Ksenia DUARTE is the Co-founder and CEO of EX9 – an Automation Enabler for Industrial Transport in Yard Operations for logistics hubs, multimodal terminals, manufacturing or redistribution sites.

With her double diploma in management of complex innovative projects (telecom, automotive, IoT), as well as business strategy in digital innovation (eMBA at IMT BS), she has an important background of more than 23 years of professional experience in large corporations, SMEs and startups (Alcatel, Stellantis, Open your kitchen, FAAR Group and now ex9).

Her main expertise has grown in Telecom & Connectivity, digital transformation in education and the Future Mobility (Autonomous Driving & ADAS, Mobility & Robotics as a Service.

Serial entrepreneur, she shares her experience with startups as a mentor, investor, member of the FBA Femmes Business Angels in France (female club of angel investors) and the WinEquity fund.

Sharon Storch is Director Mechatronic Software Platform at General Motors.  Her team is focused on the infrastructure software and integration for General Motor’s Software Defined Vehicle future electrical architecture.

Sharon has over 25 years of experience in embedded controls, software and calibration.  She began her journey with General Motors as a co-op student taking her first regular full-time position at the Milford Proving Grounds in 1999 working on of end of line test software development and deployment.  From there her career took her into propulsion software and calibration for both gas engine and transmissions.

She transitioned into engineering leadership and management roles over 12 years ago and has held leadership positions overseeing calibration teams, software teams, and algorithm development teams.  Her most recent positions prior to her current role include Director of Validation, Connected Infotainment Telematics, and Business Planning Manger, Office of the Vice President for Global Electrification, Controls, Software and Electronics.

Sharon has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is a proud wife and mother of two children- Abigale (16) and Samuel (13).  Over the course of her career, Sharon has been granted 5 patents in the area of engine controls, software and calibration.

In 2019 she received General Motor’s prestigious Boss Kettering Award for her work on the use of Model Predictive Control (MPC) in Gasoline Engines- an industry first.

Deepa Ramaswamy, Ph.D., is the Chief Engineer for Advanced Electrical Architecture, at Ford Motor Company.

She has a B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

She started her career at Ford, where she led the development of the Vehicle System Controller on the 2004 Ford Hybrid Escape, which was America’s first production hybrid electric vehicle.

For her work on this, she and her colleagues were awarded the prestigious Henry Ford Technology Award.

Deepa left Ford in 2007 to pursue other opportunities, which included working at Ricardo, running her own company Hybrid Chakra Consulting, working at Infosys, and then being the Director at LG Chem Power Inc. for Battery Controls and Software.

In 2017, Deepa happily returned to Ford and led the overall delivery of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) software for the Ford F-150 and Mustang Mach-E vehicles, for which she and her colleagues won an Executive Innovations Award.

Since 2021, she has worked on Advanced Electrical Architectures at Ford, on projects that enable the development of software-defined smart vehicles in a smart world.

Her current hobbies include board gaming and being part of a baking club that was started during the pandemic, and walking her grand dog Ruby.

Jennifer Macalaguin has had extensive senior executive experience in the automotive, trucking, aerospace and defense industries including:

– Vice President, Engineering for Navistar Inc. She provides leadership and accountability for the engineering organization and overall performance of Chassis, Electrical, Body and Industrial Styling. She leads the Design Thinking Innovation implementation & is the Vice President for Women In Navistar Employee Resource Group.

– Executive Director for Supplier and Operations Quality Improvement at Collins Aerospace, United Technology Corporation including responsibilities for implementation of Zero Defect Plan for operations and suppliers.

– Senior Director at PACCAR, responsible for worldwide supplier quality performance. Assistant Chief Engineer at Peterbilt Company, was responsible for 10 engineering departments including the implementation of the Innovation – Human Centered Design/Design Thinking. Led the innovative design team of COE (Cab Over Engine) achieving the 2021 American Truck Dealer Medium Duty “Truck of the Year” and the Global Manufacturing Award from Frost and Sullivan Best practices.

– Extensive experience from Ford, Caterpillar and Lockheed Martin.

Academic achievements include MBA and Master degrees in Industrial Technology from Eastern Michigan University, Bachelors in Industrial Engineering from Adamson University, Philippines, executive certificate from Stanford University and a certificate from INSEAD Business School on Global Leadership.

Industry experience includes conducting business and developing relationships in more than 30 countries.

Kelly Schmitz is currently the Executive Director of Mobile Power Technology at Cummins inc.     Kelly has spent his 20+ year career at Cummins in a variety of global leadership roles.

He began his career as an air filtration development engineer in Cummins Filtration and has progressed in engineering leadership, program leadership and business leadership positions.   Kelly has had the opportunity to work in most of the Cummins businesses (Components Business, Engine Business, Power Systems), and live in locations throughout the US as well as in France.   He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA, both from the University of Wisconsin.

Known as an inclusive leader, Kelly has consistently supported mentorship and development programs for women and under-represented groups.  He is the past President of the Diversity & Innovation Institute – a non-profit organization that focuses on bringing life-changing STEM experiences to under-served and under-represented youth.  He is also the co-lead for the SWE (Society of Women Engineers) Recognize committee within Cummins, and has mentored women engineers around the world.

In addition, Kelly leads committees within SAE International (Society of Automotive Engineers) and is the Executive Sponsor for SAE within Cummins.  He sits on the Advisory Board for the Masters in Engineering Management program at the University of Wisconsin.   Kelly lives in the Indianapolis, Indiana area with his wife Amy (also a Cummins leader) and their two children.

Tara Vatcher joined FCA in 2014 and has provided leadership, strategic and operational direction in SW Engineering,  PT Controls and electronic HW teams.  Roles include Global Director, software engineering and current Sr. Vice president of Software Architecture and development, Director of SW for Powertrain and Director of Controls and HW Electronics for Powertrain.

She has over 26 years of software and engine controls experience within Aviation, Consumer Electronics and Medical Devices. She holds an MBA and a Master’s in Engineering

Earlier leadership positions include extensive roles and responsibilities at LHP Software, including President, LSS, Vice-President Embedded, as well as Thomson Consumer Electronics, Cummins engine company, Rolls-Royce and Bombardier Aerospace

Tara is married with two teenage boys, is an animal advocate and shelter volunteer, enjoys gardening, traveling, tennis and time with family