Hartford Business Journal Special Editions

40 Under 40 2022b

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HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | August 15, 2022 5 2022 | 40 UNDER FORTY Jelan Agnew is the founder of Nalej of Self LLC. Agnew is a TEDx speaker, licensed clinical social worker, college professor, life coach and motivational speaker. A Temple University and UConn alum, her training includes advanced trauma and dialectical behavior therapy training and 19 years in the mental health field. At Nalej of Self LLC she uses this experi- ence, and expertise as a therapist of 11-plus years, to provide transformative corporate mindfulness workshops, DBT training, moti- vational speaking, coaching and courses. What's been your biggest professional accomplishment so far in your career? My biggest professional accomplishment so far was my TEDx Talk in LA. It was very competitive to get in and the writing pro- cess was overwhelming. After it was done, I ran off the stage because I was so relieved, and the host made me go back and receive my standing ovation! How are you involved in the community? In the last couple of years, through social unrest and a global pandemic, practicing as a behavioral therapist was emotionally taxing for me, but showing up for my com- munity meant a lot to me. Although I don't do that work anymore, it is important to me to continue to provide transformative work- shops and trainings for therapists and other practitioners in the mental health field. What do you like to do outside of work? I love to travel, meditate and hang out with friends and family. Why do you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty? • Took a leap of faith and walked away from my job to pursue Nalej of Self LLC full time. • Did a TEDx Talk in LA, which has 5,000 views in six months. • Taught Intro to Social Work at Eastern Connecticut State University. • Appeared on a CPTV/ PBS documentary called "Uncertainty" about anxiety. Fun Fact I am an actress and classically-trained singer and have been on the stage all my life. Theme Song "Golden" — Jill Scott Jelan Agnew Age: 37 Company: Nalej of Self LLC Title: Founder and CEO Number of years with current company: 5 Town where I live: Hartford Town where I work: Hartford College: Temple University and University of Connecticut Highest degree: Master's in social work Reza Amin is the founder and CEO of Bastion Health, the first specialty digital clinic for men's reproductive and prostate health providing at-home testing, diagnosis and treatment. With years of research in medical devices and health technologies, after completing his Ph.D. from UConn, Reza founded Bastion Health in 2018, with a vision to provide private, simple, accessible and comprehensive at-home support for men's care. The company has grown from one to 20 employees and is offering its services in Connecticut, California, Texas and Florida. What's been your biggest professional accomplishment so far in your career? My proudest professional accomplishment was founding Bastion Health, which is now the first-ever comprehensive digital men's health clinic specializing in repro- ductive and prostate health. We enable men to be proactive about their prostate and reproductive health by giving them access to at-home testing, assessment and treatment options, all from the comfort of their homes. How are you involved in the community? The current men's health care does not meet the men's needs due to complexity, fragmentation, access and stigma. I am proud to lead a company with pioneering technology in democratizing men's repro- ductive health. We are actively working on normalizing the conversation about men's prostate and reproductive health. What do you like to do outside of work? I'm very interested in listening to podcasts and audiobooks. I like to keep active, so with my family every weekend we go hiking, swimming or play tennis. Why do you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty? • Founded Bastion Health, the first spe- cialty telehealth for men's health. • Co-founded Encapsulate, a cancer pre- cision diagnostic company working with NASA and International Space Station to launch cancer studies in space. • Have been mentor to startup compa- nies in Connecticut's entrepreneurship ecosystem. Reza Amin Age: 36 Company: Bastion Health Titlen where I wo: Founder and CEO Number of years with current company: 4 Town where I live: Farmington Towrk: Farmington College: University of Connecticut Highest degree: Ph.D. in mechanical engineering David Bergman is an associate professor of operations and information management at the University of Connecticut, where he does research and teaches analytics in the School of Business. He has done consulting across a wide range of industry, including frequent engagements with McKinsey & Company and Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories. He is also a leader in sports analytics and, in particular, in daily fantasy sports. What's been your biggest professional accomplishment so far in your career? My biggest accomplishment was winning the DraftKings Fantasy Football World Championship in 2020 and bringing home the top prize of $2.5 million using a combi- nation of my passion for analytics with my love of sports. How are you involved in the community? I work tirelessly in the classroom, teaching students modern-day analytical techniques and preparing them to excel while following their professional passions. I also donate to local charitable organizations. What do you like to do outside of work? I like to spend time with my wife and two amazing kids (with one more on the way!) Why do you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty? • Am leading researcher in analytics with more than 30 published papers and five patents. • Have won several awards for excellence in teaching including the Early Career Teaching Award at UConn. • Successfully rose to the top of the Daily Fantasy Sports industry by applying advanced analytics to gaming. • Helped many organizations in diverse industries to better operations through optimization. Fun Fact I can solve a Rubik's Cube blindfolded. Theme Song "All I Do is Win" — DJ Khaled Bucket List What are two things that you would like to achieve before you turn 40? I would like a successful launch of TheWhistlesGoWooo.com and to grow my family. David Bergman Age: 39 Company: University of Connecticut Title: Associate Professor Number of years with current company: 9 Town where I live: West Hartford Town where I work: Storrs and Hartford College: Stony Brook University, Carnegie Mellon University Highest degree: Ph.D. in algorithmics, combinatorics and optimization Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship is proud to congratulate our own MIGUEL VAZQUEZ Senior Development Manager, New England and all the outstanding young professionals named Hartford Business Journal's 40 Under Forty! Experiential entrepreneurship education for future leaders. nfte.com

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