23 Apr April 23, 2020 – Boston Beer Jim Koch, COVID Security Heather Stratford and IBM Mental Health
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Jim Koch – Brewer and Founder of Samuel Adams and The Boston Beer Company
Looking to follow his family’s passion for brewing, Jim Koch brewed the recipe in his kitchen with the hopes of challenging the status quo in the American beer industry. He is the founder of The Boston Beer Company and the brewer of Samuel Adams beers. He founded the company in 1984 using his great-grandfather’s recipe and revolutionizes the American beer industry. Drawing upon his own struggles to start a business, Jim launched the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream program in 2008. To date, Brewing the American Dream has mentored 11,000+ small business owners, provided $32M in capital to food and beverage businesses, while also creating/retaining more than 8,000 jobs. The program has received recognition by the Clinton Global Initiative and the White House Summit on the Future of Corporate Service. During these unprecedented times when many establishments are forced to close their doors for the greater good of our community, Samuel Adams and The Greg Hill Foundation are bringing the successful Restaurant Strong Fund to 20 total states to aid the restaurant workers impacted by the Covid-19 closures.
Heather Stratford – Founder CEO of Stronger International
Heather Stratford is the Founder and CEO of Stronger International, a cybersecurity firm specializing in consulting and training with a 360º approach to security. Heather is a recognized authority on cybersecurity who speaks about the shift of staff working from home. She has several simple recommendations that can be done by organizations, employees and individuals to bolster security. She wants to provide cybersecurity education and resources to help block the spread of cybercrime and increase people’s knowledge in technology. Heather is also a speaker and advocate for women entrepreneurs and women in tech, and believes that women entrepenuers can inspire other women to take more chances and bet on themselves.
Dr. William Kassler, Deputy Health Officer and Lead Population Health Officer, IBM Watson Health
COVID-19 continues to upend normal life and put stress on individuals, families, communities and businesses, alike. A recent report from IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV), Loneliness and Aging, includes research on how loneliness directly impacts personal, economic and social well-being in older adults, while outlining the major role technology plays in driving positive change – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology platforms such as IBM can be used to match volunteers to help older adults experiencing loneliness. Another IBM report, How Technology and Data Can Improve Access to Mental Health Resources, describes the role technology can play in providing 24/7 real time care.
Dr. William Kassler, Deputy Health Officer and Lead Population Health Officer at IBM Watson Health, discusses two recent reports from IBM’s Institute for Business Value that detail how technology can both improve access to mental health resources as well as help the loneliness epidemic among the elderly. As a public health expert, Dr. Kassler has spent his career working at the intersection of clinical care and population health; as a practicing primary care internist, epidemiologist, health services researcher, public sector administrator, and health policy expert. Prior to joining Watson Health, he served as Chief Medical Office for the New England Region of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and was a founding member in the CMS Innovation Center creating value-based purchasing initiatives to improve population health. Before that, he served as the State Health Officer for New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, with leadership and administrative roles in public health, social services and Medicaid. Dr. Kassler has been recognized with numerous awards from the United States Public Health Service, including the Surgeon General’s Meritorious Service Award. He is recipient of the NH March of Dimes Physician Leadership Award, and the Bi-State Primary Care Association President’s Award.