APUS President Nuno Fernandes is a visionary leader who has been successful in making online higher education more affordable and accessible, while delivering top-quality education and favorable student outcomes. As the fifth President of APUS, he is focused on a global digital journey that integrates personalized, collaborative, technology-driven learning experiences to prepare students for tomorrow’s challenges and opportunities.

Mr. Fernandes has a wealth of experience driving innovation across higher education, technology, and business. He has been serving as APUS President since September 2022.

Previously, Mr. Fernandes was president and CEO of Ilumno, the largest online program manager in Latin America, and among the top 3 globally (in terms of managed students, which numbered 300,000). He served in several roles with increasing responsibilities at the company for over a decade. Mr. Fernandes was instrumental in improving student retention, student satisfaction, graduation rates, and reputation at the company’s owned and partner universities. He also led efforts to expand access to higher education in several countries.

Prior to his roles in higher education, Mr. Fernandes accumulated over a decade of experience in the consumer goods industry at Bosch, where he undertook numerous international assignments and held various leadership roles.

Born in Porto, Portugal, Mr. Fernandes holds a Master of Business Administration from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Porto. He has also participated in several executive education programs at Harvard Business School and Carnegie Mellon University, among others.

Mr. Fernandes is trilingual, speaking English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

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Rohit Gupta provides his vision to the Aretum in meeting our customer’s missions through the use of digital transformation and emerging technologies. He has a strong belief in, and works towards building, an Aretum company culture where we value and respect our employees, and help them succeed in delivering for our customers. Rohit believes in building strong leaders that have similarly aligned visions as part of the Aretum leadership team.

Having been a systems architect for many large commercial and government programs, Rohit is a recognized expert in the fields of scalable systems, large web application design and development, mobile development, AI and machine learning, and CIO operations. Throughout his career, Rohit has worked with numerous government and commercial IT clients, consulting with some of the biggest names in the world — AT&T, Federal Express, Capital One, PerotSystems/TRC, and Price Waterhouse Coopers.

Rohit graduated from the University of Mumbai with a B.E. in Computer Engineering and received an M.S. in Computer Science at the University of Connecticut. Rohit is passionate about using technology to build efficient and elegant solutions for business and social challenges.

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Joe Punaro is the CEO and Founder of IronArch Technology. He is a decorated combat Veteran and a former U.S. Marine platoon commander whose leadership philosophy is grounded in service, integrity, and people-first values. After serving in Iraq, Joe launched IronArch with a clear mission: to serve our nation by protecting its critical infrastructure through cutting-edge technology and human-centered innovation.

His military experience shaped a leadership style rooted in the principle, “Know your Marines and look out for their welfare.” At IronArch, this evolved into a company-wide commitment to empowering people—employees, clients, and partners alike. Joe’s passion for entrepreneurship and national service drives his strategic vision
and his belief that taking care of the team is essential to mission success.

Under Joe’s leadership, IronArch has become known for its commitment to excellence, agile solutions, and a workplace where people feel valued and trust and innovation are embedded.

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Corey Thomas is the Chief Executive Officer of Rapid7, a leading global cybersecurity company based in Boston. His expertise in technology and business have been recognized through his appointments to the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) and the Council on Foreign Relations, as well as the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

Corey contributes cross-industry leadership to the boards of directors of LPL Financial and Vanderbilt University, and currently chairs the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts board of directors and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.

An active champion of the technology community, Corey is an angel investor, provides guidance to companies navigating technology transformations, and is a frequent speaker and panelist. His extensive background includes successfully guiding numerous technology companies through periods of significant growth and innovation. Corey earned a B.E. in electrical engineering and computer science from Vanderbilt University and a MBA from Harvard Business School.

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Linda Houk is President and CEO of Information Systems Solutions, Inc. (ISS). In 2005 ISS was restructured and she was selected to lead the company into the future. Since her arrival, the company has experienced steady growth, and has been identified for six consecutive years by Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest growing privately held companies. She is recognized by the Montgomery County (MD) Chamber of Commerce as their 2011 Small Business Leader of the Year.
Prior to joining ISS, Linda served 21 years as an Air Force officer where, as part of her accomplishments she oversaw multiple contractors and organizations and coordinated with managers of other projects/programs and high-level Air Force decision makers, including the Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Air Force. She also served on the Air Force Program Review Committee, which reviews the Air Force budget submissions and establishes the annual Air Force Program Objective Memorandum (POM). Linda is a graduate of the Air Force Institute of Technology, with a Master of Science in Systems Management, and she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Miami University.

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Brigette Wolf is the Chief Marketing Officer at My/Mochi where she leads marketing and innovation and the brand’s transformation for growth.Brigette is responsible for fueling the company’s innovation pipeline through the creation of beyond the core products and partnerships as well as building the brand’s equity and connection to consumers.

Previously she was VP, Global Head of SnackFutures, Mondelēz International’s innovation and venture hub which launched in 2018 as part of the global snack leader’s growth agenda. There she ran intrepreneurship on her team launching new start up brands, venture capital and and CoLab, the company’s start-up engagement program.

Brigette was with Mondelēz International for 10 years, and in that time served as the senior director of Global Platform Innovation for the Gum & Candy and Biscuits categories as well the senior brand manager for Global belVita innovation.

Prior to this Brigette was with Kraft Foods for almost 10 years having served as the Global Innovation Manager for Oreo and the Brand Manager of several of the pizza and meal brands.

Prior to being part of the food industry, Brigette worked for Credit Suisse First Boston and Morgan Stanley in investment banking.Brigette received her undergraduate degree from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and her MBA from Northwestern Kellogg School of Management.

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Beth Maser CEO | Knowledge Management Expert | Chief Bottle Washer

"HAI is adept at proactively reading our target markets, and we're continually raising the level of the value we deliver. We are agile, imaginative, and we respond to our clients' needs for solutions quickly and effectively.”

Work at HAI

Beth Maser is a veteran Knowledge Management expert and certified PMP, she leverages decades of experience with organizations like the National Archives and ABC News to transform complex historical data into innovative, tech-forward solutions for global clients. As CEO of History Associates, Beth leads the company's growth strategy focused on major industry segments including government, legal, commercial, and associations and nonprofits. Beth and her team are delivering distinct service offerings to clients with expanded capabilities in digitization, culture heritage, litigation research, and advanced uses of technology. Together with her HAI team and strategic partners, Beth helps clients leverage opportunities from historical information and analysis to find creative ways to engage audiences of all types and add value to top and bottom lines.

Path to HAI

Beth's experience includes managing high-profile projects for the National Archives and Records Administration, the Library of Congress, USAID Knowledge Services Center, ABC News, and Fortune 500 companies and law firms. Leading multi-skilled teams, she helped to source, organize, and apply information in strategic and innovative ways. Before joining History Associates, she was the Director of Records and Information Systems at PPC, a management consulting firm, where she quadrupled the firm's knowledge management services to $17M. As the Senior Director of Professional Services for an INC 500 Information Services firm, she led teams of professionals to win and execute corporate and government contracts valued at more than $15M annually.Beth also founded and managed two organizations—University Ventures, a consulting operation, and Semantic Staffing, a boutique information management services recruiting firm. She is an active member of several professional organizations and engages with the UMD iLEAD Council and the Corporate Council of the National Archives Foundation.

Beth is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with an MLIS from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Beth also holds an MA in History and Public Policy from George Washington University and a BA in History from Washington University. She maintains a strong network of industry contacts and is also active in several DC-area organizations and nonprofits.You can also read Beth's articles published on Inc.com here. Inc. is the premier media brand for American entrepreneurs, offering inspiration, insights, and practical advice through its award-winning magazine, website, and events like the Inc. 5000 Conference.

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With over 20 years of management experience in the oral healthcare industry, David Fox brings a strategic and seasoned perspective to the Willo leadership team. His extensive background spans leadership roles across early-stage ventures and global brands, where he has demonstrated a talent for scaling businesses and driving sustainable growth. David has successfully negotiated, integrated, and led the acquisition of more than 10 brands and companies, proving his expertise in strategic expansion and integration. Under his leadership, Willo is revolutionizing oral care for children.

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