Lisa Barrow

Vice President, Research Department, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Lisa Barrow is a vice president in the Research Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, leading the department’s regional analysis and outreach group. Before joining the Research Department, Dr. Barrow was a senior economist and economic advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and an affiliated researcher at the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research. Her research focuses on a variety of education issues, including the impact of attending a selective high school on student outcomes, a randomized evaluation of computer-aided algebra instruction in large urban school districts, and evaluations of performance-based scholarship impacts on academic outcomes and student time use at the college level.

Barrow holds a BA in economics from Carleton College, and an MA and a PhD in economics from Princeton University.

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Chris Berry

President and CEO, OhioX

Chris Berry is the President and CEO of OhioX, a statewide nonprofit organization that is working to turn Ohio into a tech hub. OhioX is a member-based organization with representation from Fortune 500 companies, universities, research organizations, startups, and tech-focused businesses.

Chris has spent over a decade building and engaging in high profile campaigns that have touched on a wide range of first-of-their-kind issues. His work has been quoted and seen in media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, the Associated Press, FOX Business, Forbes, Fortune and hundreds more across the world.

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Kipum Lee

Vice President, Enterprise Strategy & Innovation, University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio

Kipum Lee, PhD, is a strategy executive at University Hospitals where he oversees the enterprise innovation process built to give life to the most promising initiatives within the system. Through UH Ventures, he also manages an innovation portfolio that advances product development, partnerships, and human-centered design.

Kip graduated with a degree in biomedical science from the University of Pennsylvania, master’s degree in interaction design from Carnegie Mellon University, and a PhD in management from Case Western Reserve University. He also serves on various nonprofit boards where the mission is to advance the life and community of Ohioans.

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Casey Weinstein

State Representative, Ohio's 34th House District

Casey Weinstein will be sworn in as the State Senator for Ohio State Senate District 28 on January 6, 2025. He currently has the honor of serving as the State Representative for Ohio's 34th House District. He was first elected in 2018 and has championed veterans, education, and renewable energy initiatives during his time in office. Casey is also a Director for ServiceNow, Inc., an information technology firm, where he manages a team responsible for business development, sales, and account management activities for the Department of Defense, including the US Air Force and US Space Force.

Casey is a 2004 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and served on Active Duty as Deputy Chief of Information Assurance at Space & Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles, and as Officer in Charge of Maintenance Support at Wright-Patterson, Air Force Base. Casey also received an MBA from The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business in 2007.

Casey is married to his Air Force Academy classmate, Amanda, who is the Director of Research, Knowledge, and Evaluation at the Center of Rural Innovation. They have two young daughters and a son, Nora, Emilia, and Brady.

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Melanie Myers

Director of Procurement Strategy, Nestlé USA

Melanie Myers is the Director of Procurement Strategy at Nestlé USA and has been an active member of The University of Akron Economics Advisory Board since 2021. In her current role, she drives the creation and execution of strategies for over $7B in spend, fosters collaboration and connection across the global procurement organization, and leads key initiatives to enhance procurement capabilities.

Melanie holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Corporate Finance from The University of Akron. She is a Cleveland native residing in Hudson, Ohio, with her husband and son. She enjoys being outdoors and active, cooking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

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