Theme: Venture

Dare to be Audacious!

Miller Theater
708 Broad Street
Augusta, Georgia, 30901
United States

A T

Other

Ashish Narayan Thakur

An Asian Indian American 1980’s Generation X, a servant leader, board member, fundraiser and mentor to over 1000 humans in their entrepreneurial, career and life journey. Currently, I help CEOs find customers, capital and talent. Previously, I doubled revenue and raised the Atlanta chapter of TiE from rank #40 to #4 out of 65 global chapters. After graduating from Oglethorpe University with an International Business and Economics degree, I built and grew multimillion dollar client portfolios within the world’s largest banks. Through 2000 public speaking experiences I have impacted over 500,000 humans. I was born to uplift humanity.

Colin Thornton

She is a high schooler originally from Tucson Arizona. She was raised an army brat and moved all around the United States before settling in Augusta Georgia. In high school, she has worked with the community through volunteering and projects with her school's STEM program.

Jame Geathers

Jame Geathers is a mother, entrepreneur, author and survivor of Bipolar Disorder. Diagnosed in 2013, she is determined to give a voice to women; specifically women of color that often suffer in silence with mental health disorders. Professionally, as a human resources professional, Jame has spent her career building the partnerships between employers and employees. Additionally, Jame is passionate about empowering and inspiring individuals to realize their full potential through encouragement, coaching, and by sharing her story. When she is not working, Jame splits her time between volunteering, reading, and spending time with her daughter and fur babies.

Jared Williams

Mr. Williams is an attorney who left his comfortable job to be poor and clueless in Spain. He risked his career to follow his passion: languages and travel. After two years of growing and struggling and exploring Europe, he came back to the States with nothing. Nothing but his experience, which has since allowed him to take his career places that never would have been possible. The risks were great, but the rewards have been that much greater.

Jeff Annis

Jeff Annis is a lifelong entrepreneur in Augusta, Georgia. Since 1974, he has owned, operated or worked for ten different businesses. Currently he owns all or part of 4 successful businesses. Jeff’s biggest passion in life is the success of other small business people. To that end, he has been involved in advisement both as a volunteer and as a paid advisor for more than 20 years. Jeff’s experience is across the United States and includes multiple industries. Jeff is a Vistage Peer Board Chair in Augusta and a S.C.O.R.E. volunteer. He also mentors startups informally. Jeff is a volunteer middle school tennis coach, husband, grandfather and pilot.

Julie Robins

Julie has loved horses since she was a child and has worked with them in a professional capacity for over 25 years. In 2005, Julie founded the Aiken Horsemanship Academy to educate, inspire, and empower people and horses with lessons, clinics, and immersions. In 2014, she joined a team that brought Saratoga War Horse program to Aiken, SC. Julie has guided over 250 veterans through the connection process with off-the-track thoroughbreds seeing amazing transformative results for both people and horses. From starting horses under saddle to riding bridle-less, Julie loves and lives all things horses.

Matthew Malcolm Banks

Married for 15 years to his wife Kirktina. We have 2 children named Renee and Joshua and 1 grand-dog named "Caleb" which is Joshua's yellow Labrador Retriever. I've been a Deacon in church for over 15 years. In the last 5 years, I've served as an Assistant Coach and Board Member of The First Tee of Augusta, Inc. I'm currently a volunteer for the My Brother's Keeper Initiative through The Augusta Mayor's Office enacted by former President Barack H. Obama. I've been working in Financial Services for almost 18 years with the last 8 years at Allstate Financial Services, LLC.

Michael Rollock

Michael Rollock is an innovative and perennially energetic clinical psychologist with a unique perspective on mental health and positive well-being. Whether he is coaching physicians to develop resilience and prevent burnout, or counseling someone who has been struggling with Schizophrenia for 20 years, his mission is to help people to achieve their personally meaningful goals, and to live their purpose. He is a Positive Psychologist who is driven by the idea that positive mental health is much more than the reduction of problems. He is from the island of Barbados where he recharges his super powers from time to time!

Natalie Schweers

Natalie has an extensive background in banking, investments, and law. A Georgia native, Natalie earned her bachelor’s degree and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Georgia. Natalie's focus is advising on the development and implementation of investment strategies to help clients meet their immediate and future goals. She follows a disciplined process of assessing a client's financial situation to determine an appropriate investment plan and obtain measurable results. Natalie is passionate about opening doors for other women to succeed in their own careers within the financial industry.

Patrick Darnell

For over 15 years, Rev. Patrick Darnell has served as a pastor and leader in community outreach programs across America. It is his deepest believe that our relationship with the Divine impacts our relationships with those around us. Currently, he assists churches and community groups in finding their focus and making a difference in the world around them. He holds a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt University and a Bachelor of Philosophy from Auburn University.

Rob Lamberts

Primary care doctor, board certified in internal medicine and pediatrics. Grew up in Rochester, NY, trained at Jefferson Medical College and Indiana University. In private practice in Augusta, GA since 1994, leading previous practice to national recognition for use of information technology in primary care (HIMSS Davies Award). Author of popular medical blog, Musings of a Distractible Mind since 2007, with writings appearing in NY TImes, Kevin MD, and The Health Care Blog.

Scott Thorp

Scott Thorp is an artist, writer and educator specializing in creativity. He is Chair of the Department of Art and Design, and Associate Vice President for Interdisciplinary Research at Augusta University. Additionally, he writes for ArtPulse Magazine, an international magazine covering the state of contemporary art. As problems present themselves today, they are less defined than in times past. Solving these so-called “wicked” problems make solutions challenging because baseline questions are difficult to form. Thorp’s approach to problem solving is based in the development of skills related to creativity and collaboration. Using these skills, opportunities for innovation are limitless.

Tara Simkins

Tara Simkins is a lawyer turned life coach, facilitator, and childhood cancer philanthropist. Inspired by her middle son's groundbreaking leukemia journey, Tara shares a unique understanding of what it means to commit to living an extraordinary life in the face of losing something meaningful. Tara shares the power of listening to the world through the lens of meaningful questions with her clients, students, and audiences.

Tirrany Thurmond

Tirrany is a higher education leader with an expertise in diversity, inclusion and equity. Her career in student affairs has been dedicated to creating equitable access and opportunities for historically marginalized college students, especially students of color. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Savannah State University in behavior analysis and a masters from Georgia Southern University in counselor education with an emphasis in clinical mental health.

Tom Hubbard

Tom Hubbard, is an interdisciplinary artist. Regardless of medium or project, Hubbard’s approach is rooted in his design training and the belief that the solution often comes from the problem. Through a process of inquiry, research and immersion, he explores, interprets and distills visual opportunities to reach solutions that are at once specific, unique and meaningful. As a result, Hubbard, has produced work ranging from ceramic installations to exhibitions of photography, mixed media and public art installations. His recent work is informed by current events, the effects of mobility and his response to place.

Tom Patterson

Tom Patterson, author of Mapping Security and acclaimed security expert with three decades of security experience, takes early lessons learned from his war zone tradecraft to deliver innovative security thinking and technology that has defended national borders, transacted trillions of dollars, delivered energy to millions, and secured nuclear aircraft carrier and space shuttle launches. Tom has been a CEO, Chief Trust Officer, CISO, Deloitte Partner, and was IBM's first Chief eCommerce Strategist. He has advised corporate boards and the FBI, Secret Service, Homeland Security, and the White House, where he is currently (2018) working on the President’s NSTAC Cyber Moonshot.

Travis Hamilton

As an Anesthesiologist, Travis Hamilton realized that he was in a unique position to affect patient care and began to embrace the concept of perioperative medicine. By dismantling the traditional silos of practice that can impede collaboration between specialties, groups of providers work together to improve patient outcomes and return patients to normal function following injury or illness. Dr. Hamilton has served as an Anesthesiologist in governmental, private, and academic hospitals. His current practice focuses on building institutional processes that improve patient outcomes. He is a husband and a father of five young boys, who serve as his inspiration for improving the care provided by our current health system.

Victor Hwang

Victor W. Hwang is an entrepreneur, author, and investor. Two years ago, he moved from Silicon Valley to Kansas City to join the Kauffman Foundation, which empowers people to achieve economic independence.