Philly Tech Week 2018

Ricardo Rivera is Creative Director and Co-founder of Klip Collective, an experiential art shop which integrates projection lighting and storytelling to create compelling experiences. Ricardo is a visual artist, filmmaker and a true pioneer of video projection mapping, having earned a United States patent for his technological breakthroughs in the medium. His work has been featured multiple times at the Sundance Film Festival, including the commissioned festival bumper in 2014. Rivera directed Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience at Longwood Gardens which attracted over 175,000 visitors in 2015. In the advertising world, brands including Nike, Target, NBC Sports and Adult Swim have sought his unique ability to use video projection art as a bridge between architecture, technology and storytelling. The common element in all of Ricardo’s work is groundbreaking creativity and technological innovation.

A CHSP certified professional, Adria is the Program Assistant for the Information Systems & Technology department at the Camden Coalition. Prior to joining the Coalition, Adria was a trainee and intern at Hopeworks’n Camden, overcoming tremendous obstacles to achieve her current level of success. Her journey is described in the award-winning documentary Hope Works Here, which recently won first place at the Philadelphia Freedom Shorts Film Festival.

Dan Berry is the Head of Integrated Solutions at Nuix . Dan has over 15 years of experience as an application architect providing expertise in analysis, design, implementation, and delivery of eDiscovery, information governance and enterprise content management solutions. At Nuix, he consults with clients and partners on design, implementation, and delivery using Nuix’s scripting, Java, and RESTful APIs.

Wil likes helping people and businesses grow. A former teacher with a knack for advising, he’s been helping Fortune 500 companies develop SEO strategies since 1999. Seeing the need for an agency that does good by its team, clients and community, Wil started Seer Interactive in 2002 as a one-man operation out of his living room. Today, Seer is home to over 100 employees across Philadelphia and San Diego.


As Seer’s Director of Digital Strategy, Wil develops strategies and innovations to help clients build traffic and make money. His methods have shaped the search industry worldwide, and he speaks regularly at marketing conferences across the globe. In his free time, Wil hangs out with his wife Nora, son Rio and pup Coltrane. He also serves Philadelphia’s homeless and runaway youth at Covenant House, where he participates in a yearly sleep out.

John Grady serves as President and CEO of PIDC, Philadelphia’s public-private development corporation, where he is responsible for the organization’s efforts to develop and implement collaborative strategies, resources, and products to invest in the people, places, projects and initiatives that drive economic growth to every corner of Philadelphia. John leads PIDC’s efforts to strengthen relationships with Philadelphia’s public, private and philanthropic sectors to attract and deliver resources that promote business growth, investment and development across the city and throughout its economy. He directs internal activities around strategy, business development, capitalization, impact assessment, and the development and delivery of real estate and financing initiatives and products that fill project financing gaps for both neighborhood and large-scale commercial, industrial and mixed-use developments, deliver capital to growing businesses, and energize the development of the city’s workplaces of the future. With nearly 30 years of leadership experience in public-private partnerships that drive investment, development and job growth in and around Philadelphia, John joined PIDC in 1998, serving in a variety of senior leadership positions including overseeing city-wide real estate development activity and the acquisition and redevelopment of The Navy Yard, and has been its President since 2011. Prior to joining PIDC, John spent 9 years with the Cooper’s Ferry Development Association planning and developing Camden, NJ’s commercial waterfront. John is a native Philadelphian and a graduate from La Salle University with a BA in Economics and the University of Pennsylvania’s MPA program. He is active with a number of educational, business and civic organizations throughout the city, including as a Trustee at La Salle University and Roman Catholic High School; a Distinguished Alumni Fellow at the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania; and as a Director of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the Collegiate Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development and the East Falls Development Corporation.

Hoon Oh(VP, Creative Director) is a maker who is interested in provoking how we think about existing things by combining layers of context and technology. He aims for design to inspire, challenge, but most importantly communicate thought objects, spaces and media.

He worked with clients like JetBlue, Verizon, Google and iRobot and is currently working with Comcast, PMA, Sunoco to bring more engaging communication with their audience through experiential marketing.

Carvin Garland Haggins is a Grammy Award Winning and Multi-Platinum Selling Song Writer, Producer, Engineer, Co-Founder of Karma Productions, Co-Creator of Forever Music Inc. and the creator of Ethical Music Entertainment. The Philadelphia native has written hit songs for Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Miguel, Faith Evans, Justin Timberlake, Raheem DeVaughn, and Musiq SoulChild. Carvin has always believed that the best songs come from real life experiences, and has earned a reputation for writing songs that “mean something.” Carvin has been making music since he was 11, and has developed a unique style. In the 1990’s Carvin began working as a producer at “A Touch of Jazz” (ATOJ) for DJ Jazzy Jeff. It was there, that Carvin started getting a lot of recognition for his work. It wasn’t long before his songs started making an impact in the music industry. Carvin’s early work was featured on “The Nutty Professor II,” “Love Jones,” and the “Rush Hour 2” movie soundtracks. He also collaborated on Will Smith’s soundtrack for the movie “Wild Wild West.” At ATOJ Carvin met and began working with Ivan Barias. In 2001, Carvin and Ivan started Karma Productions and have since become one of the most sought after producing duos in the country. The pair, who are now known world-wide, have had several songs at the top of the Billboard Charts including: “Love” (Musiq), “Customer” (Raheem DeVaughn), “If You Leave” (Mary J. Blige and Musiq), and “Gotta Find My Way Back” (Jaheem) Introducing Stokley (Stokley) to name a few. During his career, Carvin has been tapped to create music for television as well. Haggins is the “Music Supervisor” for the annual Christmas television special, “Holiday Love” created by, and starring actress Kim Fields. Since the show began, Carvin has not only overseen the music that goes into the special, he’s also written several original songs for the show too; including music for artists Marvin Sapp, Brian Wilson, Wes Morgan, Karen Clark-Sheard, Tamela Mann and Shirley Caesar.

After recently celebrating 10 years of having Top 10 Billboard Charting records, Carvin and Ivan followed that up with 5 Grammy nominations in 2011. They were nominated for Jaheem’s hit song “Finding My Way Back.” They were also nominated in the R&B Song of the Year category for “Gone Already” by Faith Evans. Most recently, Carvin worked on projects for Ledisi, Raheem DeVaughn, Estelle and 2014 Grammy nominated albums for Chrisette Michele and TGT. The creator of the Ethical Music Entertainment label, Haggins is behind a movement to bring respect back to radio. His artist Montina who is one of the Momma’s who sings background for Beyonce, Mz Lynx who was on MTV, Lex Dime who has a movement called Lost Girls and BriaMarie, whose singles “IDK” and“Celebrate” was featured on VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta. Haggins’ mission is to make music that is positive, has clean and clever lyrics, and will keep you moving. To Haggins, not only making music, but raising up another generation of musicians, writers and producers that create “real” music is as important. In an effort to give young people the opportunity to explore their artistic potential, Carvin is one of the founders of the Creative Minds Performing Arts School. The school will house “Karma Junior Productions,” and is projected to open in 2020. Haggins also gives back in other ways. He was a teacher at Chester Community Charter School and on the board of directors for the Recording Academy- Philadelphia chapter. He has received numerous honors for his work and service, including being named a Creative Ambassador for Philadelphia, receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence and Innovation for BMM 2012, and was recognized for his accomplishments and community service, at the 16th Annual Artist Ball in Philadelphia. He’s currently a member of the Philadelphia Task Force. A organization created by the city to help the creative arts. When he’s not in the studio, or working on music curriculum for his school, Carvin is in fellowship with his family and friends at Southern Baptist Church in Philadelphia. At SBC, Carvin is a Reverend and Sunday School teacher.