Breakout Session Descriptions & Speaker Bios

Mindset Over Machines: Cultivating Leadership in Manufacturing

Elevate your leadership mindset to drive growth and build a resilient, innovative workplace. We’ll discuss the role of growth mindset in scaling a business and navigating challenges; breaking stereotypes to reimagine what leadership in manufacturing looks like, building a workplace culture that attracts top talent and drives innovation; and resilience strategies to stay adaptable and forward-thinking in a rapidly changing industry.

Christine Holly Ngo, Silicon Valley Elite Manufacturing 

Christine Holly Ngo is Vice President of Operations & Business Development for Silicon Valley Elite Manufacturing and host of the podcast, Making Things Fun, Cool, & Sexy. She serves on the boards of AMBayArea and CMTC, and is an ambassador for Women in 3D Printing’s Silicon Valley Chapter. She is passionate about manufacturing and is on a mission to help bring manufacturing back to America. Christine received her Bachelor of Science degree from San Jose State University, an MBA from Pepperdine University, and is currently enrolled in the Owner President Management Program through Harvard University.

Optimizing Manufacturing Strategy & Execution

After years of disruption, manufacturers are struggling to articulate their strategic priorities and ensure alignment across the firm. A winning strategy is one that reflects the needs of the market and the capabilities of the firm. The biggest threat to any strategy is poor execution.  Executives, managers and workers must be tightly aligned to the strategic priorities and aware of capability gaps that must be addressed. This presentation will demystify strategy and execution using a presentation of data collected during a recent benchmarking exercise launched in partnership with AMBayArea.

Matt Poepsel, Ph.D., The Predictive Index

Matt Poepsel, Ph.D. is the author of Expand the Circle: Enlightened Leadership for Our New World of Work and host of the Lead the People podcast. He serves as Vice President & The Godfather of Talent Optimization at The Predictive Index. He holds a Ph.D. in Psychology, an MBA, and a Harvard Business School Certificate of Management Excellence. Matt is a part-time faculty member at Boston College where he teaches in the areas of leadership, human resources, and business spirituality. He’s a coach to executive teams, as well as a board member for the Cape Cod Human Resources Association (CCHRA). He is also a U.S. Marine, an Ironman triathlon finisher, and a student of Buddhist philosophy.

How Hackers Hack: A Live Cybersecurity Demo

Join us for a live demonstration to gain insights into the methods and tools hackers use to exploit vulnerabilities and learn how to spot weaknesses in your systems before hackers do. We’ll share protective measures and practical steps to enhance your cybersecurity defenses. Using real-world examples and case studies of actual cyberattacks, we’ll provide proactive strategies manufacturers can use to avoid cyber threats.

Jared Silveria, Leverage IT Consulting

Jared Silveria is a Client Account Executive at Leverage IT Consulting, specializing in Managed IT Services, Cyber Security, and Cloud Solutions. With a Cyber Security Certification and a BBA from UC Davis, he excels in network security, risk analysis, and compliance management. Jared is passionate about building relationships and helping clients navigate their IT needs, making him a trusted advisor and sought-after speaker.

Mergers & Acquisitions 101 and Preparing to Sell Your Company

Your company is your life’s work and often it is the work of multiple generations of your family. Companies are living, breathing things with hard assets (buildings, machinery, trucks), intangible assets (brands, patents), liabilities (debt, AP), and employees who rely on the business for a livelihood. The process of selling your company is complex, but if managed properly, it can reward you (and hopefully subsequent generations) for your life’s work. A successful sale process will begin with numerous preparation steps and discussions with advisors. Learn the necessary steps to prepare a company for a sale, the various types of exit options, and the types of advisors who are typically engaged. 

Gavin Daniels, Intrepid Investment Bankers with Julia Siewit, Hoge Fenton

Gavin Daniels is a Managing Director on Intrepid’s consumer team, focusing on the food, beverage, and agriculture industry. Gavin has 15 years of investment banking experience, primarily focused on middle-market mergers and acquisitions in the broader consumer space. He has transaction experience in many food and beverage subverticals, including frozen food, confections, bakery, snack food, dairy, proteins, contract manufacturing, and wine.  Additional consumer industry transaction experience includes restaurants, omnichannel retail, pet products, home decor, furniture, and consumer services.

Julia Siewit is a corporate attorney at Hoge Fenton, specializing in business transactions, corporate governance, and mergers and acquisitions. She advises manufacturing and other business clients on entity structuring, deal strategy, and tax considerations to optimize growth and minimize risk. With prior experience at KPMG as a tax associate, Julia brings a strong background in corporate taxation and deal structuring. She holds a J.D. and LL.M. in Taxation from the University of San Francisco School of Law. 

Building the Future:
Workforce Development Strategies for Bay Area Manufacturing

Join industry leaders for an engaging discussion on the evolving workforce landscape in Bay Area manufacturing. This panel will explore the current state of the industry, creative talent acquisition strategies, and best practices for retention. Learn how workforce development partnerships and AI-driven solutions are shaping the future of manufacturing. Whether you’re an employer, educator, or workforce strategist, gain valuable insights into building and sustaining a strong talent pipeline.

Panel discussion moderated by Damian Scandiffio, Acara Solutions

Panelists:

Jihad Alex Sakhnini
Global Head of Total Rewards
Energy Recovery

Bob Dorricott
CEO
WessDel

Christina Wu
HR Director
Unigen

Michael Hill
Sr. Director Workforce Development and Apprenticeship Programs
Applied Materials

Damian Scandiffio is an accomplished talent expert who excels at designing and implementing tailored solutions across manufacturing, professional, and technical industries. He has extensive experience in workforce program development, having partnered closely with over a hundred organizations to craft innovative strategies that address complex talent challenges. His total expertise includes implementing master vendor programs (MVPs) impacting nationwide locations, recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) solutions, designing and executing large job fairs, building managed service programs (MSPs), hybrid MSPs, and building executive recruitment and coaching programs.

Your Tax Dollars at Work: Free Resources to Hire and Train Talent

Learn how manufacturing employers can take advantage of free local services that source talent, provide wage subsidies, pay for training existing employees, and more. Hear from manufacturers who have taken advantage of the programs, as well as workforce development board and nonprofit provider staff who are ready to help manufacturers leverage these services.

Moderated by Claire Michaels, EASTBAYWorks

Panelists:

Maria Vargas
Alameda County Workforce Liaison
Rubicon Programs

Javier Contreras
Business Service Specialist
Alameda County Workforce Development Board

Roberto Guerra
Senior Recruiter
Veev

Ranjit Ratra
CEO
Acme Pacific Repairs

Claire Michaels is the Regional Manufacturing Careers Specialist for EASTBAYWorks, the collaboration of the four Workforce Development Boards of the East Bay. She works to build the public workforce system’s capacity to partner with the manufacturing sector and build economic opportunity through career paths to family-sustaining careers. With over 15 years of experience as a talent and career development professional, she has developed programs for the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation, SFMade, and Rivet School. She graduated from the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley and UPenn’s Urban Studies program.

Driving Sustainability Through Innovation:
Metrics, Policies, and Impact

Today’s most forward-thinking business leaders understand that true success isn’t just measured by a growing bottom line—it’s about fostering a resilient, sustainable organization that creates value for all stakeholders. This session will equip you with actionable insights to transform your business practices, including how to develop impactful policies, identify the right metrics to measure progress, and effectively communicate results to stakeholders. Walk away inspired, armed with innovative strategies, and ready to view your business through a sustainability-driven lens that fuels both growth and impact.

Panel Moderated by Jennifer Harrity, Sensiba 

Panelists:

Pamela Kan
CEO
Bishop-Wisecarver Corporation

Lynn Giacomini Stray
Co-Owner & COO
Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.

Jennifer Harrity is an ESG & Sustainability Director at Sensiba LLP, where she founded the firm’s Sustainability and ESG practice and assists clients with holistic sustainable business transformations. Distinguished for her work in the realm of accounting and sustainability, she has been recognized by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the Most Influential Women in Business and Accounting Today as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting.

Energy Management Systems and ISO 50001 Standard

Energy Management Systems (EnMS) and ISO 50001 certification represent a strategic opportunity for manufacturing businesses to simultaneously reduce operational costs and strengthen their environmental credentials. The ISO 50001 standard provides a systematic framework for integrating energy performance into management practices, enabling organizations to establish processes that optimize energy consumption, address energy security, and drive continuous improvement in energy efficiency. For manufacturing facilities where energy often represents one of the largest controllable operating expenses, implementing an ISO 50001-compliant EnMS can yield energy savings of up to 10-20% in the first years while establishing a foundation for long-term energy performance gains.

Farzan Kazemifar, Ph.D., P.E., SJSU Industrial Training and Assessment Center

 

Farzan Kazemifar is an Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at the San Jose State University (SJSU) and Principal at Dena Energy consulting firm. He is the Founding Director of SJSU Industrial Training and Assessment Center (ITAC) and an Associate Director for the Western Center of Excellence ITAC. He provides energy efficiency consulting services, including industrial energy efficiency audits, for industrial and commercial sectors. Dr. Kazemifar is a registered Professional Engineer in California and holds an M.S. degree and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

 

Executive Roundtable: Navigating the Changing Landscape

Moderated by AMBayArea Chair Krishna Rajagopal and AMBayArea Vice Chair Karen Burns
Join industry leaders for an engaging roundtable discussion on how manufacturers are adapting to the evolving federal landscape. This session will explore the latest shifts in government policies, funding opportunities, and regulatory challenges impacting the manufacturing sector. Executives will share insights on navigating these changes, maintaining revenue stability, and implementing best practices to stay competitive.

Moderated by AMBayArea Chair Krishna Rajagopal and Vice Chair Karen Burns

 

Krishna Rajagopal serves as the AMBayArea Board of Directors Chair. Krishna is an advisor and confidante to C-level executives in the Bay Area and the midwest and previously owned a manufacturing company in Illionois before working with manufacturers in California. Karen Burns serves as the Vice Chair and is an Assurance Partner with Sensiba LLP. She is passionate about working with the manufacturing and food and beverage sectors. 

The Power of Community:
Strengthening Manufacturing Through Collaboration

California manufacturers face not only rapid technological advancements, workforce shortages, and shifting market demands but also an increasingly hostile business climate and complex political landscape. From burdensome regulations to rising operational costs, navigating these challenges alone is unsustainable. Join us for a discussion on how collaboration with industry peers can help tackle critical issues such as workforce development, supply chain resilience, and policy advocacy. Learn how manufacturers are leveraging these networks to amplify their voice, access valuable resources, and shape the future of the industry—together.

Presented by CMTA President & CEO Lance Hastings 

 

Lance Hastings serves as President and CEO of the California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA). Under his leadership, CMTA continues dedicated to protecting and enhancing California’s manufacturing sector through engagement with government leaders, administrative agencies, and other key stakeholders. Mr. Hastings has been featured and interviewed for his work in global and national media outlets including ABC and NBC News, CNN, Politico, Wall Street Journal, among other publications. In 2023, Hastings was recognized as one of Sacramento Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs.

 

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Bring your team to take advantage of breakout sessions with industry experts sharing knowledge and resources, plus keynote speaker, exhibits, hosted happy hour, and more.