Global Trade Summit
Contact the John H. Chafee Center for International Business to learn more about the Global Trade Summit.
The Global Trade Summit brings together a distinguished group of leaders, innovators, and thinkers shaping the global economy.
Our speakers include executives from industry, senior government officials, trade strategists, scholars, and global policy experts — all sharing real-world insights to help you navigate today’s complex international trade landscape. From keynotes and plenaries to panel discussions and breakout sessions, each speaker contributes practical perspectives on topics such as global markets, supply chain resilience, trade policy, emerging technologies, and strategic partnerships.
Speaker lineups will be announced throughout the year — check back often for updates and complete bios as confirmations are finalized.
Michael Santora is Founder and CEO of Logic, a logistics automation platform redefining how goods move across the global supply chain. The company unifies warehouse operations, transportation, and robotics into a single digital twin–based operating system, enabling continuous, autonomous flow across facilities, vehicles, and environments.
Trained as an architect, Santora brings a systems-level approach to infrastructure and automation. At Logic, he has pioneered a multi-facility, intermodal model where data, robotics, and orchestration function as one connected system, shifting logistics from fragmented, facility-based optimization to a unified, real-time network.
Prior to founding Logic, Santora co-founded Crown Holdings and Crown Architecture, and served as a Principal at Scott Brownrigg, where he led digital twin and advanced technology initiatives. He serves on the Board of Trustees at Wentworth Institute of Technology as its first Entrepreneur in Residence, teaches zoning and land use at NYU, and mentors emerging founders through Harvard Business School.
Monika Sattler is an executive performance advisor and keynote speaker whose career spans international politics, elite sport, and leadership consulting. Her work focuses on helping leaders and organizations sustain high performance through uncertainty, pressure, and change.
A graduate of Bryant University and holder of a degree in International Security from Georgetown University, Sattler began her career at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank before moving into management consulting and later launching her own advisory practice. Having lived and worked across Germany, Spain, the United States, Australia, and Switzerland, she brings a global perspective to the challenges facing leadership teams today.
Sattler is the creator of the proprietary CLIMB framework, designed to help organizations navigate change and maintain performance in demanding environments. Outside the boardroom, she is also an accomplished endurance athlete, holding two cycling records, including completing 124 mountain passes in 26 days.
Whether you’re a business executive expanding into new markets, a trade professional navigating policy change, a student aspiring to a global career, or a community leader invested in economic development — the Global Trade Summit’s speaker program delivers ideas worth acting on.