Speakers


Apurba Banerjee

Textile Research Scientist- Innovation, Standard Textile

Sarah Cobb

Digital Marketing Specialist, Mermet USA

Jennifer Fennell

Supply Chain and Process Improvement Advisor, Polo Custom Products

Jennifer Fennell is the Supply Chain and Process Improvement Advisor for Polo Custom Products, a global manufacturing company specializing in sewing and radio frequency welding serving the OEM market. Jennifer also serves on Polo Custom Products’ Executive Team and participates in the company’s Mentorship Program. Jennifer holds a Lifetime Certified Purchasing Manager accreditation. Jennifer previously served on ATA’s Military Division Advisory Board, and currently sits on the organization’s Board of Directors. Throughout Jennifer’s 20+ years with Polo Custom Products, she has held various management positions of increasing responsibility in Purchasing, Logistics and Supply Chain.

Dr. Melissa Furman, MS, DBA

Owner/Consultant, Career Potential, LLC

Dr. Furman is not your typical “academic”. She served as the Assistant Dean and Professor at the Hull College of Business at Augusta University for 10+ years, but her passion for career, leadership, and organizational development inspired her to launch Career Potential, a consulting, training, and coaching organization. Her expertise include generational diversity, unconscious bias, leadership success, and emotional intelligence. She brings her background in higher education—particularly business, counseling, and psychology—to the conversation to help individuals and organizations achieve success.

Xochil Herrera Scheer

Apparel Engineer, Product Development Expert | President & Founder, The Chicago Pattern Maker (XOCHIL INC)

Xochil Herrera Scheer is the founder of The Chicago Pattern Maker, a design and product development service provider for apparel and sewn products brands. She and her team collaborate with creative partners and factories alike, and bring technical expertise, guidance, and genuine care to the pre-production process of pattern making, technical design, and prototyping. An analytic creative, she works hard to create beautiful and functional products that are ready to take to market, and works across multiple apparel categories including knit and woven sportswear, performance activewear, swim, workwear, plus-size, and accessories.

Nichole Holroyd

COO, Spiritus Systems

Internationally trained, Ms Holly Morris holds dual professional accreditation across the surgical and textile industries.

Working as a hand surgeon, Holly has a special interest in the management of paediatric and congenital hand differences. Holly trained in Trauma and Orthopaedic surgery, spending time in her training working at the internationally renowned Pulvertaft Hand Centre. In her clinical practice, she has a keen involvement with the utilisation of a circular economy model of medical textiles and has previously sat as a member of the environmental committee of her hospital. Nationally, she has previously advised the Royal College of Surgeons Sustainability group, contributing guidance on textile use in surgery for the Green Surgery Report. In addition, Holly sits on the Technical Textile and Sustainability Special Interest Groups of the Textile Institute and the medical textile working group of the European Division of Health Care Without Harm.

Amy Rivera

In 2021, Kaylee Smith joined Mehler Engineered Products as the North America Sales Manager for Engineered Fabrics. She was formerly a Technical Sales Representative in the automotive, home furnishings, medical, and geotextile businesses. She has previous work in Six Sigma Systems and understands lean process engineering. Kaylee earned her degree in 2017 from North Carolina State University’s School of Textiles in Textile & Product Engineering with a Minor in Material Science & Engineering.

Billie Whitehouse is the CEO & Creative Director of Wearable Experiments (Wearable X). Recognized as the recent winner of the Design Technology Award from Fashion Group International, New York. Billie specializes in the combination of hardware, software and apparel for wearable technology products, leading design, product development, business partnerships & overseeing major business & financial decisions. With over 10 years of experience in building innovation products with Wearable X & Google, she has played a pivotal role in leading innovative product development in collaborations with companies such as Durex, American Express, Oakley, Burton, Calvin Klien, Mattel, Foxtel, Bud Light & Pepsi. Known for her development of Nadi X, the first smart yoga experience with guidance on the body through smart textiles. Billie was named in the 100 Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company.

For more information contact: Jill Newman, Education & Events Manager | 651-225-6953 | jill.newman@textiles.org