Our Team
Learn more about the AI Grants team members
Kevin Wallace is a revenue systems architect and entrepreneurial strategist with over a decade of experience in the SaaS/tech industry, focusing on revenue development, strategic partnerships, and building high performing internal frameworks for company cultures across two successful SaaS platform exits to date.
Having shaped sales strategy and organizational optimization in multiple Director roles in the Venture Capital and Ad Tech space; he’s built the frameworks for success with brands such as Mohegan Sun Casino, San Diego Tourism Authority, Twitch, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Hulu, Disney+, and more. He operates with a “lead by example” player-coach style, in early-stage companies and evolving enterprises, and is known for implementing “profitable positivity” mindsets.
Hope Sullivan, a DC Based Lawyer, is a renowned advocate for community development and social responsibility. She founded the Future Leaders for the Advancement of Self Help and co-directed government relations, later spearheading sustainable development initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa with the International Foundation for Education and Self Help, chairing the Global Sullivan Principles of Social Responsibility.
As President and CEO of the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation, she continued her father’s legacy, leading the organization of influential Sullivan Summits and advocating for debt relief, anti-corruption, and poverty alleviation in Africa. Hope’s strategic partnerships and fundraising efforts have amounted to over $300,000,000,000 of grants and debt relief.
Graham Plaster is currently leading as the Director at Nautilus and a vital member of DEFENSEWERX since May 2022. In Arlington, Virginia, he has significantly contributed to building a robust defense innovation ecosystem, engaging over 140,000 companies and entrepreneurs. His expertise in fostering strategic partnerships, facilitating investments, and sourcing emerging technologies has solidified his reputation as a leader in the field.
As a Naval Reservist for the Office of Naval Research Global, Graham connects the dots between Israel’s defense innovations and global needs. His entrepreneurial spirit shone through when he co founded Expeditionary Ventures, a venture syndicate supporting dual use technology companies aimed at enhancing U.S. national security. Additionally, Graham’s leadership extends to founding ‘The Intelligence Community Inc.,’ a pioneering network for over 100,000 national security professionals.
Ryan Polk, a seasoned CFO, holds a Bachelors of Science, Accounting and Industrial Management from Purdue University. He excels in cash flow management, utilizing a rolling forecast for monthly and weekly projections. He has successfully raised $10 million through private placements from 101 retail investors and has experience with traditional debt financing and venture funding.
Ryan has led the buy-side in two acquisitions totaling $20 million and $40 million and consulted on three additional deals. On the sell-side, he has led three transactions and advised on another, involving investment banks in two deals.
Nathaniel Bacon is a accomplished production professional with over 10+ years of experience in Agile development practices. He has a proven track record of successfully leading and optimizing multidisciplinary teams to achieve high performance standards. Nate is a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) and Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) Agilist (SCA), highlighting his deep expertise in Agile methodologies.
One of Nate’s key strengths is his capability to align development goals with business objectives, ensuring transparent budgeting and resource management. He is adept at identifying business needs and translating them into practical development strategies, resulting in optimized workflows and cost-effective solutions. His approach to project management is characterized by clear communication, meticulous planning, and a focus on delivering high-quality results that meet or exceed stakeholder expectations.
Nate has also been instrumental in driving continuous improvement initiatives, implementing best practices that have led to significant enhancements in team efficiency and product quality.
Adam Clary is a distinguished Air Force veteran with over twenty years of leadership across national and global platforms, specializing in intelligence operations and security cooperation. He skillfully managed complex initiatives in Southeast Asia and Europe, handling operating budgets of up to $10 million and safeguarding assets worth over $1 billion while adeptly steering through geopolitical challenges.
Transitioning to corporate sectors, Adam demonstrated his acumen as a go-to-market strategist and advisor at Sutton Growth and Headlamp, enhancing strategies for market entry and operational efficiency. His academic achievements, including an MBA from the University of Southern California, reinforce his expertise in strategic leadership and business operations.
Bridgeroot Ltd is a digital marketing agency co founded by James Santos and Cynthia Balderrama. The company specializes in providing tailored solutions for startups and small businesses. Leveraging their backgrounds in social media, banking, creative consulting and entrepreneurship, they understand the unique challenges faced by small enterprises.
Bridgeroot offers a range of services, including branding, web design, content creation, performance marketing, and public relations. Bridgeroot has worked with industry giants such as Reddit and Meta to launch new markets. Their approach is rooted in simplicity and efficiency, using technology to streamline processes, and a combined +30 years in the creative space deliver effective, customized branding and marketing strategies for business growth.
Human Race is a technology company specializing in delivering high-impact solutions for businesses looking to leverage artificial intelligence and business systems design. With a focus on helping companies navigate the complexities of AI-enabled operations and revenue functions, Human Race offers tailored services across AI consulting, product development, and digital transformation. The company serves industries ranging from finance to healthcare, empowering clients to drive growth and efficiency.
Human Race provides a comprehensive suite of services, including custom AI solutions, agentic engineering, AI driven software development, and fractional AI leadership. The company has collaborated with high-profile organizations to implement cutting-edge AI strategies and optimize business processes. Guided by a commitment to transparency, innovation, and efficiency, Human Race utilizes advanced AI tools and over 50 years of combined expertise in technology and entrepreneurship to deliver transformative results for clients and partners.
Currently leading engineering and product at Capitol AI through Y-Combinator 2024. With more than 10 years of experience in technical product management, software engineering, and digital production, he has a strong track record of delivering innovative solutions that solve complex problems and generate value for both customers and stakeholders.
As a former director of the Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence and a technical advisor to the Technology Modernization Fund at GSA, he led cross-functional teams of federal employees and private sector contractors to implement AI projects across various federal agencies. He holds multiple patents in data visualization and AI, and is a certified Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician.
Matthew Rose has been at the intersection of emerging technology and policy for more than two decades. He is a cleared technologist who has served in industry, federal government, and academia. Rose has led global initiatives at Snowflake, Adobe, and in the Federal Government at the General Services Administration, Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense. He continues to advise global leaders on the application of emerging technology through his work on boards and the Atlantic Council. Matthew is currently the Industry Principal at Snowflake overseeing their public sector business.
Maile is a trusted leader, proven by her Board Member roles for VentureCapital.Org, The Women Tech Council, the Forbes Communication Council, and a number of organizations.
As the President and CEO of Listen Technologies, she has been instrumental in driving the company’s growth and expanding its reach in the sector. Her leadership extends beyond corporate success, as she actively participates in community initiatives and advocates for inclusivity in technology.
Maile’s forward-thinking vision and commitment to excellence make her a pivotal figure in the tech industry and a valuable asset to any enterprise aiming for transformative growth.
Scott Schaefer is a seasoned investment and risk management professional, and former Presidential Management Fellow. He served as a Senior Investment Officer at the SBA Office of Investment and Innovation for over 14 years, where he led targeted marketing outreach, sourced diverse investment opportunities, and handled all fund and investor pre-screening. Scott has presented and defended over 180 domestic and foreign investment proposals at SBA and DFC, and managed the billion-dollar Early Stage and Impact Investment programs. He also developed strategic partnerships and initiatives with various federal departments, including Treasury and the Department of Defense.
Prior to his tenure at the SBA, Scott worked in business development and legal roles at Gemstone Development and did Structured Finance, M&A, Corporate Securities and Venture Fund Formation at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and Cooley Godward. He holds a JD/MBA from the University of Oregon and a BA in Philosophy from Colgate University. He also studied at Trinity College, Oxford. Scott is known for his expertise in fund manager selection, ecosystem development, macroeconomic and microeconomic risk analysis, and building high performing teams.
Joyce Salazar has 28 years of experience in government contracting and project development, with extensive relationships with EB5 regional centers and foreign investment capital. She specializes in government relations consulting, and professional research, and handles government funding applications.
Currently, Joyce serves as the Executive Director of Grant Services at Engineered Tax Services, focusing on business development and nonprofit organizations. She is also the Principal at Strategic Business Alliance and J.E. Salazar & Associates LLC, where she excels in business development, grant writing, public-private partnerships, and EB5 investment strategies.
Tom Dixon is an emerging technology advisor and Army veteran with extensive leadership experience in national-level programs and international organizations. With a career spanning roles at the Defense Intelligence Agency, Tom has held positions such as Chief of Operations and Senior Staff Officer, focusing on emerging technologies, strategic partnerships, and interagency collaboration. He also served as Head of Public Sector Sales at Lukka. Tom’s global experience includes work from rural South Asia to Western Europe’s financial districts. His strengths include strategic thinking, analytical skills, and responsibility. Tom holds expertise in intelligence operations, regional security, and counterintelligence.
Tammy Scarlett is a global systems architect, strategist and futurist, and serves as Executive Director of the global non-profit UNIFY.org. With a graduate degree from Harvard University, she works on global efficiencies for humanity using interdisciplinary, cross sector intelligences.
Combining her Harvard education in Anthropology and MBA studies with her time spent with Native American and First Nations communities, Tammy promotes a return to ancient wisdom and nature to inform global systems solutions, including regenerative systems, integrative education for children, and accessible dynamic finance.
Her work has been featured on WGN and Forbes, as well as published in the Library of Congress. Tammy currently serves on the executive advisory boards of Connective Consulting, Power of Women, and the World Upshift Movement, is on the executive advisory teams for the Holomovement and the Universal Peace Sanctuary, and is a collaborator with the World Academy of Art and Science for the United Nations’ Human Security campaign.
Jonathan Barry is a futurist and impact investor focused on building an ecosystem of companies that blend exponential technology with regenerative innovation for a harmonious relationship between technology, humanity, and nature. After a near-death experience in 2009, he shifted towards empowering leaders. For over a decade, Jonathan has built companies, authored two books, spoken globally, and partnered with organizations for systemic change. His book “Hack Your Education” is used internationally, and his sustainability program has saved Hawaii over $8M annually.
Currently, he leads the Earth Trust Fund, promoting wealth transfer from destructive industries to regenerative initiatives.
G. Daniel (Dan) Doney is the Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer of DTCC Digital Assets, formerly Securrency. He oversees the technology strategy for digital asset products, ensuring alignment with client and regulatory needs. Dan founded Securrency, where he architected blockchain platforms for financial market infrastructure and authored multiple patents. Previously, he was the U.S. intelligence community’s first Chief Innovation Officer, driving an aggressive Innovation Strategy. Dan has a B.S. from the U.S. Naval Academy and an M.S. from MIT. He is an expert in AI, Machine Learning, and Blockchain.
Amelia Powers Gardner is a transformational leader and blockchain advocate, currently serving as County Commissioner for Utah County. With a focus on operational efficiency, she oversees budget and policy for a rapidly growing county known for its tech sector and universities. Previously, she was the County Clerk/Auditor, managing elections, budget, finance, and internal audits. Amelia is also a popular keynote speaker and has extensive experience in executive coaching, strategic thinking, and business development. Her background includes roles in both government and the private sector, where she has consistently driven innovation and efficiency.
Brian is a father, and seasoned entrepreneur.
He founded the BluMartini Brands including BluMartini Trading and BMGaming. Brian is most passionate about creating opportunities and pathways for start ups and future generations with a strong devotion to his Las Vegas community.
Brian now is a conduit for high net worth investors, financial institutions, private equity, and accredited investors. His daily life is spent reviewing companies, preparing them for capital raises, and connecting the right brands to the right capital.