Meet the VentureWell staff—a team of experts, leaders, and high-performing individuals committed to expanding the impact of innovation and entrepreneurship.
programs
Department
Meet the VentureWell staff—a team of experts, leaders, and high-performing individuals committed to expanding the impact of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Department
Megan Aanstoos
Senior Program Officer, Biomedical Engineering
Megan supports the VentureWell and National Institutes of Health RADx® partnership program. Previously, she provided technology transfer assistance and education to academic early-stage innovators in Kentucky and Ohio as a licensing and new ventures manager. Megan is a co-founder of GEDITT and serves on the board of the Association of University Technology Managers. She received her doctorate and completed postdoctoral training from Colorado State University in Biomedical Engineering, after earning an M.S.E. from the University of Utah and a B.S.E. from Case Western Reserve University.
Jameelah Adas
Program Officer, Learning Management Systems Administrator
Jameelah provides support for federally-funded programs at VentureWell including NSF I-Corps™, I-Corps™ at NIH, and Industry-University Cooperative Research Center Assessment Management Program. She brings experience from the Chicago nonprofit and philanthropy space in the financial development and programmatic support of emerging organizations and social entrepreneurs. Jameelah holds a B.A. in Psychology and Communication and an M.A. in Nonprofit Management, both from DePaul University.
Camillo Archuleta
Senior Program Officer
Camillo coordinates activities that are key for the implementation of the VentureWell Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) Assessment Management Program. He supports the development of a range of industry partners to support the VentureWell early stage innovators and a vibrant i&e ecosystem. Previously he worked as a commercial lines underwriter, consultant, and startup co-founder. His education background includes a B.B.A. in Finance and Operations and an M.B.A. with a focus on data analytics from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst.
Cara Barnes
Senior Program Officer
Cara leads VentureWell’s early-stage innovator programs both domestically and globally and has deep experience in medtech venture development. With a background in technology development and public health, she helps innovators address the challenges of developing and implementing innovative solutions in complex global health systems. Prior to joining VentureWell, Cara was a scientist at Diagnostics For All, where she developed point-of-care diagnostics for low-resources settings and led field trials in Zambia. Cara has an M.S. in chemistry from the University of Utah and an M.P.H. from the Johns Hopkins University
Kelly Bedeian
Program Officer
Kelly supports new and existing programs on the ESI/global programs team. She brings over 25 years of experience managing international development programs, focusing on professional development, arts diplomacy, citizen exchange, and entrepreneurship. Her professional background includes employment with the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program and the Institute for International Business. Kelly has an undergraduate degree in Linguistics and an M.B.A. with graduate certificates in Innovation and Leadership from the University of Iowa.
Tricia Compas-Markman
Director, National Venture Programs
Tricia implements and supports VentureWell’s early-stage entrepreneur programs, providing training for innovators on topics ranging from customer discovery to investment-readiness. Previously, Tricia founded and led DayOne Response, a science and technology startup providing clean drinking water solutions to vulnerable communities. During her tenure, she built a company with international reach, developed key partnerships, invented and scaled water technologies, and secured financing, which resulted in reaching 35+ countries and saving lives. Tricia received her B.S. in Civil Engineering and M.S. in Civil/Environmental Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Daniel Coronel
Program Officer
Daniel manages and delivers resources to support the RadX program at VentureWell. He brings to the position a wealth of experience in the medical device industry with pre-market devices as well as with post-market surveillance. He has also been involved with medtech startups as a part-time endeavor. He holds a B.A. and an M.A. in Biomedical Engineering from Texas A&M University.
Katie Dzugan
Senior Program Officer
Katie works on the federal innovation team focusing on NSF I-Corps™ national courses and supports Global Innovation through Science and Technology’s Innovation Hub community. She brings more than 12 years of experience in entrepreneurship education and learning experience design. Prior to returning to VentureWell, she scaled a global leadership program across 15 countries through community development, efficient operations, and program management. Katie holds an M.B.A. and an M.A. in Nonprofits & Communications and a B.A. in Management, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Jesse Flanagan
Senior Program Officer
Jesse supports GIST (Global Innovation through Science and Technology) programming for entrepreneurs around the globe. He has experience leading innovation teams and scaling up operations for a social enterprise that provides agricultural support services in East Africa, and has been supporting idea-stage entrepreneurs since 2014. He started his career as a Peace Corps volunteer in El Salvador. Jesse holds a Masters of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota, and a B.A. in Social Sciences from Trinity International University.
Bria Gadsden
Program Officer
Bria currently supports entrepreneurs in emerging global economies by coordinating and implementing an online webinar series and serves as the liaison to the State Department for the program. Bria brings to VentureWell her enthusiasm for STEM and experience as a public health innovator and community development worker who has managed numerous community health projects across Africa and the Caribbean. She gained valuable experience by supporting the creation of livable and sustainable communities worldwide. Bria holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from the University of Massachusetts–Amherst and a Master of Science in Community Health Education from Merrimack College.
Demetria Gallagher
Vice President, Innovation Ecosystems
Demetria leads the Evaluation and Marketing & Communications teams at VentureWell, and supports the development and implementation of an organizational knowledge and learning agenda. She has led across multiple sectors including government, STEM, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Notably, she co-founded the Jamii Group, leading cross-sector business development, innovation, and social impact; she also served as a policy analyst and White House Political Appointee in the administration of former President Barack Obama. Demetria holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master’s in Sustainable Urban Planning from George Washington University.
M Jackson
Senior Program Officer
M Jackson works on the federal innovation team focusing on the I-Corps™ national courses at the NSF and NIH. M is a National Geographic Society Explorer, TED Fellow, and three-time U.S. Fulbright Scholar including two U.S. Fulbright-National Science Foundation Arctic Research grants. M holds a post-doctorate and Ph.D. in climate change and glaciology from the University of Oregon, a Master of Science in Environmental Sciences from the University of Montana, and a Bachelors of Arts from Western Washington University; serves as a Fulbright Ambassador, a climate change expert for the National Geographic Society; and was a Peace Corps Volunteer to Zambia.
Margo Kinney-Petrucha
Program Officer and Airtable Administrator
Margo assists with information management and communication for NSF I-Corps™, I-Corps™ at NIH, and the Industry-University Cooperative Research Center Assessment Management Program. Prior to joining the Programs team, she supported the Finance department by processing accounts payable, tracking consultant information, and facilitating panel discussions, with a primary focus on the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics initiative. She joined VentureWell as a Webinar Facilitator for NSF I-Corps™ and I-Corps™ at NIH. She is a 2020 Hampshire College graduate with a B.A. in Mixed Media and Creative Writing.
Jianming Li
Senior Program Officer, Biomedical Engineering
Ming manages and delivers resources to support the National Institutes of Health (NIH) RADx and Blueprint Neuro MedTech programs at VentureWell. Previously, Ming served as research faculty at Purdue University, where he led a neuroengineering research group and co-founded a biotech company commercializing antimicrobial products. Ming was a National Science Foundation (NSF) Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship and NSF GK-12 fellow and received his postdoctoral training and Ph.D. from Purdue University. He also holds a B.S.E. in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Tara Loomis
Director, Program, Federal Innovation
Tara manages the I-Corps™ national courses, including faculty development and curriculum improvements. In addition, she leads the development of new I-Corps™ initiatives such as I-Corps™ at NIH. Tara also manages the Lean LaunchPad for Educators workshop, which takes place twice a year. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from Loyola University New Orleans, an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from the Ohio State University, and an M.B.A. from Rochester Institute of Technology.
Erika Mijlin
Program Officer
Erika provides project management systems, cohort oversight, and manages staffing needs for several federally-funded programs at VentureWell, including NSF I-Corps and the SBIR Bootcamp. Her work in this role draws on long and varied experience as an educator, at institutions such as Temple University and Bennington College, and as a media producer, including the co-founding of Artifact Pictures, a documentary and animation production company in Philadelphia. Her education includes a B.A. from Vassar College and an M.F.A. in Filmmaking from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Rebekah Neal
Director, Program, Biomedical Engineering
Rebekah oversees VentureWell’s participation in the NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative and provides support and expertise across VentureWell’s biomedical engineering and medical technology-focused programs. Prior to VentureWell, she managed a portfolio of investments in discovery science, technology, and innovation ecosystem development, focused on early-stage innovation and innovators as a Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Rebekah holds a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of Virginia and a B.S. in biomedical engineering from Georgia Tech.
Erik Siedow
Grants Manager
Erik supports VentureWell’s grant making activities including the intake, review, processing, and management of all grants, competitions, and other submissions from students, faculty, and innovators. He brings six years of grants management experience to the role, having formerly managed medical student and residency research grants programs at a medical association. Erik has an M.A. in Anthropology from the College of William & Mary.
Mandy Sutton
Senior Program Officer
Mandy organizes and implements GIST (Global Innovation through Science and Technology) programming for young innovators around the world. She brings to this role nearly a decade of higher education student services experience, having worked in the fields of study abroad and international entrepreneurship at UCLA and University of Texas-Austin. Mandy holds a B.A. in English from UCLA and an M.S. in Information Studies from The University of Texas at Austin.
Christina Tamer
Vice President, Ventures
Christina leads VentureWell’s portfolio of venture development programs, supporting a community of entrepreneurs, startups, and investors. She has over a decade of experience working with startups as an investor, accelerator program instructor, coach, and program manager. Prior to VentureWell, she worked at a seed-stage impact venture fund, where she built a portfolio of 18 technology companies around the world. Christina holds an M.B.A. and a B.S. in Management from the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Rachelle Thurow
Program Administrator
Rachelle supports the Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) team and other early-stage innovator programming for inventive entrepreneurs around the world. She is passionate about promoting equitable access to valuable STEM and experiential education opportunities and brings to VentureWell her experience in managing all aspects of impactful, high-quality programming in both the business and education spaces. Rachelle holds a B.S. in Human Services Leadership from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.
Terik Tidwell
Director, Inclusive Innovation
Terik leads VentureWell’s efforts in creating a cohesive body of equity-centered programmatic work by expanding and creating new programs, frameworks, and partnerships that center innovators and institutions which have been historically marginalized or excluded from science & technology entrepreneurship & innovation. He brings experience in inclusive tech-based economic development, having worked with foundations, corporations, and federal agencies. Terik holds degrees in Finance, Marketing, and IT from Monmouth University, as well as certificates in Venture Capital Finance and Enterprise Design Thinking.
Sarah Wharmby
Program Officer
Sarah supports VentureWell's early-stage entrepreneurship programs, providing training for innovators in the Pioneer and Propel stages of the VentureWell Accelerator Program. Sarah has managed educational programs in both the nonprofit and higher education sectors; she has worked closely with social enterprises and social entrepreneurs, as well as student founders. Prior to joining VentureWell, Sarah managed entrepreneurship programming for undergraduate students at The Ohio State University. Sarah has a B.A. in Comparative Religion from Capital University and an M.T.S. in Ethics, also from Capital University.
Jaime Wood-Riley
Program Officer
Jaime works as a program officer on the higher education catalyst team supporting faculty through grants, workshops, and conferences. Prior to VentureWell, she was the Program Manager for Educational Initiatives in the Office of Academic Innovations at Portland State University. Jaime has sixteen years experience teaching English composition, literature, creative writing, and business communications in community colleges, universities, and at an Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound middle school. Jaime holds an M.A. in education from Colorado State University, an M.F.A. in creative writing from Eastern Washington University, and an M.S. in Sociology from Portland State University.
Samuel Yoo
Program Officer
Samuel supports faculty and institutions in the creation and expansion of programs that promote sustainability-focused I&E. In previous roles, he led the charge on sustainability-focused program, project, and grant management at the University of Illinois, and taught science in public schools, where he was recognized for excellence in classroom instruction and community impact. Samuel holds a B.S. in Molecular & Cellular Biology; an M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instructions: Biology, Chemistry, & Physics; and an M.Div. in Ministry Studies. He is a certified LEED Green Associate.
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