Get to Know the Speakers of the Upcoming Accelerate User Conference

Posted on April 26, 2023 | in ESG

Every speaker at the upcoming VelocityEHS Accelerate User Conference (May 16-18) is a genuine expert in their area of EHS and ESG. To pique your interest in attending their sessions, here’s a digest of the speakers, as well as some of their recent presentations.  

Matt Airhart, President, VelocityEHS 

Matt Airhart is passionate about developing high-performing teams and solving complex business challenges. He leads the teams that are responsible for the full customer journey, including marketing, sales, and operations across all VelocityEHS companies. Matt has been with VelocityEHS for over fourteen years, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Environmental Studies from Ohio Wesleyan University. 

Winnie IP, CPE & Chief Operations Officer, VelocityEHS 

Winnie brings over 20 years of experience leading and growing customer-facing teams. In addition to a BSc in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo and an MBA from The University of Western Ontario (Ivey School of Business), Ip is a Certified Professional Ergonomist and Certified Change Management Practitioner. As COO, Ip is responsible for all Customer Experience and Operations teams, overseeing operational efficiencies and the overall post-sales customer journey, across all customer segments and products. 

Rick Barker, CPE, CSP & Principal Solutions Strategist, VelocityEHS 

Rick Barker facilitates skill and knowledge-building activities relating to safety management systems, industrial ergonomics, human performance, and human factors. Rick holds a Master of Arts in Human Factors from the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. Rick is a Certified Professional Ergonomist and Certified Safety Professional. 

Roger Bottum, Senior Vice President of Product, VelocityEHS 

Roger Bottum leads product strategy, product planning and market intelligence for VelocityEHS. He has decades of experience in risk management software and in enterprise SaaS software. Roger holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economics from Colorado College and attended the Kellogg School of Business. 

John Damgaard, CEO, VelocityEHS 

In addition to his role at VelocityEHS, John advises CVC Capital on private equity and growth investments across multiple industries. John served as CEO of MatrixCare (acquired by ResMed), growing revenues and EBITDA nearly sixfold in seven years. He served as VP & GM and SVP & COO of Mediware Information Systems (now WellSky). He holds an MBA with Distinction from Bradley University, and a Bachelor of Arts of Computer Science and Mathematics from the University of Northern Iowa as a Presidential Scholar. 

Julia Penfield, Ph.D. & Associate Vice President of Machine Learning and Data Sciences, VelocityEHS 

Dr. Julia Penfield leads Research in the Research & Development department of VelocityEHS, where she works on a range of machine learning and data science projects. Julia received her Ph.D. in the application of machine learning in electrical engineering from the University of British Columbia in Canada. She has expertise in risk assessments, failure prediction, anomaly detection, long-term and short-term forecasting with proper uncertainty estimations, root cause diagnostics, and optimization. In her previous role, Julia led the machine learning and data sciences team of BC Hydro, one of Canada’s largest energy suppliers in British Columbia, Canada. There, she founded several programs, including the electrical demand forecasting using advanced recurrent neural networks architecture, the generation of plant asset failure prediction using unsupervised machine learning, and wind farm generation forecasting using fully connected neural networks architecture. In addition, Julia has utilized Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Computer Vision (CV) in several machine learning projects. Julia received her Ph.D. in the application of machine learning in electrical engineering from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada. 

 Greg Cresswell, CPE & AVP, Customer Success, VelocityEHS 

Greg Cresswell is a leader on the Customer Success team. He directs his team to help customers, in all enterprises and industries, maximize the value they get from VelocityEHS solutions. Greg holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a specialization in Ergonomics from the University of Waterloo. He has achieved recognition as a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE). 

Kent Hatcher, CPE & Sr. Global Enterprise Account Manager, VelocityEHS 

Kent Hatcher partners with companies to develop, manage, and sustain global EHS programs using software solutions. Kent holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo and a Master of Science in Ergonomics from Loughborough University. He is a Certified Professional Ergonomist. 

Andrew Holmes AVP, Product Management, VelocityEHS 

Andrew Holmes is a product leader that is passionate about turning customer and user problems into solutions. Andrew has been with VelocityEHS for over twelve years, working in a variety of roles in Customer Experience and Product. In his current role, Andrew applies his experience and passion for problem solving to make workplaces safer and more sustainable. Andrew holds a Bachelor of Science in Computing and Information Sciences from the University of Guelph.  

Marc Juaire, CPSA & Solutions Executive, VelocityEHS 

Marc Juaire combines his EHS, Operational Risk, and ESG experience to define vision and strategy to deliver best-in-class solutions and make workplaces safer and more sustainable. He has twenty-eight years of experience as an EHS and ESG professional, providing strategic direction and leadership in EHS auditing, compliance and training. 

Ken Lupo, AVP, Software Development, VelocityEHS 

Ken Lupo leads multiple teams of software developers and engineers focused on developing software solutions that help organizations save lives, limbs, and the environment. Ken has over twenty-five years of experience in software development and technology. Ken holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Walsh College University in Troy, Michigan, and is a certified Project Management Professional. 

Blake McGowan, CPE & Solutions Executive, VelocityEHS 

Blake McGowan joined VelocityEHS in 1999. Blake holds a Certificate in Leading Sustainable Corporations from the University of Oxford, a Master of Science in Human Neuromechanics, and a Bachelor of Science in Biomechanics & Neurophysiology from the University of Waterloo in Canada. He has achieved recognition as a Certified Professional Ergonomist. 

Julian Moffatt, Principal Solutions Strategist of ESG, VelocityEHS 

Julian Moffatt contributes his expertise in ESG product creation for VelocityEHS. He also oversees the VelocityEHS ESG team. Julian studied Environmental Resource Studies at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario. 

Dave Risi, CIH, CSP & Principal Solutions Strategist of IH, VelocityEHS 

Dave Risi is a board-certified industrial hygienist and safety professional, with over 30 years of EHS experience. Dave has a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety & Health from Ferris State University and a Master of Science in Industrial Hygiene from the University of California, Los Angeles. 

Karl Ryan, Global Enterprise Account Manager, VelocityEHS 

Karl Ryan has over 12 years of experience helping global companies solve problems, manage change, and to transition from paper-based systems to electronic solutions. He brings a huge level of enthusiasm and passion towards helping people and companies drive continuous improvement, and a love for engaging audiences to be great. 

And have you seen yet that Chuck Leavell of The Rolling Stones will be at the User Conference? In addition to his music career, Chuck has dedicated years of his life to working for environmental and sustainability causes and will be sharing insights from his work on forestry, environmental issues, and climate change. Named an Honorary Ranger by the US Forest Service, Chuck was featured in the 2020 documentary Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man.  

To see which sessions each of these speakers will be leading, check out the User Conference schedule. We look forward to seeing you in Nashville next month, but if you can’t make it in person, we’re also offering virtual tickets. Register for yours now.