Since December 1999, the Washington, D.C.-based Pew Internet & American Life Project has examined how people's internet use affects their families, communities, health care, education, civic and political life, and work places. The Project has issued more than 120 reports based on its surveys that monitor people's online activities and the Internet's role in their lives.

Prior to launching the Pew Internet Project, Lee Rainie was managing editor of U.S. News & World Report. He is a graduate of Harvard College and has a master's degree in political science from Long Island University.

This Chicago-based company designs and develops web-based software for small business and is passionate about small teams, clean design, simplicity and clarity. These passions manifest themselves in 37signals' products including Basecamp, Highrise, Backpack, Campfire, Ta-da List, and Writeboard.

Jason Fried, whose success story was just recently featured in TIME Magazine, has also co-authored Getting Real, a book about 37signals' design, development, and business methods.

Jason is the chief analytics & optimization officer for ZAAZ, Inc., a web business consultancy implementing data-driven business initiatives. He has helped companies like eTrade, Ford, Sony, Blockbuster, Washington Mutual, Converse, Microsoft, Sprint, Levi Strauss, Hallmark and A&E Television Networks make better use of analytics data to improve site results. Jason has written a web analytics column on ClickZ.com for the past four years and is the co-author of the book "Actionable Web Analytics: Using Data to Make Smart Business Decisions."

Bret is a lead business consultant and the CIO of Evantage Consulting, an e-business management consulting firm in Minneapolis. He has 11 years of experience in e-commerce and interactive marketing, plus extensive experience in business strategy, marketing, technology, new product development and operations. Bret has led web and e-business projects for clients such as UnitedHealthcare, Marvin Windows & Doors, Mills Fleet Farm, Medtronic, Thomson West and Washington Mutual. He is a former president of MIMA.

Loran serves as director of customer marketing for ValueVision Media, Inc., parent company of ShopNBC — America's third-largest television and multimedia shopping network. He manages corporate customer relationship marketing, including direct and database marketing; search, affiliate and email marketing; customer analytics and ShopNBC's co-branded and private-label credit cards. Previously, Loran managed direct marketing and product development at MBI, Inc., parent company of The Danbury Mint. He holds a bachelor's degree in politics from Princeton University.

Samantha is a digital marketing manager at Fingerhut Direct Marketing, where she focuses on paid search, affiliate marketing, email and digital media campaigns. Prior to Fingerhut, she cut her teeth in online marketing working for a local agency, Digital River – her clients included Symantec, Allume (Smith Micro), and Webroot. Before Digital River, Samantha sat on the client-side of the table, developing online promotions for the Home business at Target.com.

With 30 years of broadcast and interactive design experience, Dale is a driving force behind Schematic's push to converge television, broadband networks, wireless media and the Internet. He has worked with Time Warner, Sony and Turner Classic Movies. He's won four Emmy awards and has been active with the AFI Enhanced TV Workshop for many years. Dale has taught design, information architecture, and animation at UCLA, the California Institute of the Arts, and Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.

Bret is a classically trained right-brainer in design, with well-developed left-brainer technical sensibilities, which made the decision to start his own company, Ham in The Fridge, an absolute no-brainer. He became involved in the early stages of interactive when industry standards were just beginning to formulate themselves. Many years of experience later, he is a part of an exciting industry that has created its own set of design and strategy rules.

A native of Japan, Aki's business localization experience includes sales management, operations management, project management, Japanese language management and consulting and translation memory tool management. He has served as the chairman of the Globalization and Localization Association (GALA) in 2006. His academic credentials include a master's degree in international marketing and business administration from Texas A&M University and a bachelor's in international relations from Tokyo International University.

As director of technology, Marc manages development, platforms, and technology partners at space150. His teams ensure the right mix of technology is in place to provide solutions and results. In addition to developing interactive experience with clients such as Discovery Communications, American Express, Target and Best Buy, he has a background in computer graphics, and motion capture. He teaches videogame history and 3D videogame world construction at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design.

As a director for Google, Jim leads the advertising business with Google's major Midwest clients and media agency partners. Heading up Google's Chicago operation, Jim has nearly 20 years of integrated marketing and online advertising experience, including brand and creative strategy, marketing plan development, consumer lead generation, marketing analysis, optimization and consumer insights. Additionally, he has a strong background in retail and consumer packaged goods with leadership positions held at DDB, marchFirst, Young & Rubicam, and EuroRSCG.

Lance is the founder and CEO of Closed Loop Marketing, an online marketing company that helps clients maximize return on their web investments. Drawing on 10 years of experience in online marketing, user psychology, economics, usability testing and design, Lance works with companies like Hewlett-Packard, SalesForce.com and Quicken Loans to create end-to-end marketing campaigns with measurable ROI. He's working on the New Riders book, "Web Design for ROI: Turning Browsers into Buyers & Prospects into Leads."

Jeanniey offers more than two decades of accomplishment-laden experience in the email, interactive and digital marketing realm. She is considered by many, a force of unending energy, focused on driving sales, improving brand impact and increasing customer relationships. Jeanniey is as a senior partner, and the global executive director of the Email Marketing and Digital Dialogue Practice at OgilvyOne Worldwide. She is also the founder and executive chair of the Email Experience Council.

Jeff brings comprises the best of the traditional direct marketing, online marketing channels and Ciceron. His career has spanned across many layers of marketing performance, from leadership at Fingerhut Corporation to ecommerce initiatives at Digital River. At Carmichael Lynch advertising agency, Jeff lead integrated campaigns for American Standard, Cross Pens, Cappella University and Blue Cross/Blue Shield. He brings a financial performance component to his work stemming from his years as a professional financial planner.

Jim, a shareholder with Larkin Hoffman's Intellectual Property, Technology and Internet group, counsels both large publicly traded companies and privately held businesses. He has worked on all aspects of e-commerce infrastructure arrangements and is skilled in obtaining clearance for content and marks. Jim has extensive experience in the areas of trademarks and service marks, copyright, trade secret protection, licensing, e-commerce and computer and Internet law. He's recognized as a "Super Lawyer" by Minnesota Law & Politics magazine.

Dan launched AKQA /Mobile in January 2006 focusing on creativity for the mobile platform. He started his mobile career in 1995 within Orange UK before moving into media with Express Newspapers. He launched 12snap UK's mobile marketing business with brands including McDonald's, Coke, Cadbury and Fox. While with Greenland Interactive Dan oversaw client wins like EMAP Radio and GSK. He's a frequent speaker on the subject of creative mobile marketing and contributes to Marketing Week Magazine in the UK.

Bill leads engineering for Yahoo! Teachers, a web 2.0 community allowing teachers to gather, organize and share web resources and lesson planning. He's the Ajax evangelist at Yahoo!, focusing on spreading the goodness of "rich and sane" Ajax design/development. Also at Yahoo! Bill launched the Yahoo! Design Pattern Library. For 20 years Bill has bounced between design and engineering projects, creating products in areas including video games, widget libraries, war gaming, IDE tools, airline management and consumer sites.

Ward thinks of himself as an online marketer that saves lives. Medtronic produces state-of-the-art medical devices and Medtronic employees worldwide share a common goal - to "alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life". Every five seconds, the life of someone somewhere in the world is improved by a Medtronic product or therapy. Ward helps Medtronic strategically place their product and therapy information in front of people seeking vital healthcare information online.

Robert is the CEO and co-founder of W3i, owner of Freeze.com and Ringtone.com. With over seven years leading W3i, Rob has gained expertise in interactive marketing strategies including software and mobile marketing as well as online email, display, affiliate and search strategies. He was ranked as a Minnesota "Top 20 Emerging Leader" by Twin Cities Business Monthly (January, 2006) and is a regular speaker at marketing and business classes at St. Cloud State University and North Hennepin Community College.

Matt is the online marketing manager for North American Membership Group -- a membership, publishing, and merchandise marketing company. He oversees NAMG's online business including member websites, email marketing programs, customer acquisition campaigns and web analytics, which combined, have taught him the importance of testing and tracking, "With the ready availability of affordable analytics tools, there's no excuse not to track your efforts. Otherwise, how will you broadcast your wins and learn from your mistakes?"

A 14-year marketing veteran, Lori is the vice president of space150, overseeing the Strategy & Insights, Account Management, and Modern Media departments. She leads space150's holistic, integrated approach to business by seeking new ways to leverage services that enhance, integrate and support marketing efforts. She was named one of the 25 Women to Watch by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. She is a frequent presenter at industry events including KidPower and Advertising Women of New York (AWNY).

Overseeing Reside's marketing and business development efforts, Jennifer helps clients drive business results through strategic web planning, projects and programs. Jennifer began her interactive career as the director of business development for Cazarin Web Group, followed by an entrepreneurial streak with the launch of her own marketing/communications business – Advent Consulting - in 2001. Since January 2002, Jennifer has played an integral role in Reside's growth, vision and go-to-market strategy.