Matthew Sawyer, Founder
©2022 Peter Serling Photography
An American business and marketing strategist, author, and teacher. Matthew is known for rejuvenating four well-known brands and launched dozens of successful consumer and B2B products for both domestic and international companies.
Matthew has won several prestigious awards, including Gold and Silver “EFFIES” for most effective advertising. The Wall Street Journal recognized him for innovative use of Google search marketing. While at Snapple Beverages, BrandWeek named him as a leading “Brand Builder.”
In November 2022, Matthew was interviewed on stage by a Financial Times’ editor at FT Live "Investing in America" Summit about best practices for businesses trying to enter the United States.
Matthew is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University and he teaches graduate courses on marketing and business strategy at New York University.
His book, Make It In America - How International Companies and Entrepreneurs Can Successfully Enter and Scale in U.S. Markets, was published by Wiley in 2022.
Marcela Miguel Berland
Marcela M. Berland is the founding President and CEO of Latin Insights and an important member of the USAccelerator team.
Marcela is an internationally recognized leader who has built a strong reputation as a trusted advisor and strategist, and is widely considered an expert in crisis management, strategic communications and public affairs. She leverages consumer insights, market trends, and emerging technologies to conceive innovative and actionable strategies for corporate and political clients.
Marcela is a 2021 Forbes Next 1,000 honoree. The award celebrates bold and inspiring entrepreneurs. She received the 2022 Entrepreneur of the Year Award by LIDE and the 2022 WEES leadership award. Marcela is also an Adjunct Professor at NYU.
She has appeared frequently on CBS News, CNN en Español, NY1 News, Channel 12 News, and other media networks.
From 1982 to 1989, she was a Professor of Political Science and a founder and Director of the Center of U.S. Studies at the Catholic University of Argentina in Buenos Aires. Marcela completed an Executive Program at the Business Graduate School at Stanford University sponsored by LBAN, she also holds a Licenciatura Summa Cum Laude in Political Science and International Relations from the Catholic University of Argentina where she received a Fulbright Scholarship; a Delta Kappa Gamma Scholarship and a Monica Mourier de Archibal Scholarship to study in the US. She holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Survey Research from the University of Connecticut.
Marcela is an Advisory Board member of the Pan-American Development Foundation (PADF), a member of LBAN (Latino Business Action Network), and a Board member of WEF Caribbean (Women Economic Forum).
Gilles Vanpoucke
Gilles Vanpoucke is an international business development professional. He started his career with ING Belgium and then joined the Renson Group, a Belgian industrial company with over 1,000 employees. After two years, he relocated to Los Angeles, CA, to lead Renson’s North American launch. With determination and strategic acumen, he played a pivotal role in transforming Renson Inc. into a major player in the architectural structures industry. For example, Gilles helped orchestrate the successful acquisition of a local competitor, bolstering the company's position and incorporating local manufacturing into its operations. (Read the story.)
In 2016, Gilles embarked on two entrepreneurial ventures that reflected his passion for both business and philanthropy. He founded GVP Global Advisor, which provides guidance and support to Belgian companies navigating the global market. And, in collaboration with his wife, he co-founded Fritz and Chewy Apparel Company. This unique apparel company not only strives for sartorial excellence but also aids dogs in need through donations to various organizations in Southern California. After 6 successful years, including helping thousands of needy dogs, they let go of the day to day operation of the company.
In addition to his work with USAccelerator, Gilles is currently serving as the Vice President of Business Development for Umbrosa, a Belgian company that designs, manufactures, and sells outdoor umbrellas, Gilles is helping to Umbrosa as they embark on their North American journey.
Driven by a desire to make a difference and to raise awareness and funds for Rare Diseases, he established the non-profit organization "Cycle 4 Rare Diseases" in 2023. This endeavor showcases his dedication to addressing important issues and making a difference in the lives of those affected by rare illnesses.
Beyond his corporate pursuits, Gilles actively contributes to the Belgian-American business community. He serves as an Ambassador at BelCham and holds a position on the Board of Directors at BelWest, both esteemed Belgian-American Chambers of Commerce.
Fitore Miftari
Fitore Miftari is a global marketing professional with experience in many industries, including entertainment, media, SaaS, and technology. She has worked in the USA, Western Europe, and the Balkans. With this broad experience, Fitore brings a deep understanding of corporate, economic, and popular cultures that impact business and people’s behavior in different countries.
In her previous roles, she has leveraged her strategic prowess to drive growth and innovation and establish B2B products across international markets. She has a keen understanding of market dynamics and customer needs. By leveraging her skills in strategic communications, marketing, brand building, and market growth strategies, she was able to find the right markets for a variety of Startups that she has worked with to accelerate growth.
Notable achievements, including impactful marketing campaigns and strategic initiatives, have marked Fitore's professional journey. She has built a completely new music vertical named blue Music from the ground up for Switzerland’s largest entertainment broadcaster blue Entertainment. Fitore's career trajectory has been shaped by a diverse range of experiences, from her academic pursuits to her involvement in politics and community-oriented initiatives. As a volunteer for various mentorship and educational organizations, she is passionate about giving back to her community and empowering the next generation of leaders. Armed with a Master of Science in Strategic Communication from Columbia University, she is a dynamic force in the marketing landscape.
Gbenga Raymond Adebija
Gbenga Adebija brings business leadership and multicultural communication expertise to the USAccelerator team. Gbenga is also the President & CEO of Ashton & Layton, a business communication consultancy operating out of the United States, United Kingdom, and Nigeria. After a distinguished career at Cadbury Schweppes, he then served as Director-General & Chief Executive at several leading international bilateral Chambers of Commerce including the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce.
Previously, He was Founder & CEO of Finsbury & Bromley, President & CEO of Business in Nigeria, and consulted for top-tier organizations in the United States, UK, Germany, Kenya, South Africa, and Canada. Gbenga is also a recipient of numerous local and international awards including the prestigious Global Brand Excellence Award conferred by the World Brand Congress in Singapore and Rotary International.
Gbenga attended prestigious academic institutions in Nigeria and the UK including the University of London and the Lagos Business School.
He is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and was a panel judge on THE INTERN, a radio presenter, newspaper columnist, best-selling author, and has made cameo appearances in movies, stage plays, and music videos.
Tom Cotton
Tom brings over 40 years of international experience in strategic services, marketing and communications to USAccelerator, and has helped multinationals like Royal Philips Electronics and Lavazza Coffee successfully enter American markets.
In addition to his work with USAccelerator, he is actively consulting to and advising boards in the CPG, pharma, sexual wellness, semiconductor, gaming and office furnishings industries.
Before starting his TomCottonCo consultancy, Tom had 25 years of agency experience at Backer & Spielvogel, FCB, JWT and DDB. He then co-founded the Conductor branded entertainment agency in LA in 2004, and the NY ad agency Protagonist in 2008.
Tom has been lucky to lead marketing initiatives around the world for organizations and brands like IBM, AT&T, Qwest Communications, Philips Electronics, Unilever, Beam Suntory, Miller Brewing, Nestle and Kraft.
Tom has been recognized as a pioneer in the modern-day branded entertainment practice. He produced the first network TV programming (on NBC Sports) for Unilever’s Degree deodorant brand, and for its AXE deodorant brand, Conductor co-created the first-ever “web series” and video game for a consumer brand in the United States, winning Unilever’s 2006 Global Gold recognition for the most innovative and effective campaign in the world that year.
At Conductor, Tom’s team was instrumental in the acceleration of Beam’s growth in the bourbon, tequila and vodka categories, helping enable Beam’s IPO and subsequent purchase by Suntory. At Protagonist, Tom’s team helped grow the Zicam OTC pharma brand, helping enable its sale to Church & Dwight for $515mm at a record-breaking OTC multiple in 2020.
Yuntian Liu
Yuntian is a digital marketing specialist who brings tremendous technical experience and knowledge to our team. He works on both elevating the USAccelerator brand and assisting with research and technology-related client projects.
Over the past four years, Yuntian has managed extensive digital marketing campaigns for a global technology company and an international entertainment company. In these roles, he utilized email, social media, and paid advertising. In addition, he optimized their websites and led their analysis of performance metrics.
Yuntian has a B.S. in Marketing Analytics and a M.S. in Integrated Marketing from New York University. His skills include: Python, SAS, SQL, Excel, PowerBI, Tableau, Google Analytics, Google Ads, Javascript, PHP, HTML, and Final Cut Pro.