Rachael (Rae) Stott, the CEO and co-founder of Refraction, is a forward-thinking leader with a passion for driving positive change within diverse organizations. Over her nearly two-decade career, Rae has demonstrated a tireless dedication to creating cultures of innovation and driving sustainable growth for startups and high-growth companies alike.

In addition to her considerable work in developing innovation hubs and startup ecosystems, Rae possesses extensive experience successfully leading human resources initiatives that fuel organizational growth, foster diversity and inclusion, support talent development, and create award-winning cultures within for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

Prior to rejoining Refraction in early 2024 as its CEO, Rae served as GoCanvas’s Director of Culture for more than six years and played a critical role in codifying the values of that company, which was recently acquired for over $700 million.

Rae obtained her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Australian Institute of Business in Adelaide, Australia.

Robert Williams, the Senior Director of Growth and Innovation at Refraction, is a globally ranked expert in growth marketing and strategic communications, with a unique background spanning law, technology, and innovation strategy. Over his more than two-decade career, Robert has demonstrated an exceptional ability to bridge sectors — translating between founders, funders, and policymakers to drive meaningful results.

In addition to his expertise in strategic communications and business development, Robert possesses extensive experience leading international initiatives, advising on landmark investment disputes, launching impactful digital campaigns, and building coalitions at the intersection of public and private sector innovation.

At Refraction, Robert leads efforts to support early-stage technology companies, develop cross-sector partnerships, and advance innovation within the organization and throughout the broader ecosystem, and lead programming, AI readiness, and workforce development initiatives — bringing legal precision, technical fluency, and policy awareness to every effort.

Robert holds a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from the University of Minnesota School of Law, a Master of Science (MSc) degree from the London School of Economics, and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from Georgetown University.