Speaker
Commissioner
Hester M. Peirce
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, Commissioner Peirce conducted research on the regulation of financial markets at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. She was a Senior Counsel on the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, where she advised Ranking Member Richard Shelby and other members of the Committee on securities issues. Commissioner Peirce served as counsel to SEC Commissioner Paul S. Atkins. She also worked as a Staff Attorney in the SEC’s Division of Investment Management.
Commissioner Peirce was an associate at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering (now WilmerHale) and clerked for Judge Roger Andewelt on the Court of Federal Claims. Commissioner Peirce earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics from Case Western Reserve University and her JD from Yale Law School.
Commissioner Peirce was an associate at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering (now WilmerHale) and clerked for Judge Roger Andewelt on the Court of Federal Claims. Commissioner Peirce earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics from Case Western Reserve University and her JD from Yale Law School.
Commissioner Peirce has been designated as the leader of the SEC’s Crypto Task Force.
Speaker
Director of Governmental Affairs
Anthony Howell
A prominent figure in international relations.With a primary focus on promoting Bermuda in the global discourse, Anthony has been influential in spearheading and supporting business development initiatives, particularly those in the burgeoning fintech and digital asset sector.
Speaker
CEO and Principal Consultant at Business of charity
Patrina Pelton Smith
Patrina Pelton-Smith is the principal consultant & CEO of The Business of Charity, LLC., a consultancy focused on formation, capacity building, and grant/proposal writing to support non-profit and small business clients in successfully funding their mission.
She is a member of the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), serving as the 2025-26 President for the NAWBO Houston Chapter.
Patrina is also an international speaker and trainer, having spoken at the 2022 NAWBO regional meeting, 2023 and 2024 GPA national and regional conferences, 2024 Fearlessly You: Vibrant Living Women’s Summit, the international 2024 Cryptocurrency, Blockchain, DeFi, and Conversation (CBDC) Cruise, hosted by the Blockchain Legal Institute, Inc, and the 2025 Best Boards Conference, hosted by Rice University, as well as hosting BOC Get Grants! Boot Camp training sessions. She continues to augment her skills through local and national webinars and conferences.
Speaker
Director of Data and Analytics at DFINITY
Kyle Langham
Kyle Langham is the Director of Data and Analytics at the DFINITY Foundation, where he leads initiatives focused on data strategy, analytics, and insights that support the growth of the Internet Computer ecosystem. His work centers on leveraging data to understand blockchain adoption, developer activity, and network performance. Kyle frequently shares insights on decentralized technologies, data-driven decision-making, and the future of Web3 infrastructure.
Speaker
Director of Data and Analytics at DFINITY
W. Scott Stornetta
