Our Speakers
Michael Foss
Michael is the Founder & CEO for CoachFoss LLC and passionate about finding optimal solutions for success. As a speaker, trainer, and consultant, he thrives on inspiring and motivating leaders, teams, and individuals to achieve and sustain transformational success. He is a strategic executive logistics & supply chain operations leader with extensive global experience and success in cutting costs & improving performance, processes, and people for premier companies including Advatix, Archway, Flexport, CloudSort, Walmart, Caterpillar, Amazon, Cameron, Weir, and FedEx. He is a dynamic and energetic change agent, recognized for driving business transformations and optimizing operations. He is a skilled relationship builder, well-known for inspiring and empowering high-performance teams. Michael holds a BS degree in Industrial & Systems Engineering from Texas Tech University and earned his Lean / Six Sigma Black Belt from the University of Villanova.
Dr. Jen Pazour
Jen Pazour is an Associate Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY. Her research and teaching focus on the development and use of mathematical models to guide decision making for logistics and supply chain challenges. Jen is the recipient of a number of national awards for her research and her teaching, including a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, a Johnson & Johnson Women in STEM2D Scholars Award, the Rensselaer Alumni Teaching Award, the IISE Logistics and Supply Chain Division Teaching Award, and the IISE Dr. Hamed K. Eldin Outstanding Early Career IE in Academia Award. She proudly holds three degrees in Industrial Engineering (a B.S. from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, and a M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas). More information can be found at her research and teaching blog: http://jenpazour.wordpress.com/
Korina “Kon” Mercado
Korina is highly experienced in the Industrial Engineering Profession with 9 years of experience on implementing (1) Agile Sigma and Lean Six Sigma Projects and Programs; (2) Organization and Manpower Planning; (3) Supply Chain Management; (4) Continuous Improvement & Innovation; (5) Change & Risk Management & (5) Digital Transformation, Strategy, Analytics and Optimization. She is currently working with one of the tech giants in the U.S. as a Senior Continuous Improvement Lead. She also started her consulting services via KonnectKonsult. She is experienced working with different industries like Aviation, E-Commerce, Hospitality, Pharmaceutical, Gaming, Human Resources, Consulting and Manufacturing. Her top clients are from the USA, Germany & UAE. Her extensive knowledge earned her invitations to give speeches at numerous institutions and organizations globally.