Jeff Ball
Jeff is the Founder and CEO of Visio Lending and a co-creator of the investor DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) loan, a key financial tool for real estate investors. Under his leadership, Visio has become the nation's top provider of rental loans, closing over $2.8 billion in loans for single-family rental properties. Since its start in 2012, the company has grown to 100+ employees and funded more than 15,000 loans. Jeff’s expertise in real estate, finance, and technology has driven major innovations, including the first-ever investor-only DSCR mortgage securitization on Wall Street in 2016, followed by 11 S&P-rated securitizations worth nearly $2 billion.
Tanya McCready
Twenty-five years ago, Tanya McCready and Hank DeBruin left their engineering careers to pursue their passion for huskies, dog sledding, and the wilderness, founding Winterdance Dogsled Tours. Since then, they’ve hosted 2,000 global guests each winter, immersing them in the magic of dogsledding. Their adventures include Hank competing in six grueling 1,000-mile races like the Iditarod and Yukon Quest, with their story chronicled in two bestselling books. Their huskies have also been featured in movies, commercials, and TV shows, bringing their wilderness lifestyle into the spotlight. In 2014, they purchased 2,100 acres of wilderness for tours and established a 2,000-tree sugar bush, continuing a family tradition of maple syrup production.
Robert Feldman
Robert Feldman, CEO, President, and Co-founder of WOWS Insurance Services, is a seasoned insurance professional with 25 years of expertise in securing coverage for high-risk areas, particularly fire zones. Recognizing the challenges faced by homeowners in California, he co-founded WOWS Insurance Services to provide innovative solutions for securing fire insurance, even for properties traditionally considered uninsurable. Feldman has been a trusted advisor in the industry, frequently addressing the California Association of Realtors to educate realtors on navigating the complexities of high-risk insurance.
Talia Carner
Talia Carner is a New York-based author of six award-winning novels that explore historical and psychological themes, shining a light on overlooked human dramas and social injustices. Her latest book, The Boy with the Star Tattoo (HarperCollins, January 2024), combines the post-WWII rescue of Jewish orphans with a daring 1969 Israeli naval mission, earning praise as “historical fiction at its best” by Nelson DeMille. Alongside her writing, Carner is a strong advocate for social change, using her storytelling to address important issues.