[RE]MIX 2023

Jason Barger ’98

Founder, Step Back Leadership Consulting

Keynote Speaker

Jason V. Barger is committed to engaging people’s minds and hearts.  As the founder of Step Back Leadership Consulting, which was recognized as a Top 20 Leadership Development training and coaching company by HR Tech Outlook, Jason is a sought-after keynote speaker and leadership and culture consultant who has worked with some of the world’s biggest brands.  His previous books – Step Back from the Baggage Claim, ReMember, and Thermostat Cultures – have been celebrated by the New York Times and global media.  He has also been recognized as a Top 200 Thought Leader to Follow by PeopleHum and a Forty under 40 leader by Business First. …

Merlin Bell ’15

President and Executive Director of Poplar Institute for Film

Session: “Centering Media in Marginalized Communities: Lessons from Resilient Young Entrepreneurs in the Arts”

Merlin Bell is the CEO and Founder of Poplar Institute for Film.  Merlin is a creative professional, who has offered experience working in content management and production leveraging a passion for culture and the arts. He has a BA from Denison University in Theatre and a MA from Fontbonne University in Theatre. He has worked in several nonprofit arts and culture organizations as an actor, creative activist, and educator. 

Mags Chamberlain ’19

Director, Filmmaker, Co-founder of waxpoet films

Session: “Centering Media in Marginalized Communities: Lessons from Resilient Young Entrepreneurs in the Arts”

Mags is a filmmaker and co-founder of waxpoet films, a minority-owned production company based in Columbus, OH. Mags founded waxpoet with their partner, Jenna, as a way to create media that more authentically represents people like them on screen, and allows other diverse voices to be heard on set. With a Communication major and Theatre minor from Denison and a Master’s in Student Affairs at Ohio University, Mags started their company with no prior …

Kevin Chase ’92

Co-Founder & Chief Development Officer, Vanguard Renewables

Session: “Grit of Entrepreneurship: How to Start, Scale + Exit Like a Pro” 

Kevin’s unique background has culminated in a rare skill set combining entrepreneurial spirit with disciplined institutional analytic ability, enabling him to succeed throughout a proven development career that spans over decades. He is the Co-founder and Chief Development Officer of Vanguard Renewables LLC. Vanguard is a renewable energy company, recently purchased by BlackRock, developing, owning, and managing over $4B of anaerobic digesters in North America, making a significant climate change impact through the recycling of organic waste and production of renewables natural gas.

James Clear ’08

Author and Speaker

Fireside chat with James Clear

James Clear is an author and speaker and has been writing at JamesClear.com about habits, decision making and continuous improvement since 2012. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, Atomic Habits, which has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 50 languages.  He is also known for his popular 3-2-1 newsletter, which is sent out each week to more than 2 million subscribers.

Allie Colina ’14

Senior Specialist - Learning and Development, Heidrick and Struggles

Session: “How to Leverage Your Strengths to Stand Out in Your Industry“

I am a Learning & Development professional supporting global professional development programs, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and leadership development initiatives. I thrive utilizing my background in education, counseling degree, and passion for empowering others to be the best version of themselves. As the co-founder of Next Move Consulting, LLC I use my background in counseling as an LPC/ NCC to support individual clients with career transitions. I partner with clients to take the stress out of the job search process and find their next move in their careers.

Hon. Christopher C. Cross ’74

District Court Judge (Ret.)

Session: “Breaking Through: The Unique Path From College Majors to Careers”

Judge Christopher Cross presently works for JAMS/Denver as an arbitrator, mediator, special master, and statutory judge. He served on the district court bench in the 18 th Judicial District (Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln Counties), Colorado from January, 2009 to February, 2016. He served as an Arapahoe County Court Judge from August, 1997 to January, 2009. Judge Cross graduated from Denison University in Granville, Ohio in 1974 and from the University of Denver School of Law in 1979. He worked in the Denver District Attorney’s Office from 1979 until 1984. From 1984 until June, 1986, he was an associate at Roath & Brega, P.C.. …

Thomas DeCarlo ’05

CEO, DeCarlo Animation

Session: “Entrepreneurship in a Remote World”

Thomas is a filmmaker, web developer, and entrepreneur. Through his studio, DeCarlo Animation, Thomas is forging a new class of low-budget indie-style animated features out of the Midwest. In addition to serving as writer, director, and animator of his films, he has developed a novel cloud-based production management platform through his software company, Collabrix, which helps to maximize the productivity of his small team and further cut production costs.

Tanya S. Dempsey ’01

Co-CEO, CSG Advisors

Session: “Continuing to Shatter the Glass Ceiling: Empowering Women in Finance for Future Leaders”

Tanya Dempsey is a financing professional who has more than 15 years’ experience. As a principal, owner and co-CEO for CSG Advisors, Tanya has led the way in affordable housing transactions.  Along with her Co-Ceo, Nicole Graham, the two have worked together on a number of repositioning plans for Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Sacramento and Chicago and launched a section 3 program that helped new businesses with grants, social media and creating a pitch.

Ms. Dempsey is highly skilled in a multitude of positions including: Strategic & Long-Term Planning, Real Estate Transactions, Financial Impact of Operations and Management, Development Advising & Transaction Services. …

Michelle Dillon ’13

Owner, Monarch Yoga & Together Organizing

Session: “Building As You Go: How to Build the Plane While Your Flying”

Hi, I am Michelle, owner of Monarch Yoga and Together Organizing, two completely separate, but somewhat similar, small businesses.  I graduated from Denison in 2013 with a degree in Education and Communication. After graduation, I taught Fifth Grade in DC for five years.  From there I moved to Philadelphia, and created my first small business, Together Organizing, a home organizing company born out of the desire to help others feel prepared, balanced and organized in their homes. The pandemic happened, business halted, and I began to teach yoga outdoors.  One class led to the next, and Monarch Yoga was born. Three years later, Monarch is an expansive brick and mortar …

Charles E. Emrich ’83

Infrastructure Finance Advisor, Economic Development, U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Technical Assistance

Session: “Elements of a Business Case”

Charles E. Emrich is a member of the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Technical Assistance (OTA), where he is an Infrastructure Finance Advisor. In this position, he has consulted with the Government of Jamaica’s the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service for four years, including as a resident advisor for two and a half years. His primary role is to help the government develop projects that are financially self-sufficient and to attract private and international investments. Towards this end, he has presented capacity building programs for various Jamaican agencies including Guidelines for a Business Case Study; PPP – 101 An Introduction to Public-Private Partnerships; Investors and ESG; …

David Frederiksen ’92

CEO, PatientFocus

Session: “Building Strong Teams: Strategies for Effective Collaboration and Leadership“

David Frederiksen is the founder and CEO of PatientFocus, a Nashville-based, patient-billing company for healthcare providers. With over twenty years of healthcare experience including strategy consulting; financial analysis; credit underwriting; workouts and restructurings, David has managed projects for multiple entities including hospitals, clinics, physician practices and other healthcare companies across the U.S. David was the Co-founder and COO of Pine Creek Healthcare Capital, LLC, a specialized lender to rural hospitals. …

Joseph Holbert ’16

Founder of Joey Aich Entertainment, LLC. Recording Artist and touring musician under performer name "Joey Aich"

Session: “All from Rap: How Two Friends Launched Careers in Music, Marketing and Community Impact”

Joseph is a dreamer, creative, and founder of Joey Aich Entertainment, LLC, who is most known as recording artist and live performer, Joey Aich. Since graduating from Denison in 2016, Joseph has embarked on a musical journey to inspire people around the world through his lyrics and live performances with a mission to changes lives and challenge those to strive to be the best version of themselves. …

Simms Jenkins ’96

Founder/Former CEO of BrightWave + Founder, Three Groves

Session: “Reimagining The Tech Startup Landscapes: The AI Revolution and Lessons Learned”

Jenkins is one of the most recognized and accomplished digital marketing leaders. The founder and CEO of BrightWave, the premiere email and CRM focused agency, has received nearly every industry accolade, written the two definitive books on email marketing and created the gold standard of industry events, EiQ. In 2019, BrightWave was acquired by Ansira, an independent, global marketing technology and services firm which is backed by Advent International. Over the past 20 years, he has appeared on Bloomberg TV, written for Forbes and has penned over 150 articles on digital, technology, marketing & leadership topics. …

Hartley E. Johnson ’95

Owner and President, Mark T. Wendell Tea Company

Session: “Tea + Coffee: Two Businesses Steeped in History with Alan Phung & Hartley Johnson“

Hartley E. Johnson, Denison University class of 1995, is the Owner and President of the Mark T. Wendell Tea Company. Located in Acton, Massachusetts, he is the fourth generation in his family involved in the tea-importing trade. Specializing in sourcing specialty teas for retailers and individual consumers, he has spent recent years educating consumers on the diverse world of tea while evolving the 119-year-old brand for a 21st- century shopping experience. Hartley is well known for his expertise on this ubiquitous product that is grown, packaged, and consumed around the globe. He has deep knowledge of the history of tea, its role in world trade, its cultural importance in different societies, and the health benefits it provides. …

Zackary Johnston ’22

Private Wealth Advisor, Vice President of Johnston and Associates Private Wealth Advisors

Session: “Selling what you can’t put in a box”

Zack graduated from Denison in 2022 as an Economics Major with a Financial Economics concentration. He ran Cross Country and Track and Field. He was the captain for both teams during his time at Denison. Which led him to running the Erie Marathon and then the Boston Marathon this past year! He also was a member of Beta Theta Pi and served on the executive board as recruitment chair and later as President. Zack currently works as a Financial Advisor for Johnston and Associates and has developed his own book of business alongside his father Dana Johnston. Combining the four years he spent at Denison and the five summers interning with Johnston Associates as a Sales Assistant, …

Peter Kennedy ’98

Founder/President, Tagger Media, Inc.

Session: “From Startup to Global Enterprise: Lessons Learned in Starting and Scaling a Tech Company”

Peter Kennedy is the Founder and President of Tagger Media, Inc., the leading SaaS data platform empowering global agencies and brands to maximize their Influencer Marketing strategy and campaign ROI through its powerful, award-winning, all-in-one Influencer Marketing and social listening platform. Tagger’s clients include Amazon, Intel, Estee Lauder, Porsche, Nickelodeon, E&J Gallo, BOSE, Omnicom, and Accenture. Prior to Tagger, Peter was the co-founder of Suturenetics, a medical device developer later sold to Boss Instruments. Other previous roles include founder of Wake Nation, a developer and operator of recreational watersports complexes, and co-founder of Gorilla Guide, a web-based travel company offering products to businesses in the independent travel market. …

J.B. Kropp ’96

Managing Director, Cintrifuse Capital

Session: “Reimagining The Tech Startup Landscapes: The AI Revolution and Lessons Learned”

J.B. is recognized as a leader in early-stage investing, corporate development and entrepreneurship. His background spans across investing, consumer product development, business operations and strategic leadership in early-stage companies. Prior to becoming the Managing Director for Cintrifuse Capital, JB was the President of Dinovite.com, a pet supplement business what was sold to Private Equity in 2021. Before that, JB headed up Corporate Development for The Gorilla Glue Company, was at The E.W. Scripps Co. as VP, Digital Strategy and Business Development and also …

Emily Merrell ’09

Founder and Business Coach at Six Degrees Society ; Co-Founder of Ready Set Coach Program ; Podcast host of The Sixth Degree Podcast

ReMix emcee; Mastermind Facilitator

Emily Merrell is the Founder and Business Coach at Six Degrees Society, Co-founder of Ready Set Coach and Podcast host of The Sixth Degree.  She’s also lovingly called “20 Questions” by those that know her. Emily launched her career in the Fashion world working in Special events and marketing for high luxury brands Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch and Intermix after a 9 month stint in Argentina post graduation. Since her leap into entrepreneurship in 2016, Emily’s expertise in community building, networking and business coaching …

Ben Murphy ’02

President, Hospitality Logistics International, LLC

Session: “Grit of Entrepreneurship: How to Start, Scale + Exit Like a Pro”  

Ben Murphy is President of Charlotte-based Hospitality Logistics International, LLC (“HLI”).  He is responsible for all aspects of HLI’s business.  HLI is a leading provider of logistics services to clients in the hospitality, healthcare, Student Housing, and government/military sectors, focused particularly on transportation, warehousing and installation of furniture, fixtures and equipment at its client’s facilities around the globe.  Since starting HLI in 2010, Ben has led the company through a period of rapid and sustained growth, aggressive expansion of its services offered and markets served, and significant enhancement of its worldwide network of clients and service providers.  Before joining HLI, …

Alison Nissen ’89

President & Chief Storytelling Officer, Revel Coach

Session: “The Unstoppable Entrepreneur Workshop: Mastering Goals for Long-Term Success and Motivation”

Alison Nissen is passionate about stories and believes everyone has a story to share. As an award-winning author, blogger, podcaster, and co-founder of Revel Coach, she finds inspiration in helping others identify their passion. Alison is an accomplished public speaker, hosts the Florida Writer Podcast, and is co-host of the Revel Coach+ podcast. She earned her Masters of Art from Norwich University and is currently a humanities professor at Southeastern University. Follow her Tales from the Laundry Room@alisonnissen.com.

Taylor Nissi ’08

Co-founder & Managing Partner, Pleasant Street Wealth Advisors 

Session: “The Value Acceleration Methodology”

Taylor A. Nissi, CFP® CEPA, is a founder of Pleasant Street Wealth Advisors. As a Certified Financial Planner, Taylor provides high-impact financial advice and guidance to individuals, businesses, and families. Taylor also holds the Certified Exit Planning Advisor designation. As a Certified Exit Planning Advisor, Taylor works with business owners of all stages to help them build valuable transferrable businesses. The Pleasant Street Wealth Advisors team is on a mission to help more people have confidence, peace of mind, and clarity in their financial life. …

Olivia Pearson ’15

Session: “How to Leverage Your Strengths to Stand Out in Your Industry”

Olivia Pearson is a strategic communicator from Detroit, MI. As senior publicist and founder of her very own boutique agency, The Social Publicist, Pearson is dedicated to helping unheard voices communicate their value. While she has served a plethora of small brands and businesses in the past, Pearson has narrowed her agency’s focus to professional athletes and consumer brands. Through a careful mix of media relations, brand partnerships, visual branding and social strategy Pearson has worked on projects to support Olympic Sprinter, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Apple and even the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris.  …

Alan Phung ’22

Co-founder and CEO of Mai Coffee

Session: “Tea + Coffee: Two Businesses Steeped in History with Alan Phung & Hartley Johnson“

Alan Phung is the Co-founder and CEO of Mai Coffee. Mai Coffee’s mission is to bring the love and culture of Vietnamese coffee to America by importing ground and whole bean coffee. Please visit Maivietnamesecoffee.com to learn more! In addition, Alan is a credit analyst at Morningstar.

Joy Roller ’76

Session: “Breaking Through: The Unique Path From College Majors to Careers”

Joy Roller works with clients to bring funds and assistance to neighborhoods, communities and non-profit organizations through project management, strategic fundraising, grant writing, video production and marketing. Joy’s focus is to work on transformational social justice, arts and economic development projects to improve individuals’ quality of life and wealth distribution. Prior to returning to Cleveland to attend law school in 2004, Joy produced, wrote and directed television programs for national syndication and cable networks. Starting her television production career at WJW in Cleveland, her credits have appeared on HGTV, VH1, TLC, Discovery, Lifetime and PBS. …

Marcy Stoudt ’94

CEO, Revel Coach

Sessions: “The Unstoppable Entrepreneur Workshop: Mastering Goals for Long-Term Success and Motivation” & “Unlocking Personal Potential: The Transformative Power of Personality Assessments”

Marcy Stoudt is passionate about developing leaders, bringing teams together, and creating a work environment where people thrive. For the past 30 years, she has worked with hundreds of executives and has coached, taught, and inspired results through confidence and balance. Prior to starting Revel Coach in 2018, Marcy spent 22 years in Corporate America in various roles from VP of Strategy to VP of Sales & Marketing. This experience influenced her passion for working with people, …

Jack Tankersley ’72

Managing Director, Meritage Funds

Session: “Ask Me Anything”

Jack is a co-founder of Meritage with 45+ years of experience as a private equity investor, having raised, invested and managed more than $1.0 billion of capital during his career. Jack is responsible for a number of highly successful investments in companies such as Crown Castle and Brooks Fiber Properties. Prior to Meritage, he co-founded Centennial Funds in 1981 and served as its CEO and/or CIO until 1997. He serves or has served as a director of numerous Centennial and Meritage portfolio companies, both public and private. Jack is a member of the Board of Trustees of Denison University and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. …

Robert Tate III ’16

Senior Account Executive at Public Communications Inc; Founder of Hard Work & Humility LLC

Session: “All from Rap: How Two Friends Launched Careers in Music, Marketing and Community Impact”

Rob’s mantra is “Do something that means something,” inspired by legendary hip-hop group, The Pharcyde.  A 2016 Denison graduate, earning honors in political science, Rob created Hard Work and Humility, which is a creative suite for his artistry and work as a community collaborator.  Currently based in Chicago, Rob performs music under the moniker “Sarob” and works as a PR strategist for national nonprofit organizations.

Bill Thomas ’85

Founder & CEO PennBilt Brand

Session: “Grit of Entrepreneurship: How to Start, Scale + Exit Like a Pro”

For the past 30 years, Bill Thomas has been creating, launching and building nationally recognized consumer brands in the premium men’s sportswear space. Each brand has defied perceptions by creating value in previously unrecognized market niches. Flanking crowded market categories to create loyal customer relationships is possible when informed business strategies align with the right product, a compelling story, a commitment to execute, optimism and effort. His experience includes positions at Leo Burnett Advertising – Chicago, Levi Strauss – San Francisco, Oxford Industries – Atlanta, as well as self start ups Bill’s Khakis – …

Brennan Waters ’15

Managing Partner of Liquid Foundations

Session: “Building Blocks of Entrepreneurship: How to prepare for your journey in today’s climate”

Brennan Waters is a versatile and accomplished entrepreneur with 20 years of experience across multiple industries. From an early age of 8 selling candy to friends at recess to mowing lawns and shoveling snow, to making international brand and sponsorship deals, Brennan has a true visionary in the world of business and innovation. With a passion for turning ideas into ventures, Brennan continues to make an indelible mark in the field of entrepreneurship.  As the idealist in his latest venture, Liquid Foundations, Brennan has led the change in creating groundbreaking solutions that have disrupted industries and changed the way we perceive business opportunities.  …

Chris Wolfington ’90

Session: “Building Strong Teams: Strategies for Effective Collaboration and Leadership“

Chris has spent the past two decades leading entrepreneurial ventures in CEO and executive roles, including fintech, energy and transportation. An advocate for electrification and climate action, Chris is currently leading efforts at Ground Truth Energy to decarbonize commercial fleets by transitioning them to electric vehicles. The earth is our only shareholder.