MICHAEL FRITSCH BIO:

Michael Fritsch, MBA, PMP, is a global operations expert, technology consultant, and founder of Confoe, SavvyCOO, and SavvyPMO—three consulting brands that help companies grow with clarity and control. Over a 25+ year career spanning semiconductor, enterprise technology, and field service, he has delivered more than $250 million in economic value through engagements with firms such as Intel, Dell, Applied Materials, and Whole Foods.

A West Point graduate and former Army officer, Michael draws on both military discipline and entrepreneurial agility to help businesses scale smarter. His insights have been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, CIO, Inc., Renewable Energy World, Univision, and NTD Television. In his TEDx talk, “Beyond the Binary: Rigor AND Innovation,” he challenges the false choice between structure and creativity—and shows how leaders can unlock transformational results by designing systems that make room for both.

Beyond the Binary: Rigor AND Innovation

Synopsis:
We’re often told to choose: Be the creative visionary or the disciplined executor. But what if the most powerful results come from refusing that choice altogether? In this TEDx talk, Michael Fritsch, MBA, PMP—an operations expert, military leader, and consultant to Fortune 100s and startups alike—shares how the best leaders unlock breakthrough results by embracing both rigor and innovation. Drawing on experiences from the battlefield to the boardroom, he reveals why moving beyond binary thinking isn’t just possible—it’s essential.

JIM COLEMAN, President & CEO Coleman Crest Farm.

From his family’s farm in Lexington, Kentucky to Wall Street, Jim Coleman has worked with notable companies such as Oscar Mayer, Pepsi Co, Altria Corporation, American Express, entrepreneurial ventures, and several government and quasi-government entities.

Jim was raised on his family’s farm, Coleman Crest, which was originally purchased by his great grandfather, a former slave. Today, Jim is the proud owner of Coleman Crest Farm.

In 2015, Jim was appointed, president & CEO of the Prince George’s County Maryland Economic Development Corporation. Under Jim’s leadership, the corporation’s workforce services division trained and prepared over 71,000 of the county’s residents for new high-wage jobs in the county’s private sector. As a result, county residents filled over 20,000 newly created jobs, reducing the county’s unemployment rate from 5.3% to 3.9% and increased the county’s median household income to a record high of $79,184, $20,000 higher than the nation’s median household income.

Jim connected Prince George’s County based businesses to the international market by facilitating trade missions to China, South Korea, Cuba, Nigeria and South Africa. These trade missions generated a business investment pipeline of over $100 million. After the passing of his loving wife Cathy, of 37 years, Jim returned to Lexington Kentucky in August 2020 to restore his heart and Coleman Crest Farm.

Jim restored Coleman Crest Farm into a hyper growth farming enterprise with three operating divisions including certified organic crop production, an Incubator for Aspiring Farmers and Agritourism. 2 On July 19, 2022, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture approved Coleman Crest Farm to be an Official Certified Organic Farming Operation, making Coleman Crest Farm the only African American Owned Farm in the state of Kentucky to be Certified Organic. To date, Jim has secured successful produce customer relationships with Feeding Kentucky, God’s Pantry, Amen House, Dare to Care, Critchfield Meats, Good Foods, Black Soil, Thompson Catering, Ramsey’s Diners, Dudley’s on Short and What Chefs Want.

Jim has established partnerships with the University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University to leverage the latest approaches to agriculture management and to leverage the innovative spirit of their students to achieve his long-term vision for Coleman Crest Farm, which is to preserve the farm in perpetuity, as a teaching farm for aspiring farmers.

In 2021, Jim established the “Cathy and Jim Coleman Scholarship Endowment Fund”. The fund is 100% dedicated to providing scholarships for minority students in the University of Kentucky’s College of Agricultural and for students at Howard University, Jim and Cathy’s alma mater.

Jim is a 1983 graduate of Howard University with a B.A. in Economics. He is the author of “Cut the Crap and Close the Gap”, an operating guide for small and large businesses and not for profit organizations. He is also the author of “Don’t Sell The Goose That Lays The Golden Egg” and Hang’em In The Middle”as well as the creator of  “The Jim Coleman Show”, a podcast show about organic farming, organic living and organic wealth building.

HARI PRASAD RENGANATHAN

Hari Prasad Renganathan is a Data Scientist, entrepreneur, and educator passionate about helping people turn ideas into real products. He has built AI-driven solutions for sales, marketing, and finance teams, and co-founded startups that reached over 15,000 users. Hari is also the founder of MyRealProduct and JotterWolf, where he guides aspiring engineers and job seekers to build, launch, and showcase impactful projects. His content on AI, careers, and product-building has reached over 10 million people worldwide. Featured in Columbia Startups, Times Square, NBC, ABC, and AP News for his work in AI education & innovation, Hari combines technical expertise with entrepreneurial thinking to inspire others to create value beyond the binary.

SUNJANA RAMANA

Sunjana Ramana is a Data and AI Engineer based in New York City, known for producing tech and career content online. A graduate of Columbia University and a Tesla Scholar, she frequently shares insights on breaking into data roles, artificial intelligence, and professional growth. Through DataDrooler and her YouTube channel, Sunjana simplifies complex topics in data and AI, making them accessible to a wider audience. She is deeply committed to mentorship and community building, having supported 250+ individuals and creating a safe space for 1000+ professionals in data to collaborate, learn, and grow. At the intersection of technology and human insight, she helps others see beyond the binary of numbers and narratives.

Beyond the Binary: Where Data Meets Emotion.

The topic evolved from questioning whether AI or human insight is more trustworthy to realizing that both are valuable datasets. It ultimately highlights that rich insights emerge when human experiences and AI data are combined.

SOHAN SETHI

Sohan Sethi is a Data Analytics Manager and serial entrepreneur, experienced in solving high impact business problems. Sihan co-founded two startups by the age of 20. He is proficient at implementing data science techniques to forecast business trends and providing business recommendations based on statistical data analysis.

 He has been featured on CNBC, Fox 21 News, Business Insider and Many More!

MARCELLE LA BRECQUE

Marcelle LaBrecque  is a theatrical creative working and performing in NYC under their drag persona, “Marilyn Monhoe”, delivering emotion filled show-stopping theatrical performances inspired by their originally staged productions.

Marilyn’s rise to fame and popularity came to fruition after seeing “Kinky Boots” in 2017. Beyond motivated and inspired, Marcelle began to actively train as an up and coming drag performer, donning the name “Marilyn Monhoe” (after their admiration for Megan Hilty’s portrayal in the NBC TV Show, SMASH!) taking tip spots, and guest performance slots to learn and experience what it was like working as a drag artist. After seeing their impact, and hearing the response as being one of the few biPOC drag queens who only performed musical theatre numbers, Marcelle began to shift their focus from being a musical theatre creative, to working full-time as Marilyn Monhoe; bringing the magic of authentic live theatrical performances to spaces where live theatre wasn’t a staple.

Marilyn Monhoe has been a featured performer at Firefly Music Festival, alongside RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants Scarlett Envy, and Jasmine Kennedy; and even made a guest appearance as the drag “Karen Huger” on Watch What Happens LIVE! with Andy Cohen. Marilyn Monhoe is currently working on headlining their FOURTH regional production of “Kinky Boots”, after making their international theatrical debut in England in 2022.

Today? Marcelle is a strong advocate for authentic representation within the theatrical arts, and beyond. Marilyn is working closely with Ramapo College (New Jersey) and Hampshire College (Massachusetts) as their spokeswoman, and educator for creating and maintaining queer safe-spaces. Marilyn is known for their collaborations with local theatrical businesses, and is currently the spokeswoman for Planet Pepper NYC (a drag queen hip-pad company) and for BraTenders NYC (an undergarment company for on and Off- Broadway and film/television).

DR. JOEL WOOD

I graduated from Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences and started to practice as a pharmacist in 2013. After some time, I decided to test my business acumen and in 2020 I co-founded The Woody Olive LLC an E-Commerce business. As my passion for health continued to grow, I received my health coach certificate from Institute of Integrative Nutrition in August of 2021. I became a cannabis pharmacist in March 2022 currently still practicing. I am currently a staff pharmacist

JUAN VIDES: Founder & CEO of TECHACS Corp.

From fleeing the civil war in El Salvador as a child to building a thriving career in the United States, Juan Vides embodies the American Dream. Arriving in New York at age four, Juan’s early experiences shaped his dedication to hard work, resilience, and community.

Juan’s journey began in the retail sector, managing at Trader Joe’s, before following his passion for technology. He earned a Bachelor’s in Computer Programming and System Information from Farmingdale State University, where he also revitalized the Computer Club as its President. He later went for an MBA in Business Management at Stony Brook University, which cemented his expertise in business strategy.

His career took a pivotal turn at Pulver.com, working alongside industry pioneers like Jeff Pulver (Vonage co-founder), Michael Powell, and Mark Cuban. A personal incident—a stolen wallet—sparked his entrepreneurial spirit, leading to the creation of his first website. This moment was the foundation for TECHACS Corp, a Long Island-based firm specializing in website design, SEO, social media marketing, and Online Business Strategy. Under Juan’s leadership, TECHACS has built over 1,000 websites and earned a reputation for delivering tailored digital solutions.

In addition to his technological success, Juan’s community impact is profound. As the visionary behind Winning on Wednesday (WoW), he has connected thousands of businesses through networking, fostering partnerships and growth. His commitment extends to serving on boards such as the American Heart Association of Long Island and supporting nonprofits with pro bono web services.