Speaker Bios

As founder and former CEO of I-DEV International, Chin-Sweeney led global strategy and investment work across 45 countries—bridging multinational corporations, foundations, and impact investors to design and scale purpose-driven initiatives in emerging markets and global supply chains. She has partnered with more than a dozen impact investment funds to improve performance and deepen impact.

She serves as a Venture Partner at Beyond Capital Ventures, a pioneering gender-smart investor recognized as the first fund globally to earn 2X Best-in-Class certification for gender equity and conscious leadership. Recent advisory clients include AlphaMundi Foundation, the American Heart Association, and the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Chin-Sweeney specializes in integrating purpose with performance—including mobilizing philanthropic, PRI, and MRI capital to create measurable, lasting impact. She holds an MBA from NYU Stern and a BA from Barnard College, and is grateful to be back in the NYC area after more than a decade working across San Francisco, Africa, and Latin America.

A lifelong explorer, Chin-Sweeney has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro—though her favorite remains Mt. Kenya. She’s possibly seen every latrine in Malawi, every Fair Trade coffee field in Rwanda, and some of the most dynamic organizations tackling clean energy, climate, poverty, and health challenges around the world. She brings that grounded, global perspective to every engagement—helping clients design dynamic solutions and uncover real answers that create lasting change.

Benjamin M. Cole, Ph.D. holds the William J. Loschert Endowed Professorship in Technology Entrepreneurship at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business. Cole serves as the managing director of the Family Stewardship Council, which hosts conferences, showcases and workshops for family firms, funds, foundations and offices. Cole is an inducted Fellow of the British Blockchain Association and served as a subject matter advisor to the Operations Subcommittee of the Wyoming Stable Token initiative, which launched as Frontier token (FRNT) in August 2025 as the first stabletoken issued by a ‘sovereign’ in the United States (rather than by a for-profit firm). He also serves as a member of the CNBC Disruptor 50 Academic Advisory Council, which helps CNBC construct its ranking methodology to identify the most game-changing private companies in the world.

Feinberg is a member of the NYU President’s Global Council, the NYU Arts and Science Board, the NYU Langone Chairmans Circle, the KITP Director’s Advisory Cabinet, the McDonald Observatory of the University of Texas, and the Economic Club of NY, and a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS). Feinberg has endowed numerous professorships in theoretical physics and innovation. The Rees-Feinberg Chair at the University of Cambridge Center for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) will be established in 2025 with Feinberg joining its Advisory Board, and the Carl P. Feinberg Center for Theoretical Physics will be inaugurated in 2026 at NYU. In addition, Feinberg supports research in the natural sciences at NYU, NYU Langone, Stanford, the University of Texas - Austin, the Center for Study of Existential Risks at the University of Cambridge, and the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy.

Maria Figueroa Kupcu is a senior advisor to boards and executive teams on strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, crisis moments and change initiatives. She draws on decades of experience reconciling philanthropic, private, investor and NGO positions in the arenas of sustainability, climate risk and social impact. Her background combines research, strategic planning and the full-suite of implementation tactics. She has worked extensively with foundations, family offices, nonprofits and private-sector initiatives to create impact. Clients include: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Columbia University, IFC/World Bank, Mars, NRDC, PepsiCo, PwC, and World Wildlife Fund.

Kupcu began her career at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in multilateral negotiations. She joined Penn, Schoen & Berland (a WPP company), helping to develop messaging and campaign strategies for presidential and parliamentary contests around the world: Ukraine, Serbia, South Korea, Zimbabwe and the USA. Most recently, Kupcu was a partner at Brunswick Group, a global critical issues and financial situations advisory firm. Over 15 years, she helped grow the Business & Society practice along with four related offers: ESG, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Foundations and Nonprofits and Stakeholder Engagement.

Kupcu attended Harvard Kennedy School and Tufts University. She serves on the Advisory Boards of the New York Botanical Garden and Turkish Philanthropy Funds. She lives in New York with her family and loves exploring the cuisines of her multi-ethnic background which includes Italian, Turkish, Polish and Filippino heritage. She and her husband founded Double Knot Rug Gallery, the premier gallery of tribal carpets and textiles in NYC.

A highly acclaimed industry leader, serial entrepreneur, technologist, and seasoned corporate affairs strategist for more than 30 years, Kwittken began his career in Washington, D.C. before starting his firm, KWT Global, a PR and brand strategy consultancy, in late 2005. Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) acquired KWT Global in 2010. Kwittken has counseled hundreds of organizations, from F100 listed companies to private and high-growth brands alike, spanning multiple sectors. A proud GW alum, Kwittken serves on GW’s School of Media and Public Affairs advisory board. He’s a member of the board of trustees of IPR, past president of the PRSA New York, past president of the Americas for ICCO, a former Board member of the PR Council, a former adjunct professor at NYU and a former Forbes and Drum columnist and created and hosted the Brand on Purpose podcast.

Aaron has received numerous honors and awards for his work and industry leadership. He was named a PRovoke 2021 Innovator and to PR Week's 2022, 2023, and 2025 Tech Dashboards for his comms-tech leadership and industry innovation. He's also a sought-after industry speaker and panelist on topics including AI and communications technology, crisis management, and ESG. He has deep expertise in marketing technology, brand strategy, reputation management, crisis management, and purpose-driven marketing. An endurance sports enthusiast, marathoner, swimmer, IRONMAN triathlete, and volunteer firefighter, Aaron puts social impact at the center of everything he does personally and professionally.

Prior to joining J.P. Morgan in 2024, Mulvihill worked for global infrastructure solutions provider CRH for 12 years and KPMG for 2 years. He has held M&A, finance and operating roles across Europe, Australia and the U.S. As a regional divisional finance leader, he had responsibility for more than 25 manufacturing facilities, and in P&L and operating roles, directly managed a number of large-scale facilities supplying the water, energy and communication infrastructure markets. He also has significant emerging markets experience particularly in Eastern Europe.

Mulvihill graduated from Trinity College, Dublin, with a B.A. in European Studies. He is conversational in Russian and French as well as his native English. He is a CFA Charterholder and a Chartered Certified Accountant.

Prior to his current role at Lincolnshire, Nacier worked for Iconic Holding, a global crypto asset management group, where he helped launch the first EU-regulated crypto index fund as the firm’s U.S. investments director; and Investindustrial Inc., a European investment group which provides industrial solutions and capital to mid-market companies, where he focused on North American add-ons and early stage investment opportunities. Nacier began his career with Lincolnshire as an analyst.

Nacier earned a BA in Philosophy and Economics from Boston College, where he was student body president. Outside the office, Nacier has a passion for all things automotive and also practices jiu-jitsu.

Her professional experience includes working as a research economist in the International Finance and Macroeconomics group at the Milken Institute in Santa Monica, where she studied post-crisis structural changes in capital markets driven by macroprudential regulations. Additionally, she served as a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET) in New York, collaborating closely with Prof. Perry Mehrling to study his “Money View” framework, which emphasizes liquidity and examines the realities of modern monetary systems using models of market microstructure. She serves as a Financial System Advisor for TheBlock FZCO, headquartered in Dubai.

Saeidinezhad earned her Ph.D. in Empirical Macroeconomics in 2013 from the University of Sheffield.

Subramanian is regularly featured by leading media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, MIT Technology Review, Wired Magazine, Bloomberg TV, and CNN. He has received numerous awards, including the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards and the Ernest & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Subramanian is a rocket scientist by training, having studied at the Indian Institute of Technology (Bombay) for a B. Tech degree in Aerospace Engineering. He is passionate about creating new and better ways for people to experience the world.

Murphy brings a wealth of expertise in public policy, military leadership, legal strategy, and innovation, honed through distinguished service in both government and the private sector. Before joining Hilco Global, Murphy served as the 32nd United States Under Secretary of the Army, confirmed by the U.S. Senate in December 2015, three days after which he assumed duties as Acting Secretary of the Army. In this role, he provided strategic leadership for a Fortune 10-sized organization, driving initiatives including technology modernization, talent recruitment and management, and innovation within the Army, and was recognized for advancing veteran advocacy and digital transformation across the service. He was the first Iraq War veteran elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district from 2007 to 2011, where he sponsored the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, co-authored the 21st Century G.I. Bill, and served on the Armed Services, Select Intelligence, and Appropriations committees.

A decorated military officer, Murphy served as a judge advocate in the U.S. Army, including deployments to Bosnia and Iraq, where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service. His leadership extended beyond the battlefield as a part of the military faculty at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he taught constitutional law and mentored future leaders. Murphy’s legal and academic background includes earning a JD from Widener University Commonwealth Law School and a BA from King’s College. He has also held roles at Cozen O’Connor, a leading national Am Law 100 law firm, and as a venture capitalist investing over $250 million in veteran-owned companies. His lifelong dedication to public service includes his current tenure as a faculty member at the Wharton School of Business and formerly as the Distinguished Chair of Innovation at West Point.

Throughout his career, Murphy has been recognized for his commitment to innovation, veterans’ issues, and national security. He has advised organizations and institutions across sectors on governance, compliance, and leadership. He continues to engage in advisory roles and thought leadership, including his work as a TV contributor, podcast host, and public speaker. In addition to the Bronze Star Medal, Murphy holds numerous awards and decorations from his military service, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the John F. Kennedy Jr ‘Profile in Courage’ Award from Brown University and the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Public Service Award from the Student Veterans of America. He remains dedicated to fostering innovation and good governance, empowering organizations to navigate complex challenges in today’s global landscape.