All participants must register for this event. A Zoom login link will be provided before the virtual program in a confirmation email. 

Register by Monday, July 18

Questions? Debra Tekavec

Speakers

Joel Reed Pittsburgh Robotics Network Joel Reed is a robotics business expert with deep connections to one of the world’s top robotics ecosystems in Pittsburgh. Joel has 25 years strategy, business development, and startup experience having translated innovations into new solution categories. Joel introduced the first commercially available autonomous mobile robot as a new class of manufacturing and warehouse AGVs at Seegrid. He also led the commercialization of a 3D (LiDAR) data processing application, which was acquired by AutoDesk to enable survey and architectural reality capture solutions. And prior to his role at the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, he served as CEO at IAM Robotics, where he led a $20M Series A and secured the industry’s first deployment of mobile picking robots for e-commerce fulfillment. Joel currently advises early stage firms as Principal of the Reed Business Group, and he serves as the Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Robotics Network (PRN).
Tom Ryden MassRobotics  Thomas Ryden is the Executive Director of MassRobotics, a non-profit organization whose mission is to support the robotics community and help grow the next generation of robotics and connected device companies. MassRobotics runs the world’s largest robotics and IoT focused co-working space. Prior to joining MassRobotics, Mr. Ryden was the founder and CEO/COO of VGo Communications where he helped launch the VGo telepresence robot. Previously, Mr. Ryden was Director of Sales & Marketing for iRobot Corporation, overseeing the development of some of iRobot’s most successful products. Mr. Ryden serves on the Tufts University Computer Science Advisory Board, the Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Robotics Engineering Advisory Board, the Mechatronics & Robotics Engineering (MRE) Education Advisory Board, and the Robotics Technical Advisory Panel for ASME. He is an advisor to a number of robotics start-ups. Mr. Ryden has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Vermont and an MBA from Bentley University.
Andra Keay Silicon Valley Robotics Andra Keay is the Managing Director of Silicon Valley Robotics, the non-profit industry association founded by advanced robotics companies to let the rest of the world know what’s really happening in robotics. An experienced strategist, she speaks globally about the investments and the impact of robotics in society. Andra is also the VP of Global Robotics at AMT, a Visiting Scholar at CITRIS People and Robots Lab, an Advisor to Circuit Launch, a partner at The Robotics Hub, founder of Women in Robotics, VP of IEEE Robotics and Automation Society’s Industrial Activities Board, Deep Tech Lead for IEEE Entrepreneurship, and creator of global Robotics Clusters.
Jeff Burnstein Association for Advancing Automation Jeff Burnstein is the President of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the leading North American trade group representing over 1100 global companies involved in robotics, artificial intelligence, vision, motion control and related automation technologies. Burnstein joined the association in 1983 and has held a variety of senior positions, culminating in his promotion to President in 2007. He is a frequent commentator in the media, often discusses automation issues with policy makers, and regularly speaks at global conferences on issues such as the impact of automation on jobs and the future of automation beyond the factory floor. Burnstein also serves on the Executive Board of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
Matt Johnson-Roberson Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute Matthew Johnson-Roberson is the director of Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute and a Professor in the School of Computer Science. He received a PhD from the University of Sydney in 2010. He has held prior postdoctoral appointments with the Centre for Autonomous Systems - CAS at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and the Australian Centre for Field Robotics at the University of Sydney. He co-founded Refraction AI, a last-mile autonomous vehicle delivery company. He has worked in robotic perception since the first DARPA grand challenge and his group focuses on enabling robots to better see and understand their environment.
Ritch Ramey EduEverything, Inc. My current position as Director Of Strategic Partnerships at EduEverything, Inc. and my previous positions as RAMTEC Ohio Coordinator and as Chief Operations Officer at I4.0Strategies enable me the opportunity to develop, support and oversee the best-in-class industry 4.0 K to Gray workforce training delivery systems and programs. I enjoy promoting career exploration and training in the Industry 4.0, Robotics, and Automation fields. I am skilled in program development, marketing, marketing, public speaking, grant writing, training, curriculum development, Learning Management System Platforms, AutoCAD, Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Yaskawa Industrial and Collaborative Motoman Robotics, FANUC Robotics, Universal Robots, Parker Hydraulics, Rockwell Allen-Bradley PLCs and SolidWorks. I have earned a Bachelor of Science in Advanced Technology from Bowling Green State University, Associate of Applied Science focused in Engineering (Hall of Fame) from Marion Technical College and my Career Tech Certification from the University of Toledo. I am a member of CESMII, ARM, SME, America Makes, NCATC and Ohio ACT.