Our Board
Kim Brand
Kim Brand is an Indianapolis born entrepreneur who has started and grown many technology companies since graduating from IUPUI in 1975 with a degree in mechanical engineering technology. In 2013 he co-founded an industrial 3D printing company named 3D Parts Mfg. Today, Kim is President of 1st Maker Space – an education consulting company that helps educators create maker spaces– he aims to bring shop class back to schools and enthusiasm for learning back to classrooms.
He is a member of the Workforce Improvement Board of Marion County, (EmployIndy,) the advisory boards of the Salvation Army and the Crossing School of Business and Entrepreneurship and serves on the Technical Advisory Board of Marian University. He is a member of the Indianapolis Rotary Club and an adjunct professor of Informatics at IUPUI’s School of Informatics and Computing.
Carrie Henderson
Carrie Henderson, a native Hoosier, serves as Founder and the President of Red Leaf Group, LLC a consulting company.
Prior to joining the Business Ownership Initiative (BOI)/Indy Chamber, Henderson spent 37 years working in the following sectors: non-profit management, venture capital, micro lending, government, public finance, corporate finance, and economic development. Carrie specialized in government procurement, public/private partnerships, contract negotiations, debt/equity structuring, and project management.
Henderson earned her B.S. degree in accounting from Butler University and is also a graduate of the Hoosier Fellow’s program.
David Llewellyn
David Llewellyn has spent over 30 years in the world of learning and development, coaching, career management, and in 2015, ventured into a new arena as Talent Acquisition and Development Manager for the Kirby Risk Corporation. He founded the award winning, interactive theatre and training program, Picture this in 1984, and is proud to be associated with it in its new home, the Sapphire Theatre of Indianapolis. A threads run through his work; to make the world of work a more human place, to cultivate empathy where it is most needed; and to be a trusted advisor to everyone from the CEO to the young talent looking to make their mark.
“I love the light of discovery, the challenge of helping those who want to learn and grow to reach greater depths of self-awareness and struggle through the obstacles keeping them from reaching their potential.“
Steven Loser
As an assistant principal at Fishers High School, Steve Loser is driven to shock the world with what kids are capable of doing. He believes schools should be learning institutions focused on the co-creation of knowledge and skills and directly serve their community by collaboratively solving real problems and challenges. Each day, he strives to create a revolution in the field of education while working within the system to push its evolution. Making and tinkering plays a major part in developing life-long learners that are equipped to solve the complex problems of the future. Steve consumes gallons of coffee at work so, with the help of his wife Angela, he can keep up with his four boys- ages 6, 4, and 2 year-old twins- when he gets home.
Jeff Kaufman
Jeff Kaufman Ph.D. is an assistant professor of leadership and research and the Director of Accreditation, Research, and Planning for the Fred S. Klipsch Educators College at Marian University in Indianapolis. As a former small business owner in the trades and a kid who grew up in a cornfield, he appreciates the importance of working with your hands and the power of tinkering and testing as a method of inquiry and learning. Jeff’s Ph.D. is in workforce education and development so he recognizes the critical creative skills necessary for the continuation of an adaptable and flexible workforce, but above all else, he firmly believes in the impact of curiosity and self-determination on helping people engage in their own learning and personal development. This is the appeal of instilling a maker mindset in young people.
Duane Schmitz
As Vice President of Product, Sales and Operations for IU Health Plans, Duane is responsible for the overall success of the Health Plans Commercial, MA and Wellness products. He joined IU Health Plans in September of 2016 after more than 25 years of leadership experience in domestic and international operations, financial management and engineering. Duane previously served as Chief Operating Officer with Harrison College, as an executive director of global clinical operations along with various other operational and financial management roles with Eli Lilly for 15 years and also worked as a development and project engineer in several large and small engineering firms, including Motorola, Honeywell, and 3M.
Duane earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago. Duane serves as an advisory board member of ‘Maker Youth Foundation’ and ‘Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House’. Duane and his wife Lenore are proud parents of six children, two of whom are also pursuing careers in education.