Published: October 14, 2020

PGRI Lottery Expo and Post-COVID19 Lottery: the Movie- Speaker Biographies

PGRI 2020 Lottery Expo

SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF SPEAKERS, DISCUSSION LEADERS, AND PANELISTS

 

 

Gerry Aubin, former Director of the Rhode Island Lottery

Gerry recently retired after 25+ years as the director of the Rhode Island Lottery.  In addition to leading a gaming operation with a totally diversified portfolio of products and services including casinos, sports betting, and iLottery as well as traditional lottery products, Gerry has served in all the offices of NASPL (North American Association of State & Provincial Lotteries) and MUSL (Multi-State Lottery Association).  Congratulations, Gerry!

 

David Barden, Chief Executive Officer, New Mexico Lottery

David Barden has served as the Chief Executive Officer of the New Mexico Lottery since 2014.

With almost 20 years in the lottery industry, David previously served as vice president of the Arkansas Lottery Commission from 2009-11. He started his lottery career at the South Carolina Education Lottery where he was senior attorney and then director of marketing and product development from 2001 to 2009.

David graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of South Carolina and a juris doctor degree from the Ohio Northern School of Law. He is married and has two children.

 

Richard Bateson, Chief Commercial Officer, JUMBO Interactive

Richard Bateson is Chief Commercia Officer of JUMBO Interactive. He joined Jumbo at the start of 2020 and is now a member of Jumbo Interactive's senior management team, working for the CEO and Founder, Mike Veverka. 

Richard has worked in the lottery industry for the past 18 years, holding jobs within the B2C and B2B parts of the industry.

A former director of Camelot UK Lotteries Ltd (B2C) and Camelot Global Solutions Ltd (B2B), Richard has been on both sides of the lottery fence. He worked for the UK National Lottery and vendor operations and sales with Camelot Global. During his time at Camelot, Richard grew UK National Lottery sales from £5.2bn to £6.9bn over a four-year period – and grew the digital customer base by four million players.

Richard was also President of EuroMillions for five years, and a member of the Board for 13 years – creating a €7bn game brand. Within the B2B business Richard set-up the commercial division that supported the winning Irish National Lottery bid for Camelot’s shareholder along with contract wins in Europe and North America.  

Prior to joining the lottery industry Richard worked at Fujitsu and Unilever.

 

Byron Boothe, Chief Executive Officer, INTRALOT US

Byron Boothe was named Chief Executive Officer of INTRALOT US in June 2020, after serving as interim CEO since 2019. He has day-today leadership and serves as a Member of the Board.

Byron’s start in the lottery business dates back to the 1990s.

Byron joined INTRALOT in March 2007 as Vice President Government Relations. Working with multiple lottery clients helped him to establish relationships that now will define his role in guiding INTRALOT’s U.S.-based subsidiary.

Byron is a graduate of the University of Kentucky.

 

Beth Bresnahan, Executive Director, DC Lottery

Beth Bresnahan was named Executive Director of the Office of Lottery and Gaming in January 2018. As Executive Director, Bresnahan oversees the operations of the DC Lottery, as well as the licensure, regulation, and oversight of privately-operated gaming activities in the District of Columbia including sports betting, games of skill and charitable gaming.

A native of Massachusetts, Beth has more than two decades of experience leading the marketing, communications, and business strategies of public and private sector organizations, including a successful track record in the U.S. lottery industry.

For seven-and-a-half years, Beth played an integral role on an executive management team at the Massachusetts State Lottery that brought the organization to new levels of success. First as

Communications Director and later as Assistant Executive Director, then as Executive Director, she worked to enhance lottery marketing programs, evaluate and revamp existing games, develop and launch new games, draft policy and legislation, and to implement greater operational efficiencies that produced four-consecutive record-breaking sales – including the organization’s first time breaking the $5 billion sales mark.

Outside of the lottery industry, Beth’s marketing, media relations and strategic communications experience spans from serving as CEO of a regional print media company in the metro-Boston area to providing strategic consultation to multiple top-tier brands, including BJ’s Wholesale Club, the Boston Red Sox, Citizens Financial Group, the NHL Players Association and Wynn Resorts.

 

Michelle Carney, Vice President Global Lottery Marketing, IGT

Michelle just celebrated her 20th anniversary with IGT, having served in all varieties of marketing positions leading up to her current role in global lottery marketing for IGT.

 

Mandolin Carter, Director, Retail Development, Scientific Games

With an extensive background in Consumer Packaged Goods business development and marketing across all retail channels, Mandy has nearly 12 years of lottery industry experience. Joining the Scientific Games Retail Solutions team in early 2018, she coordinates all aspects of the company’s relationship with retail customers to advance the lottery retail experience through Scientific Games’ retail solutions, including the SCiQ® intelligent instant game retail ecosystem, WAVE™ retailer terminals and PlayCentral® self-service terminals, as well as in-lane and cashless lottery solutions.

What Mandy enjoys most about her work at Scientific Games is partnering with state lotteries and national retail chain leaders to develop and deliver the most advanced technologies, products and services that drive every segment of the lottery business forward.

 

Gretchen Corbin, President & CEO, Georgia Lottery Corp. and Second Vice President of NASPL

Gretchen Corbin was appointed President and CEO of the Georgia Lottery Corporation starting January 1, 2018. In this position, her goal is to fulfill the Corporation’s mission to maximize revenues for HOPE and Pre-K, ensuring that Georgia’s students continue to have access to these important educational programs.

Prior to her role at the Georgia Lottery, Gretchen served as commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). At TCSG, Corbin oversaw the state’s 22 technical colleges, 135,000 students, 46,000 economic development trainees, 15,000 employees, an $800 million budget, and a host of economic and workforce development programs, including Georgia Quick Start, the nation’s top-ranked workforce training program.

Gretchen joined TCSG from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), where she served as commissioner. At DCA, she oversaw 65 programs and was responsible for more than $71 million in investment in Georgia communities. Prior to DCA, Corbin served 15 years at the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), holding a variety of roles including deputy commissioner of global commerce.

Corbin, her husband, David, have two daughters.

 

Meghan Dondero, Regional Vice President, Sales, Scientific Games

Meghan has the unique experience of working on both the lottery and vendor sides of the business. She started her career with Scientific Games as a Product Analyst working at the metro Atlanta-based Scientific Games Enhanced Partnership (SGEP) facility which manages all aspects of the Georgia Lottery’s instant products, from analytics and insights, to game design, logistics and retailer optimization.

Meghan has also worked as a General Manager for SGEP operations supporting the Tennessee Lottery and as Vice President of Product Development for the Georgia Lottery Corporation. Her experience spans many areas of the lottery business, including prize structure development, strategic planning, marketing analysis, game planning, sales forecasting and process management.

 

Jay Gendron, Chief Operating Officer Lottery, IGT

Jay Gendron is Chief Operating Officer of Lottery for IGT. In this role, he is responsible for all IGT lottery customers in both the U.S. and Canada. He serves some of the industry's largest lotteries, ensuring that resources, products, services, and retail innovation support our customers' diverse and unique business models.

Jay began his career at legacy GTECH (GTECH) in 1995 as an Assistant Account Executive and was later promoted to Regional Account Director followed by Account General Manager. He previously worked as GTECH Director of Video Operations before becoming Vice President of Global Sales, Gaming Solutions. In 2007, he was promoted to Regional Vice President, Eastern Region Operations where he oversaw GTECH's largest region for seven years. In 2014, he became Senior Vice President, North America, where he utilizes his extensive background of expertise to influence the lottery industry.

Jay is a graduate of Saint Anselm College in N.H. and currently resides in R.I. with his wife, Leah, and their two sons.

 

Maxwell Goldstein, Vice President Lottery Sales – North America, Carmanah Signs

Max Goldstein is Vice President Lottery Sales – North America for Carmanah Signs.

Max has worked in retail and gaming signage for 20 years, focusing exclusively on the global Lottery Industry for the last ten. He has a deep understanding of both the lottery players’ retail journey and of sales activating sign implementations at Lottery retail. He is a passionate advocate for his Lottery customers’ requirements.

Max is a graduate of Dawson College in Westmount, Quebec.

 

Gary Grief, Executive Director, Texas Lottery

Gary Grief was appointed Executive Director of the Texas Lottery Commission in March 2010.  As Executive Director, he oversees a seven billion dollar enterprise whose mission is to generate revenue for public education, veterans’ assistance and other good causes in the State of Texas.  He has been an integral part of the success of the Texas Lottery Commission since its inception in 1992. 

Gary has taken on leadership positions for national lottery industry initiatives as well, having served in leadership roles in every major U.S. lottery organization over the last several years including Lead Director for Mega Millions in 2010-2012, President of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) in 2013, Chair of the Powerball Game Group in 2016, and President of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) in 2017.

Gary was recognized in 2012 with the PGRI Major Peter J. O’Connell Lottery Industry Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2014 he was elected to the PGRI Lottery Industry Hall of Fame.

 

Scott Gunn, Senior Vice President, Corporate Public Affairs, IGT

With a strong foundation in lottery operations and more than 25 years of lottery experience, Scott Gunn, Senior Vice President, Corporate Public Affairs at IGT has spent most of his career convincing public policy makers and customers alike to support lottery innovation and best practices. Since joining GTECH in 1994, he has held positions in sales, business development, government relations and global operations. 

Currently within IGT, Scott serves on the Executive Diversity and Inclusion Council, the Government Affairs Committee, is Co-executive sponsor of WIN with IGT and as the Chairman of IGT’s Political Action Committee.

 

Kevin Hall, Executive Director, Virginia Lottery

Kevin Hall has served as Executive Director of the Virginia Lottery since 2018. Prior to this role, he held key legislative, management and communication roles for two Virginia governors and a United States senator, in Richmond and in Washington, D.C.

Kevin was communications director and senior policy advisor for U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner on Capitol Hill. His policy focus in the Senate included research into the impact of disruptive digital business models on the U.S. workforce and on the economic experiences and expectations of consumers.

Between 2002-20088, Kevin was press secretary for Mark Warner and Tim Kaine when each served as Virginia governor. In that role, he advised agencies across state government in an effort to maximize public awareness about initiatives and opportunities benefitting all Virginians.

A Richmond native, Kevin is a former print and broadcast news reporter and editor for the Associated Press and the Virginia News Network.

 

Rebecca Hargrove, President & CEO of the Tennessee Education Lottery Corp., President of the World Lottery Association, Founder & Chair of WILL (Women’s Initiative in Lottery Leadership).  Rebecca began her lottery career as the director of the Illinois Lottery, was selected to start up and lead the Florida Lottery in 1988, was then selected to start up and lead the Georgia Lottery where she served for 8 years before being tapped to start up and lead the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation.   Rebecca is a powerful advocate for Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace, both within the companies she has led and as a global industry leader and influencer.       

 

Scott Henneman, Vice President - Business Development & Governmental Affairs, Grover Gaming

Scott Henneman is Vice-President of Business Development and Governmental Relations for Grover Gaming. He oversees Grover Gaming's expanding role in electronic Lottery and Charitable Gaming markets domestically and internationally.

Most recently, Mark was Vice-President of Diamond Game a Pollard Banknote Company after previously being Vice President & General Manager of the Oasis Gaming Division of International Gamco Inc. for the past twenty-six years.

Before joining International Gamco, he was Director of Operations for the South Dakota Lottery and was responsible for the management of that lottery's implementation of the first Video Lottery program in the industry from 1989 to 1992.  Prior to his lottery work, Mark was Special Assistant to the Governor of the State of South Dakota, managing the legislative process for the Governor's Office and Executive Branch from 1986 to 1989. 

Mark is also a Past Director and Vice President of the North American Gaming Regulators Association (NAGRA).

 

Merv Huber-Calvo, Director, Growth Marketing, Scientific Games

Merv serves as Director of Growth Marketing at Scientific Games and has worked on the Pennsylvania iLottery program since pre-launch. He has spent 15 years – his entire career – in the gaming industry.

Merv collaborates with lotteries exploring iLottery, providing strategic marketing expertise to help lotteries launch and/or grow digital lottery sales,  including the implementation of digital strategies which also benefit traditional instant games sold at retail. He creates and executes strategies for the iLottery and digital product line, using multiple CRM tools to identify and develop campaigns across channels, with daily management and planning of all CRM activity. Merv focuses on delivering against key performance indicator areas such as retention, reactivation, churn prevention and player lifecycle across all products.

Previously, Merv has planned and executed digital marketing initiatives, including database marketing, web marketing, social media, digital content and lead generation.

 

Jason Lisiecki, Vice President, North America, IWG (Instant Win Gaming)

Jason Lisiecki joined IWG in May 2018 as VP of North America. In this role, he oversees IWG’s growing North American business while working closely with Lottery partners to ensure successful eInstant programs.

IWG’s supplies eInstant games to virtually all North American lotteries that offer eInstants. In North America this includes Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Virginia, Georgia, Kentucky, ALC, Loto Quebec, BCLC and soon, OLG.

In addition to overseeing existing client’s success, Jason often serves as a resource for lotteries seeking information and best practices as they consider iLottery.

Jason has more than 10 years of US Lottery experience, with eight of those years working various retail and digital roles for the Michigan Lottery. He served as integral member of the team that started up Michigan’s successful iLottery program.

Jason was recognized in the 2020 Gaming Intelligence’s Hot 50 List.

 

James Maida, Chief Executive Officer, GLI (Gaming Labs International) 

James Maida is the CEO of Gaming Labs International, which provides the gaming industry's leading testing and certification services, as well as a range of services and tools for regulators, suppliers and operators.

James began his professional career in the gaming industry testing equipment with the N.J.  Division of Gaming Enforcement in Atlantic City. He left the Division to study law and begin an independent game testing and consulting business. GLI was co-founded by Maida and Paul J. Magno in 1989, and since then, the company has grown to more than 950 employees located in 20 offices on six continents.

Apart from his role as GLI’s CEO, James and his wife, Dr. Sharon O. Maida, are trustees of the James and Sharon Maida Foundation, Inc., a philanthropic organization that supports the educational needs of young adults as well as health care initiatives. Since 1996, the Foundation has provided over 100 scholarships to local students and supports local community outreach programs for those in need.

James has been named one of the “25 Most Influential Persons in the Gaming Industry” by International Gaming and Wagering Business magazine and one of the “Most Influential People in Gaming” by Global Gaming Business magazine.

 

Patrick McHugh, Executive Vice President and Lottery Group Chief Executive, Scientific Games

Patrick “Pat” McHugh was named Executive Vice President, Lottery Group Chief Executive in December 2018. He is responsible for Scientific Games’ global lottery business, including instant products, systems, digital and sports betting.

With more than 25 years of industry expertise, Pat has served lotteries in markets around the world directing complex gaming systems technology deployments, operations, new business initiatives and strategic product development. A leading industry advocate for the convergence of traditional and digital lottery products and technology, Pat joined Scientific Games in 2004 and most recently held the position of Senior Vice President Global Lottery Systems. He led many of Scientific Games’ strategic industry firsts, including expanded distribution channels, cashless payments, sports betting, new network technology, iLottery and other digital lottery platforms.

Pat previously held the position of Vice President, North American Operations for Scientific Games. He also directed large scale systems and software projects for IGT Online Entertainment Systems (acquired by Scientific Games).

Pat holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Technology from Northeastern University and a graduate certificate from the Columbia Business School Senior Executive Program.

 

Charles R. McIntyre, Executive Director, New Hampshire Lottery

Charles McIntyre began his lottery career in 2003 when he was appointed Assistant Executive Director/General Counsel of the Massachusetts Lottery Commission. 

In June 2010, Charlie was appointed to the position of Executive Director of the oldest modern lottery in the U.S. He has been an outspoken advocate for preservation of regulatory policies that protect the interests of state lotteries.  His contributions include meetings with members of the U.S. Congress to inform them about the impact of regulatory policy on state lotteries. 

Charlie has served the industry as president of NASPL and MUSL and chair of Powerball Product Group. 

 

Gordon Medenica, Director, Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency and Lead Director of Mega Millions

Gordon Medenica began his career as the Director of the New York Lottery, the country’s largest, in 2007. During his time in New York, the lottery set all-time revenue records every year. 

Gordon’s proudest accomplishments include the initiative to the federal Department of Justice (DoJ) to rescind its interpretation of the 1961 Wire Act, an action that led to the legalization of online lotteries in 2011.

After New York, Gordon was the transitional CEO of the Northstar New Jersey Lottery Group before joining the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency as Director in June 2015 where he oversees Maryland’s casinos as well as the state lottery. 

 

Mark Michalko, Executive Director, North Carolina Education Lottery

Mark Michalko is Executive Director of the North Carolina Education Lottery

Mark began his Lottery career in 1977 as a Legal Intern at the Ohio Lottery. He became General Counsel in 1980 and served in that capacity until May 1985, when he was appointed to be the Founding Executive Director of the California State Lottery. 

In late 1987, Mark co-founded Gamma International Ltd., a pioneer in then-nascent Native American gaming industry. In 1994, he was appointed as President and CEO of California-based International Lottery & Totalizator Systems, Inc. (ILTS). 

Mark became President of Intralot Asia-Pacific in 2006.  In 2012, he joined IGT as Director of Commercial Gaming for Asia before his appointment to Executive Director of the North Carolina Education Lottery in early 2018.

 

Ryan Mindell, Lottery Operations Director, Texas Lottery

Ryan Mindell is the Lottery Operations Director at the Texas Lottery Commission, where he leads the Products, Advertising and Promotions, Security, Drawing and Validations and Retailer Services teams. Ryan has been head of Lottery Operations since 2018. Prior to that position, he served as Managing Attorney in Legal Services at the Texas Lottery.

Before joining the lottery industry, Ryan was a commercial and governmental litigator in New York and Texas.   

Ryan is a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and the Duke University School of Law. He resides in Austin with his spouse and two children.

 

Wendy Montgomery, Senior Vice President, Global Brand, Marketing, and Communications, IGT

Wendy Montgomery is Senior Vice President of Global Brand, Marketing, and Communications for IGT. Wendy oversees the strategy for IGT’s global brand, trade shows, and external communications, including community relations, responsible gaming, and corporate social responsibility.

Prior to joining IGT in 2018 as Senior Vice President of Global Lottery Marketing, Wendy spent 13 years at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation where she led marketing, sales, operations, policy and planning, and the iGaming business.

Wendy’s previous experience spans multiple industries, including in the entertainment business in her role as Vice President and General Manager, W Network, under Corus Entertainment, Inc., and before that, in the telecommunications field as Vice President of Marketing with Star Choice Communications, Inc. She has also held leadership roles in apparel, consumer products, and food categories, and has previously lived and worked in South Africa, Israel, Eastern Europe, Canada, and the United States.

 

Dan Owens, Director of Marketing, Grover Gaming, Inc.

Dan also serves as Director of Marketing for Banilla Games and has been in Strategic Marketing, Direct Business Development, Web & Email Marketing, Brand Management, and Social Marketing for fifteen years.

 

Karri Paavilainen, Senior Director North America Interactive Lottery Services, IGT

Karri has served in the Digital and Interactive divisions of IGT for six years.  Prior to joining IGT, Karri was the vice president of the Daily Games Business Unit and Strategic Planning with Veikkaus, the operator of the Finland Lottery.

 

Luca Esposito Paleo, Executive Director, World Lottery Association

Luca Esposito Paleo was named Executive Director of the World Lottery Association in 2018. He previously served as the Country Manager for IGT. In this role for IGT, he worked closely with the lotteries of Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Luca hails from Italy, where he received a Master’s Degree in Computer Science and Telecommunication from the University of Calabria in 2003. Shortly thereafter he began working as a consultant for such major global concerns as Accenture and Cambridge Technology Partners.

In 2009, Luca joined IGT Switzerland, working the first four years as Technology Director for the Central European region. In this capacity, he served the technological needs of gaming-industry clients in Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

 

Nick Papadoglou, Chief Commercial Officer, INTRALOT US 

Nick joined INTRALOT in January 2015 as director of product and services, was promoted to director of lotteries a year later, and to Chief Commercial Oficer of INTRALOT U.S. March 2018.  Nick has over 25 years of working experience across various industries combining a deep technical understanding with an agile mindset and commercial acumen consistently supporting businesses achieving their sales targets and goals.  Prior to joining INTRALOT, Nick’s career focused on product development and marketing.  He earned his Phd in telecommunications at the University of Sussex in 1999. 

 

Doug Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Pollard Banknote

Doug Pollard is Co-Chief Executive Office of Pollard Banknote. He plays an active role in building strong, strategic partnerships with Pollard Banknote’s lottery customers. Alongside his brother, John, he has led Pollard Banknote to unprecedented sales growth, with annual revenues more than doubling over his tenure as Co-CEO.

With a strong focus on Pollard Banknote’s core instant ticket business, Doug fosters a corporate culture of innovation that has culminated in the introduction and proven success of exciting new lottery products and ventures into new sales channels—including iLottery and in-lane solutions.

Prior to joining the company, Doug held a senior role at PricewaterhouseCoopers in their Supply Chain Management division.

Doug holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba. He was inducted into the Public Gaming Research Institute Lottery Hall of Fame in 2015.

 

John Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer Pollard Banknote Ltd.

As Co-Chief Executive Officer, John has been integral to Pollard Banknote’s ongoing evolution and growth, overseeing all financial and operational aspects of Pollard Banknote. He oversaw recent acquisitions of Diamond Game, International Gamco, Schafer Systems, Fastrak Retail and mkodo; subsidiaries that provide opportunities for lotteries to reach new markets and grow the player base.  

John also guided Pollard Banknote’s strategic investment in the company’s core business to augment Pollard Banknote’s position as a proven lottery partner and innovator.

 

Cindy Polzin, Director, Wisconsin Lottery, Treasurer of NASPL 

Cindy Polzin has been the Director of the record sales-breaking Wisconsin Lottery for almost four years. 

Cindy was hired in the Wisconsin Assembly Majority Leader's office right after college graduation, leading to almost 15 years of politics and state government work before being appointed as Director in the Fall of 2016. She has an array of experiences that prepared her to lead the Wisconsin Lottery: managing political campaigns, handling policy and legislative matters in the Attorney General's Office, being appointed Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Scott Walker. In the Governor’s office, she ultimately reached her goal of representing the Governor in biennial budget negotiations with the State Legislature. 

Through all her work, Cindy’s proudest achievement is to have friends on both sides of the political aisle. 

Growing up on a small dairy farm in Pound, WI, Cindy received both her undergraduate degree and master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin. 

On a personal note, Cindy loves to create her own itineraries to travel, which include taking in the oldest restaurants and taverns. When in Wisconsin, she enjoys movies, reading and spending quality time with her dog, Frankie, and her new horse, Rip.

 

Terry Presta, Head of North America Business, Abacus Lottery International

Terry Presta has been Head of North America Business for Abacus Lottery International since 2019.

Terry previously served as Executive Director of the Kansas Lottery from 2014-2019. He led the Retail Modernization Committee of NASPL which was responsible for passing the Harmonization of 21-day terms. This prompted Walmart to start selling lottery tickets for the first time in the USA. The committee also promoted cashless vehicles in the lottery space and formed a working group that was responsible for passing the first Open API when NASPL API 1.0 was passed in July of 2017. Terry also worked closely with MUSL to get the needed changes to MUSL Rule 2 to allow for plain paper receipts for the first time.

Terry is a graduate of University of Colorado.

 

Mike Purcell, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Kentucky Lottery Corp.

Mike Purcell is Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Kentucky Lottery Corp. With more than 30 years in the lottery industry at three different lotteries, Mike has helped drive lottery sales throughout his career.

The Kentucky Lottery just registered another stellar year, finishing fiscal year 2020 with $1,129,655,000 in ticket sales. That's the largest sales figure in Kentucky Lottery history, an $87.1 million jump over last year's record number.

Mike started his career at the Virginia Lottery in 1988 before moving on to the Florida Lottery where he helped that state earn record-breaking sales.

 

Nigel Railton, Chief Executive Officer, Camelot UK

Nigel Railton is CEO of Camelot UK. He was previously CEO of its sister company, Camelot Global, which runs a growing portfolio of consultancy and private management contracts, giving the company an industry-leading reputation.

During his time at Camelot Global, Nigel was integral in securing the 10-year private management agreement to run the Illinois Lottery, and worked closely with Camelot’s shareholder, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP), in the successful bid to operate the Irish National Lottery. This was in addition to negotiating a five-year contract to work with the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery to help improve its lottery sales, as well as launching a new online gaming platform for Swiss lottery operator Loterie Romande.

Nigel joined Camelot UK in 1998 as Financial Controller and became Finance Director in 2003, later joining Camelot’s Board in January 2006. He was also on the board of Camelot’s venture in South Africa from 2003 to 2005, which saw the company establish and support the successful operation of the inaugural South African National Lottery.

 

May Scheve Reardon, Executive Director, Missouri Lottery, Chair of Powerball Group

May Scheve Reardon is Executive Director of the Missouri Lottery.

May was the youngest woman elected to the Missouri General Assembly. She went on to serve as a Missouri State Representative for twelve years, Chair of the Democratic Party for two years, and served in a leadership role on the Joint Committee on Gaming and Wagering and the Ways and Means Committee in the Missouri House of Representatives from 1990-2002. 

Appointed to lead the Missouri Lottery in 2009, May has also served the NASPL and MUSL, serving in all the offices including president and chair of Powerball Product Group.    

 

Brian Roberts, President North America, JUMBO Interactive

Brian is President, North America for JUMBO Interactive. He has extensive experience in lotteries and gaming, software development and production and is a recognized creative innovator.

Brian’s experience in the lottery and gaming industry spans over 40 years with senior roles including Director of Creative Content Development at GTECH, COO and Senior Vice President of Marketing at On-Point Technology Systems, and Vice President of Lottery Operations at International Totalizator and Lottery Systems. 

Brian has developed, implemented and managed gaming systems across many international jurisdictions, including the design of the first lotto game in the US, launched for the NY Lottery in 1978 under a full facilities management (Private Manager) contract. In 1980 Brian took over the management of the NY operation for the duration of the contract. 

He holds over 20 issued and pending gaming industry USA patents.

 

Lynne Roiter, President & CEO, Loto-Québec, President Interprovincial Lotteries, and NASPL

representative to the WLA

Lynne Roiter is President & CEO of Loto-Quebec.  She joined Loto-Québec in 1985 as Director of Legal Affairs. From 1996 to 2017, she served as Loto-Québec’s Corporate Secretary and Vice-President of Legal Affairs. Lynne has been President and Chief Executive Officer since May 31, 2017, a role she had been filling on an acting basis since August 2016.

Prior to joining Loto-Quebec, Lynne practiced her profession as lawyer at the Commission des droits de la personne, the Régie de l’assurance automobile du Québec and in private practice.

She is a member of the Board of Directors and President of the Executive Committee of the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. She is also Corporate Secretary of the World Lottery Association, an organization that brings together more than 140 public lottery corporations from some 80 countries around the world.  Lynne is a graduate of Université Laval’s Law Faculty and member of the Québec Bar since 1972.

 

Charlie Scannella, Vice President Scientific Games Enhanced Partnership Sales, Scientific Games

With more than three decades of experience in the lottery industry, Charlie is well-versed in all aspects of lottery operations. He has extensive experience in the areas of marketing and sales, administration, market and product research, industry trends, contract negotiations and management, and strategic planning.

Prior to joining Scientific Games in 1990, Charlie served the Oregon, Maryland, New Jersey and Indiana Lottery as an Account Manager for Webcraft Games. In this position, he was involved in managing the instant product line and assisting the lotteries with strategy. He also played a key role in the start-up operations for the Indiana and Oklahoma Lottery.

 In his current role at Scientific Games, Charlie serves as the Vice President of Scientific Games Enhanced Partnership Sales and leads the company’s expansion of instant game management services in the U.S. 

 

Tom Shaheen, President, Mississippi Lottery

Tom Shaheen is President of the Mississippi Lottery.

Tom’s 27-year career in the lottery industry includes 22 years with six different lotteries, and five years as executive vice president of Linq3.  Tom started in 1987 as a sales representative with the Florida Lottery, moved to increasingly responsible positions at the Texas and Georgia lotteries, was appointed director of the New Mexico Lottery in 2000, was appointed to start-up serve as Executive Director of the North Carolina Education Lottery (NCEL) in 2006, and appointed to start up and be president of the Mississippi Lottery in 2019.

Tom served as the President of NASPL in 2005, and as President of MUSL in 2009-2010. 

 

Michelle Simon, Director of Marketing, Ohio, Scientific Games

Michelle Simon is the Director of Marketing for the Scientific Games Enhanced Partnership team serving the Ohio Lottery. Joining Scientific Games in 2019, she is responsible for the oversight of an Ohio-based team that manages the Lottery’s instant products, including analytics and insights, game design and logistics.

Michelle began her career in the Washington D.C. area at Discovery Communications and spent 15 years in programming and development, helping introduce digital cable networks such as the Science Channel to a broader market, as well as push the boundaries of non-fiction programming and entertainment with a variety of cable television shows.

As a newcomer to the lottery industry, Michelle brings leadership and new, creative ways to help develop and grow the Ohio Lottery’s instant product category.

 

Liz Siver, General Manager, NeoPollard Interactive

Liz Siver is General Manager of NeoPollard Interactive. As GM, Liz provides executive leadership on all matters related to the coordination and administration of the company’s products and services in North America.

Prior to joining NeoPollard Interactive in 2017, Liz amassed a career spanning over 18 years with Microsoft Corporation. During her tenure with Microsoft, she served in a variety of leadership roles and led Sales and Marketing teams across both private- and public-sector customers throughout the Central U.S. 

Liz is a graduate of the University of Dayton.

 

Drew Svitko, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Lottery

Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko has served the Pennsylvania Lottery for more than 20 years. He has worked in a variety of positions in the marketing, finance and security divisions.

From 2005 to 2008, Drew worked as an account executive for instant ticket printer Oberthur Gaming Technologies, before returning to the Lottery as deputy executive director for marketing and product development.

A graduate of Penn State, Drew has been the executive director for the PA Lottery since February of 2015.

 

Sarah Taylor, Executive Director, Hoosier Lottery, First Vice President of NASPL And President of MUSL (Multi-State Lottery Association)

Sarah Taylor is the Executive Director of the Hoosier Lottery, a post she has held since 2013 when she was named to the position by former Indiana Governor Mike Pence. She was reappointed to the position by Governor Eric Holcomb in 2016.

In July, Taylor was elected President of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL) by the Board of Directors. She is the 31st MUSL Board President and the first-ever to serve from the Hoosier Lottery.

Sarah also currently serves as First Vice President for NASPL.

A graduate of Indiana University, Sarah previously served MUSL as Vice President. Prior to that she chaired the both the Audit Committee and the Finance and Audit Committee and was the first Hoosier Lottery Director to serve in both roles, as well.

 

Brad Thompson, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Pollard Banknote

Brad Thompson is Vice President Sales & Marketing for Pollard Banknote.

Brad started at Pollard in the Purchasing department and has been promoted through the ranks to his present position in Sales & Marketing.

Along with his knowledge of sales, marketing, analysis, and customer relations, Brad has expertise in strategic development and merchandising. He has led some of Pollard Banknote’s largest account teams including those for Texas, Massachusetts, Arizona, Oregon, Western Canadian Lottery Corporation, and Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.

 

  1. Bret Toyne, Executive Director, Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL)

Bret Toyne has played a key role in MUSL operations since its beginning nearly 30 years ago.  Serving in the roles of CFO, Deputy Executive Director, and now Executive Director, he was and is actively involved in the diverse phases of MUSL’s operation and the evolution of its flagship game Powerball®. 

Bret also leads MUSL’s efforts on statistical analysis, game modeling, and sales projections, helping the lottery members to make their best decisions in game selection. He played a significant role in managing MUSL projects, building to annual sales of nearly $7 billion to help MUSL’s member and licensee lotteries reach their goals to fund good causes

 

Mike Veverka, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, JUMBO Interactive 

Mike Veverka is CEO and founder of Jumbo Interactive. He has a proven track record in business and computing, establishing several successful startups to meet new consumer demands for online products. His entrepreneurial flair and ambition for innovation were displayed at the age of fifteen when he created and sold his first software package to Hewlett Packard.

Mike worked as a design engineer and computer programmer before founding ‘Squirrel Software Technologies’ that provided some of Australia’s first internet services and e-commerce software. As founder and leader, Mike plays a pivotal role in the growth strategy, innovation and promotion of Jumbo.

 

Philippe Vlaemminck, Partner and Chair of the Gaming Law Practice Group, Pharumlegal Law Firm

For the past 20 years, Philippe has served as the legal adviser of The European Lotteries (EL), providing strategic EU regulatory assistance. He helped the EL in developing the EU regulatory approach and created the EL quarterly Legal newsletter.  On behalf of EL, and also partially on behalf of the WLA, he has also been involved in the trade dispute opposing the efforts of UK-based remote gambling operators to provide i-gaming to US consumers (WTO & TBR cases on cross border Internet gambling services ). 

Philippe assists European state Lotteries on a regular basis in developing a consistent EU legislative approach.  Philippe is also highly involved in the legal structures of the multi-jurisdictional EuroMillions game.

 

Jennifer Westbury, Executive Vice President Sales & Customer Development, Pollard Banknote

Jennifer Westbury is Executive Vice President of Sales and Customer Development for Pollard Banknote.

With almost 30 years of lottery experience, Jennifer provides strategic direction and leadership as a member of Pollard Banknote’s Executive Committee. At the forefront of Pollard Banknote’s tenfold growth during her time with the company, she has cultivated and grown relationships around the globe helping establish the company as one of the industry’s premiere providers of instant tickets and related services. This experience, along with insight into the ever-evolving gaming industry, has been a driving force in Pollard Banknote’s development and application of new technologies.
A graduate of Rice University in Houston, TX, with Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees, Jennifer held positions with Booz Allen & Hamilton in New York, and with Ernst & Young in Canada prior to joining Pollard Banknote.

 

Stephanie Weyant, Deputy Executive Director, Marketing & Product Development, Pennsylvania Lottery

Pennsylvania Lottery Deputy Executive Director for Marketing and Product Development Stephanie Weyant has worked for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for more than 20 years in a variety of communications and marketing roles. She served as the spokesperson for the Lottery and was the first deputy director of the Lottery’s New Media Division when it was created in 2010.

Stephanie also worked in the legislature as the Communications Director of the PA House Appropriations Committee just before returning to the Lottery in 2016 as deputy executive director for marketing and product development.

 

Andrea Williams, Senior Marketing Manager, Gaming, IGT

Joined the Interactive division of IGT in January of 2015 and has been intimately involved in the successful implementation of iLottery and digital initiatives of the Georgia Lottery Corporation. 

 

Angela Wong, Director, Montana Lottery and President of NASPL

Angela Wong in Director of the Montana Lottery, a position she has held since 2011.

This summer, Angela was named President of NASPL, heading up the first all-women slate of officers in the organization’s history.

Prior to the lottery, Angela was an Energy Development Specialist and the Montana Brand Manager at the Department of Commerce.

Angela is a graduate of Carroll College.

 

Bishop Woosley, Lottery Industry Consultant and former Director, Arkansas Lottery Commission

Bishop is the owner of Woosley Gaming Advisors, LLC, a full-service consulting firm specializing in representing lotteries and gaming vendors in the North American lottery industry.   

Bishop previously served as the Director of the Arkansas Lottery from February 2012 until August 2020. During his tenure as Director, the lottery enjoyed three consecutive record sales years, the highest return for scholarship proceeds in its history.

Bishop was a member of the team that started the Arkansas lottery in 2009 and served as Procurement Director and Chief Legal Counsel prior to becoming Director. 

Bishop was selected by his director colleagues to serve in many leadership positions during his tenure as a director. He was elected to serve as NASPL President in September 2019. For MUSL, he served as Secretary, Mega Millions Game Group Chair and Chair of the Legal Committee.   

In 2020, Bishop will be inducted into the Lottery Industry Hall of Fame. In recognition of his work at the Arkansas Lottery, he was named to the Arkansas Business top 250 Businessmen in Arkansas in 2018 and 2019 and the Arkansas Top 40 under 40 Business Executives in Arkansas in 2012.   

Prior to joining the lottery Bishop served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Arkansas and owned the Woosley Law Firm.