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North Star Summit 2026

North Star Summit 2026

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North Star Summit 2026

  • Sept 21-23, 2026

This Event is Currently sold Out

AboutScheduleSessionsSpeakersVIP DinnerSponsorsPhotosLocationContact

About

Participate in the Minnesota Star Tribune’s second-annual North Star Summit, the Midwest’s premier platform for ideas, influence and leadership. Featuring substantive talks, newsmaker interviews and panel discussions, this is where the region’s leaders shape what’s next.

Hear from the voices shaping the future of the Midwest and the nation, make connections that matter, and glean takeaways that will inform your daily life and work.

Schedule

  • Monday, September 21

VIP Dinner
6:00 to 9:00 PM

  • Tuesday, September 22

Summit Programming
7:30 AM to 6:30 PM

  • Wednesday, September 23

Summit Innovation Day
8:00 AM to 12:00 PM

  • Dusk

Film: Remember The Titans

Panel Moderator

Jenny Berg - The Minnesota Star Tribune

Sessions

Some potential topics and breakout sessions include*:

The Midwest Moment: Why the Future of America Runs Through the Heartland

The Midwest Moment: Why the Future of America Runs Through the HeartlandA bold look at the place our region holds in the country.

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The Next Big Thing: Startups Rewriting the Midwest Economy

The Next Big Thing: Startups Rewriting the Midwest Economy – Regional success stories with national lessons featuring founders and investors in food tech, ag tech and med tech.

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Bridging the Divide: Rural and Urban Futures

Bridging the Divide: Rural and Urban Futures –Transportation, broadband, education access, and political polarization explored through the lens of rural leaders, mayors and technology innovators. 

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The Midwest Migration Story

The Midwest Migration Story – Examining our history with a focus on talent attraction, retention, AI’s impact and regional demographic shifts.

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The Governors’ Agenda

The Governors’ Agenda – An examination of how Midwestern states are collaborating (or competing) on major issues including workforce, infrastructure, education, rural development and climate adaptation. 

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The Midwest's Role in Global Trade Amid Tariff Uncertainties

The Midwest's Role in Global Trade Amid Tariff Uncertainties – An exploration of how Midwestern industries, especially agriculture and manufacturing, are navigating the complexities of international trade and tariffs.​ 

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The Algorithm Next Door: AI in our Everyday

The Algorithm Next Door: AI in our Everyday – A session exploring how AI is impacting agriculture, health care and small businesses across the Midwest in a tangible and local way. 

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Get inside the Midwest Mind: Business Leaders in Conversation

Get inside the Midwest Mind: Business Leaders in Conversation –A forum for authentic, dynamic, substantive and actionable conversations between attendees and influential Midwest business leaders.

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The States vs. Washington: Who’s Leading?

The States vs. Washington: Who’s Leading? – An examination of the risks and rewards of state and federal leadership at a time of national polarization

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*Topics, breakout sessions and speakers are subject to change.

Schedule Coming Soon.

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2026 Speakers

2026 speaker announcement coming soon.

Michelle Bellanca
Chief Executive Officer,
Claros Technologies Inc.
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Dave Bozeman
President and CEO,
C.H. Robinson
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Carla Vernón
CEO, The Honest Company
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Ro Khanna
Congressman,
State of California
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Wemimo Abbey
Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Esusu, Inc.
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Amy Webb
CEO, Future Today Strategy Group
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John Phelan
Economist, Center of the American Experiment
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Susan Dominus
Staff Writer,
New York Times
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Adam Winer
Head of Content Strategy, Insights & Analytics, Spotify
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Julie Pace
Executive Editor and SVP, Associated Press
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Adair Mosley
CEO, GroundBreak Coalition
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Andrew Dayton
Founder and CEO, Constellation Fund
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Varun Shetty
VP, Media Partnerships, OpenAI
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Matt Caldwell
CEO, Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx
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Joseph Lee
President and CEO, Hazeldon Betty Ford Foundation
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Christophe Beck
Chairman, President and CEO, Ecolab
Chair of Greater MSP
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Susan Brower
State Demographer
State of Minnesota
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Ping Yeh
CEO
Voxci Health
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Peter Meijer
Co-founder and Head of Strategy
The New Industrial Corporation
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Myles Shaver
Professor and Associate Dean of Faculty and Research
University of Minnesota- Carlson School of Management
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Curtis Sittenfeld
Bestselling American Novelist
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Tim Pawlenty
Former Minnesota Governor
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Josh Boak
White House Correspondent
The Associated Press
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Allison Kaplan
Director of Innovation & Engagement
The Minnesota Star Tribune
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Ernesto Londoño
National Correspondent
The New York Times
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Lisa Lerer
National Political Correspondent
The New York Times
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Steve Grove
CEO and Publisher
The Minnesota Star Tribune
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Chanda Smith Baker
President & CEO
Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation
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Gavin Kaysen
Chef & Owner
Soigne
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Rochelle Olson
Editorial Columnist
The Minnesota Star Tribune
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Kristen Painter
Business Editor
The Minnesota Star Tribune
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Phil Morris
Vice President & Opinion Editor
The Minnesota Star Tribune
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*Additional speakers to be announced soon. All speakers are subject to change.

VIP Dinner

Join us for the North Star Summit VIP Dinner on Monday, September 21 at the newly opened Indígena by Owamni, featuring Head Chef Dominique Miles.

 

Indígena by Owamni is an evolution of the James Beard Award-winning restaurant, Owamni by Chef Sean Sherman, and an initiative built to support Indigenous producers. Indígena celebrates the diversity of Indigenous cultures and food systems from Mexico to Alaska, treating the continent as one interconnected homeland rather than a set of nation-state lines drawn after contact. Every partnership, ingredient, and dish is a direct investment in Indigenous producers, foragers, and food ways, redirecting economic power back to the communities who have sustained these lands for millennia.

 

Address: 

806 S 2nd St, Minneapolis, MN 55415

 

*Must purchase VIP ticket to attend the dinner*

Sponsors

Featured Sponsors

Special thanks to our featured Sponsor: Fairview Health Services.

Fairview
Official Hiking Sponsor
Google
Official Biking Sponsor
HealthPartners
Official Camping Sponsor
Event Sponsors
Fairview
Official Hiking Sponsor
Google
Official Biking Sponsor
HealthPartners
Official Camping Sponsor
Event Sponsors
Additional Sponsors

For more information on sponsorships, please contact Lauren Pahl at Lauren.Pahl@startribune.com.

Photos

2025 Featured Sessions

View more content from our full North Star playlist.

Location

Venue
Guthrie Theater
818 S 2nd Street,
Minneapolis, MN 55415

Contact Info

The Minnesota Star Tribune Event Team
MINNESOTA STAR TRIBUNE
northstarsummit@startribune.com
  • September 21 - 23, 2026
  • 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
  • Guthrie Theater
    818 S 2nd Street
    Minneapolis, MN 55415
  • $350 – 550
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This Event is Currently sold Out

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Schedule Coming Soon.

  • $350 – 550
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Speaker Information

Michelle Bellanca

Chief Executive Officer, Claros Technologies Inc.

Michelle Bellanca is the co-founder and CEO of Claros Technologies, an advanced technology company that is on a mission to destroy PFAS for good. Claros aims to close the loop on PFAS (“forever chemicals”) – one of the most pressing issues worldwide. She leads an international team developing effective and efficient technology for PFAS destruction at the source, bringing breakthrough solutions to global markets. Her career includes numerous leadership positions at 3M Corporation, such as Global Business Director and Managing Director of Strategic Ventures Asia Pacific. Prior to 3M, Michelle developed IBM’s capital and operating leasing businesses in Latin and South America and began her career in international business development at the Japanese Government’s Ministry of International Trade & Investment in Tokyo, Japan. Michelle was recently named to the TCB100, and her leadership has been recognized with prestigious honors, including the Edison Marketing Award and the 3M Marketing Professionalism award. She has successfully secured over $39 million in financing for Claros since its inception. This same drive extends to her personal life, where she balances her executive responsibilities with raising four children, running marathons, and serving as a trained EMT.

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Dave Bozeman

President and CEO, C.H. Robinson

Dave Bozeman is President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of C.H. Robinson. Dave is an accomplished executive, bringing over 30 years of experience at industry-leading companies and iconic brands across supply chains, middle-mile transportation, manufacturing, digital and customer service to C.H. Robinson. 

 

Dave previously served as Vice President, Ford Customer Service Division, and Vice President, Enthusiast Vehicles, for Ford Blue of Ford Motor Company. Prior to joining Ford, Dave served as Vice President, Amazon Transportation Services of Amazon.com, Inc. from 2017 to 2022.

 

Before that, Dave held roles of increasing seniority at Caterpillar, Inc. from 2008 to 2016, ultimately serving as Senior Vice President Enterprise Systems. Earlier in his career, Dave spent 16 years at Harley-Davidson, Inc. from 1992 to 2008. Dave served as a member of the Board of Directors of Weyerhaeuser from 2015 to 2017. Dave received an MS in Engineering Management from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and a BS in Manufacturing Design from Bradley University. 

 

Dave is a member of the Board of Governors for the American Red Cross, the Board of Directors for 3M, The Brookings Institution, and The Conservation Fund, a U.S. nonprofit organization with a dual charter to pursue environmental preservation and economic development. Dave is also a member of The Executive Leadership Council (ELC), and independent non-profit organization opening opportunities for the development of Black executives to positively impact business and our communities.

 

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Carla Vernón

Chief Executive Officer and Board Director, The Honest Company

Carla Vernón has served as a Board Director and Chief Executive Officer of The Honest Company (NASDAQ: HNST), a purpose-driven personal care company since January 2023. She brings more than 25 years of experience scaling iconic consumer brands, leading business transformations, and building high-performing, values-driven teams. As one of the first Afro-Latine/o/a CEOs of a U.S. publicly traded company, her leadership reflects the diversity of Honest’s consumers and the values that guide the brand.

 

Prior to Honest, Carla served as Vice President of Consumables Categories at Amazon. In this role, she held full profit and loss responsibility and led supply chain and technology teams for Everyday Essentials across Amazon.com. Previously, she was a Corporate Officer and President of the Natural and Organic Operating Unit at General Mills, where she helped scale the business into the second-largest manufacturer of organic food and advance its regenerative agriculture efforts.

 

Carla holds an A.B. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University, where she is a former Trustee, and an MBA from The University of Texas. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) and on the Board of Trustees for the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino.

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Ro Khanna

Congressman, State of California

Ro Khanna is a United States Congressman from California’s 17th District in the heart of Silicon Valley. He has a vision to build America into a modern manufacturing and innovation superpower, and he partners it with a commitment to passing Medicare for All, a livable minimum wage, $10 a day childcare, and free public college and trade school. He is a progressive with a fresh economic vision.

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Wemimo Abbey

Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Esusu, Inc.

Wemimo Abbey grew up in the slums of Lagos, Nigeria, and came to Minneapolis, Minnesota, for college at the age of 17. Struggling to secure a loan without a credit score, his mother borrowed money from a predatory lender at an exorbitant 400% interest rate. These challenges inspired Wemimo and his Co-Founder to launch Esusu, driven by the belief that no matter where you come from, the color of your skin, or your financial identity, it should not determine where you end up in life. Esusu’s platform empowers renters to build credit through rent payments, offers property management analytics, and provides rental assistance for financial stability. Recently valued at $1 billion in a $130 million Series B fundraising round, Esusu has earned a spot on the Forbes Fintech 50 Most Innovative Companies List for three consecutive years. Wemimo currently serves on The SEC Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee, Fannie Mae Affordable Housing Advisory Council, a Commissioner and Executive Member on the Board of The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Board of Trustees at the University of Minnesota Crookston, a board member at the Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA), and Co-Chairs The Los Angeles County Museum (LACMA) Director Circle.

 

Before Esusu, Wemimo founded Clean Water for Everyone, delivering affordable clean water access to 250,000+ people in six countries. He also founded a data analytics company focused on gathering machine-readable data on NGOs in Africa, which was successfully acquired in 2014. Wemimo’s earlier career involved being a mergers and acquisitions consultant at PwC, working on deals valued at over $50 billion, and gaining experience with Accenture, the European Commission, and Goldman Sachs. Wemimo’s work has been featured in major publications, including Bloomberg, CNBC, Financial Times, Fortune, Inc. Magazine, New York Times, Quartz, The Atlantic, USA Today, Vice, Wall Street Journal, and Yahoo! Finance. He was named to the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 list, TIME100 NEXT List in 2023, and awarded EY Entrepreneur of the Year Nationally. In 2021 and 2022, Goldman Sachs recognized him as one of the “100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs.” He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Business Management and earned his M.P.A. from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

Information

Amy Webb

CEO, Future Today Strategy Group

Amy Webb is the quantitative futurist who transformed strategic foresight into a rigorous, data-driven discipline, establishing the foundational methodologies that now guide leaders, organizations, and governments in anticipating disruption and securing long-term growth.


Her clients include a significant portion of the Fortune 100. New CEOs rely on her to navigate leadership transitions. Boards turn to her to understand systemic risk and opportunity amid accelerating change. She has advised three White House administrations and counsels U.S. federal agencies, Congress, and heads of state across four continents on technology and long-term planning and policy.


Her four books — including the international bestseller The Big Nine and The Genesis Machine, named by The New Yorker as one of the year’s best nonfiction — have been translated into 23 languages, with two optioned for film. She also collaborates with writers, directors, and producers on projects for Netflix, Hulu, and Marvel.


Ranked the #3 Most Influential Management Thinker in the World by Thinkers50, Forbes named her “one of the five women changing the world,” and the BBC recognized her among its 100 Women of the Year. Outside of work, she is a competitive endurance cyclist and an Assistant Scoutmaster to one of the country’s first all-girls Scout troops.

Information

John Phelan

Economist, Center of the American Experiment

John Phelan is a graduate of Birkbeck College, University of London, where he earned a BSc in Economics, and of the London School of Economics where he earned an MSc.

 

John worked in finance for ten years before becoming a professional economist. He worked at Capital Economics in London, where he wrote reports ranging from the impact of Brexit on the British economy to the effect of government regulation on cell phone coverage.

 

John has written for City A.M. in London and for The Wall Street Journal in both Europe and the U.S., as well as newspapers across the Midwest. He has also been published in the journal Economic Affairs.

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Susan Dominus

Staff Writer, New York Times

Susan Dominus is a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and has worked for The New York Times since 2007, initially as a Metro columnist. She is a graduate of Yale College and has studied as a fellow at the National Institutes of Health and Yale Law School. Dominus also teaches journalism at Yale College.

 

In 2018, she was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize for public service for their reporting on workplace sexual harassment issues. She has also received a Front Page Award from the Newswomen’s Club of New York and a Mychal Judge Heart of New York Award from the New York Press Club. Her article about menopause in The New York Times Magazine earned a National Magazine Award.

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Julie Pace

Executive Editor and Senior Vice President, Associated Press

Julie Pace is Senior Vice President and Executive Editor of The Associated Press, leading global news coverage from more than 100 countries. Since Pace assumed the role in 2021, AP has significantly expanded its digital news offerings for media and technology customers and led the growth of AP’s direct to consumer platforms, which are among the fastest growing in the U.S. Under Pace’s leadership, AP has also expanded its use of AI technologies to enhance its product offerings, while maintaining the news organization’s deep commitment to eyewitness journalism and fact-based, nonpartisan news. During Pace’s tenure, the AP has been awarded four Pulitzer Prizes, and produced an award-winning documentary on the Ukraine war that won an Academy Award and a BAFTA.


Previously, Pace was Washington Bureau Chief for AP, directing the news organization’s coverage of the presidency, politics and the U.S. government during President Donald Trump’s first term in office.


Before that, Pace was AP’s White House Correspondent, contributing aggressive news reporting and sharp analysis to the AP news report. Pace won the White House Correspondents’ Association Merriman Smith award in 2013 for her work explaining the Obama campaign’s complex approach to voter turnout.


She joined AP in 2007 as a multimedia reporter, developing and executing AP’s plans for live video coverage of 2008′s Election Day and the inauguration of President Barack Obama.


A native of Buffalo, New York, Pace began her career as a reporter in 2003 at South Africa’s only independent television network, before spending two years reporting on politics and elections at the Tampa Tribune and its partner television station WFLA. She is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. She lives in New York.

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Adair Mosley

CEO, GroundBreak Coalition

Adair Mosley is a visionary leader reshaping the future of equity in Minnesota. As CEO of GroundBreak Coalition, he leads one of the nation’s most ambitious mobilizations of capital and partnership—orchestrating $5.3 billion over 10 years to close wealth gaps through homeownership, entrepreneurship, and commercial real estate development. GroundBreak brings together 40+ corporate, civic, and philanthropic partners in a backbone coalition deploying both market-rate capital ($4.2 billion) and flexible non-market rate capital ($1.2 billion) to build a future where Black communities thrive—not just survive.

 

A strategist, builder, and truth-teller, Adair’s work is rooted in justice and scaled by innovation. Previously, as CEO of the African American Leadership Forum and Pillsbury United Communities, where he launched Justice Built Communities, securing $5 million to prioritize Black-owned development. He led the $7 million capital campaign for North Market, a nationally recognized grocery and wellness model designed to address food access and health equity. He revitalized North News—a Black-led media outlet—ensuring authentic storytelling from within the community. He helped develop a pioneering policy solution that created a national billing code for community health work, strengthening sustainable investment in grassroots health equity.


Adair’s influence extends across sectors. He sits on the boards of Walker Art Museum, Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, Community Advisory Board, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and and GreenLight Fund National. His leadership has been recognized by Harvard’s Young American Leaders Program and Twin Cities Business magazine, which named him one of “100 People to Know.”


With a MSc in Cities from the London School of Economics, training from Stanford’s d.school in Human-Centered Design, and credentials from the University of Minnesota and University of Michigan, Adair brings a rare blend of grassroots insight and executive strategy to every room he enters.


Whether working alongside community visionaries and leaders or corporate executives, Adair leads with an unwavering belief: systems can—and must—be rebuilt for justice. He isn’t interested in incremental change. He’s here to reimagine what’s possible and to construct a future that honors Black brilliance, ownership, and self-determination.

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Andrew Dayton

Founder and CEO, Constellation Fund

Andrew Dayton is the founder and CEO of the Constellation Fund, a Minneapolis-based foundation dedicated to effective poverty alleviation. Constellation leverages modern analytics alongside community insights to identify, fund, and empower the people and organizations making the greatest measurable impact on poverty in the Twin Cities. Through its research arm, CoLab, Constellation also catalyzes and funds longitudinal research on what actually drives economic mobility.

 

Before founding Constellation, Andrew served as Deputy Legislative Director to former San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee, directing the city’s state and federal policy priorities. He previously co-owned The Bachelor Farmer, Marvel Bar, and Askov Finlayson, three award-winning hospitality and retail businesses in the Twin Cities.

 

Andrew received a B.A. in History from Yale University and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and daughters.

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Varun Shetty

VP, Media Partnerships, OpenAI

Varun Shetty works on media partnerships at OpenAI, developing collaborations with media and entertainment companies and exploring how AI can enable new products, creative experiences, and business models. His work sits at the intersection of technology, content, and partnership strategy, with a focus on building practical opportunities for creators, companies, and audiences. Prior to OpenAI he worked at Meta and The New York Times.