Nicco Mele, entrepreneur and consultant to Fortune 1000 companies, is one of America's leading forecasters of business, politics, and culture in our fast-moving digital age. Nicco's first book, The End of Big: How the Internet Makes David the New Goliath, was published by St. Martin's Press on April 23, 2013. In it, he explores the consequences of living in a socially-connected society, drawing upon his years of experience as an innovator in politics and technology. Born to Foreign Service parents, Nicco spent his early years in Asia and Africa before graduating from the College of William and Mary in Virginia with a bachelor's degree in government. He then worked for several high-profile advocacy organizations where he pioneered the use of social media as a galvanizing force for fundraising. As webmaster for Governor Howard Dean's 2004 presidential bid, Nicco and the campaign team popularized the use of technology and social media that revolutionized political fundraising and reshaped American politics. Subsequently, he co-founded EchoDitto, a leading internet strategy and consulting firm, whose non-profit and corporate clients have included Sierra Club, UN World Food Programme, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, AARP, and Medco. Nicco is also on the faculty at the Harvard Kennedy School where he teaches graduate-level classes on the internet and politics. The Lunchtime Lectures are co-sponsored by the Moses Greeley Parker Lectures and UMass Lowell Center for Arts and Ideas, with support from Prof. Bill Mass of the UMass Lowell Center for Industrial Competitiveness. Free and open to the public, the program begins at 11:45 a.m. with a light buffet lunch. Reservations are required (seating is limited). To reserve a seat, contact artsandideas@uml.edu OR CALL 978-934-3107