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OUR SPEAKERS BIOs
Captain Eric Carrero
President of the Greater Houston Port Bureau
Captain Eric Carrero became President of the Greater Houston Port Bureau on July 1, 2023. He leads the 250+ company maritime business organization that supplies member companies detail vessel traffic information and maritime expertise in efficiency, safety, security, and environmental issues in the largest port by tonnage and the largest petrochemical facility in the United States.
CAPT Carrero served 26 years in the U.S. Coast Guard (“USCG”) and led the Waterways Management Division for the USCG’s Eighth District before retiring in May 2023. He is a certified Marine Safety Professional with numerous qualifications in marine pollution response, investigations and commercial vessel inspections.
He was deployed to the historic responses to Hurricane Katrina, Haiti Earthquake and served as Operations Section Chief during Hurricane Harvey where he was responsible for all maritime transportation issues related to the successful Coast Guard response in Houston- Galveston.
His previous USCG operational assignments included: Marine Safety Office/ Group Philadelphia; Marine Safety Office San Juan, PR, where he served as a Marine Casualty Investigator, Port State Control Inspector and Assistant Senior Investigating Officer; and Marine Safety Detachment Fort Smith, AR, where he served as the Supervisor responsible for all marine safety related issues, including domestic inspections, in the expansive western area of Arkansas and Oklahoma. He also served at USCG Atlantic Area, as a Port Security Liaison Officer where he conducted port security assessments in over 20 countries, evaluating the effectiveness of anti-terrorism measures, and enforced international port security regulations in South America, Africa and the Caribbean.
CAPT Carrero is a graduate from the University of Puerto Rico, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Management and Policy from the American Public University System. His military awards include the Legion of Merit, four Meritorious Service Medal, a Coast Guard Commendation Medals, three Coast Guard Achievement Medals, a Commandant’s Letter of Commendation, and multiple unit and operational awards.
Andrea Course
Founder & Managing Director Course Investments, Venture Capitalist
Andrea Course is the Founder and Managing Director of Course Investments, an investment firm supporting minority-owned startups. A recognized gender equality advocate and keynote speaker, she brings over 15 years of global experience at the intersection of technology, capital, and climate impact.
Prior to launching her own firm, Andrea built a distinguished career in the energy sector as both technical expert and venture investor. At Shell Ventures, she served as Investment Director, leading investments in innovative startups advancing the energy transition, particularly in digitalization, AI, machine learning, robotics, and decarbonization.
She also managed Shell's Global Digital Innovation Program and served on the boards of Innowatts and Mirico. Earlier, Andrea held roles as Venture Principal at Schlumberger Technology Investments, and previously worked as Product Manager, Engineering Manager, and Senior Product Analyst.
Andrea is passionate about driving scalable solutions for climate innovation, mentoring diverse founders, and building platforms that accelerate real-world impact.
Dr. Sanjoy Paul
Executive Director of Rice Nexus, Rice University Professor
Dr. Sanjoy Paul is a recognized leader in innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship, currently serving as Executive Director of Rice Nexus—Rice University’s flagship innovation hub accelerating research translation and venture creation. He is also Co-founder of Houston AI, a nonprofit driving AI innovation and collaboration across academia, industry, and community. A committed academic, Dr. Paul teaches graduate-level computer science at Rice University and has held faculty appointments at Rutgers University and San Jose State University.
Over a distinguished corporate career, Dr. Paul has held senior leadership roles at Accenture (as Managing Director and Global Head of Systems & Platforms R&D), Wipro, Infosys, Bell Labs, and AT&T, where he pioneered advanced platforms in Generative AI, Robotics, 5G, IoT, and Digital Twins to transform global industries.
An accomplished entrepreneur, he has founded and led startups across AI,
EdTech, AdTech, and supply chain, serving as CEO, CTO, and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at various venture-backed companies. His research spans AI/ML, networking, IoT, and XR, with a focus on building intelligent, scalable systems for high-impact domains like energy, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Dr. Paul is a Fellow of IEEE and IEE, holder of 95 granted U.S. patents, author of three books, and recipient of multiple awards including the IIT Kharagpur Distinguished Alumnus Award, Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award, IEEE William R. Bennett Paper Award, Infosys Excellence Award, and recognition by MIT Technology Review and Marquis Who’s Who, including a feature in the Wall Street Journal as a 2025 Distinguished Leader.
He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland, a B.Tech from IIT Kharagpur, and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Kate Mc Kay
High Performance Coach, Athlete, Author, Professional Speaker
Kate McKay is the CEO of Siena Strategy Partners, a transformational speaker, certified human performance coach, international best-selling author, podcaster, athlete, and entrepreneur. For more than 30 years she has helped leaders and high-performers disrupt psychological patterns that limit success—instilling confidence, courage, and clarity so clients can perform at their best personally and professionally.
Trained in theatre, Kate uses stagecraft as a coaching framework—reminding audiences that “life is a stage” and there is no dress rehearsal. That theatrical foundation informs her signature message: cast yourself in the starring role, rehearse purposefully, and lead with authenticity. She translated that mindset into building a multimillion-dollar business and a long career in performance-based training, health and wellness, and business development.
Kate is the author of the international best seller Claim Your Inner Badass, a certified human performance coach, and a winning competitive athlete who brings the discipline and grit of sport to leadership development. Her work has
appeared in Entrepreneur, on PBS, in national and local television and radio, and across numerous podcasts and print outlets. She has been a columnist for 15 years and regularly speaks and coaches executives, teams, and organizations on resilience, mindset, and high performance.
A devoted mother of three, avid learner, and outdoors enthusiast, Kate models resilience—having overcome profound personal adversity—and shows leaders how transformation truly begins from the inside out. Her practical, high-energy presentations leave audiences ready to act, lead boldly, and live with greater purpose and impact.