Managing Director
PBN Hill + Knowlton Strategies

Inna supervises client accounts and delivers corporate communications, social + digital media and press relations services for all PBN H+K clients in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. She has conducted advanced media and crisis management training for senior executives at GlaxoSmithKline, Visa, BankCenterCredit, Verny Capital, Citibank, ArcelorMittal, Chagala and Burger King, among others. Prior to joining PBN Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Inna served in 2007 – 2009 as deputy director for project management at the ANO Mass Media Center in Novosibirsk, Russia, where she provided project management, corporate identity, government and media relations services. She also worked for the National Circulation Service as Siberia Communications Coordinator. In 2007 – 2010, Inna lectured on Russian journalism and press services at Novosibirsk State University of Economics and Management. Inna graduated magna cum laude from the Novosibirsk State University of Economics and Management with a degree in Public Relations. She holds PhD degree in Sociology of Management. She is fluent in spoken and written English and Russian.

Solution Assessment Specialist
Microsoft

Natalya Matassova is a Solution Assessment Specialist at Microsoft, overseeing the region of 14 countries including CIS, Baltics, and Black Sea. She specializes in technology and helps organizations prepare for digital transformation and migration to the Microsoft Cloud Platform. Before taking on this role, she led Microsoft’s Small, Medium, and Corporate business in CIS. Natalya has over 13 years of experience at Microsoft, working with customers and partners in Kazakhstan and the broader region. Before joining Microsoft in 2010, Natalya was a General Manager at a Kazakhstani IT Security company. Prior to beginning her journey in the IT world in 2006, she spent a few years in the telecommunications industry in Kazakhstan at Kcell, Ducat, and Kazakhtelecom.

Executive Director
American Councils Center for Global Leadership

Sam Potolicchio is an accomplished Executive Director with a proven track record of success in international education. He is the founder of the American Councils For International Education’s Center for Global Leadership and serves as President of the Preparing Global Leaders Forum. With extensive experience in lecturing across 85 countries, Sam has delivered talks at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, including Oxford, LSE, Cambridge, Yale, Komar University in Iraq, and Donetsk State University. Sam is a highly sought-after instructor in Executive Education EMBA programs at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business and Mannheim Business School. His expertise in leadership and global affairs has earned him several accolades, including being named one of “America’s Best Professors” by the Princeton Review and Future Leader of American Higher Education by the Association of Colleges and Universities. He has also been profiled in Newsweek Japan as the “Best Professor in America” for his innovative leadership curriculum. With a passion for global education and leadership development, Sam is a driving force in the field of international education.

Chief People Officer
Tele2/Altel Kazakhstan

Ainura Koshoeva is an International expert in personnel management, certified business coach, Chief Reinvention Practitioner, mentor of Wonder Women and Digital Nomad Woman. Now she is engaged in strategic HR issues, leading the Agile transformation and development of corporate culture according to the new business strategy in the United Tele2/Altel Company. Ainura is the best HR Director in Kyrgyzstan according to the International HR Excellence Award 2017 and Kazakhstan’s best HRD according to the Kazakhstan HR Forum in 2022. Ainura has more than 20 years of experience in business, including 15 years in senior positions in personnel management and marketing.

Tom Bartkoske

Founder and Mentorship Director
Almaty Toastmasters Club

Tom Bartkoske is a globally recognized expert in Emotional Intelligence (EQ) training, with extensive experience working with multicultural organizations and multinational companies worldwide. As the founder of Almaty Toastmasters Club, he has led the development of successful training programs and has been instrumental in helping clients develop strong leadership, presentation, and team-building skills. Tom has presented at various workshops and conferences, including AISEC, KIMEP, Toastmasters, PwC, JTI, GoViral, WorldBank, and USAID. His expertise and unique approach have helped clients in Egypt, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, USA, China, and Kazakhstan achieve their personal and professional goals.

Michelle Bartkoske

Former President
Almaty Toastmasters Club

Michelle Bartkoske is an accomplished business professional with a demonstrated track record of success in the areas of public speaking, emotional intelligence training, and team building. As the former president of Almaty Toastmasters Club and the Toastmasters Central Asia Speech Champion in 2020, Michelle has a proven ability to communicate effectively and inspire others. She has also delivered comprehensive EQ trainings for multinational companies and multicultural organizations in Kyrgyzstan, USA, and Kazakhstan. Her expertise in conflict resolution and team building has made her a sought-after presenter at various workshops and conferences hosted by prestigious organizations such as the UN, Toastmasters, USAID, and AIWC. Michelle’s unique combination of skills and experience make her a valuable asset to any business or organization seeking to enhance their communication, teamwork, and leadership capabilities.

Co-Founder
Pine Island Capital Partners

Clyde C. Tuggle is a Co-Founder and Founding Partner of Pine Island Capital Partner, an innovative private equity investment firm in Washington, DC, focusing on U.S. middle market investment opportunities. Prior to Pine Island Capital Partners, Tuggle spent 30 years with The Coca-Cola Company, where he quickly rose through the ranks. By 2008, he had been named Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Productivity and a member of the Company’s Executive Committee. From 2009 through 2017, he served as Senior Vice President of Global Public Affairs and Communications, a position reporting directly to the Chairman and CEO of the Company. He retired from the Company in 2018.

Tuggle currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Power Company, where he is Chairman of the Compensation Committee. He is also a past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Agnes Scott College and a Trustee of the Georgia Research Alliance. Tuggle serves on the Boards of Directors of the Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse, the U.S. Russia Business Council, and is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Goizueta Business School Advisory Board, and the Yale University International Advisory Board.

Tuggle holds a bachelor’s degree in German Studies and Economics from Hamilton College, a Master of Divinity from Yale University, and completed The Executive Program at the University of Virginia’s Darden Business School. He studied at the Ludwig-Maximillian Universität in Munich, Germany. Clyde was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and is married to Mary M. Streett. They have two children.