Rovi J. Saleh is the founder and CEO of Cynosure Connect, a health technology company on a mission to transform how we detect and respond to mental health needs, starting with the veteran community. She’s recognized as a leader in enterprise technology, digital transformation, and mission-driven innovation, with deep expertise in B2B, B2G, SaaS, and platform strategy across sectors. Before starting Cynosure, Rovi launched itMAQ, one of the first cloud-based strategic procurement engines serving government, commercial, and nonprofit organizations. Under her leadership, itMAQ became a market leader in digital acquisition services, helping institutions source everything from commodities to advanced technical services with greater speed, transparency, and efficiency. The company was successfully spun off, offering an early example of her approach to building platforms that shift how systems operate; An approach she has continued to evolve across ventures. Rovi has led digital infrastructure and modernization projects in both U.S. and international markets. In the UAE, she helped launch the first e-commerce platform for the Commercial Bank of Dubai and designed a suite of spend management portals for the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and affiliated government agencies. She also led the development of a regional Partner Alliance Program across the EMEA region, aligning strategy and accelerating growth. This work earned her a Presidential Commendation. The idea for Cynosure Connect wasn’t born from technology alone, but from something more personal and philosophical. A quote often attributed to Mark Twain stuck with her: “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” It captured a hard truth about mental health: so much of our suffering is internal, quiet, and unnoticed - until it’s too late. That insight became the spark for Cynosure. Rovi set out to build a platform that could surface risk early, distinguish real distress from imagined fear, and offer clarity before crisis. Built in collaboration with clinicians, veteran advisors, and support organizations, Cynosure’s tools are designed to close critical gaps in care using structured AI assessments, personalized interventions, and long-term engagement. Outside the boardroom, Rovi is also an artist and an avid reader whose my-to-read pile is always taller than she would like to admit. Her paintings have been exhibited in galleries, collected by institutions, and published widely. For her, both painting and reading are disciplines in focus and form. In addition to her executive leadership, Rovi advises early-stage startups and nonprofit initiatives. Whether she’s building digital infrastructure or creating art, her work is always driven by the same force: seeing clearly, creating deliberately, and making systems more human.

Jim Steddum is a 30+ year U.S. Army veteran, organizational development leader, and doctoral candidate known for building systems that make organizations more capable, connected, and resilient. He serves as Chief Operating & Integration Officer (COIO) at Cynosure Connect, where he drives execution across product, partnerships, and delivery, aligning teams and infrastructure to scale with precision and clarity. With over three decades of experience in leadership, program design, and enterprise knowledge management, Jim also designs and delivers graduate-level leadership instruction to mid-career and senior military professionals, focusing on organizational behavior and resilience. He is the Managing Editor of Strength in Knowledge, an Army-level professional journal, and a member of the Army’s Strengthening the Army Profession Council, where he represents warrant officer and civilian cohorts. Previously, Jim served as Senior Technical Advisor for Career Management and Knowledge Systems with the Department of the Army, leading enterprise knowledge strategy for a large, distributed workforce. He managed full career lifecycle systems and secured institutional approval and funding for two professional education programs. His work earned him national-level engagement alongside counterparts from NASA and the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as a role within the Department of Defense Joint Knowledge Management Working Group. Beyond his formal roles, Jim is a trusted leader within the veteran community. He holds leadership positions within the VFW at the post, district, and Department of Alabama levels, connecting veterans and their families to critical resources. His work reflects a deep understanding of the culture and trust required to engage this community, including innovative approaches such as leveraging video gaming through Combat Tested Gaming as a mental health access point. He recognizes that the greatest barrier in veteran mental health is not the absence of solutions, but the trust required to deliver them. Jim is completing his Doctor of Strategic Leadership at Liberty University, complementing graduate work in human resource management, national security studies, and executive leadership. Across every role, his work is grounded in a clear conviction: the right systems, built for the right people, can close the gap between where someone is and where they need to be.

Patrick Nelligan brings more than four decades of military leadership, healthcare systems expertise, and veteran advocacy experience to Cynosure Connect. As Chief Veterans Engagement Officer, he leads strategic engagement with veteran organizations, nonprofit partners, and military-connected communities while supporting partnership development, operational strategy, and mission execution across the organization. Patrick enlisted in the United States Army in 1982, completing Basic Training and Field Artillery Cannon Crewman training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Following his active-duty service in Germany, he transitioned into medical equipment and healthcare systems support, where he quickly distinguished himself as an honor graduate in both basic and advanced biomedical equipment maintenance training at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center. Over the course of his military career, Patrick served in numerous senior leadership positions throughout the Army Reserve, including 8th Command Chief Warrant Officer of the United States Army Reserve Command, Command Chief Warrant Officer of Army Reserve Medical Command, Command Chief Warrant Officer of the 75th Innovation Command, and leadership roles within the 81st Regional Support Command, 804th Medical Brigade, and 405th Combat Support Hospital. His operational and leadership experience spans healthcare technology, organizational development, medical logistics, readiness operations, force modernization, and systems integration. He supported missions in Honduras and Guatemala and deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Patrick has also completed extensive military and leadership education programs, including the Brigade Pre-Command Course, Warrant Officer Senior Staff Course, Warrant Officer Staff Course, Officer Advanced Course, Medical Logistics Management Course, and Master Fitness Trainer Course. Throughout his career, Patrick has received numerous military honors and national recognitions, including the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal. He is also an inductee into the Order of Military Medical Merit, the United States Warrant Officer Association Order of the Eagle Rising Gold Award, and the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame. In 2021, he was selected as the Army Surgeon General’s Consultant for Army Reserve Health Services Maintenance. In addition to his military service, Patrick currently serves within the Veterans Health Administration, where he supports healthcare technology and medical systems operations serving veteran communities. He holds certifications as a Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician (CBET), Certified Radiological Equipment Support Specialist (CRES), and Certified Healthcare Technology Manager (CHTM). Patrick earned an Associate degree in Biomedical Equipment Maintenance, Bachelor of Science degrees in Applied Behavioral Studies and Liberal Studies, and a Master of Science in Business Administration with a Healthcare concentration. At Cynosure Connect, Patrick focuses on strengthening veteran-centered partnerships and supporting initiatives aimed at improving mental health outcomes, resilience, and long-term support systems for veterans and military communities.

Roy Barman is the Chief Technology Officer at Cynosure Connect, where he drives the company’s mission to bring AI-powered solutions to behavioral health. With more than two decades in technology, Roy has shipped over 200 large-scale systems, scaled global engineering teams across four continents, and guided platforms into the hands of companies like Tesla, NFL franchises, and public agencies. Before Cynosure, Roy served as CTO and VP of Engineering at dt360 Inc. / Dropthought (BCT Group), where he inherited a team of 150 engineers and grew it to more than 300 worldwide. Under his leadership, development velocity tripled and technical debt that had piled up over years was cleared, largely by embedding AI into everyday engineering practice. He has also co-founded Fijo Technologies, a rideshare and delivery startup, and held senior roles at Polaris Wireless, CoreLogic, NaviSite (Accenture), and Oracle. Roy’s leadership philosophy is simple: execution is the moat. He often says, “What you plan to do tomorrow, complete today. What you plan to do next year, aim to complete this year.” For him, knowledge and experience may be shaped by time and circumstance - but attitude, aptitude, and the ability to reduce stress in others are what truly build winning teams. A technologist at heart, Roy is fluent in AI/ML stacks, cloud architectures, and real-time systems. He holds five U.S. patents, from secure ridesharing models to AI optimization techniques, and is a strong advocate for responsible AI, data governance, and compliance across SOC2, HIPAA, and GDPR. Originally from Kolkata, India, Roy brings a global perspective to every role. He earned his Bachelor of Engineering from Jadavpur University and an MBA from UC Davis, with further study at UC Berkeley, Google, and AWS. Outside of work, he’s a wine connoisseur who believes a well-crafted bottle is as much about timing, patience, and execution as great technology.

Peter J. Freix is a seasoned executive with over 40 years of leadership experience in Sales, Marketing, and Operations; much of it gained within the high-tech industry. Over the course of his career, he has built a reputation for scaling organizations, unlocking new markets, and driving strategic growth for both startups and Fortune 500 companies. Now serving as Chief Strategy Officer at Cynosure Connect, Pete brings his expertise to the intersection of technology, mental health, and mission-driven innovation. He leads long-term strategic planning and growth initiatives, and his work will be instrumental in positioning Cynosure as a transformative force in AI-powered wellness solutions. The company’s efforts will begin with the veteran community and expand into the education, healthcare, and enterprise sectors. In addition to his role at Cynosure, Pete is the CEO and founder of Data Center Warehouse (DCW), a CRN Top 500 value-added reseller of computer hardware, software, and services. Since launching DCW more than 12 years ago, he has grown the company into a $150 million enterprise. Today, he oversees a team of over 80 employees, operating across 20+ U.S. states and several Canadian provinces. Before founding DCW, Pete held key executive roles including President of Arbitech, President of PC Mall Sales, and Director of Strategic Growth Planning at Dell Computers. Each of these roles further honed his ability to lead high-performing teams and deliver sustainable business growth. He earned his degree from the School of Engineering at Auburn University in 1983.

Marco Rubin is a highly regarded investment professional within the venture capital industry with a track record of value creation along with extensive international experience supporting venerable ecosystem building organizations such as the World Bank, CRDF Global and The UN Foundation. In addition to his private market experience, he is a newly appointed board member to a solar fintech company called TAG (OTC) which will uplist onto NASDAQ in 2025. Marco serves as a board representative to numerous privately held portfolio companies and leads seed and early-stage investments. He has held past leadership roles with funds recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine’s VC 100 rankings and has invested in over 350 portfolio cos. throughout his career in fields such as aerospace, energy, software, life sciences, cyber security, telecommunications, infrastructure, manufacturing and materials. Marco is Executive Director and founding member of Virginia Venture Partners, the equity investment arm of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC). There he leads both the Commonwealth Energy Fund as well as The Aerospace Fund, which are equity investment vehicles serving Virginia’s fastest growing seed and early-stage startups. Since inception in 2004, the entire portfolio consists of over 350 direct equity investments earning the organization with the distinction as "Virginia's Most Active Investor" by CBInsights. Marco also served as the executive in charge of the newly launched Fund of Funds Program at VIPC, where he led manager selection and allocation decisions for United States Treasury’s SSBCI Fund in Virginia. In this role, he led the team that selected with first-ever venture capital fund of funds program in 2024 with six venture capitalist firms selected for allocations. Marco was also founder of Monumental Venture Partners, LLC (MVP) making investments in security, information technology, telecommunications, software and medical devices sectors. MVP produced acquisitions of portfolio companies to Dolby Labs and Level 3 Communications. Marco began his investment corporate career as the founding Director of MCI New Ventures. Prior to starting his professional investment career, Marco worked at Booz Allen & Hamilton, Inc. then providing professional consulting services to leaders in Fortune 500 and Federal markets including clients such as NASA Headquarters, DOD as well as Exxon Mobil. Marco began his career at NASA training astronauts at the Johnson Space Center. He holds an MBA from The George Washington University and a BSEE from the University of New Mexico. Marco has been a National Science Foundation SBIR reviewer as well as an NSF SBIR grant winner. He currently serves on the National Venture Capital Association’s energy working group.

Albert Gauthier has spent over thirty years working where engineering, technology, and public service come together. He's built his career across both private companies and government agencies, which has given him a unique perspective on how technology actually works in the real world, particularly when the stakes are high and the problems are complex. At Gartner, Albert works as a Senior Director Analyst, where he helps clients and writes research focused on local government. He covers everything Digital Platforms, ERP, Community Development, APIs and Integrations, AI and Generative AI. His work has earned him some notable recognition, including the NASCIO Award for Innovation for the Oregon State Police Transformation, the State of Oregon CIO Award for Innovation, and the Dewey Award for developing the Best Municipal Government Web Presence during his time with the City of Coppell, Texas. Albert has led countless digital transformation projects, especially around creating better digital workplaces. He's served as a CIO and technical lead on everything from identity federation and content management to collaboration tools, workflow systems, and major enterprise applications like ERP, time accounting, permitting, and land management systems. Before all that, he cut his teeth in semiconductor R&D at Bell Labs/Lucent, Motorola, and Hewlett-Packard. On the public sector side, Albert was Chief Information Officer for the Oregon State Police and Director of Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS), where he handled secure data sharing across multiple agencies. He's also been a CIO in the private sector with Winzer Corporation and Nygard International, and in local government for Rochester, NY, and Oxnard, CA. Throughout all these roles, he's consistently focused on enterprise systems, permitting platforms, identity management, and digital timekeeping. What really sets Albert apart is how he connects technology, people, and strategy. He knows the technical side inside and out, but he never loses sight of what actually matters, the results. At Cynosure, Albert works as a strategic advisor. He's instrumental in managing risk across our technical, legal, and compliance fronts as we build and grow. He's helping us lay the groundwork for AI scalability and licensing, making sure our infrastructure can support innovation while staying on the right side of regulations and commercial requirements. His expertise is what's turning Cynosure's big vision into something we can actually execute on, driving our Crawl-Walk-Run roadmap with the kind of clarity, focus, and long-term thinking we need.