Entrepreneurship Essentials Workshop and Resource Fair

Gina M. Raimondo serves as the 40^th U.S. Secretary of Commerce and was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris on March 3, 2021. As Secretary of Commerce, she is focused on a simple but vital mission — to spur good-paying jobs, empower entrepreneurs to innovate and grow, and help American workers and businesses compete.

Secretary Raimondo was formerly the 75th Governor of Rhode Island and its first woman governor. She grew up in Smithfield in a tight-knit Italian-American family, the youngest of Joseph and Josephine Raimondo's three children. Her family history and her childhood experiences shaped her core beliefs in hard work, opportunity for all, and the importance of financial security.

After arriving from Italy at age 14, Secretary Raimondo’s grandfather learned English studying in the Providence Public Library and later lived with her family. Her mother was a homemaker, who dedicated her life to teaching her children about the importance of hard work and determination. Her father was a World War II Navy veteran from a family of butchers and became the first in his family to attend college thanks to the GI Bill. After working for 26 years in manufacturing, Joseph lost his job along with hundreds of others when the factory moved overseas, and the Raimondo family lost their sense of financial security.

As a teenager, Secretary Raimondo rode a public bus to LaSalle Academy in Providence, where she was valedictorian of her graduating class. She went on to graduate with honors from Harvard, where she was recognized as the top economics student in her class. She won a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University where she earned a doctorate and met her future husband Andy Moffit. She later graduated from Yale Law School. Secretary Raimondo clerked for US District Judge Kimba Wood and served as founding employee and senior vice president at Village Ventures.

Wanting to start her own business and be close to family, she returned home to Rhode Island and founded Point Judith Capital, a venture capital firm. In November 2010, Secretary Raimondo was elected to serve as General Treasurer of Rhode Island, receiving the largest number of votes of any statewide candidate. When she took office as General Treasurer, she tackled the state's $7 billion unfunded pension liability. Secretary Raimondo was sworn into office as Governor in January 2015 and won a second term in 2018. She also served as chair of the Democratic Governors’ Association in 2019.

During her time as Governor, Secretary Raimondo kick-started the state’s economy and made record investments in infrastructure, education, and job training. She focused tirelessly on creating economic opportunities and good-paying jobs for all Rhode Islanders. Early in her administration, she launched an innovative workforce development program that develops business-led partnerships to address unique workforce challenges.

Secretary Raimondo is married to Andy Moffit and they have two children, Ceci and Tommy, and a rescue dog, Sparky.

Kathi Vidal serves as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) – America’s Innovation Agency.

As the chief executive of the USPTO, she leads one of the largest intellectual property (IP) offices in the world, with more than 13,000 public servants and an annual budget of more than $4 billion. She is the principal IP advisor to the President and the Administration, through the Secretary of Commerce, and is focused on incentivizing and protecting U.S. innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity. Named one of Managing IP’s top 50 most influential people in IP in 2022, she leads an agency whose mission is to help American workers and businesses compete and collaborate, especially in ground-breaking technologies and across all demographics. As Director of the USPTO, Vidal is working to expand American innovation for and from all, and to bring more ideas to impact, including serving as the Vice Chair of the Council for Inclusive Innovation (CI²), alongside Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo and the Council members, , a Co-Chair of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE), and the Co-Founder, with the Secretary, of the Women’s Entrepreneurship (WE) initiative. 

Director Vidal grew up in a career military family and spent her childhood on military bases in the United States, Panama, Germany, and the Azorean Islands (Portugal). She learned the value of hard work, financial security, and education from her parents, who often held multiple jobs and attended classes at night and on weekends to earn their bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Her interest in science led her to attend Binghamton University at the age of 16, where she received her bachelor’s in electrical engineering. Before graduating, she started her career at General Electric (GE) Aerospace (later Lockheed Martin). She was selected into the Edison Engineering Program and pursued her master’s in electrical engineering in Syracuse University’s night program. During her time at GE, she designed one of the first artificial intelligence systems for aircraft, as well as aircraft and engine-control systems that continue to keep our military safe today. 

Recognizing the value of innovation, Director Vidal pursued a career in IP. She put herself through law school and obtained a Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. After clerking for Judge Alvin Anthony Schall on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Director Vidal joined Fish & Richardson P.C., where she became a recognized expert on IP law, led a litigation group of 270 attorneys in 11 global offices, and served on the firm’s Management Committee. She later joined Winston & Strawn LLP, where she served on the firm’s Executive Committee and was Managing Partner of its Silicon Valley office. Throughout her career, Director Vidal has represented new innovators and startup companies with limited resources. She has also represented many of our country’s most successful and well-known companies. 

Director Vidal has helped harness and protect innovation at all levels. Prior to joining the USPTO, she represented both patent holders and defendants in U.S. district courts and the International Trade Commission. She has also been deeply involved in practice before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), argued numerous Federal Circuit appeals, and led amicus efforts on important cases before the Federal Circuit and the Supreme Court. She has received many awards as a top litigator and was inducted into the Litigation Counsel of America, a society of the leading American trial lawyers.

Director Vidal has spent her career championing the importance of mentoring and expanding opportunities to include more individuals from underserved communities. She has played an active role on the advisory board of Chiefs in Intellectual Property (ChIPs), a network of women leaders in technology, law, and policy, and on other boards and committees focused on diversity and inclusion, and has mentored diverse women across the globe as part of the Fortune-U.S. Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership program. She builds on that work today.

Director Vidal lives with her family and rescue dog Oliver.

Tom is a true leader and a seasoned problem-solver. He is a former Air Force Officer who is crazy passionate about entrepreneurship. He is a perpetual collaborator, executive coach, and a Chief Problem solver whose mission is to inspire, equip and connect individuals and teams to seize opportunities, face challenges, and accelerate impact in their communities. Tom shares his leadership experience and approach to problem-solving in a variety of ways.

Throughout his career he has followed a high-integrity path of servant-leadership, continually learning from the wisdom around him. He is a consistent, steady, big-picture strategic thinker, with a sharp, tactical focus that generates measurable results. Tom is a thorough planner with a continuous improvement mindset and a process orientation that is based on facts and discernible metrics.

Tom thrives on establishing connections and enjoys building rapport with diverse constituencies to collaborate and achieve dynamic synergy that is based upon mutual trust. Tom’s passion is to empower others to become their very best.

Brian Lafauci is the definition of a go-getter, navigating the worlds of clinical psychology, military leadership, and business growth with unwavering determination. His Strength Finder's profile: Positivity, Activator, Strategic, Woo, and Relater, is a testament to his leadership style which transcends traditional boundaries, energizing and inspiring people and organizations alike. Lafauci's professional journey, from a cognitive behavioral therapist to a distinguished military officer, and then into the business world, is proof of his commitment to excellence.

An excellent presenter and skilled writer, Lafauci's communication style has earned him numerous requests from businesses for his dynamic training sessions and valuable insights. With his entrepreneurial spirit, Lafauci co-founded a successful real estate investment corporation, proving his capability to transform vision into tangible results. But his life isn't all business. Lafauci is a dedicated father and an active community volunteer, even co-founding Safari Rhode Island, an organization aimed at promoting family exploration and nature preservation. In essence, Lafauci's life isn't just about achieving success—it's about making a difference.

David Winchester is president of Ready 2 Run Graphics & Signs.  He is also a retired Navy Pilot and a current airline pilot.

Dave grew up nearby in Marlborough, MA.  He came from a very modest background and attended Assabet Valley Vocational High School graduating as an electrician.  After graduation his car with all his electrician tools was stolen and he turned to the Navy for a career.  Dave enlisted in the Navy nuclear power program in 1992.  After completion of training, he was stationed on the USS Greeneville where he served as a nuclear trained Electronics Technician and the ships diver.  In 1999, Dave was selected for the Seaman to Admiral commissioning program which sent him to attend college at Old Dominion University where he earned a BS in mechanical engineering.  Upon commission, Dave was sent to flight school and received the coveted gold wings in 2005.  He went on to fly the P-3 for Patrol squadron 26 in Brunswick, ME.  He retired from the Navy in 2014 after 22 years of active duty and moved back to Massachusetts.

After retiring, Dave went into business with his brother Dan who had a small company that was operating out of his basement.  Together they moved the equipment and business into a larger space and begin to grow.  Thanks to an SBA backed loan, they were able to purchase some much-needed additional equipment and quickly doubled in size the first year.  Since then, Ready 2 Run Graphics & Signs has been recognized as the Massachusetts Veteran Owned business of the Year twice.  Once by the Mass. Supplier Diversity Office, and by Mass. Small Business Administration.  Ready 2 Run is in Worcester and currently employs 8 people.

Dave lives in Westborough with his wife Ericka and children Zachary, Cameron, and Katelyn

Meet Liseth - a remarkable US Veteran whose military journey is nothing short of inspiring. In 2011, Liseth joined the MA Army National Guard, fueled by her passion for service and dedication to her country. She underwent the rigorous "Civilian to Soldier" transformation and started her military career as a Private First Class, learning the art of discipline, resilience, and teamwork.

After serving for two years on various emergency state activations with the 1058th transportation unit, Liseth realized that her true calling was with the Air Force. Driven by her determination and a strong sense of purpose, she signed a conditional release and a six-year contract with the Air National Guard at Otis, AFB. And that decision changed her life forever.

As part of the 102 Civil Engineering Squadron, Liseth deployed to the Horn of Africa and various locations around the world, where she demonstrated her excellent leadership skills and an engineering mindset. Her commitment to excellence and accountability, coupled with her tenacity, showed her that anything is possible.

Liseth's experiences in the military and her training have allowed her to lead, orchestrate, and execute construction projects in various roles. Her passion for serving her country and her community led her to found LJV, a construction management firm that coordinates and executes projects for federal agencies, public, and commercial institutions.

Liseth's military experience and leadership skills have contributed significantly to her success, making a positive impact on her community. Her story is a testament to the transformative power of hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment to excellence. Liseth's journey reminds us that anything is possible if we set our minds to it, and we are willing to work hard to achieve our goals. Let her story inspire you to reach for the stars and pursue your dreams with passion, courage, and determination.