INBIA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Manager of Entrepreneurial Support for Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania
Anthony Durante is the Manager of Entrepreneurial Support for Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania. For the last decade, Anthony's career has centered on managing the operations of world-class business incubation programs. In these leadership roles, he has mentored startup founding teams to help them launch and grow their companies in manufacturing, technology, life sciences, and retail.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Strategy and Positioning
Ariella is Vice President, Strategy & Positioning, at Stiletto, a strategic planning and market intelligence firm. Ariella specializes in strategic planning and execution support for high-impact initiatives and new products, market focusing and positioning,
business development, and more. Ariella is passionate about working with communities of innovation and maintains strong relationships and sector expertise to help build strength from individual organizations to international networks. Industry expertise include cleantech, ICT, smart grid, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, smart and urban agri-food, mining, and healthcare. Ariella did her post-doctoral research at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Toronto.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director
- Assistant Director of the Meridian Technology Center
- Assistant Director, Meridian Technology Center Business Incubator
Brad Rickelman assists Meridian Tech's new businesses and incubator clients through educational programming and one-on-one consulting in product development and marketing. He recruits new client companies, mentors startups, serves as a community liaison, and teaches the Center's entrepreneurship courses. Brad's background is in product management and B2B marketing.
Brad Rickelman is Assistant Director of the Meridian Technology Center business incubator. Meridian Technology Center is a regional vocational education institution. Brad is past Chairman of the statewide Oklahoma Venture Forum and past President of the Oklahoma Business Incubator Association. Brad currently serves on the City of Stillwater Planning Commission. He was an YSEALI Professional Fellow to Thailand in spring 2019 teaching advanced entrepreneurship training. Brad has taught courses in the lnBlA Entrepreneurship Center Management (ECM) certificate online program. He holds a Bachelors in Business Management, and Masters in Philosophy, both from Texas A&M University. He was Grand Master of Freemasons of Oklahoma in 2013.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Expert, Consultant and Trainer
Carol Kraus Lauffer is a recognized expert, consultant and trainer in business incubation/acceleration, programs to foster and support entrepreneurship and new business start-up, and cluster-based economic development. As a partner at Business Cluster Development (BCD) for more than 14 years, Carol consults with universities and colleges, communities, economic development organizations, industry associations, and corporations on the planning and creation of successful business incubation, acceleration and technology commercialization programs. BCD is an industry leader, assisting with the development of more than 70, best practices incubation programs across the U.S.
Carol also creates strategies and tools to accelerate the growth of emerging industry clusters and spur the evolution of the innovation ecosystem in communities and regions. She advises on strategic planning, financial sustainability, and management of effective entrepreneurial support programs.
Over the past 15 years, Charles Ross has worked with communities of various shapes and sizes to build and sustain vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems. His experience spans across several innovation-related disciplines to include entrepreneurship, business incubation, economic development, and investment management. He has provided strategic leadership for organizations within the public, private, and nonprofit domains and has directly mentored and coached founders/CEOs at over 30 high-growth companies.
Over the past 15 years, Charles has worked with communities of various shapes and sizes to build and sustain vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems. His experience spans across several innovation-related disciplines to include entrepreneurship, business incubation, economic development, and investment management. He has provided strategic leadership for organizations within the public, private, and nonprofit domains and has directly mentored and coached founders/CEOs at over 30 high-growth companies.
Before joining the InBIA management team, Charles was responsible for driving economic impact for local communities through senior leadership positions at Kennesaw State University and the Georgia Institute of Technology. In these roles, Charles connected universities' talent, know-how, and assets to businesses and communities to increase economic prosperity and to improve quality of life.
Prior to his assignments in higher education, Charles directly worked with entrepreneurs to launch and grow technology businesses. As Vice President of the Telecommunications Development Fund, Charles sourced, structured, and managed investments in several early-stage communications companies, and as a Director of Ameritech's venture capital division he identified and executed strategic technology investments.
Charles joined InBIA as a member in 2006, was elected to its Board of Directors in 2011 and served as Chair in 2017. Charles holds an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University and an MBA from Indiana University.
Job Titles:
- President
- President of Claggett Wolfe Associates
Chuck Wolfe is president of Claggett Wolfe Associates, an incubation consulting firm in Auburn, Calif. He has over 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, incubator developer and operator of community-based lending and business assistance programs. Wolfe co-authored both the first and second editions of InBIA's Best Practices in Action. He has contributed to other InBIA publications, worked with InBIA consulting teams, presented at InBIA conferences and outside events on the association's behalf, and served as a judge for the InBIA Incubation Awards. Wolfe has been an InBIA member since 1997 and currently serves as Board Treasurer of the InBIA Board of Directors.
David Fonseca has a track record in growing innovation centers, associations, angel investor networks, not-for-profits, and real estate investments. David serves as Executive Vice President of VelocityTX and chairman of Alamo Angels, which has 35 accredited investors and a fund. Committed to fostering entrepreneurship worldwide, David teaches classes at the magister of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Universidad del Rosario in Colombia, advises for Growth Wheel Inc, and has done keynotes across 12 countries.
David has a BBA in Finance and MBA from Texas A&M Corpus Christi. He was the Young Alumni Award recipient and Doctorado Honoris Causa of Pontificia Universidad de Huatusco, Mexico.
Job Titles:
- Entrepreneurship Professor, Purdue University
- Professor of Entrepreneurship at Purdue University Northwest
Dr. Kristin Burton is a Professor of Entrepreneurship at Purdue University Northwest. In this role, she is an entrepreneurial academic charged with
assisting students in developing their entrepreneurship skills and connecting them to the vibrant start-up community in Northwest Indiana. Dr. Burton is heralded as an inclusive ecosystem builder. Her research focuses on advancing opportunities for women and minorities in entrepreneurship. This research is used to create innovative programs and pathways to help alleviate barriers, so entrepreneurs can continue
building communities that flourish. Throughout her 20- year entrepreneurial career, Dr. Burton has co-founded several start-up companies, led two university entrepreneurship centers, and created a regional
Eric brings with him a decade's worth of technology commercialization experience and a passion for entrepreneurship. Eric came to the UA Center for Innovation after serving as the commercialization network manager for Tech Launch Arizona (TLA), UA's technology transfer unit. While at TLA, he built and leveraged a 1600-person world-wide mentor network and managed TLA's NSF I-Corps Site program. An entrepreneur in his own right, after Eric started, developed and sold his first company, he embarked on a career in technology startups. Eric holds a BSBA in business management and entrepreneurship and an MBA from the University of Arizona.
As the Director of the KeyBank Center for Technology, Innovation and Inclusive Growth and Founder of GTB Advisors, LLC, Get The Bag, LLC Gloria M. Ware leverages her 30+ years in finance, ecosystem building, innovation, early-stage investing and philanthropy to help more communities of color secure the relevant financial information, financial capital and social capital they need to grow successful businesses. In the last decade, Gloria has been instrumental in the development and funding of inclusive programs and services for business support organizations across the State of Ohio. Her finance experience includes business product development, providing capital to business owners and public sector entities.
Hayden has centered his career around social entrepreneurship and economic development. Hayden coaches entrepreneurs commercializing innovative technologies, facilitates connections between entrepreneurs and angel investors, partners with universities to commercialize technologies, and is a leader in the development of an entrepreneurial culture and mindset across the DFW region. He has helped organized multiple community staples for entrepreneurs, including Startup Weekend and 1 Million Cups Fort Worth. Hayden serves on the boards of organizations working in economic development and education, including Near Southside Inc., the Fort Worth Public Library Foundation, and the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District #4 in Fort Worth, TX. Before joining TechFW, Hayden was the creator and founding Director of IDEA Works FW, a mixed-industry incubator that was formed in 2013 as a public-private partnership to fill a gap in the Fort Worth entrepreneurial ecosystem. Before that, he was involved in launching Stages of Recovery in Lubbock, TX, a sober living program and community that supports those in recovery from addiction to alcohol, drugs, and other related behaviors.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director of the PowerUP Your Business
Herman is director of the PowerUP Your Business accelerator, a neighborhood-based approach to economic development that offers training to small businesses in the city of Philadelphia. Previously, Herman was the director of entrepreneurship and innovation at the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians in Philadelphia, Pa. Herman is a five-year InBIA member who has attended and presented at several conferences and holds certifications in both InBIA's Incubator Manager program and as a Business Model and Value Proposition Design Trainer. He also served on the Philadelphia Food Policy Advisory Council as a mayor's appointee.
Job Titles:
- Certified Trainer for the International Business Innovation Association 's Entrepreneurship Center Management Certification
- Director of Federal Programs
As the Director of Federal Programs, Kim Mozingo is responsible for engaging with the federal government to convert scientific research into new jobs and new businesses. Kim focuses on engaging with research laboratories and manages programs that help businesses make use of the public investment in science, technology, and innovation in industries from cybersecurity to manufacturing, renewable energy, AI/ML, and robotics.
Her experience includes founding multiple companies in disciplines from engagement consulting to robotics. Her work has spanned research on employee engagement, managing a tech-focused business incubator, supporting government-funded labs, and economic studies in business retention and expansion.
Kim is a certified trainer for the International Business Innovation Association's Entrepreneurship Center Management Certification program where she teaches on topics from building collaborative entrepreneurial ecosystems to managing entrepreneurship programs, growing partnerships, and running profitable programs.
Job Titles:
- President
- President of First Flight Venture Center
Krista serves as President of First Flight Venture Center, North Carolina's original science-based technology incubator. Previously, Krista held leadership positions with VelocityTX, an innovation hub in San Antonio, Texas and the SMARTstart Business Incubator in Pasco County, Florida. She has an extensive background in banking and finance and experience in economic development, economic gardening for growth companies, business incubation, management, business development, marketing and public relations. An InBIA member since 2013, Krista has completed the association's Business Incubation Management Certificate Program, is part of the Startup Champions Network, and has served on numerous community and industry boards.
Job Titles:
- President of Regionerate LLC
Linda Fowler, President of Regionerate LLC, a small, woman-owned consulting firm, specializes in high-impact consulting with diverse stakeholders to activate and support transformative regional partnerships for inclusive growth. Linda has guided regional prosperity and revitalization efforts in several emblematic U.S. cities. Linda supports communities to build cohesive and integrated strategies across a diversified portfolio of investments, including entrepreneurship. Currently, she is working with incubation and acceleration programs in Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey and Virginia. Prior to launching her firm, Linda worked in private industry and served in federal government (U.S. Departments of Labor and Commerce).
Job Titles:
- Director of Entrepreneurship, Commercialization, and Innovation for the Office of Workforce and Economic Development
Linda Ufland is the Director of Entrepreneurship, Commercialization, and Innovation for the Office of Workforce and Economic Development at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley located in deep South Texas. Linda is charged with providing leadership and oversight to the Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center (ECC) with focus in business incubation, entrepreneurial development, commercialization and innovation, and incubation management consultation across the region. She drives the vision for the UTRGV ECC in assisting local and international entrepreneurs to create and scale ventures in the Rio Grande Valley that will impact our region's economy and create opportunities for generations to come. Her focus is to develop partnerships with economic development organizations, and international organizations to envision and develop solutions for the region and beyond with a strong commercialization path. The UTRGV ECC is a founding partner of the eBridge project, largest entrepreneurial center in the region. eBridge supports the economic development of South Texas with a focus on scalable businesses. Linda was raised in Matamoros, Mexico but attended high school in Brownsville, Texas. She earned a bachelor's in international business and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. Her professional drive comes from a sincere dedication to public service and to being part of a transformational economic and entrepreneurial change in our region.
Linda Ufland,
Director of Entrepreneurship, Commercialization, and Innovation for the Office of Workforce and Economic Development,
UT-Rio Grand Valley
Lindsay Schuenke has been with InBIA since December of 2004, when she joined the training and events team. In her time with the association, Lindsay's responsibilities have primarily focused on coordinating content and details for events, including the annual conference, the fall training, and the advanced summits. She was involved in the inception and launch of the Business Incubation Management Certificate Program and has helped plan more than a dozen conferences and several smaller tours and events. Over the years, Lindsay has managed hundreds of speakers, written thousands of session and course descriptions, managed dozens of tours, and been involved with countless other aspects of planning and executing the conferences and other events. She has a degree in English from Ohio Wesleyan University. Lindsay works remotely from her home office in Maine, where she lives with her husband and four children.
Lisa started her career in the defense industry as a Competitive & Market Intelligence (CMI) Analyst at BAE Systems in Arlington, VA. She later worked for Pier1 in Texas and took some time off professionally to start a family. She joined InBIA in June 2022 as the Membership Coordinator supporting InBIAs delivery of customer benefits in membership, convening & training as well as supporting organizational goals. Lisa has a Business Degree from Ohio University with a focus in Marketing. She resides in Ohio with her husband and three kids.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Executive Director, Bowie Business Innovation Center
Lisa Smith has been a thought leader, consultant incubator manager and ecosystem developer for the business incubation industry in the U.S. and internationally during her 22 years as an InBIA member. Lisa is the founding Executive Director of the Bowie Business Innovation Center (Bowie BIC), a public/private partnership, hosted by Bowie State University, supporting underserved technology companies and government contractors. During her consulting career, Lisa advised 30 US. Communities on the creation of entrepreneurial development initiatives. Her international work included establishing the first networking of technology business incubators in the U.S. for Scotland's economic development agency.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Small Business Growth
- Vice President of Small Business Growth at the New Orleans Business Alliance
Ms. White-Colin is the Sr. Vice President of Small Business Growth at the New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA), a public-private partnership with the City of New Orleans. The organization works to deliver economic development for the city through efforts supporting business attraction and retention; talent and workforce development; strategic neighborhood development and small business growth, which is led by Ms. White-Colin. Lynnette develops and implements strategies toward alleviating barriers to growth for underrepresented founders, and works to ensure the local small business ecosystem encompasses resources necessary for overall small business growth, which includes advocacy and support for entrepreneurial support organizations. This work includes development of electronic tools, designed to help business owners make better informed decisions for their entities. Lynnette holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of New Orleans and serves on the boards of the New Orleans Redevelopment Unlimited and the New Orleans Regional Black Chamber of Commerce.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of the Business Incubator Association of New York State
- Executive Director, Business Incubator Association of New York State
Marc Alessi is the Executive Director of the Business Incubator Association of New York State (BIANYS) and the Tesla Science Center in Shoreham, NY. He is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and advocate for innovation. Marc's mission is to educate and inspire through launching a museum, science center, and business accelerator at Tesla's last lab. With a BA from SUNY Albany and a JD from Touro Law School, Marc is dedicated to empowering people in the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem.
Molly Mordocco started her career in the hospitality industry as a sales and catering manager at the University Plaza Hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and later at the DoubleTree Worthington. She also acted as assistant manager at an apartment complex for college students for more than two years. First joining InBIA (then NBIA) in 2013, Molly stepped away in 2016 to take some time with family. She rejoined InBIA as the Business Coordinator in 2019 and in this role she is responsible for executing the training program, coordinating the online member community, managing the virtual support networks, and more. A graduate of Ohio University, Molly lives in Ohio with her husband and three sons.
Job Titles:
- Director, Detroit Urban Solutions
- Managing Director of Detroit Urban Solutions
Paul is the Managing Director of Detroit Urban Solutions. In this capacity, Paul leads an urban innovation district, founded by several Detroit-based institutions, focused on mobility, digital health, civic and smart city technologies. Previously, Paul served as Managing Director of Technology-Based Entrepreneurship at TechTown Detroit. Paul is also an entrepreneur, chief technologist, information officer, and systems engineer with more than 20 years of professional experience working with startups to global enterprises. He is a founding member of the Legacy Associates Foundation, board member and equity partner of B.L.A.C. Magazine, board member of the New Detroit Coalition, Motown Museum, Cranbrook Institute of Science and the National Advisory Board for the University of Michigan's Fast Forward Medical Innovations (FFMI).
Job Titles:
- Assistant Dean
- Director of the WMed Innovation Center
- Reviewer for the National Science Foundation 's Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer
Sandra Cochrane is the director of the WMed Innovation Center, the Kalamazoo SmartZone. In this position she manages a 70,000 s.f. business incubator, coordinates entrepreneurial training programs, and assists start-up and early-stage high-tech companies. Services she provides to client companies include business plan development, accessing capital, strategic planning, and general business guidance. She works with pre-seed funds, angel groups, and venture capital firms to connect companies to capital.
Sandra serves as a reviewer for the National Science Foundation's Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Program. Evaluating cutting edge research and discussing commercialization proposals with experts from across America keeps her sharp and better able to assist her clients.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of the Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago
- Executive Director, Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago
Steve is the executive director of the Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago, an economic development organization that sponsors Make City (formerly the Fulton-Carroll Center Business Incubator), a light industrial mixed-use incubator, and The Hatchery, a food and beverage manufacturing center; ICNC also houses two SBDCs in its facilities. Steve was a founding board member of The Chicagoland Food and Beverage Network and served on the steering committee of the Chicago mayor's Plan for Economic Growth and Jobs. Steve has been an InBIA member since 2012, participating in InBIA events and serving on the 2015 Awards committee.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Executive Director
- CEO / Executive Director for the Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc
Ted Baker Ted currently serves as CEO/Executive Director for the Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc. After graduation from Ball State University in 1980, his career journey has included management of small business, starting, growing, buying and selling businesses as well as assisting with the establishment of several nonprofit organizations. Ted maximizes his extensive business development experience by teaching and training students, startup business/existing business owners and leaders. Ted is a Certified Incubator Manager with the International Business Innovation Association as well as a Certified GrowthWheel business adviser and WKI certified consultant. Ted offers a unique, practical, and realistic insight to business owners and potential business owners. He is a regular speaker/presenter at conferences, university classrooms, and community groups.
Thomas Hørdam is the man behind WE LOVE MENTORS. A concept that is based on Danish and international experiences with implementing and executing mentoring programs.
Thomas holds a Master's Degree of Science and has during the last 11 years developed and managed mentor programs for various incubators in Denmark and abroad. At the moment Thomas is part of the team at a high tech incubator at the Danish Technical University.
From his very first job in the incubation industry Thomas' speciality has been mentoring programs. As Thomas had hard times finding existing models which worked out he decided to develop his own model from scratch. The model emphasizes the original understanding of a mentor and focuses on proper training, onboarding and feed-back models for mentors as well as clients.