Business Convention & Expo of the Deaf

Speakers – Full Bio

Charles Carrington
Senior Executive Director, U.S.Chamber of Commerce

Charles P. Carrington is in his 10^th year of service with the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, serving as Senior Executive Director at the U.S. Chamber’s National Membership Center, a strong pro-business advocate fighting for small businesses and helping advance free enterprise values, oversees and directs fundraising operations, business development and special project initiatives. Works closely with the Political and Federation Relations division, creating grassroots support and election related activities which include Vote For Business and Friends of the U.S. Chamber, raises small business awareness on important policy issues as legal reform, healthcare, taxes, energy and significant efforts to elect or reelect pro-business candidates to Congress, received numerous awards for excellence in furthering free enterprise, and with the launch of the U.S. Chamber’s Campaign for Free Enterprise, will play a vital role in stopping the anti-business agenda hurting small business owners, workers and families.

Mr. Carrington is currently attending the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management, serves on the board for the Dallas/Fort Worth Association Executives, board member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals-Greater Dallas Chapter, and on the Leadership Executive Committee for Toastmasters International’s District 25 as its Area Governor and President of DFWAE Toastmasters club. Before joining the Chamber, Carrington had a successful career working in the Hospitality Industry in both Convention Services and Sales and Marketing.

Mr. Carrington attended Texas A&M University in College Station where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communication, while also enrolling in the Air Force Reserved Officer Training Corps graduating as Cadet Captain, and appointed to serve on the Governor of Texas Honor Guard for two years.

Mr. Carrington resides in Coppell, Texas with his wife, Susan, and their two daughters, Jennifer and Joelle.

Joel Kellhofer, United Kingdom
AC2.com Productions Ltd and Actual Signs (UK) Ltd

Joel Kellhofer is an experienced, award winning businessman of numerous skills and talents within the production industry. Joel’s business strengths include finance, staff management and working within budget. Joel is the founder and Director of AC2.com Productions Ltd. Founded as a one-man media business in Glasgow in 2003, AC2.com has grown into a thriving business with offices in Glasgow and London, employing six staff. Its’ productions have covered a variety of media, from video to website. In 2006, Joel also set up a sister company, Actual Signs, whose business is teaching BSL and Deaf Awareness/Equality training. Although his passion is for filming, Joel has the ability to perform any task within the company and is willing to stand in or take over at any opportunity. With already two successful businesses and a huge clientele under his belt, Joel’s immense enthusiasm is driving force within the company. Joel’s academic achievements include a BSc in Multimedia Computer Technology, and he is currently an MBA student.

Ronald Marta, Business Consultant, University of Houston, Procurement Technical Assistance Center

Ronald S. Marta has broad and expansive experience in the areas of proposal and audit preparation, cost analysis, and accounting systems. He is a Certified Public Accountant with 15 years experience as an auditor working for the Defense Contract Audit Agency. In addition, his background includes auditor for the Johnson Space Center where he was employed under the Office of Inspector General for seven years. He currently serves as Business Consultant with the University of Houston Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). Using his extensive knowledge of government regulations he assists business owners on a daily basis in all aspects of contract preparation. Ronald received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of St. Thomas, as well as a MPA from the University of Texas, and a MBA from Virgina Commonwealth University.

Specialized Training & Skills:
- Certified Public Accountant, State of Texas
- Defense Acquisition University
- Fluent in French

Honors & Awards:
- Certificate of Appreciation for exemplary skill, dedication, and
professionalism from the United States Attorney, Southern
District of Texas
- NASA Headquarters Special Service Award
- Recipient of several NASA Performance and/or Cash Awards

Personal & Professional Affiliations:
- National Contract Management Association (NCMA)
- Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Kandice Mott, Business Consultant, University of Houston, Procurement Technical Assistance Center

Kandice Mott is a Consultant with the University of Houston Procurement Technical Assistance Center. Prior to joining the U of H team in 2008, she was a Procurement Counselor with the Louisiana PTAC for 2 years. Kandice received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Marketing from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. She intends to further her education and pursue a Masters of Business Administration next fall.

As a consultant for the U of H PTAC, she conducts one-on-one counseling with businesses, in an effort to assist them with successfully navigating the government marketplace. As an instructor, she has implemented and facilitated over 8 new workshops to the University of Houston SBDC training & curriculum which includes: Government Subcontracting, Marketing to the Government, PTAC Orientation, Internet Guide to Government Contracting, Federal Procurement Data System, Disaster Contracting, Introduction to Government Contracting, & Overview of Government Certifications.

Areas of Expertise:
Kandice is a recognized as an Associate Contracting Assistance Specialist through the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers.
Her areas of expertise in the government contracting industry include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

• Marketing to the Government
• Identifying Target Government Markets
• Government Subcontracting

Professional & Volunteer Affiliations
Kandice is an active member of the Space City Chapter of the National Contract Management Association. She also volunteers on several community service projects though her church and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Raja Kushalnagar, J.D., L.L.M.

Dr. Raja Kushalnagar received his law degree (J.D.) from Texas Southern University and L.L.M. in intellectual property from the University of Houston Law Center. He has written papers and presented on the justification for copyright exception of visual translations (i.e. ASL or closed captioning) of copyright materials for deaf and hard-of-hearing consumers.
Raja is also completing his Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of Houston. His dissertation work focuses on scalability and quality of multi-video streaming for simultaneous use by multiple deaf and hard-of-hearing participants.

Howard Knight, CPA

Upon graduation from University of Houston Bauer College of Business in 1998, Howard Knight has worked in the corporate tax division at Service Corporation International and later at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 2004. In his career, Howard has developed and administered over $1 billion in annual tax reports. He is noted for his quick response to IRS tax controversy and eliminated over $3.5 million in taxes. Howard has been mentioned in the Houston Chronicle and involved in the Diversity Council with executive management. Having spent over 12 years in the corporate world, Howard leaves and started his own CPA firm. He currently resides in Houston with his wife, Tracy Rouly, and their children.

Marina Fanshteyn, MBA, Comprehensive Financial Services Inc.

Marina Fanshteyn Deaf mother of 7 years old daughter Sheyndel, speaker, consultant, business coach, serial entrepreneuer: owns health care, finance, travel, real estate, legal & marketing services.
Ms. Fanshteyn was born in Kiev, Ukraine and imigrated to United States at age 18. She graduated from Lexington School for the Deaf,attended California State University, Northridge, Northeastern University and American InterContinental University and holds B.A. Degree in Business Administration in Marketing, M.B.A. in Healthcare Management, M.B.A. in Accounting/Finance. She is a member of National Association of Professional Women. Her passion is improve the quality of life of Deaf Individuals.

Her favorite quote: “Every day, you have the chance to do or say something that will cause ripple of influence that will wash against lives” by Pat Croce.

Jason Curry, SComm

Jason Curry, CEO of sComm, who is profoundly deaf, founded and launched sComm with a $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health in 2005. He brought the UbiDuo face-to-face communicator to the market in January 2007. Since then, sComm has grown to 15 employees. The UbiDuo device is available across the nation in schools, universities, government agencies, Vocational Rehabilitation and other establishments that serve deaf/hard of hearing people or have deaf/hard of hearing employees.

Andrew Metz, zteM Education Institution

Andrew “Aw” F. Metz was born and raised in Indiana and attended Indiana school for the Deaf. He excelled in mathematics and athletics and was quickly recruited by Hofstra University’s football team ranking top 10 in NCAA Division III level. He earned his BA in Public Accounting. Later, during his four year employment at Gallaudet, he received an MBA from Bowie State University.
Due to his strong ambition for higher management levels, he moved and worked for Katherine Jankowski and Frank Turk in North Carolina as Business Manager for a few years before moving back to Maryland. After promoting to Disbursement Accounting Supervisor at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, his alumni high school stole him back, not as a student but, as Assistant Superintendent/CFO.
When the industry of VRS was about to be born, Ron Obray recruited him as Controller for Hands On Video Relay Services/Hands On Sign Language Services, Inc. (now Purple Communications Inc.) After a few years with Purple, Andrew saw many Deaf Professionals leaping to higher levels of management while using and working closely with professional interpreters. Andrew noticed the great opportunity he had to enhance interpreters understanding and effectiveness in empowering the Deaf Professional while working towards the mutual goal of higher professionalism. Also, he helps interpreters focusing better with their interpreting jobs by assuming their invoicing/billing tasks as well as taking new assignments. zteM Education Institution is founded and launched.

Sharon Bryant, Employment/Career Consulting Services

Our Employment and Career Consulting Services maximizes your employment opportunities and career potential by taking advantage of current market demands and friendly career environment for the deaf.
Career consulting gives you greater focus and an increased awareness of the choices you make. Also, it keeps your career healthy, improve the quality of your life and make you more effective at work through a heightened sense of self-awareness and greater clarity about your purpose and goals.
Whether a business owner or an individual on a career track, knowing your personal vision is critical to your success.

Sharoon Bryant’s Bio: Employment Specialist for over 20+ years
Vocational Evaluation – 4 years
George Washington University – Ed.S (Education Specialist/Vocational Evaluator)
McDaniel College – MS – Counseling Education
Gallaudet University – BA – Social Work

Larry Umberger, Team Leader and Trainer

Currently, Larry Umberger serves as Community Liaison Director for Go 2 Interpreter, Inc, and on advisory committees for interpreter training programs. He is also an American Sign Language instructor at Baylor University. Also, Mr. Umberger leads and trains teams as a team leader and trainer in various professional and business operations.

After graduating from Gallaudet University in 1995, Mr. Umberger started work at Central Texas Council of the Deaf, Inc. As Interpreter Intern Program Coordinator, Larry conducted mentoring projects, seminars, statewide workshops, lab activities, and self-evaluations, and as a Specialist Computer Programmer, he constructed their computerized office billing system. At Sign of the Times, Inc.’s Vocational Training Workshop Coordinator and Instructor, Mr. Umberger presented workshops, taught and advise clients seeking training and employment.

On the side, Larry enjoys editing videos of various community activities. He currently resides in Texas with his wife Paula, with their children and dogs.

Jim House, TDI Director of Public Relations