Beth Simone Noveck serves as the State of New Jersey’s first Chief Innovation Officer – a position she was appointed to by Governor Philip D. Murphy in August 2018. In this capacity, Dr. Noveck, a native of New Jersey, focuses on enhancing innovation in government and in the Garden State’s economy. Using better data, more collective intelligence and agile technology, her team leads projects, designs policies, and advises agencies on innovative strategies to improve the lives of New Jerseyans. Dr. Noveck serves as the Chair of the Governor’s Future of Work Task Force and sits on the Governor’s Jobs and Economic Opportunity Council.

In addition to her role as New Jersey’s Chief Innovation Officer, Dr. Noveck is a professor at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering, a Fellow at NYU’s Institute for Public Knowledge, and is a Visiting Senior Faculty Fellow at the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University. She also directs NYU’s Governance Lab, an action research center studying the impact of technology on governing. Previously, Dr. Noveck served in the White House as the first United States Deputy Chief Technology Officer, and as director of the White House Open Government Initiative under President Obama. UK Prime Minister David Cameron later appointed her senior advisor for Open Government, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel named her a member of her ten-person digital council.

She is a graduate of Harvard University and Yale Law School, and was named one of the “World’s 100 Most Influential People in Digital Government 2018” by Apolitical. Previously, she was selected as one of the “Foreign Policy 100” by Foreign Policy as well as one of the “100 Most Creative People in Business” by Fast Company and “Top Women in Technology” by Huffington Post. Dr. Noveck has written multiple books, and has been published extensively, on how technology can improve governing.

An attorney by trade, Siekerka’s background includes serving as the president and CEO of the Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, senior legal counsel and vice president of human resources with the Automobile Association of America, and as a partner in a Mercer County law firm.

Siekerka is the co-founder and co-chair of Opportunity New Jersey. She also serves on the board of directors of Investors Bancorp; Choose New Jersey; the New Jersey Innovation Institute; Junior Achievement of New Jersey; Young Audiences of NJ; and Better Choices Better Care.

Siekerka’s leadership has been recognized through her inclusion in Power and Policymaker list rankings by Insider NJ, Politicker NJ and NJ BIZ, as well as being cited as one of the 17 People to Watch in 2017 by the Bergen Record. She was also among NJ Biz’s 2015 Best 50 Women in Business.

A Robbinsville resident, Siekerka earned a B.A. in Political Science and German from Rutgers University and a J.D. from Temple University School of Law.

Jodi has over 16 years of experience as a for-impact (non-profit) organization expert. She has served as Vice President of Development and Executive Director for two national non-profit organizations. Jodi has led development teams across multiple states, trained development staff nationwide, worked with national teams to create cause related fundraising campaigns, and was also responsible for working with multiple Boards of Directors. After working for multiple non-profit organizations, Jodi co-founded the Zzak G. Applaud Our Kids Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) for-impact organization, where she also serves as the CEO.

Now, Jodi is consulting and sharing her expertise with other for-impact organizations. With a focus on reinventing the conversation, transforming the no’s, knowledge bartering, and better communication that yields ongoing sustainability, Jodi has created programming that will support a necessary evolution during these difficult times and beyond. From keynote and motivational speaking, to moderating and serving on panels at multiple events, to working with development teams to grow funding, helping organizations to share their stories effectively, to being a Certified Professional Coach that focuses on Transformational and Career Coaching. Her focus is on helping organizations become sustainable and individuals to thrive.

Jodi started the Today is the Day Changemakers podcast and YouTube Channel that highlights changemakers, self-starters, and those who are disrupting the status quo. She has had the honor of interviewing CNN Heroes, CEO’s, professors, celebrity band members, entrepreneurs, Coaches, and those who are truly making a difference in the world.

Michelle A. Schaap, founder of Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC’s Privacy & Data Security Group, regularly advises on cybersecurity preparedness, counsels when data security incidents arise and trains companies on best practices for security procedures addressing both their business operations and their customers’ concerns. Michelle assesses risk management practices and security incident preparedness in developing proactive security incident response and recovery plans.

Michelle further advises clients on their legal mandates under applicable privacy legislation and best practices; assists clients in the vetting of vendors that process confidential and personal data on behalf of clients; and guides clients in understanding guidelines for privacy and cybersecurity imposed by their customers.

Additionally, she works with clients in contract drafting, negotiation and review, including online undertakings, in critical areas of privacy and security.

Michelle counsels clients on incident and breach response – often serving as quarterback to the incident response team, working closely with her client’s senior executives, forensics, law enforcement, insurance advisors and other critical members of the team.

She is a Certified Information Privacy Professional, awarded from the International Association of Privacy Professionals, with a concentration on U.S. private-sector law (CIPP/US), and earned her certification on Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age from Harvard in association with HarvardX and Cybersecurity and Privacy from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

Michelle is a subject matter resource on cybersecurity and privacy for the New Jersey Small Business Development Corporation. She is a sought after speaker and has authored numerous articles to educate business owners on privacy and cybersecurity risks and obligations.

Matters

• Counsel clients on incident and breach response
• Counsel clients on cybersecurity policies and procedures
• Training clients on cyber-mindfulness
• Non-technical risk assessments
• Represents clients to develop incident response plans and conducts tabletop exercises
• Contract audits for clients regarding cybersecurity and related undertakings
• Website terms and conditions and privacy policies
• Negotiation of the sale of an independent website to a major publishing house ($3 million)
• Sale of a software developer to a major technology rollup entity ($60 million)
• Licensing agreements
• Draft and negotiate website development and hosting agreements
• Negotiation of non-disclosure and non-circumvention agreements

Prior to joining the firm, Michelle served as in-house counsel to Toys “R” Us, Inc. from 1991 to 1996. She also worked in Japan for several years as a foreign associate with the Tokyo-based firm of Hamada & Matsumoto (now Mori, Hamada & Matsumoto).

Insights

• IAPP: Negotiating Key Provisions in Vendor Technology Contracts: Mitigating and Managing Vendor Risks
• LORMAN: Data Security Breach Response
• Seton Hall University School of Law Data Privacy and Security Compliance Certificate Program
• What Lawyers Need to Know About Vendor Risk Management, and Ethical Obligations to Clients
• Companies Urged To Stay Vigilant With Cybersecurity Practices Due To Concerns About Russia-Based Cyber Attacks
• Fund Managers and Investment Advisors May Soon, by Federal Regulation, be Required to Have Documented Cyber Risk Management Programs
• United States Cybersecurity Magazine: Patchwork State Privacy Legislation vs Federal Law: Small and Midsize Businesses Would Benefit from One Clear Path
• NJBIZ: A perfect storm for hackers; Remote work conditions mean more opportunity for cybercrime say experts
• Kaseya Ransomware and Impacted Customers: Updates from Kaseya
• CIANJ Guest Blog: Biden’s Executive Order Presents New Cybersecurity Standards for Government Agencies and Their Software and Cloud Providers
• NJBIZ: How Biden’s executive order on cybersecurity will affect New Jersey businesses
• QuBit Conference: Cyber extortion and ransomware: How to confront this challenge?
• Seton Hall University School of Law: The Duty of Technological Competence and Other Ethical Issues Relating to Technology and Law Practice
• CIANJ: Cyber-Security: Be Prepared! A Non-Technical Guide to What Every Manager/Owner Should Know
• ROI-NJ: Increasing number of biometric data protection laws and their impact on N.J. businesses
• NJBIZ: Panel – 90% of cyber attacks are occasioned by human error, and they’re on the rise
• Biometric Data Protection Laws – Coming to a Jurisdiction Near You
• NJBIZ: Cybersecurity Panel Discussion
• Strafford: Construction Contracts and Augmented Reality – Ownership, Breaches, Allocation of Liability, Cyber Insurance
• Women’s Leadership Committee of NJWLA: Lawyering Skills for Associate Success
• Celesq: What is Authorized Access and How Do Employers Deal with Misuse of Access Credentials Post-Van Buren vs United States
• Legal Resource Network: Cyber Security for Law and Accounting Firms
• First, There Was The New York Shield Act, and Now…The New York Biometric Privacy Act?
• Managing a Remote Workforce – Focusing on Technology Issues
• CIANJ Guest Blog: The SolarWinds Breach – What We Know Now and What Businesses Can Do to Protect Themselves
• COMMERCE MAGAZINE: Liability Issues Associated with Automation, Robots and AI
• APICS Greater North Jersey Chapter: Cybersecurity – An Update to Keep You and Your Company Safe & Compliant
• New Jersey Law Journal: Exceeding Authorized Access Under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
• CISA, FBI and HHS Warn of Imminent Ransomware Threat to Hospitals and Healthcare Providers
• California Legislature Votes to Extend Key CCPA Exemptions Until 2022
• Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal: Cybersecurity and data protection should not be an afterthought for design professionals
• LIFRS/CSG – Giving Diligence its Due: Timeless Strategies for Surviving Change
• No More Safe Harbor…Take Two: Immediate Invalidation of Privacy Shield
• ISEA 2020 Summit Series – Connected Workers: The Legal and Regulatory Landscape
• America’s SBDC New Jersey: Cybersecurity for Small Businesses
• New Jersey Women Lawyers Association: When the Dust Settles, Where Will Your Data Reside?
• Marcum LLP: Third Party Vendor Risk During the Pandemic
• SobelCo: Cyber Security and Fraud Vulnerability During a Pandemic
• OneTrust: CCPA & GDPR Online Event
• The Life of a Data Breach: The “Gift” That Keeps on Giving
• ConstructionDive: The Dotted Line: 4 ways to interpret construction contracts amid coronavirus
• COVID-19 Scams, Frauds and Misinformation: Do Not Let Fear and Isolation Allow You to be Phished
• Privacy Laws, Duty to Warn and Communication Considerations Concerning COVID-19
• Practical considerations for employers as their workforce goes remote amid COVID-19 outbreak
• American Bar Association’s Fidelity & Surety Law Committee’s 2020 Midwinter Conference
• ConstructionDIVE: Skanska selects third-party cybersecurity firm
• NJCPA Technology and Cybersecurity Update
• She Leads Tech Event
• Not in California? Here’s Why the CCPA Should Still Be on Your Radar
• The Long Reach of New York’s Shield Act
• The Pros and Cons of Online Meeting Platforms
• COMMERCE Magazine: Cyberspace: Protecting Data is Serious Business
• ConstructionDIVE: How can and should data from construction wearables be collected?
• Changes to AIA Contract Documents – What Construction Lawyers Need to Know
• Cybersecurity Panel – What Should Keep You Up at Night?
• NJSBA Real Property Trust and Estate Law Section Newsletter: Cybersecurity Considerations in Real Estate Transactions
• States Across U.S. Rush to Implement Data Privacy Regulations
• Amendment to Breach Statute
• NJBIZ: An evolving threat – even small businesses have to worry about cybersecurity
• Wipro Breach: What to do now Changes to AIA Contract Documents – What Construction Lawyers Need to Know
• Responding to, and managing the risk of, the inevitable data breach
• Popular Science: How to keep your ‘vintage’ tech alive
• Cybersecurity and Career Paths for Women in the Profession
• Cyber Security and Opportunity Zone Investing
• Biometrics: A Data Analytics Treasure Trove or a Lawsuit in the Making?
• Law360: What Construction Attorneys Must Know About Virtual Reality
• Understanding New Tech for Corporate and Business Lawyers
• ConstructionDIVE: The Dotted Line: Mitigating the risks of technology
• Pennsylvania Supreme Court Ruling Opens Floodgates on Cybersecurity Lawsuits
• Wise Women@Work Podcast: Michelle Schaap from CSG Talks About Her Career in Law and Cyber Security
• Whether offering Cyber Monday discounts, soliciting year-end charitable donations or marketing your business online, your website policies and terms matter!
• Law360: What Construction Attorneys Must Know On Information Modeling
• Ten tips for cyber mindfulness and data security (even on a limited budget)
• Protecting Your Trade Secrets from Cyber Threats
• Law360: A Construction Attorney’s Road Map For Automated Vehicles
• ConstructionDIVE: The Dotted Line: What contractors need to know about arbitration
• ConstructionDIVE: Former MTA Construction Manager Fined, Sentenced to Prison on Bribery Charges
• ConstructionDIVE: Survey: Small Construction Companies Lukewarm on Tech Investment
• Proposed New York Legislation: Cybersecurity Is Not Just an Issue for Financial Services and Insurance Companies
• Changes to AIA Contract Documents – What Construction Lawyers Need to Know
• Equipment Leasing Newsletter: Cybersecurity in Commercial Equipment Leases
• Journal of Equipment Lease Financing: Cybersecurity – The Increasing Obligations and Exposure in the Age of State Regulation
• ConstructionDIVE: The Dotted Line – How Force Majeure Contract Clauses Can Plan for the Unexpected
• Construction DIVE: The Dotted Line – What Contractors Need to Know About the AIA’s 2017 Contracts Revamp
• WannaCry Explained
• NJBIZ: Badge of Honor – Cybersecurity Company Comodo is Proud to Have Frustrated the CIA into a Rude Remark
• NJBIZ: Computer Viruses Can Cost Organizations. But Ransomware Can Cost Them in More Than One Way. Running a Successful Solo or Small Firm
• Connected Medical Devices loT – Impact to Patient Safety
• Cybersecurity Concerns for Businesses
• New York State Cybersecurity Regulations Regarding Cyber and Data Privacy Obligations Applicable to Banking, Insurance and Financial Services
• ConstructionDIVE: Digging up Delays: How to Handle Unexpected Archaeological Finds on the Job Site
• NJBIZ: Triple Play Cybersecurity Tips
• Real Estate Forum: Big Data is a Big Deal for Real Estate
• GlobeSt.com: How Should the Industry Approach Cybersecurity?
• GlobeSt.com: Cybersecurity’s Role in Commercial Real Estate

Honors

• The Best Lawyers in America®, Privacy and Data Security Law (2020-2023)
• Morris/Essex Health & Life Magazine, Top Lawyers, Technology Virtual (2022)
• NJBIZ Leaders in Law, Privacy (2021)
• CIANJ, Best Practices Award (2019)
• New Jersey Law Journal, Top Women in the Law (2018)
• Leading Women Entrepreneurs & Corporate Leaders of New Jersey Honoree (2017)
• Corporate Insider, Excellence in Technology Law Award – New Jersey (2017)
• Professional Lawyer of the Year Award – New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in the Law (2017)
• Best 50 Women in Business, NJBIZ (2011)
• Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ Rating

Involvement

• American Bar Association
• Essex County Bar Association
• The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation
• International Association of Privacy Professionals, KnowledgeNet Chapter Chair
• New Jersey Business and Industry Association, Information Technology Committee (2016-2017)
• New Jersey State Bar Association
• New Jersey Women Lawyers Association (Nominations Co-Director, 2020-2021; President, 2018-2019; President Elect, 2017-2018; Vice President, 2016-2017; Chief Financial Officer, 2015-2016; Former Co-Chief Operating Officer, 2013-2015)
• Women Presidents Organization
• NJ LEEP, Mentor

Education

• International Association of Privacy Professionals (Certified Information Privacy Professional, 2019)
• Mitchell Hamline School of Law (Cybersecurity and Privacy Law Certificate, 2016)
• New Jersey Institute of Technology (Certificate in Construction Management, 2009)
• Rutgers University School of Law – Newark (J.D., 1987)
• Cornell University (B.A., cum laude, 1984)

Bar & Court Admissions

• New Jersey

Thereasa Barker-Figueroa is a cyber threat intelligence analyst with the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC). She is a USAF veteran with over 20 years of service and is currently serving as a cyber intelligence analyst in the NJANG. She has been with the NJCCIC for 3+ years. She holds a bachelor’s in criminal justice with a minor in homeland security.

Jackie Grunwald is Vice President and CIO of AdvanSix, a leading chemical company that plays a critical role in global supply chains, innovating and delivering products for a wide variety of end markets. Jackie joined AdvanSix in 2016 and established a modernization strategy for the IT landscape. 95% of applications have been migrated or transformed to run on the public cloud, including technical transformation of SAP to run as Suite on HANA on Microsoft Azure. Jackie and her team continue to drive technology enablement of the business through the leverage of contemporary solutions and innovation, leading new initiatives such as Data & Analytics and SAP S/4 HANA implementation, designed to advance capabilities across the organization.

Prior to AdvanSix, Jackie spent 17 years with Honeywell, where she held positions of increasing responsibility in the Transportation Systems business and Corporate, including IT strategy and transformation, business partnership roles with Legal and Government Relations, Finance, Sales & Marketing, and Business Intelligence modernization. Before joining Honeywell, Jackie held several roles at Electronic Data Systems (EDS), including system design and development, configuration management, and data base administration.

Jackie lives in NJ with her husband, Tom, and their two children. She has a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan, specializing in Supply Chain and Business Information Systems, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree (Psychology) also from Michigan State University.

Monica is known in the state for two things: having the largest independent agency in New Jersey and for her work with and impact on many of New Jersey’s non-profits. In 1999, Monica founded Marketsmith Inc., a strategic advertising agency that uses AI to grow national brands such as SharkNinja, Bluemercury, Brother, Lovesac, and TUMI from infancy to giants with the idea that technology and humanity are inextricably linked when it comes to creating successful consumer-centric marketing. Her original mission remains the same: provide clients and employees with the most advanced tools and training to build powerful marketing models that drive predicable high growth in media campaigns. Marketsmith is known for mitigating risk and maximizing ROI for marketing campaigns at local and national levels.

Monica has driven Marketsmith to be one of the largest woman-owned and-operated independent media and marketing agencies in the country. She has acquired, invested in, and founded numerous companies with her wife and partner, Amy, including the first woman-owned business publication in the state, ROI-NJ. Monica has raised millions from investors, created five technology patents, and developed a software platform that drives many national brands’ success today. She is a recognized public speaker, speaking on women in business, technology, and entrepreneurism.

Monica is active in strategy at Marketsmith. Her successes, especially in omnichannel media strategy that have significantly driven retail outcomes over the past three decades, are impressive, including billions in retail sales.

She has made a difference in the lives of those less fortunate in New Jersey: running and operating a 501(c)(3), One More Smith Animal Rescue and Sanctuary, and adopting an elementary school in Newark, where for the last ten years she has been raising awareness and funds for the supplementation of food, technology, and supplies for struggling families.

Monica has served as a board member for New Jersey Tech Council and currently serves on the technology and innovation board for New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities. She is an active investor with Tech Council Ventures Networked Capital.

Marketsmith holds numerous certifications, including NGLCC, WBENC, NJWBE, NJSBE, and NY State WBE.

Entrepreneur, consultant, strategist and technology advocate, Don has a broad range of deep experience finding and making useful technology work successfully. He is the founder and manager of a hands-on technology consultancy focused on providing result-oriented solutions to professional organizations.

Don provides strategic technology services and his work includes Cybersecurity and technology-related maturity assessments and audits, project management, business analysis, implementation management, cost management and analysis, contract negotiation, vendor management, contract management and IT staff reviews. Over the past 30+ years his clients have included over 600 law firms, associations, government and other organizations in the United States and Europe.

Don is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) since 2006 and a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) since 2003. He is an active member of various professional groups including: Project Management Institute (PMI), International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC2), Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), and the Society of Industrial Security Professionals (NCMS).

Don is also an author, teacher, lecturer, mentor and advocate on security and technology trends and management and is an editorial board member for Thomson Reuters.

Perry sits on the following boards: The Board of Overseers at NJIT as Chair which includes being a part of the Joint Investment Board, Real Estate and Acquisition Committee, assisting in the selection of new ventures which support the University in acquiring new land for expansion to further advance the on going strategic plan; is a Board member of the Newark Regional Business Partnership and newly elected to the Executive Board of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. In her spare time she lends her voice to the Advisory Board for the Montclair State University Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship, and the Finance Chair for the East Orange School Board, and a recent past member of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and Kean University Foundation Board. In academia, she is an adjunct professor at NJIT and Stevens Institute of Technology, teaching MBA students the means and methods of being a successful entrepreneur. In her spare time Perry mentors inner city college-bound youth because it matters that they make it too.

Perry excelled in receiving her MBA in finance from NJIT with additional coursework at Rutgers, Stevens, NYU and NJIT and completed Leadership for the 21st Century at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. In addition, she completed a finance certification program in 2016 just completed Harvard Business School (HBS) OPM Executive Program and was voted class speaker November, 2020.

Radha Ratnaparkhi is currently the Vice President and CTO for RCP (Research Consulting Partnership) at IBM Research where she is leading the efforts for infusing Research technologies into IBM Consulting offerings with the aim of driving significant business impact. Her prior roles in IBM Research, include VP, Research Technical Community, VP Research Operations, VP Software Defined Environments, VP IT and Wireless Convergence, Director of Commercial Systems, and WebFountain. Radha’s experience at IBM also includes her development leadership for DB2 z/OS. Prior to IBM, Radha was leading the Java products development team at Informix Software and her earlier responsibilities included leadership of the Connectivity libraries, IDS 7.x, Informix NewEra & 4GL. She started her career in Mumbai, India with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). Currently, Radha is an Executive-In-Residence at the Grove School of Engineering at CCNY.

Meridith Maskara is Chief Executive Officer of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York. In this role, she leads an enthusiastic and committed 60-person team as they work to realize a clear vision: a New York City in which every girl feels empowered to lead in her community, the workplace, and the world.

Prior to serving in her current position, Meridith has been a part of the Girl Scout movement in many ways: as a girl member in Maine, a troop leader in Queens, and a staff member of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York, serving as VP, Product Programs and COO from 2015-2017, and now CEO.

As a third-generation Girl Scout, a mom raising five incredible girls, and a Girl Scout troop leader for more than ten years, Meridith has seen firsthand that no other organization or institution in a girl’s life can offer the same opportunities, or the same community, as Girl Scouts.

In her time at the Girl Scouts of Greater New York, Meridith oversaw the launch of Troop 6000, a Girl Scout troop specially designed to serve girls living in the New York City shelter system. She also founded the Cookie Executive Committee: a program that provides special professional development opportunities and seeks input from top cookie sellers.

Since assuming her post as Chief Executive Officer, Meridith has received a New York City Council Citation for the Queens Impact Award and a New York City Council St. Pats for All Community Leadership Award Citation for her work with youth in her community. She was honored by Congressman Crowley with the 2018 Community Impact Award; was included on Brown Brothers Harriman’s ‘18 Women to Watch in 2018’ list; was named a 2018 SPOKEies Award winner, honoring leaders who communicate honestly and effectively on behalf of their organization; and was recognized in 2018 by City & State as one of the Responsible 100 in the category of philanthropy and non-profits.

Prior to turning her passion for Girl Scouting into a career, Meridith graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. Her love for theatre combined with her operational and business sense led her to a highly successful corporate career in theatrical/entertainment and event merchandising and branding, where she spent 17 years as a Vice President at one of the industry’s leading companies, Max Merchandising.

Meridith, her husband Dan, and their five daughters, Dorothy, Vivien, Veronica, Natalie, and Marlene are happiest traveling the country in their camper and are known in their community for their elaborate Halloween display. Other family interests include musical theater, ballet, dinosaurs, horror movies, and community activism.

Stacey Stewart is a Vice President in the Information Technology function at Bausch Health. She is the executive owner for data governance aimed at bringing together business and technology stakeholders to deliver data solutions that are value driven and scaleable for use across the company.

Stacey brings 27 years of diverse strategic and operational experience in Data Management, Analytics, Information Technology, Supply Chain and Sales & Marketing. Stacey has worked in many functions in technology and data management including enabling areas such as Connected Visibility, Agile Applications, Performance Management, Cognitive Analytics, and Predictive Modeling. Stacey received the YWCA Tribute to Women in Industry Award in 2016. She is a frequent speaker at industry and data governance conferences and is a passionate advocate in high school forums to educate students about opportunities in STEM related careers. She has held transformational roles at Johnson & Johnson, Coopers & Lybrand, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and American Standard. Stacey received a Bachelor of Science cum laude from the University of Delaware with a degree in Economics and Management Information Systems.

Chaya combined her business acumen and passion for charity to found SOFKIN (Support Organization For Kids In Need – sofkin.org) , a non-profit organization that creates loving and caring homes for destitute and under privileged children. SOFKIN operates in The United States and in India and supports over 100 beautiful children. SOFKIN children are given medical attention, cared for, fed, educated, and sheltered within a nurturing environment. Chaya remotely manages the operations of the NGO on a daily basis and the children are treated no different than her own. SOFKIN has youth groups established In New Jersey, Philadelphia, and India, where the students from local high schools and colleges volunteer for the organization.

In addition to her work at SOFKIN, Chaya serves as a trustee on the board of MAHER (maherashram.org), a non-profit organization aimed at supporting destitute women and children, and Satyana Institute (satyana.org)supporting communities through gender reconciliation and inter spiritual training and workshops.

Her support of other women inspired Chaya to found the Global Women’s League, a networking organization that creates a platform to inspire, influence, and empower women with leadership skills through affiliations with successful leaders and like-minded organizations. She mentors young high school and college graduates in pursuing their professional career. Chaya’s primary focus is to encourage women and girls to enter into the technology field where only 22% of IT jobs are filled by women.

Chaya is currently serving as a board member on many professional and women empowerment associations including the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Gateway Regional Chamber of Commerce, Technology Committee of Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce; Women In Technology of NJTech Council; and Mentor at the Leading Women Entrepreneurs. She is also a member of the NJBIA and AICC. Chaya mentors young women aspiring to move into leadership positions in the corporate world through other partner organizations & universities such as ‘Wings For Growth’, ‘Robert Wood Johnson Hospital and Ration Valley Community College.

Her expertise has led her to be an honored speaker at programs across the world. Some of her engagements include: Commission on Status of Women – CSW, United Nations, USA; Inspiring Young Girls-Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, NJ; Bootstrapping for Success – StratAp, India; Access to Justice-India’s Unique Challenges – Harvard Business School, USA; Start Up Leadership – She-Tech, India; Cultivating Leadership Skill in For-Profit & Not-For-Profit Sectors – Harvard Law School, USA; Risk Management in the Global Era of Uncertainty -Humber Chapter, Canada; Money Vs Mysticism-Inter-spiritual Global Conference-Italy; Pursuing your passion & career-Gayathri Women’s Engineering College, India; and others.