Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter is a proven leader - having steered the country's 5th largest city through a tough national recession and having brought about double-digit decreases in violent crime rates.

While his mix of progressive thinking, cooperative spirit and moral stamina helped steady the city in tough times, Mayor Nutter now looks to lead a city on the rise.

The Mayor has introduced a slew of economic development projects for 2011 and 2012: A 1,000-employee expansion of Urban Outfitters operations at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, a $300 million pharmaceutical site in Northeast Philadelphia; apartments and a restaurant in the 600 block of North Broad Street in North Philadelphia. In locations throughout the city, new investment is underway.

The expanse of projects is unsurprising from a man unafraid to set bold and ambitious goals. In his first term as mayor, Michael Nutter targeted dramatic improvements in education and public safety as his key priorities.  Last year, homicides were down 22 percent since 2007, and the high school-graduation rate for six-year cohorts jumped to 63 percent.

Other notable initiatives include Greenworks Philadelphia; Reintegration Services for Ex-Offenders; the Inclusion Works diversity program, and the popular 311 Call Center.

Mayor Nutter grew up at 55th and Larchwood Avenue in West Philadelphia, with his parents, sister and grandmother. A 1975 graduate of St. Joseph's Preparatory High School, he enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania, and graduated from Wharton School of Business in 1979.

During 15 years as a City Councilman, Nutter represented Philadelphia's Fourth District, covering Wynnefield, Overbrook, Roxborough, Manayunk, East Falls, Mt. Airy and other parts of North and West Philadelphia.

On January 7, 2008, he was sworn in as the city's 98th mayor, and is currently running for a second term.

Mayor Nutter lives in Wynnefield with his wife, Lisa and daughter, Olivia, who attends a Philadelphia public school. His son, Christian, lives and works in New Jersey. Mayor Nutter is a member of the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in West Philadelphia.

Jason Falls is one of the leading thinkers, strategists and public speakers in the social media marketing, digital marketing and online communications industries. He is the author of the noted industry blog SocialMediaExplorer.com, a fixture at or near the top of the AdvertisingAge Power 150 Marketing Blogs list and is responsible for ExploringSocialMedia.com, a learning community for digital and social media marketing, online communications and technology. His first book, No Bulls**t Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide To Social Media Marketing, co-authored with Erik Deckers, is due out in October.

Falls has worked with brands like Jim Beam and Maker's Mark bourbons, AT&T, Humana, NASCAR driver Robby Gordon, University of Louisville Health Care, Backupify, SHPS, Bacardi, The National Center for Family Literacy, Expion and The Kentucky Center. He has also been cited and quoted in several notable books on the subject of digital marketing including Paul Gillin's The New Influencers and Jay Baer and Amber Naslund's The Now Revolution. Follow Jason on Twitter @JasonFalls.

Patrick is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategist at PeopleLinx. Prior to PeopleLinx, Patrick was one of the lead trainers and early pioneers behind LinkedIn's Customer Operations. His product knowledge and experience with the LinkedIn system infrastructure is unparalleled.

Patrick is a natural leader and earned his position as Chief Strategist through his commitment to the customer experience and his ability to consistently deliver operational excellence. Patrick holds his BS from Alfred University in Business Administration and Marketing. Follow Patrick on Twitter @PatrickBaynes

Andrew Beranbom is a thought leader in social media marketing, co-founding TellAPal the first social referral platform solution, which was Extole's precursor and foundation of the Extole vision. Prior to TellAPal, Andrew was an early employee and responsible for managing the explosive growth for Adteractive for both the lead education and customer acquisition verticals, and prior to that held key product management positions at Yahoo! Shopping and Yahoo! Travel. He holds a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Maryland. Follow Andrew on Twitter @abtweets

Michael is responsible for sales, business development and marketing at NetProspex. Previously, Michael was SVP of Sales and Business Development at BzzAgent (acquired by dunnhumby). He has over 20 years experience in media, six of which were with CNET Networks where he created and led international media network sales as the vice president of global solutions and was the Vice President of Sales for CNET's Business Media Network. Michael spent 13 years in various roles at Ziff Davis Publishing where he led corporate network sales teams and personally managed several of the companies largest global business partnerships, including IBM & AOL. Follow Michael on Twitter @NetProspex

Kipp Bodnar is Inbound Marketing Strategist at HubSpot, the inbound marketing software leader that provides integrated tools for marketers to generate and manage leads online. Kipp leads a team of marketers that guide and execute HubSpot's inbound marketing content strategy. This includes creating content for Blog.HubSpot.com, webinars, ebooks, social media and other channels to help educate marketers and generate leads.

He is co-author of The B2B Social Media Book: Become a Marketing Superstar by Generating Leads with Blogging, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Email, and More (Wiley), the definitive guide for B2B marketers who want to master social media and drive leads.

Kipp is an experienced social media marketer who co-founded SocialMediaB2B.com, the leading online resource for social media's impact on B2B marketing. He also writes on his personal blog DigitalCapitalism.com as well as guest postings on other leading marketing blogs.

He lives in Boston with his loving wife, two hyper-active beagles and good rye whiskey that serves as anti-freeze for the long New England winters. Follow Kipp on Twitter @kippbodnar

Eric Boggs is the Founder & CEO of Argyle Social, a venture-backed social media marketing software provider based in Durham, NC. He leads Argyle in its mission to help marketers drive meaningful business outcomes through social media marketing. Prior to launching Argyle, Eric was employee #1 and part of the senior leadership team at Bronto Software. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned an MBA from UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School, where he was a Dean's Fellow. Follow Eric on Twitter @EricBoggs

I've been navigating my way through this industry for a while now. Throughout my career, (now the Social Media Practice Lead for Accenture), I have created an international practice, many industry verticals and developed dozens of social strategies for Fortune class companies... and have moved industries with the outcomes. The industry is still so new, so vast and wrought with so much unrealized potential that it needs a creative approach, inspired thinking. Follow Jason on Twitter @JasonBreed

Joel Cheesman is founder of Mobsicle, a text marketing solution for restaurants. Prior to Mobsicle, Joel was Senior Vice President, Technology Services at Jobing where he focused on the convergence of technology and marketing in our ever-changing, always connected world. Prior to Jobing, Joel founded and ran a wide variety of companies within online recruitment that championed everything from SEO and search marketing to pay-per-click advertising to mobile recruitment.

Joel is also most notable for being the primary voice and creator behind the award-winning blog Cheezhead, which, according to one industry expert, "changed the way that people think about the HR world. Biting criticism and no-holds-barred reporting made it the place to watch for HR Industry news."

One of the most widely-recognized leaders on emerging recruitment issues and technologies in the world, Joel has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, US News and World Report, BusinessWeek and Resumes for Dummies. He resides in Phoenix with his wife and two children. Follow Joel on Twitter @joelcheesman

Kipp Bodnar is Inbound Marketing Strategist at HubSpot, the inbound marketing software leader that provides integrated tools for marketers to generate and manage leads online. Kipp leads a team of marketers that guide and execute HubSpot's inbound marketing content strategy. This includes creating content for Blog.HubSpot.com, webinars, ebooks, social media and other channels to help educate marketers and generate leads.

He is co-author of The B2B Social Media Book: Become a Marketing Superstar by Generating Leads with Blogging, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Email, and More (Wiley), the definitive guide for B2B marketers who want to master social media and drive leads.

Kipp is an experienced social media marketer who co-founded SocialMediaB2B.com, the leading online resource for social media's impact on B2B marketing. He also writes on his personal blog DigitalCapitalism.com as well as guest postings on other leading marketing blogs.

He lives in Boston with his loving wife, two hyper-active beagles and good rye whiskey that serves as anti-freeze for the long New England winters. Follow Kipp on Twitter @kippbodnar

Shawn Dahlen graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelors and masters degree in computer engineering. During his time at school, he was a research assistant for the Living Schoolbook focused on collaboration within the education space. Additionally, he was a seasonal employee at the MITRE Corporation working within the emerging web technologies organization.

He joined Lockheed Martin within the Transformation Program of the IS&S CIO organization in 2003. During the next few years, he led technical efforts to deliver a program management dashboard and the re-architecture of the IS&S Portal following a services model to integrate with back-office systems. In early 2005, he promoted blog and wiki technology as advantageous to business collaboration and received funding for a pilot effort branded LMExpressions. With initial interest, he helped shape a capital project providing a comprehensive strategy for delivering social software to the business with a focus on knowledge sharing across organizational boundaries. This project, Unity, became IS&GS' effort to provide Web 2.0 in the context of mission success. He was responsible for defining the initial architecture and product strategy and was the program manager responsible for phase 2 product execution and delivery. Following the delivery of Unity for IS&GS, he oversaw strategy, development, and execution of Eureka Streams and uInnovate expanding social media within the organization. He was also responsible for establishing and executing a business case to open source Eureka Streams in concert with the IS&GS product lines.

Shawn currently oversees IS&GS collaboration and engineering services supporting strategy, new development, and daily operations. Specifically, he is executing a consolidation strategy to reduce operational costs while re-investing a portion of the savings into mobility and engineering-as-a-service. This strategy will help establish a reference account supporting the product lines to win new business.

In addition to engineering and product/program manager experience, Shawn has had the opportunity to speak at world-class conferences including Web 2.0 Expo, Enterprise 2.0, Infosec World, and Webcom discussing the application of social media within large enterprises. Follow Shawn on Twitter @smdahlen

Michael Davey is an Associate in the Litigation department of Eckell, Sparks, Levy, Auerbach, Monte, Sloane, Matthews & Auslander, P.C. Eckell Sparks is the largest law firm established in Delaware County, and is one of the largest suburban firms serving the entire five-county Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Michael is Chair of the firm's Labor & Employment discrimination practice, while also practicing in the area of personal injury litigation. Michael has provided lectures on employment law and employment discrimination topics for the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and the Delaware County Bar Association. Michael also serves as the Solicitor for the Delaware County Association of Boroughs and as the Solicitor for the Sharon Hill Borough Zoning Hearing Board.

Michael is a member of both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey bars, and is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. Michael maintains an employment blog that discusses recent developments and trends in employment law in Pennsylvania State and Federal courts. Michael can also be found on Twitter @PaEmploymentLaw and on his firm"s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/eckellsparks.

Michael received his J.D. degree from The Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law, where he was a Senior Editor of the Pennsylvania State University International Law Review, was a member of the law school's award-winning National Moot Court Trial Team, which competed in the 2004-2005 National Finals in San Antonio, Texas, and was also inducted into the Order of Barristers. Michael completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he majored in Government and Politics.

Michael and his wife live in Garnet Valley, PA, where he currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors for his Homeowners' Association. Follow Michael on Twitter @PaEmploymentLaw

Nathan Egan was one of LinkedIn's earliest corporate sales executives. In 2009 he left LinkedIn to found PeopleLinx, a company which has quickly grown to become recognized as the world's premier provider of "Social Business" solutions. At LinkedIn, Nathan was tasked with building the selling methodologies for LinkedIn's Corporate Solutions product suite to Fortune 500 clients. This experience helped him quickly understand the need for a business dedicated to social media training and technology solutions for businesses. Headquartered at One Liberty Place in downtown Philadelphia, PeopleLinx boasts a diverse, global client base which includes brands such as: Experian, AARP, Starwood Capital Group, The Direct Marketing Association, KPMG and many others. Egan earned his MBA in Business Technology Optimization from Villanova University and his BS in Hotel Administration from Cornell University. Follow Nathan on Twitter @NathanEgan

Frank Eliason, Citibank's Senior Vice President of Social Media, has been described as the "most famous customer service manager in the U.S., possibly the world". By expanding the reach of customer service via social media, and taking the simple approach of asking "Can we help?" he repositioned the relationship between Comcast and its customers. His efforts at Comcast inspired a global wave of innovation in the way businesses communicate and engage with their customers--using new communication channels to improve customer experience.

Prior to joining Citibank, Frank was best known to many as the voice behind @ComcastCares, one of the earliest examples of how a business can use social networks to proactively listen and respond to customer concerns in real-time. His work with Comcast's customers is one of the top case studies proving that social media can play a positive role for corporations. This work has been recognized by many news organizations such as ABC News, CNN, The New York Times, Business Week, and many others. He is also one of the most sought-after thought leaders on social media and customer experience, and regularly participates in panels and speaking engagements.

At Citibank, Frank and his team are helping to change the way a global financial institution manages its relationships with a diverse community of consumer, small business and corporate customers--to serve and exceed their expectations and helping build a lifetime of trust between Citibank and its customers.

Prior to joining Comcast in 2007, Frank worked in customer Service management for Advanta Bank and Vanguard Investments.

Frank is a board member for both the Council of Better Business Bureaus and SOCAP (Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals). He also serves on the advisory board for Drexel University's Center for Corporate Reputation Management. Follow Frank on Twitter @FrankEliason

Peter Farrell is the Director of Brand Development and Strategy at QVC. Peter helped launch the company's first brand campaign, which included a complete refresh of the corporate identity look and feel. In 2008, Peter was asked to start a new group focused on strategic planning that would help position the company for long term success as well as find new ways to establish relationships with potential customers. His group launched the company's first social program which included, among other things, integrating it into the "live" TV show

From technology, finance and telecom to luxury and packaged goods businesses, Peter has been asked to lend his understanding of marketing and consumer insights to help solve some of the most difficult brand and advertising challenges for companies such as: UPS, RJReynolds, Colgate-Palmolive, The Bank of New York, Lehman Brothers, Unisys, Convergys, Unilever, McNeil, AT&T, Omnipoint, Waterman, Parker, and Gillette. Prior to QVC, Peter began his professional career at McCann-Erickson working on the International team to help the multinational Blue Chips advertise its products and services in over 180 countries worldwide. In addition to McCann-Erickson, Peter has had the good fortune of working for Hill, Holiday, Grey Worldwide, The Concept Farm and SFGT.

Peter Farrell was born in Puerto Rico, raised in Tokyo, Japan, and schooled in both the UK and US. He is very active in the music business as a professional entertainer/musician and producer/ songwriter. His work has been featured on national albums, broadcast commercials and independent films throughout the US and Europe and he performs regularly in public in a variety of line-ups.

Rachael spearheads the analytics division at SEER Interactive, a Search Agency based in Philadelphia, where she is responsible for providing analytics services and evaluations for SEER's clients. She holds her Google Analytics Individual Qualification and was named by Google as one of a highly select group of "Top Contributors" to the Google Analytics product forums. Rachael has extensive experience in SEO and telecommunications, having developed strategies for organizations spanning a wide range of industries over the past 11 years. Rachael also writes regularly for SEER Interactive, including research and explanations on the latest Google Analytics changes and methods to create efficiencies in analytics.

Rachael has a BS in Marketing and Business Law from Villanova University. She also spends time volunteering with multiple organizations, including serving on the Board of Directors for Laurel House, a domestic violence shelter in Montgomery County.

Follow Rachael on Twitter @rachaelgerson or read the latest blog posts from SEER Interactive.

Ben Grossman is an advertising, marketing and social media strategist. He lives and works on the edge of integrated marketing communications, where his passions for social media, trends and results serve to further his commitment to creating category-defining initiatives for brands. Ben's unique blend of traditional advertising and marketing knowledge, combined with his expertise in developing and executing innovative strategies, has made him a valued brand strategist and client consultant. He has worked to set strategy and develop initiatives for both national and international brands ranging from major regional players to the Fortune 500, including Bombardier, Audiovox, Brother International, Villa Enterprise Management and RWJ University Hospital. He has also been tapped to speak at the Consumer Electronics Show, for Microsoft and at numerous other industry and trade events. Follow Ben on Twitter @BenGrossman

Michael Harris is the Director of Marketing & Special Projects for the Philadelphia Phillies. His job responsibilities include involvement in brand marketing, advertising, digital media, various sales efforts and the development of new initiatives. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Michael has a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Drexel University in Marketing and Finance. Follow Michael on Twitter @mhgophils

Gavin is the author of Servant of Chaos, one of Australia's leading marketing blogs and is the co-publisher (with Drew McLellan) of the ground-breaking collaborative marketing book series, Age of Conversation. Gavin is the Director of Social Media for the SAP Premier Customer Network, North America, and in what little spare time is left to him, he works with young people as president of Australian non-profit organisation, Vibewire. Follow Gavin on Twitter @ServentofChaos

Hein is a client partner out of NYC within the Facebook Global Marketing organization. His focus is working hand in hand with global brands within the Telco/Technology, CPG and Travel verticals. Hein's professional past includes time at Ziff Davis, United Business Media, CNET and Yahoo. Prior to joining Facebook Hein has held positions in sales management and direct sales within his 17 year career. Hein is videophile and audiophile, loves staying active and enjoys living in Westchester, NY with his wife and two children. Don't expect a boring time with Hein on a panel. He is excited to listen, learn, and may give away a thing or two.

Steven L. Johnson is an Assistant Professor and Director, Social Media Programs and Research in the Management Information Systems department at Temple University Fox School of Business. Dr. Johnson earned a B.S. in Computer Science and an M.B.A. from the College of William and Mary, and a Ph.D. from the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland (2008). His research focuses on social and network dynamics of online communities. He also teaches a popular elective course where students engage in a Social Media Innovation Quest. Follow Steven on Twitter @StevenLJohnson

Christopher Kearns is the Program Director for Enterprise Business Services - Desktop Services at Lockheed Martin. Mr. Kearns is responsible for the strategy and management of all activities related to Information Technology for the desktop portfolio including the service desk, desktop technologies and services, and the development, operations and maintenance of corporate wide collaboration solutions. Previously, Mr. Kearns was the Operations Director for the Lockheed Martin Center for Leadership Excellence (CLE) in Bethesda, MD. Mr. Kearns earned a master's degree in Information Science from Pennsylvania State University and a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Scranton. Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisKearns

Don Lafferty is a sales executive in the high tech sector, writer, blogger, lecturer and Web 2.0 marketing consultant. He's written corporate communication, marketing and advertising copy, as well as feature articles for numerous national magazines. He has crafted and conducted sales training for a variety of companies such as 3M Corporation, Flextronics International, Avnet and Newark Electronics.

Don is a regular contributor to the global conversation revolving around marketing through online social networks, working with a wide range of clients to craft effective strategies and tactics for connecting with their customers like never before.

Don is the social media director of the literary magazine, Wild River Review, a member of the Philly Liar's Club, and sits on the board of directors of the Philadelphia Writers' Conference. Follow Don on Twitter @DonLafferty

Lindsay Lebresco is the Social Media Manager for Lilly Pulitzer, a fashion brand known for their bold prints & Palm Beach lifestyle headquartered in King of Prussia, PA. Though she is new[ish] to the fashion industry, she is a social media & brand communications veteran. Prior to working at Lilly, Lindsay worked at the industry leading, New York based social media agency, Converseon, creating social media strategies for Fortune 500 clients. Before hitting the agency side of the social media world, Lindsay created and led the award winning social media strategy for Graco Children's Products, a division of Newell Rubbermaid. Lindsay's experience creating social media strategies dates back to 2007 when corporate social media programs were in their infancy. Lindsay's work in leading her organization through change in a regulated industry carved a path for other Newell Rubbermaid businesses to begin their own work in creating successful social programs. In 2009, Graco was named by Mashable as one of ten of the Smartest big brands doing social media alongside brands like Starbucks, IBM and Zappos. Lindsay's background also includes brand & marketing communications as well as crisis & reputation management. Follow Lindsay on Twitter @LindsayLebresco

Aaron Levy is a seasoned digital marketing professional, with over 5 years of experience in paid search management. He has developed strategies for clients as large as publicly traded Fortune 500 juggernauts & internationally recognized retailers, and as small as local plumbers & regional adoption agencies.

Though his position as a PPC Associate at SEER Interactive is focused on paid search & analysis, Aaron also has significant experience in media buying, email and affiliate marketing. Currently, Aaron serves as an account manager at SEER, as well as developing a training process for new team members. He frequently speaks to area college students about the basics of PPC and its role in the broader spectrum of marketing and advertising.

Aaron is a proud alumni of Villanova where he majored Marketing & Information Systems and captained the school hockey team. Aaron volunteers at a variety of organizations including Special Olympics PA, The Jeff Cooper C.A.R.E. Foundation and the National MS Society. Follow Aaron on Twitter @bigalittlea

An International speaker on technology, social media marketing, risk management and professional standards, Bill brings insights, and humor into the practical application of hardware, software, and social marketing. AS CEO of the Social media Marketing Institute (SMMI) His work in creating technology and social media courses for small businesses and professionals led to his being chosen as lead author for the 2010 re-write of the technology Certification for NAR (the largest Trade group in North America). The resulting course was awarded by REEA as their 2011 Course of the Year. He has received accolades for his work in and out of the real estate industry, including presentations for the Federal Government, Harvard University, Penn State University, the London Sunday Times, and last year's, Social Media Plus Conference. Bill has been twice named as one of Inman's Most Influential in Real Estate. Follow Bill on Twitter @billlublin

John McClung is Vice President of Advertising and Creative Services for Independence Blue Cross in Philadelphia, Pa., a leading insurer providing coverage to more than three million people.

Since joining Blue Cross as a copywriter in 1988, John established and expanded a creative services team that today combines the talent of 40 people who specialize in graphic design, web and multimedia design, audio-visual services, social media, copywriting, photography, and other creative channels. John and his team support the creative aspects of all internal and external communications efforts, including marketing, wellness, health management, public relations for Independence Blue Cross and its subsidiaries. In addition, his team plays a leading role in the promotion of key company events such as the Blue Cross Broad Street Run, which is now the largest 10-mile race in the country.

John also oversees all corporate advertising and brand management, having direct accountability for creative execution, budget management, and strategic alignment with sales and marketing goals. He also manages relationships with the company's external advertising and communication agencies, along with advertising partners in the community such as professional and college sports sponsorships.

Prior to joining Independence Blue Cross, John was a freelance copywriter and journalist. He has degrees in English and French from Villanova University and a Master of Science in Publication Management from Drexel University. He serves on the allocations board for the United Way of Southern Chester County, and is the co-founder, current board member, and soccer coach with the White Clay Soccer Club. John, his wife, and their three children live in Landenberg, Pa. Follow John on Twitter @ibx

Dan McDade founded prospect development company PointClear in 1997. PointClear serves business-to-business companies with complex sales processes. In addition to serving as president and CEO of PointClear, Dan is the author of The Truth About Leads, an insightful book that sheds light on the little-known secrets that help focus B2B lead-generation efforts, align sales and marketing organizations and drive revenue. The book was published in early 2011. Dan is chairman of the board of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) Education Collaborative, an organization promoting STEM )science, technology, engineering and math) education in Georgia's middle and high schools. The Sales Lead Management Association named Dan one of the 50 most influential people in sales lead management in 2009 and 2010. Follow Dan on Twitter @dandade

With more than 15 years of marketing and brand experience, 10+ of those in the digital space, Dan leads digital marketing for Under Armour. At Under Armour, he is responsible for the overall strategy and execution of brand programs across the digital landscape. Dan has worked on both sides of the agency and client table. At TrueAction, an eBay/GSI Commerce Company, Dan lead ecommerce marketing strategies for clients such as Dick's Sporting Goods, The Sports Authority, Mattel, NFL Shop, Modell's and others. On the client side, he has lead brand and digital marketing efforts for top brands such as Discovery Communications, Travel Channel and The PGA TOUR. Follow Dan on Twitter @UnderArmour

David Murphy joined the Daily News as its Phillies beat writer in February of 2008. Born in Upper Merion and raised in the Poconos, he attended college at La Salle University before taking jobs with the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Sun-News and the St. Petersburg ( Fla. ) Times.

Andrew Patterson oversees the development and implementation of social media products and initiatives for MLB Advanced Media, the interactive media and Internet company of Major League Baseball.

Christopher Penn is a bridge. He stands between different fields, professions, and ideas in order to help people on both sides understand each other. He can speak and sling code, but isn't an IT professional. He can design campaign strategies and write copy, but he is not a marketing professional. Where he provides value is in helping IT understand marketing and vice versa. The same is true for the martial arts, for education, for all of the different worlds he works and plays in. He plays World of Warcraft, but takes the lessons from a virtual battlefield and applies them to business. He takes solutions from the dojo floor and brings them to marketing.

He is also the Director of Strategy and Innovation at WhatCounts email marketing, a co-founder of PodCamp with Chris Brogan, a co-host of the Marketing Over Coffee marketing podcast with John Wall, a professor of Internet Marketing and lead subject matter expert, curriculum designer, and professor of Advanced Social Media at the University of San Francisco online. He has been a practitioner of the martial arts for 20 years now, and currently holds a black belt in ninjutsu under the guidance of Sensei Mark Davis of the Boston Martial Arts Center. Follow Chris on Twitter @cspenn

Desiree is a strategic planner, brand strategist, and savvy public administrator. Honored as one of the industry's best and brightest in PR Week's 40 under 40, and a "Shorty Award" winner, Peterkin Bell regularly strives to identify, create and leverage traditional and non traditional media. She currently serves as Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships for Mayor Michael Nutter for the City of Philadelphia. She is responsible for the long term planning and oversight of the Mayor's communications strategy and works closely with the Mayor and top Administration officials as a senior advisor.

Prior to this position, Ms. Bell had served as the Director of Communications for Mayor Cory A. Booker in Newark, NJ. She was the youngest senior official appointed in the Administration. As the Director of Communications for the City of Newark, New Jersey, Peterkin Bell built an award-winning twenty-first century multi-platform communications network for the City where one did not previously exist. In 2009, the New Jersey League of Municipalities recognized Peterkin Bell's leadership and named the City's Office of Communications as the "Best City Office of Communications in New Jersey".

Desiree was the architect of the City of Newark's social media footprint. Under her leadership, the City launched the 'Newark Tech Group', a working group of technology sector founders and executives who teamed with the City and the Mayor to activate and amplify social Web audiences. Designees from Twitter, Facebook, Google, Apple, LinkedIn, Ning, Ustream, Causes and Seesmic, joined the working group to harness new media platforms, experiences and connections to elevate local, national and global engagement with Newark's residents.

Prior to joining Mayor Booker's team, Peterkin Bell served New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg as Vice President of Government Affairs for the City's marketing development corporation, NYC Marketing. Desiree developed and implemented strategies and platforms to secure multimillion dollar partnerships and sponsorships for the City with General Motors, Universal Studios, Country Music Awards, The Latin Grammy's, and negotiated media barters with cities like London, Amsterdam, and Dusseldorf, Germany.

Before her marketing role with the City of New York, Peterkin Bell served as an advocate for the Bloomberg Administration in matters before the 51-member City Council. While in this role, she shepherded three historic pieces of legislation through to final passage and public law: the New York City Smoke Free Air Act of 2002, Tort Reform and the Film Tax Credit.

After a brief stint in Washington, D.C, working on a range of public policy issues, the National Urban Fellows Program awarded Peterkin Bell a full scholarship toward a Master's in Public Administration. As a National Urban Fellow, Mayor Bart Peterson, Indianapolis, Indiana, selected Peterkin Bell to serve in his Administration addressing community engagement, economic development, education, strategic governance, and affordable housing issues.

Mrs. Peterkin Bell is an alumna of the A Better Chance program and a graduate of Swarthmore College where she majored in Political Science and Education and received the Dean's Award for outstanding academic achievement and exemplary community service. In addition, Desiree excelled in athletics as a five-time National Collegiate Athletic Association All-American in track and field.

A special part of Peterkin Bell's vocation includes mentoring minority students. She is a founding member of the Simmons Memorial Foundation, a non-profit that supports students in their efforts to achieve their education and self-reliance goals. She focuses on students whose backgrounds, like hers are modest, encouraging them to break through boundaries and barriers to determine the path toward their goals.

Mrs. Peterkin Bell is married to Brian Bell and has a three year old daughter. They live in Center City, Philadelphia. Follow Desiree on Twitter @DPBell

Gunter graduated summa cum laude from Temple University with a degree in finance and entrepreneurship in December 2005. Following graduation, Gunter immediately founded Stuzo, a creative technology and social marketing company, which is now part of Dachis Group, the world's largest social business design firm. In his role, Gunter has lead the creation of disruptive social marketing delivery platforms and the development of hundreds of innovative social marketing programs for Fortune 500 brands. Follow Gunter on Twitter @Stuzo

Over the past 13 years, Wil Reynolds has dedicated himself to doing two things well: driving traffic to sites from search engines and analyzing the impact that traffic has on the bottom line of companies.

Wil's career began at a web marketing agency in 1999, where he spearheaded the SEO strategies for companies like Barnes & Noble, Disney, Harman Kardon, Debeers, Doubleclick, Hotjobs, and Mercedes Benz USA. For the last 8 years, Wil and the team of search professionals at SEER Interactive have been assisting clients in maximizing their visibility and sales using search engines in both SEO and SEM. You can catch Wil speaking with anyone who wants to learn about search, whether it is in a coffee shop or a major conference, it just runs through the veins!

Wil's goal at every speaking engagement is simple: Make sure everyone walks out with at least 1 new piece of information or perspective on an SEO topic. Follow Wil on Twitter @wilreynolds

Koka Sexton, Director of Social Strategy at InsideView, is one of the most recognized social experts in the technology industry. With ten+ years of sales experience and a passion for social media, Koka is the perfect evangelist for social selling, a topic that he promotes through national speaking engagements and InsideView's newest social media endeavor: Social Selling University. Koka's expertise extends beyond his endless knowledge of social networks into his skill at employing them to drive lead generation, create new opportunities, and engage customers. Follow Koka on Twitter @kokasexton

Engagement Associate at Stuzo | Dachis Group, a Facebook Preferred Developer headquartered in Philadelphia specializing in social strategy, management, and application development. In addition to coordinating the company's marketing efforts, Jed primarily serves as both account management and business development, working with top clients and global agencies to translate business objectives into social initiatives tied to specific social goals and KPIs. Jed has written lesson plans and developed lecture courses for various educational groups spanning digital marketing subject matter, but specializing in social marketing, and speaks at emerging media events and conferences. Follow Jed on Twitter @JedSinger

Brands. Talent. Careers. Strategy. Innovation. Social Media. Technology. Cultures. Travel. Jeopardy! Football. Shoes. Mad Men. Skiis. Wine & Cheese. Not necessarily in that order. Susan D. Strayer is a talent, brand and careers aficionado who has lived in start-ups, high-growth and mature companies from professional services to hospitality. She works in the intersection of where business meets behavior - where who we are and how we behave drives how and where we do business. Talent + brand is a powerful thing. From career coaching to recruiting strategy to social media, Susan has experience with in-house HR and recruiting, as a Fortune 500 consultant, and as a career and brand coach. In 2011 she was named a top 100 influencer in HR and a top 100 HR/Recruiting Industry pro. She's spoken to audiences of executives, job seekers and professionals and shared sound bytes with media all over the world.

Work has always been in Susan's blood. After getting fired from her first job as a 13-year-old snack bar attendant, she got her first W-2 at the tender age of 14 and wondered why someone named FICA took half her money. She hasn't stopped working since. Susan's been a lifeguard, head cashier, customer service manager, waitress, PR intern, after-school aide, camp counselor, admissions marketer, orientation leader, cold caller, swim teacher, babysitter and peer counselor. And that was all before she graduated college. Three degrees, thirteen years and two books later, her coffee-induced work ethic is spurred by new music, true passion, and a splash of Philadelphia-born honesty. She currently works and lives in Old Town, Alexandria, (old = 1749) just over the bridge from Washington, DC. Follow Susan on Twitter @SusanStrayer

Ann Marie is an award winning PRSA-accredited hybrid public relations counselor bridging the gap between traditional PR and social media. She has over a decade of intensive experience assisting businesses and non-profits in taking leadership in sensitive issues, crisis communications and reputation management and navigating successfully Web 2.0 and PR 2.0. In addition to running Mind The Gap Public Relations, Ann Marie is a business columnist for Lexington (KY) Lexington Herald-Leader. Her award-winning column focuses on public relations, marketing, and social media for businesses often addressing topics before they become adapted mainstream.

Ann Marie formed the consulting company of Van den Hurk PR with the purpose to provide quality, realistic, sound public relations to grow and protect organizations in 2007. It has evolved into Mind The Gap Public Relations, LLC. Before Van den Hurk PR and now Mind The Gap, she was the Vice President, Communications and Advocacy for the Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay Council located on the Delmarva Peninsula. Follow Ann Marie on Twitter @amvandenhurk

Dan Waldschmidt is a people strategist. A conversation changer. Dan and his team help senior executives arrive at business-changing breakthrough ideas by moving past outdated conventional wisdom, social peer pressure, and the selfish behaviors that stop them from being high performers.

Using his experience as a successful CEO and his fascination with neuroscience, he helps companies use extreme behavior and radical conversations to blow away the competition and dominate their industry.

The Wall Street Journal calls his blog, Edge of Explosion, one of the top blogs sales blogs anywhere on the internet and hundreds of his articles on unconventional sales tactics have been published.

Really though, he's just an "ordinary dude with an outrageous vision". Follow Dan on Twitter @DanWaldo

Lynette has been working with enterprise-level technology since 1989, but in the past 14 years she has been concentrating on emerging and social technologies. Her company, Purple Stripe Productions, focuses on using technology to help tell brand stories online and enrich the businesses of others. Lynette brings not only precision and detail to her clients, but a wildly creative flair and love of all things pixel. A pioneer in the social media arena, Lynette has been blogging since 1997, podcasting since 2004, and working professionally in social media technologies and social technologies since 2006. Lynette is founder and curator of Women of Google+. Women of Google+ has quickly evolved into a destination to learn, share and explore what it takes to thrive on social networking platforms both personally and professionally. Lynette is also an organizer for PodCamp Philly & PodCamp LA, Podcast Pavilion, and Social Media Club Princeton NJ. Follow Lynette on Twitter @LynetteRadio