Thank you, Chicago! Verizon Business Innovation Sessions

Maggie Hallbach

Maggie Hallbach is the President of Verizon Frontline and Senior Vice President of Public Sector at Verizon, leading the team of professionals dedicated to partnering with Verizon’s federal, state, local,education and public safety customers to deliver innovative technology solutions and services. This includes Verizon Frontline, the advanced network and technology built for first responders.

Maggie has held a number of executive roles during her more than two decades at Verizon. Most recently she served as Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Sales for VerizonPublic Sector where she led the team focused on developing, designing and capturing strategic opportunities in the Public Sector.

She has also served as Vice President of the state, local and education markets for Verizon. In this role, she and her team were responsible for developing solutions to address the increasingly complex requirements of state and local governments and education clients.

Additionally, Maggie has held a variety of roles focused on delivering customer experience enhancements and increasing shareholder value. She headed Verizon’s Lean Six Sigma efforts to drive ongoing business transformation and process improvement across Verizon Enterprise Solutions.

Maggie earned a Master of Business Administration in marketing and finance from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business and holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from Brown University. She is also on the boards of directors at the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) and the United Service Organizations (USO). Maggie is committed to inclusion of youth and adults with special needs, dedicating time to TOP Soccer, Best Buddies International and supporting the Arc of Northern Virginia.

Jonathan Nikols

Jonathan Nikols is the Senior Vice President, Global Enterprise Sales, Americas for Verizon Business. He leads a team focused on delivering meaningful outcomes for enterprise customers leveraging innovative technologies such as 5G, mobile edge computing (MEC), cloud, security, and software-defined networking.

With deep industry expertise, Jonathan has a true understanding of how outcome-based solutions and the strategy that goes into deployment creates sustained growth and prosperity for customers.

Prior to joining Verizon, Jonathan was the Senior Vice President, Global Head of Services and Solutions at Hewlett-Packard – a role in which he reinvented the business model from hardware only to a data-driven “as a service” offering utilizing customer insights and market intelligence. Jonathan also led the end-to-end Services and Solutions Specialist teams encompassing Pre-Sales, Pursuit, Customer Success, Professional Services functions and the Practice and Sales Management teams.

Previously Jonathan held leadership positions at companies such as Polycom, NCR, Avaya and AT&T. Jonathan has led global solution sales organizations for more than two decades that focus on solving customer business problems delivering meaningful customer outcomes through transformational business models.

Jonathan served on multiple advisory boards focused on Managed Services, Value Selling Principles, Artificial Intelligence and Data Management. These organizations include the Technology Services Industry Association (TSIA) and the Ecosystems Value Creation Advisory Board.

Jonathan and his family reside in the greater Chicago area, where he spends time volunteering as a youth mentor through sports and engages in local community service organizations. 

Jonathan received his Bachelor of Science, Business from Illinois State University.

Danny Johnson

Danny Johnson, a 20+ year veteran in the technology industry, is a seasoned executive possessing experience in software development, engineering, sales, consulting, product development, and marketing. Danny has started and launched innovative products and solutions into multi-billion dollar markets and is currently Director of product marketing for Verizon Business Group where his responsibilities include: portfolio positioning and messaging, competitive differentiation, and new channel activation for Verizon Business Group’s 5G, MEC, IoT, and SDN portfolios.

Derek Mayer

Derek Mayer currently serves as the Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Chicago Field Office. Mr. Mayer is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana and is a graduate of Louisiana State University. 

Mr. Mayer began his Secret Service career in 2000 as a Special Agent in the Washington Field Office before moving on to the Vice-Presidential Protective Division from 2008 – 2012 where he had the honor of protecting Vice Presidents Richard Cheney and Joseph Biden. Mr. Mayer was in the Dignitary Protective Division from 2012 – 2014 where he was tasked with coordinating the protection for all visiting foreign heads of state and government. Mr. Mayer served in the Los Angeles Field Office from 2014 – 2016 as a supervisor overseeing the district’s budget and protective operations. Mr. Mayer moved back to Washington, DC in 2017 to start the newly formed Obama Protective Division which commenced on January 20, 2017. In this role he served as the Assistant Detail Leader for former President Barack Obama and the Detail Leader for former First Lady Michelle Obama. Mr. Mayer arrived in Chicago in the fall of 2018 where he served as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of protective operations until July 2022 when he was promoted to the Deputy Special Agent in Charge. In his current role, Mr. Mayer oversees the daily operations of the Chicago district which includes the states of Illinois and Wisconsin and portions of Indiana and Iowa. The Chicago Field Office is a leader in the law enforcement community responsible for the dual mission of protecting the nation’s leaders and safeguarding the financial institution and critical infrastructure of the United States. Mr. Mayer is also currently overseeing both the 2024 Republican and Democratic National Conventions which will be held later this year in Milwaukee and Chicago.

Mr. Mayer has also been a part of the last two Presidential elections, serving as a Shift Leader for Presidential Candidate Donald Trump throughout the 2016 Presidential campaign and as the Detail Leader for the future First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, during the 2020 Presidential campaign.

Scott Lawrence

Scott Lawrence is the Chief Product Officer for Verizon Business. He is accountable for delivering strategic and innovative business solutions to Enterprise and Government clients around the globe. He supports a revenue base of $15B+ and leads a team of over 1,100 Sales and Technology professionals globally. Scott’s team consists of Specialized Sellers, Complex Deal Executives, Global Technology Partners, Pre-Sales Solution Architects and Engineers. His current focus is on delivering business value to clients through Verizon’s best-in-class solutions such as 5G, Edge Computing, Software-Defined Services, Cyber Security and Digital Collaboration.

Previously, Scott was Group Vice President & General Manager, Global Enterprise, where he had P&L responsibility for Verizon Business Group’s International segment across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Focused on delivering an exceptional customer experience for our Global Enterprise Clients across a full spectrum of the Verizon portfolio. Prior to his International assignment, Scott was Vice President, Verizon Business Group Advanced Solutions Sales & Engineering where he was responsible for an organization of Sales Specialists and Solution Architects across three solution practice towers: Cyber Security, Workplace Collaboration (Unified Communications & Collaboration) and Customer Experience (CX) supporting Global Enterprise, Federal and Public Sector.

In addition, Scott has held various senior leadership roles across Verizon’s Sales, Operations, Strategy and System Integrators channel. Prior to rejoining Verizon in 2004, Scott held Sales Leadership and Business Development roles at Allied Riser Communications and OpenReach.

Scott holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin and currently lives in Chicago, IL with his wife and three children where he is active in his community and coaching youth sports.

Jason Elliott

Inspired by the power of people and technology Jason strives to ensure that all types of audiences from consumers to technology professionals to board members have the knowledge they need to be successful.

With two decades of I.T and wireless communications expertise he has made several notable contributions, delivering many industry firsts. He works to educate and collaborate on how technology can be used to realize new business opportunities, and address sustainability goals towards a better future for all.

Prior to joining Nokia, Jason held several lead roles in the CIO organization at Lucent technologies/Alcatel Lucent, overseeing large I.T infrastructure deployments and then moving into the wireless division developing 3G and 4G proof of concept systems.

In-between traveling the world to experience different cultures, you’ll find him in the Boston, MA area either trying out a new restaurant or running to offset his latest dining experience!

You can follow Jason @jre_elliott and connect at www.linkedin.com/in/jason-elliott-5G1st

David de Lancellotti

David de Lancellotti is Senior Vice President, Private Wireless Global Sales, Nokia.

Since 2001 David has been in sales leadership roles within the Verizon Sales Team. David is a dynamic and successful leader who started his journey in sales at Lucent Technologies as part of the Verizon Sales Team and has taken various leadership positions through the company’s evolution as it merged with Alcatel and now with Nokia. During a brief stint during 2019, David led Nokia’s North America Enterprise Sales Team delivering the highest sales in its history. David’s previous notable leadership assignments within Verizon Sales Team were Head of Verizon West Market responsible for Optical and IP Routing, and Head of Mobile Networks Field Sales delivering $6B in sales for the company.

David holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Redlands. 

David has a passion for wine, started a vineyard growing and bottling Pinot Noir at Oregon’s Willamette Valley region. 

David and his family have a longstanding commitment to social causes, supporting a community kitchen for the homeless since 1999. He lives near Los Angeles, CA and has three wonderful children.

Christopher Amon

Christopher Amon was appointed as the Special Agent in Charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Chicago Field Division in March of 2023. As the Special Agent in Charge, Mr. Amon has responsibility over ATF operations in the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois, The Eastern District of Wisconsin, and the Northern District of Indiana.

Before arriving in Chicago, SAC Amon served as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge in the Washington Field Division since August 2020. In this role, Special Agent Amon supervised all ATF criminal enforcement operations in Washington, D.C.

Prior to this assignment, SAC Amon served as Chief of the Firearms Operation Division at ATF Headquarters, managing the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN), the NIBIN National Correlation and Training Center (NNCTC), and ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Programs. He was also the Chairman of the National Crime Gun Intelligence Governing Board consisting of Chiefs of Police, United States Attorneys, District Attorneys, and Laboratory Directors from major cities nationwide.

SAC Amon began his career as a Special Agent in the Denver Field Division in 2005. He investigated violent crime and firearms trafficking organizations and was a crisis negotiator of ATF’s Los Angeles Special Response Team. Prior to joining ATF, SAC Amon worked for a member of Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives.

A Brooklyn native, SAC Amon holds a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University in the Bronx, New York, and a master’s degree in professional studies from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He is married with four children.

Justin Stahl

Justin Stahl is in his 9th season with the Chicago Bears. In his role, he is responsible for the Bears’ technology strategy in alignment with the club’s business and football objectives. Justin oversees the club’s IT operations, networking, infrastructure, application development, and innovation efforts in addition to serving as the club’s Information Security Officer. In his time with the Bears, the IT organization has undergone a large technology transformation and cloud migration, refreshing the club’s infrastructure, application portfolio, and IT operating model. Justin serves as a member of the Chicago Bears’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, and he founded a non-profit tech consulting co-op to provide technology services to Chicago-area non-profits.

Prior to the Bears, Justin was a Senior Manager within Accenture’s IT Strategy practice, focusing on retail, CPG, and entertainment industry clients. Justin is a 2-time graduate of the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in in Mechanical Engineering and a MBA with a concentration in corporate strategy and marketing.

Chief Duane DeVries

Chief DeVries, a 29-year member of the Department, most recently served as Deputy Chief of the Bureau of Counterterrorism. As Deputy Chief, he coordinated the Department's public safety response to large-scale events throughout the city and served as the Incident Commander for major events such as NASCAR and Lollapalooza. Before this, Chief DeVries was a Commander within the Bureau of Counterterrorism and Special Operations. He prepared for these command roles through his time as the Lieutenant and Commanding Officer of the Intelligence Section, also within the Bureau of Counterterrorism. As the Commanding Officer, he led covert operational planning for major events that included NATO, the Chicago Marathon and Presidential visits. Chief DeVries was also a Watch Operations Lieutenant and Field Lieutenant in the 6th (Gresham) District, Sergeant in the 4th (South Chicago) District and Police Officer in the 9th (Deering), 6th District and 8th (Chicago Lawn) District. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Administration and Criminal Enterprise from Governors State University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the U.S. Secret Service Dignitary Protection Training Program.

Julie Giese

Julie Giese is President of the Chicago Street Course, leading the bold initiative to bring NASCAR racing to city streets for the first time in the organization’s 75-year history. Under Giese’s stewardship, the inaugural NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend drew visitors from all 50 states and 15 countries to Chicago and resulted in more than $108 million in economic impact for the city. Named “Best New Event of 2023” by Sports Business Journal, the 2023 Chicago Street Race was the most-watched Cup Series race on NBC in six years and NBC’s most-streamed NASCAR race ever.

From 2018-2022, she served as President of Phoenix Raceway, overseeing the promotion and operation of the top motorsports and entertainment destination in the Phoenix market. While leading Phoenix Raceway, Giese also oversaw the marketing efforts for NASCAR’s 13 national series track properties in her role as NASCAR’s Vice President, Track Marketing. Prior to those roles, she served as the Managing Director of Business Operations for International Speedway Corporation’s (ISC) Design & Development, leading the coordination between ISC’s 13 race tracks, internal corporate departments and the Design & Development team on the company’s significant capital investment and redevelopment projects, including the $178 million modernization project at Phoenix Raceway.

Joining ISC in 2001, Giese has taken on roles with increasing responsibility, from Director of Public Relations at Watkins Glen International to Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Daytona International Speedway, where she spent 12 years overseeing all aspects of consumer marketing, branding, creative, advertising, digital, public relations and event entertainment at the “World Center of Racing.” Giese played a leading role in the redevelopment of the Daytona International Speedway, managing the marketing and branding of the project as well its opening in 2016.

Giese has been recognized as one of Forbes’ “Women in Sports to Watch,” Sports Business Journal’s “Game Changers,” AZ Business Magazine’s “Most Influential Women in Arizona,” Cynopsis’ “Top Woman in Sports,” and Axios Chicago’s “Power Players.”

Giese, a native of Wisconsin, is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Mike Bullock

Mike Bullock was promoted to Senior Vice President, Information Technology in January 2023. He is in his 20th year with the Rangers after being hired as Senior Director, Information Technology in March 2004. Bullock was promoted to Assistant Vice President in 2008 and to Vice President in 2010.

Bullock is responsible for a broad spectrum of technology from core systems and infrastructure to cloud technologies and business systems. Mike and his technology team were responsible for designing, building and commissioning state-of-the-art technologies at Globe Life Field.

He was selected as the 2022 DallasCIO of the Year ORBIE Award for organizations up to $200 million in annual revenue.

Prior to joining the Rangers, Bullock spent six years consulting and doing project management services to the telecommunication industry as founder and President of Evolution|I|T|. He also worked in technical and leadership roles with Texas Instruments, Burlington Northern Railroad and Bell Helicopter Textron.

He is a founding member of the Major League Baseball IT Steering Committee, Governing Body member of the Evanta Dallas CIO Summit, and member of the Advisory Board for the Southern Methodist University MSBA (Master of Science-Business Analytics) Program.

Bullock earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University in 1985. Mike and his wife Noelle have three children, Brandon, Gabrielle and Christopher and reside in Bedford.

Sonal Patel

Sonal A. Patel is the Vice President of the Integrated Marketing team in Verizon Business. The Integrated Marketing team helps bring to life both the internal and external positioning of our key products, services & solutions. There are components of integrated marketing that are led through our go-to-market teams to ensure sellers know how to position products coupled with the external positioning that helps to create the demand. This is a very robust and detailed design and execution process to integrate across all audiences and vehicles. The Integrated Marketing team includes marketing communications, go-to-market, analyst relations, strategic marketing, customer engagement and field marketing.

Prior to this VP role, Sonal was the VP of Global Marketing within Verizon Partners Solutions where Sonal’s responsibilities included the development of the winning strategy and vision for the global wholesale business unit and the management of the business units resale product portfolio. With over $3B in global revenues, Sonal developed the marketing programs, product distribution and pricing strategies to drive revenue growth and gain market share.

Prior to her VP roles, Sonal has worked across Verizon for the past 13 years. She has worked and led the go to market strategies for business segments in IOT/M2M, wireless solutions for the business segment and within consumer marketing via CRM and pricing. Sonal has also worked across various Channel Partner programs and led the introduction of the Verizon Partner Program.

Sonal has also held positions at Avaya for 6 years and Fidelity Investments for 4 yrs. Sonal’s prior cross functional experience spans business operations, finance, accounting and sales operations.

As a female leader in the business, Sonal continues to help bring together individuals across the organization with various backgrounds and interests to help bring new perspectives to the ever-changing business challenges. With a passion for team building and driving business forward, Sonal’s style in leadership helps attract individuals to help empower and motivate to bring out hidden talents within the team. 

Sonal is also a working mom with 2 children, ages 16 & 17 and has a very supportive Engineer husband! Sonal has earned her MBA from Northeastern University and her BSBA in Finance & Marketing from Boston University.