Advisory Board

Chris Ballenger
Chris Ballenger is an executive with nearly 30 years of experience in successfully doing business with the US Government and the founder and CEO of Apex Strategies. Ballenger has special expertise in marketing to U.S. Government agencies including business development, sales, government relations and contract management. He has proven ability in developing and managing programs, projects, building, buying, and selling companies successfully and profitably. He is admitted to practice law in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

Charlie Birney
Charlie Birney is co-founder and Chief Listening Officer of Podville Media, a Washington, DC–based podcast and media company. Before podcasting, he spent roughly 26 years in commercial real estate in the DC area and worked on the team that permitted and built Queenstown Harbor, a 36-hole golf course on the Chesapeake Bay. He also served as president of both the Maryland Tourism Council and the National Golf Course Owners Association and is the author of The Tao of Podcasting. A Washington native, Charlie attended St. Albans School and earned a degree in religion and philosophy from Roanoke College.

Dan Cowens
Dan Cowens is an accomplished business leader with deep expertise in entrepreneurship, enterprise development, and strategic market expansion. Cowens brings a wealth of experience in both corporate and startup environments. As the founder of multiple successful companies, including Oasis Marinas, a third-party marina management company, and Snag-A-Slip, an online booking marketplace for marinas, he has spearheaded innovative solutions that bridge technology and hospitality. With an MBA from the University of Maryland's Smith School of Business, Cowens, a dedicated alumnus and community advocate, supporting initiatives like CRAB, Living Classrooms, Marne Trades Associations, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Annapolis Maritime Museum. His strategic insight and commitment to enterprise continue to surface in his dedication to mentoring other entrepreneurs.

Conor D. Crimmins
Conor D. Crimmins is President of Spider Strategies, a technology and consulting firm that provides strategic performance management software and services to the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army, Fortune 100 companies, and government and nonprofit organizations across more than 50 industries and 55 countries. A co-founder, Crimmins served as Chief Operating Officer for over 23 years, leading the growth of the company’s government services practice and building the systems and culture that sustained it. He recently led Spider Strategies through its acquisition by a global software company. Crimmins holds an MBA from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business as part of Executive Programs Cohort 23, where he received the Martin J. Sullivan Award as Exemplary Executive MBA Graduate and was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi. He currently serves as a member of the Kensington, Maryland Town Council, a position he has held since 2017. His involvement with the Ed Snider Center began as a judge for the Snider Enterprise and Leadership Fellows (SELF) pitch competition, which he has judged for the past two summers.

Amber Kodish
Amber Kodish is a Cloud and AI Strategist for NVIDIA supporting large deployments for the federal government. She holds board roles with the University of Maryland Smith School MSBA advisory board, Targa AI, and CBDA, and advises accelerators like Springboard Enterprises and D-Code. Amber has a strong track record of scaling companies, leading 89% revenue growth and quadrupling the customer base as a former CEO, and building a $25M public sector business for a SaaS company. She holds an MBA from Drexel University and a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Rutgers University.

William A. Longbrake
Bill Longbrake has extensive experience in finance, investments, macroeconomics, monetary policy, risk management, housing, and public policy. He has served in business, academic and government organizations. Longbrake serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards. Prior to retirement, he was CFO for Washington Mutual and served in senior positions at the Comptroller of the Currency and the FDIC. He is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and is a Governance Fellow. He is an Executive-in-Residence at the Robert H. Smith School of Business and an Affiliate Associate Professor at the Evans School of Public Policy, University of Washington. Longbrake currently writes a monthly economic newsletter, the “Longbrake Letter,” which is distributed by the Center for Financial Policy of the University of Maryland through the “Brain Trust,” which has over 60,000. In 2007, he received the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award from the Robert H. Smith School of Business of the University of Maryland where he received his Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in finance.

Nick Peterson
Nick Peterson is a Wealth Management Advisor and Senior Vice President with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. Named multiple-time Forbes “Best-In-State Next-Generation Wealth Advisors” list, his team manages over $1 billion in assets focusing on advising closely held businesses and nonprofit organizations. Peterson, a graduate of the Smith School of Business played football for the Terps. His involvement with the Ed Snider Center has spanned multiple years providing education on personal financial literacy to high school students in the SELF and WILL programs. Peterson currently sits on the board of Prince George’s County Crime Solvers and lends his time to other local civic organizations.

Jennifer Schubert-Akin
Jennifer Schubert-Akin is Chairman & CEO of The Steamboat Institute, promoting America’s first principles and inspiring active involvement in the defense of liberty. Schubert-Akin serves on a variety of Advisory Boards and Committees, participates in many local community activities, and is actively involved in philanthropic efforts for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Jamie Snider
Jamie Snider is the Co-President of UNIT Solutions, the pre-eminent non-lethal training solutions provider for law enforcement and military worldwide. Prior to UNIT he was Chief Operating Officer of Codalytics, a software development analytics firm providing data-driven insights to firms such as Open Table and Lynda (acquired by LinkedIn); and he ran operations and business development for Yowie.com, an online one-to-many video chat service utilized by NBC Universal, Viacom, and ABC. Snider is Chairman of the Investment Committee of The Snider Foundation, a non-profit focused on American Values, Jewish Culture and Survival, and Community Engagement. A graduate of the Robert H Smith School of Business, Snider resides in Los Angeles with his wife and daughters.

Tina Snider
Tina Snider is president and CEO of the Tina Snider Foundation. As an entrepreneur, Snider approaches philanthropy with the same mindset. She currently serves as chair of the Board of Advisors for the Benson Center at the University of Colorado, serves on the Board of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and is active in her community of Gloucester, MA. When she is not working/thinking about world betterment and change, she loves traveling, spending time with her three adult children, and her pets.

Adam Sohn 
Adam Sohn, CEO of Narravance, is a growth strategist, senior executive and board member for multiple organizations. He is a former Wall Street equities trader, C- level business development executive, and served in public service in appointed roles at the request of two Governors. Adam served as CEO for the Network Contagion Research Institute, widely regarded as pioneers in the development of methods and algorithms that identify and forecast cyber social threats to vulnerable communities. His interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Non-Profits, FinTech, MarTech and Capital Raising companies exemplifies his hunger to learn from others and apply his network and knowledge to make a meaningful difference in the world.

Eboni Thamavong
Practice Director of Modern Security at XenTegra, where she leads strategy and growth across the firm’s cybersecurity and networking portfolio. She brings nearly two decades of experience spanning national security, cybersecurity, technology, and strategic leadership. Prior to joining XenTegra, Thamavong held cybersecurity leadership roles at Amazon and Booz Allen Hamilton, where she advised executives and built security and threat intelligence programs. Earlier in her career, she served at the National Security Agency and Defense Intelligence Agency, leading teams focused on cyber threats, strategic intelligence, and national security.Thamavong earned her MBA from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business and holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in international studies and Japanese language and literature. A Smith alumna, Thamavong began her affiliation with the Ed Snider Center for Enterprise and Markets as an Executive Fellow.

David Welch
David Welch is a well-rounded leader with more than 35 years of broad functional experience including financial, legal, marketing, and operational expertise. Welch has owned, managed and sold multiple construction companies. He is currently launching a new land development company in the DMV area. He is an intuitive leader who works to streamline operations while developing cost-effective processes. Welch strives to bring out the best in every company by bringing out the best in each company’s employees. Welch, a Smith alum, began his affiliation with the Ed Snider Center as an executive fellow.

Oscar Zeballos
Oscar Zeballos is the CEO of Podville Media and has been a recognized leader in the podcasting industry since 2005. Under his leadership, Podville has produced award-winning audio and video podcasts for major broadcast networks, global brands, renowned celebrities, and internationally respected nonprofits. Notably, in partnership with ESPN, two of Podville’s podcast productions were adapted for broadcast on linear television—a rare industry achievement. A 2016 Executive MBA graduate of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, Zeballos was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship in 2018. Prior to joining the Advisory Board of the Ed Snider Center for Enterprise and Markets, he was an Executive Fellow of the Center.