Rick Brajer, HEALTHCARE CEO/FORMER SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (NC)September 3-9, 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.
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 20-27, 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 mentoring to startups arising out of Purdue.
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 an master's in computer science from Stanford University.
TOPIC AREAS: Technology Startups, Innovation, Investing, Technology, Marketing, Silicon Valley, Semiconductors, Microprocessors, Mentoring
ERIKA STEUTERMAN, MAJOR GENERAL (RETIRED), U.S. AIR FORCESeptember 20-27, 2025
More information coming soon.
TOPIC AREAS: Coming soon
BRIAN BRYAN, FORMER FBI AGENTOctober 15-22, 2025
More information coming soon.
TOPIC AREAS: Coming soon
CHRIS JONES, DIRECTOR OF ROBOTIC POWER TOOLS, STRYKERFebruary 21-28, 2026
BS Electrical Technology (Purdue University), MBA (Ball State)
More information coming soon.
TOPIC AREAS: Leadership, Team Building, Complex Product Development, Structured Problem Solving, Mentoring, Boy Scouts of America, General Aviation
AMY HESS, FORMER EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FBIMarch 4-10, 2026
More information coming soon.
TOPIC AREAS: Coming soon