Following our buffet lunch, guest keynote speaker, Barbara McQuiston, will deliver our annual keynote. The keynote will be followed by the presentation of this year's Technology Leadership Awards.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER, BARBARA MCQUISTON Special Assistant for Energy, DARPA Chief Strategist for a $1.0 billion federal government fund to create innovative technologies for America’s strategic government and commercial interests. Previously Ms. McQuiston was a successful entrepreneur right here in LA County, and a highly sought after consultant to high tech entrepreneurs. Ms. McQuiston has more than 25 years of experience in both research and management of high-technology government and commercial programs. Her experience includes strategic planning and development of new and innovative sensor technology for the biotechnology, medical, aerospace and environmental markets; negotiation for technology agreements and technology transfer from large research institutes, government, and laboratories to the commercial sector; and technical oversight for research and development efforts for various government agencies. Prior to joining DARPA, she served as the Assistant to the President for the Corporation for National Research Initiatives, performing strategic planning in areas of advanced research and technology. From 2000-2006, Ms. McQuiston was President of McQuiston and Associates, a management consulting firm working with technology start up companies. She supported institutes in global technology management including the QuanStar Group, QWIP Technologies, Inc., and was a founder and Board member of Soar Technology. Ms. McQuiston’s research has focused on technology in advanced electro-chemical and electro-optical sensor design, and she has served as the Principal Investigator for several clinical protocols related to wound healing and medical imaging at the Wright-Patterson Medical Center. In prior years, she served as adjunct to the faculty, supporting ongoing research at the Air Force Institute of Technology, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department. www.darpa.mil