Daryl Fairweather

Daryl Fairweather is the chief economist at Redfin. She was previously a senior economist at Amazon and a researcher at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

Fairweather’s insights have been featured in “60 Minutes,” “CBS Evening News,” The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Her 2025 book “Hate the Game: Economic Cheat Codes for Life, Love, and Work” offers real-world application of economic insights to solve some of the most common dilemmas in life and business.

Opal Ellyse Tomashevska

Emcee | Founder & Artist, OEM Publishing

Opal Ellyse Tomashevska is a published poet, emcee, bestselling author and podcast host. She is also the Director of Multicultural Business Strategy at TruStage. Opal was named one of Wisconsin’s Most Influential Black Leaders by 365 Media in 2020 and received Edgewood College’s Dominican Mission Alumni Award in 2022. She holds a master’s degree in organizational development from Edgewood College, a bachelor’s in psychology from University of Wisconsin–Parkside and is a Credit Union Development Educator. Tomashevska serves on several boards, including the Lussier Community Education Center, The Melanin Project and the AACUC Midwest Chapter.

Dan Bertler

Chamber Board Chair | Founder, Supreme Structures

Dan Bertler is a decades-long leader in the Madison construction industry and current Board Chair for the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce. Bertler founded Supreme Structures Inc. in 1992. The firm was acquired by JG Development in November 2024, and he continues to draw on his broad network and expertise to create and strengthen partnerships and drive growth. Bertler holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also serves on boards for Blood Cancer United, Madison Area Sports Commission, and the Arthritis Foundation, and he is a past Board Chair of Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin.

Dr. Jennifer Berne

Sponsor | President, Madison College

Dr. Jennifer Berne has worked in higher education for more than 30 years, including more than a decade as a senior administrator in community colleges. Most recently, she was the provost at Oakland Community College. Berne completed her Ph.D. in teacher education at Michigan State University and received an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. In 2017, she was named an Aspen Presidential Fellow. She has authored or co-authored five books and numerous articles, and funded research grants on topics including faculty professional development, developmental education, literacy education and assessment.