1 

MEP Advisory Board Meeting 

Wednesday, September 13, 2023 

Buffalo Niagara Convention Center Meeting Room 106B

153 Franklin St, Buffalo, NY 14202

MEETING AGENDA

10 a.m.-10:45 a.m. 

(45 min)

Welcome and Introductions

• Brief FACA statement from the DFO

• Welcome from Chair and Vice Chair

• Introduction around the room from the

board members

• Welcome from Director

• Remarks from the ADIIS

• Remarks from the Deputy Director

• Beverly Bobb, Designated FACA Officer

(DFO)

• Bernadine Hawes, Chair, MEP Advisory

Board

• Don Bockoven, Vice Chair, MEP Advisory

Board

• Pravina Raghavan, MEP Director

• Nagesh Rao, MEP Deputy Director

• Mojdeh Bahar, NIST, Associate Director,

Innovation, and Industry Services (ADIIS)

10:45 a.m.- 11:45

a.m.

(60 min)

MEP Program Update, Part One

Introduction by Pravina followed by the 

Division Chiesf on what their division does 

at NIST MEP in the following order: 

• 486 – Internal Operations

• 481 – National Agreements

Management

• 485 – Outrach and External Affairs

• 482 – Performance Evaluation and

Economic Impacts

• Pravina Raghavan, MEP Director

• Heather Mayton, Division Chief, Internal

Operations

• Mellissa Ayala, Acting Division Chief,

National Agreements Management

• Brandyi Phillips, Division Chief, Outreach

and External Affairs

• Mark Schmit, Division Chief,

Performance Evaluation and Economic

Impacts

11:45 a.m. – 2 p.m.

(2.25 hours) 

Meeting Break to Participate in MEPNN Forum: Lunch & Plenary

2 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

(30 min) 

MEP Program Update, Part Two

Welcome back by Pravina followed by the 

Division Chiesf on what their division does 

at NIST MEP in the following order: 

• 483 – National Programs

• 481 – National Platforms

• Pravina Raghavan, MEP Director

• Jyoti Malhotra, Division Chief, National

Programs and Acting Division Chief,

National Platforms
2 

2:30 p.m.- 4 p.m.

(90 min) 

2023-2027 MEPNN Strategic Plan Metrics 

Discussion

NIST MEP presents metrics and periods of 

reporting under the three pillars of the 

current strategic plan.

• Pravina Raghavan, MEP Director

• Nico Thomas, NIST MEP, Performance 

Analyst

4 p.m.- 4:10 p.m.

(10 min)

Meeting Break

4:10 p.m. - 5:10 p.m.

(60 min)

MEPNN Workforce Discussion and Panel

MEP Centers discuss successful projects 

and services in narrowing the the 

workforce gap with an emphasis on items 

that can be replicated at a national level.

• Pravina Raghavan, MEP Director 

(moderator)

• Jeff Spain, Ohio MEP Subrecipient

• Peter Connelly, New Jersey MEP

• Dusty Cruise, Missouri Enterprise, 

Missouri MEP

• Kathie Mahoney, Massachusetts MEP

• Jessica Herbert, New York MEP

5:10 p.m. -5:20 p.m.

(10 min)

Public Comments

5:20 p.m.-5:30 p.m.

(10 min)

Meeting Wrap Up • Bernadine Hawes, Chair, MEP Advisory 

Board

• Don Bockoven, Vice Chair, MEP Advisory 

Board

• Pravina Raghavan, MEP Director

• Nagesh Rao, MEP Deputy Director

• Mojdeh Bahar, NIST, Associate Director, 

Innovation, and Industry Services (ADIIS)

Agenda Subject to Change

Times are estimated

MEP Advisory Board Meeting, 9/13/23 

The MEP Advisory Board will kick off at 10 a.m. in a Meeting Room 106B during the 2023 MEPNN Forum. 

This meeting is open to the public and free of charge. Pre-registration is required. Space is limited and will 

be accommodated in order of registration date, as space allows. You may register through the 2023 

MEPNN Forum Event page or by submitting your name, company/organization, email address and phone 

number to Monica Claussen at mailto:monica.claussen@nist.govno later than Wednesday, September 6, 

2023, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Rev. 8/30/2023