As Senior Counsel for Blockchain Association, Marisa helps develop and advocate for policy positions on behalf of the crypto industry as well as manages long-term legal projects and strategic litigation. Prior to joining the Association, Marisa represented corporate clients in regulatory enforcement actions, internal investigations, and civil litigation matters at Covington & Burling LLP and at O'Melveny & Myers LLP. Marisa earned her B.A. from Brandeis University, her J.D. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, and completed a federal clerkship in the Central District of California.

Mark Dempsey is a Principal Consultant at Aspect Advisors bringing more than 10 years of experience in the financial services industry, holding various leadership roles in compliance. As a compliance professional and former regulator, Mark has a deep understanding of issues facing investment advisors and those in the digital assets space. Mark has specifically focused on private fund adviser compliance at Aspect Advisors.

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Prior to joining Aspect, Mark was the Director, Investment Adviser Compliance at MissionSquare Retirement, where he oversaw the compliance program for its robo-advisor ($6B in AUM). Additionally, Mark previously served as the Chief Compliance Officer at Navy Federal Brokerage Services (over 2B in AUM), where he focused on developing and implementing a compliance program for its retail broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that included oversight of financial advisors and a digital fractional share investing program. Prior to this, Mark was a regulatory analyst at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) where he focused on reviews of fixed income trading.

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Mark earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of Delaware and a Masters of Security Analysis and Portfolio Management at Creighton University. Mark holds or has held various securities licenses including Series 4, 6, 7, 24, 27, 31, 52, 53, and 66 as well as a DC insurance license. Mark also holds or has held the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), Certified Regulatory Compliance Professional (CRCP) and Investment Adviser Certified Compliance Professional (IACCP) certifications. Mark served in the United States Marine Corps, including a deployment overseas. Mark lives in Washington DC with his wife and two children.

Mary Hall is a seasoned marketing executive with a focus on blockchain technology and Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC.)  As an independent consultant,  Mary works closely with partners and customers to develop case studies, videos, blogs & more for blockchain projects CBDCs and Stablecoins. Mary has been voted one of the “Top Women in Blockchain. “ Her work experience includes marketing positions at IBM, Oracle, Accenture and most recently Ripple. She has won many awards for marketing hardware & software products, as well as social media and digital marketing.   Mary holds a JD from the Univ. of Toledo College of Law and a BA in English from Miami Univ. Oxford, Ohio.  She has spoken at industry conferences such as the Hyperledger Global Forum, One World Identity and Internet World.

Mayukha has several years of experience working on the XRP Ledger. A graduate of MIT, she leads the developer experience effort for interoperability, empowering seamless integration with the XRP Ledger for all interoperability usecases. She has expertise working on all parts of the blockchain stack, from writing features for the L1 blockchain itself to significantly contributing to developer tooling.

McCall earned her B.A. from Duke University and J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. Prior to law school, McCall gained global work experience as a Fulbright Scholar in Madrid, Spain and an International Arbitration Paralegal in Paris, France. During law school, McCall was a Global Law Scholar and research assistant to Professor Chris Brummer. Her work and studies have inspired a passion for solving cross-border technological challenges.McCall is currently a Law/Policy Fellow at the global trade association, Crypto Council for Innovation, where she works to shape responsible policy that unlocks the promises of web3. McCall will join the law firm Covington & Burling as an associate in the fall of 2024.

Meagan is an Of Counsel min the Global Fintech & Payments Group at Paul Hastings. She focuses her practice on the representation of bank and non-bank financial institutions, financial services and financial technology companies, digital asset platforms, payment networks, and investment firms on transactional and regulatory issues in all areas related to the provision of payments.

Meagan has advised clients on issues related to global product development, enforcement actions, and regulatory compliance, as well as acquisitions, investments, and commercial arrangements between parties in the global payments space.

Meagan regularly counsels clients on compliance with federal and state law applicable to electronic payments, mobile payments, digital assets (including cryptocurrency, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), in-game currencies, stablecoins, and central bank digital currencies), and prepaid access, including state and federal money transmission laws and licensing regimes, state and federal gift card laws, Regulation E, and the Bank Secrecy Act.

Melina Giubilaro is a passionate advocate for financial inclusion and a leading voice in the cryptocurrency and Web3 space. As the founder of Girl In the Verse, she empowers individuals, particularly women, to navigate the evolving digital landscape and leverage blockchain technology to unlock new opportunities.Melina leverages her extensive experience as a former TV journalist, content creator, and public speaker to translate complex concepts into clear and engaging presentations. She is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences, including:Miami's Web3 Summit: Women in Web3NFT NYCVeeConTopics:Bitcoin and its impact on finance and technologyDemystifying NFTs and Web3 for wider audiencesWomen's empowerment in the crypto spaceThe future of finance and the role of blockchain technologyBuilding a more inclusive financial systemContent creation strategies in the digital ageThe rise of AI and its potential impact on the creative landscapeUnderstanding the world of avatars and the metaverseMelina is also open to speaking on other related topics within the blockchain, fintech, and digital content creation space.By combining her passion for education with her engaging communication style, Melina inspires individuals to explore the potential of emerging technologies and build a more inclusive future.

Meredith joined FRA’s Washington, DC office after seven years as a Special Agent at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). She is a subject matter expert in the investigation of cryptocurrency enabled money laundering and computer intrusion incidents, including Russian state sponsored computer intrusions, non-compliant cryptocurrency exchanges, theft of Personally Identifiable Information and Intellectual Property, ransomware, dark-web marketplaces, and Business Email Compromise (BEC) schemes. Meredith has extensive experience working multinational investigations and collaborating with foreign intelligence services and law enforcement agencies to solve complex investigative issues.

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As a member of the FBI’s Virtual Currency Response Team, she provided subject matter expertise for the FBI’s largest cryptocurrency money laundering cases and hands-on tracing training to FBI agents, prosecutors, and law enforcement partners. Meredith led investigations into non-compliant cryptocurrency exchanges and liaised with numerous blockchain analysis companies, cryptocurrency exchanges, and mining pools.

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Meredith has deep experience tracing complex cryptocurrency money laundering typologies using open source and commercial blockchain analysis tools including Chainalysis, TRM, and CipherTrace. She holds multiple certifications for blockchain analysis tools including Chainalysis Reactor Certification (CRC), Chainalysis Ethereum Investigations Certification (CEIC), TRM Crypto Fundamentals Certification (TRM-CFC), TRM Certified Investigator (TRM-CI), TRM Advanced Crypto Investigator (TRM-ACI), and TRM Crypto Compliance Specialist (TRM-CSS). She also holds the GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC), GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), and GIAC Certified Forensic Examiner (GCFE) certifications from the SANS Institute.

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At FRA, Meredith uses her investigative experience and deep ties in the crypto and blockchain intelligence industries to develop solutions that support organizations resolving issues associated with cryptocurrency and emerging financial technology. Meredith has used her blockchain expertise to investigate cryptocurrency enabled money laundering, wash-trading allegations, and high-value cryptocurrency thefts.

Michelle Ann Gitlitz, Esq. is a leading expert on cryptocurrencies, digital payments, blockchain, and related technologies. Michelle provides strategic legal and advisory services to nascent and established blockchain, cryptocurrency, and financial services companies. She frequently meets with policymakers, legislators, and industry leaders to facilitate intelligent adoption and regulation. Michelle is a partner at Arktouros PLLC. Michelle holds degrees from Cornell University and Brooklyn Law School. She is the author of Reimagining Payments: The Business Case for Digital Currencies.

Michelle Kallen is a partner at Jenner & Block LLP.  She served as the seventh Solicitor General of the Commonwealth of Virginia.  During her time in the Office of the Attorney General, Michelle represented the Commonwealth in litigation involving constitutional and other high-profile and novel areas of law.  In 2022, Michelle served as Special Litigation Counsel in the United States House of Representatives Office of the General Counsel representing the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol in litigation.

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Michelle has represented clients filing amicus briefs in some of the highest-profile litigation involving the crypto industry.  Her clients include Senator Cytnhia Lummis (in SEC v. Coinbase), the Blockchain Association and payment scholars (in Custodia v. Federal Reserve), and the Crypto Council for Innovation (in In re Coinbase).  She regularly presents about separation of powers issues (including the major questions doctrine) and uncharted areas of law.

A seasoned technology and financial services executive, Michelle is the Vice President of Global Brand and Market Expansion at TaxBit. In this role, she drives the global brand presence for the leading tax and compliance unicorn while spearheading market expansion efforts and acting as a brand ambassador and thought leader. Her team promotes an inclusive culture, encouraging engagement through leadership and collaboration.

With over ten years in the digital asset space, Michelle is recognized as a preeminent thought leader, voted among the top 5 Women in Blockchain, and a finalist in the Diversity in Tech Awards in the Tech Leader category. In addition to her role at TaxBit, Michelle is a well-known FinTech leader, voted among the top 30 FinTech marketers, and a leading Web3 executive. She is passionate about improving access to financial services for the unbanked. She has a proven track record of leading brand management, marketing communications, and community building in the FinTech space.

Before joining TaxBit, she was the VP of Marketing and Community at Uphold, a digital money platform. In that role, she developed and implemented the brand’s marketing strategy, brought cohesion and intention to the brand voice, and facilitated Uphold’s online community. She also managed public relations, content marketing and development, and social media strategy.

Michelle also serves as the Expansion Chair of NYC FinTech Women, Chief Strategy Officer and Board Chairwoman for The Association of Women in Crypto, and as an advisor for The Financial Club and the Blockchain Steering Committee of WTIA.

Mike Carter is an expert in digital assets, regulatory compliance, and financial crimes investigations. Mr. Carter has extensive experience providing advisory and investigative services for financial crime matters globally, including leading complex engagements for financial institutions, digital asset service providers, and payments companies to address risk and compliance concerns.

Mr. Carter most recently served as the Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) from 2020-23 at a major digital asset exchange where he led the scaling and redesign of the global compliance program addressing issues related to money laundering, sanctions, fraud, data privacy and protection, consumer protection, market surveillance, product risks, licensing, and regulatory examinations.

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In addition to his experience as CCO, Mr. Carter has led numerous compliance and regulatory projects at global consulting firms including: addressing regulatory risks at numerous digital asset companies during startup and growth phases, supporting government-appointed monitors, conducting sensitive investigations for high-profile matters, building executable compliance roadmaps, and implementing data models to assess risk.

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He has assisted clients in the digital assets space since 2017, and served as the AML/BSA Committee Chair for the Virtual Commodity Association in 2019-20. Mike also served on the AML Committee for TRUST Travel Rule from 2020-23.

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A frequent contributor to financial crimes industry publications, Mr. Carter has been featured in Bloomberg Law, Wall Street Journal, and the New York Law Journal. He recently authored the digital assets section of the COSO/ACFE 2023 Fraud Risk Management Guide.

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Mike is a US Army veteran and served in Operation Enduring Freedom. He also serves as a board member of The Ability Experience.

Moty is an insatiable enthusiast for the dynamic intersection of Finance and Technology. After a decade of thriving in the finance industry, she embarked on a thrilling academic journey, ultimately earning her Finance Ph.D. Moty's intellectual curiosity knows no bounds, and under the guidance of Dr. Alfred Lehar, she delves deep into the fascinating realm of fintech research. Breaking barriers and setting records, she etched her name in history as Iran's SEO's first-ever female and youngest-ever Director, ascending to the prestigious role of CTO. Her global footprint extends far and wide, from orchestrating fintech projects across Sweden, Australia, Brazil, South Korea, Oman, and beyond to her pivotal role as a project manager at Nasdaq. With her remarkable expertise, she's lent her genius to pivotal international initiatives such as Market Linkage, Energy Exchange Establishment, Cross-border Settlement, High-Frequency Trade Engine design, Real-time Surveillance, and Supervision in the Stock Market.

Natalia is a key figure in navigating the complexities of crypto regulation as the Director of Public Policy & Regulatory Affairs at Merkle Science. Previously at TRM Labs and UBS, she researched global crypto frameworks and led compliance efforts, merging emerging technologies with traditional markets to promote a safer financial environment. Natalia specializes in helping stakeholders understand and comply with varied laws worldwide, and her role in industry organizations like CryptoUK and Global Digital Finance highlights her dedication to responsible crypto regulation development.