Board of Directors

Laura Apenzeller
Board Chair

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

James Gillespie,
Vice Chair

Director of Scientific Strategies, Sterling Bay

Sylvia I. Garcia,
Ex-Officio Board Member

Director, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

TJ Augustine, PhD

Vice Chancellor for Innovation, University of Illinois at Chicago

Jerry Blazey, PhD

Vice President for Research and Innovation Partnerships, Northern Illinois University

Jim Bray

Director, Corporate Engagement, Northwestern University

Azurii Collier, PhD

Director, Enterprise Innovation
AbbVie

Holly Copeland

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

Jess Goode

Vice President, External Affairs, Illinois Institute of Technology

Bob Greenlee, JD

Senior Advisor, Tusk Strategies and Tusk Ventures

Larry Kuhn

Technology Strategist, Microsoft Chicago

José Leboreiro​, PhD

VP, Process and Chemical Research, Archer Daniels Midland Company

Kumar Natesaiyer, PhD

Vice President, Corporate Innovation Center, USG

Vivek Mehta

Chief Information Security Officer, NORC

Robert Patino, JD

Director, Office of Technology Transfer, Southern Illinois University

Bill Payne, PhD

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

Nicole Presperin​

Vice President – Strategic Initiatives, New Ventures Group

Temitope Sadiku

Global Head of Digital Employee Experience, The Kraft Heinz Company

Somali Tomczak

Director of Operations, Nicor Gas