SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

IT INFRASTRUCTURE, OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT AND CLOUD STRATEGIES – SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES-  OCTOBER 24, 2025

 

John Capello, Strategy and Field CTO Vice President, Nasuni

As Nasuni’s Field CTO, John Capello can often be found working with customers and technology partners to understand their requirements and identify new use cases for Nasuni’s global file system. Before joining Nasuni, John was Vice President of Product at fast growing startups Abuzz (acquired by The New York Times) and Tabblo (acquired by Hewlett-Packard). He also served as a general manager for The New York Times Digital and as a consultant for McKinsey and Company. John earned his MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management where he was the recipient of the McKinsey Award and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College with a degree in Social Studies and Music.

 

Heather Fransen, Director, Managed IT, Cloud and Infrastructure, RSM US LLP

Heather is a seasoned IT professional with a strong foundation in service desk leadership and a current focus on strategic account management and IT planning for a global client base of over 450 organizations. Her career has evolved from operational excellence in managed services to a more strategic role, where she now partners closely with clients to align technology solutions with business objectives.

Earlier in her career, Heather led the daily operations of the Managed IT Client Service Desk, where she applied her deep expertise in call center management to streamline workflows, enhance service delivery, and build high-performing support teams. Her leadership in this area laid the groundwork for scalable, client-centric service models that continue to deliver value.
Today, Heather leverages that operational insight to drive proactive account management, focusing on long-term client success through tailored IT strategies. She works closely with stakeholders to understand their evolving needs, translating them into actionable plans that support digital transformation, security, and operational resilience.

Her commitment to continuous improvement and innovation remains central to her approach. By staying ahead of industry trends and fostering strong client relationships, Heather ensures that her team delivers both responsive support and forward-looking solutions that help clients thrive in a dynamic technology landscape.

 

Mark Lagoa, SVP, Infrastructure, Security, Data, & IT, Copado

Experienced executive, partner, and advisor with a demonstrated history of successfully building/managing companies in Technology and Investments spaces. I have mostly been focused on SaaS companies built extensively leveraging Cloud based infrastructure and platforms, from Google Cloud to Salesforce to AWS. I pride myself on business & tech focused strategies that drive growth and build value. The cornerstone of this work is through the building of strong, organized, collaborative teams enabling the creation of class-leading products, technologies, and services.

 

Patrick Kinard, Head of Cloud and Infrastructure, Chicago Public Schools

Patrick Kinard is the Head of Cloud and Infrastructure at the Chicago Public Schools. He has more than 30 years of information technology management experience in the private and public sectors.

Today, Patrick has a senior role in managing the data service centers for one of the world’s third-largest school districts. He is responsible for all central data center, cloud, and on premise school-based server operations.

Patrick’s previous experience is as an Associate Vice President at J.P Morgan Chase as the leader of the virtualization engineering group, managing technical staff and private cloud environments around the globe for five years. He also served as an engineering manager at HP directing teams that supported brands like General Motors, American Airlines, and BP.

Committed to service and developing others, Patrick has more than 20 years of experience as an information technology instructor supporting underrepresented groups, which is easily one of the highlights of his career. He operates as a mentor and coach to some of Chicago’s most promising information technology students, leaders, and entrepreneurs.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University and has earned multiple information technology management certifications.

 

Steve Liegl , Director Infrastructure and Operations, WEC Energy Group

Steve Liegl is currently the Director Infrastruture and Operations for WEC Energy Group, consisting of seven regulated gas, electric, and renewable energy utilities. WEC Energy Group was formed eleven years ago through an acquisition of Integrys Energy Group by Wisconsin Energy. WEC Energy Group is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with major utility operations in Wisconsin, Upper and Lower Michigan, Minnesota, and the Chicago area.

At WEC Energy Group Steve is responsible for managing his group’s operating/maintenance budget, capital project budget, staffing, technical training, and outsourcing. Steve also has
responsibility for the strategic, tactical, and operational direction of multiple IT infrastructure and operations teams supporting IT infrastructure, exchange/messaging, service desk, client devices, software deployment, and IT asset management. Along with managing the IT teams, critical business relationships are required due to the unique systems within the various electric and gas utilities.

Since joining the organization twelve years ago he has held three different positions ranging from the leader of the network operations group, manager voice/data communications infrastructure, and his current role.

Prior to joining the utility industry Steve spent 17 years in the cellular industry working for companies such as Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, and BellSouth. While at these organizations Steve held roles in both network operations as well as core network engineering.

Along with six years of active service in the United States Marine Corps, Steve currently holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Wisconsin Lutheran College, Master of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and a Doctorate of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
In addition, Steve serves as an adjunct instructor at Liberty University and St. Norbert, providing education and influence to undergraduate and graduate students.
Steve also currently serves on the Pulaski Community School District Board of Education, executive committee/board for UTC (Utilities Technology Council), and the Greater Green Bay Economic Development Board. Each of these provide an opportunity to provide service in the community.

 

 

Patrick McGinley, Information Technology Operations Manager, Mecum Auctions

Patrick McGinley is an experienced technology professional with a long and successful career in IT infrastructure, including managing cloud space for multiple companies and overseeing the integration of cloud and on premise acquisition resources. Patrick holds a master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin Parkside and serves as the Senior IT Operations Manager at Mecum Auctions.

Patrick is known for his project management approach to IT endeavors, and his rigorous planning of auctions and efforts. While on the road and at home, he is always trying to find new hiking trails and national parks to explore.

 

 

Patrick Stefanski, Manager- IT Infrastructure & Support, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, LLC

Bio to come!