Michael Zentner is the CEO of SPEAK MODalities LLC, a company focused on delivering tablet software that helps children with autism learn to communicate.  Michael graduated with a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1986, and an MS and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University in 1989 and 1992 respectively.  Beginning in 1992 with the commercialization of his research in supply chain optimization from Purdue, Michael spent 18 years serving as co-founder or senior team member in startups involving optimization, collaboration, and data analytics technologies.  These technologies have been deployed within Fortune 500 companies in a variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals, consumer products, fine chemicals, heavy industry, and lubricants.  Michael has also served as a consultant for companies seeking to develop digitized approaches to processing and analyzing customer feedback.  In 2010, Michael returned to Purdue as a Senior Research Scientist and Entrepreneur in Residence, seeking to assist others interested in commercializing technology.  As a Senior Research Scientist, Michael has played a senior role in raising more than $40 million in research funding, and developed novel algorithmic approaches to analyzing user behaviors as users interact with research and educational web sites.  Michael completed dual MBAs from Purdue and Tilburg University in 2012 while at Purdue.  In 2013, Michael formed SPEAK MODalities with Purdue faculty performing research in the area of autism, seeking to have a bigger impact on the world than that which could be supported in a research lab.