Philly Tech Week 2018

Jessica Estepa is the lead writer and editor for OnPolitics, USA TODAY's politics blog and newsletter, where her coverage runs the gamut from President Trump's tweets to interviewing pardoned turkeys of yesteryear. In past lives, she worked at National Geographic, E&E News and Roll Call. Other journalism things: She leads the Online News Association's Washington, D.C., group and is a fellow with the National Press Foundation. Non-journalism things: She sings constantly with the Capitol Hill Chorale and District Karaoke.

Since joining Comcast’s Technology & Product (T+P) Team in 2014, Fraser has been on the fast track to success – not only because of his broad and deep knowledge, but also because he is a catalyst for change. His collaborative approach, business acumen and innovative solutions drive important strategies that continue to evolve Comcast from a fast follower to an industry leader in the technology and innovation space. Fraser’s impact to our company has been swift and significant. He has quickly become an integral part of the T+P leadership team and a proven player for Comcast internationally. He has facilitated and fostered important relationships for Comcast and is highly regarded in the company and across the vendor community from OEM’s, SOC and WiFi partners. He is an influential and charismatic leader whose personality can charm and disarm; enabling him to build teams across functional boundaries. As Senior Vice President, Product and Technology, Devices Fraser is responsible for executing on our overall hardware development for all premise devices with a mission of improving new product service velocity, product differentiation and cost management. Fraser is a domain expert in high volume, device deployment, and manufacturing. Since joining Comcast, Fraser conceptualized and led the effort to transform Comcast device Industrial Design standards, putting focus on the product. He has been integral to reimagining the industrial design of Comcast devices helping the consumer see the Product as more than just another piece of technology in the home. He and his team launched the first voice controlled remote control improving functionality and providing accessibility capability that did not exist before. Fraser & Co. have also revamped the device product portfolio delivering a set of superior devices while driving cost down and quality up. Presently Fraser leads the company–wide effort to move to all IP, allowing customers to stream video over WiFi in their homes. Through his leadership and contributions, Fraser is making a lasting mark on Comcast and the broader Cable and Telecommunications industry. Fraser has broad leadership experience. Before joining Comcast he led the OnCue Hardware and Software Engineering team at Intel Media. Prior to that Fraser served as Director of Product for Intel Media and previously held various roles at BSkyB, including Head of Hardware, Planning and Design; Head of Emerging Product Strategy; and Design Manager, among other positions.

Andrew directs the Innovation Management group within Philadelphia’s Office of Innovation and Technology. Aligned closely with the City’s Chief Administrative Officer, Innovation Management focuses on developing capacity for innovation within municipal government and finding ways to make technology accessible and meaningful to the public. Before moving into the innovation space, Andrew directed Philadelphia’s implementation of a citywide network of technology-enabled community centers known as Keyspots. Andrew earned a graduate Degree in Geography from Temple University in Philadelphia and continues to teach there as an adjunct instructor.

As founder and creative director of creative incubator REC Philly—credited for its worthwhile events throughout the city—Will is doing his part to help creative entrepreneurs build and sustain professional careers within their industry. He is on the path to incite valuable change in Philly's art and music culture.

Josh is the founder and CEO of Bluecadet, an experience design agency that works with cultural institutions, universities, and mission-driven organizations.

With offices in both Philadelphia and New York, Josh built Bluecadet’s interdisciplinary team to unite revolutionary innovations with a sense of human craftsmanship. He has overseen the design and development of interactive experiences and planning strategies for clients such as MoMA, The Smithsonian Institution, Doctors Without Borders, National Geographic, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

As a pioneer in the technological transformation of the cultural sector, Josh is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and symposia, has appeared on CNN, CBS News, and NPR, and has been featured in publications including The New Yorker, USA Today, HOW magazine, Communication Arts, and People magazine. His work has been widely recognized with top awards including an Emmy from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, as well as honors from the American Alliance of Museums, the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, The American Institute of Graphic Arts, and South by Southwest.

Josh holds a B.A. from Tufts University and studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. He lives with his wife and two children in Philadelphia, where he is an active member of the design and technology community.

Denayja Reese is Partnerships and Production Manager for BlackTech Week and BlackTech Weekend. Her diverse career journey has meant seamlessly moving through industries, markets and projects to innovate and inspire. She has worked with companies like Uber, SF Giants, Live Nation and Airbnb. She is passionate about diversifying the global tech ecosystem and telling the stories of underrepresented visionaries.

Dana S. Wilson currently serves as Vice President of Customer Experience for Comcast Cable, the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. In this role, she is responsible for leading end-to- end improvement initiatives to transform the experience for Comcast customers. Dana previously served as Executive Director of Strategy & Operations where she led departmental strategic initiatives to drive customer-focus and high performance across products. During her tenure, Dana has led the delivery of Comcast’s Olympics experience for both the 2012 Summer and 2013Winter games. In addition, she led the integration of the NBC Sports Live Extra Olympics app on X1, providing Xfinity customers with 1,000 hours of live streaming coverage of the Sochi Winter Games. The innovative experience was the first of it’s kind in the industry and gave customers 500 extra hours of live event coverage on the set-top box. Dana started her career at Comcast as Senior Director of Product Planning and Delivery for Comcast Interactive Media, where she managed execution of the Xfinity product roadmap for online and mobile entertainment. Prior to joining Comcast in 2011, Dana acquired a wealth of knowledge from the management consulting, chemical, utility and municipal industries. Dana has worked for companies such as: Accenture, Rohm and Haas Company, Philadelphia Gas Works and City of Philadelphia where she gained her engineering experience and extensive knowledge in the areas of enterprise performance management, operational excellence, product development, customer service, and manufacturing. Dana S. Wilson is a graduate of Drexel University and holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemical Engineering. During her professional tenure, Dana has obtained a Six Sigma Black Belt Certification which reflects her expertise in leading and executing initiatives within an organization that are focused on driving high performance and customer service.

Mark Willis is a designer, strategist and entrepreneur. After a decade directing digital strategy at Harvard University, he recently moved the Philadelphia area to grow his design firm, Clean Sheet Co., and to consult with startups and digital projects at the intersection of art and technology. He’s a co-founder at the Philly-based Texel Foundation, a new consortium creating open-source infrastructure to power blockchain-driven artwork projects.