Dr. Nannette Stangle-Castor is founder and president at InnoVector Tech, Inc. She is a highly sought after consultant whose keen business acumen and effective communication enables organizations to achieve significant breakthroughs in technology transfer and business development. Highly regarded by innovators, business development leaders, and management, Nannette brings an agile, results-oriented, strategic perspective to all of her clients' endeavors. She has served as a strategic consultant for NASA's Glenn Research Center, Johnson Space Center, and Goddard Space Flight Center, as well as major research universities and corporate clients. She has more than a decade of experience helping forge collaborative partnerships and licensing deals and has helped secure millions in R&D funding for her clients. As a recognized expert in the field, Nannette has authored numerous articles on intellectual property, strategic partnerships, and open innovation. She has also been invited to deliver live and Web-based seminars on these topics. Most recently, Nannette was honored with the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association’s RTP Chapter LEAD award. She also has received the Triangle Business Journal's 40 Under 40 Leadership Award, as well as multiple awards of excellence - both regional and international - from the Society for Technical Communication for outstanding communications pieces. In 2012, her outstanding efforts were recognized with two NASA Agency Honor Awards. In support of inspiring and accelerating the development of women leaders, she serves on the advisory board for Alfred University's Women's Leadership Center and as Secretary for the RTP chapter of the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association. As steering committee chair for the annual Triangle Women Against MS Leadership Luncheon, she raises money for National Multiple Sclerosis Society Programs. Nannette holds a BS in Biology from Alfred University, and a PhD in Molecular Pharmacology and Cancer Therapeutics from State University of New York at Buffalo.

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Jennifer Amster is an architect and partner at BJAC, pa, where she leads the Higher Educcation Studio. She has managed the firm’s largest edu¬cation projects and has assisted universities and institutions across the state to develop facilities that foster learning and encourage discovery.  Recent projects include the new School of Dental Medicine at East Carolina University, and the North Carolina History Center at Tryon Palace.  Ms. Amster received an architecture degree from the University of Virginia, and studied at North Carolina State University for her Master’s degree.  At NCSU, she worked with the Community Development Group, leading teams to work with municipalities to provide design and long-range planning.  Originally from Fairfax, Virginia, she has called the Triangle home for 18 years.  She lives in Chapel Hill with her husband Kevin and young son Otto.  All three enjoy watching college sports and live music, as often as possible.

Chandra has over 15 years of experience in management consulting, strategic growth, marketing, business development, and operations.  In 2003 she co-founded a management consulting firm specializing in taking companies to the next level.

Her experience in management consulting includes strategic planning and implementation; marketing and business development initiatives; process improvement; interim executive leadership; operational due diligence; acquisition integration; and best practice development.

Chandra thrives on challenging opportunities to resolve issues within fast-paced dynamic environments and is a trusted advisor to Boards and executives.  She is recognized for propelling performance to unprecedented levels through hands-on leadership of teams on complex projects, exceptional people management, and aggressive business development initiatives.  For example, in 2008, Chandra was inserted as interim Chief Marketing Officer to champion the turnaround and divestiture of a troubled global supply chain subsidiary for a client.  Applying comprehensive competitive and market analysis, she optimized strategic planning efforts to increase revenue by 39%, locate investors, and divest the subsidiary in fifteen months.

Heather Grant works at Rex Healthcare as the Operational Improvement Leader. Her experience in healthcare has been focused in process improvement and finance. She received her undergraduate degree in business from the University of Kentucky before completing her Masters of Healthcare Administration at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Heather is a Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma and is pursuing her Black Belt.

Heather is Chair of the Easter NC MS Society’s Scholarship Committee, on the Steering Committee for The Women Against MS Luncheon, and participates on the MS Mud Run committee. She is also a member of the Junior League of Raleigh. Heather is an avid runner and participates in many local running groups and activities. She also enjoys reading and cooking.

Tracey Gritz owns The Efficient Office and is a productivity expert, speaker and trainer who specializes in helping businesses save time and money through office organization, streamlined business processes and the effective use of technology tools.

As a former co-owner of two successful men’s retail stores in Southern California, Tracey appreciates the struggles that professionals face as they ramp up their businesses. She understands first-hand how running an effective business and implementing workable systems make businesses more profitable, keep the staff more efficient, and give professionals more time for what is important.

Today, Tracey brings her 15+ years of entrepreneurial experience to the Triangle area where she works with busy professionals who want to get more done in less time, have less stress and more time for what’s important. At The Efficient Office she provides one-on-one business coaching to clients, focusing on office organization, process improvement and well defined procedures. In addition, she is a professional productivity speaker and trainer. She has also assumed a leadership role with National Association of Women Business Owners.

Becky Scolio is a senior public relations specialist with WakeMed Health & Hospitals. Throughout her 18 years in health care public relations, she has been responsible for internal and external campaigns, speech writing, writing articles for publication, Children's Miracle Network vignette production and event planning. Her focus is to use her skills to educate members of the public about their health and where to find the right services.

Michelle Keech currently leads the Global Mobility function at Biogen Idec overseeing relocation, assignments, and immigration programs globally. Over the past 12 years she has served in a variety of Human Resources roles at Biogen primarily focused on finding and placing talent around the globe. Her tenure at Biogen has fostered a true appreciation for the critical role that the National MS Society and supporting groups like WAMS can provide to thousands of people with MS. Michelle recently relocated back to NC after 4 years in Boston, MA, and enjoys spending quality time with her family and cheering on her beloved Tarheels.