Blair Dawson is Vice President of Marketing and Events at the National Equipment Finance Association.

Brylee Horning is vice president of human resources and compliance at Orion First Financial. She is responsible for the direction of team member training, engagement and compliance. Horning is a Certified Lease & Finance Professional who has been working in the equipment leasing and finance industry for more than 18 years. She began in the origination side of the industry and worked in funding and credit and then ultimately advanced into the role of vice president of credit and syndication for Summit Commercial Finance.

Ian Koplin is Editor for Monitor, ABFJournal, DealMaker and Commercial Factor magazines.

Justin Tabone, SVP, leads originations for TIAA Bank’s vendor equipment financing team, which specializes in financing solutions for U.S. businesses originated through a select network of manufacturers, dealers, resellers and distributors, and is supported by private label and co-branded programs.

Ludmila N. Praslova, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP uses her extensive experience with global, cultural, demographic and ability diversity to help create inclusive and equitable workplaces. She is a professor and director of Graduate Programs in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Vanguard University of Southern California, and a contributor to Fast Company, SHRM blog, and ERE.

Markiesha Thompson is associate editor of Monitor.

Phil Neuffer is senior editor of ABF Journal.

Ray Wizbowski is chief marketing officer at Solifi. Wizbowski has more than 20 years of global marketing and management experience focused on technology, digital transformation and SaaS based solutions. This includes executive marketing and business development roles at Entrust, Gemalto (now Thales) and ForeScout Technologies.

Rita E. Garwood is editor in chief of Monitor.

Scott Nelson is the president and chief digital officer of Tamarack Technology. He is an expert in technology strategy and development including AI and automation as well as an industry expert in equipment finance. Nelson leads the company’s efforts to expand its impact on the industry through innovation using new technologies and digital transformation strategies. In his dual role at Tamarack, Nelson is responsible for the company’s vision and strategic planning as well as business operations across professional services and Tamarack’s suite of AI products. He has more than 30 years of strategic technology development, deployment and design thinking experience working with both entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies.

Tom Schied is the Director of Asset Management for TD Equipment Finance and is based in Abington, PA. Tom is a Senior Accredited Appraiser and has been in the leasing industry for more than 30 years. His interests include reading, singing and hockey. Tom is on several boards that combat homelessness and assist with financial literacy.