Dennis Ong

Technology Executive, Board Advisor, Amazon Web Services | TEDx Speaker
Amazon

Dr. Dennis Ong serves as a Technology Leader at Amazon Web Services, where his primary role is to drive business and technology innovation for Fortune 100 companies, with particular emphasis on AI/GenAI and cloud transformation. He is also an Industry Advisory Board member of the University of Pennsylvania’s PRECISE Research Center. Prior to this, he spearheaded 5G AI applied research at Verizon, leading his team to develop the world's first 5G/AI autonomous vehicle, a collaborative project with the Honda Research Institute.

Dr. Ong has given two TEDx talks: one on "IoT Transformation through Machine Learning" and the other on " Securing the World with Blockchain". A frequent presenter at international conferences, his topics revolve around AI, 5G, IoT, and Blockchain. His research collaborations span various global technology companies like Cisco and Nissan, as well as major research universities like the University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania, focusing on AI and 5G. His innovative 5G and AI designs have earned him three patent awards in 2022. Additionally, he co-founded “Leading AI”, a non-profit that delivers leadership and AI education to students and emerging professionals worldwide.

Dr. Ong earned an MBA, graduating with honors, from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He also received a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The Ohio State University as a University Fellow. Furthermore, he served as an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at The Ohio State University.

Roger Cheng

Lead, Supplier Inclusion
AT&T

Roger Cheng recently joined AT&T as a Sr. Supplier Diversity Sourcing Manager. Prior to AT&T, Roger spent the previous 14+ years with M/WBEs in the technology space leading business development through Supplier Diversity.

Roger, also known as “The Voice,” has served as emcee or VOG for a number of organizations across the country. In 2017, Roger was recognized as the #Hes4Shes Champion at the WBENC National Conference.

Pritesh Patel

Principal Analyst, SD & Engagement
Constellation Energy

Pritesh Patel serves as the Principal Analyst for Supplier Development and Engagement at Constellation, where he leads initiatives that drive inclusive procurement strategies and supplier diversity across the energy sector. In his current role, he collaborates closely with internal stakeholders and external partners to expand access for small and diverse businesses, thereby shaping a more competitive and resilient supplier ecosystem. He is passionate about building meaningful partnerships with a wide array of suppliers and has played a crucial role in expanding Constellation’s engagement within the communities it serves.

Prior to this position, Pritesh held roles as a Senior Chemist and subsequently a Senior Instructor of Engineering at one of Constellation’s Clean Energy Centers. His transition from technical operations to Supplier Development and Engagement reflects a career-long commitment to operational excellence, continuous learning and improvement, and thoughtful innovation.

Pritesh holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Loyola University Chicago and an MBA with a Project Management Specialization from Seton Hill University. He is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Pritesh is a regular contributor to national supplier development forums and is proud to represent Constellation as a Roundtable Leader at CelebrASIAN.

Leah Babat

Senior Manager, Supplier Engagement
CVS Health

Axel Adams

Manager - S.D. and Inclusion
Delta Air Lines

Axel D. Adams is employed with Delta Air Lines as a Manager in Supplier Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion where he and his colleagues are responsible for ensuring diverse businesses have an opportunity to secure contracts for business with Delta. Prior to Delta, he had a brief stint as National Director of African American Outreach with 2020 Presidential Candidate Tom Steyer’s Campaign. His overall responsibility keeping the campaign focused on AA voters, issues, concerns and what is most important to them.

Axel’s most noted employment was noted with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition (RPC) where the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. is the Founder and President. Axel served in a many roles such as the Chief Operations Officer in the Chicago Headquarters managing all operations/departments of the organization. staff, finance, education, trade bureau, press, finding, national and regional conventions, and cooperate relationships, emerging markets, and regional offices to name a few. He also held the positions of Bureau Chief, and National Youth Director.

Prior to RPC, Axel was with Westinghouse Savannah River Company as a supervisor in the Nuclear Materials Processing Division. During his employment there, he was the first African American to receive the Community Service Award.

Axel is a recipient of many awards/honors such as the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Barack Obama; The Georgia Assembly passed House Bill 1984 for his dedication to the betterment of the citizens of the State of Georgia; South Carolina Senate recognized Axel Adams and passed Resolution 1118 for his significant contributions and outstanding achievements in the fields of politics, business, and community outreach. He is the author of “The Journey”, a book detailing his life experiences in politics, community service, and social activism. He is President of the Axel Adams Foundation (www.axeladamsfoundation.com), which is committed to making long-term improvements in education, health and wellness, and combating socioeconomic issues in the Central Savannah River Area. Axel has the honor of being the first African American elected to serve on City Council in New Ellenton South Carolina at the early age of 22 years old, serving two-four-year elected terms on city council. And he was Acting-Mayor and Police commissioner for three years, and the first African American to serve in this capacity as well.

He has a master’s in business administration, and bachelor’s degree in business management. Axel says that God is first and foremost in his life.

April-Kelly Drummond

Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Denny's

Nearly 25 years ago, April Kelly-Drummond began her professional career as a wide-eyed, ambitious executive assistant to corporate diversity and community relations. Now, she’s leading “America’s Diner” diversity initiatives, playing a significant role in transforming the company’s image and forging lasting relationships with a who’s who in diverse national organizations.

April serves as the Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Denny’s Inc., the nation’s largest family dining restaurant operator with more than $2 billion in annual sales. She has been an integral player in championing the company’s “Bold Way Forward,” a company-wide ongoing effort to create diversity at all levels, improve corporate culture and strengthen and expand relationships with community partners. The award-winning executive has been named to Savoy’s Top 100 Influential Women in Corporate America.

Among her many accomplishments, she established and chairs Denny's first DEI Council chair, sponsored by CEO and Denny's board member. This includes seven business resource groups that impact the local and national community. She also played a pivotal role in and negotiated Denny’s title sponsorship of the Orange Blossom Classic, an event that had not occurred in 43 years.

April is an experienced executive in corporate diversity and multicultural affairs who currently works directly with all members of the company’s C-Suite and marketing team to create effective programs and partnerships with major national organizations.

She has become known as an effective collaborator in the company, coordinating messaging and program implementation with corporate board members, the executive team, and the media to help strengthen and raise the profile of Denny’s work in diversity, its core products, and services. She has become a key team member in helping to roll out the company’s outreach for its major Hungry for Education program.

As part of this major corporate initiative, the company has awarded more than $1.3 million in scholarships, recognizing academic achievement and students in elementary, high school and college who have worked in their communities to help end hunger. April has forged relationships with nine diverse organizations including, the Tom Joyner Foundation, the U.S. Pan American Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation, the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI), the Urban League of the Upstate of South Carolina, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and the Magic Johnson Foundation to create the “Hungry for Education” Scholarship program.

April also has helped raised Denny’s profile with many organizations, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the National Civil Rights Museum, The King Center, the National Urban League, the National Action Network, the Step Up Foundation, and the Hispanic College Fund. She has worked tirelessly to help the company gain significant national media attention from civil rights groups for becoming a corporate example of increasing diversity among its workforce, its franchisees and its vendors. She has received numerous awards and coverage on TV (60 Minutes), Fortune, Black Enterprise, and Essence. Other recognition for April and Denny’s efforts have appeared in Hispanic Business, Savoy Magazine, Family Digest, and Latino Magazine. She has been acknowledged at the beginning of the book, titled “Denny’s Turnaround Story” by Jim Adamson for the contributions made to Denny’s Brand Acknowledged in the book, titled “Managing for Diversity for a Global Inclusive Workforce” by Michalle E. Mor Barak.

Additionally, she was named South Carolina Women of the Year /Human and Community Relations Award by the Governor of South Carolina; was named Minority Advocate of the Year by Asian Enterprise Magazine for two consecutive years. In her community, April is a corporate board member of the League of United Latin American Citizen Multicultural Foodservice Hospitality Alliance, the Southern Area Links, Incorporated, and a former board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate. She is currently president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated chapter and president of the Lambda Rho Omega chapter of Gaffney, SC.

April believes that you must continuously learn, putting knowledge into practice. She demonstrated that philosophy while working on her B.A. in Professional Studies with a concentration in organizational leadership and development at the College of Charleston. As an example of her ability to bring disparate groups together to rally around a common cause, April and Denny’s co-sponsored with the college “Advancing Diversity and Inclusion: Building Successful Organizations and Communities,” a conference that attracted over 200 attendees. In an interview, April later said, “My goal was to apply my learnings to impact my job and the community … I was able to achieve this goal by participating in the evolution of the CofC’s (diversity) event.”

Jaylen Glover

Manager, Community & Supplier Engagement
Denny's

Antoine Hinton

Sr. Director, Small Business Development
Dollar General

Hans Nirmal

Global Technology Lead, Fund Services
JPMorganChase

As the Global Technology Lead for Fund Services, Hans is responsible for the strategy, development, architecture, and program management of the Alliance Suite of Applications (50+) and Complex Assets Applications. He oversees mission-critical platforms that facilitate daily Net Asset Value delivery for JPMorganChase’s extensive client base of asset managers, supporting Fund Services' operations and growth.

He leads a global team of technologists across multiple locations, managing the entire breadth of Fund Services technology, including Complex Assets, Alternative Fund Services, and our innovative Alliance Framework - a modular, microservices-based platform that has been instrumental in driving substantial growth in Assets under Administration.

Beyond application management, Hans spearheaded the Global Fund Services Public Cloud modernization program, lead resiliency initiatives to meet regulatory requirements, and drove innovation through marquee applications like COBALT (client onboarding tool), PRIMA (automated pricing solutions), and PEAL (Private Equity automation platform). His role encompasses both strategic technology leadership and hands-on delivery of transformative solutions that enhance our competitive position in the market.

Hans joined JPMorganChase in 2007 and is based in Plano, Texas. A recognized innovator, he holds three patents.

James Flynn

Head of Market Strategy & Supplier Sustainability
JPMorganChase

He joined the firm in 2010 in Sourcing and has been a member of the Supplier Diversity team since 2017. Jim is the Head of Market Strategy and Supplier Sustainability for the Supplier Diversity function that focuses on small, local and or diverse business ecosystem development and the firm’s Supplier Chain to increase supplier opportunity and excellence. Jim led the firm’s application and membership in the Billion Dollar Roundtable in 2019. Jim began his career at General Electric Company in Finance and graduated from their Management Training Program. An industry recognized Procurement, Business Development and Supplier Opportunity leader his experience includes Strategic Sourcing and Logistics at Limited Brands as well as Global Procurement and Supply Chain at DHL. He graduated summa cum laude from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, was elected Phi Beta Kappa, and earned an MBA from University of New York at Albany. He lives in Columbus, Ohio and enjoys all things outdoors, football, Mexico, and travel.

Teddy Chan

Global Supplier Services
JPMorganChase

Teddy Chan is an Executive Director in Global Supplier Services at JPMorganChase, where he leads a global team of category experts responsible for procuring technology infrastructure and services. He partners closely with the firm’s technology leaders to navigate complex hardware supply chains while balancing costs and strategic objectives. Previously, Teddy managed the firm’s global procurement of telecommunications services.

Teddy joined JPMorgan Chase in 2017. He held procurement roles at Chain IQ USA, Axalta Coating Systems, and MetLife in both the United States and Japan. He brings 20 years of experience spanning strategic sourcing, finance, project management, and operations. He previously served as a Board Member of the National INROADS Alumni Association.

Teddy holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance from Rhode Island College and an MBA in Strategy from Boston University. Born and raised in Hong Kong, he lives in Frisco, Texas with his wife and two children, and enjoys travel, cooking, reading, and soccer.

Vivian Young

Global Head of Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs
JPMorganChase

Vivian Young has over 15 years of leadership experience in the financial services industry. In her current role as global head of Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs for JPMorgan Chase, Vivian is responsible for developing a leading a global, unified strategy to advance equity and inclusion for the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community. Key focus areas include driving opportunity and progress through increased cultural understanding and collaboration; raising awareness about cultural identity and the challenges faced by underserved individuals and communities; supporting API communities globally through public advocacy, economic inclusion and community development.

Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase, Vivian spent 7 years at Charles Schwab Advisor Services, where she was responsible for strategy, execution and management of the Family Office and Investment Consultant client segment. She also served as business lead on new product initiatives for trust products, ETFs, mutual funds and separately managed accounts. Previous to Charles Schwab, Vivian was a relationship manager and team lead at U.S. Trust Company of New York providing financial planning services to high net worth individuals and families in the Wealth Management division.

Vivian Joined JPMorgan Chase in 2012 leading strategic initiatives for the Product and Platform team in the Private Bank and J.P.Morgan Wealth Management. She was responsible for product management, development and expansion of Trusts & Estates services, donor advised fund, and financial planning tools. She most recently was global head of Bank Product Marketing in Asset & Wealth Management, developing strategies to deepen client relationships and drive business growth. Working in partnership with Product leadership in banking, lending, mortgage, annuities, trusts and estates, and cyber and fraud, Vivian lead the content development and implementation of strategic marketing programs.

Vivian received a BA in Political Science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.

She resides in New York City with her husband and two children.

Learn more about Vivian:

⦁ Office of Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs at JPMorgan Chase https://www.jpmorganchase.com/...

⦁ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vi...

⦁ Bringing a cultural lens to her community: Women on the Move podcast

https://open.spotify.com/episo...

Quinae J. Ewing

Responsible Sourcing Manager
MassMutual

Doing Business with Corporations & Government Agencies Roundtables

Quinae J. Ewing is a MassMutual Supplier Diversity manager, supporting the company’s innovative supplier diversity strategy that aligns with MassMutual's core values, and was appointed to this position in July 2022. With more than two decades of manufacturing, engineering, global procurement and supplier diversity management experience at Xerox Corporation, Quinae has managed significant corporate initiatives across North America, Asia, and Europe.

Quinae is an active and visible member of his community. He has worked as an adjunct professor of Mathematics at Monroe Community College (Rochester, NY) and also served on the Board of Directors at the Carlson Metro Center YMCA (Rochester, NY). Quinae represented Xerox Corporation as a corporate member of the Portland Black Business Association (Portland, OR) and over the past ten years, has attended various Supplier Diversity and Sustainability conferences and activities nationwide.

Quinae holds a Master of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Business from Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY). He earned Bachelor of Science degrees in both Interdisciplinary Science and Mechanical Engineering from Clark Atlanta University (Atlanta, GA) and North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, NC) respectively. Quinae is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated (Gamma Kappa Chapter) and Pi Tau Sigma National Mechanical Engineering Honor Society

Raul Saurez-Rodriguez

Director, Global Inclusion & Supplier Diversity
Merck

Raul Suarez-Rodriguez currently serves as Director, Global Economic Inclusion and Supplier Diversity at Merck. In this role, Raul is responsible to drive diverse supplier inclusion, innovation and economic growth through lens of the company mission by partnering with internal business leaders and external advocacy groups to grow mutual value, and create a lasting impact on the business and communities where we live and work.

Raul joined Merck in 2018 from CVS Health, where he led their Supplier Diversity Program to Best In Class by being inducted into the Billion Dollar Roundtable and winning several top awards including National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) Corporation of the Year for Innovation, DiversityInc Top Companies (No.1) for Supplier Diversity, and Americas Top Corporation for Women Business Enterprises.

Raul is recognized for his creative and innovative thinking and transformation efforts in Supplier Diversity. Most recently, he was recognized as the Supply Chain Advocate of the Year by Disability: IN for his work around Disability Owned Business Enterprises where he serves as the Procurement Council Co-Chair. Also, the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council (GNEMSDC) recognized Raul as Advocate of the Year and Shining Star. Raul co-led the Retail Industry Group (RIG) driving change and strategy while advocating for diverse businesses to become strategic partners in the global economy for major retail companies. Raul serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Diversity Alliance for Science.

Raul holds a Master in Business Administration with a concentration in Leadership, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Nova Southeastern University

Stephen Harrington

Chief Supply Chain Officer
MGM Resorts International

Stephen Harrington serves as Chief Supply Chain Officer for MGM Resorts International, where he leads supply chain strategy and execution across the enterprise. He brings a partnership-driven approach to procurement, strengthening supplier relationships, supporting operational excellence and creating long-term value across the business.

Before Joining MGM Resorts, Mr. Harrington served as Chief Supply Chain Officer for Delaware North. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at Chiquita Brands International, Cadbury Schweppes Group and M&T Bank.

A U.S. Navy veteran, Mr. Harrington holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He brings decades of leadership experience across supply chain, operations and business strategy.

Tobias Thornwell

Director of Global Business Impact
MGM Resort International

Tobias Thornwell, CPSM, C.P.M., serves as Director of Global Business Impact for MGM Resorts International, an S&P 500 global gaming, hospitality and entertainment company. In this role, he leads the development and execution of supplier inclusion strategies across MGM Resorts’ regional properties, with a focus on helping those properties meet or exceed corporate, state and local goals for engagement with certified diverse-owned and local businesses.

Mr. Thornwell serves on the Board of Directors for the New York and New Jersey Minority Supplier Development Council and Women Business Enterprise Council Metro NY and Greater DMV, further reflecting his commitment to advancing supplier development, advocacy and access for diverse-owned businesses.

In recognition of his leadership and advocacy, Mr. Thornwell received the Maryland Governor’s Citation Award in 2025 and the WBEC Greater DMV Outstanding Women’s Business Advocate Award in 2023 for his commitment to business diversity, innovation and supplier development throughout the DMV region.

Mr. Thornwell began his career with MGM Resorts at MGM National Harbor, where he most recently served as Senior Strategic Sourcing Manager. In that role, he oversaw procurement activities including vendor sourcing, purchasing, contracts and business diversity, and played a key role in helping the property achieve and surpass its diverse spend goals in Maryland and Prince George’s County.

With more than 12 years of experience in purchasing and supply chain management in the food service industry, Mr. Thornwell previously held roles as National Product Manager and Regional Buyer at The Chef’s Warehouse in Hanover, Maryland, and Lead COP Buyer and Product Line Manager at US Foods in Severn, Maryland.

Mr. Thornwell earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of Maryland, College Park, and holds both the Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) and Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.) designations from the Institute for Supply Management. Originally from the Bronx, New York, Mr. Thornwell enjoys traveling and exploring new cultures.

Melissa Timman

Vice President of Sourcing and Operations
PENN Entertainment

Melissa Timman is Vice President of Sourcing and Operations at PENN Entertainment, where she leads procurement strategy across more than 40 casino and entertainment properties nationwide. With over two decades at PENN, she oversees strategic sourcing, eProcurement, and procuretopay operations, managing and influencing hundreds of millions of dollars in enterprise spend.

A forwardthinking procurement leader, Melissa is recognized for driving enterprisewide savings, building scalable sourcing programs, and elevating procurement into a true strategic business partner. She thrives in complex, multisite environments and brings a disciplined approach to balancing cost, risk, speed, and guest experience.

Beyond the numbers, Melissa is deeply committed to supplier diversity and mentorship. She helped launch supplier mentor initiatives, actively participates in diversityfocused events, and continues to advance inclusive sourcing strategies that create meaningful opportunity while delivering strong business outcomes. She is especially passionate about building and sustaining partnerships with diverse suppliers at the local, regional, and national levels in the communities where PENN operates.

Melissa remains focused on strong team leadership, integrity in procurement processes, a clear corporate vision, and expanding access to sourcing opportunities for diverse businesses. These efforts have played a key role in the continued growth of PENN’s Supplier Diversity program.

She holds an MBA and brings energy, clarity, and a sharp strategic lens to the evolving role of procurement leadership.

Joyce Eggers

Global Lead of S.D.
Takeda Pharmaceuticals

Joyce Eggers is a passionate Supplier Diversity expert with over 20 years of experience in the Life Sciences industry. Joyce is responsible for providing the leadership for Takeda to grow and develop a sustainable diversity, equity, and inclusion program for suppliers.

Supported by and aligned with Takeda’s overall DE&I strategy, her expertise and passion for fostering an inclusive and innovative supply chain drives positive impact in the global communities in which our patients, employees, and customers live and work, guided by Takeda’s commitment to patients, our people, and the planet.

In her role, Joyce also serves as an advocate, mentor, and coach for small and/or diverse suppliers and is actively involved with numerous NGOs and advocacy groups focusing on supplier mentoring, development, diversity, and inclusion.

Oswaldo Soto

Head of Supplier Development
Travel + Leisure

Chander Balakumar

Data Strategy Lead
U.S. Bank

Queanne Smith

Senior Vice President, Business Impact Strategy
U.S. Bank

Andrew Moy

Executive Vice President, Division Executive Commercial Banking for Diversified Sector Management
Wells Fargo

Sebastian Paul

Senior Vice President, Head of Technology - Merchant Payments Services (NA)
U.S. Bank

Dale Shintani

Senior Vice President
Wells Fargo

Dale Shintani is a Senior Vice President at Wells Fargo. In addition to being a strategy and planning leader in her day job, she also serves as the strategy chair for Wells Fargo’s internal women’s employee resource network with over 25K members. She has also focused on supporting small businesses for much of her career through various leadership roles including head of Customer Experience, Digital Strategy, and business manager of a business line of credit portfolio all while continuing to be a Diversity Equity and Inclusion champion.

Passionate about mentoring emerging leaders, Dale regularly delivers talks on women’s empowerment in business and was a frequent leadership speaker in an Asian American Pacific Islander Diverse Leaders program. Dale lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband Mark and daughters Claire and Katie.

Jerome Flores

Lead Inclusion & Opportunity Consultant
Wells Fargo

Jerome Flores is a Senior Diversity & Inclusion consultant focused on enhancing the employee resource network program to grow leadership capabilities, bench strength and serve as a diverse resource to influence business outcomes. Jerome has always been passionate about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging helping to stand up the Washington, DC chapter of Pride Connections, and forming relationships through community outreach and engagement.

As a highly skilled and experienced professional, Jerome has spent 19+ years working in the financial services industry. With a proven track record of success. Jerome is become known for their thought leadership, creativity, problem-solving, and attention to detail. Jerome has a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Certificate from University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, Office of Executive Education, and a Bachelor of Science Degree from the Pennsylvania State University and is committed to staying up to date with the latest industry trends and best practices.

And is based in Washington, DC

Wendell G. Brown

Head of Supplier Access & Impact, Supply Chain Management, Chief Operating Office
Wells Fargo