Avalanche

Working ExperienceFounder and CEO, Ava Labs (Jan 2019 - Present)Associate Professor, Cornell University (Jan 2001 - Aug 2021)Founder, bloXroute Labs (Mar 2017 - May 2019)Educational BackgroundB.S.E., Computer Science, Princeton University (1989 - 1993)Ph.D., Computer Science, University of Washington (1993 - 2000) 

Kevin Sekniqi is the Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer at Avalanche and Chief Protocol Architect at Ava Labs. He is credited with developing the Avalanche blockchain platform and works on growing Ava Labs while researching ways to improve the Avalanche protocol. He’s based in Miami, Florida.Prior to Ava Labs, he was a Ph.D. candidate at Cornell University. Some of his work is in fully homomorphic encryption schemes, OPE schemes, distributed systems/consensus, crypto-economics, and more.In addition to his role at AVA, Sekniqi is an active member of the San Francisco tech community. He is an advisor to several startups and has spoken at various conferences and events. He mentors aspiring entrepreneurs and is passionate about entrepreneurship and fostering the next generation of tech leaders.

Chris Lavery is the CFO at Ava Labs. Chris has over 20 years of experience in financial strategy and operations.Previously, they were the Executive Vice President of Financial Strategy at Blockchain.com, where they were responsible for developing corporate strategy and financial analytics. Chris also led the launch of Blockchain's cryptocurrency exchange and venture capital fund.Before Blockchain.com, Chris was the On Demand Chief Financial Officer for High-Growth Companies at Burkland. In this role, they provided fractional COO and strategic CFO services to startups and early-stage companies.Chris has a proven track record in helping businesses achieve their goals and grow their operations. Chris is an expert in financial modeling, fundraising, and strategic planning. With their vast experience and knowledge, Chris is an invaluable asset to any organization.Chris Lavery has a MBA in Finance from The Wharton School, a JD in Corporate Law from Georgetown University Law Center, and a BA from Georgetown University. Chris also has a bachelors from Fairfield College Preparatory School and a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University. Chris is certified from - in New York and Connecticut Bar Licenses; California In-House Counsel.

John builds scalable and disruptive technology businesses. He has worked in the finance and technology industries for over 20 years as an entrepreneur, operator, and investor: President of a web3 companyBuilt a compliant token trading marketplace for private shares and funds Founded technology investment firm backed by the Blackstone Group