Houston speakers 2026

PRESENTS

Houston

Stop Presenting. Start Connecting.

Houston, are you ready to lead the next legal conversation? We’re not looking for polished slide decks or generic talks. We want real legal leaders – General Counsel, Managing Partners, and Legal Tech builders, who’ve navigated regulatory shifts, scaled with automation, and built solutions that actually work. After the caliber of speakers from Google, Zendesk, McAfee, and global privacy and AI leaders in San Francisco, we’re bringing that same bold energy to Houston, a city built on grit, growth, and global impact. This is your moment to share hard-won insights and shape what’s next for the legal industry.

SPEAKERS

Monica Romelina Sijabat

Founder & Managing Partner at MRS Business Professional

Charles N. Bowen

Adjunct Professor at Georgia State University College of Law, USA

Brian Hinman

Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Cote Global, Inc.

Akash Gobardhan

Legal Partner at KGL Tax & Legal NV

Zackery Wavrusa

Senior Counsel, Texas Health and Human Services Commission – Office of the Inspector General

Alejandro Galván

Head of Legal & Data Privacy Officer at Petco Mexico

Gabriella Neal

Global Sanctions & ITC Counsel / Data Privacy Counsel at Halliburton

Joe Valentine

International Trade Compliance Counsel Licensed Attorney (Washington D.C., Florida, North Carolina)

Hanna Steinbach

General Counsel at Harness

Suneet Gautam

Assistant General Counsel, at Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.

Mark Chavez

General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Applied Digital

David Klaponski

Legal Counsel at Vancouver Coastal Health

Flora A. Francis

Managing Legal & Compliance Counsel, Americas at Burckhardt Compression (US) Inc.

Taylor Smith

Regional Sales Manager at FindLaw & Super Lawyers

Monica Romelina Sijabat

Monica Romelina Sijabat is the Founder & Managing Partner at MRS Business Professional, based out of Jakarta, Indonesia, with an office in Washington DC, USA. MRS is a specialised Tax Consultancy Organization with expertise in Transfer Pricing, Tax Advisory, Audit, Review, Litigation, Compliance, and Review. Her professional background is as a Chartered Accountant, Tax Attorney & Tax Consultant with more than 20 years of experience. She has currently a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics & Business, University of Indonesia (FEB UI) since 2018 until now & at the Faculty of Administrative Sciences, University of Indonesia (FIA UI) in 2017. In 2011, she was also a Brevet C Tax Instructor as well as a Main Member in the Association of Indonesian Accountants. She has an educational background and is an alumna of the Economics faculty at the University of Indonesia and an alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School in the field of Economic Development with the Executive Certificate.

Charles N. Bowen

Charles Bowen is founder and principal at Legal Path LLC, providing legal and advisory services in M&A, commercial contracts, GRC (governance risk and compliance), and technology implementation. Charles also is an adjunct professor at Georgia State University, where he teaches at the College of Law on Innovation in the Practice of Law, and at the Robinson College of Business on the Legal and Ethical Environments of Business. Charles has worked for the past 25 years with Cox Enterprises and the Cox Family Office, where he served as General Counsel, Compliance Officer, and a member of the Audit & Risk Committee. He also serves on the Advisory Board of CoreCLM, a contract automation platform.

Brian Hinman

Brian Hinman is a seasoned intellectual property executive with over 30 years’ experience in the field of intellectual property, having held senior positions at some of the world’s leading companies, including Aon, Philips, IBM and others. He was inducted in 2023 to the IP Hall of Fame and was also the initial recipient of the Q. Todd Dickinson Award for Lifetime Achievement in Intellectual Property. He is currently the Chief IP Officer for Cote Global, which invests IP capital into growth-stage tech operating companies with strong IP portfolios. Prior to this, he was Chief Commercial Officer for Aon IP Solutions, where he was part an executive team that led the efforts to seize the generational opportunity to establish market-accepted standards for assessing and valuing the IP asset class for businesses and investors and led to securing over $2B in more than 30 IP-backed loans backed by insurance. Previously, Brian served as Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Philips and CEO of Philips Intellectual Property and Standards, based in the Netherlands. In this capacity he led a worldwide team of over 400 intellectual property professionals in 9 different countries, formulating and executing a robust IP strategy for each of Philips’ business units. This included managing Philips’ IP portfolio, directing all IP litigation matters (both offensive and defensive), actively participating in the development of industry standards, and conducting all forms of IP monetization including patent, technology and brand licensing and formation of various IP Ventures. Prior to Philips, Brian was co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Unified Patents Inc. He was also Senior Vice President of IP and Licensing at IBM, Verizon and InterDigital, as well as the founding CEO of Allied Security Trust. Brian has been extensively published on IP topics, is a frequent lecturer and conference presenter, and serves on a variety of industry advisory boards. Brian holds degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Pittsburgh.

Gabriella Neal

Gabriella Neal is a dual licensed attorney in Mexico and in the state of New York, with vast experience in the legal and compliance landscape for multinational companies while understanding the cultural nuances and business mindsets. Gabriella is currently the Global Sanctions & ITC Counsel, as well as Data Privacy Counsel for Halliburton while also assisting with investigations. She was the former Latin America Compliance Counsel and Sr Counsel for Mexico at Weatherford for 8 years. Prior to that she was at Halliburton for 11 years holding various positions including Counsel for Mexico and Northern Latin America Counsel. Gabriella holds an LLM degree from the University of Houston and the Universidad Anahuac of Mexico City and a law degree from the Tecnologico de Monterrey.

Joe Valentine

Joe is an experienced international trade compliance counsel, licensed in DC, FL, and NC with over 25 years of experience in EAR and ITAR export controls, OFAC sanctions, and Customs compliance as well as trade remedies. He is also a Licensed Customs Broker and Certified Global Sanctions Specialist. His work experience includes working in trade regulatory positions for two Governments viz. the United States and India, as well as in-house Counsel for several major corporations, and lead Trade/Sanctions/Customs Counsel for a large Washington DC based international trade law firm. His experience spans the manufacturing, technology, telecommunications, energy, mining, automotive, semiconductor, and reinsurance business sectors. He has developed import and export compliance policies, provided expert guidance in resolving complex issues, conducted investigations, filed disclosures, and conducted training in customs, sanctions, and export controls. He has published a Customs compliance textbook and has presented at various national and international conferences.

Hanna Steinbach

Hanna is Harness General Counsel and oversees the company’s global legal function. At Harness, she launched the company’s global AI compliance program, led several M&A initiatives, and oversaw its most recent Series E financing round. Prior to joining Harness, Hanna served as Medallia’s Chief Legal Officer, leading the company’s Legal, Policy, and Compliance functions. During her tenure, Medallia grew from under 1,000 to over 3,000 employees, completed a successful IPO, and was ultimately taken private through a private equity buyout. She secured several significant litigation wins, oversaw the acquisition and integration of multiple companies, and played an instrumental role in both the IPO and the take-private transaction. Before Medallia, Hanna practiced with international law firms in Vienna, San Francisco, and Berlin, focusing on antitrust and competition law, privacy, and international corporate matters. She also worked at the World Intellectual Property Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, directly sponsored by the German government. Hanna holds law degrees from the Vienna School of Law, Stockholm University, and Berkeley School of Law.

Akash Gobardhan

Akash Gobardhan is a seasoned legal and tax professional with over a decade of experience advising leading organizations across Suriname and the wider Caribbean. His career began in 2011 as a legal officer within the insurance sector, after which he transitioned to KPMG Meijburg Caribbean as a Tax & Legal Compliance Officer, supporting major players in the natural resources industry. Following the closure of KPMG Suriname, Akash joined EY Dutch Caribbean, where he was instrumental in establishing and leading the firm’s Suriname practice, managing advisory and compliance services for international clients. In 2019, he advanced to Kenswil & Co as Senior Manager, specializing in Oil & Gas, Mining, M&A, corporate structuring, and labor law advisory. He continued these responsibilities after the firm’s merger with HBN Law & Tax in 2022. In July 2023, Akash co-founded KGL Tax & Legal, where he now serves as Legal Partner, supporting both tax and legal engagements with a strong focus on Suriname’s Oil & Gas sector. Known for his leadership, strategic insight, and multidisciplinary expertise, Akash has built a respected reputation across industries including natural resources, construction, insurance, banking, and telecommunications.

Zackery Wavrusa

Zack Wavrusa is an experienced trial advocate. He has tried more than 100 felony criminal cases to verdict as a prosecutor for Rusk County, Texas, and he has recovered millions of dollars for Medicaid that would have otherwise been lost to fraud, waste, and abuse in his current role at the Texas Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. Zack has also produced numerous articles and presentations on trial advocacy topics for the Texas District and County Attorney’s Association. He has served as a faculty advisor for Baylor University School of Law’s voir dire bootcamp, and is a member of the State Bar’s Criminal Pattern Jury Charge Committee.

Alejandro Galván Illanes

Mexican lawyer with over 20 years of experience in administrative law, regulation, data privacy, compliance, anti-corruption, and ethics. Currently, responsible for Legal, Regulatory, and Government Relations for Mexico and Chile at Petco Mexico. Former Director of Transparency for the Secretariat of the Interior in the Mexican Federal Government. Professor and lecturer at various academic and professional institutions, with knowledge and experience on topics such as compliance, anti-corruption, personal data protection, government regulations, strategic planning, public administration, and constitutional and administrative law. Opening speaker at the IV National Congress of Public Management in Brazil, representative of the Federal Executive Branch in forums on transparency and access to information, co-author of a book on municipal regulations, and a contributor to a journal specializing in public service.

Suneet Gautam

Suneet Gautam is Assistant General Counsel for Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., where he serves as lead product and commercial counsel for the Server‑Enterprise business unit and the Server Solution Group engineering organization. Previously, Suneet was lead counsel for the Graphics R&D Engineering Organization, where he advised on AI, hardware, and software development, hardware IP development and licensing, and served as the legal lead for open‑source compliance. Before joining AMD, Suneet was a Staff Attorney with P180 Investments, supporting legal matters for its portfolio of software companies. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and the University of Kentucky.

Mark Chavez

Mark Chavez is the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Applied Digital, bringing over 23 years of legal experience across energy, technology, and renewables. He leads the company’s legal strategy, ensuring compliance and managing risk to support growth. Before joining Applied Digital, Mark served as in-house counsel for multiple leading energy companies, handling complex matters in litigation, regulatory investigations, mergers and acquisitions, debt refinancing, and corporate governance. His background includes guiding organizations through environmental emergencies, restructurings, and high-stakes transactions. Known for his ability to navigate multifaceted legal challenges, Mark plays a critical role in driving operational excellence and safeguarding the company’s interests.

David Klaponski

His work focuses on data protection, privacy, and legal issues related to the use of technology, including artificial intelligence. Before joining Vancouver Coastal Health, he worked in private practice advising Canadian, US, and international technology clients on corporate, commercial, privacy, and regulatory matters. He also teaches business law at Douglas College in British Columbia.

Flora A. Francis

Flora A. Francis is an accomplished legal and compliance executive with deep experience across federal law enforcement and global corporate environments. Born in rural Georgia as one of five siblings to educator parents, she graduated with honors from Glenn Hills High School in Augusta before earning a Psychology degree from Oberlin College and a JD from Cornell Law School. Flora began her career as an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, trying more than 20 cases, including work in the Sex Crimes Bureau. She then represented the FDA in administrative, civil, and criminal matters, later serving at the U.S. Department of Justice, where she advised the FBI, DEA, and the Office of the Inspector General. In the private sector, she held senior roles at Microsoft, GE, Wood Group, and Fluor, leading investigations, compliance, and international arbitration matters. Flora now serves as Managing Legal and Compliance Counsel for Burckhardt Compression, supporting legal and compliance operations across the Americas.

Taylor Smith

Taylor Smith is a Regional Sales Manager at FindLaw & Super Lawyers, where he leverages over a decade of technology experience to help law firms and attorneys enhance their brand awareness and visibility in local markets. A University of Georgia graduate with a degree in Finance, Taylor specializes in guiding legal professionals through the evolving digital landscape, helping them connect with clients when it matters most. At FindLaw & Super Lawyers, a legal technology leader at the forefront of AI innovation, Taylor works with cutting-edge directory solutions that ensure legal customers appear prominently in search results. Their expertise bridges the gap between technology and legal marketing, empowering attorneys to build stronger practices through strategic digital positioning and enhanced online presence.

Diane Borges de Carvalho

Diane Carvalho is a Tax Executive and leader with over 20 years of dual-track experience in Big Four consulting and multinational Oil & Gas corporate leadership. Currently serving as the Head of Tax for PRIO S.A., she specializes in complex Brazilian and international tax planning, M&A structuring, and corporate restructuring, ensuring legal certainty and fiscal optimization for influential national and global groups. Diane is deeply committed to shaping the future of tax regulation, actively contributing as an author of multiple Tax Law publications and an engaging speaker at major international and Brazilian events. Her multidisciplinary background includes an Executive MBA (COPPEAD/UFRJ), a Law Degree (PUCRS), and an Accounting Degree (Cândido Mendes), providing a robust foundation for strategic leadership. Diane is a passionate, highly proactive leader dedicated to promoting a meritocratic, collaborative, and inclusive culture.

Houston

Stop Presenting. Start Connecting.

SPEAKERS

Monica Romelina Sijabat

Charles N. Bowen

Brian Hinman

Akash Gobardhan

Zackery Wavrusa

Alejandro Galván

Gabriella Neal

Joe Valentine

Hanna Steinbach

Suneet Gautam

Mark Chavez

David Klaponski

Flora A. Francis

Taylor Smith

Monica Romelina Sijabat

Charles N. Bowen

Brian Hinman

Gabriella Neal

Joe Valentine

Hanna Steinbach

Akash Gobardhan

Zackery Wavrusa

Alejandro Galván Illanes

Suneet Gautam

Mark Chavez

David Klaponski

Flora A. Francis

Taylor Smith

Diane Borges de Carvalho

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