About the 2023 Judges
Greg Nalley
Shana Beach
Chris Beach
Jared Silberzahn
Lori Kleppin
Devin Harvin
Steven Banks
The official Doner Brös on St. Paul’s street opened their doors in 2018. The neighborhood loved the authentic kabobs and other Mediterranean favorites. The location exceeded original projections by 45%. Doner Brös did over a million in revenue in their first year and continues to grow. Steven also consults other entrepreneurs with their start up businesses. He has assisted with the development of seven startups to date.
About the 2022 Judges
Chris Beach
Shana Beach
Doug Holly
Doug Holly is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Maryland Innovation Center, where he coaches startup businesses in product development, business improvement, sales, financial management, and strategy. Over the past four years, Doug has worked with over a dozen companies, helping them progress along their entrepreneurial journey. He has a degree in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where his master’s project was developing a rangefinder system for an early prototype of a Mars autonomous vehicle. Doug continues to be an avid fan of the space program and also likes hiking and taking things apart to see how they work.
Phil Rogofsky
Phil Rogofsky is the Founder and Executive Director of the Maryland STEM Festival. He created the Festival in 2015. He was born in the Bronx in New York City. He grew up in Bowie Maryland. His passion for Science Technology Engineering and mathematics began when he watched Neil Armstrong walk on the Moon in July 1969. His interest in math came from his mother, who was a math teacher and worked at Goddard Space Flight Center. He attended Prince George’s Community College, University of Maryland College Park and Bowie State University. He is a retired Federal employee. He lives in Columbia with his wife, three cats and a turtle. When not working on the Festival and STEM, he likes to spend time with family and friends, be involved with his Synagogue, practice yoga, play tennis (not very well), and binge tv shows.
Previous Baltimore Children’s Business Fair Judges
Harry Alford
Chris Beach
Bonnie Crockett
Bonnie Crockett has been director, professor, counselor, advocate, lender, and mentor to startups and long-established companies, business associations and community development corporations, banks, and CDFIs. She began her professional career as an attorney in the field of banking and commercial law, eventually becoming General Counsel and Vice-President of Loyola Federal Savings Bank. “A love of persuasive writing and challenging debate drew me to the law,” she said, “but it wasn’t until I started volunteering with the local community and business associations that I found my passion.” So in 2000, she embarked on a new venture in community and economic development.
Bonnie was one of the initial organizers and then Executive Director of Federal Hill Main Street, Inc., which, under her direction, grew to be one of the foremost Main Street programs in the country, winning the Greatest American Main Street Award in 2008. Looking for new challenges, she took the position of Director of Westport Community Partnerships for Turner Development Group, where she developed and implemented a comprehensive community revitalization program. In her “spare” time, Bonnie teaches entrepreneurship and business planning to undergraduate and graduate students at MICA.
Brett Cutler
Don Cutwright
Don Cutwright has over 20 years of banking and business development experience in Baltimore. He excels at networking and developing solid client relationships, consultive sales including financial analysis, and is skilled at structuring and negotiating business loans. Early in his career, Don worked as a bank manager and sales manager at Chevy Chase Bank and Wachovia. This experience ignited his passion for serving small businesses, particularly those that are underserved and face barriers to obtaining capital. Don followed his passion by becoming a business banker, business broker, and business relationship manager at banks such as Susquehanna Bank, Bank of America, and M&T, where he refined his expertise in coaching entrepreneurs and developing a wide referral network.
As a Small Business Loan Officer for Baltimore Community Lending, Don underwrites small business loans, manages loan applications from inquiry to servicing, and expands outreach opportunities and referral sources.
Loretta Johnson
Pava LaPere
Pava LaPere is a Baltimore-based entrepreneur focused on building more equitable and accessible entrepreneurial ecosystems. After founding the accelerators at Johns Hopkins University, Pava started her own tech company, EcoMap Technologies, which uses AI to help entrepreneurs find resources within their community. Additionally, she works with Maryland’s student entrepreneurs through her nonprofit, Innov8MD, and is a co-founder of Baltimore’s first live-in accelerator, Emergence Baltimore. In her free time, Pava designs websites and writes about equitable economic development.
Michael Lenau
Borndavid McCraw
Aubrey Reveley
Aubrey Reveley is a Restauranteur & Caterer whose business spans the Greater Baltimore and Washington, D.C. area. A life-long entrepreneur, Mr. Reveley has owned multiple businesses within the Food & Service industries over the past 20 years. He now looks to build others: providing insight and honest feedback to the next generation of young entrepreneurs. Mr. Reveley received his undergraduate degree from Loyola University in Baltimore, MD.