About the Selection Panel Members

David Dooley

President of the University of Rhode Island since 2009. Previously provost and vice president for academic affairs at Montana State University, where he also led the chemistry and biochemistry departments and was a chemistry professor. Grew Montana’s research budget to $100 million. Known for collaborative leadership style that encourages entrepreneurial approaches to problem solving and program development.

Ann-Marie Harrington

Founder of Embolden, leading web development firm with expertise in new and emerging Internet technology, highly personalized service, and deep first-hand knowledge of the philanthropic, professional services, and financial sectors. Named RI Small Business Person of the Year for 2009 by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Embolden is a three time winner of Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility ranking it as one of the top 20% of employers nationally.

Charlie Kroll

Founded Andera with the vision of helping clients leverage web-based technology as a tool for sales and growth. Industry leader. Serves as board chair of the e-Financial Enablers Council (a roundtable of Internet banking and payments executives). Finalist for the 2009 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in New England. Named a 2006 New England Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Marie Langlois

Longtime philanthropist. Rhode Island Foundation director. Retired managing director of Washington Trust Investors. Trustee or director of Lifespan, Salve Regina University, Rhode Island Philharmonic and Music School, Public Radio of RI, and Tockwotton Home, and member of the Champlin Foundations distribution committee. Past president of Harvard Business School Association of Rhode Island and Providence Society of Financial Analysts and Home Health Services of Rhode Island. Vice chancellor, Brown University, 1998 – 2007.

John Maeda

World-renowned artist, graphic designer, computer scientist, and educator. Recipient of the National Design Award and represented in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. President of RISD since 2008. Author of four books including The Laws of Simplicity, now translated into 14 languages. Named one of the 75 most influential people of the 21st century by Esquire magazine in 2008 and in 2010 called the “Steve Jobs of Academia” by Forbes magazine.

Navyn Salem

Fighting malnutrition and poverty as Founder and Executive Director of Edesia: Global Nutrition Solutions, headquartered in Providence. Since March 2010, Edesia has provided ready to use foods to fill international gaps in more than 15 countries reaching close to 500,000 people, mostly children. In 2010, Edesia won PBN Innovation of the Year award in social services; Navyn was recipient of PBN Women to Watch award and St. Edmund’s Medal of Honor.

Neil Steinberg, Chair

President and CEO of Rhode Island Foundation since 2008. Spearheaded new proactive leadership strategy for the Foundation. Vice President of Development and director of the most successful fundraising campaign in Brown University’s history. Thirty-year career with Fleet Bank Rhode Island culminating in position of Chairman & CEO. Co-chair of Rhode Island’s Race to the Top Steering Committee. In 2011 named by PBN as one of the 25 Driving Forces in Rhode Island’s business community over the past 25 years.