Dr. Teresa Merriweather Orok is an expert on economic and business innovation. While her career spans more than 30 years of experience across grants, government contract management, economic development, government, and higher education, she currently serves as the inaugural Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Development at Alabama A&M University. She assisted more than 200 businesses in start-up and business scaling, including her work with over 75 businesses across the state of Alabama to aid in COVID-19 pandemic revitalization and stabilization.

In addition to her work with state-wide and regional incubating start-ups, growing small businesses, and managing large-scale business and government partnerships, she also facilitates student education around entrepreneurship and innovation skills to best prepare students at HBCUs for the future of work.