ABC Convention 2025

Anirban Basu
ABC Chief Economist

Anirban Basu is chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group Inc., an economic and policy consulting firm in Baltimore. He is also chief economist for Associated Builders and Contractors. The Baltimore Business Journal named him one of the region’s 20 most powerful business leaders in 2010. Basu teaches History of Economic Thought at Goucher College as their Distinguished Economist in Residence, and his radio show can be heard weekdays on WYPR, 88.1 FM Baltimore.

Headshot of Basu Anirban Anirban Basu
ABC Chief Economist

Anirban Basu is chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group Inc., an economic and policy consulting firm in Baltimore. He is also chief economist for Associated Builders and Contractors. The Baltimore Business Journal named him one of the region’s 20 most powerful business leaders in 2010. Basu teaches History of Economic Thought at Goucher College as their Distinguished Economist in Residence, and his radio show can be heard weekdays on WYPR, 88.1 FM Baltimore.

Kevin Brown
Motivational speaker and author

Kevin Brown is passionate about helping people and organizations embrace a simple philosophy that separates world-class organizations and high-performance people from everybody else—he calls it The HERO Effect®. Through his books and presentations, Kevin entertains, inspires and challenges people to show up every day and make a positive difference at work and in life.

Headshot of Kevin Brown Kevin Brown
Motivational speaker and author

Kevin Brown is passionate about helping people and organizations embrace a simple philosophy that separates world-class organizations and high-performance people from everybody else—he calls it The HERO Effect®. Through his books and presentations, Kevin entertains, inspires and challenges people to show up every day and make a positive difference at work and in life.

Ryan Leak
CEO of the Ryan Leak Group

Over the past decade, Ryan Leak, CEO of the Ryan Leak Group, has become a sought-after speaker, coach and consultant with deep domain expertise in empowering leaders to reclaim a new self-awareness that enables them to connect with their people more effectively. Author of Chasing Failure: How Falling Short Sets You Up for Success, he has been hired by Fortune 500 companies and professional sports franchises to work internally with specialized teams, add value for leaders and their customers and create new initiatives for the business to better connect with the broader world.

Headshot of Kevin Brown Ryan Leak
CEO of the Ryan Leak Group

Over the past decade, Ryan Leak, CEO of the Ryan Leak Group, has become a sought-after speaker, coach and consultant with deep domain expertise in empowering leaders to reclaim a new self-awareness that enables them to connect with their people more effectively. Author of Chasing Failure: How Falling Short Sets You Up for Success, he has been hired by Fortune 500 companies and professional sports franchises to work internally with specialized teams, add value for leaders and their customers and create new initiatives for the business to better connect with the broader world.

Matt Abeles
Vice President of Technology and Innovation

Matthew Abeles is vice president of construction technology and innovation for Associated Builders and Contractors. In this role, Abeles spearheads efforts to integrate construction technology and innovation into all aspects of ABC’s strategic initiatives, included but not limited to total human health, world-class safety and workforce development. His team provides ABC members with the annual Tech Report, Tech Marketplace and Tech Alliance.

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Matt Abeles
Vice President of Technology and Innovation

Jeff Albert
Chief Operating Officer, ABC Empire State

Jeff Albert was named chief operating officer of ABC Empire State in 2013. Since then, he’s also assumed the position of director of workforce development. Albert began his career with the Empire State chapter in 2009 as comptroller and human resource manager. Prior to joining ABC, Albert served as chief executive officer of East West Management LLC, where he successfully developed a dental management company and played an integral role in successfully growing operations nationally.

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Jeff Albert
Chief Operating Officer, ABC Empire State

Ajoy Bhattacharya
Director Technology Strategist, Microsoft

Ajoy Bhattacharya is a director, technology strategist at Microsoft, specializing in assisting companies within the architecture, engineering and construction industry. He brings a unique perspective and extensive experience in driving innovation and technology advancements in construction, most recently at Suffolk Construction. Bhattacharya has spearheaded transformative changes within organizations, resulting in improved efficiency, reduced costs and the advancement of strategic objectives.

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Ajoy Bhattacharya
Director Technology Strategist, Microsoft

Theresa Cravey
Director of Education, ABC Texas Gulf Coast

Theresa Cravey is the Director of Education from ABC Texas Gulf Coast. She is a proud graduate of Iowa State University and discovered industrial construction nearly eight years ago. Since then, Theresa has found a passion for workforce development and education. She oversees Merit Shop Training, Inc. which offers a wide variety of industrial construction training and testing. Theresa serves on the Brazoria County Petrochemical Council Workforce Development and Career Signing Day Committees, Safety Education Team, and multiple advisory committees.

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Theresa Cravey
Director of Education, ABC Texas Gulf Coast

Moderator

Chris Durso
Editor in Chief, Construction Executive Magazine

Christopher Durso is editor-in-chief of Constructive Executive magazine, which is published by Associated Builders and Contractors. He has 30 years of experience as an editor, writer and content strategist across a variety of industries.

Moderator

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Chris Durso
Editor in Chief, Construction Executive Magazine

Bryan Emde
Executive Director, AdventHealth’s Office of Design and Construction

Bryan Emde is executive director of AdventHealth’s Office of Design and Construction. His department manages all renovation and new construction for AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division, which stretches from Palm Coast to Kissimmee. His team currently consists of 50 design and construction experts, managing 200 projects with a total value of nearly $2.3 billion. He joined AdventHealth in 2015 after working as a health care architect for nearly 20 years.

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Bryan Emde
Executive Director, AdventHealth’s Office of Design and Construction

Josh Kanner
Senior Director Product Strategy and Construction Cloud Leader, Oracle

Kanner is responsible for the AI and analytics strategy for Oracle Construction and Engineering, which he joined upon its acquisition of Newmetrix, the AI-powered safety risk analytics software provider that he founded and led as CEO. Prior to Newmetrix, he was co-founder of Vela Systems, a pioneer in the use of web and tablet workflows for construction and capital projects.

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Josh Kanner
Senior Director Product Strategy and Construction Cloud Leader, Oracle

Bradford Kelley
Labor and Employment Attorney and AI Practice Lead, Littler

Bradford Kelley is a shareholder in Littler Mendelson’s Washington, D.C., office and specializes in advising clients about emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. Before joining Littler, he was chief counsel to commissioner at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where he provided legal and policy advice on the agency’s Artificial Intelligence and Algorithmic Fairness Initiative. Previously, Kelley served as a senior official in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.

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Brad Kelley
Labor and Employment Attorney and AI Practice Lead, Littler

Jennifer L. Landon
ABC New Hampshire/Vermont

Jennifer is the vice president of education and workforce development for the ABC New Hampshire/Vermont chapter, where she oversees the chapter’s education and training initiatives, serves as project manager for the I Build NH/VT Workforce Development initiatives and co-facilitates the Future Leaders in Construction program. She further supports the construction industry as a Certified Grief Educator and Coach, Certified Construction Suicide Prevention Trainer, Mental Health First Aider and Recovery Friendly Workplace Advocate.

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Jennifer L. Landon
ABC New Hampshire/Vermont

Kabri Lehrman-Schmid
Project Leader, Hensel Phelps

Kabri Lehrman-Schmid is a trailblazing project leader for Hensel Phelps where her role spans across project phases from preconstruction advisor to construction superintendent. Specializing in aviation and higher education campuses, her integrated delivery experience has been the foundation for her passionate endorsement of industry initiatives aimed at enhancing workforce well-being. Kabri’s advocacy for the potential of field management to drive the project’s values on and beyond the jobsite has been acknowledged with multiple honors, including recognition as one of Engineering News-Record's 2023 National Top 20 Under 40 professionals.

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Kabri Lehrman-Schmid
Project Leader, Hensel Phelps

Alicia Martin
President, ABC Illinois

Alicia Martin is president and CEO of ABC Illinois. Before Martin joined ABC Illinois in 2007 as vice president of membership and business development, she gained experience working for the State of Illinois, providing constituent support and as a juvenile probation officer/youth advocate in Morgan County, Illinois.

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Alicia Martin
President, ABC Illinois

Jennifer Miller
Managing Partner, Rockford Gray

Jennifer Miller’s real-world journalism experience—more than 15 years of news reporting, including seven years at CBS News—makes her the ideal media coach, as she knows how reporters think and act. Miller will share her understanding of the news media and provide effective presentation skills and crisis management techniques. An experienced coach and conference speaker, Miller has completed the Public Relations Society of America’s Crisis Communication Certification Program.

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Jennifer Miller
Managing Partner, Rockford Gray

Moderator

Ronell Peters
Senior Vice President, TDIndustries Inc.

Ronell Peters is senior vice president of TDIndustries Inc. and is responsible for the Special Projects Business Unit within the Houston office. He has over 35 years with TDIndustries and within the construction industry. Peters has served on the local board of the ABC Greater Houston chapter, chaired ABC Great Houston’s Commercial Committee and now serves on the ABC National Workforce Development Committee. He is a past board member of the Association of Subcontractors of America and Arms Wide Adoption Services.

Moderator

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Ronell Peters
Senior Vice President, TDIndustries Inc.

Rory Salimbene
Chief Facilities Officer, Orange County Public Schools

Rory Salimbene is chief facilities officer for Orange County Public Schools, directing a $3 billion, 10-year construction program and facility operations. Previously, he held leadership positions in military construction units, held project management assignments with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and served as director of public works for a major Army base. His career also includes private sector experience developing and managing energy-saving projects for public sector clients in Florida, as well as directing maintenance and construction for two other K-12 school systems.

Moderator

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Rory Salimbene
Chief Facilities Officer, Orange County Public Schools

Moderator

Patrick Scarpati
Director Construction Technology and Innovation, Associated Builders and Contractors

Patrick Scarpati is director of construction technology and innovation for Associated Builders and Contractors. In this role, Scarpati provides construction technology education to all members and chapters and researches current and future potential trends. As a licensed HVAC-R journeyperson by trade, Scarpati has led various construction technology initiatives with a general contractor and trade partner where he ensured collaboration, purpose and process were the keys to successful implementation.

Moderator

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Patrick Scarpati
Director Construction Technology and Innovation, Associated Builders and Contractors

Hamzah Shanbari
Director of Innovation, Dysruptek (a Haskell Venture)

An accomplished professional in the architecture, engineering and construction industry, Shanbari has extensive experience in construction. Currently, he leads innovation efforts within Haskell, a design-build firm in the United States, where he focuses on exploring and implementing new technologies and methods for the construction industry.

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Hamzah Shanbari
Director of Innovation, Dysruptek (a Haskell Venture)

Gregg Schoppman
Principal and Florida Consulting Manager, FMI

Gregg Schoppman specializes in productivity and project management and leads FMI’s project management consulting practice, in addition to the consulting management group of FMI’s Florida office. Prior to joining FMI, Schoppman served as a senior project manager for a general contracting firm in central Florida. He has completed complex and sophisticated construction projects in several different niches and geographic markets and has expertise in numerous contract delivery methods.

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Gregg Schoppman
Principal and Florida Consulting Manager, FMI

Moderator

Kevin Sell
CVO of United Group Services

Kevin Sell is CVO of United Group Services, a Cincinnati industrial construction firm that works throughout the country. He also provides corporate oversight for Elite Welding Academy, Core Crew, PMS and Innovative Mechanical Services. In addition, Sell serves as a U.S. Department of Labor special government employee.

Moderator

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Kevin Sell
CVO of United Group Services

Chad Tinetti
Vice President Construction Operating Assets, Tavistock Development Co.

Chad Tinetti, vice president for construction operating assets at Tavistock Development Co., has worked in the construction industry for 24 years and spent 17 of those years working for a large general contractor. Tinetti has served as a member of the board for ABC Central Florida since 2020 and also serves on the board for the Ronald McDonald Charities of Central Florida.

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Chad Tinetti
Vice President Construction Operating Assets, Tavistock Development Co.

Yasmeen Tonnos
Industry Culture Strategist, Procore Technologies

Yasmeen Tonnos currently serves as industry culture strategist at Procore Technologies. She has focused her career on culture transformation, leadership development and supporting organizations through change management. Tonnos is an Ernst & Young alumna and a certified coach with over 12 years’ experience in driving human change.

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Yasmeen Tonnos
Industry Culture Strategist, Procore Technologies

Manu Venugopal
Senior Manager Product Management and AI/ML, Autodesk

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Manu Venugopal
Senior Manager Product Management and AI/ML, Autodesk

Lisa Walden
Co-Founder, Good Company Consulting

Lisa X. Walden helps businesses create authentic, empowering workplaces that don’t inspire the dreaded Sunday “scaries.” As co-author of Managing Millennials for Dummies, her work is centered on the (strangely revolutionary) concept that people and strategy don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Discover how to maintain thriving cultures, best practices for mindful communication practices and tactics for nurturing the single most important component of a healthy work environment—trust.

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Lisa Walden
Co-Founder, Good Company Consulting