About Big Idea!

Meet Our Leadership Team

Nathan Hecker

CEO / Co-Founder

Nate is a seasoned Enterprise & Systems Architect with a significant track record in healthcare technology. He has designed, built, and launched products and systems widely adopted by major US health systems, public health entities, and national payers. He has a comprehensive background in Technology Operations, Cloud Infrastructure, Big Data Management, Data Interoperability, and Security & Privacy. Nate emphasizes a strategy that seamlessly blends technology with business objectives, ensuring compliance and security remain paramount. Aside from being apart of two company exits & two company acquisitions, his standout achievements include serving as the Security Officer that managed 80 million+ patient records, pioneering cloud-based interoperability for Health Information Exchanges, and creating Philadelphia's first regional population health system, "The Grid".

Jarid Arnold

COO / Co-Founder

Jarid is a seasoned technology expert whose fervor for innovation is matched only by his dedication to ensuring the integrity and security of digital assets. A major in digital forensics, his academic pursuits seeded an early interest in cryptography, laying the foundation for his future endeavors in the technology realm. With over a decade of rich experience, Jarid has sharpened his skills in customer experience, product design, and the burgeoning field of web3 technology. His most recent role as the technical owner for the US's largest health information exchange is a testament to his capability; under his leadership, the platform facilitates an astounding 9 million+ transactions of PHI data daily. Grounded in expertise and driven by passion, he is dedicated to being at the forefront of leveraging blockchain and cryptographic solutions to address real-world challenges.

Matthew Lopez

General Counsel

Matthew Lopez is a fractional general counsel and managing partner of Wolf and Snow. He has focused his career on working with startups, helping them with their legal and HR needs. Wolf and Snow is the first law firm that acts as a fractional legal department for startups. Matthew created Wolf and Snow to fill the need for startups to have in-house legal departments because of the lack of options and high costs for outside legal counsel. They provide the top tier services of a large legal department at a fraction of the cost while offering flexible payment arrangements that fit the specific budget of each startup by taking a VC approach. Wolf and Snow specializes in all legal areas a startup needs, including corporate governance, contract drafting and negotiations, data privacy, intellectual property, open source, due diligence, and employment.

Shawne Merriman

Board Advisor

Shawne Merriman has been a pioneer in the realm of intellectual property from the outset of his distinguished career. Renowned for his "Lights Out" persona, Shawne has expertly leveraged this trademark to build a formidable brand that extends far beyond the football field. As the founding CEO of the Lights Out brand, Shawne has showcased his visionary leadership and entrepreneurial acumen. His multifaceted career includes roles as an analyst for Fox Sports and a celebrated former All-Pro Linebacker in the NFL, where he played for the Los Angeles Chargers and the Buffalo Bills. Beyond his athletic and business achievements, Shawne is the founder of the Lights On Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing winter wear for the less fortunate in the Maryland area. His commitment to philanthropy underscores his dedication to giving back to the community and supporting those in need. Shawne's entrepreneurial ventures continue to expand with the founding of Lights Out Xtreme Fighting, a premier mixed martial arts organization, and the recent launch of Lights Out Sports, a free ad-supported sports streaming service.

Werner Lehfellner

Board Advisor

Werner brings to our team a distinguished 25-year career with prestigious global law firms and entrepreneurial ventures in the marketing and entertainment sectors. His extensive cross-industry experience includes working with organizations and clients in marketing, advertising, investment banking, commercial banking, energy, consumer products, manufacturing, and entertainment.Most notably, Werner co-founded Bulldog New York, a self-funded marketing agency with a global footprint, serving as the COO and General Counsel. During his tenure, Bulldog New York collaborated with renowned clients such as Pepsi-Cola North America, General Mills, Sara Lee, America Online, and The Otto Group. Werner's impressive track record demonstrates his ability to enhance operations, drive business growth, and optimize profitability through sound financial management and innovative business strategies.

Richard Blakely

Board Advisor

Richard Blakely is a serial entrepreneur and visionary with a focus on creating platform-as-a service (PaaS) solutions, and is renowned for his pioneering work in streaming infrastructure. As Co-Founder and CEO of Xirsys, he leads one of the foremost WebRTC infrastructure-as-a-service companies, and previously co-founded and led the video streaming service Millicast, which was acquired by Dolby in 2022. Richard’s innovative technologies have empowered immersive, real-time and streaming interactions for thousands of companies including many of the world's largest brands. His latest ventures include Sound Ethics AI, a platform for protecting music rights, and EvolvTec, innovative solutions for improving human living. Passionate about design, technology, innovation, skateboard collecting, and crafting finely made cocktails.

Jerry Chabolla

Board Advisor

Jerry Chabolla is a dedicated entrepreneur and co-founder of multiple innovative companies, with a keen focus on product design and user experience (UX). As Co-Founder of Xirsys, Millicast (acquired by Dolby), Influxis, and EvolvTec, Jerry has played a pivotal role in creating platforms that prioritize intuitive and seamless user interactions. His expertise in UX and his vision for bridging the communication between applications and users has been instrumental in delivering technologies that enable immersive, real-time interactions and streaming experiences for thousands of companies worldwide. Beyond his professional achievements, Jerry is passionate about music, personal growth, 3D printing and Robotics. His commitment to enhancing the user experience is paralleled by his dedication to fostering a positive and fulfilling life for himself and others.

Jarid is a seasoned technology expert whose fervor for innovation is matched only by his dedication to ensuring the integrity and security of digital assets. A major in digital forensics, his academic pursuits seeded an early interest in cryptography, laying the foundation for his future endeavors in the technology realm. With over a decade of rich experience, Jarid has sharpened his skills in customer experience, product design, and the burgeoning field of web3 technology. His most recent role as the technical owner for the US's largest health information exchange is a testament to his capability; under his leadership, the platform facilitates an astounding 9 million+ transactions of PHI data daily. Grounded in expertise and driven by passion, going forward is dedicated to being a t the forefront of leveraging blockchain and cryptographic solutions to address real-world challenges.