Biographies: Panelists for 2019 Government-Business Forum

BART DILLASHAW

Bart Dillashaw is the Founder of Enterprise Legal Studio in Lincoln, Nebraska, a corporate and securities boutique focused on servicing the needs of entrepreneurs and investors. Bart has been actively engaged in the entrepreneurship, angel and venture capital community in the Midwest, and he is the former president and current board member of the Nebraska Angels, Nebraska's largest association of angel investors. In addition, he serves as a mentor for local accelerator programs, and frequently lectures on the topics of angel and venture capital investing as well as start-up creation.

ALLIE ESCH

Allie Esch is a Principal at Dundee Venture Capital in Omaha, Nebraska. Dundee Venture Capital partners with early-stage technology businesses in overlooked venture markets. Allie’s current focus is on sourcing investment opportunities, deepening Dundee VC's brand in new markets, and expanding the firm's deal flow capacity.

KEITH FIX

Keith Fix is the Founder and CEO of Retail Aware in Omaha, Nebraska and a member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska. Retail Aware helps brands and retailers maximize opportunities in the aisle with business intelligence sensors and artificial intelligence. Before founding Retail Aware, Keith founded blabfeed, a digital signage and technology integrator serving a diverse portfolio of retail, healthcare, financial, education, and public entities.

PROFESSOR IRINA FOX

Professor Irina Fox is a member of the faculty at the Creighton University School of Law. She specializes in business law, including teaching Securities Regulation. Prior to joining the faculty, she practiced law in San Francisco at Latham & Watkins, where she represented multinational corporations in complex business litigation and also represented emerging companies in finance transactions. Prior to law school, Professor Fox was a Senior Airman in the United States Air Force.

CARLA GARRETT

Carla Garrett is a Partner in the Potomac Law Group’s corporate group, where she advises small businesses on corporate, securities, acquisitions, and contract law matters. She also serves as outside general counsel to a number of small businesses, with a particular focus on startup and technology companies. Previously, Carla was the first General Counsel of CoStar Group, Inc., a NASDAQ-traded public company. She also practiced as a corporate securities attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.

SARA HANKS

Sara Hanks CEO of CrowdCheck, is an attorney with over 30 years of experience in corporate and securities law, and a former SEC staffer. CrowdCheck and CrowdCheck Law provide a wide range of legal, compliance and diligence services to issuers, intermediaries and investors in online capital formation.

KEITH F. HIGGINS

Keith F. Higgins is a member of Ropes & Gray’s corporate department and chair of the securities & governance practice. Keith rejoined the firm in 2017, after having served as Director of the Division of Corporation Finance at the U. S. Securities & Exchange Commission since 2013. Prior to serving at the SEC, Keith had for more than 30 years been counseling public companies in securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, compliance and corporate governance. Keith advises companies, their boards, and investors.

STEPHANIE LUEBBE

Stephanie Luebbe is Executive Director of Nebraska Angels in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Nebraska Angels is the state’s organized network of angel investors, with over 60 participating investors. Members meet once a month to work together to review business plans, listen to pitches, conduct due diligence and negotiate terms for potential investments. Since 2006, the Angels have invested $27 million into early stage companies.

CLAIRE McHENRY

Claire McHenry is the Deputy Director—Securities Bureau with the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance. The Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance (NDBF) is a state agency comprised of two sections - Financial Institutions and Bureau of Securities. NDBF’s mission is to protect and maintain the public confidence of Nebraska’s financial institutions. The Bureau of Securities regulates the sale of securities and the securities industry in Nebraska. Ms. McHenry has fourteen years of state securities regulation experience and is an active member of the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA).

JEFF SLOBOTSKI

Jeff Slobotski is the Founder and Managing Partner of Router Ventures, a Midwest-based seed fund investment firm. He also works at Paul G. Smith Associates, a development and investment firm based in Omaha. Before his current roles, Jeff started Silicon Prairie News (SPN), a digital media and events company dedicated to highlighting and connecting entrepreneurs outside of the traditional startup hubs. Among other events, SPN launched the annual Big Omaha conference (now known as MAHA Festival) which brings together more than 750+ founders, investors, and entrepreneurial leaders into the city from across the nation.

HEATHER DAWN THOMPSON

Heather Dawn Thompson is the Founder and Lead Manager of Native American Capital’s Tribal Opportunity Zones Venture Group. She is a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and an expert in Native American Tribal economic development. She has extensive experience working with investors and businesses in Indian Country, individual tribes, tribal and Indian-owned corporations, and intertribal associations. She is recognized for her expertise in tribal owned businesses and the legal, tax, financial, and structuring benefits of conducting business with Tribal governments and Tribal corporations. Heather served an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the U.S. Attorney's Office in South Dakota's Indian Country Section on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

JOHN WIRTZ

John Wirtz is Co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Hudl in Lincoln, Nebraska. Hudl is a leading software company revolutionizing the way coaches and athletes prepare for and stay ahead of the competition. Founded in 2006, Hudl offers the tools to edit and share video, interact with stats, and create quality highlight reels for entertainment and recruiting purposes. Hudl’s products are used by over 150,000 teams globally spanning youth sports to the pros. The company has closed multiple rounds of funding and made several strategic acquisitions.