Board of Directors

Bill Payne, PhD
Board Chair

Executive Director, Science and Technology, Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, University of Chicago

Kristin Richards
Ex Officio Board Member

Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

Jim Bray

Director, Corporate Engagement, Northwestern University

Laura Apenzeller

Director, University of Illinois Research Park and Director, Economic Development for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

TJ Augustine, PhD

Vice Chancellor for Innovation, University of Illinois at Chicago

Holly Copeland

Senior Director Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability & Impact, Horizon Therapeutics

Jess Goode

Vice President, External Affairs, Illinois Institute of Technology

José Leboreiro​, PhD

VP, Process and Chemical Research, Archer Daniels Midland Company

Bob Greenlee, JD

Senior Advisor, Tusk Strategies and Tusk Ventures

Dr. Yvonne Harris, PhD

Vice President, Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships, Northeastern Illinois University

Larry Kuhn

Technology Strategist, Microsoft Chicago

Kumar Natesaiyer, PhD

Vice President, Corporate Innovation Center, USG

Nicole Presperin​

Vice President – Strategic Initiatives, New Ventures Group

Vivek Mehta

Chief Information Security Officer, NORC

Robert Patino, JD

Director, Office of Technology Transfer, Southern Illinois University

Colleen Wright

VP of Corporate Strategy, Constellation Energy

Somali Tomczak

Director of Operations, Nicor Gas

E.J Reedy

Founder and CEO of Intentional Gravity and Strategic Advisor to Portal Innovations

Joe Cassidy

Assistant Provost of Workforce and Economic Development at the College of DuPage