Meet the Judges of HackATL 2020!
A good way to prepare for HackATL 2020 is to know the minds that will be judging your pitches! Our team has gathered a group of seasoned individuals who are actively involved in entrepreneurship; not only will they provide fresh perspectives to the competition, they will provide valuable feedback on your pitches that you can take away and utilize beyond HackATL! Check out their biographies to see their journey with entrepreneurship.
Benn Konsynski
Benn R. Konsysnski is the George S. Craft Distinguished professor in Information Systems & Operations. Before his time at Emory, he taught at the Harvard Business School in the MBA program and several other executive programs for six years. He also served as a professor at the University of Arizona, where he was co-founder of the university’s multi-million dollar group decision support laboratory and gateway connection of early internet LANS to IMPs.
He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Purdue University and specializes in issues of digital commerce and information technology in relationships across organizations. His work has been published in diverse research journals, and he also serves on boards and advisory roles in public and private organizations, including but not limited to: IBM, UPS, TESSCO Technologies, AT&T, Ernst and Young, and Turner Broadcasting Station. He is also the director and founder of Emory University’s Center for Digital Commerce. Aside from being acclaimed in his academia and industries, Benn is also well-loved among his students, who refer to themselves as S.O.B.’s (Students of Benn).
Sig Mosley
Sig Mosley is the Managing Partner of Mosley Ventures, a venture fund investing in early-stage technology startups in the Southeast. Known as one of the most seasoned tech company seed investors in the Atlanta community, Sig is widely regarded as “The Godfather of Angel Investing,” a title he earned as the president of Imlay Investments Inc. Since 1990, Sig has invested in 145 startups with over 100 liquidity events and is currently the record holder of the largest Southeast venture deal with the $5.7 billion acquisition of Tradex by Ariba. Aside from his venture investing activities, Sig has coached many entrepreneurs to their success and is well-versed within his field. He is also an Oxford College and Emory alumni, of class 1968.
Dirk Schroeder
Dirk G. Schroeder is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Global Health at Emory University where he teaches courses on social entrepreneurship, research design, and proposal development in the context of global public health. Dirk holds a Doctors and MPH in International Health from Johns Hopkins University, along with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Biology from Stanford University.
Outside of his work at Emory, Dirk is also heavily involved in the intersection between entrepreneurship and public health: he is the founder and managing partner of Updraft Health Innovation Advisors, a consulting firm that provides strategic guidance on multicultural health and disparities solutions to healthcare entities, non-profits, governments, and social enterprise firms. He is also the Chief Health Officer and co-founder of HolaDoctor Inc, the leading provider of online culturally appropriate communications, wellness programs and business solutions to the U.S. healthcare industry.
Amelia Schaffner
Amelia Schaffner is the Director of Entrepreneurship at Goizueta Business School. She is the driving force for developing the entrepreneurial culture, thinking, and initiative within Emory University, through notable collaborations with students, faculty, alumni, and the local ecosystem of investors, VCs, and organizations. She is involved in a number of inspiring initiatives at Emory, including the Pitch-The-Professors Program to support student entrepreneurs, the partnership with the incubator within Atlanta Tech Village, the RAISE Forum for startups and investors in the Southeast region, the AHIA (Advancing Healthcare Innovation in Africa), and more.
Amelia also possesses 20 years of experience with strategy consulting, corporate innovation, market trends scouting, and entrepreneurship advisory. Before her time at Emory, she served as the senior Strategy Principal at Accenture, leading a global innovation initiative that was instrumental in visioning Accenture’s innovation architecture.
Sarina Virk Torrendell
Sarina Virk Torrendell is a leader in tech with over a decade of experience in a wide variety of roles involving product marketing, partnerships, operations, and strategy across different industries and roles. She was an early team member at Postmates, where she helped build the company from the ground-up in its first markets and led new initiatives in its later years as the Head of Retail Partnerships & GM for New Verticals. She also started her own venture in e-commerce with her startup, Auster, where she collaborated with Argentine artisans to curate handbag collections.
Apart from her involvement in entrepreneurship, Sarina has also worked at prominent tech companies; most recently, she oversaw specialty retail partnerships for Apple Pay and global partnership marketing for the App Store at Apple. Aside from her career, Sarina is also passionate about empowering young women through career coaching & consulting business, withSarina where she serves as a certified career coach to impart her knowledge and expertise on rising individuals.
Written by: Emily Jang | IQ Director
