Executive Forum Speaker Series: Spring 2023

Ana is the Director of Florida Atlantic University’s Phil Smith Center for Free Enterprise, runs the Institute of Leadership and Culture, and equips current and future leaders to better lead themselves and others, find their purpose and make an impact as an Adjunct Professor of Leadership & Organizations for the Professional MBA program at FAU.

After a twenty-plus year career in business, she left her executive-level role of VP, Marketing and Customer Experience at a European multinational to better equip herself in leadership, management and decision sciences, graduating in 2021 from Harvard University with a Master’s in Public Administration. Ana also has a Master’s in Business Administration in International Business and a bachelor’s in Marketing from Florida Atlantic University (FAU), and is a certified Organization Development Professional.

She is the founder of the Latina Leadership Collective, which is dedicated to changing the narrative of Latina professionals and helping move the representation needle by equipping Latinas to step into their power.

Ana authored the bilingual children’s book series "ZeeZee Can" that encourages children to dream big. The last book, ZeeZee Can Make the World Smile | ZeeZee puede hacer sonreír al mundo was awarded an Honorable Mention as Most Inspirational Bilingual Picture Children’s Book by the International Latino Book Awards. She also co-authored the anthology Today's Inspired Latina Volume X: Life Stories Of Success In The Face of Adversity.

Her work with the Hispanic community was recognized with the Latina of Influence distinction and the Everyday Hero Award nomination. She has spoken at or worked with organizations such as NASA, PayPal, Office Depot, First Data, Baird Capital, multiple associations and universities, among many others. Ana is also a published author of award-winning research and has presented her research at national and international universities.

Ana has served as a member or chair on multiple advisory boards including the FAU’s Department of Marketing, FAU’s Alumni Association, Think Freely Latino, ALPFA Miami, WISTA US, and others.

Ana was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, and lives in Florida with her husband, son, and puppy, ZeeZee, the inspiration for her book series.

Susan has consulted with the hospitality industry, as well as being a thriving entrepreneur creating a successful start-up in the international corporate gift area. Susan was educated both in the UK and the US. She earned her MS in Adult and Community Educational Leadership and Human Resource Development from Florida State University and her Doctorate in Adult and Community Educational Leadership from Florida Atlantic University. An avid tennis player, Susan also played on the Oakland University, Michigan, women’s tennis team. Susan also serves as the FAU club tennis faculty advisor.

Dan has worked as a Director of Partnerships and a Recruiting Specialist (Football Scout) at Next College Student Athlete (IMG Academy). This allowed him to develop strategic revenue-generating partnerships with athletic companies worldwide. During his stint as a college football coach at Defiance College, he worked as a recruiting coordinator, special teams coordinator, and coached on the defensive side of the ball.

Dan is passionate about guiding FAU students as they prepare to launch into their careers in the business world. Dan holds a Master of Arts in Education (Coaching Concentration) from Defiance College and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Business Scholars Program) from Hanover College. At Hanover College, he was an All-Conference football player and team captain. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at Florida Atlantic University in Higher Education Leadership and teaches as an adjunct professor for the College of Business.

Adept at finding efficiency, improving customer satisfaction targets, service levels and exceeding goals. A proven track record towards improving shareholder value by leveraging strong financial skills. Ability to create structure and processes within highly complex global hospitality, and cruise companies. The ability to discover and recruit top talent and to build, lead and manage highly successful teams. Superior mentoring and motivational abilities through my passion for learning, and helping talented employees grow in organizations that pride themselves in having a culture of excellence. A global perspective in managing multicultural organizations, by having significant travel experience to over 120 countries. Experienced in owner relations through outstanding relationship, presentation, and communication skills. Substantial luxury Hotel, Restaurant and Ships opening experience.

He is a IAFC Hazmat Committee member and a Hazmat Specialist for FEMA USAR Task Force 2. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry and a Masters in Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University. He is a Fire Engineering contributor through numerous articles and as the host of the “Perspectives on Leadership” podcast. He has a beautiful wife and two wonderful boys. In his spare time, he brews beer, makes handcrafted soap, and enjoys working in his garage.

She earned her Doctorate in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing from the University of South Florida. Her research investigates digital marketing impact on the market outcomes in residential real estate. In her communications/marketing roles, she interviews our students, alumni, and business community partners, writes their engaging stories, and also provides strategic vision and editorial expertise across digital and print assets. In addition to her fulfilling work teaching and developing content, Denise is also passionate about networking and creating opportunities for students, alumni, staff, faculty and FAU business partners to make meaningful connections. Currently, she oversees the college’s networking platform – FAU Business Network!

Mr. Cascio has more than 40 years of experience in the healthcare industry where he has served in multiple C-Suite roles including as CEO for academic medical centers and tertiary healthcare systems, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Strategic Officer, and Chief Restructuring Officer. Also a partner in two international business advisory firms where he served healthcare clients both nationally and internationally, Mr. Cascio holds a degree in mathematics from Adelphi University. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and a Fellow in the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Mr. Cascio currently serves as Executive in Residence, Career Coach for graduate students in the FAU College of Business and as a mentor for students enrolled in the FAU Business Mentor Program.

Prior to accepting the role, Jess spent 15 years in the finance industry. Attaining FINRA Series 3, 7, 63, 65 and Florida’s Life, Health and Variable Annuity licenses, she spent 8 years at Smith Barney and 7 years at Haar Capital, both based in Boca Raton.

Del Vecchio has lived in Boca since 1991 and attended Lynn University. Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and an MBA in Finance, Jessica proudly spoke at her graduation.

She contributes monthly business columns to the Boca Raton Tribune and the Boca Newspaper and sits on Lynn University’s College of Business Advisory Board, Boca Raton Innovation Campus’ Programming Board and is a Boca West Master’s Association Committee Member.

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Terrence currently serves as Senior Vice President, Technology and Enterprise Transformation for Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida). In this role, Terrence oversees technology strategy and execution, data and analytics, complex program management, and innovation. Coke Florida manufactures, sells, distributes, and merchandises over 600 products of The Coca-Cola Company and other partner companies. Distributing 114M cases of beverage products and serving more than 21 million consumers annually, the company is the third largest privately held and the sixth largest independent Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. Coke Florida is recognized by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal as a 2022 US Best Managed Company.

Before Coke Florida, Terrence spent over 20 years with Accenture, where he was a partner in the firm’s Global Energy practice focusing on technology innovation, process excellence, and change management.

Terrence serves on the Board of Trustees of Rice University and the Prairie View A&M Foundation and is Chairman of the Board of Directors for Child Advocates, Inc. His servant leadership extends to other boards, including Coke One North America and Gray Matter Analytics.

Terrence holds a BA in Economics from Rice University.

Dr. Knight has over 20-plus years’ practical experience in financial/investment analysis, including: portfolio construction and analytics, mortgage analytics, asset allocation model development, investment management education, and mergers and acquisitions. He has been an adviser to CEOs of small to midsize companies on a variety of issues, as well as a valuation consultant to the venture capital industry working with individual start-ups in addition to an incubator/accelerator. Also, Dr. Knight has been a co-founder or partner in several companies in industries as diverse as software development, real estate distressed debt, hospitality, investment management, and educational training.

For over 15 years, Dr. Knight was the co-founder and managing principal at the Florida institute of Finance (FIF). FIF provided consulting and advisory services to: public and private firms, investment management companies, emerging manager hedge funds, and family offices.

In the hedge fund industry, Dr. Knight has been a CEO, CIO, and COO of various hedge funds. In both of these roles, Dr. Knight was responsible for portfolio construction, manager selection, and due diligence. He developed an approach to hedge fund due diligence and manager selection called the “Due Diligence DNA process.” Dr. Knight has been a speaker or moderator at a number of hedge fund industry conferences, covering a wide range of topics from institutional due diligence to counterparty risk. He has been quoted in finance publications such as Institutional Investor. In 2021, he was interviewed on National Public Radio (NPR) on the topic of Meme Stock trading after the GameStop mania.

Academically, Dr. Knight is currently an adjunct member of the finance faculty at Florida Atlantic University, after being a full-time faculty member for many years. He was also a member of the finance faculty at University of Miami for 13 years. He has been an instructor for the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in the area of fixed income.

Currently, Dr. Knight is the Chief Digital Transformation Officer for GA Telesis, a global aviation services company. He is responsible for leading the firm’s digitization strategy that will result in the adaptation of artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to drive decision making and business processes. Prior to GA Telesis, Dr. Knight was the CEO and co-founder of Transparency Global, a fintech firm that created thematic equity indices based on the concept of transparency. The firm partnered with Cathie Wood and ARK Investment Management—at the time $88B in assets under management—to launch the world’s first transparency-themed exchange traded fund.

In 2022, Dr, Knight was the co-author of the textbook Principles of Finance commissioned by Rice University’s OpenStax platform. He is a former board member of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, an advisory board member of PointsKash, a block chain startup, and a founding board member of the Florida Alternative Investment Association. He is also a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of South Florida. Dr. Knight holds a PhD in Finance from Florida Atlantic University with a doctoral thesis in the area of initial public offerings (IPOs).

As the founder and CEO of DigiStar Media, an award-winning digital and social media branding, marketing and training agency, Robin is dedicated to helping businesses, professionals and nonprofits drive traffic to their websites, improve their brand reputations, acquire customers and attract leads using digital, social media and content marketing techniques. Clients call Robin their critical “go to” online business partner and digital transformation expert.

Robin is an adjunct faculty member in NYU’s Integrated Marketing and Communications Master’s Program and also the Founding Director of Fordham University’s Digital and Social Media Professional Certificate Program where she was the instructor for the social media classes.

In addition to working with over 200 leading consumer, hospitality and retail brands, Robin has coached professional service providers in every industry from law, real estate, financial services, insurance, banking, accounting and marketing to technology, advertising, and consulting, to use LinkedIn and social selling techniques to build relationships, generate referrals and close sales. She specializes in training professionals to leverage social media to attract new business, amplify the impact of public relations campaigns and implement successful integrated marketing programs.

Robin also coaches managers and team members on the best techniques to become effective brand advocates on social media. A 2016 winner of the 914INC Women in Business Award, Robin is a sought-after keynote speaker, seminar instructor, moderator and panelist on all aspects of social media, digital marketing and branding. An entertaining and extremely knowledgeable speaker, Robin has spoken at regional industry conferences, professional associations and executive forums throughout the country.

Tamara has a fervent passion for providing Dania Beach residents with transparent leadership, safe practices, and viable community programs to create a thriving, unified environment for all citizens; so much so that they co-named a street “Tamara James Ave”, a true testament to her love and dedication to her community.

As a former WNBA athlete and professional European basketball player, Tamara has learned the value of teamwork, leadership, dedication, perseverance, and hard work, and as the all-time leading scorer for men’s and women’s basketball at the University of Miami, Ms. James exhibits a dignified humility for the beloved state of Florida – a place which has fully contributed to her growth, experiences, and finest accomplishments. Needless to say, being a leader comes naturally for Ms. James.

In 2006, Ms. James started the “Tamara James Foundation, Inc” with a mission to empower, educate, and strengthen the area by providing opportunities to build strong children, strong families, strong communities, and strong, future generations through sports and community events.

Through Tamara’s philanthropic and charitable initiatives, she has provided health resources, food and clothing, sports clinics for the youth, and several other opportunities to bridge the gap and promote unity within the surrounding communities. In fact, she has been giving back to her community since her teenage years, and her ardor for the improvement and progression of Dania Beach has only grown since.

Coming from humble beginnings in an under-served community, James' mission is to continue breaking barriers for those who will come after her.

Whether dominating sales quotas, starting and selling businesses, getting an MBA over 40, or completing marathons, Mike applies this tenacity to all facets of life. Masterful at heading into fear, he lives by a run-to-the-roar tenet. When faced with the challenges of the pandemic, Mike uniquely pivoted and took his family on an epic nine-month, 48-state RV trip. Shortly thereafter, they moved to a canal house in the heart of Amsterdam to begin another adventure.

Currently, the entrepreneur, podcast host, and inspirational speaker helps others push past their comfort zones to take the next big step toward their ambitions. His vulnerability and willingness to share his mistakes allow others to see themselves in their journey. Mike's no-nonsense style is equally energetic and fun-loving, leaving an imprint on how one views life. Audiences are captivated by his candid storytelling and inspired to pursue their wildest dreams revealing the obstacles before them.

The company has also developed several strategic partnerships, including GAIC, a one-of-kind joint-venture, based in Beijing, with Air China and its Engine MRO with US airline ATSG. GA Telesis has won numerous awards and accolades, including the 2018 Air Transport Best Integrated Aviation Solutions Provider, 2014 Air Transport World MRO of the Year, The Boeing Gold Services Award and was also named among a select group of companies in the United States classified as a Good-to-Great company. While Moabery holds a substantial stake in the company, since 2007, the company’s shareholders have grown to include significant stakes by global financial institution, Tokyo Century Corporation (8439: Tokyo), and also All Nippon Airways Trading Company.

A serial entrepreneur, Moabery is responsible for the start-up, organization and development of GA Telesis. He has 30 years of direct experience in various disciplines in aviation from flight, lease and structured finance to logistics and maintenance. Moabery previously served as Executive Vice President of Aviation Systems International, Inc., where his responsibilities included oversight and management of worldwide operations. Prior to joining ASI, he was with C-S Aviation Services, Inc. (a Soros Fund Management company), where he was responsible for the sale and marketing of the company’s aviation portfolio assets.

Moabery and his wife, through their family foundation, are prominent philanthropists that have donated and directed millions of dollars to charitable causes that directly impact children and young adults. The Moaberys also provide financial support to deserving special needs families through their commitment to cover expenses not generally covered by government programs or charitable organizations.

Moabery is Chairman Emeritus of Florida Atlantic University where he served for two terms as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and is currently serving as the President of the Wings Club Foundation Board of Governors.  Moabery received the prestigious Wright Brothers Memorial Award in 2014 and the ISTAT Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021 for his accomplishments in aviation. He is an honorably discharged veteran from the United States Navy and resides in Delray Beach, FL, with his wife and has two children attending university. He is an avid explorer, having traveled to over 120 countries across the globe, and is a passionate golfer who has teed it up on six continents.

Mr. Moss received his B.S. in Accounting and earned his M.B.A. from the University of Alabama, where he was a student athlete. He received his M.S. in Global Finance from the NYU Stern School of Business and HKUST Business School. Mr. Moss is a CFA® charterholder and a Certified Public Accountant (inactive). He is a member of YPO (formerly the Young Presidents’ Organization), the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of South Florida. Mr. Moss currently serves on the Florida Atlantic University College of Business Dean’s Advisory Board and as chairman for the annual Polen Capital Make-A-Wish golf event.