Rodney A Cooper, Esq. Founder
Rod Cooper, Esq. (JD, MA, BA) has dedicated his career to intellectual property, with expertise spanning laboratories, athletic fields, studios, courtrooms, and boardrooms. He currently focuses on strategic investment and counseling in technology, entertainment, film production, professional athlete marketing, and intellectual property enforcement and licensing. As managing director of Legato 4K Technology Investment Fund and leader of Phalanx Investments, LLC, he drives innovation in tech and media. A passionate filmmaker, he serves as President of TexaCali Productions, LLC, with two feature films in pre-production.
As a licensed attorney, Cooper has litigated and licensed intellectual property for over 20 years, previously with Sidley & Austin, Nix Patterson & Roach LLP, and his own firm, The Cooper Law Group, PC. He has secured billions in settlements, licenses, and jury verdicts in major intellectual property cases. A recognized thought leader, he has lectured at Stanford, Georgetown, and various professional organizations. Cooper is a member of the U.S. Patent Bar, past President of the Dallas Chapter of the Licensing Executive Society, and chairs the advisory board for Stanford’s Hoover IP². He holds degrees in Neuroscience (BA, CU Boulder), Molecular Biology (MA, CU Denver), and Law (JD, SMU Dedman School of Law).
Douglas Bechler
Doug is an accomplished executive with a diverse background in philanthropy, public policy and government relations, the International NGO community, higher education, and the private sector. He is a dynamic, results-orientated leader with proven success, including establishing and negotiating strategic corporate philanthropic partnerships with many Fortune 500 transnational corporations. He has raised millions of dollars from public and private sources, including foundations, high-net-worth individuals and other key influencers. He is an experienced practitioner capable of navigating diverse and challenging environments and has a track record of meeting ambitious goals, building long-term intrinsic value and hitting short and long term metrics, while managing personnel and guiding operations.
Annelise Anderson
A.B., Wellesley College, 1960; M.A., Columbia University, 1965; Ph.D., Columbia University, 1974
Annelise Graebner Anderson is an economist who has been a Senior Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution since 1983. From 1981 to 1983, Anderson was Associate Director for Economics and Government with the Office of Management and Budget, where she was responsible for the budgets of five cabinet departments (Treasury, Justice, Commerce, Transportation, and HUD) and over 40 other agencies. While at OMB, she participated actively in the development of the administration’s policies with respect to housing and housing finance, deregulation of financial institutions, transportation, and immigration.
During 1980, she was a senior policy adviser to the presidential campaign of Ronald Reagan, and as Associate Director, Office of Presidential Personnel, worked on staffing the departments of Treasury, Transportation, and Commerce during the transition to the first Reagan administration.
As a member of the faculty of the School of Business and Economics, California State University, Hayward (1975-80), Anderson taught courses in macroeconomics, corporate financial policy, investments, and capital markets and financial institutions in the MBA program and the undergraduate program.
Nate Bernard
Nate Bernard is a tech entrepreneur and award-winning filmmaker. With a career spanning over 25 years, Nate has launched multiple successful businesses and founded Skyrocket Studios, a production company started in 2005. Nate also spent 10+ years in the non-profit world and is based in Fort Worth, TX.
Nate has written and directed a feature film, several short films, and numerous TV shows and music videos. Highlights include editing a documentary that premiered at Cannes in 2013 and producing *8 Days*, a nationwide theatrical release in 2014. His credits also include reality TV shows for HGTV and FlockTV, commercial broadcasts on ESPN2 and 500+ commercials Broadcasted on TV as well as YouTube, HULU and Netflix over the last 5 years. He premiered King of the Mountain, a documentary about the 100 year old race up Pikes Peak each year nominated for the 2025 International Motor Film Awards.