Speakers

Tord Olav Dønnum is a Norwegian serial-entrepreneur and operator based in Silicon Valley who has spent his career building technology companies that solve real-world problems at scale. He founded his first venture at 16, and after three months in a master’s program at UC Berkeley, left to build a capital-raising platform that connected over 20,000 startups and hundreds of funds, facilitating more than $10 billion in transactions in its first three years of operation. Today, he serves as CBO at OLHSO, the company behind the world’s first fully autonomous Korean BBQ kitchen. He is leading the brand's expansion into airports and high-throughput off-premises locations, navigating the operational and technological realities of a new model of hospitality, one where automation handles the cooking so that people can focus entirely on what technology will never replicate: genuine human connection, the kind that makes a guest feel seen, remembered, and taken care of. The lessons have been hard-won, the unit economics surprising, and the model is now being replicated across new markets. When he’s not building, Tord has brought internet access and technology resources to indigenous communities in Ecuador and Papua New Guinea, a reminder that the most powerful technology is the kind that actually gets deployed.

Linda Johansen-James is a globally recognized retail strategist, entrepreneur, author, keynote speaker, and automated retail pioneer who has spent more than 26 years helping brands, entrepreneurs and shopping centers s transform retail concepts into scalable, profitable businesses. Widely recognized as one of the industry's leading authorities on automated retail, Linda previously served as Co-Owner and CEO of American Kiosk Management (AKM), where she helped build and operate one of the largest specialty retail and automated retail organizations in the world. Under her leadership, AKM operated more than 600 staffed retail locations, 1,000 automated stores, and employed over 1,800 team members across North America, Australia, and New Zealand. The organization generated more than $1.7 billion in revenue while serving millions of customers through innovative retail formats. Today, as Founder and CEO of International Retail Group (IRG), Linda advises retailers, landlords, developers, and emerging brands on growth strategies spanning site selection, leasing, customer experience, experiential retail, automated retail, pop-up concepts, and operational excellence. Throughout her career, she has helped launch more than 40 retail concepts and negotiated hundreds of retail leases across multiple countries.

Jessa Parette leads design and experience strategy as Head of Design for Byte by Yum!, the AI-driven platform behind KFC, Taco Bell, Habit Burger and Pizza Hut. Over a career spanning enterprise financial services, retail, and restaurant technology, she has built and led design and research organizations at Capital One and Walmart before joining Yum!. Her work sits at the intersection of AI, scale, and getting new technology to actually take hold across distributed operations — the gap between what corporate builds and what frontline teams and franchise operators actually use.

Chris Adamson assumed the role of Burroughs' Chief Commercial Officer in 2025 after successfully serving as Vice President of Sales & Business Development. Before joining Burroughs, Chris was leading an innovative services development and go-to-market consulting team within the Ricoh Americas Corporation. Over his 25-year tenure with Ricoh, both in Canada and the US, he held various leadership roles in sales, business development, product & services management, as well as divisional management positions in Information Technology, Technical Services, and Marketing. He was an influential leader and contributor to the development of Ricoh's Enterprise Software, IT Services, Managed Services, and Professional Services consulting practices, leading innovative change in the company's services strategy diversification and lifecycle services adjacency programs. Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bishop's University in Quebec, Canada, and an MBA in Management from FIT.

Francisco Alonzo has over 30 years of experience in the aviation industry. His experience includes leadership roles in airport concessions, airport real estate, aviation development, and business aviation. During his tenure in aviation, Francisco has led the development and redevelopment of 100’s of retail and dining spaces, the opening of new aviation campuses, and has directed over $1 billion in commercial development projects. Currently, Francisco Alonzo serves as the Managing Director of Customer and Concessions Development for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), where he is responsible for directing revenue programs and business growth at Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport. Before joining MWAA, he served in various leadership roles at Denver International Airport and Sheltair Aviation, where he also directed revenue programs and business growth, including retail, dining, hotel, advertisement, and business aviation.

Dr. Murat Aras is CMO at ATP (BIST: ATATP), a Brand Finance Türkiye 125 technology company developing mission-critical platforms for the hospitality, finance and capital markets sectors across Türkiye, China and MEA. With 20+ years scaling go-to-market strategies for enterprise IT, he brings strategic insight into how organizations adopt new technologies at scale. At ATP, he leads the commercialization of ATP Zenia, ATP's restaurant management and omnichannel order delivery platform for leading global restaurant brands, spanning POS, FoH, BoH, O2O and kiosks. He architects market entry strategies across 12 territories, partnering with leaders in AI and automation. His interdisciplinary background, Marine Engineering, MBA, and a PhD in American Culture and Literature, positions him to bridge technical complexity with human adoption. A frequent keynote speaker at global forums, Dr. Aras specializes in translating complex portfolios into measurable commercial outcomes

Elliot Baum is a seasoned executive and entrepreneur with 25+ years of experience driving growth, innovation, and operational excellence in real estate. Through his firm, E Solutions Strategy, he advises developers and operators on strategy, asset repositioning, and technology integration. He is the creator of Automate Retail.ai, a model that transforms spaces into frictionless, tech-enabled retail environments—featuring micro-stores, digital food halls, and automated solutions. His work blends AI, PropTech, and immersive technologies to enhance consumer experiences and unlock new revenue streams.

Ian Benson is a pioneer in automated retail & vending within transportation hubs. Born and educated in the UK, he led the creation and management of Travelex's multimillion-dollar prepaid phone card and vending program spanning the UK, Europe, US, and Australasia. Ian has negotiated strategic agreements with some of the world's largest airports, government agencies, telecom and hospitality groups. Over the past six years, Ian focused on consulting for travel and automated retail companies advising on contract negotiations, location strategy and partnership development. He also established a network of around 200 personal care kiosks primarily located in airports and full-service US hotels. In January 2026, Ian joined the leadership team at Prepango, the dominant automated retail operator at U.S. airports and the hospitality sector, to support the company's ambitious global expansion strategy, which recently included deployment of Prepango’s exclusive FIFA 2026 automated retail license

Blake Boeckel is the Technology Manager at honeygrow, where he leads the technology strategy behind the brand's self-service and kiosk ordering experience across its restaurant locations nationwide. He oversees the network infrastructure, payment security, and cloud systems that power honeygrow's kiosk and digital ordering channels, including PCI compliance for card-present transactions and secure network segmentation across POS and kiosk environments. Blake specializes in building resilient, secure technology architectures for multi-location retail deployments, balancing innovation with the operational and compliance demands of running self-service technology at scale. He's focused on how automation and thoughtful infrastructure design can improve both the guest experience and store-level efficiency.

Valentina Ellison is a seasoned executive with nearly two decades of experience in the non-traditional restaurant industry. She has held leadership positions in travel hospitality at Areas USA and REEF Kitchens, and in 2023, she led non-traditional growth for Earl Enterprises. In 2024, Valentina founded her own operating company to pioneer a new concept within the U.S. airport industry. She leverages her strategic vision and collaborative leadership to develop and operate specialty restaurant-branded, unstaffed food vending kiosks. This innovative approach aims to serve a broader consumer base in high-volume transportation hubs. In just under a year, applying well established relationships within the airport and non-traditional industries, Ellison has secured multiple contracts at top global airports, including ATL, BOS, DAL, and many others. Ellison holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Salisbury University, with undergraduate degrees in Marketing and International Business.

Srishti Handa is the Vice President of Marketing - Brand and Growth at Dave’s Hot Chicken. For nearly five years, she’s helped shape the voice, identity, and growth of one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands in the country, driving national campaigns, menu innovation, and global expansion. Before joining Dave’s, she led marketing for a female-founded produce company, managing retail partnerships with Whole Foods, Kroger, and Bristol Farms. Her career spans food, retail, and consumer brands, including leading marketing for a lifestyle company acquired by India’s largest retailer and overseeing brand strategy for a plant-based frozen food company across Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. That journey eventually led her to launch her own frozen food brand, The Temperamental Chef, sold in premium Indian grocery stores and is rooted in her belief that vegetables deserve better PR. Her work has earned her recognition from Forbes 30 Under 30 and, more recently, AdAge 40 Under 40.

Christina Henjum currently serves as the Director of Concessions for the Lee County Port Authority, where she oversees all retail and dining operations. With more than 30 years of retail experience, her career includes 20 years in New York City as Senior Vice President for Jet Corp, followed by her tenure as CEO of Jihua. Her background spans trend forecasting, product development, operations, and purchasing. In 2020, she transitioned into the aviation sector, gaining a unique perspective on the differences between traditional brick-and-mortar retail and the dynamic environment of airport retail and dining.

Justin Honeysuckle brings a unique blend of design expertise and entrepreneurial vision to the forefront of automated bartending technology. With a Master’s Degree in Interior Architecture and Design from Florida State University, Justin’s deep understanding of customer experience and aesthetics has positioned TendedBar as a standout in the industry. His ability to seamlessly integrate visual appeal and operational efficiency has been a key factor in differentiating the TendedBar experience in high-volume venues.

Dale Laszig is a veteran payments journalist and content strategist with decades of experience covering financial technology, payments, and unattended commerce. Her work has appeared in Vending Times, The Green Sheet, and other leading trade publications, where she is known for translating complex industry developments into actionable insights. Laszig's career includes leadership roles at payment providers and point-of-sale technology companies, giving her a unique perspective on technology, operations, and market strategy. In 2007, she founded DSL Direct, an independent consultancy specializing in financial services and PayTech content strategy. A frequent commentator on emerging trends in payments and commerce, Laszig has contributed to industry advancement through committee service with the Electronic Transactions Association (ETA), the U.S. Payments Forum, and PayTech Women. She holds a B.A. from SUNY Excelsior College and an M.S. in Management from Argosy University.

Andrew Martineau is the Co-Founder and CEO of Zero Empty Spaces, a national vacancy activation company that transforms vacant commercial real estate into thriving creative workspaces and entrepreneurial hubs. Since co-founding the organization in 2019, he has helped develop a scalable model that provides temporarily vacant spaces to artists while delivering value to property owners, developers, municipalities, and local economies. His work bridges commercial real estate, economic development, entrepreneurship, and the creative sector, demonstrating how underutilized properties can become catalysts for community engagement and business growth. A recognized speaker on vacancy activation, creative placemaking, and downtown revitalization, Martineau collaborates with cities, developers, and industry leaders to advance innovative approaches to adaptive reuse.

Audra Mazzeo is the VP for White Castle’s retail-food division. In her 18-year career in consumer-packaged goods, she has also worked with several global brands, including General Mills and Hershey. Audra has a bachelor's degree in marketing and international business from Michigan State University and an executive MBA from the University of Arkansas. A Midwest native, Audra is the proud mother of 2 girls.

Sharon Peyer currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA). She is the Founder and CEO of Catalyst Converge, a strategic advisory firm serving operators, manufacturers, brands, investors, and technology companies across the automated retail and convenience services industries. With more than two decades of experience spanning investment banking, venture capital, entrepreneurship, and executive leadership, she has helped commercialize and scale innovative technologies supporting more than $1 billion in annual consumer transactions. Prior to founding Catalyst Converge, Sharon led Crane Payment Innovations' global Convenience Services business, encompassing connected self-service technologies, digital out-of-home (DOOH) media, and technology-enabled merchandising solutions. Earlier in her career, she co-founded venture-backed companies in digital media and e-commerce.

Jeff Rogers is the Founder and CEO of BetterHealth Vending®, a Gold Sponsor and rapidly growing innovator in automated retail. Launched just 3.5 years ago in Charleston, SC with 20 machines, the company has expanded across 8 states through its Channel Partner program. Jeff recognized early that driving healthier choices requires combining the right hardware, strong CPG partnerships, and cutting-edge software. Powered by Vendekin’s patented technology to optimize operations and customer experience, BetterHealth Vending® has firmly established itself at the forefront of the healthy vending movement.

Nipun Sharma is the Co-Founder and CEO of Appetronix, a company building fully autonomous robotic restaurants that cook made-to-order meals with zero on-site staff, 24/7. In June 2025, Appetronix launched first-in-market in the US with Donatos Pizza at Columbus International Airport, operated by HMSHost. Nipun brings 17+ years of leadership in restaurants and food manufacturing, having managed 10+ brands across QSR and full-service concepts as a former COO of global public restaurant chains. Before moving into food and beverage, he built a Wall Street career in investment banking and private equity. He is a McGill University graduate. Nipun speaks to the real-world deployment of AI and robotics in food service, not as a future concept, but as something operating today.

Bill Stutzman, Director of Strategic Initiatives is a networking industry change agent helping today’s Omnichannel Financial Institutions solve technology challenges and meet networking demand. Bill’s expertise in marketing and network services has allowed him to support FIs implementing the many transformational changes impacting the omnichannel branch and how it can positively enhance the customer experience. Bill holds an M.B.A from Columbia University and throughout his career, including senior roles at Time, Inc’s Fortune.com, Entertainment Weekly’s EW.com, and Sprint, he has demonstrated a talent for anticipating trends and capturing value at the right time.

Dave Wurm is the VP of Strategic Sales at Connect Media, where he leads high-impact sales initiatives and strategic partnerships across the commercial real estate media landscape. In his role, he also brings deep expertise in customer-facing technologies—including ATMs, self-service kiosks, digital signage, vending, automated retail, robotics, and restaurant technology—helping bridge these innovative sectors with Connect’s audience and advertising partners. Previously, Dave served as Chief Sales Officer at NetWorld Media Group, where he led the company’s sales organization with more than 24 years of experience driving growth and innovation. Beginning his career as an Account Executive, he rose through the ranks to oversee a dynamic portfolio that included nine online news platforms as well as a robust lineup of in-person and virtual industry summits. Driven by a commitment to collaboration and industry advancement, Dave continues to play a key role in shaping company success and elevating the broader media landscape. Outside of work, he enjoys golfing, biking, and spending quality time with his family.