Judges

Cal Al-Dhubaib
Cal Al-Dhubaib is a data scientist, entrepreneur, and professional speaker on AI topics. He founded Pandata on the core values of “Approachability and Ethics”. Empowering organizations to plan, build, and scale AI solutions that grow their bottom line, Pandata has overseen 80+ transformative analytics projects with leading global brands including Parker Hannifin, the Cleveland Museum of Art, FirstEnergy, and Penn State University. Cal is especially passionate about the ethics of AI and how organizations can orchestrate the right talent to support AI initiatives. Cal has been recognized as a Notable Immigrant Entrepreneur, Crain’s Cleveland 20 in their 20s, and two-time Cleveland Smart 50 recipient. In addition to becoming the first data science graduate from Case Western Reserve University, Cal is also known for his role in advocating for careers and educational pathways in Data Science through workforce development initiatives.
Mark Anderson
Mark is a digital marketing professional in the NEO area. Working for startups, agencies, and corporations both big and small, Mark has become an expert in digital marketing. When he is not working with Impulse, his real estate investments or consulting, Mark spends time working on his personal startup projects. With his passion for marketing and business, Mark hopes to push the digital marketing industry to the next level. Impulse is a swipe-based feedback app where users can easily ask the public questions through a picture and/or text and receive anonymous feedback. The comprehensive analytics we provide will help companies get a better understanding of their target customers. Furthermore, intelligent decisions can be made based on the analytics to help enhance the products companies provide.
Destiny Burns
Destiny is the founder of CLE Urban Winery, a fun, inviting, upscale boutique winery experience in the historic, urban setting of Cleveland Heights, Ohio. The CLE Urban Winery produces, serves and sells a wide variety of wine, all branded to honor and celebrate the city of Cleveland. CLE Urban Winery is a Federally Bonded Winery and sells their own hand-crafted wine exclusively. The company’s wine production facility, a signature Tasting Bar and primary retail outlet are located in the Cedar-Lee District at 2180B Lee Road In Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
John M. Kundtz
Business Development Advisor \| Non-Executive Director \| Design Thinking Sales Coach \| Digital Transformation Expert \| Podcast Host for “The Disruptor” \| Sales Executive @ IBM Weathering over 30 years’ worth of sea change and disruptive shifts, nothing surprises John. Working with JumpStart in Cleveland, CoFoundersLab, and the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center’s Mentor Makers program, John is a business development advisor and mentor for several entrepreneurs and startups in Northeast Ohio and nationally. In addition, Mr. Kundtz serves as a Non-Executive Director for various not-for-profits and during the day performs his duties as an information technology sales executive for IBM. John’s learner’s mindset and commitment to curiosity has enabled him to navigate the stormy seas of change. Traveling by jet plane, the Eurostar, or Uber – he has led global sales efforts from Austin Texas to Dubai to South Africa to the United Kingdom. As one of the only people in the world to plant design thinking as part of the sales process for billion-dollar technology deals, his experiences and stories from the field will empower any burgeoning entrepreneurs to deepen their design thinking practice, and any naysayer to give it a second look. As a self-proclaimed “Digital Nomad” you may find John, in his spare time, trekking in Nepal, visiting Major League Baseball parks, cataloging craft beer, or rocking out to the live musical acts touring throughout the country.
Renee Ligon
Mrs. Ligon is a business development and sales expert whose 24-year career encompasses successful collaborations with elected officials, community agencies, municipalities, nonprofits, and small to large for-profit organizations. Mrs. Ligon’s fundamental objective at Team NEO is the cultivation of positive economic impact through the creation of tactical business alliances to grow and strengthen a more inclusive and equitable coordinated regional economic development network. Most recently, Mrs. Ligon was the Regional Director for the Minority Business Assistance Center at the Urban of Greater Cleveland, a program of the Ohio Development Services Agency, where she led a team of professional business advisors in the development of minority, women, disabled, and veteran owned businesses across eight counties in the state of Ohio. Prior to joining the Urban League of Greater Cleveland, Mrs. Ligon was the Assistant Director of Diversity & Corporate Relations at Case Western Reserve University where she was the national lead consultant on key strategic project-based opportunities between the University and the corporate sector for research engagements through the lens of diversity, talent development, and co-branding. The cornerstone of Mrs. Ligon’s career started in the financial services industry where she was Vice President, Relationship Manager at JP Morgan Chase Bank. During her 8-year career with JP Morgan Chase, she managed the financial portfolios for commercial sector nonprofit and municipal clients. Mrs. Ligon’s notable and numerous boards of director appointments have included, COMPACT, UNCF of Orlando, the Citrus Club’s Women’s Executive Exchange, Youngstown State Minority Business Assistance Center and The Land. She is currently a member and class officer for Leadership Cleveland Class of 2020. Mrs. Ligon holds a B.A. in Communications from John Carroll University and a M.S in Human Resources Management from Nova Southeastern University.