Stephen Weingart joined Florida Poly in 2025 as chief development officer and CEO of the Florida Polytechnic University Foundation. In this role, he leads all philanthropic initiatives, donor engagement, alumni relations, and strategic resource development to advance Florida Poly’s mission of delivering applied, project-based STEM education that prepares graduates to drive innovation and fuel Florida’s high-tech economy.
Prior to joining Florida Poly, Weingart was vice president for university advancement at Huntington University and vice president for advancement at Malone University. This followed a lengthy career with a Fortune 100 company. He brings deep expertise in building collaborative teams, cultivating major gifts, and forging partnerships with individuals, corporations, and foundations.
Weingart is committed to strengthening Florida Poly through collaboration with local business leaders and community partners. He is passionate about expanding access to world-class STEM education, providing students with the scholarships and experiential opportunities needed to become tomorrow’s innovators and industry leaders.
As proud residents of Lakeland, Florida, Weingart and his wife, Beth, are deeply committed to faith, family, and community. When not working, he can be found on the golf course, exploring the outdoors, or spending quality time with family and friends.
Education
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.
