Virtual Events GroupMeetThe Team

Robin Raskin is the founder of Living in Digital Times a company that has produced conferences and technology shows for CES and other major venues. CTA acquired the company in 2020 and Raskin continues to consult on program development. Her newest endeavor, Solving for Tech is a consultancy that looks at virtual events. She writes a weekly column about the intersection of technology and the economy for Techonomy.

In a previous lifetime, Raskin was editor of PC Magazine, founded FamilyPC and launched YahooTech!. Author of 6 books, magazine publisher, blogger, TV and radio personality, Raskin has been at the forefront of an ever-changing topic: what it means to be digital. This year she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Consumer Technology Association.

Linda Nessim started Living in Digital Times (LIDT) with Robin Raskin in 2006. She was the Managing Partner of Living in Digital Times, which produces a diverse range of events, conferences and exhibits in the US, Europe and Asia. Linda thrives on taking creative challenges and ideas and translating them into unique and memorable experiences. She is known for creating white glove, high-touch creative events for her clients. In 2020, Linda and Robin Raskin sold the company they built to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). They continue to partner with CEA on events and programming under their new company Solving for Tech.

Before starting Living in Digital Times Linda completed an 18-year stint as Executive Vice President of Communications and Branding for The Princeton Review, a leading provider of education services and products. In her role, Linda was responsible for overseeing all public relations, market research, marketing communication efforts and Human Resources for the company.

Joel E. Rubin is a seasoned executive, entrepreneur, and operator. He spent twenty-three years with The Princeton Review, a publicly traded educational services company. His most recent position was as Senior Vice President and COO of the Test Preparation Division, where he oversaw all business operations for the network of 54 field offices in the US and Canada. He also worked with the company as a franchise operator and owner, Vice President of Operations, and Vice President of Financial Systems.

Since 2010, Joel has served as CFO of Living in Digital Times, a family-owned tradeshow management and event planning company. Joel facilitated the sale of the business in 2019, and currently serves as CFO of Solving for Tech and Design Concepts DMC, both conference and event planning businesses.

Joel received his B.A. in English Literature from Washington University in St. Louis, and lives in Bergen County, New Jersey. He served as a twice-elected member of the Norwood Board of Education,

including a term as President of the Board, and was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Lincoln College of New England. Most recently, he devoted his time to his temple as Co-President of Kol Dorot, a new congregation formed through his efforts to merge two existing congregations.

Chona Freeman has been leading the Living in Digital Times Digital Marketing efforts since its inception in 2006. Her design skills and web development experience allow for a knockout “brand” experience for all our conferences and events. From website creation to registration systems, from blog management to high-impact signage and creative design, Chona is a virtual Renaissance Woman with an eye for design and a knack for digital integration for high-impact results.

Kaare Christian has been producing the Last Gadget Standing and Mobile Apps Showdown competitions at CES for the last five years. He’s also involved in the KAPi awards, Young Innovators to Watch, and many other LIDT activities. Prior to LIDT, Mr. Christian worked with the Young People’s Chorus of New York, helping to manage concerts at most major NYC halls including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, the Kaufmann Concert Hall at the 92nd St Y, and many others. Mr. Christian has a background in biomedical engineering, and was a principal at Optical Imaging Ltd. for over ten years, and before that he worked in the Wiesel Laboratory at the Rockefeller University. He also has a background in photography, including a stint with WWLP in Springfield Mass as a TV news photographer. He is the author of a dozen books on programming and technology. Outside the tech world, Mr. Christian is a founder of the Roe Jan Watershed Community, a regular contributor to the Hudson River Almanac, and an avid paddler and outdoors enthusiast. He’s the father of three, married to Robin Raskin, and he is still trying to locate his smart watch.

AJ Head is a marketing specialist, writer, singer/songwriter, and musician from Washington DC via Detroit, MI. A graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in Ethnomusicology (the study of culture through the context of music), AJ has over 20 years in the field programming and promoting large scale as well as intimate events. Also a skilled moderator, he has led conversations with the likes of Ibram X. Kendi and Alice Walker. AJ is thrilled to join the Virtual Events Group!

Alfred Poor is a technology speaker and writer with an international reputation. Over the past forty years, he has covered a range of industries from personal computers to displays to health technology. He was a Contributing Editor with PC Magazine for more than 22 years and was on the masthead of at least a half dozen other major computer and technology magazines. A graduate of Harvard College, he is the author or co-author of more than a dozen books, including titles from Microsoft Press and Addison-Wesley. He has built his career on his skill at making complex concepts accessible to people, through the written word as well as on-site and online events. 

Alfred is in demand as a speaker at on-site and online events. He was the Keynote Speaker and Honorary Program Chair of The Digital Health Show in Melbourne, Australia. He has spoken at the Digital Health Summit at CES in Las Vegas for the past six years. He was the Summit Co-Host for the three-day NG Healthcare Summit in December 2020 presented an online program for the First Flight Society in December as well. He was a partner in charge of the online experience for the Techfluence series of online tradeshows for the technology media. Additional information is available at https://alfredpoor.com.

Julie began her career as an actress in New York City. After two decades of producing, directing and acting, she migrated into the world of high-end event planning, producing events, parties, weddings and Bar Mitzvahs in numerous city venues including the World Trade Center, the 21 Club, the New York Palace, etc.  In 2011, she joined Robin Raskin at Living in Digital Times, taking the responsibility of producing the annual CES FitnessTech Summit, subsequently producing the CES Wearable Technology Summit as well.  Along the way, Julie has become a spearhead and conduit not only for the FitnessTech and Wearable Technology communities, she has been invited to share her experience and insight everywhere from Wall Street seminars to various events and conferences around the world. She is excited to be joining Robin on her latest undertaking and looks forward to helping her find the next great “virtual” innovation.   

Assistant Editor Gabriella Raskin is a recent graduate of Louisiana State University where she studied Marketing and Communications. Gabriella has worked in event production, marketing, and public relations including projects for the United Nations, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), and a handful of non-profit organizations in New York and the U.K. In her spare time cooking is her passion and she’s quickly mastering the world of virtual events.