Mike Abecassis is an innovative CEO with 30 years of experience developing new business models and turning them into successful businesses. He is a strong strategic thinker and team builder who enjoys turning problem companies into success stories and therefore has grown his business both organically and through acquisitions. Before taking on his role as CEO of General Vending and GameTime, Mike built several amusement and entertainment companies, then later sold them to move on to meet new challenges. His route operations firm, General Vending, has survived many economic challenges including 9/11 and has always come out on top. In 2010 he acquired GameWorks in both Miami and Tampa and re-branded it GameTime. The company now operates family entertainment centers in Miami, Daytona, Fort Myers, Ocoee, Tampa and Kissimmee. Mike oversees the day to day operations of all GameTime locations as well as several other entertainment and amusement companies throughout Florida.

Daniel Parker has driven technology enhancements and efficiencies with a spirit for innovation as Technical Services Manager with over 20 years of experience. The experience has been in both the Retail and Travel and Leisure space including Theme Parks, Cruise Lines, Resorts, and destinations. He has successfully implemented AI in the Service and Operational environments reducing downtime, increasing efficiency, and creating a better customer experience. He has also, designed and implemented a full suite of Centralized Remote Monitoring and reporting tools to greatly reduce field issues and increase productivity.

Neil Thompson is Vice President, Digital for HMSHost, a global restaurateur and world leader in delivering innovative dining solutions in travel venues. HMSHost operates locations all over North America, and is part of Autogrill Group, the world’s leading provider of food & beverage services for people on the move. Neil joined HMSHost in 2012 as Vice President, Canada. In this position, he was responsible for the company’s operations in Canadian airports and motorways. In 2020, Neil was appointed Vice President, Digital and is responsible for overseeing the company’s digital strategy and vision. Prior to joining HMSHost, Neil worked as an executive for some of Canada’s most recognizable restaurant brands including Tim Hortons. Neil holds a B.A. from the University of Toronto, and his passion for food led him to attain a Culinary Arts Certificate from George Brown College. He also completed the Hospitality Managers’ Development Course at University of Guelph.

Rick Welch is a results-driven Operating Manager with over 26 years of progressive management responsibilities in field operations, client services management, service sales, and business development. He has delivered strong performance against service level agreements and budget goals. Rick provided leadership, guidance, and direction to develop Kodak Moment’s services and solutions for a new customer. He developed new portfolio of service offerings that created unique value and drove operational enhancements and top-line improvements for the customer. He is the point of contact for any operational issues with Sr. Account Executives as well as the liaison between the Account and Kodak Moments planning and field teams. He is responsible for developing and driving operational efficiencies with internal and external constituents to drive cost efficiencies and promote overall Service revenue growth.

Marcos Acuña is the Founder & CEO of QU!CK Scan&Go, a Miami company whose mission is to bring buying and selling experiences to the 21st century through the use of technology. Marcos is an entrepreneurial leader with 20 years of executive experience in the food and beverage industry. Before founding QU!CK, Marcos led the FAN ID technology project for Latin America. He was Vice President of the Banfield Athletic Club, Chairman of the members subcommittee and Assembly member of the Argentine Soccer Association (AFA).

Sean Albertson has been a customer experience leader for over 20 years, helping great companies like Charles Schwab and others in Telco and Financial Services create great CX for their customers. Sean specializes in the intersection of survey programs, text and journey analytics with operational metrics and the use of AI to bring out the power of those programs.

Mike Alkurdi is an experienced leader/operator in hospitality and food services, leveraging over a decade of experience in strategic management. With a track record spanning esteemed venues like Chartwells Higher Education at Nova Southeastern University and renowned establishments in Miami, Mike has honed an expertise in elevating F&B operations, directing teams of 200+ employees, and driving revenues exceeding millions. His dynamic career encompasses roles as Resident District Manager and General Manager, showcasing exceptional leadership and operational prowess. Mike is committed to fostering growth and is adept at navigating challenges, consistently steering operations to success through astute decision-making and a relentless passion for innovation and excellence.

Gary Arwin founder of Gator Vending, recently rebranded as Gator Refresh, is an innovator in the vending industry having been one of the first vending companies in the US to bring the use of cell phones to the vending industry. In early 2012 Gary began beta testing a new platform called Vuwi (Coin Free) on vending machines that allowed you to use your cell phone to make a purchase. Since then, Gary has used technology throughout his business to increase customer service, improve sales, increase efficiency, reduce costs and continually provide the best end user experience possible. Gary is passionate about using technology to it’s fullest for Gator Refresh and helping others to do the same.

Bhavin Asher, founder and CTO of GRUBBRR®, is dedicated to revolutionizing commerce through self-ordering tech. Merging his roles as a technologist, entrepreneur, and consultant, Bhavin aims to make technology accessible to all businesses. Originating from his family's entrepreneurship background in the cotton trade, he pursued a computer science degree at the University of Madras. His tech journey spanned roles at IBM, where he delved into enterprise-level solutions, and later at Deloitte USA as a CRM Strategy Consultant. At Salesforce, Bhavin reengineered legacy systems across industries like healthcare and telecom in the U.S., Mexico, and Australia.

Jenifer Brinkman began her professional career in marketing and guest experience with over 6 years of experience in the field, where she has consistently delivered results by crafting customized marketing solutions in the higher education world and creating memorable guest experiences. Recently, Jenifer has pivoted careers to the contract management side of things as Associate Director overseeing food service operations at Nova Southeastern University. Jenifer is passionate about creating innovative solutions and fostering a collaborative work environment to achieve business objectives. She constantly strives for excellence and believes that the key to success is driven by a customer-centric approach and a strong focus on quality.

Before joining Networld Media Group as Vice President of Events, Cherryh Cansler spent several years as VP of Editorial managing the Networld’s nine B2B publications. Throughout her 20-year career as a journalist, she’s written about a variety of topics, ranging from the restaurant industry and technology to health and fitness news. Her byline has appeared in a plethora of newspapers, magazines and websites, including Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine. She also serves as the managing editor for FastCasual.com.

Pete Carmain is an industry leader and expert in unattended retail and payments. With over 25 years of experience in technology sales, Pete leads the national accounts team for Nayax, North America. Pete specializes in designing and implementing large scale solutions for large operators that combine payments, operations and logistics technologies that improve operators overall business performance through the Nayax suite of products and services.

Jeremy Cauble, Director of Strategic Innovation for Canteen North America, has been exploring innovation in unattended retail for 15 years. Through his diversified background in marketing, digital commerce/SEO, field implementation and customer experience, Jeremy has learned how to leverage new technologies to continuously improve the shopping experience for customers in unattended retail.  Quick and easy checkout, interactive shopping tools, channels for consumer engagement and feedback, and operational technologies to ensure the right product in the right place at the right time—all of these and more combined to simplify the overall shopping process and elevate customer satisfaction.

Randy Chilton has spent over 30 years as a respected and distinguished Senior Executive Sales and Business Development Manager driving penetrating amusement and automated retail growth for small, midsize and large organizations. His current role at National Entertainment Network (NEN) is as Chief Marketing Officer. NEN is a national amusement and game room operator covering all 50 states with over 40,000 assets in over 13,000 locations. Randy has an extensive background working with the top national clients, retailers, and restaurateurs, helping them with their front of house kiosk decisions. His work background includes 11 years as VP of Sales at Coinstar/Outerwall, helping launch Redbox, Coinstar expansion, and other automated retail solutions introduced to the marketplace. Today his focus is working with major banners, helping them with their strategic kiosk decisions.

As Director of Technical Services, Phil Deckers manages InReach technology initiatives that bridge the consumer experience, distribution, operations, and customer service. InReach is the Convenience Segment of Sodexo that creates spaces that keep workers engaged, happy, healthy, and productive through innovative vending, micro market, refreshment, and pantry services. Phil resides in Austin and has been part of the InReach team since 2019. Prior to joining InReach, Phil implemented business intelligence, warehousing, and delivery solutions in the broadline foodservice distribution industry.

Jeremy DuPont is the Vice President of Product and Marketing at KIOSK Information Systems. Before joining KIOSK in 2022, he has performed various product and marketing leadership roles within the telecom industry, specializing in Enterprise Communications and its associated technologies and ecosystems. Bringing a unique, experience-driven perspective from the service provider and enterprise end user viewpoints, Jeremy brings tremendous knowledge to the self-service industry, as he leads KIOSK’s CX-driven strategy to bring an innovative and modern product line to market. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado with a B.S. in Marketing and an MBA focusing on Technology Innovation Management. Jeremy is based in Denver, Colorado.

Melanie Endres as CEO of Code Factory SL from Spain has been with the company for 15 years. She has helped shift directions from a development company for the world´s first screen reader for mobile devices for the blind and visually impaired to a company that will now bring a revolutionary product to the kiosk world. Taking advantage of the company's expertise in voice enabled products, voice controlled food ordering is the future vision for this company and will take customer experience in the self ordering market to a new level. As a German living in Spain having graduated with a MSc in Scotland, doing business worldwide comes naturally.

Roxann Favors began her career with the City of Phoenix in 2003 as part of the City of Phoenix management internship program. Upon completion, she was promoted to management within the Business and Properties division of the Aviation Department. Ms. Favors remained with the Aviation Department for eleven years, five of which were as a Deputy Aviation Director of the Business and Properties division. From 2015 – 2022, Roxann served as the City of Phoenix Major Events Administrator. In this role she led the citywide coordination of high-profile large events, such as the 2016 College Football Playoffs (CFP) Championship Game and 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four. She led city’s participation in winning the hosting opportunities for 2023 Super Bowl LVII and NCAA 2024 Men’s and the 2026 Women’s Basketball Final Four tournaments. In 2022, Roxann returned to the Aviation Department as Assistant Aviation Director/Chief Revenue Officer overseeing the Business and Properties, Contracts and Services and Technology divisions.

Jason Fitch is a passionate and driven individual who thrives on challenges and embraces new experiences. A degree in Marketing and Business Administration, Jason began his career in contract food service management. Jason has reinvented many campuses across the nation from the central to southeast regions, excelling in creating innovative programs along the way. With over two decades of experience, Jason made a career pivot in 2022. As Director of Auxiliary Services for Nova Southeastern University, in the Division of Business Services, Jason now provides contract management for dining services, vending services, pouring rights, travel services, mail services, and bookstore.

Ray Friedrich is a proven entrepreneurial leader with 35 years executive experience in the food and beverage industry. Ray started and grew a food service management company into one of the largest independent operators in Michigan when sold in 2019. Ray is a recognized national industry leader receiving many accolades for creating new and forward-thinking innovations related to the dining and convenience services industry. Ray now works with CEOs and business owners to help their organizations successfully identify, define and execute high-level strategic initiatives designed to meet their long-term goals. Ray is also experienced in executive team building and coaching. He helps to create a team culture of responsibility, collaboration and accountability. Throughout his career, Ray has demonstrated the power of new technologies to significantly transform an organization.

Andrew Kartiganer, owner of Professional Vending Services in Deerfield Beach, Florida, has been in the vending business nearly all of his life, being a second generation vending operator. A graduate of Farleigh Dickinson University in Rutherford, N.J., Andrew served as senior vice president and director of operations for All American Hero, a restaurant franchisor, before owning and operating shopping mall restaurants on his own. He later sold his restaurants and re-entered the vending business with bulk vending. By 2000, he expanded his vending business to include office coffee service and water service. In 2011, he became a Canteen franchisee through an acquisition.

Bridger Keally started as the sales director at Panoptyc with an extensive background in sales but little knowledge of the vending industry. After consulting with industry experts and operators, he quickly realized the stress that theft and labor shortages were inflicting and the need for Panoptyc’s solution. Since then, Keally has been instrumental in bringing Panoptyc to over 10,000 markets across the country. To keep up with this growth, Keally aims to integrate with kiosk providers and other key industry partners to make Panoptyc’s services as seamless and accessible as possible for customers. Looking forward, he is focused on providing solutions for vendors outside of just micro market theft. He relishes the opportunity to meet with customers at conferences and site visits to explore their challenges and develop solutions. Keally is a graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder.

Steve Lieber is a respected figure in the restaurant industry, celebrated for his expertise in restaurant concept design and successful operations. A certified pizzaiolo from Italy, he earned the title of Best Pizza in the USA in 2009. Currently, as Vice President of Franchise Development at BURGERFI International, he represents both the BURGERFI and Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza & Wings brands. Steve has led his team to sell over 150 franchises to 50+ groups, spanning 20+ states and international markets like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. His commitment extends to mentoring franchisees and boosting local store marketing strategies for profitability.

Elliot Maras brings a background covering the retail, foodservice and payments industries, having served as the editor of Automatic Merchandiser Magazine for 20 years and as the founding editor of VendingMarketWatch.com. He is a graduate of the National Automatic Merchandising Association/Michigan State University Executive Development Program, a former board member of the International Foodservice Editors Council, and a winner of the Journalism Award of the Office Refreshment Development Foundation.

Ashye Marcus is a senior global business development leader for Just Walk Out tech by Amazon, an innovative solution that gives operators the ability to offer their customers an autonomous shopping experience. Just Walk Out tech’s differentiated retail stores can be found in stadiums & arenas, airports, and higher education among other verticals. She is a trusted advisor to her customers that provides strategic and operational guidance on frictionless retail stores. Ashye is passionate about next-gen customer experiences and has led revenue-focused teams in B2B, B2B2C and B2C organizations. Her 20 years of experience spans startups and large corporations, most notably Amazon, Nike, and Lehman Brothers.

Mickal McMath is a seasoned leader in the vending industry, known for his unwavering commitment to operational excellence, leveraging technology for efficiency, and fostering business growth through meaningful client relationships. With a career spanning nearly two decades, Mickal has demonstrated his expertise and dedication to the industry. In his current role as VPRO Five Star Food Service in Lafayette, LA, he is driving the branch's expansion and success through strategic client acquisition and nurturing. Having been with M&M Sales Company for an impressive 18 years, Mickal played a pivotal role in establishing and strengthening client relationships. His ability to maintain open lines of communication with business partners and a deep understanding of client needs has been instrumental in the growth of the company within the community. Mickal is a technology enthusiast and has consistently introduced technological advancements to enhance operational efficiency, accountability, and profitability within the vending industry.

Ryan McWhirter is the Vice President of Product Management at 365 Retail Markets, located in Troy, MI. A graduate from Michigan State University with a degree in Telecommunications, McWhirter has two decades of experience in the interactive self-service technology field. Having implemented kiosks, digital menu boards, mobile apps and much more across the restaurant, airport and casino industries, McWhirter has been at the forefront of self-service innovation.

Michael Melton was the Founder and President of Peachtree Breakroom Services in Atlanta, one of the largest independently owned Full Service Operations in the Southeast. An industry innovator, Michael researched healthy vending and is credited with bringing it to Georgia, offering fresh fruits and other healthy and organic options. Peachtree was one of the first companies to be 100% cashless, embracing the technology necessary to run and grow a successful convenience services business. Over 31 years he built Peachtree into a highly profitable business that he sold in 2020. Michael is an NCE5 NAMA Certified Executive (NCE) and a graduate of the Michigan State Mini-MBA program. He previously served as National Director of Operations with Refreshing, USA., and as an Industry Consultant. He has served on the GAMC State Board for over 10 years, helping achieve Sales Tax Parity for Georgia operators and led the effort to merge Georgia into the Southeastern Vending Association (SEVA).

Drew Munro is the co-founder and CEO of UpMeals, a Vancouver food tech start-up on a mission to make healthy food accessible 24/7 through technology solutions, such as customized healthy SmartVending machines powered by proprietary management software. Prior to starting UpMeals, Drew founded an award-winning catering company based in Vancouver. He has 12 years of experience curating corporate event experiences, working with organizations such as Facebook, Ferrari, and Amazon to create memorable food experiences. Drew is passionate about the intersection of wellness and technology, food waste reduction, and sustainability.

Kurt Pahlitzsch is Vice President of Operations for Doherty Enterprises, overseeing 83 Applebee’s locations and two Chevys Fresh Mex restaurants. He leads over 4,800 team members across four states. During his 28 years of service with Doherty, Kurt was also responsible for the design, development, and operations of the concepts Spuntino Italian Tapas & Wine bar, Shannon Rose Irish Pub, Chevys Fresh Mex , and Quaker Steak & Lube. During his tenure he has overseen the opening of more than 45 new restaurants. Kurt has been selected to serve on several counsels in multiple brands. Most currently, he serves on the Franchise Operations Counsel, Beverage Counsel, and Restaurant of the Future with Applebee’s. Kurt has been recognized with the following awards, Operations Partner of the Year 2018, Operations Partner of the Year 2020, and Beverage Champion 2022, with recognition for his performance excellence and innovative contributions to the Applebee’s Brand.

Mitul Patel has been part of the Information Technology and Telecommunications industry for more than 20 years. During his career he has held several key roles from product management, business operations, and sales leadership. He has years of experience working with several of the largest retail, healthcare, transportation, and logistics organizations around the globe. His current role is the Director of OEM Sales for the Americas at Zebra Technologies. Mitul’s primary focus is to drive sales of component technologies critical to the advancement of self-service across multiple industries.

Morgan Petty, Interactive Experience Account Director for Frank Mayer, works alongside clients to understand their objectives, pilot new interactive kiosk and display programs, and optimize the customer experience. As the former executive director of the Interactive Customer Experience Association, Morgan facilitated peer group discussions focused on CX research, strategies, and technologies with executives from a wide range of industries, including retail, restaurant, financial services, hospitality, and entertainment. In addition to her experience at ICX Association, Morgan has advised B2C brands as the founder of StratEdgeEyes, a company that collaborates with leading innovators to build business infrastructure and plan effective customer-facing strategies. For nearly a decade, she also worked with Networld Media Group, publisher of KioskMarketplace.com, RetailCustomerExperience.com, DigitalSignageToday.com, FastCasual.com, QSRweb.com, and other B2B media platforms.

As an Operations Excellence Manager for Aramark Refreshments, Jeff Ping is responsible for driving operational efficiencies for vending and micro markets, as well as strategic partnerships with third party vendors across the US. He is integral in identifying impactful ways to leverage innovation and technology to deliver value and experience to both internal teams and external customers. In his 13 years with Aramark Jeff has held positions of increasing responsibility in both field operations and operational leadership for Aramark Refreshments. Jeff has been recognized as one of Aramark’s Route Sales Manager of the Year. Jeff resides in Cleveland, OH with his wife Patricia and son Killian.

Meet Bruce Rasmussen, a dynamic sales leader currently serving as the Director of Sales at Ingenico. With a remarkable 26-year tenure at Ingenico, Bruce has passionately driven sales activities across various sectors, including retail banking, merchant bankcard, Tier One and Two Retailers. For the past decade, he has steered Ingenico's Unattended line of business to new heights. Under Bruce's visionary guidance, the unattended sales division has witnessed unprecedented growth. He meticulously crafted a thriving ecosystem, collaborating with over 30 key partners who cover every aspect of the self-service experience, resulting in holistic solutions. Remarkably, Ingenico's self-service devices now grace more than 300,000 kiosks or self-service access points across the United States. Bruce is renowned among his clientele and partners as an energetic and creative problem solver. He consistently receives accolades for his unwavering commitment to integrity and a client-centric approach.

Alejandro Rodriguez is the Founder and CEO of Pharmabox and its subsidiaries AmeriKiosk and SmartBox Retail. In 2014 Pharmabox was born out of the idea of providing customers with the best over the counter products using the latest technologies in the most convenient way. Seven years later and Pharmabox is more than an idea – it has grown into a huge success. Pharmabox is currently providing services to more than 100 locations around the US and has grown to include subsidiaries like AmeriKiosk – offering Hardware and Software solutions to brands and retailers in a variety of sectors – and SmartBox – an in-store robotic technology solution that addresses shrink while improving the customer experience and increasing ROI.

Glen Ryniewski is Director of Soaring Strategies which specializes in business development within U.S. and international airports. He has over 20 years’ experience in the Aviation industry serving as the Assistant Commissioner of Concessions and Customer Service for the Chicago Department of Aviation with oversight of O’Hare and Midway International Airports. Additionally, he works with the Executive Branch of the Federal Government, and has experience in advertising, publishing, real estate, and is an Adjunct Professor at DePaul University and member of their Hospitality Advisory Board.

Arne Saupe is the VP of Technology at Farmer’s Fridge. He leads the company’s tech org which includes the engineering, product, IT, and data teams. His current focus is to create scalable systems and the foundational architecture to allow Farmer’s Fridge to grow to the next level. Arne has over 25 years of experience as a leader and an engineer working in a wide variety of industries including Commodities, Retail and Insurance. He is passionate about removing the technical barriers and giving the business freedom to thrive. He has learned how to strike balance between delivering solutions that scale without over engineering the solutions and maintaining the company’s ability to pivot.

Patrick Sheehan, President of Sheehan Brothers Vending, has driven his family’s business to new heights in 2023. His leadership has grown the Southwest Ohio operation from 60 employees to 130 and increased revenue by 200%. As a third generation Sheehan, Patrick has embraced the 67 years of experience his father mentored him with, while bringing new innovative ways to drive business and profitability. Patrick has been active in the industry serving on a USG committee, Vice President of the Ohio Automatic Merchandising Association, and helping create a new national network of independent operators called Guardian Refresh.

Christopher Smith is a Christ follower, a Husband, and a Father. Experienced in Management with a demonstrated history of working in the beverage industry. Skilled in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Operations Management, Customer Service, Sales, and Sales Operations. Holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) focused in Management Information Systems, from University of South Florida and a Masters (MBA) focused in Executive Leadership from Southeastern University. Currently leads all vending and market operations for Coca-Cola Beverages Florida.

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.

Keith Szot is the driving force behind the innovation at Esper, a leading solution enabling DevOps practices for device management. As an avid early adopter, Keith’s love for technology feeds every aspect of Esper’s product, roadmap, and customer experience. His knowledge spans not only verticals, having worked in everything from industrial automation and warehousing to retail point-of-sale and consumer elections, and also the entire value chain of smart device solutions. Keith has deep customer empathy and know-how to get to the core of customers’ problems and identify solutions, having been on all sides of the product life cycle, from building and shipping solutions to making purchasing decisions.

The ATM Industry Association (ATMIA) today announced the appointment of its new CEO, Mr. Lonnie Talbert, an experienced and award-winning high-level Financial Services executive. For over three decades, Talbert has enjoyed an extensive and successful career in Financial Services, including leadership roles with large Fortune 500 companies, encompassing several high-level executive roles. He was most recently President of the New Mexico Bankers Association and has been a member of numerous ABA committees and the ePay Advisors, Board of Directors. Lonnie received his BS degree in Business Administration from Jacksonville University.

Dave Wurm, Chief Sales Officer at Networld Media Group (NMG), leads the entire sales team with an impressive 21-year journey, starting from an AE to now overseeing 10 online news sites and in-person and virtual summits. His fervor lies in customer-facing technologies like ATMs, Self-Service Kiosks, Digital Signage, Vending Machines, Automation, Robotics, and Restaurant Tech, all falling under NMG's diverse media umbrella. Dave takes immense pride in forging true partnerships with vendors and helping them grow their businesses. Collaborating for the betterment of each industry, NMG serves as your extended marketing team, offering unparalleled marketing and PR support without being on your payroll. With dedication and passion, Dave Wurm drives NMG's success and amplifies the potential of the media landscape.

Yang Yu has been creating products since he was 15 years old with a passion for problems that affect the quality of life for everyday people. Before founding KitchenMate, he was the CPO at Opencare, where he designed products to connect patients with the best healthcare professionals. He is a University of Toronto alum where he studied computer science.

Manuela Zoninsein is the CEO and Founder of Kadeya, the world’s first closed-loop beverage vending system. Our network of smart bottling stations and reusable bottles eliminates the need for single-use beverage containers forever. As a serial climate entrepreneur, she has launched two businesses in the agritech space, one a data service in China, which was acquired by a partner, and one in Brazil, now that country’s largest online marketplace for smallholder farmers. As an angel, Manuela has invested in over 30 women-led companies focused on sustainability. She holds an MBA from MIT-Sloan, an MSc from the University of Oxford, and a BA from Harvard University. She is a proud Brazilian immigrant fluent in Mandarin-Chinese, Spanish, and Portuguese.