Our Experts
Leadership
Tony Boccanfuso
Anthony M. Boccanfuso, Ph.D., is Principal of UI Collab and President and CEO of UIDP. For more than 30 years, Tony has worked at the intersection of research, innovation, and public-private partnerships, with leadership experience spanning universities, federal agencies, and the private sector.
Since 2007, he has led UIDP and helped establish it as a trusted resource for strengthening collaboration among research universities, companies, government agencies, and other organizations. Earlier in his career, Tony held research, policy, economic development, and leadership roles with the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, PricewaterhouseCoopers, the University of South Carolina, and Bowling Green State University. He has also advised the National Science Foundation and National Academies on policy supporting place-based technology and innovation ecosystems and is a co-author of University-Industry Collaboration: Innovation at the Interface.
Tony created UI Collab to translate the knowledge, relationships, and practical experience developed across the university-industry community into direct support for organizations navigating complex research and innovation challenges. As UIDP’s consulting and executive search arm, UI Collab connects clients with accomplished practitioners who have led this work firsthand across universities, companies, federal agencies, national laboratories, and other research organizations.
Through consulting, executive search, strategic planning, organizational assessment, training, and other targeted engagements, UI Collab helps organizations strengthen the people, partnerships, processes, and structures that enable research and innovation to succeed.
Katie Levkoff
As manager of UI Collab, UIDP’s consulting and executive search arm, Katie leads the firm’s work connecting organizations with experienced professionals who can help address their consulting and leadership needs.
She brings more than 15 years of experience building and managing partnerships and projects between industry and academia. Before joining UI Collab, Katie was senior manager of engagement at SC Quantum, where she helped facilitate university-industry projects and experiential learning opportunities supporting the growth of a collaborative quantum research and technology ecosystem and workforce.
Katie earned a master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of Kansas.
Consultants
Kim Capps
- University-Industry Strategy
- Industry Structuring to Support U-I Relationships
- Industry Policies and Procedures to Maximize Engagement
- Industry-based Advisory Boards
- Developing and Managing Partnerships:
- Industry Engagement Tactics
- Industry Communicating Research Needs to Academia
- Industry Metrics for Success
- Industry Financial Return on Investment
Kim Capps is a strategic leader of academic relationships. Her skill in identifying university experts whose research is germane to company interests, and keenly developed ability to take the pulse of corporate needs is of great value to her clients
Kim most recently served as Director of Academic Relations at LinkedIn, where she built the program from the ground up. She adeptly partnered with multiple internal cross-functional teams and research operations to drive the execution of research brand objectives and provide program oversight for each engagement. She also launched the LinkedIn Scholars program and oversaw the research award calls for proposals. Prior to joining LinkedIn, Kim served Yahoo as Academic Relations manager and Chief of Staff of Yahoo Research. She also has university relations experience at both Intuit and Cisco.
Based in California, Kim received a B.S. in Finance from the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Todd Cleland
- U-I Strategy
- Structuring to Support U-I Relationships
- Developing and Managing
- Partnerships
- Communicating with Industry
- Engagement Tactics
- University Metrics for Success
- Contracting
- Foreground Intellectual Property
Todd Cleland leverages his extensive background in facilitating collaborations between industry and academia to deliver exceptional client service. With twenty plus years of practical corporate experience in developing technology strategy, incubating new businesses, and managing strategic engagements with outside companies, and eleven years developing corporate partnerships at a major research university, he brings both a university and industry perspective to client projects.
Todd most recently served as Senior Director for Corporate Relations at the University of Washington, where he led the central corporate relations team, managing some of the university’s most important corporate relationships while driving strategic projects to enhance industry engagements. Prior to his academic career, Todd held a variety of research & development management roles during his two decades at Hewlett-Packard.
Based in Washington State, Todd received a B.S.E. in chemical engineering from Princeton and a Ph.D. in
chemical engineering from UC Berkeley. He also holds an S.M./M.B.A. in technology management from MIT’s Sloan School of Business.
Andrew Cockerill
- U-I Strategy
- Structuring to Support U-I Relationships
- Developing and Managing Partnerships
Andrew Cockerill builds effective relationships across organizational boundaries with his clients. He is passionate about helping engineers, scientists, and researchers from different backgrounds collaborate effectively to accelerate innovation through application. Drawing on his extensive experience spanning over three decades in the dynamic oil and gas industry, Andrew’s university and industry clients benefit greatly from his unique perspective.
Andrew most recently served as Director of Strategic University Research Relations for BP, where he established the global framework for strategic university research partnerships and led efforts to build synergies between research, recruitment, executive development, and policy development. He spent five years embedded at Massachusetts Institute of Technology as the BP Relationship Manager with oversight for a broad spectrum of sponsored research, graduate recruitment, and executive education.
Based in Massachusetts, Andrew received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Manchester.
Bill Dean
- University-Industry Strategy
- University Policies
and procedures - University
structuring - Identifying
university
stakeholders - University Based Industry Advisory Boards
- University Policies
- University-Industry
Partnership Management- University Metrics
for Success - University Return on
Investment
- University Metrics
Bill Dean brings his passion for the intersection of science and business to his clients. A veteran science park executive, Bill has successfully helped improve the transfer of technology into the marketplace, preparing local economies for new and expanded job opportunities.
Bill has served as a consultant for ten years, assisting the leadership of research parks, life science parks, and biotech incubators in establishing mutually beneficial relationships with academia, business, and government. Prior to his consulting practice, Bill worked for 25 years as a business administrator and executive, including Executive Director for Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, AL; President of Piedmont Triad Research Park (Wake Forest Innovation Quarter) in Winston-Salem, NC; and Executive for Auburn Research and Technology Foundation, Auburn University.
Based in Alabama, Bill received a B.B.A in banking and finance from the University of Mississippi.
Melissa Erekson
- U-I Strategy
- Structuring to Support U-I Relationships
- Developing and Managing Partnerships
- Communicating with Industry
- Engagement Tactics
- U-I Advisory Boards
- University Metrics for Success
Melissa is a higher education strategist who brings nearly two decades of expertise as a changemaker in industry partnerships to her clients. She helps both public and private research-intensive institutions leverage data and alumni networks to develop strategic industry partnerships that defy the pull of academic siloes. She brings an emphasis on the industry audience to her work with higher education –
helping universities clearly communicate their distinctive advantage to industry partners.
Melissa most recently served as Assistant Vice President for Corporate Engagement at The Pennsylvania State University, where she launched their first-ever Corporate Engagement Center to bring together corporate relationships spanning industry sponsored research and corporate philanthropy. Melissa also spent fifteen years in corporate, foundation and research relations at Tulane University, where she grew
and sustained key corporate partnerships and developed expertise in areas of social impact including sustainability, health equity, community development, and public health.
Based in Pennsylvania, Melissa received an M.B.A. with a concentration in International Marketing from the FW Olin School of Business at Babson College, and a B.A. in International Relations and Spanish Studies from Tufts University, both magna cum laude.
Jim Fortner
- Higher education finance and administration leadership
- Strategic financial planning, budgeting, and resource management
- Financial research administration and grants accounting
- Indirect cost rate studies, cost accounting, and federal audit coordination
- Financial reporting, treasury, procurement, bursar, and controller operations
- Institutional policy development, compliance, and operational oversight
- Tax-exempt bond compliance
James G. “Jim” Fortner is a higher education finance and administration executive with more than 30 years of experience in nonprofit financial management, research administration, accounting, and institutional leadership. He retired from the Georgia Institute of Technology in March 2025 after nearly 28 years of service, having held senior leadership roles including Vice President and Deputy Chief Business Officer, Vice President for Finance and Planning (Chief Financial Officer), and Interim Executive Vice President for Administration and Finance (Chief Business Office). His responsibilities have included oversight of finance, planning, budgeting, treasury, procurement, bursar operations, controller functions, research accounting, institutional reporting, affiliated organizations, and other major administrative services.
Jim has deep technical expertise in sponsored research administration, post-award accounting, indirect and other cost rate studies, federal audit coordination, and negotiations with agencies including the Office of Naval Research and the Defense Contract Audit Agency.
Based in Georgia, Jim holds an M.B.A. with an accounting concentration from Kennesaw State University and a B.B.A. in Management from Georgia State University and has been certified as a Certified Financial Research Administrator.
Jilda Garton
- Contracting and Intellectual Property Strategy
- University Contracting
- Master Agreements
- Sponsored Research Agreements
- Foreground Federal Funding of U–I Partnerships
- Export Control and Foreign Influence
- Tax Exempt Bonds
- Contracting Policy
Jilda Garton is a research administration leader whose broad view of research policy attained through an active presence at the national level, greatly benefits her clients. She brings thirty years of experience in university-industry contracting to bear on solving problems clients face at the local level. Jilda most recently served as the Vice President for Research and General Manager of the Georgia Tech Research Corporation and Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation. She led the financial business affairs of both entities and directed the activities of several offices within the university’s research organization. Previously, Jilda spent eight years at the Ohio State University Research Foundation.
Jilda most recently served as the Vice President for Research and General Manager of the Georgia Tech Research Corporation and Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation. She led the financial business affairs of both entities and directed the activities of several offices within the university’s research organization. Previously, Jilda spent eight years at the Ohio State University Research Foundation.
Based in Georgia, Jilda received a M.S. in Zoology from Louisiana State University and a B.A. in Biology from Vanderbilt University.
Holly Hapke
- Federal funding of U-I Partnerships
- Strategy for Innovation Ecosystems
- Metrics for Success
- Structuring to support U-I relationships
Holly Hapke brings 30 years of research development expertise to her clients. A geographer and broadly trained interdisciplinary social scientist, Holly has held faculty and administrative roles at East Carolina University, including Associate Dean for Faculty Development, and served as a program director at the NSF, overseeing programs such as Geography and Spatial Sciences, Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems, and Transformations to Sustainability.
Holly is both a recipient of NSF funding and a former program director in Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences. She has supported several successful NSF EPIIC cohort proposals and a successful NSF Regional Innovation Engines Site Visit (North Dakota State University FARMS). She also chaired the NSF GCR reverse site visit review panel.
Based in California, Holly is the inaugural Director of Research Development at the School of Social Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. She holds a B.A. in International Relations and Religion from Hamline University and a Ph.D. in Geography from Syracuse University.
Chris Heivly
- Innovation Ecosystem Assessment and Development
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Economic Development
- Federal Incentives
- Strategy
- Innovation Districts
- Venture Development
- Innovation Ecosystems
- Change Management
Chris Heivly is a national expert on launching startups. He brings his experience in solving business problems at the highest levels for some of the world’s most recognized brands to his clients.
Chris co-founded MapQuest, is a long-time angel investor, ran a corporate venture fund and 2 micro venture funds, and most recently served Techstars as Senior Vice President of Innovation. Techstars is the world’s largest ecosystem that helps entrepreneurs build great businesses. There, he developed a new set of products and services focused on helping startup communities grow. He is the author of two books, Build the Fort and The Startup Community Builder’s Field Guide for founders, investors, and economic development leaders.
Based in North Carolina, Chris has an M.A. in Geographic Information Systems from the University of South Carolina. He also received a B.S. in Geography from the West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
Alexandra Isern
- University-industry Strategy
- Federal Support for U-I Partnerships
- Change Management
- University-Industry Partnership Management
- Industry Communicating Research Needs to Academia
- Federal Funding of U-I Partnerships
- Innovation Ecosystems Assessments and Development
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship
With over 24 years of experience in advancing national and international research programs, Alex delivers solutions that empower her clients to achieve transformative outcomes. As the former Assistant Director of Geosciences at the National Science Foundation, she drove knowledge advancement in earth, ocean, atmospheric, and cryospheric sciences.
Known for achieving organizational excellence through innovation, inclusive team building, and strategic leadership, Alex is a passionate advocate for innovation in research and education. She has a proven track record of delivering results-focused solutions and is recognized for fostering collaborations across government, academic, and private sectors. She has led interdisciplinary partnerships with federal agencies, Congress, NGOs, and the private sector. She also established an innovation incubator to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM and advance predictive modeling technologies.
Based in Montana, Alexandra received her Ph.D. in geochemistry from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, an M.S. in oceanography from the University of Rhode Island, and a B.S. in geology from the University of Florida.
Karl Haider
- University-Industry Strategy
- Industry policies and procedures to maximize engagement
- University based advisory boards
- Industry based advisory boards
- University-Industry Partnership Management
- University engagement tactics
- Corporate Sponsorship on university campuses
- Industry communicating research needs to academia
- Contracting
- Industry Contracting
- Master Agreements
- Sponsored research agreements
- Foreground intellectual property
- Contracting policy review
Karl Haider brings his extensive experience both inside the lab and in contracting to his clients. A seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience leading research and development programs in the polymer industry, Karl’s clients benefit from his in depth understanding of both the scientists and the lawyers involved in successful university-industry collaborations.
Karl most recently served as Research Fellow and Head of Industry Academia Collaboration for North America at Covestro. Prior to that, he served in a variety of technical and academic collaboration roles for Covestro and its predecessors Bayer Material Science and Mobay. He has led the company’s open innovation group – brokering partnerships with consultants, universities and national labs. His intimate knowledge of intellectual property as an inventor as well as a company representative make him the right person to have at the table.
Based in Pennsylvania, Karl received a B.S. in chemistry from the Juniata College, and M.S. and Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the Ohio State University.
Karl Koster
- U-I Strategy
- Structuring to Support U-I relationships
- Developing and Managing Partnerships
- Engagement Tactics
- U-I Advisory Boards
- University Metrics for Success
- Global Partnerships
- Innovation Ecosystems
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Innovation Districts
Karl is an experienced university executive who brings more than three decades of university-industry leadership experience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to his clients. With expertise spanning the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America – Karl helps universities position themselves for industry engagement success, advising on internal challenges and objectives as well as the external landscape.
Karl most recently served as Director of Alliance Management in MIT’s Office of Strategic Alliances and
Technology Transfer. This new umbrella organization, which he helped define and implement, provided a streamlined interface for the university’s technology licensing and transfer, non-federal contracting, and corporate relations professionals to facilitate industry and other non-federal sponsored research engagements. Karl previously led MIT’s Office of Corporate Relations, including the Industrial Liaison
Program and the MIT Startup Exchange.
Based in Massachusetts, Karl received an M.S. with a concentration in the management of technological
innovation from the MIT Sloan School of Management, and a B.A. in Geology and Economics from Brown
University.
Mark Nolan
- Organizational Transformation/Design
- University-Industry Engagement
- Holistic Corporate Engagement
- Corporate Partner Development/Strategy
- Research Parks/Innovation Districts
- Corporate Attraction
J. Mark Nolan served as the inaugural Associate Vice President for Corporate Engagement at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he established and led the Office of Corporate Engagement in January 2022, bringing together the former Office of Corporate Relations and Office of Industry Research into a unified model for university-industry engagement. He previously held Associate Vice President and Executive Director leadership roles in corporate engagement at Carnegie Mellon University and spent 15 years in corporate relations and economic development positions at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
With 25 years of experience in university-industry engagement, Nolan has been recognized as a leader and visionary in developing strategic partnerships among corporations, universities, researchers, entrepreneurs, and economic development organizations. Prior to his university-industry engagement career, he held positions with The Johns Hopkins University Press, LexisNexis, and other private-sector organizations.
Based in Atlanta GA, Mark received a B.A. in Speech Communication from West Virginia Wesleyan College and an M.S. in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Hailey Prendergast
- Technology Maturation & Transition
- Technology Transfer and Commercialization
- Research Workflow
- Hard-Tech R&D Workflow Design
- Iterative Development Cycles
- Resource-Constrained Project Execution
- New Product Development Pipelines from Ideation through Commercialization
Hailey Prendergast brings a decade of hands-on R&D engineering experience to her clients, along with a deep understanding of how iterative, hard-tech research actually gets done. She specializes in helping technical teams build workflow structure without flattening the creativity that drives real innovation.
Hailey began her engineering career in the aerospace and defense sector as an R&D engineer, then moving into R&D program management in the biotech sector. Through her decade of work in the R&D space, Hailey recognized that conventional program management and project execution methodologies were not structured to appreciate and sufficiently support the inherently interative and exploratory nature of technical R&D. She founded HL Dynamics in 2025 to fill that gap, supporting organizations ranging from early-stage startups to large industrial R&D teams with project management, workflow development, and program and portfolio management processes that understand that R&D is iterative, dead ends are to be expected when we are doing new things, and R&D teams deserve to move through their work with clarity and intention. HL Dynamics works across all technical sectors, including aerospace and defense, biotech, energy, and advanced manufacturing. Past and current clients include Weber State University, the University of Texas at Arlington, CARR Biosystems, RPI Group, ZenPoint Solutions LLC, and more.
Deborah Radasch
- U-I Strategy
- Structuring to support U-I Relationships
- U-I Policies and Procedures
- Federal Support for U-I Partnerships
- Industry Advisory Boards
U-I Partnership Management
- Financial Return on Investment
- Communicating Research Needs to Academia
- Metrics for Success
Deborah brings a passion for innovation to her clients and an ability to foster leadership, connectivity, and equitable change in engineering research and development results in technical and cultural advancement of organizations. She brings over four decades of aerospace experience defining technology strategies for collaboration with industry, university, and government agencies.
Deborah served as the director of Boeing’s strategic universities program, responsible for the $13M portfolio selection and management of corporate R&D portfolio. Most recently, she served the Boeing Company as a leader in systems engineering and supply chain innovation, with her team working to define over 600 corporate supplier research projects. Deborah is a trained facilitator and implemented initiatives that significantly reduced cost and improved process timelines while fostering cooperation across teams and stakeholders. Prior to this she was six years Chief of Staff for the Chief Technology Officer. She remains committed to mentoring diverse talent and supporting the growth of future leaders in technical fields.
Based in Missouri, Deborah received a Ph.D. in decision sciences from Saint Louis University, an M.S. in operations research and management science, and a B.S. in quantitative business analysis from Pennsylvania State University.
Lubab Sheet-Davis
- U-I Strategy
- Structuring to Support U-I relationships
- Governance
- Capacity Building
- Developing and Managing Partnerships
- Industry Advisory Boards
Lubab Sheet-Davis brings thirty years of corporate strategy expertise in technology settings to bear in finding solutions to her clients’ problems. Her experience in standing up university engagement functions for industry makes her the ideal consultant to put forward governance options and make recommendations for how to structure and staff academic relations offices.
Lubab most recently served as Vice President of Strategy and Innovation for the Chief Technology Officer at Lam Research, a $15 billion semiconductor equipment manufacturer. She led a team that managed a portfolio of internal and open innovation programs and events as well as communications to catalyze technology development, empower employees to innovate on business relevant topics, support collaboration and expand skills. Previously, she headed up emerging technologies at SEMI, match-making big and small companies, and was co-founder of SemiSales.com, an e-commerce pioneer.
Based in California, Lubab received an B.S. in Materials Engineering from San Jose State University and an M.B.A. from Santa Clara University.
Malcolm Skingle
- U-I Strategy
- Structuring to support U-I Relationships
- U-I Policies and Procedure
- U-I Partnership Management
- Metrics for Success
- Engagement Tactics
- Return on Investment
Malcolm Skingle brings a passion for the quality of data informing university-industry relations to his clients. A seasoned executive with over thirty years of experience in pharmaceuticals bridging academic, industry, and government entities, Malcolm has a proven track record in successfully building the relationships that influence key decisions and deliver meaningful public-private collaborations.
Malcolm most recently served as a director and global academic liaison for GlaxoSmithKline. In this role, he negotiated and managed all academic collaborations for the company, engaging funders, universities, and government officials at the most senior levels. Malcolm began his career as a neuropharmacology researcher and has published over 70 scientific articles in his field.
Based in England, Malcolm received a Ph.D. in Neuropharmacology from the Council for National Academic Awards and a B.Sc. in Pharmacology from North East London Polytechnic, now the University of East London.
Jeffrey Southerton
- U-I Strategy
- Structuring to Support U-I Relationships
- Contracting and Intellectual Property Strategy
- Policies/Procedures to Maximize Engagement
- Developing and Managing Partnerships
- Industry Metrics for Success
- Financial Return on Investment
Jeffrey Southerton is a dedicated business development consultant who brings scientific knowledge and extensive understanding of the biopharmaceutical industry to his clients. His skill in creating and managing collaborations, as well as in-licensing and out-licensing assets at all stages of development, is a true asset for academic medical centers and companies in the field.
Jeff’s 30-year career at Pfizer spanned both the United Kingdom and the United States, where he most recently served as Lead, Medical Partnerships. In this role, he identified assets with the potential to be developed as new therapeutics for underserved patients and sought to advance them through creative partnerships.
Based in California, Jeff received a Ph.D. and B.S. in pharmacology from the University of Manchester, UK, and an M.B.A. from The Open University, UK.
Shoba Subramanian
- U-I Partnerships
- Engagement tactics
- Stakeholder needs alignment
- Success metrics development
- Relationship sustainability
- Outcomes measurement for both parties
Specializations
- STEM research funding (gift and sponsored)
- Curriculum and education partnerships
- Workforce development initiatives
Shoba Subramanian brings extensive leadership experience spanning academic-industry partnerships, education, workforce development, and STEM research to UI-Collab. She is recognized for designing strategic partnerships that bridge institutional priorities with workforce demands, grounded in her deep expertise in academic leadership, curriculum design, teaching, and advising. Her track record includes leading multi-million-dollar initiatives that accelerate research collaborations, strengthen talent pipelines, and drive measurable outcomes.
Most recently, as Head of University Partnerships for Amazon Fulfillment Technologies & Robotics, she directed global academic engagement, developed initiatives connecting advanced STEM research to industry applications, and built scalable workforce and education programs. Previously, as Director of Curriculum and Educational Initiatives and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Michigan Medical School, she launched and scaled multiple career development programs. Earlier, as Assistant Department Head and Assistant Teaching Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, she helped establish a new undergraduate degree program and led curriculum transformations across undergraduate and graduate training.
Based in Michigan, Dr. Subramanian holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Carnegie Mellon University and completed postdoctoral training at Carnegie Mellon and the University of California, San Francisco.
Cynthia Sweet
- Program & initiative launch
- Partnership architecture
- Strategic business development
- Stakeholder engagement
- Executive facilitation & advisory
Cynthia Sweet is a university-industry partnership strategist with more than 25 years of experience designing the cross-sector collaborations that fuel national innovation, regional competitiveness, and institutional growth.
Her career includes executive leadership roles at the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University, and nearly a decade at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In those roles, she built and transformed corporate and government partnership programs, growing and integrating them into broader institutional strategy, securing competitive federal funding, and growing industry-sponsored research. Earlier in her career, she worked in private sector business development selling professional services to federal, state, local, and Tribal government clients, led municipal economic development, and served a regional chamber of commerce.
A connector and builder by instinct, Cynthia is most at home turning complex challenges into clear, collaborative solutions. She holds an M.S. in Urban and Regional Planning from UW-Madison and a Certified Economic Development Finance Professional credential.
Joanne Tornow
- Innovation Ecosystem Assessment and Development
- Federal Incentives
- Intellectual Property
- Change Management
- University-Industry Partnership Management
- Centers of Excellence
Joanne Tornow brings extensive experience in leading the way for the scientific community to connect with industry through government programs. With over two decades of experience at the National Science Foundation (NSF), Joanne’s depth of understanding of the ways in which the federal government supports university-industry collaboration is an invaluable asset for her clients.
Joanne most recently served as the Assistant Director for the Biological Sciences at NSF, where she provided leadership for the Biological Sciences Directorate. In that capacity, she co-led a landscape study that informed NSF’s strategy for enhancing partnerships, and actively collaborated in the establishment of the Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) Directorate. Prior to leading the BIO directorate, Joanne served in a variety of roles with NSF where she brokered university partnerships. Earlier in her career, Joanne served as faculty at the University of Southern Mississippi and Portland State University.
Based in Virginia, Joanne received a Ph.D. in genetics from Yale University and a B.A. in biology from Rutgers University.
Allen Walker
- University-industry strategy
- Partnership development and management
- Federal agency partnership mechanisms — NSF, DARPA, DoD
- Partnership policy, process design, and governance
- Federal-state alignment and state innovation funding
- Philanthropic engagement in research
- Convening and stakeholder alignment
Allen Walker builds the infrastructure that partnerships run on. He served as senior advisor and chief of staff to the leadership of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) directorate, the foundation’s first new directorate in more than three decades. He then spent two years in NSF’s Strategic Partnership Hub, where he authored the agency’s partnership doctrine, rewrote the partnerships chapter of the NSF Proposal and Award Manual, modernized its agreement templates, and re-engineered the approval process to reduce final clearance from 45 days to 10.
Allen co-led NSF’s Quantum Industry Convening, its inaugural Philanthropic Summit, and a federal-state science convening spanning more than 18 states. Earlier, as Special Assistant to the Director of DARPA, he brokered the transition of over $300 million in technology to the U.S. Army and negotiated $65 million in resource-sharing agreements.
Based in Arlington, Virginia, Allen holds a B.A. in computer science from Drew University and an M.S. in operations from Air University. Retired U.S. Army colonel.
j. Stewart Witzeman
U-I Strategy
- Structuring to Support U-I Relationships
- Contracting and Intellectual Property Strategy
- Policies/Procedures to Maximize Engagement
- Partnership Governance
- Developing and Managing Partnerships
- Industry Metrics for Success
- Financial Return on Investment
Stewart Witzeman is an experienced consultant who brings broad experience in the field of innovation as well as a deep knowledge of the chemical industry to his clients. He has demonstrated success with clients in sectors including chemicals, materials, biomaterials, biotech, nutraceuticals, and higher education.
Stewart has three decades of experience in leading research and development groups with Eastman Chemical Company. He most recently served as Director, Eastman Innovation Center on the Centennial Campus of North Carolina State University, where he had responsibility for overseeing all of Eastman’s strategic university partnerships.
Based in North Carolina, Stewart received a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of California at Santa Barbara and a B.S. in Chemistry and Environmental Science from Northern Arizona University. Prior to starting his industrial career, he was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Chicago
Executive Search
Mindy Cohen
Mindy brings deep executive search expertise to her clients through her role as President of Higher Talent Inc., a retained search firm focused on identifying and recruiting senior leaders for higher education, research, and innovation-focused organizations. She is known for a thoughtful, client-centered approach to leadership recruitment, helping institutions secure talent that advances strategic priorities and organizational effectiveness.
In collaboration with UI Collab, Mindy supports recruitment efforts in innovation leadership, technology transfer, commercialization, sponsored research, corporate engagement, and related functions that strengthen research translation and university-industry partnerships. Her work complements UI Collab’s broader consulting and executive search services for organizations seeking to build capacity, strengthen leadership, and forge enduring external partnerships.
Program Administration
Lily Neal
Lily supports clients and consultants by managing and optimizing backend systems to ensure accurate, secure, and actionable information across all engagements. With a background spanning both the public service and corporate sectors, she brings expertise in team development, collaboration, and operational efficiency.
Lily holds a B.S degree in marketing and sales from Western Carolina University. She is also a dedicated military spouse and proud mom of twins.
Project Management
Tamara Hayman Henry
Tamara Hayman Henry brings her expertise as a certified project management professional, Lean and Six Sigma Blackbelt and engineer to her clients. She has more than 16 years of experience in varying disciplines including software and systems engineering, information technology, project management and process improvement.
Tamara is a special projects consultant for the parent company of UI Collab, UIDP, where she manages the initiative to aid members in growing their relationships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Tamara most recently served as a senior project manager for T. Rowe Price, where she led the effort to transition technology systems. She also previously served as a project manager for Leidos as well as Lockheed Martin.
Based in Maryland, Tamara earned an M.S. in technical management from Johns Hopkins University and a B.S. in computer science from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.