ADVISORY LEADERS

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Keith is an accomplished technology and defense executive with over 25 years of experience leading enterprise architecture, secure communications, and advanced systems innovation across government and private sectors. He is a former White House Lead Communications Engineer, U.S. Dept of State, and Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon. Today, he advises senior executives, venture-backed startups, and advisory boards in emerging fields such as quantum computing, defense technology, and ethical AI, leveraging a global network of more than 9,000 direct connections and 25,000+ followers to accelerate collaboration and growth.

Keith currently serves as an Advisory Partner with Marenovum Partners, supporting private equity firms and portfolio companies with technology strategy, operational scaling, and secure systems integration. He also holds advisory board positions with leading innovators, including Quranium, Analog Physics Inc., Secure Quantum, Qsentinel, The Black Rhino Group, Energy Plug Technologies, and BioTone AI, where he contributes expertise in AI reliability, compliance, and mission-critical technology adoption.

Keith held high-stakes defense roles, including Lead Engineer for the US Presidential Direct Communications Link between the White House and the Kremlin. He also served in senior technical and leadership capacities at USSPACECOM, USAFRICOM, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and US Army Pacific Command, where he advanced secure communications, enterprise architecture, and cyber defense strategies. As Enterprise Architect and Acting CTO at USAFRICOM, he spearheaded the development of a modular mobile data center and redesigned enterprise-wide frameworks for data protection and disaster recovery.

Most recently, Keith was a key Enterprise Architect on the $1.5 billion ELITE contract proposal, where he drove business growth and operational efficiency through cloud integration, architectural governance, and strategic planning. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for aligning technology with mission objectives, leading cross-functional teams, and bridging complex technical systems with strategic goals.

With active Top Secret SCI clearance and a track record spanning national security, advanced technology, and advisory leadership, Keith brings unparalleled expertise in secure systems, AI adoption, and technology transformation for both government and private sector enterprises.

Carlos is a recognized AI leader and early pioneer of Agentic AI, bringing 30 years of expertise in generative AI, machine learning, deep learning, natural-language processing, and IoT. As Co-Founder and CEO of Konecto — Carlos has made the company a go-to partner for organizations striving to unlock new efficiency and create tangible value for their businesses and customers.

Earlier in his career, Carlos led regional growth initiatives across the Americas for Sigfox, PTC, Siemens, Autodesk, and Dassault Systèmes, sharpening his ability to fuse technical depth with commercial strategy and guide high-impact teams.

Core Focus at Konecto

-Agentic AI – autonomous voice and text agents that drive conversation,      decision, and workflow automation.

-End-to-End IoT Solutions – turnkey connectivity, hardware, edge computing,      and monitoring.

Carlos also serves within the Marenovum Partners network, advising clients on harnessing AI and IoT to achieve operational excellence at scale.

Education

-MBA International Business, Florida Atlantic University -– including an International Business certification completed at Università degli      Studi di Padova, Italy

-B.S.  Computer Science, Universidade de Taubaté (Brazil)

Driven by a customer-first mindset and a passion for purposeful technology, Carlos turns complex systems into competitive advantage—helping companies move from proof of concept to real-world AI impact.  

Hays is a strategic operations, oriented executive with deep experience in Healthcare Services, Healthcare (Payer & Provider), and digital healthcare companies.  In his recent role, Hays focuses on the intersection of technology and operations for a prominent integrated home care services company with over 200 sites throughout the United States.   

Through a portfolio of digital transformation initiatives, Hays, working in collaboration with other business leaders, drives standardization, consolidation, and efficiency to increase EBITDA.  Hays has held executive roles in PE portfolio companies, startup environments, and public traded companies.   He has strong product innovation, product development, and implementation experience as well as workflow operating model optimization and redesign.  His preference is to apply investigative analytical skills coupled with a people first centric leadership style to provide a realistic path toward value creation.  

Hays has held multiple roles with P&L organization’s business unit to $100M, and managed multi-site centers in different geographies.  Recent roles include VP Digital Transformation & Ops Leader at Compassus, a national, integrated home services provider and a VP/GM Operations Leader for myNEXUS, a specialty benefit manager focused on home health services for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries.  

Germain is a strategic leader renowned for transforming private equity portfolio companies through tech-driven innovation and sustainability-aligned execution. With over 15 years of experience scaling startups, optimizing operations, and securing multi-million dollar partnerships, he empowers private equity firms to accelerate value creation by merging operational excellence with emerging technologies.

He currently serves as Chief Operating Officer & Chief Innovation Officer at Black In Marine Science (BIMS). Under his leadership, BIMS has expanded to 31 countries, doubled its staff, grown its valuation to over $8M, and secured more than $8M in funding and partnerships with Fortune 500 companies and federal agencies such as NOAA and the EPA.

Before joining BIMS, Germain was COO of Figgers Communications, an $11M+ telecom and renewable energy company, where he delivered $2M in annual EBITDA growth, launched multiple new product lines, scaled a 40-person sales team. Earlier in his career, as President & CEO of the Greater North Miami Chamber of Commerce, he revitalized the organization by increasing membership revenues 60% year-over-year.

Germain advises clients on operationalizing AI, sustainability, and strategic initiatives across the investment lifecycle. His recent wins include slashing reporting delays by 60% through AI-powered KPI dashboards, repositioning a telecom and electric vehicle parking start-up for a 3x premium exit, and redesigning supply chains to reduce logistics costs by 22%.

Germain holds an MBA from West Texas A&M University and a B.S. in Urban & Regional Planning from Florida Atlantic University. He has been recognized as one of the Miami Herald’s Legacy 40 Under 40 and continues to serve on multiple advisory boards supporting innovation, sustainability, and community development.

Darren helps early-stage B2B SaaS companies turn great ideas into scalable businesses by building and optimizing their go-to-market functions. With more than two decades of experience across finance, consulting, and high-growth technology, he brings a unique blend of strategic rigor and operational know-how to the startups he advises.

His career began at Morgan Stanley, where he worked in real estate private equity, sharpening his financial acumen under pressure. He later spent five years in management consulting, guiding Fortune 50 companies such as IBM, Google, Microsoft, Wells Fargo, GE, Boeing, and Dropbox through large-scale financial technology transformations.

Over the past 13+ years, Darren has focused exclusively on scaling SaaS startups. He has built six GTM organizations from the ground up, taken revenue from zero to $50M+, and played a key role in two successful exits. In addition, he has advised more than a dozen early-growth companies on how to transition from founder-led selling to repeatable sales engines. His global track record includes leading international expansion initiatives and securing landmark enterprise customers across four continents and 40+ countries.

Darren has a proven ability to design and scale revenue engines, streamline operations for efficiency, and build high-performing teams across sales, partnerships, and business development. Known for balancing a sharp financial mindset with the creativity of a growth leader, he helps companies align their go-to-market strategies with long-term business goals while delivering measurable, profitable growth.

John is a seasoned operations executive and engineering leader with deep expertise in scaling complex logistics and fulfillment networks worldwide. As Chief Operating Officer at ShipMonk, John leads the expansion of a fast‑growing e-commerce 3PL, overseeing warehousing, fulfillment, and automation for small‑to‑mid‑market merchants throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe.

Previously, John served as Executive Vice President and COO at GEODIS, where he managed over 15,000 employees and 40 million square feet of warehouse capacity, delivering more than $1.5 billion in annual revenue with a significant focus on direct-to-consumer solutions. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at ES3, leading solutions engineering and operational excellence initiatives that transformed customer supply chains.

John is known for integrating technology and engineering rigor into operational strategy, helping organizations achieve scalable, resilient, and data-driven fulfillment systems. He champions transparent leadership and open team communication, fostering empowered cultures of accountability and innovation.

At Marenovum Partners, John advises clients on unlocking competitive advantage through modern supply chain design, operational transformation, and logistics strategy. 

Sean’s leadership spans beyond education into housing and community development, having served as CFO for Christopher Homes under the Archdiocese of New Orleans, where he oversaw large asset portfolios and ensured consistent financial compliance across dozens of properties. He is known for designing systems that deliver operational efficiency, financial stability, and measurable results.

Throughout his career, Sean has successfully led and stabilized complex organizations, including high-performing charter schools and nonprofit institutions. As CEO and Head of School at the International High School of New Orleans and the International School of Louisiana, he guided transformational initiatives to improve financial sustainability, strengthen governance, and raise academic achievement. Earlier, as Superintendent and Head of School at Westlake Academy, he implemented operational and cultural change programs that dramatically improved employee engagement and community participation.

Sean’s leadership spans beyond education into housing and community development, having served as CFO for Christopher Homes under the Archdiocese of New Orleans, where he oversaw large asset portfolios and ensured consistent financial compliance across dozens of properties. He is known for designing systems that deliver operational efficiency, financial stability, and measurable results.

At Marenovum Partners, S contributes decades of experience in executive leadership, stakeholder engagement, and change management, helping clients build resilient, high-performing organizations.

Javier is a growth-focused CEO, COO, CGO, and Operating Partner with a track record of scaling PE-backed and public companies across fintech, SaaS, telecom, manufacturing, cybersecurity, and enterprise software. Over his 20+ year career, he has driven multiple successful exits and consistently delivered double-digit revenue, EBITDA, and enterprise value growth—whether leading global P&Ls up to $1.6B or building market entries from the ground up.

Known for his ability to blend strategic vision with disciplined execution, Javier has led high-stakes transformations that include post-merger integrations, AI-driven digital innovation, legacy-to-SaaS transitions, and aggressive international expansion. His leadership has powered achievements such as growing a PE-backed fintech SaaS firm by 34% in revenue and 75% in EBITDA in a single year, tripling revenue for an edge caching platform later acquired by Zephyrtel, and expanding a global telecom software leader from $340M to $1.66B across 36 countries.

Board members and investors trust Javier to unlock value by aligning strategy, operations, and go-to-market execution—often under complex regulatory environments including SEC, SOX, SOC 2, and GDPR. He holds an MBA from the University of Cumbria, a BBA from Dowling College, and is a PhD candidate in Business Management at the University of Gloucestershire, with executive education from MIT, Harvard, and the NY Institute of Finance.

Robert is a highly accomplished sales leader with decades of experience guiding complex enterprise software deals and strategic negotiations. He specializes in working with senior C-level executives to deliver tailored technology solutions that drive measurable impact across large corporations and government agencies.

Most recently serving as Vice President of Sales at Precisely, Robert led strategic initiatives in the telecommunications and technology sectors, helping organizations leverage trusted data to drive smarter decision-making and operational efficiency. Prior to this, he spent 17 years at Pitney Bowes, where he held senior roles including Vice President, Managing Director of Sales and Solutions Director for Data Quality, Data Management, Enterprise Information Management and Location Intelligence. In these roles, he consistently delivered increased revenues and cost reductions for clients by recommending solutions in Data Integration, Data Management, Data Governance, Data Quality, Location Intelligence and Data Enrichment solutions to Fortune-500 enterprises.  Early in his career he served as a Software Development Manager, Project Leader and Transformation Consultant in the Retail and Local Government sectors.

Robert’s industry experience spans Social Media, Telecommunications, Insurance (Health & Property Casualty), Public Sector, Utilities, and Retail/e-Commerce — where he has led successful, outcome-driven engagements built on trust, strategic alignment, and value realization. 

Based in the Silicon Valley, Robert is a trusted advisor and recognized leader in the intersection of data, technology, and enterprise transformation.

Richard is a seasoned foodservice leader with more than two decades of experience driving growth, innovation, and operational excellence across convenience retail, QSR, and food and beverage sectors. He is the Founder and President of CMO Consulting (Chefs-Marketers-Operators), where he helps companies streamline their foodservice operations and accelerate growth through strategic innovation and execution.

Most recently, Richard served as Senior Vice President of Food Service at GPM Investments, a Fortune 500 convenience retailer with over 3,000 locations. In this role, he led the strategic vision for food and beverage, spearheaded kitchen development across 1,500+ corporate stores, and introduced new platforms including the “Fas Craves” prepared food and beverage program. His leadership focused on reducing reliance on fuel traffic by strengthening GPM’s standalone foodservice value proposition, supported by operational technology and cross-functional team development.

Prior to GPM, Richard held multiple leadership roles at Casey’s, including Brand Director of Food Service, where he managed the $1.3B prepared foods business across 2,500+ stores. He delivered record-breaking growth through menu innovation, launching new platforms such as thin crust pizza—the chain’s first in 20 years—and creating specialty offerings that doubled growth in the pizza category.

Richard began his career at RaceTrac Petroleum, where over 15 years he advanced from store-level leadership to Director of Operations, ultimately overseeing nearly 100 high-volume locations and more than 1,300 employees. His ability to scale teams, implement cost-saving processes, and drive sustained profitability established him as a trusted leader in the convenience and fuel retail industry.

In addition to his operating experience, Richard serves on the advisory board of C Store Tec, helping the convenience retail industry accelerate technology adoption in foodservice.

Troy is a scale-up operating executive with over 20 years of experience leading high-growth technology initiatives, driving digital transformation, and scaling products into enterprise platforms. He is the Founder and Principal of BrightPaths Technology Advisors, where he partners with Series A/B companies and private equity-backed businesses to accelerate go-to-market execution, strengthen operations, and build capital-efficient growth models.  Troy is the advisor you drop into regulated SaaS, data platforms, or GovTech/EdTech when you need order, growth, and scale. 

Previously, Troy served as President and CEO of the Ed-Fi Alliance, a Gates- and Dell-backed open-source software initiative. Under his leadership, Ed-Fi grew from a pilot project into a nationally adopted platform reaching 34 million users across 36 states. He expanded the organization’s budget sevenfold, built a $350M partner ecosystem, and delivered sustainable 20% CAGR while modernizing product development and cutting costs by 50%. Earlier at Ed-Fi, he played a pivotal role in establishing product-market fit and securing $235M in long-term funding.

Troy’s career also includes serving as Chief Information Officer for the Idaho State Department of Education, where he modernized statewide digital infrastructure, secured federal and foundation funding, and elevated Idaho from 48th to top 10 nationally in education data systems. He began his career in healthcare IT, co-founding a HealthTech ERP firm that delivered enterprise software solutions to major hospital systems.

With experience spanning public and private sectors, Troy has supported $650M in technology transactions, built GTM strategies for capital-backed companies, and advised leadership teams on scaling pilots into trusted platforms for regulated markets. He is passionate about building strong cultures, aligning strategy with capital, and turning innovative products into market leaders.

Hali is an experienced corporate relations and real estate leader with more than a decade at Northwood Ravin, where she has advanced through multiple leadership roles and now serves as Vice President of Corporate Relations & Sports Partnerships. In this capacity, she oversees strategic partnerships, community engagement, and brand development initiatives that connect Northwood Ravin’s real estate portfolio with major sports and cultural organizations.

Previously, Hali held roles as Senior Regional Manager and Asset Manager, where she managed property operations, capital programs, and financial performance across a diverse portfolio. She played a key role in driving revenue growth, improving operational efficiency, and ensuring alignment between property management teams and ownership objectives. Earlier in her career as Property Manager at The VUE in Charlotte, she led one of the city’s premier luxury communities to multiple awards, including Charlotte’s Best Luxury Community, while earning recognition in Northwood Ravin’s President’s Club.

Beyond her role at Northwood Ravin, Hali is active in the Charlotte community as a Board Member of the Katie Blessing Center, helping expand access to pediatric behavioral health services. She is also a licensed real estate broker with Henderson Ventures, advising clients on residential and investment opportunities.

Hali’s career reflects her ability to blend operational expertise with relationship-driven leadership, creating value across real estate, partnerships, and community engagement.