STEERING COMMITTEE

Jillian Miles Massey

Talent Management Consultant | Horizon Point Consulting

JillianMilesMasseyisaWorkplaceInnovator Asaneducator,shehasdesigned,taught,andfacilitateduniversitycoursesand careerdevelopmentprogramsinthefieldsofmanagement,humanresources,entrepreneurship,andorganizationaldevelopment AsanHRprofessionalandtalentdevelopmentconsultant,sheremainsfocusedontraininganddevelopment,leadershipcoaching, andstrategicplanning Jillianvaluescommunityinvolvementandservesasanactivevolunteerleaderandmemberofprofessional andcivicorganizations,includingtheSocietyforHumanResourceManagement(SHRM),NationalCareerDevelopmentAssociation (NCDA),andTheJuniorLeague

JillianisagraduateofAuburnUniversitywithaBachelor’sDegreeinHumanResourcesManagementandaMaster’sinBusiness Administration SheisaSHRMCertifiedProfessional(SHRM-CP),aGlobalCareerDevelopmentFacilitator(GCDF),andaCertified CareerServicesProvider(CCSP) ShelivesinMadisonwithherhusband,Brian,andtwoveryolddogs,LucyandIndy

Rachel Riegle

Senior Analyst | Raytheon Technologies

Rachel Riegle is a Project Management Sr. Analyst with Raytheon Technologies and has been with the company since early 2021 Rachel moved to Huntsville from Columbus, Ohio in January of 2021 with her husband to be closer to family and has made it a point to become ingrained into the local community since her arrival Rachel was a member of C-24 and volunteers regularly at several local nonprofits including the Greater Huntsville Humane Society, Free 2 Teach, Downtown Rescue Mission, and more In her free time, Rachel enjoys spoiling her nephew, spending time with family, and going to the movie theater to enjoy newly released movies and delicious popcorn!

Jason Kearns

Director of Cyber Security | Davidson Technologies

Jason Kearns is a self-professed technologist and cyber professional sitting as the Director of Cyber Security for Davidson Technologies He carries a passion for helping others find their footing in the field and leading conversations by communication of growth and perspective Jason works to be intentional with life long learning as the technology landscape is ever changing He has co-developed a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that uses cloud services in a novel way in support of internet privacy and founded Darkvector ai in pursuit of being a thought leader in the space

In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his wife, good friends, and wasting money on golf.

Nicole Boonin

Managing Director | Flourish

Nicole Boonin is the Managing Director at Flourish Consulting Services, a full-service marketing and public relations agency in Huntsville, Alabama She discovered her passion for understanding and building solid growth strategies through her experience as a former restaurant owner, business consultant, event planner, and social media manager This career path encouraged her to embrace her entrepreneurial spirit, passion for leadership, and devotion to an always-learning mentality Nicole works primarily with government contractors, non-profits, and small businesses but enjoys the challenge of tapping into new industries Her career journey has contributed to her passion for developing impactful marketing strategies that enable her clients to communicate effectively to their audience, establish a strong brand presence, and demonstrate thought leadership.

Connect Class 25

Program Dates 2023 - 2024

Opening Retreat

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Thursday, August 17, 2023

Friday, August 18, 2023

Local Economic Development

Thursday, September 14, 2023

Public Safety

Thursday, October 19, 2023

Local Government

Thursday, November 16, 2023

Health and Wellness

Thursday, December 14. 2023

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Thursday, January 18, 2024

Education

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Human Services

Thursday, March 21, 2024

I <3 Huntsville

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Closing Retreat

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Thursday, May 9, 2024

Friday, May 10, 2024

Akshay is a proud first generation American of Indian descent who loves to capitalize on the funnier things in life As one of the early adopters of FBI employees to call Rocket City home, he has spent the better part of the last five years encouraging others to seek out the positive possibilities this town has to offer

Akshay has made his mark in this city volunteering in various organizations and staying vocal in his support for civic enhancements Whether it be advocating for the new Amphitheater or playing a role in a local theater production, his love for the arts is unmatched To date, his biggest accomplishment is being recognized as a comedian and twice removed cousin of the Genie from Aladdin who produced a comedy special that was on Amazon Prime for almost two years

Akshay looks forward to finding new ways to support the Rocket City's future

Brian Anderson

Senior Development Manager | American Cancer Society

Brian moved to Huntsville in 2016, working for the Boy Scouts of America as a development director After moving to Birmingham, he returned to Huntsville in 2021 with the American Cancer Society

Brian has worked for more than 8 years with non-profits, overseeing event coordination, marketing, and community development He has raised more than $400,000 locally for ACS programs, including more than $50,000 in local transportation funding which helps low-income and rural residents get to cancer screenings and doctor appointments Brian has worked with local leaders to cultivate event growth and spread the mission of ACS in North Alabama He is a member of the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce and Business Network International

A New Hampshire native, Brian graduated from Keene State College in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism He completed his master’s degree in Community Journalism from the University of Alabama in 2011

Mark Baker

Channel Account Manager | Hubspot

Mark Baker is a Baltimore native who relocated to Alabama to attend Auburn University He completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology A few years later, Mark completed his Master of Business Degree from UNA

After graduating from Auburn, he relocated to Huntsville and began his professional career Mark has been in the telecommunications and tech industry for seven years now, having worked for Verizon, Sangoma, and currently Hubspot He is the Channel Account Manager at Hubspot where he manages the relationships between his company and their reselling partners

When he is not working, he spends his time with his wife Katelyn, his son Lachlan, and their two dogs Brodie and Allie-Claire In his free time, you'll find him hiking, exploring some new places, or doing an outdoor project Generally living, laughing, loving you know the drill

Chase Belk

Investment Analyst | Twickenham Advisors

Chase Belk, Investment Analyst at Twickenham Advisors, graduated from Furman University in 2019 with a B A in Business Administration Following graduation, Chase moved to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management There, he graduated from the Master of Accountancy program, specializing in Finance Subsequently, Chase moved to Boston, Massachusetts to begin his professional career as a Business Valuation Consultant at KPMG In his current role as an Investment Analyst for Twickenham Advisors, Chase will assist in portfolio management, investment analysis, and trading In his free time, Chase enjoys playing tennis and golf, cooking, and reading His favorite books are Open by Andre Agassi, Wise Blood by Flannery O’Connor, and The Terminal List series by former Navy SEAL Jack Carr