Katie Daniel joined Florida Polytechnic University in 2026 as university counsel. She is a seasoned advocate with experience in government affairs, compliance, and strategic engagement. Daniel has filed amicus briefs on behalf of members of Congress in high-profile litigation and testified before dozens of state legislatures and regulatory agencies across the United States. She regularly speaks at conferences and college campuses, and she has trained physicians to be effective spokespeople and expert witnesses.
After a decade working in Washington, D.C., Daniel is proud to call West Central Florida home. In her free time, she enjoys teaching high school students basic cooking, budgeting, and nutrition through the Junior League of Tampa and cheering on her alma mater with her husband, Hunter, a fellow Gator lawyer.
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This session will demonstrate that practical risk management is for everyone, regardless of a formal program. Attendees will learn actionable and simple strategies that are easy to implement, enabling them to start immediately by focusing on their top risks to build greater operational resilience and ensure the sustained success of their auxiliary enterprises.
Michelle Powell serves as the pioneering Risk Manager at Florida Polytechnic University, the state’s sole 100% STEM-dedicated institution. Having been with the university for nearly 11 years, Michelle transitioned from a leadership role in Admissions in October 2023 to establish and evolve the risk management function from the ground up. In this solo capacity, Michelle builds robust frameworks for our dynamic, young university, overseeing our insurance portfolio, consulting on third-party and event risks, and developing critical campus-wide training programs. Michelle has obtained the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) Enterprise Risk Management certificate and the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designations. Her distinct background in mathematics and engineering, combined with extensive higher education leadership, brings an analytical and strategic approach enhancing the institution’s resilience.
Dr. Lily Li is a Professor of Physics at Florida Polytechnic University, where she specializes in materials science, analytical imaging, advanced manufacturing, and biomedical devices. Prior to joining Florida Poly in 2025, she spent 11 years at SUNY Potsdam, where she advanced to Full Professor and developed a 3-2 Engineering dual-degree program with Clarkson University. Her work emphasizes experiential learning and research-driven education to prepare students for careers in STEM fields.
