UEDA
2024 Summit Sponsorship
Co-Sponsored by:
2022 UEDA Summit Speakers
Javaune Adams-Gaston, Ph.D.
President, Norfolk State University
Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston is the seventh President of Norfolk State University. She began her tenure on June 24, 2019…
Brian Austin
Director of Employer Relations & Applied Learning, Shocker Career Accelerator
Since 2013, Brian has been helping small businesses, non-profits, and larger industry partners connect to Wichita State University students. …
Dr. Margaret Bacheler
Director of Educational Initiatives, Angel Capital Association
Dr. Margaret Bacheler has over twenty two years of experience in adult education and entrepreneurship/investor educational programming…
Esther Bailey
Professor of Practice, C. T. Bauer College of Business
Esther Bailey is a Professor of Practice at the C. T. Bauer College of Business. She teaches in the SURE℠ Program as well as the Government and Not-for-Profit Accounting elective course…
Charlie Becker
Professor of Practice and Managing Director, SURE Program, University of Houston
Charlie Becker is a Professor of Practice and the Managing Director of the SURE Program. In this role, he is responsible for both the strategic direction and day to day operations of the SURE Program…
Ryan Boerner
Co-Founder & CEO, Keep Aware
Ryan has been working in the cybersecurity industry for over 4 years and has been a web developer for over a decade…
David Brock
Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) Manager and Small Business Specialist (SBS), NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Mr. Brock currently serves as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) Manager and Small Business Specialist (SBS) at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama…
Craig Buerstatte
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Affairs, U.S. Department of Economic Administration
Craig Buerstatte is an entrepreneurial public servant who is passionate about building teams, businesses, and communities for the future…
Christine Burke, Ph.D. MBA
Director, Commercialization and Technology Transfer, UTSA Office of Commercialization and Innovation
With over 20 years of entrepreneurial and commercialization experience, Christine has helped launch university startups and commercialize invention portfolios…
Brad Clark
Edelen Renewables, Director of Workforce Solutions
Brad Clark has a broad range of education, workforce, and economic development experience in the government, non-profit, for-profit, and philanthropic sectors along the cradle-to-gray continuum…
Cullum Clark
Director, Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative
Cullum Clark is Director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative and Adjunct Economics Professor at SMU…
Cameron Cushman
Assistant Vice President of Innovation Ecosystems, University of North Texas Health Science Center
Cameron Cushman is a Fort Worth native who has spent over fifteen years building entrepreneurial communities…
Brian Darmody
Chief Strategy Officer, Association of University Research Parks (AURP)
Brian Darmody serves as Chief Strategy Office for AURP, a global nonprofit building communities of innovation in 42 states sponsored by universities, hospitals, government labs and cities.
Walter D. Downing, P.E. (“Walt”)
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
Walt Downing is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, Texas…
Taylor Eighmy
President, The University of Texas at San Antonio
Taylor Eighmy is the 6th president of The University of Texas at San Antonio. In addition, Eighmy serves as a member of the UTSA faculty as a professor with appointments…
Timothy Elliott
Managing Partner & Chief Visioneering Officer, Elliott Sidewalk Communities
Tim Elliott provides the vision, planning, and passion that bring all Elliott Sidewalk Communities to life…
Shawn Farrell
Assistant Vice President for Corporate and Foundation Engagement, The University of Texas at San Antonio
Shawn Farrell brings 25 years of experience—including a stint as a city manager— to The University of Texas at San Antonio as its Assistant Vice President for Corporate and Foundation Engagement…
Megan Feeney
Director of Industry & Workforce Collaboration WSU Tech, Shocker Career Accelerator
Megan Feeney has served at Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences & Technology (WSU Tech) for 11 years…
Margo Fliss
UEDA Secretary and Manager of Strategic Engagement, University of Alaska Center for Economic Development
Margo leads facilitation, strategic planning, and client services for CED. Previously, she served as CED’s Lead Analyst and worked in the education sector…
Rod Garvin
Manager, Economic Development Advisory Services, Ernst & Young LLP
Rod is a consulting manager at Ernst & Young LLP in the Economic Development Advisory Services practice and is located in the Charlotte, NC office…
Bernadette Grafton
Research and National Technical Assistance (RNTA) Program Coordinator and University Center Program Coordinator, U.S. Economic Development Administration
Bernadette Grafton has developed a breadth of experience and expertise across EDA’s programs, systems, and processes….
Dominique Halaby
UEDA Vice President and Director, Business Innovation Group, Georgia Southern University
Dominique Halaby, D.P.A. is the Director of the Business Innovation Group (BIG) at Georgia Southern University. BIG includes the Center for Business Analytics and…
Heather Hanson
President, BioMedSA
Ms. Hanson has worked as an engineer and executive to accomplish all aspects of
medical device development…
David Hensley
Iowa JPEC Executive Director and Clinical Professor in Management & Entrepreneurship, University of Iowa
David Hensley is the Executive Director of the University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center and is a Clinical Professor in Management & Entrepreneurship in the Tippie College of Business…
Amanda Lee Keammerer
Managing Director, gener8tor Cybersecurity Accelerator and the founder and CEO of Javilud
Amanda is currently the Managing Director of the gener8tor Cybersecurity Accelerator and the founder and CEO of Javilud…
Dr. Saleha Khumawala
Professor and Founding Director, SURE Program, University of Houston
Dr. Saleha Khumawala is the Robert Grinaker Professor of Accounting, Executive Director of the Center for Economic Inclusion and the Visionary & Founding Director of the SURE℠ (Stimulating Urban Renewal through Entrepreneurship) Program…
Pava LaPere
CEO & Cofounder, EcoMap Technologies
Pava LaPere is the CEO & cofounder of EcoMap Technologies, a rapidly-growing company that makes ecosystems more accessible by curating detailed data on the assets that exist within them…
Nigel LeBlanc
Founder and CEO of Cyber Warrior Network
Nigel has proudly served in the US Air Force since 1999 and has been fortunate to return home safely after 3 tours in Iraq & Afghanistan….
Sheila Martin
Principal, Triple Helix Partnerships
Sheila has over 30 years of experience analyzing regional economies, developing and implementing technology based economic development strategies, and building collaborative capacity within regions…
Luis Martínez
Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Trinity University
Luis Martínez is the Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Trinity University where he teaches courses in entrepreneurship and innovation; mentors student startups…
Bijo Mathew
Director, UTSA SBDC Technology Commercialization Center
Bijo Mathew serves as the Founding Director to the Technology Commercialization Center of the South-West Texas Border Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Lead Network at The University of Texas at San Antonio…
Rodrick McSherry
Associate Vice President for Innovation and Economic Development The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)
Mr. Rod McSherry serves as the Associate Vice President for Innovation and Economic Development at The University of Texas at San Antonio…
James B. Milliken
Chancellor, The University of Texas System
James B. Milliken, a national leader of public higher education with more than 30 years of experience, was named chancellor of The University of Texas System in September 2018…
Russell W. Mills, Ph.D.
UEDA President Elect and Senior Director, Center for Regional Development, Bowling Green State University
Russell W. Mills, Ph.D. is the Senior Director of the Center for Regional Development at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). Dr. Mills leads CRD’s Economic Development…
Carlos Mosqueda
CXO, Hertzian
Three time co-founder with a passion for solving problems through design...
Alvaro J. Muñiz, J.D.
Director, Office for International, Community, and Economic Engagement, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU)
Alvaro J. Muñiz joined APLU in March 2022 and serves as Director for International, Community, and Economic Engagement...
Thyagarajan Nandagopal
Division Director of Innovation and Technology Ecosystems (ITE), National Science Foundation
Dr. Thyaga Nandagopal serves in the Directorate of Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP). He is the Division Director for the Division of Innovation and Technology Ecosystems (ITE)…
Teresa Merriweather Orok, PhD
Professor and Executive Director Alabama A&M University – Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Development
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…
Edgar Padilla
Manager, Economic Development Advisory Services, Ernst & Young LLP
Edgar is a manager with Economic Development Advisory Services at Ernst & Young LLP. His primary role includes direct support in all areas of client engagement and success…
John Provo
UEDA Past President and Director, Office of Economic Development, Virginia Tech
Rebecca Robinson
UEDA President and Chief Corporate Engagement & Economic Development Officer, Kansas State University Innovation Partners
Jeff Sachse
Director, Center for Customized Research & Services and Economic Development, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Jeff Sachse serves as the Director of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Center for Customized Research and Services and Economic Development…
Rhonda Vonshay Sharpe
President, Women's Institute for Science, Equity and Race
Rhonda Vonshay Sharpe is the founder and President of the Women’s Institute for Science, Equity and Race. She was named a Black Scholar You Should Know by TheBestSchools.org and BlackEnterprise.com…
Jennifer Shieh
Director of Ecosystem Development, Office of Investment and Innovation, U.S. Small Business Administration
Jennifer Shieh works to build an inclusive innovation ecosystem in the SBA Office of Investment and Innovation, where she previously served as Chief Scientist of America’s Seed Fund for technology commercialization…
Brittany Sickler
Networks Program Manager, U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Brittany Sickler currently leads EDA’s new Networks division, which seeks to strengthen economic development strategies and create the conditions needed to share actionable insights across the economic development landscape…
Jerome Smith
Co-Director, MIT Venture Mentoring Service
Jerome Smith serves as a Co-Director of and volunteer mentor for the MIT VMS Outreach Training Program…
Andy Stoll
Senior Program Officer, Entrepreneurship, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Shane Tedder
Campus Sustainability Officer, University of Kentucky
For the past 20 years, Shane has developed and managed interdisciplinary programs and policies with a focus on sustainability, transformational learning, and the use of the campus as a living lab/classroom…
Diane Tinker Hurst
Project Manager Industry Engagement & Applied Learning, Wichita State University
Diane Tinker Hurst is a highly connected, engaged Project Manager in Industry & Defense Programs at Wichita State University, working with Industry Engagement & Applied Learning….
Ilana Valinsky
Management and Program Analyst on the Performance, Research, and National Technical Assistance Division (PRNTAD), U.S. Economic Development Administration
Ilana’s portfolio consists of managing research awards and general programmatic support…
Dr. Rukmani Vijayaraghavan
Innovation and Market Transformation Advisor, Water Power Technologies Office, U.S. Department of Energy
Dr. Rukmani Vijayaraghavan serves in DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office as the Innovation and Market Transformation Advisor…
Dr. Cynthia Warrick, PhD RPh
President, Stillman College
Dr. Cynthia Warrick is the 7th President and first female to lead Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama….
Tonya Witherspoon
Associate Vice President Industry Engagement and Applied Learning, Wichita State University
Tonya Witherspoon is the Associate Vice President for Applied Learning and Industry Engagement at Wichita State University. Tonya has spent the last twenty years in technology, innovation, and education…
Charles Woodin
CEO, Geekdom
Charles’ career journey has moved him quickly to various roles from Business Development Manager to Membership Director to now CEO of Geekdom…
Greg Wright
Founder, Spark Towns
Named the “Innovator to Watch” in the arts by Wisconsin Biz Times in 2015, Greg Wright transformed a local arts advocacy organization into a people-centered, new-model economic development organization that leverages creativity as the key resource of vibrant communities…
Marcela (Marce) Andrea Zuchovicki
UEDA Treasurer and President & CEO, Jalima & Associates Strategic Management Solutions
Marce is an experienced business owner with clients ranging from universities, not-for-profit organizations, F2000 companies, government institutions to start-ups…
Awards of Excellence Presenters
Coming soon!
University Economic Development Association
PO Box 97930
Pittsburgh, PA 15227
216.200.UEDA (8332)
info@universityeda.org
