Subject Matter Experts

Amy Hopper Swan

Amy Hopper Swan has been part of the entrepreneurial support ecosystem in Arkansas since 2017, when she moved to Little Rock from Atlanta. As Program Director for the Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA), Amy expands collaboration and innovation among research leaders and institutions across the state. Amy co-launched Horizon Health Solutions, a healthtech company, in 2021 […]

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Paul F. Mlakar Jr.

Combined 30 years’ experience starting, growing, managing, and leading various business units across a wide spectrum of different organizations. My unique background and perspective has provided me with the leadership skills and business acumen required to consistently seek opportunities and create significant value for all stakeholders.

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Rajat Paharia

Rajat Paharia is a product leader with over 20 years of experience. He is currently the Founder and Head Intern at Ask Steve (https://www.asksteve.to) a Chrome extension which enables people to get sh*t done better and faster with AI. Prior to Ask Steve, Rajat was a Director of Product Management at Google where he worked

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Matthew Ward

An Arkansas native, Matthew Ward serves Startup Junkie Foundation as a senior executive consultant where he helps clients quantify their ideas and develop a roadmap to achieve their goals. He also serves as a venture partner for Cadron Capital Partners and provides support for Startup Junkie global expansion. Previously, Matthew served as Director of the

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Kate Loughridge

Kaitlyn Loughridge is the Marketing Manager for the ARise program, funded by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and led by Conductor. A University of Central Arkansas graduate with a degree in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, she began her career at Conductor as an intern in 2022, becoming Operations Coordinator by mid-2023. Kaitlyn focuses on promoting initiatives

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Grace Rains

Grace Rains is the Executive Director at the Conductor, a public-private partnership between the University of Central Arkansas and Startup Junkie Consulting that drives innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment in Arkansas. In her role, Grace guides the strategy and execution of Conductor programming, oversees the ARise program, a statewide program for tech and tech-enabled founders,

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Mallory Race (McFall)

I am a Senior Project Manager supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs at the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC). As a subject matter expert in Smartsheet, a versatile low-code/no-code software, I specialize in spreadsheet optimization, automations, and data analytics. My passion lies in transforming data into actionable insights, streamlining decision-making, and automating manual processes. I have

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Kristopher Adams

Kristopher Adams currently manages ARise (Arkansas Innovators, Startups, and Entrepreneurs), a new statewide technology program funded by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and led by Startup Junkie. With extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, strategic communications, and community building, Kristopher’s work spans various sectors. Previously, as Director of the NWA Tech Summit, he drove impressive growth

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