Entrepreneurs Panel Discussion
3 Entrepreneurs talk to UMBC students about what it takes
Wednesday, April 9, 2014 · 12 - 1 PM
Les Craig
Co-Founder and VP of Analytics, RedOwl Analytics, LLC
[B.S. Applied Math, Minor Computer Science - West Point]
Les has spent over 12 years as a thought leader and innovator in pursuit of solving some of our nation’s most challenging and critical big data problems. He is an Army Veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq with both conventional forces and special operations. Les' passion for applying rigorous quantitative techniques and intuitive data visualization methods to solve problems of challenging scope and massive scale led him to co-found RedOwl Analytics in 2012 after brief stints with the JHU Applied Physics Lab and Central Intelligence Agency. Although Les credits his early career with preparing him well to start a company - not a single experience in his past compares to the daily thrill, challenge, andexcitement of being an entrepreneur - and doing it in Baltimore, MD! The only draw back is that he isn't able to spend as much time as he'd like to with his beautiful wife and two children - Max (6) and Emi (4).
Brooke Hall
[B.A. Philosophy and Literature, Wilkes Honors College of Florida Atlantic University]
Brooke launched her first company, What Works Studio, 5 years ago. What Works was the marketing and design agency behind the recent Bmore Gives More campaign, which helped raised $5.7 Million for local nonprofits in a single day. While bootstrapping the design studio, she co-founded What Weekly, "Baltimore's Best New Magazine" that works to rebrand the city by documenting the good news. Her most recent endeavor is Light City, an effort to organize a large scale light festival for Baltimore. Her photography and/or writing has been published in New York Times, The Guardian, Huffington Post, Baltimore City Paper, Washington Business Journal and, of course, What Weekly
Rodney D. Foxworth, Jr.
Founding Member BMe (Black Male Engagement)
[B.A. Cultural Anthropology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County '07]
Rodney D. Foxworth, Jr. is a founding member of BMe (Black Male Engagement), a social venture start-up incubated by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Rodney leads BMe’s community management and grant making strategies in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Detroit. Prior to BMe, Rodney was a consultant and social entrepreneur, launching Harbor City Partners, a social enterprise and economic development advisory firm. He was previously founder and principal of Benevolent Ventures, a strategy consultancy to grant makers and nonprofit social enterprises. Rodney has held various marketing, business development, and program management positions in the private and nonprofit sectors. He is also heavily involved in numerous civic and charitable activities in the Baltimore region.
