Rick Brajer, HEALTHCARE CEO/FORMER SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (NC)September 3-8, 2025
BS Chemical Engineering (Purdue University), MBA (Stanford University Graduate School of Business)
The son of Yugoslavian immigrants, Brajer brings over 20 years of president and CEO-level leadership experience operating within venture, private equity, public (IPO) and public service (cabinet level government) environments.
Brajer began his career at Procter & Gamble and at McKinsey & Company, environments deeply ingrained with proud teams, proud cultures and fact-based decision making. From 1990 to 2002, he held various leadership roles at Becton Dickinson, ultimately serving as an operating president and executive officer of the corporation. Following Becton Dickinson, Brajer led LipoScience, Inc., a venture-backed company, as the company’s CEO from turn-around stage through its successful initial public offering (IPO) in January 2013.
Recently, Brajer led system-wide reform efforts through public service as North Carolina's Secretary of Health and Human Services. This was a cabinet-level position for a $20 billion agency with approximately 15,000 employees.
His leadership efforts are now focused at the intersection of private equity and health care services for the vulnerable (intellectual and developmental disabilities, behavioral health needs, substance use challenges, the elderly, at-risk youth), both in community and long-term care settings.
Brajer earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Rick Brajer's LinkedIn profile
TOPIC AREAS: Faith and Leadership, From Engineering to Business, Healthcare, Public Service, Organizational Leadership, Change Leadership, Taking Ownership of Your Unique Career
BRUCE SCHECHTER, ADVISOR, CONSULTANT AND INVESTORSeptember 28-October 4, 2025
BS Physics and Math (Purdue University), MS Computer Science (Stanford University)
Bruce Schechter is an active advisor, consultant or investor in a variety of technology startups, including Life360, BigML, Carbon Lighthouse, Illumeo and more. He is a member of the Band of Angels, Silicon Valley’s oldest organized angel investor organization. Schechter began his career at Intel Corporation in 1980 and there he served a 17-year tenure in a variety of roles, including fab process engineering, microprocessor product management, the corporate strategy group, and director of online marketing in the Corporate Marketing Group. Bruce was on the founding team of Pandesic LLC, a pioneering eCommerce cloud service provider, where he served as director of operations management and later director of strategic alliances.
Schechter is active in mentoring student entrepreneurs at both Stanford University and Purdue University and is active in non-profit work, including his role as founder and President Emeritus of the Intel Alumni Network, a worldwide network of former Intel employees with focus on thought leadership, and as co-founder/co-chairman of Purdue SVBIG (Silicon Valley Boilermaker Innovation Group), a group of esteemed Purdue alums offering mentorship to startups arising out of Purdue. He also serves on the Dean’s Leadership Council (DLC) for the College of Science.
Bruce received a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Math from Purdue University, where he graduated with highest honors and Phi Beta Kappa and, much later (at age 49), received a master's in computer science from Stanford University.
Bruce Schechter's LinkedIn profile
TOPIC AREAS: Technology Startups, Innovation, Investing, Technology, Marketing, Silicon Valley, Semiconductors, Microprocessors, Mentoring
ERIKA STEUTERMAN, MAJOR GENERAL (RETIRED), U.S. AIR FORCEOctober 1-8, 2025
Major General Erika Steuterman retired from the United States Air Force in February 2011 after 34 years of service, both active-duty and reserve. Erika graduated from Purdue University in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts in Language and earned her Master of Business Administration from the Krannert School of Management in 1977. She was commissioned into the United States Air Force in May 1977.
A career intelligence officer, Major General Steuterman served with the Air Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency and US European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, among many others. She deployed in 2003 as the director of the Information Operations Coordination Element at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and missions in the Horn of Africa.
Major General Steuterman has served on many boards of directors at the state and community levels, including the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, Wabash Center, United Way and the YWCA Foundation Board. She currently serves on the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Merit Board, BATS, Inc. and the Friendship House Board of Directors.
Major General Steuterman was recently awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash by former Governor Eric Holcomb.
Erika Steuterman's LinkedIn profile
TOPIC AREAS: Communications, Leadership, Public Service, Work/Life Balance, Special Needs Population