Stonehill Business Bootcamp 2026

Join us for Stonehill Business Bootcamp on Friday, April 10. In addition to the usual wealth of information, workshops and networking opportunities, this year's event will include a special focus on the intersection of sports and business.

Friday, April 10, 2026
2:30 pm – 7 pm
Meehan School of Business
Business Bootcamp 2026

Covering All the Bases

Whether you're a business student, seasoned professional, entrepreneur or considering a career change, this is the perfect opportunity to grow your skill set and improve your metrics. Our inspiring lineup includes both the CEO and the head coach of the New England Free Jacks rugby team along with sports, entrepreneurship and innovation leaders from across many industries.

In addition to 14 workshops and panel discussions, you will have the opportunity to sign up for Hawk Tank, where a Shark Tank-inspired panel of experts will assess your entrepreneurial business ideas and offer advice.

Schedule of Events

Time Event
2:30–3:30 p.m. Welcome & Check In
2:30–6 p.m. Special Programming (available for the duration of the event)
Business & Partner Expo
Complimentary Professional Headshots
Hawk Tank (by appointment)
Resume Review & Refresh
Stonehill Graduate Admission Meetings
3–4 p.m. Strategic Success Session 1 (pick 1)
AI in 2026: From Chatbots to Coworkers with Scott Weiner
Interview Workshop with Andrew Leahy
Strategic Profit Levers: Real EBITDA Growth for SMEs with Mark Cawman
Your Strategic Planning Is Killing Your Business with John Dobson
4–4:30 p.m. Keynote Speaker
Ian Frenette, CEO of New England Free Jacks
Ryan Martin, Head Coach of New England Free Jacks
5–6 p.m. Strategic Success Session 2 (pick 1)
What Barstool Sports Teaches Us About Modern Leadership with Dana Bahrawy
Brand Foundations: Define Your Identity & Market Position with Megan Trainor
Demystifying Golf for Business with Lee McGinnis
Every Milestone Comes With a Curveball with Melanie O'Neil 
6–7 p.m. Biz Bash
Networking Event & Cocktail Hour

Strategic Success Session 1 (choose 1)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving from a tool that answers questions to a collection of systems that can support and complete parts of existing business workflows. This presentation, led by Scott Weiner, discusses recent AI developments in clear, practical terms for business professionals and students who want to understand what is changing and how to respond. We will examine how organizations are using domain-tuned models in products and operations, what current adoption and return on investment (ROI) trends suggest, and what these shifts may mean for productivity, decision making and competitive positioning. The session will also review leadership considerations, including security risks such as deepfakes, and responsible governance. Participants will leave with a practical manager playbook for identifying high-value use cases, keeping humans in the loop, measuring impact and how to put effective guardrails in place.

In this interactive workshop led by Andrew Leahy, you will learn two important frameworks to help articulate who you are in interviews and networking situations. We will begin with how to develop a strong and illustrative professional introduction then move on to a second framework supporting your response to any behavioral-based interview question. Each framework will begin with personal brainstorming and content writing then move into live practice. The goal is to help each attendee feel more comfortable recognizing transferable skills they already possess and articulating those in an effective way.

This session, led by Mark Cawman, DBA, teaches business leaders how to think about cost reduction, pricing and overall business operations strategically to drive earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) growth. It will explore how pricing, cost, market and acquisition strategies drive growth for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by challenging traditional ways of operating and driving accountability and results.

John Dobson, DBA, will examine the habits and behaviors that entrepreneurs use to launch successful businesses. He will explain why moving away from hypothetical pro forma and strategic planning and toward action-oriented approaches help you navigate the risk and uncertainties of today’s economic environment.  

Strategic Success Session 2 (choose 1)

In this session, Dana Bahrawy, senior video producer and content creator at Barstool Sports, explores what leadership looks like inside one of the fastest‑moving and most culturally influential sports media brands. Drawing from his experience at Barstool Sports, he’ll highlight how sports and pop culture leaders must balance agility, authenticity and accountability in an environment where trends shift by the hour and audiences expect transparency.

Learn what branding really is and why it matters for customer perception, loyalty and growth. Led by Megan Trainor, DBA, this session will walk through practical tools to identify your brand’s purpose, values and competitive position so you can clearly articulate where you sit in the marketplace.

This seminar, led by Lee McGinnis, Ph.D., PGA, will focus on golf basics, including basic rules, how to conduct oneself on the course and etiquette, among other topics, to help make the experience enjoyable and business ready.

Hear how a simple wedding gift grew into a nationally recognized, American-made brand. This session, led by Rustic Marlin founder Melanie O'Neil, pulls back the curtain on the innovation, grit, uncomfortable decisions and curveballs that reshaped her business at every stage of growth. You will walk away with real-world lessons on navigating expansion, making hard decisions and moving forward when every milestone seems to introduce the next challenge.

Special Programming

Enjoy cocktails and other refreshments with business colleagues from all over the Boston area, build your network and strengthen your connections.

Chat with our Business Bootcamp partners who offer products and services that will help take your career to the next level.

Get a FREE professional portrait suitable for LinkedIn, email or other professional opportunities.

Hawk Tank is based on the popular business-themed reality show "Shark Tank." Inspired by Stonehill's team name, the Skyhawks, this event provides the opportunity to present business ideas, products or services to successful entrepreneurs and businesspeople for feedback and discussion. Learn more about our Hawk Tank judges.

Please note that if you're interested in participating in Hawk Tank, you will be asked to schedule an appointment after you complete your Business Bootcamp registration.

Bring your resume and meet one-on-one with a recruiting expert to polish and perfect this important tool and get it ready for your next big opportunity.

Interested in advancing your career with a master's degree or graduate certificate? Talk with one of Stonehill's graduate admission counselors about our programs in business administration, data analytics and marketing.

Register Now!

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Meet the Keynote Speakers

Ian Frenette

CEO of the New England Free Jacks
Ian Frenette serves as Chief Executive of the New England Free Jacks rugby union team. He brings a wealth of experience to the Free Jacks, with a proven track record in sports management and business operations. His previous roles include co-founding Heritage Sports Ventures (now owned by the Free Jacks), CEO & President of the Boston Cannons, VP Partnerships of the Boston Celtics, and Director of Corporate Partnerships of IMG – Deutsche Bank Championship (PGA Tour). Most recently, Frenette served as SVP Operations at 3Step Sports, the nation’s largest and most connected youth sports club and event organization before returning to the Free Jacks.

Ryan Martin

Head Coach of the New England Free Jacks
Ryan Martin is the head coach of the back-to-back-to-back champion New England Free Jacks rugby union team. He previously held the role in 2021, leading the team to an impressive 10-6 season in the club's second season within Major League Rugby. Ryan returned to the Free Jacks in 2025 to lead the team to a 14-5 season on the way to the club's third consecutive championship. A school-teacher of 17 years across various age grades in New Zealand, Ryan is an expert in the practices of teaching and skill acquisition. Before getting his first opportunity as a professional rugby coach in 2018, Ryan was first a father and teacher. These important life experiences are pillars that form the backbone of his coaching philosophy. An avid surfer, Ryan values time honing this craft as a way of practicing mindfulness. Ryan has coached at elite levels in New Zealand, Australia and Japan where he has worked with many experienced players and coaches across a range of cultures. Ryan is a specialized attack, skill and kicking coach and values hope, attention and application of his practices

Meet Our Presenters

Dana Bahrawy

Senior Video Producer and Content Creator at Barstool Sports
Dana Bahrawy is a content creator and video producer at Barstool Sports with a deep passion for the digital media landscape. Dana has been working at Barstool since 2017 and has helped produce many successful products under the media company’s umbrella, including the Barstool Documentary Series and the Coach Prime Documentary Series. A Massachusetts native, Bahrawy is a Stonehill College alum who continues to regularly engage with the campus community.

Mark Cawman, DBA

Assistant Professor of Graduate Business Administration at Stonehill College
Mark Cawman brings more than 25 years of experience leading aerospace and automotive operations with a track record of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) growth through lean manufacturing, quality systems and supply chain excellence. He is known as an architect of systems and a developer of talent — with multiple American Society for Quality (ASQ) certifications to back it up. Mark is now shaping the next generation of business leaders at Stonehill College while offering selective consulting.

John Dobson, DBA

Associate Professor of Management at Stonehill College
John Dobson's mantra is to "help students make a living around their passion." Prior to joining academia, John was a successful entrepreneur. He started his own venture as an undergraduate student, so he understands the challenges of launching a successful business. After selling his business, he transitioned into academia to help develop the next generation of entrepreneurs. He earned his master’s in development management from the London School of Economics and his doctorate from the University of Manchester. His research focuses on the power of entrepreneurship. He has developed programming for over 40 universities and entrepreneurship centers and has published articles and books on how to effectively teach entrepreneurship. He also founded DYME Institute, which provides entrepreneurship education to marginalized communities.

Andrew Leahy

Director of Career Development at Stonehill College
Andrew Leahy has been working in career development for 16 years while advising students and graduates, developing a variety of workshops and accompanying resources, managing student travel and exploration programs, and now oversees a team of advisors and employer relations staff. Andrew earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Stonehill College and his Masters of Education degree from Northeastern University.

Lee McGinnis, Ph.D.

Professor of Marketing at Stonehill College
Between graduate school and postgraduate appointments, Lee McGinnis has over 25 years of experience teaching courses in consumer behavior, creativity, global marketing, sports marketing, integrated marketing communications, marketing principles, marketing management, marketing strategy, and golf and business, among others. He also has several years of experience in the golf industry and earned a Class A membership in the PGA of America in 1999. He earned his Ph.D. in marketing from the University of Nebraska in 2002. He has published several articles related to golf and diversifying the game and on underdogs. He has published in such academic journals as the Journal of Business Research, Journal of Service Research, Journal of Service Management, Journal of Consumer Behavior, Journal of Sport Management, Journal of Sport and Social Issues, and Journal of Small Business Strategy, among others.

Melanie O'Neil

Co-Founder of Rustic Marlin
Melanie O’Neil is a co-founder of Rustic Marlin, an American-made home décor brand built on craftsmanship, heart and a whole lot of wood. What began as a creative passion project with her husband has grown into a business with customers nationwide. She began her career at Reebok and later worked with several startups, where she developed a deep love for entrepreneurship and hands-on growth. O’Neil has previously served on advisory and nonprofit boards focused on small business growth and community development. An Everett native​, O’Neil is a Stonehill College alum and holds a master’s degree from Boston College​. Today, she enjoys coastal life in Scituate, where she finds inspiration by the sea and loves hosting friends and family.​

Megan Trainor, DBA

Senior Lecturer, Administrative Sciences at Boston University Metropolitan College
A marketing and entrepreneurship educator specializing in experiential learning and innovation, Megan Trainor brings a strong background in marketing strategy, branding, consumer behavior and innovation. She has been teaching business and marketing for over 15 years. Before Boston University Metropolitan College, she taught at Nichols College, where she cultivated an entrepreneurial incubator environment and served as a mentor for many students entering their marketing careers. Cross-functional leadership, marketing communications, corporate partnerships, marketing management and data-driven decision-making are among her strengths. Megan's industry experience is extensive, notably 12 years spent with Anheuser-Busch subsidiary the Busch Entertainment Corporation, where she was national director of partnership marketing, a role that saw her develop and execute countrywide strategies. In this role, she secured $35 million in revenue by forging partnerships with Fortune 100 companies, including Ford Motor Company, Motorola, Fuji, Southwest Airlines and Ralston-Purina. She is highly practiced at fostering partnerships between education and industry on surveys and focus groups, and has taught classes in data analytics, digital marketing, social media marketing and market research, among others.

Trainor earned a DBA with a focus on data analytics at Wilmington University and B.A. at St. Michael's College in Winooski, Vermont.

Scott Weiner

Chief Technical Officer, AI/Transformation Lead of NeuEon Inc.
Scott Weiner is a visionary technology leader and strategic advisor who has spearheaded digital transformations across a diverse array of industries – from financial services and healthcare to gaming, edtech and e-commerce, among others. Over his 30-year career, he has guided multi-million and billion-dollar enterprises, serving in executive roles like CEO, CTO and VP of Engineering, and fractional consulting, while driving innovative solutions that harmonize people, processes, and cutting-edge technologies.

Early in his career at NeXT Computer under Steve Jobs, he was the youngest director tasked with mentoring Fortune 500 companies as they adopted pioneering object technology. He has also authored several seminal books on enterprise Java and client-side technologies, cementing his reputation as a leading-edge thinker and practitioner.

Scott also collaborates with policymakers, government entities and congressional leaders to thoughtfully shape the trajectory of emerging technologies such as AI. His insights on generative AI have been sought out by congressional staff, and he frequently engages in policy work addressing critical issues like privacy, patent law and regulatory frameworks.

Meet the Hawk Tank Judges

Douglas Choate

Principal of Choate Catalysts
Douglas Choate's background spans supporting small businesses, nonprofits and startups at the intersection of marketing and software engineering. He helps drive growth by embedding directly into organizations and rebuilding websites, integrating marketing technology and empowering teams on WordPress and AI adoption. As a WordPress specialist, he has delivered over 75 high-performance marketing websites. Douglas holds a B.S. in entrepreneurship from UMass, an M.S. in marketing from Stonehill College, and has completed executive programs in leadership at Wharton and applied agentic AI for organizational transformation at MIT. He has resided in the Foxboro area for over 15 years.

Lois Jones

Founder & AI Consultant of Lois Jones Consulting LLC
Lois Jones is the founder of Lois Jones Consulting LLC, an AI consultancy dedicated to helping businesses and professionals understand and implement AI tools effectively. With a background in marketing and experience working at the intersection of AI and business strategy, Lois is passionate about making AI accessible and practical for organizations of all sizes. A Stonehill College graduate with her M.S. in marketing and Bryant University alumna, Lois is also a pole vault coach and competitor, bringing a unique perspective on skill development, performance and continuous learning to her consulting work.

Peter Karlson

Founder of NeuEon Inc.
Peter is the founder of NeuEon Inc., a technology consultancy. He specializes in guiding and advising organizations, building and leveraging technologies to help them achieve their business goals. Over the past three decades, Peter has played diverse roles in the business world. He has been a founder, re-founder, co-founder, investor and advisor to dozens of companies, showcasing his versatility and depth of experience. Peter holds a Bachelor of Science in computer science from Northeastern University and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where he serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Charlton College of Business and an advisory board member. He is also an adjunct faculty member of the Leo J. Meehan School of Business at Stonehill College. Most recently, he was a founding board member of the Massachusetts Housing and Climate Innovation Center on Cape Cod.

David Morris

Investor with Launchpad Venture Group
David Morris has held a broad array of roles in multiple industries, starting as an investment banking analyst role at a boutique M&A shop. After four years of banking, he went for his MBA with the goal of switching careers to general management. After an internship at Sprint, he accepted a job in their executive development program and spent five years in various roles there, including head of strategy in the Consumer Division. After Sprint, he spent a few years leading an HR Consulting business inside the Corporate Executive Board.

David then took a role as CEO of nCourt, a government SaaS payments company, and built the business from a small startup into a 100+ employee, profitable company serving more than 2,000 courts and agencies in 28 states. After achieving sustained growth with revenue expanding at over 50% CAGR, he negotiated a successful exit to private equity in 2013 and continued to advise the successor CEO. From 2015 to 2023, David served as CEO of Smart Lunches, an internet-enabled school lunch delivery startup. He guided the company through multiple business model pivots, scaling to serve more than 5,000 children daily across seven states. When the business concluded operations in 2023, he led a structured wind-down, selling assets and ensuring all obligations were satisfied. Currently, he is an active investor with Launchpad Venture Group and serves on two company boards.

Jared Salois

Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Ecopreneur, Inc.
Jared Salois is a multidisciplinary operator and builder with a background that spans brand design, marketing, product management and operations. He is currently serving as chief operating officer and co-founder of an EdTech SaaS company focused on community service, career exploration and student engagement. He began his career in graphic design and brand strategy, which shaped how he approaches problem-solving today: starting with clarity, user experience and systems that scale, not just aesthetics. Over time, Jared's work expanded into leading cross-functional teams, managing external vendors and developers, owning roadmaps, and translating business, technical and stakeholder needs into executable plans.

Liz Theresa

Brand and Web Designer, Intuitive Visibility Expert at Liz Theresa
Liz Theresa is an intuitive visibility expert who helps you be the star you know you are through high-end web and marketing services. She’s been in business for more than a decade creating powerful, high-converting websites, memorable brands and coaching business owners on how they can be more visible online. Let’s face it – a big break isn’t something you wait for – it’s something you make. Be sure to listen to Liz on Biz, her Forbes-acclaimed podcast every Monday for fresh, inspiring and often hilarious stories of running a business.

Learn More About Stonehill's Graduate Business Programs

Master of Science in Data Analytics

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Data Analytics Program in Stonehill's Meehan School of Business provides students with the in-demand skills and knowledge necessary to analyze data and extract actionable information from complex datasets. Fully online and hybrid program options available.

Master of Science in Marketing

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Marketing Program, offered through Stonehill’s Meehan School of Business, provides the expertise and knowledge needed to advance and lead in an ever-evolving 21st-century marketing environment. Fully online and hybrid program options available.

Contact us with any questions.

Graduate & Professional Studies Admission

gpsadmission@stonehill.edu
508-565-1600
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Graduate & Professional Studies Admission assists students as they explore graduate and professional opportunities offered at Stonehill College. 

Contact us about sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities for this event.

Elizabeth Stringer Keefe

Elizabeth Stringer Keefe

Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies
stringerkeefe@stonehill.edu
508-565-1049
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Graduate & Prof Studies

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