Advisory Committee
The senior advisors to The Solutions Lab
About the Advisory Committee
Below is the team of people who serve as the senior advisors to The Solutions Lab. They are responsible for providing counsel to The Solutions Lab as we build and scale our operations, raise our profile, and work with entrepreneurs.
Committee members
Robert (Bob) Ludke
Founder and Executive Director
Over his career, Bob Ludke has advised policymakers in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, taught at the United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, and provided counsel on sustainability, corporate governance, and supply chain management strategies for companies across the global economy.
Bob has authored two books:
Case Studies in Disability-Driven Innovation. An Amazon bestseller, it is the first book to explore the “how” we use disability to create a better future for all rather than just the “why” about the importance of disability inclusion. The book showcases the strategies that will not only future-proof businesses but also unlock markets worth trillions of dollars. Think of Case Studies in Disability-Driven Innovation as a masterclass in unlocking potential. It guides companies, investors, and entrepreneurs toward a goldmine of talent, innovation, and profitability.
Transformative Markets. This is a book about the role of markets in fostering a more sustainable society (published in April 2020 through the Creator Institute of Georgetown University).
David Corlette
David Corlette has built a distinguished career centered on solving complex business challenges and delivering impactful solutions. Beginning in IT, training, and consulting, and later transitioning into product management and marketing, David has consistently operated on the front lines — establishing departments, assembling teams, and developing foundational infrastructure. He has contributed to organizations of all sizes, from lean startups to multinational corporations with thousands of employees, consistently driving value and fostering growth.
As a prolific author, conference speaker, and active contributor to industry standards, David is a thought leader in Product Management and Product Marketing. While he maintains a strong focus on cybersecurity solutions, his work in diverse areas such as legal software and economic modeling has broadened his perspective and contributed to his continued success.
Ashlea Lantz
Ashlea brings nearly 20 years of expertise in disability employment, focusing on improving outcomes, driving systemic change, and fostering inclusive hiring practices. She has partnered with organizations like CSAVR, The Harkin Institute, and EconSys, providing strategic consulting to help businesses tap into an underutilized and often underemployed talent pool.
Her expertise includes Customized Employment, Supported Employment, and Certified Benefits Planning. Ashlea has delivered hundreds of trainings nationwide, supporting organizations in helping individuals with disabilities secure integrated employment. She also advocates and trains on self-employment, specific to supported self-employment and navigating the vocational rehabilitation system and disability benefits — drawing on her first-hand experience assisting her sister Emilea in moving from segregated employment to owning her own coffee shop, Em’s Coffee Co., now celebrating 15 years in business.
Chris Maher
Chris Maher is the Founder & General Partner at Samaritan Partners, a public benefit venture fund with a mission of creating a more inclusive and accessible world by accelerating capital investment and partnership in early-stage, for-profit companies serving the disability sector.
Chris is a seasoned CEO, advisor, and board member with a proven track record of building venture capital-funded companies. Chris has 25 years of experience across diverse sectors of the digital economy including SaaS, AdTech, MarTech, consumer research, and data businesses. Over the years, Chris has developed extensive operational expertise across sales, marketing, people management, product, finance, and strategic planning. In addition, he has considerable experience in raising capital and M&A work.
Cara Elizabeth Yar Khan
Cara Elizabeth Yar Khan is a global strategist, international public speaker, entrepreneur, and disability rights expert working at the intersection of diplomacy, business, human rights, and social impact.
A former White House political appointee, Cara served as Senior Advisor on International Disability Rights at the U.S. Department of State. Her international career has also included leadership roles and assignments with the United Nations World Food Programme, UNICEF, and Dell Technologies across Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States.
As Founder and CEO of The Purple Practice, Cara advises governments, global companies, foundations, and international organizations on disability-inclusive strategy, partnerships, and investment.