Melissa Venable

Chair (2021 - Present), Board (Since 2020)

As the Principal of Design Doc LLC Melissa's current contracts include serving as Director of Professional Development for the National Career Development Association (NCDA) where her projects include developing on-demand continuing education opportunities, producing the Career Practitioner Conversations podcast, and coordinating a webinar series. She is also the Editor of Career Developments, NCDA's quarterly member-benefit magazine. Melissa has been an adjunct faculty member and online course designer in Saint Leo University's M.S. in Instructional Design program since 2012.

Melissa earned a PhD in Instructional Technology at the University of South Florida with research interests in distance education and support services for online students. She also holds master's degrees from Central Michigan University and the University of Oklahoma, and a bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University.

Melissa and her husband, Rob Petitgout, have been non-resident BDC members since its opening in 2017. She has lived in Beaufort since 2012 and served on the City of Beaufort's Higher Education Task Force and on the Friends of the Beaufort County Library Board. Melissa is also a graduate of Leadership Beaufort.

Rich Conte

Chair Elect (2024 - Present), Outgoing Treasurer (2023 - 2024)

Rich Conte is a Product Management and Development professional with over 25 years of experience in the technology industry spanning Engineering, User Experience Design and Product Management. For the past 18 years, he served in various Product Development roles at Charleston-based Blackbaud Inc. In his current role as Senior Manager of Technical Product Management, Rich leads a team that is helping power Blackbaud's digital transformation efforts by developing Identity Management, Commerce and Developer capabilities.

A passionate Technology Startup advocate, Rich supported the Charleston technology community as Producer and Host of the Tech Life / Silicon Harbor Radio podcast, board member for the Charleston Startup and STEM Foundation, Startup Weekend Charleston organizer, and advisor to a network of Charleston-based entrepreneurs. He is excited to contribute to the local technology community and help further the Beaufort Digital Corridor's mission.

Rich relocated from Charleston in August 2020, and along with his wife Amelia and son Sullivan, looks forward to being part of the Beaufort community for a long time to come.

Chris Robinson

Vice Chair (2023 - Present)

Chris Robinson is a visual artist and University of South Carolina Emeritus Professor, recently retired as Visiting Artist and Chair of Visual Art & Design at USC Beaufort. His interests and artwork focus on the development, role, and mediation of complex science and technology in contemporary culture and how it assists in and influences decision making. Research throughout his career has involved the early use of computers and 3D imaging in the arts to laser and ambient light installations, aviation and space development, scientific exploration, complex drawings of digital spaces, and the rapid emergence of nanoscience/technology. While at USC, Robinson was involved in a variety of cross disciplinary initiatives as a member of the NanoCenter and has been a senior and co principal investigator on $3.5 million in United States National Science Foundation funding for multidisciplinary teams investigating the broader impacts, societal implications, and role of images in the development of nanotechnology, and spent the Spring 2009 as a Visiting Professor at the Scuola Normale Superiore of the University of Pisa working with the Italian National Enterprise for nanoScience and nanoTechnology (NEST). He serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for AntiRadical Therapeutics (ART) in the development and marketing of a significant therapeutic, and as a fellow at the Carnegie Mellon University Studio for Creative Inquiry with The Moon Arts Group, placing a small museum on the moon. Robinson crosses the two cultures and exhibits, writes, and presents at national and international venues and conferences in the arts and the sciences throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia, conducting professional activity on four continents in twenty-three countries, along with service in the breadth of university life.

Jeannine McConnell

Secretary (2023 - Present)

Jeannine McConnell's four-decade tech career spans successes from software development patents, Big-4 management consulting to strategic global leadership roles. Jeannine's most recent responsibilities included leading a global team of technologists and strategic partners at ServiceNow, the company Forbes magazine called "the most innovative company in the world" in 2018. At the helm of Nexterity LLC, Jeannine has supported multiple Silicon Valley technology companies to optimize their strategic programs and supported a major North Carolina healthcare organization to reinvent their portfolio management approach.

Jeannine brings unparalleled energy to the topic of transformation and the impact technology has on the most critical resource, your people. Her four decades of technology innovation, consultative leadership, and cultural change experience makes her uniquely qualified to support your organization through whatever comes next! Jeannine is a contributing leader to the BRM Institute™, holds certifications from PMI™, IIBA™, is ITIL™ certified, and is a certified OKR Coach and an ECHO Listening™ coach.

Jeannine has a passion for optimizing potential, creating order out of chaos, finding collaboration amongst the broken edges of complex organizations, and creating high-performing teams that really enjoy celebrating wins and growing together.

Jason Loia

Board Member (2023 - Present)

Jason is a seasoned technology executive who has served in various C-Level roles in Silicon Valley startups. He brings over 20 years of game production and publishing experience to the panel, having served with industry legends such as Trip Hawkins (Founder and first-CEO of Electronic Arts), and Ilkka Paananen (CEO & Co-founder of Supercell). Jason also has deep expertise in AI and Cybersecurity, and most recently served as President of AnchorFree and subsequently CEO of CyberGhost. Jason currently serves on the Beaufort Digital Corridor Board of Directors and advises startups on growth and monetization, as well as provides executive coaching for up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

Gary Baldwin

Board Member (2024 - Present)

Gary Baldwin is a driven, results-oriented technology entrepreneur with a proven track record of leading successful startups and achieving multiple exits. He possesses a deep background in software and technology and has extensive experience on Boards of Directors in both for-profit and non-profit sectors.

Throughout his career, Gary has demonstrated the ability to grow, motivate, and lead teams to develop, launch, and dominate the market with technology-based products. He has been instrumental in achieving significant revenue and profitability for both new and existing products and has successfully built teams from the ground up or evolved them in diverse environments, ranging from startups to Fortune 50 companies.

Gary Baldwin's extensive experience and leadership in technology and business strategy make him a valuable asset to the Beaufort Digital team. His dedication to innovation, combined with his commitment to volunteer work, exemplifies his passion for making a positive impact in both the technology sector and the community.

Amy Doerflinger

Board Member (2024 - Present)

Amy Doerflinger is a dedicated professional with nearly a decade of experience in leading projects and programs at The Boeing Company. She successfully transitioned into the wealth management industry at Edward Jones in 2021 where she has hired multiple leaders and established 3 new departments in this time, all while focused on the people side of change and developing leaders. Amy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Charleston Southern University and a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership from City University of Seattle. Amy has continually demonstrated her commitment to professional development, learning numerous additional certificates throughout her career with a focus on projects and agility.

In addition to her professional achievements, Amy played division 1 College Softball on a full ride scholarship and earned First Team All Conference 2nd base her senior year. She can still be seen in the top 10 record books in a variety of categories. Her athletic background underscores her dedication, teamwork, and competitive spirit.

Since moving to Beaufort in 2022, Amy has been an active member and supporter of the Beaufort Digital Corridor. She was an inaugural member of the Women in Tech group and has hosted two lunch and learn sessions as well. She has also been a team member on the two runner up teams during the last two TechStars events held in Beaufort. Her involvement at the BDC highlights her commitment to advocating for the tech community and supporting local initiatives.

Amy has been married to her husband, Dustin (entrepreneur and owner of Doerflinger Athletics), for ten years and they have two young girls. As a family, they are committed to their faith, family dinners, card and board games, and staying connected by the daily practice of discussing each other's "Roses and Thorns" for the day.

In her spare time, Amy enjoys writing poetry, reading leadership books, and protecting the local loggerhead sea turtles on the beach where she lives. She loves searching for sea glass on the beach, baking, kayaking, and curating adventures for her family to enjoy together.

Amy's purpose is to design intentional and joyful experiences, by remaining curious and open so that collectively her family and teammates flourish.