Holiday Quantum Talks — Chicago

Gabrielle Dubick

Vice President, Banker at J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Sponsor

Vice President, Banker at J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Chicago, working with founders, executives, and private equity & venture capital partners. She helps successful individuals and families scale their wealth into long-term legacies through J.P. Morgan's global resources. Previously, she spent seven years at J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Orange County and helped launch the San Diego office. She also served as Operations Lead at Delphos Labs, leading go-to-market strategy and cross-functional operations. Gabrielle holds an MBA from The Wharton School and a BA from Columbia University. She is actively involved in community and founder-focused initiatives.

Adam Koster

Serial entrepreneur and regenerative medicine executive

Host

Adam is a serial entrepreneur and regenerative medicine executive with deep expertise in business development and company building. He helped scale the first commercial exosome company and several autologous technologies to $50M in global sales in under three years. Previously, he launched a neuromodulation startup that competed directly with Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Abbott. Adam is skilled at forming high-performance teams and aligning inventors to advance emerging technologies across quantum computing, computational biology, and nanotechnology.

Brian Ballard

Co-Founder and CEO, Avatria

Moderator

Brian Ballard is the Co-Founder and CEO of Avatria, a Chicago-based technology consulting company and 3x member of the Inc. 5000. Brian also serves on the advisory board for the Computer Science department at Purdue University Northwest and manages a scholarship program at Purdue University focused on academics, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

Dmitry Green

Adjunct Professor of Physics, Boston University

Panel Curator

Dmitry Green combines deep scientific and financial expertise, building investments in quantum technologies. He has held leadership positions in hedge funds for over 15 years and conducted a research program as an Adjunct Professor of Physics at Boston University, contributing to topological quantum computing. He is currently focused on developing topological quantum computers and advises hedge funds on portfolios, strategies, and risk management.

Hannah Parnes

Head of Policy & Government Affairs, EeroQ

Speaker

Hannah Parnes is the Head of Policy & Government Affairs of EeroQ, a Chicago-headquartered quantum computing company that is developing a scalable quantum computer using electron-on-helium qubits. Ms. Parnes is an attorney and expert in the intersection of quantum technology and policy with experience in policy making, administrative law, and advocacy. After serving as a Legislative Aide in the U.S. Senate, Ms. Parnes earned her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School. She leads EeroQ's local, federal, and international policy and outreach efforts, advocating for EeroQ's priorities and advancing quantum technology development in the US.

Desiree Vargas Wrigley

Founding GP, Velocity Catalysts Funds

Speaker

Desiree is the Founding GP of Velocity Catalysts Funds, a hybrid fund backing the next generation of multibillion-dollar companies in Chicago and Illinois across quantum infrastructure, biotech, life sciences, and CPG. A serial entrepreneur, strategist, and investor with nearly 20 years in Chicago's tech ecosystem, she previously served as Chief Innovation Officer at P33 and Executive Director of TechRise, helping overlooked founders raise $200M and launching initiatives like TechChicago Capital Summit and The CommonAPP. She founded Pearachute and GiveForward (acquired by GoFundMe), co-founded Josephine Collective, and has been recognized by Inc., Crain's, Parents Magazine, and Forbes, with one of the largest deals on Shark Tank.

Matt Vuckov

Co-Founder and CEO, TalentCraft

Speaker

Matt Vuckov is the Co-Founder and CEO of TalentCraft, where he helps critical industries build the technical workforce of the future. He also chairs the ASA's Engineering, IT & Scientific Council, bringing a national perspective on how quantum technologies will reshape skills and jobs.

Matthew Wells

President & CEO, One Region

Speaker

Matthew Wells is President & CEO of One Region, a non-profit coalition of business leaders driving investment, innovation, and economic growth in Northwest Indiana. He also serves as Chief Engagement Officer at Purdue University Northwest, where he oversees strategic partnerships between the university, business, and government. Mr. Wells is the architect of the Greater South Shore Initiative — a large-scale, cross-sector regional transformation program that aligns public, private, and institutional resources to advance innovative and technology-driven projects. He is widely recognized as an expert in coalition building and strategic leadership, helping to implement major initiatives that promote regional development and technological advancement.