Anna Ashurov, Director, BlackRock

Anna Ashurov, Director, is a member of the COO team of the Aladdin Business within BlackRock Solutions, provides risk analytics and portfolio management and trading systems to clients. Prior to joining BlackRock, Ms Ashurov was a partner and senior director of commercial strategy at Anheuser-Busch InBev. Prior to ABInBev, Anna worked as a capital markets banker at Goldman Sachs (“GS”) and served as a Business Unit Manager of the Capital Markets Division. Anna holds Bachelor’s Degree from Baruch College and JD from Brooklyn Law School.

Michelle Gitlitz, General Counsel, Flexa

Michelle Gitlitz is the General Counsel at Flexa, responsible for advising Flexa on legal, regulatory and risk management matters surrounding payments, digital assets and blockchain technology, and helping the company continue its rapid growth trajectory. Previously she served as the Global Head of Crowell & Moring’s Blockchain and Digital Assets practice, and a partner in the White Collar and Regulatory Enforcement and Corporate groups. An experienced regulatory lawyer and litigator, Michelle’s practice focuses on the legal and regulatory issues facing both emerging and established companies that invest in and incorporate blockchain technology and digital assets into their businesses. Her experience includes advising clients on the legal, regulatory, and risk management issues surrounding coin/token offerings (including launching new offerings and remediating prior offerings); working with clients in connection with digital currency exchanges and platforms; establishing new blockchains and nodes; and advising clients on navigating federal and state money transmission laws.

Shawnna Hoffmann, IT Transformation Solutions, ServiceNow  

Shawnna Hoffmann is IT Transformation Solution Sales Manager at ServiceNow. Prior to ServiceNow, she served as the Global Co-Leader for the IBM Cognitive Legal Practice at IBM, driving global strategy and execution across clients, legal markets and internal groups. She co-authored the book “eDiscovery Plain & Simple.” She is the Co-Founder of Women in AI & Blockchain founded at the MIT Legal Forum for AI & Blockchain in 2017. She is also the Co-Founder of the non-profit Women in eDiscovery which has grown to over 5,000 members since its founding in 2007. As her give back to her local community, Ms. Hoffman co-founded and serves on the Board of the Community Hope Center of Osceola County which has helped over 20,000 homeless families since its inception. The Community Hope Center has received multiple awards and most recently was presented with the Bob Allen Award from the Walt Disney Company and the Good Neighbor Award from Bank of America for the fight against homelessness.

Susan Joseph, a JD/MBA and former General Counsel, is CEO/Founder of Healthrends.ai, an NSF grant awardee (public health informatics using blockchain), Executive Director, Fintech at Cornell, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University, Principal at SusanJosephLLC, (consulting for the mining industry in climate, digitization, and blockchain), and Executive Director (pro bono) of Diversity in Blockchain-a 501(c)(3) entity that provides education and resources to support diversity and inclusion in the blockchain space. She has been consulting and advising in law, blockchain and fintech for the past five years in the areas of digital assets, cryptocurrencies, insurance, enterprise distributed ledgers, ESG (climate and diversity), identity and privacy, and other issues across financial services, insurance, and supply chain. Susan advised RiskStream (Insurance Consortium) on their Civics Program and was formerly the B3i North America Representative (Insurance Consortium). She created and ran Blockchain Working Groups for Global Insurers and was the first Executive Director of ID2020. Susan is a part of the World Economic Forum Expert Network and runs the womeninfintech network on LinkedIn.

Joshua Ashley Klayman, Senior Counsel, U.S. Head of FinTech and Head of Blockchain and Digital Assets

Joshua Ashley Klayman is one of the best known Blockchain and Cryptocurrency lawyers in the world.
Recognised by Chambers and Partners as one of only three “Band 1”-ranked U.S. Blockchain & Cryptocurrency lawyers (and the only woman included in such list) for 2019, Josh also is one of the original top 12 global Blockchain & Cryptocurrency lawyers ranked by Chambers in its inaugural 2018 global list. Josh serves as U.S. Head of FinTech and Head of Blockchain and Digital Assets at Linklaters LLP and, by background, is a finance and corporate deal lawyer. In addition, she chairs the prominent Wall Street Blockchain Alliance (“WSBA”) Legal Working Group and serves on the WSBA’s Board of Directors. Josh also is a member of the global WhartonReg@Tech think tank, was appointed by the State of Delaware to serve on its Blockchain Strategy Committee and speaks frequently with regulators from around the world about Blockchain, Smart Contracts and Cryptocurrency matters. She is a Forbes Contributor for Blockchain and Digital Assets and works collaboratively with Blockchain leaders from other law firms, clients and the broader community to advance the industry, anticipate and address regulatory concerns and seize strategic opportunities. In addition, Josh is a co-founder and director of the non-profit Diversity in Blockchain, Inc. and a founding member of Collective Future. Josh was named #89 on the list of 100 Most Influential People in Crypto for 2019, by Modern Consensus, and Innovate Finance has recognised her on its Women in FinTech PowerList, in the “Senior Leaders” category. Previously, Josh founded and served as CEO of both Inflection Point Blockchain Advisors, LLC, a blockchain strategy consulting and advisory firm, and Klayman LLC, a blockchain- and finance-focused boutique law firm. Passionate about the advancement of women and other diverse groups, Josh is the mother of five children and one grandchild, leading some in the industry to nickname her “Mother of Blockchains”.

Jennifer Zegel, Partner, Kleinbard LLC

Jennifer L. Zegel is a partner in the Philadelphia law firm of Kleinbard LLC. Jennifer is the Practice Leader of the Firm’s Trusts and Estates Group and is Chair of the Firm’s Blockchain Committee. She focuses her practice on the representation of clients in the areas of trusts and estates, business law, and real estate. Jennifer maintains a traditional estates and trust practice but is unique in that she has a special focus in estate and business planning and the estate administration of digital assets including cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. Jennifer is at the forefront of this emerging section of property transfers, which also overlaps and intersects with technology, privacy, and accessibility considerations. Jennifer regularly advises clients on how to incorporate digital asset planning into an estate plan or business succession plan. She is a frequent speaker on digital assets and blockchain technology, and is dedicated to educating individuals on the importance of digital asset planning. In addition to speaking on the topic of digital assets, Jennifer also regularly writes on the subject and recently co-authored What To Know About Estate Planning for Digital Assets, published in the Bloomberg Tax Management, Estates, Gifts and Trusts Journal. Jennifer is in the process of writing a primer entitled “Planning on Digital: A Primer on the Basics of Estate Planning and Administration with Digital Assets.” Jennifer recently co-created the Digital Planning Podcast, which is dedicated to exploring all things digital in connection with estate planning, business planning, and estate administration. Jennifer also serves as the Chair of the Philadelphia Chapter of Diversity in Blockchain (DiB), a non-profit organization committed to creating equal, open and inclusive opportunities in the blockchain industry