The BlockchAIn Bootcamp Book

Jacqueline Cooper, Esq, NBCT, MA LDT, BMM, CCI

Role: Partner at Cogent Law Group, CEO, Blockchain Legal Institute | Director of Legal & Communications, Digital Asset Regulatory Authority (DARA)

Bio: Jacqueline is an organizer, legal strategist, and advocate at the intersection of blockchain technology, digital assets, and artificial intelligence. As the founder of the Blockchain Legal Institute (BLI) and co-founder of the Maryland Blockchain Association, she leads international workforce initiatives, policy frameworks, and continuing education programs designed to bridge the gap between emerging technology and legal/regulatory compliance.

Website: Blockchain Legal Institute

Dr. Bradford L. Sims

Role: President, Capitol Technology University

Bio: Dr. Sims serves as the President of Capitol Technology University, the host institution for the International BlockchAIn Bootcamp & Workforce Expo. An educator and academic leader, he has championed hands-on technical education.

Website: Capitol Technology University

U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks

Role: United States Senator for Maryland

Bio: Senator Angela Alsobrooks represents the state of Maryland in the U.S. Senate, serving on key committees including Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Prior to her election to the Senate, she served as Prince George’s County Executive and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney. Her keynotes focus on workforce development, economic growth, and federal policy frameworks for emerging technology.

Website: Senate Website

Dr. W. Scott Stornetta

Role: Co-Inventor of Blockchain | CEO, SureMark Digital

Bio: Widely recognized as one of the co-inventors of blockchain technology, Dr. Stornetta’s foundational 1991 research (alongside Dr. Stuart Haber) on cryptographically secured chains of blocks was cited extensively in Satoshi Nakamoto’s original Bitcoin whitepaper. Today, he serves as CEO of SureMark Digital and is a Fellow at the Creative Destruction Lab at the University of Toronto, advising deep-tech startups and institutional research groups.

Website: SureMark Digital

Anthony Howell

Role: Director & Foreign Overseas Representative, Government of Bermuda (Washington, D.C. Office) | Honorary Ambassador, Blockchain Legal Institute (BLI)

Bio: Anthony Howell serves as the Director and Foreign Overseas Representative for the Government of Bermuda based in Washington, D.C. In his keynote address, he focuses on cross-border diplomacy, sovereign digital asset frameworks, and the strategic economic alignment between international governments, state policy task forces, and global Web3 innovation hubs.

Website: Government of Bermuda D.C. Representative / BLI Honorary Ambassador

Graham Dodge

Role: Vice President of Venture Development, TEDCO (Maryland Technology Development Corporation)

Bio: Graham Dodge is a serial entrepreneur, patented inventor, and venture executive who leads venture development at TEDCO, managing Maryland’s state venture capital funds. Formerly the Executive Director of MAGIC and President of the PathCheck Foundation, he specializes in building regional innovation ecosystems, scaling tech startups, and accelerating early-stage digital enterprise models.

Website: TEDCO Maryland

John Lawniczak

Role: Web3 & Wallet Security Engineer, ABFinance | Founder, ZeroDayDev

Bio: John Lawniczak is a security engineer, smart contract auditor, and executive practitioner specializing in digital asset protocol security and Web3 infrastructure. Serving as a Web3 Security Engineer at ABFinance, his keynote address focuses on institutional-scale wallet security, protocol invariant design, and the convergence of asset-backed finance models with on-chain liquidity and security frameworks.

Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/abfinance-official/posts/

Matthew Rogers

Role: Co-Founder of the Blockchain Legal Institute & the Digital Asset Regulatory Authority

Bio: He is an accomplished executive, hackathoner, and college lecturer. His leadership spans decades in solutions architecture, software engineering, marketing and advertising, encompassing both Fortune 500 giants and innovative startups. Matthew’s hub is in multiple cities, where he spearheads strategic initiatives for the causes he supports including the continuing blockchain education of learners of all ages, developing global blockchain standards, creating projects to support cultural preservation and overseeing conferences, both virtual and in person.

Dale Chrystie

Role: Business Fellow & Blockchain Strategist, FedEx | Chairman, Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA)

Bio: Dale Chrystie is a global supply chain executive and leading blockchain strategist at FedEx. As an endnote speaker, his presentation focuses on open foundational layers, cross-border digital identity, supply chain tracking, and harmonizing global technical standards across public and private enterprise ecosystems.

Website: FedEx

Maryland State Senator Ron Watson, PhD

Role: Maryland State Senator (District 23)

Bio: Senator Ron Watson is a policymaker, veteran, and advocate for emerging technologies in the Maryland General Assembly. Sponsor of key legislation to establish the Digital Asset and Blockchain Technology Task Force, his endnote address focuses on legislative priorities, economic development, and establishing Maryland as a national model for responsible blockchain and AI policy.

Website: Senator Ron Watson

Maryland Delegate Adrian Boafo

Role: Maryland State Delegate (District 23)

Bio: Delegate Adrian Boafo represents Prince George’s County in the Maryland House of Delegates. A champion for workforce development, green infrastructure, and digital economy equity, his closing address focuses on state-level legislative strategies to fund technical education, protect digital privacy, and support the next generation of tech workers.

Website: Maryland General Assembly – Delegate Adrian Boafo

Maryland Delegate Pamela Queen, PhD

Role: Maryland State Delegate (District 14) | Member, Economic Matters Committee

Bio: Delegate Pamela Queen is a finance professor, state legislator, and advocate for minority- and women-owned business development. Serving on the House Economic Matters Committee, her endnote presentation highlights economic mobility, fintech regulation, and leveraging digital assets to empower underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Website: Maryland General Assembly – Delegate Pamela Queen

Premier of Bermuda (The Hon. E. David Burt, JP, MP)

Role: Premier and Minister of Finance, Bermuda

Bio: Premier David Burt leads Bermuda’s government and has positioned the jurisdiction as a global pioneer in digital asset regulation through the landmark Digital Asset Business Act (DABA). His international endnote address shares key insights on regulatory sandbox implementation, sovereign tokenization strategies, and global cross-border compliance.

Website: Government of Bermuda

United States Senator Angela Alsobrooks

Angela Alsobrooks is a lifelong Marylander who was elected to the United States Senate in 2024. Her north star has always been the lesson her great grandmother taught her — that we all have a responsibility to get off the sidelines, to go farther and do better.

https://www.alsobrooks.senate.gov/

Dr. W. Scott Stornetta

Co-developer, with Stuart Haber, of the early blockchain. AI Deepfake Protection for High-Visibility Individuals.

The Next Gen Builders: Talent & Tech

Dr. W. Scott Stornetta is considered by many to be the co-inventor of Bitcoin and other digital currencies. Stornetta is a fellow at the Creative Destruction Lab, associated with the Rothman School of Management at the University of Toronto, advisor and investor to a number of deep tech startups.

https://www.suremark.digital/

Graham Dodge

Graham Dodge serves as the Vice President of TEDCO’s Venture Development department. In this role, he supports entrepreneurial growth across Maryland through the deployment of several resources and programs.

https://www.tedcomd.com/about-tedco/staff/graham-dodge

John Lawniczak

ABFinance

I’m a security engineer and researcher focused on blockchain protocols, smart contract auditing, and systems-level vulnerability research. My work spans web2 and web3, from bug bounty hunting on HackerOne to competing on Sherlock and Cantina, where I hunt for various vulnerability classes in live DeFi protocols.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-lawniczak-767b511ba/

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce

Interview By High School Students

Hester M. Peirce was appointed by President Donald J. Trump to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and was sworn in on January 11, 2018. Prior to joining the SEC, she conducted research on financial market regulation at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and served as Senior Counsel on the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. She earned her bachelors degree in Economics from Case Western Reserve University and her JD from Yale Law School, and has been designated leader of the SECs Crypto Task Force.

https://www.sec.gov/

Dr. Stuart Haber

Cryptographer

Working on blockchain techniques since 1990. Co-founder with Scott Stornetta of Surety, spun off from Bellcore to commercialize our digital time-stamping algorithm — the first to use a publicly accessible linked chain of hash values to ensure the integrity of digital information, what’s now known as the blockchain. Expert in cryptography and computer security.

https://www.suremark.digital/

Michael Terpin (BitAngels Founder)

Serial entrepreneur, advisor; investor in crypto/AI. Author, Bitcoin Supercycle

I’ve spent my career creating innovative new businesses (sometimes even new industries), as well as advising and investing. Since 2013, I’ve been primarily focused on bitcoin and crypto (with a more recent focus on decentralized AI). Somewhere along the way, CNBC called me “the Godfather of Crypto” and it seems to have stuck.

Currently, I run Transform Ventures, a blockchain and AI advisory and venture studio. I also created and manage Transform Group, the pioneering blockchain and Web3 PR agency (400+ clients since 2013, including launches of Ethereum and Tether). I also created CoinAgenda (now rebranded as Tokenize), the leading conference series connecting mainstream investors with blockchain and cryptocurrency investments, and BitAngels, the first crypto angel group, which I started in early 2013 with industry legend David Johnston, later co-founding the Dapps Fund in early 2014, one of the first crypto VCs.

I live in Puerto Rico, where I started the crypto migration to the island when I received the first investor decree from the crypto industry in early 2016.

https://bitangels.network/

Jim Holbein

International Trade Lawyer

Mr. Holbein is an experienced trade professional is the areas of trade compliance, tariff classification, trade policy, and business development. He is regularly writing and speaking about blockchain, DAOs, NFTs and the regulatory environment facing cryptocurrency companies in the U.S. He is based in the Washington, DC region to assist clients nationwide to deal with federal government regulation, compliance and policy.

https://www.braumillerlaw.com/bio/james-holbein-of-counsel/

Jack Nikogosian

Founder of Aryze

I’m Jack Nikogosian, a leading specialist in WEB3 and a renowned Danish blockchain expert with a deep understanding of the cryptocurrency industry. In 2015, I made headlines when I paid for an entire month of expenses using only Bitcoin, earning me the nickname “Bitcoin Jack.”

In 2017, I founded ARYZE, a fintech company with the mission to create a digital version of cash. We recently launched ARYZE eEUR, a full-reserve euro stablecoin that will make your money even smarter. I was honored to be recognized as one of Denmark’s top talents and on Forbes’ 30 under 30 list. As a sought-after speaker on the topic of crypto-currencies, I am grateful to continue playing a role in the exciting world of DeFi.

https://www.aryze.io/

Wayne Mercel

Helping Asset Owners Unlock Liquidity via RWA Tokenization | BD @ Blubird | Blockchain & Web3 Growth Leader | Strategic Partnerships

With over 5 years of experience, FIO Protocol has benefited from contributions in business development, marketing, and account management. Currently serving as Head of Growth, this role focuses on driving blockchain adoption and fostering strategic partnerships, aligning with the company’s mission to simplify crypto usability. Prior roles as Co-Founder and Business Advisor further demonstrate a commitment to empowering teams and enabling sustainable growth. Known for collaborative efforts and a solutions-driven mindset, they aim to inspire innovation within the blockchain industry.

https://www.dara.foundation

Vernon Jay

Founder and CEO of Equity Platforms, Inc.

Vernon Jay is the Founder and CEO of Equity Platforms, Inc. — a pioneering fintech and real estate development company focused on democratizing access to capital and ownership through smart contract technology. Equity Platforms is the creator of EquityCoin®, the first digital token on the blockchain backed by affordable housing, and the architect behind EquityShare™, a community-driven capital raising portal built to empower both real estate developers and hyperlocal stakeholders to build thriving neighborhoods.

With 19 years in multifamily real estate, eight years of blockchain leadership, and experience across six continents, Vernon brings a global perspective to local impact. His goal is to inject $1 billion into historically overlooked communities through affordable housing and tech-powered investment tools.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vernonjay/

Sunitha V Kumar

Partner at RobotLAB Bethesda

Sunitha V Kumar is a software engineer with an interest in AI technology. RobotLAB Bethesda helps businesses, public institutions, and organizations adopt practical AI-powered robotics solutions across education, hospitality, healthcare, restaurants, retail, and government sectors, backed by RobotLAB Inc’s national experience in robotics integration.

Arthur Summerville & Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, Ph.D.

Arthur Summerville is Co-founder and Chief Forward Deployed Engineer of Co-Pilot Health, an AI Healthtech and consulting company serving customers in the US, Colombia, Middle East, and West Africa. He spent more than 12 years in senior management at The Blackstone Group, Oracle, Medline Industries, and GlaxoSmithKline.

Maya Rockeymoore Cummings is Founder and CEO of HyperVigilant Inc., an AI health technology company building a digital health ecosystem to help people predict, prevent, and manage cardiometabolic health risks. A political scientist and longtime health equity leader, she brings decades of experience at the intersection of research, policy, and public wellbeing.

Carmen Pangilinan

Founding Director at the Alignment Ethics Center

Carmen Pangilinans work focuses on advancing responsible development and ethical alignment in artificial intelligence. She also has expertise in blockchain and digital asset ecosystems, working at the intersection of innovation, governance, and industry adoption, with a focus on strategic partnerships and ecosystem development.

https://www.dara.foundation | https://carmenonchain.ai

Remi Momodu, MBA, MS, BSN, RN

Founder and Executive Director of Caring Hands, Inc.

Remi Momodu, RN, BSN, BSc., MS, MBA is a healthcare executive, filmmaker, and serial entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience leading organizations in behavioral health and home care. She is Founder/Executive Director of Caring Hands, Inc. and CEO of Caring Hands Behavioral Health Center, passionate about the intersection of healthcare, AI, and blockchain.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/remi-momodu-mba-ms-rn-bsn-bsc-6b06ab75/

Ralph Benko & Greg Meredith

Ralph Benko — Co-founder, General Counsel, Director at F1R3FLY Industries Inc.

Ralph Benko is co-founder, director, and general counsel of F1R3FLY Industries, Inc. He served as senior counselor to the Chamber of Digital Commerce and the American Blockchain PAC, and is a cofounder of the Washington Power and Light policy institute. He co-authored several books on blockchain and economic governance and has worked with three White Houses and two Congresses.

Greg Meredith — Founder, Director at F1R3FLY Industries Inc.

Lucius Gregory Meredith is a mathematician and musician who was the principal architect of Microsofts BizTalk Process Orchestration. He discovered the rho calculus and namespace logic, co-discovered the OSLF family of algorithms, and founded RChain Cooperative and F1R3FLY.io.

https://www.f1r3fly.com/

Dr. David Utzke

PhD, MBA, MSc CFE, CFI, CBD, CBA

Academic credentials include a Doctorate in Financial Economics and Data Science, a Masters in Forensic Accounting & Intl Finance, and a Master of Science in Blockchain Architectural Engineering & Digital Asset Coding, with post-doctoral studies in Distributed Ledger Economics and in Smart City Design Technology Integration at MIT. Professional education includes the Advanced Economic Crimes program at FLETC (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center). He has studied the economics of virtual economies since the late 70s, cryptocurrency since 83, and DLT since 1991, and has conducted DLT-based international forensic investigations since 2010.

https://my-key.io/

Dmytro Matviiv

CEO, Hackenproof

CEO of HackenProof, a leading bug bounty platform in the web3 space working with crypto leaders such as Near, TON, MetaMask, Aptos, 1inch, Polygon, OKX, Sui and more. 14 years in data encryption, authentication and developing cybersecurity products and businesses

https://hackenproof.com/

Emmet Robins

Emmet is a PhD student at Simon Fraser University in the Criminology department. After completing his undergraduate degree in Criminology at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario in 2021, he moved to Burnaby to study cybercrime victimization under the supervision of Dr. Frank. His research emphasizes the human factor in cybercrime, exploring the psycho-social explanations of why individuals fall victim to social engineering based cyber scams.

His masters thesis focused on the role of thoughtfully reflective decision making (TRDM) and cultural values in predicting phishing succeptability, relying on data collected from undergraduate students at SFU and universities worldwide.

https://robinsandcoleman.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorB1XX6-rDWmSNAVmvoXRt1gnQJo_9K9JSlQ4kVn1vys3oyhqP1

Gilberto Nazario

Maryland Chapter President @ Stand with Crypto

Information technology specialist with 15+ years of experience working with the United States armed forces, and federal government agencies.

Responsible for developing IT/IM projects and business solutions for 1st Recruiting Brigade Headquarters and its subordinate units, totaling around 2,200 personnel.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilbertonazario/ | https://x.com/Web3DC

Grzegorz Trawiński

Grzegorz Trawiński, based in Poland, is currently a Offensive Security Services Director at Hacken, Blockchain Security Auditor. Grzegorz Trawiński brings experience from previous roles at GSEC, Hacken, Blockchain Security Auditor and Halborn.

https://hacken.io/

Bryn Bennett

Head of Business Strategy, Hacken

Hacken is an end-to-end blockchain security and compliance partner for digital assets, born on blockchain and combining deep Web3/DLT expertise with enterprise-grade quality and AI-powered offensive security. Since 2017, Hacken has been trusted by 1,500+ adopters including the European Commission, ADGM, MetaMask, Ethereum Foundation, and Binance.

https://hacken.io/

Ian Taylor

CEO and Cofounder of SIMBA Chain

Ian is the CEO and co-founder of SIMBA Chain. SIMBA Chain turns siloed data into a secure, connected, and verifiable data fabric. Its platform unifies fragmented systems into permissioned, intelligent networks powered by blockchain and AI.

Designed as a repeatable platform, SIMBA scales quickly across use cases by configuring a dataset. It transforms inputs like PDFs into structured data, generates QR-accessible Product Passports, and tracks provenance over time, linking every update into a live, queryable record. The result is real-time, traceable data that can be shared securely without losing control.

https://simbachain.com/

Larry Cameron

President & Founder @ Paradigm Intelligence

Larry has 25+ years’ experience in the technology and cyber security industries. He is the President of Paradigm Intelligence, He has worked with several NGO’s including Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative (ATII), National Child Protection Task Force (NCPTF), Sentinel Foundation, Traverse Project, We Fight Monsters and many others. He is also a trainer for Interpol, Special Operations at Fort Bragg (Liberty), trainer for all 5400 agencies making up the 61 Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces, an Adjunct Professor for Computer Forensics and Cloud Security, and Head of Cyber Security for the Cyber Rights Organization out of The Hague and The Canadian Center for Open-Source Intelligence. He is the Chief Cyber Officer at the Baracus Group and Anti Trafficking Bureau (ATB).

https://bli.tools/atii-larry-cameron-chief-information-security-officer/

Bourne Collier

Senior Corporate Counsel, BeesMont Law Limited

Bourn advises on a wide range of local and international corporate and regulatory matters, with a particular emphasis on digital asset businesses and structures, including establishment and licensing of digital asset businesses in Bermuda. He previously worked in England and Wales, the Channel Islands, and the Russian Federation.

https://www.dara.foundation

Hester M. Peirce

U.S. SEC Commissioner

Hester M. Peirce was appointed by President Donald J. Trump to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and was sworn in on January 11, 2018. Prior to joining the SEC, she conducted research on financial market regulation at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and served as Senior Counsel on the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. She earned her bachelors degree in Economics from Case Western Reserve University and her JD from Yale Law School, and has been designated leader of the SECs Crypto Task Force.

https://www.sec.gov/

Carole House

Distinguished Senior Fellow @ ACAMS

Experienced cybersecurity and risk management professional with a demonstrated background in U.S. military intelligence and the Federal executive and legislative branches of government who is committed to protecting people. Skilled in cybersecurity and emerging technology policy, security operations and risk management, unconventional warfare, and strategic and operational planning. Strong research professional with a Master of Arts (M.A.) focused in Security Studies from Georgetown University.

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/expert/carole-house/

Kuba Ruiz (Moderator) · Patrick Azzopardi · Valentyna Kondratenko · Marjolein Geus

Kuba Ruiz — Senior Counsel, IT and New Technologies, Bird & Bird

Kuba Ruiz is a Senior Counsel in the Warsaw Commercial team, advising clients since 2004 on IT and new technologies, transactional and commercial law, and dispute resolution, including some of the largest IT system implementations in Poland.

Patrick Azzopardi — CEO and Cofounder of DOWSERS

Patrick Azzopardi is CEO and cofounder of DOWSERS, a French deeptech building a Defensive Formal Verification Platform to protect smart contracts and blockchains from AI-driven attacks.

Valentyna Kondratenko — General Counsel at Hacken

As General Counsel at Hacken, Valentyna leads the legal function, manages cross-border corporate governance, and built the companys legal operations from scratch while navigating the evolving regulatory landscape.

Marjolein Geus — Project Leader, European Blockchain Sandbox / Partner, Bird & Bird

Marjolein Geus led the European Blockchain Sandbox, a European Commission initiative that ran from 2023 to early 2026. She is a partner at Bird & Bird, Chair of the firms Global Tech & Comms Group, specializing in European and international regulatory projects focused on innovation and technology.

Steven N. Leitess, Esq.

Experienced business, corporate and commercial finance attorney

I have over 30 years of experience in the areas of substantive law that businesses rely upon every day. During my career I’ve served as lead attorney in numerous transactions and hearings, bench trials, jury trials, appellate and alternative dispute resolution matters in state and federal courts around the country, including Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, Florida, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Oklahoma, and California. My practice focuses on all aspects of business law including contracts, corporations and unincorporated business entities, Uniform Commercial Code, commercial financial services, bankruptcy and state law insolvency/receiverships, business consulting, employment, commercial real estate and complementary disciplines.

https://www.silvermanthompson.com/attorneys/steven-n-leitess

Dominic Folino

President & Founder @ PA Blockchain Coalition

I’ve spent thirteen years at the intersection of financial services, government affairs, and emerging technology — and for the last several years, my focus has been almost entirely on blockchain, digital assets and emerging technology.

I founded the Pennsylvania Blockchain Coalition to build a lasting policy infrastructure for the digital asset industry in the Mid-Atlantic, and today I co-chair the North American Blockchain Association, working with policymakers and industry leaders across the continent on the regulatory frameworks that will define the next era of finance.
My work sits at the intersection of strategy and execution. I advise companies on how to navigate complex regulatory environments, build the bipartisan relationships that make policy progress possible, and translate technically dense subject matter — custody rules, stablecoin regulation, tokenized securities, DeFi — into clear, actionable guidance for decision-makers on both sides of the table.

Before focusing on blockchain, I built and help lead government affairs function in the financial services industry. I’ve also founded my own government relations practice and worked with Fortune 500 companies and financial institutions on some of the most complex regulatory challenges in fintech.

https://pablockchain.org/

Allison Maffitt

Partner at Cogent Law Group

I am a regulatory and business attorney focused on the fintech and blockchain industries. I partner with startups, entrepreneurs, and growing businesses to help them navigate the complex regulatory landscape of blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and money transmitter licenses (MTLs).

My prior experience as an oil and gas analyst gave me a deep understanding of how regulatory frameworks shape business operations.

I’m actively engaged with the Government Blockchain Association, co-leading the development of the Digital Asset Management course to foster growth and innovation in the digital assets space.

https://cogentlaw.com/

Chris Cousins (Hacken Advisory)

Managing Partner, Hacken Advisory

I’m a finance professional and crypto entrepreneur with nearly two decades of global experience spanning traditional markets and digital assets. A graduate of Saint Joseph’s University, I began my career trading and later managing family offices working with MF Global and later ICBC-backed firms before helping scale an ICANN startup to a $200M+ valuation.

In 2021, I founded Ventus to bridge the gap between finance, compliance, and Web3 innovation. The firm was merged with Hacken in 2025, I now lead Hacken Advisory, the global advisory arm supporting Web3 projects, funds, and institutions.

https://hacken.io/

Jacqueline Cooper

Do you have a copy for your family?

Patrina Pelton-Smith, JD, GPC

CEO and Principal Consultant at Business of Charity

Patrina Pelton-Smith is the principal consultant and CEO of The Business of Charity, LLC., a consultancy focused on formation, capacity building, and grant/proposal writing supporting non-profit and small business clients. A member of the Grant Professionals Association and NAWBO (serving as 2025-26 President of the NAWBO Houston Chapter), she is also an international speaker and trainer.

https://www.businessofcharity.com/

A Discussion about the DARA Global SRC Models & Legislative Sandboxes

E-Delivery Service for Legal Documents

https://www.dara.foundation

Michael Jünemann, Bird & Bird (Moderator) · Andrew Jacobson, Halliday · Sarah Breslow, Paxos · Rayissa Armata, Skylo

Dr. Michael Jünemann — Partner, Bird & Bird

Dr. Michael Jünemann is a Partner at Bird & Bird and Co-Head of the global and German Finance & Financial Regulation Practice Groups, advising financial institutions, FinTechs, and corporates on banking regulatory law, payments regulation, AML, and the regulatory implications of blockchain, DLT, and AI, across more than 50 jurisdictions.

Sarah Breslow — Associate General Counsel at Paxos

Sarah Breslow is Associate General Counsel and Head of Regulatory and Product Legal at Paxos, advising key stakeholders on regulatory, compliance, litigation, product development, and employment matters. She previously served as global financial crimes counsel at Morgan Stanley and as a litigation associate at Davis Polk, and graduated from Cornell Law School and Princeton University.

Andrew Jacobson — Halliday

Rayissa Armata — Skylo

Karen Zuccardi

Ecosystem Director of Venture Development at TEDCO

Karen Zuccardi leads statewide initiatives at TEDCO supporting technology entrepreneurs and strengthening Maryland’s innovation ecosystem, overseeing programs including RUBII, the BRIDGE program, and the Equitech Growth Fund. She also serves in the Maryland Air National Guard Reserves.

https://www.tedcomd.com/

Ryan Williams

CEO, The Blockchain Academy | Founder, On360

Ryan Williams is an entrepreneur, workforce development strategist, and educational technology leader. As CEO of The Blockchain Academy and founder of On360, he has spent more than 15 years building education and workforce development programs bridging technological innovation and practical implementation, focused on blockchain, AI, digital identity, and digital assets.

https://marylandblockchainassociation.org/membership-listing/

Dennis Fassuliotis

President at South Carolina Emerging Tech Association Inc.

Dennis Fassuliotis is President and Co-Founder of the South Carolina Emerging Tech Association (SCETA.io), where he leads statewide efforts to integrate artificial intelligence, blockchain, and digital asset innovation into South Carolina’s economic development strategy.

A 49-year veteran of the real estate industry, Dennis successfully navigated nine economic recessions while building a multimillion-dollar portfolio of income-producing properties in Charleston. Seven years ago, he transitioned his entrepreneurial and policy experience into the digital asset sector, becoming one of the state’s leading advocates for financial transparency and digital independence.

Dennis authored or co-authored multiple foundational pieces of legislation, including the South Carolina Blockchain Empowerment Act of 2019, Senate Resolution 1158 (2020), and Senate Resolution 225 (2025).

As founder of South Carolina Blockchain Inc., a public-benefit corporation focused on education and economic development, Dennis continues to champion the creation of a Bitcoin Circular Economy and transparent, blockchain-based public finance systems.

https://www.sceta.io/

Michael Fesi

Founder, StatePay

Michael Fesi builds financial infrastructure for the public sector. StatePay, StateFi, and StateChain are his answer to a problem he argues an audit cannot solve. Rather than catching the misuse of public money after the fact, the platforms are designed to make it structurally impossible, by making government payments programmable at the moment they move.

He grew up in the bayous of Louisiana, and frames the work around who carries the cost when public systems leak. Underserved communities and the middle class, he argues, deserve systems that protect them by design rather than by luck.

Alongside the technology he is writing a book and workbook on self-governance, on the premise that the discipline is the same at both scales: a leader who cannot recognise their own patterns is poorly placed to fix a system built on unexamined ones.

https://www.statepay.com/

Michael Terpin (BitAngels Founder)

Founder, BitAngels

I’ve spent my career creating innovative new businesses (sometimes even new industries), as well as advising and investing. Since 2013, I’ve been primarily focused on bitcoin and crypto (with a more recent focus on decentralized AI). Somewhere along the way, CNBC called me “the Godfather of Crypto” and it seems to have stuck.

Currently, I run Transform Ventures, a blockchain and AI advisory and venture studio. I also created and manage Transform Group, the pioneering blockchain and Web3 PR agency (400+ clients since 2013, including launches of Ethereum and Tether). I also created CoinAgenda (now rebranded as Tokenize), the leading conference series connecting mainstream investors with blockchain and cryptocurrency investments, and BitAngels, the first crypto angel group, which I started in early 2013 with industry legend David Johnston, later co-founding the Dapps Fund in early 2014, one of the first crypto VCs.

I live in Puerto Rico, where I started the crypto migration to the island when I received the first investor decree from the crypto industry in early 2016.

https://bitangels.network/

Chris Light

Co-founder, E-Livestock Global

Chris Light is a co-founder of E-Livestock Global, a Blockchain-powered livestock traceability social enterprise launched from Zimbabwe, focused on digital and financial inclusion for smallholder farmers, recognized by The Economist and awarded Best Blockchain Solution in Africa. He has advised the U.S. Presidential Initiative to End Hunger in Africa and holds degrees from Boston University and the University of Maryland.

https://www.elivestockglobal.net/

Adri Wischmann

Co-founder, BlockchainLab Drenthe

As a technical specialist in Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), I’m passionate about translating these complex innovations into tangible, real-world solutions. I thrive on the challenge of identifying where DLT can be truly transformative, driving disruptive and successful outcomes. This passion also led me to start pbtokn.com, a venture dedicated to developing programmable money for everyday use. Making money a force for good -a tool to end poverty, increase sustainability and create trust in a divided world (this was also the topic for my TED-talk).

Beyond my co-founding role at BlockchainLab Drenthe, where I designed and developed practical blockchain applications and lectured at a University of Applied Science, I’m also a keynote speaker known for my ability to ignite enthusiasm for technology. With over nine years of experience organizing hackathons, I continuously push the boundaries of what’s possible, believing that true innovation lies in making the impossible a reality.

Aaraadhana R

Aaraadhana R, an 16-year-old student at Doha College, Qatar, is an award-winning young innovator, ideator, youth leader, and sustainability speaker.

She is volunteering with the Maryland Blockchain Association to support the BlockchAIn Bootcamp & Workforce Expo.

She is passionate about leveraging emerging technologies like AI to create positive social and environmental impact, she actively supports community outreach initiatives, climate action campaigns, and youth-led innovation projects.

Her international recognitions include 2026 International Space Award (ABC London, UK), Science Leadership Award (UK, 2024), Nuclear Innovation Award (UAE, 2024), Young Leader Award (Asia, 2024), Champion of Qatar and 1st Runner-Up (MENA & Africa) in the Harvard Political Essay Review AI Competition (2025), the Rising Star of the Year Award at the Digital Revolution Awards (UK, 2025), and an AI Scholarship Award (UK, 2025).

Through her work, Aaraadhana is committed to inspiring young people to harness science, technology, and innovation to address global challenges and build a more sustainable future.

Dale Chrystie

Blockchain Strategist at FedEx

Global trade was built on paper. Its future will be built on digital-native, verifiable data.

My work focuses on transforming that foundation into secure, interoperable digital infrastructure capable of supporting trusted data exchange across borders — from shipment visibility to digital product passports and verifiable product lineage.

I serve as Business Fellow and Web3/Blockchain Strategist for FedEx, operating at the intersection of transportation, standards, governance, and emerging technologies. In 2017, I led our first enterprise blockchain proof of concept, exploring how distributed technologies could strengthen transparency and operational coordination in global logistics.

I chair the BITA Standards Council (a GBBC entity) and represent the United States as a GBBC Global Ambassador.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dale-chrystie-6518957/

Senator Ron Watson

Maryland State Senator

Senator Ron Watson has served in the Maryland Senate since August 2021, after representing District 23B in the House of Delegates from January 2019.

He sits on the Committee on Education, Energy, and the Environment and its Education and Energy subcommittees, the Joint Committee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Biotechnology. He joined the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland in 2019, serving as its Treasurer in 2021 and 2022.

Born in Washington, D.C. in 1966, he holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Morgan State University, an M.S. in Advanced Technology and a PhD in Systems Science from Binghamton University, and an M.B.A. from George Washington University. He served as a Major in the United States Army Reserves from 1989 to 2006. His career includes program management at Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and IBM Global Services, and he is President of Watson Management Corporation.

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Members/Details/watson04

Delegate Adrian Boafo

Maryland House of Delegates · Assistant Majority Leader

Delegate Adrian Boafo was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in November 2022 and has served since January 2023. He has been Assistant Majority Leader since 2024.

He sits on the Economic Matters Committee, chairs its Workers’ Compensation Subcommittee, and serves on its Land Use and Zoning Subcommittee. He is a member of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland and the Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus, and an associate member of the Maryland Legislative Jewish Caucus.

Born in Arlington, Virginia in 1994, he holds a B.A. in Government and Public Policy from the University of Baltimore and an M.B.A. from American University’s Kogod School of Business. He served as Mayor Pro Tem and District 3 Council Member for the City of Bowie from 2019 to 2022, managed Congressman Steny Hoyer’s campaign, and is Senior Director of Government Affairs at Oracle Corporation.

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Members/Details/boafo01

Delegate Pam Queen

Maryland House of Delegates · Chair, Banking, Consumer Protection, and Commercial Law

Delegate Pam Queen was appointed to the Maryland House of Delegates in February 2016 and first elected to the House in 2018.

She sits on the Economic Matters Committee, chairs its Banking, Consumer Protection, and Commercial Law subcommittee, and serves on its Housing and Real Property and Business Regulation subcommittees. She has been a member of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland since 2016, serving as Financial Secretary and then Treasurer, and of Women Legislators of Maryland, serving as Treasurer from 2021 to 2024.

Born in New York City in 1960, she holds a B.S. in Mathematics from Tuskegee University, master’s degrees in Computer Science and in Management from The Johns Hopkins University, and a PhD in Finance from George Washington University. She has been an Assistant Professor at Morgan State University since 2010.

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/members/details/queen01

David E. Burt

Honorable Premier of Bermuda

Premier the Hon. E. David Burt, JP, MP, is Bermuda’s youngest Premier.

He graduated cum laude from The George Washington University with a Bachelor of Business Administration, a double major in Finance and Information Systems, and went on to a Master of Science in Information Systems Development in 2003. He attained a Project Management Professional certification in 2009.

An entrepreneur, he founded GMD Consulting Limited, an IT consulting company focused on project management, and served as its President from its inception until 2016, when he stepped down on being appointed Leader of the Opposition. He co-founded HITCH Limited and was lead developer of the award-winning HITCH mobile app, which lets Bermuda residents hail taxis.

He has served on the Tourism Board and the National Training Board, and as a Director of both the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce and the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation.

https://www.gov.bm/