Our 2018 Presenters & Panelists

Take a look at who joined us for our Blockchain Media Summit last year!

SOLOMON LEDERER

Solomon Lederer PhD, received his doctorate in distributed and ad-hoc sensor networks where he came up with novel ways for networks to self organize. He went on to apply his research into developing new wireless networks for the U.S. Air Force. He has been teaching about blockchain and Ethereum for 3 years and recently co-authored Blockchain: A Practical Guide to Developing Business, Law, and Technology Solutions.

JOHN CRAIN

John is the CEO and Co-Founder of SuperRare, an Ethereum based platform and community of creatives and collectors. He focused on fostering a community that empowers creators, supports true data ownership, and helps people understand crypto currencies.​

MARCELO FLEITAS

Marcelo has been a professional recruiter for over 18 years. Beginning in 1998, he has served the placement needs of fortune 100 and tech startups. Concentrating primarily on high technology and software engineering, he has earned a deep knowledge of emerging technologies and strong industry loyalty around his ability to identify, screen and place the best and brightest engineers. Marcelo founded the recruiting and consulting agency (Ubergig) in 2009, placing hundreds of technology professionals while maintaining profitability since year one. In 2017, Marcelo co-founded, Ascension Protocol, to help the evolution of humanity through the education and use of Distributed Ledger Technology. Prior to his career in technology, Marcelo worked in private wealth management, where he raised and managed over ten million dollars through private placements and IPO’s. Born in Uruguay, Marcelo has lived in New York since the age of three and attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for Computer Science. Marcelo is an avid downhill skier and chess enthusiast. When he is not engaged with his clients, Marcelo spends his time playing chess with his son.

JESSE GRUSHACK

Jesse is a graduate from Union College with a dual degree in Computer Science and Economics. Jesse began his career in the music industry at ID&T North America where he spent two months as the managing director of marketing for TomorrowWorld and then as the managing director of Cashless payments at SFX Entertainment conducting research into the future of visitor event identification. In the beginning of 2015, Jesse joined ConsenSys and started working on Ujo Music. Jesse has spoken at conferences and events around the world including SXSW, The Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan, Blockchain Valley in Switzerland, and more. Additionally, Jesse is also a co-creator of Ethereal as he understands the importance of bridging the digital/physical boundaries and providing meaningful experiences. 

G. THOMAS ESMAY

G. Thomas Esmay serves as the Director of Business Development at SingularDTV, a blockchain entertainment studio. Esmay is a New York-based filmmaker & educator. He has worked on a variety of documentaries, live broadcasts, and short films, including the Susan Sarandon-produced BOMBSHELL: THE HEDY LAMARR STORY; BBC Politics’ live coverage of the 2015 UK general election, and a sci-fi short shot entirely in an abandoned nuclear power plant. Prior to his career in entertainment, Esmay taught mathematics. Esmay most recently worked at a large talent agency, but left to join the blockchain revolution and bring the transparency and logic of mathematics to the entertainment industry.

KHUSHNUDA SHUKUROVA

Khushnuda Shukurova is a filmmaker, working in both documentary and fiction, with a strong interest in human rights driven stories. She was born and raised in Tajikistan and is now based in New York City. Shukurova earned a Master of Arts in Media Studies from The New School University and a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts: Radio and Television from the School of Journalism at The University of Montana. She has directed and produced award winning short narrative and documentary films, which have screened in multiple film festivals, and some of which have also aired on television; her short documentary film, Nadira, aired on BBC Persia, which has over million viewers around the world. Shukurova has also worked at The National Geographic Society in Washington DC as a Video Editor. Multiple feature-length and short documentary films that she worked on were aired on PBS Montana, including Cannabusiness, which received the Mark of Excellence Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. Shukurova is finishing her short film, Detained, which was funded by SingularDTV's Tokit, a platform built on blockchain technology.

LEO MADRID

Leo E. Madrid is an award winning technology installation and conceptual artist, inventor, renegade theoretical physicist, Alchemist, fine art curator, former US Navy Surface Warfare Specialist, slayer of the paradox and defender of our Universe. While preparing to curate an exhibit and researching the nature of consciousness, specifically how creativity & inspiration work synaptically to create art movements, he developed a verifiable and unified  Theory of Time, Consciousness and Quantum Mechanics, which was published and presented at the 2016 Science and Nonduality Conference. Utilizing the two major concepts illustrated in his theory, ‘Anthromurmuration’ and ‘Spatial Relativity’, he is building a Nondeterministic Artificial Intelligence Platform for artists and collectors, with a neurolace network utilizing biodynamic quantum computing. He will be discussing the various ways Blockchain technologies may play a role and interface with cross-platform quantum computers to provide the mechanism for people to connect with works of art in a deeper and more meaningful way.

MONIKA PROFFITT

Monika Proffitt is a professional speaker, writer, and social entrepreneur. As an expert in the blockchain space and several time founder, Monika has developed the business acumen over the last two decades to bring a high level of clarity, focus, and sustainability to every project she is a part of.  As a speaker and author, Monika explains, in simple, easy to digest terms, the fundamentals of blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and “tokenomics” and their growing impact on the global economy. You can find out more in her latest book, Blockchain 101: Fundamentals of a New Economy.

JOSEPH SANDERS

Joseph is the Director of Data Systems for the Beginning with Children Foundation.  Joseph has over fifteen years working as an IT profession. Prior to BwC, Joseph worked in the real-time market data division for both Thomson/ILX Systems and Digital Equipment Corporation developing UNIX based automating tools that were deployed in operations and software quality assurance.  His interest in block chaining took hold after attending a couple of events at Coinspace back in 2016. At that time, like so many other people, cryptocurrency was his focus.  After learning that the distributed database blockchain is the technology underpinning cryptocurrency Joseph’s interest expanded to include blockchain. In between working and conducting research in Educational Datamining for his doctorates, at Pace University, he has completed several Ethereum developer workshops and numerous talks sponsored by Blockmatics highlighting various blockchain use cases.
Joseph is a certified New York State mathematics teacher and graduated from Pratt Institute with a Bachelors’ Degree in Electrical Engineering and holds a M.A. in Mathematics Education from Adelphi University. He is also a member of the WNET| Thirteen Educational Advisory Services Committee. Joseph has also been certified to produce TV content for the BRIC network.

DUSTIN JACKSON

Dustin is an IBM Blockchain Foundation Developer and Founder of CaymanCoin, Inc. In this role, Dustin coordinates with a team of industry experts providing all aspects of digital asset (Token) creation, including the various Blockchain aspects therein. A big believer in Blockchain Technology, Dustin supports Blockchain Innovation, and is known in his hometown as somewhat of a Blockchain Evangelist. Dustin has more than 5 years of cryptocurrency experience, starting out with building personal crypto mining solutions, using RaspberryPi single-board computers, and off-the-shelf ASIC miners. He has also taught students as young as ten years old, to build their own personal cryptocurrency miners as summer projects. Before creating Atlas Systems (Honduras) SA, in 2012, Dustin worked for 9 years at diverse, and highly respected organizations in the Cayman Islands. These include Fiderus (Cayman) Ltd, and renowned international firms such as Appleby, and Walkers. In this role, Dustin was responsible for Network Systems and Information Technology Support. Dustin is also the creator of the Atlas OS, a Linux-based operating system which was initially created for education purposes, but can now also serve as a sandboxed, highly-secure Operating System, on which to carry out cryptocurrency transactions, and personal alt-coin mining.
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​Our Board Members

Larry Banks
Director of Media Summit/Media Arts Department Chair


​Prof. Larry Banks received his BA from Rutgers University, in Communications and Education and his MA from CW Post in Business and Digital Art. He went on to develop a career in filmmaking. As Director of Photography, Larry has distinguished himself in feature films including, JUICE, STRAPPED, FLY BY NIGHT and SUBSTITUTE 2.  He also created the look of several dynamic commercials for brands including Nike, Levi-Strauss and AT&T; working  alongside esteemed directors such as Spike Lee, Forest Whitaker and Steve Horn. His career in film Making expanded into producing and directing. In 2000 Larry Banks became a full-time academic at Long Island University-Brooklyn where he Chairs the Media Arts Department shaping young minds in digital production and media theory. His understanding of media and its effects on the human mind has made him a sought-after presenter on Neural Diversity. Larry is currently involved in creating a production studio to finance, produce, and distribute films utilizing smart contracts and cryptocurrency on the Blockchain.

Zalika Scott
​​​Associate Director of Media Summit


​Zalika Scott is a graduate student pursuing her M.F.A. in Film and Video Production at Long Island University's Brooklyn Campus.

George Blanck
​Consultant

George Blanck brings a wealth of experience creating innovative solutions in financial services through the commercialization of new technologies.  He has held technical, management and advisory roles with firms from startups to the world’s leading financial institutions and technology providers. Though still immersed in financial services, his deep belief that blockchain, smart contracts and decentralization paradigms will redefine business models led him to the film industry, which was driven by contracts but bound by opaque, legacy operating models.  George’s new passion is to fuel the ongoing disruption in film production - bringing transparency, accuracy and efficiency to the business of filmmaking based on smart contracts, with new and traditional financial services integrated into a rich ecosystem of filmmaking technology.

SANVIKI CHAPMAN
Marketing Consultant

Sanviki Chapman is an Impact Transformational Coach, Marketing Consultant and Strategist. She’s known for her keen ability to intuit direct and creative solutions to problems. She has worked in the United States and abroad with various clients such as, Kirk Kirkland - recently featured on Ted Talks and CEO - WearWorks, the late Producers, Gene Davis - Essence TV and Joseph Papp -The Public Theater, Film Producers, Paula Dupre’ Pesmen and Quincy Jones - Keep on Keepin’ On, Film Directors, Alan Hicks and Bertha Bay-Sa Pan, Jullien Gordon, Founder - New Higher, Rha Goddess, Hip Hop Artist, Author and CEO – Move the Crowd, Brooklyn Borough President, Eric Adams, Riverside Church Theater - Family Arts Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, BJAA - Netherlands, OATS - Older Adults Technology Services, Eugene Seagriff - Your Biz Pro, The Brooklyn International School, Educators for Social Responsibility, and was the Marketing and Production Consultant for the 2018 and 2019 LIU Blockchain Media Summits. Sanviki is presently working as a Marketing Researcher & Business Development Consultant for the Research Technology Park, (UVIRTPark) in the Virgin Islands, focused on developing such tech sectors as, telecommunications and information technologies, sustainability solutions and systems, blockchain, wearable technology, health tech devices, finance tech, internet advertising, e-commerce, etc. In October 2019 the RTPark will hold its first RTPark Business Attraction Summit in St. Croix. Sanviki has both a Bachelor of Arts Degree, (cum laude) - and Master's Degree from Long Island University. Her sweet spot is synthesizing her skills in business, the creative arts, spirituality and psychology for solving problems, while enhancing the values and profit outcomes for businesses, organizations and individuals, especially with businesses and individuals that strive to minimize their negative impact on the environment.

DENNIS O'CONNELL
Ascension Protocol

Dennis is an award winning and internationally recognized technologist. Dennis started his career at NASA Langley where he was nationally selected among thousands of top candidates for only six positions. While there he worked on advanced technologies and began his love of coding and innovation. Dennis then moved on to financial capital markets where he worked for a proprietary trading firm and hedge fund as an algorithmic trader and quantitative analyst. He then moved to Chicago where he worked on several trading desks in the futures and derivatives markets. While in Chicago, Dennis co-founded his first company winning national media attention and participation at the top real estate technology incubator Elmspring at the incubator 1871. Building on the success, Dennis then co-founded his second company winning national awards from Microsoft and an international award from ESRI for efforts in advancing cloud and big data real estate technology solutions. Dennis has emerged as a seasoned CTO, thought leader, and visionary giving several keynotes in technology. With the sale of his stake, Dennis pivoted to capture the emerging onset of Blockchain and DLT technologies.  Dennis received his masters in Aerospace Engineering from Old Dominion University along with a bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the College of New Jersey, both graduating with high honors. Dennis is a distinguished Eagle Scout and has been nationally recognized for his contributions to scouting.

JOHN MICHAEL REEFER
Film Producer

John Michael Reefer began his career in the film and television industry in the wardrobe department. After leaving Parson School of Design and working on “Seventh Ave” a fortuitous phone call brought him to the “Light Opera Company of Manhattan” There he helped with a production of “The Pirates of Penzance”. That experience lead to a job on Woody Allen’s Purple Rose of Cairo in the wardrobe department.  One of John Michael’s first opportunities to design costumes came from working with David O. Russell on his short film “Bingo Madness”. As a Costume Designer, John Michael worked with some amazing directors and designed some iconic films. Senior Week, directed by Stu Goldman. Def by Temptation, directed by James Bond III. She’s Gotta Have It, directed by Spike Lee.
John Michael has since been involved with the production of more than 25 short subjects that have screened as an official selection of film festivals around the world.
John Michael’s most recent projects include the television series “The Rich & The Ruthless” currently in it’s 3rd season on the UMC (Urban Movie Channel). “Holy Air” released by Samuel Goldwyn in the US and now available on Amazon. ​

TONY DOFAT
Music Producer

Introduced to the music business through Diddy himself, this multifaceted Mt. Vernon, NY native went on to compose, arrange, mix, engineer and produce for over two decades. Working on countless songs and remixes alongside the Bad Boy founder, Tony Dofat was an original member of the production unit, The Hit Men. Dofat composed and produced hit tracks and remixes for some of the top recording artist’s in the industry [to name a few] Heavy D, Mary J. Blige, Queen Latifah, Will Smith, Black Rob, Method Man, Jodeci, Tina Turner, Notorious BIG and MTV’s Da Band. Having produced, remixed, and composed over 120 compositions in his song catalog, 15 of his releases charted on Billboard as Top Ten albums/singles. His work has been recognized by The Recording Academy with Grammy nominations and 42 of his projects have been certified gold and platinum by RIAA, he is without a doubt a powerhouse in his own right. In 2015, Dofat was appointed Assistant Professor in Media Arts and Audio Technology at Long Island University Brooklyn Campus.On October 13, 2016, Tony Dofat was honored by the Mount Vernon Public Library association and Westchester County legislators with a proclamation citing that October 19th will been deemed the Official Tony Dofat Day for Mount Vernon and Westchester County, New York.