speakers

orrel Batac is the Founder and CEO of SXNGA, a global consultancy designing interconnected ecosystems across gaming, esports, sport, education, and entertainment — unlocking growth, measurable impact, and resilient culture. He currently serves as VP, International Affairs for USA Esports and as an Independent Board Member supporting Al-Ahli Esports via Red Waves, with additional contributions to ISO TC/83 WG “Esports” and advisory work in prosocial community design and advocacy with Equimundo and Project Moonlight. With 20+ years of ecosystem-building experience, he focuses on cross-border alignment — partner strategy, operating models, and standards-aligned governance frameworks that protect program integrity and make international collaboration executable. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the Network of Academic & Scholastic Esports Federations (NASEF) and the United States Esports Federation (USEF.GG), leading global education and esports initiatives.

Jose Moreno is an athlete and Global Messenger for Special Olympics Illinois. He lives in Bensenville Illinois and has been participating in Special Olympics since 2009. Jose trains and competes in bowling, Unified Bocce .Jose has a number of gold medal accomplishments both through sports and as an ambassador for Special Olympics Illinois. He has served in a number of athlete leadership roles for Special Olympics Illinois including serving as the Windy City Ducky Derby Ambassador in 2017, Dunkin Cop on a Rooftop ambassador in 2015 and is currently the of the Athlete Input Council for Special Olympics Illinois. Jose is most proud though, of his recent appointment, as the Athlete Liaison with the LETR Statewide Committee. Jose attended training to be a Global Messenger in 2011 and has participated in ongoing leadership and speaking development opportunities through Special Olympics Illinois over the past several years. As a Global Messenger and Athlete Leader, Jose helps to promote the benefits and opportunities that Special Olympics provides. He has spoken to numerous groups such as schools, law enforcement agencies, civic and corporate groups and many more. You will find Jose volunteering at LETR Golf Outings, Plane Pulls, Truck Convoys, Tip a Cop events and other Special Olympics and LETR fundraising events. Jose aspires to be an International Global Messenger and represent athletes in Illinois on the Board of Director for Special Olympics Illinois. He is also one of three athletes to be selected to be a Special Olympics International shoutcaster for Special Olympics Esports program. He is passionate about inclusion and creating awareness for the disability community.

I’m a senior at Cannon School in Concord, North Carolina, and I’ve been part of the Business of Esports program for the past two years. During that time, I’ve helped plan, organize, and run esports events, including tournaments and gaming showcases. The program has taught me valuable skills in event management, marketing, teamwork, and communication, as well as how to create and present professional proposals. These experiences have helped me build the confidence and experience I need as I pursue a future career in business.

Joshua Hilton is the founder and operator of multiple gaming startups over the years, including League Coaching, Gamer Sensei, and TrackingThePros. Currently he’s building tools for esport coaches at his latest startup Coachify.gg.

Experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Skilled in Management, Video Conferencing, Internet Protocol (IP), Video, Broadcast and Esports Development.

I am a 40-something creative educator with over a decade of experience as a graphic design instructor at Villa Park High School. Additionally, I have been serving as the Esports General Manager for the past six years. When I am not teaching, Drawing, managing esports, coordinating esports, or gaming. I enjoy spending time with my lovely wife and being a proud father of two awesome twins.

Leader in esports and gaming entertainment with nearly a decade of experience in building some of the industry's biggest brands.

Julie is a passionate connector who enjoys assisting in the creation of esports and innovative STEAM programs. Julie has developed a global network that connects esports professionals, technology industry partners, and colleges with school districts and organizations to create personalized esports, drone, and STEAM solutions. Julie creates esports ecosystems for class, club, and competition to prepare students for internships and their pursuit of college and career. She is an Ambassador for Minecraft Education, Women in Games, and Women in Games International. She serves as an MIE Expert, the Founder & President of the California Esports Association (CEA), and owner of Jdogmav Consulting, LLC. Julie’s accolades include: the 2022 NAECAD High School Esports Director of the Year, an EdTech Magazine 2023 IT Rising Star, the 2024 the*gameHERS Guardian of the Year, the 2024 Cynopsis Gaming, Tempest Awards Future Leader, the*gameHERs 2025 Excellence in Esports, and the District Administration DA Top 100 for 2025 recipient.

SVRN(Sovereign)-TechMan and Inu-turn VR into a stage for living boldly. With a combined 2 million followers and counting, their combat, comedy, and lifestyle adventures showcase a world without limits.

Junior Bernadin is the dean of students, director of IT, and house system expert at the highly-acclaimed Ron Clark Academy (RCA), an innovative middle school and educator training facility. Alongside his colleagues, he has helped to train over 100,000 educators from around the world to learn better ways to engage students, increase academic rigor, and create a climate and culture for success. Mr. Bernadin is the recent recipient of the nation's highest STEM mentoring award, the Presidential Award for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. awarded by the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science Foundation. In his role as the dean of students, he works with the cofounders in carrying out the RCA's culture and climate. Mr. Bernadin serves as director of IT where he provided all system support to the Academy. He maintained and managed all levels of technical support and integration within the school. As the a house system expert, he manages the global implementation of the RCA House System and RCA House Points App. In conjunction with his daily duties at RCA, Mr. Bernadin spends additional serving as a coach for the award-winning RCA FLL Robotics Team, 5-time National Champion RCA Step Team, and the 5-time National Champion MATHCounts Video Challenge Team and Jr. Tech Engineer’s Program. Outside of RCA, Mr. Bernadin continues to dedicate himself to serving youth and the Atlanta community. He serves on the board of directors for Dance Canvas, a nonprofit organization that provides opportunities and venues to increase the awareness of professional dance in Atlanta. He also serves on the board of directors for Building Future Leaders, whose purpose is to establish a set of dynamic, experiential leadership development curricula targeting a wide range of audiences, including but not limited to, high school youth, university students, and professionals. For his dedication to service and pursuit of excellence, Mr. Bernadin was recently named as one of the Top 100 Leaders in Education by the Global Forum for Education and Learning. He was also recognized as the Atlanta Business Chronicles 40 Under 40, Georgia Trend Magazine 40 Under 40, Walmart Community Playmaker, Florida State University Thirty Under Thirty, the Forbes Technology Council, and one of the People Behind the People sponsored by McDonald’s and TVOne. He is a member of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2021-2022. Mr. Bernadin currently resides in Fayetteville, GA, with his lovely wife, Dr. Tashinea Bernadin and daughter Amira Bernadin.

Kaiserine was a 2024 recipient of the BroadcastHER Academy Fellowship Program. She currently works as a freelance emcee, technical director, and replay operator, and is the assistant director of a collegiate esports program.

Kaitlin Teniente currently serves as the Director of Esports at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, TX. Hired in spring 2020, Teniente was the first female head coach of a varsity esports program in Texas. Previous roles held at Wizards of the Coast, Collegiate Starleague, and Super League Gaming.

Kaleb Howard is the Director of Esports at Clark Atlanta University and the Co-Founder of Maroon Tiger Gaming at Morehouse College. He is also the Co-Owner of a consulting firm specializing in gaming and esports strategy. A graduate of Morehouse College with a degree in Business Management, Kaleb has collaborated with leading organizations such as Riot Games, NRG Esports, and Ghost Gaming. His work centers on community development, strategic innovation, and promoting accessibility within the gaming and esports industry.

Katie Bartolo, MD is a board-certified sports medicine physician who is the director and co-founder of the Esports Center for Performance Health. She is an international speaker on Esports Medicine and has given numerous talks on this topic to a variety of audiences, from young gamers in the community and collegiate esports players to other health professionals, including athletic trainers, medical students, and other physicians. Also board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), Dr. Bartolo maintains an appointment as an Assistant Professor in the Department of PM&R at the University of North Carolina Medical School in Chapel Hill, NC where she also serves as the physician advisor to the UNC-Chapel Hill Esports teams.

Well-rounded public relations professional adept at developing and managing strategic programs from concept to execution. Experience working across a broad range of industries including tech, automotive, food and beverage, hospitality and CPG.

Over 20 years of hospitality experience; 15+ years corporate education, training and organizational development (Oakwood Worldwide, Irvine Company, Four Seasons, Hilton, Starwood/Westin hotels) at mid- to senior management level; 10 years public education / classroom teaching; CA teaching credential (career technical (hospitality / tourism / sales & marketing) and adult education); fluent French and Spanish and accomplished Japanese. Specialties: Esports (club) + education (curricula) creation and installation and support for middle school through college level + online / remote / incarcerated / home-schooled students; Enterprise-level process improvement, lean and operational change strategies; sales process creation / reinvention; Duty of Care initiative (start-up/blue sky through execution / implementation / roll-out); hotel operations management; Forbes 5-Star/AAA 5-Diamond hospitality SOP creation and implementation (divisional culture to front-line execution); hotel start-up / opening experience (USA and international); extensive organizational development, acculturation, training curriculum development, instructional design and deployment (multiple, diverse disciplines and applications); peer, supervisory and management coaching and counseling and leadership development; licensed Miller Heiman instructor (Blue Sheet SSO / Pipeline / methodology); licensed MAGIC facilitator (Communico, Ltd.)

Accredited public relations practitioner recognized as a PRSA Reputation Champion. Serial entrepreneur. Managing Partner of the Athena Alliance CLT stream team.

Krystal McCalla's story is one of triumph and resilience. Born into a life of uncertainty, she was adopted at a young age and given a chance for a brighter future. Growing up, Krystal faced numerous challenges, from navigating her identity as an adoptee to overcoming societal biases and stereotypes. However, she refused to let these obstacles define her. From an early age, Krystal discovered solace and empowerment through gaming. Immersed in virtual worlds, she found a sense of control and an outlet for her creativity and imagination. Gaming became more than just a hobby for Krystal; it became a source of inspiration and a catalyst for personal growth. Recognizing the transformative power of video games, Krystal set out to share her passion and make a positive impact on others. With a strong desire to support and uplift little girls, she became involved in various initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and providing educational opportunities for young girls. Krystal volunteered at local community centers, organizing gaming workshops where she not only taught gaming skills but also fostered an inclusive and empowering environment for the girls.

Laura Rubik Meneses Adams was born and raised in Mexico. She is a videogame producer specialized in advergaming and videogames with a cause and has developed projects for esports in Mexico and USA. Previously she was digital product coordinator, UX/UI and EdTech Strategist in educational projects for the US Embassy in Mexico in the area of sports diplomacy and in collaboration with NASEF (Network of Academic and Scholastic Esport Federation), for the Technology Cluster of Mexico City, public and private institutions, As a producer he has participated in the creation of games for UNO, Maps fornite, Canon, and other private companies and governmental institutions. Previously his professional background was developed in New Media Interactive Art, presenting his work in Germany, Italy, Lithuania and Mexico. She is currently President of the IGDA Mexico (International Game Developers Association, Mexico Chapter) where her most recent achievement was co-organizing the start of the 1st Mexican sale of video games in STEAM, Achieving public streaming pitch for video games where profiles such as students, consolidated studios and international publisher participated together. And entrepreneur of an NGO "cradorSTREAM" that through video games facilitates professionalization processes, reducing the technological and economic gap for certain vulnerable populations in her country. For which she has been selected for the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs AWE of the Department of State in USA.