Unleashed Founders Retreat
Agenda
Sunday Sept 13 (optional)
Please note this is not included in registration fee
If you're interested in traveling in a day early, please let us know during registrations and we'll send you a booking link. We'll have an informal dinner.
Monday September 14
12:00 PM: Boat Cruise on Lake Skaneateles
1:30 - 2:30 PM: Check in at Skaneateles Fields Resort
2:30 - 4:00 PM: Pool & Putting Green Social Hour
Meet other attendees through an immersive networking session, drinks, and appetizers.
5:00 - 6:00 PM: Cocktail hour at the Lodge
6:00 - 9:00 PM: Unleashed Founders Retreat Annual Awards dinner
Community Catalyst Award: Kathi Durdon
Deal of the Year Award, presented by EY
7:30 - 8:30 Fireside Chat Betting on Psychedelics Lessons from a Founder Who Built and Sold a $270M Biotech Company with Greg Mayes moderated by Tonia O'Connor
9:00 PM: After dinner s'mores
Tues September 15
7:00 - 8:00 AM: Early morning activities
Pick up pickleball
Yoga
Early morning run
9:00 AM: Check out and drive to Lodge
9:30 - 10:15 AM: Breakfast themed roundtables
10:15 - 11:10 AM: Buying the Future and Succession Planning Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition in New York with Joe and Becky DiSorbo, moderated by Olivia Goldstein
11:15 - 12:10: Building Legacy Beyond the Business: Women, Entrepreneurship, and Philanthropy with Brigid Doherty, Mia Medicus, and Chelsea Peters Shale moderated by Andrea Babinec
12:00 - 1:00 PM: Lunch with guest speaker
2:00 PM: Tour of regional business
Speakers
Andrea Babinec, Grants Manager at UpMobility Foundation
Panel: Building Legacy Beyond the Business: Women, Entrepreneurship, and Philanthropy
Andrea Babinec calls herself a “startup kid,” as she was born the same year her parents, Martin and Krista Babinec, launched TriNet (she even had a crib set up in the office). Today, Andrea combines her lifelong interests in entrepreneurship, different cultures (she once lived and worked in Tokyo), and writing in her role as a Content Writer for Entrepreneurs Across Borders. Andrea is a Grants Manager at UpMobility Foundation, where she focuses on grants in the Advancing Education and Freedom & Democracy Reform categories. Andrea is especially interested in working with nonprofits who are committed to collaborating with other organizations for maximum impact. Andrea also serves as a content writer at UpMobility Foundation. She is a graduate of Fordham University and Saint Mary's College of California and lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Becky DiSorbo, Co-Owner of Transworld Buffalo
Panel: Buying the Future and Succession Planning Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition in New York
Becky DiSorbo is an entrepreneur, executive, and connector with a career spanning three decades helping businesses grow, scale, and transition.
She co-owns Transworld Business Advisors of Buffalo with her partner Joe DiSorbo, bringing Western New York and the Southern Tier a business brokerage resource grounded in genuine community investment, helping owners navigate exits and buyers step into ownership, with expertise, discretion, and care.
Her career spans U.S. and global markets. from Silicon Valley to Singapore, with senior roles at EMC Corporation, Borland Software and Red Hat Software. She started her career in public relations and investor relations for technology clients at Weber Shandwick and Morgen Walke & Associates. As CMO at Webgistix Corporation, she and the founder took the company through its acquisition by Rakuten, giving her firsthand perspective on preparing a business for a successful exit. Today she also serves as Chief Integrator at Ship.com, a SaaS shipping platform she co-founded.
Outside the boardroom, Becky is a competitive endurance athlete who placed 13th at the 70.3 Ironman World Championships and serves as a USA Triathlon Foundation Ambassador.
She holds an M.A. and B.A. from the University of Notre Dame. Her personal philosophy, Be of Good Cheer: The Physics of Encouragement, is what she brings to the table in business and in sport.
Joe DiSorbo, Co-Owner of Transworld Buffalo
Panel: Buying the Future and Succession Planning Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition in New York
Joe DiSorbo is a technology entrepreneur, investor, and advocate for business ownership. He is the Founder and CEO of Ship.com, a modern shipping and fulfillment platform that simplifies logistics for e-commerce brands and software platforms. Earlier in his career, he founded and led Webgistix, an e-commerce technology and global fulfillment company that scaled internationally before being acquired by Rakuten in 2013. His background spans global operations, software development, finance, and logistics, with experience working across the United States and Asia. A native of Western New York, Joe is deeply committed to strengthening small towns through entrepreneurship and ownership transition. He acquired the local Transworld Business Advisors office to help business owners successfully exit while ensuring their companies remain vital parts of the community. He also founded Owner Path, an initiative focused on developing 100 new e-commerce entrepreneurs by equipping emerging founders with the skills, tools, and mindset required for long-term business ownership. Joe is a strong proponent of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) as a practical path to business ownership, economic continuity, and community stability. He believes acquiring and operating existing small businesses is one of the most effective ways to preserve local jobs, transfer generational knowledge, and build long-term wealth. He is an active member of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and is committed to lifelong learning. He continues to mentor and invest in growth-oriented businesses. Joe holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Geography and dual master’s degrees in Finance and International Management. He is also a graduate of Harvard Business School (OPM 41), reflecting his long-standing focus on global business, capital allocation, and entrepreneurship.
Brigid Doherty, Board Member at Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
Panel: Building Legacy Beyond the Business: Women, Entrepreneurship, and Philanthropy
Most recently, Ms. Doherty has provided independent strategic consulting services to foundations through Doherty Consulting. Her clients have included the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, where she supported the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation’s work focused on youth sports and caregivers. Prior to consulting, Ms. Doherty was the President of the Cullen Foundation, a $125 million dollar foundation dedicated to enhancing education for students in grades 5 through 12 and to advancing performing arts in Erie County. Ms. Doherty was the founding President of the foundation and established its operations protocol, governance structure and investment philosophy, as well as creating its strategic plan, implementing the foundation’s first grant cycle and creating of its initial scholarship program. Her work experience includes working as the Executive Director of the James H. Cummings Foundation, a 35 million dollar private foundation, and as the Executive Director of the WNY Women’s Foundation. Ms. Doherty worked with 25 Board members to move the organization from a traditional grant making organization to a social change agent using advocacy to advance the organization’s work. In addition, Ms. Doherty was the main fundraiser, more than doubling revenue over the course of her tenure. Ms. Doherty’s prior work experience includes being a consultant at Bain & Co., a Vice President at Summer Street Capital Partners and as an analyst in Mergers and Acquisitions at Goldman, Sachs & Co. Ms. Doherty has a Master in Business Administration from Harvard Business School and Bachelor of Science from Boston College. Ms. Doherty chaired the Nardin Academy Board of Trustees and was Vice-Chair of the Buffalo Fiscal Control Board. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo Prep, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, Nichols School, Say Yes, the Harvard Club of WNY and the HBS Club of WNY.
Greg Mayes, Former President and CEO of Reunion Neuroscience
Fireside Chat: Betting on Psychedelics
Lessons from a Founder Who Built and Sold a $270M Biotech Company
Greg Mayes, JD is an accomplished leader with over 20 years in the pharmaceutical drug development space. He is most recently the President and CEO of Reunion Neuroscience, where he’s leading the Company’s advancement of next-generation psychedelic therapeutic solutions for neuropsychiatric indications such as postpartum depression and adjustment disorder. Following the execution of a $133 million dollar Series A financing which MPM Bio Impact and Novo Ventures co-led, Greg led the Company to the successful completion of the Company’s Phase 2 clinical trial called RECONNECT with its lead asset, luvesilocin, a novel serotonergic psychedelic. Greg also leads the team's advancement of luvesilocin in other neuropsychiatric indications including adjustment disorder and general anxiety disorder. Prior to joining Reunion, Greg served in multiple C-Suite leadership roles at early-stage biotech and pharmaceutical companies, where he was integral in raising nearly half a billion dollars in investment capital and overseeing the successful completion of multiple early-phase FDA trials. As President and CEO of Antios Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, Greg led a $100+ million Series B financing with top healthcare investors in 2021. Prior to Antios, and inspired by his son’s epilepsy diagnosis, Greg founded Engage Therapeutics, where he successfully raised $40 million in a Series A financing round led by TPG. He served as the Engage Therapeutics President and CEO from 2017 until 2020 when the company was acquired by UCB Pharma for $270 million, following a positive, randomized Phase 2b clinical trial evaluating its lead product candidate, a REST (Rapid Epileptic Seizure Termination) treatment.
Mia Medicus, Principal at Single Family Office
Panel: Building Legacy Beyond the Business: Women, Entrepreneurship, and Philanthropy
Mia Medicus is a Principal at a New York-based single family office, where she leads operations, investments, and special projects. Her work spans emerging technologies, entertainment, real estate, and philanthropy, with a particular interest in innovations that support human flourishing.
Mia spent several years in venture capital prior to co-founding her family office. She holds a degree in Economics from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and lives in NYC.
Tonia O'Connor, Co-founder of The Kite
Fireside Chat: Betting on Psychedelics
Lessons from a Founder Who Built and Sold a $270M Biotech Company
Tonia O’Connor is the co-founder of The Kite, a leadership development venture that helps organizations achieve growth ambitions. In 2022, Ms. O’Connor served as a member of the Board of Directors of Xperi Holding Corporation (renamed Adeia Inc. at the time of the spin-off) beginning in December 2021. Previously, Ms. O’Connor was the Chief Executive Officer of Tone It Up, a plant based, nutritional products company, for women, by women. Prior to joining Tone It Up, Ms. O’Connor served as the CEO of Chopra Global and the President and Chief Revenue Officer at Univision Communications. Prior to Univision, Ms. O’Connor held leadership roles at News Corp’s Gemstar, where she led negotiations for complex technology and intellectual property agreements, as well as content and marketing deals, and played an integral role in the growth of Gemstar’s IP assets. Ms. O’Connor serves on Syracuse University’s Board of Trustees, where she is a member of the Athletics, Academic Affairs and Advancement & External Affairs Committees, and the national board of STRIVE, a Harlem-based nonprofit organization serving people who face great obstacles to employment, preparing them for job readiness and sustainable careers. Ms. O’Connor previously served on the boards of BetterSpace, fuboTV, GoldieBlox, and El Rey Network
Chelsea Peters Shale, Co-founder of Full Impact Advisory
Panel: Building Legacy Beyond the Business: Women, Entrepreneurship, and Philanthropy
Chelsea Peters Shale believes the hardest part of doing good isn't raising money - it's knowing where it should go and building what it takes to get it there. She's spent her career on both sides of that equation: advising individuals and institutions on how to direct more than $3 billion in philanthropic capital, and building the programs nonprofits use to turn that capital into results for communities. Now, through her own advisory practice, she brings both perspectives to every engagement.
She is Founder of Full Impact Advisory, where she partners with foundations and social sector leaders to define and achieve their greatest impact. Her most visible current work is a national effort to strengthen American democracy: partnering with the Institute for Citizens & Scholars and more than 130 U.S. college and university presidents to build initiatives that equip the next generation with the civic and problem-solving skills a complex world demands.
Previously, Chelsea held C-suite roles at two of the world's largest philanthropic institutions. As Deputy Executive Director and Chief Strategy Officer at the Walton Family Foundation, she worked alongside a multi-generational family to set long-term strategy across K-12 education, social mobility, and water sustainability. As Interim Co-CEO and Chief Regional Strategy and Operations Officer at UNICEF USA, she mobilized a nationwide movement behind life-saving programs for children in more than 180 countries.
An Aspen Ideas Fellow, founding member of Chief, and one of Fortune's Most Powerful Women, Chelsea remains driven by a core question: How do we better connect the people, capital, and ideas that communities need to truly thrive?
Awardees
Community Catalyst: Kathi Durdon, Executive Director at CNY Biotech Accelerator, Upstate Medical University
Kathi is Executive Director of the Central New York Biotech Accelerator (CNYBAC), SUNY Upstate Medical University’s (Upstate) 52,000+ square foot NYS Certified Business Incubator. Kathi mentors start-up client companies in regulatory and clinical research and assists in locating resources for CNYBAC clients such as key opinion leaders, clinical sites, and investment/funding opportunities. Kathi manages incubator operations, budget, as well as support programs for on-site wet lab and virtual clients commercializing a healthtech- or biotech-related product or service. This includes serving as a trusted advisor to the Upstate Biotech Ventures (UBV) an equity-based fund eligible to companies which have an affiliation with Upstate. Based on her expertise and building on the strengths within the region, Kathi created and manages the annually held Medical Device Innovation Challenge (MDIC).
Kathi has a master’s degree in business policy and bachelor’s degrees in English and Anthropology. She is a board member for BioBAT and the Business Incubator Association of New York State (BIANYS) and former board member of the NYS bio/med trade organization, LifeSciencesNY. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Upstate. Kathi presents for student groups to generate interest in innovation commercialization as well as at professional organizations discussing regulatory strategy and incubation programs. Previously, Kathi managed the Clinical Affairs team at device manufacturer, Welch Allyn and served as Director of the Clinical Trials Office at Upstate.
Deal of the Year: Incodema 3D
Sean Whittaker, President & CEO
Sean grew up in Ithaca and worked as a mechanical engineer at NCR Corp and Transact Technologies before venturing out into stereo lithography. He is now the CEO and one of four owners of Incodema 3D, which he founded in 2001.
Christopher Smith, COO
Chris is a senior level, entrepreneurial-minded finance and operations professional with combined private and public industry experience (including venture backed startups and high growth organizations). A Certified Public Accountant by training, Chris has 20+ years with privately held high growth high-tech semiconductor manufacturers, additive manufacturer, molecular diagnostics manufacturer, and a consumer/medical products start-up. He led the financial and operations organizations of multiple entities reporting directly to the CEO and Board of Directors, and has extensive hands-on experience in developing the finance, tax, treasury/cash management, budgeting, financial reporting, operations, strategic planning, and internal controls functions. Chris is a results-oriented leader with a proven track record in negotiating with banks and lenders, implementing and executing on business strategy, and evaluating strategic alliances and acquisitions while working closely with investment banks and venture capital firms.