Past Robins School of Business Speakers

The Robins School of Business is proud to host a wide variety of guests and speakers from relevant fields and industries for our students. These programs bring knowledgeable speakers to Queally Hall to explore topics ranging from accounting and ethics to values and leadership. The events are free and open to the public, giving students and the community an opportunity to interact with national and international business leaders.

2025-26

  • AI Panel: Jantzen Bridges, Partner/Principal, Customer Technology, EY; John Failla, CEO & Founder, Pearl; Will Melton, CEO, Xponent21
  • Beth Matish, CEO, Johnston-Willis Hospital
  • Matt McDermott, President, Heritage Family Group
  • Hannah Pollac, President, CEO & Co-founder, Nightingale Ice Cream
  • Emma Rodriguez-Ayala, Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel, Ariel Investments
  • Aaron Roussell, Head Coach, University of Richmond Women's Basketball
  • Stuart Weitzman, Founder & CEO (retired), Stuart Weitzman
  • Michael West, President, Moody's Ratings

2024-25

  • AI Panel: Joshua Brugger, VP Data and Advanced Analytics, McKesson Medical-Surgical; David Der, Chief AI Officer, SingleStone Consulting; John Failla, CEO and Founder, Pearl; Stanton McComb, President, McKesson Medical-Surgical
  • David Altig, EVP and Chief Economic Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
  • David Blanchard, Founder, Blanchard's Coffee
  • Stephanie Headley, SVP, North America Skin Care, Procter & Gamble
  • Craig Hoskins, EVP & Chief Development Officer, Performance Food Group
  • Connor Marsden, EVP, Salesforce
  • Lisa McKnight, EVP & Chief Brand Officer, Mattel
  • Alison Rogish, Central Virginia Marketplace Leader, Deloitte
  • Jason Wright, President, Washington Commanders

2023-24

  • Women on Wall Street: Alex Kohnert, '20, Alternative Investment Sales Specialist, USB; Katie Stockton, '97, Founder and Managing Partner, Fairlead Strategies, LLC; Karen Welch, Managing Director of Investments, Spider Management
  • Moses Foster, President & CEO, West Cary Group
  • John Hewa, President & CEO, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative
  • Mark Barth, President & CEO, and Desmond Carter, COO, Goodwill
  • Ashley Peace, President, Sauer Properties, Inc.
  • Kelly Pope, Forensic Accountant, Author of "Fool Me Once"

2022-23

  • Vafa Akhavan, CEO, World Pediatric Project
  • Richard Bynum, Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer, PNC Bank
  • Mark Bezjak, President of North America, Zimmer Biolet
  • Heidi Petz, President & COO, Sherwin Williams
  • Jyot Singh, Founder & CEO, RTS Labs
  • Dave Watson, President & CEO, Comcast Cable
  • Paige Wilson, Founder & CEO, Naborforce

2021-22

  • Tom Barkin, President & CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
  • Miller Brady, President, PGA TOUR Champions
  • Kristin Cavallo, CEO, Martin Agency
  • Doug Lankler, General Counsel, Pfizer
  • Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBCUniversal & Streaming

2020-2021

  • Mark Lopez, Director of Race and Ethnicity Research, Pew Research Center
  • Raul Martinez-Ostos, Barclays Mexico
  • Shep Murray, co-founder, vineyard vines
  • Britta Wilson, vice president, Inclusion Strategies, Pixar Animation Studios

2019-2020

  • Word on Wall Street: Paul Queally, R’86, Kathleen Hughes, W'89, Rob Blandford, Lou Moelchert,  Herbert McDade
  • Financial Markets Panel: Kathleen Hughes, W’89, Michael Kelter, ’01, David Lyons, B’87, Katie Stockton, ’97
  • Brian Bortell: President, Chairman, and CEO, Timmons Group 
  • Thomas Gayner: Co-CEO, Markel Corporation
  • Don Godwin: Vice President and CFO, Newport News Shipbuilding
  • William Lewis Jr.: Managing Director and Co-Chairman of Investment Banking, Lazard Ltd.
  • Mike Nelson: CEO, Global Travel and Americas at Allianz Worldwide Partners
  • Leigh Sewell: CEO of Bon Secours' Memorial Regional Medical Center, Richmond Community Hospital and Memorial College of Nursing
  • DeMaurice Smith: Executive Director, NFL Players Association
2018-19

2017-18

2016-17