Amy Climer, Ph.D., CSP
Climer Consulting
Dr. Amy Climer is a best-selling author and expert on innovation in teams. She facilitates innovation with forward-thinking organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, America’s Credit Unions, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Fox Sports. With a PhD in Leadership and Change from Antioch University and over 25 years of experience working with leaders and teams, she is widely regarded by executives as an asset in helping lead for innovation. She is the author of the award-winning book Deliberate Creative Teams: How to Lead for Innovative Results, a book for leaders who want their teams to be more creative but don’t know where to start. Dr. Climer’s TEDx talk, The Power of Deliberate Creative Teams, explains her research and philosophies on innovation. She is the designer of Climer Cards, a creativity and teambuilding tool used by thousands to deepen conversations and generate ideas. In 2016, she won the Karl Rhonke Creativity Award from the Association for Experiential Education. In 2024 and 2025, CEO Monthly recognized Dr. Climer as the Most Influential CEO of Team Development in the Southeast. As an innovation consultant, she can help any leader whose team is stuck to experience innovative success by utilizing her Deliberate Creative Team system.
Deliberate Creative Teams: Innovation's Best-Kept Secret
Deliberate by Design: The Science of Decisions That Teams Own
Climer Consulting
Dr. Amy Climer is a best-selling author and expert on innovation in teams. She facilitates innovation with forward-thinking organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, America’s Credit Unions, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Fox Sports. With a PhD in Leadership and Change from Antioch University and over 25 years of experience working with leaders and teams, she is widely regarded by executives as an asset in helping lead for innovation. She is the author of the award-winning book Deliberate Creative Teams: How to Lead for Innovative Results, a book for leaders who want their teams to be more creative but don’t know where to start. Dr. Climer’s TEDx talk, The Power of Deliberate Creative Teams, explains her research and philosophies on innovation. She is the designer of Climer Cards, a creativity and teambuilding tool used by thousands to deepen conversations and generate ideas. In 2016, she won the Karl Rhonke Creativity Award from the Association for Experiential Education. In 2024 and 2025, CEO Monthly recognized Dr. Climer as the Most Influential CEO of Team Development in the Southeast. As an innovation consultant, she can help any leader whose team is stuck to experience innovative success by utilizing her Deliberate Creative Team system.
Deliberate Creative Teams: Innovation's Best-Kept Secret
Deliberate by Design: The Science of Decisions That Teams Own
Robyn Dietrich
VP of Retail Operations & Organizational Development
West Community Credit Union
Robyn Dietrich is currently the VP of Retail Operations and Organizational Development at West Community Credit Union. She is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt who has made process improvement fun for credit unions. Robyn boasts a 14-year credit union career marked by diverse roles and significant achievements. Her journey reflects a blend of expertise, passion, and a genuine commitment to creating positive organizational change.
From Strategy to Impact: Executing with Precision and Aligning Resources for Results
VP of Retail Operations & Organizational Development
West Community Credit Union
Robyn Dietrich is currently the VP of Retail Operations and Organizational Development at West Community Credit Union. She is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt who has made process improvement fun for credit unions. Robyn boasts a 14-year credit union career marked by diverse roles and significant achievements. Her journey reflects a blend of expertise, passion, and a genuine commitment to creating positive organizational change.
From Strategy to Impact: Executing with Precision and Aligning Resources for Results
Mitchell Fong
Research Director, Industry Practice
Info-Tech Research Group
Mitchell Fong, CDir, P.Eng, PMP, is a Research Director in the Industry practice at Info-Tech Research Group. With over 20 years of business leadership spanning strategy, product, and enterprise delivery, Mitchell partners with C-suite leaders to align technology investments with enterprise priorities, accelerate transformation, and deliver measurable business value at scale.
Prior to joining Info-Tech, Mitchell was a management consultant and executive advisor, leading complex international portfolios across high-growth startups and multinational corporations. He has served as a trusted advisor to senior leadership at some of the world's most recognized organizations, building enduring client relationships across diverse markets and geographies. Over the course of his career, Mitchell has led global teams of 1,250+ professionals and overseen portfolios exceeding $500 million, delivering meaningful enterprise outcomes, new product introductions, and agentic AI and analytics programs.
Guided by a deep belief that leadership is service, Mitchell channels his distinctive experience into causes with lasting social impact. He is a Past Chair and has served on the Board of Directors of global foundations and non-profit organizations advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, youth education, and health causes. A co-founder, international speaker, and active volunteer, Mitchell contributes across the CIO Association, multi-sport games organizing committees, engineering, academia, and industry conferences. He also mentors and guest-lectures and serves as an instructor and judge at global youth competitions and educational institutions, helping the next generation of leaders thrive.
Mitchell holds degrees in Software Engineering and Political Science from Western University and has completed Executive Education at Columbia Business School and the Schulich School of Business.
Beyond the Hype: Positioning Your Credit Union for AI and Stablecoins
Research Director, Industry Practice
Info-Tech Research Group
Mitchell Fong, CDir, P.Eng, PMP, is a Research Director in the Industry practice at Info-Tech Research Group. With over 20 years of business leadership spanning strategy, product, and enterprise delivery, Mitchell partners with C-suite leaders to align technology investments with enterprise priorities, accelerate transformation, and deliver measurable business value at scale.
Prior to joining Info-Tech, Mitchell was a management consultant and executive advisor, leading complex international portfolios across high-growth startups and multinational corporations. He has served as a trusted advisor to senior leadership at some of the world's most recognized organizations, building enduring client relationships across diverse markets and geographies. Over the course of his career, Mitchell has led global teams of 1,250+ professionals and overseen portfolios exceeding $500 million, delivering meaningful enterprise outcomes, new product introductions, and agentic AI and analytics programs.
Guided by a deep belief that leadership is service, Mitchell channels his distinctive experience into causes with lasting social impact. He is a Past Chair and has served on the Board of Directors of global foundations and non-profit organizations advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, youth education, and health causes. A co-founder, international speaker, and active volunteer, Mitchell contributes across the CIO Association, multi-sport games organizing committees, engineering, academia, and industry conferences. He also mentors and guest-lectures and serves as an instructor and judge at global youth competitions and educational institutions, helping the next generation of leaders thrive.
Mitchell holds degrees in Software Engineering and Political Science from Western University and has completed Executive Education at Columbia Business School and the Schulich School of Business.
Beyond the Hype: Positioning Your Credit Union for AI and Stablecoins
Eric Hilaire
CEO
VaultRight
Eric Hilaire is the CEO and co-founder of VaultRight, a fintech company transforming branch operations through digital logs, employee safety All Clear tools, communication capabilities, and audit automation. He founded VaultRight to replace inefficient paper-based processes with modern technology that improves operational efficiency, employee safety, and audit readiness. With more than 20 years of financial services leadership experience, Eric has held executive roles spanning operations, technology, retail delivery, and member experience. Prior to VaultRight, he served as Chief Operating Officer of WeStreet Federal Credit Union and spent more than 14 years in leadership positions at Bank of Oklahoma. Eric holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University, a BBA in Management Information Systems from the University of Oklahoma, and an Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation from MIT.
From Data to Action: Modernizing Credit Union Operations Through Analytics and Automation
CEO
VaultRight
Eric Hilaire is the CEO and co-founder of VaultRight, a fintech company transforming branch operations through digital logs, employee safety All Clear tools, communication capabilities, and audit automation. He founded VaultRight to replace inefficient paper-based processes with modern technology that improves operational efficiency, employee safety, and audit readiness. With more than 20 years of financial services leadership experience, Eric has held executive roles spanning operations, technology, retail delivery, and member experience. Prior to VaultRight, he served as Chief Operating Officer of WeStreet Federal Credit Union and spent more than 14 years in leadership positions at Bank of Oklahoma. Eric holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University, a BBA in Management Information Systems from the University of Oklahoma, and an Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation from MIT.
From Data to Action: Modernizing Credit Union Operations Through Analytics and Automation
Eric Kugle
CRO
BankSocial
30+ year veteran of the payments and wealth management industries, with a track record leading sales teams at Chase Bank and Fidelity Investments. Brings deep financial services expertise to BankSocial’s mission of modernizing infrastructure for community banks and credit unions.
Navigating the Future of Payments: RTP, FedNow, Fraud Ops & Digital Assets for Credit Unions
CRO
BankSocial
30+ year veteran of the payments and wealth management industries, with a track record leading sales teams at Chase Bank and Fidelity Investments. Brings deep financial services expertise to BankSocial’s mission of modernizing infrastructure for community banks and credit unions.
Navigating the Future of Payments: RTP, FedNow, Fraud Ops & Digital Assets for Credit Unions
Greg Lenihan
Product Specialist
Rippleshot
Greg Lenihan is a Product Specialist at Rippleshot with a focus on card fraud and decision rule writing. With his in-depth understanding of the industry's fraud challenges, he has helped expand and improve Rippleshot's product offerings, providing financial institutions with cutting-edge data, resources, and expertise. He holds a B.S. from Portland State University.
Why Today's Fraud Solutions Don't Work, and What Credit Unions Need to Do to Protect Members
Product Specialist
Rippleshot
Greg Lenihan is a Product Specialist at Rippleshot with a focus on card fraud and decision rule writing. With his in-depth understanding of the industry's fraud challenges, he has helped expand and improve Rippleshot's product offerings, providing financial institutions with cutting-edge data, resources, and expertise. He holds a B.S. from Portland State University.
Why Today's Fraud Solutions Don't Work, and What Credit Unions Need to Do to Protect Members
Andy Manthei
Change Cultivator
GreenPath Financial Wellness
Andy Manthei has spent the past 17 years exploring what drives trust, choice, and behavior in financial services. His experience spans the full spectrum of the system, including roles as a GreenPath Certified Financial Counselor, credit union branch manager, and loan officer, giving him both strategic insight and frontline perspective on how people experience financial decision-making.
Andy’s work sits at the intersection of human-centered design, behavioral science, neurodiversity, and empathy. He helps financial institutions translate complex ideas into experiences that people can recognize, trust, and act on.
Driven by deep curiosity, Andy focuses on how the brain navigates financial stress and decision-making. His work challenges organizations to move beyond transactional interactions and instead design with intentional recognition of each person’s lived experience—creating more inclusive, accessible pathways to financial well-being.
Beyond Budgets: The Psychology of Money Through a Neuroinclusive Lens
Change Cultivator
GreenPath Financial Wellness
Andy Manthei has spent the past 17 years exploring what drives trust, choice, and behavior in financial services. His experience spans the full spectrum of the system, including roles as a GreenPath Certified Financial Counselor, credit union branch manager, and loan officer, giving him both strategic insight and frontline perspective on how people experience financial decision-making.
Andy’s work sits at the intersection of human-centered design, behavioral science, neurodiversity, and empathy. He helps financial institutions translate complex ideas into experiences that people can recognize, trust, and act on.
Driven by deep curiosity, Andy focuses on how the brain navigates financial stress and decision-making. His work challenges organizations to move beyond transactional interactions and instead design with intentional recognition of each person’s lived experience—creating more inclusive, accessible pathways to financial well-being.
Beyond Budgets: The Psychology of Money Through a Neuroinclusive Lens
Dan Martin
Brand Group Director
Hiebing
It’s uncommon to find a leader who has the soul of a musician with the head of a strategist, but Dan represents that singularity, which makes him an indispensable partner to our clients. Born with a guitar in his hands, Dan’s love of music has followed his professional career from San Antonio to Dallas to Austin, working at CBS, Javelin and GSD&M before joining Hiebing Austin in 2016. His experience includes helping Southwest Airlines initiate a global rebrand, establishing new DRTV testing strategies for AT&T and stewarding the growth strategy for Chuy’s Tex-Mex.
Demystifying GEO
Brand Group Director
Hiebing
It’s uncommon to find a leader who has the soul of a musician with the head of a strategist, but Dan represents that singularity, which makes him an indispensable partner to our clients. Born with a guitar in his hands, Dan’s love of music has followed his professional career from San Antonio to Dallas to Austin, working at CBS, Javelin and GSD&M before joining Hiebing Austin in 2016. His experience includes helping Southwest Airlines initiate a global rebrand, establishing new DRTV testing strategies for AT&T and stewarding the growth strategy for Chuy’s Tex-Mex.
Demystifying GEO
Aaron Martini
Director ALM Services
Catalyst
Aaron Martini serves as Director of ALM Services for Catalyst Corporate Federal Credit Union, leading a team that provides strategic consulting, balance sheet modeling, forecasting, and risk management services to hundreds of financial institutions nationwide. During his nearly 20-year career with Catalyst, Aaron has worked with executive leadership teams, boards of directors, and ALCOs to develop strategies for managing interest rate risk, liquidity, earnings performance, and long-term balance sheet growth.
Before joining Catalyst, Aaron managed a $1.25 billion investment portfolio as Investment Officer for the Franklin County Treasury, where he was responsible for investment strategy, liquidity management, forecasting, and debt financing.
A recognized industry speaker, Aaron regularly presents on asset/liability management, liquidity planning, forecasting, and strategic balance sheet management. He holds degrees from The Ohio State University and Otterbein University and has earned both the Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) and Certified Corporate FP&A Professional (FPAC) designations.
2027 ALM Forecasting
Director ALM Services
Catalyst
Aaron Martini serves as Director of ALM Services for Catalyst Corporate Federal Credit Union, leading a team that provides strategic consulting, balance sheet modeling, forecasting, and risk management services to hundreds of financial institutions nationwide. During his nearly 20-year career with Catalyst, Aaron has worked with executive leadership teams, boards of directors, and ALCOs to develop strategies for managing interest rate risk, liquidity, earnings performance, and long-term balance sheet growth.
Before joining Catalyst, Aaron managed a $1.25 billion investment portfolio as Investment Officer for the Franklin County Treasury, where he was responsible for investment strategy, liquidity management, forecasting, and debt financing.
A recognized industry speaker, Aaron regularly presents on asset/liability management, liquidity planning, forecasting, and strategic balance sheet management. He holds degrees from The Ohio State University and Otterbein University and has earned both the Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) and Certified Corporate FP&A Professional (FPAC) designations.
2027 ALM Forecasting
Lorene Meyer
Chief Strategy and Operations Officer
West Community Credit Union
Lorene Meyer is currently the Chief Strategy and Operations Officer at West Community Credit Union. With a rich background in healthcare HR and a transition to the credit union sector in 2019, Lorene brings a wealth of experience to the table. Armed with bachelor's and master's degrees in healthcare administration, she is excited to share her insights on setting strategy and aligning goals.
From Strategy to Impact: Executing with Precision and Aligning Resources for Results
Chief Strategy and Operations Officer
West Community Credit Union
Lorene Meyer is currently the Chief Strategy and Operations Officer at West Community Credit Union. With a rich background in healthcare HR and a transition to the credit union sector in 2019, Lorene brings a wealth of experience to the table. Armed with bachelor's and master's degrees in healthcare administration, she is excited to share her insights on setting strategy and aligning goals.
From Strategy to Impact: Executing with Precision and Aligning Resources for Results
Liesel Olson
PR, Social & Content Associate Director
Hiebing
As a leader in Hiebing’s PR, Social Media & Content practice, Liesel Olson is equal parts strategist, storyteller and talent developer. Known for her ability to cultivate high-performing teams and bring clarity to complexity, she helps brands uncover the stories that matter most and connect them to measurable business outcomes. Her background spans social media, content strategy, reputation management and integrated communications, giving her a uniquely holistic view of how audiences discover, engage with and act on content.
Liesel has become a leading voice at our agency on AI-driven discoverability and GEO. She works at the intersection of content strategy, search visibility and audience engagement, helping brands create stories designed not only for traditional search engines, but also for the generative AI platforms increasingly shaping how people seek information. Her approach combines rigorous performance analysis with creative thinking, ensuring content works harder and travels farther across the modern discovery landscape.
A natural organizer and collaborative leader, Liesel is known for turning ambitious goals into achievable plans while empowering teams to do their best work. Wherever there's complexity or chaos, she's often the person bringing focus, momentum and a clear path forward.
Demystifying GEO
PR, Social & Content Associate Director
Hiebing
As a leader in Hiebing’s PR, Social Media & Content practice, Liesel Olson is equal parts strategist, storyteller and talent developer. Known for her ability to cultivate high-performing teams and bring clarity to complexity, she helps brands uncover the stories that matter most and connect them to measurable business outcomes. Her background spans social media, content strategy, reputation management and integrated communications, giving her a uniquely holistic view of how audiences discover, engage with and act on content.
Liesel has become a leading voice at our agency on AI-driven discoverability and GEO. She works at the intersection of content strategy, search visibility and audience engagement, helping brands create stories designed not only for traditional search engines, but also for the generative AI platforms increasingly shaping how people seek information. Her approach combines rigorous performance analysis with creative thinking, ensuring content works harder and travels farther across the modern discovery landscape.
A natural organizer and collaborative leader, Liesel is known for turning ambitious goals into achievable plans while empowering teams to do their best work. Wherever there's complexity or chaos, she's often the person bringing focus, momentum and a clear path forward.
Demystifying GEO
Luke Ratliff
Head of Enablement
Arkatechture
Luke Ratliff is a Solutions Engineer at Arkatechture, where he helps financial institutions translate their business challenges into practical analytics solutions using the Arkalytics platform. Previously serving as Training & Enablement Manager, Luke combines technical expertise, customer education, and knowledge of credit union use cases to design and demonstrate solutions that drive meaningful business outcomes.
From Data to Action: Modernizing Credit Union Operations Through Analytics and Automation
Head of Enablement
Arkatechture
Luke Ratliff is a Solutions Engineer at Arkatechture, where he helps financial institutions translate their business challenges into practical analytics solutions using the Arkalytics platform. Previously serving as Training & Enablement Manager, Luke combines technical expertise, customer education, and knowledge of credit union use cases to design and demonstrate solutions that drive meaningful business outcomes.
From Data to Action: Modernizing Credit Union Operations Through Analytics and Automation
David Reed
Reed & Jolly
Attorney, author, consultant and nationally recognized trainer, David A. Reed is a partner in the law firm of Reed and Jolly, PLLC. Through Reed and Jolly, Mr. Reed provides guidance to credit unions concerning a variety of matters including the establishment and revision of policies and procedures, organizational compliance, collections, security, contractual agreements, regulatory matters and corporate governance. Demonstrating a deep and ongoing commitment to the cooperative mission, he advised on and successfully chartered, on a pro bono basis, a federal credit union to serve employees of the New York City Police Department and Corrections community. In addition to his legal expertise, Mr. Reed is a Certified Fraud Examiner and former Chairman of a Supervisory Committee. His engaging speaking style has garnered him status as a regular lecturer nationwide on topics such as regulatory compliance, governance, examination planning, consumer lending, bankruptcy and collections. He has trained credit unions in all 50 states and over a dozen foreign countries. He also offers facilitation services and a full range of training programs that can be delivered to the Board, executive team, managers or frontline staff.
A former trial attorney and Vice President and General Counsel of Apple Federal Credit Union, Mr. Reed is particularly noted in the areas of credit union operations, compliance, governance, security, bankruptcy and collections. He has been selected to train federal and state field examination staff on numerous matters. He also serves as a frequent contributor to numerous industry publications.
Mr. Reed received his undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech in 1986 and his Juris Doctorate from George Mason University School of Law in 1989. He resides in Fairfax, Virginia with his wife Diane and an odd assortment of cats.
The 3 Things Credit Unions Need to Know About AI Right Now
Reed & Jolly
Attorney, author, consultant and nationally recognized trainer, David A. Reed is a partner in the law firm of Reed and Jolly, PLLC. Through Reed and Jolly, Mr. Reed provides guidance to credit unions concerning a variety of matters including the establishment and revision of policies and procedures, organizational compliance, collections, security, contractual agreements, regulatory matters and corporate governance. Demonstrating a deep and ongoing commitment to the cooperative mission, he advised on and successfully chartered, on a pro bono basis, a federal credit union to serve employees of the New York City Police Department and Corrections community. In addition to his legal expertise, Mr. Reed is a Certified Fraud Examiner and former Chairman of a Supervisory Committee. His engaging speaking style has garnered him status as a regular lecturer nationwide on topics such as regulatory compliance, governance, examination planning, consumer lending, bankruptcy and collections. He has trained credit unions in all 50 states and over a dozen foreign countries. He also offers facilitation services and a full range of training programs that can be delivered to the Board, executive team, managers or frontline staff.
A former trial attorney and Vice President and General Counsel of Apple Federal Credit Union, Mr. Reed is particularly noted in the areas of credit union operations, compliance, governance, security, bankruptcy and collections. He has been selected to train federal and state field examination staff on numerous matters. He also serves as a frequent contributor to numerous industry publications.
Mr. Reed received his undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech in 1986 and his Juris Doctorate from George Mason University School of Law in 1989. He resides in Fairfax, Virginia with his wife Diane and an odd assortment of cats.
The 3 Things Credit Unions Need to Know About AI Right Now
Kevin Usiatynski
CRO/EVP
Credit Union Loan Source
Kevin Usiatynski is a seasoned auto finance leader with over 30 years of experience with indirect auto lending and strategic growth. As CRO/EVP at Credit Union Loan Source, he works closely with credit unions to drive smarter lending solutions and strong credit union relationships. CULS is an Atlanta-based CUSO specializing in Auto Loan Participations. CULS originates and sells approximately $1.5b in auto loans annually, while servicing a portfolio of over $3b in auto loans.
From Repo to Recovery: Maximizing Every Dollar on Charged-Off Auto Loans
CRO/EVP
Credit Union Loan Source
Kevin Usiatynski is a seasoned auto finance leader with over 30 years of experience with indirect auto lending and strategic growth. As CRO/EVP at Credit Union Loan Source, he works closely with credit unions to drive smarter lending solutions and strong credit union relationships. CULS is an Atlanta-based CUSO specializing in Auto Loan Participations. CULS originates and sells approximately $1.5b in auto loans annually, while servicing a portfolio of over $3b in auto loans.
From Repo to Recovery: Maximizing Every Dollar on Charged-Off Auto Loans
John Wingate
CEO
BankSocial
John Wingate is an entrepreneur, technologist, and best-selling author, and the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of BankSocial, a fintech platform building decentralized finance (DeFi) infrastructure for traditional financial institutions. His career sits at the convergence of blockchain, artificial intelligence, and cooperative finance, where he has built the infrastructure that allows credit unions and banks to deliver secure, user-controlled financial experiences.
He is the author of the #1 best-selling Quantularity: A Quantum Framework for the Human Experience, winner of the Literary Titan Gold Award. The book argues that humanity's future lies not in merging into a single AI consciousness but in expanding across dimensions through interconnected intelligence, quantum systems, and cooperative value frameworks. Its reimagining of technology, consciousness, and economics has drawn readers from futurists to financial leaders.
His new book, Going Agentic: What Changes When You Stop Doing the Work, turns from theory to practice. It is a clear-eyed guide to delegating real authority to AI agents and to the accountability that follows. When drafts arrive finished and decisions arrive made, the job shifts from doing the work to directing it, and the question becomes not what you can produce but what you still answer for. Going Agentic is the second book in a trilogy that moves from measuring the world, to acting on it, to what holds when everything acts at once.
John is a driving force behind the integration of artificial intelligence, digital finance, decentralized recovery systems, and real-time fraud prevention across both traditional and DeFi rails. A frequent speaker at global forums — including the World Economic Forum in Davos — he champions open finance and next-generation trust frameworks as the foundation of a reshaped financial landscape, and has advised some of the world's largest institutions, including the World Bank.
He has also collaborated on initiatives with leading universities worldwide, including Harvard, MIT, and King's College, supporting emerging research and ventures through the Converge Accelerator.
Navigating the Future of Payments: RTP, FedNow, Fraud Ops & Digital Assets for Credit Unions
CEO
BankSocial
John Wingate is an entrepreneur, technologist, and best-selling author, and the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of BankSocial, a fintech platform building decentralized finance (DeFi) infrastructure for traditional financial institutions. His career sits at the convergence of blockchain, artificial intelligence, and cooperative finance, where he has built the infrastructure that allows credit unions and banks to deliver secure, user-controlled financial experiences.
He is the author of the #1 best-selling Quantularity: A Quantum Framework for the Human Experience, winner of the Literary Titan Gold Award. The book argues that humanity's future lies not in merging into a single AI consciousness but in expanding across dimensions through interconnected intelligence, quantum systems, and cooperative value frameworks. Its reimagining of technology, consciousness, and economics has drawn readers from futurists to financial leaders.
His new book, Going Agentic: What Changes When You Stop Doing the Work, turns from theory to practice. It is a clear-eyed guide to delegating real authority to AI agents and to the accountability that follows. When drafts arrive finished and decisions arrive made, the job shifts from doing the work to directing it, and the question becomes not what you can produce but what you still answer for. Going Agentic is the second book in a trilogy that moves from measuring the world, to acting on it, to what holds when everything acts at once.
John is a driving force behind the integration of artificial intelligence, digital finance, decentralized recovery systems, and real-time fraud prevention across both traditional and DeFi rails. A frequent speaker at global forums — including the World Economic Forum in Davos — he champions open finance and next-generation trust frameworks as the foundation of a reshaped financial landscape, and has advised some of the world's largest institutions, including the World Bank.
He has also collaborated on initiatives with leading universities worldwide, including Harvard, MIT, and King's College, supporting emerging research and ventures through the Converge Accelerator.
Navigating the Future of Payments: RTP, FedNow, Fraud Ops & Digital Assets for Credit Unions