Robert is a graduate of Occidental College’s Urban and Environmental Policy Institute, and has a master’s degree from the University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning.
Patric H.
Stadtfeld
Vice President and Head of Supply Chain Management, USA & Americas
Siemens Corporation
Patric Stadtfeld is the Vice President & Head of Supply Chain Management (SCM) in the USA and the Americas. He manages spend of $7 billon with a team of 675 professionals, serving multiple businesses and countries in the Americas. Patric’s focus has been to transform Supply Chain Management to be more strategic and to unlock the full potential of Digitalization. The impact of Digitalization will fundamentally change the Supply Chain function and will require a more resilient SCM organization that will embrace digital mindset, sustainability, and diversity in supply chain.
Patric H. Stadtfeld (he/him/his)
Vice President and Head of Supply Chain Management, USA & Americas Siemens Corporation
Patric Stadtfeld is the Vice President & Head of Supply Chain Management (SCM) in the USA and the Americas. He manages spend of $7 billon with a team of 675 professionals, serving multiple businesses and countries in the Americas. Patric’s focus has been to transform Supply Chain Management to be more strategic and to unlock the full potential of Digitalization. The impact of Digitalization will fundamentally change the Supply Chain function and will require a more resilient SCM organization that will embrace digital mindset, sustainability, and diversity in supply chain.
Education
Bachelor of Science degree in International Business & Marketing and a Master of Business Administration in E-Business from Florida Atlantic University.
About Siemens
Siemens is a technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, transport, and healthcare. Siemens in the USA reported revenue of $18.6 billion and employs approximately 45,000 people throughout all 50 States and Puerto Rico.
