Theme: What's The 411

Our theme for this year's event is “What’s The 411” (can you guess why?). When someone says “What’s The 411” they're looking for the latest news or inside scoop. That's exactly what we're asking of you - fresh, unique ideas. We are asking for a new way to look at common topic. We are asking for insider information not known to all. Information and ideas have the power to change everything. And when you share yours, we all benefit.

Heartland Community College Astroth Community Education Center
1530 Millenium Drive
Normal, Illinois, 61761
United States

Adam Ruble

Development Officer

Adam is a fundraising professional, community leader, and writer exploring how storytelling shapes meaning, belonging, and moral imagination. Having raised over $11 million for higher education and nonprofits, he views fundraising as a narrative exchange of values, purpose, and trust rather than a mere transaction. His work examines the overlap between philanthropy and storytelling, empathetic persuasion in a polarized world, and the crisis of meaning facing young men. Adam focuses on "post-oppositional storytelling"—narratives that move beyond binaries to foster responsibility and connection without denying the reality of conflict. Adam serves as Conference Chair for the CASE District V Conference and is the incoming President of the Bloomington-Normal Sunrise Rotary Club. Also a novelist, his debut fantasy novel, The Soters, exploring grief and identity, will be published in 2026. He lives in Central Illinois, remaining deeply engaged in civic and creative projects.

Elliott Notrica

Founder and CEO, Symbio Bioculinary

Trained as a chef, Elliott founded Symbio Bioculinary to apply next-generation synthetic biology to address food waste. Elliott was a 2023 Future Founders Fellow and a 2024 Amgen Scholar. He has presented extensively on epigenetic and genetic modification of A. Oryzae. His research interests are in protein expression of Aspergillus species and integrated enzyme production systems to improve bioprocess economics. He lives in Bloomington, Illinois with his girlfriend and two cats.

Esther Blum

Creative Strategist

Esther is an Integrative Dietitian, Menopause Expert, and host of The Midlife Realignment podcast. For three decades, she has helped thousands of women master menopause through nutrition, hormones, and self-advocacy. Esther is the bestselling author of See ya later, Ovulator and Cavewomen Don’t Get Fat. Known as Gwyneth Paltrow’s menopause mentor and cited by Forbes for helping women thrive, Esther has appeared on the Today Show and ABC-TV. She is frequently quoted in goop, Time, and Bazaar. She holds a BS in Clinical Nutrition from Simmons College and an MS from NYU. Esther is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist, and a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS). She is a member of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians in Functional Medicine. Esther lives in CT with her family, where she enjoys cooking, hiking, and blasting 80s music by the fire pit.

Jaime Konzelman

Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), Keynote Speaker, Executive Coach, Author

Jaime is a Growth Catalyst and Value-Creation Architect with over two decades of experience helping global organizations navigate complexity and disruption. As a former Chief Revenue Officer, she has led high-stakes commercial transformations across technology, private equity, and enterprise IT services. Through years of leading high-performing teams, Jaime discovered that the ultimate constraint to sustainable growth isn't operational—it’s human. Today, she serves as Field CRO at RapidScale while operating as an executive coach, speaker, and retreat leader. Jaime specializes in helping leaders create growth "from the inside out." Her transformational retreats and workshops integrate embodiment and courageous truth-telling, allowing leaders to reconnect with themselves to lead with clarity and integrity. Author of the #1 bestseller Dealmaker and the newsletter The Messy Middle, Jaime is known for soul-stirring keynotes that help audiences rise without losing their soul.

JD Miller

CRO (Chief Revenue Officer) In Residence

JD Miller, PhD, is a sales and marketing strategist who has spent three decades studying how ideas move through social networks—both online and off. As a PhD in Organizational Communication and a veteran tech executive, JD bridges the gap between complex human systems and the rapidly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence. He currently serves as a Go-to-Market Operating Advisor for private equity firms, and is the author of the bestselling book The CRO’s Guide to Winning. His upcoming book, The AI Handbook for Sales Professionals, explores his core mission: helping organizations leverage technology to enhance, rather than replace, human connection. More at www.jdmillerphd.com

Julie Navickas

Senior Communications Channels Analyst

Julie is a communications professional and multi-award-winning romance author who thrives at the intersection of storytelling and strategy. By day, she works in corporate communications at COUNTRY Financial, blending creativity with clarity to craft messages that engage and inspire. She is also an award-winning instructor at Illinois State University’s School of Communication, helping students master audience-driven communication. By night, Julie explores human connection as a romance author represented by Chip Rice at WordLink, Inc. Known for heart-wrenching, second-chance love stories filled with humility and humor, her Trading Heartbeats trilogy has earned numerous honors, including a Literary Global Book Award, BookFest first-place wins, and a Clarion Award. Julie holds master’s degrees in organizational communication and English studies. Across every role, her mission remains the same: using words to move people—emotionally, intellectually, and meaningfully.

Nicole Cramer

TNC Speaking & Sales Coaching

Nicole Cramer is a keynote speaker and sales conversation coach who teaches people how confidence, influence, and courageous conversations shape the outcomes of their lives. A former 15-year high school math teacher at Beverly Hills High School, Nicole went on to become the #1 salesperson in the country at Aramark, a Fortune 500 company—breaking records and achieving as high as 790% to plan. She later founded a multi-six-figure sales coaching and training company, empowering women and purpose-driven professionals to confidently sell their ideas, services, and solutions. Through her Health Coaching certification, Nicole developed a holistic view of wellness—one that includes physical health, mental and emotional well-being, spiritual connection and faith, personal relationships, and financial health. She currently lives in Nashville with her boxer, Cassie, and loves traveling the world, connecting with friends, and living an active, healthy lifestyle.

Shane Lukas

Creative Strategist

Shane is a Brand Story Sharing Strategist based in North Carolina. After decades of award-winning creative communications work for global brands, he now leads A Great Idea (agreatidea.com)—an agency delivering digital and print creative design and content solutions nationwide to grow, empower and activate advocates for purpose-driven nonprofit, healthcare, and education partners since 2015. In addition to being a public speaker, he is a lifelong harm reduction organizer, queer liberation activist, and author named “Designer for Good” by Graphic Design USA. Catch him as part of the Power Beyond Pride (powerbeyondpride.com) podcast host team and look for his upcoming business book The Advocate Advantage in late 2026. shanelukas.com

Shrima Karthik

Technology Manager

Shrima is a mom, consultant, investor, and entrepreneur whose work spans consulting, investing, options trading, and brand-building. She works in a demanding, yet fulfilling consulting environment while building a luxury candle brand, Mudita Meraki, that integrates creative enterprise with social impact through education. She also occasionally teaches options trading and mentors selectively. Her professional journey reflects non-linear career growth and a pivotal personal reset in 2022, shaping how she approaches responsibility, systems, and long-term execution. She is currently working on a book scheduled for release in late 2026.