Bill Reichert, Managing Director at Garage.com, has over 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur and an operating executive. Since joining Garage in 1998, Bill has focused on early-stage information technology and materials science companies. He sits on the Boards of CaseStack, WhiteHat, ClearFuels, cFares, and Step Communications. Prior to Garage, Bill was a co-founder or senior executive in several venture-backed technology startups, including Trademark Software, The Learning Company, and Academic Systems. Earlier in his career, he worked at McKinsey & Company, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., and the World Bank. Bill earned a B.A. at Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Stanford University. He was a founding board member and a Chairman of the Churchill Club, and a Charter Member of the Silicon Valley Association of Startup Entrepreneurs. Currently he is the Chairman of the Small Fund Roundtable of the VC Taskforce and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. Email

Carl Hewitt is an emeritus professor from MIT where he was on the faculty for three decades in Computer Science. His doctoral work involved designing Planner, the first programming language based on plans, assertions, and goals. Subsequently Carl worked on developing the Actor model of concurrent computation. Most recently, he developed Direct Logic, which is an unstratified reflective paraconsistent logic. Carl maintains a blog of his academic lectures and, in addition to his academic work and consults for startups in the Valley. More about Carl.

Cynthia Kocialski has extensive experience in the Internet, digital video, and communications as entrepreneur and technologist. For the past 15 years, she has been involved in numerous hi-tech start-up companies.  Her recent role was as COO for a medical consumer technology start-up, where she led the software development, advertising, and Internet strategy. Cynthia founded Vesta Corporation, a telecom software provider and co-founded SLI, a fabless semiconductor company providing network components.  Cynthia was the General Manager of Matrox Electronics, where she managed digital video, imaging, and graphics product development groups.  Cynthia started her career at IBM where she held various roles. Cynthia writes a blog about start-ups, is a contributor to IEEE publications, and maintains a website on Internet and communication technologies. She has an undergraduate degree in Mathematics from the University of Rochester and graduate degrees in Electrical Engineering and Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia. Cynthia can be reached at .

Jason T. Andrew is an avid proponent of the consumer-driven healthcare market and a frequent speaker on innovative health solutions and reform. He is a founder & partner of Stone Meadow Benefits & Insurance Associates (SMB), an innovative employee benefits consulting firm in Silicon Valley. Jason works with startups, small-medium businesses and individuals to develop alternative strategies and progressive solutions that reduce the cost of healthcare. Previously, Jason was the managing producer for Lawson-Hanks Insurance Associates, specializing in programs for nonprofits, startups, and public sector clients. He negotiated, designed, and implemented benefit plans for over 30 public entities and union clients, and created a health insurance pool that enabled over 16 safety bargaining units to reduce costs by moving away from CalPERS, the nation’s third largest insurance broker.

Jeet Vaidya is CEO and Chief Strategist at OpenTech Media, Inc. OpenTech Media, Inc. is a fast growing online marketing services company. Our marketing solutions combine Web 2.0 technologies and concepts with Rich Media content to help companies meet their business goals more efficiently. From Web 2.0 based online communities with discussion forums and other collaborative tools to developing engaging content using video and flash clips, our hybrid team of domestic and offshore developers enable you to communicate with your desired audience very effectively. Abhijeet (Jeet) Vaidya brings over 19 years of experience in the IT industry to OpenTech, with the last 12 years being in senior management positions in various Technology Based Media companies, handling sales, customer service and customer delivery teams. Jeet can be reached at abhijeet.

Dr. John R. Mashey is an ancient Bell Labs UNIX software person who has since managed software at Convergent Technologies, helped design the MIPS RISC architecture at MIPS Computer Systems, and later was VP & Chief Scientist at Silicon Graphics. Most of his career has been spent in helping turn research into products, then evangelizing them while working with marketing and sales organizations. Currently he consults on systems, software, and chips, mostly for VCs, sits on Advisory Boards of a half a dozen startups, and is a Trustee of the Computer History Museum in Mountain View. Contact info: 650-575-6347 For email, his name is "mash", located at heymash.com

John Thomas is an Engineering Manager at Google, where he works in the AdWords group. He manages a team focused on tools development, test strategy and engineer productivity. Prior to Google, he was a Senior Software Engineer at Siebel Systems (now part of Oracle) where he led a number of design and development initiatives around tools and test frameworks. Prior to Siebel Systems, John worked as a developer at StreamSage which specializes in indexing and searching audio and video media, and at SAP Labs where he worked as a developer in the Corporate Research Center focusing on VoiceXML. John has a MS in Computer Science from University of Texas at Austin, and a BE in Computer Science from University of Mumbai (India). John writes and maintains a blog about venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. He can reached at

Julie Shevlin is Principal of The Noesis Group,  with over 18 years of corporate strategy and partnership business development experience in the Telecom, IT, PC and Semiconductor industries. Julie has worked in 5 early stage IT/mobile/wireless companies as well as several Fortune 50 technology companies such as Lucent, AMD, Tandem Computers and Applied Materials. Before founding The Noesis Group, she was Vice President of the OEM Software Business Unit for Avanquest Software, the 3rd largest software publisher in Europe and worked with large clients such as Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Lenovo, Dell, Orange. Julie has lived and worked in Europe and Asia and regularly contributes to the VCTaskForce. She can be reached at

Karen Hebert, President and Creative Director, Oya Group. Karen has more than 20 years experience in marketing, specializing in brand development, and concept creative. She founded Oya in 1994 and has nurtured it from a one-person shop to a thriving, award-winning agency. A trained artist and business veteran, Karen provides experienced and talented leadership on every project. She has provided innovative Creative Direction for companies of many sizes and industries. She has branded startups, like Greenfield and RBG Networks, and worked within large established brands, such as Cisco and Synopsys. She is a fierce brand watchdog, and drives the rest of the team to ensure that client projects are precisely targeted, on budget, and on time. Call 408.358.3444 or email

Lee Bruno is editorial director of special reports at The 451 Group, an IT analyst company that delivers syndicated research focused on enterprise IT innovation and markets. Lee has been writing about business and technology for 16 years. Prior to joining the 451 Group in January 2006, Lee was senior editor at Red Herring from its re-launch in September 2003 to December 2005. From 1999 to 2003 he was responsible for the briefing section of the original Red Herring, exploring new trends and technologies in various hi-tech industries, such as software, chips, communication, energy and biotech. Lee has written for various computer trade magazines, Popular Science, Scientific American and The Economist; he founded and still edits Innovation Pipeline. Lee has a BS from San Francisco State University and a Master’s degree in Journalism from Boston University. He can be reached at  

Lorraine Scullion, VP of Business Development for CSI. Costello and Sons Insurance is responsible for the venture capital/private equity channel of business. Lorraine has successfully implemented new strategies and built relationships in the VC/Private Equity community and the technology industry. Her professional career has brought similar skills and strategies to various industries: Commercial Real Estate, Finance, Independent Schools, and Non Profits. Lorraine has raised funds for various Bay Area Organizations: Junior League of San Francisco, SF Symphony, Schools of the Sacred Heart, Hospice By The Bay, Marin Humane Society, and Halleck Creek Farm. Lorraine has chaired both local and national committees that have brought resources, programs and experts together to collaborate and grow. Lorraine chairs the sponsorship committee for the VC Task Force. 415-257-2120 

Lucy W. Reckseit, Independent In-House Legal Counsel. Since 1998, Lucy Reckseit has been serving as part-time in-house counsel to mid-stage and late-stage venture-backed companies that do not yet need a full-time in-house counsel. Currently, Ms. Reckseit is serving in this capacity with three companies. Companies are generally referred to her by an investor or the company's outside counsel, and she works on a contract basis. Her office number is (650) 349-3330 and her e-mail address is .

Manijeh Moghis is President of CommTec Consulting, a wireless and telecom consultancy firm. She has over 20 years of leadership in advanced communications and wireless where she built, led and managed P&L of multimillion dollar global businesses in large and start-up companies. Previously, Manijeh held the positions of the COO and board member at Migo Software Group where she led the entire company operations worldwide, prior to that she was the COO and board member at OnMobile, where she built and led the company’s global operations, as the Vice President of marketing and product management at SimplySay and Wireless Online, she was responsible for marketing and product positioning and evolutions, as the General Manager at Fujitsu Americas Wireless, Manijeh managed P&L of the CDMA mobile phones and WCDMA/3G infrastructure business unit. During 14-year tenure at Nortel Networks, she held a wide range of senior management positions.

Matt Weeks is Managing Director at FINTECA, a board-level advisory firm focusing on financial services software, solutions and technology transfer. He focuses on strategy, business development, sales and marketing - especially in new market penetration, product launch and "internal start-ups" involving spin-offs or productization of technology. Matt holds a BA in English Literature from Amherst College, and an MBA in Finance and New Venture Management from the Marshall School of Business at USC, where he was a Dean's Scholar. He is on the National Board Of Directors of the Marshall School at USC, and is President of the local Marshall Business Alumni Association Chapter in the Bay Area. (650) 520-8808 http://www.finteca.com

Matthew Fix is a Principal at Vodafone Ventures, a $200M fund focused on the mobile and digital media space. Matthew has invested in and is an active board member of Amobee, Evolution Robotics, GameGround, and Caringo and also invested in SNAP-in (acquired by Nuance), Perfecto Mobile, OBS Medical, and dotMobi (acquired by Affilias). Prior to joining Vodafone Ventures at the end of 2006 he was at Intel Capital, with a focus on software, open source, and Internet/digital media. Investments include Financial Engines (IPO), Datallegro (acquired by Microsoft), Spike Source, Black Duck, BayPackets (acquired by Genband), and Incesoft. LinkedIn Profile

Prior to Intel Capital, Matthew worked at a boutique merchant bank and for Robertson Stephens. He also founded a small communications company while an undergraduate at UC Berkeley, traded equity options on the floor of the pacific exchange, and was in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Matthew has an MBA from the University of Oxford.

Meredith L. Warshaw, Ph.D. is a life science professional with a doctorate in neurophysiology and endocrinology.  She has credentials from Northwestern University, University of Illinois Medical School at Chicago, UCSF and Stanford University.  Dr. Warshaw has published in peer reviewed journals, presented in national and international scientific meetings and is the recipient of numerous scientific awards.  In addition to her background as a research scientist, Dr. Warshaw more recently founder and CEO of FUTURE Brain Cancer Institute in Palo Alto.  She brings biotech and Life Sciences expertise to VC Task Force.  Dr. Warshaw may be reached at or 650.269.3156.

Michael Levy, CEO, WeNotify and FastPitch Video Services - WeNotify has delivered integrated online and offline marketing communications for the past 10+ years, and is expert at solving complex data and integration challenges. Whether your company needs to market for lead generation, product launches, or for company-wide communications needs such as relocations and acquisitions, WeNotify is a fast-moving, dependable marketing communications firm focused on bottom-line results. FastPitch hosts proprietary streaming video for businesses of all sizes. Mike has 28 years of experience building and leading organizations. With a strong background in human behavior including successful graduate and professional experience in Social Work, Mike brings a rich and unique perspective to organizational development, human capital, communication and relationships between people and organizations. You can reach Mike at 510-467-1560,

Miki Saxon is the founder of 10 yr. old RampUp Solutions, specializing in management development  in the areas of culture, motivation, retention, communications, and doing more with less—a necessity, especially today. In line with today's focus on accountability, Miki created MAP (mindset, attitude, philosophy)™ coaching. MAP is critical in today's world, because it (motivation, productivity, retention, success, happiness, etc.) really is all in your mind. That's why we say, "To change what they do, change how you think!" She just finished editing The Help Desk Managers' Crash Course and provides clarity rewriting of executive summaries, marketing material, etc. Miki writes Mapping Company Success for her company and Leadership Turn for b5media. You can reach Miki at 360.335.8054 or email

Nat Baker is a financial management executive with experience in high-technology, early-stage companies, IPOs, and international business. He has over 15 years of experience, most recently, as Director of Biotech Contracts at UC Berkeley Extension. Past experience includes LSI Logic, Performance Semiconductor, and Siemans Business Telecommunications. As controller of ActivCard, now ActivIdentity, Nat was on the IPO team that took it public in 2000. He has international business experience, speaks French fluently and some German. Nat has an MBA from the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, an MA in economics from the University of Colorado, and a BA from Washington and Lee University. For two years he was a professor in the business school at the University of San Francisco teaching finance.

Nick Mikhailovsky is co-founder of POIdo, a location-based advertising startup, as well as founder and CEO of NTR Lab, a bespoke software development company in Russia, and its subsidiary, NTR Lab-US, Inc. His technical background is in the areas of straight-through processing, information system architecture, credit risk estimation systems, and information retrieval systems. Nick was co-author of the Russian translation of ISO 15504 (international CMM equivalent). As CEO, he leads NTR’s business development and manages Information Retrieval and Artificial Intelligence related projects. Nick holds a MS in Math. Email

Paul Schnitzler, Ph.D. (EE) Consultanting—Product: Concept to Customer. Helped large and small companies reduce time-to-profit, as well as development and production costs, while delivering products customers want. Currently: Instructor in M.S. Engineering Management of the University of South Florida; Professor (Entrepreneurial Studies) Northwestern Polytechnic University (CA); and visiting Professor, New Venture Development at Fudan University, Shanghai, PRC. Phone: 813-994-2297 .

Peter Huboi has a new found passion for Social Media Marketing, recently adding ‘syndicated blogger’ to his 14+ years’ technical marketing and product management experience. Peter is interested in a marketing leadership role with a startup where he can both formulate and execute a comprehensive go-to-market strategy to build customer, analyst, and press interest leading to revenue. Armed with significant creative skills like Photoshop, Dreamweaver, InDesign, Fireworks, WordPress (blog), Premiere, Camtasia, Video and Sound production, HTML, Flash, Web Design, Microsoft Office and the ability to craft a compelling story using these tools, Peter offers an ‘all-in-one’ marketing package to launch your startup and can significantly reduce outsourced and costly creative work. You can reach Peter by cell at 408.829.6715, or by email at

Rose Mortilla is a Vice President at YES PARTNERS, a retained executive search firm specializing in helping U.S. companies to expand locally and internationally and International companies to expand in the U.S. She has 20 years experience in the domestic & international Executive Search and Recruitment Industry and has been recruiting high caliber senior level executives in the hi-tech, life sciences, financial services and FMCG industries on three continents. Rose prides herself on the strong professional relationships she maintains with her clients as well as her candidates worldwide. She specializes in understanding corporate cultures, advising her clients on market and salary trends and providing talent that fits the best. Rose has a degree in Sociology and speaks besides English also French, German, Japanese and Korean. Contact: tel: 650-726-8733 x703  

Shrikant Lohokare, co-founder and managing partner of Tech2Biz Ventures (committed to providing technology commercialization and business expertise enabling research based startup success and investor value) is a senior executive, entrepreneur, innovator, consultant with broad leadership experience in technology R&D, commercialization, global product management, marketing, business strategy and growth.  He has been principal partner covering clean tech and alternate energy at 21Ventures and was CEO and Board Advisor for NanoSilicon Solar, Inc.  Shrikant has to his merit a PhD in Physics from the University of Illinois, a MS in Chemical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology and executive management training from Stanford.  He has performed pioneering R&D in catalysis, semiconductor and nano-materials processing, published several scientific papers, presented at international conferences and holds multiple US patents.  He can be reached at .

Stephen Ho, VP of Capital Market with Real Estate Capital Partners, a commerical real estate investments company in Texas. Stephen also serves as a real estate agent in the larger Silicon Valley area and its 2nd ring cities. Stephen has over 30 years of combined experiences in commercial and residential real estate investments. Previously he was in the Electronic measurement systems design with startups, Perkin-Elmer, HP (Agilent); later switched career to Diagnostic software design with Sun Microsystems. Stephen graduated from National Taiwan University, with interests in Photography, Piano Restoration, Hiking, and Gardening. Contact: , The soonest we can start anything is Now!