Robbie Hardy

Founder and Managing Director

As Founder and Managing Director of A Million Dreams Across America, Robbie is responsible for leadership and program strategy. She also provides executive coaching and technology leadership through Dreams events, small group workshops and individual sessions. Robbie is the Founder and Managing Partner of Silk Road Partners, a "Mentor Capital" firm providing guidance to early stage companies and exit strategies for later stage companies. She has founded and led several technology companies and angel investment funds. Robbie has over 25 years of experience in the corporate world, including roles as CEO of CI Technologies, Vice President with American Management Systems (AMS) and MIS director of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Winston Bowden

Entrepreneur Presenter, Sales & Marketing

Winston manages sales & marketing at Contactology, a Durham-based company that supplies customers with online tools to harness the power of email marketing and online surveys. His experience in the entrepreneurial community began at the Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED), where he was responsible for creating and executing the strategic and tactical marketing plans for each CED conference and program. Winston graduated from East Carolina University with a B.S. in Communications.

Cassandra J. Creekman

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

Cassandra is a corporate attorney, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, corporate financing and general business law. She works primarily with entrepreneurs and venture capital funds. Prior to joining the firm in 2007, she practiced in the New York office of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, concentrating in cross-border mergers and acquisitions and international commercial arbitration. Cassandra received her B.A. from Duke University and her J.D. from New York University School of Law.

Vickie Gibbs

Entrepreneur Presenter, Getting Started

Vickie is Vice President, Mobile Retail, MTV Networks, where she runs the business-to-consumer offDeck mobile content business for all the MTV Network brands, including MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon. In addition, she founded and manages nv – clothes for men, a retail on and offline men’s clothing store (www.nvclothes.com, also with a location in Raleigh, NC at North Hills Mall), with her business partner Nicole. Prior to joining MTV, Vickie was with Motricity. Art.com, Siebel Systems (which purchased OpenSite), and Mitsubishi.

Jennifer Gibson

Founder & Dreams Facilitator

As a Program Facilitator for Dreams Across America, Jennifer leads group and individual sessions focused on strategic financial planning and leadership. She is the Managing Partner of TechCFO’s Research Triangle Park practice, and serves as the Chief Financial Officer for entrepreneurial and technology companies. Jennifer grew up in an entrepreneurial family, and has worked with start-up and high growth companies for over 20 years. Her experience includes CFO and international Managing Director positions in the SaaS (software as a service) industry, 10 years with PricewaterhouseCoopers and two years in commercial loan administration. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Western Carolina University, earning a B.S.B.A degree with majors in Finance and Accounting.

Peter J. de Leon

Entrepreneur Presenter, Sales & Marketing

Peter is Director of Operations at Northgate Associates in Durham, leading the team in managing the shopping center. Prior to that, he founded his own contruction business, head the marketing department at a technology start-up that had a highly successful acquisition by TIBCO Software, and was in brand management at Nestle. Peter received his MBA from Berkeley and BS in Engineering with Distinction from Worcester Polytechnic Institure, MA.

W. David Mannheim

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

David is a business attorney practicing in the area of corporate and securities law, including venture capital financings, private placements, strategic partnerships, licensing and contracts. David represents entrepreneurs from early start-ups to public companies. Although he has a diverse practice spanning many industries, the majority of his clients are in life sciences and information technology. David joined the firm in 2000 from his previous practice with Alston & Bird LLP. He received both his B.B.A., summa cum laude, and his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia.

Ann Miller

Founder & Dreams Facilitator

As a Program Facilitator for A Million Dreams Across America, Ann leads group and individual sessions focused on business start-ups, organization, financial operations and human resources. Ann is the founder of Sobeck Miller Solutions, LLC, an accounting/consulting firm serving start ups and small businesses. She has over 20 years of accounting experience where she often established and administered the accounting practices in a variety of business settings including corporations, s corps, sole proprietors, partnerships, not for profits and local government. Ann began her career interning for General Motors while earning her BA in Accounting from Michigan State University.

Marge Nordstrom

Founder & Dreams Facilitator

As a Program Facilitator for Dreams Across America, Marge leads group and individual sessions focused on strategic planning and leadership. Marge has over 25 years of experience with corporate and start-up companies, including roles in facilitation, strategy development, leadership and client service. She has worked with both non-profit organizations and public corporations in a variety of industries, including software and information technology, distribution, financial services, energy, and local/state governments. Marge's education includes a B.S., MBA, real estate and mortgage brokerage licenses.

Anna Penner

Founder & Dreams Facilitator

As a Program Facilitator for A Million Dreams Across America, Anna leads group and individual sessions on business start-ups, sales and marketing. She is the Director of Partnerships and Programs at The Research Triangle Foundation where she is focused on national and international marketing efforts to extend the RTP global brand and strengthen its competitive position. A recent relocate from Cleveland, Ohio, Anna’s experience lies in regional marketing and business attraction. Serving as the Director of Business Attraction at Team NEO, a private sector led regional marketing and economic development organization, Anna worked in collaboration with private industry, government and academia to attract, recruit and relocate international and domestic companies across multiple industries. Anna holds a B.A. in History from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio.

Maureen Rooney

Founder & Dreams Facilitator

As a Program Facilitator for Dreams Across America, Maureen leads group and individual sessions focused on product commercialization, marketing, sales and leadership. Maureen is an independent Senior Business Consultant supporting clients in business services and high tech industries. She has over 25 years of experience working with small, medium and Fortune 500 clients solving both strategic and operational roadblocks to growth, profitability and customer satisfaction, including serving as an officer at AT&T in the Business Markets Group. Maureen earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Miami University Oxford, Ohio and an MBA in Finance from Loyola University of Chicago.